Thunder Just One Win Away From an NBA Finals Appearance. Plus, Can the Knicks Reclaim Home Court? | Real Ones

Summary

Podcast Summary: The Ringer NBA Show – "Thunder Just One Win Away From an NBA Finals Appearance. Plus, Can the Knicks Reclaim Home Court? | Real Ones"

Release Date: May 27, 2025
Host/Guests: Logan Murdock, Raja Bell, Howard Beck, Cliff Augustine
Platform: The Ringer NBA Show, Real Ones segment

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1. Introduction

In this episode of The Ringer NBA Show, the Real Ones squad—including Logan Murdock, Raja Bell, Howard Beck, and guest Cliff Augustine—delve deep into the ongoing NBA playoffs. The primary focus centers on the Oklahoma City Thunder's near-final berth against the Minnesota Timberwolves and an analysis of the New York Knicks' potential to regain dominance at home against the Indiana Pacers.

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2. Oklahoma City Thunder vs. Minnesota Timberwolves Series Analysis

a. Dominance of OKC

The discussion kicks off with a comprehensive analysis of the Thunder's commanding lead in the series against the Timberwolves. Raja Bell highlights, "OKC had such control over the game, always having an answer to Minnesota's runs through Shed Holmgren's putbacks and J Dub's clutch shots" ([04:43]).

b. J "J Dub" Westbrook's Impact

Logan Murdock emphasizes J Dub's pivotal role, stating, "If I haven't made it clear on the pod, J Dub is my favorite player in the league, and he was hitting big shots tonight" ([06:05]). Despite his shooting inefficiency (13 of 30 from the field), J Dub's presence keeps OKC competitive.

c. Giannis Antetokounmpo's Performance and Growth

Howard Beck critiques Antetokounmpo's game, noting his lack of aggressiveness and reliance on mid-range shooting: "Ant needs more variance in his offensive game. He should incorporate more mid-range and second-level scoring to complement his three-point attempts" ([14:35]).

Raja Bell concurs, adding, "Ant was forced to rely heavily on three-pointers this season, perhaps influenced by Steph Curry's shooting style. He needs to integrate more natural mid-range plays rather than forcing shots" ([18:29]).

d. Defensive Strategies

The hosts examine Minnesota's defensive tactics, particularly their approach to limiting J Dub. Howard Beck remarks, "Minnesota isn't blitzing Shay as aggressively because J Dub's supporting cast requires them to balance their defense carefully" ([26:11]).

They further dissect how different defensive schemes, such as zone defenses, impact player performance and series outcomes.

e. Notable Quotes

• Logan Murdock: "J Dub is my favorite player in the league." ([06:05])
• Howard Beck: "Ant needs to add more variance to his offensive game to compete against elite defenses." ([14:35])
• Raja Bell: "Ant was forced to rely heavily on three-pointers, influenced by Steph Curry's style. He needs a more natural mid-range game." ([18:29])

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3. New York Knicks vs. Indiana Pacers Series Discussion

a. Carl Anthony Towns' Stellar Performance

The conversation shifts to the Knicks' performance, spotlighting Carl Anthony Towns' exceptional fourth-quarter display: "Carl dropped 20 points in the fourth quarter, showcasing his dominance and leadership on the floor" ([45:40]).

b. Role Players Making an Impact

Raja Bell praises role players like OG Anunoby and Josh Hart for stepping up their game. Howard Beck highlights McBride's contributions: "McBride was instrumental in the first half, sacrificing personal stats for team success" ([49:42]).

c. Series Balance and Future Outlook

Despite the Knicks trailing 2-1, the hosts express optimism about the series' unpredictability. Raja Bell mentions, "The Knicks are still evenly matched with the Pacers, and this series could go either way, potentially extending to a seven-game thriller" ([54:17]).

d. Notable Quotes

• Raja Bell: "Carl Towns was brilliant, dropping 20 points in the fourth quarter." ([45:40])
• Howard Beck: "McBride sacrificed personal stats for the team's betterment, demonstrating true team spirit." ([49:42])
• Raja Bell: "This series is unpredictable and could extend to seven games." ([54:17])

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4. Physicality and Foul Discussions

a. The Role of Physical Play in the Series

Raja Bell raises concerns about the increasing physicality in the Thunder-Timberwolves series: "The referees are allowing a lot of contact, making it a gritty and intense matchup." ([30:35]).

Howard Beck responds by appreciating the physical nature of the games, stating, "Basketball is a contact sport, and the current level of physicality adds a crucial component to determining the better team." ([31:24]).

b. Foul Baiting Allegations Against Julius Randle

The hosts discuss recent allegations of Julius Randle being a "foul merchant," with Raja expressing frustration: "These foul calls are trying to nullify Julius's impact, but it's just the nature of professional scoring." ([32:25]).

Howard Beck counters, emphasizing that while some calls may seem questionable, they are part of the professional game: "Free throw attempts are a legitimate tool to supplement scoring, not necessarily foul baiting." ([36:04]).

c. Notable Quotes

• Raja Bell: "The referees are allowing a lot of contact, making it a gritty and intense matchup." ([30:35])
• Howard Beck: "Basketball is a contact sport, and this physicality helps determine the better team." ([31:24])
• Raja Bell: "These foul calls are trying to nullify Julius's impact, but it's just the nature of professional scoring." ([32:25])

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5. Audience Interaction and Personal Anecdotes

The episode takes a lighter turn with personal stories and interactions among the hosts. Raja Bell shares a memorable game from February 15, 2005, highlighting his own performance and free throw record: "On February 15, 2005, I finished with 16 points and 15 of 19 free throws, which was way out of character for me." ([43:17]).

Cliff Augustine and Howard Beck engage in playful banter about being "aggregated" by fans and discuss the challenges of balancing personal life with professional commitments.

a. Apology Tours and Player Media Interactions

The hosts critique what they perceive as Paul George's "apology tour" through his podcast, expressing frustration with his approach to addressing past performances: "Paul's apology tour on his podcast feels insincere and more like he's trying to regain favor rather than genuinely addressing past shortcomings." ([57:45]).

Howard Beck defends player interactions with media, noting the importance of transparency: "When players address their performance openly, it fosters a better relationship with fans, even if the reactions vary." ([62:09]).

b. Notable Quotes

• Raja Bell: "On February 15, 2005, I finished with 16 points and 15 of 19 free throws, which was way out of character for me." ([43:17])
• Cliff Augustine: "Paul's apology tour on his podcast feels insincere and more like he's trying to regain favor." ([57:45])
• Howard Beck: "When players address their performance openly, it fosters a better relationship with fans." ([62:09])

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6. Conclusion and Final Thoughts

As the episode wraps up, the hosts reflect on the unpredictability of the playoffs and the importance of team dynamics. They emphasize the need for players to adapt and improve based on their performances, both offensively and defensively.

Logan Murdock concludes with anticipatory remarks about forthcoming playoff games, promising continued in-depth analysis and lively discussions in future episodes.

a. Final Quotes

• Howard Beck: "The key to success lies in adapting and finding the right balance between individual performance and team dynamics." ([55:23])
• Raja Bell: "The playoffs are unpredictable, and that's what makes them so exciting. We're just getting started." ([55:05])

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Key Takeaways

• Oklahoma City Thunder's Strategy: OKC's control over the series is attributed to their ability to consistently respond to Minnesota's offensive strategies, particularly through players like J Dub and Shed Holmgren.

• Giannis Antetokounmpo's Growth: While Ant remains a dominant force, there's consensus among the hosts that he needs to diversify his offensive game to maintain effectiveness against elite defenses.

• New York Knicks' Resilience: Despite trailing in their series, the Knicks demonstrate strong performances from both starters and role players, keeping their championship hopes alive.

• Physicality in Playoffs: The increased physicality in playoff games adds a layer of complexity to the series, influencing strategies and player performances.

• Player-Fan Dynamics: The episode underscores the delicate balance players must maintain in addressing fan expectations and media narratives, highlighting the challenges of public perception during high-stakes competitions.

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Notable Quotes with Timestamps

• Raja Bell [06:05]: "OKC had such control over the game, always having an answer to Minnesota's runs through Shed Holmgren's putbacks and J Dub's clutch shots."

• Howard Beck [14:35]: "Ant needs to add more variance to his offensive game to compete against elite defenses."

• Raja Bell [18:29]: "Ant was forced to rely heavily on three-pointers this season, perhaps influenced by Steph Curry's shooting style. He needs to integrate more natural mid-range plays rather than forcing shots."

• Logan Murdock [06:05]: "J Dub is my favorite player in the league."

• Howard Beck [31:24]: "Basketball is a contact sport, and this physicality helps determine the better team."

• Raja Bell [32:25]: "These foul calls are trying to nullify Julius's impact, but it's just the nature of professional scoring."

• Raja Bell [57:45]: "Paul's apology tour on his podcast feels insincere and more like he's trying to regain favor."

• Howard Beck [62:09]: "When players address their performance openly, it fosters a better relationship with fans."

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This episode offers a nuanced exploration of current NBA playoff series, player performances, and the intricate balance between individual excellence and team cohesion. By blending in-depth analysis with personal anecdotes, the Real Ones provide listeners with a rich and engaging perspective on the thrilling landscape of the NBA playoffs.

Transcript

[Logan Murdoch]

You're listening to the Ringer NBA show presented by FanDuel, America's number one sportsbook has made it easier than ever to get in on the action during an NBA playoff game, even after tip off. Just look for the live SGP tab on the FanDuel Sportsbook app and build your bet slip. Then sit back, relax and track the outcome of your parlay right in the app. If you don't already have it, download the FanDuel app today to make every moment more the Ringer is committed to responsible gaming. Please visit rg-help.com to learn more about the resources and help lines available and listen to the end of the episode for additional details. Must be 21 plus and present in select states. Gambling problem. Call 1-800- GAMBLER or visit rg-help.com.

[Raja Bell]

What'S poppin real ones. Logan Murdoch here, Roger Bell there, Howard Beck. Later this week I asked Roger if he was ready to pod and he gave me a look like I'm recording. What the is wrong with you? Like, you gave me like a really cold look. Dude, are you okay?

[Howard Beck]

I'm good. I don't like people asking me dumb though.

[Raja Bell]

You know, like just generally speaking, you don't like what we ask you if you're good, if you late. You don't like us calling you.

[Howard Beck]

Like, you weren't asking. Let's be, let's be clear. Let's just to clarify, you weren't asking if I was good. Like, how are you doing today, man? Like you having any feelings that you need to talk through with anybody. You weren't asking me that. You were asking me if I was recording. To which I would say again, I don't like people asking me dumb shit.

[Raja Bell]

Yo, we're recording this at 911 Pacific Time in the morning. And the reason why we're doing this is because for five minutes we just had Philly talk. I promise we're going to talk about okc, Shay versus Ant, Nick's cat, all these things. But first off, we made a revelation. We found out some good news on real ones. Pre pod meetings, the TGI Fridays on City Ave. In Philadelphia still open. Ladies and gentlemen, the famous TGI Fridays made Let me just, let me just quarterback this thing real quickly before the pod. About maybe 30 minutes before the pod, Cliff sends me and Victoria. Also shout out to Victoria on the boards. Cliff or Victoria on the video. Cliff on the board. So Cliff sends us a on Instagram. This like Philly like legends Instagram and it's Valen Iverson and it's talking about, like, how I used to be shooting dice on the. On the. On the corner. Used to be at the tv. TGI Fridays. And among other things was the thing that I gravitated towards was the CGI Fridays on City Line. I don't know what CityLine is, so I had to just Google that. And turns out this. TGI Fridays is still in business, and I was really, really happy about this. What is your favorite TGI Friday moment that you can share, Raja?

[Howard Beck]

Me? No, no, no. I was not any after.

[Raja Bell]

You were. You weren't invited to the TGI Friday parties?

[Howard Beck]

I wasn't a regular at TGI Fridays.

[Raja Bell]

The Iverson TGI Friday partner.

[Howard Beck]

I can't. Can't say that I was. I mean, I may have been at one or two, but, like, that was not my regular stop after a game.

[Raja Bell]

Okay. You didn't go after practice. You said it was across the street from the practice. You didn't go after practice?

[Howard Beck]

Yeah, no, I lived in the other direction. I lived down towards St. Joe's okay, so like, you know, after practice. Yeah, I'd be out the other way. No disrespect to Fridays. I like a Fridays, and I've been in that Fridays many a time with my uncle and. And my family. But, like, I wasn't a regular with Chuck and his crew at the Fridays.

[Raja Bell]

Okay. Cliff put his own camera on. He put his own bubble on. He didn't even get something. He has something to say it to you, apparently.

[Cliff Augustine]

I'm sorry. Yo, the way that Rogers tried to pull that off is like, yeah, St. Joe's is a little bit further, bro. St. Joe's is five minutes from that.

[Raja Bell]

Damn.

[Howard Beck]

No, but I said it's the other way. It's the other way.

[Cliff Augustine]

It is the other. Yo, Raj. It is the other way, but is St. Joe's is legitimate. Five minutes down city line. You can't be doing all that like, it's like some far out west Philly somewhere down there. St. Joe's is right.

[Howard Beck]

I wasn't trying to say we were going deep into Overbrook or anything like that. I was simply saying when I left PCOM at the light at City Ave, I make a right to go to Fridays or I make that left and I hit the shop right on the right hand side. Get me a little something for lunch. And then I'm straight to the executive house, which is like. So I wasn't making the right, I was making the left.

[Raja Bell]

This real Philly talk here.

[Cliff Augustine]

But Logan, did he make that seem like it Was like some far planet.

[Raja Bell]

Seemed like TJ Friday was beneath him. He was like, maybe I'll go. What?

[Cliff Augustine]

You know what I mean?

[Raja Bell]

Yeah, bro, you over here acting like you forgot about us. You forgot about us.

[Howard Beck]

That's what y' all came on here. Y' all had a prepod meeting. Y' all was just gonna with me today. That's what.

[Raja Bell]

That's what you get for being a. A whole minute late. Okay. All right. Let's, let's, let's. Let's. Let's gather ourselves.

[Howard Beck]

I will say this. I will say this. My first department. Maybe this is why I didn't go to. To Fridays a whole lot. Because my first apartment upon, you know, arrival in Philly for that second year was a nice little, like, apartment complex tucked back behind the TGI Fridays. And yeah, I was robbed very quickly in there on a road trip, so there wasn't a whole lot that I wanted to do over in that area.

[Raja Bell]

You're a little triggered down in St. Joe's yeah, you're a little triggered when you go to TJ Fridays. You like smoking for Friday. You over here sweat like a pigeon.

[Howard Beck]

Just sweating like a slave. And it's in the pigeon. Cool.

[Raja Bell]

Oh, man. There's no transition for this, so we're just going to go right into it. Minnesota, Oklahoma City Thunder OKC takes a commanding series lead. I thought the biggest. The biggest takeaway that I got from this game, Raja, was just how much control OKC had on this game. And it's really hard in postseason settings to have control of a game and control the pace of the game, but also have control of the game in the sense that whenever Minnesota made a run, OKC had an answer. Whether it was Shed Holmgren put back dunks or whether it was J Dub who was my favorite player in the league. I think that I have made that clear. If I haven't made it clear on the pod, I've made it clear to everyone that I see in an arena that J Dub is my favorite player in the league. And he was hitting big shots. Shay was great. And people will see a stat line 13 of 30 from the field. Geez. He wasn't having a good game. No, he took control of the game. And I juxtaposed that Raj and we talked about this in la, I believe it was last episode, about ants ability to control a game and how that could help or hurt the Minnesota Timberwolves. And I felt like, even though I think it is post game, he said that he made all the right plays. I Just didn't see the aggressiveness that I would like to see and also the calmness that I would like to see from a big time player. And also Julius Randle, My goodness, my goodness.

[Howard Beck]

Yeah, it's.

[Raja Bell]

It's a tough series for him. He, he, he both, he's both beaten the allegations in the postseason and also succumbed to the allegations of the postseason. It's kind of a. I don't know what it is with Julius Randle, but The series is 3:1 and it very much seems like OKC has really hit its stride in this postseason right now.

[Howard Beck]

Well, let me just. I mean, I, I would agree with that. 13 for 30. Like, that's not a bad game for a 40 ball with 10 and 9. Like pretty.

[Raja Bell]

So it was a pretty good game. The thing is what I would like pretty good. No, but my thing is this, though, from, like I'm saying, it is a great game, but juxtapose that with what Ant did in terms of aggressiveness. I was really disappointed in Ant with that, right? With the season on the line, which you want to see is you want to go down shooting. And I feel like Shay understood the assignment. He was going to get up 30 shots no matter what.

[Howard Beck]

So they're layers. They're layers to this, right? Like there is, because I was, you know, I watching it in real time and then I watched it again and look, we spoke on, I think it was the last pod about, or maybe it was two pods ago, about how Ant, if he wanted to score more efficiently, needed to get behind the, the, the first wave of defense and so on and so forth. And then, you know, towards the end of that, I said the only other thing you could really do offensively if your Ant, with the way OKC is playing you is just distribute the hell out of the ball and hope that others are, are making shots in a way that could, could win a game for you if you were just the primary shifter of defense. Like every. Everything you're trying to do offensively is to get the defense to kind of like shift or rotate to where two people have to be responsible for one and then the ball starts moving, right? That's typically how it works. Unless they're just going to really just stay at home and then it's kind of one on one, right? Ant did that last night. Ant said, look, they're doubling me almost every time I put it on the floor. Anytime they give me a real look with Dort and I go to get somewhere, here comes the bodies. And he was kicking around and Kudos to his teammates who were Cash like, they were.

[Raja Bell]

They were on Shinso all night. Goodness.

[Howard Beck]

Nikhil Alexander Walker, like, dudes were. You know, the only one that didn't really support him was.

[Raja Bell]

Was.

[Howard Beck]

Was Julius Randle. Here's. Here's what I would say. So I heard his post game where he said, I didn't feel like I had a. An off game or a bad game. I just didn't shoot enough. What I thought Shay did a much better job of. And some of this is the defense, like Minnesota's not choosing to double him in that way. Although, you know, they were early flooding to him when he was on the strong side of the floor. He stayed patient early because J. Will was really carrying him really early in that game, right? Shay had. Shea hadn't really got it going yet. Like, I hear everybody saying that Shea came out and he was on his shit from the jump. He really wasn't. He was just kind of letting the game.

[Raja Bell]

That's why there's a 13 of 30, not a 13 of like 23 or something like that. Because he had to.

[Howard Beck]

No, but he wasn't. He wasn't even forcing it, though. He was letting. He was just distributing early. And Jay Will, like, if my memory serves me correctly, and this was first quarter, but Jay Will was making the first four or five shots of the game, right? And then what Shay did better than Ant was just not succumb to, oh, they're trying to take me away, and I'm only going to be a facilitator. Shay just kept checking his offense, right? Sporadically, boop, boop. Until he hit one. You hit one and you're like, okay, here's. Here's a little wrinkle. Like now. Now he's cooking. And what Ant. Ant didn't. Ant didn't stay present as an offensive bucket in the way that he needed to.

[Raja Bell]

He kind of gave up that. You know, that. That's what I. That's what I'm mad at. He kind of gave up that part of his offensive repertoire, right? He was just like, okay, they're doubling me. I'm gonna just kick it and make the right basketball play.

[Howard Beck]

Yeah, well, first of all, I mean, some of that has to do with. I mean, Lou Dort is. Is phenomenal when he's. When he's on him, there's no breathing room coming off any of those screens. And the few times that he did have breathing room, you know, Ant made a play, right? But, like, Lou Dort is connected. The. The screeners, man. The Defender that's guarding the screener is. Is up and corralling the hell out of him, they're just throwing a lot of bodies at him. And even when you got Cason on him and other people, like, they did a really good job on him, what, what he doesn't have yet that Shay has is the ability to put somebody on his hip. Like that is an equalizer. Sometimes, like Ant wants to play facing you off of that live dribble. And again, you're in a lot of those instances, he's up high on the court. Do you know, listen, we'll just geek out for a second. Do you know what I'd like? If you're. If you're playing a basketball game and you got a primary scorer and they're running his own, do you know where you do not want that guy to be?

[Raja Bell]

On the wings, on the wing side.

[Howard Beck]

Top of the key.

[Raja Bell]

Oh, I thought that was. I thought, I thought that was. I thought, oh, that's man to man, huh? You don't. Man to man if you're trying to double the. The worst part to be is in the middle of the correct, right?

[Howard Beck]

If you're going to double him, like, it's hard to double if he's in the middle, right?

[Raja Bell]

But.

[Howard Beck]

But against a zone, like, you don't want that guy, your best player all the time, to be at the top of the key. Now you start him at the top of the key and then you run him through so he's getting to the wing or the baseline, that's fine. But the reason you don't want him at the top of the key is because all eyes have their butts to the baseline and they're looking at him. So that's. Everyone is in a natural support position to help against the dude with the ball. You're theoretically your best player. That's where they have Ant almost all the time. And so if a team is dedicated to, like, stacking, you know, the lanes and choking off your angles to the basket, or doubling you soft, doubling you off a pick and roll, it's going to be tough sledding if he's always there. They. Minnesota did some stuff late in the game that I like. They got him off the ball and they started running him off of screens. And the few times they ran him off of screens, he got right downhill, he got right downhill and on top of the basket, and you just got to move him around and you got to help him out because he is developing into the offensive player that Shai is. Shea's got some years on him. Shay's got some experience on him. Shay is a little bit more polished in terms of you throw this at me. I can do. I have these answers to the test. Doesn't mean Ant won't get there. But like last night, he let them take him out of that game and he was brilliant in terms of spraying it around. But they, they needed and they should. They had a chance to win. But like you need him that to point produce a little bit more than that.

[Raja Bell]

They had a chance to win. I don't, I. There was never a moment during the game where I was like, that goes back to the control thing of okc, but there was never a moment in a game where I was like, Minnesota is taking this, right? Because OKC had an answer for every single thing that they did. What do you think that Ant say, your Ant's trainer, What do you, what are you focusing on this, this off season? What do you, what do you want him to look, look through? Because I mean he's a brilliant, brilliant player. But I think these are the learning lessons that you get throughout the postseason where, right when, when great elite defenses are keying on you. What do you want to see him mature in offensively this summer?

[Howard Beck]

Well, I've, I've said this before and I don't know if this was analytically driven by their team or his trainers or if this is just who he is as a player, but I, if I'm, if my memory serves me correctly, again, Ant used to play more in the mid range space than he is currently playing. When I watch him play now, it feels like if you don't give him the three, he's got to get all the way to the basket. And I'll just say this again, doesn't mean that won't work through the course of an entire season and you can't be really good at doing that. But when you come up against the best defenses, the best perimeter defenders, the nutcrunch time in the playoffs, there needs to be a little bit more variance to his offensive game. There needs to be more second level scoring for me, whether that is with. With out a dribble and I'm just giving you a nice catch on an elbow or around the free throw line if I'm afraid of them doubling. And you can play a la Dirk like where you have, you know, clear vision both ways, they can't w. Paul Pierce used to do that a lot or it's more mellow and KD where that's on the side of the floor and we're just going to let you cook there or, you know, have the offense and he would need help with this from Minnesota. Not always have to have him on the ball and initiating with pick and roll. Do what I said. They did, like fractionally and very sparsely last night, which was like, run him off of some stuff a la Reggie Miller, Rip Hamilton. Like, you know, we don't run Stephen Curry in today's day and age. Like, move him a little bit more if he doesn't want to do the. The Shay where I'll just bring you down and put you on a hip and then kind of go to work. Brunson does that very well. Then help him find some, some variance in, in his scoring repertoire so that he can be three levels more than he is right now. Right now he's two levels and I think that's by design, but I don't agree with it in, in playoffs all the time.

[Raja Bell]

It's funny you said that you brought up Steph Curry's name because I think Steph is one of the singular returns reasons why he shoots so many threes and like his game is switched up as much as it has because I think there was a warp sense of. Like we talked about this at the beginning of the season. I think there was a warp sense of for ants. Oh, I'm around these guys. I shot a lot of threes over the summer with Team usa. I'm gonna just go chuck up threes because, you know Steph's steps right there and that's the influence. But I think what he, you know, I think what he failed to realize, and I'm not mad at it because at this stage of your career, of superstardom, you're just trying to test the limits of what your game is right now. You're trying to see what you can do at every level. He's not as refined, so I'm not mad at it, but I think that he got a warp sense of how to get your threes. I think he was forcing a lot of threes this, this, this season. They were going in because he's a great shooter, but I don't think there was a lot of times where you're like, you're not doing this within the flow of the game. You're forcing a lot of stuff. And me and Cliff were talking about this over the weekend, bro, Just get to your mid range, you know, it can't. It doesn't have to be you go to the cup or you hit threes like, like you Said this a couple pods ago. You make it easier when there's two levels. Like if I know that's your only anecdote to a three point attempt is you're going to go to the cup. My ass is either at the painted area or it's above the three point line or something in those. Paraphrasing. Right? But I think that he needs to, like you said, needs to just figure that out and just figure out he could shoot the three just when the timing of it is there. And I think that that's going to be fine. I think he's going to figure that out. But I think you see, and why, like it was the way he shot threes early in the season throughout that, that kind of annoyed the modern observer. So.

[Howard Beck]

Yeah, well, well, look, he will be fine. Like, so I, you know, we're, we're doing a little, a mini deep dive into, into, you know, his, his, his offensive game and what was lacking last night. But look, this is, to some degree, this is natural progression. We talk about this all the time in, in a, in a star, in a superstar, in a player in general. Right? Like, you're going to go through these things and you're going to learn from them. Hopefully you'll go back to the drawing board and the next time we see you, you'll have an answer to that. I do think that, you know, if you watch the game closely, you could also make an argument that, that Shea plays from the top a lot. Right? Well, the difference is, for whatever reason, Minnesota was not throwing as many bodies at Shea all night long as, as OKC was throwing at Anthony. They threw them early like there was a play. I remember Shay had it on maybe the left block. He was backing his man down. There were three dudes flooded, right? And Richard Jefferson even said it. I think after Shea split through three people and laid it up like, bro, if you're going to have three people there, he can't get all the way to the rim. But, but he did. So you have to give a lot of credit to OKC and the bodies that he saw. But I want to go back to Shay, right? And you asked me what does Ant need to work on. Shay had, does a great job of, even though their body's there, being really patient. He's got like a herky jerky kind of like, like move. He, he, he makes that little like, I was trying to show my son Ty the move where he kind of like, he kind of like steps back off that right foot. The ball's in his left pocket. And. And that step, what that step back does is just gives you time to read. Right? We're talking space now.

[Raja Bell]

If you, like, you're just like. You're going into a double Dutch.

[Howard Beck]

Yeah. But, like. So I'm going to. I'm going to, like, kind of step back on you and create, I don't know, two, two to three feet of space by. By me stepping away from you. What are you going to do now? If you stay back, then that's enough space for me to shoot that jump shot. Right. He's also got a wicked hesi off of that. But if you close that space now, your force is moving this way and my force is moving that way, and I'm already faster than you, so you're dead. So that gives him, like, an answer to being out there. And. And what he does when he gets in the pain is he plays off a two a lot. And by. By that, I mean he gets to two feet, so he's got a lot available to him. Ant used to do this, like, Ant used to get in the paint, have his fade, have his spin fade. It wasn't there. He stepped through that, wasn't there. He'd get back to the spin fade. Like, Shay does that really well. And what Ant has done with the getting all the way to the rim is everything is kind of in the air off of one foot. You saw him last night in there, like, flying at the rim.

[Raja Bell]

There was one where he could have done. It was actually a brilliant. But he could have dunked that shit and just like.

[Howard Beck]

Yeah, but, but. So I would add to. Is maybe playing off a two a little bit more. And that would go hand in hand with, like, getting to that second level, scoring when you have to. If the three is going in. Logan, look, I'm not an old curmudgeon. If you're. If you're shooting and making enough threes to win games, do it. But, like, you become more predictable when. When that's. When that's what you're doing. Especially when they're not running. Steph does it because they run all kind of shit that gets him open. Threes. Yeah, it's not just handling the ball and casting up threes. That's what they're doing with. With Ant.

[Raja Bell]

Absolutely. That's. That was the point I was trying to make. Right. Where the three is the threat. Steph Curry's three is the threat. It helps him do a lot of different things. Like he's always faking the three or trying to use the Three to keep you on edge. But like he's, he's also got a mid range game that they don't, that, that doesn't get publicized. Right. He also can get to the cup. He also can do a little do. Do some shit in the paint, do a little fade away. It's not the up and under moves that you're saying, right? It's the total bag and Ant has the total bag it. That's why I say like he's settling because he's not using the three pointer as a threat. He's forced to the three pointer instead.

[Howard Beck]

Okay, but it's more nuanced, you know what I'm saying? Because I do. But I think to some degree, if you will, what you're missing in that is like, it's a threat for Steph because he shoots it so well and because of how they keep him moving to get them, the action that sets up his three is, is, is a very reflexive action. So like, you know, you do this and you make that wrong read and Steph's popping for a three and, and because he's such a good shooter, people are closing out to him like just trying to run him off of that three. So, so now you've got a live dribble where you can shoot the head fake and use the threat to get by your man. Ant doesn't have that luxury because everything is off the bounce. Like, look, look. Yeah, let me, let me do this right now. I'm gonna do this right now. Like, I got a young son that plays like Ty. People have heard me talk about him before, right? And he plays in a program that, that it's a very good Under Armour program. But the guy who coaches him at the Under Armour level isn't his high school coach, right? And I kind of stay out of it. Like I just watch him play. But Ty's a pretty good scorer and they need Ty to score. This coach has kind of intimated that Ty's so good at scoring that he doesn't run anything for him. He'll just let him go get buckets. To which. To which they got beat the last time they played. They had a good team from Cali. They, they did what they did to Ant. They, they bodied him over every screen. They threw three bodies at him every time he DRI drive the ball, all of that. And, and what I said to his coach who asked me the question, I said, hey man, that's fine. Like he's going to beat a lot of teams doing that. Like, you just Rolling it out and telling him to go get 20, it's fine. I was like. But when you see those teams that are going to stack a defense that know all of his tendencies to do all of that, then you got to help him by running some actions that get him a touch with a live dribble so he can now use his ball fake to. To get by people. You know what I'm saying? Or like, those are different touches than ants getting. And I. The only reason I'm.

[Raja Bell]

I'm.

[Howard Beck]

I'm really dialed in is because it just happened a couple weeks ago, which is like, look, if your only option to shoot a three is having to like wiggle your man and. And come, you know, and shoot a three off the bounce or come off of pick and roll, which they can take away by sending by. By just staying with you as a secondary defender, like, you're not going to get many of those.

[Raja Bell]

Yeah, what. Staying on that really quickly. But I want to talk about the defensive. You said something earlier about the differences in how each defense is between the Timberwolves and the Thunder are attacking each of the stars. Right? And you talked about how the Thunder are blitzing the Timberwolves, but the Timberwolves aren't necessarily blitzing Shay. Right. And how much of that is a personnel issue, Right, because maybe they're also scared of J Dub, like. Cause there was a. There was a play. Me as Cliff fucking saw this. It was also a. Like just a bad defensive rotation. But it was towards the end when I think it was McDaniel about to. He. He. Shea had the ball at the center of the key and they're playing man to man. And J Dub was on the left wing, I believe, and McDaniel just runs towards Shea to double him and it fucking gives a wide open three point shot to McDaniels. And it was just. It was. It was a defensive lapse. But what I'm saying is, like, how much do you think that the Timberwolves are scared to blitz Shay because he has a better supporting cast, right? Love to Dante DiVincenzo. Love to Alexander Walker, Jada McDaniels, but they're still not. They're not J Dub and Chet Holmgren, you know what I mean? So, like, how much do you think that plays a part in. Into the def. The differences in defensive approaches in this series?

[Howard Beck]

Well, it definitely plays a part. Logan. Anytime you have real competent support, it lessens what someone can do to take you away because of the threat of them beating you. It is always going to boil down to, at least in large part, to what are you willing to live with? What do you want to say? Beat you? If it beat you? Do you want to say that, hey, the others beat me? Or do you want to look someone in the face and say, yeah, I let the fucking MVP beat me?

[Raja Bell]

Yeah.

[Howard Beck]

Now, I don't have the answer to that. Your answer might be, hey, man, we'll let him score 50 and we'll try to choke them out. And I've told you in the past that I've gotten multiple instances where we either employed that strategy or we. We or someone employed it against us and it bore fruit. Finding the balance of that again. Sorry, guys. I'm. This is geeky shit, man. This is really weeds. This is in the weeds of basketball. But, like, when Ant goes. Ant goes full speed.

[Raja Bell]

Yeah.

[Howard Beck]

There's very little probing. Once he decides he's not shooting the 3, he's on top of the rim. Right? Well, let's say we don't double you right away. Think about decision making. Do you make better decisions when you have more or less time?

[Raja Bell]

You have less time. Oh, do you have. You have big better decisions when you have more time?

[Howard Beck]

When you have more time. Right. So. So if Ant is going from A to B, and it's taking him 0.5 seconds, all right, and then all of a sudden, as he starts moving, boom, here's a double team. That's a small amount of time to make a decision and make a. And make a play and decide you want to still score. Whereas Shay is, like, probing a lot of the time, trying to work his way to the basket. So that same 0.5 seconds to get to the rim for Ant, Shay's doing it in two seconds, Right. That's four times the amount of time.

[Raja Bell]

Because he's so decisive.

[Howard Beck]

Yeah. But it's also just his style of play, right? So, like, when you're trying to send doubles at him, they don't really surprise him. He's still under control, and he's playing at a speed where now he can make the decision that kills you over and over again. Right. So, like, he's harder to double than Ant. I would. I would say, if I was devising a defense, I would say it's harder to double him, not just because he's got better supporting pieces, but because the. The style, the pace, and the. And the areas where he is at on the floor at times can make it harder for him to double. I would still say to you, Denver zoned them. That was their answer. To taking SGA away, right? Zone. Now you're going to tell me they had Jokic. And that's true too, like in whatever, but that was their effort to say, yo, this dude is not going to single handedly beat me. And they got him to what, seven games.

[Raja Bell]

Seven games. So zone with Jokic though, by the.

[Howard Beck]

Way, that's his own with Jokic, granted. Zone with Jokic. I'm not saying that you, you go out and you say, yo, I'm about to run a bunch of zone. I'm not saying that you come out and you say we're blitzing him every time he touches it. I'm not telling you that you come out and every pick and roll, which is a free hit, by the way, because they're just bringing a secondary defender up there. But I'm not telling you to do that. What I am telling you is throw some shit at the wall. What about a little boxing one from time to time? I'm not saying it's going to be like the answer, but maybe that throws them off with their rhythm a little bit. We're just talking. You lost by what, two points?

[Raja Bell]

Yeah.

[Howard Beck]

Any little break in the rhythm? If it's right, triangle, but triangle in two. You saw, you saw Golden State use that a few years ago against Toronto. Remember that? Like we were like, oh shit, look at that. Like you got to have some wrinkles to at least see if it throws them off of their spot. You can't let this man come out here and be 40 balling you with 10 and 9. You can't do that.

[Raja Bell]

Raja, don't ever apologize for geeking out like that. That was phenomenal, buddy.

[Howard Beck]

Yeah, thanks, man. I don't, I mean, I don't know if it's good, if it's good potting, but like it's real talk. Like that's.

[Raja Bell]

I enjoyed it. Yeah, they'll be all right. Okay, so at 6:21pm, as we're watching the game on the Real Ones group chat, I, I get a notification from Raja Bell. Mind you, Raja doesn't, Raja doesn't participate in the group chat unless it's like something pertinent. And so at 6:21pm on the, on the, in the group chat, we get a Raja Bell text. They're letting these mofos kill each other. Crying emoji. What do you think of the physicality of this series for?

[Howard Beck]

Again, I'm here for it. I mean, I, I like the physical brand of basketball. I enjoy watching it, but we're not going to come on here. And. And. And to some, I hope Howard's listening because, like, last part, I felt like he was really trying to argue, like, kind of lightweight, subtly, that, like, the whistle was the same. We can all agree that it's not the same, right? Well, we're watching the same.

[Raja Bell]

You know, he put on his. He put on his specs and said, you know, we got data. We got data.

[Howard Beck]

Data says we're watching the same, though, right? I'm not arguing that they don't blow, but they are letting those dudes, like, like, really get after each other physically. The amount of bodies that were, like, splain on the floor feels like the.

[Raja Bell]

League had a memo just like, oh, y' all was talking all these years about the lack of physicality. Don't trip. Bet it's all good. It's fine.

[Howard Beck]

They're like. And you know what? Like, I. I have always, you know, basketball is a contact sport now. You have to make contact legally. But if you do that, there is. There is contact that is appropriate and should be, you know, in. In. In the game. And to the degree that they legislated some of it out, I disagreed with. But I like the style of play. I like the way the refs are handling it. I don't think it is. It has reached a point of boiling over at any real time that I. That I can remember. I mean, so I'm for it. And, you know, I think that when you're talking about a champion, it shouldn't just be the team that shoots the best or executes offensively the best. These are grown men, bro. That's why you spend all that time in the weight room. That's why you take care of your bodies. That's why you do all of that. There should be a component of that that goes into the equation when you're trying to parse through who's the better team. And allowing the physicality to be in the game, you know, allows that to be a part of it.

[Raja Bell]

Raja, speaking of physicality and the foul calls, I'm still getting the. The foul merchant allegations from SGA on the timeline. I'm still the best. One was from Miles. Miles Brown, though he called him essence Harden. You wouldn't get this because you're not in these hypebeast streets, but that was a phenomenal pull for him anyways. It was. All of these arguments are talking about are kind of like trying to nullify. I feel like Che's impact because they feel like he's baiting calls and all these things. This is A discussion that we have had for most of the season. I don't think we've had it much on this. This program.

[Howard Beck]

Who's Miles Brown?

[Raja Bell]

He's on a writer. He's a Twitter personality. All right, all right, all right. Go ahead.

[Howard Beck]

My bad.

[Raja Bell]

Who the is Renee Zel W.

[Howard Beck]

My bad. Go ahead. My bad. I didn't mean. I mean, I guess I did, but I. Who is that?

[Raja Bell]

All right. Anyways, I've. I've been seeing it, and then I've been watching, like, Shay's game, bro. And I just want to say, man, I get really tired about these. These, these foul burs and allegations because they're annoying. Because you just got to stop them. Figure out a way to stop them, man. The calls are the calls, bro. You know, it is what it is. Go figure it out.

[Howard Beck]

Can I request.

[Raja Bell]

I'm just annoyed by it.

[Howard Beck]

Can I request a segment? Like, I don't know if we have the technological capabilities here, but Victoria's the.

[Raja Bell]

Greatest of all time. Put some respect on our name.

[Howard Beck]

Sga. Like, he. He. He went to the. He went to the free throw line 14 times last night. Right. If there would be a way that we could bring up all of the plays where he was fouled and awarded free throws, I'd like to go through them with you, with Howard, with anyone. I'm not looking. It might. It might wind up that the dream.

[Raja Bell]

Let's figure that out for next episode.

[Howard Beck]

He was foul baiting.

[Raja Bell]

Figure that out.

[Howard Beck]

But I'd like to do that exercise I was watching last night. I'm with you, Logan. He's a tough person to guard. He has mastered putting you as the defender in a compromised situation and having to make contact with him. And he's even further mastered once you make that contact, exposing it. And if that is a foul merchant or a baiter, I don't see it as a baiter. Like, what is the true definition of merchant? Let me look up merchant. Like, does it have a negative connotation in any way, shape or form of merchant?

[Raja Bell]

Is merchant definition. This is from Miriam Webster. It's a buyer, a seller of commodities for profit. A. So I guess he just sells calls.

[Howard Beck]

You're selling it. Well, then I would. Okay. I don't see that as a negative. The only reason I was asking because I thought there might be some language and some other, like, definition of it that suggested he was doing something nefarious or that wasn't that it was illegal. Like, if I'm selling a foul that has happened so that you realize it has happened. I'm not apologizing for that. I'm not apologizing for him for that. That's. That is what you are supposed to do. But when you are a professional scorer, any professional scorer knows that there are going to be nights when that thing is not going in the basket in the normal way. You have a bad shooting night, the way you supplement and you're able to continue to score and point, produce is by getting to the.

[Raja Bell]

What get to the free throw line. You don't get 30 a game unless you get to the free throw line.

[Howard Beck]

People master that and sure is. Does he push the envelope and like he hit a shot last night, I think it was going right. He took that little bump that he normally takes and he kind of like threw himself to the right, but he still banked that sucker in. They didn't give him the call. They didn't give him the call. He banked it in like. Yeah, he. Some of them that he doesn't get push the line further than it should be pushed. But I think the refs have done a relatively good job, at least in the playoffs. When I've been tuned into every game. Here's letting that go.

[Raja Bell]

Here's another thing. When. When Harden played in the playoffs, right? And this is. This is also Cliff chiming on the group chat. And he does make a great point and I still want to make my heart in point, but he says people are complaining about the type of whistle he gets compared to others, not necessarily how many he's getting. And also, here's the thing, bro. This isn't a fucking meritocracy, bro. Like, people get different calls, dude. It's not like we're not all. It's not all fair. It's not. It's not that way. They don't get the ball the same amount of time. It's that. But. Okay, go ahead, Roger, because I want to make my. Harding point. Go ahead, take.

[Howard Beck]

Make the point. I'll stay right here.

[Raja Bell]

Okay. The thing with Harden is when you saw him in the playoffs, one of the things that fucked him up is what he was going for those same calls and it didn't work. Like, he was actually fishing for those calls and it did not work. As opposed to. I feel like what you're saying with Shay, he's going. He's exemplifying the contact that is already there.

[Howard Beck]

Yeah, he's. He is. He is. He is making it obvious that there is a legal contact in some of those situations and receiving the benefit. That is the Fact, the thing is.

[Raja Bell]

He still shots where Harlem would not be making.

[Howard Beck]

But hear what I'm saying to you. In some of those situations, situations they give it to him and some they don't. But he doesn't rely on that to score. This man is still out there putting on a clinic. Offensively he is. He is taking it to the rim like, fuck these officials on a lot of occasions. He's not relying on them on those middies all the time. But if he gets you in a bad way, I. E. Rudy Gobert on the switch. And Rudy got that nine foot arm out there on his fucking hip and he feels it. He's going to go up into the air and get that arm to come down on his off arm and draw two free throws. Like that's what he's going to do. And that's why he's a professional scorer. And if you don't like it, go look at everybody. Let me tell you this story again. I've said it before. Kobe Bryant, everybody's favorite, okay, like said to an official in front of me in my presence at a game at the Staples center, call it both ways. I couldn't believe my ears. I'm going to say this again. You want clip it? I don't give a fuck. We got heated. I was up in his space. He hit me with an elbow, split my lip. We got kind of chest to chest. He felt like I had challenged him in a way. He looked at the official and said, call it even tonight. I was appalled.

[Raja Bell]

That was gangster, not gonna lie. That's fire.

[Howard Beck]

Look up how many. That's not fire. That's not fire. That's not fire. That's some. But look at how many free throws I shot that night. And look at how many free throws I historically shot.

[Raja Bell]

Played the Lakers specifically. Do you remember the game specifically?

[Howard Beck]

This would have been. I was with Utah more than likely. So it would have been 04 or 05 in the staples Center. I don't remember what year, which one of those years it was.

[Raja Bell]

Okay, I will look that up during the break.

[Howard Beck]

The point is. The point is all of your favorite players, all of your best players get a whistle that the ninth guy on the bench doesn't get. They get a whistle that the fifth starter doesn't get. They get a whistle that the number three player on the team doesn't get. Book it.

[Raja Bell]

So before we go to break, just want to put a stat out that I just. It was a simple Google search. In his NBA playoff career, say Gilgis Alexander averages 6.8 free throw attempts per.

[Howard Beck]

Game.

[Raja Bell]

Throughout his NBA career. Michael Jordan averaged 9.9 free throw attempts per game in the post.

[Howard Beck]

Who else? Give me other names. I mean, give me other names. I like. What is LeBron average in the playoffs? What is, what is Larry Bird average.

[Raja Bell]

In the playoffs free throw attempts? Well, I mean Dwayne Wade, it's a. He had 97 free throws Timson the six game series in those six finals. So I mean that's just. We saw that. I gotta go to break. Roger, we gotta talk about the Knicks, brother. And I gotta look up your stats. So let's take a quick break and be right back. The NBA playoffs are finally here and there's no better way to be a part of the action than with FanDuel, America's number one sportsbook. After another competitive season, the top teams are ready to battle their way through the playoff bracket in hopes of taking home the championship. And if you think you know how it's all going to go down, then make those predictions pay off. With FanDuel and NBA profit boost. Simply make your bet, activate your boost and go for even bigger winnings. Let's take a look at the slate. There's only one game. Knicks Pacers. I'm going to take the Knicks and we're going to take the over on points as an assist from Jalen Brunson. And I'm going to take the over on points in the fourth quarter from Carl Towns. I think he could do it again. Why not? Don't just be spectacular this postseason. Head to fanduel.com ringermba to download America's number one sportsbook and make every moment more. Must be 21 years and older and present in select states or 18 and older and present in D.C. opt in required bonus issued is non withdrawable profit boost tokens restriction supply including any token expiration and max wager amounts he [e-mail] gambling problem. Call 1-800- GAMBLER or visit rghelp.com and we are back, ladies and gentlemen. We did some investigative reporting on basketball reference. We have found the game, ladies and gentlemen, where Raja has been just referencing for years. Since we started this podcast, he's literally told his story millions of times. And we found the game finally.

[Howard Beck]

It's the. It's one of my w. It's one of my wild. It's one of my wildest NBA stories. It's a wild.

[Raja Bell]

So this is.

[Howard Beck]

It's just wild.

[Raja Bell]

So this is February 15, 2005. This is a 102. 95 victory for the Los Angeles Lakers. So Raja Bell finished with 16 points. He was 5 of 12 from the field. He was 6 of 7 from the free throw line. This dude averaged 1.6 free throws per game in his career. I, I. You want to know how many, how many do you want to. Hold on. Do you want to know how many Kobe would call in it even? How many Kobe got that night? How many free throws?

[Howard Beck]

Probably 14.

[Raja Bell]

Over, under 14.

[Howard Beck]

Well, now, since you said over, under, probably over.

[Raja Bell]

You had 19 free throw attempts. 15 of 19, dude.

[Howard Beck]

So, like, you're still going to get the wisdom. You're clearly a much better, you're much better player. But like, they gave me, I would, I would venture to say, I know this is crazy, people are probably going to find it and I'll be wrong, but of the 1.9 free throw attempts I had, perhaps per game.

[Raja Bell]

No, 1.6.

[Howard Beck]

1.6. It's probably less than that when we played the Lakers. So the fact that they gave me.

[Raja Bell]

Seven.

[Howard Beck]

Was way out of character when I played them jokers.

[Raja Bell]

It's nuts. I hope so.

[Howard Beck]

It's nothing. It's only to say your favorite player gets. They get to the free throw line.

[Raja Bell]

Dude, I go on YouTube all the time. I hope this becomes a real. Where they do the thing where they put like, you know, us talking in the background and then him just.

[Howard Beck]

I don't do that, man. I don't want to be. I don't need no clips. I don't want to be. I don't.

[Raja Bell]

You just said you didn't give a about getting aggregated in the last pot.

[Howard Beck]

It doesn't mean, it doesn't mean that I want it. I mean, if you understand what I'm saying.

[Raja Bell]

Like, Howard, right now, bro, you're acting real scary right now. Jesus.

[Howard Beck]

Well, why don't you get your ass up there and get aggregated by millions of Kobe fans? You do it.

[Raja Bell]

I've been aggregated by billions of fans. You just ain't been outside. It's tough.

[Howard Beck]

Kobe fans. Kobe fans.

[Raja Bell]

I said, well, I was the one shitting on you when you talk about Kobe fans. Yeah, I was one of the aggregators, though.

[Howard Beck]

Yeah, that's what I said. I said, you go ahead and do it.

[Raja Bell]

I've been aggravated. I mean, getting aggregated by like a million fucking. Any fandom of stands is not great. Like, it sucks. Look at this shit. Roger, I'm sending this to you right now. This is when we got aggregated by clutch points, and it was amazing. You See, that, that's what you. That's what, that's how it felt to get aggregated by. You were. You were breaking up the Jordan pool with Drake. How do you feel about that, sir?

[Howard Beck]

I mean, I don't even remember what I said about that, but I can't, I can't. Listen, aggregation is. It kind of comes with the territory, I guess, but if I can avoid it, like, I don't want to incite it. So, like, I don't. I don't mind being. I mean, I'm not on there like that. You know that. So half of the shit that I get aggregated for goes. I don't see it.

[Raja Bell]

Okay. No, it was awesome. This, this was awesome. Anyway, speaking of awesome, let's talk about the performance of Carl Towns.

[Howard Beck]

Let's do that.

[Raja Bell]

Let's do that. And in game, in Game 4 of their SER or Game 3 of the Knicks Pacer series, Dog, Carl Towns was just brilliant, bro. He was the OG at Dyckman, he was the big dog. And West Forf, he was just at Rucker. He had the knee pads on, bro. He's running like this and shit. He's a Dominican OG. He was. Hold it down. 20 points in the fourth quarter. It felt like. I don't know if it was a sea change or, or like some fluke shit, but it was, it was beautiful to watch. Roger, how. What do you thought of the performance and how does he continue this on from now? Because I feel like the Knicks have a chance in the series still after all the things that happened at Madison Square Garden, after everything that popped off. This team has heart and I believe that they are. They could still win this in seven. Like, it's just going to be one of those wonky series and this is going to come out at like 4, like an hour before the game. So this might be null and void when this podcast comes out, but I just, I feel something that made me feel some type of way.

[Howard Beck]

Way. Yeah, I don't know. I mean, I guess I, I said from the jump, I don't have a real, A real great feeling on this series. It's kind of played out like that. I mean, 20, 20 point lead disappeared for the Knicks. 20 point lead disappear for the Pacers and Pacers, like, it's just a weird series. Carl Anthony Talents was fantastic in the fourth quarter. Aggressive, decisive, just in his bag all around. I think how he continues to do that is going to require. Want to be, want to be delicate when I say this, but I think, I think other people have made the point. I've said it before too as it relates to. You know, I've even said it as it related to Jayson Tatum when he got hot and he was on the ball. Jalen Brunson is going to have to find the happy medium, that balance between being the assassin that he is and closing games, but leaving enough opportunity for the others to. To help him out and not just completely kind of throwing. Throwing the flow of the offense off. It's. That sounds so crazy because I'm not. This is an accusatory in any way. Like he is their offense a lot of nights. You know what I mean? But like you have to have a good feel for when you've got to give up a few of those touches and a few of those ISOs and a few of those monopolizing possessions to just get it up and get it moving and let other people get a taste.

[Raja Bell]

Yeah. What did you think of the decision to bench Brunson for much of the second half by tips when he was in foul trouble? Yeah, we need to come into like the 1 minute mark or like the like with 2 minutes left in the game.

[Howard Beck]

Well, at that point you're coaching. I mean you're coaching, man. Like I don't think he. I don't think he benched him because he didn't like what he was doing. He. He sat him down because he was trying to protect him from the foul trouble.

[Raja Bell]

But.

[Howard Beck]

But once you're sitting there, if we are hooping, hooping, hooping. I mean I'm riding that for a while. I, I just, I owe it to everybody I out there, you too included. You're on the team. Right. So like while you, you're still my best player and my best closer. Like I'm going to ride this wave until. Until it crashes on the shore. Right. And then. And then we'll call that time out, try to get you in the game or what have you. So I didn't have a problem with it. It would have been different had they said like, oh, he's having a bad night. We're going to just sit our star. I don't think it didn't come about like that. So I was okay with.

[Raja Bell]

Seemed like a Roger Bill type game. The role players were fucking insane in this game. For the Knicks. What was your favorite performance of the. And I'm going to give you three names. Yeah, I'm going to give you two and a half. OG Josh Hart or McBride in the first half.

[Howard Beck]

Yeah, that's tough. McBride in the first half McBride in the first half was. He was. He was good. And I like. But. But I think ultimately for me, it's. It's. It's hard. And the reason. The reason being because he was asked to sit down to start a game, he was asked to play a different role. And I don't know that he was asked, but he was put in a situation to have to sacrifice for. For the betterment of the team. And, you know, you always talk to young players about that, young athletes just. Just about, you know, what you can control, what you can't control and how you act in the face of change and. And how that relates to a team being able to have success because of you or a team not being able to have success because of you. And I thought he just went about that the right way. I thought he went about that, and I had no doubt he would. But, like, I. That's just something you can always point to as a dad, as a coach, you know, as a mentor, and say, look at. Look at that. You know, sat him down. You didn't. Didn't sulk, came out and he, you know, didn't score a lot of points, but was just doing everything that they need him to do.

[Raja Bell]

The rebounding down the stretch was incredible. That last rebound where he just fell on his knee, but you knew it was okay. Fucking. That was like superhero shit, bro. That was. It was a marvel to watch him down the street. It was a marvel to watch OG down the. The stretch. He had that one block at the end. I think that was on. Was it on N. Smith? I was on N. Smith. N. Smith tried to. Tried to back him down and hit a fade away. And OG Was like, nah, that.

[Howard Beck]

Yeah, that's not even in your bag, homie. That's not even.

[Raja Bell]

Stop playing.

[Howard Beck]

He was in mid back.

[Raja Bell]

You don't practice that shot.

[Howard Beck]

Yeah, it's a play. But that was not like. You could tell that was not.

[Raja Bell]

But it was like, almost like OG Was offended that he would even go into that bag knowing that that's not even his bag, bro. He was like, what's he doing?

[Howard Beck]

That was a great block. Not to. Not to go back a series, but there were two blocks last night that were incredible. Jaden. Jaden McDaniels on the. Like, J. Will had the. The layup that he wrapped behind his back, and McDaniels was already contesting that and came down and then. And then beat up the shot on the other side of the backboard. And then Chet's block late off of. Off of like, wow.

[Raja Bell]

Yeah, man. I didn't say enough about Chad. We're going back to the next series. But, like, very impressed by how Chet has responded from those, from those missed free throws against Denver. He's just been balling, bro. Like, he is a legitimate piece going forward for them. And just the dunks, the toughness, right, it's probably £87, but he's using it. It's getting people out of the way. But where do the Knicks go from here? Because, like, the knicks are down 2:1 in the series, but I feel they're a bit different than Minnesota because this has been very even through three games and the wins that, that Indiana got, like, I still feel like these two teams are still way evenly matched, right? Like, the Knicks can make a great argument. They should be up to one in the series. Right. And they played really well in Indiana. I'm basically saying all these things to say I don't have a feel for this series and I don't know what the hell is going to go on. Do you have a feel for this series, Raja? Do you. Do you know what's going on? Or is it just going to be like whoever just is still on the court of game seven is going to win, or is it. I don't know. I just, I really don't. I'm speaking this out because I don't have a fucking clue what's going to happen in the series. And I don't know what's going to happen tonight.

[Howard Beck]

Yeah, I don't know. I don't know either. I haven't known from the beginning. I would say that the pace of this series has come back down into the Knicks wheelhouse. You had like, you know, 1-30s, although that was inflated because of overtime in the first game. But then you were like 1 114, I think, was the, was the winning number in game two. And then what was it? 106 in the last game. 106. 100. If you're holding Indiana to 100 a sub one 10. If you can hold them to that with a combination of, of. Of dictating pace and, and defending, you're going to be. That's a good spot for the Knicks to be in. Very good spot for the Knicks to be in. If we are talking in that next five point range, the 110 to 115, I don't have a great idea. Anything could happen. 115 plus you're going to lose.

[Raja Bell]

Yeah.

[Howard Beck]

So I, you know, that's what I, that's what I think. I know what happens in the series, how they do it like this. This shit's all over the place. I didn't have a good feel coming in. I still don't. Because you can make the same case that the pacers should be riding 3.0right now, and. And everybody's packing their bags for Cancun.

[Raja Bell]

That's what I'm saying. That's just that. That's just what this series has been, bro. Like, I have. I have no clue. Because, like, as a series waters on, I do feel like it. I feel like it pushes towards the next way because the game slows down as the series goes further and further, right? Like, you're not gonna be having all them run outs after getting your ass kicked for four games, right? Like, it's just not gonna happen. But then again, like, Pacers could very well run them out of the building. So we'll see, right?

[Howard Beck]

Yeah, I actually. I don't know. But I tell you what, I don't. And I don't know why. Like, this isn't like, a prediction or anything. I just have a gut. I think the Pacers. I think the Pacers might. Might hang a number on him tonight. I don't know why I feel like that. There's nothing supporting that. It's just kind of my gut.

[Raja Bell]

I don't know. We'll see, man. I don't know. Thoughts on Halliburton's dad getting. Getting allowed back into the building? You know, you're. You're a resident dad reporter here.

[Howard Beck]

Welcome back, bro. That man paid his. He paid. He did his time. He made a mistake. He did his time. He paid his penance.

[Raja Bell]

You see them at the bar out here doing the choke sign? Out here in these streets. He's out here in these streets. Rock.

[Howard Beck]

You know what? You know what? You know what, man? Like, here's what I'll say to that. Definitely not a good look on the heels of everything that transpired. Right? But we can agree. But. But, you know, that seems to be who he is. It's. And we should probably know that because, like, his son kind of gets down and has some antics and is known to pop a little shit. So, like, I'm not mad at you, dad. The time and a place.

[Raja Bell]

Great boy.

[Howard Beck]

Yeah. Time and a place. Right? Time and place. But good for him being back in the building. I. You. That's your. That's your child, man. Like. And do you know how proud. I mean? I can only imagine. I mean, I'm. I'm proud as hell just watching my kids do their. Their youth sports and stuff like that. But if I had a kid playing a professional sport this late in the playoffs, I mean, I remember my parents being in the building and the pride that them and my grandparents and aunts and uncles had. Like, I don't want anyone to miss out on that unnecessarily. So I'm paid his penance, man. Did the time. Let him back.

[Raja Bell]

That's what's up. You know who's not proud of their team?

[Howard Beck]

What do you got, bud?

[Raja Bell]

Mr. Cliff Augustine. I wanted to give him the floor right now. We've been on the Paul George beat for the last few weeks.

[Cliff Augustine]

The return of podcast.

[Raja Bell]

Return of podcast. Can you just hear what's your deal with podcast people right now? What's. What's going on? Give us the Philly temp check. On his last podcast appearance on the car on the 7:00pm and BK podcast. Just.

[Cliff Augustine]

No, no, that was actually Podcast P. Oh, it's their ran body.

[Raja Bell]

Same a wave. Shout out to all the homies that wave, man. Shout out to all the homies. Shout out. Pierce.

[Howard Beck]

Yeah.

[Cliff Augustine]

Shout out to them, man. They doing. They doing.

[Raja Bell]

Sure.

[Cliff Augustine]

They're doing crazy good work over there. Shout out to Podcast P. Shout out to 7pm in Brooklyn. Shout out to Kazim. That's. That's our dog over here.

[Raja Bell]

That's not why we're here, though. It's not what. We're here.

[Cliff Augustine]

That's not why we're here. That's not why we're here. Let's be clear. Why we're here is that Pac SP has continued his apology tour to the city of Philadelphia for being hurt last season and coming up short and having all types of excuses of everything that's going on. And I texted Logan this, and I said, what's up with this, man? I said, he about. He got about. I said, he got about one more of these. Until, like, everybody's just like, yo, dog.

[Raja Bell]

Just pack it up, bro.

[Cliff Augustine]

Just stop.

[Raja Bell]

Buy you out as a collective ourselves, bro. Get the out of here. I think that's where we're at right now.

[Cliff Augustine]

So. So he, he, he, he. So in case you didn't know, Podcast P got stuck in traffic after the Eagles won the NFC Championship game against the Washington Commanders. And he was literally driving on the broad street for some reason. I have no clue why. There's a lot of fans driving. They're like. And he reminisced about the story. He said, yo, is that. Is that Podcast P? He's like, we should have just fucking kept Tobias Harris, instead of giving you the contract. And then Paul, Paul laughed it off. He said, yeah, you know, shout out to tb. That's my dog. Da, da, da, da. And I'm just coming from a point. I'm like, what are you laughing at all for, yo? Like, you just came up short all crazy last season. You were hurt all last season. Now you want an apology tour? Tobias Harris objectively had a pretty solid season in Detroit. Let them. Although they did finish, you know, losing to the Knicks in six games in the first round. Detroit was obsolete before that. Hadn't made the playoffs in, what, 50.

[Raja Bell]

They unlocked Cartier, Cliff.

[Cliff Augustine]

Like, yeah, yeah. Like, come on, man. See, Raj, this is my point about players doing this player media stuff. And I love it because it gives you a lot of clips. But at the same time, it's like, yo, you're exposing yourself. You're doing yourself somewhat a disservice. And now you went on an apology tour, but on top of that, you're acting as if you're above a player who actually performed better than you. Like, what's. Like, the mentality of that is just.

[Howard Beck]

Wait, how did he act like he was above him. What'd he do? I mean, I might. Maybe I missed something. What are you doing?

[Cliff Augustine]

So when. When he said so, a fan told him why he was driving in the car. He's like, we should have just kept the bias. He was like, damn. Like. And he started laughing it off and shit. And I'm just like, like, yo, bro, like, what's up with you, bro? I don't know. Why?

[Howard Beck]

So you are a true Philly fan, Cliff, I am true Philly fan.

[Raja Bell]

I am.

[Howard Beck]

It wasn't that long ago, and I remember, I don't know what episode, or I would try to clip farm it, where you said something about, we don't want Tobias Harris no more. We already know what he does. I remember that because I'm. Because I'm friends with Tobias as well. Right?

[Cliff Augustine]

But what I'd say, shout out to the bias.

[Howard Beck]

Good, dude, I got a lot of questions. Why would you be on Broad street with your windows down? So that you could be interacting with anyone is. Besides. But that I have. I would have no idea.

[Cliff Augustine]

Yo, after the NFC Championship game, literally.

[Raja Bell]

After the nfc, in a sprinter with.

[Howard Beck]

Tents, with tents, dog use, or he's driving, minimum, he's driving himself. Be in a suite, like, hanging out in the bowels of the stadium until, like, the traffic dies down. But Pete, holl at me if you need some advice on beating the traffic Dog. Cause I'm an expert in that. In terms of. Listen, listen. This is just. I mean, again, you guys, as Philly fans, are so passionate. It's what everyone loves about you when they play for the team. It's what everyone else hates about you. But he's like, what people fail to realize. It used to happen to me a lot was. What happened on the court was just a small part of my life. You know what I mean? Like, and the fan is so invested in it that it creeps over into, like, every part of their life. Like, they're going to work. They're talking about the Sixers game, the Knicks game, They're going to the dinner.

[Raja Bell]

And Logan Mama's house afternoon about, like, what the fuck is going on?

[Howard Beck]

Yeah. And when we step away from it, we try our best to leave it where it was. So we're not, like, holding on to any of those feelings about, yo, I wasn't good enough last night and so I can't be riding. We're just not. We're not.

[Cliff Augustine]

Oh, no, no, no. I'm not saying. Yeah. I'm not coming at him for, like, driving and going home and doing his thing and being a human being. I have no, zero.

[Howard Beck]

But in terms of. In terms of, like, in terms of his. His message, like, him laughing that off. Like, he. He ain't worried about it. Like, he just ain't worried about it. Like, what you want. That's what I'm saying to you.

[Cliff Augustine]

He ain't tripping. That's where we gotta. That's where we gotta beef. That's where we gotta beef, and that's.

[Raja Bell]

Not worried about it. Why not?

[Cliff Augustine]

But this is where my inner. This is where my inner Gilly the kid comes out. Because to me, it's like, bro, we give a shit. Like, we keep.

[Howard Beck]

But that doesn't.

[Cliff Augustine]

We keep going back to this whole.

[Howard Beck]

Doesn't care, though. There's nothing he can do about it right now. Like, there's. There is nothing he can do.

[Cliff Augustine]

There is. There is nothing he could do about it. But his apology tour is just starting to really irk the hell out of.

[Raja Bell]

Me because it's like, you want that apology tour to be on the court.

[Howard Beck]

Yeah, Maybe I'm missing something. What? Did he.

[Cliff Augustine]

No, no, he's not a pal. He's not literally saying, I'm sorry. He's just kind of saying, like, yeah, man, you know, I had the injury. Shit wasn't right from the start of the season. He's going on the first two returns of his podcast he's going in depth about how everything just went wrong to start the season. And to me, I'm just like, yo, dog, you letting. You're leaving a lot up to interpretation to people that are way more illogical than I am. Like, I'm at least somewhat reasonable. This.

[Howard Beck]

Step into my office. Step into my office. Dr. Dr. Raj is going to.

[Cliff Augustine]

I like this.

[Howard Beck]

Go ahead and get. Go ahead and get comfortable. Could it be.

[Cliff Augustine]

I like. I like this doctor.

[Howard Beck]

Could it be. But that Cliff.

[Cliff Augustine]

Yeah.

[Howard Beck]

The. The Philly fan, the representation, the embodiment of the Philly fan, is projecting their feelings of a needed apology on Paul when all he's doing is sitting at a microphone and telling, no, no, he's not apologizing, though. What I'm saying, you're projecting that on the man. The man's just telling you what happened. The man. He ain't tripping off of that. Y' all want to talk about. We don't want an apology tour. He's not an apology tour.

[Raja Bell]

I'll be real. I watched the Gilly the Kid joint. It was definitely trying to get into some. Maybe it was an apology, but it was trying to get into some good graces. Back into some good graces. You don't come back from your podcast with Gilly the Kid if you're not trying to apologize, whether directly or. And wallow. If you're not trying to grovel to the Philly fan base, at least. Come on.

[Cliff Augustine]

But I'm gonna cut him some Belto. I'm Cut him some Belto at least. It seems like he. He is determined to, you know, obviously make up for what was. What happened last year and how bad the Sixers ended up being. Like I said, number three overall pick. A lot of it relies on drawing bead, but to me, if he's doing all this shit in the offseason, I don't want his pot to be canceled by December. Like, you better come out swinging early on in the portion next season. Right? You got to cash in. What you talking about?

[Howard Beck]

I ain't got to do shit but cash these checks and. And. And show up if we're keeping it a buck.

[Cliff Augustine]

I'm not.

[Howard Beck]

That's all I got to do. That's all I got to do.

[Cliff Augustine]

No, we not trying to.

[Howard Beck]

What you might listen.

[Cliff Augustine]

That's a fact of life. But we not trying to hear none.

[Howard Beck]

Of that or try to hear whatever you want or don't want to hear. But I'm telling you, like, as far as I'm concerned, if I'm Paul, listen, I ain't apologizing to y' all for shit. I didn't have a good year. Most of my years have been good ones. This one wasn't. I'm gonna go back to the drawing board. I'm gonna work my ass off. I'm gonna come back and earnestly pursue a championship with these Philadelphia 76ers. But if I should happen to be bad again next year, don't give a fuck about what none of y' all are talking about, I'm gonna be right up on my podcast handling mine.

[Cliff Augustine]

Logan, you think Paul George would appreciate Roger speaking for him in this manner?

[Raja Bell]

Absolutely. Yeah. Absolutely.

[Howard Beck]

Paul. Hey, Paul, if you don't like to speak like this, dog, I'm. I'm available. I'll figure out a rate. I tell all these. Hey, bro, Paul ain't got to worry about.

[Cliff Augustine]

Hey, hey, Podcast P, man. Hey, Podcast P, you better come back hooping drop 25 per game. We not trying to hear none of this r Talking about. I'm not trying to hear Dr. Rise.

[Raja Bell]

We not in Philly. Roger way to in Miami talking that comfortable 305.

[Howard Beck]

Paul.

[Cliff Augustine]

Hey, Paul, you live here, yo, you don't want any f. You don't want to go down south street, people yelling at you, talking about some get in the gym. No, don't talk.

[Raja Bell]

He played the game that exemplified Philly ball. That's why he went to the mall. I saw down.

[Howard Beck]

I suck. No, no, no, no, no, no.

[Cliff Augustine]

Raj, we love you. We love you out here. We love you.

[Howard Beck]

If we're keeping it a buck, I do get love in Philly, but if we're really keeping it a buck, it was for a very, very, very small sample size, right? And that next year.

[Cliff Augustine]

But guess what? That's all you need in Philly.

[Howard Beck]

Take it.

[Cliff Augustine]

That's all I take it.

[Howard Beck]

But you know what?

[Raja Bell]

I.

[Howard Beck]

You know what? I wasn't about to be doing that next year when I wasn't good apologizing to no in the King of Prussia Mall. I wouldn't have to walk into City Blue and be like, yo, my bad, y' all. I wasn't good last night, bro. I can see that. Average. Nah, we ain't doing that.

[Cliff Augustine]

And. And for the record, Paul's not literally apologizing. You know what I'm saying? Like, it just feel. Logan. It's just very much.

[Raja Bell]

You don't have Gilly the kid on, bro. Bro. You don't do that in the first episode back. If you're not trying to gain some good favor. I'M just saying. Here's the thing, though. Paul George ain't getting his jersey retired Fridays on City View, though. He ain't doing that though. He ain't getting put up in the Raptors at TGI Fridays on City Line. That ain't happening.

[Howard Beck]

City Line.

[Raja Bell]

He definitely Joseph after. After practice right now. You know what I'm saying? Even they practice somewhere else. You get the sentence? You get my drift?

[Cliff Augustine]

Best piece of. Best piece of advice for Paul, for me, is just keep popping your. But back it up with 25 and.

[Raja Bell]

Eight in the playoffs in late May, though. You should bounce back in late May. You got to do it in late May. You can't do it in late May and late May.

[Cliff Augustine]

But let's have a. Let's have a healthy year. Let's have a healthy offseason. Hopefully Joel comes back alongside with you. You know what I'm saying? Keep popping your shit, but drop that 25 and 8, bro. That's all I'm saying.

[Raja Bell]

That has been another.

[Cliff Augustine]

That's all I'm saying.

[Raja Bell]

Another edition of Go ahead, Ron. Go ahead, Rob. Pop your shit, Roger. Pop it.

[Howard Beck]

I say, at what point, at what point does Paul when. When all of these questions start coming at him just use. You do this to the locker right next to his.

[Raja Bell]

Give rise.

[Howard Beck]

When did he do that?

[Raja Bell]

Yeah, I thought he never.

[Cliff Augustine]

I don't. Because you have to be a real low teammate to start pointing the finger at someone.

[Raja Bell]

You know what he did, though? You know what he did, though? He didn't do it. It. He had. He had Gilly do it on his podcast first pod back. That's what he did. He had Gilly go at mp But Gil.

[Cliff Augustine]

But Gilly doesn't care. But Gilly doesn't care.

[Raja Bell]

So you know what he said?

[Cliff Augustine]

He's going to keep going on his.

[Raja Bell]

You know.

[Howard Beck]

Gilly look. Gilly and Wallow are two of my fa. They're two of my favorite, like, personalities. I just.

[Raja Bell]

You know what he said that was amazing on the podcast, and I'm gonna send you the clip. Even after I said this, he was saying, you know what? Philly fans don't give a about the Olympics.

[Cliff Augustine]

Talking about mb yo, truer words could not have been spoken, bro. Truer words could not have been spoken. But not. Look, look, Raj, I don't think at any point in time, Paul will just, definitely just be like, up.

[Howard Beck]

Yeah.

[Cliff Augustine]

Yeah. He going, Paul gonna get hit.

[Howard Beck]

I guess my point would be. Yeah, I mean, if we're gonna have a, a, a, a a reboot of Or a replay of this year, next year, that ire should be squarely pointed at one of the two of them. And it ain't Paul.

[Raja Bell]

Hey, that's. That's what. Hey.

[Howard Beck]

Right. You know what I'm saying? So, like, at some point, the Philly fans direct that anger to where it's supposed to be directed.

[Raja Bell]

When Raja. Raja.

[Cliff Augustine]

You're not wrong. Raj, you're not wrong.

[Raja Bell]

Raja gets put on retainer by the Sixers to sit next to MB's locker. Not MB's locker, to Paul George's locker after games. He's just. All he's going to do is he's going to be like.

[Cliff Augustine]

Raj, why are you not in the front office? You can talk to them, Rod, why are you not in the front office? You could talk to the media. You could be transparent about injuries, like, stuff like that. The Sixers never are in people's favor because they aren't transparent enough for people.

[Howard Beck]

Yeah, why I'm not in the front office anymore as well. Who. Who knows whether I would have wound up being good at it long term, But I. I really enjoyed it, working with the Cavs and stuff. But my kids were so young, Cliff. Like, it was. It was too hard to balance being the dad I wanted to be with.

[Cliff Augustine]

You did say that.

[Howard Beck]

Yeah. But I enjoy. Listen, don't get me wrong. One of what they used to do, what Griff used to do with me, was, like, he'd take me in and, like, there would be like, a, you know, like a ticket holder event and stuff like that, and they'd. It'd be like a state of the team right before we came out and really played games. And I give that address, right? Like, I give the state of the team. I'd let the fans fire questions at me and stuff like that. So, like, I actually enjoy stuff like that. Those were, like, the easy parts of my job. So maybe, who knows, in another, you know, once the kids are grown or something like that, if there are any opportunities. But, like, nah, dog, I. Nah. I mean, I like to be at these games.

[Cliff Augustine]

Ellen Brand. Ellen Brand. Need a partner, man.

[Howard Beck]

You need.

[Cliff Augustine]

Can't be. Just be him and Daryl up there. Emmerdale, they've been taking heat for years, so somebody. They need somebody else to talk to. Yeah, exactly. So you probably fit that role really well, man. You know, you sound like. You don't Sound like.

[Howard Beck]

You don't holl at me, man. If they let me off the leash, that's only my only condition, bro. I gotta be unleashed.

[Cliff Augustine]

Hey, Daryl. No, you heard that man hire my man after, after, after. Yo, you know what's perfect? And Todd could go to temple while you help yo. God, how perfect would that be? How perfect?

[Raja Bell]

This bubble off Pop Cliff's bubble. This is. This has been another edition of Real and Scott that got off the rails really fast. Talking about Philly rubensmail [e-mail] rbc Gmail.com rbc Gmail.com we will talk to you on Friday with Howard Beck. Talk to you soon. Ah, all this shit's bye. Foreign must be 21 years and older and present in select states. For Kansas and affiliation with Kansas Star Casino or 18 and older and present in D.C. gambling problem, call 1-800-Gambler or visit rghelp.com call 1-888-789-7777 or visit ccpg.org and connect Connecticut or visit mdgamblinghelp.org in Maryland. Hope is here. Visit gamblinghelpline.org or call 1-800-327-5050. For 24. 7 support in Massachusetts or call 1-877-8-HOPE NY or text Hopeny in New York.