REAL TALK! with Doc and Marlon

Draft Grades , NBA / NHL Playoffs & More w/ Mike In OC

• Doc & Marlon

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We hand out blunt NFL draft grades across every division and argue over who drafted for the future when the window is right now. Then we jump into NBA playoff chaos, old-school postseason memories, and the big question hanging over the Lakers: what happens when LeBron finally decides. 
• Doc’s NFL draft grades for each division and why the NFC East leads 
• Rams’ quarterback pick debate and what a win-now roster should target 
• Early Offensive and Defensive Rookie of the Year picks and why opportunity matters 
• NBA first-round surprises including Orlando’s collapse and Boston’s shock exit 
• Series and Finals-path predictions with OKC, Minnesota, Detroit, New York 
• Best NBA playoff series ever and the moments that still hold up 
• NHL playoffs update with the Ducks back in the mix and new blood in the bracket 
• MLB check-in on the Padres, Dodgers, Yankees, Cubs plus Angels frustration and Trout trade talk 
• Lakers roster building for next year, LeBron’s options, money, and the next star question 
Be On The Lookout For That, And We’ll Have An Episode Breaking Down All Of The Games And Win Losses 
We’ll Catch You Guys Next Week 


Welcome Back And Guest Intro

SPEAKER_03

And welcome, welcome, welcome everybody to another episode of Real Talk. Doc, you doing all right today?

SPEAKER_02

Yes, sir, I sure am, man. And we got a special guest who's been here on the air several times, and we love having him. You can do the intro.

SPEAKER_03

Absolutely. So Mike and the OC joins us. You either love him or you hate him, but of course, here at Real Talk, we love him. What's up, Mike? How you doing, man?

SPEAKER_01

Hey guys, how are you guys doing? I'm glad I'm on the right side of the dial there, Marlon, with the love. You know what? Ryan. You say what you say, and people, you know what, they go with it, and they don't go with it, right? It's all right. It's okay. It's all sports. It's all fun.

SPEAKER_02

Welcome aboard, Mike.

NFL Draft Grades By Division

SPEAKER_03

Absolutely. So we'll get into a little bit of baseball. We haven't talked much baseball in the past couple weeks due to the draft and all that. So we will talk a little bit of baseball towards the end. Uh we will dive into all the uh NBA action. Uh Lakers are uh right now it's getting ready to be close to halftime against the Thunder uh as we're recording this podcast right now. So we'll get into all of the NBA, but we will start with the uh NFL draft recap, and Doc is going to give his uh grades, if you will, for the draft for the division. So Doc, uh without further ado, the floor is yours.

SPEAKER_02

Oh man, the draft is my baby. I love and I hate that it's over. I'm gonna start off with the NFC East, fellas. I'll give that whole division an A, maybe even an A plus, based on what the Dallas Cowboys and the New York Giants did. Dallas getting Caleb Downs, the top-rated safety. And several years, I think he's the best trip footballer. Then they came back on defense and got the edge rush from UCF, Malachi Lawrence. And then the Giants. This was the headliner, fellas. You know, when the Giants, when they get Arvell Reese, you know, and come back to get the tackle to protect Jackson Darrley. You can't argue with that. You just can't, man. And then Philly had their Philly had their uh great draft, man, uh, as far as, you know, picking up some pieces. And uh the Washington Commanders picked up Sonny Styles, who might win rookie of the year, you know. And it's one of those things where the NFC East gets an A in my defeat um opinion. Now, uh the NFC South, where my Falcons reside, fellas, you know, I gotta give them a B plus, man, you know, maybe a borderline A, simply because the Saints, yes, the New Orleans Saints, who I hate as a division rival, they got uh they helped out the young quarterback, man, picking Georgian Tyson, uh, who many things, fellas, is the top receiver in the draft. And then they came back and picked uh Oscar Geld from Georgia and Chris Shamilla, defensive lineman. Since uh Cameron is getting, he's he's getting old in it too, Kevin Jordan. But that's neither here nor there. I love what the Falcons did with the cornerback, A. Terrell, AJ Terrell, and the Panthers picking up the big cack of Monroe Freeling, you know. So Tampa Bay might got the best edge rusher in the draft. And um Ruben Bain, people talked about his arms, Mike, and then no disguise production personified. Now, uh NFC North, uh I gave him a C. If that the Lions picked up uh Kenya Sadiq, the tight end, who ran a 4-3-6. I can see that. No, not not the Lions, the no, the Lions didn't get him. Uh they got uh Blake Miller, the big tackle from Utah, excuse me. And uh, you know, I like what they did there as far as going with Panasu, Blake Miller, the number one tackle. Um I I really don't like what the Vikings did, man. You know, I I they had a chance to do some things and they just didn't get it done, man. You know, uh they're still hanging their hat on JK McCarthy, if you will, even though they signed uh Kyler Murray. You know, I I I I just don't like what the Vikings did. Now, um Green Bay Packer was a disappointment. You know, I thought they could have did more as far as addressing their serious needs on the line and and and uh defense, you know. Remember they lost Quay Walker and uh excuse me, they didn't lose they acquired Quay Walker and uh the other one, I forget his name. Um but d that's neither here nor there. Uh excuse me. Okay, so we did the NFC East, NFC South, and uh you know, NC North. AFC, let's start with the West, where your Chargers reside, Marlon. Oh, we we didn't do the NFC West. That's right. We didn't do the NFC West. Mike, I don't know what's going on with you Rams trying to win the bowl this year. You picked a quarterback that might not only help you this year, but next year too, and Ty Simpson. I gave the whole division a C, and I was being generous based on the fact that Seahawks got today and price, the running back, to replace uh the running back that they lost, Walker. I I I'm sorry, Mike, I love you, but I gotta give you, and I'm not buying the coach what he had to say. But neither the GM. But I I gotta give you a D, brother. You know, you're trying to win the bowl. Omar Cooper was right there for the ha for you for the taking. You didn't go in that divis that that um you know direction. I like what the Seahawks did. You know, the 49ers, they traded out of the first round. Another team that needed a receiver, like Omar Cooper, they they they left. And uh, you know, it's I just think as a whole, the division was pretty much a letdown, you know, as far as, you know, NFC West. But we'll move on. AFC West, smiling, the Chargers. Um, you know, Keen Mesidore I like. I like what he brings as an edge rusher, you know, out of Miami. I liked what the Raiders did. I give them an A because they they attracts that the first pick attract. How can you screw that up? It is Raiders. But Fernando Mendoza just won the ball uh the Nash Daddy, yes, uh, good arm string, not LAS, Mike and Marlin, but he got he can make all the throws now. So and he's a little more athletic than people think. I like what the Raiders did. Kansas City Chiefs, they traded up to get Mansur Delane, the cornerback from LSU. I like what they did as far as the Chiefs. And uh, you know, it is what it is, man. Denver, they didn't have a first-round draft pick, and you know, they're they're the only team that might bring the division now. You gotta base it on the fact that the coach there knows what he's doing. But, you know, they get they get a B based on the Raiders and the Chargers. AFC South, uh, I'll give them a uh also a B because I like what the Texans did, you know, getting that uh that um big defensive tackle. You know, I like what the excuse me, I'm getting hoarse here. Jacksonville didn't have a one, and neither did um Indy, but they addressed some needs, you know, that that is uh that's gonna help them down the road. The AFC East. Uh, here we go. The New York Jets. You gotta give them, you know, an A plus on David Bailey, Kenyon Sadiq, and also um you know, Omar Cooper went to the Jets. They traded back in the first round. And I think Aaron Glenn is trying to not only keep his job, but they're trying to win, you know, at least nine or ten games. Buffalo did nothing of note, fellas, for the sake of time. Uh Miami, you can argue that the Dolphins had a solid draft with Caden Proctor, the big tackle from uh Alabama, 6'7, 352 to protect uh Malik Willis, if you will. Uh, you know, Buffalo, and I'm disappointed in them. They could have had some things there, but they they didn't address the need. I know they got DJ Moore from the Bears and free agency, but Josh Allen needs help. And some of the picks were, you know, questionable at best. Um, let's see what we got here. We got the AFC and AFC. Did I say AFC North? Now this is a disgrace. The scalers, you know, they they was gonna pick Makai Lemon, fellas, and this was the buffoon of the draft. And uh the Philly jumped in front of him while he was on the phone with Makai Lemon. So they got egg on their face, if you will, the AFC North. And uh they got Mac and McIn uh tackle, which they probably needed, but you need another guy opposite DK Moore. I mean the DK Metcalf. Uh Baltimore, the Ravens, I like what they did. Uh getting the big guard from Penn State, the best pure offensive lineman in the draft, Mike and Moore. I like what they did. Cleveland helped himself with multiple picks in the first round. The Browns, you know, uh Spencer Funnel, the big tackle from Utah. And then they also had uh KC Concepcion, I think it was. The big uh the wide receiver, uh AM, the 4-2 guy. So yeah, the Bengals didn't have a one. So wait a minute. Am I missing something? Did the Bengals have a one? Let me look here. No, they didn't. Not that I know of. Okay, no, they they traded their one uh to get Trey Henderson. You know, remember, they got Trey Henderson. No, they got they got the guy from the Giants. Yeah, the Giants. I got it all mixed up. They got the Giants nose tackled, gave up their tenth pick. Thank you, Marty.

SPEAKER_00

Yep.

SPEAKER_02

And uh, you know, it it is what it is, man. As a draft, you it wasn't sexy, but if you wanted to address needs, the top half of the draft, especially, it was right there. I think we covered the AFC East, AFC South, AFC North. Okay, yeah. Yeah, my uh, you know, so yeah, I hate that it's over. Um my wife's Raiders, Chargers, I already mentioned my Falcons. The Rams they're stacked, but they could have done a little bit better. I'm gonna let you weigh in on that, Mike, real quick, before we move on to the NDA. Yeah, you'll take.

NFC West Critique And AFC Winners

SPEAKER_01

Great job, Doc. I mean, it's amazing how you can break down this whole of these guys. I mean, NFL networking is bad of nothing on you. I mean, Dan Roloffski, all these guys, shocked all the way. But I was absolutely shocked. I was absolutely shocked about the I mean, what the hell? I look at myself, what do we do? We're fixed heizens and oh, was he on anybody's board? Do we I get it? Yeah, you need a quarterback eventually, but you're in it to win it this year. You got the Super Bowl so five, Staffords probably is last year. You know, do what you need to do. I'm not for sure they go like receiver. You know, Lemon, USC right down the street. Let's need kids go there. And sure, he's been to the games. I think the son works in the athletic department, I read. So I don't know what happened there. Because face it, Doc. You know, you got Devante, who's great last year, but he's a year older. We know about Puka, what's going on there? It's been a little uneven off the field. So you got you got to have a little depth there and there. And I thought he'd be a good set, another receiver in there. But they didn't do that. And then I know, I I I I don't know what they're I know that Les knows the dad, like he's trying to tie some dads or something going on there, but you can't pull him in. I mean, McVeigh looked miserable at night. Then he tried to spin it like respect for Stafford and this. I don't know what that pick was. It's not gonna do you any good right now. And he might be good, who knows? That's not what they need, but then he ended up Jimmy T coming back. So it was a very strange pick, no doubt about it. So we'll see how this all turns out. And these other guys, tight end here, what do they get, another guard or something? I mean, I guess they felt some needs. You're not quite sure how this is all gonna turn out, you know, with these draft guys. We never knew Puka would be like this, did we? You know, so you really don't know, but uh I gotta trust them. It's a it's a hell of a front office, you know. They got one Super Bowl. Like thought they'd go in another one last year, but they know what they're doing, so we'll decide to see how all it goes, you know.

SPEAKER_02

Yeah, yeah. And real quick, Mike and Marlin, my offensive rookie the year way too early, like a buffoon that I am, a geek. You know, I'm I'm taking Jeremiah Love and I'm going chalk because he's gonna get the rock for Arizona. He's gonna get the rock. He can catch Amron. And on defense, you know, I'm gonna go Sonny Styles for Washington. You know, it could be easy to go David Bailey or Arville Riz, but Sonny Styles is gonna start from day one. He plays in the middle, and he's gonna make a lot of tackles. They might put some packages in for Dan Quinn to help Styles get a four and a half or five sacks. He's not gonna be a double-digit guy because he's in like an inside linebacker type. So there you go. Jeremiah Love on offense and Sonny Styles on defense. So now there goes our draft drawing.

SPEAKER_03

On that one, with love, I almost think it could be another version of what we saw last year with um with Aston Fimpty with the Raiders, where he's he's getting the ball here and there. He maybe scoring a couple times, but he's just on a bad team. And yeah, we'll see what now the Raiders obviously had a lot more rounds that they beefed up offensive line, getting the best center, uh, and for agency, obviously Mandela uh softy. If the Raiders can do a little more with 50, I think the Raiders they upgraded in for they're gonna be bad for only so much before they figure it out or at least try to be halfway decent and somewhat competitive, especially in the in the division. So um, but yeah, we'll see what Love does. But I I almost kind of challenge you to look at it as if we just could see another version of what we saw last year with Genty with the Raiders.

SPEAKER_02

Well, that's a good point there, Marlon. I'm glad you brought that up. But he is a little bit more explosive than Jeremiah Love. I mean, then uh Ashton Genty, if you will, because the 4-3 speed, possibly 4-2-9, whatever it is, I don't think Genty can run that. He's a 4-4 guy. But it goes noted, man. And remember, Arizona has some weapons with Marvin Harrison Jr. and an all-pro tight end, whose name escapes me, not many people don't know about. Um yeah, McBride, Trey McBride. But yeah, yeah, that's a good point. Relative to, I just think you can put this guy in a slot in Arizona. He can play receiver, he could run, you know. He's not limited to just running back like Ashton Genty. To your point, you know, the Raiders did add uh Mike Washington ran a 4-3-3, the fastest running back time this year out of Arkansas at 6 feet, 223. So this year's version of the Raiders in the backfield, on that alone, it's going to be upgraded. Thunder and lightning, if you will. But yeah, it goes lower, man. You're right. That's an excellent analysis. But I just think love and the packages they can put him in is more explosive and more versatile than Genty. But good point.

SPEAKER_01

You guys shocked love went that high, though. We haven't seen a running back go that high, right? Doc and yes. You know, oh absolutely.

Rams Draft Shock And Rookie Picks

SPEAKER_02

Yeah, Mike, I was. I had them getting David Bailey, the edge. I did. I had them getting David Bailey, the edge rusher, and one of my mocks, you know. I did several. But uh, they wanted to go put fannies in the seats. And and you're gonna watch. You're gonna watch the Cardinals. You're gonna i i nationwide people are gonna watch the no today running back. Whereas the non-sexy peak, Arvo Reese or David Bailey, nobody's really gonna watch the Cardinals for that. So yeah, I give him credit. They're on record, Jeremiah Love. I got him getting 1,200 yards, but Marlon makes a good point. I just think he can make his own moves in space, Marlon. Where Ashton Jetty's more of a power guy, just enough speed. Love is explosive. So, yeah, there you go.

SPEAKER_03

Okay, all right. So on to uh some NBA. Mike, I'll go I'll go ahead and let you start on this one. So I'll do a recap of the first round. Uh you can speak uh whatever you want to talk about. So uh so all right, so Eastern Conference, um the Troy uh and the magic, surprisingly, is the eight seed. Today I'm going to set in the Troy. Uh, Lakers and GameSticks with Ron and Cool Claim Alive, and we didn't know if if we could pull it out in uh in Houston and Game Sticks, but we did. So we advanced uh, so that's something that I think everybody would love. Uh September was advanced and then the first advanced 4-1 in that one. So, Mike, I'll go ahead and let you start on this one. What were your thoughts uh on overall on uh this first round of the NBA playoffs?

SPEAKER_01

Oh, that it was interesting, right? I mean, you you kind of started off with Orlando Detroit. I mean I mean, have we seen I'm gonna just go right to what game game six, right? When Orlando were like they missed 20 23 straight shots. That's that's unbelievable. I mean, 23. It was it was incredible. They had the Pistons on the ropes, and it looked like that was gonna be it. And then sure enough, they throw them missing shot after shot, and that was it, and then the Pistons won it at seven. That's a terrible loss. That's that's awful for the magic. And you know, in their history, remember the you remember Nick Anderson and those missed free throws in the finals and all that?

SPEAKER_00

Yes, so good.

SPEAKER_01

I was like, this is their worst moment, maybe now. Or maybe not next to Nick, but that was awful. And you kind of figured, you know, it's look, it's great to see, it's it's great to see the Celtics lose. Marlins, we know, as Lakers fans, we'd love to see that. Sixers had a hell of a comeback and Odo Tatum in game seven. So Sixers took care of it. And uh, you know, our Lakers, listen, I mean, I didn't panic. I mean, we lost those two, but if you would have told me before the series that we'd be, let's say, up three, two with all the injuries and Lodluca and Austin was kind of iffy, and he came back, and then you know, I thought, you know, we could take care of it. I thought LeBron would come in and exert as well. That's exactly what he did. And the Rockets are a mess. They really are. Their offenses is terrible. I mean, I don't know what they're running after. There's five guys running around and putting up some shots. So the Lakers took care of it. And uh Toronto, that was a good series. I mean, Toronto, they did a nice job, but they ran out of gas in game seven. That's another team. They had a lead and they couldn't make a shot. They just couldn't shoot. A lot of these teams just can't shoot, Marlon. That's the problem. I mean, some of the shooting is horrendous. Even the Rockets missed like, I think, 14 in a row in the Lakers game the other night. Yeah, it just sound like the old days, Doc. You know, guys like swishing them through, you know. That's right. Yeah.

SPEAKER_02

Downtown Freddie Brown, all that. Yeah. Yep, all that kind of show. Well, Marlon, uh it it's been an interesting postseason. If you're a Hawks fan, you were hoping for the best, but you knew eventually, even up to one that the real would happen. I didn't expect to get smoked in game six at the house in cr in Atlanta. But you got to get the Knicks credit. Now, as far as um Minnesota, you know, you have to be somewhat stunned because Edwards had a knee injury and they was not operating at true form, and yet they took it to Denver and won that series, and now they won game one last night on the road against San Antonio. Relative to the Lakers, both of you had to be extremely happy that most people thought you were going to get a gentleman's sweep or one game or nothing. You ended up winning the whole thing, you know, uh uh in six games and routed him in game six. The game five massacre at home, I don't understand, but you won it all. You won that series against Durant. Durant's garbage, by the way. He's uh he's great, he's great all-timer, but you you gotta wrap that thing up or shoot it up and get out there and help your team. You saw Edwards playing on one leg last night. I understand Durant. As far as Boston, that's devastating. Everybody has them in the finals, not the Easter finals, the finals. And here they are shooting threes and missing at the crib. And they just blew that series, man, to Philly. Embiid came back from injuries, and I used to be criticizing Embiid, but he he brought he brought it, man. Now, not last night, notwithstanding, I like the seven to six team with Maxi and Ubre and the rookie edge comp. But they just ran into a buzz all last night because they had a brutal seven-game thing with Boston. But you got to be shocked that Celtics are out. You have to be. You know, even though you guys are Lakers fans, you know, it's just one of those things everybody knew the Knicks would play Celtics. Uh, who am I missing? Okay. Yeah, they did what they did to Phoenix. But yeah, go ahead, Mike. Yeah, my.

SPEAKER_01

By the way. First time they ever blew a free one Phoenix. That's crazy to think. All those good teams. So that was just wild.

SPEAKER_03

Now, if you're if you if you're the organization, do you just say Tatum is just that much more valuable than Jalen Brown? Do we kind of figure out how we navigate through that contract situation when you got two max guys there? Uh the fact that it couldn't go down at home for 10.7 against the 20.76? I mean, it's 101. I think they're they're starting 30 together. Only like 20 something. Uh the leadable 1560 and 154. So the the 10 was definitely beatable. Um but the stuff to start. I don't know. I think four states comes back earlier. Earlier than there's uh And the final five and that's that's that's that's a lot of I don't know. I gotta figure out because we're only gonna have something here with uh young titles around and somebody's gonna keep around. Uh I mean it's the east. We're not talking about the West. This is the East. This is the easiest matchup, the easiest path to get to the finals. I mean, the the first is with game seven against the Magic. The 80s. Yeah. So it's uh I I don't know. Yeah, go ahead.

SPEAKER_02

You brought up a good point here, Marlon. Uh that that the non-Achilles injury, that those those Achilles things on an off-leg because you're trying to overcompensate is kind of a scary thing. But as you referenced brilliantly, they were winning without them all year, you know, 56 or 57 game, whatever the case may be, and yet they rushed them back. You can't rush Mother Nature. So I guess they want to be careful, but still they lost at the crib, man. You grew all the Bill Russell teams, Mike, you know, John Hamlet, third, Mikhail and Paris. So no, they never blew a 3-1 lead. So this is especially painful that you and and the 76ers are beat up, you know. MB wasn't totally healthy, but go ahead.

SPEAKER_01

No, I was gonna say though, I mean Tatum's a great player. There's no question about it. He's uh I mean I would say, I mean, overall, I think Tatum's better than Jalen. Jalen's great too, but Tatum's out of the game. So with him out, and you know, guys, I mean, listen, when you have your main guy out in really in basketball, it's tough to win. It really is in a big game, right? Look at the legs and old Luca, right? I mean, it's just, you know, we can go down the list all the years, guys without key players. So I can have the legs without magic and Byron Scott in 89 finals, you know, we're just right. That's right. Once magic goes, you're done. So once Tatum, now listen, I'm gonna give the Sixers credit, though. I mean, Julie's a hell of a player. I mean, when he's okay, now he's not okay a lot, but he's a very talented big man. And then Al Jordan gave him something, and Maxie's a hell of a player. Edge code, they got a nice squad there when they're all together, which haven't been together. So they got hot. They got hot at the end and took it. Now they got killed the other night, but that was a tough game against the Knicks. You know, they came off a Saturday night game when I played Monday. But uh, yeah, the Celtics, I don't know. You know, they're they're kind of a three-point shooting team a lot. So listen, good they're out. Marlon, all I know is I I do scoreboard. They got 18 titles, the Lakers got 17. So when they're out, that's another year they can't win, which is fine with me.

SPEAKER_00

Absolutely.

SPEAKER_01

When they're getting close to winning, I don't like it. So it's it's all good to me that they're out.

SPEAKER_02

And uh so the NBA, the NBA needs the Lakers to do good. Then before we move on, Marlon, I know you want to have your input on it because this isn't this is big boy basketball now. As bad as my hawks look and losing by 49 or down at one point one and one to 40, the Orlando magic as you referenced, Martin. You know, you're up 3-1. You can't collapse at the crib in Orlando when you're up by 24 and then go out and gain seven, lay an egg. That's why they fired the coach, man. And they're talented, Mike. They got Suggs, you know, they got Buckero. So Orlando, to me, you know, I feel bad for the coach because he did take him to the playoffs three straight years, but that's a total collapse, man. That's a total collapse. And you got to give Detroit credit, you know. Uh uh, you know, Kay Cunningham is one of one. He's that guy. You saw that today, they won. But it's one of those things where you never give up a 3-1 lead if you're a young team with young legs losing game six at home when you're up 24. You know. Jesus. God bless Orlando, though. But go ahead, Marlon. I'm sorry. Yeah, go ahead, Mike. I'm sorry.

SPEAKER_01

No, no, go ahead. I was just saying it's incredible that happened. But yeah, yeah, Marlon.

Second Round Picks And Finals Paths

SPEAKER_03

Yep. All right. So uh as it stands now, uh Lakers and uh Lakers Thunder. That game's going on right now. Lakers are uh pretty much within about 10 points uh in game one. Minnesota beat the Spurs, upset the Spurs. So the Minnesota's up 1-0. Detroit's up 1-0 against the Cavs, and the Knicks are up 1-0 against the 76ers. So, Mike, I'll go ahead and start with you on this one. Uh who are your uh what's your finals predictions at this point? Oh, the finals? Finals, finals.

SPEAKER_01

No, no, your final prediction for the series. Oh, final prediction for each series? Okay. Uh well listen, the lay let's throw up the Lakers. Listen, I mean, you know, it's funny. I was thinking about this Lakers. I'd never seen them such a decided underdog, maybe ever. Because every series of Lakers in the playoffs, usually they're gonna be the favorite or close to it, right? It's just been their history. That's right. But for them, everybody's like, oh, they're and they very well could be done. I mean, Oklahoma City is a hell of a team. They just run great schemes, they're always moving, guys could score interchangeable, they're the champs. So no one's expecting the Lakers to win. I don't expect them to win either. Now, if we can get a couple games great, but you know what? Go out there and play. And they had a decent first half here. They got within five, now they're down eight. So who knows? I mean, LeBron can try to do it at 41. So you got to figure Oklahoma City. I think Minnesota can pull the upset. I don't know what it is. It's a feisty team, they're kind of a tough team, right? With Edwards, you know, the way you know athletes tough, right? And you know, just what they get from uh, you know, Julius and then you know, Rudy. They're tough. And San Antonio has not been there before. You know, they're new to us, and it's always like you've got to be your dudes in the NBA to me. Good point. Guys, you have to work your way up to winning. We've seen it with all these teams over the years. So I can see Minnesota doing, you know, winning it. I could see uh what do we got? We got the East, uh Cleveland, Cleveland. I think that Cleveland, that'll be a good series, Cleveland, Detroit. I think that's a big tough one back and forth, it'd be gritty, Midwest, whatever. Detroit, and then I think the Knicks are just hot. Doc, I mean, you know it. I I I almost wanted to uh oh my god, send my condolences after that game. It was just so terrible. The box it was just so awful, but the Knicks are just hot right now. They're just on a bowl, everyone's playing well. So I think they might have a little too much for for the Sixers. But you never know, right? It could be different way. So I could see a Knicks OKC final. How's that?

SPEAKER_02

It's entertaining. I can't argue with anything Mike and Rosie said, Marlon, relative to that. For sake of time, it looked like the Knicks are gonna come out the East. If OKC might come out the west, I thought San Antonio, you know, would do their thing at home with the big man, Wendy Yama. He did have 11 blocks, but something about, as Mike referenced, you know, and then that number one for Minnesota. I don't know, he can he just go to the right. He plays Venice Beach Ball, speed. I don't know, know who he is, you know, but that number one that compliments Edwards and Gobernace a shout out because he did the thing on Joker and now he's doing it on uh Wimby. Um, I I I just think that uh you're right, Mike. I have no argument there. It's gonna be interesting, you know. And uh it's one of the this ain't Toronto. You play in Detroit now, you know. So, you know, it's one of those things with Kate Cunningham and the other their supporting cast. Yeah, they're doing the thing, man. You gotta give it up the bicker staff in in Detroit, you know. They came back from death's door, you know. And I love chaos, you know, but they did it. Road Cave. That's why I used to first speak in the draft that particular year. But go ahead, Marty.

Greatest NBA Playoff Series Ever

SPEAKER_03

Yeah, absolutely. Okay, so yeah. All right. Um, so of course, does if if Mike is on, we're doing some sort of history with Mike and Doc. With them, they go back to the 30s. Uh they can they can break down uh the the 30s.

SPEAKER_01

Doc and I run around and doc drive.

SPEAKER_03

Uh they they take it they take it way back. So all right, so so my history question for you guys. I know you guys have watched a lot of basketball uh over the course of you know decades and decades and decades. So if you guys can think of your uh I guess you could say the best theories that you guys have seen in the NBA playoffs. Uh I mean obviously we can talk about you know, Jordan, Magic, Lakers, LeBron, Kobe, all that stuff. So um, Mike, I'll go ahead and start with you on this one. If you could just give me your top three playoff series that you've seen, what would it be?

SPEAKER_01

You know, that's uh I saw your question, but I thought that I can I can pick all Lakers series, and you really can because there's just a good one. So I'm gonna give you one right off the bat, Doc. You're gonna know this one. Yeah. The 76 the 77 Blazer Sixers finals, Marlon, was a hell of a series, right? It was Bill Walton, my guy Bill, Mo Lucas, Dr. J McGuinness. It was this back and forth. Now it won six games, but what made it interesting was the last game in Portland, and the crowd was just extremely hyped. It was a great game, and remember the six and the Blazers won it. And all of a sudden, everybody's just on the court. Walton's shirt's off, he's swinging it around, the crowd's going. And CBS actually went right to golf after that. They didn't do a post-game show back in the day. They went to the golf tournament. Went right to the golf, yeah. And that Blazer team, Marley, I think, is one of the greatest teams ever. Now, it was because you had, you know, you had Walton, you had Lucas, you had Bob Gross, Twortzick, and uh, I think I'm a oh yeah, Livel Hollins. You know Livell Doc. Yeah, yeah, Lionel Hollins. Maurice Lucas was my guy. Yeah. Jack Ramsey, Oaken, Dr. Jack Doctor. That's right. Walton was almost perfect that year. He was absolutely incredible. So I'm going to take that series. Now, in terms of the other two, listen, I got to go 85 Lakers Celtics because that's when the Lakers finally beat the Celtics in the finals. And Marlin, this one, they got killed on the first game. Memorial Day Massacre, they called it. They said crease too old, the Lakers like awful. I thought the score was like 138 to 101 or something in Boston. And they came back and won the series. And what made it interesting was they're up 3-2. They went to Boston for game six, right? Six and seven. Yeah. Matt just told the team, just bring one set of clothes. We don't need two. We're ending this in six. So nobody dressed for two nights. Bring your suit, bring your coat, that's it. And they went out and won it. I remember watching that game, Doc, my dad, and Orange County in the living room, or Packer Bell set and the Lakers and Creeds going down the court with his hands in the air, and they finally beat the Celtics. It was so incredible. And then a couple years later, the 87 team was incredible too. They beat the Celtics. But that 88 finals against the Pistons, another great series, Marlon. Incredible series. Rodman, Worthy. It was just incredible. So I probably gave you four, but that's okay. But any of the there's so many great series. And Doc, you can probably go Phoenix, Celtics, and 76 with Gar Heard double overtime or jump overtime. There's a great one. But the Lakers are top in a lot of them. Put it that way, Marlon.

SPEAKER_02

I'll just do that. Yeah. Well, that's a good analysis, there, Martin. That's some history, brother. Yeah, going way back. I gotta start with the uh with Jordan's Bulls versus Charles Barkley's Phoenix Sons. That was a war. Both those teams won on the other team's court consistently. Barkley was the MVP in '93 that year. You know, Dan Marley, you know, um, you know, Kevin Johnson, those cats, Mark Bryant going against Jordan and Pippen and Grant. That was a great series, man. And to this day, Barkley hates that he lost to Jordan in that series, man. Jordan came back in game seven and just did the thing, man. And Phoenix, I think it was. Because Phoenix had a great record that year. That was a war. And then, of course, you know, you you can say that Jordan against Utah Jazz with Carmelone and Stockton, and they had Thurrell Bailey, those cats against Jordan in '98, Jordan's last title. That was all Kyrie Russell. Wasn't it Russell? Yeah, Byron Russell. Yeah, yeah. Jordan, Jordan did push off slightly, but he did push off. That was a great series, man. Because the Jazz should have won that one. And then, of course, you know, the um Laker and Shaq and Kobe and them, uh, not the finals. I want to talk about Sacramento when they had Weber and Bibby Jr. You know, that Sac semi was, yeah, that that was a seven-game war with Kobe and Shaq. I don't forget, was it the second title or the third? But Weber and them, they should have won, man. They should have won. They had Dvock, Weber, you know, and and and uh it was a heataloo. Yeah, Bibby, and then and and Shaq and Shaq. That was an excellent series. People forget how good Sacramento was during that one year. Weber was a machine, you know, and but Shaq and Kobe, I think it went six or seven. I think it might have even went seven. And uh Shaq and Kobe, I want to say it was their second title, not the first, and it wasn't the third, but second title. When uh it wasn't even was it the Western Conference Finals? I think it was. Yeah, Western Conference Final.

SPEAKER_01

Don't forget about Big Shot Bob, too, right? Yeah, Big Shot Bob. One of the seven rings he won three with the Lakers.

SPEAKER_02

That's right.

SPEAKER_01

That's that's a good theory, Doc.

SPEAKER_02

Very good. Yeah, the people forget. Lakers were dominant, but they were pushed to the edge against uh, you know, uh, you know, Weber and M and all that. Now you can mention, Marlon, you and for 3A, the Knicks versus Reggie Miller's Pacers, you know, uh when uh Reggie did the choke sign. I don't know how they lost to the Knicks that year. And that's the year Jordan didn't play. The Knicks went to the finals and Ewing missed the layup against Houston. But that thing went seven with Dale Davis and the other Davis and Reggie Miller and Rick Smith against Ewing, Starks, Mason, and Oakley. That was an excellent, brutal war. So I gave you four, I know you have some three, but there's just so many, Mona. You know, they'll stick out. That was a great Eastern Conference battle between Reggie and Ewing. But yeah, go ahead.

SPEAKER_03

Yeah, I'm I'm gonna I'm gonna look up a couple of them really quick right now. Um I I you can go back to me personally, I love some of the ones where the Lakers and the Nuggets, when we went up against uh like Kobe, the the Kobe era post jack, or we're going up against um you know Carmelo and uh you know Nora and um just uh Alan Iverson, Thompson Billups, like all those guys were playing there. That was always a good series. Uh you guys may remember this one. Uh Celtics and the Sixers, 1981 Eastern Conference Finals.

SPEAKER_02

So that was Oh yeah, yeah. Oh yeah. Dr. J. Andrew Tony. Yeah.

SPEAKER_01

Andrew. He was incredible. Bobby Jones, Bobby Jones, Biggie. They played him three finals. Three and four. They played him 70, they played him in 80, 82, and 83. The Likers took care of them in 80 you know, 80 magic played center in one game, you know, game six. That's right, they did. 42 is 15. 42 and Jamal at 37, then 82 they wanted the Sixers in '83 were so good with Moses Malone. They just dominated. Yeah, yeah, they just dominated. And Moses dominated Kareem. I mean, he really did. He was a fantastic player. But I have to say, Marl, one series in those other rounds you talked about with Shaq and Kobe, the 2000 Western Finals, their first one against Portland.

SPEAKER_03

Portland. Oh, yeah.

SPEAKER_01

That that Ali oop. The Ali oof. Yeah, because we were Lakers were down like 15 to start the fourth, late third.

SPEAKER_00

Yeah at Staple.

SPEAKER_01

Oh my God, are they going to lose the series to Portland? And this is Phil's first year with the Lakers, right? And you thought, Chat, Cody, this is it. We hit the team together. Glenn Minnet writes everybody, and you know, and they came back, and you're right, the alleyopa, and that were they're off and running towards three. But they said if they would have lost that game, they might have broken the whole thing up because they couldn't even win it the first year. So thank you. Was that Rasheed Wallace on that team? I know Jerome Kersey, Kevin Duckworth.

SPEAKER_02

Yeah. Jerome Kercy, Kevin Duckworth.

SPEAKER_01

That was she. No, those guys were more in the 90s. Duckworth and those guys. Oh, yeah. That's right. That was like that era when Drexler and those guys played my best final.

SPEAKER_02

Good point.

SPEAKER_01

But those Blazers also had um Damon Stodemeyer. Damon Stodemeyer. That's right. They were talented. Oh man.

SPEAKER_02

Yes, he was.

SPEAKER_03

Oh, I remember that. Yeah. Second state. Yeah. And then the last one I got for you guys, uh, the Bulls and Knicks 1993 Eastern Conference Finals, uh, where New York went up. New York went up 2-0, and then Chicago came back and won four straight.

SPEAKER_01

So that was a Carl Smith in that. Something, one of those series there was like a couple of shots that didn't go the Knicks' way, and they lost and just killing someone. Yeah, they felt like they had a team that's big enough to beat the net to beat the Bulls and they could never get by him with Michael.

SPEAKER_02

Never could buy it.

SPEAKER_01

You know, Starley. He couldn't beat the Rockets, though. Yeah, they couldn't beat the Rockets.

SPEAKER_02

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01

34 and 5, though.

SPEAKER_02

Yeah, Keem Alonjuan had the number. Ewing missed that layup though, man, late in one of those Rocket games. But that's a good one you brought up. Yeah. Yeah, man. Uh remember Jordan dunked on Ewing. Was it that series I'm thinking about? Jordan did reverse and dunked on Ewing. I think that's the one you're talking about, Marlon. Those Knicks bullshit. Yeah, that's a good one, Marlon.

SPEAKER_03

Yep. When we we can go on uh all day because we can we could talk about Detroit, the the Pistons and the Lakers in 04. Uh we could talk about the 76 Celtics and Phoenix Suns. Um, you know, that's right.

SPEAKER_01

You know, they got through her, Marlon, that game in triple overtime. Triple Hurt one second. Tablet check Tablet check, yeah. But the Suns lost the series. The Celtics won end up winning the series.

SPEAKER_02

They did, yes. Did they win the title that year in 76? Who won it that year? Celtics. Celtics won it all. That's right. They beat the Suns.

SPEAKER_01

The Phoenix and beat them. Yeah.

SPEAKER_02

And then in 77, that's when uh Portland did 78 was the uh I believe it was the Seattle Super Sun. No, it was the West I think. Sonics and the Bulls. Yeah. The Bullets won in 79 and Sonics in 78. You know, uh Jack Sigma, you know, uh uh DJ Johnson, Dennis Johnson was on that team, Gus Williams, you know, downtown Freddie Brown. And then I had my game at the West Sunset. West Sunstelled Kevin Greavy and Danish, they won it in 79. That's right. They played two years in a row. That's right, and then 80. Yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_01

Downtown Freddie Brown was Steph Curry before Steph Curry. He was a terrible shooter. Downtown that guy can he just came in and shot the ball.

SPEAKER_02

Lenny Wilkins. Yeah. Shoot. Yeah, all of it. Oh my god, Mike. Lonnie, Lonnie Shelton. Lonnie Shelton like this. Oh my goodness is good stuff.

SPEAKER_03

The last one before we get to a little hockey, Mike, one one that I hated the most was in 2008 when Boston ended up beating us, and it was just it was hard to watch. But yeah, I mean that Rondo, Allen, Pierce, Garnett, and Kobe was Kobe didn't have any help. You know, it was it was just him. I don't know.

SPEAKER_01

That was the wheelchair series, right? Paul Pierce in the wheelchair, remember? Yeah, yeah. Come on, give me a break, Paul. Yeah, that's the wheelchair series. Yeah. That was a rough series. I heard that was first because we had a big lead, we blew the lead. But then we got it back in 2010. Yeah, 2001 was a hell that game seven was crazy.

SPEAKER_02

Like or because it wasn't necessarily Kobe, it was Ron Artes that made that layup.

SPEAKER_01

He did everything else. He doesn't the ball wouldn't go in for him. That's right.

SPEAKER_02

He sure didn't.

SPEAKER_01

Fisher was on that team.

SPEAKER_02

Yeah. Yeah. Fisher?

SPEAKER_03

Yeah.

NHL Playoffs And Ducks Return

SPEAKER_02

That's right. Okay.

SPEAKER_03

All right. So uh so real quick, Mike, before we go ahead and go to baseball, uh some updates on uh some hockey right now. I know we haven't talked hockey uh in a couple of uh weeks. Um what are your thoughts right now on the NHL playoffs thus far, Mike?

SPEAKER_01

Well, for me, you know, listen, I mean, I'm not like big ant where I'm studying every blue line and red line and losing goal. But the ducks be back to playoffs out here, Marlon, is uh exciting. It's been nine years, you know, since they they've been in the playoffs, I think eight since they won the round. I mean, it's it's been a while. So they had a really good year, and uh, you know, they ended kind of poorly. But they have a lot of good Leo Carlson, and they got a new coach Quinnville who coached the Blackhawks the three titles. A lot of good young talent, and they change everything around there with their GM and everything. And the crowds are nuts now. I mean, people they've always liked the Ducks here, right? When they came here in ninety three, but they're kind of and they still drew, but now it's like people are going crazy. The tickets for these playoff games are like thousand bucks or something. People are just going nuts. The crowd, if you've seen the crowds on TV, they're fantastic crowds at the Honda Center. So now they're playing, now they're playing Vegas. It was great being Edmonton because anytime you beat Edmonton, you know, the great Edmonton, all their history with Gretzky and Messier, and then now you got Connor McDavis. Yeah. Yeah, but they held up to one goal in the series because I don't think he's been healthy, but hey, it is what it is. Yeah, that was a great game six. Now they got the Vegas Knights. They lost last in a kind of a weird non-icing call, which they didn't call. But anyhow, that'll be a good series. So uh it's exciting, but Chad's Avalanche looked really good from what I could tell. Then on the other side, you got the Sabres. They haven't been in it forever. So they're in there. So there's some new blood in the playoffs, you know? Yeah, what happened to Boston, man?

SPEAKER_02

What happened to Boston, Mike? You know, Sabres. Yeah. Gosh. Wow.

SPEAKER_01

That Buffalo saw Shine, right? The Sabres. I mean, people are just happy to say. You know, Buffalo, they just can't between the Bills and the Sabers. I mean, someone has to win.

SPEAKER_02

Yeah, absolutely, brother. At least somebody in that city. Yeah, good point, man.

SPEAKER_01

Yeah, Montreal. Now they play Montreal, that'll be a good series. Buffalo, Montreal, that'll be a really good series. And I think Carolina's gonna win that series against the flyer. So it's exciting. Just more tennis. You know, the Ducks are in it, so definitely more in tune with it this year, you know? When one of your games you like is in it, so you start watching a little bit more. So it's kind of fun having the Lakers and the Ducks in it. You know, I got basketball, hockey, basketball hockey. We'll see how long it lasts, but it's kind of something going on every night, right, with the game.

SPEAKER_02

Who's to go, Mike? Is it Oveshkin? Is it Gretzky? Is it is it Mario Lemieux? Uh name names at the top of my head. Now you got Sid the Sid the Kid. Yeah, I Greski. Gretzky. Yeah, Gretzky. Oveskin's nice, Marlon. That I don't know too much, but Gretzky is the goat. He's a goat.

SPEAKER_01

He had like 90 goals one year or something crazy. He almost had 200 points. The dude was nuts. And he wasn't that big after, but he's so skillful. And I remember you went to the Kings and how big of a deal that was. Yeah. We had a squad, man. Marty McSaulley, uh, got to the finals in '93, but they have a good stick panel. Oh, it's crazy back then. Luke Robert Towns and Grisky. Yeah.

unknown

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01

We were calling the stuff you just king. Yeah. I didn't know the names. Yeah. Greske's the goal, Martin. Montreal has a one. Canada has not won a Stanley Cup since Montreal won in '93. That's crazy. Wow. Yeah, that's for the country.

SPEAKER_00

That's a lot of things.

SPEAKER_02

Greske won like five Great Cups, man, in Edmonton. Then he came to LA. He was sick with it. So I I know Mary Lamoux was big in Pittsburgh, Mike and Marlin, but and then you got Ovechkin. Gordy Howe. Oh my God, Mike. Oh my God. Woof. Martin. Great hockey talk. How about this, Marlon?

SPEAKER_01

Get out there or something.

MLB Padres Hope And Angels Misery

SPEAKER_02

Hockey? Who what?

SPEAKER_00

I love it.

SPEAKER_03

Okay. All right. Uh so the last thing before we get out of here, Mike. We'll do a little baseball mic. And I'm going to start with my Padres, Mike. And I'm I'm starting off with you. Yeah. Is this the year? For one, you you never give San Diego credit. Even, you know, my my charges were still somewhat of an extension of San Diego. But you never give San Diego as a whole sports credit. So to talk to give me some give me some love, Mike. We're not doing that bad. Give me some love on my Padres.

SPEAKER_01

I root for you, Marlon, because you know I don't like the Dodgers. So I root for you. I root for you. I've always liked the nothing as the podcast over years back. No, I can't remember Nate Colbert back in the day and Templeton. Gary Templeton was there. Dave Winfield. Was Alan Wiggins over there too? I want to say that. Alan Wiggins, Kurt Bavakwa. Kurt Bavakwa. Oh yeah, but LaSorda went nuts on Kurt. Kurt Bavakwa, Marlon played. He was he was a marginal guy, but he beat the Dodgers once. He didn't like a three, a Homer, and Tommy LaSorda on the postgame was just F-bomb. And he goes, I would send a limousine to pick up that F and blah blah blah. Yeah, Kurt Powakwa. He said he said he can't hit water if he fell out of a boat. You know, Tommy would go crazy about Kurt Pop. Yeah, all those guys. And you know, I mean Gwen and you got, you know, listen, especially you got a good team. Here's what I suggest, and I was saying this today, Marlon. This kind of ties with my angels. It's time for Trout to go. I can't take this. I mean, I'll just say it right now. I am so fed up with the Angels. I'm fed up with Hardy. I'm fed up with my state. It's just I'm miserable. It's so bad. And I'm just saying, Trout, he's so low to the damn thing. This is the year I think he's just saying, get me the hell out. I can't take anymore. Get me to the Padres. Because I live in Newport Beach. I can just drive down to San Diego for the games, not too far, and come home. It's not that location. If you got a guy like Trout Marlin, oh my God. You know, maybe one more move, but I know it's gonna happen.

SPEAKER_03

Now I got a question for you. How how different is this from him versus um shoot? Who's the guy that we just had a year ago? He's with the Mets now. I forget his name. Soto? Yeah. Oh, Soto? What what what would the difference be? I mean, they're both great players. I mean, I just don't think. No. The dude that's on the Mets. Is it one Soto? Yeah, one Toto, yes. So because you're saying what's the difference of Trout went there. Exactly.

SPEAKER_01

Exactly. I'll tell you the difference, Marlon. One's a good dude, one's a kind of a uh a head case. Trout is can't have a better teammate than Mike Trout. He puts his head down and plays, man. I feel so bad for the guy with the injuries, but I'm saying Doc, he's back this year. He's looking good. He's running well, hit well, doing all the trout things. Seems awful. But I'm saying if you got a guy like that, Marley, he's such a team player, man. He just makes everybody better and he's just beloved. Juan's a head case, let's face it. It's just a lot of attitude and this and that. Great player, but just maybe not the right thing. Now, I don't think it's gonna happen because the contract's been for Mike, like I said. But I'm just saying, though, it's it's you might you're there this year, and the Dodgers, you know, it's like they're so annoying because they'll lose a bunch of games. Make sure you know they're winning a few and everybody's getting excited, and showy's doing this crazy thing, but they're they're they're still the team that beats. Like, can you get can you get over the hump finally and beat these guys? I mean, enough.

SPEAKER_02

Seems to me Arizona and Colorado owns the Dodgers. I hope it's my brave, man. You know, we got the best record in baseball. Yeah. Yeah, let's do that. Because we got the best record in baseball now. We're losing to Seattle. But it's one of those things where I'm happy with Walt Weiss is what he's doing. I think the National League is wide open. I beg to differ with Dodger Land and all that, including my wife. They got two, two, two World Series in a row, and everybody gets up to beat them. No way should they be losing to Arizona and Colorado and the series and all that. You know, and all that. But that's baseball for you. Uh, you know, it it it goes noted, man. I love to see you. In the AL, in the American League, the Yankees seem like they're the class of the American League right now. Uh, looks like Judge does it by himself every year, and they don't even have Jerry Cole yet. But Chisholm, Chisholm and the other cats, you know, they're helping out Aaron Judge. I don't know where the hell Carlos Stanton, J. Carlos Stanton is. Stanton's always hurt. But he comes up big in the postseason, you know, so you know, I gotta go there. The A's, Mike. They're doing better than people think in Sacramento.

SPEAKER_01

Sacramento. Oh crazy there. Yeah, I see the Yankees coming out. I think I don't know. Everything Cleveland, Detroit, they're alright. The West doesn't look that great at all. Yeah, but Detroit just lost Scooby.

SPEAKER_02

He's out. He got some stuff in his elbow. So he he he's gonna be gone. And uh he was tripping with the contract and the world's baseball classic and all that. You read what you saw, you know. You know, uh the super agent is his agent. They should have had this thing done. Now he's out. Surgery.

SPEAKER_01

So that's a big time. That's a problem. I think Braves, Doddre's Cubs. How about Cubby's?

SPEAKER_02

The Cubbies. I love the Cubys. And it's sad the yeah, the Pirates uh scheme is a machine, the picture. Yeah, but the Pirates, man, they just don't have nothing to help them, man. They started out hot, and then Cubby's is taking over, and then you got the Cardinals who are playing good baseball. That's central. But I'm you're right. I I took the Cubbies prior to the season, champs Cubbies. We'll see. PCA, Crawford Armstrong is a machine, keeping out on that name on it, you know, PCA. Yeah.

unknown

Okay.

SPEAKER_02

Dancy Swanson.

SPEAKER_03

Yeah. Go ahead. Well, uh, Mike, I just I just peeked at the score. I I just peaked at the score, Mike. It's it looks like they're pulling away from us, so it's not.

SPEAKER_01

Yeah, we're down 15 now. Lakers are yeah, they've hung in there tonight, but OTC is a they're tough, man. It's a they're just a very well balanced just machine. You know, yeah, you gotta play a game. Yeah, man, it's pretty tough.

SPEAKER_02

But yeah, you you're dependent on Luke Connor to give you major minutes and and and play some loot. Luke. Right. That's absolutely a couple. For a big man Aiden, Aiden to me is oh he's he's garbage. Just turn the ball over right there, Aiden. You know. Hey, what's the year?

SPEAKER_01

Yeah, man, but he's very up and down. You're gonna get it. They're very up and down.

unknown

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01

This is this is looking, Marlon. We're not listening, that's it's not uh no one's got the Lakers uh win the series. Oh no.

SPEAKER_03

I I I told on last week's episode, uh uh I I said if we can win one game, I'll be happy. You know, the fact that we're sticking in it and we're hanging in it.

SPEAKER_02

I mean, let's just get flawed out. Yeah, I mean, just compete. I think you could get game three, you can get game three or four in LA. Yeah, maybe. Yeah, I think so. It's not gonna be a sweet. It's not gonna be a tweet.

Lakers Future And LeBron Decisions

SPEAKER_03

Now, Mike, the bigger question before, and then we'll shut this down after this question. Where do where does this team go next year? What does LeBron do? Where does he go? Does uh obviously you got Luca, you have AR, but what does this team look like starting training camp for 2026-2027?

SPEAKER_01

Your call might go. Wow. I said the LeBron thing is just hanging over their head. You know, it's like, when is this gonna end? But you see what he's still doing, right? Obviously, it's still play. But does he want to keep going? I don't know. I I'm trying to, because I saw a quote the other day, he's talking about I've been away from my family so long and this and that, and playing so many years, one of these daughter plays. His daughter plays volleyball now, you know, the other sense in Arizona. I mean, I guess he's got as long as he's still it's crazy his process, right? Because he you look at him, right? He's still like this physically fit guy doing incredible things. So he could still play, but is he wanting to leave LA, go to another team, uproom the family? I think he likes living out here. So maybe he'll give it another year, but then of course it's Austin and Luca, and he's not, you know, he's not the main guy anymore. But they're gonna, or they're gonna have to bring in someone else big if they want to compete for a title again. Why don't you freak here? Giannis. Why not Giannis? Comment on the note. Right, and you know the Lakers' history. When it's a great center, we win. You go back to Mike and Will and Kareem and Shaq, and you can put someone in front of CD. It always has a great big man. So if they can get someone to compliment Luca, and I think, right, you know, Giannis, but I don't know how you work that out. If you want to get that title, get that stuff, you got to bring someone else in to help. You have to have another big name somehow. And I don't know how we're gonna work out.

SPEAKER_02

Don't get it too. He he wants out of Milwaukee, man. He didn't know.

SPEAKER_01

When the chill LeBron situation is cleared up, what he's gonna do, what they're gonna do, we're kind of held, you know, we really don't know. So we have to wait till the offseason again.

SPEAKER_03

And and on top of that, financially too. Financially, what uh like what what's gonna be offered to him? Because I don't we we can't we don't have 50 million to give him for one. Two, will he be willing to take a pay cut? And if so, can't will he take a Brady type deal or something, or is he gonna try to squeeze for every penny he can, which at this point we don't have because the majority of our money is going to Luca and and a good chunk is going to AR. And we still have to have role players as well. So I I'm I'm very curious about what that what that bankroll or if you will, salary cap, whatever all that stuff is looking like, because uh we we gotta figure out how we can make it all work. But see, Doc, here's the thing. But here's the thing. If you're LeBron, for one, you get to decide wherever you want to go because you're you're a free agent at that point. So uh and at that realistically, your whole life, just like what Mike said, your whole life is in LA from your your son, your your daughter, family, house, your everything. Your business, yeah. So it would be a perfect story for him to go back, but it's it's just not realistic at this point in his career. Now, I I would love it because that could be an ending to a great story. I do think that Cleveland is it's really one piece away, and LeBron could be that piece. But nothing's out there in Cleveland for him at this point of his career.

SPEAKER_01

So he loves the drama, he loves a big stage, something big, you know, something he'll do. It's not gonna be small. I mean, does it New York? Does he go to Golden State to play with stuff? He and Seth or Clay, who knows? Does he stay? He seems to still enjoy it here, and he's been enjoying he's enjoyed this year. You know, he shouldn't really. You can see he's having a good time. He's on the bench and he's very wet, he's very together. Some years pass, he's kind of allupatized, but this year he's very much into the team. So maybe he comes back. But like you say, guys, the money. If it's if he's not gonna get that money, then the the he doesn't like need it, obviously, but still, he'd rather get I deserve it. I'll go somewhere else, or I'll just hang it up. Or it's a lot of ores, right? We just don't know.

SPEAKER_02

Yeah, I think we don't know. Does he does he shut it down and retire? He could. Does he do that?

SPEAKER_03

I I I don't see it. I don't see it now because when he goes through the preparers crazy. LeBron loves the attention and the limelight. He can act like he doesn't, but he loves it. You can if you want to be known as surpassing Jordan in all of these categories, except for titles, because he's never gonna pass him in titles, but everything else, he's basically passed Jordan at this point. If he hasn't, he will. He is going to do everything that he can. Huh? Yeah.

SPEAKER_01

Yeah. Okay. Because I heard someone said this too. They say he's going because he can just keep disting himself from everybody else in terms of scoring and everything. He wants to he wants to set it so far away no one can break it. Exactly. So that's part of his motivation, they keep going too.

SPEAKER_03

And and quite frankly, and realistically, you've got to think about your son too as well. Because if you leave, he's going to the G League, and and hopefully he makes the cut at the G League. For one. So if if you're gone, Bronny's out of there. For one. But two, I think.

SPEAKER_01

And he's actually looked a little better this year. I'll give Bronny credit. He's a good kid. He works hard. Yeah, he's never gonna be. I mean, he's a uh serviceable, but he's he's definitely he's he works at it. Yeah, right. Anyone else would never take him as a bronze kid, but I'm not gonna say he's a bear himself out there. Just when he's in there sometimes this year he's a hot dog. He's he's going to do he's going to do everything.

SPEAKER_03

He's gonna do everything that he can to make sure that he gets that retirement tour. That that when when he knows that it's his final career. He loves the attention. He's gonna do it. But also, too, just imagine how great that would be for people to go out and can you imagine him going back to Cleveland for the last time? That would be in that that's yeah, that would be insane from the the last time in Cleveland going back home for the outcome zero thing. You're right. He's not retiring this year. No. Everybody's for no, and on top of that, not really experiencing any major injuries. Like this is you can you gotta you want to leave on your own time, but you gotta keep this going. Right.

Schedule Talk And Closing

SPEAKER_02

All right, yeah. First dialogue, fellas.

SPEAKER_03

Yeah, this was great, Mike. Uh, yeah, we'll we'll definitely get you back on um soon. You know, we got uh OTAs and all that stuff that's getting ready to happen, training camp. Uh baseball season's about to be uh halfway mark, I think it's probably in about a month and a half or so. We're halfway through baseball. So yeah. Um stop break. Yeah, we're getting there. So okay. We're getting back on here. Yeah. All right, Mike. Last thing before anything, anything else we let you go on.

SPEAKER_01

You know, like huh? Go ahead. No, I'm just saying when your team's going bad like the Angels, you just want baseball to be over already. I mean, it's so bad. When it's so bad early on, you're like, I got five more months of this crap. You know, it's like baseball that wine. And when your team's not good, it is painful, Doc, as you know. Yeah, it is. Yeah. Yeah, we'll watch these guys. But you know what? I'm happy. I'm happy for you guys or one of your teams that you guys got good squads this year, so just beat the Duncan. One of you guys is just beat them. One of you two, I don't care who the hell it is. I don't care. You know, someone some would take them out. I can't see another title. I don't think weighted around gloating all.

SPEAKER_03

Also, the uh the schedule release is gonna be should be in a couple weeks or uh in in about a week and a half or so. So that's gonna be a huge episode as well. So we'll be on the lookout for that, and we'll have an episode breaking down uh uh all of the games and win losses and well I listen every week.

SPEAKER_01

You guys have a great show still. I'm an avid listener. I love every week. Every time you guys come on, your guests are great. Uh congrats to you, Marlon. You're you're like the Johnny Carson, you're like Arcinio, you're like Gletterman. You keep it all going good, Doc. Uh Marlon. Thank you. You like your building. You know, you uh guys do a great job.

SPEAKER_02

Appreciate it. Thank you. I appreciate it. We enjoyed it. Love you, man. Take care. Absolutely. All right, well, take care, man.

SPEAKER_03

All right, we'll catch you guys next week. Peace. Peace.