The Deep 3 Podcast - Everything We Learned In The NBA This Week | TD3 Live

Episode Date: November 18, 2025

Recapping week 4 of the NBA season! #nba Support the stream: https://streamlabs.com/thedeep3pod Check out the TD3 merch: https://the-deep-3-shop.fourthwall.com/ Join the TD3 discord!: https://discord.gg/RUkjpMPp7E Listen on Spotify!: https://open.spotify.com/show/3elbbqVumwqz8wlIdknsLW Listen on Apple Podcasts!: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-deep-3-podcast/id1657940794 Follow us on TikTok!: https://www.tiktok.com/@thedeepthree Follow us on Instagram!: https://www.instagram.com/thedeep3podcast/ Isaac's twitter: https://twitter.com/byisaacg Muhamed's twitter: https://twitter.com/Mojo99_ Donnavan's twitter: https://twitter.com/Dsmoot3D Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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Conditions and exclusions apply. Get no frills delivered. Shop the same in-store prices online and enjoy unlimited delivery with PC Express Pass. Get your first year for $2.50 a month. Learn more at pceexpress.ca. Are you guys ready? What are we going to be ready for? You ready to have some fun. I forget. It's a TD3 Monday live stream.

I'm having a blast. Why is Donovan salooned? Who are you sling to? You'll know. You'll see. I don't know. Well, I don't get to know yet. It's a secret. for now you'll see yeah you build an anticipation you don't have a drop coming yeah okay chat I see you guys and for this time you're right we were 35 seconds late I understand you guys this time

it's a well-deserved slander going on in the chat how to get a couple things ready before we started but it's okay because like we said we're gonna have fun today this is gonna be a very fun stream as you see by the title we're gonna talk about everything we learned this week as well at the end of the stream we're gonna have you guys do a chat power ranking in which you guys are going to rank your top 10 teams in the NBA

and we react to it it's going to be a funny one ain't none better than a TD3 Monday bray what better way to start off your week the second time you said that it can be the third again what better than the TD3 Monday

what better way to start off your week do we do have some sad news to start with today though like I said we're going to talk about everything we learned this week we have an unfortunate new story that just broke before we started Victor Webbenyama has a left calf strain and is expected to be sidelined for multiple weeks. Tough.

Every time Richard Wemiyama gets hurt, he feels like an angel losing his wings. Damn, man. My Shaila's gone. Ooh, this is tough. Several weeks, man. This team's... I can't live like this.

I don't want to be in an NBA without Wembe. We're really going to see, like, how nasty this team is without Wembe and just how much he covers up. It's not what I want to see. Who's going to be the starting center? LeCornette. It's not terrible.

It's not a team. terrible backup. Hooper. Kelly Olinica's back. Either way or fuck. I don't think it's too bad. I mean, you have Deerrin Fox and you have, I think, a good defensive infrastructure. Obviously, that is pretty goddamn dependent on the best dependent on the best dependent on the

planet. I do think with the size of coordinate and, like, the wingspan he has, they could probably do an approximation of the same style of defense, you know, like you have another large body to funnel people to. Obviously, he's not going to be the deterrent that Wimby is, but I don't think this is the type of team that's going to completely be incapable of winning. No, like, there's, there's been plenty of teams that have been able to win games without their, quote-unquote, best player. But, like, the spurs for everything that you said, like, Wembe is so singular, he is so unique and holds everything together.

And you look at how their defense performs when he's on the floor versus when he's not. And he's, he's on the floor. And they're like, one of just, you know, one of the best defenses of, of, of, of, all time and they're just amazing and he gets eight blocks a game and does all this stuff. And going from Wemby to Luke Cornet is a massive upgrade and they'll be able to

like they're not in a 10, if he misses like 10 games, they're not going to an 8 but 3 and 7, 4 and 6 like that's very much. Yeah, that's in the cards. They're going right back into 500 and I mean outside of the defensive and like Wembe's of course the best defender. He's also one of the better passes

on this team also like probably the second best shooter on this team, I guess. outside of Harrison Barnes. We're talking about a lot that he covers up here. I think there could be a world of where they went like two games maybe because looking at their schedule right now. What are you doing?

Because somebody says show a proper salute fingers straight, four finger on your temple. Oh, it's like this, is this the proper suit where it's like here or I don't know how. Oh, we got a real vet in the chat. Damn, you're disrespected someone. I'm not trying to start. The motorcycle being outside waiting for you right now.

Yeah, so we will see how the spurs fare without Victor Womenyamo for probably at least two weeks We'll see how that progresses Could be good to get Deer & Fox going Who had a slow start since coming back There was a one notable game I think it was the second game

They played against the Warriors He was all bullshit in the fourth quarter And lost in the game On both sides of the ball So whatever gets to Deer and Fox comfortable It was great I hope so man I just don't want

You know what else is again I don't want to watch this You know it also is great What is it? The return Of who? The goat The goat

Don't get that With LeBron coming back? Podcast P should be making you as a return tonight against Los Angeles Clippers. Demon Home. He is back. He is here to carry the Philadelphia 76 years to the playoff aspirations.

Demon Home, he's had so much time. He shut down the podcast last year, said, I'm locked in. I'm making sure that we are winning a championship, make sure that we are under, that we are in championship contention. He's had so much time to get ready for this championship run.

He's been gearing up for months. This is like, This is like seeing Steve Rogers in the Minnesota just be activated, right? I can't wait. Tonight, it's going to be cinema. Regardless of what happens, it's going to be something that we can look, that we can look back on and say the NBA season started tonight. I don't know what world that is. I hope that's not the truth.

But I will say, I am very happy to see Paul George Beck because although I love what's going on in Philly, I think right now they're like seven and five. They've surprised a lot of people, specifically someone like Tyreys Maxi, Vijay Etchcom being like a very playable rookie and someone you can somewhat rely on if he's struggled over the last few weeks. I like this team a lot. And I hope he can a bare minimum move. Can he put his hands up? Can he move his hips a little bit?

Can you be not trying to sit too high expectations? Prime Tabo Cephalosha. Those are the conversations that we have in right now. That doesn't really elevate this team. Chad, let me see a prediction for Paul George's first week stats back with. the sixers not the first game you know giving some time and shake the rust off but the first three or four games the first full week he plays on this team what do you guys expecting i got i think i i got 12.3 points per game okay that's like 42 percent from the field great 30 percent from

three that's i'm taking that i was thinking there i was thinking you said 42 per seven three no no no i'm going i'm going 14 point three points okay it's too high it's a lot it's a lot he's still paul george you know that's what i'm saying but again first week back he might be on somewhat like they might be managing him a little bit so 14.3 points I will go 43% from the field we will go 37% from the three point line about four assist six rebounds okay that's a lot that's a great stat line that's about what the chat saying I'm seeing 12 3 and 3 11 2 and 8 8 is crazy 13 3 and 4 on horrendous splits that might be that might be the most accurate one 13 4 and 4 he's going to do a lot. He's going to contribute as a play.

He contributed as a rebound or do a lot. We will see what the shooting's plus look like right away because they weren't even great last year. And this is what they, they do need Paul George, though, because when they have, like, your guards are so small and then whenever you also don't have

Joel and Beat out there, this team, every time it plays, that's the number one thing that jumps out of this height. They're little. It's like, dang, they don't have anybody. And we talked about us on the last week's episode. We were talking about BJ Edgecom's height. And I was like, I know he's listed as six foot five he does not feel six to five to me whatsoever he looks like a small guard out there it's probably just the rookie stature and he probably doesn't have that big of a wingspan

for his size i'm guessing it's probably what optical illusion i'm seeing when i see him in maxie i feel like i'm looking at two six foot two guards so all the wing size defenders in the middle they can get the better yeah right now who's holding it down for them in the wing kelly ubrae who's having a good season offensively for sure trend wafford he's having a good season offensively too coming from Portland and also the Brooklyn that's who normally thinks about him like that, but he's a good player. That's nice. But having someone who, I guess, like, I don't know if we're coasting off a name with Paul George, but can you at least be the best three-point shooter of them all and the best perimeter defender of them all? Best three-point shooter? No. But can at this point, like,

if I'm a six-year-s fan, obviously, you know at this point, the contract that we gave him, bad, right? it's not a is you're not getting the good end of the value on on this deal clearly pg is walking off with some extra ms however can we justify a little bit right can we get a little bit of value from this massive contract that that we gave you and i think you had a value but i think the value comes off the court i think it's more so helping jared mccain build his social media presence same thing with vj edgecombe and he doesn't need paul george better get help from jerry mccain Jeremy McCain does this shit. You think Jeremy Cane is taking tips

from 38-year-old Paul George on social media. You got your goddamn mind. Paul George knows. He has a video floppy. He's like, I wonder what Paul we're doing in a situation. What would pee do?

Hell no. Jeremy McCain is teaching all of them what they need to know about social media. He's the one that's setting up to TikTok dances in the locker room, not Paul George. That's funny. But on to the next new story

before we get into main topics. Jall Morant is once again injured. He will be really re-evaluated in two weeks with a grade one calf strain. half strain is left and right to every team's best player. Damn. The grizzas are in common free fall.

Surprise. Yeah, they're already there, but like, I know John Moran has been playing good. Yeah. And that's been a big reason why they're not good. They're not going to be any better without him. So this is kind of a huge deal at this point in the season where they're not even in the plane right now. The Phoenix Suns are above them in the standings.

Shout to them. Which granted, the Suns are winning games. So there have a lot of people. But that's the conversation they're trying to scratch and claw back into is to get into the Phoenix Suns, Trailblazers portion of the playing tournament race? That's really nasty. This is highly unfortunate at this point in the year.

Dude, they're not going to win the NBA Cup now. Fuck. They were never touching that money. They were never going to touch that money, man. Cedric Howard wanted that 500K, I guarantee it. You need that. You best believe it. But this especially sucks considering

last year, over the last really few years, John Moran going in and out really didn't matter because you had consistent great backup guards or there would be Tyos Jones or whether it be over the last two years, some like Scottie Piffin Jr. Now you have Ty Jerome, but Ty Jerome's like not playing yet.

Yeah, it's still hurt. So this is why it's, this hurts more than ever right now. I'm glad you mentioned that. Ty Jerome is exactly why this hurts more than ever and it's exactly why they suck right now. Part of trading Desmond Bain and losing that ball handling

was you assumed Ty Jerome would come in and, you know, fix a lot of that. Him not being there, no dozen Bain. They've been short on bond handling the whole year. It's hurt their offense. It's hurt their entire identity. Plus, with the coaching issues they have and the lack of rhythm because they're not used to these four minutes since yet.

Actually, I don't know if they've adjusted in the recent weeks. Maybe they have. But nevertheless, they've had a lot of stuff, I think, pretty much centered around creation and lack of their own. Without John now, it's going to get fucking disgusting. They've lost four in a row. They're four in ten right now. They're about to lose four more in a row.

It's already scary. Like, the moment that the vibes were bad, you kind of saw exactly where this is going. And so now, if you are, if you're the Grizzlies, you look at this moment and you determine is our head coach the right guy? Because the one guy who's been throwing off the vibes, he's not going to be there, right? Are you going to be able to get this team to look competent over the next two weeks, right, whenever, whenever Jaya is there?

And was it truly a Jom Morant attitude problem? And now that he's not out there, everybody else is buying it. It's like, hey, this system actually works. you have you have a couple games to make everybody think that what you are doing actually can't work in the league someone asked what's worse in chicago the public transportation or the weather genuinely asking because i'm going to move there for work what is your guys's thoughts have you guys have lived in chicago now for six months yeah six and a half six or seven i've been here like five months i haven't taken public transportation yet you've been taking it at all no not once you boogey

motherfucker you haven't taken it one single time not once never been on a bus or train yeah let's see so we haven't been through a proper winter so we'll see how that we'll see how that goes i will say for for uh like an actual city the public it's not efficient like you can get to places but you really really have to plan it out because like it's not like don't don't come here and think that it's going to be like the new york city subway so we're like we're like every single train like You got a new car accident yesterday on a bus? Yeah, yeah, he did tell me that. You said what?

I'm just laughing about how you got into a car accident on the bus. Oh, yeah. So terrible, but you should be saying ass. They did hit somebody. They did hit somebody. That is true. So the answer is the weather is worse still for everything he just said. The weather's worse.

That's easily the weather is worse in the public transportation. And it's not particularly close. Next thing we got to talk about. We got to talk about the fraud that is LeBron James and how he is coming back potentially this week in the one of the two. games against Utah Jazz to ruin the Lakers chemistry, according to Shaquille O'Neal, who says, I kind of feel for Austin Reeves because he looks good and he's playing good. But as soon as LeBron comes back, he's going to be reverted back to standing in that goddamn corner.

Yo, he hasn't watched Austin Reeves and LeBron's just like 2021 or 22. I don't want to hear any of that. Are you guys ready to see LeBron ruin the good vibes, ruin the white boy duo Cupid and Ellen? I mean, I hope he doesn't. I hope LeBron can finally, you know, not be selfish for once and think about the team and think about how he can think about how can I make this team better and not just get my 27-7 and 7. That'd be fucking toxic.

Yeah. Oh, you want you made all NBA if you want to be the goat? How about you go and get 10 rebounds, LeBron? How about that? Yeah, Brian. Let's actually listen to Shaq a winner. Yeah.

And get to winning these games. Aemonte media personality, actually. Oh, my God. I don't remember the last time someone listened to Shaq and actually had like positive NBA production outside of maybe him telling someone to get butt, get that butt behind the

Hey, other than that, I don't know what it's been useful. Yeah, so the funny part is we're singling out the shot quote because it's funny that he suggests that Austin Reeves can't play with LeBron, somebody who has played with LeBron for his entire career. That's comical. But the general sentiment online has been very funny around this LeBron James situation. Obviously, we're joking.

LeBron James is going to return this week. He's practicing in full today, Monday, November 17th. It's unclear if he's going to play tomorrow in the team's first game against the jazz on Tuesday or on Saturday in their second game against the jazz, which is crazy, only have two games this week. They even put through the ringer. Yeah. Whichever game he comes back on,

he has a chance to get some good amount of rest while playing some low-level competition and really get back in the swing of things. And my thoughts around that are this team is surviving, looking pretty damn good in his absence. I'm thrilled to see what they look like when they have him next to Aiden playing at this level,

next to Luca, who's scoring as good as he ever has, next to Austin Reeves is taking the next jump. What all Twitter can talk about is how LeBron is going to ruin the chemistry as if it's a bad thing. to have a six nine wing who run in transition shoot attack out the dribble post up that's going to make the lakers worse actually obviously he's not going to be because i've seen some people are saying it in the chat right now like oh yeah he's going to be a six man obviously he's not

that's ridiculous yeah i'm obviously over jake laravia what that's somebody somebody said get ready to speak bench bro i understand that that's not that's not going to be the case and we have said this before, LeBron has been wanting to do this and play this specific role for five years now. Anthony Davis just wasn't the guy who could allow him to do this. I promise you, at 41 with sciatica, LeBron is looking at Luca scoring 37 a night. He's looking at Austin Reeves, put up 50 points. He says, finally, these white boys are going to save him from my pain.

he he has to try so hard every single night because AD was not the hey I'm going to give it to you you're going to score 30 points every single night and you're going to carry this offense he had that that he had to deal with he had the whole Russell Westbrook experiment that he had to deal with he had to deal with Darvin Ham as a head coach now he has smart people all around him competency all around him we'll talk about DeAndre A in in a little bit competency all around him He is going to slide in, and he is going to do what LeBron James does. Exactly. We just play smart basketball, which has helped the team, make the right play, do everything

that he needs to do, and the Lakers are going to be fine. Yes. And we've seen this exact same lineup outside of DeAndre Hain throwing into the fold last year. The personality higher. Yeah, we've seen this last year. LeBron does nothing but makes his defense tremendously better. This defense tremendously better. He does nothing but also make Austin Rees and Luca in the looks that he's about to get.

so much easier. He aids DeAndre Aiton and relieves a lot of pressure when it comes to him and also Rihachamira on the boards as well. He helps people all around. If anything, like this team, the vibes, Luca's life is going to be easier. He's going to, I'm assuming, take a couple more efficient threes per game. Oh, he's getting the motherfuckers up right now. Yeah, he's consumed like, what, 11 or 12? 11.3. There's at least going to be three more of them that are going to be open. Yeah. Yeah, Luca is currently playing the most Luca ball he ever has played, even with Austin Reed's being fantastic and demanding some touches, Luca's usage is outrageous because it has to be with no LeBron.

These lamps are putting out there are ridiculous. They started Brian James a couple days ago because Marcus Smart was out. Yeah, Luca's going to take a lot of goddamn shots. And a lot of those are going to be threes. There's been a lot made about his lack of rim volume compared to recent years. His shot making has been outrageous, though. And he's currently averaging over 60% shooting, despite only shooting 31% on those threes because of such high difficulty.

Take what you want about LeBron and his on-ball abilities and the, you know, career long narrative that has been, if you play with the braun, you're going to stand in the corner. Even if you think that's true and you think that they're going to lose some of the magic they have with the two other ball handlers right now,

that is okay. That will be welcome for this reason, this reason alone. Rui Hachamora and DeAndre Aden cannot play together. We have this line of data here. When they're both on the court, this top level, they have a negative 2.9 net rating.

When it's just Rui and no Aiton, plus 20, just Aiton, no Rui, plus 24.5. These two guys don't move their feet on defense when they're off ball. You cannot play both them together. It is a nightmare defensively. The fact that LeBron can come in and make this something you can do zero percent of the time, you can have lineups out there when neither one of them ever overlap.

That is possible with LeBron in the lineup. That alone makes it well worth it. They're going to get so much better. They're going to be better across the board. And that's why I really hope they lose the first game because it would just be so funny. It would just be hilarious. if we have one game and Shaq is like see this is what I told you

this is what I said like I need it but it's it's not going to happen for everything that they are going to be good they got stomped out by the Thunder last week and I listen even if LeBron was there at the Thunder have the capability to stomp people out

but it was very very clear that this this team right now as much momentum as they had they are not as good as you think that they are. They cannot go into games with just with just Reeves and Luca

and go toe to toe with the best team in the NBA or the top teams. You obviously need another piece. And let me, any anybody else, anybody else's team, if you had somebody who was making $50 million dollars who wasn't there and you had a

$50 million dollar hole in your cap space on your cap sheet, how do you think your team would perform? They wouldn't be 8 and 4. Yeah, like the fact that they've gotten to this point, big, big shout out to the Lakers, you are getting a $50 million boost into your lineup. You're going to be fine. Yeah. And we have this DeAndre Aet and Staten, Staten, pull up last four games, walking 20 and 10, oftentimes more in the games.

He has been eating. The chemistry is growing day by day with Luca, with Reeves. That isn't going anywhere. It'll probably get even better with LeBron there to feed him, with LeBron's defense being a lot more active than Rui is. They're going to lean a lot on him as a defender like I did the end of last season. season, which he defended really well, was on the boards hard, moved his feet because he had less on-ball usage with Luca there. We've already seen this.

It already worked for over 20 games. So that's going to make everybody better. And I'm excited because right now their wings are hilariously on athletic. We talk about that in recent weeks. They've been out there just getting ran by every team. Their transition numbers are non-existent. We got LeBron coming in to fix that. Still a demon in transition.

That's probably his greatest strength now as a player. That's what keeps him at a top 15 level player. LeBron can still score in transition better than anybody. Half court, don't talk to me about that That's what we had the white boys for But running the ball in transition He is still a monster And then we add

The legend A doo Thero who's coming in the door Giving them some athleticism He played one minute and 48 seconds In that first game He was moving different Rotating in those one minute and 48 seconds I saw him help with the nail

And get back to his shooter I was listen Give me 10 minutes without a game We're gonna cook Yeah That minute and a half was beautiful You said his name like last episode And I was like

bro who at who what's a dude like you're talking about what am i class this man what's going listen man lake the lakers fan base is really really latching on to this guy is their second round pick i've been telling you guys for weeks they we haven't drafted a good player and i don't know fucking how long it's been a wasteland of draft picks with dalton connect being the worst defender i've ever seen jaylon hushafino playing for whoever the hell he plays for at this point i don't even know who employs him it's been a drought that guy looks like he's gonna be a good defender he's bouncy as hell can cut from the corners adding him and lebron together i'm excited where this team can be because right now this team is a team

is bad but with a good record. They're getting by with late game execution and Luca being amazing but they have like the 21st best offense like the 15th best I mean 21st defense like the 15th best offense the net rating is average as fuck. They're not currently someone you can project to be a great team LeBron can change that. Yeah like they just

been doing their job and beating up all the teams that you should beat up on whether it be the Kings and whoever else they played over the last few games of Milwaukee Bucks who've been in and out or whatever like this team in my mind there are a clear as is tier two team in the Western Conference. They're doing what they're supposed to do.

They can look anyone in the eye, whether they be the Houston Rockets or the Spurs, anybody. But when you talk about the other tier one teams in OKC and the Nuggets, that's where conversations end because you just can't move like this. You can't risk and afford to have such a murky middle of the pack defense and be like one of the more predictable but still unstoppable offenses in the world. It's simply because you have Luca Dantzs on your team. I can only get you so far. And it's just getting done enough.

Now, I will say if LeBron, if LeBron gets into this lineup and he plays the role that one, he wants to play and the way that we all think that he can play, I do think there is a world where we get later into this, into the season and the Lakers are in that tier one of contenders in the, in the Western Conference. Yeah. Just because Luke is going so stupid. He's going so crazy that, okay, you add Austin Reeves and LeBron. And if Austin Reeves doesn't fall apart in the playoffs, then we can get somewhere.

I think we can give the tier one if they do the trade, everybody imagines they can do. And they trade Gabe Vincent's, Maxi Kleba, and I'm forgetting who else, like I shared Vanderbiltz money, plus Dalton Connect and whatever amount of picks it needs to get a Dylan Brooks, an Andrew Wiggins, a Keon Ellis for a smaller deal, whoever may be. If they can get that elite wing defender that they're clearly missing even with LeBron, then I can imagine we get into Tier 1 talks because then you have the three stars, 6-9 wing, DeAndre Aidan, who I think is playing like an upper half of the league starting center, and you get to the bench and you still have Marcus Smart,

you still have Jake LaRavia, you have Jackson Hayes who has good connection with Luca as a lob catcher. You have some depth as well as having that top five that actually fits together. Without that elite wing defender via trade, Tier 1's hard just because Thunder are just so clear of everybody. like they're tier one alone yeah yeah i do i do agree with that with how we've been watching the okay see just do everyone the worst way everyone just have like the worst shooting nights against them give them the NBA championship fuck this year for the next three four years it doesn't matter at this point i feel that but also if there's one person who doesn't care about any of that is luca yeah and that was real fun to talk about in like 2018 NBA these days are different

these these these playoffs where teams have kind of figured out how to not get beat by this heliocentric ball I need to see some depth and I need to see at least one more elite defender brought in maybe even two before I can really think about that I would still pick pick the thunder I do I like they're they're obviously like tier of of their own but like that's crazy but they can like I don't know we saw the we saw the nuggets with five and a half six players last year take them to to seven it if like is there a world with the Lakers king give the Thunder a competitive series? Yeah, probably. Like, it wouldn't be the, if we send the season a hundred times, it wouldn't be the dominant outcome. But I do see that there could be a world where it happens. And there's no guarantee that Thunder stay healthy.

So that's always an elephant in the room. Every year we expect a certain champion. Very rarely does that champion walk into the playoffs fully healthy? We just saw with the Celtics last year that injuries and some other factors that played into them not living up to their potential. We literally see it every single season. So before we even get into crowding OKC, you have to get. get there first and that's why teams play for second place in lopsided years where it seems

that there's one jugger not nothing's a guarantee and if you tell me you think the lakers can be as good or better than the nuggets or the rockets or the rockets or whoever else you view as the cream of the crop outside of okayc in the west i fully believe you it can it can happen i think don't like that but it is kind of funny and kind of on paper maybe alarming that all of that hinges on the fact that we're expecting lebron james at this age to be a plus defender and like do all the little things i think he can i'm not writing off lebron james at any point to do anything, no matter how many back injuries and old man injuries like Seattle come into place. But I will acknowledge it's a little bit funny that we're expecting him to be this

weak side of Romer that does all these stuff. If healthy, when we get to when we get to the playoffs, I won't pick the Lakers for that exact reason. But regular season, do I think that that LeBron, who is ultimate, like the best, honestly all time in terms of picking my spots and doing exactly what is needed on any given night. I think that I think we can go into the playoffs thinking that the Lakers have given us a body of work that makes us feel comfortable about them in the playoffs. However, for that reason,

and it's the same reason why I picked against the Lakers these last couple years is asking LeBron or AD to play two months of basketball at this intensity, especially when you get to the second round every other day, that's not a smart bet to do. So I won't pick them. But we're just theorizing, filling out our brackets, doing all that stuff.

Yeah, we could talk about the Lakers in that way. I'm on the complete inverse of higher than the game. I think LeBron's at this age where like, he knows. All that, fuck that. Just wrong. Like, I'm on the opposite side. I get it. But I think the basis of it where it's like you think LeBron's at this age where you trust

him to like do just enough to play productive basketball, be the smart connected, rebound, defend at a decent level. I think he's going to save himself and prepare for, prepare for himself to be asked for a ton a more different task once April, June hits if they're still playing and all. I think he's smart enough at this age and he also has like the most help that he's had as a Laker probably ever outside of that 20, 20 year to do those things. Yeah. And we'll see how that goes. Worth noting we also got a quote today from LeBron where he said this wasn't the first time he's had Seatic actually. He dealt with the two off seasons ago when he was what? That would have missed 38 offseason,

39? Yeah. Yeah. So he's been dealing with this, not new, which I think is encouraging because we've seen him recover before. And if you were going to be on the opposite end and really doubt the Lakers and really doubt LeBron's ability to contribute, it would be that this is maybe an injury you don't come back from. It's something new. We've seen him deal with some other stuff over the years, but this is something that commonly gets referred to as a lingering type of injury. We've seen him deal with this. And in that season, we got this handy-dney tweet from this person here that gave us the month-by-month breakdown of his season. He got better as a year went on. It makes sense. He came in points per game plus assist, 30.

in the first month, by the time we got to April, 49.3. And that's without Luca, that's without Austin Reeves being at this level. Like, where he was in November, December, that's about where I see him for the rest of the year. Which is insane, bro. Someone that could be your third best player on many nights? That's crazy. This man is 40, 41. What are we talking about right now, man?

Yeah. So this is probably another thing to show us that we should expect a slow ramp up, whatever this looks like. It's a lot of rebounds. And this is the best scenario for him to have a slow ramp up with these two guys that you have the shack for the world saying it's a bad thing that LeBron's going to take touch with Austin Reeves. Well, maybe he doesn't want to take that many.

Maybe he only wants to take a few. How many points do you think he's going to average this year? 23, 22 and a half? Yeah. Okay. Yeah, that 23. 23.6? That fairly checks out.

Yeah. Austin Rees probably falls like 23 as well. Lucas is like 35 right now, which is obviously not going to happen. Yeah. He's probably going to be at 29. 23, 23, 23, 29. I don't know about that. 8 nets.

16 and a half. Nobody else scores. There's a lot of buckets to get around, man. Nobody else scores at all. Everybody else runs around. Oh, Rui's going to give you like a cool 10.

Rui can go play for anybody else. You're tired. No, Rui would be fine as a six man. I'm so sick of watching him start. I pray to God that J.J. Reddick starts LeBron and starts Mark is smart. If he starts LeBron and Rui together, I'm going to lose my goddamn mind.

I'm so sick of watching Rui help defense from the four. I think that's going to happen. He would be a very good six man. I think he's going to start LeBron and Rui. I feel like J. Herbetic's love for Rui reminds me of Dauvinham's love for Torium Prince where just every starting line of combination you saw

had that motherfucker in it. You just see you so much untapped attention, Rui. You got somebody who's like six and nine who could chew a little bit? He can dribble a little bit too. I don't know about that part. He can get through his own shot with like one dribble.

Exactly. Just one drill pull up? Yeah. Which is a great six man. With Aiden is a terrible front court. One in every five possessions, he gives you a good defensive effort. If you're in the gym.

Playing once. When you were pull up? Oh, he's got a haircut. Everyone's talking about how handsome me is this year. It's coming different. JJ Redick isn't any different than us. He sees it. He's so online.

He's not immune. He's not even online. He sees him in person every day. You think he's in a bench that face? He's doing vlogs now. I saw him do a vlog in Japan. Rui? Yeah, Bruy.

And he was speaking in Japanese. And everyone's like, that's what his voice sounds like. His voice is deep. People are thirsting after him. Oh, my God. JJ Reddy cares us every day. Of course, he's not going to bench him. These are the real agendas are pushing.

Jake Eric being in love it really Speaking of agendas This isn't actually this isn't even agenda This is just a basic observation For weeks we've been up here And we've been saying Willie Green catch a motherfucking days Willie Green's days have been counted

He has been fired after a two intense start It's official James Borrego is their interim coach Which I find very exciting Is that, did he coach the Hornets? He did coach the Hornets Got fired, they were dreadful But James Borrego has been floated around

He's been doing a lot of head coaching Job interviews in recent years he's been playing with a lot of teams. He's a smart offensive mind that's been like waiting for his next opportunity. I won't be shocked at all if he's the answer

and like ends up being the long-term head coach here. Damn, man. They should have kept Willie Green, man. I thought they had a good thing going on me personally. Shit, man. Like what is he supposed to do

with this, with this lineup? Come on Looney. Only getting like five minutes game. He just coming back. Derek Queen's aren't like what is he supposed to do?

He just heard a fair shot if you ask me. Man, this ain't fair. For those who did not know, Mo is the Hawks then I'm a Pelican's fame for now Oh yeah yeah yeah you're watching You're Pelicans game Exactly exactly

This is to be expected You know I've seen the last talk on Twitter Was it his fault Ultimately no But ultimately yes Both are true He dig a Delta bad hand

His team's best player Is Zion who does not play consistently He is not a player That you can rely upon And feel like you have Given your coach a fair shake of things In terms of seeing the best case scenario With this team

He is playing for the broken his franchise in the league that loses in every way along the margins. They are broken than broke. They figure out new ways to lose. They figure out new ways to be broke and to be deal-bilitating to the players. All this is true. It's my tough opportunity. Willie Green clearly didn't do his best

at maximizing what he can do and what he can't control. Yeah, I don't really care about any of that. You know, like, I'm... It's like, I'm both regardless. Do your job, man. Like, this is what you have to do. And I think for the Pelicans, even if your GM doesn't think that you are playoff,

playoff worthy, you cannot be at the bottom of the standing. Yeah. That's unacceptable. And for you to go two and ten, for you to instantly, like, if you're, if you're bad, fine, I get it, I guess. They're best players out, man. But also, the vibes, you started messing with the vibes immediately. you can't be bad and everybody hate you because then we get into this situation where we start

looking at you and say you can't do your job you immediately said yes we are going to take the guy that the franchise traded for to play point guard and we're going to bench him and we're and we're going to start the rookie over him that will not fly in a lot of lock rooms and so when you start messing with with vibes and y'all suck and y'all don't look prepared offensively or defensively what am I supposed to do? Yeah, and, you know, they fire him. A lot of times you see this, especially late season, but I guess it probably applies here.

We just don't see a lot of coaches fired this time of the year. You see a lot of teams rally around that and come out in the first couple games with their new head coach on fire, ready to fight for a new era of their organization's lifespan. How did they respond in this first game without Willie Green? They lost the Warriors 106 to 124 in which Steph Curry had nine points, five rebounds, and four assists.

Shot two for 12 in the field. if I remember correctly, and they got their backs blowing out still. But what is nice is in this game, James Brego made the brave, brave decision to start the player they drafted in the first round last year after trading this year's first round pick. They started Derek Queen finally. They made the only sensible decision. And that's at least that's something. I don't like that decision, man.

Keep Derek Queen on the bench. It's way too much pressure on the rook, man. Keep his minutes down. You have to low-manage Derek Queen. It's already a lost season. why overtax him and play him too many minutes exactly give more responsibility to jeremiah fears like one thing that i did not envision when the offense through hose a barrado why not bro give sadique bay more opportunity you know it's funny you're naming their leading scores in this game by the way

it was fears in alvarado you keep doing it you know what's so funny last year david griffin a part of the reason why he was fired also because the top half of the organization didn't necessarily agree with Willie Green being fired. Dave Green wanted to bend let him go. And that's a part of the reason why he was exited so fast and so abruptly too. And to see this happen as well just lets me know, bro, top down people who whoever's above Joe Duma are those owners, bro, they don't know a damn thing about basketball. Funny you say that.

One name to watch in their head coaching search, Darbrenham. Yeah. Darvinham. Oh, wait, wait. This is the goon. Isn't he undefeated in the NBA Emirates Cup? correct oh man yeah let's start getting some trophies we send new bars here i love it which honestly for the pels could do a lot for their reputation let's get some let's get some type of legitimacy

some type of uh playoff atmosphere into into the building can we get can we get the sense that we aren't complete losers did you think durban ham deserves another chance he did go coming to the lakers team that obviously was the shit show he did at the coach russell westbrook era of lakers basketball was a first time head coach was a vaunted you know like coaching candidate before that from his success with the bucks did he deserve opportunity number two

sure yeah everybody can get a second opportunity I don't know I feel like putting someone like Darmanham on the Pelicans is like taking a crack out of it and put him on the worst block of New York that you see me right put him on 125th you're not helping each other

you're just feeding into bad habits bad habits giving other people bad habits You think he's that bad? I don't know. His first year, his first playoff run was good. They took the nuggets to the conference finals. I mean, they went against the nuggets in the finals. I remember in that year, I thought he made really good adjustments.

I remember they played the Grizzlies in that series, and he used Anthony Davis in very creative ways defensively and shut down John Morant, Jaron, Jaron Jackson, Jr. I remember feeling like there was good inklings after that first year and the start of the second year I was defending him, saying, listen, man, we got Russell Westbrook in here, the team sucks, everyone's injured. We saw him do good last year,

and then it just kind of got degraded. over time, and obviously he lost the locker room, didn't make the adjustments people wanted to see. And, like, over time, it became clear he wasn't ready to be the coach in that moment. But I've seen a lot of other worst coaches over the time, but he wasn't the worst coach in the lead that should never get another chance. I think that for Darbinah, I'm okay with that. I really excuse everybody except for Rob Polinka in that Lakers-Russ era because it's like, come

Some of the chat said, oh, they want to hire the NBA equivalent to Rahim Morris. Honestly, Loki, maybe it is Rahe Morris we're talking about here. Okay, listen, when you put it like that, no, he shouldn't get a second chance. But does he know how to, can you just talk to people properly? And can you get into a situation where by the end of the year, the pelicans are playing a little bit harder? like well i don't think that's going to be either what you get from darbrenham i don't think he's going to be the hurrah let's make these guys play

for me yeah oh no honestly i don't even remember what dartingham strengths are anymore so maybe the answer is no it's been a long time i can't even remember what he did well yeah like that's that's all like the situation is not the best for him i think it this is the worst job for any of me is he a leader of men it could be no i will say this go hard on them dudes it would move if he was able to bring troy and prince with him. Oh, hell no. That's the last thing. You're talking about crack headache and crack

dangled over the point. Prince is his pipe. What are you talking about? Recovery addict. Why not? You're out of your mind. Speaking of something similar, do you know Lamella Ball want to be president in 2020? What? Are we talking about right now? Le Mello Ball reportedly scared the Timberwell was away during the draft process when he said he wanted to be president of the United States after his basketball career. It is why they picked Anthony Edwards. There were a million different reasons in their evaluation, but one of them was that they had an interview with Lamello Ball

trying to figure out, hey, is this guy for us? And Lamello did not interview very well. One of the questions he was asked, hey, Lamello, after you're done playing, what do you see yourself doing? What kind of things do you aspire to? And Lamello Ball said, I want to be president of the United States.

Okay, so my question is... Type shit. My question is, when does that stop being a viable response? Because if you ask somebody who's like five years old and they're like, I want to be president. It's like, good for a thing.

Right? If you are 12 years old, And somebody asks you, what do you want to be when you grow up? And you say president. It might still fly at 12. What age does that not become an answer? The funny part is, so I need to know the answer to that. I can completely imagine Lamello Ball specifically saying this.

I'm imagining like throwing his hood on in the meeting and be like, shit, I'm trying to be the president. I can totally imagine him like being hilariously unprofessional to the GM of a team. I'm trying to get to nuclear codes. Yeah, usually I don't buy into like nasty pre-draft conversations. We've heard like a lot of crazy things before, especially about Anthony Edwards as well, which is ironic. But this right here, I 110% believe it. You think it was true and also was like saying some bullshit.

But compared to Lamello, he was like, hey, man, Ant's got his head on straight. Yeah, at least Andy Edwards, I think he was talking about how he liked football a lot and maybe wanted to like experiment with that. At least that's more like realistic because you see him move. he could do anything, bro. People, I've seen, I've seen people make this point about, like, about, and, and other people and just, just honestly, life in general, but, like, depending on just how much people like you, you can get away with so much. And the things that aunt could say or that aunt can do or that anybody else can say

or anybody else can do, like, it's, it's so different. And so we already, and obviously, we had seen very up close and personal, thanks. to a family-produced reality show just how Lamella operates and say like, okay, like, I don't really like care about that. But what if, what if he was serious? You know what's funny? I've obviously heard a lot of podcasts over the years

talk about Lamello Ball, let's say in the last two years. I listen to the Zach Lowe show. That's really may want to listen to these days, but whatever else, whoever else you listen to, I hear a lot of Lamello talk, a lot of Lamello references about his off-the-court activities, about his past, everything we know about him.

I haven't heard a single person mentioned ball in the family except for Donner and he's mentioned it about 25 times the last 12 months he was the number one fucking staying in that show bro bro I told you I've never met another human being

who's ever watched he keeps talking about it he won't stop talking about it he won't stop listen I'm sorry that I was doing research that I was scouting and doing all this stuff

also it was a part of my routine I had class in in the morning and I like two classes in in the morning my first semester of college I was trying to be Mrs. Smart guy I was trying to be

on top of everything at a specific day where I would let all of the shows pile up and I would binge watch all my episodes I had like a three hour block where I would watch TV Ball in the family

was part of that and it came out on that day so I would go to class in the morning hit the cafeteria come back I'm starting I'm starting the TV watch with ball in the family

it was 22 minutes commercial free on Facebook watch And you're like being entertained actively you're like oh my God you're so tough man Like, no, I guess he, it was, it was actually entertaining, bro. Yes. I promise you.

Okay. I promise you, it was a good watch. Who was your character character? I mean, obviously, LeBar, but like. Okay. I didn't know it was obvious. I've never watched it before. He was the star of the show.

I guess. LeVar is the star of everything. Fair enough. Of course. I should have known. Another team that's been doing really well over the past week or so, you're Atlanta Hawks. They keep winning games.

I keep looking up. I seen Daniels has over 10 assists. I keep looking up, and the spreading, the spread of points is mad, evenly distributed. And I'm like, damn, that's crazy. They look at the point guard spot, and I see, oh, yeah, Nikola Alexander Walker is starting. Not the dictator.

Oh, my God. We got Trey Young to me the other day. The vibes are high. We move after the Hawks won yet another game. Poor guy just don't know, man. He doesn't know. They're talking about like he's going to be put out, man. he thinks he's on the team still

he doesn't know what the hell listen I'm not gonna lie obviously a lot of this is a joke they're probably just playing well running around and if they get Trayon it could be better

the more games I go by the more I'm buying the dictator propaganda oh my god the more I'm buying it this a Jalen Johnson this is bro this is just normal

this is what good teams do without one of their best players on the team they just win that that's distinctly abnormal to be this much better and this much more everybody eats in a way

that everybody. Dyson Daniels looked like it. You were calling him a thief. You were saying he was stealing money. Early in the year he was. He's earning his paychecks these days. He's been earning it in the most predictable ways possible still. Offensive he's been like a little dicey in terms like getting rail buckets, but he's been

supreme all around. Effort all around. Speaking about all around, Dailing fucking Johnson. You got to laugh at me, chuckle at me. This is my time to go ahead and raise up the prophecy. That he is. He is alive. No, he just won player the week for the first time in this career. Fake, we 4-0.

He put up like 26, 12, and 9, 7 assists a game for that week. Are you, are, so you're telling me that without Trey Young, we finally get to see the week from Jalen Johnson? I'm sensing a pattern here. This is what good teams do. They just win without some of their best players. Listen, I'm telling you right now, Tray Young not being there, this is he, not only is he, and I completely buy into

this narrative. Not only is he the... I'm going to kill him. We're pushing propaganda. Not only is Trey Young the dictator. Not only does Trey Young act as sadness from inside out. The difference, like right now,

without Trey Young, the Hawks are exactly where they want to be. They are the young, fun, upstart team where everything is equal and you are in a fun part of your development. The moment Trey Young gets back into that lineup, you and the rest of Hawks fans are going to start thinking, wow, this team could actually make a run

and make the conference finals in a wide open Easter conference, and it's not going to happen, and you will be disappointed. And this is the difference between we are at the start of the rebuild where you probably should be, and oh, wow, yet again, we have a disappointing team that's going to end up 41 and 41 in mid.

This, I like, if I was the Hawks, I'm looking at this. vibes all around are better let's trade Tray Young let's get assets in the door let's rebuild properly let's do this right yeah I mean

it's not there yet we are nasty bro it's not the case yet we shouldn't trade Tray Young obviously give him a chance see if it works halfway joking but we're only halfway joking

if it comes back and it doesn't look great and it's like another season kind of like early last year where Trayong is really inefficient and it's all kind of muck and they're like the nine seat again and the deadline comes around

and he doesn't have a contract they want to have a serious combo that is the biggest point no the Atlanta Hawks have been waiting for the heavens to open they have been waiting for a sign to give Trey Young this extension the fact that everybody in the NBA

gets an extension gets a math contract and Trey Young is the only one that is crazy he's the only one Lamella Ball got $200 million dollars and he didn't do a damn thing You just said what did you just say

he has to show he has to what did you say he has to earn it he has to what you say he has to show it he does it You said he has to prove it. Yeah. Franchise players usually don't got to prove it in year eight.

Trey Young has been a franchise player for what we as a franchise was at that point in time. And now we're playing more serious basketball. Correct. Playing high level defense. We're like a top, I don't know, eight defense. But listen, guess what? Guess what? Guess what?

Guess what? Guess what? Guess what? Trey's never played in this type of infrastructure before. We know. We've never had like a seven foot demon, seven three demon. and Chris Hotson, who also hasn't been playing well at all. So we just move off of him as well, too?

No. So we trade him to shop and go? No. We're just a good team now. Yaku's fucking balling his ass off. The Keel Alexander Walker is probably looking like outside of KD, the best offseason acquisition in the entire league, bro. Like, everything is panning out. Jalen Johnson, show him our effort on defense, showing his back when he comes out with his passing and all that.

Been a better score. Everyone's been overperform, not even overperforming, playing to expectations. So, okay. So every, we're a good team now. This is what good teams do they win without one of their best players. So without him, without him, Jalen Johnson has reached, is reaching his potential. And Yaku O'Connell.

Okay. Is breaking through a ceiling. Real question. Nikiel Alexander Walker is being second to Kevin Durant, the best acquisition in the off season. And everybody else is meeting expectation on this team except for one person and that is Trey-O. He's played five games.

Jaylon Johnson was like complete shit during those five games too. Chris Austin was going to hit a lake where we couldn't hit. Once again, the fact that everybody in the league prior, like Bradley Biel got a no trade clause, everybody in this league, every player who's been an All-Star before, who even shows signs of being somebody, they get the money that they want. There are two people in the league right now that have done a little bit of something and don't have a contract. And that is Trey Young and that is Jonathan Cominga. The fact that he is getting treated like that from the team that drafted him Fifth or third or whatever it was the team that we are eight years in everybody gets this deal And they still don't know that is that I promise you that lets you know if you still have to ask the question

Correct after eight years yeah it's so damn that's the part which a lot of this is obviously overreaction we're talking about no trade him no I mean like a lot of the reasons of terms they're doing good without him isn't necessarily sound logic it's the same thing with lebron they can just get better with him but we have there has not been enough media talk about the fact they're not giving this contract if you have to think about it that's a clear answer what that means is right now it's a no and you got to prove it to be a yes in practical terms that's what it fucking means is that right now we're not giving you the money show us you deserve it that's where they're starting from i promise you they're they're not looking up and down the roster and saying oh this means we need trey young more this is making me more encouraged you get tray young this money

I think right now we're going through a time period where he has to go ahead and earn and I agree with you guys but I don't think and in the back of our GM said of course he's thinking like hmm like look at our defense magnificent there's no one small on the court offensively everyone gets a little love or whatever cool I just think these conversations as usual as we usually do have are a little bit premature right now and I'm willing to give Treon the opportunity to prove himself of course but before that like he hasn't had that opportunity because this team had been complete dog shit you know like teams win without their best players teams good teams figure out ways to do that and we finally have

that and now my expectations with tray young on this team or higher if this team stays at the same level which is a seven and two pace and they win i don't know who the fuck knows how many games i'm happy but if they get like noticeably worse than this plays on this team underperforming then i'm sad so question for you if tray comes back and the Hawks, not like, not, not tank, but they're just, they're just mid. Like, they go, they go five and five over ten games or keep going six, four, and then four. Then it's another conversation, but that is a, but guess what? That hasn't happened just yet.

We keep winning, you know? Last year, Jalen Brunson, I think he played, I don't know how many games, but you missed like a good amount. Last year, the Knicks without Jalen Brunson, they went 11 and 5. Come back, still doing the same. If we have a similar situation where, okay, like, we're coasting without you, we're doing good without you. Well, well, well. And then I'll talk about that too, like, we're, we're thriving still. I'm keeping you, but you have to prove it right now.

Well, you're here before that, Jaylor Brunson average 34 in the playoffs, so we can give them a little more grace. That's not the point in the conversation. Yes, it is. No, it's showing that your team is able to win without you. That's the basis. But it is the point, though, because the point is that we haven't seen proof of the concept of the Trey Young thing working into this regard before this stretch, whereas we had seen Jalen Brunson work in the system before that. So we're not just saying Trey Young, ha, they're doing good without you. It's they weren't doing good with you. It's they weren't doing good with you for the past four years for different reasons obviously they're for

different reasons try in you out it don't matter we are ass bro that's the point of the conversation try young out oh we're not asked oh how good can be with you on the on the core now we will see yeah obviously obviously jalen brunson has more leeway because of what he did over the last year two years that's the exact point that we're making is that he has no leeway i did i disagree with you that he has no leeway not once did i say that so i'm saying is that We're a little bit too early on this right now. But you are on, are you on your like last, like your last straw or like your last leg of thinking that Trayon can be the guy? Okay.

How many? What are you, what are you going to say if he comes back and he struggle for 15 games? Yeah. Would you then be entertaining the conversation? I mean, it's like everything is up for grabs at that point. And as a smart GM that are, that we have right now, like, yeah, I would be open to that. Okay. But right now it's not.

I'm with you too. I'm obviously not. you guys want to be ahead of it you guys been ahead of training trae young for like since three years now you know right on time now and i'm telling you hey it's not going to happen every single year you can't be heard i'm not i'm not going to say i'm not going to say it's not going to happen no he's he's wanted to be early i'm waiting and seeing but i do it's both of y'all y'all been waiting you've been wanting it happen well yeah before last year then they did some good moves but obviously donovan's not he's on to something there is something there he's choosing to

I'm right. He's tuned in to go to the stream right now and say he's seen enough. We do need to give Tray Young a chance to fit in, obviously. With that being said, all the factors in play, I think it feels like a fucking 60-40 chance that he get traded or not get traded. 60B, he doesn't get traded. It's closer to 50-50 than I feel like it ever has been. Just because the car check situation and the proof of concept of working without him,

again, they will give him a chance to fit in. There is a big non-zero chance that he get traded, though. Yeah, I'm not saying non-zero. I've never been on that way. at all like literally last year like when we were like doing so ass and we had nothing to fucking hope for at all yeah we guys like we say cool beans like I wasn't I was all the way but like yeah it's probably gonna be over probably gonna go ahead and Trey Trey young so in chat it's so easy to see who doesn't watch Hawks games you can understand we're trolling the fuck

at a moe yeah like I get it I'm not saying that you're wrong I'm just saying you a little early we need to give Trey a more of a fair opportunity to prove yourself of course like if you were the DM right now you're getting rid of And I don't think that's smart business right now. Okay, so if I was the GM right now, yeah, we are like, that's our daily stand-up meeting. That's, oh, dude. Yeah, you said Donna's controlling you're right,

Domino is right, you're too soon. I'm not saying you're wrong, but you're fortunate. And I'm, first of all, I'm not forcing it. And 100%, the thing that starts all of this is the Hawks have shown themselves through their actions, through not giving trade the contract, that they are not committed. And so if you have to decide what you want to do with your start player, that is, that is priority number one, right? Are we building this team around Trey Young or are we not?

We are like even, even without the trade, talking about that, seeing what the team is, that is our stand-up every single day. That is priority number one. If we now get into a situation where he has not played and the team is doing well, the vibes are good, we are still on the fence, now we do have to have to have more conversations about, okay, Is there a world where we can build around it? It's tough because obviously they wouldn't continue this one percentage without Trey Young forever. You know, they need Trey Young to come back for this to be sustainable. Yeah. This is, they're not going to be this hot for this long.

You know, there's obviously, I'm sure there's shooting discrepancy's in there from the opponent and then they're leading to this one percentage without Trey. I think the one thing that I'm sure the GM is thinking about when he's trying to be this like, let me not be just reactive, let me proactive, right? What am I learning from them not being, with Trey Young not being here? What am I expecting when he gets back? If I'm him, I'm trying to be proactive, I'm thinking. Damn, imagine this team

if I just put Franz Wagner here instead of Trey Young. Yeah, I mean, that's smart thinking. Think about Franz Wagner. Think about I don't know, Darren Peterson, whoever it is. Wow, that's a different combo. That's smart thinking. But I will say as well, smart thinking is looking at who you were able to beat. You beat the Sacramento Kings. Amazing.

Everyone should be able to. You beat the Utah Jazz. Amazing. Everyone should be there. You beat the Los Angeles Clippers? Amazing. Everyone should be able to, at least early in the year, do those things. For sure. Now, over the next few games, too, we have like very easy schedule. And this Tray Young injury has been really kind to us because we're not in the ringer

at all. But, hey, like in midseason, I'm not thinking about schedule at all. This is our team. This is like all the hype that everyone built up for us. And it's our moment to like take the fourth seed, the third seed by its fucking horns and do we're supposed to do. If we don't do that, then okay. Like, you're right.

I'm agreeing with you. Yes. It's not that they did win more games without Triung right now. It's just that for a player that over. already there's reasons to believe they might be pivoting one way eventually because of contracting. It's at least intriguing to know that if we give them a package of equal value of a different type of player, then I'm going to be like, oh, maybe we have something brewing just in terms of style of play. But we can move on after trolling mode for 25 minutes getting worked up.

You guys are going to hell. Hell. I wouldn't trolling. We were having a serious conversation. Saying got a hot seat for you, buddy. Maybe I will, maybe I can get to Donovan's perspective after more time. If this built up longer and we're just, like oh damn they're just they're just ready for this to be jalen johnson's team like sure but because there's obviously as much sustainable factors i'll give tray on some time we'll talk again on christmas all right we will definitely talking on christmas yeah respect on yucca congo by the way too when is he coming back how many more weeks is he's supposed to be out it's unknown like we we don't that's great it's also to be that long but that makes you feel better in lots of conversation

yeah hopefully like he comes back and he's hurt get out of here have one in sacramento bro you know also hurt anthony davis Mavericks, Anthony Davis will miss at least 7 to 10 more days as you rehab some of the calf strain. You can miss 15, 20, you don't matter. No, they need them back because I've seen a lot of people on Twitter

be like, do we think you've seen Anthony Davis play his last game in a Mavs jersey? Fuck no. They need him to play at least 15 good games before they can trade him. You think a team is going to trade for him off of no playing time when he had an injury

that apparently there's reports that Nico Harrison rushed him back. Maybe that's a little unfair to Nico Harrison putting everything on him. But he was being rushed back and apparently there was some team members in the medical staff, fearing that it could lead to Achilles tear, that type of calf injury, he needs to look good for two weeks at least before a team is going to take that

gamble. Anybody, because we are coming off of a year where so many stars toured their Achilles and famously Tyrese like had a left cap stream, or had a cap string and then ruptured his Achilles, this is, it's a, it's a ticking time bomb anytime that you see somebody with the left cap string. It feels so scary at this point. So, yeah, I'm not, for somebody who has a left cap strain, we've seen what that injury can do before. We've seen somebody who is over, over 30 with that.

We've seen, we're seeing somebody who has been injury prone previously. I'll give you one second round pick right now. Okay. What the hell? We can't reason with this guy. You understand what I'm saying is like, that is that right now, like, if I'm a team looking, looking at the Mavericks and be like, okay, I'll trade you. I'm giving you the worst offer possible because this is the worst

version of Anthony Davis that you can possibly have as an asset. Like that's what I'm talking about. Yeah. I think the floor is probably a little bit higher than that. But not a whole lot hard than that. Like it is a low floor.

Obviously, one second round pick is nutshut. But it's a pretty low floor for somebody that I didn't say the maps had to take you. I'm just saying, what I call you? I'll say, I got this for you. What are we doing? Saying cat in a second?

you are too stuck up on that but again if we do see those 15 games then we'll be talking then I don't think I can I can do that though you can't stomach that for cat in a second just a second like I don't you get off the cat money come on now I'll say when it comes to to the Knicks everything is about like I don't really care about the the future when it comes to them because every all of the Knicks hope is so much in like yeah this specific year that trading for somebody who has the injury history of AD and if AD missed some time in the playoffs and he traded away Kat who has been pretty available, it would just feel

bad in that sense. So you wouldn't do it. And Kat, and AD wants a new deal. That's the hard part about all this. Ad wants a new deal. Giving that man, $45 plus million a year at this point where the injuries keep racking up, even two years ago, he was a lot more, I guess, reliable. He was a little bit of a word.

But like he had a good year a couple years ago in terms of. injuries what do you play 60 games a couple years ago he had one season where he played 76 games outside that it's been 56 51 and when he did play he was even better like a couple years ago when we had his conversations around AD it was when he plays he is one of the six or seven best players in the world undebatably I don't know that's the case anymore a lot of guys have passed him up he slowed down a little bit doesn't move quite the same the transition defense is getting worse year by year pretty soon we're going to reach that point of equilibrium where the juice will not be worth to squeeze the value versus the risk will be on the other end pretty

soon the Knicks are probably not the team to take that chance yeah you know who is those the los angeles clippers they don't have their pick they don't have anything what do they got to lose what are they going to trade what do they have to give yeah apparently he's only worth a second round pick to somebody up there's up we they got a second round

now people can't make jokes and now people can't use hyperbole my bad my bad I'll get on the trade machine now I'll come up with logical trades I see how it is Anyways, Cooper Flagg, last four games, 20 points per game, seven rebounds, 3.8 assists, 54% from the field, starting to play more than a number one of all pick what we thought we'd see from Cooper Flag, mostly because he's playing next to point guards.

Oh, wow. Who would have thought? Who would a goddamn thoughts? Wow. The Angel Russell, like, actually making, at times, grown-up decisions and really, like, weighing the floor solidly. Decently, you know, a little bit, decently, decently. Don's character arc when hating on cat needs to be studied.

My happiness is tied to this man. And also, don't take that as Carl Anthony Town's defense. He didn't say anything good about him. He said he's available. Take that as Anthony Davis hate overweight in the Carthetown's defense. He did not say one good thing about that. He never has. He just says he's available.

He just be there. It's bare minimal. First of all, he did have a very good game against Miami on Friday. Okay. Was cooking. There's a compliment. Cooking. Okay.

Good compliment. Was cooking. Hooping. First one of the year. Doing all the things. Thanks, so. That's the last thing you can say. I got to see, he has to play well.

He has to play well. I'm just doing things. The Detroit Pistons have second best record in the NBA. I waited for days like this. Their Pistons victory, K. Cunningham, 27 points per game. Jalen Durant, 19 and 12. Assar 13.9 points, 6.6 rebounds. 3.4 assists.

Pretty good for ASR. 52% true shooting. Not so good for ASR. Overall, these guys are playing out of their minds. They are coming off to a hot start, one of the best teams in the East. Noticing. This team's definitely going to, once the playoffs come, God forbid, like they get Jane and Ivy back or maybe, like, decide to use that aside of Jayden I even get someone

else who has a little more juice offensively. This team is bound to probably upset someone in the playoffs. Yeah, I think when I watch the team, it won't be an upset. Yeah. Yeah. But I think it would be upset. To me, at least, if I see this team end up being who comes out of the Eastern Conference. Not to me.

I'm starting. Listen, I have about five or seven more games before I put them as, like, legitimately, the number two team in the East. Yeah, I need to see the cats get their shit together. And I need to see. Can you see Dary's Garland, like, consistent? I need to see Darius Garland healthy because right now. It's so hard to talk about them right now. There's a lot of talk about maybe them being Jordan Ott merchants, them losing Jordan Ott plus losing Darius Garland for a lot of the year.

It's looking a little shaky. you know who else looks great Kevin Duran Alperin Zengoon Welcome to the upper echelon of NBA duos These guys are the perfect duo for each other

We can talk about it all year It keeps getting better and better This game they played I think against the magic yesterday Dude They are so I can't even like They're just so amazing together

Their skill sets Coalesce so perfectly together Them combined Feels like it has the same effect of like yokechin murray step and dray whoever you think about as players that like make each other so much better that them as a duo is so much better than the sum of its parts this is the newest member of that club and it's funny because like better than than the sum of its parts and one of them is kevin derrant yeah like you still you still have that and last night was it was peak

of what you want from this duo which is okay we're going to get 30 points from from both of you guys we get the eight assists from singling you get the playmaking and then oh we're still in a closed game, KD, go do what you do and just go get an ISO bucket over everybody and now we can close out games. This is, if they had a point guard, like, oh, my goodness. Shingun is a point guard. It would be amazing. In a playoff context, having like an actual

ball handler, right? But for right now and for everything that they're doing, this is perfect. It's been so good for Shangoon's development that they don't have a point guard in some degrees. Like, obviously they do need one to win at the highest level, you would think. But for Shingun, the playmaking is coming around so

much more because he's being tasked to so much more playmaking, the way he can draw two bodies driving, and now he has Kevin fucking Durant to kick it to, and now he has actual spacing and a play finisher. It's made him,

he, Schengoon's development is a story of this team's offense right now and why they're so great. It is entirely because of Kevin Durant's presence that this is even possible. Like he's obviously getting better

year by year, but I think that this next level he's hit, besides the three-point shot was coming around, which is just his development on its own. This is because of their abilities to play off each other, I think.

Yeah. And then also on top of that, too, like you have someone like Reed Shepherd who's, I'm not going to say he's lived up to expectation because expectation is so hard to discuss when talking about the number of three overall pick last year. But when it comes to doing the bare minute and what the scene needs, shooting, spacing, hitting your shots consistently, not being like an absolute push over defensively. yo like that extra wrinkle that extra spacing having someone else you have to legitimately worry about as well who's not going to sabotage your offense at times either it's a goal for this team we had this comment from shingun i'm really happy to give someone the ball i know he's going to score someone said bro found his joy after we got rid of four being jalen green honestly honestly that's one of the big again going from jalen green and Kevin Durant is insane.

And then for the Sons, I mean, obviously, Jane Greene hasn't played, but like... Played one game was great. Yeah. He was, like, 29. He was a demon, bro. He was. But, again, it's Kevin Durant.

Yeah. And for them, having all the pieces that they do offensively, where you have Sanguon, you have KD, you have the offensive rebounding that you can lean on, you have Reed Sheper, who's, who's, guess what, after game one and pissing down his leg and playing against the best perimeter defense in the league looks like a number three overall pick looks

like a very very solid player he's he's coming along you have so many aspects and so many things that they can lean on offensively that it's just it makes sense why they are playing why they are playing this well why they feel this this um this real of a of a contender and i can it's it's going to be hard to get over the mental block of you don't have a true point guard and we've seen what happens to teams that don't have somebody who can reliably play a role like that. But damn, if they're not making it hard to still think about them in that way of challenging for like the number two spot in the West, they're doing the best that they can.

And I really, really enjoy watching them. Yeah. And they still have their same identities last year before Kevin Durant. They are the best offensive rebounding team in the last 15 years as of today. they are rebounding a simply absurd amount of their own shots like we keep talking about it year by year end of last year became a talking point going to the playoffs that they're playing this style of offense that sustains itself via offensive rebounds now they're doing that while also being able to make shots because they have Kevin Wayne Duran on the team it's outlandish oh his middle name is Wayne you know that I had no idea his middle name is Wayne you know that has middle name is Wayne I had no idea KD and LeBron. What's Steph's middle name?

Wardell. Well, it's actually Wardell, Stefan. Okay, so I was to say Wardell's his first name. I forgot Steph's his middle name. Oh, you're right, you're right, yeah, yeah. Okay, so Steph's his middle name. I don't know, I don't know why I just like, I knew Wardell was his first name.

It never encouraged me that Steph was his middle name. I don't know why my brain thought Steph was like made up. Like it was a nickname. I just knew he was Wardell. You guys know my middle name? Daniel. Why? Just really Danielu, but yeah.

Danielu? Yep. That's it. You say it. You say it the Mary? Michael. Great Daniel, but Daniel. Next thing.

Oh, another injury to get to at the end of this. A team that cannot afford to have any more injuries. But here they are. The Los Angeles Clippers forward, Derek Jones, Jr. sustained a sprained

MC on his right knee and will be re-evaluated in six weeks. Re-evaluated. Six weeks is insane for where they're at right now. They are fumbling. Sing the song.

you like my five. No, the other one, the other one. Oh, I went to AP for 200K. They told me to Frost, Rainbow Face, help her fall off. Ain't no way. I ain't, uh, but it ain't okay.

And he's singing that for the Oklahoma City Thunder who are going to get the pick of the Los Angeles Clippers. And it keeps getting better day by day. Everybody on that team, except for James Hardin, who is averaging 26 points now after two ridiculous games back to back. He is having the best scoring season since 2021.

outside of him. Everything is going poorly for the clippers. They are an utter disaster. Dude, Kauai's out. He sprained his foot and also, he sprained his right foot and also twisted that same ankle as well. Bradley Beale broke his fucking hip

out of fucking nowhere. James Hardin is doing his thing and he's like been probably the most efficient scoring that we've seen since going back to what he says in 2021. Well, this team is so barebone. They have, at this point in time,

they're relying on 100% James Hardin basketball. But they need someone between those lines like a Bogdan Bogdanovich and a John Collins in 2025 to give him some more juice. Dude, they're so fucked. Like, this is a true, true year from hell. Like, they can probably get better and not give OKC a top five pick. But they also could. I don't want them to. Well, here's, guys, walk with me now.

Okay. So, obviously, the clippers are not going to make the playoffs. They are going to be in the lottery. Okay. Right. Even if they don't have the top chances, it is what it is. We will not know the outcome of the aspiration investigation for a while. Okay.

Okay. Okay. Now, we'll see, we'll see what goes down. But the league is going to say and say, okay, well, you don't have, you don't have any picks, right? But we do have, we do have to blame you. And we do it. And we do have to shame you in a way. So not only are we going to take

Any picks that you have in the future The one pick that you have traded to somebody else We're boosting that up to the top So that everybody can laugh at you The Los Angeles Clippers We have the number one pick in the NBA draft next year Out of pure shame From the NBA

You're heard it here first I don't know how in tune you guys are With the draft this time of the year But obviously you guys know the top three picks And their general Their general strengths and weaknesses Who do you think okay see what pick I've had number one overall

Because I think right now people have the smart opinion is typically that Peterson's the best one overall. Doe DeBonce is closed and Boozer's close if you ask the analytic guys. But I think Peterson is, if this draft was today he'd probably be the consensus number overall. Do you think O'KC takes him because he's the best player

and now you have two crazy guards or do they go take one of the wings? They probably take a guard in my opinion. Peterson? Yeah, I think they go and grab Daron because I think he offers you something different compared to She. I think that gives you like, you're so

Shay reliant to the point to where it's not scary at all because I feel like he can handle it he's so consistent doesn't get hurt. It's a little scary. We see him to go push the seven because the lack of all hung around him. Exactly. If you have someone else, like shout out to AJ Mitchell, he's great, but I want like another option. He needs as many guys as possible. Well, Shay can be

a shooting guard now. Also, I'm bought into the AJ Mitchell stuff. Like, AJ Mitchell and his production is real. If you're, I think for them at this point, you know that your future is going to be built on Shea, J-Dub,

Chet. And especially now that J-Dub is missing all this time and he's not going to get any of the accelerators for all NBA, that contract is going to be like managed with a little bit. You're right. So we talk about a possible back-to-back champion top three in the draft. That's where we're at. Yeah, no, it's stupid.

You know, in a kiddie video right now? What the fuck is you talking about? It's stupid. But J-Dub and his versatility, it allows, he can play up and he can do all that. But you know, eventually, like Aaron, Wiggins is going to leave and he's going to get off of one of the better contracts in the league.

Cason Wallace is going to get paid from somebody. Adejo is going to go. Caruso is getting older. By the time it's time to like actually reach full, you're going to need some guards. And so you're going to ask Jado to play up. You'll play a lineup with him at the four, chat at the five, share at the one. And now you got to fill that in. So I think like a guard kind of makes sense for them.

Yeah. If not that, I will not go with AJ at all. I think he plays a very different conversation. It's either Peterson or it's Canboozoo. Everyone's saying either AJ or Peterson. Dude, boozer next to Chet would be fucking insane. The strength of him next to Chet spacing the floor, the girth that he replaces that Chet doesn't have, like just simple size down there and ability to guard in the post and

obviously be a big brusor on the boards. Like that is such a perfect synergy fit. Yeah. That would be gorgeous. Yeah, I agree. It's either those sooner. If that happens, yeah, we need. Imagine Aaron Gordon being placed there.

Now imagine Aaron Gordon who has like, twice as great of a handle and that's boozer can you dude put that player next to chat and show you oh my god yeah we need some real retaliation against the clippers for this man

real life retaliation this this can't happen has this happened before when's last time like oh yeah maybe the Celtics but I don't know yeah the Celtics had the opportunity to with uh

blame bias the Lakers the Lakers at Korean Abdul Jabbar and they drafted Magic Johnson so this type of stuff has happened but that's because back then draft picks were tossed around like candy because nobody understood anything because all these GMs were stupid as fuck and like didn't have analytics yet they just had like the vibe of their owner yeah outside of that like get me a point guard outside of that in like recent memory the last team that had sons to operate like that's a son team get me out

bucket badly bill the last time of a team like operated somewhat like this and had an opportunity to like be at their prime of play style with their lead score while also like have a top pick is maybe the Warriors, but they even just had, like, what trade did they? Oh, yeah, you're right. No, they were bad, so the guy's number two pick.

Yeah, the Warriors are last chance. Yeah, they blew that shit, so. And I don't, Sam Price is not the type to blow anything at all. So, this is scary. Yeah, to be fair, that was, the Warriors, they blew it, but also that was a little bit more variance

in that draft class. Like, Wiseman, a lot of people would have told you that was a bad pick, but a lot of people told you was a good pick. And, like, La Melleville had questions, everybody else had questions outside of Ant. So, There's a little bit of understanding there.

Because the fit was so, that was, they literally had like never had a center at that athletic that had any type of potential like that. So it made sense that the one time that they had an opportunity to get a young, talented athletic center, they were going to pick them. So I can understand why they went that way instead of getting Ant or Lamello and trying to fit in this other guard with how Steph plays. And I said to say, even if you don't understand, like, there's no fucking up these top three picks here. Yeah.

So if the clippers, I mean, if the clippers do give, okay, see, the same situation the Warriors had, they will not blow it just because there's three can't miss prospects, at least to some degree. Maybe they're not the 100th percentile outcome. Maybe Camboosor isn't Charles Barkley. Maybe DeBancet isn't Tracy McGrady. Maybe they're just good players. They will not be James Wiseman's. I can guarantee you that.

Guys, also, I'm looking at a tankathon right now. The Thunder are going to get another pick two from Utah this year. Oh, yeah. It might be a top 10. And so right now, right now, you think. Utah, Utah would give the Thunder, if everything went perfect. The Clippers would give the Thunder the ninth overall pick and the Jazz would give the Thunder the 10th overall pick.

So know what's funny? They're probably, they can just package those two picks and move up. What if the Clippers give the number five pick? And it's like a medium outcome. That it's not utter disaster in the league, but it's still like, damn, you get the chance of number five pick. That's crazy. And then the Jazz give them pick eight or whatever.

Because the, I'm talking to you one thing. The Jazz are not going to close the season strong and fall out of the top ten. they can just package those two move up to three and take Boozer Oh man Yeah they're getting into top and you got Sorber coming in next year Oh my God

Oh my God I forgot about because I was about They drafted Thomas Sorber Oh my I forgot And if Topich ever becomes anything They have to Cola Topich waiting one day maybe I don't know In two years now so we'll see Losing a lot of development time

Now they got AJ there so maybe that's not as essential But they have Thomas Sorber next year Bro the Clippers are so fucked They don't have control of their picks since until the year 2030, brother. Someone said this could be a 20-20's new dynasty.

Take away the could, buddy. We're there. Oh, man. They've lost one game without an all-N-B-A wing. We're there, buddy. Damn, bro. Bar and good health, we're there.

Health is the Thunder trade, Hartnstein, the number one pick and the number nine pick for Janus. And Thananasis. Bro, if we can get

one of these top three guys and still maintain all this flexibility, fuck Janus. This is one of the few opportunities for a team can say we do not need Janus at all. I don't even know if it makes us better because we have this much depth of star talent.

They're too good. I could have four star players. We cannot let this happen. We have to be Clippers fans for a little bit. And that's something I don't ever want to utter. I know it's hard for you to bathebathom that normally, but you have to realize like what's. I'm not doing a damn you have to realize what that risk. Your team is never winning a championship if this is like the case.

You're going to die without seeing a Nick's championship. I will too. You're never winning a championship. We do that about you though. Well, damn. We knew you didn't have a chance. Oh, you heard that at Yaka Kongu? They don't believe in you. You're goddamn right.

I don't believe in you. But we need this, like, as a whole. Put that on your bulletin board on Yaka. Take it for me. Okay. Next thing we are going to do, this should be fun. I want you guys, you guys be in the chat, to rank the top 10 teams in the NBA. We are going to do a series of polls in which I ask you guys who is the best team of these four teams that I present you guys.

and we're going to see the Chats' cumulative ranking for the top 10 teams in the league as of today. What four teams do you guys want to start with? What should we give them as like the obvious top four next to OKC? So we have the Thunder. We have the Nuggets. I'm going to say how smart they are when it comes to talking about the Pistons

because they're up there as well. Okay, so we'll do the top two Cs. Can you guys check for me? Who's the top two Cs in both? I think the Nuggets are up there. So you have... And then it's the Pistons and then who is the other team in the East?

So the east is the Pistons and the Nix at one and two And then it's the Thunder and the Nuggets in the West Okay So the Nix and the Pistons We'll go Detroit Everything's lagging You're like about the crash Detroit

Don't worry Uh oh I hope this isn't lagging No Okay And then New York Nix So chat the poll has just started I wonder you guys in fifth number one I wonder I wonder

I know We'll go ahead and write it in We'll see what New York Nix New York Nix I'm going to go out and write OKC in assumption that's what chat does we'll see guys put the nix one i don't know man chat let's let's put the let's put the nix one let's have some fun if i was chat okay i think after one i would

have voted the nix person i'm going again i'm going with the with the hawks what is he talking about why not i don't push that propaganda even more okay obviously they're going with okayc number one that currently has 70% of votes makes sense 70% of people though went with the Denver nuggets for number one overall Oh, Bunk. Okay, see. See, if Cam Johnson was playing well, then I would be like, okay, sure.

Like, you can, you can, like, somehow convince me in that world, and I wouldn't look at you like you're an idiot. So now, who should we add to the mix now after this? Do we add Houston? It's either you add the rockets or the cabs. We will add Houston to the mix now.

So, time for number two. Oh, my God, my God, everyone's spamming six, seven. God damn, what have I done? I look up, I see a wall of 6-7. What are we talking about, y'all? Okay, so if you haven't tapping with the dude who's doing it super fast, he's killing it.

I told you before. There's a dude on TikTok, this is a white dude who is doing the fastest 6-7 he can. He's getting faster. He's going crazy. What is he doing? You know whenever you're watching a fan and the Blades just start going

like super, super fast? You can't see it. He's doing that, but like with his hand. He's moving his hands, like as fast as he can. He's getting faster day by day. He's going to break the goddamn sound barrier. I'm going to show you right now. What?

Okay. Pull number two was out. currently 67% are voting for the Denver Nuggets. Okay. So they are as clear of a number two to chat as OKC was at number one. Are you showing him in the video? Oh, this is an old guy. I thought he was going to show me some 12-year-old.

He's not old. It's like 28 or something. He's just watching him go. Oh my God. Yo, his hands look mad, small with his face just, hmm. What the fuck? Can you imagine how many calories he's brain doing that?

I need to try that shit, man. Okay, so we got 68% now. We got out of 6.7 territory. 68% of you guys are going with Denver as number two. Okay, smart. And the next best team in the poll was 14% Rockets. Okay, so now I think this is where we could possibly get into some disagreements because, for me personally, I don't know if the Rockets deserve that just yet. Yeah.

So in my mind, I'm thinking about like right now. who's who's like the best So now we'll go Houston, Detroit, Cleveland and New York Knicks as the next four up on this order. Do you want to put the Lakers? Yeah, the Lakers. Yeah, the Lakers deserve to be in this. They have one more win than...

Let's just split the conferences back and forth every time for now. And I think we'll go Lakers in next time. All right. Let's see. Just to give... We got three Easter Conference right now. Oh, do we? Cleveland. Oh, okay. My bad. Oops. Did that wrong. Either way, they're not going to pick either of those teams up next. Lakers get out of next.

Chad's going, immediately going towards Houston, as expected. Actually, we can go once so people can see the chat. Ooh. 43% Houston right now in the early goings. Yes. Again, this is, that makes sense. You know what's interesting. Nobody is buying the Detroit hype yet.

Detroit has been getting slaughtered in every single one of these polls. Actually, wait, wait, wait, wait. They're second in this poll. It's between Houston and Detroit. We've got a relatively close split. 42% of you guys are saying Houston, 35% of you are saying Detroit. Oh, man, I think we might be, we might be being a little bit disrespectful, but I can understand because it's Kevin Durant at the end of the day.

Yeah. Also, at what point, at what point do you guys believe in, in Detroit? Like, what would they have to do to prove to you that they are the best team in the Eastern Conference? Either get Jay Nivey back and have that fit work with Cade or make a trade. I just, there's no world in which I'm going to pick them to come out at the conference if they don't have a secondary ball handling next to Cade. Yo, that sense that he just said, Detroit being the best team of the Eastern Conference, I would have never thought I'll hear that in a million years.

Yeah. after what we saw last year in the playoffs and to be fair I'm sure Cade and Derry and everybody else are going to improve off of that after the lashings they got in the playoffs out of just the aggressive coverages that Cade got beat by

I do want to see something other than natural development I want to see another ball handler Yeah Okay so I can understand If they go Houston But 300 votes in Houston has 43%

Detroit 35 So with that being said Houston is the number three team And your guys is collective power rankings Do we feel good about adding the Lakers now Yeah the Lakers should be here Even with their fake net rating

and everything. Yeah, you have Luke at the end of the day. It's playing well. LeBron is eventually going to come back to this week. Okay. So, Chad, you guys can decide how much assumption you want to make for the LeBron James of it all. How much you want to assume he makes a team better.

But now we have Lakers, Detroit, Knicks, and Cleveland, as are our four teams. I'm very curious to see when they go with this. When are you guys going to start picking these teams, man? When are they going to get a chance? This is where real discourse begins. Someone said Lakers over wolves. I know.

The wolves have their own questions. I understand why you say that. maybe the wolves can be the next should the wills be next? Yeah, I think they should I think um I mean if they pick the we got to get one of these three Easter conference teams on the board. Hey man let's people decide what they decide they don't think we can't

I guess so but they're going to because right now early lead 48% Detroit. Wait wait wait there's starting narratives they said chat don't vote Nix all right now listen now we're being dishonest now we're lying to ourselves and I don't appreciate that someone said Hawks over Nix I like I like how you thinking man

thus far we have 46% Detroit 32 people take to agree It's always two dumb bitches Selling you, yes Exactly Well chat you hear that they're calling you dumb What are we talking about right now We're disrespecting our audience

If they say that the hogs are Yes No No come on now 45% currently going towards Detroit We're going to wait till we get 300 votes We're at 276 right now Lakers are at 31%

You know what's funny You just swayed the vote to the Knicks They're now up to 16% They took away 3% from the Lakers Does it matter You're still in hell You're still third place in this vote. You're still nowhere close.

But with that being said, we have reached 295 votes. Detroit has 45%. Detroit, welcome to the number four overall spot on the chat power rankings. And you know what? You got to respect it. Chat thinks it's a top force team in the NBA. Four is pretty goddamn high. All right.

So are we going to wolves or spurs? Spurs are higher in the rankings. I guess we just go off the standings for now. And I guess we'll go spurs. Sure. They're not picking the calves for anything. The calves are getting no votes. We have the cats prematurely, apparently.

I mean, I don't blame him, bro. No motion. We haven't seen the calves fully clicking at the highest strength at all just yet. But we add the spurs. Listen, Victor Woman Yama's been amazing. We got Darren Fox in the door now. Dylan Harper will come back. Their defense is real as long as Wemby is on the court.

Now, obviously, he's missing two weeks. But he will be back on the court relatively soon. We'll add the spurs in the running for fifth place. Okay. The wolves will come next. I suspect we'll see one of these big markets coming, whether it be the Lakers or it be the Nix. My guess, my prediction is probably being the Lakers. Yeah, I think I think that's probably where they're going to go.

Yeah, they could go the Knicks as well. They're probably going to either leave the Knicks to like nine or just not put them on there. They said the calves aren't healthy enough yet, which is fair. We haven't seen the calves firing on all cylinders yet after Garland came back for what was in one game and they got hurt again? Yeah. Or two games, whatever it was. I agree with them. That's fair.

At a certain point, though, we're going to have to give the calves some benefit of the doubt after they were, what is it, 64 win team last year? Is that what they finished with? 64. Yeah, outlandish. They brought back all the important parts. We're going to get them benefit of the doubt at some point, but I understand it not being yet. yeah yeah i agree okay chat i think they're hitting the right direction so far right now 250 votes in lakers are winning by a pretty goddamn wide margin they're making sense they're beating the hell

out of the nicks yeah okay this would be my top five right now you see this cat nobody believes you guys are you point too i mean jalen's hurt right now okay fair oh jillin is her right now and ogs that's probably was influential in the chap to some degree but it's also the lakers are gonna lebron back you know they don't care about they the lakers are number five okay this top five okay c Denver, Houston, Detroit, Lakers. Feels like the legitimate top five. So far, they've been cooking. Nothing too outlandish yet.

Okay, C. Lakers versus Detroit, if you're going to get the Lakers enough credit to be five, that's because you're really projecting the LeBron thing. I think if you're going to project that, you should probably protect them over Detroit, right? Yeah. I mean, I don't know. Detroit looks. They do. Of course.

Yeah. Yeah. I think, obviously it's tough because it's like it's Kade by himself as a creator versus Luca, LeBron, and Reeves. Exactly. So you probably- Jaylen Duren. That's third star.

You're right, but come on. We're just facing too much. Just star power alone to close them over. We're adding Minnesota into the mix now. Spurs, Mini, Knicks, Cleveland. What are we going to get next?

My predictions are going to go Minnesota. If I were them, I think I might go Minnesota. Yeah, it's hard because obviously the Spurs are better record-wise, but just one game. Yeah. But Wimby's out right now. Yeah.

I don't know how much the chat's going to put that and do the equation. Minnesota has the track record Two straight conference finals is something But they also have the glaring flaw And Mike Connolly being old as dirt And having no point guard to replace him But also they've been dominating

All these terrible teams So their offensive rating is like top five They're eight and O against sub-500 teams And 0 and five against over 500 teams I'm seeing a little bit of cabs in here Ooh Right now San Antonio Spurs have 37% of the votes This is the most

Dude this is the most even vote we've had yet 37% spurs 35% nix I hope you'll go 36 35 we gotta let this one go this one is we gotta let this one go guys we gotta get as many votes as we can't for this one because I can't end this one early

now with 36% spurs 34% nicks Minnesota and cleveland are eating some votes they're saying that they're taking the vote just to troll chat everybody who voted for Minnesota or Cleveland I want you guys to change your vote to one of New York nicks or spurs

we gotta get the true position here between these two teams seven game series right now imagine wimby's healthy and dillon harper's healthy too who's winning the series between the nicks and the spurs if your vote is on minnesota or clemen you're wasting your vote right now you're voting for the third party in the election go ahead and put your vote to texas and new york who's winning that seven games between the two teams i said that and i'm in now the spurs are really building a lead i've obviously i'm gonna go with this i have no i have no i have no i have no i'm gonna go with this i have no i'm gonna do i have no

That last year or two years? WMBA 50 on Christmas last year. I think it was last year when Brunson put him 60. Oh, the vote, it's a chasm now. We got 40% to the Spurs, 33% to the Knicks. We call that the final count. The Spurs, you're worth the number 16th in the NBA.

Nix, I'm sorry, you're falling out of the top six. Which, you know, for the team that was the preseason odds on favorite to win the Asian conference. This is not a great, it's not going great for you guys right now. This is where I think Atlanta finally enters a conversation. All right. Does it feel right?

No, most definitely it is. We have all the top like four seeds in there already pretty much. Are we going with the Warriors or with the Hawks? Hawks are three seats right now. Hawks are 9 and 5 Warriors. Warriors are going with the Warriors. Come on now. What the hell?

Do you guys see this? Listen, you can get over the suns. Yeah. You're hard. You said the set of everything you said you said the son. The vote for number seven is the next, Timberwolves, Cavs, and Warriors. Chat, where are we going with this one?

You know, Steph Curry is into the picture. He had two straight 45-point games over the Spurs who are number six right now, beat them twice in a row. Then they beat the Pelicans in which he had nine points for rebounds, five of those. Not very good numbers. I'm talking about that. But, you know, the Knicks narrowly lost number six. I can only imagine that they get number seven.

I don't know. Steph Curry comes into the conversation. I can see people going with the Warriors. Thus far, we're getting a resounding Knicks victory. Through 250 votes, 53% Nix. This is the biggest margin yet. Wow.

I will say, Golden State is getting more votes than the Cavs in Minnesota. Damn, we really don't give a damn about the Cleveland Cavaliers. Well, the Cavaliers. Well, the Cavalry not make the stop 10. Shit, man. And to be fair, we're doing early season. We add them to the mix to get their respect, but in terms of what we've seen this far,

I understand the hesitancy to forget about them. But that being said, they are still the three seats. So, Chad, you should relax at some point. I can understand. They probably have the sight and thought process of... If y'all let the Phoenix Suns get into this top 10, we got it. The next get number seven, it was an utter blowout. That was filthy.

It wasn't even close. 52% was the final count. You finally got to put the hawks in here now. Okay, sure. We'll put the goddamn hawks. So you've got to be here. They've got to be here. Minnesota, Cleveland, Golden State, and Atlanta is your new four.

Are they going to go with Curry? Probably. I think I would go with either the words, the Cavs here. I think I would go the words are the T-Wools. Yeah, yeah. Minnesota is still here. They've been, like, cows been around forever. They're really being embarrassed, but the Timberwell has also been around for a while.

I'll go, I'll go Minnesota at eight. No, no Hawks. Raptors are getting the conversation soon. We could, listen, I kind of feel, I feel better about the Raptors than do the Hawks just because. Dude, you're crazy, Rex. I mean, one's eight and five, one's nine and five. I'm certainly not crazy. Come on, now.

You're out of your mind. You're fucking nuts. You've lost it. You're kind of stupid as fuck. Come on now. No, I mean, the Hawks have an identity of their full team. I know this is who they are. I mean, the Raptor, that is.

The Hawks think it's kind of fluky. They're going to get trade back. They're going to be a different team, whether it be better or worse. Fluky. Yeah, I mean, they're just not, they're not playing with trade. It's not who they are. Do we have a close one right now? 35% Cleveland, 34% Golden State.

Wow. This is a nail bite. That's crazy. Once again, I'm asking you guys who vote for these third party independent candidates in Minnesota and ATL, put you in both somewhere where it matters. Let me see the Cleveland versus Golden State finish, both at 35%. Okay.

Okay. Who's gonna edge us out? Probably Steph Curry, I would imagine. We're probably edging Curry. That's correct. But Cleveland is gonna be close right behind. You can wait for that. Can we change our votes?

I'm pretty sure you can change your votes, can't you? I don't know. Yeah, you should be able. Yeah, you can. You can't. They're saying that they can't. Oh, you can't? What?

A wasted vote is a waste of votes. I'm sorry, guys. You got to be deliberate. You voted for the Green Party, my bad. With that being said, we're up to 36% Golden State. Damn. To 34% Cleveland with 350 votes. Everybody, please vote.

The lights can go. He clearly still has it. No, there's 1,200 view in her right now. We got 900 passive voters that are not coming out to the ballot boxes to represent their counties. What do we have to do? Do we have something in TikTok? Stay in line. Don't worry about it.

I'm right here. I'm voting too. But they say they can't change your votes. That's unfortunate. With that being said, we have to 37% in Golden State over 32% Cleveland. The vote has been finalized. Golden State, you are the number 18. Wow.

Do I have to go get Meg Dostein to be at these rallies? What will move you people? What mobilizes, y'all? Okay. The Hawks were last in that vote. Actually, they weren't into it. So Minnesota, I read a comment that someone said that, but I thought they're serious. So we got Minnesota.

We got Cleveland. We have, who was on it before? Golden State Atlanta Oh Atlanta's already in it Okay They were last my bed And then we'll add

The Toronto Raptors Okay Raptors over since Yeah I'm not I'm not forgetting anybody Do you want to put the bucks in there? Yeah No Toronto Raptors are 8 and 5

Yeah I'm not forgetting anybody Am I? No we're not The Sixers are 7 and 5 Oh no Minnie I'm forgetting Minnie Mini hasn't picked yet

I forget about them Oh but they're on there Damn I've been disrespectful Twisted too Minnie Cleveland Atlanta Toronto is your new four You're two spots love guys Also we put Toronto

there at eight and five. Milwaukee's eight and six. Okay. Well, we'll add for the last one. We'll see if they want to get put. You guys have two spots left. So dig carefully with your vote.

If you're going to be voting for some bullshit third party right now, there's only two spots left. So you're really going to be sacrificing an important vote. Y'all. Listen, if everybody in here votes,

if we get a thousand votes, Mo will dance right now. Says who? This thing I have to donate the dance. I don't dance for free. What? You guys are in there, colluding in the chat.

you guys are gerrymandering. My predictions, I think they might go. Cleveland or Minnesota, I'm probably leaning towards Minnesota. And thus far, through 300 votes, Cleveland is winning by God damn landslide. Yeah, it's about time. Cleveland has 54%. We're going to go ahead and end this one early. Close the voting polls.

Move on to number 10. Stop the count. Stop the count. Finally, respects to Cleveland. I've been clamoring for it. Cleveland makes number nine. Okay. And now Minnesota, now is your time.

You would think. I can, okay, so the last spot, they're not respecting the Atlanta Hawks at all. Their spot is in serious jeopardy. Let's think about teams that are below. That's crazy. The bucks, the sixers. Okay, we'll put the bucks. We'll put Milwaukee.

We don't got to put Toronto back. Toronto and Atlanta are getting no fucking votes. Miami. Miami should be on here. They are an interesting team. Ew. And then do you want to put Philadelphia? People are seeing the Blazers.

Boston. Do you guys really want to put Boston? We're not putting Boston. They're seven and seven. Jazz. We can't put the blaze on here. They're six and there. Come on now, man.

We'll keep Toronto on here over Atlanta. The Blazers are a game under 500. They have six wins like. We'll keep Toronto. So the last one is Minnesota, Milwaukee, Miami, and Toronto. We had to boots the Hawks just to see if maybe you guys give some blood to the heat. It's Minnesota and the playing teams. Yeah.

I think we know how this is going to end. But we get ready to get some new life to some mission conference teams because Atlanta was giving absolutely nothing. Okay. And we got early returns. 62% Minnesota Stop the count It's over I'm calling it early

Mathematically, I'm sorry It's impossible Unless 600 of you guys vote I'm pretty sure The last team here It's gonna be Minnesota Wow so we got O KC at 1

Denver 2 Houston 3 Detroit at 4 The Lakers at 5 Spurs at 6 7 the Knicks 8 at Warriors In the 9 Cleveland

10 the T-Wools You know what Is that the worst thing in the world I don't I don't think I love the pistons there. I don't hate it. I feel like you have to respect Detroit a little bit.

We're two weeks away from our power rankings episode. I haven't thought about this at all. We did it today. I think maybe I'll do something similar. This isn't crazy. Cleveland at 9 is too low, though. You guys need to stop thinking about the lights being too bright for Jared Allen. That's too low.

They are still a 3C despite being unhealthy. We've got to get in the same benefit that we're getting the Lakers for getting their starback. Losing Darius Garland is huge. No, man. For chat, this isn't bad at all. The light's always to break. Yeah, perpetually. So something's like Cleveland is bad.

Yeah, they're not great, but they're better than nine. They're not their best version of themselves yet, but nine? Yeah. Yeah, but like, I'm looking at that and I'm like... You're right. That's understandable. You're not... Maybe eight?

Like... I don't know. I'm not even taking Cleveland over the Warriors. Can't do it over the next of this first. Maybe nine's fair. You know, maybe not fair. I mean, that's the line for me. Someone says switch San Antonio with Cleveland.

That's kind of what I was thinking. Is the cap should be six. Off of Ben for the doubt at this point in the year. but the more weeks I go by the more they lose benefit of the doubt the offense is not the same it once was

Evan Mobly's pissed me off game after game I don't know who he's wakes up feeling like it's not like what we saw last year yeah all these jumpers

are pissing me off on a scale of 1 to 10 I think this is like probably the best list that the chat has ever done also Demit is physically incapable

of throwing a lob that's annoying amen hey but that be said that is you guys that is your guys appreciate you guys

you know participating in democracy you guys did your civic duty today they did a decent job this is the best job they've done participating with us and with that being said with that being said

that is the end of the stream we appreciate y'all coming through we appreciate you doing your civic duty like I said we'll see y'all on Friday for this week's episode which may or may or may not be pertaining to hot takes