The Mismatch - The Heat Clinch, Bottom of the Bracket Teams, and Key Players Returning for the Playoff Run

Episode Date: April 8, 2022

Verno and KOC discuss the latest news going into the last weekend of the NBA season beginning with the Heat, who clinched the top overall seed in the East (01:49). As the seeding becomes finalized, the guys take a look at the teams at the bottom of the bracket (13:57). The Lakers were officially eliminated from playoff contention, so Verno and KOC discuss their dreadful season (21:22). After weeks of speculation, there are signs that point to Kawhi Leonard’s potential return for the Clippers' playoff run (32:37). The Nuggets are also gearing up for the possible returns of Jamal Murray and Michael Porter Jr. (39:04). Hosts: Chris Vernon and Kevin O’Connor Producer: Jessie Lopez Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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Welcome to The Mismatch. I'm Chris Vernon and join as he does every Friday from the ringer.com is Kevin O'Connor, aka Kevin O'Bomber, Kevin O'Clymer, Kevin O'Colnsk, Kevin O'Candiland, Kevin O'Champton, Kevin O'Chymn. Dude, what's going on? Mr. Augusta Update over here back on Twitter and social media. You might have to do a lot of talking today, Kevin. Your voice tired, Chris? I got it.

Eight minutes straight of. That's what's going on in Augusta. We did a second one, too. Oh, you did that second? Yeah, I really took it easy yesterday, afternoon, and evening. Did not do a tremendous amount of talking as to try to ramp up because we're going to do a couple more. I just got to make it through Friday. I'm going to wear you down, Chris.

Yeah, I got to make it through Friday. I'm just going to press all your buttons. Yeah, we have a lot still to be decided, but everything is going to be settled after this weekend. We'll start with last night. We'll start with the Eastern Conference. The heat clinched the number one seat. So now we know that for certain. While it was kind of up in the air, at least until last evening, they are going to be the one seed.

And so the Easter Conference playoffs are going to go through, Miami. And I feel like the heat have not gotten a tremendous amount of chatter this year regarding what they've done. There's been a little more recently because of Tyler Hero and the numbers he has put up as a reserve. He's probably going to run away with Sixth Man of the Year, which is, frankly, the only award that will probably be a runaway this entire season. But you look at what they were able to do this year, and I found it last night. Jimmy Butler missed 24 games, Bam out of Io, missed 25 games, Kyle Lowry missed 18 games, Tyler Hero missed 15,

Markief Morris missed 63, and Victor Oladipo missed 73. And they are the number one seat after all of this. pretty unbelievable. You know, in a season where we said, typically you think that many team's success is dependent upon their availability and how healthy they were able to stay. This was hardly the team that was the beacon of health.

And so do you think that throughout the season, they should have been talked up more, that their odds should be shorter? because when you consider how many games, all those integral people to what you would think would be their level of success, missed, you know, here they are in the end,

and they're locked up as one. You know what? Everything you just said has been the type of stuff that we and like all of media have been talking about all season long with Memphis. The fact they've been resilient, they can win through adversity, through missing guys,

particularly with Job with Memphis, but with Miami, they're kind of like old news at this point in terms of they're not the fresh thing anymore. So they're not getting that attention, but it doesn't, that shouldn't diminish how amazing it is that they've been able to do what they do. Remember that stretch midseason, Chris, when they had Omar, you're at 7 for like 30 minutes per game and they're still winning every single night. And like, he's a good player. It just speaks the amount of depth that they have on their roster that they can, they can

take a guy who was going from 10 to 15 minutes per game, some DNPs to, hey, now you're playing 30 minutes in night. And that's true across the roster. They have, I mean, we'll see if Hero ends up winning six band of the year. He's the strongest candidate in my book. You can slide him to the starting lineup if you need to. You have Duncan Robertson and Max Cruz. It's like an overflow of talent on that team. And Spolstra being as unbelievable as he is, just makes it all work. Well, and one of the things, as you mentioned Memphis earlier, one of the things they've been credited for this year is having and establishing an incredible culture,

much like we had San Antonio for so many years, and while people can roll their eyes at the heat culture thing, it is absolutely real. And heat culture isn't just like this, you know, aura in Miami, and you walk in a parent Riley's office, and you suddenly become gritty. There is a standard in which you are,

expected to play. They bring in those players who check those boxes, those characteristics, and then they perform together and raise each other's levels. That's really the secret. That's right. They find guys that fit the way they want to play and that will play. And if much like San Antonio and much like Memphis now, if you are not going to be that type of player, then they will move on from you or you won't see the court and the story. And it has, it's real. And I do think when you consider, I mean, that's a lot of games missed by a lot of awesome players. I think that part of it with Miami, if I'm just making some excuse.

And look, at the beginning of the season, I told you, they were my pick to win the thing this year. Yeah, yeah, you called it. You didn't call that. They are also, they in Phoenix are the two best teams I have seen in person this year. They're the two times that I've walked out of the arena and I've been like, whoa. Like, because they're veterans. They got kind of everything at every position. Both of them bring a lot to the table.

And those are the teams that are going to end up, number one, in each of the conferences. But I think that, you know, when you don't have somebody kind of in the MVP race, you're not on national TV as much as many of your peers. and in addition to that, you know, you don't have a rookie that everybody's going to watch. You don't have an MVP candidate that everybody's watching. You don't have a lot of awards guys. You don't have a lot of highlights, for that matter. You know, these aren't highlight players.

And so I do think that it's more difficult to get into the conversation when all of those things apply to you, but they are absolutely awesome. And when they have all of their guys, I think beating them, not that they have the strongest home court advantage, but I do think beating them and having to beat them in Miami to get it done is going to be a major task even for whoever, Milwaukee, Philly, Boston, whoever we want to name. Yeah, no doubt about it, Chris. I think you nailed a fair. they are going to be a major challenge for anybody. And either whether it's the finals or just the East playoffs, because this team has so much depth because they have, arguably the defensive player of the year at Bamadabio,

he's one of the top candidates. The only argument really against him is the fact he's played under 60 games. But like this team is equipped for great success in come postseason time. And that's because like the best teams in basketball, like Phoenix, like Memphis, They can put out, Spolster can utilize different lineups and get different styles out of it. Whether it's on offense, heavy switching, or whether it's on the offensive end

with their ability to play through dribble handups. I pick a roll, isolations. They can do anything with the amount of personnel they have. And Spolstra is one of the best coaches in all of basketball. We've talked a lot about avoiding matchup. matchups. If I'm one of those lower seeds, they're who I want to avoid.

I mean, because they want to. You want to avoid them for who, Milwaukee? No, no, no, no, no, no, no. I'm saying if you are, oh, I think that Brooklyn might win a couple games against Milwaukee. I think they'll get smoked by Miami. I think Atlanta, Atlanta might win a game or two. How come?

Against Milwaukee. It's just the way they play. It's a way they play. The toughness. Yeah, and the defense. You know what I mean? What about the... We just saw a game where Janus hit the three to go to overtime.

I mean, I just saw those teams play. So the idea that I think they could be competitive against them is not that far-fetched. To me, I think that Atlanta or Brooklyn, if I'm one of those teams, I'm desperately trying to stay away from Miami. I don't think they're going to beat Milwaukee either if Milwaukee ends up. to, but I'm saying those would be the teams that I search. Miami would be the team that I wouldn't want to see if I'm those teams. Do you anticipate that we're going to try to, we're going to see Milwaukee, they play Friday and they play Sunday. Boston only has one game left. And if Milwaukee loses on Friday,

then they control their destiny with the two or the three seed. Boston won't. Do you, do you think Milwaukee should try to lose out of the two seed? to avoid Brooklyn. I don't think you can control it. They can't control it. If they lose Friday... No, they can't, Kevin, because they can't control whether Brooklyn wins.

Yeah, but they can control whether... I'm asking specifically about the two or three seed. I'm not asking about what Brooklyn does. Should Milwaukee try to avoid the two seed to land in the three seed? So that there's no way possible? Then there's no way possible. And then you end up with the bulls in the first rounds.

I mean, then what? What if you screw around and then Philly jumps you too? Now you're playing Miami in the second round. I just don't think it's, I don't think it's that easy to tank these games. But like specifically, I'm only asking about the two and the three. Like, let's say say the two or three and four, should they be willing to lose Friday night to avoid the two to get the three or four? I don't think they should be scared of Brooklyn at all.

Okay. So they should just try to play it out. Yeah. I don't think it's a, why would I run away from Brooklyn if I'm Milwaukee? Because they have Kevin Durant and Carrie Irving. So what? Some of the best players in the world. They also don't stop anybody.

He is one of the best players in the world. Steph Curry was one of the best players in the world last year. He wasn't in the playoffs. I mean, it happens. You know, you have to have a whole team. And so I would be worried that I would screw things up in terms of trying to, trying to figure out these matchups. Now you want to drop the three.

Now what? Now you might have to play a East Finals on the road. I mean, these teams have championship dreams now. Why are you going to screw up your home court advantage in the case that somebody was able to knock off Miami? If you're the two seed, you'd have home court advantage the rest of the way if somebody can bot Miami off. You know, they catch a Jimmy Butler injury or a BAM injury.

Like, you'd never know the way this stuff's going to play out. I wouldn't play the game of trying to lose just so I avoid a first round matchup that I may not get anyway, Kevin. How about this? Let's say Charlotte jumps up. Let's say Atlanta jumps up. All right? Now, you take it into consideration.

You think those that you think Brooklyn's going to be seven. That's the only reason you would dodge two. There's other teams that have a chance at that. In fact, there's three other teams. that have a chance at that. Atlanta or Charlotte. Okay. What if it shook out and it's Atlanta?

What if it shook out and it's Cleveland? If it's Cleveland, did you want to get away from seven? Now you've screwed things up. Cleveland could still be seven. We're just assuming that Brooklyn is the one that's going to win. Like I said, Chris, it might not be seven. It was just a theoretical question. That's all.

What would you rather do? That's all I was asking. Well, that's all I'm saying, right? You understand what I'm saying? Like, what if they're not seven? I mean, then they're not seven. Then they're eight. And that means Miami gets one.

Right? Yeah. I mean, all I'm asking is, what would you rather do? Would you rather avoid the two and land in three or four? That's all. But you got to tell me who two's playing. You don't know that. Right.

That's why I wouldn't screw with it. I wouldn't screw with it. I wouldn't screw with it just because it'd be my luck that it's Cleveland that I'm facing. I look forward. seeing what they get what they end up doing. Toronto is now two up on the Bulls and the Bulls do have that tiebreaker, but we have no idea what the Bulls are going to do. Toronto probably splits.

Probably they might win both of them. But that one is up in the air a little bit, simply because the Bulls have the tiebreaker in that. The Nets and the Cabs is huge tonight. Mowgli's back. The Nets have the tiebreaker. They also have the tiebreaker against Atlanta. And then you have the Hornets who are kind of lurking in all of this, unbelievably.

They are won back. And they won again last night. They're one back from the Nets and Atlanta. And they have the tiebreaker in both of those. So we could look up in the Hornets end up with, I mean, they can end up pretty high, actually. if they are able to win, if they're able to win and like say the Nets lose tonight or Atlanta loses, next thing we know, that would be the most shocking one. If we end up with Charlotte or with Charlotte playing in that like the big game that ends up getting somebody seven or eight,

that's something that we didn't expect. But they've been really good. And I do feel like, weirdly, some of these teams at the bottom, I don't know how you feel look more dangerous than some of these teams at the top, right? It's like some of these, and maybe that's because they're fighting for their lives, and I shouldn't be persuaded by this, but like Atlanta and Charlotte and Brooklyn, and some of these teams there at the bottom more so than say like Philly, you know? Obviously Boston's been better without time, Lord, than I thought they were going to be,

Honestly, wouldn't you agree? No, they're a good team. They just need him for the playoffs, second round. But Udoka did say this week, like, sooner than late for Time Lord. And I've heard a lot of positive news about him. It sounds like the type of thing where the only concern will be when he does return eventually if they make the second round, how does he handle the swelling once he start playing again? Once he starts playing and there's swelling, how does that affect his performance is the main concern for Boston?

And for some of these lower teams, like Charlotte, Atlanta, Cleveland, it's like you said, like they're all fighting, but also it's not like they're, you know, a 33 win team. These are teams that have all won 40 games, all about 500, and all really competitive. And like, it's crazy when you think about really how tight the east still is, though, the top bunch all between, we're talking about straddling, you know, between three games and the top four seeds. And then it's really all between two games with the seven to 11. And they're not far off from those top teams. They're like, what, six games back? It's not a dramatic difference. So, I mean, look, I think every first round series has a chance to be competitive.

Wherever Brooklyn lands, assuming they win and get in that this is the seven or the eight. And then whether it's Cleveland, Atlanta, or Charlotte, all three of those teams are going to have an opportunity to maybe take a game or two. You know, like, you can't rule out Trey Young going nuclear in a series. No, and I'd be excited as. see what happens with the mellow ball in the playoffs if you were to get in and never mind this cleveland squad with getting everybody back here so i mean i'm excited for those young team teams but ultimately though like talent level wise when milwaukee miami boston those teams turn it up i don't see them catching them how about philly though do you think they could be philly you

see i think philly's that vulnerable look because i don't think they're i think they're still going to win one of those types of series if they were to move up i think Certainly you would, Philly's going to be the favorite in that situation. But, man, I don't know, Kiv. Like the, I saw this morning, which I was stunned by, our buddies at Stapmews put this up. The first four games that James Hardin played at the Sixers, it was 27 points per game, 59% field goal, 50% from three. Since then, 20 points a game, 36% from the field, 30% from three.

30% from three and has as many turnovers as field goals in the last five games. So when you say, do I believe in Philly, like, those numbers are miserable. 30% from 3, 36, from the field? Like, you've got to be radically different than that, you know?

His last five games, four of 15, 10, 4 of 13, 4 of 10, 3 of 12. I don't know, Chris. I don't know what's going on. I think he's hurt. I think that hamstring is a problem and he's just playing through it. I can't, I just can't see that he would have declined like this without an injury.

You know what I'm saying? Like, how do you go from what you were those first three or four games out of the All-Star break? He looked crazy good, dude. He looks so quick, so much burst. he's exploding off the bounce and they'll look at him I think he's hurt I gotta go back and look at it

I feel like the line of demarcation is running steps you remember that cockamam made me video of him running the steps in the arena I think that might have been the end or maybe it's I gotta go back and look

or maybe it was the Brooklyn game maybe they just ripped it it maybe they just ripped his heart completely out of it. of his chest. That was March 7th. After the Bulls win, is when that happened.

So that was probably his first iffy game. His first three games, seven of 12, eight of 14, eight of 13, six of 10. And then that night, five of 15 against the Bulls,

but he did have 14 assists only three turnovers. But the next game, so he's five of 15 and then he ran the steps. The next game against Brooklyn. Then he ran the steps, but he had a great night with assists. 14 assists.

I forget what happened in the game. That was too long ago. turnovers. Next game against Brooklyn, three of 17 from the field. That really could have been it. It might have been the steps after the Bulls game. The steps! It worked.

I was just, thank you for the research. I was just opining, hey, maybe it was after he did the Rocky bit after the game and he ran those steps. He might have yanked his hamstring trying to run. It's the first time he had been active in a year.

Can you imagine if that was it? Like that night he gets home and he leaves And then he's like Something happened I knew I shouldn't have tried to run those steps This is what I get for making an Instagram video or whatever it was He just ran up once. He just ran one time

For the gram, right? That's what it got a little tender You know, after that. Do you imagine if that was actually real though? Like if we get a Ramona Shelburne's story The day after the Sixers get eliminated And it says it opens up with a scene running the steps after a bowl's win.

We dropped the, we got the, we got the, we got the, we got the Lakers one today. You know, they get the Lakers one. Yeah, Russell Westbrook told them he was going to, he was going to do everything he could to make it work. And so like, are they really just going to bury Russell Westbrook on all this stuff? I guess they are. I guess it's going to be Russ's fault. And by the way, you were just talking about Charlotte? What the hell is that all about?

Oh, yeah, the Mark Stein report about potentially a destination for Russ. It's the dumbest idea of the history of ideas. I guess it's got, because he's got a Jordan deal? Yeah, why would you do that to La Mello Ball? Why would you do that to Lamello Ball? If I'm a Lamello Ball, I'm demanding a trade the day Russell Westbrook is acquired. It's like, get me out of here. It's bizarre.

This organization has no idea what they're doing. If you're going to add Russell Westbrook with me, get they got to be out of here. It's just really bizarre to see that coming out. Bring him in by backup, but we're not going to share the court together? I mean, are we in backup land? Is it going to be? No, I don't see that.

Russ, Russ isn't the type of guy who's going to accept backing up. Just how long ago was it, his wife tweeted out that he would have brought the magic to the playoffs? That's the level of self-belief Russ has. It was, it was just kind of, it was kind of crazy to see,

an actual trade destination that was already mentioned like there would actually be a trade but then of course it's mentioned that could just wave him you know and that that would be

the deal but just the idea that there's a team out there that might be a possibility was kind of I think that's what everybody and especially that has Labello ball I think everybody was like

wait what? What is going on here? Oh well it doesn't make sense to me it doesn't make any sense Of course it doesn't. Zero. Zip.

None. I just don't understand it one bit. The Ramona article, that made a lot of sense. I love the opening scene she had with the IPEC theater, which is near the UCLA campus. I haven't been there yet in L.A. I've heard it's a great outstanding theater experience. I've not been there yet. But I can see why Rosh Chosity has great tastes in theaters or his team, whoever helped organize it.

Great taste. So I hear. But yeah, yeah, that article was very interesting from Ramona. But one question I had for you from that, Chris, she wrote a line in here. She said, one option, Westbrook could consider a buyout. There's pessimism that he'd do that. And she wrote, Westbrook is a prideful man. His swagger is both his sword and his shield, and he will not lay them down lightly.

He is wary of the stigma that comes with accepting a buyout one source close to him explained. What does, what stigma is that from a buyout? Is that from like, does that mean you're washed? Yeah, I think so. Is that really, I don't look, is that really a stigma? Or I think it's that guys get bought out often because they're washed, but people don't think just because you're bought out, it means you're washed. I think it's the other way around.

Maybe, maybe not washed, but if it doesn't mean you're washed, it means they just want to get rid of you. Which, as we know. Or you want to get out. I think it's, I think being bought out means so. many different things you want to get out or they want you out like you know it could mean your wash but it doesn't always mean you're washed i just don't see a stigma attached to it the stigma is they can't trade you that's the stigma yeah that's the stigma they can't trade you

which is like okay yeah okay cool you get paid too much money good for you russell right yeah good for you i mean that that's that's the that's the stigma the stigma is hey the only reason we're buying you out is because we would love to move you elsewhere, and we can't because of your salary. Therefore, our only option is to try to negotiate a buyout with you. By the way, like when I say Russ's making too much money, like salary-wise, he makes too much money this year, but in many ways he's making up for what could have been gained

during his heyday in OKC. Like the value he brought to that Oklahoma City Thunder franchise is like being made up now with his diminished performance on the court with his over-inflated salary. And that's fair. And look, I have been a Rust defender in the past. I've not been throughout this year. We were in game of his owns together.

I also think it is tremendous bullshit to blame him for the Lakers season. I really do. That's not right. It's not one person's fault. Look at their roster. It's not one person's fault. It's not just Russ's fault. It's not just LeBron's fault.

It's the blame is shared in this collective. Right. and I mean, seemingly they were the only ones that had not watched Russell Westbrook over the course of his career. None of us thought that that was going to be an easy fit. None of us. Nobody. When that happened, nobody said, that's going to work famously. Nobody said that.

Not one person that watches basketball thought, oh, yeah, that's a perfect fit. like we're sitting around talking about like hey that's actually pretty smart if they move off of kuzma and they get buddy buddy healed like you can see all you need is to spread some shooters around or whatever like we talked about the way it works basketball wise and the fit what about russle westbrook's game playing alongside those guys ever made sense to anybody enough about them they suck they're out of it and it's this laker season has probably gotten entirely too much talk anyway. I mean, what a disgrace, seriously. And that's two out of four years that they have not made the playoffs since they got LeBron, which if you could have gotten odds on that, holy mackle, just no chance. No chance. Just so much drama and I don't know.

And I will say this, because I don't think people have been careful to not blame LeBron for anything. I mean, I guess they blame him for, you know, helping put together the roster or whatever. but make no mistake about it. Earlier in the podcast, we started this podcast talking about Miami. We talked about Memphis. We talked about the Spurs.

We talk about whatever else. You can have a front office and you can have a coach and you can have whoever who tries to establish a culture somewhere. Culture is players. And nobody is more important to the culture of that franchise than LeBron James. And he was constantly distancing himself. anybody that watched any of those games,

you know, the rolling of the eyes or whatever else, you don't see him like building up the other guys. You don't see him. Like, he's the guy. End of story. And their culture, there's pathetic. Absolutely pathetic. Lately, but early in the season,

you have LeBron James setting the tone, playing center, defending the rim, hustling, directing guys around, like early season, mid-season LeBron. was excellent. And I bet you with him, with LeBron, you're right about everything we've seen the last month or so, but I bet you with him,

he probably lost belief in this team and what they could be. For him, it probably wasn't worth it. Like, what am I even doing? I would tell you, I had somebody with the Lakers when I saw them early in the season, and they were not living up to expectations. They were 500, right? Yeah, told me, these guys are going to expend the least amount of energy

and still win enough games. All the way down the line. You watch it, we watch it every night. Every night. LeBron to Westbrook to Davis, to on down the line. They are going to expect, and that is, how are you going to get everybody on board? You have a bunch of guys that were playing like that.

And then, obviously, you built a roster. You got a defensive coach, and you brought in a miserable defensive roster. and their defense went to hell completely to hell. And that's where effort matters the most. You know, for sure. Anyway, enough about them. The Nuggets, they clinched not being in the play in last night.

And they locked the wolves into seven. So the T-wolves are going to be seven, who just had Anthony Edwards go for 49 last night. Didn't get 50, though. I mean, didn't get 50. He didn't. But I saw this stat this morning. Not on the same level of Sadiq Beck.

How about this one? Most points before 21 years old. Here's the list. LeBron James, Kevin Durant, Carmelo Anthony, Anthony Edwards. Ooh. That's pretty unbelievable. Pretty unbelievable that he's not 21 years old.

Number one. Right? That's pretty unbelievable. But beyond that, I mean, the only names ahead of you are LeBron, Durant, and Carmelo. Those are three of the greatest scorers to ever walk God's Green Earth. And Anthony Edwards, you know, I told you early in the season. I thought that Minnesota team could be a problem for somebody. They just, they're so up and down, you know, erratic, you know,

their offense was awesome and then their defense was, you know, their defense was awesome and then their offense was bad. And then their offense was amazing and their defense was bad. I mean, they've just teetered back and forth throughout the year, offense defense. And even in like one game samples, you can watch them for one game and go, oh my God. Like they got Russell.

They got towns. They got Edwards. Malik Beasley comes off the bench and every once in a while, knocked out a bunch of threes. They got Pat Bev who's tough. They got Vanderbilt who's tough. And they are, they're formidable. Now, they don't have playoff experience,

but I do think they're dangerous. And, you know, if they were able to maintain seven, who knows what happens with that Clippers thing? It's going to be a one-game playoff. But that would be a hell of a series versus Memphis. They were a problem for Memphis this year. It's a matchup problem. Who was the biggest problem on the Minnesota roster?

Like, is it towns? Edwards. Russell goes nuts up. I mean, freaky. Russell was crazy. Crazy. And Vanderbilt does well against Jared Jackson. And, you know, Pat Bev tries to injure Morant. And so you got like a bunch going on.

It got very, very testy, too. If that's a first round series, it would be wildly entertained. Who would you rather face Minnesota or the Clippers' first round? If you told me there's no Quaillard, I would absolutely rather face the clip. We'll see. Norman Powell's back. Paul George's back. One guy's missing.

Just one guy. And I didn't like the Tailu comments. What did Tiley say? Tileut talked, you know, he talked to Mark Spears or whatever. Yeah, I read that yesterday and I was like, I didn't see it. I saw him say Monty Williams should be coach of the year. Tailu recently told Anscape's

Mark Spears that he hopes George Powell and Leonard will all be good to go for the Western Conference playoffs because he knows what the Clippers can do with all that firepower. Interesting. I did not see those comments. That was yesterday. To go back to your question,

Clippers without Kauai. Yes. Minnesota, if they have Kauai. Look, man, we've been on this since January with Kauai, the potential of him coming back in April. We're here. Minnesota. Within a week, we'll find out.

Minnesota, I can't imagine he'd be available to play in the play-in game. And so if you're Minnesota and you win that, hey, how about this one, Keev? You're a freaking Phoenix. and you draw them, assuming that they were able to hold down the fort and keep their 8 seat. We could be looking, like, realistically at Clippers versus Sons. In fact, that would be the matchup before the play-in. But if it maintained that, there was Clippers versus Sons.

And you want to talk about, I mean, that's like a West Finals if they've got Kauai back. they'd be outrageous outrageous and obviously if they were to win the play end game versus Minnesota then it's Clippers

versus Memphis and you're Memphis and you just had like one of your franchise's best seasons ever and you get the two seed and your reward is having to play against frigging Paul George and Kauai Leonard

like come on yeah it's too bad so bogus Yeah, it is bogus. That is bogus. That is bogus. It'd be great if there's another way.

This time I'm bringing that up. Who knew? I mean, look, it'd be their luck that they, well, maybe I guess you would have to choose after it all gets hashed out. But they should have lost a long time ago if they knew Kauai Lender was going to get who's going to be back. Well, you want to. I have a question for you, Chris.

So yesterday, someone brought this thought up to me. Adam Silver this week was talking about all these stars missing games and having to find incentives to get them to return earlier so they're actually playing regular season games. Yeah. I wonder, like, who do you think is on his mind as he's saying that? Do you think he's thinking about Kauai? What does Adam Silver know that we don't know?

Adam Silver obviously is privy to information that none of us are about players, teams, situations, what's going to happen, things that are said, things that have happened. do you think that there's anything with Adam Silver where he's like, this effing guy load banished for years, and now he might come back day one of the postseason? Do you think there's anything on Adam Silver's mind

about even the potential of a Kauai return after not playing a single regular season game that is really inspiring something that he was talking about a lot? It's a major talking point for the NBA. You remember, I brought this up like whatever it was, a month, a month ago? Adam must be a listener of the potty, earned it from Berno. You didn't bring it up.

I goofed. I said, what if this dude just becomes the goat of load management by just saying, I'm not playing the regular season. And he's been fine for a long time. I'll tell you this, it might be other. I mean, did you see the, did you see the Murray clips from last night? Yeah. Yeah. He look okay to you on the baseline, cut in the basket, dunk?

I was like, what the hell is going on? He warmed up, for those that don't know, Jamal Murray, you can find this video. It's out there. He was on the court before the Memphis game last night. And like, like, he looked like Jamal Murray. He looked better than Jamal. When did his last time you remember, Jamal Murray, dunking?

Yeah, he, yeah, I just found the video right now. He's standing baseline, like you said, corner three spot, attack. Hard cut. Hard glass, dribble, going back right, dunking. Yeah. Like hard cut and then explosion, which are two things that you would like, did that guy look like he was? For what it's where he had 19 dunks in 48 games last year.

And he had one in warm-up lesson. Yeah. At least. It's not a frequent dunker. No. Not a frequent. He's not known for his level of explosion. He looked pretty damn explosive on the end warm-up.

Just by comparison, Jai has 58 and 56. games this year for like a super explosive guard. Yeah. Murray had the 19 last year that I said. They may get him back. We'll see. I mean, it certainly appeared so. And right now, that becomes very, very interesting because if you're the Warriors

and the Mavs, of course, you would want three so that you're staying away Phoenix in the second round. okay but three might mean you play Yokoa Murray in round one instead of

Utah I mean yeah dude that's a tough one it's tough dude it's really hard I don't know like the West remember all season long

people are saying that East is you know taken over the West is the best conference I mean if Kauai Leonard and Jamal Murray and Michael Porter Jr. return.

That changes the way those six to eight scenes start looking. I'll tell you that. Even if it's just Murray. Even if it's just Murray. Well, I mean, last week, Montaigne Morris said that he's ready to return. Michael Porter Jr., Adam Mariz told me last month in the void, that he's more likely to return. Every report this past month has been Michael Porter Jr. is closer to return.

He hasn't returned yet. Maybe both of them are going to return. last day of the season or for the playoffs. It's possible. Well, do you think, do you think? I'll tell you, a little bird he told me, because you remember, for those are the long time, oh yeah, you were February for Murray, right?

I did. Yes, way back. You heard like December or something like that. And I went and asked the same people, and what they told me was that there was, how do I say, a level of disenchantment on Tomol Murray wants to be played.

That's awesome. He wants to be played. He's a young player. They're being mega careful. And I think that may be what we're seeing here. You've seen teams be extremely careful with players.

Now, Kauai would be the most egregious exception to this. But it's not off the table that we look up in Zion Williamson's play Jamal Murray's playing, Kauai Leonard's playing, and those guys did not appear in the season.

You would have three players. So when you said Adam Silver's bringing it up, it's really on the table. And that is through, what's the term they use, an abundance of caution, right? So they say, hey, this is what's most important

is that we have you healthy, feeling great, not at risk of being re-injured. the question is if you know when could any of those guys feasibly been on the court without the quote abundance of caution and have they sat out much longer than maybe they needed to which again is not unreasonable the last thing on earth you want is for somebody to come back from major injury and re-injured themselves but it's possible I mean, when we looked at all of those timelines, all of those timelines would be up, if it's the traditional, you know, injury slash recovery. All of them. Kauai's would be up, Jamal's would be up, Zions would be up, all of them.

We'll see. We'll see what happens here because Adam Silver talked about it a lot. He admitted that he doesn't necessarily have a great solution yet, but he's thinking about incentives, thinking about the length of the season, how that can be tweaked to, you know, for players to have better health, better durability, better rest in recovery, and that maybe you're able to return from injuries sooner. Maybe it lessens the risk of injury.

He mentioned incentives with the tournaments, you know, like different things they could try there. So I don't know, man. I hope the NBA this decade gets creative with these solutions. With the length of the season, we might be expanding at some point to 32 teams this decade. There's ways to revise the schedule with the in-season tournament, the length of the season that could really improve everything with the NBA

and assuring that these guys are playing these lasting games. Like, how can you make it important for the Clippers to bring Kauai back? Or how can you make it important for the Nuggets to already have Murray back? I don't know. I don't know right now at the top of my head. But I look forward to seeing what they cook up. One more thing on Denver, the narrative changes every single week regarding MVP, and it does feel like it is flipped hardcore back to Yokic. A little bit of a struggle for the 76ers.

Yannis had a couple big games on national television that weren't amazing, like didn't blow us away. And now you're doing all the stats that are being reported out there about Yokic, which are just absolutely freaky. And they're not with a nod to our buddy Nick Wright, not advanced stats. Nicola Yokic is the first player since Wilk Chamberlain to have five straight games with 35 points and 12 rebounds.

In games, he is the first player in NBA history with 2,000 points, 1,000 rebounds, and 500 assists. and not only did he have the 2000, 1,500, he's the first to average 25, 13, and 6 in a season, and he's averaging 27, 14, and 8. So no one's averaged 25, 13, and 6. He's averaging 27, 14, and 8, and he is the first player in the top 10 in points per game, rebounds for game, assists per game, and field goal percentage in the last 50 years. I mean, if you were a voter, would Yokin's get your vote for first?

I mean, that's pretty persuasive. And I just watched him last night with the damn headband on. Oh, yeah, that's cool. He got cut in the first quarter, and I said, oh, that's the worst thing that could ever happen. Now he's going to see his own blood. And he went back out there. So for those that weren't watching the game, he went back out there. after they like cleaned it up,

he started bleeding everywhere again. And that's why he went back and he put on the headband. And he was awesome. It was absolutely awesome. Guy. Headband Yokic, yeah. He's something else.

I don't know, man. I think every time I watch him, I'm like, how that hell? Like, I don't, I don't have the proper respect for the other,

uh, participants on the court that he plays with. Let's just say. I feel like, I'm like, you know, if he, would have gone out of that game

with a cut. Let's just say he has to leave the game. I think people would have gotten to see what the Nuggets look like without him. And it is, whatever they say about, like, replacement level, like, if you put a replacement level dude in his spot, he

would be awful. They were at plus 37 in his 35 minutes. Freaky. Yeah, he is. I would have absolutely no problem. Look, I've told you this from the start. I don't know. I don't die Yerokch gets my boat. I wouldn't fight anybody

over the boating anymore. I really wouldn't. It's so close. It really is. It's close. Yeah. But that's, if you want to do the history thing,

that's history. To be the top 10 in all those categories, no one has done it in 50 years? That's something else. Something else. That's a lot of basketball seasons and a lot of amazing players. So,

Somebody tells me that Nicola Yoch is the most valuable player in the league. Come on, man. I'm not fighting them. That's fine. I don't think you could have a stupid vote. I really don't. I think anybody... Well, yeah, I mean, there are some...

Oh, okay. Derek Rose. Yeah. Well, I mean, I mean, look, is, let's say somebody puts Luca first. Is that a stupid vote? Yes. Okay, all right. So, I mean, like, so, okay.

No, I meant the three. All the three. Yes. Okay, I'm the three. Let me correct myself. You can be. I think Luke is a lock. You know, he should be a lock for number four.

No issue with that either. Dude's absurd, man. He's amazing. He's amazing. He's only hurt. He would be, it would be a four-man race if he had dicked around the first two months. Yeah, exactly. If he didn't miss time with the ankle injury, with COVID, with getting in shape after his slow start,

he might actually just be the MVP. and possibly be the clear MVP. That's how great he has been since mid-January. He's averaging 31 points per game, 10 rebounds, 9 assists on amazing efficiency, and not turning the ball over and playing good defense. I mean, he'd be the MVP if those are his season stats. God forbid he ever come into his season in great shape. Next year.

Next year could be Luke's MVP year. Sure. That's my early prediction. Before I even finalize my MVP vote, year I'm predicting next year's Lucas MVP season. I'm gonna remind you with this, but he walks into training camp 285. You're gonna be like, oh shit. I'll say, hey, that's the January through March MVP.

I promise you that. Yeah. Every year, he's gonna win the January through April MVP. What if this is it though? Like, what if that was the turning point? And now, and now from now on, he's going to be like a, you know, 30 plus point per game guy. And by the way, his season averages still are outstanding. It's like 28 points for game.

It was like one more rebound, one more assist, three more points. It wasn't off for what he did for the whole season. But, yeah, that dude's taking the leap. So Warriors are up one, two to play. Dallas has the tiebreaker against them. Utah's up one with two to play. And they've got the tie breakover Denver, if they end up tied. And then you've got the Pelicans that are two up on the Spurs with two to play.

Spurs do have a tiebreaker in that, but the Pelicans would have to lose twice. And I've got a lot of those teams playing each other, including the Warriors and the Spurs and Pelicans. Great scheduling. Yeah, no, we got really some weird scenarios. And as I told you, Warriors desperately trying to cling to three so that they, yeah, you may have to draw Denver now with Murray, but. you stay away from Phoenix until the West Finals in their mind. You know what I mean? Assuming they could get past Memphis, you know,

they would not want to see Phoenix. I don't think any of these teams, they don't want to see Phoenix in the second round. You know, they all got high hopes. And so even if it means having to run into Yokic and Murray in the first round, I do think that both Dallas and Golden State will desperately want three, knowing that Memphis would be ahead of them if they can get past that first round. instead of Phoenix.

And man, if it played out where Phoenix does draw that Clippers team, that would just be insane. That would be insane. I actually kind of like that. If you ended up with

Phoenix Clippers, Memphis Wolves, which would be wildly entertaining, you would have the Warriors versus Yokic. Oh, man. And then they would put you know,

Dallas and Utah on, you know, whatever, like the Discovery Channel. Oh, Discovery. Wow. Wouldn't even be on NBA TV.

Oh, come on. They'd play that thing at 9 a.m. Who cares? Well, they should. They should play that game early because of the overseas audience

for Luca, for Gobert, among others. That's a boring series. But the other three would be amazing. For sure. Yeah, man.

like there's a chance depending on how this shakes out every single first round series is going to be entertaining because Utah Dallas it might be the least fun one but it's still a fun series and especially with the whole Tim McMahon mutual interest between Rudy Gover and Dallas

yeah he could put what if he what if he pulls a Durant and then he goes and shakes hands at the end and then the next season he's playing with the team that knocked him out I love how Tim McMahon is just guns blazing like he's unafraid to report what he knows And he even said, he's like, what did he say? It's absurd to think Mitchell's going to spend his entire career with the jazz.

He just comes out and says he. Yeah, I can't. It is absurd. He's all the one. Maybe absurd isn't the right word, but it's unrealistic to expect. I don't even remember the word he used, but it is definitely unrealistic. I think that's totally fair. It's going to be everything's going to shake out this weekend.

About the time we speak again, we're going to be talking about all of those play-in matchups early in the week. Thank you to our executive producer Jesse Lopez as always. Everybody, have a great weekend. Kemp, I'll talk to you on Tuesday. Have a good one, everybody. Especially you, Pistons fans. We didn't forget. We love you.