Gil's Arena - Gil's Arena Celebrates The Tip Off of The NBA Season 🏀

Episode Date: October 24, 2023

Gil's Arena Celebrates The Tip Off of The NBA Season as Gilbert Arenas and The Gil's Arena Crew talk all things NBA heading into the 2024 NBA Season. They'll preview the Los Angeles Lakers vs Denver Nuggets and Golden State Warriors vs Phoenix Suns games before discussing what to expect from Lebron in his 21st NBA Season. They also break down Giannis Antetokounmpo's massive contract extension and give their predictions for the exciting season ahead. Remember to Like and Subscribe!! Sign up for Underdog Fantasy HERE with promo code GIL and get a $500 first deposit match: https://play.underdogfantasy.com/p-gil's-arena Gil’s Arena premieres every Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday at 11:30am PT / 2:30pm ET. SUBSCRIBE:  / @gilsarena   APPAREL PARTNERS TUFF CROWD: https://www.tuffcrowd.com/ ADIDAS: https://www.adidas.com/us/agent-gil-restomod-basketball-shoes/ Gr8ness: https://www.gr8nss.store/ Shoes by Plein Sports Pre-Order Rashad's Book Here - https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CD9ZQ3HD?ref_=pe_3052080_276849420 Chapters Intro 0:00:00 Show Start 0:04:01 Gil's Special Picks  0:04:37 Places You Shouldnt Take A Girl On A Date 0:08:33 The GA Theory 0:17:45 A'ja Wilson GOAT of GOATs 0:23:52 Giannis' MASSIVE Extension 0:30:26 How Can Bucks Unlock Dame 0:41:31 The Transition from Training Camp To The Reg. Season 0:44:17 Impact of Terry Stotts Leaving The Bucks 0:50:43 Are The Nuggets Getting Enough Respect 1:07:55 Most Important Player On The Nuggets 1:13:47 Jamal Murray All NBA? 1:19:03 How Should Lebron Approach Year 21 1:22:39 Expectations for Anthony Davis 1:35:45 Previewing The Suns - Warriors Game 1:43:00 Chris Paul Coming Off The Bench 1:48:36 How Important Are The Opening Games? 1:52:11 2024 NBA Season Predictions 1:58:27 MostlyFans 2:18:42 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. What's better than a well-marbled ribeye sizzling on the barbecue? A well-marbled ribeye sizzling on the barbecue that was carefully selected by an Instacart shopper and delivered to your door. A well-marbled ribeye you ordered without even leaving the kiddie pool. on the barbecue that was carefully selected by an Instacart shopper and delivered to your door.

A well-marbled ribeye you ordered without even leaving the kiddie pool. Whatever groceries your summer calls for, Instacart has you covered. Download the Instacart app and enjoy $0 delivery fees on your first three orders. Service fees, exclusions, and terms apply. Instacart. Groceries that over-deliver. Welcome back to GIFT Arena. We're talking about $100 fantasy. We're 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 story. This is what I was doing with what nobody knew. Y'all don't know

what goes on in practice or the locker room. Change is zero. Change again. Why should I be obligated to get no boo? Welcome back to Gills Arena, presented by Underdog Fantasy. Woo-woo! I'm just saying. That makes sense.

Okay. Kind of. Take me to Nobu. I say Nobu. Sorry, we were having a little pre-show chat about desirable restaurants for dates. We'll get into it tomorrow. But this is Gil's Arena,

presented by Underdog Fantasy. We got Gilbert Arenas, but this is gills arena presented by underdog fantasy We got Gilbert arenas back on the couch. Okay Adidas from head to toe as always You say we'll talk about it tomorrow. Like we have a ladies perspective on that. Oh, do you want to hit it today? Okay, we can't later. We'll talk about it in a second. But let later we got Lexi Brown back with us Can you mark back with us? You want to have a dating conversation We'll talk about tomorrow before dudes in here you want to have talk about dating advice you for dudes with different unique perspective But it's still Conversation with me here versus when it's just... Oh, no, you're going to hear the conversation today.

We're going to act like you ain't here. Because I would love to hear how Rashad feels about that. Yeah, I'm going to say whatever it is. We good, we good. But more importantly, the NBA season is back. We are here. We finally made it. We've been keeping y'all going all offseason, all preseason.

Now the season is here. But before we get into all that, we're going to hold on that. We're going to wait for a second. But here's what we got cooking in the arena today. Giannis signed his extension with the Bucs, but how long will the Bucs championship window stay open? The Nuggets are defending champs, but do they have enough to repeat? And LeBron is entering year 21, but do him and the Lakers have one more title run in them?

At least one more. But before we get into all that, as always, the show is brought to you by Underdog Fantasy. Download the app. Use promo code GILL. They will match your first deposit up to $500. That is $500 whole dollars. They still got the special AD Pick'em for anybody who's used a Gill or Gill's Arena promo code. AD is what?

Higher, lower pick'em will be.5 points for the Lakers-Nuggets game tonight. Get that in. And the Underdog Picks account on Twitter also has a special promo for us as well. Let's see what that smells like. Okay. So we got your entry, Gill, for today. For every pick that hits, we'll give $100 to a random entrant who, one, follows us. That's the Underdog Picks Twitter account.

Retweets this and replies with their underdog username and hashtag Underdog Picks. If it goes five for five, another 500 will be given out. So, Gil, you dropped these picks for opening night. You had Aaron Gordon lower than 14.5 points. Rui higher than 1.5 fouls. Yeah, he gonna hack. He gonna hack. LeBron higher than 5.3 attempts.

Yep. Austin Reeves higher than 10.5 shot attempts. Mm-hmm. And AD higher than 5.5 free throws made. I like my picks so much, man. I'm gonna double it.

You doubling it? I'm gonna put 100 on the two. Oh, so it's 200 now. Yes. Every pick Gil gets right, 200 goes to a random entrant who follows the underdog picks account. Already. Go to that tweet.

Look at everything you need to do. You got to follow him. You got to retweet. You got to include your underdog username with hashtag. I know y'all like those picks, though. Hold on. I'm going to make me a fake joint real quick. I know some solid picks, though.

Yeah, I like those. I'm learning about these picks every day I'm in here with y'all. I like the picks though. Yeah, I like those. Pulling back on that. I like the picks. I'm learning about these picks every day I'm in here with y'all. I like the picks. LeBron going to take seven threes. He going to take seven threes. He going to take seven threes. Yeah, he is. AD going to get aggressive today.

He going to get about five and a half, five and a half, six. Rui got a guard. Big Phillips. He getting two fouls. That's easy. We also do mostly fans at the end of the show. We see everybody in the chat turning up, giving thumbs up, making corny jokes,

sharing the love, bonding with each other. If you ask a good question, we will include it in our Mostly Fans segment. Make sure you use your underdog username with the question. We will give you a $50 bonus. If you send us a video, we got the email at mostlyfansguild at gmail.com.

You send us a video over, we will give you $100 if we use your video on the show. And if you can't watch the live show with us here on YouTube, which you should be watching,

you can also get audio versions on Spotify, Apple, wherever you get your podcasts. So, before the show, you know, we got into a little heated convo.

Apparently we can't do this with four men on the couch. We got Lexi's perspective here. But there's a list, a group of ladies make a list of places men shouldn't take them on a first date. Number one, Cheesecake Factory. Number two, Applebee's. Three Chili's.

Four Chipotle. Five, Olive Garden. You can't go to Olive Garden? Six, the movies. Seven, your house to Olive Garden? Come on, man. Six, the movies. Seven, your house. Come on now. Netflix and chill. Eight, any fast food chain.

Nine is Buffalo Wild Wings. Ten is Wingstop. Eleven is Red Lobster. It goes all the way to 28. But number 28 is sports events. Like, damn. I think that's a good first name. You don't want to sit front row. You don't want to go sit front row. You don't want to sit, first of all, number eight.

First of all, number eight. It really depends on the girl. Number eight. Any fast food joint. That should be number one. Followed by your house. Whose house? You can't do a date at the house?

No. Ours or yours? Because they don't have minds. They don't have my house. So what? Nobody's house. What if it's this house? No, nobody's house't have mine He got another level so what is telling like some of these things on here It's like giving the fact all this saying is they won't motherfucking mean to spend money Right. So what if we kill us? Oh, so we can't meet for coffee

So we can have a conversation so I can see so I can see if you're worthy of us fucking going to dinner later like is that like that's not a thing like we can't meet for a conversation yes it is it says starbucks everything anything anything that has to do with being normal yeah see this list right here says they don't want an average guy everything says it's been money yeah this ain't Yeah. This ain't no average list. This is not... This is the average person. This takes out 99% of the country. Did y'all see the video that started all of this?

Yes. Yeah. How did y'all feel about that video? I thought that was wildly disrespectful. Oh, you can get out the car? It was a skit, though, right? It wasn't real. I don't know.

No, no. You can get out. Listen. I don't know. You can get out the car. We don't have to eat here. Listen. I don't know nowadays what's a sk. You can get out the car. We don't have to eat here. I don't know. I don't know nowadays what's a real escape. Okay, if you're going on a date, usually today, because of stuff like this, the dude's going

to ask you where you want to go. Right. He ain't just making... Because our idea of going on dates is way different than y'all's. Because we don't sit here plotting where we're going to take girls. We go to places that we like food. Yes. Right? Applebee's, Cheesecake Factory.

You can't hear Cheesecake. So many options. So many options. I'm going to say this. I, depending on the person, Cheesecake would be acceptable for me. Applebee's no. What? Chili's no.

First date, first of all Chili's, no. First date? Chili's? First of all, Chili's, their food is not even like good. I give you those. I've never eaten at Chili's before, so I'm... Those, yes. I give you those, yes. These are like my college meals, Chili's, Applebee's. Understandable.

That's fair. Understandable, absolutely. But cheesecake, I mean, you can find anything. I mean, cheesecake, just... It's a variety of food. But I'm just... So what the list is giving off is... Like, you got a...

God rest the man's soul, Kevin Samuels. He was fucking right. Oh, Lord. I'm just saying. But compared to this list, if we're listening to this list, if we're going by this list, right? It's the same thing that he was saying.

Right. That you want a man here, but you... Like, that's what he was saying. The problem is... Like, you want this man to make six figures to be able to do these things, right? Okay. Not every man makes six figures.

The average man makes $42,000. It's about a little more than that right now, but... And that means... The average man, that's what he can afford. You know what I'm saying? And the average girl makes less than that. So that means the average women here don't want the average man. So, like we were saying

before the show, right? If you can't afford to take yourself to those places, why should I be obligated to take you to those places? Because we want y'all to. Because they can't afford it. We want a lot of shit from y'all, but y'all don't do it. Listen, I'm saying,

they can't afford their place. So, to be, can y'all just take us a nice meal? So, did you see what Shannon Sharpe said? So, did you see what Shannon Sharpe said on his joint, right? The chick, they looking at the menu, he trying to be modest. He order some modest off the menu. She start, I'm looking at

this lobster. He said, you know what come with lobster? Condoms. It does. Why is he wrong for saying? But why is he wrong? Some women say he's wrong for saying that, right? But it's the truth. Lobster?

In that moment, if I buy you lobster, after this, we going to the crib. Okay, but what if it's like lobster at Red Lobster? No, Red Lobster's on the list. It's still lobster. But I'm just saying. Is it Red Lobster? It's still lobster.

No, but is it all lobster? But Red Lobster's on the list, though. They let you pick the lobster. But Red Lobster's on this list, though. Is that Red pick the lobster. But Red Lobster's on this list, though. Is that Red Lobster the same as the Red Lobster at, like, Morton's? No. If I take you to Mastro's, the Lobster at Mastro's is a lot more than the Lobster at I can promise you that.

So if we first date, you order lobster off the menu. And at the time, he said his paper was modest. He wasn't where he is now. This is when he first started. So he thinks that's the mentality. She ordered lobster shit. We fucking. That's the mentality.

Reasonable. Lobster is expensive. No, it's food. That's the mentality. It's food. Listen, if I take you to Apple, listen, if I take you to Cheesecake, I probably don't expect that. Okay, so, okay, hear about this. If you take me to the expensive place, I get one thing, okay?

You take me to Cheesecake, I run it up. But to run it up at Cheesecake takes a lot of effort. It's a lot of effort to run it up at Cheesecake. Okay, the problem is... That's what I'm saying. You're like, oh, you want to take me to Cheesecake? So I get the bill, back of my bill, $600, and I had a drink and chicken. But we had cheesecake, though.

It doesn't matter. Who's paying for it? You, because we're paying. So we might as well go Dutch then. Then it's not a date anymore. Yes, it is. No, it's not. Why not? If I'm out with somebody and I am not feeling the date,

I will offer to pay for my meal just so it's no longer a date. And Kenya, they just wanted, producer wanted us to know, statistically, black women make more than black men. Cap. I'm just telling you what the stats say. That's a cap. What's that? Yeah, that's a cap. I don't even know who made that. Y'all get mad at me. I'm just looking at you. What's that?

It's 35,000. It's 42,000 for men, 35,000 for women. So is it fair to say Asian women make more than black men. There are expectations on both sides. For sure. Right? Yeah.

Women expect certain things and men expect certain things. But we just want food. Y'all want... Listen, I don't have to worry about these problems. What about companionship? I'm just saying. I've never had these problems. So therefore, listen, in order for there to be no expectations at the end, so in order for there to be no expectations, right?

I pay for myself? Yeah. Then it's not a date. Yes, it is. We get to know each other. We get to know each other. Okay, then it's a... We get to know each other.

Then that's just a regular meal. We get to know each other. That's a regular meal. No, we get to know each other. The problem is when you're going on a date, you expect the man to know where he's going. Go to coffee, right? But coffee is on the list. Right.

Coffee is on the list. You can't do Starbucks or coffee. The women said no coffee. But that's not a date. It's a coffee date. The women said no coffee, no Starbucks. You can't even take her to a coffee meeting. This list does not represent a lot of women on this world. No Starbucks You can't even take her to a coffee

Let's go meet for something smaller so we can get that out. They don't whether if we go on today that definitely pay for it, but We're gonna know one another there's no dating it's not a date it's it's we're gonna know what I'm saying is it's not a date They a date. They're not looking for a date. They're looking to be wild. This is... So you want me to pay food for your representative? First date. So you want me to pay food for your representative? This only applies to the very first date you're ever taking me on. Not dates.

No, they want to... So the old saying is, when you first meet somebody, I'll hang out, who are you meeting? You're not really meeting that person, are you? So you want me to pay for your representative? No, they want to... No. Representative.

Like, it's like they... What they eat every day, when you go on a date, they want to be taken to a place that they can't go to every day. Go to their house. Which is cool. But that's the thing. Or you don't want to go by yourself. I don't have these problems. Go to their house. They got fucking TV dinners in the damn refrigerator.

No, that's why they want to go eat. And they... They mattress on the floor. They ain't got no box spring. Hey, Trader Joe's is not on the list. They ain't got no mattress. They got no box spring. They mattress on the floor.

Trader Joe's, not on the list. They ain't got no full dish set, and they want me to take them to Mastro's. Hey, but to be real, TGI Friday is not on the list, so I feel like it's some propaganda. They trying to push more people. Oh, hey, y'all men out here.

Hey, they got no... Hey, they silverware set don't match. They don't know which way to eat from off the silverware table, but... Somewhere that requires a long drive. Or y'all can just do the G8 theory. Tell them we're going to have sex first and your performance lets us know what we're going to be eating. Kill birds.

You know what I mean? You're like, oh man, this is that McDonald's right here. You got that Morris. Okay, we go to Morris. I don't have these problems. I do not have these problems. Three days, three days of me knowing you. Get me out of here. Why does this list even exist? Yeah. Because women

get videotaped because this woman wouldn't get her ass out the car. That's why it is exist I think that was a skit because you can say the spot where she didn't want to eat. You can't take him to Denny's This is some nice nothing regular. It's just only we came with the little the joints up. So you can go no fun They want no No It's your athlete. Yeah, I just want to you're happy so that's different. I just want to go to no boo. That's it Just just how about this now? They want to go to town Stop telling us where you don't want to go put the list of where you want to go You know just go so we can stop all this guessing. Trixie K. Cole. Yeah. Yeah. We want to go on a date. We just want to, hey. Yeah.

Oh, man, look at that Drake. Take me to the Dodgers stadium. Look. Yeah. Hey, no Angels games. Rent it out. No Angels games. You can go to the Dodgers.

Oh, man. Take me to the Dodgers stadium. See, that's the bar they going to. Shit, Drake renting out. Shit, Drake took the Dodgers stadium. Like, the man you dating that live next to you can't even get a rental car stop girl I will be eating the marriage is the marriage is taking me a mission. Let me know so I dress accordingly I got a question not dressing up for cheesecakes. Oh, so I got a question

But but what I'm saying is when you guys are I've never done is what is a picnic acceptable? Yes What I'm saying is when you're with your What I'm saying is when you're planning a date. Yes. Okay. When you're planning a date. Well, not have to bring me like a bunch of bowls. A picnic with cheesecake. Now we got restrictions on what we can bring.

I need a charcuterie board. I need something nice. But it's not realistic. But I'm saying it's not realistic because if you're planning a date, she's already told you where you want to go eat. You don't leave, I'm going on a date up to a dude. We don't just sit there and go to high-end restaurants by ourselves or with our boys. Right. Right?

So, for the most part, you tell us where to go. We don't know. So, if I'm having a conversation, the girl is usually picking, we're going to go here. Bet. So, you don't usually have, this list doesn't even exist. You're just, this list is just telling the average man that we don't usually have this list doesn't even exist you're just this list is just telling the average the average man that we don't want you so I just gotta tell you like a list of places because it is nice for someone to be like be ready at this time let's

go here but do I need to give you a list of some men yes that of certain stature and Been put no High in men no high-end men. We ain't we ain't doing all that right We're dudes who's trying to pretend to be high in. Oh, yeah, they got it all set up. Oh, yeah They use car salesmen. Oh, they don't have to suit the thing. Oh, they don't have all that Yeah, you're gonna date with the suit, the thing. Oh, they're going to have all that. Yeah. You going on a date with me, I'll probably wear sandals. Sandals is nasty.

I'm rich. What I care for? Sandals is nasty. I'm rich. I don't give a fuck what we talking about. I got sandals. I'm going to have jeans on, nice shirt, sandals. And my toes might be cut.

Maybe. Depending on how I felt that day. And my toes might be cut. Maybe. Depending on how I felt that day. That's how you pulling up. Just let me know. I don't look crazy. Walking in dressed up and you in fucking sandals. You supposed to look how you supposed to look. But my thing is.

I'm impressing you with the bill. You impressing me with the look. It's not how it's supposed to look. But prior to the date. Like damn. All right let me go ahead. Order what you want. So let me ask you this. Order what you want. So let me ask you this.

Order what you want. So the date that you have been on, right? Mm-hmm. You've talked to this person prior or had some type of engagement with this person prior to going on a date with them, right? Mm-hmm. I don't know if you've ever been on a blind date. Somebody set you up or something. That's a different story.

But while you're talking to this person, engaging with this person, you kind of get a sense of how they are and what they taste is and you look at his nails and all kind of shit that women pay attention to, you know what I'm saying? If his nails

are dirty, he's probably going to take you to Applebee's. If his car look a certain way, he's probably is there certain things that come with I mean I have a certain straighter saying I want to go here. Yeah, but I Don't be like what a present to a list of places I don't want to go to like this should not have to be that but unfortunately But that was the one more and get out the car Yeah, we made a deal of deal. She started something crazy.

I do exactly the opposite of everything women expect on a date. I'm going to wear sandals. I'm going to come late. I don't care. I don't care. Give it a rip, though. You're at the top end of the spectrum. And that's why I be telling women.

I say, the problem is y'all are looking for a dude who is the used car salesman. He's trying to woo you, so he needs game. When a girl says, he don't have no game, you don't got no game, why would you want to do with game? That means he doesn't really have it. He's not him. The Ferrari doesn't need to pitch you on himself.

The lemon does. That dude who looks all dead and got the little... Sandals, where you want to go? I'm coming up late. 30 minutes late. No reservations. I'm going to do just like this. You know this is. We're going to sit down.

I tell people all the time, before I was... I ain't got no game. I'm a game whack. I never had it. I ain't got no game. Like, I'm a game whack. I never had it. I ain't got no game. Lambo don't sell it. What I got a spit game to you for? Do you know who does have game? Who that?

The Las Vegas Aces. What a transition. Wow. The Aces had Sin City turned all the way up on Monday as they celebrated their back-to-back championship on the Vegas Strip. So after securing her first WNBA Finals MVP, Aja Wilson took another shot at her haters,

specifically the lone MVP voter that picked her fourth with this shirt. It included all of her first place, second place, third place, and the lone fourth place vote she got. No way. Aces head coach Becky Hammond was turned all the way up and made a bold statement for where Wilson will finish her basketball career.

Listen here. I'm an old ass bitch. What's the net cut? I played. I played against all the goats. Oh, I'm going to put it out there. I'm going to put it out there. I'm going to put it out there.

This is going to be the goat of the goats. She don't even know how I'm about to be on that ass. Because she's that good. I'm trying to think of an NBA comp. I'm trying to think of an NBA comp I'm trying to think of a WNBA comp And there ain't nobody in the world Like Asia Wilson I thought she was going to give it to us

I thought she was going to give it to us I'm about to push you on my back Come on, follow me And we did You want it back? You want it back? I'm about to push you on my back. Come on, follow me. And we did. You want it back? You want it back? Fucking run that shit back.

I love it. God bless it, WFJ. I want tickets now. That was literally like... Yeah. That was like comparison when you have those drunk conversations in the bathroom at the club. When you're like, girl, I love you so much. That was that. That's how y'all talk in the bathroom at the club? you're like, girl, I love you so much. That was that. That's how y'all talk in the bathroom at the club?

Yeah. Okay. Lots of heart-to-heart conversations. We about to run this shit. In the pissy-ass club? This boy's stupid. Girl things. What are y'all?

It'd be like 80 y'all in one stall. Would y'all be? Oh, y'all tripping. No, not in the stall. Just out there with the beers. Period. Communal pee-peeing. No, that's y'all.

That would be men. No, I'd be like 18 in one little joint. Anyway, you'd be like, oh, you're so pretty. You're this, you're that. Yeah. The WNBA needed that.

I love it. You needed that. That's real life. That is not scripted. That is human nature, and that's what we need to see more of from the dub. Question for you, Lexi.

Was Becky Hammond spitting facts, or was she too turnt off the act? I think she was spitting facts. I think Gage is going to go down as one of the greatest. Go to the goats. I don't know, but he's going to be up there. She's about to come for you. She's about to make a Lexi t-shirt. I love that. She's about to come for you. You're about to make a Lexi t-shirt. I love that

Like she's having someone kick. She's only 26, right? I love that Yes, she's Six seasons Let me see. Oh, yeah, we were in the same job. She's 27. She just turned 27 in August Yeah, we're in the same job class. I mean from the looks of the team That arena that they got, is anybody else building any arenas around here? End up? Seattle.

Seattle. How long is that going to take? This year. Phoenix about to get one. That'll be, what, two years from now? Not sure. Manny has the... So they can probably go three-peat, four-peat.

Yeah. If they're able to, which I don't think they're going to have a problem keeping that team together, but why would they? Money, money, money, money. They can probably be the first team in, I mean, besides the 1950s. They can go pay, right? Because it's all about who can pay, right? Huh? It's all about who can pay and who willing to pay, right?

They can pay. And they willing to pay, so. Mark Davis got it. So like you were saying, the other day, somebody asked some shit, if Skylar Diggins go there, then what?

I was like, somebody said, oh. Someone go out and take a pay cut. I mean, that's happened in New York. Hey, hey, hey. A pay cut.

I saw, you talking to Teresa and I said, I saw your little thing, yeah. We got T.A. T.A. Factory gift certificate. No, no.

Unlimited. What would Skylar Diggins pay be? Max. What is that? $220, maybe. Okay, so $220, right? That's a super max, I think. That's a $220, right?

And someone write a check and say, oh, yeah, I'm going to take a pay cut for $75. And I write the other $25 for you. Who notices that? Nobody. We taking pay cuts to win championships. I mean, we know what's going on. And obviously, we don't want to...

We're not going to say anything about it. But you and I know what's going on. I think that's great. I think it's great. Why would you... We deserve to get paid're not going to say anything about it. But you and I know what's going on. I think that's great. I think it's great. Why would you, you deserve to get paid. Everyone deserves to get paid. It's sports, y'all. We take pay cuts for championships.

So my lady's over here taking pay cuts for championships. People in New England did it for years. Your Donna's Haslam did it for years. Yeah. My God. Your Donna's Haslam did it. Half of Miami. How you on half of Miami with Joe Payton?

Wait a minute. That's only amazing. Six restaurants, three car dealerships, four clubs. Oh man, I'm happy here. 16 apartment buildings, like Jesus. Oh man, they can build. This portfolio is expensive. It's been amazing.

It's been expensive. You made 42 million. You make a minimum every year. Damn. This portfolio is expensive. It's been amazing. It's expensive. You made $42 million. You made a minimum every year. You made $30 million in an NBA contract, got $200 million in assets. This bit is good. Well, yeah, no.

People have been doing, like, take us for the team, for the betterment of the team. That's what they... Yeah. I mean, a lot falls on the owners, so more owners need to step it up. Mark Davis saving all that money for haircuts. He got it. Just military balls. That's it.

He probably paying top dollar for that haircut, too. It's his signature. Oh, he paying top dollar for it. And when San Fran gets their team team you best believe within three years They're gonna be competing for something. Oh for sure Yeah, too much check money out there Startup company a I can He known for breaking bread, That's all he do.

Ready for another segue? Speaking of breaking bread. After Saban was going to wait to sign his extension until the Bucs proved they were as committed to winning as him, the Bucs got damn time to convince Giannis to sign on that dotted line. Greek freak agreed to a three-year extension worth $186 million,

which ties Anthony Davis for the highest annual average salary in NBA history. So Giannis made the announcement with this tweet. He said, Milwaukee, let's get it. Bucks and six extended. I think you're missing a few E's. E, E, E, E, E, E.

Bucks and six. There are only steps to success. The deal includes a player option in the final year, which gives Giannis the opportunity to stack even more bread. Now the Bucs have two of the top four highest-salary players in league history, and Giannis locked in through the duration of Dame's current contract. So thoughts on Giannis signing a substantial with the Bucs? Damn. Will he Bucs him?

Yikes. Like, I mean, you know, um, it's not in the owners. It sounded like great deals back then, right? Where they was wanting to cut out seven-year contracts and six-year and three-year, y'all getting y'all ass whooped. This three-year, these, these, you're getting your ass whooped in these three years.

Seven years, y'all was like, oh, man, players making it. These three years is fucking y'all up. Deadass. Two years, boom, I'm at it again. Oh, my God. Woo. Damn. That's some good shit.

G-G. And Milwaukee, too. He might fuck around by Milwaukee. The whole place. The whole city. And rename too. He might fuck around by Milwaukee. The whole place. The whole place. The whole city. And rename it. That's a lot of money. So the extension starts with a 25-26 season.

So he's under contract for at least four more years. And a fifth if he takes that player option. See, the boy got it. But he'll earn $94.4 million over the next two seasons, then about $120 million more for 2025. Did you think he was ever actually going to leave? No. I don't think so.

The way the NBA is designed, it's designed so you can't leave your team. There's such a big pay cut. So players who left, we call them selfish, but they lost so much money. So when Kevin Durant went to Golden State, he lost so much money doing that. Him going to Brooklyn lost so much money doing that. So when you up and leave without a sign and trade, you lose a lot of money. Okay. You know, so that deal would have been, what, somewhere else.

Two-year, what, 98 maybe? Or if it was a three-year deal, three-year, 120. Man, listen. Can't even think about it, right? Does that hurt? Does that hurt knowing everything y'all did for this league, laying the foundation? Hell no. Y'all can't even send you 50 for some footwork?

No, you better don't. No, what I'm saying though, we ain't the era that's mad. I'm happy for them. We ain't the era that's mad. We was millionaires. We was millionaires. Y'all signed for an eternity when I sign my deal Let's it was seven seven years right Jesus Christ. No, so like when people talk about big dog, right?

People don't realize he never signed another contract out there. Yeah, all right like That's where NBA they smart but they dumb too If you would have kept it back to the old ways, where rookies was coming in signing big money, most of them would have never hit big contracts like that. Right, big dog never hit another contract. My first year, when we was trying to do an under the table deal.

Allegedly, damn good. Hell no. Protected it it you know hell no I had a no I was supposed to stay in Golden State but I didn't have

my bird rights so they couldn't afford me past the mid-level so the deal was I signed a one year deal for 4.9

and then after that it was seven years 79 million why you ain't do that because Washington Wizards six years 64 was better than eight years, 83, 84.

83, 84. I'm doing my thing. Yeah, you're right. Mm-hmm. Seven years. Seven years, yeah. That's a long time. I show seven years, six years, team, seven-year, playoff.

So who was the last player to sign a seven- or six-year contract? Seven years was... That probably ended, like, right after me. Um... Because we had something in 2004, 2005, right? Yeah, I signed mine in... 2006? When I went to Denver? Yeah, I signed my now I signed mine in 2006 when I went to Denver

Mmm 2004 for four. Yeah, that's 2004. Yeah, that's what I was the last year. Yeah, that's what it was right after mine Yeah, 2004 the summer 2004 Like LeBron, I think LeBron started the the quick three-year stuff Yeah, I've been in hopping out hopping in hopping out Like it's a year before Denver off when Jersey it offered me six years for 66 Played a year out and you went over there for seven was the sign trade they basically it was a they didn't get nothing back But you signed and trade right? Yeah, because they told you can either look lose because i was going either way i said that was the problem i was going either way i was out because they didn't offer nothing so i'm gone so they told the nets you can either get some form which would then equate to much or you can lose them for nothing so they

did the sign trade that's the that's the real decision. When LeBron made the decision, and it was this big spectacle of the decision, it wasn't a decision. That wasn't really a decision because he didn't have nothing to lose. His max deal was one something. If he

just left and went to Miami, 80-something. Now that's a decision. But if I can convince you, oh, I'm going to leave, you better get something for me, now you got to sign and trade. Hell yeah.

Sign me for my max and then trade me where I want to go. Like, the decision is I'm willing to lose you for nothing. You take that big pay cut. Yeah, that's... You know, there's only a few people that's actually just,

I'm out. Kawhi. All right. But other than that, I mean, back then, man, I'm calling you bluff. I don't think you're going over there for 80. Nah. Nah. It's easy. That's what him and Bosh, they both signed in Toronto and got traded.

So right after they signed, be like, nah signed be like nice like we not trading you and we got nice I'd have been that look like oh, this is what y'all want to do then go Cuz I know one if he gets signed in trade right if Bosch signed a one-oh something and I'm not signing the trade you you ain't gonna be getting paid less than Bosch and Wade so I I'm calling you bluff hey three four one eight six good lord it's a lot of money boy got it oh I wonder what he does in Milwaukee. Turns up. It's a beautiful city.

Right on the water. It's cold there. That's an understatement. It's freezing, yeah. Yes. Yes. I was out there, Jordan, for that short time, for that cup of tea, I was out there for dead winter.

Yeah. It was dead winter. December, January, February, brick out there for dead winter. Yeah. It was dead winter. December, January, February, brick out that joint. Like, listen, man. I don't do the codes. So Giannis finally gets the chance to play with another superstar, perform arguably the best duel in the league. But what would be the biggest adjustment for Giannis this season?

The biggest adjustment is realizing how much space you got now. And that's that's really what it is. It's you know understanding that you know you don't need to bring the ball up as much and you know when you do you have space to really just take your time. You don't got to bull goes through you know much anymore so you know. You know the first the first you know 10 games you know it's gonna be an adjustment period but you know you know the first the first you know ten games you know it's gonna be an adjustment period but you know we'll see oh yeah adjustments I think it's all positive adjustments and I just I don't see anything that they both determined.

They're both – could you imagine both of them playing with a bigger chip on their shoulder than they already play? It's going – it's – I'm just – just watching them play regularly, how they play and how they attack and their mentality night in, night out. This is going to be awesome to watch. And then, yeah, the only thing Giannis realized in the fourth quarter, he really got a closer. You know what I'm saying? I think that's huge.

I think that's what his adjustments gotta be. Yeah, that is. Understanding that the fourth quarter is going to someone else. Yeah, he can, here, I'm just gonna say that you can defer. And the pressures you have to make free throws late and certain things later, it's not that great now. You know what I'm saying? Instead of you 12 fourth-quarter free throws,

it might be six now. You know what I'm saying? And that takes the pressure off you. In that regard, you can play a little more freely, I think. I think that's one of the only adjustments that one of them gonna have to make. But Dame always been a killer and a closer, so he gonna stay in that role.

And he ain't never played with a big like Young, a person like Young, he's damn big. He ain't never played with a person like Young. Mm-hmm. Yeah, I think just building chemistry. And Chris Middleton gonna have a hell of a year, let's just call it what it is, because he get to play freely. Granted, he healthy. Chris Middleton's going to have a hell of a year. Let's just call it what it is because you get to play freely.

Granted, he healthy. Chris Middleton going to get to play one-on-one at all times. He a hell of a scorer. He's really going to put the ball in the basket. Get to play one-on-one at all times. No spading. Freely. Freely.

Next, what were you saying? They're just going to have to build chemistry. That's all. I think Dame will probably have more of the adjustment because the teammates that he's had in the past haven't been like the Caliber Vianis or Chris Middleton. And they're used to playing with each other, used to winning championships, deep playoff runs. So it's exciting for Dame.

I'm happy for him. People are saying he didn't have a great preseason. That's what preseason's for. What would be the biggest adjustment for Dame, do you think, this season? I don't know. I mean, we were just talking about how he has the ball in those crunch time moments, but there might be games where

it's Giannis' time or it's Chris Middleton's time, and he'll be the one deferring, which he's never had to do before. No, believe it or not, when him and CJ used to go, like, they deferred to each other. There'd be times where even though Dame's on fire, CJ hit two threes or two twos in the last couple minutes and keep going. Yeah, I'm with it.

Yeah, but that's a luxury, man. Yeah, that is. To be able to have that, to lean on where you, either you got it. You know, so. Yeah, but that's a luxury, man. Yeah, that is. To be able to have that to lean on where you, either you got it going with that or you don't. Just say, and you got that to lean on where you can be a facilitator, but you still, your presence is still valuable. You being out there, because at any given moment,

they know, well, if shit, if he see one go in, shit, listen, we got to. No matter his. So, no, I just think it's a good thing, man. It's a good thing. And I'm telling you, the defensive mindset of, I'm saying, head coach, I think they don't lose much in that regard from the previous regime. You know what I'm saying?

So, Lexi, you hit on it a little bit, but Dame capped off his preseason with a solid performance this past Friday, but in three games, he was 11 for 35 from the field, four for 21 from three. It's just a preseason deal, I know. But what do the Bucs need to do to get Dame in rhythm? Wednesday, first game. Thursday?

He'll be in rhythm. Yeah, he got all that bullshit in and out of his system now. He shot it all out. Like, I've never, like, I don't think I've ever scored 20 in preseason. He's been in the arena day in, day out, getting used to that arena, shooting there.

Like, in preseason, like, I don't know what the new preseason is like but in you know in the past Everyone focused on defense so much barely offense Right. You got your defensive legs You got your your defense down packing it took preseason the first couple games of the season to get your your offense really going We played eight preseason games. I know back then. Yeah eight Hey, that was eight trash games too eight three season games, man Offense really going we played eight preseason game. I know back then. Yeah Eight

Hey, that was eight trash game to eight three losing games, man That's so you got time to and it was the funniest and I think that's why the NBA like man The season ain't starting off then bring back them preseason games and let them run that rust out like what you I was wrong with y'all We had an NBA you do a storm, it starts off sluggish. Yeah, them five games they used to have. Because they're playing two. Your guys are playing two. And that's all.

They're playing two of them. They're playing two of them to Dubai and stuff. Yeah, they're playing two preseason games. They're playing 20-something minutes in these preseason games. Not even their regular minutes. And they're playing. You want to be ready. Whoever's negotiating doesn't even think about, like, reality. in these preseason games, not even their regular minutes, and they playing, and you want to be ready to. Whoever's negotiating doesn't even think about reality. My last games, most of these teams, April.

Last time I really played basketball. The summer's just, we get the preseason, different element. And then we played two preseason games that I go half-ass in. And then I played 20 minutes, because that I go half-ass in. And then, you know, I played 20 minutes. Because you're still trying to make cuts, right? So you're not going to play me 40 minutes. Then when the season starts, 42.

What? Like, I'm done. Like, yeah, of course I'm going to play 42. But my body's not ready. Everything is not clicking the way it needs to be clicked. But, you know, usually, like, all usually, we're going to play 15, 17. By the time we get to them last three games, I'm playing 35 minutes.

Yeah, you're playing real minutes. Yeah, you're playing real minutes those last... The seventh preseason game. It would be the seventh preseason game. How many did they play this year? I think three to four. And most of the stars only played two. Yeah, like Gil was pointing out, we would play gradually more and more and more

then by, sit out a couple in the middle. If your guys like your starters and guys, sit out a couple in the middle. Then towards the end, especially game seven, we gonna play real starter, we gonna play real minutes. Real starter minutes. Real, like that's gonna be like- Yeah, that makes sense. That's your first, because that's like your first game.

Right. And then the eighth one we're taking off. Yep. Ain't nobody playing the eighth one. Yeah, ain't nobody going to play in the eighth one. I'm shooting like 40. Two for 40. Because I know season about to start, definitely trying to go out that motherfucking

roller ankle. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Break a finger or some nut shit like, yeah really? We got in a full fist fight in our last preseason game against the Bulls. Like, the first game of the season, I'm suspended. Anthony Pillar suspended. Larry Hughes suspended. It got real up in Chicago.

Shit like that. So how long does it take you to get your legs right once the season starts? Depends on who you are. Like, the key to your legs is depending on what you was doing in preseason. Like, it really depends on what you was doing in training camp, preseason, to really get, like, you got to be able to go through that pain, you know, two days and get that, flush them legs out to be fresh. But we had a whole month.

We had a whole month. Like, there was a, like, back then, there was players who didn't do nothing all summer. Probably cardio and used a month. To get ready. To get ready for the season. Yeah. Won't come out of practice. You got some, like, guys that starters, like, that play big minutes and train and count practice stuff, like, won't come out of practice. They won't come out of practice. At all. They just play themselves right into shape, like, play through the pain, play through the fatigue. Then your body, you know what I'm saying, you didn't build this trauma up in your body

where you got to, yeah, and you get ready for the season. There's certain things that you can only experience in training camp that you can't do in, like like a workout or in a pickup game Like there's just so many things that go on in a training camp that get you ready for the season So, I mean I personally wouldn't like take off all that time and then come to training camp and be like, alright Let's go, but some people can do that But yeah, our training camps are short to yeah, these teams had their hands on these guys so much now though. Yeah They so involved with like not not the stars do their own thing for most. Yeah

But other guys the other 13 guys on the team the team got their hands on them But I'm saying you to see him a few times during the summer They have mandatory you got to come here, you got to go there. Seeing if you're working out, seeing if you're in shape. They're sending coaches to you. They're doing all the... Why? Because they're kids.

Because they can't trust them to do... You know what I'm saying? They come in at 19, 20 years old. Cool. We came in at 19, 20 years old. I didn't go back. Look, I didn't play and I'm, you know, the ideal of they were getting the number two pick,

hoping for the number two pick, which would have been Jason Williams at the time, right? And my whole argument is like, yo, if I started last, you know, the last end of the season, I'm going to start it, right? They was like, no, the number two pick is going to be. I was like, what if I'm whooping his ass? He's the number two pick.

They're not going to play the bench guy, the 31 pick over the number two pick. And I'm saying, if he can't beat me in training camp, he gets to start? And he was like, yeah. Oh, that's what we on. So I just stayed in Oakland, just getting ready for bra. Like, yeah, y'all get that number two pick. Watch what happens, right? And what's so funny is he tell this story like, I don't even know why he was angry at me.

Because I built this anger up the whole damn summer to face You and Trina But you know that but if you are a player and you looking to improve Why are you leaving? What is where you going back home to do what celebrate you NBA player go there fuck off and no If you really care about your craft your first two three years stay put Work with them coaches work with them plays like this is this is relationship building also, right? If I'm the coach and I I didn't play you this year and I seen you train all summer

I'm watching you we talking going over film how you can improve Mentally you already in my rotation All right, I'm gonna look for ways to try to put you in the game If it's in your control, huh? If it's if that if the coach does yeah That's a whole nother fucking story You will cook but can't cook You a coach but can't like You a coach you got come on man like

Yeah Coach that can't coach like how does that sound? Like some of y'all coaches out there. I get it man. Y'all just like to Say y'all coaches, but if you don't have control of coaching what's the point let's talk about that a little bit just four months after coming out of retirement to join Adrian Griffin staff bucks assistant Terry Stotts abruptly resigned last week just days after an incident with Griffin Stotts was Dame's head coach for nine season with the Blazers and was expected to help the Buckss offense this season.

So how will Terry Stiles' dip in impact the Bucs? Or will it at all? He ain't been there. What the fuck do you mean impact? He didn't do nothing. What'd he do? He came in. They brought him there with Dame?

They brought him out. You brought him before, but him and Dame, cordial. So Dame wasn't really tripping he didn't do nothing we gave you ever brought him in a summer to do what Ricky head coach to help with that transition to be a coach too hmm man is that's quick man he weak-minded came you know came take a little yelling yes he was yelling everybody know he can't yell that he probably like, I can't do this. Not by no rookie head coach.

I don't care who it is. Like, a yell is probably a heated moment, something going on. They disagreed, and he spazzed out. If you can't take that, I don't even know how you as a head coach. So the reports are that Adrian Griffin said he wanted to have a coach's huddle after practice. They broke. Terry Stotts went over to talk to Giannis and Dame. Adrian Griffin, I believe, told him to come over.

Maybe not the most politest of ways. And then a couple days after that. What did he say? Bring your white ass over here. I mean, what did he say? I'm trying to figure out what did he possibly say. Come here, boy. What did he possibly say?

That's what I'm saying. I feel like something else happened. Come on. What did he possibly say? That's what I'm saying. Does it... I feel like something else happened. Come on. Like, what did he, like... Yeah, like... You're a head coach and I'm... Damn. He probably really didn't want the job.

I mean, you know. I don't know. Have y'all ever seen anything like that? I mean, I'm sure you've had coaches that... Quit during the season? But aren't as nice as they should be. Have you seen a coach quit? Oh. No. Head coaches are horrible to their assistants i ain't never but they just are like

okay well not to that extent well i don't not enough for someone to quit but they be talking to them crazy serious yeah power trip no like that like i had I had a Dave Cowan's my rookie season Now you never really said it's like heat of the moment stuff like they're not like just randomly disrespectful But like if it gets into a moment with assistant not doing what they're supposed to do Yeah, they just snap that a little bit But if they said they had a meeting and then he went over to talk to Giannis and head coach Snap. And then the head coach. Like, if I tell the coaches to come over here,

and then you take the point yourself to go over there. You're probably getting checked. Like, I've been having to check you. I'm the assistant fucking coach, right? Yeah. I need to talk to these two real quick. I'll be over there in a minute. That's what I'm saying.

What did you say? I might have something to tell them that I'm. But that can wait, though. No, no, no. to these two real quick. I'll be over there in a minute Something to tell them that I but that can wait though. No, no, this can wait. No, we got all fucking day after practice We're gonna be sitting obviously that's not the way it went obviously So if I say Let's talk. Let's talk Sound like somebody's a new head But you know what that is. You got his big pants on.

But you know what? So let's put it in context, right? Terry Styles is a former head coach, right? Got a relationship with Dane. I ain't saying it's what it is, but you know how that shit is. That, hey, shit, if I was in this position, shit, you know what I'd be doing. I'm just, let's call it what it is. You'd be in all the threes.

That's the assistant assistant. We need to get rid of him. Yeah. That ain't our guy. I ain't saying no. Hey, we don't win it this year. You know, hey, there might be, hey, I ain't just put a good word in for me. Shit, if I was sitting in this shit,

if it was my job, we'll be... I ain't saying that's what he's doing, but Adrian Griffin played in the league. Yeah. We hear it, yeah. We hear it. We've been around it. I've heard it when I was in...

The assistant coach kicking the head coach back in. Can't wait. So they be twiddling his thumbs. So what's our record? Shit, any day now any day now sitting here doing this hey who should i put in yeah he looked for the sorry yeah yeah he's sabotaging sabotaging that listen as early in the season that's what they no i'm just saying period like if i ain't saying i ain't saying what's going on

but it it does go on but you've seen it happen in other situations. Okay. So there was a situation where Lakers was getting ready to hire somebody, and they wanted the head coach to hire another guy. Another head coach. Another guy that was a former head coach but had some clout. Name to him all this. The guy told him, like they told him this, for you to get this job you got to hire him Lou and Jason get

They wanted my Jason kid he like, no, fuck that. There's conflict. There's conflict. I'm saying, there's conflict. And T. Lou mine, let me don't get off, he got a bigger name than me. All this shit, like,

Hall of Famer, all this shit. Does that play into it? He was a better Hooper than me, so he's going to come with that mid-time? He has a bigger name than... Bigger name, probably a little bit smarter. Yeah, you know what I'm saying? In decision-making and stuff. So why would you want that sitting next to you?

That's my thing. I do. Some do, but some don't. But if it don't get good, if it don't start the way... I don't trust that I'm that I could trust this but but that's my argument though if Yeah, this is my assistant coach, right? Yes, and we start off 0 and 10 and you want to fire me They with me

Fuck they suck with me too shit. We all together, but it don't go that way, though. Sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry. But where does it fall, though? Yeah, I've never understood that. But where does it fall, though? It falls in his lap. I know, but that's how stupid they are up there. So they just hire the next man up. Who you think I'm listening to?

This dummy and that dummy. When we do the game plan, he does the defense, he does the offense, right? So that's his defense you're complaining about. That's his offense. So we all going. You're not going to fire me and hire the motherfucker who gave me the offense unless he was just giving me some bullshit. But that's why I have my own place.

I don't trust none of y'all. Question for all three of y'all on this couch. Head coaches generally get the blame and the credit, but how important are good assistants to the overall success of a team? None of y'all. Question for all three of y'all on this couch. Head coaches generally get the blame and the credit, but how important are good assistants to the overall success of a team? Very important. It matters on how much power you give that assistant coach. The assistant coach usually has the relationships with the players. He usually is the one that makes the players feel good you know inside

we're gonna try to get you in you know you know the baby and you know the assistant coach usually does the best yeah yeah you know he keeps your spirit up that's why you can't wait for the head coach get on out of here boy we gonna play for you coach every time a coach get fired. Well, they're going like a three foul game winning streak like that Oh, they got that spirit Or you have a coach can't wait to take over and you go Talking that shit. I can't wait to get the job But Michael Cooper was in a business man gayop the job. We were like 2-10.

Alright, Koop. They brought George Carl ass in. I'm like, yo. God damn it, Koop. Couldn't get your shit together. I just don't understand sometimes when you fire in the middle of the season, what are you expecting?

He started off 0-10, 2-24. You? You fired him and... Went through two coaches. Like what do you think he gonna do? Like he gonna do the same exact plays that I'm doing. Unless it was a lot in. You know how bad shit got to be though? You start the season and you go... We was on coach three when we ended the season in Denver my first year in Denver we had three head coaches dog and the general manager should have been yo Jeff Bisdelic was our head coach at the start of the season who Jeff Bisdelic he was our head coach Michael Cooper took over him they fired him and brought in George. You know how bad shit got to be?

You know how bad of a general manager you got to be? Oh. Let's go 0 for 3 in one season? No, just like, what is the concept? Like, I need to fire him before he fires me. That is the cardinal rule, right? When you're talking about coaches getting fired It's the general manager the same person who picks the players in the draft, right?

These are the players I want in the draft. These are the players I'm signing You make it work if you can't make it work. I'm firing you not I'm not gonna fire myself cuz I Did I I chose him? Ah my bad I'm firing you. I'm not going to fire myself because, man, did I? I chose him. Ah, my bad. I'm going to fire you, and that's how you do it. Somebody got to go. Yep. Somebody got to go.

So quickly, who's the best assistant that you had in your career? The best assistant was Brian Winters. Legend. Brian Winters. He was the assistant coach. Didn't know his name. Didn't know nothing about him. And then Dave Collins got fired.

He got the job. And he said, hey, you. You start. What's your name, coach? Winters? I'm going to always remember this. Thank you, sir. Thank you for the opportunity that you give to me. I'm always remember this

And then he did some shit that I've never seen since he said hey once I got the star position he said, uh No more practice this year just show up the games since you guys don't like practice anyway We're just gonna show up the games and finish a year off. I ain't got to compete. It's just in game stats. Man, these are raised, sir. These are raised. Some dead ass, man. Who was all on that team, man? Who? Oh, yeah, it was Bad News Bears. We had Danny Forsen. It was your rookie year? Bad News Bears. We had Danny Forson. We had Henderson, some Henderson. I think Corey Blount was on that team. My rookie year, we had the dude from Auburn. we had him. We had... He was in my draft....Fatigo Cummins.

Jeez. Mookie. You had Mookie Balock. Eric Dampier and Adonel Foyle. Oh, God. Mookie, quit. Say the team. Say the team.

I'm going to read the whole roster. Please do. So Gilbert, your name's first because it ends with a M. Yes. Mookie Balock, Eric Dampier, Danny Foyle, Adonel Foyle, Dean Geerick, Cedric Henderson, Larry Hughes, Mark Jackson, the center, Antoine Jamison, Chris Mills, Troy Murphy, Dean Oliver, Jason Richardson, and Bobby Surer.

Now, okay, so that Mookie Blaylock. So we used to practice at 11. He's always 11, 30, 11, 45. So he got to golf first, and then he'll come. So in the middle of the season, like, it was just one of those days coaches had enough. They're like, you know, you're just a bad influence on these young people, right, and the young talent. Because I'm starting, like, I'm in there actually practicing.

Like, if he come in, like, oh, God, I was just cooking, too. And he come on out here young fella and coach was like nah nah you a dog-ass player you a dog-ass player to these young fellas and then we'll get i'm a dog-ass player he's a dog-ass coach for allowing me to do this shit i mean now i'm out of here and i'm going back to the green. I never seen him a day after that. When he came in and left, I never seen Mookie Baylock again. You have yet to see him? I've never seen him again to this day.

He just walked out. When he walked through them glass doors, that was the last time I seen Mookie Baylock. Yeah, that's crazy shit. Oh, no. Yeah, that's crazy Yo, that's a hell of a I thought he was just not the golf court I had seven bigs on it. Oh, yeah Yeah But I just said that and that was the wasn't it so it must have been like

The Porter used to be he must have been in out at the preseason part of it. Yeah. So, let's talk about a... That's a disgusting roster. Y'all had damp Anna Donofoy on the same team? Pfft. Mark Jackson. Now think about... Now think about... And they had Danny and Mark Jackson. Now think about those two.

Listen, man. Wrestling match every day in that bitch. And Dave Collins was left-handed. Troy Murphy was left-handed. Like if it listen man wrestling match every day in that bitch and Dave Collins is left-handed Troy Murphy was left-handed and you know, he favored white boy And he put them two on the opposite team. Oh, I know they used to abuse Man, like as as as me and Jason we rooks. I know we over here Contemplating how we gonna fight these do yes I just not gonna do this like gonna do this. Like, we over here, like, Troy Murphy was like, he's coming in like, and like, man, listen,

let's just jump on like one by one. You know what I mean? Like, we sit here really trying to figure out how we gonna. Only imagine what Danny and Mark Jackson was doing to this boy, man. Danny was my teammate in college. Like, yeah, first team All-American, 6'7", 265, stronger than an ox. Big bitch get physical.

That, man, it was hurting Troy. Troy to the point where Troy was like, like at the end of the season, and we over here trying to figure out what we gonna do in life. It was one of those seasons. What we gonna do in life? Troy Murphy was like, I'm not gonna take it. So he stayed in Oakland. So me, Jason Richardson, him, we all stayed in Oakland that summer. And he just lift weights the whole summer. And when preseason came back, he was a whole different dude. Took boxing lessons and everything. He would have had to. Yeah. And it was like, it was like, this is

another, he's different now. And they used to was like, it was like, this is another, he's different now. And they used to be like, oh man. But they tried, but he was, he was a little stronger than he was before. But that rookie season,

man, we used to sit there like, because you know the wall close, right? So when, when he's trying to box out and them two decide to come and they push him to the,

oh man, it was, whoo, Coach Subham. Oh yeah, we used to, so the thing to understand where Danny come from, like my... Woo, Coach Subham. Oh yeah, so you don't understand where Danny come from. Like, practicing in Cincinnati, wow.

Like, ain't no out of bounds, fouls, certain shit don't exist. Oh yeah, yeah, yeah. I'm just being honest. No out of bounds. No, no, no. No, ain't no out of bounds or fouls at times. Certain jerseys ain't no out of bounds or fouls.

No fouls like it, but no out of bounds. No out of bounds. No out of bounds, no fouls. Go hoop. Right? This is practice. It's rugby. So just, and people that don't know Danny,

Danny's short fused, to say the least. Say the least. People think I'm short tempered and fused at times. Yeah. Danny grab you and don't think about it. Yo. And I can only imagine what he, yeah. He didn't like flying either.

Right? Yes. That's another thing. And so basically, you know what the plane looked like there. We supposed to, after the game, We supposed to leave at 10 11 Then he going home So we ain't leaving till 12 1 o'clock In the morning and then most of the time they trying to convince him to come

Someone in his family died. So obviously you talking about a whole season or two seasons He doesn't named everybody in his family, in his lineage. His mom died like three times that year. They called. Hey, yeah, you know, we're sorry to hear about you. Hold on, I'm not dead. Danny had to call the people.

Don't you call my motherfucking mom. Oh, shit. The RT was wild, man. It was crazy. Why you, like, now think about it. Why you think I had guns? That's what I had to deal with. It was crazy.

Only way you can be crazy is to be crazy. Yeah. Shit. Like, why you bringing guns to the locker room? If you would have been there my rookie year, you understand. Yeah. They thought the trailblazers was crazy. No. No.

Damn. Wrong team. Damn. Let's keep this thing moving. New CBA has created issues for NBA teams trying to build dynasties, but Nuggets GM Calvin Booth thinks he might have the solution.

So Nuggets lost Bruce Brown and Jeff Greener for agency, but returned all five starters, including Fin finals MVP Nikola Jokic, coming off a generational postseason and a top-two finish in the MVP voting. So Christian Brown's looking to build off a solid rookie season. Second year forward Peyton Watson should crack the rotation. They did good in the draft. They got Julian Strother from Gonzaga. I know y'all don't give a fuck about preseason,

but he's shooting 45% from the field, 45 from three and four games. So when you look at this Nuggets team, it feels like they don't get the love that they should. Are the Nuggets getting the respect a defending champ returning all five starters deserves? The respect from who?

The league. Don't everybody have them? Don't everybody have Murray and Jokic as the number best duo? That's not love? That's love. Some people. Who's number one starting off the season then? In the West.

Then they getting their fucking love. Might not be the loudest, but it's there. You know, teams, people want to look at the new shiny toy, right? Other teams made moves, and then they looking at them as the favorites and all that. Knowing that chemistry and all that plays a factor, and you're returning all five starters. And with a head coach that coaches with a chip on his shoulder, Michael Malone, and guys feed into that, then they be all right.

Yeah, it's the media, man. It's Denver, too. It's the media hype. Is it just because it's Denver and we don't really care? Deion runs Colorado? I mean, you know, it's a small city team. So, I mean, you know, when you're talking about clicks and views, that's not a team that somebody wants to hear about.

He's not really a viral type. Serbian. He should be chilling. I'll ask you this. We talked about it a few weeks ago, but did the Nuggets get better this offseason? Did they get better as a team? we don't know until we see if Michael Porter jr. Got better if

Watson got better, you know if those guys really put in some work right going for a free agent, you know Wouldn't have been in their best interest right right? If you can, you know, get your own players better, you know, where they are a big, like if Michael Porter averages 18 to 22, that's a big free agent in a sense. If, you know, Peyton Watson comes in off the bench and he's, you know, playing like a six man, that's a very, very great summer.

And they invested a little money in the Zeke Naji kid. Yeah. He's been in a farm thing, building him up over years. So, yeah, like you said, to get your own players better is the most important thing. Why go out and spend money on something when you've invested time and resources into what you already have in your locker room

And I've she got a relationship with Calvin booth how much No, just what's the funniest when we used to talk basketball like playoff games? matchups right The teams we talked about like dream teams and how we were that's That's how his team looks. Right? He's going to look at, he's going to look at like in drafts, he's going to look at arm measurement. Right?

You know, like if you're one of these dinosaur type of players, like you can be 6'8", 6'9", but if you have short wingspan, no, no, no. Right? But we used to argue about volume shooters. And I said, a volume shooter is always a volume shooter until you teach them how to be consistent.

Right? And it was score versus shooter. Right? And he asked me what I am. I said, I'm a shooter that knows how to score

versus a scorer that can shoot a little bit. Right? And I said, you know, so if I'm looking for draft picks, I'm looking for shooters who can put the ball in the basket, right? And that was our guard. We didn't want the traditional point guard, right? We used to sit there and like, you know, like, all right, you know, practicing GM, what type of point guard. We used to sit there and like, all right, practicing GM, what type of point guard you want? And we're doing all the history. And it was like, well, the starting point guard on every championship team only averages about 4.2 assists. So obviously there's a dominant guy. So if you have a Jordan, you can't have a Steve Nash. You got to have somebody who offsets that,

a defensive guy or a guy who can just flat out shoot. And those are the type of guards we were looking for. So it's funny when you look at the team. Jamal Murray? Jamal Murray. For sure. So besides Joker and Jamal Murray, can y'all ask you who's the most important player on the Nuggets this season?

I would say Michael Porter Jr. Just playing more consistent, that's all. Because we all know he can hell of a score. Buying in more defensively. It'll be alright. But the boy can play, man so I seen him this I seen him this summer and My The only one thing that I would like if you know if I was on the coaching staff or just his trainer period

He's too athletic to just shoot threes off. And I think what happens is, he got so comfortable with threes, and I think it's because of the early back injury, that's what he wants to do. Versus, yo, with your athleticism, three is secondary, right? You should be one, two, dribble, pulling up.

No one can compete with your jumping ability when you go to pull up. You should be attacking first, and when they're backing up, shoot your three. But right now, everyone knows you're going to shoot a three, and you're getting it off because you can just jump over everybody. You should be attacking so much to the point where everyone's scared of you hitting the basket where, you know, the three becomes by itself. You're not going to give you space

because they're afraid you're going to get it. It's like he's playing one style. It's like, I'm going to shoot threes, and then if they force me to go to the basket, I'll think about it. And that's the only little tweaks. Like, yo, revert. Like, you're going one-two pull-up or try to get to the basket, I'll think about it. And that's the only little tweaks. Like, yo, revert.

Like, you're going one-two pull-up or try to get to the basket because there's nobody who... There's really not a lot of players that's going to block your shot or, you know, Jokic's guy is not going to be down there. So, basically, you're jumping with another guard or a power forward at best. Yeah. And he's only out there to score. Yeah. You ain't got to think, man. Man, listen, you should be trying to... yeah you ain't gotta think man listen you

should be trying to think about nobody but himself you should be playing a game like try to get six to eight free throws every game that should be your style of play well it's be his first season starting healthy or has he been healthy already before yeah but like if you watched him in high school, right, he was getting to that basket. Right.

And I think because of the back injury, he tried, he developed of keeping longevity into his game. Like, I'm not going to get

hit as much. I'm going to just rely on jumpers. But you can see that he has his game back. Okay. So go ahead

and use your ability. So when you look at that roster, who's a player that can take another leap for them this season? Another leap? I mean, I think, you know, Murray has another gear. You know, if he gives us that gear that he gave, was it at 2020? Was it that year? That was the bubble year, yeah. Like it was that year, yeah.

If he gives us, like when him and was it Mitchell was going at it? Yeah, yeah. If that one comes back, that's a whole other problem too. Right? You know, this one's coming off an injury still, and he ain't really caught his real leg, so this is probably the real first summer where he really got to breathe.

I think he's going to probably turn it up. He already averaged about 20 last year. He bumped that joint up to probably about 25, 27. That's a whole other issue. You got Michael Porter Jr. who's going to put it like... There's so much improvement that those guys can have without Jokic being the same.

With Jokic just being the same, if, you know, back then Jokic was the second option, right? It was Murray that was really carrying it. So even if he gets close to where he was before, that's another, you know what I mean? We're just assuming they all just stay the same. Does Joker have another level he gets close to where he was before, that's another, you know what I mean? We're just assuming they all just stay the same. Does Joker have another level he can get to? And if so, is that scary? No. He's good?

I don't know. I mean, maybe playing with some type of chips since they didn't give him MVP of regular season. He don't care. That's what I'm saying. I don't think he really cares. That's the crazy part. He don't care. That's what I'm saying. I don't think he really cares. What is the... What is the... That's the crazy part. He don't care.

That's what I'm saying. What is the next level? The next level for someone like him? If you're at 24, 11, and 9... Yeah, what more? Unless he says, yeah, I'm going to just be a scorer, and then you just average 32, 7, and 7. Right? It's like, you know what I mean? Yeah, I'm gonna just be a score and then you just average 32 777 Right right it's like you know I mean is that another is that like the reason he's not averaging 30 is because he's passing more

So if he gets more assists, that means I shoot more I mean so there's I think this is where he's gonna sit like his points are gonna go up if it's a Cisco's down like He ever started to he get an MVP. I Mean 32 that's what I'm saying That'll be the fools But that'd be the fool's gold because if he averages 30 and then he's like a 10 and in six assists He ain't do nothing different. He just took it away from his team and added the fuck which all

What he's averaging about what? 20, 30, 40, about 45. He's bringing in about 45 points himself. He's going to be in a 45 to 50 point total in totality. Every night? Every night. I can't even ask for no more. I don't need you. Thank you, every night. In totality. Every night. Every night. I can't even ask for no more. I don't need you like... Thank you, big fella. He plays every game.

He plays his minutes. He shows the ball. He scores your rebounds. Yeah. There's nothing he can do. There's no push. We talked about Jamal Murray a little bit, but never made an All-Star team, never made an All-NBA team.

Do you feel like this is the year he breaks one of those droughts? Yes. If not both? I mean, he can. I mean, I think just, you know, him getting back to that bubble player, yeah, he would. Yeah. Where can he improve? Scoring more. Okay, I'm just asking. You're out here trying to flex on me a little bit. No, I'm just saying, like, you know... You just got to score more points. Score more points. Get more buckets. So we got some underdog higher-lowers for tonight.

Joker is currently at 48.5 points, rebounds, and assists. You think he's going higher or lower? 48.5. See, that's right around. That's, yeah. That's a good line. That's a good line. I was scared of it. I'm gonna go lower lower game one See I'll stay game game one Game one eight point five, but it is it is it is someone who and see that's the problem

They're in Denver though, right? They didn't Denver going against the dudes that was talking that shit So, you know, I mean, it might be one of those games where And then twenty six point five points higher or lower for Joker It's the dog underdog be on the problem is the problem is because it's game one you don't know right you like I'm I'm tending on saying go under I'm gonna go lower go lower on it because you know I don't he didn't play a lot in preseason those boys are really gonna be tuned in to him right and I don't know last preseason game it we had to clip,

as he... Barbecued them. Damn, the triple-double them people. It's hard. It's hard, because you can't read him. Right? Yeah, that's a great point. You can't read him, so you...

I stay away. There ain't no weird one around there, like, you know, like, three free throws. So, I think Michael Porter Jr., I don't know if one around there like, you know, like three free throws. So I think Michael Porter Jr., I don't know if it's still there, but it was.5 free throws made higher or lower. But he don't really go to the basket like that, but I went higher because... I go higher. You just got to make a free throw.

I mean... I go higher. On that, listen, I'm going... You got to go... You got to go higher. They might just foul you, you know, like... Shoot the three. Shoot the, you know, shooting the three or something. That's the vision I had in my head and there you got Jamal Murray 22.5 points

Higher lower on that. I'm gonna go higher. He was he was he was cooking do though and the playoffs and I don't know if deal Yeah It all depends on how prideful, like, the Lakers are. Like, that first quarter is going to tell you everything. If you, the Lakers, and all this shit y'all was talking, you know, at the end of the playoffs and this summer, if y'all don't come out and try to beat them by 30, don't even. Don't even.

I don't even want to. I mean, I'm still going to come to your games, but I don't even Don't even don't even I only you wanna I Mean I'm still gonna come to your game, but I'm I don't even I'm shit So let's let's talk a little bit about these Lakers obviously they're on the other side now of in Denver Nuggets ring night Team that ended their championship hopes in the minimum amount of games needed to advance Reignite they all shit Everyone lose only night team that ended their championship hopes in the minimum amount of games needed to advance. Ring Knights. Ring Knights, oh shit, Ring Knights, everyone lose on Ring Knights. There we go.

Lakers had a solid off season, much anticipation of how 38-year-old LeBron James will look. How does LeBron need to approach year 21 to get the most out of himself and this Lakers squad? Lexi, we'll start with you. LeBron? Uh, I mean, 38? That's so insane that he's that old playing still. At the level he's playing at. I think that, I really think he has to pace himself in some way, shape, or form, which

doesn't mean that he has to, like, not play hard. But, I mean, what is the expectation? Do we expect him to play all the games? Do we expect him to play 60 games? Yeah. I think he should pace himself, but I think he should start off hot.

Get his team motivated. Get Anthony Davis motivated. So when the time comes where he needs to, you know, sit a game out or chill, the whole team is already going to be hyped up for the season. So when the time comes where he needs to, you know, sit a game out or chill, the whole team is already going to be, like, hyped up for the season. So we interviewed Lakers assistant Phil Handy last summer at Summer League,

and he said when he first started, you know, working with LeBron, he was a little taken aback because he felt like LeBron wasn't going his hardest during the season, but then come playoff time, he locked in zero dark 30, and he said he had to hit him up and apologize just because he was like, yo, this dude is, not locked in zero dark 30, and he said he had to hit him up and apologize just because he was like, yo, this dude, not to say he was lazy,

but like, so I think LeBron does understand the importance of trying to pace it. So he was pacing last year to average 30? It's LeBron, dude. He was pacing last year. This is 20-30 for LeBron. I expect it. I expect everyone, all media, He was pacing last year. This is 2030 for LeBron. We're expected. I expect everyone, all media,

to treat him just like you treated the rest of the greats at 38. Y'all didn't expect shit. Right. Y'all didn't expect shit from those greats, so you know what I mean? Like, you know, if he's out there giving you 30,

you should be grateful. If he scored giving you 30, you should be grateful. If he scored more than 20, you should be grateful. Right? Because if, you know, where's Larry Bird at 38? Back you out of me. Magic, 38? Ah, right. You know what I mean?

What did Kareem look like at 38? Ah, yeah, yeah, yeah. Right? You know, all the guys that, you know, he's competing with. What did they look like at 38? So if you didn't expect shit from them and, you know all the guys that you know, he's competing with what do they look like at 38? So if you didn't expect shit from them and you know, whatever they did out there you was just grateful for whatever he do grateful for Don't say LeBron lost shit cuz y'all didn't say Kareem lost shit. It was all on magic It's all on ad right now LeBron James get to go out there and just play. That's how I'm treating it

If he gives me 30, it's the best 30 I've ever seen from a 38-year-old. Woo! 38! 38! God damn it. 38. 39. Yes, sir. So Kareem at 38.

23.4 points per game. 56% shooting. Show some respect to the one true goat. He has what? 23. 23.4. He's a second option Yeah, I mean first options do 23 LeBron average 23. Oh, he getting booed. Oh my god. They gonna kill him. This is why he ain't Jordan Right am I right?

Yeah. Unfortunate. What do you think LeBron, how should LeBron approach this season? Like he has the last fucking 19. The man trying to win. The man trying to win another championship. What does he have to prove to everybody? I feel like he's the only player that everyone's like, all right, well, trying to win. They add more. The man trying to win another championship. What does he have to prove to everybody? I feel like he's the only player that everyone's like,

all right, well, you're 20. Here's a whole laundry list of things that you got to prove to us. And that's the same. To validate your greatness. Because they're trying to invalidate. It's so annoying. For what? So this is my thing with it, my whole argument.

Like, two things can't... Like, you can have your favorite thing, you can have your favorite, I can have my favorite, you can have your... Why does it have to be this constant... Like, why does it need... Why does it need to be somebody in this position?

Like, why can't they all... They all great. They all have done their thing, man. Like, why can't they all, they all great. The dude, they all have done their thing, man. Like, why try to discredit this man over his body of work? Okay, the numbers

are what they are. The finals numbers are what they are, but they don't take away from it. And I've made the argument before Mike 6 and 06 and 07, but if I'm being honest in the moment, it don't take nothing away from what. And I've made the argument before Mike 6-0, 6-0. But if I'm being honest in the moment,

it don't take nothing away from what LeBron has accomplished whatsoever. Trust me, if I had the opportunity to play in fucking eight finals, nine finals, probably give him one of these toes

that I don't need. You know what I'm saying? Like, a lot of people would. Like, to be of people would. To be in this position, to be able to say they had the career that this man has had, and it's still going. And to continually try to find things

that discredit him. Sad. It says a lot about people, man. The argument is like, okay, you know, you want to protect, you want to protect legacies, right? But you're not telling the whole story of the legacy of anyone, right? You know, when we talk about Michael Jordan, no... Them years when he first came into the league right he got to be selfish

he before his first championship he scored damn near 19,000 points before he got his first ring, right There was no way the league was allowing Kobe to be selfish like that. They was not allowing LeBron to be selfish like that. So when you talk about championships, cool. But what ends up happening is you try to trump it and use Jordan's selfish years. Oh, he had nine scoring titles.

He got this MVP, all-star MVP. You throw in all this extra stuff that you're not allowing anymore, right? Jordan got to be an individual because the league needed it at the time, right? They needed a face to say, this is who we are. So no one critiqued him losing. Just go out there and score 35, 37, 30. Do that. We need it. MVP. We'll give you MVP. We'll give you all these things, right, which was needed then.

But you can't use that against them and say, well, he ain't got nine scoring titles. Well, he ain't got these MVPs. Well, he ain't got this and that. Like, when you throw Michael Jordan a player's face, what you're throwing is six rings. Six rings. This is to measure up to Michael Jordan, you need six rings. So when a young player comes into the NBA, like somebody like LeBron, and this is who you're measuring him up to, or N'Kobi, who you're measuring up to, six rings is in their mind.

So they're not trying to be what James Harden got to do. They're sitting there like, all right, I need to try to find a way to win a championship now. LeBron James leaves to try to go win rings because- That's what they're gonna do. That's what he... You guys are laughing because I ain't got no ring, not realizing Michael Jordan didn't win a ring until 27, right?

Like, Luka right now, if we follow Michael Jordan's, Luka gets four years, four more years of doing whatever the fuck he wanna do, right? Before we even say, all right, time to win, right? But they're not gonna allow that shit. They're already saying, oh, you know, these are some pointless stats, right? He ain't got no wings. He ain't got no, man, these are pointless stats. But you sit there to allow that shit. They're already saying, you know, these are some pointless stats. He ain't got no wins. He ain't got no points. He's a pointless stat.

But you sit there and do that shit to everyone. Right? Like, use this whole stat. So we can sit there and like, all right, okay, he got three scoring titles his first year. All right. Yeah, I don't want him. I don't want him. I don't want him. Let me be Kobe Bryant and James Harden my first four years. And, you know, give me some scoring titles. Give me some, you know, probably an MVP. And then later on when I'm 27 years old, I can try to win and do that.

But that's the only thing I don't like that. You know, when you're making an argument, you know, you're not using that one player allowed him to be selfish. When Kobe tried to be selfish and say all right Well, I got the championships. I need some scoring titles. I got a score titles As soon as he started getting a scoring time is like yeah now we're not giving you no MVP. You got a win My oh that's fucked up The goalposts but constantly Like this won't you just hey, how about this?

Just, like, let's just all just do it, like, all right, we just gonna say, hey, Magic Johnson and Michael Jordan can't be taken off, you know, point guard and shooting guard. Because we was in a league when LeBron came in. LeBron was Magic Johnson 2.0 He came in as a shooting guard though But he's led his team in assists every year. He was Magic Johnson 2.0 Magic Johnson came into the NBA as a shooting guard First for I know you know, they don't want to hear this

Mike magic was a shooting guard his first four years in the NBA behind Norm Nixon. So if this is the prototype, why when he does all these stats, y'all remove him and put him in another category? So you put him under Jordan so he can't beat Jordan, then he can't take Magic out because he's not in that category. But if we put him where he's supposed to be, like y'all said, Magic 2.0, it'd be LeBron as the best point guard ever. Michael Jordan as the best shooting guard ever. But you want to put him at the three, so I get it. You know what I mean? It's history. It's who built the league.

It is. It's like it's this is those two players is the one who built the league. So I ain't going to lie, though. I ain't going to lie. I don't know why they don't promote the 80s Jordan. I don't know why. Like when people talk about the 90s Jordan. Yeah, that shit cool.

Like, you know, the fadeaway I'm posting up and doing all this back to the one to dribble that that's cool That's precise and you you elegant When you see highlights of the 80s do he looks unguardable man was jumping in there. I know you to go by and You moving the ball before you hit the ground Like I like when we when we talk about Jordan will score 40 in this era, stop showing me that 96. I don't want him. No, that 87, that 87 Jordan, yeah, that he, yeah, he look like he can't be guarded.

I don't give a fuck what era he is. I don't give fuck what area Cuz it's winning give me the mic that's what I said. Give me the mic with the hair Then give me the one that's the one that's on your shirt. Give me him Yeah, see that give me the one with the hair give me the mic with the hair right there. Give me him Let me sit in there That's right there like what I like when I be like, I watched the 55 game in the garden. Boring. Oh, this is boring basketball.

And, you know, like, oh, one, two, pull up. Okay, oh, you're going to make all those, right? You know, John Starks, he playing defense like this. Like, why do you keep getting beat? Because, obviously, all your momentum is on your toes, brother. It's easy to burn past this. And then he just wants to pull up and I'm like, this ain't the Jordan that's here. And then I click online and I see 80s.

And I was like, yo, this is just... When you want to make an argument of who's the best ever, just show this dude. But they don't want to show losing. They want to make an argument of who's the best ever just show this dude, but they don't want to show losing They didn't want to show winning and I'm telling you to convince us Michael Jordan's ago. Just show 80 Sam a Just show the dude who averaged 35 just show him and trust me. We shut the fuck up cuz He was different man 35 and It was like poetry in motion.

Man, listen. The highlight... 37. 37. Listen, listen. The man has 37. 87. That 80s Jordan.

37. Like if I'm putting who's the best ever is 80s Jordan, LeBron, 90s Jordan, Kobe. That's how I'm doing. 87, yeah.

Yeah, Mike was different, man. That 96 Jordan ain't got shit on 87. 87 would kill 96 Jordan. Let's talk about 2023 Anthony Davis. Who? AD, bro. LeBron had some high praise for AD during a recent interview. Let's talk about 2023 Anthony Davis. Who? AD. LeBron has some high praise for AD during a recent interview. AD is everything that this franchise could ever want or more.

And I was definitely extremely happy and proud that he was able to get that extension to it before the season started. Just to lock him down even more years. He's one of the greatest beings to play for this franchise for sure. So in four seasons with the Lakers, Anthony Davis has averaged 25-11 in three assists in 194 games, two-time All-Star, one-time All-Defense, was an integral part of the Lakers winning the hardest championship in NBA history in the bubble. What are your expectations for Anthony Davis this season? Is that sarcasm?

The hardest championship in NBA history? No, I'm a LeBron fan. We craft narratives on the show. Did you see him wearing his own shirt? The only two of them are himself. That was tough right? Yeah. What was your question again?

We're talking about Anthony Davis now. Hey! We say the same thing about him every year. Be healthy, play hard. But do we believe it this year? We say the same thing about him every year. Be healthy, play hard. But do we believe it this year? You know, I don't think we can because we got LeBron James. I mean, the way he was saying that was like,

he hears the words are coming out of his mouth, but in the back of his mind he's like, I know I'm going to have to do my thing for the majority of the season because he's not... I don't know. It's hard to... When you have LeBron as a teammate, it's hard. Well, like, would they expect him to say anything different? No.

No, I think... Like, it's a thing. Oh, no, I think he horse shit. He terrible. I don't think he gonna play that many games, shit. What y'all think? Motivated. He gonna say that. That's what I'm saying. I don't know.

Like, not exactly what he's supposed to say. Like, I'm trying to figure out why I do... Why is talking to media mandatory? They ask the dumbest questions. How did y'all lose the game? They scored more points. How did you lose the game? You watched the same fucking game I watched, right? You was there.

You know how we lost it, right? I tried to pass it to him. He fumbled that shit, right? Which means I'm not passing him tomorrow. But I'm supposed to say, oh yeah, we, you know, we just made up. Like, I'll just say some dumb shit. Like, we know. If you didn't have me to talk to and ask these questions, what would you write go write that shit go write that cuz I'm not

gonna read it yeah oh they used to hate that shit I tell them in a minute before which right I'm not gonna read it no way I think that like I think they think we care we're all like Let the NBA take off mandatory Speaking to the media Only people who are talking is disgruntled Nobody gonna be seeking out the meat like hey, can you bring media back please? They're gonna be like gonna be like sources. Nah, it was him. He don't want to talk No serious is because it's it's it's one of those things where it's like

What where do they stuff go Today TV in the internet girl, I've never seen a quote from like... Twitter mostly. Oh, so it's on Twitter? I've never seen a quote from... From the articles and from... From an article, they pull their two sentences that piss people off. On a panel, like when they're doing their national panel, but like a beat writer, when was the last time I seen a beat writer comment?

We give beat writers some love. Those from the beat writers? Yeah, a few of them. I've seen a few up here Good from the player beat writer, but the player is a player's voice or just a beat writer saying something be writers writing down Would he ask the player in the question or the response that was given to him? Meanwhile, it's different now because it's So much access through social media.

You really don't... They got people that work for the team that's actually doing that part of it. So it kind of takes away a little bit from a guy. Just say like when Mark Spears was working with the Nuggets, we always was around. I don't think... Could be, but you had his... They probably don't have that. You know what. I'm saying no, they probably had it They stood it just one maybe but not like it was it'd be used to be three or four guys

Well, you knew how big the market is New like he worked for this paper. He worked for this paper work for that paper You got the zoom interviews people calling you from across the country. It's like There's a I said it before like in in this social media space, right, everything is, everyone's, they're news. If everyone's news, but you're in a locker room every day, how come you don't know shit about these players? How come you don't know nothing about these players how come you don't know nothing about these but players go on a podcast and talk to other players and that's the first time you find out some shit about them but you've been the beat writer for eight years not asking the

right question they never ask the right question that's why they gotta come to Gil's arena presented by it's like you and what it is it would do well but no but it would do well because it's something different than the average question that's being asked all the time. You're in you're in tagging like you know the media the media the reason you can't get stuff from these players because you're antagonizers. You're looking for drama. You're not looking for, like, about my life. You want to care, like, oh, this person said, you know, they're thinking about this. Oh, how's this?

Like, you trying to get me to react so you can put it in a paper and then, or you want me and him to fight. That's all, that's all they're in there doing. You know, as soon as the game's over with, I'm going to ask what happened in that last play. You missed the last shot and they, so think about, take us through that last moment. Like, bitch, um, can I take a shower first?

Let me, well, you know what I mean? And it's like, first of all, they should, I thought they supposed to come in here like 15, 30 minutes, but like this should be 30 minutes. Let me calm well, you know what I mean? And it's like, first of all, they should, I thought they were supposed to come in here like 15, 30 minutes, but like this should be 30 minutes. Let me calm down first. If not, if y'all want real action, soon as we get off, bring them in. I guarantee you'll get a whole lot of the shit you really want to hear.

Bring, come on in soon as the game is over when I'm going to give you everything you want to hear. Yeah, now, yeah, we had a dude in Denver that was trying to corner the rookies and stuff like that, trying to get dirt. We don't even have locker room now. And I used to see that shit go ape shit crazy on him. I used to go crazy on him in the locker room. I don't know if he's still working with me or not.

I used to go crazy on him, like lose my shit on him in the locker room. Get the fuck out of here. Ain't nobody going to, we know what you over there doing. He be over there with the rookie trying to. Yeah, who was out late last night. Yeah, yeah, all that dumb shit. For real. Like, really, dude?

So let's keep this thing moving. Let's talk about this Suns-Warriors game. Another great show. The season is here. Shout out to Underdog Fantasy. Download the app. Use promo code GILD. I'm at your first deposit up to $500 and you get that special AD pick-em if you get down with us.

But tonight was supposed to be the night the Suns debuted their new big three. But it's looking like Bradley Beal will be out with a back injury and Devin Booker is 50-50 with a toe injury. Draymond Green will also miss the game with an ankle injury, but he's been on Chilling Hills Island, so he gets a pass. The league has made stars playing more games this season a bigger emphasis, saying they want to create a culture where players strive

to play 82 games. How big of an issue is the Suns potentially missing two of their big three on opening night for the league? Starting off great. I'm so not impressed with how the league does they roll out for games. We're in 2023 and you have no build-up, right? This is like you're giving the matchup that you think is going to be popping to get the NBA season going. That's the only thing that ever irked me. That's like the 96 Bulls, the 98 Bulls, they beat Jazz, and then the first game of the season is Jazz and Bulls. Like, no. Build that up.

One of your teams That's supposed to be a final scene could possibly start the season off 0 and 2 right who does the Sons have who after this Lakers on Thursday Well, so one of them can possibly go 0 and 2 base, you know best-case scenario one and one well So and it means like so your top four teams that people are looking for to be Really you having them taking losses and I just don't like what kind of business you running

Stack them up with them. Sorry ass team that you know and Run through them real quick. Go ahead. Get you go ahead. Get your stats up. Go ahead like that's Say they match up for Christmas Day. Oh, so you prefer them to, like, put the good teams with the... Yeah. So, like, LeBron versus Wimby for... No! You're not rolling with LeBron versus Wimby?

No. That's going to do nothing. LeBron versus the Hawks. You got, like, you know, you got Denver versus Houston. But do you think they're doing this because no matter who wins, it's going to be like, well, they lost two. Because imagine if LeBron comes out against the Hawks and they lose. That's the fucking problem.

We set it up for him to win. That's what I'm saying. What do you think they set up these games to where no matter if they win or lose, ain't nobody really going to have what sounds better on a nice TNT game, you know the 12 and 1 Denver Nuggets versus the 13 and 2 Lakers. Yeah Versus Oh Lakers Oh and Sam seven is seven All right, cuz you done you done loaded the goddamn schedule now they got to make a comeback at the end of the season. Right?

It's just... How do we feel about Lakers' nuggets starting at 4.30 Pacific time? Disgusting. And as I said, it's just... We bring in all the viewers, and we got to shorten our day. That's what I'm saying. 4.30 is... First game of the NBA season starts at 4.30.

4.30 on the what? On a Tuesday. On a Tuesday. On a Tuesday 430 on the what on a tune on a Tuesday When everybody on the west coast get off of work at home yet. Well shit we get up And stuff after this I might not be home I'm in the middle my nap People picking their kids up for school. Like, that's just saying you just... It's just that the other... Airhead. This is airhead-ish, man. It's all airhead-ish, man.

Like, someone's giving y'all algorithms that just ain't... Just ain't it. Mm-mm-mm. Yeah, that's a weird start time. Let's say hypothetically, we know Bill should be out. Let's say D booked. I feel like he'll play, but let's say he doesn't unless we've got to update that

I don't know since we've been on the air, but uh, will we see Katie a point tonight? Just like we see honest at point I get the rebound go. I mean the same to say 1980 We give it to the point guard and and he walks it up the court, and then does a little back down. They set the size. We're going to go ahead and set the pick, and he's going to come across the lane, post it up. We're going to pass it in.

We're going to cut on through. Going on to the weak side. They're not going to go with you because you can't shoot. Like, that's not offense no more, man. Everybody can dribble, man. Patrick Ewing, our Patrick Ewing these days ain't got to go down there. He ain't getting me. The answer is yes, Josiah. Yes.

So that was your very, very... Yes, man. Yes. I'm just trying to, man... Gilbert Arenas way of saying... I'm just saying, man, come on. Stop these 1980 questions, man. We, yes, let's go. Run a point. Everybody can run a point here. We don't have point four. We got point everything.

We got point everything, man. Wimby out in this room, like, what's happening, y'all? You know what I mean? I ain't got to give it to the point guard. I do that, too. So Booker apparently said that he will play tonight, So I'm sure Adam Philbin got on the phone. That would have been bad. Get your ass out there.

So let's talk about the Warriors a little bit. Sean was reporting that Chris Paul may come off the bench. What would we see differently from Chris Paul that we haven't seen prior in his career? So who's starting? Oh, I'm... Was he starting in the preseason? Yeah, he was starting in the preseason. They said maybe Kaminga or Gary Payton.

He didn't start one game, right? Kaminga started one game. We got Klay. We got Dunn. Wait, he can't start anyway. Who's he going to... Wait, I just thought about it. Who's it going to... Wait, I just thought about it.

Who is it? Draymond's not playing. Draymond's out with the anchor. No, I mean, even if it was the regular season and nobody was hurt, it's going to be what? Klay and Curry, Wiggins. Looney. Looney and Draymond. Looney and Draymond.

So no Draymond tonight. Okay, I'm just saying, but... Okay. So he's coming off the bench. He would be coming off the bench anyway. So that's going to be his... So if he's coming off the bench and Draymond's not playing Draymond tonight. Okay, I'm just saying. Okay. So he's coming off the bench. He will be coming off the bench anyway. So that's going to be his... So if he's coming off the bench and Draymond's not there,

obviously he's coming off the bench. But are they going to start him when Draymond gets back? What the fuck? Get him playing that role now. Yeah, get in. Go on, get comfortable. I mean, they had him start games as a preseason. I know it's just a preseason.

It doesn't matter. I mean, do we want to play starter minutes? We're going to see. I mean, the thing we're going to do, we're going to find out. Maybe he won't have to play all them starter minutes. He might be more efficient. He might be healthy. I don't know.

It makes sense for how Chris Paul plays the game and how he maximizes average talent. Like, when people talk about he's not the best point guard, he shouldn't be considered in the top five, they're not taking into fact that what he did with mediocre teams, right? That New Orleans team was mediocre.

When he went to OKC, that team was some horseshit right he maxed them eyes Average players made some of them all-stars made some of them look better than what they are You know his and that that was his point guard skills right making like when you say I made someone better He gets to actually say that right because he didn't play with a whole bunch of real top tier talents, right? He made some of those guys look like, and when he did have talent, there was a clash because most of the talent, star players didn't want to give up the ball when he was at his expertise, right? And that was the problem. He's an expert last five minutes. Last five minutes, I'm giving him the ball because he's going to average.2 turnovers for his career in that time frame.

That means I'm going to get a shot, a good shot, every time down during the most important time in the game, right? And, you know, that was his skill. That's why when people put him in the top five, that's why you put him in the top five. You're not putting him on top five because he did all this and he was flashy. No, because he controlled the game. When you talk about the purity of a point guard, that's who you're talking about. He's there. Right? How are you not protecting that? The purity, the John Stockton, right? What made John Stockton great? He has Chris Paul beat him in turnover assist ratio. Right, that's who he's competing with. And then you have Matt.

Those are the purity of the basketball if you want to try to protect it. True. But what do I know? How's the score? This is your arena, Gil. I was busting their ass. Yeah.

You do keep us all gainfully employed, so. No, a little bit. But, K, I want to ask you, how important are the first 10 games of the season for a team yes ten to twenty but ten you don't it's a big difference man to Gil's point he was making about not having teams play certain teams early stop starting salmon eight and two seven three versus four and six three and seven is Yeah, then you did you have something to build on the next ten so now if you three and seven you like oh shit He's sure we got to get to it

But you starting eight and two you label. Okay, we drop two in a row. It ain't the worst Thing now, okay now, but now we got to get back but you start the other and two, you're able to, okay, we dropped two in a row. It ain't the worst thing now. Okay, now we got to get it back. But you start the other way, it's like, okay, hey, the sense of urgency needs to kick in a lot sooner. You can't ease into these next five or seven. If you're going to road trips, you might have a tough road trip after them first ten. Yep. So guys sitting out there, guys might be hurt, man.

It is what it is. You can't force guys to play if they're hurt. Injuries, you don't want to have lingering things throughout the year. If it's a minor toe thing with people, you probably won't get it taken care of. It's Bradley Bills. My back is messed up right now. You want to take care of it. You don't want to have those lingering things, but you need to win now. And winning is a learned behavior. So you can take them first 10 to stretch it to the first month

of the season. Just those games are, but I think the first 10 to 20 games are the most important games of the season to learn how to win and to build certain characters for your team, rotations, all those things matter. That's why I hate the... I hate that, man. I just hate that. The fuck is wrong with y'all up there? You know, it's like that...

Yeah, the schedule... Like you not know basketball, right? You know ratings. You don't know basketball. Like, when the season starts, in a sense, everyone's on the same playing field, right? You know, like, your better teams later on can get beat at the beginning of the season because they're still trying to get their legs, right? So, you know, Jokic, LeBron, Curry won't play much in preseason.

Wimby and all of them will, right? Because they, you know, having... So them young guys are going to be playing more. So the young guys will be more in shape. They'll be more fine-tuned so they can beat a team early, right? And then by the time everyone gets their legs, everybody got their legs, right? So if you start off 4-6, yeah, that can end up, you know, 6-15. And now you got to climb back out towards the end of the season

when players are trying to rest. And everybody following that theme too. There's a whole theme like college football as well. You got four playing five the first week of the season. So now you're national champion, now you fighting to get back in the national championship picture because you got a loss early. The NFL, they put division teams against division teams the first three weeks of the season. Like normally division games would decide who going to win the division later in the season.

Like, those games are people really... So, yeah, it's this trend in sports that's... Yeah, it takes away from... It takes away from the... It's like, you're not watching just... Just life. You know what I mean? When we boxing, right?

That 20 and 0 versus the 30 and 0. Yeah, yeah, yeah. We all going to see that. Yeah. Right? You know what I mean? We going to see that because it built up. Right?

If you have them both start off their career one and one and all right, when are y'all going to take an L? Right? Like, no. Like, no like build like you gotta build up matchups yeah like okc and chet right i'm not the the first 10 games of the season y'all i don't need y'all playing against each other right chet i don't need you playing i'm not even like i'm gonna let you know i'm not gonna play you know them against Embiid early you're not gonna play against Giannis early you're not gonna be playing against Jokic early. Hell nah I give you Rudy Goldberg. Hey gonna get a couple of you. Get you some Rudy.

Hey you might play Rudy three times in motherfucking November. I see, hey, Wimby, I see what you did with Rudy when you was 17. I'm going to give you him three times. Get your confidence up. Get your confidence up. It was a funny, like, come on. This is my business. What's a better scenario, a team overachieving in the tent or a team underachieving in the tent?

Like, if this is your team, which scenario would, like, you prefer? So say, like, OKC, for example, people don't think... I'd rather you overachieve. Overachieve. Because with a team like them, just like with a sack, right? When players have confidence, that confidence itself keeps them up, right? They might not have the talent. You'd be like, how'd they win it?

Because of the confidence, they got off to a really good start, and they now really believe that they can compete. Right. Versus a team that, you know, you take four, five four five early losses man here we go again another season like they quit like look right you they quit and you're like yo why I thought this season they already quit that see that first 10 games they like ah shit same story we got 290 they started hitting we got 296 more days. Right?

Come on, right? We're going to start off the season. You start off the season 0 and 5. They already talking about next season. It's tough. That's a tough one. But let's talk about this season. So I got y'all here.

You're all knowledgeable. Hoopers, we're talking about predictions. So I'm y'all here. You're all knowledgeable. Hoopers, we're talking about predictions. So I'm going to go through. I want y'all to give me your pick for each one of these predictions. So who will win MVP this season? And I'll just read off. Based on the odds right now, the order is Joker, Luka, Giannis, Tatum, Embiid,

Steph, KD, SGA, Devin Booker. I... Giannis. Lexi, who you feeling? I'm gonna go with Jason Tatum. Nikola. Drucker gets another MVP? I think so.

It's going to be... I mean, that's to say that we can just throw it out there because of how they roster look. It's going to be the two big men. It's going to be the two big men for sure. And if the third one can get his team over the top, it's gonna be the two big men It's gonna be the two big men for sure and if the third one can get his team over the it gonna be him and The fact that if Philly starts off hot with not having James Harden that throws him catapult Jason Tatum is gonna be in the running because he's gonna average about 28 and his team is gonna be nice, too

So I mean, you know, you can put your money. I go to Vegas They listen go to Vegas put 10 grand on all four of them. Trust me you you hit. Yeah, somebody you hitting You go make bread though. You go make you go win one of them So Anthony Edwards Rises like the Phoenix I'm just gonna let him win this year When he comes to the Lakers might be a different story

You can't tell a man who come out and play how he play. You know what I mean? With players like that, it's all about, that's what I said, it's all about getting off to a good start. Put your name in that rotation early. Yeah. So let's move on to most improved. Who'll be the most improved player this season? Right now the odds are Mikael Bridges, Maxie, Cade Cunningham, Jordan Poole, and Singum. Oh, I had Cade Cunningham in my... Hmm. But...

Hold on. So that's just the list somebody put together? Uh, you know, people who are breaking bread. Uh... So what if... So you put somebody on the list that is not on the list? Oh, you can... I'm just telling you who... I know what I'm just, but yeah.

So like, what do you win then? 15, 450 people in the NBA, they pick Seth. I pick Tyler Hero. That's my pick. He's a 450 player. You know he averaged 20 last year, right? Mm-hmm. Yeah.

That's my pick. Okay. You say he's the best scorer? What if he come out averaging 30? That's, then he, like, okay, so Max, he averaged. Not I pick. Okay. You say the best score? What if he come out average at 30? That's then he like, okay, so Maxie average not a chance. I had Cade Cunningham in my thought, but because he's on the list, I wanted to pick someone different. Oh, those are just the odds. I mean, this is just the odds.

Maxie average 15. So if he averages 22, that's plus seven. Usually anything that's like plus seven to nine, that's usually your winner. So Jordan Poole goes from 20 to 30. You got to go from 20 to 30. Oh, shit, I forgot about Jordan Poole. That's why I said he averaged 20 last year, so, you know.

Oh, he definitely will average. He's going to at least average 27, 28 points. Yeah, so then if he averages 27, 28, he's going to be the runner for most improved. Is winning into consideration for most improved? No, not really. It's usually whoever has the biggest plus. Whoever has the biggest plus. I'm going Ben Simmons. Ooh. Nice choice. Ooh, because he didn't have his shit last

year. Literally. Anything he played. He's sneaky ass. He just played. Most improved. I'm going Ben Simmons. He average seven. Oh. Oh, they go by your thought process. Would that mean the most improved or comeback player of the year? Could he get the double? Double?

That's a thing. Wait, comeback player of the year? What the fuck is that? Double up. Wait, that's an award? But most improved though. Comeback player? They used to have it back in the day.

Yeah, they used to. Seven, six and six. Oh, yeah. If he average seven, six and six, he's a comeback player? What the fuck is that? Double up. Wait, that's an award? But most improved, though. Comeback player? They used to have it back in the day. Yeah, they used to. Seven, six, and six. Oh, yeah. If he averages 14, seven, and seven, he wins. I think he averages double-figure points and rebounds. Oh. Oh, yeah, then that's a man-savings award.

Wait, let's say we got to say that one. He averages a double-double. He averages a double-double. That's a good one. And he averages six, seven assists a night. Dang, that's a double-double. That was a good one. And he averaged six, seven assists a night. Dang, that's a good one. Dang, that's a good one. So let's move on to rookie of the year.

Who we got? Wimby. Do we really believe that, though? Yes. Okay. Nah. Put your money on it. Dude, opportunity meets stat.

Opportunity meets the new NBA or will be there's He can lose To check because Chet will probably average a double-double, right? either and the problem with Wimby is He act like he five seven He leaking out like he got that ball go go up he's gone like it's like he must got like his where he played at the center must have been seven nine because ain't no damn

way they know their way his natural his natural thing is that i've never seen a seven footer has fast break layups as much as him, and it's only been preseason. Like, God! Like, this man just goes and goes. He contests to keep going. So it's one of those things where he's going to, like, to really win the award, you got to do what they call other people.

You got to stat chase. Defensive rebounds, right? Defensive rebounds, you're going to have to consciously think that, yo, I got to stay in the pocket and grab everything versus leaking out. What if he scores way more than Chet, though? What if Chet has

15 and 10? Chet is going to, because Chet rebounds. He averages 24 this year. What if he averages 24 and Chet averages double-double? If Chet rebounds. And he averages 24 this year. What if he averages 24 and Chet averages double-double? Yeah, that's what I'm saying. That's how Wimby's getting it. Like, you know,

if Chet averages 17 and 11, you know, Wimby averages 24 and it looks like it's going to be like 24 and 7. Right? Yeah. That's going to be... You know, Wimby's getting it.

If that's... 24 and 7, 17. It depends on... League love score. I think it's going to be, too. And I think Wim... Wimby can fuck around and lead the NBA in blocks. He can fuck around and be a block leader.

He can be a block leader and defensive team. Because you know how they go. I think if he leads the league in blocks, that will trump the defensive rebound. Yeah. Seven rebounds, three blocks. Like tough blocks. He's getting a stop, then blocks. Like tough blocks. He getting a stop, then he blocking the shot. He's not waiting to paint.

Yeah, this is going to be interesting. That doesn't say that. If we looking at some players that's going to be stat chasing, Chet and Wimby, do your thing. Let's see what y'all got. Be out there like Karolinko. Five, five, five. Like, dude, I want to see some shit.

Five assists, five steals. Like, I really want to see what your max is because he can be a rookie on the defensive team because their defensive metric is usually defensive rebounds. For some reason, that's defense now. Defensive rebounds and blocks. Yeah, defensive rebounds, for some reason, that's defense now. Defensive rebounds and blocks. And steals.

Yeah, defensive rebounds. All right, so give me your NBA Finals predictions, and I need to know who's winning the chip. I'm going, I'm going. I probably already said it, so I'm going to contradict one before, but I do like Suns and Boston. Ooh. I got Boston, too. That can be real entertaining.

NBA, that can be real entertaining. Like, really entertaining. All lives matter. You got, like, scoring. You got, like, scoring to the next level. That's going to be a lot of scoring. There's going to be some games where like two people, three people on that court can have 40 each. There was some games where KD got 39, Devin Booker got 41, Bill had like 20, 30, and you go to double overtime and Jason Tatum got 50 in but for

Denver Celtics Because even though you like all the scoring I just don't think they got enough to beat Denver. I'm not mad at that, too. I'm not mad at that, too. Denver ain't doing that on defense. Denver Bucks. Who wins that? Celtics win.

Denver's Bucks. Denver Bucks. I. Celtics win. Denver's Bucs. Denver Bucs. I'm going Bucs. Yeah. So am I. Denver Bucs. Oh, man. I think Bucs.

They complement each other, but I'm going to go. That's going to be Dame's first finals, right? I'm going to go Bucks because... The reason I'm going to go Bucks is because Middleton is more reliable than Michael Porter. And... As a third option. Giannis don't have to guard Nikola.

Yeah. He can be that. You can hide him, let him keep his energy. Block shots, weak side, let him roam, help, be. Knowing that Gordon's coming to you. All right, last question. Yeah, that's. What's your wildest prediction for the NBA season?

The wildest prediction? What's your wildest prediction for the NBA season? The wildest was the wildest you can be out there with this one it don't need to come true The wildest prediction that That Adam Silver show us The coaches voting All-Star list. We want to see what them coaches voting. LeBron wins MVP. That's not wild. I think it's wild. He averaged 30 last year.

But he didn't win. Okay. Oldest MVP in NBA history. He averaged 30 last year. But he didn't win. Okay. Oh, this MVP in NBA history? He averaged 30 last year. But he didn't win MVP. Okay. He wasn't even in like the final conversation of MVP.

Yeah, because it gets him closer to Jordan, obviously. So that's why it's a wild prediction. They're not going to do that. That's why it's a wild prediction. Here goes some wild shit for you. Mark Cuban finds a way to get Joel Embiid in Dallas. Mmm. Mmm. Sixers fans.

And they ain't going in. Still don't make the playoffs, though. Because you're going to have Joel Embiid, Luka, and Kyrie. Goddamn. Mark Cuban will be a go owner. No, a wild prediction is he'd make the playoffs. Kyrie. Goddamn. Mark Keeman would be a go on it. No, a wild prediction is Heat make the playoffs. Who makes the playoffs?

Miami Heat. That'd be crazy as hell. That they don't make it or they do? Oh, yeah. Ain't no damn way that sorry-ass team go back, play off again. Again, like, again, like, y'all mad son. Pass Eddie believe in Jimmy?

No, I believe in Jimmy too, but but to make the playoffs again, like, ah. But to give them ten slots to fucking get in. They can be the fucking tenth seed. That's true. If they make it to the plane, they gonna win the plane. Come on, you can be mediocre as fuck and still have a chance

Yeah, that'd be I gotta be wild We're gonna talk about the plane tomorrow playoff without the plan like Like Dean away man. They got a year older ain't got nobody there Ain't no damn and they lost some pieces and they lost some pieces that yeah, it Ain't no damn way. And they lost some pieces. And they lost some pieces that ain't no damn way. Yeah, the Gabe Vincent thing. Yeah, all that, all that. Both of them, right? Yeah.

Jaime Jaquez. All them role players that you paying $400,000 to, nah. Nobody going for that. Jaime Jaquez. Yo, this goddamn boy is a homer like no other. You telling me Jaime's not going to have a good year? I't know. Hi me. Okay. Who the hell is that? You'll see no he's talented but what what what rookies have played well in Miami got drafted Yeah, he first all the first round yeah. Yeah, he's solid. Don't give me no athletic shooting. Well. Yeah, he ready

He 25 to any he did it. He did about four years of me He built for anything No, I saw him in high school we played in high school I hear I saw him in high school you sneaky No, I see me playing high school. We play in high school Joe bitch No, it's maybe years but he still wouldn't be a he KJ in high school. Ujovic? He played KJ in high school. He played just KJ in high school. Rookie year? He played just KJ in high school. Ninth grade? His ninth grade year? No, his later years, but he still went to, yeah, he.

He can go, though. Foreign dude. He can go. Ujovic? Man, I'm going to just be honest, man. Yeah, we're talking. Yeah, they was AC last year. They got, yeah.

You 25, bro. I'm sorry. He can go, though. I don't give a fuck. He ready for Miami, though. You can go in college because you was 25 But he really not 25. I'm 22 years old. Oh Man is that 22? By 22 you supposed to be all-star in this league

Everybody's path is different you well, okay,, he's going into his fourth year. Huh? KJ's 22 and he's going into his fourth year. That's what I'm saying. He different. He different. Okay, now think about it for the dub, right? It usually takes about three years to get acclimated, right? Same metrics we have, right?

So the younger you come in, no matter what, it's going to take you three years. So if you come in at 18, 21, you figured it out. Now think about if everybody in the dubs

is starting their stats at 18 and they're turning it over by 21. You see what kind of records they'll be breaking? Right. Same thing in the NBA. Kids coming in at 18, 19,

by the time they're 21, they're already an all-star. And if they're really legit, they probably an all-star their second year. And now all those stats, they get to just build. And that's what LeBron advantage is, was for him, and that's the same advantage that Luka has. And LaMelo Ball. And LaMelo Ball, yeah. And all these guys here. Yeah. Stacking numbers. I mean, when you're talking about, like, evolving, it's them stats. Like, when we hear 55, like, oh, shit, 55, we want to go see. Like those are the things you got to try to change to make, you know, 55.

It's going to fall on deaf fucking ears to most people and shit. We're out of the problem with like this space we in that we do. And everybody, they do it for everybody. It ain't just us. Media, people. If you're going to take shit from people's shows and clips, take the whole fucking segment or the whole statement instead of just taking bits and pieces.

Because I understand clickbait, that's what people want to see. But take the whole thing. You know that's not how it works. It ain't going to happen. It's going to fall on deaf ears. But give people the whole thing you know that's not how it ain't gonna happen it's gonna fall on deaf here but like no but give people the whole context of like because it's a lot of people with impartial facts and giving opinions and shit on impartial facts oh yeah we've we've yeah all we felt guilty to that yeah yeah to your with your whole beef with the people. Yeah, yeah.

Not mine. But the general. But just getting pieces of stories and fucking running with it. Which beef? You just have to do jokes to look into something. Yeah, if you're going to make an opinion about something. Look into it. Look into it. That's all.

People don't do that. People don't look in it. Not at all. They just, he said this. They got to dig deep. It's like one click away. One Google search away. And that's been my key on how I barbecue media, right?

Because I'll say something, they'll just hear a bit, and then they'll come at me, and then it's like, you're coming at me for this? Oh, my God. And then I just give you the whole lay down, and then now you're like, oh. Yeah. Yeah, it's ridiculous.

Because I think with I think everyone thinks I troll, right? For the most part. But it's factual trolls. I just throw it in a different way for you to jump so I can

smack you with it again, right? And I don't think everyone's understand. Like if I'm gonna say it, I've done already, done did the research, done did this, I done talked, like people don't, when I was going at the 80s, when I was early, I was talking to 80s players, a bunch, right? Listening to their story, hearing those,

you did what? You know, like, because I want the information because I don't know it and the media's not going to say it. So I'm asking players who were there. So I have all the information. Listen to you, Dad. I have all the information of what was going on. So when I say it, I'm loaded.

He hits me sometimes like, no, Gil missed that one. Oh, he like the magic He said magic played a lot of point guard even though norm was supposed to be the point That magic played more point the shooting guard early on. Oh, no. Yeah, I'm sure cuz you can shoot but um, I See like something like that right there. They look. Oh, he's there magic couldn't shoot it. They go look at us that's the issue, but But you know but then but then you know like It was a one-two system, right Norm led in assists magic was there but you got two players one and two averaging 19 together

Yeah, right and you know if you're a general manager, a good one, you're like Norm is a guard. Magic is one, two, three, four, five if we need to. I'm going to put the ball in his hands and make him the point guard because this is what he did in college and he can see over the defense so it made more sense. I'm surprised they... It took four years before they just said, alright

you're the point and we're going to bring in just a guard who can play defense, shoot, and he can just stick the point guard. I had a conversation with somebody last night about your like your fact checking and when you say stuff it's

fact based and research based. So I was having this conversation last night what Gil was talking about It's fact-based and research-based. So I was having this conversation last night. I was like, what Gil was talking about? People call me all the time. That shit real? They be talking about it on the show? You gotta be hot.

You gotta be this. All the time. I'm like, no, it's fact-checked. Most stuff that Gil would say is fact-checked, man. He ain't just ranting. He didn't look the shit up, trust me. And I just think that they haven't under, even when I played, they don't understand, like,

you guys want to make me wrong so bad, so I don't need to jump out there. You're gonna do it for me, right? I'm gonna just say something loud and then do the small words, like, hey, I'm better than Seth before the age of 25. Right, knowing that you're just gonna take this part and run with it and then when y'all start trying to get me

and then you listen to the whole thing and then you're like, oh, maybe he was right. Maybe he does know basketball. Maybe just a little. Well, let's move on to Mostly Fans, our last segment of the day to kick off this NBA season opening tip-off with this very early Lakers-Nuggets game at 4.30 p.m. Pacific time.

That's right now. It started already. They were on the court already. They're warming up. They're warming up right now. We eat lunch and watch the game. Walk-in tunnel fits in 10 minutes. So, first question comes from a friend of the show,

ball head Lou Will. Who's going to take a bigger step for the Lakers this season, Rui, Reeves, or AD? I mean, I guess we're all saying we hope AD does. I think that's the obvious choice in this. Be more consistent. Play more games. Be more consistent, play more game, be available, I think will be the biggest factor for the masses, for the people who...

There's the big two, if Reeves or Rui becomes like a really... like, when they average in the playoffs, you're like, ooh. Yeah, Reeves almost had... a really like what they average in the playoffs you know yeah reason all right yeah all right you know 20 in was a 20 or 17 okay you you know so if Rui Rui really steps up and Reeve steps up I think we really got something cooking combine them both I'm glad to hear you say combine them both you know yeah I mean I think 80 is the obvious answer so I think those two stepping up would be huge for the Lakers. And I feel like AD's bigger step is just being consistent.

Come on, AD, we need you. 70 games, big fella. So question number two comes from an underdog username, Fully Loaded CEO. Will Wimby have a better career than Duncan? That's them asking. I merely can't I merely not conduit not answering that man no no individually possibly the metals and I get five rings? No, because Duncan got... Duncan came into a team that was already loaded. You know, they was...

One, two, three every year, then had a really bad year, got the number one pick, and boom, everyone's healthy. Whoo, champions! Right? So... You know... Who cares? Oh. Underdog user and fully loaded CEO? You know, who cares? Underdog user and fully loaded CEO? Better than... I don't know. Maybe individually.

Yeah, let's do individually. Because we've never seen a player like Wimby before, so I think the oohs and aahs of his game are going to be a little bit more memorable, but as far as the body of work and impact on the game, I don't think he's going to. Ask me a question in three years. He can average 30. I don't think Tim Duncan got that high.

So our last question is a video question from underdog user JB25. Let's roll that video. How you doing to JB25? I have one question for y'all. Outside of basketball, what other sport would you guys excel in and what position would you play if it's a team sport? Okay. Outside of basketball, what other sport would you excel in and what position would you play? Okay. I was a football player first. I was a quarterback who ran all the time.

I knew you were going to say that. Until I got cracked and then I quit. And then I ran track. So I was a quarterback who ran all the time. I knew you were going to say that. Until I got cracked and then I quit. Right? And then I ran track. So I was a 100 runner and a 400 by runner. Not fucking with the 200? No. I was speed and longevity.

Kenyon, how about yourself? Played football, baseball, basketball growing up. But pick one. You're just nice and all of them? Fucking athlete. One of the best athletes you, athlete though. First base pitcher, tight end, defensive end in football, catch everything. Man, it's 4'6", 40 at 6'6".

Shit. Sophomore year in high school. Mean tempered, playing defense. So why don't you stay with football? Playing defense. Why don't you stay with football? I grew two and a half more inches. Three inches.

I grew three. True. Absolutely. One thousand percent. One thousand percent. I was six years as a sophomore. High school I was 6'6 and I grew. Yeah, I just, football was...'6", and I grew. You know, I just...football was...

Like, how about yourself? Tennis. Ooh, okay. Yeah. I played when I was younger. I just didn't like the...being alone all the time. Yeah. So I was playing basketball and tennis at the same time,

so I really liked the...being on a team. The mental of tennis is, like, people don't realize three, three-and-a-half hours, you're just going... It's hard, and it's hot outside, and the coaches are mean, and they scream at you. So I really like the being on a team the mental of the tennis is like people don't realize three three half hours It's hard and it's hot outside and the coaches are mean and they scream at you Conditioning is insane. So yeah, my daughter pick up a racket man. Hey, man. You got to be rich to play that sport. Yeah Them lessons like like I googled. I got somebody pro with a trainer. Over $500 an hour, huh?

Got to court their house. Oh. I told him. You got to court it. If I stuck with tennis, I'd probably be a millionaire by now. I had to call them, man. This ain't Serena Williams here. $500 for an hour? Nah. Nah. Nah.

Basketball court free. Yeah, people got one of them houses over in Chatsworth. Got the nice lots. Got a tennis court in them. Yeah, they a performer, performer pro. I know, yeah. But she has no interest in it, so. It's a hard sport. Yeah.

Mentally, for a kid, yeah. And my baby had to, um, yo, I went to a fourth grade girls basketball game yesterday. Oh, it was the best shit ever. Girls basketball? Girls, fourth grade. Yo, the fucking referee called three seconds on these kids, man, like seven times, though. Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah.

In three seconds? The kid, yo. They don't even call three seconds in the league. They don't even call three seconds in the league. Travel. Okay, I get them calling certain things. Traveling the WDW, teaching. Three seconds.

Come on, Gil. Fourth grade girls, their first time playing team. No, it makes it funny. Yo, the referee is crazy Call three seconds, but did he call the girl Joe the little girl drove to the basket, but he called offensive foul dog It wasn't nowhere near it. Listen, man. The girl went by and brushed the girl's shoulder. Like, you're older, though. It was a mistake, you're older. She didn't even mean to do it. The girl just stand right there. She's like, oh, she in the way. She brushed her. Made it. This dude said,

oh, they called charge, but I said, come on, man. So we called that. We might as well start calling it like the NBA. Yeah. I had a blast, though. Youth officiating. Fourth grade So we call that we might as well start calling like the NBA. Yeah Yeah At a blast the youth officiating fourth grade girls basketball this man called three seconds like five six seven times up All the parents in this day, I really do you just come on come on man, man, we try

These are our kids are sorry man. Just let them go up and down. Get them tired, man, so we can get out of here. My first time playing the team, they look good. They just running around, just happy to be out there. You are calling three seconds. They probably haven't even discussed that in practice. Took everything to get me, dude. No, but then one of the refs after the game, the game getting over.

The coach had no reason to call a timeout. The game, the ref was ready to go, obviously. Are you fucking kidding me? And one of the little girls on the team heard what she told me after the game. She said, the referee just said a bad word. I'm looking for him.

No, you're not going to do that. You're not going to do that. You're not going to curse the kid. You're not going to curse the kid. Are you fucking kidding me? I'm looking for him. He didn't beeline out the gym. I get to the door, I run out the slide looking for him.

Like, man, where you at? And the real bad ref would call in three seconds. He's over there untying his shoes, just looking around. I'm like, you know, you know, boy. I'm telling you, I'm not invested in... If I was invested, oh, this high school basketball, back the follow the way I was in the high school games. Oh, yeah We were there. Yeah, man high school high school high school refs to get on your nerves man, cuz they they take it personal. Yeah Everything like I've seen I've seen referees get mad at the best player cuz he's the best player. Yeah

Like he's their kid. Like, I'm sitting here like I was... We playing, my son playing, right? And we playing against my old school, right? And there's one dude you ain't trying to foul out is the dude who's leading the city in scoring. He's calling offensive fouls on fast break spins. Dude reaching.

He's sliding. My son's spinning. Offensive. Wait, what? Back to back. That's some hate shit. It was like this. That's some hater shit.

It was offensive, offensive, offensive. And, you know, my son getting frustrated, I'm like, don't even. It ain't even worth it. Like, it's G-House. Like, this is what happens when you come here. But it was like, yo, Rev, why are you taking it personal? Like, they used to do that to me when I was in high school. It's like, you're calling travel for no, like, fast break travel. Like, offensive.

Yeah, that's weird. Some refs out there. Oh, shit. KJ done played modern day in Long Beach. And the ref right there called like six charges, dog. Or you walk in, you see a certain ref. You know, you feel like you're cheating your child. Cheating your child, yeah.

You know, I'm waiting to have a step... Cheating my child. Wife wasn't pregnant, I was going to jail that day. Had she not been pregnant, I said, man, I should beat you up in there for cheating these kids, man. I didn't took my jacket off in there. I didn't took jacket off waiting on them by the stairs. Listen, I should beat you up in there for cheating these kids, man.

Yeah, feel that way, yeah. Your job is to just go in there and just ref it personal like if a dude scored 70 let him score 70 like you don't like stop trying to figure out how to make the game even just ref the game man and they call shit because they ain't never seen it or ain't never like they got dunked oh yeah it had to be a double dribble like no he never caught you never dribbled the ball. Somebody passed it to him. There was a play where, you know how you're doing this?

And then they stepped through and passed it. Travel. On what? Like, it was against. They gave us the ball, but like, wait, where's the travel at? He was like, he stepped through. That's illegal. I said this. Show me through. That's illegal. I said this, show me it. That's

illegal. That's illegal. What are you? Oh, they nuts, man. One ref told me before, like I made a comment before he could turn around, you need to learn the game. You turn around like, oh shit. Learn what game? This one? Yeah, this one. Ah. You know a little bit. You know a little bit?

A little bit. I know that wasn't a travel. We will learn the game tonight as well with the start of the NBA season. It's been our show for the day. Shout out to Underdog Fantasy as always. Make sure you download the Abuse promo code GIL. You can still get that AD.5 higher or lower pick lower pick them you can also get a $500 deposit match Appreciate you Lexi appreciate you can appreciate you sandals on the first date fellas

Okay sandals or cheesecake pick one double both I'm mom saying oh To an expensive place that's what I'm doing. Good. Yes. I want you to be like... That, I'll accept that. I want you to look down like, yeah, what's this? Sandals at an expensive place? Cool.

This is dinner. I'd rather do that than be overdressed at cake. Take you to 7-Eleven, get you a hot dog and some nachos and a Slurpee. And on that note, this is Gil Zerino presented by Underdog Fantasy. We'll see y'all tomorrow. Outro Music