The Ringer NBA Show - KD Gets Beat Up, Jayson Tatum Snatches the Torch, and the West Is Wide Open | The Real Ones

Episode Date: April 26, 2022

Raja and Logan start the pod by reacting to the Nets getting swept by the Celtics in the first round of the NBA playoffs. They discuss Boston's stifling defense against Kevin Durant and debate whether or not Brooklyn can make some noise next season with Kyrie Irving and Ben Simmons. Next they talk about Jayson Tatum's stellar performance throughout the series and speculate and if he can carry his team all the way to a championship.(23:10) After the break they analyze and make their predictions for other first-round playoff matchups (51:20), give the Pelicans their flowers, and the Ringer's own Jomi Adeniran joins the crew to close out the pod with his segment 'Watch the Pack'.(57:48) Hosts: Raja Bell and Logan Murdock Producer: Sasha Ashall Production Assistance: Chris Sutton Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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Logan Murdoch here, Roger Bell there. Roger, we got the Joe Scott playing. We got the Bodu's popping. It's just like this real quiet storm energy right now. And we got Pac-watching a little bit with Jemmy. But we're just going to talk. We're going to talk about the Brooklyn. Brooklyn Nets for the last time this season, sir.

Are you ready to lock in? Yeah, with heavy hearts, though. Like, just, I know they were the gift that kept on giving in terms of drama and the dog days of the NBA season. They just kept providing material, and we were grateful for that. But all jokes aside, a lot of love,

a lot of friends of the show in Brooklyn. And you would have liked for them to have gone out with a little bit more of a valiant effort. Is that fair? Yeah. Over the weekend, you know, we were doing the prepot texting. And I think I just want to get right into.

it. The Brooklyn Nets got swept by the Boston Celtics, title contender Boston Celtics. Jason Tatum led Boston Celtics. But one of the biggest things that we were just perplexed about. Is perplexed the right word, Roger? I think perplexed. I think, yep, I think it sums it up. We were very perplexed by the effort or a lack of effort by the Brooklyn Nets throughout this series. In particular, I'll just go out and say it, one Kevin Durant, right? And we'll get to, There's a lot of other things that we're going to talk about through this. But let's start with this, because this is something that we kind of held back on on previous episodes just to kind of like, you know, just see what happens.

But I do want to be fair. He did, he did ball out in this game for, did give them a chance, to give the Nets a chance to win in the final stretch of the game. But throughout the series, it just seemed like something was off, Rob. He was bad, Logan. Yeah. I'm a Kevin Durant fan. I respect his game.

I respect the way he approaches the level of competition that he faces from night to night and the responsibility that is his when he's on a team like that. And I'm not taking anything away from his brilliance. But in this particular series, he was bad. Yeah. It was funny because, you know, you were in the league when this happened. Remember I always think about 2010, Kevin Durant's first playoff run with the Oklahoma City Thunder. And back he was a 20-something young guy.

When he goes up against the Lakers in the first round, and Lakers just put Ron our test on him, just beat him up, you know? And it really exposed at that time the lack of strength that Kevin had, right? He was a great score, great player. But if you could body him up, body him up, you had a chance to beat him,

a really good chance to beat him. And it's funny because ever since that series, you know, he's bulked up, he's become one of the greatest players of all time. But in this series, it was the first time since that series in 2010, where I saw him just get beat up, get pushed off of his spots, where multiple guys going out of him, and it affected him.

What did you see from the defense of Boston that might have been different from other looks that he's seen? I think he's seen a lot of looks, but what was it about the Celtics defense that really got under his skin? I haven't broken down every series that Kevin Durant's played in in the playoffs. So I'm sure there are other teams that have employed the strategy that Brooklyn did in terms of touching him up. And when I say touching him up, I mean given any opportunity to put a body on him, they did that. They didn't care if they put him on the free throw line. They just, they subscribe to the theory that the cumulative effect of all the touches and all the hits and all the flops, even from defenders that were playing defense on him, you know, when he's trying to get.

get open. They're banging into him and flopping. The cumulative effect of that would take its toll on him, and it did. Now, where I think they were uniquely positioned to do that is that they had length, they had strength, and they had youth at their beck and call. They had a bunch of guys that you could put on Kevin Durant at any given time and could match to some degree his length. There were probably quicker and stronger than him at this point in his career, and they were giving him fit. And I said this. I said if the refs allow them to push him around, they're not going to stand the chance in this series.

Like, this is going to be ugly. And the refs never really changed their tone until tonight a little bit. Right? But it was always going to be a physical series. That was just the way that it was going to be. And so Kevin Durant after game one, and I was texting you. He reminded me of something that was the board of play for the New York Jets.

he was a Southern Cal quarterback. He played for the U.S. Sanchez. No, no, another one. Yes, but no. He got traded to Charlotte. Why can't I call his name? He got traded to the Carolina Panthers.

Sam Darnel. When Sam Darnel came out in the media and said he was seeing ghost, Kevin Durant was seeing ghost. Kevin Durant was seeing traffic and bodies that weren't there at times. Like uncharacteristically, right? Like he was coming down, having opportunities, and looking really uncertain about whether or not he was going to see a double or if there was going to be someone there. And usually Kevin Durant doesn't give two shits about that. Yeah. But he just looked

confused and they did a good job. I think one of the biggest things, and I think this is something that we talked about all season was you got two stars, or you got three stars to start the season. One of those stars goes out, Kyrie Irving. We already talked about it. We don't have to say why. He goes out. And then you have a major trade in James Hardin. And then you have just injuries and COVID killing the team. The bigger point that I'm really just trying to make, Raja, is there was no continuity throughout this season on the roster. There was no rhythm being made,

and you know playing in the league as much as you have. This is a rhythm-based game. You need to have a rhythm. It doesn't matter what type of team you are, how much talents you have. And you see this a lot throughout. We've seen this the last couple of years, especially as teams get older and franchise stars get old.

I would say LeBron is another example of this where the Lakers, when we see them and it's like, hey, man, when they get all their pieces, they're a championship contender. But there's a point in time where it don't matter. It doesn't matter when guys come into the fold if you are not in rhythm all season long. And I think you saw that during the backstretched this season into the postseason, where, yeah, he's seeing ghosts. Not to say he doesn't trust his teammates to make plays, but like when you have been, don't know who's going to play on any given night, it's hard to find a rhythm like that.

It's hard to do this. I think what I'm trying to ask is that a team that can do anything next season, if they have a full summer, if they have the right pieces in place, if they do make some moves, can they do that? Knowing that they'll have a rhythm in place and knowing that they'll, you know,

they'll have the camaraderie of a training camp without all these distractions, God willing. Yes, the answer to that is yes. If you were to have a healthy KD, Kyrie, and a healthy both physically and mentally, Ben Simmons, you know, we discount and forget all the time that Joe Harris, who was an integral part of what they do, both offensively and defensively,

he was out almost the whole year. I'm sure you won't be keeping the Blake Griffins and the Lamarcus Aldriches and some of that. There are some pieces, Linda Claxton you want to hang on to, Bruce Brown, you want to hang on to Seth and Patty, but there are pieces that you want to hang on to, but you've got to tinker around the edges, but the long answer to your short question is yes,

they can definitely be in the mix next year. But what they did this year, and I listened to an interview this morning on my way to drop him, my son off at school, Ron Rothstein, I used to go to basketball camp when I was like 12 years old. And Ron Rothstein, Tony Furentino, all these old Miami Heat Heads would be there,

you know, as your guest speakers. But Ron hopped on the radio this morning locally in Miami, and he said they cheated the game. And that rang true with me. They cheated the game. It would have flown in the face of everything that I know to be true about the NBA if the basketball gods had smiled on them and allowed them to win a championship. And they didn't.

And I told you this. I think I shared this before. I said to Steve, I shot him a text. I think once they got the whole James Hardin's situation straightened out, they had been, said, hey, let's go get this shit done, buddy. Something to that effect. Like, yo, let's get this. And he even said to me, I don't know that the basketball gods at this point.

will allow us to get it done. Even he felt like that. Because, you know, when you've played as much and you've been in that grind for over a decade, you know you don't cheat the game as much as they did this year and usually be blessed with the opportunity to win, and they weren't. It's so funny because we had talked about the basketball guys a couple podcasts to go wrong.

It's very interesting when you see the teams that end up making it and winning titles or even just the teams that are respected, right? I think about your teams, the 06-07 run of the Sons. And even the 2010 Sons, one of my favorite teams to go back and look at, right? The 2011 Mavericks, you know, those types of teams where they feel like a team. Honestly, and I got a chance to see the Nets, you know, a few weeks back, didn't seem like a team. It seemed like a group of guys, probably a group of guys that liked each other. I do think that.

I would say the group of guys that did like and respect each other, I will say that. But just felt a little off, felt like they were about a month out of that trade. You were still seeing the remnants of that. And also the uncertainty if, you know, Kyrie is ever going to come back to playing home games, right? And it was just very interesting. Now, there's the Kyrie element to this. And it's interesting when I listen to Kyrie post game and during interviews, and even interviews when I talk to him. He says all the right things like he's in it and he's doing all these things and I'm with the team.

And he said post game that him and he's going to sign the extension and him and the front office and Kevin are all they're going to figure this out together. I can't help but wonder that no, man, like you have to be reliable, right? Where does Kyrie fit in all this? Because, yeah, somewhat of his talent and accomplishments and his skill level should be in the conversation of, hey, let's figure this thing out. But then you look at his resume. He hasn't played many games for this organization. He has sat out games, has not been in that locker room for reasons he can control. Where does he go?

And where do the Nets go with him in this scenario? We'll just say that he's going to be back because. because Kevin said he would be back and he's going to be there. But where does this go forward? I imagine that if you're Brooklyn, you want to give this the opportunity to be what you thought it could be. And you have a built-in excuse for why it wasn't. And whether you or I or anyone else thinks that what Kyrie did was a selfish decision

and put his team in a position where they ultimately were fighting an uphill battle, that's besides the point. If they want the out, they have it. They have it to say, hey, we didn't give this the best shot. We don't know what we could be. Like, they have that out. And I imagine they'll take it with Kyrie. He's too good of a player.

Again, there is opportunity for them to have a full training camp and really do what they need to do in terms of bonding. But here's the deal. And what this all comes down to, Logan, for me is trust. Trust is a very, you know, interesting thing. like it takes a lot to get it and it doesn't take a whole lot to fucking lose it right and you know if i were someone in that organization i don't know that i would trust that kairi would have our best interest at heart even if that's what he said because i have a i have a track record i have

examples of things being said by him you know i.e in boston and them not necessarily come into fruition, right? So like I think at this point, I would say that Kyrie is going to probably do what Kyrie wants to do whenever, whatever that means, you know, in whatever situation he's going to do what's best for him. I'm not knocking it. I'm just saying that's what I would have to approach a situation looking at it like. And it would be a really hard thing for me because I need people that are invested. I need to trust that you're going to be here. I need to trust that you're going to have, you know, the same level of sacrifice built into this endeavor that everyone else. does and I don't believe that.

It's interesting, right? Because do you give him, there's a full max extension that he can get? He also has a player option, right? Like, I don't envy anybody in that Nets front office, bro. No. I guess I'll just go from there because I just, I, there's, it's so complicated because you see his track record this season when it's funny. James Hardin would still be on the team if Kyrie does what he needs to do, right?

Yeah. We'd probably be having a whole different discussion right now. they probably wouldn't be an eighth seed right now. No, they wouldn't be an eighth seed. I mean, I know what crazy is this sounds. I'm not taking anything away from Boston, but if you had given me James Hard and Kyrie and Kevin Durant, we're having another conversation.

Not only at full strength, but they're all locked in. It's not even a question. They're going to the finals. And so it's just interesting when you kind of hear Kyrie talk of the we, we of it all when he hasn't been there. He just hasn't like that's unequivocally he hasn't been there and that's got to be frustrating for people in that and there and I'm just being I just I don't I don't know listen I've been on this position all year. I won't change now. I believe him to be a brilliant basketball player. He can do things with a basketball. I sat in practices watching this man in my sweater and khakis like what the hell is that? I've never seen anyone do that like this is incredible. So. I'd be there early in practice just so I could watch more of it, right? Like, this is crazy.

This is bananas. I went to, both times I got to see Kyrie this season. I saw him twice. Got there three hours early because I could see him, the man warm up. Yeah, absolutely. So I could see him warm up. I used to watch him and Phil Handy every morning warm up because I wanted to see. I just, I got to see what this is, right?

Shout out Phil Handy, Oakland legend. Absolutely. I can also attest to the human being he is in terms of what he was for my kids, who he is as a philanthropist, like how he attacks, you know, social justice issues and things that really mean something to him with an open heart and open arms. And he's trying to make change. I can do all of that and still say that I believe the decision that he made this year as it pertained to putting his team and his teammates in the best position to win a championship was a selfish decision. And that will always be something that I have to flash back to and revert to when it's time to make a decision in regards to this team. That's why it's hard for him to say, like, to take on this leadership role and to take on his, that's why his comments are always run flat to me because you could have been there.

There could have been a real partnership there. And I agree with you with all this social justice thing. I agree with you. But all that stuff off the court, I agree with you. But at the same token, all your words ring hollow when you're like, yo, me and Kev got to figure it out. I mean, man, no, it doesn't. And you are a brilliant basketball player. We saw that in game one.

Me and you are texting game one like, dude, this dude is different. And I think that makes it all the more frustrating. There's more that we need to talk about just for the Nets, man. I want to get it, I want to get your perspective because over the weekend, there were some reports that came out talking about Ben Simmons and talking about Simmons potentially coming back for game four. right and you know there was a report that comes I think on the eve I think it was I don't know when it was a couple days ago or it was right before this game that he's not going to play right and that incited a lot of reaction Reggie Miller is out here going ham telling him hashtag man up Chuck bro Reggie Miller who is like a very nice guy Redsy Miller who is like a steward of the game right just like loves everyone. I see Reggie Miller

in traffic. He is one of the nicest humans ever, right? It takes a lot to get him piss. And he's like, yo, man up to Ben Simmons. Charles Barkley is mad. Stephen A. Smith, when he got the news, was incensed. First

of all, just quick side note. Saw Stephen A on Countdown after he got the news from Woj. And Stephen A, I just want to say, is carrying that network on his back. and you see why, right? He was very eloquent with his disdain of Ben Simmons. He got stats.

He was just talking about how he just gave money. He just didn't get, he did not earn the money this season. He talking about the grievance with Philly. It was a very eloquent diatribe, Stephen A, talking about his disdain for Ben Simmons. It was a lot going on. but the biggest thing that I just get taken away from this and going into the next season and we talk about reliability

I don't even know if that's a word but we talk about being reliable sure can we trust no no Ben Simmons can we trust him you cannot that's a simple no I mean that's I'm glad you said it because I was going to use the word again the same word and that that is oh my God I have to imagine

I I'm trying to put myself in that front office group without actually being there Without being in there or having any, yeah, like I'm not talking to Sean Marks like that, but, you know, there's some things that are relatively cut and dry. Okay, we need wing defending and three point shooting. X, Y, and Z doesn't represent that. We're going to go out and we're going to attack it and we're going to get it. Here, give me the trade options and salaries that would match and give me possible scenarios to be able to acquire this. That's pretty cut and dry, even though it sounds really convoluted.

Like, you know what you're getting. trust, reliability, words like that, when you're throwing them around with part of your big three or two out of the three of your big three, oh, that's got to be a shit show. Oh, that's got to be, those are sleepless nights for one Sean Marks and company. Fam, I think we talked about this around the trade.

And I'm going to be honest with you, we'll get to this in a second. I don't think anybody won the trade. I don't think no one won it. I really don't. I think it's going to bear out that it's one of those rare trades that was high profile at no-one-one. We'll talk about the sixth.

Everyone loses. Everyone-fucking loses, bro. Everyone loses, dog. You feel me? Like, Meek-Mille losing some kind of way. Everybody loses. Jay-Z lost. It's just sick.

Mary J. Korside lost. Everybody lost. Oh, my gosh. Oh, man. But particularly going to the next season, listen, and I just want, we have to get the disclaimer around. I really truly believe, like, If you got the mental health stuff, get that figured out, all that stuff, man, all that.

Get that out. You know, I want to make sure you make sure you figure that out, Ben. I hope you figured out out what's your journey, man. That shit is real. However, we always talk about track record. A guy has not been on the, on an, he's been on an active roster, has not played all season. And then you go into next season, you don't know where he's going to be. You don't know where he's going to be with his injuries.

you don't know where his headspace is going to be. And that's just Ben Simmons. And on the other hand, the only reliable thing we have is Kevin Durant, who's going into his 16th season. And it's showing. Right. And he wasn't the most reliable physically in these playoffs.

I think he's going to be fine. But you know what bothers me a little bit about that? And I want to be careful because I'm with you 1,000% on the mental health situation. But he's even been untrustworthy. I think in really truly divulging what's going on, right? Because sometimes you hear mental health, sometimes you hear back. Because even something that came out today that was talking about,

they were meeting about his mental health. We just, we don't know. You don't know. It's really murky. And he doesn't owe us that like in the grand scheme of things. But like also he owes the people around him an explanation. So I hope that he gave him that. Well, Logan, no, he doesn't owe us anything.

But certainly when you're getting information coming out of an organization, they should have the correct information about it. You shouldn't be getting mixed messages from them, right? Like I can attest to that. When you're trying to give out messaging as an organization, you're giving out one message. You're not coming out today and saying, hey, man, it's back. You know, it's back soreness.

And then now you're like, oh, shit, sorry, it wasn't back, soreness, guys. We're dealing with mental health. No, that doesn't work like that. Yeah. Yeah. I just don't know what the nuts are going to look like next season. And this is the last I'm going to talk about.

we're going to talk about the Nets because I do want to get to the Boston Celtics who are a legitimate title contender. We might be going to Beantown, buddy. I like the Bean. We might be going to Bean. I like the Bean, man. I was looking at Kyrie's post-game presser. I believe it was either Vinnie Goodwill or Nick Fidel. One of the two. They asked him about, you know, the future and things like that. And it goes back to the quote where he's where Kyrie said, you know, I got to, I'm going to come back next season and that means that, you know, me, Kevin, Sean Mark's team owner are going to

figure some things out. We're going to just figure some things out. Someone missing in that? There was someone missing in that equation, Rara. You know who was missing? Friend of the show. Acquaintance of the show. Acquaintance of the show.

He's not a friend of the show yet. But Steve Nash was omitted from that. We didn't talk about that. And I do want to be fair that Kevin, during his president, said that he does feel like, you know, Steve Nash was a plumberer.

part of the system, this part of the organization and things like that. But I'm going to know this from both sides. Steve Nass perspectives, you know, you got Manhattan Beach staring you in the face and made all the money in the world. And there's a shit show going on where you work. There's that equation. Get on a plane. Go back to the sunny skies of Los Angeles.

Or you can stay another year. I know what I would choose. And then you got the team perspective where you have one of your star players. And you know this, Raja. It's calculated that these dudes are. There ain't no mistakes when they talk about these types of things. What do you make of that omission, Rara? It was an omission.

It wasn't an accidental omission. You chose not to put him in the brain trust or the power group of the team as you see it. I think that says everything we need to know. The other thing you said about my man, Steve, and I've told you before that I was worried for him privately. I hadn't ever really envisioned a sweep scenario. This was more in the 4142. I knew they were going to lose.

I felt like they were going to lose it after they were going to lose. But I hadn't envisioned the sweep, and I told you. And the other thing, you know, you're talking about the shit show that his workplace in Manhattan Beach and a beautiful young family. Like young kids. Beautiful kids, beautiful wife. Like, dude, has it made?

But I will say this, not used to losing. Not that they, you know, overall it was a loss, but like not used to falling short of the goal. Most competitors that reach the level of playing statute that he did are not. And so that's what he's going to wrestle with, right? I'm sure deep down, having not gotten any information from him, I want to be clear. There's a part of him that would be like, man, let's fucking get out of here.

Let's just human nature. It's human nature. I'm not saying, you know, this is just me saying that I'm sure somewhere deep down, you'd be like, man, is this shit worth it? And then I think there's going to be a bigger part of him, given the opportunity that says, you know, I didn't accomplish what I came here to accomplish. And Steve's not a dude that's used to not, you know, fight. for what he thinks, you know, he should be able to accomplish.

And I imagine he will try to do that. I'm going to take this at face value. I'm going to say it because I don't think people are going to, I don't think you'll say it. I don't think Steve will ever say it. But I watched that clip a few times just to make sure I got it right. For someone to say and omit his name, for Kyrie to admit his name after the season that just was Prince Spire,

it's pretty much a slap in the face. It is, right? Because this dude was here and the trenches brought his family to Brooklyn. Through COVID, had to coach through this team through trades and through all these things. And then we just said it throughout, and it's proof is in the pudding. Had to deal with a lot of the stuff that you kind of brought on to this, not kind of, that you brought on to this organization. and then you're going to come back and go on the high horse

and on the pedestal and say, yeah, like it's between me, Kevin, the owner, and Sean Marks. Yeah, that's what he did. I mean, it's what he did. I think Steve Dash was at all the home games, right? He was out there coaching. I think Steve Nash was at every game. I would just say this.

I know Steve well enough to know that his personality is non-confrontational at all costs. Like, it's what makes him who he is. It's why everyone loves him. Like, he's a fucking sweetheart, bro. He's a nice dude. Yeah. Now, there's backbone there.

Don't get me wrong. But his approach isn't one to be like, yo, man, what the fuck was that? You know, he's not going to do that. But I'm just going to say this. I said it to my family the other day when we were watching. And so Sean Marks, if you're listening, You better get somebody in that fucking coaching staff with Steve Nash who will say that shit

Who will stand behind him like and and when his message and you got them knuckleheads looking at him sideways and it's not in his nature to To have a confrontation somebody on that staff better be willing to have one on his behalf He need a number one shooter rock that's what he needs bro I know where that's not coming from that's not coming from south Florida that's not going to be flying up from south No, no, no, no, it's not. But there are plenty of OGs in the game that, like, have served in that capacity for other coaches, you know, like their roles that people play on staff. And they got a bunch of dudes on the staff that are good dudes that are friends with a lot of the guys on a team that keep good vibes with people. But your head coaches like that, too, man, somebody's got to be there as the enforcer.

Yeah, and if it's going to work, they're going to need, and we talked about this a couple podcasts ago, they're going to need, and they're going to need a number one shoot for Steve. and they're going to need a defensive coordinator because the defense that we've seen throughout the season has just been trash. Let's talk about them Celtics, man. Let's talk about the burgeoning superstar that is Jason Tatum. I got a transition for you, player.

So we were texting yesterday. And I shot you a text like, yo, yo, this Jason Tatum dude is cold. Is this, and this is early, and I don't want to. disrespect the man that I'm going to that I'm going to reference but it seemed like a passing of the torch or no not a passing there's no passing of torches here there's no passing of torches in the NBA or in professional sports you go ahead and take that shit that's snatch

you go snatch it it did tatum go snatch that shit from kd or is it too early to tell is it too early to tell it's not too early to tell I mean he snatched it for right now that's not too early to tell I mean he snatched it for right now. That's not to say that KD can't take that shit back. Like if KD comes back next season and has another MVP level season, then then the answer to that is no, right? Like because his body of work is going to trump Jason Tatum's and all right. All right. We got all out the way. So did he do it right now though? Did he do that in the first round? What did you see from Tate of? Did he did what? He bullied him. He, he, I mean, he blocked multiple KD jump shots. Let's just let's just call Fax Pax. Again, KD.

man here but the man block multiple kd jump shots how often you see kD get a jump shot fucking block for like an eight year stretch like two dudes ever blocked it k it was like blocking a block in a koreem skyhook correct that's how impossible it is not only that but he was a bucket the entire series however you wanted him whenever you needed him he was a bucket he looked bigger he looked stronger he looked faster and and so right now the answer is yes i don't know if we talked about this about a year ago we might have you know real ones go figure that out please for us can you just do this when i want when you after you hear what i'm saying but is tatum i think he's becoming like one of those top five top six dudes right now and the the scary

part for the rest of the league is his teammate Jalen Brown ain't that far behind him which is the which is scary what's the what's scary did you see that big game for like here's another thing Jason Tate was so cold throughout the series he fouls out tonight and Jason excuse me and Jalen Brown says don't even trip player Marcus Smart don't even trip player is good we're good we're good don't even trip just rest up we're going to see you in a next round. Don't even trip. This Celtics team has presented. And I'm going to be real.

I'm a little skeptical about their front court. I know Robert Williams is not necessarily a friend of the show, but is a friend of like our boss's show for sure. Definitely right. He came over here a couple weeks ago and was just distraught. It was distraught. It was distraught. Calm down.

Relax. But I can't believe that we're going from here to saying this after a few months in the beginning, the middle of the season, but dog, if this continues, the Celtics are going to be a problem for the next five, six, seven years, dog, if it just stays like this.

Am I crazy to just think that? Am I wild to just think that? You're not wild to think that. If they can keep this core together with the way they defend, which is, I mean, it can be suffocating at times. The way they were locking up in Boston earlier in the

in the series, it took me a minute. Honestly, I'm just going to, like full disclosure. I watched it and I was like, man, KD's struggling, man. He just looks bad. We thought there was just going to be a KD game. Remember game two? We were like, oh, Katie game. It was, it was absolutely game too, right? Because I was like, man, Katie's just not playing well. And Kyrie wasn't playing well in that game either. Right. So I was like, man, they're just both off. And then I was like, Ron, what do you, man, watch the game for what it is, like really lock in. And then I'm like, that's not them playing it bad. These, they are swarming. That is, That is a stifling defensive effort.

Those dudes are locked in, dialed in. They're physical. They're long. There are extra efforts being made on every play. They don't give up, you know, rarely give up an open, clean look. Like, Katie, how many wide open looks to Kevin Durant get over the course of the series? Even tonight, he was making shots, but none of, like, they were all tough buckets to get. Yeah.

So they have that going on. And then those two dudes, you know, put you in a, put you in a class with, you know, Phoenix with, with Chris Paul and Devin Booker and, you know, Milwaukee to a degree with, with Janice and, and, and Chris Middleton, with where you have two viable options come down the stretch to get a bucket and they both get them. And I mean, Jason Tatum hit some tough ass shots. Also, man, there was a one shot that I, that I saw him and I knew he was the baddest dude on Earth for like five minutes. He,

I think he pumped faked Kyrie and hit a three. And you know when you code when you do the pose after you hit a three, especially on the road when you do the pose. He stood there for like three seconds. I was like, oh, this is the baddest dude on the planet right now. Just flat out. Hey, listen, there are some tough bucket getters in these playoffs, though. Brandon Ingram's a tough bucket getter.

Oh, we're going to talk about B.I. in a second. B.I. Some tough bucket getters. But Jason Tatum is at the top of the list, man. He did some tough bucket getter. We got to watch the Celtics a little bit more. I'm locked in. My eyes are on the Celtics.

They have my attention. I cannot wait. Who do they play? They play the winner of the Bulls and the Bucks. It's a tough one. Hmm. Because Janus is different. Like, you're not bullying Janus, right?

Like, you're not bullying Janus. This was, I said it, I went on a local radio show today, and it was talking about this series with the Nets and Boston. And it was just the worst card they could draw. It was the worst card in the whole Eastern Conference. for them to draw from a matchup perspective. Yeah. And I'm not taking anything away from Boston

because I believe Boston to be, you know, one of the couple teams that I think could really win a championship. I would just say that Milwaukee is kind of the antithesis of the nets, you know, with the honest, that's a sledgehammer, dog. Also, quick, quick side note, I just got to gloat real quick. I was 100% right about the Bulls. Just want to say that. Just want to put that out there.

I was 100% right about it. Duly note. Hey, shout out. Hey, listen, we pride ourselves on apologizing when we're wrong. Why shouldn't we be able to gloat when we're right? I'm going to keep eye on this. It's going to be a seven-game series against the bucks. I don't know who's going to win.

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This is coming on on the heels of a, gonna talk about the jazz first i promise you mavericks fans you will get your flowers i i love your team okay relax relax i want to talk about the jazz first i i texted you um well a couple days ago i think was saturday about how and i i ate my words when i texted you i texted you like mid like it was after game four when luca hit a three to put them up put the mavericks up four with about 30 seconds left And I said, yo man, jazz don't got it. And they end up winning the game. In an emotional game, they shut me up.

You know, Rudy Gobert is saying, F all the talk. I'm tired of hearing you guys talk about my relationship with Donovan Mitchell. We were a team. It was like that time, they tried to make it seem like the time when Kobe and Shaq went for that alley-up against Portland and just said, oh, we're good. We're fine. Ha-ha. Jokes on you, right? Mm-hmm.

You know, and it seemed like a rallying cry. Like they were going to go to the finals, this was it. Right? It was an emotional game. It was emotional win. So I'm thinking, Raja, you know, go up in Dallas. Go up in Dallas, you know, playing a hobbled Luca Donchitz, who, by the way, balled out in game four. It does not look hobbled.

Went in there and just got 30 pieces. It wasn't even close, Ra. Wasn't even close. Right? it comes this to a point where you just it just seems like the end for this team and I think it just probably prove me wrong again

go win in Salt Lake shot out to vault which you know what it is but I just don't see it Rajah I just I don't see it with this team I don't know why this team has it's just I don't like the cut of this team's jib Raja wow you don't like the cut of their jib I don't like the cut of their jibb it's phenomenal

it's just phenomenal I would say to you that I don't either, Logan. You were trying. You were trying. I heard it in your face. I heard it. You were trying. It was my most valiant effort.

And I just couldn't. I just don't. It's not that I don't like Utah or the jazz. It's that I don't like the way this team is playing. I don't like where this team is as it has kind of evolved. I think you're past your expiration date with this. core of players and this coach. And I don't think that it's the coach's fault if you can dig what I'm saying.

Hear me for what I'm saying. It's not his fault. I don't, it's just that the messaging, I've said this over and over again. You've, you've been close. The style of play has been in place. It's stale now. It's not, it hasn't produced. And so now you've got to pivot.

And that's, that's where I'm at with this team. I don't have any hate. I don't, you know, I thought they were really. really, really, really good, especially last year. I thought they had a legitimate shot and it didn't work, and now you're stale. This is the mark. I got the, this is, this is, Roger, you don't want to do this often. I got the basketball reference put up, okay?

Stats? I'm just going to just put your point all the way home, okay? I'm going to start in the 2016-17 season, okay? It's Gordon Hayward's last year. Lost in the Western Conference semis, respectable, right? respectable next year Donovan Mitchell's first year Western Conference semis

respectable considering the fact that you lost G time that's what's name That's Gordon as G time that's his name I didn't know that time yeah Yo quick side note when I was in Phoenix last last week yeah I just called James Jones Jupes just because you called him that I just said it

I just called him Jupes And what do he responded to like You know when you're in a crowded place And you like want to call him by their nickname because you know that they're going to respond to that. If you call him James, like everyone's calling him James. Correct. It's like, hey, J-Joop's.

And, like, he immediately was like, yo. Yeah. So, okay, I just want to say this. I'm like, G-time. I don't know. I might do that with Gordon-Ha. Hey, we know what I'm doing? But, like, okay, Western Conference Timipanos, not bad, you know.

Domino's his first year. Western Conference first round, 1819. Not cool. That's a regression. 19-20, bubble year. Western Conference first round. Last year, Western Conference semis. You are in a, you're very stagnant.

This is a stagnant ball club. But, I mean, I don't know. History suggests that the Utah Jazz doubled and triple down. If you look at their track record, what do they do? How long did Jerry Sloan coach the team? Hey, you're going to chill on Jerry, bro. You better slow down on Jerry. I didn't do, it was not a disrespectful.

It's not disrespect. Utah. Hey, Utah. You know I don't play about Jerry. Stop. Don't mobilize. I like Salt Lake, okay? I'm trying to go to the All-Star game next year, okay?

All right, relax. I'm not saying that. All I'm saying is. No, they keep things stable. It's a franchise. It's a stable organization. It's almost, it's like the Pittsburgh Steelers in that, in that they don't cycle through very often like that.

But it's just interesting because they always get good to a point. Now, there's like an occasional finals run every there, but I don't see anything changing. whether the party, they might get rid of some stars and they might make some changes. But by and large, they're going to be in the conversation because that's just what they do. But it just seems in other years when I see the jazz,

it's like, oh, it's a tough, rumble, tumble team that just isn't good enough to win a title. This team, if you put just the roster and don't tell me anything that's going on, it's a team that's a title contender. It is. If you just look at a piece of paper, And you see the guys on the roster without everything you've heard.

It's a title contender. And I'm continually disappointed by this team, Raja. And tonight just proved it. I don't like the cut of their jib. Yeah, I mean, I don't even know how I can go any further than that. I think we should just leave it at you don't like the cut of their jib. Okay. You want to talk about Dallas?

Yeah. Talk about Dallas. Talk about Dallas. Let me say this about Dallas. Before we get into, let me talk Luca specifically. when he hurt that calf you asked me and I said I didn't see him coming back

in the series I definitely had I didn't see him coming back what did he come back in game three Yeah and it was like his normal self Yeah that was that was that one caught me by surprise I didn't see that happen I guess to every strain

There's a degree attached to it And I don't know what degree mine was versus his but that's pretty remarkable There's a pathway to the Mavericks getting to the Western Conference finals rush it. There is a path.

Next round, potentially will be playing your sons who are battered at the moment. Or? Or, yeah. What you mean? Or. Or?

Oh, wow. Are we doing this right now? Yes, we are doing that. Are we here? We are at that point. I want to talk about the pelicans. I want to give them their love. All right.

But they could be playing or the pelicans next round. You're serious about this. You're dead serious. I am dead ass. We're getting the predictions a little later. There's a pathway. and I didn't see this coming. I still don't trust it.

I love what I see out of the Mavericks, but I just, bro, it's literally just Luca and a bunch of really, really good role players. If you look at the roster, that's what it is. Fannie Smith, Ball. Jalen Brunson is going to have to step out of that role player. I mean, he's not a role player? He's not a super role player? Is he like a Kyle Lowry?

Is he like a really, really, really, really good player? But I don't know if he's going to be a star just. Is he that? Like, what is he? He's going to be an all-star? Whatever box he's in, he's climbing out of it. He's cold. I'm going to say, I mean, he's cold.

He's been bawling. I think we'll get a better picture of Jalen Brunson, not to say he's not cold because he is. We'll get a full picture of him at the end of the season, right? That's when we can fully evaluate it. He cold. He is on the precipice of his next level. Let's say that, right? Other than that, have a lot of dudes.

I just, if you look at the roster, it doesn't say championship roster on it, but hey 2011 didn't have championship roster on it either and they just they had something they had a magic tool I don't mean I know this is about the damn Mavericks but I feel crazy saying this

but the damn the Devin Booker injury threw all kind of shit in the game in the Western Conference it brought in it brought in possibilities that weren't even on the table and this is one of them right like we had penciled the Sun's ride all

the way through at least the Western Conference finals and now I wanted to have this discussion with you, Raja. I didn't know how we were going to do it. Good job. Transition from you, buddy. I said that the sons are going to win the title. I think you did too.

Yeah, but that are the bucks. I don't remember. There are a lot of teams out there. I don't want to say it because I'm out here and I'm a homer and I'm all these things. I'm doing all these things. But you got to put Golda Seiden and that mix too, buddy. You have to. You absolutely have to.

They were the number one beneficiary. of the like I know about the Mavericks but Golden State is the number one they're the favorite if you want to put it there they're the favorite to come out of the west no don't doubt about it when you when you put in we haven't talked so we have the one show week thing we haven't fully talked about this but when you see what's going on also kudos to you when you see what's going on in that Timberwolves Memphis series when you see what's going on there right yeah pat yourself on the back buddy patch yourself on the back um when you see what's going on there when you see what's going on

in phoenix right now i was in phoenix the day that i was at the game when devon booker got hurt and i was there towards the end it was a cloud a foggy cloud over that whole arena i imagine the air got sucked right out of that i mean you're you're cruising you are penciled in by every single person who follows the NBA. Any pundant up there is projecting you to be at minimum in the finals and your star player like it had, oh, just devastation.

I feel so bad. Also during the time when it happened though, like I'm sitting next to Brian Winhorse and we're thinking like, fuck it, Devin Booker's going to go for 60. We're going to, we're going to see history. We're like, oh my God. Oh my goodness. He bawled out.

He was killing it. And shit, life comes at you fast, bro. But this Western Conference, and dare I say, the rest of the league is wide open. When you're also, Middleton, Chris Middleton, he's hurt. He's hurt, yeah. No. The Sixers. Also, we don't talk about the Raptors enough, but the Raptors are giving the Sixers all they can handle.

You know, and you're not a fan of the heat. No, no, no, no, no. Here's the deal about the heat now. Jimmy Butler has Jimmy Butler I've always been a fan of the heat What I didn't trust about the heat Because they hadn't shown it all regular season Was having a guy step into the stratosphere of that star level score

That would carry you in the playoffs And Jimmy Butler's done that I think two out of the four games so far Where I mean at 36 last night he had like so If they're going to get that from Jimmy Butler That bubble type of Jimmy Butler where when they need buckets it's Hill Jason Tatumid or Kevin Duran it or whoever the hell you want to call it, then I like the heat as much as anybody.

When I think about the heat and I believe you, we also, it's not even a question. Jimmy Butler ruined. Like, it's not even a question. He's what we exemplify on this podcast, right? He is that. My thing is, I think, well, we talk about bubble Jimmy Butler. What happened to the heat when bubble Jimmy Butler happened, right? There's a means to an end for that heat team, right?

At the very, I just, I don't know. I don't, I think there's a ceiling there is all I'm saying. But they're in the conversation to go to the finals. We'll see what happens, man. We shall see what happens. But in the Eastern Conference, I mean, you know, the Celtics heat would be my favorite series to watch. That would be one where I'd just, I'd want to see how that plays out. I have no feeling on how it would go down.

You're not going to the gym during that time. No, no. Locked in. You're sitting down. Everybody chill out. I'm watching this game. I went to seven basketball games on Saturday. Seven basketball games that I had to attend from my two sons.

And so that would be a day where I would have to tell them Ty Zen, that he loves you. He's got an NBA game to watch today, damn it. Mommy's going to tape it. We've got to go into predictions really quickly. I'm going to give you some predictions. We'll talk it out. We'll figure out. We'll do our thing.

Heat Hawks. Game five. Hawks. Heater. No, I'm joking. Whoa. No, you got to relax. You have to relax, bro.

You have to relax. Now, man. Is that a game? Wait, it's in Miami. Is that a game you're going to hit up? Are you going to go? Am I going to go? Yeah, right.

The heater going to roll them. Heater rolling the hogs. What's funny is if there's a Celtics heat game, you might pull up to one of the games. I might have to go. I might have to go. Jason Tatum is quickly becoming a player that I would pay to go play basketball. Wait, is he in the, is he a John Moran status yet? Um, yeah, yeah, fuck yeah.

Yeah, absolutely. Hawks Heat got the Heat winning. Um, wrapping up that series. Now we're going back to this. We're going back. We got Timberwolves Grizzlies, sir. We're in Memphis, right? Yeah, we're in Memphis.

It's tied two, two. Game five, swing game. See, after all that transpot, I'm going Memphis. I'm going Memphis. You don't make it. I'm going Memphis, too. I'm going Memphis too. I'm going Memphis and seven because I do think it's going to go back,

and I think that, I think, I like Minnesota. I just, I like them. No, I'm not going to say I like Minnesota. I love Anthony Edwards. That's what that is. I just, I love Anthony Edwards. So I'm going to go Grizzlies, but I think, I think it's going to be what I told you.

I think it's going to be 4-2, and you're going to be at the end of it saying, damn, that was a fucking really good series, man. Yeah, that's going to be, they're going to feel that series. They're going to feel that first round series. Now, listen, listen. last game we are sons pelicans and i've been waiting to talk to this talk this through with you

so i was around the pelicans last week i was there around them for about a week also you didn't tell me this yo i saw you man griff i saw you i saw your man griff master handshaker he can do it he has a lot of practice remember an undercover brother where the hand comes out and you got to practice the handshake i feel like David Griffin has one of those at his house because he is he is in a bag when he shakes hands David Griffin's a people person he's what you call a people a people person hasn't hit me back by the way if you've seen Griffin next time tell him why we'll put it I'll put you on a group chat what you check him in a group chat let's you check him in a group chat you want you

check him in a group chat like yo what's up anyway but like what the overall point is like the pelicans they got something yeah I know they like they've got something dude and I I watched them, and this is the first time being around them. I'd be very transparent. Did not come to any of their games when they came my way. I did not go. Saw them for about a week. Very family-oriented group, right?

You could tell that they're young, but they got something bubbling. Willie Green is doing a fantastic job. In front of the show, Jaron Collins, doing a fantastic job. They got something there, man. I don't know what it is. I don't know what's going to happen, but they play together and they play hard. A great indicator of a team that is good

as how hard they play for each other. And I see Herb Jones blocking closeouts. You see his closeouts? Herb Jones out here blocking McHale Bridges, the corner threes. Nah. And, you know, I got to call a spade of spade. We talked about New Orleans as a fan base, right?

We talked about that. And apparently I've learned so much about New Orleans since, you know, being around the team. I think they go 12 deep. I think they're the 12th man or something like that. I thought that was, they, I was looking at the, I was looking at the New Orleans games. It's turned up in there.

They turned it up for the finals. There weren't a lot of them during the regular season, but they turned up in the finals, in the playoffs, not the finals, but it's a finals atmosphere. That's something to look at, is all I'm saying. There's a game five here in Phoenix. Your son's did a game. get the fucking gear, sir, because Brandon Ingram ain't scared.

He's not scared. He's not scared. Larry Nance ain't scared. C.J. McCollum, not scared. Phoenix is never going to forgive me for this, but they're going to lose game five. Wow. It's game five, man. You know what?

I'm going to double down with my dog. Whoa. Well, we got a... Go with New Orleans to win game five. That's a whole. Phoenix is going to have to earn this chip. They got to bring their lunch pail, you know? And it's funny because it's like this series shows, like, it don't matter.

None of it. That 64 wins don't mean shit. They don't mean nothing. It means nothing. Remember, remember you asked me a couple pods ago about Devin Booker, and had he reached the point where if something happened to Chris Paul, they could just go with Devin Booker and he could carry it? And I said, that's too much to ask.

Remember? Now, you know, Devin Booker and Chris Paul are two different players, but they're the two playmakers on that team. This isn't to take anything away from DeAndre Aiton or anyone else on that team, but your primary playmakers and ball handlers are Chris Paul and Devin Booker. And, you know, McHale Bridges is great, but he's not like a put the ball in his hands, let him go make a play type of player.

And when you subtract one of those two, you put yourself in a situation where you're a lot easier, you're a lot more easy to game playing for. And they're going to face it. Yeah, it's going to be an interesting game. I'm taking the Pelicans. Taking the Pelicans too, man. We're here.

We're here. We are here. All right, man. It's about that time of year. It's about that time of year, you know? Where people just, they're getting eliminated, man. We came a little early with the Lakers. But now the nets are out of it.

Okay? So you know what we did, rah-rah? You know what we did? Real ones after dark? We brought in a CMO. We brought in Jomey. You know, he's coming in a little late, but he's ready to go. It's time for another edition of a little segment we like to call Pac Watch with the God, Jomey.

And we are here to talk about the Brooklyn Nets. The floor is yours for two minutes, sir. It's time, Jomey. The Brooklyn Nets got swept. Now, there's a lot we could talk about. We could talk about, you know, James Hart and leaving the middle of season. We could talk about, you know, Kyrie's entire deal, right? We could talk about Katie getting hurt.

But let's just focus on the fact that at the beginning of the season, the Brooklyn Nets were supposed to win the chip. They were the betting, one of the betting favorites, right? Along there with, what's that team? I can't really recall. Oh, the Lakers. And now both of them. are at the crib, chilling, right?

LeBron is literally, as we speak in Cancun, sipping margaritas and lobo's tequila, I assume, right? And Kevin Durant, if my math takes out, let me see, he's got his flight book for this weekend. They chilling. Both of those teams who we came into the season, thinking at the minimum would be playoff contenders, would be, you know, see the second round,

At least are at, they're just like you and me right now at the crib watching television. It's sad. It is embarrassing. And look, like I mentioned earlier, Brooklyn had, they had their things going on. We're not going to sit here and act like it was all roses and all, you know, simple. But at the same time, a sweep. Boston is great. They play great defense.

Katie looked like me playing high school ball, dog, for the first three games. You know what I'm saying? Couldn't put a ball in a basket. He showed out in game in game four. Respect. You know, he wasn't going out sad like that. But when Bruce Brown was looking like the better option offensively, you've got to lick yourself in the mirror.

You got to be like, hey, man, maybe it's not my time. It's tough. You know, I hate to see the Celtics thrive, you know, frankly, to be honest with you. So this was a real hard one for me. But goodness, gracious, Brooklyn. do better. You see, Roger High left Steve Nash out of that.

That's your boy. I appreciate that. I would just add to that. Let me just add to that because I appreciated that. Because we touched on all of the offense. And you know what was even worse than the damn offense? What? Their damn defense.

I mean, I was in the front. I was in my street today with my 13-year-old, and I was guarding him. No bullshit. I strapped up. I was guarding him. Back hurting, spasms. He crossed me up.

I almost fell down in the gutter. Like people were laughing. And I could have kept more people in front of me than the Brooklyn Nets good. Damn. Let me tell you something. No, no, no, no. Because the way Prade Pritcher was getting buckets on them dudes, man.

Oh, he was cooking them. Oh, he was cooking. No disrespect to pay. Pritchard Prater, Pritcher can ball. But he looked, he looked like a 12th time all-star out there, bro. You can't, it's not going to happen like that. I'm sorry. It's just not going to happen like that.

They were bad. We, it's like, and here's the interesting thing, right? The Lakers we knew in February and March, like, that's not going to happen. Like, just get these dudes up out of here, right? We let, we let the net slide for a long time. We let that leash was a little longer. And now, both of them won zero.

Zero playoff games, a donut between both of them. What are the odds? What are the odds? I couldn't have said it better myself, Jemey. Thank you, sir. That is our CMO, Jemmy. We will probably see him sometime next week. Some pack watches are on the way.

We will see him throughout the playoffs. The Jazz? That's a little preview. We'll see you next week. We'll see you next week. We'll see you next week. Now for another segment we'd like to call. been on here about an hour.

The Jill Scott album has ended where I got to go to sleep. But before he does, a little second we would like to call, Real One of the Week. I will go first. Raja. No, no, no, no, no. Wait. You want to go first?

I will go first this week, yes. Oh, because I did take your Real One of the Week last week. Okay, go ahead, Rob. What do you got? And allow me, there's only one person that Real One of the Week can go to this week. Okay. Okay. And that is one, Jason Tate.

All right. That is the man who, I believe you said, snatched the torch from KD, at least from right now, for right now. I don't believe that to be ultimately true. I think KD comes back, but right damn now, he thugged out. Like he put his stamp on these playoffs, and he put the rest of the Eastern Conference on notice

that Boston is very serious about taking this thing the full distance. And so, you know, as Boston has a lot of, whole I mean with Udoca like everybody but specifically Jason Tatum real one of the week. Okay. I'm going to go a little left to center. We don't usually go to this team. We don't really talk about this team to be honest with you, but I'm going to do one specific player on this team. And that is one Scotty Barnes of the Toronto Raptors, all right?

Had a gruesome ankle injury in game one against the Sixers. Also, rookie of the year should shout out to that. Shout out to you, Scotty Barnes. Also from the crib Played high school basketball Like five minutes from here Oh, product of Palm Beach Excuse me, yes

Shout out to Scotty Barnes And Came back For game four On the road Playing on one leg Balled out Didn't score much

But grabbed 11 rebounds And fought Gee shit Scotty Barnes Fast do it. Also, ma'am, I just want to say this. We don't really talk about this team a lot, and we damn sure should in the years to come,

and we should be talking about them right now. It's Toronto Raptors. It's Toronto Raptors, okay? They just won the night. Had no business winning, even being in this series. Down 3-0. We ain't going to spare to Sixers right now because we ain't got enough time,

but next week we might have some of the shit to talk. But what I will say, shout out to Toronto. What's you got? What's up, Ron? What's up, Rob? Public service announcement. James Hardin, if you're listening, please don't lose to the Raptors.

Don't do it. Don't do it. Don't. For your safety, bro, don't do it. Also, man, I just want to say, ruin it a week, just in general. The city of Toronto, great city. I was just thinking about the last time I was there, which was the NBA finals in 2019.

And I remember a quick story before we get out of here, not going to take too much of your time, Roger, because I know you got to go. to sleep. But I remember, last time I was there, me and my homie, Matt Schneidman, he covers the Green Bay Packers now for the, for the athletic. We went, he was in the Bay Area, we came up together, that's my dog. We went to this Jamaican spot. Let me get the name of this Jamaican spot. Some of the best Jamaican food that I had. Pat's home style Jamaican, it's pretty great. It's like a hole in the wall. Next time, next time we do Romans on the

Road in Toronto, Rob, we got to go lock in. But this, This dude got a beef patty and didn't realize how either got a beef patty or jerk chicken, but didn't realize that he, that the spice level, the shout to my Jamaican brothers and sisters, y'all know what it is, y'all food is lit, but he didn't respect the spice level. And man, this dude was distraught tears at this place. Yeah, that's that jerk. that jerked tow his ass up. Yeah, it tow his ass up.

So, Matt, lock in, all right? But I love that city. I hope nothing but success to that city. Love it. Shout out to Scotty Barnes. Shout out to the Toronto Raptors rolling in the week. And with that being said, that has been our Monday night edition of Real Ones.

During the postseason, we'll see you. Real Ones after dark, Monday's nights. But in the meantime, make sure you, in between time, I-I-I time, you feel me? Make sure you check out all the other stuff on our ringer slate. That is upside high. That is the answer. That is group chat.

Listen to everything else on the slate, you know? Make sure you listen to. Keep the propaganda going, Raja. R2C2 with who? Raja Bell. Balletio legend, the crestside clowns, C.C. Sabathia. Season three is on the way. If I got to tell you all again, man,

it's going to be problems. Black Girl's songbook, season three, is here. With who, Roger Bell? Y'all better recognize the home girl, Danielle Smith. Town legend, Danielle Smith. This ain't no game. We are locked into postseason mode. Zero dark 30.

It's not a game. We are here. We'll see you every Monday. I'm going to see you in an arena near you. Ra, if you are, Rob might see you. Will not. We'll not. If the Celtics pull up to Miami,

Ra is going to be there. and all green with his Celtic Stan socks and his Jason Tatum jersey. Don't let him fool you. He's making that 45-minute drive to FTX Arena. It's not a game. We'll see you guys on Monday night. How.