First Things First - Thunder beat Lakers, Luka Doncic suffers hamstring injury, Brou’s MVP Ballot, Title Pie

Episode Date: April 3, 2026

(0:00) Thunder beat Lakers, What does Luka Doncic’s injury mean for Los Angeles? (19:59) Brou’s MVP Ballot (30:51) Final Four predictions (36:31) Luka risks falling short of 65-game minimum for awards (43:31) Title Pie (56:17) Can LeBron carry the Lakers? (01:00:48) WInners and Losers Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Live from New York, it's a show it's not a huge fan of dentistry, oddly. Well, I'll just ask, you're a huge fan. All ask America, would you find it odd if five times documented. In over three and a half years? If five times in the last 23 months. That's a lot. I'm sorry. Yeah, it's about right.

No, no, no, no, because once you double dipped. So six times in the last 23 months, this guy texts in going to miss the meeting at the dentist. No. You're, nobody goes to the dentist that off. You got to go to the dentist twice a year. Buddy, your teeth aren't even that good. I know. I'm going to start going more.

First hour first thing first. Speaking of medical issues, oh, Lucas hamstring, did the Lakers season end last night? I would sacrifice every single one of your teeth for his healthy. Gee whizz, too much. Meanwhile, SGA dominant. Did he lock up back-to-back MVP's last night? Turns out he can get a bucket any time he wants. You could have had a BAM game if you wanted to.

And finally, right out of the NBA oven, a fresh edition of title pie. We have a delicious pie. We got a good pie. But you can't have any. Mississippi. It's just fresh, you know, no colors on those teeth for six hours. Baking soda. Sounds like it's a pecan pie.

No, that would be great, though. Pecan pie. Just very sugary. Yeah, I'm not into it. Right to your cavities. We're starting, oh, Chris Beside, Kevin Wilde. Nick Wright, we're starting in OKC third quarter. Lakers down 32.

Look at grabs his left hamstring, not good. Games over for him. Season is in jeopardy. Same hamstring that caused him to miss games earlier this year. And he tweaked earlier in the game. Here's JJ Reddick. Take a listen. We'll do an MRI tomorrow, left hamstring.

We'll know more tomorrow. You mentioned that Luke is going to have an MRI tomorrow. I noticed that he was grabbing at the hamstring. I think it was late in the first half. Did he say anything about that or was that picked up? Oh, yeah. We checked him out. He got work done.

He was cleared. I mean, again, we're not going to put a player at risk. Does things happen? Okay. What does this mean for the Lakers? Well, look, as far as, first of all, because everybody's talking about should Reddick have left him in the game. Obviously, you saw him in the first half holding his hamstring.

And I was thinking, they need to look at that, get him out of there. I'm not going to totally blame Reddick because Reddick's not a doctor. He's not a trainer. You have trainers. Luca has his own little staff that's with him. Then the Lakers obviously have their medical staff. And if you're going to blame anybody, I guess it should be, or the most blame, I should say, would be kind of the team's trainers who said, let's put him out there.

I get as a coach, what were they down to half? 30 something. 31. I mean, it's 33 as to have right now. Yeah. But a lot of times, especially in today's NBA with the three-point shot, you see teams sometimes rally from big deficits. So I get, like Reddick said, look, first.

There wasn't there going to be no rally. Agreed. I mean, they're just a better team. But I'm just saying, like, a lot of times you'll say, let's give them six minutes, see if we can. can make a run, cut it to 19, and then all of a sudden it's a game. Even if you weren't going to win the game, but just so you don't just get curb stomped in what is a big game.

So I'm just not going to crush ready. I mean, obviously you would have liked to see him getting out. But the bottom line is this. It just all depends on what we find out from this MRI. So a mild hamstring strain is a week or two. Moderate is three to six weeks. As severe is several months and obviously his season would be done. three to six it could be done

the playoffs start in two weeks so I will if he I mean it looks like he's going to miss clearly the rest of the regular season they can't be I don't think they can beat Minnesota forget San Antonio

O KC they can't I don't think they can beat Minnesota without him they can't beat Denver without him I still give him a shot against Houston pick them series whatever but they are in deep trouble and the season's over if he is out for

five weeks. Well, yeah. I mean, listen, they are drawing dead in the long term without it. And we're going to talk more about what LeBron can do. I think LeBron, and I think he demonstrated it last year, and I know that's last year, not this

year, but can still put the cape on for a spurt of time. Yeah. And so if this is two and a half weeks and he misses the first game of round one. Or he heard himself the final game of the regular season the year the Mabbs got to the conference finals.

Jaylen Brunson. And he missed the first two playoff games that year came back and they beat the one seed sons. So I am not going to write off the Lakers in their entirety until we, we get the details. I will write them off obviously. If he's out a month, they're dead. And the West is too deep. It will also mean

that even if somehow LeBron and AR, they do get the rockets and they carry him past it, it was a severe enough injury that when he comes back for round two against either the thunder, the spurs, he's not a full go and they need everything going their way

for that to happen. However, if it is just the mild one, and his body language was what was so concerning. He seemed to think he suffered a serious injury. It didn't seem like he thought, ah, damn it. It seemed like he was devastated. But if it is just the mild one, the Lakers are still, despite the loss,

in pretty good shape to be the three seed. And I think that the other takeaway from last night and we'll get to it later is, maybe they did last year, but the Lakers don't match. up well with the Thunder. And I don't know that anybody in the league outside of San Antonio and maybe Denver does, but that reaction is concerning. But they hear, listen, if we throw up

the Lakers remaining schedule, if they go four and one, they lock up the three seed even if Denver goes undefeated. If they go three and two, Denver has to go undefeated to overtake them. And Denver has three games left against the Spurs and the Thunder. So at three and three. too, Denver has to go undefeated. And so if the Lakers even just beat the Jazz and the Mavs and go two and three,

then Denver can only lose one game the rest of the way to overtake them. So the Lakers still should be the three seed. And if that's the case, and if Houston ends up falling back to the six. That's the thing they want. Right. Then I think they are alive. But yesterday, obviously, went. as poorly as it could go.

They were healthy for a half and got absolutely annihilated, and then the single most important player, I guess you could argue to any individual team in the league. Be careful. That's an MVP argument. No, it's not, but I'm saying we saw. I mean, he's one of them. Yeah, I mean. Is he more important than Yokic?

Okay, but regardless. But a team who can't sustain without him, he went down. And so all of that is disaster. I would say this too, you don't rush him back. Like, you don't say, hey, this is LeBron's 23rd season. Let's try to get Luke in there and see if we can make a run. You can't make a run. All right.

So don't rush it. If it means if the best thing long term is just for him to miss the rest of this season, so be it. I mean, they're not winning anything this year. Tough one. I mean, the fact that this is the same hamstring that he missed games early. earlier, plus the body language, plus the fact that we didn't even talk about, AR's back was acting up and Marcus Smart wasn't at the game.

I'm surprised you have more a level of optimism. Well, it's just, I guess I disagree. I didn't know Brew was going to say that at the either thing he said at the end there. I disagree that he shouldn't push to come back. If he can, I'm just saying. I don't look at a hamstring as something, though, that, like, oh, it could change the trajectory of his career. Like, we are at the end of the year. It is the, you know what I mean?

You remember how long James Hart, and maybe he was out for a long time with a hamstring injury. I'm just saying they can be, you know. They can be problematic. My feeling, if this was, oh, he sprained his MCL and we're going to find out what, you know, what great it is. that to me, obviously Achilles, but that to me, I'd err more on the conservative side of, you don't want this guy to have to end up having knee surgery,

all of it. A tweaked hamstring that, oh, if you rush back, might turn into a pulled hamstring, well, you have the summer coming up. I'm just less conservative on that than I would be some other potential injuries. All right, let's go back to the game. It was 44 to 21 at the end of the first quarter.

Lakers were down 31 at the half route, end up losing by 43. The LA Times called it a, quote, reality check loss. Here's LeBron and Austin Reeves. Take on the game. Take a listen. They beat the s' out of us. They may be the shted out of us tonight, obviously, from the start.

Okay, bro. Thank you, Jason. Good. Last night, say more about the Lakers or the Thunder to you. Well, the Thunder, we knew they were capable. They are arguably the best team in the league. There's clearly the defending champs, and they, everybody knows they got a great shot. repeating. So to see them perform that way is not

surprised and doesn't teach me anything about them that we didn't already know. The Lakers, I learned a lot. And what I learned is they're done. Luca could be back tomorrow. They're done. As far as winning the West, they do not match up well with teams that are athletic, young, energetic, and deep. All right. And that would be

the thunder, the spurs, and the Detroit Pistons. Those teams get after you in waves. Then Lakers have trouble

getting the ball up court at times. All right? And their last six games this season against O KC and San Antonio,

they're 0 and 6 and have lost by an average of 23 points. Only one of those games was within single digital.

That was OKC, and that was nine points. Detroit pounded them earlier in the season and then beat them a week or two ago without Kay Cunningham. It's just age. The Lakers we know are not athletic. And they just can't a team that, like I said, talented, deep, it plays with energy, covers you all full court. They just can't handle that.

Not athletic in the NBA is tough. Tough. And that's what they're. Look, I think Minnesota could beat them in the first round. Sure. Use is not, I mean, they got them in Thompson, but they're not like especially athletic. So they have a good shot against them. Denver's not that athlete. That would be a really good series.

And they have done well against them. Right. But a team like, OK, see, or San Antonio, I just think it's going to be too much for them. So listen. Last night, and I am probably historically amongst the three of us, the most Lakers optimistic year. a year because, you know, that was LeBron's, I have, you know,

my favorite player ever, and Lucas, one of my favorite players ever, and now they're on the same team. So I may be a little rose-colored glasses historically with the Lakers for this show. And even I, going into yesterday's game, was like, I don't think last night's going to go well. Now, I didn't think they're going to be down 30 at halftime, but I talked

about, I felt for them to have any shot against the Thunder, Marcus Smart's defense is going to be important, he wasn't there. The Thunder, I think, you know, oddly, from a standings perspective, kind of, the Thunder have a tighter race for second than the Lakers had for third going into last night

or between second and first. So there was that. Shea has the, I think, the quiet, like, are people really going to steal this MVP from me? Like, all of that led me to feel last night was going to be tough for the Lakers. I didn't expect them to be down 30 at halftime. I didn't expect Luca to get hurt.

With all that said, the path that, that there was for the Lakers to make the finals that existed before last night I think is the exact same this afternoon. And that path is, it is simple to explain, it is

very hard for everything to fall the right way, but this is what it is, KW, that they stay in the three line. And in round one, they get Houston or Minnesota. They would greatly prefer Houston, but that that is the round one matchup. They win that.

in round two, the experience and lack thereof of the Spurs really comes to fruition, and that is enough to tilt that series. And also in round two, Denver takes out the thunder for you. And then you have a conference finals of Denver and the Lakers, and since the Lakers got Luca, they have totally flipped that series. That's like a seven, you know, team parlay that has to fall. But that was- I could see it.

I mean, that's their best shot. Because I think you, because you didn't, you mentioned Denver at the end as a team that's not that athletic and not that young. If the Lakers were, but it is, we need someone to take out the big bully for us. But the team most equipped, I think, early in the playoffs to take out OKC is Denver. Because we saw him playing around two last year. It went seven games. And it feels like that would be.

So that's the path. That would have been the path in all likely, unless yesterday's game was the reverse. The Lakers are up 30 and it's like, oh, man, the Lakers have the Thunder number. Nobody is the Thunder's number. The Thunder are really, really good. The Thunder are the worst matchup it would appear because of what Bruce saying for the Lakers. But that path, unless we find out Luka Anzich is out four to six weeks, I'm not going to slam the door to that path. Now, we have Title Pie coming up.

The Lakers slice certainly didn't get bigger, but it didn't go down to the, you know, the Knicks slice. size, which is what I think some people would have it right now, the rocket slice size. Like, they have been though demoted to just above punchers chance. You know what I mean? So like the... That's about

fair. Right? Like just above punchers. More than a... The four-its have a puncher's chance. Well, okay, well, that's too a lot of threes. Um, but you know, and because you can I can see I can see the spurs beating the Lakers

4-0 in the series. And I can see the Spurs being down 3-2 going into a game 6 in Los Angeles and us saying, oh, my God. Like, not even, oh, my God, us saying, yeah, we probably should have. This is what happens. I mean, that's the long time you have to take. The experience. That's out there.

And that's a possibility. That's the path for the Lakers. So I'm not writing them. I'm not calling them dead, as I think, a lot of. lot of people are today. Yeah. I mean, look, he, you are right in that the unknown, the great unknown is San Antonio. Is the experience or lack thereof going to be an issue?

All right. That's a great unknown. And obviously the Lakers, beyond that, Lakers are like the most experienced team just because of LeBron. All right. So you do have that outside of that. And then like you said, Denver does match up pretty well with OKC. So if they could take them out, then they need a lot of things to happen.

You do have a great superstar. player, look, because I think as much as OKC and San Antonio are ahead of the Lakers, I still think the healthy Lakers, like in the East would be a legitimate contender to come out of there, absolutely legitimate. Boston probably be the favorite, but I would definitely give the Lakers a chance to come out of the East. And like, listen, last night it felt to me like the Lakers game plan part of it was, all right, We're going to have Marcus. We're going to have to give something out, give something up.

Lou Dort, we're not guarding you. And Lou Dort starts the game making four straight threes. Austin was really shaky early in the turnovers. And all of a sudden, you're down 20 before the first quarter's over. And it was, and it got away from him immediately. I'm not saying they could now, we're smart, because they could not stop Shay from getting into the paint. Correct. And then he was kicking out for threes.

So smart, if he's in front of him, he's a, obviously does a better job than La Ravia of stopping me. But they just got, they need things to really fall their way. And if you're, and if you're, if the difference between being able to be competitive or getting blasted by the defending champs like this,

is Marcus Smart's health, then you're already on very tenuous ground. I'm not trying to act like they're not. But I also don't want, this team had won 15 of 17 against a lot of really good teams and beaten the, the teams were talking about that they potentially are going to have to play. Luca was playing as good of a month of basketball as he's played in his career.

Everything goes bad for a game. I'm not going to write them off because of it unless we find out the injury is substantial. And the injury, because I think Luca will fight to come back from it. It was just his emotion was more disconcerting than the injury. He pulled his jersey up over his face and almost felt like he's going to rip his jersey. Yeah, I thought he was going to rip this. I was like, oh, the season is over. That was my.

His body language was that this is really bad. This is bad. It's the same way. It wasn't, wow, out of the blue. Like, already missed games. I already tweaked to this earlier and I tried to play through it. So maybe there's an element of frustration at himself when he could have sat down 30. At the same time, I just want to pop this graphic up and then we'll move on.

most 20 point losses of current playoff teams. They do lose like this. And maybe it's just a quirk of the team. And people have been in and out of the roster so much. That's where I think the age comes in. I think that they are more likely to be like let go of the rope. We'll fight another day. And the younger and deeper teams are more, you know, if they're getting blasted.

All those teams, other teams are young for the most part. Yeah, but they're not. But they're also not. Not very good. Yeah. I mean, they're, yeah, they're not bad. Thunder in LA next Tuesday for the rematch. Did SGA just end the MVP discussion?

That's next on FS1 of Box Sports Channel series. I'm headed into week two of the UFL. Here are the highlights from week one. First up, Houston, Dallas. Austin Reed, my guy, sets the single game yards record. 376 three touchdowns. Dallas rolls the gamblers. You were excited about the gamblers, more of the name.

Yeah, I like the name. I like the city. 3617 had a pick six, return to kick. Number two, Stallions Louisville. Eric Garrow with a hit to jar the ball loose. Stallions recover. The Stalions are a fun. Oh, God.

Stallions are all over. I understand, but I don't know if we're running that play again. Right there, you got a, oh, you saw it coming. Nice hit. Stallions win 15, 13. They are 19 and five in the history of the franchise. Just dominant. And finally, Brewers for you, DC Defenders, Matt McReen

with the first. four point field goal. Not enough. They lose 60. So how far was it? It was at least 60. 60 yards. 60 on the nose. So we sign that young man up. You think he's like Brandon Aubrey S? I'm just saying he just kicked the 60. Pretty good. Okay. We'll see. 60 yard or outdoors. And four points. Yeah. More UFL tonight. Eight o'clock DC versus Columbus. 80s turn only on five. We're going to head back to the Hardwood. SGA ends the night with 28, 7 and 7.

Had 21 at half when the Thunder were up 30. Do you think he locked up the MVP last night? Well, Ann, the other thing that happened last night was Wimby didn't play. Right. And his team looked great. And now, that, that, I mean, the fact, to me, just the fact he didn't play. So listen, here's the thing. I know, because you didn't actually say a word.

They just went, that, that, that, that. Well, you wanted to lose. Yes. Well, Wemby's case got better. They lost part of the day. But I do think one of the biggest strengths of Wemby's case is that team's record and how much they're overachieving. And I think the fact that they are now 11 and 5 in games he missed just gives a little bit of credence to the idea of he's not the only guy on that team that got a ton better. and that we underestimated Castle and Fock.

Like, that's it. Like, and so that, the, it, I do think, KW, that if the Spurs last night lost by 30, that would have, that wouldn't have hurt Wimby's case. Yeah, if, like, this team has won 20 in a row when Wembe's played and he misses a game and they get blasted by a team fighting for the play, and I do think that would help them.

But the reality is, and I don't think this was, at any point this season, has this been particularly? particularly close. And Tim Bond Tim's last and final straw poll came out and it was pulled. It came out today that he called it Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday. So this week. And what this says is this thing's been over. Wimby made a nice push up to second and that is where it ended. And the reason it ended there, Brew is, historically, if you do a couple of the things Shea has done, you win MVP. Like if we just, this is the thing from yesterday where we showed 30 plus points on 60 wins that aren't more than 60 wins. Every single one of those guys has won MVP.

I, you know, this is, Shea is not going to win the scoring title, but he is going to be second in the scoring title. This next graphic. Yeah, I was going to say this 65 game rule. Oh, no. Luca's going to be eligible for scoring title, but not MVP, but whatever.

Not getting scored. And so, but he, She has scored enough points that would typically win a scoring title. All those guys won MVP, except for Jordan when people gave it to Carl Malone's, they didn't want to give it to Jordan that year, foolishly. And so I just, I think Wimby, or Shea has, I'm the biggest Luke of fan maybe on TV.

And the furthest I've come is Lucanont's should be second an MVP to Shea. So yeah, I mean, I think, I do think Brew with that half dozen games left, this thing's over. I think the straw poll shows that it's over. For me, my ballot, which we're about to show, And I don't think San Antonio will get the number one seat. If they somehow got the number one seat, Wimby could win Brue's ballot if that makes him feel better. Before you go to Bruce Ballet, were you one of the straw pollers?

No. Okay. So that's... He would never tell you if he was. No, he would lie to me. He would say, I'm not going to... I don't remember. All right.

Are we ready for Brose Ballot? Hit the music in the graphic. Don't we go. All right. Number five, Jalen Brown. Love it. All right. Look, he has averaged 33 and a half points over his last seven games.

So everybody, it's great to have Tatum back, but he has continued to play well and even stepped it up a little bit. Number four, Luca Donchard, who was number four. He won player of the month. You're shocked? He won player of the month. Is it MVP of the month? He's one season.

There's been five months. He's been player of the month. twice. He's not having a better season than any of the three guys ahead of it. All right. And I am not the only way. You just show Bond Tim Straphole, 100 of the roughly 130 voters.

And he's worked. He's having a fantastic year. If you had half of the good month, it's just calendar. Yeah, he's just worth. Number three, Nicola Yolkich. That's my biggest issue is, I don't know why because he's, one of

If only two players ever to average a triple double in multiple seasons. And we know he's going to be the first player ever to do the lead to league and rebound in an assist. Like he's having a great year. And Denver's hot. They won seven straight. And, you know, like you could flip up. But to act like how in the world do you put yoke at your head of Luca? How do you say it?

I mean, I'm not saying how in the world. I'm saying that's the one I have the biggest issue with. I think that Luca has established himself as firmly top three. Now, oddly, he might end up not top 100 because of the stupid rule. But that's all. But go ahead. And then number two, right now I got Wimby there. Like I said, if they get the number one seed, he could win my ballot.

But I don't think that's going to happen. And Shay, here's the thing about Shea. You mentioned some of the stats. He is the best clutch player in the league this year. Because everybody's talking about the numbers, the record. I've talked about it. But there are other things, too. Best clutch player has the most clutch points in the league.

And we know he's sat out a lot of games in the fourth quarter. They have need to be clutch. Leads the league in clutch points per, you know, average points in the clutch. And then he doesn't turn the ball over. He averages 2.2 turnovers a game. He is the only starting point guard in the NBA that's in the top. 20 in frequency of turnover.

Then the whole team doesn't. Turnover rate. It's nice because when he does turn the ball over, the other team was called for a foul. Okay. Can we? I'm going to say, if he were flashier,

more exciting, more spectacular, more high flying. He just dunked me. I think we'd be comparing him to Kobe Bryant, at least. Yeah. Oh, listen. And he will get to that point

if he continues to play like this. His statistical profile of, like, you can, put these two, these back-to-back seasons by Shea up against any guard ever back-to-back seasons.

Now, Jordan had better back-to-back seasons, but Jordan's the only guard that definitively you know, Wade's statistically, right, and Magic is just very different because his stats are and that's the thing too, because SGA is a shooting point

guard, you know, like, he's a unique position. Can we, can you throw dust? I'm, I'm going to be a little annoying for a second. Can we throw the straw pole back up just for a second? And I just want to ask you a question, KW. If this ends up being, if Wimby, don't you think this will probably be what it's not.

No, no, no, but I'm saying this, this golf. If Shea ends up with 90 of 100 first place votes and Wimby ends up with eight, does the, pining and campaigning for the award take on a slightly different hue. Oh, that's an interesting take. If it's like this guy was like begging's too strong, but really, really, outlining, outlining, and then and, and then as it turns out, yeah, you weren't ever really in consideration. Well, he's in consideration.

Well, I mean, Luke has never been in consideration? Clearly not. Lucas has not been in, you're on the ballot. No, no, no, you're in. But there's, I mean, Bonding's talked to a hundred people. And eight of them thought Wimby was the MVP. I'll tell you what. Can I answer your question with a question?

Yeah. Probably do you think it's better for the Spurs if he doesn't win MVP? So it's the same when like Drake didn't win MVP before the Super Bowl? That works out great. Well, it was an offensive line. No, it worked out great. If he was, you know, 20% of this people on the court. Actually, I think it does, Wiles.

I think it is better for them. I do, too. Well, except here's the thing, Gru, but if he were to win it, it's, we don't think Wimby'd be like, all right, I take a, I could see winning it propelling him. I could see not winning it propelling him. The guy certainly has a killer mentality. Like that is, that is not up for a deported.

debate. I just, I find it, I don't, I couldn't think of the right comp for it, but somebody that really, really was, I want this, here's why I deserve it, I'm campaigning for it, and then it turns out they might just get smoked. I think M.B. pushed for it the year before he won it. Yes, but it wasn't, but I, and I'll look at the voting. I don't think he ended up with eight first place votes. I mean, that's irrelevant. That's final four starts tomorrow night. You know what time that first game is, bro? Michigan's small favorites against Arizona.

609. Illinois small favorites against the Huskies. Dan Hurley, not a fan of the Final Four watches that they receive. I would love one of those, but take a listen. We came here for rings, not watches. You know, everyone that comes in Final Four gets a beautiful watch, you know, but only one per, only one group's going to get a ring, you know. So get off social media.

stop injecting the dopamine into your arm and get serious about the preparation and the practice because we don't hang banners for final fours at Yukon. Gee whiz. I have to go check out Campbell. I'm not sure. No, they don't. They have one giant banner that has final four. It says sweet 16s, elite eights, final fours, and just has the number.

And then they hang banners for titles. Odds to win the title. Arizona, Michigan, tied at one, Illinois at three. The Huskies. last place, if we look at it that way, is Yukon being disrespected. A touch

listen, I understand it in this regard. Michigan, Arizona, and to a lesser degree, but still, Illinois have just cracked everybody all tournament. You know what I mean? None of those three teams has really been in jeopardy

throughout the tournament. Yukon played a really good, close Nip and Tuck game with Michigan State, and then obviously had the epic game against Duke where they were down most of the time. So I get that piece of it. However, with this, and I say this lovingly, total lunatic at head coach, come the tournament, this team is just as dangerous as any team in the nation. The last four years, they, in 2023, they were a four seed and smoked every,

everybody in route to a title. But the yeah, but there was, yeah, but it was weird tournament. They played zero, one or two seeds. In the national championship game, they played San Diego State after playing Miami in the final four. So then the next year, they were the number one seed, and they smoked everyone again in route to the title and we're an all-time team. And even last year, listen, they lost in round two, but as an eighth seed by two points to the eventual champion. I don't think Yukon is not my pick to win it

but I think they got better than a five and a half to one shot chance to win it because you do feel like Brew if it's close late they are going to be the most comfortable and they are going to execute better than anybody else in the field

yeah I agree that they're being disrespected but I think it's a lot I think they should be favored over Illinois and it's not just kismet and pick 60 dust. Okay. Like, they are 33 and 5. Finish the season number 7 in the country.

Illinois is 28 and 8. Finish ranked 12th or 13th, depending on the poll. So they were ranked higher. They're expected to do more. They've beaten, obviously, the number one seed in Duke. Overall, number one seed. They beat Michigan State, which was the number three seed. I get it, it was close, but still beat them.

Michigan State, close game, but beat Illinois during the regular season in the Big Ten. And Illinois beat a number 9C, Iowa to get to this point. So this, and I get Illinois, some people think they're more talented. But Yukon's resume this season is better than Illinois. And Yukon also has two seniors who are, their two best players, you know, Reed and Carabans. And Caraband is a two-time champion. Reed, because he's a transfer, hasn't won a championship,

but you know he's hungry. So I think Yukon should be favored in this game. And I do think, especially when you throw in Nick the coach, and I know Underwood's a good coach too. But Hurley's great. I think they are being disrespectful. Yukon also already beat Illinois. Yeah.

So it wasn't close. It wasn't close, but it was a weird game. Wagler only had three points. Now he's playing great. Sryakovich only had three points. But on the Yukon side, Terris Reed Jr. and Braylon's only played 25 minutes collectively because they were hurt.

Solo ball was the leading scorer in that game. Solo ball has yet to have his moment in this tournament. Carabant has a moment, Mullins has his moment, Teres Reed has a moment. If they win this game, Solo ball needs to play well. That's my prediction. I finally see a big solo ball. Hold on.

Real quick. Yeah. What is your prediction for the game? Not if they do this happens. I told you I don't want to get into my family dynamics. It's a disaster. Who do you have? I am picking Yukon.

Who are you rooting for? I'm rooting for Yukon quietly. Okay. So my entire wife's, they were all sorts of orange. There's orange everywhere. It was like a sunkissed commercial. I'm sure. Coming up next.

So the NBA get rid of 65. games should Nick mind his own business when I'm waiting for the team. I thought it was title. I was thinking about it. I knew you forgot. Coming up next, it's the tastiest segment in all of sports. It's title pie and there's a lot of movement. Stay tuned.

The 65 game policy is backfiring. Not a neutral newsread. You think my own take. Luca played a 64th game last night and we'll most likely not play again this year. Maybe he will. Also, Aunt sat out with an illness, so he is now ineligible. Here's the list of ineligible players for award season.

LeBron, Aunt Janus, Steph, and Cade with a note, Kauai and Joker need to play four of the five games. Right. There are very few guys who are actually eligible yet. Wemby needs to play three. Yeah, this could get even worse. Yeah. I mean, Wimby, Kowai.

They aren't locked. And Joker hasn't locked it. Right. He needs four or five. So if he misses sits one and then gets the stomach bug. Yeah. Which is what happened to aunt. Right.

Ant came back from a real injury. Got sick. They're like, you're out of there, buddy. You got to do one of those in for a second. No, you got to play 20 minutes. Yeah, you're not allowed. Not allowed. Just sit in the corner.

Because I thought initially, you know what, bring Kay back, sit him on the bitch. So what I was thinking about. But Josh Allen game streaks now. Yeah. This is, this has become the rare rule that is simultaneously reviled and very difficult to understand. Because here's the other, Luca got hurt yesterday and people were like, oh, man, he's at game 64. And then folks are like, wait a minute, if you play at least 62 and you suffer an injury that night you're out for the rest of the, season ender, you're eligible.

And other folks are like, wait a minute, you have to also, that is true, but you have to suffer that injury prior to May 31st, it's April 2nd, and you have to have played 85% of your team's games up to that point. He's at 84. And then, Bon Tim's getting a lot of run on today's show.

Shout out Tim Bond Tims. He's like, wait a minute, Lucas still could be eligible. Throw the tweet up, as I just report on SportsCenter. There is one way, Luca Donjic, can be eligible for end-of-season awards. by filing an extraordinary circumstances grievance over missing two games in December

over the birth of his child. An arbitrator would rule on it after the regular season. I mean, not to like, Kate's like, like, I got to collapse the lung. Yeah, but that's not a great. That's not extraordinary circumstance. This is specific for like,

I honestly think like family, off court emergency, whatever it is. But even when I read that, I'm like, Brew talks all the time. The time between, the season ends and the awards are due, the ballots are due is very tight. So he can't even file it until the season's over.

It just doesn't work. It doesn't work. It just, I don't brew here's, I don't understand why Adam Silver does not just say, you know what, if someone wants to sue me over it, somebody, if some gambler's like, wait, but I bet because of this, I'll deal with that down the road. I'm calling it off.

Vote your conscience, America. I'm calling it off. No one would mind. No one would mind. As you guys know, I've been calling for this since January. Yeah. That, or at least right before the All-Star break, I said All-Star weekend when he does his annual meeting with the media,

he should make an executive decision and say, we are ending the 65 gamer. Now, he doubled down on it three weeks ago or whenever he spoke to the media. and doubled down on the rule saying it's been successful in curtailing load management. And it has. But none of these are about low management. I don't think guys are load managing quite certainly not like they used to. This is about injuries.

And here's the thing, 60 guys. This was according to the athletic today. 60 players in the history of the NBA have made all NBA teams while playing 64 games or fewer. So it's not like this has happened throughout the history of the league. That's an 82 game season. Yes. That's not including any of the truncated seasons. So it's just the lockout whatever it was.

So I think he should make this unilateral decision. If the players association say, hey, you can't do it. Talk to them. Have a quick negotiation. The players association already said it. Yeah, they're going to agree with you. They already remember they released. Yeah, I remember to release.

But I'm saying if you got to meet with a. and, you know, just for CBA reasons, collective bargaining. Do it. They're going to agree with you. They want to get rid of this rule. Adam, and I know Adam since before he was the commissioner, you can't let this happen.

You can't, I mean, this is ridiculous. If you don't have Anthony Edwards, Luca Donches, and Kay Cunningham on the all-NBA teams, when we clearly know they deserve it. And then you're going to have a bunch of guys or a few guys that everybody knows are not all-MBA caliber players. Just should end this right now.

And even if he wanted to split the baby a bit and just be like, hey, I'm making the executive decision for this year and then we'll address it in the off season. 65, it's actually 60. Because then K'd, Aunt Luca, it would temporarily fix what we're really worried about and then they can address it down the road. Because the other piece of it is, and again, maybe very few people care about this. When you are trying to talk about and compile lists and figure out the greatest players ever, things like, I remember when I did my 50-great-st players the last 50 years for Byrd, one of the things was, I was like, there were nine years in a row he was top four MVP voting. He won at three, but it was the things where it was like this uninterrupted run of excellence.

and the fact that for Luca as a for instance or Ant or whomever, like this year is just going to show up on all of their accolades as, oh, must have been a down year. And it's also not going to make sense because 65 games is not the minimum to win any of the record titles. So Luca's going to be the scoring chance. Right. Luca now locks that in, barring Shea scoring going bam out of bio the next few games.

Yeah. And not be on an all-MBA team. hate it so much. And I don't think, though, Nick, I don't think they should do it in a weird way. Well, this year, we're going to make so and so. Just get rid of the rule, period. Because every year, there will be some strange thing that happens. And you can say, oh, we'll let him be eligible. Get rid of the rule. Title pie, man. Live from New York, it's a show that has a truncated segment.

Don't use Bruce. That's a great word. It's a great word. It's a great word, but it doesn't sound right coming out of your mouth. Second hour, first things first. Today, can LeBron carry the Lakers now that Lucas sidelined. We're still waiting to hear about this MRI. Meanwhile, Steph returning to take the Warriors on a mini run. Watch out. Maybe. That'd be fun.

Yeah, it would be super fun. Just to get into the playoff, right? But right now, you're in for a real treat. Time to see which teams are heating up, which teams might have the recipe for success, and which teams are totally cooked. It's title pie featuring Nick Wright and a pie. We brought the pie back. We brought the pie back, everyone.

Huge pie. I was talking to our producer, Hubbs. Thank you. I thought it was my pie fork. One problem, Nick. We were like, where's the pie? The segment needs a little bit of something. Hubs remembered why this segment works so well, do you?

Because you guys eat. We ate during the pie. You were like, stop eating. No, no, go on about that. That's why you go to the dentist six times. Take it away. To the pie. Just let's just get right to it.

I mean, it is a great looking apple pie. Take your time, Nick Reed. That much on it. Go one percenters. Go to the pie. You don't need to see me. There it is. Clippers down to one percent.

They lost to the Spurs without the Wemby. They are actually, these guys, this is distracting watching. But it does add that other element of humor. You just go ahead and work. Listen. We'll be here when it's time. To Clippers down to 1 percent also. not just because they lost yesterday,

but they all of a sudden might be in that dreaded 9-10 part of the play-in, which makes it so much more difficult to even get into the tournament. If you do get in, you're just guaranteed to play the Thunder as opposed to playing the youthful spurs. Not great. They're down to 1%. And do you guys think Darius Garland owes Danny money or something? Yeah, what?

Like, I mean, all of a sudden, I've downgraded Darius Garland in my head because of the just constant attacks by Park. During overtime, oh, clearly. Up to 2%. This guy. Up to 2%. There's like hot ones with a pie. Like, you should do it.

Oh, my gosh. I ask you an interesting question. People don't like when you talk with your mouth full if you're just at a regular dinner, much less on the other. Rockets, they had a good week. There's no way. Listen, some of it was playing tankers. I'm not quite certain.

Stop doing, stop showing this guy eating. Rockets up to 2%. You have killed that. He's hungry. You know who's not having a good week? Who? Our guy, Ramsey. Oh, he's next.

He sure is. Down to 2% the New York Knicks. He stopped braiding his hair. He started coming in all disheveled. I don't even think he combed his hair. If you're going to wear the Afro Ramsey. Pick it out. Pick it out.

Make it look. You just woke up. I think he looks great. I don't need to braid my hair. He whips. Knicks are done. I'm just. Gosh, start it.

I asked Ramsey today what's going on with you and Brew, and he said, and I quote, I don't know, man, he just likes to bully me sometimes. And I was like, that doesn't sound like Brew. But now two hours later, you're just, I mean, you're really going out of. I hope he's okay as his team falls apart. At 3% the Cavs, Danny's Cavs, they're fine. And they have played well.

And listen, I do acknowledge that regular season, reason wise, there is proof of concept that the Hardin trade has worked. And that they, I don't deny that at all. Sure. And they do have, while I wouldn't call it a big four, they do have four very high quality players that, you know, any team would want. And Donovan, Jared Allen, obviously Evan Mobley and Hardin. I just don't.

And good coach, yes. I just don't trust it come the postseason. They're still three. We find until game six. Yeah, there you go. way up all the way to 4%. The Sixers. Wow.

They're a little scary. This is like an old flame for you. It really is. It is true. You're still in the trust the process. But no, I'm not. I was never a trust the process guy so much. However, you know, if your team's biggest stars can never get play a full regular season

and then be healthy in the playoffs, It's not the worst thing in the world. It's like, what if they both play like a third of the regular season? Maybe then they'll be healthy in the playoffs. Plus, Maxi has now ascended into real star status. So you have Maxi, you have a good rookie. Paul George, fresh off. He got a couple months off.

Got a little, you know, performance enhancement, allegedly. And you've got him beat. Good strategy. Kelly Ubre is like a poor man's Dylan Brooks. The, okay. All right, so listen, they're at 4%. But is that fair? There's a legit question.

Moneyball S. There's a legit question. Like, can you just sit guys for the bulk of the season? And then, oh, here comes. Well, in March, they start playing. I think they're using steroids. Paul George wasn't benched. He was suspended. And it is worth noting on that.

In baseball, if you have a PD suspension, even if it's over, even if you serve your full suspension in the regular season, and you can come back to play, but then you miss the post season. There's some chatter out there about that. Yeah, that would be a legitimate rule you would think. But they're at 4%. Solid. Up to 5%.

Brew's Pistons. I'm calling them Bruce Pistons. I think Brewers is the most belief in the Pistons. Danny yesterday basically just called him the tryhards. I didn't think that was fair. I think that what they're getting in, oh gosh. The guard who scored all the board. Dennis.

I was going to say Dennis, but I knew one. Danis Jenkins being like a legit scorn. now in Cade's absence. Again, assuming Cade comes back, like Cade in short order from the collapsed lung, they found a little something here. They obviously didn't lose the one seed. They're up.

The biggest drop. Nobody should be shocked by who it is. The Lakers. Down to 5%. They had the fourth biggest slice of title pie last week, I think just behind. I know they were behind the Celtics and the Thunder. I think they were also.

behind the spurs. They were right close to the spurs, but the Luca injury just casts a power over everything, plus feel way less confident if they end up falling to four, which they could, I think it's unlikely they could, and they end up having to go through the Thunder in round two. That to me would be a death knell for them. Their path is they stay at the, oh, correct, but they stay at the three seed and Denver beats the Thunder 4. them, them falling to the four seed, themselves having to, that would probably mean you play Minnesota in round one and then Thunder Round 2. Not great.

Up to 6%. Minnesota. They survived dance injury. They have, you know, at the moment I understand, they have fallen to the six, but they play Houston in game 81 and that season series is tied a game apiece. So that will almost assuredly decide the five versus six. And if they end up with the five and Denver's the four, they're like, we've beat you guys in the playoffs before. We can do that again.

And now, well, one more relatively small slice, but up, its biggest slice yet this year, Denver. Joker's still playing great. They, you know, like the rest of the teams in the top four in the West, just have won. You know, they're 9 and 1 in their last 10, 8 and 2 in the last 10, 10 and no in their last 10. Jamal Murray's on a scoring binge. Their team is back to close to full health. and they feel like they're kind of peaking, at least offensively, at the right time.

Spurs tomorrow. Spurs and, well, here's the other thing about Denver. Denver's got five games left. Two against the Spurs, one against the Thunder. So Denver will have a lot to say about a lot of the seating in the West. Could they fall to six? In theory they could. Yes, I mean, in theory they could, absolutely.

At 15%, same as they were last time we did it, the Spurs. So there was no reason to move. them down, obviously. I also didn't love... There's a little bit of my brain that said, wait a minute. Was this just preventative about Wimby sitting, or did something happen

that we didn't know? Because we know he wants the MVP. We know that he probably was not a big fan. And I don't think going into the Warriors game, they planned to sit him for the Clippers game because I think they would have done it in the reverse order. It listed as an ankle?

It said injury maintenance and or management. It just struck me as enough to where I'm not making their slice bigger. I will make the Thunder slice bigger as they are at 24%. They've been the best team in the league all year. The first two months of the year we're talking with them winning 73 games. They had a little slump by their standards, but they're going to go wire to wire in first place and probably have the league MVP. However, they don't have the biggest slice brew because the Celtics do

at 26%. Tatum, better than even I expected him to be at this point. Jalen Brown still playing at first team, all-MBA-ish level, and their path is so much clearer than the Thunders, that is Title Puppie. Yeah, it seems like you're not saying,

I know your pick is Boston, but you're not saying they're the favorites. You're just saying because they have the easier path. No, I am saying I think they're the favorites. I'm not saying I think they're the best team. Okay. You know what I mean? It's path-related.

So I can live with that. That's true. I get, you know, you want to give everybody a little slice, but I'm taking out these three teams have no shot. The Clippers, the Rockets, I'm down on the Rockets. Yeah. I'm down on the Rockets. All right.

I mean, they're a good team, but I'm talking about contention. No, down on them. Philadelphia, Nick, while they could make it tough on the Knicks or whoever they face in the first round, there's no way. They are running, getting through the entire east. They just, MB, I would love to see it because he's a phenomenal player, but I cannot see him playing two months of injury-free basketball.

I am moving, though, Detroit ahead of the Lakers and the Timberwolves, in part because, again, Eastern Conference, easier path. But, man, they're 12 and 4 without Cade. Like you said, Jenkins has. kind of giving them something they didn't expect. During is probably going to be an all-NBA player. He's played great without Cade. They found something.

So I think Detroit is still, assuming Cade's back, going to be problematic in the East. Like that. You go, KW. I don't care what Dusty said. I want to hear you. Dusty very quickly. Thunder sure do look like the champs.

Hey, did you watch that game last night? Wasn't close. Do you know why? Oxymoron. Coasting winning? What's that? I felt like they were coasting a little bit this year. Oh, wow.

They're pointing up, you know, the chase, once 72 was done, they're like, all right, let's just put it into second gear. And then last night, like, you know what, let's put it into either fourth or first gear. I'm not sure if I'm talking about metaphysical, like theoretical gears or an actual car. Their win percentage is crazy. Their defense is actually even better than they were in the regular, well, better than they were in the playoffs last year. And this is the counter argument to the idea that the champs always lose.

They're winning at, they're at 79. percent at this point. Is that a list of champions or a list of your champion picks the following year? Both. Okay. Got it. Both. So you're riding with the defending champs again? Did you see the game last night? I'm just curious. So it's unbelievable. You're riding with the defending

champs again. Yes. I wasn't going to if the Lakers kept it within 30 at halftime. They sure to look good. The pies. You should get it here. Oh, look at proof. It is good pie. Once that cinnamon hits, it's really good. Lakers had won 13 to 14 headed into OKC.

They lose the game, Luca, and maybe the season. But there's still time for a twist in the plot. What if LeBron goes back to the number one option? Can he carry the Lakers with Luca out? Listen, I think he can temporarily. And if he, if, Brew, you have. talks, I think you have focused more than anyone on TV about LeBron accepting and then thriving in this sudden new role for him. That's unlike any role he's had assuredly in basketball

in his life. I don't care. It was a seven-year-old basketball team LeBron was on. He wasn't the third option. He was probably the best player. And doing it to the tune of winning and all of it. If he is able to, because I don't think it's going to be like when your ace pitcher goes down. It's like, all right, your number two is now your ace. I think Austin's going to stay in the role he's in. Second option. And I think they are going to ask LeBron to assume the Luca responsibility, which is orchestrator of all offense. If he's able to do it at the end of his 23rd season, age 41, even if it's only for a couple weeks, it'll be a magnificent thing to watch. And

And the reason to hope it's not, you know, fairy tale is we are, I know I care more about Player of the Month awards than just about anybody, but 13 months removed from LeBron winning Western Conference Player of the Month, which was started the day they traded for Luca, but remember, if we put up his numbers dust from last February, remember, Luca was injured at the beginning of this. And LeBron, that, you know, in February, when Western American Player of the Month was 29, 10, and 7 on crazy efficiency, and in the last two years,

brew, in games where LeBron was the best guy, meaning no Anthony Davis, no Luca. The Lakers are 11 and 4, and he gives you 28, 7 and 1⁄2. So he cannot do this for a, you know, long stretch. but can he do it for a couple weeks to get him to the finish line? Maybe a playoff game or two. I think it's on the board. He can definitely take the ball handling duties.

It'll be, he won't play like Luca where he's totally controlling it and shooting that much. But he and Austin could share it. He can go back to putting up his typical 27-7 and 7, those numbers. I just don't think they would be. like a contender status team. Oh, I agree. If he, he can do that, and he can even be efficient at it,

but to me, obviously O'KC and San Antonio, Minnesota would be better, Denver would be better. I still give them a shot against Houston. Man, you are really good. I know. They've had a nice little week,

but I'm down on the Rockets. I would give them a chance to beat, I'm talking about without Luca, give them a chance to beat Houston, but they would not be contenders. Because the other thing is this, I have no doubt LeBron could put up those numbers, but their defense would suffer because he won't be as energetic defensively

and they need him in that role. So defensively would be a problem. I'm looking at my phone just see what the date is. It's April 3rd. If we found out Luca is going to be re-evaluated in two weeks and say we know. Right before the playoffs. And going to be back in three weeks.

weeks. So it's from now until April 24th, and they do draw the rockets. Can LeBron, can LeBron? Well, they should be able to stay at the three seed. Stay at the three seed with LeBron doing it, and then split the first two against Houston without Luca. If he can do it, I mean, if that's the path they get, I think LeBron can do that. I think it's a crazy ask for someone 41, but I think He can do it. Steph, cleared to return this weekend against the Rockets. Could the Warriors make a little bit of a run? That's next.

Not a run, but no way. A fresh episode of winners and losers to send you into the weekend. Winner Batting Gloves. Yukon warming up with Franklin batting gloves on, brood. Do you like this? What is the advantage? What does that do? I think the idea is that,

when you take them off, it's even easier. Yeah, it's just even easier to drive. Yeah, I've seen, I've seen, seeing guys with like oven mitts or. Yeah, and I've seen someone had a bag, put the ball in like a plastic bag. Oh, that was like, I mean, it must have some advantage, you know.

No, it's all, it's fruit of the same tree of when we were talking about baseball, like kids growing up in certain countries playing baseball. They're trying to hit like, uh, yeah, bottle kind of. Yeah, bottle. Uh, winter debuts, number one prospect, 19 year old Connor Griffin, it makes his debut for the Pirates today as we speak.

He signed a nine year, $140 million contract. He's the first teenage position player to debut since Juan Soto. Youngest shortstop to debut since A-Rod. My Pirates fandom. You ain't got a lot of young town. Draft number one every year. Right, right. He's supposed to be electric.

He's supposed to be. I mean, when you're starting, Arod and Juan Soto. I get he's really young. I'm not going to put anything on him. But they got enough, they're starting to get enough talent where you would think, can you win a few games? It would be nice to win one or two games. Yeah.

But as a pirate. Because they're just going to lose these guys if they don't. Yeah, I'm thinking about becoming a pirate. Snakes. Well, I love the snakes. Red Sox. Well, Red Sox are America. Yankees.

I like the Yankees. Yeah, it's kind of crazy. No, no. Dodgers are too hard to root for. I just root for mooky bets singularly. Okay. Winner three's, Steph Curry, I called this one.

It's clear to return on Sunday against the Rockets, who Brew can't stand. I like them. I'm disappointed. Houston, I'm disappointed. They've won games recently. He doesn't care. I'm disappointed.

They were supposed to be a contender. You're not. They're still a contender. They're not. They're not a contender. They just dislike each time. I'll be surprised if they get out of the first round. Yeah, everyone will.

So will wild. This is one of wild. If it's Rockets, Lakers, I will take the Rockets. If Lucas back? Lucas, there's no, guys, we were optimistic this whole show. Luca's not going to be ready for that series. You saw a tweet? Yes, because you know, no, everyone's like I say, I don't, I'm not a doctor.

I don't want to act. I am a body language doctor. He was very upset. I do not think he's going to be ready. I think we're, I don't want to end the weekend on a bad note. Well, I like late for that. Go Huskies. I'm in tonight men on Saturday.

And that's the, we're not, we got another 45 seconds of the show. Why don't you talk about you guys? Why don't you give some of your medical insight into why Lika won't be back? Because, because A, he hurt his hamstring earlier in the year. So it wasn't just like a random guy hurting his hamstring. He missed several games because of that. Several games. Now he heard it again.

So I could argue, like, I know it was checked by the doctors. then he was sent back into the game and has mealy hurt. Those doctors need to. Rough day. I want to make this very clear. I am not guaranteeing anything in either direction, but I think saying Luca's not coming back. You forced me into that.

I would be surprised if he came back. I said if Luca comes back, you're picking the rockets. I'm picking the rockets either way. And just said it was coming back. Tin toes down.