The Ringer NBA Show - The Thunder Keep On Surging. Plus, We Relive a Raja Moment. | Real Ones

Episode Date: December 13, 2025

Logan Murdock and Raja Bell are back with a Friday edition of Real Ones. The Oklahoma City Thunder, the reigning champions, are off to a historic 24-1 start and don't seem to be letting up. Logan and Raja take a deep dive into the Thunder, how they’re smashing opponents, and whether they’re poised to possibly be the greatest team ever assembled. The Knicks have been hot lately and are on the heels of the Pistons for the lead in the East. Now that they’re healthy and at full strength, how scary are they? Raja then relives a story that Steve Nash told on NBA on Prime about how Raja was suspended for Game 6 of a Suns-Lakers playoff series and watched in a bar full of Lakers fans. Plus, Real One of the Week. (0:00:00) Intro (1:40) FanDuel ad break (2:40) Oklahoma’s historic start (26:49) FanDuel ad break (27:43) Amazon Prime ad break (32:11) NBA travel (38:13) Knicks and Spurs (41:46) Raja relives being suspended for Game 6 against the Lakers (51:52)Real One of the Week Hit the mailbag! ⁠[e-mail]⁠ Hosts: Raja Bell and Logan Murdock Producers: Victoria Valencia and Clifford Augustin Additional Production Support: Ben Cruz, Conor Nevins, and John Richter The Ringer is committed to responsible gaming. Please check out rg-help.com to find out more, or listen to the end of the episode for additional details. Shopping. Streaming. Celebrating. It’s on Prime. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

It's Poppin, Real Ones, Logan Burdock here, Roger Bell, and a few. We had a great show today on Real On Ones. We talked about the Oklahoma City Thunder and the quest to be the greatest regular season of all time. And what is required of being a great team with an historic record in the way that they do. And if they are going to be a dynasty, which I think we all expect based on what is going on right now, what are the ramifications of that, both inside and outside of the locker room. Very fascinating discussion. We get into what we just talked about there.

We get into how similar ascensions have messed up the trajectory of the 90s Bulls, which were a dynasty, the 2010 warriors, which were a dynasty. Even the Lakers of the early 2000, what a dynasty is, and how the Oklahoma City Thunder can learn from those experiences and continue to build with the plethora of picks that they have and the talent that they already have on the roster. And then we talk about Raj Beals night during game six of the 2007. six Western Conference first round. Amazon Prime brought it up about what he was doing during game six. That was the game after he closed line, Kobe, and served his suspension in Los Angeles with a group of friends and a bar in Beverly Hills. So we get into the minutia of that and talk about Roger's point of view during that time. Real onesmail at gmail.com. Real ones mailbag at gmail.com. Real ones mailbag at gmail.com. We're going to be answering all of your questions on Tuesday.

At least we're going to try and make a big effort to do so. So please get your questions in. me, Rajah Bell, Howard Beck next week. But before that, talk to me and Roger this week. The Ringer NBA show is presented by Fandall. Fandall's got it all. Sam game parlayes, quick bets for jumping in live and your way so you could build the bet that fits your play. Plus, don't miss out on holiday offers and surprises all month long.

Download the Fandul app or head to fandle.com slash ringer MBA to get started. 21 plus and present in select states or 18 plus in present in D.C., Kentucky or Wyoming. Gambling problem. Call 1-800 gambler. or visit RG-G-Help.com. Call 188-78-98-9-77-7-7. Or visit ccpg.org slash chat in Connecticut. Cliff, play the theme music.

It's popping. Real ones. Logan Murdoch here, Raja Bell, there Friday. Real ones, Raja can't fucking keep his coffee in the mug for some reason on this Friday. It's kind of sick. Unnecessary. Let's talk about it.

I mean, we started again. Like, you didn't even have to bring that up. We did start again. This was a second time around, but I'm still going to fuck with you. Anyway, burgo gang. Let's talk about the Oklahoma City Thunder who are out here in these streets. They've only lost one game. They're outscoring opponents by 437 points this season, the largest differential

through the first 25 games of a season in NBA history. And from the homie, Carthica from Blue Sky, Shagikigal Alexander, is averaging 32.8 points on 68.6% true shooting, the highest true shooting under 30 points per. game season and NBA history, second only, or first only to Steph Curry's true shooting percentage, who he had, he believe he had 66 true percentage in the 2015-16 year, which was the year to the Warriors won 73 games. This team, this team is on a roll, and J-Dub has only played six games. Chet has been in and out of the lineup, and they still seem to be rolling.

Raja, does this team have the potential to be the greatest team of all time in your eyes right now? Man, that's so tough. So tough to say that because when you ask the question, I automatically get really nostalgic about, you know, you talk about greatest team of all time. It's hard for me. I was such a Bulls fan. It's really difficult, you know, the Warriors. but the answer is I don't know that the answer is unequivocally yes

but the answer is is starting to look more and more like that like they're they yeah I guess damn it I mean they're going to be referenced if they continue with this pace with with the greatest teams of all time like we're going to have the argument

um shade shade Jill just is is remarkable I mean I know what people say about the fouls and and some, like, he's polarizing in that way that some people appreciate his art, you know, his scoring mastery. Some people don't. But like, it's, it's just remarkable. I appreciate that stat. It's pretty, it's pretty incredible. They are the best organization in the, in the NBA. Like, that's not, I don't think that's debatable when you're talking about, not just because, you know, if they, the championship just kind of seals the envelope, but, but it was already that in terms

of talent identification, you know, maneuvering, asset, you know, accumulation, player development, you name it, right? But yeah, Logan, I mean, what they're doing is pretty remarkable. The way, you know, the way they just, you don't have an answer for them offensively, but on the flip side of that, they're just a defensive problem. The way they turn people over, the way they can just lock down for stretches of time where you could virtually go scoreless for five, six minutes.

You know, it's pretty remarkable. And so the answer is yes. I mean, I said a lot there. Ultimately, like, I would still wrestle and have to have some real serious conversations with myself because, again, my young fan comes out when you ask that question. But, yeah, they're going to be in that conversation for sure if they keep pace. You know, I think that I've seen them play three times this season. I've seen them play up in Portland.

I've seen them play in San Francisco and in Sacramento. Both were like distinctly different types of games. One of the games in Sacramento, J-Dub was not playing. But the thing that I continue to see from them is the one, the confidence that you get when you win a title. And then the relative just, when you win the title, typically, especially when you're young, you start to see this where guys are a lot more assertive in their roles and they know what they're going to do and they know how to get the ball to who they need to get the ball to. and there's a calmness you see it specifically down the stretch with these teams, right? I think about the game I was at in Portland where they play like shit. It was one of those games.

I know you hated these, Rogers, the Sunday 4 p.m. games on a football Sunday early in the season when you don't have a shoot around and you're basically just going on vibes and you're just trying to get through and get to the next city. They had that game and they just weathered the storm and it was by the end of it, you knew who was going to win because you knew the thunder. had the closer and you knew that they were going to have the guy like a case in Wallace who was going to get the steel at the right time right or they have an Aaron Wiggins who is who can guard multiple defenders and it's just long and they'll figure it out right they have that calmness but

then they have to your point the defensive acumen but they have the smarts on both sides of the ball right they know when to switch they know how to get into their actions and they're so selfish everybody on that team can pass the ball and And adding to that, the thing, and I texted this to V and Cliff after I watched them, I believe in San Francisco, just how awesome it is to watch SGA play the game of basketball. Like, take away, take away what you think about the foul hunting, which is a skill, by the way. Take away from that. Watch him play. It's like a beautiful slow motion type of game where he is playing at his own pace.

but the other thing is he has become an incredible passer, right? So now he's getting into the lane. He's doing the wraparound pass between three defenders and getting it to his corner and knowing when he's going to be able to, knowing that his corner guy is going to hit the three, right? Or he's kind of, you know, Jordan used to be able to do this where, you know, I remember after the game in sack, they asked him about like his third quarter scoring because he's a very, he's a really, really good third quarter score. I don't have the stats on me right now, but he's, one of the higher third quarter scores in the league right now.

And they asked him about it post game, a reporter, I forget who it was, but they asked him, you know, how do you, you know, kind of feel your way into the game? And he says, like, you know, during the first couple of quarters, I'm just looking, I'm just seeing where I can get to my spots. I'm passing a ball and being assertive. And then by the third quarter, I've kind of cracked the code on the game and I can exploit the defense that is coming against me. and it happens to be the third quarter

and that happens to be most of the time when O.K.C. is blowing people out, right? Jordan used to do that. Kobe used to do that. I remember watching Spike Lee's doc on Kobe and Kobe would be like, I know I can get that shot in the first quarter, but it'll be more effective if I get that shot in the third

and fourth quarter when we actually need it. You're seeing that maturation now from SGA. And the scary part about this is you haven't even gotten J-Dub back at full capacity yet. Yeah. Chet is still figuring a lot of things out right now. That's the scary part. They're kind of doing this on autopilot, Roger.

That's the, that's the scariest part right now about where they are as a team. And we're so early in the season. Yeah, no, that's a, I mean, it's a great point. Their depth, that skill development I talked about that, you know, the talent acquisition allows them to be able to play at that level without like integral pieces to like their championship level success, which is, which is scary. And you can't say that about like when I don't remember the Bulls, but I think for the most part healthy all year long, like Golden State, you know, they weren't getting that natural reinvigoration of having a major piece come back like a third of the way through the season. Because what you worry about with teams like that is like, can they sustain that? Is that is, can they keep pace? And that's a hard thing to do when everyone's there. I think, you know, almost organically as you're adding. major pieces back to the team, you get that kind of boost, right, that you might need around a third of the way through where people might get a little fatigued with the process.

So that's a great point. As far as SGA goes with his scoring, I mean, his patience is incredible, not just with the ball in his hands, you know, in terms of, you know, identifying what a defender's trying to do to him and then countering that. But to the point you made, his patience throughout the course of the game in terms of when to take over, when he decides it's time to do that. And he's just usually so on point with when he decides, hey, here's when I can put them to sleep. You know, like we've been messing around. The team's holding me down.

You know, I'm just playing within the concepts of what we're trying to do. But now is the time for me to put them into chokehold with this barrage of like 15 straight, you know, or, you know, some sort of run that he goes on. It's pretty remarkable to watch. He's a fun player for me to watch as well because while he is 6-6 and not every Hooper can say they're blessed with like 6-6-6-long arms, like those are gifts. But he's not incredibly above-the-rim athletically twitchy. So what he does in terms of getting you off balance, using his body to bump and create space,

you know, getting into you and then back away from you as a player creating that gap, making the defender have to decide whether he's going to close the gap. If you close the gap, he's by you. If you stay back, he's shooting a career high from three now. You know, it's pretty fun to watch him. And then you mentioned, I mean, he's got a career high and assists. He's starting, not that he didn't make players around him better, he certainly did, but he's gotten even better at making other players around him better as he continues to mature and grow.

And you do reach a place as a team, although I was never on a championship team. I was on good teams where it is to some degree. I shouldn't say it is. It could look like you're on autopilot. Yeah. It could look like that to the naked eye, right? You're not on autopilot because it takes a lot of work to make it look like that to the fan. I mean, but when you roll out, everybody's just so dialed into what they need to do.

Like our roles are so clear. Everybody just understands, you know, how we. have to try to operate to make sure that this thing goes off the way it's supposed to go off. And, you know, they're lucky because they have multiple pieces they can throw at those roles where other teams sometimes if a guy's not doing his job, like there's nowhere really to go. There's not that depth. They've got so many things going for them. It's a really, it's a really cool team to watch.

And they're growing, dude. That's not like this, they're growing. This is not like the, the warrior. When the Warriors were in the middle of it, there was a part of you that was like, this is phenomenal, but probably doesn't get much better, right? Because, like, they're all at the height of their superpowers.

Yeah, yeah. These guys are growing. So, this is just a wild stat right now. I mean, the Oklahoma City has 10, can have between 10 and 14 first rounders until 2031. Right. If you think about the protections, everything goes right.

They have this summer, or this summer, they have their own. They have Houston's. They have the Clippers, potentially two extra first round picks. They have the Jazz's first round picks. 2027, they have their own first round pick and a Denver first round pick that's top five protected. In 2028, they have their own first round pick. The Lakers unprotected. In 2030, they have their own first round pick, Brooklyn and Chicago unprotected.

2013 on Houston, Dallas, Milwaukee, New York, the Lakers top four protected, maybe a couple Roger Bell AAU teams. You probably got some picks that you gave them somehow. Some of the kids are probably going to be there.

But they have the rare thing that they can consistently replenish, right? And that is a thing that you need in this particular version of the NBA, right? I think a lot of teams right now are in a rock and a hard place. We haven't talked extensively about the Milwaukee Bucks right now, but they are one of those teams right now where they don't have a plethora of picks. They have to maybe trade their big time star to get those picks,

whether that happens or not, it remains to be seen. But you're in this rock and the hard place where these stars, it's harder to trade them now because what you need as a team now prioritize. Do you want a 31-year-old superstar, or do you want a bevy of picks that could maybe blossom into superstars that are on the cheap, right? And if you do trade for these superstars, then you have to give up a boatload of picks that honestly can replenish your roster around them. OKC is not in that in that rock and heart place. They have the superstar player, right?

They have the secondary star who maybe could he be a superstar? Maybe. Then you have the third star or who is blossomed in Chet that can maybe be that. And then you build around that with cheaper talent. Maybe you can trade one of those guys, get some war picks. Who knows? But they are in just a, they have an opportunity. If they can, the biggest thing that they need to do is continue to keep the vibes where they are right now.

Because the problem is, and what we've seen in dynasties in the past or teams like this in the past is success brings pressure and pressure breaks locker rooms. No matter how good you are, right? the bulls infighting between the front office and, you know, the players and the coaches. The Lakers, we already know, infighting, have just crippled that dynasty. The warriors, I saw firsthand. Just bullshit, right? Stuff that could be avoided.

Just derailed it. They got four titles probably could have gotten six. That's the biggest, I think, impediment on the other, on the horizon that they need to overcome. assuming they do good in the postseason and they win a championship this year, but they feel so good because they've done this without really important pieces on their roster, right? You juxtapose that with Denver, who is playing well around Yokic, but their pieces have really, who have been injured, have really like brought down the ceiling, whereas OK, see, they just kept the, they kept the train going, no matter who's in the lineup.

That's the scary part. But I think the biggest thing on the horizon, Raja, is the battle against the team itself. You know what I'm saying? Sure. Sure. And look, you always run the risk of as you succeed, you know, more as a team, people being rewarded in a way that are on that team that might preclude them from staying on that team, especially, you know, role players that play really well. The stars usually it kind of takes care of themselves, like in terms of the organization is going to make a commitment financially. But if you get guys like, like Bruce Brown, the year they played, you know, guys of that ilk who aren't going to make top dollar within your organization, but someone else is willing to reward them.

Like, it can be very difficult to hold on to those kind of guys when you're having so much team success. That's why having all of those picks at your disposal become really, really important, right? because you can replenish, you know, those coffers a little bit. I would say, though, where I think they have an advantage over some of the teams that, and it will remain to be seen, this is just my hunch. They raised a lot of these kids in terms of their NBA life. You know, they were homegrown. And I think a very, very close second to talent evaluation,

because talent evaluation is always going to win. but a very, very close second is human being evaluation, cultural evaluation, who he is as a, as a, as a, as a teammate, as a family member. You know, and if you can get that right, you could wind up with the type of team that if raised together the right way and experiencing some early success, might say, hey, I really like this. I will give a little bit up to continue this, right? And that might even be from the top down because, you know,

that's where it starts to afford the role guys, the opportunity to make enough to make that comfortable living and stay in their supporting roles in place. And so, you know, I have a sneaky suspicion that they got that right too. You know, they seem to have the type of guys that would. And it's weird, right? You never really know who someone's going to turn into once they get success and once they start getting a little taste of that limelight and now, hey, maybe like, you never know,

but you do a little bit, right? When you sit across from somebody in the process, you get a little feel for that. Like I only spent one year in a front office, but, you know, I sat with some cats that you could tell. Like, this dude is wired the right way. And then there were other dudes. I didn't have the misfortune of meeting anyone. where I had to go back and say,

hey, there's guys that, no. You know, I didn't, I didn't come across any kids like that, but I did leave some of the meetings with question marks. Yeah. You know, but there were some were slam dunks.

You were like, yeah, yeah, he gets it. And I think they got a lot of those dudes. I think, uh, you made a really good point on that because like,

the other thing is, this is, this team is becoming a bit of an it team. If that makes sense, the kids love them. I mean, the adults are like, kind of split on them,

but it, this team isn't for the adults. This is the Gen Z team. And with that being said, they're about to become, if they continue to win, they're going to be popular. They're going to be like a thing thing, like into the zeit guys type of thing. And that's going to be another, like it's not, you guys aren't just like the kids at the practice facility. You're just trying to figure it out anymore, you know, you're going on talk shows. You know, Shay's going on Jimmy Fallon now.

Everybody's now trying to build their individual brands. now, right? And you have to make sure that doesn't seep into the locker. Because it just, it just does, man. It just does. It is what it is. It just kind of does, right?

Like, I saw it in Golden State and just like how that, like, shit that on the, like, shit that comes into the locker room that doesn't really matter. That's supposed to be really small that, like, you might have laughed off in the beginning of your tenure. Now you're just like, they're saying this about it. Like, it's different when you're building versus when you, maintaining and I want to see how they maintain it. Yeah.

That's fair. You know what I mean? Fair. No, it's really fair. Yeah. And so the biggest, they got to win like this,

they're, we're still in December, right? Like they still, they got a long way to go. It goes a long season. And if they, everything that I've heard from them,

it feels like they don't care about the record. It's just their process, but also, man, it's also happening. It's all in nature. Shit is happening. Shit is going,

going down right now. And they, they have to get through that, but then they have to get through the beast of the playoffs. And man, the Western Conference is a beast right now. And I, that's going to be a hard thing. When they're playing for something and then you see all these other guys laying in a weeds like, okay, we're going to see what it is like in seven, for seven games. I want to see it. And that's going to be tough. Yeah. Well, that's always the challenge, man, when you, when you, it's the challenge period, right? We're trying to win this chip. But like, it's always,

is what I cautioned teams that are this good about, or I don't caution them because who's listening to me, but like I always worry for teams like that, which is like, hey, man, there's a human element and a human natural letdown or exhale, if you will, once a record is broken in the regular season. Like it's not even a conscious thing. You're like, yeah, we did that.

Like there's, you might even slightly celebrate it. And that's all it takes. it takes in some instances to have you less than sharp enough to win a championship. And that I always worry about. I do want to go back to something you said about things creeping in as dudes are building their brand and, you know, the SGAs on Jimmy Fallon and stuff like that now. You know, I think that logistically, geographically, they're in a good spot to do that. The lights aren't that bright in OKC as a market.

Like when you're doing that in New York and Philly and L.A. certainly, you know, even the Dalluses of the world. Like, these are. I was even up here, too. Like, even in the Bay of where we're at, too. Miami. San Francisco, for sure, for sure. Yeah. These are, like, these are major, major markets where the lights can get so bright that you do fall in love. You are intoxicated by that level of, of stardom, you know? I think that the, the, the market get there in hell. right, right? They really get a break from it. They get to go into the matrix and then come right back out. Yeah. If you, if you thirst for that in OKC, it's not as easily, it's not as easily accessible to you as it would be somewhere else, right? And that's really what, what cannibalizes like teams and locker rooms is that one guy in that locker room that wants that. I want that. I want that. And Lord forbid, I get my hands on that. And if it's there every night, I'm going to suck up all

the oxygen in the room. And then you have everybody else looking at him like, bro, what the fuck, man? Like, this ain't enough ain't enough? Well, you know, it's not as easy for them to be on that all the time. Plus, I think, and this is critical, SGA while a super mega star, a relatively muted one. Yeah. Not, not, I mean, sure, he likes his fashion and he's got his fits and like he'll go, but he's not, he's not all the oxygen in the room type of human being. Yeah. You know, and so I think, I think, you know, I think they combat that pretty well, man.

Like, while it is a concern, like, and I'll acknowledge, like, you're concerned. I weirdly, I think they're positioned to, to navigate that pretty well. It's a lot different than the OKC of 10, 12 years ago. Yes. It's a lot different. Because you think about it, right? And, like, the guys that were on that team. Oxygen.

Oxygen, right? And, like, also, you got a guy like Russ. He loved Russ. We're not, we're not, but like he's, he's, not only is he like the star of OKC. He's from L.A. So every time he goes back home, he's already a part of that. What everything you speak of in the zeitgeist, right? KD. from D.C., right?

KD. is, is, was a, like, from America, a generational talent, also a generational type person and personality, right? Yeah. Then you have perk in that locker room. Then you have Serge Baca in that locker room. You just have a lot of just like personalities that are like alpha personalities, maybe not alpha players, but just like just constantly. No doubt. I spent a little time in that. James Harden.

James Harden, right? For James Hardin, another L.A. guy, right? Yeah. But I spent a little time in this locker room, the current OKC locker room. It's just like it's different. It's just like a little bit of a college atmosphere, right? It's just, you know, you got Shea, who is from, you know, he's from Canada, but he's from a small town in Canada, right? You think about J. Dub, Army Brad has spent a lot of time around the country, bit worldly, but grew up in Arizona, right?

Chet, Minnesota guy. You have guys that are kind of like these barnstorming guys who have kind of just kind of found themselves in this locker room. And they don't know the real NBA yet in a good way. You get what I'm saying? I do. And that, to your point, is really going to help them. The Ringer NBA show was brought to you by FanDuel. All right.

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chat in Connecticut. This episode is brought to you by Amazon Prime. The holidays move fast, and Amazon Prime keeps you in control with fast and free delivery. We've all been there. Family plans are fluid. Somebody's not coming. Suddenly, they are coming, and you're excited about it. You want to get them a gift, so you hop on Amazon Prime, line that up with their interests,

and it's easy to do because Amazon has everything. Prime's fast shipping is always there for you during the holidays, especially when it's last minute, and it just can't wait. Need that last minute gift or holiday essential? It's on Prime. Head to Amazon.com slash prime to shop now. One of the things that I want to ask you, let's go, let's talk a little NBA Cup using the Oklahoma City Thunder as a way to get into it. But I remember being in a room with Coach Dags after the Oklahoma City Sacramento game.

And it was an NBA Cup game, which is wild. We might talk about the NBA Cup like in full and the ram of the cases of it next week with Howard Beck. But they asked him about the NBA Cup. He's going to love that. He's going to love it. But I forgot, like, this is what I think about the NBA Cup as it relates to the game that I was at and what Coach Dagg said. I went to up to sack to go see OKC play because they're the IT team. You got to watch the IT team when they're in your region.

And I forgot that it was an NBA Cup game until I saw the floor, right? And so they asked Coach Daggs about it. And he's like, our guys are engaged. Yeah, they're engaged in the Cup. But it's kind of weird going to Vegas to it in front of national media for a game that doesn't count. Right. And all that to say, he said a lot of truth in that because now, a few weeks later, OKC is now going to Vegas for a game that doesn't count in front of a national audience. How do they keep this going? And what's the goal for you if you're OKC going into this NBA Cup? It's actually a good question. Not that you don't normally ask me good questions, but like I hadn't thought about that one. Like that's, yeah, because I talked about. a few minutes ago, what I would worry about for teams that are on, you know, this trajectory as as it kind of pertains to like that human letdown or distraction at the end of accomplishing,

setting a record and then not being focused enough to, you know, finish it off with a, with a playoff win. None of those teams had to deal with an in-season tournament distraction from your normal rhythm. And it's not the end of the world. And to any listener, they might say, oh, what the you're going to Vegas? We go to, you know, like, that's not a big deal. When you're used to playing, you've played five, six, seven years in the NBA and you're used to the normal travel schedule and wear and tear and normal diet of games and breaks. This is something. This is, it is a little different. And if you get thrown off your rhythm just a little bit,

sometimes it's not that easy to get that rhythm back. It's easier to throw it off sometimes than to regain it. And so you're asking me how they should approach it. I, to the best of your ability, file that shit in the category of normal business. We're going to Utah to play a basketball game. You know what I mean? Like do not approach it any other way. I don't think it would be prudent for them.

And I've said before to like young guys on rosters, that money is life changing at that juncture in time. Like that's real money. But I don't think if you're a team like OKC that has clearly championship aspirations this year, I don't think it's prudent to approach it as its own entity being a cup win. I think you just treat it as business as usual. Let's get in. Let's get out. And just keep that thing rolling, right? Like you have to keep your eyes.

That's, you know, if you're driving on like the turnpike, you got a 100 mile drive and you know you ain't supposed to get where you're going for another hour, 40, hour, 45. Don't be worrying about these signs and these off ramps that are five minutes away, bro. You know what I mean? Just keep it moving. We got a full tank of gas. We're rolling. And that's what I would advise them, dude.

Don't start fucking around with these little rest stops and stuff. Everybody used the bathroom. We got in the car, baby. We're rolling. You know? And don't take your eye off the prize, not for the cut. Can I indulge you and tell you their schedule? Yeah.

So they play, they're slated to play San Antonio tomorrow, or today, if you guys are listening on a Saturday. They're playing, on the 13th, they're playing San Antonio. If they win the game, they're going to play Tuesday against for the championship. Then they have to fly from Vegas back to Oklahoma City for Thursday's game against the Clippers. and they have a back-to-back Clippers at home and then they have to play Minnesota on Friday. Yeah.

That's tough. One of the hardest beat travel days I've ever had was we had a game in San Antonio next day, back-to-back game in Minneapolis, which meant we had to take a 5 a.m. flight from San Antonio to Minneapolis. It's like four hours. After you didn't get no sleep after writing all night.

And then you had to wake up. My older player maybe do a fucking game preview from the hotel room before the game. And I was slumped. It was one of the hard. And then right after the game. That's hard. I couldn't imagine trying to play basketball under those same circumstances. Well, we, the player has a little bit of an advantage in that, like, he's getting on that plane right after the game.

So, you know, that helps, right? I'm not having to get up at 2.30 to catch that 5 a.m. flight or whatever it looks like is a huge advantage. But I would just say to anyone listening that thinks that an NBA travel is like luxurious and it's all fun in games. It is luxurious. The hotels are great. The planes are great too, by the way. But the suns used to do a thing where you could take a, a spouse or a loved one on a road trip with you. Any road trip.

It could be one game. It could be five games. They got to come the whole trip. So my wife, family on the East Coast, decided she was going to come on the East Coast trip with us. So we were hitting, you know, like Charlotte and I don't know, D.C. And maybe New York and Miami, something like that. First, first game.

And, you know, like my wife didn't know. So it was always when we went on the road, oh, you know, you got, you're out. out there having all this fun and you get to go. And I'm like, all right, yeah, you come on with us. So first city was dope. Party, baby. Let's go. We're on the road. Like, you know, the vibes were high. That, that travel and the wake up the next morning after playing the game was rough. Like, oh, shit, hey, that was quick. We got in here really late. That's what time you got to get up. Yeah, you know, whatever. By the third game, she was done. So I'm taking a flight. Done. I'm going to Phoenix. No, no, no, no, no, no. Oh, no, no, no. She had to come

would us because like that's that's what it was but you know it takes doing it to realize that you know it is a lot tougher than it looks um in terms of getting into places late um you know you sleep on a plane you're not sleeping great you're getting in late that's broken sleep you're on a bus for maybe 20 30 minutes you ain't sleeping on that then you're getting to the hotel you want to knock out but you got to wait for your bag to show up at your room so that might take another 45 minutes you you got in at 1, or let's say 1.30, now it's 2.15. The bag shows up. Now we're up at like 9.30 or 10 for breakfast meet. We're doing, like, this is rolling, you know? And so, um, it's just a lot tougher. And when you're adding to an already tough schedule, um, it could just throw you out of rhythm.

I doubt it does. I hope it does it. But if you ask me how they approach it, I think bad. If I had approached that, like, I mean, we're trying to win every game we play, but it's not going to be any bigger than that. Yeah. Phil Jackson used to call them scheduled losses. There might be a couple scheduled losses in there. No, no shade. But no, it was funny.

I was just thinking about travel. I think we're 30 minutes in. This is about the time we ramble. We'll get back to the, we'll get back at some point. But I was talking to an NBA player recently just about like off days. And he was like, there ain't no such thing as off day in the NBA. It's just, you're just catching up on work when you have a day that you're not playing a game. Right.

Where you have meetings, you have, you might have a practice in that city. You got to wake your ass up for it because you haven't practiced in two and a half weeks, you know. Oh, yeah. There's a lot that goes into it. I don't know if you saw this story real quick. And then we'll get back to a little bit of the cup. There was a Gary Vitti, longtime trainer to Lakers. I'm sure you know Gary.

know who he is. He was talking about this time where they went to D.C., where the Lakers went to D.C. And if you guys know, the formal Capitol Arena was outside of D.C. proper, it was in a DMV area,

but it was outside of D.C. proper. Lakers are staying in D.C. And Pat Riley's like, I don't want to go to a fucking Capitol Arena, dog. I don't want to go all the way out there. And he's saying this on the plane. He's like, yo, Gary,

can you get me a... Can you get us a gym closer? and Gary's like, it's fucking one in the morning, bro. Like, I'm trying to go in the... So he's like, I don't know if he could do it. And then Pat Riley says, can you try? And Gary's like, fuck, I guess I got to fucking try.

I got to do it. So he gets the... The answer to that is yes. Yeah, the answer is yes, we're doing this. And so he stayed up all night trying to get a gym in D.C. proper. Gets the gym, but sacrifices all the sleep. And that's life in the NBA. if you're, you know, if you don't, you're not a player or anything else, it's like that.

That is from the Byron Scott podcast. It's really good. You guys go check that out. But I remember hearing that anecdote about traveling and that's what it is in the NBA. Any other team intriguing with the NBA Cup? We got the Spurs. We got the Magic. We got the Knicks that we haven't talked about.

Any of those teams, like, intrigue you for this specific thing. What is your favorite team from that matchup or from that group would excite you? Yeah. The two teams that excite me the most outside of Oklahoma City would probably be the Knicks and San Antonio. And I mean, exciting. I'm just interested to see where they go. Like the Knicks offensively, balls moving better, you know, points per up defensively hovering Eastern Conference wide open. So I'm interested keeping an eye on that.

And then the Spurs, you know, when Wemby's back fully integrated, they hit a stride at some point. What is the ceiling on that look like? You know, Deeran Fox is like 24 a game. He's playing really well. Defon Castle is playing great. You know, Wemby, they need to take a step, I think, defensively. Wemby, you know, is a big step defensively when he's on the court. So what's that looked like, right?

Like those are the two teams because, and the reason I say that, not. not throwing in a shade at Orlando in any way, shape, or form, but like in their respective conferences, I think, you know, the Knicks are going to be right there potentially, right? Eastern Conference, like they got a shot. And the Spurs, I think with Wembe, I put in a category in the Western Conference just below OKC, who I think is clear number one.

And then there are a few teams that fall into that second tier of teams for me, right? And I think the Spurs might be at the bottom of that second tier of teams, but they're in there, you know? So, you know, those would be the interesting ones for me. Yeah. I like the Knicks are just, they're just a weird bunch, right? Because I love the fact that, you know, they're a tough team. They have Mike Brown, who has been a really good coach, not a great coach, but a really good coach in the league.

And I'm curious of what their ceiling is, right? Because the biggest question mark that I had with New York Knicks fans and what they had for me when we converse. about what the nicks are is playing with expectations and playing with expectations at your back. And they're pretty much by and large the same team. And they're one of those teams that you're not really going to get a real answer on who they are until late April, early May. San Antonio is weird because they have the point guards. They don't have the point guard that is going to calm the team down when you need them the most, at least not at this point. Maybe that person at the point guard that calms the team down is the seven foot four guy from france when he

gets back but they just have so many different question marks um but i have been impressed with what they've done without wimby um he was going to be tongue-in-cheek uh ewing theory guy um but you know we didn't want to be we didn't want to be asshole in this podcast too much you get aggregated uh i don't give a fuck about being aggravated that's how about you're scared of that um but it's it's going to be a good group i do like the magic though the badger's have been just interesting. You don't really know what you're going to, you don't know who's going to be the guy, the secondary guy with, um, when Paolo is out. You know, Franz has done his thing. It's just interesting. I don't know. They're, they're good. They're going to be fine. I didn't mean to

disrespect them. I mean, you're all right. Yeah. They're fine. They're who they are who they are. They're the people's team, you know? Like, oh, yeah, yeah, good for them. Okay. Anyways, we just, we're rambling just now, but there's something that I need to ask you because your name was in the zeitgeist this week, sir. Um, um, You were Amazon Prime, which does a great job. They had a little roundtable with our guy, Stevie Nash, who keeps ducking the podcast. Roger is not going to say it, but I'm going to say it's pretty disrespectful. I'm not going to lie.

I'm just going to stay stuff that Roger has to answer for when he sees Steve in person, even though Steve's probably not going to bring it up. Either way, your name got brought up because they talked about the Sun's Run in 2006. We have told this story before, but it got brought up in the Zeitgeist. You know, I was fighting for my teammate, Roger Bell, who was one of my best friends I played with. My guy, Ra, we're down 3-1 of the Lakers. We're at home in Game 5. He decides to close line Kobe Bryant.

So, unfortunately, he was a little advised, but he was suspended for Game 6. We come back to Staples, need the win, or the series is over. We're able to beat him. This fool went to a Mexican restaurant, had margaritas with Lakers fans, and was waiting on the top of the... The stairs of the bus when we got back to the plane. Swinging his fists.

Fortunately, we got back to Phoenix and beat the Lakers in game seven coming back from 3-1, but we didn't want our boy to go down like that. So great performance in Staples and then closed it out. Can you tell the story of everything that had happened in more detail than we do?

And like, we probably told the story about five, six times this year, but during our tenure here, can you tell everybody with Steve Nash, the homie, Taylor Rooks, Udana's Haslam, and everybody else, and UD, who was all in that roundtable, we're discussing with Steve Nass.

Can you tell the entire story uncut, please? Thank you. Yeah, I don't, I don't remember why I went on the trip if it was like, hey, you're part of a team and you're coming with us, or if we traveled so quickly that the suspension hadn't been handed out yet. And so they took me just in case I wasn't going to be suspended, which would have been crazy. But anyway, I found myself in L.A.

They went, obviously, to play the game. And I didn't really have much to do. There wasn't like a, I had to check out of my hotel. And I was, the plane wasn't there for me to be on the plane. There was no like set up conference room or anything. So I was like, you know, I called, you know, Ashley Smith was my PR person at the time. She was free. We were like, yo, let's go, let's go have a drink and watch the game at a bar.

So we did that. No one knew who I was at the bar. So, you know, I got the food. What was the bar? Do you remember the bar? I don't. It was right. It wasn't like, I mean, it was across the street from the Beverly Wilshire because that's where we were staying.

I want to say it was upstairs. But I was sitting there at Dr. I was drinking margaritas at the bar, like hanging out talking shit. I don't know where my head was. I was, who knows. But, you know, there are people obviously to the left and the right of me at a bartender. And I just kind of got my head down. I'm just talking to Ashley and watching the game.

And I'm getting the full experience because obviously, like, I'm a topic of conversation on the broadcast, right? So as that happens, you know, the peanut gallery to either side in me has got my name all in their mouth. Like I am public enemy. What the way? Yeah, yeah, yeah, public enemy number one around there. So, you know, it's all good. Like, I was, you know, first of all, what you can do? Fight an entire bar.

Secondly, like, it was kind of funny to me. So I, you know, I just sat and had my drinks. But there wasn't exchanged. Like, I went to the bathroom. And I was, like, waiting to wash my hands. And there was a dude in there. And he was, like, running his mouth to his buddy or something like that. And he was running his mouth about me.

And so he, like, in a movie kind of comes up out of, like, washing his hands and looks in the mirror and in the mirror, I'm standing in the mirror behind him. And yeah, he looked, he looked like he saw a fucking ghost. But it was all, it was all good with me. I wasn't tripping. So we won the game. Like I was, I was pretty excited, obviously that we won that game because I could have, were you faded? Like, what did you? Did you? And oh, wait, two questions for you on this one. Two questions for you. Yep. One were you faded and two, when did the bar realize, like the entire Bar realized that like you were at the bar and when did they realize all of that? One, yes, I eventually got faded. I don't know how long it took me. But yes, by the time I saw

the team, I was substantially late. And then yeah, when we came out of that bathroom, the bar then knew that I was sitting at the bar, right? Because like, buddy came out and he, the whispers started going and now everyone knows I'm sitting at the bar. But to the bar patrons credit, Like it was not that hostile. It was not like, it was not like we were fearing for, for like physical confrontation. Were they talking shit? Like, you see that shot? Yeah, Rod, do you see that?

Yeah, we got, yeah, we got a live lead because we were watching that game and that was a good game. Like, I was, I was, really good game. I remember correctly, that was the one where Kobe had like 50 and there was a Tim Thomas game, right? It was a, it's like a, it's like a three from like 40 feet. Yeah. Yeah, I think, Leandro Barbosa. I think Leandro Barbosa hit some big shots. It was just a great game.

And then I got over. So when it ended, we got up out of there real quick. And I got to the tarmac and on the plane before everyone else. So what Steve was talking about in the clip, because he sent it to me last night, was like, as the bus pulled up onto the tarmac, I was at the top of the steps at the entrance of the plane. Like pretty inebriated, just fucking going crazy. and thanking everybody profusely for winning the game. That's great. Yeah, it was pretty fun.

It was fun, man. That was a fun team, man. We had some good ties, man. And my brothers, I, listen, that could have been a real early retirement for me, bro, if they didn't win that damn game because I almost cost us. Okay, I got to, all right, bro. So we have talked about the 2006 sons a lot during this podcast and during this rain, right? So like I pretty much know about like how you got.

I knew a little bit of that story. I knew a lot about just that series in general. I just have a big takeaway. Y'all didn't take the Lakers seriously at all during that series until like the end. I really don't believe you guys. Because hear me out. Hear me out. From what I remember, you guys brought your family out to the first Lakers gate for the first to Lakers gate for the first to L.A., right?

And then you guys stayed at the fucking lows in Santa Monica. No doubt. Which is, I mean, I used to, my hotel is the Limeridian in Santa Monica, which is right across the street. Yeah. Beautiful hotel. Beautiful, like, just ambiance and all of that. You got the beach right there. You're not focused on fucking what's happening in Staples.

And so that's the first time. Then you guys get beat and then you get your shit together. And then, like, finally, you're like, oh, we got to fuck. We're a better team. We got to beat these motherfuckers. We got to put them down. Am I wrong on that? To use a Loganism, we were catten off.

Yeah, we were. We were out there. I remember vividly showing up. We had never stayed in the fucking Lowe's. I'm like, why are we, we're staying here often? Like, what? Like, okay. Yes. Lowe's is right on the beach. It's right on the beach. Right on the beach, dog. Yes, we had traveling parties with us. Not focused at all. You're correct. Your assessment is correct. We came into that thing thinking it was just going to be cake. And I think was game one, the overtime game. they got us. Yeah, and it's Phoenix. They got you. I took one in Phoenix and then they went up 3-1 because they beat both games. Oh, no, no, no. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. That's right.

That's right. Yeah, we were just not locked in the way we should have been locked in for that series. And thankfully, we got that together. And super thankfully, them dudes held me down in game six because I already catch a lot of shit for that moment and doing what I did. but had we lost the series, I don't know what, I don't know what the, the, the legacy of that moment would have been for me, you know? I just got to say this, though, and I was really, I saw the clip.

And I remember, like, the biggest takeaway I got from that clip was when your name was brought up. And this is something that I know, you've become a friend to me, a big bro in a lot of ways. but one of the things that I saw there that I could relate to is as soon as Roger Bell's name was brought up, there were a lot of people on that panel that was like, Roger Bell, real one, like, he's a good dude, right? And I was like, I was heartened by that. You know what I'm saying?

And that felt good for me to see, like, everybody else on that big of a platform be like, yo, yeah, Rogers is a shit. Yeah, fuck yeah. Yeah, I listen, man, that brotherhood, I would just say this about like the NBA in general or me in the NBA. Like I'm to a lot of fans that,

whose team I wasn't on, like I think, you know, my reputation is whatever it is. But I'd like to think that for the, for the most part, cats that I played with, dudes that I was in locker rooms with, like, you know, that brotherhood is something

that you ain't got to see somebody for 20 years. And when you see him again, it's love. You know what I mean? You guys did a lot of, you put a lot of blood, sweat, and tears. into chasing the same thing for over the course of however long you did it for. Like those are bonds that are with you forever.

I mean, even cats in locker rooms that I didn't consider like really, really good friends. When you see them now, it's still love, you know? Yeah, I mean,

shit, y'all go to a lot of shit being in that league, boy. It's Friday. You guys know what that time it is. It's time for our segment called Real One of the Week. We do this every Friday. Shout out a person entity organization that won the week. I'm going to go with guys that's been battling a lot.

in a battle right now. Jason Collins, who announced that he had a brain tumor in stage four. It's really tough, man. And you talk about the brethren. We want to see the brethren of this league, you know, get back on track. And just, I mean, just everything that he has been through during this time, you know, being an openly gay player, the first one in NBA history, the only one that we have been, that has played openly gay. And then now, you know, all the things that goes along with that.

and then now to announce that he has a brain tumor, you know, it's going to take a whole bunch more strength. So shout up to him and good luck to whatever you have going, you know. Basketball community is with you. Who's your role in a week, Roy? Yeah, no, 1,000, man. Yeah, prayers up and all the support, everybody, prayers up for Jason. I played with Jaron for a long time, so I know the Collins family.

super people man just great folks and so i second that logan like that's uh yeah definitely sending a lot of prayers his way man um feel weird giving a real one after that um but um if i if i had to i'm probably gonna give it to somebody pretty close to me i'm gonna give it to my to my middle boy young tie bell who uh we did a lot of work on his game you know he's been a real a real he's been a real participant and he wants it so bad that he allows me and gives me the grace to like to help him understand the process and how he needs to keep leveling his game up if he wants some of the things that he wants. And he was really good last year, but we had to do a lot of work on his jump shot. And that requires a lot of patience, a lot of self-reflection, you know, just,

you know, a lot of toughness for lack of better way to put it. And he put that in. And so he started the season shooting it really well, but his last game, he was not shooting it well. And I could see him kind of in his head and I could see him start to press a little bit and I could see him start to doubt it. And I was wondering how he was going to respond to that. But he flipped the switch and just kind of lost himself in other areas of the game. He got way more aggressive going to the basket. He started rebounding it better. He found ways to get his teammates involved. And so he had his first career triple double. You had 34, 13 boards and 10 assists a couple nights ago. So I'm going to give a real one of the week to tie. And I mean, the stat line and the triple, I never had a triple double

on any level against anybody. So like that in of itself is really, really cool. And it was cool for him and the family. But real, real talk, real one of the week for, for, you know, in years past, he comes out of the gate and misses those, those three or four jumpers the way he did. He might have fried out. And just the maturity to kind of stick with it and know that his team still needed him and figure out a way to be impactful in the game. And then he kind of found it. Then it came back to him.

So real one of the week for that. Neff, big time. That's what's up, bro. Also a lesson for all Hoopers, bro. Like, if your shot ain't dropping and it ain't falling, go to the cup, do other things that'll impact it, bro. I've seen a lot of basketball players in the NBA right now who, once their shots not falling, they just get down in the dumps and then they just they bring the team down especially if they're an important player

so make sure you're having an all-around game all right um we're going to have the full group on tuesday uh don't know what we're going to talk about yet but howard motherfucking be there so you know what that means real ones mailbag at gmail dot com real ones mailbag at gmail dot com real ones mailbag at gmail dot com will be answering your questions or those we're going to try to on tuesday um for that everybody have a great weekend talk to you soon ah all the shits bye 21 years and older and present in select states for Kansas and affiliation with the Kansas Star Casino or 18 and older and present in D.C., Kentucky, or Wyoming.

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