First Things First - Luka Doncic scores 60 in Lakers win, Brou’s Ballot, Duke's close call, Sean Payton joins, Title Pie

Episode Date: March 20, 2026

(0:00) Lakers win 11 of 12, Luka Doncic scores 60, Spurs clinch playoffs, Brou’s MVP Ballot (29:32) Aaron Rodgers and Steelers reunion is “inevitable”, Shocked Mike Evans left Bucs? (41:53) Should people be concerned about Duke?  (47:04) Title Pie (01:03:47)  Bam Adebayo ‘relates’ to Luka Doncic’s big night, Lakers better without LeBron? (01:17:16) Should the Patriots get Maxx Crosby and A.J. Brown? (01:22:35) LeBron’s evolution, Wemby ‘best player in the NBA?’ (01:46:37) Julian Edelman hints at A.J. Brown trade (01:55:19) Sean Payton joins (02:05:02) Bam says it’s “not easy to score 80” after Luka scores 60 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Live from New York. It's a show that is not watching March Madden, is not into it. What I'm into, what I'm into is studio television. There you go. That's what I'm. You're watching after the show, getting caught up, seeing how your Duke team might be frauds.

I'm locked into the show. I start prepping for Monday's show. Honestly, I think yesterday's game soured him on the whole team. That's not true. He knows they're going down. I do, too. It's a little bit of a, no, no. Slight for you, to be honest with you.

Oh, my. What? You put Shire on the Bud list. His team's like, you know what? We thought it was going to be easy. Thought they were going to lay it out. Put him on the Bud list when they were down 13. And then they came back to win.

Yeah, not a flight. Okay. You got to, you used to be good at, like, taking an L when it happened. And now you just... What L is there to take? And now you just say, like, actually, Brew, you're the DOOP. How about what L is there to take? We won.

Okay, there we want. Did we not win the game? Now we're back. Enjoy it. Now we're back. Enjoy it. Yeah. Now we're back.

What I have done is trick everybody to think that I'm the only one rooting for Duke. Yeah. Today, Luca goes for 60 Alpark and the Lakers go. Meanwhile, Duke survives. I've been on them for months. See? This was slightly surprising. The one stat that will make you think Duke is in trouble historically.

Yeah. And finally, a special, Wembe-centric edition of Title Pie. No news on if we got some pies. We didn't get some pizza pies. Thanks to Danny Park. I heard they were late, bro. Did you hear that? They were late.

They were allowed to come down several times. But they finally arrived. They did arrive and they were delicious. Was this a delivery issue, a pizza place issue, or a parking issue? I don't think Danny, you know how on the app you pay like the extra $1.99 so you're the first. I think Danny's like I've paid him. No. Actually, not doing.

$5 off. Right, $5 off. I'll be last and I'll meet you at the corner. I think that's what happens. It's your turn next one. I'm going to down. Wings, Danny did the pizza. I took everybody out for dinner.

Oh, that's right. Seat food plateau. When did you take people out to dinner? Nick, you were there. Remember you left early? You lost a bet. That wasn't the kindness of your own heart. Did I take you out to dinner?

I mean, kind of, but I think you were obligating. Did you pay anything? No, I mean, enjoyed a big steak. It was a bet. I saw it. But you. You also did leave. You didn't even stay the whole time.

Right. You left before the check. It was like three and a half. Talk about rude. It was three and a half hours. And this is what he said. He couldn't even make him an excuse. He's just like, hey guys, is it okay if I go?

I'm wrapped up. I'm good. We start Miami, another spectacular performance from Luca. This time he goes for 60. 60. A lot of people saying this guy's going nuclear. No. Again.

100 points. In the last two days, 20 in the fourth. Lakers have won eight in a row. Here's JJ. There's a superhero performance. He made big shots. He made tough shots. Made a lot of right reads.

You know, it's when he gets it going like that, it's some of it is you just kind of like let him go. And his teammates felt that. They saw that. He had the crazy step back three in front of their bench. You just go down the list. the shot making was unreal tonight. What's this version of Luca mean for the Lakers?

I got bad news for Ian. Spot bonus from yesterday rescinded. Oh, actually. If he's the one who put going nuclear. People are saying it. On our bar. This version of Luca means no one wants to play him. There is, there are a handful of tru-ism.

across all 80 years of NBA history. And one of them is one guy, if he's great enough, can beat a team. Like, and dating, you can go back as far as you want. And Luca. In the conference. Yeah, in the conference. And, yeah, usually it ends around the NBA finals, but can execute a, you know, whether it's, you know, seven versus two,

is a massive upset at any round in any moment of the playoffs. And Luca does have that pedigree of a guy who, I don't know, Brough, he was a year into his career when you called him Luca legend. And when we talked about what I think I said it would be a massive disappointment if he was not one of the 10 best offensive players of all time. Like that you saw that coming. He has the. some of the pelts on the wall in the playoffs,

not the ultimate pelt, but multiple. He's been great. He's been great in the playoffs. And you add to it that he and this team are clutch and connected. And the thing you pointed out, KW, the vibes are through the roof. Oh, vibes are crazy. And nobody, nobody wants to be in a close game with them. And what they have, the company they keep,

amongst best record in close games, those teams, now all of those teams had better overall records than this Lakers team, but all those teams ended up in the finals. Decided by single digits. Yeah, their record in close games. It's pretty remarkable. Now, again, I'm trying to be fair to the graphic,

those teams had much better records overall, which means they never got blown out. And this Lakers team sometimes does get blown out. And it doesn't. Like what was like the Thunder last year's Thunder aren't on there because maybe there wasn't a lot of? No, no, no. No, no. I think I think last year's Thunder were around 500 in single digit games.

But they never got blown out. So you know what I mean? In games decided by double digits they were 50 and two or whatever. When the Lakers lose, they lose. And they don't blow people out that much. It's also that. It's both things. And so, but and Luca Brew.

Here is Luca this month, which seems almost incomprehensible is the wrong word, but he is on fire. And it reminds you, or at least reminded me, of the month of March Luca had two years ago when he led the Mabbs to the finals. You put him side by side. He has done this before. and that ended with multiple road series upset wins in route to the finals. And so I think this version of Luca means the Lakers are actual contenders,

not the favorites and not, you know, the first, the team that I'm picking, but they're real contenders. Yeah, look, there are several things. This version of Luca, we already knew I felt already he's an all-time great. But when you see this and the run he's been on, which as far as, points per game over a stretch like this, eight, nine games. It's only matched with the Lakers by what Kobe did or he goes back to Kobe. Then you'd have to go back probably to Wild or something like that.

But as an all-time great with a Laker uniform on, you know what you have to do? Win a title. Win a championship. All of them have done it except Elgin Baylor. And I said it about LeBron when he went there. You got to get a ring. And so Luca has got to get a ring. That's number one.

Number two, he is, even though I have some questions about his playing style, there's some things I don't like just because he's so ball dominant. He and Yokic can battle it out for who's the best offensive player in the world. Now, maybe it's Yolch, you say Yodzik's so much more efficient, Yokic, but those two, like Luca, just as a one-on-one player, I'm not saying he would win a one-on-one tournament with all the players. He might. He might, but his defense might be issues.

stops. Right, right. He'd have to make a great. But offensively, he is phenomenal. And he played, you know, people have compared him for years to James Hardin because of the heliocentric play. He's better than Hardin. Yes.

And I don't mean just the playoff because he's been better than the playoffs, hasn't had the meltdowns that Hardin has. I just think he's at a higher level than Hardin. And he's not as relying on a whistle. Hardin was more relying on a whistle than going to the line. But Luca, Some of the shots he makes, those threes, I'm sure we'll see stuff like this. How do you make that?

That's just ridiculous. And so that's the other thing. And then I was good. What I was going to mention, you kind of touched on it. When he, the last time he led the league in scoring, which he's going to, he's doing now and he's going to do this year was the 2024 season. When they beat Oklahoma City and got to the finals, the thing I've talked about the Lakers. now if they play San Antonio in the second round and I will say they'll have a tough first round

if they meet Denver or Minnesota it won't be easy for the Lakers but if they meet the Spurs in the second round that is going to be like just a great test case for experience and what it means because one team has like no experience the other one has a ton of it it'll just be great

and then if they get past the spurs and play OKC the one thing you know they're not worried about it like they're not scared of OKC LeBron we talked last year I thought oh if the Lakers get them they'll beat them you know because of the experience and all that and LeBron

I'm sure believes he can beat OKC Luca has beaten them in the playoffs and so this team with Luca playing like this with LeBron I still think as great as Luca is right now LeBron is the key

as long as he continues to play as you said the Swiss Army knife roll. He has to stay in that row. Now, some nights it'll be 30, like the other night. But he has to stay in that role. And if he does, then they got a solid shot. Wendy said this this morning. I was like, gosh, darn it, Wendy, that was my take, too, off of the vibes.

Earlier in this year, shout out to Wendy. Earlier this year, vibes on the Lakers terrible. J.J. Reddick was saying our losses are louder, and he was a little short with the media. I remember he was going to make him run wins. He's like, practice tomorrow. Practice tomorrow's day. Maybe it was. Bring an extra gatorade.

Bring an extra gatorade. We're going to be running. Luca with the reps always a thing. LeBron has been a little bit testy on his role in the team. LeBron last night, in these last few games, after the game winner by Luca, when LeBron was just thrilled. Yeah, that was. He has been.

in some movies, but when he's on the court, he's not a great actor. Correct. It's why he also gets, like, people make fun on him for the flops. Like, you're not as good of an actor. You're not fully no, but you can read his emotions. He's happy.

He must think. Yeah, that really looked good. He can do it. This isn't like, oh, we're going to make a run. This is, we can win a championship, LeBron. Oh, I think, yes. I don't think he views them as the favorite. But I think he no longer views them as drawing dead.

No, and it felt like earlier in the year he really felt like that. He was asked about it. He was like, what's the difference between us in OCS? He's like, they're a championship caliber team and we're not. I mean, he flatly said it. I also, brew, I, and we're going to talk more about LeBron and his role later. But I was, I got, I could have lost a ton of money last night. I only didn't because when I was trying to make the bet, someone called me and thank God,

and then I forgot because in the morning, I was going to bet a ton against the Lakers. Because Miami was only a three-point favorite because they didn't know who was going to play. And I was like, no chance these guys are playing. They swept Houston. They got into Miami at 5 in the morning. They have a bit of a cushion.

It's third game in four nights. And listen, Austin said as much, but once LeBron said he was playing, there was an onus on everybody else to play. and I was shocked, Brew, that everybody played and they didn't just say schedule loss, we took care of business. But I love that mentality. You know, forget all that schedule, low management.

It's time to lock in. I love that mentality. I also think with LeBron, because it was notable how joyous he was. I think he's obviously a student of the game. He knows the game. He knows players who can play, who can't. I think he also just is like, Luca is bad. Like, Luca is a bad, like, I think he just respects how good of a player Luca is.

And I think that's part of why he's so happy and celebrating and, you know, all of that stuff. And also, just as you mentioned Elgin, Luca now, this is the second time in his career, he has 100 points in consecutive games. The only Lakers to do that more than, you know, more than once. Elgin did it three times and Wilth has 13 instances of it. Which I just thought was noteworthy. Lakers in Orlando tomorrow night. Head to San Antonio. Suns up, one 10 seconds left.

Whamby gets the ball. Single coverage, mid-range jumper to win it. He goes for three or four. Might want to put two on Wemby. You know, if you look at this play, Fox was open, wide open in the corner. And Wemby did not go to him. I liked it.

He was like, I'm going to, and he could see him. He could see him in his peripheral vision. Like right there, see it? Yeah. And he's like, no, I'm taking this. And he can get a good shot anytime he wants. Nobody can disrupt his shot. Here's Wemby postgame.

Of course, the first instinct is to be proud of it and to love it because we're part of it. But the key for me is to try to not care because we want to attack 82 games. And I want, I'm not going to lie, I'm scared to become. complacent. So I'll be on the other end of the spectrum and try to not care at all.

Are the Spurs ready to make a finals run? Yeah. They are. And they really don't have, I don't know if they look at it this way or if they, as young as they are even thinking like this, Nick, there's really not a lot of pressure on them. I mean, I would say certainly if they got beaten the first round by Phoenix or, you know, whoever, that would be a downer.

That would kind of put a real damper on the season. If they get to the second round and maybe lose to the Lakers, I'm not saying they will, but I don't think people are killing them. I think they're like, this is what we said. Yes, this is what happens. So if they can really realize there's really no pressure on us, so let's go out here and just continue to play as we have in the regular season, then they can do something.

They are 5 and 0, or 5 and 1, I should say, against, no, no, scratch that. since February 1st, they've been the best team in the league. So we got the graphic. 20 and 2. But look at the rankings, best offensive team, fourth best defensive team, best point differential, field goal percentage. And the three point percentage is what you really want to note. Because outside of their just sheer inexperience,

that was like the one thing you could say, do they shoot well enough? And they were 38% over the last essentially two months. That is basically top of the league, 38%. If they are doing that, then all they have to do is play smart. And I do think at times, you know, I've said it before, sometimes I wish they played through Wimby Moore.

In the playoffs, that may have to happen. And they've got to be smart enough to make that adjustment and go to him if they need to. But look, they also have guys that can beat you off the dribble, which is important in the playoffs. Castle, Fox, can beat up to dribble. Then they got shooters. Champany, Vassel, I'm sorry, and Harrison Barnes.

So they have it all. The question really is just, is there enough experience there? So you and I are like-minded on this to a degree, I think. So I, the three-point shooting is interesting. And I put it in somewhat of a similar bucket as the Lakers being like the sixth best defense during this run, that level won't maintain, but when it regresses, how much does it drop? Right. And I'm going to use Wimby as kind of the avatar for it, because Wimby this month went from an okay three-point shooter that shot a decent amount of game to a high-volume

three-point shooter that was excellent at them. So if we should look at Wimby's three-point percentage. High volume as well. Well, yeah. So look, October through February, five a game, 34 and a half percent. March ate a game at damn near 39%. So if March, if he is ate a game at 39% in the playoffs, they'll beat everybody. Like that and that's

interesting to 8, yeah, because you do want him down low a little bit more. Yeah, but at 39% you shoot as many as you want. And so like that to me is, I don't think that level maintains. The question is, how far does it drop? And then the, the experience,

The experience thing is just unprecedented, or at least not since the Blazers is 77. And so if you look at teams that won the title, their rotations playoff experience. Here's where the spurs would be historically. So it, and 78 is misleading, I feel like, because 71 of those games are Harrison Barnes. It's no, for real.

Fox only has nine? No, Fox has seven. A seven. Fox has the seven game series, light the beam. That's it. Wow. Of the top. Now, if you do their whole team, the numbers, because they have Cornette, who doesn't play

that much, they have Bismack, Beyondbo on the roster as, but as far as the guys who play minutes for them, you know what I mean, big minutes, Harrison Barnes is at 71. The rest of the roster is at seven. And then you see it. So, like, that is the yeah, but, bro. Leave that up. The interesting thing there is every single one of those teams has a historically great player. Was led by historically great player.

Bill Walton, Larry Bird, Shay, Steph, and Elijah Wine. So that's the thing, like, and we're all learning this as maybe Wimby breaks some precedents. I mean, he is something we've never seen before. Correct. And so maybe he will break some of these things that we think. thought were conventional wisdom. Can I ask you a question, Brew? Because we kick around playoff experience a lot.

Just to get down to another level, do you think it's the schedule, the intensity, the playing one team possibly seven times in a row? I think that's true. What is it when we talk about playoff experience? I think the intensity is unlike anything you've seen in the regular season, number one. Then when you play, they now can zero in on you. So for instance, just think last night, Miami, L.A. Miami didn't really have much time to get ready for LA.

The Lakers certainly didn't have much time to zero in or Miami. But when you're playing them in the playoffs, you've had a week or so to get ready for them. And then in between games, you're getting ready. So by game three or something, they know all your plays, all your tendencies, you know all of theirs. That's why having a guy that just, okay,

you know I like to go right off two dribbles and then spin or whatever. You know I'm going to do it, but you still can't stop me. That's why it's important to have guys like that. And they got Wimby and then Cassell and Fox can kind of do that too. But that's really what it is. The intensity of playing a team seven straight times is just crazy. And I think it's also if you have a single, glaring, defensive flaw, the opposing team would be like,

well, we're going to run that play repeatedly until you take that player off the court. Like, I mean, this is a guy who the audience probably only knows for his political nonsense, but Enos Cantor when he came into the league. It was like, man, this guy is 28. And then every year his team make the playoffs, be like, oh, he literally can't play two minutes. Yeah. Like, and so, like, that's the other thing that just happens in the playoffs that you never see in the regular season. That's happened a few times.

It happened in that Celtics Mavs series. That's not what happened in that series. No, Mavs stopped scoring. That's actually not what happened in that. They hunted him. Two great performances from Wembe and Luca. Both received MVP chance. Wembe from his teammates and fans.

Luca from the road crowd. Take a listen. I got one chance before we take it in. And there's the chant we were talking about. Okay, lots of chance, but it's time to find out who's the real MVP on Bruce Ballot. Well, let's give the definitive list as it stands right now. It's been changing. All right?

And it could change some more. I know Nick is really on pins and needles to see what this is. All right. At number five, he might not end up being eligible. But Cade, sure. I chose, I, this will kind of give away who's at for or who's not at for at least. I chose him over Jalen because he has led this team to the number one seed. As the only offensive guy that could create his own stuff.

Jailen's been great. No slight to Jalen at all. We got some great players this season. I ask you a question. If the Pistons just go on a terrible losing streak. But he will stop being eligible. I know. But would that in your mind, would that?

I don't, he can't win it to me. You're right. If they went 1 in 11 or yeah, whatever it is, it's still, I mean, I just think the West guys are too tough. But at number four, Nick's going to be upset. Luca Dachich. All right. That's outrageous.

That's outrageous. This is first. First time on the ballot. That's two, all right. Four is shocking. That he's that low? Yes. It's some other good guys doing their thing.

But Luke is climbing. He's fourth and climbing. Okay. He hasn't even been on the ballot yet. All right. Number three. Yokish. And here's why.

He is Nick about, and you're, you love history. So I don't get mad because he's not your long-lost Slovenian adult son. All right? He is about to become the only player ever to lead the league in rebounds and assists for game. He does lead in PR.

He's dropping, but he's still at 32.9 has the highest PR ever. All right. Something. Now look at this. Here's the comparison. Because like I said, I'm not, things could change. But as great as Luca's been, look at the numbers outside of scoring, Yolk has him beat in everything.

And a lot more efficient. And then it's a three-seat Luca versus six-seat. but it's like a three game difference. It's not a ton of difference in terms of wins and losses. But we'll see. They're battling it out, all right? At number two, look, I love to see him win it. It'll be interesting to see if some of the voters, you know,

you never know what motivates some voters. Are they, hey, Shay got it last year. Wimby's, you know, emerged this year. I think a lot of guys could arguably win it. But I got Wimby at two just for the jump that he's led that team to the second best record in league. and that means Shea's number one. I just think Shea has just been so consistent,

obviously because of the wilt thing with the 20. But beyond that, he is just so consistent. And then Nick, his second best player, most of us believe, has been out for 44 games, 44 or 70 games, and they haven't missed a beat. So listen, if people care, I agree with you on Shay for the time being. I would have Luca 2, Wembe, 3, Yolkich 4. Wow.

And this is my two-pronged quick argument. First on Luca, scoring champs on top three seeds, usually that's the argument. This century, the only time the scoring champion on top three seed didn't win MVP was when they was competing with Pete LeBron on the heat. KD in 2012, Mello in 2013. Otherwise, that's been all you needed to do. Is your team awesome?

Are you the scoring champ? You win it. Like that's what it's been. That's where they finish? Where they finish. I'm saying. And so the two guys who didn't win it, it was LeBron with the heat who won it.

LeBron was just so universally regards best player in the league. Now Mello did finish third, not second, I understand. And then there is, here is my, it's not anti-Wimby argument at all, but it is just, I think we pick and choose when defense. matters for this award. The last five defensive player of the years have

combined for zero first place, second place, third place, fourth place MVP votes. Yeah, but who are you? A lot of a role player. No, no, no. Well, it's Evan Mobley, Triple J, Rudy Gobert, Marcus Smart. The point I'm making is this. No, when it comes to MVP voting,

it has never been half of your offense, half of your defense, half of your defense. No, that's not true. Elijah Wine, his defense was a big part. David Robinson's big defense was a big part. Jordan's, at least some of the years, his defense was a big part. I agree that

they were parts of it. I just said it was, it's never been 50-50. But his offense is great. Well, so that's... I'm not saying it's as good as Lucas or Yoker. So here's the other thing, if we could do the Wimby blind reveal that I think will surprise people. And again, I think Wimby they can win the title. I just said

I'd have him third an MVP voting. This is Wimby this year. Do we agree those numbers on the right are, it's fewer assists this year, fewer blocks, but more efficient, but they're basically identical. Do we agree? I'm not answering questions. Just do you agree those numbers are basically identical? They're close.

Here's who the guy on the right is. Wimby last year. Well, he only played 46 games. I understand, but the difference is the team record, right? And the fact that they're, so what I think is this, I don't think Wimby has gotten from like massively better from last year, but his team has. And he's been more available. So can I. So just when you watch those games, like his, he's more than, I'm sorry.

No, just just anecdotally because I think we're going to say the same thing. Stefan Castle has said I can play more aggressive defense and get steals and lock guys up because I know. I think his defense. that's not showing up. No, but I'm talking about him as an offensive. I think last year was already the best defensive player in the league. And they are, my point is the, they're, but the halo effect of Wembe making the team.

Better defensively. But offensively. When you watch their game, his numbers do not tell the story. He could easily average close to 30 if not 30. If they play it like most teams do where they, they, everything runs through Wemby. Right. He's good enough where everything could run through. I agree with that entirely, but usually you don't get MVP bonus because you could be having better numbers.

But the numbers aren't bad. They're not bad. I just don't think historically 24 and 11 and the best defensive player in the league is not enough to win MVP or to beat the 33, 8, and 9 guy who's right behind you in the stand. Would you admit he's beyond the best defensive player? Like he's not, oh, good defense. He's far and away the best defensive player. I agree. Teams 10 and 5 without him.

I just think. Shane, you said what, 8 and 4 without? Welcome back to first things first. Mike McCarthy and the Steelers may only have eyes for his old QB, Aaron Rogers. Friend of the show, Bill Barnwell, writing Pittsburgh, has let players such as Kyler, Tua, Justin Fields, Gino passed by, even though it would have been able to add those quarterbacks on deals that are mostly paid by their former teams. The Steelers could go after Kurt Cousins or Jimmy G. But a reunion with Rogers seems inevitable.

Chances this works out for Pittsburgh. Zero. Zero. Now, if working out is getting to the Super Bowl or winning it, okay? And I'm starting to believe you when you say, that's not what the Steelers are about. Yeah, that's true. So if you're right and it's just about let's get in the playoffs. What about what?

I'll say slim. And make some noise. Hold on. Can we set it at win a playoff game? Oh, because that has not a huge one. That's what I'm saying. Slim as best.

But okay, so you give them a slight chance at that because I give him no chance. But go ahead. I do think they are going to, I think they're going to experience their first losing season, obviously, since Toml was there. I think we're going to see that Tomlin's, and he had some faults, but he was holding this thing together and getting them to their nine or ten wins every year. Aaron Rogers was mid last year.

Yep. And at 42 and 43, he's not going to get better. And check this out. His last two years with Mike McCarthy, who I do think is a good coach. But his last two years with McCarthy and Green Bay, that was MVP Rogers. I mean, he wanted two years after McCarthy left two times.

They were 10, 12 and 1. 10, 12, and 1. Rogers did miss some games because of injury the first year of this two. But I just, it's gone, this is a terrible move by the Steelers. They need to just go ahead. They should have taken their lumps this year, rebuilt under McCarthy and gone for the future,

and they're going to try to win, they might win seven games, something like that. I think they should sign Kurt Cousins. Really? Yeah, I'm. I am offended on the Steelers' behalf that Rogers is just such a delicate snowflake that he can't make his decision yet. Like I, you can be like, Nick, why are you then not bothered about Kirk Cousins? I don't think there is a team in the league that is said to Kurt Cousins, you're our starter. And so I think Kirk is waiting to survey the landscape in a way a lot of like the second and third way veteran free agents are.

That's not this. this is like it is inexplicable bordering on indefensible why

Aaron Rogers is not on the Steelers yet if assuming the Steelers want him which it appears they do

and this whole they haven't offered me a contract nonsense he peddled to Maccafee that I tried to be nice the day of it and then I was like

Nick just be honest with the audience this is all KFab this is right wrestling at this point. And for some reason, he needs to be special. He can't sign in the regular wave of free agency. He can't just be a part of the regular timeline of a season. And this is four years of this now, from a darkness retreat to all of it. And I just don't know how many implausible Aaron Rogers stories I have to come on TV and pretend I believe. He had a pick as a

safety three months after a killing surgery and practice squad. He might retire. He doesn't know what he's doing. If you talk about a hole in one. I just, I don't, it is debasing. And he's not conflicted on whether or not he's playing football. He's not conflicted on where he's playing football. So why, the fact that this, that he is making a, call it, $12 billion organization,

Wait and pretend. Like, no, if we have to go into the year with bruise guy, Will Howard as quarterback, we're prepared to. No, you're not. Because you know who's playing quarterback for you, but for some reason he won't sign up for it. And that on the position in sports where leadership matters the most, that's a bad idea.

So I just signed Kirk Cousins. He seems awesome. Like, as far as the one of the guy, you know what I mean? And so. And he'll give, I think he can play as well as Roger. That's what I think. That's what I think. I just think they should go young.

Sure. But I'm saying if they, if they've decided we want to, we don't want to go old, then I just go with cousins. I'm going to bring it back onto the field. C.D. Lamb sat down with Ross Tucker and talked about his former coach, Mike McCarthy and the Steelers. So I'm going to play what C.D. thinks the offense is going to look like and then show you some Aaron Roger's stats. Take a listen. As soon as you walk in the building, you're going to be a building. going to feel his energy and you're going to feel like what he wants to do.

He wants to go vertical with the ball. I'm going to tell you that right now. Okay, so here was Rogers on deep passes. You only had 41 attempts, middle of pack. He only completed 29%. So that was 24th. Five touchdowns were decent. The pass rating of 90, again, about middle of pack, a little bit better. So if McCarthy really wants to go down the field like he did with old school Aaron Rogers, maybe Rogers isn't the fit. If Mike McCarthy still has an offensive game plan, maybe old school Aaron Rogers to a plus style, you know, get it in quick dumps, isn't going to work for the Steelers. Get rid of the ball.

And look, the last two years in Green Bay were disastrous for Rogers. Well, then he's last two. No, he means last two with McCarthy. Not his last two there. And we thought he was done. And then Lefleur comes in, change the system, and he wins two MVP. This is not going to work. They're going to try to compete.

It's ridiculous. It's obvious. As soon as they sign McCarthy, they're going to try to compete, and they had no fire sale like the dolphins are doing. They're keeping everybody. With respect to a good friend of the show, Pittsburgh's Andrew Philiponi, I am delighted that one of the silver linings of Tomlin moving on is that in short order, we can stop the Steelers' relevance is going to be dwindling. And until they

I think except, hey, we have a fan base that wants to get its seventh Super Bowl and has been waiting for quite some time thinking we were close, we need to build towards it. They're

just a great brand. They're not anywhere close to being a great team and the last couple years, they have not been a well-run team. No, but they didn't win the division. Yeah, yes, I understand that. They're third best team in that division this year. I mean, they should be, but they always seem to be. Wow, shots fired at Bruce guys should do.

We thought that Mike Evans signed with the 49ers for a change of scenery and the idea that the Bucks couldn't compete with the cash that San Fran offered, bro. Well, we were wrong according to Tampa Bay Bucks GM Jason Light. I don't feel betrayed. I'm in mourning. He earned the right to make this decision. We made a significantly higher offer than the 49ers. And that was just the first offer.

I feel like we did everything we could. So this is a full twist on this Mike Evans story. How are you feeling? I mean, this is a mate. We thought Duke would have been an L. This is a major L for me. I'm shocked by this. I'm stunned.

If this is true, look, I think Baker is a very good quarterback. I don't see why a receiver wouldn't want to play with him. But when you start to look at why in the world would Mike Evans leave there and they offered him more money? He's been there 12 years. He's like an institution with the Buccaneers. He's not from California.

He didn't play college football in California. He has no ties to the Bay Area or the state. I'm not from California either, but it's pretty sweet there. Yeah. Well, he went to the part where the weather's not quite as nice as it is in southern California. But, and you're a receiver, you're looking at the quarterback. Yeah, but also Kyle Shannon, the offense, the bucks have had to keep changing coordinators. Kyle Shan, like, it might be part of it.

And I'm not saying it's Baker or he chose Brock over Baker. I'm just saying it's you, as a receiver, you are looking at the quarterback. You're right, Shanahan. I think also, and I'm not. done Nick, I think he may have felt like Ibuka was going to become, Mecca Abuka was going to become the number one receiver. And he probably would

and maybe that was why he can go and the Niners be the number one guy. And you know, Kittle is coming off the injury so he probably even going to be there week one. So I think, you know, to meet you halfway as you met me on Baker versus Purdy, Baker and Purdy swim in the same part

of the pool together of quarterbacks. But I do think it'd be reasonable. We'd like, all right, if the quarterbacks are around equivalent. Kyle Shanahan and his focus on offense versus Todd Bowles. And again, nothing against Todd Bowles, but he's a defensive-minded coach, obviously. That to me is a big discrepancy. Your point on one team desperately needing a number one receiver versus the other team having drafted one who's ascending, all of that. And then there is this piece of it, which is the part that I just found so baffling about Wild's take. I,

this isn't Derek Jeter with the Yankees. It's Mike Evans with the bucks. Like, it's very nice. Yeah. But it's a nice. But you talked about it like it was Jeter. I mean, yes, it was this is, he wasn't even that attached to it.

Is he going to have a statue outside of? He's not going to have a statue outside? I don't think he's got a stance. He's not a stash. I like Mike Evans. And the thousand yards in a row was cool. I'm very liberal. But he's not a statue.

I'm very liberal with my stats. Well, nobody else is he the longest 10 years? He's like the L.A. The crypto died by everybody. You had a nice season, made it all-star team. The thousand. He was a thousand yards. Got a Super Bowl.

The thousand. He was an institution there. He wasn't. Coaches change. Quarterbacks change. Defense has changed. When I think about the modern day Tampa Bay bucks, I think about Mike Evans. So let me bring you a different.

Let me bring you a, hold on. At least a bus. So here. Here's why I found it, like, I'll bring up a different friend of our show. Same division around the same age, same Hall of Fame probability. Cam Jordan and the Saints. He might not be a saint next year. Well, nobody, like, nobody's going to cry about that.

I like Mike Evans. We all like Mike Evans either. I didn't, I didn't understand why you thought of this as, like, Dirk with the mags. That's exactly how I thought about it. It's Mike Evans and the bucks. This is so weird. There's a full generation I guess.

He's been on his bucks longer than Mike Evan on these bucks. Yeah, and now every day, every day we have to be crying about it. Mike Evans like, I'm out of here for less money. This was such a weird story. No, it's not. Mike Evans is great. Mike Evans is a Tampa Bay box. But he's not.

Well, he, that's. I hurt my feeling. I don't even like the bucks. It's Mike Evans. We know, buddy. Doesn't it feel like he should be on the bus? It doesn't. No.

That cross thought has never once crossed my mind. How long is on the bucks first? Well, well. Number one, Duke, huge favorites against number 16 Sienna. They were down at half and only one by six. It's not a good sign. Here's Camboozer. We came out here with the mentality that

was going to be handed. to us and obviously that's not what happened and we got punched the mouth so we just got to learn from it going forward. I've been on Duke for months. Everybody knows it. Yeah. Should I be worried? Shouldn't be worried. Should be terrified.

I don't know even trying to missus direction. There is, the precedent says you're cooked. Here's the one seeds that had nail biters against 16s and what are they all have in common? None of them won the title.

None of them made the title game. Only one made the final four, that famous 89 fight-in-a-line-eye team. And it ain't great. It's in the last 10 years, the only team to trail by double digits in the second half against the 16 seed was the Virginia team that lost. You know what I mean? To the 16 seed. And so it is, I know. The tournament has changed over the years.

One thing that has been consistent throughout is one versus 16 is a buy. And it was not for you guys. And it wasn't just like Sienna got out 20 to 2 and then Duke was fighting back. Sienna was the better team for the first 30 minutes and then had the back-to-back missed dunks and it kind of unraveled on them. But yeah, I'd be worried. Yeah, and look, you already had the toughest region in the group, in the bracket. And I mean, when I look at now, Nick, I know you're feeling good about St. John's in this game, if they face Duke in the Sweet 16.

If they don't get St. John's, assuming they get there, they got Kansas probably. So that could, you know, Kansas with Darren Peterson and with him kind of fitting in with everybody playing consistently. Probably better than a four. Who knows where they could go, right? And then you got Michigan State and Yukon. And so it just, to me, they need to look great in their next game and maybe get that out of their mind. So I have an announcement to make. Oh, he's going to hedge on Yukon.

You're going to hedge on Yukon. Don't tell me what I'm going to do. Let's see. Duke versus TCU Saturday. They are favored by 12 and a half. even if they win by double digits if this is not an easy victory I am going to change my pick

to the UConnesty you're not allowed you're not allowed you say that like it's no big deal I have new intel I'm changing my we did our final four four reason I will have new information on Duke that they are not ready

you've been watching them all year they're not ready well Cam Boozer We thought we were going to... What? What? Wait, what did he say? I thought they thought we were going to give us the game.

Oh. What are you talking about? He was just saying what he felt he was supposed to say. Okay. Malik Brown, a lot of us weren't playing our type of basketball. Like I said, we thought it was going to be a cakewalk going into the game. What type of preparation do we have? Is there a speech in the locker room?

Hey, guys, get out, break a sweat. This one's going to be easy? What's going on? I'll tell you who's not. doing that. The Hurley squad. We're locked in. It would be up 30 screaming at people. Right now, as of now, you still got Duke.

As of right now, I have Duke and Yukon. No. In the Elite 8. Yeah. But I will switch it out. Duke is on thin ice. And I've been on them for months. I've been on Duke.

If Duke doesn't take care of the horned thogs with ease. Can I, can I add? I'm out. Can I add one? Tiny take on America's favorite polling school, Sienna. Shout out. Shots at Quint a P. Yeah, New York.

That's the best joke I've ever had. I love that. Shots and Quinapeak. Well done, buddy. I'm very happy for those players, and I'm sad they didn't win, but they comported themselves well. But I hope they lose their coach to Syracuse. Jerry McHumera should go coached.

That would be awesome. That would be awesome. Syracuse just got turned down by a coach. Like, I don't know what's happened to a once very proud basketball program that obviously is my alma mater. Jerry McNamara, go back to Cuse, return us to glory, please. That would be cool. It would be awesome. I always, can I just, I always get a little bit nervous that eventually you have to let him go.

Then you got to let him go. Still, he's at CNN. It would be a huge jump for him. I like that. I like that. I like that. He's saying. No, it's just like the.

Syracuse is a... Live from New York, it's a show that might be on the Yukon Huskies pretty soon. It's not allowed. I am in the women's bracket. You haven't to take integrity? There used to be something called taking integrity on me. You haven't switched your squads?

No. Get out of time. Never. Never once. That's not true. No, not only will Brew not switch his squads. His squad can be dead, and we all know he doesn't believe in him. And he'll just be like, look to the game and be like,

now the Packers are my pick. I'm not sure. But here's why Philly is going to take integrity. Yeah, that's right. Today, Luca scores 60. Lakers are hot. A lot of people saying he went lukelier. How far can the Lakers go?

Meanwhile, A.J. Brown and Max Crosby to the Patriots. Strong, maybe. Maybe not. Max Crosby is just kind of a pipe dream. But A.J. Brown is very real. You know, there's rumors there's a handshake deal. I don't know if you know that's allowed. But there's rumors.

Howdy, stop bringing us stuff from Ricky the dog and Patriots Twitter. Hello, it's Hall of Fame adjacent and Fox employee Julian Edelman. He's not saying there's a handshake deal. He did the Patriots. Wait, just, yeah, he just tweeted out a wink. He told A.J. Brown were all Patriots and A.J. Brown winked. That's newsworthy. Okay.

It's time now for Title Pie. Dusty. I'm trying to do football, okay? There's no pie here. I'm talking about AJ Brown. There's no pie. We got rid of the pie. We didn't have pizza pie earlier.

We did have pizza pie earlier. We did have pizza pie. It was late. Yeah, that's right. Time for title pie. That's it? We don't know how to intro. There's no pie.

Time for title pie. Okay. I mean, he's not even explaining to the audience what is. It's a pie of teams. Ever seen tears? Make it circular. That's not one. What a bad guy.

Present chance. It's the same as tears. It's not, no. It's not. I remember a square cake? Cut off the edges. Now it's circular. No, it's all different cake.

All right. It's a sheet pan cake. Can I do this, please? Percent chance to win the title. We let you, we haven't done this in a few weeks. So we let you know if teams moved up or down, you'll see it, you'll understand it. 1% the Houston Rockets. I thought about putting them at zero.

Gosh darn it. However, they are like a game out of having home court in the first round. They still have Kevin Durant. I think it's fair to say, Emaudoka's coaching rep has maybe taken a little hit this year. Oh, yeah. Like it feels like he. He has been, he was the reason for their turnaround and all of that. Now it feels like we're like, wait, why is he not adjusting with that?

So 1%. It's dropped. Alongside them in 1% Philadelphia. Now folks might say they also deserve 0%. I think by Brew definitely would say that. Yes, absolutely. They, if they're healthy entering the playoffs, they have. have about as much front-end talent,

frontline talent, as any team in the East. It, you know, with Embedd comes back, Paul George off his suspension, Maxie, who's been the best player on that team for a couple years now, plus VJ Edgecombe. It's like, oh, my pal, you know, my son's pal Quentin Grimes, other guys on the team, like, ah, it's interesting.

So I give him a one in a hundred shot. It really probably should be lower. They've moved up since last time from half a percent, to 2% despite the fact that they are on a bit the last week of a losing streak. The Clippers, put them at 2%. That is somewhat bolstered by the fact that I no longer, I feel like the Sons and the Clippers, sons, by the way, who are not going to be represented here,

they don't have to worry about getting popped in the play in. One of them is going to be playing an elimination game. I'm just not worried at all about the Blazers, or the Warriors as we sit here. And Kauai banged up now, but has been playing some best ball of his life. 3%. Same place as last time, the Cavs.

Not gonna dismiss them entirely, despite my reservations about hard, and especially now that I found out from Danny, they have a big four. I don't know how many teams have a big four. They stay at 3%. This one's a bummer and it's nobody's fault, but down to 4% the Detroit Pistons.

I was listening to, our pal Vincent Goodwill on Wendy's Pod talk about how the most optimistic timeline for Cade Cunningham is that he is cleared to return the day before the playoff start. Wow. That it's two weeks of nothing than a week of cardio, then a week of basketball activities, which would put him on April 15th, and the playoffs start the 17th slash 18th. So now again, maybe he can use round one to ramp up and then be okay by round two, but it's still, it feels like it put them behind the eight ball.

Staying at 5% Minnesota. The back-to-back conference finals appearances are doing a lot for this team's, the belief we have in this team, but Ant is still phenomenal. I like their head coach. Obviously, Julius Randall isn't having the year for, particularly after the trade rumors that you would have hoped, I still leave them at 5%. Down to 5%.

The Nuggets. That, was it the Jazz? Who did they just lose to the other night? The Grizzlies. Sorry, they lost to one of the tankers. The defense is just not going to get better. And it is, here is the biggest knock brew on Joker's MVP case. They have been terrible.

in the clutch, which is where that, you know what, like so much, a little bit of that's got to be on. Everything runs through Joker. I know how great he is. I'm not knocking him, but as far as, like, it's bizarre to see that team be that bad in the clutch when his, I don't think Michael Porter Jr. was the one holding it all together. Like, they had been really good in the clutch.

Can I ask you a question about Denver before we move on? It's because I'd like to get back on the Denver bandwagon, but I'm having a hard time. Yeah, go ahead. Do you put, any credence into the idea that they're running at a marathon pace and not, you know, 10K pace that it seems like some, you know, the pistons are running out? So here's, I would like to believe that. But if that were the case, they would be able to snap into 10K pace in the final two minutes of games. You know what I mean? Because it's a lot of games that they have been in in the final moments and then blown.

The Lakers game, listen, that was a little unlucky. They had it won. Austin makes the great play. But then they couldn't win in overtime either. Because I do think there is a big difference between being the three seed and the five seed if you're them. And, you know, winning. Maybe they're like, ah. I won a championship.

Maybe they think seeding doesn't matter. I'm sure their priority is just getting healthy. Yeah, but also the wins matter enough to where you shouldn't lose to the Grizzlies. Yeah. You know what? Like those games should be lost proof. All right. Now we get to, well, 6% down just a tiny bit in the New York Knicks.

Again, I think they were at 7% less time, so not down a lot. I think they are, they have the best resume of every team that's been on this screen thus far. But I'm worried about what's going on in the Mekale Bridges because I think he's very important for them and was important for them in their playoff. run last year. And here's the other thing. There's only four teams left. And as you can see, almost three quarters of the pie are left. Because I think there's only four teams that actually can win the chain. Like, I shouldn't say can, but the vast majority of the time, one of these four teams wins the title. And all the way up from half a percent a month ago, 11 percent, one in nine times, the Los Angeles legos. It's a fair slice. Yeah, I don't, I don't think that's over.

is doing it, but with Luca playing at this level, the defense figuring out how to at least not kill them. Lately it's been helping them, but I think at least it's stabilized. And LeBron, seeming springy, fresh, and optimistic while accepting his role, that's a scary team to see on the other side of the bracket. And another team whose slice got bigger,

but a team who I think were going to see play them round two, the San Antonio spurs at 15%. So their slice has gotten bigger from the last time. It would be even bigger, if not for the fact that I think the Lakers versus them is a 60-40 series and 60-40 their way, but I do care. I wouldn't be as worried about their lack of experience if they were staring at a rocket's round two matchup. I care about it a lot in a Lakers round two matchup.

Right. I care about it a lot in a Lakers round. two matchup. However, still of half the pie left, at 22% the same time, same slice, Oklahoma City. It is not the biggest slice because they are going to have to play to get to the finals, one of those two teams behind them. Meanwhile, the biggest slice, up to 25%, the Celtics, who I just don't think there is anyone in the east that is the capital. of the Lakers or the Spurs to play in the conference finals. So I think the Celtics are so much more of a likely to be in the finals than anybody in the West.

And that's why they have the biggest slice and Tatum's only getting better. That is the latest edition of Title Pye. Not bad. Not bad. I think the Knicks, I'm fine with their percent, their placement, but I do think they can give Boston a run for its money. Okay. I think in Detroit, yeah, I mean, it's hard to believe in them at this point. But I think the Knicks can give Boston a run.

It's going to be hard to beat them two years in a row with Tatum. So I probably would favor the Celtics in that series, but I think the Knicks can be right there. But I also, and I get your reasoning, but I would move OKC and San Antonio give them the biggest two slices. Okay. I think OKC should be number one, San Antonio number two, Boston number three.

And I say that for several reasons, but one, those teams have handled Boston recently. And I know Tatum, you know, has been out for much of that. But the spurs are 2-0 against them. The second time they beat them with Tatum. And OKC has beat them twice this year, I think, without Tatum, but then beat them last year too. So they won three straight against them.

Missoula can't win in OKC. It's weird. Yeah, I just, I think those, I think whoever comes out of the West, even if it's the Lakers, because by that point, everybody will be believing in the Lakers if they get through the West. I think the Western champion is going to be the favorite.

So I would give, yeah. That's interesting. You don't think O KC would be favored over Boston? Oh, OKC, definitely. Or what about the Spurs? No, but that's what I was trying to figure out. I don't. Like, if they get through the West,

it's going to be like, oh, they've proven it. You know what I mean? The flip side there is if by the time the finals roll around, if Tatum looks like 90% of Tatum. And how much, again, if the Celt, if OKC, if the San Antonio gets through the West with like back-to-back long series wars and the Celtics are winning. So I don't know.

But OKC definitively would be the favorite, is going to be the favorite over everyone. I don't know who would be the favorites in a Celtics Spurs series. I'm pretty sure the Celtics would be the favorite against the Lakers. All right, KW. I think they would be. Bonus take. You didn't do a lot of bonus takes.

No bonus. Bonus take. Just because you're giving out 1% slices and with Cades injury. And I know this team I think right now is at the 10. Why don't you get a little slice to my Charlotte Hornets? Just a little slice. It's title pie. It's not win a playoff game pie.

I understand that. But last year at this time, would anyone say, Oh, you know who deserves a little slice? The Pacers. Yeah, they had a slice. Last year at this time? Yeah, they weren't the tin seed, buddy. Tin seed?

Yeah. People thought, you thought the Pacers would win the championship. I guarantee you they had at least a percent. Well, that's what, exactly. That's what I think the Hornets should have. And I'm a small percent. They started off slow. I get it.

That's why they're the tent. They've cooled a bit as of late too. Post All-Star, they have the number one offensive rating. That's all I'm saying. If you have the post-all-star, If you have the number one offensive rating, the number six defensive rating, number three net rating, and you've made the most threes, you deserve to have a slice. It just so happens that that resume is that of the Charlotte Hornets, who at times can seem like a silly team. If they stay the 10 seed, they're not going to make the playoffs.

You don't think so? You don't think they can win two games? No, if they're the 10 seed, I do not think the Hornets are going back-to-back road elimination games. I don't. I do. Especially if you get the hawks. If the hog, we don't have to play the hawks. We're not to play the hawks. The hawks are going to be out of the playing.

Right. He's saying he'd rather play Orlando or Philly or Miami. Yeah, rather play Philly. Then the hawks. Yeah, the hawks are scorching hot. Okay, yeah, I don't buy. Is it time to start talking about the hawks? No, it's not.

It's good, man. Quickly on the thunder. Post-all star, they're 13 and one. I just also feel like they should have a humongous slice. And then I know. I'm the Celtics guy now. Who'd have thought. You kind of took the Celtics.

I thought it was like. Rude? I probably should have given me a heads off. Sorry about that. Now you're like wearing green outfits, head to toe. Seems like something you should have talked about. Defending champs through 70 games. This is because everyone yells at me that we have no more repeats aren't involved.

They all lose in round two. Lakers lost in round one. The argument is that, see that 55 right there? Yeah. That none of these teams are quite as good as this year's thunder. this year's Thunder. Who have been playing without Jay and Williams? The Raptors were 51 and 19 without Kauai?

I did. That blew my mind. I had no recollection of that. Now, those two seasons were the Lakers and the Raptors were affected. They had DeMarr and Lowly. Yeah. And they were in the East. No, they didn't have DeMar.

They traded tomorrow for Kauai. So who was leaving? I don't know. It's a, it was Siakum, wasn't it? Yeah, that's, I had no recollection of that. Good for them. Yeah. But both Thunder or better.

Yeah, no. Thunder are excellent. And I think I would be stunned if the Thunder don't break that ceiling of second round for defending. If the Thunder get clipped before the conference finals, that will be stunning. But I understand people didn't have the records, but everybody had massive confidence in the Celtics, in the Nuggets, in the Bucks, the Warriors not as much, that they could just repeat as true. Yeah, that's what people thought. Well, we're due. Okay.

True, buy that. Due dates. I do buy it. Okay. So there you go. Another successful episode of Title Pie without a Pie. I don't love when you do that, there you go. That's a signal to us in the audience that you thought that segment was act.

Every time. I don't love it. That was sick. I love that. No, he gets some tough shots out there. Like, it is what it is. I know what it's like to be in that mode. As people can see, it's not easy to get 80.

Brew your reaction to BAM's comments on Luka. Bam all but one to say, I got 80. I scored 83, all right? We're raving about 60. Like, Bam, look, I'm happy for BAM. Obviously, I defended him against some of the haters like you. wild. So what?

But Bam was talking there like, you know. Yeah, like he does this. Like he's averaging 32. Yeah. You know, so. Scores like me and Luke are knowing how hard this can be. Can I?

I almost felt bad for Bam. Why? Because it felt like on top of Spoh saying I'm not apologizing, which was weird defense of what was supposed to be a great moment. Correct. If Bam had, and I don't know what number would have been right, but if you didn't do the intentional foul to get the ball back. He had scored 77.

I think without the intentional foul. Without the intentional fouls, without the purposely missing a free throw, without some of the stuff that started to feel funky. And it was 77, 75. Heck, you get applauded for 60. it would have just been universally loved and not remembered at all. So that's the thing. We will remember 83.

That's my point. That's my point. Like there's, you can never have everything. 80? You don't think we'd are like, no, 80 you would have remembered, but he wouldn't have gotten to the 80 without the chicaner. Okay. And so the, I mean, it was somebody mentioned the other day that wasn't Devin Booker that

scored 72. 70. Okay, guess what? I do this for a living. I had forgotten. I remember because he lost. Oh, he scored. Okay, yeah.

And they did the 70. And he lost. Right. And I remembered Lucas' 60 point triple double where he did the Austin Reeves. He intentionally missed a free throw, got it, scored himself, and then they, in overtime. I remember that because the next day, Brew and I were talking about how impressive it was because I think he had 20 rebounds with it

and Wilde was like, who cares? Right. I remember that. The only way, but Luke also had a 70 point game that I don't remember all the details to. It was, it is historically resonant because we all know the 80-pointers. Will, Kobe, and bam.

And now maybe the Goldilocks zone would have been, exactly 80 so the Kobe's sycophants don't get angry because he was supposed to check out of the game and thank Kobe on the way out. I don't know, but I, it was, he stopped fouling the

Wizards. He got the, he got the record in a similar way that Wilk got his hundred. And, I mean, the modern era record I should say, but that was a funny quote where he's like, yeah, man, it's hard. This is what we do. Yeah.

Shout to the reporters for not giggling. Well, Bam was giggling enough. Yeah. All right. More on this game, but on the LeBron side of things, he was responding to some of the noise and the plus minus numbers around how the Lakers were playing better when he was sidelined or sitting. Remember we had all those graphics.

It was like Luke and AR. Here was his response last night after another triple double. Just trying to figure it out, you know. And then I was out a couple weeks ago and was able to come back. and see how I can best fit the, you know, fit those guys because they were just playing so dynamic off one another. So, I mean, it sells, I mean, it sales papers a lot easier and clippings and podcasts if you say LeBron,

their team is better off without them. A lot of people who try to, like, view it. So I get it. They're absolutely wrong. I mean, he's right on every account. He's right that, I, there's no. team in the league that is better without a top 20 player than they are with them. Like, there just isn't.

Now, it doesn't mean that there can't be adjustments that need to be made and figuring it out. But holistically, you would rather have a really good player than not. And it is true that it did take some tweaking and some adjustment. And credit to LeBron for being the one willing to adjust. And the plus minus that you're alluding to is this. you know, this piece. First 29 games, it wasn't working with him on the court much. And the last 20 games, it has been.

And again, those aren't like jawing and crazy numbers in either direction. 59, 565 by 29 means the average game, he was like minus 1.9. And this game is like, you know, plus 4.0 essentially. But still, that's a big delta there. Right. And almost six, man. then there is the stuff that I keep hammering, which is a bought-in LeBron, the tax of having one of the two greatest players of all time on your team in a pressure and this and media

attention way, but then also the benefit of what it does for other guys' psyches. And I thought Austin had two great quotes about this yesterday. So we'll play one sound for you. And then the other one is just going to be a quote that we didn't have a sound for. Go ahead and play it. When he said he was playing, I was like, I can't let a 41-year-old playing. I don't play, so did Luca. And he went and grounded a win out.

It's not an easy one, especially with the pace that that team plays up. And then Austin also said, I remember there was a timeout early, and JJ came over and was like, I know y'all are tired. And Brown was like, I'm not tired. So I was like, I'm not tired either. So yeah, follow the leader. That goes along with the belief that we're talking about. Like that stuff really matters for a team trying to win a championship.

Yeah, and last week when you were on vacation, Nick. No, working. Working vacation, whatever it was. Doing international relations for the show. Yeah, I'm right. And the numbers were the numbers, right? Because they started this win streak without LaBron. And I said, I still, you'll remember this, in the playoffs,

like whatever the number is saying in the regular season. In the playoffs, they will be better off. with LeBron and without him. No matter, even if this had not turned around, I still would have rather had him in the playoffs for all his experience and obviously his ability and skill and everything too. But yeah, and LeBron's in the media now, so he understands what sells and stuff like that.

What's moving newspapers. Yeah, yeah. Podcast and all that stuff. But he has adjusted, that's why it's working. It may not have ever started working had he not. adjusted. But credit to him, like you said, for sitting there watching the team without him and seeing how they were playing and knowing that he could do the things that Austin and Luca can't. So even if he feels like I still could be handling the ball, running the offense

through myself, he knows Luca and Austin, what would they do if they don't have the ball in their hands a lot? And so he adjusted to that. He once told me, this is years ago, I can play any way that I need to play. And he was saying, this is his first stint in Cleveland. He said, if I had gotten drafted by the Pistons instead of the Cavs, and that was when the Pistons had all those guys, Rip Hamilton, Tronty, they had four, you know, Rashid and Ben Wallace. He's like, I could have just fit in there.

And I was thinking, you wasn't just going to be a role player there. But he's showing that he could adjust. He has never adjusted this much. Like in Miami, he didn't adjust this much. Duane Wade said, look, it's your show. I'll play off you. You adjusted some for Kyrie. A little, but I mean, he still had the ball a lot.

It was now another guy that had the ball. But he was used to that with Wade. Yep. And so, but this is really showing that whatever I want to do on the court, I can do. And that's kind of what I was saying early in here. He's playing some center. He can do that. particularly in today's NBA, where there aren't a ton of big guys,

certainly not that plant down on the block and you've got to defend that all night. So he can play center and he's doing some of that. He can run the floor. He's doing that. He's in the corner, you know, as a spot-up shooter. He's, you know, picking and rolling somebody. He's catching lives from Luca. Like, he is doing everything.

And he, as Luke is the best player, obviously, on the team right now. But LeBron buying in is their key. because it not only does it help the team out, but everybody else to Reeves's quote, is going to buy it. Like you said yesterday, maybe D'Andre Aiton now is like, look, man, all for one and one for all. LeBron is buying in playing his role. I can play a role. And Rui and smart and all these guys.

And so maybe that's why the vibes have changed. But it's great right now. During the win streak, Luca's averaging 41 points. That'll work. That's pretty good. Once that comes down to even a Luca level of 33, around 30. 33 is what he's averaging for the year.

Pretty good. Yeah. Do we see another version of LeBron? So I, listen. Well, Reeves hasn't been scoring much lately. Right. So Reeves is it kind of, what I find really interesting about last night

in some of these games at Swing Street is Reeves has been cold in some of them. And it's not like LeBron has been like, all right, never mind. Yep. He has, he is. He is, you know, trusted the process in that, hey, this is how we're going to play, then it can't change because Austin is four for 13.

Like, this just has to be how we play. And I happen to think LeBron might be enjoying this more than he thought. I don't think he would enjoy it for years on end. Right. But you're that level of player. But I think it's, there is an element of. of a new challenge or working a new kind of, you know, basketball muscle that I think is probably, you've got to, last night he tied Robert Parrish for the most games ever played.

He's played more minutes. He has had that record for years. There's not many new things for him. No. And, like, there are certain parts of it that, like, I know that some people might be watching this and roll their eyes talking about me marveling. at this. But like when we saw yesterday first that he was playing and then the the Lakers reporter that said he was playing showed, you know, whatever time it was. It's like first one to the arena. That stuff to me is amazing. That he's still that at this point in his career still like, no,

I'm not going to short change this or any of it. And I'm going to do it while not getting the glory of that I'm the guy that they're always interviewing after the game. And I'm the best player. And so I do think that type of leadership is truly infectious. And to your vibes point, he is like a, and he says this, but like a big kid in a lot of ways. But the way he's just kind of, I don't know, like a, I was going to say like a goof, like the little silly stuff he's doing. I think in a long NBA season, that like that can keep people engaged and, you know, on the same line.

And I'm not trying to take a shot. But it just feels so different than what's happening in a blast. Oh, yeah. And the vibe from their leg. He has no burner accounts. Well, yeah, but I mean, but it's just, but even the burner accounts aside, just like the body language vibes buying it. The Rockets are a joyless team. Right.

Watch them. It's just. And he's, he's, he's averaging 12.9. shots a game this month the lowest ever for his entire career in a month. Oh yeah, probably by a decent amount. Yeah, because the other months are like

four games or you know, but for a full month, yeah, he's probably never come close to this. Brady is back on the football field with Gronk and Joe Burrow and OBJ. And a Sequin highlight that I said, not allowed.

Sequin doesn't know the rules. Okay. Oh. flag football. No jumping is going to give a flag football. Is that true? Our YouTube page has all sorts of behind the scenes clips, original content that Gianna has been working. Oh, wow.

So subscribe to. This looks great, G. So she's just got the camera rolling. We're none the wiser. I like that. We've done all of these. I like that, though. I said, remember Giannis?

I said you should just be rolling. Yeah, that brew wants to have that. You never know what you might catch. I think, I think. Just clear it with us. Hey, Brew, can I use this? I saw you doing it. I yay or nay it.

I like it, Janice. I'm a fan. What's your idea? Check it on the Patriots. It's going to work. Brew wants to be a streamer. Yeah, that's right. Check it on the Patriots.

NFL.com suggesting that the Patriots trade for Max Crosby, if he ever wants to leave Las Vegas. Meanwhile, lots of smoke around these AJ Brown rumors. Hall of Fame adjacent Patriot legend Julian Edelman retweeted this clip where he says, we're all patriots, and A.J. Brown winks back at it. That does look pretty good. Thank you. Nick, I got to admit that.

Thank you. There's something there. And guess what? It was retweeted by Christian Gonzalez, who might be in the nose. Can I ask you a question? Do you think Julian Edelman has inside information that Schaefter and Rappaport and Glazer don't? Do you honestly think that? You're asking me a very tricky question

that I'm going to take a second to think about before I answer. Oh, I didn't mean to put you on this. Do I think that Julian Edelman is in a position to do wink-wink rumors where perhaps professional journalists who have to go 100 for 100 or their reputations are at risk? Sure, that's totally fair. When both of the things might be,

if this ends up not having, happening. Right. No, nobody can. Hey, tall famous Jason Julian Edelman. So what do you, so I guess my question. I think that I think that do I think there's any credence to the rumor that A.J. Brown, it is financially disastrous for the Eagles if they trade him before June 1st.

That perhaps with the draft coming up, you know what, AJ Brown to the Patriots. We can't quite paper it yet. But perhaps that agreement is further along than just ice cold nothing. Okay. That's, that I think, is totally in play. And maybe this is not the sports media ombudsman time. But I would say, if Julian Edelman knows that, one of Schaefter or Rappaport, you're allowed to report exactly that. Well, maybe.

You're allowed, like to say, hey, this is, all signs are pointing towards. That, that, that, that's not, there is. Patriots are very interested in the union with AJ Brown. I hijacked this. I didn't mean to. that's okay. Did you have a question you were going to ask? No, I'm here to talk about A.J. Brown to the Patriots.

No one thinks it's interesting. He's always like, oh, I'd love to go back with Mike Rable. I'm excited. No, I think it makes sense. I think the deal makes sense and I think you guys need a receiver. Well, let me ask you this, because Crosby, there's been talk about that. Should they go after, should they prioritize A.J. Brown or Max Crosby? I would say A.J. Brown.

But I don't think we're giving up a number one pick either. Well, you can't get Max Crosby without giving up a number one pick. The Raiders, I think, will just run it back with him. Okay. Rather than if they had two ones on the board. And, Bruce, thanks for asking the question. They got that up there. That's why I was small.

I just feel like Max Crosby's kind of a brainstorm fun idea for the Patriots who ended up getting to the quarterback in the playoffs. But A.J. Brown is a real need. So if he's a real need. And he's an excellent player. And he's, you know, not in his 30s. And we just saw Trent McDuffie go for the 29th pick and stuff. Jalen Waddle, who I think you don't believe to be as good as A.J. Brown.

No, J.L. Wattell is not as good to say J. Brown. Why should you be able to get A.J. Brown for less than a one? That's a good question. Maybe we do have to give up a one. Okay. Maybe if Jalen Waddle is the benchmark. Jalen Waddle went for the 30th, a third, and a fourth. But A.J. Brown loves the Patriots.

But he doesn't decide where he goes. He's done plenty. And I don't know that he loves the Patriots. He loves Mike Brable. I'm pretty sure he loves the Patriots. He seems like a Patriots. Oh, you mean he grew up rooting for the Patriots. He gets Patriots jerseys and he like freaks out like a little kid.

Okay. He should be the priority. I mean, you got a top tier quarterback, get him a third. top tier. And you spend a bunch of money on defense last year. And like, no, I would agree. I just don't think, you know, great. I think that if Jalen Waddle goes

for the equivalent of the 25th pick of the draft, which is what all those were, trying to get A.J. Brown for the 50th. That's all. Maybe, though. But he's also. Live from New York, first things first overtime. Today, is anyone willing to join Chris Broussard

in his proclamation that Wembe, is the best player in the entire universe. Meanwhile, Sean Payton, Broncos coach, but now he's Tom Brady's coach, coaching a fanatics flag football game this weekend. He joins the show to talk to Danny Park. Danny, do you want to see some of my flag football plays to show them to Sean Payton?

Oh, I would love that. I'll send you some. Yeah, that'd be great. You should coach your kids, too. When they get there, yeah. We're doing basketball. Never too early. Okay.

And finally, Patriots adding not one but two superstars. How many first round picks do we have? Maybe if that new rule gets through. Alongside Chris Brousard, I'm Kevin Wilde, Danny Parkins, and Nick Wright, who was complaining about the lateness of Danny Parkins

pizza order, which I thought was very kind, but Nick was not happy. Nick is a known diva. Diva. Huge diva. I think wanting warm pizza is not like the pizza was or just wanting, you know what, I'm old-fashioned. I just think people should keep their word.

I think if you're going to text everyone, I think if you're going to text everyone, pizza's going to be here at 1205, and it's 1245, and you're like, it's on 41st and 9th. I think that, especially for our, they were asking when lunch was, people get lunch at a certain time.

Yeah, I'm not worried about me. I'm worried about our staff. They've been here since nine in the morning. Staff was happy, and Nick was complaining. Another is complaining. You guys are all demons. Great.

Performance from Luca, 60 points. He's got 100 in the last two games. A lot of people, you know what people are saying? What? Went luClear. Have you heard that? It's spreading, yeah. I saw it on the bottom line.

That's exactly right. Here are the title odds, Parkins. Thunder, Celtics, Spurs, Denver, Cavs. Caves, told you. Nick's Pistons. And then the Lakers tied with the wolves. That seems too much. What's the too much?

Okay. What's your take on that, Parkins? Okay, a little bit of nuance here. 40 to 1 does seem like a bet that I would be interested in putting a little sprinkle on. And if you line shop around, you might even be able to find 45 to 1 out there. But like, do I actually think they can pull this off? No. Wow.

Because, like, game it out. Like, let's say the playoffs started in three or four days. Right. Standings held. That's exactly what I hope happens. Okay. So you've got to go. You have home court in the 3-6 matchup against Yokic in Denver,

who is one of the only offenses that is playing at or above your level in terms of offensive rating. The only Lakers lost this month is to Denver. They've played twice. One was a close win. One was a close loss. They've also played great against Denver since they got Luca. I understand that, but they don't feel good about that. That's not an easy round one matchup.

Who would you pick? Denver? What? Then why do we play the games? Well, I don't hate that. I don't hate that. I think I picked the Lakers the way they've been looking lately. Right now, Denver Deverstack.

I think that that is a six or a seven game series. I think that is a six or seven game series that is roughly a coin flip. And I will put more stock on what Denver did in the playoffs last year. You can disagree with that. But Denver is a proven playoff team. Fair. When round two, you lose home court advantage and you have to play a younger, deeper, better defensive spurs team. And if you get through them, you have to go to Oklahoma City to play a younger, deeper, best defensive team to only have a chance to get through them to, if it was right now, also not have home court advantage against presumably the Celtics in the NBA finals.

It's a, it is just a very tough road for a team that is playing out of its mind right now. Luca is playing amazing right. I said yesterday he'd be my third pick for MVP. I'm not knocking them. And I would bet it at 40 or 45 to 1. I do think it's better than a 2% chance of happening. But a Yokic, Wembe, Shea, Tatum path, not having home court in three of the four series, not being the better defensive team in any of the series except Denver, is that, that is a very tough path.

Of course, it would, spoiler alert America, every path to a championship is a tough one, except for maybe the last year's. The, there is, they are all difficult. And I think we're doing a little, the freeze the standings now, which is where of the three teams that could be the sixth seed, the one that you think is the hardest is the sixth seed. But you said you would want it to do that. So I was playing. You would want Houston. Right. But by the standings metric, Houston's ahead.

Like Houston right now is a better team than Denver. Right. But you would want Houston or the, I would want Denver over Minnesota for whatever it's worth. I don't think Denver is the same team this year. And I think that Denver has had massive trouble with Luca. And so I would be okay with it. I also think the fact that the Lakers have been the best clutch team in the league by a lot. And Denver's been a bottom 10.

clutch team will matter a lot come to the playoffs. But Hubs do this in the other order. You said Luke is playing out of his mind. No, he's not. He's just being Luca Donchich. He's averaging for the year 33, 9 and 9, which is what he's averaged

three of the last four years. And you can be like, well, but this month, this month he's playing over his skis. This is what he did. The last March, he carried a team to the finals. Yes, this is four and a half more points, but then he was averaging more rebounds and assists. The field goal percentages are

awash. The record is close to a wash. Like, this isn't as if it's unsustainable by Luca. 37 a game is, but 33 and a half is what he averages for the year. Like, Luke averaging 37 for a month is when you average 33.4 for the season is not, you know, it's not like impossible to sustain, it's what he's been doing. I just, I, I reject the idea that it is, you know, you bet it because it's, you know, you get 40 to 1, but anything more, that's the only reason it's reasonable. Whenever you have a guy who might be the league MVP, certainly has an argument that he is playing the best basketball of anyone right now, plus Braun, plus a team whose defense is playing better and your path involves a team with no playoff experience at all in round

two, you got a shot. Just from Danny's path, you would play a championship MVP, a final, you know, finals MVP, and then you would play maybe the best player in the world, then you would play the raining champs, and then you go to the east and play one removed. That would, honestly, that would be one of the, if it's a, if it's a very important, if it It is Denver. To me, that'd be one of the hardest roads we've seen in a wide championship. I agree.

But what I don't think we can do is be like the seedings hold except for when the seedings hold would make it easier. Because Boston's not the one seat. Detroit is. But we're putting Boston there. I'm just saying favorites. And then the, so let's look at it though the other way. The Pacers last year.

It's like, yeah. I mean, if the Pacers get through round two, though, then, Boston's, the defending champion, Boston is waiting for him. No, they weren't. So like the, and we haven't had, we can say it's a fate accompli that if the Lakers get through the spurs, they're going to have to go to OKC. But we're seven years running where the defending champion has not shown up to the conference finals. And so the things can break, you're setting it up as if nothing breaks the Lakers way. Every single thing you said is, it all breaks as hard as possible.

But those are also, Denver, we don't know who they meet in the first round, but if it's Denver, those are the most logical thing, happening. Like they're going to meet San Antonio's second round. They're going to meet OKC in the conference finals if they get there.

I mean, that's just a difficult path. And it just breaks that way. That's why the odds are so hard. And you said it in Title Pie while you had the Celtics as the biggest piece of the title pie is because of the path. Like, you guys can make fun of me for Cleveland all you want,

and maybe I can look to the odds makers a little bit more than anyone else here. But, like, if the Lakers are 40 to 1 and Cleveland is 13 to 1, it tells you how much easier the path is through the east than the West, even if it is Minnesota and then someone else and then the Thunder. Like, it's just, it's a much harder path for a team that is top heavy without a lot of depth. Listen, the Lakers are not my pick to win the title. They're not my pick to win the West. The point that I am making is,

I think it is flawed analysis to act as if the only, that they are drawing so slim, because they are drawing so slim against the hardest possible path as opposed to, yeah, and then what if, let me paint the other scenario. Because we think Houston's, you know, falling apart and doesn't like each other, they fall to six. And because San Antonio has no playoff experience whatsoever, and the clippers have shown at various points this year, they can be as good as anybody for a month.

That would be huge. The clippers beat the spurs, and all of a sudden, the Lakers path to the conference finals is a Rockets team that doesn't like each other and the flawed clippers. Now can I say they can win the title? Sure.

My answer to the question is they can. Now, I've got OKC, Boston, and San Antonio favored over them, but I think they could win. the title. If they're going to keep, if LeBron will stay in that Swiss Army knife roll, as Nick calls it, and Luca, Luca has been phenomenal in the playoffs. And if he continues to do that where nobody can really, heck, he ate up Kauai and Paul George in their prime.

He's the last guy to beat Shea in the playoffs. And so they have a shot, but they wouldn't be my pick. LeBron responding to some of the conversation around the idea that the Lakers might be better, without him, either when he's on the bench or when he was sidelined. Here was his response. Take a listen. Just trying to figure it out.

And then I was out a couple weeks ago and I was able to come back and see how I can best fit those guys because they were just playing so dynamic off one another. So I mean, it sales papers a lot easier. And clippings and podcasts, if you say LeBron, their team is better off without them. A lot of people who try to like view it, so I get it. They're absolutely wrong.

Dana, you're surprised how much LeBron has adjusted his game? A little, but it's really fun to watch. I think it's always a little surprising to see the best player for two decades do something entirely different in real time. I think you have to at least be a little surprised by it. But he's a basketball supercomputer. He's the smartest player in the history of the sport by a probably considerable margin. Wow. And I mean, do you disagree?

Yeah. I think magic is up there. Yeah. And listen, magic obviously. I certainly going to say like a considerable margin if you should argue between those two. The difference in, and listen, Magic played center in a game, I understand that. But just the length in the duration of which we've seen LeBron and the different variations of what he's been able to do over his career as the athleticism has kind of and the different teams he's been on, the different teammates.

It's pretty remarkable. So we were looking at how to quantify this. And this is just how best we could come up with. In the eight years, LeBron has been in L.A. If you look at what's happened. He's scoring the least with the ball in his hand the least, shooting basically as much from two as he ever has. Certainly, like, the attempts are the highest, the percentage.

second highest and the second most free throws. That is, it's fascinating to watch. Ball not in his hand, operating out of the paint, operating at the rim, doing it with maximum efficiency. He's not a great defensive player, but if he's operating with less energy on offense, he has whatever the peak of his capabilities are at 41 on defense because he's got more energy there.

So it's fun to watch. I don't think they're going to be a top six defensive team. in the playoffs, which is another part of my skepticism for the Lakers. But this stretch has been remarkable. It's been, and LeBron is not the biggest reason. I would say Luke is the biggest reason. But LeBron is the second biggest reason for it. Yeah, I think Luke is the biggest.

He's the best player on the team. And he's playing great. And you need him to play great to have a shot. But LeBron's willingness to buy in is huge. Yeah. Like we saw it when LeBron. I'm not saying he wasn't buying in, but maybe before he figured it out, as he said. before he figured out what's the best way for me to play with Luca and Austin,

they weren't playing that well together. And he sat there, maybe some during the games. He was out and figured out, okay, this is the best way. So that number one, and then the ability to do it. Like, it is hard to switch your game. Like, he's been having the ball in his hands for 20 years, 21 years, and to be able to switch and then be incredibly effective at it at his age, no less.

Like, look at Kevin Durant. You and I have said for years, Durant should shoot more threes. But I get it, his natural growing up, he shot mid-range jumpers all the time. He has never adjusted, just to backing up a little bit and shooting many more threes.

He should maybe one or two more a game than he used to, but that should be a part. But his game essentially has stayed the same. Steph played different earlier, but under Steve Curry is running around, you know, running off the... Like, to be able to switch your game the way LeBron has at this stage of his career is incredibly impressive. I think the only legendary players that I've ever seen successfully and truly do it are bigs. Kareem and Duncan, I think, drastically changed.

You know what I mean? But a lot of it was they just, the teams just weren't giving them the ball as much. Yeah. So maybe they were. very similar stylistically. They just were accepted. I'm going to get the ball less. But I mean, I was going down the list in my head of like, like,

God rest his soul, God love him. Kobe never changed. Kobe, Kobe, it was not, the, tell me if you think I'm wrong. I don't think Michael changed even with the Wizards. He obviously didn't need change with the Bulls, but like with the Wizards, he's like, no, I'm still going to play Michael Jordan basketball. That was just like he added the back and the basketball. I mean, they didn't have a very good team, players around him, but yeah.

He still played the same way. I mean, you could maybe argue magic when he came back briefly post-H-H-IV, but that was so small. Yeah, 16 games. Right. And so it's pretty unprecedented, or at least unprecedented to my, I was going to ask you about Dr. J near the end. A lot of times it's just you don't get the ball as much. You're no longer the number one guy, so that's kind of how it was with guys. And a lot of time.

That's how it is with most guys. Right. And a lot of time it is also you are noticeably old. And so LeBron is noticeably down athletically from peak LeBron

but that is still above average NBA athlete by a lot. So it's not like, oh, his body has betrayed him, it's forced him into this, which makes it so fascinating. And I do think it speaks to

people joke or, you know, I don't think they joke. They poke fun at LeBron for lying about silly things. Discovering the Migos they say is a lie, the books he's read, or their godfather, those types of things. One thing that I don't think was a lie

was when he said a couple years ago, everything's extra credit at this point. Now, people can disagree and say you're wrong actually, but I think he is truly at peace with that. I think he believes I have accomplished everything I came

here to accomplish and therefore is fine with, you know, trying something new that I think some guys would look at- And letting Luke to beat a guy. Right. Some guys would look at that as beneath them. And he is not. And I, so Luke is definitely their best player and most important. But what you said, I agree with, LeBron's willingness to accept this role is the key to them having whatever chance they have, having a chance. All right. It's head to San Antonio. Sons are up one. 10 seconds left. Wemby gets the ball by himself, Mid-Radens jumper, wins the game. He has 34.

The Spurs clinch a playoff spot. I had them making the playoffs months ago. Them and Duke. You are trying to steal when you. It's true. Here's Wemby post game. Of course, the first instinct is to be proud of it and to love it because we're part of it. But the key for me is to try to not care because we want to attack 82 games.

And I want, I'm not going to lie, I'm scared to be. become complacent. So I'll be on the other end of the spectrum and try to not care at all. Danny, do you want to join Brew? I saw his look, Danny's look, when Wimby hit that shot. I think he's coming to my side. I mean, listen, you're like, Wilde's tried to steal Wemby from me. Like, we all love Wemby. We're all amazed. No, you don't. I do. I do. I like. You have to say he's the best player from the world.

That's what I'm saying. I feel so boxed in here. Like, I'm not a Wembe guy. I had the audacity to say I didn't think he was going to win rookie of the year because I didn't think he'd play 65 games. And now all of a sudden, I'm a Scoot Henderson. Right. It's a weird thing.

Like, Brew, I love when you talk NBA history. Like, you have a vote. I think it's cool. I ask you questions about it off air almost every day. I literally don't think it's ever happened that someone has said the best player in the world is a guy who has never played in a playoff game. Well, yeah. What?

And I'm not, when Bobby Knight said Michael Jordan was the best basketball players ever seen, he hadn't even played an NBA game. Yeah. Sometimes when you see something, you just know it. Bobby Knight saying that is different than a guy being considered the best player in the league before he's played in the playoffs. I agree with Danny. Anybody that has ever held the, because even when Bobby Knight said that,

it's not like everyone's like, all right, over for you, Magic and Bird. Like, it's Michael Jordan's time. Like, Jordan, I don't think, was considered by the media, the best player in the league when he walked into the league. He certainly wasn't considered it by the team's drafting, because they didn't even take him number one. Correct.

So now, he certainly was considered the best player before he won a title, well before he won a title. But he had scored 63 in a playoff game early. He had done things. Right, which is why my answer is no. But I don't mean that has disrespect. It's just based on press. and I'd like to see him in the playoffs one time.

No, look, that's fair. That's totally fair. I feel like he's going to deliver in the playoffs. So I think it's, I think you can say, like you could say he's not as good as other players who've been in the playoffs who aren't in the discussion. By that logic, guys who aren't in the discussion for best player, you could say, oh, they're better. Because they've played in the playoffs. But is it not at all disrespectful to the reigning champ and MVP who is the current.

favorite to win and the current favorite to be MVP and SGA or the guy who's going to be the first ever to lead in rebounds and assists and average a triple bubble. Sometimes when you see it, you know. Can I throw a curveball at you? Because I feel like you are, since I've met you, that you are a pretty consistent guy, not Mr. consistency, but you're pretty consistent. I try to be. But you have a handful of caveats, let's say. Justin Herbert being the most fun one.

Okay. where Justin Herbert has popped in a few playoff games. I test. And played poorly, but you are locked in. Doesn't Wemby pass the I test? Of course. Of course he does. So that's the only reason.

Because it's not my only reason. It's not my only reason. I, there is, you mentioned guys who's their defensive prowess was a huge part of them winning MVP. But those guys also, the years they won MVP, averaged around 30. Akeem was the best defensive player in the league and average started. Well, Duncan never

was close to 30. No, but I think his first MVP, I think he averaged 27. I don't think Duncan was ever that high. Okay, if I'm wrong, I'm wrong. That would be the comp because Wembees at 24. I am totally comfortable saying

this Victor Wimbunyama at 24 points a game and 29 minutes a game is not the best player in the world yet. I'm totally comfortable with that. When you watch him, like,

I don't think he impacts the game more than Joker. I don't. I do because of the, and I think I don't even, I almost don't even compare him to some of the other legendary defenders. The only one I'd really compare him to is Bill Russell.

Because he, his height. Well, you covered Bill. I can't help you there, man. But I'm saying, like, his height and length deter. It's not even just the block shots. Guys aren't taking shots in the big. Guys retreat.

It changes everything. I 100% agree with that. But the point I'm making is the fact to Danny's point that we don't, while none of us think he's going to be James Hardin in the playoffs, we have no idea what he looks like in the playoff. playoffs, even if we're all optimistic about it. And the fact that he plays less than 30 minutes

a game, and the fact that despite these big nights we see him pop for, he averages 24, which means he has a disproportionate number of, oh, Wimby had 10, Wimby at 11. Like those... He was in the teens. A lot. Yeah, you look out. So all of that

is enough for me to say. I think at the very least, Joker's better than him. And I think Luke and SGA certainly we can have a long discussion about it. But every game that I watch him play, I said, obviously. No, he signs an autograph.

Once he played his first playoff game, Danny will be like, okay. Yeah, no. Thanks for hanging out on the O.T. Willie Colon out here. Let's talk a little New England Patriots because it's been 24 hours since we're talking about AJ Brown.

And he continues to be linked to the Patriots, which is a fun one to connect the dots on. They lose to Fond digs. They need a number one. wide receiver. So they've been linked to AJ Brown. There's this picture of him and Kevin Byard working out. Kevin Byrd led the league in interceptions for the debares. No longer a bear. I know. So there's a talk of the, you know, reunion with Mike Rable. If Kevin Byer went back. And then there was Julian Edelman. Willie, I don't know if you saw this, but, you know, he kind of

stirred the pot a little bit when he had AJ. We're all pay. Catch that wink. See it? Right there. Say, we're all patriots. He got a little wink with something in his eye. Who knows? It's obviously a troll job. All right, so NFL.com also put out a piece saying they should trade for Max Crosby. So everyone's apparently trying to be a patriot. Who would you prioritize if you were New England? Who would they be scarier with, A.J. Brown or Max Crosby?

I think if you're serious about making another run to the Super Bowl, you have to get Max Crosby. You have to make an attempt at that. You're talking about a defense that was ranked 26 in Sacks, had 35 on a year. I mean, he had in the last four years, he had, he had, had 44 sacks in four years, right? So you're talking about the immediate impact. And you know, if you're the Pats right now, you talked about Kevin Byer.

You're talking about getting another guy, Max Crosby, who's a closer? I say that time after time in the fourth quarter, that's where he shows up. And he's going to get the past and the run. So, and you know he's a culture guy. He's going to fit Braves locker room just fine. So I think if you're the Pats

and you're serious about going back to the Super Bowl, I think he's priority number one. So they're both awesome players, caveat out of the way. They would both be huge additions. Caviout number two out of the way. I do actually think, though, that number one wide receiver is a bigger, pure need for them. Like, they lost the Fondiggs. Yeah, but he was.

He was a thousand yard receiver. But he was their number two. And that's why you got Romeo dials. Like, Romeo, like, you understand. The pads were ranked, I think, in the 20th, their red zone conversion, right? They weren't good in the red zone. They constantly got stopped. And the fact that if you get it.

getting AJ Brown, fine. Obviously, you know the impact he has. But Romeo Dobbs is one of the best receivers in the red zone last year. So to me, they answered that need. If that's why you want to get AJ Brown. Yeah, I've got questions about Dobbs is true number one, but it is a good addition. And he definitely, you know, high points the ball and is very aggressive in the red zone.

I agree with you there. And maybe this is hypocritical of me as someone who was skeptical of how the Ravens did business with Crosby. But there is now some question. about Max Crosby coming off of this knee surgery. And I get it. I understand why a player would side with Max Crosby on that and why you would roll your eyes at it. I completely do.

But like, AJ Brown's questions are like, is he a little bit of a distraction? But that guy, he plays. Sure. Like, he plays. And Crosby, he doesn't come off the field when he plays, but he has had a bunch of surgeries. And he is coming off another surgery.

And a team did just flunk his, physical and both of these guys are going to call. But we know why we flunked his physical. We know why we think he flunked his physical. No, come on, DP. We know why we think he flunked his physical. Okay. I agree.

I am almost 100% in agreement with you. I said it the day it happened. You did. I was like, this feels dirty to me. But like, I know with 100% certainty that A.J. Brown is healthy. Sure. I cannot say with 100% certainty that Max Crosby is. Yeah, but that's not something that they discovered.

That's the problem. When you talk about Max Crosby, he had surgery January 7th. He was in crutches two weeks later. All reports that he's rehab is going well. He's doing a podcast for Christ's sakes. He's walking around the building. So there's signs that he's going to be okay. You can do a podcast with the bad knee.

I'm just saying I did radio for my whole life with the bad. You don't have to be in good shape to talk to him. My point is I don't think he's hiding, right? He's not hiding. I feel like he's been very public and very out and open about he's right on schedule. He's ready to play next year. All right, let's go to Tampa here. So they lose Mike Evans to San Francisco after 12 seasons.

And their general manager, Jason Lick, he's distraught. Like, he put up a fight, but this is what he said. He said, I don't feel betrayed. I'm in mourning. Oh, he being Mike Evans, earned the right to make this decision. We made a significantly higher offer than the Niners. They did. And that was just the first offer.

Feel like we did everything. we could. This is fascinating to me, Willie, on a number of levels. Because while I am not emotionally distraught like Wilds is that Mike Evans left the Bucks, the Bucks did seem to have something special going with their culture. Remember last year, Chris Godwin,

he had that offer from the Patriots, reportedly for way more money, and he re-signed for less money to stay in Tampa. And I was like, what's going on with Tampa? They're like, Mike Evans re-signed on a one-year-old. year deal, Godwin came back for a discount. He wanted to give Baker a shot? Oh, sure, fine.

Taxes are better in Florida, whatever the case may be. But I was like, man, they seem to have something. And Mike Evans is the best offensive player in the history of the bucks. He had been there his whole career. He had had opportunities to leave. And when he signed that deal with the Niners, I was like, oh, the Bucks just couldn't afford that deal because they wanted to spend the money on defense. And then Licks came out and he's like, no, no, no, he took less money to leave.

Yeah. That did surprise me. Do you buy this is how it all went down? I do. And I think we also have to kind of dig into crates a little bit. We've seen Hall of Fame receivers towards the end of their career go back and put on another jersey. I think Mike Evans, if we're being honest, wanted to change in scenery.

I do think Jason Light came to the table and said, hey, man, we want you to retire a buck, right? Yeah. I also think right now, I don't think, and what's crazy about this, if you think about this, well, it had to be a Todd Bowles problem. Not necessarily. I think he got along with Ty Bowles well. I also think he looked at Kyle Shanahan, who's an offensive-minded head coach, and he looked at the receiver go, he goes, hmm, George Kittles coming up with Touring Achilles.

We don't know what he's going to be back. Ricky Pryor saw he's not enough. The Marcus Robinson, he's not enough. I need to be targeted more because think about this, go back to it. Follow me, D.P. Go back to the start of last season. This is Mike Evans' targets. He was targeted in the first game.

Eight, 11, and nine. Boom. That's how many times he was targeted, right? A little over nine targets. He gets hurt against Detroit, collarbone, boom. Comes back against Atlanta, has 12 targets. Good, right? Now, when they needed one game, one game until get into the playoffs, right?

This is how many times he was targeted in those three games? Nine, seven, and two, right? So Mike Evans probably at the end of the season said, man, I don't know if Baker maybe hit his ceiling. I know I need to be the number one guy. Or I need to be targeted more. And if you go to San Fran, he's going to average nine and ten targets game. guaranteed solely because of the way that

roster is constructed and all those guys in that in a raw receiver room. Oh, listen, I think San Francisco was better than Tampa. They are in a much tougher division. By far. Not even close. A much tougher division. But we talked about the Niners the other day. Like, if the Niners are healthy, their roster is

top five, top seven in the NFL. And so I respect the professional challenge and the professional curiosity of I've been one place my entire career. And, and I can go join this outfit and try to see if the grass is always greener. I just, I thought Mike Evans was going to be a buck for life, and he's going to chase in a

ring, which is fine. It's totally his prerogative. But you don't often hear general managers talk about a player leaving in free. He's like, I'm in mourning. Because he was a cornerstone. He was a pillar within the organization. Who you felt like, all right, you got a ring. I understand you're chasing stats.

But this is your home. You've been here 11th season. You've had 1,000 yards in each of those 11 seasons. What else do we need to give you? More money, I'm offering you more money. And you still say no? Like it's... Yeah, no, no, it's different.

And it's got to be a blow because that... But Ibuka's a nice consolation prize. Like, the Buck's offense should still be... I mean, Bucky Irving, Godwin, Abuka. They should still be a very good offense. I'll trade out. You got to get it down there? Yeah.

Oh, yeah, I pretty sure they did. Fact check that. Sean Payton, he gets to reunite with Alvin Kamara, you know, and coaching guy by the name of Tom Brady playing flag football. Not a bad gig. Not a bad gig. We'll talk to Sean Payton on the other side. on the O.T.

Back here on the O.T. talking a little flag football. Okay. But not just any flag football. The Fanatics Classic takes place tomorrow for Eastern on Fox. These rosters are stacked with talent. You might have heard of some of these names, Willie. Brady, Burrow, Jalen Hertz, Jaden Daniels, you know, just to name a few. But joining us now, the head coach of the Founders FFC team, Sean Payton with us.

Coach, you've coached some pretty stacked rosters. Brady was in charge of the draft. You've coached great quarterbacks, and thank you very much for joining us here on First Things First. Little nervous at all? You get to coach Tom Brady? It's pretty cool. You know, here's the thing.

And as a coach coming into something like this, having the old Pro Bowl that was in Hawaii, if you lost the championship round, your staff had the Pro Bowl. And so in 06, my first year as a head coach, we had lost to the Bears in Chicago. And when you coach your first Pro Bowl, you're kind of acquiescent to your team. Like, hey, what do you guys want from this? And so I think the schedule was like a 35-minute practice.

And the veterans that start looking at their watches, you know, and look, their families were there. And you get it. I got it. And so I would say the difference in this is, obviously, the game is entirely different. But it still comes down to like, what do you guys want to get from this? Now, the difference is there's going to be two teams

that are made up of NFL players. And then they invited our international team who's competed and played for three years. And this would be like inviting Alabama or Georgia to the Pro Bowl. Like these guys are tired of hearing about how all these NFL players are going to, take their spots in the Olympics in 28.

And when it came time, like, weeks before the game and you have to start looking at the film, I had looked at about 12 or 14 of these international games and realized quickly, like, man, we're going to be in trouble if we don't, like, if we're not on point. Like, these guys have done it a long time. So back to your question, the great thing about Tom and his involvement, like, he's not going to do anything half speed. And so he kind of in that first practice, Jalen Hertz, these guys that we have, Winfield from Tampa Bay, he's been a thorn in our butt for years in New Orleans, all these guys. And if kind of said, hey, we're going to do this thing the right way. So we had a practice

yesterday, meetings, film yesterday, practice today, and it's a race to catch up to the international team and then obviously, you know, the other NFL team. So it's been a good, it's going to be a busy week. Coach, let's get right to it. How unstoppable will the Brady and Grant connection be? Let's get to the sauce. All right. So the first thing I said watching film yesterday in the team meeting is I said,

Grant, I don't see many players on this field built like you. Yeah, right. How are they going to stop Grond, coach? So everybody on this field, is like corner safety receiver stature. And so I think the advantage for Rob is going to be when he fronts the defense, if you will, in the red zone. Or there's one first down, which is at midfield.

And so there'll be a couple fourth down probably plays where you need a big target. And then, you know, Vaughn, Bon Miller's rushing the passer and this is a different deal this isn't like get low, beat the tackle, tackle the quarterback.

Like these quarterbacks can move and you've got to get to the flag. So today we had a whole pulling flag drill circuit just just because if you've not done that, that can be challenging. But I think

I think Gronk has, he still has a chance to be a difference maker for us in this. gain, particularly just like he was in the NFL in the red zone on third down. So I know you're what we want to give the U.S. national team credit, but it's like, I don't know, Brady, Grong, Gronk, Genty, Kamara. Like, it feels like they shouldn't be able to win, coach. I don't know.

It feels like you should guarantee victory. Come on. Listen, I got it. And I saw Italy in the semifinals of that baseball tournament. All right. Yeah. And so I'm. put this film on two weeks ago, and the center's snapping, he's eligible. It's five on five.

These guys, this guy from New Orleans is the quarterback. And now, if you just snap it to the QB, he can't scramble and run. He's a thrower. But there are all these design plays where you snap into someone and then it's a quick lateral to the QB. I hear what you're saying. On page, you're right, but there's a reason this team's favorite just about every sports book. And I don't pay attention to any of that. But I do think the first thing we did in our meeting, I said, before I can explain it to you, you have to watch film. I mean, that's the only way you can learn this is to watch the video of it.

So we started doing that. We started seeing the multiple quarterback looks because there is one person who's rushing seven yards deep, his hands up, and as soon as the ball snapped, he sprints to the QB. But if that QB catches it and then ladles someone else, so we've got packages, we've got an eagle package in with Hertz and Brady, we've got a volunteer package where it's Camara who played quarterback, Hertz and Brady.

When you can change up who possibly is the QB on a play with multiple threats, you can buy yourself some time versus that pass rush. And there are just enough nuances that I think make this challenging. So the game's tomorrow, 4 o'clock Eastern on Fox. You guys made big news for us trying to talk NFL year round when you made that trade in Denver for Jalen Waddle. Obviously, he's a great player, but what elements do you feel like he brings to your team

that you didn't have to take that offense to the next level? I think a couple things, look, man, I love the current makeup and the direction of where our locker room and where our team is going. Each year, we're bringing in like-minded players that are tough. You know, I spent a lot of time answering questions about culture and discussing it. And it really gets down to the people, you know. And I think the first thing, besides the fiscal skill set, and so you see his speed and his explosiveness. But I think one thing that some fast players can't do, some can.

But if you're fast and you can stop fast, that's a really, really strong skill set. Now, a lot of guys are fast, but they may not transition that well. And jailing someone who's very, comfortable on those in-breaking routes, very comfortable on the slot options. He can go down the field, but he can sink his hips and run some routes that are like, wow. And so then you partner that with his high competes. Man, he's been coached by some really good coaches, obviously in college with Nick.

as you as you research when you make a trade like this and you hear the term you got to do your homework man there's a dozen people you talk to relative to the makeup the work ethic all those things and and the people that i know and trust very well um had the same exact like when i say the same message to to a man um yeah all all those things and and look Credit Miami, George on our part. It took a while. And it finally got done and look, we're excited to have them. Well, Coach, good luck in the Fanatics Fest flag football game tomorrow,

four o'clock on Fox. Apparently it's a preview for Tom Brady being the quarterback of the 2028 Olympics. So, you know, no pressure. I heard that. He was asked that question earlier, and I think he acquiesced more to like, maybe I'm going to be involved in some type of a coaching role. I think the one thing, guys, that's really kind of cool to see is these international players that are here,

that are all doing a great job helping us. But the whole foundation for our women's, you know, for our young women that want to play football, there's an avenue now. Well, coach, we'll be watching. Thank you for the time. Thanks, Coach. And hope to have you back on first. Thanks, thanks first in the future. Good luck tomorrow. Awesome. Thank you guys.

No, he has some tough shots out there. Like it is what it is. I know what it's like to be in that mode. As people can see, it's not easy to get 80. Okay, I gotta be honest, as someone who was a little critical of how Bam got to 80, had no problem with how he got to 60, not even really how he got to 70. But between 70 and 80, I got to admit I was a little critical. I got to admit I was a little critical.

If he's just going to full-on troll, see, Luca's 60? Yeah. That's no 80. I know. And he's going to kind of like wink and nod and deal with the smile. I could probably be converted pretty quick. That was funny.

It's weird how we treat 60 like it's a simple way up in the game. Like it's Luca dropping 60. And by the way, it wasn't padded, right? Like, it was no ushering here. They needed basically all of them. Right. And he showed up. So, listen, I don't know what to say about.

it anymore. Like, it's funny, because when I saw the 60, my initial reaction was like, okay. When normally I'm like, oh my God, 60 points. Like Bam has skewed it. Yeah. He's skewed 60. Listen, here's one that'll help you. SGA's never had 60. So it's still hard to do. It's still, it's still a very hard, it's still a very hard thing to do.

But I got to give Bam credit. Like, he's already in joking about it in like self-awareness mode. That's good. Enjoy the weekend. Enjoy the tournament. We're back on Monday.