The Ringer NBA Show - Jokic, the Nuggets, and the Altitude Dominate Game 1. Plus, Reaction to Monty Williams’s Historic Hire. | Off Guard

Episode Date: June 2, 2023

 Austin and Pausha are back to talk through Nikola Jokic and the Denver Nuggets’ dominant Game 1 performance in the NBA Finals. They discuss Austin’s feelings on seeing his former team being three wins away from a championship, what adjustments the Heat need to make for the rest of the series, and why they desperately need Tyler Herro back when he’s available. They close things out by addressing Monty Williams’s historic deal to become the new coach of the Detroit Pistons.  Hosts: Austin Rivers and Pausha Haghighi  Producer: Brian H. Waters  Additional Production Support: Ben Cruz Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Hey there, Humanoids. This is David Chewaker here with a very exciting announcement. Your favorite wrestling podcast feed, The Ring of Wrestling show, is now going daily. And you can hang out with me and Kaz on Mondays and Thursdays for the Masked Man Show. And you can join me, Peter Rosenberg, alongside Stack Guy Greg and Dip every Tuesday with cheap heat. And on Fridays, I'll welcome a friend or special guest from the world of wrestling. And on Wednesdays, we have a very special new show called Wednesday Worldwide that you're going to want to check out. Paperview reaction, one-of-a-kind interviews, fantasy booking, talking about bagels, that's what we do here on the Ring of Wrestling show.

Follow the show now on Spotify and do us a favor. Give us five stars. And do us another favor and stay major. Welcome back, everybody. We got a brand new episode this week. Touching up on the NBA finals. I'm with my co-host, Pasha Higigi. What's up, my guy?

How you doing it? It's good to be back in person. Last week was tough. You were doing the pod from outside. I think last week, you know, I showed my versatility. and my my ambition to get the pod done. I was by the street. I was outside.

I was inside. No AC, AC. It's only worth it if you enjoy it, Michaela Bultra. So that's... Are we still plugging it? Yeah, of course, always. Okay.

But yeah, no, I appreciate what you did last week. It's glad to talk it out for us. It's good to be home. Yeah. We got to get into the finals. So we locked the game last night together. Nuggets won 104-903. you aren't surprised by the outcome of the game.

I was not. Yeah. What were your biggest take? Was this the first thing you thought about? I think anybody was surprised last night. And that's no disrespect to Miami. And I'm not even looking at it from an aspect of Denver being a better team. I'm more so looking at it from the aspect of the past 60-something hours for Miami's been insane.

I mean, they win the conference finals going straight to six. having to take that series all the way back, you know, going up 3-0 to having a team, possibly be the first team to ever come back. I mean, that emotionally, mentally would wear on you to then win that game and then hop out of flight that night or the next day, go straight to Denver. And I only have like 24 hours to really get adjusted up there. Why that team has just been sitting there waiting. There was no way in hell they're going to win that game.

In fact, I'm actually impressed at that. the game was that close. I thought it was going to be even more of a blowout. But, you know, you could see their legs a lot were affected in most of the jump shots that were taken, especially late in the game. You know, Strauss didn't really have anything. Martin didn't have anything, you know. They didn't really get anything with Duncan Robinson.

A lot of their key role players who have helped make this run for them really were just kind of. they were out of the loop last night so you know the only guy who really played well was bam you know you combine that with the fact that jimmy doesn't have his usual night i mean there's just no way to hell they went in the game right i think everyone leading up to it they were all saying yeah the nuggets there's no way the heat can match up with them the nuggets are on a roll but secretly i think people were hoping the heat would just keep doing what they've been doing right proving everyone wrong and last night looked tough but i will say the nudge the nudge that's not the nudge i'll say the

Nuggets only scored 104 points. And I do feel like if you would have said in the beginning of the game yesterday, the Nuggets are only going to have 104 points, I would maybe assume that the heat would win the game, or at least it would be close. So there are some things that the heat were doing right. Absolutely. I mean, there are definitely some bright spots within the game, you know, watching the game. When you look at these highlights, man, the first thing that you see is just how much the ball.

hops with Denver consistently, which is something that Miami's kind of thrived on, which is why all these players have been able to eat. But in last night's game, you know, the only action they really ran that was productive was any action to pick a little bam, bam shooting mid-range jump shots, which he made. But he's trading contested tough middies for like, you know, yokeage coming down, Murray coming down, playing a two-man game, swing, swing, catch, back door, cut. this guy gets a wide open three. The way they play, obviously, I know all too well. It's just, it's best shot available at all times. That's kind of what Yolich preaches. That's kind of what he gets

done. How important is it when your leader, the guy at the top is playing so unselfish? And it's just how contagious is that. Well, it sets a standard. People talk about all these skills with Yokin's I think the biggest thing that he does really well is just play unselfish every single night. He's able to get selfish-looking stats the right way. He does it without dominating the ball. He does it without over-dribbling. There's a lot of players in the NBA that put up some significant numbers, but it's because they have the ball, you know, the entire fucking game. We dribble the hair on the ball. Whereas, you know, he's able to dominate the game a variety of ways and still have enough food on the plate for everybody to eat, which is why this team is so dangerous. You know, Jamal coming back

has changed obviously the outlook of his team. They've been able to add a couple of complementary pieces. But ultimately, Jamal Meehouse is a difference. He just adds a whole different dimension to that team. The free throw discrepancy, though, two free throws to 20. Two free throws the 20 is insane. And the Miami Heat, you would think if they wanted a win, it would be a grind-out game where Jimmy's getting to the line.

I really do think fatigue played a part last night. They just looked dragged. I think game two is the game to watch. think if they're going to steal one here to make this like a very interesting series, it's going to be game two. I would have been shocked if they went into game one in one that game. I just, the past couple of days, the emotional win over Boston and then hop on a flight immediately, go to Denver.

The altitude thing is real. I heard Charles Barkley, a couple other guys say it's not real. You know how I'm banners up there. It's just, I don't even know how to make sense of that, but I played there, and it's absolutely real. The altitude is real. I don't think it's the deterra who wins the gamer. But already having heavy legs after a grueling seven-game series,

walking into game one, playing a well-rested Denver team, then you add the altitude on top of that. I just didn't see them winning that game. And you could see it, man. You can see it in Martin Struce. Who else? Duncan Robinson. Like these guys were short.

And we'll get into their shooting percentages. It was abysmal. I think the biggest thing I saw last night is the Nuggets just looked too big. Like, they looked huge. And their front line, they're plus minus. Porter was plus 20. Aaron Gordon was plus 15.

Yokich was plus 14. Everyone else was in single digits or negative. They just looked huge compared to them. And BAM couldn't guard Yokich one all the one. We saw that. He's too big. Yeah. And I think BAM's a hell of a defendant.

At the end of the day, there's just science involved in this. And like, Yokish's his weight is just unflinching. He's just like, you got at least 40, 50 pounds on this guy. and BAM's doing everything he can, but I mean, right now left, there's just really nobody that Miami has to even guard him. He's also the best player in the NBA at the moment. And I don't, I just don't see this series going any other way. You know, I think Miami can maybe win a game.

And I say that just honestly, out of respect for Miami, not disrespect, out of respect from Miami. just due to their nature of not flinching and not quitting, playing hard to competing and being very well coached. I give them a game. But we're going to be a realistic here in terms of this playing stop. The only team that would have gave them a run, Denver, was Boston. And that's what I wanted to ask you also is,

how do you feel about first you said the Warriors were going to win no matter what in the beginning of the playoffs? Yes, I believe. And he said the winner of the Philly Boston Series was going to win. and obviously it didn't happen are you just do you feel like do you think the self-

I'm trying to call out all my I know I was trying to say this politely like it's just is the basketball being this unpredictable for you I mean is it just the way the game's going like the heat just they just went out more effort here's the thing

the heat ruined the heat ruined all my my bracket buster yeah they were the exact that's exactly the parts that they played. Yeah, it's been really unpredictable this year. You know, I think for the first time, even the past couple of years, and I'll give

the Warriors credit last year, but again, we didn't have Jamal last year when I was on Denver. And I think the NBA is the most even of a landscape that it's been in the long time. You know what I mean? I think there's not a clear-cut dominant team. I guess Denver would be that. I would say Denver looks like that. But in terms of long term, like, they're going to be a really good team.

But they're not the Warriors, but they're not the Warriors. They're a far thank you that. So they're a really good team. When I say the Warriors, I'm talking about the dynasty that they built. Well, so Denver, we were talking about it last night. They're best players under contract. They're going to be good for the next two, three years. There's no doubt about it.

But I'm just saying they're beat them. Like, you can beat Denver. But we're in Minnesota with no Jada McDaniels or not. And still, every game was close to win any of those games, except for the first one. we won one game. Our series was tougher than their Lakers series. You know what I mean?

Like our series so far, with except for Phoenix, has been the toughest series that they've had to play. So it's just, you know, I played there. So it's just like, I know how good this team. So they're a really good team.

I have them winning the whole thing. It actually kind of hurts me to say that just because I was, you know, to be a year removed from a team that goes in the finals. Yeah. is like no fun thing to see. But you do know that team really well,

even though you were stepping stone to whatever they are. Yeah, I mean, well, I tell everybody all the time, everybody was like, man, they got so much better. I'm like, they really didn't. They got Jamal Murray back. Yeah. Like, again, Calmore Pope's been a great fit.

Bruce Brown's been a great fit. I swear to God, if we had Jamal Murray fully healthy way he's playing right now last year. Yeah. It would have been the same fucking thing. We would have took Golden State and Seven. We would have took Golden State and Seven. And from there, I'm not going to,

predict the winner and I believe on either way because they were going to stay was a different team last year. But we could easily beat them. Yeah. But we didn't have Jamal. This is the guy's average of 30 right now. You know, it's just a 30 points on the board is a big difference. You know what I mean? And then you add guys at KCP who is that he really is a natural fit for

for yokeage, just a game style. And then Bruce Browns played well. But they only play seven players, man. Yeah. That's one thing that, you know, they're not the warriors you're saying. There's something they can work on. say they win the title this year. They got to improve their death.

Yeah, they're done. You want to talk about long term and dynasty for the nuggets? They got to improve their depth. They got seven players right now that they play. They're not playing anybody else. But if they do win the title. But Reggie Jackson strangely doesn't, he can't see the court when he was a starting point guard for two years ago.

But fit is everything, as we've talked about. But if they do win the title, let's say, that's where we're assuming. Those free agents, people will come, though. They'll fill out the rest of that roster. Once they win this. year, which I believe they will. Yeah. It's going to be very easy for them to fill in that roster.

Everyone's going to want to be a part of that next role. We're playing with Yolkich, yeah. Play with Yolkage. I think people look at Bruce Brown to see this guy's success and they're thinking, this guy can fucking do it. Then you know what. And that's no disrespect to Bruce Brown. There are a lot of guys out there that have a similar skill set that they can come to the Nuggets.

I'm not being disrespectful at all. I think Bruce Brown can play. I'm just saying like there's a lot of guys that are in Bruce. If I was in Bruce shoes, I could. do the same. I'm telling you right now I can do it. But I didn't have Jamal. It's a big deal. Jamal opens the space. See, what Jamal does, what people don't understand is Jamal now makes it impossible just to go double you open every second time because you have another star report. They also have an amazing report that you can't teach. A lot of it's because they're just two

totally different positions. So it works. It's why Jason Tatum and Brown are great as they is. There's a lot of like question there because they're too. two high volume scoring guards that are pretty much the same fucking position, the same height. They play the same exact way. It's like, see you and call him, Damien Little, great players, but like you just got two guards, you know, chucking up a lot of shots, shooting a lot of shots. This, you have a center and a guard, so a whole office is able to run. You got guys moving.

You said it last night. You said this lineup is perfectly put together. They have a perfect starting line up around you. And someone that we haven't named yet, Aaron Glewell. Gordon, I just think that's a, that's a example for the league to all watch. There could be a player like Aaron Gordon in Orlando that's being misused. They had them on the perimeter kind of going one on one on what that was. And there's a lot of, there's a lot of teams out there that are one piece away that they could go find an Aaron Gordon on the magic. And they could, they could add that. They made that move. And people, it wasn't a, you know, a hyped move at the time. No one, no one talked about it. Now looking at it's, it's perfect. It's a perfect, yeah, it's a perfect combination with Yokin. So there's a lot of teams out there that it could be one player away. like that one move away. I also wanted to ask you about Michael Porter, Jr. Obviously, drafted 14th,

split because of health issues. And then people also had maybe like personality issues with them thinking that maybe he wouldn't be able to buy in. Are you surprised that he's been able to be such a team player and buy into their team? Not really. I mean, they also simplify it for him. You know, they pretty much, when he gets the ball, everyone knows that ball's going on. Yeah. He's shooting.

Yeah. But that's what they pay him to do. And they don't pay him small change. You know what I mean? He gets paid big change to put the ball in the basket. So I think every play for him is usually run between Jamal and Yokoj, they call a set, knowing that this ball's going to my phone and it's going on. Yeah. So, like, he's able to, like, fit in because his, I don't like to say chaos because he doesn't

have a chaotic player. But his playing style is controlled and fit in this system. And as a personality, I don't think it was. was a problem for Michael to fit in because he's just a good guy. You know what to do with this. And like I said, we talked about this earlier. You have no room to not fit in when the best player has the least ego in the locker. You have no room to walk around the locker with an ego and get in the way of the team's actual playing style and what Yolkage wants.

I mean, your best player, best player in the league right now is probably one of the more unselfish players in the league, which is very, very, you know, So Michael, I don't think even had a chance to do that. No, what I think he would. And their team, like I said, it's just a glove. They got a great thing going right now. Again, for them to continue, if they do win this year, they got to fill out those pieces still because seven's not going to cut it. I think seven, you know, they got, seriously, they play seven players right now.

Right. Which is a- Christian Brown would be the eight. He would be the eight, yes. Yes, yes. So you can throw him in there. But still, eight players, that's not a lot. But yeah, they're dominant right now.

Yeah. And the only reason I think they had the chance to make this a legitimate run is, hey, they went to the conference finals the last time, Jamal Murray was healthy. We talked about that. He was just injured the last couple years. So they've been good. But another thing for me is the way they're playing,

and this has been a dominant playoff run, right? They haven't lost a game at home. They've only lost three games total. They haven't lost a game in about a month, which is crazy, is there's some titles where I feel like a team, basically it was at the last man standing after a royal rumble like the raptors in 2019 i felt like they just were the last ones healthy and they just was like a dock fight they redid the playoffs they might not have won it same with the bucks in 2021 where you know they were down two out of

the nets they got hurt and it was kind of like they were the last man standing in this crazy battle and then there are championships where i'm just like no one's on this team's level that's the way i feel about the nuggets right now the way they're playing if they redid the playoffs right now and ran it all back they would just still be in the finals they're just playing on a different level and That's why I think they have a chance to make this a run. Now, we could sound stupid and the heat could win game two, all the pressures on the Nuggets in Game 3. I'm just assuming hypothetically, they do look like they're going to win the title.

And that's why I think there's a chance for them to make a run here. And like we said, all their players are under contract. Well, you don't sound crazy because you've been saying that same thing for a while. You've been talking about how dominant the Nuggets had been on playoffs. They haven't lost the game at home. They've blown out more teams than anybody else. They play consistently the same every night. The ball goes through the same two players.

They both can pass too. That's another thing. We were talking about duos in the league. A lot of those other duos I named aren't pass first guys or not great passers. Yoga is the best passers in the league. And Jamal is extremely skilled and actually it's a wonderful past. So you've got two guys who are great scores,

who are your best players, who are also good passers and don't overdrought. It's just a dangerous, they have a dangerous with a bunch of shooters. is around call a poke and shoot. Aaron Gordon is the high rising guy. Perfect. Rim running, pick, rolling, dunker spot, strong, guards one through five positions. There's a lot of the dirty work, so Yolka just doesn't have to be hands dirty. And then you got Michael Porter Jr.

who on a standstill jump shot can probably out shoot just about anybody in the league. So they have this perfect team right now, and it thrives off a Yoke Jemal's down. But like, I'm selfishness. and it starts with Yolks. Yeah. So you obviously had the scouting report on a lot of teams throughout the year. You game plan for them. You play the Nuggets in the first round, so you definitely had that.

Is it just so much different to game playing for the Nuggets? Because of Yolkich, compared to game planning for, you know, say you're playing the Lakers or the Sons, you know, you get the Sons, a couple guys going ISO. It's probably a little easier. Is it just that much different when you're game playing for a team like the Nuggets? Yeah, it's harder with Jamal. He has a whole other aspect to it.

you know, they thrive on ball movement, like I said, and anytime you're playing against a team that has superior ball movement where you know the opening man, peeing the ball, it's a tough thing to guard. That's what's made the Warriors so dominant over the years, a little bit more guardable this year's because they were like so much on Steph to look this year. Yeah.

We're in the previous years, it's always, you know, they've always relied on stuff, but there's just been like a system of like that ball flying and all these guys were just raining through. Like, that's how it felt. felt like when they hit one, it felt like 10 was being hit. Especially when they'd go on those runs. That's kind of what Denver has a little bit of issues.

They have this like, it's really to your point. They have this like energy that's just like they're just better than everybody right now. And like, I don't think anybody's watching them playing like this team with games. I don't think anybody believes that he'd have a chance other than the heat. Yeah. And it's hard again. The heat can win literally Sunday. And everybody would be like, oh, my God, he's going to take, you know, so narratives change every game.

We understand that in the playoffs. But just based of what office, what I've seen so far, it's hard for me to, it's hard for me to pick another team, man. Never going to take this one. It's almost time to crown an NBA champion and Fandall wants you to be a part of the excitement. Because right now, new customers get a no sweat first bet up to $2,500. That's $2,500 back in bonus bets if your first. bet doesn't win. For example, for game two, I got Jimmy Buller having the most points because I think he's due for a Jimmy Buckets game. I love betting on Fandle because there's great to motions

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Call 1-800-522-470-470 in Wyoming or visit www.w.w.w.000 gambler.net in West Virginia. Let's look at the heats, you know, point of view on this one. They didn't shoot it well. So Caleb Martin was one out of seven. He had three points. Max Drews was 0 for 10, 0 for 9 from 3, 0 points.

Duncan Robinson 1 for 6, 1 out of 5 from 3, 3 points. They were combined 2 out of 23, 6 points. Those guys were key contributors against the Celtics in previous series. So you only lose by 11. I know it was kind of more of a block than anything. But those guys not making any shots, 6 points combined out of the 3. They hit some shots, and this is a whole different ballgame. Yeah.

I like the, is it a high tower? Yeah. No, high smith? Highman. Yeah. Heightower is the Steve Hightower? The Steve Harvey Show? Yes, Steve Highton.

I like Heism. Yeah. And I think they need to use him more. I like his versatility and both sides of the ball. I think he has length. I think he plays defense. He can actually hit an open shot. He's athletic.

And he can actually get the basket a little bit more. They missed Victor last night. They need, like, somebody to be able to get to the basketball. All those guys are not create their own shot guys. and I know Martin had a come to Jesus game in game seven like he was

he played great all serious no no no he's played fantastic all playoffs honestly they've all played well all playoffs but in terms of getting your own shot like coming down hitting someone with a move getting in the paint

driving and kicking that is he is getting most of his shots off someone else Jimmy or someone bam attracting attention kick out he has a three or it's a pump face side step three or it's a straight line drive. That's how him and Max and all these guys have scored.

The only guy that's really out there scoring on his own, doing his own stuff is Bam, Jimmy, and I'll give Gabe Vincent at times. Well, Bam had 25 shot attempts. Yeah, I know. He was put him up yesterday. Yeah, I don't think that's the formula for the heat. Well, I don't, the only reason I don't like that is because they're all two-pointers. It's not like Bam's a three-point shooter. Bamb was an excellent three-point shooter and shot 23 last night.

I'm like, listen, it's a lot of fucking three. play. At least he's getting them up. 25 shots, however many of them, men range jump shots. You're trading that for what the Denver's getting in the other side. It's definitely not a good look.

But again, Bam was the only one that had anything going last night. You know what I mean? He's the only one that could even put the ball in the basket. So it's just like besides who else played well, high school. Yeah, and Gabe Vincent had to solve.

He's been solid all playoffs too as well. He can also create his own shot. So I'll give him. him definitely that. But Victor is a guy who's explosive, who could, like, this is free injury, obviously. Yeah. Who could attack the pain.

Even if he's not scoring, he's just creating movement. Well, there's a guy that they're missing that could come back this year. No, that's talked about it with Tyler Hero. No, that's where we're going to get right into. Everyone's like, oh, they don't need Tyler and you don't want Tyler back. He's going to mess it. You need Tyler. Right.

Because I don't know if that, I don't want us to call it luck. I'm not trying to be disrespecting you. That train that a lot of these guys have been on to the heat, like where this, these guys, guys. guys are having these games again martin's a great player great he's a good player he had a great game seven the guy was jibling under the basket like fucking bob coozy and then hit and turn around fade away as like coby mean it was insane some of the shots yeah did you see the multiple pivot fade away over al horford in the first half he was doing some things that did um with that being

said relying on that on a game seven i mean i mean in a seven game series versus a better team the nuggets, brother. They need Tyler Hero. Right. It's not like they're rolling right now and I'm worried about bringing in Tyler Hero. They're one and four in their last five games. The heater one and four in their last five games. Yeah, yeah.

So it's okay. It's okay to try something different. Yeah, yeah. That's a great point. Yeah. Out of their last five games, they've lost four. Yeah. One won.

The game they won could have gone either fucking way. Jason Tatum was injured. I don't want to get into that whole thing. No excuses, but Jason Tater rolled his ankle, you know, at the beginning of the game. Actually, they beat the hell out of them in the game seven, really. Yeah, but it wouldn't be close. But, yeah, I don't want to do that either. Yeah, I don't want to do that either.

I hate that. Because that, that, that, that, that, that's a slippery slope. It's just, yeah. But do we, do we, do we, do we talk about it a little bit? What do you mean? I mean, Jason Taylor doesn't roll his ankle? Is that what we're doing? Do you, do you buy that his ankle was, was, you think he was throwing the game and limping?

She's, remember in the office when Michael Scott got slapped by Pam and he started limping away? Why are you? Olympic is like I don't know I don't think he's Pete Rose I'm here I don't think he's throwing the game what are you saying that's what I'm just saying is that's just saying are you saying are you buying that

he was injured of course you see the picture you see the video that twists his ankle no one's no one's over here geez bro you are you are controversy no no I don't think he we can say it would have been a different game

if he was healthy you're allowed to say that I think if he never had that ankle frame the game might have been a little bit. I think that's easy to say. That not only hobbled him and made him mentally start thinking too much about his ankle and the soreness. And when you're doing that, you're not into the game. You could see it. He'd get a rebound. He'd be moving. He wouldn't cut. His explosion wasn't the same. His lift now is in the same in his jump shot because as you're shooting, you're thinking of a pain in your ankle instead of putting the ball through the neck. It's just a whole

different aspect. It's one thing to play with like a sore shoulder that you go into the game knowing it's going to be there. Yeah. Or even a hurt ankle that you know going into the game that you've had all day to ice and like mentally prepare. I'll play through it. It's one thing in a game seven to sprain your ankle to first fucking play. You get it.

And it's like now nagging you. And you're immediately probably thinking like geez, right now, like come on. Out of all times like sprained my ankle, you know, right in the start of game seven. I think, I think it looked like from the outside he sprained his ankle. And I think it bothered him physically, which you could see in the film. but I think it also bothered him. And my dad used to always tell me, my coaches used to always tell me growing up,

if you're going to play, play. Because no one cares about the injury. They care about the outcome. No one's going to be like, you know, hey man, good game. You try to play through it. Like, bro, you either play well or you don't. And the injuries are part of the game.

My thing with Jason is when you got hurt, it just like it kind of like really hurt the team. The whole team was like, it was off because he won themselves and everybody else was weird. Jalen Brown is the worst handle in the NBA out of any superstar or star. He actually has a good little handle.

He just dribbles the ball off his foot like three times a game. It's pretty great. But he actually has like a nice little first step. He's got some chops. He's got a great first step. He's got a handbook. Yes, he does, bro.

Watch Jalen Brown edits and highlights. He crosses the shit. Highlights, but look at the low lights. Go watch. He's a guy. It's a, So we can say he's turnover prone. We can say he's turnover prone. I'm not saying it's the worst handles of superstars.

No, no, I don't say. There's so many Superstars. Did he play? So do you think, so he was second team all NBA this year? Do you think he's a top 10 guy in the NBA? I think he's up there. He's been dominant.

By the way, the whole thing's flipped. Remember last year in the finals, he was brilliant. And everyone was like, oh, he's just as good as Tatum. I think he was dribbling in all this front of the finals last year. He's a high turnover prone guy,

especially going left. Yeah. If you force him left, it can get a little, I don't want to say shaky, but he's a little bit more turnover problem going on. That's all it is. His handle still does a good handle. Maybe his left hand needs a little work.

Who am I to judge? I'm talking about the strongest right-hand driver in the league right here. But yeah, I like Jalen Brown. Okay, so we haven't spoken since the Celtics lost in game seven. Do you sign both of them or do you make a move? There's a lot of moves to be made. If you could trade Jailen Brown, you can get a lot for him. I don't think there's anything wrong seeing with out there.

Yeah. They've already made it known. They saw what was out there went into the finals last year for KD, maybe. They've already done it. Yeah. So, you know, and you wonder what that would have looked like. Yeah. If they did that.

But the good news is his stock is still so hot. He's young, he's hungry. He wants to be. He's in the prime of his life. He wants to be even a bigger star than what he is now. I don't think he wants to be second fiddle with Jason. I bet you if we're in a room alone with him and you ask them, you'd be better, Jason.

probably say yes. Well, he should. So, you know, I think a lot of teams would like Jaylor, he does play in both sides of the ball for the most part. He's a better defender than Jason. And he's just not as polished as a score. But he can't score the ball. He can score the shit out the ball. And I think there's a lot of value with Jaylon out there.

Well, basically what I want to know is, do you think the Celtics have topped out with this duo? Or do they need to make a move? Or do you run it back? But you can't run it back with the same pieces around them. my thing, man, if you went to the finals one year and then the exact next year for the conference finals,

it's like, we live in a world where now it's like, team just doesn't work. Teams failing, like, bro, you've actually had two great years in a row. Two great years. They've been to the conference finals for the last five. So you have a recipe that's working. You're just maybe like a piece or two away. And that's why you look at what the value of like

maybe Jaylor can bring. Or anyone, by the way, They got a lot of guys in there. They got a lot of pieces. They got great role players that you don't let go on. But you have guys that you can look at moving. You know what I mean? Well, Payton and Pritchard just looks like he's demanding a trade.

Well, I wouldn't be surprised because he hasn't gotten on the floor at all. And he's a talented player. He's had moments in the past where when they have played him like last year's playoffs, he's actually was really solid for them. And from what I heard, he's actually pretty, again, I don't know him well, but I've watched him play plenty. he's a pretty solid basketball so I'm sure he wants to go somewhere

where he can get an opportunity that that team is low in their rosters he's going against six man of the year candidates to get minutes it's just not going to happen but good news there's plenty of teams

who are bad and there's plenty of teams that even are good who are maybe need a little help in the guard spot and possibly go somewhere against a minutes and we're talking about a team

that might win the title that's seven deep, eight deep right now so of course that's why I'm saying I don't feel the need to really overreact with Boston too much. Like, you've got good pieces, I like their center,

Mike Williams. I think, you know what it is, too? I think when you lose the way they lost in game seven, first of all, they were down three O, which is, you know, alarming. And then when you lose game seven at home the way they did,

you just always think there's something else going on where maybe this should break up. You know what I mean? That's the only thing I think people overreact. It's the way you lose. Yeah, but the fact that they were down three games at O and were at zero and able to come back.

I can make that a series and impressive enough. I do think if they had, you know, this is where our job was strictly. If they have E-May, do they win? I mean, the guys was the coach for one year, they went to the finals. So it's, yeah, probably. Well, yeah, I mean, they definitely get to the finals. But I don't want to, so I don't want to discredit anything, Joe Zul. I'm not blaming.

I'm not blaming, first up, that the situation Joe was thrown in. It's nuts. Yeah. to be a guy behind the bench and get a coaching job, Hako Riego runs unheard of. To be a guy that people really didn't. I don't know if he was exactly behind the bench. Well, they had Will Hardy.

They lost in jazz. David Stodd and Martin, Kevin Stodderman, I think he's coached Georgia Tech. Nonetheless. You know, I mean, it just hasn't happened. Especially a team like that, we're talking about a big-time basketball franchise coming off with the finals appearance.

They go back to the conference finals. All in all, they got a really good team with a new team. I think you try to keep everything you can together. I think if you have to, you sign Jaylon Brownback, but I think you look at what's out there first. Maybe see if you can get a little better. You know what I mean, something different. Maybe add a little more versatility in certain areas.

More more socks. Whatever the case may be. You know, I don't know what it is. It's a huge risk is this is Jason Tatum's prong that you're playing with. Yeah. You make the wrong move then. Well, they have really good role players that are already locked. Like Derek White, Malcolm Brogden, Marcus Smart.

Grant Williams, Robert Williams. Well, Grant Williams is not part of another team. Yeah, Grant will be there. But you have Robert Williams. They have good, they got really good role players. So that's good. They just need, you know, maybe Jay, you know, again, like I said, I think you have to look at Jaylin. You look at the two.

One's got a, if one's going to go, it's going to be Jayden. That's the unfortunate part about it. I know he's been frustrated and seen some of the interviews this year when he says stuff. It's just like, bro, the other guy is Jason tape. Yeah. You know what I mean? He's not going to me. So it's just like, you know, I think you take a look at it.

So back to our original point, Tyler Hero. It's no question. If Tyler can play, I'm bringing them back. They need help. And I know his trainer, Drew Hanlon, he posted that he was in Denver. So I'm thinking that there's going to be a comeback here soon. Yeah, I would imagine, especially if they lose game two, it really frees up. Like if Miami wins last night, they probably don't bring them back right away.

Because they're like, yeah, we got a train that's kind of rolling right now. And, you know, I mean, we just don't even want to mess everything up. We compared it last night to the Jamir Nelson coming back for the magic in 2009. When Ray for Austin was kind of holding down to Anthony Johnson, they kind of had like their own little thing. Again, Jamir's a better player. It's not about Tyler Hill's a better player than Duncan. He's a better player than Matt's troops. He's a better player than Martin.

Yeah. Jamir Nelson was an all-star now year. Jamir Nelson was a better player than Ray for Austin. It's just like in a moment, a team can hit a stride in like a... If you're trying to figure out how to work this all-star back into the race. It's not a small feat. It's not just adding like a little role player. Tyler's a guy that shoots 15, 60, and shot the game.

So, like, it's hard to throw something like that back in, or in your case, and we're talking about Jamir Nelson, who's a starting point guard. When you've got something that's rolling and working, it's just hard to do that. Where, like, obviously next year, season starts, Tyler's back Starver. It's unanimous. He's better than those guys. Of course. Just like right now, they got things going.

And like I said, a lot of these guys are flying out of their minds. And I don't mean that in a disrespectful way. but I played against these guys enough to know. If you think these guys are going to keep scoring. If you're an 18 in the finals, people are out playing. But they've already done their thing, bro. Like what Gabe Benson and what Strauss and what Martin, what these guys have already done,

has been impressive. I'm not putting Dunkin in there because he makes $90 million. But the other guys have already exceeded their expectations or their job per se. I mean, they have especially, I mean, all of them really, but Martin and Vincent, I think those two above. You know, the Shrews has played well, but he hasn't played as well as, he hasn't played nearly as well as. That game yesterday, though, him starting off the game

missing those open looks was pretty deflating, I thought. They were really open luck. Yeah. Sometimes those are the hardest ones to shoot. People think, like, watching the game, like when you watch a guy who's wide open, like, he's wide open. Those are the hardest ones. It is easier when you're a shooter and you catch and someone's closing out to you

to, like, quickly not even think in a second to let that ball fly, you usually have someone lining up the rims, the man between you and a basket, or you see someone coming at you, you could literally just let that ball fly and have a clean shot for the basket. Where when you're wide open, it feels like you're on an island by yourself.

The whole arena's looking at you, and there's an expectation that you have to make it because you're open. He has to make this shot. So you get it, and you're sitting there like, a lot of times the guys will, I even saw like Duncan do it a couple times. They'll catch it,

they'll take a dribble. they're already doing too much. Yeah, Duncan taking that dribble, I know exactly what you're talking about. Take a dribble, like try to get it like, bro, or like catching the think. Like, it makes it like your rhythm's different. It's much easier when it's quick, quick, boom, boom. You're like just not. Less thinking.

No thinking at all. Letting that ball fly. When you're catching your wide open, you're like, holy shit, I got to make this shit. It's a little harder. So I think you got a couple of those early. And when you miss them, it can fuck with your confidence. Right. So I think you saw a little bit of that last night.

But again, every time Max or Martin or Duncan, any of these guys had their back against their wall, Jimmy, they've answered the bell. So it's hard for me to count out the heat. I do think Denver's going to win this series in five or six games. But, I mean, last night was a bad shooting performance. I wouldn't be surprised. They don't play until Sunday, man. These guys are going to get to gym again today, get to the shot. They're going to get the gym again tomorrow.

I would not be surprised Sunday comes along and they have a better shooting performance. I don't think Dr. Robinson is going to be shooting off the glass or anything like that. These guys are knock down shooters. Max has hit big shots all playoffs. Gabe Benson has hit big shots all playoffs. Martin has hit huge shots all playoffs. I think after game seven, we all did the same thing.

I think we looked up Caleb Martin's contract to see if he was going to be a free agent the summer or not after the way he's been playing. Is he? No, he signed a three year 20. So he's, yeah. So it's tough. If he was a free agent in the summer, six and a half million is a lot of money. No, no, I'm just saying.

But he was free agent. We're talking 20 million. It's crazy. We're talking like a four-year 80 million. Instead of the Jordan pool, Austin, Roos, we were talking about Caleb Martin, Austin Reeves. That would be the clip we would have right now. Oh, my God.

Yeah, he'd probably get about 80 million. It's just tough. Timing on that free agency stuff and stuff. Timing everything. Yeah. With everything. Yeah. I mean, yeah, that's just, but anyways, yeah, I'm conflicted in this because

every time they've had their back to the wall, they've answered. These guys continually play well and put people wrong. And then in the other note, you're like, we understand these guys are playing well, but like, we know, again, these guys are good players, but like some of these performances are a little out of body. Some of these performances are a little out of body. Yeah.

Okay. I only say this because we've seen it. Yeah. Them play a thousand times. You've never seen them do anything. Yeah. So you're like, this opportunity, the adrenaline, the moment, the confidence is high, they're playing well.

Now yesterday they have a. performance like that, you see if they bounce back again in the finals level. I'd be very impressed if they come back in game two, but they have big games. Well, on this playoff run, the heat haven't lost the game one again. So this is their first time losing game one. Exactly. They stole it. They immediately make it a series.

You steal game one and it changes everything. People don't understand, especially if you're a favorite. You lose game one and, you know, things get a little tighter on you. You know what I mean? Like people start thinking like, oh shit, you came in here and stole. Now we have to win game two. This is our first time seeing them essentially just down in a sense. serious. Yeah, yeah. From the get.

I mean, first play the game, Jamal goes body to body, layup, starts talking. I was like, oh, you could just, the energy in that arena, they were waiting for this team to get in there. What's not Denver home crowd like? It's good. It's not crazy. Most of it's a hockey town. You know, you got to think Colorado,

people in Denver, a lot of outdoors, a lot of outdoors people, a lot of people, you know, involved in nature backpacking and hiking, skiing, you know, all that stuff. Hockey It's definitely the premier sport there, followed probably by, you know, Broncos football. Yeah. But, you know, like everything in life, trends, tides change.

They have the best playing the NBA in the team right now. I think the city's, like, gotten behind that. You can see it right now. And they're going to ride this way. I mean, this is the first time you've ever been in the championship. This would be the first championship they've ever won that they do win, which I do think they will. And I do think that's going to cause, like, I mean, it's going to be a circus every way. Yeah.

You know what I mean? You got a bunch of drunk white people out there. break was going nuts bigger hero in denver john elway or nicol yokech if they win because it's the first one ever ever won before before john oway i don't think so i don't know anything about football i wouldn't know what they'd say it's hard to say anybody's over john elway right yeah but i think mcgneux headed that way yeah he's a superstar he's probably going to go down as one of the greatest He's already lead frog Carmelo into the whole Denver rankings for sure. Well, yeah, just for what he's done.

It's a 2,000 BP. You know, Mellow was great. He was a star. He was a star, but he wasn't a superstar, but he wasn't an MVP. Yeah. This guy's already won it twice and probably could have shit of won this year. They have to just run, everyone saying, like, this guy's a best player. Joel's a great player, but this guy's the best player.

So, yeah, who knows? Maybe they'll have some restaurants, Nikolize. They got Elways. You've been an Elway's steakhouse. He's an Elway's steakhouse all throughout Denver. He's the man of this. He's the best of us. But who knows?

You can be headed that way. So what are the biggest adjustments you think the heat should make for game too? Well, some of them are like very just point blank. I mean, like, some of them are shots at the fall. They got good looks. Max missed open shots. Caleb missed some open shots. Duncan missed open shots.

These guys got good looks. They got to make some shots. They got to be excited about the looks they got. That's what I'm saying. You go back and you cut up this film and you look at your shot selection and you think, okay, if I maxed through something, I'm thinking, if I get these same shots in the next game, I'm knocking these things now. Yeah. There's no way I'm going on for 10 again. Right.

And there isn't. I mean, he's too good of a player. He shoots the ball too well. Same with Duncan. Again, gave bits and play well. Martin's troops have to play well. If you're starting, they're not playing 10 minutes off the bench. So they're not getting, this is what we talked about.

You don't have role player expectations anymore. Yeah. Because now they're starting an NBA finals. You guys combined for three points. Now that we've seen what you did in game seven for Boston, we've seen this, the expectations get higher. We talked about this when we brought up the whole Jordan Poole-Reeves thing. The biggest difference there is Rees had zero expectations coming in the season.

And this took a lot of people by surprise. And now this is like this guy who's cheer for. We're like, Jordan Poole is coming off with finals experience, a championship. signed $130 million. People expect him to drop 20 a game off the bench. Different expectations, different leagues. This is what's happening right now.

Again, we don't have new contracts for these guys. But essentially, you have a bunch of players who have been role players their entire life, still role players, but are now in a bigger role within that role player. We all see another star of Jimmy and Bam. But now you have role players who are playing 10, 15 minutes, four or five shots.

Now you're starting, and we need you to put up double figures in that. It's a different expectation. it's a different pressure. So again, I look forward to the bounce back. I think he's for game two. Jimmy's got to be dominant. He had 13.

And I wanted to ask you about Jimmy. He hasn't been, he started off the playoffs hot. No, he started off on fire. He's cooled off and been able to really just kind of win games off the will of some of his. And he's made timely vass. He's made very timely vascular throughout the playoffs. No free throw attempts, though, for him. That's tough for game.

I just need him to be more aggressive on offense. He has to be more aggressive. 13 points my god yeah if they have any shot of winning this versus denver he he's got average at least 26 27 he's got to have one of those games where he busts out for 40 he's got a dominant game he's got a game he's got a game he needs a jimmy game yeah he needs a jimmy bucket's game himmy bucket was himmy but the himmy buckets i think he got the trade mark he's he's got all the type of stuff shout out the big face coffee um still waiting for my hat my shirt when i can get that yeah i'm one of my one too i do like the branding i thought

I saw the hat. Well, you deserve it more than me. You're like an actually coffee guy. I don't even drink coffee. Yeah, I know, but I think you're, you don't drink any coffee. I feel like if I wore his big face coffee stuff, it would be like, I'm that kid in LA walking around with a metallic shirt and some like dunks. And I don't know a metallic song.

Right. You know that trend when everybody's wearing like vintage. Of course. The pink Floyd was the number one. Pink Floyd. I never even. I thought that was a barbecue. So you've never worn a shirt.

Loids was a barbecue spot. You never wore a shirt where you didn't know anything about maybe the band. or whatever you're wearing? No. I wore a E.T. shirt the other day, and people had the audacity question of the season. Yeah. I only wear what I know. I'm not that guy that, like, puts on something for a trend, or I think the only vintage tea I've ever gotten my fiance got me and a little shirt. Oh, that's cool. And I love it. We all do. So, make sure you rest of a piece of that. I went into that old school stuff. with it. I'm not knowledgeable

like you. But you would wear, you would wear a, I am an old barge tea. Big fan. Big fan. Jerry curls all, Jerry curls all over the tea. Got some like, that'd be a fire tea. I'd wear something like that. I'd wear like an hour of green. I like soul music in that type of era music. Yeah.

Like, like, but like, well, last night when we were rock and roll. Like, I don't know. I don't, I know Nirvana and Queen and that's about it. And why do you know Queen because of the movie? Bohemian Rhapsody. I didn't even know anyone in By the desk.

I had no idea they sung. Half the songs I heard I knew, I didn't know it was Queen. Yeah. So, I mean, I knew of their songs, obviously, but I never heard of the song Bohemian Rhapsody. Yeah. Until the movie. Oh, for me, it would be maybe a karaoke,

maybe top five karaoke. Yeah, see, like, I wasn't knowledgeable at all. When I saw that movie, I was like, yeah, this song was really good. Oh, it's in the beginning of the best songs all the time. It's also in Wayne's World, too. I don't know if you ever saw Wayne's World. Those guys are drumming and doing all this.

That's what Michael Martin. Before your time, this is when you're 30 and I'm 36. There's a little bit of a gap thing. What I go through with my girl is what me and you are going through right now. Make sure people take that to the thing right now. Yeah, maybe clean that one up. No, for sure. But I do listen to the older stuff.

No, you, I call it real music. But every now and then, like the other day you and me were out, and I heard like a, I think it was a little baby song and I asked you. And we were out and I had to ask you, like, No, no, you did it so sly. You go, you go, the way you did it, the song's on, and we're at a bar, you know, catching a vibe. And everyone's singing this song. Everyone's singing it, yeah.

And you go, it's a song new or old. I was like, it's pretty old. It came out like five, six years ago. Did you even write it down? Well, no, I wrote it in my notes, but that's way better than me shazimming it and holding it up to the ceiling. I was going to shazam it. I'm that guy with no shame. You would just shazam it in a bar?

Oh, I'll pull it out. I don't get it down. thing I'll try to track them over here. You want to just shazam at a bar. It's automatic repellent. Gone. No one's even looking at it. Who's the guy shazamming in the corner with the gray beard?

Oh, man. All right. So one final prediction before we close the finalist conversation. I know you got Nuggets winning it. Are they going to, is it a sweep? How miserable is this, too? You've been talking about the finals for like 20 minutes. I got to talk about 40 minutes.

I've been talking about a team that I used to play for. 365. Does it really bother? Let's get it out of the office. It absolutely bothers me. You have been, I can feel it on the, if you're talking, you just want to say. It bothers me that they're in the finals. Yes.

It bothers me that I didn't get to play with Jamal. It bothers me that like everyone now is like, oh, they have this complete roster. No, they fucking don't. They have seven guys that they play. They don't even play a full roster. They're not even playing a full team right now. I hate to see you bitter like this. No, I'm bitter.

I'm bitter. I'm salty. I am all that in between. I don't like, no reason I'm happy is because I'm good friends with Aaron Gordon. and go to Michael Ford Jr. And I'm happy that they're in the finals. Yeah. But you're salty.

That's where it is. Huh? Yeah. No, I totally get it. I just know you wanted to say it. I don't know. I mean, it's something that's definitely bothering you.

And you played him in the first round. I have to have been tough. Not only was it tough. Not only was it tough. I want you to think about this. I went from playing 20 minutes a game on the Denver nights to not playing a minute. Yeah.

In the first couple of games, and then losing. losing person around. No, it's been a, it's been a bump of your eye the last, the last couple, uh, two months through two. Yeah. And I've had Hummel Pie before, my God. This is a full serving. I had a full serving in the past, you know, which is, hey, man, listen, you live and you learn. But yeah, no, am I genuinely like really actually mad, mad, no, man, like, I'm happy for the guys. But yeah, is there a part of me that's a little selfie about this situation? I'm looking on the TV screen and seeing these guys host

trophies and stuff pretty soon. I don't know. There's a part of me as a competitor that in an ego standpoint where I'm just like, no. Yeah. Well, that's why, I mean, that's why you're in the NBA, right? No one likes to see their ex doing better than they are right after the breakup.

Right after, by the way. This is immediate. Like, you left campus and they were like, all right, you guys, Jamal, you're healthy? Like, let's do that. Right when I left, Jamal comes back and it's a spring chick. And when I'm there, the guy's hobbling around. I couldn't even get Jamal in court.

Once this guy leaves, this guy's out here making fade away, he's having 30-point games, holding his hands up, fucking beating everybody. I'm looking at this team. We're playing the playoffs, and I'm like,

you've got to be kidding. That's like you had a party, and when you left a little early, and it's like, the next day someone's like, dude, right after you left. All the pretty girls showed up.

That's what happened. I left the party early, and all the pretty girls showed up, and then it became like a night to remember, and I was in a party. This is what I'm going to do right now. It's not okay. We're just going to truck through it.

What you should do is look into coaching because Monty Williams just signed six-year, 72 million. And I think you can get to $100 million with incentives. What were your thoughts when you saw on that? Well, first off, I love the deal because it's just heading in the direction of coaches getting there. They're just due. Because they have more than playing the player. They really do. Some people say coaching is overrated.

Deals like this make it seem like maybe it's underrated. I think coaches can be overrated depending on the situation. a team like Detroit, it's not going to be anything over here. He's got his hands. You've got a young group, a young team, a young core, an identity, a culture that has not been built yet that you have to build. That's a lot on your point. That's not, that's, like what Eme has ahead of him in Houston, what Mani has in Detroit. Well, my father had here in Orlando.

Yeah. Like, when you're building a culture, man, like, bro, that's, that's no joke. You said last week you wanted to see, like, your father, for example, take a job like Detroit because you want to have to, get back to coach what what moni deal has right now is what i would like to see for my father yes i think he's better off in a situation like that go get paid a shit to the money and go use your knowledge and your experience to help young players know how to play the game the right way and build a coach and identity good habits good fundamentals which are lost in a lot of these bad young teams i think moni's perfect for it and everyone knows what type of coach

my father especially the type of coach i think he fits that people don't think that because he's been on these championship or bus teams for the past like that however many years. But I've seen what that's led to, the stress, the chaos. It'd be nice for him to get in a different situation like money. And I'm happy the money is reflecting the significance of their job. Do I think on some of these top, top tier teams, coaches are a little bit, they're very important, but they're a little bit more. But when you have like eight or nine really good pros on a team or like an MVP or this, this and that, listen, you're doing a lot, but a lot of it is sitting back and you're watching great. I don't think anybody's teaching

Nicola how to do a post up work. Yeah. It's managing personalities. You're managed personality. I think Mike Malone's telling you. Phil Jackson was unbelievable. How to do the left or right hook. You're throwing the ball to Yokers pretty much. You run some actions. I'm more impressed with Tim Connley putting the team together, if any.

Yeah. Finding Aaron Gordon, I'll give Calvin credit. He wouldn't got KCP and Bruce Brown. He's been really solid. credit but yeah that's yeah i think it just depends on the george yeah there are different kinds of coaches phil jackson was amazing at managing personalities i don't know how phil jackson would have done with uh like if they picked if you picked up the old name of magic right now

no he'd be like what the hell is this right you know i mean this guy's used to michael and scotty running the triangle cobi and shack and all these guys vets robert hoary derrick fisher uh yeah steve curr tony cooat this guy ronan harper Men. By the way, I'm not, I'm not like, I'm not trying to come out for Joe Jackson saying he couldn't coach. Yeah, no, no. I'm not saying we could. He just, did you see in the last dance?

He's like, oh, Dennis Romer was crazy. And I read this book on Native Americans and did this and that, connected with him. I was just like, okay, this guy is just, he knows how to tap into different personalities. Yeah. Yeah. And there are some guys that are like, maybe at Brad Stevens when the Celtics teams were trying to rebuild after your dad left. He's good with. Well, and I'll, and I also say he tapped into a personality because he's one of the better players in the team.

I don't think he was reading a book on how to connect with Steve Kerr. Yeah. You know what I mean? And obviously, Steve Kerr has gone on to do great things after basketball. And obviously, he's a champion in why he played. But Dennis Robbins is like a Hall of Fame or basketball. Right. Or Steve Kerr's a Hall of Fame coach.

Coach. So just two different things. I think you put in time when you spoke. Yeah. I always said that about Coach Kay. You're going to go to Duke. Be the first or second option. Maybe the third.

After that, I don't know how we're going to be there for four years and you're going to have to enjoy your rock. And it's going to be tough because every season you come back, you're going to have some studs coming in. And that's just what's going to be catered to. When you're talking about dudes, there's always like four mid-dolls of Americans that go. Two of them go straight to the NBA after the next year and two of them transfer. It's always so which two are you going to be? You put, especially when you only have a kid for six months. Yeah.

You're going to cater to the guys that you're supposed to get. It's so in human nature. I mean, you made promises. How else you did you get them out? And that's the only way you get the other ones to come in the next year. Yeah. If I went to Duke and I didn't go one and done, the number one player, the number five player or whatever, behind me, go, yeah, Boston ain't going on one and done there. I don't want to fucking go.

Right. That's why I didn't go to Carolina. Yeah. None of those guys go to one and done. You go to North Carolina and you're there for fucking 12 years. Yeah. Like, bro, like Harrison Barnes was at a high school top five pick, goes there, still had to come back. Right.

I should never even had to play against Harrison top. but when you go to Carolina, again, they make great pros. We're not doing the whole Duke pros versus Carolina pros. We both have great pros. Kentucky has great pros. But we talk about one and done era. Carolina has not been pumping those out. Marvin Williams.

Brandon Wright. The fact that we're going back there is insane. That's my point. And they've had plenty of pros in between. At Davis? Okay. That's one. Your points.

Points about it. Exactly. You go our way. It's silly. Pumping out two or three a year. You know what I mean? I actually talked this man the other day I was golfing, who was giving me this whole spiel about how some of the old timers at Duke

don't like the one in a done age. Man, it's nothing without education. He's giving me this whole spiel. And he's like, well, when I went to college, he went four years. I was like, sir, you went to college for four years to handle talent. You had no choice. Right. Whatever you were aspiring to be.

If there was a one year and done to be a doctor and go to make noons, you would have went for one year to teach. 100% yeah it's just the most ridiculous conversation and i didn't even say this i remember that because uh the elton brand um i think that was 1999 elton brand came out cora mgetty all these guys way maybe they were the first group of uh duke players to leave early no one ever left coach k early and all those guys got a lot of heat for it cora mgetty left after one year back then i was kind of crazy so duke guys didn't leave back then so i could see how the old guys wouldn't like this one and that thing duke's become the one in done school

That's what it is now. Kentucky and Duke are like, that's the school where you go to you want to get one and then. Duke's number one now. Yeah. For sure. Back to Monty Williams.

How would you compare, like, E. Me Udocha, Rockets, Monty Williams, Pistons. Whose future do you like better? Well, right now, Detroit's. Yeah. They got, what pick do they have there to?

Fifth. So you can get a solid player. number five. Well, I'm saying this is a very top-heavy draft. No, for sure. Like the first two picks, three picks who were like life-changing players. And then after that, you don't let know.

Maybe find one. There's always a draft. There's always a couple players that, like, fall back that are going to be, like, talked about before five months ago. We don't know who that is. I'll probably see that very shortly in the Summer League. But you got Cade.

Jaden Ivy? I like Ivy. He needs more. His game needs to be polished. Greek athlete, but he's got a polish his game up. The big man from Memphis, Jalen Durenne. Dernan. I like him. Yeah, he has like Aaron Gordon-esque athleticism in him to where if his body continues to get stronger and boom, maybe he can get like a nice standstill jump shot. Corner three, you start there, build your way out.

And then, but really just pick, roll, Dunker, cleanup, energy guy who's left open, and maybe we rely to knock a shot down here. Like, if he can do that, you got Ivy polishing up his office a skill set. He's a freak athlete, he plays hard. you got Kaye. He's going to come back to healthy. You missed a whole season. You have something there. Houston.

Shinggoon. I know you love Shingoon. Love Shangoon. I like Jambar Smith. Actually, had a good end of the season. Yeah, I like how Javar Smith played at the end of the season.

I like Jalen Green, too. He just needs, they just need structure around. I think they have the good coach for that, though. No, no, this is perfect for him. Why do you think Yedoka picked the Rockets over, waiting to see what else was out there and all he's opening? I can't speak for him on,

paper it looks like the first team that offered him something this guy was like let me grab yeah because he could have waited out and got because if you would have waited Milwaukee there was a lot of names sixers that were coming up that he could have probably snack you know what I mean some good opportunities yeah some of those aren't good they just look good like you want to go coach philly is philly going to win next year do they have a championship roster I told this before my dad took the job oh you would think with the MVP that you have a shot of winning the title man we don't know James coming back or not though. It doesn't matter.

Yeah. Did you see that Philly reporter immediately asked Nick nurses. Do you want James Harder to come back? Like immediately offer him. Didn't answer the question. Yeah. Nick's like, well, Philly media is different.

Yeah. Not in Toronto anymore. We love you. Philly, Philly turn on you the second. Right. But again, Nick Nurse is a great head coach.

I'm sure he's going to, you know, be able to, I'm not saying he's better. Sometimes, you know, it's not even about a coach being better. It's just not being different. Like new life, new blood, it can be needed sometimes.

You know, maybe Doc, his way got to a point where it can become counterproductive. And then you bring in somebody who has a different way of going about something and maybe they can go farther. Doc goes somewhere where his points are, you know what I mean? Like, it fits everything for coaching as well. It's not just a player thing. Coaches got to fit into a coacher as well. I knew as soon as certain players were on that Philly team that his days were probably not.

number. And, you know, we'll leave that at that. You know what? So a couple of days ago, I saw this highlight. It was the 1998 draft, the Vince Carter draft. And your dad was on, he was one of the analysts for it. His voice was completely different. Is that, is that what has was voice voice during your childhood? It was completely different voice. No, people don't understand. I grew up with this like voice, this monster of a voice that you you guys here now is not really what we grew up with that that's what coaching does stress in late hours and not a lot of sleep uh in yelling and yelling and yelling and yelling and yelling and yelling

all day that's right you know what i mean so uh yeah you know i if you go back and look at some of those interviews you're like thrown off by the way he's completely it almost looks like it's fake yeah and then like you'll listen to him now and you're like what happened coach yeah so um Yeah One more thing I want to get into Before I let you go I know you saw Josh Hart recently tweet out Does anyone ever tried their significant other's breast milk?

What a way to end the pot, I love it Because I knew that you got into it Titty milk, some old-fashioned Titty milk, man Nothing better than that Have I tried it before? Well, what did you think about the tweet, first of all? It just looks like he has time right now And he's just like, you know what? I don't really get to fuck

I think also he played well enough with the Knicks to where everyone knows the next is going to bring him back and pay him. So he's a lot of talk about Breastmo. You just go out of here and have some fun a little bit. Yeah. I mean, I also think it's funny when players let their guard down

and like ask questions. That's what I think that's like, you use Twitter the right way. I mean, I've seen people use it the wrong way, right? Like, yeah, like, I'm all for Josh getting out there and,

like being funny and tweeting stuff. Hey, have y'all ever tried and Jalen Brunson casually like comes back and says, CJ McCollum, everyone. See Jim McCollum chimes in like, bro, that's good fun. That's what you want. So this off season,

on social media, get a little loose with it. When the game's done, I mean, like, finals are over. Well, trust me, once I get a deal sign, man,

these lips are going to start to sing. All right, that's a good place to stop. Game two is Sunday. Prediction on game two? You got the heat winning that one? I'm going to go on a limb and say, heat.

I can't do it. I got Denver winning again. I really do, man. I got Denver winning this in five games. I think the heat get won at home. I have never winning again. They haven't lost at home all playoffs. All right, good.

It's a good place to stop. Great chatting with you. Always, man. Today was interesting. We were all over the place, but we had a good time. I hope the listeners enjoy this. A little basketball, a lot of finals talk. Some breast milk.

Some coaching, some other things. Some office references. Some office references. Which, by the way, if you did trivia for any TV show, you think office you'd be the best at? I know I'd be the best at that. I don't think anybody can beat me in the office trip, except I'm like 90's watched it like 3,000 times.

But I've seen each episode at least 15 to 20 times. Like you watched the office the way Joe Muzula watches the town. Sure. I actually watched the town like two nights ago. Just because, inspired? No, it had nothing. No, there's no Joe Muzula inspo. He's the trend center.

He's the trend center of the fall. Yeah, I saw the TV and my fiance. you've seen it. It's like, he doesn't a pound. So she fell asleep for 20. That's cool. So, yeah, anyways, I appreciate you coming through. I appreciate the pod.

Another, another episode. And we're going to have some guests next week. I'm working on a couple guys right now. It's going to be fun. We've got a surprise guest. We'll leave it at that. And I think the audience would definitely be excited for next week's guest. And we're about to go do some

we're going to go shoot right now, right? we are we're going to get in the lab get some shots up you know i i start workouts next week it's about that time of year where i start kind of getting really back into it um so i'm excited to get back in the lab let's get it peace