Gil's Arena - Gil's Arena Reacts To A BIG Night Across The NBA 🏀

Episode Date: October 26, 2023

Gil's Arena Reacts To A BIG Night Across The NBA as Gilbert Arenas and The Gils Arena Crew discuss everything that went down in the Association. They kick things off discussing Jayson Tatum and Kristaps Porzingis' hot starts for the Boston Celtics before analyzing Victor Wembanyama's electric debut that was spoiled by Luka Doncic and the Dallas Mavericks. They also examine Zion's return to the court where he proved he is still a BEAST when healthy and finally tell The Brooklyn Nets they need to play their best player in Cam Thomas! 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 Show Start 0:00:00 Intro 0:03:59 All Star Changes To East vs West 0:06:56 Chet Welcomed To The League By Drummond 0:23:42 Favorite Memories From NBA Debut 0:32:36 Welcome To The League Moment 0:36:06 Takeaways From Wemby's Debut 0:40:36 How To Get The Best Version of Luka & Kyrie 0:53:09 Hibachi Time - Zion Goes OFF 1:14:48 Tatum & Porzinigs Shine In Celtics Debut 1:32:01 Tatum Is The New KD 1:47:43 Debut of Freak Time 1:52:56 Can Harden Improve His Trade Options? 1:57:47 Stop Messing With Cam Thomas!  2:03:04 MostlyFans 2:10:18 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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terms apply. Instacart. Groceries that over-deliver. Y'all don't know what goes on in practice. Baby, flashing lights everywhere. They just been saying shit about me. They didn't even fucking know me. This is my school. This is what I was doing when I was little. Y'all don't know what goes on in practice or the locker room. Age is zerobra Change the game Welcome back to Gil's Arena, presented by Underdog Fantasy. Woo! Thursday, last show of the week. Let's go!

Productive week. Had Dwight Monday, NBA Tuesday, NBA Wednesday. Here we are Thursday. This is Gil's Arena, presented Tuesday, NBA Wednesday. Here we are Thursday. This is Gil's Arena presented by Underdog Fantasy. As always, we got the legend Gilbert Arenas here. Gil, the fist. That wave is crazy. Indeed, this is fly.

We're the same size, right? Chuck 13s? Gil, no, 14. Chuck 14s was like 15,s? No, 14. Chuck 14s was like 15, 16? Really? I got to come down a little bit. First of all, I gave you shoes. I ain't seen them yet. You had a box of shoes too

and you got got. It was by the front door a couple weeks ago. I felt the need to tell you. We got Lexi Brown here with us too. Rapper Reebok as always Okay, Captain Rashad the kids I'm here to save them. It is Thursday. Oh, my goodness. I'm here to fight for the work, man. Please, look at the sword.

I'm here to fight for the work. It's being compromised. Here's what we got cooking in the arena today. Wimby overcame foul trouble to give the Spurs a glimpse of what's to come against the Mavs. Beluca and Kyrie came through in the clutch to get the win. The Celtics' Big Four got a win in the Garden in their debut, but do they have the best starting five in the league? And Paul George and the Clippers stepped all over the Blazers after stepping back on hardened trade talks, but what's their ceiling if Kawhi and PG can stay healthy? Before we get into all that,

as always, this show is brought to you by Underdog Fantasy. Do yourself a favor. Download the app. Use promo code GILL. They will match your first deposit up to $500. This week, we've done some of the best numbers in terms of y'all actually downloading and listening. So God bless you guys for helping us stay employed. Keep these lights on. Keep rocking with Underdog Fantasy. Them pickups is cool.

Wimby betrayed me last night. I'm not even going. You know. It was pop. The point is that.5 point rebound where it says. I don't even say Wimby. It's teammates. I'm not even going. You know. It was pop. The point is that.5 point rebound where it says. I don't even say Wimby. It's teammates. But we're going to talk about that in a little bit.

And as always, we do Mostly Fans at the end of the show. Go ahead and drop a good question. Use your Underdog Fantasy username. If we use your question on the show, we'll send you $50 to your Underdog Fantasy account. Also, we're taking video submissions. So go to MostlyFansGill at gmail.com. You can drop your video. If we use your video on the show, you get $100.

We've been having some good video questions coming through. Let's keep it rolling. And if you can't watch the show with us on YouTube, we've got audio versions available on Spotify, Apple, wherever you get your podcasts from. Now let's get into it. So let's keep it a buck. NBA All-Star Game has been kind of mid in recent years

as the league shifted to the All-Star Draft and that janky fourth quarter untimed target score and all that other goodness. But Adam Silver and them decided it wasn't working. So starting this season, the NBA will return to the East-West format with four legit quarters, no more draft, the best in the East that's in the West So good want to start with you is the East verse West the right call for the all-star game

Why do we care No, I mean why do I it's the black Super Bowl You know what I'm saying is it doesn't award in the middle of the season, you know the first time you make it you're excited But for the most part man, it's a vacation It's an award in the middle of the season. The first time you make it, you're excited. But for the most part, man, it's a vacation to clear your mind, to sell it. It's a birthday, right? It isn't supposed to be taken seriously. It's a birthday.

Okay. All right? And we're going out there having fun while we're getting ready for the second half of the season that actually matters. So, you know, this is how do we make the All-Star game better and tougher for what? All that's going to happen is if you start demanding guys to go really hard, they're just not going to play. On my ankle, on my back, because the season starts. The season starts where I get a check.

The $300,000, $400,000 check I get every game. So why am I going to go hard here? It's not... So what if they have some more bread for you? Do you guys get bread for playing in the game? So you're going to start early this morning. This is how we're starting. Sean, I cannot take you seriously.

This is how we start. Is this what we do? He doesn't want to be taken seriously. Respect that man's fashion. Gil, come on, man. Look, you were an all-star. Three times. Yes.

So I don't even know what you're going to argue about. There should be an appreciation for that. Yes. That's why it should be taken seriously, because niggas do anything to be an all-star. For that weekend, like, remember we talked about AAU and how the big time in the Nike camp is like the all-star game for the AAU.

And it means something when you're playing against the top players. It should be taken seriously. It's like your God tier in the middle of the season. When players look at the all-star game, we're like, man, I ain't trying to go to all-star. They didn't pick me.

I ain't trying to go. You trying to go? Them the best players that's playing right now You got to be on a different type of tier months mindset to be all-star so for you to be like it's a vacation Like for a lot of players like they really really want to like be there. No Okay, like the time there is the vacation like you do you've done the work already to be voted into the All-Star game, so when you get there, you obviously want to enjoy yourself. But that's what Kobe was talking about when he took the All-Star game seriously because even mid-season, it's to prove a point.

When did he take it serious? Every All-Star. Every All-Star? From what I've heard the story. Oh, so you haven't watched it. I was there three times. Everyone took it seriously in the fourth quarter. That's what I'm saying I was there three times everyone took it seriously in the fourth quarter

but the first three quarters is entertainment you only take it serious if you're that close to winning the award the MVP of it other than that it's a fun environment you know how much shit I got for jumping off a trampoline

Jumped off the trampoline and They almost had the Wizards almost had a heart attack about that because if I would have twisted my ankle After when reality kicks in my player is what now? Yeah, Right? As soon as someone really gets hurt in All-Star weekend, watch what the star players start doing. Start regressing. You know, it's just not a thing. Like, you get rest, right?

You get to go to Cancun and all. It's going to Mexico for three, four days. You know, we're still doing media. Media, events, all types of stuff. It's fun, but at the end of the day, this is an event. And that's what it's treated like, an event. And we're out there having fun. Let's go out and get the lobs in.

And if we're close at the end, we'll play hard. Other than that, we're not treating this like a playoff game because if Giannis gets hurt, season's over with. Right. You know what I mean? And that's the part that the media don't understand. So, like, when they actually changed the format, right? So the format now goes back to where it was. I believe that it was more competitive for East and West just because of who was on the East, who was on the West.

Because they started picking each other's team like it was pickup. It made it, like, not as fun because it was like homie type shit. I'm going to pick my homie and we're going to play on it. But now it's like back to the format. It's like, are they going to take it serious? Because we're not watching now to see the best players play against each other. We're just watching layups and dunks and threes. I mean, at what point can we value the all-star game for being what it is

when they start valuing the best players in nba picking them on the pick them on all right the right players on the all-star i mean you know if we want to talk about like all-star and what it is to mean all-star it's the best players in the league when you start you know manipulate y'all have fan voting and stuff? Fan always votes for the starters. And then the coaches pick the reserves. So once you started implementing team success, so whoever's number one, they get three players.

The fuck four? The fuck four? Think about a third option. The third option makes the All-Star game? How? Yeah. How does the third... Devin Booker didn't make the All-Star game last year.

That's crazy. Just think the concept. A player that's top 15 don't make a team that's 24? That's crazy. Weird, right? When you're talking about let's select the best of the best,

once you use politics, you take it out anyway. Yeah. So if no one wants to take it serious, no one wants to take it serious. You got players in there that's like,

come on, dude. You're right. Come on, dude. You're right. You average 12? Get the fuck out of here, man. What if instead of East-West, they did USA versus the world? Yeah, come on you you right come on dude. You're right. We have 12 if I got a man What have instead of East West they did USA versus the world? For all-star again

From the world that probably focus is what only 12 and 12. Yeah, but it's just like So that means you know, we already tried that there was 21 all-stars last year Right now 24 7 was European. I mean you're gonna force five additional sorry ass Europeans to be granted this And you have to take off real all-stars. Yeah off. Yeah. Yeah Yeah, we're getting close to a point where they may not have to take off real all-stars. Yep, yep. Off. Yep. Yeah. Yeah. We're getting close to a point where they may not have to do that, Gil.

I'm just saying. I'm just saying. No, we're not. No. No, we're not. 125 international players. 120, 125, seven made it. I'm talking about last year.

I'm talking about this year. No. I don't give a fuck how, man. No, I get what you're saying. I get what you're saying, Gil. There ain't enough Europeans that's's top tier all stars. You got you got big man top tier big man Other than that, I mean for the most part like if you really want Like all-star is just the best just put the best players on there

Stop stop trying to prove points of you know, my team won so I get this guy this guy, this guy, and this guy. Like, stop. So, will you think the players would appreciate it more? Like you're saying, like. No. That was my question. No, no, no. They still going to take it the same way. Three All-Star games.

Did you care in those moments? Like, first game, were you excited? Or were you just like. I think there was a video of me first All-Star. Like, you, I get to keep this. Yeah, like, you get the gear. You get all that. I get to keep this, this is my robe.

Like, it was, it's exciting. You got Shaq, you got, you know, everybody you looked up to right there. It, like, AI talked to me for the first time. Oh, you All-Star, congratulations. Hey, Mr. Iverson. Like, it's the experience, the thing. But once the game started, it's not... Like, that's what I said, I'm just there enjoying the moment.

Like, you know, you're looking around, you're doing this. Come on, man, you have a 25 on your team, you're also coming off the bench to a dude that got voted in. First of all, that already is irritating right there. You know? Like, I was in one of those where we had four Pistons players Yeah Hmm. That was the mom of them. This is where the Lord made it. It was the pit was um, it was Chauncey rip

Rashid and Ben. Yeah, and he was still trying to make a push for Tayshaun I'm averaging 29. My team is fifth. I didn't get put on the team. Jermaine O'Neal had to get hurt, and then they put me on. Oh, so you came in hot. I'm fourth in scoring in the NBA. My team is in the playoffs. What?

Nothing. They went one, two, three, skip, five, six, seven, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12 of scoring. So it was like, this is, these four, these four from the Pistons is better than me in this Eastern Conference alone. The fuck out of here. My question is to you, though, Why wasn't you on demon time to get the fucking MVP though? And I was so hot just looking at focus you because you already know That's one even time to the all-star you know to feel already They coach is the all-star coach Yeah, right and then they're gonna be a time where they put all four of them in the game at the same time

pictures and shit. Yep. So that was the time where I said, and this is when I knew media's stupid. I don't get voted in. I say it there. I'm going to be the East Coast assassin when this is over with. I averaged the same thing. Oh, my God, he's doing what he said. He's a killer. it as soon as I seen that that's when I became a talker just start talking shit yeah

yeah cuz obviously you don't respect just the game so now I gave you a voice oh he's killing everybody whoo player of the week player of the month second team all NBA but not all-star so I'm the second best point guard in the NBA right now but I couldn't even make the man y'all need to go on hit me that's when I became just a shit talker shit so good playing in the game reduce hating on you like do they hate on first year second year guys like the season all-star vets kind of try to freeze y'all out at all it was all fun like it was it was it was love that's what said it ain't no one's really taking it

Like it no one's really taking it that serious Like if you you know you chucking your shots and you hit like the first four or five then you know Oh shit, and we go ahead score. Let me go and score this one, but I Sophomore all-star game right how it came out on that bullshit playing around right and then Grizzlies coach not Patino Grizzlies coach

Hubie Brown Hubie so Hubie doesn't start me in the second half me and Jamal said we ain't taking it seriously so he started I said yo when we get in that motherfucker man Give me the ball every time my arm. I'm gonna show him and I bet 25 something second half MVP. Let's go

Bitch me like that me but Wait, it's good. Like you said all-star weekend is about more than just the game So we got a special mostly fans question coming in right now from a user by name of fierce deception Can we run that was popping girls arena? My question for y'all today is what is the greatest all-star weekend that y'all have been a part of or the yellow witness? This means that like the dunk contest was popping, the game itself was popping, three-point contest was lit. What's the greatest All-Star weekend

that y'all have witnessed? He got to replace his smoke alarm battery. You heard that beeping. Lexi, are you partaking in All-Star weekends? I've never been to an all-star weekend before. Really? Really. They won't invite me to the three-point contest for whatever reason,

and then I'm not going until I get invited. Okay, so no pull-up. Yeah. No pull-up. Yeah. That's what I'm talking about. Would it be like I have a big all-star weekend-sized bag for you? Would you pull up then?

Yeah, for work. Yeah, for work. That's my general rule. Yeah, for work. Yeah, for work. That's my general rule. Yeah, yeah. No bag, no rubber. But I'm not going to hang out. I think last year, before I got sick,

I was, I mean, they were talking about I could have potentially been an All-Star, but I was definitely going to be in the three-point contest. But the year prior,

I was top five or ten in three-point percentage, and they didn't invite me to participate. So I was like, hmm. Well, we're going to invite you to Gil's shootout to Gil shootout I'll be there no chance of winning but I mean you know you can be you can participate definitely got no chance yeah

you can participate yeah what's your best all-star weekend You get your ass whooped too. You get your ass whooped too. Now listen now. Like, not gonna lie, the first one I went, the first two I went, the first one I went to was, you know, to support Jason Richardson on the dunk contest. Okay. Right. And you gave him the dunks that helped him. Yeah, and Bow Wow was there, and you got to see Bill Bow Wow. That's where, you know, I am Mike, or Mike like Mike. Mike, yeah. That's where we, I I am Mike or my like Mike. That's where we was a part of it

Okay, right That was exciting, you know, obviously me winning the MVP For rookie sophomore, but I'm pretty sure like the Denver one my very first all-star selection Six, um, shotgun Willie's huh? That was oh six. Oh 405. Oh shit and be be honest it should have been Larry's like you know Larry was leading a team of scoring and what ended up happening is he got hurt broke his thumb and that time he was out I was I took over both our spots yeah right and I was just on kill mode and so by the time he came back I'm'm selected all-star, averaging 25. But before that, I was averaging 19.

That's cold. I'll say that was my very first one. 09, the New Orleans one. That was dope. I mean, because that was the only one I was a part of. Okay. It was turned up? Yeah, it was turned up.

Okay. Yeah, that was the cupcake shit. Oh, okay. Dwight and all that. But I got to get in the locker room and see what you was talking about, being around AI and all them in a certain element, where everyone was in the locker room at the same time. You're just like, yo, this is what the fuck it feels like. What the fuck is going on in here?

I got to get everybody's autograph, something. The camaraderie of the players just seeing how like he was saying how comfortable everybody was it was a very easy going energy you know i'm saying everybody was just like we just here to have fun but there was always that one person which i thought was always cold i'm here to kill y'all you know what i'm know what I'm saying? So, yeah, that's my memory for sure. You can see it. You see I have all-star jerseys. Wade, Carter, Nash. I have a bunch of them, and people are like, what's those?

And I was like, when I was there, I was a fan, right? And these jerseys are the jerseys that fans don't get, right? So those are the jerseys that fans don't get, right? So those are the jerseys that really make like, yo, I get to really like get these autographs. So those are some of my favorite jerseys, you know, Kobe All-Star, Garnett All-Star. You know, I got Yao. I got, you know, all those guys, you know,

especially my first year. My first year, I got all that. Let's take a look at some of them on the wall. We got the D-Wade, the Vince Carter. Vince Carter, then that Nash 13. Ballin'. It's just this classic, bro. And then I had my very first all-star.

My very first all-star. I had the poster repainted. Okay. And then I had everyone's actual signature. Oh, yeah, I've seen that before. Yeah. The crib. That's baller.

All right, well, let's keep this thing moving and shaking. Chet Holmgren made his red shirt rookie debut against the Bulls and got his Welcome to the League moment

courtesy of Andre Drummond. Oh, yeah. Hey, I was watching this live. Give me that. Cookies! Oh, I didn't know he stole it from him first. And then,

hit him with the cross! Should have dunked that, man. I know. Why didn't him first. All right, man. Hit him with the cross. Ah! Should have dunked that, man. I know. Why didn't he dunk it? He probably was so excited he got the crossover. Hey, man. That was the 80-second dribble. Hit him with the cross and then quick little pap.

Made that man touch earth. But we also got to show and give some love to Malik Monk, who also came through with what I would say is the highlight of the night. Man Oh man. Let's let's take a look at this one Dear Fox. Oh, dude that man dirty Chris to give him a push for yelling in his drill. There was no technical, right? Nope. Okay, perfect. That's right there.

That's normal. Right there, perfect. No technical. So, question for the group. What's more embarrassing for a hooper, getting your ankles broke or getting yammed on? Well, I can't get dunked on. You can get dunked on. You can. You want to experience that?ed on. You can't get dunked on.

You want to experience that? You can. You can. No. It's never going to happen. You can rotate a little bit late and then that grinder comes around. Grinder comes around late. And I'm...

No. No way. Yeah, for me, I guess getting... No, I don't know. I think getting dunked on is worse. For me, cross. Just crossing over. Right? Because it's like... With a crossover, like, you...

It's the way it looks when you... You know what I mean? You gotta fall. When you fall, you get dropped. You gotta touch. When you can get... Yeah, getting dropped is... Like, you know, that 360 turn. It don't count if they don't finish it, though.

Like, if they finish the move, it's a fucking highlight. Like, but you can get crossed, get back, contest. It might go away. Not if you fall on the floor. It might go away. Now, with great editing. You got to finish the play. You got to finish the play. I clip, I clip.

Listen, I'll cross you and clip it all the way into the All the way But when you get all your cash when you get dunked on ain't no missing that's just like that right there Mmm, but when you like the reason like Duncan it all depends on who dunks it like, you know a big man dunks on dunks on you, then, you know, like, that's what you're supposed to do. Right? A guard that can jump high. You know, I mean, it ain't really...

And you can't really clown somebody for trying to get a block. Yeah. That's effort. Oh, you can. I mean, like, obviously you get dunked on,

but, like, you can't be like... Because some people are like, I'm never going to not try to block some shit. Watch your head. But... I mean, it's better for... Like, big man that's getting dunked on by guards.

Yeah. That's more embarrassing. Yeah. Getting tip-dunked. Like, somebody tip-dunked. Hey, hey, what's up? Like, that shit is like, man, okay, I got to box out a little bit more. What you do is you better keep your head down because you know they...

We're just waiting for you to come up with some... The shock face. We're going to do you to come up with some good-ass things. The shock face. We're going to do a little therapy session now. You know, we'll talk about the other side of it. Who's the player that put you on the highlight reel that you didn't expect? Put me on the highlight reel? That means I had to watch SportsCenter the next day. Or you just had to know?

I haven't had that moment yet. I'm pretty sure I got put on SportsCenter plenty of times. Nobody crossed you? I know Boozer caught you. Oh, no, no, no, no, no, no, no. I've got body. You got dunked on for sure.

No, I've got dunked on for sure. I mean, I don't... Because the guards, think about the guards I was playing against. Yeah, yeah. Not one caught you slipping. No, I mean, it'd be, I mean it'd be what? It'd be Steve Francis, maybe no there wasn't plenty times where he across and then Hey, he coming

He coming down there He's dunking on somebody else, but I'm not jumping. I'm not stupid like but you know, you know Boozer got me Did you ever feel bad in that position where something you did led to them getting embarrassed? No. Okay. They put me in that position when I got to come back and try to double and, you know, weak side help, and it's Shaquille O'Neal on the weak side. Like, why am I the weak side guy? What am I going to do?

And he's dunking anyone on me. So, nah, part of basketball. The game is the game. You never really got caught up, you know what I'm saying? I stay out the way I will say the one time my team was on SportsCenter This is stupid. But this was what I was in college We're playing Louisville and it was the second half and they lined up on the wrong side of the court

So we also lined up on the wrong side of the court and then they got a wide-open layup to start the second half Did they trick you I was a deliberate. Yes. Okay So we also lined up on the wrong side of the court, and then they got a wide-open layup to start the second half. Did they trick you, or was it deliberate? Yes. Okay. Oh, shit. You said it like they didn't know what they were doing. No, it was a play.

That's what I'm saying. That's crazy. Yeah, and they got a wide-open layup. That's crazy as fuck. Yeah, that was stupid. Oh, fucks sake. It was on SportsCenter the next day, and I was like, we're the Duke girls doing this dumb shit.

Education ain't education. In the middle of a game. We won, though. We won the Duke girls. It's dumb shit. Education ain't education. In the middle of a game. We won, though. We won the game. You got to learn to stay out the way, though. When shit's going down, they in the game dunking on motherfuckers and shit. It's like, hey, look, coach,

ain't no charge taken over here. You got it. I'm good. Yeah, is it worse when you take a charge? Yes. Instead of trying to go block it? Yes. No. Carlos Arroyo. here you got it I'm good he has it worse when you take a charge yes instead of trying to go block it yes no Carlos Arroyo but lucky for me though I've never seen the play lucky for me so what you mean so he got you he never

seen it down right he got you and you never seen he never played it as it was on a fast break right we're in a fast break and are you running back and he I don't know if it's the one on three I don't know what happened but I know he faked it and I turn and then like, you know how you turn this way and Then whatever he did I turned all the way under the basket. All I seen is the ball coming all I heard My whole bench laughing doing one of these like I don't know. I don't know what happened. I refused to watch that play. It got me bitched.

You came after that? No. I went on IR after that. Yeah. Damn. A few things happened that game. Early in the game, it was fanboy time when Vince Carter did a spin on Jason Richardson.

And then, and I jumped off the bench. Oh, my God. I gave him one of those. And y'all see that? And it was like, yo, sit your ass down. Sit your ass down. Oh, shit. You on my team.

My bad. Right? That and then the play at the end. Yeah, he ain't ready. Wow. Yeah. Wow. Okay. I do be watching the bench sometimes when something happens. You be forgetting, right? And then the play at the end, yeah, he ain't ready. Wow. Yeah. Wow.

Okay. I do be watching the bench sometimes when something happens. You be forgetting, right? It's the funniest. They be like, yeah, it be so hard for them not to react, but that's like the first place my eye goes to, if it's like the opposing bench, because their reactions are funny as hell. There was no reaction in that Malik Monk video, though.

I was looking at that bench. They was over there like, mm. They got to be. Mm. Because you know that's exactly where they looking. It's always the tap.. They was over there like, mmm. They gotta be. Mmm. Because you know that's exactly where they looking. It's always the tap. The leg tap. It is the tap. Or the shoe tap. It's like, hey man. Oh that, yeah, no, that shit gets, hey listen.

Listen. Listen. That star fights right there. Tap tap. Yeah, that tap tap star fights. You watch filming. You watching filming and right at the end, like you watch this slow motion because you already know you got dunked on so you're not trying to pay attention to that part. So you start looking at other shit, and you see one of your teammates do one of these.

That's what we on. That's what we on. That's what we on. Oh, that's what we on? Now, you didn't have Watch Your Head back then. No. Modern. That's my man.

Come on, man. That's like three years ago. Tap, tap, man. Tap, tap. Them taps and giddens. What? We used to be in a car, and if you wanted to really tap, but you couldn't tap, like somebody was in the back seat, you would roll the window down. That was it.

That's the tap. That's the tap. Or cut the music down. Cut the music down. Do you hear this nigga? Okay, turn it back up. We used to do the lean back in the chair in the locker to see who else was looking.

Trying to make eye contact with somebody. Anybody else see this shit? Yeah, yeah, yeah. Oh, man. But let's keep this thing rolling. And out of the NBA season starting, we're going to go back down memory lane with a segment I'm calling You Gotta Remember

in honor of one of your most famous catchphrases, Gil. You gotta remember. What's your favorite memory from your first NBA game? Gil, we'll start with you. Then Lexi, we'll go with your WNBA game. My first memory was at home against the Cavs. I stole a ball, made my first layup. You can never say I didn't play in the NBA after that layup.

That's dope. I'm in the history book. Your first game was against the Blazers though, I believe. That was zero. So it wasn't your first four? Also, zero, one, zero. I gotta go check. But over three minutes against

Damon Sautermire, Scottie, Bonzi, Shezi she all them guys. I know I know who they were At least you took three shots you know yeah, I know who they were trust me when I started they got that smoke back But like my first memory is when I made my first layup against against okay We're sure but actually my first two my first points were against cast the first time we played cast I had a free throw and then the second time we played them at home, I had my layup. So you was cooking them that year. Because I was a fast break, and I was going dunk, and I was like, this is my first point, and we just go hit it.

Tap it. Hey, taps were a big deal. Taps was a huge deal. Taps were like dunks back in those days. But, Lexi, we've got the numbers here. You made your debut against Aja Wilson. You don't even remember your first bucket. Do you? Remove that a solid five three enforces and only Tim you saw do you see the score that game though? Isn't that crazy though? How much better they got? That's irrelevant. What was the score?

We beat them by 40. Damn. One on one, 65. That's you know. Damn. That was only five years ago. Damn. Crazy, right?

That's why I played. But- Damn. No, you played because- Stop doing that. She said, that's why I got in. That's why I got in. That's why I got in.

It was up 30. But yeah, I think, what is it? I hit a three. Yep. I hit a three. I I got in. It was up 30. But yeah, I think, what is it? I had a three. Yep. I'm going to get in that game and throw up a three for sure. That's what you got there.

I knew I was going to throw up a three. Rashad, what do you remember from your first? I want to apologize to the chat. You know, they be hearing the drinking and the gulping and shit. Hydration. Paul! What was mine? That was mine.

So you had six points of rebound assist, a block and steal in 21 minutes. Portland? Against the Blazers. Yeah, that was the... Z-Bo, D-Mile. Oh, man, it was so crazy because that was a game D-Mile said that he was going to give Trenton Hassell 30 before the game in the papers and he gave him 33 and I watched all 33 buckets and

Lil Wayne was a good friend of mine and that was my first game. He was at my last game in college which was a national championship game and he was at my first NBA game sitting courtside. And that was one of those times I thought I was going to go ham. And I had a bad fucking game. I had six points. And I think I started.

I can't remember if I started the game or not. But it was one of them things where it's like you walk out there, you're like, yeah, finally. NBA, I got Wayne right here. D. Miles was one of my guys. It was a Z-Bow, KG. And, yeah, six points I got Wayne right here. D. Miles was one of my guys. Z-Bo, KG. And, yeah, six points I got on the board.

I ain't tripping. That's all that matters. Yeah. All right, so everybody always talks about the welcome to the league moment. Obviously, Chet got his with the Andre Drummond crossover. What was your welcome to the league moment, Gil? Against the Blazers at home. I don't know if it was that first game at home, the Blazers.

Hold on, let me pull it up. We got the box score. Yep. Oh, no, yeah, yeah, Blazers at Warriors, yep. So, Boomshay Boomshay is there, right? Boomshay Boomshay. Yep. He got a block, right?

He does have one block. Huh? That was on you? Yes, sir. So what I was doing was I was sitting there talking shit on the bench, right? Like, yeah, man, if I get in, boy, what I'm going to do to him down there? Well, first play I get it, boy, I'm coming down the lane. I'm going to try to dunk on him.

And it was like, yeah, Gil, like if, like, if you get it, try it. So they hyping me up. And towards the end of the game, last two and a half minutes, last three minutes, it's like I got the heat packs ready. And boom, got a steal, and he's under the basket and tried to jump. Spock!

Oh, I'm just on my back. Oh, shit. Oh, shit. Man, that did not work out as planned. The whole bench laughing, man, but I was like, eh. It looked like, I mean, it did look like I could dunk on him. Man. Lexi, how about yourself? What was your welcome

to the WNBA moment? We were playing the Mystics in D.C., and this was before they had their small arena, so we were in the big arena. And I can't remember if we were winning or losing, but I got in the game at, like, the end, and I think they ran, like, four straight plays

to, like, have me get scored on. And I got scored on, on like every time from like someone they just called that play wow and i just yeah it was like a jumping that's what they do oh my gosh. Yeah, it was embarrassing. I was like, dang. Because I was like, I came into the league like as an elite defender. And no.

Wake up, y'all. Put that to the test. W is a completely different beast. That's dope. So, yeah. I got like, boom, boom, boom. Denver Nuggets rookie year. Marcus Canby had eight blocks.

He was going for ten blocks. And I was on the bench. So back then, I used to be, I used to talk a lot of shit. So I would be in the game for like two minutes. Seriously? Talk shit, talk shit. God damn. Like talk shit, talk shit.

For real? I'm pretty sure this is so true to us. So KG dunks on, I can't remember who it was, Nene, one of them. And he yells, and I yell too. Y'all get dunked on! Beep. Tech. Gave me a tech.

I'm like, ah, shit, what the fuck? You know, he hype, I'm hype. Boom. I'm on the bench again. And I see that they just said, Marcus can't be trying to get 10 blocks. I said, I'm going to dunk on that motherfucker when I get back in. Got back in, tipped the ball to me. Boom!

Ha! Motherfucker's ejected. Out the game. My first ejection. Wake-up call. First thing Coach Uck, Dwayne fucking Casey. Dwayne Casey! Coming in, rookie! Can't fucking do our shit, which we just lost about 30, though

Like oh he worried about I'm like what the fuck ticket coming there like hey youngin. I love that shit. That's like a sneeze boy I love that shit. That's it every time. Wow, you can't control that shit and Casey's just looking at him like Don't you fucking listen? But that was like let me know like the league Is for like it's a grown man league like I'm saying like if you're gonna put it if you're gonna if you're gonna put in the work You got to also put in that passion.

So that was the one thing I love about KG, play with a lot of passion, and it helped me as my first ejection to know it's okay to act like Rasheed Wallace and KG and Kenya Martin and just be aggressive as fuck. I love that shit. For sure. Well, another player who needs to be aggressive, Victor Wimbinyama. Wimby was emotional before his NBA debut in front of a sold-out crowd.

Turned all the way up in the fourth quarter, scoring nine of his 15 points and showing his versatility on the defensive end. I think at one point late in the game, he was matched up on Kyrie, actually got the stop. But Gil, you got the chance to see Wimby actually now play an NBA game. All the hype, everything we talked about.

What did Wimby show you in his NBA debut? Same thing he showed us in preseason. That he can play. Right? You know, Kenyon said it, you know. Right? That excitement. That excitement was going to get him in foul trouble.

And I'm thinking, how are you going to get in foul trouble because he's so long? Yep. Five-piece. He was on the bench the majority of the game because in foul trouble. And I'm thinking, how are you gonna get him in foul trouble because he's so long? Five-piece. He was on the bench majority of the game because of foul trouble. And, you know, that's just, you know, I guess you can't turn off that excitement. You know, and that's basically why his stats wasn't

the way they were. But, you know, that fourth quarter showing that he can, you know, dominate a quarter. I mean, nine. I mean, you know, if he was at five and nine? What did he have? Like, he had nine and a fourth. But if he was in the game throughout that game, he would have had a...

Maybe close to a 20-piece. Good for the league. Not a fucking matter. I mean, I feel like if they're going to play him like that and the outcome's going to be a loss, just play the man and let him foul out because he loses his rhythm when you're trying to avoid the foul

trouble. He's a rookie. Like when we were rookies, they didn't give a fuck about whether or not we fouled out or not. It's like, let him play. You know what I'm saying? First three games, at least let him get his rhythm so he knows what he can and can't do. Even when it comes to fouling, they pulled him after one foul, six minutes to go. And I felt like that was a rhythm stealer. Yeah. In the first quarter, you think? In the first quarter. So it's like now he goes back to trying to figure out what his rhythm's going to be when he goes back in. Then he picks up the second. Now he's

back to the bench. And now I knew it was fucking with his head at that point. So he's trying to figure out when he's going to go back in. And then I'm just, you know, the fouls that he was getting is, you know, he's big, he's lanky. He's going to get some fouls, but I think it had a lot to do with his rhythm, trying to figure out what he was going to do, how he was going to play, how he was going to adjust. And I think that if Pop just let him play, let him get his fouls. Let him get it, because they played like they didn't need him out there. They played together like it was a team and it was like, Victor, if he on the floor, he not. We know what we going to do. So it's like, if y'all going to play like that, just let him play. Let him play. Let him foul out.

Let him learn. You better stop fucking fouling, young fella. Yeah. I don't know. I was kind of annoyed with the refs because I was like, okay, like, this is a big game. This is a big moment. Maybe one or two of those fouls they could have just let go. Yeah. But, again, he kind of looked like a baby giraffe, like, trying to figure it out out there. He's a little clumsy, but still graceful because it's a fucking giraffe.

It's a fucking giraffe. Running around like running around and stuff it's still amazing to watch so I mean it was fun but that Spurs team like they they played well together last season they didn't get a lot of wins but I mean I was on Twitter last night and people were like oh this Spurs team is kind of good I'm like yeah like they just are never on television so no one ever got to see. Facts. Yeah, facts. I didn't know not one player. Not one player. Not one player, just Wimby. Yeah, just Wimby.

And then he was on the bench, so they was all like, all right, we got all these eyes. I mean, that's why they played like that. They're like, we got all these eyes on us, finally. Damn. So we going hoop. Johnson can play. Lucille can play. Shohan, is that his name?

Shochon. That's with the hair, right? You wear the Zohan. Yeah, he got the rotten hair. Yeah. Is that his name? So Cho-Chon That's what the hair where the zone Yeah, yeah, they they they Remind me of okay see you know I'm saying how they move and how they slash They hit they hit open shots and was the Jones trade jump. Was it trade Jones? That's number 33 He played he played out his mind. I like I like the way I mean my six assists Yeah, I like the way he played. Got me my sixth assist.

Yeah, I like the way he played. So, a victory just got to figure out how he fit. Yeah, Wimby betrayed me. 22.5 points, rebounding assist. He finished with 22. I don't blame him. This is a 22 barely playing. Barely playing. That's with no type of rhythm. What I'm saying is, just think about it at that. They had him at 25 point or 22.5. I think that was halftime due to live pickups.

So you're talking about a guy who barely played, didn't have his rhythm, and he still put up that. So what happens? Just imagine what happens when he understands not the foul, understands how to play the game, what people are trying to do to him, and he starts getting wiser and a little bit stronger. You just gotta look for the things that he do well, getting in foul trouble. I mean, just overall, across the board, it was horrible. All games, right? All games, your star players across the board did not have great showings. Right.

Right? They're still in preseason mode. I mean, there's a few who performed. You know there's 30 teams, right? You know there's 30 teams. So when you say a few, that's actually bad. Yeah. When you say a few.

There's like four. When you're talking about the superstars. I did it. That's what I'm saying. So, like, it's, you know, most of these guys are still in, this will still be game five in preseason. You know what I mean? So, it's, you know, it's going to take these guys a few more games. You can't go from 12 minutes, 15 minutes, and say, all right, 32 minutes.

It don't work like that. How did you like his movement though like as far as when be like I don't I was really hoping pop would put him in more positions to be like the offense go through him but they're still just moving he got to find his way like what do you think about his movement as far as the flow he's trying to find the flow and get his rhythm. That's a city. There's there's no There's there's no learning When do they have time to learn something right? When do they have time to really put something in for him?

We have to still let him play and see what we have right, you know We go into the concept of this is how we want to play and then once it gets out there Let us see how it looks. Then from there, as good coaches, then you start adjusting. But the moment he got picked, we supposed to have been in the locker room like, hey, we running these plays for this guy. We picking these players to be centered around him. That sounds good against Europeans. We got to see what he do against...

How his team's matching up. Are they putting guards on him? Are they putting bigs on him? Like, we have to see how it goes because it's now a game plan. It's going to be a game plan from him. And then you're just adjusting game by game. We know Pop to be a systematic coach, right? The Spurs never changed their offense.

They did everything the same way every game. They never changed for teams. They did everything the same way every game. They never changed for teams. They made us change for them, right? So that's why I was looking for Pop to put him in Tim Duncan positions where regardless of who guarding this nigga, it's coming through, when be in the post or when be at the pick and roll, we know he going to get these shots. But he's not Tim Duncan.

I know. So you can't put him in Tim Duncan's spot? Why not? Because he's not Tim Duncan. I know. So you can't put him in Tim Duncan's spot. Why not? Because he's not Tim Duncan. But it's the size. It's like a template. It's a template of Tim Duncan. Once he develops

enough, we can try the Tim Duncan formula. But until then, we're going to use this template to see how he adjusts to it. But we already know it's going to be a fail if he's never been a post player. Tim Duncan was a post player. That was his bread and butter. So that's just like saying, all right, when Tim comes in the league, play him like this.

You're right. That's not his skill. You're right. So right now, he's more guard-like. So I would try to play him like AI. Wow. Zipper. Forward cards, zipper across. Zipper across, yeah. Zipper, recall, and see what they do. I would try to play them like AI. Forward cards, zipper across, zipper across, and see what they do.

Real shit. Like, zip them, like, point guard, and he's on the wing. Especially if he has a post on him, because the way posts navigate any type of screen is ridiculous. They don't know how to get through screen. They would get a zipper screen. Man.

Hawk cut down. Hawk cut down. Hawk cut down. Hawk back screen. Yeah. See what your big man do. Your big man's nature is to do what? Protect the rim.

Now he's sitting there popping, going this way. They wouldn't know what to do. That's what I mean by that. That's what I mean by putting him in those positions where he can get the ball, catch, and shoot while there's no set defense. Right? He actually is getting the ball in scoring position. He's not doing it where, like, their offense now is when he catch, he got to make something happen. And I think that's going to put him at a disadvantage because

we get to load up on that now. Like, I see it, I'm loading up. Do you think that has to do with him not being, like, strong enough? No, it's just getting to feel, like, it's a feel, right? You have to, you know, you have to you know you have to there comes a moment in time where you You understand the game like right now, you know from everything he did his NBA moment was last night

So this is the first experience he gets of a real NBA Scenario so now he has to adjust game by game. Yeah, so obviously we'll be coming in with about the same amount of hype as LeBron Zion, you know probably arguably some of the most hype in NBA history special in the social media era Did it feel like a little bit in the fourth quarter? He was cooking had those nine points but late in the game It seemed like his teammates were hating on him a little bit looking him off not giving him the rock Like I said, when you got a team like the Spurs that's got guys that's already kind of established themselves to be like the dependable pieces for the Spurs

before Wimby got there, they not looking at Wimby as the savior. They looking at him as competition. You in the way, bro. Give me that, motherfucker. I'm going, right? And I think Johnson and Vassell is two of those players that are like, we still got to get ours, because if he don't perform,

we lose by big margins. So we still got to do our thing. So I think that's a little bit of it. And he a rookie. It's kind of like what you was talking about, D Miles and Boozer and Ricky Davis, when LeBron came in, a little bit of that. He going to have to get in where he fit in. Yeah, that. It's LeBron. It when LeBron came in a little bit of that you had to get in where you feel But that's right like he's a rookie, right What NBA player who's been playing three four years is gonna say are we're gonna give you the ball at the end of the game It's what do you know? You don't know nothing, right? You getting off. Thank you. But now it's time for the big boys to give you the ball at the end of the game. It's what do you know? You don't know nothing, right? You're getting off. Thank you.

But now it's time for the big boys to do what the big boys do. Yeah. Right? And that's just the way it is. You have to earn that right to get the ball at the end of the game. You have to earn it. This is not something. I don't give a fuck how many plays the coach draw up for you.

Are we going to put Wimby in there? It's three minutes to go in the game, and it's tied, and you think I'm going to... Defer to a rookie. I'm going to sit here and do the pick and roll and actually give him the ball. Man, you better put me on it, man. You have to earn that right.

You have to earn it. So when you see a player sitting there doing a 1-4 flat and doing these at the end of the court. He earned that right. Absolutely. Yep. Like he earned it. Like Kobe had to earn this right to do what he's doing.

LeBron had to earn it. Right? It's one of those things that you have to earn it. It is not given to you. And once you earn it, trust me, the ball is going to be, there you go. Right. There you go. Carry this big fella.

Hey, I'm open if you need me. You start hearing going to be, there you go. Right. There you go. Kerry is a big fella. Hey, I'm open if you need me. You start hearing that. I'm open if you need me. Because at the end of the day, he's the future. So we know that at some point, if he don't like us, we all gone. Yeah. I don't care who you think you are on that team, you could be averaging 25.

The Frenchman says, you, you. You, you. Yo, that's just you, you. You on the team, you could be averaging 25. And the Frenchman says, you, you. You, you. Yo, that says you, you. You on the first thing. You on the first thing. That was your first. That's it. You, you.

You, you. You, you. You, you. You, you. Oh, you're joking. You're serious. You're like the marijuana. I mean, come on, man.

It's Thursday at Gil's Arena, presented by Underdog Cougars. How fast did Ricky Davis get traded during LeBron? What? He was the leading scorer of the team. Oh, you, uh, you, you averaging too much. We need, we need more shots for LeBron. Come on, bye-bye. Happens.

So let's talk a little bit about the Mavs. Luka Magic was in full effect Wednesday night. Dropped the fourth 30-point triple-double in a season opener in NBA history. Giannis has done it. Oscar Roberts has done it twice. Let's take a look. Late in the game, Mavs up four. Luka hit Devin Vassell with the, ah, they fanged. Look at Mark Cuban. Mark Cuban was hurt all the way up.

Gave him a little Jordan push. Grif. Luka Kai. I mean. I mean. So Luka's an MVP favorite this season. He dropped 33-13-10 in the game, including that dagger three. Mavs head coach Jason Kidd thinks he has the recipe to get the four-time

first-team All-NBA selection, his first Michael Jordan trophy. Jason Kidd said last year's numbers, 38 and 8, those are like video game numbers, and he's doing it at a high level. We also have to win, so if he can do those two things, that's him being healthy and us winning, he can end up with that MVP trophy. So Gil, we'll start with you. When you look at Luka, we talk a lot about health, the weight issues. You know, if he had, it kind of reminds me like Embiidus in terms of looking,

but getting the motor where it needs to be. What is the best version of Luka Doncic? The best version is every year he's been giving us. I mean, he's been getting better, smarter at his craft. I mean, even though he looks like he's out of shape, right, he's still doing what he's doing, right? You know, you can't change his speed. I mean, you're not going to get 3% body fat. So you know, I mean, the numbers

is going to speak for itself. I'm just wondering, when mean the numbers is gonna speak for itself I just I'm just wondering when does the the media try to handicap his scoring and all these stats by saying You're not a winner. Not a winner. Yeah, right when you're gonna you know, I'm I'm I'm wondering because right now is gonna be just stats It's gonna be a lot of stats. I mean, for him, that'll go away if he starts playing some defense. Because you start playing some defense, then you start winning more games. And it's going to affect the outcome of you actually becoming the winner.

Oh, but nobody's saying he's a loser right now. No. I mean, but you kind of have to. They're not. You know what I'm saying? Ooh, ooh. You kind of. I mean, 11th in the West last season, I mean, you can make that one.

I mean, everybody can say that they feel a certain way about the word losing or loser. But at the end of the day, like, when it's time to prove that your performance and your skill set is going to be on display and you need to go out and win the game, there can't be no discrepancies. You can't look at Kyrie Irving and Luka Doncic on the same team and be like, how are you guys losing? Because you guys ain't playing no fucking defense. Play both sides of the ball. Take pride in that. Just like you're doing that step back for that game winner, get the fucking stop. Get a stop.

Be prideful on getting stops. And I don't be seeing that pride. And that's what they were saying with the commentators about Dallas. If you can't stop or guard anybody, it don't mean nothing. You're playing against the Spurs and they take y'all to the limit like that. They ain't even got no vets

or nothing like that. What are y'all going to do against real good teams? We're going to target both of y'all. We're targeting them like we're targeting you. Go at them again. Go at them. If they start, you know, exerting more energy

on the defensive end, if their offensive production goes down and they lose anyway, like, what would you... You prefer them walking down on defense and losing or...

They out of shape. You got to get in prime condition. Gil talk about it all the time. If you're in prime condition to play both sides of the ball Like you're gonna come into the season ready for that that challenge. I'm ready to take pick up 94 feet Kyrie Let's see you pick up 94 Kai and go out here and get 22 and 7

Excuse me who in history picked up 94 feet and And was a score on offense and to a scorer on the offensive end? Be different. Break the records. Be different. That is. Look at us so much on the offensive end. He does.

Rebounding, passing, scoring, and you want them to hit 94 feet? Because as a team, if you're the liability of our chain reaction. That's what you bring other people in to do. No, but there's a chain link. Do your job. Don't be the weak link. Don't be the weak link. My job is to score, pass, rebound.

Rotate. Because. Box out. How about this? Box out, my guy. I mean, we can do this either way. If I'm going to take your job, I want your money too.

Yeah. All right? Right? If I got to do your job To with mine You mean go ahead get some of them chicks at the end of the day. It's all fine. I don't say hey I'm about to get your rebound. I just go ahead and just You box my man out. I'll go get the real got it. I got it I got it, but if we five out if we five out here like look man

Everybody's gonna have to pick up their own slack, right? So if it's a chain reaction and Lucasuka's the one that's always in the slow rotation, when we're talking about pick and roll, big, big rolling, and you don't ever pick up the roll, he always gets his little layup. You know, when we say, okay, when we say, like, be a defensive player, it's not be Jimmy Bum. No. It's not be these guys.

It's if I'm helping you do the job that you're supposed to do. Drive. Do not foul. Right? I'm going to pick your man up. If you're going to try to make this little pocket pass, that's your steal. Yes. Right?

So if you're picking up my guy and then they're making this pocket pass, that's my fault, not the bigs. Right? If stunt and rotate, right, and you stunt and then it goes that way, you're not doing your job. So it's really just do the bare minimum, right? You know, hey, pick and roll, be at the nail.

Play the game the right way. Just be at the nail. Be sitting there like, nah, I'm just going to deny my man. Because they think, oh, denying, that's defense. No, you need to be on the nail. You need to be on the nail. That's the lazy shit that I be saying. Don't be a lazy defender.

And that's what we don't hold them accountable for the lazy shit. Right? Like, I see LeBron do it a lot. And nobody really calls him out on that. But it leads to a lot of different possessions that the Lakers give up. And then at the end of the game, you're wondering why you lose by six because there was a lot of lazy possessions on defense that could just be taken up just on effort and alertness, attention to detail.

Like you said, if he rolled and I'm supposed to get that pocket pass, he's not supposed to dunk that ever. When Dwight Howard rolled, it was like, yo, our game plan is to limit his dunks on the pick and roll so you either foul him or you beat him early but that's the thing like when we when we go back to talking about like the defensive teams and defensive players some of the better defenders in the NBA and WNBA are players who are in their correct spots so you don't get a stat for that. You're right. For being,

like my coach tells me all the time, like, I don't get a ton of steals, but he's like, you are always exactly where you should be, but there's no way to track that. So it's hard to like motivate someone to do that. Yeah, you're right.

But then that's, and that's when I, that's the key to something. It's like, how are you judging defense? Right? Like, if you don't know our defensive scheme. Right. Like, if you don't know our defensive scheme,

if you don't know it, then you cannot actually judge who is playing the real. Talk about it, Gil. Talk about it. For sure. If my job is we're playing Allen Iverson, and Allen Iverson, and I'm the net guy,

meaning when he does certain moves, I'm the one that's supposed to follow him. We're going to let them throw it over the, let Eric Snow try to score as much as possible, right? If Allen Iverson goes 5-25 and Eric Snow has 20, that was the game plan. We did our job. You can't have a bad defender,

because my job was to help stop dude. Yes. Damn, that's my job. That help stop dude. Yes. Him. Bro. That's my job. Yes. That's what I did well for him to give him the ball. Bro.

Yep. And then we get away from that because that's how we played our strategies against guys like you. It's like, all right, Gil is going to leave the gym and say, I torched somebody. Facts. I torched him. But our game plan was we're going to make Gil go left over to pick and roll. We're going to show go under. He's going to either hit that three. He's going to make a play.

He's going to have to throw it to the corner. If he doesn't throw it to the corner, you got to be there for the charge. We're late all night for the charge. He's got 10 free throws. He's got six layups. He's got his 30 because we're not doing our job, right? But when you do your job, it's not that we're Making him have a bad night We're making him get other people involved and that's usually what the schemes used to be But now this they don't have those schemes and these guys are half rotating They're half closing out there ain't even no fucking you know, the problem is this now, right? It's Because everybody became a

shooter yeah right that it is it is hard to to be in rotation so they created the defensive model of no one gets to rotate oh right so if i come out to pick and roll right it's a switch yeah right so they're trying to minimize the pick you, you know, the what's the name? Five on five. Like when I talk about defensive players, have you ever noticed I don't give no guards no credit? Right? We notice.

No guards, no credit. The reason is I'm never paying attention to you. You are, you have no impact. Right. On stopping me. You are not fast enough, strong enough. There's just a rare. What I'm paying attention to is who's back there.

So when I'm saying Cleveland Cavaliers, you got Eric Snow, you got LeBron and them. No, no, no, no. Their best defensive player against me is Vrazial. Vrazial is keeping me from going. I hate him if I'm on a 1-4 flat and I go this way is because Raja is that way yes so if this

player gets to stop it's not because of him it's because he forced me to go somewhere else when I'm going to the lane I'm not looking at my he's gone I left him at half-court his where's Raja is he setting up for the charge where is he at right that that's who I'm worrying about. I'm not worrying about the dude that's in front of me. He's useless. So the Varejao's don't get enough credit. The Joaquin Noah's don't get enough credit.

You know what I mean? It's the guys that are a great offensive player that has moves. You know your guy can't guard you. You're worrying where's the help defense. So if I'm getting to the basket basket like when I scored 60 against Kobe, it's not because Kobe couldn't play defense right it's cuz who's this back line? Lamar Odom ain't taking no charge by the main taking ultra the Luke Walton ain't taking no charge like so you give him There's no shack back there to stop the hit me hard enough to stop me. Good luck. Good luck.

So where am I going? Basket, basket, basket. Now Kobe has to back up three. Kobe's like, oh shit, go to the basket, right? You have nobody there that's stopping me from coming in the lane. That's what makes us a good basketball show. We analyze the things that the guys don't really talk about on the national TV, which is second line of defense.

As offensive players, we're not looking at the dude in front of us. Like, who is back there? Like, cause you're not, like you said, you're a non-fucking factor. We're not looking at you, your defense, your feet ain't, I'm not worried about you. But if I see Rajal and DeAndre Jordan and Joaquin Noah, Shane Battier lurking over there, waiting to take a charge, ass niggas. You know what I'm saying? That's a shame, man. Yeah, fact.

Man, them the ones you got to work because it's like they know team defense. When you know team defense, you can neutralize a good score because that's all we're thinking about is how to break down the team defense. Team defense. That's it. For sure. So let's talk a little just about that L to break down the team defense. Team defense. That's it. For sure. So let's talk a little just about that Luka-Kyrie duo. So Kyrie came up big fourth quarter, finished with 22-6,

showed why the Mavs may have one of the most dangerous backcourts in the league. LeBron said he sees a lot of his game in Luka. Kyrie wanted to chip with Bron, obviously. What are some things Kyrie did next to Bron that would work well playing with Luka? Two different players. I mean, when you talk about, like, it reminds me of me. It's the stats. Yeah.

Right? Not the actual how they played. To LeBron, Kyrie was important because he's a finisher. He has the Kobe and the Jordan, end of the game creativity because he's the one-on-one player. He can be that guy. So, you know, when people talk about LeBron, LeBron is smart enough. That's what he don't get credit for. He's smart enough to understand this is not my skill. This is not what I'm an expert in.

I can do it if I'm hot. But this is his expert, so I'm going to give him the ball to do this. So when they lost games, it's usually because Kyrie didn't play well in those last five minutes. He wasn't hitting shots. Well, Luka can do that too, right? Luka can hit shots. So, you know, that's going to be one of those things of basically

what we've seen last year. Like, are you hot or am I hot? Like, are you going to take it or am I going to take it? Because they both possess the same thing. They both are last two-minute, three-minute guys, which is hard for defense because now you can't load up on one because if you stop me, I'm going to pass it to him, and now good luck, right? So it's two different things. You've got two players who can do that versus in Cavs, it's one and a half.

If LeBron is playing well and he has it going, then he'll take it. Other than that, that ball is going to Kyrie and it's good luck. I haven't seen Kyrie get better since the Cavs championship. I think that I've been able to go back and analyze Kyrie, and he's Jamal Crawford. He's got a bag, handles, package. He can shoot the ball. But what Luka brings to the table with the rebound and the assist is what LeBron did.

It's like playing with LeBron, and I can see that comparison from LeBron saying, I'm Luka, and Kyrie's trying to be Kyrie. But the difference now is Kyrie hasn't elevated his game since that championship to bring more to the game. Assists, rebounds, defense. So we know we know we're going to get Ky going in his bag and doing doing his thing. And I was telling Lacey earlier, just kind of it was boring because he is so easy for him that it it's like we expect this but we we want to see something different show me your 40 point performance with 30 in the fourth where nobody can stop you and you take over the game or you struggling shooting the ball and you

do other things like get 14 15 assists 16 17 assists 12 boards you're doing something to impact the game other than just dribbling and laying the ball up and trying to score the ball. And if that's who he is, if that's who he's going to be, Dallas is not going to really win because that's like LeBron playing by himself and trying to figure out who's going to take the last shot at the end. And I think that they don't got that type of team like LeBron and them had for Kyrie to be vintage Kyrie. I just feel like Kyrie just...

I don't like talking about outside of basketball things, but I feel like he's just had so much nonsense and bullshit that he's had to deal with outside of basketball. I feel like he's been in the gym for sure, but for us to be like, oh, he hasn't gotten any better, he's just had a lot of stuff going on, a lot of things that he's had to fight against. So I think him going out there and trying to big bro Luka or something,

that wouldn't work in his favor. I think for once he's trying to play the game. Let me just show everybody that we can coexist. I can do my thing. Luka can do his thing. This is still Luka's team. It's the beginning of the season. And let me just...

Because we haven't really heard anybody talking crazy about Kyrie in a while, and I love that for him. You're right. And I think that now his game can elevate because now I feel like now everybody is locked in on his game. Right.

Like they should have been, but people got a little distracted. But I think it's going to be a good season for him because I feel like this is the first season where he doesn't have everybody criticizing him for things that have nothing to do with basketball. But does he get criticized if they don't win? If they don't make it to the playoffs? Is there a fair criticism at that point?

No. Since there's no distractions? Is that his criticism, though? No. He's not going Lucas. I think that's think that's all gonna be lucas what i'm saying if he's the leader depending on how they continue to play if he's a bet so being option two does it take the pressure off him to not get criticized but he's never been option one boston brooklyn brooklyn no it wasn't option one boston he was option one but obviously you've seen that his scoring didn't go up. Because what happens to a lot of players, they overthink the game. And for someone who plays like him, that's the worst thing for you, playing over things.

So when he decided, I want my own team, and he goes to Boston, the guy before you averaged 29. They were okay with that. You're coming there to do what? Try to run the team and average 24 and nothing went up because you're doing something that you don't do, right? You're trying to make everyone better. Play point guard. Yeah. You don't need to, like, no, do you and everyone. There was a reason I.E.T. was doing what he was doing, right? And I think he just overthought the process there, which is probably the only time that he got to be a number one option in what, the last five years? Yeah.

Right? And I think it's, he's just an assassin. Yeah, that's what I was thinking. He's just an assassin. Yeah, he likes to come on call for stuff. And it's like, you know, the last five minutes, do what you do.

Yeah. Right? And that's, you know, it's like the AI, right? It's the AI with, you have someone like Luca. So it's really going to be on Luca to really decide that I need to get him more involved, get everybody else involved.

I'm the one who can. He's the one that's going to actually have to sacrifice points for everyone else. Right? He's like Jokic, right? We all know if Jokic wants to average 30, 35, who's stopping him? Right? No one stops them? Right? No one stops them, right?

He stops himself by saying, all right, let me go ahead and give you that. All right, come off pick, here, get it back. He's the one that's giving up the points for everyone else, right? So it's gonna be on him, that's how gifted he is, where he can say, all right, listen, I'm averaging 30, 13, and 10.

Shit, that's crazy. And I'm going to give up five or six points, right, to delegate it somewhere else. Do you think he'll do that? Curry averaged 30. Curry averaged 30. KD come in. He averaged 25. But we've seen it. He didn't give up.

Listen, he only took one and a half less shots Then he did before it's just how he delegated those points, right? So it's You know, I don't say he should do it now because you don't you need enough you need one more But we've seen it before we've seen this before AI and Milo in Denver that's Kyrie and Luca right now without that without the the bench We've seen this before. A.I. and Melo in Denver. That's Kyrie and Luka right now. Without the bench. But the problem is they had a big shot.

They had Chauncey. No, not in Denver. Remember? A.I. got traded for Chauncey. Wait, Chauncey wasn't in there with A.I.? No. Oh, no, you're right, you're right. Yeah, yeah, yeah. I'm thinking Melo with Chauncey. After A.I. And Chauncey was't in there with AI? No. Oh, no, you're right. You're right.

Yeah, yeah, yeah. I'm thinking Melo with Chauncey and- After AI. And Chauncey was like, hey, hold on. They need one more- They need a powerful, big, because Tim Hardaway Jr. would be J.R. Smith at this particular time. But even with that, J.R. Smith is the fourth option.

Yeah. Right? Love was the third option. Right? Love was the third option. Right? So, you know, you need one more for everyone to be put in place. Yeah.

Right? It's like a puzzle. Like right now, you have two guys that know what their roles is. You have a fourth guy playing a third guy. Get a third guy

so he can play fourth guy that needs to know how to adjust. So is the third guy a big man? Because they don't have no presence down there and they're trying to make lively one of those guys and he's too young. I can tell you something, who they need, the guy they traded. Przingis? A few years ago.

I'm pretty sure you wish you had him now. Przingis was tough with those two. Pretty sure you wish you had him now. Because he ate for Zingas damn show showed up, didn't he? Nobody realized on the Wizards he averaged 23 and 8. He was killing. He averaged 23 and 8 last year. Killing.

Now you just give him 17 and 8 as a third option. Look how better your team is offensively and defensively. They gave him away. Yeah, but I think Luka and KP didn't see eye to eye. We're going to talk Porzingis in a little bit. But now let's get into a little hibachi time. We had 12 games last night. Tons of hibachi.

If you don't make hibachi time, please understand, we are a very limited show in terms of time. But we still love and respect you nonetheless. But let's start with friend of the program, Zion Williamson. He was back on the floor for the Pelican season opener, wasting no time showing why he's still a beast. We got the slow-mo. That is Jaron Jackson, defensive player of the year last year.

Big body. That's a foul. For sure. Tell me you was on the show. Very body. That's a foul. That's a foul. That's a foul. That's a foul. For sure. Tillman, you was on the show. Very next Pelican's possession. Oh!

What another bang out. It was at the top of the square right there. He also called Gil's Arena alum Xavier Tillman off a lob as well, but out of respect for Xavier. We're not going to put him on. We know you listen to the show every day. We rock with you. We not going to show that one.

We got you, big fella. Watch your head. Watch your head, big fella. You got to watch your head down there, man. You got to be more careful. You can't keep you off this motherfucker for too long now. You got to watch your head. They bonded that summer league along with all of us. But, hey, season is a season.

So, Zion scored the final 12 points for the Pelicans, finished with 27. Or, excuse me, 23-7-3. What's the Pelican ceiling if Zion can stay healthy this season? It seems like we're talking about a lot of teams in the West. We're not really talking about these Pelicans. When he was healthy, they was playing very well. Like, that's what I said. Number one in the West.

Oh, number one in the West. Yeah, they was number one. When they were playing well. I mean, you know, when you're young and you run, the beginning of the season is like free food. Right. You know, the veterans hasn't hit their time. They don't really want to run yet. They haven't got in full elite shape yet. So if you're a young team running up and down early, you have an advantage over over a lot of veteran teams. If Pelicans can get off to that good start and everyone is clicking, I see why they won't be top three by Christmas.

As long as they're running and going by the time Christmas kicks in, if they're at three by the end of the season, six or seven. They got a solid four players. Valachunas, Zion, B.I., and McCullum. But I think Jackson Hayes was an integral part of that squad. Now with these Lakers. Energy guy that gave them a lot of different looks. It's going to be interesting.

What was the other guy? Jones? Herb Jones. Herb? Herb? Herb Jones? Herbie. H-E-R-B. Herb.

Don't clowning, man. Leave him alone, man. Who the fuck years is this? What you mean? What is this, 1950 and 60? That's like one of my favorite things. Old people names on young people names. Herb has a good name, Gil. His daddy name is Bartholomew.

That is Doma. See, that makes sense. They a little behind, clearly. Bartholomew, come on over here. Imagine meeting a girl that ain't named Thelma. Like, come on, you. Bertha. One of my first names is Barbara. Barbara! Come on, Barbara.

Come on, Barb. Someone asked me, would you name your son Gilbert? Get the fuck out of here. Gilbert? Oh, yeah, see, you got one of them names, too. I got one of them old 80s names. Yeah, you might be the last Gilbert. It's like, come on, Herb.

Herb. I don't even want to know what his name is. Hey, look, man. He's got to be Herb. He's got to be Herb. He's sorry. You got to be Herb. I bet he can't be named Herb, Gil. I don't know about to know what his man's talking about. Hey, look, man. He's got to be. He's got to be. He's sorry. A man can't be named Herb, Gil. What about a name Herb, man?

But the fella can. Hippolyta. They solid. They solid. I just can't give them that same run that they had with number one before Zion. I don't see them getting to that level again because teams have gotten stronger. Yeah. You know what I'm saying?

So I think that that was more fool's gold than anything, but they're still solid. You think that was, I mean, yeah. I mean, it was definitely surprising last year, but I think if Zion's locked in. Mm-hmm. So how many games was that? Was that like the first 21 games? Yeah, it was early in the season, around like I think December-ish. Yeah.

As far as motored energy, no one can compete with Zion right now, I don't think. So he just needs to- Yeah. And just he just needs to... I pray he stays healthy. That would be the best thing for him, for the league, for the Pelicans. But the way he plays is just so quick and fast-paced, up and down, and he just needs to keep doing that. At least this first 10, 15 games.

What do you do when you see that dude coming at you full speed? I'm just like... But that's... Because I know having speed, right? Having speed over people, right? That's an advantage. When Fox is coming on a fast break, he has an advantage, right?

He can make plays just people can't see because of his speed. And that's why I'm, with Zion, like play this year. Think about like trimming down more during the season. Right. And then next year, really focus on like actually losing. I'm saying it for a reason. In your position, coming downhill, there's no one.

There's no one in the league that can keep up with the quickness of your natural speed. Like you're a you're like D. Wade, but stronger. Real shit though. That's real shit.

You're coming down, like think about how like how he looked in high school and then how he looked at Duke before he got hurt. The block that Winby had, y'all remember that block on the baseline? How did you get that? That's the explosion and the boosties that you're missing out on by keeping the extra weight on. You shouldn't be this heavy until you're 30, 32.

So we know what you'll look like at 30, 32. Get down and get your early 20s back. Yeah, yeah, yeah. We talked to Zion about this in Vegas, and Gil, you've talked about this a lot. How difficult is it though? You always talk about just putting on weight during the season. How difficult is it to lose weight during the season while you're playing this schedule? Food on the plane, hotels, all the opportunities you have to get your grub on.

If you're not, if it's not a focal point that you're going in with, it is very hard. Because, like, the temptations of being an NBA player is what you have to be disciplined on. Like, you know, after the game, you're hungry, right? Knowing that your body type can't put food in because your metabolism is not going to be up. So that means you got to eat fruit or just eat a piece of, you know, what's a nutrient spar, right?

You can't eat a meal after a game, right? So you make sure you're not putting something down heavy then sleeping on it then, you know what I mean? So going make sure you're not putting something down heavy and sleeping on it. You know what I mean? So going on a plane and not eating that food, going to Atlanta and not eating Southern food, it is really hard for anyone that's just trying to drink.

You know what I mean? You're partying with your teammates, taking four shots and all that. The Gatorades, right? The G all that. The Gatorades, right? What is the Gatorades? The Gatorades, you're drinking four or five a game, and you played 32 minutes, not realizing. The Gatorade, that's 700 calories. You didn't lose that in that game, boy.

You didn't lose 700 calories in the game. And that's why I said, me, when I jumped on a scale one day and I was 224 And I'm saying like what? Like I'm checking my clothes checking us change the batteries And then I'm trying to figure out like where the calories coming from and I had to do calorie checks and okay the goddamn I drink six Gatorade. Yeah So I had to put you know gate g2 had to do g2 half of the g2 didn't put water Yeah, right so it became something and then you know a week later, I'm down to 214. Ain't changed nothing but the Gatorade.

That's it. I mean, you talk about the road temptation, but even playing in New Orleans, which anybody who's been there, they got snacks. They got snacks everywhere. That's what I'm saying. Oh. Shit. Like, his biggest, that's what I said. I said it before he came into the league his biggest challenge

For him is Keeping his weight down No, I'm not getting a shot better not learning how to dribble His biggest thing is keeping his weight contained where he can keep performing like that's the number for me that's the number one mellow mellow consciously worried about his weight and being in shape and doing extra stuff because he has the chubby type of body nobody talks about luca look what luca looked like when he first came into the league. So when he comes in, even with that type of body, as much running, and he probably does in the summer just to state of where he is. You have people who's really performing because of just shedding 10, 15 pounds every summer.

I like to go back to how to neutralize a guy like Zion. When you think about how he play, how fast he plays, how he needs that power to go downhill. You look at guys like Westbrook, John Morant, Giannis, you know, guys that you like get in their way. That's one thing we hate as players is a cluttered lane. Motherfuckers just in the way That's how you frustrate a Zion Williamson because he wants you to move out the way when he's coming downhill He's expecting that but it's like if you're running around and you're just like trying to kick the ball And you just in the way just be in the way like it's college basketball

Yeah, that's that doesn't that doesn't anybody this couch is willing to take a charge on Zion. No. Absolutely not. No, no, no, no. I like just running by him. Yeah, just doing shit. I took charges against Shaq to try to get him a third so he can get out of the game. So I've been through that pain.

But this ain't 80s and a 90s anymore, right? You don't have. You can't clog the lane. There's not a bunch of just bodies, just a bunch of defensive players and people who run a system that can't shoot and we just get to sit in this lane. That's not basketball anymore. There's four shooters. So you can't sit here and just sit in the lane when I decide to drive. I have an actual three-point shooter, three-point shooter, three-point shooter. So the point, you actually have to play legit defense. But it's like when you get to the third dribble in the lane, like we always say, if he gets in the paint,

everyone should be in the paint making him kick it out. Now, a guy like Zion, a guy like Giannis knows that my third dribble, they're still not coming in here to get it. I can get them off worth dribbles. Just think about it. In theory, we understand because we came from a different era. But think about it as a shooting guard. You're going to try to come off of Klay Thompson for eight shots?

No. You already having trouble running through screens and shit now you gonna come off for eight shots or come off jimmy buller and give them those shots like nah you know what i mean that it just it's just not a realistic thing like when people talk about defense right the 90s had defense. Please understand what the teams look like. Please think about what was the

dynamic of the team, right? If I have John Stockton, one of the great point guards, but he didn't shoot the ball from out. He didn't shoot three. So where am I going to be sitting? In the lane. Okay. Have a check. Wasn't a three-point shooter like Hortensen. Right So where am I going to be sitting? In the lane. Have a check. Wasn't a three-point shooter like that.

Where am I hanging out at? Where am I hanging out at? Three-point line. In the lane. Brian Russell, he was their best three-point shooter, but it's not like he's taking 10 a game. Sitting in the lane. Then you got Karl Malone, who wasn't a

shooter-shooter. He's going to do the pick and roll. So the whole lane is packed. Sitting in the lane, right? Then you got Karl Malone, right? Who wasn't a shooter shooter. He's going to do the pick and roll. So the whole lane is packed, right? Where we're not playing good defense. We just don't have no reason to leave this year, right? We don't have no reason. Like I'm looking at that last series against the Bulls, right? 0 for 8.

This guy's 1 for something. This guy's, for the series, right? 2 for 13, 1 for 4. Like, what the fuck am I guarding here? Right. They scored, because they couldn't make a 3, they scored 54 in the third round. Like, it's not the defense. There's no shooters.

There's no... Like, now if you take off, you have Karl Malone, and you put Steph Curry there, right? And you put, instead of... You got Clay. Right. That lane now is free. There's nobody there anymore.

That's the game today. It's not one-and-a-half scores. It's four-and-a-half scores a half scores by seeing Zion with the Warriors. Yeah Now put him on put him with those guys you're you when he goes in a lane you think this is just a one-on-one matches like He's on a fast break in a half court. People don't understand the different times. We get what you're trying to say. But the difference is your defense looked better because the offensive players wasn't doing that. Like now, instead of just a Jordan, the Pippen now is averaging five more points.

Or the Pippen is a Steve Kerr of a better shooting. No, no, no, the Pippen is option two. Oh, option two, yeah. And then think about those option two, that's Jalen Brown, that's a scorer, that option two is a scorer guy. A higher volume guy. The option three is a scoring guy, right?

You got Porzingis, that's your option three. a scoring guy, right? You got Porzingis. That's your option three. Yeah, yeah. Speaking of. You know what I mean? That's literally your option three now. That's not, you know. Beal is your option three.

Yeah. Crazy. Crazy. That's some Tony Cucco just coming up. Tony Cucco. Five. For real. You know what I mean?

And that's why it's like I know you guys don't like me, but start being realistic. Got to watch the tape, ladies and gentlemen. Want it out. But that's our childhood, so we're naturally going to put extras on it. No, no, no. Mario, you can't tell me Mario wasn't the best game ever. Right? But, I mean, in reality, when you look at the graphics, oh, shit, this is terrible.

And that's what I'm saying. Then, it was amazing. You look at the graph though shit. This is terrible. But when you know, that's what I'm saying then It was amazing you look at it now with your lenses Horrible the 10-dose 64 one was actually still is still hey, but I mean we talked about it with everything Like I feel like some athletes get extra offended. We talk about with movies music Like this is my favorite movie when I was a kid and then you rewatch it and you're like This movie's How's everything a lot better but

Sports yeah Your Ferrari was the shit in the 90s yep right where'd it go like 125 maybe that's today's honda yeah that car is today's honda you can't we don't even think about racing another ferrari now goes to 60 man. I ain't you like so when you say yeah my Ferrari Yeah, I got we got Honda's brother. We got Honda's and Mustangs that will blow y'all out. Just relax Take it a cruise cuz that's this cruise now Cruise go low 80 miles an an hour with your top drop. You can't drive it no faster than that. We got Bugattas now.

Like, have you ever seen a 64 Impala on a freeway? It was a real good car back in the 60s. It was riding. The shit's shaky now. You're sitting there. It ain't got no power steering, no nothing. No air here. It ain't got no power steering, no nothing. No air conditioning. It ain't got no power.

You got to roll the window down. Roll that fucking window down, man. When was the last time you rolled a window? Get this off my couch. That shit was annoying. You used to roll and it gets stuck. Sometimes it gets stuck. But that's what I'm saying.

Goddamn door. That's what, like, when we look from these lids and look back, it's like, yo, like, I would stop messing with you if you stopped saying, if we played against y'all, we would do this. Like, stop. Stop. Stop. We're a West Coast show. Obviously Lakers, but we got to talk a little Celtics. Your favorite team, yo?

You a Celtics fan? Tell the truth. On the love. But Celtics Big Four made their debut against the Knicks in New York. Jason Tatum started the MVP campaign, dropping 34, 11, and 4. And we also had the unicorn, Kristaps Porzingis, former Knick, returning back to the Garden. They were saying, fuck Kristaps, right, at one point. Give me that shit. Hey, hold on.

Here's the basketball moment. Can you go back? Just go back to the first play. I need it. This is it. Right there. No, no, no. Just let this one play.

I'll tell you when to pause it. Ayo. I'll tell you when to pause it. Hold on. Pause it. Okay. Okay. This right here is the worst offense that has been created since UCLA cut.

Stop disrespecting. No, no. Five out. Five out. Five out. Right? Where the, like, think about it. Like, the only way he, where is he going to go? He can only go the other way.

Yep. Right? You can't come this way because you're, like, dive, cut, look, no one's looking at your brown, cut in front of him, cut behind him, like, no matter which way you go, there will be a defense.

To clear out room, you have to make cuts, and these guys just sit there while one's trying to play, and they wonder why they keep getting ripped, because there's a guy at the nail, so if you try to go that way he's gonna rip you you try to go the other way there's this defense why you think one four was created I'm gonna be at the top everyone at the baseline yep I don't want nobody sitting at the corners because that's help and you can see the help

They're not being taught yeah if Jason look Get in the middle and push everybody down now think about all the space and moves you got there's never no help Right here you you are forced to shoot jumpers and take hard shots Yeah, and that's what basketball is not really understanding. So is it the players not understanding how to play as savvy basketball players? Because Mitchell Robinson don't really come over to help on that one. But it's just still like when you talk about create space. But that's what I'm saying.

Look at the help. Once you get into your move, I know you're not going to pass it. Look at the spacing. Yeah, yeah. Like, everything you do is hard. Like, look where you're going. Look, the defense. Yeah.

You ain't going nowhere. I'm forcing you to shoot that. Yeah. And that's why, like, when people say 1-4 flat, it was the reason I called that play. It was a play. So, what are your thoughts on the new look Celtics? I mean, to be honest, as long as you have Brown at the four, right, that means you're going to have two players, probably two guards, that's probably not giving you

shit, right? Where's the balance of scoring, right? have two players, probably two guards, that's probably not giving you shit. Where's the balance of scoring? So if you're guards, you got two starters, right? Guards. And they both do the same thing. They're not true point guards, so let me guess, you're combined, because I do combine, so probably they combined under 30 points. And then they combine under what ten assists

Yeah, right when that position the two positions together you need to hold your own, right? It should be at least 35 points between that position at least 11 assists between that position but unfortunately, you don't have those type of players in that position, so You have Derek Wright. Derek White. Derek White at the point guard. I mean, I'm... Because he cut his hair.

Cool. But why is he starting if you have the same player in Drew? Yeah. What is... Why do you... What's the other option? Yeah? What's the other option? Yeah, what's the other option? Peyton Pritchard.

A real team? Jalen Brown or Tatum at the two. Jay, the other one at the three. Bring in Oldfell at the four. Yeah, they played that. Horford at the four. They played that lineup. And Zingas at the five.

That is your actual team Yeah, and then when I want us up right come in for drew But if they plan small it's gonna be drew white Tatum Brown and Przingis Why am I playing small? Because everyone else is playing small who? Everybody bucks when they won a championship, were they small? New York plays small. New York sucks. Then when the Bucs won the championship,

were they small? No. No. I think everyone tries to play small. Was the Lakers small? No. No. Was Denver small? No.

They're beating up on you guys because y'all are small. You're right. Miami Heat, you lose two times what? Small. Small, playing small ball. You're playing small ball., you lose two times. What? Small. Playing small ball. You're playing small ball. Yep.

Like, you know what I mean? That's just, you know, it's sons. You're smaller than them. Like, that shit looks cute. So you think the opportunity for us to go back to traditional ball where we got two bigs actually in the game can happen? Where we're affecting the game through offensive rebounding the champs I can't answer what I'm saying. The champions have told you

That you're gonna have to the bigger team always is winning the lineups that they're putting in Yeah, or just like when you talk about Denver's team, right? You know Murray's what six three and3"? And then, you know, KCP, 6'6"? Oh, yeah, yeah. And then you got 6'10", 6'10", then Jokic. Yep. The fuck you think you're going to do with that lineup? With 6'1", 6'2", 6'5", 6'6"?

Like, stop. And they're switching. Yeah. They're switching everything. When people say small ball, they're just thinking, like, positionally. They're not really considering how tall these guys really are at their positions. And that's what we mean by small ball, they're just thinking positionally. They're not really considering how tall these guys really are at their positions. And that's what we mean by small ball, because I feel like that

gets lost sometimes. They're like, oh, they have all these guards in. But these guards are like 6'8", 6'10". Yeah, they're guards, but they're They can guard bigs, just basically. Exactly. If I'm Golden State and I'm like small ball, and I got Draymond at the 5, and then KD 6'11", 7 foot at the four, I'm not small.

I'm not small. That's not small. Draymond playing at the five not small? No. Because he plays big. So I really have bigs. Like Jalen, is he and Brooke was Jim is he? Is he averaging three blocks two blocks?

You're right no blocks no rebounds, how is he playing? Big like that's what I'm so you saying basically like Przingis Al Hortford That's my Adam Brown. That's the line. I can still play five out. That's a champion I guess You know what I mean? I can still do what I want to do, and still, if a guard comes in there, I still have backing. Like, if Ja Morant comes in the lane, and the freak is not there. Yeah. Brooke? No, no. Small, you're talking about the freak.

The unicorn, I mean. The unicorn is not there. Who blocking him? Brown ain't no shot blocker. Nah. Easy bucket. That's an easy bucket. That's what I'm saying.

It's like, y'all got to really understand basketball and stop trying to copy a model if you don't have the ingredients. I don't think it was about a model more than it was them trying to alleviate guarding a stretch four. It was the stretch fours trying to figure out how do we guard a stretch four? We need to bring in a smaller guy that can move out and get out to that four.

Because they felt like the fours were too heavy-footed to get out there. But like you're saying, what's proven is on these good teams like the Lakers and the Denver Nuggets, they got the big that can play on the floor, they can move, but they can also be big in rebounds. So it's like, I think all the teams have played that way because of Steph and Draymond and how they played. They played small, but it was to open up the floor, right? So now you got bigs like Brooke Lopez, Giannis, you got... Middleton, that's a big lineup. Yeah.

So now they can move in this defense there, but all the rest of the 28 teams, maybe 26 teams are playing a certain way and only four teams are playing the traditional way. And those teams are actually winning the championships. I don't... You know what I mean? So we talk about champions.

It's fool's gold. When people talk about the first small ball team was Bulls. Unfortunately, Ron Harper's 6'6". Jordan's 6'6". Pippen's 6'7".

Rodman's 6'8". Two cool coach coming in for Longley. 6'6". Yeah. Pippen 6'7", Rodman 6'8". Right. Two cool coach coming in for, you know, long league. 6'11". Yep. That's not small. Right?

That's big because your guards are bigger than the guards that they got then. Yep. That's, you know, 6'1", 6'2",

at the max, right? So you have an advantage. Today, you guys are so small. You got power forwards sitting at 6'6", 6'7". What they going to do? They ain't going to get no offensive rebound. They're not going to get no defensive rebound. If your power forward is 6'5", and he got three rebounds,

you should lose your job. I'm sorry. What is he out there for? To do what? Is six five and he got three rebounds You should lose your job. I'm sorry. What is he out there for to do what right to shoot an occasional three? Like oh you gonna shoot two threes again. I'm still not leaving the lane sir, right? You're not stretching me nowhere like you know what i mean so it's it's al horford that that's going to be the goat lineup yep you think he changes it now he played it a lot i've seen that lineup out there they were talking about how the prisingas al horford look made them a little bit stronger defensively yeah they were talking about the double big one. They were like making a huge deal about that. They were. Oh my God, this team looks like something.

Duh, that's their actual starting five. I'm sorry, that's the fucking starting five. Have you noticed that they've played this way for the last five years and wonder why they couldn't get over the top? You had Gordon Haywood at the four. At 6'9", 6'8".

6'7", 6'8". And he's white. I mean, I'm sorry. Like, what is his jumping ability? 34 at the most? Maybe. Maybe. 34 at the most with all the injuries.

Who the fuck is he blocking? Chris Paul's getting a shot up at the layup over to him doesn't say so you have him at the four that's been before They've been playing so small that they don't realize that's what's hurt you this whole time. Yep Mm-hmm. Like I don't know what studying y'all doing But them champs is big Well, why the question is why wouldn't they play Robert Williams at the same time because they wasn't playing

them together. But I think Przingis brings more to the game. Because it gives them what happened is it gives them the recognition that, oh, he can play on, he can guard, he can do it. So that actually gave them the understanding that

hey, Al Horford stretches the foot and him, oh, He can guard he can do it. So that actually gave them the understanding that hey our office stretches The fuck yeah and him. Oh we can do this together It took you that long to Ride I like the you still start up have this the wrong starting line You'll get the wrong let you know that both the guys, two assists from your point guard and two assists from your shooting guard, it combined horrible. 21-4 combined.

Do you think that the coaches fear with that is that they only have those two guys as their front line defenses? You try to alleviate getting Al Horford in foul trouble or Prezingis and having them both out there at the same time, you're risking losing them on the back line for the second unit.

I think that's what I usually come in with the short lineup, is to have Al come off with the second unit and to keep the game in. One, you're only playing an eight-man rotation anyway, for the most part. You're playing an eight-man rotation, you have a guard, and then you have a big and a, you know... If you had a third big, it would be better, right? They have a third big, don't they? No. Harnett, what was the white boy from number 40?

It was a Cornette. Cornette. Yeah. Yeah. Somebody like Drummond. You had somebody like Andre Drummond coming off. Third big. But that's what I'm saying.

It's just... It's... It's monkey see, monkey do. Like, you're doing stuff because someone else did it. You have no original thought. There's no original thought in these coaches. You're, if I ask you a question, hey, why did you sub this player out at the three-minute mark, right? You can't give me an answer because this coach did it,

this coach did it, that's what I know. And then I'm going to say, hey, well, if he's your best player and we're in a penalty, wouldn't you score more and put more fouls if he just starts driving

because now they can't touch him? Now the big has to either give him the bucket or get in foul trouble. It heightens the scoring if your best player is attacking last two, three minutes when you're in a penalty versus subbing in

the guys that are cold, aren't aggressive. They're not aggressive. They're not going to create fouls. They're not going to do none. They're going to use the're not gonna like create files that are gonna do none They're gonna use the three minutes to get warm and then start the second quarter the six minutes before they get subbed out if you haven't Figured that out yet. Something's wrong with y'all. I'm never subbing my best player out while we're in a penalty No, they hit you in the first nine minutes without any penalty. Like, I'm fouling you, take it out of bounds.

No, no, no, now you're about to eat. You get to eat. Try that now. Try that in the full court now so he can walk all the way down there and shoot free throws. I've got a question for you. What did y'all think about Jason Tatum, his progression as a player? It's game one Right his game as game one. I mean, I don't I don't really give any thought on like real judgment on

Game one because to me this is still old-school fifth game sixth game of preseason Right, so I need like four or five games that really see once they get their legs like that said it's just it just doesn't make sense To me why you were short in that part of the season right like the preseason when No, like I played 40 minutes game six and seven and preseason Played 40 minutes to get ready for 40 minutes. If I'm playing

15, 15, 15, 15, and then he puts me in for 40, what happens to my body once it hits the 15 mark? Starts naturally wanting to shut down. It hasn't been pushed to that level, so you can't go from 10 to 15 minutes, then go out game one 36 minutes and think you're about to be

on some... That's not... I think tatum is a new kd i think kd has shown that he's reached his limit and i think that tatum has now progressed to the to the type of guy that i think that i'm taking tatum over kd right. The way he played last night, what he showed me, I'm taking Tatum over KD right now. Well, the difference is, the difference between the two is one score easier. Which is KD?

KD scored easier. Are you talking about in the course of career or are you talking about right now? Period. Right now. It's an easier score. Like, every move you see Tatum makes is a difficult move. Yeah. I think he's been... Like, he scored... You're right. Everything seems like it's... Like, you have to do something spectacular. Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, to score. How much energy are you wasting? It don't look like

that to me. Oh, it looks like it. It don't look like that. It look like he getting his shit in the Florida game We look like they score easier him or Luca Jason Tatum or Luca. Yeah who looks like didn't they Luca? Yeah, right? Yeah So and the reason that it looks like well, the reason Tatum wasted so much energy is because of five out Right. You have five out. So that means I got to shake them this way to go here He stops me and I got to come back and spin off and do that. Versus if someone starts to cut, boom, he cuts off.

One, two, dribble, pull up. Right. You don't have to do all that. But you've got to have a certain type of team to be able to play that type of way, though. They do. They do now. They have. They've been.

That's why I say his progression as a player He's gotten better because he's understanding now I have to get my points this way and I've been able to adjust to defenses Where I know they're gonna load up and I can still get this shit off even though you load that that's That's the reason they lose in the playoffs Because it's the him and Brown. It's the same you're doing the same thing. They're not adjusting it I'm gonna give you the ball on the wing right there's gonna be a to be a guy at the, what's his name? Six in the bowl. And then you're going to do all this, right? How come the offense hasn't created?

Joe Johnson plays, he got to the spot once he got to the mellow, right? There was no, the guys that needed, if i'm if i'm like making plays for him like you're this is what you want to do okay you're gonna cut you're gonna cut you're gonna cut off so this is the space you have because i need to yes conserve your energy right now you're you're maximizing scoring which means that the average 35 and 36 you're're going to have to score 20-25 easier. All 30 of your buckets are hard-earning buckets. It didn't look difficult last night because Przingis played well, and I think that him playing well opens up the floor to make it easier for Tatum. Brown played bad because Brown got to find a way to get his points now.

No, he played bad because that's the same offense that they've been doing. He has struggled. That's where he gets all his turnovers. Trying to go and there's a defense there. He crosses over. Defense. Steal. Come over.

Defense. Steal. Well, between White and Drew Holiday, they got to find a way to open up the floor for Brown because Brown is now playing behind their wall of slagging on them. You're going to give up something on that side, so Brown struggles because he's a slasher. You're in the lane, and I can't slash on the catch

because they're going to give up this jump shot over here. No, that's what I'm saying. That's what I'm saying. If you, like, an offense like that for someone like Dame, and, like's it becomes It's like I'm gonna beat my guy, right? So if I'm gonna beat my guy, the only thing that's making me change direction is what someone helping? Yeah So if you cut out the someone helping

Like there's a reason Brown can't get to the free throw line. He can't dribble that good Right to really go by his guy. And if when he do want to go by, if there's help, he has to re-change directions. If I can get an offense that he can just straight line his guy and dunk, he will be at the free throw line all the time. Like Zion Williams, when he goes, there's nobody. Yeah. Yeah. Those are the offense. Put him at the free throw line turn and go

right i i have you on i have you on a you know the wing base my the baseline goal front court court now it's just you boom now it sounds like what we're saying is they ain't got no set offense just no it's it's aau basketball five out. AAU basketball five out. If I can't score, give it to you. And it looked good last night because they was hitting shots. It was hitting shots, right. Porzingis was hitting shots that even he was like, all right. You're right, you're right, you're right.

And Knicks don't play the best defense. It's the Knicks. They don't play the best defense. It's the Knicks on opening night. Right. They're sorry-ass Knicks, and that's what you want to be. No, it's the Knicks on opening night. Right. The sorry-ass Knicks, and that's what you want to be. No, it's the Knicks, bro. Right, right.

And it shouldn't be close if we're going to be dominant. It's the Knicks, man. We talked about the Celtics. Let's talk about their biggest nemesis in the East. All eyes will be on the Bucs tonight in the debut of the Giannis-Dame duo, affectionately known as Freak Time. Freak Time. Bucs take on Embiid and the Harden, the Sixers.

How would you try to stop the Dame and Giannis duo from cooking? With the Sixers? The Sixers? Try to? Yeah. Um. Yeah.

Uh. Uh. Uh. Is this? Where they playing at? Milwaukee. Milwaukee. Is this snowing in Philly right now?

Because that's the only way you can really like, hey, just don't fly out. Just don't go. Just don't fly out, man. We good. We'll take it. It's going to be... Philly, but just across the league.

Like, when you look at that duo. One, I got to see how they play first. How are they using the offense, right? Like, I know how I will use the offense. I want to see how they actually are running plays with that starting five. That will let me know how to play defense against it. So until I see what play they're going to, what is their bread and butter? You know, when we, like Utah back in the day, we know what they're going to do. That was their bread and butter. We know what the Lakers and, you know, we're going to triangle.

It's going fully over here, boom, right? Jordan or Kobe, Isolde, everybody else, right? Let's see what their bread and butter is to know what defense that you're going to play against it. It's hard when you don't know how they're going to play. You know, we saw Dame struggle in the preseason. So I don't think that Dame is going to show up to the first game of the season. I don't know.

It's hard to get a team, a new team with a lot of hype on the first game because there's really no preparation you can truly do. You just got to play your core defense, which for Philly, I'm not really sure what their base defense is. So whatever that is, then they can try to stop Dame. The best defense for a team like that is an aggressive offense for Philly. And don't turn it over. Maxi, come out the gates like Gilbert Arenas and go at Dame 100%.

First five minutes, let's get them in a penalty. Tobias Harris and P.J. Tucker are going to have to have excellent defensive games as far as concentration on Middleton. Tobias having to guard Giannis. And Joel being able to really be more aggressive in the drop defense because I feel like he's so lazy in drop defense that he gives up shots. Brooke is going to hit that shit all Night, so that's gonna be the ultimate test for them. Joelle putting pressure on your honest and Brooke Trying to get them into power trouble

PJ being able to do that, you know deactivate Middleton Dame is gonna do Dame, but it's like alright what Dame are we gonna see? We're gonna see the adjustment Dame we're gonna see Portland Dame or we're gonna see championship bucks Dame like we don't know But when you got Patrick Beverly on the other side the MVP candidate You know I'm saying We don't know really we'll know what I'm saying so it's like I feel like Port is coming off the bench,

it's going to be good to see them. Adrian Griffin, seeing what adjustments he's made for this upcoming season. But I think the Sixers being the actual opponent for them is a good test to Eastern Conference matchup when you're looking at Philly. I just want to see what Maxie... I think Maxie trying to fill James Harden's shoes is going to be... Sorry ass team, man.

All right, man. It's an adjustment. There's a lot of sorry teams. You said in Miami Heat was sorry, man. Philly on paper is better than them. No. Philly on paper, yeah. On paper. On paper they better, so it's like, you know, you should you should go in there compete as but as paper versus reality I know we didn't talk to a ton of Harden

But there was a another update yesterday was reported the Clippers are stepping back from the heart and trade talks with the Sixers They believe they're the only team interested in getting the former MVP. They're not gonna bet against themselves They made an offer six was born rolling But here's my thing Took walls just say that mmm did not it took walls I said that damn in a summer that if I'm the Clippers, why am I gonna bet against? Why am I giving you something that I know you don't want right? I'm not giving you nothing, but you don't want? I'm not giving you nothing.

You don't want it. You don't want it. I don't need to give you shit. Bleach your skin, put on some goggles. You know what I'm saying? Congratulations. Congratulations. You're three months late. Knowing that now...

Oh! Art pulled up in Philly, ready to go on a road trip. They told him to stay, stay back in Philly and work out with the team, or work out with some team staff, developmental staff. But can Harden improve his trade options? If he wants to be traded, he wants to go somewhere else. Can he actually do that by playing?

Yeah. Showcase. Yeah, but it's just like at this point, why did you do all of this? He's not, but look. Just to play anyway. He ain't playing. You don't think he'll play? I just don't think he's going to step on that court.

Hey, Moj, can you just say this so they can think you came up with it? Listen. No, you get credit. Philly has no intentions of putting James Harden in the game, right? James Harden is smart enough to know what they did to Ben Simmons. So he is going to pretend that he wants to play so he can't get fined, right? Now you're calling Philly's bluff knowing that they don't want to play you. So now they get to tell you, hey, just stay home.

So now they can't fine them because they decided to tell him to stay home. So James Harden looks great. Now Philly got to, what are you going to do? All right. Now you say sources told you and you get the credit for it. So why don't you allow him to travel with the team, dress out, and just don't play him? Because you didn't think he was going to show up. Because he wasn't showing up.

He was in Houston. So what happened is he tricked you. No, I'm saying, but if he show up and he want to play, we're not going to send you home. Go ahead, dress up. We're just not going to play you. Okay. It's good for TV at that point. What I'm saying, he's going to come.

He's going to sit there. He's going to clap and play. It's $367,000 on a table every game. So, hey, hey, boss. What you need, boss? Clap. Hey. Because I know you ain't putting me in a game.

But perceptionally, it looks better because you don't look like a headache. You're there with the team. It's too late, Seth. I don't look like. Is it? You got to use it for 10 days. No, but if you're there and you're on the bench and it's like you don't have a riff with the team, they don't mind you being with the team on the plane, the guys still fuck with you.

You a part of the team, but y'all have an agreement that I'm not fucking with y'all like that. You know what I'm saying? Just to make it look good for trade talks. What I'm saying is he showed up ready to go. Because what's-her-name just won his lawsuit. Ben Simmons won the lawsuit, right? So I'm going to show up. I'm ready.

I'm in shape. What's happening? So now what you going to do? Huh? You going to play me? Pretty sure not. You want me to come on the team and do all the busts and all that? No, right?

Okay, so just stay here? Okay. I'll work out with the staff and all that, and we can go another week, and you're going to come back. I'm going to be ready, boss. But what's the question, though? The question going to be from the actual trade talks is going to be like, how's James? We don't want to deal with him. We don't want him on the road. We don't want them on the road You don't want them on the road, huh? And why the fuck do I want them?

That's why I'm saying me what I want to hear if you want him gone We got to make it look good to though if I'm gonna tell you what you want to hear I gotta make it look that way why you think they stupid? Why do you think like this? Common sense ain't common sense. You're right. You're right. They're supposed to do it that way. You tell me the problem with it.

Why do I want it? Right. They have not got the concept yet. Trick them. Hey, Clippers, oh my God. He's been great. 2% body fat. He Hey Clippers. Oh my god. He's been great Every day like whoever He's been here every day playing 40 minutes he's been going he's been

Say something that makes me low shit, shit, James Harden. You know the other ones are stupid just like you. Man. Like, you ain't the only stupid one. There's some other stupid ones. Trick them. Right? You know how they tell us, hey, no refund?

Put that in the contract. Hey, once you get him, no refund. Don't give him back. Don't take back. No refund. Don't take him back. No take back. No take back. No take back. Look at A. Like, oh yeah,

he got 2% body fat. When I get him, he gets 14. Hey, oops, my fault. My bad. Guess the shit was broken. Trick me. They don't understand

that concept and it's just weird. Like, you're selling some stepped-on product. Got to watch the wire. They don't want to bring him on the bench because obviously the TV's gonna be there

They're gonna watch his attitude. They're gonna see if he's you know going like this sort of trying to keep it away So if you're gonna keep the noise away, then you tell you beat writers to shut the fuck up. Yeah. Yeah Shut up to like pretend he's here pretend he's working on the back say something right weekend or Bernie's blue magic I don't give a fuck what you call it. All the blue stripes. Just don't call it my shit. Man. It stepped on.

All right, well, this show is brought to you by Underdog Fantasy, so we got some higher lowers. No, no, no, did y'all see? No, no, no, hell no. There's one thing we gonna talk about. We gonna talk about that Brooklyn game. Right? I got two issues on both sides.

Uh-oh. No. One, Brooklyn, stop the bullshit already. You know who your best player is, okay? We all know who he is, right? Friend of the program? You're going to try to James Harden him and keep him on the bench, and then you think everybody's stupid, don't realize what type of player he is.

Your best player is sitting on the bench. One of your best scorers is sitting on the bench. Every time he has gotten his shots, he's done went bananas. We know what the man is capable of, right? So, you know, you got 30 off the bench. Let's gone crazy. He's done went bananas. So we know what the man is capable of, right? So, you know, you got 30 off the bench. Let's watch it. Let's watch it real quick. JB Bickerstaff.

JB. JB. JB, stop being JB, man. JB. Stop being JB. If you know someone that's better than him in that starting line, let me know. Ain't shit funny, Cam Thomas. I mean, yeah, he was out there bucking it.

Come on, man. Let's talk about Cam Thomas. 36 points, 24 in the first half. Stop playing with him. We only played 25 minutes. That's crazy. Year three now. We had him on the show this summer.

It seems like the man is constantly being hated. I don't think he... Not a McDonald's All-American, right, Trev? No. Yeah. He got some. Despite being an all-time leading scorer at Oak Hill, we know what this is. But that's what I'm saying.

You know what it smells like. What type of coach are you? What type of coach are you that you are like, this is what I have, this is a start. Like why am I even messing around? Because as long as I keep having him come off the bench, I'm messing with his mentality. And then when I really need him, is he going to mentally be there?

No. When you really need him, but because of him, he has so much aggression that he knows he's better than everyone else on the team. Like him and Britt, put them both both in that's Tatum and Brown wake up it's control though Gil won't control of that boy he like Jean Grey with his powers you can't control that man once he figure it out it's like I ain't about to listen to you I'm putting it up every time again Again, why do I need to control something?

Because you're Jock Vaughn. I don't want to control talent. I need talent to explore. He come from Kansas, man. He come from that. He come from control that shit. Don't let it get out of control. Because then I don't control the narrative at this point. Why are you not playing Cam Thomas?

It's like, well, you got to come up with some bullshit. That's going to be his issue all season. that's what I'm saying, it should be to see soon as he come off the bench next game They should be asking you as a coach. What's your problem? What's your problem is that he don't want to do this soon as you put the star lineup in Some defense like hold on. Where's Cam? An audience timeout. For real. Timeout. For real. Hey, coach.

What you doing? What's going on? What's going on? What's going on? You got a problem with him? Do you have a problem with him? Come on. This is ridiculous. It looks very personal. It looked personal last season. Come on now. They have all the 40 games and then he's like, sit down.

Like, it was weird. Yeah. It was weird as fuck. It was very weird. So coming in to see this next season and doing a steal, he come off and he really like, yo, I should, if I'm starting, guess how many points I'm getting then. Yo, I feel like you gave him some great advice. You helped change things.

And then I got one more. Can someone go back to that game? There's one player that we need to look at. And I still want to try to figure out how he made it in the NBA. Paul, you just showed me where number 20 is. George. Yang. Yeah.

Boom. He has a baby mama George. Yang? Yeah. Boom. He has a baby mama body. How? Is he in the NBA? Where is he at? He said a baby mama body? He has like random spurts of like Like no I want that one player

like he's thick. Like he has a WNBA body no offense he's yo yes child burn like oh the dribbling he just did this I like I know he came his nickname is minivan so I like I'm trying to figure feel like a minivan this was unnecessary no no no no no no no no no no no I'm just no I'm the reason I'm bringing this up is listen everybody out there No, I feel like anybody who has watched him play and they're like, mmm Like I would see every a player but they feel like hit a crazy

It's like dude you have no like muscle like it's all flabby like I'm serious like like I know he has trouble convincing like women out there that he plays an NBA I'm pretty sure they look him over down He stay with a job. He looks like me. He stay with a job. He looks like me. He got the Boris Deow body, man. For real. That's the Boris Deow. In today's NBA, I'm sitting here like, what's going on? No, I'm like, I think I can play. I can do that. For sure.

They're like, come on, Joe. Joe. You're going to vote me. I mean, Joe. I get bullied enough, Gil. You know what I'm saying? I get bullied enough. Hey, Lakers, Joe need to triumph. He can box me. I mean, Joe. I get bullied enough, Gil. You know what I'm just saying? I get bullied enough. Hey, Lakers, Joe need to try out.

He can box out. I know there's one person he can guard. DPA booster. Come on, man. I'm sorry. I'm in the process of transforming, guys. I'm going to stunt on all of you. Drew's going to say, Drew's going to try out.

You can try out. Drew's going to stunt on all of you. I'm sorry. You know how they went at you? Thank you. God bless you. They went at you. As soon as he got in the game it'll ship a lap. Oh

Hell no. Hey him. No. Yes. I got the ball pick and roll So does it do that drop every play is for you like no damn way. He's staying in front of Paper. No, I know you looking at it. Like I had to shrink the photo doc. It was taken up to you Watching it. I was watching the game yesterday. It was one of the games I was watching I'm watching it and you know, he's just watching and you talk shit and they're like Like is that is he playing? No, that's not is that the referee like it just confused me. It would just look so awkward Yeah, you already have a list of beef. I can't wait for him to pull up on you. We just go step back and watch it happen. Hey Listen, I'm gonna do this is a pause. We're gonna be bobbing and weaving

I know this is a pause moment if he rolled up on me and he wasn't facing me and I seen him from the back I might try to holler He was he was double-cheeked up that's That's what kind of, he was double-cheeked up. That's all I'm saying. Like, in the NBA, double-cheeked up. And on that note... We say, whoa. We say, major whoa. Whoa. I said it in the pause moment. If I turned

real quick and he had on skinny jeans, like, hey, sure, hey, sure. Stop, man. Never mind. My boy. Stop. George, that's you. My fault, yo. You caught me off guard. Time for mostly fans. Two shots. Lexi, are you not going to say nothing?

Time for mostly fans. Don't promote. Lexi, you are on here to protect the other side. Protect the other side. He just looked like Asia from the back. That's all I'm saying. Now you're going to have everybody looking super close at his face. Very much.

Man, listen. If you don't stop, if you look, you better not. You better not look. And mess my life up. You better not look. And mess my life up. I'm just saying. You better not look.

And mess my life up. Now you know. So if you look. You better not look. And mess my life up. You better turn the damn channel. You better turn that fuck through. Yeah, we got to live here. We got to see these people.

As soon as he's checking the game, turn the channel. To keep it basketball, let's just say he ain't getting no fast brick layups. Oh, man. He going to get caught on the brick. Damn, man. He got a baby mama body. You got a baby mama body? Yo, that's fucking hilarious. We got to live here, Gil. We got to see these people on the street. Bro, you need to stand up, bro. You need to fucking stop, bro. It caught

me off guard. It just caught me off guard. I just didn't, it just. You know what the baby mama body look like though Did that's number 20 better stop? The light here baby mama Mostly first question go to the gym and put it over You got to put the waist trainer on snapping With you if you watch when you watch the game, I've always looked at him when he played and been like... Underdog fantasy. Everybody's like... But not like you. And on that note...

He's double-taking and shit. Like, what do you mean? On that note, first MostlyFans question comes from underdog username JDK23. Oh, yeah. Which NBA superstars

from the past could play in today's NBA and be just as good or better? How far back? Yeah, how far back? I was about to say this. For all eternity. Penny Hardaway.

Ooh. I mean, obviously Magic. I mean, you got to think about guys who are the position they are. So Penny, 6'7", has a point guard. How about Tracy McGrady? 6'9", has a point guard. Tracy McGrady. What about Bob Cousy?

Allen Iverson. McMood. I'm going with McMood. Yeah, McMood. Yeah, that's all day. Will Chamberlain? Now, mid-2000s, I would have questioned Charles Barkley a little bit because of everybody was 6'11 and 611 and 611 now I think Charles murders murders

Like you know like six or so like early like there's an early in like like them 2000s when like Kevin Garnett and his five man you got six of them like now PJ tuckering him back there? Oh, my God. Lunch me. Oh, no. Lunch me. Oh, no. This is...

He's, like, he's 40 and... Like, he's 40 and 20. I'm going to be Bill Russell. Bill Russell will kill. Excellent choice. He'll kill. At what? Just hustling and rebounding and blocking shots.

At what? Just... He would do what Kenneth Farid was doing when he... Our whole league is Bill Russell. And that's big. No, I'm blocking shots. He would do what Kenneth Farid was doing when he... Our whole league is Bill Russell and the bigs. No, I'm just saying. He would kill. You're saying who would make an impact? Like, he would make an impact.

At what? Rebound. 30 rebounds a game. He's not having 30 rebounds a day. No. Offensive, no one blocks out. No, no. No one does none of that shit.

No, no. Offensive rebounds. Every big is... We got three men that plays like that. There's a three, a four, and a five. No. Dude. No.

There was seven black people. No, bro. Who's getting over 15 rebounds in the league right now? Dude, they smeared doo-doo on it. Nobody's getting over 15 boards right now. Because no one can. Because they not rebounding. Everybody rebounds now.

Everybody has jumping ability. Three bigs rebound. What I'm saying is his vertical at the time 36 that was amazing if everybody is at 22, right if the average Big is 36 and 38 and the whiteness at 40 and 44 right there's there's One person or the person he's guarding that was black had 36 or 40 inch verticals. The only two players in the arena. Right?

The only two players in the arena. Out of the, what, 30 people on the court, 38 inch vertical is the norm. Everyone has 38 inches. What's the difference between Bill Russell and Dennis Rodman then? Nothing. So Dennis would kill in this era, rebounding wise, playing hard, hustling, the defense, he's 6'8", he gonna guard everybody. It's small ball.

You're not, what I'm saying is Dennis Rodman wouldn't be down there rebounding now because he has to guard someone on the wing shooting Hey, that's that's Positioning matters did it like like you know to me like this more It's not what position it for them their careers were geared around going to get it not where they're positioned that it was I'm gonna Go get the board cuz I have a knack for that. I know where it's going I know this is my job for the team that's what I'm gonna do how many how many defensive

rebounds did uh BJ Armstrong go get maybe one that is now Luka and that is now Luka for sure and um Westbrook for sure right so right you're taking those two guys are taking 13 10 assists off the board now, but there's no bigs down there Luca and Westbrook Steven Adams wasn't no rebounder like that Luca don't got no rebounder So imagine that if Luca had kg kg Luca not averaging 10 boards, but he's averaging 15 boards No for sure for sure and he's telling you to get the fuck out of here no get out of here these are mine you got but that's what i'm saying you have now you have everyone trying to do everything right so you know where it's like dennis your job is the rebound luke lonely block out right so those guys didn't get rebounds it was dennis job right to get those rebounds this is not your job so back

then they were that was his only job. Now everybody's doing a little bit of everything. So it's hard to just fathom that you got one guy that can sit there and think he can grab 18, 20, 30 rebounds. In those older days, of course, there's no other body contesting that. So if you look at all the black people that played the seven, their numbers Those those numbers look like when you play you needed the only athlete in a you Park League You got 30 points 17 rebound like, you know, like when we finished back then it looked like how we play 2k Right. You got 60 points 14 rebounds, 13 steals, 8 blocks. Like, that's... So would Oscar Robinson be able to kill in this league?

Yes, that's Westbrook. Right? It's like you're... I hear you say that, Gil. That's the Westbrook, right? You know, those guys that, like, how tall is he, 6'6"? Oscar Robinson? Let's double check.

6'5", I believe. I mean, that's the point guard. The point guard is still not that, I mean, you're... He's a 6'5". 6'5 with his shoes off, so that's about 6'7". Yeah. With his shoes on. I mean, those are big guys, so...

All right. All right, let's move on to our next question. It's a video question from Marley88Mar. What's up, Gills Arena? My question is, which player do you think has the most to prove this season? Like, either coming back from injury or just coming back from people hating on him? Ooh, good question. Zion for me.

I got Zion has the most to prove. Most to prove. I got Anthony Davis. Ooh. Everything you were saying yesterday was fucking hilarious. One. Uh-oh. Consistent, inconsistent.

Man. And one game on, one game off. But for me, it was how he got paid all that bread and it's like now you got paid all that bread you really don't have to come in here and do shit because you just got that bread if you get the 186 the same 186 that yannis got now you got to prove to me now that i need that i need that i need ad i need you on a whole another level so you got a lot to prove this year because if y'all don't go back to where y'all was at and at least win one game

Yeah, we're not talking about in your soul fill it in your soul One game just give me one ad get back Give me one or at least put up a fight against Joker. I don't need Joker getting them type of stats on you fight Fight back life for your right. Come on. I'd say Jalen Brown. Same. Got all that money.

Had a pretty bad game last night. But again, he's going to have to figure out how to play with Porzingis out there. Jason obviously is going to be chasing the MVP this season. So just finding his spots. At the end of the day, he got paid. But I think for himself, you know,

they've been trying to separate Jason and Jalen for years. So either he wants to go somewhere else or he's going to have to step up and prove that those two can win a championship together. I'm going to go in, like, you know, honorable mention. Don't. Go ahead. Go ahead. Go ahead.

D-Lo. Okay. Yes. D-Lo, I'm not playing that shit this year. Not playing that shit. I'm not playing that shit this year, man. Like, I'm not playing, like, you're not going to give me ice veins, man, and then come out here and just think you're going to be D'Angelo Russell.

I need D'Lo. I don't need your full government name. You know when they say your full name, you know you fucking up. You got called. You know we called you. You know you fucking up. When they say your whole name, I want to call you D'Lo. I need you out there playing D'Lo ball.

Real shit. I don't want to, like, I don't know why you're going into the game thinking that you need to average six, seven assists and, you know, 15 points, no cap. Is that his identity, though?

Is that who we know him to be now? No, D'Lo been a score. That's what I'm saying. He been ice. Score D'Lo. Ice, babe, D'Lo. So is he in his head? Oh, for sure. Yeah. And Bron is also in his head. Bron is in his head, too? Ice Vane D'Lo. So is he in his head? Oh, for sure.

Yeah. And Bron is also in his head. Bron is in his head, too. Bron on the smush shit. He's on the smush parker shit. But what I'm saying is, this is what I'm going to look at. I'm going to look at every guard Bron played with, right? All right?

He played with Kyrie. Kyrie got them shots up. He played with Mo Williams. Yep. Got them shots up. Mm-hmm. Williams. Yep. Got them shots up. Mm-hmm. Yeah. Yeah.

Ready to go. Yeah, I'm being senior. Hey, I got you big time. Even Braun said, like, when you give me the ball, it's not for me to score. It's for me to create. So D'Lo needs to adjust his mindset. Braun is the playmaker on that team. Yep.

It's not D'Angelo Russell. He's not the playmaker. He's not the playmaker. He's a playmaker. He's the playmaker on that team. Yep. It's not D'Angelo Russell. He's not the playmaker. He's not the playmaker. He's a playmaker. He's the scorer. He needs to give LeBron the ball and go get another shot somewhere else instead of taking these crazy pull-up threes when LeBron is literally at the elbow, like, give me the ball.

I just told you this. He wants to help him, I think. Does he want to be the third option, but Austin Reeves then came in there and stole that shine from him. So now he don't know where he's kind of lost in limbo to me. I feel like

we've seen glimpses of him from Minnesota when he played, what, last year? He played a couple games. He got a couple buckets. No, when he first came in, he got buckets.

And then it eased off. It slowed off. And it wasn't because Austin Reeves got better. It was just like, what are you doing now? I think sometimes I just I Think we've does everything too much right? So when he came in brawn and was not there. Yeah, so

Y'all got buckets. So in his mind y'all look like the old Lakers Know this game and I think what happened was brawn them coming back. I think he decided like okay, it's they team I'll just fit in. Yep, and I think that's was Bron, him coming back, I think he decided like, okay, it's they team, I'll just fit in. Yep. And I think that's what ended up happening. And sometimes you go through that rat race of just doing the same thing and when I'm on I'll take a few shots, I'll take a little bit more shots if I make my, like no, you go out there knowing that you gotta take 15 shots a game.

Right? You know, and that's how I, that's when I look at players, it's like, yo, you need to take 15 shots a game. Yeah. Right. That's it. There's no other than that. I don't, take 15. You take 15, it heightens the team.

You take three or four, because the guys you're going against is taking 20 something. So there's going to be an off balance there. I feel like the Lakers, as a unit, don't got respect for him to be that kind of guy. I don't think Darvin got that kind of trust in him to be a scorer. How many minutes did he play? He's inconsistent on the scoring.

How many minutes did he play? D-Lo? Let me pull it up. You know, I got 27 tabs open. Probably 21 minutes, maybe. He played 36 minutes. Oh, my Lord. Four for 12, two for five from three.

And that's almost 15 shots. Four more than 12? I need three more shots. 11 and seven. But that's 36 minutes, four for 12. That's unacceptable. What I'm saying is... Because he's overthinking.

That's what I'm saying. He can get those shots up. You're playing that minute. You got to give me 15 shots guaranteed. That's what I'm expecting. I'm not expecting nothing else but 15 shots a game. What kind of shots are those, though? I don't give a fuck at this point.

At this point. That's the beginning of the season. I need you mentally being aggressive. Yeah, just getting the moment. Don't think about making. Don't think about missing. You can't think about a miss if you never took the shot yet Right, right. So just shoot

15 shots we need you to write option just like BB right, it's like I Want the defense to look at you like a threat? Yeah, like you know what I mean? Like when you coming down like oh shit Yeah, cuz you know what I mean? Like if they're coming down and I'm oh shit. You know what I mean? If they're coming down and I'm sitting here like, oh, where he going to try to pass the

ball to? And like, oh, he ain't going to shoot it. That makes it harder on LeBron and AD if your guy is looking at them. As we see, he's going to shoot it anyway. He's kind of looking around and he's like, oh shit, my defender's back there. Let me just shoot this. So why don't I just go down be aggressive from the beginning because the pressure is on him when he's in there with the starters because you got LeBron you got AD you got Austin these are guys

that need to get their shit off while he's in the game I think he feels more comfortable coming off the bench where he don't have pressure with guys he needs to pass to. He can actually go out there like, yo, I'm about to get these buckets. And I think that's his, mentally, he needs to adjust to that role. Coming off the bench, being a microwave, Vinnie Johnson. Being a Vinnie Johnson. Because he can't do that,

have that mentality with LeBron and AD and all them in the game. What's that old saying they used to tell us? I remember when I heard it, I was like, bet. It was like, the ball finds the best players. Yep, yep. Right? When I heard that, okay, I'm going to put it to the test.

I'm going to see if that's real theory. Ha, ha, ha. Huh. Ha, ha. As soon as Antoine, hey, hey, hey. Hey, the ball going to find you. Relax. Move around. Relax. The ball going to come to you. Ha ha as soon as Antoine hey, hey, hey the ball gonna find you When it's me when it needs to be goddammit, I'm gonna do me then

Yeah, if the ball gonna find the best player I'm gonna do me. Yep, cuz they'll double you you make the Passage I'm gonna do me if the ball finds the best player I'm gonna do me So that means if I took 20 shots, obviously the ball knew where to go. Hey. To me. Hey. Period. Hey, talk that shit.

What are we talking about? Talk that shit. Don't tell me. I'm using your own logic. Right? I'm using your own logic. Talk that shit, man. Talk that shit.

Antoine, max player. The ball is in the right hand. I got the rebound. Thank you. Let's go. Excuse you. Let's go. Excuse me. Let's go. Excuse me.

That's a good place to put a button on today's show. God bless all you guys. Thank you, Lexi, pulling up. Of course. I appreciate you as always.

My peoples. Yeah, man. Come back with the Totem Carry. I appreciate you. Gilbert, as always, we appreciate you. We appreciate you guys

at home for rocking with us, watching the show. Make sure you download the Underdog Fantasy app. Use promo code GIL. Get that $500 deposit match. Last show of the week. We will see y'all Monday. Hold on, hold on, hold on.

What happened now? If y'all need merch, promote it. Hit me up on the DM. I'm wearing all merch all month. You know what I'm saying? So send me your merch. I got you. I'm getting a couple of y'all online all month, you know what I'm saying? So send me your merch. I got you. I'm getting a couple

of y'all online, so, you know what I'm saying? Just make sure I... I'm trying to engage with the fans a little bit more. That's nice. Support, you know what I'm saying? Hey, fans,

if you got any extra money on the Underdog app, send it to me. Send it to me, because... They're cleaning me out. They're cleaning me out. You know?

Like, you know, I went four out of five yesterday, which is still an L. No insurance. I got 50 cent left. You got a raw dog to pick them. No insurance. I got 50 cent left. No insurance.

You got 50 cent left, y'all. No insurance. Holler at me. Help me out. Holler at me. Send a gift my way. Come on, man. We will see y'all Monday.

Appreciate y'all. Let's go. Let's go. Bye.