Gil's Arena - Gil's Arena Breaks Down The INSANE Pressure On The Celtics

Episode Date: May 21, 2024

Gil's Arena Previews The Eastern Conference Finals as Gilbert Arenas & The Gil's Arena Crew get ready for Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals between the Indiana Pacers & Boston Celtics by breaking down the matchup between Tyrese Haliburton & Jayson Tatum and debating if the loaded Celtics roster led by Jaylen Brown, Derrick White & potentially Kristaps Porzingis will be too much for the Pacers to handle. Then they shift over to the west to discuss how Kyrie Irving has changed his game to become a veteran presence and lead the Dallas Mavericks to the Western Conference Finals before giving an end of season moratorium on the young and full of potential Oklahoma City Thunder. Finally, they give their thoughts on the NBA ALL ROOKIE Team, debating which young players outside of Chet Holmgren & Victor Wembanyama showed the most promise in their first season. Please consider giving us a like and subscribe!!! Today's Crew - Rashad McCants & Brandon Jennings Gil’s Arena premieres every Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday at 11:30am PT / 2:30pm ET. Sign up for Underdog Fantasy HERE with promo code GIL and get up to $250 in Bonus Cash AND A Special Pick: https://play.underdogfantasy.com/p-gil's-arena SUBSCRIBE: https://www.youtube.com/@GilsArena Join the Underdog discord for access to exclusive giveaways and promos! - https://discord.gg/underdog APPAREL PARTNERS TUFF CROWD: https://www.tuffcrowd.com/ ADIDAS: https://www.adidas.com/us/agent-gil-restomod-basketball-shoes/ Gr8ness: https://www.gr8nss.store/ CHAPTERS: Intro 0:00:00 Show Start 0:01:25 Gil's Arena Community Picks 0:04:58 All Rookie Team Reaction 0:07:59 GG Jackson's Bright Future 0:18:29 Jamie Jaquez Is The Most Slept On Rookie 0:20:49 Greatest Villain In NBA History 0:38:03 Mike Tyson vs Jake Paul Preview 0:49:18 The Insane Pressure On Tatum-Brown Duo 0:54:12 Do The Celtics Deserve More Credit? 1:02:04 Eastern Conference Finals Preview 1:10:13 How Kyrie Changed His Game 1:20:39 What Did OKC Show This Season 1:31:51 SGA Is The NBA's Most Consistent Star 1:36:43 What Is OKC's Title Window? 1:44:36 Breaking Down Chet's Rookie Season 1:51:04 Would You Rather Build Around Luka or SGA? 1:58:00 Lonzo's Return From Injury 2:05:29 MostlyFans 2:21:21 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Why do fintechs like Float choose Visa? As a more trusted, more secure payments network, Visa provides scale, expertise, and innovative payment solutions. Learn more at visa.ca slash fintech. When does fast grocery delivery through Instacart matter most? When your famous grainy mustard potato salad isn't so famous without the grainy mustard. When the barbecue's lit, but there's nothing to grill. When the in-laws decide that, actually, they will stay for dinner. This is the end of the show. and terms apply. Instacart. Groceries that over-deliver. Welcome back to Gil's Arena for today's 100-Dollar Fantasy.

We talking about flashing lights, baby. Flashing lights everywhere. They just been saying shit about me. They didn't even fucking know me. This is my store. This is what I was doing when I was a little boy. Y'all don't know what goes on in practice

or the locker room. Age is zero. Change the game. change welcome back to gills Arena presented by Underdog Fantasy. We're back. Set a record yesterday, we got to set one today. Are the grits are back? All right, all right. The recovery period is over.

We got the vertical and the horizontal strings going. We got a lot of good stuff going on in the arena. You know technological But we're gonna be on camera the whole time so tax I'm about to get caught doing something silly But this is gills arena presented by underdog fantasy as always got the legend Gilbert arenas here with us. I hear stylish summer I'm a booty short song see my thigh muscles to read us here with us. I hear style is summer. Okay. Got my booty shorts on. See my thigh muscles. The ladies are like,

let me see your thigh. Here you go, ladies. Here you go. Let me see your thigh. Let me see your thigh. It ain't just the ladies, Gil. It ain't just the ladies. Oh, my God.

You're right. You're right. We got a diverse, we got a diverse fan base. We got a diverse universe. We got Mr. B, Brandon Jennings, back here with us. We got the Cheetos, okay. Leopard, what is it?

St. Laurent. St. Laurent, you know. And we got Kenya Martin, back on the couch as well. The hate continues for another week. Red-haired stepchild, I told you. Okay, you got to, yeah. I'll give it to you. I'm scared to clap.

See, you overdid it. Like, it wasn't all, like, life's modest clap. Like, all that shit you did like it was like uncalled for He said I'm scared to cut like Really uncalled for bro. So they said if you read the clapper King look they'd be like I'm gonna talk mine So here's what's cracking in the arena today.

The NBA announced to all rookie teams, but besides Wimby and Chet Holmgren, which rookie has the highest ceiling in the league? Anthony Edwards said he's guarding Kyrie in the Western Conference Finals, but does Ant-Man really want that smoke? And game one of the Eastern Conference Finals is tonight in Boston. Will the Pacers give the Celtics their first real test of this postseason? Let's hope so for the sake of this show

and the NBA product in general. But before we get into all that, as always, this show is brought to you by Underdog Fantasy. Download the app, use promo code GILL, and you can receive up to $250 in bonus cash and a special pick-em. Basketball is all around us, WNBA, NBA. Get your pick-ems right and help us all around us. WNBA, NBA.

Get your pick-ems right and help us help you keep this show on the air by supporting Underdog Fantasy, downloading that app, and using promo code GILL. As always, we do Mostly Fans at the end of every single show. If you drop a good question

in the chat with your Underdog Fantasy username and we use it on this program, you get a $50 bonus to your Underdog Fantasy account. If you send us a video at MostlyFansGill at gmail.com

and you keep it under 30 seconds and we use it on the show, you get a $100 bonus to your Underdog Fantasy account. If you send us a video at MostlyFansGil at gmail.com and you keep it under 30 seconds and we use it on the show, you get a $100 bonus to your Underdog Fantasy account. As always, we do the show live on YouTube.

But if you're visually impaired, we got audio versions available on Apple, Spotify, wherever you get your podcasts from. So, like I mentioned previously, there's an Eastern Conference Finals game tonight.

We're going to go around the couch, get one pick-em from everybody that they like. This will make the Gills Arena pick-em for the night. So fade us or rock with us

if you like the picks. Gills, this is your show. You do pay the bills and sign most of the checks. So we're going to start with you. Lexi Brown, higher or lower, 11.5 points. I'm taking the higher. Good job, Gills. Of course. I got to fade

up. I can't go down. No, thanks Is that what that was very maze defated you rockin with it? Yeah, I'm fake. Oh, you know So you rock. Oh, I said that wrong. Yeah With tail, I mean, I'm fine. Yeah, we're learning learning terminology. Oh, okay. Okay. I'm taking higher. Okay, good job. Gil, you got in early. It's since moved up to 12.5 points. Do you think that is higher or lower for Lexi? Higher.

Lexi, we need 13 or better. 13 or better. She know what to do. Shoot it. We have not influenced Lexi's game in any way, shape, or form. She's merely going out there. Whatever she does, she does. But we support the Gil's arena crew in all their conquest So Kenya, let's go with you next

Obi topping higher lower seven point five points. All right You think he's gonna do his thing tonight seven and a half points Cool ain't on them. Yeah cool eight points ain't a shit Fast as they play a fast this game for, for the minute points they finish scoring tonight. Yeah, it has been high scoring. Yeah, and then Boston, they don't, like, Boston can play defense, but. Okay. Eight points, though.

Eight points. The man on the break, two threes, and he's active. That's easy. For him? I low-key ain't been paying attention to him. He been balling. He been playing like a mug. Yeah.

Yeah, every game. He's banging. You were down on him yesterday. That's what I said. I didn't know. I thought he was averaging two. No, he been playing well. Yeah, yeah.

My bad. You got him confused. You got him and his brother confused. It's all good, you. So, Brandon, Jason Tatum, higher or lower, 24.5 points? Higher. You think he's going to do it? Yeah. he's been off for a minute. Yeah, you should come back He dropped a couple 30 pieces and in the last round, you know, it's gonna be some buckets gotten tonight Well, you said how much 24.5 points lower its lower odds Gil, but yeah, yeah safer pick. Oh, okay. Yeah

Okay, I'm over here like wait, hold on. I just said like 30. 20 for you, that's... Okay. Tonight for him? Yeah. And Tyrese Halliburton is struggling in game ones this postseason, but I think for the light-skinned community, he's going to get it back. I'm taking his higher 18.5 points in this game.

It's going to be high scoring. He's going to have to. He's going to have to do it. You know, coming off a big win in the garden, now going to the other garden. Maybe a similar experience to what he felt in Milwaukee, but nonetheless. I got $26. And, of course, producer Jenkinson is saying Boston runs away with it.

A lot of these guys are going to sit in the fourth, but we got faith. Let's get these numbers. If they run away with it, it means they got it in the third. They got what they needed. We's get these numbers. If they run away with it, it means they got it in the third. They got what they needed. We good. All right. Well, like I said, we got the Gills Arena picking for tonight. Rock with us or do not.

It's your choice. If you like making bread, though, I'd probably rock with us. We have been on fire as of late. So let's get into it. On Monday, the NBA announced the all-rookie team. So Rookie of the Year Victor Wimbinyama and Chet Holmgren were the only two players to be unanimous selections to the first team. Each got 99 votes. Joining them on the first team are Brandon Miller, who did his thing with the Hornets this year.

Jaime Jaquez, UCLA legend. Pride of Camarillo, home of great outlets. And Brandon Brzezinski. I saw Mark Jackson there back in the day. That's when I respected him. I said, that Brendan, the kid from Golden State got in. Wow. Yeah, he did his thing as well.

And second team is Derek Lively, Amin Thompson, Keontae George, Kaysen Wallace, and Gigi Jackson. Shout out Gigi, youngest player in the league. Gigi. So just looking at this rookie class in totality, obviously a lot of great players to come out of this class, how impressive was the rookie and redshirt rookie class this season? Uh, I don't even know.

Not really? Not really, Roley? I mean, just two, like, two or three players. Like, I mean, Gigi came, you know. No, I think the first team we'll have will be good. I think they're going to be all right. Put that back up there again? Yeah, I wanted to see that too. Let's see it again.

Derrick Lively going to be good. I can't tell you George playing in Utah. He going to have the ball. He going to be all right. I don't know about the kid in Houston. I don't know what the hell they doing. Case and Wallace, he in a good system. He's got a good situation.

Wait, wait, wait. Hold on. He in a good situation. Gigi Jackson, who have a 14 point. He came on late. Oh. He was putting that ball in the basket. He nice though.

Yeah. He had a few, 30 point like outputs. Yeah cuz everybody was out so he was down there letting the things fly. Three level scoring. We're gonna give Gigi some love in a second but obviously Chet and Wimby at the top of the list. Why did Chet's name go before Wimby? I'm curious. Al but we alphabetical whatever I don't know I just it's Wimby then he got Miller's right yeah it's me up again hi kids the rest of them are obviously in descending point total order but when we got rookie of the year if I was just talking so me

and Steve was talking before so put the, who all got votes up there. Okay, let's do it. Let's talk about that first. Let's talk about that one. We got the others. We got the others? The others. And the reason Brandon Miller didn't get first team is...

No, Brandon Miller got first team. Well, you know. We got the other list. I can read it off. The reason he didn't get 99. Uh-huh. We got it, we got it. Right?

Let's do it. One is so close to none, but... Dude from Portland. Whoever the writer is from Portland, let's stop it, dude. Stop the BS, man. Stop it, dude. Ain't nobody else up there got no first place vote. Shout out, Scoop. Let me see the first place vote. Shout out Scoot.

Receiver with hold on. Come on, man. That can't be out here doing. Since you brought it up, can't even talk about it, Scoot. Decent year. Obviously didn't necessarily live up to expectations. What was expected, but he was playing in Portland in extremely down time. I think he had worst plus minus for a rookie.

I don't know ever, but definitely this year. It was up there. It was, you know, I think the worst one game when two was like minus 50 something in one of their losses, but.

Yeah, that was a bad one. Yeah, that's. But it's always some, it's always a decade that do that. Yeah. It is. It's, it's, yeah.

Can't show love. Can't be loyal to their soil, Gil. Yeah, I mean. That's Rashad. Rashad got a vote dog that's him That's just how I felt yeah, that's just how so I y'all gonna make me wrong If I voted for him, I like that's that's that he will make a compelling argument Oh, he's gonna do that. He's gonna be back on this couch Thursday with all the also

He went to D League came back came off the bitch is still average 14 Well, he'd be like No, they're all gonna be we all know what. We all know what to expect out of Wimby. Chet as well. I think the kid, Brandon Miller, him and LaMelo playing together, I think he's got to pass first point guard. They can grow together. So that was my question for the couch.

So besides Wimby and Chet, who has the highest ceiling in this rookie class? The highest? I mean, what I've seen from the Gigi Jackson kid, I mean, very young coming in. You said he's the youngest in the NBA right now? Yes. And what he has shown on that team, he's shown that he can be part of their future so Hopefully going into next season. He's probably Second third option

Behind jaw and I think being just six nine itself, you know, you can play multiple positions So he has a really high ceiling, but you know, Brandon Miller also is about six seven six eight So yeah, you know them two you can see that they're going to be... Brandon Miller averaged about 17 points a game with that Hornet squad. But I think for both of them, being able to get a ton of reps, playing on Boo Boo teams is going to benefit them in the long run. Brandon, how about yourself? When you look at that list, besides Wimby and Chet,

who has the highest ceiling in this rookie class? I would say G.G. Jackson. Young, three-level scorer. If he put on some weight this summer, like Gil said, he could definitely be in that rotation with them, being healthy with Ja. So I think he's definitely got the upsides. LaKenya, how about yourself?

Shit, I'm going to go with the Derrick Lively kid, man. Really? Just who we on the team with. Got J. Kidd over there. You know, I see it like myself before I knew how to play. Like, he was 19 when he was young. So I see a lot of me at 19. A lot.

A lot of me at 19. I'm watching him, and I'm like, oh, shit. I'm like, you need to put on some weight right now. Hit that weight room. Is he as aggressive, though? Yeah, yeah, yeah. I think he's. Probably not.

What most? I see it, though. I see he's... Probably not. Wasn't most... It's in. I see it, though. I see a lot... And you turn into it. I see a lot of the same tendencies, man, as me when I was 19. I like the Cam Whitmore kid. He's probably on the wrong team because you got a bunch of guys just like that. So it's one of those things if whoever's hot that day will be playing, so he's going to be

in and out. He needs to somehow get out of there so he can flourish, but I like his upside. I was just having a conversation the other day. Yeah, what they going to do? Like, they got Jabari, Eason, Whitmore. It's just a lot of Dylan Brooks.

It's just got a lot of the Brooks. It's just got a lot of the same. It's a log jam. Yeah. Right? And then who you need to be featuring is Jalen and Al P.

Yeah. So what do you do with with the second pick, the third pick, the fourth pick? Now you got the fourth, third pick again. It's like,

what do you... Who's the best tradable piece right now? I think Jabari Smith, because he's going to cost some money. Can he mesh with the Sungoon? He's a spot up shooter. Oh, okay. He can, but he got to-

So it's the Easton, those guys, right? Yeah, but he's serviceable serviceable man because you can give so like he's a guy with specific directions he can help mm-hmm right this is I need you to do a and B listen I need you to do a and B don't don't you let me think for you you go out and play like that's what you got to tell somebody like that he play hard he gonna change the game, make plays, offensive rebound, take charge, like all that shit that you need to win. Do you?

But it's still, like, you don't have to pay Jabari. So you got to pay Alpine. You got to pay Jalen. Yep. So do you let them rock for another year and see what they got? Jabari going to cost Nick something. That's all I'm saying. Do you give him a rookie extension right now?

I would. And cap him down? I would. Yeah, so he's under contract. We've got a team option 2026. Yeah, he's going to cost. In that qualifying. But they can clock him down.

Yeah, you can do it. If he wants to. If I was in my work, because he's down. Yeah, you can do it. Yeah, if he wants to. I would. If I was in my work, because he going to call. He would too. Yeah, he's going to call us. Yeah. Of course, you got to pay Jalen Green.

Yeah. He's like, he bonafide. He has it factor as far as that. Alpine is the new young big. And I seen Jalen here, but the district right now going hard. He go hard. He hard. He go hard. He works. He goes hard.

He works. He works on his craft. I think he got a lot to prove next year. He went through a lot this year. He had a lot on his plate this year. 11th in the West. Still balled out. They went on the run late in the season.

We're kind of pushing for that 10th spot. You see them making a jump in the Western Conference next season? I don't know. Yeah. West County's going to be better. You see them making a jump in the Western Conference next season? I don't know. West Coast is going to be better. But they're going to be better under MA. I don't know. Like I said, they got to tweak some things with the roster. They got to change the way they play, I think.

From what I've watched in games, I think Fred holds the ball entirely too much for what he has around him you need to be featuring Jalen Green man and Alpine Sangoon that needs to be your your one two Fred need to be a Kyle Lowry you know kind of a situation if he didn't learn nothing having Kyle on his team all that time he should have learned that. The thing is he became the two to Kyle Lowry and now he needs to go be Kyle Lowry. Yeah, so that's the thing with that situation. So y'all talked about Gigi. Let's get into it a little bit more.

Youngest player in the league this season. Slipped to late second round. You know, was thrust into action on the Grizzlies' injury-depleted roster. Made the most of his opportunity. So he finished the season with the fourth highest scoring average among all rookies at 14.6 points per game. 12 20-point games this season, 4 30-point games, including 31 on the Lakers, 44 on the Nuggets,

and the Grizzlies' final two games of this season. So when you look at him, and y'all know how much you love young players, and this is a guy, like we said, that was thrust into action with all the injuries that the Grizzlies had, how good can he be in the league? He can be good because he's seen a reward, right? It reminds me of how I started off my rookie year, right? Not playing, sitting there, you know, with the itch.

And then, you know, people get hurt, circumstances changes, and you go in there and you see instant results for whatever you was putting in, the hard work you were putting in when you wasn't playing. Right. And now this is a very important summer for him. Right. It's, you know, once you taste success, you know, you have to go after it. So, you know, hopefully he's already in the gym doing two a days. Like I can't go back to that bench. Right. You know, everybody's going to come back healthy.

I don't know who they're going to go in the summer but i know i want to be one of those players i want to be the second or third option and that should be his mindset you know he can't you know he can't go into oh yeah i did i had a great you know you know rookie season you know um you know have a regular workout and then go back to the bench nah you you got blessed taking. Yeah. I'm here to stay. I think he'll be fine, though, with Ja. And then, like you say, Young, he's a three-level scorer, though. Yeah. He can score on all levels, so, I mean, he's going to be able to fit in.

But put on some muscle. He'll be all right. I just like to get to him. I mean, the story of him playing the drums at the family church on Sunday is like, he seems like he's, I'm just, you know what I mean? With all the kind of situations the Grizz have dealt with. He's a breath of fresh air. Yeah, he's straight to the, you know, I got church on Sunday. I can't get the turn up.

I got to hit these drums. So let's talk about the other side. I know how much you like young rookies or teams prioritizing young rookies, but one example of an older rookie making an immediate impact, Tymey Hockes. Four-year starter at UCLA. He scooped him up with the 18th pick after his hometown Lakers passed on him for some apparent

reason. He started 20 games this season, averaged 12 points, four rebounds, three assists, 49% from the field. Like I said, I know you don't like old rookies. Obviously, the lottery teams are going to take the best prospects regardless of age. But with the new CBA putting a bigger emphasis on building through the draft, should teams prioritize drafting older, more league-ready players?

I mean, just with history, because of, you know, after like 2001, when they made the emphasis on young guys because of the success of the KGs, the T-Max, and Cobes, right, they put that emphasis on it. So those bottom-feeding teams, they're going to go after what they think is a good pick, right, for the future. And the middle, right, that middle, just like right after lottery, those are the players. Like the lottery, to be honest, the lottery itself, when you do the math, out of the top 14,

there might be one and a half, two all-stars, right? And then the rest of the draft, there's going to be probably about three or four more, right? So that's, the smart GMs is going to find the guys, those all-stars, those all-NBA players, and usually it's going to be a guy who's older, who knows how to play, and once you put him in the right situation, he's money sophomores and juniors yeah like young sophomores juniors mm-hmm I think that's the middle ground that you speaking of like guy who went to school he already got a name went there and got better yeah that's what you use it for that's what it should be you go to college like yeah

okay I got this okay I'm good at Okay. They got I have a name now Well, I need to get better at this. I need to get stronger. Like I just take the Marge on some Mm-hmm like that like he came to Cincinnati. There was no reason for him to come there Mm-hmm, but he came they say need to get strong. I went for one year. Yeah, you should have went straight out I should have yeah, he could have but it was physically they say like physically need to get strong. Okay, where you need to go Cincinnati who live weights Who live a lot of weights? Yeah No, we're one year one and only six pick like probably no telling where he would have been if he came out He probably would have been around the same or or he could have dry no telling but it's a need to get stronger

So I just look at like certain guys, we know are exceptions to the rule. Yeah. But, like you said, since they started going young in 2001, who? That we, besides, like, LeBron,

okay, Derrick Rose, one MVP. But it's more misses. Like, it's just... It's more misses, but... You got Dwight. You got...

I did a... I did a... What's her name's-her-name yesterday alive yesterday and Because I heard Charles Barkley say something about yeah kids need to go back kids go back to school Right and then the people he named he didn't realize you would only went to school for two years Yeah, and then after 2000 last 24 years 18 out of the last 24 years, 18 out of the last 24 MVPs is one, two, one, two are overseas and done. Right? So the only players that went three or more, like he was saying, was Steph, Duncan, and

Steve Nash. Steve Nash. Right? So two, two, and two. So those are the six. So those three guys, after that, it's just all young kids. You just got to be smart.

It's one of those things where someone here is like when you're thinking about the draft, right? Top five picks. One's going to be him. One's going to be him, and probably two flops. You just got to be the dude that don't pick the flop. That's it.

Sounds easy. It sounds easy, but that's the point of you being at the top level. Your eye is supposed to be better than everyone else's. That's what you get paid for. You have to have a system that can weed out cone drill type players. It's cone drill.

Y'all got 50 people on your staff. If a dude want to come in by himself, work out against my staff members. Let's go. These are old retired dudes that's physically, let's see what your skill level like. I don't want to hear somebody say he's not strong enough. Don't you got a weight room in your your facility? Yeah, okay, so he can get stronger in your facility

All right, he don't he don't shoot the ball. Well, you got a shooting machine Right so because if you got a shooting machine he can he can get better I don't like when they say this person can't do something Yeah, the point of him being drafted by you is you're supposed to be the development. There's no one at 19, 20, 21, 22, 23 years old that's going to be ready.

They have to learn something because it's new. No matter how great a swimmer is in the pool, you put him in the ocean with the waves and shit, it's going to be a little different for him. He has to learn that level. So, you know, stop using excuses not to draft and whatever. People can learn.

They will. Like, figure out who has that, their heart. They definitely will. Figure out who has the heart. And sometimes playing by yourself, you can't tell who's a quitter. Yeah, that's that thing there, man. Like, it's... Yeah, like, because you really can't gauge until you put them into action.

Yeah. Right? Put them in tough situations, see how they react to it, see how they go up against... Yeah, you got to... Yeah, it's... I mean, it feels like a lot of factors that go along with that, right? You're giving guys millions and millions of dollars, changing their whole life. Like, who's still still gonna be locked in

Yeah, but it's little things you can do man. They like they do little tests right you know put some girl at the bar Right like they look that dumb shit that more got nothing to do with the sport like let me a a we got a workout at 3 a.m. I know he just went to sleep. I want to see what he what excuse he gives me um I'm a little tired Like drivers like the driver's test that's one point Right like I'm gonna do little things like that. I know you just went to sleep and then I'm gonna call you our letter Hey, man, we got a quick workout. I just want to see if you're alright boss. I'm there, right? We might get there and I'm alright. I just wanted to see if he're like, all right, boss, I'm there. We might get there and I'm like, all right, I just wanted to see if he was going to come. Go back to sleep.

Right? That's what Kobe used to do to his players. But if they go back to sleep? 4 a.m. in the morning, here's what you're going to do. I'm about to go to the gym. What you going to do? Everybody who told him no, he didn't mentally fuck with. I think about Paul Gasol considered by media one of the softest dudes, right?

That was Kobe's damn near best friend. Because that means most likely everything Kobe put him through, he passed. Right? When you talk about some of those guys Kobe gravitated to, you'd be like, damn, what did they do? And all the people that he didn't gravitate to, they failed whatever test he was trying to do. So when you're talking about drafting, I got to put you through some type of test that has to tap into your work ethic.

So question for all y'all. You're a young player. Kobe calls you, says, come meet me at the gym at 4 a.m. Are you saying no? If you're a young player, you're going to go. You should. You would think. You would think you want to. Some guy that's been around for five, six years Are you saying now if you're a young player you're gonna go?

Some guy that's been around for five six years that has some success Might not but a young guy you should hell. Yeah Now you definitely should want to soak up that no matter who it is No matter what time of the day it is if one of your vets or somebody who's had success had to tell you to meet Him at the gym You should shit you should beat him there. Beat him. Right? That's all I'm saying.

You should be bugging him. Hey, man, should we go into the gym today? Let him tell you, like, yeah, I'm going to rest up today, young fella. Let him tell you that. It feels like Kobe tells you, meet me at four. I'm there at three. Yeah, I think sometimes...

Ready, Kobe, whatever you need. We don't know how to get better. We like the ideal of getting better. Some of us just don't know how. And then when we don't see success and someone's trying to push us, we kind of back away from it. Right? You know, if somebody's like, yo, let's go to the gym, let's do this, and I'm not playing, it's like, nah, man, I'm cool. Yeah, it's kind of pointless.

Right? And it's like, and I was in that mode, right? You know, I'm not playing, and I always give him credit. Mark Jackson, you know, Philly Mark, you know, he used to wake me up. And he gave me that speech. He said, man, look, he showed me, look, I didn't play the first part of the season. Look, I played 25 games. The last 25 games season look I played 25 games the last 25 game everybody's heard I played the last 25 games got 25 million you don't know when the people gonna call your

name just know when they do call it cuz they gonna call it be ready so when I seen it like 25 you got 25 let me see contract 20 all that in that 25 shit let's work and then you know every morning pick me see your contract. Oh, that nigga got 25. Shit, let's work. And then, you know, every morning, pick me up, and me and him played one-on-one, because I was depressed, I'm not going to lie. You start seeing motherfuckers, sitting there smacking stuff out of the rim, dunking on everybody.

I'm like, yeah, this ain't... I need that summer league NBA, because this ain't the NBA I signed up for. I want that summer. Where them players at? There was no G League, right? I would have been happy to go down there because the stuff I was seeing I was not mentally ready for Physically ready for that game was going a hundred miles an hour and I'm fast, but they look fast stronger I mean when you're talking about

college blocks, these men went out there hurting feelings. I told you, I said, you know, my first interaction with the Lakers, Robert Horry, hate him to this day because of this play. I don't mean I really hate him, but just I did a pick and roll. He jumped out hard show. I got scared, fell. I got scared. I got scared and fell. there were hard show I never

seen that before oh shit oh shit oh shit what the fuck was that it dropped the ball man he went down dunking laughing at me and stuff was embarrassed man now it all makes sense yeah so it all makes sense so you know working and understanding that get better every single day stack them stack them days up like people don't realize stack your days up just stack them get the 200 shots to just stack them up eventually man as long as you keep moving to the finish line you don't cross it so last question for y'all on the subject but when evaluating NBA prospects what are the most important attributes the team should look for should you, what are the most important attributes the team should look for?

Shit you can't it's the most important one you can't help can't see it. Mm-hmm. Yeah, and what is it? It's internally Mm-hmm. It's hard This you can't see it That's for me. No, no. Yeah, that's right The one you do one that matters the most you can't see. You can have fucking Wimby arms, jump like LeBron, shoot that bitch like Steph. Mm-hmm. If you don't got the heart. Yeah, that ticker ain't together, man.

It ain't. Yeah. I was like, it's the old saying he's skilled but Yeah, like he's skilled buddy. Yeah, he Yeah, it's okay. I think a play like yourself. I four years of college number one pick I just feel like me watching your teams back in those days I could look at you and be like I don't got to worry about the heart component or you know I like but but Bob Huggins said something about me at 18 man he told like certain people like i played with a certain type of ferociousness that as an 18 year old kid he had

never seen before at 18 right i grew up playing basketball hard and it meaning something because i had to in order to get on the floor everybody don't have everybody that don't grow up where i grew up i'm not saying you have to play that way. But if you step in between them lines, that should mean something. You should play a certain way. Like, it should, like, Kawhi's the quietest person around. That ticker together, right? Paul George don't say he had a ticker together. There's certain guys, Steph quiet,, but that ticket is together, right? It's something in him that... So small in stature, big in...

It don't matter if you don't... Like, you don't approach it a certain way. And everybody that we name, it's in there. So you... Yeah, you can come out here and you can have a long career and be successful, make a lot of money, but it's like, what do people think about you? What do your peers think about you? What do the people who played this game and been successful, what do they think about you?

That's why Charles Barkley sits on the TV and talks the way he does about people. His ticker was never in the court. He always played hard. He probably rubbed people the wrong way, did about people. His ticker was never in the court. He always played hard. He probably rubbed people the wrong way, did certain things, but that's why he can sit on TV and say the things that he does because it's a certain element of it. And that's why a lot of people look at the older generation as haters, like the guys that played before. Like no, I don't look at them as haters, because the way they approach the game and the way they play the game is how they know the game and how they view the game. And this game, of course it's not their game that they play, but we, as me being on the older generation of basketball, not those guys, but we hold a certain love and

a certain passion for this. And when we watching it, and when they watching it, and it don't look like what we care about, then it come across as hate because we express it or they express it in a certain way. Because we're passionate about it and we love this game. And when we watching it and teams out here scoring 160 in a regular, in a 48 minute game, like how? Right? Or guys getting paid this and we look at a guy like, you ain't never made an all-star

team, you ain't never did this, you ain't never did this you ain't never did that you like you we look we watch you play And it's this like it ain't like people that's played the game eyes don't lie to them When you've been to seven you play this shit at a high level like your eyes don't lie to you mm-hmm So when they watching are we watching it it don't look that way it's like But it ain't hate. No, it's just like if your parents was telling you something. It's like, you know, when you have kids.

They don't want to listen. But it's like, I'm trying to tell you. Like, I'm trying to tell you. You'll see, yeah. You'll see once you have kids, right? Yeah. That's all it is. That's why I look at it with the old heads. It's just like, I'm trying to tell you, but all right.

And Brandon, for yourself, coming into the league, obviously untraditional route, going overseas, how long do you feel like it took you to prove to your teammates that you had that heart, you had that motor and that will to want to be great? I think since day one I got there. Being with Scott Skiles, though, I had no time to, you know, he threw me right in the fire. So I had to prove, you know, I had guys like Kurt Thomas, Jerry Stackhouse, Luke Rittenhour. Super Vince.

You know? Yeah, yeah. So, you know, I had no, I couldn't cut no corners or anything like that. So, every day, you know, they was on me. So, but that also was the reason why we made the playoffs too. You know, me starting, you know, me being able to run the table and run the team, it was because of the vets I had. So that was the, you know, that's the best thing I had. You know, Scott Skiles to Kurt Thomas to Jerry Stackhouse.

It's like, you know, I got OGs, so it's like, you know, got to shut up. Shut up. Special Stackhouse in there. Yeah. Special Stackhouse. I had him in Washington. So you already know. Yeah Kurt the vet is gonna come talk to you. Yeah, Kurt. Don't pull you to the side like hurt that bit Yeah stacking look kinda like me your way And I know you will say you can see when my eyebrows go up. Yeah, you die

Yeah, I'm all now. I probably went too far. You know? Hey, young fella. Hey, I'm in that corner now, young fella. Pass that ball. That's it, Bull. You can see the sign. That's three times.

And why you hit me in the head with the ball? You said I was in the corner. Yeah. Yep. Who else? I had Carlos Delfino, Charlie Bell,

Michael Redd. He had just got hurt. John Salmons. Oh, yeah, nice little vet team. Yeah, nice little all bets. So we asked the chat, should teams draft older players? We got over 3,000 votes. 70% said yes.

But let's move on now. We got some playoff games to discuss. Let's start in the Eastern Conference. Celtics cruise through the first two rounds of the playoffs with gentlemen's sweeps of the Heat and Celtics to reach the Eastern Conference Finals for the sixth time in the past eight seasons. So far this postseason, Jalen Brown is averaging 23.1 points, 6.6 rebounds, 2.5 assists, shooting 55% from the field and 37% from three.

During a recent interview with The Athletic, Brown reflected on the Celtics' run and embracing the scrutiny that comes with playoff success without winning a ring, saying the following, whatever you do is going to be scrutinized or no matter how good you are, it's never going to be enough or bring any praise or any immediate attention. It's tough, but at the

same time, it is what it is. You've got to embrace that villain, and as I'm getting older, I'm starting to embrace it more, embracing not giving a F word, whether they see the value or don't see it, whether they appreciate it or don't appreciate it. It's just a mindset where I don't care if you boo or celebrate, I don't allow the emotion of appreciation or the emotion of scrutiny to have any effect whatsoever. So Kenyon, what do you gain on the floor when you embrace being the villain and tune out all the outside noise? Like winning does that yeah like success does all that so you shut people up when you win

Yeah, you can't You have to treat the The cheers and the boos as the same. So his point is, yeah, people are going to celebrate you when you're doing well. They're going to boo you when you're not. But I'm out here to do a job. I'm out here to help us win. And no matter what nobody has to say or do, it's excellent, man, to go on the road or to shut people up.

And even if there are certain fans at home who might have some doubt at times, I'm pretty sure there are some Boston fans that have some doubt because they've been there and haven't won it. So there's some doubt. They've heard it. He's heard it. But he don't let it affect his daily approach. And you can't. Like, he has the right mindset. I think they're in a great, great

position right now. They're in a great position. It's going to be tough. Would you say this is the best position they've been in for any of those conference finals? I think so. Yeah. Yeah. Villain. He's not a villain.

I was about to say, yeah, you got to win. But you really have to be a villain type of personality. He's not a villain type of personality. Right? A little booze here and there from the road team, that's called normal, dog. Especially right now. Yeah, you ain't out there clotheslining. You ain't getting spit on, dog. Like, Trey Young is a villain, dog.

He's a villain. Westbrook was a villain. He was a villain. Westbrook was a villain. He was a villain. Right? You know, like, those are real villains where, like, Anthony Edwards is a villain. Did you say Ant is a villain? No, not yet. Like, Ben Simmons was a villain.

He's a villain to his team. But he can boo that home and on the road, right? Like, New York was a villain to New York, right? Now they, like... You're paying the change on them. They get to get in the house now. They get to get in the house and not outside. Okay, but Ben was a villain because he was...

He's a villain in Philly. He's a villain in Philly while being in Philly. Like, when people genuinely just don't like you, like, they can just not like your personality or they can not like your success Right. Those are two way he has he's not there yet. Like Dylan Brooks is a villain Okay, right. I mean the Jalen Brown. You're a good dude Yeah, ain't no arena scream so bad for Jalen Brown like indeed is a villain in New York Yeah Like, Embiid is a villain in New York now. Yeah, he's a villain.

Like, he's a villain in New York now. So, Braun is a villain. Who? Dark 30 Braun was a villain. When he went to Miami, that was a villain, right? He was a villain. So, he's always been a villain. But once he started winning championships, it kind of like...

No, he was only a villain in Miami. Only a villain in Miami. Only in Miami. And KD was only a villain in... Golden State. Golden State. When KD went to Golden State, he was the villain. Villain in Miami only a villain in my only in Miami and Katie was only a villain in golden go to state when yeah When Katie went to go to state he was the villain now, but the oblong was only the villain in Miami. Yeah No, it's like Trey young like he's just a villain. Yeah, I ain't no matter what he do Nobody like not even New York

Nobody really Nobody's really rocking with him like that. So when you look around, we talk about villains. Who's the greatest villain in NBA history, do you feel like? Greatest villain in NBA history? Probably Dennis Robbins? No. Not Dennis?

I don't think so. No, you're right, because he only was hated on, he was only hated by Karl Malone. Nah. He was hated by Eric. Michael Jordan. The black hat. Yeah, he came...

He was a good man. Cole was a villain though. Cole, when he came back with that snake, that mom, that snake. When he came back with the tattoo, it was dark. Man, nah, man. Bron got to be the biggest villain.

You think? Bigger than Kobe or Mike? Fuck yeah. You think so? They've hated him since 18. No. No, it's been, like,

it was love, man, them furs six years before he went to Cleveland. In Cleveland, right? Everybody loved LeBron. Now skip, he's hated him. He's,

yeah, but everybody. Generational hate. Right? Like right now, right? Like right now, they,

like. Who? Just because they won't say he's the greatest of all time? Nah, just, it's, it's not even about the greatest. It's like, they won't say he's the greatest of all time nah just it's it's not even about the greatest it's like they don't even want to appreciate how he plays the game just you know it's like look at some people like even if he's not number one you don't even like him at number two yeah like damn like you only want to embrace number two or russell or embrace number three russell's the biggest villain right that no no no they smear

Boston no, that's everywhere. No, no, no it's Boston. I'll go Russell Fuse when he left his home. It was still Boston, but for everywhere he went was He was a villain and let's get let's get a good one here Reggie Miller The next fans no just period I Don't think people go ready to talk shit. Yeah, people didn't really like people didn't like me and he was skinny. Yeah, people didn't like Reggie Miller Charles Barkley Run I was a villain

Why not? That's a good one Cuz the stairs that's a good run up the state. Yeah, what's the fans came? Maybe came? That's you I'm just a trust me you're not No, this one really played again Like it is amazing that he played again. Let's be honest Let's be blatantly honest. I'm glad he did. Let's be like That's a good one. I don't know. Yo matter. Yeah He had to change his name. Oh, yeah

That's it's yeah, it's it's it's hard because it's like no I got one who Kermit Washington for being a Rudy yeah but but come good dude I think I do but he got black with a he didn't get a job like it was tough yeah like people he was going plays getting booed people like it was yeah Kermit ruined Rudy shit, that's the most disgusting punch ever. He was in Washington. He used to be kind of like a scout, used to come around a lot. Fucking Kermit in the locker room shushing me when he worked for the MBPA. Come around shushing, guys, man, did you just shush us in here, man?

No, you punched Rudy, You need to tell us. Shut up. Yeah, yeah, yeah. You got a little bit more power than that. Yeah, because you, boy. I almost said something back. Yeah, yeah. Yeah, yeah.

Leave you alone, Kermit. No, you're his boss, man. Yeah. I won't ask what everybody, but I'm going to leave you alone, bro. So in your guys' opinion, what makes a good villain? Do you need to be a star, or can you just be a good villain? Do you need to be a star or can you just be any level? No, you gotta be a star. You can't be... What about like a Dylan?

No, I don't... Sucks at basketball and the role. Yeah, a good villain, you have to be dominant at something. Yeah. Just you can't be dominant at being annoying. That can't be your gift. You just out here being annoying. It's a good gift, be your gift. Like you just I've been a good gift

Giving that the back again torch man Yeah, bad boys pistons I said you can say you got to be going at people Scorn and like you can't just be a villain and playing defense. It ain't gonna work. You're getting torch on other India Unless you're shutting that like. Unless you're shutting down. Unless you're shutting down dudes. If he was winning defensive player of the years and shit like that, then it makes it. Oh, Draymond Green. Oh, shit, you're right.

Draymond, yeah. You're right. Nobody likes Draymond. She Wallace. Oh, my Draymond. She and Draymond. When the refs don't like you, too, that's when you get the refs. Yeah, so Draymond. Yeah, I'm going to go Draymond.

There's no telling. I'm going to go Draymond, right? Yeah, for sure. As we sit here, yeah, the way media is and everything, I'm going to. Do we say NBA? Because I often say sports. I often throw A-R to throw a right ass out there very bond Barry Bonds So Yeah, definitely a big huge villain over there. Yeah in that sport

I ran over tyrant, but let's move it back to the hurt Jake Paul just so y'all know. Oh, yeah Mmm, y'all heard he got an erection watch the rules. Nah going to hurt Jake Paul, just so y'all know. Oh, yeah. He got an erection. What's the rules? Nah, yeah. You didn't hear those? Yeah, I heard the rules. It's like... He can't hit him?

If he knocks him out in the first round, he don't get paid. If he knocks him out in the second round, he don't get paid. So, the longer he stays into a round, he gets more money. I wouldn't do that shit if I was Mike. I wouldn't do that. So, that means, like... So, it entices Mike to take it easy and not

try to knock him out. So what if you hit him with a body punch? He gonna be he hits him with one of those randoms. He gonna be like Mayweather trying to, hey, hey, hey. Wake up, dog. Y'all remember that. Well, listen. One thing, dog. The only thing is, there's no, I'm gonna tell

you right now, man. You put them gloves on him. Mm-hmm In that environment, I don't think there's no turning him off. That's just me He kind of did that's the way I think about Mike Tyson It ain't that you can't turn him off something that he naturally does like a boom boom. Yeah Like with with Roy there was some hits where you can see Roy got hit Yeah, oh, but Roy was big enough to take that. And he'd been hit by a heavyweight before.

Roy done took punches by real boxers before. You ain't the only real boxer you fought, Jake, you lost to. Mm-hmm. Yeah, I don't... I don't give a fuck what age Mike Tyson is. Them motherfuckers still coming fast and bad intentions,. Yeah, but that's what he can't control You're not gonna be hitting them in there. I'm just hey, but the do it and make zero dollars is kind of like But if you go one round in the name

Well, yeah, so he'll make no well none of the purse. Oh, there was a hundred there gonna be no purse I'm gonna be no commercial. It gotta be like a hundred. It gotta be like 50 million. One thing I'm gonna tell you, Mike ain't doing this shit for that. I can tell you Mike getting some money for this. So he ain't going out there motherfucking doing this shit just... And then they said Jake Paul had to

um... He had to okay the referee. So he's in control of the referee. So he had to... It's like jury duty. Like, I want you... so if it goes the distance if it like this if it goes the distance most likely Jake Paul's gonna win yeah that's what that's why I don't think Mike is so hell yeah I'm picking my refs what the fuck ref these if I pick the refs that means I paid them the judges I'm just saying

I don't think there's no turning Mike Tyson off whenever it reaches that point I'm gonna get my bread with that's the thing It's like my getting some money you go is it's it's the longer it goes it kind of goes against Mike right tired Right that 100 million for a fight. He ain't doing this. I mean it might take this shit if I'm Mike I'm gonna do I'm gonna do Exact I'm gonna do exactly what I did my whole career Ding ding ding Boom, yeah, it's gonna be listen. It's gonna be a hook to the body and two to the head and

Get Get ready to get out the way. Yeah, You can put all the rules you want in. You can't trust the instincts. Yeah, that's why you got to wear hair. Fuck that head. That body blow, that uppercut. Listen, you got the head, and then you got this thing called the chin strap. I don't know if they know Mike Tyson's uppercut.

You better come out there with a whole pad right here You better have a chase plate. You better have metal round red Like that lock so scared on album Kid niggas in a back. You don't need a chest plate. Yeah, just bag for the styles new I Mean that doesn't today is one of them is one of these fights to try to make him legit as a fighter wrong guy right it's I get it he was better off going with a agent wrote rule rule John a turn burner he could afford agent Brown see that motherfucker you don't you can't trust him either for the money you could have told him was that what to do he ain't Mike Tyson. Yeah

It and he didn't dig in the ring Yeah You're gonna got Don King behind him you saw you saw Don King hold on and you got Go out there bitch. I wanna we fight see that but see it but it's the agent a problem is him like he like I can Get my name back with this white boy like you you don't know what he thinking Adrian on purpose you take the guy he's just gonna get beat up. Yeah Mr. Friend as they said like like a steak wise hands arm length speed He was probably one of the pound for pound

one of the most talented things yeah absolutely he did oh he so he is absolutely talent wise agent broner yes hell yeah just happened to be from cincinnati what is it aaron pryor there's just we can go down just cincinnati certain parts cincinnati name i love cincinnati near and dear to my heart. Do you think it's too late for him to turn it around? It's way too late. Way too late. He's only, what, 30 what?

He isn't 30. It's over. You think he's over for him? Big fights and all that. He ain't got no big fight. He can't beat nobody that's worth anything. Like if he just said, I'm going to, if he just locked in. It's too late.

Too old. He too old? Young guys. lost you got a fighter because he gonna be fighting at 147 154. Mm-hmm I saw a new fighter 154 don't Saturday not a chance. This dude got like 19 fights. He gonna put him out. Hmm We got to do a watchman fight is July 20th, I'm with that Underdog July to cut the check. check we just be coming back from Vegas. We will be at some July. Ladies and gentlemen July I'm thinking June July. Yeah, I'll be in Vegas for June to Want to see tank tank tank and Frank Martin?

Is it gonna be doing? Hell yeah Gonna be a good bump? It's going to be a good bump. Hell yeah. Going to be a good bump, dog. I got a tank. All right, well, let's get back to our Celtics discussion. So a few years ago when the Celtics started the season with a 23-24 record, there were talks of splitting up the Tatum and Brown duo. That team went on to reach the NBA Finals.

Now Brown is playing in his sixth conference finals. Tatum's in his fifth with one finals appearance between the two. But does it seem like Jason and Jalen are penalized for always being contenders but never winning a ring? Because you're playing Boston, man. I mean, they've been together for a minute too, though. So, you know, I think we were talking about, I think I was talking about them splitting up, but, I mean, I don't know.

I mean, they still under 30 So it's it's tough, but when do you know so if they don't win it this year this I'll try it one more time Sheesh, I'll give it one more time But that's what I'm saying. It might as well go tending What I'm saying no think about like if you if they're making it Me one made it to the Easter Conference final six times one made it five times in seven years, right? The only way you trade one of them is if you are guaranteed this is the person that's taking you over the hump, right?

You can't restart. It ain't restarting. It's just maybe it's not the right fit, probably. It's good for regular season success. But when it's said and done, when it's on the line, maybe it's not the right fit. I'm not saying that because... But is it...

Is it them? Is it the surrounding cast? Is it the coaching? Is it... What is it? Is it something? They live and die by the three too much. Has it been...

The matchups they had in the Eastern Conference Finals. What is it? Is this something they live and die by the three too much has it been Matt so soft to hook? The matchups they had in the Eastern Conference final So go back with each year, which you know Miami Milwaukee you want to go back to the Brass first round first one so we can go back down memory lane So first one Lost to the Cavs 4-1. Okay.

Next one, loss to the Cavs 4-3 game seven. Bron. I think that was the Bron. Tatum ducking on Bron. Bron and Bron. Bron and Bron.

That don't count. That don't count. Two Bron. That don't count. 2020, they lost to the Heat and that was in the bubble, right,

if I'm not mistaken, 4-2. That's the Heat that went to the championship. Hmm? was in the bubble, right, if I'm not mistaken, 4-2. That's the Heat that went to the championship? Hmm? The championship? Yeah. Okay.

Yep. Lakers won the hardest championship in NBA history that year, just for anybody keeping score. Mm-hmm. 2022. Milwaukee. Beat the Heat in seven. Oh. Oh, they beat the Heat?

Uh-huh. Yeah. And then went to the championship. Went to the championship, lost to the Warriors in six. Okay. 2023, again, lost to the Heat in game seven. That was about Yeah, we're down to your came back. Don't let us get one. Okay, Jay the Brown said it seemed like that like the first two The brawn joints. Okay, we get your okay. We get y'all those and then 2019 they lost second round to the Bucs

That's when the Bucs got him for more but we like far as Eastern Conference fine Yeah, I'm so we and lost to the champs So he lost So we got to LeBron one Giannis. No, no, you're on the same. But just in the playoff. Yeah, so we're Ivan but the Eastern Conference finals just the two feet with the focus of Celtics is See anything about this, but so you think about even even the age you're talking about their ant-man When when they're losing to Miami to their ant their ant-man right now, but it's two of them. Yeah It's two of them but not but they wasn't even old Anthony I was by himself basically But see but Anthony Edwards with a

Older team has a better team He has a bit as I He has a better team. Yeah, he has a better older team that he can be young and make young mistakes, but he got people to clean up. They are the focal point at that age and everybody around him that age. So there's a lot of pressure on them to be young guys. Yeah, I think probably what, the 26 and 27 right now, probably I'll stick it out until one more year.

No. You got to give me three. I want to see what they look like at 29, 30. Because I know at least them two, with whatever cast we're bringing, they're going to at least get us to the Eastern Conference Finals. Hold on. Yeah, they're not waiting that long.

They're not waiting three years. Oh, they're going to win the championship. And then what? Because if I get rid of one, am I bringing back somebody who's going to help me get to the Eastern Conference Final or the champ? I can't. I will be stupid. I don't want to be Philly. Right?

Where, you know, we're right there, number one team. We just ain't turning ben simmons hurt one year this person's hurt we did and then i get rid of one of my superstars don't bring something back get rid of jimmy butler right you start moving pieces then you got the one cornerstone and you're just wasting his age and then at some point mb will be too old for the team he has and then he's the next loot out you know you don't want to beat that right you don't think you get something from Jaylen Brown?

I mean like you don't think you get a piece of like a championship piece for him like he's like you can get something from him I think you can. If I can get a Jimmy you get a Jimmy Butler? Something different like I just think I honestly think if they don't win it this year there's a lot of pressure on them as an organization. Now that people are really looking at you, you got the best record in the league, you made all these moves, you brought in Drew, you brought in Porzingis, you did this, you got Derek White playing the way he is, you got two all-stars, you got, I think it's a lot of pressure on them now, especially how it looks now.

There's no Nikola out there. There's no Embiid. It's wide open for them. Yeah, you playing. Potential facing the Mavs where the Wolves in the front. And if they don't win it right now, this year, I think there's a lot of pressure on them to me to do something and I don't know what that something is I don't know what that something is but it ain't Jason Tatum no cuz they paid him yet I okay so let's say this let's

say he paid him yet let's say they're not they didn't they didn't win it somehow yeah and they get rid of Derek White or Drew and bring in someone like Klay. Because that's where you can say they kind of like, eh. So who's their point guard? Do you need one at that point? On that team, I think you need a point guard. Yeah, you need a point guard.

But that's what I said, Derek White and... Both of them play in the same team. Yeah, so you don't need Derek White and Drew Holiday. Okay. That's what I'm saying. So if they don't win it and they go get someone like Clay, that would change this. Clay and who, though? You got to bring somebody else.

Do you? They need a point. I mean, well. No, that's what I'm saying. You keep... You keep Drew or White. They're both doing the same thing. So, they paid Drew, so you're gonna probably keep him.

Yeah, I mean, it's weird. I just... Well, I just hope they win it this year. I just think there's a lot of... All the pressure's on them right now to win it. Yeah, I mean, I'm... A lot of pressure. I'm saying they have the most pressure of any team remaining in the playoffs just given what they've already been doing.

Yeah, yeah, yeah. From the history, the last six years, I mean, the six Eastern Conference Finals, no rings, this year, best record, moves they made, everything. Hey, this is. Yeah, the other three teams have no pressure. They don't supposed to be. You know, for them, starting the season off, nobody put them in the Western Conference Finals or Indiana Eastern Conference Finals.

So, you know, they, they playing, you know, they playing with the house money right now. I mean, you all know how hard it is to win in the playoffs. So, so do Tatum and Brown deserve more credit for the Celtics postseason success during this era? Or can you, like you saying, is it because it's the Celtics? Like if they're on pretty much any other team besides the Celtics or Lakers. It's just because you're playing in Boston, man. It's the history of it. It's the banners they have.

If they had two banners hanging up there and they were from 1960 and the other one was 2009, there'd be no pressure. Exactly. Right? Okay. They talented expectations. If they win it this year, great. If not, we got next year, guys.

Yeah. It ain't that up there. It ain't that for the Lakers. Y'all know y'all disappointed every year at this bitch. Recently. But I'm just saying, like, the pressures of being... Recently most. Because the 17, 18 banners up there, right?

It's been established. There's 18 banners hanging up there. So it's the pressures of it. It's like now going to New England, or you're going to the Boston Bruins, or you're going to the Blackhawks. It's pressures. The Yankees, there's pressures that come with that.

And when you don't win and win now, they're looking to make moves. And the fact that they've had six shots at it, that's a lot, dog. The one before Jason Tatum, I don't count the two against LeBron because that was a tall task. But so four, and add, like, they have to win this year, then it'll be five without, but then it'll be, it's. Yeah, I mean, it should be, I mean, this should, this should be the win. Like, this is, this should, right now, the four teams that's left,

this should be their championship. Because you've had, you've been able to rest Porzingis Like most times it is going. Hey, they lose two three games. You rushing him back You for one he's everybody so you can Slow walk him back now you get him back for the Eastern Conference Finals probably or doing the guy I don't know if he's playing tonight or if he's close You get him back and now it's really, Al Horford's been playing well, he's been stepped in.

We know what Al Horford's going to do. So guys have to play different roles now because he's been out. Yeah, you got to win. Yo, they didn't give up on Paul Pearson, though. When Paul was there, how long did it take him to win once? And, brother, that team was trash. They was trash. I know, but what I'm saying is...

Trash. Paul. Paul was there. Paul was there. Everybody else was gone. Antonio Walker was there. No, Antoine Walker was gone. No, he was gone.

It was trash. Antoine Walker was gone. Yeah, but that era, they was just bad. So they didn't expect anything. It was just Paul out there. Yeah, Paul was the lone wolf Celtic that was from... So that might be... Like, from when I got there, when I got there in 2000,

Paul was already there. Him and Twan was already there. So they went 2000, 2001, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight. And then they made that trade and won that year, yeah. be I could be Jason Taylor. Huh? That could be Jason Taylor You can get trade everybody just be there and just get some get some new I mean, no I'm saying they don't win it It can turn it but that's he gonna end up being that long. I'm just looking at like this while he's

like It's like it's like it's like it's like it's like Braun right when he came in he was already put against

Magic and Jordan so he didn't have a chance to be a selfish player and stack them stats

Jason Tatum has entered that area where you've done one so young to the point now you can't go backwards. You can't go and say, all right, I'm about to lead the league in scoring.

Right, right. Right? When Kobe did it, Kobe had three rings already. All right, I mean, I got three rings. I'm a three-time champion. What do I need now? Oh, scoring champ, this, this. Show everybody I'm a god.

Lead big fella, lead coach coach and let me do that jason tatum he don't have the trophies to say all right it's time for me to just be selfish so right now he has to always sustain until he gets that trophy with him for people to respect it because he can't go backwards and be selfish you got to do that when you're between 19 and 25 that those Luca years He don't get those Luca years Definitely would never get it probably can't it's too late. It's too late for you got a win I think he's going about it as a rookie all about teams to say that's all about yeah That's what said them empty stats right eat right now. He don't get no love with the wins

You think what happens with his team win 35 games that move of averaging 38 you think they give like items and empty So now he has to keep winning teams. That's why I said they had a day in the pickle right now Gotta win got you It's now no fair Fair but it's cuz he got game cuz he really got is just like we'll never be able to see him actually get you come I'm gonna continue. No, you can't you You can't start losing that god damn it, right? So let's just say hypothetical word they don't get it done this year how hard is Jalen Brown's contract to move though That's the plan he's he can I don't think it'll be hard. Mm-hmm because he look at the production of the player

and if the contract didn't match the production or vice-versa the contract didn't match the production, or vice versa, whatever, then yeah, you can, but, no,

Jalen Brown's a productive NBA player. He's an all-star, a perennial all-star. Year in, year out, he'll be an all-star wherever he goes. He's built that work ethic.

He's built that, that know-how to be successful in the NBA. He has that. So no matter where Jalen Brown goes, he'll be an all-star But yeah, moving the contract with a team that needs Somebody of his caliber own and off the floor seem like it's he got his life together off the floor. Yeah

Somebody team that could use that Easy trade things up Clippers, but Clippers. I was finna get rid of this thing. You took the words right out of my mouth, bro. Clippers. That is excellent. Especially because of what people think is about to happen. It's excellent. Excellent.

Definitely got to entertain that. Excellent choice. Huh? Lakers? That too? I'm just saying because I don't want them to go to Clippers. Either one of them. Listen. If they don't get it to go to the Cougars.

I'm saying, either one of them. Listen, if they don't get it done this year, I think that's a viable option. Both LA teams is a viable option for them, for what they have, what they need. Yeah, go to the Cougars. They're so old and young, and you make one decision, it's over. Right, you know. It's going to be an interesting season. I hope they do.

They got to do right by dude, man. They have to, though. They got to do what? They got to do right by him. They got to get some. They can't waste these last few years for the dude, man, and being in 10th, 11th, 12th place every year. Nasty.

That sucks. Nasty work. They got probably, what, three, four more than that? Enjoy enjoyable to watch in short periods, but they got to change his role All right, but they got it. They got to get him a big man They got to give him somebody where he ain't have to work as hard to get buckets man We get a few spot up open easy looks and they got to get it just I Don't know shit about basketball. Let me stop. I don't know shit. Giannis has helped that motherfucker a lot. Huh?

Giannis. I've been... I don't know. Well, that's another... Somebody got to make some moves. Like we said, we talk about just how hard it is to win. They've certainly had the most sustained success. You look at that Buck squad since winning the chip.

Look at the Warriors in recent years. Who else besides LeBron, the Steph Warriors, and the Celtics has had that level of sustained success? And the Heat. There's a handful of teams. But again, as of late,

if Tatum and Brown are OKC or whatever, six conference finals in eight years. Damn near throw a parade, but not a bust. But not getting it done is tough, man. So let's look ahead to this Eastern Conference Finals. Game one is tonight in Boston. Celtics were 3-2 against the Pacers this season,

averaged 129 points per game against the league's highest scoring offense. The Pacers average 117 points in those five games. So will this be an easier or tougher matchup for the Celtics than their first two series? How many games did they win this year? I think tougher. They won 64 games this year? Yes.

Yeah. I think tougher you want 64 games this year Listen I think if the Pacers make them Take a lot of contested threes because they like to take threes and let other people outside of Jalen Brooke Jalen Brown and Jason Tatum create I think they'd be alright We just got done saying now that Derek White and Drew Holliday do the same thing now. Mm-hmm That light-skinned zero boy finna have fucking hell Tyrese Halliburton. Yes, he ain't going it doesn't he ain't going against Brunson I'm going D down ain't going against McBride talking about this shit Right here and none of that. No you plan to get two guys that get out of it on defense

He just got to be extra aggressive and then you want to pick and roll you got a 6-9 guy to switch only two of them Yeah, that's the thing. I like the pace of size though Don't feel like it's gonna work. Hey, so the size Yeah, I mean, let's they just got push the ball and be mad at you pushing the ball against a bunch of a bunch of Players that wanna go it was like and they want to go that thing with trying with I mean we used to play Cleveland Right. It was the thing like alright, we want to push a tempo and but you know, they got brown over there, right? Like I mean we want to push it because we thinking about our gals kids, but he wants to be in the fast-breaking We can't stop him. so this is a tricky situation.

MD Wade, this is a tricky situation. You're trying to keep them in the open court. I'll give you three out of ten. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Like, all right, we got to run three. We'll walk it up seven. Cool? Cool.

It's rough. So you're talking about having Tatum and Brown in the open court. There's a reason they scored 129 against them. They put up 155 one game against them. Yeah, they don't want to play that fast. That's what I said. They counter-offer. That was like when Miami was playing OKC.

I said, that's the perfect matchup for Brown. A bunch of kids, young dudes that just want to go up and down. Play fast fast be aggressive Yeah, yeah, that's the wrong matchup for that and and them dudes Guarding your best player. Yeah, right. Yeah, they really gonna guard your best player. They gonna guard the hell out of Tyrese Halliburton I just want him to be prepared. I don't think he know that not This is the same group that they had to go against Kyrie and KD. And they put the thunderstorm on them.

Switch off, switch off, switch off, switch off, switch off. Boston against Brooklyn? Brooklyn. A long time ago? Three years ago. Three years ago. Yeah, same group. Ain't nobody changed.

They got better defensively. Yeah, they got better defensively. So all they're going to do is like, you go Hallie. Oh, you got him down now you go Jason you get them right so they get the throw for Defenders on a person you want to get out of it out there and he's a solid perimeter defender cuz he didn't seen every Imaginable matchup out there bitch right move every move you can throw it out or he didn't see so It can be listen it can be a easy for oh like it should be, listen, it can be an easy 4-0. Like, it should be a 4-0, but obviously, you got Tricky with the whistle.

No, I got Pacers winning game one. Full one. You think Pacers are going to come in and take game one, Brandon? Yeah, for sure. Yeah, I got Pacers winning game one. Why do you feel that way? Boston been out too long. They've been chilling.

He said they've been vacationing. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Game one is the easiest one to win. Been there. We had a break between, came out of the Eastern Conference Finals and swept them, boys. They're not built like y'all, though. But once you know how to win in the playoffs,

my point is once you know how to win in the playoffs and you've had success doing it, they ready, ready. Well, let me rephrase that. They should. They should be be red like not just ready to play they should be ready to make an example out of any other places they're gonna be that's what i'm that's what i'm doing the disappointment from last scene last season it should burn especially them two guys who we've been speaking of the whole time. Yeah. Right? Them two, it should have been burning. Like, Jason Tate had been going through, people ain't seen a lot of smiles and all that shit

so far through the playoffs. People try to save because he ain't been playing well or whatever. Whatever, I see determination. That's why he was asking the double-double. Okay, my shot ain't falling, I'm going to get this bitch off the glass. We going to do some other things, right? I'm trying to win right now, and that's what I've been seeing from him and the pressures is that he's feeling he's filling the pressure So he ain't won one everybody else around his peers. Everybody got a championship. Yeah, right. I

Think this is easy work easy work easy work So not let's flip to the other side. It just pretend if could, you Rick Carlisle, you're the Pacers. Yeah. You don't want to come get swept or gentlemen swept. What do the Pacers need to do to pull off the upset in this series? Because they can't play Boston the way they play New York, right? Because their best players, what they did well, T.J. McConnell won't be a factor,

because his thing was picking up full court, picking up Jalen Brown. Nembhard, same thing, he won't be effective because that's what he was good at. Neesmith can shoot it, so he might have a chance playing well, but the other guys, the way you played them is not that. So you got to come up with a game plan.

You got to come up with something. You got to feature Pascal Siakam. Myles Turner got to play better. You got to run some stuff for him. He got to get on the blocks instead of just shooting threes. Like, you got to do something different against these boys because you cannot come out and think you finna play fast. And not right now now now these boys determined

So Rick is a good coach got championship championship pedigree championship Staff all that stuff. Yes. Absolutely. This is tall task But like I said, he's been at the highest level of coaching So able to put a game plan together and all that, but who you are playing matters. So, but. Dang.

Contest that three. They're going to live and die by the three in Boston. They're going to live and die by the three. Contest it. How are they going to get posted up by damn drew holiday Drew are they gonna put his ass in a post right? That means if he get on a Tatum post brown post they gonna post the outcome because see I come skinny

So you they're gonna try to bruise them down there. Okay, and they get sacked with fat. Oh, they don't get see I give a foul trouble. We'll see so you got Boston winning no I got faces winning something paces with it I got boss I'm serious but I just don't think it's gonna be I think it's gonna be easy no the fact that they beat him bad I don't think so I got Boston in six okay I mean it could be safe but they know he says we I don't think no sweep or five no I mean they can they mean they ain't going to be able to sweep because of refs. I'm just going to be honest with you. I don't even think it's going to matter.

You know, they'll try. Oh, offensive. Oh, they're going to be trying, but it's... See, they have 4-1. I ain't going to say they ain't going back to Indiana. I don't think a team is going to win another game in Boston during the playoffs. So Gil, let's say Rick Carlisle hits you up. You got that out the way.

I need the best strategy to win this series. What is the Pacers' best strategy to at least try to make it a competitive series? I already know where this is going. Yeah. We can – what we're going to do is we're going right now, oh, it's too late now, but you get all the fouls you didn't get against Boston, you know, in those five games, right? Because they played five, right? How many games did they play against each other?

Five games this season. Yeah, they played five games this season. Send all the tapes that you didn't get and then hopefully the basketball guys are with you. Because if not, you're just getting your ass whooped. This is just one of those fights where you just look at the dude and say, alright, you got his ass whooped.

Just swing back just a little bit. That's it. We'll cheer for you. Put your head down and swing. We'll cheer for you. Might get lucky. Two threes in a row bro. Might get lucky. All right, all right. Let's stay. Two threes in a row. Hey, hey, listen.

Don't get lucky tonight. Hey, this is Buster Douglas. Just celebrate, right? After every, this is one of those games where, man, don't put no pressure on yourself. Right? If you go in there and say, we got to do that. Nah, just listen. We here.

We never been here in a long time. Go out there and have fun, boys. Could we just play? That might right there change the situation. You go out there and have fun. You get just write that might that might write their changes it they go to have fun You get there try to overdo your game plan anybody get your ass play Sunday Today to yeah, yeah, just go play go to hell ball and I go to go hell ball Just go out and just play out of your mind. Hey fellas. Look we don't supposed to win this look look We first game is ooh. This says minus is this minus 11 damn

Like I'm just telling you like just from somebody who's a minus 11 Somebody like him like yeah, they're not gonna get beat by so everybody gonna bet Indiana right knowing Vegas like yeah They're gonna give me by 20 Right that's what that's what that's that line says says he minus 10 and5. Everybody's like, they're not going to beat by 10.5. Game one, let's go. Indiana, Indiana. Everybody lost their money. Crazy.

The house always wins, they say. So we asked the chat, are the Pacers the Celtics' toughest matchup so far? 56% said yes. The toughest matchup? Yeah. Not that that means anything. Only because they made it to the Eastern Conference. Not that that means nothing. That don't mean anything to the Eastern Conference. Not that that means nothing.

I don't mean that. I mean, that's tough as a matchup. It is the Eastern Conference. All right, well, let's shift back over to Wes. Can you talk about your favorite player? So, with the Mavs' Game 6 series clinching win over the Thunder on Sunday, Kyrie Irving improved to 14-0 in closeout games in his career. After the win, Kyrie was emotional in the locker room.

Don't make me cry, man. Don't do that. Speech, speech, speech, speech. I just want to thank each one of you guys, man. All your sacrifices, all the things that you guys are doing, when no one's watching, it's truly appreciated. And all the words of affirmation that we're giving each other go a long way, man. So keep the positivity going.

Job's not finished, but we can definitely celebrate this one. This is a part. It was tough. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.

Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. You saw the Jonte Porter sign in the background? Yeah, I was like, yeah, he knows bad when they got that in the locker room right on the board. No gaming, no betting, no fixing. And if you do, they got the number you can call.

Yeah, yeah. That shit's crazy. If you're thinking about fixing it, just call us. I took my lower. So Kyrie's averaging 21 points, five assists, four rebounds in the playoffs, nearly seven points per game in the fourth quarter, which is second only to Anthony Edwards among remaining players in this playoff. I think it's sixth overall.

But, Canyon, for you, how much resilience has Kyrie shown this season considering how much his name has been dragged the past few years? No, I'm not surprised by his success. He's a hell of a basketball player Just being able to put all all the negativity and and All the BS behind you and just go out and who Is it's great for the soul great for his team. Yeah, no, he's a hell of a talent, man.

And winning is important to him. Looking good while you're winning is important to him. So, yeah, no, he's doing what I expect him to do. I don't expect anything less from Kyrie be, show excellence on the floor. Yeah, he's, yeah, but I need him to start a little quicker, though. That's all. That's all. I need him to start a little faster.

But other than that, no, I mean, he's channeling it in the right direction. Staying positive, man. Like you said, positive thoughts and things go a long way, man. And let's keep it going. And I'm with him. Like, once you talk winning, breathe winning, and success and happiness, yeah, the rest is people's success. Brent, how about yourself? Just when you look at Kyrie's resiliency. Yeah, I think just him being in a small market in Dallas also helped him out a lot. Mark Cuban, I think being able to control media outlets and not being so much on his personal life and his thoughts and being able to just showcase his game.

I've been around him a couple times this year, too, so just seeing him around his family, his friends. We have a mutual friend named spice uh jeff rogers a couple and his dad he's just got good people around him right now so um and then with him like you know i think you said he needs to start earlier but i think for him it's like his his his leadership comes in that third and fourth for them like he's able to give luca and all everybody to get off and then when it comes to the third and fourth quarter you know that's when he's kairi because he's's one of the best closers in the game. But I think just being in Dallas in that small market

is helping him out a lot. I think he's about to try to turn up this series. I mean, because he's been on chill mode until like before. But the fact that Anthony Edwards publicly said, I'm about to guard him. Ah. Ah. Like, yeah, that's not the, that's not the person. Like, you want him as, like, you want him docile.

He's been docile. Let him, he was trying to figure out the game, boom, boom, boom. So the fact that you challenged him means his engine's on yeah and he's gonna try to sit there and body you and that's not what you want and you're gonna listen this is not jamal murray i respect jamal murray game anthony elwes i do i do brother I do. Brother, I do, I do. This is not him. Nah. Because he going to make you touch, you going to come out that bitch aggressive,

and he going to make you touch earth. Yeah. And he's been here before. He's going to make you touch earth. You going to touch earth. He going to touch earth. Right. Earth. You're going to touch earth. With a capital F. He's going to touch earth. Right. You got that motherfucker playing straight twist. Twister like a motherfucker trying to guard him.

I'm telling you, trying to guard Kyrie, you been with that mindset? Yeah. You out there trying to play defense on him, okay. Here's what you, poetry in motion. Like watching Barry Sanders play football. Like, look at him go. Yeah, he's way more mature. Remember when Kobe was eight and then Kobe became 24?

It's like Kyrie's coming into that other mode. Yeah, but you know, some players like that, when they're in docile mode and they, all right, this is how I'm gonna play the game, right? Keep them there. You know, there's some dudes out there when you mentally challenge them and say, yeah, I'm gonna guard, I'm gonna shut him down.

And that trigger comes on, you be like, dawg, you should've just shut the fuck up. Like, why you ain't just shut the fuck up, man? Like, dawg, like. But you gotta put on the challenge, though. Man, you gotta love it, though, like. But coming off a game,. Yeah, man. You gotta love it though like but Come on for games Yeah, you said yeah

Challenge him. Okay, because you know, he goes you gotta remember he gonna shoot he was playing like the possum game, right? He was playing little chess the fact that you challenged him for him to turn his engine on in the first quarter Now you got both these motherfuckers now. I was saving my bullets for the fourth. Now I'm about to use them now. I bought the big gun. I bought the 50 out. Before I was pew, pew, pew. Life is a 22.

It's a 22. He bought the big gun out. Alright. So just to confirm, does Ant really want to smoke with Kyrie? He won't. No, he won't. He won't.

He absolutely won't. Does he know what he's getting into? And just for a comparison standpoint, they've only played four times. They've split those four games. But Kyrie has outscored Ant in three of the four games. But the last time they played in January, Ant had 36, Kyrie had 35. But the Mavs won again. No, what I'm saying is, well, I mean, shit,

Kyrie wasn't averaging scoring 35 in the series. Now that's the mode you don't want because you was trying to cancel out Luka and then let everybody figure out now if Kyrie and you are canceling each other out, Luka's out there tripled up by himself. Yeah. So what is the best defensive strategy for

the Wolves? Obviously I don't think Ant's going to have to guard Kyrie for the whole game. Jaden McDaniels on Kyrie Irving. Really? I was thinking Jaden on Luka but... Jaden McDaniels on Kyrie. Put him on Kyrie? I would. I'd put Anthony Edwards on Luka. Luka be busting, baby. Wait, hold on Yeah, long range now Ain't say they can garden, but I will put Then where's Connie who look for calling them guard who kind of like I'm Tim Hardaway jr. Tim come off the bench Oh, yeah Derek Jones, oh no Did you yeah, that's what I look at it think They got the mic on my the guard Kyrie.

I think our Kyrie's in the beginning. No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no. Hey man, you just got to play. We would do the fourth quarter, but we know. Yeah, yeah. And then Kyrie just got a car. We see Mike Conley earliest. No, he gonna play regular when he's the Ant-Man is over. yeah, I mean yeah, I see number three like when I was growing up. He was cool

Juan Dixon that number three come out there He wearing my number you would I don't know what I see number three though. It was over It was like a fucking it was like a it was a bullseye. He was coming at your throat. Wow. We got to grow up, y'all. We got to grow up, but you're right. We? We got to go back to Paul's.

We can't even say the other one no more. That is a whole nother meeting. That's a whole nother meeting. That's a whole nother meeting. The end it? No, did it? It ain't got nothing to do with sex no more. That is a... That is all kicks and pulls.

How we want to use it. Fucking coward. Fucking coward. Yeah. Kick his damn chest in. I wish I knew how to fight. You can't say that publicly. I heard you got hands.

So I don't want to hear that. I heard from a good source, too, that, yeah, don't let guilt fill you. He better. He probably gonna, you know. He better. In the Valley, you know. I heard that from a good story. I heard that from a good story. You know what I'm saying? They said, don't let go.

What shit does he talk? I used to deal with that in school, man. Little boxing, little $5. You know, we $5. What shit does he talk? He better know how to throw. For $5. Yeah, my, I was a freshman year in high school.

All I put was, all I had was boxing gloves. And then I used to just challenge everybody, $5. Box. Box. Box. Box. Box. Box.

Box. Box. Box. Box. Box. Box. Yeah, I was a freshman year in high school. All I have is boxing gloves. And then I used to just challenge everybody, five dollars, box. Yeah, I was... Did you take an L ever again? I took an L to a girl in third grade. And sixth grade.

The same one? No. Okay. I didn't know. You got a problem? Baby D? Like sixth grade. The same one? No. Okay. I didn't know. Did you go to farm? Yeah. Baby D? Like sixth grade?

No, not baby D. She wasn't quite baby D. Creature on your mouth glitter. She had asthma, so she was a little stronger than the rest of us. Yeah. She was on asthma. She was puffing it. And she was eighth grade. She was eighth.

I was in sixth. And I ain't going was eighth. I was in sixth. And I ain't going to lie. I was trying to fight back. Because she got on top of you, right? Yeah, yeah, yeah. I was swinging, though. I was trying to swing and kick and stuff. You know what I mean?

If I knew biting was a part of it, I would have bit the fuck out of her. I ain't playing with you. Just got a little ass swooping. Bill's character again. I hope she don't remember that. Because I wasn't really famous, so I hope she don't remember the name and then be on faith. But yeah, I'm the one who whooped his ass. We got to run it back.

No ditty. We got to run it back. No ditty for them. All right, well, let's talk a little bit about Thunder. So Thunder finished 10th last season, saw a 17-win improvement to become the youngest team in the NBA history to secure a number one seed, reached the second round for the first time since 2016,

have a bona fide superstar, Shea Gildas Alexander. But when you look at this Thunder team, I don't think any of us expected them to make a championship run with this squad. This was a character-building season. But what did the Thunder show you this season? The organization itself showed what they've been showing in the last probably decade. They have an eye for talent.

They know how to mold that talent. They're picking good people. They have a couple mishaps there, but for the most part, they seem like they're good kids. They're team-oriented. Even though there's a superstar, he keeps his team involved. You can see now that some people might be on the out of the rotation with them, and they seem like they're going to be looking for a shooting guard come this summer. But I mean, it's one of those, it might be another Boston situation. They're having success young, and then they're gonna keep trying to tap into it tap into it see what they look like in probably like 2028 I think

he if they keep that core together they're playing 28 I mean what about 25 I mean forgetting shades that shade that the star, is 26. He's 25. 25. I mean, everyone still has to mature, but they're playing well. Two years from now, they might be somewhere. Yeah. Other teams start falling off. Like what, finals? Huh? Finals?

Not because you got Ant-Man over there now. So what's... See, I mean, that's what I'm saying. It's like with Ant-Man, he's only 22. So the fact that he's building, fucking Luka's building, right? It's going to be... I mean, them three teams are some good...

I mean... They got draft picks? Who? They got all the draft picks. They got a ton of draft picks. All of them. A ton of cap space. I could see them running this for a minute

and then just getting rid of it and then just getting the draft picks and then just keep doing it. Like, they just, it's just going to be a. Right now, they literally the plug because all teams that need to rebuild, they need to get back assets and, meaning lottery picks. Yeah. The dudes that hold all of them. So you know, I can give you this with that, give me that.

You know, you need three draft picks in the first round? Show me what you got. So they can really bully with those draft picks a little bit. So this summer is a big summer for them. I mean they need a... Do you think they're using him this summer? They have the 12th pick this year. Yes. They got a lottery pick

this year. That they got from Houston. Get you a good older player to come in and play right away? Is there a nice little shooting guard? Like who? I don't know. Someone that's like a junior or senior? a shooting guard that's a junior or senior? DeMar?

Nah, not that old. I'm talking about in the draft, at the 12th pick. A junior or senior that's a solid shooting guard that knows how to put the ball in the basket? Hell yeah. And then obviously we talked, you got Clay, who's going to be out there, potentially Paul George,

who's going to be out there. The Rosen. There's going to be a lot of guys. That's two. If they can get, Zach Levine,

I mean, there's going to be a lot of people out there. I'm telling you, it's going to be Finding Waldo, this one.

Where is he? He's going to be searching. it's going to be finding Waldo this summer. Where is he? He's going to be searching. He's going to be searching this summer. Good problem to have. Yeah, no, for sure. It's going to be some sick moves this summer. And they're going to be behind all of them trying to just collect shit. Yeah.

Because you got to think, like going to state, they're going to have to figure out with staff what they're going to do the next, you know, a couple years. Retirement is coming up for a bunch of these guys. So it's like how you want to end it. And that's why I said OKC is going to be,

they're going to be the plug because y'all have to rebuild. And the fact that y'all have been good for so long, y'all not going to have no draft picks. Y'all gave them all up to try to win a championship

and it didn't work out for you. So what's happening? Let's run it back. You have no draft picks. Y'all gave them all up to try to win a championship. It didn't work out for you. So what's happening? Let's run it back. You need your draft picks back? Give me this player. Let's talk a little SGA. Scored 29 or more points every game in the series against the Mavs, including five straight 30-point games.

He's had five straight 30-point. So with shooting splits of 51, 55, 83, was SGA the most consistent star in the playoffs so far? Yeah, I mean, when it comes to... I saw Brunson, what he was able to do. Yeah, when you call it consistent, like, he hit 30 to 31 on dot right is like he

Did he have any did he have a bad Did he have any bad shooting nights Because it seemed like with him me like he's not three he don't shoot no three He don't really shoot no get. He gets to the basket a lot. He's bopping. He's sitting in the mid-range, and he's sitting in the layup. Yep. So when he's making his layup, ain't nobody there.

So I will give you every game from the series. Yeah. So game one, it's 42% from the field, 50 from three. Game two, he's 54% from the field, 33% from the only three attempts. Game three was 43% from the field, 66% from the three. Game five, 52%, 0 for one from three. Game six, 55% from the field, 2 for four from three. Game seven, 14 for 25, 4 for 5 from 3. And if not for A, foul on P.J. Washington.

He's efficient, man. He's consistent in his approach. He knows what he's got to do to help his team win. I think they've got a formula of production and distribution of the ball. That, like I was saying, he's gonna stay around at 30, 31 at night. Which is crazy, which is impressive to do. But yeah, no, I think they have a system of winning and being able to distribute the ball and the, yeah.

So for him to be that consistent in his scoring, I think that's, I think it's a formula. Yeah. That they then came up with. And if he got it going, yeah, but he's not going to. I've never seen him take more than like three, four shots in a row when he got it going. Yep, you're right, you're right.

He might make three, and he's going to wait, then he's going to take another two, then he's going to. I think it's a system, what they have. But it's effective. It's very effective for what they have. We saw in that game six, though, when it was crunch time and he needed to get some buckets. Yeah, yeah.

But then he ended up with 35. Yeah, exactly. He ended up with 35. That's my point. You know what I mean? So, yeah, 27 and turning on late, then number 35, whatever it was. Yeah, now they got a good young team, man. They don't know what they need.

I think a veteran, somebody that's been winning, like an Al Horford, a, who else been around? Shit, I would even think like somebody like PJ just like just a voice like somebody who you like I still got a little to entertain to play but I just think just just a voice of someone that's had success someone who's been like a lot of different situations in the locker room and winning, losing. But I think Al Horford would fit that more than P.J.

Him, I don't even like a veteran backup point guard like Kyle Lowry or somebody like that. Jeff Green? Jeff Green? Yeah, Jeff Green. But that's the type of team P.J. Tucker would be useful on. A team that will listen to him, right? You know, he's won.

He's won a championship, you know what I mean? And, you know, he's around superstars who still like, yeah, yeah, yeah, right? You know, a young team that needs that kind of leadership, his voice would be more powerful. Yeah, same thing Memphis did, get Marcus Smart. Yeah. And Derrick Rose. And Derrick Rose, right?

I think that's the same kind of, at that position you need, but yeah, it's, it's just like, there's nothing like having a common vet voice for a young guy that's having success. Mm-hmm. So, yeah, I just think, yeah,

that's the, if they're going to do anything, I think something of that nature. Yeah. Keep the core. Whatever you do with the 12th pick, it could be productive for you or it could be a project for you. Yep. Either way. But I think having a, like, if you're making any moves, I love that Klay Thompson move, man.

Shea get the still playing space. Yep. Still knock down shots. Yeah. Fired at my foot too. Then you got Giddy who's a pass first guy. You get Chet, then you get the playing space. I think it's-

Giddy's probably on the- Yeah, I'm about to say he can get Giddy up out there. Yeah, he can, but if he's on the floor, you know what he doing. He's a distributor versus four-mo but get it. He's on his way out. That's fine Yeah, but I love a clay Thompson in that situation. Yeah, so basically reports are giddy They're looking to move him. I was he didn't play much in that second round kind of relegated to the bench So my matchups to them so he would see like a guy like clay could fill that void I just I just take a lot of voice for a lot of teams.

Yeah. His talent, Giddy's talent is that stat stuffer. Okay, I got you. Right, you know what I mean? It's I need you to – you know, he's going to go out there, you get your 10 points, eight rebounds, six. Six assists. It just –

I got you. No impact in a game. It just all looks good Oh, this is you know, I mean, he's one of those guys. So I think they like and we'll find somebody who can do something Very well. Yeah, I think them I like that clay aspect for Me. I mean they have the money I have the picture get it. It's crazy. They got all the money and the picks. Come on. I mean, but they could come, you know, they still got to be careful because, you know, Shea got to get paid.

Jalen got to get paid. Chet got to pay. So they still got to. Shea is under contract at 27. Oh, he just signed his. He's got that like 240. Yeah, so he's good. So Chet and Jalen Williams is next. Chet's still contract at 27. Oh, he just signed his. He's got that 240. Yeah, so he's good. So Chet and Jalen Williams is next?

Chet's still on the rookie deal. Yeah, Chet's still on that rookie deal. So I think going into 2025, 2026. Wait. So Chet and what's going to be up at the same time again? Shea? Yeah, round about, yeah. By that team, they'll probably have to extend it, but...

They got about 50 mil to play with, a bunch of draft picks. Today, Shea ain't got to go for a while. They could also use another big, I think. I wouldn't want to get back Steven Adams. Or Al Horford. I wouldn't want to get back Steven Adams. So Chet ain't got to play the five. So he can... Be the four. He can be the four, So Chet ain't got to play the five. So he can...

Be the four. He can be the four, roam freely. When you need him to play the five, you can, but he gets to roam free and not have to worry about the matchups. Right? Going against Nicole or going against Embiid. You ain't got to worry about that. Yeah.

Yeah. Right? When you playing against them, all right, you play the four today. Yeah. You play against Greek, you play the five today. Yeah. It's that. It's a five today. It's that. It's that matchup. It's that.

I think we'll benefit them. So we asked the chat, is SGA the NBA's most consistent superstar? 63% said yes. 37% said no. So you look at this Thunder squad, we talk about the young roster, looking ahead to the future. People say young teams have a window to win, but is that really true considering how hard it is to get to the playoffs consistently,

especially in this Western Conference? People say they have a short window to win? Not to say a short, but just they got a solid chamber. What size window? How long do you think? Shit, what the fuck are we talking about here? It took Mike so long. How young is the team, motherfucker?

The younger you are, the bigger the window it seems like. But I'm saying in the current state of the NBA, with this Western Conference especially, you're seeing a lot of, look, they were 10th last year, now first this year. Teams are going to get better. No, they're the team that's going to get better. They're going to be young. They're the, like... Nothing like having young success men in this league, man. Winning is contagious. Winning is a learned behavior. They're like nothing like having young success man in this league man winning is

Contagious winning is a learned behavior Once you have success at it You want to keep doing it right? You got a bad taste in their mouth. They made the game seven lost on a foul call You know what type of it also on a foul cuz you know how bad they've Learned they get back next year. You got a bunch of... They lost on a foul. You know how bad they... For sure. They got to get back next year. You got a bunch of 23, 24-year-old, hungry, athletic, young, well-coached... Man.

But you still think the Wolves are going to run the West for the foreseeable future? No, he's just saying they're there. Yeah. They're there. Are these the two teams, though? No. You're talking about when, though? You're talking about right Are these the two teams though? No. You're talking about

window. You're talking about right now Denver. You're talking about Minnesota. You're talking about Luke and them. You're talking about OKC. Shit. Depending on what kind of moves SAC makes. You're talking about SAC.

We don't know what Memphis is going to do over there with Houston. When he get back, they get back. Then you got Houston, you know, with a good coach now. So those are the guys who's coming up next. You know, the Sacramento's, the

Lake shows. The Lake shows? The Lake shows. Because, you know, we got on-court show and off-court show. Man, you said young. You said young. No, but I'm saying Golden State, Lakes, Suns, Clips. They older.

Yeah, they going to be the rebound. They on hole 18, motherfucker. Hurry up! In the next three years, they going to be in the bottom of the West. Yep. Yeah, you and them motherfuckers, hurry up! They start making moves now. I've been telling y'all this is a new era. And then like next like three years for you. They gonna be in the bottom of the way. Yeah They start making moves now or I've been telling y'all this a new era I've been preaching it for Y'all start making move now and the clip is they better start for the future the better go look at these ten We a man you child doing I'm like what y'all doing over here

Recipe in my cake. Uh-huh. I like the way this one tastes. You said that's one of your young stars? Yes. I like that. I like that. Yeah, y'all did that. Yo, from Nagel to us to get Shea, huh? I need to put one of these moves on somebody. Who I got over here I can

dangle in front of y'all. Hey, Shea, I know you like OKC, but look, they're purple and gold. You like cities? You like cities. I have a city called Shea. There's a lot of black people right now because we done moved from downtown over there. I did call it Lancaster. We can name it Shea.

Shea-caster. You better know me. They call it Lancaster. Nobody moving to Lancaster, man. We can call it Shea-caster. It's all you. I know. You are the...

You the mayor? You the mayor. You the mayor. You the mayor. You the mayor. I'm moving to Lancaster, man. We can call him Shea Castor. It's all you. I know. You are the mayor. You're the deputy. But when you look at that, I mean, we're stacked, though. I think that's the one thing. These squads are going to be consistently. It's stacked, but the thing about it is you're not realizing it's tapped heavy for the older guys, which you're not considering them.

They're on their way out. You're not threatening them. Unless they pull some moves where they're stealing other people's talent. For the most part, they're going to be at the bottom. Space jam people. Yeah. Shit, you still got pelicans over there. I mean, you just look. got the real got space. Yeah, you still got pelicans over there I said not but you know, I mean you just look you got some young that's what you got

If Zion don't get hurt, it's a different story. Yeah If he don't go down they they better than they were if he like they were playing well when he went down And you still got him like he can be he can be He can be somebody still. him. Like, he can be somebody still. Yeah, yeah, yeah. I know there's some organizations like, look, hey, we can keep you healthy. We can keep you healthy over here. You know, we don't got no gumbo.

For sure. He just don't know where. There's some guys out there that people ain't paying attention to. Like, you know, Pat Riley over there talking about AD. Hey, Jimmy Butler might be like, oh, that's how we feeling? Okay. Yeah. There's some unhappy superstars that can land up in some big places.

Absolute. I think this will be one of the wildest. Summers. Summers. Yeah, just like the hip-hop. Just like the rap beat. The NBA is going to be crazy, too. Everything this year is going to just be crazy.

Yeah. We're talking about the week draft, but it's going to be a very strong offseason. Get the draft. We're just ready about the moves being made. And we will have you covered. All free agency, allow us to take breaks so we're not taking no vacations all summer. Grinding. Grinding.

Get your ass to work. We're playing video games on Friday and Sunday too. Yo, speaking of grinding, yo, the clip's coming back out with an album. Oh, they are? The clip, both up, they back, oh. Making an album right now. Pharrell? Pharrell producing?

I don't know, I gotta get all the logistics, but they making an album together. Malice is back. Malice is back? Mm. Turned his back on the Lord? Pharrell on a production. Damn, Josiah. Iice is back? Mm. Turned his back on the Lord? Pharrell on a production? Damn, Josiah! I'm just saying!

Okay. Damn! Turned his back on the Lord! Sometimes you gotta tell God to chill out. I gotta get these bars off. Tell God to chill out. Tell God to take a back seat. Damn, you turned his back on the Lord?

Damn, Joe! Can't use Tuesday. But in the meantime, in between time... People got church tomorrow. Yeah. Gigi Jackson will be on the church tomorrow. Yeah. Yeah.

Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Damn, Joe. Can't use Tuesday. But in the meantime, in between time... People got church tomorrow. Yeah. Gigi Jackson will be on the drum. If you have not done so already,

download the Underdog Fantasy Abuse Promo Code Guild that will match your first deposit up to $250 in bonus cash. All right, so Chet Holmgren's

redshirt rookie season was overshadowed by Wimby. He was a unanimous first team all-rookie selection, though. He played in every Thunder game this season, averaged 16.7 rebounds, nearly three blocks this postseason. So what do y'all think about Chet's Redshirt rookie season,

and what's his ceiling in the league? I mean, he did good. I mean, if it wasn't for Wimby, the way he played, this would have been the rookie of the year. I think his only downfall right now is he doesn't rebound enough. I think, you know, that's something he consciously has to, like, think about, like going in there and trying to get a double-double. Right? It's one of those things where, you know, you... Like, going to rebound is a conscious decision

for someone who likes to float around the perimeter. So, you know, he's going to have to, like, move it into next season, really think more about the rebounding aspect and securing the ball, you know, being that dude who can get, you know, 10 to 12. So there's no... What, seven? Seven in the postseason. Yeah, he can't. He has no regular season. I'm pulling it up right now for y'all. 10 to 12. So there's no... What, seven? Seven in the postseason. Yeah, you can't.

Pulling it up right now for y'all. Don't wait for me, King Kong. I gotta wait for you. No shit. So eight rebounds. So 17 and eight rebounds. He can get two or three more. That's what I said.

He can get two or three more. He gotta get a double. Like, you're seven. You have to get a double-double. So consciously focus on trying to get a double-double. Yeah This year was like this is rook. Basically rookie year. He didn't play like going out there boy and you Think done. Yeah, don't don't don't he like you know, what's that bitch come to me? I'll grab it Yeah, I'm not just really keep going to get hit Right every time you're going to don't think it's over there playing ping pong Now you move somebody boom boom boom. He like yeah, it's easy if that bitch come right here. I'm taller

But you know he can get two or three more rebounds a night. You don't play play more minutes probably. He's going to be out there. He's going to, yeah. Like you said, making yourself available more. Not having, see, then the thing is the way that he moves his feet well defensively, so they're not afraid to switch pick and roll. So he's on the perimeter a lot on the switch. So. Yeah, that's what I said. Like, right? So now when you're on the perimeter, you're guarding the guy who shoot.

Yeah. I think he just needs to get stronger. I mean, but what they asked for him this year, I mean, he definitely delivered. You know, playing rookie year year going to the playoffs I mean what more can you ask for so and then just put them back to the four once he could play his real position he'd be alright but for right now for a rookie year I mean you can't ask for more than that like being a number one team yeah like and like we said it's hard because we saw Wimby kind of the generational

rookie season and everything but no Wimby. Yeah, they got a nice three over there. Yeah, Jalen Williams as well. Jalen Williams and Chet. They got a nice, and then a couple shooters around them, guys that can play. Okay, we know you are tough on redshirt rookies. Have you been impressed with what Chet has done this season? He still had the hoop, but I just, the fact don't call me. Yeah, I don't like that Should he've made the all rookie team or should there have been a separate I don't think so, but he played

What am I to say, right Russia rookie, but when he was out there he played all 82 games he played well in all 82. 17 and 8, man, I'm not the one to be a downer on the young man's success. He played well. He has a bright future in his league. He's in the right system, right players around him. Small market can grow. I think he's comfortable there.

The fact that you spent a year in an NBA organization is my personal opinion. Yeah, for sure. Just my personal opinion. The guys that's done it before, I feel the same way about. It just didn't start with Chet. I'm not picking on him. The other guys that's done it, I feel the same way. If you had a year within the organization and was able to learn,

and of course you didn't play, but you're still an NBA body. if you had a year within the organization and was able to learn and, of course, you didn't play, but you're still an NBA body. You lift. You did all the things as an NBA player. So, okay, what if you, as a rookie, and you just don't get no minutes? Just like the old thing we used to say, like, you're not a rookie until you play 82 games. 82 games, yeah. Right? That's the old saying. No, that, like, you're not a rookie until you play 82 games. 82 games, yeah.

Right? That's the old saying. No, that's facts. That was facts. Right? I was getting, in my sophomore year, I'm doing rookie duties. You played all 82 in your second year, man. You played all 82 your first year. Yeah, so that's what I'm saying.

No, but like the cumulative game. Like, he could have played 63 games his rookie year. No, that's what I'm saying. I played 41, so. The motherfucker would have been like, he would have came back next year. What up, bro? That's exactly what happened What about those towels? No, that's my second year. I'm the you look rookie You know you did link with 19 games like I need them 19 Now you see what I dealt with cuz that's how it sounded Yeah, I know you average in 19 bitch, but you got to go get the popcorn like come on man. I'm at game 75

Seven to go Count straight countdown. Well, yeah, we can't think I do a party. I do a little celebration I'm not It's a thing but now so Yes But no what I'm saying is like let's just what I'm saying is Okay, so we know he was hurt What if a guy as a rookie Don't get no games

Zero, cross the board Can he come back as a rookie? No Or you have to be He got all DNPs Or you have to be put on the injury reserve I think you gotta be injured I don't know if that's a league, that's not a regular

Because he was on the roster reserve? I think you got to be injured. Yeah, that's not it. Yeah, I think I don't know if that's not a red. Because if you're on the roster, because he was on the roster, but he was he was hurt. I don't know. You have to be like, yeah, you got to be inactive. Inactive. Inactive. Okay. Because the guys that's done it before were inactive. They got hurt in the summer league. Which is crazy shit to me. That shit wild. Guys get hurt in the summer league, you miss the season. And it wasn't that major yeah, you right like god, there'll be some leaves in July July August October October November December January February March Keep going

Did you did you did but then you play the next song and then they let you play two games. Okay, you ready? You ready, yeah. Huh? All right, so got an interesting question for you gentlemen. Curious to hear your thoughts. So SGA and Luka have emerged as the top two point guards in the league right now, finishing second and third in MVP voting. Luka's had a better career to date. Ricky Year, five All-Star selections, soon to be five first-team All-NBA selections

since coming to the league in 2018. SGA is doing its thing now,, five All-Star selections, soon to be five first-team All-NBA selections since coming to the league 2018. SGA is doing its thing now, two straight All-Star selections, soon to be two straight first-team All-NBA selections. Who would you rather build a team around right now, Luka or SGA? I'm going to go SG. Think about it. But don't think too hard. I'm going to... Fuck.

Build a team around. I'm going to go with Luka. I'm going to go with Luka. I'm going to go with Luka. Why did you pick Luka. I'm going to go with Luka. Why you pick Luka, Gil? Because for me, I mean, because he is big, right? He's 6'9", 6'10", with his shoes on.

He can play the one, two, the three if need be, right? When he's not complaining, he's dominating, right? right you know like the only knock against him is you know he whines a little bit right no but when he's not whining a lot a lot a lot i was just trying to be nice a lot let's tell the truth okay he lies a lot so when he's not doing that he's dominating like game six like yeah right he's he's a mismatch problem across the board Right, no matter what you try to do with them. He's torching who ever like he's proved that you can put the best Guards power forwards you can double I'm still Torturing so I'm gonna go with him. I mean SGA is a

Different talent in his own but I'm going with the one who has more versatility. Yeah, you what? Second, third in the league in assists? Third, shit. Fuck. 34-9. And nine. Shit. 9.2, 9.8. These are ridiculous numbers. Right.

That we're seeing. Like, that's shit. Like what?.8. Those numbers. Right. That we're seeing. Like that's shit. Like what? That's like 2K numbers. That's all, yeah. I'm not on it. And this ain't it.

This ain't a knock to SGA because obviously y'all thought that SGA should have been there. Should have won MVP, absolutely. Won MVP. He's our MVP. But that's based on one season. Now if I'm projecting out the next five, ten years. I mean three level scorer like you always talk about.

Three level, four level with Wilson up. His real only flaw outside of crying is just free throws. That's his real only flaw. For someone that can shoot and score like him. Misses at times when you like, like the other night. He shoots 72 to 74 percent. Like he's not crazy. Tired?

No, he just, whatever it is with that line, man, that's his nemesis. That's his nemesis. He does everything well, but it's just certain that aspect of his game, whatever, got his number at times. You know some people like- Like Bron. I don't think people realize how big some of these guys really are in real life right they they look at numbers and like do you like when i said

six seven or when i said six nine they're looking at oh he's saying six seven yeah he was probably six seven when he came into the lead at 18 19 does he 6'7 when he's playing, right? Does he look like he's Kawhi? Does he look that small? Like, some of these guys are just real tall. Like, you know, like most of the guards, you're like, okay, y'all low. But, you know, most of the times when you hear height, you're hearing the height without the shoes. Right? We get measured without our shoes and with our shoes.

I was 6'2.5 without my shoes. 6'4 with my shoes. I play at 6'4, obviously. Some of these guys, when you see 6'7, you've got to think about their age, where they got in. Most of those guys that's coming at, let's say 17, I mean not 17,

like 18, 19, 20, they might get a little bit taller you know you know that's mellow like I looked at mellow how tall was mellow six eight six eight legit six eight with his shoes on shoes off shoes off right so he's six eight so so mellow six eight with his shoes off about six ten six nine and a half with his shoes on so his measurements when he first came in was 6'6 yeah no that was 6'8 yeah so you know so that's what's this so some of these guys are bigger than which with those things say the NBA doesn't update

it right so your uh NBA uh references no one upstates it like I Like I, you know, I wasn't 191. I'm sorry, I wasn't 191. That was my measurements when I came into the NBA. Right. I was like a 224. Might think I'm posing, I'm so much. You say 191 on the driver's license? Yeah, that's what like the first time I saw Devin Booker, like I didn't realize he was

that tall. Oh, you didn't? I thought he was a small guard. Like I knew he could score. I thought he was like 6'3". I didn't know. So I'm like, big ass guard, boy. So what do you have him at?

He's 6'6", 6'7". Like I was looking. Without a shoe? With Devin Booker? Without a shoe. Yeah, he was tall. Yeah, I was looking at him like. Yeah, see that's what.

See when we, when y'all hear ours, we're measuring. We're measuring. We're measuring. We're measuring. We're measuring. He's 6'6", 6'7". Like, I was looking. Without his shoes? With Devin Booker? Without his shoes. Yeah, he was talking. Yeah, I was looking at him. See, when y'all hear ours, we're measuring without the shoes. So when you're talking about with the shoes, you're talking about he's 6'8", 6'9". Yeah. We play with our shoes on. As I said, like, these guys, when it looks easy, like, man, he getting his gym shut off easy.

He's 6'8". Big! He's fucking big! Like, Shay's sitting there there making layups and they can't block him? He's tall! He put orthotics in. He put orthotics in. He's taller. He had another half.

He had another half. Shit. You feel like Lamar Ball, I mean, what was it? LaMelo, right? Yeah. What was he listed at without his shoe? He was listed at 6'5"? 6'6"? 6'5"? 6'5"? Like, even, like, Lamar Ball, I mean, what was it? Lamello, right? Yeah. What was he listed at without his shoes?

He was listed at 6'5", 6'5"? 6'6 1⁄2". 6'6 1⁄2", without his shoes. He's listed at 6'7", right now. Yeah. 6'7", point guard. Huh? 6'7".

So he's about 6'8". That's what I said. He's about 6'8". Like, you can, when you look at him, going to be like, yeah, dude looked tall. Like, man, you know, that's why little guards in the league, you got to be so special, man. Point guard now is 6'8". When you're a little guard in the league, you have to be Brunson.

That's the only way. Yeah. Like, when you're small, you cannot be just a passing guy. I can find a 6'8 passer. You got to be special. You got to be able to put that ball in the basket. These coaches that's teaching these little guards pass first, nobody wants y'all after a while.

You got to be special, getting into the lane, hitting the set. If you're going to be a pass first guy, you better average down there 20 assists. Other than that, because if I got a shooting guard that can dribble, I don't need you. I just go big because you're going to be a liability down there. All right, well, let's keep this thing moving. You talked about LaMelo. Let's talk about his big brother. Buck Foster, Gil.

Buck Foster. Buck Foster? Ooh. Buck Foster. Oh, I thought you said Foster. No, Gil. Buck Foster. Buck Foster? Buck Foster. Oh, I thought you said Foster. No, Gil. I'm a fan of Scott Foster on certain occasions. I like him when he's on the side. I'm cheering for him. When he's calling games the appropriate way for the team that we root him for.

So let's talk about LaMelo's big brother, Alonzo. Alonzo hasn't played in the NBA game since January 2022. He's had three separate knee surges in that time frame, including a cartilage transplant in his knee last March. On the premiere episode of his Wedding Experience podcast, Zoe gave an update on his recovery. And how close to 100% do you feel? And how's progress going with rehab? It's coming along, man, week by week. It's improving, so that's all I can ask for.

It's still not where I want it to be. Out of 100, I'd probably say I'm about 70, you know, good enough to play, but can still get better, I feel like. So I've still got a long summer ahead of me, but definitely looking forward to the future. So last knee surgery, March 2023. No NBA players undergone a cartilage transplant in their knee and returned to the court.

Lonzo wants to be the first. What are your thoughts on Lonzo saying he's at 70% more than a year after that last knee surgery? 70%? That's him evaluating himself, right? So I don't think he's going to bump that up until he plays his first, like, two on two, three on three, four on four, because at the end of the day, you don't know where it really is

until you have to react to something, right? You know, when you're in a controlled environment, I see him, he threw the ball up, went and dunked. Yeah, that feels good when you got somebody sitting there trying to you know Trying to pull them ligaments back out right now. That's when you know when you can start taking some Uncontrolled, you know play against his brother one-on-one like you're gonna you don't have to test it before the season starts Me you know, yeah, well about the cartilage shit is jumping and landing and that's what that is.

That movement, okay, you can do all that. Them little ligaments. Yep. That ain't what his issue is. Oh, he's cartilage. Oh, yeah. He's cartilage. Oh, that's up and down.

That's up and down, Jack. That's landing and jumping and that's all of that. That's that pounding. That's that constant, you know, knees and floor. You hitting that ground and that. That's that pounding. That's that constant you float knees and floor you hitting that ground and That's just what it is. Like you you that trust me. I had two microfracture surgery Had to replace cartilage That's what my confection surgery was. They was trying to replace the cartilage because I was losing it So had two of them one on each knee and I did a lot of jumping and a lot of landing. A whole lot of it.

A lot of play hard, play it a certain way. A lot of wear and tear. So if he say he's 70, I'm going to go with him. He know his body. Yeah, but until he start playing and jumping and landing consistently, you got to put a few days together. And the thing is, you can't do it one day and say you feel fine. You can't do it one day and say you feel fine You can't do it two days and say you feel fine you got to put days together and this then you'll be able to tell if you're back and

Then you're gonna be limited to that because people gonna be trying to pamper you and you really don't know it. So it's It's a lot of There's a lot of testing this shit. Mm-, he's going to have to go to UCLA, run up and down for a couple games, and see how it feels after. But it's one of those things where you're going to have to go back to back to back to back to see how it reacts. Start at a game, go on there, play one game first.

Yep, see you tomorrow, y'all. One game. See you tomorrow. That's all you're going to do, one game. You see how it is, and you got to see how you feel One game. Yep, see you tomorrow. It's all even, one game. Mm-hmm. You see how it is, and you got to see how you feel running up and down and jumping a couple times. You're like, okay, go ice, and next day you got, yeah, but it's not.

It's all a rehab, man. It's all a process, and you can't cheat it, because if you do, then it's over. All that rehab, yeah, all that shit. Don't be me. Don't be me how I do shots. Yeah. All right, take one shot, I don't feel shit. Yeah. Go ahead, take another shot.

Man, I thought you said this is what, this is 1942? Give me two more. Yeah. And then. That's like the people that take Edible. And then, oh yeah, then 40 minutes later, I'm in that mode. Yeah, that's like the people that take Edible.

That's the exact same thing, the people that take Edible. Yeah. Oh, this shit ain't nothing, I don't feel nothing. That's fine, I'm in that moment. Yeah, that's like the people that take Edible. That's the exact same thing the people that take Edible. Yeah. Oh, this shit ain't nothing. I don't feel nothing. Give me another. Next thing you know, yeah, you face down in somebody's pool. Yep. Wait a good 30 minutes after taking Edible before making that decision to take Edible.

That's what we tell them. Like, one game, even though it ain't swelled up or nothing, go home. Get ass and wait till it settle downs with the emotions. Oh, don't see how the knee feel You know go back maybe two games today take your ass home. Don't be in there Like I don't feel shit in them five days off this shit didn't go home for the whole knee like this I can't move came move now use now you set yourself back three months four months If you can't do nothing you you get the inflammation and swelling out again. And it's just like, yeah, but don't. Take from somebody who did it.

Out there, bitch, overcompensating, playing. I played 56 games. Next year, I played two. Yeah. Two. During that 56 games, though, how did it feel? Horrible. Yeah.

And you just kept grinding? Hell yeah. Imagine the games I did and how I felt. The games that I didn't play, how you think I felt? Right? For me to play 56, right? Yeah. Next season, overcompensating, all that shit, putting all that wear and tear on this right one.

Doing two games. During that 56, though, I I'm just like it's hurting like hell but well I guess what motivates you what drove you to keep keep wanting to go out there and play through that pain stupidity okay that's a good that's a good that that that that blocks some pain I can tell you that stupidity yeah every time bro I was out there no way I should have been playing. I'm trying to protect him because I know. Did you ever have bone spurs? Mm-mm.

When I was in Memphis, I didn't know I had four bones. I knew it was some pain that I had never. I had to sleep with the ice machine. Oh, the normal. I had to sleep with the ice machine. Or the normal, the game ready. I had to sleep with a game ready. Right, on the road I had to do 90 minutes. Like the pain, just I don't know what was going on there. Game ready, every 90 minutes I woke up I had to push.

It was something, there. Game ready. Every 90 minutes, I woke up, I had to push. It was something. But like this, when I got, I limped, like I had to got dragged, I had to go to New York, got dragged into the hospital. I walked out.

Like, oh, hey, now I don't need no crutches. I'm good. Because how I went, I was in so much pain when I got out after the surgery. Yeah, man. And them bone spurs, I was like, I don't wish that on nobody. Damn.

I ain't had that, but I had some things that were on me. I had the Achilles. I had the bone spurs, man. I wouldn't, I would never want that. I had the Achilles. That's Achilles? I don't want that. That's shit right there.

That knee shit. That shit was like, it was just dangling. I knew that. That knee shit. That's how my shit was when I tore the ligilles. The Achilles? I don't know. That shit right there. That knee shit. That shit was just dangling. That knee shit. That's how my shit was when I tore the ligaments in my ankle. I tore all the ligaments in my ankle. My shit, I had no control over it. They put my shit up, my shit would fall.

Fall. Fall. Right? Mine was good, but that knee, that microfracture shit, bro. Terrible. Good. Oh, that's when I really... We talking about game Oh, that's when I really, we talking about

game before, that's when I really got nice at college football. But, eight hours, you had to have your leg in that machine for at least

eight hours a day? Man, I was, what? Sleeping with a CP machine, you didn't do your CP machine? That's what,

that's what messed me up. I was traveling with that bitch. I was going through the machine you do you see the machine. That's what that's what that's what messed me up I was traveling with that bitch I was going through the airport CPM machine my system. That's what I'm moving. She wouldn't move move. Yeah, I missed I missed that window Where I was to get the range of motion back. Oh, you gotta do it soon. You get on I Didn't I didn't like I don't have full range of motion on both. Yeah, you didn't do it as soon as you get on? I didn't. Like, I don't have full range of motion on both. Yeah, you didn't do it at all. Right?

No, I did do it, but it's a secret. Break the scar tissue and all that? Yeah. It's too late. Because you got to use that machine. Like, they give it to you post-surgery. Like, you got to do that shit as soon as you... Because what it's doing is, the CPM machine is bending your knee for you, so letting the blood flow. Because because if you just laying dormant your blood not circulating and flowing and working

So the blood creates cartilage, right? Mm-hmm, so it's constantly pumping blood Through your knee cuz you do the machine is moving your knee for you. Mm-hmm It's just going up. It's always just constantly moving it. So you're just constantly doing this. For eight hours a day. At least. At least. I used to sleep in mine.

You would sleep with the mission? For my right knee, like I'm been smoking high, I'm sleeping in that bitch. Next thing you know, I'm unstrapped. See, that was my problem. I couldn't sleep,

because I didn't sleep on my back back then, so I had to sleep on my side. Yes. You know, You know, you can't sleep on your side with that thing. So I take it off. But the thing is, I was, especially after I see the thing after me, after that left one, the pain and shit I was in dealing with this one. I treat it like a newborn baby boy. I was like the delicate everything you told me I did to a tee Cuz dealing with the team doctor and then I was I got Michael fractures, man. I was back on the floor in five months, bro Oh, yeah, you know, you're tripping. Mm-hmm. I wasn't me was the hint team told me I was feeling healthy. You're healthy

Like mother told me I was fine to go back and I was in train. I got surgery in May Like I was in training. I got surgery in May. I was in training camp in October, bro. Yeah. Right? Yeah. I wasn't supposed to be doing shit until the next May.

The next May. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Right, that's the end of the season. Season's over. Yeah. Right? I'm out there trying to play basketball. Yeah, the season's over with.

I'm out there trying to play basketball. So, yeah, but that's, no, I wish... You over here like, yeah, I ain't have, I don't got none of those problems, y'all. Yo, I had a bad case of tendonitis growing up. So, oh, so you want to talk about that? Oh, that is... So while dealing with the micro refraction in my left knee and doing all that shit, I had chronic tendonitis. And that is the worst.

In my left knee, chronic. Like, you're talking about sitting up. Like, there was no way feasible. You saw, I couldn't sit here like this for longer than, like, two minutes. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Like, my shit would be... I'd be like, yo. Like, and to this day, when I sit in the car service,

like, if I got a car service, I sit in the passenger seat because I used to always have my leg through this motherfucker. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. Everywhere I went, some drivers would be like, I'm like, listen, dog, no disrespect, bro, but if I don't do this, you're going to get paid, bro. We're going to be a horrible ride, dog. Like, all of my cars, when I played in Denver,

I added a rack. My Range Rover, every car I had, I added an extra rack in my car so my seat could go all the way back. I could sit in any car I had and do this. Because I couldn't drive it. And that's why you think I take my shoes off? Yeah.

Bruh, it was. For some reason, like, if there's certain shoes, man, my, that, that, this foot just be throbbing. Oh, this right one over here on fire right now? Yeah. Hey, everybody look at that damn, like, y'all over there really hurting. I got callus under my

mind. That's what you're hurting. Callus under your feet. If I had a desk, I would have no shoes on. I told you we needed the desk. I don't have enough shoes for all this. When I got my patella repaired, Dr. Stedman told me,

he came in the recovery room and told me, son, this is the exact words to me, son, you some kind of tough. Mm-hmm. There is no way

you should have been playing professional basketball with your knee the way it looked. That's how he got me over and looked at my patella tendon. Mm-hmm. There's no way feasible

you should have been playing professional basketball with your knee like that. So it looked like somebody that took a razor blade, dog, and just was. Frayed, just all of it, just gone. You know, I'm light-skinned. You can sit like, it flare up. You can sit here. It flare up.

It's red. I'm sitting, you can physically see the inflammation in my knee. Oh, wow. Bro. Hooping. Yeah. I'm sitting you can see you can physically see the inflammation in my knee. Oh wow Yeah, and I'm out there dealing with boy no wonder you man trying to force me to practice dog Oh usually Joe Think I might the bitch on literally Mm-hmm one leg and you want to use it in practice. Man, motherfucker told me go now and we'll figure tonight out. This is a shoot around.

I lost it. You know the pain I'm in over here? Motherfucker, you say do what? Hey, hey, listen, listen. Hey fellas, listen. Next time the coach says I want you to practice, we'll figure it out in the game, practice. Yeah.

Game free. Absolutely. Sit my ass out. I practice for free. Absolutely. Get paid to sit. Yeah. God damn it. Shit.

You crazy? That shit gonna come in the game. But I'm the nigga that's gonna hoop. I'm gonna play. Yeah, hard. It's stupidity, though. But I wish Lonzo nothing but the best in his recovery this approach to this they nothing like man want to hoop and your boss and you physically can't get back to what you

know you can be there's nothing more disheartening and frustrating for an athlete man like I got no longer busy water mental major shit so that Bulls and frustrating for an athlete, man. Like, it's always nothing but the best. Like, I know that. We already been through anything. Major shit. That Bulls team is a different team with him. Yeah, I know. There are emotions that, you know, like, you really ain't get to get into your career like you wanted to, and you've been out this long.

I know he's like... You want to go out and try it. You want to test it, but the smart thing is not to. Yeah. Like, he's played it smart, you know what I mean what i mean and you know it don't matter how much time he takes just remember this if you do it right you still got 10 the way the way it is now you got 10 15 more years from now so you know don't go out there rushing for for for this season or next season like it's that's why i think he has more than two years now

that he's been on the court. When you think about the game, Pat, listen, how Derrick Rose got his career back, that's Sean Livingston, you know what I mean? It takes time. It takes time. Take it. That's real talk. If they wouldn't have paid you and let you have the time to do it, unfortunately, that's the way it is. That's real talk. They wouldn't pay you and let you have the time to do it

Unfortunately, that's where it is. But hey, that's a real spirit Naturally, yeah. Yeah, I got one more deal one more year left on his deal. So he's gonna take his option He's gonna still get a better process. I mean, I'd be some crazy shit come out there cool motherfucker. Hey, I need another bag Yeah and shit, come out there, and go, whoop, motherfucker. Hey, I need another bag. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Because you already know what he can do. Because he's healthy. Because you already know what he can do. Right.

So he come out there and look, anything in resemblance of what he was? It's another bag. Because one thing he should have been doing right now is all these fucking stationery. If he could do anything that don't require him to run and jump, shoot. Shoot, yeah.

Because he's come back, that thing should be. $500 a day. What? Yup. It don't require him to run and jump, shoot. Shoot, yeah. Because if he's come back, that thing should be. 500 a day. What? Don't take much. Well, let's move on to Mostly Fans. Presented by Underdog Fantasy. Download the app, use promo code GIL and receive up to $250 in bonus cash,

plus a special pick-em. Someone said in the chat, Shawn Livingston is the prototype now. That 6'6", 6'8", guard. Yeah, long. Yeah. If he don't get hurt, Sean Livingston. His ceiling was high.

Hell yeah. His ceiling was high. Our first question, video question from underdog user TMAC001. Yo, I asked this question a couple weeks ago. I thought it was not going to be relevant no more, but it's still relevant. It literally just happened last night. Why the fuck do players and teams work out, lift weights after the game? What does that do for your body? Do it do something for your body, let you get a good night's sleep?

How does that help? And did y'all do that after games or after the playoff games? It's called recovery and if you use some like shit on your lips It'll help that ass recover. Yeah, like that cracking it out. It'll help this call recovery Mean I was thinking the same appreciate. We appreciate you for the question, too. Don't listen to these young men. Just give them a readout. I was thinking the same thing.

It's called recovery. You know what's so funny? Like, no. The answer is that teams do it back then. No. Teams didn't. Motherfuckers left and got home. There was only certain players that worked out after.

And I think that's what's, that's why when the 80s and the 90s and early 2000s talk about, you know, what they would do. No, they've learned, right? Kobe learned from Jordan watching all his tapes. Braun learned from them. These guys are learning, right? I scored 60. James Harden back in the gym working out. He going to go to the club.

He going to do that. But he going to work out first. Get him in the lift in. Get some extra shots in. And then go. Instead of just going home, getting drunk. He's working out. So he's stacking workouts on top of workouts.

And that's why these guys are more consistent because they're they're working out So now that teams are doing it is improving the skill level It's all about like they lifting weights and doing certain functional things after the game So you just you're getting the lactic acid out of your muscles and all that stuff. So it's all about their recovery now they This is sport science is what it is. Yep, like lifting out the games your muscles and all that stuff. It's all about their recovery. It's sports science is what it is. Lifting after games is proven to speed up recovery and certain things, not to just lay dormant and certain things.

You're not lifting heavy, but you're just doing a certain light lift with your legs, your arms, and all that stuff, get the stuff functioning still. So it's all sports science and recovery. So the Wol wolves were lifting after game seven they showed a shot every team does it yeah oh every team does it now most of the most guys every team like i when i was especially a lot of the younger teams like i've seen kj's been on he did it they doing their young guys were they still doing it when you play did they do it when

you certain guys oh just see certain guys teams into it like my like you're 15 Like when I was with the book they had most of the guys all the moves young Like I was with the Bucks in 2015 most all them dudes this when I was in Orlando Right David. They were they were they were fast-tracking so Your Orlando don't play the Orlando. They were fast-tracking. They they had night. I don't play a thing going over there Yeah, it was only certain guys. There's only certain guys like JJ ready for white right Quinn Richardson there, you know Jamir Nelson their workout right after the only certain boats and their workout in Orlando. They don't play. Yeah, you gotta live. Yeah Train everything so next question from underdog user sue denim

Who's under more pressure to nail free agency this summer? The Knicks or the Lakers? Lakers. Lakers. Lakers. Yeah.

You see what we did this year, dog? You see what we did the last two years? Yeah, you know. Lakers need some help. Nothing in the free agency that was helpful.

Yeah. Well, the Lakers need a coach first, right? Mm-hmm. Yeah, but know. Lakers need some help. Nothing in the free agency that was helpful. Yeah. Well, the Lakers need a coach first, right? Yeah, but that's easy. That's easy. We can just get anybody like we've been doing for the last. We need to get some guys that need to work on their roster. It's a flawed roster. Yeah.

It's a very flawed roster. In order to compete in the West? Yeah. Oh, it's flawed. It's flawed. They only got Braun and AD, right? And then AD and then... We got Rui.

You got Braun and AD. You know what I mean? You got LeBron, James, and Anthony Davis. Yeah. That you can depend on. And that's stretching with Anthony Davis at times. But he had a hell of a year.

I think stacking that year, next year, I think we get back to that, them numbers. Numbers he put up against the Nuggets in the playoffs, them to Anthony Davis. That's the answer. Right? We just need him to add the fourth quarter now. Yeah, that's all we need to do, right?

I need a whole new squad. Yeah, they need a to add the fourth quarter now. Yeah, that's all we need to do, right? I need a whole new squad. Yeah, they need a couple pieces. I don't think... At least four. I don't think Reeves is a starter. I think he needs to come off the bench. Right? D-Logo, he had a play option, right?

He's probably out. He gone. He gone. He gone. They don't want him here. Whether they want him or not is irrelevant. Yep. I mean, that's why...

It's not because when that motherfucker... Because when they got that shit after your Yeah, I mean, I mean that's why I mean When they got that shit after your contract that shit them two words player option Damn what you got to talk about him Trade me then because that's the only way I won't be in the Lakers uniform if I'm D'Angelo Russ Cuz I know the way my year ended. I didn't play as well as I wanted to, so I'm opting in. You think he's opting in? Absolutely. Oh, yeah, that's fine. Did he opt in or opt out?

I thought he was going out. I mean, of course he's opting out. He's opting out. You're like, should I have an 18? I might have had a couple bad games, but shit,

I can get three years, something. True. You throw in the issue being that if I opt in, re-sign with this squad, they're going to deal me anyway. Yes, absolutely.

I don't want to go. Outback, you'll trade my ass any goddamn way. But yeah, You should be now if I opt in we sign with this quad they gonna deal me anyway But yeah, I think the leg is it off season be and I they need to do something there Ross watch your shoes my bad No, my bad It's the top of your shoe the bottom of mine ain't worried about Yeah, we're from I know right from girls, you know, I'm very successful about where you get them from, man. Yeah, where you get them from? I know, right? Where you get them from? Because, you know, I'm very successful. I just portray a poor man on television. But where you get them from? From the University of California in Los Angeles.

Right. We got that Jordan deal. You went to the mall? I don't go to the mall. I got to say, it's the soup. You said you went to the mall. They sent it to me. Oh, they said, okay.

UCLA, you know, as a token of their appreciation. Oh, UCLA. You get shoes? Hey, y'all, hey, put the camera to me. Oh, they said, okay. UCLA, you know. Damn. Talking of their appreciation. Oh, UCLA. You get shoes? Hey, y'all, hey. Put the camera on me. Hey, University of Cincinnati, you hear this shit? Y'all got a Jordan deal.

Man, okay. Hell yeah. We shout out as well. I mean, I can't, you know, I can't go back to my alumni. But still, shit. Louisville, shit. Yeah.

D. D to see some shit. Agent Shiro. Don't talk shit. D to sing some shit. Agent She-Ra. Don't talk back. We appreciate y'all for locking in with us for another day. Make sure you stick around for our new episode of Sheet and Tyler. Oh, my bad. Coming up after this show.

But this has been Gil's Arena presented by Underdog Fantasy. We will see y'all tomorrow.