The Ringer NBA Show - Probable Playoff Matchups With Taco Trey Kerby (Ep. 95)

Episode Date: April 7, 2017

The Ringer's Chris Vernon is joined by Trey Kerby of NBA TV's 'The Starters' to discuss LeBron's Eastern Conference dominance (6:00), the most dangerous late seeds in the East (13:00), the Warriors' chances without Durant (19:00), Jazz-Clippers home-court advantage (25:00), Harden-Westbrook (31:00), and Harrison Barnes's upside (37:00). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

If you need flexible small business financing, Cabbage has the answer. They've created a way for you to get approved right away online or from your phone for up to $100,000. Visit Cabbage.com slash ringer. When you qualify, you'll get a $100 visa gift card. That's Cabbage with a K, K-A-B-B-A-G-E.com slash ringer. Welcome to the Ringer NBA show. I'm Chris Vernon. Joining me today from the starters, which you can watch tonight on NBA TV starting at 6 o'clock.

Eastern is Taco Trey Kirby. What's up, Trey? Verno. I feel like I've earned being able to call you Verno by being a repeat guest. Oh, for sure. You're now multiple-time guest on the show. All right, so first things first, what do you guys got playing for the starters today? 7 p.m., but we've got Hawks versus Cavs on the network at 7.30.

So we're starting a little bit earlier. We'll do. But we got top 10 plays, for sure. Once in the week, a classic segment. And, you know, just our general hygiene and shenanigans. Okay, let me ask you first since you were talking about the Cavaliers game. The last couple of days, everybody's been talking about what took place in that Cavalier Celtics game. How much significance did you put on it?

I don't worry about are the Cavs still the favorites in the Eastern Conference? Are they still going to be representing the East for the Celtics? Just to kind of remind people, I still run the game in this country. The perennial playoff team that nobody really is, nobody really talks about at all is that Atlanta, a Hawks team that got a win last night. You know, you were talking about them playing Cleveland tonight. Well, they got a win last night against Boston. Do you think there's any chance the Hawks are a problem for somebody in the playoffs?

That they can be a middle of the pack, the Eastern Conference team, the right matchup. You could see Dwight being a problem for a team inside. You know, there's a team that's going to try and play small against the baby, Dwight goes crazy, and playoff Dwight shows up, and he throws up a 20 and 15, and he just looks like, oh, but, you know, all things, they've been together for a while. You know, the Dwight change is different.

This squad, but the Hawks, I just don't be enough for them to do more than maybe win a first grade. That, to me, seems like the peak. And even that seems a little outlandish.

Okay, so obviously with only a couple of games left in the season, we're going to talk about where these teams could possibly end up because outside of the teams that are trying to tank, that's what's left to be decided.

Either Toronto or Washington are going to get four or five, and more than likely, either the hawks or the bucks are going to get five and six. If you were Toronto or Washington, would you rather play Atlanta or the bucks? Or is the answer different for both? You know, I think the answer to me is you want to just avoid the calves

as long as possible. So I would imagine both teams want to be in that three spot so that they can try and hold off until to get the calves more chances to get injured. is really the strategy I would be employed for those teams. I think the bucks are scarier to me as a playoff team than the Hawks. You know, they made the playoffs with Janus a couple of seasons ago. He had the body check on Mike Dunleavy against the ball.

He's going to be in the playoffs. So I think the Janus could go crazy for an entire series. Chris Middleton has been good since he came back, and he'll definitely help once it comes to playoff time. So I think the bucks are a little bit scarier just because they can have games where... And honestly, who knows? I mean, I made that about five and six, and those teams were probably most likely. But when you look at the Bulls schedule is at Brooklyn, Orlando, and Brooklyn.

Like the idea that they'll go three and O to close out the season is not crazy at all, whereas the Hawks are at Cleveland, Cleveland, Charlotte, and at Indiana. So obviously, either the Hawks or Indiana are going to take one more loss between them. But I suppose it is totally possible that the Bulls could end up up in that Five or six, for sure. Five games of the season. Because when they play bad teams, bad teams, I mean, they took their

in general, I left the season series from the cat, all these, you know, bottom of the barrel team against the next. Charlotte's out of it now. And the heat, while they have been a sensational story, the second half of the year,

looks like their schedule's just too tough to get it back in. I mean, they would have to really win a game that they're not going to be favored in because they're at Toronto, at Washington, Cleveland and Washington. I mean, they would really have to, you know, I mean, they're going to be underdogs in all four of those games, I would assume.

And they're half game out right now. That's going to be a tough road to hoe for the heat to be able to get into the playoffs. Yeah, definitely more in the conference that they're chasing a couple of them on the road. Maybe the hope is that the Cavs have the one seed locked up by the time they face each other on Monday. So I don't know, maybe the Cavs decide they want to rest some of their players. heading into the playoffs since they don't really have anything to play for. The game becomes a little bit easier. Probably going to need more than just one of them.

You know, the heat, they just got to keep that fire. They got to just keep story of the heat for the entire second half of the season. You were saying that, you know, you don't particularly believe in the Hawks. You talked about Janus and the Bucks and his ability to be able to go off. Don't really believe that much in the Bulls. Don't really believe that much in the Pacers. But of those 5 through 8, no matter how it should. shakes out. There have been these four teams that have pretty well separated themselves in the

Eastern Conference this year with Cleveland, Boston, Washington, and Toronto. Of those bottom four, whoever it may be, Bucks, Bulls, Pacers, I'm sorry, Hawks, Bucs, Bulls, Pacers, which of those teams is the most dangerous? If one of them pulled off an upset, would you say Bucks? Just because they have the young talent, they have a 40-point game, and that Dwayne Wade, when he comes back this weekend, comes back, looking great and can kind of really be for the Pacers, I guess the Bucks just have one more option in Middleton as their second guy. Though he, this year, we remember, everybody remembers what he did with a series out there will 40 points for the entire series.

I think you figure out a way to get up to seven, you know, pass up, that he jumped in, whatever happened, and they get the Celtics, a team that hasn't won a playoff series yet. and Paul George just goes unconscious for a week. I can see the Pacers may be pulling something off, but I think it's going to be a big ass for anyone. I've been peaking a little. And it's,

and it would certainly be fun to see back in the playoffs. I love all their fear, the deer stuff and everything they got going when they're a playoff team. It's usually really fun. Yeah, such a cuddly animal, you know. It's just so gentle. The most scared I am of a deer is dry.

That's not uncommon to see deer just hopping around. you to be driving fear the deer to be a slogan that seems to to exist mostly because it rhymes and let me go to something else that you said by the way all right which is well listen by the way the dears I think you're

talking about like those like that are bouncing around you're talking when you see like one of the the big bucks with like the monster antlers those are not those are not docile animals to me like I don't I wouldn't want a part of that

you're talking about like Bambi You're talking about like Bambi Yes those can be a little bit scarier I'm talking about the ones that are like on somebody's Like living room wall Right like some kind of like 12 point buck or something I'm not talking about like Bambi Yeah

Fair point though I follow Brad Miller on Instagram uttering deer on the regular so maybe I've been Maybe I've been jaded to see how easily these deer Are taken down by former NBA players. Is Brad Miller a good follow on Twitter? He's a better follower on Instagram. If you're into hunting, if you're a big outdoorsman, then he's a

great follow. It's turkey season right now, and he really seems to be on fire. This all makes sense now. I remember years ago, I was watching a game on WGN when he was playing for the Bulls, and before they did, like, the walk-off interview, he put a dip in. NBA,

He was more of a high school. Soon as he retired, he went right into hosting an outdoor show. My career to be done so he could finally focus on what he really loved being outdoors and shooting. And let me go back to something else you said a little bit earlier with the whole Pacers and Paul George could be the best player, but I don't really know who their second guy is. Ever heard of Lance Stevenson? Hello? Yeah, I have heard of Lance Stevenson.

I remember that one good half season he had. when once Lance came back to the Pacers and people were reminded of you know that kind of 12 through 14 run that the Pacers had when Eastern Conference in my opinion solar vacuum people swear that Lance Stevenson

was at the Pacers and you know he was just out there helping Paul George throughout the entirety of that 14 season he had a path of the year with a borderline for the Pacers and things for the team or like he can regain the early part of the year magic that he had when things were going well. Who do you think home court advantage matters to the most?

And you've been at a lot of these arenas. And I know Toronto is looked at as one of the teams that has this great home crowd. And they, you know, they always, I just stands out to me because they always show like 20,000 people out on their plaza, like outside and everything else. Boston's had, you know, obviously with their lack of success over the last several years, I can imagine their crowds are going to be pretty crazy, but do you think home court advantage matters deeply to any of these particular teams? Because we're seeing where they're all going to be seated the rest of the way,

and that will matter going forward. Yeah. But I think you would still rather be playing as the home team. The Celtics, I think it's going to be big snaps to catch the Celtics to move into the Tuesday for when those two teams throw down. But you know, I guess

maybe it's Cleveland, you know? On your home court? I kind of thought. Every team should want the warranty. It's tough. And that is crazy about what took place earlier this week because I thought it was way more important for Boston. Because in the end, I don't think it matters

if Cleveland has home court advantage. I mean, hell, they beat the Warriors. in Oracle last year to win a title. So me standing up and saying, like, I don't think home court advantage that gives you a big advantage against LeBron, but against everybody else. Like, if the calves happen to get picked off or something, that's when it would really matter if you're Boston. And truth be told, if you could ever get them to a game seven,

you'd much rather have it in your home arena anyway, but it doesn't appear like that's in the cards. It appears as if, you know, Cleveland's going to be able to hang on to this thing. and it did matter to them after all. Yeah, I think at one scene if they're going to have any chance of beating the cab, but now that you see that the calves

are going to happen, this is a team that has any... Today's show brought to you by Netflix. 2017 is well underway, and time is working hard to redeem itself after a bleak 2016. Thankfully, one good thing is sure to come of this year.

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Watch Louis C.K. 2017, now streaming only on Netflix. Durant is supposed to come back this weekend, Trey. How big of an adjustment period, or do you think he's just going to be able to slide seamlessly back in, and the Warriors keep on trucking people. Perfect, and things still look sketchy with the way that Duran would get to fit in with the Warriors from last year.

They were still rolling teams and were still ever seen in the NBA. I'm sure there's going to be an adjustment period just because Durant is used to have the ball in his hands. Steph is used to have in the ball in his hands, especially those stuff is involved. It's going to be probably a little bit of a rock, see how they're going to be able to

get in and how to adapt their game to what's been successful for their team. It happens with the Clippers, what seems like almost every year. Either Blake or Chris Paul gets hurt, the other one of them goes crazy. And then when they come back, slightly different role just because they seem like been working. And it can make things better. But, you know, it's not the same as having two MVPs on the same two.

Transition period, but the good thing, you know, three games or whatever it is. And then most likely in the first round, we'll take care of that quickly. Maybe they get a little more practice time to work things out in practice. Actually get acclimated to. It seemed like to me that it was going to be a big problem with him out. And clearly it wasn't the very beginning, but that might have been just a reflection of the schedule. And they've just kept on trucking and winning those games against the two and the three seed back to back at San Antonio and Houston. Did it then convince you that they could still win without him or a not peak Durant?

They could still win the West. Yeah, I think the back. like you're saying, Houston, San Antonio on night two, they're down 22 in the first against the Spurs team. They could easily pack it and said, you know what, the perseverance and to be able to combat it, this is still a team. Oh, yeah, they won 73 games last year.

They might have not won the championship, but they went to game seven of the final. If they would be the favorite recovering, and I think, obviously, if they didn't have them, it'll be not as smooth as it would be if Durant had been healthy for the entire season, and they were able to, even with the team is just so, He gets injured in the playoffs, but that's why you go and get a second MVP.

So if one of them gets hurt, you still have a great few. They clearly have the tougher road, competition-wise, being in the Western Conference. But would you be more surprised that the Warriors weren't there at the end or the Cavs weren't there at the end? The Eastern Conference is such a big jump, though, especially, you know, LeBron is the boogeyman, too. Everybody has seen how he keeps getting through the Eastern Conference time and time again. most of the time he wins and, you know, it's basically he's playing one series. He'll give you a

game maybe here and there by game two. He's got it figured out until you get to the final. So the bigger shock to me would definitely be Cleveland not making it. Yeah, because listen, even last year, the Great Forgotten thing, because of what happened with the Warriors and the Cavs, everybody forgot Oklahoma City kind of blew it too,

you know? I mean, they had Yeah, definitely. I mean, that was a series was hitting shots when he wasn't even facing the rim. Yeah, that was a tough spot to be in for sure. The only thing really to be decided in the West is going to be home court advantage with the Jazz and the Clippers. Whoever you like in that particular series, would your opinion change based upon

who got home court? Notable for having one of the louder arenas in the league, and it definitely gets loud. I think that it would be a huge advantage to them to be able to have home court advantage for their experience team like the Clipper. a team like the Jazz needs to have every advantage they possibly can, and that includes being able to play as many games as they can. But I think the Jazz would want to have a little bit more than a year-in, year-out. Chris and Blake have been awesome recently.

Do you think people, and I know that, you know, when teams have success for an extended amount of time, people can get kind of tired of them, and their record is not great this year. This is not like a peak season for them. but those two guys seem to be both playing awesome at the same time. Do you think there's any chance that we're sleeping on the Clippers a little bit? Play the ton of games, only 58 games through the season, so they're not going to be completely exhausted come playoff time.

They both had a chance for us, but you just, until they, it seems like they are the team that is always going to be good. Maybe they are hard to take the Clippers seriously as a contender. And it looks like they would be on a total collision, course with even if they got past the jazz in the first round now you're playing the warriors in the second round and that has gone extremely poorly for the clippers recently yeah exactly the time that wasn't that long ago when the clippers were the warriors biggest rivals those two teams were going to be buying for playoff positioning for the next few seasons but the clippers got old faster than

people expected i think and the warriors just kept getting better and better and then they got Kevin Durant. Yeah. All right, Tray, I got to take a quick break. We're going to tell you about our sponsors. Then I want to ask you about the awards at the end of the season because we only got a couple of games left. And if you think any of them can be decided still.

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Is there anything in your mind that can still be decided over the course of the next four or five games, which is most of what these teams have left? The MVP discussion is going to continue until the last day of the season because anytime somebody has a big game, they're the leader for the MVP. That's been crazy for the past. And then he was the possible MVP. Nuggets beat everybody up the court, makes a game winning layup by our MVP. Then it was Lesberg again after the season.

Rather, it be Russ or Hardin. People are so into this MVP race, people are putting so much into the final month of the season as if the first four months of the season don't matter as much as the final month does. The way the news cycle works, those opinions can change night tonight, and it could still happen. How about with you? is your mind made up? I've been a hardened guy for a long, long time.

And taken over in the fourth quarter, Hardin scoring 14 straight in the fourth quarter and hitting a dagger three, just like Westford did on the bear's good night. He just doesn't get it. I don't blame any of the time he has done. He's been better. Coach of the year is going to be an awesome race

because there are so many. I think this is one of the best years in coaching in a long, long time. Partly because, right, for the first time in a couple of decades, nobody's going to get fired. but beyond that there's just a lot of guys that I think have done a really good job. Could that would be up for grabs?

Spolster felt like he was making a real late run. But if they don't make the playoffs, it almost feels like if Spolster was able to, when we said he's half a game out and he's at Toronto, at Washington, Cleveland and Washington, like if he won three out of four or four out of four to make the playoffs, I almost feel like Spolster would win coach of the year then. but that's probably not going to happen. And so I kind of feel like that one might kind of still be up for grabs coach of the year, or no. Yeah, I would agree with it. If we were talking last, the heater still in the – Stevens would have got a ton of vote. He is to be the coach of the year vote that this one seems like it can't totally –

where they're seated are going to matter so much to people who are doing the voting. The interesting one about Spolster is I talked about him and everybody was kind of talking about the fact that they started 11 and 30 or whatever it was to get in the position they're in now and what an incredible job he has done. And that's not an uncommon narrative that Spolster has done an incredible job there. And immediately somebody did hit me on Twitter. I was like, wait, wasn't he still the coach when they were 11 and 30? Shouldn't he get a demerit for that? And I was like, you know, it's not like one of those George Carl Nuggett situation.

situation, right, where he came in and it was a rat team that all of a sudden couldn't lose. And so you looked and there was this immediate effect that took place. It was kind of funny. At least that was one of the responses I got. Like, hey, man, it was his fault. They were 11 and 30 in the first place. And I was like, ah, you don't really hear that side of the argument. You don't hear that side of the argument so much.

And I was kind of taken aback. It's a agency bias that sort of being a human but it's going to be the freshest So if a team is great In the second half Maybe they get more coaches

A yearboats If a player gets eight Triple doubles in a row Or two weeks of the season That's a great time To make your MVP case Even as being a human All right

Last thing The other end of all these Good teams that we have been talking about Is teams trying to get As bad a record as they could possibly have so that they can get the most amount of lottery balls. Who do you think, let's just say that whether it's Markell Fultz or Lonzo Ball or whoever gets taken number one in this upcoming NBA draft. Josh Jackson from Kansas, there's a bunch of guys that could probably be in the mix, even if Fultz has been on the mock drafts at first as the number one pick for a long time.

Let's just say whoever is the number one pick is amazing, like a multiple time All-Star. who do you think needs it the worst? Any team that's going to be in the lottery, I think the Dallas Mavericks might need it the most to take his place whenever he finds. I think that, you know, a seat in the next superstar. I think that would be huge.

Whereas a team like the Celtics, if they get the next pick, they have the number one. It's more of a weird decision. To shift that guy for a Jimmy Butler or a, whereas teams like the Lakers, there's still teams that are going to be bad no matter what. I would just kind of would love to see Dirk's get to play

I love that answer because obviously you'd be walking and you'd be playing for a great coach. You'd be playing, you know, the organization clearly has a really good culture. And who knows? Like, they have not been one of those teams that has been willing to be a lottery team. They try to win, right? They try to win. And they're going to have, you know, they're going to pay, you know, they're going to break the bank on Nerlands in the offseason. so it would be young guy and Nerlands, at least as a future pairing for them going forward.

That would be a lot of... Neurlins and the greatest player in your franchise history. Yeah. No, and I always got it, and I like the idea of somebody that doesn't have a great chance. Like a team that's not consistently crappy all the time getting the highest pick, right? I would like for it to be. Like, that's what everybody's fought against for a long time, that there is such incentive to being crappy, whereas they have not been crappy, right?

They have not put out a shit product all year. Oh, definitely. In 2016 and a little bit into January, and then they made a pretty good push to try and get into the playoffs. They made a move to try and get into the playoffs, picking up Nerlin. It would be a huge jump to get that number one put off in the Derek Rose lottery team, but didn't have a huge future. They got this guy who was going to be great from a huge lottery odds,

disadvantage. A team like the Mavericks who doesn't seem like they have a sterling future is able to just jump up and get first going to be the best. That would be awesome. Yeah, I would like a team that puts out the effort to be good to weirdly get rewarded in the system that we have now. He is Taco, Trey Kirby from the starters. You can watch them tonight, 6 p.m. Eastern on NBA TV.

Trey, you're the man. Thanks for coming on today. All right, thanks for having me. I'm just happy to be able to call you at Burnow now. My man. It's going to do it for another Ringer NBA show. We will talk to you on Tuesday.