Brian Windhorst & The Hoop Collective - Shocking Upsets Change Playoff Seeding + An Interesting Message From Giannis

Episode Date: April 13, 2026

Brian Windhorst is joined by ESPN's Tim Bontemps and Tim MacMahon to react to the final day of the regular season including some shocking upsets with a huge impact on playoff seeding. Plus, we look ahead to some of the most interesting storylines for Round 1 of the NBA playoffs. Finally, we break down some curious end of season messages from Giannis. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Hey, sports fans, the ESPN app has all of ESPN all in one place. The ESPN app is your home to thousands of live events, ESPN shows, and originals across every ESPN network and service. And now you can check if you already have ESPN Unlimited as part of your TV package for no additional calls. Visit activate.esPN.com to learn how to access your account or sign up, then start streaming in the ESPN app. It's all of ESPN all in one place. Sign up or activate now. Hello and welcome to the Hoop Collective podcast. We talk about the NBA, which you're doing on Sunday evening. Joining me from the Xfinity Arena, Xfinity Mobile Arena.

You got it. Where the 76ers closed out the regular season with a victory over the bucks on Sunday evening is Tim Bontemps. I came down here today, fellas, because I knew it was going to be an interesting game or an interesting night here at the arena. And it was for all those reasons. We'll talk about it, joining us from Dallas, Texas, where he attended the Bulls playing against the Mavericks in their season finale. I think the Mavericks scored 150 points is Ban McMahon. Howdy, partners are relocated quickly to get home. I didn't feel like I need to stick around for all that tank-a-thon.

But it's good to see you, boys, ready for the playoffs. Wait, we've got to get playing first. True or false, when Cooper flag tweaked his ankle and exited the game, you did the same. I waited 10 minutes and 11 seconds later. Okay. And by the way, so did a lot of fans join me in exiting at halftime. All right. Well, there was a couple of, okay, there were 15 games on Sunday.

Most of them were meaningless, but a couple of them were fascinating and meaningful with the seating. And specifically two games, two games where one team really wasn't trying to win for different reasons. and one team was highly incentivized to win. And we've seen this type of situation, unfortunately, play out repeatedly in the NBA over the last few months. But specifically, some strategy decisions that absolutely, I don't have to say it blew up on their faces. And, I mean, they can deny that they were trying to do it. But let's just start in San Antonio, where the Denver Nuggets spent this weekend. I guess they could say that they were worried about health and that they could look.

look at you in the face and say, we didn't want any of our players to get hurt. And so therefore, Jamal Murray and Aaron Gordon, who's had injury problems all year, and Cam Johnson has injury problems, and Christian Brown. Like, they could swear to you that they were trying to keep them healthy. They did play Nikola Yokic, enough minutes to get his 65th game. Correct. But I guess in theory they could say that they were doing it for health reasons. I think the health reasons would be they were concerned about illness because they're sick of seeing the timbrewolds in the playoffs. Okay.

So that's- Yeah, let's call a spade a spade. That's what they were trying to do. Right. I'm just trying to give a disclaimer at the start. But on Friday against Oklahoma City and against Sunday against the Spurs, two of the teams that are ahead of them in the Western Conference, the Nuggets pretty much spike the games and won them both.

Well, now, OKC, they knew the Thunder had clinched, they knew the Thunder, they knew they were playing the OKC Blue. I get that one. This is one where you win, you get the three seed. They decided they didn't really want that three seed, and the only possible explanation would be that

they didn't want to see the Timberwolves in the first round, because that puts them on, sinking a four would have put them on the same side of the Brackens of the Thunder. Well, again, their explanation could be health, but the logical explanation is that they... Yeah. We like to do actions over words in Occam's Razor as the two things to do on this podcast,

and both of them point toward they wanted to avoid playing Minnesota in the first round of the playoffs. So are they avoiding Minnesota, fellas? Are they? They are not. Now, the Spurs, I would have thought, had tremendous incentive to assist the Nuggets in their mission on Sunday because if the spurs win the game, they push the nuggets to four, which is what the nuggets were apparently willing to not resist too much. Is that fair to say what to say it? That is

very polite, yes. And that would knock the Lakers into three. And instead of having the spurs who, yes, a couple of, sorry, instead of having the nuggets and yes, they were one and three against the nuggets this year. Not everybody played in every game. However, the Nuggets give the Spurs problems. And the Spurs were highly incentivized to win the game. Now, they did not play Victor Wimbunyama in the game. It must be said. I suppose if it really, really mattered to them, they would have played Victor, at least Summers. I mean, they played all their guys. They played everybody who was healthy. They played like crap and they lost. Not only that, they finished the game with all their guys. And they were playing down the stretch of this game like it was, I don't know if I'd say a

playoff game, but like it was something that mattered. The Spurs were trying to win the game and couldn't do it. They were picking up full court in the fourth quarter trying to cause turnovers. They were trying to, they were trying to win the game and could not do it. And as a result, their playoff path is a lot harder than it would have been. I wonder if they regret not playing Wimby. I understand he's got the rib contusion, but he played 40. He looked fine on Friday. He had 40 points. Yeah, at 40 points in 26 minutes. Granted, it was against the matter. My point is the rib wouldn't hurt him too bad.

And he's going to have, obviously, from now until Saturday or Sunday, whatever it is, now until the weekend off. I wonder if they regret not playing Wimby in this one. Because this is a, this is, it's not a fatal blow, but it's a very damaging loss for the spurs. Because the simple way of put it is, I would say potentially damaging. We don't know, potentially damaging. No, it is damaging. Their playoff path, they had a chance to, now look, I'm not sure they would have beat, I think it would have been likely they would have played Minnesota, who was matched up with the Lakers.

Minnesota would have been favored to beat the Lakers in the first round with all the Lakers injuries. I'm not sure they would beat Minnesota in a series, but I can promise you that they would either be, they'd be a significant favorite to beat Minnesota in a series. They might not be favorites to beat Denver at all in a series. series, and Denver's just a way harder opponent. And now they have to not only beat Denver, they still probably have to beat Oklahoma City as well. And the fact of the matter is, like, yes, they might beat both teams.

They might make the finals. But the fact of the matter is their path is much harder because they wouldn't, they could not win this game against basically Denver C team and Nicole Iokage for a half. And I also think this does highlight something I've talked about a lot that this team has not been in pressure situations before and has some real flaws going into this playoff run, which I think showed up in this game. If Wemontama is going to be out, then they're not going to go that far. Yes, I understand that, but DeAaron Fox had a bad game.

Saffan Castle had a bad shooting game. Dylan Harper hurt his thumb. I don't think it's a big deal, but he didn't have a great game. Like, this is not, this is a team that's had an unbelievable season, but it's not a perfect team yet. That's all. And the fact that they played this poorly in this game, like, yeah, it doesn't mean their season's over.

They've had an unbelievable season. That doesn't change that. But like Tim said, it is, I definitely wouldn't call it a fatal blow. But it unquestionably made their path through the playoffs dramatically harder by not being able to get this win. The Thunder lost by 32 points tonight and were the biggest winner of the night. Because now the Thunder gets to sit there in the second round and play either a very flawed Rockets team or a wounded Lakers team

and kick their feet up on their off nights and watch the spurs and nuggets go at it. So instead of a path that look like, you know, they look like they're going to have to beat the nuggets in round two, the spurs in round three. Now they don't have to deal with one of those teams and whichever one they get is going to be fresh off what's probably going to be a really tough series.

series. So this was a huge break for OKC, not that the Thunder necessarily need it, but it does make their path a lot easier. And for the Spurs, and you know what, though, I'll say this. If you're going to skip the line like the Spurs are doing, it's only right that you've got to have a tough path. And now they're going to have to be two championship, two proven championship teams. And maybe three, if it's the Celtics in the finals. All right. There will be a lot to discuss about that in the coming weeks, and there will be many weeks of playoffs. as you guys know. The other game, the Orlando Magic, came into Sunday, regardless of everything that had happened this season, regardless of their frustrations in the second half, where if they won and some things fell their way, they could avoid the playing in altogether.

They could end up with... Well, no, no, no, no, no. Let's just move that to the side. The Raptors had to lose to the nets for that to happen. The Raptors are never losing to the nets. That's fine. The point is they came into today, not eliminated from the playoffs.

The point is they came into today playing the Celtics C team, and if they won the game, they got to host two games to make the playoffs. That was what's at stake. They started Desmond. The game was in Boston. Okay. The Celtics were benching pretty much all of their principles, including Payton Pritchard. Yes, they sat there at their top eight players. Okay.

Desmond Bain started this game because it was his 82nd start of the season. He played seven minutes, checked out of the game, and that was it for the first half. He did not start the second half. It was Desmond, congratulations in this era where nobody seems to be able to stay healthy. You started all 82. McHale Bridges for the second straight year played a handful of seconds in his 80-second game, you know, to check that box, filed, I think, 23 seconds into the game. Last year he fouled six seconds into the game, got the 82nd game. Desmond Bain, you know, the magic were confident enough to win this game that they were not going to play one of their most important players other than a ceremonial few minutes.

That's wild. Honestly, that's crazy. And then the fourth quarter started. But, but then the Celtics go on a, I think they, I think, let me see what the, what the third quarter was. Here it is. Then, McMahon, I know you were, you were at your game, so you probably don't even know what totally went down in this game. Boston went on a 30 to eight run. So in the first half, Orlando was up nine.

You know, like it wasn't like they weren't dominant. It was a competitive game, but they were leading. Celtics were just hoisting threes. Well, in the third quarter, the three started going in, especially Baylor Shireman who had, who's coming off of Omaha's own, baby. Oh, yeah. Terrific. They love Baylor Shireman and Omaha, trust me.

I thought Baylor was in Waco. 37 and seven tonight. 37 and seven. What did he have against the Knicks the other night, 25, I think? He had a ton. He was great neck. So he had six threes in this game. Anyway, McMahon, it's a 30 to 8 run.

And the Celtics outscore the magic 42 to 20 in the third quarter. The fans at TD Garden are now 100% engaged in this game. And I want to tell you, so was the Celtics bench. And of course, Joe Mozilla is over there eating glass. Joe Mozilla was coaching this game like game seven of the finals. When they didn't give him a, there was a check. He tried to call time out the challenge of play with a minute and a half to go. And they didn't give him the time out.

and he was cursing out the refs the entire TV timeout until they came back afterward. It showed him back on TV again. It was awesome. And, okay, and then, guess what? Guess what, McMahon? Des Bain, go stretch. You get back in here, buddy?

No. Listen, I had people texted me. I'm obviously in Philly. I had people texting me because there's a lot of interest of people in the Easter conference in this game. Is Desmond Bain hurt? Why is he only playing six minutes? What's going on?

And I was like, oh, contrary. Here he comes to start the fourth quarter. And by the way, Our guy, Jason Beattie from the Orlando Sentinel, I checked with him. I was like, hey, just to be clear, was this just about the 82 game thing? He confirmed to me, talked to Desmond Bain and to Jamal Mosley after the game. Yep, that was the plan. He was going to play a few minutes and then they had to change things to try to win the game.

I'm sorry. That's awful. As much as they had at stake, that's embarrassing. McMahon, Paulo is bricking every shot. He's turning the ball over left and right. Franz Wagner also checked out of the game with like six minutes to go. He looked miserable. He's coming back from this injury.

I didn't think he was going to come back in the game. He had his head and his hands on the bench. Then he checks back in with a couple of minutes to go. I mean, it was unbelievable. The craziest part of this game. So obviously, Orlando goes on to blow this game, which made people here very happy. We'll get to that in a second.

Orlando makes this crazy comeback from down like 15. They tie the game with 35 seconds to go. And the game turns on a Luca Garza turn around three on the wing with 30 seconds to go. Yeah, he was, I think, Bontemps was he, and I haven't read any postgame coverage, so I'm a little bit in the dark. Was he trying to get a two for one there? Yes.

They called time out with like 35 seconds to go and they were very clearly trying to get a shot up because there was like a eight second differential. It was like, McMahon, it was like Luca Garza at Iowa, just hoisting shots like as the eight seed in the Big Ten tournament and them just going in. Luca magic, baby. Luca Magic. I believe this was the first game in NBA history where three guys had their career high

in the same game all of at least 27 points, which I know is a wild stat. But I say that because Baylor Shireman had this, I saw it on our air late in the game. Bayal Shireman had 37 and 7. Luca Garza had 27 and 12. And Ron Harper Jr. had 27 and 7 in this game.

Recently signed to a full deal. ESPN picked up a double header today. We picked up Orlando, Boston, and Spurs Nuggets. We got the right two games. We certainly did. People were like mocking.

I saw people mocking us. And look, I'm not trying to say, we always make the right decisions. But if you just watched ESPN after the Masters ended, you had a wonderful evening of entertainment. Had a great night. So anyway. And with that loss, the reason people here were happy.

So showing up here today, the overwhelming likelihood was that Orlando was going to be the seventh seed, hosting Philly as the eighth seed. as long as Philly beat the tanking bucks. Philly did beat the tanking bucks. But because Orlando lost, now the Sixers are hosting the playing game. Though weirdly, because the Flyers have a game here Tuesday, the 9-10 game is now on Tuesday,

and the 7-8 game is on Wednesday, with then the 8-9 game on Friday. So whoever loses this game on Wednesday is ironically going to be at a disadvantage, but for a Sixers team that obviously has had a rough few days of Joel and Bede not being available for a while after this appendectomy. They got a lot of good news today. What is the outlook for Joelle? I mean, real quick aside, what are people saying there?

I mean, the outlook is, I mean, you know, if you had this surgery, it sounds like everything is going well so far, and I think it's just a question of how long it's going to be before he can be back. I mean, they haven't officially set any kind of timeline. You know, obviously the Sixers have to win one of these two games this week. I think their season comes down to Wednesday night against Orlando. I'm assuming Charlotte is going to win their home game against Miami. And I don't like Philly's chances on a short turnaround against the Buzz City Killers,

even if it's it here in Philadelphia, it's going to be a tough game for them to win. So, you know, they get two days off. They get a home game against this just absolutely reeling Orlando team. Like, that's a game that Philly can win. And I think if they're going to make the playoffs, that's the game they need to win. And then if they do, the first round takes a long. long time. There's a lot of gaps in the first round. So I think their hope is that they can get you all and beat out there at some point. But, you know, this is obviously not a sprained ankle.

Like, it's just impossible to know what the- His body was cut open. Right. It's just, I mean, had abdominal surgery, right? So it's just very hard to know what the time frame is. Like, just nobody really knows right now. Right now, they're just trying to extend their season as long as they can and see how they, see how they do. I just feel bad for the magic that they have to play at least two more games, because that's a season that just needs to end. Well, let's go over the full play and schedule real quick now that those are all done. More Hoop Collective Podcast after this. All right, on Tuesday, Miami will play in Charlotte.

The Hornets, the Knicks sort of laid down today. Charlotte needed a win and they got it. Although Con Conypil is in a verified slump. Look, maybe he will have it. a great play in. I hope he is, but he is, another rough shooting game today. He is in a slump.

That's a side. Two things real quick. One, because of the quirk in the balloting this year, because of what we very, or, but certainly expect will be a grievance filed by Luca Dachich and his agents over the 65

game rule. We're not going to get the ballots until I think Friday. So Concanupal is going to get a chance in this 9-10 game on national TV. to have a final Very, very good point. Have a final sales pitch to voters on rookie to year, even if it doesn't count.

Bond temps, a rare good point from Bon Temps, rare insight. Technically, though, it's not supposed to count. Well, technically, the game doesn't get recorded in the stats. The game doesn't account for anything at all. I'm just saying it's going to be a chance for him to leave a last impression with the voters, whether that's fair or not.

The other thing is... I just wanted to hear it just to just to poke the Dallas face. There's also one other thing that we didn't mention. So Atlanta today played in Miami. Miami had to win the game to have any shot of being the nine seed. If they had won and Charlotte had lost, Miami to have been the ninth seed. So Atlanta, with nothing to really play for,

and with probably a 95% chance of being the five seed, sat all their players in Miami, didn't risk any injury. If Toronto was going to beat Brooklyn, which they did, if Orlando had won and been the seventh seed, there would have been a three-way tie for fifth, and it would have been Atlanta, Toronto, Orlando, in that order. But because Atlanta lost, or because Orlando lost, and it was just a two-way tie with Atlanta and Toronto,

Toronto swept Atlanta in the season series. So Toronto is now the five-seed. Atlanta is now the sixth seed. And I actually think for the Easter Conference playoffs, it sets up for two more interesting series that it would have been with the Knicks playing the Hawks and the Cats playing the Raptors. That was also the other outcome of the magic losing. Well, yeah, this is sort of down the list, but the Knicks, I believe, were five and no against the Raptors this year.

Yes, they stomped the Raptors every time they played them. The Cavs were 0 and 3 against the Cavs. Now, all of those games were before Thanksgiving, so I'm not really inclined to pay much attention to them. However, the Raptors were looking at either playing the Cavs or the Knicks. We know who they would have chosen. They would have chosen the Cavs. And so the Raptors come out of today as a winner as well. And it's probably a better, I mean, I don't think it was a huge difference for Atlanta

to play competitive games against both the Knicks and the Cavs this week. But you can make an argument it's a better matchup for Atlanta to play at the Knicks also. Yeah, I think it's maybe not, it's negligible, but certainly. I think it's a much bigger deal for Toronto. Toronto is a big win. I was at the game on Friday night. I don't think it would have been a very competitive series between the Knicks and the Raptors. So I think they've got a chance to make it.

competitive against Cleveland. He's got to practice getting those buzzer beaters off in time. All right. So Miami plays in Charlotte. It will be a terrific environment, the first postseason action that the Hornets have had in years. Oh, and you know what's take there? I think in a decade. Okay, then the late game on Tuesday night, Portland wins a couple of home games this weekend. The big one was Friday against the Clippers, pushing the Clippers back to the nine. So Portland gets the eight. They

go and we'll play in Phoenix and have two chances to win their way in to their first postseason in I think three years, or at least their playoffs. But it'll be a tough stretch, but they did get the eighth, and they're guaranteed a home game. So that'll be a big moment for Portland. Then on Wednesday, as Bontem's laid out, that's when Philadelphia gets to play at home because the Flyers have the arena booked on Tuesday. Orlando, here's a question. Look, does Orlando,

Orlando goes back home, right? And then they got to fly back up to Philly. Like, man, that's just... Anyway, Orlando at Philly on Wednesday. And then the late game, Golden State is at the Clippers. Not too bad of a, you know, if you're looking for a 9-10 playoff game, you get Kauai versus Steph.

It's not the end of the world. There's some star power there. Yeah. Do you guys want the game one times and dates? They're out? They put those out? Yeah, let's help. I like game one times and dates.

Okay. So first game, Cavs Corner. Raptors at Cavs 1 p.m. That's an insult. That's basically saying that's a low profile series. For years, the Raptors used to bitch about having to play the 1 o'clock game on Saturday. And here they do it again, although it's in Cleveland. I am going to say, I sent Tim Frank a guess on what is going to look like.

I was very nearly eight for eight. Tim Frank is the head of NBA media relationship. You know what? I really enjoy. I love when Bond Timps tells us how smart he is. I just, I just, I love when he talks about people who the average audience have no idea. You want to know the inside, you want to know the inside baseball of why I'm excited about this. So, oh, I'll get to it in a second because it won't be relevant. All right.

Do you remember story time, story time? Yeah, I like story time. I love it. We'll do story time. Yeah, story time. This is, the Toronto afternoon game is where, you know, Maasai, he was Yuri. Well, I was at this game. Yeah, well, I was too.

Oh, you tell the story then. So first, the first game. Was there shenanigans at the end of the game? You guys just finish each other's sentences. There were shenanigans the entire series. But I'm sorry. Were there shenanigans at the end of the season so that the Raptors could play Brooklyn? Yes.

Yes. So in the last game of the season, I think we talked about this the other day on the pod, the Nets tanked out of playing the Chicago Bulls and Jok Kim No on one leg in the first round to play Toronto, put themselves on the side of the bracket with not only the Raptors but the Miami Heat. It was the inverse. of what the of what the the nuggets did tonight.

And in doing so, they set up the series with the Raptors. While the Raptors hadn't hosted a first round series in years, I think, there's like the beginning of Jurassic Park. They had this whole outdoor plaza. They had this big stage. And Syediri,

early in his tenure in Toronto. He jumps up, he jumps up on the stage and gives this speech, shouts, bleep Brooklyn on the stage. Well, how did Paul Pierce, like, run his mouth about... I mean, Paul Pierce is always saying stuff about everything. But Maasai gets up on this stage,

shouts, bleep Brooklyn. This crowd goes crazy. Jim LaBombard, long-time PR guy, then comes around in the third court says, hey, we're going to have a little get-together with Maasai here in a minute. And then we had this get-together with Maasai and said, be like,

yeah, I just kind of got carried away. need to get that wound up about saying that out there on national TV or out there on the stage front of everybody is just uh yeah it it that was an epic that was an all time series all the way right down to pa he got fin 25 grand i was something kind of fine all i remember about that was jim le bombard the the raptors 35 grand 25 grand i thought was 25 i just looked it up i think he got fined twice oh I think, okay, I think it happened in back-to-back years. Oh, Bontemps, we remembered this wrong.

They played them in back-to-back years. He got fined, he said F. Brooklyn the one year. Oh, I'm sorry, 35 was the next year. Oh, here's what it was. What's the Wizards for Paul Pierce when addressing the fans before the team's playoff opener. Okay, that's what happened, Bontem's. He said F, Brooklyn, the one year in Jurassic Park, got fined 25 grand, and then it was a whole

thing. And then he came back. the next year, they were playing Brooklyn again. No, they were playing Washington again. And he said, people want me to say something about Paul Pierce, but we don't get a creep about it. I lost track of who Paul Pierce was playing for. I'm sorry. And then he got fined 35,000.

So you're right. It was. And what I remember is, um, 25 for this one than 35. Yes. Yeah. Raptors PR came over to the media and they said, um, Drizzie will be speaking before the game. That's literally what they said. Because Drake would sometimes give press conferences.

And Drake announced he was going to give a press conference before the game. God knows what he would have said. And then when Messiah went off again and there was another thing that they had a problem, they canceled the Drake press conference. Can you imagine what Drake might have said? And then Washington won that series. 4-0. I know I covered it.

All right. Where was we? You covered it. And at the end of that final game, you were like, yes, I get to go home for a few days. Can I tell you? Behind the curtain. When the student gets real, go on and sweep it. I totally screwed over our guy, Ohm Young Masuk, in that series.

Because this is talk about. So, Ulm was covering, almost covering the series with me. I was supposed to be covering the Wizards and Olm was supposed to be covering the Raptors. why we had two people on that series, God knows. And I found out that it was such a long distance in between like games one and two. I found out that the wizards were going to go home between games one and two and then go back to Toronto. And it was such a pain in the ass to get in and out of Canada. And Olm is like from the D.C. area.

So I totally was like, hey, oh, wouldn't you? you like to cover the Wizards in this series? I totally did this with the knowledge. Because, you know, if you were covering the Wizards, you had to go down to D.C. with them for their practice. Because God knows what Paul Pierce might say, you couldn't miss an opportunity. You know, what if Paul Pierce said something crazy again?

And I didn't want to have to go in and out of Canada back and forth, back and forth. So I totally, like, came to home. Like, hey, wouldn't you, wouldn't you like to just go back home and, like, you know, because, like, the boss is assigned to me. And I totally like was just, um, please. And I remember, uh, my penalty was I had to go to the Lou Williams, a sixth man of the year, um, press conference. I'm just kidding. I love Lou. All right. Where were we? The first round, the first, that was the Saturday. So we got through one game. So Toronto was playing on Saturday. Messiah is no longer and, uh, with the Rappters at cabs.

Hey, I'd forgotten about the Messiah stuff. That was good story. That was great. That whole series was epic. I remember watching at a bar after game six of Nets Raptors in Brooklyn, waiting to see if we would get a game at noon. It was either going to be a noon game on Saturday or an 8 p.m. game. On NBA TV? Well, no, it was either going to be an afternoon game or like a late night game,

which would have been terrible for deadlines and newspaper days. And that was the day that Dame Lillard hit the crazy shot against Houston and ended that series. And so because of that, game seven was at like noon or one o'clock in the afternoon, which was a huge one also. Jander Parsons' last moment in a rocket's uniform, getting a series walkoff buzzer beaded or splash in his face. That's right. One of the great stories Tim McMahon has ever written, which was about the Chandler Parsons leaving Dallas. The bromance break up for Parsons in Cuba.

It was an incredible story. Parsons was a hell of a source. I ain't going to lie. He sure. He sure was. Listen, we got that, what's that show on Fandall? Like, Blue Williams and Chandler Parsons are on it. That's right. We can go away. We're practically doing it for promoting them.

All right. Okay. We're still on one game. All right. So second game, first game on Amazon Prime, Cavs, Raptors and Cavs, 1 p.m. Saturday. 3.30 p.m. Saturday. Wolves at Nuggets. Oh, fun game.

I can read for that one. That would be greater. Neither apparently can the wolves, because they've now been informed by the actions of the nuggets that the Denver you know I you know I hate when people are like one of the things that irritates me so much is like when a player is out or something happens people are like oh they're scared they're scared like that irritates me so much but if I was a wolf's fan I'd be like Denver scared Denver scared of us that's what I would be saying I mean that's they that's what they indicated they didn't have to say it their actions indicated that and it's over words baby

It's a rubber-fled. It's seen each other twice in the playoffs, and it's a split. The last one was that crazy wolves comeback in Game 7 to knock off for the fitting champ at the time. Yeah. I think Anthony Edwards will be ready to go for that one. That'll be a fun series. Next up, 6 p.m. Saturday night at Madison Square Garden. Hawks at Nix should be an awesome atmosphere at MSG.

Games also on Prime. And then the final game of the night on ABC, Rockets, Lakers. Oh. DeRant against LeBron James, maybe for the final time. You know ESPN was tasty. Was there tasty? That was a lead pipe lock to be the 8.30 p.m. game of Saturday night on our air.

Yes. As ABC. Durant against LeBron. That was a no-brainer. Or LeBron against Ant if it had been Lakers' walls. That was always going to be that game. Now, Sunday afternoon, 1 p.m., playing winner against the Celtics. This is the reason I was pumped up because I can go up first thing in the morning and come back at night and be around to see the cinder block.

So a big win for the Bontemps household that I can go up and back. Cinder block is what is what Bontemps calls his son because his son is built like a cinder block. He's felt like a cinder block. I feel like he always makes these references. Tim Frank, the cinder block, McMahon, people don't know what he's talking about. They know the Ikeed department. I feel like the cinder blocks become. a procrime character.

People know what Cinderblock is. All right. But anyway. The kid is a unit. He is a unit. Hey, granddad was an offensive tackle. I like this kid's odd. That's right.

His grandfather has called him, his grandfather said he has linebacker's shoulders since he was about six days old. Right. He's ready to go. The next game up, 3.30 p.m., also on ABC. Both games on ABC. Tim McMahon will be an OKC for whoever they playing. Great time

slot. Great time slot. Don't have to get up early. Get a little brunch, get to the arena. Yeah, Tuesday. Not a noon local game. I thought you were going to get to noon. We should, we should just refer to 3.30 as the McMahon. Oh, it's actually 2.30 Central,

which is even better for you. Honestly, I'm happy because here's the deal. Covering those Western Conference Central Time Zone teams, you do get a steady diet of those 830 local starts. Well, just wait, buddy.

I know. I'll take my 230 while I came. Naturally, it being a 2.30 Sunday afternoon game, McMahon will drive up from Dallas on Sunday morning. Just kidding. He'll fly on. Maybe he'll fly Sunday morning like me. No, no, he'll fly on Saturday afternoon.

What are you crazy? No, that's false. Last flight out Saturday night. That's right. All right. Well, yeah, I can't get up too early on Saturday either. He's got to have plenty of time to be arrested. No, on Sunday morning, got to get up and get to church.

Go on. He did drive me last year. He did drive me one. I remember. From Dallas to come home. I had to come home with a little family situation. I had to come home and calm things and then scoop up all wind. Yeah, let's hope for that event that let's hope for none of that.

Yeah, I agree. Everybody ended up fine. Everybody is fine. So then the third game of the day, first of double-hider Sunday night on NBC, whoever the eight seat is in the east playing Detroit. and that means that in the final game of the night, our guy Corleone Wright, will be in San Antonio for

either the Sons or the Blazers at the Spurs at APM Central. What would be... What would be best for McMahon, Bontem? Should we secretly, without telling him hope that Portland gets their

wonderful, an amazing run to get the 8th seed, gets a win so that he has to travel which would be in Oklahoma City in Portland. Okay, now, listen, that would be the toughest travel, and just frankly, on the McMahon convenience scale ranks last. However, I was reminded of the glory of the Nike employees store, so there is at least one perk to a port. Oh, my God.

So let me ask you this. So, by the way, just to refresh your memory, McMahon has this thing, and by the way, let me just say, before I bring this up, and I think Bontemps would agree, McMahon very well-dressed. It's a very well-dressed man. improved over the last six years, I would say. Okay.

He dresses well on the TV. Yes, it's fine. I mean, my son's not just, we got to clarify, we got to clarify. McMahon has a thing where when he covers a playoff series and when he's leaving for a playoff series, it doesn't involve the Mavericks. He's, I guess you can, you'll be able to sneak home a little bit. It depends. Sometimes I can, sometimes I can sneak home on a travel day.

But the point is he, not only does he travel with a day. different suit for every game. But he brings a different pair of shoes for every game and he will not repeat them. Each suit will have a different pair of Jordans. Are they all Jordans? They're not all Jordans. Majority are. And then he will not, he refuses to repeat them. And then he's got to have off day shoes and travel shoes. So this is a man who routinely travels. Travel shoes and off day shoes can be repeated. Okay. Thank God. So, so this is a a man who travels routinely in the playoffs with

eight plus pairs of shoes and up to seven suits. Is that correct? Yeah. Listen, ask old Vincent Goodwill Esquire as he wants us to refer to him now. Like, he's the same way.

Like, Mike, ass old Corleone, Michael C. Right. Like, dude, this thing of like, they are not bringing up a different pair of shoes for every suit. Ask them. All right, I will.

let me ask you this let's say it is Portland let's say by the grace of the NBA gods the Blazers get a win in the in the second game and they advance and modic center is going to get host a playoff series are how what are you doing like how what's your shoe situation if you're going to go to the Nike store what are how many pairs of shoes you're going to be traveling with I well I can't I can't plan what I'm going to get there because I don't know exactly be in stock so I got to just travel regular and I might also here's the other thing I can't can't just, like, if I come back empty-handed for others in the household, that's going to be an issue. So I'm probably, if I, if there's a Nike employee store trip that you can ship from there. I'll probably just have to ship home. Should we just, I mean to like, you know, should we tell what the Nike employee store is like? Should we say that? Yeah. So first off, you kind of have to get invited, which, you know, you're a man of many connections.

I've already secured an invitation should that arrive. Okay. You have to be invited. and you go there and, I mean, I've only been there twice, so you tell the story of what happens there. Yeah, basically you go there and it's a huge, like, warehouse type of place where they've got a ton of stuff, you know, you don't know what necessarily is going to be in stock,

but it's 40% off. And so, like, every time an NBA team goes to Portland, there's a steady stream of, like, their staffers, even there. So the way it works, I mean, I haven't covered it to you in Portland in a few years, But the way it used to work when I was going to Portland was there was two buses, right? So a lot of teams practice at Nike on off days. And so there will be a bus that'll go to the – because the employee store isn't actually on Nike campus proper. It's like down the road, not far, but it's down the road.

And there would be one bus to go back to the hotel for the non-N Nike guys because, you know, there's guys with Adidas, New Balance, you know, what have you. you. And then the Nike guys and all the employees all go in the other bus and go to the Nike store. And sometimes the guys who, you know, are with other brands will say, hey, can you, and then the players, well, a lot of times the players who are Nike guys who have Nike contracts will get like a, like an allowance. Yeah, yeah. They don't have to pay. But it's great like the like the staffers, like the people on the broadcast for the people in the PR department, they all go and. and then load up. So yeah, that's, but now, storyline wise, listen, Shea versus the Clippers, the team that traded him, you know, Kauai, who wasn't officially traded by the Thunder,

but essentially his rights were, that that's a pretty good storyline. You know, Thunder Suns, Dylan Brooks against his Canadian pals. You know, we'll see, we'll see if that Canadian-friendly stuff is a factor in that. I'm sure Dylan qualifies in that Canadian. Yeah, and then obviously. listen, the Warriors against the Thunder, like, there won't be a lack of interest in that should it happens. You know, the dynasty that's, has faded versus the dynasty that might be blossoming. I don't think that wouldn't last very long if it happens. Right. I'd be pretty surprised if

Golden State can get two wins this week. I would do. Is Orlando winning a game this week? They need one win. I don't think so. I mean, honestly, Orlando, it's not the Orlando magic, because it's the Orlando misery. It's like, it's a, the wives are not immaculate. Whoever, whoever loses Wednesday, I think, we'll,

we'll lose Friday. There's one, Jersey. Charlotte wins. That's, Miami's going to get another 83. Right on the dot, maybe. We're all bus city killers.

Hey, listen, Miami's got a lot of experience in the playing. That's true. That's true. And, you know, before my mouth cash is too many checks here. The Hortets playing experience is not glorious. No, it is not. No, it is not.

Okay, I will just say that one of the big things we're going into this week, and we just don't know the answer. So, Bontemps earlier talked about the uncertainty with Embedde. There's uncertainty with the Lakers. Man. Like, I don't know about Luca. Lucas... Feels like we got more certainty that uncertainty, though, don't we?

I was going to say there's a certain level of certainty, and that is, like, let's just be honest, if either of them comes back at any point during the first round. Well, Lucas is still in Europe. Is he not? I'm not sure if he's, I don't know where his feet are as we speak. Right, but he was as of like yesterday still in Europe. I believe so.

But there are two several-week muscle injuries. The Rakers were breaking not to have either for the first round. Now, maybe if they get to a game six, do-or-die thing, they one or both rush back, but it would be a rush. It's a similar situation to Embed with Philly, right? The longer you can extend your season, the better your chances are if at some point having one or both of those guys come back. So that was why it was important for the Lakers to get home court, which they did.

And it's got to be important for them to get every game they can early in the series as it's spread out a lot. And there's time for LeBron to load up for the next game because, I mean, we'll talk more about the series next week. But Amman Thompson going up against LeBron James as the only ball in the really on the team is going to be a tough ask for the oldest guy in the league. It's just going to be a long series. Or a short one.

Well, let me just say that there are potential opponents. How do I want to cover this appropriately? There are potential Laker playoff opponents who felt that it was a better chance based on their analysis of the situation, that there was a better chance that Austin Reeves could play sooner rather than later. And that as this team was preparing to potentially see the Lakers, that they were preparing for Austin Reeves potentially to play in that first round series at some point. I mean, the timeline has both of them where they could in theory come back by the end of it. It's just, it's hard to know with a muscle, well, the muscle injury like that.

I agree. I'm just, I'm just, I'm acknowledging the situation. More Hoop Collective podcast after this. I do think at this point, it may be worth very quickly, talking about, before we talk about your interaction with Janus today, in Bon Temps, real quick, and I mean real quick, go over where everybody fell in the lottery odds. Ah. So Washington ended up with the worst record in the league. God bless them. They lost their last 10 games. Indiana, by virtue of some good losing down the stretch,

ended up with the number two worst record. That is relevant. They had the number two worst record, one more lost in Brooklyn. That is relevant because, as you know, their pick transfers to the clippers if it falls between five and ten. And so if they're in second, they would need to get passed by three. three teams or two teams. Still 48% to keep the 52-9. It's either going to be a top four pick or the clippers are getting the fifth or sixth

pick. That's all it means. Right. But it doesn't impact the odds at all. No. Yeah, but they're sitting there. Well, I guess you're right.

I'm not right. It was big for the clippers because if the clippers get the pick, it's a top, it's a fifth, it's the fifth or sixth pick in the draft. Okay. Washington, Indiana and Brooklyn end up with the top three, top three worst records. each of them will have a 52% chance of getting a top four pick. Each of them have a 14% chance of number one overall. Utah and Sacramento tied with the fourth worst record by virtue of Utah beating Memphis on Friday night in the tankathon of all tankathon games,

which Utah ended up winning by 40, but I don't want to go over it. Just look it up. I just want to ask something. Did you notice any overt behavior? by the Grizzes in that game? Because I know Adam Silver's been on the lookout for that overt behavior. Well, what about starting four 10-day guys

and a two-way guy? Is that considered overt behavior? I don't know. How about Dorek Whitehead scored 16 points of the first quarter and then being disappeared until they were down 50 and not making a single sub otherwise? How about Bryce sends a bond Sunday

against the Lakers for the jazz? How about he scored 15 points and 13 minutes? No, sir. Sit down C in September. Okay, as I said, they tied with Sacramento. They needed to lose. Both of them, yes, Sacramento and Utah will have 45% chance at getting in the top four, 11.5% chance of the top pick.

Memphis, I don't even really want to talk about Memphis, but I will denote that they finished sixth, sixth worst record. I told Zach Kleinman when I saw him in Chicago, or in Kansas City at the Big 12 tournament, that I was confident he would, he would, the Grizzlies would find him finishing in sixth, and texted him today and said, reminded him that, I said that back in the beginning of March. They lost their last eight games.

They, I think, planned the season going two and 22, something like that. Washington's pick, by the way, was top, if it was top eight protected, so they will obviously not give it up. Utah's pick was top eight protected. Are they safe? In theory, they could, I think in theory, no, because it can only go down four spots, I think. think they're, I think they're safe. I guess if they lose the coin flip, go to five and four teams pass them. Okay, but they're like 99% safe.

Yeah, it'd be very hard to lose the pick. All right. Memphis had the sixth worth record. Memphis will have 37% to get in the top four, 9% to win the lottery. The Dallas Mavericks finished with the seventh worst record with a inexcusable win on Sunday over the Bulls. That could have gotten them tie with Memphis. So tough one there. and they will have a 32% chance of the top four,

seven and a half percent chance of the top one, way higher than they had last year. That is not correct. That is not correct. So because they won that, well, no, hold on. Because they won that game, they are not seventh by themselves.

They are tied for seventh with the New Orleans Pelicans. Oh, you are correct. For inexplicable reasons, really, like any other things with the Pelicans, just stopped playing their players for the last week while they have nothing to play for and they don't have their pick and allowed,

they almost got caught up back up to Dallas and Memphis, but caught back up to Dallas and as a result, boosted the odds for the hawks that they're, for their pick. So now both the MAVs, both the MAVs and the Pelicans have a 29% chance now of being up there.

You're right. I didn't refresh. The Pelicans game wasn't quite over. The Pelicans lost nine of ten to finish the season when they didn't have control of their draft pick. Honestly, the Pelicans are, you talk about a franchise that does not have a clue in the world of what they're trying to do. What a, what a just epic run of front office malpracticed by the Pelicans this year?

That game tonight, the Dallas-Chicago game, either Atlanta was either going to gain odds from a Chicago win because they would have been, or Chicago lost, because they would have been tied with Milwaukee for the ninth pick, or they would have gained odds, obviously, from New Orleans if Dallas moved back into a tie in seventh. So the Hawks are going to be a winner either way in terms of the numbers and bigger winner with the Pelicans moving up into a tie with Dallas.

All right, the Bulls who lost the last game, but had one more loss than Milwaukee, they will get the ninth highest odds, 20% to get top four, four and a half percent to get the number one pick. By the way, Billy Donovan's pregame was about 10 minutes of non-committal saying nothing. Billy Donovan made it very clear he was going to meet with ownership after the season

and decide what he wants to do and we'll see what he decides to do. Well, the question of whether Billy Donovan is deciding between coaching the Bulls and not coaching or coaching the Bulls or coaching another team that he may be waiting to see whether the job opens up. Well, and I asked him if it has anything to do, if his decision would be influenced by what other jobs might open up. And he said, no, that, you know, he said that's not it. Okay, fair enough. It wasn't under oath. He was not under oath also.

I think the first choice is does he want to coach next year for sure after what's been a really rough couple of months for him personally? And then I think, then I think the next question after that is, does he want to coach the Bulls or does he potentially want to coach somebody else? Right. It does potentially improve his menu if he waits a few days, though. I think is that fair to say? Yeah. And I don't think he's going to make his decision in the next. He did say he's not meeting with management tomorrow. He's going to meet with players tomorrow. That makes sense. Fair enough. All right. In 10th, 10th worst record, Milwaukee Bucks, we'll talk about them in a second. 14% chance in the top 4, 3% chance of number 1 overall. They really need that 14% to. to come home. That's all I'm going to say. Number 11. Even if that 14% comes home, though, they still might not end up with a top four pick.

Remember, if their picks higher than New Orleans, they get New Orleans. They both picks to jump up. That is correct. Then we're into, that's the teams that are done. Then you've got the playing teams. Golden State ended up with the 11th worst record. They have a 9% chance of top 4, 2% chop 1. Clippers.

It's not actually the clippers, though. The pick is unprotected to Oklahoma. city if the clippers. Boy, Clippers could, oh boy. You talk about flattening the odds, boys. Listen, last time that they gave them a lottery pick, didn't move up, but the Thunder still got an all-MBA player.

They got Jaylon Williams. I just want to say that of all these potential swaps and picks that the Thunder have had over this last three or four years, they have not gotten lucky on any of them. Getting a lottery pick that early out of the Clippers was some pretty good fortune. It would be pretty fitting in this year. But I'm saying in the lottery. Yeah. You're right about that.

It'd be pretty fitting in this year of absolutely epic tanking. If some combination of the clippers jumping up, or I guess if the Sixers still make the playoffs of them jumping up, but the Clippers in like the 12th spot, it's like a realistic jump up. But like the Clippers jumping up and this Hawks trade turning into a win and the Pelicans giving up a top four pick in the year of all these other teams desperately trying to tank. would be pretty amusing irony for the league.

What was the Mavericks chances of winning the top pick last year? 1.8%. All part of the plan, baby. The Thunder's chances of getting to the top is 1.5%. Well, hope you're starting to see Nico Harrison's vision. Miami 13th, 5% to get the top 4, 1% number 1% overall. 14th, Charlotte, 2.4% moved to the top 4. point five percent.

Portland will have the 15th pick unless well they're assuming No, Tagathon just has the picks in order of record. So if Portland, the incident thing, there's a couple of things to watch from the playing teams. One is if Portland makes the playoffs,

the pick that was traded from Portland to Chicago in the Lowry Market and deal to the Cavs years ago, So I saw Larry Nance go to Portland and a lottery protected first go to the Bulls would finally convey Bulls would get somewhere between the 15th and 17th pick in the draft. I guess it wouldn't be the 15th, probably be the 60th or 7th pick. Anyway, they'd get a high lottery pick or a high just outside the lottery pick. Mid first genre. Yeah, just outside the first round pick just outside the lottery.

It's late. Philadelphia, like I mentioned before, as a top four protected pick that the Thunder have. so there's some chance that Thunder wouldn't get it if Philly misses the playoffs but it's extremely unlikely. Charlotte gets Phoenix's pick and Orlando gets Memphis's pick.

So there's a bunch of shenanigans that could go on there with all those teams that make the playoffs. Pending lottery results though, potential lottery results. Because there's a whole bunch of, I'd have to look up the exact swaps but I just know that

I think the higher of those goes to Memphis. Yeah, that's right. When Memphis made the Bain trade, they thought the best asset they were getting was the Sons pick this year. Right. Well, Sons pick this year right now is 17th, 16th. Yeah. All right. So, Bontemps, following today's game where you watched the last game of, is it, do you think it's the last game of Doc Rivers coaching career?

I thought that a couple years ago and then he got the Bucks job. I do think so. he did not he refused both before and after the game to use the word retirement um i i guess you never can say never with these things but i know why he's not saying yeah for one reason if he says retirement they might try to say well he retired we don't have to pay him correct correct but i think uh i i think it's i think it's likely the final game of what is now officially a uh hall of fame career for doc rivers well here's the thing unless somebody offers him a bag and let's just be honest, the way this tenure went with the bugs,

I don't know that anyone's going to be lining up to all the DACA bag. Yeah. All right. And then you also spoke to Janus, Atenacumpo, who did his exit interview. He did. In the locker room after the game. So now the floor is yours. I mean, there's not that much to say, really.

Other than that, it was just the same, I would say, combination of contradictory messaging from Janus, where at one point, Eric Name asked him if you've played your last game was a buck and he said, I don't know. It's not up to me. And he then got asked by me later, if you're still on the team in October, would you sign a contract extension? And after a lot of going around in circles, he did not shut the door on signing a contract extension in October. So we're in the same place that we've been with this story for months and months and months and months and months and months.

Again, again, he also expressed frustration, disappointment, disillusionment, whatever, about not playing. Yes. He hit every beat that has gone on on all sides of it for months. He said he did know if he's done playing with the Bucks or not. But I mean, not playing at the end of the season, like he. No, I'm saying he didn't know if he's done. Yes, I'm saying he hit all the, he hit everything that's come up. Am I going to be a buck in the future?

I don't know. Are you ruling outside an extension with the Bucks? No. Are you still mad? Are you mad about how the season went? Yes. Like, you know, like it was all the same stuff that he said. And, you know, yes, Doc Rivers is out.

But I don't know one way or the other, for sure, I guess, if they're doing anything with the front office or not. So I guess the first question is, is John Horace going to remain in charge of basketball operations? The answer to that is yes. Then the question is, okay, who's the coach? to be A and is Yada's finally going to get traded B? And if the answer to that is no, horse is out, then it's okay.

They got to run a front office search and then run a coaching search and then answer the question of what are they going to do with Yannis. And Janus used the fact that they wouldn't let him play down the stretch this season, which you know, I get it. He wanted to play with his brothers. I also get it from the Buc side. You cannot have that guy coming back and suffering a major injury and just completely disintegrating his value.

Anyways, he used that as proof that he doesn't have control, which, you know, Janus is great with the media. I believe he's been a Matcher Johnson Award winner, but he is chronically disingenuous, and that is disingenuous. Did he, did he or did he not ask you, Bontemps, what he should do? He did in a way to not answer the question. When I asked him about the extension, He said, how long you've been around the league?

I said, about as long as you. He goes, well, 15 years, okay. So what would you do if you were me? And I said, well, I could use $350 million. I'll take the money. You follow me. I don't want my advice. It's a 4% commission.

I can use that. Yeah, I'm sure he wouldn't pay the 4%. I, um, they said, I take the money out of it. What would you do? I said, well, that's an interesting question. I don't know if you exactly want to have. that conversation on camera, but we can if you want. It goes, oh, you know, that's what we're going to do this summer.

We're not going to talk about it on camera. And I said, okay, but you're not ruling out, sign it with the box. And he said, no. So I said, okay. Like, when you're reporting on a story, like, you don't want to be in a position where you're, like, giving the guy advice. On a podcast, I'll give you advice, Jonathan. This is free.

No commission required. Get the hell out of Milwaukee. Like, it's time, dude. You should have done that last summer. Last summer. Yeah, the team's not good. You're going to have never again any shred of a chance to contend in Milwaukee. If Janus is on the team in October, he will extend as my belief.

So this comes to whining about anything from it. This comes down to, in my opinion, the bucks needing to make a trade for everybody's sake here, but especially their own. the bucks have to move on from Janice now. The Miles Turner stretch, the Dame Lillard Stretch Wave, Miles Turner signing was an absolute disaster. They've got all this money on their books for years. The roster is devoid pretty much of young talent.

Ryan Rollins is one of the few bright spots on the roster. He's signed to a contract that they can't extend them on. They gave him a player option on the last year of the deal. So I almost think they have to trade him this summer, despite him being a bright spot, because they're really in a bind about what to do with him going forward and they could potentially get some real value for them. And they're going to have, you know, at worst probably the 10th pick in the draft.

Maybe they get really lucky and they get a top four pick out of these picks moving up. But they have to, I think, cut ties and move forward and start fresh for everybody's sake. And, you know, the Doc Rivers thing was the beginning of that. I just think, you know, you look at where the franchise is at. they've had an unbelievable run. Great run with Janice. He's going to have a statue. He's going to have his jersey retired.

Unbelievable career in Milwaukee. There should be no hard feelings about it. Like, it should be celebrated whenever he comes back. But it's time for a fresh start for him. It's time for a fresh start for the bucks. Obviously, he won a title, but this reminds me some of the end of Kevin Garnett in Minnesota. Feels very similar. That was another one that dragged out for a couple of years.

and it just got messy at the end and now it's good. But like, it's gotten progressively met here. Yes. This needs to end. By the way, Miles Turner averaged the fewest points since his rookie season. Worst shooting of his career. God, he only averaged five rebounds a game. And he's never rebounded.

I know, but even still. A hundred million. He had, you know, this is a guy who's led the league in blocks. No per year for how long? He's got two more years than a player option. I believe he also has a trade kicker. This guy who's led the league in blocks multiple times. Fewest blocks per game since his rookie year.

I mean, look, it's not really worth reading off stats. I mean, there Cs have been a disaster for months. I'm just telling you. I'm talking about. I know. I thought I thought I'd look it up while we were talking. Yeah, it's a mess. And look, man, Yannas on a supermax makes zero sense for Milwaukee.

If you're going to be mediocre, don't be expensive. I'm sorry, you can't be a crappy small market team. with a massive payroll. None of that makes any sense. In the buck's best interest, they need to trade Yannis. Now, if they want to work with him off his preferred list of destinations,

if they feel like they have to, okay, that's all stuff to figure out. But Yonis back on their roster on a Supermax extension would be ridiculous. All right, and I'm now going to get your last shot in, not shot. Get your last comment in

and then I'm going to call a moratorium Mono Yana's talk for the foreseeable future. Oh, we're good. We're good. We're good on that. And the seal is put on to it. Why didn't I get that had a last say? You just did.

Oh, okay. Good. Thanks. All right. With that, the play-in begins in 48 hours or less, and then the playoffs will follow. And we will be here not sleeping, working late nights, Jackson working through the night. Our other producers, Mark and Tucker and Devon working through the night, to deliver you the highest quality content possible

fresh into your feeds on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday mornings. That was a, what's the word I'm looking for when you do something in advance? An advanced Wendy's Sleep Update? You forgot something, though. Oh, the wind's pool. Do you do it real quick because we're pretty far into this podcast? I could be very quick. I was pretty close.

At the beginning of the season, way back in October, we went through and drafted all the teams and whoever had the most wins is the winner. I think we've done this as our fourth year and the first three years all of us won each each for one once. Is that accurate? Yep. I believe

so. And I finished third. I finished third. Brian was second. I had 396 wins. Winhorse had 408 wins. McBan had 423 wins. So, pretty close to be in. I want to know that I was foiled

by the all roads lead to 39 bulls deciding like three quarters of the way through the season that they were rebuilding. They found an exit ramp, finally. And I was also foiled by the Dallas Mavericks, inexplicably decided. Yeah, you were foiled by the Mavericks. That's what cost you. Well, I warned you about the Mavericks. You thought they were like a playoff. And McMahon won by getting Portland and Phoenix.

Oh, there were people with this company who thought they were going to the finals. And McMahon won by getting Portland and Phoenix late in the draft. Well, second and third and second of last picks. Those fellows in person were five hundred perts round. Yeah. All right. Well, there were no stakes on this. Just incredible bragging rights.

Absolutely. There was that we, we're supposed to put a thousand bucks and wear it. That's all. All right. Jackson, please review those tapes. All right. Thank you very much to Mark Jackson and our producers. Thank you to Bontemps and McMahon.

Bontemps has a late trip back to the city. Thank you for watching and listening to the Hoop Collective. We'll talk to you later this week. Adios, amigos.