The Mismatch - All-Star Weekend Hype and Second-Half Predictions

Episode Date: February 14, 2025

Verno and Jacoby share their low-key excitement for this year's NBA All-Star Weekend festivities (01:41). They discuss how the new format could bring more competitiveness, and their disappointment that Steph Curry isn’t involved in more All-Star events in his home city. From playoff positioning to impactful rookies, the guys next share four predictions for after the All-Star break (21:54). The Ringer is committed to responsible gaming. Please visit www.rg-help.com to learn more about the resources and helplines available. Hosts: Chris Vernon and David Jacoby Producer: Jessie Lopez Social: Keith Fujimoto Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Hi, everyone, it's Amy Polar, and I'm launching a new podcast called Good Hang. In preparation for that, I asked some of my friends to send in some videos and give me some advice. Just be yourself, and the guests will come. Don't be the celebrity that this is their, like, sixth thing they're doing. I love true crime and cooking podcasts. Is there any way you could combine the two? Well, everyone has an opinion and a podcast. So, join me for Good Hang. It's rough out there. We're just trying to lighten it up a little. Welcome to The Mismatch. I'm Chris Vernon and joining me as he does every week from the ringer.com is Dave Jacoby. Jacoby.

We made it to the break. Chris Vernon. We did. We made it to the all-star break. Here we are. The home stretch is upon us. I said there would be some goofy stuff that took place throughout the week. Shout out to Jamal Murray for the goofy stuff with his career high, 55 points. We had a couple other outcomes that were crazy. I thought about you a lot as watching those 15 games on Wednesday night. And I was like, wait, wait, with the Lakers law. to the jazz. I was like, Chris Byrne and said that. And they'll look at the game. It was like, the heater up by 20, like on the thunder. You never know what is going to happen this last week.

And who already has their bags packed ready to head to All Star Weekend in some cases. And then in other cases, Turks and Caicos or Cancun or wherever they are headed to go. But what we do know is All Star Weekend is coming up this weekend. And I have a confession to make, Jacoby. Oh, me too. You go first. I have gotten excited about it. I like the All-Star game. I'm like, I enjoy watching it. I don't care.

Okay. So it has been the commonplace opinion to, ah, who cares? They're going to try it. I don't know. We'll see if it works. And, you know, I mean, because they made such, Adam Silver walked in and said, guys, please try. Larry Bird said, this is the home of basketball. these try and then they just made the mockery of all mockeries of it and tried to score 300 points in the game and they're pulling up from half court and nobody cared. And then we have to have these deep discussions about what's wrong with the all-star game? How do we fix the all-star game? And I am going to tell you that now as I started reading the stuff about this weekend,

and this is why I got excited. Okay. So I'm about to tell the audience something that I would bet they have not gone out of their way to learn about or find out about because until I started reading about it I was like yeah I mean look I'm an NBA

fan so I'll probably like flip it on but I don't really care but the way they're setting this up first of all the Rising Stars rosters let me start with that they're crazy I love the Rising Stars format I love the games and a couple of years ago what happened is they had like I remember the one they had Jose Alvarado in it

and they had him miced up for the game and he's going crazy and he's talking crazy and you can tell these guys are like trying to win and they're playing to a target score and I was like you know what there's something here this is actually kind of fun to watch and what they're going to do is they're going to have these four teams which the rosters are fun players and it's a good mix and match of them yeah I mean I said the the G league team is there's a guy named Dink Tate on it. I was like, who is Dink Tate? Pate.

I was like, who is Dink Pate? I have no idea who this man is, but I love him right now. So here's the deal. They're going to play to 40, which again, you can get anybody to try if you're saying it's a game to 40. Teams score 40 points in a quarter, right? So you're not asking for a big effort, right? So they're going to play to 40, which I think these Rising Stars teams are really going to try. Okay?

So just hear me out on this. This is what I'm hopeful takes place. They play to 40. Then the two teams that win go and play each other. They play to 25. So right now we're a lower scored game, higher level of competition that they've got to get to. That team that wins then gets to move on to All-Star Sunday where they are injected into. the All-Star format, which is, again, four teams,

and they are set up to play Shaq's OGs, which is a team of older players, which might very well likely be the guys that care the least, theoretically, but if the Thompson brothers and... The Thompson brothers are on the same team. If that's not enough to get you to tune in, like... Or what are we doing? Or a team with...

Brady Dick and Jaime Hockes and Kason Wiles. Like if all those guys are trying and this could like really be their moment like now they're making a name for themselves. Nobody ever sees these guys play in some cases. And now they're able to make a name for themselves

because they're guarding and playing against Steph Curry and they're guarding and playing against Niccoli Yokic and these guys like I think the young guys are A going to try to win the rising stars and then they're going to try to win on Sunday, and that is the one thing. Ego is the winner because this now test your ego.

You don't want to get embarrassed by Stefan Castle and Jalen Wells and Jack, Zach Edy, or whoever is on these teams. Zach Edy, please. But you know what I'm saying? They're going to be trying. Yeah. And that's all you need. You need one person really trying.

And then everybody else will be like, all right, well, shit, I don't want to, I don't want to look stupid out here. When I first of the format, one of my questions was in that Friday night Rising Stars championship game, right? Yep. Does the losing team or the winning team end up happier, right? And I would say if they were older and they had been to the All-Star game four or five times, the losing team would be happier being. I don't have to lace them up tomorrow. I can just enjoy the rest of the weekend. But I think because of their age,

because of the opportunity to play on the big stage and to guard LeBron and Steph and to potentially win that game because they're all great basketball players, I think that will motivate them. And I'll also say this about... Look, Jacoby, you can't make a bigger name for yourself. If Stefan Castle goes out there and he scores 18 of the team's points,

like he makes a name for himself in a way that you cannot any other way. Yes. And that OG's team is not focused on basketball performance over the weekend. They're not. It's a business trip. It's a business trip. And it's just another obligation they have during the weekend. They've got meetings.

They've got appearances. They've got endorsement stuff they have to do. And then they have an All-Star game. They treat them all the same. But like one of my big picture major thoughts about the All-Star game is like, I, my expectations are that's going to be a bunch of great basketball players just kind of like lollygagging around and trying to make a highlight. You know what I mean? Like they're just trying to throw a lob, trying to hit a deep three, trying to put it between someone's legs.

And that's fine with me. I enjoy that. Like my expectations aren't like, oh, well, in the 90s, they really wanted to win. All right. That was the 90s. That was the 90s. I don't care that they don't try. I still enjoy the exhibition and I enjoy the performance and I enjoy the pageantry

and I enjoy watching the best basketball players in the world dick around for a couple hours. It's fun. Maybe I have just convinced myself of something that is not going to happen. But I think they're going to try. I do. I think the format helps. Because you don't. You're not asking a lot.

You're not asking for a lot of trying. And we're not too far removed from competitive All-Star Games. I think it was like three years ago. It was pretty close. The question is, is it close in the fourth quarter? And they've baked that in. So it will be close in the fourth quarter. They're really just playing a fourth quarter.

They're playing pick up to 11 is really what they're doing. Yes. You know what I mean? Like the 25 number is basically pick up to 11 if you're going by wasn't twos. Well, and here's the deal. The reason I think that adding in the young team, like all you need is somebody playing defense and then other guys start playing defense. Like if they come out and they were like actually like going to defend,

then the team has to try and has to like run plays or else they just look stupid. Yeah. If you block my shot and I'm an all star, a seven time all star, right? You block my shot. That's going to, that's going to make me try to score on you. Yes. How could it not? That's what I think.

We always have these games are competitive. They don't take it seriously. These are professional athletes, man. Like think about everybody who's like, listening to this podcast. I'm sure there's like maybe two or three NBA players or professional athletes. Everyone else is just a regular person. If you play at the park, you want to win. If you play monopoly against your kids, you want to win. If you play Uno, you want to win. And that's not different. It's just, it's the way that it's been recently as if it's a 30 point lead,

you're like, all right, well, it's just been understood that nobody cares. Yeah. But if it becomes understood that it again if somebody cares you just need somebody to care yeah that's it besides Russell Westbrook who always cares yes it's for me it's

I the aspects listen like the NBA doesn't pay us you know what I mean like I love the NBA product but like I'm not sitting here being like trying to shill for the league or whatever my problem with the all star game is just like the utter lack of defense like if you literally get out of the way

let someone dunk, then I'm like, all right, well, what are we really doing here? But if you play like a lazy pickup game, I'm cool with it. I'm cool with that. I think that's going to be good. I think the dunk contest, I mean, again, in the absence of Stefan Castle doing something crazy or Andre Jackson. I got Andre Jackson, I mean.

I think, Andre, you saw that putback when he had his belly button at the rim last week. I'm just, I'm not hopeful at all about that. I am furious about the three point contest because that is like the best of the events. Is it? Yes, everybody loves watching the three-point contest. And now they were supposed to have this Steph and Sabrina thing, except they were going

to have Caitlin Clark and they were going to try to get Clay Thompson. Of course, he was never going to do that. But he's going to be out on his sailboat, I'm sure. But you could have had Caitlin Clark and then replace her with somebody else, right? In the absence of Clay Thompson, then you could have found somebody else. but Caitlin Clark bowed out. And I don't care what she says. And this infuriates me to no end because I,

my belief is Caitlin Clark bowed out because she just didn't want to hear it. She doesn't want to hear, well, if we're going to feature somebody, how come she's getting featured? She wasn't even in the top 20 and three point percentage. And it's like, because that's who everybody wants to watch. We're sorry, we want to watch her. But we do. We want to watch her play basketball.

And so it's rather than there be a whole slew of, of course, they're featuring Caitlin Clark. And I, there's, you know, why didn't we feature the girl that shot the highest percentage from three in the end, in the WNBA? And it's like, okay. All right. So she bails out. She's not going to do it. And then now Steph isn't going to do the Sabrina thing, which, okay, fine. It was super fun to watch last year.

But if we lose it, we lose it. The problem is the damn things in Golden State and Curry's not in the three point contest because of that. And it's like he has to be in the three point contest. He has to. This is wrong. Like, add him. They also put out a really goofy statement. They're like, we can't match what we did last year.

Did you see that statement? It was like, it was like, sorry, we peaked last year and we don't want to put out an inferior product because it was so excellent last year. It's like, that's not how this works. If something is good one year, you do it again the next year. Like, what are we missing here? Crazy. And well, the other thing is this, if that's the reason he wasn't in the three point contest, because he was going to be featured doing that thing. Like, the idea that he's not shooting threes in Golden State when they're hosting. It's crazy. Like, get Buddy Heald's ass out of there. Just swap. And they've got, it's like Draymond and Moody in the skill.

competition is going to be your like golden state warriors representation on saturday night no no so i look i'm super hopeful for the rising stars i think that's going to be great super hopeful for the all-star game format that it can at least be watchable dunk contest man three-point contest i always like watching the three-point contests i just do i like seeing who hits the most and i like seeing who gets on the run but the fact that step curry's not going to be in the one in golden state is absolutely ridiculous. I'm, uh, this will never happen.

But I would love for Matt Barnes to take the celebrity game very seriously. I would just love that. I would just love him being like, I'm putting up 70. If there's ever an ex-MBA player in that game that would actually do it, I'm putting up 70, Doc.

Like, like, I'm winning this thing. Who wasn't there was somebody last year? Who was it? I don't remember. I don't really watch the celebrity game. No, it was Michael Parsons. Michael Parsons, like, he's one of those guys that wanted to prove he's awesome at basketball. And he's not awesome, but like he wanted to prove he's awesome at basketball.

Like, he was trying. He was going. He was going. There's two types of professional football players. The ones that made a decision to play football over basketball, like the Miles Garritz and Michael Parsons of the world, and the ones who have like never touched a basketball before. And you're just like, what are you doing? We've all seen those guys in the basketball court, too. No.

And they're, you would rather let them get the rebound than the, the, punishment it is when they don't. There's a very brief celebrity game story. Jalen and Bill were coaching one year during the Grandland era. And Bill had Zach Lowe as his assistant. And Jalen was like, you're going to be my assistant. I was like, great, no problem. But they had like a contest to win for a fan to be Jalen's assistant, like officially.

And Jailen's like, dog, don't worry about that. Just come with me and be with me. I'm like, all right. And you know, Jaylin's like, he literally doesn't buy tickets to go to NBA games. He's like walks in arenas and sits wherever he wants. And I walk in with him and I'm sitting on the bench and I'm in the huddle and I'm talking to everybody. You know what I mean? And doing stuff.

And at one point, he was standing up and I walked over to him to like make some sort of substitution suggestion. Like something like literally hadn't played yet. And I was like, bro, like you got to put like whatever mediocre R&B singer is in the game. And then I sat back down. And then later on I got a tap in the shoulder like 30 seconds later. And they're like, yeah, you can't be here. you have to go. What?

Yeah, I was like, because someone from the NBA, like, noticed that I was, like, on the bench and involved, they're like, you've got to go. And it's so embarrassing to, like, to then have to, like, it's like the second quarter. I was like, in the huddles talking to everybody. I was like, part of the whole experience. And they're like, you got to get out of here. Like, you know, I got kicked out of the celebrity game.

You didn't have a credential or anything or? Not really. I don't know. I mean, there ended up being some great. land people and I just ended up sitting with them and watching the game in the stands. Who was on your team? Do you remember it all who was on the team? Oh, I remember it was in New Orleans and Kevin Hart was on the opposing team and Bill was

coaching. He was always funny. Afterwards at the bar restaurant or whatever we were at, I was like, Bill, like, you messed up substitutions. You kept Kevin Hart in crunch time and lost the game. And he's like, you got to give the people what they want. You got to keep Kevin Hart in the game. I was like, you had real basketball players.

You're going to won the game. He's like, listen, man, like, it's entertainment. It's NBA entertainment. It's not NBA. That was my celebrity game story. I felt really bad. It was a really, really humbling moment. They looked like, bro, I got kicked out of the celebrity game.

Did they at least let you walk away? They didn't escort you. No, they let me walk away. Yeah. But they like, but someone was watching. They let me walk away, but there was like a guy had his eyes on me as I walked away. Being escorted away would have just. I mean, that's, that's as humiliating as a kid.

Right. Sir, come with me. I said fire Nico on the Jumbotron. That's what happened. Scored me away. Did you see them chanting fire Nico at SMU? Yes. Doug.

It's like, the, I just wonder about his kids. His kids, like, imagine, like, going to school and, like, the other dads at, like, you know, the Valentine's Day, part. party or whatever are just like looking at you like bro like you really traded lucid donjic do you think there's anywhere he goes that somebody doesn't yell fire niko no chance no i think there is because i think a lot of people like no in person looking someone in the eye won't say things not on this one not on this one i'm telling you it's bad like i used to have Years ago, I used to have Chris Wallace, who was the GM of the Grizzlies on the show.

And prior to, he had been the GM of the Boston Celtics. But Biggie Smalls, right, Christopher Walms? Yeah. And they had signed a player that it just, it went all the wrong way. They gave a huge contract and it went all the wrong way. And I'm going to reserve the player's name for a moment because I'm going to tell you, that Chris Wallace said, you have no idea. idea what it's like to make a bad move in Boston.

That's what he told me. He said, I had a seat in the arena. And every time I went down to the seat, I would go down, I'm sitting in my seat to watch the game. And fans around me would be going, Vinnie Baker. Vinny Baker. Vinny Baker. They had signed Vin Baker and it was a disaster.

And he said, every. game I went to, there was some guy, drunk Boston guy going Vinnie Baker every time I walked in. And so trust me, sometimes when things go really bad with a passionate fan base, I promise you. Nico hears it everywhere he goes in in the Dallas Fort Worth area. For sure. I'm sure. But I'll say that, like, you know, in prep for the pot, I was like,

all right, let me look at the Rising Stars rosters. I was like, damn. I was like, yeah. Like, these are like really interesting basketball. ball players. And there's some are left out, right? Because there's no Buzellis. Like even today. Well, he's in the dunk contest. So I got it.

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. But they left out, you know, they replaced a scoot with Julian Strother today on one of the teams. Lively was going to be in it. And then he got replaced. Imagine if one of those teams had Lively on it, Klingin's not in it. There's a couple other guys

that aren't in it, too. So, some good young talent in the NBA for sure. It'll be sure. And I, you know what, like, yeah, I'm hoping. The dunk contest, I think the dunk concerts will be, it'll be Castle, Castle and Andre Jackson Jr.

We'll light it up. It'll be fine. Well, it's the MacKlawn show, you know that. No, it's not. It's not. It's always the MacKlaug show.

I'm kind of over the McClunk show. You're over MacKlaug. I'm like, and again, like, I'm not afraid to say this into microphones. I root for Caucasian American basketball players in the NBA. I do.

Why do I? Because I'm a Caucasian American. I do. I do. I root for them. I want the Mississippi team. And Mac McLuhan, I'm like, I'm over MacMcclum. Well, the problem with the whole MacMacong thing is the in the national basketball.

Exactly. Yeah. If he was averaging six and getting 10 minutes a game, I'd be like, all right, fine. That becomes the issue with Mr. McClung is he's not in the NBA. You can't tune in and watch MacMaclunk unless you are watching on ESPN Plus. Yes. I saw the Memphis team. I was about to tune in just to text to you,

but I was like, I can't even click on that. I can't. Oh, come on. They got Yuki Kawamura. I said, that's the one reason I was thinking. I was like,

is Yuki in this game? And I was like, North Carolina legend Armando Baycott. It was also like, it was like one o'clock on like a Wednesday. And I was like, am I going to watch G League basketball right now? I'm like,

I'm the worst. So we are excited about what is to come post-all-star break. And what we have done is we have come up with four predictions each for after the All-Star break in the NBA. Do you want to start or you want me to? You start. Because I've got like six and I'm going to try to pick my best four based on yours. I'll start easy.

This is an easy one. This is to be expected. But I will just say, you know, obviously some of these are going to be in relation to the standings. So, or do you want me to start off with a tough one or an easy one? a prediction. Easy one. Let's ease into it. We're going to ease into it.

Okay. Let's get crazier as we go on. Okay. Perfect. The two and three seed in the east remain the same, exactly how it is right now. Yep. At the All Star Break.

And it sets up one of the most absolutely epic second round series that we have had and we have desperately needed in the NBA in a long time with the New York Knicks. playing against the Boston Celtics. And hold on, I'm going to add to this. So the Celtics are five and a half back, so I don't think they're going to catch Cleveland. And then the Knicks are eight back, so they sure ain't.

But then there's that, there's a five and a half, they're clear of Indiana by five and a half. Okay. So the only thing that can be decided here is if the Knicks were to play three games better than the Celtics, then they could swap spots. And I will tell you, but I will say, I think that could be extremely important that the home court advantage in that series would be extremely important

and that if I could foresee a circumstance where that for sure goes to seven games and if Boston's two, then they get to host that game seven. So these last, you know, 27 to 30 games mean a lot towards that. If the Knicks some way somehow could play three games better than the Celtics,

the rest of the way, they could overtake that, which would give them a home court advantage in that series. But I think we're on an absolute collision course. It's the one thing playoff standings-wise that I don't think will change and that we are going to get what we want, which is an amazing second round series against those teams. It should have happened last year. The Knicks were a better team than the Pacers that just decimated by injuries.

And I'll say this about that series. If that potential, I agree, I think two, three are pretty much locked. But I'll say this. I just wish that the Knickerbockers gave me any inclination that they could compete with the Celtics. Because so far this season, it is just, they've got curbstomp twice. Like you remember the first game of the year. And the Celtics hit like 18 threes in the first. first quarter. It was just like, and all the moves the Knicks have made, Cat, Bridges,

OG were with an eye on the Celtics, sort of like the Rockets when the Warriors were the Top Dog in the West. I don't think they've set it out loud into a microphone, but those moves were made with an eye on Boston to compete with that team. And in the two instances, they have had a chance to compete with that team this season. It has not been competitive. But I think in a playoff environment with Tibbs, if everyone's healthy, that'd be a really good series. That'd be a really good series. Do you agree with that? They will end up two and third.

Yeah, for sure. I would not. Again, I love the Knicks. I would love for to see it happen, but I would not pick the Knicks in that series. I would not. Let it happen. Let's see how the rest of this plays out.

If there's home court advantage and you get like one and two in MSG and seven, it's not impossible. but there's a lot of things need to break right for the Knicks for that to happen. I've got a perfect follow-up for that of one of my predictions. There's been a little back and forth I've noticed online between my brother, Christopher Vernon, and the fans of the Oklahoma City Thunder. Oh, no.

And you have disrespected them. No, what happens. You have disrespectful the best team in the NBA time and time again. That was a long time ago. Let me have the floor. You have said, oh, they won one playoff series against the Pelicans. That did happen. That is what they, those are the, those are the sort of the deer heads on the wall in their man cave is one.

And you said that disparagingly. And every time that they beat the grizzlies. Yes, you have. Just a calm down, Jews. Yes, you have, you're getting sensitive about this already. I can tell you're getting sensitive because you know I'm right. That's why you're being defensive. What are you right about?

And what is going to happen? Memphis is going to fall to the four seat. And there'll be a second round series between the Thunder and the Memphis Grizzlies. Oh, really? It's going to go five and the Grizzlies are going to lose and you're going to get so many tweets and you're going to have so many excuses

and you're going to be like, oh, this is so good. Oh, we didn't have Sonti Aldama for the second half of game two. Like, this is going to happen. I see the future. I love this. I love this. My second prediction, the Oklahoma City nightmare scenario

will come to pass. Dallas is going to fall down to the 9-10 game. They are going to then win the 9-10 game and then they are going to play the loser of the 7-8 game, which they win. Okay.

And Dallas, then is the 8C facing the team that has the biggest problems with them, the Oklahoma City Thunder in round number one. Because what's going to happen is you're going to have like Golden State and Minnesota, let's say. And then you're going to have, and then you're going to have Sacramento. How would Golden State Minnesota happen?

What are you talking about? Oh, like a 7 and 8? 7 and 8. Okay. I'll see that. Sure. And so they're going to, one of those is going to lose. Let's say Minnesota, that's what I think.

So Minnesota is going to lose, right? So now Dallas has to beat whoever, Sacramento, because I think Phoenix has fallen out. So now Dallas beat Sacramento in that 9-10 game, and now they have to beat Minnesota to get the 8 seed. And they do it. They beat Minnesota. They get the 8 seed. Nightmare scenario, 8 versus 1 becomes at that point a healthy Dallas Mavericks team against Oklahoma City. So look, you may want to hold your horses.

You may want to hold your horses on round two, Jacoby. On behalf of all cognizant, logical, sane human beings, that is not a nightmare for the Thunder. What Thunder team are you watching? What, wait, hold on now. How many games have, in the last two years, they've lost, like, a total of, like, less than... No, I'm familiar with that. It's not the uniform. it's Luca Donchich.

They didn't have Luca Dodgis the last time they played. In fact, it was Spencer Denwitty. Was he wearing a Luca uniform? Is that who was wearing a? I forgot. Was Spencer Dinwiddie wearing a... Look.

Do you watch the game to get to the finals in Vegas to get to the finals of the Emirates NBA Cup? That was against Houston. You watched it. That was against Houston. Am I wrong? No.

Yes. There was a... There was a cup game between the Thunder and the Mass. Go look at what happens when the Thunders play the Mavericks. Go look at it. I've seen it. It's something like they're like two and ten in the last 12 or something like that, right? Do you think it's really a nightmare?

Imagine you grew up in Oklahoma City. You grew up in Oklahoma City and you draw the Mavericks in the first round. You think that they're like, oh, God, this is a nightmare. Yes. Hell no. A nightmare. A nightmare scenario. Not be close.

Not even close. I'll tell you this, you may be right about Memphis falling back, but even if they don't, bro, these vet teams, I'm telling you, these vet teams at the bottom of the West. Is Memphis a vet team? No, I, listen. Open your ears. These vet teams at the bottom of the West are going to be an absolute bitch for Memphis, for Oklahoma City, all these teams at the top.

Trust me on this. Trust me, I promise you, the Clippers if they're healthy, the Lakers if they're, the Golden State Warriors if they're healthy, the Mavericks if they're healthy. Vet teams win, Jacoby. Vet teams win. I think good teams win too. Okay. Name them then. Good teams.

The Oklahoma City Thunder. They were number one last year! Where the fuck were you? They were number one. They got nine losses at the All-Star break. They were number one in the league. Number one. Number one.

You, you know what? You, this is personal for you. What did Oklahoma City ever do to you? Because I, yeah, you got some mean tweets once upon a time. No. No. But that is not, that is not licensed to act irrationally. Look, for the, because every, I'm not in here, every year telling you Memphis is going to win.

In fact, this year, I would tell you, they are in big trouble if they are in big trouble if they draw the wrong team in the first round. Of course they are. But what I am also telling you is when I talk about teams needing to get their playoffs scars and veteran teams win in the NBA, and that is just always thrown aside. And then every year it comes to pass, every year, teams that you would not, Dallas was not nearly as good as Oklahoma City last year. In the regular season before the trades.

Right. And then they had the playoffs. and then it was a different world. And all I'm telling you is it's a different world once you get to the playoffs and there's a bunch of guys that have been through it and they've got 50, 60, 70, 80 playoff games under their belt in some cases. It's a totally different sport once you get to the playoffs. So the idea that I discount them is only because of their youth.

They are amazing, amazing. They're an amazing basketball team where I was a few civisive, in my praise earlier in the week about them. After I saw them in person down three of their best players and they boat race Memphis. Two nights ago they started the fourth quarter with a

24 to nothing run. I'm with you. Two nights ago. They play hard every single night. I mean they play hard every single night. That's ridiculous. We'll get to the playoffs. Nightmare scenario. Kyrie Irving and Anthony Davis,

nightmare scenario. There are some teams that are uniquely a problem for other teams. It happened two years ago. Memphis was the two seed and they played against the Lakers. That's who they drew. And it was uniquely a problem for them. They could have drawn one of the other teams and been fine. But they drew the Lakers and they got drilled.

They were the two seed all year. You would think people would listen to me as someone who's rooted for a two seed three of the last four years. I know the way this goes. But they're different. They're different. They're different. They're different. They're different than the last 75 years of NBA history. I get it. I just, I'm the only one that's telling you,

watch out. Watch out. Nightmare scenario. Nightmare scenario for the thunder. Oh, my God. To draw Dallas? Oh, nightmare. Oh, God. Nightmare. That's a night. Okay. With a healthy Davis.

Oh. Okay. why can't they beat them then why can't they beat them we'll see okay Kevin Durant Zion Williamson Joel Embed are all playing their last seasons with their respective teams and not only that it's going to be no out loud

it's going to be discussed it's already being discussed with Durant Wendy had a report it's going to be known out loud that those three players, star players, are playing their last team's last season with their team. Is Embed retiring? I mean, because that's your only chance at that. Someone will take his contract.

No. Somebody will take his contract. No. Dude, the extension. Did Luca Dodgers got traded a week ago. No. For Max Christy. The extension hasn't even kicked in on the MB thing.

No way. Someone will take the contract. No. That's one I actually, you've broken me. Max Christy got traded for Luca Donchish two weeks ago. No. He's got. But he's playable.

Like, okay, fine, he's a little chubby. He can play basketball. Like, if M.B., you're, you can't sign up for the next five years, Joel Abed. Come on. Somebody will. No way. Somebody will. I think he is no way.

Where's Katie going? Where's Katie going next year? I have no idea. I can't even think of it. I can't even like think of it hypothetically. Have you noticed that these these young teams? There's been articles that have come out about it. Two of the teams that were rumored about them both like kiss the ring.

You had Memphis kissed the ring the night that he scored his 30,000 points. And John Moran gives him this big hug and whatever. Oh, right. And then you have Houston. And he's like, I don't even want the ball, bro. I know. I know. And then you had Houston as well.

Houston was another team. Those like kissing the ring and whatever. And so. So Memphis is a young team. You said young team. So Memphis is a young team. What planet are you on? Okay.

No, because you were talking about how veteran teams win in the playoffs and you're so high on Memphis. We're just making sure we're on the same page. What? When did I tell you I was high on Memphis's playoff? Folks. When?

When did that happen? Never. Never. We text all the time. And then you come on this pod and you're like, act like I'm Mr. Homer. And you know very well. We just had a discussion. My team can't beat good teams.

Your team can't beat good teams. So where do you get that I think they're going to win a title? Overtime against the Hawks a couple nights ago. We start two rookies in Memphis. We're not winning anything starting two rookies. is the only prayer I'm praying Vince Williams

can become the starting small forward that's where I'm at that's where I'm at if you wondered that's tough right next one

okay I'll do this because you just did players that were last seeing it's the last time you're going to see these guys on the sidelines for their respective teams on the sidelines

coaches tell me when you stop Tell me when I'm wrong. Doc Rivers, Jamal Mosley, Billy Donovan, Nick Nurse. Hold on.

Chris Finch is in jeopardy with new owners. Sacramento probably moves on from Doug Christie. You've been wrong. You've been wrong since like the second. I don't think they'll blame

Putin Holzer and I don't think Willie Green will survive. I think we could have a big turnover. All right. Where am I wrong? Where?

I mean, first of all, it's hard to say right now at this junction, right? Because I just did it. I just did it. It's difficult to say. It's a prediction. It's a prediction. God, Doc? Gone?

Nick Nurse gone? Somebody has to fall on the sword and it's not players. Chris Finch? That's a new owner thing. If they go to the West finals and then get bounced early in the playoffs, That's what happened last year. It's possible. All of that's possible.

I think, but I think it's like a, it's one of those bets that you don't want to parlay. You know what I mean? It's like, I would make all those bets individually. I wouldn't parlay those together. And let me just say,

I think all these guys are good basketball coaches. I don't think any of them are bad basketball coaches. Some of them are very good basketball coach. Chris Finch is a very good basketball coach. I'm just saying you get new owners that come in. And if you go, from West Finals to not making, you know, not making it to the second round.

A lot of times these teams, you know, that's the easiest thing to switch out. I would say that I'd say Willie Green is an unproven head basketball coach, but like it's hard to blame Willie Green for what's happening in the world. It's hard to blame Nick Nurse. It's hard to blame Billy Donovan.

It's hard to blame, frankly, most of these guys. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Doc Rivers, like, I mean, eh, man. mostly they'll do the we need somebody to unlock the offense that's what they'll try to do with that probably i got one for you all right toronto rafters make the plan that is insane no it's like truly insane i told you as we get further around in the pod the predictions will get spicier toronto you already made me blow my wad with the okay c nightmare so my heart's

So just like, let me hear me out. Hear me out. They've been playing well lately, right? I don't think like NBA fans are locked on Raptors games, which is totally fine. But they've been playing well lately and they're healthy. And I thought this was a Cooper flag team. I did. I was like, this is a Cooper flag team.

But they trade for Brandon Ingram and then give them an extension. They're trying to win games. they got some work to do. They're mad at Kristen Thompson. Five games out in the last column away from being in the playing. But of late, the Raptors have been playing inspired basketball

and I think the addition of Brandon Ingram and the indication that they obviously are going to keep them for years, they have no interest of just sort of bottoming out. So I, I think this was another one of the, this was like, Oh, can I finish this point for a second? I'm sorry, interrupt you, sir. The Bulls are in front of them. The Sixers are in front of them.

Correct. This is not so much a bet on the Raptors as it is against the Sixers and the Bulls. Okay. So I actually had. as an addendum to my nightmare scenario for Oklahoma City, Dallas gets eight, is it could very well happen in the East as well. Oh,

the nightmare scenario for Cleveland is that Philly. Philly, yeah. And Penn wins two games and now they're, that literally, that happened last year to the Knicks and it was not a nightmare. That happened last year's the Knicks. I understand.

The Knicks are, they're not Philly. I mean, I'm sorry, they're not Cleveland. No. Cleveland is still a guy. Darius Garland's been in a couple playoff games. Evan Mowley's been in a couple playoff games. Jared Allen literally said the stage was too big for us the last time.

Two years ago. Yeah. I mean, like they. I mean, Donovan Mitchell has, you know, if they have Joe L.M. Bid available for a first, round playoff series. That's a bad. I mean, that's a bad thing.

I have, I have absolutely no. No fear or hopes. I'm so done with the Sixers. Oh, you're done. Paul George had two points two nights ago. Maxie had five points. Maxie played 34 minutes and had five points Monday night. My last one is a light one.

So the light one. Donovan Klingin is going to be the rookie we talk about the most in the last 30 games. How do I end the pod? Do I say close out this browser window? What? Seriously, producer Jesse, like, how does this work? Can I just end it now?

You don't like Donovan Klingin? Donovan Klingin's going to be the rookie we talk about the most? The last 30 games of the season. So now they finally got bum-ass DeAndre Aitin out of the way by version. He was on fire when he got hurt. He was on fire. I don't care. Lighting up the league, leading the Blazers on a win streak.

They let Donovan Klinga play against Denver twice. The first night, in 20 minutes, he had 20 points in, 21 points at seven rebounds. Then he comes back against Denver. They play him 31 minutes, 17 points, 20 rebounds. Look, this rookie class has stunk. And there's like an opening here. If he plays out of his mind and has a bunch of awesome games, the last 27 games of the season.

I promise you, who has had, like, stellar big night that have gotten us excited this year from rookies? Not many. There's not many. I mean, recently I had a night like two months ago. I think Castle would be my guy that I would look at. He is the guy. He is.

I think Castle would be the guy to look at because I think the Spurs with the addition of Fox are going to make some noise. And they'll just be in the conversation of the playoffs playing and whatnot. So I think that Castle will be disgust. Remember, you said disgust. Castle will be discussed way more than Klingan because they're not even going to be touching the- Klingan's going to have the biggest knights of any of the rookies.

I mean- I think that was a foreshadowing of what's going to take place these last 25-gap. I do. Not 17 and 20. But I'm saying like big nights where we're like, what the hell? This rookie in Portland is getting these crazy stat lines.

lines. Okay. It's okay to be wrong. You know what I mean? What are I wrong about? This is not. I don't think we've even mentioned Klingin on this pod. He hasn't been playing.

I don't think we've mentioned him. And he hasn't been playing. He hasn't been playing. If he's going to get to, if DeAndre Aiton's out for a month, this guy's going to play every night. You're going to be on to Kling Kong. You're going to be on to it.

Oh, I like Kling. You're going to love it. I do like this guy is good, man. He's good and we need an awesome rookie. We're starving for somebody to have a couple of quick hitters for you. Let me hear it. The Houston Rockets' free fall just continues through the end of the season. No way.

They just need Van Fleet back. That's all. It's going to continue through the end of the season. No way. No way. That's no. I don't think it's a Van Fleet problem. No.

Now, you could say Van Bleet getting hurt should not have a, had this profound an effect on them, but it has. It has. They looked like an AAU team before Van Bleet was there, and they look like it again when he's been out. Yeah. They don't pass the ball. Whoever's got the ball, you know, it's just, it's been a mess.

They need an organizer, an adult. Let me try another one on you then. Yeah. How dare you? I love Houston. I think they're fun. I think they're fun too. And they play.

They defend every night. They just, they need him back. They need him back. All right, here's another one. Okay. The honeymoon is going to end. Uh-oh. For who?

Draymond Green, Jimmy Butler, problems. There's going to be some real, like, alpha male versus alpha male energy that is going to blow up on camera during a game towards the end of the warrior season. Right now, everything's great. We're two dogs. Two competitive guys that play defense on the same page. He told Steph, oh, now we got one last run because we got Jimmy. You saw that quote.

I know you did. Everyone saw that quote. I think that the honeymoon is going to end. It's going to be like the real world. I watch a lot of real world where everyone's friends for the first two weeks. We're all hanging out together. We're best buddies. But then on episode 14, like they're all fist fighting naked.

in the kitchen, that's what's going to happen to the warriors. Fis fighting naked in the kitchen. Here's the real question. Do you think he crapped his pants? Yes, he did. I don't know what the hell that was. You know what? I'm going to give him the benefit of the doubt.

Did not crap his pants, sat on something on the bench. Wait. Did you just literally change your opinion with in a sentence? Have you met me? Have you met me? Have you met me? And you said, yes. He crapped his pants.

Wait, no. I'm going to say he said. Yes, because I've been thinking about this all day. Honestly, I was like, I was like, Verno is a serious journalist. I'm not going to bring up the fact that Jimmy Butler crapped his pants. I was like, Verno is a respected basketball thinker. I'm not going to bring up the fact that Jimmy Butler crapped his pants in white shorts

during a basketball contest yesterday because I respect for the mismatch listeners. And Kevin O'Connor would never, okay? Okay, but I have to say. It was something happened. I tweeted it out because it elicited maybe my favorite headline of the year from TMZ Sports, where it said Jimmy Butler has stained on back of his pants, comma, fans suspect poo. Like P-O-O? Yes. Yes.

Fans suspect poo. And then it had like. like a he had like a list of like all these like tweets and people saying like oh my God Jimmy Butler Cramp Was Paul Pierce mentioned?

Not mentioned. Oh yeah there were there were pictures There must have been the wheelchair or whatever Yeah yeah yeah There's no way right There's no way it was actually No I don't think so

No We would smell I mean it would just be so rank If it would smell horrible horrible Yeah. I mean, it also was there's a large real estate stain. Like that wasn't like a little spotting. But it is. I also have a very tough time with the, I have a tough time with the how could that. It's a very unique spot to have a stain. I was thinking. So the only thing I've, I've been thinking about this all day long. It's kind of like when you piss on yourself and then you have to say I spilled my water. That's not happened to me That's never happened to you

The two things Number one, I've been thinking about this all day And I came to the conclusion that he sat on something on the bench Okay Because if that actually happened What? Right What could he have sat on that was like brownish yellow?

That's an interesting question, Chris Maybe like a nutrition bar. Yeah, I don't have a solid answer for that one The guy behind him had like a zen in was like spitting on this thing. Or like a power bar? Yeah. I don't tell a quick personal story since we're sharing.

I was watching the World Cup final at my great friend Zoe's house. And she was making espresso martines. And I had two. And I had a great time. And my wife went somewhere else. And I was walking to my favorite Vietnamese restaurant. And it just happened, bro. No.

It happened right out. the restaurant. You crap your pants outside the restaurant? Like I was literally like 15 yards away from the toilet in the restaurant and I'm standing on the middle of the street in New York City and it just

it just, it just happened. It wasn't like a little bit. It just happened. I'm talking like a major situation. Wait. The espresso martini brought this a point? I think so. I don't know what else it was but it was like the, I can't

express the volume of what was now in my pants. It wasn't like a little bit. Oh, go on. So I go to the restaurant and I go to the bathroom. I do everything I can to clean it up, right? And I can't even eat at the restaurant. I can't even look at anybody that works there. I just leave, right?

My favorite Vietnamese restaurant. Shout to Natrang on Baxter Street. When was this? If you say last week, I swear to the World Cup Finals. Wait, like two years? Yes, yes. This is within the last two years. So no matter how much you clean it up,

like there's still some residual funk going on. So I get on the subway train. Oh, no. The Q train. And there's a guy that recognizes me on the Q train. And he comes over. No. And he doesn't just like give me a pound.

He sits next to me. I'm on the train. So I'm kind of stuck. I'm not like walking down the street being like, hey, I'm late for a thing. I'm on the phone or whatever. So now I'm covered in feces, talking to this guy and he's asking me questions about like the NBA.

In fairness, you just blend in on the subway. Yeah, but then he's like, and then this guy's like, it stinks in here, right? I'm like, it's crazy. You know how many times that guy's told that story to people? He's like, well, he doesn't know that I pooped my pants. He thinks someone else did. He for sure knew.

You think he knows? Yeah, he for sure knew that you were the culprit. And there's no one that loves this story more than my children. My children, they're like, tell me again, Dad, about the time you pooped yourself. Oh, no. But I will say this, those are some good espresso martinis. It's a fabulous cocktail. You want to talk about talking me out of something.

If anybody ever offers me one of those, I'm never going to promise. You know what? That's what happened. Someone spilled an espresso martini. Jimmy Butler sat on it. That's what happened. In fairness, in fairness, what do we know about Jimmy Butler?

Loves coffee. Which makes you crap your pants. He might have crapped his fans. I think this actually feeds into the, he possibly crapped his pants. I, if the thing is, like, Jimmy Butler is one of, Jimmy Butler and Anthony Edwards

and Jordan Poole are the three basketball players that would admit that they craft. their pants. I don't agree with that. If Jimmy Butler, I think, would just admit it. Like, yeah, dude, that's how hard I play. That's how hard I go. I don't think anybody would admit it.

He will. I think Paul Pierce admitted it when he didn't even do it. How did Kevin Love not Instagram about this? That's a great, that's a great, you're a brilliant mind. I mean, Kevin Love has been chronicling every Jimmy Butler move. Every single thing. Yeah. And then he pulls his.

styling on this? And then he poos his pants. I mean, what kind of, what kind of odds could you have gotten that Jimmy Butler poohs his pants before Pat Riley? I love the idea of like, because you know, like the people here at the ringer are like so serious about like the articles they write and put up and they can pour over words and grammar and things of that nature.

I love the idea of the TMZ editor being like, we can't put crap in the headline. And they're like, all right, what about feces? Like, that's too scientific. Let's go with poo.

P-O-O. What about poop? Should be poop or poo? Let's go with poo. No pee. P-O-O. Fans suspect poo. Pooh.

You think him and Drey. You think Jimmy Butler pooped himself in the game last night, two nights ago. I mean, I have, if my options or that happened or he sat on something, I think I have to go with that option. Yeah. I think I suspect poo as well. The white uniforms are a tough look for him, man. Really tough. God, we couldn't, we couldn't have been in the city edition.

Well, Andy got the charge on Kyrie. Yeah. Right? Yeah. Kyrie got the charge. Kyrie might not have gotten this way for me. Carrey drew the charge. Yep.

All right. We're headed to All-Star weekend. Hopefully everything turns out. We're both very hopeful about this being entertaining. We're not going to have a show next Tuesday, but we'll be back a week from today. Thank you to our executive producer, Jesse Lope. as always and Jacoby. I'll talk to you next week. That's right.

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