The Deep 3 Podcast - Which NBA Finals Teams Would Win? | TD3 Clips

Episode Date: June 9, 2026

picking the best NBA finals teams! #nba   Check out the TD3 merch: https://the-deep-3-shop.fourthwall.com/   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   Mo's twitter: https://twitter.com/Mojo99_   Donnavan's twitter: https://twitter.com/Dsmoot3D Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

I'm going to show you two NBA finals teams from modern NBA history. We have to decide which one would win if they faced off in a hypothetical series. Where are your allegiances? First off, we have 2016 Cavs versus 2026 NICS. We'd run them. Slow down. This conversation is more interesting than people would think. They'd run.

Come on, man. They'd run them. It is interesting. Cat versus Brown's not on the floor no more Like we're running him off the floor Like She's sitting in Brun home

Yeah Brons playing all 48 minutes What are you talking about Now so it would be an interesting Maxifia 27 Mafia When your Knicks are down with him I want to

Brunton and Kyrie just going to be too busy frying the fuck out of each other Like there's going to be Nothing productive going on at all That's going to be cinema Yeah literally the common OG OG on Brown would be interesting matchup Brian obviously wins but it'll be whatever yeah he'd do the same thing that like all

the other you know all the other finals brown's gonna get 35 13 and 7 fuck they fin to lose like zero chance many times many times I'm going to win the 26 Six times to be exact. You think Richard Jefferson is going to let Josh Hart run around grab like 15 rebounds? Hell not. Yes, he would. Not if Kristen Thompson had something to say about it.

Yes, he would. Nah. I had to assume the 2016 counts would actually win, but it would be a series. It's a seven-game series, it would be a series for sure. Yeah, it's a seven-game series. But realistically, I'm going to go with LeBron.

Yeah. I understand why you say that. But also, like, this is the team of destiny. Yeah, true, true. We'll see. We'll see. Versus the other team of destiny. me.

True. Literally. Yeah, I think God's on the bronze side, buddy. You're going to put J.R. Smith back in Madison Square Garden, too, plus 10 attributes. That's fair. Hey, you're cooked. You just got done into the discourse wars. Oh, my gosh.

You just got put a straight jacket, buddy. 2023 Nuggets for his 2026 spurs. So the more and more that I see it and I said it in the group chat when they were running the finals intro, the Fat 23 Nuggets series and team one of the most oralist final series of all time. The branding was non-existent. Thank God. Yeah, I've grown to really dislike them.

The spurs are dominating them. What? Just because I just off of I don't like them anymore. Just disgust? Yeah. This is an interesting series. Peak Yokic, obviously a great counter for Wembe. That's already five for the Denver Nuggets

was such a well-oiled machine. Yeah. I don't know. A super healthy Aaron Gordon, MPJ just being the fucking flame thrower that he is to back then. But they didn't see a team even close to the Spurter's team in that run. Yeah, they didn't. I think the Spurr...

They get 50 wins. 62 wins. 62 wins. They don't know how to handle that level of team. I do think that this version of Wembe can provide a resistance to them that will make it, you know, kind of comparable. Now, if Deeron Fox is shooting the way that he's shooting right now, then it is tough. And I can see you going with the Nuggets because the nudge because the Knicks, like the whole ethos of that Nuggets team is like, hey, last five minutes,

we're just going to out-execute you. That's the weakness of this young Spurs team. So I understand it, but I think I like the Spurs more. Yeah, I guess for that point, we'll go with Yokic. We think he'll clutch up in the end of these games, but it's a seven-game war. 100%. At this point, too, KCP is still here as well. So their backline defense or their frontline defense isn't terrible compared to how it is now.

So I think I'll go to Spurs, maybe. B. Ooh. Prime man, Gordon. Pre injuries? I think this version of Wembe is better than that version of Yokic too. No, no, no, no, no, no.

You don't think so? No, no, no, no, no, no. That part's no, no, no, no, no. 23 Yokish was defending better, and that's, like, he was. I forget about the defense. And he was, that, that's, like, best offensive player of all time, Yokch.

You should do, like, 43% from three. Yeah, that's the part that, that's the reason why I'd go towards Yokch. If it was this year's version of Yokch, on that 23 team. I think we can go towards the Spurs. But they had the best player advantage, I think. Hmm.

Okay. But it's close. This is a seven game series. I don't fucking know, honestly. Yeah, it's really tough. This would be crazy. All right, next. 2022 Warriors or 2015 Warriors.

2015 would smoke them. Yeah. They were running them out the gym. What? Do you want to strengthen numbers over older, wiser, Steph Curry? Yeah. Better than ISO?

Yeah. I think the depth on the 15 Warriors would be good. That version of 22, like they won because Steph was. dominant and stepped in his thing. Dremont was podcasting in the middle of the series. Like, man, I'm shook here. The 2015 Warriors you have as confident as brash of a Dremont as you have.

Clay is still there, dominate. And I think the younger version would get him. Yeah. I think that, you know, the depth for the 2015 Warriors team is also what carries it for me too. What do you prepare to do when Leonardo Barbosa rolls off the bench fresh as hell ready to give you three threes a game? Hey, man, we had pre-incident Jordan Poole. But he wasn't that impactful for the Warriors run down. In the finals, he wasn't doing nothing.

But that's because it's a different defense is playing, though. Maybe he can survive a little more against the Warriors. Oh, my kid, and they're an amazing defense. They're probably going to turn him to a Pumpkin, too. Yeah, 2015 Warriors for sure. 4015 wins. All right. Next.

2025 Thunder or 2020 Lakers? 2020 Lakers, I think, would beat them. I think overall, their defense is also elite. I'm a go with best player I'm gonna go with Brian And second best player Anthony Davis Because are we playing this in the bubble?

Yeah Because the 2020 Lakers exist We can't pull them out of time They're so singular to a time period That means we have the bubble advantage And Anthony Davis It's the second best player in the world by far Dude what does Alex Caruso

Fun to do when he sees Alex Caruso And Alice Caruso with hair In 2020 Wait did he have hair in 2020? I think so I think he was holding on to it I don't think it was holding on to it Was he already full of it? Was he already full?

or would he have a little bit of wisp? He didn't have wisp. I don't think so. Wisp. Can't remember if he had a whisper or not. I want to say he had a little bit of wisp. Okay. That wasn't like good, but I think he had some hair.

Fair. Either way. Let me fact check that. Yeah. That's a deciding factor in this series. That swings the series on. That's a swing factor. We've been talking about, oh my God,

Chet didn't show up against Wemby. He would not show up against that version of AD either. He would get murdered by AD. That's true. Oh, he had a full head of hair in 2020. What? Full head of hair in 2020. Wow.

Now he looks much better bald But he had a full head of hair in 2020 Okay he was hanging out to him We're going 2020 Lakers Yeah I'm going to Lakers for sure 2004 Celtics or 2008 Celtics Now this is mad interesting Prime Tom Thibito defense

Changing the league Or 24 Celtics where they Just broke the game math-wise Having Drew Holiday and if KP is healthy I think I would lean towards the 2024 Celtics Yeah It's tough because what's Perk going to do?

Yeah, they smoke them. 24 sellers to smoke them. I'm not going to lie. We're playing, yeah, they're playing five out. Perk can't do nothing. James, like James Posey, shout to him. He's not running around with them like that. We have two great wing defenders for-

Leon Poe. He's not doing it. We have like four good perimeter defenders for Paul Pierce, two stocky bigs and KP and Al Horford for KG. We're going to get so many threes up. There's no way the offense is keeping up. I think this would be a blowout too, honestly. Yeah, yeah, and this is just like an era thing the game advanced so much and this team like perfectly personifies modern basketball

Yeah, this is exactly why old teams can't keep up So you think we need right out at like 12 3s a game Prey didn't have to take 30 I think more than he's ever taking his life We're while Derek Weiss just used to it. Yeah, he's just doing the same thing Did you gonna need to take a step back man? Yeah, precisely You better get behind that arc and you know he won't do it Yeah, he'll be offended if you ask him to What do you mean? What motherfucker

24 and 4. Stick, stick back. Next. 2024 Mavs or 2021 sons. Ooh, the final losers. Well, considering that Luca just

is the son's father. Considering he did just like bend them over in 2022. It's a weird statement after I call them father. What are you on today? That wasn't connected.

Did you go with that? verse. I'm going with the Mavs, man. Luca is the best player by far. Yeah, I got the Mazz. At this point of time, they do have, they have PJ Washington, right? Yep.

And Derek Lively, the defense was clicking. Yeah, I'm going with the Mazz. I think they can match up with the wings of the Sons that had J. Crowder, McCall Bridges, Cam Johnson. but I think Luca just being the father again, Devin Booker in this whole organization, it's not close. I'm not going to say not close.

I think it would go like six, six games, and I favorite the Mavs. Fair enough. 2019 Raptors versus 2014 Spurs. 2014 Spurs would dominate them. Dominate? They're both deep. I think they would dominate them.

I don't know about Domain. You can't dominate the 2019 Raptors. Yes, you can't. No, you can't. Why? How? Who was there to be dominated? They're too deep.

They were insanely deep. Had the high-end players, had like five high-level role players. You can't dominate the Raptors. Yeah. You can beat them for sure. The Spurs can beat them. They can beat them in five. No.

No. No. Ridiculous. What? No. You still, you have, you have, you have, you have, you have, young, you have young Kauai. He knows what old Kauai is going to do.

He's him, right? So. Mental boxed. Exactly. Why would you say that young Kauai knows that old Kauai is going to do more than old Kauai is going to know how to defeat young. kawai i'm gonna go with the wisdom yeah bro for he one he took a step back in the in the finals he the the young kawai as a just pure defender obviously it's all it's all peak it's all like wow

this is some of the best defender it is that's all 2014 kawai does he's gonna give you 14 he wakes up thinks defense he he he goes to sleep thinks how do i lock somebody else up that's his ethos you still have tim duncan there you still have this entire team this entire ball movement I think like Danny Green, the shooting that Danny Green was was putting off for the team. Yes, so we got Danny Green too. I got primer, Danny Green. Primers. He was just as good.

No, Loki, he was better in 2019. I'm not going to lie. He was a demon defensively in 2019. I go Spurs and a respectable six. They still win, but the Raptors are way too good to be dominated by almost anybody. Like the Raptors have so many bodies. They have a young Oji Anubo. They also have Marcus Alder, Sergei Baca.

of course, I didn't even mention Pascal Seaccom there to Norm Powell. More see, I sitting on that spin move. Come on, man. No, he's not. He's entirely too slow. Too slow, man. I didn't go seven. You can lean the spur.

Sure. Splitter is standing up, Marcuso. Splitter. Come on. Tiago. I put this leg down. I get that anchor, that base. Where are you going?

Marcusal is doing just fine against old man, Tim. Marcus all been frying him for years, but nothing will change. 2013 Heat versus 2016 Warriors Would this version of Braun also beat the 73 win team I think they might lose simply because they just don't have the shooting to match up with I just don't feel like there's there's enough there No, I think they can shoot in 2013 though that's when they had Ray Allen

baddie a everybody they started doing small ball five Chris Bostas true true The Bron was shooting 40% from three this year I do think I think this version of Ron and even Wade, you still get the slashing that you can get. Obviously, it comes in a different way between like De Wade and Kyrie, but in terms of just attacking the basket, you still get two guys at their peak. Yeah.

Who can get downhill, put a lot of pressure on the bigs for Golden State. I think Miami might win. Yeah, I go Miami. I think, I think they, they win. Maybe. But Chris Bosch is like a difference in bronze three-point shooting in the nuts in 2016? I can't remember. Stephen Adams.

Why do he get suspended? It was for Hidden LeBron? Yeah. Okay. It was like an accumulation of technical points. Yeah. Okay. Or flagging points, whatever.

Well, that's the sweet factor. Would he still be inclined to attack the growing area of 2013 LeBron? Well, they wouldn't have played the year prior. So, no. Because he would have the same animosity. So Dremont wouldn't get suspended? No. 2016 Warriors' way.

No. Yeah. Oh, my gosh. And the 2013, he, like. that version of Bronn even three years after does he have the wherewithal to be like yes I'm gonna start baiting these guys Maybe he kicked him on the nuts

Maybe this timeline everything's flipped Because he's still villain Braun Maybe he blows a three one lead Oh no come on man 2016 Warriors winning He's getting off of 2011 Fuck no Hey listen this version of Bronn

In the playoffs 37% from three That's pretty nice Yeah He was shooting 34% from three in 2016 about the same amount of attempts he was a demon defender in 2013 yeah brawn figure it out

all right we're going brown 2023 heat versus 2006 heat 06 heat oh 6 heat now this might be like a this is an incredible disparity I think they're gonna win like 5 06 heat 06 heat for sure who do you all think the 06 team was

just better than the 0% they are better but like I'm not going to act like they were the 01 Lakers do you know you're like damn like it like it was crazy it's not even close because it's a 23 heat they're so beatable

plus it's like de Wade who's I'm gonna trust everything better than Jimmy and that version of Shaq giving BAM some problems that's what I'm saying shout out bailing him giving BAM issues

shout out bam good guy good guy Shacks's putting him in the room but he might 2023 heat Jimmy Butler leveled the hell up in the playoffs

so did he wait so maybe it was was like close jimby butler was rising again the difference is we have a shack yeah what's the death like on that what was the bench like on that 2016 i don't remember was the lonsa morning there or no i think so i'm about to say this is demon kaleb martin max truce and they have devil magic on their side of caleb martin we can't forget i got old man gary peyton for him he'll be all right d me kailin martin got that i got old gregers we had juda don't his house He got war scars for real.

Yes. Oh, we had six men of the year. He really said, I'm taking prime Caleb Martin over year 19, Gary Payton. Yeah. There's such a nasty conversation. Gary Perry was 37. He was in the off season, so he's the talks.

Hey, man, they had depth. They had Jason Williams, Alonzo Morning, Gary Payton, Antoine Walker. They had hella big names that weren't particularly good, but they were big names. Yeah. And then I'm sure they gave them good bench production. Alonzo Morning was eighth in

DPOI and sixth and sixth man of the year voting. Okay. Projective player. I'm taking 06 heat. 06 got it. Fair. We're going with 06. Okay.

Next. 2011 Mavs are 2021 bucks. Ooh, man. Which version of a power forward lead team would win? So I don't think that Janus would shrink the same way that bronze shrunk in 2011. So I'm going with 21 bucks. Yeah. Yonis is already like past major warts of his game.

And I think the 21 bucks team gets it. but it's a legit seven-gang series too. Howard Kay, how are Janus and Dirk defending each other? They're both just getting bucket after bucket after bucket. Yeah, because Yonis is, Dirk is getting the faders off.

Yeah, Dirk is way too skilled. He's shooting over Yannis. Yonis can't do weeks at help on Dirk buckets. No, you can't. And he's also blowing by Dirk. There's going to be back pending.

Yeah. They're both averaging 30. I don't know what to do at all. And they both. have good supporting cast defensively and offensively. This would be cinema. It would be. But 21 bucks is like, and shout to, you know,

old man Jason kid Drew Holiday got that. Yeah. There's no way Jason Terry is going to start going crazy when we have 21 Drew Holiday. Yeah. Yeah. I mean, Brooke Lopez still being a great room protector who could stretch the field, resched the court. Yeah.

Tyson Chandler's there, though, too. He was like third and gripe. OI. Get ready to speak corner sitter, Tyson? Yeah. I think I got bucks and seven. Or I guess Dirk would be sitting in the corner with the, Brooke and then Tyson we trying to stay in front of Janus.

Either way. Yeah. I'm going bucks in six. People are going to hate that. You're probably right. All right. Next. Ooh.

O4 Pistons versus 2025 Pacers. Oh, this is fun. Which team of Destiny wins? Yeah, you stop all that devil magic stuff, man. We're punching you in the face. That's what the 04 pittons are about. Would they be of, I mean, the offense of 2025 basketball, though? The peak version of run up and down the court, crazy shooters.

Let's say we meet in the middle. We're playing by 2012 rules. 2012. What do they even mean? I don't know. It's a little space and not too much. But it's not complete 2025 basketball is not dead ball era. Nevertheless, I got the same players.

They're shooting the same threes. Rules be damned. They're going to get these threes up. Ooh, Miles Turner, man. I say, what does that even mean? Not that I'm thinking about it. Yeah, the 12 rules. What's a difference?

Probably like a difference in physicality. Style of way. I can see that. Last year, last year, they were allowing a hell of physicality in 20, 25 playoffs. So the O4 Pistons will get there They get their shit off Miles Turner Would if it's peak Ben Wallace

You're backing down So you're gonna contend So you're telling me the goal To beat the offense of 25 facers Is Ben Wallace backing down Miles Turner? Yes Miles Turner is backing down

Oh I thought you said I'm backing him down Oh no We're posting on Miles Turner No That's how you beat Tyre's Halliburton offense No But he would mentally fold Yes

He would So where do we go? I mean, I feel like the patients have to win, right? They should win, absolutely. But would they get demoralized so bad that they end up folding? Maybe. Like, if you just have one game where it's not like, where you are having some crazy, crazy win to give you whatever devil magic boosts

for the rest of the series, like. Imagine Brett Hamilton comes off his screen, hits his little MIDI, next possession, Aaron Neesbitt does the same thing from three. That's happening every possession. Got to take these guys out, man. I think they would do that. Maybe they would. Maybe Pascal Seahakum wouldn't see games.

That's the meta. Yeah. Is Tyrie's Halliborne going to be able to just run around the floor wherever he wants with the way that the Pistons play defense? I mean, opposed to the way the Thunder play defense also amazing? I don't know, man. He had to deal with Kays and Wallace. He's built for this. There's a chat back there versus Ben Wallace.

Like, we're talking about difference in whatever. Not Jets a bum forever. The Pacers is better fucking win You're not Ben Wallace Of course not well Not not in this context Yeah Yeah sure

And then there's the offense questions Either way Yeah yeah yeah The Pacer should win this right But there's a real world I wish they don't Because if you want to do revision this history Check couldn't dunk last year either

Sure you really cannot So Yeah he's not been Wallace Fuck that he's not been Wallace There you go Yeah I got Check up to the plate Chet

Chettington Chetchford step on step on