First Things First - Celtics beat Thunder, Myles Garrett restructures contract, BUD List

Episode Date: December 25, 2025

(0:00) Celtics beat Thunder, Who should trade for Myles Garrett?  (11:31) BUD LIst Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Live from New York. Shult's a little worried about Paul Skeen's there. What's going on? And your guy O'Neill Cruz out there playing yakety sacks in center field. I said that. I said moving back to shortstop. Or moving somewhere else. Remember he had this in the ball what's going that way?

You worried about Aaron Judge? No, no. Then don't worry about Paul Stevens. I know it's different. I mean, this is not making out of the first inning. This is like a five game slump for Judge. game. Yeah, but it's like it is a long scene.

Today, a statement win by the Celtics. Was it also an MVP statement from Jalen Brown? Very interesting. Meanwhile, is there a chance that the Browns just signaled that they're open to trading Miles Garrett? Love it. I've been on that too forever. And finally, that is true.

Has Wemby used the motivational powers of the Bud list? This was a number. He had just gotten dumped on. I didn't realize that. We just showed 12.5% of his buckets from us. Wow. It's pretty good. What do you want to do?

Your Wimby takes aren't going to age well. They're not, it's not even takes. It's observations. I'm just, it's just facts. He does have to have, like, a huge game. Well, he had seven blocks last. Defense is 50% of the game. Okay, but what are the grizzly shooting?

48%, so half of them don't even matter. Seven blocks. Having those blocks were a great tank. They just rebound. Right. Starting Boston. Jalen Brown and the Celtics notch a double digit win over the Thunder. Snap there's 12 game win streak.

Celtics put up 70 in the second half. Here's SGA post game. Every time you play the Boston Celtics, you get a playoff field. They bring it every night no matter who's out there, have a culture. They check all the boxes and that's why they've been successful for the past years. So yeah, it's a game that you see. where you really are and they test you. And we got tests tonight and we didn't pass it.

Love it. Did you learn more about the Celtics or the Thunder or SGA's love for Prime Cameron? Listen, this is why I picked the Celtics to win the title. I think that they have the easier path than the Thunder and I think they match up well with the Thunder. And while last night is not, even though it was just the seventh time this season, the Thunder have had their true starting lineup. And as we talked about yesterday, only the 21st time the last two years in the regular season. They've had the true starting lineup.

And Jalen Williams was bad. His first game back is totally fine that he's bad. But I don't look at the boost the Thunder will get from J-DHA being back to normal as nearly as impactful as the boost the Celtics will get from an even just slightly improved. Jason Tatum because in one of the oddest stats that exists in the league, the Thunder are not better with their second best player. With Jalen Williams, they win 76% of their games, which is awesome. That is a 60 win pace.

And without him, and that's a huge sample. They win 86% of their games, which is damn near a 70 win pace. That is not to say, I do not think he makes them worse. I do not think any of that. I just don't think you get the extra. Oh, and now you add this player into the fold because they are so deep and so redundant in skill sets for basically everyone but Shea. I don't know how much that helps them compared to Tatum just getting better. And so listen, I also think we talked about it yesterday, Brew, this loss puts the thunder in real jeopardy of not being the one seat.

They're a game, they're a de facto game and a half up on San Antonio with a far tougher schedule. the way. So to me, this is more about, but like here's, that's probably too much for folks to comprehend. But the takeaway on it is the Thunder are playing a bunch of good teams in two tankers and the Spurs are playing a couple good teams and four tankers. And so. Thunder out the second toughest schedule. And the Spurs are 20th. Yeah. And so they can, if they, if they have a two loss difference, they catch them. So I think this game was more about Boston and Boston's ability win the title. No, I agree because I have not thought much about the Celtics chances of winning the title. I think, I was thinking they would go if they get out of the east, they'll be the

underdog if it's O KC or San Antonio or even the late, even if the Lakers get out of the east or out of the West. I think the Celtics would be favored against the Lakers. I'm not sure because the Lakers will have beaten San Antonio and OKC. So they'll be rolling. But either way, I haven't thought much of their chance of winning it. But now I do feel a lot stronger about the possibility that they could win it. As Nick said, like, first of all, let's say it's these two teams. Jalen Brown, he's not as good as SGA. And Jalen is great, but he's not as good as SGA.

But he can come close to matching his production. And he's a two-way player like SGA. Then to your point, Jason Tatum, even in this diminished form, is better than Jalen Williams. I mean, he's just, he's a better player than Jalen Williams. So your second best player is better. And then the depth, both teams have a lot of depth. The Celtics depth, I think, shoots better. Yes, definitely.

And they got some good shooters off the bench for OKC. But OKC's depth is more athletic. But I think the Celtics can match them there. And then you look at these two teams' matchups. When the, when OKC won the first matchup, they won by two. but Jason Tatum and Derek White were sitting out. That's their second and third leading scores. So I do agree with Nick that Boston could.

I'm not saying I would pick them over OKC in the finals, but they definitely can match up well with them. Look, San Antonio and Boston have given OKC trouble. Teams that can match OKC's energy and depth and shooting can play with them. Not many teams have their depth, but those that do Boston and San Antonio have given them problems. Can I ask one

the Lakers related question? Who do you think the Lakers hope to be the two seed now that it's in real jeopardy? O KC who do you think the Lakers have a better shot against in round two of the seeds hold? OKC or San Antonio?

San Antonio. They want San Antonio. The Lakers? I assume I buy into your experience. Well, that's what I'm saying. I don't know if they're, want San Antonio, but I do think that's a big, maybe.

We'll see if... Because we thought last year the Lakers might match up okay with OKC, we didn't get to see it. I don't, nobody has an answer for Wemby, so it's not unique to the Lakers. I don't know. Like, I'd be curious who down the stretch, the Lakers are hoping for in that spot. I don't know the answer.

We could find out over the next 10 games. Afternoon headlines presented by Aspen Dental. Visit aspendental.com. Get smiling today. Head over to the NFL where the Browns modified Miles Garrett's contract. Jason Fitzgerald of over the cap writing, you know, the Browns don't gain any cap room by making this move unless they actually change the option amounts this year.

All this does is give the team the maximum flexibility to trade Garrett, assuming they were to get him to waive his no trade clause. Who should go all in for Miles Garrett? Yeah, so the timing of the Browns being the team to be like, hey, Why don't we let teams trade picks up to five years in the future one week? And then the very next week, redoing Miles Garrett's deal that achieves absolutely nothing other than making him more tradable, got the Brian Windhorst fingers in me going. Why would they do that?

And so I do think it now is a legitimate conversation to be had. I also think people need to understand trading from Miles Garrett will cost you three first round. picks. If trading for Max Crosby was going to cost you two, and one of them was a good one, the 14th pick of the draft is not the same as the 30th pick of the draft. If somebody, so a team, I'll give us a for instance, Dallas that has two first round picks this year, neither of which are amazing, but two first round picks this year, and the worse of their pick or Green Bay's pick next year.

I think that's the table stakes for trading for 30-year-old Miles Garrett. All three. Or two of those three plus one further down the road. Like if Max Crosby, who's a worst player with more injury questions around the same age, barely. A year and a half, 28, Garrett's 30. Oh, that's right. Crosby will be 29 when the season starts. So a year and a half.

And Crosby, Garrett's coming off the best year of his career. I think it's three firsts. Man, wow. So I think it's got to be a team that truly, like, has reason to believe he's the final piece to winning the Super Bowl, which he's one of the greatest defensive players ever coming off the best season of his career. He might be the final piece to winning a Super Bowl. I wouldn't do it if I were Dallas, but I would understand that they are the type of team that might. And I think it's a short list of teams that'd be willing to do that. Three first is, that's probably too high.

maybe like you said, do you want to give one four or five years down the line? But I'm torn because there's a part of me that wants to be greedy. If there was Adam Schefter said the Ravens, when they were going to trade for Max Crosby, we're also talking to Trey Hendrickson. If they went out and got now, here's what I do if I'm the Raven. Look, the talk is they're going to use that 14th pick on an offensive lineman, which they do need. They need offensive linemen.

That's why I'm torn. But if they feel like they can get their offensive line built up without needing their first pick this year, first I go to the Browns with the offer I did for Crosby. First this year, first last next year. I mean, that's still a lot. And again, I'd be like, look, he's 30. He's 30 years old.

He's not even still in his 20s. And I would try to push that. But I'd love for the Ravens to get him. And hopefully there, at least, considering doing something. We're up against the break, but you still view Max Crosby's asking price as a

benchmark. It wasn't an asking price. It was agreed upon. I know, but it was voided, so I almost don't say, like, well, here's the benchmark. Like, well, we didn't go through with it. Okay, that's fine, but Trent McDuffey went for a first, a fourth, a fifth, and a sixth. Like, or the, I mean, there's

the, who was, who was, what was the, Jalen Waddle, just went for a first, a third, and a fourth. Like, the, I just feel like two first is still. Two first is still a lot. And they're right like this year and next year. Two first is not enough for Miles Garrett. Especially if like Patriots KW.

Their picks 31. 31 in the future one doesn't get you in the door. Budless next. Half hour show because we've got soccer right after us. So we actually didn't have time to go to the post office. It's going to go right to the Bud list. Wow. Wow.

All right. Here we go. Number three, I got a duo. One of Nick's favorite. duos, Joel Embed and Paul George. You see them back last night? They look good. M.B. had, what, 35? George had

28. George back from the 25 game, PEDD suspension. MB back from his inevitable injury. But here it is. The deal. The last hurrah for these guys. This year, they're the seventh seed right now. Could

get the sixth seed or maybe even a little higher. The bottom line is if they go into the playoffs healthy, Nick, they got M.B. Thank you. George, V.J. Edgecom, Kelly Ubre, and of course, Tyrese Maxi. Now, there's not a team in the East with a more talented five than that. More talented, all right?

We get with a short short short. All right. There's not. Now, maybe I'm not saying yesterday. I'm not saying that's the most talented. I'm just saying there's not, it's as high. So make a run. If they could do something magical.

That's what I said yesterday. Magical in the playoffs. Now, I'm going to be honest with you guys. I don't believe in you. All right. But I love to see it. I'd love to see it. It'd be fun.

I love In Beads game. Just don't play much. But hey, prove me wrong. All right. At number two, Kevin Duran. Yeah. Now, look, KD, we all know. You've said it yourself.

You're not a leader. But you don't have to be an anti-leader. All right? And here's the deal. Since the. burner tweet heard around the world, right? Over around the All-Star break and supposedly a KD. Burner, he was criticizing teammates.

And when Katie was asked about it, he didn't deny it, which sounds a lot like, yeah, it was me and you just didn't want to admit it understandably, but still. But anyway, Nick, since then, the Rockets are 10 and 9. Their last 14 games, they are 6 and 8. have just plummeted. And last night, last night, one of the worst, probably the worst loss of the year, if not the decade.

It's a historically bad loss. Yeah, well, here's the deal. They were up 13 in overtime on Minnesota and lost. Teams that, I don't know if you two heard this stat, teams that were up 10 points in overtime. Did you hear it? No. Were 180 and 0.

So they're the first team. to lose a 10 point lead in overtime, at least dating back as far as we can go 1996. So, KD, you got to fix it. Houston's got a problem. You got to fix it. What you need to do is you're the leader of the team. I know you don't, you're not, but you are. These Shingoon, Amin Thompson, Reed, Shepherd, Javarge, they probably grew up idolizing.

Yeah, now you're getting you. Looking up to you. And now they see you're ripping. So what do you want to do? I want him to call a team meeting and say, look, guys, either bring proof that you weren't the account, is not your account. Amazing.

Bring proof or just admit, look, guys, I was tripping. I was in a bad mood. We had just had a tough loss. Hopefully they were coming off a tough loss. Well, he did it over weeks and months, so that's going to be tough. Well, every time we lost, I just lost my mind. Also, just be like, I was spitting facts. No, you can't do that.

You don't play well. Look, fix it, KD. All right, I do believe in you, but maybe you can turn this season around. All right, at number one, SGA. All right, SGA, you're clearly the man, all right, and not just because you're dressed like Superfly. All right, you are the man. All right, you might win your second straight MVP.

Heck, you might win your second straight championship, but it is getting tested. All right, as we said earlier, you guys now you have a two-game lead over San Antonio. You've got nine games remaining, but you have the toughest, second toughest schedule in the league. They got Detroit, New York, the Lakers twice, Denver, Phoenix, and the Clippers. Yeah, it's brutal. All right, and then San Antonio has the 20th toughest schedule. So if San Antonio passes you guys for the number one seed, I think Winby also will likely, or good chance, pass you for the MVP.

So, Shay, you're awesome. I definitely believe in you. We're going to see what you guys and your team are made of down the stretch. So good luck. That's an excellent Budlis. Since we're on a short show, we've got to get right to the sports media ombudsman. And I, listen. What a treat.

I sadly have to discuss some takes from two of my broadcast idols. Oh, Chris Broussard and Michael Wilbonne. Because both of them have gone at Luca's throat this. week. Brute, basically running back the ball hog take from last year. Will Bond saying he can't even consider Luca for MVP because he only plays one side. I think maybe forgetting that as a voter, we've seen how highly and how many times you have voted James Harden first in MVP, but that's neither in or there.

So I just wanted to bring a few Luca numbers quickly to the table because Lucas has finished the six game road trip, one of which one game. One game they lost, and he was inefficient in one game, and Brew ripped him. How was a six-game road trip as a whole? Well, he did something that only Jordan's done. Average 40 on a six-game road trip, and they went five-and-one, and it was against competition. So I'm playing on Brew's heartstrings with the Jordan thing, and then there is this element that I fear something that has only ever happened to Luca before is about to happen

again. Score 33 or more on a 50-win team the last 60 years. Wilk did it one MVP. Kareem did it one MVP. Jordan did it, one MVP, then did it again, almost one MVP, but got 21 first place votes. Hardin did it as the defending league MVP came in second that year, to Janus. So three guys, or two if not won an MVP. Two have not, but they both already had one MVP prior, and they both finished second that year.

The other guy is Luca two years ago. when one of those four votes was my guy, Broussard, and he finished a distant third. And now we're talking about him finishing fourth or fifth. Again, everyone that's ever done this has either won MVP or it already won an MVP and came close, except for Luca, and now it's going to happen to him again. It is.

Yeah, it is. Nobody cares. 33 game 50 wins. Used to mean something in this world. It's because of the competition, though. It just is. I mean, Wimby is doing this thing. obviously Shea is doing this thing

and Yolk it. You had another historic type triple double last night is doing this thing. It's just the comp. Lucas gonna be first team all NBA though.