Nightcap - Nightcap - Hour 1: Clippers beat Nuggets, Pistons beat Knicks on the road + NBA Award finalists announced!

Episode Date: April 22, 2025

Shannon Sharpe, Chad “Ochocinco” Johnson & Joe Johnson react to Clippers beating Nuggets on the road, the Pistons bounce back to win game 2 on the road against the Knicks & NBA award finalists are announced!05:42 - Clippers beat Nuggets20:00 - Pistons snap losing streak36:52 - Nico Harrison: idk Luka was important to the fan base56:40 - JJ Reddick: Best Practice1:02:30 - NBA Player Awards Announced(Timestamps may vary based on advertisements.)#Volume #ClubSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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Head over to your nearest Boost Mobile store and make the most out of your tax refund. Hello, ladies and gentlemen, and thank you for joining us for another episode of Nightcap. What an exciting ball game as the Clippers go into Denver and they win 105-102 thanks to Kawhi Leonard's

Virtuoso, 15-19 from the floor, 4-7 from three. Perfect from the free throw line. 39 big points, and he was the best. He was as good as I've ever seen him in the playoffs. Y'all know me. I'm your favorite unk. My co-host is your favorite number 85, the Liberty

City legend, the Bengal Ring of Fame honoree, the Pro Bowler, the All-Pro. That's Chad, Ocho, Cinco, Johnson. Also our contributor for all things basketball in the playoffs is, y'all know him, the Arkansas native.

Phoenix, you know him a little bit from Phoenix, but you really know him as a hawk and a net here he is iso joe joe johnson what's guys let's get right into this ball game got a lot to talk about tonight the clippers win 105 to 102 as i said thanks to kawaii leonard and a big big three from norman powell who struggled all night long with his shot but he found it when he needed to find it. Yes, Jokic had a triple-double, but he did not play well. Seven turnovers, four missed free throws,

and I think that was the difference in the ballgame, Joe, that all those free throws, they make one, miss one, make one, miss one. It came back to bite them. What did you like about what you saw from the Clippers? After a tough loss on Saturday, they come back and get a tough win on Monday. Well, you knew Team Blue was going to have those guys ready.

They was going to regroup. I didn't think they played bad, you know, game one. I thought they played good, you know, probably down to the end. But, man, they can say what they want to say about Kawhi Ojo. That boy out there doing the playoffs, he make it happen, man. He does. Hey, the mid-range assassin. Hey, analytics trying to take the media out the game. Hey, man.

That man get to his spot every time raising up shoot, and it's cash. He look good tonight. For me, I like how his body look. He don't look like he out of shape. He looks like a guy who's in elite shape, and he's ready to go. He gave them everything they was looking for tonight, man. You didn't need James to be special tonight. He was solid throughout the whole game.

I like Zubac competing against Big Yolk. That's a great matchup, man. That's a great matchup. But all in all, the Clippers did what they wanted. They came down there to get one. Got one. And they was able to do that in game two, man.ippers did what they wanted. Hey, they came down there to get one. Got one. And they was able to do that in game two, man. They looked good.

Yeah. When you look at Kawhi, I think the thing is that Zuboff makes Jokic works on the other end. He had enough of the double-double, 16-12. You can live with that. As you said, James Harden didn't need to be spectacular tonight, but it was quiet. And I thought it was very interesting, Joe.

Kawhi had it going, but Ty Lue gave him a six-minute break in the third quarter knowing this game's going to be close. I need him to close it out. I need him for the entirety. I'm not bringing him off the court. And you saw him at the end of the game slumped over. He was dog-tired because he played

39 minutes, and they needed all 39 minutes from him. But I thought T. Lou stole some time. And when the Nuggets couldn't get any separation with Kawhi off the floor, you knew, okay, this game's going to come down to the end. Michael Porter Jr. played extremely well. He had six offensive rebounds. They needed a call to action, and he answered that call.

But that turnover after he got that rebound where he threw it away and led to a Norman power three, that was really the difference in the ballgame. Ocho, what'd you like about what you saw tonight? Listen, Ty Lue had them boys ready to play, Unc. He had them ready to play. Kawhi, I'm not sure what Kawhi did, what his routine was before this game. I'm not sure what he ate.

I don't know how he stretched. But whatever he did before this game today, he'd need to repeat it. Every game from this point on. The Kawhi I saw tonight, Unky, was special. We've talked about his injuries. We've talked about him not playing games and missing games. But I don't know who that was tonight. We've seen it before, but I've never seen it to this magnitude.

I've never seen him this efficient like this tonight. Obviously, you had Norman Powell, who contributed, coming off the bench. James Harden did what James Harden does. Obviously, he didn't need to be special, like you guys mentioned earlier. I think one of the main factors in why the Clippers were able to win this game is I think about not what the Clippers did, but what the Nuggets did in turning the ball over 20 damn times, as opposed to the Clippers only turning it over 11.

Obviously, Joker having a triple-double, he didn't play well. He missed some shots late in the game, down the stretch, from the free-throw line, which also contributed to them losing tonight. But the Clippers did well. Ty Lue did what he needed to do from a coaching standpoint in making sure they were prepared to come out and get and steal a win. Because when you look at it, Joe, as Ocho mentioned, 20 turnovers,

it was just the opposite. What did the Clippers do that cost them the game? Turn the ball over on Saturday. Now the Nuggets repaid the favor. Kind of like in the championship game, we saw Houston force Duke to turn it over. And then what did they do? They turned around against Florida in the national championship game. They turned it over. And then what did they do? They turned around against Florida in the national championship game.

They turned it over. The Nuggets crushed them. Plus 18 in rebound margin. Plus eight offensive rebound margin. But when you plus nine in the turnover and you minus six, you shot 10 more free throws, but you missed eight of them. Yeah. You turn over, more free throws but you missed 8 of them you turn over, miss free throws there's your ball game right there

Joe how do if you're the Nuggets, if you're Dave Adelman, what are you telling your team? Man we gotta continue to fight it, we gotta go to LA and try to get us one we gotta dig down deep and find something within us man, they got guys I don deep and find something within us, man.

They got guys. I don't think they guys play terrible. I thought they played pretty good considering the big guns, the Joker, Gordon, Porter. You know, I thought they played solid. And I thought Murray played good enough for them to win, honestly. Yeah. They got to keep working. You know, get back to the drawing board and look forward to game three.

But what I will say is when you look at the Clippers, I think when they get home, they'll be a lot better than them other guys around them. We'll play a lot better. Roleplayers normally play better at home. Normally play better at home. So this is going to be a long series for the Nuggets, man. They already lost home court advantage.

You got to steal one, dude. So now it's on LA to take care of home court. Go ahead, Ocho. I would get ready to say, obviously, you know, in games like this, obviously, playoffs atmospheres

are completely different. You know much more about playoff experience than I do, but I know that feeling and what it's like to be there because on video games, sometimes, you know, everything gets tight and it gets very difficult when it comes to being in the playoffs. So I think about when it comes to this time, not only for the Nuggets, but for the

Clippers as well, you got to minimize mistakes. You got to minimize errors and you got to be efficient and you got to be consistent the best way you can. People coming off the bench, the role players, they have to be on point. They got to be fine on all cylinders for each team to have the chance to win in advance of the next round. And that's really it. I ain't really got no bit to talk about anything. Playoffs, being that I ain't really been in them, as opposed

to you two, but I know what it feel like because I just explained why. You didn't play a lot of playoffs in your career, Ochoa? Hey, man, don't do that, Ochoa? Hey, man, don't do that. Ochoa, come on,

don't act like. Don't do me like that. That's true. Hey, see, that's why I led. That's why I led with. I don't know what it's like to be in the playoffs,

but I've done it on video games and even I get nervous and I get tight, you know, so that's the only experience I got when it comes to playoffs. You and Uncle Bennett, y'all done that.

Aaron Gordon missed a wide open dunk. He hit the back of the rim, huh? Oh, Joe, you can't miss that. You can't miss that, bro. Hey, I got a question. Hey, Joe, I got a question. For something like that that happens when you miss a dunk, obviously you think it's going in.

Do you think it's the same as a ball hitting you right in the hands and you drop it because you take your eyes off the ball? Do you think you take his eye off the rim? He tried to dunk it so hard and it hit the back of the rim. Yeah. Okay, okay, okay, okay. So it had nothing to do with hand-eye? No.

Okay, okay, okay, okay. You see what he did? I mean, he was going to mock me. I thought No. Okay, okay, okay. I just, because you see what he did. I mean, he was going to mark. Yeah. I thought he was two-handed, Joe. Yeah. Because that's normally how he dunks the ball, especially in close like that.

He normally makes sure he finishes. But I was surprised that he went up with one hand. And you could see things like that happening. Misses a dunk. Michael Porter Jr. gets the defensive rebound and throws it away, which leads into a walk-in three

by Norman Powell because Christian Brown was caught in between. Do I go over here or do I stay? He, you know, Powell fakes it and then he pulls up.

Boom. In situations like that, that's normally what happens. You pay an ultimate price with turnovers. You turn the ball over in football. You pay double in the playoffs.

You turn it on the basketball, the same thing. You commit an error in double in the playoffs. You turn it on the basketball, the same thing. You commit an error in baseball in the playoffs. It normally leads. You extend the ending. You extend it. You extend things. So that's a tough way to lose for the Nuggets,

but you got to give the Clippers credit. After a very difficult loss on Saturday to come in and play as well as they did tonight and to steal home court now somehow the Nuggets gonna have to find a way to steal home court back because I don't believe if if uh if Clippers win you know the Clippers win their two games I don't see how they I don't see how they win you know three in a row I don't I don't see that you see that Joe you don't see that you don't think the Clippers can win three in a row no I don't see that. You see that, Joe? You don't think the Clippers can win three in a row? No, I don't. This is a different team than the bubble.

Yes, I know they did in the bubble, but this is a different team. They didn't have a James Harden. Kawhi and Kawhi had some quiet times in the fourth quarter with some sixes and some twos. And that guy that I see now, he ain't going to have no games like that. Yeah.

Yeah. Man, listen. I like what I seen from the Clippers. Scrappy, got a bunch of life-size guys, play multiple positions and cause a lot of havoc and penetrate and kick it out for three and just scrambling. You know, it's just backyard basketball. Man, it's playoff basketball at its finest. Look, the Clippers know

what Denver's going to run. Denver knows what the Clippers are going to run. Y'all can't show us nothing new under the sun. We know what y'all are. Now, it's your will versus my will. That's what's so special about the playoffs. Who wants it the most? Right now, the Clippers got a hold of it.

Hey, Young. Did you just say you don't think Kawhi can have another game like this? No, I said I don't think But right now, man, the Clippers got a hold of it. Hey, Young. Yeah. Hey, did you just say you don't think Kawhi can have another game like this? No, no, no. I've said I don't think if the Nuggets go down 3-1, I don't think they can come back like they did in the bubble. Because I don't believe Kawhi will play as poorly as he did in the fourth quarter in the bubble. He's playing extremely well right now.

As Joe said earlier, he's locked in. Now, you let him get that mid-range going early now you're at his mercy because if he backs out past that three point line and he sees a couple of those go in what you do you hug up on him he can go by you or you think he's gonna go by you and then he stops on the dime he just raises up over you he had it going tonight because he made some very difficult shots over two defenders yeah give him his due give him his due. Give him his credit. He played well tonight.

He was one of the main reasons why they won. Zubat is doing what Zubat does. Zubat, just give us 16 and 12. Give us your average. Make it work on the offense, on the defensive end. I was surprised. I don't think Jokic was aggressive enough. You got Ben Simmons on you, and you out there bulljabbing around the three-point line.

Nah, that ain't where you need to be, bro. Take his ass down to the paint. Get up on eight. Go to the pick and roll or Murray. They may come. Hey, clear out of the side. Get away. And let me go to work on Ben. Ain't no way

you supposed to be out of the top of the key with Ben Simmons on you if you're Nicola Jokic. They had Jokic huffing and puffing out there. They do what they work early on. They catch them at the three-point line, body banging them all the way to the paint. By the time they get to the paint, he's a little tired and exhausted.

It's hard for him to get into his mojo like he normally would because it's a different setting. We're in the playoffs now. Nothing's easy. They're not just going to let him walk down to that post and think he's just going to turn around and shoot jump hooks all night. No, we ain't going for that. You got to work today, big fella.

Yeah. Yeah. They're doing a great job. They let Murray handle the ball. They let Brown handle the ball. Russ handled the ball from some sort. But he's not handling the ball. But you could tell, you know, they're weighing on him.

Zubats is banging on him. But like like i said you get a reprieve once they take uh zooms out of the game big zooms and i got you got to wear you got to wear a ben simmons light ass out because i understand he's 16 but he ain't he ain't a big body like zoo boss yeah now he's not he's not a big body like zoo boss but look yo was playing a great game. He still had a nice, beastly triple-double. Yeah, those seven turnovers don't hurt him, though, Joe. Those seven turnovers hurt him,

but he was four for eight from the three. I like that. It's like, whenever he wants to shoot the three balls, he's very efficient when he shoots it,

but he was pretty good, man. He just needs other guys to step up. Maybe, I would probably say Gordon or Porter. They got gotta play a little bigger than what they're playing right now especially points wise because he's no yeah porter

plays good he just had he had three turnovers gordon uh has got to be a little bit more aggressive a little bit more efficient he was five or thirteen one of three three but he was three or three from the three-point line uh throw up excuse me from the free throw line. But I think this was more had to do with what the Clippers did do as opposed to what the Nuggets didn't do. I think we need to tip our hats off, especially to Kawhi Leonard because he was sensational tonight along with Avicii Zubac. But Norman Powell hit the shot heard around the world. I didn't get a chance to read.

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Get some shaping up real nice. Guys, you don't want to miss this tour. This is the one that if we come to a city near you, make sure you check out your favorite aunt and your nephew. Go get your tickets now. The Pistons snapped their 15-game playoff losing streak. It was the longest such streak in NFL, NBA history. It's their first playoff win since 2008.

Cade Cunningham, we said that he needed to bounce back and play better. He absolutely bounced back, and he played sensational. 32 points, 33 points, 12 rebounds. He's the first Piston since Chauncey Billups in 2004 with a 30-10 playoff game. 30 points, 10 rebounds. Cade Cunningham had 33 points, 12 rebounds. He was the difference tonight. And Dennis Schroeder,

the one thing about Schroeder, hey, he's been in the moments. The moments. He's not afraid of the moments. He's not afraid to take the big shots. I've seen him take so many big shots when he was playing for the Lakers. They trust him, and

I don't see any reason why they shouldn't trust him. Tobias Harris was great. Again, he played 43 minutes at 15 points, 13 big rebounds. Cade, 33-12, but it was Schroeder off the bench that gave you 20 big points was the difference in the ball game.

And they were able to overcome a sensational game by Jalen Brunson, who had 37 points, but they didn't get nearly enough from Carl Anthony Towns. He only had 10 points on five of the level shooting. Five trouble was the big reason why. But Mikael Bridges had 19. OG had 10. Cat had 10 cat had 10 uh josh hart had 10 but it wasn't enough jaylen brunson at 37 but it was the 33 points from kate cunningham

uh 12 points 13 rebounds from duran and 15 points from and 13 rebounds from tobias harris and they beat the knicks on the glass. 48-34. I was surprised at how they dominated the glass. You know, considering you got Cat, considering you got Mitchell Robinson, considering you got O.G. Allen Obey, and they dominated the glass.

And I think that was one of the reasons why they won the ball game, even though they had more turnovers. But they took the ball to the crank. 38-4. Free throw tells, Joe. 34 to 19. Made for This Mountain is a podcast that exists to empower listeners to rise above their struggles, break free from the chains of trauma,

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I'm Michael Kassin, founder and CEO of 3C Ventures, and your guide on good company, the podcast where I sit down with the boldest innovators shaping what's next. In this episode, I'm joined by Anjali Sood, CEO of Tubi, for a conversation that's anything but ordinary. We dive into the competitive world of streaming, I'm joined by Anjali Sood, CEO of Tubi, for a conversation that's anything but ordinary.

We dive into the competitive world of streaming, how she's turning so-called niche into mainstream gold, connecting audiences with stories that truly make them feel seen. What others dismiss as niche, we embrace as core. It's this idea that there are so many stories out there, and if you can find a way to curate and help the right person discover the right content, the term that we always hear from our audience is that they feel seen. Get a front row seat to where media, marketing, technology, entertainment, and sports collide. And hear how leaders like Anjali are carving out space and shaking things up a bit in the most crowded of markets. Listen to Good Company on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. In the fall of 1986, Ronald Reagan found himself at the center of a massive scandal that looked like it might bring down his presidency. Did you make a mistake in sending arms to Tehran, sir?

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now on Audible. Hey, uh... Yeah. I mean, listen, I think the difference is in that game, Jalen Brun. I mean, listen. I think the difference is in that game. Jalen Brunson had 34 last game. Tonight, he had 37.

But nobody else. Nobody else for the Knicks contributed or didn't contribute enough to kind of the balance and the encounter what the Pistons were able to do.

If Cade had, what, 33? Unc, he had 33. 33 and 12. 11-21 from shooting. You know, he had 12 rebounds. But then you also have Schroeder contributing. Then you had Tobias Harris contributing as well. Then you look at the Knicks.

You got 37 from Jalen Brunson. Carl Anthony Towns. I mean, he doesn't show up like the Carl Anthony Towns that we're used to seeing. Josh Hart, there was nobody else. It was a one- man show as opposed to three on the other end therefore that's why the results were

what they were and why they were able to bounce back that goddamn K.A. Cunningham boy he's special he is boy he's special

boy he's something nice now you remind me of myself in high school alright alright go ahead no Josh go ahead

go ahead hey Joe don't do that don't do that don't do that because before before it was ISO Joe you know you know what they Go ahead. No, Joe. Go ahead. Go ahead. Go ahead. Hey, Joe, don't do that. Don't do that. Don't do that. Because before it was Iso Joe, you know what they call me in high school, right? They call you. What do they call you in high school, bro? Iso Ocho?

Actually, Iso. I wasn't Ocho yet. I was Iso Pepe back then. Hey, hold on. Hold on. Hold on. We're going to get back to this game. But I did some digging, and I found some footage on you

on that teammate game. You on teammate? Yeah. You on teammate? I seen that footage of you on teammate. Yeah, yeah, yeah. That was garbage, Ocho. Garbage.

Wait a minute. Hold on. Time out, time out, time out. You can walk and chew bubblegum, man. I said, man, what's Ocho out here doing? You can't make a layup, none of that. Oh, hold on. Time out.

This is after I had already dropped 20. I had already dropped 20 on T-Mac Head. That's why you pushed me out of power. I hadn't even frustrated. I told you NBA players only know how to play in a structured environment. You know, running plays and all that. When it comes to getting it off the muscle, and you got somebody that's athletic and skilled with lateral movement and quickness

like me, you don't know what to do. That's why I say you can't beat me, bruh. What you talk about? I don't care about nobody calling you ISO nothing because there ain't going to be nothing with one-on-one. It's just me and you. You ain't built like this. You ain't built like this.

Say it with your chin. Got it. Yeah. You got my voice cracking. That's how you know I'm serious, man. I'm a competitor, man. Yeah. I don't care what it is. I'm saying boy, get.

I'm telling you, hey, when I face you up like this, I hit you with that jab, left, right, and then I come back, and I hesitate. I ain't going. I ain't going. I ain't going. I ain't going. Hey.

Man, stop playing, man. Listen, man. Hey, but let's get back to the playoffs. Because that, like, I apologize. I ain't mean to get off. Like, he kind of triggered me real quick. Like, I'm not him. You feel me?

Stop playing, boy. Hey, I'm from Liberty City, boy. We do everything. You hear me? It don't matter. Swimming, swimming, track, basketball, football. It don't matter. Swimming, swimming track, basketball, football. Being bald. It don't matter.

Being bald, shooting pool. Yeah, yeah. Whatever. It's who and whatever against whoever. Man. What you got here? I apologize, my bad. Look, look, look.

Let's get back to the playoffs. All right, back to the playoffs. I want to give y'all my assessment on this. For some reason, Carl Anthony Towns, he look a little slow out the break, man. He don't got no energy. It's like he ain't giving them what they need. You know they bench ain't going to give them that because Thibodeau ain't

going to play them enough. You need Cat. Cat got to have, he got to be anywhere from about 20-25 a night, man. 11 shot attempts, that ain't going to get it for the Knicks to be. Not playing against these dogs in Detroit. Unk, I told you, you on Ocho. You said who I like in the playoffs this year.

And I told you, okay, Cunningham. He got it. He's a total package. He showed that tonight. He's very poised and patient on offense. Creating for himself. He didn't have a lot of assists tonight. They made him score.

He scored the ball. He had 12 rebounds. He was huge for them. They had that. Look, they would have won game one as well as game two, but they had that low in game one, that 21-0 run the Knicks made. Yep. Lost the business of the game.

Now they had another low tonight, about four, four and a half minutes where they couldn't score. And then they end up, you know, end up closing out the game. But Detroit, for real, they letting y'all know they for real. Now, what I don't expect, I don't expect Tim Hardaway to go 0 for 8.

No more. I think he's going to play great at home. Him and Beasley. They going to shoot the ball well. And they going to be the others who's going to help them probably advance in this series, especially at home anyway. Well, I don't get

tips. Campaign gave you 14 big points. He gave you 11 in the fourth and 9 in that 9-0 run and you play in four minutes. What's that about? It needs to be reversed. McHale Bridges need 11 shots. Cat needs 18. Well, that's on Cat. Cat needs to demand reversed. Mikael Bridges needs 11 shots. Cat needs 18. Well, that's on

Cat. Cat needs to demand the ball and become more aggressive once he gets the ball. But, you know, Cat has that propensity to sometimes drift through the game. Bro, did you forget you're seven foot tall? Did you forget that you were the number one

overall pick in the draft? Did you forget that you are an all-star many times? Sometimes I think Cat forget just how good he can be. Cat, do you realize that you once scored 16 a game? Cat, you special. But sometimes I think he forgets, man, I'm Cat. I'm him. Man, look here.

All I know is Father Basketball playing with my mentality. I'm him. Man, look here. All I know is if I was a basketball player with my mentality, I'm seven foot tall. I'm putting out. Hey, I'm Shaq. I'm putting. Shaq never forgot he was big. Shaq always played big.

Shaq never played small. That's what I like about Shaq. He like,, man, I'm 7'1", 325. Damn it, I'm going to play 7'1", 325. I'm a bull in the china shop. That's an it factor. That comes from within. Yeah, that's what I'm saying. There are a lot of people.

Hey, you talk about the young bull from the Lakers, right? How tall you say he is? Oh, you talking about Jackson Hayes? No, not the other one you don't like. Alex Lynn? Yeah, man the other one you don't like. Alex Lynn? Yeah, man. Man. See, that's you.

That it factor, that mentality. I don't want to say mama mentality, but just that mean spirit when it comes to being out there and understanding I'm seven feet tall. I'm finna dog whoever you put in front of me. You finna get this work. Does Cat have that it factor? Think about the mentality and the way John Maron plays or the way Anthony Edwards plays. Imagine if Cat had that mentality

or that kind of dog in him. What you think he would be? But you know what Cat's problem is, Jordan? I'm gonna let you go. Cat's problem? Cat wanna be the best shooting big man. Yeah. Cat don't like the bangs. He's already said that. And. Cat Prowler, Cat want to be the best shooting big man. Yeah. Cat don't like to bang.

He's already said that. And that's what got him in trouble last year in the Western Conference Finals. He was selling too much. He was selling for the three. He was selling for the jumper. And they ain't got nobody that can deal with Cat when Cat want to play and becomes aggressive and put his back to the basket. I get it.

You can shoot. But at some point, at some times, the game doesn't call for that. You need to dictate, say, hey, I'm going to go down the block, give it to me, give it to me,

man, let me have that. Go ahead, Joe. Hey, but you got to give the big fella for Detroit some credit, Durant, too. Because he playing, man. Hey, he's a monster down there,

Ocho. You know, he's good. So, definitely ain't muscling him. So, it's almost like he kind of taking him out of the game to some degree. But yeah, I'm. You know, he ain't good. So, Keck definitely ain't muscling him. So, it's almost like he kind of taking him out of the game to some degree. But, yeah, I'm like,

oh, man, I want him settling for jumpers. I want him down there in the paint, causing havoc, making them dudes double team so we can create these

yes, Kostadine will get wide open shots. I do think he's just kind of floating around three-point line too much. And, yeah, the Knicks, they got to have at least two guys explode

in their starting five in order for them to win because, like I said, they barely play any guy coming off the bench. Hey, Joe. Hey, Joe. I mean, listen. I'm going to ask this real quick. Do you think because Cat knows he can't do nothing with young Bull down there in the paint that he's going to settle for mid-range

and being out there by the three instead of going down and banging because, you know, you ain't finna post him up. And, you know, you're not going to back him down. Nah, I think, you know, he's probably going to look at this footage. You know, he's going to look at the tape is what I'm saying. He's going to be like, OK, cool. You know, hopefully somebody on their coaching staff tell me, look, big fella, we got to have you down there on that paint. Yeah, no matter what. Being big, being a huge presence.

Remember, when we throw you the ball, it's a bucket foul, or you kick it out, spray out the three, and somebody got a wide-open shot. But right now, what he's giving, yeah, this is going to be a long series for them. This is a young, scary Detroit team who've, you know, had to learn by experience, you know, throughout the playoffs. Like, Durant and Cade Cunningham, they had never been in a postseason. So they learned from game one, came back in game two, duplicated pretty much the same performance,

but closed the deal at the end. And, hey, man, Detroit basketball at its finest, baby. Yeah. I look at it like this, Joe. I'm a veteran player. I'm a pro bowler. I'm an all-pro. Ain't no young lad doing nothing with me.

I know too much. I understand the moment. He ain't gonna see me. They better double. They better come double. Because if you don't, I'm gonna punish you. And Cat has to have,

but look, Cat is who he, at this point in time, Joe, Cat is who he is. I like Cat a lot. But Cat needs to be more aggressive. Yeah,

we know Cat can shoot the three. We know that. He wanted, I said I'm putting him in the three-point contest. He did it. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.

I think, hey, look, he just got to assert himself a little more, especially in the start. You know, look, I love big-bodied Bronson. It just seems like when he get into the paint, he turn into a straight five, man. He go to pivoting. Yeah. I'm like, bro, you six foot tall.

How the hell you talking about? How you going to put your shoulder in somebody's chest to get separation and shoot a turnaround? They making it work. Look, give Schroeder credit. He didn't just play great offensively. I thought defensively he was a pass.

He was a pass on Boston, and he made him work, picked him off full court, made him go into that Magic Johnson bag down. It's just Schroeder just ain't got enough bricks in his back pocket to stop him once he get in there. No, no, no, no. And Sewell Thompson, when he got in foul trouble, he got in foul trouble.

Yeah. And so that was there because he's a long-ranging guy. Yeah. You know, he can play out. He can contest. If he shoots the step back, I can contest it.

I'm long and rangy enough. I don't have to worry about you beating me around the edge. None of these other guys possess that. Yeah. Because he's going to, like you said, around the edge. None of these other guys possess that. Because he's going to, like you said, he'll bully Schroeder. And Schroeder is not a bad

defender, but he's just lighting the back pockets. And, you know, Tim Hardaway Jr., the same thing. And so what's Thompson? When Thompson got in trouble, you saw Brunson get super aggressive. Yeah, he did.

Super aggressive. He turned it up. He turned it up. Thompson is a bad—he's a tough matchup for Brunson because he's so long and athletic. All he got to do is stay disciplined. He's playing great defense. The one thing I love about Thompson is he knows his role, man.

He ain't out there to do nothing. He ain't going to be out there just jacking up no wild shots. I'm out here to hustle. Play defense. Cause havoc. Get steals. Be on the break. He's playing his there to do nothing. He ain't going to be out there just jacking up no wild shots. I'm out here to hustle. Play defense. Cause havoc. Get steals. Be on the break. Like, he's playing his job to the teeth.

Keep your head up, young fella. He going hard out there. Yeah. And that's what, look. But the thing is, you got to play smart. Because Brunson is cagey. Now, he'll pump fake you. And when you jump, he'll jump into you.

Yeah. So, you got to be on your best behavior when you guarding the guy like brunson it i don't know what it is joe what is about them left-handed guys that's always crafty man you see uh manu was like that yeah you're so sure those marcelonas was like that all these left-handed guys they be crappy as is hey hey it seemed like they got an advantage from the jump you know you know you're just not really used to playing against lefties. So you got to know your whole game plan when you play against a lefty. You know what I mean? And it just seemed like they always got an advantage.

I don't know. But it's been some crafty lefties. Obviously, James Harden and Big Body Brunson, man. Hey, listen. Ocho. Hey, hey, hey. You guard that, man. It's a long game, bro.

Yeah, it's going to be a long night. I know you're a boxer you like to box and all that right yeah you know I got a nice little footwork yeah you might be in a fight

with him but when the game over you gonna be hurting you hear me yeah yeah oh definitely oh definitely

oh lord have mercy man what happened Nico Harrison held another press conference today and said he did it again I didn't know Luka was important to the fan base.

I didn't quite know to what level. Joe, what do you think would have happened if the Lakers would have traded Kobe and Kobe didn't ask to be traded? Cleveland trades LeBron and LeBron doesn't ask to be traded. What do you mean you didn't know? When you go to there and you see all those 77s, who do you think that's from? That wasn't for Tyron Smith.

That was for Luka. What the hell are you talking about? You're talking about that guy that was a five-time first-team All-NBA selection, an All-Star, Rookie of the Year. He was an MVP candidate every year. What do you mean you didn't know what he meant to that base? He was homegrown, like a Kobe, like a LeBron. I mean, for what?

If Preston were to trade, say, you know what? We're going to trade Shea. What do you think O.K.C. is going to do? Act a fool? Exactly, bro. Come on, Niko. Hold on. You don't think Niko doing this on purpose? Or somebody's having him do this on purpose?

The fact that all this is back to back. I mean, are they trying to distract us for something else? No. You know good and goddamn well what he meant to the team. It's your job to actually know the importance of certain players especially players of that goddamn caliber so come out and saying something this asinine and saying something as asinine as what you said last week and you're probably gonna do the same thing then this is it's a constant pattern of it going on over and over and over obviously we know you got we know you're being nailed to the cross

for the decision of the owners that's your your job. You got to take that bullet. Okay, we get it. But coming out saying things like this, now come on now. Like, come on now. Check this out. Patrick Dumont is reportedly frustrated with Nico Hadsall for not warning him how the fan base would react to Luka trade. Luka is the biggest thing in Dallas.

What do you mean? You're you're on so you see what happens when you buy something and you don't know what you have you see he bought a team his mom my mother-in-law purchased the team and she they have no idea what they have on children it's like i buy a store but i don't know what in the store so what am i selling and i say you know what i will discontinue my number one selling item why don't you going to discontinue my number one selling item. Why didn't you tell me that was my number one selling item? You bought the damn store. You should have known.

However, those team sources consistently express belief that Dumont no longer sees Harrison as a figure with irreproachable basketball expertise. Most notably, team and league sources say Dumont has had frustration with Harrison not warning him or perhaps even more damningly being unaware of the fandom outrage following the trade. Those same sources say it's the same influence over Dumont's decision to make

Harrison appear last week, closed media event, which Harrison did not want to do. You see what I'm saying? The owner, you see what I'm saying, Ocho? Owner makes the decision. Why didn't you tell me? Why didn't you tell me the fans were going to be upset about me trading the most popular player?

Why didn't you tell me that I got rid of the best player in Dallas Maverick history? I know Dirk Nowitzki won a championship, but Mark Cuban said it. Dirk can't see Luka. You traded it. You're supposed to know that. Normally, when you buy

a business, you're supposed to know how to run it, right, Ocho? Right, Joe? Yeah. Joe, what do you think about this? What's going on? Luka is a global icon. Nico's a good guy, bro, but I know he got to take the fall on this one. You know, he made that decision.

Look, the owners, they ain't going to take the fall. They're going to blame it on Nico. Yeah, that's what I do. Take the fall. But he's got up there publicly and took the fall himself. You know, saying that, you know, he's the one. He didn't discuss it with the coaches and things of that sort. But, man, you got to know how much Luka means to Dallas, man. Everybody knows. you know he's the one he didn't discuss it with the coaches the things of that sort but man you

gotta know how much local means of dallas man everybody knows i mean come on man this this is a global icon this ain't just you know what i mean yes yes hey hey you let all craft so you know what i think we're going to trade Michael Jordan. Well, I didn't know Chicago was that rabid. I didn't know they loved the man that much. Really? Luka Doncic. He just led you.

So you're going to trade the guy that just led you to the NBA finals last year. Yeah. A guy that was 25 at the time you traded him. And you had no idea that the fans would be upset, Ocho, what do you think would happen if the Ravens traded Lamar Jackson? Or Kansas City traded Patrick Mahomes? And the GM said, well, hey, and the ownership said, GM's like, well, I didn't know Kansas City cared about this man this much. Well, it's kind of common

sense too, right? They should have known. If you're the owners, most of the time, let's say you're not paying attention to the team. Let's say you don't understand the importance of said player in Luka Doncic. But I know you understand the importance of money. I know you understand the importance of your bottom line and what matters at the end of the day.

And I know you understand that number 77 is the driving force of revenue coming through. I bet you understand that. So why would you, how would you not know? Let's say if you didn't understand basketball. Let's say you was only about business and making money at the end of the day. You don't have to get rid of him. Now you got Nico Collins looking like a fool.

Nico Harrison. On the goddamn sword. Matter of fact, to the point, I think they forced him to do it because he's saying such ridiculous stuff about them not knowing that they're using this as a ploy to be able to fire him on the back end. Yeah, look.

And he take the whole brunt of the issue. Man, listen. I feel bad for Nico in this situation because you got to know better than that, man. You know, I understand, you know, maybe, maybe they know something that we don't know. Okay, Ocho, they around him every day. You know, they come to work every day. Maybe they ain't like some of his habits that he had.

And they ain't think, no, seriously, they was thinking long term, like, right, there's summer coming up, man. We got to come off about threesome. $345 to be exact. $345 to keep around. Joe, talk to me, Joe. What's that bad? What's that bad, Joe?

Oh, Joe. That Lupe can be doing what we don't want to invest $345 million in something like that where you understand the product you're getting long-term on the court? What's that bad, Joe?

Come on now. We ain't talking about not going to jail, not having to worry about anything concerning the nightlife of Luca. Luca? Really? Beer? Really? It's also been reported that the Nuggets are going to offer Nikola Jokic three years, $217 million.

So he's not going to take the, he's not going to take the, uh. Man, you know Jokic is going to take that three years, $217 million for the Nuggets. And that's the max he can get? Yes. Oh, yeah, yeah. $70 million a year. So they was like, we give luca this money it was gonna be five years 345 so when his contract up luca's gonna be 31 he's gonna be in line to get four

you're gonna get another five year 450 maybe even 500 at that point in time because this new contract this new amazon uh espn and uh I think NBC played $77 billion. But here's the thing. If I'm Nico Harrison, I tell my owner, I'll trade him, but we're going to get a tremendous backlash because Lukey is our best player. He's our most important player. He's our most important player. He's our most beloved player. I said, I'll do whatever you ask me to do.

I'll do whatever you tell me to do. But I just want you to know what comes along with trading it. Now, hey, the habits that people keep saying about, he likes hookah or he's drinking, whatever the case may be, I will trade it at your request, at your request. But I just want you to understand, this

is going to be met with huge opposition by the fan base. So I want you to think about it for a day or two before I make any calls, because this is not going to go over well. He comes back.

Trade Luca. I'm not giving him $345, blah, blah, blah. We're not making enough money to... Are you sure? Once he said, hey, at a certain point in time, when, hey, when the commander

give you that kill switch, you got to go follow through with it, Ochojo. You know that. Once they say, once they have the target in sight. Right. Ain't no turning back. That's why I say the Mavericks got cheated, man, because they weren't thinking Kyrie

was going to be hurt at this point. They wouldn't know about being no play-in team. You know, no being a top 5, 6 seed. They was going to get some teams some problems. And without Kyrie, who was probably, not probably, but is a major piece to what we're

trying to do, because we lacked, what, rim protection or the inside presence. But you got Lively. You got Gafford. You got Powell. Those guys, think about it.

You got all the way to the NBA Finals last year, and you didn't have Anthony Davis. Right. You just ran into a better team. They were deeper than what you were. You had Tatum. You had Brown. You had White. You had Przingis for a couple of games. Al Horford played were. You had Tatum. You had Brown. You had White.

You had Przingis for a couple of games. Al Horford played well. You had Holiday. You had guys coming in and contributing. Peyton Pritchard, Sam Hauser. You got that. That's where Celtics beat you. They're a deep team.

Look at yesterday, that game. Tatum nor Brown played well. Derek White was sensational. Peyton Pritchard is going to probably be sixth man of the year. That's how you win a championship because when your big guns aren't firing, it's the small artillery that gets it done. I'm going to go to my boss. I'm going to say, I will do what you ask me to do,

but I just want you to know, I don't think you understand sports is a way of life in Texas. We're not the Cowboys now. We're not. But just know, there's going to be huge resentment if we follow through with this. Are you okay with this, sir? Okay? Hey.

Yeah, man. what's going on hey what's up the GM for the Lakers Rob Rob Lincoln hey Rob what you doing man

I ain't doing nothing man I ain't just chilling hey what you think about when you be ready to trade me AD for Luka I gotta play it off yeah

hell yeah trade AD for Luka I don't know I don't know about that one now. Come on now, because we don't want a championship with AD. I mean,

he's a guy that gives you 24 and 10, 24 and 11, goes block shots. He should have been defensive player of the year all the while. I'm like,

he gone. I don't know. Are you sure, Nico? Are you sure? Hey, I want you to think about this. I want you to think about I'm I want you to think about it.

I'm going to have to run this up the flagpole. I'm going to need to talk to Jeannie about this. Hey, Joe, we're about to get there. We're about to get there. Let me call you back. Jeannie, I got me a fish what you mean Rob did you know

Nico Harrison just called me and asked me will we trade AD for Luka plus a player that's not named LeBron Austin Reeves are you kidding me and that first round draft pick in 2028.

I hope you told him. Yeah. I was like, nah, I'm just, I'm pretending like I'm not interested. You know? Hey,

hey, Nico. So what's, what's up? Are you serious? I already got it. I already got it. I already got the trade going up.

AD, AD, Max, Chris, Chris, first round draft pick. I already got the trade going up. AD. AD, Max Crispy. Max Crispy, first-round draft pick. Listen, listen. Nico and them thinking about getting that post presence so they can create that mismatch with Kyrie and AD in that pick-up row. That had to be what they was thinking about. Because my turn, your turn with him and luca yeah it got

them to the finals but boston was just too tough for him and he had too much yeah hell boston's gonna be too tough for kairi and ad because they got przingas to throw at it they got al horford to throw at him they got another big body now what you're gonna do with jt what you're gonna do with jb jaylen what you're gonna do with derrick white What you going to do with Rodriguez? What you going to do with Derek White? What you going to do with Holiday? What you going to do with Pritchard, Hauser? They got so many ways to attack you. You only got so much. It's not like the Mavericks are breath of talent.

They're not. They got good role players. I mean, Gafford is a great role player. Lively, they do their job. But they don't have what the Celtics have. That's what makes the Celtics so tough. They got JB and JT

can give you 30-40 in a given game. Okay, they're off. Now you get Przingis or Derek White or you get Pritchard or you get Big Al Horford. So this doesn't make sense to me because it's still a two-man team with not a whole lot of depth. Right.

Yeah. Yeah, they got to figure it out, man. Well, they got no choice now. Yeah, they got to figure out what they're going to do this summer. Charles Barkley sends a message to Nico, says, I consider you a friend of mine. Don't do no more press conferences. I don't even know what you're doing.

I got sympathy and love for you, but I have zero idea what you're trying to do. That's his owner sending him out there to fall on the sword in front of everybody. Everybody knows that Nico Harrison didn't initiate this trade. Everybody knows that. A trade of this magnitude, that going to the owner.

That ain't no trade, that ain't no, hey, for some draft picks and some cash. That's your franchise cornerstone. And you're trading him away before he turns 26. That's ownership. Because the owner is saying,

Nico, you ain't the one that got to shell out $345 million guaranteed in the state of Texas with no state income tax. Hold on. They think they slick though, huh? You don on. They think they slick, though, huh? You don't think ownership think they slick?

Not only are they sending Nico out there to fall on the sword, they're sending them out there saying ridiculous things. Well, you see. So I really think it's a ploy. I think it's a ploy, honestly, to fire him on the back end and to get the fans of Dallas off their head and really put the whole thing in onus on him by firing Nico

late on down the line. Because here's the thing. The source, the league, most notably team and league sources say Dumont has had frustration with Harrison not warning him or perhaps even more damningly being unaware of the fandom's

outrage following the trade. You see? All Nico Harrison is doing is echoing what ownership's saying. Nico knew. Yeah. He's been in this position too long, Ocho. He's been around it. He's been at Nike.

Yeah. He's been around it too long for him not to know. So I've got to go out there and parrot what ownership is saying behind closed doors. That's why he keeps having, remember he had a press conference with no cameras, and he said defense win championships. I ain't trading no Luka. The defensive player I get

better be Bill Russell. Rest his soul, he better be Bill Russell in his pride or Akeem Olajuwon or somebody like that. Come on, man. A 26-year-old averaging 28-8 a game? Averaging 31 in the postseason?

No, I'm not giving that up and like i said he had to send him out there on that mission basically a suicide mission to take all that because anytime what they say in the military ocho they have what they call a br blast radius oh yeah okay if we drop this here, what's the collateral damage? What's the blast radius? What is our time that we need to get up? Yeah. Get up out of there.

Nico, you knew this. This fallout is going to be like Chernobyl. And when that tractor went off in Russia and it destroyed everything for a long, long period of time. Yeah. That's what this is. They ain't getting over this anytime soon.

They ain't getting over this. I mean, it took Boston 80 years to get over that when they traded Babe Ruth. Let's see. They ain't getting over this anytime soon. It ain't another Luka walking through that door. No. And I think he got about another 10, maybe 20 years to play. So they're going to feel the wrath of this trade for a very long time

as long as he is a Laker. Made for This Mountain is a podcast that exists to empower listeners to rise above their struggles, break free from the chains of trauma, and silence the negative voices that have kept them small. Through raw conversations, real stories, and actionable guidance, you can learn to face the mountain that is in front of you. You will never be able to change or grow through the thing that you refuse to identify. The thing that you refuse to say, hey, this is my mountain. This is the struggle. This is the thing that's in

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and your guide on Good Company, the podcast where I sit down with the boldest innovators shaping what's next. In this episode, I'm joined by Anjali Sood, CEO of Tubi, for a conversation that's anything but ordinary. We dive into the competitive world of streaming, how she's turning so-called niche into mainstream gold, connecting audiences with stories that truly make them feel seen. What others dismiss as niche, we embrace as core. It's this idea that there are so many stories out there, and if you can find a way to curate

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I can't begin to tell you. Please do. To hear the whole story, listen to Fiasco, Iran Contra on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Float like a butterfly, sting like a bee, Your hands can't hit what your eyes can't see. Muhammad Ali was never afraid to express himself loudly and boldly and stays true to form in Ali and Me, an eight-part Audible original. Guided by his own words, this series explores Ali's life and legacy through never-before-heard audio recordings and discussions with those who knew him best. Muhammad had this real sense of his own personal values and principles, things he believed

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Listen to Ali and Me, now on Audible. Hey, look. J.J. Reddick said today was the best practice we've had in months as L.A. prepared for game two. He admitted that had the Lakers approached the off days leading up to the playoffs with the same vigor, then maybe we wouldn't have appeared as flat as we did in Saturday's 22-point loss. We probably could have done a few more scrimmages.

Joe, do the Lakers rebound and tie it up at 1-1, go to Minnesota? Or does Minnesota take a commanding 2-0 lead? Sorry to tell you, brother. Oh, it's over? I ain't saying it's over, man.

I don't know, Joe. But my gut feeling? Yeah. Hey, hey, hey yeah take a probiotic that gutter you feel better hey I got the number one ones trying to be greedy

game two knowing what's at stake knowing that they can come out and just put their will to the test and try and get this dub and go back to Minnesota, man. Hopefully they don't come back to L.A. Now, I know, you know, ongoing L.A. to come out and, you know,

they're going to need that third score. We need Austin Reeves to, you know, give them a spark, man. They need some. I think Ant-Man is playing pretty good defense on him, fighting over peaks. Like, I think Ant-Man is doing on both ends. I know he didn't explode offensively, but defensively, he's

been great. And obviously, the guys around him, the others, like we always say, if those guys chip in, McDaniels and Reed, and they play the way they playing, I don't know if they're going to shoot like that in game one. But I don't know if Ant-Man is going to do it. That's the thing. Do you believe they're going to make 19? Do you believe they're going to make

20 plus threes? They may not, but I don't think Ant believe they're going to make 19? Do you believe they're going to make 20 plus threes? They may not, but I don't think that man is going to handle 17 points neither. That's okay. I'll give Ant 40 as long as they don't make 23 threes because he can't beat us with 40. It's the 23 threes that's going to crush you. Hey, look. Lakers are going to have to step up, man, and protect home. You know, you're going to need Braun to come out and be aggressive.

So what if Luka catches hot? You need to catch hot with him. Mm-hmm. But you know the thing, Joe, you know the thing is, player get hot, what you do? You feed him the ball, you get out of his way until he miss a couple, and then you try to get in a rhythm. Yeah.

But in the meantime, because when Luka catch fire, he catch fire. Yeah. I mean, he catch fire. Yeah. I mean, he liable to go for 20 in the quarter like that. It's fun to watch. And you don't want to get in his way. Go ahead, Joe. I say, yeah, it's fun to watch when he get it going.

But, you know, Bron has a tendency to do that. You know, even if A.R. gets off to a great start, he'll make sure A.R. get his touches in that first quarter. And he got to find a way to get others going and get himself going in order for them to be effective in this series. Look, the Temple Hoards are young, man. They're going to be flying around. The McDade, the Reeves, Edman, like, those guys are going to fly around,

play hard, cause havoc. The Devin Chinzos, I like the makeup of their team, man. They're ready for the postseason. Like I say, A.R., Edman, he done took some guys out, man. He didn ready for the postseason. Like I say, A-R. And, man, he done took some guys out, man. He done took a few. Yeah, he's really good about himself.

You know, he want that Luka and LeBron pelt on the wall like he got that KD pelt. Yes. Like he got that Nikola Jokic's pelt. Yes. Yeah, that'll be big. But I think the thing is we get this game, the Lakers get this game here. When is the next game? You say if you think. No get this game, the Lakers get this game here. When is the next game?

You say you think. No, I'm saying the Lakers get this game here. They're going to have two, three days off because you got to travel. When's the next game? Thursday or Friday? They got to win that game too. They got to win that. We got to win game two.

You got to win game two first, huh? Think about that, Joe. We had two days off. Win that one. Got two more days off. Uh-oh. Keep it short. Hold on, hold on.

We win game three. You skipping. You got to win game two first. Got it. Oh, you got to win game two first. Got it. You sure? What? You sure? Is is there echo in here i'm just asking because hold on

listen in order for you to win game two now i'm not listen i'm i'm listen i i ain't the bookie i don't bet and i don't gamble but lebron will have to come out and be oh you know what i need to get right first i need to get right first my approach to this game my approach to game two can't be like the last one I can't sit around and facilitate I got to have that

killer mentality he has that a little bit but he has to come out this game and have it early I expect he got to set the tone

I expect he got to set the intensity I expect him to have it okay okay I'm just making sure now um cause I would love I would love I would him to have it. Okay. Okay. I'm just making sure now. Because I would love, I would love, I would love to see Legas in five. But when I saw game one, it ain't looking good.

But JJ, we probably could have done a few more scrimmages. That's on you. You the coach. You set the itinerary. You set the practice schedule rhythm and timing exactly go for that exactly and it's the playoffs i mean even if even if i don't tell you uh joe you know what it is yeah you know the intensity turns up everybody's everybody on this roster with the exception of connect has been in the playoffs okay the young guys they don't owe but lebron luca ar uh finney smith vanderbilt jackson hayes all those guys have been in the

playoffs they know gabe vincent they know what's at stake so it's your job to pull the young guys alone and let them know what's at stake the the intensity. You're not going to get those ticky-tack foul calls like you would in the regular season. They're going to let you play, so be prepared. The 2025 NBA Awards finalists were announced. MVP, Nikola Jokic,

Shea Gilgis-Alexander, Giannis Antetokounmpo. Defensive Player of the Year, Dyson Daniels, Draymond Green, Evan Mobley. Rookie of the year, Stephon Castle, Zachary Richer, Jalen Wells. Sixth man of the year, Malik Beasley, Ty Jerome, and Peyton Pritchard. All right, Joe, who you got? MVP. I got to say it.

I got to say it. Go ahead. Defensive player of the year. I'm running my mouth again. Defensive players. Dyson Daniels, Hawks, Draymond Green, Warriors, Evan Mobley, Cavaliers. I got Dyson Daniels. Okay. Rookie of the year.

Castle, San Antonio, Atlanta, Jalen Wells. I think he plays at Memphis. I got Castle. Castle, he's pretty consistent this year. I agree.

He can play. Sixth man of the year, Malik Beasley. Detroit, Ty Jerome, Cavaliers, Peyton Pritchard, Celtics. I'm going Peyton Pritchard. I'm going Peyton. I'm going Peyton Pritchard, Celtics. I'm going Peyton Pritchard. I'm going Peyton. I'm going Peyton Pritchard. I can see that. He's been consistent.

And, you know, when it's his time to shine or when his moment, you know, comes, he always shows up. So I'm going Peyton Pritchard. Who you like, Ocho? Give me, give me, give me, give me my categories and my name, man. MVP, Nikola Jokic. Oh, SGA. Okay, you can stop there.

SGA, SGA. That's my MVP. It's been my MVP for a long time, but go ahead. Defensive player of the year, you got Daniels, Draymond Green, or Evan Mobley? Ooh. Daniels. Rookie of the year, Rashear Jalen Wells Castle Young boy

Sixth man of the year Beasley Ty Jerome Peyton Pritchard Oh Pritchard Pritchard Most Improved Player Joe

Cade Cunningham Evita Zubats Dyson Daniels That's tough. I'm going K. I think they won, how many games they won?

16 last year? Yeah. First of all, you're the number one overall pick. You should be eligible for this reward. It should go to,

it should go to Zubox. Did he coach you? No. He had the highest score average? No, I think, I think Zuboff's average is double-double, career-high

in points and rebounds. Coach of the year, you got Kenny Atkinson, JB Bickerstaff, or I make Udoka? I'm gonna go... I'm gonna take I make. They're gonna go At Atkinson but I think Edoka

to be the sixth seed after winning like 15-16 games last year yeah clutch player, Nikola Jokic Jalen Brunson, Ant-Man you said clutch player yep

Jalen Brunson, who else Jokic, Ant-Man damn that's a good one Clutch player? Yep. Jalen Brunson. Who else? Yoki. Ant-Man. Ant-Man. Damn, that's a good one. Big-bodied Brunson, boy. Big-bodied Brunson, man.

Hey, listen. I'm not going to lie to y'all. He scared me down the stretch when they play in Detroit or just any game. You know what I mean? Because he's going to make a play. He's going to either get fouled or he's going to score. I'm going big body Bronson, man. I like that. They called that timeout and then you ran him down the baseline.

He went and got that three-pointer. That was a good call, T. It was out of a timeout. Yeah, great. Are there any surprises? Are there anybody that you think should have been on that got left off? Nah. Nah. Nah, I don't think so.

Who you got with your clutch player? Jokic, Brunson, Edwards? Yeah, I'm going with Jalen every time. And I think Jalen's been in more clutch situations to show why he's clutch. I'm not saying Ant-Man isn't. I'm not saying Joker isn't. I'm just saying he's been in more clutch situations to show why he's clutch. I'm not saying Ant-Man isn't. I'm not saying Joker isn't. I'm just saying he's been in more situations to be able to display that clutch gene.

Coach of the Year. Got Kenny Atkinson, J.B. Bickerstaff, I. May Udoka. I. May? What you talking about? Them boys were sorry last year. Wasn't nothing to watch. No disrespect. Hey, that boy Jalen Green, nice though, huh?

I couldn't tell. He hadn't played well the last couple games, Ocho. Last five, six games, he'd been bad. Right, right, right. They lost game one, too, Ocho. It's going to be hard, man, playing against. They got the championship pedigree over there. Hey, them boys balling, man.

And that's what really concerned me about the Rockets, Joe, is that they don't have a guy they can give the ball to. They got a collective group of guys. But if you think about it, everybody, for the most part, got a guy you can hand the ball to and he go get your bucket. They're the only team don't. Even if you look at the Thunder, they got Shea. If you look at uh you look at uh the thunder they got shade if you look at memphis they got job the lakers got two or three guys yeah you look at everybody

that's in the west they got a guy steph curry jimmy butler everybody every team has a guy you can hand him the ball and then go get your bucket and this rockers don't have that nope this is what the playoffs about's about, too. Like I tell you, we know your plays. We know what you're running. We're switching everything, and now you got to get a bucket. And you're right. The Rockets hadn't had anybody who can efficiently, you know,

be reliable to work down the stretch. We're like, okay, we can get a bucket or a foul. We give them the ball. And you know what the Warriors got. Steph? Yeah. Well, we give them the ball. And you know, you know what the Warriors got. Yeah. You got amazing. Ray Vaughn is starting his role. Them other guys, the

Moody's, those other guys are playing well too. They're guarding, they're defending, and they're playing, they're playing like, you know, this is it, man. They know game one is always like the best game to get. Easy to understand. Made a statement earlier.

Made a statement earlier. Yeah. Joe, many think Trey was, Ice Trey was snubbed a clutch player. He buried three game-winning shots, the most by any player in the NBA this season. The final 10 seconds, fourth quarter overtime. He owned it plus 34 in clutch games this season. You're right. I forgot about Ice Trey.

But here's the thing. Everybody else team in the playoff. I know. That's the only thing. Outside of that, look, hold up. Oh, we were fighting the Hawks. We were fighting early in the year. We get Jalen Johnson go down in January,

and it just kind of took our hopes away. He was there. He was Mr. Do-It, Mr. Everything. Yeah, walking double-double. And at the time, I think we were in the playoffs before he got hurt, and we played good basketball. So I'm looking for my Hawks, man, to get healthy. You know, we got a lot of young guys

who gained some great experience, you know, playing in that play-in game and understanding the magnitude of what playoff basketball is like. Man, we just got to stay healthy, come back next year and have a memorable season. But hopefully we can keep Trey around, man. I've been hearing a lot of rumors, but I want to be out and around. Hey, Joe, I got a question for you, Joe. Speaking of that play-in game, y'all played again,

and some of those players getting some playoff experience. Who y'all lost to again? Man, we lost to the Heat, Ochoa. Oh, okay, okay. I just want to make sure you understood and remember, that's all. Yeah, Ochoa, we got two of our starters out.

What's my big center name? We got Jay Clint Capella was out Clint Capella been out he been out Clint been out for a minute so y'all had y'all wait man y'all had y'all fun you know congrats hold on now

now mind you Jimmy Butler was gone right yeah Jimmy been gone so collectively as a team I'm not we don't have a guy you can actually go to. We have Bam. We got Tyler Hero. I'm talking about that guy. I'm talking about that guy. So you putting Tyler Hero in the same conversations with your Ant-Man's and your, and your, and your Steph Curry's. Okay. We got to go to him.

Yeah. Cause that's your guy now. Oh, you, oh, oh, oh. Okay. Okay. Oh, that's what we doing. Is that what we doing? Yeah. But that, but that's your guy. doing is that what we're doing yeah but that but that's your guy no i'm not saying he's equivalent to those guys but he's that guy for that team okay that's that's how i understand that but jimmy butler was that guy before you you get you get what i'm saying so you lose the guy and then someone else didn't just become the guy

because if you that guy you that regardless of who's around you. I'm Michael Kasson, founder and CEO of 3C Ventures and your guide on good company. The podcast where I sit down with the boldest innovators shaping what's next. In this episode, I'm joined by Anjali Sood, CEO of Tubi. We dive into the competitive world of streaming. What others dismiss as niche, we embrace as core. There are so many stories out there. And if you can find a way to curate and help the right person discover the right content, the term that we always hear from our audience is that they feel seen. Listen to Good Company on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. In the fall of 1986, Ronald Reagan found himself at the center of a massive scandal that looked like it might bring down his presidency. It became known as the Iran-Contra affair.

The things that happened were so bizarre and insane, I can't begin to tell you. Please do. To hear the whole story, listen to Fiasco, Iran Contra on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. You're listening to an iHeart Podcast.