The Mismatch - That’s True, That Might Be True, That’s Ridiculous: An All-Star Break Rendition

Episode Date: February 17, 2023

Ahead of this weekend’s All-Star festivities, Verno and KOC play a round of everyone’s favorite game: That’s True, That Might be True, That’s Ridiculous (10:46). They discuss Tim Bontemps’s MVP straw poll, whether Kyrie Irving will be only a rental with the Mavs, which team is the best fit for Russell Westbrook, if Scoot Henderson locked in as the no. 2 pick for this year's draft, and so much more. Also, before ending the show, the guys look at the pool of All-Stars and draft their team (01:05:10). *‘The Ringer NBA’ squad is coming to Salt Lake City for NBA All-Star Weekend! Get your tickets here!* Hosts: Chris Vernon and Kevin O’Connor Producer: Jessie Lopez Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

What's popping, everybody? This is Logan Murdoch from Real On I have some big news to share. On Saturday, February 18th, the Ringer NBA show will be hitting the road for All-Star weekend for a live show in Salt Lake City. You heard that right. We are taping the pod in front of a live audience in Salt Lake next month and we want you to join us. Pull up on us at the Stateroom in the heart of downtown Salt Lake. You can grab your tickets now at thestateroom.com. That's thestateroom.com. Doors open at 9 o'clock. Show is at 10. It's going to be a 21 and up event. Come hang with the gang and chat, midseason updates, draft preview, and even have a Q&A with us. Space is limited, so grab your tickets while they last at the statenroom.com or click the link in the description of this show. Hope to see y'all in there.

Welcome to The Misfatch. I'm Chris Vernon. And joining me on this Thursday as we prepare for the All-Star Break is Kevin O'Connor from the ringer.com, aka Kevin O'O. Obama, Kevin O'Connor, Kevin O'Colimer, Kevin O'Colibus, Kevin O'Chyl, Kevin O'Chyl, Kevin O'Chylain, Kevin O'Chyl Oh, camera. Kevin O Candyland. Kevin O characters. Kevin O comment. Kevin O. No. What's that on your shirt there? What's that saying? Back nine. Back nine bullies. It's Tiger Woods. He's back. Oh, okay. Love it.

You should, you're in California. You should drive over there to the Genesis Invitational as he is going to be playing golf for the first time in forever. Wow. Today. Yeah, Tiger Woods is back. Hopefully, hopefully he can make it hopefully he can walk. One of my favorite athletes of all time for sure. I want to believe that it's not over, over. This is not a golf pot. This is a basketball pod in the NBA All-Star game

and all of the events surrounding All-Star weekend are going on. Just in a few days, I'm going to be headed over there to beautiful Salt Lake City. I have been to Utah twice before in my life. I loved it both times. thought it was beautiful. I like mountains. Never really around mountains, as you know. Not a lot of mountains in Memphis, Tennessee. So I like to see the mountains, the snow-capped mountains. They wouldn't have traded Mike Connolly. I probably would have just crashed at his house, but now I have to get a hotel. Too bad, huh? He's not renting it out for Airbnb right now? I don't know. Maybe he is. You can

probably get a hefty coin for it with all the people that are going to be there. The last time I was there. I actually went to Park City, which is gorgeous, and I'm driving through the Uber driver as I'm, it's the two things I remember about Utah the last time I was there outside of, you know, family vacation. But Uber driver's taking me and the family to, uh, to the hotel. And as we're driving down the highway, there are like these huge, like guardrails, but they're like, high. Not like a normal guardrail you would see like on the highway, right? Like, high. And I'm like, Are people, like, you know, worried about, like, flying off the mountain or something? Like, why are these guardrails so high?

You know what he told me? It's for moose. And I was like, what? He's like, it's for moose. And I'm like, at that point, you can't tell the guy's screwing with you or not. I'm like, are you being serious? He's like, yes, for moose. So I started, like, Googling moose or whatever.

And they're like, you know, over 1,000 pounds. You hit a moose that's going to wreck everything. And so, like, gee, they don't want to hit, so they have these guardrails so that moose can't, like, just run up on the highway. And evidently, they run like fastest crap, too. Really? Moose run fast. Yeah, but I didn't see a moose while I was there. So that's my goal.

I'm hoping that I can see a moose while I'm there because I was made aware. Just not on the highway. Just not on the middle of the road. Yeah, yeah. I don't want to see it on the highway. I want to see it on the wild, you know what I mean? Yeah, yeah. I want to see a moose just.

While you're out, you know, for a hike. or something. Well, I mean, they've got to be out there. They got to be just like in the wild or whatever. And so I was like, man, it is beautiful up here. I'm like, just gorgeous. And he's like, you know, and I was like, you drive around like a lot of celebrities or whatever because a, you know, a lot of celebrities like have houses up in Park City, Utah, and whatever. He's like, yeah. He's like, you know who I've been driving around a lot? Because this is a couple of years ago. And he's like, you ever watch that show Yellowstone? And I was like, no, I was like, my dad loves it. You know, at Kevin Costner show.

I mean, it's mega famous now. And he's like, they filmed that here. And I was like, really? They filmed Yellowstone in Park City, Utah? Like, if you had figured they would have, I don't know, filmed it where it's based. I don't. At least like a huge portion of it was filmed in there.

So he's like, yeah, so I drive around a lot of those people all the time and whatever. There's only really two things I remember. So I didn't see Kevin Costner or a moose last time. So now my two goals are to see Kevin Costner and a moose. How about Kevin Costner on a moose? That would be amazing. Double whammy, obviously. Yeah, exactly.

Save a lot of time that way. Yeah, and obviously not on the highway. I want to see Kevin Costner and a moose in the wider. It's like a fever dream if you have that. Utah it is. And I saw, look, there's going to be a million events going on. I hope Utah's a really good host city when I looked everything up. Everything's like walking distance.

That's good. That's always makes for a great event town. My ask the colds. As long as you're dressed warm. You better be dressed warm. It'll be like a high of 40, a lowest 25 dress warm. The last time I went to an all-star weekend was Chicago and it was negative two. So this will be better than that.

Chicago was, and that was right before COVID hit. Because then the next year they had it like in Atlanta or something. And then last year it was Cleveland and the weather was so bad. We had like four flights canceled. So I never even went. I was supposed to go last year, but I did not go. So this is first time and a long time for me. You think you'll make it out there?

Maybe, maybe? Yeah, maybe. Maybe. That would be the trifecta. Kevin Costner, a moose, and Kevin O'Connor in the wild. That's what I want to see. Surely I'll be able to accomplish one of them. Which do you think is most likely?

Probably the Kevin Costor one. And then O'Connor and then Moose? Or would you rank Moose ahead of? I'd put Moose last. I hope. I mean, you might be like having some drunken night out. If I send you a picture of a moose that I see, we'll be so excited.

It has to be a moose like in the wild. There needs to be trees and grass and snow around. It can't be like, you know, on display, you know. No, no, no. at the arena or something like that. I have stuffed moose. That doesn't count. That doesn't count.

Anyways, look, All-Star weekend is coming up. There's going to be all kinds of events going on. Some taxidermy at the arena. We are recording this before the Thursday night games, of which there's just a few. I went to a game last night. I saw the Grizzlies play against the jazz. I ain't nothing really to talk about. I mean, it was fine.

I mean, you never know with the last game before the All-Star break. And a lot of the jazz guys have a million events that they've got to be a part of coming up. I saw Sharon Jackson Jr. had four fake blocks. He had four fake blocks. He also had five. Fake steals. Totally fake steals. Yeah, phony.

Big night. And then, I mean, honestly, like, it was, they, they're blowing them out and then they just stop playing completely. And I'll get the jazz and Will Hardy credit because they just keep on playing, keep on playing, keep on playing. They make you beat them because they don't quit. They keep on playing out. And it was funny, you know, with the way this goes to the home stretch of the season,

a guy tweeted me in the middle of the game. And he's like, will you tell your team to start playing? Jazz fans won a 20-game losing streak. I don't know. I don't know if these players and that coach are going to let a 20-game losing streak happen. And it's interesting just watching them play last night, that team plays it out. Like you can, they're down 24, you can't lay down.

Instead, they're playing hard all the way to the buzzer. And even when they were down 11-to-100, they went on like an 8-0 run to make it a game at the end. And I was sitting there thinking, are they going to punt? Like, are they going to, like, lose on purpose? No, I don't think. You know, going out of a stretch,

are they going to stay in this, mix. Well, here's the thing with the Jazz, right? Like, their upcoming schedule after the All-Star break, OKC, two versus Spurs, two versus OKC again, and then against Dallas, one of the worst defenses assembled in the league, then Orlando, then Charlotte. That's their first big group of games after the break. That's a lot of winnable games for the Jazz, right? For sure. That is. They might run out a pretty good streak. And Will Hardy's done a fantastic job. I'm He's made a big impression on everybody. And I'll tell you, the host on our pregame show had this crazy stat last night, Rob Fisher.

He said that, you know, because Taylor Jenkins and Will Hardy, both from the Popovich lineage, he had a stat that said that as a, like those two guys are from the Popovich tree, as it were, either played or coached with. And he said 24% of the coaches in the NBA. have now either coached or played for Greg Popovich. That's insane. Yeah. I mean, for a guy that's still coaching,

for a guy that is still coaching in the league, for there to be that percentage of guys that have some level of involvement with him, what a, what a legacy. That's crazy. And watching two young coaches, you know, these guys are both in the 30s, both Hardy and Jenkins,

coaching against each other last night, and they both had that connection also. But anyway, you never know in the last game before the All-Star break and what it's going to look like. We did see some cool things happen last night, and today, as we get ready for All-Star Weekend, we are going to play everybody's favorite game.

That's true. That might be true. That's ridiculous. Let's go. Yeah, people have been waiting for this. Let's go. Bruno sent me the text this morning. I was so excited.

I was like, let's go. Fire it up, baby. Perfect timing right before All-Star break. Okay. For those of you aren't aware, just give a statement, and then I'm going to let Kevin decide. If that's true, if that might be true,

that is ridiculous. Number one, our buddy Timbontem, from ESPN, does an MVP straw bowl throughout the season. Last time we saw that straw bowl, I believe Jason Tatum was in first place. And it's always good to look at it throughout the season because it gets it a snapshot of what everybody's thinking

and where we are at that point in the season. Well, the new one dropped this morning, and the title of the article that he wrote was NBA, MVP straw poll. 2.0, Nicolioch is chasing history. Here's why he might capture it. Larry Bird, Wilk, Chamberlain, Bill Russell. That's the list.

In the more than 76-year history of the NBA, only three players have won three consecutive MVP's, and it hasn't been done in nearly 40 years when Larry Bird last accomplished defeat in 1984 to 1986. Okay? and the reason that that is broached is because in the straw poll

Nicolaeokic has 77 first place votes the next closest in the MVP straw poll which is of voters for said award at this point in the season is Janice Ante Dacoumpa with 11 first place votes Joel Mb has six first place votes

votes. Jason Tatum has five and only one player, one other player got a first place vote, and that was Luca Donchage with one MVP vote. All right. In our first question of that's true, that might be true, that's ridiculous. Kevin, the MVP straw poll is exactly how it should be at this point. That's ridiculous. It's ridiculous, Chris. And I think with Yokic at number number one. He was fifth last time, the first time Bon Temp said this vote on ESPN. So he goes from five to one, five back in December, one now in the middle of February. It's ridiculous because of the discrepancy between Yokic with 77 first place

votes and Janus with only 11. And three of the 100 voters also left Janus off of their ballot, which is, that's definitely ridiculous as well. So I think with Janus, he was second when Bon Temp stood this back in December. He's second again now. He's the only player in the top five where there's any consistency. Tatum goes from one to four, Luca from three to five, and Bede from 10 to three. He was not even in the top five last time this was done. Janus was two back in December. He's two again now. I'm shocked, though, the differential between Yokic and Yonis is so significant. With 77 for

Yokic, like he said, only 11 first place votes for Yannis. Two stats went viral on NBA Twitter this week that I thought were pretty good numbers. Stat Mews put out, Janus is the first player since Will Chamberlain to average 30, 10, and 5 while shooting over 50% from the field. There's another stat I saw someone tweet out. Opponents are shooting only 41% when Janus is the closest defender. That's one of the best marks in the NBA.

That number, the latter one, inspired me to look up some of his second spectrum numbers. And here's a really good one for you, Chris. Janus ranks number one in the NBA as the player defending the ball handler in pick and rolls allowing only 0.76 points per pick and roll of the 283 players to defend over 100 pick and rolls. Janus ranks number one of the 60 players

to defend the big man in the pick and roll, allowing only 0.86 points per pick and roll. In other words, Janice is the elite of the elite when he is the guy guarding the ball handler or the guy guarding the guy setting the screen. So he's defending better than Embed or AD when he's defending the screen. He's defending better than McKell Bridges

and all these great perimeter guys when he's defending as the perimeter guy because he can do everything on defense. He can defend ball screens. He can drop. He can blitz. He can switch. He can roam off ball and help Brooke Lopez inside the paint. He can close out on drugs.

shooters, he can lock down man to man on the perimeter. He's the most important player on the Bucks defense, not Brooke Lopez. And I think defense has not entered the equation enough when we're talking about the most valuable player in the NBA, the fact that 77 for Yokic, he statistically and I test, no matter what you want to use, is an average, above average defender. Janus is elite of the elite on defense and their engine on offense, putting up 30, 10, in five. First player or do it since Will Chamberlain. To me, Janus is

number one in the NBA MVP race right now. To me he's number one. Yokic would be number two and B. Number three, Tatum four, Luca five. That's my top five at this moment. Yokic is having an unbelievable season. This is no knock against him. But I'm shocked

that it's 77 to 11 for Yokic over Yonis right now in MVP. That is absolutely ridiculous. I'm glad you said that he is your number one because I think what happens a lot of times when everybody's having this discussion is they can say, hey, look, I agree that Yokic should be the MVP, but it should not be that big of a margin, right? And then you say, well, all right, well, if they gave you a first

place vote, who would you vote for? Oh, well, I'd vote for Yokic. It's like, well, what's the problem? Like, you just did what everybody else is doing right now, right? So I appreciate that you say, I'd have Yonis won. If I'm casting a vote, I'd have yonest one. And I do wonder that when people see something like this, because it is impossible to separate it from

context and the fact that it is three consecutive. I know that every season has to be looked at it by itself. Which is how I look at it. Just to interjector, it's clear. That's the way I look at it. It's just this season,

there's a history of the game that we always look at. It's just subconsciously, even if it's not outward. I do wonder if this will be where the resent kicks in and the picking apart starts to take place. And I'm not saying you're picking up apart. I'm saying you are bringing up something that is reality, which is if I am judging two players and one,

and they are both absolutely incredible offensively in what they bring to the table, but one is the best on the other end of the court also while the other is clearly not that has he gotten better as a defender sure

but he is not an elite defender that can be the engine for an elite defense and Janus is exactly that he is the engine for an elite defense and that's why they have the record that they do. They don't have

the record they do because of offense because their offense was in the 20s. And I don't know where it is right now, but for the majority of the season, it was in the 20s. Probably changed a lot since this 11-game win-street. But they've done it on the defensive end. Number two defensive rating on the

entire season right now. And he's that guy. I know Lopez has had a really good year, but I promise you, if Giannis Hansa de Kumpo is not involved in that defense, it's not number two. Oh, definitely not. I mean, Brooke Lopez is awesome at what he does. Yes.

Dropping in the pick and roll, using his size around the basket. But Janus is that guy you can plug into, like I just said, he is number one when defending the ball handler in pick and rolls, number one when defending the screener in pick and rolls. He can do literally anything on defense,

anything, and he dominates. I think Yokin's amazing. Again, I kind of feel like the way I felt last year. Honestly, M.B. not getting the credit, he deserves either. You know, I just figured it would be, look,

this is not about anybody's wrong for thinking, they're all great players, okay? I am surprised it is not more dispersed between not only Yokit and Yonis, but all three for that matter. Does that, does that suggest there's some group think potentially?

No question. You know, I mean, could there be? No question. I don't know the pool of people Tim's asking. Like, I know the NBA pool, you know, has a lot of people from, like, you know, outlets overseas, right? Yeah. You know, people who aren't on Twitter, right? Like, that type of thing.

I'm sure Tim's sample is terrific. But I do wonder if it's, like, more internet-leaning of a sample than the actual NBA sample that they use for the actual vote itself, come April. I don't know. I'm just throwing out a thought there. But, I mean, unless you believe, yeah, unless you believe that just everybody independently came up with the same idea.

That's hard to leave. Seventy-seven, Chris. Yeah, I know. And three people left Janus off their ballot? Hmm. In fairness, the history of the award, and I know there have been outliers, the Westbrook one, even a Yokic one.

Over the history, of the league, you're usually on one of the best two teams, and you're one of the best player on one of the best two teams. Which is why with Yokic at number one in the West right now, he's getting that third best record in the NBA behind Milwaukee, by the way. And Tatum was the guy that was leading the last time the Strong Bowl went on, right? So if you're looking at those best three players right now, the best. best three players on the teams with the best

records are Yokic Tatum and Embed. I don't know why the Tatum thing slipped so much. It's not like he hasn't still been awesome this year. Yeah. Jason Tatum's been fantastic. He's like slipped slightly from the peak but he's still been

absolutely incredible. He's the best player on the best team. Oh, for sure. And I wonder if part of it is like with Tatum like my reasoning for having him lower is simply due to the fact that Boston is so deep and so awesome, right? Like he, you know, it's not like his numbers have slipped significantly, as you said.

I think if you look at his numbers ever since the last time that poll was taken, it's probably not too far off, you know, raw numbers wise or statistically, you know, compared to what he was doing the first two months of the season. I'll try to pull that open real quick while I'm talking here. And in fairness, they were burying people. Yeah, well, that's part of it, I think. At that point. Like, they were so far and away.

I just pulled, I just did pull it up here. So his first, his first 29 games of the year, this was up until that first draw poll was published on December 16th. He was, Tatum was averaging 30.2 points, 8.2 rebounds, 4.1 assists, shooting 36% from three, 47% from the fields. Since then, very, very similar, very similar. 31.1 points per game, nine rebounds per game, 5.1 assists per game. It's been like a slight dip in field goal percentage to 45.8, slight up. It's almost identical at 3 point percentage, 35.7. It's like his numbers are pretty much identical.

And yet, you know, because Boston has, you know, had like, what, a three-game losing streak or like two three-game losing streaks during this stretch, maybe that impacted the vote. But I think, I don't think it's sad. I think more than anything else, it's probably just the fact the Celtics are so deep and so strong that Tatum's getting knocked for not carrying a roster like Yokic Embed or Yonis, you know, more so than Tatea. I think you make a very good point that people think less of Yokic's supporting catch.

Right or wrong, they do. And so you are penalized because you are on a better team. Which is the fascinating thing, Chris, right? Like I was looking at this this morning and prepped for the pod because I was curious about, like the one knock people have on Janus is his turnovers, right? You know, he, and his lower assist than Yokic.

Yokic has, like, nearly double the assist per game. You know, he doesn't turn the ball over as much as Yonis despite having the ball on his hands far more off. And so I was curious with Janus' assist numbers because the bucks don't shoot the ball well from three. They have a below average three-point shooting team this season. That's not just because of Yonis's numbers. It's everybody else.

On the year, when Yonis passes the ball, to his teammates, they're shooting 32% on three-pointers. When Yokic passes the ball to his teammates, they're shooting 39% on three-pointers. When Yokic has a potential assist opportunity, which is what Second Spectrum calls, like, you know, a pass leading to a shot, it could be an assist, those are converted into an actual assist 60.5% of the time. When Yannis has a potential assist, it's converted only 47.6% of the time, less than half, which is one of the worst. marks in the entire league. So Milwaukee's teammates are not hitting threes this year, right? They're not converting Yanis's passes as often as they are with Yokic. And that's like, again, Yokic is a transcendent

passer, the greatest passer of all time. There's a lot that goes into that number, including the accuracy of the pass, creating an opportunity for the player. However, the fact that the bucks are shooting only 32% on Yannis's passes leading to three-pointers, that is also, you know, it correlates, with the overall team percentage, which is subpar. So I think when you're talking supporting cast, the Nuggets have done a hell of a job building that team around Yokic with big, lengthy defenders,

a bunch of guys who are high IQ players who know how to cut and move. Aaron Gordon, Brown, like, KCP, like they got a really good supporting cast, man. Jamal Murray's looking like he's back. And Michael Porter Jr. looks like he's back. That supporting cast is really, really, really good. But people are trained to believe

that they would suck. without him. Yes, exactly. Which they, I mean, they're not good without them. Just like the bucks aren't good without Yannis, and the Sixers aren't good without Embed, because that's what happens when you pull out the best player on your team, right? And that's what hurts Tatum is because they can win games.

Boston is better equipped to win basketball games, not at the highest level, but in the regular basis. It does. It does hurt. And that's why, I mean, I have Tatum fourth on my ballot as well, which it seems like voter. do as well. I just think the big mistake is 77

to 11, Yokic over Yonis. That should be a lot tighter. And of course, like you said, Chris, Embed probably deserves a bit more love as well, but I think Yonis has been underrated all year long, and it's baffling to me, considering what he's done on both ends. Well, and remember, I thought

a couple weeks ago when we did that show about Mbid thrashing Yokhich on national TV that felt like a lot of people watch it, that that actually could have an impact. It's not. It just didn't. It's not.

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In Wyoming, call 1,800-2-2-4-70.000. And West Virginia, visit 800 gambler.net. Next statement. Oh, what a story last night was when McKell Bridges getting the career high. Chris, lucky net. What I tell you, man? I told you last week about Bridges.

The Grizzlies offered four first-round picks for it. What I tell you about. This guy is, we're about to find out what the ceiling is, because he's certainly going to get the opportunity. And man, they were bopping the ball around everywhere, all these role players, but all playing together. Statement number two,

the Nets could win a playoff series. Against the heat or the Nix, that might be true. Against the Bucks, Celtics, Sixers, Cavs, that's ridiculous. Ridiculous against any of those. Come on. Well, I mean, against the heat or Nix. No. I mean, I'm not totally biased.

Against the Nix? they're not winning the series the Knicks are hot well you've been watching they are they are hot they got Josh Hart now you better pull the phone they are hot

I mean Taylor Brunson it was Taylor Brunson's turned into fucking 1962 Oscar Robertson that's been amazing I mean it's probably ridiculous against any of them but it might be true you could give them like a sliver of a chance

against those teams they are so much more fun though the Nets Yes. They say the vibe around there is so much better. You just watch them. You know, it's so crazy to watch. And you see a team that like seems like it's having fun playing basketball and it stands out. You can't help but think about the Nets prior to the debacle that was throwing together, Durant, Irving, and Hardin.

while nobody's going to rip them for taking a shot at that. We remember that one of the most fun teams ever was that, you know, Jared Dudley and Ed Davis and all those guys like doing all these dances and wild crap on the sidelines and the DiAngelo Russell, Joe Harris, Jared Allen, like that Carouselberg. That team was fun. They're fun to watch the Kenny Atkinson version. And it has felt like a very joyless operation for some time. and you see Bridges

and you see him play into the crowd last night and having 45 knocking down all manner shots. Fun. Bridges brings so much joy to the court. And locker room, bus rides, playing rides, whatever. That's what the sun's what made it so painful. You know, you upgrade from Bridges to Katie,

but you lose that man in the locker room. Bridges is one of the most beloved teammates that Phoenix has ever had. And now Brooklyn has him as a, as a, person who brings joy, but also was like, brings leadership qualities. And he's really freaking good. My goodness, what he's turned himself.

Remember what he couldn't shoot early in his career with the sons? When he had the little hitching his jumper. Now he's like coming, like, I thought it was amazing. Jock Fawn already has installed, like bridges running off of downscreens to get the three pointers. Bridges was like relocating of driving kicks to get behind the arc and the pull-ups, the leaning jumpers off a drives to the. basket. I think with

McKell Bridges, he was always projected as a 3-&D guy. Like the work he's put into his handle and his shot fluidity off of movement, I mean, you've got to give him all the credit in the world to become the guy that he has, averaging 23 points over the last two

months ever since the Suns really gave him an uptick and opportunity. And now the Nets are feeding him even more. It's just a testament to all the work he's put in over the years. It's a lot of fun to watch. And like, he's a real keeper. He is. And the truth is, who cares if they can win a playoff series? There are a lot of fun to watch and much more fun to watch.

I am much more likely to flip on the Nets than I was two weeks ago, certainly when post-KD injury. Chris, I think I want to repeat myself with what I said last week with the Nets. They are the team now that's just missing the star. They have everything else. They're just missing that superstar. So they lost one of them in Kevin Durant. They lost an All-Star and Kyrie Irving.

this team right now, the level of versatility on defense, they have Bridges who can step up. Maybe he can, maybe McHall Burgess can be the number two on a championship team. You know, he's definitely a number three,

I think, with what he's shown offensively these last couple months, but they have all the wings, they have Nick Claxton, they got an upside guard and Cam Thomas. They just need the star.

That's what they're missing. Next one. The Mavericks made things worse, and Kyrie will be a rental and be elsewhere next season. I mean, that's a lot of things in one. Kyrie being elsewhere next season, I don't know. I really don't know.

Well, then that would be, that might be true. That might be true. You're not playing the game. There is no, I don't know. You know the rules of the game. Okay, that might be true. So take them one by one. All right, fine.

The Mavericks got worse. It made things worse. That might be true, because of what we talked about Tuesday. Bad defense, bad depth, bad coach. Well,

that sounds like that's true then. It might be true because their offensive upside is still significant. Like right now, you have Jason Kidd, you know,

fiddling around, right? Say what you want about Christian Wood on defense. Say he's unaware or that he makes mistakes or that he's

out of position. Lazy, they say. They say he's lazy. You can say that if you want to, but he's minutes to other guys who don't get defensive

stops and Dwight Powell and Javeil McGee. Players who are quite obviously inferior on offense. So if Jason Kidd stops messing around here and totally leans all the way in on offense to try to build a juggernaut that can't be

stopped with Wood, Kyrie, and Luca as your big three on offense has scores surrounded by some three indie guys once Max and Clebe gets back, then maybe like they're so good on offense that they're creating more half-cork defensive opportunities to put themselves in positions where they're not getting run out on transition or, you know, early offense where they get shredded.

So I think that's, that's, you know, the thing for Dallas right now with the kids trying to figure out, can I, can I survive with Dwight Powell or Javelle McGee at the five instead of Christian Wooden keep mismanaging his situation? I don't think the answer is going to end up being yes. Let me play the role of Jason Kidd. okay all right jay kid number one kevin you're a dumb no i'm again i'm playing jason kid i'm just playing jason kid

i'm not using this as a license to say what i want if i'm jason kid and you say i know you keep talking about christian wood and mismanaging him and i know you're bringing up dwight powell and javall mcgay and i agree with you kevin they're not good and they're not good enough And that's because my stupid front office doesn't give me good enough players.

If they gave me good enough players, I'd win. Look at me. I made it to the damn West Finals last year with Luca and a bunch of dudes. Here's why I have a problem playing Christian Wood over the other guys. It's a very simple reason. It is because the other guys try. And yes, they're no good, but at least they try. And I can sleep at night when I know the guy out there, even if he comes up failing, at least he tried.

And also, screw Christian Wood and go to Hell Kevin. There's my Jason kid impression. Was Christian Wood trying in their January win on the road against the Lakers when he blocked LeBron James late in the game? when he had multiple blocks at the rim on that was probably Anthony Davis and overtime. Let's be honest. If he blocked LeBron, it's Anthony Davis his fault. I'm not sure now if I'm talking

to Jason Kidd or Chris Vernon. Oh, wait. I'm switching back. I, um, the other thing is like all these stories are out there about them. Like, I saw a headline today. The Mavericks tried to trade Christian Wood

and Tim Hardaway Jr. at deadline. Unsuccessfully, I'm like, that's always great. It's always great when you've got two guys that you're counting on being seven, eight-man rotation guys for you for the rest of you're going into the playoffs, seeing their names in the headline that you didn't want them.

Tough. Yeah. It's tough. It's not what you want to. It's not great for team morale. I think that team's going to fall apart. Maybe not this year, but it's at some point going to fall apart. And then the Luca thing will come in the spot. It just will, because that's the drama that is always involved whenever a star.

If we're looking up and they're like not much closer to building something credible around him, credible enough to give him a chance to win a title. Yeah. Because he's clearly, because he's going to be going into, you know, prime prime, 25, 26, 27, 28, those years of his career, which are theoretically going to be the best. Next statement. Kawhi Leonard is being slept on and is back to being one of the best players in the league. I don't think he's being slept on.

So I'd say that's ridiculous. I think Kawhi's getting the love he deserves. Maybe it's just in my own, you know, small little bubble here. But with the ringer, we have our top 100 rankings coming out next week. And unfathomably, Dylan Brooks is still going to be in the top 100. No idea what we're doing here. Does his agent do the list? I, maybe.

I have no idea. It flows my mind, to be honest with you, Chris. Isn't the top 100? Yeah, it makes no sense at all. But Kauai Leonard in the upcoming update moves up to number nine. Oh, wow. On the vote, according to Michael Pina, Rob Mahoney, Jay Kyle, man, and myself. So that's the average rank that he received.

I forget where I had him exactly. It wasn't that high. So that makes me wonder about where the others had him. You know it was wild? I think I had him like 15 for what it's worth, Chris. When I was looking at it last night, you know, we'd see that's highlight of him having the big night against Golden State and the clip of Draymond Green laughing with him

after he hit that shot over Draymond. And if you just pull up like Clipper's stats, he has not played, he's playing 30-something games. But his stats are like identical to Paul George's, except it's a higher field goal percentage. and Paul George is about to be in the All-Star game. Right? And I know he's played less games.

What, like 10 less games, something like that? But, I mean, I don't think that people realize that he's, like, those numbers are right there. I think it's like a point difference. It's the same rebounds, steals, blocks, and the field goal percentage is shooting over 50% from the field. Like, is it possible he could be the best player on a? an awesome playoff team. That's what I guess we're getting to here. Is he that?

Maybe. Yeah. That might be true. I mean, he's played what, 50 games? I mean, what if he's like, you know, playing enough? And then he's going to be ready to go for the home stretch throughout the playoffs. There are nights when you watch him. And it's like, damn, man, that's Kuala Lentered.

Yeah. He doesn't have the explosion. But geez, man. I mean, he's getting a lot of that back, though. Yeah. it looks better and better as the year goes on. I don't think we've considered that. I guess that's the point.

Yeah, I mean, I guess I don't know. I mean, like I said, maybe it's, you know, my own little circle that has. But, I mean, he's averaging 28 points, six rebounds, four assists, his last 15 to 20 games, barely taking any time off, playing heavy minutes, 36 minutes per game. he looks more and more and more like Kauai Leonard that we saw pre-injury, the guy that we saw dominating that series against the jazz before he went down. So I think with Kauai, he's looking way more like himself, and that definitely changes the way in which we talk about the Clippers upside.

The question is still the rest of that roster, which is why they made changes at the deadline, and now they're flirting with Russell Westbrook. Well, that leads me to the next statement. Russell Westbrook was named in Woge's report as talking him and his representation, Jeff Schwartz, talking to the Wizards, Bulls, Clippers, and the Heat. Those were four teams that were named.

The best fit for Russell Westbrook is the Wizards. Yes, that's definitely true because they're just stuck in the middle and that's all Russ is going to help you be. What does it matter anyway? 100%. With the clippers, the concerns would suddenly be the same that they were with the Lakers.

What does the presence of Westbrook do to the spacing for Kauai Leonard and Paul George? What happens to those attacking lanes when they try to play with space? How does that affect your ability to play Westbrook on the floor the same time as Zubots, your center? I just think there's so many questions with the Clippers fit and what that would do to their championship odds. Whereas with these other teams that you mentioned, the Bulls, they're kind of in the middle of nowhere right now. they can end up with like the ninth pick and lose it to the Orlando magic. I don't think Russ necessarily helps you get into the postseason. What does a DeRosen Westbrook back court look like?

That fit would be weird. What do they look like defensively with DeRosen? And then Westbrook and Levine, that's just an odd fit. And Vood. I mean, that's strange. And then the Miami Heat, I mean, I get the appeal, but, you know, Lowry, at least theoretically, can be a floor spacer for you. What does he do to their stuff?

spacing, they're already not a good shooting team at all that only makes you worse. The Wizards are just, hey, come back to play with Brad Biel. When the heat have been, like, totally healthy, they've been really good, okay? And obviously the Clippers, when totally healthy, can be really, really good. So you're really just down to the Bulls of the Wizards. It would be so much more fun to, like, if they, like, get to a play in and somehow we're able to beat somebody and get to the playoffs, having Westbrook, like with the

Wizards and back with Beal and with Porzingis this time around and that group, like, that's a lot more fun because they ain't, like, they're not doing anything anyway. I don't think the Bulls are doing anything at DeRosen's hurt. The other two, I think he could

screw up the clippers of the heat. I agree. Especially the clippers. Yeah. He ain't screwing anything up with it. What is there to screw up at the Wizards? Who cares? So we agree that that's true The Best Fit is the Wizards Where do you want him to go for the best Like drama or best story

The best movie you want to watch Where do you want him to go? I think Well Look he's not going to the number one team Which would be the Denver Nuggett I was trying to think of how he could face the labels Well of the of

Of those four, let's say there's nobody else, which there's not. Maybe China, but anywhere else of the NBA teams from talking about here, the Wizards, Bulls, Clippers, Heat. I'm not so sure about the China thing. You know, I took my son to a game the other night or a workout the other night, and I was in this gym. And I saw this guy. I'm going to know where you're going with us. You're going to love this. Guys, I'm talking a mammoth, Kevin.

A mem. I walk in. Not a guy you would normally see in a gym. Like Zach Eady type of guy. Huge, bigger. Yeah. Bigger. This guy's easily over seven foot tall.

He's probably 2.80. Big, big beard. And he's running through a workout. And I'm talking pick and pop drills, old thing. Bang! Bang! Bang! I mean, I'm watching this guy shoot.

I'm with my son. I'm like, who the hell is this? He's with a guy who I've known forever. Lester Hudson. He's a Memphis guy. Lester was an MVP over in China. Oh, yeah, yeah. He was, Lester Hudson was the only player.

He is the only player in the history of college basketball still to this day to have a quadruple double. And he did it with 10 steals. So Lester's up there and he's working out with this guy, this seven-foot guy. And I'm like, so after they get done, whatever, they get done with their workout. I've known Lester for 20 years. I walk up and I'm talking to him. And so I, like the big guy's sitting there. And I was, and then Lester's like, yeah.

He's like, you got to beat my boy, Dakari, blah, blah. We start talking. I'm like, oh, cool. You know, they had played in China together, whatever. And so I was like, Dakari. I was like, where did you go to college? He's like, Kentucky. And I'm like, holy, I'm like, Decori Johnson.

Oh, really? Takari Johnson? It was Dakari Johnson. I swear to you. This is two nights ago. Dakari Johnson, all right? Has a, his daughter. He's actually in town.

But he was, he's been playing over in China, whatever. But the point of this was, when I walked in the gym, the guy doesn't miss, Kevin. So you say the guy could go to China? I'm not sure Russ could. I'm not sure. Because I'm saying Dakari Johnson was fwack, thwack, thwack. He was on the booker. Towns team at Kentucky

back of the day. He was a huge, huge high school recruit. But I mean, you should see the size of this guy now, and it's crazy to think about. And he was shooting threes, Chris? Oh, yeah. And the workout? Interesting. Oh, yes. Corner threes.

Huh. Now, he played over China. But yeah. Enormous. Enormous. I mean, it's crazy. I mean, I think he's like 27, 28 years old now. 27. I just looked it up. Yeah.

I mean, he played those couple years in Oklahoma City. I remember right after he got drafted in that second round. What do I have had him ranked in 2015? I'm looking at this up. I had him ranked 54th. I had never met him before.

Sweetest guy, truly. Sweet guy. And he's made a career out of basketball over in China. Good for him. I don't think he won't, Russ. Maybe he would. They told me Taco Fall ain't doing nothing.

They said, he said every highlight you see where he looks like Wimba Yam over there, that's the only highlight from the game. Trust me. They say Taco Link, he ain't doing it. All right. So no China. No China. Then what's the most entertaining outcome in the NBA for Russell Westbrook?

Wizards, Bulls, Clippers, or Heat? I was so sad. I think it's the Clippers. He's with the Jazz, and I was going to see the jazz in person last night. I was so sad that he wasn't playing. I think it's the Clippers. Because, I mean, if it works, like, it would be incredible to watch, like, those guys worked together if Russ has this great run with the clippers and he's putting up huge numbers.

Like, you know, when he was on the Rockets and he had that super efficient stretch? If that were to happen with the Clippers, it would be so entertaining to watch, knowing that the Lakers let him go. But also the flip side, if he just implodes that situation, that would be highly entertaining as well. So either way, I feel like it's a win for like a non-Clippers fan to watch what would happen in that situation, whether it's good or bad for them. maybe the most entertaining would be like Phoenix backing up Chris Paul and playing with again.

Like if you're talking about non-for, yeah. Entertainment value where they get like Paul insurance, but it's all weird and they've gotten traded for each other a bunch. And then there was the Nets talk about him maybe going there. But then he's like with KD, but he's with Chris. I mean, that would be. Or if somebody signed Patrick Beverly and then signed him and he like, And that got weird again.

Yeah. I think Washington would be fun. He was good at Washington with Brad Beal. Yeah. Brad Beal liked the league in scoring, didn't he? Or it was second in the league and scoring. Bill really liked him too. Like they got along.

And they need that fire. And who cares anyway? They stink. Next statement. The Celtics did right by extending Joe Missoula. That's true. For sure. I thought the statement, you know,

in the press release by the Celtics by Brad Stevens said it all. He said he has a unique ability to galvanize a room around a mission. We were thankful for the work he has done to help us get to this point and excited that he has agreed to lead us, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah. So, but that first sentence, he has a unique ability to galvanize a room around a mission. Malcolm Brogden the other day said how this is the best locker room by far that he's ever been a part of. You know, everything we heard about Missoula at the time of their decision to make him

the interim head coach was that the players loved him, that they rally around him, that they trust him, that they get along with him. That's all that's happened over the course of this regular season. And I know, you know, you can nitpicking all that from a first year head coach with decisions or lineups or timeouts and adjustments and all that. That's where the real test is going to come in the postseason, right? Like we mentioned Will Hardy early in the podcast. We mentioned him all the time. We talked about it earlier in the week. With that Udoka staff, after Boston lost Will Hardy, the talk around the league was,

uh-oh, they lost their big adjustment maker, Will Hardy, that's where we're really going to find out about Missoula is in the playoffs. So then that has to be. It might be true, right? This is a team prepared to win a championship,

and if the coach isn't good enough. But Chris, your statement was did the right thing by sending Missoula, what would be the alternative? Play it out. Let him coach through the playoffs and then prove yourself.

But he's done an awesome job. But nobody cares about what he's done right now. They only care about the playoffs. And if he proves to be green, so green that he can't, no pun intended, that he can't win in the playoffs. And he does get a clown suit put on him by an Eric's Polstra or a Boodnals or somebody, then you're going to go, well, Jesus Christ, this seems ready to win a title right now. They're equipped.

These guys are in their prime. And we got a coach that's in over his head. The nitpicking has been because there's so little to, nitpick about Boston right now. Their team is so good. But that's when you proved yourself, right? That's when you're going to know if he's a good enough coach to win a title win. I just don't think there's any benefit in waiting.

You know, this is, he deserved it. He's done an excellent job. This is premature. So you would have waited. Yeah, that might be. Okay. I would have waited to see. I mean, what's he going to do?

What if that would have had a negative effect on Team Kemp? Amistry like, why have we not hired Joe? If the locker room was saying that at the negative postseason. Could have, you know. It has any, do you think it's been a story that does it seem to have been distracting them so far? There's 20 something games left.

Not at all. I mean, in fact, I think maybe the opposite is true. That it's like, hey, you know, win this, so I get to keep this job. Maybe they rally around Joe if they all love him so much. Next one. Oklahoma City, the Thunder, is the team with the most. promise. That's true.

I agree. That is true. They don't even have Chet. SGA looks like a top 10. Jalen Williams. The both of them. You see him poke on that dude? No, I'm talking about the Santa Clara one.

Oh, I know. Both of them are good. They get Chet. Santa Clara one's awesome. Yeah. And then they get Chet in the mix next year. And the thing with the Santa Clara, Jalen Williams, like that one,

his shot, his shot is not fall in the way that I think it will. Like he's shooting 32% from 3 on the year and a lower volume. Jalen Williams, he's going to be a high 30s guy, like 37, 38, 39%. And they got the best shooting coach in the world, right? They got the best shooting coach in the world. Yep. And Chip England, who's done a lot of good work with Josh Giddy. You know, he's not shooting, you know, over 40% from 3 like he was at one point for a long,

stretch right now, but his numbers are still super, super impressive compared to expectations. So I think with Giddy positive progress, you know, it's not always a constant upward trajectory. Sometimes there's dips and then there's more progress

that follows. So hopefully that happens for Giddy after a little dip recently as a shooter. Yeah, but I'll tell you this, Kev. If I love SGA, I love the Williams kid from Santa Clara. You know I love Giddy. And if Chet is even 75% of what we think he's going to be,

you got four starters. Like, you only got one piece to add for a starting lineup to even the thing out. And then not to mention, like, the other guys, like the other Jaylon Williams, who could become a solid rotation player for your team, right? Like, guys like Isaiah Joe, you know, who are playing really well off the bench, shooting the hell out of the ball on a high volume. You get pieces. Lou Dort, a great defender.

You don't keep all these guys. Kendrick Williams. You're not going to keep all of these pieces, right? The team's not going to stay together forever. But you're going to have your choice of who you want to keep. And then you also have, you know, 10 plus future first round draft picks, a boatload of second round draft picks where you can trump any offer that's out there for a star player. You can trade up and move around in the draft if you want to.

they have the brightest future because of their players currently on the team, but also because of the draft picks that Sam Presti has at his disposal to do whatever the hell he wants to do with. Seeing that beat down they had last night against Houston, let me just say, look, all you Houston folks and the ones that wrote articles defaming me, when a month into the season, I called the Rockets disgusting and said it's just AAU basketball, and it's gross what they're doing to these kids, that's going to screw up some of them and that this is a joke. I'm going to be the bigger man and accept your apology preemptively.

You don't have to send me the apology. You don't because I see the disgust that you now are dealing with. And as someone who has experienced it covered a team like that, I knew what you was ahead of you. I tried to warn you. You didn't like what I had to say at the time. but just understand it's because I love you and also because I love you,

I know that you're probably interested in apologizing to me, perhaps even groveling to me, but I'm not going to make you do that. Not. I'm going to let bygones be bygones and say, look, I knew how you would feel about it

and it's okay. Water under the bridge. Apology accepted Houston points. Let me get that out there. They end up losing by 50 or was it less than 50? It might have been less than 15. Let me find the final score. At one point, when I looked up at the scoreboard while I was at the game,

they were down 45. Yeah, it was 133 to 96 they lost for their seventh loss in a row. The lessons they are learning. I just want to say this. I've continued to plant my flag. in the ground in support of Jalen Green, I will continue to. I still think Jalen Green

is just stuck in a bad situation right now. There's no question that's true. I still believe in Jalen Green. I still think he has star upside. I still really like Shengun. Javari Smith, I'm a little bit more iffy on. You know, with his poor start. That he's Devinbrook.

Yes. And then you can see your way through it. I still believe in him. I do. I really still see him with Jalen Green. He is. I think he's one of those guys where maybe I'm holding on too much to what he did in the G league but I saw the way he kind of adapted to that team and played more off ball and his you know

he started cutting more and made better passes over the course of the season with the G league his defense improved his attentiveness and awareness defending off ball improved over the course of the G league season like he learned a lot of good habits in that good situation With the Rockets, it's all bad habits. But I still think if the situation improves around him, like if they land Victor Wenbanyama or if they land Scoot Henderson, right, a point guard, a guy who leads your offense in Scoot, or a guy who's a complete, you know, franchise changer in Wenban Yama,

those guys, like perfectly fit with Jalen Green, just like I think Paulo Bancaro would have. They thought they were going to get Bancaro. They didn't. They ended up with Javari Smith. Maybe the same. I still like Jabari. I do.

Yeah. There's still something there. You're going to have to wait on him longer than the others. You are. But he's going to grow into that body and he's going to be something to mess around with. What I'm worried about is the shot, though, because he shot the hell out of the ball at Auburn. He did not in high school. And he's not in the NBA.

So, like, what if the Auburn year was an outlier? That's where my concern is right now. Fair enough. You know what, speaking to the G-League, let's go to this one next. I'm excited. I'm going to actually see the aforementioned Scoot Henderson. I'm going to go to those games. Friday night.

He's playing in over the weekend. Not only Friday night, but also he'll be in the G-League All-Star game on Sunday, I believe. I think he's going to play him both. Scoot-Henderson is going number two in the draft, and there'll for sure be a bunch of other conversation, but all that other talk that's going to come about is just that. It's just talk. When it's all said and done,

when Miyama's won, Scoots, two, and it's locked. I'll say that might be true, because if you look at the number, the potential teams in the lottery, likely would take Scoot Henderson, I'd say rockets, spurs, magic, pelicans, wizards,

raptors, jazz, thunder. But teams that might consider a Brandon Miller or somebody else over Scoot, I'd say the Pistons, they got Cade, they just drafted Jaden Ivy, right? The Charlotte Hornets, they got Lamello Ball, the Pacers, Halliburton, Matherin, a bunch of guards, even Nemhardt coming off their bench. The Blazers have Dame, they have Simons, the Thunder have SGA and Giddy as some lead

ball handlers. So I think Pistons, Hornets, Pacers, Blazers, Thunder, those five teams, maybe they try to trade down from number two, or maybe they, they take somebody else. A Brandon Miller, whoever it might be in Amman Thompson, who granted he's more in the ball handler category too. I think Brandon Miller, who I've had at number three since November,

pretty, you know, a lot of people have him at three now over Amman Thompson out of the overtime elite. I could see any of them taking Brandon Miller three over, or two over Scoot Henderson, but I think a trade down would make a lot more sense to gain more draft

capital. Yeah, a lot of Brandon Miller buzz. I know they lost last night to Tennessee, but I mean, they had, I mean, they were up to number one in the country. They're beating SEC teams by an average of 20 points. I mean, and he's the best player. So he gained a lot of buzz. I know you were on him early, but he gained a lot of buzz over the course of this last three weeks because they were just bombing everybody out in the conference, which is

not easy to do. And they were treating the SEC like Gonzaga used to the West Coast conference, where it's just like trashing these teams night in and night out. Now they got beat, like I said, by Tennessee in that game. But they had moved up to number one, and it's kind of like freshman phenom, best team. They're killing all these other SEC teams. Brandon Miller, man, it's like everywhere you turn. He really, his name really started cooking these last couple of weeks.

And he's improved, right? Like I think earlier in the season, you know, and bring her NBA draft show with me and Kyle Mann, earlier in the year, we're talking about how, you know, he's not getting to the basket, he's not trying foul, he's not finishing around the rim. He's improved so, so much in that, you know, specific category over the course of the year to look like a more complete score instead of a guy who's solely reliant on outside jumpers. I mean, he's answered questions about his game every step of the way, including even

early season. In high school, he was more of a mid-range guy than a three-point shooting guy. So he extended his range first, you know, at the start of the year to shoot more threes, still crushing from mid-range when necessary too, but now he's also getting to the basket more successfully. So I think with Miller, you're going to give him a lot of credit for that's why his draft stock has continued to raise over the course of the year. Why would I have them over scoot?

No. But I think there's certain teams that the fit when you factor that into the equation, Miller makes more sense than Henderson. All right, two more before we get out of here. The dunk contest and the three-point contest, should offer the winner $1 million. That, yeah, one million or more, whatever, whatever the number is, that's true. It should be.

Like, we can't, I mean, I love MacMcclung, and I'm sure he'll put on a absolute show on Saturday night. That guy can dunk with the best of the best. I'm sure, Trey Murphy, you know, with the Pelicans, I love him. He's, you know, that dude is a really fun player. He could be in a three-point shooting contest, too, right? He's one of the few guys. But I just, I just think, like, the fact we have no stars. in this.

If you had a million bucks, no stars. Guys would do that. Yeah. You could get the best of the best for a million bucks. I know. It's just unfortunate, you know,

KJ Martin, Trey Murphy, Jericho sends Mac MacKLong. MacLong just signed a 10-day contract. McClung saved it, though. Because I was like, man,

I don't even think I'll watch that thing. You know, he told Choms. Yeah, oh, the two dunks nobody's ever seen. He saved it by saying there's two dunks

that no one has ever done in any dunk contest and I'm like, how is the best promotion for the dunk contest done by the guy that's not even like an NBA regular?

Yeah. Like, he's the one that's got me wanting to see it now because if you tell me there's going to be two dunks that no one

has ever done in any dunk contest, then I'm, now I'm interested. Mac McCong has gotten me interested in the friggin NBA dunk contest.

Figure that out. And he's not even in the NBA. It's tough. It's tough. You'd get the best of the best, honestly. And I don't understand why that's such a,

I mean, that's an easy fix to me to just make the prize money big. I agree. Last one. All right, let's draft our teams. I'll be, we're going to draft our All-Star teams and we'll just do the starters, okay?

So this isn't, that might be true, or that's ridiculous? Nope, we're done with that. We're done with that game. Okay. All right. Okay. That game stinks.

I love that game. We got to figure out, hold on. Let me make sure I got the All-Star starters. Now, M.B. said he was hurt, so is he even going to do the thing? We got to include him in the draft for now, though. We do? Okay.

All right, fine. So there's Yokic, LeBron. No, LeBron's drafting. LeBron. Yeah, I know. I know. Luca, Luca Donchage. Yeah.

right? John Morant is starting and Lori Markinen and then in the east it is it's no longer Kevin Durant and B. I guess Carly Irving will still start the game Mbied, Tatum, Mitchell, Mitchell and then who is the fifth one in the place of Durant? Those are them. Tatum and Bid Mitchell. Well, I guess Irving now. I don't know actually. Well, it doesn't matter because they're all going to split. it up anyway. But who is taking Durant's spot as a starter in the east? Because he's not going to he's not going to play it. I know they've added

players, right? Oh, okay, so he's going to be the starter. Okay. Well, I'm not sure. I don't think the NBA is. I don't think the league has actually announced this yet, have that? That's right. No, it is. M.B. Because Markan is in the West. He took Zion's spot. And John Morant took

Curry spot. And you're right. It is M.B. But wait. Wait. We have, the thing is, though, is we have Tatum and Bede Mitchell to draft from the east. And then there's Yokic, Luca, Morant, Kyrie, Lowry, five guys. Yeah, but it doesn't matter. Because they're not doing it as West Hamid. All right.

Okay, it doesn't matter. Okay. All right. So those are, that's our pool of eight. Yeah, and I'm Janus and you're LeBron since you love LeBron so much. Well, I also love it. I just made a case for Janus's MVP. I love him, too.

Everybody forgot that. That was so long ago. Because I'm Janice and you're LeBron, who, God, I don't know how he's going to play through this foot injury in the All-Star game. Do you see the Lakers last night, though, Chris? Yeah, I saw him. Better than they have all year? I saw Anthony Davis carry him.

Well, they also started their best players. They do Beasley and Vanderbilt in there. Like, those guys are better than Dennis Schrooter and Bobo Malone or whoever the hell. All right. Okay. Who gets the first thing? You do, because you got the gimpy foot. Okay, I get the gimpy foot.

Okay, I'm going to go with Joelle Embed. Joelle M. Bid is the first pick. Yeah. And is this a game to, like, save the world? Is this a game for $10 billion? Yes, to save the world. Okay. So I will take Luca Donchich.

Okay, I'm going to take Nikola Yokic. so slow. Jason Tatum. I'll go with Donovan Mitchell. John Morant. Of course. You went with John Morant. Who else am I going to take?

I'll take Kyrie. My team's going to dominate yours, dude. Oh, my God. Are you serious? Yes, it is. Then, all right. I guess. You got Lorry.

Oh, I guess I got Lorry marketed. Hey, you got Laurie. All right. Morant, Tatum, Luca, Laurie Marketing, and Yonner. Yep. Versus Kairi, Donovan Mitchell, LeBron M.B.

Yokic. My team's pretty nice. I mean, yours is too, but, you know, mine's better. Yeah, you're too slow. No, I'm not. And Kyrie's going to, like, he's going to burn that thing down from the inside.

You know what I mean? No. These guys are going to be high on it. incense trying to get out to the court. There's the trap. Kevin, hopefully I'll see you. Yeah,

tweet tweeted us. Tweeted us with which which of those five win, a game to save the universe. Mine. Mine, mine. Yeah, I'm just going to keep attacking Luca and Morant on defense.

Go ahead. We'll, we're too fast. You guys are slow. You guys are going to run out of gas quick. Plus, LeBron's got a bumfoot. Tyree's weird. All right. I see a moose Kevin Costner and you in Salt Lake City

Kevin I hope to as well and that's the or Chris that's the that's actually the a moose Kevin Costner and you um thanks to our executive producer jesse Lopez as always we'll talk to you next week enjoy the all-star break of the day