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- [00:02]
Logan Murdock
Ready to soundtrack your summer with Red
- [00:04]
Raja Bell
Bull Summer All Day Play. You choose a playlist that fits your summer vibe the best. Are you a festival fanatic, a deep end dj, a road dog, or a trail mixer?
- [00:13]
Logan Murdock
Just add a song to your chosen playlist and put your summer on track. Red Bull Summer All Day Play. Red Bull gives you wings. Visit Red Bull.com BrightSummerAhead to learn more.
- [00:25]
Raja Bell
See you this summer. Foreign.
- [00:33]
Logan Murdock
What's Poppin Real Ones Logan Murdoch here. Rogerville in a sec. We get into an old school discussion, just me and him. Talk about LeBron. What does the season mean for his legacy? Then we talk about wimby and what does the elbow mean for where the spurs are as an organization? Right. Where are they right now in terms of playoff contention and beyond? And where. Where is their psyche? You know, we talk about how OKC has been there before. Is that going to give them an advantage in a potential series against San Antonio or a potential series against Minnesota? We'll get into OKC and their evolution. We get into a lot of stuff in this podcast. Man, I really love chopping it up with Roger today. Such a wealth of NBA knowledge. All that and more on Real Ones. Up next, Cliff V. Play the theme
- [01:18]
Raja Bell
music the Ringer NBA show is brought to you by FanDuel. It's been a wild playoff run, but it's not over yet and FanDuel wants to bring you closer to the court to make more of all the action to come. FanDuel is the best place to bet teams, players and plays during the NBA postseason. Build a same game parlay for a shot at a bigger payout, or try live betting and jump into the action after tip off. Download the FanDuel Sportsbook app now and play your game. 21 select states, 18 DC, Kentucky or Wyoming. Gambling problem. Call 1-800-Gambler, call 1-888-78-9777 or visit ccpg.org ChatInCenetic.
- [02:05]
Logan Murdock
What's Poppin Real Ones? Logan Murdoch here. Raja Bell there. Raja I. All right, it's time to vent real quick before we get to the show. I had one of my first washed moments in a while. I had my first OG moment last night. I went to. I went to the Baby Keem concert.
- [02:28]
Raja Bell
Excuse me?
- [02:29]
Logan Murdock
The. The baby. The Baby Keem concert. I know you don't know who that is. All right? And that explains more of why you have this. You're. You're gonna feel me when I had this moment, right? So I go out there, right? Shout out to Big Ant, a friend of the show who held it down for us with the tickets when I went with my partner, and my partner brought. He brought two of his little cousins to the show, right? And the little cousins age ranged from 17 to just getting out of college age, right? And we get the tickets, we're going to. We're in the. Just above the mosh pit on the floor seats. And first of all, Raja, I go. I see on the card that it says floor and general admission, right? And I'm like, oh, can I even do this anymore? This is the first time I was like, oh, man, I'm kind of scared. Can I even do this anymore? And then I see it. It's an hour and a half before the show, and then I see it's crowded, full of teenagers, and I'm like, oh, no. I'm gonna be right here in the little mezzanine level, and I'm just gonna enjoy the show, right? And then I caught myself with the little homies, and I tried to match their energy and, like, jumping around and stuff. And my knees are hurting this morning, and I feel terrible. I had a great time at the show. You could see it on my Instagram. But I. I'm hurting right now, Raja, and I feel washed, and I'm just. That's where I'm at is in my life, right? It was the first time at a concert that I was around young people, and I felt like, oh, okay, this is. This is my time.
- [04:09]
Raja Bell
You're having to come to Jesus. Were you on sympathy or, like, what are you. Well, you're just letting me know that because that time is coming for us all. And what you described to me is like, a worst nightmare scenario for me, bro. Like, we're in a place. You said general admission.
- [04:28]
Logan Murdock
So, like, general admission, floor.
- [04:30]
Raja Bell
Floor are not sitting down. People are just bumping into each other like, it's.
- [04:34]
Logan Murdock
It's hot.
- [04:35]
Raja Bell
Then they're going to get excited and start jumping. Oh, bro, no.
- [04:38]
Logan Murdock
There was crowd surfing. There was crowd surfing, and there were little circles being put around the. In the audience full of kids.
- [04:46]
Raja Bell
Yes, there was. There was a time. You are. You are past that time. But, like, I look probably not. Baby Keem, no disrespect, I don't know. Baby Keem, I'm sure you're great, but for. For any other artist that I would be more familiar with, you get me in a kind of, like, intimate venue. There's some nice seats laid out. Like, we could get. We could get some drinks and vibe. I could be down for that. I get teased a lot in my house because I don't want to go to concerts. And it's. It's just the concertness of it all, the size, the scale, the amount of people that bothers me. Like, I'd like to go out, enjoy some music. Not in that type of environment, though.
- [05:20]
Logan Murdock
Yeah, it was one of my last times. But, you know, speaking of, OG is trying to figure out what the hell they're going to do next. LeBron James. LeBron James. Lakers got swept. We were actually watching one of the little homes had the.
- [05:36]
Raja Bell
Did you play as well last night in that environment as an OG? Almost washed as LeBron played through this playoffs?
- [05:45]
Logan Murdock
Yeah, well, actually, I played, I think, some. I think I put in 35 and 10. You know, I knew the words to the songs. I jumped around. I'm just hurting right now, but I did. I did. I think I did. I made a couple of shots. Yes.
- [05:57]
Raja Bell
Recovery is a problem, though. I got it.
- [05:59]
Logan Murdock
Recovery is a problem. Recovery is a problem. Like, you know, LeBron says, like, I got to. The reason why I don't really dap you guys up after the game is not because I don't love you. It's because I need to get treatment right now. Like, I need to go right now and get treatment. The reason why I'm doing this interview is because I have to. But I would be in the locker room right now. But anyways, LeBron. We'll talk about the Thunder in this segment as well, but got to start with LeBron's future, and obviously, he didn't really. It's funny, Raja. The thing about LeBron is I think he is one of the last superstars, and I can't think of another superstar that is like this. And it's of a certain generation where right after the game, the press conference is much as much. Much CTV in a way that I just don't see. Remember, like, every. I think it's been ever since the press conference right before the. Where you got to see what he has to say after the game. And I found myself like, okay, I got. I'm hanging on to his every word of what he said in his press conference. And he didn't say much about his future. Basically, like, I don't know, he said. He said what he says. Every time I'm going with my family, I'm gonna figure things out. So he didn't really say anything on that front, but I just want to, like, talk about what you thought about his season, man. Like, it was just. It was he came out, he had the sciatica. He said this during the presser, like, this was the first time we had to adjust to a role of being a third option for the first time in his life. And the adjustment that. That goes along with that, that's something that me and you talk about a lot from players where they have to transition to role, how hard that can be, especially when, you know, inarguably, you're the greatest player of my generation, arguably the greatest player of all time, having to switch roles and then lead a team past into the second round. And now you got to figure things out after year 23, if you can. Just, like, in totality, like, what. How are we going to look back on this? How should we look back on this LeBron season?
- [08:01]
Raja Bell
Yeah, I. That's better. I appreciate you cleaning that up, because how we'll look back on it probably won't be with his enough respect and reverence for what he was able to do. And the nuance of, like, what he was able to do. How should we look at it, is with a. Just an immense amount of appreciation for what it takes to a, you know, even be in the NBA producing at. that. Not just age, but amount of tread on the tire. Like, that's a lot of games, not just years. We're talking about years worth of playoff games on top of actual years. Um, that in and of itself is incredible. Still, being productive in the way that he is when he needs to be is even more incredible. And then to take. Forgive the. The phrase, but an old dog and try to teach it new tricks, which is, hey, you've played like this your entire career. This is what you're accustomed to. This is how teams have typically won when you're on them. But we're not asking you to do that for this team to be successful. And I talked about this at lengths coming into the season. It was going to be fascinating to see how he made that adjustment, because typically, it's not a graceful adjustment for people to make, but I thought he did it remarkably well. I. I thought he seamlessly kind of transitioned into the type of, you know, complimentary piece that Luka and Austin could have on their team, with them being the major kind of playmakers, and he was a lob threat and he was running and he was igniting breaks, and I just thought he was great. And then you asked him in the playoffs, when Luka and Austin were down, to, like, go back to putting a team on his back, albeit in a different kind of aesthetic way, like, it wasn't the same, but it all boiled down to being the same. LeBron win the fucking games and he was able to do it. And so, look, I'm a fan, I've always been a fan, but like that, that was remarkable. There was just a ceiling on what they were when you cast him back into a leading role, you know, and I don't mean that in any disrespectful way, but the ceiling was higher when, you know, Luka was there and he was playing the, you know, co starring role, if you will.
- [10:21]
Logan Murdock
Yeah, I mean, I think that they got. It was a combination of things, honestly. LeBron was fantastic in that first round series. He was, he was fantastic, especially for what they needed. But it was also a perfect storm of the matchup, how that team, the Rockets were, right? And like, just the lack of experience and just, you know, the hubris that was just in Houston's locker room throughout the season. But he played really well, man. And even last night, right, the Lakers played hard last night. You know, they play with pride. I was really impressed by them. I've been, you know, really impressed by them this season. LeBron, at the end of the game talked about the resiliency of this team right? Throughout the season, right? You talk about not only the injury from him to start the season, but, you know, the inch. The. The injuries to Ar and Luca at inopportune times, right? But then you had guys like Luke Canard step up. You had guys like Rui Hachimora, who had a great, great postseason, probably making himself some money. And I feel like, you know, that's going to be the story of them. But I was just really, like, I was impressed with JJ Redick, who had questions a couple of years ago if he could even be a competent NBA coach, right? Because we just hadn't seen it. I think this Lakers team is going places. We don't know. We don't know what LeBron's future is. We don't know where he's going to go. I don't think he. I think when he says he doesn't know what he's going to do, I do believe him. But what should he do, right? Like, because on one hand, there's the, there's the Cleveland homecoming, right? There could be a stealth mission somewhere else. You know, there's, there's, there's buzz about Golden State, which I just, I don't think that's ultimately going to come to fruition. I, I do in my heart of hearts think the Lakers at, In this Iteration of them, give them exactly what he would want if he were to come back. Just, you know, market, you know, his family loves it there. He also is going to get a Lakers send off, which you can't really, like, you can't match up with. But what do you think LeBron should do? You know, there's also retirement. He also could just be tired and be like, I got. I'm done. I don't have more to give.
- [12:31]
Raja Bell
Look, I think it's going to boil down to like, what's, what's of the. What's of priority to him? Is it winning a championship? If we're going to play another year, let's say we get past the retirement talk and we say, hey, we've got one left to max, and I'm not trying to count his money, but like, I mean, there's only, but so much time we can do this for, right? So, like winning a championship, you know, how much are you willing to sacrifice in terms of, you know, paydays to chase, to chase that championship and to try to go get it? I can't speak to any of those things. Like, I don't know what would be, you know, the most important thing in a decision for him. I do think the Lakers and Luka Doncic, as a young star that, you know, you've already got some experience in the space of. Can I play off of him? Provided the Lakers have to take a step, though, obviously, in terms of roster construction, I think to be in, in, in the conversation for being able to like, win a championship in the Western Conference, right? Like, that Western Conference is brutal. So therefore, like, I'd probably be looking at the Eastern Conference, you know, and saying, well, what teams out there might represent that for me? Cleveland, obviously. I said this early, early in the season when people, I was like, man, it'd be so dope for him to go home to Cleveland and bookend his career helping them trying to chase the championship. And you've got those just, you know, you've got the beginning and then you've got the middle and then you've got the end, I think that would be a fantastic story. Don't know the ins and outs of, of the cap, but like, again, if he's willing to, like, really say, all
- [14:14]
Logan Murdock
right,
- [14:16]
Raja Bell
you know, I don't know how much he's made in his career, but, like, I can afford to do this one kind of on the arm, wink, wink, like, I'll come home and play and just keep everything we got. Just keep what we got and like, Add me to the mix because once you start stripping away some of their more integral defensive pieces and length and stuff like that, to add him, it changes the dynamic and it changes whether or not, you know, I would see them as a championship contender. But I think joining forces in the east if it's only about a championship gives you a much, a much higher percent chance of really affecting the power balance there, just because the east is so wide open. But it's going to be fascinating. I don't know.
- [14:57]
Logan Murdock
Yeah, I got you. As Cliff notes, he has earned 581 million career earnings. And also, you know, he got that Nike bag. And also, LeBron's fine with money. He's fine. I think he's, I think he's going to do okay if he, if he took a vet minimum.
- [15:12]
Raja Bell
But there's, but there's some, there's some, there's some pride attached to, like, let's not be sure.
- [15:17]
Logan Murdock
Look, let's not be disrespectful. Come on, guys.
- [15:18]
Raja Bell
Yeah, yeah, there's some attached to asking to take a minimum, a vet minimum. But like, we'll see.
- [15:23]
Logan Murdock
Hey, man, you could just be like, Jordan did it, but
- [15:30]
Raja Bell
that almost went over my head.
- [15:34]
Logan Murdock
But no, like, the Cleveland aspect to me is fascinating. Right. Because on one hand, you're right. It is in theory easier to get to the finals if you're in the Eastern Conference. And we're going to talk about Cleveland in a minute and we'll see, you know, what they are going to do and we'll make our, you know, quasi predictions. But like, I just, I don't know, like, if he's a third or fourth option on that team with James Harden, I think he can make it work. And he also can, like, I think he can make that ceiling higher. But I just, I'm not a believer in Cleveland just as a, as a team. And I know he, he's all about storyline, maybe even if we went to the Knicks, maybe. But I just, I, I, I, I don't know. I don't think he's going to win a championship wherever he goes, to be honest with you. I just think that the, he's just not there right now. Unless he goes like, or OKC or like you want to go ride with Spurs. I just don't see him winning the title.
- [16:31]
Raja Bell
Yeah, I mean, look it. Yes, correct. Like, because OKC and some of those teams are so strong, like San Antonio's up and coming. If you're not going to be joining them, trying to beat them in a series for the next few years is going to be daunting for anyone. Like, I would agree with that. But maybe it's not, you know, maybe it's another ride to the Finals. Like, I ain't been in a while. Like, you know what I mean? Like, that in and of itself is, is, is. Is a crazy.
- [16:57]
Logan Murdock
Real quick. Let me just smell that air real quick one last time.
- [17:00]
Raja Bell
But yeah, it's going to be interesting. The knicks. The Knicks 2. I'm one of those dudes, like, I don't mind, like, the two glamour franchises, like, if you will, with, with. With the Lakers. I don't know if you quality. If the Heat qualify for that, but like, the Heat and then, and then obviously home. I don't want to. I, I wouldn't mind him going to the Knicks. No disrespect to the Knicks, but, like, I like it being the three stop. So if you're not going to play for the Lakers, man, take it back. Take it back home, bro. Close it at home.
- [17:33]
Logan Murdock
Yeah, we'll see what happens. All right. Okay. OKC thunder inevitable this point. We're gonna talk about the spurs in a little bit, but are they. How do you feel about them through two series? They're eight. No. In this playoff, granted.
- [17:45]
Raja Bell
Yeah, they haven't played.
- [17:46]
Logan Murdock
I don't think they played anyone that is going to give them a challenge so far, but they look great.
- [17:51]
Raja Bell
But it was so funny to watch the refs, like, swallow their whistle on some of the. On some of the ones that he usually gets. You know what I mean? Like, and then, like, they were trying to prove time. It was like they were trying to prove. We heard what you were saying. We.
- [18:06]
Logan Murdock
We know that you.
- [18:06]
Raja Bell
We got all this stuff.
- [18:07]
Logan Murdock
We got it. We understand.
- [18:08]
Raja Bell
We know.
- [18:09]
Logan Murdock
We wear his shoes. We understand now. Okay. Get your ass beat real quick. Sga.
- [18:15]
Raja Bell
But then every single, like, so he's so crazy to watch because, like, every single time they did call a foul for him, a Laker was just appalled and in disbelief that they would call it. Like, there's no middle ground. There's never a concession that, like, yeah, I found him.
- [18:31]
Logan Murdock
Nah. My thing is this, though, real quick. My thing is this real quick. On the ref stuff, though. Like, I get it. They are who they are. They get calls. But if you're a team, and I know you, you've been around basketball for a long time. If you're a team that complains about the refs every game, you're taking yourself out of the game inherently, like, you're. And The Lakers weren't going to beat this team whatsoever. But, like, I would say this to the spurs, bro. Like, you need to just, like, lock in and just play them, because they're going to get the calls that they're going to get. They are. It just is what it is. And you're not. You're not gonna. You're not gonna beat them wasting energy complaining all the damn time. You're gonna take yourself out of the series. And that was my annoyance with the Lakers. Like, whatever grievance you have, no matter what, you keep crying every press conference, it's not gonna help you. It's not. In fact, it's gonna take your energy away from actually doing the things that. That you need to do to beat them, even though you weren't gonna beat them.
- [19:26]
Raja Bell
Yeah, well, that's the fundamental difference for me, because I agree with you. Like, in the. In the San Antonio situation, you're distracting yourself in a way that could cost you a series that's very winnable for you. So, like, don't be distracted to any degree. The Lakers was different. The Lakers was like, you hopped into a fight. You know, you ain't beating that. So you're picking a fight with them. Because I could beat you. Like, I'm gonna pick. I'm fighting you.
- [19:47]
Logan Murdock
Hey, it was like, who the you looking at you over, trying to fight. You see, like, little homie right there who has nothing to do, like. Yeah, you look at that.
- [19:55]
Raja Bell
Right, right, right. That shit was great. But no, okay. OKC is who. Who we thought they were? Look, they got a lot of bullets in the chamber. They come at you with a lot of pieces. Offensively, defensively, AJ Was great. I think I'm gonna be. I'm gonna be honest with you, though. What was Jay. What was his injury? Was it a hammy?
- [20:13]
Logan Murdock
It was a hammy.
- [20:14]
Raja Bell
Was it?
- [20:14]
Logan Murdock
Yeah. They say it's a grade one, but a hammy's a hammy, man.
- [20:17]
Raja Bell
Yeah, hammy's a hammy. I'm dealing with one right now, bro. It's crazy. It's crazy, bro. How I'm dealing with a hammy is beyond me, but I am. They're going to need him back.
- [20:28]
Logan Murdock
Yeah.
- [20:29]
Raja Bell
Particularly and specifically, if. If it is San Antonio that comes out of that series, they're going to need him back. That's a lot of pressure to put on AJ Mitchell. One. Yeah, one. But, like. Yeah. Wait, AJ Specific. Yeah, but one. Primary creator. If San Antonio can take Shea out of the game a little bit, like the Lakers did at times, in this series. Right. And she's really patient. And Shay just says he trusts his teammates and they trust each other. And the, and the game plan from the coach, it's, it's actually a beautiful thing to watch. But if they're able to do that and AJ's not producing because San Antonio can really throw a lot of bodies at you defensively as well. And then there's the Wemby of it all. I think they need another creator. I would feel a lot more comfortable for them if he was back.
- [21:20]
Logan Murdock
Yeah, I mean, shoot. A.J. mitchell. 12 of 19, man, he's coming. He's become a star in front of our eyes. 28 points. 12. No, I think I was at his, I was at his first playoff start in Phoenix and he, he was like 5 of 20 because he was just so excited. He was so excited and he has to. He had to learn on the fly just to play alongside Shay as opposed to like just chucking up his own shots. And he's done a really good job of that. But you're right, I mean they, the Lakers were just outmatched and outclassed in all those ways. No shade to them. But you know, OKC is just a juggernaut. I do want to say though, like, and we're going to talk about Minnesota in a second as well, and I don't want to discount Minnesota because they're very much. Could, could, could beat San Antonio. We'll talk about that series after this. But in the way that Minnesota takes on the personality of their best player, Anthony, I feel like the Thunder take on the personality of Shay and that they're just calm, cool and collected at all times, no matter what the situation is and no matter who is, is in or out. Like, that run that they made in game three when Shay was on the bench was, was very, very impressive. Right. And that's something that they're starting to be able to do and that's what championship teams do to go take it back to, to Cleveland. Like the difference between like a Shay or a Donovan Mitchell is like those, you feel those 42 points from Shea at all times. You feel that. And with Donovan, you don't necessarily. You see him scoring at a high clip, but I don't feel it on a night, night out basis that he's going to put the fear of God into me and Shay. I do feel that way. You're giving me looks right now like I'm stupid and I, and I.
- [23:10]
Raja Bell
Well, no, no, no, no, no, no, no. I'm. No, no, no, I just as it rel felt I felt them 40 sub last night.
- [23:18]
Logan Murdock
Oh yeah, for sure we're gonna talk about that. But like I meant over the course of a series and throughout his career. I, I don't like going into a series. I'm not being like, oh man, like Donovan Mitchell in the Easter Conference finals. I'm going to be scared of him. Like I'm, I just don't, I just don't in the way that I'm scared of check. And you're right, he did play well. But it's a long series. We're going to talk about Cleveland in a minute. But as that relates to okc, I've just seen them just be calm, cool and collected throughout the season no matter what who is playing in and out of the lineup. And that's going to serve them well through these playoffs when they're playing against either specifically when they play against San Antonio. I think that's going to serve them well.
- [23:54]
Raja Bell
Yeah.
- [23:54]
Logan Murdock
So we'll see.
- [23:56]
Raja Bell
It's. It's. But, but that's been like, you know, we've talked about it before. I've, I've talked about it like that's his on floor physical game is beautiful to watch if you appreciate the art of scoring. And I think I've said before how he's taken huge steps in terms of playmaking and creation for others as well. But maybe equally important to that team is, is his demeanor and his affect and the way, you know, the way he just comports himself like in the face of all different kind of shit. You know, never last night at any point did I feel in the Lakers had a little early lead. But it never felt. I was never worried for okc. Like you're never really worried like they might lose the game, but you always feel like yo, there's the run is coming, like they're just gonna turn it on and you're gonna be fine. But like let's even talk about like this huge debate and we go backwards and talk about the fouling.
- [24:56]
Logan Murdock
Right.
- [24:56]
Raja Bell
How often do you see him rattled because he doesn't get the foul. He just picks his self up and keeps it moving. The like. And so like you know, I think
- [25:06]
Logan Murdock
he's the coolest player in the league, Raja. Like so cool.
- [25:09]
Raja Bell
Yeah, but you, but you also can't discount and you got to give credit because we give a lot to Shay. That that's not just a Shay thing, that's a dagno thing too. Like how do you say dago? Dago. Like, like.
- [25:19]
Logan Murdock
Well I Mean, you called him Coach Dags. I actually call him Coach Dags now because you said that. But it's Coach Dago, I think. Yeah, I'm pretty sure I call him Mark when I see him, but I, I, I call him Coach Dags when that's what's good.
- [25:30]
Raja Bell
I don't know the brother, Coach Daggs, but you got to give him credit too, because typically a team is going to reflect, you know, the composure of, of its leadership, like, and it's going to, it, it's going to act the way its leaders act, and it's its best player and its head coach. And so they, they both share in the credit for the way that team is always just business.
- [25:51]
Logan Murdock
Yeah, yeah, I, I'm very, I'm always impressed when I'm around OKC and just seeing just the maturity level of guys that young. Right. Because, you know, we're going to talk about San Antonio tonight right after this. But, you know, you see. And they're also a very mature group as well, don't get me wrong. But, like, I'm just very, I just haven't been around San Antonio as much as I've been around okc. But, like, you see guys, and I was asking Mark, Coach Dags, like, how do you kind of just keep this team afloat throughout all the noise, right? The foul calling, you know, just the backlash and all that stuff. He was like, yo, man, this, this team makes it easy because they just want to compete. Like, you just put them in it. He said, you put them in a dusty gym in Vegas, they are going to compete. They want this. And they're not worried about all of those, all of those things that are on the outside noise. And that's impressive when you're 23, 22 years old, man. Right? Like, and I think that you get that from Shay. And I'm really, I'm just, I think that if they continue to just do what they do and they be, continue to be the machine that they are, I think they're going to ultimately be fine because the championship, they have the championship fabric in that. You see it with all the great teams. And I don't know if San Antonio has that just yet, because they're figuring stuff out. But the championship team, especially when you, when you get your title, there's like a, there's a calmness that comes over them. And you, you reference the fact that, like, they're never out of a game. You never feel like they're out of a game. I remember the first inkling that I Got of that like that post, post season or post finals performance where they have that cool common collectiveness. It was a, a game in Portland that I was, when I went to go watch them play. And it was One of those 2:30 starts, the starts that you players hate, you know what I'm saying? Where you guys don't really get a shoot around and you guys are just kind of figuring your way out through the game and they, you know, they were down by about 10 and you never thought they were out. They just made a quick run to just boom, 14, zero run. We're gonna get up out of here, you know. And that's what championship teams do. And when you can do that on the playoffs from on a consistent level, that's when you got some, that's when you got something special. Because the Bulls had that of the 90s, the, the Lakers had that, you know, when they were really good. The Warriors, I've seen that so many times firsthand. They kind of do it on that what I'm describing on steroids, right? And that those third quarters. But you never felt that they were out of a game and just been so impressed by them during this postseason. Say a quick break and want to talk about Wimy some is brought to you by Amazon Prime. Ever find yourself scrambling to grab that special something for a last minute party, a spontaneous date, or even that impromptu game night at home? That's when prime same day delivery swoops in. That essential item you thought you'd missed delivered the plan, saved the win secured. Because with prime same game delivery, you can grab it and go before the moment passes you by same name delivery. It's on Prime. Visit Amazon.comprime to find millions of items delivered fast available in select areas.
- [28:47]
Raja Bell
Terms apply.
- [28:48]
Logan Murdock
Okay, I want to talk about Wimby. We could talk about the, the elbow. What I really want to talk about is we talked about the spurs this season and one of the things that I thought was like yo, they're really talented and they're really good and they're going to be really talented and really good for a long time. But how are they going to be, how are they going to respond to a test in the postseason? Because it's totally different. Their first test. And I always reference Denver as the team that would give them the first tests because of the matchups and stuff like that. But we're gonna have to have a conversation about Minnesota and just like how good they are and also how confident they are and that they, we need to start talking to them about Them like we talk about Denver, how they, no matter what they do and how they, during the regular season or have injuries and stuff, if they're whole, you need to be scared of them and they need. They're a factor. Right. But that being said, they've kind of taken the spurs out of their game, right. And they're playing tonight. So I don't, you know, this, this gets more of an evergreen conversation, but when I saw what Wimby did, I was just like, oh, man. Like, that's. You just can't do that if you're the star player. You just can't do that. And it felt like they got him out of his game. And the spurs are kind of learning those lessons in front of our eyes, and they got a lot of stuff to figure out on the fly. And to their credit, they have figured out a lot of stuff on the fly. But what did that, that, that elbow tell you about where the spurs are right now and what they need to learn just to get to OKC's level? They have the talent to get there, but they just don't necessarily have the experience just yet that they're learning right now. You're.
- [30:30]
Raja Bell
Look, I think, you know, these games are won and lost in, in the margins. And, you know, they're. Those margins don't all have to be tangible. They don't have to be things that you could point to on a stat sheet, although sometimes they are. In this instance, I think San Antonio, specifically Wemby, what I saw was just frustration. And it was. It started. You started to see it prior to the elbow. Like you saw it in the game before, the one that he threw the elbow in, you know, a little shirt grab here and there. On the break, he's looking back, you know, yelling and bitching at the officials like, you know, he's falling down after a play. You know, he just feels like he's getting touched up a little more than he should. He feels like they're getting away with more physicality than they should. His coach came out and said that. They said as much like he. That's what they feel about it. And that was always going to be the way. Go back, go back and listen to anybody talking about him when he came in the NBA. Find one of the ones when we talked on our show and we said, look, the bro, what you're going to do to him is you're going to try to bully him up, you're going to try to push him around and see how much of that he can take. What the refs are going to let you do see if you can get him off of his spot, both physically but more importantly emotionally. And that's what happened to him in that last game. I think other than that, the spurs are doing what they should have won that game. I fully expected them to have won that game until that happened. And they still almost won that game. Like, they came out in the third quarter, they were cooking, they stopped making shots. Kudos to Minnesota for like bowing up defensively and then, you know, ant closed, but like it was right there. I don't have a huge problem with them, but he, they, they are being very, very physical with him. And it's not always on a play that is taking place. It's not on the strong side in the action. We're shoving him off of like this down screen as he gets into zoom action. Like, it's not always on that. It's. It's off the ball, every box out. It's. It's physical. Whoever is on him, like on his knees, pushing him back, a little shove after a play and it took its toll and he boiled over. And that happens. Like, you know, trust me, I know. Like, you can, you can fry out and have a moment like that. So. But you're right, Logan, like that, you know, that's the arc of a, of a potential like top all time NBA player and his franchise on the way to championships. How quickly can you get over that? MJ dealt with it like LeBron dealt with it. People that are that good deal with it and they have to figure out how to get over it physically, but more importantly, emotionally and mentally.
- [33:24]
Logan Murdock
Yeah, I think about, I mean that KD has gone through it as well. Right? When in the 2010 first round against Ron Artest. Just getting beat. Just like, you know, like, I think this is just the initiation for stars. Right. Just go get your ass whooped. Your first postseason. Steph is.
- [33:41]
Raja Bell
But it's deeper. It's, it's, it's a deep conversation. Fans don't want to hear it. Right. Like, I get it, man. Like, no one pays to see the defensive guy, like do things to this your favorite star. No one. So it's not like the en vogue. Like, oh man, that's an awesome job. But like that's literally people's jobs.
- [33:59]
Logan Murdock
Yeah.
- [33:59]
Raja Bell
Like if the game was all about a star scoring the ball, like, it would just be who, you know, like 300 to 307, you know, but someone's getting paid.
- [34:10]
Logan Murdock
Like it as a, as we watch, like, I like the Theater of defense, bro. I love it. Actually, in my, you know, my advanced days, as we're, as we're talking, we referenced before in the pot. But like, I, I like that because also may just give some resistance, right? Like, I, I know that we had the offensive, you know, revolution and it's done great. You know, I'm here because of an offensive revolution that I covered. Right. But I do, I love that and I think that it brings a lot more color to the game when you are, you know, when, when honestly a star has to go through shit like you want it. Like, it may be heartbreaking for that year, but like, if you see your stark overcome that, that's dope to see. You know, it's funny, like, but like when I was thinking about just the, the comps, I mean, obviously Jordan has gone through it. That's the biggest comp on there. But you know, I was thinking about, think about Scottie Pippen in the 90 playoffs, right? When the Pistons just kicked his ass. And yeah, they just like literally pushed him out of the series and that was the biggest key. Now, I don't know what's going to happen necessarily. Might not be a great comp for Wimby, but the next year, Scotty just was unfazed by everything. And that was the scariest part, right? And then they went to go win the 91 title. I am curious to see Wimby, like, whatever happens this year, right, next year because he's going to see the physicality. It's kind of like Raja when he was in the Olympics when he lost, right? I am scared to death for the 28 Olympics because Wemby is going to like, he's going to learn. He's one of those guys that is so good and has all like, you know, the body metrics, everything. But once he gets his mind, mind just ready, ready for this type of environment just for through experience, not through anything, you know, other than that he' going to be a real, real problem. And even like when he got ejected, I loved like the reaction that he had afterwards, right? Even though after he asked Harrison Barnes, like, does that mean I'm ejected? But what did he do? He clapped up for his team. He high fived everybody and even the security guards. He was like, let's go. Okay, I'm sorry, but let's go. And I believe in y'. All. And they took on that, that attitude, man. Like, I'm. I am still impressed by the spurs and, you know, we'll see what happens.
- [36:28]
Raja Bell
Well, they. Let's Be honest, though, because I'm. They. They should not have that tonight. Like, he should be suspended.
- [36:35]
Logan Murdock
He should.
- [36:36]
Raja Bell
Like, that's. Yes, he should be fucking suspended. Like, that's not even a question. I'm not here to debate it. Don't fucking at me. Anybody else, like, any of Minnesota, if
- [36:45]
Logan Murdock
Nasrid did that to him, suspended for sure.
- [36:47]
Raja Bell
Do you know. Listen, bro, like, I get it. What people are going to say is, oh, you tried your. No, man, look, have you ever been hit with the inside soft meat of someone's elbow there? That doesn't fucking hurt. That doesn't hurt.
- [37:01]
Logan Murdock
No.
- [37:02]
Raja Bell
You take somebody to the ground, but that doesn't hurt. If that man had connected. I was playing. I was playing basketball in the University of Miami Rec center one year with my dad, and we were hooping, and, you know, I went to make a move baseline, and I was turning, and a man was running to double team me from the baseline. I didn't see him coming. So as I turned, my elbow caught him, like, right in his orbital bone. It. It felt like an eggshell. Hit my elbow. So he hit the ground. Boom. And the next thing you know, like, face down, a pool of blood just starts, like, radiating from his face. Like, it was the scariest thing. But, like, point being, if, like, that wasn't intentional, that was like, I'm spinning. You're coming.
- [37:47]
Logan Murdock
Like, he consciously did that.
- [37:49]
Raja Bell
He constantly threw the sharp end of your elbow. If it had connected just a few inches from where it did. We're talking about a whole different conversation. It's a whole different conversation.
- [38:02]
Logan Murdock
And, bro, and you NBA players, y' all got muscles and top of muscles. Did you see, like, Wimby's muscle and his just like. Like that.
- [38:12]
Raja Bell
He violently. Look, I've made mistakes. I'm fully. You know, I get it, bro. You do it and you're like, I don't know why the. I did that. I bugged out.
- [38:21]
Logan Murdock
I.
- [38:22]
Raja Bell
But that one specifically, the way that was thrown, the intent with which it was thrown, the area that it almost connected with, could have been catastrophic. That could have been. That could have been Rudy Tomjanovich and Kermit Washington.
- [38:34]
Logan Murdock
Yep. Absolutely. Yep.
- [38:36]
Raja Bell
It absolutely could have been.
- [38:38]
Logan Murdock
Yeah. Yeah. I don't think there's any more thing more to say than that. I mean, that's. I agree with you. He probably should have been suspended. Definitely should have been. But, I mean, you know that it
- [38:51]
Raja Bell
is what it is. Like, I ain't over it, but, like. But I think you said. You said it, like, it's a tough Precedent to set, though. It's a tough. It's a tough thing to say to your league. You know what I mean?
- [39:02]
Logan Murdock
Like, it's a tough thing to say to Nas Reed. Right? Well, he got injected for it. He already got. He already basically missed it again.
- [39:08]
Raja Bell
But no, no fine, no suspension. Like, that's. That's pretty wild.
- [39:12]
Logan Murdock
Yeah, he only got. I'm assuming he only got the fine that you get when you get ejected. I'm not, you know, it's a couple.
- [39:18]
Raja Bell
That's a couple grand.
- [39:19]
Logan Murdock
Yeah. That's it.
- [39:21]
Raja Bell
Yeah. And I'm not. I'm not trying. I'm not advocating for taking nobody's money either. I want to be clear. I'm just saying, like, if you take that instance and I don't want to hear about repeater. I don't want to hear about that. I don't want to hear about reputation. I don't. I don't like you trans you.
- [39:35]
Logan Murdock
Because he. Here's the thing though. Like, you, you gonna. If you get suspended, women gonna have to sit with that. Like, if he were to get suspended, he's gonna have to sit with that and be like, damn, I really shouldn't have did that. You know, like, maybe he did that after he got ejected. But it hits different when you get suspended and you got to sit there and like watch your team play. Well, who are you telling? You could. I mean, you know, I figured you had already, you know, I know.
- [39:57]
Raja Bell
You know, I know. I'm just saying, like, I feel you. You tell yourself no one wants your college era band tees, but on Depop, people are searching for exactly what you've got. You once paid a small fortune for them at merch stands. Now a teenager who calls them vintage will offer that same small fortune back. Sell them easily on Depop. Just snap a few photos and we'll take care of the rest. Who knew your questionable music taste would be a money making machine. Your style can make you cash. Start selling on Depop. Where taste recognizes taste.
- [40:31]
Logan Murdock
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- [40:35]
Raja Bell
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- [40:39]
Logan Murdock
So what's next?
- [40:40]
Raja Bell
I feel liberated. We're gonna take this city back over
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Logan Murdock
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- [40:46]
Raja Bell
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- [40:48]
Logan Murdock
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- [40:50]
Raja Bell
It's time we started hunting them. I can work with them.
- [40:55]
Logan Murdock
This should be tons of fun. Marvel Television's Daredevil Born again.
- [40:59]
Raja Bell
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- [41:01]
Logan Murdock
Okay, okay, okay.
- [41:02]
Raja Bell
I feel you.
- [41:03]
Logan Murdock
Before we get to I Want to get to Minnesota? I want to get to Minnesota. What have you thought about them? And, I mean, they just still have a chance. They have a big. The series is tied up. Right. Like, yeah, this team has beaten teams they're not supposed to beat. And like I said, we don't give them enough respect. They deserve. Where do you see them at at this particular point? They're going on the road for a crucial game five.
- [41:27]
Raja Bell
Yeah, I mean, it's. They dodged a bullet, elbow, whatever you want to say in that game, they should have. They should have probably lost that game. But they have been. They've been very resilient. And Ant has been great in spurts. He goes through spurts of the game. And I don't know if it's like the knee, you know, because you're just. You can only give what your body has to give. But, like, when they've needed him to close, he's closed. I, When I watched them, I don't know if this is fair because I was super. I had super high praise for them in round one this series. Maybe it's because they're playing a much tougher opponent overall. It's. It's not flowing the same way. Like, I don't get the same flow from them. I don't get the same energy coming off of them. When I was telling you that, like, Minnesota thought that they were the better team in the first series. Yeah, that was. That was emanating from them. It was radiating. You could feel it through the screen. It was like, yo, we're tougher. We're more physical. We're.
- [42:30]
Logan Murdock
We're.
- [42:30]
Raja Bell
We're taking this game to you. I don't get that same energy from them. And, you know, again, probably they're playing a better team. They understand this is a tougher opponent, but I do think they have to find that energy.
- [42:42]
Logan Murdock
Yeah. Especially on the road.
- [42:44]
Raja Bell
And, and don't let what happened with the Wemby of it all, with the complaining from Mitch Johnson, with what the refs are probably going to be looking to. Don't let that affect the way you approach the game from a physical standpoint, because you gotta keep it in that bully wheelhouse. You just have to keep it there. And you gotta just hope that the accumulation and the effect of it accumulating takes its toll. Don't. Don't get scared off of that by the way they might try to control it early in the game.
- [43:12]
Logan Murdock
Yeah, they gotta build off. They have to build off of the attitude of Ant, bro and has to set the Tone in this game. This is. This is just what it is. This is what you need your star to be. Because I can definitely see a game where this type of game where the role players are tense until they. We talk about this all the time. Where the role players are tense until they have an excuse not to be in the excuse not to be is senior star player. Just set the tone early. Like, it could be like, oh, he hits his first three shots. Let's go, everybody come follow me. I got you. Right? And granted, like in past series, you know, their role players have really come through for them. Minnesota, right. Like, they have like even when times where Ann is on the bench and they've won a lot of games for them and you know, our favorite McDaniels, he need to set the tone as well. He needs to set the emotional tone as well. And I don't know what's going to happen. I don't even want to get too much into it because we're trying to make this evergreen for y', all. But like, they need to lock. Lock in and we'll see what happens.
- [44:17]
Raja Bell
Let me just say something just in the nuts and bolts of that, I would agree with everything you said, but I think it's critical that either a, they get a not out of body experience from an offensive perspective from someone other than Ant tonight, but they got to have really, really high level. Someone's got to have a game offensively to compliment and then specific to early in the game, what you said is where like, and you're not wrong, like, you want to see that star come out in a hostile environment and be like, let's go, boys.
- [44:49]
Logan Murdock
We're.
- [44:49]
Raja Bell
We're rocking and rolling. You want to see that. San Antonio is trying to take him out of games and I imagine they're going to see even more of that early double when he crosses half court, making him get off of the ball. It's going to be really important. There was an exchange between Ant coming back to the bench in the last game where he was visibly frustrated and yelling a play call at someone. You couldn't see who he was talking to, but he was like, Run 53. Whatever it was, I don't know. He just kept yelling that as they went to break. It's going to be critical that they get him some catches and some wrinkles in the game early where he can get some clean looks and San Antonio can't just throw a wet blanket over the fire before it starts. Let it start and then let him put it out. But like get him some clean looks if you're Minnesota and company behind the defense on a catch where that double can't come in time. And let him get started. Because my fear is if they just keep putting him up top with the ball in his hands, San Antonio is just going to keep running two at him and just say, hey, we're never going to let you get started.
- [45:49]
Logan Murdock
Yeah, no, that's true. That's true. Because it's so easy to guard when your primary score is taking the ball up. It's just. It's. We've seen it.
- [45:58]
Raja Bell
It's exhausting. They top lock, so he gets off of it, then they just deny him everywhere he goes, and they top lock him. And honestly, like, in the last game, he was accepting that through a lot of maybe even early fourth quarter, and then he's so good that he decided, like, I'm just gonna win this. But that's. That's an exhausting way to have to play.
- [46:17]
Logan Murdock
And it takes your role players out as well. Right. Because they're constantly having to, you know, help you out by getting the ball out of the double team, and it just messes up the flow of an offense. Right. Like, so we'll see what happens. We kind of talked about Detroit in the Cavs, but do the Cavs have Detroit's number? Are you believing this? Because I don't believe this. You're gonna have to show me the Cavs. And I know that James Harden last game was. Was Donovan Mitchell's game, but the game before James Harden was talking about, like, yeah, man, what noise. When, you know, he hasn't played really well in two weeks and has more turnovers and assists.
- [46:56]
Raja Bell
Played well last night.
- [46:57]
Logan Murdock
Played well last night, but still, how many times have we seen Tutu where, like, oh, they've turned the corner and we've just completely gotten disappointed. Right?
- [47:06]
Raja Bell
Yeah.
- [47:07]
Logan Murdock
Is. Is. Are the Cavs turning the corner? Is James Harden turn the corner? Are we going to fall for. Or are we going to fall for the banana in the tailpipe?
- [47:15]
Raja Bell
Does it have to be one or the other? It could just be like, they're playing.
- [47:18]
Logan Murdock
History suggests yes, though.
- [47:21]
Raja Bell
Yeah. But I mean, like, I don't. I don't know that we're turning a corner when you're asking, like, the four to beat the one. Like, that's not supposed to happen usually. Like, there's a reason one of them was the number one team in the Eastern Conference. So, like, this is a good series. Like, both teams have held serve. Certain people may have played well in games. And not well in others. But, like, the reality is it's. It's two. Two. And I don't think if Cleveland And I don't imagine they win Game five in Detroit, I don't think that's the end of the world for them because I fully expect them to go back and it to be a dog fight. It could end in six, but, like, I would not be surprised if it went seven. But I don't think that's a meltdown for Cleveland, and I don't think it's an indictment necessarily on Donovan or James Harden, unless they're just terrible. And if they're terrible, then we'll have that conversation. But, like, this is. This is a good series right now.
- [48:21]
Logan Murdock
Like, you know, the real X factor, though, is. The real X factor, though, is Evan Mobley, who plays amazing at home. Like, amazing, and somehow doesn't, you know, take it with him on the road. Right?
- [48:33]
Raja Bell
Or Jalen here or Jalen during on the opposite end of that.
- [48:37]
Logan Murdock
Absolutely.
- [48:38]
Raja Bell
Yeah.
- [48:39]
Logan Murdock
What's more frustrating for you, though, out of those. What's more frustrating between those two players, who's the one that's more frustrating by doing the same during. Scott during is.
- [48:48]
Raja Bell
I mean, just because he had so much. I mean, the steps that he took this year into being, at least through the regular season, season, like, a primary option for them, like, their number, their true number two, like, that's just put everyone having to step into roles, like, Tobias Harris has been phenomenal. Just making. It's a lot of pressure on other people, bro. You're getting, like, eight point. You get four and six, eight field goal attempts. Like, yeah, that's more frustrating. I think if I were one of
- [49:14]
Logan Murdock
those clubs, I will say that I think that Evan Mobley at this point kind of is who he is, right? Even though he's supposed to be, in theory, for this Cavs team, the second best player. He just. He should be, right? Like, we shouldn't even be thinking about, you know, Harden would be. Is like, a nice to have at this point, right? But Evan Mobley should be taking that step, and he just hasn't. And it's not. Not necessarily. Surprising anyone, but during this season, like, I wrote about him, I went out to Detroit to go see him. And like, I've told you this, the. The thing that all of those guys in the locker room have said is, like, they have to bring that out of him, right? And you can sense that whenever you watch the Pistons, it's like, yo, when is Duran gonna do something? Right? And it Puts it, when is he going to kind of just get out of his own way and, like, you know, stop playing? You know, just play like you did in the regular season. And you can see during that there's a hesitancy in this postseason once again. And that's frustrating because he's so young, right. And you want these people to turn a corner. But then there's the fear, at least with Duran, that he's just not right. And, like, I'm sure me and you want him to be like, yo, fuck that, and just, like, give us a 35 and 17, which we know you're capable of doing. The big. He. He has the biggest dude on the floor syndrome, where it's like, dude, you're supposed to be doing this. And on his end, he's like, I'm trying to figure it out. But, like, hey, man, this there. You only have one or couple shot, one or two shots, if any, to get this done and figure it out. When you're a number one team and, like, this isn't promised, they need you right now, and we'll see what happens. It's. It's.
- [50:49]
Raja Bell
It's.
- [50:50]
Logan Murdock
It's. It's frustrating to watch is all. I'll say.
- [50:53]
Raja Bell
Yeah. Yeah, it can be. It can be. I thought, you know, I've said this before. It's just about, for me, the, you know, to the. To the point you just made, it's not always about whether or not you get to the 25 and 12 mark. Like, we can all forgive you attempting to get to it, but not having your shit that night or the other team doing a phenomenal job, and, you know, your ball is just lipping in and coming out like, we. That shit happens. But to not be in pursuit of it from night to night is. It could be frustrating. Like, yeah, that could be concerning, you
- [51:31]
Logan Murdock
know, Bro, I just want to see him. I want to see him do, like, AJ Mitchell, bro. I want to see a 5 of 20 game from Duran, you know?
- [51:38]
Raja Bell
Yeah.
- [51:38]
Logan Murdock
Like, yeah, you're trying.
- [51:40]
Raja Bell
I. I hear you, bro. I hear you. I wouldn't. I wouldn't mind that either, as long as it wasn't taking food off of, like, Cade's plate. Like, just, you know, like, give us the same attempt to give us the same output as you were giving us night in and night out in the regular season. I hope that's the best way to put it. Like, if it doesn't happen, fine, but make the attempt to give us what you gave us in, in. In February and January from an Offensive output, shot production, standpoint, like, get, get them up in that way so that we, you know, we, we give ourselves a better chance to win the game. I thought Cleveland did a great job. Like, first of all, there's a huge discrepancy in free throws. I think Cleveland shot like 22 more free throws last night than Detroit did.
- [52:26]
Logan Murdock
Ring the alarm. Ring the alarm. Oh, man, I'll ring the alarm. Everybody in the league up. Well, Cleveland got a fair advantage.
- [52:33]
Raja Bell
No, I'm not doing that in any way, shape or form. Although some might, but, like, I doubt that happens again. Do you know what I mean? Like, that's not going to happen again. Cleveland just had them. Donovan was fantastic. But even before Donovan started going off, because he did it, I mean, it was second half mostly, I thought Cleveland did a really good job of keeping Detroit in a closeout. The ball had energy when it was received. I mean, it was shot with good energy or it was driving a closeout with good energy. And it looked at time for large stretches of the game that Detroit, like, literally couldn't catch up to the ball. Yeah, they just couldn't catch up. Like, they kept. Oh, shit, he's gone. Oh, fuck, there he goes. Oh, I'm in. Out. And, and you know, when teams typically play like that, like, you know, they're, they become even more difficult to guard. And when you have a shot maker like Donovan Mitchell who can, you know, create and, and, and, and draw fouls and stuff like that, they become really, really hard to guard. But I, I don't think. I think Detroit wins game five. I said all that to say, I think Detroit wins game five. They're going home. I don't think they get, I don't think they get pummeled on the, on the free throws like they did in that game. And if they weren't pummeled in the free throw department, that was a very, that was a very evenly played kind of like, if you look at the stats after I watched the game, I had to go look back and, you know, just kind of look at it. I, I think they win game five and then we'll see what happens.
- [53:58]
Logan Murdock
How sustainable, though, is that Tobias Harris run, right? Because they're going to need him to be 22 Andrew Wiggins, basically, for the remainder of the, the postseason, it would seem like, right, because Duran is just who he's going to be, right? And they have Jenkins, they have other guys, but it seems like Tobias is the. Going to be the secondary offensive option. Right? Like, how sustainable is that?
- [54:21]
Raja Bell
I think it can get you out of this series. You. You might need some help, but, like, I think it could get you out of this series. I don't. I don't see it getting you out of a series with the.
- [54:32]
Logan Murdock
The Knicks.
- [54:33]
Raja Bell
New York.
- [54:33]
Logan Murdock
Yeah, I don't see that happening.
- [54:35]
Raja Bell
And no disrespect, Tobias. I used to go watch Tobias play in high school. So, like, I know Tobias. Like, I'm a fan. Like, it's crazy to watch him doing what he's doing. Kudos. But I think that really limits your ceiling as a team. If he's got to do that night in and night out. And I think. I don't think that'll get you out of a Knick series.
- [54:49]
Logan Murdock
You think the Knicks does? The Knicks, I don't think they're going to play until at least five more days. Could be extended to the 19th until they play. So they'll be out at least. Well, like nine days or something like that. I don't know. I wasn't great at math. But does that help or hurt them?
- [55:06]
Raja Bell
I mean, you can make the argument either way. They are hot, maybe the hottest team in the NBA right now. So, like, typically, them and okc. Yeah, yeah. But okay, yeah. I mean, yes, but relative to where they came from, I think New York's probably hotter. But in either case, like, we could. Like, I think when you're doing that, you want to play, like, you want to keep that rolling. You know what I mean? But, yeah, OG being out and he's a critical part of what they do, you know, especially if you were going to pull a bigger team in the next round, like, he's your big body wing. That is kind of a jack of all trades. That's going to be huge getting him back. And I think. I think ultimately, you know, the way these playoffs have been kind of every other night through, through that last round, and like, the accumulation of games and the miles on the odometer of the other teams are going to be too much for them to overcome. Even. Even if New York struggles in game one and they've lost a little of that offensive mojo, I think it pays dividends in. Later in the series. And I think they. They. They take care of business for sure.
- [56:11]
Logan Murdock
We have five minutes to go, so I have to ask you this question. We're probably going to go off the rails here, but what did you feel about Dylan Brooks, the ultimate villain?
- [56:19]
Raja Bell
Oh, my.
- [56:20]
Logan Murdock
Dylan the villain.
- [56:21]
Raja Bell
Oh, my God. That was. Yeah, that was. I don't know how I felt about it.
- [56:25]
Logan Murdock
I mean, I. I'm still struggling. It's pretty funny, bro. On one hand, I'm like, you lost to both of these people. You lost to Bron and you lost to Shay. But, like, also, this is cool. Like, I. I kind of like the theater of it. Like, it's funny.
- [56:39]
Raja Bell
I. Kind of. Hilarious. Yeah. I love the energy. I love the energy. I'm not gonna front. Like, I. I don't. I could have never pulled that off. But, like, the energy is incredible. Like, front row, grilled out, tennis chain down, like, laughing. Like, that's some real energy.
- [56:58]
Logan Murdock
I'm sorry, bro, but I know that we're trying to, like, I don't know. We. Not me and you, but we're trying to legislate Villains out of the game, bro, and that's what we need. We actually need it. We need hubris. We need people to take that on, dog. We need people to do that. This is. At the end of the day, this is entertainment, bro. Like, hell, yeah. If LeBron's at the line and you know. You know LeBron song, like, you know it, right?
- [57:22]
Raja Bell
Yeah, come on, bro. LeBron sees everything.
- [57:24]
Logan Murdock
Yeah, that part, right? He. I think he does the he. What I do like about LeBron in those situations is he's, like, the most, like, starry guy of all of them, right? Like, he sees everything, but he's not going to give you the satisfaction that he sees everything unless you test him, because he knows whatever he does is so watched and it's going to just live on for eternity. But I loved it. I loved it. We need more of that, please. Like, guys, like, stop being buddy, buddy, man, you know, not all the time, at least show respect, but, geez, come on, man.
- [57:57]
Raja Bell
No, I'm here for it. And Dylan, look, one of the coldest moments in the playoffs for me was also a Dylan Brooks moment. It was Shay, like, Cancun on three when he. When he hit this dude with the. Not even the tweet, like, just the. Just the in game after he gave.
- [58:15]
Logan Murdock
I'll tell you what, man. I'm gonna say this, though. That's crazy. I like. I like Shay, like, kind of doing the heel turn, man. I fuck with it. I do like it a lot. I like that he's, you know, in his mind. He doesn't, like, take the bait often, but he hears that shit and he's like, you know what, man? Fuck out my face. And he's doing that more and more because I was at the. I was at the game in Phoenix when, like, the crowd turned on Him. And it was. Actually. It was because of the foul shit, right? And he. I think he got Devin Booker, like, got a charge or something like that, or maybe there wasn't a foul called. And he, like, screamed for a call, and the crowd turned on him in Phoenix. And then he caught Dylan. He caught Devin Booker again on a shot, and it looked like a foul. They didn't call it. And they went to a TV timeout. And he goes, I don't need it. I don't need it. I don't need the foul call. I don't need it. I'm good.
- [59:10]
Raja Bell
Yeah. Yeah.
- [59:11]
Logan Murdock
And I'm like, well, you got, like, say, got some shit about him. Like, he's, you know, low key, but he got some shit about him. And I like that from my stars.
- [59:19]
Raja Bell
I do, too. I like some personality. I like some shit even.
- [59:22]
Logan Murdock
Even the wimpy thing. Like, he should have been suspended. But I also get why he did it as a big. You're getting your ass kicked. And he wanted to, like, you know, he wanted to respond in that way.
- [59:33]
Raja Bell
Yeah, I'm fine with it. Like, yeah, I should have said that in the. Like, if you felt. People ask me why I did that thing, I felt like I needed to do it. I don't the to tell you, like, I felt like doing it, so I did it. Like, so if you tell me that, okay. But my only beef with it is when you do it, like, yeah. You also got to be okay with what happens after that, what the punishment for it is. And so, you know, like, if you're like, yo, man, I gotta get a motherfucker off me, I would be the biggest hypocrite on the planet. I've coached kids forever, and one of the number one things we teach him is, yo, back him up. Like, if he is taking up your space and just trying to bully you, back that. Back his ass up. So I wouldn't stand here and be hypocritical. I. I did not mind it.
- [60:17]
Logan Murdock
I'm.
- [60:17]
Raja Bell
It could have just played out and been catastrophic. And once you decide to do that, I think you have to keep the same energy for him as you would have kept for Dylan Brooks.
- [60:26]
Logan Murdock
My thing is this, though. Like, if you. You gotta think of these people as, like, I know y', all. I know everybody in the league thinks these people's like, it's numbers and robots and stuff. But you gotta think about it like this. Somebody hitting you in. In the neck or hit or following you, and at the park or whatever, you gonna catch a bow. Because there's no suspension on the. On the black top. There ain't no suspension. And like, oh, you ain't gonna play tomorrow? Nah, bro. You're gonna get this elbow and you're gonna get up off me. Like, that's just what it's going to be. And these people have human emotions. It's really hard to. It's just really hard to be that level of focus. It takes. It takes time. It takes things like suspension sometimes to, like, make sure you have that clear head and have that intense focus. Right? And I think Wimby's learning that. I think Shay's learning. I think a lot of people are learning that. We're seeing it in real time, man. I'm good with it. I love watching it. It brings a storyline. As a journalist, I'm like, yo, bro, this is tight. There's a lot more stuff to write about, right? Like, I don't like the. I don't like the robotification of sports. I just don't like these people. Humans figure it out. And we're humans. We're real ones. And that's been another edition of Real Ones. I'm getting the transitions back, different transitions. I'm locked the in when it's. Hey, when it's the Raja Bell, Logan Murdock, two men. I kind of just like, oh, okay, this is where we at. We're locked in. It's just going back to old, old premises. So we're here. We didn't get to mailbag this time around, but make sure you tap in RomansMailBack. Gmail.com Gmail.com Gmail.com we're back Friday. See y' all soon. Ah. Ah. All the shits. 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. kentucky or Wyoming. Gambling problem. Call 1-800-GAMBLER or 1-800-MERNET. Call 1-888-789-7777 or visit ccpg.org backslash chat in Connecticut or visit mdgamblinghelp.org in Maryland. Hope is here. Visit gamblinghelpma.org or call 1-800-327-5050 for 24. 7 support in Massachusetts or call 1-877-HOPE NY or text YORK. For Louisiana, call 1-877-770-7867.