Myles Garrett to LA, AJ Brown to New England & Knicks-Spurs NBA Finals Preview

Two huge NFL trades dropped on the same day, and we're diving into both of them.

We start with the shocking move that sent Myles Garrett to the Rams and debate whether Cleveland actually got enough back in return. Then we get into the end of the AJ Brown saga as the star receiver officially heads to New England, what it means for the Patriots, and where he ranks among the greatest Eagles receivers ever.

After that, it's time for the NBA Finals. The Knicks are back on the biggest stage for the first time since 1999, while Victor Wembanyama and the Spurs are looking to start a new dynasty. We break down the biggest storylines, key matchups, X-factors, and make our picks for the series.

Timestamps:

00:00 Show Rundown and Kickoff
00:27 Myles Garrett to Rams Breakdown
08:11 AJ Brown to Patriots Fallout
17:07 Knicks vs Spurs Finals Preview

Who won the Myles Garrett trade? Did the Eagles make the right move with AJ Brown? And who are you picking to win the NBA Finals: Knicks or Spurs?

Transcript

Speaker 2 0:00

today on Big Game Energy, we have a jam-packed show for y'all. We have a NBA Finals preview between the Knicks and the Spurs. Two major NFL trades went down, one involving Myles Garrett, one involving A.J. Brown. We're going to react to those A lot of stuff to get to, James. What do you wanna start with?

Speaker 0:21

The biggest and the best sport in the world, football, dog.

Speaker 2 0:25

Yep.

Speaker 0:25

You know it.

Speaker 2 0:26

Football is king. Let's start with the first trade that happened today that really came out of nowhere. Myles Garrett is out of Cleveland. Myles Garrett has been freed. He is going to the Los Angeles Rams, and the trade package is a little bit soft in a lot of people's eyes, I would say, James. Oh, yeah? We have going to Cleveland, Jared Verse- a 2027 first-round pick- a 2028 second-round pick- and a 2029 third-round pick. So essentially, if you count Jared Verse as a first-round pick, you've got two firsts, a future second, and a future third, and Myles Garrett is going to the Los Angeles Rams. James, who won this trade?

Speaker 1:12

I usually like the teams who get more in the package, so outlier would say Cleveland. But- For the Rams to get a guy like Myles Garrett and what they've already done in the off-season with their defense, with getting, the cornerback from KC, I gotta go with the Rams because they got better on the defensive side. I know, yes, Jared Verse is a up and coming young guy who maybe has the potential of a Myles Garrett, but Myles Garrett has shown you these past... I'm not saying he would. It's just, it's the ceiling. Can he get there? Yeah. If you say no, that's fine.

Speaker 2 1:46

But- I don't see it.

Speaker 1:47

This team got decimated by the Seahawks the last two meetings. Seattle ran through them getting Myles Garrett. Of course, this is a two-year, three-year window, so why not? And I know we think about Matthew Stafford, and everyone didn't like the draft pick with Ty Simpson, but this team is loaded in all areas of, their team. I don't have a issue with them on running back, quarterback, receiver, defensive line corners. I guess really the worst position might be the punt return. This is a great trade for them because of the two-year, three-year window we have with Matthew Stafford. But at the end of the day, Myles Garrett, he's proven plus 10 sacks the last how many seasons in a row? And he dominated last year. He broke the record last year. I mean- Damn. So in my eye, I usually always say the team that gets the most is, is usually the winner, but it's the Browns, so they don't win. So let me get the Rams as the winner in this trade.

Speaker 2 2:42

Yeah, the Browns rarely come out on the better end of deals, but I actually gotta say I, at first I thought this was a straight up fleece. I couldn't believe it. I couldn't believe this is all he was going for, was three picks and Jared Verse. But then I started thinking more about, yes, Jared Verse, two years in the league, that means they've got three years left before he's a free agent. They have to really pay him a bag. So they got three years to figure out if he can break into the top 10 edge rushers in the entire NFL. By the way, that was a debate on Twitter I saw a lot today. He is comfortably outside of the top 10. I could name 10 edges much, much better than Jared Verse. But still- Oh, yeah sec- two years in the league, Defensive Rookie of the Year, couple Pro Bowls under his belt. He's a good player to get back in a return like this. But then I started thinking more and more about how everyone has already crowned the 2027 draft class as being an all-time one. And if you're the Cleveland Browns, you're expecting to be bad already this year- so you're gonna have a high pick with your own pick. This pick is not gonna be high. It's the Rams pick. It's gonna be in the back end of the first round. But maybe next year the Browns have a plan that with have- as much talent as the 2027 class has, they're gonna get their quarterback with their first pick, which should be in the top five somewhere. And then they'll have their second first round pick at the back end of the first round, and they'll get five years Of control of a really talented prospect, either on the offensive line, maybe they look for the heir apparent to Myles Garrett after they've traded him now. I really think, all things considered, that the Browns, I think they probably won this trade. But again, you mentioned it, the Rams aren't gonna be mad about this trade even a little bit- No. because you have Myles Garrett, arguably the best edge rusher of this generation, right?

Speaker 4:29

Yeah.

Speaker 2 4:29

Then you have top five cornerback Trent McDuffie, another cornerback that's solid in Jalen Watson. You got a bunch of linebackers that play good ball. They've got other depth on the defensive line, Kobe Turner- Byron Young. This is a defense that looks mean and nasty, and now you got people throwing out the idea of Aaron Donald coming out of retirement- to rejoin that team. And look, their odds jumped as high as, I saw 550 as a future- to win the Super Bowl right now is the highest I saw them get up to, with the second highest odds being at plus 1000. Rightfully so, the Rams look like a machine. And two-year window, this year and next year, I think we gotta see the Rams get a Super Bowl for this trade to be a win for them. Cause right now on the surface, I say it's a win for the Browns. Yeah. But they could still fumble that.

Speaker 5:17

Yeah. It wouldn't be the first time they fumbled anything. maybe something's cooking in Cleveland that we don't know. I feel so bad for Brock Purdy, Sam Darnold, and whoever decides to play quarterback for the Cardinals. So obviously we've seen Jared Ver is traded. That was actually a player that the Rams drafted with a first round pick. in the last 10 years, they've drafted, I think three players. I might be wrong on the number, but Jared Goff, who then they traded to Detroit, Jared Verse, who they then traded to Cleveland, and now it's Ty Simpson. Do you like this strategy between trading your first round picks for either qualified players, and even bonafide players? Like I remember Jalen Ramsey was on this squad, now we have Miles Garrett on this squad. They've been trading all these picks to get solidified talent for, those two, three year windows, but we only got one title out of all this. Do we f- how do we feel about trading picks versus building in the draft?

Speaker 2 6:13

I think there's been multiple years during this run for the Rams under Matthew Stafford and Sean McVay Where, yeah, they didn't get the championship that year, but they've been competitive in the NFC playoffs every single year. They're never an easy out whenever you go up against them. In fact, a lot of the teams that ended up winning the Super Bowl had to go through the Rams first. So that being said, I'm okay with it because Les Snead, Sean McVay have proven to be good finders and developers of talent in the later rounds. Trade that first-round pick. I like the F them picks mentality. F them picks. It works for them. Yeah. And I'll say this, going back to the Ty Simpson pick, everyone criticized it at the time. Now it really makes a lot more sense. And I saw some people saying it makes less sense now 'cause they coulda gotten even more all in and gotten Reuben Bane. They get their quarterback of the future now, and now they don't have a first-round pick in 2027 when all the really elite quarterbacks are coming out. They, and they've got their heir apparent for Matthew Stafford, and they're gonna get him seasoned, learning in the quarterback room under Matthew Stafford for at least one year, maybe two years- Mm-hmm before he's asked to play. That's an ideal situation. I think the Rams are playing a really good game of asset management chess- Mm-hmm and it's all come to a head with this Miles Garrett trade. And yeah, they're going all in. And look I don't wanna be chalky, but right now as it stands, June 1st, and a lot's gonna change- with my mentals and my evaluations, but right now I, I would have to go chalk and say I got the Rams winning the NFC.

Speaker 7:41

Last year that was my left field pick, and it almost went to the Super Bowl. But, thinking about where's the Super Bowl this year?

Speaker 2 7:47

Los Angeles.

Speaker 7:48

Okay, book them bad boys in. You know that's the only time they like showing up, is when it's in their home. They'll go there and they'll win. Hey, man, lock it in, man, as our chalk for June 1st. But you already know, week one, I'm changing my pick.

Speaker 2 8:02

Yeah, but y'all gotta let us know in the comments who won this trade between the Browns and the Rams. Who got the better end of it? Let us know down below. Now, it was not the only trade- Ooh that happened today, James, as the saga is finally over. A.J. Brown is finally a New England Patriot. He was traded to the New England Patriots for a 2027 fifth round pick and a 2028 first round pick, and I thought that was a very interesting trade compensation, James. I know you're an Eagles fan, I'm gonna let you have your piece in a second, but really good maneuvering on the Patriots' part not giving up that first round pick in the 2027 class, a class that scouts and analysts are already saying is gonna be one of the all-time great classes. Even before college football has even started, people are saying that. Yeah. So interesting compensation, but James, you're an Eagles fan. You've been dealing with this saga- for four years now. It finally comes to an end. Yeah. James, are you happy to see A.J. Brown gone?

Speaker 9:06

I'm not. I just, I think I'm watching too many of the videos now. People who edit these little clips and videos on X and TikTok, man, y'all do a great job, man. And then I'm in my feels because the guy actually showed up and, even though he was a drama queen, he showed up, man, and played to the best of his abilities. Unlike the last time we've had this situation, it was T.O., he's doing sit-ups in his driveway. At least A.J. didn't pull that stuff, and I think that's why I feel, a little sad that A.J.'s gone. But we saw the writing on the wall draft night. I didn't think we were drafting a wide receiver. I thought we were drafting right tackle, DN. And we ended up drafting Mekhi Lemon, and that was the writing on the wall saying, "Yep, A.J. Will be gone." But, you mentioned it. I thought we were gonna get a higher draft pick in the 2027 draft. I was thinking it was gonna be either a first or a second. But to get the first in the 2028 makes me only a little bit happy, just because I don't wanna say I'm wishing on A.J.'s downfall. But you gotta think about it. When we drafted him, or when we traded for him, he's 25, he was already a, an, a well-known receiver. Then he becomes el- he's really elite with us in the four years. Now he's 29- W- a- am I expecting him to keep this performance in, at the age of 31? I don't know. I hope he does, 'cause I don't have no ill will on A.J. Brown. Like I said, he didn't quit on the team and he didn't freaking do sit-ups in his driveway. But man, I hope the Patriots have a downfall in 2028 'cause man, I would love a high first round pick on top of what I would expect in Eagles in the top 20, 2026 pick. Overall, I will miss A.J. 'cause in my head the question that comes, to me, and I'll even ask you looking from the outside, Spence, as an Eagles fan- I cannot look at A.J. Brown as the best receiver of, in the franchise's history. He doesn't have the stats to prove it. He's not... Yeah, would he, will he be the most highest-rated receiver in our, program? Probably so. But when you think about, like I said, the stats, he doesn't have more than Harold Carmichael. When you think about the receivers in the Eagles history, you think of DeSean Jackson, which you would probably pick A.J. over DeSean, and that would be okay in my book. But then you even look at his robin, DeVonta Smith, has the same amount of yards as A.J., and he's gonna continue his Eagles career. So I see A.J. as the fourth-best receiver in Eagles history, just off the rip. But if you told me, "Hey, he actually won a Super Bowl," then, Harold Carmichael and DeSean Jackson and all those other guys, I could hear that argument. But right now, even with what he did in the four years, which were great, he has to be at least the fourth-best receiver in Eagles franchise history right now.

Speaker 2 11:39

Yeah on a per-game basis, he's got the most receiving yards in Eagles history.

Speaker 11:44

Mm.

Speaker 2 11:45

Now and you mentioned DeVonta Smith ending up having similar career yardages in, as an Eagle. DeVonta Smith also has an extra year as an Eagle- on DeVonta Smith there, so.

Speaker 11:54

Yeah. Yeah, them little 900 yards- For the record he got as a rookie year. Yeah,

Speaker 2 11:57

yeah. Now, you're right, he is gonna pass him this year whenever they take the field and he gets 15 yards, he's gonna pass him. So he'll-

Speaker 12:06

As soon as 15 yards happen, boom, DeVonta is a legend.

Speaker 2 12:10

Yeah. And look I'm looking at the all-time list, Harold Carmichael. Look, I didn't watch Harold Carmichael, all right? I'm not that old. I'm 30, 31 going on 32, right? I

Speaker 12:19

didn't either. I didn't

Speaker 2 12:19

either. DeSean Jackson, though, I think definitively I would have him over A.J. Brown, even though not a Super Bowl champion like A.J. Brown. But DeSean Jackson- Right was just so electric. A legend. And I just think- Mm he had more moments, just again, Super Bowl aside, he had more, like- iconic moments in an Eagles jersey than A.J. Brown had.

Speaker 12:39

Right.

Speaker 2 12:39

Right? A.J. Brown really just, what was his iconic moment? The touchdown on the drag route in the Super Bowl? Like-

Speaker 12:45

Yeah. You got that Super Bowl LIX one, then you have the post in Super Bowl LVII, which was, but his two biggest moments, I would say, and I know a lot of people are gonna kill me for this, was his game against the Steelers and his game against the Titans.

Speaker 2 12:58

Yeah.

Speaker 12:59

Uh, they're the- The game against the

Speaker 2 12:59

Steelers where he- He said, "One, two, three," 15-yard penalty

Speaker 13:06

15. Just loved

Speaker 2 13:06

that. That was great.

Speaker 13:08

But no, I will miss AJ out, I wish-- I will say this when it comes to some of these trades, I just wish they would just be real about some of the stuff. I know Jalen's never gonna s- slight anyone, but man, I just wish they actually told some of the truth. I really wanna know some of the depths, not this, Man, whatever we had with this greatness will never be, will never be misunderstood. We did greatness together, and now it's time to be great besides each other." Something stupid. I'm like, "Damn, Jalen. Just say it, man. Why were you not at AJ Brown's wedding? Hell, man, what was AJ telling you on the side? Dude, just be honest, man. He was wh- griping my ear, man."

Speaker 2 13:41

I wanna know what happened, because I remember when this trade first went down for him becoming an Eagle, the rumor was that they were BFFs, and they were- Yeah homies, and they-

Speaker 13:50

They FaceTimed the day it happened.

Speaker 2 13:51

Yeah. What happened? Why did they fall out of favor so quickly? They won the Super Bowl-

Speaker 13:59

Right, and

Speaker 2 13:59

he- And then they hated each other. Yeah. What happened?

Speaker 14:01

I, that's all I wanna know. I know Brandon Graham spilled a little bit. Didn't spill any details, but he said, like, there's been drama. But if you look at the first two years, 1,400 yards, 1,400 yards. We, yeah, we go to one Super Bowl, we go to the playoffs both years. But then the next two years, 1047, 1073, whatever the yardages were, and we win a Super Bowl, but it just didn't seem like it was good enough. Even though what AJ said, Hey, it's still time to keep working. Hey, man, in the parade, I don't care about the stats, I'm a f-ing Super Bowl champion." But it just seemed like they keep disturbing him. I don't know why. Look, again I'm more of a DeVonta Smith type of guy. I'm not saying I picked him over AJ, but I'm more of "Hey, we win as a team. I don't need to take the biggest receiver pay of all time." Look, I can make 80 million, be set for life. I don't need to take 120. I, like, I fit with more of De- DeVonta Smith's philosophy. I'm hearing some reports saying that AJ wanted to be traded after week four when the Eagles were 4-0 'cause he wasn't getting the ball. And I'm just thinking to myself, Spence, when you win a Super Bowl, this might be me, this might be you, I don't know, maybe AJ Brown's thinking something a little different. I know they say wide receivers are a little drama. But if I win a Super Bowl, what do I want my legacy to be? Do I just want to keep winning Super Bowls and be on a team and contend every year? Or do I want to rack up all the stats? Because it's almost like, and I don't wanna put these apples, this is gonna be way off. But you know how you see those stupid photos that say would you rather want seven rings and be Robert Horry, or would you rather have 400 million and be James Harden? Mm-hmm. And so I'm thinking, AJ, do you want to be Larry Fitzgerald and have all the stats and no rings? Or do you, want to be a top 10, 15 receiver all time and maybe get two or three rings under your belt? Because you think about it, the Eagles just won the Super Bowl two years, two years ago, and you're going to the team that just went to the Super Bowl. Now, if I'm gonna be biased and I think my Eagles have a better shot at getting there than the Patriots do just because of what happens when you get to the Super Bowl, you get a tougher schedule, you still have unfortunate things like injuries and still Drake may may not be your guy in the future. If I was AJ Brown unless he was only getting 800 yards a year, I don't know why he would be upset.

Speaker 2 16:11

It's a mystery that I'll never understand, and I think you mentioned what the actual truth is, and it's just that wide receivers are divas. It's always inevitable. Superstar wide receivers are just... They're, uh, usually end up being divas, and AJ Brown is just the latest iteration of that. Now, it will be interesting to see how he does with the Patriots, but it's interesting to me that the whole thing went down the exact same day as this big Myles Garrett trade when- Right we had been hyping up this AJ Brown to the Patriots deal- for months. Literally, it broke up- Forever two marriages. It was such a big, long-running deal.

Speaker 16:50

It was a telenovela.

Speaker 2 16:51

Yeah, it was a big deal, and it finally came to a head today, and it ended up taking second fiddle to the biggest trade of the day, which was the Myles Garrett trade, which, you know, we already broke down. Y'all should check out that video as well. Yeah. But James, let's wrap it up. The N- NBA Finals begins on Wednesday.

Speaker 17:10

Let's go.

Speaker 2 17:11

We got Spurs, we got Knicks. The NBA is saved from the haters because this series, James, is gonna be an absolute banger. We got- Banger Wemby stepping into his own, getting to the finals in his third season in the NBA. Is he gonna take a step forward and solidify himself as a potential GOAT? On the other side, we got the New York Knicks. Their first finals appearance since 1999. And who'd they play? Jalen Brunson. They played the San Antonio Spurs in that finals. Jalen Brunson's got a chance to become the King of New York- King of New York with a NBA championship. James, what are the big narratives that you're looking out for?

Speaker 17:52

Man, besides the obvious, what is Jalen Brunson gonna do? What is Victor gonna do? I really wanna see, I really, and this is me, we're gonna get the lovely logo. We're gonna get the trophy in the middle of the half court. Man, I can't... Love it. But I'm gonna be... Two guys that I'm excited to watch, Stephon Castle for the Spurs. I just, I don't know what it is. I love the dog mentality that he has. I don't like his hair. It reminds me of The Weeknd and Alf- Alfred Payton in, doing this. I don't like it. But other than that, I love the mentality of him. And I, I love OG Anunoby. The biggest story really will be h- how will Cap perform? Because if he doesn't perform, if he performs like Chet did against Wemby, oh, this is gonna be over quick. Spence, got the line for the series. And frigging the Knicks plus one and a half for the series is at minus 125. So they already got Spurs winning in seven or six But I did it backwards. Yeah. But, for me it'll be Kat, because I do believe Jalen Brunson's gonna be taking up a lot of shots. I do believe Victor's gonna be defensively, magical as always. And I feel like their team, I do believe the Spurs team is more well-rounded than the Knicks. My opinion, I think the Knicks have more star power with Kat and Jalen Brunson. Of course, I know it's Victor, but I wanna see what Mikal Bridges does. Is he gonna live up to that trade? Like I said, I'm an OG Anunoby guy. I like this guy. I wanna see Anne Hathaway rock his jersey on court side. And Stiller and Tracy Morgan and all the guys. And Timothee Chalamet and Kylie Jenner.

Speaker 2 19:21

This series is simple to me, James What do you do with Wemby? I think we've arrived. I you called me crazy years ago when I told you- Yep that Victor Wembanyama was a top 10 player the moment he stepped foot in the league. Yeah. And I s- I believed it then, and I believe even further now that he is a minimum top three player in the NBA right now. I'm gonna- I don't care how you slice it.

Speaker 19:41

I'm gonna have to agree with you,

Speaker 2 19:43

man. We haven't really seen anyone solve this guy. N- no one's solved this guy. If any team can solve Victor Wembanyama though, I actually do believe, oddly enough, that the New York Knicks are a team that can do it. They're gonna have to throw a lot of things at him. Oh, yeah. It's gonna have to be a combination of KAT drilling his threes- Yep making him be honest on the three-point line and not be, rim protecting so much where he can kinda sit back. Mm-hmm. He's gonna have to really be on his three-point game, so that Victor Wembanyama has to come out to the perimeter. Mitchell Robinson, dealing with a broken thumb, I believe it is. Pinky. He's not... Pinky, sorry. Dealing with a broken pinky. Not a shooter. We don't care. That's not what Mitchell Robinson's there to do. Yeah. He is one of the best defensive big men in the NBA, and there is no bigger task at hand than Victor Wembanyama. So I'm hoping that Victor Wembanyama is neutralized by the offensive game of KAT and the defensive game of Mitchell Robinson. And if you combined KAT and Mitchell Robinson into one player, I think you would have a play- I think. I think you would have a player as good, if not better, than Victor Wembanyama. I think. That's what I think. If you combine them, if they fused, they did the Dragon Ball Z fusion dance, I think that could happen. But they're gonna have to make it work where both of them are on the top of their games because Victor Wembanyama this stat blew my mind. He has won the minutes that he has played in 14 of 15 games this postseason. 14 of 15.

Speaker 21:10

Wow.

Speaker 2 21:10

So he has been absolutely unstoppable, With his, potential coronation as the new face of the NBA, if the Knicks are gonna stop it, they have to get production from KAT and Mitchell Robinson on the defensive end. Jalen Brunson's gonna get his. Yeah. I think you'll see timely shooting from guys like Josh Hart, guys like OG, guys like Mikal Bridges. I think they're gonna play their roles fine, and the Knicks have a bunch of scrappy guys.

Speaker 21:36

Oh, yeah.

Speaker 2 21:36

But on the other side, can it be enough to stop Wimby? I'm not concerned about what happens with the rest of the Spurs team, 'cause they all go as Wembanyama does. No disrespect to your boy Cassell. Dylan Harper I think's going to be a future 25-point scorer a night, but he's not there yet.

Speaker 21:54

Right now I'm pretty sure you're going with the Spurs.

Speaker 2 21:57

I honestly, I'm gonna have to have a prediction by the end of this, in the next three minutes. Right now, James, I don't know what I'm gonna pick. I'm gonna let you try to sway me a little bit. No. 'Cause I'm so torn.

Speaker 22:07

Hey,

Speaker 2 22:07

look. I'm so torn.

Speaker 22:09

I'm going Knicks in six. I'm just saying it like this because, one, I wanna see Jalen Brunson win. Two, I wanna see New York go crazy. And three, I'm a LeBron guy, and you gotta lose your first freaking finals, young buck. Young buck, 'cause if not, they're gonna put Victor with Jordan in GOAT conversations.

Speaker 2 22:24

Mm-hmm.

Speaker 22:25

Whenever that was. But I will say, the Knicks though, they're a little screwed up, man, on game one, man. If you didn't know, Spence, game one underdogs in the last since, oh, since '05. Three and 18 straight up. Ooh. And four and 17 against the spread. Now mind you, I haven't looked at the line, but when it first opened it was Knicks plus eight and a half underdog. So game one might not be the game for the Knicks. Let's just move that off to the side and let's just wait for game two.

Speaker 2 22:49

And the Spurs just got through an absolute dog fight with the Thunder. Yeah. So they're not as fresh, Do you put any stock in the rest versus momentum storyline people always seem to talk about this time of year?

Speaker 23:01

So for me, I'm more of the momentum type. I know they have a longer, like rest period from the w- conference finals to the finals, unlike some of these other rounds. And I will say, I think it's also time, you know what I mean? The Knicks have won their last, like 11 games. It's time to just get one out of the way. And we're due, us guys betting the Knicks to lose, we're due finally.

Speaker 2 23:23

Yeah.

Speaker 23:23

So I don't put too much into the rest stuff, because I believe these are the two best teams and they'll figure a way out. Another storyline I didn't mention, and I joked about it in our last video, if Mike Brown wins a title, like he coached a guy like LeBron James. But if he wins a title, he's coached Jalen Brunson and KAT, what does Mike Brown bring from, his time being assistant with the Warriors, time with the Cavs versus Mitch Johnson? Our light-skinned brother.

Speaker 2 23:50

Aura farming.

Speaker 23:52

Yeah, that motherf- But no, I got Knicks in six, man. I think it's due, man. You know how it goes, man, in these sports. Cleveland didn't win for 50 plus years, and they finally won a title. I can only think of the Eagles. We ain't never won a title in so long, then we won a title. I think it's time for the Knicks, man. I wanna see some real New Yorkers cry, man. I will say, if the Knicks win- You think Jay-Z drops an album, man, out of the blue?

Speaker 2 24:17

Heck no. He's too busy counting his dollars nowadays.

Speaker 24:20

Right.

Speaker 2 24:20

Ah, James, look, this is where I'm I love this Knicks team. I love the core. I love Jalen Brunson. I really am a big fan of Kat as well. I think they all are really good unit and they play together well. I just look at the other side, and I I- if Victor Wembanyama's healthy I'm not gonna pick against the guy. And I say this as a Rockets fan. Oh, no. I am not going to be cheering for the Spurs at all. At all. Not at all. Will not be cheering for them. Will not be rooting for them at all. It's go Knicks all day long. But- Yeah if I'm just taking my heart out of it and I'm just looking at how I feel about it objectively, I cannot pick against the 7'5" demigod I can't do it. He's just too good, and I really do believe this is the beginning of the Wemby era. That we are- Yeah in it right now, and this is the mark of it. People thought we were in the era of the Thunder last year. They're gonna have to make some moves, and that's gonna be a future video for us to talk about, 'cause we didn't even talk about how the Spurs got here, and that was taking down the Thunder. We'll, maybe we'll touch on that on Sunday's episode when we record. But- Yeah I'm gonna go Spurs, and I'm gonna do it for the people. I'm gonna go Spurs in seven. I think we're getting- Spurs in seven seven good games. It's a great finals to back up the amazing finals that we had last year between the Thunder and the Pacers. We're gonna have a new champion this year regardless. Will it be the established all-time great franchise in the San Antonio Spurs and Victor Wembanyama, or will the Knicks burn down the city of New York- and get their first championship since 1973?

Speaker 25:54

Yeah. I, man, I will say I hope it's that one, 'cause I wanna see the New York burn down. And of course, I'm gonna have to give a shout-out to my guy, Zorran Mandami, bro. That's my dude all of a sudden. I don't agree with any of his policies, but man, if the Knicks win a title, something's in his water. That, you gotta start believing. But I will say this, Spence. A, Spurs entered, opened the series as a minus 210 favorite. This is the 33rd finals the favorite has been, higher than minus 200 odds since 1990. Those teams have ended 29 and 3. Can you guess the three teams that pulled the upset? And I'll let you know it's from 2000 to now.

Speaker 2 26:30

Okay.

Speaker 26:31

So 2000 and on. Three teams.

Speaker 2 26:32

Gotta start with the Detroit Pistons, the 2004.

Speaker 26:35

Boom. One.

Speaker 2 26:36

Gotta go with 2000... I, was that 10 or 11 Mavs?

Speaker 26:40

No.

Speaker 2 26:41

Really?

Speaker 26:41

Yep.

Speaker 2 26:42

Wow. The Heatles were not heavy favored against the Okay, that's fascinating. How about who was a weird champion? Wow, I really thought that was gonna be two easy ones and I was gonna have to think hard for a third one.

Speaker 26:54

Well, that's okay. You guessed the oldest one. These other two have been

Speaker 2 26:57

a little less tenures. They're relatively newer. Okay, how about last year with the Thunder?

Speaker 27:02

No.

Speaker 2 27:02

Hmm.

Speaker 27:02

The Thunder were the favorite.

Speaker 2 27:04

Got the Pistons one. I really still feel like it should've been the Mavs.

Speaker 27:06

I know. I'm gonna have to look that one up.

Speaker 2 27:08

That's crazy what those odds could have been. Hmm. How about the 2016 Cavs?

Speaker 27:14

Number two on this list.

Speaker 2 27:15

Yeah? All right, now- I remembered now that was an all-time Warriors team and even though it was LeBron. Oh, man, this last one's gonna be weird, isn't it? How about the Warriors versus the Celtics?

Speaker 27:27

No.

Speaker 2 27:27

I wonder who was favored in that series. I can't even remember. All right, last guess and I'm gonna strike out after this. Were the Bucs not favored?

Speaker 27:34

No. It was the 2019 Kawhi Raptors over the Warriors.

Speaker 2 27:39

Oh, that's right. I- that one I just wipe out of my mind bec- and I forgot going into that series that KD and Klay were both healthy. And, and- By the end of it, neither of them were.

Speaker 27:49

By the end, yeah. So just to let you know, Spence, the last time these two teams, Knicks and Spurs played back in 1999, the Spurs were a minus 900 odds favorite to win the finals. In '99. They won in five games. So think what you can on minus 210 odds. Are we getting six? Are we getting seven games? Who knows, man. But I'm excited, man. Wednesday, we got basketball.

Speaker 2 28:11

Yes, sir, we are back. So James got the Knicks, I've got the Spurs, but y'all let us know in the comments who you got in the NBA finals, Spurs or Knicks. Jalen Brunson, Victor Wembanyama. Y'all let us know. And that does it for this episode of Big Game Energy. No, no huddle this week, but we will get you back when we are recording next week. We will drop in a new episode next Monday. Until the next time, for James, I'm Spencer. We'll see you next time.