The Ringer NBA Show - Is the Jokic Push a Big Deal? Plus: Philly Comes Up Clutch. | Real Ones

Episode Date: May 8, 2023

Logan and Raja are back with their reactions and insights from Sunday’s slate of Game 4s. Along the way they discuss the Suns tying up the series behind Kevin Durant's and Devin Booker’s outstanding performances (11:00), as well as Nicola Jokic pushing the Suns owner (03:00). Then, they dive into the 76ers tying up the series behind James Harden’s monster performance (21:00). Later, they preview tonight’s slate of playoff games (39:00). Hosts: Logan Murdock and Raja Bell Producer: Jonathan Kermah Production Assistant: Kai Grady Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

You may find this hard to believe, but 60 songs that explain the 90s. America's favorite poorly named music podcast is back with 30 more songs and 120 songs total. I'm your host, Rob Harvilla, here to bring you more trude musical analysis, poignant nostalgic reveries, crude personal anecdotes, and rad special guests, all with even less restraint than usual. Join us once more on 60 songs that explain the 90s, starting Wednesday, May 17th, on spot. Spotify. What's popping? Rewan's Logan Murdoch.

Raja Bell. Happy Monday, Raja. It's been like, we're coming on the eve after some great games. It's been some great games over the weekend. Some excellent games of Florida Panthers beat the Toronto Maple Leafs to go up three.

Oh. Those games, right? Those games. Yeah, exactly. Right. Uh-huh. Yeah, exactly.

Good job, guys. What would it take really quickly before we get to the games that we, you know, are contractually obligated to talk about. What would it take for the, what would the Florida Panthers have to do and what sequence of events would have to happen for you to actually go to a game? Man, first, my kids would

have to be pressed to go to the game. Like, if they're not pressed to go to the game, nothing else is popping. After they'd have to be pressed to go to the game, I would need some good seats, obviously. Like, probably, I don't like crowds. So, probably a box because I don't want to be down there with some knucklehead spilling his beer on. I don't want to do that. I don't. I'm not a big fan of that. Um, and then parking. That's, that runs me away from a lot of events, bro. I do not enjoy having to walk and find a spot eight miles away from the venue. And I don't like that. So yes. Really good parking. That would be it. Yeah. And sweet tickets that are probably free. Yep. I mean, if we could get all those boxes check,

And it's literally seven minutes from my house. So I'm there. There we go. Okay. All right. For sure. You know, let's see. Let's see.

Let's get it rocking. All jokes aside, though, they are really getting it done right now. I know this is not a hockey podcast, but I would be remiss if I did not say the damn Florida Panthers are really getting it done right now. I don't know. My rules would be a fun hockey podcast. I don't know shit about hockey, but I think we could make it happen. Like, oh, shit. Just watching clips and stuff.

I think I'll be fired. But, um, listen, man. Speaking of clips that got us going, let's just get right into it, okay? We're going to talk about Sun's Nuggets, but the first thing we're going to talk about is Nicola Yokic and not his 53 points. Not yet, at least.

We're going to talk about interaction with what he deemed was a fan. He goes into the stance, tries to retrieve a teammate and a ball, just to get the game back started, and he runs into new Sun's owner Matt Ishpia

and takes the ball away from him or attempts to take the ball away from him and pushes him out of the way. Right? Now, after the game, it was very funny because Nicole Yolk has just referred to to dude as a fan,

which is hilarious. And I think it's pretty great for just the entertainment value of all of this, right? And I think that, and then also his coach, Mike Malone, goes, they, he talks about it or whatever, and he goes, and the

one reporter goes, well, you know it was the son's owner. And Mike Malone's response was similar to what I think your response is going to be, Roger, I don't give a shit. I don't care. So what are your thoughts on this, this whole, this whole, was it as a brouhaha? Is it a bunch about nothing? What are your thoughts on the whole shebang, Roger? kerfuffle. I mean, I don't know. First of all, I loved that Nicola Yolkich and Mike Malone, those were talking points.

We would not, we're not saying that that's the, we are calling him a fan. That's laying, that's laying the groundwork for, for a letter of the law by NBA code and what will transpire in terms of suspension or non-suspension. So we will continue to refer to him as a fan, right? Like, let's be clear. I appreciated that. I'm really conflicted about this and ultimately I'm probably not going to probably not going to be well received in Phoenix for the take.

And let me just say that Matt Ishbio had just reached out to a group of us a week or so ago inviting us out to game three, you know, as former sons. And I wasn't able to go because my son had a birthday and I was really, my wife and I really wanted to be there. And so he seems like a great dude. I don't know him. That's the only real capacity I know him in. but he seems to be really interested in taking that franchise

where it should go and doing the things that it deserves and the community there deserves. Having said all of that, I don't think Nicola Yoakin should be suspended for that. Yeah, I mean, you've grabbed the ball. We're trying to get that ball and play fast. Our Phoenix Suns teams did that. We wanted that ball immediately.

Let me get that ball so we can get out and go. And, you know, if you are standing there holding onto the ball, and ripping it away from me as I try to get it. Like you've inserted yourself in a situation that's not, even if you're the owner, that's, you shouldn't be there at doing that. Right.

And so, and I didn't think that that, Yokic's like chicken wing rose to the level of, of being egregious. Man, like, yo, man, you got your hand on me back up.

And so I appreciate the flop by Matt HBO. Yeah, I appreciate it. I appreciate it. And I'm not mad at Matt. And I will tell you this. Let me just say this as I get long-winded. As a Phoenix Sun fan, right?

As a fan, we've been on the end of a lot of bullshit suspensions that that altered the course of what we thought our playoff run could be. So if there's any fan base that deserves one, it's the Phoenix Sun's fan base that deserves one. And I'm still sitting here telling you like the basketball going on is too good. Nicola Yolkich is 50 ball. Like it's too good to take it away on something like that. I wouldn't support that. Also, bro, like, this is the fucking playoffs, man. This is the playoffs, bro.

Like, emotions run high. And I'm not excusing. I don't think people should, like, be out of pocket. We have talked about, you know, how fans should conduct themselves and how the player relationship between fans and players. And on both sides, I don't feel like it realized, it got to the point of, like, oh my God, this is bad. But emotions run high.

This is the playoffs, man. Like, I wasn't even tripping on the whole situation. It's not even a double tech, right? Like I said, I respect Matt selling the call, you know, because I probably would have went, I would have gotten like to the other seat where I would have flipped over into the other, in someone else's arms, if that would have happened to me. That's what would have happened. So I appreciate Matt for holding down.

Also appreciate, you know, you're in a hostile environment as Nicole Yolkitz. Ah, watch out. We're got to get up out of here. We're still trying to get a. win. We're trying to go up 3-1. You know what I'm saying? Emotions run high. But it wasn't as bad as like, it was just funny. It was a great fodder. It was great to talk about like how we're talking about it now.

It was great to just take it all in. Okay, quick question that I got thought about this, right? Matt's a new owner, right? Especially after everything that happened with Sarver and all these things. Could this like rally the Phoenix fan base around their new owner? Like, fuck yeah, we're on his side. Yeah. Like, you know, can that happen? I feel like that was kind of even starting to happen after it happened, at least from the Phoenix point of view.

Well, I would think that they're already on Matt's side because of, you know, the big swings that he's willing to take and the things that I've heard, I'm not out in the valley, that are taking place, you know, in terms of trying to get that franchise to where ultimately the valley wants it to go. So I think they're already on the side. But hell, yeah, like fans don't need much, like, to ignite.

them even further than they are already ignited. And, you know, what, what a, you're, it's now two-two, you know, and, and we're already fired up, but this Matt Ishbia situation could get us just, I don't know, let's say 7% more riled up, four to seven percent more riled up. Hell yeah, let's go. So you need. Also, you know, you basketball players don't need much, man. Slytes indirect or direct.

You guys don't need much to get going. Like, this could, this could be a rallying. then let's get it from that, you know? Well, no word. And I had this conversation with my oldest son the other day. We talk about this with the MJs of the world, the Kobe's, the greats, of having to manufacture some sort of slight

to keep this chip on your shoulder so you're razor sharp, you know, in the absence of having a real reason, actually manufacturing one. And while this doesn't probably rise to the level of, of you needing to have his, back in that way. When you're looking for anything, there it is. That's an actual tangible reason.

You don't have to manufacture it. It's right there. Get up off the mat, Matt. We got you, big dog. Oh. All right. Let's talk about the game. Let's talk about the game.

It's really early in the morning. I don't know what the fuck I'm doing. But let's get to the games. I want to talk about the Nuggets in a second. But one of the biggest things that, the biggest question from this series on the Phoenix Sun's point. of view. There's a lot of things that I want to get to in the Phoenix Sun's point of view, but the first thing

is just a sustainability of this scoring rampage between Book and KD. I had the question of, is it sustainable? I think it's sustainable as long as those two dudes are healthy, bro. Like, KD. can get his shot off anytime he wants against this Nuggets defense. And Book,

I don't know how much you watched yesterday's game, but Book was fucking unconscious in the first half. Like, he's shooting over three dudes and it's perfect. Like, he is in a groove right now that I've only seen from the all-time grades.

And I know that Book has gotten a lot of shit from his postseason play other than the finals run. But he's been playing his ass off. Roger, I'm going to ask you again, I have my take on and how sustainable it is. How sustainable do you think that the scoring barrage can be

for these two guys against this Nuggets team? Well, I think it's very sustainable. Let's be frank. Devin Booker is, having and we're putting on one of the all-time great playoff performances from a scoring on all three level inefficiency perspective. I mean, he is just getting it done. He is lights out.

And I did watch the game yesterday. And, you know, it looks so easy and effortless. It looks like he is out there playing like five on three at times or five on four. And so while that's brilliant in its own right, the reason I really believe it to be sustainable is because, you know, Kevin Durant is basically playing off of DeBook right now. I mean, he has his time, but he's kind of playing off of him is what my eyes tell me. Like while they're both getting it done, he's just kind of chill. And so if DeBook were to not be as efficient or if they were to employ some strategy that was able to limit DeBook, Well, then you just say, hey, KD, just go.

Like, don't, don't play off of him anymore. Just you go. You know what I mean? And then, and so they have the ability to do that. And when you have, obviously, KD is an all-time great score. Dibook is having one of the best playoff runs ever. Like when those two dudes are on your team and, and end, you are now pushing the pace in a way that's getting you more opportunities. it's getting you more opportunities against defense that isn't set.

It's getting you more in transition. When you factor all those things in, yeah, I think it's sustainable. But as a team, like maybe not deep-book shooting, whatever he's shooting from the field. I know the numbers are astronomical right now. But I think overall big picture, yes, their offensive production as a tandem is sustainable. Now, what I don't know is sustainable, what I don't know to be sustainable or not, is whether they can get the type of support from that bench, you know, when they go on the road. Moni was kind of forced, like it was organic.

You didn't have Chris Paul, so you had to get deeper into that bench. Some of those guys have really stepped up and played well. It happened to correlate with them going home, right, the timing of it. But do they get the same performances from those guys on the road as they've gotten at home? And that will remain to be seen. usually the bench doesn't travel. Like you have to be a really, really good team and a really deep team

for your bench to travel on the road, especially in an important game five. I think there's a bigger issue though, Rajah. The bigger issue is, and it's from the supporting cast, not necessarily the bench. The key is DeAndre Aden, bro. And DeAndre Aden has,

in a lot of ways in this series, fumbled the bag, bro. Like, I mean, he's gotten the back clearly, but he has fumbled. a lot of the time. And even in the win, and I know there's been things, and we'll talk about that,

that's what I'm leading to. But even in yesterday's win, there were just plays where I'm like, what are you doing? Like there were some plays where just normal aid in plays, like a foul here,

a foul there, or, and it's not necessarily his fault, but like hitting the ball out of bounds to give the nuggets another possession when forcing, a challenge and the nuggets are back in the game when they're making a run, right?

Just things like that. And on top of that, you're DeAndre Aden. And I was speaking to someone about this, like, not necessarily about DeAndre Aden, but the argument that I'm about to make. I remember hearing somebody when I was in the Sacramento series talking about how, you know, this might not just be the series for DeMontasabonis, right? and when you're that good getting paid that much money, forget the money part, but when you're that good and have that much potential,

and you're in this level of where Aiden and Sabonuses, and I'm sure Sabonis is going to be fine. He's playing really well. But when you're getting to where Aiden is and where Aiden says he aspires to be, you can't be in a series where they're saying, oh, this might not be the series for you. Like, no, you should be starting those minutes. And Monty Williams shouldn't have to be taking you out for a backup. Laundale, who's playing really, really well, mind you, but it shouldn't come to that.

This son's team needs DeAndre Aden right now, and it's in a lot of ways, he's not giving what he needs to give and what honestly his job is at this point of the season. They need you to play really good defense on Nicola Yokic. We can't see clips of you out of position and just standing. I don't know if you saw this clip, Roger, but there's a clip there where he's guarding Yokich and Yokits misses a shot point blank range. Aiden is on the, like on the baseline, not just standing there, not even helping to get the rebound and Nicola gets the put back right there. This simple plays like that where there's not hustle, there's not desire.

And I think that's what the sons need. And that's a bigger problem, I think, than the bench. Because if Aiden consistently gets you 18 and 14, which he's capable of doing in the postseason, you will have more of a shot than you do right now, but there can't be the mishaps that we've seen from Aiden. This is the rant that I've been holding on to for days. No, hey, get in your bag. Get in your bag.

Because you're right. And maybe I should have been better. Their bench and you are right. I should have said supporting cast is what I should have said. Because I agree with you. Like, yes, he has to be better. What's going on there? I don't know.

No, I'll just say this. Nicola Yolkich is a tough matchup for everybody. Right? And there are times where a backup is better suited for the defensive assignment, let's say, than the starter. Like, that happens all the time. You know what I mean? For one reason or another, that doesn't make you and I as fans feel any better about the starter

getting paid all of his bread and not doing what we think he should do. But that's a real thing. Like sometimes, you know, the backup is better suited and it's got a better beat on their game. So, but Yokic is tough for anyone to handle. And I see the sons like, you know, in this space where they are trying to like push this tempo and get up and down the court. And, and maybe to whatever degree they can, like affect Yokic's ability to like, you know, operate, although it did not work last night, he had 50 some points. But, you know, they're saying, hey, our best chances to get up and down and run it, you know, that's not really suited necessarily to, to DeAndre as much as it would be to maybe some smaller pieces.

And then I'm trying to give them excuses, but I ultimately agree with you, Logan. Yes, they're going to need. And it's what we always said about the sons after the, you know, the trades were made for KD. They're already thin, right? They're not a lot of,

they're not a lot of bullets, you know, in the chambers. So the ones that are there, they have to do what they're supposed to do. Like they need to be, to be, you know, accountable and, and getting their, their job done in a way that supports

book and KD. And if they have any hope of winning two out of the next three, I would imagine you're right. They're going to need better performances from DeAndre Aiton and whatever the role is that you're asked to play. You know, like, because sometimes that can creep into people's head, like a little sulkiness because your role

isn't what you think. You know, that is, I'm not saying that's the case. I've seen that on teams that I've been in, right? Somebody's in their feelings because, you know, we decided to go in a different direction if you were remember there was a situation where everyone was trying to figure out how Dremont was going to react to a lesser role, right? In the playoffs a couple years ago, in the finals. Last year, yeah, I mean, yeah, he did what champions do.

In fact, you cut me off. You cut me off when friend of the show Steve Kerr was here when I tried to ask the question and you basically answered it for him like, nah, that's he's a fucking pro. Right. And I, yes. It's a little throwback moment there. But so you believe this shit. what's happening here.

But I'm just saying, whatever they're asking you to do, you got to be the best you in that moment for them to have the best, you know, the chance to win. My high school football coach, Alonzo Carter, who's gone on to do great things at San Jose State, you know, and just ball, killing it, he always had a saying, whenever we would just get in our feelings and just, you know, just get, he would always say, get your feelings out to shit. We got a game to win.

Like, that's it. We could talk about that after the game. We can talk about it after the game. We'll hold you down after the game. But in this moment, we need you. Yeah, I mean, I'd like to have a beer with Alonzo car.

Because, I mean, it's one of my favorite things to say. I mean, it's in so many words. But I said it to one of my eighth grade kids the other day. Like, he was, you know, he was in a little bit of a funk. hadn't been playing well, just generally, energy isn't right. So that's why I haven't been playing him as much.

I'm sure he thinks it's because he's not scoring, but it's not because energy's not great. So I had to grab him after the game, and I was trying to tell him like, hey, man, I get it. I can see what's going on. You're starting to feel sorry for yourself. Like you're in this little bit of a funk.

But ultimately, no one cares. Like your teammates that are getting those minutes, they don't care. Like, they're not lifting you out of it. Like, you know, the other team doesn't care. It's helpful to them that one of my best players isn't playing. They don't care.

So point being along the lines of, you got to get your feelings out of it. Like, you got to just hoop, bro. You got to come up out. Whatever is going on right now, let it go, less whoop. No one feels sorry for you. Let's go to Philly. Where the Sixers, yo, yo, it's turned. The Sixers Celtics has turned into been one of the best series in the postseason this season.

I just, listen, man. I'm about to do it. I'm about to do it once again. I'm just going to, I'm not going to say anything more about James Harden other than that motherfucker is great. He is a great basketball player. I apologize.

Wow, what a performance. James Hardin has been putting on. Over the last. Yo, I listen, clip it. Whatever the hell you got to do. TikTok, ladies and gentlemen, James Hardin is balling. And I just,

I think one of the things that I've, James Harden is going to go down as one of the best players in the history of the NBA, no question about it. But I think one of the things that we both had going into this series is like, oh, man, what is the desire going to be when it gets tough, right? What is, is there going to be,

if you get punched in the mouth, metaphorically speaking, are you going to respond, James? And there have been some really good performances out of James Harden in the postseason. There's also been some duds. and I've been on hand for some duds just when he was in Houston. But this one, man, just like, and maybe I don't know,

I think we've talked about this in previous episodes over the years, especially about other players, like when you get a little bit older and you start to see the end of your career just, you know, farther down, I think like James got a few more years left at this level in the league, but when you start seeing the end of your career there, like, and you realize what you haven't accomplished some of the things, you know your talent suggests that you should accomplish because James is an all-world talent on the world stage is balled out.

I think this is, and I'm just projecting onto this, but I think that that's something that James is feeling at this point, man. Like, I got to go get this ring. I got to go win for Philly. I got a ball out. And he's one of the most impressive things that I've been seen from James in this series is he's adjusting on the fly. Yeah, he had trouble.

We talked about this in the last pot of just. his trouble just like integrating and B-Bed back into the flow, right? And just how that affects his game. Nah, he's been so aggressive. He's been playing his ass off. And that shot in game four, man. What a fucking win for the Sixers, dude.

Like, having a lead, losing a lead, then being down, seeing your season on the brink, down to stretch in the fourth quarter, down five, where the Celtics, who are the East, raining Easter conference champions, look like they're about to wrap this series up, right? And then you guys fucking respond,

going to overtime, still take the Celtics best punch and hit a three to win the game. What a performance from James Harden and the Sixers. Man, what an impressive win. That's the type of game where you go home and you are absolutely exhausted, physically, emotionally, like you feel like you're just drained.

As a fan, word, not even as a player, as a fan, where you're like, bro, that just took it all out of me. It was that type of roller coaster ride. It was really fun to watch. I would say, and you may be right, we don't have the answer to this about the James Harden thing and feeling the need at this point in his career to make a push. I could also see a mindset of being at a mindset. at peace. You know, I've heard some of his comments too, just saying they got to stay even killed and they have to, you know, make sure that they're not riding this emotional roller coaster.

And I could make an argument for he looks like a player that's just kind of at peace where maybe the pressure of chasing it and and having to quote unquote perform and having the, the past failures that may eat at you. Maybe he's let it go to a way that, you know, he's just here doing what I do, man. I'm not getting too high with the highs or too low with the lows. And I know I'm a good basketball player, so I'm going to go out there. I heard him say, I put the work in. So you know what I mean? Like, there is something to be said for getting to that place too where like this isn't, it's not affecting me, man. Like, I don't, I'm okay. I'm good. This doesn't, it doesn't necessarily define me. As much as you guys want to define me by it,

it doesn't. So I'm just going to go out there and do what I do. And so I see some peace in him like that. I would happy for Philly again no better place. There are some places that might be equally as good, but no better place to be when it's popping like it was last night than

in Philly. Okay? Like that, that's going to be electric and that city's on fire right now. Let me just say this because I know we're not supposed to be into the weeds here, but let's get in the fucking weeds. No, I mean it's simple stuff. Everybody saw it.

I mean, you know, the Celtics, the Sixers won that game. So don't, don't misconstrue what I'm saying. I mean, it's not me just saying the Celtic. The Sixers won that game, good for that. They had it in control. I mean, they got ran down. And then they, you know, stayed with it when a lot of teams could have fought. Yeah, they earned it.

But there were some huge mistakes down the stretch. You know, like, you're up. Oh, dude, come on, man. Like, you can't, you can't leave. James Harden. Like you're up too. You're up to with Joel and Bid working in the post against, I think, did he have Jason Tatum? Was it again?

I don't have the clip in front of me, but he's working Jason, Jason Tatum, your strong side corner if you're Jalen Brown. I mean, time and score, dog, like, we can live with the two. It's a tie ball game. Yeah. We can live with that. We can't come down there on a double. There's no rotational help if I'm on strong side. I'm the only one over there.

I can't run in there on a double and get caught in no man's land. And they kick it out to James Harden. He's got 39 points. Yeah. And he's been fucking cooking, especially at home, he's been fucking cooking. He's been bawling. So that was a huge mistake. And then, you know, getting the ball with like roughly 18 to go.

And we talked about this with Golden State a week ago. The lack of urgency getting the ball up the court. and everyone was, I mean, I want to remember this correctly, forgive me. If they were jogging, it was a super slow and lethargic jog. I think a couple of them were actually walking up the court. Well, because I think some of them expected them, they expected Missoula to call the timeout. And Missoula was like, nah, he pulled a Phil Jackson was like, nah, y'all got it. Come on, let's go.

Well, I mean, okay, well, you know, I saw Missoula say that they got what they wanted. and ultimately you may have gotten what you wanted in terms of the matchup, but you got it way too late. Like there's, we got to get moving, man. We're down one now. We might need multiple looks at this.

We can't settle for just the last shot. If you're two seconds fast, so you win the game. You literally win the game because Marcus Smart hits that three at the buzzer. If you're just a second and a half and he hits that, it's the game is over. Just because, and this is definitely Coast Roger bag,

because he's like, yo, get the fuck up. That's why you want, urgency so you can get multiple possessions at a shot. And even if you don't, you get a fucking three from Marcus Smart at the buzzer. You win the game. Yeah, but like, and I mean, you're rolling the dice. I would say like even if you missed it, like if you missed it with five on the clock and you don't get the offer. I mean, now you could foul. They make two free throws. It's a three point game. You get the ball back. There are any number of reasons why you don't want to take that much time going down the stretch. And I think bigger picture, though, this is what we've talked about. And it's becoming a theme. with Boston. Boston. Yep.

It's becoming a theme, like where we have to sit here and you asked me two pods ago whether this is something we should be worried about. And my dumb ass sat there and said, no, I think they're good. I think they've learned their lesson. Well, I mean, well, again, Philly Beach you. We're such optimists on this podcast. I'm such optimist. I mean, dog, now I'm, you got to be worried, right?

Like they, they just don't look locked in all the time in a way that you would think a team coming off of a real opportunity to win a championship and losing should be locked in. You should be like, we're taking care of all of those situations, Logan, because we're foaming at the mouth to get back. And they just seem a little lackaday, is it lackadaisical or laxadaisical? It's whatever you wanted to be, Roger. The thing is, though, we didn't want people. But like, remember when they was catting off against the Hawks, we were just like, oh, they're

probably playing down to comp, like, it's fine. But no, this has been a pattern not going back to the regular season, right? Just not closing the deal, right? This comes from a Tuesday in January. That's why the Tuesdays and January is so important because you're just trying to build a routine and a habit, right? And consistently the, let's just have done this. Right.

Say they get out of this series. Say they, you know, get to the finals again. Yo, they're going to play the best of the best of the Western Conference. Some team is going to see this and be like, oh, this is the biggest stage. This is their biggest weakness. We are going to go out at them down the stretch because they are always discombobulated down the stretch. We're finding all the adjectives to describe this, Roger, every single one, right? They're just, they're in a flux.

They're messed up. When it's five seconds down the stretch, they don't, they apparently just, they're too slow, right? They got to get there. They got to lock in. And that's why this game five is so important, man. This is the most important game of the series, specifically for Boston, man, because they've had some curious losses at home.

What do you see, I'm going to put it in your arm, so I don't be wrong with it. What do you see from Boston going into game five? And what's going to happen, Roger? What do I see from Boston in game five? First of all, I think Boston is going to be fine game five. While James Hardin has had some good performances,

typically the older you get, the harder it is to do that every night. You know what I mean? And while I still think he'll be good, he's been good, to what tune remains to be seen. I think, again, as you're going home, just traditionally speaking, you're going to get, you're going to get more juice out of your building. Therefore, you're going to get more juice out of your, out of your supporting cast.

They're going to get guys that are more comfortable there. And I think that Jalen Brown staying on James Harden helps. Like his, the shooting percentages, and this wasn't me. I saw Brian Winhorse this morning and I saw him put the stats up about, you know, James Harden shooting like 51% when guarded by, you know, anyone other than Jalen Brown. And when he's guarded by Jalen Brown, he's in the third. 30%, like, you know, that's, that's going to go a long way to help him with that. But I think, I think ultimately Boston is fine in game five.

That's my gut. But, you know, when you have a guy like Joel Embed, you know, I put him in the category with the Devin Bookers, with the, with the Steph Curry's, you know, like if they have that game, you know, you could do everything right and they can still beat you. So I'm going to take Boston, but you put yourself in a situation when you can't close the way you're supposed to close. Yeah. You know what I'm going to do? Fuck it. I'm going to take Philly.

This is why. I think that this is a classic scenario where I think Boston is the better team. No question about it. I think Boston is a better team from top to bottom. But in this series, at least in stretches, it reminds me of like, and I don't want to be sacrilyage or anything. Let me just like back in the day, like whenever there's duos, you put it like, Kyrie and LeBron, right? And then, like, Kobe and Shaq and just any duo you want to think of, right? Where it does, like, you kind of just put it to your point where it doesn't matter how good the other team is.

These two guys best, best, like, if you talk about, edit all this and post. Like, if you talk about, like, Hardin and Embed at their best game, it's like, remember when Kobe and Shaq during the Lakers time, they didn't always have the best teams. I know like they went on three peting all these things, but you go back and look at those 0-1-0-2 series, especially against the Kings, they were not the better team. They just weren't, they got it done in those right moments

and they got it done. I see that in a lot of ways with this Sixers team. They are not better than the Celtics. However, their two best players can go get you a game. And that combined with what the Celtics have been doing down the stretch when they get pressed, it's either with the Celtics, it's either they're dominant or they or they fumble the bag down the stretch. It's never any in between.

It's never an escape game. They never just escape with a win. I want to see them do that, but I don't know if they're going to do that. I'm picking the Sixers. Fuck it. What do you got to say to that? I'm going to go, I don't know. No, you're good.

Hey, wait. Nah, you can't be wrong. Yeah. What's it going to say? True opinion. All right. I mean, you know, I'll, you know, I don't. I don't know. Let's go to, I wanted to talk real quickly. We didn't talk about the Nuggets

previously in this segment and I want to talk about them really quickly. So one thing that kind of made me think about the Sons were going to win this series where they have the two best players in the series, in my opinion, and Katie and Devin Booker. You think Jamal Murray as a tandem? Jamal Murray and Yokitz are better than Devin Booker and Kevin Durant as a tandem? That's not what I said. I think that the sons have the better team. All right. Let me me. That's what I meant, though. I think that the sons have the better tandem than the nuggets do.

Is that fair? That's fair. I think that's fair. Yeah. Yeah, but in fairness, that's different than what you said. Okay. All right. Don't edit that out because I said what I said.

But as a consequence, though, right? Like, do we think that the nuggets, at some cases, have to put so much pressure on Yokits that, like, the rest of the guys just when they don't get going? it's pretty tough for the nuggets to do things, right? At least from a scoring perspective, because there's no defense being played in this series. So you need all the guns you can get. You need every bit of scoring that you can get in this series.

And sometimes if, like, Jamal Murray's off, then, like, it puts a lot of pressure on Yokic in a way that I don't know if that's the case on the other side with Phoenix. Is that wrong? How do you feel about that? Well, I mean, Jamal Murray had 28. You know what I mean? And so I would agree with you, but I don't know that it's on Jamal Murray.

Like, we need somebody else. You know, Michael Porter Jr. Yeah. Yeah. Like, we're going to need Bruce Bruce Brown off the bench. We're going to need somebody to have a game. Now, I'm not throwing any shade in Eric Gord's 11 or Contavio called, well, Contavius, Caldwell Pope's 10. I'm not throwing shade at that.

I'm not here to say that that's not decent. But in these situations, when you're dealing with prolific scoring on the other side, someone's got to step up and be above themselves with those two, Murray and. We need to Rajabelle 37 performance. That's what we need. We need one of those, right? We need that just, we need a game. I mean, if you get 30 and change from someone else, you're good.

But I'm even talking about, yo, give me two other people with like 16 and 17. And that's enough. Do you know what I mean? that's an extra what, like 11 or 12 points. That would have been enough to get that win easy. And so when you watched the game last night, that shit, it was really fun to watch on one hand and tough to watch on the other because it was literally Yokic and Murray.

Yeah. Yokic and Murray. And then when Denver was like, all right, like, here's what we're going to do to try to take away book. That ball just move, move, move, boom. Three out of the corner for Shammy. Oh, we don't think you could do it again. move, move, move.

Three out of the corner for Shammy. Like, and you need someone if you're Denver to do that. Yeah. All that to say, I think I'm going to pick the nuggets to go and win this game five. What do you think? No, man, I'm rolling with the sun, bro. I'm here for it. Let's go.

I owe the sons one. I'm going with the sons. I'm going with the sons. Yeah. You've been shitting on them on local radio. Geez. Let's take a quick break. Take a quick break.

We're going to talk about Monday night's slate of game. and we are back. Let's talk about the night's matchups. Let's start. We'll end with the West Coast matchups. Let's start with Knicks. What is your gauge on this series, Raja? What do you think is going to happen?

I'm just going to go out and say, I'm picking the heat to win this. I just think they have it. I'm going to go with the heat over the Knicks. What do you got? I'm going to agree with you, man. I'm going to go with the heat. for any number of reasons.

They have the star that I trust the most right now in Jimmy Butler. They have the coach that I trust the most right now in Eric Spolstra. Yeah, I'm going to go with the heat. I think the theme for these two games is stars have to be stars, man. Yeah. Like I've said that before. Stars got to be stars. So if you're Julius Randall and you're Jalen Brunson, got to be stars.

Stars, you know what I'm saying? We talk about this all the time. like everybody in the NBA is great but there's a difference between Jimmy Butler and Jalen Brunson and Julius Randall right when it comes to seeing things and just being the guy during the postseason I don't I think I think that Julius Randall is a guy on it can give you great minutes on a postseason for sure

but is he the star of Jimmy Butler no and that's what you need at this stage And I think that's been the difference. Yeah, it's a huge difference. I mean, there are levels to all of this. But let me just say because I made the argument a minute ago for Denver, needing the supporting cast to step up in a complimentary way that when the stars do what they do, they can win a game. It's just like the last game, Nixon heat, you got 15 from Josh Hart, solid, right?

RJ Barrett, 14. I mean, not great, but okay, solid. Emmanuel quickly off the bench 12. Jalen Brunson, a little light for all the work that he's been doing for that team, but 20. Like, I don't know what he averages. I'm just going up the dome here, but I wouldn't, like, that's an okay game. But Julius Randall can't have 10. We can't have okay games from Julius Randall.

That's not an okay game. That's a subpar game. That's a 10 piece. And a 10 piece, unless someone else steps all the way out of character, unless Jalen Brunson goes for 39, the 10 piece is going to get you beat when the star is not doing, you know, what they're, Their teammates are typically accustomed to them doing offensive. Not even giving us a biscuit, Roger. He's giving us this a straight tin piece.

Not giving us a soda, not giving us no motherfucker. Nah. No, no. Nothing. Come on, man. Fuck. Okay. And I think he'll be better.

But they got to, and it's the same. Look, we're going to move on to Golden State. Like, stars got to be stars, bro. Stars got to be stars. So, like, you know, you need Steph. They got to figure out how to get Steph unlocked. in the series, this isn't, you know, this is just me being a real one. Like, they need that. They got to figure that out.

A transition from you, pal. Hell of a transition from you, pal. Thank you, sir. I've been working on. I've been watching you for a long time. But in that series, like, he was facilitator when you got a clay game. How many clay games are you going to get? Hopefully you get another one, but I know this. This is the dirty little secret about clay games, ladies and gentlemen. They come, maybe, twice a series, which is great. But you look at those, historically speaking, you look at those other games throughout the series and you see what Clay does.

And sometimes it's, maybe it's on the defense of any plays well. But like he's not going to, it's either, it's feast or famine with those clay games. So you shouldn't rely on them. It should be like, oh, thank you. Hello, Clay. Nice to see you. We're going to pass you the ball now.

But those clay games are, on the other games, are littered with like four of 13 performances, four of 15 performances, seven of 25 performances, right? Or he's trying to catch that. This is what is concerning me about this, Raja. And I'm willing to, like, I'm just trying to throw stuff at you just because you're the basketball mind. And I'm just, there's just so much with this Lakers Warriors series where I don't know

which Warriors team we're going to get. And I was talking to Kerm, pre-pod. and what I saw at Anthony Davis if he plays like this, Raja, it continues to play, especially on the defensive end, the Warriors have no shot

because they haven't played against a person like this in the postseason in a very, very long time, if ever, where he is disrupting offense, Raja, and an era where you're looking for guys to go to the cup and it's just easy.

It's not like how it used to be in the 90s. We're just free rein to the basket. Anthony Davis is like, uh-uh, nope. Nah, y'all ain't getting none of this shit, right? And that is completely disrupting this Golden State offense, Raja, to the point where it is just so suffocating. I don't know about tonight for Golden State, man. Like, they're going to have to dig deep and they're going to have to get one of those

Steff, like wild performances and hold on because this Lakers team looks. look serious and it's looking, they're in the danger zone right now because that game three was tough to watch, Rob. Yeah, that was not pretty if you were a Golden State fan. You're going to either need a Steph game, like a big Steph game, or somebody's, someone's going to have to step out of character.

Steph's got to be good, and someone else is going to have to have a game where you're like, yes, that is not, that is way out of character. They doubled their average. You know what I mean? Like somebody who averages 12, a Jordan Pool game.

The Bay is waiting for you, Jordan Pool. Or somebody who could get up in the 30s. Yeah. You're going to need that. But like, here's the thing. And you're right about AD, man. AD is a problem. And, you know, the way they're playing defensively allowing him to be in there is,

is a real deterrent at anything going to the rim. And if you're not going to catch fire, then they're top siding all of that stuff out there, not giving you those threes. and Golden State is getting like, all right, so last game, 17 free throw attempts for Golden State, 37 for the Lakers. Bro. 37 for the Lakers.

So if you're going to be relatively even on threes, and they weren't because the Lakers made 15 and Golden State only made 13. But let's say you were relatively even or slightly better if you're Golden State. You're still getting pummeled, man. Those dudes are shooting 20 more free shot. than you. Not only is that like a very non-sustainable thing, like usually, but it, but it allows you to dictate tempo and, and really grind the game down if you want to grind it down. Like it's playing into the Lakers hands to be able to dictate the way the game is played. And so with Golden State's

inability to get to the line or get easy ones in the paint because of AD and the Lakers' ability to do it because of him, I mean, he becomes a, you know, if he's good, Yeah, they're going to states are trouble unless they get something otherworldly for someone. Yeah. And this has just been the thing, man. I mean, I think the most triggering phrase in the Bay Area consistently over the years is playing through the non-steff minutes. The non-steff minutes is a danger zone for the warriors, man. And it's one, on one hand, it's because Steph is so good.

but it speaks to the Warriors' lack of supporting cast at times, man, because they just can't sustain offense or sustain energy when he's not on the floor. And that's why it was so tantalizing last year when Jordan Poole was so good because it was like, oh, cool, we can see somebody that can get the non-stuff minutes because like I said before, Clay Thompson is feast or famine. Now, like if Clay Thompson steps up and get a 40 ball, tonight, then the Warriors are going to win the game. That's what it is. That's how it's going to happen.

But I think the Warriors need to play with a desperation that they have not played with this whole season. They need to scrap and claw and kill for this game. Because that's what it's going to take to beat the Lakers in crypto to get this series back on track, man.

That, and the thing is frustrating when you watch the Warriors, it's been frustrating all season, is they're just so careless, bro. How many times have you seen them go up the floor and do one of those, like, throw passes and they throw it to the other team? Like, literally, just here, here, Roger,

you can have this for no reason. And this starts with Steph. You get into a screen. It starts with Steph, where he's just lollygagging with the ball, the little behind the back pass. Like, no, no, no, no, no. Pass with both hands. I know you're Steph Curry and I know you're brilliant,

but no, pass with both hands or pass the bounce paths with both hands. And you see that where the Warriors might be even up seven. And then one of those things happened. And it just completely arose all the momentum. And that's consistently been a problem for go to state. Consistently, and it doesn't just go away. Like, that's who you are.

That's what you trained yourself to be. It's what you are at this point, right? It's what you're going to do. The more concerning part, and it's, I mean, obviously, this game's pivotal, right? If the Lakers don't win it, you know, then the pressure. shifts back to the Lakers, you're going back to Golden State for two out of the next three theoretically. Like there's a lot in the balance here.

But one of the worst things for Golden State is what the blowout allowed LeBron to do, which is chill. You know? And like, you know, he had a good second half, but he came out with a very interesting, like, because of the way they feel about it. didn't feel like he has to go extra extra right now. He's been very, it's the word I want to use, very calculated about his energy exertion. Very ropa-dopish. A lot of rope-a-dope energy from LeBron. 21, 8, and 8 on 6 of 11, this is no shot at LeBron. This is actually highlighting his greatness. Like, that's easy work for LeBron. You know what I'm saying? Like, that's relatively

easy work for LeBron. Braymond said on his podcast, Draymond said on his podcast, which is something that I don't really think you should say in the middle of a postseason series. But, you know, Dremont is Dremont. But he was like, Steph was confused about how LeBron was playing. Like, yo, what the, what the hell is this, right? Like, he's, why is he not scoring?

Why is he not doing these? I think one of the things that, you know, I would do, just target LeBron. Make LeBron work. Make him work. Tire him to fuck out as much as you can. obviously like he's LeBron James and he's that guy, but I think that if you target him consistently, maybe target him on switches and put him in pick and roll against Steph, right, where he's

constantly having to move. Just like you're making, and the Kings did this, and just like the Lakers are doing, how you're making Steph work, make LeBron work. Put him in positions where he has to make decisions defensively or put him in jams where he has to pick aside on the pick and roll or in elevators, whatever you need to do. But I think that's the thing. Kea Ra, make LeBron tired and make him work. Listen to me, man. I'm proud of you. Can I coach like a rec team?

I'm proud of you right there. I agree. I know, I'm proud. That's very good shit, Logan. No, real talk. Like, that's a great call. And, you know, you see it with a lot of stars as they reach a certain point in career. their focus shifts off of like primary defensive responsibilities to more pick and choose

when I defend. Like I might give up a couple. You saw it with Kobe like, you know, MJ too. Give up some here and there because it's worth it to conserve that energy for the other end. The trick would be to not let him do that and hold them accountable on any possession. You can hold them accountable for having to work and exert energy because I'm telling you, his ability to kind of chill and coast or, you know, I don't mean to say it like that. But what the Lakers have done as a team, giving him the ability to kind of not have to exert all of the energy, he's just storing it away for when AD isn't good.

Like when they need him, he's got the juice now. So you've got to continue to get at his legs. I think it was excellent point, Logan Murdoch. Thanks, pal. Appreciate it. All that to say, picking the Lakers to win tonight. I just have not liked what I've seen from the Golden State Warriors over this postseason, right? And of course, this might be the kiss of death where they just go in and win and say,

fuck all of you guys because they're sandbaggers. But I'm picking the Lakers, just for that simple reason, because I don't know how much you can play with fire this much. I've watched them a long time, especially, you know, I've never seen them have a season like this and then get rewarded for all of the, just they have not, they have not been good to the basketball gods, I'd say. And so I don't think you get rewarded when you're bad to the basketball gods. And they have been bad to the basketball gods.

So I'm going with the Lakers. As badly as I'd like to pick on the opposite side of you. I don't think I can, man. I agree with you. I think the rest will come out. There's a huge discrepancy in free throws in this series. Everyone knows that. The league knows that.

The refs will know that. because the league knows that. And I think Golden State's going to get a different whistle tonight. I still don't think it's enough. There's been something about them that I don't trust. I mean, the Lakers at times have had me feeling like that too, but less frequently. Yeah. I see the look in the Lakers eyes and by extension, LeBron that I haven't seen from Golden State.

And that's what I've been waiting for, right? I've been waiting for Steph to have the fucking look in his eyes, and he just hasn't had it. Like, I've seen LeBron have the, you know, the lion look that he has in the postseason around this time where, like, he's already coming off of a series where Dylan Brooks had him fucked up, right? And he's already been historic in that way. I just don't see it with Golden State right now. Maybe that happens in L.A., but, like, there's just been too many vibes from them. Like, yeah, I don't know, man. But anyway, we'll see what happens.

It's been the Monday edition of Real Ones. See us every Monday and Thursday. We will talk to you guys on the Thursday. Thursday, tap in all the sheds. Ah, bye.