The Ringer NBA Show - Ep. 2: 'Sources Say' With Chris Ryan and Juliet Litman

Episode Date: May 5, 2016

Chris and Juliet break down a slew of happenings around the NBA, including Larry Bird's tough love, Harden's solo bus, Lowry's struggles (10:00), Drake's basketball fandom (14:00), Dwight's next stop (28:00), the new-look Lakers (32:00), Durant's situational height (35:00), and a return to Waiters Island (40:00)! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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All that information right from your phone. So drop your old site and experience buying and selling tickets the way it should be. To start using Seat Geek, download the free Seatkekekeek app or go to seekekekekekees. dot com. Let me tell you about some other stuff we have going on at the ringer. You have my attention. This is the ringer NBA show feed. That's how you're listening to this podcast. We're going to get into talking about the playoffs and Kevin Durant's height momentarily. But while I have you, I just want to tell you, we also have the NFL show feed now. Kevin Clark, Robert Mays, Mallory Rubin. Maybe some Tate Frazier. It's going to be lit in the words of Tate. So subscribe to that.

And if you like Game of Thrones, just watch After the Thrones. My buddy Chris here. Hey, Chris. Hey, Chris. Hey. sit with our other friend Andy Greenwald. It's on HBO Go, HBO Now, HBO on demand, and even your regular HBO channel after Game of Thrones. Monday Night Lights. Stay up with me. Let's watch it. I know you've got questions. You have no idea what happened with your on Greyjoy. Like you just don't. So you need to watch After the Thrones. Chris will tell you everything you need to know. And it's a super fun show and we'd really appreciate it. All right, let's get into it. We won. Yeah. They suck. Yeah. We're here.

What? Oh, what are you talking about, man? You feel me? We back in the building. You thought he was gone. Welcome to the Ringer NBA show. This is Sources Say, and I'm Julia Littman. I'm Chris Ryan.

We've got a lot to discuss, Chris. Breaking news. Breaking hearts. My heart's broken because Frank Vogel is out as the coach of the Indiana Pacers. Oh, my God, man. Larry Berg. What a cold one. He's, like, definitely the most Amathronesian exact in the league.

Do you think Larry Bird's ever seen Game of Thrones? No. Do you think he has cable? No. I don't think so. I think Larry Bird has VHS and he watches old jazz bucks games from the 80s just to see how the game should have been played. Interesting, but not his own games.

Do you think he watches himself play? No. Do players do that? Do they watch their own tape? I don't know. I always respected when actors are like, I've never watched myself. I mean, it must be really weird. Yeah.

I can't even imagine that's like I wouldn't want to watch myself unless it was like to work on my stroke specifically. Yeah, right. Anyway, Larry Bird probably was pouring over that tape of his boyfriend. Frank Vogel and was like, nah, just don't like what I see here. You're out, buddy. Yeah, so like earlier in the week, the, when the Pacers got eliminated by We the North Raptors, We the North. Back on that in a moment. Larry Bird had sort of gotten asked by Greg Doyle from the Indy Star.

He was like, what about Vogel? I got to ask. His contracts up. And Larry was like, we just lost, man. I can't talk about it. And then Bird gave like a statement. That was pretty, I would say if I was Frank Vogel, I would say that would constitute writing on the wall, where he was just like, we need to score more points. And I got to figure out a way for us to score more points. And I think by then, if you don't get, I think we can all agree. If you have a contract and it's up and you have not had, we're renewing Frank's contract the day after the season's over,

you're out. You're probably out. Yeah. So, and that came to pass this morning. Larry Bird gave a press conference. Said that Frank Vogel was awesome. They just needed a new voice. And then in a real buster move, I think, revealed that Frank Vogel had,

had basically begged for his job for 30 minutes on the phone. Yeah. I think he said he pleaded. That was the word he uses. That's tough. Yeah. That's just, why does that have to come out? It's like kind of emasculating for Frank Vogel. Why do you have to do that? I don't know. It's really rude. I think it's probably that Larry Bird just sits in his garage and has like one light bulb swinging over and he drinks Coors Light and thinks about, you know, long range two point shots. Do you think he has an iPhone? Or smart phone. I think he has a cell phone. I think he's probably pretty good at T.

texting. Flip phone. Yeah. It's like makes a loud sound when he closes it. It's like, Frank, you're fired. Clap. You're the winky slink.

Goodbye. It does sound like he pours over the videotape, not of himself, though, because he was saying that basically the whole year he was like waiting on Miles Turner. And I don't really think that's a fair criticism

of Frank Vogel. First of all, Miles Turner turned out to be an impact player and not many rookies like come in and like immediately become useful. Was it a month to take an 11th too? Yeah.

It's cool that Larry Bird is like, I expect us to get good players at the 11th pick. And they have historically drafted so well. Yeah. But it's not also, it's also not fair because they blew up the team that they had constructed to beat the heat. Right. Yeah. The Stevenson, George Hill, Paul George, Roy Herbert, David West team. They blew that team up.

And then Paul, they lose Paul George for an entire season. So this season. They almost made the playoffs last year without Paul George. Yeah. And so they're basically at zero. I think that what Larry Bird probably read. recognized, which I think is a fair assessment, is that Frank Vogel is a really good coach to get teams to play really good defense and get into at least the bottom half of playoffs, which he can do.

And I think that if he had had a little bit more depth, they probably would have been more like a four seed or a three seed, you know, in the east the way it is. I don't know if they would have been a 50 win team like Toronto was. Right. But as we're seeing with Toronto, maybe being a 51 team is not that great enough. Yeah. Really quickly, I just want to say, what's up with like, Are we having a little bit of a coach drought? Like there's no good coaches? Well, everybody, I think that Luke Walton was like an obvious hot pick. Tibbs, Timberwolves look like freaking geniuses getting Tibbs now, right?

What a great squad, yeah. But looking at who the Kings and the Rockets are looking at, and I heard there was rumors today that the Rockets were also looking at Shocka Smart and Bill Selle from the college ranks. I would find it very hard to believe that either of them would leave very good jobs for that, hive of backstabbing. And if Jamie Biggersap, who's been with the Rockets franchise for several years, is taking himself out of consideration, why would you throw yourself into that mix? Yeah, there's not really. So they've talked about Mark Jackson, Jeff Van Gundy, Sam Cassell. I wonder how Mark Van Jack, Mark Jackson and James Hardin could do together. I think Mark Jackson would actually have better luck with Boogie in a weird way. Interesting. Because I think he has a very old school, like, you know, and he, I think he would be able to really be like, I'm the last chance saloon to Boogie. Like, do you think that James Hardin is affected by great. oratory. Like, do you think he like hears President Obama speak? And he was like, yeah, like that,

that gets me. You mean when he's on his own bus on the way to the, yeah, when he's on his solo bus? We'll get to the rockets in a little bit. Um, I just want to say one thing about the Pacers before we move on from them is for all of like the problems, I guess Byrd saying now that he was then thinking about replacing the coach since the All-Star break. They don't like have a lot of drama in general. Like they have Monta Ellis on their team and every other team that. Yeah, Ty Lawson said he liked the culture. Yeah. Yeah. They had Ty Lawson and Monta Allison, I haven't heard a peep about either of them since they've gotten there, which I think is like pretty impressive for the franchise. I feel like the heat and the Pacers are both like known

for like their institutional culture. And so I wonder if that is more bird than Vogel. I don't know why I'm giving bird the benefit of the doubt right now. He said that he thought they needed to score more points. That's the way the league was going. And that's fine. But it does seem like they built that team to be a stout defensive team. Right. That holds that beats you 8579. Right. And if that's the case, then how did you expect them also to be putting up a hundred? 110 points a game. Right. And if that's what your focus is on, then how can they, like, how can you expect that, that you'll just have the same like power, basically? I mean, I think it's hard when you compare yourself to Golden State because their defense is very good.

And then they go back and they score a million points. But if you don't have those three-point shooters, like, what do you, like, what are you going to do? Yeah. I don't know. It's tough. You know, I'm happy for Paul George, though. He's the big winner here. And I've always just had a soft spot for him. You mean the Los Angeles Lakers, Paul George? Los Angeles, Paul George. Well, if they haven't rid of Vogel, there's just no way they're getting rid of Paul George. Or are they? I don't think so. Well, there was, so the rumor yesterday was Colin Coward said that the Lakers were going to shop whatever pick they get, they're shopping it. And then Bill Simmons,

who I believe is our boss, he's our Larry Bird, was tweeting about how he had heard that the the Lakers were at least going to make the phone call of DeAngelo, Russell, and the number one, the first round draft pick for Paul George. Right. I don't think you take that. Paul George is in his prime right now. If you got Paul George in his, but if the Pacers are like, We have gone as far as we can go with Paul George is our number one option. I just don't think that you get rid of Frank Vogel if you think that. But you've gone as far as you can go. Like, I think you bring in a new coach.

And also Larry Bird is not like I'm here for 10 years to see this rebuild through. He doesn't believe in rebuilding, I bet. No, probably not. And you don't really need to in the east. I mean, look at the Pacers and the heat. They missed the playoffs last year. Now they're back in. Yeah.

And the placers are not in the second round. But the heat are. It's like, you know, it's possible. You can do it. So Frank Vogel is the first person that we wanted to talk about. It's been, I would say like, not the most inspiring playoffs. Correct. Sort of dark.

A lot of blowouts, some injuries, a lot of broken hearts. Broken bones and broken hearts. That's the theme. Which would you rather have a broken bone or a broken heart? If you're a basketball player, not as Chris Ryan as an NBA player. Broken heart. Yeah, for sure. Just, just shoot through it.

Tough for the clippers. Yeah. But, so what we wanted to kind of do is like a misery index of who's had a tough playoff postseason here, right? So we got Vogel. It's been real tough for him. Yeah. Losing in seven, then losing your job. Another person who's having a tough time is Kyle Lauerie. Kyle Lauerie has become something of a, like, a real like point of concern for a lot of people watching. He's making us go, huh, hmm, what's up with that? Well, because what's up with that is his elbow, which looks gross. There's been pictures of his weird, like, deformed looking like somewhat,

now I'm not a doctor, but looks infected. Keeps getting drained. Very, very, very, very, very Blake Griffin actually. Remember when Blake had a staff infection in his elbow? I do. That was glory days back then. He would kill for a staff infection right now. But what happened was he has been pretty firm about the fact that it's not his elbow that's bothering him.

Right. That it's a slump. He's just got the yips. Yeah, he's just like not feeling it right now. And even though, so he's been shooting around 30%, 30, whatever percent. I think lower than that. Was he like 23% in the first round of him like that? It's something where he's never shot this back. Yeah. And he's been in slums before, but this is like a six-week slump. Toronto kind of like staggered into the playoffs, took seven games to beat the Pacers. And even though they looked good at times against the heat, it's just at the end of the game

that he just have like so many more weapons. They've got Dwayne Wade and Hassan White's side. Yeah. And the Clifers had like Kyle Lowry hit that half court shot, which now it appears he was out of bounds on, right? Yes. But he still hit it. And it was like very, very Villanova where Carl Lauer went, just like Nova, Nova won the,

CAs, but. Kyle Lowry loves a shout out in North Philly. Yes. Do you think that hurts his relationship with the city of Toronto? No. He hasn't given up on North Philly. Is Toronto really territorial about people? I mean, isn't Toronto all just like a waste station for a lot of these guys?

Can we do a quick 24 second shots clock? Yeah. Toronto. You don't need to have a character. You don't need to be a top tier city. You can just be you. People really like you. Everyone says Toronto's a wonderful city, but just keep it there.

Like you just don't need to be on par with New York. You don't need to be in L.A. So you think you're being really insistent on being like a world-class metropolis. Yes. And everyone says it's a great city. And sure, it's true. But like London is only revered because it's so old and storied. Toronto, it's a lot. It's really hard to have your sunset at 4 p.m. for a lot of the year and be a desirable place to live. That's just depressing. I'm sorry. Toronto, I'm sure, is a lovely place. But just stop trying to make it happen. Just be you. And that's it. And I kind of feel the way about Lowry and the Raptors. Like, Lowry and DeRosen are not. not superstars. And in the playoffs, superstars shine. Yeah, that's true. And I think that also there's a weird thing about De Rosen where it's kind of a fear of a fee accompli that he's going to go to Los Angeles. Do you want, if you're a Lakers fan, do you want DeRosen? I think DeRosen is way better than we give him credit for. And I think that we do see in the playoffs

how hard it is. Like, you just need to get buckets sometimes. And I know that DeRosen is shooting 35 times and going like 10 for 30. People are just like, this is ridiculous. They'd be used to that here in Lakerland. Yeah, but I think that I think DeMarda Rosen, if you got DeMarrazen and Paul George and the Lakers next year with Luke Walton coaching and Julius Randall, Larry Nance, Jordan Carson. I really like, I really like, if they made that trade and that's how like they got George and DeRosen or they got George and whoever else, that's never going to happen. DeRosen seems potentially realistic. Yeah, totally. Although him and Lowry is mostly like good friends. Yeah, and I'm sure that it's like there's, I'm sure vibes are good up in Toronto.

I mean like they're it's a city that is on the rise I suppose one thing I learned from Jalen Rose that really sucks about playing in Toronto is you to play taxes in two places usually yeah two countries although now with like all this Panama stuff you can probably get a couple LLC's going right that's true just pay my LLC but I don't know that does real that really does suck two two times yeah and Dwight Howard's paying zero taxes but you're part of one of the great societies that's true universal health care that's that universal health care keep your Bernie bro opinions to yourself Justin Trudeau

Just out here. Just welcoming migrants. Yeah. It's beautiful. Baby blues. I don't want to say that. I think Toronto seems like a great city. I've never been.

But just be you. Like just don't, don't be more than you are. There's a thing where like I do think because of the media, cities feel the need to go from like from mid tier to high upper tier and they like do things like bid for the Olympics and you know what I mean? Like it's just like just chill out. Just be a city.

Like in comparison and this is fortunate they're playing each other right now. Miami is a city that's like always done it right. It has a very specific character. it's got a you know like the Cuban community people go for partying it's got the beach art very very vibrant art scene as justice winslow will attest to it's like popular vacation destination for Europeans it's going to be underwater in five years it's going to be underwater in five years like it's never tried to be like the LA of Florida it's just Miami it just it does itself I respect it you know Toronto just how much of this is influenced by Drake a lot if views

hadn't come out would you feel like you were getting hit over the head with Toronto stuff probably still yes because Drake would still be omnipresent on TV. Worst Drake is fan Drake. Yeah, well, let's do Drake next. Okay. Drake must be miserable. Drake, well, but he's, rather than being miserable or just taking the L of dignity,

he's turned himself into superfan. Drake's behavior is not that much better than the dude in purple in Charlotte. Would you call it worst behavior? Worst. Drake, there was an amazing moment during the end, I think Game 7 of Toronto, Indiana, where Kyle Lowry hit like a seven-footer left-hand floater. Great job. Sean Livingston makes 10 of those a game.

Yeah. And Drake stood up and started clapping like us like a. Yeah, like basically like uncontrollable enthusiasm. Like a dad watching his like daughter hit a softball for the first time. And he was stuck standing clapping like he had committed to the bit. And Paul George came down the court and just put a three in their eye and was just like standing right by Drake who was still. celebrating Kyle Lowry's busted floater and he was just like I'm screwed here

because if I sit down, it means that Paul George really has stuck it to me. But if I stand up like I can't really clap for Paul George and that was this entire week for Drake in a nutshell. Yeah, he's so screwed. Yeah. Well, we're having more on our podcast network about Drake coming soon. Ooh, good tease.

Yes. Well, I'm putting together a Drake podcast with the help of Chris Ryan and many of my ringer colleagues. Some more on that on Channel 33. but in the meantime, Drake in the basketball world, we've just really hit, we're oversaturated. Well, I just think that Drake was, I think Drake works better as a ambassador for basketball as a whole.

Drake should be able to be at everybody's court side. It's like, let's get rid of Jimmy Goldstein and just bringing Drake. Exactly. So Drake at Kentucky games, Drake at Cavs games, Drake at Heat games, Drake at Clippers games. Like wherever he wants to be, he should get like the Drake seat. He should be like a high school, go to high school games.

Drake should be the new Jack. Yeah. just, Trigate goes to be a basketball junkie and then he doesn't need to like have a team and he'll be less annoying. And I appreciate that he does have a team. I appreciate that he stick into it with his guys

but it would have been miserable if Toronto had lost in like six. Yeah. And then he has an album come out and people are like, eh, this is okay. It's too long. That just would have been really, really tough for him.

I also just feel like he, I don't know for sure that he understands basketball. Has he ever proven that he like really gets the game? I think he gets the recruiting part of it. What's up with, what's the over-under for the white side Jonas fight? Oh. Like what game is that coming in?

We're about, there's been one game so far. I'm going to put it in game four. Second game in Miami. Because does Whiteside beef on the road? I don't know. Oh, that's a good question.

Like, he probably doesn't. You can only fight at home. I think White side's incredible. I like him too. It's really wild how when Whiteside just like tries, he's better than like Elajal. It's crazy.

He's so good. Yeah. And it's like, it's, It's wild. When he's on the court, it's like a significant difference. How are you feeling about Mr. Being Mary Jane? Duane Wade.

Do the listeners out there know about your affinity for Gabrielle Union? She's a great actress. I love her. She is wonderful. And one of my favorite sideline interview, like off-court personalities in all the NBA. I like how she dresses a lot for games. She's just the best. She's awesome.

She really is awesome. Gabrielle and Chloe should be, like, should host inside the NBA. If Kenny Smith leaves TNT to go to those. Rockets and Barclay retires. It should be Ernie, Gabrielle Union, and Chloe Seveney. They're going to say Chloe Kardashian. I was like, I'm really upset about the suggestion. No. Do you think Chloe Seventy? Interesting. She won't leave New York. I know. Yeah. Will they move production to New York for her? Why not?

Okay. Well, if Ernie's up for it. Yeah. Ernie's an incredible host, so I'm sure he can handle it. I feel great about Dwayne Wade. I have really talked myself back into him. Yeah. I just am enjoying, I like greatness and I'm enjoying seeing him rise to the occasion. or however he's managing this miraculous performance, I don't know. It's great. I mean, I find the heat very fun. They have no business being as competitive as they are. Dwayne Wade leads us to a larger conversation.

Just I want to take a quick break for basketball philosophy right now. Or just more like actually to talk about us as consumers. Yesterday in a meeting, our buddy Tate Frazier, we were talking about Kyle Lauer, and Tate was like, here's the thing with Kyle Lauer. I'm going to take this because it was so smart. I got to share it with everybody. Kyle Lowry tries hard during the regular season when nobody else is trying hard. And then when everybody else tries hard, we find out that Kyle Lauer is not that good.

His best is not good enough. And I think nobody exemplifies this more than Dwayne Wade. It's so true. Coasts through the regular season, keeps himself healthy. Keeps it lit. Yeah, keeps it really lit. And then when- Really stays in Miami to keep himself healthy.

Yeah. It doesn't travel too much. Just tries to really stay healthy. Yes. And then when he gets to the playoffs, he tries really hard. and elevates and looks like Kobe, you know, and just is killing people out there. But don't we see this as like a basically like a condemnation of like the regular season in general? We had a couple of really good regular seasons, I think, with those Pacers heat, the Eastern Conference was really tight, if a little top heavy.

And then the Western Conference was just like a blood sport for a couple of seasons. And now I just feel like we're kind of back in a place where the regular season didn't really matter. Do you think we're going to look back on the 2013-14 season as like one of like it was like one of the best seasons of all time? I don't know. That's a good question. Because that was a really, really good season. And I don't mean to sound. Didn't the heat run 20 in a row that season?

Yes. 22 in a row. Yeah, that was the heat run. But then it also, but then the Spurs ended up winning the championship that year. That was the incredible first round of the playoffs. That was like when the sun should have made it and that was when the warriors really announced themselves, right? Yeah. Well, they still lost to the clippers.

But you could see Steph was like, that was like Steph was coming. Yeah. Um, like I think that it'll be kind of funny in like five years to like go back and look at that season. I guess I sound churlish when we're talking about the Warriors just set the single season wins record. Right. But so okay, I love, I love being a part of history. I love being like, yeah, I remember where I was when. Like, you know, and so it's really cool that we just have this warrior season. 73 games is incredibly impressive. Might never happen again. But the focus was so singular on on the Warriors for the last like nine months, basically, that it just kind of wasn't quite as fun. Yeah.

And I mean, you know, we, like, if I'm so upset that stuff got hurt, like, it's just more fun when he's playing. But in general, it's really more fun when there's a lot of competitive teams and you just don't know what's going to happen. And I think also just because we've had some injuries in this playoffs, it makes it sort of feel like, well, isn't everything just like a dice roll then? Right. You know, if you get to the season, let's talk about the Clippers now. If you get to the postseason and you just get really screwed. And you have the Clippers luck. It's crazy.

So they're up to zero. They're feeling good. Howard Beck did like an inside the Clippers for a Bleacher report this week. And, you know, they're feeling really sunny. They think they're going to win this series are up to zero. I would think that too. And then game three, Chris. Well, and also steps out.

Right. And Steps out. And Steps out. And so, and like, Clippers have the underlying numbers that suggest that they are like within reach of a championship. So like there are a top five offense and a top five defense, I think, right? Yeah. So that's usually what you need to win the title. And if you have that.

you just need a couple of things to break your way. And something almost literally did break with Seth. Yeah. Steph gets hurt. Don't know when he's going to be back. And the Clippers is like, wow, this is great. We see our, finally Chris Paul will make it to the conference finals. And then they play literally the next day, right?

Yeah, the next day. It's like within 24 hours. Chris Paul breaks his third metatarsal and his hand. And almost immediately Blake starts limping. Yeah. And immediately Blake's like, oh, I'm fucked too. And I guess there's not been like official confirmation on what's wrong with Blake. Except of his quad again.

It's just, it's the quad tear and he had surgery and Chris had surgery. So that's why they weren't in Portland for, or they, they weren't at, you know, the games to see it out. That sucks. That just really sucks. Blake was basically out the all season, but was still controversial because he, uh, punched his coworker, Matias Testy. It's been a couple of seasons since they've had all of the big three playing at the same time. Of health. Yeah.

I don't think it's ever happened. Chris Paul's been like, had a nagging injuries for the last four or five years. Yeah. I mean, you know, like at the peak of Lob City, like they still look great, but they haven't had like a sustained like four months without someone being banged up. Well, I wonder whether that's sort of like, neither of them can take like their weird two week break that some guys take. They can't do like the Dwayne Wade holiday. Yeah. The health holiday.

The health holiday. The health holiday in Miami. It's where you go for convalescence. And club live. Yeah. Yeah, it's sexual clippers. And then, meanwhile, Austin Rivers is like. out here just won't give up fighting as hard as he can and giving very tender interviews about his

lack of relationship with his dad telling irash marcosi that his relationship with doc has always been about basketball and that's it he doesn't even really know him dad wasn't around didn't know him that's like okay that's awkward in the locker room it's like you got it's like you got austin talking about his dad who's the freaking coach and head of basketball operations and then after austin finished game seven with like swollen shut eye basically half his face bleeding and a swollen shut eye game six Doc was like, everybody's texting me to be like, man, your son. And I'm like, that's pretty cool. And Austin's just like, yeah.

Why don't you go have a beer with Larry Bird and get in touch with your feelings, dude? Austin's moved to tears by his support from Jamal Crawford, but not from his father. Did you watch his press conference? His eyes, like, completely swollen. It looks like he's just, you know, come out of a boxing match. And he's just, like, devastated. He's tried as hard as he can. He's playing pretty well.

Yeah. And he's just like, Jamal Crawford's the best teammate I've ever had. And it's like, Jamal Crawford's like his new dad or something. I would just bring them all back for one more run. You would? Yeah. One more time? Yeah, because I mean, I think I would identify like whether it's Jamal or whoever else you want to bring back.

And maybe Paul Pierce retires, take around a little bit. So, Doc is so cold to Jamal, but he bails them out like basically every year by being a good score. I just, it's hard for me. They're not going to trade any of these guys. So they might as well, Chris and Blake can both opt out after next year, right? Yeah. So just make one more run with it. So we're just to say Blake doesn't want to go anywhere.

But Oklahoma or New York. I wouldn't be surprised. I mean, I still think that I'm still waiting for this to happen in my lifetime as the changes of the locker rooms at the Staples move. Because that was a Kobe rumor for a while. And I just feel like they would never do it. But Blake must be like, I really want to stay in L.A. He'd be a great Laker.

He'd just be a great Laker. Where would he get his improv training? That's a great point. Do they have good improv in Oklahoma? Do you think that Blake and D'Andre are pissed that LeBron is rumored to be involved in this new space jam because they did like a space jam. UCB Live read last year and they're like, yo, I'm right here.

Blake Griffin would be a much better choice for Space Jam too. I think he'd be too droll. You do? Did you watch them on Broad City? Yeah. I did too. It's the only episode of Broad City I've really watched. But I heard Blake was on it.

I was like, oh, okay, I'll watch that. Why not? Let's move on. Who else is miserable, Chris? The Rockets. The Rockets. Are they the most miserable? Are they capable of like real feelings?

Like, to be miserable, you have to like acknowledge feelings. And I don't know if James Harden does that. I can't identify what I think the Rockets are like. The most recent thing, so they let go, J.B. Bickersdap removed himself from contention, but I think probably also had a pretty good idea that he wasn't going to get the job, and this was his opportunity to get elite assistant job on a good team because the Rockets are not good. What about going to the Warriors? Yeah, Warriors, he could go work for Tibbs.

He could go work with Brad Stevens. Like, who knows? Luke, yeah. Luke. People love J.Bickers staff. I've heard good things about him. Yeah. But he's like, you know.

Clearly doesn't matter who coaches them. I mean, so this idea that, here's one thing I want to talk about is that Daryl Morey gave an interview with ESPN, with Calvin Walkins, I think. And he was talking about how all the negative things that we read about the rockets are like counter ops that come from other teams. What is this? Fucking SEAL Team 6. Yeah. Like that basically there is a propaganda war in the NBA and that these things that we hear about their chemistry are all coming from. from, I mean, he alluded to, you know, he said that Dallas had done it in the past and he'd

had to have a conversation with Mark Cuban about it, but that they're coming from other teams. Guess what, man? Other teams don't, you don't need any help fucking up your squad, man. You don't need anybody. There's nothing about your team that where I'm like, wow, I'm watching the rockets. And even though I'm reading all these things about their chemistry, they look like they really get along. Nah.

Nah. That's not how it's going down, man. Nah, son. Oh, sorry. That was loud. just call me Kanye over here the most damning thing to come out since the Rockets lost

in five to the Warriors is that James Hardin does not ride the team bus very frequently on away games. Yes. That's really fucked up. Yeah, you're allowed to apparently do that when you're in your hometown. Yeah, it makes sense.

Because the idea is that you're probably staying with your mom or whatever, whatever you're getting a ride in. I'm certain that Damien Lillard staying at home right now in Oakland. I have no question about that. Right. I don't even need to check.

I'm just assuming that's true. Dame wears zero for Oakland, you know? I know. Yeah, like I think, but Dame's also like anything I can do to help the Portland Trail lasers. Yeah, he's a, yeah, totally. And it's really wild to me that this is happening. They think that that's like normal. And that Darrell is like this, we don't have chemistry issues.

Yes, you do. Yes, you do. Yeah, anybody who watches you play. Even if you guys all get along, you don't play like a team that gets along. The lead and the huge. Houston Chronicle today from an article from Jonathan Vagan is like any coach that comes in needs to be prepared to institute like a significant culture shift. Yeah.

So that's a problem. That's a chemistry problem. And Dwight Howard, I don't, if I were him, I would get it there out of there as fast as possible. I don't really know where he should go. But I don't understand why he, this has been like persistent for the last three seasons. And I mean, I guess I have a reason I guess of why this is. But he will play really well for the first half of a playoff game. They'll be like, okay, we're finally going to use Dwight.

He's been some seasons. He doesn't play the whole season because he's like resting or whatever. He's been injured. And then he comes back. And he plays really well. You get him post-ups. They get him alleups. They get him dunks, whatever.

And then in the second half, like they just won't pass the ball to him. It's the same thing with Kevin Love on the Cavs. It's like you're allowed. If you're like not in favor, you're allowed to like play well for one half and then you're just shut out. Like James Hardin won't get him the ball. It's just so obvious when I mean, it's wild to watch these playoff games. And as the games go on, they turn more and more into ISO ball. And you can just see the hierarchy of these teams.

It's like even watching, even though Goren Drogach hit like a huge shot against the Raptors in game two. Yeah. It was wild to watch how many times Dwayne Wade basically looked him off. He was wide open in the corner. And Dwayne Wade would just do like in double coverage, do like a fade away long two. Right. Because he's Dwayne Wade. Right.

And it's the same thing that's happening in Cleveland. Kevin Love is open most of the time in the corner. They just don't pass to him. Yeah. And they dribble so much. Kairie dribble so much. Yeah. And so it's the same thing that was happening with the Rockets.

I think that they would go to Dwight a lot early. Yeah. I thought Dwight looked pretty good in the end of the season and the playoffs. And then they abandoned that game plan in the second half of these games. I have a destination for Dwight, Atlanta. Ooh. Forford out, Howard in? Yeah.

Back to his hometown. And if Forford leaves for whatever reason, I think they would probably, in feeling like Atlanta would probably be like continuity, continuity. But there's always the chance that you, like, people like Dwight. Yeah. But like if you resign it because he couldn't you get more money with Atlanta? Yeah, bird rights. I could see him if Horford's like, I'm going to go to the Lakers or

I'm going to go to the Celtics or something like that, which I can't imagine he would necessarily do, that they would take Dwight on like a two-year deal. Interesting. Because it's just like, Dwight in the East gets in. If he's playing well, like you're pretty good. Sure. Dwight and shooters, it's not bad. If I'm Darry, I get rid of Howard and I go so hard for White Side. You think that White Side and Harden?

I just think that's what Darrell Mori would do. Where do you think, I just think he would? I don't know. I don't know. I don't think he would. Coming off of this bad season? No, I just think... Where do you think Whiteside will go?

Who needs a center? You know where he should go? Los Angeles. I mean, I could see him going to L.A. I also do see him, like, working something out where he stays in Miami on like a shorter-term deal. And it's like, I want to be here for the end of Dwayne Wade and keep making runs of the title. Unless they are hoping that White Side leaves so they can make a run of Durant. Right.

Clear that cap space. Yeah. One thing we forgot to mention that I'm just thinking that all these moving pieces, just came to mind was really important Instagram over the weekend. DeAndre Jordan and my number one, Chandler Parsons. Yeah, if anybody's not having a hard time after this Clippers, I think maybe it's because DeAndre actually played fine. He played well.

Yeah. If he hadn't been on the team, they would have been screwed. I mean, you still have to calculate every game. It's like, oh, you lose 10 points because DeAndre can't hit free throws. And so he was partying over the weekend at the bungalow in Santa Monica with with Chandler Parsons. They just, you know, no hard feelings. Okay, guys.

I think the I think but to me DeAndre Jordan just comes out looking like a looser there Do you think that Dwight would work in Dallas? Dwight Howard I don't know I just don't wish that upon Dirk Like it's just too upset

I just can't imagine Dwight and Rick Carlisle No No I don't think so I think Cuban would want Dwight I just don't think Carlis could work with him Yeah if I'm Cuban I'm Carlisle I'm just like please no

He's been so like finicky with Chandler Yeah I know And Chandler has an opt-out clause So who knows if he'll be there next year So time will tell Maybe everybody can just play for the Lakers. De Rosen, Paul George, Chandler Parsons, Dwight Howard.

I would be so happy with Chandler Parsons looked in Los Angeles. What a great dream. Should we talk a little bit about Byron Scott, who also got fired? Oh, yes. It's not really a postseason misery index, but I feel like to the extent that I have any empathy for Byron Scott, I think he got a raw deal. I don't think he should have necessarily gotten a chance to keep, you know, grinding these guys up.

But it turns out he was right about DeAngelo Russell, in terms of him being a little bit mature. And he had to sit through this entire Kobe Clown show. Absolutely. He was just brought in to be like a pawn in the Kobe game. Yeah. I am really excited about Luke Walton. However, like I don't know why, but I'm so happy to have Luke in L.A. I'm just going to put a little bit of like, I'm not sure he's ready out there. Ooh, I like it. Just wouldn't be surprised. Why does he hold a paper the whole time? Like, what is he looking at on his paper? I like it. I like it. Like they're like, like, they like they have like some, like they have like some sort of like, like, because that's what offensive coordinator is doing football where they have the first 10 plays scripted. It's kind of interesting.

So you think he's bringing a football mind? set. How do you think Bill Walton being a dead head affects Luke Walton? I wonder if he has like lineups that are on there like lineups in their effectiveness or something. Who knows? How do you think Bill Walton being a deadhead affects Luke Walton as a man? No comment. No comment. I feel bad to Ryan Scott as well, I guess. Yesterday he said that he was told that he would be keeping his job. So he was blindsided. Yeah. It just seems like, which just kind contributes to the ongoing narrative like the Lakers are kind of a mess. I think they probably thought the Knicks would eventually make a move on Luke.

This Knicks' Lakers standoff with Jeannie and Phil in the mix is like should be more fun than it is. Right. But I'm just like kind of like sick of Phil Jackson. Yeah. And either like coach or don't be president or don't, but like stop talking and like let your work speak for itself. Exactly. I really hate when very successful, talented people like undermine their own portfolio.

And I feel like that's happening right now with Phil Jackson. As Kobe Ryan did for his like last three years. Maybe they should trade Carmel to the Lakers. Marmello, Al Horford, Dwight Howard, Tim Durr, Paul George, DeMard Rosen. What a team. I love it. Thank you for bringing up Kevin Durant because he,

oh, yeah. He and Russell Westbrook are playing well right now. So they are really making a name for themselves at their press conferences. Last week when they were still playing the Mavs, Mark Cuban said Russell Westbrook was not a superstar, and Russell was asked to address it in the post-game presser. And Kevin Durant did like a really cute move. where he kind of like intervened and he was like, wait, wait, and he just grabs the mic and he's like, that's stupid. That guy is stupid.

That guy's an idiot. An idiot. He's an idiot. He's an idiot. He's an idiot. It was amazing. He said Villanueva was an idiot and Cuban was an idiot. Yeah. And I just think, you know, we're kind of in an interesting Kevin Durant moment. And there was a really well-timed Wall Street Journal article yesterday by a friend of the pod, Chris Herring, where he talked about how Katie is listed at 6'5 9, even though he's much taller. And I just want to read a line from this article. quote for me when I'm talking to women I'm seven feet in basketball circles I'm six foot nine I love that so much why would a woman care if you were seven feet tall versus six feet nine it's not like you're five seven or six two which would make huge difference you know what I mean sure although I think there's a difference between six nine seven feet yeah but you're past six five you're already really tall you're already in all likelihood the tallest person that woman is ever seen that's true that's true I just think that I'm seeing Kevin during in person though he

seems taller than six foot nine. So I'm just like glad he's acknowledging the truth. I don't know what. I just think it's a funny, funny thing for him to acknowledge he does. And then also he's thought about. Like I just feel like there's very little known but Kevin Durant's personally right now. Yeah. Although shout out to the people on Instagram who like DM me show me pictures of Kevin Durant with like his supposed girlfriend. That's become like a weird subculture is sliding into my DMs and it's I enjoy it. That's why we're here on this pod today is so that Juliet can let everybody know that She's still open for business. Send me those pictures of Kevin Durant.

But I feel like he's really invested in his dating life. Ever since he broke off his engagement, it's been very murky what's going on with him. And he must have, like, real strategies with women. And I feel like he also just must have, like, specific lines. I just want to know what they are. Like, I just, this opens up a whole world of Kevin Durant, like, yeah, because this part makes it sound like he almost has pickup lines,

whereas you'd think that I'm Kevin Durant is the pickup line. Right. But it's like, maybe it's like, I'm a seven-footer. Have you ever met a seven-footer? before. So speaking of Thundger press conferences, I think we'd be remiss if we didn't shout out Billy Donovan's performance. Shout out to that guy. The Dion Waders rule game. So they asked Billy about the Dion Waders throwing a bow in Genobley's face at the end of the game to get him off the line. And Billy Donovan acted like the guy in law and order who in the first act of the

episode is really helpful. But then it turns out he's the murderer. So he was just like, what I didn't see what he's talking about? See, I'm sorry. I didn't know what you were talking about, so that's why I don't know what you're talking about. I'm sorry about that. What you're Kevin? What are you talking about? With Kevin? I apologize.

I apologize. I didn't see that. I apologize. You sound like Officer Krupke from what he sounds like. But that's what he sounds like in the press conference. It's like that weird. It's manic. Yeah.

And it was just like I, I, I, Billy Kudovinovitt has definitely been around the block a couple times. Like he's been at press conferences before. So the way that he was doing it. I mean, he was probably just like, I just beat the spurs at, at San Antonio. Yeah. This is bucket list shit. but it was just amazing to watch him to squirm.

It was like, okay, the interrogation booth is open, man. You can leave. It's also really quite different than his usual demeanor. He's usually very calm and takes a long time with his words and be like, and he, it was just very different. Yeah, it sounded like he had had like four espresso's before he started talking about Kevin. You talking about Kevin? Or just a latte from rubies and diamonds. You talking about Kevin?

Yeah, it was ridiculous. I really enjoyed it though. And that was just the most Dion thing of all time. I mean, if you're listening to this podcast, you probably know what happened. The end of Game 2, Spurs Thunder. There's like five violations on this crazy inbound play. Most notably, Dionne Wader shoved Monaginobly as the inbounder. Come on in, the water is warm.

It's Deon Wader's Island. No vacancy here. We all fled back to the island. It was like the end of lost, the end of season three. We have to go back. I was standing on the dock waving at everybody as they came paddling back. And I was like, I never left, dog. Let's get in the outrigger.

Gin's here to wake to welcome us. It was amazing. We'll probably never forget that moment. And, you know, we still have so. I'm just happy we have now at least five games of Spurs Thunder. Yeah. We've got minimum three more to go. I think the Thunder are going to win the series.

Wow. Bold prediction. I'm too scared to comment. I hope they do, though. It would be really, it would be really, really fun. How many games do you think that the Warriors need to beat the Blazers? I think they'll sweep them. You do?

Wow. Colts, not even a gentleman sweep? I feel like they are like in a weird zone right now where they're like, we're almost as good without Steph. Not that they are, but I feel like Draymond is like, we're approaching Pete Draymond. He's really on one. I just want to throw out that Steph Curry had PRP therapy. So look for him to come back sometime soon. That's platelet rich replacement therapy.

He also looks like he hit a club monaco. So congratulations on that blazer. You know, he's probably upset that you just said that because he's actually endorses express. So I'm sure he was wearing express clothes. It was, and it really looked very express. this has been sources say now that we have the NBA show we'll be doing this more frequently hopefully next week we'll hit it up maybe earlier in the week next week

or something and NBA summer's here which means that all my favorite NBA players are in Los Angeles we can try to get them and I will be looking for them Wesley Matthews have you finished Homeland yet we're coming for you thanks for listening if you haven't subscribed to the Ringer NBA show please do we also have the Ringer NFL show and go to the Ringer.com to sign up for our newsletter

yeah watch after the Thrones bye Y'all saw he was gone.