The Mismatch - Intriguing Lower Seeds, Jaylen Brown’s Injury, Russ Breaks the Record, and Discussing KOC’s NBA Awards Ballot

Episode Date: May 11, 2021

KOC and Verno start by discussing which lower-seeded teams from each conference could pull an upset in the playoffs (2:35). Then they talk about Jaylen Brown’s season-ending wrist injury and recap the issues the Celtics have had all season (19:38). After that, they discuss Russell Westbrook breaking Oscar Robertson’s record for most triple-doubles in a career (28:11). Later on, they also discuss KOC’s NBA awards ballot (45:42). Lastly, they talk about whether the G League helped or hurt NBA lottery prospect Jalen Green’s draft stock (1:12:14). Check out KOC's full NBA awards ballot. Hosts: Kevin O’Connor and Chris Vernon Production Assistant: Isaiah Blakely Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Listen up all you New York fans. Veteran New York sports talk host, John Dostrompsky, gives his unique take on all the big stories in the Big Apple and beyond, including guest conversations, gambling picks, and reactions from you, the listener. Check out New York, New York with John Dostromsky on Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts. Hey, this is Kevin O'Connor. If you didn't know, COVID-19 vaccines are starting to become available to the general public. And getting vaccinated is the first step to getting back to all the things we miss. basketball games.

I know I can't wait to go to concerts. Hang out with your friends and go into restaurants, maybe go to a couple different bars. Those nights can be back with a vaccine. It's okay if you have questions. Like, should I get it? Is it safe? Should I wait?

Well, you can find out the facts at get vaccine answers.org so you can make an informed decision. I got my vaccine recently and I'm very happy I did. I look forward to having some good times with friends and my mom. So you should get yours too. Welcome to the mismatch. I'm Chris Vernon. Join as he does every Tuesday from the Ringer.com. It's Kevin O'Connor, A.K.K.O.B.O.comber, Kevin O'Connor, A.Kever, A.K., Kavanaugh, Kavanaugh, Kavanaugh.

That's going on. We are to the last week of the regular season, Mr. O'Connor. And a lot of things left to be decided, but at least some were decided last evening. the Warriors are going to be in a play-in scenario no matter what. The Memphis Grizzlies are going to be in a play-in scenario no matter what. And by virtue of rocking the bucks in what was a pretty stunning outcome last night, San Antonio, who had really faltered down the stretch of year, got a big win. And now their magic number is one. So it's all but decided.

I mean, certainly it appears as if we know who the 10 teams are going to be in the Western Conference, especially when the closest to San Antonio is a team without Zion Williamson, without Brandon Ingram. Last night, they're without Stephen Adams. And so they don't have their guys for these remaining games anyway. And so, you know, we had the drama of who's going to make the play and who not. And at this point, really, now it just becomes about seating, which is intensely important. Because we also, we know everybody in the East now, too. You know, Washington's locked that up.

So we know technically a chance, you know, but, you know, it's so little minuscule. Yeah, yeah, yeah. I think we know the 10 teams at both conferences. And now it's the seating, which is enormous, enormous. because a lot of these teams, there's some of these teams that are lower ranked that you know if you are one of the top ranked teams you do not want to see,

especially in a first round series because they are better than the teams you would normally see in the first round. And I heard Bill and Rosillo were kind of talking about this the other day. And I want to see if you agree with this. Bill's point was Miami is that team in the Eastern Conference and Dallas is that team in the Western Conference. You agree with that?

That those are the man, I'd love to, I mean, beyond the Lakers. We accept the Lakers are that team. You don't want it. That's ridiculous to have to play them as a 17th if they are fully healthy. I mean, Dallas is the five right now, though. So, I mean, isn't it really the Golden State Warriors?

in the Western Conference with the way in which Stephen Curry is just dominating the way the Warriors and Draymond Green have, they are a top five defense over the full season. They've just been ridiculous in recent weeks ever since the Wiseman injury on both ends of the floor. To me, I look at the Golden State Warriors and I'm not saying I would pick them in a series

against the Suns or the Jazz. I'm not saying that. Those teams are better and more well-rounded, but I'll tell you, like, the Golden State Warriors could take a game or two in that series because of the way they're playing. playing on both ends of the floor. They're amazing right now.

One of the best teams in basketball in recent weeks. Yeah, but you're catching me on the wrong day because I got home late and watched the rest of that jazz game. They threw up all over themselves. There's a 15 point lead and the jazz had no Conley. They had no Mitchell. And it took Steph Curry big time heroics knocking down a three. And I do think that, you know, they have been a team that has, you know, they've given away

a lot of leads. Like they've gotten up big on teams. And I saw even our mutual buddy Marcus Thompson tweeting, I really thought they were going to lose that game. Like they've done that so many times this year where, but instead Steph kind of saved the day last night. I mean, they've got the one huge superstar that there is not a number he could put up that we would think is insanity. And so right when you've got that guy. One hundred would not be. insane. Well, and how many times do we talk about you go into a playoff series and is it feasible that you have the best guy in a series?

And so much like you said that about Curry, Luca falls into that category. You could look up and you could say he was the best player over the course of that series, the four wins that they had. Or likewise in the east, Jimmy Butler. He could be that guy. You could look up and you could say Jimmy Butler was the best player in that. series over the course of the series. But those are the lower ranked teams.

I think that people could view as making an improbable run as compared to their seed or whatever the case may be. Yeah, Chris, and the thing with the Warriors is, you know, to your point, with Dallas being the tougher team, I agree there. With the going to say you're going to see a lot more box than one. You might see like with the Raptors and the finals, Nick Nurse throwing that out there. It might not be boxing one, but you're going to see more pressure. against Stefan Curry.

And in the Eastern Conference, we'll talk about Boston, losing Jalen Brown for the rest of the season, just a horrific end to their nightmare season. You know, that really kills their chances of doing anything. You do look at Miami right now. They're going to be out of the playing

in all likelihood two games up on Boston, four games up on Charlotte. There's a chance they can move up to four. They're only a game back from the Knicks. But if they do stay at five or six, they're the team. They're the team in the Eastern Conference, you'd want to avoid. They've been there. They've done it and they have two arguable, you know,

guys that are on that all NBA conversation with Jimmy Butler and Bam out of bio one or both or could make it and both. I mean, it's tough this year as we'll talk about later. But, you know, that heat team, they feel like they could be primed to upset some teams and get on a run. And think, Jeff, think about how much that matters to them. I mean, it's the difference between drawing New York or Atlanta or drawing Milwaukee. Exactly. I mean, that's the thing. If they can, if they get up to four or five

and clearly not desirable for Philadelphia. Right. Is that exactly? It's not even just the, it's the fact that Miami, it seems like on paper they'd be better built for that second round series against the Sixers than a second round series, you know, against the Nets or the Bucks after already facing one of them.

Yeah, but, well, and likewise, if you're the bucks, you've got to be sitting there going, oh, seriously? Like, really? Like, I mean, we got to play the, we got to play the heat in the first round because New York and Atlanta are four and five. This is ridiculous. So if we can, if we, we got Drew out of it. We got PJ Tucker. We got a lot better team. But first, we got to play the team that was in the NBA finals last year.

Then we got to turn around and play Brooklyn. and then we got to go play Philadelphia. Unreal. Good luck, right? I mean, if they're trek, if they're track, if that's what it ended up being for them, God bless them. Miami, Brooklyn, Philly, those are the three series you have to win. I mean, series are not all built the same. And that would be just a brutal run, especially after they've had a really good season again.

That run to the finals would be pretty. remarkable. You know, like, like if they, if they were to pull that off, if it does have to be Miami and then Brooklyn and then Philadelphia, if you get through that, that's special. Like, I don't know what happened in the finals. Who knows who the opponent would be, but if the bucks were to get to the finals doing that, that'd be something to remember. Do you believe in Golden State the most outside of the Lakers? Certainly, you prefer Golden State over both Memphis and San Antonio? Oh, yeah, in terms of if they, I mean, and who knows, they may be able to hang on to the eight. They may not, though. I mean, they've got Phoenix tonight. The Warriors do. And then there is a game between Memphis and Golden State.

Actually, the last game of the season. It's possible that the last game of the season ends up becoming a game that decides who has to, who is able to lose and. still have a chance at getting in and who only has one loss that they can take or they're out of the playoffs completely. I think we both recognize it looks now. The Lakers are probably going to be seven. And so whoever draws eight.

I mean, and that was, look, I will say this, that it's a one game deal. It is a one game deal. And if you did have it as it stands right now with Golden State playing against the Lakers, could you imagine? Could you imagine if the Lakers have, it lose, it, get picked off and then have to win a game in order to be the eight seat? I mean, no. Chris, Chris, this entire next week and a half could be madness. It could be madness. and people wonder if the NBA is going to keep the playing.

You get some teams that don't like it. People who don't want to have it publicly. LeBron doesn't want it or Cuban didn't want it until they didn't have a seven seed. Right. Now you don't hear anything. The next week and a half could make it abundantly clear why the NBA installed this for the bubble and why they're experimenting with it this season and why in all likelihood they're going to keep it in the years to come. I think in the next week and a half, we're going to understand.

understand why it's going to be here to stay and why it's awesome. And also why like tournaments could be a format for midseason too, like Adam Silver originally proposed a couple years ago. So I mean, we've talked a lot about the playing stuff throughout the season and how fun it is. But I just really think it's going to be obvious this next week. The Jalen Brown thing, like,

look, it sucks no matter. But in conjunction with this play in thing, the East is much, much, much less interesting. It just is, right? Yeah. That West, you're talking about,

you're talking about a possibility of having Stefan Curry and LeBron James both involved in this, which, I mean, if you're the NBA, this could not have worked out any better. Now, in the case, you know, something, something happened.

and you never know. This has not been a good or easy season for the Lakers. But if something happened and they got knocked out because of this play in, we would never have it again. You know that as well as I do. Are you positive? Yes. Yes.

We would never have it again. Ever. If it knocked out LeBron and the Lakers, we will never have it again. Nope. So, I mean, for people that like it, I like it too. But I have an awareness. It would, there is absolutely no way. If they end up with the seventh best record,

but then they get knocked out because of a play-in and they're not involved in the playoffs because they lost two games, we would never see a play-in for the rest of time until Adam Silver dies, you know. What? Yeah. No, I mean, like he's saying, until his grave, he will never let a play it happen.

Still out of silver dies. I mean, there's no way. He will make sure that message is sent loud and clear to every commissioner until he passes away. I'm not sure about that because Adam Silver is the one who wanted it. Yeah, he wants it. He didn't think the Lakers are going to be seven, Kevin. He's the one pushing for this. Every year he wants mid-season tournament.

he wants playing tournaments. He wants to change the way like the regular season and Tyrone A Kelema looks. This is, look, it's got a chance. I'm telling you, this has got the opportunity to be the greatest thing ever or the worst thing ever. Yes, it does.

It's, I look at it like it just is what it is. Whatever it happens, it incentivizes the teams that are able to play their guys, the teams who stay healthy. It helps, it might hurt some teams that have injuries, throughout the season, but it could help teams.

It could help the Lakers in a reverse scenario. If the Lakers had had guys miss more games, if LeBron and 80 missed more games earlier in the season and they were the 11 right now fighting to get back in if the season happened in reverse where the LeBron and 80 injuries happened back in December and January instead of the last two months, we'd be looking at it like, oh my goodness, whoa, the Lakers are fighting back into it. They play in toward them. It's awesome.

It's giving them a chance. It would be the opposite, Chris. So I don't, I don't think that the NBA, they're making a big mistake, in my opinion. If LeBron and the Lakers do losing the playing tournament, they're making a big mistake if they look at that result and say, okay, we're never doing the plan anymore. Because it could work, it could work the opposite way next season and years after that. So to me, it's just about purely about the fun for fans, having more teams that are bought in for longer. And also just, who knows what it's going to look like this next week with TV ratings. I get it.

All I know is it has increased my enjoyment of the end of the regular season more than ever before. I agree with you completely. And I understand the process-driven idea, but the result in this case will matter too much. It will. I don't buy it. What are you talking about? You don't buy it. The league is in a ratings crisis.

They can't have LeBron James not in the playoffs. What the hell is wrong with you? What planet are you on? They can't have a scenario with him not in the playoffs. playoffs. There's just no way. Adam Silver is going to go tackle Tony brothers or whoever is officiating that. All right. Okay. So, all right. So let's say, let's say LeBron and the Lakers just are fighting for the eight seed next season because they suffer some similar amount of injuries. Games are missed and they're just on the normal playoff bubble where they're fighting for the eight seed

instead of fighting for the playing spot. I, I'm not, I feel like the plan still. I feel like the plan still, increases their odds of getting in because in that scenario, if you end up the nine seed, you have zero percent chance. At least now, there's 10 spots, 10 spots to get into the play in, you know, to at least have an opportunity in the play in. And then you can win some games. You will admit that your scenario of a LeBron James team fighting to get into the playoffs, even because they incurred injuries, that is, it's probably not. that's an extremely abnormal thing. So is this.

So is this. You know what I'm saying? Right. I understand. But given the scenario that it has happened this year, you could have the possible worst outcome for the NBA. But look, they're not going to lose anyway.

They're not like, they'll take 75 free throws if it means they win those games. I can tell what the Memphis market conversations already are, right? You're looking ahead thinking about it. playing them, right? Right? They're probably not going to be playing them anyway. I wouldn't imagine. Well, you never know.

What if the Warriors win the first one and then Grizzlies beat the Spurs? You could see Lakers Grizzlies for the eight seed. Or they could flip it on the Warriors. I mean, the Warriors have not, like, I mean, as much as you talked about how awesome they are, they aren't. They aren't that awesome. I'm just not convinced that the NBA is going to make this decision based on the results. I think they're going to make this decision based on the process.

what the question is really going to be is like, how does the PA also feel about it? How do teams feel about it? And then, yes, like, if the Lakers were to miss the playoffs, how would that impact ratings over the duration of the playoffs and would that then inform their decision? Well, it is fascinating because it is the best case scenario if the team that is actually 10th wins in the East.

In terms of interest, the best case scenario is that the team that is actually 10th right now, who had the beginning of their season ravaged by coronavirus. The Wizards. Yeah. That's the best case scenario is if they moved on. They are certainly much more interesting than the other three, especially with the Brown injury. Of course, if Brown's not injured, then you want the Celtics there.

And then I think you would want the Wizards there in terms of, again, I'm talking about interest. I find Charlotte to be rather entertaining, but they've had their own set of injuries. And they certainly haven't gotten hit up back going. Still out. I mean, Indiana, Miles Turner out. T.J. Warren, obviously, out to all these other teams in the East playing have had guys missing, except Washington is the healthiest they've been all season right now. Right.

So it is an odd scenario where they, you want, you want Washington in. You want them to be able to get in, I would think. If we're talking about who do we want to see play Philly in the first round? Maybe you want to see somebody play Philly in the first round. It's much more. I think anybody would sign up to see Washington go up against Philly. I mean, none of them are going to beat Philadelphia in a seven-game series. But at least that with Beale and Westbrook is a more fun matchup than Indiana or Charlotte.

You know, with Boston suddenly, you know, without James. Gailen Brown, who the player he's turned himself into this season. It's weird. You know, I was thinking about the Celtics last night because Tatum and Brown are better. The two most important players in the franchise have gotten way better. Like, Jalen Brown looks awesome. He's been awesome. Like, it wasn't just a hot streak at the beginning of the season.

He has sustained his shooting, his driving. Everything looks better. Tatum evolving into a superstar. We'll see how he continues improving and sustaining this. But the two most important players got better. And yet this has been a nightmare season for the Celtics. It's just an odd year in that sense because in some ways, you're more optimistic for the future because of what Tatum and Brown are turning into.

But then you look at the rest of the roster and the way the team was produced, the lack of leadership, the poor chemistry, the fact that this team has never seemed to really click and gel together. this team is worse than the teams we've seen in past years. So with Boston, in some ways, I exit this season for them more optimistic. In other ways, I'm more pessimistic. But do you think they changed dramatically? I would imagine so. But it's just a weird season because normally when things are disastrous,

it's because guys, your best players didn't get better. Or sometimes they even got worse. But this year, these guys got better, but the team got way worse. Right. It's just a very, very funky year when you assess. the Celtics and we'll see if they get into the play in or they will get into the play and we'll see if they get into the playoffs. But man, like this is a very odd year for the Celtics and I look forward to seeing what they do, you know, over the off season. I know we have a lot of time before then, but just a thought of

my mind. Like, have you seen a team to have a year like this, Chris? I mean, it's, it's happening. I mean, it's an underachieving team. I do think that the, I think that the lack of veteran leadership showed up very badly. That's my opinion from the outside looking in. I mean, look, we had our own, we had our own dalliances with the Boston media a couple of months ago when I was told about what was going on with this team.

And, you know, nobody wants to believe it. Nobody wants to. It doesn't matter to me. But I mean, what's true is true. And when Marcus Smart was on the trading block and he, you know, it's awkward rather than him being, you know, heart and soul guy and, you know, the guy that he's been, he's the elder statesman amongst that team, right? And so when he's kind of been in flux and the attitude changes a little bit,

and you got the Tristan Thompson thing where they added him and that has not worked out. And I think we're wanting him to be like, you know, the I've won a ring leader type guy. And Kimball Walker, I mean, look, I'm a Kimball Walker fan. I've always been a Kemper Walker fan. Kimball Walker's never won dick. So what is he going to, you know, right? Like these guys, unfortunately, these guys are, the younger guys are more accomplished, right? Like you're typically, now, there's a fine line. You don't want the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the

never comes off, all that well, right? Like, listen to, listen to what I'm telling you or you guys don't know what it takes to win. Like, there is a, there is a fine line between guys that have been in a lot of big games and guys that have won something, but you typically want veterans with the good leadership personalities that have won something. And they didn't really have that this year, you know? And I do think it's, you know, those guys are still young. They are both Brown and Tatum.

They're both young. And they've always kind of been, you know, there ends up being a movement to the point where it becomes somebody else's team, right? And the time came for Tatum's not that guy, not the walk into the locker room, follow me. Yeah. And he's only 22. Yeah.

He's a kid. He's a kid still by NBA standards. Right. And who knows? Sometimes guys are exceptionally talented, and they're never that guy. You know what I mean? Like they're never.

For sure. That kind of guy that Paul George doesn't get in a huddle. and says, this shit ain't happening tonight, guys. Like, that's not his personality, right? It doesn't mean he's not exceptionally talented and a great player. But that's just not how he's wired. And I don't know, Brown obviously has been kind of the sidekick for Tatum at that point. So it would be kind of odd for him to be that guy.

And so it doesn't always have to be, you know, your best guy being that guy, but you do need somebody. You know what I mean? You need somebody. And I do think that they probably, you know, they started questioning things. And let me say this. I want to make an excuse for them. Those guys didn't play together this year.

What would normally be, if you were to just say, they're four guys. Smart, Kemba, Jalen, and Tatum, those four. the amount of minutes they played is ridiculous. It didn't happen this year. I saw Sean Grandy, you could pull this up, Kev. He posted it last night. What would be like they're, you know, they're four guys, right? And how many minutes that they played on the court together this year?

It was shocking. And so that has to be taken into consideration too. And you can say that's an excuse or that's a reason, right? but and people could decide but they they did not play the amount of minutes that other uh other teams that you would expect have you know four guys that you know we're going to play generally 25 minutes a game. They didn't play the minutes that other teams did. Sean Grandy tweeted that the that core four he called a Tatum Brown Walker Smart played a total of 292 minutes the season together and that would rank 1303.

37th in the NBA of four-man lineups. That's incredible. Yeah. Incredible. 234? That's less than five games. 292. Huh?

2902 minutes. Oh, 292. Okay, so fine. It's still less than six games. Yeah, not many. You know what I mean? You're less than six games? At a 72 game season and you're less than six games worth of minutes,

it's it's outrageous you know what I mean there's a lot of units you'll play thousand and I don't know man like those guys when you were expecting these are going to be four of the guys that we roll out there pretty regularly together the fact that they didn't even play together throughout the year that has a part of it too for sure yeah for sure yeah no doubt I mean this is a team that's going to have to make some tweaks you know you sign Tristan Thompson who I remember I was thinking about this last night too a couple years ago during the Celtics Cavs, Eastern Conference final series, and Tristan Thompson just rebounded absolutely everything. It was dominant on the defensive end of the floor.

He said at the beginning of the season that he wanted to be the marker smart of Biggs for the Celtics. He hasn't been that. And it's partially because he's missed some time too. You know, but it's like Campbell Walker has not been Kemper Walker. You're not getting some of the contributions that you needed from some of the guys that you needed it from to really round out this roster on the court, even putting aside the chemistry and leadership aspect. but like on an individual basis that just hasn't all come together. And there's just missing pieces. Sometimes it's just not the right mix.

Yeah, exactly. And that feels like this year's team in the sense that that's why I overall look at them and say the most important thing is the development of your 24-year-old Jalen Brown, your 22-year-old Jason Tatum. And those guys both got way better. Right. You know, so most important thing is a positive. But everything else, that doesn't.

mean it's not important. It's incredibly important. So you get to get everything else right because Tatum and Brown are getting themselves right. Well, let's talk about teams that are awesome. And that is the Washington Wizards. They are now 10. They lose a game last night to the Atlanta Hawks by one. But Russell Westbrook has broken the record, Oscar Robertson's record for triple doubles, which is, you know, look, let me just say a little piece on this. regarding triple doubles and, you know, whether people want to poke holes in the, you know, who cares about triple doubles, that's just a number whatever.

It does a, it is a number that signifies how these stats and how ridiculous it is to be able to put up double digits in three different categories. and he is now averaged a triple double, I believe four out of the last five seasons. His team has an extreme winning percentage when he does that. And I am one that sits back and I sit there. And when I see that the guy averaged a triple double,

and I see all these triple doubles. And while others will say like, ah, who cares is just a triple double, I have a different point of view on this because Kevin, I have covered 20 years of basketball games in Memphis in both the pyramid and then they moved to the FedEx Forum

and they relocated to Memphis in 2001 did the grisleys. You know how many I've seen? Total? Three. 23. 23 triple doubles. in 20 years.

In 20 years, I have witnessed 23 triple doubles. The guy averages a damn triple double. Like, that is, so there have been 23. There have been 12 by Grizzlies players and 11 by opponents. And there's never been a playoff triple double. Thanks to my buddy Ross Wooden for sending that along to me. and all 23 have been actually at FedEx Forum. But in 20 seasons, I've only witnessed 23.

And this guy has averaged it four out of the last five years. And I talk about this a lot. You know my feelings on Westbrook. Obviously, this is part of why we're the mismatch. But I am forever impressed by people's ability to or non-ability, to be able to praise Russell Westbrook without couching it with something negative.

Like he is unlike almost any other player that I can remember where it's praise, this is unbelievable, this was whatever, but or and or there's something that has to be said. However, there's something, there is a need to

not just say something positive and it be the end of statement and rather say something positive, but then remind everybody that I don't like the guy or I'm not a fan of it or he's inefficient or he's not the kind of guy I'd want on my championship team or it's unbelievable. There's no other player like that. Truly, there's no player I can ever remember where people feel the need to crap on him after praising him. Like, it's impossible to say something nice and not, in fact, if you tried to do it right now, you would burst into flames. Maybe I will.

It would drive you, no. Maybe I will. No way. Well, you know what? I'll tell you what, Chris. Russell Westbrook, if you turn off the analysis. You almost said despite. You almost said it.

You almost said despite. I saw your lip. You all because you have started every Russell Westbrook said. for the last 20 years of your life would despite. Russell Westbroker is just pure fun. And I think the conversation Jay Kyle Mann and I had on Bringer and B. University with friend of the ringer, Tyler Parker, big O.K.C. fan who loves, loves, loves, loves, Westbrook kind of just sums it up in the sense that sometimes like it's not about just the analysis.

Sometimes it's not just about the, like, looking at effective field goal percentage and shots election. This guy is just pure fun, pure joy. And that's why I say it as a compliment. I call him the NBA's Brett Farv. Brett Farve has authored some of the most exciting comebacks in NFL history. Some of the most mind-blowing moments has played through injuries has been the reason why so many Packers fans and Vikings fans, not Jets fans, have had great memories over the years. And I say Vikings for one year. I know it's a sore subject for Packers fans. But with Westbrook, like for years with OKC was part of those moments. For years he was. And now he is with Washington. He had some good moments with Houston as well. Be that as it may.

I'm kidding. I'm kidding. But, you know, the production. However. Yep. I call. I call. I, and mine, mine comes from, uh, Well, two things. I covered the final four when Derek Rose in Memphis, of all things, went and they bombed out UCLA in the final four, the Kevin Love, Collison, Westbrook team, that team. And those Memphis players at that time in college, to a man, I'll never forget this, said there was one dude on that team. When GMs in the NBA called them, because, of course, they called and said, you know, what do you think? Right? Because they just destroyed them in the NCAA tournament, the final four. And when they were asked for their opinion at like the combine and interviews, whatever,

to a man, every single one of them. Because that was a rough Memphis team. And they said, take Westbrook. He's the one. He's the only one we couldn't intimidate. Every one of those other guys, they were, they didn't want this. They didn't want that smoke. That guy, he was at our neck.

Like the whole, he was not. He was there. for it. And so I started with that. Then you moved to Summer League. And at Summer League, it's an old story about the Miami Heat. They drafted Michael Beasley number two overall. And they get to Summer League and they go to the gym. They got a workout at eight o'clock at Summer League. And Beasley's not there. And they're like, where is he? Right. And so they have to go send a coach. They have to go knock on the door and they have to try to drag him out, whatever. And they go to the gym, they unlock the gym. And Westbrook is there pouring with sweat.

And he's been there for two hours. And the heat all looked at each other and go, we effed up. We screwed this up. Right? Like the guy that, the guy that got drafted forth is pouring. And he's been here for two hours. And we just had to go drag this guy out, worried that we might not find him. And then I covered those playoff series, you know, with Oklahoma City back in the day when they were awesome. I'm talking about the Hardin team and then the team with just Westbrook and Durant. And as an opposing fan, I feared him. I feared him. I did.

That guy, that guy was, there was not a time where I thought that, if there's one thing I could count on, that guy is, he'd rather die on the court than lose. He cares so desperately. Sometimes it leads to bad stuff. I'm aware. It leads to illivized and that's the Brett Farr of comparison. Yeah, but that, but that will and that drive and that, it doesn't matter if a camera is even at the game, I'm trying to rip your head off. I just, I respect that so much. And that's why, I mean, like, I can't speak for anybody else when it comes to the criticism of him. But when I can only speak to myself, I've criticized him on this pot. I've written multiple columns. criticizing him over the years at the ringer.com.

When I criticize Russell Westbrook, I look at it like, here's this great player who has all these qualities that you're talking about, Chris, like the work ethic. There's so much that's admirable about him as a person, you know, with what he puts into his game and his craft, right?

The criticism is like, with just some little tweaks, you can be even more. You can be even more than you already are, Like as special as you are, there's always ways to improve. And that's that's all it comes from. And maybe, you know, maybe he's worked on his jump burn and though it has only resulted in it being hurt with the dropping free throw percentage.

Maybe in his eyes, he can't shut off the shot off the shot selection aspect because that just changes the way he thinks and approaches the game from his aggressive point of view. I can't get inside his brain. But there are some downsides to his style that like ultimately it doesn't matter. He still is a Hall of Famer. He still is one of the best point cards of this error. It's just some little things in his game that you wish could be a little bit better

to raise his level to an even greater one. Just for everybody to understand what has taken place with him, post-all-Star Break. Post-all-Star break in the NBA assists Russell Westbrook, 456. Second place, Chris Paul, 295. He has over 160. 60 more assists than the second player since the All-Star break. Most post-all-Star break rebounds. Russell Westbrook, 455.

Second, Jonas Valentunus, 411. He has more rebounds than every player in the NBA by 40. Most triple doubles, Westbrooks at 26. post all-star break. Yokic has had six. And so like these numbers are, they're not like, this is not in conjunction with, oh,

the game's got more possessions now, the way the game's played now, all this bull crap. That is versus his peers. He has 160 more assists than anyone, 40 more rebounds than anyone, and 20 more triple doubles than anyone. They're all playing.

in the same environment. And that's what he is doing. And I do think he is unlike any other player in that he we're going to in 20 years, people will look at him in a much different way than they look at him currently. That's what I'd say. He will be looked at. People will look at some of the numbers and think that that's still insane. You know, it is going to be really fascinating to see how Westbrook is perceived because right now, you know, you have some people, not many, but some who look at Alan Iverson and say, oh, he was inefficient.

Therefore, he was overrated. In 20 years, will there be more people who look at Westbrook like that? Or will people look at the raw numbers, the total, you know, rebounds, assists, points, the sheer level of production and look at it that. the opposite way and say, how are people saying this about this guy? We haven't had anybody like that since. It's possible. Yep. Race to the bottom.

One more thing on the standings before we get to your awards column. Got everybody heated. There is a race to the bottom. We have Houston. Good race. They've won the tank crown. They won it. They got it.

They've got that soda. Good for them, you know. Did a good job. Four games up on the Pistons. It's great stuff. As of today, Pistons have 20 wins. And then there are four different teams with 21 wins. Wow.

And so this is going to be an extremely fascinating last three to four games for everybody in the league because Cleveland has really turned up. They're 0 and 10 in their last 10 games. They've been sensational, Chris. It's been remarkable to watch the Cavaliers as I'm late. There's not a better team in the tank race right now. Their commitment to this has been wonderful. Amazing. You know, and look, I will say my buddy J.B. Bickerstaff, he's overseen these before.

So you want to, you're right, like he knows what to do. He knows how to get the job done. If you want to, if you want to lose, he knows. at Orlando, Cleveland, Minnesota, and Oklahoma City. Those are the ones right now with 21 wins. And so Minnesota has not shown a commitment to losing in the manner that the others have. Very poor job. Yeah, neither is Orlando, for that matter.

No, they haven't. You know, they haven't shown a true commitment to losing. If you're a Wolfs fan, Chris, you've got to be feeling good about the development. Anthony Edwards getting better. Cat, Delo, this team is looking great heading into the next season. And you just hope the basketball gods

will reward you for performing in this way to close the year instead of tanking. Because if you get that draft pick, keep your draft pick on top of everything that's happening. They could be pretty freaking good really fast. Yeah. Well, and I thought the most insane

stat that I heard, I heard Rosillo mentioned this. I was talking about Oklahoma City and their commitment to tanking. And this was shocking to me. And it does make you think about like, okay, what if they end up with? Because Oklahoma City has like a chance to end up with like theoretically, like the number one pick and the number five pick in this draft. And we know they've got like 34 draft picks in the next seven drafts or whatever the hell it is. But he said something and I went and I was like, no way. And then I checked it. When Chey Gilders Alexander played this year for Oklahoma City, they were 16 and 19. Yeah. Not bad. When he has not played, they are 5 and 28.

16 and 19 3 games under 500 So no wonder I mean he had the foot thing They're like yeah dude You're not playing anymore Like you are the antithesis Of what we needed to get done this year

He was and I think you know look We spent what three months going How are they good Like they were you know hovering around 500 For so long And honestly They were about a 500 team in the games that he played this year.

He was only three games under 500, which, you know, who knows? You suspect he's going to play the whole season next year. And if they're able to flip some of those first round picks, I think Oklahoma City could get good fast with their assets. Yeah. You know what I mean? They could for sure.

And with SGA, I had him as an All-Star Reserve. He's not a most improved contender because he just hasn't played enough games. Right. but had it played the whole year. With those 16 and 19 when he plays. I don't know. I honestly don't know how many players you could put on that team and they'd be 16 and 19. If you just took him out and you said,

all right, put this guy on that team. But I was going to say after losing Chris Paul, you know, the hope was that he would take a leap as a ball handler, as a playmaker. He's done exactly that. He's been so good.

And I miss watching him play too. Like he's so fun to watch. Well, I saw the cousin in, in person last night, Alexander Walker. Oh, yeah. That's the cousins, right?

Yeah. Jeez. You know, I loved him coming out of the draft. He's going to be a player. And I do wonder, I thought as I was watching that game, if that makes Alonzo decision different.

Because I do think that you can, you can let that kid play, and he's going to end up being really good in this league. And so maybe you don't, you know, pony up all the money it's going to take to keep Lonzo because you've got that kid in the fold and he's going to be able to, he's going to be able to handle the ball too.

Yeah. I like him, man. He can handle both of them. All right. We are going to cover some of this awards column today. We're going to cover some of it on Friday because you've got a week. You don't have to turn this in.

What's the deadline on this? So the deadline is, I think, 11.59 p.m. Eastern on Monday, May 17th. So next Monday. Okay. So I have this. and I've got Friday to do any convincing that I'm going to do. Sure.

Yeah. For Jammarant for MVP. No. I will say this. I was because of the dastardly Nick Wright, who is an absolute scumbag, which I can say that now, he deleted our podcast off his thing anyway. He's not going to hear it. Who cares?

He's not going to hear this. But no, Nick Wright tagged me in a tweet to you being mad about Chris Paul not being in the top five of your MVP voting when he has been on Fox Sports promoting him as the winner of the MVP. And so because he did that, I ended up seeing all these responses. I end up getting tagged in all this stuff. And I didn't even do anything. And these arguments that people have and then people calling you all manner of names

and whatever else. And I told you before we started this, I am continually perplexed at how people act, how rude people can be. And the fact that, you know, I said this when I was talking about the reps a couple of weeks ago, whether it was Luca or Zion or Moran, a lot of the young stars that seem to be eternally perturbed

at the officials. And I said, you know, going about it the way, being so demonstrative towards them and whatever else, you're not going to get the desired result. If you're constantly like F you or you don't, you're not good at your job or whatever, what do you think's going to happen? Do you think they're all of a sudden going to be like, oh, you know what?

I am going to give this guy the benefit of the doubt. Now, no, because they're humans, they're going to like, screw this guy. And I would say the same thing is true when coming at Kevin regarding these awards. I think that if you kill Kevin with kindness, you have the opportunity to have open ears and a desired result. Like, but nobody says. Like, hey, Kev, have you thought about this? Or I wish you to have so-and-so because I actually think that you could be persuaded like that. And so I'm careful in the way I go about it because otherwise human nature is if somebody's like,

you idiot, you're so stupid, whatever, then anybody is going to be like, F that, and stick their flag in the ground and be like, you know what, screw you. Now I'm really going to do it, right? I didn't even care as much before. for now there's no way I'm putting Chris Paul in my top five. No, no, I mean, I think, I think when it comes to award vote, we, we wanted to publish early because of the timing with the playing tournament and all that. So we did it this Monday instead of next Monday.

But ultimately, like, it's not even about like having three or four games left to watch and that changes things. It's really about the days of research and being able to dive in deep, you know, talk with some people I trust around the league about like, well, what do you think about this? Like, what are your thoughts on that, you know, in making these decisions? So, you know, the fan reaction, it's like I said in the column, in the intro, I said that I'm frustrated. Yeah. With this ballot because there's so many great players missing out on this honor, on these accolades. I'm frustrated by that.

Fans understandably are going to be heated. But the way I look at it is this, Chris, the reason why fans have a player to be pissed about not being on a ballot is. is because there's a player that gives you joy, a player to root for, a player that gives you hope. There are so many great players in the league now that finding 15 spots for them is difficult. Putting three, you know, the top three or top five for rookie of the year, or MVP or first team all rookie, whatever it is,

is very difficult because there's a lot of talent. So to me, it's understandable why fans are heated. if people want to think more strategically and be persuasive. I mean, there's not a lot of that on Twitter with any subject at all, Chris. So I don't expect it on Twitter. And I'll tell you what, I'll be honest with you. I read most of my mentions, almost all of them. But I mute my tweets when I send out award ballots because I just don't want to see it.

It's just too toxic. And some of the stuff I saw yesterday was funny to me because it's like I had Joe Ingalls as six men in the year. Rudy Gobert as defensive player of the year. And jazz fans are like, you don't have Quinn Snyder as coach the year. You're an idiot. It's like, come on. Give me a break. Jazz fans are tough.

Jazz fans are tough. Every time I say anything about Rudy Gobert, they are on my ass. They care so deeply about their guys and their awards. But I'll say this. You say it doesn't matter the last four games, but we all, again, Human nature is to be prisoner of the moment. It will matter. Let me just say it doesn't, it's not, it does matter.

It's just not necessarily. Would it change your ballot? The greatest, well, it's not the greatest benefit of the last week. It's like it's the time to research that matters more to me and just get everything solid more so than the results in the games. But guys make these pushes. I mean, look, if you watch last night, Jordan Clarkton had 40, 40 last night. And if you're watching it, you're like, you know what?

It probably is six men of the year. And if Steph went to Phoenix and dropped 70 tonight, it is YouTube. There's just no way. We're not going to view things differently regarding his season and what he's done and leading the league in scoring and everything else because he would overtake feel for sure.

And then same thing goes. I actually had that feeling on Sunday when I was watching the Knicks. And I thought this is going to be criminal if this guy doesn't win coach of the year. And by the way, like with Steph, it's not that he would win it over Yoke. creature would be the placement on the ballot.

Like he might be second or third instead of fourth or fifth on some people's ballots. And that's where like the shuffling I got to be honest with. I did not have a big problem with your MVP ballot. I'm curious. What was your biggest issue with it? I am very curious about it. Was there one thing?

Maybe not MVP, but anything on the ballot. Like what was your biggest issue on the ballot? Even if it was like a third guy. The tibodeo thing. Really? Because I think, yeah. So you feel that strongly over Monty Williams? Martin had a great year coaching the sons, man. I understand, but I think that you, to me, when you don't have Paul in the top five,

which I do think there's an argument, Paul should be in the top five, especially if they end up with the record that they're going to end up with, he should be there over, at least on the ballot. I'm saying at the bottom. If you want to replace. He might end up fifth on my ballot instead of Lucy. He might end up fifth. Yeah.

He's on the bubble for me. But I don't have a big problem with that. I just feel like when you get, when you don't have him as a top five on your MVP ballot, and then you have Monty Williams being coach of the year, to me, that gives the credit to Monty for what happened with that team this year. And that's just not so. I don't know. Chris Paul's second team all NBA in a league where there's like 30 guys for 15 spots.

Chris Paul. Oh, no, no, no. But I'm saying, I'm saying what he's not on that ballot, but Monty Williams gets you. Dude, there is nobody in the world that could have coached the Knicks to this record. Nobody. Nobody. Dead or alive. Tim, it's just the right year with the right guy.

And he turned Randall into an all NBA player. And what's going on with Derek Rose shooting over 60% from both field and three over this last month is outrageous. Outrageous. And I don't know. know how many games he logged at six men, but I thought that was one of them. I'm like, where's Rose? He was on the six man. I have, I have him on the inconsideration list. Yeah, but I mean, he's been great. Yeah. To me, like, I would replace one of the jazz. I, obviously, I have a different opinion on the, on the defensive player of the year thing. I know

that he'll probably be unanimous. I just, so you prefer Simmons over, go bear. Yes, yes, yes. I prefer, I think Ben Simmons should be the defensive player of the year. I mean, I think you saw Last night, one of the limitations of, you know, I mean, Gobert is a guy that stands in front of the basket, right? When he comes out, this is why so many of these players, you know, roll their eyes. I don't know why they roll their eyes about Rudy Gobert, but they constantly take shots at him, you know, getting defensive player of the year. And that they played him, Durant made that comment about how there's defensive players of the years that somehow get played off the court in playoff games. figure that out. So I don't understand everything sometimes.

Players do not have the same respect for Rudy Gobert that coaches and media do. And really media. Media love Rudy Gobert the most and Utah fans. Utah fans love him the most. But media value Rudy Gobert more than players do. Because when you talk to players about the best defenders, he's not. He's not thought of in that same way. And that matters greatly to me.

And then like last night, you saw, you know, and nobody can ever tell me that last year there isn't part of, you know, the Jamal Murray average in 75 points a game that isn't because, you know, the guy's standing six feet from the basket all of the time. I just think what is asked of somebody like a Simmons is so much greater than what is asked of a Gobert. And I said he should be help defensive player of the year.

But defensive player of the year should be Ben Simmons. And I believe that. We've argued about this before. I don't want to go through it all again. But would you agree at the least that he deserves to be on the all NBA teams? Would you agree there? I'm just trying to figure this out.

All NBA for Gobert as one of the three centers. And what I'm getting to is the Mori conversation. Yeah, I don't have a problem with him being. Okay. I am aware of his level of importance to that team. Don't get me wrong on this. I'm just talking about the way I value a defender and what is asked of a defender,

especially with kind of the way the game is played now. And also, I don't think defensive players of the year should be able to be played off of their court for their defense. If they get played off to their offense. That happened quite a while ago. Like DiBle doesn't play because of, I mean, Kevin, last year in the playoffs, Jamal Murray averaged 75 points a game playing picking rolls with Yokic.

I mean, because the guy doesn't go, I mean, he doesn't leave the paint. So you saw last night, go watch the replay of that Steph three. That they, the dagger he hit last night again. them. Chris, there's like you're, sometimes there's no defense.

A year ago, you guys tried to convince me the, Chris, let me respond. Let me respond. Let me respond. Let me respond. You can talk about switching screens as if like,

this is some anecdote to stop Stefan Curry and Jamal Murray. Like, Devin Walker hit a three pointer in, and Ben Simmons face earlier this season two after a switch. Like, it happens. Like great players make great shots. And with Rudy Gobert playing the style that he does on defense,

there's pros and cons to the, to that. There's pros and cons to switching. There's pros and cons to blitzing. There's pros and cons to dropping. Like every type of pick and roll defense, there's a good part of it and a bad and a bad side of it. And with the jazz, the great side of it, and this is why Gobert, you know, he defines what the jazz can do because he can defend the two at once. You're able to keep your guys at home. You know, your help defenders off the ball don't need to necessarily come all the way into the paint because of him. he stops guys from getting to the basket, which prevents kickouts for open three-pointers.

So yes, sometimes you're going to have guys that pull up three-pointers over him because he drops into the paint, because he's not switching, because he's not blitzing as often. But that's just like the nature of the game. Like that's what happens no matter what you do.

The offense always has the damage. We don't have to argue about this that much, but other centers cook his ass. So he doesn't, like, if there's a one-on-one matchup, it's not like he- I just fundamentally disagree. It's not like he dominates them. I think there are some highlights that people see and for whatever reason.

No, what are you talking about? But like great, like people, great defenders get cooked all the time by great scorers on the perimeter. Go and inside. No, hold on now. Offense has the advantage, period. Look, of course they do. But go look at Embed's numbers against them. Go look at Yokic's numbers against them.

Go look at guys' numbers against them in these games. You don't think you should be held below your averages? Forget below your averages? they roasted his ass. I would love to pull him up right now, but I also don't want to pause for five minutes in the middle of the podcast. Well, here, I already have looked them up.

They killed him. Okay, well, those aren't numbers, Chris. You said look up the numbers. Huh? Those are numbers. It's like, yes, Joe Alambed cooks everybody. DeColiokic cooks everybody.

It happens. Like, that's all I'm saying. Stefan Curry, it doesn't matter if you have Bruce Bowen defending him. It doesn't matter if you have, bring up Ron Arte's in his prime. Like Ron Artecest is going to get cooked. Rudy O'Bairr is going to get cooked sometimes because that's what great scorers do.

They cook you. They roast you. They destroy you. Because that's what happens. So like I just don't understand. Defensive players of the year, I've watched this. I've watched two of them. I've watched two defensive player in the year caliber players in Marcosol and Tony Allen. And routinely they hold the opposing star that they are to guard under their averages. Their field goal percentage is lower.

they make them more inefficient and sometimes they just shut them down completely. And so does Gobert on one of the highest levels in the entire league. He's a bully. He just swats little guys. Okay. Yeah.

The big guys just put them in the third row. Okay. I don't, I mean, so if you want to put them on the third team, I don't have a problem with that. But I did see Daryl be upset about M.B. Not being on the first team. And now all these Utah, like, look, trust me, I am going to mute all of you Utah people.

I don't get a damn. I mean, after what you just said, you know what? Send me your address. I'll send you a help defensive player of the year. Or maybe I'll send you a M.B. Box score. Or maybe even a Ben Simmons box score. Ben Simmons guarded him and dropped 40 on his frigging head.

In a game without MBE in Utah. Watch the tape. Now, he was mad. more he was met because Embed wasn't on your first team all NBA. This is a weird year where they're making guys that never played forward in their life eligible at forward. Yeah. Isn't that weird?

It is weird. A couple years ago when I think my first year voting, I put in the call on, it doesn't make any sense. This is 2017, I think. LeBron was listed as just a Ford. Ben Simmons was listed only as a guard. It made zero sense. So the NBA has done a way better job at putting a lot of guys at Ford and Guard or center and Ford.

But with Embed, it's odd because he's played like 99.9% of his minutes as the loan big on the floor. You are, you are always in favor of no positions on the ballot. No positions. And no conferences, no, everything should just be on the table. Right. And that's why. So then they made it on the table and you didn't put him. No, they didn't.

No, they didn't. because that's what I'm getting at. They didn't do that because you still have three center slots. And so here's the issue from me with my ballot. And we'll see if there's changes. But the problem is like Embed should be on the first team. Okay. Should be.

But if you place him as a forward, that means Gobert slides up to second team center, which is fine with me. But then that third team center spot, Bam out of bio or Clint Capella, maybe there's a strong argument to put them on the team. I heavily considered them. I'm still considering them.

But as of now, I wouldn't put them over on the team instead of, you know, some of the Ford or Guard eligible players. Clint Capella, all NBA? Well, that's what I'm saying. But that's what might happen. There's a scenario, Chris.

The NBA has done a good job about having the voters have the ability to put guys at different positions. That is helpful. But when you still have that third team center slot, if Embed by virtue of the point system is named to first team, that would mean Goberra goes to the second team for the second center slot. And then the center with the third most votes, even if they have less than the forward or guard, then, you know, let's just say Clint Capella makes third team. It's possible like Donovan Mitchell could have had more points.

But Mitchell might not get it because he can't go into that third team center slot. So they've removed, you know, they've added. multiple positions for voters, but they still go into the traditional positional slots, which creates issues, in my opinion, where a guy who might not be deserving makes a team, or you're

forced to put a guy who isn't as deserving as someone else because you're putting a beat on the first team. Very confusing. I hope listeners understand what I'm saying. It's easier to read than in the absence of, I mean, I don't have the list, so I don't know who's eligible where. Once you get past

Yokic has a center eligibility next to his name Embed has a center of LGBT Gobeer has a senator eligibility. Who is who else, who is the best player that has center eligibility

that's not one of those three. I just told you, it's Capello or Atabio. That's it. Those are the old, I incaral Anthony Towns, but I have him third behind those other ones.

I, BAM would be the one. Yeah. To me. And you know what? Maybe that's, maybe that's what some people would want to vote for

over, you know, a Donovan Mitchell or over a Jimmy Butler or over a Jason Tatum or over, you know, a Trey Young, Devin Booker, Drew Holliday, Russell Westbrook, Kyrie Irving or James Hard, and maybe you do want to vote for Bam over those guys. I'm not so sure that I do. So, you know, that that's the challenge in this year's ballot. Um, where's Westbrook? He's not on there. I don't have him on there right now. And I doubt I will. And it's interesting. There's no chance you will. But that's the thing, though, Chris.

Like, there might be voters who want to put Westbrook on the ballot, but can't if they put Embed first team. And by the way, Embed, if we're talking positions, he shouldn't have the forward designation. Yep. I agree. It's their fault for doing that. It really is.

It's kind of unusual. I'm a little surprised if they did that, to be honest with you. It's like Yolkich has played minutes at both. You know, he's played with other bigs, but to me really hasn't. I, this is where you didn't, they should have gone the full measure because they complicated this, but didn't make it so because if you just want to make all NBA the five best players in the league, otherwise respect the position. That's my opinion.

Either undo it and everybody can be eligible for everything, okay? Or keep it position wise, you know, and guys that if you want to make. wings eligible at both, whatever. But you can't make it so that a guy is eligible at a position that he doesn't play. That's wrong to me. You know what I'm saying? It's no more reasonable than making Chris Paul eligible at center. It's ridiculous.

Yeah. You know, what? He's never by center in his life. But what does it matter? And that's why, like, Darrell and I, I felt like in our back and forth exchange on Twitter, there was like, it ended with like a level of agreement. Yeah. You know, because the reason why this matters is because, unfortunately, the financial implications for players with bonuses.

Like, I hate the fact that voting for All-Star and All-N-B-A can impact a potential earnings and what a franchise can offer. Yeah, I read yesterday, and it wasn't like, it wasn't chicken change. It was like for Tatum and for Donovan Mitchell, I mean, it's like $32 million. Tens of millions of dollars, yeah. And it's, I don't know, I just, I think the process is too. I thought I read the Tatum one was like 60 or something crazy. The process is too flawed considering the implications that it has. Yes.

That's my only like issue. I think you can still keep media voters, a pool of 100 typically gets good results. But like the process itself with the positions and all that is just too flawed. And like I said, I take some serious issues with all NBA. And I've aired this out for years. And I think it's gotten better.

Yeah. Having guys listed at multiple positions helps. This is just a very funky year with that third center spot. Regarding, and we'll get to more of it on Friday because there'll be our last chance to do any convincing of you before you turn in your ballot. The Tibbs one, it was the major one for me that I feel strongly about. Sixth Man of the Year, I do think Derek Rose should be on that ballot for sure. I know that, you know, the names you got, like, I haven't heard of Christian Wood's name in six months.

So for most improved. Yeah, for most improved. So, I mean, I don't like whatever. I mean, I know his numbers have gone up, but he's on a, he's on a team that, you know, is going to win less than 20 games this season. Somebody's got to put up numbers. I know he was good at the beginning of the season when we thought that they had a chance

to actually be a decent team this year. Yeah, Ben Simmons and Tibbs. Those are the ones that I, that I disagree with. like that I just think that that's wrong. But the rest of this stuff, I mean, look, you're picking nits on a lot of this stuff. And I don't, it's not like you've got somebody in these spots that are wildly undeserving in my estimation.

And Ben Simmons, I would have Ben Simmons as defensive player of the year. But other than that, no, I mean, I mean, I think you've got, you know, you start this whole thing out by saying how hard this thing is. I mean, you know, this year is the toughest one, dude. And it does because, and you also, I'm sure you've struggled with this. It becomes arbitrary on what you want to penalize, right? So like, you, like, am I penalizing missed games? It's because you penalize miss games, but then you want to give LaBello rookie of the year over a guy that was more durable.

I know, it's hard. Or like Kauai Leonard right now, you know, having him on first team all NBA, you have, you know, he's miss games. Do you penalize that over Julius Randall who's played all but one game? You know, it's LeBron on second team. You could argue maybe he should be third team because of all the misgames. By the way, you could even argue that LeBron shouldn't be on if you want to really factor miss games. Like it's I really, I genuinely look forward to seeing what voters do. I look forward to seeing what voters do because this year assessing it, I think this is the toughest year for me as a voter. like four or five years with all NBA that I've ever had.

It is hard this year to do all NBA. There's so many guys. Like, Trey Young, did I even mention his name earlier when I was listing off like the guards and forwards that might miss out? And he's the best player on a team that as of right now is playing in the four or five. He's been awesome, dude. He's been awesome.

And like, Jimmy Butler I don't have on there. I have him listed basically as an honorable mention. I didn't even talk about Butler. Butler's been awesome. He's been awesome. And like he might miss out. It's just a,

it's a tough year, dude. It's a tough. I mean, the only player you have on a sorry team is Beal and he's leading the league in scoring. Yeah. And he's still.

And they've been really good lately. And yeah. I don't know, man. We'll see what happens. But, uh, yeah,

you might, you might have to kick hard enough there and put in, try young. I might kick hard and off. I really might. And, and that's a weird thing to say, considering,

the nets have nobody on the team, but that's just the way this year's been for them with so many guys in and out. Oh, yeah, no Kyrie either, right? No Kyrie in there either. But Kyrie also. Why don't you just make him your third team center? Yeah. I mean, it's about how goofy this thing is. It'd be a lot easier if I could do that.

Yeah. I'll tell you this. These last, like, this last like four or five games, it's going to just. determine all these seedings, because we talked about at the beginning of the show, how much the seedings are going to matter are going to be super interesting. And one last thing before we get out of here today. One other quick thing before we get to that last thing. All NBA, I would say the only locks on my third team right now, what I published yesterday was Gobert, George, Tatum, Harden, Beal for third team. I'd say the only locks are Gobert and George. Tatum, Harden, Beal,

Beal close to a lock. But those guys, not 100%, not 100%. This is still in flux. Like you said, it's picking nits, splitting hairs with these guys. It's tough. Okay, the one thing that I wanted to mention to you

before we get out of here, because I know you're still working on a bunch of draft stock. The lottery is going to be right around the corner, which is a massive lottery. But I saw Jalen Green, who was the first test case in the going to the,

the G League instead of college now. Evidently he tweeted it out a long time ago, but I just saw it. The quote that was going around, I know for a fact, if I would have went to college, it would have been a different talk about who's going number one. Of course,

in reference to Kate Cunningham, who virtually everybody in the free world has going number one in this upcoming draft. Interested to hear what you think about this. Just as someone who analyzes the draft, and when talk to people. Do you think going and playing in the G League enhanced Jalen Green's draft stock,

hurt Jalen Green's draft stock, or did nothing? Either way. Not a nothing. Nothing. No. You think where he went is where he was going to go. Yeah. I mean, I think if you want to, if I have to pick help or hurt, it would be lean towards help because you saw him perform at a good level and you saw him get better over the course of the G league season against a lot of grown men. So I'd lean towards help in that sense. But ultimately, in terms of draft stock, he was a top five guy before the season. He's a top five guy now.

Yeah, I wonder what the NBA. I'll have to talk to some more people in the NBA to see what they, see, see what I can gather on that because I find it interesting, you know, he said he loved the G league and he's glad he did it. And he, look, I'm sure he loves the half million dollars that he got for playing in it. but does it have an effect either way? And it'll be fascinating to see if he's, it's possible he's right.

Possible. You know what I mean? Possible that if he would have gone to college, he puts up crazy numbers and dominates wherever he would have played. And then he's the guy that's going number one or, or we're at least having an argument that we're not having right now. Is that fair? Yeah.

Right? Because there's really not an argument. People aren't sitting around going, Jalen Green or Kate Cunningham. You know, we just kind of accept it. It's great he has that self-confidence, you know. But who knows? Didn't it happen?

Who knows? It's going to be a fun rest of the week for sure. We will reconvene on Friday for another edition of the mismatch. Thanks to Isaiah filling in for producer Sasha this week and putting the whole show together. and we will talk to you on Friday. Have a good week, everybody.