Mind the Game - The Historic 2025-26 MVP Race

Episode Date: April 7, 2026

Welcome back to Mind the Game with LeBron James and Steve Nash. This week we are talking NBA Awards, specifically the MVP. First, Steve talks to LeBron about the chemistry between Luka Doncic, Austin Reaves and the rest of the Lakers roster prior to the injuries of their two big stars. They also talk about LeBron breaking the record for most wins by any NBA player ever. Then we get into the MVP conversation, doing a deep dive into the candidates, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Victor Wembanyama, Luka Doncic and Nikola Jokic and why each guy has a legit case.Thanks for watching Mind the Game. Be sure to subscribe for analysis from LeBron James and Steve Nash.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Coming up on this episode of Mind the Game. MVP is always, you never know. There's a lot of, like, narratives, storylines, all that stuff. But we have four guys that are worthy. I'd love to hear from you, just your take on Luca. I just think his level of comfortability now in an organization has allowed him to play free basketball. What was your role in, like, allowing him to get comfortable? I just think it's simple.

It's just not being an idiot. I would say my favorite for MVP is Shay. That's one of the things that I love about Shea is just like for him to play on the perimeter as much as he does, playing at mid-range as much as he does, and still be as super efficient as he is. Like you said, it's just kind of, it's Jordaness, for sure. Let's talk Yolkich. I mean, he still puts up outrageous numbers, outrageous impact on the game. He's kind of like a 30, 20 and 10 game or like 25, 24 and 15. What are we talking about?

It's like, it's, and then let's talk about, you know, what could be. possibly be the MVP for the next century or two. For the next 100 million years. Definitely, the alien Victor Wimbledcom. Let's go to it. Let's do it. 13 to 1, last 14 games. Man, pretty impressive what we're doing right now.

Yeah, we're playing good ball, man. Everybody's kind of just bought into what needs to be done to win ball games on both sides. You know, obviously at the beginning of a season and a little bit more than the beginning of the season. And defensively, we weren't really good. We were trying to figure out how we could, you know, use our personnel to our advantage. And that's one of the most important things. How can you get the most out of your personnel, offensively or defensively? You know, and, you know, I think it all started.

I think one episode we started talking about when we started playing zone. You know, and when you play zone, that's the one thing that you have to do when you play zone is talk. You cannot not talk. You have to say, hey, runner coming or, you know, flag. or, you know, stunt fall, like you have to communicate because the two guys that's sitting up at the top, they don't know anything that's going on behind them.

You know, and sometimes in man, I don't know for why, you know, the communication can kind of go down, but I think us playing zone kind of sparked our defensive, our ratings. And now man to man, you know, zone, we sprinkling zone. You know, we're playing some good ball. And it started there. And obviously, the heater that Luke is on right now, man,

like, I think he scored 30 the last 15 games, something like that, averaging 40 over the last like 10, shooting super efficient, three ball going, AR still doing what he do, and we're all just pinching in. And it's a really good month, really good month of March for us, really good month of March for us. It's got to give you confidence going into the playoffs here. The defense, though, like, that's interesting.

So you think the talking, the figuring it out, the getting on the same page from the zone helps the man. I think it did. Because one, I mean, human nature, when you know that you can get stops, it definitely gives it a little bit more motivating factor. And I think the fact that when we went to zone, when our man-to-man coverages were struggling early on the season, we went to zone, we started to get stops. Another thing with the zone, you have no choice but to run back because you have to get

to a position. You know, you're not running back to a man. You have to run back. And if it's either you're playing the top two wings or you're playing the bottom fours and you got the center in the middle. Like there is designated areas, so you have to get back. And I think that really sparked our defensive intensity on, like I said, the communication, but also, you know, we really weren't that good early on.

We're giving up fast break points, you know, give up a lot of transition points. So the zone definitely kind of neutralized it. Do you guys play zone on misses at all? No, not really. Not really. But still, you still got to run back, especially in today's game. Yeah, especially in today's game. We don't.

We usually play dead balls and makes because it's easier a way to get to it. You know, when you miss, you first thing you want to do, you want to protect the basket. You want to get back load, you know, if you have a threat. Big risk. Yeah, big risk trying to get back in the zone. But some teams stay in it. Yeah, some teams stay in it. You know, obviously, you know, we played Miami.

Miami kind of, they stayed in it, you know, during misses at time. So some teams do do it. Yeah, you guys do a great job of showing zone going, man. just throwing teams off. Is that like, that was probably, do you think that was like the genesis of all this and then it just kind of developed and now you're getting better at everything?

Yeah, I mean, I don't know. I mean, I think it's just good to have in your two-k, in your two-kid. To be able to, you know, do, you know, just different changes, change the pitches. Like we always talk about it, like a pitcher, you know. You don't want to just have a fastball, you know, the whole time unless you're only playing in a ninth inning.

You know, I kind of understand that. But, you know, throughout the course of, I mean, an 82 game season, and also through the course of four quarters, depending on who you're playing, the rhythm of how teams are playing, they can just throw them off a little bit. So I think it definitely gives us an opportunity to just like, wow, we can throw a sinker. Oh, we can throw a curveball.

Okay, oh, shit, we can throw a fastball. We know we got that in our pocket. So it definitely helps. It's funny, right? I mean, I can imagine, like, elite, elite defensive teams just go, man. They're just that good at it. But it's funny that the rest of the league doesn't play more zone, or at least every team have a zone look.

It feels like, you know what the NBA is like, right? Like, it's hard. Once you get started, you're trying to get your principles in. The defense is a little behind. You got to stick with it. So then you stop changing. You stop like, let's try other things. Let's get our off-speed pitches going because you're like,

no, we got to catch up with the men. So it's interesting. We play so many games, but have so relatively little practice time. Right. That it's not that common as I think. probably warrants. Zone warrants, I think every team has a place for zone, right? I would agree.

I would agree. And like you said, I mean, our league is such a, such a copycat league that, you know, if you see one team trending in that direction and you see a team, like, say, for instance, they were not as good, you know, defensively, and then they started trending into the zone and starting a little bit better, you would think that certain teams would, you know, implemented. But also, our league is also a very high ego league, too. Right. You know, and some players, some coach is like, listen.

We play man. This is what we do. You know, we switch everything. You know, some coaches don't switch everything. Some coaches still get up in blitz, pick a roll. Some coaches will get out and, you know, or some players will get out and just hard show and recover. You know, obviously the majority of our league is switching right now.

But, you know, you get guys and teams that get sucking anyways. It's interesting because I think we talk about all the evolution, analytics, the style of play, pacing space. Zone is the one, I think, that hasn't, quite been exploited as much as I would have thought by now. And I think it might be next. Like Spode had some creative zones. He got some creative zones.

But like who's going to really throw something out there and develop it? The people are like, oh, this is a completely different look. I think that might be. I think in the next couple of years it would be. I have a team in mind. I just don't want to say it right now because it could come back and bite our asses in playoffs, for sure. Wemby? You're smart.

You're too fucking smart for your own good. I was like, me too, man. Yeah. You put Wimby at the top of a zone? Of a one-two. He stands at the nail. Yeah. He just stands at the nail of a one-two or a three-two.

You put those athletic, you put Deerrin and Castle on the baseline because they got the speed and the athleticism. Let me shut up. But also, like, if you look at that lineup and not the Fox is a terrible defender, but he's the smallest guy, you can put him in the corner. Yeah. You know, that way he can keep people in a box for the speed. Yeah.

Yep. There's an amazing functionality with Wembe just because of what his. Yeah, he's an alien, man. So, yeah, he can, they can, the Spurge is going to have the ability over the next 10 years, obviously, you know, health is wealth. To try shit a lot of teams and franchise have not been able to try. What's it called? What's the French connection, him and Cornette? What's the name?

They got, they got a French vanilla or something. That's her name? I think so. But that's the thing, right? Like, you probably wouldn't want to roll that lineup out for 20 minutes a game, but you could pick spots where those two in his own. Yeah, for sure. I mean, and when we can stretch the floor with the three,

Cornet can roll. I mean, he defecis rebounds and pushes the brake, so there's no reason for him. I mean, I'll think a few games ago or maybe a couple weeks ago, I saw him drive and throw a lot to Cornet. Yeah. Scoop line. So, yeah, so they can absolutely be on the four to go.

Crazy. Yeah, that'd be fun. Well, it's not a mind the game episode. If LeBron James wasn't setting an NBA record. I thought I was, I think you were saying now. Cheers him. Oh, cheers. Cheers.

Smart. Good catch. Let's cheers first. And then let's cheers to most wins in NBA history. Oh, appreciate it, man. Appreciate it. Wow. 1,229 wins.

Yeah, I don't even know how to look at that. What does that mean? Yeah, what does that mean. Yeah, I mean, I don't even know what that means. I think, I got asked a question. I think, maybe two weeks ago, maybe a week ago, a reporter asked me like,

Brian, did you go into Miami? Did that turn you into a winner? And kind of thought about it for a little bit. And I responded, I said, actually, I've always been a winner. Going to Miami. Evolved. Evolved me and showed me how to win at the highest level of this league. You know, it helped me get to that point,

but I've always been a winner. Does that be an insult to your high school coach? It would be. Yeah, it will be. Every stop in my basketball journey has resulted in a championship. And that is from the little leagues to middle school to high school and in the pros. I've always won't. Light work.

Yeah. I wouldn't say light work, but it could be light work at times. But yeah, so to hear that, you know, the. winning his player, you know, in NBA history. It's like, it's a shout-out to all my coaches, all my teammates, the whole journey of, you know, like my little league coaches is literally teaching me how to play the game the right way, you know. And I never, ever let, you know, the narrative or whatever case

of how I should play or what I should do change how I was. taught. And so I give a lot of credit to Frank Walker, Senior, coach Drew Joyce, Keith Dan Brott, like those, those three guys to start off my adolescent childhood journey of playing the game of basketball. I give so much credit to them because they like, they taught me the right way to play the game. And if we did this as a team, this would happen. And we saw winning at a young age and who doesn't like to win. Yeah. See, I think it's a really cool milestone, personally,

because it's not one we talk about. Yeah. Like, no one was like, LeBron's coming up on the, you know what I mean? Right, right, right. But we talk about LeBron's coming up on Kareem. Right. We talk about other individual ones.

We talk about championships. Yeah. But we don't talk about most wins. But for me, like, it's a low-key, really cool thing because that's what the game's about. That's what the game is about. That's about teamwork.

It's about competition. about resilience, winning games. So, yeah, championships are the icing on the cake, but winning culture, winning in general. So, like, to be the leadingest winning basketball player of all time, like, that's one that we don't glorify every day, but that's one you should be proud of. And I think, like you said, that's why it's cool is the journey.

Yeah. All the coaches, all the teammates playing at 41, like, still playing high-level. That one, it's not going to get the headlines. Yeah. that it probably deserves, but that's when you should. I appreciate it. That's when you should take home and. Yeah, they're coming so fast that it's hard for me to even like.

Right. You're at that point. Yeah. I'm at that point every episode. Yeah, like I don't even like, I promise, like, a lot of people be thinking I'd be like lying and shit. But like, you know, it'd be the day of the game. And, you know, I get a newsletter. It'd be like, LeBron is one game away from breaking the record or one rebound shy or one assist shy or one point.

I'm like, I didn't know this one until you did it. I didn't either. I didn't either. I knew the games played one because that was kind of a little talked about, you know, kind of breaking the chief's record. But it wasn't like a headline or whatever. But I didn't know about this one until like the last few games. I guess they don't really talk about it because there's so many variables,

teammates, injury, like, we talk about games played. We talk about champions. We talk about scoring titles. They're always talking about most wins. And that's the most important thing. If you don't win, yeah, I mean, that's why we're out there. Yeah, that's where we're out there to win.

Compete and win. Yeah, I'd enjoy that one. I appreciate it, man. I would take that one with me, enjoy it in the summer a little bit. I'm going to try. I'm going to try. Yeah, yeah, yeah, I appreciate it, man. I got to try to do that better.

I got to be better at that. But like you said, like every day there's something new at this stage of your career, you start to sweep stuff under the rug, I'm sure. It's like, that's a cool one. Yeah, yeah. And now over to our producer Jason for a word from another one of our partners. Thanks to Draft Kings for sponsoring the show. You know, playoff games, they just hit different.

The intensity, the stakes, the way that every single decision gets magnified. This is basketball at its most electric. And Draft Kings keeps you locked in from tip-off to final buzzer. New sportsbook customers bet $5 and get $300 in bonus bets if your bet hits when you sign up using promo code mind. Minimum minus 500 odds required. You know, when we break down a defensive scheme or how a star player controlled the fourth quarter,

I'm thinking about the same details when I place my bets. Points, assists, rebounds, the same stuff we talk about on on the show you can bet on in real time. Draft Kings lets you bet live as the playoffs unfold. A team flips a script, jump on it. A role player catches fire out of nowhere.

You're already on it. And just a little 2026 pro tip from me to you, a 20-point lead doesn't really mean a lot in today's NBA. With the amount of three-point shooting, especially among the elite teams that are going to be playing in the playoffs, 20-point lead can go away like that. So if you feel good about a team and they seem to be down and the odds look good, just saying. So don't wait to take your shot. Download the Draft King Sportsbook app now using code mine to turn $5 into $300 in bonus bets if your bet wins. Draft Kings, the crown is yours. Before discovering my love for basketball, I had dreams of becoming a soccer player.

Some people don't know this, but soccer runs deep in my family. My dad played professionally in South Africa, and my first word was literally gold. I own a collection of match-worn cleats from my heroes, Ronaldinho, Zedan, and Samuetto, and it's one of my most prized possessions. Safe to say that I'm beyond-sighted for the FIFA World Cup this summer, Fans will be traveling from all over the world to experience the excitement in person and they need places to stay. Why not open your doors to guests on Airbnb and earn some extra cash? With matches taking place around the U.S., your home could be the perfect place to host and create memories for passionate soccer supporters like me.

Your home might be worth more than you think. Find out how much at Airbnb.com slash host. MVP is always you never know. There's a lot of like narrative, storylines, all that stuff. but we have four guys that are worthy. At least, at least, I mean, I'm naming four without talking about Jalen Brown and Kay Cunningham. Right. So, like, when you talk about Shea, Yolkish, Wemby, Luka, that's a hell of a foursome.

That's crazy. Right? That's a hell of a foursome. So, I mean, I'd love to hear from you, just your take on Luca. He's, like you said, he's on a heater. What's it been like? Tell me about playing with him. and what you've noticed and what impact he's having?

I mean, what can I say? I mean, I would be here, like I said, I could be here for hours talking about what I'm seeing. It's just, I just think his level of comfortability now in an organization has allowed him to play free basketball. Explain that for me a little more. Like, what is he broken through on?

The city. Okay, just I'm comfortable being here now. Yeah, I'm comfortable being here now. Yeah, I'm comfortable being in. IT. comfortable of being a Laker. I'm comfortable in my home. I'm comfortable with the guys.

You know, I'm comfortable being myself. Like, opening up and, like, he just seems so free, you know. And that does wonders to the game itself. When you not only feel free but feel accepted, as well. You know, you got to think, I mean, seven, eight years in an organization and you're like, I plan on being here

my whole career. I want to be here my whole career and then boom, you know, just one night, it's like it's over with it. So it took an adjustment and I just see just a sense of like, man, just like free. Like I'm just back to being Luca Magic

like the dying out here, just playing a game, in the flow. And it's every night, every night you look up at the scoreboard and it's 35, 8 and 7, 40, 10 and 8, 45, 11, and 7. And it's not like, fuck, he took 40 shots or whatever, 45 shots. It's like, it's all flow. It's all flow. And it's just like to be out there, they're witnessing it and seeing it. You know, I play with some great players, obviously, throughout my career.

And, I mean, he's right up there with him. So it's just crazy. But am I wrong to think, like, he's fit the right word? The movement is, he's moving well. His XLD sounds like sharp. He's yanking the ball back and creating separate. I just think he's in great shape. I think he's in great shape.

He is in top of your shape. Yeah, it feels that way. Like, just the, his herky jerk. He always with his size, he can get away with it. But when he's actually, like, there's a little, bit of XL decal, he's sharp, and he's moving. Like, that's when it's like... And that's been... A lot of people wouldn't understand what you're saying, but his XL decal is what has made him great. His ability to stop on a dime. Yeah. Yep. And then explode

from there, you know, has made him so damn great to go along with his basketball IQ, his talent. His size. His size. I think even when he's not in his best shape or he's even maybe injured, He can still use his body. He still uses his skill. He's a big, he's a huge point guard, huge. Big boy. And when he add to that, like, a little shot, change of direction, change of pace,

I mean, he creates space out of nothing. That's what I've seen, the sharpness, the legs in his shot, the consistency shooting the ball. Consistently shooting the ball right now has been top tier. Have you had him, like, doing closeouts and slides or something? Because the D's, the D's made a resurgence. Yeah. Surgeons.

Hey, man, he's doing it all, man. He's doing it all. I mean, listen, all these guys can make a case. I mean, obviously, Luca, I'm going to be a little biased because that's my teammate and I see what he do every night. But, shit, you look at Shea, how efficient Shea is again, how well they're playing again, how he's scoring a ball at a crazy rate. Before we go on to Shay, let me ask you a little bit about your role in all this. I'll tell you a story. It's not the same story.

but it's similar. When Dirk and I were coming up, Michael Philly was, we were our Dallas's big three. He was a two-time All-Star. We weren't All-Stars yet. Then Dirk and I made an All-Star team, and Mike didn't. But we don't make the All-Star team,

and Mike doesn't, unless he empowers us to go be our best. So the Lakers is your team. You won a championship there. You've had the career you've had. Now, all of a sudden, you're playing with a 26, 27-year-old superstar, there has to be some

facilitation of how this all goes down. What's your role in this? What was your role in, like, allowing him to get comfortable? And I don't want to over-glorify your position. I don't want to under-gloat for his success. But, like, that is a part of this thing, is that you guys all have to find a way. I just think it's simple as not being an idiot.

Can you say that again? Not being an idiot. I'm not an idiot. I'm not an idiot. I understand, first of all, I am well aware of my game and what I can do for a basketball team. I've never had a position. So I know I have the ability to be put in any position that can fit a team win, even if it's

taken away some of the things I've always done. Yeah. You know, so understanding that and then having a little injury that I had, watching the team play and watching the team has some success, I'm sitting back and I'm like,

AR and Luca are looked like they're just playing free. They look like when LeBron is not playing, they don't have to like feel like they have to cater to me and make me feel a part of it or have to get me the ball and it throws them out of rhythm.

So when I was making my way back and when I was coming back to the lineup, I went to both of them and I said, listen, don't worry about me on the floor. Whatever the fuck mindset y'all been in while I was not playing, just stay there. Be aggressive.

Y'all got the ball in your hands. I will figure it out. I will figure it out. Don't make it. Don't confuse it. I will figure it out. And I text JJ and I text one of our assistant coaches. I told him I want to talk to them too.

And I told him, I will figure it out. I'm a winner and I know what I can do for this ball club in order for us to win. And for those guys to be the best that they can be. And it literally is I'm just not a I guess I'm not an idiot Headline not an idiot I'm not an idiot Ron James I'm not idiot I'm not idiot I'm not idiot I mean But that's I mean that's easy to say

It's not always easy to do it You have to put your ego to the side Put your ego to the side put your pride to the side But you also have to have the ability I have the adaptability to be able to do of the days before to and still make an impact. That's true. So that helps.

You still have plenty of triple doubles or games where you're like took 14 shots, 24, 10, 9. It helps to, I don't want to pat myself on the back or whatever case may be, but it helps for me to be a Swiss Army knife when it comes to just being a basketball player. Like I never like gave myself a moment where I was like, you're going to be a sort of. score. Yeah. You're going to be able to just a ball hand. You're going to be just that. It's just like, put me on the floor and I can make things happen.

Like, I'm just a ball player. Like, whatever, you need me to handle the ball, you know, all right, all right, Lakers, y'all, we need a point guard. All right, I do it this year. Yeah. Lead the league and assist. All right, y'all want me to play center? All right, cool out.

I'll play center. Y'all need to play three? What do you guys need? You know, all right, I go to Miami. Okay, the ball is less in my hand. I need to be, I need to slash under 45 a little bit more. Play off the ball, D-Way hands. I think that's one of the things that a lot of people have, like,

misjudged about me as a ball player is that I can adapt to any role or situation. Or position. Or position. I just happen to be really fucking good at this thing. Agreed. Yeah, like really, really good. It's been verified. Like really good at it.

Like really good at it. So it gets overlooked sometimes. No, but that's, you know, actually I feel like it was this time last, 13 months ago, we talked on this podcast about you adapting when Luca came. And you did a lot of these things early. But then you got, you got banged up. You start the season late. Guys are in a line out. You're trying to find your rhythm.

Now it's back to seeing you do all the things off the ball that you naturally did when Luca first got here. the spacing you know exactly how to space it correctly the cutting you're a great cutter the screening the short rolling the playmaking the offensive rebounding the fast breaks up and what I love is the closeout game like oh you're going to help on the two men

comes to me you got to close out on me that to me is like a layer to your offense that I think is exciting when the more closeouts you can, they can create for you. It's fun. It's fun to play like. Different ways. Yeah.

And also, in my career, there's not been many, many times where I've had the ability to play the advantage game. Right. I, I haven't been. Yeah, I've usually create the advantage. I've usually create the four on three or the three on two. Now with ultra creators, one of the most ultimate creators in Luca, now I can play the four on three game when I'm at like, one of my, I'm at my best.

I can play off of AR where I'm, you know, getting more athletic wings off of AR by using my screen and roll behind tactics and things of that nature. So it's a cool, it's a cool role. It's a cool role. Underwash. I do it. I do it. For now. For now, shit.

Yeah, shit. You're fucking 90-100. Whatever. Year 29 now out. Yeah. I mean, that's, yeah, it's good work if you can get it. But I think that's a cool. cool part about your story is that you're not the heliocentric guy anymore.

Yeah. Not that you couldn't be. Yeah. But you slide right over. And when you decide to, you do all the other things. You got to figure out how to make the pieces still fitting to make the puzzle, man. I mean, how many nights you sniff a triple double and the ball's not in your hands at all like it was is it's a, I like that. I enjoy watching that.

It's weird. It's kind of weird. that's the testament, right? I'll play a different way and still like triple doubles or thereabouts all the time. It's cool. So kudos.

Yeah, I appreciate you. And kudos to Luca, because, I mean, the heater he's on is crazy. And when he's moving well, when he's in great shape, like he is an all-time special, special player. So it's great to see that. Playoff season is here.

In playoff basketball, perspective is key. As a former player and coach, I'd be right there watching every drive, every shot, and every block. And I can say from experience, there's no better feeling than living in the moment as it happens. That's where the American Express Platinum card excels, granting you exclusive access to unique experiences worldwide. For playoff games, when every second is electric, your perspective is what makes it memorable. That same principle is true for all kinds of entertainment, even

beyond the arena. The fewer barriers you have in your life, the more you're right there in the moment to enjoy it. I'd call that a win. With an array of premium travel, dining, and entertainment benefits, all backed by American Express's award-winning service, there's nothing like platinum. Terms apply. Learn more at Americanexpress.com slash with platinum. I would say my favorite for MVP is Shay. And just the totality of the season, the efficiency, he's a good defender I think he's a great leader his efficiency is Jordan-esque

as a two guard at the point one two seven percent or contested mid-range like it's what the f that is insane it's I mean the accuracy and efficiency is crazy the body control

like his stops start change direction his this something probably sounds weird but I noticed like his spine mobility is crazy. One, to slither into gaps, two to finish in situations. He's so damn good. So, so good. Which is interesting, right?

Because, like, they do some things. They got a great coach. But a lot of what they do is spread the fuck out. And I'm going to work. That's a lot of pressure on one guy to be. that efficient under those circumstances, and he constantly does it. And by the way, that's great coaching too,

to be like, why would I get in the way of this? Why do I have to, you know, pull out the greatest hits when the greatest hits is, let's start by spreading the floor. You show us how, spreading the floor, you show us aren't going to stop that. Yeah, it's like having Jackson 5 and not having Michael as your lead singer.

Why would you fuck that up? Like, that doesn't make sense. Why not put him in the front? Yeah, that doesn't make sense. That's bad A and R. Yeah, that's bad A&R. Like, every, I see, like, you know, I don't sound like I'm watching NBA games every night or catch a NBA game every night, but, I mean, I'll cover the game.

I mean, obviously a lot. But, like, every time you look at the efficiency, you look at the box scores, and you see Shay 38, it's like 13 for 17 from the floor. You know, the night I think he had 40-something. I think it was like 15 for 19. They lost in Boston, and I think he was like 12 or 14 at 40. Yeah, like, it's just like, that's one of my favorite thing about players. Like, you know, I mean, that's, but that's because how I am.

Like, I love efficient players. Like, you know, can go out, can do the things on the floor, be efficient, you know, not, you know, taking too many bad shots. I mean, if you get on a heater, you want to take a heat check or two, I get it, you know. Or have tough nights where you got to keep shooting. Yeah, for sure. Yeah, yeah. We all have our, we all have our nights where we don't shoot, you know, to our capabilities. I mean that just comes with the game.

But I think that's one of the things that I love about Shea is just like for him to play on the perimeter as much as he does, playing in mid-range as much as he does, and still be as super efficient as he is. Like you said, it's George Ness, for sure. In a slightly different way. In a slightly different way. Less liftoff, but more like bombs.

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. Harky jerk. Yeah, yeah. A little herky jerky, yeah. And left hand, he's a great left-hand finisher. plays out of his left, uses the slow between the legs, see what you got. If you force it. Back, by the way, the back between the legs, too.

You know, but he's... Stop on a dime. As soon as he feels your weight, he's gone. He's usually going to go left. If you take that away, he's got the spin, he's got the step back, he's got the foul through. You got a big shoulder. If you try to... Big shoulders is amazing at it.

Amazing at separation, the length after the separation. But he's right-handed. So if you try to say, I'm taking the left away tonight, he doesn't go right as much to me but he is amazing go big shorter go right and then step back going right either way we've seen some game winners him going right step back like he either way he has a whole he has a total package yeah so i think efficiency totality the season i's who i mean all four these guys are like a dream but that's that's where i start with yeah let's talk uh i'm to save the up-and-comer to last, but let's talk Yolkich. I mean, he still puts up outrageous

numbers, outrageous impact on the game. He just had like a 30, 20, and 10 game or like 25, 24 and 50. What are we talking about? Like, it's so insane the numbers he puts up, the skill level, the IQ, the size. I mean, Savant. But they've struggled a little bit. And it's one of those things where I think people are really worried about them. I'm not as worried because I feel like Aaron Gordon back, you know, the rest of their group coming together. Yeah, it's been the injuries with them too. Injuries.

Even Yolkech got injured, obviously at one point. We talked about that when he was out. And their defense, they're, like, I hate teams that's like, oh, turn it back on. We're not trying to. That's a team I could see, Aaron Gordon, Nicole Yokic. Like, they're going to, they're scoring outrageous numbers right now. But I think they're a team that can up their defense into a top, third. 12, 13 in the league.

I don't quite remember, but last year, did they, were they, I won't say struggle, but were they struggling kind of going into the postseason last year before they turned it on? Didn't Aaron get hurt last year, too, came back, went to the playoffs, played a little bit, obviously was really banged up in game seven. Yeah. But before that, yeah, I think. Because they kind of hit a heater. I mean, in the post-in-law, actually, you know what we're forgetting?

Yeah, they must have struggled because the coach got fired. Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. Fired by him alone. who has won a championship with them and deserves his respect. So they made a change late in the year. So it wasn't peachy. Yeah, yeah, it wasn't.

I mean, Aaron Goren had those shots. I mean, he had a game winner here in O'KC. It was at game one. Right. He had to tip dunk against the clippers. Lippers to win a game. And that one went seven, too. Yeah, that one was seven as well.

You're not counting them out. Can't get them out. And I think it's interesting because very similar to last year in a way, but they find a way in the playoffs to ramp it back up. I hate as a law, I don't allow or like that. If there's a team that can do it, that's a team that I'm not as concerned as their performances have been.

Yeah, I agree. So, Nicole Iokic, I mean, especially before he got hurt, his numbers, there's still outrageous, but the year he was having, he had as good a case as anybody. And then let's talk about, you know, what could possibly be the MVP for the next century or two. For the next 100 million years. Indefinitely, the alien Victor Wimbaniama. Late push here for MVP, which I think is warranted. I still think Shea's my vote if I had one. Give me your take on Wembe as an MVP candidate.

Well, MVP candidate, for sure. For sure. There's no question about it. And obviously, what they're doing this year as a team, having a special year. You know, number two in the West, over 50 games. He's averaging, what,

25, 11 rebounds, three blocks, three assists. Defensive player of the year. Defensive player of the year. People, you literally, you literally don't even want to go to the hole when he's on the floor.

Like, I think he's making a case for sure. You know, he's making a case for sure, but I would agree. I think, I don't want to be the guy to say his time will come because that's kind of corny to me too.

If you're the MVP, you're a fucking MVP. You shouldn't have to pay your dues and all that type of stuff. I just think, I just think Shay and Yolkidge and Luca, you know, are having a little bit. Yeah. Yeah. I think people came into the season knowing that the Spurs would don't play great basketball as long as Wimby was healthy. You know, I just, I saw it last year, you know, kind of towards the end of the season.

I said that's Stefan Castle, you know, comes into the year. finished the year last year. He's been amazing. He's been amazing. Dearon Fox was kind of hurt at the end of last year, but once they made that trade, I was like,

they're going to be a really freaking good team. Been a great veteran. Yeah, so, um, yeah, I mean, if he was to get it, I wouldn't be like,

oh my God, what are we doing? Like, you know, but if he didn't, you know, I would understand that as well. So,

I mean, there's a case for all four guys. Like I said, I'm super biased to Luke at us. I mean, he's my teammate, but just seeing what he's doing. I mean,

and what we're doing as a ball club. I mean, I've missed significant time. AR is miss significant time, and he's still been doing what he's doing. But also, you know, you look at Shea and his number two is miss significant time as well. You know, J.W. has missed a bunch of time, and they're still number one in the West End,

number one in NBA, I think, and wins. And Joker's been doing what he's doing. So it's a four-man race, man. It's going to be this unbelievable race. I think it's, I look at what was it, I don't know if it was like in the 60s when it was like Elgin Baylor, Wilk.

Hamilton, Jerry West, and one more other. It was like a four. Oscar. No, I think it was, I think it was Bill Russell. I think it was that. I think we could look that up. I think it was a four-man race where all those guys were like, it was the craziest, like, four-man race we probably had ever seen.

Like, all those guys were playing unbelievable basketball. We had, like, wilt average in, like, 45, 47. And then 13, you had, you know, Bill Russell, almost averaging a triple-double. you have Jerry West averaging like 42. You had Elgin Baylor. I mean, I think it was those four guys. And if it's not or if it wasn't Elgin Baylor, then it was like Oscar Robinson.

You get what he means. You get what the fuck I mean. So it's Oscar then. He was probably averaging a triple double. Yeah. Yeah. So this is kind of resemblance of that moment where you got four guys

and if one of those guys were to get it and another guy didn't get it, it wouldn't be an uproar. Yeah. Yeah, it's a phenomenal year. It's been a fun year for the league. I mean, we talk, you know what was crazy.

we talk about all the negatives, the tanking, the this, the that, but the reality is the game's been amazing. The playoffs are going to be unbelievable. Playoffs are going to be unbelievable. Let me ask you this about Wembe. So if I had to make a case against Wembe, which I hate to do because I love him. And I think you're right.

It's corny to be like he has his time. That's not fair. I will say maybe we're not ready, like as a basketball society, to give it to him at this stage, which may be proven wrong as we evolve, like on this side of it, the judgment, though, and stuff. Yeah, yeah.

But I would say this. If I had to say one thing, and now he can close a game every single night defensively. But I would say he is not where he will be as you were in your prime. If you weren't on this scene, maybe you'd still be doing as Luca is as SGA as his Oka's. Last five minutes, here's the ball, take his home. That's coming. Certain nights he takes him home. And every night he takes him home defensively.

But I do think there's a little bit of his development. And that doesn't mean his impact in totality might be better than what another candidate is doing. But there is a piece of me that's like there is something still so valuable the player that has the ball in their hands and has got to take a team home every night to win a game. And that to me is where he's going. But that's the MVP which you're, I think that that is a huge part of the MVP, you know, because if we kind of base it just off of, not just off of, but if you're, say, well, he's a defensive player of the year. And when he's on the floor defensively, then we should have made a case for Dwight Howard as well then. When he was in his prime, when Dwight Howard was averaging, 25, 14 rebounds, three or four blocks. And when he's on the

floor, what their rating is when he was off the floor. You know, we could have made a case for that. So obviously, Dwight's not shooting the three, you know, like the new age. You're like, you know, like, you know, like Wimby, whatever the case. But not as versatile. Right, not as versatile, but as far as overall impact, offensively and defensively defensively, when Dwight was in Orlando, you could have made a case. And Dwight's, I think one of Wemby's arguments offensively is not all about points, which is true, but Dwight was rolling, bringing the defense,

Turk looking over the defense. I mean, that's a great assessment. So, I mean. I'm not sure it's completely fair to Wembe, but I do say if I had to nitpick, Because I think the guy's unbelievable. Yeah, I agree. In fact, if he won this year, I would have no problem with it. But I think that would be the one thing where his development is coming.

And he does it certain nights. He brings him home. Yeah, I'm glad I won't be in the league when it arrives. I'm glad I can watch and do this and figure out what time my tea time is tomorrow. Right. That's. Yeah, yeah. No lies.

No lies. So I was watching last night. Have you ever seen somebody like go for the lob and you're like, fuck? Like throw you a lob where you're like, oh God, I got to jump for this now? Absolutely. I was like, man. I can say unequivocally I've never had that for you. Not once.

You know what's funny because AR came to me during the time out he says, hey man, you know there's this fucking notion that every time I throw you in Alibu, in my mind I think you're 25 and everybody reminds me that you're 41. What are you doing? What are you doing? You're gonna fucking kill him. He says, man, I just throw it up there and just figure it out after that. That's funny.

Yeah, yeah. That was he... That was a sick play. Yeah, he threw that thing up there. That was good. Yeah, great up. Thanks for watching, mind the game. New episodes drop every other Tuesday.

Remember to like, subscribe, or follow wherever you're watching.