The Ringer NBA Show - The Bucks Blow the Heat Away in Game 2. Plus: The Knicks-Hawks Series Is the Highlight of Round 1 and a Lakers Vent Session. | Real Ones

Episode Date: May 25, 2021

First things first, noted Minnesota Timberwolves fan Barflaan Tedoe shows up to tell us why he's so mad (0:18). Then Logan and Raja get into all the excitement of the NBA playoffs Monday night after the Bucks beat the Heat to go up 2-0 in their series (2:54) and the Nuggets pulled out a win over the Trail Blazers to tie up the series at 1-1 (20:45). After that, they talk about Donovan Mitchell saying he didn’t want to be held out of Utah’s first game against the Grizzlies (24:00), the confidence of this young Grizzlies squad (29:25), how fun the Knicks-Hawks series has been and could be (32:47), the Lakers’ horrendous showing against the Suns in Game 1 of their series (36:43), and predictions for Tuesday night’s slate of games (51:56). We’ll be including a listener Mad Hooper segment in the podcast every Monday during the playoffs, so please leave us a message at 510-469-0294 and tell us why you’re so mad. Hosts: Logan Murdock and Raja Bell Guests: Barflaan Tedoe and Jomi Adeniran Associate Producer: Sasha Ashall Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The NBA season is heating up, and Kevin O'Connor and Chris Vernon have got you covered on the mismatch. They discuss all the news, the trends, and transactions happening around the league. They also offer their on-court analysis and occasionally get into heated debates. Check out the mismatch on Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts. And we are back for another edition of Matt Hooper. We have a return guest. He's a native of Minnesota, Minneapolis, allegedly. I think he's from St. Paul, but I'm not sure why he's upset.

Maybe because he's a Timberwolves fan. Maybe he doesn't feel like he's getting the respect he deserves. Maybe because he has one hairstyle that kind of looks like an ode to Michael Jackson, but I'm not really sure. His name is Barf. He's back. Barf. Why are you so mad?

Hey, man. I'm so happy to be back here with the acrylic. I mean, aluminum foil. You know what? My bad. let me be respectful. Mama told me when you go to somebody house, got to be respectful today, crib.

So I, not because you, Roger Bell, not because you, Logan, but the home girl, Sasha. She sent me up real nice today, so I'm going to give her love because she'll make y'all look good. Y'all don't deserve it. But really, I'm here to talk about Anthony Edwards again. Roger, I told you. I need you my credit.

You were sending shots like I wasn't going to listen to the pod. I was hearing you. And I want to let you know, Anthony Edwards is about to get robbed. And I want to know how I know. I'm a Minnesota fan. I'd be getting robbed since I was six. Come on.

The KG, the same carousel dance. I was there. We were all there, okay? I'm tired of getting robbed. He should win rookie at a year over that one guy in the East. The other guy missed like 20 games. Andy Edwards has been there every day.

Since the all-star break, I give you you 23, 5, and 4, I think. I really check it because I'm mad. You know when you're mad, you don't really want to read. But I want to know what's going on. You know, why am I about to get robbed? My man about to get robbed.

Let me know. Let me know. Roger, do you have a lot. response. I'm just going to say, like, I would love to come on here and tell you why I'm mad as a rebuttal to Barf's anger, but I got to co-sign with Barf. The man should get rookie of the year. Listen, injuries played a role in my decision, certainly, but the highlights, they came more frequently as the season went on. The numbers got more consistent as the season went on. The only problem for the young man is that he's playing in Minnesota, and Minnesota gets no love on

the national scene. Disfunction starts from the top, my dog, I've been telling you from the jump, and he's going to get screwed, and he doesn't deserve to be screwed. Minnesota is going to jinx this man out of his rookie of the year. Real ones up next. Popping.

Real ones. Late night edition. Logan Murdoch here. Roger Bell there. Raja, what's popping? Sasha coming through in the clutch with the rundown. I didn't have it. It just comes to my phone. I didn't even ask for it because I was embarrassed. And boom, there it is. Right before you tip it off. She put it in the chat. She put it in the fucking chat.

Shout out, Sasha, man. This is the new Monday night edition that we're going to be doing it in the postseason. Raja is up. Like, it's really late. It's eyes are red. He's ready to go, though. He's ready to go. He sent us a picture before this, before this pod. It was, I'm not going to release it, but it looks so sad. It looks so sad. You put it in the chat. It was like, I don't know what it was, bro. You could superimpose this joint to be like an R&B cover. It was hilarious, bro. It was like.

It was all vibes. I was on the couch. The house is quiet. My mother-in-law makes the best, like, crochet blanket slogan. So soft. And like the, you know, I was just, man, I was about 30 seconds from being out until you guys said, let's get it popping. It looked like 80s R&B.

It looked like, like when you go. When you go with your mom or your dad and you go record shopping and you go from the 1983 and you see it look like Roger Bell, my love yearns for you, the album. That's what it looked like. That's what it looked like. Before we get to the postseason, we're recording this on a Monday night, the night that the Portland Trailblazers have lost to the Denver Nuggets and also when the Milwaukee Bucks have just straight destroyed the Miami Heap. But before we get to that, Rajah, I got to rant because it's something local here. It has to do with the Bay Area. I have to get a Bay Area rant off because I've just been waiting to just get this off my chest.

And I just want to preface this by saying the real ones know what I'm talking about. But let me just get to it. I can't fucking stand San Francisco. And I'm not talking about San Francisco. I'm not talking about San Francisco the people. Shout out to all my people with Fillmore. Shout out to all my people in The Point. Shout out to all my people all around.

But I was leaving the city the other day. And I was trying to go to the East Bay. And I, it took me 45 minutes to get to the Bay Bridge. It took me 45 minutes, Roger Bell, to get to the Bay Bridge. And I just can't stand it. I'm fed up with San Francisco. I am fed up with everything. I am fed up with there's no parking there when you go there.

The houses are too expensive. They're very nice, but they're way too expensive. You spend $1.5 million to buy a beautiful house and can't nobody find no parking. You can't find it. I cannot stand it. I went this weekend, you know, we're Vax. We're ready to go. So I went out, you know, had some people in town.

And we went to go get some sushi in the Presidio, right? Great sushi spot. Fantastic sushi in San Francisco. It took me 25 minutes to get a park to go get sushi for a reservation that I had, right? It took 25 minutes. I scoured around the place. And I finally found a park. It was seven minutes walk away, Roger Bell.

I can't stand San Francisco. There's beautiful views. There's beautiful history. There's beautiful people in San Francisco. But you've got to get rid of the freaking traffic, man. You know what? The pandemic sucks. by all accounts. The only silver line about the pandemic was you can get a park and you can drive.

That was it. Tell them why you mad, son. I'm just really mad, man. You know, the East Bay is, that's why the East Bay is so much better than San Francisco, man. I'm sorry. I just had to get that off, Roger. I'm sorry. I was just pissed and I had to get that off my chest. Listen, it's late, you know, that things pile up. Sometimes you just got to let it out, man. Can I tell you why I'm mad right now? Tell me why you mad, son. I'm going to tell you why I'm mad. And I'm not even angry like raising voice mad. I'm hurt. I've been, I'm like public enemy number one in Phoenix right now in terms of, you know, we did a little segment.

I thought it was, you know, it was like part of the gig. It was like real or fake. And I feel like I've been misrepresented for what I actually said. Like there was no context put to what I said. Tell us what happened, Roger. Tell us to give us the full run down. So we were doing a segment called real or fake. And it was it was real or fake in in regards to whether or not you could win a championship this year.

So in light of that, only a few teams are really going to be real, right? Never did I say Phoenix wasn't dope? Never did I say they weren't a great team. I said they were fake this year as it pertained to win in a championship because I felt like their window was going to open next year. They were a year ahead of schedule with that. They just needed a little seasoning. never did I try to take away from the dopeness that is the Phoenix Suns, right? Like it's been a story all year.

We've talked about it in our preseason pod. Logan, we both picked them to be a great story this year. And here I go. We have so much love for Phoenix. So much love for Phoenix. And I'm hitting a little Twitter bird. Like I'm checking my shit out. And I'm all like posted as being like the sons are fake.

And so that's why I'm mad. I'm disappointed. I love Phoenix. I don't know what to tell you. I was looking at the mention. Somebody said that Roger Bell is my idol and this is so disappointing. What we said was that we love Phoenix. They're just not going to win it this year.

And they're about a year away from being true contenders because they have to just go through some bumps in the road. That's all we said. That is all we said. We love Phoenix. Matter of fact, I hope Phoenix makes it to the postseason and goes far next postseason. You know why? Because one, I love Phoenix. And two, a Phoenix, L.A. or Phoenix, wherever you go in the post season, a week in Phoenix is great.

it's great. It has the best taco spot I've ever had. I love Phoenix. It's right near the hotel. Hey, Black Trey, if you're out there, you, when this drops and you hear this, I forgot the name of the place. Tell everybody the name of the place that we go to and Phoenix. It's a great place. It's right around the corner from the spot. I love it. We love Phoenix. We're going to get to Phoenix in a second in the Phoenix Lakers series in a second. But we would just want to say we love Phoenix. We want to touch down with peace when we go to Sky Harbor next time. Next time we go to Sky Harbor, we just nothing but love. Logan, I'm talking Tempe.

I'm out in Scottsdale. I'm in PV. Like, I'm all over. I love Phoenix. I love the Phoenix metropolitan area. You didn't want to leave Phoenix. Tell him you didn't want to leave Phoenix. Come on, man.

You know I didn't want to leave. We already talked. We already talked about it. I got a new job, dog. And I got to keep it a buck. I do think they're, I think it's in front of them. That's what I'm saying. I think it's in front of them, which is a good place to be in.

It's a good place to be in. Oh, my goodness, man. We're going to get to in a second. But it's like, it was so great to see that Phoenix crowd. It's blissful. It's right the way crowds are supposed to be where they're just like before stuff gets real, real. You know, and they just start like, oh, man, you know, we're talking about multiple titles. I'm not saying you guys are going to get multiple titles, but you guys are going to be contenders for multiple years.

I truly believe that. Anyway, let's get this tonight real quick. Let's just get this out the way, man. This might have been the most boring night. of the NBA postseason that I have seen. I just want to get that out of the way. The Milwaukee Bucks just straight hammered the Miami Heat. It wasn't even a contest.

Quite frankly, if I wasn't doing this podcast, I probably would have turned it off after the first quarter. It was pretty rough, Raja. We're going to get to Dame time in a second or lack. It was the only time that it was for the Portland Trowways. But I want to get to this to this Milwaukee Bucks Miami Heat game. Miami Heat just they just didn't want to be in Milwaukee, man. I don't know what it was.

They just didn't want to be there and they just got clobbered from the jump. Roger, what did you see from that game that really stuck out to you, if anything? Yeah, so it's interesting because, you know, I live down here in the Miami market, right? I'm in Fort Lauderdale. So I listen to all the, all the, all the, you know, sports talk radio and it's all about how the heat have, they want the bucks and, you know, what happened to them last. year. They're going to double down on that. And so then after the first game, the spin here was that, you know, Miami should have won that game. They just, you know, Chris Middleton hit this huge shot. And I'm sitting there watching it, you know, saying, well, damn. I mean, they made 20 some odd

threes. Milwaukee couldn't throw it in the ocean. Yannis tried to trick away the game at the end with the miss free throws. And they still pulled it out. If I'm Milwaukee, I'm feeling pretty good about that shit. So as what happened tonight was, you know, you saw a, you know, you saw a lot of, a team get over the little bit of hangover that they may have had, maybe just a little bit of doubt that they may have had coming off of last year's series with the heat. If you were the heat, you needed to get them in game one. Because once you didn't get them in game one, they ain't worried about it anymore, right? Like they shot the ball. They were the aggressor. It meant more to them. They looked like they were there to prove the point. And the heat looked like they were just ready to

get back home and maybe try to defend home court. But the bucks were. were the hungrier team and they look like whatever reservation they had about maybe not being able to beat the heat is gone. I just would like to say before we get into some more questions, I would like to give a public apology. I would like to give a public apology and you know where I'm going with this, Roger. You should. You should. You should apologize. Say his name. I'm going to say his name. I'm going to say his name. One, Chris Middleton, who I have not been high on throughout the season. I have called him an overqualified two.

I have disrespected him in every way. And I would like to say, I would like to apologize personally to Chris Middleton. I don't even know if you're listening to this, bro. But if you are, apologies to you. There's a lot of people, and you know this Roger as a player, that if they slander somebody, they don't

go back, they don't go back on their work. They don't go back on their work. I am someone that will go back. I was wrong. I was wrong. I apologize to you, Chris Middleton. That's all I got to say, man. Keep doing it. You keep doing it.

Hey, listen, it takes a big man to do that, right? Number one, all right? Number one, I'm going to give you your flowers in this too. I'm going to get it takes a big man to do that. But narratives change, right? Like, they change. This is an ever-evolving opinion, right? So, you know, while one season, someone may not live up to that,

the next, they can redeem themselves. That's the beauty of the game, right? And Chris is playing phenomenal. And you know, you know, the other thing that the heat better figure out real quick, Logan, in this series. They better figure out how to be the tougher, more physical, more defensive-minded team. Because if you're not going to have that approach as the Miami Heat franchise in this equation, you don't have the star power on your side.

That's on the buck side. So you better be the hungrier, grittier, tougher, more heat culture type of team in this series. If you can't find a way to be that, this is a wrap. The thing that I'm seeing with the Miami Heat right now is it seems like a, last finals run. I wouldn't say it was an anomaly. But it does. Okay, well, you will.

But what I will say is it definitely looks like you caught lightning in a bottle, right? And it doesn't seem like, you know, from, you know, the time, the turnaround into into the season going on, you deal with a lot of injuries early on. You kind of bounce back a little bit. But it just doesn't seem like the same magic as last year, right? And this is supposed to be a team. Heat culture, play hard at all times. This is, bro, Bamatabio, who by and large was Janus's kryptonite played like crap.

You know, he didn't play well. He didn't show up. And he was the difference maker against the Bucks last year. He has not shown up these first two games. And that's been disappointing. And this is the guy that's supposed to take the next step, right? If you, you know, even the rumors, whatever you want to call it, when they were talking about Janus even potentially getting traded or whatever you want to call, right? Bamada Bio was the guy you would trade him for, right?

To go to Miami, that would be the guy. He's not even playing like that guy to start the series. And that's been disappointing. Jimmy Butler has not been, has not been, has been disappointing as well. It just, it doesn't seem like the heat culture that we know. And that we, by and large, we love, has been up there. And I know Pat Riley's pissed. I know Eric's bolster's pissed.

I know the horror organization is pissed. It's just not good. One thing I want to ask you, though. And, you know, this was something that was a quote that was said by Jason Tatum and saying that essentially Jimmy Butler tricked us in the bubble last year. This was something that, you know, it was just a controlled setting. It wasn't like it was, it was in a normal setting. Do you think that the bubble atmosphere and this current atmosphere,

is do you think that that this is that he has valid points on this? What do you think about this? Is there a, do you think that there's a difference between the bubble atmosphere, controlled setting versus fans right now?

100%. Now, I'm not going to go as far as to say Jimmy Butler tricked us. I think Jimmy Butler is dope. Like you put Jimmy Butler on a team. Yeah, it's a real one. It's going to be hard for me to bet against that team because he's just made of the shit

that I think you need to be made of to win in this league. So let me say that. But I do think that the heat, and I've said it before on the pod, of the teams going into that bubble, they were uniquely positioned to be successful in the bubble because of all the things you just talked about, because of that culture, because of the way they're able to, you know, all kind of get on the same page and get focused really quickly. And it's what they preach in that building, right? Like, I felt like they gained the most from being in that bubble environment.

I don't know anyone, and I don't mean this is a shot to the heat. I don't know anyone that would have picked the heat, even going into the bubble, let alone the beginning of the season last year to be a finals participant. Like, if you can find that person outside of Miami, show them to me. I don't think they exist, right? The heat really did capture lightning and a bottle. And I do believe that for especially the younger players, like the Tyler Hero, who's phenomenal, by the way,

having that lack of atmosphere for road games, I think it helped. I think even for Duncan Robinson, you know, who played a phenomenal game won. I think in your first real playoff series, not having those fans in there to sway emotions or have you, you know, maybe second guess. And I think all of that helped.

Even Bam out of bio. So I do believe that the heat were able to do some things in the bubble last year and, you know, capture the moment in the way that they may not have been able to do had there been fans and you were in a regular atmosphere. If you were in a regular atmosphere, that is. Yeah, I mean, we've both been to playoff games. You've played in playoff games. I've covered them.

Different animal. Different, whole different beast. It's different. I had a coach tell me, you know, when I was covering, I was covering the league was like, no, man, you think you're in shape for a regular season game times that by 10 when you're going into the postseason and then times that by 50 when you're going to the finals, right? Like, it's totally different from a conditioning level, from a mindset level. And that's when it comes in the, that's, that's when it comes in with fans.

You know, and different, you're basically playing a glorified AAU tournament. Everything that I've heard about the bubble, it was like, it was like a glorified AAU tournament. You know, there was a few fans, but they were largely family members that was there. Right. Right. And I think that there's definitely been a change in there. I'm curious to see what Miami does when they come at home, man, because historically,

that's a real-ass organization. They have a lot of pride there. You've got a guy like Jimmy Butler. They got to get game three, bro. They have to, or else this is over. And all that stuff about, you know, Janus being, you know, soft and all the stuff that you hear from last year, you can tell that the bucks have internalized all of that. Oh, yeah. They've internalized it.

They feel that way. There was a swagger tonight. You know, Janice was, you know, talking shit. It was just, it was, I respected the energy from Milwaukee, man. I respected that. They look like a team on a mission right now. The roles have been flipped from last year, Logan, what you're talking about. The heat were the team with the chip on their shoulder last year, right?

The bucks were, were they the number one seed in the Eastern Conference last year? Or the number two, I don't know. Forgive me. I think they were number one, right? But the heat were true underdogs, right? Us against the world mentality. And while the bucks are a higher seed this year, all we talked about was the pressure that was on them, having been swept by the heat last year and what was going to happen if they were to lose to the heat again.

And so, you know, they have the organic. underdog mentality, even though they're a higher seed. I liked what Bootintholzer did, you know, tonight. I think there was a lot more player movement, ball movement. Janus being the recipient, kind of the finisher at the end of a play, not always the, you know, the igniter or the initiator of plays. You know, it's going to be interesting because I agree with you that the heat is a super proud organization.

They're going to come home. They're going to give the bucks their best punch. I just don't think it's going to be enough. We'll see what happens. Take a quick break. And we are back. Let's talk quickly about the Portland Trail Blazers Denver Nugget series,

because we haven't talked to you guys since that series started. You know the Blazers have a place in my heart. Actually, just one player has a place in my heart. It's damn Willard. He puts some respect on his name, the first game of the series. Winning in Denver.

Got a win, big win for Portland. They lost tonight. let me get the score. It was it lost tonight 128, 109. Pretty much only person that showed up

for the Blazers was Dame. The Nuggets are an interesting team. I don't think that they're a contender. I don't know what I said. I think I called them fake.

I don't think I called them real. I think we both called them fake by and large. But Aaron Gordon on Dame Lillard was a pretty interesting wrinkle. And something,

you know, I'm not going to say San Jose beat Oakland today. I will never say that. But it was a pretty interesting, it was a pretty interesting matchup, man, to put a guy like Aaron Gordon on Damien Lillard to not stop him, but to slow him down was pretty interesting.

I like that. That was pretty good from Denver. It was great end-game adjustment by Malone and company. It's one of those adjustments, though, that's not really going to. I wouldn't imagine it has legs in game three. I think that's one where you probably caught Portland off guard. The length and athletic ability of Aaron Gordon while the balls in Damian Liller's hands

is effective. It is. It's effective because he can move with them. He challenges jumpers. You saw Damian Lillard. There was one where he kind of came off a screen to screener action on an out-of-bounce play and Dame Airballed on a late contest by Aaron Gordon. That's just length.

Damian Lillers not used to seeing that type of length flash into his vision at the last minute on the shot. But what you would do to counter that is get him off the ball, right? like Aaron Gordon is not going to be used to chasing and running and running and chasing Dame around the court. And so, you know, I think Portland would be prepared after watching film and getting a chance to really game plan for that strategic adjustment by Denver. So I don't know that it would have legs in game three the way it did in game two, but it was a great in game adjustment. I don't want to spend too much time on the series. Honestly, we had on the onset.

It wasn't a great game tonight. It wasn't. But Denver did what they were supposed to do, Logan. I was going to ask you in that way when it's a 1-1 series. This is what I was going to end on was who won the first two games, right? I feel like it's a net positive

for the Trailblazers to get game one. And they're going back 1-1. I think, you know, with game 3 back in Portland, I think Portland is in the driver's seat right now. What do you think after tonight? Without question, if you're going there as the Trailblazers, you're going there to get one game. Once you got one game, we're playing with House money.

Let's see if we can get two. But if we get one, we're straight because we flipped that we flipped home court and then we came to do what you know we got done what we came to do and so if you're Portland you're going home feeling pretty damn good now it's a weird feeling because you just got pop pretty good in game two but then the net result to your point is a positive like we're going home we feel really good about where we're at yeah I'd rather get smacked after winning game one than getting smacked and going down oh two I mean that's just you know simple math I want to we haven't talked since this is our first time

talking, no, I'll talk about that in the second. You know, I kind of really was, I was filling myself with the Nix, but I want to ask you, I want to get serious before we get to Nix tape talk real quick. Donovan Mitchell, missing game one. And that was interesting because Donovan Mitchell, during Sunday shoot-around before the Utah Jazz series, was talking about, he said that he was going to play, right? He said he was going to play against the Grizzlies

who has a lot of fans in both of us we know we love the Grizzlies said he was going to play and then there's a report by Tony Jones of the Athletic that says he is not going to play as a result of his injured ankle and then he comes out today

I want to read you a quote Raja He says, for me, for my team, I was definitely frustrated and upset that I wasn't able to play. I'm a competitor. I thought I was ready to go. I thought I was ready to go. And unfortunately, that wasn't the case. That's not how it happened. I was ready to go when I spoke to the media after Sunday shoot around.

And they came to the decision and that's what it was. There's frustration building, it seems like, in Utah and their star player right now. There was already frustration before, like, you know, before COVID hit, you know, with Donna Mitchell and Rudy Gobert. By and large, we all know that that's probably been squared away and they're good. But this is interesting, Roger. You don't want to ruffle your star player's feathers, especially you know it's tricky with injuries and injuries in the postseason.

Usually when a star player wants to play, he ends up playing. What do you think about this, Roger? Do you think this is something that is there, whether smoke, there's fire, or we shouldn't trip on this? Do you think that there's something there or not? I'm going to keep it a buck, Logan. I have real mixed emotions about this, because on one hand, I want to say, hey, man, like, chill, we don't need to really be harping on this, right?

It's not a big story. But on the other hand, that rarely happens. It rarely happens, especially in the playoffs. I mean, in the regular season, that might happen. But during the playoffs, that rarely happens. It speaks to a lack of communication, number one. the fact that you guys weren't on the same page with that and Donovan didn't know.

And then it speaks to really a disconnect between Donovan and the club when he's coming out after the miscommunication and making it public, that should be in-house conversation. That doesn't have to be anything that anyone needs to know. Even if you are frustrated as Donovan Mitchell, if you know, in my day, and maybe guys are different now, if you really care about that organization and your relationship is really healthy, it doesn't come out.

Even if you are upset and it got fucked up, like it doesn't come out and get to our hands where we're talking about it on our pod. So I do think there's something there, Logan. I don't know to what degree. I have no sources inside that building. At what point do you think, and this is all speculative because we don't, like I don't have sources in Utah like that. I leave that to Tony Jones of the athletic. But I just don't know. Like, if it gets to the point where you're talking to the media,

it didn't just start the night before you talk to the media. You get what I'm saying? Yes. This is, this has to be a, you know, it has to be at least a few week long process when this happens, right, Roger? Because like, you don't, okay, you get slighted once. Okay, cool. We're keeping that in the house. Like, you know, things happen.

But when it comes to the media and also a star player, if they're the only way that a star player. or any player for that matter doesn't make a postseason game, they must be really hurt. And if a star player or a player wants to play in a postseason game,

they play. That's why it's so weird to me. You're either lying about the severity of his injury, right? Or you guys fuck this up. I was not Donovan Mitchell, nowhere near that type of player, right?

And I like tore calf muscles in a series. And I missed two games in the Eastern, I mean, the Western Conference Finals, of 2006. And Aaron Nelson, who's in New Orleans right now as the head trainer, Mike Elliott, who is currently in Utah as the head trainer, they were our trainers. They had an assistant

trainer. And there was no way that I wasn't playing in that game. Like, they made me pass a little physical test being able to hop around on dots. Bro, I fake the hell out of that shit. I could barely move. And we got it. We got out there and we played and we limped around for two more games. I don't play with like a broken ankle in the fucking playoffs or something. Or in the, play with a broken foot or some shit. I think it was a broken thumb maybe. He played with something broken, bro.

And it was just, and like, CJ McCullen played with a broken back last year. You know, like players play. This is, it is strange, Logan.

It is definitely strange that this man is saying he could play and the club didn't play him. Like, and you got your ass whooped in game one. So John Morant, real one. I want to say, say quick thing on John Moran.

Dylan, Brooks, real one. Both. Yeah, I love, A, I love this Memphis Grizzlies team. I think that they're on the verge. You know when you can see a team about to take that next step to be a contender?

You could just see it. They're a fc. I remember when OKC played the Lakers, and I know Jomey is looking at me right now, he'll be on in a minute. When the OKC played the Lakers in 2010 and they were AFC. And I'm not comparing like games. I'm comparing mindsets where they're just like,

they're not a young, they're a young team, but they don't act like a young team. John Morant is out for blood. And I was at the game, the Warriors Memphis game on Friday night. And you could just see John Morant. You could just see it in him.

He went toe to toe with Stepp and was like, I got this. Don't even trip. We go on to Salt Lake after this. We're not going back home. We go on to Salt Lake. And you could see it in his eyes in a playing game.

Do or die all or nothing. I love this Memphis team. I really love this Memphis team. And I love the community of Memphis, full disclosure. interned in Memphis right before I like really started getting traction in this industry. It's a very proud city. Barry loves basketball.

It's going to be rocking in Memphis. If they can just get back to that, we all saw grit and grind. This isn't quite grit and grind. But if they have a winner in Memphis, that's going to be special for not only Memphis, but the league. If, you know, there's some, there's scary teams in the NBA. One is a team that just doesn't know any better. They're good and they just don't know any better. And no one on that team knows any better.

They don't. I love it. They're just out there hooping. And then you become like doubly as dangerous. If you're a team that doesn't know any better and now you've got game one, you're playing with house money in game two. Right? Because they don't know to like check it up and put it in neutral.

We got one. We're going back to the crib. I'm not saying that they're going to be. They're so naive in a good way right now. Yeah. I'm just saying they don't give a shit. They're going to come out there and. and play the same way.

Like, you know, I imagine Utah wins, but you become doubly as scary when you're that naive team that's now playing with House money. Listen, they had Utah on their heels.

And, like, even little stuff like, I think it was Kyle Anderson who like kind of lightly touched Rudy Gobert and Rudy Go Bear flops on the sideline. I never,

I've never seen anything like that before, ever. I've never seen anything like that. That was wild. And I just, we got to get out. We got to get out of that. We got to get out of that flopping shit, man,

trying to get people thrown out of games for shit. Like, come on, man. Flop and trying to get a foul is one thing, bro. But come on, man. I was just surprised. I've never seen anybody flop from the sidelines. You know, like, I've seen people flop on the court. That's part of the game, man.

Like, it can't be egregious, but it's part of the game. I never seen anybody flop onto the stanchion from sidelines. I've never seen that happen. We don't got to get too much to it, but I say I'll have to say. that Memphis is not here for the bullshit. They're ready to go. Memphis is a proud city.

And that team really exemplifies what Memphis is, and I love it. Let's take a quick break. I wanted, I wanted to, we're going to get into Lakers talk, and we're going to talk about an East Coast team that I was a fan of. And we're back. I was well documented who my allegiance was as a child, Raja. You know, I was a Laker fan as a child. for about an hour and a half last,

was it Sunday? I was a Knicks fan. I liked the Knicks. I was online looking for Tim's. I was looking for fittets. It was orange and blue skies for about an hour and a half. And it got exemplified when R.J. Barrett dunked on the entire city of Atlanta. He did that.

He did it. And it almost shed a tear. But this might, this Nick's Hawk series might be the best series of this first round, bro. It was a lot of fun to watch. Trey Young, for everything that you want to say about Trey Young, for everything that you, you know, there's some valid points. What do you want to say on Trey Young?

Whatever you want to say, the man has it. Did you see what he did in the garden? Yeah, it's pretty remarkable, man. I mean, he's a tough cover. their team is a tough team to guard because they have so many people that can put it in the bucket and they've got that floor space

that environment was electric man like it just... You talked about the guard. Remember when Meryl was on you guys both talked about the garden and I didn't really, I didn't know I still don't quite know because I haven't been there yet

but it's just like like it was rocking like it was just they were ready they've seen this movie before but they had to remind you what New York is. Yes, I mean, certainly. They haven't, I mean, they got to remind you what playoff New York is. No one's seen that in a long time.

But for me, sitting at home watching, it, it harkened me back to pre-COVID, what playoff atmospheres are supposed to look like. And I watched a lot of those games. And none of them came across on TV from an arena perspective as really being like raucous playoff atmospheres. Now, the games were good, some of them, and there was playoff atmosphere on the court in terms of physicality and, you know, the pace slowed down and what you're used to seeing at a playoff ball. But, man, seeing Spike on the sideline jumping up and down and going crazy and the camera pan into the crowd every time something went down. It looked like it was fucking 30,000 people in that arena, bro.

It could have, it was phenomenal. Going the back and forth between those two teams down the stretch. You wanted to be a New York, Nick, didn't you? Didn't you want to be a New York Nick? I did want to be a Nick. I don't hide that. Nick and a Laker would have been two places I would have liked to have played. Unfortunately for Nick's fans, and I've said this before,

the problem. Alec Berks was phenomenal. Alex Berks, shout out Alec Berks, one of my young bucks, one of my rooks. I covered Alex Burks. Good dude. I covered him in the Golden State. Leggo. I love Alec Burke.

Alec Berks is a good dude, man. He was phenomenal. What's a young boy's name? Emmanuel Quigley is a nice story. R.J. Barrett. R.J. Barrett is dope. I don't know that they have enough bucket getters down the stretch. I don't, I mean, it's hard for me to say, man.

But like, like, let's be real though, Rosas. Does it even matter right now, man? No, no, no, no, no. It doesn't matter. They're playing well. They overachieve this year, bro. Like, if they lose a series, it's not a, it's not an L on the season, you know? Like, if they push this to seven, I think it's going to go seven games.

But like, say they lose the series, okay. You know, you got cab space. You're good. You know? Julius Randall's a dude. I think you're right. Julius Randall's a bad man. They just need, there's a, you know, there's a piece.

There's a piece that they need to go with that. And RJ and D. Rose, I don't know what it is. But I do trust, I do trust the brain trust in New York now to get that right. Yeah, yeah. So it's a series to look at. Now, let's get to what we're, let's get to the shits. Sasha, I need you in here. Jomi, I need you in.

here. We're here to talk Lakers, Phoenix Suns. It's time to roll. Now the Lakers, I see Jomey right now. He is in some sort of Zoom paradise right now. It is 10, 1019 West Coast time. Somehow he's in the tropics. It's sunny. It's beautiful. Jomey, what's going on here, man? What are your feelings at this very moment after the Lakers got their ass kicked in Phoenix in game one. Tell me your thoughts. Give me your thoughts on the game one. To quote one of the greatest artists of our generation, Stephen A. Smith. The Lakers stink. It's bad. It's just terrible basketball on Sunday. No disrespect to the sons. Devin Booker, you know, what a great coming out. party for him. He showed out. He showed out. Ruined. Chris Paul, you know, bad arm and all came out

and gave his all. John J. Jain had had AD locked up in Alcatraz, had that man in prison. Right? But, I mean, aside from LeBron, nobody really showed up for the Lakers on Sunday. Again, AD was non-existent. I don't even get me started on drumming and shorter. Don't even, like, wait, wait, hold that on. You don't have enough time. Hold that. Hold on. Hold on. Hold on Sunday. that thought because you put it you made a great point now we have sasha mac our producer she she's here to talk about drummond and schroeder what are your thoughts on drummond and shroder in game one i would say it's the ugliest pick and roll in the league i would say we're holding out one of the most beautiful players in the league marcus sole for the absolute ugliest game in the league andre in the league andre

Drumman. What do we think? Ugliest game in the league? I mean, I think in the Komenski brothers, they said something like this where his mistakes just look worse than everybody else's mistakes. You know, like he's fumbling the ball around. Like, it looks like he doesn't know how to play basketball sometimes. Again, I'm saying the butteriest fingers in the league. Andre Drummond has the butteriest fingers in the league.

I'm standing by that. I mean, they're probably eating popcorn on a bench and all I'm saying. you can't white. You know what I mean? Like they ain't got white wipes down there. He's buttering panes. He's baking cakes. He's buttering some pans. He has the butteriest fingers. Anyway. Ra, right. Now we're talking about

we're going to get to the Lakers. We're going to talk a lot of Lakers in this thing. But I want to get your perspective because you are a Phoenix Sun for life. Contrary to what the timeline says. Yes. Correct. What did it feel like for you to see Phoenix rocking? Because we know this, right? We know

that there's a great crowd in Phoenix when Phoenix is good. It's an even greater crowd when they're playing the Lakers and that beat L.A. is roaring. How was it for you to see Lakers' sons and Phoenix come out? No, that took me back.

It took me back. And they were up in the crowd when the crowd was going crazy and it took me back to, you know, 06, 07, some of those rivalries we had with the Lakers and Kobe and Lamar. And, you know, it was great to see the crowd back. It's a phenomenal. I talk about it all.

the time, a phenomenal place to play basketball and to be when the sons are good and when the sons are relevant. And it's great to see that again. And the sons were, they were great. They came out and they were the hungrier, more focused, more aggressive team. They looked like a team that wanted that more. It meant more to them, at least in that one game scenario, than it did to the Lakers. And that was cool to watch. Speak on Devin Booker, please. Speak on Devin Booker. Yes. Put some respect. Yeah, he's a problem. We got to respect this man.

He's an absolute problem. He's, but he's, he's been one for years. And, you know, we said, you know, we said that this, this playoff, you know, uh, experience thing. It's a, it's a real thing at times. He, he's not going to have a problem with it. He, uh, they were sending doubles at that man up high, like at half court trying to get the ball out of his hands. Um, and he just, but the passing has been phenomenal. No, he's a, he's a player.

Like, he's a bucket, but he's a real, he's a player. He's a player. and he knows how to handle himself. He's seen all of those situations before. That's something that he faces, you know, from night to night against different teams in the NBA. So you're not going to throw anything at him defensively that's going to stymie him.

And the Sun's just got a lot of, you know, they got a lot of real dudes over there. McHale Bridges, real one. Official real one. Official real one. Shout out McHell Bridges for coming on the show. Jay Crowder, real one. What's the young man from Murray State from a few years?

Chris Johnson? Is that Chris Johnson? No. No, no. The backup PG was out of the league. Campaign. And it's resurrected it. Like they got a lot of pieces, man.

They're tough. I want to say, even with that being said, and I'm going to go to the Laker contingency after I say this, even with all that being said, the Lakers still should have and could have won that game. If one, Anthony Davis just wakes up out of bed and just gives us a light, 28 and 15, you know? if he doesn't get shut down. I'm getting tired of it. I'm going to get to you in a second, Sasha Mac.

I'm tired of him saying that he's taking responsibility for it after the game. Take responsibility for it during the game. How are you feeling during that time, Sasha Mac? How are you feeling during the time when he was, when DeAndre Aden was taking his lunch? How did you feel? It's the opposite of how it's literally like you're in like the backwards tenant world. It's like the opposite of how it's supposed to be like, Time is running backwards, like, what is going on here?

And I'm just, I just have to say, I'm a little, I'm a tired of the attitude. I'm really tired of the attitude of the like, I'm going to take responsibility for it post-game. That's on me. That's on me. We know. We watched it. We were there. And we saw it.

And we just prefer that you would make that realization like two hours ago. Well, for me, it's not even that. It's the fact that, like, I think before the series, he said, something to the effect of I've got nothing to prove I've got nothing to prove and I don't know if Anthony Davis is to see the TL

they're calling you A Disney my guy they're frying you you have something to prove to everybody they're calling you bubble boy I hear any streets is that what you want

no okay right you have something to prove to a lot of people so get that mindset out of there now Raja this is gonna it has come full circle to you bro

now you have said this since we started this podcast. And I was even surprised when you first said it. You were saying that AD is not a number one. It's not. You said that. And I'm like, are you serious? Are you kidding me? What are you talking about? He was my MVP pick this year. What do you mean? Now, Roger, after you see that performance, what's your response? My response is what it always is when it comes to AD. I know how gifted and talented he is. There's no questioning. that. I never questioned that. I question whether or not, this, this sums it up for me. The fact that a Laker fan would have to worry in a situation where all the chips are on the line, if you have to, in your

mind, somewhere worry about whether you're going to get the good AD or the bad AD, that's all I need to say. You don't worry about that with LeBron. You never worried about that with Alan Iverson. You never worried about that with D. Wade. You never worried about that with MJ. Those are guys are coming. Even if they don't perform, you didn't worry about them not coming to perform. And that's a worry with AD. And it's fair. Like, it's played itself out. Now, I'm not saying that he won't bounce back and be great in game two and all that. But the fact that you have to worry, if he's going to show up or not in games like that, I think takes him out of the true number one on a championship level team conversation for me. I fully expect him to get like 30 and 20, bro.

I fully expected Lakers to win game two. I don't think that's a question. Two things came to mind when I watched this performance from AD. It was two scenarios that came to mind, one of which might cause Jomey some pain, one of which example was Pau Gasol in the 2011 playoffs. I don't know what happened to Powell Gasol in the 2011 playoffs. I hope he is okay from that. It was that that came to mind, and I hope that's not the case for AD.

sake. And then another thing came to mind. It was it was Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. I think I believe it was the, I think it was the 87 finals against the Boston Celtics after the Memorial Day massacre. After this, the Boston Celtics took his lunch. And then Kareem went to work. He systematically demolished the Boston Celtics. Now, I'm hoping AD turns into Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and not 2011 palisal. Me too. Do you think that that happens, Jomey?

And then Sasha Mac. What do you think, Jemke? Here's the thing. I think, I think that's possible, but we're going to need to see some changes, especially in the starting lineup, right? Marc Dossal needs to start.

And it's part of helping AD, but also just get the offense moving. You know what I mean? Markisaw's a phenomenal passer. You know, you get those back cuts with LeBron and KCP. and then it takes because they're having Jay Crowder guard

Anthony Davis which by the way it's not a thing that should stop AD from dominating right like that is not something that should work

but for whatever reason they're doing it because it's working which doesn't make any sense you take the problem with see let me let me to interject

allow me to interject real quick I want you to keep your train of thought if you're going to put Jay Crowder on Anthony Davis and he does not take his ass

somewhere down near that block and punish that six five wing player over and over and over and over and over and over and over again we got a problem Houston we got a problem so here's the problem though drummond occupies that same space right so you've got AD and Drummond in the paint right that doesn't that's not conducive to getting to the basket that pulls AD he's shooting all them fall away 18 footers.

You know what I'm saying over, for Jay Coutter? You put it in Marcosol. Markisal Camp's top of the key. You bring A&A. They've got to live with AD in the dunker spot with Drake Cauter. That's a mismatch.

That's a bucket every night. He sounds like AAU coach, doesn't he? I like A.A.U. I like H. I like where he's that. But what he's taking, what he's taken for granted, like what he's just like penciling in

is that AD is going to do that. Like, that he's going to be a willing participant in that. I hope he is. But that's what. We're assuming his brain, like he's here to play. We're assuming Andy Davis is here to play. All right.

Well, it's just like the Schroeder, KCP, LeBron, A.D. Gassau lineup is the Lakers' best lineup by Biles. I would put Caruso in there instead of Shrewder. That's the highest net rating lineup, minimum 60 minutes. Shout out to pick up hoop on Twitter for that stat. But that is the lineup that they should at least start with. You know what I'm saying? Get the offense rolling. Get AD rolling.

We know, like you say, we know bronze coming to play. Right? So that's all you need. It's simple. The stats back it up. The I test backs it up. Drumming can't be out there with AD. If you want to see Prime AD, 80 scored 42 points on this same team.

We saw it. Two weeks ago. We've seen it. We've seen it. He had 42 and 12, right? Blaine's center for a lot of that game. We know he can dominate this team. We just.

we've got to see something different why is Vogel playing final words on this series and then we're going to go to predictions bro I'm just wondering why Vogel is playing yeah I don't know why is Vogel Catnaw why is Vogel Catnaw

yes yeah vibes you know no coaching just vibes I just feel like actually that's the only explanation because if you watch the games if you watch Lego games for whatever reason when Drummond leaves the floor, the offense moves better.

Huh? They're better defensively. Uh-huh. And actually that when Marcus All comes in, he immediately makes a three and then he has an assist. What is that? But for whatever reason, Andre has to start.

He's got, in the game, in the Warriors game, Andre played like, what, 16 minutes. 80 played that whole fourth. Actually, you played the whole second half, played like 16 minutes at center. What I'm saying?

And the Lakers came back down 13 and half to beat Steph Curry and the Warriors, right? We know when it's game time, when it's time to win, they put 80 at the 5. I'm just saying skip all that, right? When 80's on the floor without Markersaw, don't put Drummond, have him be the lone big. That's it. Aside for Markle, that's it. We're plain politics, not basketball. What I trust Vogel to make the adjustment, though.

the bubble last year. Me too. We'll see, but I trust Vogel to make an adjustment. So we'll see. We'll see. Also, we were like losing

and getting killed and looking like, pardon me, fucking idiots out there. And all the new, all the new guys who haven't done shit for the Lakers

are laughing. Oh, Pallet, oh, laughing on the bench. Oh, this is hilarious. Sasha, Sasha. It's a game. It's a game.

It's a game. No, I'm sorry. No, not when you're losing like that. I'm with you, Sasha. I'm with you, Sasha. We need to be out. Thank you, Raj. I want to see.

The only actual NBA player here who's played professional sports. We ain't going to be getting cutting off and having a good time while we're getting smack to game. We ain't going to be going. We ain't going to be doing that. Nope. You're going to be right. Shorter's throwing the ball off drum and shin and then going and laughing. Oh, ha, ha, ha.

T. T.H.C was laughing. First of all, don't, don't put his name in your mouth. Take his name out your mouth. All right. Stop that. Stop. that. All right.

He got a layup. That was a fire layout. That was a great way. And coach is like, you good. We're done. You can hang out. You've been Maclemore, Keith, Mark Gassall. That's playing batgammon on the bench. Getting no learning in the second half. Hey.

Let's get the predictions really quickly. So you're going to skip over with the clippers? No, that's part of our prediction. The clippers are playing tomorrow. So you can get that into predictions. That was the last prediction. We can get to that in a second. All right, man.

We got Celtics Nets going on. It's a wash. Nets. Who's a prediction for Lakers' sons? Roger, go ahead. Oh, do, do, do, yeah, Roger? Do I want to clear my name in Phoenix? I'll take the Sons.

Oh, I like it. I like it. like to clarify, you can't see Raza on the Zoom, but he threw a wink in there. You know what I'm saying? It was like a nice heavy wink. Yeah.

All right, let me, oh, can I put a caveat in that? No, no, no, the fuck you can. I can. You did what you did. Do you want to go to Sky Harbor or not? Do you want to go to Sky Harbor or not? I'll take the Sun. Jolmy, who you pick it?

Oh, I got the Lakers tomorrow by double digits. Mm-hmm. Double digits. Double digits. Yeah. Yeah, Burr don't show up. A.D. going to show up.

All right. Defending chance, baby. Now, Jomey, I saved this for the last. I saved this matchup for last. The last thing we talk about in this podcast, because I knew that you were going to be here. Says it all, the tickets are as low as $56 to get into Staples Center for the Clippers and Mavericks game two. Luca just bawled out in game one. The Mavericks are up.

1-0. Now, I'm going to go first. I'm going to go pick the Clippers to win game two. I'm going to pick the Clippers to win game two. Rara, who you got. Yeah, it's a good pick. It's a good solid pick. I'm going to go with you with the Clippers to win game two.

Lucas phenomenal, but I don't know that you're going to pull out two. I hope the Clippers win game two. I really do. I hope that the Clippers win game two. You know how I feel about the Clippers. Joe Me. The floor is yours, my man. I am going to, you know, be sensible and pick the clippers in game two.

I don't think Kawhi... I'm sensing a rant out of you, though. I'm sensing a rant out of you. Here's what I'm going to say, right? Here's all I'm going to say. If game two comes around and, you know, regardless of what happens, the clippers, the clippers lose, it's going to be, you know, no holds barred on the T. We're getting these jokes off.

Because here's my thing, right? And I think this is, like, a bigger conversation. maybe for later in the playoffs. But Paul George hasn't been great in the playoffs for a couple years, right? Like every time like the lights are big, you know, and when you need a big Paul George performance, he doesn't show up, right? And we make jokes. And people say, oh, man, why are y'all disrespecting Paul George?

Look at what he did in the regular season. Bro, I'm not here for that. I'm not here for any of that. Like, do you, like, did you forget him shooting off the side of the backboard last year? Did you forget a couple years ago when he had six points when him and Carmelo totaled for 13 points and Russell Westbrook had 46? Right? Like, this is not, this is a thing that continually happens. Don't embarrass yourself on the timeline defending Paul George.

Unless you're his family. I get it. I would defend my husband, my cousin, too. I'm like, hey, man, if you're not related to Paul George and I'm getting these jokes off, please don't be hurt. I have a question for you. I have a question for you. Does Los Angeles claim Palmdale? What kind of?

What? Is the moon a planet? Is McDonald's Burger King? Hell no, we don't claim Palmdale. Palmdale is Riverside. Man, you got to take the 91 to, if you got to take the 91 anywhere, it's not Los Angeles. What are you talking about? Palmdale.

Get out of here. Look at Palmdale. What's wrong with you? No way. Palmdale is Palmdale. On that note, that has been another edition of the Realwoods podcast. What's more L.A.? What's more L.A.?

Palmdale or Bakersfield? That's impossible. Like, it, like, I would doubt, Baker'sfield? Not, neither. No, no, no. The farthest? You could claim L.A.

I think is probably Ooh. Artisia? Damn. You know? If you're like Artis, you know, like, yeah, I'm L.A. But like, all, cool, cool, cool. You can have that. But now, again, if you got to take the 91

somewhere, no, no, no. It's, no way. Okay. So that was another edition of the ruins pot. Thank you, Jemmy. Thank you, producer Sasha Mac. Helps us all the time. every episode. She is the queen of the board. She holds us in check. She is the reason why we move. Thank you to, thank you to Jomey. Thank you to Barf. We will see you guys on Thursday. Make sure you check out Ringer MBA on all social platforms. Make sure you check out every NBA podcast that we have on the Ringer NBA feed. That's group chat. That is the mismatch. That is.

The Answer with Siritz-Sohie group chat. Who has a newest edition with Big Waz? Also, make sure you check out, Oh, Black Girl's Songbook. It's on hiatus, but you can still check it out. Who's that with Roger Bell? Yeah, that's town legend. Daniel Smith.

And you can also check out R2C2 with who, Roger Pell. Another legend of Vallejo, C-C-Sabathia. Make sure you check out everything on the rules. Make sure you check out 60 songs at the... find the 90s with Rob Horvilla. Make sure you check out the Ringer Music Show with Charles Holmes. Make sure you check out all the ringer verse with Mallory, Van, and maybe Jomey. Also, we're putting together a little Mad Hooper Mondays.

This is we're recording late. You know, it's we want to hear your voices. So make sure you leave us a voicemail at 510-469. 0294. Tell us why you mad. Tell us why you're mad. We'll see you Thursday, and we will hear you and all your mad Hoopers on Matt Hooper Monday. See you.

Peace.