The Mismatch - Play-In Madness and Things We Care About in the First Round

Episode Date: April 17, 2026

Verno and Jacoby return to react to the opening games of the play-in tournament and preview the final games on Friday. Then, they discuss the things they care about heading into the opening round of the NBA playoffs. Welcome to The Mismatch! (0:30) Play-in tournament recap (2:03) Hornets-Heat: The game was wildly entertaining (7:06) Magic-76ers: Magic fans would rather watch Hornets-Pistons (11:29) Warriors-Clippers: Vintage masterpiece by Steph and Green (24:15) Blazers-Suns: Devin Booker will be front and center vs. the Warriors (28:48) Things we care about going into the playoffs (29:09) Things we care about: Wings vs. bigs in the Cavs-Toronto matchup (32:34) Things we care about: What if the Cavs lose? (38:11) Things we care about: Last run for this iteration of the Wolves (43:05) Things we care about: Nuggets must close quick (47:48) Things we care about: Can the Knicks run with the Hawks? (49:43) Things we care about: The Knicks' transition defense (53:28) Things we care about: Mitchell Robinson’s free throw shooting (1:00:06) Things we care about: Can the Celtics' regular-season success carry into the playoffs? (1:03:19) Things we care about: Is effort the Moneyball of the NBA? (1:06:08) Things we care about: Who doesn’t love Tyrese Maxey? (1:12:29) Things we care about: Small-market energy (1:16:05) Things we care about: Battle scars The Ringer is committed to responsible gaming. Please visit www.rg-help.com to learn more about the resources and helplines available. Leave us a message on our Mismatch voicemail line! [phone] Hosts: Chris Vernon and David Jacoby Producers: Stefan Anderson and Jeff Shearin Social: Keith Fujimoto Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Welcome to The Mismatch. I'm Chris Vernon. And joining me to do it as every week from the ringer.com is Dave Jacoby. Jacobi! Chris Vernon, Matthews have 20 seconds to start this. Here. I have a confession. A couple things I want to address. Number one, on this show, The Mismatch, Chris Vernon and David Jacobi.

I once had a take that I loathed the plane. And I was like, this is unnecessary. the ninth and tenth teams do not deserve to be in this tournament. I did this whole thing. And my God, watching basketball, the last two nights, has completely reinvigorated my love of the NBA. The end of the regular season was tough. But watching these games and watching the effort,

the execution, the coaching, just the energy, the crowd, watching it be this way, just completely lit the flame again for me to a million percent. All right. First of all, you're very brave. You're very brave for doing that,

admitting you were wrong about the play-in. It is truly remarkable that we had four play-in games over the course of the last two nights, and we didn't catch one dud amongst them. Like all four of these, games were wildly

entertaining for their own reasons. The two last night were like headed down Dudd Highway and just exit. You know what I mean? Yes. It's just like, whoa. Yeah. And so now, all right, we'll just go by one by one.

The Charlotte Miami game, obviously we had all the drama with Lemillo Ball and Bamato Bio. It's been covered. It's been covered. But that game was wildly entertaining. and I always try to think about this stuff where it's like,

okay, am I being prisoner of the moment or am I actually going to remember this stuff? And I feel rather confident that I am always going to remember the Lamello, Bam on a Bio play, and the Kobe White 3. I do think those are going to have staying power that we're going to get years down the road

and it'll be like, yeah, you remember that playing game with? Because, you know, I'll be honest, It's not like I remember a bunch of the playing games from years past. Oh, no. But that one was, that one was so big. It felt like this incredible communal experience online where everybody was watching it and everybody couldn't believe it. It was like a March Madness type game.

So many good plays and so many crazy plays down the stretch. Also, very memorable for the technical difficulties of which no, none of us have experienced in our sports viewing life time. Did you think it was singular to you? Like I thought it was like my phone or like my ID. I didn't know that was a global experience. Of course. Well, because last night I actually,

I got caught. How about this one? This is the first time this has happened. I came upstairs. So where I watched the games. So I started the game in my bedroom. And then I went upstairs so that I could watch the game. And when I got upstairs,

I turned on Amazon and it like blocked me from watching it. Too many accounts are logged in or whatever. Yeah. It's fixable. No,

I guess my son was watching it and then it was on a screen in the bedroom still and I went up to the game room to turn it on. So I had to go back down to my bedroom turn it off. I'm like, enough with you Amazon.

This can happen to me. Why am I? But of course that was my fault, right? Where it's like, I didn't know you. couldn't you couldn't have three on at the same time. It's what it said. I've never bumped into that, but you can understand why.

You know what I mean? Yeah, I guess. It's whatever. But like, we don't have to, we don't have to dive any deeper into like the Amazon presentation of it all. I know. But man, like that game, I think I will remember. But for me, it's not Lamello's game winner.

It's Lamello boneheaded turnover, getting doubled from the left with someone wide open to his left. and then just like jumping in the air and throwing it to his right and then running backwards and fouling a three-point shooter up to at the end of the game. Just letting Tyler Hero shoot

would be like such a better proposal. Literally not if you can test him. Well, obviously Hero missed that ridiculous final possession three that he took. But I mean, we were really close to him being the hero of all heroes. Pardon the pun. Because he would have just had,

what was that, nine in like the last 30 seconds of the game to win the game if he, if he makes that. But anyways, I do, you know, time will tell, but I do think that was memorable. Then we get to Denny.

That's memorable. I feel like it's, maybe we are being prisoners of the moment. We are being prisoners of the moment. I feel like I'm going to remember. It's memorable if they make some noise. If the Hornets lose to the magic tomorrow night, you will not be like, oh, what a great game

between 9 and 10 at the Eastern Conference that was ultimately insignificant. You will not feel that way. I just think there was so much talk and chatter that came out of the lamello-Bam situation and that game and the whole technical difficulties. I do feel like I'm going to remember that. And on the Obdia front, the fact that a guy who most people, like how many times during that

broadcast did they say he's the 14th leading scorer in the NBA? And, you know, most people that don't keep up with the NBA and just tune in for the playoffs are probably like, really? Who is Deni? He's been killing all season. Like this started last season. But also, he has been killing. but that was also his like career night.

Like he's been killing, but he's been killing like averaging 24, not dropping 40 something on somebody, right? What do you have, 41, 12, and 7? I mean, he was. A bunch of those were in crunch time in the fourth quarter. Like having 41 is one thing, but having like 14 down the stretch and something else.

Straight to the basket. So he was awesome. That was memorable. And then we sift to last night where we got 76ers Magic. And I know Tyrese Maxie is the story coming out of it in terms of the leading score. Not the story. Like, who?

What is going on with the match? Like, what? Like, I know. I just feel like they get on the plane. And they're like, do we really have to play again? I'm going to tell you something. There is a game that's going to be played between the Charlotte Hornets and the Orlando Magic. And judging from the response.

that I got last night when I opine that the Orlando Magic I feel like they would find more success if someone moved ever because they just stand there every time they come down the court. I feel

and I prefaced by saying I'm not a coach. I didn't know what you met when you said when someone moved ever. I was like what like I think like moved homes. No, they don't move. They don't move. No, they don't move. They just run down and stand like statues. And so typically you would find a home fan base, you know, maybe disagreeing with you,

maybe saying, oh, a pot shop, whatever. In fact, the greatest supporters of my tweet were Orlando Magic fans, which leads me to believe if we already set up that everybody wants to see Hornets Pistons because they got in a fight earlier this year, I, this is the first time I feel like I've ever said this. I kind of feel like Magic fans would rather see Hornet Pistons as well. They hate this.

We're going to preview the playoff series, but I'll just say I'm looking at tomorrow night's games and think what percentage of people watching those games are rooting for the Hornets, Answer in a second. And what percent of the people watching those games are rooting for the Warriors? Let's say neutral, people that are not fans of either team. Okay.

Okay, so look, I'm saying there is a large percentage of the magic fans. They don't want it. So we're down to like family and friends. I'm not even sure that. Family and friends are rooting for that. I'm not even sure that Franz Wagner and Paulo and Maine. Mo Wagner. Like, Franz wants to win.

Mo is like, I'm good. None of them just seem to be all that interested in this. But, and the other thing is, my favorite stat of last night. So I know the story was about Maxie and obviously the, the, the, the, the six are stepped up. But Zach Kram put out the stat last night where I was like, oh, that one. I get jealous because it's like somebody has gone to basketball reference and has typed in the stats that the guy had. and it's like, when has this happened before? And it was 10 points, 10 rebounds, three blocks, three steals in a postseason game.

For the six. Technically, this is not a post season. I got it. I understood. But it is. Their life was on the line. Yes. Also, that.

Dr. Jay, Moses Belone, and Andre Drummond, including the dagger last night. My other favorite was, I think it was Dan Devine, put out a reminder that Andre Jumman is only 32 and I was like, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa. Wait, wait, whoa, whoa, 20 second year in the league? I mean, so he went to Yukon, went to Yukon for a year. I checked out. I legit, I legit almost fell off my count.

I think of him like I do like D'Andre Jordan, you know what I mean? Who I just watched like this whole video of Joe Dumas calling him the greatest vet to ever live. But yeah, Andre Drummond, he feels way older than that, but enormous, enormous for them last night in that Sixers game. And then the nightcap, which, I mean, just. It was gold, it was gold medal stuff. and it was a Draymond Green defensive masterpiece of, I mean, of all masterpiece. I mean, this was, this is like the Mona Lisa, bro. Like when you lock up Kauai like he did and pick him clean, that just does not happen.

I want to say. He's like one of the lowest turnover guys ever. The first one, great play. But he, Kauai is not moving. there was like a second left inbound the ball. I think it was Matherin. Like he had to put the ball somewhere and it was just right into Dramon's hands.

It was one of those things where you're like sitting on a route. It was like that was pretty like it was more situation steel than anything else. The second one, wide open, Kauai the claw dribbling. Straight rip. And he's crossed the ball over and you poke it and then dive on it and then give it up for the fast break.

Like that, that was like defensive player of the year stuff. The first one, great play, whatever. B, the second one, A plus. Absolute A plus play. But also had him in a straight jacket all night. All night. I mean, this guy. All second half.

Well, say all fourth quarter second half. But they were also loading up on him. They're loading up on. Of course he was. But I mean, and then that exposed the rest, right? Where it's like, all right. And save me, Darius Garland going to the podium saying, hey, I was playing on nine toes.

Like, okay. All right. Okay. Like, he had it. He played well. He played well. Come on.

I mean, I mean, I got it, but Step just missed 27 games. We're not doing it. It is. We're not doing that. This does go back to sort of like,

what I started with is like, this is a different sport than we watched all regular season. The Warriors just lost eight of nine. And then Al Horford. Al Horford, I don't think he's hit four threes in a row in a quarter. I don't know,

since he was on the hawk. Like, okay. So I was actually, I was talking about this with my buddies yesterday where it was the, the, the, why are you always so jealous that I have friends? Why? Good job for me back on me, but please continue. I apologize. I just don't understand. You're always like, who are these friends you talk to?

You have friends too. I do have friends. You always think it's strange that I'm talking to people. But it's neither here nor there. All right. The list of guys that if we were lining up everybody that's a playoff participant and we're saying, I've got to win the game tonight, tonight, wherever, not 82 games, not over the course of a playoff series,

we're playing one game. That list, because we were talking about Drew Holiday. And it's like he's way higher on that list. Like if they've got them all lined up on the wall and we're picking for the night, like Drew Holiday is one of those guys you want for the one game set. And there's no question. We'll see where it goes from here. But Draymond and Steph are like, they're right there.

It's like if I just got to win one game, wherever I'm picking them is way higher than where they get picked if we're picking for a season or a playoff run or whatever else, right? just because in one game, obviously you saw this. They can dominate. And Steph took over that game offensively and Draymond took over that game defensively. It's unbelievable.

There was the stretch of the Warriors where everyone was out and like Pat Spencer was like their number one option and they just lost a bunch of games. This is not that team. And one of the things I'm so glad you said Draymond and Steph because we're going to talk about Steph's big shot and we're going to talk about Drayman's two defensive plays.

But what I saw throughout that game was just the mind meld and the institutional knowledge the two of them had together. There was a play where they get the offensive rebound, the Warriors, and kick it to Draymond on the top of the key. He points to a spot on the floor that is empty. Steph cuts there and he gives him a pass and Steph just nails the three. It was like they just see what each other are supposed to or are going to do so many times throughout that game.

And they've been doing this their whole careers. It's nothing to do. But it was just like on spotlight in that game. And have you seen the like all the different angles of Steph's shot and we talk to the fan and all that stuff? Oh my gosh. But like watch just like this the synchronicity of Draymond and Steph on that one play in slow motion is they've literally done this tens of thousands of times over the course of their career.

I mean, that. dribble handoff. But it starts with a behind the back. I know. I would love. That would be great to see how many times over the course of the last decade have they dribble handoffs? Oh, yeah.

It's like, I mean, the number has got to be outrageous. If you watch. Chart it, Goldsbury. Charity. Goldsbury has done none of his homework that we've given him on the mismatch, by the way. If you watch it, the slow-mo, I love it so much. Just watch Steph when he cuts gets done off balance, just a little bit. And then when he's dribbling, he gets Lopez off, like, gets this like seven footer just

gets him to like think he might drive and take, drop his left foot just a little bit and just gets like a little tiny bit off balance. And that gives Steph enough time to, to get the shot off. And him, like the joy that, that he plays with, him asking the fan in a tie game with 45 seconds left, did it go in? Is just like, that's movie scripts. stuff. The other thing, of course it is. That was, it was amazing. And he's had a couple of these moments over the course of, the fact that he is, the age that he is, and he still gives us what he did in the gold medal game and he still gives us what he did last night is unbelievable. And on the other side, the Clipper like collapsed. I mean, they're up 13 in the fourth quarter. And it felt like

this is the blessing and the curse of Kauai Leonard being the guy for your team is that over the course of his Clippers tenure, which may have just fizzled out, like it might be over after this, honestly. Like, I mean, you could see him playing elsewhere after this.

Who knows what happens with the aspiration stuff, whatever. But he just had a great, great season. But over his entire tenure, it feels like there have been these collapses and then that's the moment where like that warrior's leadership that never gets unflappable and you know that they're like in control.

They've never had you always see like when things that has been the mark of the clippers for the last however long, which is I'm up. Things start going wrong. Heads go down. Five guys walking separate ways going back to the bench. It started in a bubble. take their, I know. And it's like,

even the, even the Paul George, the Paul George version, the James Harden version. They've never had like a heart and soul. They've never had like an obvious. Could he use Chris Paul? Could he use Chris Paul?

I suppose he wanted. I suppose he wanted to do it. They were all like, yeah, okay, not this kind of heart and soul. Right? But you're just, you're annoying everybody. But they have always,

honestly like the guy to take take control I've always felt that way about their their foils which is they never have the guy it doesn't feel like that comes to the puddle and says this shit is not happening tonight you know what I mean who is the guy that says because you know you've got a silent bob

kind of and I always feel like they just kind of go to the locker room and they kind of all go their separate ways and that's been the mark like they of all the teams and of the good ones, they have always been one that I've marked you're like, who's the leader here? Like, who's the, who's that, that void is not filled by someone, especially when your best players

are not vocal leaders. I also just want to remind you, they're the knights. I understand, but this has been the mark of the last, this has been the whole Kauai era there, Jacoby. Well, if you think of Kauai's previous spots, the Spurs obviously have an institutional you know right

culture that we don't have to talk about and that Raptors team was Lowry and Van Vleet Lowry and Van Vleet Game 7 and they sort of like had they added Kauai into something that was already a thing you know what I mean that's right Whereas we call Kauai gets to the Clippers

it's a reinvention of the clippers it's we were Lob City and now we're this Paul George Kauai team and they just never found their identity yeah so now we have set up Hornets magic. We've already covered this. They're going to feed it to the Pistons.

We talked about this. You could go back to the episode after the one we recorded after the mini melee between them. I just want to give you flowers for that. Because right after that, you said we need this as a Pistons Hornet series. That night. When did that happen? January?

Because it looked like it was possible. Yeah. And you said, I want to give you your flowers. You were like, this is what I need for 1-8. And they could have climbed up into 6. they could have made it to say. A lot of things could have happened since then. You called your shot on this.

I want to give you your flowers. Good job, Chris Vernon. I haven't called it yet because Orlando, it would be just like them to root this. Oh, yeah. When you've got 98% of the country rooting for the hornets, it would just be so Orlando. And they would even celebrate.

They would just have their shoulders down and just walk through the tunnel. The body language should be the same if they win or they lose. Seriously. Like, do you think you'll see like a celebration like the one you saw in Philly last night in Orlando if they win.

They're not going, we want Detroit. They're not going to play the song. They're like, screw the song. Let's just get us out of here. The mismatch is brought to you by Fandual NBA fans. This is your reminder to check in with Fandual every single day. Why? Because every day during the NBA playoffs,

Fanduel is serving up a happy hour. We're talking special drops you won't want to miss from profit boost to bonus bets and more. The best part, I don't know if I mentioned this yet. It's every single day, including today. If you listen to this on Friday, we have the final two play in games. The first four were fantastic.

And listen, we all know what's happening here. In Orlando, the Magic are hosting the Hornets. Every single person wants the Hornets to win, and I think they will. And a lot has been made of lamello ball, poor performance and game winning shot. A lot has been made of Khan Canipal. Maybe not matching the expectations that he's set with his regular season performance to say the very least and put it nicely. I expect both of those things to change dramatically.

I'm going over on con points and threes. over on Lamello, assists, and points, and threes. I think that those two step up in ways that it did not in the first game against the heat, and you can follow me, or you can do whatever you want when you check in daily with Fandul. Check for a new reward every single day of the NBA playoffs

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Gambling problem. Call 100 gambler or call 1.88-789-77777. Or visit ccpg.org slash chat in Connecticut. And then the warrior's son. So, I mean, can Drayvon and Steph do it again? Can Can Porzigis do it again? Well, I mean, it's a 37 win team that would be in the playoffs. It'd be amazing.

Because, you know, I've watched a lot of the Nix games. Porzig was originally drafted by the Knicks. A lot has happened to his career since then. He's like dramatically changed the way he plays. He had so many put back dunks his first three years in the league. So many, Chris. Like, it was at least like won a game. At least won a game.

And those, the one with on the free throw was just ridiculous. There's some luck involved with that. And the other one, he hangs on the rim with his knees in the air and swings around. Like, he did not look like a hobbled, infected with a weird virus basketball player last night. He did not. And so they've got to rally it together for one more. And on the other side, feels like a big one for Devin Booker. He started to get chirped at, I saw, after, because it's like, yo, was this just Chris Paul was there?

Keeping that thing in line. Because now you, you didn't do nothing with you at KD on your team. And then like, that's the do-or-die game. And he's missing free throws down the stretch. He's given that last shot up to Jalen Green, who's just firing off every single shot available. What do you take like 30 shots in the game? It was crazy.

If you look, he had over 30. If you just look at it, he shot 50% from the floor, which isn't bad. they're less than 548 whatever and he had like 30 something points you'd think that's a good night but if you watch a game he did not have a good night no but we count on the best player being the best player and like that so that's what I'm saying

on the Devon Booker front it's going to be front and center tomorrow night and just wait for Draymond and Dylan Brooks oh my God oh my God they really should just start the game like a hockey game where they just square off and they drop the buck

they should just do that and each get a tech Yes. Yes. I mean, imagine if either team is down 15 and the end of the fourth quarter. Like, if the scoreboard is no longer a factor and you're angry about your season ending early, then you're Dylan Brooks and Draymond Green.

There's no chance there's not going to be real heat that happens in that game. I mean, it'll be in the first quarter. Trust. Neither of those players can get kicked out. That's the problem. it's like I want you to be you if I'm the head coach but like my guy if you get ejected we have no shot of winning well you know and there's and there's

real history there with Dylan and them like he even did in his little media availability today grizzly guy take us back walk us through it give us a brief summary no no media availability today he talked about how he wanted the warriors oh he cannot stand Steph and Clay and

Draymond and most importantly Steve Kurt. Because Steve, Steve Kerr's the one that when he clipped Gary Peyton out of the air. Oh yeah, I remember that. Buried them. And, and also it's buried in my regular occasion. And obviously,

there's all kinds of history, you know, with the playoffs way back when. I mean, Dylan got suspended. And they also in that series, they set up a game plan to let Dylan Brooks shoot the Grizzlies out of the game. And he did it.

How'd that go? No, he did it. He did it. Well, maybe the Warriors will put up a game play where Jalen Green can shoot him out of them. I mean, look, there's going to be a lot of eyes on Phoenix who have been a great, great story this year, but obviously fall third against Portland, and now they're trying to keep their season alive. And I would not think that, you know, Draymond and Steph is not who you want to have to see if your season's on the line. either one of them is probably just getting absolutely

balled by Oklahoma City either way. So hopefully we just get a highly entertaining game. Watching the Clippers game, like every time Steph went out, he went to the back to get treatment. I don't think he, like, re-injured, but the plan was when he goes out, he gets treatment. And Drayman was limping around for a while. But after he was limping around for a while,

like I was watching that knee, he was hard cutting off of it. It must have been like sort of a, it was like a brief ailment. All right. So we do have all of the other playoff series set. Whoever wins the Hornets and the Magic is going to play the Pistons. Whoever wins the Warriors and the Sun is going to play the Thunder. But the ones that are already set, we are going to give a thing and a player that we are looking out for

as part of our playoff preview. It says that we care about. This will be the mismatch contribution. Yeah. Okay. Yeah. Looking out for us different than care about. I'm just going with the words that were on the rundown.

Okay. Raptors Cavs noon Eastern on Saturday The thing I've got is wings versus Biggs the thing I care about because this is a very strange setup where it's like the calves have the guards and they've also got the big guys

but do you remember when we were kids there was the Nintendo game ice hockey and you can choose between three players. Yeah. But the way you wanted to set it up was you took the fat guys and the skinny, right? And that's how you set it up. And nobody took the middle guy because the middle guy is just kind of weird.

And like he, like the, you like what you're doing here. Yeah, the guy, this the skinny guy will get knocked off the puck. But you needed him to race around and go get the puck. And then the fat guys are the ones that could really shoot. And the middle guys are just kind of like in no man's land. And so you don't even take them in that Nintendo Ice. hockey game. And so what I'm saying is Toronto's filled with the middle guys, but Cleveland has the skinny guys and the fat guys. And I don't know what happens when they have to match up with each other

because this really is, it's like, that's what they have in Toronto. It's like these six, eight guys, right? It's Scotty Barnes and it's, it's Brandon Ingram and it's R.J. Barrett. And it's like, all these like big wings. And like, that's the one. thing Cleveland doesn't have. Like, I don't know. Do you throw Max Struce? Everybody's white. Max Struz, Dean Wade.

I guess you can throw the Tyson kid in there or whatever. But you have this weird setup where the guards are awesome for Cleveland and the bigs are awesome for Cleveland. But the wings is the only is what Toronto brings to the table. And Toronto's the five of the middle guys. Right. So I don't know how it's Five of the middle guys

I don't know how it plays out But and the other thing is It's hard to gauge because I was reading today The Four Like the four guys for Cleveland Hardin Mitchell

Allen Mowgli They've only played 92 minutes That can't be true Yes 92 Yeah Alan was out 92. Post deadline.

And this is your lineup that you're walking into the post season with. It's crazy. Yeah, Moldo's out and Alan's out. I'm trying to think how that can be possible because Mitchell and Hardin have pretty much been available.

No, Hardin was out. That's right. Hardin's only played 25 games for them. That's right. Yeah. I forgot that he was out. So they just,

92 minutes, that's less than two games worth of time on the court together. It's kind of crazy. And P.S., those 96 minutes or 92 minutes, they've been awesome. Well, also, like, if they're going to play, like, 40 plus minutes a game. Right. So they'll triple that in this series, hopefully. So wild.

But anyway, yeah, Wings versus Biggs. Because, I mean, it's the one. Cleveland doesn't have them. And that's all Toronto hands. The thing I wrote down that I care about is a what-if. because this is something I've been thinking about the Cavs all year. It's like, what if they lose? Like, you can't run this back.

Like, do you trade Donovan Mitchell? Do you try to get Janus? Like, you have to do something dramatic. Is Evan Mobley on the move? Like, you can't do this again. Think about their playoff history. It's like, they got mauled by them, embarrassed by the Knicks three years ago. Then the lost the Celtics.

They were all in, they lost themselves with some injuries. and then they lost, they were all injured against the Pacers in game two and game three. You can't do this again. Well, because they keep making the win now moves, right? They did it with-you-can't do this again. They tried to do it with the Andre Hunter last year. This year they moved off of Garland to do the hardened deal. Like, they're trying to win it right now while they're spending a bazillion dollars on that team.

Well, they won 60-something names last year in the regular season. Right, right, right. Yep. It's just that that's one thing that I got my eye on is, is, And it might happen in the second round. You never know. But like, what if? What if they lose?

The player for me is obviously hard. Because this is just another stop. Like, say whatever you want. Do you know this is 17 straight years to start his career? He's been in the playoffs. 17. That's impressive. That tied Stockton, Malone and Tony Parker.

Andre Drummond was 15. when he started going to the playoffs. Andrene Drummond was in like ninth grade. That's amazing. I didn't think about it. The only way I'm measuring time now is Andre Drummond. You know, we're like, what was the number one song the last time they were in the playoffs? I'd be like, how old was Andre Drummond?

That's the only way I measured time now. All right. So look, Hardin has obviously been an amazing regular season player who everybody beats up for his playoff performances. is they have been 19 and 6 with him in the lineup. I told you he's played 25 games, 19 and 6. And so this team has been very, very good in the games that James Hardin has been available for them. And now here's another stop where he's going to be playing.

And, you know, you're talking about how much is on the line for this version of the cab and for them to win big. But you wonder if it, if it will ever happen for. hardened, right? We have seen a thousand times. I couldn't up but think about it even this past weekend with Rory McElroy, right? Who's now, you know, he broke the seal and now he's won two in a row. But I mean, he went from 2014 all the way to like last year's masters where every time he was like, had a chance to win it, we were like, ah, he'll choke it away.

Right? Like you're, you're that guy. You felt like that after he had the 12 stroke lead. You were like, ah, it's Morori. Yeah. Yep. Yep. You're the guy that can't get it done until you until you can get it done right and you know is that just going to be the the James Hardin story right where it never gets done

I do want to say about Hardin's like playoff performances we never celebrate the highs he's had some huge playoff games they just weren't like elimination games just super high profile when it matters most games yeah but like game one game two's of series

like he's had triple doubles and like taking over fourth quarters. Like he's done it in big spots. Right. And then when the see big, big spots. Yeah. Like when the season's on the line and he has concert dates. Yes.

I mean, he has a ton of like two for 11. It's very consistent. All right. The player that I care about is what I'm calling the fifth beetle. And you've touched on this. We know who one, two, four, and five are going to be on the floor at the start and the end of the cabs games. they've been auditioning for that last spot since like what a coro like last year it was tie jerome we know what happened there and now it's like dray hunter they gave you know with drus merrill wade like they just can't they've been auditioning this role for so long and like i don't really care who starts the game you know what i mean like i guess he wade but like it just feels like this missing

piece has been missing for like five or six seasons. Oh, yeah. And you may, oh, it was Lavert. It was Lavert. The Verre. They did the Lavert. Yeah. They've auditioned so many people for this role and they just can't find

the person that works. And obviously Hardin is different than Garland, but like, not that different. Just whoever that. But wait, all right. All right. Just riddle me this. When they run this high pick and roll with James Hardin and Jared Allen, who is the white guy that can rely on?

knocked down the corner threes. Because there's three of y'all to choose from, which one of you can do it? I wouldn't be surprised if Max Trues was like half something. So let's just not call him white. You never know. You never know. Sam Merrill can knock down shot.

But again, it only matters if you can do it in the playoffs. I honestly think that Atkinson is going to give them each in, like an in-game audition. And if you go like two for four, then you get to finish the game. If you go like over three, you don't get to finish the game. And that's not a great recipe for playoffs success. 2.30 Eastern on Saturday. We got Wolves Nuggets.

We've seen these teams play before. So the thing I care about, and this is much like what you just talked about with the Cavs, is this the last run for them? I mean, you've been to, what, five straight playoffs, two straight Western Conference finals, and also have spent a fortune on your team, but now that ownership thing has changed over.

There's already rumors about, like, Dallas wants to go after their GM and try to pull him away in Tim Conley. And so what, you know, here's what I know. You don't spend no, you don't spend a fortune like that. And I promise you, new ownership guys, don't spend a fortune like that to lose in the first round. Right. So they, if they lose, big things will change for them, much like the Cavs thing. See, I'm not worried about the Cavs losing to the Raptors.

But I am worried about... I would not pick the wolves. I would not pick the wolves to win this game. No, this series. No, no, no, no. No. I won't push back. Let me just push back and say this.

If you talk about the Cavs Corps 4, I could see a world in which one, two, three, or four of them are moved, right? But like, you can't really move Gobert or Edwards. Am I wrong? Yes, you're wrong. You can move... Go Bear would be gone. Go bear?

He would be gone. be gone. What's the market for Rudy Gobert? Do you think they're going to get the same thing they spent on them? It's like buying a house for $10 million and selling it for $2 million. No, you can't do that because it's not like you didn't get anything out of it. You went to two Western Conference finals. You've lived there for 10 years. So that

was a good investment. Aunt Reed and McDaniels are the tendered ones. They all came in together. Aunt number one pick. McDaniels back in the first round. undrafted in Nas read. And in fact, I was reading

John Tresensky's article today about the wolves and those three in particular. I'm going to give you, I'm going to give you something he had in that article that much like the Andre Drummond thing absolutely blew me away. It said that since 2020,

when these guys started together, that and... That's a bubble year that they didn't make it to the bubble, right? Right. I think they won 20-something games or whatever. but Aunt Reed and McDaniels have played 382 regular season games together. Okay, 382 as a three-saint.

The next highest trio in the league. And when I tell you, I could have named a billion, a billion trio. And not gotten to this. You have no chance. Let me give me one guess. Do they all start? No.

Okay. That's going to be tricky. Look. All right. Just say it. How about this? Is Todd Gibson involved? No.

This is the step. It was 382 regular season game since 2020, which is 130, 13 games more than the next trio. Oh. What does that say about the NBA also? You know what I mean?

That like you haven't had that this group of guys that's played a 382 game since 2020 is 113 games more than whoever is next. And next, Eaton, Pritcher, Derek White, and Sam Houser. And acquiring Derek White doesn't feel like it was a long time ago. Sam, Hauser, Peyton Pritchard, and Derek White. This is really a function of how expensive it is to give players a second contract.

I know. This is really just a function of like how expensive it is to keep guys on your team because of the aprons and the CBA. You just, you kind of need to cycle rookie contracts in to make it all work. And so you have, you have Ant, you have Reed and McDaniels, but like the rest of them, like, that's what I'm saying. I'm saying this iteration of the wolves. Yeah, yeah. This iteration of the wolves is the one that, like.

And this leads to my thing that I care about. Yeah. I won't say there is pressure. I think it is important for the Nuggets to win this in like five games. Because I think if you look at what happened last year, seven against the clippers. Thunder are waiting. Seven against the thunder.

And there were some dark times for the nuggets during that Thunder series. Remember all the turnovers? And there was like, I think it was between game like three and four. It was like, is Yokic actually good at basketball? It was like the narrative.

And like, I think if you are, if you're looking at a path of spurs, potentially, Thunder, potentially. Eastern Conference champions, you can't go seven in round one.

You can, but it's important that they don't. Long term. It would be, honestly, look, though we both don't like the wolves all that much, I will tell you, they were built with Denver in mind. They have done it before. If Anthony Edwards. If Anthony Edwards is healthy. They have a nuclear missile.

You think he's good enough to get you two wins. And if you get two, you get a game. six back at your place. They have a nuclear weapon. Now, if he's hobbled or injured or compromised in any way, shape, or form, there's absolutely no chance. But if he is himself, it's an absolute, you know, you've got one of them. You think he can get you too.

And he plays big and big games. Absolutely. Player Nasreed with the aforementioned, who's part of that group that's been together so long, since the All-Star break, 42% from the field, 28% from three. I mean, that's just totally untenable. Nasreed has got to be a different Nasreed than he has been post-all star break.

Because he hasn't been able to hit shots at all. Because especially in the absence of Alexander Walker, who they lost last year, like, he's got to be the advantage. He's got to be the guy that, like, they win those bench minutes because Nasreed comes in there and gives them something. And so if he, if those are his shooting percentages for this series, that's going to be super, super hard for the wolf.

So the answer, the reason I highlighted him is because he's one of those guys. It's got to be much better than he has been since the All-Star break. I'm glad you did Nasree because mine is sort of the inverse of that. And it is Cam Johnson. because he has such a slow start that the idea it was like you gotta remember that Michael Ford Jr.

was scoring like 35 points a game at the same time that Cam Johnson was going 0 for 4 from 3 and we sort of just decided that Cam Johnson wasn't having a good year but I looked at the game log especially looking at his three-point shooting and he shot 43% from 3 this year

the totality of the year. Would you have guessed that? No. I would not have either. I would have guessed like 37. And since the December 23rd, right? Since December 23rd, he has just been like killing. And of late, and those big shots against the spurs.

Remember those in the four quarter? That four point play that they absolutely needed to get into that game, to get it to overtime. He's confident going into this. And if you look at them, man, like with what they've been getting defensively and offensively from Aaron Gordon and the way he's shooting the ball, like, if Cam can knock it down. Because he just fell into, he's fourth option.

That's what he is. That's great. Right? That's a great fourth option. But I'm saying he needed, I kind of feel like you need that whole infrastructure, right? You need Murray, you need Gordon, right? And like, let him just be the guy that, like, yo man, I'll be over here, kick it out to me, and I'll knock these down.

Catch and shoot three is a good defense. But don't, but don't, but don't have a couple of these guys out where I'm getting all kinds of more attention. Like, let me be, let me star in my role. Yes, there has been, like, there has been a lot of Aaron Gordon out, a lot of Yolkich out where he gets bumped up in the depth chart in terms of like the whiteboard that you always talk about. And maybe that's not great for him. But if he's catch a shoot three. For sure not. But he can have like a five for seven game.

You know what I mean? Absolutely. Reliable. And defensively, you know, He's not going to make an all defensive team, but he can, you know, he can bend the knees. He can do stuff. A little. Hawks, Knicks.

Can we skip this one? Five o'clock east. Five o'clock Eastern on Saturday. Thing I care about. Pace. Pace. Like, are the Knicks going to fall into, we talked about this last year in that Pacer series. It's like, bro, stop running with them.

This is not your advantage. your advantage is not and the Pacers kept getting them into games where the game was going up and down and up and down and up and down. And the whole time we'd come on here and we would do the show and I'd be like, will you please just walk the ball up the court?

It's like standing in the middle of a ring against a slugger. You know what? It's just like, you can win this bossy match. That ain't going to do it. Well, and this is the Hawks, right? Like they want to, their fifth in pace, their third in fast break points.

Like they're going to want to get that game flying up and down. And, you know, I think you saw in that last game, the one that we watched like a week ago, these games are, you know, they can play these under 110. But if you're getting above, if you're getting above 110, if you're getting 110 and above,

you're now, now you're starting to play in their comfort zone. Right? Ferno, I think this is a great, you know what? You're doing a great job. I think this is a great point. You know Lawler's Law?

No, I'm serious. I'm actually being serious. Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah. This is Verno's Law. In this series, let's just clock 1-10 possessions. Verno's Law. Point, point, point. Points.

Oh, sorry, I think I meant you. Yeah, yeah. I'm saying once we get into. It's like Lawler's Law. It's Law for this series. If we're in the one-teens, it's bad for the Nix. Yeah. Yes.

I think that's strong. I just don't want to, don't play them in that area. So I had mine decided before I saw yours. And so mine is very similar. The thing I care about is the Knicks transition defense, which if you look at the numbers, it's like surprisingly terrible. And again, it plays right into the Hawks.

If you look at the Knicks roster, like they're not guys that fly up and down the floor. Josh Hart is an excellent transition score. I think it's an underrated part of his game. If, you know, I watch a ton of Knicks. If he's got the ball in like a one-on-one situation or a two-in-one situation, he's going to finish that basket if no one talks about it, but he's an excellent

transition score. Everybody else wants no part of transition. Carl Anthony Towns, O'G. and Obie, McHale Bridges, Jaylen Brunson will have no one in front of him. He'll dribble it out. I mean, he'll dribble it out to the three point line, wait for everybody to get in front of him,

then dribble it for 17 seconds and then score. Well, the crazy thing is, like, they will on offense, though. They will run. They're certainly more apt. It's Josh Hart. It's Josh Hart. I'm saying they're certain. more apt to run down the floor on offense than they are on defense.

Their transition defense is terrible. It's terrible. Which is it? Can make a lot of hay getting out. Like even on made baskets like the Pacers did to remember that in the playoffs last year? Just drag the damn thing into the mud and play like that. Who the Knicks? You know what I mean?

Yes. I wouldn't mind. I wouldn't mind if it gets a little like up and down. I'll deny ever said this because I hate it. I wouldn't mind if Jalen Bruns and dribbles the ball for 10 seconds. I know. If they're going up and down, like, just pause the game. And then the player that I care about is Jaila Johnson.

Like we always have these guys and it's like, we just saw it with Denny Obdia, where it's like, all right, that was the coming out party. Like that was the moment where you just moved on into a different deal, where now there's a different level of awareness and respect of your game. Jalen Johnson has done what he has done this season, despite us talking about it. it in relative obscurity. People don't know who Jaila Johnson.

Is it? So now, like, bro, you just had a star season. This is a big breakout year. Now, go be a star in a playoff series against New York. And you'll never have to worry about people not recognizing how good you are. You know what I mean? Yerkees games, as you always say. This is his deal. This is the deal, right?

So, like, you just had the breakout. Like, I think there was a, it would have been a fair opinion to think, like, Hey, man, Dennyovia had a great season for Portland, but like, is he going to be ready for a do-or-die game when Dylan Brooks is breathing down your neck and, you know, and you're number one on the whiteboard and a big game and whatever. And it's like, not only was he up to it, he was better than ever. And so that's going to be the deal with Jaila Johnson, right? Like, you were just amazing during the regular season. Damn, they're a walking triple double. Well, now you've got as big. biggest stage as you want. There's just, there's no holes in his game. There's like,

playmaking for others, driving mid-range pull-ups, three-point shots, like defense, rebounding. There's just no holes in his game. Now, in fairness, they have outstanding wing defenders on the opposite team.

Yeah. Right? So, like, if you do it, if you do it against the Knicks, you could do it against anybody. Well, you know, this team is built to beat the Celtics, and they did last year.

That's why OG and McAlla are there to cover Tatum and Brown. And now it's Nikiel Alexander Walker and it's Jaylon Johnson. Those are your assignments. That's it. You know, that's where you start defending and switches and whatever. But like, they are built to do that. Here's who I have. So today, I spent a lot of time researching, like, what the Hackashack rules are.

You're not playing the Celtics. But I just feel like Mitchell Robinson's free throw shooting is just, it's dangerous. Oh, you think Quinn will do this. You think Quinn Snyder will? If I was playing the Knicks, he would step on the floor and I'd be like, Jock Landale, I know you're hurt.

Get in here and foul that guy. Get in his head. Stop the game. Like, make it, put the spotlight on him. So you can't do it in the last two minutes of every quarter. But if this is, if, you know, if I wanted to be. the Knicks because Mitchell Robinson, what is the biggest

defensive issue with the Hawks? Size. O'Kongwu is great. Mo Gay, fine. But they're not Carl Anthony Townsend, Mitchell Robinson. No. Like, you can see a world in which you should punish them. You know what I mean? It's like, that is such a huge, I mean,

to be fair, the Hawks have a lot of people to throw up onts. And he, like, Alexander Walker, Dyson Daniels, that's a, That's going to make his nights very difficult. But Okongwu, Jack Lawndale, and Mo Gay. But if I am Quinn, I'm the second he steps on the floor, Jack Landale, I think he might be hurt. I don't know if he's going to be suiting up. Then it's Mo Gay.

Get in the game. Hack. Stop the game. Crowd, silent, eyes on him, back rim and out, steps away, breathes, airball, has to jog back and play defense. Guess what? next possession, doing it again. Now, I guess it gets tricky because you get yourself in the bonus.

You know what I mean? Yep. And then you can't do it for the last two minutes. So you could sort of, it could end up fighting you, which is how they have it set up. But I'm just saying that's what I would do against Ms. Robinson. Because if they don't and if Mitch is out there, maybe you put them in only for the last two minutes of every quarter. I can't imagine the hawks getting a defensive rebound. 7.30 Easter Saturday night, we got Lakers Rockets.

Boy, this could have been something super interesting. and now everybody feels like, eh, I mean, obviously we're just looking at it. Are Luca and Reeves going to be able to play? You don't give them much of a chance if they don't. The thing I cared about is,

you know, is this LeBron thing in L.A. just going to end with a whimper with, it's like, you know, this very well could be the last time he wears a Laker uniform in what is a Lamo series against the Rockets

because he doesn't have his team. Like, they had really become a team over the course of the last couple of months where it was like, hey, man, we're putting them in a different, in a different group of teams. Like, they could be dangerous. The way I pursue the Lakers championship contending two months ago and up until the injuries was night and day. Yeah. So, I mean, the thing to care about is obviously the injuries. But I have the, is this like, is this the end of the LeBron thing, which is.

I has so such a lame it's such a lame way I have the this is this just sucks but I have I have the Luca and the Luca watch and the Austin Reeves watch and I did all the internet research trying to find like what treatment he got in Spain or maybe he's been practicing or is there any secret stuff and all I found was a Dave McMennyman article that says they have no expectations of them coming back in round one I was like well then I have no expectations of you getting out of round one and it's what's going to do it's going to suck is it's going to be this is going to be the moment. And I, and this is going to be the moment. Game five, where would that be in Houston? Lakers lose. And then we get a hug between Katie and LeBron at half court. And that's going to be like the lasting memory of the series. Yeah.

I mean, for the player I had Reed Shepherd just because when I was reading the playoff preview. It's been all season. I mean, they were, but I mean, Reed Shepherd like. in the 78 minutes that he played against the Lakers this year, the rockets were outscored by 29 points. Just mauled, absolutely mauled. So why does it, why does it reach Shepherd play more?

What's the answer? You know. Well, that defense. Defense. And like, in the playoffs, what happens much more frequently? But it's such a crazy deal because they need him. because they're off at, you know, they need a ball handler.

They need somebody to set it up. And they need, like, a guy to be able to space the floor because theoretically, he can knock down shots. And it's like, you've got Easton and Thompson out there. eBay's not going to be able to put up. If you have Easton and Thompson out there, like, you just, it just gets to the point where he just key on Sangoon and whoever's got the ball, basically.

I know. I know. Could you see a world without Reaves and, Luca like, maybe? Maybe. No. No. I'm saying, but, but with Reeves and Luca, I would be picking them. Yeah, if they were 100% without question. Yes. They would just, I mean, they would. I mean, if they had Kobe and Shaq and Corrine and Magic, sure, yeah. Yeah, that's true. I'd pick them too, you know. Okay. Did you have a player

you want to keep an eye on or no? Yeah. I did my homework and just get to it. Oh. It's KD. And it's just like, if this goes bad for the Rockets, it's like, it's not going to go bad, though. Like, that's why,

that's why this series is such a bummer. It really is. I'm gonna watch. Oh, it's gonna be Katie versus Ruey Hotchamura. Who gives a shit? Oh, I read this McMedman article, not the whole thing,

because it's way too long, sorry, Dave. But I was reading bits of pieces, and it was like a JJ quote. He's like, well, there's going to be a much more, like,

load on DeAndre Aiton and Rui Hachamora. I was like, okay, it's over. It's like, I saw Rui on the wings that we're doing? Posting up the Andre Aiton. Sunday, noon Eastern, 76 or Celtics? Okay. So, yeah, noon Eastern on Sunday. Thing to care about, obviously we've got the MBE hanging over all this.

But I want to see if Boston was like, an unbelievable version of Phoenix, which was the, the tryhard team that like, you know, had the chip on their shoulder because it was the gap year with Tatum and whatever. But like, is this in the ways that in years past, all of their stuff has just translated straight to the playoffs, right? Like, that's how they are and it's going to translate to the playoffs. Did it last year? Is it going to translate in the same way? with this group of guys who we all looked at their roster and thought that's not good enough.

Right? We looked at the roster. Like we just saw with the Clippers were unbelievable in the second half of the season. Right. Like admitted they had a record as good as many of these really good teams. Okay. But then you saw when it was game playing time against Kawhi Leonard, then it didn't look as good with Derek Jones Jr.

and even Darius Garland that these other guys, what it was like Ben Mather, when it was time to like step up and like, did he play last night? I'm saying, and well,

he got kind of hurt. He got a little hurt, but he wasn't effective. I'm saying to really make it happen. And it's like, okay, it's when it comes time, the Baylor Shireman's and the Luca Gorses

and the ones that we've been watching, like night in, night out. Hugo. Hugo Gonzalez, right. Like, that feels there's times where I've watched

have been like that's awesome regular season stuff but like these are the kind of guys that like when you're just game planning against one team a strength in the regular season can become a weakness in the post season and I do wonder if I've seen we've had to have

in our head all year is Boston really this good Like, are they really this good? Even our last show, you were like, I still can't believe. You know what I mean? Because we didn't expect it. So we didn't expect it. And so now here's like, here's the moment.

Now you're about to have, like, Sixers are going to be well coached, even if they're down one of their big time players. And this is where you get stuff taken away from you. And what is fascinating about this version of the Celtics to me is like, You used to look in the past and go, all right, we're going to sell out on Jason Tatum. All right. So now Jaylor Brown kills us. We're going to sell out on the Jays and we're going to make it wing dependent.

All right. Well, now Drew Holliday or Chris has forzingis or Al Orford. Right. Yeah. And so now is this collection of the competitive character guys that they have, are those guys still going to make you pay for selling out on their best players in the same way they did in the regular season. I'm going to give you what I think is the third compliment

of this podcast. Uh-oh. Once upon a time, you asked the question, is simply effort in trying hard like the money ball of the NBA? Right? Yes.

And I totally understood what you meant, especially using the Sons and the Celtics as an example. Right? One thing I've learned in the past three days, I don't really, When you prep for these playoffs series, what do you do? You look at the season head-to-head. You look at trends over the regular season, players as such.

I don't think the regular season is as significant anymore because we have one point during this pod. You were like, they were 25 and 9 during a stretch when Hardin was there or whatever. I'm like, who knows who they were playing? And like, think about all the good teams that went on a seven-game win-street, eight-game win-street, eight-grain win-street, nine-game win-street.

A lot of those were like just one or two good wins in there. And the style and brand of basketball I've watched, in the four games of the playing thus far, which I said I didn't like, completely reminded me that this is a different sport. Everyone's trying hard. Everyone's trying hard. No one's on a back-to-back.

No one's sitting. And I think some of the stuff that we saw during the regular season just doesn't translate. I kind of stopped looking at season head-to-heads because when you get into it, you're like, well, this guy was out, that guy wasn't out, well, they were on a back-to-back. They're just flown across country.

This was at 12 o'clock on the East Coast. You're just kind of like, maybe. And I'll give credit to Boston, but I really, you know how I felt throughout the year. I felt like they were lunch pail in it. And what I'm saying is- They were giving an honest effort every night. When you're giving a 94 out of 100 effort and the other team is giving an 82, you're going to win a lot of games that on paper you shouldn't.

But now everyone's giving a 96. Everybody is. Even your rotation guys. And I'm not going to predict that the Celtics are going to lose the series. That's ridiculous. But I think it's, it's, it's going to be more of a test than it should be for a seven two series. I agree. I agree. I agree. And I'm not, that's the thing I care about. I'm using that as mine because by this, whether or not they can win a couple and Joel and B. It'll come back. But who knows? Who knows? Okay. The player, it's, it's maxy. And let me just

speak on Tyre's Maxie real quick. It was five minutes into the game last night that I text my friends. I said, every time I watch this guy, I just absolutely love him. I find him to be as enjoyable as any player in the NBA to watch when he's really cracking. And it dawned on me. He is, live this up now, Maxie. I think Maxie is in the absolute pocket of where you want to be in NBA stardom. Who doesn't love? Tyrese Max.

I love this. He doesn't have, nobody hates him. As far as I can tell, he smiles, he's fun, he's cool, and he is not, like, he's not supposed to be the guy, but he is the guy. Oh, Chris, let me pile on.

Let me pile on. Yeah, yeah, yeah. SGA. Goes to the line of line. Reasons to dislike. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Luca, complains to the rest all time, also foul bates. Brunson, constantly trying to get a foul, dribbles the air out of the ball.

Yokich, to the ref a ton himself, but no one talks about it. Flops all the time, but no one talks about it. Maxie is so fast, so fun to watch, so deadly, and smiles like he's enjoying himself the entire time. All the time. It's just like it reminds me of Carmelo on his championship run with the Syracuse. It's just like you're having so much fun out there.

You are in a great spot with this. Let me pile on and say, also, expectations aren't that high for him. Yep. You know what I mean? Like the sticks, if they lose to the Celtics, no one's going to be like, well, Tyrese maxi really needs to step up this offseason. No. He's in the pocket.

You're in this pocket of beloved. And check this out. I'm just going to just out of curiosity. Where do you think Tyrese maxi was in terms of the scores in the NBA? Where does the average this year? Like, no, like leading scores in the NBA. So if I switch basketball reference, and I said points per game leading score, I would expect him to be fourth.

He's fifth. He's the fifth leading score. Right? 20 or 29 a game. Yeah. Yeah. He's the fifth leading score in the NBA. But you look at those other names up there.

And it's like, as you said. And people also like poke holes. They're all yeah buts except for Tyrese Maxie. He's not a yeah. He doesn't. He doesn't annoy anybody. Like the approval rating of Tyrese Maxis A hundred.

A hundred. Someone say something negative about Tyrese Maxis' Game or body language. I have no notes. Well, because it's also, he also falls into that pocket where it's like, yeah, but he can't shoot. Yes, he can't. Oh, he can't only shoot.

He doesn't need to have his toes on the line to hit a three. Oh, he can't. Oh, he can't defend. Well, actually block shots at the rim. Like game winning blocks at the rim. that I remember this year. If your game plan is to like put him in every action, get him switched, get ISOs on Maxi, he will hold his own.

Like he's not Dyson Daniels. He's not Davion Mitchell, but he'll hold his own. I mean, I was jealous of this one. I'm jealous of this one. Great job, Bernhardt. I was watching last night. I was like, bro, making my point guard on Team USA. Oh, I like that too.

You're on Friday today, Perna. You know what? Everyone steps their game up for the playoffs. That includes podcasters. That includes podcasters. This is great. This is Spiral Nopex. It's Chuck full.

I was prepping this morning for this. I was prepping this morning for this. Playoff ready. I'm texting you early today, didn't I was like, what are we doing today? My wife was like, have you been? My wife was like, have you been up there this whole time? Getting ready for the show?

I said, it's a playoff. You're not ready? She was like, get out of my face. That was a good one. I was going to ask why you had to move out of the bedroom up to the other room to watch the games. Elena wanted to go to sleep. She's like, I'm going to sleep. Get out of you.

All right. Did you have a player? You want to keep an eye on? It's not as good as yours, though. I love yours. In the pocket of stardom in the NBA, I'm jealous of that take. I know takes are good when I'm mad about them. Because if think about all, Kate, Cade is a,

He's in it. He's in it. Cade is there. Shalin Brown is not there. I'm trying to think of like, quote unquote, MVP candidates. Cade and Maxie are sort of like approval rating 100. But Maxie has an extra joie de vivre about him. That's right.

That makes you want to hang out and be around him because he seems happy. Charisma. Yeah. Yes. Yeah. I said Schwadevieve, though. Sounds better. It does.

I don't know what it means. Mine is Derek White. Oh. Just like there, I got this from Sports Illustrated. Three players under 6'4 have had 88 steals and 98 block shots. Again, they're cherry picking stats. Not like, you know. Those three players.

Ever? Yeah. Ever? Ever? It's tough, though. It's like. The blocks is. The blocks.

6.4 is not that tall. Like, I'm 6'4. 6.3. Yeah. Plus. In heels. That's good. You're killing it today.

You're welcome. A plus for you. No, A, there's still room to get better. Always room to get better. They are Derek White, Dwayne Wade, and David Thompson. Damn. And White is the only one to do it

in less than 3,000 minutes. Mike dropped. Is he the best defender in the history of basketball? Yeah. it's just the blocks. Like, this is in the conversation. This is not new. Like, he's been doing this for years.

Ever since he got to Boston, but I don't remember him doing it in San Antonio, but, like, he gets so many blocks. So, it is crazy to be a shot blocking guard. But it's, he does it,

like, the rim. Yeah, I know. He's not, like tipping balls from jump shots. You know what I mean? Right.

And I also feel like steals are a weird stat. Like, somebody else pokes it away, and then you grab it. It's like, well, no, he's a great defender. No, no, no, I'm just saying like in general.

I've always kind of looked at still. No, you're right. You know, the ball's deflected. I think it's a better sort of like metric. Last one. Blazer Spurs, seven o'clock, Sunday night or eight o'clock Eastern Sunday night. A thing to care about. Oh, it's right up my alley, buddy.

Small market energy. This is the one. It's the last one on Sunday night. You know, like where you've got one pro sports team in your town. and it's been 1819 since the spurs went to the playoff. This is going to be the first first playoff game. I'm sorry, I was thinking about the year 1819. No, no, no, no, no, no, 18, 19.

San Antonio didn't exist. 2018, 2018, 2019. And the Blazers, 2020, 2020, 2021. So, I mean, you got two small markets that haven't had playoff basketball in the last five, six a year. And in their case, what, six, I guess? longer than that seven years since there's been a playoff game. Small markets are better

environment and this is going to show up. I bet it it's going to be an absolute hornets nest when the spurs show up to Portland for that game three. I don't expect that series to be particularly close. There'll be two games in Portland for sure. But I will say and San Antonio has just falling head over heels on the Wemby thing.

So it's like it's the first playoff game for all these young guys. Their environment's been awesome. And then on the other hand, it's going to be Portland, who is another one pro sports town team who's going to have, you know, they're going to have a playoff game in their town

for the first time in whatever, six years, five years. Watch a UFC fight and they introduce the two guys. You can even see it like when they walk out. And like one of them is just so keyed up. Just like, oh yeah. It's like a horse in the gate.

Like you're just like, whoa, like this guy. I don't know if this is good or bad, but like he is ready to fight. I feel like Wemby's like that. I think Wemby's like that. And also the small market, the reason I'm bringing this out, because the small market,

it's just different. It's more college environment. If they give out T-shirts, everybody perks on the T-shirt. If they give out rally towels, everybody waives the rally towel. Like that's what happens. And you go to these,

you watch the other ones, they ain't doing that stuff in the big markets. Oh, yeah. They're just not. Nick's games. It's the way it goes. No. people in the second row, like, no, they've got like designer clothes on.

And they're like, who is that? They're like, that's doucic bride. Oh, okay. Bro, Oklahoma cities, like, they all got on the uniform ready to, ready to cheer. Like, they all will wear the blue shirt or the white shirt or whatever they gave them. And like they will, and then they will like, they'll put you on the jumbotron and humiliate you if you don't wear it. Yeah, and they'll get there half an hour early.

Yes. They're not, it's not like the Miami crowd or the L.A. crowd or the New York crowd where It's like, you know, five minutes less than the first quarter, walk in. There's, because you were in the lounge, hobnobbing, watching TV. Like, that's not what's happening in this series. There's no too cool for school at small market games. Yeah. And so I like this.

I actually like that it's going to be Portland, San Antonio. What do I have here? Oh, I left it blank. Oh, come on. Just talking about all the prep that I was doing for this. No, I think I've actually put it on the other one Because that's the one that I print on And they have the one that we share.

Stand by, I didn't leave it blank on this one. Yep. Left the blank on both of them. You're not looking forward to anything. I literally just said four minutes. I've been prepping for this morning. All right, I've got a player I care about Danny. Here's what I'll say.

Two words. Battle scars. Battle scars. Battle scars. Battle scars. Player is, player is Denny. I mean,

you just had the coming out party while we were all watching the other night. And so now it's like, you, bro, you are going up against it. You are up against it

because now you're going up against, you, a guy that makes his living going to the rim and there's a frigging nine foot guy standing in front of the rim. I do wonder, and I hate to,

like, have an anti-a-denny sentiment, is his game not varied enough for playoff basketball? I don't know, man. It works, but like going to the right every time and getting to the rim and getting to the line, like I do one thing very, very, very, very, very, very well. That's, it's hard in a seven games series. We're about to find out.

I don't think this is a great test because, you know, they're going to seven two series. They're just outmatched. You got a player you want to look forward to? Yeah, I did fill that out. And I cheated. I put two here. You made up. Yeah,

I made up for the one the left leg. No one bets at that. Klingin and Kamara. I love Kamara. I just love him defensively. And, you know, I think he can neutralize Castle a little bit. And maybe even Fox if you has to.

And Klingin Wembe is just like the weirdest matchup of centers in the world. I think Draymond. Wemby's a little weirder, but like, it's just... Well, Klingin will try to get physical with him. He's going to try to push him around. But I think that's the only thing. But I could also see him having two fouls after like 45 seconds of basketball. Well, then it's time Lord time.

Time Lord time. Yeah. Originally I had Klingin and Time Lord because just, you know, stopping Wembe's impossible. But I just want to see strategically how Splitter attempts. Can they provide some sort of a blueprint that, the nuggets and or the thunder could apply. That's, you know what, that's the thing I care about. Rewind the tape, Jeff.

Jeff and Steph, rewind the tape. That's funny as though. That's a good one. No, no, can the Blazers provide some sort of a blueprint that the nuggets and or thunder, if they get there, could apply? Totally fair. I like that. All right, just to wrap up, look,

I think this kind of played into something that I've talked about over the course of the last couple of weeks when we've been doing our loves and loaths is the standings. And I've said, I really kind of feel like everybody in the Easter conference could win two games in a series and that we could, in the first round,

we could just get a bunch of bangers in the Easter conference. Except the magic. Well, I don't expect them to win. But that as things went on, that the Western Conference appeared to be getting less and less competitive in terms of the matchups that we are going to have.

And I think with the way it broke, I feel kind of the same way. I do think we could get game six in. I think the Cavs are going to win, but I would not be surprised if there's six games. The Nuggets Wolves. Let's go to the Western Conference. Which one of those outside of Nuggets Wolves would you expect to go six games? That's it. That's it.

That's all we have. That's it. That's a problem. And in the East, I think they all could. I really do. Raptors Cavs, Hawks, Knicks. I would love it if the Knicks went six, because that means there's no seventh game in the garden.

Yep. It's Celtics, Sixers. And then I don't think there's going to be any wipeouts in the Easter conference. I mean, look, I like the favorites at all of those. I don't think any of these are going to be upset. So I like the Knicks. I like the Celtics. I like the Cavs.

And then I like the rockets and the spurs and the nuggets. Let me also say this, though. Do you remember Magic Celtics last year? Of course, you do like, there's blowouts. Like, even if it's Raptors, Cavs and Five, I don't think it's going to be, you know, four wins for the calves by 15 points where they're dribbling the ball out at half court celebrating

while the clock is still going down. You know what I mean? And also, like, I mean, you're asking me to, You're asking me to trust Hardin and Jared Allen to wipe somebody out. And I just don't, that's not that. I love Mitchell. But like the rest of that lot, that's not killers. That's not killers.

Those guys aren't killers. Oh, calves are dangerous. No. They're not killers, though. They don't ham that. You know, we will likely, I'm not trying to predict playoffs years before they happen because who knows it's going to happen to playoffs. I kind of need to see what the calves in the Pistons.

look like in their first round series. And that'll really change how I feel about their potential second round series. This is exciting. I'm going to finish like I started. I've already told you. I'm going to finish like I started. This brand of basketball is so exciting. It's just like it's so different than what we've experienced for the past couple months.

It's just like, oh yeah, this is why like this is my favorite thing to do in the world, watch and play basketball. I can't. Aside spending time with my family. Family first. I'm so excited for tomorrow night. Just those last two play end games. Because, I mean, the first four were so damn good.

So hopefully we get two more bangers. Obviously, we're reconvened after the playoffs begin this weekend. And we'll reconvene on Tuesday morning to recap everything that has gone on thus far. Jacoby, I will talk to you then. Thanks to Jeff and Steph as always. I'll talk to you next week. Remember, you must be 21 or over and present in select states for Kansas in affiliation with Kansas Star Casino or 18 and over in present in D.C.

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