The Mismatch - Bucks Beat Down the Heat in Third Straight Win. Plus: Lakers and Nuggets Win Their Game 3s, and the Clippers Are Wretched

Episode Date: May 28, 2021

Verno and KOC get together after Thursday night’s slate of playoff games to discuss the Bucks’ beatdown of the Heat to go up 3-0 (0:30), the Lakers’ defeat of the overheated Suns to go up 2-1 (19:15), and the Nuggets’ victory over the Trail Blazers to go up 2-1 (37:36). Then they get into the Clippers’ wretched performance this postseason (45:30), Ja Morant's incredible 47-point game Wednesday night (1:03:35), and the Knicks-Hawks series (1:16:05). Hosts: Chris Vernon and Kevin O’Connor Associate Producer: Sasha Ashall Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

On R2C2, Cecee Sabathia and Ryan Rucco guide listeners through everything going on in the MLB, NBA, and NFL. They also talk to friends, athletes, and celebrities about the world of sports, and much more. Check out R2C2 with CCCet and Rian and Ryan Rucco on Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts. Welcome to The Mismatch. I'm Chris Varnan and joining me see does every Friday from the Ringer.com. It's Kevin O'Connor, A.K. Kevin O. O. Palmer, A.K. Kevin O. O. Cameron. Kevin O. O. Kavanaugh. What a up? So we are actually recording on a late Thursday night as there were three games.

We're going to start with the games that took place tonight and we'll just kind of go in order. The first game of the night was the Milwaukee Bucks versus the Miami Heat. And if we thought, if we bought in to the old adage that a series does not start until a home team loses, well, the series started. the series

And it's over. Yeah, and wow, that was quick. Right? And it might have ended in the same night. Because that was an ass beating by the Milwaukee Bucks. And for them to go in after, even if you just wanted a very competitive game one, down to the wire, they shot fireballs in game two, you know, just couldn't miss. Bryn Forbes is like something out of NBA Jam.

in that first half and it just felt like everything was going right. But it's a different story when you have to go to the other teams, Home Arena, a team and an organization that has shown over the years a lot of fight, the heat culture, a lot of pride, and for the bucks to go in there and bury them in the way that they did, giving up 36 points in the first. half of that game and really setting a tone was mega impressive. Last year in the bubble, the heat with a tougher, grittier, meaner team. They had that chip on their shoulder.

They were the tougher team this season. The bucks after adding Drew Holiday, after trading for PJ Tucker and even having Bobby Porter's now coming off your bench, guys who were tough players. It feels like the whole personality of this Bucks team is so different than what we saw last year in the bubble all of last season. The Bucks now have become that tougher, meaner, grittier team. And like you see what it's all turned into. Yannis slightly better than he was last season on the offensive end of the floor. Now has the support around him on the defensive end.

I can't wait till Bucks nets, Chris. I'll tell you what. I mean, the Bucks are, they have officially locked. in. Like, they have reached a level where they look like a championship team, the level that they're playing at now, what they're doing against the heat before the series, didn't we say, well, depending on what they do against Miami, we'll define how we feel against Brooklyn or how they might do against Philadelphia. Well, check, check, check, check every single box. I mean, Kevin, this was going to be a gauntlet, right? Their track.

It's supposed to be. If they are able to get to the NBA finals, they're going to have to climb the steepest mountain. They're going to beat the heat. They're going to beat the heat. got to beat the net, they got to be Philly, right? That's what we thought coming into this. And, you know, in terms of how they've performed in this first series and what they've done against the heat, is interesting you brought up about how they've changed this year. Because I went back and looked up. You know, Janus got hurt. I think you played 11 minutes, if I've got that right, like about in game four of that series. But Miami won the first three games of that series. And then they had that one game. Middleton had like 36 and then they got wiped out in in five games.

But I went back and looked at how much different these teams are. And it was fascinating because even in a year's time, you forget. And so the big swaps are obviously Bledso for Holiday, which is a-time upgrade. It's a massive, it is a massive upgrade. Also, they've swapped that West Matthews started for them last year, and now that role is Devincienzos. He's been starting for them this year. But then you look at what they brought off the bench in that Heat series. George Hill, end of the line. Marvin Williams retired. Kyle Corver retired. And Pat Conantton. And that was their guys. This year, as you mentioned,

Bobby Ford is Bryn Forbes, who's knocking down shots in this series. He's a spark plug. Yeah, good again. Good again for them tonight, you know, playing a role. Not getting just attacked on defense every time down the court. And he might. You might not be able to play him in a Brooklyn series. Who knows?

Yeah. But PJ Tucker, as you mentioned, and Pat Conninton. Like, those are the guys. So it's the difference between having, you know, I mean, literally three of the George Hill is still in the league. the other two guys They were tired. They're really, like they don't even play basketball anymore.

They're not even professional basketball player. Like they're not, it was really the end. And so the upgrade on the roster, the starting lineup and the bench, it's just a totally different deal. And they did that on the fly. And I think it kind of skated by us

how much better they are, one through nine. not just Holiday. It's one through nine because that bench is so much better. The difference between those guys and on the other side, you know, I went to go look like how much, you know, the heat feel pretty well the same. But it's a big downgrade from Crowder to Areza.

I mean, you see how much Jay Crowder plays for that Phoenix team that's very good this year. And, you know, the other guys are pretty much the same. And then last year, off the bench, you know, Hero and Nunn still played. Iguodala played. But, you know, he's not even Andre Aguadalla that they had last year. And they had Kelly Olinic who actually played real minutes for them. And this year, it's Bealita discarded by the Kings,

Deadman discarded by the Kings. And Iguidala, who's a year older. And they're not as good, right? and hero clearly not the player that he was last year. You can come up with a myriad of reasons. You know, obviously you're going to get more attention this year after you have that good of a rookie year and a playoffs. Probably easier for a 21-year-old good-looking guy

that has Jack Harlow singing songs about him to play in a bubble than it is Miami Beach, I would imagine. I don't know. That's what I would think. probably a few more distractions. But he just wasn't the player that he was last year during their playoff run and then even in the final. Sure. You know, this is, it's crazy how much a year changes this series.

I mean, they got wiped out a year ago. And this year, the books are killing them. And I'll tell you what, like we're listening everything about the players. You have to give credit where credit is due to Mike Boodenholzer and the Bucks coaching staff. You just have to give it. In this series against the Miami Heat, they are performing an elite level on the things that they tried throughout the regular season. They're switching 20% of on-ball screens set by the Miami Heat. They're switching 25% of dribble handoffs that the Miami Heat are running last year and their series, it was all drop coverage with Brooke Lopez and the heat

just shredded them. Different teams, different situations, but the way in which they're mixing in their coverages and doing different things at different times, the way in which even on the offensive end, they're targeting defenders on Miami. They're going at Duncan Robinson, at Tyler Hero, at their weak of defenders in moments where it makes sense to do. On both ends of the floor, the bucks looks like a prepared team ready to adapt depending on what the circumstances are in the game. And that overall, the system that they've implemented throughout the year is benefiting these great players that they have. I mean, I know you and I have. I've gone. added over Brooke Lopez over the years, but he's having an amazing series. He has been dominant

on the defensive end of the floor. And that's partially because of what Milwaukee is doing with him, around him, with this whole unit. It's a, it's a heck of a lot of fun to watch. And, you know, you can pull that off defensively because you have now, you got a bunch of dogs on that team. You know, Holiday is a dog Tucker, Portis. PJ Tucker, man. Portis gets these crazy eyes at these guys. I mean, Portiz's his, remember he was, like, I remember that old story we talked about where he was like, I had bidsed somebody slapped my mom in the face or something before I go out there. This guy, this guy's got a real story. Listen to the listeners who don't know about that. That's a real thing. He's got a tinge crazy in him. Well, God, he broke his teammates' face.

Remember that in Chicago? Yeah. Like, I mean, Bobby Porters is not to be trifled with. And like, he's a guy, he's a guy, like, effort has never been a question with him. Yeah. Earlier in his career was just he was on. some losing teams. And also it was about like any young big learning and getting to read the defense. He's been really good with the box. Oh, yeah. Yeah.

And he's in a perfect role for him. Coming off the bench. Bringing energy. I love it. I love seeing Bobby Poros in that role. It's perfect. And I actually, I was talking to Tim Bontemps from ESPN yesterday. And I told him, I said, I'm stealing that bond temps.

I say, because this is a good point. We were talking about that series and he was talking about game one. of that. And he said, I don't think it can be oversold how important that was, that they came out the victors when things got dicey down the stretch in that game. He said, because, you know, if they lose that game, it's Yon, you can't win with Yonis being your best guy and then fouling him like they did down the stretch and him going two for six from the line. Bud doesn't make the adjustments. Here we go again.

Better team, but they are deficient on the sidelines. Their coach kick it. And he said it's going to be two and a half days of that. And that's all you're going to hear. And I do think that there's part of it where it's like psychologically that once you got that when you saw how much more losing. and free and shooting in game two. It's like a grand piano came off of your back.

And you juxtapose that versus the clippers, and they don't. And so now after game one, the grand piano is on your back. And then you get the game two, and now it's two grand pianos, right? Because if the bucks lose that first game, it's here we go. again. Yep. Playoffs. We disappointed last year.

This team and the other team gets so much confidence going forward. And it's almost like it turned the tide because these last two games have just been thorough beatdown. Yes. You know? And I do buy that. I buy that psychologically they got over that hump. Once they won that game, once they won that game. Well, you know, alternate universe, if they lose game one, it's very possible that they win the next four, right?

Like, they could have won in. That could happen. But from the universe that we're in and the games we're watching, it certainly does seem like watching this Bucks team, they are playing a loose, free flowing, confident game on both ends of the floor. And that's true for the players on the court, true for the decisions that the coaching staff is making. The Bucks look like a legit championship contender. and all season long, they have said openly, we're using the regular season to experiment. We're trying out new things. We're putting guys in the dunker spot on offense.

We're switching screens on defense, even sometimes when we shouldn't do it. We're having Brooke Lopez switch onto Kevin Porter, Jr. And have them drop 50 points. Like, because they're just putting Brooke Lopez into situations on a wing. They were using the season to experiment while all that experimentation against the big bad Miami heat is working and they are pummeling them. And I cannot wait. We're going to have way more time to talk about what a Bucks net series will look like. I can't wait to talk about that because the Bucks on paper have what you need to slow down the nets

or at least make it tough for them on the offensive end of floor and make it hell for them when they're on defense. So I can't wait until that time whenever it comes next week because that Nets Celtic series won't last long either. Yeah, it's just impossible not to look ahead and think about that, especially after we saw, you know, we were, thank God, you know, at the end of the season, you didn't really know, even on national TV games, what kind of product you were going to be getting, who is going to be sitting out, who wasn't. But we got that game late in the year where Janice went crazy and Durant went crazy simultaneously. And we all watched that game and thought, I mean, these guys were approaching 50. Both of them were. And you're watching that game and you're going, oh boy, I mean, if you got seven of this, them going,

back and forth because, I mean, this would just be, this is what you dream of. It really, honestly, is what you dream of is a series like that. One more thing on the heat thing, you know, like you were talking about how, how loose they ended up, or the Bucks ended up being after they got that game one win and how they have just been so good. it there was part of me and it might end up just being foolishness. But I can't help but think about that whole thing that went on with Jimmy Butler that tried to get, you know, swept the way so quickly.

You know, Shams Sharania comes out and he has this report that, you know, he's hearing from sources in the heat that there have been some very, very testy moments. with Jimmy Butler and the coaching staff in Miami. And the reason that that was significant is because, obviously, it's not as if everything has been incredibly smooth between Jimmy Butler and the teams that he's been on before. But his agent very publicly comes out on Twitter and says, shut the F up, you click bait, ambulance chasing, dirt bag, piece of is.

No one has told you this because it's not reality. Go find someone's assistant to text about an MRI or some human calamity you want to be first on. We're good over here. I mean, Bernard Lee. That was Bernie Lee who tweeted that? I didn't see the actual tweet from him. I guess I must be living under Iraq.

And it was like, oh my God. A busy guy daytime. Yeah. And as I was watching that. I mean, as I was watching that unfold. 1K retweets. And then you fast forward, you know? and it's like, geez, man.

Like, I mean, look, Shams heard that from somebody. He's not reporting that for funzies, you know. Shams doesn't make stuff up. And I don't know what the problem is with Bernie Lee and with Shams. There's obviously something else there. A lot of people have problems with reporters. A lot of people do. Right.

And so there, but this is, it's obviously not just about that. You don't react that way in a very public. way if it's just about that, right? Like, they obviously have something else going on there. Regardless of what happened, like Jimmy Butler, like, I'm sure there were arguments, whether they were serious or not. I don't know. I have no idea. I'm not plugged into that situation. What I do now is this, is that the Miami Heat had an opportunity to trade for Kyle Lowry. They're unwilling to put Tyler Hero, they're young, you know, had his great bubble around everything on the table for Kyle Lowry, who's in his mid-30s. And I get that. And I'll tell you what.

they might have made the right choice not to go for Kyle Lowry because I don't think he was swinging this series against the bucks and giving all that up for a guy in his mid-30s just for maybe a slightly better chance than a series against the bucks or the nets or the Sixers. I don't think it would have been enough. And I think for the Miami Heat, they probably made the right choice not to go for that exact reason. With that said, though, you do have Jimmy Baller who's ready to win and compete for championships. You do have Bamabio who's young and getting better every year. It's a really tough position to be for the Miami Heat because you do want to go on and compete, especially after you just made the finals. On the other hand, though, it feels like this team has officially,

we saw it over the course of the full season, but officially now has slid back into a tier or two below these other top contenders in the East. And not only that, we see what the Hawks and the Knicks are getting better. we see other teams that have younger talent as well that could be that could surpass them in the rankings in terms of who's competing for championships it's a weird spot for the heat if you're looking to head to the off season and i wonder how jimmy i wonder what jimmy butler wants i wonder what he wants i wonder what he wants the superstar in l i bet he does i bet the guy you know and also i bet jimmy butler is the biggest mavericks fan on earth right now I bet he puts on an old dark jersey and cheers it during the games. Yeah. I wonder why that is. Certain guy.

Yeah. The claw. Yeah. I mean, he might be available. And people have already connected that. You know, they're already talking about Miami.

There's already those rumblings about Kauai with the Knicks or the heat. We'll see what happens. There is a lot of time for that chatter. We'll see. Who knows? All right, Kiv. The next game of the night, was the Lakers and the Sons.

And this game, like, my overwhelming thought after watching that game was discontent in the sense that this series is just not going to be able to be what this series could have been.

They don't have Chris Paul. I really feel like, if Paul was himself, this is a different deal. You know, maybe the Lakers still win game three, but you just know the way the suns function. And I got to tell you, after watching it, I thought, boy, if they had like the full version of Chris Paul, they would have a chance because the Lakers still,

there are five minutes spurt where they, look great. Five minutes, though. And then the next five minutes, they won't score. You know, towards the end of that game, they let Cameron Payne go on this 9-0 run by himself. Like, they could have just worn that team out the rest of the way. But instead, they just kind of screw around for five minutes. You know, you get to the end of the game and it's shrewder, shrewder, shrewder, shrewder. And Phoenix obviously gets super upset at the end of the game. But I don't know how you felt.

But I just thought when that game got done, I felt like you always hate when injuries rob us of possible entertainment. And I just feel like this series could have been so much more entertaining than it's going to end up being because Chris is obviously nowhere near right. And, you know, that's probably. probably going to be the deal the rest of the way in this series. It's hard to imagine

he's going to be. There's no way. No way it changes dramatically. He had those two early mid-range jumpers he had in the first quarter and you're like, ooh, Chris Paul looking more like Chris Paul. And then the more you watch the game, the more you see he can't lift his arms above his shoulders. It's just like he's not

himself. And I picked the Lakers to win the series in seven. without Chris Paul looking like the Chris Paul we saw all dang season long. This is going to likely be over a lot sooner. And that's a, that's a damn shame, dude, because this son's team, what a story for them to turn into the, the team that they have being a two seed. What a story. This series that DeAndre Aiton has been their best player. But when DeAndre Aiton and Cameron Payne were your best players tonight, you're not going to win.

any games. Chris Paul is not himself all serious long. Like you just said, Devin Booker tonight, six for 19 from the field, 19 points had the dumb play at the end. I thought in the first half, he had some serious defensive mistakes, some lapses where he lost track of his guy. The one that comes to mind was the LeBron James passed to a cutting Alex Caruso. Booker just fell asleep end of the quarter. You can't have lapses like that against the Lakers or you're dead. And, you know, and then, and then, and then, Composure completely at the end. It felt like, I mean, you say like the Lakers have these stretches where they, you know,

get going and out and they, you know, stop trying or whatever or the offense gets sluggish. It was the fourth quarter. They had a lead. I'm not too worried about that. To me, I came away from this tonight feeling the Lakers reminded everybody why they are still the championship favorites. Their defenses is suffocating. It makes life hell for you.

Every possession on that end of the floor. They are so tough. And when they're so like, their defense. offense always will keep them in games. And when their offense goes through that, you know, those dry spells and whatnot, when they're on, there's no beating them. There's no beating the Lakers when they're clicking on both ends of the floor. And they're always clicking on defense.

It's when their offense is clicking, you can't stop them. But I thought tonight, you know, we'll see how the rest of the series plays out. But I felt Booker's limitations were put on display. The area is for improvement. He is somebody who isn't yet a great shooter off the dribble from three. see it across the playoffs. We see Damien Lurd. We see Donovan Mitchell, who's gotten a lot better at it. Obviously, Steph is out right now. Trey's in Atlanta, you know, Atlanta doing great things against the Knicks. These guys that can hit pull-up threes from deep behind the York, Devin Booker doesn't have that

yet in his game. And I felt tonight there were a lot of times he was driving into the lane into a contested shot from mid-range where it's like, man, I wish he could extend to three. And I think that's the next step for his game like we've touched on throughout the week and I did in my video for the void about bam out of bio with him needing to be more of a scorer for the sons another young team that has hopes for booker it's extending your range and that would help the phoenix sons a lot when it comes to these future battles against tough western conference opponents because right now they just they looked like the younger team didn't they yeah not having not having chris there obviously has a profound effect um on booker i mean and the other thing is

with Booker. And this is true of a lot of players that have to go through this for the first time. Like, you know, we always talk about playoff scars. These are his first playoff scars. Well, guess what? Now, he did so much on those dribble handoffs and he just lit the Lakers up in those. And so you saw tonight, the Lakers are like, all right, this ain't doing. This is not what you're doing, right?

We're going to turn, we're going to flip this play around. and, you know, now you have to adjust on the fly. When you have veteran guys on your team and especially veteran great players, now they know, all right, this is what they're doing when I do this. Now this is the way I'm going to attack it, right? And somebody like Booker is the first time through. It's something, you know, this is the downside of getting scouted every single game. Right?

You're scouted every single game. So as the series goes on, a team is progressively going to do things to try to make it more difficult for you, especially if you are, if you're going off. If you're going to drop 30 on the Lakers, you know the Lakers now. When they get into their meeting, they're going, all right, here's how he did it. He ain't doing it that way anymore. And so now if you're Booker, you know, first time through, now you're playing in that game. and it's like, okay, like, now, like, this isn't, this isn't the same type of stuff that they were throwing at me in those earlier games. And so now I've got to, and he'll adjust, he'll adjust.

Of course. It's just, it's a great player. Like, don't get us wrong. Yes, but young players, you can catch them. You know, there's a first time through, you can catch them. And then it's their job to adjust. I mean, we just went through this when we talked about, you know, within the course of a week, not to bring up a sore subject, but with Morant.

They made life hell on Morant in the last game of the season. Maybe one of his worst games I've ever seen in play, honestly. It was a terrible showing. And, you know, inevitably, you get to go back and you get to watch that tape. And you say, okay, this is why my life became hell in that game. Here's what I'm going to do differently the next time. If I get another crack at this, here's what I'm going to do differently. And he comes back and he has 35.

six and six. It wouldn't surprise me if Booker, you know, A, Monty Williams will put him in different positions. And B, you know, I do think, I'm not, I'm not getting excuses for him, especially after it was, that's bull crap at the end of the game. I mean, you can't just be pushing guys while they're in mid-air. That's dangerous. I agree.

He was just totally fed up. Yeah. I thought it was a reflection of just how in his head the Lakers were. Well, and the Crowder thing too. Crowder, I mean, Crowder was frustrated. Crowder was, I mean,

he can't hit a shot. I can't imagine how frustrated he is. He's two for 20 in the series. It's horrible. Is he the streakyest shooter in league history? He can go, he can have 15 for 20 stretches and then two for 20 stretches. Showed up last year.

Back to back games. It's crazy. It showed up last year. You know, the numbers ended up good in the bubble, like 38 and a half percent or something like that. But, I mean, anybody to remember the finals? I mean, he couldn't,

he couldn't eat anything. And by the way, like that's part of it with the Heat Buck series. You know, part of that series was the Crowder was scorching hot. I know. I mean, things would have been different. If he had the two for 20 then, maybe Miami doesn't win the series. And we talk about those teams way differently, way differently than we do.

But, you know, we're seeing the bad side of Jay Crowder right now when he's just not hitting shots. And by the way, LeBron James, that post up he had against Drake Carter just buried him. No, man. Nothing was funnier than the, I don't know if you saw the replay with. Andre Drummond on the sideline mimicking the move as he's doing it. Oh, my God. I mean, the Lakers were having too much fun tonight. And look, you got a team that's going through this for the first time,

and now they're doing it without their best guy. It's a shame. It's just, it's a shame. You know, look, they got screwed having to play the Lakers. It's not like, if we're being fair, it didn't matter who the Lakers were going to play. People were going to pick them. They'd have been the favorite against anybody. Just so happened.

you got the two seed. And so that's who you had to play in the first round. And so that should not be who you have to play in the first round. You should get to have, you know, you should be getting to play a Portland and maybe get a playoff series win, right? But instead, you're probably got to get ousted here, you know, and now maybe quick work is made of you. And you really didn't get the great reps because the level of competition can't be as high.

without Paul there. I feel bad for them. I will say, to your point, Aiton, he's really impressed me. He has really, he's been there for it in these playoffs, you know. He's bringing it, man. That's a big team, you know. That's a big team in the Lakers.

And so for him to perform in the manner that he has, and he's been aggressive, and he has, he's shown moves. He's been really good now. you know, they still, despite the fact that he's been good, they just got, they got crushed on the boards. I mean,

just absolutely mutilated. I don't know what the final number was. What was 50? I'll give you the final numbers. 51 rebounds for the Lakers, the 35 for the Sons, and that includes 15 offensive rebounds for the Lakers in the game. That's just,

I mean, yeah. It's untenable. Yeah, and not to mention, because you're not going to go to the free throw line as much as them. Okay. I'm not saying that that,

that's foul play. I'm saying that's just the way it is. You're not going to go to the free throw light as much as them. And so if you're not going to go to free throw light as much, if you're going to turn it over almost equal times and you're going to get mutilated on the boards, you can't give them 15 extra possessions. You know, it's good enough to get the stop.

You can't try to get the stop twice. Well, I mean, my main thought watching, You mentioned that celebration with Drummond on the bench. One of my main thoughts tonight watching this game, you mentioned how fun the Lakers are having. Their team chemistry is off the charts. The buy-in to the roles. I thought Kyle Kuzman tonight,

two for 12 from the field. What happened to him? What do you mean what happened at him? He had a great game. He had a great game, Chris. He played good defense all night. He was active on the boards. He made smart passes within the flow of the offense.

I'm talking about the scoring. He had made a shot like the whole. whole series. It's always going to be streaky. Kuzma is streaky like we just said with Crowder. Streeky. Kuzma is streaky. But he used to be streaky, which was frustrating because he didn't play defense, because he didn't make a winning impact, because he had blinders on when he drove to the rim. And he has turned himself into a guy who doesn't need to score to make a

winning impact. And I think that deserves appreciation. That's a guy who embraced his role. And that reflects this entire team. Dave McMahon tweeted out how Wesley Matthews hit some big shots. First guy off the bench to congratulate him, Horton Tucker, who Matthews took the minutes. Harold getting DNP CDs in this series. Not playing, despite playing all season long.

He's always up off the bench, cheering his guys on. I just find like this, I love that about this Lakers team. There's buying. There's love for each other. They're playing together. That, to me, is a hallmark quality

and most championship teams across sports, and the Lakers have it. Yeah, there's no question. they, you saw them bouncing around on that sidelines. And I also think that in tonight, it kind of highlighted that just because it's the first time, especially in that span of the third quarter, that's the best they've looked in a long time. Oh, yeah.

It just hasn't, it's been so disjointed, you know. They've looked like a team that you might be able to beat. They looked at the beginning of the series like a team that if they had Chris Paul, you know, this thing, this thing is not going to be easy for them at all. You asked that question on Tuesday. He said, when's the last time we saw the Lakers look great? You know, like the Lakers that we expected. The bubble.

Yeah, well, and that was the moment there in that third quarter. That's, that's the moment where you're like, okay, yeah, this is the Lakers team we're talking about right here and what they can be. And that's because it was LeBron turned that thing up to 11. He did. He turned it up to 11. and they defensively were suffocating. And, you know, you're catching an AD night where he's got 34 and 11. I mean, you got great LeBron and great AD at the same time.

You cannot beat them. I don't give a damn who you are. For that matter, like, you had pretty good Andre Drummond for that matter as well. No, it's some good moments. Mark Gassau, they dusted him off to come hit some threes. Yeah. He came in or he came down to knock down the one. Right?

Yeah. And when the announcer said, Mark a saw for three, I said, Mark a Saul. Let him get some run tonight. Oh, that's nice of them. People saw Ben McElwere get some minutes too for that matter. Yeah, right. Ben McElore. He got in and got up a shot.

He didn't make it. Look, I just, I wish this wasn't so, you know. Yeah, I'm with you. I wish this is different. It's a shame. It sucks. With Chris Paul, it feels like we've seen him in the playoffs so many times last two decades. It seems like over half the time he seems to suffer some type of injury.

It's just, and this is like a bad luck one with the shoulder. This isn't like a weirding tier necessarily. No kidding. It's just so unfortunate, especially for it to happen in a game one. Well, not to mention the two, the teams, like he didn't have the, he didn't have the squad last year, even though they performed ably. Oh, yeah. That Oklahoma City team.

I mean, they performed ably and certainly put a lot of pressure in the playoffs. But they just couldn't like, you know, they didn't have the horses for last year. But the last time we saw him on an awesome team was, in fact, that Houston team. And it's part of that story, you know? Yeah. Yeah, the game. He just wasn't, he wasn't able to go. Yep.

He wasn't able to go. And so it's like, geez, man, he's had, you know, and even like those Clippers teams, he was usually pretty healthy for those, but you had a Blake injury one year. And it just always odd stuff has happened with his different teams. But just, for instance, these last two teams that, like, really might have done something. Like, I mean, really might have done something. For sure. We'll just, we'll never know.

And one of the things that like for Phoenix, I mean, I don't want to say the series is over, but without Chris Paul looking like Chris Paul, it's effectively over. So for Phoenix, I think the one main weakness with their team that was apparent tonight, you touched on earlier with all the offensive boards of the Lakers, they got to find a real backup five. Dario Sarich had a great season until the ankle injury. He has never been the same sense. And now you get Frank Kaminsky playing ahead of him. they get to find a guy who can do what Aiton does behind Aiton, bringing that same toughness.

It's really goofy that they don't. You know, when you see all those guys that were around the league, even if you weren't going to get. Dwayne Deadman's type types you mean? Yeah, or the drum. You weren't going to get the drummins or whatever. I don't know, you might have, but you're not going to get a guy like that. But like, just the DeKemp, Birches, the Gorgie jings, the, you know, these guys, like, they're out there. It's somebody. It's a, it's a body.

They drafted Jalen Smith last year in the lottery with the 10th pick and he's not ready now. I mean, maybe you would hope next season, 610, 2, 225, 230, whatever he is now after his rookie season gaining weight. You'd hope he's ready to step into that role. But even then, he's not necessarily that type of guy that we're talking about. He's more like somebody that you want complimenting. Somebody give me Tough or interior guy Somebody that could get 15 minutes out of

Yeah it's it's tough man I don't I just think Phoenix is close With a healthy crisp ball They're close but they still need some tweaks To really raise it up to an even higher level Yep The other game that took place tonight was the Denver Nuggets beating the Portland Trailblazers

And as I'm watching that game unfold I was thinking back to our conversation That we had on Tuesday regarding this and you chronicled on that show the synergy numbers about how often, oh, I'm sorry, the second spectrum numbers, at how often Yokic was getting the ball in the post versus how often he was getting the ball at the elbow. And as you watch that game unfold tonight, you know, Nurkich can guard him in the post and at least make things difficult one-on-one.

you never saw him down there. He's running that thing at the damn top of the key now, Kiv. Like, I mean, he is just, and now it's like, all right, you're going to play Nerkich. Come on out here. And it's like, you know, again, like you were saying, or like we were just talking about, you get to do these things once, right? So one, for that game, they got to not bring double teams. They got to guard him with Nurkich solo.

They got to, you know, these are the things that you got to do if you're Portland. And then by game two, there's that adjustment. And then by game three, we ain't at the elbow anymore. We're at the damn top of the key. And it's like, all right, come on out here, big fella. And you have to guard him. And now it's like, well, now I've just made this actually what Portland can bring to the table, which is we have a big guy

that takes a lot of pride in this and he can guard you down on the blocks like you can't guard him you can't guard him 25 feet away from the basket you're dead and if you it all starts going right yep and if you don't even if you do have the big guys out there Denver is pulling you out there running those elbow touches

top of the key touches picking pops with yokech bringing the big man out and if you don't have the big in, like late in the game after Nurkich filed out, they get Covington on Yokic, then you are putting Yokic in the post, and you are drawing that double team, and he's kicking it out to Austin Rivers for an open three.

Or it's going around the ark, finding an open guy. Austin Rivers. I mean, Austin Rivers, wow. Everybody would do well to have one, one thousand of the

confidence Austin Rivers has in. I mean, it is just, there are those nights like that. And he came in, I mean, this guy, I don't, I think they said he wasn't even on a roster for two months. And it's like that every year, he's not on a roster for two months. And then he shows up somewhere. And they need him. Because we talked about their extreme lack of guards.

Like, they need him. And he's got what, the four threes. in the fourth quarter. I mean, he's, he's like, yo, let's go Dame.

It's crazy. It's not like they, they weren't just all spot up threes either. No. He had a couple off the dribble. And a big time shots, man. Ludicrous.

It was the guy that I thought Austin Rivers was going to be on a consistent basis out of Duke. Yeah. Well, it's kind of crazy, though, Kep,

when you watch and obviously, this is how do we, you, when and this is this is true of both yokech and it's true of dodgich in that dallas series come on man what is the game plan against these guys you're trying to make life hell on them right theoretically theoretically though you're trying to make things difficult on those guys and yet you get the buy-in these guys all are willing to play off of them they they I am just stunned.

That Mavs roster and this Denver roster, as it is now, no Barton, no Murray, even, it has no business elevating to the place that it is, except that we explain it by how great. We saw LeBron do this for years and years and years, right, with lesser. But you watch those games, and I know that everybody always wants to give credit to the other players, but make no mistake, you take those guys out of the equation. Those are bad teams without those players. And yet with those players, here they are performing at these extreme high levels in playoff basketball. I mean, their ability to elevate, you know, just one guy.

Because they don't really, neither of them have a sidekick right now. Like, you know, I mean, Porter is good. Obviously, Tim Hardaway made a deal with the devil a month ago. Because I don't think he's missed a three cents. Yeah. But really, and Porzingis, who knows what you get? So it's not like, these guys aren't dud players, but the way that those, two in particular are elevating rosters that I don't think have any chance of being nearly

what they are outside of those guys and their greatness. It's crazy. I mean, everything you're touching on, that is, that is what makes a true great. I mean, we use the word great a lot. The word great, we use it a lot. This player is great at this. This player is great at that. But the greats in league history, LeBron James, you mentioned he's been doing. in this for years now. Yokic and Luca right now in these Western Conference playoffs, the way in which

they elevate their teammates and the way in which they just frustrate defenses in the sense that there's nothing you can do, even if you get the ball out of their hands. They have a way to find somebody who's open or create an open shot through like a hockey pass, a secondary assist.

You know, just finding the right person who can jumpstart that possession for you. They have a special gift. man with their ability to create for others and elevate others. And it's just a lot of fun to watch. Like those are those are always the players when I say like don't take LeBron James for granted. Don't take Nicoliochich for granted. Don't take Luca Don'tchich for granted.

Like these guys are on another level. If I am being fair, the defenses in which they are playing are playing a role at this because Portland's defense is disgusting. I mean, it can make it. It can make a lot of thieves look good. Right. So it's awful. I think there's a very real possibility that we look up and the Lakers move on.

And even if Denver moves on, Denver ain't going to look like they look tonight against the Lakers. You know what I'm saying? Nobody does. They are looking like by virtue of playing Portland, they are able to function in the manner that they are with Austin Rivers and Capazzo and these guys out there. You don't get to do that. against L.A., right? It's the difference between one of the worst defensive teams and the best defensive team. So there is a limit to both Yokic and Luca and what they're able to do. The shocking thing on the Luca front is how dismal that defense for the Clippers has been,

which has just been downright shocking. Forget the Luca numbers. These guys, yes, they're hitting threes. They're also walking in to wide open threes. It's an embarrassment. They're not even taking them under duress. You watch it and you're like, bro, this is the playoffs. What are you doing? And there is such a dysfunction and such a, like, I don't understand how you have the record you've had. You've played 72. games and now it's playoff time and you don't have a semblance of structure and who my guys are. It's banana land, honestly. Like, Terrence Mann's not playing in the series.

He's played like the last 20 games of the season, right? Like, he's been apart. He's been playing like 15 minutes in the second half a game too, I think. And that's it. And he played pretty well. It might have been the last 15. Yeah, it might have been. Yeah.

And so it took you three quarters into game two before you even put him in the game. You spent a fortune on Luke Kinnard. He can't get a minute. You got Reggie Jackson and Pat Bev and Marcus Morris as your other three start. I'm not kidding you. I would have, honestly, I would have three different starters than what he has. Now, the Tailu, praise to him, he got the job. But no lie, Kevin.

I'm talking on that roster, I would start Rondo, Carnard, and Debaca. That's who I would wrong. Like, I look at their roster and I go, that's not even, I forget, like, I wouldn't start Reggie Jackson. I wouldn't start any of the three that he is starting if I'm trying to put together who I think my best players are on this team. But what the hell do you give up something? Theoretically, you gave up something for playoff Rondo, right? Like, that's why you gave up something. He was going to be a buyout guy.

You gave up minutes for Terrence, man. You gave him minutes for Luke Kinnard just by getting. And Rondo, like, not taking anything from Rondo. Yeah, but why is he not? Like, and you needed like a voice and you need somebody that's been in the big moments. And it's like, well, then what's the point? Now you're going to make him a backup point guard. So you kind of, you don't have.

that anymore. I was I was texting with the ringers, Isaac Lee, former producer of the show here, about the Clippers recently. And he brought up the smart point and I agree 100% with him. The Clippers have like too many passers, guys who just aren't buckets. Rano's a passer. Beverly's not a score. Reggie Jackson is neither. It's like you just don't have guys in this back court who can get you a bucket. And I mean, Lou Williams, like he fit wise was not great. Defensive liability. It seems like he wasn't the same offensive way within past seasons without Harold. But at least he could get you a bucket.

And it feels like this team lacks those guys. And think about the way in which we just talked about the Lakers. The way we talked about their chemistry and their hustle and their effort, the heart that they play with. This Clippers team lacks all of that. They don't have those hustle players. they don't have that chemistry. They don't have that

cohesiveness playing with each other on the court that it can easily be observed by anybody. It's LeBron. That's LeBron, though. It is a LeBron factor. Regardless of what it is, it's more than just LeBron, though. I think it also is,

you get to have credit to an Alex Caruso, to a Kyle Kuzma for buying in. LeBron or not, you can still say the same thing with the Clippers. Why would you not want to play at that level? I'm saying, LeBron demands that, though, Kiv. I know.

But that's what I'm saying is like you also need to ban that out of yourself though, too. And I think it's partially a personnel thing with the Clippers around Kauai Leonard and Paul George. Kauai's does not demand it out of you like LeBron does. Paul George definitely doesn't demand it out of anybody or himself. So it's a type of thing with this Clippers team is they lack that heart. And that's observable with other teams, but it's not with them. That's the thing where it's like if Kauai and you just accept that he's not. not going to be the vocal guy, even when times get tough.

That's just not his thing. That's where you realize that you need those Kyle Lowry's. You know what I mean? Like that's down that title team, I promise you, there was not, there was not a huddle that you got in. There was not a locker room that you stood in that if something needed to be said, it was left unsaid. Lowry demands excellence.

Yeah. And when I told you the other day, I got a tweet the other day from a guy. I guess he said he could hear me saying this. I guess I said this last year where when they were leaving, when they were losing that series is falling apart against Denver. And I said, the problem is I have this real sense that Kauai goes to the locker room.

He puts on his sweat and he goes home. And that's the end of that. And he'll be there tomorrow and he'll be there for the next game right up. It'll drop 40 again. Yeah, but I mean, but like nobody's, like, nobody's saying anything. Nobody's doing anything. It's just like, all right, you know, it's just like this unsaid frustration that they all feel, but they don't have that voice, that guy.

And, you know, it's very hard for it to be Tailu when, years ago. There was, I covered Hubie Brown. The, uh, and he had been a broadcaster for many, many years, but he came back to coaching. He, he won 50 games, his first year, full season as the coach. And he ran at the time, a 10-man rotation. And there were five guys and it was a 10-man rotation. And it was, he had two five-man units. Like a platoon.

Like, yes. And at the six minute mark, the second unit came in. And there are their downsides to that? There can be. But he had a conviction about this, and he played it. And I'll never forget one of the lessons. I learned so much basketball covering him for the year that I got to. Because one of the things he talked about was at that time, there's 12 guys on the roster.

And he said, okay. He said, so he's got 10. And he said, 10 guys are going to come to the gym every night and they are going to know exactly what is expected of them. They are going to know exactly their role on the team. They're going to know exactly how many minutes they're going to play. All right. And that's the way we're going to do it. And those 10 guys now have the buy-in and they know what is expected of them and they know what they're doing.

And at that time, as I said, the roster's 12. And he said, because he goes, there's going to be two guys and two guys hate me. But those two guys that hate me, they have no audience because I got 10 guys that overwhelm it because 10 guys are happy. They are happy with what's going on with their careers and everything else. And then the two guys, they can be poison, whatever, but it doesn't float because you got 10 guys. And I think about that so many times. Say the Clippers, how many guys drive to the arena knowing what's expected of them? How many guys think, here's what I'm asked to do.

Here's how many minutes I'm going to be playing, you know? And you F with kids' brains. And I say kids, but like sometimes it's grown men. But like take Terrence, man, the hell has he been playing 20 minutes a night for for the last couple of months? I mean, like, and now you just abandon him? you're like as soon as we get to the playoffs and then and then you pull it off and you say you play the last 15 minutes well now and i don't know terence man but i'm just saying if you go into the locker and you're like bro i don't know what the hell's going on here like bro i i was playing and i'm not playing and blah blah blah and well guess what

he has an audience of nine you know if i'm talking about the audience that a disgruntled player on that 10-man rotation team had an audience of one, then they could bitch together. If Terrence Mann says that, there's nine other guys that are going, man, I don't know either. Like,

I thought we was, you know, I thought I was going to be playing this. I don't know why he's playing this guy with this guy. We'd be better off doing this. And nobody's particularly happy. Yeah. With the way stuff's going.

And it's like, I don't understand how you get to the playoffs. And then you get to game two. And then, I mean, I don't, he might just be a bozo. I'm sorry.

Did you hear him after the second game? He's like, oh, well, you know, they hit a lot of threes in this game, but now they got to go home and do it. I'm like,

you think that's going to be harder? You think it's going to be harder? Luca played in his first playoff game ever in Dallas. You think it, now they got to go home and do it? What are you talking about, bro? Like,

I'm like, are you a bozo? Like, I'm having trouble. watching this because I, man, I don't know. I don't know. And we said they were done if they lost those first two. And I do. I think the done. I may regret the hell out of this. But I mean, it's hard for me to fath them win it four out of five. Well, I mean, I'll tell you what, Chris, with the Clippers is very clear watching them on defense. They don't know what they're

supposed to be doing. I mean, the minutes part that I don't think a lot of guys know on court part. I don't think they know either. You know, I look at this team. I said before the series, like the Terrence Mann can be pretty important. Didn't play game one. Didn't play a lot game two. Terrence Man is one of those energy guys, those hustle guys, those player who just improves the vibes on the court for you.

He brings good vibes. It's not there. I'd like to see that inserted for them. I'd like to see Luke Conard get more of an opportunity. I think that the Clippers failed Luke Conard over the season. I don't know, like, how good of a player. he is in LA. We didn't get an opportunity to see it.

I do know the player in Detroit last season was a good player. The numbers aren't bad. And let me tell you this, Kev, this is crazy because this was maybe, it's one of the worst Memphis losses all season. Oh, is that the one Kennard went off? He had his career high. I'm watching that game. I'm watching that game and I'm like, this dude finally plays Luke Conard and he just drops

30 something in this game. And I'm like, this dude is on fire. So this is, this is why. This is why Kinar should be in the rotation because you need a guy who gets you buckets like we talked about earlier. He's a bucket getter. You need to have Terrence man in the rotation because he's a guy who brings that hustle and energy and heart and love for the game to the floor every night. He's unselfish. All these qualities you want in a role player. He got it all. Those two guys need to be in the rotation. And the thing overall this season, I don't get how you give any player,

$64 million over four seasons, $64 million. And then you play them 19 minutes per game, inconsistent minutes, up and down, up and down, all season long. And then you pull the plug in the postseason all just all year long, just to play the vets. Just to play the vets.

You play what's comfortable. Instead of a good. And yeah, instead of investing They're not good Instead of investing development And getting Carnard minutes playing alongside The best players he's ever played with throughout his career I feel like they didn't give it an opportunity

And I think that's a shame Because I think this Clippers team on paper They should not be down too old They're like it's a joke It's a joke Ridic that they're down too oh They are not this bad They're rostered

They're rostered They look dude They have the players on the bench That could do it their best big is Serge Abaka. I don't care what anybody says. He is. He is a little limited right now, health-wise.

He can play. He's limited, limited, but to your point, like, he does have those qualities. Limited Abacca is who I would rather have out there than Marcus Morris or Zubot or whoever you want to run out there. Reggie Jackson could never. You're not a fan. You're not a fan of seeing Zubot switch on the perimeter against Luke. Oh, my God.

You're not a fan of that, Chris? I mean, it's like, it's like I'm watching Shrek in a basketball game. Ridiculous. Well, I mean, unfortunately, like, even Shrek couldn't stop Luca. Like, there's really no defense for Luca. The Clippers, they've failed at executing certain defenses, but they've had moments where they've executed well. There's no defense that they've tried that has come close to looking like it can slow down the Mavericks.

Not a single one. Not one. You can throw Shrek out there with Z. bots it's not going to work they also don't give the effort required yeah you know i mean it's not it's not no it's not well that's because you don't play with the same effing guys ever and sometimes it feels like one one guy in the pick and roll is going for a blitz one guy is trying for a switch and there's all this combulated and then the help defense doesn't know what they're doing everybody's out of position and then boom kp dunk and then boom hard away three and then boom

Luca layup. It's just so happened so fast and this team, this Clippers defense looks like they don't know what they're doing and they're not connected. It's honest, it's like an utter embarrassment. Free Kauai. It's a waste of Kauai. It really is. It's a sad. It's a shame. He dropped 30

points of the damn first half of that game and I was like, oh boy. Yeah. He doesn't want to, he's there for it. And then you look at the end of the game and it's like I mean, just the body, which is so bad.

I mean, it's just, how do you lose that game with your back against a wall like that? And now you got to go to Dallas where Luca's going to get to play in a playoff game in front of his home crowd for the first time ever.

Good luck. Good luck. And one, one quick thing on what I look forward to seeing in game three. This is a stat from Second Spectrum. Patrick Beverly was brought into the pick and roll as the screener 13 times

in game two. that's the most in recorded history that he's been brought in to be like the guys defending the screener because the the mavericks were constantly trying to get Luca switched on to Patrick Beverly who Luca of course called two effing small after game one and then too small during game two I want to see how the clippers respond to that will Beverly even be getting minutes how will they change what they do there will they switch that screen what are they going to on defense. They've had no answers so far. I look forward to

seeing if anything changes in game three because thus far, everything they've done has been an utter absolute failure. I mean, look, your best chance is you just decide, I know the way we've been doing it.

I know you want to be concerned for offense. Kauai. It is, we're not switching anything. You're not leaving him ever. that's your assignment tonight. You are one of the best defenders in the world. All you have to worry about is that.

Well, boxing wanted if you want to, but the only thing you're worried about is Luca. That's it. I'd love to see that. Love to see it. No, I mean, but that would be, I mean, again, if I can't figure out, if I'm their coach and I can't figure out anything else,

that's one thing I could figure out. I could say at least he is the engine that makes this whole thing go. That's the job. That's it. The other stuff will come. But if you can make him inefficient, if you can bother him,

and if you can take him out of a lot of possessions, then it'll go a long way, maybe the whole way, towards us being able to beat this team. And so it's the thing you have to do. Because, you know, come on, running out Batum and Beverly and all these Reggie Jackson,

whoever you want to get out on him. Too small, as Lucas said. It's ridiculous. Yeah, yeah. Let's move to these others. We don't really need to touch on Brooklyn, Boston, do we? I mean, it is what it is.

Yeah, we talked a lot about that on Tuesday. It's a shame. It's a shame. It's a real shame. And we hopefully will just, like, maybe they could time this out where Brooklyn can make short work. And then they can make short work of Milwaukee can make short work of the heat. And so it kind of lines up schedule-wise.

The sooner we can get to that series, the better, right? The one thing is, is we probably won't get that with Philly, Washington. Not a lot to add to what we talked about Tuesday with that series, but the Hawks, Knicks. That could be a good one. And all three of those, though, those three all have something bad in common, which is a terrible night for. fandom because of horrible examples in all three of those. Westbrook getting the popcorn dumped on him. I know, look, by this time we know what the punishments have been.

These fans are banned for life as they should be. Yeah. Like, look, I think their punishment, I think the punishment is if you're going to be the guy that pours popcorn or Russell Westbrook, that's fine. But then after the game, we're going to put you both in a. Cage. And now you have to pour popcorn on Russell Westbrook again. And we're all going to leave the room. And good luck. Good luck. Good luck. Let me just bet the guy does a poor popcorn on Russell Westbrook. I mean, God, those four security guards were stressed out just trying to hold that

dude. I was like, oh my, if he bust loose, there might be 18,000 bloody carcasses and and Russell Westbrook standing in the middle of the court. Because get out of there. He was mad or no. For good reason, too. Some people are disgusting. Yeah, the spinning on Trey Young incident sucks. And then, I mean, you may have read Tim McMahon's story that came out tonight.

Moran's parents, like, I mean, there's racial stuff said. Awful. There was sexist stuff said. It was terrible. And I can tell you, I've gotten to know them, obviously, over the last two years. T. Morant, who is John Morant's father, is about the nicest, most charming, always high energy, always smiling guy you would ever want to meet in your life. Like, he is that guy. He's a guy that if you met him, you would think, discise.

guy got voted homecoming king and class president and the whole not i mean he is just he's got a way about him that everybody loves him and he's one of those guys that even if he just met you for the first time would come up and hug you and ask you about your family i mean it's just he's that kind of guy and so i just hated it i hated it so bad you know because i hated that that happened And I'll be honest with you, I hated it for Utah fans because that's, there's a terrible representation, you know. They've had run-ins before, whatever. And so it just starts to pile up, right, when something like this happens. But I can tell you for those, for them to be, you know, her old sexist and racial slurs that they're watching their kid, for God's sakes, you know.

And most people are cool. Most people are cool, but there's those that ruin it for everybody. That's the way it goes. They ruin it for everybody. And it ends up giving you, it ends up, you know, becoming a perception of a place. And I don't think that's necessarily fair either. And I honestly, the Morantz would tell you that. They don't think that's fair.

I mean, they enjoyed the people they were around. They were, there was a guy posted videos. You see that? Yeah. him, they were kind of talking crazy to each other. Yeah, having a good time. Yeah, drinking beers, toasting and all this stuff. And it's like, and then you've got a couple guys, you know,

or a group of people that ruin it for everybody else. And it sucks. I hated that all those stories, you know, were out there last night about these different instances in the stands. And obviously the NBA, the teams handle it the best you can. There's nothing you can really do. I just wish people knew how to act, man, you know. I think it's like you said in there, you know, most people are good.

Most people just want to be happy and, you know, and provide for their family and live a good life. But you have a lot of people out there, though, that aren't like that. And those people, whether they're racist or sexists, it's just horrible that this deep, rooted issue, you know, perpetuates across the world. and I hate to see that like in those what should be what should be like we're seeing the positive in some ways. We talked about this on Tuesday, Madison Square Garden, the loudness of these people like coming. And here in the United States, a lot of people getting vaccinated, a lot of people starting to see friends, see family for the first time, go to sporting events and have a good time and enjoy your fucking life, right? That's what it is, enjoying your fucking life. and then you have some of these idiots doing this.

Like it, it, it pisses me off. Like, this should be a time you're embracing each other. Not doing that. Not doing that crap. Like,

it's really, it's really, like it's, it's hideous, man. Like, I can't stand it, man. That one was,

that one was worse when I read it. Just because I know them. I mean, you know, people, you like, like, you talk to,

you talk to players, you know, parents all the time. Like, you just connect with. Some of them, them you just connect with it and it's just it's awful that moran's felt that it's awful you know for people out there that don't know this story i mean team morant was a he was a really good player he was a high

school teammate of ray allen um coming up and he went to college went to some free agency camps in the NBA ended up he was going overseas uh to play internationally and uh jaws mom called him and said, I'm pregnant. And he cut it short. And he stopped. Wow. He didn't play basketball anymore. He said, I'm,

I'm not going overseas. I'm raising the kid. And he became a damn barber, you know, to support the family. That's what he did. Became a barber. And they all live together still. Like, the child lives with his parents. They have a house out in the suburbs.

Like, actually out in the country with a lake. and just like they had in South Carolina. I mean, this is such a close-to-a-family that dad I've got such crazy respect for. And it just sucks, man. It's, like you, if you knew this guy, and I just told you all his story. So, I mean, you know the story. This guy is, I mean, who wouldn't love this? Everybody that comes across and loves him.

And I'm like, this is the guy. This is the guy I'm reading about on ESPN.com. Like, I've met awful parents. I can't lie to you. I have. Like I said, some you click with, some you don't.

Yeah. Well, I mean, some are just way over the top and they're tough too and whatever. But I mean, these are, these are most likable people on earth.

It's all, I sucks, man. But that series, I mean, look, as if it needed any more heat because that has now gotten

after just two games, it's gotten pretty heated. You got Donovan Mitchell, who you don't usually see as expressive as he was. I mean, we're right in the, whatever,

second quarter of that game, and he's screaming about Dilla Brooks. I'm on his ass. And, you know, Valentune is a go bear going at it. And, uh, what a great battle.

I mean, Moran has 47 in, in a game two. Um, and the jazz have 140 something, like an all-star game in game two. I mean, like, and I have to ask Chris, like, I know you guys lost game too, but what was it like watching

with your son, Morant going off of 47? He fell asleep. He fell asleep. He fell asleep. I told him this morning. That's true. Yeah. How well, did you enjoy it?

Oh, I was, I was, I mean, look. He's still not quite old enough for all these late at games. I hated that it came in a loss. But that's just, I mean, in your second. a playoff game ever. He, 73 points in the first two playoff games is the second, is the most

since 1950. He's outrageous. George Mican. George Micahid the friggin' drill. That's amazing. I mean, you think about how many guys have played since 1950?

First two playoff games. You'll have some people that are like, well, it's the pace of play. It's the high part. offenses in the league. It's like, come on, let's chill out. We're talking about all the greats that have passed through the NBA over the years. It just didn't happen until now.

That's unbelievable. I don't care whatever it is. It's incredible. One, the other guys that have had like 40 in a game are like, that or that age are, it was, who was it? Magic. It was Magic LeBron, Luca, and John Moran.

Like, that's the list. Like, it's crazy. And so, he had, he had, Like you were talking about describing all these positive qualities about his dad. Yep. It all passed on to Jha. Yeah. Like it manifests on the court for him.

And part of it, you know, this is crazy because I've actually talked to him about it is, being so close with Ray Allen and Ray Allen's family when they were growing up, he thought, he even thought to himself, watch it because Ray was the star. He thought,

and Ray always stayed out of trouble. Ray, you know, got good grades. Ray took care of business. Ray wasn't, you know, you never heard bad stuff about it. Like, those parents kept them on. It's just an occasional tweet. Right. Yeah. But that was later in life. But his parents really kept him on the straight and narrow when, you know, and he thought to himself, this is how you, this is how you raise a star athlete. Like, he saw it. This is how you raise a star athlete. Now, he's, got his own way of doing it. The dad is like, he's legitimately hilarious.

When John won the rookie of the year, I said, I was, I was told, Jod, that your father finally said something nice to you. And he said, uh, he did. He said, uh, good season 12. And I was like, that's it. That's what he said. He goes, he goes, he goes, and then he said, you still ain't shit. that's his dad

I've seen his dad yelling at his kid Jai had a move Jai had this crazy like behind the back through the legs going up under the basket move and it like rolled off the rim

and the dad stood up and he said million dollar move once it finish that's funny at his kid at his kid hilarious man but yeah

like they um I think that he does get a lot of it from the dad. He also just, he's got a legit chip on his shoulder. And sometimes you see these guys, those are the stars, the ones that can raise to a different level. And you're seeing it with Luca and you're seeing it with Jha that these kids like, it's a different level of play. And somehow they have gotten even better. than what we're used to seeing.

And it's pretty extreme. And so that series has actually been a tremendous amount of fun. It's going to be game three on tomorrow night, Saturday night in Memphis. And I promise you, flip it on. It's going to be outrageous. I look forward to it. I still think Utah wins the series for all the reasons we've talked about. But John Morant, is he a superstar yet?

No, because he's still so young, needs more time to prove it. But he's getting there. Yeah. Oh, certainly. He'll be there for a long, long time. And then the other one, we've got to get back to the Knicks Hawks. So the Knicks were able to get it done in this game. It ends with Trey Young yelling at them. I'll see you in the A. Trey is awesome. I love it. Just the villain of all villains. Oh, he's a listener of the pot or maybe we'll get a voicemail someday. He must be a listener. Oh. He's like, he's like, Chris Vernon wants me to be a villain. I'm going to lean even more into it.

I think, look, now that you've put that out there, if Trey calls in Tuesday's show, I wouldn't be surprised. Look, I don't know what the F. Nate McMillan is doing. Like, I had so many Pacers fans, because I goofed on Twitter. I said, look, I'm not a coach. But you got one of the best scorers in the league. Your team hadn't scored in an hour. You've gotten outscored 30 to 80.

a 30 to 8 run. It was the anti-Greg Popovich. Greg Popovich, you go on a 4-0 run, and Popovich's like, the hell with that timeout. He's like gathering his guys. He's changing out lineups or whatever. Like, that's four points, right? You just scored.

And then he gets his team back together. It was 30 to 8. And I'm like, did Nate McMill fall asleep? Like, what is going on over here? and I can't tell you I made that, I goofed about it. I had so many Pacers fans telling me, oh my God, it's flashbacks. This is, I'm having, I got PTSD watching the shit, you know, the whole thing. And I was like, oh, no, I guess that's a thing, right?

I'd been a thing with him. But that was the damnedest thing I've ever, they controlled the game completely. And he let the Knicks catch fire. He let the garden catch fire. It was it was malpractice, truly, malpractice. And I don't have like some serious rooting interest in that. I was just watching as a viewer. And I'm like, this is insane.

Like I can't, I can't, I can't. Obey Dopin's freaking finish at alleyoops. And I'm like, what? And they can't score. And Trey just sat over there on the bench. And I'm like, I don't understand. So look, I got no, I got no comment. I can't, I can't very well believe in somebody that can allow that to happen.

That was just the most egregious thing I've seen. Yeah, I mean, we've seen some we talked about after game one, the questionable decisions by Tibbs down the stretch, a little bit different situation. But yeah, in game two with McMillan, pretty questionable to see some of that. Hey, hey, Ty Lou was watching. that and thought, this guy doesn't know what he's doing. That's how bad it was. This guy's a bozo.

Why didn't he put in the guy that scores? I mean, look, I'm not, again, I'm not a coach. But if I can't score, I'd put in the guy that can. That's me. Pretty good philosophy, Chris. I like it. I do. I like it a lot.

Sometimes life is simple. It can be. It's true. It's true. And sometimes it's difficult. And I look forward to seeing what happens in game three with Julius Randall because he has not had a good series at all. He looks like the Randall of old pre most improved player of the year, Julius Randall. The I don't want him getting minutes, Julius Randall, the Knicks fan saw last season.

So what do you do here if your tips? Do you keep doing what you're doing? Or maybe is it like get Randall at the five for a little bit? Give him some space and see how that changes the way Atlanta defends him because they've been a hell. of a job and Randall hasn't been able to respond. Like they, like, I know you won game too with Randall having an off night, made some great passes down the stretch, but he was off. You need Julius Randall to get going.

So how do you get him going? I look forward to seeing that in game three. And I think you're seeing one big difference in how he ate during the regular season versus that Atlanta team versus now. And that's, I tell you this, Kev, I really, really, really like Hunter. He's so good. I think he is going to be, I think he's going to be a. big time player. I do. I think he's going to be, I was on that sports car, sports cards nonsense

on the Ringer podcast network, and they were asking me about a deep sleeper on these cards. And I was like, man, I'd go get those cheap DeAndre Hunter rookies because I think that this guy started out like a house of fire this season. And then he only got to play like 30 games, 20 something games this year. But you can see two-way player. Like, I could see him. developing into something that's even much better than what we're seeing right now. And he's got the dog in him too. He's, you saw, you saw him, he was there for the fight the other day and he's making Randall's life hell when he's on him.

Hunter, Hunter, he can guard everybody from Jow Morant to Julius Randall. You know, that's a, that is a valuable piece to have in this, the way basketball is played right now. and outstanding, outstanding. And I think that thing's going to go, I think we could have a game seven in Madison Square Garden, no lie.

I really do, don't you? Yeah, I do. I think there's a real, real strong chance that we get a game seven at Madison Square Garden. This series feels like it's destined to be a game seven, doesn't it? I think that one,

I think, I think Nuggets Blazers are still going to go a long way. I do. I do too. I think that will as well. Yeah. And I think there will be, I think there will be a game,

the only guarantee I'll make about Memphis and Utah is there will be a game six in Memphis. They won't lose both the home games. And so there will at least be a game six in Memphis. And like even if they do lose both, I think they'll be competitive games. This Grizzly's team is tough. Like they are a tough team with heart. Like they're going to fight in those games. And, you know, I mean, it's like the only thing that's a shame in the West is, you know,

the Murray injury for Denver. And then, of course, Paul for the Phoenix Suns, that really, you know, takes a lot of the air out of what could have been a really, really, really competitive Western Conference playoffs. And like, it helps the Lakers out, of course. But it's just a shame that we get those. But at the least, Clippers Mavericks, we'll see how this continues to develop. I hope it becomes a good series.

It doesn't look like it. And I hope we get more good games with Utah, Memphis. That's been a great fun series to watch, man. Here's the thing. Clippers backs against the wall. And you know, they've been a team that's really responded with their backs against the wall, Kev. Yeah. Sure have.

That's for damn sure. They've always proven that they have the ability to be resilient battle back. When I think of them, I think... That's the Clippers. I think resilience. By the way, can I just say before we get out of here? I don't want... I don't want to...

It might just be coincidence. But you named dropped Isaac Lee earlier, right? I did, yes. Yeah, Isaac Lee. It was our producer for a long time. I love Isaac Lee, right? Isaac ditched us. The Clippers went to hell.

Sasha takes over. Her team wins the damn title. And now has a total road to the title again. I mean, I'm not saying. I'm just saying. Did Isaac Lee's decision start all this is what you're suggesting? I mean, I don't want to say cursed his own team, but all I know is his team went to hell.

and our new producers team, like, not only did they win the championship last year, they've caught the break of all breaks. They get to play a team without Chris Paul. Then the next year, or the next series, they get to play a team without Jamal Murray or whoever. Here's the thing, though, Chris. Hasn't it always been this way for the Lakers and Clippers?

It's always been this way. Simmons wrote an article. When I was a very young child, and he wrote for page, age two. He wrote an article about the curse or the buffalo, and it was about them moving to to L.A. in the first place and that they've been cursed ever since. And I mean, look, throughout their history and no Western Conference Finals

appearances, it's hard to argue. It's hard to argue that they're not cursed. I'm going to have to pull up that old article after we record this. Yeah, yeah. The curse of the Buffalo. Love to read old Bill Simmons articles. He's got some classics. Probably still around.

You can probably still find it. Oh, yeah, definitely. I think all that stuff still exist online, right? Yeah. Pretty sure. Yeah. Surely. It should be a super fun weekend.

I'm glad that we're going to have at least three or four of these series that we're going to be very competitive. Some of these have been wipeouts, which you expect. Some of them have had injuries that have altered it already. But we'll at least have three or four of these that we'll be talking about through next week, too, which is good. For sure. Looking forward to Tuesday.

We'll be doing a late night recording. Is that correct? We'll be doing a recording Tuesday night. So it'll be in your feed Wednesday morning instead. Tuesday night. Tuesday night. We'll be the mismatch. And then we'll be back again next week also on Thursday night for Friday morning.

So look for us in your feeds either Tuesday night or Wednesday morning. And then Thursday night or Friday morning. Perfect. Kevin, I will talk to you next Tuesday night. Thanks to executive producer Sasha Eschal as always. We'll talk to you next week. Have a fun weekend, everybody.