IT IS WHAT IT IS - IT'S OFFICIALLY OVER FOR THE GOLDEN STATE WARRIORS BIG 3 | S3 EP75

Episode Date: April 17, 2024

Ma$e, Cam’ron & Treasure "Stat Baby" Wilson are back with another one!! ***NEW MERCH** Shop the Come And Talk 2 Me Store....https://comeandtalk2me.com  Please rate, review, and follow the podcast for more content.  Support the show and sign up for Underdog Fantasy HERE with promo code CAM and get a $100 first deposit match, and a Special Pick'em pick. Follow the show and our hosts on social media: It Is What It Is, Cam'Ron, Ma$e, and Treasure "Stat Baby" Wilson.

Welcome back to It Is What It Is. This episode is sponsored by Underdog Fantasy. The app is an easy way to make some cash just by making picks on your favorite players. Underdog is available in more than 30 states, including California, Texas, and New York, just to name a few. Make sure to support the show

by hitting the link in the bio and downloading the Underdog Fantasy app. They'll also match your first deposit up to $100, and you get a special pick when you sign up. I'm Treasure Wilson, aka Stat Baby, along with your hosts, Mace and Cam. Killer, what's good? What's good, bro? How are you? What's the deal? You missed it. I was about to do the intro.

I didn't miss it. I heard it, man. I heard the intro. I heard it I heard the intro I heard it You're the only one You're the only one Who hasn't done an intro Since the show started Well I'm gonna start With the intro next time

How about that How do y'all feel about that I think that's it I would love to see it On a Friday show. Give me the Friday. Okay. Well, y'all, we have a lot to discuss today.

We know that the play-in started and the Warriors lost to the Kings 118-94. Klay Thompson scored zero points in 32 minutes. Before we even can continue on, what do you guys think about that stat right off the bat? A donut. It's been a long time since I heard somebody say that. He had a donut. Yo, for real, that is crazy that Klay had zero points in 32 minutes.

I think it's safe to say the zero, the O is for Orlando. He's going to Orlando. He is out of Golden State. I'm officially saying there's no way they can keep him around. Zero point at 32 minutes. And especially when they're at the place where they're not, they lose a play-in. This is crazy.

This is a far away from championship team. It's been a horrible year for the entire staff and team of Golden State with what has transpired since they let Jordan Poole go. I'm thinking, was Jordan Poole that important? That all they did was move Jordan Poole and bought the Black Cat. You know who the Black Cat is, Killer? Who's the Black Cat, Murda? Chris Paul. They got Chris Paul and now they're not even in the playoffs.

This is crazy. This is crazy. this is crazy this is crazy Allstate I hope they're insured this season with Allstate sounds like a conspiracy but that's a good analysis cause that's probably

First of all Jordan Poole's probably Feeling great right now Niggas didn't even make The playoffs I left Nigga when I was there We was a championship team

I leave And nigga They don't even make The playoffs So did Did I need them Or did they need me Poole's

You know that's how He feel like Oh yeah Yeah What are you thinking Killer Cause that's how he feel it. Oh, yeah. Yeah. What are you thinking, killer? Because that's what I got to say. I'm pretty sure Stata has other questions,

so I'll just stay focused on this one particular question. As far as Klay Thompson scoring, zero points is terrible. It's disgusting. It's not what we're used to. It's terrible. It's disgusting. It's not what we're used to. It's unacceptable doing this on a contract year when your contract is up. It's crazy. Your contract's up, bro. I don't know what you expect to get with that performance. You know, at the end of the day, you got to go out on your shield when your contract is up.

You know, at the end of the day, you got to go out on your shield when your contract is up. So. Zero points from Clay Thompson. I was I watched the whole game. It was disgusting to watch. And I'll let you say more about the game or other questions you may have. But just as far as elaborating on Klay Thompson scoring zero points, this will affect his bottom line next season, no matter where he's at. Even if he goes to Orlando, New York, whatever team, even if he stays, especially if he stays in Golden State, all the discount prices are on.

The discount is up. Super duper up. Like, you better not even think of trying to... Do not come in my office with your agent asking for nothing crazy, nigga. Slap the shit out you, nigga. Fuck on with you. Get the fuck out of here, bro. And just to think

of some of the players that were playing on Sacramento, just to see... This game... Like I said, we'll move on. I'll let you get to the next question. But for Klay Thompson, this was bad. This was really, really bad. So wait, wait, wait.

No, let's not leave this statement so quickly. How much would you pay him? How much you paying Klay come this summer if he comes in Cam's office? How much are you pay him? How much you paying Clay come this summer if he comes in Cam's office? How much are you paying him? I would have to look at the salary cap. I don't know it off the top of my head. But it's, you know, niggas like Clay, who's 33, 34 years old.

I'm not sure exactly which one it is. They're looking for these match contracts on their way out or before their basketball life, so to speak, is up. You got to think about it, Murdo. Steph Curry, right, is 35 years old. I don't care if his contract is up next year or the year after,

which will be 36 or 37. I'm giving Steph the max. I'm giving him the max at 37 years old for five years or four years, whatever you can get for that time period. I don't know what the salary cap is because we see a lot of bums getting a lot of money. And you'd be like, damn, how did he get 80 million? How did he get nine? Because the salary cap keeps rising every year off the player bargaining agreement. So off the top of my head,

I don't know what the salary cap is, but if you're asking me what he's worth in today's NBA, and I will say this, in today's NBA, I think they signed Chris Middleton a few years ago for $170 million.

For four years, I believe, four or five years. I'm going off just a contract that I know off the top of my head. Clay? $120 million, maybe? $110 for five? You get $20 a year, which is not, I mean, it's money. I'm not going to ever say it says like it's not money but when we have contracts coming out with jaylen brown getting 325 mil then you know

jason tatum's gonna get more than that yannis saying but yannis i'm trying if i don't pronounce his last name right getting 280 million dollars stuff getting 250 million dollars Damian Lillard's on his second $250 million contract or more on his second time. You know, so you have players who's getting money, and I know $110, $120 million, you're like, damn, that's a lot. But in today's market, for the caliber of player, depending on what you are, you're going to get some buckets. You're going to get some money, pardon me.

You're going to get some chicken. There's some niggas out here getting last offseason it was about seven, eight, nine niggas. I didn't even know who they were. They like, he just signed for 62 million and so and so, so and so just re-signed

for 70 million. I'm like, who the fuck is these niggas? 60 million? I never even heard of this nigga. So, you know what I'm saying? So I'm just saying with a name like niggas. 60 million? I never even heard of this nigga. you know what I'm saying? So I'm just saying with a name like Clay, I wouldn't go over. If I was Clay, me personally,

I would take a one-year, two-year deal and I know he's not going to do that to get my name back. This, trying to go into a long-term deal with the season he just had, terrible, terrible. I'll say, give me a two-year deal, try to get myself together, and then go for a bigger contract before I have to retire.

But if he don't get together the next two years, it's going to be even worse. He plans to catch 22 on both sides. So me personally, he comes in my office. I don't care what organization I'm with. He can't get more than 100. And 100's a lot. We got to think about Draymond Green last year,

just re-signed for four years for $100 million. Chris Middleton actually just re-signed his last contract for $100 million. So it's people of his caliber getting $100 million, but we can sit here and argue and say, I gave Draymond $100. As much as Draymond is disruptive and causes his team problems and gets ejected,

everything else, he had a great season this year, especially his three-point percentage was up high when he's on the court. The stuff that we talk about Draymond is the extracurricular activities. His basketball intensity cannot be denied. Even the game tonight, he played from start to finish,

pardon me, last night. They played from start to finish, up and down the court. Even when they were down 15, 16, 17 points with four minutes left in the game, him and Steph are still getting an effort. So you're not going to be able to buy that effort from Klay. To me, Klay tapped out at halftime, me personally.

So even 100 may be stretching. I have no idea, Mace. That's a great question. And maybe I could do some homework and look at other people's contract. But whatever it is, don't come in here with your chest out in my office. If I'm the GM. Please do not walk in here like that.

Don't do it, yo. So at first you said 110. Now you're saying no higher than 100. So you want to stay at 100? I started thinking about it, you know. I started thinking about it when know I started thinking about it when you asked me and I was sitting there thinking

I'm like damn I was thinking about Chris Middleton's contract prior to the one he just hey you know he got 170 he opted out his last year and he hadn't played

great seasons since the Bucs won so he like let me take this 100 same thing with Draymond Draymond may not have been playing as good as he was the last three, four years. So he took what Rich Paul could get him.

And that was pretty good. $25 million a year for what Draymond does is good. And to me, that may be underpaid because of his tenacity and what he brings to the table. We ought to realize Draymond Green missed several games. He missed games in the beginning because I believe the beginning of the season he was getting back from an injury. He got suspended once, then got suspended indefinitely. And he probably missed anywhere from 15 to 20 games, if I'm not mistaken,

which is a big chunk of games. That's why Steph Curry got so emotional when he got kicked out maybe three, four games ago because they know how much they need Draymond. Klay's not an emotional leader. Klay, you knocked the three down. You hit the open shot. You won the Splash Brothers, and that has not been seen all season.

We've seen flashes of it. We've seen flashes of it here and there, but we haven't seen what we're used to, and I can't pay you off what you did three years ago. Yeah, I think definitely. What would you give him? In closing, I would give him $120,000, and I would give him $120,000 because this will be the last time I pay him. That's how I'm thinking.

It's my last time paying him. He's done a lot for the franchise. This will actually be a going away present. Pause. Because I know after this, I'm not signing him again, but I want him to know that I do value what he did for the team, because if I give Draymond...

125 many years. Five years, but we're done after this. Even if I have to trade him, that's the market value that I would give him. Because if I look at somebody giving Middleton 100, then he does have four rings. So it's for everything he's done. It's like, I know his kids. I know his wife.

All of that. So you know I did you a favor. You know I did you a favor you know i did you a favor but this is the last one you know how you know people and you're giving them this money you know they don't deserve it but this is the last of what we're doing because i think even draymond getting 100 draymond has been a great disruption to that team especially last. He got pooled out of there. And this year, he came back with more shenanigans and he got 100. So I would give Clay 120,

but it's only because it's a partnering gift, you know? I know a lot of people wouldn't agree with that. Yeah, I can't agree with that. I can see if that's your logic on what's going forward, but I can't pay can't agree with that I can see if that I can see if that's your logic on what's going forward but I can't pay you for the past I paid you for the past I paid you for the work you've done this work this money that's coming and don't get me wrong

I get what you're saying and depending on depending on who it is I would have a soft spot pause for depending on who it is if I ran an a soft spot pause for depending on who it is. If I ran an organization like that, but I can't pay this money that's coming in is for what I expect you to do. The work that you've done already, you've been paid for. We paid you for the work you've done. This money that's coming in is for the work that you're about to do.

And it doesn't look like you're doing a lot of that. That's all I'm saying. It don't look like... And the thing about it is that's why I really, I really don't know half the week who I'm dealing with

when I come and do this show. Because this is something that you would say that what I'm dealing with when I come and do this show because this is something that you would say that what I'm saying. That's what I'm laughing at. I don't know half the people that I don't know who I'm working with half the week because

when the camera's not on, you would say, we can't pay a nigga for what he might do in the future. We don't know what a nigga going to do in the future. We paid him for what he did, all right? Now we got to pay him for it because he's my man? I don't know who I'm working with sometimes. You're right.

I'm just going to say. Are we paying for friendships? That's exactly what I was saying. Are we paying niggas for friendships? Your favorite line is business. Yeah, I can't pay you to make your relationship.

Yeah, yeah, exactly. So, I don't know. Yeah, you're right. I'm going to take that one back. I'm going to take that one back. And then secondly, that's the reason Bob Myers got out of there. He knew this shit was coming. Bob Myers may be the smartest nigga in the Golden State organization, nigga said.

Because I believe what you just said, Mace. I believe that to be true for Bob Myers, the former GM for the Golden State Warriors. I believe what you just said is true, but him being a GM, you got to realize everybody's job is on the line. So when

you're a GM and you spend the owner's money stupidly, and then you're going to be fired, you're going to be like, why would you? You're going to be fired, so you're risking your job. I believe Bob Myers has a great relationship with everybody down to even when Kevin Durant

tours Achilles, he was on television crying. I believe he has a great relationship with Steph Curry, Draymond Green, Clay Thompson, Steve Kerr, and whoever else been there for a while, but he like, damn, this shit coming to an end soon

and I don't want to be responsible. Yeah. I'm out. Yeah, when it comes down to it, I'm going to have to, I'm going to have to explain to Steph why we didn't give Clay that money

because that's who, that's who you would give the 120 thinking about is about Steph because Steph don't want to see Clay go. You know the calls that are going to be made. If they made those calls for Draymond

it's just a sad position to be in. Pause. Because he's going to say, oh, niggas stood up for Draymond. They ain't going to stand up for me because now it's his turn. Let me ask you a question, Mason. And this is a dead serious question. Yeah.

And this is dead ass. Yeah. You, Steph, I'm Clay. And we have the same relationship we have now, the same friendship, the same dynamic. Yeah. You have the year that Steph had. I have the year that Clay had. I have the year that Clay had. And they come in

and talk to you about it. What you going to say? You know what I'm going to say You're going to say the same thing You're going to say the same thing Maze my man I don't know what you Maze my man

I don't know what's up with the nigga You're right I be talking to the nigga I be talking to the nigga. I've been talking to the nigga. He keeps saying he's on it. Especially if you got a coach wrist type nigga that you know, this one's a one-on-one type shit real quick. Yeah.

Yo, Murda, what's up with Cam, man? You know this nigga. I don't know what you thinking what you thinking though what are you fucking with some bitches on the side what's happening nigga see you sniffing coke what's going on i know me. Me personally? Me personally murder? He ain't going to call you murder. Me personally, Mace? Yeah. I can't fuck with you. I'm just asking you.

I know we love the nigga. That's what he's going to say. I know we love the nigga. But yo, at some point, it's got to be about the greater good. The greater good of the team. And he can still be around. He can still be around, but things gonna change.

Yeah, listen, listen. Yeah, oh no, I'm not saying can't, but we got, look, I want to show you this nigga right here from Turkey. Do this asshole. You start bringing in other niggas' videos.

Look how he move on the court. This could be the next counterpart. We bring Clayton off the bench. He ain't going nowhere. Shit, man. If you want to go explore his options out there, that's fine. He's been here since he was a kid,

but that's really on him. I don't know. I'm just asking what murder was saying. The same dynamic, the same story, the same shit. I know what you were saying. I already know. I ain't trying to talk behind the back of my, but you asked. So I know we were discussing contracts.

And to your point, you were saying maybe he could get, you know, five years, a couple like hundred something mil. But I feel like as far as like a favor, a favor would be like, okay, I can help you in the front office. I can help you as an analyst. That's a different type of favor. And I just feel like it wouldn't benefit them in any aspects because just reality is reality. You're on top at one point, and then at some point, you're not. You have to make changes.

So my next question is, yes, we were discussing contracts, but now that the Warriors are eliminated from playoff contention, do you think that could have been the last time we've seen Steph, Klay, and Draymond play a game together on the same team? Yeah, that's what I was basically saying. That O was for Orlando. When he had O, that was exactly

what it was for. If I'm in the front office, like I said before, that number I gave was a sympathy number just for good commentary. But realistically, you got to let him go because you can't afford to pay him that. And then he can't. Because you're paying more money to set the team back. Yeah. It's about...

It's about... And Klay said this at the beginning of the season. He's willing to take less money to stay and go to sleep. That's how bad Clay's been playing. He said this in January. He knew his shit wasn't going right.

He didn't say, nah, watch the second half. I'm going to pick this shit up, nigga. Don't worry about my contract. Shit, nigga, it's about to get licked. Clay said in January, February, I'll take less money to stay. So for me, it's about asking if he's going to be in a Golden State uniform again. It's two things. What are you willing to take financially? And secondly, are you ready to decrease your role on the team? Because that's not cutting it.

And then my last question concerning the game, what help do you guys think Steph Curry needs? Do you think he needs another bet? Do you guys think Steph Curry needs do you think he needs another bet do you guys think he needs a younger player what do you think Steph Curry needs to be at his best

need Jordan Poole you need Jordan Poole I know Jordan Poole had a horrible year but he just probably was meant for Golden State. Yeah. There's a lot of things, man.

I think it's bigger than Jordan Poole, but that's a great statistic as well. Look, everybody was telling me, Cam, you jump in the gun, you don't know, just wait and see. Chris Paul with second unit is going to be lit. Second unit Chris Paul might be crazy as well. Cam, you don't know what you're talking about. I told niggas when the nigga got traded there, this was not a good look. Nobody on Golden State respects Chris Paul because they've been beating him for years. Pause. respects Chris Paul because they've been beating him for years. Pause. Secondly, Chris Paul thinks he knows everything and you can't really teach niggas that's been beating you. Pause and getting championships, not just beating you, winning championships after they eliminate you. So I knew that wouldn't work from the beginning when I heard Draymond say, I don't like Chris Paul

before the season started, but we'll get it together. You know, I hated him for years. I don't like Chris Paul before the season started, but we'll get it together. You know, I hated him for years. That was Draymond's statement about Chris Paul when Golden State acquired him. That's A. Secondly, they definitely need some help. I don't know if Jordan Poole's going back there. Draymond's still under contract, so I'm not mad at Mason's assessment because, yes, they went from a championship team to the playing team

to losing in the first round of the play-in. That's not going to cut it. Secondly, Steve Kerr been handed an alley-oop, a layup, whatever you want to call it, all these years. Having Steph Curry and Klay Thompson hitting these threes, the best backcourt

shooting backcourt ever, along with the tenacity of Draymond Green, Andre Inquadala coming in. You know, when they acquired Andre Inquadala, he was probably, and Sin says this all the time, of course, like bring Sin up, but it's not a lie. He was probably

the best player on the 76ers at the time when his contract was up and they acquired him. So when you get Inquadala, that also helps the dynamic. And Steve Kerr, to me, doesn't know how to make adjustments in tight situations, like he was in last night. And I'm not blaming it all on Steve Kerr, but you said it a week or two ago, Mace. a week or two ago, Mace, that team was so good at one particular point that Luke Walton coached it and got a head coaching job just for coaching them when Steve Kerr

was out. Yeah, anybody could have coached that team. Right, so now that players are getting older, schemes are getting old because they're used to what you're doing. You have to make transitions and you have to change things out throughout the game.

I'm sitting there watching tonight. You sit there and say, okay, cool. I know Sabonis is a headache to deal with down low pause for Sacramento, and he has some size on him. But you've been playing Jackson the last at least the last three weeks

I've been saying them, giving them significant minutes to where I'm like, damn, I didn't know Jackson was this good. He's playing power forward to center for Golden State. And he gets 11 minutes tonight. Could you want to go with Looney? You haven't been playing Looney like that. Now, because they have size,

you want to throw Looney in there where he hasn't been getting the reps that he needs to get on the court, I'm talking about, not practice-wise, on the court-wise, to where it looked like he was a fish out of water. Come on, bro. You don't put Jackson in 11 minutes and then throw Looney in for,

let me, how many fucking minutes did Looney have today? Looney only had nine minutes. But Jackson only had 11. Then you try to go small, and the offensive rebounds for Sacramento were ridiculous. Now, don't get it fucked up. Steph Curry had six turnovers. Every loose ball that seemed like Sacramento got. Every single loose ball that was available, Sacramento was going for it.

Back taps, diving, everything else, going for it. It was just more that Sacramento wanted it more. Also, you have to realize their role players, the kid Murray comes off the bench and goes crazy for Sacramento. You know, Fox had a good game and Sabonis had a good game, but Murray was the difference. Murray was the difference for Sacramento.

And we got to think about this. If Monk was playing, it might have been even worse. Yeah, that's what I was about to say. Monk wasn't even playing and they lost. Right. So at the end of the day, I don't know exactly what Steph Curry needs,

but listen, man. If we're cooking chicken, if we're frying chicken, I can't cook it without Lowry's and flour. I need that. And you got no Lowry's and you got no flour. You just got chicken and you try to throw it in the grease and it ain't

coming out crispy. It ain't. So, shout out to Stuffed Curry on the tremendous seasoning. The way y'all think of sitting and throwing it in the grease. Without the Lowry's and the flour. Yeah, he's saying you need Greece. Without the lard and the flour. Without the lard. Yeah, he said you need the seasoning.

You got to have the other parts that go with this. Like what made Steph so good was that he had these other pieces, whether it was Draymond bringing the ball up or people who can guard the best guard. Now they don't have that. So a lot of what they were thriving off is being exposed. They are very weak on the perimeter when it comes to guard defense or wing defense.

And to win in this league, you got to be strong on defense on the wings. You got to have big wings, Paul. It's like when they had Iguodala and they had Draymond guarding people on the wings, it gave that freedom to, what's his name? Steph Curry. But when they didn't have Iguodala, they don't have Sean Livingston. These are all of the pieces that had that long wingspan that made it easier for him to do everything that he's doing. Now he's just getting those buckets.

And the defense, they're losing it on defense. And Steve Curry, even though he played with the Bulls, defense was never his forte. We know that. So that's not something that he's definitely doing a good job at. And I know they're going to say, you're a rapper, what do you know?

Listen, bro, we know enough to know he's doing a horrible job. Especially when you just gave him $40 million. There's no way you give $40 million a big bonus pause and lose the play-in. Right? We're not paying for that, like Cam said.

We're not paying you for the pass. So now I'm joining what he's saying. We're not paying you for the pass, Steve Kerr. We're paying you for what you're going to do moving forward, and you got to do better than this. Luke Walton could have did this. I think I could coach that team better than that. And then not only that, and that was a great point, Mace, just to add on to it.

It's no chemistry this season throughout the season because Draymond misses a plethora of games. Andrew Wiggins just leaves whenever the fuck he wants to leave and tell niggas it's personal. He just goes when he wants to go. No explanation, no reason. Yo, personal. I don't know when I'm coming back. And then comes back and gets in a starting lineup,

which they need him in a starting lineup, but how you can just take a leave of absence and tell them niggas I get back with you and I get back to you when you play with the Golden State Warriors I think this is highly yeah I mean it's part of coaching but it's also part of just the culture in general of this generation

because it's no tenacity in certain things you can just sit there and be like man I'm tired I don't want to. Yo, it's ice outside. I'm not going to the game. Yo, my back hurt because of my air mattress. Shit crazy.

Fuck, I look like going to the game. And it relates. And pardon me, you see the reflection of it during the All-Star game. You got the highest talent in the world when it comes to basketball in one building for a weekend and nobody wants to play for it. Nobody plays. If you go back, and I know you're like, oh, you're always

going back. Go back and watch them, even Kobe Bryant or Michael Jordan or even Shaq or somebody, Charles Barkley. These people want to win. They want to win the All-Star game. It meant something to where now it just doesn't. I sit there and look at a bunch of players on the sideline.

Everything's fashion, which is fine. I'm in the getting fly, too. I dig it. But the other day, and I dig it, don't get me wrong, Memphis was not getting in the playoffs whatsoever. But how do you got 10 niggas hurt? So you brought niggas up from the G League, or wherever you brought them from,

they had seven, six, seven players available when they played the Lakers the other day. I see more Armani, Crystal, whatever the red box, I see more of that than uniforms. It was your word to blood murder that I looked at the bench when niggas was going to sub out. The niggas with the uniform was going

past eight niggas dressed in street clothes. I said, where's the players on the bench? It's one nigga sitting at the end of the bench in a uniform, while five niggas on the floor, ten niggas in street clothes now I know they ain't really have nothing to play for, but y'all

like old John Morant? get on the fucking floor man, get on the floor and that's why I like certain contracts because what happens is this I don't know everybody's contract is different but when you're not playing you shouldn't get paid, unless it's a doctor, emergency, or the team says, nah, he's dehydrated, he needs rest, he's older, whatever.

You can't just be sitting there and be like, man, there's only eight games left. We're not making the playoffs anyway. Let's go shopping so I can look fresh on the sideline. Come on, man. That shit is trash. That shit is whack, bro. So I wouldn't blame it on, man. That shit is trash. That shit is whack, bro. So, I wouldn't blame it on kosher.

I blame it on the, on the contracts. I blame it on the league letting people get away with it because now you can say you need Russ for anything. Yeah, they should abolish that,

that whole, what is that? Is that the word? Abolish? Yeah, get rid of. Yeah, they need to abolish that whole Russ, that low management what is that? Is that the word? Abolish? Yeah. Get rid of. Yeah, they need to abolish that whole rest, that low management and all that.

Yeah. We got to think about it, man. Like, yo, niggas is, yo, it's 82 games in the season. Niggas talking about, yeah, nigga, I played 60 games this year, nigga. Killed them. This is what's going on. Yeah. Niggas is proud to play 50 and 60 games. Talk about playing more than half the season.

Come on, bro. Okay. We're going to go to the question. I don't know what Steph Curry needs and whatever it is, they better hurry up. They got about, they got about four or five months to figure it out. Yeah.

Great. Okay. Well, in the comments, let us know what you guys think Steph Curry needs but with that we're going to go to break and when we return

we will discuss the Lakers win over the Pelicans She call this thing about toxic Four years and counting Got you feeling like an option Maybe I'm my own problem, babe She tired of hearing, I don't know What's happening, me won't fall

Dealing with this thing called trust But she ain't really thinkin' bout it She wanna be free Why am I in this woman's way? She wanna be free Hell, I don't wanna see her walk away I wish somebody told me the rules Disagreements let her win, then it's cool Welcome back. Now let's get into our underdog fantasy picks of the day.

Tonight, Miami will play the Sixers. Underdog fantasy has Embiid at 30 and a half points. Do you have them higher or lower? Mace? Higher. Okay. They play the them higher or lower, Mace? Higher. Okay. They play the heat higher. Okay.

Higher. Jimmy Butler is at 23 and a half points. Do you have them higher or lower, Cam? Higher. Yeah, higher. Okay. And Bam is at three and a half assists.

Do you have them higher or lower, Mace? Lower. Higher. Okay. Download the Underdog Fantasy app and you can make your picks too. So the Lakers beat the Pelicans 110 to 106. They will now move on to face the Denver Nuggets.

So one, how do you feel about their performance? And then what's you guys' prediction for Denver versus the Lakers? How do I feel about their win? Their win is good. They're supposed to win that game. It's only one game. You got somebody

with the legacy of LeBron James. That was a given. I knew they was going to win that game. You got somebody with the legacy of LeBron James. That was a given. I knew they was going to win that game. It would have been better if the Pelicans could have played a little bit better. But when it comes to them playing Denver, we already know what's going to happen. AD is coming to watch the Joker do his thing. Every time they play, AD comes to watch the Joker do his thing. So AD, if you don't like this take, make sure when y'all get on the court, you're not out there smiling while he's hitting threes, giggling while he's getting layups. You're in awe of watching the Joker play.

he's getting layups. You're in awe of watching a joker play. Somebody need to tell you, you're actually his opponent. You're supposed to be scoring as much as he scored. Try to block a shot. Try to get a rebound. Don't let that guy just come from overseas and do whatever he wants to do with you. You're from Chicago. You got to do better than this. I want Anthony Davis-Paws back with the unibrow. That's the ADL. As far as the game is concerned, I watched the whole game of that game as well. And Zion came out, just like I said, that they would go watch tape and make adjustments, and I knew it wouldn't be a blowout. This game might have went New Orleans' way

if Zion didn't get hurt with about three minutes left in the game, four minutes left in the game. They made a great comeback, tied the game up in the fourth quarter. It was very exciting to see. And LeBron, to me, ran out of gas towards the end, and that's why I'll talk about that in a minute but he ran out of gas he missed two wide open layups towards the end of the game he had a chance to actually when the game was tied to go up to with less than a minute left I believe or

at least less than two minutes left um he he did a he did a baseline spin, shot an air ball, and luckily AD was there to get the rebound and get fouled and knock down the foul shots. But LeBron James, and I have to applaud this guy, man, because I know that he told the coach, don't take me out. I don't know this for a fact, but it's one of them situations where you be like, I don't care what's going on. don't take me out. I don't know this for a fact, but it's one of them situations where you be like, I don't care what's going on.

Don't take me out. That's kind of where I was at with Steph Curry last segment we didn't talk about. You know, Steve, back to Steve Kerr. Look, Steve Kerr, you sitting there fucking managing minutes. Went on a fucking elimination game, nigga. It's elimination game, nigga. What the fuck is you managing

minutes for? Now, you know what? You got all the minutes in the world. Steph got five months to rest, unless he plays in the Olympics. The fuck is you doing, nigga? He played 36 minutes was equals three quarters. Obviously, you needed him more than the three quarters.

Now, if Steph asks to come out, I apologize. I'm totally forgiven. But I can't see that in an elimination game. You did this right before the playoffs start when y'all was fighting and getting the plan, and you sat there and said, this franchise been riding

Steph Curry's back since 2008 when you wasn't even there in 2008. And secondly, that's part of being a franchise player. That secondly, that's part of being a franchise player. That's what it's about, being a franchise player, when niggas ride your back paws, when nothing else can get done. I was disappointed with Steph Curry's minutes tonight,

but back to the game. LeBron James played more minutes than everybody last night. Not just on the Lakers, on the New Orleans Pelicans as well. He played the most minutes. He played 41 minutes. It's nobody, I'm looking, nobody played more than LeBron James

last night. 39 years old, the most minutes in the game on both teams, whether it was New Orleans or the Lakers. Come on, man. This is what I'm talking about with niggas. And then you wonder why he gets the praise and the glory and the accolades and so on and so forth.

The nigga realized he's on the clock. He's playing career I'm talking about. And he's enjoying every minute of it. Every minute. There's no reason in the world that LeBron James should have played more minutes than everybody else last night. No way. Now, I'm going to give Zion credit. He finished with 40 points.

He shot 17 for 27 from the field. And I knew that New Orleans would watch tape and Zion wouldn't come out and be the same Zion that he was two days ago. But at the end of the day, he didn't finish the game. He got hurt. He got hurt. And last night, it was almost a point where you sat there and say, damn, Zion is kind of bullying LeBron. LeBron took a charge on Zion, and LeBron like almost got lifted off. He like ran LeBron over. I never seen LeBron get run over like that. Then they're back doing LeBron pause on certain plays. He's not looking.

LeBron James, as great as a game he had, it was several things that happened that if they lost, you could have pointed the finger at him. So when you missed the two layups, you missed the spin around jump shot, you're slacking on certain plays on defense. And you sit there and say, damn, man, they burning this nigga out. But I love it.

I love it because he won't leave. I know Darwin Ham asked the nigga, yo, you want nine coming out? This go, this go, this one to go home. I mean, they would add another game if they lost. But nigga, this gets me into the playoffs. And it doesn't, and it, this gets me into the playoffs and it doesn't. And it's not just getting into the playoffs. He missed the playoffs with the Lakers that one year that he had got injured. But we have to think about this 19 years in the playoffs out of 21 seasons.

It's amazing. He didn't want that to go out the window. He didn't want that to go out the window. He didn't want that to go out the window. So I want to give LeBron James a lot of props. And this ain't no Ohio shit or nothing. This is just a basketball fan watching a nigga that wants

it more than anybody. Zion wanted it tonight as well, last night as well. Zion wanted it. He just couldn't finish the game. 40 points on LeBron. 17 for 27 shooting. Amazing game. Amazing game. I'm talking about the effort from a 39-year-old. 39 years old, 41 minutes. Anthony Davis played 40 minutes. I think LeBron James is gassed. He put his maximum effort in two, three nights ago when they played New Orleans, and he had to do it again tonight.

I mean, he finished with, let me look at it right here so I don't get it wrong. He finished with 23 points, but he shot six for 20 shooting, which was terrible. So what this tells me is this. Niggas better step up, nigga. Because LeBron can't play every day, every game, the day after other. So if you got a game on Monday and the next game on Wednesday, he might be gassed. And you know where they going. So it's not just that you're playing Denver, the reigning champions,

and probably the 2024 MVP that you're probably playing against. It may go to Shea, depending on who people vote on. But a top two candidate, this is not going to go well. Not only that they're the reigning champs and they're looking like they're hitting on all cylinders right now, you're going to Denver where the altitude is super high and it's hard to breathe. That is not in Le it's hard to breathe. That is not in LeBron James' favor.

All y'all pawns and everything else on the chessboard got to step the fuck up if you want to help LeBron out. I don't think a full-fledged, ready LeBron and this Laker team can beat Denver, but if you have any chance, it can't be solely on LeBron. And what May said

earlier about Anthony Davidson, the Joker, is absolutely right. Okay. And then just in general, Lakers fans are saying that Denver will finally get to play a healthy AD and LeBron. So what's you guys' just general logic on that statement? We're laughing at that. Oh my goodness. They finally get a healthy AD in LeBron. They're not going to beat Denver. I don't know anybody that's thinking that. I don't think even Brian, what's his name? Winhurst? Yeah. He doesn't believe they're beating Denver. There's no way they're beating Denver. That's a foregone conclusion. They would need

the game of a century from Austin Reeves. They would need a game of the century from AD. And they would need LeBron to hold up all the way through. And that's a lot to ask

when you got people that are playing at this level. I think the only one of those that will reign true is LeBron will hold up in that particular series or game. But I don't see in no way AD getting off against Paws, against Joker. I think it's too psychological.

He's dominated him too many times for it to be anything different now. Yeah, I get what Denver fans are saying. There's no excuses this time. They might be saying, because what you said was that that's what Denver fans are saying.

Lakers fans. They're basically like, look, y'all. Oh, because what you said was that that's what Denver fans are saying. Lakers fans. They're basically like, look, y'all. Oh, I thought you said Denver fans. Pardon me. Oh, they bugging. Yeah, some niggas bugging. Yeah. I would say

I would say that it would be over at six, but I'm going to say five, and I'm being nice saying five because LeBron got some days off coming up. He won last night, so he doesn't have to play until this weekend. But maybe they try to steal the first one outside of that. I just don't see it going past five. I'll give you six if I'm

being nice, but after seeing LeBron James tonight and him looking gassed in certain situations and the other players not stepping up as they need to step up. Because listen,

we'll sit there and say, okay, D'Angelo Russell, he looking good and then he won't look good. We'll sit there and say AD is looking good because AD looked great all season. AD actually finished really well this season, man. He had a great season. I know we

gave him a hard time about all the locker room shit and everything else he had going on. But AD played, I believe, 75 games, if I'm not mistaken. He averaged a double-double, if I'm not mistaken. And he had a tremendous season. But let's think about this. LeBron had a tremendous season. AD had a tremendous season.

And they still finished in ninth. They still finished in eighth, pardon me, in the play-in. They didn't even finish in the playoffs when they had a great season. But that goes to show the level of competition that's going on in the Western Conference. Because actually, to be honest with you, the Lakers record this season was better than their record last season. And they was in the playoffs last season. They was in the Western Conference finals last season

actually. And their record this year is better so it just goes to show the level of competition in the Western Conference is just tremendous. Then before we go on to the Devin versus Haney fight, there's a lot of conversation going on with those. Devin versus Garcia.

Yes, Haney versus Garcia fight. Yeah, there's a lot of conversation going on with that. But I do want to get into this article real quick by Brian Winhorse because I think it's a pretty interesting conversation. So he says today's NBA is harder for LeBron and Steph than ever before he said James and Curry are superstars of a certain age their dominance in their primes

and extended run of winning at the highest level has made anything less than that seem like failure what do you guys think of his analysis I appreciate his commentary and I appreciate everything that he brings to the game of basketball when it comes to being an analyst, but it just sounds like excuses. It sounds like excuses to me. When you're great, everybody that was great had to keep it up. There's nobody that have raised the bar and then set the bar there that doesn't have to keep that up.

So that's not a new issue. That's not a new issue. Jordan had to be Jordan. Magic had to be Magic. Bird had to be Bird. That's not new for LeBron and Steph. I think that's not accurate. Sometimes because people have, and I know he's seen a lot of basketball, but I don't think it's easier or harder for them than it was for Larry Bird on his exiting or who else I could think about that it was very challenging for.

Or Tim Duncan. Tim Duncan won so much that people were expecting him to win a lot. There was a lot of people that was expected to win just as much as Stephen Curry because there's people that got more championships than both of them. So even though I respect him as a commentator and an analyst, that was inaccurate. What was the statement against that? Yeah. So in the article, he wrote that James and Curry are superstars of a certain age,

their dominance in their primes and extended run of winning at the highest level has made anything less than that seem like failure. Yeah, what he's saying is I don't think he's downing them. What he's saying is this, that they're so popular and

been so successful throughout their career that anything less than a play or definitely the playoffs is considered a failure. And he's to people, I don't know what he says. He, that's what you're saying.

And the quote, he says to people, it feels like a failure. Yeah. Anything less than that feels, it seems like a failure. And he said, reality is skewed because he doesn't live in a world where good seasons are

accepted at face value. Yeah, well, we just talked about that. We just said how good of a season LeBron and Anthony Davis had, but they finished eighth. So they was in the plan. I think that he's right to a certain extent. And it depends on who you're talking to. Like Mace just said that, you know, you're held to a higher criteria than other people because that's what you came into the league. That's what you're used to seeing from these people talking about career LeBron James. We're used to seeing greatness. We're used to seeing things that's unhuman-like, so to speak. You know, I'm exaggerating, so to speak. But at the end of the day, yes, you're going to be held to a higher standard

of what is expected from somebody else. LeBron James is held to a higher standard than Austin Reeves. Steph Curry is held to a higher standard than Andrew Wiggins. That's because we've been watching greatness for so many years from them players. So absolutely, it's going to seem like a failure. And I believe

from the quote that you see that you're talking about, I actually watched that this morning, yesterday morning, I'm so sorry. After our show went off, know i always support the good brother stephen a smith i watch our show and then i watch his show well i'll do our show and then uh watch first take and the argument it was a big argument between shannon stephen a and brian winhurst It was more about the question was exactly

is this a failure for the NBA if LeBron James and Steph Curry don't make the playoffs? Well, we have one of the answers already. This was prior to last night's games. So, we see Steph Curry's not

making the playoffs, which is tragic. I was in here about to throw a damn tantrum when I watched the game last night because I'm like, damn, we're not going to see no more Steph until probably the Olympics. Fuck, I want to see Steph in the playoffs. LeBron changed it up, so LeBron made it. So we will see LeBron at least for four more games minimum. But yeah, I want to see these players play.

So the question was that they were asking each other, is this a field season for the NBA? And it goes back to what we was talking about, period, Mace, whether it's college or even NBA or any professional sports, college, women's basketball, men's basketball, whatever. And we was really referring to it when I talked about it when it came to the men's college basketball, how I say they're not advertising the Stars anymore. They're not advertising a face with UConn. They're not advertising a face with LSU when it pertains to men's basketball.

That's not the case with women's basketball. You sit there and watch tonight's games coming up. You sit there and say, the Hawks are playing the Bulls. When you watch the preview, you see Trey Young and you see DeMar DeRozan. Those are the marquee faces that they advertise. You see the Heat versus the Sixers. You see Jimmy Butler. You see Joe LNB.

They're advertising and marketing these stars. And what I believe the NBA is slow on is advertising the new superstars because we're so in love with the old ones. Now, we got to think about it. They have to produce it. Right. What you have to do is you have to start saying, look, we didn't know that this Shea Gildress, Alexandra nigga going to go crazy, man.

Because imagine this. Think about this. All the hype that you give LeBron James and LeBron James and Steph Curry and Joel Embiid and Greek Freak and everybody else, if you would have gave that to Shea, every other commercial, NBA commercial, every weekend,

we got the Oklahoma City Thunder playing, people would be more on it to win. Now, niggas, there's not certain niggas that's basketball fans, that's, what's the exact word I'm looking for? They're not in-depth basketball. I don't know why the word is slipping my looking for? Um, they're not in depth basket. I don't know why the word is slipping my brain right now, but they're not in depth by casuals.

That's the word I'm looking for. As you're casual and you like, you know, I'm arguing with niggas. So niggas like, why would you mean SGA should be in the lead next to Joker for MVP? Because they're not advertising. That would mean he's not busting niggas ass.

The NBA is late advertising him. Now he starts getting endorsements. Now you start seeing him walking down on maybe an Allstate commercial. Or you saying, okay, the Oklahoma City Thunder got the one seed. The NBA is late on advertising their new stars because we're still

in love with the old ones. And now it's causing confusion to when you see Oklahoma City number one or Minnesota number three. And you're wondering why the Lakers and the Golden State Warriors are just in the playing because you're advertising the same people you've been advertising for 20 years, for 10 years, if not 20. And I'm going to LeBron James and 10 years when it comes to Seth Curry. You got to knowBron James. And 10 years when it comes to Steph Curry. You got to know a new train is coming, especially when you're running a business. I love LeBron James, and I love Steph Curry, both of them.

But there's some new young superstars out there, they got something to say about it, and the NBA has to start advertising that. So now when the playoffs come, when you have a casual basketball fan, they're not confused. They're not like, well, how the fuck Minnesota get in third? They in third?

Well, who the fuck out with Oklahoma City? Wasn't Kevin Durant just playing at them niggas a minute ago? The casual is fucked up right now. The casual nigga who's not watching like we watch and sit there and tap in every 10, 20, 30 games and be like, oh, all right.

Oh, Golden State and Knife, they'll pick it up by all-star. You go back in March, they still in tough. You get to the beginning of April, what you mean

they fighting before they play all night? Because you're not used to it. They're not marketing the new stars and I think they need to pick up on that. Yeah. And I agree with you to pick up on that. Yeah.

And I agree with you that there's two new superstars that definitely, there's three that needed to be marketed. But it seemed like they were only marketing Wimby when they really needed to not only be advertising Shea, but they needed to be advertising Ant-Man a lot more. but they needed to be advertising Ant-Man a lot more. But I think what happened with Ja last year probably made them think twice about putting so much marketing into a person. Like, we don't know if they're really ready, because out of one conversation, we're talking about that. But in another conversation, we were just talking about how these, we're not sure if these new guys even want

to be that great. That's what we was talking about when it came to all-star games and things like that. So now that probably made them say, well, let's support LeBron and Steph because we know what they're going to bring to the table. And not to say that anything that you said was wrong. It was all accurate and all a great point. But that's the other side of that. So I guess when this time comes next year, they will know for sure to support Luka. Show him a lot, lot more. Show Kyrie and them a lot more.

Show SGA more. Show Ant- lot more. Show Kyrie in them a lot more. Show SGA more. Show Ant-Man more. And there's somebody else, Fox. Fox was not seen the whole year. And here he is beating Golden State. But they always had Golden State number. And he's just never been supported that much. He always have a big game pretty much on Steph.

As well as SGA. Okay. And I don't know what you're saying. And then I don't know what you're saying, Mace. You're 100% correct. Because not only do you have to, you don't want to market a loser either. That's what you don't want to do. But you don't want to market a loser either. That's what you don't want to do. But you don't want to market a loser.

But at the end of the day, back to the casuals, what I was talking about, is that... They got to know what's coming. Yeah. Yeah, yeah. What I'm saying is this,

and I'm not disagreeing with anything you said. I'm just adding another point or the flip side of the equation because what you said was a great point. What I'm saying is this, is that now if you get Minnesota playing Oklahoma City, the casuals don't know what the fuck is going on. They fucked up.

They don't know what's going on because you haven't been marketing these teams the way these players, pardon me, the way that they probably should be marketed. But to your point, Mace, you also got to prove yourself. I dig it. You got to get out there.

You sit there and invest your marketed dollars in the SGA, and then he don't show up this year. I get it. This two years in a row, I see SGA make your first team all NBA, two years in a row. So I get what you're saying. But to the casual, it's going to be like Oklahoma City playing Minnesota.

A nigga who ain't keeping up is going to be like, the fuck is going on? What you mean it's the conference finals or the semifinals? They're not going to know. Back to the point when you're saying like Wimby, how they marketed Wimby. When they want to market you, the NBA,

they will find stats to make you look good no matter what. You got to have two points. He's the first guy to give two points in one minute. Is that the first rookie? You're the first rookie to score in the first 10 seconds. Yo, I've never seen so many made-up stats they want. I'm sitting there arguing with the niggas sitting there the other day because he's mad that

SGA averages more than Jalen Brunson because Jalen Brunson averaged 38 points in his last 10 games. And I said, yeah, that's amazing. How the fuck you don't average more than SGA? I said, yeah, that's amazing. How the fuck you don't average more than

SG? I said, because it's 82 games. It's not based off the 10 games that just happened. It's based off 82 games, my nigga. They will always find a stat because just like you were saying, Masey Mark get the fuck out of Wimby.

Wimby was doing great. He did some great things. But he's not a winner. He's not. They've been out. They've been eliminated months ago. And I'm not saying he don't need no help. But obviously you're not wearing no one-man shows that could wheel a team to a championship

like LeBron James did or like Allen Iverson did. They didn't win it, but they wheeled, they was one-man shows that took a bunch of niggas that was all right to a championship. And I'm not saying they did it their rookie year either. I'm not going to put that on them. But listen, it wouldn't be a great year, but they market the fuck out of a nigga who won 14 games.

And that's why Bull Bull feels the way that he feels. We're going to save this. I get it. It's too funny. Bo Bo said, I get it. Nigga won 14 games. You put me on a team where I can get that many shots and that many, you know.

Nigga say, Bo Bo say, y'all sucking dick. I get it. Exactly. Okay, we're going to save the Haney Garcia conversation for the next episode. But that is all the time that we have for today. Thanks for watching. And as always, it is what it is.