Club Shay Shay - Best of NBA News Part 2: CALLING OUT Zion's for his DISAPPOINTING career in New Orleans, RUSTY Giannis return doesn't matter! First Round EXIT!

Episode Date: March 4, 2026

Subscribe to Nightcap presented by PrizePicks so you don’t miss out on any new drops! Download the PrizePicks app today and use code SHANNON to get $50 in lineups after you play your first $5 lineup! Visit https://prizepicks.onelink.me/LME0/NI... 0:00 - Zion Willamson "New Orleans is Home"16:23 - Wolves FINALLY beat Nuggets this season30:38 - Celtics ruin Giannis Antetokounmpo's return (Timestamps may vary based on advertisements.) #ClubSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Ready for a different take on Formula One? Look no further than No Grip, a new podcast tackling the culture of motor racing's most coveted series. Join me, Lily Herman, as we dive into the under-explored pockets of F1, including the astrology of the current grid, the story of the sports most consequential driver strike and plenty of other mishaps, scandals, and sagas that have made Formula One a delightful, decadent dumpster fire

for more than 75 years. Listen to No Grip on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. This is the biggest night in podcasting. The countdown is on to our 2026 IHeart Podcast Awards. Live from South by Southwest, March 16th, we'll honor the very best in podcasting from the past year and celebrate the most innovative, talented creators in the industry.

It's truly a who's who of the podcasting world. Creativity, knowledge, and passion will all be on full display. And the winner of the IHeart Podcast Award is, see all the nominees now at IHeart.com slash podcast awards. Audible is a proud sponsor of the Audible Audio Pioneer Award. Explore the best selection of audiobooks, podcasts, and originals all in one easy app. Audible. There's more to imagine when you listen.

Sign up for a free trial at audible.com. I'm Daniel Jeremiah. And I am Greg Rosenthal. I know that, Greg. We're teaming up on 40s and free agents, the podcast that owns the NFL off season. This is where teams are built. Free agency, combine, pro days, trades. Every move matters.

From my draft boards and mock drafts to my vaunted top 101 free agents and how rosters come together. Quarterback movement. Surprise signings. We'll tell you what it means and who really wins. Open your free IHeart radio app. Search 40s and free agents and listen now. Zion Williamson shuts down trade rumors making it clear he wants to stay in New Orleans.

New Orleans is home for me. I know people hear rumors, hear different things, but New Orleans is home for me. In the offseason, I stay in New Orleans. and I just move around the city, just getting to learn more about the culture. I've made a lot of friends here. New Orleans, I know I'm saying a lot, is really home for me.

I want to do what I can to help New Orleans win. If I can win a championship in New Orleans, if it looked like and look at the impact Drew Brees had winning a Super Bowl, you're forever. And who doesn't want to be forever? The most difficult point was when I missed the third year with a broken foot.

And there are a lot of criticism about my weight. My care for the game. And I was really low because I just wanted to play basketball. Joe? Yeah, I mean. And we hear this a lot, Joe. We hear a lot of guys, I want to be here.

We heard Kyrie say that. He wanted to stay in Boston. We hear Yonnes and did we hear rumors and did we hear things? Everybody says the thing what they think the fan base wants to hear at that particular time. Well, that's what they going to do. Okay, Ocho, what y'all want to do? Come out and say, man, I can't wait to get out here. No, he's not going to say that.

He's going to always say the right things. You know what I mean? but I still love watching Zion play, man. I don't know how good the Pelicans can be. Obviously, they're a young team. They got some young pieces who they depend on a lot on. And I think they're going to really make some changes. Just some of whether Zion is a part of that change.

I'm not sure. But I definitely want to see him lead, you know, lead those guys in the right direction, man. Because, man, Uncle Ocho, when I watch him play, he can't be stopped, bro. He cannot be stopped. No, no, no. I don't care who you put on him. Whether they three feet tall to him, two feet short, it don't matter. They can't do nothing with him.

So long as he stays focused and continue just to focus on the game, he's going to be all right, man, put all that other stuff to the side. That's been the whole problem all along. You know, once he got to the NBA, obviously the focus, you know, focuses on the game, not just the game itself, but obviously yourself within, you know, coming in the camp the right way, you know, keeping your weight down, you know, focusing on basketball so you're able to do what you need to, to do in season. You put a camera in front of his face. Of course he's going to say all the right

things. Of course he's going to say I want to be in New Orleans. He's not going to see anything outside of that because, I mean, obviously not. You talk about wanting to win in New Orleans. Well, you've had three years to do that so far. You've had three years to do it. No, he's back. No, Zion's been there like six years. I mean, it's my bad. You've had six years. I mean, be able to do that. If anything, it starts with you. If you're not being the one to be able to lead by example, it's one thing, you know, say it with words, but the accident. behind it, they ain't been there. There's been no consistency on your part.

Absolutely right. Joe, you and I, Ocho, you really haven't been injured, but Joe and I have been injured. And it's hard to keep your damn weight down when you can't exercise because when you're running up and down that court on a nightly basis or you're playing football, you're doing stuff. It's easy to keep your weight down.

But now all of a sudden, you're eating the same as if you were running up and down that court. But you not. So guess what that mean, Ocho? You're big, huh? Yeah, the LB is going to add up. They're like, that. Damn, what happened?

It's just natural. And the thing is, he has that kind of, he has that. He's more built like a football player than a basketball. There you go. There you go. Look at his body, look at his body the way he's built. A lot of his weight is from waist down. Yeah.

Yeah. As and fives. Yeah. So that's easy. Oh, man. when you bottom head, Ocho, you know, you can pack on the weight. Quick.

You can pack on the weight real easy. He ain't, he ain't, when we talk about, well, still, he's 6'6. Do you realize how tall 6'6 is for a man that's shaped like him? He can pack some weight on. It's easy for him to get the 350.

If he's not careful. 350? Look at them offensive, look at them, offensive lineman. If they did, if they, how big would offensive linemen be? Think about them offensive linemen, Ocho. The ones you play.

play with, that's 325, 3.30. So imagine you three, let's just say for the sake of the market, he's 300. He gets injured on his foot. What type of exercise now? Joe, you ever did? You know what the UB is, Joe? Or what? The U.B.

Oh, yeah. I don't know if you had them. But if you had a lower body injury, when I was in, when I got with Denver, you did the UB. So they give you 10 minutes, 15 minutes, 30 minutes, or 45 minutes. So, man, after like three days, I said, I got to get back on the field. That's right. Help that, man. I swear, I swear.

I said, help this, man. I can't do this, man. That thing was killing me. Hey, and that's what they do. If you get hurt, I know it's for sure in basketball. And you tell me, I can't practice today. They make it to where your rehabilitation, the stuff you got to do on the side, they make it so hard that you're like, damn this.

I'd rather be on this damn. Absolutely. You, 1,000 percent. One thousand percent, Joe. Being on this treadmill. Yeah. I'm getting back on this. I'm getting back on this court.

So, yeah, that's what they do. They got to be like that because you used to have a, oh, Joe, we used to have a tent. So they have a tarp. Man, it was like prison. You know, I didn't like that. I swear it was like a prison because you had the metal pants. They had a green tarp over it, but that's what a wait room was. Man, I got injured.

Morning. I had to do the, I had to do, first of all, I had to do. to warm up on the Ubi, so I had 10, 15 minutes warming up on the Ubi. And then I had these, because my lower body was hurt, so I had this, had to work out my upper body. Guess where I wore the afternoon practice. What you said? I had my pads and helmet.

I'm getting up out of this. Help this. You were done with it, huh? Help this. Yeah. Like Joe say, they make it so hard, they make it so hard, Ocho. I say, man, later for this, man. Later for this.

That's what they want you to do. Because see, they know if you really want to just must it up, like suck it up and be like, man, I'm a play. They know you can do it. So they're like, okay, he's trying to act like he don't want to go hard. We're going to put him on his bike for 45 minutes. And then we're going to make him walk on this treadmill for another 20 minutes. Then he got lift weights.

Man, please. But get me back on the court, man. Yes. And two, man, we used to have to say where, like, based on your age, you couldn't let your heart weight rate drop below 150. So, yeah. And back then, that was no problem for me, Joe. I could get my heart rate up until the 190s

and keep it there for hour, hour 15, hour 30. So for me, Duke was like, okay, we go and we warmed up. He's like, okay, Sharper. So he gave me these intervals. So every five minutes, I go up, I go up two levels. Like I said, I can burn through 2,200, almost 2,500 calories in an hour. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. I know you're doing some running though. I said, no, I was on the bike. Oh, he's on the bike. He had you doing them sprints. I don't know what it is about the treadmill.

Maybe it was my gate, but every time I damn to pull my hamstring on the train. Is it? So, yeah, I'm done. I didn't do the, because I had that woodway, oh, so you know, the woodway. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Yeah. Yeah. They got the ones that you just start running and it run with you, but I had the one that would go 18 miles an hour and then go to a, you know, incline of 25. Yeah. Bound, it buoyancy with you because, you know, it gives. It ain't like the regular treadmill.

A commercial treadmill. This is a high impact for professional athletes. Yeah. I don't know what it was about the treadmill, but I hurt my hamstring all the time. And so I still got that treadmill. It's really, really nice. And I ain't been on it in 20 years. You don't use it up?

I remember that. I remember that uncle, Joe. That high speed treadmill I used in the off season. I remember, Uncle, I think of one time I hit, I think I hit about 24, 25 miles an hour on there. But obviously, yeah, yeah, obviously. We had her ass here today. Yeah, asked if she could find that on YouTube

where I went 25 miles by on a treadmill, 24, 25, one arm, man, Joe. That big, that big, that big, that big, that big, that big commercial grade treadmill that goes up to 40. 40? So you, yeah, because you got a kick to get on it. You just can't just think of a kid. Mine was a...

Already going. You had to come on yet. It was scary. So I had to hold on, right? You know, you use one foot. Use one foot. And once you hit... Once you hit, you got to be gone.

Hey, Joe. What? Man. Yeah, I already know. I don't see... I don't see some of y'all cats on there. I know exactly what you're talking about. I ain't going to...

I ain't going to know 25. I think I went about 21 and I have 22. But, boy, look here. But, hey, if you missed... All this is going to be gone. That's the first thing here. You ain't saving nothing. Yes, sir.

You ain't saving anything. Hey, look, I got that same. I got a woodway, too, over here. And I get on it, I do a lot of walking, incline walking, Uncle Ocho, so I may get my incline about eight to ten, maybe even 12 sometime. You know, like you say, when you got these lower extremities, these injuries, man, you got a final way to burn calories, bro. That's why I got, that's how I got in the high yoga real tall.

I got in high yoga 2009 because I had an Achilles strain and I couldn't, it's hard to walk, bike, run, and yeah. So I was like, man, I got to break a sweat. I ain't done nothing in three days. I got to break a sweat, but I'm eating good. I got to break a sweat, right? Hey, look, you know, like, you know, like, if they shut you down, they shut me down for a week. So, like, them first couple days, you know, I'm eating real good.

I'm like, hold on. I got to slow down a little bit because in a week. And by six days, they're going to try to throw me back out there on that, on that freeway, boy, I gotta be ready to go. You know what I mean? Yeah. And that's the thing with an athlete, because you eat the same,

but you're not working out the same. And now, when you're young, hey, I could burn calories like this. Hey, like, I could drop, I dropped 10 pounds in practice. Yeah. In a morning, in the sun, in a two-hour practice, oh, Joe?

I could drop 10 pounds, Joe. Yeah. As I got older, man, I get, man, now, I'm like, damn. man i'm like hold on is this a scale right you can tell me i've been fasting

i eat i eat all my food in an eight hour time don't eat but don't start eating until 11 o'clock doing an hour to half hour 15 cardio four or five days a week and i ain't lost but four pounds yeah what the hell man i wish i wish i could I wish i could hold some weight man

look let's see i'm like I'm like, I ain't got no problem gaining no way. I look at some food wrong. Boy, that's two, three, four pounds right there. Hey, I mean, for y'all, obviously. Joe, how old are you is, Joe? I'm 44. I'll be June.

At what point, what point do I get to where the weight started do that to me, too? No, that's not your body type. It's a body type, bro. I'm not your body type. And you drinking all that coffee a day? That's probably got your metabolism running through the roof. Damn.

I mean, if my metabolism wasn't high, man, I'll probably be 300. Probably be 310, easy. 310? Your frame can't hold that kind of that much weight. The hell, you say. When you boy, we're going through it, you boy, hey, I looked at that scale, that scale's a 282, 284.

Yeah. I was like, hey, man, I took that scale and put it in the draw. Hey, hey, I ain't getting that on here. You got up the 280? Oh, Joe. Yes. Yeah, I can get up there. I can get to them too.

I finally got that thing down on, Cho. I feel good now. But I was walking around the man, I looked at myself in the mirror. I look like the gutty professor. Hey, I started putting bed sheets over my mirror. And I got a bunch of mirrors. I got a big wall full of mirror. I got a big mirror.

I got a big mirror. I was like, oh, no, let me cover these up. I was like my grandma, when it's thunder and lightning when I was a kid, he used to put bed sheets over the mirror. because she said when it's thunder and lightning, the spirits had come out. So we had to cover the mirrors when it's thunder lightning.

I mean, no spirits coming out. I'm just looked at. I'm disgusted. I'm gross. Like Kanye said, I'm disgusted with myself. Hey, hey. And you get, it'll make you get back in the gym working hard, too. Yeah.

Hey, Joe, I've been in the gym working, Joe. Yeah. Man. Yeah. What's you preparing for? What's up? I got a tournament coming out. up in May. That's it.

I've been, I'm trained. What kind of turn to? Yeah, yeah, yeah. I didn't carry North Carolina. Yeah. Oh, yeah. You got your night squad? Oh, yeah.

I'm playing with a team from Spain called Villarreal. Oh, man, you ain't playing around. Oh, no, no, no, no, it's a real deal. So I ain't got, I don't had no choice. I'm training early three months out on purpose because I can't, for one, I can't embarrass us. Let's start there. And then I can't, I can't be a liability playing with people that have been doing

it all their life. I ain't playing when you just know anybody. I'm playing with a major, major, it'd be equivalent to, you know Barcelona, right? You know Real Madrid? Yeah. Real Madrid is in the same La League, the same league. Hold on.

So what's your training regimen? Because that's a lot of running. A lot of strength. A lot of starts stopping. A lot of starting. Stopping. So I'm training as if I'm going back to play football. But the work that I do when it's not conditioning,

is strictly with a soccer ball. But that's why I asked you, at what point am I going to keep on weight because all that muscle I had put on, not a shit going to weight. Yeah, because you're running. That's why, well, like, guys, like, okay, let's just say like a bodybuilder.

What you do is that you try to put on weight and then you try to, hopefully it's quality weight. Sometimes people just put on fluff. Yeah. But, and then when you strip it down by doing cardio, now you're like, who, look at that. But you're looking at it. your shoulders. Look at your shoulders and see how narrow your shoulders are. You're not

going to, you're never going to be a big man. You're never going to be a guy that's like, man, man, you see Ocho, man, Ocho don't get, that's not who you are. No. Hold on, uncle. Look at me, man. What you mean? I know. Look at your shoulders point to point. You see how your shoulders are point to point? My shoulder's aerodynamic. Well, unfortunately, that's not conducive for you wearing a lot of weight with a row of the shoulders. Hey, see, people in the chat Talk about I'm lying.

I mean, I'm lying. I ain't playing with really raw. I mean, it's pinned at the top of my Instagrams. Hey, how can I check you out? It's on ESPN. You ain't going to miss it? Yeah, it's on ESPN. TSD tournament on ESPN everything.

Pat McAfee got a team. Oh, so this is a real good. Man, I saw Pat McAfee. Packer did a bicycle kick. You know, that was two years ago. Yep, that was two years ago. Yeah, Pete Mac did a bicycle. No, P-MAC athletic, for real, though.

I mean, you look at him, a kid from Pennsylvania, and, you know, you look at him, you're like, man, no, but P-Mack athletic. I mean, he was, I mean, he was, I mean, super, he might have been one of the most athletic punks that you're going to see. P-Mack could run. Yeah, no, he's athletic, for real. I know you look at him now, you see, you know, with a tank top, and you know, no, no, no, but he was athletic.

Yeah. So, I'm going to see what you're going to see what you're putting on. Don't disappoint us. Oh, no, no. You know, sorry, talking about the more in love, huh? That's one thing that, that's one thing I can actually do better than play football. And that says a lot. I don't know about that, but I know you like it.

Yeah, okay, we're going to see. I'm Luke Wilson. Join me each week for Film Never Lies. Since retiring from the NFL, I've had a lot of my mind, and now got my own show. So if you're tired of lazy takes, if you want honest conversations, join us each week. Film Never Lies, available on all TSN platforms in the IHeartRadio app. Ready for a different take on Formula One?

Look no further than no grip. A new podcast tackling the culture of motor racing's most coveted series. Join me, Lily Herman, as we dive into the under-explored pockets of F-1, including the astrology of the current grid. Lewis Hamilton, Capricorn Sun, Cancer Moon. Wouldn't you know it, Michael Schumacher is also a Capricorn Sun, Cancer Moon. The story of the sports most consequential driver strike. We have one man who, upon hearing that he was going to be fired, freaked out,

and apparently climbed out the window of the bathroom. And was Daniel Ricardo's illustrious F1 career, a success story, a cautionary tale, or some combination of both? He started getting all this attention, and he maybe started to think, I'm bigger than this, I'm better, and plenty of other mishaps, scandals, and sagas that have made Formula One a delightful, decadent, dumpster fire for more than 75 years.

Listen to no grip on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. This is the biggest night in podcasting. The countdown is on to our 2026 IHeart Podcast Awards. Live from South by Southwest, March 16th, will honor the very best in podcasting from the past year and celebrate the most innovative, talented creators in the industry. It's truly a who's who of the podcasting world.

Creativity, knowledge, and passion will all be on full display. And the winner of the IHeart Podcast Award is, see all the nominees now at IHeart.com slash podcast awards. Audible is a proud sponsor of the Audible Audio Pioneer Award. Explore the best selection of audiobooks, podcasts, and originals all in one easy app. Audible. There's more to imagine when you listen. Sign up for a free trial at audible.com.

I'm Daniel Jeremiah. And I'm Greg Rosenthal. And this is 40s and free agents. The games may be over, but the NFL never stopped. This is my favorite part of the calendar. Yeah, mine too, Greg. Free agency, the Combine, the NFL Drens. Pro Days, trades, this is where teams reshape their future.

This is where Daniel Jeremiah makes his money. On 40s and free agents, we break down every move that actually matters. From my draft evaluations, mock drafts, and team fits. To my top 101 free agents and how real rosters are built, cap space, contracts, and all the tough decisions included. You got quarterbacks on the move. We got teams rebuilding. It's hope season.

Yeah, absolutely. It's hope season. We'll tell you what's real, what's noise, and what it means. for your favorite team. Smart analysis, real conversations every week. I don't know about the smart, but definitely analysis. Listen to 40s and free agents on the IHeart radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Ocho, Ant Man and the T. Woolg moving to the fourth in the Western Conference,

thanks to a 117 to 108 victory over the Nuggets. Minnesota beat Denver for the first time in four games this season. Ant Man had 21 Bones Highland, had 15 of his 18 in the first half. and Minnesota sweeps is three-game road trip to improve the 3823, jumping to fourth in the west. Minnesota now moves a game ahead of Denver in the Western Conference. There's just two games separating the third seed, which is the Rockets, and the sixth seed, which is the Lakers.

They got an outstanding performance in the fourth quarter from Naz Reed, who looked like Kobe Bryant. He did an end and out, got an A-N-1, he did an out and end and threw it up with the left hand. He got that in a big three. so he played unbelievable. They got great contributions. Ant Man didn't go off like he had been in the last couple of games,

but they get with a total team effort. It was too much for the joke to overcome Joke and Murray. But they got sloppy with the ball late in the ball game. Ojo, watching this game, what did you like about what Minnesota did? I mean, Nas Reid, obviously being able to insert himself towards the end of the game. I think that made the difference in it. Ant Man not having the game that he's had the past previous games. obviously he's been he's been on fire he's been hot but he was efficient enough i think he was nine

for 19 he had 21 points if i'm not mistaken um outside of that it looked they look good they look good and obviously the goddamn nuggets didn't help themselves turning the ball over and missing some opportunities and chances to score and vital moments that could have changed the outcome of the game yeah they didn't really get the contribution they needed from cam johnson and that i think he was an offer yoke is going to be yoke i think he was what 35 14 and 9 um um jama Murray came on Strong Lake. I agree with you, the turnover is late. Definitely didn't help their cause.

But they're going to have to do a better job because they were terrible when Yoke was off the floor today. They can't give up that kind of. I think they were minus 15, minus 16 or 17 when Yote was on the floor. And he played a lot more minutes than I'm sure Adelman wanted him to play in this ball game. And it seems like every time he went out, which he only went out, he played. What he does is that he normally plays the entire first quarter.

And then they try to give him somewhere six to eight. minutes in the second quarter. Yeah. And then play the entire third quarter, obviously, they're coming out of the half and then try to give them a big break in the fourth. But they had to bring them back a lot sooner than they wanted to because the game started to slip away. But give the team the team with a lot of credit because every time the Nuggets made a run,

they quailed it. Somebody hit a big three. Devin Tenzo played unbelievable today, especially at the first half with those four three porters. Nas Reid picked it up. Nasree picked it up in the fourth quarter. He had a big three and an out. out and end, did some great job.

They did a great job of rebounding the basketball. They just got to do a better job because I thought, you know, the start the game, the way the Nuggets started up, I'm like, damn, they might sweep this series here. And the next thing you know, here come the Nuggets, here come Ant Man, Devin Chenzel, all those guys making contributions. And they ended up winning this game. But it's going to be, look, I think for me,

the class of the Western Conference is OKC still. They got Shade back and he comes back. They played the Nuggets in his first game back. He drops, I think, 35. And he didn't play in overtime. He didn't play late in the ball game because they didn't want him to overextend himself in the ball game. They don't want to gradually build him back up.

And thankfully, they didn't need him because I know that was really tough to watch a game of that magnitude. And now they've already given you a minute's restriction, say, well, you're not going to play with this. I don't care what the circumstance called for, even though it was a close ball game, late in the ball game. And they could have definitely used him. They guys were old Carushio did a great job down the stretch.

But looking at this ballgame, Mocho, they're going to have to find a way. This is why they got rid of Michael Porter, Jr. Because they felt in situations like this. And maybe he's, he wasn't a good fit because you look at what he's doing with the Nets. He's a guy that can legitimately be a one or two score. Yes. But he was always, he was never going to be anything more than the third score here, because you got Yoke and you got Murray.

So Cam Johnson is going to have to be. He's more equipped to that. And his mindset is more equipped to be a third option because pretty much that's what he's always been. And in that situation, I just think he has to be better. He hadn't been good in a couple of games. In order for them to get to where they need to be, he's going to have to be that third piece. Bruce Brown does what Bruce Brown does.

I like what Kristen Brown does. But it wasn't enough today. Give Minnesota credit. Minnesota played a heck of a ballgame. Yeah, I mean, Minnesota played a heck of a ball game. But for me, and I think about mentality, I think about confidence, especially who comes to any sport. right now the specific topic is is basketball and for cam johnson i think he needs to insert himself a little bit more i understand that there's a pecking order when it comes to shot selection and who

has a green light to take as many shots as they want to but i think players like cam johnson in that role of when yoke is not doing well uh when murray's not doing well i need to insert myself into the game how do i do that i already i already need to be in rhythm i need to have some type of some type of confidence about my game where i don't feel scared or i don't feel nervous or gunshot to take certain shots. And there's only one way to do that is being able to get yourself in rhythm and find ways to insert yourself into the game even when it doesn't call for you to do so. And I think if he's able to do that late in ball games in situations like this, then he'll

be able to insert himself and feel okay about taking certain shots where it means much more as opposed to the first three quarters in the game where it matters between wins and losses. Well, I think the biggest thing you mentioned confidence is that getting into a rhythm early. It's hard to miss all those shots and then because, you know, shoot or shoot, but the confidence goes a long way and because he struggled the last couple of games, he was over the day, scored zero points.

And I'm looking at Yoke. Yoke was 15 or 26, 1 or 4 from 3, but he was 35, 13, and 9. You look at Jamar Murray, 25, and wasn't efficient at all. He was 9 of 22, 2 or 6. Christian Brown was 15 points. He played really well.

Strother gave him only two points. So you got two of your starters, Ocho gave you two points. Two points, and they played a combined 40 minutes. You can't have that. Valanchuner's two points. Hardaway Jr. played well. He was five or six, three or four from the three. Bruce Brown, six points in 34 minutes.

But they just got to fight. They got to fight a third option because you know exactly what you're going to get from Yoke. and sometimes people just going to see, look, we can't stop this man. Yoke's going to get somewhere between 30 and 40. He's going to get somewhere between 12 and 17 rebounds, and he's going to get somewhere between 8 and 12 assists. We just can't let him get 40, 20, 20.

That's what we've got to stop. So we're not going to stop him from getting those, you know, 28, 29, 30 points. He's going to get that. He's going to get the rebounds. We've just got to control him getting those 15, 18, 20 assists. because he's getting his points and he's getting other people involved. Once he starts getting other people involved, now what do we do?

Because we can't leave anybody. There is nobody that's going to be able to deal with him one-on-one. So you try to make it as difficult as you possibly can. And maybe you let him go one-on-one and says, look, I'd rather give him, well, the clippers tried that and then he ends up getting 56 and 13 and 17. Yeah. But I can't let him get 15 assists, Ocho. I can't let him get 18, 20 assists because he's going to have somewhere between 20 and

30 points. He might even get 35, 40. So now he has 40, and he's contributed, because of those 15, 20 assists, you know at least seven of them on three-pointers. Yeah. So you can't have that, but they're going to have to find a consistent third option. Cam Johnson has been in these moments before

he won a championship. If I'm not mistaken, with the, no, he's on that team that end up losing to Milwaukee. Yeah. He's been in pressure situations before, and he's just going to have to come through because right now he's not playing well, and I don't know what happened. I think he did have an injury, Ocho,

so I think he might be coming back from an injury. But look, they don't do excuses in pro sports. No. You don't. Either you do or you don't. And right now, he's not doing. Go ahead. What you want to add?

Oh, I forgot. And Jew Randall, Jew Randall played an unbelievable game. Now, he didn't have 25, 30 points, but I thought the 14, 9, and 7 that he did have came at a very opportune time. They did a great job on the glass. But I thought all the auxiliary pieces, look, and McDaniel played well. There are more than just Ant Man.

I know Ant Man gets a lot of the pub, and rightfully so, because he's electric, he's a dynamic score. There's nothing he can't do. He can block a shot to save a game. He can hit a clutch three to win the game. He can play outstanding defense when he wants to sit in the chair and guard. But he's a consistent player, and we know what he is. He's a superstar.

But when you get contribution from Randall, you McDaniel and Devin-Cimso and all those guys start to chip in, now it makes them difficult. You know, Rudy Gobert was Rudy Gober. He gave you six, eight points, 15 rebounds. And so that's what he's going to do. But I thought overall, I thought Minnesota going on the road, the end of this road trip, going to Denver, and that's not an easy place.

And plus, the Nuggets have been playing well, even though they lost a tough game the other night to OKC. Okay, C. But when you deal it with Yoke and Murray, and we know what those two guys represent, they're a good as duo that we have in this league. They can put you in the pick and roll. Obviously, Yoke can hit the three.

He can roll. the mid-range. Jamal Murray's sensational. You see him poke on Rudy Gaubert. So he's sensational. He can hit the three. He could end in and out you. So, but I was surprised

how well Minnesota withstood everything that they had going on, especially the first quarter, to withstand that because I'm looking at it, and they had like a 12-point lead, and then they cut it down to like five and a half, and they think, I know the team wolves up seven. I'm like, well, damn, that was quick.

And it didn't take a whole lot of effort. but we'll see how this thing play. I think they got about 20 games left, Ocho. Yeah. In the season. And when you got the kind of closeness between three and six, obviously you want to stay in the six spot because you don't want to go into the play-in. So you want to try to maintain where you are.

You're going to stay in. Because right now the Lincoln's in the six spot. And so you got the seven, eight, seven, eight, nine, ten are in the playing tournament. Right. You don't want to get into the playing tournament. You don't want to play, you want to play as few games as possible. And playing those, you know, obviously, what is it, seven, seven plays 10, eight plays nine.

So obviously if seven wins, they're in. Yeah. Whoever wins the 7-10 matchup is in. And then a situation like that, and then the losers play each other for the chance to finish up the 8C. So you got OKC, that's 47 and 15. You got the spurs are 43 and 17. They lost got blown out today.

The Rockets are 37 and 22. The Nuggets are 38 and 23. Excuse me, no, the Timberwolves are 38 and 23. The Nuggets are 37 and 24. The Lakers are 35 and 24. Phoenix is 34 and 26. Golden States in the 8 spot. And it's reported that Steph Curry is going to be out another,

at least, at least five games. And I don't know where they get offense without Steph Curry. They're very. Portland is in a night spot at 29 and 33, and the Clippers fading. Obviously, you know, they're not going anywhere. Kauai looted as much. He said, I think this season is already over. They're 27 and 31.

So that's where they are right now. That's the rankings. I mean, go ahead. Right now, with the rank is where they are right now, where we are in basketball season with 20 games left. I mean, based on your expertise and watching the game. and your knowledge of the game over time. If you were to take your picks now for coming out to ease and coming out the West, planning the finals, who would you have to this point right now,

unless some team just comes out of nowhere and does some extraordinary, you know, the last 20 games and shocks everybody? I think OKC would really love somebody to knock off San Antonio because they don't have to deal with that. Yeah, they don't have to deal with Wembe and those guys. That's the team that caused OKC the most problem. Um, me personally, I think it's probably going to be San Antonio in O KC in the Western Conference Finals, but you never know because Ant Man, Ant Man has been there and done that before. So he, he knows, he knows how to rise to the occasion.

Nuggets have won a championship before. I just think the Rockets, I'm surprised the Rockets did not get a point guard. Chris Paul was there and maybe they don't want to, didn't want to deal with Chris Paul. And I don't know what that issue is. Right. They need a point guard. And they don't have a point guard. a point guard. And I think that's the biggest thing. That's the biggest hindrance to them.

Phoenix, okay, book is out. Dylan Brooks has a broken hand. How soon can those guys get back? Do I think even with those guys back, they can contend in the West? I do not. I do not think they have enough firepower to contend. The Lakers don't play good enough defense to contend. We saw last night, Austin Reed, get blown by, Aiton. I just, I don't know. I just don't know about him. I just don't know. Really, all things being equal, I mean, look, I think there's four teams seriously that can end up in the Western Conference Final. That's Denver, Minnesota, San Antonio, and OKC. Those are my teams that I think can make it to the Western Conference Final with realistically, realistically.

Right. You make me put some money to something that matters to me. And if it's my money, it matters. Yeah. I probably pick OKC. I probably pick OKC fee. So double back again and win the championship. Yeah.

I'm Luke Wilson. Join me each week for Film Never Lies. Since retiring from the NFL, I've had a lot of my mind, and now got my own show. If you're tired of lazy takes, if you want honest conversations, join us each week. Film Never Lies, available on all TSN platforms in the IHeartRadio app. Ready for a different take on Formula One?

Look no further than No Grip, a new podcast tackling the culture of Motor Racing's most coveted series. Join me, Lily Herman, as we dive into the under-explored pockets of F-1, including the astrology of the current grid. Lewis Hamilton, Crapicorn Sun, Cancer Moon. Wouldn't you know it? Michael Schumacher is also a Capricorn Sun, Cancer Moon. The story of the sport's most consequential driver's strike.

We have one man who, upon hearing that he was going to be fired, freaked out, and apparently climbed out the window of the bathroom. And was Daniel Ricardo's illustrious F-1 career, a success story, a cautionary tale, or some combination? of both. He started getting all this attention and he maybe started to think, I'm bigger than this, I'm better, and plenty of other mishaps, scandals and sagas that have made Formula One a delightful, decadent, gumster fire for more than 75 years. Listen to no grip on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. This is the biggest night in podcasting. The countdown is on to our

26 IHeart Podcast Awards. Live from South by Southwest, March 16th, will honor the very best in podcasting from the past year and celebrate the most innovative, talented creators in the industry. It's truly a who's who of the podcasting world. Creativity, knowledge, and passion will all be on full display. And the winner of the IHeart Podcast Award is, see all the nominees now at IHeart.com slash podcast awards. Audible is a proud sponsor of the Audible Audio Pioneer Award. Explore the best selection of audiobooks, podcasts, and originals all in one easy app. Audible. There's more to imagine when you listen.

Sign up for a free trial at audible.com. I'm Daniel Jeremiah. And I'm Greg Rosenthal. And this is 40s and free agents. The games may be over, but the NFL never stopped. This is my favorite part of the calendar. Yeah, mine too, Greg, free agency, the combine, the NFL draft Pro Days, trades. This is where teams reshape their future.

This is where Daniel Jeremiah makes his money. On 40s and free agents, we break down every move that actually matters. From my draft evaluations, mock drafts, and team fits. To my top 101 free agents and how real rosters are built, cap space, contracts, and all the tough decisions included. You got quarterbacks on the move. We got teams rebuilding its hope season. Yeah, absolutely.

It's hope season. We'll tell you what's real, what's noise, and what it means for your favorite team. Smart analysis, real conversations. stations every week. I don't know about the smart, but definitely analysis. Listen to 40s and free agents on the IHeart radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. Yep.

Janice, Arthur de Koubo, return tonight in a one-hote 8-81 blowout loss to the Celtics. And the Celtics did this without J.B, who's an MVP candidate. In his first game, in more than five weeks after straining that right cap, Janice had 19 points, 11 rebows to assist into defeat. I think he's played about 27 minutes. He set out the past 15 games after injuring himself on January with a 23rd. Doc said in pregame that he would return on a minute's restriction. He ended up playing 25 minutes, excuse me, not 27.

Joe, you see where the bucks are. The bucks are, they weigh back. Therefore, Charlotte's in the 10 spot and their four games back of Charlotte. Detroit's one, Boston's two, the Knicks are three, calves are four. Toronto is five, 76es or six, Orlando, seventh, eighth is Miami. Excuse me, Atlanta Hawks are nine,

and the Charlotte Hornets are 10 Milwaukee's way back. How did, considering that he's been out five weeks, he's missed 15 games, how did you think Yonis looked in his return? In time you take that much time off, Arcan Ocho, you're going to be a little rusty. I mean, that's just what it is. You can tell.

But I thought Boston, and just, you know, without J.B., man, it's such a well-or engine that just run, plug and play guys, different guys step up and make plays. But I think it's going to take some time for Yonis. They got a pretty good, they got a pretty decent roster. Okay, Ocho. I don't understand why the outside of the play-in. I feel like they're good enough to at least be in the play-in.

So I expect Yonis to pick it up, you know, and have a late search to try to get them in the play-in so they can make some noise in the playoffs. but their first round exit guys. First round exa. That's how you feel, Joe. It ain't nothing. Yeah. Ocho, they rely so much on Yonan is putting up these gody numbers, bro.

And, you know, he's been out. He's going to be rusty. Yeah, he'll get back to form to where he's averaging 30 and putting up, getting 15 rebounds. But, man, he's going to need some consistency from them guys around him. They're going to have to step up and make plays and play big in order for those guys that even make a run and a play big. in order for those guys, he'll make a run in a playout.

So I guess we'll see what happened. This is when you know a team is really, really good and really right deep. You look at OKC the way they play without Shea. You look at the way Boston play when they're without J.B. That's when you know. You see, they don't play like, oh, man, JV's not in there. Oh, we can't win this. Yonis is coming back.

Man, please. They blew them out by 27. You look at OKC and what they do when Shea is not in the lineup or when J.W is not in the lineup. It does not matter. We don't care who's in the lineup. All we care. We don't care who's out of the lineup. We care who's in the lineup.

And it is our job. It's incumbent upon us to go out there and play rather Shea, J. Dobs in the lineup, whether J.B. Equator's in the lineup. It does not matter. We're going to play our asses off. And you see, it is very reflective of that

when you look at Boston and when they play. You're like, ain't no way they got no business beaten Milwaukee by 27 without an MVP candidate. There's no way OKC should still be a top without a league MVP and he's probably the front runner again for the MVP. But it just goes to show you

the depth in which they had and they have and how these guys take it serious by Boston. And again, Pritchett, doing what Pritchie does. Yeah. Doing what Pritchett does. Yeah. 25 and 9. That's off the bench. 25 and 9.

Off the bench. And, you know, I was wondering why they didn't start them, but they probably wanted to spark plug to come in just in case, you know, things didn't start off right. So I'm giving Joe Missoula the head coach for the Boston Celtics, Anken Ocho. I'm giving him a lot of credit, although the players got to go out there and compete and play in between the lines.

But, man, he has a mean scheme, bro, for them to be successful, night in and night out. No matter who suits up, you know, Boston's always going to be in it. Now, before the season started, a lot of people, even including myself. I didn't think they would be in the position that they in right now. Me too. me too but they know that made to hold you no Jason Tatum

yeah you trade for Zingas for Leaves and Free Agency you trade holiday and I'm supposed to think without Tatum who are a perennial all-NBA selection a perennial all-star so without that

and all that what you get what all you moved on because clearly you thought you weren't going to be in that position that's why you gave those guys up right or or unless they knew something that we didn't know they knew that might be also it Joe

but I I think J.L. J.B. has showed everybody why he was, you know, finals MVP, Uncle Ocho. He could potentially win the MVP this year. With the numbers that he's putting up with the success that they're having as a team, man, Boston's going to be a scary team in the postseason, fellas. Not a lot of people going to want to play them, man. They're playing great basketball right now. You know what? You think they would still be the same, obviously, when Jason Tatum does come back. Does that throw the rhythm in the camaraderie? In the camaraderie? off a little bit, you know.

I think it'll kind of, I think it'll take some adjusting because, you know, I think at some point those guys will, to some degree, kind of defer to Tatum. Yep. You know what I mean? I mean, it's just, it's a pecking order. And it could throw everybody off the rhythm. So you never know how that are pan out. Maybe he comes back.

Maybe he don't. Who knows? I'm sitting down. The last thing you, I mean, the last thing you want to do, Joe. Because sometimes, you know, you got to protect. an athlete, we want to play. That's what we do. We dream to this our entire lives.

And when we get this opportunity, we ain't trying to because once it's over, it's over. But the last thing you want to do is to go out there and re-injure yourself. Man. Because of why. Because you tried to prove that I could come back from a serious injury in six months,

and eight months, and nine months. For me, the reward doesn't outrate the risk. Right. That's just for me. Now, he might see it a whole different way. The Boston, the Celtics organization might see it entirely different way. But for me, like, okay, we could win a championship. Okay, you could.

But what happens if you re-injure that? Absolutely. Now what? For me, J.T. got another decade in him. The last thing you want to do is have that type of injury there. So me personally, I think, and it's hard, it's easy to say from the outside sitting in, because we've all sutt in that athlete's chair. And we've all been deemed.

And we've all like, okay, the best thing, well, the best thing for me is to play. Because I already know, I only got so many, there's only so many 16 games, don't you? Seasons I got in me. Right. And it's, hey, once you get to, once you get the five, once you hit 10, you're closer to the end of the beginning. You ain't about to have, everybody thinks they're going to have a Tom Brady type career. Everybody thinks they're going to play Aaron Roger, they're going to play 20, 21 seasons. You're not.

Be thankful. 3.3 years, that's about the average of an NFL career. Most NFL players are done at the age of 27. Yeah. You live to 75, so what? That means you got 40, that means you got 48 years left for your life. We don't look at it like that, though. You don't.

You don't. Because so much of what you've done your entire life has prepared you to do what, Joe, play basketball? Right. Or do what, play football? And so you're kind of tied to that. And you think you're like a dog or lawyer. Man, I'll be doing this when I'm 60. No, you're not.

Right. You might be talking about it when you 60, but you damn sure ain't going to be playing. it. Right, right, right. And so you got to get, and that's why I always tell guys, guys, maximize this, make sure you never look back because the last thing you want to do is when you 40-old Joe, man, if I had just prepared a little. How many times we heard guys, man, if I had just did this or ain't no tell it what I could have done.

And we all got homeboys, man, Joe, if I had just did like you, Joe, went home and not try to do this, Ocho and this hung on the street, hell on the corner. Man, Ocho, tell him, Ocho. Tell him, I could have been where at you. Tell them, Joe, tell them because I can be with you, Mocho. Yeah, right. Absolutely. We all know them, can.

Yeah. So you don't want to have that regret. But Boston, Boston is surprised a lot of people, Joe, because I was one, like, well, they're not doing it. And I was thinking, that's why they're selling off these pieces. I said, they're selling off these pieces because they know they ain't got no chance. So why go into that second apron? Why have to pay $100 million, $250 million with no chance? J.B. said, wait a damn minute.

I'm still here. I'm a finals MVP. I'm an Eastern Conference MVP. What you mean? We ain't got no chance. Hold on. And the funny thing about it, too, Joe, if you think about it, maybe they did see this coming.

Maybe they did see it coming, which is why they let those pieces go, because they understood even though Tatum is hurt, we believe there's a good chance, depending on who you ask, that J.B. might be our best player, even though there may be a pecking order, even though the people on the outside or those that are part of the NBA culture might see it differently. Jason Tatum, you know, being the best

player. But hell, J.B., I mean, maybe inside the organization, you're like, well, hell, Jabby doesn't show this enough. We can let these pieces go and know that we're still going to be in contention. Yeah, I agree, Ocho. Depending on who you ask, definitely. You'll definitely have a pretty good argument. But, you know, I think the Celtics went younger,

fellas. I think they gave up a lot of those older guys and Holiday and Horford and Porzingas. And they had development of a lot of young cats who stepped in this year and has played great throughout this whole entire season. So I commend them, man. It's fun to see those guys go out night and night out and compete at the highest level.

And J.B. taking the challenge every night. I know he didn't play the night, but he's been playing awesome. I think the thing of Prozenga stays hurt. Yeah. Yeah, I think I mean, I'm paying $25 to $27 million for what, Joe, to get 10, 15, games a year. Hope he comes back. He missed 20 games. He comes back for five. He missed another 15. Okay, well, he's going to miss the first round of playoffs, hopefully, and then we get him

two games in the second round, and then we don't see him again to the finals. That's, it's not worth it. And as you said, Holiday was getting on up there in age. Al Horford is on up there in age. Hell, Al Horford got to be damn near 40. Yeah, yeah. Hortford came out, what, 2006, 2007? Because I think one back-to-back titles in, what, five and six? I think, I think, but Al Horford's got to be like, Twitty, Joe, he play with you here. Yeah, he played with me. Yeah, I got at least be 40.

I think I'm probably four or five years older than him, so I think, yeah, I think he got at least be 40. But, yeah, man, they've done a great job. And it takes some of that salary down, too, because, you know, those guys making big money. These young cats they got, these guys ain't making the type of money their holiday and

Isle and poor Zingas was making. But to your point, you know, poor Zingas, since the finals run, since the year they won it, you know, he came in and played in that finals run. And ever since then, he hadn't been the same. He came here to Atlanta, and I think he has like some type of, I don't want to misquote it, but I think like some type of respiratory infection that kind of has him sick a lot.

So it's hard. That's why you hadn't seen him play none for the Hawks pretty much this year. And he got traded to Golden State. I'm sure he probably won't even play for them no more. His career could potentially be old. Damn. You know what, guys, he really has never been the same since he toured at ACL. because I was reading where they said a guy tearing his ACL.

I don't know if they'd ever seen a guy that tall. Actually, he tears ACL. So you're asking someone seven, three and a half, Joe. I mean, look, he could shoot the ball. He was a great rim protector, a back, a weak side defender. And, you know, for whatever reason, when you start getting that tall, there's only a handful of people. They might not be, how many seven footers you think they are of eight billion people?

They might not be a hundred of them in the world. Amen. So, and when you start having those injuries, I mean, so what is I study? You know, they got, they got studies, okay, somebody this size, wait, this height and this weight, this is the recovery time. But when you don't have someone to go off of, it ain't very many seven-footers that you can go study and says, okay, he tore his ACL or he towards an Achilles or he had this. And the studies say, it's hard to find those guys like that. But I think Boston, they looked at it like this, Joe and Ocho. They said, hold on.

Why are we going to go into luxury tax when there's not a chance for us? Because I think if they thought they had a realistic chance, I think, you know what? We probably could stomach it. But they did sell the team and probably the new owner's like, well, hell no, y'all enough in the strap us with that burden. Get those pieces up out of here. Absolutely. We just spent $6.4 billion, a little over $6 billion or whatever they spent. And then you wanted to come in and take on another $150, $200 million?

Oh, and we got two guys that's making $300? Oh, no, no, no. Y'all got to get up off some of them pieces. And so that was a part of it. But considering how well J.B.'s played, all it does is that when they come back, when J.T. comes back in 26, 27, I think they moved to the front of the line. No matter how this season's end for Detroit, I think with J.T. and J.B., With the way coming off the bench is Pritchard and you got Derek White,

I think they're going to be the, I think they would be the favorite, at least representing the Eastern Conference. Now, if OKC wins, OKC is going to be the favorite again. But that's my thoughts on that. The Rockets beat the Wizards, 1-23, 118. Trey Young earned his first ejection with the new teams before even making his debut with the Wizards. Trey was ejected when he walked on the court

and complained to the official during the confrontation with Tari, and Dr. Mayor Watkins. Eason was ejected. Young made light of the incident on X saying, don't expect me to get ejected too many more times, D.C., but I'm definitely bringing that energy and competitiveness when I'm back for my brothers. Trey would make his wizard debut Thursday at home versus Utah.

Damn, Joe, how you? I mean, like, you're funny, like a Smokey Toad Craig, you got fired on your day off. How you got on street clothes? How you get ejected? Man, hey, I'm watching the game. He was taking up for one of his teammates, Uncle Ocho. He's sitting on the bench with the Torres Easton kid.

He didn't push one of the dudes for the Wizards, like deliberately, like twice. And the referee didn't even call them, they just kept playing. So Trey kind of pointed out, and he got on the ref about it, and they ended up kicking him out. But I feel him on that, man. You got to step up for these young dudes because they ain't giving the Wizards. No type of respect. The refs, I'm talking about sitting there looking at the man.

I'm talking about just literally just pushing, bro, two times. I'm talking about I didn't call nothing. So Trey got on him, bro, and they kicked him out the game for that. I'm taking that. I like it. It was the situation, Joe, before you go on, Joe. Whether it's a situation the guy, because you see this a lot, Joe. When somebody comes sit at the screen, you push the guy out the way,

was it a situation like that? Because I didn't get an opportunity to see it. It was similar, but it was like he was standing right in, like the Eastern kid was standing right in front of him as he was going toward the pick. And he just had, he did his hand like this and just, and just pushed them back like, like, two, three feet. To the point, if there was probably one of y'all, y'all would have been fighting.

That's what I'm trying to hear you. Yeah. Like, it was, it was, it was, I'm like, come on, dawdow. What is the ref looking at? You got three reps out there, bro. Nobody calls that. Come on. That's how fights start out.

Yeah. Yeah. Oh, you're not going to say anything? Yeah. Don't worry. I'll take care of myself. Right. Because look, the wrong person,

you push the wrong person like that. His get back may not be right away, but he might kick him. you slipping under that goal and hit you in the back of the head, one of them elbow, one them chicken wane, and make your vision go blurring. Now, now you want to, now you want to kick us out of the game. So you got to get a handle on that early, bro. I just felt the referees done a horrible job and, uh, and, in refting the game tonight,

especially for the Wizards, man. I thought, I thought dude should have got, I think, I think Easton did get kicked out, but he should have, like, it shouldn't have took all that. Right. Yeah, but KD, this past three games, tonight, KD was 30.7 rebounds, 8 to 15. The last game, previous game, 32 points, 8 assists, 5 rebounds. And then that game that he had, we had that 40 piece, 40 points, 8 rebounds on 14 to 28 shooting. KD is, I mean, KD looks to me, he might be better after the Achilles than when he was before the Achilles.

He hadn't missed a beat. Oh, you see that little thing in frame he got. He didn't carry a lot of weight on it. He's got no weight on it. He didn't carry a lot of weight on that frame, which I think it helps him. And, you know, he's a mobile guy, but man, he's been so efficient helping these young guys. He don't come out and take a whole lot of shots, Uncle Ocho. He kind of, to some degree, he let these guys just play.

He get his points when he need to, but for the most part, Ocho, man, he let these young cats rock out. The funny thing about it, too, Uncle Joe, is he can do that. He could assert himself when he feel like it because he's so efficient, wherever he's shooting from. It's so goddamn difficult to defend him. I mean, from the three mid-range, when he can, when he could put the ball on the floor, he could dribble by people as well.

But, hell, he ain't got to do that because he saw a fidget from everywhere else on the goddamn court. Yeah. When he go up to shoot, bro, you just have to hope he missed, bro. Yeah. That's it.

You're not contending. You're not, you know, you're not challenged. Unless you win me. That's about it. That's it. Yeah. And when you, when you look at KD, and you look at this,

is why it's so easy for him to fit in any system because he doesn't have to have the ball. He's not a ball-dominant player. So on 15 shots, he can give you 30 points. There's not a whole lot of guys. The efficiency in which he plays with, there's not a whole lot of guys that's ever played in the history of the game. Now, bigs are different story because they play mainly around the rim.

So you look at Elijah Wan and Robinson and Shaq and guys like that, they're going to shoot in the 50s and 60%. But Kevin Iran is a mid-range specialist. He can shoot the three. So for him to be consistently into 50 percentile, that just lets you know just how great he is at his craft. Yeah. And they're not a whole lot of guys.

So that's why it was such an easily transition, a seamless transition when he went to Golden State because everything to do is predicated on ball movement. Absolutely. But now we got a guy. If we really need a shot, we can double the KD down on the block and you can hit that turnaround and you ain't nothing you can do about it. Like Joe said, boy, Lord, please let the joke a miss this.

because I ain't going to be able to do nothing with. Right. That's all you got, Joe. That's all you can do. That's all you can do. And with the attention that he draws, he draws so much attention that he's going to find these other guys. They're going to make shots.

Confidence goes through the roof. Now they're a tough team to beat. Singoon, he plays the point center, Uncle, like you say, like you say, Durant don't need the ball that much. He can go sit in the corner and he knows his man ain't helping that out. I mean, y'all go ahead and play four on four. I know my man ain't going to lead me. You know what I mean?

So y'all go ahead and have you fun. And when it's time to step up and play big, I mean, he was 11 and 11 from the line night. So he was aggressive. He was aggressive, man. And these other dudes just plug and play, bro. I like the Thompson kid. He defends, play both hands of the court.

When it comes to the playoffs, I'm not going to, I ain't going to lie to you. I'm a little skeptical because of the youth that they have at the guard spot. I think they got the depth. Yeah. And those guys are so young being in that environment. in that atmosphere, not to say they can't get it done, but to have experience at that point guard position, man, that goes a long way in the postseason.

And you're telling you help off anybody but KD. Right. The help can come from anywhere else other than his guy. Absolutely. And he's a guy that he can hurt you on the outside. So your guy is going to have to come from, his guy's going to have to come from distance anyway. Yeah.

It ain't like he ride around there because, you know, sometimes you know, sometimes you're the guy sneaking and then, like Mike, like Mike did. Mike backtrack on Carballone because he's trying to, post up Dennis Robman. He followed Hornacek through, and then guess what? He peeled back around. Well, KD.

already don't weigh out of the outside. Now, you come way from down what KD is and get a steal. Yeah. Congratulations. But I tell you what, they must run and see you coming and swing that ball, and you left KD open for a wide open shot. Yeah. Oh, yeah.

Oh, yeah. He ain't missing. He ain't missing. But, you know, he looks, okay, Ocho, even though he's a hell of a score, one of the greatest scores of all time. When he first catches the ball, he's looking to pass first before he goes into his bag.

Whatever it is he has to do, whether he has to go one-on-one, ice or whatever. But for the most part, he's looking for these guys, man, he's looking for the double to come so he can make these guys around them better. And I enjoy watching them play. Because he knows a lot of time, Joe, the double's coming.

And it's coming for him. So he says, you know what, let me swing this ball because this shot right here. Yeah, I could take it and go over to, But you know what? If I swing it, I might get a better chance to get a better shot. There you go. This is a good shot right here because there ain't really no bad shot for him.

When you're seven foot tall and you got a damn near eight and a half foot wingspan and you shooting the ball 10 to 11 feet up in the damn air. It ain't no bad shot. So he's like, you know what? I'm going to swing this ball because this is a good shot. This is an okay shot. But you know what I can get a good shot. But you know what?

This is even better shot. As a matter of fact, let's swing it one more time and I will get a great shot. Absolutely. And so that's what he's constantly, that's what he's constantly looking for. Kevin Iran plays, I mean, Kevin Iran can play another five years. Oh, easy, easy. Easy, easy. Easy, fellas.

Long as long as they're healthy. I mean, the only reason, I'm not going to say, the only reason he can play five years because he's not ball dominant. He can play off the ball so well. Yeah, he really, I mean, outside of, he's had some calf injuries, but outside that Achilles, KD really hadn't had a whole lot of injuries. And so that was a blessing. That was a blessing in disguise. So he missed an entire season.

And then guess what? He had that injury situation. I think they had to shut him down when he was in Phoenix. But, yeah, he could play another five years. And I think he can. And I think he's determined, fellas. He's determined to help get this Rockets team to the finals. Because, you know, he can say what he won't about the Warriors situation.

Everybody talk about, oh, well, if you had to go to the Warriors to get a ring, he wants to win a ring without, you know, know, being in that warrior uniform, coming to Houston, I'm sure he wants to catapult that team to a championship. So he's going to do whatever he can, man. He's a gym rat. He's always in the gym, loves playing the game of basketball, and it shows when he's out there on the court.

That one ring that he gets outside of Golden State would be worth more than both of those that he got in Golden State. Oh, man. Especially if they get one in Houston some way somehow. Like, that'll be huge, bro. That'll be huge. Because that's like people look at the ring that LeBron got in Cleveland. more valuable than two that he got in Miami.

Absolutely. They look at the rings that Kobe got by himself more than the three that he got with Shaat. Yeah. So when you leave and you're not with that dominant player, they go, oh, you got to have become a stealth. Stead was an MVP. Stealth with your unanimous MVP.

But y'all make a seat like, boy, did y'all see what KD did? KD average 35. Yeah, he won't co-telling now. He wasn't co-telling. He was MVP. Like he, like if they didn't have him, hell, They wouldn't even lost. Yeah.

They had a loss. Because LeBron, LeBron averaged 34, 12, and 10. They had nobody to offset that because they couldn't get those. Think about it. So now you got, you got KD and LeBron, and that's what you hope when you go. You got some, okay, this is a push.

This is a watch. Yeah. Steph and Kyrie, that's a watch. Now we're about to play with your third and fourth best players. Right. Which is Clay Thompson, J.R. Or Kevin Love. Now we got Iggy, we got Sean Livingston,

that is our fourth and fifth best player. So we're going to get away from the two on two. Because that's going to be a wash. But from three down, where are you? That's how you do it. Because your best player, you hope, okay, my best players are going to watch. If we play Yokin, whoever play Yokin, your best player and him, they need to watch.

Now, especially points. Now, you're probably not going to be able to match his points in his assistant rebounds because he handles the ball. so much. Yeah. And he's going to get your double-digit rebounds. Yeah. But you got, I got to neutralize that point production, Joe.

I can't let him score 35 and then I get 15, 20. Well, he's talking about Yokish? Yes. Yeah. The thing is, with Yokish, though, you want to play him straight up because you don't want him to get them other guys involved, but playing him straight up. He'll get him 45. Asked the Clippers by playing him straight up.

He dropped 56. He dropped 56 on him playing him. straight up with Zubots. So it's like pick your poison, man. What you want? I can give you this triple double. I can give you this 50 piece with no biscuits. Hey, hey, Uncle Joe, if, depending on who you're playing, right,

if you can't wash, if you can't match the point total with yokech, then you just got to worry about everybody else. If he do give you 50, you got to hold the other fold accountable, not to get damn there anything. They're going to score, of course. You only hope to stop people, but you can only contain them, but you can't let them get that much. That's all you got to do.

I mean, it sounds easy. Well, you hope you're now, if your two guys don't watch, now I'm hoping Murray. You see the night, now I don't know, let's see what ended up happened, but Murray had like 43. Yokic had a quiet night. 43?

Yeah. So, as a matter of fact, Murray got 45, 13 to 19, 8, to 13 from the 3. You see, Yokic only took 11 shots. He got 20 points on 12 rebounds. five or six. So now what does I tell you? Now, okay, my next big gun has to go off and

Jamar Murray goes off. Yesterday, he was nine or 22 from the floor that really hurt him because now all of a sudden he's, he's inefficient. Yolchish did what Yonkees was supposed to do. Yolkis gave you, gave you 35, 13 and 9. Now I need, I really, really need Murray to do his thing. Yeah, those two in the postseason will be, will be, will be, tough to deal with. Obviously, they need Gordon to come back. You hope in the postseason, Tim Hardaway can explode and obviously

win you a game or two in the postseason. But you're going to have to have these other guys step up on Calocho in order for in order for Denver to, you know. Watson gets back, Joe. Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah. He was playing his ass off, Joe, before he got hurt.

Yeah. He was playing his ass off before he got. What did he hurt? I think he heard his, uh, what did he hurt? Was it a hamstring or a knee? That's the only thing. That's a thing about it.

See, you know, right now we're getting down the nut cutting time, okay, Ocho, because, you know, you jogging, everybody trying to jog the position for the postseason. And the guys that are banged up, nicked up, hurt. Man, coming back, revving that thing up, playing at this high pace, you know, that's tough, man. That's tough to sustain, you know, if you got some nigg-knacks or you really hurt. You know what I mean? So that's why I wonder how much can Gordon contrived.

in the post season, because we seen him last year. If he would have been there with him the whole duration last year, maybe they would have beat the Thunder. OKC in Game 7, yeah. Yeah, then maybe they would have to beat OKC, but I mean, he's been out for a significant, you know, time this season. So, you know, we'll just have to see at this point. Joe, what's wrong with AG, uh, uh, uh, hamstring?

Hamstring. He's always, he's had probably with Hamstree. You know, them, them things lingered, what? That ain't nothing to play with, boy. You try to throw that thing in high gear you want to. It grabbed. Once it grabbed, it's a wrap. That's one of the worst feelings.

Once you come back from injury, especially anything soft tissue, and you try to exert that energy or you try to explode real quick and you feel that little pinch? Yeah. You can't do what you're accustomed to doing? Yeah.

Watson half-string, Joe. He's ramping up. They say the next seven to ten days he should be back. Seven-half-strain for both he and Gordon. Yeah, it's going to be tough for them, bro. Ready for a different take on Formula One? Look no further than No Grip,

a new podcast tackling the culture of motor racing's most coveted series. Join me, Lily Herman, as we dive into the under-explored pockets of F1, including the astrology of the current grid, the story of the sports most consequential driver strike, and plenty of other mishapsed scandals and sagas that have made Formula One a delightful, decadent, gumster fire for more than 75 years. Listen to No Grip on the IHeart Radio app,

Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts. This is the biggest night in podcasting. The countdown is on to our 2026 IHeart Podcast Awards. Live from South by Southwest, March 16th, we'll honor the very best in podcasting from the past year and celebrate the most innovative, talented creators in the industry. It's truly a who's who of the podcasting world. Creativity, knowledge, and passion will all be on full display.

And the winner of the IHeart Podcast Award is, See all the nominees now at iHeart.com slash podcast awards. Audible is a proud sponsor of the Audible Audio Pioneer Award. Explore the best selection of audiobooks, podcasts, and originals all in one easy app. Audible. There's more to imagine when you listen. Sign up for a free trial at audible.com. I'm Daniel Jeremiah.

And I am Greg Rosenthal. I know that, Greg. We're teaming up on 40s and free agents, the podcast that owns the NFL off season. This is where teams are built. Free agency, combine, pro days, trades. Every move matters. From my draft boards and mock drafts to my vaunted top 101 free agents

and how rosters come together. Quarterback movement. Surprise signings. We'll tell you what it means and who really wins. Open your free IHeart radio app. Search 40s and free agents and listen now.