IT IS WHAT IT IS - MA$E & CAM'RON DEBATE WHICH NBA TEAMS ARE BEING SLEPT ON & JAXSON SMITH NJIGBA GOT P A I D!

Episode Date: March 27, 2026

Ma$e, Cam’ron & Treasure "Stat Baby" Wilson are back with another one!! Please rate, review, and follow the podcast for more content.  Listen to the show on Spotify!  https://open.spotify.com/show/4Brb7BgCw4f4jwgS5v3sXQ?si=811988ecff7b416a Listen to the show on Apple Podcasts! https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/it-is-what-it-is/id1719695401 Keep up with us on social media! https://www.instagram.com/itiswhatitis_talk/ Snap:  https://www.snapchat.com/add/iiwii_talk2023  Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/ItIsWhatItIsTalk TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@maseandcam Twitter:  https://www.x.com/iiwiitalk Follow Our Hosts! https://www.instagram.com/masonbetha/ https://www.instagram.com/mr_camron/ https://www.instagram.com/treasurewilsxn/ Follow the show and our hosts on social media: ⁠⁠⁠It Is What It Is⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠Cam'Ron⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠Ma$e⁠⁠⁠, and ⁠⁠⁠Treasure "Stat Baby" Wilson⁠⁠⁠ , ⁠⁠⁠Producer Ayooo Nick⁠⁠⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Welcome back to It Is What It Is. I'm Treasure Wilson, aka Stat Baby, along with your host, Mace. Killer, what's good, man? Good, bro. How you doing, man? Chilling, man. Good, that's what's up. Stad, what's up, man? I'm good. Glad to see you all.

Okay, so got some basketball to get into. So the Celtics beat O KC. 119, snapping their 12-game win streak. So Mace, how much should we actually care about the Thunder's 12-game win streak being snapped? I think this is a lot of what to look forward to. I think unless they get past San Antonio, this is what we have to look forward to. I know before I said that the Knicks are the only team that I think could beat them out of the east. But now this has a new wrinkle, the title town.

You know, it looks like that they're definitely, they're definitely beatable. And this, this was one of those games that they should have won. I think when you, when you play against teams like Boston, you play against teams like New York or Detroit, anybody that's potential opponents in the future, you got to really send that message early. And I think this is one of those games that they'll win. wish they had back because when you, when you allow people to beat you, it builds their

confidence to think they can, you know, right now before this, it seemed like, okay, C was on a tear. But as of this, it looks like their team that could actually beat them. Yeah, listen, man, you know what I'm doing this sports thing, man, I've been one of the biggest hypocrites. And I don't want to say hypocrites because this is a job that we have to do. And I used to do this before I talk about analysts before I started doing this. But I understand how it goes when you're dealing with eight-month, nine-month season or football, six-month season or whatever. You sit there and say, you have one opinion in October. Then you got another opinion in the middle of October.

Then you got another opinion in November. Then Christmas, you got another opinion. It's just part of what you're watching. And, you know, it's our job to see what we're watching because it's funny. Just last week, Boston had lost two games, if I'm not mistaken. And the question was, should Tatum have came back? Did Tatum mess the rhythm up?

We know he's doing good. We're not sure about Tatum. Now it's like, oh, Boston is one of them, too. I'm not talking about Mason, I'm just talking about people in general. Because I do think this was a statement game. This was a game where people like, look, this can be a potential finals matchup. let's go in there and see what we got and bust these niggas ass

and Jalen Brown looked tremendous Jason Tatum looked good too but Jalen Brown looked like he really wanted to make sure that people knew he was in the building dunking on niggas getting to the basket mid-range game was crazy and to me Boston took it as a statement game I'm not going to penalize OKC for this game

they're on the road it wasn't a home game not only that you know you know everybody's not going to win and ring off 15, 16, 17 games straight. I think the winner streak was really good. It was bound for them to lose. I had them losing this on this date anyway. But I wouldn't think too much of it,

but I wouldn't just sweep it under the rug. Neva because it's a potential finals match. What you do is you collect the data. You sit there and see where you made your mistakes at, and you take it back home with you, and try and finish off the season at number one, because San Antonio is creeping right behind you with a seven-game winning streak right now.

and they want that number one spot and they're not too far from getting it. That's first time, and I think six years, seven years, that they actually secured a playoff spot talking about the San Antonio Spurs. So shout to the San Antonio Spurs for actually securing a playoff spot right now and has been going on for a couple years.

But I wouldn't put too much in the term. OKC, but I wouldn't sweep it under the rug either. Take the data, take it home, and if you have to meet the Sultz's in the finals, at least you know what they're coming with, because Jalen Brown looks like he has a problem with everybody. They looks like he has a problem with why he wasn't on the Olympic team. Why is he not being considered in Wimby and Shia ahead of him for being MVP?

Why do y'all keep trying to play with me like I'm not one of them niggas? That's the type of game I've seen from Jalen Brown when they played the other night. So congratulations to Boston. From O.K.C., like I said, take heed to this, but I'm not going to put too much stock into it. More importantly, it's trying to finish it in the West, number one. Well, when speaking, oh, go ahead, nice. I love killers take, but you know who said all of this? Who?

Me, that's so. I said all of this. I'm happy. I'm happy that everything is coming full circle with Boston, because years ago, I knew this. We was talking about this. Not that you didn't know this, but we've been talking about, like, Jalen Brown is really one

the ones and I'm happy that he's having this moment to showcase this in front of everyone. Mace, you just said that nobody could beat them, but the next, now you're switching up. So I don't know what you're saying from day to day. It changes. There are these title towns on the move by the minute. So I don't know, Max. I didn't say you didn't say Jalen Brown was one of the ones. You definitely said that.

Yeah, that's all I'm saying. I don't know. I'm not so much. Yeah, absolutely. You did say that. I have to agree with you. Absolutely. You have no argument with me about that.

None at all. You absolutely did say that. Right. Okay. Super side note. Just because I'm seeing the side-by-side frames, I'm like, y'all did not give me the memo of the studio background that both of you all have?

Like, y'all just, no. I'm not always in the studio. Mace's on studio. I don't have my own, well, I don't have my own studio. Well, I'm on studio where we're at presently on the West Coast, but Mesa's, I'm in the studio working on a project, so I happen to be here today. Okay, lit.

But Mesa's house is on studio. I was like, y'all didn't tell me. I mean, I can't make a studio appear. I'm in a studio, just a different type of studio, but I was like, this looks kind of cool. What we got going on? I'm talking about we, really, y'all, but I peep. I peep.

Okay, so you're in the studio, too, Statt? You're in a big studio. I'm in a different type of studio. y'all are in the studio i'm not there y'all are in the real studio it looks cool though i was like dang like the soundproof the voice that y'all got going on all that i'm like dang it looks cool but i mean y'all are used to it i'm not okay so you brought up jalen brown cam

and there's a lot of y-y-wai-wis do you guys believe that jaylon brown is underrated by still not being at the forefront of this MVP conversation or do you feel like it's kind of signed sealed and delivered with, I know we've got SGA, I know we got Wembe, and then a lot of people are putting Luca at about second. What's you guys' opinions on that? I think when it comes to the MVP race, it's kind of a still deal. It got to be one of those top, those top two. I don't think they're going to let it get to three and four. I think that they already made up their mind who they want to give it to. And Jalen Brown just may not be that guy for this year, but he's still going to ball out and keep doing what he's doing, because that's

all you can do. Like, sometime the refs are going to call it the way they call it, but you got to go out there and make sure you play the game the way you should. And I think that's what we're seeing right now. He's giving his best effort, but I think the writing is already on the wall who they want to give it to. And the question is, is he underrated? What's the exact question?

Yeah, do you feel like he's underrated by not being at the forefront of the MVP conversation? I don't think that he's underrated. I just think that it's a lot of storylines that play into the MVP race. Like we got Shay leading the league all season long, even though he missed some games, where OKC has pretty much been the beginning to the end. We still have 12, 13 games left. But if they finish in number one, think about this.

I remember they started, I believe, 19 and 1, 21, when he was talking about possibly beating Golden States and the Bulls record and Shay got hurt and they, you know, shout to their coach Dagenoff. I always mess his name up. Statt knows that. But he did a great job and the SGA comes back. Breaks Will Chamberlain's record

of 126 games. That was the record of consecutive 20 plus point wins. Then you have Luca, you know, ever since Trish, Trish done and did some shit because ever since Trish said it now, Luca's name is getting thrown in there for fourth place. And the amazing job that he's doing with the Lakers.

You know what I'm saying? Then we talk about Wimby. Wimby's advocating for himself. When we talk about I don't understand why I'm not being considered for the MVP. If y'all like O'KC so much, we bust their ass four out of five times this year. Saddest story out of all of it is K. Cunningham, right? Because K. Cunningham, to me, to me, even though SGA was leading as far as Vegas is concerned when you go with the odds, K.

K. C. C. Cunningham, until this injury was my particular MVP this particular season for what he's done with Detroit the way we all seem to trade um be unsuccessful talk about their ticket prices talk about all the free year away so and so forth to having them in the number one spot with 15 games left and then this injury happened k cutting him was my MVP until this injury so um i don't think it's disrespect i just think that he hasn't done enough. And it's sad to say when you say Jaylen Brown has done enough, considering Boston's been dismantled, considering

Jason Tatum's not, hasn't been playing 75 to 80% of the season. All these things, man, I think that goes to consideration. Plus, it's personality. And when I say personality, I don't mean bad.

Off the court, he's kind of quiet, kind of reserved, even when he's mad at somebody, he's like, I just don't get it fucked around. You know, he's very Kamau, man, a very intelligent brother as well, very, very intelligent, man. But sometimes you got to go do what Wimby did. I don't know what the fuck going on. What fuck is the problem, yo?

I'm out here dominating on defense. I'm out here killing what it says. I'm out here scoring. I'm hitting game winners. I got the spurs back in the playoffs. We fuck around with 60 games. What niggas talk about? Sometimes you got to advocate for yourself, and I don't think Jalen Brown has that

has that personality. But some people don't. I feel what Jalen Brown's coming from, if that's his perspective. Because Shea ain't out here begging for MVP's neither. You know what I'm saying? I see, shout to my man Chubbs view. You know, he works with Drake.

It was funny because I seen on Instagram, Wembe with that quote, how he was saying, he should get MVP. And Chubs, who's down with OVO, shout to Chubs. He's in the comments talking about that man begging, man, chill out, SGA got him. And I said, oh shit, SGA from Canada. the Canada more SGA to get it.

You know, charges from Canada. So I just think it's a lot of storylines, but I believe Jalen Brown has how to outstanding the season, considering all the things that Boston has went through in the offseason and this season as well. I don't think it discredits him as a player and what he's done this season. Yeah.

It's interesting you bring that up because a lot of people, like there's two sides about how Wembe approached it, and I want to ask you this, Mace, do you see it as begging? or do you see it as him genuinely just advocating for himself? I look at it like advocation. Sometimes you got to speak up for yourself like killer was just saying. And he said the other day on another take,

you got to speak up, especially when people are not putting your name in certain conversations and you know you've been putting out that kind of work pause. And you definitely know you better than the people they're saying should get it. I think one of the worst things to do is to watch. somebody being awarded, but something you know you do it better than them. That's one of the hardest things to watch. Good point.

And, Cam, I know you kind of went over, but I want to get your take on that too. I agree with me. Like I said, the other day, you got to advocate because sometimes niggas act like they don't see what's going on. And I don't want to act like we don't see what Shay is doing as well. And OKC is doing them. That's not to be ignoring either. but I'm not going to I'm not going to lie if we're talking about the most sensational

player this season if we're talking about sensational it's Ben Wimby the shit that he's doing is 7475 it's just amazing you know I was referring to he was on a fast break threw it through his legs and this was last year

before he got injured Damien Lillet reached and he threw it behind his back like a guard and dunked it like the shit that he's doing is just amazing to watch. So he's like, yo, I don't know what the problem is. So yes, I don't disagree with advocating for yourself. I remember now don't get it fucked up. The best player in the league is not always the MVP. I remember watching the last dance. And for those who seen the last dance,

when Michael Jordan played against certain people, and he said, why did you really want to beat Phoenix this year? He said, because Charles Barkley got the MVP and I feel he didn't deserve it. So he went and bidsmantle Charles Barkley in the, and it was in Houston. Whatever championship, I don't remember who Charles Barkley played for. As a matter of fact, Phoenix. And he went to dismantled them. And he said, I did that because they gave Charles Barkley MVP. You know, why did you do that this year in the championship to Utah Jazz, Michael Joy?

Because they gave Carl Malone MVP, and I feel he didn't deserve it. So we may have that same scenario. You give Shay the MVP, Wimby. Hopefully y'all mean the player. because I think that'll be a sensational matchup, OKC versus San Antonio, and you go give him the business if he gets MVP and be like,

I don't know what y'all was thinking about. I tried to tell y'all this a month and a half ago. Y'all wasn't listening. He may have an opportunity to prove it if she gets MVP, but we still have time to see who that goes through. But I don't consider it begging. I think that you should advocate for yourself

if people act like they don't see what's going on. Sometimes they like to turn a blind eye to shit that's going on because they like who they like. Yo, Killer, what do you think? think if they beat okay c you think if if san antonio goes to the championship you think they win it all well you made a great point uh you made a great point a couple weeks ago when you said the nix because they have been having trouble with the nicks this season um but i don't think that we've seen

the same wimby that we've seen in the last month and a half this whole season even when they played the nicks in the championship in the cup and i don't like to use excuses for any his grandmother died that day. And, you know, we're older now, so we haven't seen our grandparents in a long time. But if you're 21 years old, your grandmother, and a lot of you, I don't know how he was raised, but my grandmother was my parent half my life as well. You know what I'm saying? So people loved their grandparents, and he was crying after the game and so on and so forth.

But he didn't use that as an excuse. He came out and still played me. I don't know if I would have been able to play cup or not. if my grandmother died that day. You know, I'm just saying because I love my grandmother. But the first time they lost in the cup his grandmother died. That's not an excuse period. I'm not going to say that's an excuse,

but they lost again later on. So, you know, it's different strokes for different folks' paws. But I don't know. I like your take when you said they were struggling with the Knicks. So if the Knicks go, I'm not sure. But I think that the experience all of them guys, It's not just going to be castles, but South Johnson off the bench.

We already know how much De Aaron Fox wants to win, leaving Sacramento being in a great position right now. If they be OKC, I would pick them and take it all, but I'm not mad at your point of view when it comes to the Knicks. I think the Knicks have been giving them a little bit of fits this season. Yeah, this is a rematch, you know, a long couple years ago, you know, where San Antonio got the chip off the Knicks.

I know they would love to get that get back. So that would be crazy. I know if the Knicks win, we'll never hear the end of it. You should have seen Sen. You should have seen him here last night crying because they got blown out by the Charlotte Hornets. And shout out to the Charlotte Hornets, man. The things that they're doing in the second half

after the All-Star break has been sensational too. If they creep into the playoffs this year and make the playoffs, I wouldn't want to play them in the first round the way that they're balling right now. Cinniple, ball, they're really looking really good. And the more the seasons goes on, the more confident they look. Be careful about the Hornets and the playoffs, depending on who they play. Yeah. Speaking on that, no, I actually want to ask you all, Mace, I wonder if a team comes to mind. Do you feel like there's another team that might be a little underrated right now?

Like, we talked about Jalen Brown specifically, and like I know Cam brought up the Hornets, but there are some teams that you're kind of like, they've actually got some good things going on. People are just probably underlooking them a little bit right now. Yeah, when it comes to teams being underlooking the East Coast, I'm definitely going to go Cleveland. you know, I know sometimes we bring it up, but most times people brush it off because of certain things they haven't seen James Harden do in the past. But I think this could be the year he's trying to make his name. This could be the year he's trying to get his name back. And I think if he shows up that the sky is the limit for that Cleveland Cavalier team, I think they could be anybody, you know, if he's playing well,

But if he's not, then, you know, it's the regular old regular. But that will be my team that I think of, when I think of a team that people can think they're just brushing off, it would be the Cleveland Cavaliers. Cam, do you feel the same about Cleveland? Yeah, I think that we got the hype with James Harden in the beginning. And everybody's like, oh, Cleveland's the one, Cleveland one. The hype kind of died down. And we started focusing on other things talking about as far as sports. analysis for the NBA is concerned.

Start talking about Tatum coming back. We started talking about, look at the Wind Street for the Lake and so on and so forth. So other storylines jumped over Cleveland. Then Cleveland fell back in the fourth place. Like, you know, right now it looks like it's a three-headed monster for us to try and get first place. When we talk about Detroit, we talk about Boston,

and we talk about the Knicks all like four games apart. Knicks and Boston are neck and neck and neck. I think it's a three, four game lead, if I'm not mistaken, for Detroit. So Cleveland had kind of bumped to the back burner, but we'll see what happens in the playoffs. The team that comes to mind for me, and I'm not saying they're going to make a great playoff run or they're going to do anything in the playoffs.

I'll do an eastern west coast team. I'll start on the East Coast. I think that Atlanta has something really great to build off this year, even if they don't go anywhere in the playoffs. They're 8-0 when Jonathan Kamenga is playing. and then they're 14 and 5 overall since Cominga been there since the All-Star break. I think they got some new energy there.

They got some new blood. And it's real exciting for them moving forward next year. So I would say keep an eye out for them next year, even though they're right now currently can be in the playing. But A&O with Jonathan Cominga is tremendous. And 14 and 5 overall since he's been there is just stupendous. A team that I say on the West Coast that we're overlooking, and I'm not saying overlooking,

because you can never overlook the Lakers. But the Lakers being in third and the run the Lakers were on on that nine-game 1street before they lost that game. People look at it and be like, that's good. That's really good. That's dope. But nobody expects the Lakers to do anything past the second round when we talk about the playoffs are concerned.

So you sit there and say, you know, it's great they were on a nine-game one street. It's great LeBron is scoring 17, 18, 19, 20 points at 40 years old. It's great to Luca Dantzance at 60 points. It's crazy that all. reads to score 40, 50 points. But it's not really equal enough to anybody expecting them to do anything in the playoffs. And I would say, if we're talking about playoff experience as well, we're talking about LeBron James.

We're talking about Luca Dantos. And not only that, we're talking about a double-digit career player now coaching J.J. Redick. I remember J.J. Reddick in his final couple years, he's playing with New Orleans. I think his final year, whatever Zion got there. 2021, if I'm not mistaken, or 22, it's probably 21. And he stepped his arm. He said, look, you're going to be the man on the scene. Make it happen because I've never missed the playoffs in my career.

So we're talking about JJ Redick. I don't know. I don't remember how long has career been. But it's been somebody who's been to the playoffs 12, maybe 13 times in a row. So when we talk about experience, they know what it takes to get to the playoffs. Not only that, Luca's been to the championship. He knows what it takes to get to the championship. Then you got LeBron James, who's been the 10 finals in,

in a row and actually out four finals and four finals MVP. Let's see how that translates in the playoffs, even though a lot of people aren't even expecting them to do anything in the playoffs. Good takes. Okay, so in overtime. Are you, wait, wait, wait, are you really going somewhere? I didn't say that. She asked the team that's being overlooked.

That was the question, Mace. I'm overlooking the Lakers, man. I'm overlooking the Lakers, man. They're not going anywhere. Who else is there on the West Coast? Who else is there? We got to overlook the Lakers until they prove us otherwise. I love to take about J.J. Reddick because you need people like that.

I hope J.J. Reddick, it seemed like he's doing the same thing to the Lakers, but I just don't think they could beat anybody really at the top. I know we love LeBron and Luca, but when it comes down to the same thing, to it. If you got somebody old on your team and you got a guy that don't play no defense, that's two slots that's going to make it hard to win. Pause. So I'm overlooking the Lakers. I hate to say this. I'm a lifetime Laker, you know, enthusiast. But I got overlooked them right now. Well, the thing about it, Mace, I remember, yeah, the thing about it, Macy knew, but we did some due diligence. She wasn't here, but I was trying to, I was trying to, I was.

on a previous show, I was explaining how you were saying how Luca doesn't play defense. Actually, when the game, when you said he did, I played deep, play defense, and he had 60 points. He had five steals. The game before that, he had three steals. The Laker during that nine-game winning streak was second overall in defense, number one in defense against the three-point shot. So they have been playing a lot of good defense, and that's been translating in the wins. So as much as you say, Luca hasn't been playing defense and the Lakers, I haven't been playing defense, that hasn't been true in the last 10 games.

Overall, you're correct. But as far as the stats and concern, number two. That's great. I love, I love, I love your analysis because it shows your attention to the game. But he's not got, you can have 10 stills if you're playing a zone and you, and you're reading the defense. I'll be more specific than he doesn't play man to man defense. He plays zone like, you know, hiding in there, pause.

They lob the ball, he gets this still. But I'm talking about actually guarding the two guard that's in front of him or the point guard that's in front of him. So thank you for making that correction for me, Killer. I stand corrected. He doesn't play man-to-man defense. That's what I'm talking about. But I do understand what you're saying, and I do agree with what you're saying.

He could have six stills, but I'm talking about when the game. Yeah, when you know what I'm talking about. You play basketball, you know. Yeah, but what I'm saying is just when you made your take last time about it, you said when next one, let me know when Luca gets three steals. And actually, I gave me a five. So that's what you said you want to know. Secondly, this isn't the 90s where you have to play man-a-man defense.

It's not that game anymore. So you could play his own defense. And if you have somebody like Luca and I'm coaching, I'm Jay, J. Reddick, I'm definitely going to disguise Luca because we know that he can't stay in front of anybody defensively man to man. We absolutely know that. So if you're JJ Redick, that's credit to him for disguising him in his own defense. So I'm not disagreeing with you when you're saying this man to man. But if we know that and I'm the coach, I'm going to disguise the nigga. We know he can't stay in front of anybody. This is a fact. I think it's credit to Jay J.Ritton.

I agree with you. But if we're plan if it's me and you playing and we know this Nick to play good defense in the zone. What are we doing? We're getting them out of that zone. It's the job of those on the West Coast

the hit threes and all of the teams at the top can hit threes. He's going to have to come out and guard somebody. So they can guard him against most of these teams. Just like there was guarding him against, who was that? Houston one time. I saw him

doing the same thing because Houston got amen. But when you get against an O KC, somebody who from each position can knock down the three, you can't play that funny zone. You're going to have to come out of that zone and play mono or mono. So I agree with you what you're saying. And it's a genius move on JJ ready.

I think the zone is better against the three. Yeah, but once you get to the, Once you get to that semifinals, the second round, that's where they go out because you got to guard somebody. You actually have to guard somebody and not just play zone defense. That works for certain teams. So I'm not against it. We just come back to it in the playoffs and be like, this is what he was talking about. And who knows?

Lucas is in shape. Maybe this is the year he smacked the floor and go, whoa, Joe, from the, Duke or one of them. Bobby Hurley. He's a white boy. Maybe this is the year he smacked the floor. He might have to

psych niggas out. If I was Luca, I just smacked the floor and play defense, put my hands out, pause, and don't play no defense. But you know,

it's something about niggas smack the floor. Niggas think he's ready to play defense. It might pass the ball. I don't know. Yeah, no, listen, you're going to be 100%

correct. You just said, let you know when Luca gets three steals, he had five. So I was just like, you know. Okay. Shout to Luca. Maybe we'll get his sneakers, you know?

He got to play some defense, though. That's what you're trying to see. Yeah, I'm trying to see him smack the floor, pause. And you know, the good old white boy defense, killer. You know, the niggis smack the floor. You think he might know how to shuffle his feet, but who knows?

We'll see. Yeah. Okay. Let's get to two more teens on the West. So in overtime, the Timberwolves beat the Rockets 1-10-10-10 to pull off the largest overtime comeback in NBA history, which is a stat right there. Mace, what do you think of the Timberwolves being able to pull that off? Yeah. I mean, when it comes to the Rockets, they just let me down.

Ever since I put my name on the list for them or said I was going with the Rockets, it just seemed like they don't, they can't. figure it out. Like, they got all the pieces there that can make this a good team. They're tall. You know, Paul's as a lengthy team. But it just seemed like when it comes down to it, they don't have what it takes to win, man. I don't know. You know, maybe you need some more dogs on the team.

You know, all of the stuff people say when they're not winning. And this, this, how did you let the wolves beat you without Anthony Edwards? That's like a slap in the face. and then to make the greatest comeback ever. But what I'm thinking about is this. The reason they were able to come back because you probably thought you had it without Anthony Edwards, but that wasn't true.

So I'm not sure where they go from here. But the Rock is, I'm really going to have to switch my team. I thought I wasn't going to do it, but I have to do it. I can't trust them. Yeah, as far as it's concerned for me, it's more about this isn't the time a year to lose to other playoff teams. Kind of how Mace was talking about with O'KC and Boston earlier, even though they're not in the same.

It's an East-West team. This is a team that you could potentially face in the playoffs. And I don't think this is the time to take any team lightly that you could potentially play in the playoffs, especially with Anthony Edwards not playing. But I've just brought this down to them not having a true point card with Fred Venn, Fleet, not playing. And now this boils down to coaching in the GM. If you knew Fred Vair Fleet wasn't on the timeline to possibly come back for the playoffs,

you should have made a move before the playoff before the trade deadline or quiet somebody because this team is a point guard away from possibly being in the championship. I thought that they would possibly make a championship run. I'm not saying that it's over but they obviously need a point guard really badly and I don't think this is a game they should take lightly either losing

especially with Anthony Edwards not playing yeah and then Mayside now you said you're over it you can't trust them but I like to have clear answers so I just want to clarify so if you had to choose 100% right but for a preference

wise right if you're choosing between both of the teams the Rockets and the Timber was which one do you preferably like better? Like I know you're saying you can't trust them now, but that doesn't mean that you don't like the other one as much as the other. So which one are you choosing, regardless of the win? No, now you're trying to give me another team, stat. I'm over it, stat.

I see what you're doing. I've watched your takes back to back. I know when you're doing something. Your right shoulder goes up when you're lying, and then your left shoulder goes up when you're trolling. They go up together. Yeah, but the one goes up before each other. That's how much I watch details.

Okay. So I know when you're trolling and I know when she's lying, killer, just watch her shoulders. When I took you in that when she said they go up, when she said they go up together, I took it as you're lying and then you're trolling at the same time. I can't win. I can't win. Your shoulders went up. What's your shoulders mean? No, I'm just saying, I'm not agreeing with that stat.

I'm just telling you what he said. I'm not agreeing with it. I don't know. Agree. And not agree. Comments have added to the fire. So I'm like, what y'all shoulders mean? If mine is lying and trolling, what's yours and what's yours?

I'm not agreeing with a stat. Everybody's going to be paying attention to your children. Man, I can't win. Do it again. Let me see. No, because now I'm subconsciously keeping my shoulders down. They're not even going to move. It was a fair question.

I just wanted to know your preference for which team, the Timberwolves or the Rockets, like which one? I know you say you don't trust the Rockets right now. I don't have a preference. I don't have a preference when it comes to the Timberwolves because they're not my team either. I just like Anthony Edwards. as a two guard. He brings that 90-filling to pause to basketball,

that he's really trying to be great. He's really trying to be the best play on the floor. And his mindset of not wanting to be the face of basketball, even as to that same sentiment. But I'm not ready to pick between those two. That's like a bad choice and a not-so-bad choice. They're both bad choices, though. Okay, Kamp.

If I had to make a pick, I'm going with Houston. I think Minnesota, even though Minnesota, if they were to play each other, could possibly went to, I think both of these team are missing pieces. We just talked about Houston missing a point guard. I think that Minnesota is missing a second go-to constantly, right? We talked about Julius Randall being there. We know Knobreed comes off the best Mike. Carly's getting kind of older.

Listen, it's a lot of different players that's good, but who's the second option when it comes to Minnesota? And that's my problem with Minnesota. What I don't like is we need more production from Sagoon. And I think Sagoon hasn't been, name hasn't been ringing like it's been ringing in the last year, a couple years, is because of the point guard. You know, we need to goons down low, Power Force Center. You need somebody to get him the ball so he can,

So he can produce. He's not the Joker, even though he's good when you have a point guard. So both of these teams need pieces. Houston actually has a piece. It's just that their point guard is hurt. Minnesota, I'm not sure outside of Anthony Edwards, who's my second option, even though it should be Julius Randall? I think Julius Randall is great.

But the inconsistency, game in and game out, has been there. And so we can't depend on him being second string. and I don't know who would be the second person to go to. Not second string, the second option. So if I had to pick, I would pick Houston. Okay, good takes y'all. So Vegas will be hosting the Super Bowl. Again, we will discuss after the break.

She called his thing about toxic. He isn't counting. Got you feeling like an option. Maybe I'm my own problem, baby. She's tired of hearing I don't know My stubborn in me won't fall Oh, called trust

But she really thinking about Welcome back So Las Vegas will host the Super Bowl After the 2028 season For 2029 Mace, do you think that Las Vegas should be A regular rotation city

For the Super Bowl after 2028 Or do you think it should stay A rare destination Because a lot is coming to Vegas I like I like the rare destination but I think it was beautiful when it was in Vegas. You know, I was able to get tickets fast.

Things were moving really great, you know. I think Vegas is a perfect city for the Super Bowl. I mean, when you got Los Angeles, Las Vegas, Miami, Atlanta, places like that, I think some places you should not have this Super Bowl in because it's so, it's so weird outside of the Super Bowl, right? So I don't want to put nobody's city on blast, but every Super Bowl is not good when it's in certain cities. People don't go. Even the All-Star Games, when they have them in certain cities, people don't want to go even though it's the All-Star games.

So it's the same thing when it comes to Super Bowl. I think Vegas is a definite hot spot for the Super Bowl. You got everything there. You got shopping. You got food. You got, you know, even the casinos that people may want to. go to, you got a lot that Vegas has to offer. I'm in favor of the Super Bowl being wherever it's a retractable roof, which Vegas has,

or good weather. I think that sometime when you, you know, remember they had a Super Bowl in New York, it's literally one degrees. I think that the Super Bowl should be played in decent weather to where it's on a playing playing field. Some people like it loud. That's a real Super Bowl when they're in the cold and they're on the snow. And that may determine the game for me.

I would like to see everybody at their full capabilities and decent weather. And Vegas has a retractable roof. So if it's raining or, you know, I'm pretty sure it's not going to be burning up like it does in the summertime in February. But I think Vegas is a great city or any place with a retractable roof or good weather. Yeah. I think in general, just the trajectory of Vegas is kind of insane because it's like now you're bringing the Super Bowl back, which is around the time when they're trying to bring the NBA team. team. Then we already know they're discussing baseball, and then we already have WMBA, and then we

already have a football team, and then they're supposed to get the first overall pick with Fernando. So it's just a lot going on around the same time, but I'm in favor of it because I do think that this is a great city to host all those events. I'm just trying to think in like a couple years how insane. I didn't even mention boxing, like, WrestleMania, like just everything is here. So I like that it's a hot spot, and I think it should continue to be, and I'm hoping that they continue to do more stuff here. But I just think that year specifically, it's going to be a lot going on. So I'm interested to see how that's going to go for sure.

Okay. And the thing about it, you know, it's even crazy. You know, I didn't see it on the list of topics. I think I just bring it up real quick. Tom Brady even asked the NFL, would they be cool with him playing with him coming back? I think Tom Brady played in that flag football game over the day and seen how he didn't have to get hit. And he played decent, even though it was flag football.

football, he actually asked the NFL, how would they feel if he made a comeback? Once from Michael Joy and play for the wizard shit, because I think Vegas is out now. He's an owner of a team and now wants to play for the team that he's part owner in. But the NFL did not allowing owners to be players, so they kind of shut it down. And Tom Brady afterwards, can't get that how much he likes being retired. He thought he just asked and it felt good playing flag football, but he's going to stay retired. But I think if the NFL would have grinning him or pass and say yes, I think Tom would have fucked around tried to come back.

That would be crazy. Yeah, I'm bored. I'm forward if Tom, if Pauls, if Tom would have came back to Vegas, that would have been fired. Because he actually, you know, they would have needed a lot of pieces, pause. But just him being in there on the field would have brought a lot of life to Las Vegas. For sure. Okay, so Clarissa Shields addressed the narrative that her man Papoose is with her for money. She denied those claims and said he's actually the one paying all her bills, mortgage, car payment, insurance, and even vacation flights.

So I'm going to ask you this question a little bit away from her because, you know, this is the comments that she made about her relationship. But in general, Mace, how do you feel or how do you really know if someone is in a relationship with you for the right reason? And then thoughts on what she had to say for people to claiming that he's with her for the money. How do you know when somebody's with you for the right reasons? Yes. Oh, man. Because they treat you well when things go bad. You always pay attention to how people treat you when things go well.

I mean, go bad. If when things go bad, you tend to find out how people really. feel faster than when things are going well. So I would tell her to just watch what happens when things don't go well. When you don't give people what they ask for or what they request, then you tend to find out some things you didn't know before. Not always something bad, but you will find out something you didn't know before. And I think when it come to her and Pat Poo's, I think Pat Poo's over the years should probably

have as much money as her. So I don't see how, I just don't see that. Maybe that's a New York bias. But I think over the years, you know, he should have the same amount of money. I'm not pocket watching, but, you know, he should be somewhere in that zone. I ain't have no comment. Well, how do you know when somebody's with you for the right reasons? Whole point is this, right?

If I say my comment, they're going to say I'm talking about them. So I don't even want to comment Because I don't choose to be in their business They got a lot going on right now And I don't want to be a part of whatever they got going on Not in the bad way But they got a lot of shit going on on social media And I don't want to add on to it

They got a lot going on without me And my take will be hot It'll go viral If I say one thing It'll go viral They got a lot going on So let them handle the shit that they got going on now And I wish them the best

Good luck fair take look it there look at there cam sped him I just choose not to be it's a mess on the internet with everything they got going on

and it may not be a mess to them but every time I see something it's not about her necessarily being a boxer because she's a great boxer or it's not necessarily being him about being a great rapper it's of a messy shit

and if I get my opinion niggas niggas is waiting for me to say anything I don't mind giving my opinion on anything but they their relationship has a life of their own and there's several people that they're going at it with on social media and on the internet I don't need to be another one. That's fire, Kelly.

That doesn't go for anybody, I'm just saying. I'm just telling. Yeah, you know, you know, I mean, thinking of this, you know, a lot of people, you know, just come at them, like you said, She's a great, she's a great boxer and looking like she's going to be greater than the greatness that she's already shown. And it's just like, I was watching Steve Francis. We was in the studio arguing today.

Who is better? Steve Francis or Baron Davis, right? Everybody's arguing, who would you say was better, killer? Steve Francis or Baron Davis? And then prime before any injuries. Who's better? The only reason I'm going to say Steve Francis, I'm going with Steve Francis, is because you don't trade Tracy McGready for anybody. You traded Tracy McGrady for Steve Francis.

Now, Baron Davis is a hell of a fucking player, super duper dope player. Like, great. But they wanted to trade Barron Davis for Tracy McGrady. That's how good that Steve Francis was. Did you give up Tracy McGrady? For Steve Fernland, we know Tracy McGregory. That's exactly what they said next to be said. It's exactly what he said.

Yeah, that was my opinion. I was like, you know, Baron Davis was going crazy. But when I saw that Steve Francis highlight, I was like, yo, that, nah. But Steve Francis was on TV saying, man, Baron Davis is no way I'm at, man, if he want that smoke. And I just thought that was crazy. Because, you know, sometimes people see themselves as close.

But then when you really in it, cause, you know, me and this nigga ain't close, nigga. Not close at all. You're hyping it. Yeah. Yeah, you don't give up six, you don't give up six, eight, dribble, jump shot, handle, for just anybody, man. So that's where I would go with.

Six, two, right? Anybody six, six, two. That's crazy. Yeah, exactly. That's how good Steve Francis was. Okay. Yeah, I saw the highlight on Steve Francis today. I forgot how crazy Steve Francis was.

Yeah, you know, the Internet, they be playing too much, man. And they got two good games. They compare them to Jordan. If he had the right two games, watch that shoulder now. They are not. ever since you said that, I promise you they are not moving at all. Like, I haven't moved them once and I won't move both of them twice. That got it.

Okay, let's go back to the football talk, actually. So the Seahawks signed wide receiver, Jackson Smith, and Ajikva to a four-year, 168.6 million contract extension, making him the highest paid wide receiver in NFL history. The deal includes $120 million guaranteed in an average. averages $42.15 million annually, of course, not pocket watching, but it's a valid question. Mace, does this make sense to you? Do you think he should be the highest paid wide receiver? I'm going to let Cam go first, because I don't know this guy that much, but I like the way they're paying them, you know, and I want to hear what a killer got to say. You know, this is part of when we say winning means something.

You know what I'm saying? We got my nigga on my team, Jamar Chase. We got Justin Jefferson over there in Minnesota. We talk about CD Lamb. Those were the three highest paid wide receivers until he just got this deal. But he's a Super Bowl champion, reigning Super Bowl champion. This is part of winning. And it started when Gino Smith was there.

You know, they was like, oh, Gino Smith got a good one receiver. he actually helps Sam Donald get comfortable being in Seattle because you had a security blanket when you passed him. So, you know, when you got the numbers that he had, I believe if I'm not mistaken, he led in the yards and receiving. Nick, you can confirm that for me, so I don't look crazy. But just in general, you win, it means something. We think about Pooka.

Pooka going to get that money when it's sound. He going to get that money. but he's a Super Bowl champion. And not only a Super Bowl champion, a big piece of why they won the Super Bowl, not just that game leading up to the Super Bowl, while Seattle had a great season. So I think the money's warranted.

You have people who argue because they're not familiar with the name like you are with Jamar Chaser, C.D. Lamb or my nigga I just named down there in Minnesota. But I think the money's warranted. And this is part of them. trying to keep him there for Sam Dahl to try and go another Super Bowl run. And then there's...

Yeah, I think... I think when it comes to this guy, like I said, I didn't know his name. He wasn't that popular in my world of sports. But I definitely think if you win the Super Bowl, you work the money. And what a better time to negotiate than when you win the Super Bowl?

I think that's the time They start asking people, let's renegotiate. Let's get this better, you know, so we can keep the core team around. You got to know how to communicate. And I think this is a great idea for other wide receivers and other players to use as well. When you win the championship, go back and get wild more money. Because I remember a couple of years ago when Philly won it, right? They didn't even keep that team together.

So that's why I said this is something that needs to be done more often so you can keep some of them core players together because how most players think is after they win the championship, I got the ring now. Let me get the money. And what better way to get the money than on the team you won with? I think it's a beautiful day for football. Okay.

And then, Cam, to confirm what you said, JSA did lead the league in receiving yards. so you were correct on that. But shout out to him because he got paid, you know. So that's lit for him. Hopefully, Puka could take a little bit of notes. Right, you win the Super Bowl and you lead the league and receiving y'alls. It's time to get paid.

Yeah, for sure. Yeah. Okay, so last thing before we wrap. So the Colts have actually signed college basketball player Carson Tout with the intention of converting him to a tight end. He played five seasons of college basketball, most recently of Notre Dame, where he started 31 games. Mace, how do you feel about athletes switching sports,

especially as we're seeing on the highest level that you can? This is the way I think about this, this is nothing new. I remember I think when we was in high school or so, Charlie Ward. I don't remember what year of schooling I was in, but I remember this very, very vividly that Charlie. Ward was like the Housman and football, and then he got drafted by the Knicks, and we were like, what? How is Charlie?

Ain't that? I remember asking somebody, ain't that the guy that played for Florida State and, you know, and football? Why is he playing basketball? And didn't think that he was playing basketball, and he ended up starting for the Knicks was crazy, you know? So I'm a firm believer of people that play one sport can all. oftentimes play another sport.

And there's been rumored for years that a lot of the best basketball players were football players. So I don't think it's that much of elite. You know, some people may think it is, but I think when you're a supreme athlete, then you pretty much could have played more than one, at least two sports.

So this is just the second sport. I don't think is as reaching as people think it is. I don't know him as a football player, and I really don't know too much of him as a basketball player, so I'll just give my opinion on people playing more than one sport. We've seen people do it on a professional level. You've seen Dionne Sanders do it. We've seen Bo Jackson do it.

Sometimes they try and keep you in a box and want you to play only one sport when you're multi-talentering. You can play more than one sport. So if he could play, he could play, but it's not for everybody, right? We've seen, and not just sports. Sometimes you're assigned to a specific talent for a sport. We were sitting there watching Tim Tebow be a quarterback, sensation in college, and it didn't work out for him.

And then he tried to play baseball. That's how good Tim Tebow was. They say, sign the nigger to the Mets. Let's see what happens there. Didn't work out with the Mets. Niggas say, you know what, make the nigger a linebacker. He tried to be a linebacker for the Jacksonville Jaguar. That didn't work out.

So it doesn't always work. It's dead ass. It doesn't always work out. His agent is fired. Yeah, you can't get mad at them. But that's how much America loves Tim Tebow. Give him a shot doing something. You know what I'm saying?

They love Tim Tebow, America, that is. So just in general, it's not far-fetched if the person can do it. It's about if the person can do it. The thing about this, as much as he played quarterback, If I was Russell Wilson, I'd go back to the Yankees and say, it was good. Russell Wilson was actually drafted by the New York Yankees to play baseball. But he chose football instead.

I think his contract just got up, or not for contract, his rights, just what got up a year or two ago with the Yankees. He was actually under the Yankees to play baseball. And that's a sudden maybe he may want to revisit how things are going now with him in football. But it's players that have to make decisions. I remember talking, not talking, pardon me, looking at an interview with Randy Morse. And Randy Morse played everything. He did track.

He played baseball. He played baseball. He played basketball. He's actually all-American in football and basketball. He said, would discourage him for playing basketball actually was because he went to Nike camp or one of them camps where all the best player was. And I forget the other person, person basketball player. But he said Kevin Garnett was destroying him. He said that year, I just realized Kevin Garnett is just going to just, it's better than me.

He said, this is what Kevin Garnett does all year round. I'm just playing whatever sport is in season when I'm in school. So it isn't that people can't play them more, more than one sport. Sometimes they have to make a decision because they don't want everybody playing everything at one time when you get to the professional level. but if he could do be a college basketball playing, you know you're not going to go to the NBA

and you can play football, more power to him. Congratulations. When y'all played basketball, y'all never wanted to play any other sport. Like, it was just basketball? I mean, I probably could have played football. When I got the Jacksonville,

I did a little cross-country running, but that was it. Okay. Yeah, just in New York, you know, the problem with New York is the cool factor. You know, everybody wants to be cool and basketball is the coolest sport.

You know, my man Bezo, who's actually in town. My man Bezo's actually in town, and Bezo told me this story, and it seems like he still regrets to, shout to my nigga Bezo, he's actually in town for this next few weeks fucking with me. And he was telling me how when he was

9, 10, 11 years old, he was a really, really good tennis player, really, really super duper good to where, you know, they were sending them away to camp, or they wanted them come to camp, something like that. And he let a family member discouraged him, like you bitch-ass tennis player?

A bitch-ass, I don't want to play tennis, nigga? Fuck are you talking about? And because his family members didn't approve of it, oh, the brothers or whoever, it discouraged him from playing tennis to where now he looks back on it, like, I could have been one of them niggas. Yeah.

But it's the cool factor. It's the cool factor. It's not cool. cool to play anything else but basketball in New York, even though we're not even that tall in New York. You know, when we was coming up, like I said, I remember the Warriors, but that shit got played out when I was like eight or nine years old, a football team. It was really no organization, as far as I remember, as far as football or anything else concerned, I remember my mother had me doing everything, though.

I was tap dancing when I was three years old. I was doing plays. My first performance was four years old in the play at the Beacon Theater. Tap dance at the Beacon Theater. I did gymnastics at this place called Walden on 88th Street and West End Avenue, pardon me, Central Park West. My mother had me in an array of different things, but you got to realize she's taking me out my environment to do this in single digits.

By the time I got to be able to think for myself when I'm like 9, 10, 11 years old, and I'm going outside, I don't see niggas doing gymnastics. I don't see niggas playing tennis like that. I see every other block or every other park that I walk past people playing basketball. You get a ooh, ooh, and the girls out there. And there's cars outside, Triple Park. That was the cool sport to play in New York. So, no, for me, I didn't want to play anything else once I was of age to make a choice for myself.

Dang. But at least y'all tried different things. I know you said football too, Mace. Yeah, I was thinking about it. I was thinking about growing up. That probably helped you. I'm putting you in gymnastics and all that. That's probably what made you super athletic, you know?

No, absolutely. I'm not, listen, I commend my mother, bless her, so I actually commend her because I actually went to private school my first few years. I've never been to a PSI at school. You know, I've never been to none of those schools to put me in that environment. And I'm thank God that I was with me. in none of them, Joyce, because I may have been turned out another person. She always, my schools was never directly in Harlem. You know what I'm saying?

So I commend her for all that. That's why I be telling people the shit I'd be doing this organized ignorance. I'm very smart. I didn't go to none of that shit. And she had me indifferent shit for years. And I do think, I do credit her for that. Not just athleticism. Brain wise is too.

You know, you got a lot of, a lot of, it's not a lot of y'all, murder. And when I say a lot, when I say not a lot of y'all, it's not a lot of y'all that went to P.S. They made something like that. I guess, it's right. So congratulations. That's why I'm going to be laughing. Yeah, man. Yeah, ladies.

Yeah. You get the same practice every day for four years. Yeah, man. So I commend you. But yeah, shout out to my mother for taking me out of that. And let me see something different every day. Oh, man, that was crazy. The PS schools are like the published schools, right?

So they're totally different. They're totally different. It's like school for Section 8. Just thinking of school for Section 8. Yeah, that's a good way. I don't put it. Elementary section 8. That's hard.

Yeah. I had to bring it where you can see it. No, that, that helps. That's very different because, yeah. Middle school for HUD homes. Yeah. That's dope, though, that y'all did try other things, though. Like, that, that is cool.

Okay. Y'all, that is all the time that we have for today. Thank you all for watching. And as always, it is what it is. Hey