The NBA's business model creates incentives for officiating manipulation to extend playoff series to seven games, as demonstrated by Game 5 of the Western Conference Finals where the Spurs received 32 free throws compared to OKC's 18, with the league needing a Game 7 to maximize revenue and maintain balanced books.
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THE OKC FILES: The NBA FINALS just got RIGGED!Added:
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HEY, DON'T MAKE ME GO HI LIKE JAMES BROWN. DON'T MAKE ME DO THAT. I'm fired up. I'm in an absolutely fantastic mood.
Uh, it is Rick Campla. It is Ashley Neville. It is Dwight Walton. Uh, the great Dr. X. Uh, it is somewhere gallivanting around Europe. um wearing a NYX swimsuit on a swanky boat on some of the most beautiful water in the world.
We love you uh Dr. X and Chala. They're having the time of their lives right now. Dr. X isn't going to be here today.
We'll get him back soon. Uh Bott's going to drop in at some point. The great Brandon Armstrong. We have Scoopy Robinson joining us today. One of the top scoop artists in the game uh at 2:30 p.m. Eastern time. He's got to come on a little early with us. It's his birthday.
Okay. So, thus, you know, I got like the the little velvety thing here. I'm, you know, rocking the tie-dye, trying to kind OF MAKE IT CELEBRATORY. THERE'S MY BOY. THERE'S MY BOY SCOOP. SO, UH, super pumped to have him on at 2:30. BUT ASHLEY AND DWAYNE, WHAT'S UP, MAN? LET'S GET CRACKING.
>> Let's do it. I'm ready to go.
>> Let's get Yep. Let's get it on, lady and gentlemen. Let's go.
>> Okay. SO, LET'S GET IT ON.
ALL RIGHT, LET'S GET IT ON. WAS GAME FIVE RIGGED? YES, GAME FIVE WAS RIGGED.
THERE IT IS. THERE IT IS. THE THE GASP, THE THROW. GAME FIVE IS PROBABLY the most one-sidedly officiated NBA playoff game I've seen. I can't remember one that was maybe like that. The Sacramento LA series, the Donnie series. Okay, maybe that game five wasn't fishy. It wasn't annoying. It was obvious. It was egregious. It was an embarrassment for the league. Let's start with what we saw, guys. Run the tape of Mitch Johnson getting thrown out of the not thrown out of the game, but getting a technical foul for trying to uh call a timeout to challenge a call. Okay. He's spiraling around and after the game, he said, >> "Hi, Mike." THE GREAT MIKE TRICO, MY BOY, UH UH MITCH MITCH JOHNSON SAID AFTER THE GAME, uh they just said they didn't see me. Hm. Convenient. Uh Shay Gildis Alexander had 32 points on seven made shots, 19 field goal attempts.
Again, a lousy shooting game from SGA in this series. 16 of 17 free throws. Spurs lead uh a great follow on Twitter.
Whether sarcasm or actual statistics, they made their point here. They put Tony Brothers tonight. 28 swallowed whistles, 15 allowed flops, one missed goalend on the cornet play, one denied challenge, just showed it to you, and was one false tech. Just showed it to you. And they put uh quipping contender for Western Conference Finals, MVP, Spurs lead. Well done with that tweet.
All right, who's to blame? The New York Knicks are to blame. The New York Knicks are to blame for being too good and sweeping the fraudulent Cavaliers.
DWIGHT KNOWS WHERE I'M GOING WITH THIS.
THAT'S WHY HE'S LAUGHING. AND HE'S IN MY BRAIN. DWIGHT, HE DOES NOT OWN real estate in my brain, BUT HE DOES he he has like a wing of his existence in my brain. I'm telling you right now, the NBA and ABC ESPN lost a ton of money with the East Finals only going four games. We all know that. Okay. The NBA absolutely needs the West Finals to go seven games. Six ain't gonna cut it.
Gotta be seven. That's when you start making the big money. Okay, entering game five and OKC with lots of us picking the Spurs. Okay, the NBA was like, uhoh, we desperately need OKC to win this game AND THEY MIGHT NOT. No JDub, no AJ. Um, so they risked uh, you know, possibly a six-game series in a scenario where the Spurs win game five and game six. No. No, no, no, no, no, no, no. That was a nonoption, a non-starter for the NBA. No game seven, no bueno. Okay, so they made sure OKC would win game five. How do you accomplish that? A one-sided whistle.
Okay, many of us are calling the league out for this orchestration, guys. But they don't care. Okay, they're laughing all the way to the bank here. They're toasting clang their little champagne glasses in swanky Manhattan offices saying GOT THEM AGAIN. WHY? BECAUSE THEIR BOOKS ARE BACK TO BEING BALANCED.
OKAY. The commissioner goes on P McAfei show says the officiating has been incredible with a smile.
Adam, are you kidding me? So he's just laughing at US WITH THAT. THAT WAS ADAM SILVER trolling legit. All right. What is the NBA? The NBA is a business. Okay.
When it's a business, the bottom LINE IS MONEY. When the bottom line is money, SHADY THINGS HAPPEN. ESPECIALLY WHEN BILLIONAIRES HAVE THEIR money effed with. Okay. Like the Knicks sweeping the fraudulent Cavaliers and losing all that money. What about tonight? I have a prediction for tonight. Dwight ain't gonna like it.
THERE'S ABOUT TO BE THERE'S ABOUT TO BE SOME SERIOUS home cooking tonight in San Antonio. FROM CHURROS TO BURRITOS AND BEYOND. OKAY, THE SAME thinking applies.
The league doesn't necessarily care who's going to win the series. They just want seven games. Okay, and to get seven games, the Spurs have to win game six tonight. Okay, so I expect a pro San Antonio whistle. Probably not quite as obvious as game five at OKC, but your Thunder are going to be playing five on eight tonight. Place your bets. Dwight Walton, you've been challing. You've been THROWING YOUR HEAD AROUND. IT IS YOUR TURN. Was game five rigged.
Ashley, Rick, and to everybody watching and listening. I refuse to go down this road. I believe in sports. I am not naive, but I believe in sports and I still believe in humanity.
If anything, and I do understand the games in a series angle, but if anything, if the NBA is about making money, to your point, Rick Camela, I think the NBA would want their future face of the NBA, the San Antonio Spurs, and Victor Webmanyama to be in the final. So whether it happens in game five, in game six, or in game seven, I think if we're talking about the bottom line and expanding the brand and exposing the future face of the NBA, Victor Wmanyama, the NBA want the Spurs to play against the Knicks in the NBA final. I I refuse to go down this road.
I understand and hear you loud and clear, Rick, but when we start talking in this regard, it's a very, very slippery slope. We're opening up Pandora's box. Again, please focus on what I'm saying. I'm not naive. I understand what you're saying. I hear what you're saying, but I refuse to go down that road. But like I've said, what I will acknowledge, I think the NBA, if we're talking about business, bottom line, and exposing their brand even more, especially global wise, and especially the way Victor Webyama is trending to becoming the future face, if not already, of the NBA.
The NBA wants the Spurs against the Knicks in the NBA Finals. You have the the largest media market on the planet.
The Knicks are playing great. They're in the finals. All about Gotham City. NBA f the NBA headquarters are right there.
Victor Webmanyama has taken over the basketball universe. Obviously, that's where I'm sure the NBA wants to go right now. But I I cannot acknowledge anything being rigged. Uh calls being in favor of the home team tonight in this case of San Antonio Spurs. You can talk about that. I refuse to go down that road.
Again, I'm not naive, Rick and Ashley.
I'm not. So, please understand what's coming out of my mouth here.
>> All right. And that is a that is a funny picture. I WILL I WILL THANK YOU. Look at them.
>> All right, I'll acknowledge that. But I am not I believe too much in humanity. I believe too much in integrity. I can't I I CAN'T I CAN'T I'M NOT NAIVE, but I can't.
I'M TELL I CAN'T STOP LAUGHING AT THAT PICTURE. I CAN'T. I CAN'T. I MEAN, LITERALLY. And Tony Brothers IS JUST LIKE SO HAPPY in his arms. It is It's so stupid. It just and it just brings the sophomoric little laughing child out of me. OH MY GOSH. ASHLEY, CANNOT WAIT TO HEAR YOUR TAKE ON THIS. WAS GAME five rigged?
>> I'm going to be honest. I do think that the refs have been favoring the home teams in this entire series. You even take a look at the game before.
>> Take a look at the game before. The Spurs went to the line what 33 times and the Thunder only went 18 times. There was a big discrepancy there for me. And then you look at this next g this game, game five, and it was the same story.
OKC got to the line more times. But I will also say that I do think OKC played the better game. So regardless if the officiating was rigged and the officials were calling more um in favor of OKC, I still think the Spurs did not play up to their standards. I think WBY had an awful game. He was doing the same thing he did in game one against the Minnesota Timberwolves where he was riding and dying by that three-point shot and it wasn't falling down. But we got to give credit to OKC's defense for keeping him out of the paint, understanding the angles and understanding how to avoid him getting touches. Um, but at the end of the day, they want this to go to seven games.
And to your point, Dwight, like you would think that if it was super rigged that they would have tried to extend the Knicks and the Cavaliers series as much as possible, too, because wouldn't you want to see game sevens in both? I mean, no one everyone wants games every single day, and now we're having every other day. Um, so they definitely lost money there. I will disagree with your point though, Dwight, on this is I understand you would think that the NBA wants in there right now. I think the better storyline for the NBA is twotime MVP reigning champions getting to the finals battling against the Knicks who haven't been there since 1999. And is it going to be possible for this Knicks team to knock them off their throne?
We know that we're going to see OKC uh no we're going to see Webby and the Spurs for the next decade. So we know that they're there. They're going to be the team that's going to be fighting against OKC for the next like next decade as I said. But I think the better storyline here is are the Knicks going to knock OKC off their throne. Um, and they've already released the script. You saw that that headline the other day where they had the finals merchandise at on NBA.com and it said OKC and it said the Knicks. I don't want to go down any conspiracy roads here, but this is the second time the NBA >> has has released the script. The first time was the Pistons Cavs, right before they even finished the series, they were already saying Cavs Knicks are playing in the Eastern Conference Finals. Why did they do that? Why did they air that commercial? That was weird. They already had it prepared, already had it ready to go and aired it. And now they're already promoting finals merchandise for the Thunder and the Knicks. Explain that to me. That doesn't make any sense to me. I think we're all both right in a sense where yeah, they are the refs are favoring the home team. Yes, they do want to extend the series to seven games for marketing purposes, for money, but at the end of the day, OKC still played better in my opinion. But an OKC Knicks finals I think would be fantastic for the NBA.
>> So what they do what what I've noticed in in games that are shady uh games that the the NBA needs a result. Uh you know a lot of times OKC definitely played a better game than San Antonio, but but the NBA will just like give them a nudge. They just give them a nudge. And and what I have found and I and I'm telling you tonight, uh I I think there's going to be some shady calls in the first half to help San Antonio billow a lead and just get out in front so all the powers of be don't have to pace the floors till the wee hours of the night worrying uh if the series is going to end or not. I so that I you're right. OKC played the better game. But the what I found and this is a conspiracy theory and I I don't I don't play this card a lot. Okay. I play this card when when alarms are going off and when I become outraged and inflamed, which I was in game five. Uh but but other examples of this, they that you know, the team that is supposed to win is typically the most motivated team, too. So, yes, they already have a leg up and then it's eight on five and all that kind of stuff. Uh I want to I'll just make a couple points on what you guys say and then Dwight, if you have more to say, you can go ahead. Uh Ashley, you said something about, you know, uh why wouldn't the NBA want to extend uh the Knicks in Cavaliers series, right? Only four games now. Okay. Of course they, and you know this, of course they want to. The Knicks took that out of everybody's hands. That's why I blamed the Knicks, right? I blamed the Knicks for this. They were just too freaking good and too freaking dominant.
>> Okay. Sorry. Uh but >> but well, you can, but I'm just trying to be kind of, you know, kind of humorous about it. AND THE CAPS ARE TOO EASY of a target. Okay. Uh and let's give the the victors their spoils.
>> And then and then Dwight to you on WBY.
Okay. I It's an interesting thought. I'm listening to it. It's a good debate. Why wouldn't they want We Wy in the finals over SGA. if they were going to cook up a whistle, why wouldn't it be in favor of the young alien who everybody loves so much and everybody's banging and hating on SGA, right? Great point by you. Here's my retort to that. Um, >> the NBA already has the Knicks in the finals. It doesn't matter who the other team is, in my opinion. It could be the Wizards, it could be the Kings, it could be the Jazz. The Knicks are in the finals. They are a guaranteed ratings bonanza all by themselves. So go ahead Dwight from there.
>> No. And also again it it is a slippery slope. The Spurs have got we talk about I know we're going to get into all the other stuff the the foul baiting the free throw merchant the flopping the unethical basketball. I know we're going to get into it but all this talk about favoring the home team. The Spurs, I think the Thunder have played more home games in this series, correct?
>> I think yes, three home games. Okay.
>> The uh the the the free throw statistics, if I'm remembering it correctly, the Spurs have been to the free throw line 111 times. The Thunder have gone 94.
So, and also when we're talking about when we're talking about the uh the series being rigged and following a script, to your point, Rick, you just said it.
The New York Knicks blew whatever script was on board to the water by just taking the g taking care of the game by themselves. So, my point is, if things are to be rigged, everybody has to be on the same page. Everybody has to be on the same script. And that's why again I'm not naive. Please listen to me when I say that. I am not naive.
However, when following a script, everybody pretty much has to be on the same page. You have to be on board together, which means the three referees, the coaches, all of the players have to be in sync in in sync with whatever is going on. And to me, it's next to impossible for that to happen. Yes, you can have one rogue referee like Tim Donahe. I understand it. I get it. That happens in every professional sport around the world.
Again, I'm not naive. Let me make that loud and clear. However, for stuff to go on the same script, everybody has to be on board. That's why I don't believe all of this stuff. And I have a very difficult time talking about deceiving the public, doing this, doing that. I'm just not in that world. I wasn't I can't I can't do it. So, that's why this is a very difficult topic for me. I'll I'll discuss it, but it's difficult for me to to discuss. I just want to let that be known.
>> You know, it made me a little a little bit more skeptical of the league once I started seeing NBA players tweeting about this. And it was multiple NBA players across the board. And when you start seeing guys who are actually playing and actually experience these whistles being called for or against them and just guys that have been around it for so long, especially Damen Lillard tweeting that out, I mean, I would say out of all the guys I've seen, Damen Lillard's extremely credible. Um, he's not one of those guys that foul baits.
He plays the game the right way. Um, he's very respected amongst his peers and others. So, >> but but Ashley, I'm willing to bet that he plays poker. I'm willing to bet that he plays poker on the team plane when they're flying.
>> So, when when players discuss this, it's because they gamble in some way, shape, or form. And what I will say this, I would say more than 50% of the complaints that we hear when it comes to this topic, when it comes to the to the flopping, the foul baiting, the tanking, all of the negative talk that we experience on social media and in some cases on in mainstream media, it's the gamblers that are talking. It's the the ones whose financial uh lives, not the players, but for those who who they want to make money on this stuff.
>> Yeah.
>> These are the those are the ones that complain the most. That's why this is such a such A HOT TOPIC. THAT'S WHAT IT IS. IT'S ABOUT THE GAMBLING. That's where all of this is going. And when when uh gambling became legal in North America, I saw this coming a thousand miles away. This is the issue. This is why all of these things are such hot topics. This is where this is where we're going, unfortunately.
>> Well, I mean, since I mean, the NBA has sponsorship deals with these companies, so it to me already makes it a little unethical in a sense. I know they want to make money. I it's yeah, it's a money maker. I I don't blame them. But when we're seeing this and you're seeing uh Tony Brothers goofing around with Lou Dort and some of the other guys on OKC and holding the whistle and smiling next to his ear, it just doesn't look good.
You know, they're helping players off the floor. I don't like it. I don't like it. Do your job. Don't be smiling and laughing with these guys because they do play favorites. Scott Foster, CP3, is a perfect example of a guy who doesn't like Chris Paul. I I was at the game when he threw him out when he was with the Warriors, I believe. Um, and was he on the Warriors at that time?
>> No. Chris Paul, where was he at when I saw this game? Um, >> I'm not >> He got thrown out of the game.
>> Was it >> uh was it Houston?
>> Am I not sure?
>> It was when he was on the Suns. They were playing against the Warriors when he was on the Suns. And I remember Scott Foster was repping. He was re Scott Foster was repping that game and within maybe couple minutes of the first quarter I believe he got thrown out of the game and it was over like the pettiest thing I've ever seen. So when you start seeing some of these refs like buddying it up or refs that are consistently making calls against certain players, you start to ask the questions why.
>> Yeah, I hear you. I hear you. All right, we have Brandon Scoopy Robinson coming up right around the corner here. one of the top scoop artists in the game on his birthday. Uh, so we'll try to make a kind of a big deal out of that. All right, next topic here. Is SGA ruining his legacy? Is SGA ruining his legacy?
Yes.
Yes, he is. And I'm an SGA fan, but I I But let me explain. SJ is ruining his legacy more with the non- basketball moves in the unethical basketball than James Harden is and has done with all the big-time playoff choke jobs and disappearing X. The SGA ref's narrative is way stronger and way louder than the Harden choke artist narrative. Doesn't make sense to me. Um but that's the reality of the situation. Your legacy is determined by two things. one, accomplishments, rings, MVPs, AllNBA, all-star, uh, all-time stat rankings, that kind of thing. Number two, the conversation about you. Okay, right or wrong, conversation creates perception.
Perception is reality. Okay, um, this can be Mike Breen on a national broadcast, Mark Jackson, Jeff Van Gundy, a crew that I love, just, you know, one of those types of guys, or Tim at the barber shop and everybody in between. in if the conversation about a player, let's say SGA, and the referee manipulation explodes in a negative way with no end in sight and the player only continues to feed that narrative with every game that he plays, then that narrative grows into a part of your legacy. Okay? until or unless you do something to change that, which is what I implore James Harden to do constantly and he just refuses to listen to me or ever do anything differently. All right, so that's what's happening with SGA and I believe it's terrible for his legacy.
SGA is creating a yeah, but perhaps even an asterisk on his career. I'm not putting an asterisk on SGA. I'm not inflamed to that level. I if you go man on the street, especially in Santa, should you put an asterisk on SGA's MVP?
YOU'RE DAMN RIGHT YOU SHOULD. OKAY.
RIGHT. That's not good for SGA um in the court of public opinion because the court of public opinion can't take away trophies and awards and accomplishments, but they can sure throw you under the bus every chance they get and continue to talk badly about you. Right now, there's tons of media and fans who literally hate SJA and OKC. I would encourage them to remove the hate chip from their entire being. That's on them.
I can't do that. But it's out there.
It's venomous. It's only getting worse.
And SJA's legacy continues to get hit uh like a pinata with a bat. Question for you guys. What is SGA's go-to move? H you're going to you're going to probably say the pull-up jumper right around the free throw line. That's not a go-to move. Kevin Durant had that. Michael Jordan had that. Kobe Bryant had that.
Every great player's got a one dribble pull-up, two dribble pull-up, three dribble pull-up. Every single one of them has that. Okay, the answer >> SJ's go-to move is falling to the floor and getting a whistle. That's his go that's his go-to move, his signature move. It's not the skyhook.
>> It's not the skyhook from Kareem. It's not the iron leg fade away from Dirk.
It's not, you know, uh, a drop step spin move on the baseline for a rim rocker from Shaq or a logo three from Steph or a floater from Tony Parker. It's tricking the refs into blowing a whistle. Okay? I'm I am not going to sit here and dump uh on on SJA's legacy. I'm not going to do that. I'm just telling you, doing this a long time as a historian, I know this legacy game. I know what goes into it. I know how it's helped, how it's hurt, and SGA is hurting his legacy right now. Ashley, you go second on this one. What's your take on this?
>> I wouldn't necessarily say it's hurting his legacy. I mean, of course, you're going to have fans and media talking about this. I think it says more about the officiating and Adam Silver not stepping in and doing what he needs to do to start finding players for flopping. Players are just using this to their advantage, right? Right. I mean, Tyresese Hallebertton spoke about this on the Pat McAfee show of being taught how to manipulate and control and get calls. I mean, it's a part of the game.
We see it from uh J everyone's beloved Jaylen Brunson does it sometimes. Luca, you see Harden, you've seen LeBron try to sell these calls. I mean, it's a part of the game. Um, and especially like if they're smaller guards, they're trying to do what they can to gain an advantage, especially when you're going up against great defenders and guys that are bigger than them. So, I won't necessarily say it's going to ruin his legacy because he deserved to be a two-time MVP. He deserved to win the championship, and I'm not going to allow this narrative to take that away. I just think that yeah, it's getting a little out of hand and I'm sick of seeing him fall to the floor and I'm sick of seeing him um you know bump into into his defenders to get a call. Like I don't want to see that. I think it's bad for the game. It's destroying the rhythm.
It's destroying the flow, but he's doing this because the NBA is letting him get away with it and it's just his way of getting to the free throw line, getting points.
>> Beautiful.
>> Um signature move. You mentioned his signature move and then you said it wasn't a signature move. So, I'm so confused what we're doing here because being able to control pace. He He's very controlled chaotically where he could go super fast, de accelerate and stop and bump and be able to pivot and the pump fake. That post move to me is deadly.
And when you can master that, I mean, we talk about, oh, all these players are riding and dying from three, and we're sick of this three-point shot that Steph Steph Curry created. Um, but now you've got a guy who actually plays, to me, old school traditional basketball where he's able to get to those mid-range shots where he's not forcing three-pointers. I respect that about Sha's game, and I think he does it does it better than anyone in the league. So, you want to talk about Sha's move. What's what what does WMBBY got? What does WBY got? A roll to the basket dunk. I mean, you want to talk about guys that have like Shay to me is a pure point guard. I I think he plays the I I I do think he plays the game the right way and he's getting those calls because the NBA is allowing it. But does he need those calls? No. I've criticized him all year where I was like, you don't need to be foul baiting and hunting for whistles because I know that you're capable of getting at getting shots on your own.
you he's shooting over 55% from the field as a guard. That's unbelievable. So, no, I'm not going to allow anyone to manipulate my thoughts into a thinking that he's destroying his legacy. Um, I do think the NBA needs to crack down on it, but I am a a fan of Shay.
>> All right. I'm a fan of the man we're about to bring in right now. His name is Brandon Scoopy Robinson. He's got a million things going on. Uh, and it's his birthday, guys. Are we uh ready to bring him in? Am I jumping the gun here a LITTLE BIT? WHERE? THERE'S MY GUY.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY to you. Happy birthday to you. What's up?
>> Uhoh.
>> You're on mute.
>> Crash. It's a perfect way to start my damn birthday today. I'm getting everything in order nonetheless.
>> How y'all doing?
>> SCOOP. WE'RE DOING GOOD, MAN. HAPPY BIRTHDAY. Thanks for making some time.
>> Can you hear me?
Yeah, we got you.
>> Can you hear me?
>> Yeah. Can you hear us?
>> I can. Nev, what's up?
>> Excellent. Excellent. Uh, scoop, let's dive in, man. Uh, it's been spicy around here. Uh, I made a point that game five was rigged because the NBA desperately needs a game seven, and I blamed it on the New York Knicks for being too damn good and sweeping Cleveland and causing ESPN and the league to lose a whole bunch of money. Yes, I am playing the conspiracy card on game five. I rarely do this, but uh but what I saw took me to that level. Talk to me about that.
Are you buying what I'm selling and your thoughts on the officiating in game five in this series? Overall, >> I think the Knicks have just been playing good basketball. And the crazy thing about all of this is when I looked at the Detroits, when I looked at, you know, the teams that are remaining, I felt like Cleveland evenly matched up uh with uh the Knicks from uh from positions one through five. But I I think the biggest thing was the momentum. the Knicks are just too good and and that is such a thing. And I really think that their momentum uh started in game four of round one against the Atlanta Hawks. I feel like Carl Anthony Towns uh was Joic before Joic in the sense of the Swiss Army knife that he is passing the ball, rebounding, blocking them, blocking shots at will. He's always been talented. I just think that most people on the national perspective didn't realize he was that good because he played in Minnesota. And I also believe that uh the coach that Mike Brown is, he he has unlocked a level uh of of of play for for both him and just the team at large that you didn't see during the era of Flip Saunders in Minnesota and that you didn't even see during the the Tib era and in and when he, you know, inherited that team last year the way that he did uh that went to the to the Eastern Conference Finals. I think that the Cavaliers have a good sense of talent on paper, but I think putting it all together, I think it's going to take a minute for them to really be competitive next season, the same way that for the Knicks, it took a full year last year to this year in order for them to make it to uh the NBA Finals. So, I I think that the matchups with Cleveland and the Knicks were good. I just think the Knicks are just on another level.
Not just play style, but just mentally.
>> It's a great answer. And consider that a question dodged. Let's go to Dwight Walton here for a question for Scoop.
>> But but Scoop, hold on. I want to add on to what you just said. I heard a story the other day in regards to call Anthony Towns to where I'm not sure if he was a scout or an assistant coach on the Tim Timberwolves staff at the time, Mil Newton. uh the the late great uh Flip Saunders, may he rest in peace, uh was a coach alongside I want to say Sam Mitchell at the time and they were discussing whether they should take Carl Anthony Towns or K Okafor as their draft pick that season and Mil they were go they were favoring Koka at the time but Milt Newton told Flip and Sam go back and Watch Carl Anthony Towns at in high school. Don't watch the games at it at u at Kentucky. Watch him in high school and flip saers went home. Watch and saw all the passing, all the cutting, the post moves, the the multia, the skills that Carl Anthony Town showed in that game because I believe he only averaged nine and 10 at Kentucky. So, there was some concerns from that regard. But the high school tape showed all of those skills that Carl Anthony Towns possessed and ultimately they ended up draft drafting Cat and the rest as they say is history. Uh but anyways, my question is I saw one of your uh tweets or posts most recently in regards to the Washington Wizards. Uh, is it possible?
Is it possible that LeBron James ends up in Washington? Because I believe that Will Dawkins and the Wizards organization should stay the course, stay with the trend of building through their youth movement. I do have some ties to the Wizards. My godson, Kesan George plays for the Washington Wizards.
But do you think it's possible that the Washington Wizards is a possible landing spot for the great player LeBron James?
>> So, first of all, I I want to get to that Carl stuff in a minute, but I want to go with that deep even deep dive into that article that I wrote over on Sunday. And what I discussed was the fact that nothing is signed. uh that the Lakers can offer LeBron the most money, but I also said that the Cleveland Cavaliers are a team um that could make significant moves. It would have to go through a process of signing trades, mid-level um exceptions, and a lot of other things that have to take place.
But what I said was nothing is signed and I said that Anthony Davis is being asked by Trey Young to return because the Wizards believe that they can do something special. Anthony Davis and LeBron still have an active relationship and the fact that Clutch is actually really, I'll say, opening a branch office in Washington and the mix of a young talent that's on that team coupled with the fact that Trey Young is looking to make something happen and not just make uh the Washington Wizards East Coast hell. I said that if the if the Cavaliers do not make a move, if the Lakers do not offer LeBron something that is, you know, suitable to his liking, then you enter other teams uh that could enter the chat. And the Washington Wizards with the combination of talent, the combination of flexibility as far as cap space, and the fact that there is already an existing relationship with Clutch, albeit Trey Young as well as Anthony Davis, a conversation could start. And I do think that when you look at the Washington Wizards over the last couple of seasons, um, they have made inroads, particularly Will Dawkins, uh, and and his crew, they've really been they're really trying to rewrite the script on how the Washington Wizards are viewed. They've got a new arena that's coming in in the next couple years. Actually took a tour of it. It's it's dope. Uh, their process and and I think that the Washington Wizards are making noise. As far as LeBron coming there, I only see that being a thing if Cleveland and the Los Angeles Lakers don't do what they're supposed to do. I know that there have been multiple reports out there that the Spurs could be a conversational piece. I actually think that the Spurs are missing a Draymond Green type of guy and as far as just a veteran that that's going to be outspoken, that's going to be a leader. But all indications that I have gotten so far have been that if the LeBron does not resign with the Los Angeles Lakers, the Cavaliers are are the are the perceived and believed uh team that that could swoop in. However, I do believe that if the Cavs and the Lakers don't do what they're supposed to do, Washington is is one of those teams uh that could swoop in and make that make something happen on that end as well.
>> Wow. Wow. Wow. Uh how about the cat piece uh scoop?
Um, I was actually in the room when Cat when Flip Saunders called Cat right after the Minnesota Timberwolves uh drafted him and I I'll never just forget their conversation when Cat called when when Cat's phone was called um his face just lit up and Flip Saunders shared with Cat that you know um we want to make history and we want to make things happen and and Cat basically told Flip Saunders uh I'm ready to get to work.
Um, I'm very in in in tune with Carl Anthony Towns and his in his process.
Um, his dad sends me prayer text messages every morning uh to kind of start the day. And I know his history with his dad. His dad was a legend uh in in the state of New Jersey playing college basketball I believe at at Ryder and in New Jersey. And um he's been training his son a long time. He's a legend in Piscataway, New Jersey. um where he has coached many uh AAU talent at large. And just like Jaylen Brunson's dad has been preparing his son all his life to be the star that he is, uh Carl Anthony Town senior has has been just as intricate with his son. Um and and really and truly playing positionalist basketball. He can legitimately play positions three through five. And at St. Joseph's High School in Matuch in New Jersey, he he was that star in a world where everybody was paying attention to Andrew Bayham. Uh Carl Anthony Towns was was the next up as well as uh Jay Williams who also comes from uh that school as well, St. Joe's in Matuch, New Jersey. And they have a history of of of of talent at that school. But aside from that school is really his dad who was the key that started that engine and preparing his son long before his son was actually playing. He'd sit in practice uh with his dad coaching and and he his dad was a coach at Votch High School in Piscataway, New Jersey. he'd sit in practice and watch his watch his dad, you know, train the future of of basketball stars. And, you know, going to Kentucky and being under John Caliperry, he's he's really come under a good toutelage. I just think that the New York Knicks was the team that he really needed to be on in order for the national perspective to see him in a different light.
>> I mean, who knows Orange better than this guy, Brandon Scoopy Robinson, man.
Uh, Scoopy Radio, which he'll tell you about uh later on in the interview. Uh just a fountain of information, man. And a great dude on his birthday. Uh Ashley, come on in here for a question or two for Scoop.
>> What up, Scoop? How are you? Good to see you. Happy birthday.
>> Good to see you as well.
>> Thank you.
>> I I guess I had two questions here.
Well, number one, do you think LeBron should settle with a vet minimum if that's something that's presented? I know he's already said that he doesn't want to do that unless there can be some specific explanations as to why and what the game plan is. Um, and do you think he's worthy of a bigger contract given obviously his history, his legacy, but then also when we when we look back at the fact that the Mavericks used to have Luca and Jaylen Brunson and seeing now where Jaylen Brunson is at, do you think the Mavericks ended up dropping the ball on Jaylen Brunson?
Well, I I'll go to your second question first. When I look at I mean, when you when you look at that draft and you look at the team that they had on paper, there's a lot of times that you see players uh not live up to the expectations one place and then they flourish somewhere else. Um I I look at the New York Knicks back when Isaiah Thomas was in the front office as well as the head coach. And you know, he drafted any iteration of David Lee, Trevor Arza, um he brought in Stefon Marbury, Nate Robinson, and some of those other guys on that team. I mean, he had an eye for talent, but they those those names just did not fit on that roster. You saw David Lee go over to the Golden State Warriors and be productive there. You saw Trevor Reza win a championship with the Los Angeles Lakers and then move around to different teams, Orlando, Houston, and at large. And I mean, if you if you if we want to play that game, look at the Sacramento Kings.
They traded away De'arren Fox, Tyresese Hallebertton, and Mike Brown was their head coach. And look at all of the individual success that all those guys have had. I think sometimes a fit is just not a fit and a fit is a fit elsewhere. Um, and so I I think for the Dallas Mavericks, I don't want to continue to pour salt on an old wound.
We know what Luca h what happened with Luca. We also know that if I'm not mistaken, Leon Rose is um Jaylen Brunson's godfather. He Leon Rose is a former CIA agent. William Wesley was a former, you know, CIA employee and they're both now employees of the New York Knicks. And then you look at Jaylen Brunson and his dad, Rick Brunson, who was an assistant there. They obviously knew something we didn't know. And and I think this is where relationships carry.
Uh I'm sure we all have relationships with people and you knew that when they were in high school and college, they were going to be great. But that like didn't flicker until later on. I think that Dallas, you know, housed those talents, but you know, they they went on and and they got a new girlfriend and that they made them their wife and they may put on get some hardware now. So I think that the Knicks is that wife and I think that the Dallas Mavericks was the girlfriend. And I think ultimately um here we are now. Um I think that when you look at LeBron James and you look at the the mid the veterans minimum is not what he's looking for. He is looking for the mid-level exception on that team. Um I know that in order for the the Cleveland Cavaliers to uh bring LeBron there, one, they would ultimately have to complete some type of sign and trade for Dean Wade and him going elsewhere.
they would have to move Max Struce. Um, and then a signing trade or a mid-level exception would have to happen for LeBron. So, you figure either the signing trade would involve LeBron James and Jared Allen on some level in order to make that work. There there are a myriad of tiers that will have to happen in order for LeBron James to come. And also, uh, James Harden would have to restructure, uh, his contract as is if he's to resign. So, those were the the steps that would have to take place in order for LeBron, I'm glad you asked that question because I'm able to clarify. In order for those steps to happen or for him to come to Cleveland, those steps would have to happen. And if they don't happen, that is where other teams like a San Antonio or Washington Wizards would enter into the chat to make that happen.
>> Brandon Scoop Robinson chilling out on Beyond the Surface on the X-rated Sports Network uh on his birthday. and uh scoop uh just let us know. We'll we'll get to about uh you know noon Eastern here and uh I I'm actually have a about 3 Eastern here noon Pacific and uh then you let us know if you got a bail. I know you got a busy schedule. I want to go back to a scoop you had scoop um about a week ago and it was about uh uh and I'm sort of paraphrasing here but interest that Minnesota might have in a Kyrie Irving and and I know in my relationship with >> Yes. And I know and and just being a dear friend of yours uh how close you are to Kyrie and his process uh and and you have been for a minute. So uh take us into that like scoop if I'm Dallas I want to bring Kyrie back and play him with Cooper flag and see that um yet there's you know you know Minnesota has interest like is Kyrie going to be on another team? Could it be the Wolves?
From every indication that I've gotten from Kyrie Irving and and his representation and just those around him, he loves being in Dallas. But the reality is the Dallas Mavericks have been saying a lot since the beginning of this season where they think the world of Cooper Flag. They thought the world of Anthony Davis and they think the world of Kyrie Irving and they also thought the world of Jason Kidd. Jason Kid is gone. Anthony Davis is gone. They fired Nico Harrison. They brought in Messiah Yujiri and and Messiah Jiri in his press conference also said that in in in his past dealings working for other teams, the Denver Nuggets and the Toronto Raptors, those head coaches that were there when he got there were still uh they they developed a good relationship and and they stayed. Well, that wasn't the case with Jason Kidd.
And I said this on another show. The only problem with Jason Kidd is this. He wanted to be the president. He wanted to be the GM. And he wanted to be the coach. And I use this example. We can all laugh about this. You seen the movie Next Friday? Jason Kid was the epitome of Baby D. When Mike F said, "Baby D likes to do hair, sell weed, and babysit. The cops don't know when to kick the door in. You can't be Baby D on the Dallas M, but you have to delegate."
And so, at the end of the day, Jason is awesome. You've seen that before when he was with the Brooklyn Nets where he wanted to bypass the GM process with Billy King and he wanted to be the GM and the head coach and he s was sent on his merry way in Milwaukee where he developed a good rapport with a young squad. And so at the end of the day, you ask me about Kyrie Irving, I will tell you that there is uh factual proof that shows that everything that the Dallas Mavericks have said so far about who they want to retain, they're gone.
Right? So, you look at the Kyrie Irving situation, you know, in the offseason, he does spend exponential time in Los Angeles. His wife is from the LA area, um, he is enjoying not only healing from his ACL injury, but also working out and mentoring young people. You know, not only did the Dallas Mavericks have Jason Kidd as their head coach this season, Phil Handy was is the assistant coach over there, a guy that he knows well from his Cleveland and his uh it just, you know, days of just working outside of just the realms of of team basketball, but you know, some of the other ventures that they have. Um, every indication that I've gotten is that Kyrie Irving likes Dallas. However, when you communicate with those who are in the know and those who matter in Minnesota, not only is Kyrie Irving a a person of interest to the Minnesota Timberwolves, so too is John Morant as someone who I have covered extensively throughout the course of this season.
>> And Minnesota Timber Wolves are looking to add a point guard of substance to that squad. And that has been the conversation that has been had throughout the course of this season and it's continuing throughout the offseason. And in order to make that happen, the the Minnesota Timberwolves are going to have to give up a combination of some things. One, Julius Randall, who is from the Dallas, Texas area. Two, Rico Bear, uh, who, you know, to me has played well defensively and and is is someone that that can benefit a team like the Dallas Mavericks because of his defensive prowess. And three, they're going to have to give a McDaniels. From every indication that I have gotten, the McDaniels part is the snag in the conversation because they because the Minnesota Timberwolves realize the value that he has both offensively and defensively.
>> Beautiful wife, come on in here, >> scoop, I want to get back to the Washington Wizards here, and this is my theory. This is this is my theory. I don't want to get you in trouble or put you on the spot. So, hear me out. Um, to me, AJ Deansa is the best prospect coming into the NBA next season. The Washington Wizards won the lottery. As we know, an hour after the draft lottery on that Sunday, there were reports immediately all over social media talking about the Wizards considering trading the number one pick here. Listen to my point now. AJ Debansa went to high school in Utah. AJ Debansa went to school at BYU. The $7 million that was donated to the to BYU's basketball program came from ownership of the Utah Jazz. The Utah Jazz have basically been tanking for the past several seasons be to put themselves in this position. The Utah Jazz haven't tanked for nothing. My theory is the Utah Jazz are doing everything in their power to make sure AJ Debansa stays in the state of Utah.
Is my theory uh credible? Am I totally in left field or do you think I have something?
score.
>> You ever see the movie He Got Game?
>> Of course.
>> Yes.
>> Of course.
>> You do you remember Jake Shuttleworth's only assignment was to keep Jesus Shuddlesworth in the state of New York, >> Big State University.
>> Yep.
>> Via Lincoln High School in Brooklyn.
>> Yes.
>> This is the Utah version of it.
meaning.
>> Thank you very Thank you very much, Scoop.
>> Thank you. Thank you very much.
Appreciate it.
>> That's such a scoop. You the man.
Ashley, I assume you got another question for Scoop. Come on in here.
>> Yeah, I wasn't sure if I wanted to go that route or not, but I did want to go back and jump to when you're mentioning John Morant. I know that's a big question mark right now about where he's going to go. it hasn't quite worked out in Memphis. Um, I'm hearing people say Chicago. I'm hearing people say the Suns. Um, I'm hearing his name float around in so many different potential trade rumors. What have you heard?
>> The two teams that I have heard with the most noise has been uh the Sacramento Kings and the Phoenix Suns.
um >> throughout the course of the season, um Memphis, in my opinion, has dropped the ball as far as the way that they've entertained offers. And I think that part of it is I think Memphis was holding out hope that they could get more bang for their buck. I know that at the deadline, Milwaukee uh was a team that was on the phone with uh Memphis quite a bit looking to as a last last ditch effort to pair both John Morant and Janoskumbo together. Um I know that Miami was also lurking in that in that vein also hopeful that that they could you know get something going there. I know that a lot of folks on the internet just assumed that because John Morant owned a home in Miami that that was that that had something to do with his decision or him selling a home in Memphis had something to do with his decision, you know. But ultimately, when you look at uh what John Morant brings to an organization, I really do think that if he's trying to accelerate his process, the Phoenix Suns makes the most sense. Um because you can pair him with Devin Booker and many people talk about the defensive portion of it, but I say this seriously but jokingly at the same time. In the NBA, you know, it's not like it's college who plays defense, but at the same time, when you were playing in the NBA, you you going to be forced to play some level of defense. And and I think that when you look at this Phoenix Suns organization, I think he actually gives that particular Phoenix Suns team, which seems more buttoned up, uh a wild card within their system and and it would have potentially pair him with again with someone that he's still friends with and and Dylan Brooks over there. I think that when you when you look at uh this organization, um I think he would fit like a glove. I think for the for the Sacramento Kings, I think they're still part of a process that's going to take about a one to twoyear uh situation to repair and I think you just he'd be in a holding pattern similarly to what he is going through in in Memphis. So, I I think if you asked me today what team would make the most logical sense, I'd tell you that the Phoenix Suns make the most sense for for his play style, his connectivity, and the fact that that's a young squad that many people didn't think would make it as far as they did this year and and and exceeded many expectations.
>> Scoop, I'll ask you two more and we'll let you go here on your birthday. Uh what about Giannis? What are you hearing about Giannis and where he might go?
>> I've heard a couple of things. Uh I got a phone call last night uh that from from the Cleveland Cavaliers side that said that you know the Cavs are not looking to revisit that conversation with Evan Mobley. I know that the Orlando M at the deadline by the deadline contacted Cleveland about the availability a swap that would include Paulo Beno and Giannis. I also know that know that the Cavaliers and and um Milwaukee had a conversation about Evan Mobley um and ultimately the Cavaliers currently want to stay put with that. I know that um when you look at the Miami Heat, the call that I got last night was that uh the the the Miami Heat are looking uh to expand a potential trade uh which would include potentially a third team ban. Adabio is not on the table. He's he's put as far as I'm told.
Um but I will say that things change every day. The other two teams that I will look at that are not named uh Orlando, that are not named Miami are the Oklahoma City Thunder. Uh, as well as um the Minnesota Timberwolves, I would still pay attention to them. I know that the Timberwolves are looking to bring another star to pair alongside Anthony Edwards. And a lot of it has to do with the fact that Anthony Edwards uh is is is young, but he has an upside in the future. And if you paid attention to Cleveland uh at the deadline, Donovan Mitchell when there were complaints about him being appointed by by committee, they went and got not just uh James Harden, but they added some other pieces to that roster as well. So I think this conversation is fluid as of today, the Miami Heat from what I'm told are are uh do have legs as far as what they're looking to do. And that would that conversation does include Taler, but you're going to have to add more than just that. You're gonna have to include picks. You're gonna have to include a 13th so that more people can share the wealth and Miami can get what they want, but it's still very fluid from every conversation that I've had.
>> All right, Scoop. Last question for you, man. Uh, is De'aran Fox win the finals or not playing his last games in San Antonio? Do you see a Fox trade out this summer?
Um, I was with the Spurs a few days ago.
Um, and have a good relationship with all Dearron and Dylan Harper. De'Aran Fox is is very much a Dylan Harper fan.
Um, and and and and the conversations that I have in that locker room are more along the lines of having basically three point guards or playmakers on that team is a good luxury to have specifically because they're about one star or one veteran star away uh from competing. either this year in the finals or next year. No indication have I gotten that suggested that LeBron >> um and that's why I said what I said about other teams like the Washington Wizards as well as the Spurs having some leeway and it's not a foregone conclusion that the Lakers who can offer him the most money and the Cleveland Cavaliers who have to make a lot of moves in order to like Tetris moves to get him are the only two teams that are out there. And that's why what you said about LeBron makes sense. At the beginning of the show, I said to you, they are Draymond Green type of player away from doing something special. LeBron is not Jay Green, but because of his skill set, he's able to fluctuate from star to complimentary star. Uh, in a way that I feel like Ron Harper did when he was no longer a Clipper and no longer a Cav and transition into Phil Jackson's offense and became a tall point guard that became a playmaker alongside of a star like Michael Jordan. That's what they were trying to make Trace McGrady. Just his injuries in his in his earlier part of his career didn't translate into the back part of his career. LeBron has stayed healthy. And so that's why I think it's not a foregone conclusion that it's just Cleveland or LA and where the where the Spurs and where teams like the Washington Wizards come into play as well.
>> You getting into it? Yeah. Go ahead, Dwight. Go ahead.
>> Can I I have one one more question for the great Scoo B. Robinson here. One more.
>> Talk to me. I'm here. talk to me.
>> All right, we listen. We've spoken about LeBron and we've spoken about Giannis Dumpo. So, let's get those two two high-profile names off the table.
Is there another highprofile player that won't be on their current team next season? Have you heard anything?
>> Nothing that I feel safe in saying right now. Okay. Okay.
>> I I I hear a lot of things now. If you Now, if you throw a name, I can give you what I've heard.
>> I'm not uh I don't want to throw a name out there because I don't want to put you on the spot either, but because to me to me, the Luca Dantage trade, I was in my car at 12:06 a.m. on that February 1st night. I'll never forget it. I was coming home. I got a text. I was I'm glad I wasn't driving. I'm glad I was parked. So, my question is I I have a feeling that some player that we're not even talking about right now won't be on their current team next season. So, I don't I don't know which player that is.
I'm just broaching the question to you because that's just how I feel in this day and age in this in the current CBA.
Something has to happen financially for teams to want to compete, especially with the way Oklahoma City, San Antonio, Detroit, the way these teams are building themselves with such youth great players. Something has to happen with some team. That's why I asked the question.
>> So I So I I I agree. I think that the Luca the Luca trade is representative upon what the workforce is now where you might have somebody for example more senior level 30 late mid to late 30s 40s and this is the office where you're paying them a certain amount of money and you can get two or three of those people in someone 20some it's cheap labor and I feel like when you when you look at today's MBA everything is faster everything is quicker. It's how many different things you can do at a time.
It's funny. I I sat down with Jaylen Tyson on the Cavaliers earlier this season and we talked about um the fact that he feels there's that the the point guard position doesn't really exist in the NBA anymore and if you have more lead guards like I feel like OJ Mayo was ahead of his times and and when he came to NBA you see a lot of lead guards in today's NBA you see Stefon Marberry was the precursor to people like Damen Lillard like those guys were just in their wrong eras or They might be in their right errors depending on who you ask but when you when you look at today's NBA it's about quicker faster could do multiple things who's efficient and then you got guys who are like I feel like Bobo and Chris Daps Porzingis were the prototypes who were ahead of their time and now and then in comes uh Wimby and then in comes Giannis and then Kevin Durant and you have all those things but I feel like in today's NBA it's about fit it's about quickness and I feel like the Luca trade they consummated that no one is safe uh in in their in their respectives uh in the respective league and that's why I in my opinion it's on people's onus like John to kind of change the narrative and the perception of himself because once people say certain things about you whether it's fact or fiction people begin to believe it because people don't do their due diligence to >> bingo >> see the opposite and then that's where you have to have somebody advocate on your behalf And so I I think that when you look across the league, a lot of people are going to have to trade up to compete with Wimi because there's no answer for Wimi. People to have to to trade up to, you know, better their team because Anthony Edwards is is the is the is the two three the two guard threeman prototype like Kobe was at a at a point there. Um they're no longer, you know, competing to play against LeBron.
They're looking at the next generation.
and just LeBron is a complimentary piece that that sags on to multiple organizations. So, I I I think that, you know, if the right deal comes about, I think teams are going to take it. I'm still not speaking specifics, but what I am saying is no one is safe and at the same time, you know, a lot of things can change throughout the course of the league.
>> I want to know where where I want to know where Kevin Durant ends up. That's that's the big one that I'm I'm interested in.
So, when I you asked me a question about Kyrie Irving at the beginning of the show and we talked about, you know, there are multitude of teams that are interested. Um, one of two things could happen. One, I think that Kyrie Irving and the Houston Rockets, uh, as far as the the Rockets keeping eyes open for Kyrie, it's something that could happen.
I can tell you that um before those two were traded in Brooklyn, I had a meeting uh it was around December time with someone in the know over dinner and they said to me that uh both Kyrie and Kevin Durant did have aspirations of being traded together and going elsewhere. Um and Dallas was a team that did contact uh the Phoenix Suns at the time about the availability of Kevin Durant. I know that while Minnesota I know that the Los Angeles Lakers are two teams that are monitoring Kyrie Irving at large, I think that the Rockets are looking to find a way to maintain and keep Kevin Durant and if if they're able to bring in someone that he's familiar with because I don't think the Van Fleet thing is going to win them a championship or at least get them competitive. I think bringing in Kyrie Irving, you know, to to the fold could happen. But I've also heard whispers that Kevin Durant still does have a very good relationship with the Brooklyn Nets. Um, and I wonder if, you know, particularly, yes, I know you're looking at me crazy, but I know that despite the fact that he was traded from the Brooklyn Nets to the Phoenix Suns, I know that he maintains a good relationship. Do I think um that the Brooklyn Nets are a championship contender? No, by no stretch of the imagination. But I do know that they have a lot of assets that they that are tradable. At Kevin Durant's age, you either are going to have to fix it.
Whether that means Houston is going to have to bring uh someone in to compliment him or if you're looking at greener pastures, then you're going to look at other teams that I have mentioned throughout this conversation.
and the Minnesota Timber Wolves did reach out to the Phoenix Suns around deadline time as well as the Washington Wizards as well as the New York Knicks um and the Houston Rockets to find a way to bring him into the fold. Minnesota is having a very difficult time bringing in stars because a lot of stars have the same conversation. It's too cold and I want to be there. I'll never forget when I was landing in in Minnesota a couple years ago and I text E Steel Marberry who's a former Minnesota Timber Wolf and I go, "Yo, I'm landing." and I took a picture of my window and it was snowy and he said, "Good luck. I both I hope you brought your thermals and a heavy jacket." And you know, he forced his way out of Minnesota and was traded to the New Jersey Nets. Minnesota Timber are having a very difficult time in bringing in uh star talent. I know that Kevin Durant is on their list. I know that uh Kyrie Irving is on their list. I know that Wimby is, excuse me, not Wimby, Giannis is on their list. A lot of people are on their on their list, but they're having a difficult time with players actually wanting to commit and play there.
>> Scoop, I would never ever think you're crazy. Uh that look I I just I remember Joe Sai was like publicly pissed off about Kevin Durant, right? When when the thing uh dissolved in the >> Kyrie, pardon me, say again. He was pissed off at Kyrie, >> but but he so Joai wasn't pissed at Kevin Durant asking out and then Sai pushed back and then Sai ultimately acquies. Jo Joseph Sai was okay with all that.
>> He was he was from from my conversations he was annoyed that Kevin Durant wanted out. But a lot of this stuff had to do if you go back in time and Kyrie Irving and and I covered this extensively when the both of them were in Brooklyn. A lot of this started when ultimately Kyrie Irving wanted in an extension and they didn't give it to him and then the whole thing with COVID happened. This was this was like a successive of years and from my understanding Kevin Durant was upset because the focus was less on basketball and more about everybody else's wants.
Just like when James Harden was there, people assumed that James Harden wanted out of Brooklyn because of Kyrie not getting the jab. And I can tell you that that was not the case. A lot of those guys on that team were upset about the coaching choice. From my understanding, Kevin Durant wanted Tyoo to be the head coach of that team. And Tyoo told Kevin Durant, "If you want me there, have a conversation with your boy Kyrie about whether he wants me there." If you remember their relationship stemming together and Tyreek was, excuse me, Tyoo was the head coach. Ty Louu was the preferred choice of Kevin Durant. Phil Handy was the preferred choice of of Kyrie Irving as the head coach. And the Lakers actually offered uh Phil Handy more money to stay in Los Angeles because he they knew that the Nets were interested in bringing him in either as an assistant or a head coach. They the Nets actually asked for permission to interview Phil Handy for the position and the Lakers declined it and they paid Phil Handy more money. James Harden was traded later on after that whole coaching process was was was was delved into, but Steve Nash and and and Shawn Marks go back to their days uh on on the Phoenix Suns. I was actually around that Suns team because Jason Kidd was the point guard as well as Kevin Johnson, Steve Nash, they were on that team. Sean Marks was on that team also. Uh Danny Manning was on that team also. So, there was a relationship there. But Steve Nash was not the preferred choice for the players. they fired uh Kenny Atinson to bring in Steve Nash who was not their choice. It was split on who they wanted and um so there was a lot of turmoil from the beginning. If you remember that first year Kyrie had a shoulder, he had thoracic berscitis. Kevin Durant had sat out because he tore his Achilles and then Kyrie sat out the rest of the season. Then the next year they brought in Steve Nash and after they got rid of Kenny Atinson and Kyrie wasn't getting along with Kenny Atinson. uh Kevin Durant was kind of whatever and then Kyrie wanted his money and then he was kicking and screaming about that and then ultimately they were traded. And when I mentioned that I had dinner with someone in New York right before they were both traded, I can tell you that the Phoenix Suns and the Brooklyn Nets were on the phone trying to move both Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant to the Phoenix Suns in exchange for Chris Paul, DeAndre Eaton, uh and Jay Crowder. And there was kind of a disconnect. It was so bad with the with the front office between the Nets and the Suns that the two owners had to get on the phone and have a conversation. Ultimately, Durant was moved to Phoenix, Kyrie was moved to Dallas, and Chris Paul zigzagged to different places and found his way to Portland and then the Los Angeles Lakers. There was a lot of twists and turns with that. Speaking on the fly, but I remember all these conversations that I was having with different people.
Excuse my language. It was a [ __ ] show back then.
>> Yes. Yes. That is acceptable. Hey, B do come on in here, man. It is Brandon Scoopy Robinson's birthday. He's blessing us with his presents here. Dot, I I assume you got at least one question for Scoop, right? Go ahead, >> man. Happy birthday, brother. Man, happy birthday. Appreciate you being on the show.
>> Thank you. Thank you.
>> I got a uh I just got a simple question, man. Um, does Arsenal Reeves leave 60 million on the table to stay with Luca or does he take the max from like a team from Brooklyn or the Bulls or somewhere so he can be that guy for the first time in his career?
>> I think it all depends on what LeBron does. You know, he has publicly said that um he wants the team to run it back and I think he'd be willing to kind of move in that direction as LeBron is coming back.
Um, >> the Nets have the cap space.
Um, and I think I I I think moving from LA to New York is is not a punishment.
Um, but the winnings or the losing may may be that that portion that is kind of frustrating. Like I I'll use I've been using Tetris on shows all day. um you know, do you want to stack and lose or do you want to build lines so that you you can be successful? If I'm Austin Ree, I'm taking the money, but I'm not Austin Ree. I I think at the end like being loyal um is overrated if if if people are not on the same page with you.
>> Speaking speaking of loyalty, um let's talk about let's talk about this um this Phoenix Suns uh dilemma. Uh Matt Ishabia, I don't know if I said his name correctly. He said the same thing about Kevin Durant and Bradley Bill not being traded, not being touched and end up trading him. Do you believe him on Booker about him riding and dying with his f his franchise player or if they have another early exit in the playoffs next year? Does Book demand out?
>> I think that the Phoenix Suns are going to have to make some decisions this off season. Um, and I do believe that bringing in John Morant via trade is a start.
>> I think that when I believe that when when you look at star players and they know their leverage, they use it and they use their their proxies to to voice those messages. And I believe that Phoenix is going to have to start moving the needle or else um guys are going to start want to walk and you're going to hear more whispers and conversation about it. However, I I looked at the the Phoenix Suns um last season as a pre- geriatric team.
>> Um you know, you you had Bradley Bill, you you had you had uh Kevin Durant on that team and and you were hoping that they were going to compete, but fe but when you look at Phoenix and then you look at the Oklahoma City Thunder, like what I like about the Thunder is they've grown. Like I talk about a geriatric team. The adverse to that is you literally had guys in diapers that grew together and and and and they and in in Oklahoma City and they've and they've become successful because they were the epitome of the local high school team who had known each other since grade school and then decided to not go to the prep school and and and and and be successful. Jaylen Williams, um Shay Gilis Alexander, although he was traded to that team. Um those guys grew together. Shay was the was the transfer, but those guys grew together. Phoenix was just a collection of o guys who had been on other teams hoping to to be competitive and you know spending enough time in Washington and seeing just just seeing how Bradley Bill went from being the guy next to John Wall to being the guy to then not every trade doesn't always fit a team that way, you know?
So, I kind of feel like they've gotten a reset this year because they have guys that, you know, fill a certain need, but I still don't think they're they're they're a contender. I think they got to go back to the drawing board this offseason to figure out a way to to to make that happen or at least make them more entertaining to watch. But I do think that, however, Phoenix Suns really exceeded a lot of expectations and I think they should build on that. And I think making a move like a John Mar would would would signal at least a start like that they're trying to do something. And I feel like John Mar is just the complete opposite of their culture. They seem more conservative in their approach, but sometimes in order in order to to be successful, you have to make a move that's outside the box that that benefits the same. I I do think that a John pairing with Deon Booker is both intriguing and could be useful.
>> 100%. OKC also had the upper classman in Chris Paul that helped guide those young guys and like a like a SJ also.
>> Yeah. Scoop, you do you drink?
What' you say?
>> Do you drink?
>> Do I drink?
>> Yeah, >> occasionally. Yeah.
>> What's What's your drink of choice today for your birthday? What you going What you going to be sitting on?
>> Rum every day of the week. Sunday.
>> There you go. Just had to ask. Happy birthday, Scoop. Happy birthday.
>> Thank you, brother. Thank you. Thank you.
>> Do you have Do you have some mine on the 17th? So, I'm right there behind you.
>> Okay. You coming tonight?
>> Yep. June 17th. Come on now.
>> I sense the energy. I sense the energy.
>> Yeah.
>> I love it. Hey, Scoop. I love you, man.
Happy birthday. Can't thank you enough uh for for all the hits on all the platforms over the years, but uh we gigging over here at uh Beyond the Service on the X-Rated Sports Network.
Thanks for being a part of it. Um and tell everybody about Scoopy Radio, man.
Where they can listen to it and what you got popping over there.
>> So, we phased out Scoopy Radio. Scoopy Radio um celebrated 10 years of existence last month and we actually pivoted to um the pullup with Scoop B. I I have I slow down when I say pull up. I said this on the other show. I mean all due respect, but I accidentally said the pull out with Scoop and I was like that don't make the pull up.
>> It's the pull up.
>> Slow down. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.
>> That's hilarious.
>> Oh my god. At least you're being responsible, I guess.
>> At least at least somebody is. I got four of them things that part.
>> Well, well played, Ashley. Well played.
>> We we've we've pre-recorded three episodes. It's available on YouTube. The first episode dropped last week with Kendall Gil. I've known Kendall since my childhood. I wor when he played for the Nets and I worked for the Nets organization as a radio kids radio uh host. Um we taped it in in Chicago and we talked about a myriad of things um there. We did a whole press run in Chicago and um episode two will actually be dropping uh on the 25th of next month which is right around the corner there.
Um but yeah, it's conversation uh with people and it's it's not just basketball. It's starting out with two two two basketball guys, but we're transitioning to music lifestyle uh and what have you. So, be looking out for that. We'll be dropping one a month. The second episode drops June 25th. And subscribe to my YouTube channel and you can check out the pull up with Scoopy.
>> The Pull Up with Scoop B.
>> Happy birthday, Scoop. Enjoy yourself.
Uh, sip on a little bit of rum tonight.
I'm sure it'll be rare and expensive and and vintage and all that kind of stuff.
Man, >> if it's if it's if it's free, it's for me.
>> I understand. I understand. They should be buying you lots of them tonight, man.
Uh, Scoop, have fun. Enjoy your birthday, man. We appreciate you.
>> Thank you, ladies and gents. See you soon.
>> The great Brandon Scoop B. Robinson, back to our story. Dwight Walton, is SGA ruining his legacy?
>> Listen, um, if my Canadian biasness comes out, so be it. But, um, drawing fouls, as far as I'm concerned, is a skill. Does SGAA end up on the on the on the court too often for my liking? Yes, I am willing to acknowledge that.
However, becoming an official myself.
I'm on board with what Adam Silver said.
I I just it's a lot more difficult to be an official when you're on the court and it's very easy to be a couch official when you're watching the games on television. And the the the one thing you want to do as a player is to manipulate, to dupe, to fool. You want to create an advantage for yourself when you're on the basketball floor. Now, the embellishing, the falling on the floor, I get it. But Shay Gillis Alexander is too good of a basketball player for us to focus on that. When I when I hear from my friends and people that I feel have cred credible basketball knowledge and they just start dropping stuff to me like the OKC Thunder are bad for basketball. SGA as to this question is ruining his legacy. I don't see it that way. I just think I see a player who is a terrific individual talent, understands the rules, understands what it takes to be great, and he's taking advantage of it.
And to answer your question, Rick, his go-to move is getting into the 15 to 18 feet range and being as deadly a mid-range shooter the NBA has ever seen.
And I'm talking about Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant, Kevin Durant, players of that nature. SGA is definitely in that.
Does he extend his arm sometimes to to let it look like it's a pushoff? Maybe he does. But the majority of the time when he's getting to that spot, it's his shoulder that is where he's creating space to get that mid-range jump shot off jump shot off. So my concern is that this final, if it is the Thunder that play against the Knicks, the focus is going to be on the officials, the flopping, the unethical basketball, the foul baiting, the free throw merchant stuff. That's going to be the talk. I don't want it to be that way. SGA is not ruining it. I just think he's very good at selling. He's drawing fouls. And if you watch those montages, the majority of them, they are fouls. If you go by the letter of the laws, if you're if you're closing out into a jump shooter's landing space, whether there's contact or not, it's a foul. If SGA lands on somebody's ankle, it's a flagrant one.
It is what it is. Just abide by the rules. Look, have an understanding of it. It's easy to go to social media and to have an opinion, but if you're just following the letter of the law, whether you whether it's aesthetically pleasing or not, a foul is a foul. Can he stay upright more often for my liking? OF COURSE, I GET THAT PART. But in no way, shape, or form is SGA ruining his legacy because he's trying to draw fouls. I will never get on board with that ever.
>> Don, how about you? What's your answer here?
>> What's What's the What's the series record right now?
>> 3-2 OKC.
>> How many MVPs you have?
>> Do how many >> in a ring and a finals MVP.
>> Yeah. Nah. Ain't no ain't no ruin legacy. You going to have your haters.
You going to have your doubters. You going to have your critics. If he if he continue on winning, he can be known as the most the most the most floppiest four ring person to ever have in the NBA history. not going to ruin his legacy because he's still going to be known as one of the greatest players that ever played the game. That it that's how it is. It's going to be like that. It is what it is. I don't think he's ruined his legacy. He just knows how to manipulate the game. Um I put a I put a clip earlier in his career when he was younger with the Clippers. A lot of those bumps and shots he was taking, he wasn't falling. He was getting straight to the basket, doing what he got to do.
But as you get older, you learn you learn the game. You learn how to score in easier ways. No one is trying to score 30 points on all on all field goal attempts. Nah, let me get to that free throw line. Let me get my rest. If I'm able to manipulate the game or not even manipulate, if I'm able to show these refs or if I'm able to take advantage of what these players are doing, then that's that's what I'm going to do. If if you if they want to if they want SJ not to flop or play how he plays, let him go one-on-one. Then don't help so much. You guys, they have a player on every wing on every block. So when he goes, I'm going to extend an arm. I'm gonna I'm gonna pump fake and try to get some contact. Why? Because the the paint is the pain is the the paint is packed.
So, if that's the case, play me like y'all played James Harden, okay? Guard me from the back. Pause. And let me just go straight to the basket and you don't got to worry about me flopping and fouling. Till then, figure it out and beat me. Simple as that.
>> I love it, man. I love it.
>> We're all against you, Rick. We're all against you.
>> Okay, that's fine. Like, I'm on Cam Island. Like I say, it's 85 and sunny.
We got a beautiful breeze coming off the water. It It's I I got a pinina colada.
It's a non-alcoholic pinina colada, boy.
Cuz cuz we're working. Okay. All right.
All right. Uh maybe some rum in it tonight with scoop. All right. We got to talk about Webby. Okay. What happened to WBY in game five? Uh Ashley, you go first on this. And you know WBY the numbers. four of 15 from the field, 0 of five on threes, 20 points, six boards, one assist, three straight games under 10 rebounds, and he had five shot attempts and one rebound at halftime of game five. What happened?
>> You know, I think it's a combination of things. I do think it's a lot of pressure on him. You know, this is his first like real playoff series where you're potentially going to the NBA finals as a 22year-old kid. I mean, he's still so young. Um, when you factor everything in, but I do think we have to give OKC's defense a little bit more credit. I mean, every game you're wondering what's OKC's defense going to do? How are they going to keep him out of the paint? And, you know, there were some statist statistics we talked about on the previous show of not allowing him touches inside and and keeping him on the perimeter. And when you see him being forced to take those shots, that's when they lose games. I'll always keep going back to the Minnesota series in game one when he went 0 for I think it was 0 for five or 0 for eight from three. Um he was settling for those shots. Um because players are figuring out how to play defense on him, how to you know cut off the angles, how to make sure that he can't get touches inside, which is also why his rebounds have been so low, too. No second chance opportunities. Um so I think it says more about OKC's defense and less about the pressure because we've seen WBY bounce back. We've seen him have great games where you're just like, "Holy crap, a 22-year-old doing this at this high of a level." Um, but I think OKC is making the right adjustments here. So, I'm not going to necessarily say that like, oh, it's all about pressure and he's scared. But what I will say is he's letting Bismbo and Mason Plum Lee do all the dirty work for him because I know what he wants to be doing out there, but he already knows if I throw an elbow, I'm going to get ejected again. and I don't want to deal with the suspension.
So, I know he's mad about how they're playing on him. I know he's mad about how the officials are calling the game.
And he's like, you know what? I'm I'm going to let these veterans, these guys who are playing garbage minutes, handle my business for me. So, I do think that he's being strategic here. We knows what he's doing. I don't necessarily think he's afraid of the smoke, even though he wouldn't speak to media. Um, that was kind of soft. But, uh, what I'm what we're seeing from WBY, I don't think it's a pressure thing. I don't think he's scared of the big moment. I think it's more OKC making the right adjustments.
>> All right, B dot, what happened to WBY in game five?
>> Um, I mean, it's just just showing just showing his age. Um, he's he's inconsistent when it comes to these um in this OKC series. He may score 30.
Next game, he may score 17. But like Ashley said, you got to give credit to OKC because you put a small guy on him, he want he wants to he wants to shoot jump shot. You put a bigger guy on him.
I know we talk about SA a lot, but Wimby he be on that ground more than Bambi sometimes. Okay. Every time I look Wimby fall Wimby falls, he's on the ground.
He's falling and like and and that's just growth, strength, dealing with the bumps and bruises that come with the game because they're going to be rough with you. You're 76. You're the biggest person on the court. So Hart's not gonna give you that bump and now you're falling on the ground. Figure it out. He has to figure it out. It's learning.
Like I said, this is his first major series um in his career out in the NBA.
So it's just just learning woes. He's going to have to figure it out. Um and hopefully he figures it out this series.
Hopefully figure out tonight and in the next upcoming days so he can make it to the NBA finals. But other than that, they're going to go home because all this I'm done with the Wimi being a shooting guard uh shooting guard experiment, man. He goes down to the block and he gets bullied. All right?
Like he's not that big. Hardenstein, these guys are big as hell. All right?
And Wimi is gonna go flail. It's hard for him to get on that block. I know they say, "Let let him get on that block. He can score 90 points." Okay.
But he has to get to that block first.
Okay. Because they're allowing they're allowing him to push to push him off that block and he's catching it 17 feet out. And some and a lot of that also is on the Spurs. It was one possession when they were down by 10. They went down five times in a row. Wendy did not touch the ball at once. Dylan Harper shot a three. Dear Fox shot a three. Champenny shot some BS3 to hit the side of the back board. Like is Belle came off a screen and shot a three when he only hit two threes in the whole game. Like I feel as though Wendy should touch the ball three or 4.5 out of the five possessions. Just something get him get him in some type of action if that's using him as a passer. Get him in that paint to kick off. But at the end of the day, I think it's a collective and Wim just gonna have to learn as he goes.
>> OKC is just a better team right now.
I I think I think Kell Johnson needs to uh throw that pregame speech.
>> Him too. Him too. Kell Johnson did some BS. Oh man, I don't even want to talk about it. Granted, he was set up for 13, but he he pisses me off sometimes. All right. Like, uh, my bad, Rick. Continue.
>> No, I just was going to say, uh, Kell Johnson needs to throw that pregame speech in the garbage because WBY had like the worst game of his playoff career. You know what I'M SAYING? LIKE, HE DIDN'T FIRE ANYBODY UP AND WEBBY CAME OUT. ANYWAY, I'll give you my answer on this in a minute. I I'm I just got jokes. I I got love for Kell Johnson, but uh but that pregame speech did not work. Uh Dwight Walton, what happened to WBY in game five?
>> This is exactly why I have I had if I had an if I had a vote for most valuable player, Victor Whman Yama would have been my most valuable player. My reasoning this is for first of all the Spurs were in the Western Conference Finals because of him. I know the Spurs played pretty well without him during the season, but they had the comfort and the confidence because they knew Webyama was in their back pocket. My point is during the regular season, Victor Webbyama averaged 29 minutes per game.
In the playoffs, he's averaging 38 minutes per game. In game one of this series, he played 49 minutes, 41 points, 24 rebounds, three block shots. And the irony for those numbers is that overall to y'all to y'all's point about OKC's defense, I thought OKC did a pretty decent job of defending Webyama in that game. And if you've noticed, his numbers have dipped since game one. There's too much pressure, both mentally and physically on him. He's not built for that type of pressure, both mentally and physically. I'll be the first to admit that I would love to see what move his game more to the mid to the low post to where he could use his jump hook over either shoulder. And at some point he should try to learn the most unstoppable shot in basketball history, the skyhook.
If he was to focus on those things, he would become unstoppable. But to Dot's point, he's not strong enough to do it.
And the reason why he tends to float around the perimeter, specifically the three-point line, is because he doesn't want to have to deal with the constant pounding from Isaiah Hartenstein, from Alex Caruso, from Lou Gent, from Jaylen Williams when he's healthy. It just wears on him. And and defensively, I have never seen anybody cover as much ground as he covers on the defensive end. So that all that when you accumulate all of that stuff, it just burns him out. It wears him out. OKC is doing a tremendous job defensively on Webyama, but there's only so much he can do. He's 22 years old. He's still learning. He admittedly says that he and the team are learning on the fly.
They're dealing with adversity on the fly, but they're still young and inexperienced. Women needs to get stronger. not necessarily look like like the Incredible Hulk, but the same way Giannis Anto de Kmpo came into the NBA and put some size onto his body. I think we'll gradually see Webbyama, maybe not to to the extent that Ampa was filled out, but he will get stronger. But right now, I just think there's just so much on his plate. And that's why I think he was the NBA's most viable player this season because of all the responsibility that has been heaped on this young man's shoulders, but I just don't think he has the weight, the girth, and the body type to withstand all of that at this time of this time of his career. That being said, the Spurs might come back and win this Western Conference final and win the NBA championship. So, I'm not I don't want to sell him short, but the reason why we're seeing inconsistent play is because he can't handle all of that. One day he may feel great, another day he may not feel great. And I think that's why you've seen the inconsistent play since game one of the Western Conference Finals.
>> Excellent points by all of you. Here is uh what happened to WBY in game five.
WBY learned a lesson in aggression for me. Let's face it, WBY and the Spurs didn't stand a chance versus OKC and the refs and the NBA. Major home cooking going on in game five. But still, WBY played like garbage in game five by his super high standards. Game five of the West Finals. And so that's why we're asking why. I mean, he came out flat. Uh WBY came out passive. He came out kind of easing in, filling out the game. Um he wasn't aggressive until the second half. It was already too late and his second half aggression wasn't effective.
Uh he shot four of 15 for the game. Took 10 shots in the second half. Um WebM's got to go Tyson on as in Mike Tyson. You got to come off the opening tip with that Mike Tyson mentality. You guys remember the Mike Tyson fights? Ding ding. He would like like fast walk to the he would meet his opponent on his side of the center of the ring and boom BOOM BOOM BOOM BOOM JUST START THROWING PUNCHES like 3 seconds into the fight LIKE YOU WANT TO get in the ring with me. This is what it is. Okay, is the greatest weapon of mass destruction in NBA history. I'm not saying he's the best player now. I'm not saying he's the greatest he's the greatest weapon of mass destruction we've ever had. We've never had a dude that size, that agility, that skill set, um, and that versatility. We've never had a guy like this. Okay. So, WBY needs a mindset of annihilation. Uh, it sounds like a killer metal song, doesn't it? Um, and I believe we're going to get that version of Webby in game six and seven. Okay.
Uh, Dwight, to your point, WBY is going to answer the bell here. Okay. He's still very young though, right? There's going to be stumbles. There's going to be mistakes. There's going to be um perhaps trauma. I mean I mean is WBY literally going to win 16 playoff games in his first playoff run, right? That's what he's trying to do. Said nobody ever. This is alien stuff. But because WBY is the most serious player since Kobe, he's going to figure this out.
He's going to turn this mistake uh into effectiveness. He's going to turn this negative into a positive. I have no reason to doubt that young fella. All right. Uh Ashley alluded to this, but I want to take a deeper dive into this.
Okay. Is the and and this has to do with Wimi uh ducking the press conference.
Okay. Not going to the presser in uh game five. Declined to speak to the media. Is the pressure getting to Wimi?
Okay. Uh I heard Ashley kind of talk about that, but me dot and Dwight did not. So I And pressure is a huge part right now. Game five of the West Finals.
I mean, it doesn't really get a whole lot more pressure packed than that. So, Dwight Walton, you go first on this man.
Is the pressure getting to WBY?
>> I don't think the pressure is getting to Weama. I just think he would have much prefer to take the fine or the warning rather than answering the questions honestly the way he does in his postgame press. um he probably felt that he wasn't in the right frame of mind or mental space to deal with the questions, right? And I'm not talking about because he was succumbing to the pressure. I just think because he's forthright with his responses that he just said, you know what, I'll take the fine, the warning. Let me just avoid it. Because from what we know of Victor Webbinyama, he is not afraid of anything. He will speak his mind. He has been preparing himself for this since he was 10, 11, 12 years old in France. He wanted to learn English correct correctly, all of the verbiage, all of the slang because he knew that he was going to be great and he knew he was going to live most of his life speaking into a microphone. So, he is NOT AFRAID OF ANYTHING. I just think he understood at that moment that I'm going to answer all of these questions too honestly. Let me avoid it. I'll take the fine or in this case, it was a warning because he already has the reputation of being an honest and forthcoming person. I just think he was smart in this regard. He didn't want to speak the whole truth and nothing but the truth which would have been held against him for the foreseeable future.
Great answer, B dot. Uh, is the pressure getting to WBY? Is that why he didn't go to that press conference?
>> No, just growing pains, you know, uh, as he gets further in his career, he's just frustrated. He was pissed. He didn't want to talk to anybody. You know, that right there just comes with maturity.
Um, once he gets older, more playoff games under his belt. um you know, more situations like these than he'll understand. You know, I just got to go ahead and figure it out, suck it up, and go ahead and answer those questions and get back to the lab. You know, him being young, his first u his first, you know, playoff series like this, especially in the Western Conference um finals, he's frustrated. You know, it's like, "All right, I'm I'm over it. I can't We we get down by 10, we get down by nine, and next thing you know, they score a three." Alex Caruso, Jeremy Kane, somebody random ends up hitting the three. they they just can't get over that hump and that was a very frustrating game for them to fight back down from 15 17 points to get it in that 8 to 10 10 point mark and they just couldn't it could not get a stop or they would turn it over. It would be something that they just could not accomplish and it just built on Wimpby.
So understand what he what he was going through. It's definitely not the pressure. It's just him being pissed and not wanting to talk about it is that that that Frenchman's coming out at him that that I'm pissed. I don't got time for this [ __ ] right now. Let me go ahead and go back to go eat my baguettes and let me let me get my monk on and we'll we'll get ready for next game. I don't think there I don't think the pressure is getting wimpy at all.
>> To the pressure. You guys You guys follow >> You guys follow Riot comedy. You guys follow Riot comedy. See the >> WEB AND WEBBY'S ALWAYS LIFTING WEIGHTS every single time. Just constantly lifting weights. It is It's such an awesome bit, man. I love how they put WMBB. He said uh and everybody's like every everybody else sucks, right? WE WE WILL DOMINATE THESE stupid little thunder and it's so so good. A lot of their a LOT OF THEIR STUFF IS LIKE CRINGY. It's like, bro, like you went there. Uh but some of their stuff is like a complete bullseye, man. All right. Is the pressure getting Yes. But >> there was one on the Bucks that they did. There was one on the Bucks that they did with Dame and Giannis and it was I was I watched it over I >> think it was right at the end.
>> It was about Yeah. Giannis was uh hurt when he had to stay on the Bucks but when he was going to leave the Bucks he got suddenly healthy. Was that the one you're talking about?
>> Well, it was the one where he was like what do I need to do to leave like to to leave uh the Bucks? And then they were like mentioning like the Achilles and all that stuff and he was like asking for like a wrench or whatever to like break his Achilles. It was so funny. It was so funny. You need to go see it. It was hilarious. I was dying. Like they have a couple that like have me crying when I walk cuz you don't know what direction they're going to go and they just so go crazy diabolical.
>> And they're quick with they're they're quick with it too, man. So, uh yeah.
>> Yes. The the pressure is getting to Wimi, but let me explain. I'm not mad at him. It's a good thing. Okay. The pressure to win is mounting on Wimby.
So, we needed to blow off the presser and start meditating and visualizing for game six. Uh, what do you guys think WBY was doing? Like, I I I promise you, he wasn't out kicking it at the club. Okay.
Like, he blew Oh, man. Like, I we got a, you know, we got a VIP reservation. I GOT TO GO. WE GOT BOTTLE SERVICE. That wasn't it. Okay. Um, he might have been on a conference call with his monk buddies at the exact same time the NBA wanted him at the podium. AND SO THAT'S NOT GOING TO WORK. THAT'S JUST that that's a conflict right there. But I I believe WMBBY had something more important to do. WMBBY needed to remove himself from the fast lane so he could focus on what really matters, getting ready for game six, which Dwight and B do you guys as ball players know uh I mean that comes fast, right? You think every other day they got a day off, but I mean it's just warp speed right now.
I'm sure every minute feels like 30 seconds to these guys, right? uh the countdown as soon as the game ends the countdown to the next game begins, right? So, he honored that and got into it. It's not like the pressure is getting to We wies melting under hot lights and all that kind of stuff. But pressure to win is why he did not go to that press conference. That's why I'm kind of nuanced in saying this. Uh the pressure is getting to WBY in a good way. This cat is obsessed with winning titles. Obsessed. Cares about nothing else. This is why I love Wimby. There's other reasons, but I the the guys that have to have the ring, otherwise life sucks. Those are my guys. That's who I want to ride with. Kobe, Jordan, Brady, Jeter. If they didn't win the ring, life sucked. Okay. And like I mean, they're millionaires suck, but it's relative, but you know what I'M SAYING? LIKE I LIKE GUYS LIKE THAT. Not a guy that loses, season ends, and it's just sort of like, well, we'll get him next year.
I I it's it's just got to be more serious than that. Um but spending 10 minutes with the media got in the way of WMBB's prep for game six and he said to all of that. All right, let's talk Alex Caruso. LET'S TALK ALEX CARUSO. BY THE WAY, RIOT COMEDY does Trey Young so wrong. He's like they they do Trey Young so wrong on Riot Comedy, man. I mean, I I can't help but laugh, but they do HIM WRONG. OH, BY THE WAY, LIKE the the dad bought Doey Donuch thing where he's sitting on the couch and LeBron's like, "Dude, come on. We're losing." And he he's like drinking beer and getting fatter.
>> Oh my god, I couldn't stop laughing. All right. Uh the question here and I want Ashley to go first on this one. Uh >> hello.
>> No, hold on. Rick, just we're gonna we're gonna get to the question, but I I want to address >> Kareah's question on the comments board.
So, let so let's get we'll get to it after this question, but her question is, >> how good of a coach can Mitch Johnson become? Is a success dependent or independent of Victor Wemanyama? I think that's a great question. I definitely have a response for that. So, we can get just I just wanted to make sure that we acknowledge that before we get away from it uh during this program.
Okay, I'll give you my answer. Uh, I I think it's I I think it's dependent um on WY and I I agree. I think it's a fantastic question. Um Mitch Johnson's going to be a championship coach. I think he's going to be the coach of a dynasty. Okay, I believe that Wimby is going to have a dynasty. He will win three rings at least, maybe more. Uh and I know people like to change the definition of a dynasty and all that. Uh I think they're nuts. I I I think you have to have three rings in a you know you you can't win three rings over 50 years of your franchise. That's not a dynasty. Um you know did Miami have a dynasty, right? You win in 2006. You win again in 12 and 13. Is that the way dynasty? Brown was there for two? I don't know. Maybe that's debatable. But the Spurs got five with Duncan. That's a dynasty. The Lakers got five with Kobe.
That's a dynasty. Obviously, the Jordan dynasty of the uh of the 90s, and we can go on and on. WMBB is going to have a dynasty. Mitch Johnson is going to have three, four, five rings as a championship coach. But I do think like if Mitch Johnson were coaching Charlotte or Washington or, you know, some team, right? Uh, you know, we'd I I I don't know. He's got Wimby, dude. I think he's a terrific coach. He's been groomed.
He's obviously doing a great job.
There's no in over his head, right, with Mitch Johnson like he's hitting it, sticking it, and killing it. And I I don't have any problem with, oh, he's not adjusting or doing this or that or the other, but but he's got Wimby. Okay.
So, yes, I think his success is dependent on Wem. But I do give Mitch a lot of credit and Mitch is going to go down as a GOAT coach in the end. Uh Ashley, what's your answer to Korea's question?
dependent upon WBY obviously, but I still have to give him credit. I mean, when you take a look at where this organization was just last year, 34 wins, missed the playoffs before that, 22 wins back-to-back seasons. Uh, yeah, we could talk about WBY, we could talk about all the talent they've been able to acquire, draft, trade for. That definitely plays a role. But we're looking at a young team right now that have only had less than a full year of playing together and they've already made it to the Western Conference Finals. That's not just Wemi, right?
That's not just all this young talent.
That's having an organization like the San Antonio Spurs and a coach like Mitch Johnson being able to coach you, being able to have some continuity, being able to have faith, being able to lead by example. Um, I think we've talked about this before of just the Spurs organization being a very traditional organization, kind of like a frat, right? Like you got to be invited into the club. You got to be referred. You can't just walk in. And they're and the Spurs are very particular about who they hire, who they draft, who they who they trade for. They all fit a certain profile of person, right? When you take a look at the at the Celtics, at the Lakers, they all have a very specific characteristics in the type of guys that they want. defensive-minded, team first type of players, team first type of coaches, um, who I mean, you take a look at Mitch and how he was, you know, coaching up Carter Bryant the other day and he got tears in his eyes and it's like that's the type of coach you want.
They care. They're passionate. So, I think he has he is a perfect man for the role, perfect guy um, to be on the Spurs sideline. So, I'm gonna say, yeah, it is going to be dependent upon WBY, but we also have to give him credit where credit is due. and Mitch Johnson is one hell of a coach. Um, and I'm really excited to see this dynasty play out over the next decade.
>> Finalist for coach of the year, Dwight Walton, uh, took a swing at Korea's question.
>> Well, I I love the question because, and I'm going to go back a little bit here. Um, this is basically a damned if you do, damned if you don't situation. Um, we can question Greg Papovic is one of the best coaches, if not the best coach in NBA history. But we got we got to look at the facts. Once Tim Duncan, David Robinson, Matt Genobi, and Kawhi Leonard left the franchise. What were the records of those San Antonio Spurs teams before that? Again, we've never seen Phil Jackson coach without uh Michael Jordan, Scotty Pippen, Dennis Rodman, Tony Coo, Shaquille O'Neal, Kobe Bryant.
Right. I've had people telling me that in 2004 when the Detroit Pistons beat Phil Jackson's LA Lakers, that Larry Brown was a better coach than Phil Jackson because he didn't have the stars that Phil Jackson had. So my point is in terms of the damned if you do and damned if you don't. There's you you always need great players to be successful.
It's not Mitch Johnson's fault that he has great young players on his team.
It's how you deal with these players.
Basketball isn't always about X's and O's. It's about how you deal with players. To Ashley's point, he knows that he can get to Carter Bryant. You may have seen tears in Carter Bryant's eyes, but Mitch Johnson understands that he can go at Carter Bryant because although he may be emotional, Carter Bryant is still going to come back on the court and do what he has to do.
You've seen Carter Bryant have some moments of flash of greatness in this series. He's also a young player. So, Phil Jackson, the Zen master, the books that he used to have his players read uh dur during games. We all know about text winner and the triangle offense. But Phil Jackson knew how to deal with personalities. He would allow Dennis Rodman to go to Vegas on off days during the finals against Utah. I believe that's that's part of coaching. Mitch Johnson knows how to deal with his players dependent independent of Wem Webyama. I think Mitch Johnson would be will be a great coach regardless. He knows the pulse of his team. He knows the pulse of the players. He knows the pulse of the franchise and he has help at his disposal. Greg Papovic is on site more often than not. and Mitch Johnson will allow the great Greg Papovic to be a part of his growth himself as a coach going forward. So again, damned if you do, damned if you don't, dependent or independent. I think Mitch Johnson is the right man for the job. He's going to be a great coach going forward. He's just fortunate right now to have the great Victor Wmanyama, Steph Castle, uh Dylan Harper, Devin Facel, Kellen Johnson, Julian Champeni, the list, De'ar Fox, the list goes on and on and on. We're going to see Mitch Johnson grow together with this young group and he's going to prove to be a fantastic coach.
>> Doc, what's your answer to Korea's question?
Um, I mean, we got to remember Johnson's he's been with Wimby since day one, okay? Like literally his personal warm-up coach. The relationship uh predates Johnson even being a head coach. So, this partnership isn't new.
It's it's a three-year uh three-year bond that's been built. And like Dwight said, Pop talks to Wimby damn there every day. So, that Spurs culture pipeline never actually broke. Um, we got to remember Johnson kept his team afloat, you know, this past season with Wimby missing significant games. You know, 62 wins in his first full season as a head coach. You know, that I don't think that's just a fluke, you know, that's I think that's, you know, just talent alone. And I let's not forget like Dwight said, he has Fox Castle Harper that give that team real foundation foundation. This isn't just one guy, you know, carrying nine passengers. Um, but I mean the real tale is, you know, Wendy went four and 15 in game five and Johnson went to the podium and said he has to take more shots. He has to take more than 15 shots. And you don't say that about a guy that, you know, you're you're scared of, you're afraid of. Um, that accountability of that that accountability of that Papovic DNA is transferring and that's bigger than, you know, just any one player. Um I I feel as though the floor the floor of this team is Miss Johnson and the ceiling is Wimyama. And right now with game six coming up, they're going to need both. So I feel it's a little bit of you know it's it's a little bit of both. But let's not let's not get it twisted that Miss Johnson is still and has the potential to be a great coach with or without Wimby. He just happened to have Wimby which will push that greatness of a coach even much more like the Phil Jackson's, you know, like the Steve Kurs. um in in in um in their coaching career. So yeah, that's my answer right there if that answer for you guys.
>> Hey, Kareah, we we we love you out there and uh and we love the question. You you can't win a ring in any sport without big-time talent. It's absolutely impossible. Uh half-ass talented teams don't win titles. Like that Detroit team in ' 04 was super talented. I mean, they had kind of a Nixie starting five, right? You know how like the Knicks starting five right now just freaking fits, right? Detroit no floor. Rick Fox told me, uh, I asked him, "What the hell happened, man? You guys were coming off a threep and like everybody picked you all to win that series and Rick Fox said, "We were so gassed physically and mentally from all of the extra playoff games, uh, the short off seasons and all the stuff that comes with win." and he said, "We we just we had nothing left in the gas tank." Uh, and remember Carl Malone was on fumes at that point, too.
All right, next question. Is Alex Caruso the best reserve in the NBA, not role player, cuz that then it's so definitional, right? Uh, dot may look at a role player differently than me and Dwight. And so, let's just call it a reserve or a bench player. All right. Is Caruso the best bench player in the NBA? Through five games of the West Finals, Bald Mamba is 17 PPG, shooting splits of 57, 58, 81, 80% true shooting percentage.
WHAT? UH, I'M GOING TO GO FIRST ON THIS.
YES, he is the best reserve in the NBA in the playoffs. To me, Nas Reed is the best bench player in the NBA regular season. So, I'm going to split it up like that. Uh, but Alex Caruso in the playoffs just turns into something else.
Okay. Um, Caruso was literally for me the difference last year for OKC.
Without him, no ring. With Caruso, they get a ring. He was that influential. And it was all the little plays, the deflections, the other teams making a run. Caruso gets a stab and a steal and a run out and just like Buzz kills the other team or hits a big backbreaking dagger, stuff like that. is doing the same exact thing this year. Um although at a little bit higher rate which I'll explain in a minute. Um you know Crusoe in the regular season uh and and Donald know this uh is a fantasy guy. Three years ago when he was in Chicago uh he went 104 and four with like almost two steals in a block and like two and a half threes. Terrific stat line, right?
Not great but like really helpful, right? and then went to OKC and I'm like like and then was vaporized in fantasy basketball waiverwire guy, right? And then you get to the playoffs last year, boom, and Cruso's hitting it and sticking it. Same exact thing happened this year. Six-man voting, guys. Kell Johnson won it. Of course, Jaime Hawk has got robbed. Uh I would have voted for him, but I'm happy for Kell. Uh THJ, I'm reading down all the guys that got votes. Okay, so make a little mental note. Would you guys take any of these guys in the playoffs over Alex Caruso?
Okay, because that's how I'm looking at it. Uh, Kell Johnson, no. Hakez, no. Tim Hardaway Jr., no. Nas Reed, very, very tough call, but no. AJ Mitchell, no. I'd rather have Caruso. Uh, Reed Shepard, rather have Caruso. Isaiah Stewart, no.
Mitchell Robinson, no. Io, no. Mamu.
DWIGHT. MAMU. GOT AT LEAST ONE VOTE. NO, I'd rather have Caruso. Harper. Dylan Harper. I love Dylan Harper. I don't even look at him as a bench player. It's kind of weird with him, RIGHT? AND THEN JAMAL SHED AGAIN. BOY, those Raptors riders, they sure know how to vote for their guys, right? Okay. Yes. Yeah, they do. I would rather have AND I PROMISE YOU THAT Mamu and Shed did not get votes from New York or Utah, Minnesota. Those came from like JOSH LEWENBERG AND GUYS LIKE THAT.
>> RICK, I'M GOING TO TELL MY SAID THAT.
>> NO, I KNOW. I'M TELLING YOU RIGHT. ALL RIGHT. MICHAEL GRAANGE OR ONE OF THE great Raptors reporters, right? It was one of those cats. UH >> YEAH.
>> YEAH. YEAH. YEAH. YEAH. EXACTLY.
EXACTLY. ONE OF THOSE GUYS put Mamu and shed on that list. But I'm taking Cruso.
All right. Lastly, let me give you some stats here. Last year, Alex Cruso in the regular season, 7.1 points per game.
Right. In the playoffs, 9.2. Shot 41% on threes. This year, it's even a bigger difference. In the regular season, 6.2 points per game. Okay, nickels and dimes. In the playoffs this year, Caruso is hitting 11.2 points per game, almost double his regular season scoring average and shooting 48% on threes in the playoffs. So, to me, Alex Cruso is the best reserve in the playoffs. Nas Reed is the best reserve overall. Let me go to let me go to B dot uh second on this one, dude. Uh, is Alex Cruso the best reserve in the NBA?
Like you said, in the playoffs 100%.
It's winning time and in the playoffs, especially these Western Conference Finals, that roster gets short. You got to go with guys you trust. You got to go at winners. You got you got to go you got to go with guys you know that can get it done. And Alex Caruso has proved that in his in his past career, in his career in general. Um, two rings, you don't play play with Hall of Famers, play with if not the greatest player of all time. So Caruso, like he said, he said it's it's it's time to win. Like you you hear his postgame interviews, he's like, "Man, this is nothing new to me. It's winning time." Like he's though he's one of those guys that's been breaking the back of the Spurs when they make their runs. You got Caruso over there in the corner knocking down. Like come on now. And like you said, we speaking fantasy. Let's go and talk about these parlays. He has not failed me yet for fantasy score.
>> His fantasy score is something that you always need to pick for Caruso cuz he's going to do the little things. He's going to get the blocks, the deflection, the steals that count double for fantasy sword. So yes, Alex Caruso is the best reserve. The only reserve that I would take over Alex Caruso is Robert Ory.
Other than that, I'm not taking nobody over Alex Caruso in the playoffs. Robert Ory is the only one in the playoffs I'm taking over Alex Caruso because he got seven of them things. And you you don't call him big shot Robert Ory for no reason. But you got to understand all those guys you name Rick, I don't think they will fit as perfect as Alice Caruso does with these OKC Thunder. No matter if it's a Nas Reed or Kevin Johnson, you know, the other guys you um mentioned, um Hame, no one is a better fit than Alex Russo. He brings that veteran leadership and he's a winner at the end of the day and he's proving it right now and it's more than just leadership. He's doing it with his game.
>> Think about this guys. Josh Giddy flirted with a 20point triple double this year with the Chicago Bulls. Think about that. Josh Giddy is a fan freakingastic player. Allstar level player. They shipped him out, brought in a backup.
Boom. Literally the key to THE CHAMPIONSHIP. LIKE THAT IS ONE OF the most ironic trades of all time. Alex Caruso for Josh Giddy player for player isn't even close.
CBA.
>> It's not even CB.
>> Yeah, I know. CBA.
>> No, no, no. I get it, dude. But, but my point is like who who's a BETTER BASKETBALL PLAYER? JOSH GIDDY, RIGHT? I MEAN, THAT'S WHAT I'M And I don't think it's close. I mean, the guy Alex Caruso put fully up to bat would not be flirting with a 20point triple double.
And I love Alex Caruso, but Giddy is a special talent. and you ship him out, bring Caruso in and immediately get your first ring in OKC history. It's just a crazy story. Ashley, you go next here.
Is Alex Caruso the best reserve in the NBA?
>> Well, in the NBA currently, yes. But if we're talking all time, I'm going to say no. Um, I would take Amanu Jobi over him any freaking day of the week, but I think Alex Caruso does an exceptional job. And as you guys alluded to before, I was just looking up all of the teammates that he's been able to play with. LeBron James, Anthony Davis, uh Brandon Ingram, Dwight Howard, Rajan Rondo, Javevel McGee. I mean, the list goes on. Demar D Rozan, uh, Zack Lavine.
I mean, he's been able to play with some of the best in the league and guys who have discipline. Um, guys who know how to, you know, play as a team, but also like a defensive-minded first guy. Um, guys who've won championships. So, I think it also says a lot about who he is as a person. Um, when he comes out there and he's not just getting off his shots, but he's making everyone else around him better and he's providing that spark, that energy off the bench that they need. And like Be said, he is consistently hitting my overs and three-point shots. Like, he's consistently going over one and a half threes per game. That is a lock. I think he's only hit the under on that one one time for me. But other than that, not only is he helping win playoff games, but he's helping win me money. So, I love me some Alex Caruso any time of the day. So, yes, as of right now, he is the best reserve in all of basketball.
Dwight >> as of today he's at First of all before I say anything I want to apologize for the comment I made on Monday after after Sunday night's game I said Alex Caruso we saw the real Alex Caruso I want to take all of that back I was completely wrong uh he is he I guess I guess it is what it is when it comes to bench players for me. I totally understand it.
I've been a starter. I've been a a bench guy, so I should know better. I know how valuable reserve role players are. But, uh, I have to give Caruso credit because it was it's pretty clear at the beginning of this series that the San Antonio Spurs were leaving players open on purpose. Alex Caruso was one of them.
I just don't think they thought that Caruso would produce to the to the to the degree that he is in this series. He has been fantastic. He to me him uh AJ Mitchell when healthy, Jared McCain, these guys, Isaiah Hartenstein, these guys have been the difference as far as I'm concerned in this series. And I'm not sure if I posted the question on our group chat, but I think I put it out there amongst my friends in the other group chats that I'm in. I think SGA is probably going to win the most the the Western Conference Finals most viable player if the Thunder go on to win by principle, but has he truly been the most viable player in this series? You can argue that Isaiah Hartinstein's defense on Victor Webbyama has just has been just as important as what SGA has done. You could argue that Jared McCain's productivity has been just as important uh as SGA's contribution. You can argue Alex Caruso has done his job.
It just goes down the line with how deep and how great this Thunder team is. I think SGA again on principle is going to win the Western Conference most viable player if the Thunder go on to win this series. But uh to me there is a conversation that can be had and Alice Caruso once again I apologize. You are the NBA's best reserved left in these playoffs and these Western Conference Finals have supplanted that as far as I'm concerned. your ability to sacrifice for the betterment of your team, your ability to fit right in with all of the great players that you've played with.
It speaks to you as an individual. It speaks to you as you wanting something that's bigger than you to understand that moment. Not a lot of people can do that. And Alice Caruso was the perfect fit. Yes, Josh Giddy Rick is the better basketball player and the collective bargaining agreement had a lot to do with why Josh Giddy is no longer on the Thunder. But kudos to Sam Prey for finding that player that he knew that would fit perfectly with the Thunder.
Jared McCain, I don't know what the Sixers were thinking about, but for whatever reason, he is also perfectly fit with the Thunder. it. Their organization, their decisions, it has been a masterclass and Alice Caruso is definitely one of those players that's benefiting them right now.
Dwight, you did a great job of detailing some of the guys who are in the running for Western Conference Finals MVP, but you forgot one name. His name is Tony Brothers. So, I'm curious to see if Tony Brothers is actually added to the ballot that the voters can vote on for West Finals MVP. Um, all right. Uh, so, uh, let's see here.
I have, uh, >> I mean, it gets me >> together so well. Like, I I've never seen a better couple before in my life.
>> I mean, that that that's young love right there. What can I say? I mean, beaming. Wow. Um, okay. So, let's uh let let's move on.
>> Norfolk Norfolk, Virginia, Booker T.
Washington High School.
>> Yes. Yes.
>> Yeah. That Yeah, it makes sense now.
That boy. Yeah. Tony Brothers is he's one of them. That's why he don't take no mess. All that referee etiquette, he f that. He like, "Listen here. You say something to me, I'mma say something."
Hey, no. I'm done. All right. Y'all got it. Next question.
>> Like, >> oh, SORRY.
>> THANK GOOD LIKE LIKE THE THE EXECUTIVE THAT GOT CAUGHT with the the you know with his hand in the cookie jar and all that. That's like one of the that's like that might be the best meme going right now. I'm serious right here. Uh whatever happened to that guy? Did Did his divorce become super public and messy? I don't know. Don't answer that. Let's move on. Um, so, so, uh, Jerry McCain, >> what's that?
>> My bad. I said, they said they were separated before that happened. So, you know, speculations.
>> Okay. Okay. Okay. All right. So, maybe more of a maybe more of a corporate dilemma than a marital dilemma. Anyway, we're moving on. ALL RIGHT. LET'S TALK JARED MCCAIN. DWIGHT, I WANT YOU to go first here, okay? because uh like I said, you do not own real estate in my head, but you do there's a wing of you in my head. Okay? Like you we we when it comes to comparing something now to something in the day, you and I a lot of times are thinking the exact same thing.
Uh so I ask you, okay, because we want to kind of treat the McCain thing, right? Like terrific player. I I don't he absolutely terrific player, but this playoff breakout is a little random, right? Like the Jared McCain, dude, when he misses his shot, I'm like, "Oh, the Spurs just caught a break." I MEAN, THAT'S WHERE I'M AT WITH JARED MCCAIN right now. This guy's flamethrower is just at a different FREAKING LEVEL. YOU GUYS KNOW HOW Jamal Murray hits that heater and just cannot miss. I mean, I love his heaters, dude. He'll hit like 23 and a quarter and all that kind of stuff. like McCain's not on a heater to that degree, but I don't know. I'm just like again like him as a player, but I'm like he's surprising me and exceeding my expectations. So, I want to treat this.
And Dwight, the question is, what other random playoff breakout player is he making you think of? Is he taking you back >> to to, you know, a a random playoff break? And if you want to think about it for a minute here, I can come back to you. But uh >> you know what? Come come back to me cuz I I can't think of that player right now. I you know what I would know this >> I would know this off the top of my head but I I can't to to me to I don't want to answer the question but right now but >> it's just I'm to you. I'm like you Rick when he when he miss when McCain misses a shot I'm shocked everything. This dude had like 18 field goal attempts per game. He's a bench player. That's how confident he is. And it's it's totally flipped Mark Daniel's script because he's like, I can't take this guy off the floor.
>> I need him.
>> Exactly.
>> Especially with Jaylen with Jaylen Williams being out of the lineup. I've now got two luxuries. Well, AJ Mitchell is hurt. I don't think he's coming back.
The dreaded calf strain. But Jaylen, it's gotten to the point to where even if we think Jared McCain isn't as good a defender as the other guys, his offensive efficiency trumps anything on the defensive end. So, it's gotten to the point where coach Daniel can't take him off the floor. He's got to be out there because HE'S HE'S A LEGITIMATE outlet for SGAA if he gets caught up on the offensive side of the ball. Give it to Jared McCain. He can score from distance. He can score from the mid-range and he can finish at the basket. What were the Sixers thinking? I don't understand. I want to know what happened to where they felt they didn't need him. I need to know. Is it I can tell you right now they want to pay >> they want to pay they want to pay Edgecomb. They they they they want to Is it a CBA thing? I don't know.
>> VJ, I want to know.
>> VJ Edge, >> um VJ Edge can play Jared McCain off that roster in my opinion. Um and should they have been more creative with finding a bench role for McCain, but then you also have Quinton Grimes who's absolutely terrific and he doesn't get enough playing time with all the guards and all the wings they have there. So, here's the other thing. Uh Philly got a first round pick in three seconds. Okay, they did not give McCain away. They got a lot back for McCain. That said, based on what we're seeing, THEY DIDN'T GET ENOUGH. OKAY, and it's debatable. NO, I'M SERIOUS. LIKE, IT'S debatable whether Daryl my got fired uh because of the McCain thing. There was a report from Jake Fischer that ownership was on board with the McCain trade. Uh but like Scoop said with Dallas, ownership will say one thing and then hit you another way, right? And so you can't really take that to the bank. All right, I'm going to go here and then I want Dot to go uh Austin Croer. Okay, Jared McCain is taking me back to a Was it Crosier or Croer? I can't remember.
>> Croer.
>> It was Croer. Okay. Okay. Uh so let me give you some stats on Austin Croer. All right. We got to go back to the 2000 NBA Finals. KOBE, SHAQ, REGGIE MILLER meeting at the summit. Okay, good series. It was a six game series. Um Shaq wins finals MVP. Kobe was amazing, especially in that non-Shack game. Uh but anyway, Austin Croer in that series, guys, averaged 15 points a game on 24 minutes a game. He was their third leading scoreer, more even than Rick Smith, the Dunkin Dutchman. Um timing is everything. That summer, Austin Croer signed a 7-year, $51 million contract with the Indiana Pacers, and he never approached those heights again. That turned out to be a bad contract for them. In fact, Austin Croer played 15 playoff series in his career. He averaged double figures in two of those playoff series. It was the NBA finals against the Lakers and then the first round series the very next year. Every other playoff series of Croer's career, he was 6.5, 8.1, 5.7. You get the idea, right? Two in double figures out of 15 and pop. Got seven and 51. Uh that's where McCain's taking me to Austin Croer. UH DOT, YOU GOT another uh random playoff breakout that McCain's reminding you of.
Um, uh, speaking of lightning in the bottle, right when you said that, it reminded me of my good friend Troy Daniels in 2014, uh, in that series against, uh, Portland Trailblazers when he shot 53% from the three, hit the game-winning three in overtime, uh, in game three.
>> Um, he he it was only in four games and it wasn't as prolonged as um, Jared McCain. And um Jared's not shooting a three nowhere near exceptionally well as Daniels did because it's a just a small little uh a small smaller games. But yeah, that that Troy, he definitely caught lightning in the bottle and James Harden and and and the Rockets, they needed a second score and someone to push him over the edge. Troy Daniels came off the bench and gave him that lightning in the bottle against that Portland Trailblazer team. And uh this this what kind of reminded me of Jiren McCain, like a guy that came out of nowhere. Even though Jiren McCain was drafted in the first round, you know, top 16 pick. Troy Daniel was a undrafted player out of VCU. It just reminded me of somebody that you think that wasn't going to have this big impact on this great team, this James Harden le team, this SGA le team. And there you go with Jared uh Jeremy McCain and Troy Daniels.
So it reminded me of that. Troy Daniels.
What a pull by bott. Troy freaking Daniels gets a shout out on THE SHOW AND JAVALE MCGEE GOT A SHOUT OUT A LITTLE WHILE AGO FROM ASHLEY. ALL RIGHT, ASHLEY, name another random playoff breakout.
>> Um, I'm never going to forget Andre Budala um helping close out that series when they put him in the starting lineup to be a primary defender on LeBron James and completely shut him down. I mean, you have Steph Curry, Klay Thompson on your team, and you're the one that ends up with the Western or with the Finals MVP. Um, and he only averaged 16 points, six rebounds, four assists during that series. Um, and once they put Iguodala into the starting lineup on LeBron, they won every game in the rest of the series to close it out and become the NBA champion. So, I know his game is different than McCain. I mean, I know he's not going to be scoring crazy three-pointers the whole the whole game, but he made a difference on the defensive end, and that's ultimately what helped win them that game. Uh because we know even though LeBron I know that Kyrie and Kevin Love were both dealing with injuries at that time, but you still can't count LeBron out. And the only way they won that series to me was Andre Guadala. So, I'm going to give uh props to him for winning the finals MVP that year.
Uh, I love the answer. Uh, I I just super quick, he should not have won finals MVP uh to me that year.
>> I >> Steph Curry had fantastic numbers in that series. And uh you guys know the goat meter, right? My goat meter. It's finals MVPs, league MVPs, and championships. And and Curry should have one more on his goat meter. Just just throwing that out there. But it's a great take. Uh the the Igodala uh random breakout. Go ahead, Dwight.
>> Listen, I full disclosure on one of the group chats that I'm on. I just asked the question to help me out and one person I don't I don't have any any statistics in front of me. Uh Jerome James, did he have a a good playoff run and then got and then got >> and then got paid and then GOT PAID BY ISAIAH >> and didn't do anything.
No, Jerome James is a absolutely perfect call.
>> Yes.
>> Okay. So, again, I don't have any statistics in front of me. It's just credit to my to my group chat because the way I framed the question after you said Austin Croier. I said, who's having a Jared McCain type of playoff run? And I said Austin Croier is one example. So my friend, one of my friends who's a Miami Heat fan, he said Tyler Hero, but I said, "No, Hero's gone on to have a decent career." And Jared McCain may also go on to have a decent career, but I'm just talking about somebody out of nowhere having a great playoff run. So then he goes, "Ah, I get it." So then his next response was Jerome James. So, I don't know if somebody can go to their computer uh to where he >> 17 points, nine rebounds, >> and >> yep, nine rebounds.
>> And we never heard from him again.
>> That's correct.
>> Five year, 30 million. And then he disappeared forever.
>> GOOD FOR JEROME. PUT THE MONEY IN THE BAG IS WHAT HE SAID, MAN. Put the money in the bag.
That's a great call, man. All right, Dwight. Uh, all right. Uh, so, all right. Good segment right there. Um, Dwight, I want you to go first on this one, man. Uh, I'm gonna, you know, ask a question, a little bit of a setup, and then wind you up and and you can take off. Uh, should the New York Knicks be favored against both Oklahoma City and San Antonio? Obviously, we don't know yet. Uh, should New York be favored against both OKC and San Antonio in the NBA finals? Reggie Miller said, "Whomeever wins this Spurs OKC series, the Knicks are going to be favored in the finals to win it all." Okay, I haven't looked at the odds. I I really haven't. And they kind of don't matter.
It's just like what we think, right? Uh how we read it. Jeff Van Gundy is saying the same thing. He think that thinks the Knicks uh should be favored. Some stats.
The Knicks have a plus 19.4 point differential this postseason.
Think about that. In the regular season, if your point differential is like a plus 11, it's it's historically incredible. Plus 19.4 in the playoffs in an improved Eastern Conference.
Although, yeah, you guys know the teams that they beat, right? Anyway, uh the but but 19.4, the largest buy team entering the NBA Finals ever. The previous mark was the 2017 Warriors with Durant who broke the league and they were a plus 16.3. The Knicks closeout wins in these playoffs have come by 51, 30, and 37. First team in NBA history to win three closeout games by 30 plus points each in a single postseason. I could go on, but I don't want to.
Dwight, um, should New York be favored over both OKC and San Antonio?
This is a tough one for me to uh ba okay based on how they're playing the the the question says should the Knicks be favored I believe over the Spurs?
Yes. The Thunder? No.
Will the Knicks be favorites in the NBA Finals? If I know Vegas, no, they won't.
But for me, they'll be favored over the Spurs, but not the Thunder. Again, I understand that the regular season is totally different than the playoffs. The Thunder are proving that right now. But based on what I saw on television and actually in person, when I saw the Spurs play the Knicks at the Garden, and I've said this all season long to my cousin privately, to my cousin and y'all on this public platform right here, there seems to be a comfortability for the Knicks when they play the Spurs. I don't understand it. I don't know why. Is it because Carl Anthony Towns can pull Victor Webmanyama away from the basket?
I don't know. Will Mitch Johnson and the Spurs change their defensive game plan by putting uh Webmanyama on, let's say, a Josh Hart who could fulfill the Alex Caruso role in the finals. If that's the matchup, keep in mind John Josh Josh Hart had the best three-point percentage shooting of his career this season by 40% or just slightly above the 40% mark.
So against the Spurs, I would have the Knicks as the favorite. Against the Thunder, it's a complete flip for me.
And I'll tell you why.
the amount of bodies that could be thrown at Jaylen Brunson in regards to Kase Wallace, Lugans Dort, Alex Caruso, maybe even an AJ Mitchell. I don't think he comes back, but that's a whole other conversation. They can throw a ton of bodies at Jaylen Brunson. also at the center spot. You could make life difficult for Carl Anthony Towns with Hartinstein, with Kent Homegrren, and Jaylen Williams if they decide to go small. There's too many advantages to me for the Thunder over the Knicks in that regard. But what you can't quantify is the confidence, the level of confidence right now that the Knicks have. And it's it's it's difficult. Momentum can't continue after a 10day rest, but just the way they're feeling about themselves, the hype around New York, the hype of being in New York City, the hype of having the media capital of the world's basketballs team in the finals.
All that's going to play a role. That's going to be the ultimate sixth man for the New York Knicks in the NBA Finals.
But to answer the question, over the Spurs, yes. Over the Thunder, no. And also in the back of my mind, the the Knicks are the road team in these finals, regardless of who they play. I think that will play a factor as well.
MSG is going to be an absolute madhouse.
I get it. But game seven won't be in New York. It'll either be in Oklahoma City or San Antonio. I hope I answered the question the best way I could.
>> NO, I BECAUSE I have Dwight, I have a split answer on mine as well, right? So, no, you answered it perfectly. By the way, the odds right now going into tonight's game, OKC is a minus 140 to win the championship. Okay. Uh the Knicks are at a plus 230 and then the Spurs are at a plus 550.
>> Um so, OKC is still getting a lot of love. uh right now and and the Knicks are kind of steady. And then the Spurs after losing game five, they've they've fallen way back. Obviously, if the Spurs win tonight, pardon me, when the Spurs win tonight, UH THAT PLUS 550 uh will probably turn into like a plus 300 or something, but uh but we'll see. All right, Ashley, you are up next here. Uh should New York uh the New York Knicks be favored over both OKC and San Antonio in the finals?
So, I do kind of have a similar answer to Dwight. I feel like me and Dwight agree on a lot of things and there's a lot of nuance. You know, there's a lot of nuance, but we agree on a lot of things. Um, first things first, I automatically think OKC is going to be favored. And I even said this before the regular season even started. They won the championship and they pretty much kept their same roster together, added another a couple pieces and um to me those that's the team you want to beat.
That's the team for me that's already fa uh favored especially when you also have an MVP caliber player like Sha Gildus Alexander now they also have more experience OKC and they've been there before the finals are a different beast yeah you're in the playoffs yeah you're getting to the finals but actually playing in the finals and the pressure and everything it takes uh they have the experience there so I'm going to give them a slight edge um but like Dwight said there's a ton of bodies that you could be throwing at Jaylen Brunson at all times But the Knicks have a very well-rounded roster from top to bottom.
Um, where Jaylen Brunson doesn't need to score all the points. He could be more the facilitator. I mean, you've got guys like Josh Hart, male stepping up. Oh, Giana Nobi, Cat. Um, so they have a lot.
So, when it comes to the Spurs though, they don't have as much experience. You know, they I think we're all surprised to see where they're at right now. Um, it's such a young team. Yeah, you have one of the best players in the league on your team, but he's still 22 years old.
and that stuff will I I think the maturity uh the poise the control when it comes to the finals is it might take a toll on them. Um I think it's going to be a big pressure situation. So I think the Knicks are favored for me over the Spurs just in terms of experience. Yes, the Knicks haven't been there before, but you take a look at how they've got here, right? I feel like every year they're getting better and better and better. And you also have Jaylen, Male, and Josh Hart who have all won together um in college. So, they know how to win.
Maybe not at an NBA level, but they know how to win when the stakes are the highest. Um I don't think the Spurs quite have that yet. So, regardless, I think it's either going to be OKC or the Knicks that come out of this one.
>> All right, Dot. Uh should the Knicks be favored over both OKC and San Antonio?
How many MVPs SGA got?
>> Do >> how many how many rings OKC got?
>> One.
>> Ah. Yeah. Yeah. That there it is right there. I understand everybody love that.
Go back to that regular season mess, but as we see the regular season does not matter when it comes to the playoffs. As you mentioned, Rick Alice Caruso. Okay.
People people and players they changed during the playoffs. Um, I understand, yeah, they may have won this in seasonason cup game and this, you know, OKC will still be favored. Um, I think they are the better team, but I don't think it I don't think it will be a a a sweep. It'll be a very competitive match and it will go it will go deep in games.
I don't have a prediction right now, but I don't think that >> the Knicks should be favored or they will be favored with the two-time MVP and OKC and they can match up perfectly with the New York Knicks. they may be a little may maybe even deeper um in terms of roster and and and and the guys collectively they have on their team that can show up at any amount of time and like you guys say they can throw different bodies at they can throw different bodies at uh at um Jaylen Brunson but like like we also said that he's shown that he doesn't have to score 50 a night. He doesn't have to be captain New Yorker um every night in order for these guys to win which shows the growth and the greatness of the New York Knicks also. So, I think OKC wins this series and they meet the Knicks in the finals and it's going to be one hell of a finals. Boy, the Garden going to be the Garden going to be lit and I'm looking forward to it.
>> But OKC is still the favorites.
>> I think I also think SG way better final series than he does against um the Knicks than he do against the Spurs. I think the Spurs are better defensively um in general, not just with Wimby. I like the Spurs perimeter players. I love um Stephan Castle and how he's being, you know, trying to be rough and a little bit aggressive with SGA. I don't think New York is going to be like that.
They may be to a tea with Josh Hart and Male Bridges and sometimes even OG, but I think SGA dissects that New York defense way better than he does this uh Spurs defense.
>> I agree with that. Uh Stefon Castle's different, man. I mean, ask Kate Cunningham. Kate Cunningham hasn't figured out Stefon Castle. Kate Cunningham is like I mean a fantastic player but he gets minimized against Steph and a lot of guys do. Uh so my answer is uh you know should the Knicks be favored against both OKC and San Antonio? I have a yes and a no. Okay.
The Knicks should be favored over OKC but not by much. The Spurs should be favored over New York but not by much.
So, you haven't heard, you know, necessarily these answers yet, but this is how I read it. I anticipate either series to go seven games. The NBA is going to get what they want. There's going to be no need uh to have refs trick off a game. Okay, and so we can extend series. The NBA just stand out on that. These teams got it. Okay, we're getting a sevengame, twoeek thrill ride in the NBA finals. The Spurs should be favored over the Knicks because they have WBY, best player in the series.
Okay, they have Castle to guard Brunson, which is huge, and others, but Castle's going to be on Brund Dog, and he's going to take a bite out of them. Uh, the Spurs have doggy wings to match New York's doggy wings. Uh, the Knicks should be favored over the Thunder. Um, reason number one, JD and AJ Mitchell.
Okay, are they going to play when, if, who knows? Uh, two, New York has uh the wing defenders to bother SGAA. Um, I agree with DOT, not to the degree that San Antonio does, but they still do have some guys to get into SGA. Josh Hart uh specifically comes to mind. The Knicks have a pair of bigs to match up with OKC's pair of bigs. Brunson's even more clutch than SGA. I know it sounds like blasphemy. It sounds like fanboy. It's not. Okay. Brunson's the only guy that's been top five in clutch voting all four years of the award. And I'll just rest my case on that. And number five, number five reason the Knicks should be favored over the Oklahoma City Thunder, the basketball gods. And we move on. All right. Uh let's talk coach of the year voting. Did they get it right with Joe Missoula? Now to get us primed for this segment, >> I want to have a little laugh. guys play Joe Mazoula on Bar Stool Sports trying to plan a robbery at Fenway Park.
>> Walk down North End. I'm like, say your prayers.
>> Yeah, >> I love that.
>> That's fantastic.
>> And I would imagine the tiein with Boston probably has a lot to do with with your uh your love of that movie, too, where it's just like, okay, this makes me feel like a Boston guy watching this. I went to Fenway the other day and I was literally looking at like exit strategies if we had >> decided to like rob Fenway. I was like we could probably really get away with this like >> Yeah. Yeah. Um are you >> How could you not go to Fenway and think that you could you couldn't rob it?
>> Yeah. Yeah. The G the blueprint is right there.
>> I was thinking about that this morning actually. I was just driving. I was like, "Fuck, I really want to rob Finway Park. It would be awesome."
>> Yeah. Um, >> you can't look at an armored truck the same.
>> So guys, first of all, I love the disarmed Joe Missoula, right? THE THE THE HAPPY LIKE THAT'S A DIFFERENT SIDE OF OUR GUY JOE MOULA, RIGHT? Happy smiling and all that kind of stuff. I just wanted to play that for comedic purposes. You guys know like Joe Joe Missoula is the homie times infinity, man. He's so strange and so weird and I freaking love it. All right. Uh, Doc, you go first on this, man. So, essentially, who is your coach of the year, right? Did the voters get it right with Joe Mulo or would you have gone with somebody else?
>> I think they got it right. If they gave it to Joe Mazula, they might as well gave Jaylen Brown an MVP. Like I mean if we if we if we going to do it like that I mean because we all thought you know everyone thought that it was going to be a down year for the Celtics a tanking year and for him to put um give the reigns to Jaylen Brown believe in him and the rest of his guys um that just shows you the kind of coach he is you know without their all-star without I like something you guys always mention without Drew Holidayiday without Christo Porzingis without a lot of those guys that were on that former championship team for him to rally those guys together. You got my guy, I forgot his name, man. It may start with a S. U Ben Sh. I don't even know his name, man. He was a lefty. Leftyman off the fireman, man. Come on, man. Come on, my man. We ain't heard of this guy before. He and he came off killing, man. He came off and was a pivotal role in that in that um in that Celtics offense. So, yes, I think they got it absolutely correct. Of course, I would like to see, you know, JB Bigger Staff win it. Um, and what he did with the Pistons, but at the end of the day, I think when it comes down to coaching and having to rally your guys with the with the depleted roster, Joe Misoula, he he did his damn thing. And I I feel as though they got it right.
>> Ashley, did the voters get it right with Missoula?
>> No, they got it so wrong.
So wrong. Are you kidding me?
Is that a serious question right now? Uh Mitch Johnson only got nine first place votes. He took a lottery team to a 62 win team the next season in the second place in the West and they're battling for the finals right now. I listen I know playoffs don't matter. It's a regular season award, but 62 wins and we could talk about oh they have so much talent. Did we know they were going to get here? Did we know? Yeah, they had WBY, but what about everyone else? It takes more than one good player, one great player to to lead your team to a finals run right now to get as far as you did. 62 wins and even when WBY was out, they were still playing well together. The continuity like just as a team and yeah, you could say, "Oh, Papovic, Papovic has also been sick." I mean, take a look at everything that Mitch Johnson had to walk into going from interim coach to the head coach.
Yeah, Papovic has been in and out and he's been hanging out and, you know, um making his voice present in the locker room. Um, of course he has, but Mitch has had a lot of pressure on his shoulders. A lot of pressure on his shoulders to be able to take such a young team right now to 62 wins. I think he should have gotten way more love. I'm disappointed in this. Um, but listen, no knock to Joe Missoula. All great points by BOT. Um, again, we didn't expect the Celtics to play as well as they did without uh Jason Tatum. Also, JB Bickerstaff, number one team in the East, definitely deserves credit. So, I'm not knocking any one of those coaches either. Um, they were they were deserving of it, too. You can make an argument for all three, but Mitch Johnson, that's my guy.
>> All right, Dwight Walton, who's your guy? Did they get it right with Missoula or not?
Oh, no. They got it right as opposed to Miss Miss Ashley. They got it right. And Dot, to your point, who was my MVP for most of this season until Weama took over in February? It was Jaylen Brown.
>> Mr. Mr. Sprayed on hairline Jaylen Brown. Yep.
>> There you go. So, >> the Beijing BANDIT, IS THAT WHAT THEY CALLED HIM?
And and Ashley, to your point, the reason why, and everything you said about Mitch Johnson is correct, but the reason why Mitch Johnson didn't get it is because he had Victor Webmanyama. I the the narratives play a major role in voting as we've come to understand. The narrative about the Boston Celtics coming into this season was that it was a bridge year, if you will, for the Celtics.
They gave up Drew Holiday. They gave up Chris Dasperingis. They gave up Al Horford. Jason Tatum was supposed to be out for the entire season. to Dot's point, they were playing Blake Shyman, Luca Garza, Hugo Gonzalez, Neimas, uh, Kada, uh, who else I can mention? Ron Harper Junior, uh, Ron Harper Jr., Jordan Walsh, those names. When you, with all due respect, now listen, once you make the NBA, you're in the NBA for a reason.
you're a great basketball player. But at that level, it's all relative and there's and I follow the NBA as you guys know like it's it's a religion for me.
But for me to understand and think that Blake Shyman, Huo Gonzalez, Luca Garza, Ron Harper Jr., uh Jordan Walsh, players like that. I already knew who Pton Pritchard was. I knew who Derek White was. I know who uh Jaylen Brown is, of course, but those names to have that team finish second in the Eastern Conference this season. Yes, they had a they had a late season boost with Jason Tatum returning miraculously, but there in no way, shape, or form did I think the Boston Celtics would be one of the more elite teams in the NBA during the regular season. So, my vote definitely was going to go to to Joe Missoula. Had Victor Wubanyama stayed normal from February on, my vote would have gone to Jaylen Brown for NBA's regular season MVP. So, I've been on Joel Mazudo the entire season. I'm glad he got it. I think the voters got it right. I think JB Pickerstaff's issue was Detroit was on the comeup. Everybody knew they were going to be good this season. They were going to be better. None of us thought Boston would finish second behind Detroit in the Eastern Conference. None of us did.
>> So, the >> really quick.
>> Yeah, go ahead.
>> I was going to I wanted to go back to B because I was I was thinking about this.
Did I hear you say that the Celtics should take Jason take Jaylen Brown over Jason >> if they had to choose between the two?
>> No, I never said that.
>> Did you when you you never said that?
Okay. I thought you said, "Oh, you might as well give the team to to Jaylen Brown."
>> No, no, give the MVP. If if Joe Missoula got coach of the year, might as well give it gave him the MVP. Yeah.
>> Got it. Okay. I don't know why I thought that you were saying like, "Oh, then just give the reigns to Jaylen Brown then. That should be his team."
>> No, I ain't ready. I ain't ready for that battle with you yet, Ashley. I ain't ready. I ain't had my edible today, so I'm I ain't I ain't I ain't ready for that.
>> I think it would be a good It would be a good battle, though. I think. But who who would you prefer? But who would you prefer?
I still like Jason Tatum.
>> I'm still a J. Even though Even though JB, you know, he a Georgia boy, I still like I still like Tatum.
>> Okay. Okay.
>> I would lean more that direction, too.
>> Okay. Well, Jaylen might be tra Jaylen might be traded to Mil He might be traded to Milwaukee for Giannis. Stay tuned. Stay tuned for that. Um, so guys, >> guys, what's JB Bicker staff got to do to get one of these, man?
You guys know he was the runner up to Kenny Atkinson last year, right?
>> Yeah.
>> Runner up to Joe Missoula this year, RIGHT? WHAT'S HE GOT TO DO? LIKE, I MEAN, >> STORY LINES, RICK. Story lines.
>> THEY GO, "OH, I MEAN, TRUST ME, I I GET ALL THAT, but uh that's a hell of a story line, man. Um they went wire towire in the Eastern Conference number one the whole year. Uh like maybe not in week one but I mean you dude you look you EVERY TIME I LOOKED AT THE STANDINGS day [ __ ] was at the top of that list man the whole year. Okay. Uh think about it we've talked about it. This this was a a an incomplete roster right? They're missing Norman Pal. They're missing a consistent 20point driller to go and help Kate, right? Their second leading scoreer uh was Duran at 19 and then it fell off to 13 a game. Guys, the Detroit Pistons were 13 and5 without Cade Cunningham.
THINK ABOUT THAT. IT'S DENNIS JENKINS AGAINST THE WORLD. THEY'RE 13 AND5.
Are you bro that stat alone give him the trophy. Um, but I I just kind of like like cuz Kenny Atkinson, remember what Cleveland won like 15 in a row to start the season last year, right? Something like that. Like they just took over the league and Kenny Atinson was like the runaway. There was nothing JB Bicker staff could do runner up. This year he comes back team in first place all year.
You have some injuries. You have an ill-constructed roster. You still cook the East, an improved East and you still can't win coach of the year. So JB, I'm sorry. uh you're probably never going to win coach of the year now. Uh because if you didn't win either of these two years, it's going to be tough now because Detroit, you know, is one of the it teams. But that's my take on that.
All right, clock on this segment, guys.
Clock on Missoula was number two on my uh uh mythical ballot, by the way. Um we're going to put a clock on this one uh for prediction for tonight's game. Uh B do go first, man. Game six. Ding ding.
Spurs and Thunder from San Anton. Who you got?
>> Got the Spurs. Make sure you take Wimby's first half P or his first half points, his first quarter points in first. Remember remember remember when last time they lost, Wimby came out absolutely mad, man. Forcing shots. I love aggressive Wimi. So make sure you take Wimby's P in the first quarter for over. I'm going with Spurs.
>> Okay, >> simple as that. We're going to keep it short and simple. P. Okay. P first quarter or first half or both?
>> Both. Both. But if you want me point, you can go first quarter points.
>> Go first quarter points.
>> First quarter points. Okay, I got you.
>> I'm I'm thinking it's going to be around seven points. Seven to eight points. I'm taking it. I'm taking it.
>> I win or go home. It's It's win or go home. I know. So you you got to leave it out. You got to leave it all on the line, >> bro. What? Bro, is about to go nuclear tonight. Okay. I'm telling you, man. I KNOW MY BOY. HE'S about to go nuclear tonight. Uh I'm actually thinking about funding my Hard Rock account. Do cuz you're getting me fired up over here.
And uh what's the what's the what's the point spread on the game? I got to look this up. What's the point spread on the game with like four and a half, three, five, something like three and a half?
Oh boy. I MAY NEED TO STEP OUT A LITTLE, GUYS. I THINK San Anton I'll just I think San Antonio is going to blow them out >> and I think there's going to be home cooking. I'm telling you there's going to be a pro San whistle tonight. The league needs a game seven. Uh I three and a half. Woo.
I I I I think I have an assignment here when the show's over. Anyway, uh Darren Fox had nine points in game five. That's going to change. Devin Bell shot two of 11. That's going to change. WBY shot four of 15. that's going to change. Um, and then Dwight, and this is for you, be it being a, you know, big hockey guy, your Habs might win this thing and the whole thing, right? Okay. The the Spurs are going to be on the power play the whole game. The Thunder >> The Thunder are going TO BE PLAYING FOURON- HOCKEY THE WHOLE NIGHT. ALL RIGHT. AND YES, DWIGHT, THE SPURS ARE GOING TO BE LIGHTING THE LAMP TIME AND TIME AGAIN AT FROST Bake Arena, whatever the hell they call that thing right now.
But uh I'm telling you, blowout. I'm telling you. TELLING YOU, DWIGHT WALTON AND LIKE I SAID, YOU DWIGHT KNOWS THEY CALL THEM SPECIAL teams when you're on the power play and you're short-handed in hockey. IT'S GOING TO BE A SPECIAL TEAMS FESTIVAL in favor of the Spurs tonight. Dwight.
>> Well, I hope not, but I have the Spurs tonight. Uh, it will go seven games. I think it comes down to the final two minutes. It's going to be a barn burner.
Uh, and the Thunder are going to come out strong. They want to end it tonight because they know although they have the experience at home court in a game seven scenario, they also know that anything could happen and that the other side has a 7 foot5 Victor Webmanyama. I know I've spoken about all the negatives in terms of his minutes per game, how he's taking on the brunt of the responsibility both mentally and physically, but I just think the Spurs will do enough tonight to force a game seven. That's how I feel. But I don't think it's going to be a blowout. I think this game will be decided inside the final two minutes.
It's going to be a great game because the Thunder want to end it tonight.
Ashley, who you got and do you think it'll be a blowout?
>> I've been thinking it's going to be a blowout. You take a look at the last game that they were at home. 103 to 82 points. When is the last time OKC was held to under 100 points? What was it?
2020.
>> Or something.
>> 2020, I think.
>> 2020. 2020. Oh, even even f Wow. Even further back than I thought. I thought it was 2020. Um, that says a lot to me.
And when you take a look at the free throws, again, I mentioned this earlier, they had 32 to 18 free throws. Um, so I do think the refs are going to make an impact tonight. I hate to say it, but the NBA wants this game to go to seven.
Um, I also think the Spurs tend to play better at home. So, I'm going to give the Spurs an edge here. Um, but overall, they want a game seven. They want a game seven. But here's here's the kicker. WB is going to have to score over 30 points if they want to win. every game that they've won, it's over 30 points. You cannot score less than that if you want to win. He also has to be better on the on the glass. I've been saying that all along. So, um I think it's going to be a blowout. I think it's going to be right from the start. We're going to see some crazy things happen right in the first half. Uh and like Bot said, I would take WebMy's overs. Um I would also probably take Caruso three-pointers. He never upsets. And I would also take SGA over an in assist because I think it's going to be a difficult night for him. So, he's gonna have to facilitate more.
>> I have to quickly follow. You said crazy stuff is going to happen in the first half. Are you talking about what I'm talking about with Fishy officiating to give the Spurs that extra little nudge just to guarantee they win this game? Is that what you're referring to?
>> Yes. There's going to be a lot of extracurricular activities going on.
There's going to be a lot of flops.
There's going to be a lots of calls, a lot of mis calls. Um, I'm excited to see it, but I don't think this is going to be a close game.
>> Uh, I don't think Tony Brothers has the whistle around his neck tonight. I I don't know. He may be having a steak in a in a in a glass of wine somewhere.
Zack Zar, James Williams, Tyler Ford, and um >> Jadamus Jedim, I don't know. Jedinus. Yeah, but it ain't talking about the Greek the Greek guy. The Greek Canadian.
>> Yep. He's he he's the alternate. Yep.
He's the alternate. Yep.
>> Yes.
>> Gotcha. It's a Zarba crew tonight. Okay.
>> Zarb. Exactly.
>> So So uh so so Zarb is the guy who had to delete the email that he got from the league on his assignment for tonight.
Okay. All right. I totally like I totally >> I like him.
>> No, I LIKE HIM, TOO. I'M JUST, YOU KNOW, I GOT JOKES. UH, but I I do think there's going to be home cooking tonight. The league has to have a game seven. Guys, it's rant time, okay? I'm going to get a little interactive with my rant today. All right? Because I I need I need your all's help. And I I certainly am going to spin a little Dio for you here, but I need your all's help, okay? I want the guys, our great great crew, uh, Kai Joseph and Jason uh, Arambo to, uh, play the James Harden sound at his exit presser and listen for the word circumstances.
Go.
>> Um, reflecting on this series, are how much better, if they're better, are the Knicks than than you guys?
>> Um, I mean, I can't even like I can't even answer that question honestly. You know what I mean? Like yeah, it was four- zero, but I don't think we g we had a chance as far as our best shot um you know, from from a standpoint of the circumstances.
you know, obviously they just they they dominated us um 40, but um yeah, I don't I don't know if I can necessarily answer that question just because genuinely I do feel like we we are we are the better team, but you know, serious wise, you know, I didn't show it. So, tough question.
>> I I agree with James Harden that that's a tough question to receive and answer.
Um, this is what I need help with. He said, "We didn't have the best chance because of circumstances.
Help me out. What circumstances?"
Circumstances would maybe be in Go ahead, Dwight. Help me out.
>> Uh, two two game sevens. Uh, Donovan Mitchell is hurt.
>> Uh, excuse one. Excuse two. Okay. I I I speaking as James Harden, I don't do well in game sixes and sevens. So, those are all circumstances.
And and and and our our coach didn't call a timeout uh during that run in the fourth quarter. Those are all circumstances.
>> Okay.
>> We also got to we also got to point out again, this is this is another and and Chuck said it the other night. Well, not the other night, but what maybe a month ago, James Harden leads the NBA in NBA history for more turnovers than made field goals. That game that game four, he had five turnovers and only three made field goals. So, I don't know. Hey, James, my guy, but I don't he it's it's it's on him again. It's on him. He's one of them circumstances.
>> That's what I said. Yeah. Bingo.
>> I agree.
>> Bingo. Look, my my my boy Adam Smeirnoff CALLING ME. YOU GUYS ALWAYS CALLING ME DURING THE SHOW. UH, OKAY. Dot just hit it. Dot just hit it on the head. Okay.
Because Dwight, you did a great job of like, you know, and and you know, circumstances or theories to a degree, right? Uh cuz yeah, you lose game one and you lost it in in an in infamous fashion. Uh and it did derail your whole series, but if you were more mentally strong than that as a team, uh you maybe could have come back and win a game, competed in the series a little bit. Uh but we saw what happened. These are the circumstances for me. James Harden in game one, 12 points, five turnovers, 0 of six from three. Game two, 19 points, six turnovers, one of seven from three.
Game three, 18 points, three of seven from three, no turnovers. WOW, NOT BAD.
Game four, 15 points, six turnovers, one of eight from three.
I don't know. I I I I'm just I'm kind of fatigued with it, but I saw that sound bite and I was like, what are these circumstances? I need help. One last thing Donovan Mitchell said about James Harden. He went to bat for him, right? Quote, "This man changed the game of basketball. Changed the game of basketball in ways we've never seen before. We live in such a ring dominant culture that we were willing to write a guy off. Nobody's writing James Harden off, Don. Uh we're just critics of him."
Uh a guy that has transcended basketball. 75 years. No one has done what he's done. Uh really? Uh he says you can say the same about Steph Curry, Alan Iverson, Michael Jordan. Huh. James Harden is in there according to Donovan Mitchell. So yeah, I can relate to not reaching a certain point. I also feel like we also don't talk about Harden's greatness enough. First of all, and I love Donovan Mitchell. Please understand the sarcasm that's dripping out of my mouth like saliva right now. How dare you put James Harden's name in the same sentence with Steph Curry, Allen Iverson, and Michael Jordan. Come on, man. That's actually NOT SARCASTIC.
THOSE GUYS ARE KILLERS. James Harden's a killer at the club. Okay. How did Harden change the game? The step back three.
Doc, you tell me. Was he first? If so, I'll give him that. Was he the first guy to like patent and like bring the step back three to the NBA? You would know this better than anybody?
>> No, not not the first. Uh, I mean, I I've seen Paul Pierce um done it before him, but in terms of the the effectiveness of it and the consistency of it and the way he did it to be a lefty, it was it was it was very ironic and and and different and productive.
So, I see why they say, you know, the way he changed the game and and also for him to foul bait, for him to get to that free throw line, he now you see a lot of NBA players stick their arms out. A lot of people weren't doing that. You know, D Way D Way to go for the punt fake, boom, to the body. But Harden made the low sweep through very, very, very popular in the NBA because it was consistent in him getting foul calls.
So, I understand what Donovan is saying in terms of changing the game and even SGA said it, you know, but I understand what you're saying about putting his names in those, you know, dogs, those pit bulls. So, I I I can I can see what you still point.
>> So, >> yeah. Great. Just super super quick.
Great great answer on that. My thing is yes, the the manipulation of the refs and the non-basket moves and all this the veering into, you know, a sidecar defender like that. So, he changed the game, but what he did was he forced the NBA to rewrite the rule book, right, on drawing fouls. So, yes, that is changing the game. Um, but is that a good thing?
Uh, that's kind of my thing there.
Dwight, go ahead. No, I just want to to add on to that. I think in terms of the in terms of the old school step back, no, but the new school step back in terms of reading the rule book and using it to his advantage to where you can ga you once you gather the ball with two hands, then you could take two steps.
James Harden changed all of that to what we thought was obvious walking violations. He read the rule book and said you're allowed to take two steps after you gather the ball with two hands. So sometimes you'll think James Harden is taking four or six steps, but because he's able to manipulate when the second hand holds onto the basketball with his step back, it's not a travel. So, a legit step back. James Harden didn't revolutionize the game. But the the gather step or the zero step, James Harden changed the game in regards to that.
>> Great answers, fellas. Uh, great answers. All right. Uh, Don, I got a question. Um, do you kind of need to do your rant now? Uh, because I >> All right. All right. Hit us. Hit us.
>> One of one of them. Hold. Let me put the code in for you, baby. There you go, girl. Here. Go crazy.
>> I want the monkeys. You want the monkeys?
>> Okay. Okay. Okay. I give you the monkey.
You want the the monkey?
>> There you go.
>> Oh, she got bed head, too, y'all. She Y'all, she got bed head, too. That's the cutest thing ever. She got that bed head and everything, dude.
>> The other one probably waking up soon, too. All right. Let's go ahead and get into it. Okay. All right. I'm going to be honest with y'all. Okay. I don't think the rest of America's prepared for what's about to happen if the New York Knicks win the NBA Finals. Okay. Because New York is already not a regular state.
It is not. All right. The people that live there operate different. Trust me, I know. I'm 25% New Yorkian. All right.
I'm a 25% New Yorker. However you want to say it. My mom is from New York. My nana, all my cousins, Jamaica, Queens, Huntington, Long Island. I got New York in my blood. So, I can say this with love. Y'all do not want them Knicks fans to get a championship. Because if the Knicks win the finals, the city is going to be completely unusable. They're going to have to call the National Guard, the Avengers, the Ninja Turtles. They g have to call somebody because there will be no container in New York after that.
Traffic finished. Subways finished. Time Square don't even think about going down there. Every bodega in New York going to have somebody outside yelling, "We told y'all. We told y'all." While wearing a Patrick jersey with some Tim Boots on from 1994 with the bacon, egg, and cheese in one head and a henny bout on the other. All right. And here's the worst part. Knicks fans are never going to let us forget about her. All right.
Trust me. We we got we got one on the panel. Not for one year, not for five years. For the next 10 years, every basketball argument is going to be over.
All right? You could be talking about anything. Hey, man. Hey, Denver got a nice little young squad. It don't matter. Knicks one in 2026. Bro, I'm just asking what I'm just asking what you want for lunch. Knicks in five B.
They're going to work it into every conversation. Your Uber driver gonna pull up blasting Empire Empire State of Mind and before you even get your seat belt on, he gonna turn around and be like, "Hey man, you remember you remember where you was when the Knicks when the Knicks brought it home?" And honestly, I can't even hate on it.
Because if there's one fan base crazy enough, loud enough, irrational enough, and passionate enough to turn one championship into a 10-year citywide holiday, it is absolutely New York.
Okay? It would be pandemonium. An absolute [ __ ] show. All right. but in the most beautifulest, ridiculous New York way possible. Okay? So, all I'm saying is if the Knicks win this championship, America, don't try to fight it. Just stay out of New York for at least two weeks and let those people act a fool because believe me, >> they've been waiting long enough in a long time to act like this.
>> And that's it right there.
>> Hey, dot dot, that was incredible. You saw what Jose Alvarado said. He said, "If we win the championship, I'm going to be drunk for eight days." since what he said.
>> It's going to be it's going to be I'm not going to see many I'm not going to see it's going to be so many drunken Spider-Man outfits and suits walking around. You know, that's they that's their one Spider-Man. They that's they that's their guy. Anything Spider-Man real life to the fact that they dress up like him with a henny bottle. It's gonna be Oh my goodness. It's gonna get Yeah.
>> Yeah.
>> Do you the man? We love you, man.
>> Love y'all. Say byebye.
Yeah, she ain't with it. All right, y'all. Love y'all.
>> Peace. All right. Uh Dwight, you're gonna go last or you're gonna bring us home. Uh Ashley, WHAT'S UP? RANT AWAY.
>> My rant is just Adam Silver not taking accountability for the officials. I'm still just a little upset with how he responded to that question of how he said, "I think the officials are doing a great job." And listen, I know you're trying to protect your brand and your product, and you're going to have to say whatever you can from a marketing standpoint to make the league look better than it is. Um, Adam Silver wants to make changes to everything, right?
We're going to change the All-Star format. We're going to add the NBA Cup.
We're going to add all the logos and the patches on the jersey and on the court.
You want to make all these changes except the officiating. You don't even want to look into the flopping. You don't even want to look into the baiting. You don't even want to look into the missed calls. I just think the refs uh don't get enough criticism from the higherups. Also, I just think it's sketchy who's the guy who's leading at the top of the officiating when you take a look at some of the things he said in the past about the Lakers and the Thunder. Um showing that he could have potentially been a fan at one point and he did he never even officiated a game before. So that to me is also a red flag and people have been talking about it. I mean Adam Silver says that he sits on social media and he reads what people are writing just to kind of get a feel for what fans and what media and other people have to say to try to make the product better.
So then what are you going to do about that? This is the number one thing that we're all talking about. There's discourse around this on every talk show um on every social media platform. And then you're saying that they're doing a great job. I'm like, are you just dis disassociated with reality or are you just like that I guess just that big in too too lost in this sport in in the NBA and you don't want to admit that there's flaws, right? Um, so that's just the one thing that my rant that I wanted to talk about is listen, I get that he has a product to protect. But at some point, you got to be held accountable and you have to start taking a look into this and start bringing back finding these players for flopping.
>> Yeah. And uh, you know, sometimes it's really effective just to lie with a smile on your face when you're in a position like Adam Silver because I'm with you. But but you know, he can't, >> you know, I I would love some honesty there, some transparency, right? They like to talk about that. But yeah, Adam's not going to throw his refs under the bus uh and and feed that narrative.
And so what do you like, do you think?
Well, of course, Adam Silver was very excited about the officiating in game FIVE BECAUSE HE PUT HIM UP TO IT. ALL RIGHT, no more on that. UH DWIGHT WALTON, GO AHEAD. What's your rant?
Bring us home, man.
My rant is going to be the complete opposite to what Ashley just said. And to my my point is now I've been on record since January saying the San Antonio Spurs were going to win the NBA championship, but I'm going to for the case of my rant or the purpose of my rant. If the New York Knicks face the Oklahoma City Thunder in the NBA Finals, the storyline, unfortunately, is going to be about the officials and the foul baiting. Not only on the side of SGA, but Jaylen Brunson as well. Jaylen Brunson is known to maybe not flop or be on the ground as much as SGA, but it's going to become a contest. It's going to become a talking point. is going to become the focus. And because New York is the largest media market in the world, it's going to be even worse.
They're all going to be complaining, especially if the games are close. You know that the fans are going to focus on all of the wrong things. And Ashley, I know you I know you know this, but I'm going to remind you and everybody that the NBA officials are held accountable.
They are held accountable by Adam Silver. They're graded on a grade scale.
The reason why we have certain officials in the playoffs is because they earn their way there. And the NBA officials are doing an incredible job. Just because social media doesn't like how the game looks or how if it's aesthetically pleasing or not. The reality is when you take the emotion away from social media and how some of the fans react, the reality is the officials are right. 90% or more% of the time. That's just the reality. We're focusing on a couple of bad calls here and there, especially if it goes against the team that you're rooting for. Being an official, as I've come to find out, and which is why I call it the dark side, is a whole different level that you have to be at. For me, I had to switch my mind from being a player to an official. And I get it now. All the the cussing, the swearing, the name calling that I have to endure, officials have to endure. And reasons why a lot of people don't want to become basketball officials is because you have to have strong, thick skin. Luckily, I have that so I can put up with it. But more often than not, and specifically for the NBA officials, they are right 90 plus% of the time. So, Adam Silver isn't lying.
Adam Silver isn't protecting his brand.
He's just speaking the truth based on the data that's given to him. Of course, all of us are going to have our own opinions on how we view things. But when I hear comments like the OKC Thunder are bad for basketball and all of this unethical stuff, uh, flopping, uh, free throw merchant, foul baiting, all of these names are from social media.
That's where these That's where this comes from. And listen, I know it's smart to take the pulse of social media, but we have to understand there's a lot of disgruntled people out there who don't like things in general, so they're just going to be negative all the time.
My concern is these NBA finals, especially if it's OKC against the Knicks, the focus is going to be on the wrong thing when we should be focusing on how great the basketball is going to be. But we all know there are going to be bad calls. There's going to be bad.
There's going to be flopping, foul baiting, f foul merchant, unethical basketball from the Thunder. There's going to be some from the Knicks and they're going to be loud and proud on social media. That's my concern. I'm not going to enjoy that part. I'm going to try and shut it out. But unfortunately, I follow everything. I watch and listen to everything. So, it's going to be pounding on my head every day. I'm not going to I'm not going to enjoy it, but I have to live with it and understand this is just part of the world that we live in now. the social media era.
>> Speaking of social media, uh I'm on Twitter right now. Uh Sham Shirania uh just uh sent out a bomb. Okay. Uh Sham Shirani of ESPN is reporting Tony Brothers has been signed to a three-year extension with a 25% raise. Uh because Adam is that happy with the officiating and specifically Tony Brothers. They just got a raise for game five and all that home cooking. HOME COOKING TONIGHT.
STAND AND LET'S GO GET IT. All right, huge show. Thank you guys so much for joining us. Please subscribe to our YouTube channel. Big thanks to Brandon Scoopy Robinson for joining us for Dwight, for Ashley, for B do for Kai, for Jason. We are out looking ahead to Monday's show 2 p.m. Eastern time. It's an extravaganza. We have Karan Butler at 3:00 p.m. Eastern time. We have Marshon Lynch aka Beast Mode at 400 p.m. Eastern time. Karan Butler, Marshawn Lynch, we'll see you Monday. Enjoy the games.
Have a great weekend and peace for now.
And the truth gets
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