The Ringer NBA Show - The Regular Season Is Over. Here Come the NBA Playoffs. | Real Ones

Episode Date: May 17, 2021

After the final minutes of NBA regular-season basketball wrap up, Logan is joined by Seerat Sohi and Wos Lambre to discuss Steph Curry’s unbelievable achievements this season and the Lakers-Warriors play-in matchup (3:42), which team they’re picking to win it all (29:57), and more. Then they answer some questions with the CMO (chief meme officer) of ‘Real Ones,’ Jomi Adeniran, from the Locker Room chat (34:43).  Make sure to download the Locker Room app to catch all of The Ringer's live shows during the NBA playoffs. Host: Logan Murdock Guests: Seerat Sohi, Wosny Lambre, 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. What's up? We're back on Real On Zafm, and we have the Mad Hooper. Was, he's one of the newest editions of The Ringer. I can't understand why he's so mad. He is a co-host on group chat.

he's doing really well for himself here at the ringer so far was why the hell are you mad the nicks and their fans um yes i made fun of y'all for basically turning madison square garden into the c a east your man got all his cronies in there and it happened to work out and y'all made the playoffs and jujurandals doing this thing you can stop texting me you can stop at me you can stop talking to me because y'all done in a week, all right?

You're going to get smoked within five games by the Hawks. Tray T.L. is up in your ass. It's over for y'all. Stop hitting me. You're going to get worked. It's a nice story. Wait, wait, wait, wahs, woss, woss, woss. Aren't you from New York?

Of course. Aren't you from New York? Of course. You know, I'm being Swatmush all day, and I'm Shadyville Queens all day. Of course, you know that. But, aren't you, shouldn't you be a Knicks fan? I'm not a Knicks fan. I never was a Knicks fan.

I was not inspired by Derek Harper. Sorry. Greg Anthony didn't do it for me. Sorry. Hubert Davis. That was you that big was talking about. I got a story to tell. I wasn't riding with you.

Okay? You didn't like Mason? I liked Anthony Mason. He had a dope haircut. He used to always get the lines and the designs in his head. I thought that was fire. My immigrant Haitian parents wasn't having it.

So I looked up to Anthony Mason for the serious haircuts. But other than that, I was never rocking with y'all. I was happy when you and Mr. Fingerroll. Okay? I was happy when John Starks were two for 17 in the finals. I was happy.

I was happy when Mike gutted you every single year, Nick fans. I was happy. Wait, wait, wait, wait. How are you even welcome back to where you're from? This is crazy. This is crazy. Because I live in L.A., man. I'm in the sands, man.

I'm on Sunset Boulevard that Stephen A. would say, man. I'm on Wilshin, man. You know what I mean? I'm out here, man. That's all it is. But yeah, Nick fans, stop hearing my line. You're tired of it. I'm tired of opening to my Twitter.

And all I see is, oh, but we're going to do this. Oh, what happened? Yes, you got a nice four-see. We're happy for you. Enjoy your week in the playoffs. You're done. Are you happy for them? Wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait.

We have another, we have another Matt Hooper. I'm not, I'm not. I'm not. I'm not mad about anything. I'm not mad about anything. What's going on, Sir. But I will say, I will say, Nick Spans, if you would like to get in touch with Waz, his handle is Big Waz on Twitter, IG, Snapchat.

If you like to be a little bit more direct, you can just hit me up and I'll give you this phone number. Just don't say it came from me. We're not going to rain on your parade. Y'all go enjoy it. Just don't hit my line no more. That's why I'm mad. You literally. You literally just rained on their parade for no reason other than your hateful spite.

It's pretty much unbecoming, but we have a show to do. So, Real Ones up next. What is up? This is Logan Murdoch from The Real Ones. I just want to give you a quick update before this podcast. No Roger today. He's Katten. So we had Syret and Bigwas, two of the newest editions of the Ringer.

We did a little simulcast on the Locker room app. You should go check it out. And this is the full episode that we did on Locker Room. We talked about a lot of cool things. Talked about the playing game. talked about our championship, our champion, excuse me, and answer some questions. So, lock in on that. It was a really fun episode.

Tap in. What's popping? Logan Murdoch. Real ones. We have two special guests here, no Roger today. He caten. So we got Big Was who was here on Saturday. And we also have the newest, newest edition of the Rangher.

Siritt So he was popping. How y'all doing? Clap it up, clapping up, clapping up, clapping up, clapping up, clapping up, clap it up, yeah, that's it, that's it. That's it. Oh, my gosh. We here now. Legendary vibes in the building.

Sir, how are you doing? This is your first official, like, ringer assignment. What's going on? How are you feeling right now? Assignment. That just, I mean, that grants it more importance, I guess. I'm good. I'm good. I'm very excited to be here. Okay.

I can't believe we're here. We made it. We're here. We did it. Yeah. We're doing this. This is happening right now. Look at us. Who would have thought? Me. Maybe. You know. The whole way through.

Word. Word. Word. Word. Man, it's good to see y'all faces, man. We all here talking on, what is this? The end of the regular season, as we know it for this. We hear. Yeah. Thankfully. Yeah, so we are here at the final end. It's about to be playing time, not playoff time, play in time right now. Let me start with Sirith, the legend. What is your favorite scenario? What is your favorite playing matchup going into the playing round?

We have them all set up. What's your fave going in right now? I mean, that's kind of obvious. It's Lakers, like Lakers Warriors, obviously. I mean, you could have been a hipster. I don't know. You could have just been some hipster stuff. Just two goats.

Okay. That's all. Well, I am. I mean, I'm looking forward to just watching the Celtics get beat, honestly. Like, that'll be fun just because, like, put a final stage. Just a little dagger in there. Spice. I like this.

I like this. Tabasco, you pouring on this. I like that. They're really just one of those teams that needs to be put out of their misery. I really enjoyed today when the Hornets and the Warnets and the Wizards were playing. And there was a, there was a, there was a, there was this constant refrain from the announcers of like these guys will then get to play the Celtics like that is a reward if you are the eight or nine scene and just I just loved

that framing of the situation so waz are you on the same wing are you got to or you have like a hipster dark horse pick that we don't even know about you no no no no I want to I want to watch lebron and step go full tilt to try to get Phoenix rather than Utah because everybody knows you'd rather play Phoenix um but to what serrit was saying So I made my ringer debut on the answer with Chris Ryan. And before he sent me a rundown, and he said, and one of the things on the rundown was like, is Boston going to be a scary 7th scene for the Brooklyn Nets?

And then before we can even get to the show, he had cut it out. Because he was like, of course not. They stink. They stink. But don't you want to have a little bit of just like, I don't know, some cosmic vibes going? Like maybe it could be like a Disney movie pop in where like the underdog wins despite all odds.

You don't think that's nothing you don't think that's going to happen? There's no like, no. Like there is nothing Disney about this Celtics team beating the ass mat. There's just like there's no storybook ending with these guys. It just needs to finish. Yeah, once Jalen Brown went down, the intrigue of like, well, they do have three stars on their team. It's like you're a dub. It's over.

You're finished. All right, man. I tried. I tried to have some intrigue in here. Just for full reference, here are the teams that are, here are the matchups for the playing tournament. We have the Grizzlies and the Spurs, the 9 and 10. We have the Wizards Pacers 9 and 10 in the Eastern Conference.

I don't know how much we're going to talk about the Eastern Conference tonight, to be honest. I don't really, I don't think that's going to be a vibe. We have the Celtics Hornets, which that's going to be a hard. That's going to be a hard watch. And let's just talk about the game that we all really want to talk. about, man, is the Lakers and the Warriors Wednesday. It's going to be a vibe, man.

As somebody had just watched Steph in person do, it was probably the greatest, most inefficient game I've ever seen. And I watched Kobe throughout his whole career. It was great like that. There were like eight different legendary moments to happen, like seven of them happened in the fourth quarter. I saw it in person. I'll get to that in a bit.

Was, what did you feel like when you saw Steph ball out? On television, wherever you were. What was going through your mind when you saw him do his thing against the grills either day? You know what kills me about this whole season? One, I predicted the Warriors wouldn't make the playoffs. So they made me look bad. So I feel bad about that.

But two, it's like, it's just stuff, man. Like, I keep telling people, they need to make the statue right now. Make the statue right now while he's still playing. Put it in front of Chase Center. Because this team has no business being in the postseason. But for Stepp's greatness. I remember a game against Portland way early in the season. You dropped like 60.

They won by three or something crazy like that, right? Like, he's put the team on his back, and it's just been dope to watch because there's no reason to do this, right? Like, this team is not going to win the championship, probably not going to get out of the first round. And he's putting everything on the line this season, like a real G. I think he's just, I don't know, man. I love this. This is my favorite step season, honestly. So I, this is not even.

This is very shameless. So I play NBA 2K like a lot of people, right? I'm playing NBA 2K 20 because I was cheap. I was very cheap and I was very cheap and get 21. So what I did was and nobody wanted to hold me down with a copy. So what happened was I create my own player, right? And I just, you know, like everybody does, right? It's to make it fun, all 99s.

It's all good. So, and I specifically put fake real Logan Murdoch on a 2K team, right? And usually the team goes down and fictional real Logan Murdoch, goals and brings them back no matter what it is, right? No, Hall of Fame. That is what Steph did today. That's exactly what Steph did today. Sirich, is there a world where Steph does this against the Lakers and the Warriors beat the

Lakers in the first playing game? Yo, honestly, I just love the way that you Sims, an origin story for yourself like that. I love that. Did you see the vibe? Did you see how that worked out? I was funny. I did. I do.

I do. I like it. You know, just speak it into existence. simulate it into existence, Logan. That's kind of my favorite scenario. What I would like to see happen is the Warriors make the playoffs off the first game, play the Sons, and the Lakers play the jazz in the first round. That would honestly probably be my favorite scenario because I just want more Steph.

Like what a gift this man is. That's what I kept thinking watching this whole game. And I agree with you was it's totally my favorite Steph season two. He's like taking 22-3s with grit somehow. Now there's like a, you know, he's powering through to manage to somehow take all these threes. And that was such a difficult game for him because the grizzlies just, they make it rough. They just, yeah, yeah, it was a lot of fun. It was a lot of fun.

Logan, I'll let you talk about the game specifically since you were actually there. But it was kind of just like vintage, why I really enjoyed Steph this season, just gutting through and somehow still making it look pretty. So Siri thinks they're going to beat the Lakers. What about you, Logan? Oh, I think the Lakers are going to beat them. I don't think the Warriors have a chance. Like, I love the dream world that Syrin has. I love the series.

It's one game. Anything can happen in one game. I don't think that the, I don't think that the, I don't think that LeBron's going to let that happen. But as far, I would, like, in the dream world, yeah, of course. Like, that would, that would be cool if, like, the, if, if Steph won on, like, a rampade and scored, like, 60 in Staples and, you know, it's something like that happens. Dremont's talking hell of shit. You're saying, you know, we still got you. I don't know.

It would be a fun thing. However, I don't think that's going to happen. I just don't. I think that if, I think that even if a step has a big game, the Warriors front line is so terrible that you just give the ball to AD down the stretch. That just nullifies anything that Steph does. But to your point, Syred, about the game today, it was one of my favorite Steph games of all time because, like,

There's no one for him to pass the ball to down the stretch, bro. Like, there's nothing for him to do. There was a play, like, I think it was in the final. It was his last three where Jaron Jackson is switched on to him, and he has him at half court. And Steph's not even bothered, and he throws the ball to Draymond, and he cuts right to the three-point line. Draymond gets a white back to him, and he shoots three.

And I think that was the Baron Davis moment. Every time you watch Steph, it's like the first time you watch Steph, man. It's intoxicating. It's great. It's amazing. But that being said, I don't think that that's going to be enough to beat the Lakers. I'm sorry, Siritt. I'm sorry.

I apologize. It's like the first sip of coffee in the morning, the first three in every game. Exactly. It's really something else. But to Syrit's point about Golden State winning, I think it'd be best for us as fans. I legitimately think a Phoenix Golden State series would actually be interesting, whereas I think the Lakers are going to sweep the Sons. You do think that? Yeah.

Wait, before we get to that, hold that thought was. Hold that thought was. Let's talk about the Lakers really quickly. because we're talking about this playing game. And we'll get to the easiest path to the finals. We'll get to all that stuff. But the Lakers, if I were to tell you, if I were to tell you, Oz,

that the Lakers would be playing in the playing game. If I told you that in December, what would you tell me? What would you tell the rest of this locker room audience? What would you say? Are we allowed to curse on here? I just say it. I just, yes, go ahead.

I'll encourage you out, you out your monkey-ass bond, fool. Like, you know, I thought the Lakerson. Lakers were the clear title favorite coming into the season. I think I really am into the drum and pick up because I just like the versatility of their front court. Like, not that he should play 30 minutes against every single team, but matchup dependent. I like what they could do, man. I like the mark thing.

I like the – obviously, we know AD at the 5 is ultimately what's going to make their team, you know, as best as they could possibly be. I just think they're really freaking good right now. And if LeBron is basically close to 85, 90%, they're still the best team in the West to me, even better than the Clippers, obviously much better than Utah. Sarah, what do you think? Did you foresee this coming? I didn't predict this, no. Was, I'm really curious why you think the Sons are a better matchup for the Lakers than the Jazz.

Because Logan mentioned terrible front courts Their front court stinks Like if you used that Sarich thing at the 5 And Frank the Tank at the 5 That they were doing all regular season That shit ain't going to work

Against the Lakers It's just not It's untenable Like your front It's not If DeAndre Aiden Can't be your defender Down the stretch bro

Then like It's cookies for AD It's just cookies Like it's That's what it is Why Do you have a counter series? because you asked this question, do you have a counter for this?

No, I was just, I was, I was curious. Yeah, yeah, I think, I just think the jazz are an easier beat than the Suns. Now, I get the matchup thing, but I don't really think that Gobert is going to be out here handling AD. And we can talk about Gobert later, which I'm sure we will. This is about to be like the seven podcasts in a row that I crap on Rudy Gobert, and I'm starting to feel bad about it. Waz is, Gobert is going to have to see you at. at Staples next time.

Like, seriously, bro? I'm just slays, right. Nah, you're from Queens. You can't do that. But, no, but I don't know, man. I haven't really, I mean, I've been, I know you talked about the drumming pickup, and I'm not, I'm not sure. I'm not sure about that.

I'm not sure about that the Drummond pickup. I think that, um, it's just a, it's a weird kind of conundrum the Lakers face themselves in, right? Because Drummond has to get paid. He's trying to get a bag this summer, right? And he's going to play like trying to get a bag. So he's going to want to start. He's going to want to play all these minutes when Mark Gassau has clearly shown that he is more of a fit in this offense.

So I'm not really as high on that pickup. However, I don't think it'll be that big of a deal. When the playoffs come, hey, bro, you're just going to have to lock in. And if you have to come off the bench, you're going to have to come off the bench. Sir, do you see that that being a problem down the stretch at all? I like that. it's a thing, you know, I honestly, because what Drummond gives him other than just a little bit more passing and stuff is that, like, he kind of fit really seamlessly into what they lost this

offseason with some of the guys that were taking up vertical space, like Javel and Dwight. He's not quite the same that way. Like, I think with Javel, you can kind of really just throw it up wherever you wanted, but like, let's face it, it's Ron James. He doesn't need, you know, the radius can be pretty small. He'll get it where it needs to go. Yeah, just I think they were really, really missing that. and now we're, I think, like, we're kind of finally starting to see it, but the fact is, like,

they already kind of know how to play that way. Drummond has played with other bigs before, too. So I kind of, I kind of just like that he gives him that element because the thing with Gasol is that, like, you kind of really have to push him to be aggressive on offense sometimes. So if you're not necessarily getting exactly what you need, he really does, he really does, which can be really good sometimes. Like, he can grease the wheels really nice, and, like, he's an awesome teammate, but, you know, we really got to push it sometimes.

And Andre, like, what they had that last year was just like this straight bucket that the thing is like no one else in the West can guard that. Like there's no combination that can go up also guarding LeBron the pick and roll and then be able to like jump up and be able to steal a lob from them. Like I guess that's probably, you know, I'll walk myself back from the jazz thing because that's probably the one thing. The one team that could stop that is the jazz. But aside from that, like I just don't see it really happening. I love that they have both. I think it's, you know, it's a team with vets. You have LeBron.

You're going to figure it out. Andre Drummond, like you said, he wants to get paid. He's not going to make a fuss. Like, he's going to get to win a ring. And, you know, in some series he's not that useful, then he's not that useful. And then Gassol, on the other hand, the benefit of the guy doesn't shoot at all is that he won't care if he's on the bench. He'll be fine. Oh, he's cared if he's on the bench.

There's, there's, it's documented that he cares if he's on the bench. He won't make it a thing. I'm sure everybody cares, right? Marcus saw Lokey is a bit of a diva, but he's white so we wouldn't call him. Whoa. I'm just saying, like, he kind of is, bro. He kind of is, bro. He got my man, he got my man Fisdale fired.

You know what I'm saying? Like, he's a bit of a like, and he was getting a little bit ornery about not getting the minutes early on in the season. It's like, yo, bro, cool, you're going to play in the playoffs when the matchup dictates that you do. I mean, it didn't help when the, the Lakers were in that in that, in that snafu. of the season. And when Drummond first got on the team, and he wasn't playing well. He had the stats, but he wasn't playing well.

Then you put in Marcosol, and the offense immediately flows. That doesn't really, that helps Marcosol's case of being mad, right? And Syri, you said that he's not necessarily a score. I don't know if he has to be if he's passing and he has all these guys around him and he can give more space to AD, no? But they need to use that spacing, too, because the Lakers don't have a lot of shooters. Like if this was a team like, you know, maybe like the clippers or even the jazz where they have a bunch of really strong shooters.

And yeah, you could just use Gassol for the sake of his gravity. But I think, you know, when you get into the matchups in the playoffs, like you really know, how much am I really going to have to contest this guy in order to get him not to shoot? And they can already suck in so much from some of these other guys that, like, you really actually need to prove it if you're him. Like, if he's on the floor, they're going to have to rely on him to actually do it. And the thing is, Logan, like, because LeBron and AD puts so much pressure on that. the rim. Everybody sucked in. These are practice threes this guy's taking, dude. Like, nobody's going to be near him. He has to shoot that. And if he's making it at like 35 percent, that's a good shot in the playoffs, you know, when you're playing against some of the best, most locked in

defenses. So I want to see him fire that thing, man, because he's going to be wild over. And that's why, like, Marcus Morris last year, nobody thought this guy was a shooter. But he's taking practice three's the whole playoffs. And so he was making him because, again, he was. Again, with LeBron and AD, you have to bring everybody down there or else they're going to cook you inside. So I think Mark's needs, he's going to have to, like, choose some jumpers. Now, there's something we talk about. Rondo was making freaking jumpers last year.

For goodness. Playoff Rondo. It's a different thing. It's different. Now, this is something that we talked about in the pre-pod meeting, or at least something that I brought up in axed. And I want to ask again in front of the viewing audience, our listening audience,

do we, how do we feel about we always, you know, bash tanking, but how do we feel about playoff tanking? And what I mean about playoff tanking is when you've already clinched a spot and you do what the Clippers did tonight and blatantly just just throw a game

so you have to avoid a team and avoid a matchup. They tried to, what they did was, for context, they literally sat their starters and all their best players against the Oklahoma City Thunder so they wouldn't be in the same bracket as the Lakers. I'm going to start with you, Sarat. Are you for this or are you against this strategy?

You know, man, honestly, like, it only sucks because it's a clippers, you know, like, if it was any other, I'm so cool with Denver doing it. I'm just like, yeah, it's great strategy, you know? Like, of course you should just do it. It's just part of the gamesmanship. With the clippers, it's just like, guys, come on. Like, why are you ducking? Why are you ducking?

Just take them. You know what? I'm going to get to you. I want to get your opinion wise. But I think it's because, go ahead, Sarah. Did I cut you all? No. What were you going to say?

I just think the reason why we'd say it's the Clippers is because they stick their chest out like they've won something all year. And they, this is the move of a team that has won two titles, one two or three titles in a row. We're going to rest. We're just going to rest this and it doesn't matter who we play. That's why. And it's just a demeanor, I think. think of the clippers. Am I right? Do you think that would be a reason?

Just the general demeanor of why behind this? I think it's because of what we expect out of the clippers. Okay. Because with Denver, especially with Jamal going out, I think there is an understanding that they have to game how far they're going to go. They are now an underdog, right?

So now it's like totally fine that they're going to be doing things that try to give themselves a better chance. Like if they go into these games, just slowing it down and shooting a bunch of threes, we'd be like, yeah, that's totally cool. Like, what a great gimmick for this underdog to try to use. But with the Clippers, we just don't see them that way. We're like, yo, you said you are who you are. So go and be that team.

And I think that's where the disconnect is. But honestly, like, it's fine when any team does it. Of course, you should try to avoid the Los Angeles Lakers. It's LeBron James. Yeah, you should. No, no. It's some suck of shit. It's some suck of shit.

It's fun to dog on the Clippers, but come on. You should be true. If you can avoid getting them, like you should probably try. I just feel like not playing LeBron James. I'm not a coach. Didn't play in the league, but I just feel like not playing LeBron James in the playoffs is a pretty good strategy. For the sake,

I'm going to get to the second, Wads. I just have to get this point off, bro. My thing is it's not even a Clippers specific thing. I just think of some suck as shit when you just say, like if we were, Waz, if me, you and Sarah were playing in the park, right? I'm not going to be like...

We're not ducking nobody. I'm not ducking you, bro. I'm not ducking anybody. All right, all right. So you on my side on this, Wise, go ahead. You're on my side on this one, right? Yes.

First of all, I'm laughing the whole time, Logan, because obviously I know you're a Laker fan, but I didn't realize the level of disdain and disgust that you have for the Clippers organization, and I'm realizing it in real time as you're setting up the subject.

So that's fire. I feel like I'm getting to know you better, right? now just from your setup of the subject. But what I will say is, man, I was around the Clippers all year last year when everybody and their mama and nobody wants to freaking repeat this, but everybody thought this team was so much better than everybody else. That goes from the media and that goes internally. I'm talking about you can go from management to the players to the damn trainers.

Everybody in that damn organization just knew they were going to freaking win the championship last year. And then they freaking shit the bed against the nuggets. And now we were supposed to think it was like, you know, humility. It's like, yo, play who you got to play, man? I just want to, I just want to defend myself a little bit whilst. No, go ahead. The reason why I have this disdain for the Clippers right now is because of last season.

They were supposed to meet in the Western Conference finals with the Lakers. They were supposed to, they stuck their chest out all year. And every talking head or everybody was like, Don't worry, the Clippers are number one. They're the team. They're the team. And that's why I'm just disappointed, and I haven't gotten that taste out of my mouth. That's all it is.

And the thing is, the reason why I can't even be mad at you because, honestly, like, as a Mets fan, like, the Braves were always tradition. I know. The Braves were always traditionally kicking our asses, right? So they are division rival. You know they hate the Braves. But when you were New Yorker, you actually live amongst Yankee fans. So you learn to hate the Yankees even more. So I feel like the Clippers, like, the Clippers are your Yankees.

It's like, oh, they're in the building. They're always L.A.R. way, all of that crap that they do with, they always put pitting themselves against the Lakers. So I get it. I really get it. Well, Waz, I have a question for you. Yeah, of course. So one of the things I very briefly got to get some insight on was like the Lakers, Clippers, dynamic within L.A.

but I mean I moved to LA last year for about three weeks I went to I think I went to like four or five games in in both arenas and that was enough time to get the sense that both of these teams only ever think about each other and like that that's probably a little bit of hyperbole but I was shocked at the level at which both organizations on every level like just from staff. and stuff are just constantly kind of like bitching about the other one. I was just curious what you thought of that since you were actually there. Like I was only, I only kind of got like, okay, like this is happening. I mean, the spot, the streetlights, not spotlights, sort of marketing stuff the Clippers was doing last year. It was, it was cheesy, but, you know, it's something that a guy draws up in a boardroom, right? It's not like Paul George or Kowai Leonard came up with. that, but you're right about their self-identity being like, the Lakers are all basically flash

and dash, and we're the methodical, well-run, competent organization. We're not, our GM isn't quitting. Our GM isn't quitting live on Twitter in front of a bunch of, you know, reporters before he tells our owner before that. Like, we're the ones that have our stuff together. That's sort of how they self-identified, right? And the Lakers were the clown show. And it's like with that style we're substance, right?

Like that's what they self-identified as. But then when you, you know, when you do what you did against Denver last year, it's like all of that, all of that stuff kind of goes out the window and you got to wear that. You know, and the link just handle business. You got to do like the real whatever the NBA version of just like deactivating all your all your social accounts for a little while. It's like it just got to really lay low for a bit. Just do, like, some Sweet out some Budarizer ads for like two months straight. Just like, just

Forget the engagement. Nah, I don't know, man. The Clippers just annoy me in general just because of that. Clippers games are also very fun. So, you know, shout out to the Clippers for the environment at Staples. They do a great job there.

I do want to give the Eastern Conference. But there's a lot less IG honeies there, though. So, you know, it's like, it's a give a take. I mean, like, I'm not really there to work, sir. I'm not really there to work. I'm not really there to look at that, sir. I'm there to work. Aren't you when a committed relationship was?

No, no, no, no. I'm newly single. Three months. Oh, gosh. Oh, my bad. Hey, I'm in the streets. We're breaking news, serious. We're getting messy here.

Wow, we are getting... All right. I'll let you up about that later on. Wow. Okay, so... We'll definitely give you the gory details. Don't work. Well, then, before we get to questions,

Who do we have winning the title? I'm going to go first. I'm going to go with the Lakers to win the title. Just I really like I got talked into Brooklyn a couple weeks ago, but I'm going with the Lakers just in general. Who are you guys here? I got the Nets. I got the Nets.

So why do you have the Nets? Yes, there we go. So first, I'll do the anti-Laker side of it first. And most of it really just comes down to fatigue. It just feels like a lot. And LeBron's old and like that, that, we pretend it doesn't matter, but like it usually kind of does when he finally goes up against competition that matters. And also just it would be the first time since LeBron,

since KD was healthy before, that LeBron would be in a series where he wasn't the best player. I think, well, I mean, Katie's healthy. I'm agreeing with you. I'm agreeing with you. Yeah. Yeah. And he's also a guy that can actually guard him. Nobody can guard Katie in that series.

So obviously a lot of it will come down to health for the Nets. But they're also very skilled. They're very skilled in a league that increasingly values that and referees that increasingly like just don't really let you play very physical basketball. So I don't know. I'm just going to kind of take that over time. That's an interesting wringle. Like the Kevin Durant LeBron matchup, right?

Because over the years, LeBron, I mean, Kevin has balled out against LeBron. every finals, I think, except for the one in OKC. But every time he's been with the Warriors, and played him in the finals, by and large, he has been better than LeBron on the floor. We have seen that. Was, do you think that goes into play in your selection, or are you picking, or are you going to pick the Lakers?

I like the Lakers because they've done it already, right? Like, when the going gets tough, I have confidence in the Lakers to sort of figure it out. You don't think that gets nullified with Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving? That argument is, But at the same time, like, it's different, like, it's different in the playoffs, too. Like, Katie's cooking people in the regular season. But, like, it's not like when, it's not like we haven't seen them in places like, say, OKC,

where, like, you know, he wasn't able to just drop 35 every single game efficiently, right? And he's older and he's coming off of an Achilles. Like, I want to actually see him do this, you know, on 44 minutes of grueling work, right? And against the best competition. Like, I actually want to see him. do that off the Achilles. Like I want to see him explode past people over and over. Like, actually have to use his best moves every single time down the floor to score consistently, right?

Like, I want to see him do it on that leg, right? So that's why I think the Lakers still got it. And I just think, you know, the lack of continuity, I think is going to have to matter at some point for the Nets in the playoffs. I think next year, when they're able to just sort of pick every ring chaser and veterans, in and whatever and round their team out, they're going to be ridiculously tough to deal with. But I think this year, man,

I think the Lakers, their continuity, and they got enough talent to do it. But Brooklyn's the most talented team in the playoffs, though. My argument for the Lakers, and it's the same argument that I guess I have against all the other teams against the Phoenix Suns is like the Brooklyn Nets don't have a front court, man. I try, if you're going to ask me to pick

in the matchup between AD and D.D. and DeAndre George, and I'm going to pick AD. You just give him the ball and it's cookies. So that's why I have the Lakers winning in a matchup. And we already know about the Nets defense. We already know about that all year. And I don't think that that translates, I think that that translates into the postseason.

We've seen that time and time again where if you have a bad defense in the regular season, by and large, you're probably going to translate that into the postseason. So I've got the Lakers, man. All right. So we are going to bring, what's up? Milwaukee fans are going to be. mad if we just say the Nets are going to walk to the Eastern Conference. Milwaukee allegedly has guys that could guard them.

You know, Drew Holliday is a great defender, allegedly, X, Y, and Z. I don't know. I'm just saying we got a bitch. Chris Middleton's ready to step into it and all that stuff. Giannis can guard all positions. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. Allegedly.

Yeah, okay. Go to a different level. Budenholzer has gotten better to make. making adjustments. Yeah. All right. Okay. All right.

Bag time. Time to pay the bills. We'll be back. We got our, we got our CMO in here. We got Jomi, the chief meme officer in the building. We out here. We are here to have questions, man. Let's do it.

You have been looking at the chat all podcasts long. Let's get a couple questions in, man. What we got in the chat, bro? you guys feel free to ask your questions in the chat i've got one um who do you guys think in the in the east because there's you know the nets obviously we talked about the nets we talked about the bucks nobody's talking about the sixers they're the they're the number one seat in the in the east what do you guys think of their chances to to win the chip this year i hate their i hate their perimeter shot creation if in the playoffs perimeter shot creation is basically how you win championships

for the past decade. And so, like, if you're telling me Tobias Harris is your perimeter shot creation, you're dead in the water. You're done. Sorry. You're done.

I just, I think more than anything, with the Sixers and their, you know, their two best players and their coach over the last few playoffs have not shown

that they can win at the highest stages. In fact, they have been disappointments. Doc Rivers, we saw what his clippers did last year. We've seen with Ben Simmons and Joelle and B. He did. That was also not in this decade or last one. That was in 2008.

But with that being said, I just don't trust them. I don't trust them when the going gets tough. They would have to prove that to me. And I'll be dope, but they did prove that they can take it to the next level. But as of right now, I'm not trusting them. I'm not going to trust them. Sir, what you think? I do think they are like defensively very well prepared for the playoffs, but I just think on offense, like when the going get stuff, it's just, it's just a lot of pressure to put in Embed.

I worry about, you know, his health status. I also just worry about the crazy amount of usage that he'll have to have for them to, you know, take on a team like the Nets, for example, or, you know, just get, like, you know, worked around by the heat who are going to have Bamat, a bio, guarding him, which is just like, it's just not easy. I think there's just so many scenarios where he just gets worn out. I think he'll have a great series and whatever it is that they, I feel like they'll get knocked out and he'll have like one of those like epic best all-time loss series just because like that's going to have to be the offense and they're like pretty good making sure he gets the ball. But that kind of stuff like you can just game plan against it a little bit better in the

playoffs and I don't know. We'll have to see. I do believe in them a little bit. You know, like I'm not. They're probably like second for me behind the nets in terms of. of teams that I can get out of the east. I just tend to give the edge to the team that has just real

perimeter creators, like to Waz's point, man. Like, it just matters so much. Just go get a bucket guy. And like, they have to set stuff up down the line. And that's just going to, you know, it's going to screw you up. It just, it kind of always does. Jumey, what else we got, bro? We got a question from Ryan O'Toole.

Ryan asks, who's the non-star that impacts winning the most? Or the I got one. Sorry. I got one. For who? It impacts the playing the most. The non-star that impacts the plane specifically. Oh, dang, here's a good question. That's very, like, new.

Jordan Poole, he's got to actually make some shots. Jordan Poole is actually the latest addition to the big three of the Warriors. Jordan. I just want to say. Put some respect on Jordan Poole's name, please. I drove all the way. If you were living California or from California, I drove all the way to Stockton.

to watch a G-League Warriors game between the G-League Warriors and the Stockton Kings because Jordan Poole kept getting demoted. And I just want to say, I am so proud of Jordan Poole for balling the fuck out of control right now. I respect his game. He is the exact same person that he was when he was 140 pounds soaking wet as a guard his rookie year. Shout out to Jordan Poole. That's going to be my pick just off the strength because he bawled out today.

Is that all, is that a whole, is that, is that all of our pick? Is Jordan Wood? Or we actually have someone. I mean, he's the only other guy on the team that can score. I mean, that can shoot, right? Like, they can make him a freaking three. There's other playing games, though. There's other playing games.

Yeah, but it's like the most important playing game is obviously this one, right? So. Okay. All right. Logan, I can't believe we talked about the Warriors play. He didn't make you a boy. JT.J.A. Juan Tiscona Anderson, bro.

You said the best non-star. He is clearly a star. Oh, yeah, my fault. Oh, gosh, I hurt you. You know, he's going to have the, he's going to have the, um, he's going to have a statue in front of Oracle. Jomey, you know, you know, you know the base sticks together. You know that already. Yeah, he's not, he's not a rookie, but he's probably my rookie of the year pick.

For sure. For sure. You know. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. I mean, like, he on that Ben Simmons tip. Yeah, I get you. Exactly. Yeah.

I get you. Who else you got, Joe, me. What's up? Uh, we got a, somebody asked, uh, just, is Steph better? Is Steph better? Stuff better. Steph better. He's better than anyone else in the league this year.

Yes. He's better than anyone in the league this year. Wow. Yeah. Wow. I kind of agree, man. I mean, Yokch is having the best offensive season, like, at least from a center we've ever seen? Yeah, that's fine.

But, like, do you go watch? Do you, what does Steph, like, Steph makes you watch these box office? You know what I mean? Yeah. I'm sorry. You're not stopping in your tracks. of being like, yo,

you're the guy that's making this franchise competent and relevant, like in every single way that that can be, right? Like, he's the freaking leader

of the team, you know what I'm saying? Like, of the organization damn there. And he did that this year. This team should not be in the playoffs, man.

It's just, Steph is so amazing. That's it. That's it. That's it. That's it. Steph has the Kobe Bryant 2006 Memorial MVP trophy. Exactly.

That he's probably, he's the people, MVP of that year. I mean, I'm just, I think that we can all agree on that one. I think Steph, if their team was better, he'd run away with the MVP. I don't even think that's the thing. Is Steph better, Siritt? Stuff better.

Okay, there we go. That's it. That there. We got a great one from Shaku. He asks, is, how do you feel about Bud signing his own pink slip by choosing to face the heat? This is a great question. This is a great question.

I'm going to let you all take that one. Y'all got that. Can we just talk about how strange these playoffs, you know, seedings have been in that sense? Like before today, anybody from one to three could have potentially played the Lakers. Like the best seed you would have wanted in the West was the fourth. Everyone else. Shout out to the Clippers.

So probably got to. a shot. Of course, shout of the Clippers. Yeah, that sucks, man. Honestly, that's a tough one for the bucks. Yeah, and especially because, like you said earlier, you mentioned it in a quite snarky way that Spolster's the anti-bud. He's the playoff adjustment king.

Well, some people might say Nick Nurses, but like Spolster will, like, try crazy, new, whatever type of stuff. He's going to throw the kitchen sink at you in a series. and Boudintholder is going to play drop coverage against Tyler Hero in the freaking playoffs. But I do think the Bucks will get through them this time. I have a question to that question. Is Boudin Holzer, is he the guy like Mark Jackson to just get them to a certain level and somebody has to take them over the top?

Or is he the guy that would eventually lead them to a title? Honestly, I think, like I think if we're being honest, like Budenholtzer is probably doing the absolute best with what he has, especially this year. Like the guy, the guy is, you got to give him credit, you know,

like honestly, I think the one thing everybody said was the bucks are too predictable. They aren't adaptable. They changed a lot. I think that's going to be enough to get them through the heat. I think they are probably living up to their maximum potential,

but their maximum potential is as a really, really solid, kick-ass defensive team that will probably be enough, you know, was going to bring out the same Tyler hero that we saw last year. There were a lot of things that went really, yeah, a lot of things that went really, really good for the heat throughout the entire playoffs that probably just aren't going to be the case this year.

And offensively, if they aren't really firing that way, like they just, they, they aren't that team. Like, you know, like those guys, suppose awesome, but those guys did a pretty good job of making him look good last year. I just don't see that replicating itself. And, you know, I think, I think Bud's doing a good job, man. And I think Bud's learned from his mistakes. And he's got them playing a lot better.

I think they're going to be more adaptable in the playoffs as a result. All of which just leads me to the fact that, like, man, like, you just, you need somebody that can go get you a bucket. Yeah. And I know this sounds super duper sports radio, but it's just true. It just is what it is. Like, I always say this. Like, it sounds reductive, but the playoffs are reductive. Like, they reduce you down to component parts.

And at the end of the day, like Janus's jumper. not going to hold up. Drew Holiday. Under pressure, you know, like once he's been gameed out, no, I don't think so.

Like, it just isn't going to work out the same way. Like, there's a ton of teams that can do this for 60 games that just aren't going to, like,

as Draymond calls him, like, there are 16 game players, there are 82 games players. And I do think the Bucks do have 16 game players. I like their future promise, but they don't have that guy. And the guy who is their guy

just isn't reliable down the stretch. And it matters. It just matters. That was very elegant. She killed that. She killed that. She killed that. She killed.

That was fire. Smoke the bucks. And it is, it does bear mention it because we don't do it enough. Like, the bucks freaking stunk under Jay Kid. It was horrible. It was terrible what they were doing. And then Bud comes in there and they're freaking 60 win team every single year, right? Like, there's something to be said for that.

But yeah, they're not doing anything in the playoffs. Jummy, what we got, Brody? What's up? We got a question from my boy, David. Shout out to you, David. What's up, David? It's another, it's another Steph one. Is Steph the best offensive player in the league with off ball movement and playmaking

and probably most efficient shot making in the league? That's a lot. That's a lot. A lot. He's the best. How about this? He's just the best player in the league right now. Can we just go with that?

Does that work? I don't know. Yes. That's a bit much. He was the best player this year, right? No? No, Yokich was. Yolkich was the best player this year.

Yokich or Mbid. Yeah, I would agree with that. And I just think, I mean, yeah, he's probably the best off-office player. I'm like, I'm like hours removed from watching. I'm still like, I got the, I get it. I'm sorry. You know how it goes. You know how it is.

I'm sorry. I feel like the floor of your offense with Steph is like, it's up here. You know what I'm saying? Like, the floor is the roof with Steph's, just by Steph being on the court. The ceiling is the roof with Steph? Yeah, the ceiling. I'm always confused. Was that Jordan that said that?

That was Jordan that said that. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. Sailing is the roof with Steph. And just, like, the way he just blows the top off of defenses is crazy. That being said, man, I really do think Yokic is the, like, most unstoppable one-on-one threat, like, in the league right now. Like, there's, like, maybe two guys who could hold up against him when he's, like, backing dudes down. He's making threes now. Or not making him.

he's always been making them and he's shooting them now. Like, I just think he's just, I don't know, he's amazing to me. Is he the best off-court guy? Was that the question, though, initial question, Jome? Yeah, like off the ball. Off-ball, yeah, I would say. So what do you think, is there? I think Yokic has very similar properties to Steph as an off-ball player.

And also just more importantly, I think, as a non-ball dominant player. Like, he doesn't really need to touch the ball a lot to score. Similar way to Steph. Like, he provides a ton of gravity. he gets rid of it really quickly. He kind of does similar, like, obviously, he's not running all over the floor like Steph is. Like, Yoke is just kind of actually pretty stationary, but everyone else runs. Everyone else runs around.

He looks stationary. Yeah, well, he's, he kind of, like, he operates in the same place over and over again, but he kind of is a lot like Steph and that he's always looking for something new to do. He's more of like a screen setter than he is somebody that's taking them. But he's very similar in terms of the lack of ball dominance. ratio to the, you know, offensive impact that he has on a team, which is so important now, I think, with the fact that, like, you're going to have so many superstars that are teaming up. It's what I think allows KD to work with a lot of different superstars, too, is just, like,

not needing the ball to be effective. And they both, I mean, they both have that. I'd probably, you know, I'd probably take Yokic's season over stuff offensively, but, I mean, it's super close. Jomey, asks us one more question. One more question. All right. we're staying in the east

Jordan Brewer wants to know where do we go from here when Ben Simmons disappoints once again Oh my oh damn Go ahead while Spice Go ahead, Brody You got this I'm not gonna lie

I've kind of been off of Ben Simmons since for a while Like just the idea that he refuses to take a 12 footer is like to me like I can't take you seriously They put him He was squarely on

damn trading block when James Hardin became available, and they're going to put his ass right back up there. Like, it's not good enough. I think Mori's a guy who understands, like, what it takes to actually win a championship and that superstars, who can go out and, like Siritt said, get you buckets from the perimeter specifically. Ben Simmons is not long for this team, I don't think. I think they're going to, and they should, man, they would have made a killing by getting

Hardin for this dude. he's going to come out and he's going to be a non-factor offensively for Philly in the playoffs and I don't know that people are going to be like, yo, I'm in a rush to give this guy $30 million a year to be scared to take 10-foot jump shots. Wasbaum. Like, you know how eloquent Syri it was on her bootholes or vibe?

That was better. No, that was better. That was a vibe. That was a vibe. I couldn't even say it better myself. That was good. Cira, do you have an answer for that? I mean, I disagree.

but I just want to let that sit. You want that brief? You want to let that breathe? Yeah, exactly. I'll tell you what, Was. I was the biggest Ben Simmons guy. I was like, Houston, go get that dude. That's a dude you want.

If they come out in the playoffs and he stinks it up again, I might have to sell my stock. Just on my Ben Simmons stock is stuff. You know, all of the 6-8 Rondo, Aussie Rubio, all of those jokes. Like, some of it is warranted, man. Like, I don't know. If you're a 6-8 guy and you purport to be an elite perimeter player

and your best move is a jump hook from nine feet away, like, I'm sorry, bro. And I get it. He's a good transition player. He's a decent, pretty good playmaker, et cetera, et cetera. And, like, it's like a what you would want from a supercharged role player. But supercharged role players are not how championships get won. I mean, I think it can be. really useful to a championship team, just not in the way that we see him because, like,

the stuff that he provides is actually very important to win a championship, like just, you know, really reliable smart ball handling, starting to screen a lot better. He's obviously a fantastic defender can defend all five positions. But he's so miscast in the point guard role that it really, it really takes away from what he's able to do, or like, at least what his value is. But the Sixers haven't really used him like that as much this season. So I just feel like, I feel like it's all an expectation thing with Ben. The problem, though, is the money.

Like, for all the stuff that I just said, those guys, they're not making Ben Simmons money. And that's essentially, like, I think the problem that the Sixers are going to have. They make McHale Bridges money. Yeah, no, seriously. Seriously. And you need a guy like that. But I think the problem is, like, if your resources are tied up in him, Ben Simmons can't help this team win a championship.

But just the problem is that he's also the best asset to go get a guy. that will actually win them a championship. But the thing is, like, it's ironic. I feel like if they do go out and get that guy, then they're going to be like, hey, it would be really nice to have a guy like Ben Simmons. You know what I mean? Yeah.

He was supposed to be the Melbourne Magic, you know? I mean, in theory, you know? It could be. You know what I mean? All right. Yo, man, I want to thank everyone on locker room for their questions that we answered on this show. If you want a chance to talk to us live after the show,

get on locker room. We'll be doing more live shows. shows throughout the NBA playoffs. So download the app and stay updated with at Ringer MBA on Twitter. That is at Ringer NBA on Twitter. I am saying that twice because Jomi is staring me right in the face and he might do bodily harm if I do not say that you need to stay updated on at Ringer MBA on Twitter. Follow the Ringer NBA show and the mismatch on Spotify and follow at Ringer MBA on Twitter

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