← Straight Shooter with Stephen A.
Straight Shooter with Stephen A.
Interview Only: Verbal Beef between ESPN's Kendrick Perkins and TNT's Charles Barkley is OVER!
00:31:47
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- [00:00]
Ryan Seacrest
This is an iHeart podcast.
- [00:05]
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- [00:41]
Lester Holt
NBC Nightly News legacy isn't handed down or NBC News.
- [00:44]
Tom Brokaw
I'm Tom Brokaw.
- [00:45]
Lester Holt
We hope to see you back here. I'm Lester Holt.
- [00:47]
Kendrick Perkins
It's carried forward.
- [00:48]
Lester Holt
Tom Yamas is there for us.
- [00:50]
Kendrick Perkins
Firefighters are still working around the clock. As the world changes, we look for what endures. We are coming on the air with breaking news right now. We look for a constant and from one era to the next, trust is the anchor for NBC Nightly News, Tom Yamas. A new chapter begins. NBC Nightly News with Tom Yamas evenings on NBC.
- [01:14]
Tom Brokaw
First order of business is the NBA playoffs. And that's where we're getting started, where the finals are now set between the Indiana Pacers and Oklahoma City Thunder. The Pacers made the finals by putting away the New York knicks in game six Saturday night, 125 to 108. The Pacers were ultimately the better team and now they head to the finals Thursday night to face the league MVP and Shay Gilgis Alexander and and the Oklahoma City Thunder. Can't say enough. Listen, I thought the Knicks was going to win this series of seven games. I really, really did. But when they blew it in game one, I didn't know how they couldn't, how they could recover from that. And sure enough, they didn't. That's one element to peel from it. Another element to peel from it is that the Pacers were deeper and they were exceptionally well coached. And even though we respect Tom Thibodeau and what have you, the bottom line is, is that he's not Rick Carlisle. And then when you couple that with the fact that you got to look at the future in terms of the New York Knicks giving up five picks, four, four unprotected first round picks for Mikhail Bridges and you saw his level of production or lack thereof at times, it doesn't look too pretty for the New York Knicks. They were there, they were in the conference finals. They were two games away from an NBA Finals berth, but they didn't get it done. And to be honest with you, I'm going to say Something that's not going to be that popular. From a purely basketball standpoint, this is a better final series than the Knicks would have given Oklahoma City Thunder, because I think if the New York Knicks had gone against Oklahoma City Thunder, they would have gotten blown out of the building. They would have gotten swept because they just weren't deep enough. And against Oklahoma City, you got to be deep enough. Rick Carlisle has played 11 players at least 15 minutes a game during the regular season. So it's a better matchup for the Oklahoma City Thunder. It's a better basketball matchup for all. For us all to watch during the NBA Finals. That's my opinion. Okay? That's where I stand with it. But you probably prefer to hear from somebody else. And joining me now to break down the Easter Conference Finals and look ahead to the NBA Finals is an NBA champion himself, Big Perk, as we affectionately call him. Kendrick Perkins won it all with the Celtics in 2008, and he joins me now, my partner in crime, on NBA Countdown and beyond. What's up, big boy? How you doing, man? How's everything?
- [03:24]
Lester Holt
Two things. Are those veins popping out of your arms? Is it? Are those things I see, Pop? Hello, bro. Hello. What you got? I see a different. I see a different glow in you right now, man. You know what I mean? I'm seeing something different right now. You know what I mean? What you got going on over there?
- [03:44]
Tom Brokaw
You just teasing me, man. You just teasing me. You just teasing me because you know how desperate I was to get. I get home because I. I was desperate to get home. I. I was being Oklahoma City in Minneapolis. I was sitting there praying we didn't have to go back to Minneapolis for game six. You know that. You know that. But, Perk, let me ask you this question, man. Let's get right to it. You all. I mean, you. You got to give us an explanation. You sw. Up and down, there was no way in hell the Indiana Pacers were winning this series and getting to the NBA Finals. Yet lo and behold, they are here. What the hell happened to the New York Knicks and the. In the. In the Indiana paces in the Eastern Conference Finals, man?
- [04:19]
Lester Holt
Well. Well, let me say this. I was wrong. I was wrong about this series. And I got to give credit to the Indiana Pacers, I will say that. But the. The Knicks. How dare you? How dare you. You're in the Eastern Conference Finals. You just knocked out the defending champs. How dare you let your foot off the gas in game one? That's what I keep thinking about when I go back to this series. I keep thinking about that meltdown in Game 1 and how that ultimately cost the New York Knicks the series. And then all of a sudden, things start down, spiraling from there. They've been playing catch up ever since, and they never bounce back. Here's the thing, and say one, unless Giannis calls and saying he wants to go to New York, I think the Knicks should run it back. Obviously, you get better with your bench, but I'm talking about your starting five. And Joshua, you run it back. Right. But you hold guys accountable. And I'm looking at Carl Anthony Towns. That's why I'm certain. Hear me out. Soon as the game was over, I went to the Internet and everybody like, oh, first priority for the Knicks is trade car Anthony Times. I'm like, no, the hell it's not. You're talking about a guy who gave you 23 to 24 points and almost 12 rebounds in this series. I believe it was right. Here's the thing. And Leon Rose, Corey Anthony Towns, they go all the way back to his Kentucky days. Right? That's a little bit over a decade ago. You should be able to hold him accountable. The problem with Corey Anthony Towns is strength and conditioning. He has to lose 15 to 20 pounds. He has to be able to get up the floor better. He has to be able to work on his lateral movement. Don't come telling me that he can't get better in his eighth or ninth season and say, I don't want to hear that. You know why? Because I watched Steph Curry get better late in his career when he won his fourth championship. You remember when people was picking on Steph Curry essay defensively?
- [06:25]
Tom Brokaw
Yep.
- [06:26]
Lester Holt
It stopped against the Boston Celtics. You remember how he started guarding? They were trying to search him out. We saw him battling on the low block with. With. With. With Al Horford and Jaylen Brown. That was trying to. He wasn't budging. That's what needs to happen with Carl Anthony Towns. I'm gonna say this. If I'm Carl Anthony Towns, I embrace all the criticism this summer. I use all the criticism. Matter of fact, I have every single clip on my phone that. That is criticizing my. Me being a defensive liability, out of shape, whatever you want to call it, I'm using that as motivation. And I come back, I come back in better shape next year. I come back leaner, and I come back more focused.
- [07:10]
Tom Brokaw
Is that your way of saying if the New York Knicks for some reason, had an opportunity to get Giannis Anthony Kumpo, they shouldn't move Karl Anthony Towns. Is that what your way of saying that?
- [07:20]
Lester Holt
I said unless he call. I wouldn't, I wouldn't be reaching out. If I'm the New York Knicks, I wouldn't do that because.
- [07:26]
Tom Brokaw
Why not?
- [07:27]
Lester Holt
Because, man, we. Listen, we already know. Whether you and I agree with it or not, Corey. Anthony Towns is the emotional guy, right? Corey Thomas is the emotional guy if he found out that World Wild west and Leon Rose were reaching out to try to trade him. Because you're gonna have to trade him if you want yachts, right? You're gonna have to package him up with some, with some pieces and a third team involved, whatever it is, to send some draft picks there. If you want Giannis, you want them to contact you, you want Giannis to want to come to the Knicks before you even start entertaining that conversation. If not, guess what? Let's say you run it back. Two things for sure. We know the Boston Celtics, they're most likely not going to be there next year. Now they're going to make some moves, but without Jason Tatum, they're not going to be title contenders. You know, the Milwaukee Bucks eliminating themselves, Dane Dollar is probably going to miss the entire season. So you still just looking at the Pacers, right? And maybe the Cavs, who are going to bounce back. Other than that, the Knicks have nothing. I mean, who, who else are they worried about in the Eastern Conference? I know. Detroit. How about Detroit?
- [08:41]
Tom Brokaw
How, how, how about. How about Detroit? How about Detroit? Who didn't have Isaiah Stewart, who didn't had Ivy available to them and who has the rest of their team? What about them? I'm not underestimating the Detroit Pistons.
- [08:53]
Lester Holt
No, I'm not. I'm not either. But I'm saying if the Knicks, which I believe they will do, go out and improve their depth and get better on the perimeter, right from the bench, I think they'll be just fine. They know what they have to do this off season to, to, to upgrade their roster.
- [09:11]
Tom Brokaw
What about your concerns about Carl Anthony Townsend? How gimpy he looked throughout these playoffs? His legs, it looks shaky, man. I'm just telling you right now. I don't know if I could depend on him in the next three to five years because of that. I'm talking about his legs. How. Size 21ft, questionable knees. That stuff has been, has been pervasive in his life for years, man.
- [09:31]
Lester Holt
It has, but that's why you get your big ass in shape. Let me, let me give you an example. When I was, when I first got traded to Oklahoma City, right The first year I was there, I was coming off a torn ACL and I strained my meniscus. Okay. And we went to the. We ended up going, I believe it was, to the Western Conference finals and we got knocked off by the Dallas Mavericks, I believe it was. Or in the second round. I can't really believe. I can't really hit it on the head right now, but it was either. Right. All right, cool. We get knocked off that summer. I went in the lab. Now, mind you, I was in my eighth and ninth season as well. And I'm not comparing myself to Coy at any times. I'm telling you the amount of work that you need to put in to get to the level.
- [10:19]
Tom Brokaw
Okay.
- [10:21]
Lester Holt
The Thunder sent the trainer home with me, who was with me the entire summer. His name was Chris. He said they sent them down. They made me get on the diet. I had a book this thick of things that I had to do and follow throughout the course of the day. I entered the season 188 pounds. I came back into camp at 253 with 9% body fat because I knew I had to get in shape. One for my knees. But in order to be able to get up and down with Russell Westbrook, KD and James Harden, that's all you got to do, hold them accountable.
- [10:59]
Tom Brokaw
Mel Bridges, five first round picks, four unprotected. How are you feeling about him right now?
- [11:07]
Lester Holt
I got mixed feelings and say about Mikel Bridges. It was because it was times where I was like, oh, that's the Mikhail Bridges I know right there. Right. And I don't want to just yet. He didn't have a great series or like he had an average series in the, in the Eastern Conference finals. But remember how great he was in that Boston series? The dude was bought right in service, especially in the four quarters on the road. So this is what I said about Mikhail Bridges. I think you have to address Jalen Bronson before you can start addressing a Mikhail Bridges and Ogna Novi and a lack of consistency offensively throughout the Eastern Conference finals. Jalen Brunson got to get off the ball, man. Like, he gotta get off the ball and say he can't continue to start the game. Dribbling, dribbling the oxygen out of the ball. He's, he's starting to become a Luka Doncic. And I say that respectfully because both of those guys are hell of a players. And you know, I'm a fan of Big Body Brussels, but what I'm watching is, I'm watching them walk the ball up the floor. I'm watching the Knicks start their offense with damn near 15 on the clock. They always borderline getting eight seconds called. And I'm watching Mikhail Bridges and OG at a nobe find their offense once Jalen Brunson goes to the bench. That can't happen, man.
- [12:35]
Tom Brokaw
Let me transition. Because the New York Knicks are done and they got a lot of work in the offseason. We got plenty of time to talk about them. Your thoughts about the Indiana Pacers and their chances of winning a championship? Because they're going up against Oklahoma City.
- [12:50]
Lester Holt
Thunder, they gotta get game one. They better get game one. You remember when we was on Countdown and I said the Denver Nuggets, I said the Minnesota Timber Wolves, it was a must win for them in game one. Well, they better get game one. I know if they even think they have a chance in this series. You know why? Because game ones are fill out game, right? So the Thunder, they haven't played a team like the Pacers. A team that like to get up and down, a team that spreads the floor. A lot of their guys, that majority of their team can shoot the three point shot at a high clip. Damn it. So now all of a sudden, Dagno, he has to go in his bag a little bit. I'm interested to see what type of lineup he's going to throw out there, who he's going to put on. Pascal, Seattle, Siakam. But game one is the most important game of the series for the paces. If they don't get game one, they're going to lose this series in five. Because by game two, the Oklahoma City Thunder are going to figure you out. And once they figure you out, it's a problem defensively. So you're going into game one in the fill out game, you really gotta have, you gotta have to really stretch that to. Going into the, going into the second half of game one, you need to be up by like 15, 16 points on the score. Other than that, your ass is grand.
- [14:14]
Tom Brokaw
How elite is this Oklahoma City Thunder defense compared to defenses that we have seen throughout NBA history? And what makes them so good defensively?
- [14:25]
Lester Holt
You saw this. You saw it up close in person.
- [14:28]
Tom Brokaw
I saw it.
- [14:30]
Lester Holt
It's one of the best defensive teams that we've seen in the history of the game. And people keep asking me who will win this 2025 or this 2012 team. And I keep saying I believe it will go seven games. But I would give the nod to the 2025 team because of that depth. I, I don't Know if I've ever seen a team this deep, especially at the perimeter position, that have a bunch of dogs and could defend. Yes, we know about Luke Dortz. I saw you earlier today make some great points about Alex Caruso and case of Wallace coming in off the bench. But we gotta, we gotta remember hell SGA and J Dub Dub brothers, not no scrubs defensive like they defend at a high level. So when I'm watching them and I think about my 08 team with the Boston Celtics, who was also considered one of the best defensive teams to ever, you know, step foot on the floor, I'm like, bro, these dudes are just different. They're different, man.
- [15:31]
Tom Brokaw
And I'm looking at that right now and it, it's scary because I, I look at Lou Dortmund. This brother's a linebacker playing basketball. He's a linebacker playing basketball. I saw Julius Randle and this brother didn't put a form out there. He just used his chest and Randle could move him. Randall, 68, Randall, powerful and couldn't move this brother. And I'm thinking about Halberton and all this noise about Halberton. The brother can play. He's not overrated. I don't know who these players were that labeled him overrated. He's not overrated. The brother can play. Make no mistake about it. But this is a different beast. This is a different animal. This is a different challenge that's coming his way. And I, I ain't going to lie to you. I don't know how equipped Hal Burton is to handle this, to be quite honest with you. It's going to be interesting to see.
- [16:16]
Lester Holt
You saw those 18 points per game throughout this, these playoffs. That ain't gonna cut it. That's not gonna cut it against OKLAHOMA CITY THUNDER. 18 points a game gonna get you swim. He's gonna have to elevate his game even more and say he's gonna be. Have to be consistently, if they have a shot, 25 to 30 points a night. And I don't see it. You know what he averaged in his two games against the Thunder this series this year in a regular.
- [16:43]
Tom Brokaw
What?
- [16:43]
Lester Holt
He averaged 11 points, bro. Oh, big bro. He averaged 11 points against OKC. Against OKC. Now, again, you know, I'm waiting on him. He didn't have his special moments and we just saw him take over four quarters. But you deal, you're dealing with a different beast. Here's the one thing that I'm looking at closely. Who is going to go at Pascal Siaka? Because if you talk about putting Luke Dortz on Tyrese Halliburton to start. Is Chad Holmgren gonna be the one on Pascal Siakam, or do you, if you're a coach, do you start J Dub on Pascal Siakam? Do you switch up your start lineup? If you coach diagonal and you. You go small with Chad at the five, and you bring in Alex Caruso early, and now you have your defense set, I mean, it's gonna be interesting to see.
- [17:34]
Tom Brokaw
I'm interested in seeing it as well. I'm praying that we gonna have an interesting series. I mean, if we gotta go to cities like Indiana and okc, damn it, at least make it a great series. You know what I'm saying? Go six, seven games. That's what I'm looking at. I know you don't feel that way because, damn it, you loved in Oklahoma City. You should be the mayor. They should give you the key to the city. They gave you a standing ovation. I was standing right next to you, big bro. They gave you a standing ovation in okc. I gotta admit, I was right because I was getting ready to walk to the back with you. I said, let's go. You, like, stay with me, bro. And I didn't know what the hell was going on. And the next thing I know, they got you up on the big screen and the crowd is giving you a standing ovation. How was that, man? How that make you feel, bro?
- [18:10]
Lester Holt
Well, one. Well, one, I'm. I'm. I'm thankful that you shared that moment with me. That's number one. Number two, man, it's all love there, man. It. It been that way. And essay. I had some great years there, right? It was four and a half years, but the things I would see. A lot of people don't realize the things and how invested I was in the community, right? Like with the tornadoes, with Thanksgiving, Thanksgiving, Christmas holidays. Like, my wife and I, we've done a lot in the community, and we developed relationships there, man. Where I never bought a house in Boston. I never bought a house in. In Cleveland or New Orleans. But I did own a house in Oklahoma City. And it took me seriously. It took me seven. It took me six years after I left okc. Yeah, six years after I left OKC to finally sell my house. Because I was thinking about. I was actually thinking about going back there. We was thinking about living there. That's how great. That's how great people are. That's how much love they show.
- [19:17]
Tom Brokaw
You've often said that Shea Gilgeous Alexander should Be looked at differently. And then last week you came out and you said, this is the best play in the history of Oklahoma City. Kevin Durant's been there. Russell Westbrook has been there, along with various others, but especially those two names. You really, really mean that. I'm talking about you said this before. A championship has been captured. You saying it right now. You didn't say if they win a championship. You've already called Shea Gilgeous Alexander the greatest player in the history of the Oklahoma City Thunder. Why?
- [19:50]
Lester Holt
Yeah, well, well, number one, third straight season of averaging 30 plus. Okay. Shooting over 50% of the field, which joined your goat and Michael Jordan, right? For us players with most 30 points shooting over 50%. Yeah, yeah, yeah. So he sit at that team, then he goes to win the mvp. Then he goes with the mvp. I heard you on there too, by the way. Ain't getting into that. He wins the mvp, all right? Now, yesterday, he wins the scoring title her straight year of first team all NBA. All right? Now takes the team to the NBA Finals, Conference mvp. And the way that he's doing it, man, the way that he's doing it, no one can say that this man has underachieved, right? And I'm just thinking about how he's embraced his culture. No one thought when they made the trade for Paul George that this team would be sitting here some four or five years later and we'd be talking about them making it to the NBA Finals for Kawhi pg. Hell, Kawai pg. Don't even play together no more. So just for him to embody this whole OKC culture, be like the Face man, I listen. Much love and respect to kd and much love and respect to Russ. What Russ done that was, was. Was tremendous. Three years averaging a triple double mvp. Kd, him being the mvp, multiple scoring titles. I get all that. But what SGA is doing right now, we're talking about history here. Stephen A. We're talking about. He's sitting at the table. I saw Allen. I post something. It's him, Michael Jordan and Allen Iverson sitting at another seat that we didn't think he was going to be sitting at. Damn it, he's sitting at that table now. And he haven't even completed the mission yet. So imagine when he complete the mission and I think out of all, and you, you tell me if I'm wrong, he's going to be this. He's everybody else from Anthony, Elvis, Luca, Jason Tatum, Jalen Brown, Donovan Mitchell are going to be playing catch up to him. Because once he complete this mission, I believe they're going to win the championship. He's going to enter that room of superstars with LeBron, with KD, with Steph, with Jokic, with Giannis, because he's going to check all the pieces.
- [22:18]
Tom Brokaw
And the other thing too is that he thoroughly outplayed Anthony Edwards in the Western Conference finals. There's no way, I mean there was two superstars that were going up against one. Another one departed elevating his status. Another departed lowering his status. Even though I love me some Ant man, but you cannot show up in the game five and you're down 20 in the first quarter. You're down 30 at the half, you're down, you're getting blown out of the building in a closeout game. I know Oklahoma City is a better team, but you still expected more from Ant man than what you got. Let me throw this interesting question by you. 5:20, Jeff Teague 520 podcast said that Shay basically saved the NBA because he reminded everybody at a mid range game instead of everybody just running out there depending on threes. I thought he made a valid point in that regard. Your thoughts about that real quick?
- [23:10]
Lester Holt
I agree with him. I agree with him. He, he got us, he, he, he made us focus and brought us back to reality. Right? Like just when people are, the analytics thought the mid range game was dead. It wasn't. And SGA reminded us of that because people could talk about he's the free throw merchant and all that stuff. I don't, I don't want to hear all that like Richard Jefferson put some stat up. Well Mr. Jefferson damn near was averaging more free throws than SGA out of like two or three seasons of his career right now. That's right. He's, he's, he's getting to the mid range and like we talked about essay, he's legit six six. He's legit six six. So that means he's Kobe MJ height, right? And the separation, the degree of difficulty that he's getting on because these ain't just wide open mid range shots. These are contested turnarounds over both shoulders. The wheel, the flash, the up and under, the scoop layups, the finishing around the basket, right and left hand. He's scoop bland on on the right side with the left hand. Tough finish. It's like this man is special and he had reminded the world that don't fall in love with the tray ball. But see, I say, let me say this to you real quick. Last year when the Celtics won it Bro, they didn't shoot the ball that well from the three in the NBA Finals. We forgot that holiday and those guys started cutting out of the corners because Dallas was trying to disrespect them for us knocking down threes. The Celtics was getting to the paint, Jalen Brown and Jason Tatum was getting to that mid range junction. But SGA just took it to another level. And I think that's the separation between the. Between him and Anthony Elvis right now, right? Like Anthony Elvis is either three or all the way to the basket. SGA got everything in between.
- [25:07]
Tom Brokaw
Everything in between. Not a three point yet, but God help us all if he perfects three point shooting and he gets significantly better at that. Uh, Lord help the world. Lord help the basketball world. Two more questions before I let you get on out of here. One would be this going back to kd. You know, we saw how the crowd just thundered, no pun intended, when Shea Gilgis Alexander won the league mvp. We also saw. We saw Russell Westbrook come back as a Denver Nuggets get a standing ovation. We saw you and the love that you see as a commentator now as a former player for the Oklahoma City Thunder. And the love and affection. I know for a fact because I was in that city with you everywhere I went. I mean, the television stations, the streets, everybody, big perk, big perk. I mean, Jesus, it's ridiculous, okay? The love that you received. Kevin Durant is without question one of the greatest players who have, who has ever lived. For obvious reasons, he didn't get that applause when he came back to OKC, because he decided to depart after they were up 3, 1 lost, lost the series to Golden State. And then he took his talents to the Bay Area with Steph Curry and those boys less than a month after losing to them. But I'm looking at the love and I'm like, damn, this is one of the greatest players to have ever lived. Brooklyn, okc, before that, obviously, Golden State after okc. And now he's in Phoenix and one of the greatest players. I mean, if we don't give him any love, where the hell is he gonna get it from? Have you thought about that at all? And have you questioned whether or not one day Kevin Durant will ever regret leaving okc?
- [26:51]
Lester Holt
To be honest, I don't. I don't see how he left okcsa. Like, those fans haven't changed. They've been that way. They've been. They've been that way. I remember when, when I was playing, we just used to go on TV And ESPN used to have, like, this, this meter where it was like, man, we can't even hear ourselves. They've been this way. So, again, like, KD decided to make the choice. The only thing that I wish KD would do is put his damn pride aside, which we know that's hard for him to do, and just make it right with that fan base and sound. Preston, here's the question that I want to know that, that I want to know, and I'm excellent, Christie. Especially if they win this championship. Like, have you even spoken to kd? Have you and Katie even talked since he departed from Oklahoma City? Like, that's a real thing. I want to know, because I know him and Russell Westbrook got a relationship. Every time I look up, Russell Westbrook now got a car dealership out there. He just built some type of park for the youth. He's building up another community, apartments for low folk, for people on low income. Like, he's invested. He goes back there, right?
- [28:01]
Tom Brokaw
They love Russell Westbrook. Russell Westbrook. Quiet is kept. Russell Westbrook does a lot of special things in the community, in both OKC and Los Angeles that people don't know about. He just ain't about that. But Russell Westbrook is a good dude, bro. He could be all. He could come across as abrasive and truculent all he wants to. He does a lot of great, great things in the community. He really does.
- [28:24]
Lester Holt
My thing is, you're right and say, but my thing with KD is when he's up, when it's all said and done, what's the place he's gonna call home?
- [28:34]
Tom Brokaw
Like, I don't know.
- [28:36]
Lester Holt
Everyone, everyone has that place. Like, I know, I know Braun, he played with the Lakers in the Heat, but he's always gonna say Cleveland was his home. I, I, I just strongly believe that. Right. Obviously. Still, Peter spun his whole damn career with Golden State, and I'm looking at Giannis. Even if Giannis does move on and he goes to another team this offseason, he's always going to say he's always going to be remembered as a Milwaukee buck. Who is Katie going to be remembered as? Just KD or who?
- [29:08]
Tom Brokaw
Yeah.
- [29:09]
Lester Holt
Like, what organization is attached to him?
- [29:13]
Tom Brokaw
None. None. Because he didn't show a willingness to want to be attached to them.
- [29:18]
Lester Holt
I want, I'm wondering if Sam Preston is even going to retire his jersey.
- [29:24]
Tom Brokaw
Yeah. And I tell. Well, I think he should, but I don't know if you can. If the audience doesn't want it, because the crowd may not want it or what have you. And to me, it's one of them situations where if okc, by some happenstance, doesn't win the championship this year, with all the assets that Sam Presti has available to him, Phoenix would jump at the opportunity to get assets from OKC in exchange for kd. But why would you bring him back to a city that, you know, clearly he didn't want to stay in? And that's why. That's what everybody has told me. So I don't know. Very last question, because I got to get on out of here. Who do you have winning this series and in how many games?
- [30:01]
Lester Holt
I got. I got. I got OKC and six. I'm a. I'm gonna give the pace of some respect that they could get two home games. Right. I'm gonna give them some respect to say that they can win two games at home. Let me say this to you essay real quick. I haven't told nobody, not even you. I want the world to know that me and the great Charles Barkley has no beef no more. We actually talk and conversate. Yep. So. Because I'm sitting up here thinking, you know, how my wife could be, right? She. She be on my ass if anybody. And she know my ass with my stuff. And she was like, right. You ever thought, what are you and Barkley taking shots at each other for? Why y' all beefing? And I said. She said, it's just stupid. So I reached out. I reached out to the legend, our colleague, our big brother, Michael Wilborn. I did. And I said, hey, Wilboy, big bro, can you put me. Can you give Barkley my number and tell him to call me? Man, I just think it's stupid. He put us in the group message, and he wrote this whole paragraph and say, both of y' all great friends of mine, two of my most favorite people on the planet Earth. I'm making this introduction, and maybe we can sit down and break bread and eat, go to dinner in Chicago. So I responded, appreciate it. Appreciate it, big bro. Charles. What's up, Chuck? What's up, legend, Man? I would love to sit down with you and break bread. He responded, big perk, man. Hey, listen, you're doing outstanding job. We shouldn't be throwing shots at each other in the NBA Finals, man. Let's link up and break bread. So we squashed that. Beat that little. That little beef that we had. It wasn't up with some pork chops when we squashed it. That's. That's pork. That's pork. Excuse me one Number some hamburger meat, but we squashed it.
- [31:58]
Tom Brokaw
Now, you, if you remember, first of all, you did the wisest thing, because nobody. That's why we call Wilbon the Godfather. Because ain't nobody better than bringing people together than Wilbon. If I ever run for office, he. He'll be my secretary of state. That brother does the. I mean, that's just who he is. Secondly, I told you, I've been telling you for the last couple of years, Barkley's a good dude, man. Barkley gonna say what he feels, But a lot of. Most of the times, it's all in fun. And if he disagrees with something, you know, I tell you, he calls me a fool at least once a month. At least once a month. What are you doing? You. But. But we got nothing but love for him. And by the way, we're looking forward to the TNT crew coming to espn, man. But listen, I got to run on out of here, man. I got to run. I appreciate a big perk. Thanks so much, man. I'll talk to you soon. All right?
- [32:40]
Lester Holt
I'll see you soon in. Okay, see.
- [32:42]
Tom Brokaw
Yeah, yeah, yeah. I'll see you soon. But I'm not rushing it. I'm not rushing it. I'm in a. I'm in a. I'm friendly account. I holler at you later, man. Thanks a lot. All right.
- [32:58]
Ryan Seacrest
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- [33:22]
Lester Holt
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- [33:27]
Ryan Seacrest
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