Gil's Arena - Joel Embiid SAVING The 76ers FIRES UP Gil's Arena

Episode Date: April 29, 2026

The NBA Playoffs' INSANE Weekend Shakes Up Gil's Arena as the Gil's Arena Crew react to a crazy Tuesday night in the NBA Playoffs. They tip things off by reacting to the Philadelphia 76ers stunning win in Boston over the Celtics to take that series back to Philly for a game 6. They break down Joel Embiid's stellar performance, and if he has enough left in the tank to help the Sixers pull off a miraculous upset over Jayson Tatum and the Celtics. The Celtics have proven that they will continue to live and die by the three, but is it sustainable? Next, they react to Victor Wembanyama and the San Antonio Spurs making light work of the Portland Trail Blazers, finishing them off in 5 games. After an impressive 1st round in Wemby's first ever Playoff series, the crew debates if this Spurs team is Real or Fugazi? Finally, they discuss the New York Knicks chances in the Eastern conference after they took a 3-2 series lead over the Atlanta Hawks, and just how important Jalen Brunson has been to the resurgence of this Knicks franchise as The Captain dropped 39 points at the Garden. The Knicks look to close out the Hawks Thursday night in Atlanta. Today's Gil's Arena Crew : Josiah Johnson, Skip Bayless, Rashad McCants, Swaggy P Gil's Arena premieres every Tuesday, Wednesday & Thursday at 11:30am PT / 2:30pm ET. Sign up for Underdog HERE with promo code GIL and play $5 to get $50 in bonus funds or bonus entries https://play.underdogfantasy.com/p-gi... SUBSCRIBE:    / @thearena0   Read Rashad's Blog - https://rawrashad.com/?blog=y Join the Underdog discord for access to exclusive giveaways and promos!   / discord   Must be 18+ (19+ in AL, NE; 19+ in CO for some games; 21+ in AZ & MA) and present in a state where Underdog Fantasy operates. Terms apply. Concerned with your play? Call 1-800-GAMBLER or visit www.ncpgambling.org; NY: Call the 24/7 HOPEline at 1-877-8-HOPENY or Text HOPENY (467369) 2 Min Countdown 0:00:00 Show Start 0:01:46 Embiid Saves The 76ers Season 0:06:07 Knicks Make A Statement Against The Hawks 0:41:45 How The Hawks Can Keep The Series Alive 1:02:02 Wemby & Spurs Win Their 1st Playoff Series 1:09:27 Shaq Has High Praise For Wemby 1:30:29 LeBron Said He's The Goat 1:55:39 NBA Playoff Picks 1:56:55 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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or the van that's gone from just practical to practically family. Whatever you want, wherever you're going, start your search at ototrater.ca, Canada's car marketplace. Welcome back to Gills Arena, presented by Underdog. Whoa, whoa! Glorious Wednesday here in the arena. A light couch today, but we all we got. We all we need, I guess.

How are everybody feeling? That's why I see you uh... You know, I was in the spirit of hooping today, y'all this basketball, playoffs. Did you come straight from hooping? Yeah, straight from the gym again. LeBron motivated me at 40, be out there doing what he's doing. 41-year-old LeBron. Today is the game five win.

Elimination days we call here in Los Angeles. Did you take a shower after you hooped? A little light one, I washed up. You still can't fuck with me, though. Come to the... That's why you don't want to invite me. That's why you never invited me. You know when people don't invite you because they don't want to deal with you.

We should be on the same team. Don't want to deal with you. That's the thing, see. I just want you to see. I want you to know. And your core bones of all bones, like, I had it wrong with him. I had it wrong. The stats don't match, none of that shit, and even the muscles.

You be like, you know what he's shoot like that still. I see. I see a statue like that. That's evident. I just saying. I want to get out there. I want to get out there and see swag move. You know what I'm saying?

With the knees and the whole nine, I don't have to match it up. The double knee brace. The double knees. He got the double knees, you understand it. It ain't like Robert Parrish his thing. It don't look like that.

It's more stylish. Stylish, though. It don't hurt as much. Yeah, it don't hurt as much. Did you dunk today? Oh, he don't dunk no more. I see. You know what I'm sorry?

I'm worried. You know what I'm talking no more? I'm a stretch four now. Okay, stretch four for sure. I got the four. I'm going on here, a big fella. I got you. But this is Gills Arena,

presented by Underdog Woo-Woop. I'm merely your host, Josiah Johnson, and we got one of the biggest legends in the sports media game, Skip Baylitz back in the building with him. Skip, you'd be out here lifting, too. I see it. Yeah, man. He's in the gym.

I'm just trying to keep up with that man. I'm just trying to keep up with that man. Yeah, he eats you get to. A lot of creatine over there. Only crew team Man, stop. We can't talk about what I'll be doing, push-ups and the other stuff.

You know what I said? We got NBA champion of the world. Swaggy Pete Nick Young. Only champion on the couch. No matter. Skipcombe, it don't matter. It don't matter.

Six-figure. We have yet to figure out with the six-meet. I'm in Jordan. I'm the Jordan. Okay, but. He actually got the Jordan. finger. Look at the joy. He got the joint finger. That motherfucker go over there. Don't it?

Look at them. Over there. We got the cold finger. Damn. How you get one of them? I want one. You do that. Last but not least. Hell, I ain't even noticed that until now. Last but not least, man, they call Cemetery Larry NCAA champion of the world Rashad McCants, Dr.

Rashad McKinney. T.A.B. That was easy. A lot of playoff basketball to discuss. Cracking in Gills Arena today. Joelle M.B. delivered an MVP-level performance to keep the Sixers season alive. What did Philly exposed about the second-seeded Celtics? Wimby and the Spurs won their first playoff series since 2017 with the gentleman's sweep over the Blazers.

But is San Antonio for real or Fugazi looking good and they might have an easy path to that Western Conference Finals and a showdown with the Lakers or the Oklahoma City Thunder? and Jalen Brunson put the Knicks on his back to lead New York to a blowout win over the Hawks in game five is the Knicks offense better running through Brunson or the big bodega. We will discuss, but before we get into all that, as always, this show is brought to you by Underdog.

Underdogs available in most states, including Texas, California, and Florida. New customers get $50 and bonus entries when they play just $5 to get started. Just use Code Gill when you sign up, and it'll load instantly. Underdog, make picks, win money with Code Gill. And if you can't watch this show,

with us on YouTube. We got audio versions available on Apple, Spotify, wherever you get your podcast. So we're going to start this show. In the East with the Sixers and Celtics. Joel Embed made his 2026 playoff debut in Game 4 just weeks after an emergency appendectomy, putting up 26 points, 10 boards, and six assists in 34 minutes of action.

But the Celtics were too much, taking a 16-point lead after the first quarter, never looking back. Jason Tatum was cooking with 30 points, 11 assists, and seven boards. And Praden Pritchard came through with a playoff. career high, 32 points and five dimes, becoming just a third Celtic and franchise history with a 30 piece off the bench. Boston hit 24-3s in the game to get the 32-point blowout win. So after dropping both games on their home floor, Philly found themselves facing elimination as a series returned to the garden Tuesday night.

But the Sixers Big Three came up big in game five to keep their season alive. Let's take a look at the highlight. We can't please. Celtics took a seven-point lead into the break and we're in control in the third quarter, extending their lead to 13, but the Sixers rallied with their former MVP put in the team on his back with an MVP-level performance. Embed had a game-high 33, along with eight assists in 39 minutes, scoring 31 of his 33 in the final three-quarters. The process was 12 for 23 from the field, 9 for 10 from the line, had 18 points in the second half on 7 of 10 shooting. Tyrese-Macksy added 25, 10 boards, and 5-9s, while PG.

Playoffee came through with 16, 9-board. and seven assists. Quinn Grimes, Big Sparked off the bench with his best game of the series. Grime had 12 of his 18 points in the second half. Jason Tatum led the Celtics with 24 points and 16 rebounds. Jaylen Brown added 22, 5, and 5. But no other Celtic starter scored more than eight points in the game. Sixers were up three, midway through the fourth quarter, but went on a 12-0 run to extend

the lead to 15 to put the game out of reach. Philly outscored Boston, 28-11 in the final. frame, Celtics were 3 for 22 in the fourth quarter missed their last 16 field go attempts to end the game. Tatum and Brown were combined 0 for 8 with just two points in the final frame. Sixes went on to get the win after the game. Embededed had this to say about his love for the game and motivation to play in this series after his appendectomy. I know a lot of people might have takes of, you know, that I might be lazy or whatever, but, you know, every single time time I'm on the floor. I want to play as hard as possible. I want to do whatever it takes to win

a basketball game, whether it's on, you know, on offense, on defense. I just want to play basketball weather, you know, good physical, mentorship or whatever. I just want to enjoy these moments. Just being part of a basketball team, you know, that's trying to accomplish something and that's to win every single game. I'm glad we won today. I didn't want to. I didn't want to to go home, you know, and, you know, think about it all summer of, you know, what could have been, you know, if I was healthy going into the playoffs. So one more day, you know, and, you know, one more game to go out than trying to make it back here. That's the mentality.

So, yeah, I'm just thankful to be in a position when I get to play. You know, I don't know how long I have. I can't do this. So I just want to enjoy as much as possible. So Sixers have lost, I believe, six straight playoff series of the Celtics got their last win in 1982. This was in B's eighth 30-point game against the Celtics in the playoffs. The second most for a Sixers player against a single opponent in a franchise playoff history. So Skip, we will start with two of your biggest takeaways from the Sixers game five win over the Celtics to keep their season alive.

So first of all, in my many years of watching, studying, covering the game you guys played at the highest level. I have never seen a contending team that can go so cold when you least expected as the Boston Celtics. It's just hard to fathom that they lost at home the fourth quarter last night, 28 to 11. And as Josiah pointed out, three of 22 in the fourth missed their last 16. Jalen Brown is 0 for 6. And Jason Tatum's only 0 for two, only took two shots. And it's just incomprehensible how cold they go and stay over stretches of games. But the reason I think they were all but intimidated into the cold shooting

was that guy who plays for the Sixers occasionally, occasionally named Joel Embed. I hear night after night about that alien in San Antonio. This guy has been the alien for the last decade when he feels like it. And some nights he goes back to whatever planet he came from,

never to be seen. But Joel Embed, to me, former MVP, is the biggest tease in the history of professional basketball because when he is healthy and he feels like playing basketball, there is nothing better than him. And as Tyrese Max, he said after that game last night, in the second half, he was extremely dominant.

When he feels like it and he's okay to play against the Boston Celtics, he is the best player on the floor. You can have Jason Tatum or Jalen Brown or whoever you want on the other side. You can have Peyton Pritchard. But when he's right, they can't stop him. They can't touch him. They can only send him to the free throw line where he is the greatest seven-foot free throw shooter I've ever seen. And I told you guys, I said right here on this couch, I was told the doctors in Philadelphia cleared him to play game one of this series, game one. And they left it up to him. And he said, not yet after his appendectomy. Yet that surgery is now so easily done with the arthroscope. And you can bounce back fairly quickly from it. And I don't know what he was

feeling or not feeling, but he didn't play games one, two, three. And then he comes back in game four. and I know they got blown out, but I look at the numbers he put up out of nowhere coming back in game four, he goes 26, 10, and six assists. Last night he had eight assists. And in the second half last night, he just took over and played 39 minutes,

and so it makes you wonder, well, could you have sucked it up and tried to play in game one or two or three and changed this series? And yet, in the end, what's going to happen is they're going to go home and he's going to dominate again. That's what I believe. And it'll go back to Boston for a game seven.

And all I know about Joel Embed, former MVP, is he's 30 and 31 in playoff games he's played in. He's 0 for 5 in semifinals, having never lifted this team to even a conference final. And he is 0 for 3 in game 7s in his career. and we can get into him a little bit later. But every one of the game sevens he's played in are pretty much disasters for him. James Harden had a lot to do with a couple of them. But Joel, when you need him the most,

he's often not there. And yet when he feels like it like last night and what I think is going to happen in game six, the Boston Celtics will be in trouble. But at home in a game seven, history screams that Joel Embed will not be there for the 76ers. So after that game,

Game 5MB said, you know, when he's playing at that level offensive, he doesn't think he can be stopped. Skip, like you mentioned, the injuries have stopped him in Kirtel with those playoffs runs in years past. But Shia, Shal, let's move on to you. Looking at B, what he was able to do last night, put the team on his back, MVP-level performance. What are your biggest takeaways from that Sixers game five went over to Celtics?

I've always said Joel M.B., when he is on the floor and he is locked in and engaged, he's unstoppable. And that's why I kind of shifted towards Philly, seeing his emergence and his availability early on. And saving his body for the playoffs, you know, was something that I was looking forward to. and I think that the other injuries kind of contributed to his unavailability for the first three games. But you look at Game 4 and you analyze why it went bad. It went bad because Peyton Pritchard decided to show up. He went crazy. Yeah, he went crazy.

And I think that was something that took away from Joel because you look at a lot of the shots that he was taking, a lot of the things that came into play after they were kind of trying to figure out how to get back. on track after the game two win. And I think the way that they looked in game two, going into game three, you can't keep that momentum without actually knowing that you can defeat this team playing that way. I think going into game four, Joelle coming in and disrupting that chemistry that they felt like they had was something that I think a lot of the people who were watching is saying, like, why did he come back?

Why did you start him? Why couldn't he just kind of filter in? And I think the game that he played, like I said, Peyton Pritcher came in and made it look bad for the whole team based on the matchups. But then you see Peyton Pritchard last night. He doesn't really show up in the same capacity. But guess who did show up in the same capacity? Joelle and B. He was consistent through both games.

But the difference was the second half, he did what Boston Celtics are very, very frightened of is the post-pressant. presence and the availability of being dominant in the paint. When you can be dominant in the paint, you got Vutchevich and I can't remember it. Teda. Yeah. Those two guys can't stop him, right? And when you know that as a player, you know that your matchup in this particular series is going to be, I need to dominate these two guys for us to win.

Jalen Brown, Jason Tatum don't have a chance. Ain't no Derek White, ain't no Peyton Pritcher that can save the day, especially when you got Paul George on the other side, Maxi on the other side, Eshcombe on the other side, Ubrey on the other side, Grimes, who is one of the most unexpected talents that you could say similar to a Cam Thomas firepower like microwave Vinnie Johnson style where you don't know when he's going to do it, but you know he's capable of it. You got that type of firepower with Philly is dangerous. And Boston plays a type of basketball that you expect.

They're going to shoot a bunch of threes. They're going to have two dynamic players. But if those players get cold at any moment, it's over for them. They don't have any counterbalance other than a Peyton Pritchard, who is only going to feed off of those two guys giving him the green light. So with Joelle and B showing up the way that he did, I love everything about his dominance and creating positional advantages over Vutchevich, who definitely doesn't want to.

He don't want to be down there in the mix. So he took advantage of that. And like you said, free throw wise, nobody shoots free throws like him. He got in his groove in the second half and it was beautiful, beautiful to watch. I'm taking them if I had two in six, game six, to push it to seven. And I'm not going to say that they have a chance in game seven, but it goes for good entertainment. This is blasphed me. Good entertainment.

This is blasphemy. This is blasphemy. What is blasphemous about? Because I feel like we only talk about Boston when they're losing, when they lose. They won. We didn't hear nothing about Boston. We did speak about Boston. They lose.

We talked about Boston. The theme of Boston makes me mad. They play with their food too much. They stick to the game plan. The game plan is shooting threes. And at the end of the games when things get ugly, I feel like Jaylon Brown and Jason Taylor don't know who's going to lead. Who's the alpha?

And that's where I think they mess up at a lot of time. And when you stuck on sticking to the game plan, you continue to shoot threes and them guys could do more, a lot more. And I think that's what happens. So when they shoot themselves out instead of trusting their talent, you know, Jason Tatum out there, he could do more than just step back threes, Jaylon Brown. I see him dribble for 20 seconds yesterday towards the end playing around with Quinn Grine. Grimes locking him up. And his playoffs has been some corner like the other guys had stepped up and made it.

You said it was a corner of the playoffs, a corner of the new playoffs. And Clint Gines was one of the reasons I feel like they won yesterday. The entity change. Pade him picture the other day. So it's going to take the others to step up for sure. I need a Derek White moment. That I think is one of the biggest issues with that Celtics squad. Derek White averaging went eight points per game in this series.

shooting this guy. Eight points per game. Yeah, it's the same one you was vouching for. 30% from the field, 41% for three. Trap. So it's time for him to step up and show the Olympian and all that. I feel like it's time for that. But in being, like Skip said, I was thinking the same thing.

He was everything the alien could be. Like watching the alien, all the things he accomplished. I feel like Jalen B could have done the same thing if healthy. I don't think it's good as a defender, but NBee that's made all defensive teams in his career. Yeah, not the block. Of course, he's seven, six. That's different. But you haven't seen the big that could do everything on the offensive thing.

Like shoot threes, pose, dribble, dunk, athletic. And to say he's lazy, I don't think he had all that coming into the NBA. He was just a big, you know. I didn't see him shooting threes. I didn't see him ball handing him like that. So I feel like he worked on it. For sure, he stays in the gym, but being hurt, it's nothing you can really do.

You know, take time off. And if he could have one of those Kauai seasons like Kauai had this year before it's over, I feel like we'll see another MEP for sure. For sure. For sure. Jason Tatum is the best on the floor right now. Jason Tatum, the best. And Paul George is showing him he's the old virgin of him, too.

Paul George has been playing very well, too. I mean, that six is big three. We didn't get a lot of huge sample size of them this season or throughout their time together in Philly. But when healthy, which is obviously a big hit if. The better team is Philly. The better team? On paper. Like a sports player.

It's the better team. But they don't put fear in people like, OKC, because they always, like, have a 20-point lead and like with New York last year. How many times they was up that series and lost every game? Like they don't never keep their foot on people next. Hear what I'm saying. So the magic, right? The magic in Detroit, you wouldn't say that the magic throughout the whole season

was a better team to Detroit, right? Due to the record. It was supposed to be. Just due to the record. Even then, and you say they were three or four or five, right? Better team on paper. So on paper, you look at the actual players and you say, this is our roster. I'm saying

Philadelphia, which is why I would pick them over Boston on paper because of who they have and the possibilities and potential of what they can do on the floor. Maxie, Eskone, Paul George, Kelly Ubre, Quinn Grimes, with a

healthy Joelle and B and a drumming. But look, with a drumming behind him, like, you got a good team. Now, you tell me the Boston Cellstick team, right? Right now, roster-wise, you only going to name three, four guys. No.

That you're going to be like, oh, these guys are good. They're going to show up against those guys. They'll play well. And really, only three of them are you going to be like, I can depend on these guys from the Boston Celtics to show up. The rest of the guys are variables. No, no. Faving picture is a...

He's number three. He's the third. You got Nick Buchavis has been an all-stop. He's been hurt half the time. He's got there right. That's an Olympian. No way. Eight points a game in the series.

Who else? Kada, who you depending on, Howser. None of those guys are matching up to what I'm saying on this side. These are proven guys that we like, hey, on paper, they should beat them. If you go player for player. Player for player. You got Tatum and Brown, but you

got Embed and Maxie. That's what I'm saying. After that, you matching up who, Eschcombe and Pritchard? You got PG and who, Hauser, Derek White, right? And Jason Taylor and Janie Brown. Is Maxie in Embed? And B. But he's hurt, though. You got to add that.

He wasn't hurt last night. He's, how long he played, what, 30 games this year? He played two games. He played two games. The last three games, he played. So don't base it on what we see. No, we're not. We're talking about on paper right now.

The roster is as configured right now. Player for player, Philly's the better team. But coaching wise and what they've done, you have to give it to Boston because the pedigree, we've already won one. We have experience. We know how to play together. So you've got to get an edge to Boston. But I'm just saying talent for talent.

The 76ers should be able to make it a seven-game series and make it something worth it. But explain this to me and to your point about blasphemy, talking about Boston. You've got two first-team all-NBA kind of players as your alphas. And you have a 13-point lead at home in a close-out game. and this is early third quarter one of the alphas has to say

that's enough of that I got this and yet the catalyst for this team the detonator that they wait on especially at home is a little six foot white guy a little white guy built like a fullback

new age Caucasian skim new age Caucasian most black and mild shoes dice but still does he look like a basketball player to you because he doesn't look like one to me. He's a six foot, Nick Young, man. White Nick Young, man.

Okay, but he's stout. He's built like a fire plug, you know, and he just doesn't look basketball-y to me. He looks like a football player. And yet, they just wait on him to detonate the home crowd the way he took Phillies crowd out of it in the previous game when he makes six threes at Philadelphia for 32 points.

and last night he goes one of four from three and the crowd's just like, oh, oh, because if he just makes a couple in a row, the roof blows off that place and the visiting team is in big trouble. And last night, he couldn't. And then in the fourth quarter, this is incomprehensible that you have Jason Tatum

and Jalen Brown, who a lot of people were pushing for MVP this year up until the last, until Jason Tatum came back. And you've got not one of you two or Peyton Pritchard or somebody, Derek White, who I have a lot of respect. He's got credentials, man, because even in San Antonio, he had credentials. And now he's in the worst slump of his life, of his life, because I looked at the last six games, he's nine of 41 from three.

So he just can't buy one, and he couldn't buy one last night. and you can just see in his eyes like, you guys really want, you want me to shoot? He had a corner three that could have turned it late. Yep. He hesitated. Like, oh, I don't, oh, I missed it badly. Well, then how can you allow that to happen?

This is a close-out game, and I just sat there in awe watching it saying, one of you two, you're not going to show in the fourth quarter? Because Tatum took two shots in the fourth quarter. I said, they argue who teams is it? when it'll get ugly, that's why I feel they mess up at. Let's talk about the Celtic squad. Celtics are averaging nearly 47 three-point attempts per game

this postseason. So in their three wins, shooting 42% from distance, but just 27% in their two losses. We're 11 for 39 in game five. It's live by the three, die about a three, though. They stick to that plan. Yeah, and I like what you said about that when you stick to the plan. You can see, it's brilliant in a way what you're saying

because when you say stick to the plan, a lot of the fans don't understand when the coach has the game plan and you're like, let's stick to the, but it's not working, right? It's not working. And now you're like, well, what do we do? Because as the alphas, you're supposed to take the wheel

and let me drive this ship the way I feel like it should go and coach give me the freedom to do that, right? Sure. But then it's so much of trust the game plan, trust that we're going to make threes eventually and like you said, they got cold, right, between the two stars. And now we're looking for the detonator. He's also cold, too.

And now we don't have any confidence with Derek White. He's super cold. Now, we did get one good three from Hauser. It was a deep three. It was like, okay, whew. But that's not enough. Wutchevich is not hitting the threes. You don't got Shiremen coming out there doing things that he was doing early season.

So it's really kind of like, well, there's no plan B to it. There's no plan B. There's no plan B. That's what you're saying about speaking to the plan. If you have two all-stars, then one of them says, I'm cold tonight from distance. So I'm just going to put my head down. I'm going to take it to the frithar line. I'm going to get to the free throw line.

But they don't plan B if they just keep jacking threes. And there's no real drive-and-kick scenarios for them. It's drive and try to get a bucket for both of them. Yeah. And then that's where you see Quentin Grimes playing defense and like cutting them off, cutting them off. It's like you had the ball for 20 seconds, J.B. Shot it at the free throw. And then you're trying

and you're trying. To get wild. That's not the flow that they used to. And I think that's the difference where you say follow the game playing. They're doing too much of that at some point, especially in the fourth quarter. And when the game's like that? Close out, though. Think about it.

Think about how they're not really tripping. That's why I was saying. They're playing around. They're playing around. They're like, ah, we'll get the next one. It's cool. The master suggests of the subs can do that in four or seven games, right?

If they can be high from three, then they can win a series. But does it feel like they're starting to play with fire a little bit? I need to see. I need to see. When they was playing against Dallas in the championship, James Brown like that, picking up full court, doing them type of things.

Like that, that fire, that boss and I feel. like nobody could beat that team right there. Well, you gotta look, Jalen Brown had a whole different incentive of not having to pick up the slack. Yeah, 30 points a game. Right.

He's literally like, I'm gonna do this. I got Drew over here, grab Brazingus over here, we got guys who can pick up the slack. But now you lose that and you depending on two other guys who is Pritchard and Eric White, who's not Prazingis seen Drew Holiday, that you're like, do I trust them? No, I got to pick up this slack And I think he kind of gets tired after a while He's kind of burnt out at this point He has to stop this guy and come over here

Trying to pick up somebody full court And then try to get 30 Man, different type of conditioning, man In the finals, Lucas shot 22% from three In large part because of Jalen Brown Yeah It's gonna be different But I actually like Philly pushing him to 7th

I would hope that that would be the scenario for the series. I say that Boston doesn't deserve to win it, but I think this last game. Do you think Boston wins the next one? Joelle M.B. is an anomaly, bro. They do that too. He's an anomaly.

You don't know how to plan for him. Yep. But I feel like they're not going to play around from the start to finish this game. What is not playing around? Does that mean making shots? When you have 13, the whole game looked like they thought, Philly quit.

That's what it looked like. Like, Lakers against Houston on Sunday. Like, it looked like they thought they had the game already. Yeah. And when they Philly turned it on, it was hard to just... For sure. Yeah, turn that money back on. That's what it looked like.

It looked like they started turning it up and it was like, are y'all going to do something about this? And they just kept turning it up. It looked like that. Just for the record, in case it does get to a game seven back in Boston, this is what Embeddeed has done in his three game sevens, none of them in the conference finals, but he's lost all three. Remember the Trey Young Hawks at Philly?

That was a game seven conference semifinals. Quai? Yeah, well, that was the next one. But in the Trey Young game, Joel had eight turnovers. Okay, so it's hard to overcome eight. And then the Kauai game where the balls bouncing all around the rim at Toronto. In that game, Joel was six of 18 and one of six from three. I didn't.

He was not an anomaly in that game. And he was a weird anomaly, right? Yep. Okay. And then at Boston, James Hardin didn't show up either, but game seven at Boston, Joel was five of 18 and O for four from three. So you can see three game sevens. And Joel, we just saw the sound where he's saying,

I don't want to go through another offseason wondering about what if. Well, if he gets a shot at Boston in Boston in game seven, let's see. Can he go unicorn? Can he go alien? Can he, because he's capable. I don't think he has a choice. Yeah.

But the number suggests that. But that's the good thing about numbers and history, right? Yeah, you can change it. You can actually say, all right, numbers say you're not going to show up in the seventh game. Like, we've seen this over and over again. But this is the opportunity to change that. And I think he's grown. You think about his maturity.

He's just grateful to be able to be back out there. Like, bro, my knee almost took me completely out of this thing. let me mature basketball-wise understanding where to get my spots, where to get easy shots. Efficiency is everything in the game today. And I think that's what we've lost

is the efficiency. And I think he's trying to get that back based on those numbers and those finals appearances or those game seven appearances. You can't have that as your alien guy, five or 16 or five or 18.

You can't have none of those. You just can't. And you've never lifted this franchise to even a conference final that's just mind-blowing to me. I'm trying to think of what defense with Boston do because you can't put Derek White on him like how OKC be doing with. You came in front him, they was trying to front the pose.

I'm trying to see I would let O'Cellie shoot threes when you would leave him. He's the only one that ain't got hot yet. Yeah, that's what I'm saying. I would let him up him. I let Escom shoot. Oh yeah, BJ. Just cut. Yeah, yeah.

And he's a rookie, yeah. Yeah, he's a rookie. But he's proven in the game, too. But he's been missing that he can actually shoot it. He been missing them threes lately. Yeah, he has. It has given the Celtics a 30 piece on their port before, early in his career. But looking at the Sixers, Big Three, play 23 games together this season, 12 and 11 in those games that have not won a home playoff game in this series with a shifting back to Philly for game six.

So what do the Sixers need to do if they want to force a game seven? Scouting report wise, you've got to put. play fast. You got to play fast and that's going to be hard with Joelle on the floor because he needs to slow the game down in order to get to his spots. And the pick and pops that they do do when they play Escom at the four, they look a little bit more spread out like they can actually play, drive and kick. But I don't think it's offense that they need to focus on. I think they need to figure out how to sustain Boston's three points and how to rebound and go.

Second chance points are always something that Boston continues to do to get the second chance points and get the three off the second chance points. That's where they actually shoot a high percentage. Yeah. They get the rebound, kick it out to that guy, he hits the three. Houser gets a lot of his threes that way, where

he might miss the first one. They get the offensive rebound and kick it back to him. He's not going to miss two in a row. Same for Jason Tatum. Letting those guys get comfortable with something you cannot do. Paul George has to up his defense. And almost focused primarily on doing what Jalen Brown did to Luca. I have to focus on stopping one of these two guys and make that my primary mission.

Andre Drummond has to step up and do more. I feel like depending on Joel to just carry everything on his shoulders is different. But I think if he steps in and he actually brings something different than just trying to step out and shoot a couple threes, like need him to be a presence. Yeah, but he didn't hit him. He do hit him. And he hitting his free throws too. I'm shocked you hitting those three. He hit the free throws, too. He made one last night.

Man. I think giving Grimes more opportunity to be second-tier edge comb, I think that'll be good for them. I don't know. When Philly win, they stars has big games. When they won in Philly, Maxie was killing. Killing. Yesterday's MB Unstoppable.

So I feel like other teams don't really need. They start players that are. do that much every night to win the game. So that's why I don't pick Philly over Boston. That's why I think Boston, because you ain't going to have them nights every night. Maxie was hitting every shot, I feel like game three, or was that game three?

Yeah, when they won. Game two. The game two, they won. And everything. Yeah. And everything, man. But he was being aggressive. He was.

Yeah. Ultra-aggressives. And I think last night he was having. spurts of aggression, which opened it up for a big. But guess what else he had? He had 10 rebounds last year. He did have 10. I seen that.

And B had four. But that was like West Brookian to make where right, where you're just like battling your ass off for every loose ball. But it's win or go home at this point. So that's how he was playing. Like I need to make sure I cover the board. NBA season is over for a lot of people. A lot of people outside.

I'm just really focused on this like it's still the season. It's over. When to go home. Cancun on three. Man. Tequila on me. Man. For sure.

But to me, in game six, you just got to feed the beast. I mean, if you have to play slow, just play his speed. He can't run up and down the floor. But he did last 39 minutes last night at Boston. Did. And I just, Vucevic and Kata, they got no chance, man. That's your one big mismatch. That's what I was saying

Who would you send the help too? You got to send somebody to help. You got to send somebody to help. That's a good. I'm like, who you'll leave open? If you were doing your percentages on that, double team, you got to double Joelle.

You got to. Who are you coming off of? Is it Kelly and Vijay? All those guys. They're capable. They're capable of shooters, for sure. Especially if you got PG, Grimes, and UBray.

there see one go in and then let me let me have Vijay in the slider slasher diver go dive and don't that bitch every every now and again yeah i mean to you think let's leave that what is he 20 years old let's leave the kid you know just let's dare him yes make him be but you know what he he's a grown man to me uh he's shown me where you don't mess with him yeah he actually does have that persona yeah where i'm in the moment It feels kind of like ant-manish, like he gives that ant-manish attitude. Like, yeah, you don't think I'm ready for this? Yeah. And he's shown it throughout the season in certain moments where we're looking for him to show up and he shows up.

In fact, he keeps shooting when he misses. That's a good ass bad thing, yeah, it's a good and bad, but shows the kid got hard. Last thing before we move on. So B came back, game four Sunday. Game 5 was Tuesday, game 6, Thursday if they can win that game 7 Saturday. Four games and six days or whatever it is. They don't want to do that. They didn't have to play New York, I think?

Just, yeah. So do we think he has to say he got two more left in them or is the rest of the team going to have to pick them up? Are you sure they're going to play New York? It's three years. Ooh. Yeah, because both of them can't win on the road, I feel like, so. It's tough.

Like you said, if they don't make those adjustments as far as doubling NB or doing something, it could be tough for Boston. hate to say it because everybody's picking them as a clear-cut winners. But it will still be twos versus threes though. Yeah, for sure. But if you slow the game down, if you, if you Philly, you slow the game down, the game benefits you because it's going to be less threes.

Fast breaks, yeah. And if you're executing on the offensive end and you're not a long shot, long rebounds and get them out. Game four and for them. They don't like that. And you start picking them off. full court, you shorten the game down a lot. So now he's 14 seconds on the shot clock when you're starting.

You're shooting the ball with three seconds left on the shot clock. It is contested. We're living with percentages at this point. It's time on Derry White, man. Come on Derry White. Dary White got 140, right? Did he get out of something? Something like that, close to 200.

He needs his time. So you got to talk about the Nixon Hawks. Let's shift over to that series. So after suffering back to back, one point losses. in games two and three. Nix made a statement in game four, leading by as much as 24 points in the fourth quarter. Both teams pulled their starters.

Kat messed around dropped his first career playoff triple double in game four to help the Knicks tie the series. Big Bodega, just a fourth player in Nick's playoff history to accomplish defeat. Kat and his Knicks teammates celebrated the win by eating some of the iconic lemon, pepper, loo flavored Magic City wins. Series headed back to Madison Square Garden for a crucial game five, with the winner of that game going on to win the series

nearly 82% of the time. Jalen Brunton had his lowest scoring output of the series in Game 4, but gave the Knicks faithful another legendary performance in Game 5. Let's take a look at the highlights, if we can, please. New York took control of the game

from start to finish, outscoring the Hawks 3522 in the first quarter, taking a 16-point lead into the break and leading by as much as 32 points in this game. The Knicks captain got to cook an early and often exploding for 39 points, and eight assists. Brunson was 15 for 23 from the field, three for five from three. It was his franchise record 22nd career 30-point playoff game in his 13th playoff game with 35 plus points and 5 plus assists.

Kat followed up his triple double with a double, scoring 14 of his 16 points in the first half, and adding 14 boards and six assists in the game. And Oji Ananobe, who's been playing solid all series added 17 points and 10 rebounds on the Hawk side. Jalen Johnson put up 18, 10 boards and six assists. and to kill Alexander Walker and Dyson Daniels combined for 33 points on 13 of 22 shooting. But C.J. McCollum had his worst game of the series. The Hawks Hero in games two and three, finished with just six points and four turnovers, three for ten from the field, missing both his three-point attempts,

all three of his free throw attempts. Brunton had 17 points in the fourth quarter, got a standing ovation from the home crowd. Nix had a plus-21 rebound advantage and were plus 18 in points. in the paint to secure the decisive win. So New York has an average margin of victory of more than 18 points per game and their three wins with both losses coming by just one point. Now they head back to Atlanta with a chance to reach the second round for the fourth straight season. So Shai, we will start with you. What did the Knicks show you in their game five win over the Hawks?

They show me that Jalen Brunson loves playing at home and whenever he's at home. And whenever he's in his groove, they rally around him and his energy. And I think that starts with Kat establishing that he's going to play in the post. I think when he plays on the perimeter, it's a different game. It's harder for Jalen Brunson to get into his groove because everybody's out on the perimeter. But the moment he's on the post, establishing himself, that gives Jalen Brunson a whole different perimeter of movement when it comes to his mid-range shots and being able to probe. And I think that that's the difference maker. As good as New York can be with Jalen Brunson being hot,

we've seen them be very, very bad when him and Kat don't know how to be on the same page. And I think historically between the two of them, playing together, is better when Brunson's hot than it is when Kat's hot. But I think also when you've got somebody like Jalen Brunson that can carry your team at that size and he's taking the matchup serious out there you have a better chance from winning my thing is right now is with the Atlanta Hawks is why they

change up their philosophy defensively when it comes to Kat and Brunson they played well with Brunson one game and then they let them get off the next because they're afraid of the other guys hitting shots percentages are going to show you that you're going to let bridges you're going to let Hart, you're going to let OG, you're going to let those guys shoot. They're going to shoot you in the game or shoot you out of the game. I'd rather take that chance than let Jaylon Brunson give me 40 and give the energy to the home crowd and take us out of the game. They didn't load the boxes. They didn't force Jaylen to pass the ball. I think that's the number one scouting report that I would use going into this next game. Force him to have

12 to 15 assists. He has to have a low scoring output game. in a very high passive output game where OG and those guys are hitting spot up shots based on him probing. I'm taking those chances as Atlanta because we have a better chance them missing those shots and getting out to the races and playing our game. Their game is not half-court. As much as C.J. McCullough can play, he got eight up just simply because you're stagnant and you have to play defense on the other end against Jalen Brunson.

You and Dyson Daniels was trying to figure out who's going to get this clip in your face every time down instead of what he was doing before, which was preserving his energy just for scoring. And now that he has to play defense, it's going to be a little bit different. So they need to get back to the basics of making the other guys play on New York and then speeding the game up for themselves. Jalen Johnson, Kaminga, they play better when they're in transition. They play better when they're playing defense. Akongu, is that his name? O'Yakakakak, Ocongu gets. Ocongos got to play.

He got to show up and play. Especially defensively. I don't think he's imposing his will. He's playing small. Jalen Johnson is playing small. He's not taking the challenges of actually going to guard cat when you need to. And I think once you do those things, it changes the trajectory of how your team is going to show up to every game. So Swaggy, let's shift over to you.

What did the Knicks show you in their game, five win over the Hawks? They got a three-two lead in the series. I don't know. This is where you judge the stars of the team, man. I think Jonathan and towns showed up to the occasion. Like McCannsey, I think if you start off early playing through towns, establish him, get him confidence, get him going, it opens up for Bronson for sure.

But I think McCullen really, I don't think he doesn't do that every night at this age. At his age, he can't give you 32 and then 23. He can't sustain that. A lot of people ain't like the king. You know, I know I come back to the king. The king is seven years older than he is. You know, it's hard to do that. It is struggling.

But I feel like they got away from the game playing. And being a young team that happens. New York did what they're supposed to. The veteran team been together for longer, know each other, been around each other, been in situations like this. And when you get it going, and you find a role, I think the coaches have started playing more players too. I think they need to get Bridges back going.

Cazina lost all confidence, and you could tell the coach bring them out. He played with 19 minutes the night. I feel like New York's still in trouble. They're just playing a team that they're better than right now just because they're the togetherness. They've been together. They establish Bronson Towns know who they are in the NBA right now. And the Hawks are still trying to find that.

They don't know if Jalen Johnson is a star, then you got Alexander. coming into a new role where he feels like he's the leader of the team or is he the star? Then you see McCullen showing flashes of Blazers, days versus when they went to the semifinals and got punked by us, you know. Yeah, but New York, they're going to be in trouble. That's why I don't trust New York going to the finals. Do not trust New York.

I do not trust them. Reaching their first finals this entry. You talk about C.J. McCollum quickly. Had that 30 or two-point game two since then, scoring has gone down to each of the last three games, 23 in game three, 17, game four, six points in game five. But let's shift over with you. Last night, to me, for the New York Knicks,

that was Fool's Gold. I give the Hawks a great chance of winning game six at home and a good chance of winning game seven back in the garden. Shit. Steve A. And I apologize to a lot of my friends who are Nick fans, our producer Rob, my man, Stephen A. I'm sorry, I just don't trust this team even against the Hawks. Last night was Fool's Gold because the Stars came out in New York.

It's just celebrity row with the front row. It's Chalamee and Kylie Jenner and Tina Faye and Tracy Morgan. and fat Joe all of them. They come up for they team though. They do be showing up. Ben Stiller is there. Ben Stiller out there.

Patrick is there and Clyde is there and Carmelo is there. Hello is there. Everybody. Jeez. I mean, Marbury. Yeah, that's correct. Jalen rose to the occasion

and he gives you 39 on only 23 shots. But what got me was he took 23. and next on the team in shots attempted is eight. And it's Josh Hart and O.G. They take eight. And Kat take seven shots last night, but did have six assists.

And to me, he is happy to just hand it over to jail and say, you do this, because I don't like the pressure of this, especially at home. I'm going to stay out of harm's way. I'm going to give you the basketball and hope you score the basketball. and make me look good, and I'm going to just stay a little off-radar here because I don't think he wants to be on radar

in New York City at this moment. You think that is contributed to him playing good or bad? Like when he plays good, it looks like he likes the pressure. When he plays bad, it looks like he shrinks immediately. Well, Bronson. No, towns. Oh, yeah, yeah. Is he not?

For sure. Look, look, Jaylon Brunson is six. feet tall, maybe, maybe. And what he did, it's just extraordinary. I give it up what you did last night in front of Celebrity Row. You did that. But their best player is Carl Anthony Towns. I mean, as far as just firepower, you know, what do we give him?

6-11 and 3s. Rebounds. Yeah, he does it all. And when he gets in that aggression mode, which isn't often because he's more kitty cat to me mostly, but come on, man. He's it. And last night he's like, I'm just happy over here.

You do it. Yeah, you take care of it. And look, the Hawks, you know how it goes in the playoffs? There are these games like this one last night. They just did not show up from the jump. I mean, literally, it's 35 to 22 after court. Look at the rebounds last night. 48 to 27?

Are you kidding me? Talk about getting punked. That's getting punked to me. and they don't make any threes and then CJ, he just looked old last, I don't know, he looked like he was 44, right? He's in New York.

Yeah, and he was supposed to be the new villain in New York, right? No, he wasn't last night, and he goes three of ten, as Josiah pointed out, O of two from three, and then he missed all three of his free throws. And he's like, I ain't playing tonight, man.

Yeah. You're not? I bet he plays in game six. Oh, for sure. I just bet he does. Yeah. For sure. And here's what,

what happens. If Atlanta somehow wins game six by one point, because it seems like that's how they do it, then you go back to the garden and it's celebrity row and all of a sudden the celebrities that Jalen Brunson fed off last night, all of a sudden

they're on the edge of their seats and the pressure just goes through the MSG roof and they can't live up to it. Because no city wants its team to go places more than that city wants its team. They just go they go crazy in New York City for that team in these kind of moments.

And I wouldn't be at all surprised if the Knicks lose by one point in game seven at home. That's what it shapes up. They ain't won a game seven, what, two years back to back? Yeah. Against Pacers. Yeah. And what was the year OG got hurt in that? Ah, uh, um, because I know back to back year, game sevens they lost.

They've lost back to back. It's unconventional. Everything you just said is depending on the crowd and Jalen Brunson in the game seven, how much pressure is on the city to win that game. What? To win that game. So Pacers in 2024, but then they lost in six in 2025. Lost in six.

So the pressure is on. If they can, if we're saying a big if, they reach seven. Yeah. And don't close out. It's over. there's some questions. Like we're talking about New York drowning itself in the old island.

They all come off the bridge. They're going to get rid of everybody. Man, it's like the pressure's on. Yeah, they got to get rid of the fans. Man, change the logo and the whole line. Like, it's just a different energy, like you said. Like seven games in New York, close out, make or break.

Oh, my Lord. Jaylon, hey, and this is my question. They really believe in this team, though. And this is my question, though. When is Jaylen, Brunson ever taken the fall. Has he ever been in position to take the fall? Like Carl Anthony Towns has taken the fall.

Julia's Randall. Julius Randall took the fall. Jaylen Brunson has been off the hook in a lot of these scenarios where they still haven't went this way. And we're giving you the, you're the guy. It's going to be bridges this time. It got to be. Because he's the only one not performing, right?

So you say, I'm doing what I'm supposed to do. But you also supposed to take us over the time He did turn it over when game was on the line He did turn it over But I never see him taking the blame We're not necessarily taking the- Mike Brown this time He'd be the- Oh yeah Mike Brown

That's way to give it easy target Yeah easy easy target Yeah so after game four Discussions about whether the Knicks offence should run through Kat or Brunson Brunson appeared to make a statement in game five Like we mentioned taking those 23 shots I don't think anybody else in the corner lineup

take double digits. He was more off ball in that game, and they were running a lot of stuff through Kat. But is the Knicks' offense better running through Jalen Brunson or the Big Bodega moving forward? Man. I mean, it's just, it's Brunson or bust to me. It's just who they are. They're built around him. And as Roushad points out, he's kind of infallible, you know, like he's beyond criticism. he's got the greenest light you'll find this side of Christmas trees, right? And it just

it's, that last night was the essence of the Knicks where he's going to take 23 shots and he's going to take 15 more than anybody else takes. And the problem with it is that it's, it's kind, I'm not saying he's Alan Iverson, but he's

Iverson's size. He's something like that. He's in the ballpark of it somewhere. But Iverson took that team as far as he could get it. He got it to the finals. It's incredible. That's like one of the great achievements in the history of the sport, right? And then you know what happened?

Because it's going to happen, right? And with Brunson, I'm telling you, he's no more than six feet tall. And you can, there's a literal ceiling to how far he can carry a team. Right. Because Dyson Daniels is really good. You know, those guys, C.J. is wily good. And they can make it hard on him if the whole team is locked in, especially at home. And so to me, it's just him or bust.

It's who they are. It's how they were made. And that's their fiber and their character and their backbone is him. So I do like his backbone more than I. like Carl Anthony's backbone. He didn't his, uh, you can't say that on No.

He's two for two, scurre. You're two for two. You know, he said a backbone. Like his backbone? We give him a pass, bro. Season one, man. Season one, he good. He's with us now.

He with us. You with us, man. We let you go. Let him go. He cool. David Bronson did some clutch shots, though. He had a lot. No, he always does.

Yeah, he always did. I just thought about that, yeah. Well, will you say, like, is it better off with who, who's leading the team? I don't think Kat has ever been the driver. No. I don't think we've seen him in the driver's seat. And when he is- They tried it, though.

They tried it. When he was, he wants to shoot the three. He wants to shoot the three more than he wants to do what you said he's efficient at, which is imposing his will on the defense, being a lot of. aggressive driving those bigs. This shouldn't be a series where Kat doesn't dominate similar to Joel Embed against the Boston Celtics. We've got two

bigs you know can't guard you. Nobody on this front court is fucking with me. So I should, Jalen Brunson and the rest of y'all should be rallying around my mismatches. And we should be imposing our will showing

different elements of our team, different dimensions of our team. We only show one dimension, which is Jalen Brunson and what he does. But the other dimensions as far as Kat being able to mid-posts, pick and pop, drive to the lane, throw it in the post. He floats around a three to where. He do too much of the other shit that doesn't make me feel comfortable giving you the keys and say, hey, drive this. But we can't force leadership on a lot. Like, I think he's trying to force Kat to be a leader and he's not that. He's

He's not the guy that's going to... And it's a lot of people like that. KD. He's not that. Not the driver. Yeah, not the driver, but it just got gained. Yeah, can't deny their game. Can't deny their game. But they take that as a slight, like we're trying to be disrespectful.

Yeah, yeah, yeah. But it's like, bro, you're showing us we can't let you drive this bitch. Who's driving this bitch? Stevie Wonder? I mean, he is the highest paid player on the roster, though, so with that bread, doesn't that come the responsibility? But would he be if Brunson don't take the deal he took? Yeah. Brunson took the deal he took for.

for flexibility, it ain't got nothing to do with highest played, because he would be, right? It would be in the neighborhood, but Brunson's in third highest pay playing behind O'GN and Nalbighambe just keeping. Keeping score, but now that's let's shift to the Hawks real quick before we move on. So, series now returns to Atlanta, Hawks facing elimination.

Hawks starters have had a negative rating in each of the five games in the series so far. Benches had to come up big. Jonathan Cominga, been hit or miss, but have some great games in the series. So what do the Hawks need to do if they want to keep this series of last year. You seem to think that the Hawks are going to take this game six to force to game seven. Obviously, you just have to make more threes and you

shot 13 of 42 last night from three and you got to get the home crowd in it. So in the first quarter, you need to make four threes in the first quarter and get that crowd going because it's a good crowd and it'll be ready and they just need to, the whole pregame locker room focus should be we're going to make somebody else beat us. Let's take Jalen Brunson out of this. Let's jump double him every time, R double him, and see if somebody else can beat us

at our house. That's what I'm doing. I'm just, I'm daring somebody else to beat us because I'm just not sure they're capable of beating us. And they just have to be ready to play because they didn't care. They just looked like from the start. they were sleepwalking, and I don't know why,

but we see this in these playoffs series where a team just doesn't show up, and then it goes home, and it looks like somebody else. And I think they'll look like somebody else because you need that Tyrese Maxie thing in you, where you're going to get 10 rebounds at 6-2 or whatever you are. That's what they need. They got shamed on the backboards, 48 to 27.

You just need to take this personally and say, not in our house. Just play harder than the Knicks play. I think they're going to play better. Just young being at home playing in front of your home crowd. And I like what Atlanta is doing now. You see some of the same, similar stars at the game now. I like they're embracing the culture of Atlanta. And they just got to muck it up, make the game ugly a little bit.

Atlanta like to win through chaos, I feel like. Getting them rattled, making them sub bridges out, making him look crazy. Yeah, no, like something like this. Going at the mismatches. And that's how they pull things out. Just continue to do with that. Make them rattle. Rattle New York up, you know, get towns putting his hands up all day.

Like, they're going to do this like. So after all that? After all that. Skip, you say they need more three-point shooting, right? They got Buddy Hill sitting on the bench. They do. Kisper sitting on the bench. Yeah, they got in late last night.

They got, they do got Buddy Hill. Buddy and Killsprud were both shooting, well, let's just say Kisper is shooting 35%. And there's someone else on there that's actually. pretty good at the three reshachet. Oh yeah. He's shooting 36. He's falling out of the rotation. Completely out. So Quinn Snyder needs to reevaluate

what that changed. DMPs. DMPs for sure. I think Dyson Daniels at this point is a liability. He's not shutting down anybody. He's actually out there not taking shots

in the middle of the floor. They're daring him. They're daring him to shoot it. And I don't think that your defensive pressure and your defensive availability is changing the game. Yep. When we need points and we need three point shooting. So I'm subbing, like you got three point guards, essentially, between Daniels, McCullough and Alexander Walker in the starting lineup. So is he a point or it's just, he's a two, right? He's just one of those dual guards that you can, you can throw in.

Yeah. And he plays defense. But he plays fast too, but you got Nikiel and you got CJ. CJ is a defensive liability, but he's a veteran, savvy, experienced guard that can play both. But when you need shooting, like you're saying, and you got Jalen Johnson out there, he's not playing the central role he was playing in the beginning of the season, which was point forward. He's now just playing forward. Yeah.

A Congo, he's not. I've never been sold on him because I know he's a very solid player. He plays his position well. He can shoot it. He can stretch it. Just solid. Solid. Just solid.

But if he's not giving you what you need, right? You've got to play either small and fast or you got the other big kid. It's town's too big for Jayman Johnson. I've been saying Johnson should be guard. That's what I'm saying if you go small. But they play Towns and Robeson together. Oh. Yes, that's what they've been doing.

They've been playing them together. So it puts Johnson on Robinson and Cominga and one of those guys on towns. That's why he goes to the post. But if you need three-point shooting, Buddy Hill, Rishashe, and Kisper need to be playing more minutes so that they can get out more microwavable points. Because you're not going to win with this particular lineup. It's proven. You had a good game with McCullough, played great.

He gave you a game. He gave you a game. And then you got Kameenga, and those guys came off the bench. It gave you another game to get you two to one. Now you've lost two straight. And I was kind of like, well, we need to change something. We can't keep playing the same way. So where's the offense going to come?

Especially when you got a guy like Buddy Hill, make or miss. He can get hot. Man, get you a picture moment. He can definitely give you some friendship for sure. Sure. And if you're not, they're not taking advantage of that. Gay Vincent shouldn't be on the floor. Say they win.

Say New York win. I've seen him in the NBA final. Do the second round starts. Say New York win and Boston win both games sixes. When do? I prefer the next couple days after that. On Saturday, this weekend, it'll be this weekend. Yeah.

If they both. That's what going to happen then. This weekend is just they're going to. finish it out. Boston, New York, Saturday or Sunday. Really? I think they stretch it out. They got to play that long. They got to. Ratings, storylines.

They can't have everybody go seven. Rends do a new TV, a new streaming TV. That's why you got to make these games compelling. Can't go seven every round. Trying to keep going to be sidelined. Can't go seven every round. And the final is going to be a nasty game. Ah, it's just going to be stretched out.

Nah, it's gonna be Lakers going seven. OKC walk through versus... No, that's right. We will stay. Nuggets gonna go seven, they gotta go. Well, they see chilling right now. Yeah, as they should. And then they play the Lakers next.

Mm-hmm. May have Austin Reeves back, may not. That's why you gotta stretch it so that Luca and them have more time to heal. We may not see Luca. You have to stretch it to seven. There's no other choice. That's all for saying. No other choice.

If you don't, if they're going to be chilling again. Chill it again. Chill it again. That's what I'm saying. All right. Well, let's shift over

to the Western Conference. Spurs handed the Blazers back-to-back losses in games three and four without and with Wimby. Overcoming a 15-point deficit in game three, 19-point deficit in game four to post

double-digit wins in both of those games. Series returned back to San Antonio for game five. It took a team effort from the Spurs to clinch the series with a gentleman's sweep. Let's take a look at the highlights, if we can please.

Spurs shot 67% from the field in the first half, jumping out to a 20-point lead at the break. Their defense was also impressive, holding the Blazers a 35% shooting in the game, 23% from distance. Six San Antonio players scored in double figures in this one. De Aaron Fox followed up his 28-point performance in game four with a team high, 21 points along with nine assists. Wimby stuffed the stat sheet yet again,

putting up 17 points on 5-of-7 shooting, along with 14 rebounds and six blocks. Winbeat first player with consecutive games with 10 plus rebound than six plus blocks since Hakeem in 1997. Julian Champani had his best game of the series going five for seven from deep and finished it with 19 points.

Spurs up 21 entering the fourth quarter but the Blazers tried to rally in the final frame going on an 11-0 run to cut the deficit to single digits. But Deering Fox had 13 in the final frame including a stretch where he scored nine straight for the Spurs to keep the game out of reach for the Spurs going to win their first

playoff series since 2017 will now await the winner of the Nuggets Wolf series said they needed them in the clutch needed him to be the go-to-goy medication. We see Wembe with that block his father also very impressed. Sit out of here.

By that both sharing a smile during the game. So Wimbi and his teammates were emotional on the bench at the end of this game, and the alien had this to say about winning his first career playoff series. Yeah, when Mitch shoved everybody out,

I saw all y'all have just a moment at the end of the bench. Why so much emotion after that? Because it feels like a step past, a step well done, you know? And I'm personally happy. to see things on moving forward and in the right direction. Moving forward in the right direction. So Skip, what did we learn about the Spurs

in their first playoff series win in the Victor Wimbignama era? Man, they look invincible to me. They have a closer who a year ago was chosen, voted most clutch in Deeran Fox, and he was really good last night because they were in a bit of trouble.

It felt like last night when it got down to nine, and he just said no. And they have the ultimate eraser, obviously, and the alien who swatted Obdea shot out of the gymnasium. You know, like it went completely out through the window and out into the street. I don't think I've ever seen a more forceful block than that one that was launched. If there's a record length of a block shot, that would have maybe set the all-time NBA record for length of travel of block shot. And yet, as excited as they were, because a lot of them are just playing their first playoff series, and as impressive as they are, and with the national media, just going crazy for Wimby because he's such a draw, and he's going to fuel the ratings from. here on. And it feels like the national media is driving the bandwagon as Spurs are the favorite now. And yet and still, I looked at the odds, the Las Vegas betting odds right here, right now,

and Oklahoma City remains a prohibitive favorite. I mean a runaway favorite because Oklahoma City is minus 130 right now. Boston is the second favorite in Las Vegas at plus 490 and San Antonio is third at plus 550. So Vegas just keeps screaming back at all the hype. No, no, no, wrong. It's still thunder, thunder, thunder, even though the thunder are without their all-star co-star in Jalen Williams

and it's scary man and I just don't know he's going to play a little he played 33 games in the regular season now he's played two out of four playoff games and I don't know if he's going to be in game shape with his hamstring pull on the other leg

in time for what shapes up as the conference finals and I don't I don't know without him at full strength in full shape strength I just don't I don't know if they can withstand the firepower that this team

displayed against Portland and obviously they beat Oklahoma City four out of five times but they beat the Thunder three times in 12 days very early and just for the record

what happened in those three games was that She Giles and Alexander in those three losses shot three of 17 from three and then proceeded to shoot 39% from three for the season, which was his career high. So he just had three really bad games in three days, and maybe it's because of Stefan Castle and people Vassell getting up in him

in ways that others can't. And yet that was the story of those games. And if you look at Wimby's performance against the Thunder this year, he played all five games, he just blocked a shot of game. So actually in the five games, Oklahoma City blocked more shots than San Antonio. It was 31 to 24 team blocks. And Wimby had six. So he had six last night against Portland.

He had six in five games against the Thunder. So they play against him pretty well. And because SGA just seemed to get better and better down the stretch that he's so good in the clutch himself. By the way, over the last 14 games that he's played in the fourth quarters, he's made 16 of 17 shots in the fourth quarter. So he's just like ridiculously clutch. So Vegas is just saying, okay, we see that. But no, no, it's still all about the thunder.

And I don't think you're going to agree with that. No, because, I mean, Vegas has never really been right when they picked the first winners, right? The first winners when OKC won at all. Vegas wasn't favoring OKC to win it. It wasn't favoring Denver to win it. It wasn't favoring Milwaukee to win it. They had Denver. It wasn't favoring Boston to win it.

Like the winners. Last year, I think the Thunder, I think they were favored all year long. Not against Denver, really? No, they were. I think once the playoffs hit, it was up in the air based on Ant Man and all of the different teams on the West that were playing well. But once they got to a certain point, it was like, okay, who's going to be. Did they have Denver over Minnesota before Ant Man got hurt?

Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. So Vegas to me is it's iffy, but I look at the potential matchup in a mature aspect now. The maturity aspect for

Chet Hongren when he played against Wembe in those early games, those five. That was a personal matchup. And you got to think about that matchup from this standpoint. Wemby's coming off of injury and he's on a minimums restriction. This was his first game against this We beat y'all five times

So much has changed since then Where you're talking about an even more mature SGA A more mature roster as far as Caruso Wallace All of those guys Joe Isaiah Joe all those guys are now playing with confidence Even Jalen Williams And A.J. Mitchell has assumed the co-star Now he has to go back because remember even then he was

Co-Star while Jalen Williams was down And so now what I look at now is how San Antonio has to, with the mature approach, say we're not the same team. They're not the same team. We have a more mature wimby who understands that I'm not taking it personal against him now. We need to take it personal against them now. And this is us against them, not me against him. And I think Castle was taking it personal with SGA.

I think those guys were really wanting to shut him down. But like you said, SGA without Jalen Williams? It's tough on him because now we have three guys that we can center around SGA. We can, hey, those guys are going to hit shots. You know, Wallace and Dort, they're going to hit their open shots. We can depend on that. But when you look at Keldon Johnson, you look at Harper, you look at the utility guys for the Spurs outweigh the utility guys for the OKC.

And I'm looking at when this matchup happens. you say to yourself, who's going to be the outliers? Who's going to be the utility guy that takes us over the top outside of Wemby and SGA? And it's got to be Deeran Fox. There's no other matchup for you that should stop you. And it should be champagne. That 19 points you had, that's what I always say about them. Him and Harrison Borenz has to have good games, every game.

Whether it's 15, 19, 13, you got to give me some double digits. and we got to have some type of energy from you. But this particular matchup, I see San Antonio taking Nick there, but I don't see OKC bowing down. I don't see them not showing up at full capacity when it comes to Chet being more mature. He has actually looked very locked in. It was like a totally different player

than he was when he was playing against Wembeen. And I think that that should be the one thing that they should lean on is, Chad, you got to give us more in these matchups. Yeah. And Lou Dory and all you guys, I know you're going to be heroes, but... I mean, even without Jaylor Williams, though.

I like the Spurs. They look like they sent the message for, like, we're not the future we right now in this, but playing against OKC or any team other than the Blazers, you can't be down like that. You're not going to be able to come back from six... Down 16 or something like that versus OKC. Yeah.

You're playing the Blazers, a playing team at the end of the day. But I do see them, they can't get past. I feel like they can't get to the finals, but I don't feel like they're going to win it this year. I feel like New York or Boston would be a better team. You think they would beat San Antonio? I think for sure Boston would beat San Antonio. Well, the Knicks beat them in the... That's what I was saying, yeah. I just don't feel like they mature enough yet, but it's just showing that the future is going to be through San Antonio. You just do. don't like Wimby, man. I love

Wimby. You love Wimby now. He's a liar. He's a liar. He's a liar. He said, why are we going to give him all the stuff now? Why we got to get it in the future? Who was who else going to get it now? Why can't he get it now? Yes, he does deserve it. You can't deserve it average in 20 and, what, three, because you got three blocks? No, because we were

predicted 11. That's like giving it to Jayon Day. We were predicted 11. Jalen Johnson doing similar things. No. We were predicted 11th. We are number two. What was the number one team? The same. Four times.

We beat the number one team. The hawk wasn't supposed to be number five? Though you said the Hawks? Six. Yeah, six, six. The Hawks don't have this guy. But it's their conference. But I'm not saying, they look like they're ready.

But when you look at the games versus the Blazers, they was down, down every game almost. But we can't say the Blazers don't got good players. But no, you can't. They were a playing team. They got good players that can play. And if you don't show up to play, they will whoop your ass. At the end of the day, there was a playing team. Of course.

And you're going against the number one seed that won a championship that seen everything. You're going against a Joker that won a championship, seen everything. And we beat y'all four times. If Ant Man's Healthy, you're going against a team that been to the Western Conference Finals. Those guys, they're not going to let, like, okay, see, what they did the, um, Phoenix. Show no mercy. Sweep they have. You're going against a team like that.

They're not... Who are you talking about the Blazers? No. Phoenix. Okay, C. Yeah. I mean, they... No, you're saying that you're going against a team like that.

You're saying we going against a team? Yeah, you be going against a team that got championship pedigree. They're not going to be down. They're not Boston where they're going to shoot themselves. I've never seen OKC lose a 20-point lead like that. Yes, you have because you said that they was going to win during the season.

You said, okay, see, going to be dispersed by 20 this game. And they guess what happened? They lost by 20. But guess what happened? They was the number one seed without their Scotty Pippen or something. 39 and 10 in the regular season without Jalen Williams. Two and them in that season without Jaylon. It's a reason why they rest in him right now.

But he was playing during that time. Because they know that they trust their team. Like when you have that type of confidence in your players and you've been there before, you're not rushing somebody back. They're not the Lakers. They didn't need the rush AR back. They don't need the rush Ant Man back. They know they're, they trust their players.

But you also know that when he does come back, we've gotten our asses whooped with him on the team. We don't matter him with him or without him. They lost the teams last year. Same way. We're talking about this year. We're talking about that early in the year, man, you got your ass with our guy. Now we're going to wait to him to get back and still be with the same excuse

He ain't fully healthy He's trying to return from the injury I don't give a fuck about nothing to watch out You down 16 to a but we overcame it because Because as a team when we have our alien on the floor What happens when we have our alien on the floor when he actually knows what to do to get us back into the game when we dig ourselves a hole Let's get together and play defense one stop at a time They're not like that.

They just made a run as a good team. What's Shay going to do? The same thing. We can get Shea in foul trouble. Wow. He can't guard those guys. I mean, what did the Thunder do in the regular season against the Spurs squad?

One and four, like Skip pointed out. Smacked him. We were surprised by that. But you talk about San Antonio being down in games three and four at Portland. But game three without Wemby, Define Castle come with 33, Dillon Harper, 27.

Come on, man. I'm just saying game four. They stepped up. When did Portland become a team that we say, oh, my God? They beat over eight different teams this year that were actually above, what I think it was above 500? I want to say Blazers gave the Thunder their first loss of the season, too, if I'm not mistaken. They played a lot of good teams well this season, bro.

They're not a slouch. Their identity as a team doesn't really reflect their record. They play better than their record actually shows, especially against good teams, which is why they played the dispersal. What did we say before? We said that this particular series, the Blazers can go get one or two.

Easily. With or without, this was with Wemby. Like, they can go in there. They're pretty good. The fact that he's saying that, I would have said they couldn't get no games against OKC.

No way. The same thing is Phoenix. No way. Same thing as Phoenix. They're even a better matchup against O KCC. It would have been a sweep. On paper, they're a better matchup. What happened in the previous game at Portland?

Portland's up 17 and half. We get to go and recalibrated in the locker room. That's not happening against O. Yes, it is. It's happened. I want them to be down 17. We're not worried about OKC because we know what they got. I'm just saying, not right now.

They're not ready. No problem. Regular season is a regular season. No, there's the playoffs. And Roshad, I got to defend SGA on one thing. you say they can get him in foul trouble. He did finish fifth in overall defensive winshares. Man.

He had two of his teammates finish ahead of him because Chet was two and Case and Walsh was three. But my point is, the winshares say he is really good on defense. Obviously, he's not taking the guy on the other team because he's got Casein Walsh and Caruso and Dort. That's the same way with Luca Donchers' winchair would be up too, right? Yeah, but it's not top five.

It ain't top five. Yeah, because it's Luca. Because Luca's notorious for not playing defense, right? But his winchairs has increased based on him playing the worst defense or the worst offensive player on the fucking floor. So I get the stats look great, but we're talking about when you got a guard, Stephon Castle. When you got a guard, Deeran Fox. Let him shoot. When you have to switch out and you have to guard Wimby or.

Let him shoot. I mean, Castle can't shoot. Let them shoot. It ain't about let them shoot. Yes, it is. It's about stop me from driving. That's easy. You can't.

It ain't easy. It ain't easy. It ain't easy. That's where you get your foul. Why do you think Lou Dorton and them get actual files because they're playing defense? If you don't get four fouls a game as a fucking basketball player, you're not putting any effort into playing defense. No. Any effort.

That means you're not playing defense. No. So if we're going. That means you're playing defense right. If we're going at SGA, literally our game plan is to make sure we take him out of the end. That over sound right. Who has the better defensive team between Oklahoma City and San Antonio? No, no, it's by far.

Yeah, that's what I'm saying, man. By far. All of our guards can play. And we're not one-dimensional. So when you talk about actually the dimensions of defense, we don't just go out there chasing a bunch of guys around and hacking them. I sound like that with Boston. We're not doing that. I sound like that.

We're guarding. We're guarding. I sound like that in Boston. I sound like that with our plus minus is out of Boston. Come on, man. Okay. The defensive stats, defensive efficiency, scream that Oklahoma City is much better than Santa Clara.

Of course, they're the number one team in the NBA. They have all of these stats. But what does it say when we beat y'all four games to one? It's safe. It didn't say you're number one still. That defense didn't go glaring out of the fucking universe. We were whooping your ass four-one. Where was that?

defense then. Okay, but you won three games in 12 days. Then the next game at Oklahoma City, SGA played and killed you. Just shot you out of the building. We gave you that. Then the fifth game, SGA did not play. So I'll give you the first three in 12 days. That's what it was. We'll take it.

We'll take it. Yeah. It was a while ago though. We'll take it. We'll take it. Nothing has changed on our well, a lot has changed on our side. A lot has changed. You have won a playoff series. You do have Wemby now a little bit more battle tested. And he's playing more minutes, and we got a group of guys who are actually bought into what he does for the team. So I think it's going to be different.

Let's talk Wemby just a moment. Impressive in his first career playoff series, becoming just a fourth player in history with 80 plus points, 35 plus rebounds, and 15 plus block shots in their first four playoff games, joining David Robinson, Alonzo Morning, and Tim Duncan, with Wimmy being the only one in that group to hit threes as well, hit seven in this series. So after the Spuror Series clinching win, Shaq had high praise for Wimby on Inside the NBA, calling him the first perfect big man that's ever been created.

Masha, when you hear that, obviously, coming from Shaquille O'Neal, one of the greatest big men of all time, what are your thoughts on Shaq saying Wemby is the perfect big man? Perspective. Shaq has given a very high intensity of perspective of what the big man position entails, especially when you talk about being able to have moves in the post, being able to be 7-6, being able to shoot free throws.

That's what he got a work on though. The Post is, Post. No, he got him. He got him. It's just about who he's down there with. They don't have the body size yet to be down there. He got it all. He can do it all. But, yeah, to be able to handle the ball as a big.

Biggs always wanted to be able to handle the ball. Biggs always wanted to be able to dribble up and shoot threes. He can do all of those things. At a different rate than Joker and N&Bs, since these are other two bigs that can do that, the same thing so you can't take out of context to other two that do similar things but wimby is moving at a different velocity and when you can do what he does especially as far as passing he's throwing lobs he's doing those things and he's blocking shots and he's changing people's idea of

what it is to have a good shot a lay up or a dunk or a three even isolations on the perimeter you got to think twice about it now and as a big thing I think Shaq knows more about that than anybody between him, Hakeem and David, David Robinson and Tim Duncan. These are all guys in Wimby's ecosystem that he can reach out to. I'm just like they put him at the center too, yeah. This is, it is unheard of, and for him to be able to go out and work with these guys to get more insight about the game and including KG to that mix. You're talking about someone who's down the line when he gets to muscle on him. when he come see me to get some of this muscle,

get somebody pushing his pee around, you're going to be, he's going to be a different. The right way, though, right. Yeah, it's going to be different. He's going to be different. I promise you. Yeah.

Well, what you got? My thing with Winby when I say, why have you given him everything so early? Because right now I call him a lunchtime baller. But right, he's, He got a lot of gold bird in him right now. Like the goofiness. He do.

He got a lot of goofiness in him. And once he become more like Giannis and get his feet under him, get a little strong. That's when I feel like he's going to dominate and have everything. But right now he falls, he got a lot of goofy in him. Like, he falls and hurts his feet. Can't put his hands down. He's about one thing, bro.

He got. No, but he does that, though. His feet, like, he's lanky. Like, he ain't got his. like Bambi still. A 7-5 Bambi. You ain't never seen Bobby's world? That's what I'm saying.

But wait, this is going to happen. It's going to happen when he gets stronger, get his feet under, start dominating, dunking on people, hunking people. It's going to happen. So right now, just because we haven't seen something like that and it's so early, I feel like we're rushing to put things on him. So would you say he's on the trajectory, though, because he's going to be the perfect big man? It's going to be the guys that they're going to say, finally say better than Jordan. He's going to be that person. Well, I mean, they've seen.

Because they hate everybody else, but it's undeniably. You got to put him as one of the best players that ever play this game when it's all sitting done. But right now, right now, right now, we can't give him nothing? He's Jordan with the, against Boston. 63 in the garden? He's doing 63. He's winning playoff series, though. And he got swept.

And he got swept that series. You know, the four juggles between the legs, that they both were just over. Do you remember what happened after that series? Larry Burr said, we just played against Jesus. That's what we're doing right now. Yeah. What do you mean?

So that means we're giving him everything now. Was Jordan MVP then? Why does he need to be MVP? We just played against Jesus. Jesus. And you're not making him MVP? That was after they had gave that. That was after.

He made that statement in the player. But they've seen that all year. Bro, not that performance. That performance was the performance. So only one performance made him say that. 63 in the garden against the boss. He was averaging 30 that year as a bit. Swaggy, Wimby youngest defensive player of the year.

Envenous. First unanimous defensive player of the year. Come on. Or top three MVP. Like I said. Candidate. It's a little different. It's a little different, bro.

No, like I said, we're giving him everything. And you got to. Are they giving it or is he taking it? Is he not taking it? I don't feel like he's taking it. They would have gave him. He's not taking a year. He's not taking that.

They would have gave him that if he was the case. Realistically, do he deserve to be in the MVP race? Yes. That's what I'm saying. You don't feel like. Realistically. Who are you? putting in front of him.

Real list. Who are you putting in front of it? How much he average? Now you talk about average. That's what we talk about. You can't do that for him and not do it for Boston with Jackson Taylor. Yes, you can. Blew everybody out.

He was averaging more points. Yes, you can't do that for him. Donovan Mitchell. 25, 12 and three blocks, right? 25, 12, three blocks. Yes. Bo. And Jaylen was average 28 and Jalen Brown averaging down in 30.

And they both in the second team with a worst team. Donovan Mitchell, with a less team with the less team. Donovan Mitchell was average of 28. But according to the square media swaggy, Wimby had the greatest defensive season. That's why he deserved that. He deserved that. But if you're talking about the greatest defensive season in the history. And you talk about all valuable player.

He's mentioning right now a total stats of the total game. Defense don't make you MVP. No it don't. Dennis Roberts would have been MVP. But the combination. The combination. Drayman Green. No, the combination makes you an MVP.

MVP candidate. It makes you an MVP candidate. The combination of Tim Duncan being able to give you 24 and 12 in his third season gave him the right to be considered a MVP candidate. A guy averaging 30 some points in fifth in defense, number one, all in without his co-star, and he's still fighting for MVP. Yes, he's still fighting for me. That don't make sense for me. It does. It does. It doesn't. Because then you, you would say, well, why isn't Luca the fucking MVP? Because he's not in all the stats. He has better stats than the guy you talk about. The guy you talk about, Luca

Dantis has better all around stats than him except for defensive winchair. That's it. So why is Luca not even in... You just said defense was one of the main things. So why is Luca? Well, you're talking about just offensive stats. You say you can't put him in there because he's 25 and 12 and 4. That

ain't good enough. But Luca Deuter leads the league in scoring. He's averaging eight rebounds, eight assists, and he has better stats than the guy you talking about. He's like Winby on offense. Why are you not? Winby or offense. But why are you not giving him MVP?

He should be in there. Why is he not? Winby. No, it ain't Winby. And it's another thing, Winby. Top five in what, defense, top 20 in offense. And? Luca, top five in offense, top 20 in defense.

And? What's the difference? So you said defense is more, it's better than offense? Well, we're going to go with the metric that you use when you talk about SGA. You said, we're number one. He's top five in each category. You said, he's top five in offense and.

This is your argument, Nick. Your argument goes, but we're number one in the league. He's number one and he's top five in both. So, Luca's not. And he's fighting. Luca is number, what is the Lakers? Four, three, three. Three.

Spurs is two. SGA in the thunder or number one? The only reason you got SGA being the number one candidate is because they're the number one team, bro. Lakers were four. If he was, if the thunder was number four, SGA wouldn't be in the conversation because he's not number one. And then we would propel whoever's number one, the reason why he's getting them, because he's number one. That's the criteria.

Wait a second. Better stats than SGA? Luca. Offensive stats. Okay. Luca led the league in turnovers. That's one. Shot 36% from three.

SGA shot 39% from three, right? Luca's a horrible free throw shooter, and SGA is not. That's like a 10% gap there, right? Who gets to the line more? He shot more free throws, and SGA for the third straight year led the league in free throw makes, shooting fewer free throws a game. How many fewer? One fewer?

0.5 fewer. 5. You talk about those stats. All I hear is Sheafalbaden. You can say turnovers. You can say XYZ, but the numbers still are glaring when you talk about actually rebounding, actually passing, triple doubles,

all of these different things every night. What about mid-range jump shots in this league this year? SBAA led the league in mid-range jump shots made 59%. That's extraordinary to me. Is it? Or if you could shoot step-back three-pointers, it would be less extraordinary, right? But he made 39% and he's improved each of the last 40-5% percent of him.

He's not shooting step-back three-pointers. He's shooting swing-swing-three-pointers. Luca Dantz is shooting step-back three-pointers, and he's not going down there, you know, shooting the mid-range at that incredible rate. I don't know. SGA is starting to shoot step-back. Yeah. He made him against Phoenix, boy.

He missed him against the Spurs. Okay, but that was in December. What was that? He missed them all against the spurs, right? Right? That was the only time he missed it. And he went on, he went on to shoot 39%. He went on to.

Okay, allow me to say about Shaq, I was shocked that he said what he said about Wimby and a little disappointed in Shack overreacting. Yeah. Because now the bandwagon is rolling because they realize Wimby is going to fuel the ratings and and they think as I think you do SGA's just boring people. He just doesn't capture

the imagination and I don't know why. We've caught on this conversation before we've caught on to what he does. We're watching it in real time. You think he's a free throw merchant right? I just think that what he does we can see it now. It's not anything incredible. We can say that 30 points per game on 55% Bro, you can say all that shit. Like, we ain't never seen that shit before.

Like, we watched guys score 30 points in this league before. And they gave the greatest. That's great. That's great. But we see how he's doing it. It became the greatest. Then we see how he's doing it. That is the part that separates the praise from the criticism.

How you do it as a hooper. As an audience, like for fans and audience members, it's cool. Like, you're like, man, don't hate on them. As a hooper, when you're a hooper, when you're, watching you're like that's nasty man that's that you don't have to do it that way and he does it the best that way okay but if you ever in in all your time watching basketball seen a finesse player get to the rim more easily than SGA does consistently because he led the league and shots at the rindhison Tony Parker okay not like this this is six five six five and he snakes through

he just constantly get into the room he led led the league and shot at the rim and that's how he's scoring 30 again. You know why? We have to let you go because if we get close to you and sneeze on you, it's a fucking foul. Yeah, because he's the reigning MVP and he earned that. So before that, he was still getting fouls. Before he was the reigning MVP, he was still a guy who knew how to get foul, just like James Hardin. We've seen guys do it before, but this guy has figured out that the whistle is more important than the game itself because the whistle stops to play.

It accumulates points. It allows everyone to participate in the entertainment of the game. That's a different story. That's why Jalen Brown was complaining about it. It's like, why shouldn't I do what he's doing? Okay. My points per game can go up

based on me manipulating the game to get fouls. Why not do it? Everyone should do it. But is that the ethical part of the basketball? But what does it? When we talk about, hey man, when you're a hooper and you're

playing and every single player that you play against is out here foul baiting. It's crazy. That's crazy. If you whip somebody's ass and they tell you, but you didn't do it ethically, they still got to. No, it ain't about doing it ethically, bro. It's not about doing it. It's Peter Hay. That's some soft ass shit.

That's like playing against Duke and they always down there trying to take the charge instead of trying to block the shot. It's like, come on, JJ. Get your ass up. You just glamorized, you plan so. You said step back threes. But he led to lead. in fouls, right? Freethos.

Nobody saved nothing about it. No, Luca led the league in pre-throw. That's what I'm saying. Yeah, we do. Yes, we do. Nobody talk about Luca. Yes, we do. Luca is a foul baiter.

Brunson is a foul baiter. Denny Obia is a foul bait. Joker is a foul bait. All I hear is shape. And Bede is a foul bater. That's all you want to hear, bro. Open your ear. No, it's not.

Jalen Brown finished six and free throw attempts per game, but not a foul bender. Come on, man. He turned it up. and the tail end of the season. After he got off his stream, he was like, you know what, I'm going to start doing that.

I'm going to start doing that. Okay, so back to Shaq saying that Wimby's the perfect big man. So what is Shack's pet phrase? What is he known for? That's barbecue chicken, right? You take somebody down low and you just cook them

like their barbecue, right? I don't see that yet from Wemby. I think I will at some point. I don't see bar. I see the lob dunks. You don't want to see the new barbecue chicken. You still in Kentucky fried chicken. We got a whole new chicken shack.

The chicken shack is out in the perimeter. When you bring your ass out here now. Oh, man. You're a mushroom. You're a fried mushroom. It's tofu. You're tofu. Yeah, with barbecue sauce on it.

Yeah, yeah, yeah. Come out here now. You don't put no calories on here. This is a barbecue chicken for you out here. On offense, we open the show talking about Joelle and Bede. And he said after the, game, inside he said, nobody can stop me. That is the God's truth.

When he decides to play, nobody can stop him. Because his postgame is miles better at this moment than Wimby's postgame. Because he's just bigger and stronger and he's got, he wastes 300 pounds. He comes from a conventional lineage of big man. He went to Kansas where he did. He had no idea about a fucking jump shot or anything. All the billed self and those guys. They had to teach him how to be a big man.

Wimby does not have that. I mean, he thinks he's a two guard. Because that's what he learned. That's how I'm shocked. I'm putting him as a center. I thought you were making him a power forward. Regardless of where we put him, his size and his skills says,

I'm creating a new position. This is not old conventional, put you on the block. It wasn't saying it about Bobo. No. We're saying Bobo was a three. So Wimby is a three. that can play a 4, 5 because he knows how to play defense.

Not because he has post moves in the post. Not because he does jump hooks and none of that. He actually has ball handling skills. He shoots it off of one foot from the three foot. He does. No, it's. But that's a guard. He don't have no post moves.

You don't need them. You do. No one plays in the post. It's easy. No one plays in the post. Nobody can guard you when you do this. Obviously. So why wouldn't I shoot?

So when I shoot their three It's the same thing How crazy do I got to be to be bored of doing this and just Dunking on somebody? Three is more than two. He does a lot more than two, bro. I'm shooting one leg and threes. Shoot one leg at threes.

This is, this is, what are you talking about? He don't make them that much. That's why he just said the perfect big man. I can shoot threes of one leg. What are you shooting this year? 36%? 36%. Yeah.

Well, he's gonna be a three point shooter like he's just gonna be a three point like he's just gonna be a three point shoot. 35% from three. Come on, man, are you serious? That's what you want on the beach? Seriously, 383% from the line. 83% from the line? 51% from the line.

You talk about, bro. Did he cut down on his threes a lot this year? He did, way down. He did. 5.5 attempts where again, I think it was like in the 10 range last season. Okay. So why can that be considered perfect for a big? Well, he's clearly the perfect defensive big, ma'am, because we never see anything like this, right?

So I give you that part, but I don't get the offense. Of it's because you want to compare it too With the actual shack And all the conventional traditional Bigs And the game has evolved from that We can't use that metric As comparison to him

Because he's evolved from Get on the block Throw me to Carl Anthony Towns Joe L.M.B. We want to compare him to that He got a lot of car Anthony Towns in him He got a lot of How much weight does he need to gain

For us to say Now get in the post Talk to Wimmy Now get in the post. I mean talk to the Greek. Yeah. Why is Greek not considered

a conventional next level big? He was the most dominant player. How many post-ups do Janus actually take per game or does he take it off

the dribble? All right, Janus tacked people down and don't play it. Now what did Janus had to develop for him to be able to be effective

with dribbling the ball past guys and dunking it? He had to put on muscle not just to be down there back and down. It was, oh, if I'm going to really

get past these, guys, let me put some muscle on. Now they really can't stop me from getting there. That's what I'm talking about. But he's still not playing conventional five. He's still not playing conventional four. Here's the point. In Shaq's Day, would Drew Holiday have ever guarded Shaquille O'Neah? No. Seriously.

But you have no choice but to switch off. No, you wouldn't. You have no choice but to switch off. But we've seen Caruso Gar Yokin's, I'm just saying, but those guys that play on the perimeter, that I mean. Thank you, Joe. We've seen Caruso Gar Joker. We've seen Dreymont Green guard and Bede

What I just say? No, I said you can't do what you do with M.B. You can't put Derek White on M.B. No. I said that. I said you can't do that like they do with Jerusalem. They're too strong or too big. Or they're just double.

Well, they're just double. You need to. They double shake. Okay. You're double with me if you did the same thing. So I don't have the body that Joelle Mbede has, bro. I'm not that big. But you're athletic and you're almost a. almost a foot taller than everybody.

That's why you can't switch a Drew Holliday. When you lift your arm up and just jump, nobody's going to touch that. You can't get blocked. What does that have to do with me being thin? It can't get blocked. What does that have to do with me being thin? You can't get blocked.

It's like you're playing against kids. I can push you off the block, Nick. What are you talking about? Right now, he should be able. It's like you're playing against kids. If you got them there, Drew Holiday Guard, you, and you can't dump the ball,

that says a lot right now. If Drew Holliday is pushing me off the block, it don't matter. Because I'm thin and I don't have no weight on me. It doesn't matter whether I'm on the block or on the perimeter. When I jump and turn around, exactly. I'm right at the rim. Okay, if I'm right at the rim. I can dump the ball from down there anywhere.

Yes, Nick. And I doubt. Guess where I'm comfortable shooting the ball? Guess where I'm comfortable shooting the ball? From three. From anywhere. Anywhere. I'm comfortable.

I do not have to. shoot the ball where you want me to shoot it. I want to shoot the ball where I want to shoot. I don't see the winning right now until he get that. Until he shoot where you want him to shoot. No, until he gets that dominance. Like, like, Caruso guarding me. What the fuck? I'm trying to do

a step back three, four. I can fix it up. I'm a duck on him to show him switch early. He did that. He did that. He actually did that. He actually went down there and dunked the couple of time. He's done that. Back to back, dunk, switch early. Get the big on me. Then I can stop.

step back and shoot a three. When he get that understanding that's crazy. Bro, that's all. I only got a guard on me because I know you're going to shoot. Understanding coming from me gaining weight, bro. But that's what I'm you're still missing the biggest element. If I'm thin and Caruso know it, I can push this thin motherfucker off the block, there ain't

nothing. And Wimby's going to be able to do for that until he gets more weight. Until then, I'm shooting this bitch over top of y'all. Until y'all adjust. Because you can't adjust to that. But why at the three point line? Because I can make it. I'm 35%. And I turn around and do the same thing.

What the fuck is the difference? It's down there 100%. Yes, it's a greater percentage, bro. But if you're keeping me from being down there. But I'm saying he could do that. He could be Wilk Chamberlain numbers. Yeah. Will Chamberlain numbers right now.

That is true. Wilchamling number. He could be Will Chamberlain if what? If he just went down to the block? Yes. Right here. Every time. So that means that means that everybody that's that tall should go.

Nobody's that tall. Nobody's that tall. God damn. Ain't nobody that tall. Who you're gonna- Bobine, Bobine. Boban was that tall, Nick. Why the fuck wasn't Boban doing the shit?

Oh my God. Because he couldn't walk and chew guns. Oh, I thought it's because you just got to be big at the same time. You can just throw the bitch up there. You're that big. What about Taco Fall? Why the fuck wasn't he just doing it?

Why didn't they just put his big ass down and throw it to him and let him do the- because it ain't that fucking easy. He's doing it in China. It ain't that fucking easy. It ain't that easy. It ain't that easy. You know who the free throw merchant should be

is this guy. Man. He should just be down there. Like, thank you, and three guys are on him, and he just, he can dunk standing still. They don't give him fouls at all. Imagine how frail he is, and all he has to do is do this. Do what SGA does. How many, like you said, he should be the free throw merchant.

They don't give him none of those files. Do what SGA does? Yes. Or Luca does. Both. Who's the leading thing? Both. See how you go with it?

Combined them. Just wanted to point that out. Combine them. Just wanted to point that out. Combine them. The Euros. Yeah. You have Wembe as the MVP?

Yes, I do. And SGA had a better year this year than he had last year. I don't want to hear all that better year shit. You lost it. I don't want to hear about that shit. Yeah. Because Joker had a better year.

Joker had a better year. Did. That is true. And when Embedededed had a better year, he lost. Yeah. So all that better year shit is out the window. It's what we're having this year. This year, this guy, when you look at the film, you look at the tape, you roll it back, you say, man, how can you not?

He plays both sides of the ball at the highest rate. Wait, didn't Joker beat Wimby like three out of four times this year? I think he did. Yeah. So wouldn't that matter if I beat SGA? Three out of the, wouldn't the same thing matter if he beating SBA? So the N-D-P-M-B-M-B? Yeah.

So, yeah. Yeah. I think Rudy-O-Berry. I think Rudy Goberra should be MVP then, right? Because Rudy Gober has been beating Joker's ass off series. Tell me something I don't know. I mean Denver going to beat the Spurs then. Well, it just means that Rudy Gober should beat the MVP.

Is Denver going to beat the Spurbs if you're going to buy your lottery? No. Fuck no. They beat them three out of four times. Oh. And the Spurs be okay. You think they're going to be OKC because they beat them three out of the five? I know they're going to be OKC because they got better team.

And in Joker's ties. Remember everybody said that Wimby's gonna be tired because he took the other route, right? You took the wrong route. You gonna be tired by the time you get to, okay, somebody else gonna be tired when you get to us. That is, you're gonna be tired when you come here, you gotta guard me now. We know you're not gonna guard me. Aaron Gordon gonna guard me. Somebody else gonna guard me.

But. I'm gonna go- Why would I guard you at the three-point line? Joker? Yeah. Because you can't move your feet, motherfucker. So why would I guard you at the three point line? Well, you wouldn't guard me at all. So Rashad, remember, Oklahoma City has game seven at home against San Antonio,

but I think you're saying it's not going to get to game seven, right? No. Oh, spicy take of the day. So what's going to be, what is it, Spurs and Five? Six. Six. Six. You know six.

Joy and no, me, save. They're going to M.JM. Okay. Oh, I'm going to MJM this way. A very spirited discussion today. Alright, so let's wrap up today with our playoff picks throughout the postseason. We'll be making team picks. Huh?

You seen what LeBron said? You didn't see that? What do you say? Who's the goal? LeBron said he to go again? Yes. Again? I thought he was going to talk about it.

Again? Why do we have to talk about things we already know? I'm tripping. Damn. You're tripping. That's all I'm saying. You know what? Let me shake your hand on that one.

Thank you very much, Ligie. We are SD and UCLA. together in perfect harmony. Now we're going to get into that tomorrow. We've got obviously Rockets, Lakers, game six tonight. Oh, five, excuse me. After they win, it's even better.

You're right. The Brown and Brownie Show. Don't want to be accused of glazing too heavily. Fused. On the Lord's Wednesday. Oh, man. It's the shit in between the mouth that's already giving it away.

Y'all got that white shit in the middle of your mouth. It's glazed automatic. You got to move that shit out the way. We got to break down very. Man, he's breaking down the barriers. Excuse me, can you get this homeboy a napkin or something over here? He's a little dripping over here on his lip. Currently, do not retrieve a napkin.

He is merely in jest. Throughout the post season, we're making team picks using underdogs prediction markets, which you can do as well. We'll keep a leaderboard of the couch's picks throughout the entire playoffs. Let's take a look at the updated standings through last night. Oh, man. Y'all didn't have by... That boy going. shot currently 19 and 12

in the 31 games he's picked Mr. B Brandon Jennings 16 and 13 in the 29 games he speaks Kenyon sitting at 500 right now 11 and 11 in the 22 games he's picked Swaggy You done? After they didn't have my Orlando bet

Still we've still got a chance bro I picked Orlando over the Hornets They gave you to You was at 6, they gave you 7 I won yesterday We got to pick one team bro You could have won more You don't even pick all the teams.

That's your fault. You could be 12 and 12 right now. I'm picking Boston every time. You could be 12 and 12. I'm going to end up winning the majority of time. Picking Boston every time. So if you're going to the finals, if you're going to the finals, that mean I'm winning the majority of the time. Who's at the top?

That's because you ain't got nothing to do. I just asked you a question. I just asked you a question. Who's at the top and who's been at the top? The people at the bottom. Who's having an MVP year? bottom are locked in to watch the game. Who's having an MVP year this year, Nick?

Let's be, let's talk it. Who's having an MVP year this year, Nick? Who's the real MVP, though? Huh? Who's having an MVP year? Yeah. Yeah, yeah. MVP.

That was easy. MVP year don't mean MVP, though. It don't. Well, let's get to our... It don't. Underdog playoff fix. Using the underdog prediction marks to have a couple potential close-out game tonight.

Start in the West where the Lakers have a shot to finish. Off the Rock. Not just a shot. More than a shot. More than a shot. Okay. Two shots. No, I'm just kidding.

No Kevin Durant once again for Houston. Oh, man. Do we know of Austin Reed's playing or he being lazy still? Meena. Meadee quick, boy. LeBronaVos. LaValle. Libiddy.

Libraudeeepardt, you got billboards all throughout LA. Is that the narrative? Luke Canardt still in your shine. Luke can't be the new Limit Daddy after the series. It's like one of 10% chance to win tonight, according to the $100 prediction markets. Rockets with a 30% chance to stay alive. Jbari Smith.

Jr. said he still thinks the Rockets are the better team in the series despite their three and one, being down three one. Everybody thought that to the King change. Yeah, there's a lot of, you know. To the King change people minds, you know. Anybody can't get it. Lakers at home. Will the Lakers advance at the Western Conference semifinals tonight or the Rockets going to extend the season?

Rockets win this one. Yes, I'm glad. Swaggy. You already know. I don't have to ask. To a King Lake Show. Lecron. Leakeman 5.

I don't know Jabari Turn over Well, I ain't gonna be here tomorrow The Braggabari So it's all good Tomorrow Jabari A Ferrari A Ferrari

Lakers and fire Skip how about you Who you got tonight Rockets Lakers game five By the way Lebron trying to make his goat case Over Michael Jordan

Is laughable I just wanted to say that For the record I just had to get that on the record Thank you The fan man Now Just wait to our 20-part series

Come down I know I got it The king and coming We'll close it out tonight. Way to go. Yeah. Skip, do you mean that or you're trying to jinks us? He's jimking for sure. He's jimpsing for sure. He's jimpsing for sure. I got to keep up your sleeve. That whole power just down there took over. Lakers by 20. Oh, see now you fucking eat that. See? Let me cut this hand off. Yeah. You got something who you know what to do. Because the opposite of me. I'm picking this and going there. So you're either one, you're going to go with me, you're going to skip with me. Lakers going to

go down either way. I don't know if I believe it, but okay, we will take a skip at his work. Got the Lakers at night by 20. Oh, you're going to tell them what Brandon and them shit was too, because they got this shit in here. Oh, wait. Brandon got Pistons, Lakers, and Caves. Okay. Mr. B, Pistons, Lakers, Cows. And Soda, Cien, they just copy in each other.

They just copy and paste of that shit. Pistons, Lakers, calves. Pissons, Lakers, Calf, for both of them. Okay. All right, let's shift over in the East and the most shocking series of the playoffs so far, Orlando Magic have a shot to pull off a massive upset send home the top-seated Detroit Pistons. Only four eight-seats have taken down on one seat in the past 25 years.

Last time it happened, 2023 when the eight-seeded heat took down the one-seated books in five games. Tonight, Pissons heavy favorites to keep the series alive. Detroit with a 77% chance to win tonight. Magic with 23% to close out the series. Swaggin' start with you. Did the Pissons keep the series alive? Don't be glad some thinking. Because I'm like, everybody's been losing this game six.

She just won't... No, no, no, no, no, no. You're smart. I'm thinking, I'm like... You've been going to class. It's 3-1 right now. It's 3-1 or 3-2, 3-2. 3-1.

3-1. 3-1. 3-1. Everybody's been losing that. Boston lost it. It's going to go 3-4-2. The series is going to go 4-2. Who are you got tonight?

Magic or Pissol. The Magic. Skip, who you're on with magic or business? God, I hate to go against the doctor over there, but... Listen, Detroit is a 9-9-8. half point favorite at home. They won the East by four games. They're going to win this game. They're just going to win it on pure pride. Really? Yeah, I'll go pure pride.

It's only game five. I'm going Detroit. It's going to go six. I'm going to Detroit. I'm going Detroit. Orlando and Six. And last one I leave finally staying in the East, Toronto and Cleveland, both taking both games on their home four series tied two games apiece. I'm going to Cleveland. Cleveland. Cleveland, 77. percent chance to win game five tonight. Shout out the AK with the stuff on the pick. Cleveland, Cleveland. Everybody, Beliefland and Cleveland.

Who operating the smoke machine? How come? Somebody back there. There's some shit going on back here. Every time we talk about Cleveland, some smoke come out there. There's somebody, man. Cleveland, very experienced, Cleveland, get a bigger market if you want more love on this show.

It's not up to me. It's what changes. It's nasty. Yeah, that's serious. Nasty. Yeah. Get more chilly. I don't like watching that at all, bro.

For sure. But shout out to everybody in the chat. Skip, appreciate you as always. Thank you. I might be at their Hawks game, though. Really? You know what I mean? Be at that Hawks in New York game.

I might be there. Get some lemon pepper? Oh, tomorrow. I may be there tomorrow. I might be there tomorrow. Now, if you are in the building. Yeah. I'm going to pick, make my picks from the sweet.

Okay. Oh, stay from a room. Or Magic City, one of the other. One? One of the other. You know it's lemon pepper. You don't even use a lemon pepper. I ain't had a lemon pepper in a while.

The Sweet or the Shade Club, either way. Both viable options to watch the game. But shout out everybody in the chat. Appreciate everybody on this couch, as always, in our entire crew. This has been another episode of Gil's Arena, presented by Underdog. Whoa! We will see y'all tomorrow!