IT IS WHAT IT IS - THE KNICKS LIVE ON TO FIGHT FOR ONE MORE GAME, WHAT MAKES A SUPERSTAR & ARE SUPER TEAMS DEAD!

Episode Date: May 30, 2025

Ma$e, Cam’ron & Treasure "Stat Baby" Wilson are back with another one!! On this episode, we’re joined by Maurice Clarett to talk about the Knicks extending the ECF series with a game 5 win over Indiana, setting up a massive game 6 on Saturday on the Pacers home court. Do you think that we will get a game 7?! Then, who have been the most consistent players in the playoffs this season and what makes you a superstar?? Next, should athletes be allowed to respond to trolls on social media? Finally, is this the end of the super team in the NBA after seeing that 7 new teams have won a title in the last 7 years!  Please rate, review, and follow the podcast for more content.  Make sure to support the show by hitting the link in the bio and downloading the Underdog app. Use code MASE, CAM, or STAT to get up to $1,000 in bonus funds with your first deposit! Follow the show and our hosts on social media: It Is What It Is, Cam'Ron, Ma$e, and Treasure "Stat Baby" Wilson , Producer Ayooo Nick Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Hello y'all, uh I was selling crack on a private jet up in a hell and back But no confusion, this a reunion Hello y'all, welcome back Yeah, Murda here, he countin' money He said, can't man the hell we're at I'm only here to shit on niggas and piss on bitches Welcome, that's what jewelry and bikes, nigga

Black fences and white figures Now I'm out here and I'm lookin' for more chandeliers and light fixtures Nah, I don't like niggas, what's wrong with me? Welcome back to It Is What It Is, this episode is sponsored by Underdog. The app is the easiest way to make some cash just by making picks on your favorite players. Underdog is available in over 30 states including Georgia, Missouri, and Texas, just to name a few. Make sure to support the show by hitting the link in the bio and downloading the underdog app. Use code MACE, CAM, or STAT to get up to $1,000 in bonus funds with your first deposit.

I'm Treasurer Wilson, aka STATbaby, along with your hosts MACE and CAM. And today we are joined with our analyst, Maurice Claret. Cam, Mo, what's good, man? How you guys doing? All is well. All is well. Life is well. Yeah. What's going on, Cam? I'm good, man. Back on my shit, you see? Oh, my goodness, man.

Cam, actually, Cam, they're not happy with you wearing this New York stuff. You wear it after they win, and I want you to know, you might be jinxing the next game, so we're going to keep this clip, Nick. Keep this clip right here, because if they lose the next game, it's because Cam chose to wear the New York Nick stuff. I'm not wearing it, so you can't blame me, Stat. They say the people in New York is saying it's me,

but look at Cam, I don't believe this. It's actually a fire jacket though, Cam. I appreciate it. But if I don't know if you learned to stutter anybody else who watches, I can care less what people think. That's like the last thing in the world that I'm worried about. I'm from New York. I'm not from gentrified

New York. I'm not, I didn't hang out on Adam Clayton Powell or Frederick Douglas Boulevard. It was called Seventh Avenue and Eighth Avenue. I actually was on Lennox Avenue when it wasn't even Malcolm X Boulevard. It was just Lennox Avenue and the street signs was yellow And I lived across the street from Woolworth. Niggas don't know what will work is I mean to your credit, you know a Harlem guy cannot give you credit without throwing some salt in there, you know Only you might be the only hot Harlem artist that was born in Harlem hospital. No, I wasn't born in Harlem hospital. That's the whole shit. That's what niggas try to get me at. They try to be like, yo, my mother was out eating.

And so I was born like in Tribeca. So they'd be trying to call me. Oh, Tribeca Cam. Cam is from the village. Yeah, that's what they be saying. That's Cam. Yeah. Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh know, you know, the village is like, it's crazy.

You know, New York, right? Yeah, absolutely. Cam, you from the village? I'm not gonna lie. I told you. I thought I knew everything about this guy. Yo, you from the village here? with all those tough raps. That's crazy, man. Nigga was born in the village.

I went home to Harlem after three days, they said, still you not from Harlem. That's what nigga told me. You spent your first three days alive in the village, Cam. You know what's crazy is that me and my mom had an argument about that. On Instagram, I put our text messages up a few years ago. I said, y'all from Harlem. She's like, you're not from Harlem. Cause she from Atlantic City.

I'm like, I'm closer to Harlem than you are. You from Atlantic City. She said, Kim, you couldn't sit here and go around the board. You wasn't born in Harlem. I said, mom, where'd you go home to after you left the hospital? She said, Kim, okay, where'd you go to after you left the hospital? She said, Ken, okay, if you want to feel better, you migrated to Harlem.

Forget it. I can't win with nobody. I wasn't born in Harlem. Don't listen here because he can't stop bragging about how he was born in Harlem Hospital, mate. Don't let Sid here, cause Sid can't stop bragging about how he was born in Harlem Hospital. Nick, keep this clip, I need this. I need this. I never denied this, I never said to this, I just told the truth. I can move the mic.

I thought I knew everything, I thought I knew everything. Well, let me ask you a question. I know you were born in Jacksonville, what hospital were you born in? Duval County Hospital. Nah, I think you're making that. I gotta see the birth. I don't even know the name, but yeah Murdoch, I guess I'm from the village if you want to say that. I guess so, yeah. I can't deny where I was born. I was born there one day. I'll be good luck because things are now getting spicy as we see the series is continuing after the next week Pacers 111 to 94. Maurice, what were your thoughts on the game and what do you feel like was the difference maker in this game compared to the others for the Knicks?

I'm gonna say it like I was saying it to the people who I was watching the game with. I'm a believer that the Knicks have a legitimate chance to win this series. And I don't say this just because we have New Yorkers on the camera screen. I say this because I really believe that if the New Yorkers do or if New York Knicks do what it was that they were doing last night, that they have a chance. And you don't have to worry about Jalen Brunson.

Jalen Brunson gonna do what he's gonna do. We've been watching that for a number of years. He's gonna get off pause and he's gonna get you 30, 40 points as needed. He's gonna start the game fast. He's gonna be the energy for the New York mix. Kat being able to play that Robin role, being able to play the supporter, having like a physical dominance, pause and just being a physical presence and being assisted and not trying to be the guy. I think that that's his rightful role and what they do. And I think it establishes that hard defense.

I think that we've seen that basically cause Halliburton struggle. And the other part of that is basically cause and turnovers through defense, but also neutralizing Tyler Halliburton. I think it's that simple. I think Siakam, I think that's how you say his name, Pasco Siakam, I don't know how you say his last name. I think he's a great guy, but he's not the guy to energize, bring swag to the pacer, bring pace to the pacer.

I think it's all driven through Halliburton. And I think when he stopped him last night or neutralized him last night, I think you have to do the same thing on the road when they go back into Indiana. And I think that's the formula. And to me, it was like an easy win. It didn't look like it was too hard, but it was more pause. It was more or less what they need to do. And I think when they go back and Tibbitt will watch the film or the assistants watch the film, I think they'd say, man, if we do these four things, we have the best chance of winning. And then we can go with it and bring this thing back home in New York and potentially go to the finals.

They say I have a grasp on the obvious. I credit all the win to the entire win to the Colby number sixes. They will win the Colby sixes in the orange. That may be the difference in this game. You know, when you wait, I remember back in the days I used to play and wear the Jordans and all that.

I remember Killer gave me a pair of Jordans. I had my best games in the Jordans. Every time I scored 30, I think I had the Jordans on. So I credit it all to the sneakers. You know, when you look good, you play good. And this New York team, like Mo said, everything he said was pretty much correct. Other than they won this game stat, but I'm not ready to say that they're going to win this series. Mo, I think that's like putting 50 on 10. You know, like even Nick said it, I'm gonna blow Nick up.

Pause. Nick said they're gonna win game four on five. They're gonna win game six and get blown out in game seven by 30. I think they get I think they get blown out the next game or is gonna be a close game. I definitely think they lose in six. The Knicks is out in six. Y'all can say what y'all want. You know, Cam got the gear on and Cam is going to actually jinx the next. And just, I want to keep this take because the next time we'll be talking about the

next, we'll be playing though we go to the end of the road by boys to men, the niggas will be throwing bombs in the streets and niggas will be walking with their shirt off and just sad drinking beer. This is what it's going to boil down to. We've seen this movie before, Ken. We've been watching this movie for at least 30, 40 years, man, since they was little. I remember they had Trent Tucker.

They had Kenny Walker. They had Rod Strickland. They had Robert Ory. And they were called the Bomb Squad. They was hitting three everywhere. You got about the Bomb Squad. About the Bomb Squad t-shirt. Yeah, niggas got really hype. They start wearing pilot hats. You know, niggas got aviation

glasses. They were going so crazy. And Rick Latino was the coach then. And he turned Mark Jackson into a superstar. We get all excited. And what happens? Nothing. It always comes to nothing. And I think some of the people they got sitting courtside is going to be a part of the problem, you know, because there's nothing worse than trying to win with people who wasn't there with you from day one. You know, that's always going to jinx you because you have nothing to pull

from because everybody's there. It's fake. Not everybody, but you know, mainly all of the people there. But not everybody. Some people normally go to Nick games, but all of the people showing up like, yeah, it's Nick time. Most of y'all got put out of the Knicks uniform. So how y'all showing up like your Knicks? That's a good take, I must say. Most of the people coming in there are people who got escorted out of the building. And now you're there like this is your team. It's crazy, Cam. I don't know what's wilder, them or you wearing

the Nick jacket is crazy. This is crazy. I don't know, bro. I'm from New York. I don't know why you have a pal of me wearing New York paraphernalia. It's funny how Nick, he wants to save this take, but not when Golden State was his team.

Or the Lakers or everybody else that he named the Nuggets, Joker, Title Towns on the move from Kansas City. You know, we don't want to save none of these takes, but he wants to save this take today. Save it. Cause if anybody drinks and that you drinks in Indiana by saying that they not going to win. I'm just wearing a jacket. That's it, man. But to the actual game, you're not going to win with all the start. Nobody is starting. None of the starters except for Pascal Siakam had double digits. It's just not going gonna happen. This game was really much over from the beginning. When Indiana was down 20, they made a comeback in the third quarter cut to 10,

it ballooned back up to 20. Nobody looked like they could stop Kat. Kat left, Jalen Bronson came out high, but Kat looked like he was invincible. Nobody could stay in front of him. He's going to the basket, looking like Ikeem in 1995 doing all type of, he was looking amazing, Paulyce, to be totally honest with you. And when I was watching

this game, first thing that came to my mind, I'm like, the NBA wants some of their money back. That last season, that last series got cut short. Niggas win last night and ain't no basketball for a week. They need a couple dollars back. So this might go to a game seven, man. I kind of agree with Mase. This shouldn't go to, this should end in sick. If I'm Indiana, the sense of urgency for the next game would be a game seven mentality if I'm Indiana. I would not be comfortable if I'm a Pacer fan or part of the Pacer organization going back to New York for a game seven, because to be honest with you,

this is where you may see the dumbest shit in America ever happen, somebody run on the court Somebody tackles him. This is this is the type of shit that may happen in the game seven They can start putting the red beam on niggas from up there You don't I would not advise going to the garden for game seven. Security will not be able to stop every single person. Cause listen man, we don't see why this should happen in sporting events. Like Mase just said, we done seen a couple of times

a parachute come in the ring. I done seen several people run across a baseball field. I'm telling you right, football field too. I'm telling you right now, if this gets back to a game seven, that fans will intervene, if this gets back to a game seven, that fans will intervene if need be to try and get the next to the championship. So I agree with Mesa to an extent, but it's really up to Indiana to have that mentality. Last night that mentality was not,

we need to close the series out now and get the same rest that OKC is getting. That mentality is, they had last night was more like, we got a game to give them, it's all good, we'll give them one more game. Don't play those games, bro. If I'm them, I would not play those games. So it is what it is, man. But I didn't think much of the game last night. I know that the Knicks need to win to keep this thing going,

but this is a really, really big game for both people. Because I think if the Knicks win six, they could win seven. Good take. And then real quick, Cam, have you, I'm sure you guys have seen it by now. They've been using like Jalen Brunson on your like the pink fur thing. Have you seen that because that has been everywhere like Sports Center ESPN. Like how do you feel about that? I'm just curious

Yeah, I was you know, this is more like Tamesa's point on New York When somebody do something iconic, they throw their face or something iconic that I've done. When it comes to New York, that's what comes to mind. So yeah, I just see Jaylen Brunson in the pink, with the pink phone and all. As a matter of fact, somebody sent to to me right after they won tonight, ESPN posted that on their page immediately after the game and SportsCenter to be honest with you. But I'm glad that they recognize that when it comes to New York, this is who they need to mirror if they want greatness. So flabby. Yeah. That's great. Hey, save this technique. I love it.

You know, I'm, I'm, I'm really, I'm really excited about that. You know, all I care about is that they don't put Patrick Ewing on my block and put 3033 as long as they doesn't do that. I'm going to put Patrick Ewing on my block and He can't do that. That would be like putting Karl Anthony Towns on Rich Porter block. He just can't do that. 32nd. Who would be a better representative of a New York Knicks who would represent your block?

So just real quick Mo, not to cut you up, just so you guys, and not just you, the audience got context to what Mase is talking about, is that the Knicks Took the jersey numbers of the players and put on the streets like Jalen Brunson is number 11 They named 11th Street Jalen Brunson Avenue Josh Hart is number eight they named number eight eight party a Street Josh Allen place and like street Josh Allen place and like Mikel Bridges number 25, 25th street Mikel Bridges Parkway,

some dumb shit. So that's why Macy's saying that 33rd street is his block and they can't even put Patrick Ewan on 33rd street and he might be one of the best Knicks ever. So I'm just giving you some context of what he was saying. Put them on my block and they can't put Carl Anthony Towns on a 132nd, they better not do it. And I'm just saying it so they can do put Carl Anthony Towns on a hundred thirty second. They better not do it. And I'm just saying it so they can do it.

You know, cause I know they will. This is not crazy to Nick's fan. By the time I say this, it will probably be within two hours. Somebody will be putting it up there. What, who is Mace to say this? We just got the block we want to change. Right. Yeah.

Right. That's exactly how it change right. Yeah. Yeah. Right. That's exactly how it's gonna go. Okay. Well, next game is Saturday. Underdog has Kat at 22 and a half points. Do you have them higher or lower mace? 22. Mm hmm. I'm going higher. I'm definitely going higher. So, this is this is what I'm

talking about. This is a it's a catchy catchy number because cat has no consistency within the playoffs to me. He may have two good games and two bad games. They have a good game then have a bad off game. So he's just coming off a good game is he gonna have another good game back to back? I don't know. I don't know. I'm gonna go higher though. Cause I tell you one thing, they ain't got a chance in the world if he don't get 22. Okay.

Jalen Brunson's at two and a half three pointers made. Do you have him higher or lower camp? I'm gonna higher. He was on fire last night. And I think he's gonna carry that momentum into the next game. We know Jalen Brunson is consistent. We know he does his thing, but his threes last night, I'm not sure off top of my head he made,

but he caught heat in the first quarter and the third quarter. So I'm going to go definitely higher and we'll see what happens from there. Yeah, I'm definitely going higher for Jalen Bronson. Like you said, he's already wearing the iconic pink. So we look at that to continue. Okay. And Halliburton is at 35 and a half points, rebounds and assists. You have him higher, lower, mace. You know, it's my team. What else can I say? I got to go higher. I'm a player, I'm a player. I'm a player, I'm a player, I'm a player. I'm a player, I'm a player, I'm a player. I'm a player, I'm a player, I'm a player. I'm a player, I'm a player, I'm a player.

I'm a player, I'm a player, I'm a player. I'm a player, I'm a player, I'm a player. I'm a player, I'm a player, I'm a player. I'm a player, I'm a player, I'm a player. I'm a player, I'm a player, I'm a player. I'm a player, I'm a player, I'm a player. I'm a player, I'm a player, I'm a player. I'm a player, I'm a player, I'm a player.

I'm a player, I'm a player, I'm a player. I'm a player, I'm a player, I'm a player. I'm a player, I'm a player, I'm a player. I'm a player, I'm a player, I'm a player. I'm a player, I'm a player, I'm a player. I'm a player, I'm a player, I'm a player. I'm a player, I'm a player, I'm a player. I'm a player, I'm a player, I'm a player.

I'm a player, I'm a player, I'm a player. I'm a player, I'm a player, I'm a player. I'm a player, I'm a player, I'm a player. I'm a player, I'm a player, I'm a player. I'm a player, I'm a player, I'm a player. I This is a dream come true to go to the championship and he's representing the underdogs For all of us here at underdog he's representing underdog So wait, what better way to go than to have the guy that they said was, you know overrated Become the MVP or at least have potential to win the MVP for the Eastern Conference finals They probably give it to see outcome, but I'm going higher. And what was the number set?

Yeah, thirty five and a half points, rebounds and assists. Yeah. I don't know, man. He's another nigger and everybody talk about he should be a superstar, he's be superstar. And the shit that he's doing, he should be a superstar, he should be a superstar. And the shit that he's doing, he should be a superstar, but you can't take nights off like he took last night. You go from 30 points, 15 assists and 12 rebounds to eight points.

Yo, my nigga, this is the shit niggas talking about. You don't even get double digit points. And you wanna, I'm not saying he, cause he never asked to be a superstar superstar but these are the conversations going on the last week and a half is he a superstar if he's not a superstar he's doing shit that's amazing but it's making doesn't make him a superstar he's the shit he's doing is legendary but is he a legend those are the questions right there you know I'm saying so it's difference between being a doing legendary

shit and being a legend. Right now he's doing legendary shit. Is he on the way to being a legend? I don't know after a game like last night. You get heard somebody like Carl Anthony, pardon me, not Carl Newton, Anthony Edwards, you're sitting here bashing him for having 19 points and I know he's not, we're not comparing him to Anthony Edwards, but we sit there and bash Anthony Edwards driving 17 19 Oh, he can't do that. Can't do this. Not only that he's having 17 19 points Anthony Edwards is getting triple teams Every time he gets the ball. It is a double team minimal It might have four players on them from time to time and he still gets 17 94 is Halliburton Like last night got me mad.

And the reason, not mad, but it's like, bro, we trying to put you on a certain status and talk about the public. And then you fumble the status, you know what I'm saying? I don't know, I'm gonna have to go lower because I think I have a people to step up, but I don't be getting it, man. I don't get it. Well, I can't think it'd be but I don't be getting it, man. I don't get it.

I can't think it'd be consistent, right? Yeah, yeah, man. Separate people. That's actually a good conversation, but make sure y'all download the Internet app and you guys can make your picks too. So regarding that, who do you feel like always maintains that consistency in the playoffs

so far from what we've seen? Does anybody specifically come to mind that you're like, he's always gonna be showing that consistency in the player so far from what we've seen? Does anybody like specifically come to mind that you're like, he's always going to be showing that consistency? Yeah, Jalen Brunson will be one. Jalen Brunson, SGA. SGA has been consistent through the whole thing. Joker, you know, people like that are consistent. And that's why they're the real superstars.

That's what we're talking about. And that's what Ken was mentioning. They don't take nights off. There's no excuses. It's a title town mentality, you know? It's not blaming nobody else. Nobody else is responsible for you. My answer would be

without even a question, 100% the Joker. The Joker don't play all year round and then don't play in the playoffs. He don't play no games, no pun intended. That nigger comes to work and he goes home. This is a nigger that loves being in his country, fuck it with the horses paws. He really, like Joker looks aggravated after every game game. I just want to get back to my country. And that's just my opinion. So when he's there, he's like, I didn't take

miss eight months of being home with my family and nine months being home with my family to lose. And you can see that attitude every time he's on the court. They asked the joker at the exit meeting, do you think that they asked, first they asked Jamal Murray, do you think you could win with the same team you have now? Jamal Murray said, yeah, man, we just got to make a couple of changes, get things together, and we'll be all right. They asked joker the same question,

do you think that you guys could win with the same team? Joker said, no, we didn't win, right? So what kind of question is that? And he walked off, that's his attitude. He comes to work, he has a time to play, he's not gonna sugarcoat it and act like things Humpty-Dumpty when they not. I'm going with the Joker

for the most consistency in the playoffs. Okay, and then one more question regarding these players before we go to break. What do y'all feel like Halliburton needs to gain that real superstar status? Because Mase, that's the term that you just use. And of course, Titletown, we got to kind of discuss that. When are we going to kind of give Targis Halliburton that edge or you just feel like he has a long way to go?

Yeah, we actually we actually never give anything in Titletown. Everything is earned. It's not. That's why you win one. It's not, that's why you win one. It's not for me to give you the second one. You got to win the second one just like you won the first one. It's about imposing your will. Pause. It's definitely about not taking those days off. Like Ken was saying, every day you put the uniform on,

you perform. This is why kids can fly in. AAU teams can bring their whole team to the game and expect you to be the person they heard that you are. What he was talking about being legendary. I mean, I could show up on any night and I'm going to get a memorable performance from you on the basketball court. This is what it takes. So when you talk about Halliburton, that's what these guys got to start understanding, especially him. You're in this position to make a mark.

The people that have played in that uniform, they have always imposed their will on a New York Knicks. They always let the Knicks down. They always embarrassed them on their home court. So he was supposed to come in there yesterday in the Madison Square Garden and say, I'm going to do them dirty applause than Reggie Miller did them. That's what his mindset was supposed to be. Because I'm the new legend in Indiana. And like when he did that gesture, the choking gesture, Paul, that was what he was supposed to do yesterday. You know, like I really meant what I said before and doubled

down on it, you know. And that's what it takes to be a real superstar night, not saying you didn't play well and all of that. No, it's leaving no excuses on the floor. It's like Roy Jones in Tarver, when he showed up, he says, it's gonna be any excuses tonight, Roy, and then deliver, and then deliver the one of the biggest upsets I think I ever seen in boxing. But from the beginning, he was talking the talk and he carried out what he was talking. That's what we need more of for the people

playing in the NBA, especially Halliburton. Yeah, Mo, you want to chime in? Yeah, no, just I said all the time, the thing that separates anybody, I don't care if it's sports, business, anything is mentality. And if you're gonna be a high performer, and I think that's a great way of saying it,

you know, people having legendary moments and then people being legends is the consistency around the ruthless mentality of just like killing people while you have a chance and are showing a level of frustration. I think you did a good job explaining that about the Joker. You know, when he loses, you can visibly see that I've put enough work in and I expected to win and I have a no excuse to ruthless ultimate professional mentality. But that is what separates like the super good guys from the superstars. And that's that killer mentality that they talk about Kobe has, and that they talk

about Michael Jordan has, but it's just like suffocating people are seizing the moment, you know, or having a sense of urgency when when victory is close. And but that comes like lifestyle, like everything I think what all these guys are catches up to you. Everybody knows, you know, whether they had extracurricular activities or they should have been training. Everybody knows if they did enough conditioning. I remember I seen like a promo video with Siakam where he was talking to guys like, hey man remember this feeling from last year and do more than what you did last year to, you know, put yourself

in a position to go further. And it's these moments where guys are like, even Mase said, like you talk about these guys on the sideline who may have not been at every game. And it's that energy you get from the fans and that extra work in the stadiums you run in, the conditions you're doing. But that's the mentality that you pull from the same man about to seize this moment, because this is my opportunity. So I just think it's all mentality. And I think that the more work that you put in prior to competing, it makes it harder for you to give up art allows you to compete a little bit further. So that's my take on it. Yeah. Those are some great takes, both of you guys. To me, it's the consistency.

Yeah. And that's what Halliburton, to me, and don't get me wrong, he has moments in every series so far where he did legendary shit. Every series he hit a buzzer beater or a game winner, not necessarily a buzzer beater every game, but he had a go ahead bucket every game, one of the games at every level of the playoffs, first, second and third round. But that doesn't make you a legend.

Makes you brought up a great, a great example of that. When you brought up Antonio Tarva and Roy Jones is that with Roy, pardon me, what Antonio Tarver did was legendary, but he's not a legend. And that's what the point is. Jaylen, pardon me, Tyrese Halliburton is doing some legendary shit, but you're not being consistent enough to become a legend. That's what it's about. So to me, both you guys take was absolutely spot on. Only thing I could add on is when you can't come out and have 30, 15, 12, and then in the close out, the series game have eight.

Yeah, make it look like what you did was a fluke. Like that was a lucky night. And that's exactly, I see exactly what you're saying now, Killa. A legendary night could just be a lucky night. Yeah, exactly. Every day they come to see you, they get somewhere in there, like maybe not 32, but now it's

28, 15. Yeah, right. Like, Luca is consistent. That number, you're going to get that number every time. And I think somebody that's starting to look legendary is Cat Williams. I meant Cat, not Cat Williams. Cat? Car Anthony Townsend. And there he is. Cat Williams. I mean, cat on my cat Williams. Cat. Car Anthony Townsend.

Just shout out the cat Williams. Couple cats. Cats. Yeah. But I think this is a great conversation. You all made great points. And as he remains inconsistent, the Knicks are just going to keep creeping in and this next game could be theirs. Even though Mase you did say you could see it being a blowout.

We just don't know which way it's going to go. Who knows? Cam could be the good luck charm for this game. He come out with the next gear. They wear in the pink fur. You never really know how it's going to go. So we're going to know next game. We're going to know next game. We're gonna know next game

It ain't that far, you know And on the record cameras win New York Knicks after they won He's not wearing it before he was off of the Knicks train now He's back on the three train going back uptown But we will see the next game. I'm gonna be honest with you you're right I'm not even hiding it. I'm not hiding it. I'm putting it on when they win. I'm not hiding it at all. I'm not even trying to make it like stealth. It's yeah I'm putting it on when they win. Look man, if we wanna get down to the nitty gritty with everybody here, I've done business with the Knicks.

The Knicks have official NBA diplomat jerseys, official. NBA Mitchell and Ness with the Knicks. I'm talking about the official joint sold in the NBA store. They sold out in 10 minutes actually, 2000 jerseys. We had to make more. I've done official business. Me me James Dolan, Adam Silver, I worked with the Knicks before. You know, they didn't give me, you know, Mase gets a lot of honorary things. You get an honorary jersey, an honorary degree. I ain't got no honorary, man. It's all off the mud and off the muscle, man.

So I still got a couple of Nick Jerseys left because they don't make them no more. I was saving about 10 of them drinks for somebody who want to buy them more of them. But I don't think I'm gonna sell them for like another 10 years. Yeah, the lady up at the New York Nick organization said they was gonna give me a 10 day contract

and niggas got so mad that they tried to pull my Wikipedia down because somebody wrote in it. I think I remember Vato put it up. It said Mace played for the New York Knicks for a 10 day contract and people got mad at me because the lady held my jersey up in front of the press conference. And they got mad. So I understand that. This is a great moment for New York fans. And I wish they do win the next game.

If they win the next game, it puts all the pressure on the game seven. See, that's the thing that people are confusing. They acting like we want the Knicks to lose. Yeah. Niggas don't want New York to lose. We just been dealing with the disappointment. I think people get blurred lines when we talking,

but because New York niggas don't wanna hear it. They don't wanna hear logic. Sin actually told me a couple of times when I'm telling him shit. He said, I don't wanna make sense right now. What do you think, Stat? Who are you going with, Stat? The Knicks or Indiana? I mean, the Knicks. I mean, the Knicks. I mean, the Knicks. I mean, the Knicks.

I mean, the Knicks. I mean, the Knicks. I mean, the Knicks. I mean, the Knicks. I mean, the Knicks. I mean, the Knicks. I mean, the Knicks. I mean, the Knicks.

I mean, the Knicks. I mean, the Knicks. I mean, the Knicks. I mean, the Knicks. I mean, the Knicks. I mean, the Knicks. I mean, the Knicks. I mean, the Knicks.

I mean, the Knicks. I mean, the Knicks. I mean, the Knicks. I mean, the Knicks. I'm not even mad at that. What do you think, Stat? Who are you going with, Stat? The Knicks or Indiana? I mean, the Knicks. The Pacers are cool. Like, if I want to see in the finals, I'd rather see the Knicks and OKC, respectfully, than the Pacers.

That's just what I want to see. And I think most people want to see that. If we're going to be honest, like, I done came up here in my Jersey 1.2 at this point. I'm it's all or nothing. So, Hey, that's what I want to see. You know, if the Knicks, you know if the Knicks win and they play OKC,

it will be hard to tell who's who fans. Cause they got the same colors. So that would be really interesting. The whole arena will be blue and orange everywhere they go. The whole thing about it is that to agree with you, I think that's the matchup that anybody would love to see New York and you got to think about this. Pardon me, OKC against the Knicks. It's nothing look, as much as I love all the teams I'm talking about we got to go down to Orlando to Portland every NBA team It's nothing like playing in Madison Square Garden. It's nothing like it And if you can if I even if I'm Shay Gilder's Alexander and I'm okay see I want to play in the car

if I If I'm okay see I'm like If I'm OKC, I'm like, get the Pacers up out of here, because then I could dance, baby. It's no bigger dance floor than Madison Square Garden and a championship series in the garden. That's where I would want to be, because you're not going to get a bigger spotlight than that. Not saying that the championship won't be watched if the Pacers win, not saying niggas ain't going to tune in. That's just not, I'm not saying it's gonna happen. But if the Knicks win, it's a different animal. And a person like me, as much as I used to like playing home games, I used to like playing away games more than home games. Because it's nothing to me as a competitor and a former athlete, then going in somebody else's building and making everybody shut

up. I love that. I love when I would lay a nigger pause or I would shoot a jump. Whatever it was, I would just look at their crowd. They'd be like, damn, just make it here, boy. I like that. So if I'm Oklahoma City, I would love to be playing in the garden and everybody gets their name in the garden. Whether you're Steph Curry with 55 points, whether you're Michael Jordan with 55 points, whether you're Kobe with 60 points, whether you're LeBron James with 55 points. You get your name in the garden.

And don't forget Reggie Miller. Reggie Miller, absolutely. Reggie Miller in the garden is a legend. Yeah, that's a fact. Yeah, and that's that. So we'll stay tuned to see who wins this next game. With that being said, we're going to go to break. When we return, we're going to get into some sports debates. Don't go anywhere. On Underdog, you can play your way to bigger boosts each round of the playoffs with the extended. Start a series by using your game one boost and continue

boosting each subsequent game. The longer the series the bigger the boosts. Underdog the best place to pick playoff basketball. Welcome back. So Cam you kind of spoke on it a little bit earlier regarding Anthony Edwards how people were kind of I would say disrespecting him when he was being double triple team. So just in general we see in the, people get real crazy on social media and

actually very disrespectful. They've been putting him on like baby memes with like SGA being the father. We know that they do this to everybody, but it's been getting a little crazy. And I'm sure at some point, athletes want to say something. So Maurice, I'm gonna let you go first. Do you think athletes should be able to clap back on social media? Or do you think that they should remain quiet? How should they go about that? Oh, that's a good question. Um, and now just it's crazy that you can actually defend yourself or even talk for yourself in this day and age. Um, but me, if I was, if I was playing, I would just

choose the role of ignoring it. And the reason I say it is just because my mind, my energy, my focus, all of my attention would be on putting my energy into things that are going to pay me or help me to develop my game. And I think once you get into the world of social media and you kind of get into people seeing know, people seeing what it is to respond to, to me that opens you up for either weaknesses or people

understanding what they can pro or say to you to basically make you react to something. And so I actually think that that stuff ends up being used against you on the road, or people can see how they can get up under your skin and they can become a competitive disadvantage. But if you never really respond to anybody, nobody ever knows how you feel. And you can just kind of keep on chuckling and going on about your way. But it goes to say, like, the more somebody tries to probe

you, the more you ignore them, they'll eventually move on to somebody else. And things won't, you know, they won't have anybody to engage with. So and I'm speaking like this at 41. So you know, at 20, I don't know how old Ant-Man is, 24, 25. I don't know how old he is. I don't know if he feels he has to defend himself.

I don't know if he has the emotional maturity to deal with that. I don't know, Kevin Durant struggles with that and he feels like he has to clap back and that's no offense to him. You know, we all choose to do what we do, but I just wouldn't respond to it. That's just my personal opinion.

He's 23, by the way. Okay. Yeah, I think I think I definitely agree with what Mo said, because whenever you start, you start responding to people. Another thing that happens is that people begin to just come from everywhere and join in, not to mention just on the road, just people understand now, I could become as famous as you are without doing any of the sprints,

any of the road work, any of the tour days, any of the 6 a.m. workouts, by just saying something really crazy to you to get a response from you. And now everywhere that they put your name, they'll put my name. This is one of the biggest trolling tricks of all time. People, and you watch people do this, they become famous by who they're arguing with.

Not that they ever been on that level, not that they've ever made that much money or been at that level, not that they've ever made that much money or been at that level of success. They just said something to the right person at the right time and they gave them the respond they needed to start trending or to go viral. And it's just crazy. One time I think you shouldn't speak, but then I think there are times when you have to speak. You have to speak. I remember I was one of those people. People say stuff I just wouldn't say something. But if you don't, I've learned if you don't say something and people think that

what what they said is true. So you sometimes you have to you have to speak up. So I'm a I'm a believer of both of both ideologies. You just got to know when to go with each one. Yeah, I think that's great points both of you guys made. I think it's about who it is and if it's not affecting what you got going on as an athlete. You know what I'm saying?

You think about it to where I love watching Kevin Durant's tweets I think they hilarious to be totally honest with you because if he's still gonna go out and give me 27 points a night 28 points a night cool now they winning know they're not winning so it doesn't look good, but obviously it's not affecting him You are not seeing a decline necessarily in his game for it. Some people and Mase made some great points too. Some people just do that to get your attention and he's a hundred percent correct. But sometimes you got to say something. You got to. Let's think about this and I'll leave it here for me. We just watched Stephen A. Smith go off

on LeBron James on LeBron James finally said something that Stephen A. Smith. Go off on LeBron James and LeBron James finally said something that Stephen A. said something that LeBron James put up a meme or a video of Stephen A. boxing on his Instagram. I thought that was clever. Did LeBron have to do that?

No, but that's years of him ignoring Stephen A. Smith. So it finally came to a head pause when he like, yo, I'm gonna go on Pat McAfee and diss this nigga, which he did. And then Stephen A. said, then you put up the meme, because Stephen A. said, if LeBron would have swung on me, I would have swung back. And he said, I know I would have got my ass kicked, but I'm not gonna let a nigga do what Will Smith did to Chris Rock.

This is what Stephen A. Smith said. Then LeBron James put up a picture of Stephen A. boxing. I don't know if y'all ever seen that video, but it didn't look good. So now LeBron probably feels vindicated because he won that little back and forth media match over all the years. Steve and they've been having an opinion about him. So I'm agreeing with me, so to speak.

Sometimes you got to say something. Sometimes it's not worth it. Yeah. I agree with both points. I think also kind of to you guys this point, it does just depend on the person because like random trolls. Okay, cool. I get it. But if it's another direct person, especially if they're constantly saying things, I don't see a problem with it because even yes, he brought up the Ron Stephen a conversation even down to Katie.

When Skip Bayliss is talking about Katie's wash. Katie was like, fuck it, I guess we're both washed. I thought that was hilarious because it's like, no way, yeah, like keep talking, because I'm gonna say something to you too. And at that point, Skip Bayless had nothing else he could say. And you leave it at that.

Yeah, I like that, that was clever. Katie, that was phenomenal. Yeah, that was good. What I'm saying, and we're all making great points, you, Cam, Mo, as well as that, but you can't go start going back to back, pause, because that's what happened to LeBron. He says something to Stephen A,

and then Kevin Gage says something. And now it's like, does this now become the ending of LeBron legacy that he's arguing on the internet and he had to choose that this is not what I'm going to continue. Yep, yep, yep. Okay, so moving along want to kind of talk about super team. So we see there's been seven different champions in seven seasons and you guys in Maurice first. Do you think that super teams kill competition or do you think that they make the league better? I look at it just like it's the future of the beast and I don't know who started. You can go and say Celtic started and you can say other teams end up developing into super teams.

And I know people try to say that the Bulls are a super team now. And I don't know how you categorize the stuff. But it's just the nature of the beast that if you want to win a championship, you're going to have to have some sort of version of a super team to have the pieces to execute whatever coaches are doing. And so I just think it's a nature of the beast. I think it actually makes things entertaining, but that's just it.

Everybody isn't gonna be good. It sounds noble to think that you could have all the talent spread out and you can have all of the assets of the league distributed evenly. But at the end of the day, man, the super teams make it fun. It's fun to watch the games. I enjoy having two or three superstars watch per team. So I just think it's fun to watch the games. I enjoy, you know, having two or three superstars to watch per team. So I just think it's a nature of the beast and just where the game

has developed into and who started, I don't know. Yeah. Like when you think of the Knicks, right, they got Jalen Brunson superstar. Are we, are we ready to say cat cat is a superstar killer. Are you ready to say that? I wouldn't. Okay. I wouldn't say, I wouldn't even say Jalen Brunson. I'd say he's right there being the superstar. And I'm not disagreeing with you

because he's done everything to be a superstar. But to me, and I don't mean to interrupt your take, we got very, very few superstars who didn't win. Yeah. You can sit there and say Charles Barkley. We can say Patrick Nguyen, if you want to consider Patrick Nguyen a superstar, we can sit there and say Carl Malone.

I don't know if you called John Stockton a superstar, but you got to win or you got to be elite. Like Charles Barkley was elite leap for 15 years or however Many years 12 years before he retired. Maybe it's last year in Houston He was fattened out of shape Reggie Miller constant 14 15 years however many years consistently killing And Jalen Brunson's on that path, but I think they were we're loosely not true I'm talking about as far as media is concerned,

we're too loose with calling people superstars. Where's LeBron James and Steph Curry? I'm glad you said that. I agree with you. I 100% agree. Like what do you call, what is LeBron James and Steph Curry and KD of these niggas and superstars? This is what I'm trying to say.

You use the term too loosely. I remember the term the goat was for the greatest of all time. Now everybody's a goat. How is it the greatest of all time if everybody's the greatest of all time? Now he's a goat. That's a goat. That's a goat. Oh, they go these goats No, you're just feeding the purpose of them. You're defeating the meaning of the department You're defeating the definition of the mean other word my nigga What is it only should be one goat if it's the greatest of all time not not the greatest people of all time And I just think that we use this word superstar too loosely. Sorry, Mason.

No, that's actually good. Cause that clarifies what I was gonna say. Even when it comes to people like Spreewell, you would say Spreewell is a superstar? No. No, he had a great couple of years. That's what I'm saying. It's like he made first team or NBA

when Michael Jordan wasn't playing. You never made it again. He made second and third probably, but it's only one year. You was the best two guard in the country and in the league and the best two guard was playing baseball. Yeah. And sometimes people can't see that. That's why I was bringing up that conversation. Because to me, D Wade would have been a superstar. You know what I'm saying? He was somebody who had consistently done it. Every year, always was up there. Multiple championships, you know,

just until the end never really declined, you know? Right. Yeah. You have to also consider all of this stuff comes in when social media came in and unqualified people are giving opinions. And I'm talking about, you know, before when you were a superstar, just the news came through certain news channels, certain newspapers, and there was like a consensus of people who named your superstar. Now you can just dock

your shit up on the internet, look cool to a nigga, get a fan base and they think that you're great. And that's kind of like what I think that we've merged into. And so if you're younger, you grow up, you didn't realize that your fame had to be earned by somebody else. Like now you can manufacture your fame in just mass different ways. And I think like all of that is what ends up blurring who's great Call of somebody greater than what they are earlier than what they are and it blurs perception. That's it And then just to clarify Kim. So do you think that super teams do kill competition or do you like it? Do you think it makes league better? Definitely kills competition like I mean

When you sit there and think about it, I mean, it's dope when they like, I mean, when you sit there and think about it, I mean, it's dope when they don't win because you expect them to win. But when you put Kevin Durant on Golden State, you know what's going to happen. It's not even like a question of what's going to happen. Not this year. I'm talking about previously when he went. And I respect KD for that because he got his rings out the way. And then he went on about his business. He's like,, I'm not gonna be one of them niggas that say they didn't get a ring. Not only did he get a ring, he got the finals MVP. So it wasn't like he was some random ace man off the bench just going chasing rings. Kind of how like David West did towards the end of his career.

No disrespect to David West, but you know niggas be wanting to get a ring before they retire. But I don't, I mean, see the thing about it is this, when you say super teams, right? It's about if you drafted the people that you have. So like, Sin Ho argument with me used to be, yeah, go to state over there with all them niggas. And I'm like, babe, the core three niggas were drafted there.

You may have added Inquidala, Sean Livingston, pieces here and pieces there, but the core three niggas was drafted there. So now you got Klay Thompson, Steph Curry, and Draymond Green. And then they'd be like, oh, they got a super team. Is that really a super team if they drafted everybody? Now, if you're trading for people like the Knicks,

get Jalen Brunson, a free agency. You trade for Carl Anthony Towns. You bring in Mikel Bridges. You're building something that I get and that's part of NBA. You're building something. I'm not calling that a super team. But to me, the answer to your question is that if it's homegrown, to something. I'm not calling that a super team. But to me, the answer to your question is that,

if it's homegrown, to me, I don't consider that a super team. I think that's a great job by the GMs who drafted them players and watched them develop to be superstars and all-stars and win championships. When you're trying to manufacture a team, like that works too. Like when you sit there and say, okay, we'll start with Boston

Acquiring Ray Allen and Kevin Garnett and then they won a championship But that was the only championship they won Kobe got Palgas out and then they won two more So you send me a sand them Kobe didn't have a big three they did but but he ended up beating them twice for us, or once, partner. Then that's like you're building a super team. But to answer the question, if it's so organic and you draft the primary players, I don't consider that super team. I'd rather it be more level so we don't know who wins wins to me. Go ahead, Maurice. No, he was bringing up another point and I just it just makes me think of like just because you even have these superstars are people with notable names doesn't mean like you just actually gonna go out here and win and what people's ass,

you know, I just a different conversation we have and sometimes I think we cheapen the conversation and call them super teams rather than saying, you know, you know, some guys with notable names. Cause like at the end of the day, everybody's NBA players and you've gotten all these people together to shuffle around teams or to build your, you know, build your roster. But you know, just because you have guys with notable names, don't mean you about the way you still have to take your ass out there. Compete. Now you may have a favorable terms because you've got better players, but you still got to take your ass out there, compete. Now you may have a favorable terms because you got better players, but you still got to go play, compete and get playing against professionals at the end

of the day. And just like they may have legendary moments, they may have legendary defensive nights against you are, whatever it may be. But the thing that separates people is obviously consistency. So I just wanted to make that point. Yeah, good point. And we've definitely seen that because even down to the sun's like with Katie, Bradley, Bill and Devin Booker, like there's a

lot of things that we thought were going to be something and then things change. We're seeing that every day. So yeah, we will see. But great points from all of you guys. But that is all the time that we have for today. Marie, she knows it's always a pleasure to have you on the show. That was all the time that we have for today, Marie. She knows it's always a pleasure to have you on the show. Thank y'all for watching. And as always, it is what it is. Thanks for watching!