NBA AND NHL PLAYOFFS ARE PEAK | EP. 30

Tusks Up, Benchwarmers! Welcome to this week's bonus episode! With the absolutely electric playoff series happening right now, we had to give our thoughts on the first round of both the Stanley Cup and NBA Championship! 

We hope you will join us on the bench this week! Rate, review, and subscribe! And as always, Stay Hydrated!

Follow us @thewaterbrospod on TikTok and Youtube!

Transcript

SPEAKER_00 0:00

What's up, everybody? Welcome to the Water Bros Podcast. This is a uh special second episode of the week because the NHL and MBA is too good not to talk about. As always, we're your hosts. I'm Zach. This is my little brother Ben. Grab a drink, get to your bench, because we're talking playoffs, baby. It has been so fun. Tusk's up all day. We are actually recording middle of game four. Mammoth are up. They were down at 1.30 and are now up four to three. What a freaking game. I love it, Benny. How are we doing?

SPEAKER_02 0:44

We are doing good. I mean, what's better than Monday night, Waterbros Pod, Sports on the iPad on the TV. I mean, Mam is playing. It doesn't get better. Life is good.

SPEAKER_00 0:58

It doesn't get better.

SPEAKER_02 1:00

I yeah, I mean, life is very good. And in this Thunder Suns game, I won my bet tonight on prize picks.

SPEAKER_00 1:08

Yeah, so made money.

SPEAKER_02 1:10

Made money. It was a smaller bet, but hey, win's a win.

SPEAKER_00 1:14

Wins a win.

SPEAKER_02 1:15

I'll take a win any day of the week. If we can, you know, if we can see the board right, then we're doing we're doing some good. During all my birthday money in there, because I was like, it's not, you know, what else am I gonna do with it? I love betting during playoffs. It is so much fun.

SPEAKER_00 1:32

It's a lot of fun. It's I mean, best on best. You get so much action. The best of seven series for both Stanley Cup and the NBA just creates these electric tense moments, and it they have been just glorious up to this point. And that's why we had to record the short and sweet check-in for the NHL and NBA. We couldn't pass it up. We had to do it because it's been so good. And I know it it has the first time. We'll just dive right in, fill in the jug. First time having a playoff hockey team in our home state is so cool.

SPEAKER_02 2:14

It is really, really cool. I mean, and just seeing the state of Utah get behind this team and seeing how they're performing against a championship team. I mean, Vegas is.

SPEAKER_00 2:24

Yeah, this is the one seed right here. This is the one seed for this uh West first round. So feeling pretty dang good about our mammoths right now.

SPEAKER_02 2:35

Yeah, I I love seeing the way they're playing. It's flying around.

SPEAKER_00 2:40

They're scrappy. They're I mean, it's just been a great series so far. When you're just a little bit ahead of me. Yeah. Vegas just tied it up.

SPEAKER_02 2:54

Dang, four to four. What a game. Dang. All right.

SPEAKER_00 2:57

Hey, there's still time.

SPEAKER_02 2:59

Still plenty of time. Still time. Got it, gotta make it happen.

unknown 3:03

Dang.

SPEAKER_00 3:04

It's just nine nine minutes, nine and a half minutes left. We got time. Yeah. Oh, what a double though. What a dagger. Gosh dang it. With a little deflection in. Yeah, that's that that hurts. I mean, that's tough for and shout out Veggie. I just want to say Veggie stood on his head for I mean, that that game, that game one here in Salt Lake, I guess game three, but our first game at home, it played out of his mind. Like he veggie's great. Love him in the go as a goalkeep.

SPEAKER_02 3:40

And he plays a ton. I mean, he was he played the most games in the NHL this this season. So here we go.

SPEAKER_00 3:48

Here we go, boys. Here we go.

SPEAKER_02 3:50

Yeah, we just need to need to make it happen. But I agree. I mean, that's feeling the jug, having a team in Utah that's our hockey team in playoffs, seeing the barn go crazy. It's awesome.

SPEAKER_00 4:02

Benny, you just got freaking season tickets to the Utes. Yeah, it's gotta be having you on Cloud 9. Can't wait for that. That's so exciting.

SPEAKER_02 4:14

I mean, shout out to Devin at work hooking it up and uh yeah, making me a season ticket holder of the Utes. I feel like you know, I am very pumped about it. You already know that you're probably the main person going to the games with me.

SPEAKER_00 4:28

Yeah, I benefit greatly from this setup. So uh shout out Devin for sure.

SPEAKER_02 4:34

Yeah, and I mean I'm sure Heather's probably gonna want to come to a couple games.

SPEAKER_00 4:39

Heck yeah, it'll be so fun. But Utah BYU this year, I get to see it live. Like Dude, it's gonna be so good. Yeah, it's and so exciting, dude.

SPEAKER_02 4:52

Very exciting, and I know I talked about betting. Speaking of betting and the youths. Brendan Soresby, the transfer quarterback to Texas Tech, admitted himself into a rehab facility today.

SPEAKER_00 5:06

I saw four gambling, so be careful out there, yeah, folks.

SPEAKER_02 5:10

Be careful out there, be smart about it. Texas Tech just took a big hit, and I hope he's okay. I hope that he gets the help he needs. I don't want him to not do well. Like, I don't want that at all.

SPEAKER_00 5:23

No. I mean, talented dude, very talented dude, but that's a huge hit for Texas Tech through which made the guy a lot of money.

SPEAKER_02 5:31

A lot of money that's very helpful to the Utes and the Cougars. Yes. Um, because Texas Tech is a juggernaut. They are very good. They're not going anywhere.

SPEAKER_00 5:42

They are gonna be a problem in the Big 12 for the foreseeable future.

SPEAKER_02 5:47

Agreed. So we'll want the best for him, but semi-fills the jug that the Utes are gonna, they're you know, now gonna be even better at contending.

SPEAKER_00 5:56

Yeah, better, better shot now, hopefully. Yeah. Oh, hopefully he gets he gets the help he needs and gets right back out there. Um yeah, I did see that breakthrough. Crazy. Absolutely crazy.

SPEAKER_02 6:12

Not what was expected.

SPEAKER_00 6:13

I know we talked about doing like a formal high-quality H2O segment in this episode. I think I just want to blanket state if you're not watching Stanley Cup playoff hockey, you should. Yes. Every single one of the series, with the exception of the two that swept in the first four, but even those are exciting, fast, just the talent, the speed, it's just crazy. Playoff hockey is just a different level, and it's so good. The script this the fights, the brawls, the kachuks just m wreaking havoc. Like, I just love it. Every second.

SPEAKER_02 7:01

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 7:01

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 7:02

I mean, it and look, it's a game where it's like, hey, you're down 3-0, 3-1, and then you come back, and now it's tied 4-4. Like, just good hockey. 3-0 in the second.

SPEAKER_00 7:10

Like, they have had a huge rally, like so, so fun. And the I mean, watching the mammoth, I think the in that that first game here at home, you had Uyghur just with a dagger right to the face mask of the goalkeep, and it bounces in. Then you have, you know, Krause with a double, he hit two of them. It's just been yeah, it's just been so fun.

SPEAKER_02 7:43

I will say the same thing. You know, obviously, I gotta shout out basketball and the NBA playoffs is great. It's it's so good because of how talented these players are. And yes, the Lakers had a terrible game for Yeah. I was gonna ask you about that. LeBron, he's 41 years old, and what he has done in those first three games is incredible. They're up 3-1 because he's that good. He's that yeah, much just more cerebral than any other player on the court. And Marcus Smart's been playing incredible. The Luke Connard has played well. He's had struggled a little bit in Houston, but overall, very impressed with the team. They're buying time for Reeves and Doncha to get healthy. When the Lakers are good, when LeBron's in the playoffs, life is good.

SPEAKER_00 8:34

And uh seeing him play with Brawny is super cool. We've talked about that before.

SPEAKER_02 8:39

Yeah, and Ali Oop to his son. So cool. How cool is that? It's the coolest. Oh man, it's like, and he's he's playing at the top of the basketball world. Like, yeah, he's not like, yeah, last night he struggled. I I'll be the first to admit, did not have a good game. Turned the ball over a ton, looked tired. I texted that to Bruce last night. I was like, he just seems exhausted, like just worn out. Um and uh given his probably is. And so they they've got to figure that out to beat the the Rockets team. Rockets are a scrappy team, but I mean the Knicks Hawk series has been good. Oklahoma City Thunder, great. The Nuggets Timberwolves would have continued to be a very good series if Edwards didn't get hurt.

SPEAKER_00 9:32

But overall, I think I've seen I think that's the biggest thing that has come across my feed because I'm not as plugged into the NBA as you are, but some pretty significant injuries. You got Achilles injuries happening. Um you got Wemby with the concussion, right? Didn't he yeah, so like you we've seen some some wear and tear stuff take its toll, uh, and that can reshape a series real fast.

SPEAKER_02 10:03

Yeah, and I mean Wemby got a concussion, but he played this last game and he it seemed like he didn't skip a beat at all. Which is good, which is really good. He's back healthy. I would say the magic are an eight-seed against the one-seed pistons, and the magic are up three to one after winning today.

SPEAKER_00 10:21

So so cool. Love that.

SPEAKER_02 10:23

So so it's like it's it's just so fun to see these the Celtics are gonna be a tough team.

SPEAKER_00 10:29

I was gonna say the Philly, the 76ers versus Boston Celtics. I feel like that's been fiery, but Boston's just so good.

SPEAKER_02 10:37

Oh, they're so good. They're gonna be I mean, they're ice cold, man. And it's official, Oklahoma City beat the Suns in game four, they swept them.

SPEAKER_00 10:46

There you go. Well, Benny, I know we're gonna kind of for the setup for this, we're gonna pick the remaining Stanley Cup. Let's see where we think that's gonna go. Pick the remaining NBA playoffs, but before that, we have been doing blind ranks. Yes. And you got a blind rank for me, so let's do that. I do. Let's see what you got for me, dude.

SPEAKER_02 11:10

Okay, are you ready to look some of these guys up? Because I don't think you probably have all of these. Are you actually going off like how they look or their name? Like, what's your vibe on just so I know?

SPEAKER_00 11:23

A little of both. A little both. Okay. Yeah, a little both. I got my I got my uh Googler ready though.

SPEAKER_02 11:30

Okay, perfect. So, number one that I'm gonna give you is Yuppie from the Montreal Canadians.

SPEAKER_00 11:40

You pee Montreal Canadians.

SPEAKER_04 11:43

I'm not familiar with you.

SPEAKER_00 11:53

Of course, the Canadi with the name like Montreal Canadiens, Yuppie. I mean, look at that game. What what a start. So just for those who are listening and not Googling, um, Yuppie is kind of like a half bear, half ginger Canadian. That's how I would describe Yuppie. I'm gonna put Yuppie in what a weird mascot. I'm gonna put him at five just out of the game. I'm gonna put my Montreal Canadiens already kind of a I think a weaker name for a team mascot. Yuppie's gonna be my my tail end of this ranking.

SPEAKER_02 12:41

Okay, well, I've got another banger of one for you coming up right now.

SPEAKER_00 12:46

Perfect.

SPEAKER_02 12:47

How about Gritty from the Philadelphia Flyers?

SPEAKER_00 12:52

Gritty, Philadelphia Flyers. He is actually like a little sashquatch. Yes. And uh Gritty has so much Moxie. I don't know if you've paid attention to the Penguins uh Philly battle that has been going on with with those two teams. But I mean Gritty's tossing the penguin mascot from the stands. He's doing the most. Absolutely terrifying looking mascot. But I am gonna put Gritty up there at number well, we'll give Gritty three. Okay. So we've got three and five. He gets there purely based off of his charisma. I feel like Gritty's doing a whole lot for the team. Okay, I like it. Okay, making an impact.

SPEAKER_02 13:43

So with that then, where would you rank the New Jersey Devil?

SPEAKER_01 13:50

New Jersey Devil. Let's see. I mean, obviously Devil.

SPEAKER_00 13:57

I mean, popular New Jersey Devil is gonna give you actually some not what you would expect results from just searching it online. Let's try to refine that a little bit. I'm getting worse. Alright, let's try this again. Oh, we're gonna go. I mean, I'm just not a fan. I think just as in general, Devil has a mascot. I'm gonna be low on. I probably would put him at five, but we'll put him at four. Put him at four. Okay. Yeah. He's he's not doing anything for me.

SPEAKER_02 14:36

I like it. Okay. Yeah. He's I mean, not my favorite thing either. But this fourth one that we're throwing in there, I mean, we've had some.

SPEAKER_00 14:45

I really sandbagged the talent here. We'll see how this talents out.

SPEAKER_02 14:49

I mean, I had an idea of like who where I was going with with all of these, so hopefully, you know, I mean, it hopefully it makes sense. But this next one that I want to give you is going to be. Okay, here's here's the one that I'm thinking of. Slap shot from the Washington Capitals.

SPEAKER_00 15:12

Washington Capitals slap shot mascot. Okay. We got it an eagle. You can't go wrong with a freaking eagle, man. Washington Capitals got the bald eagle coming in hot. USA. USA.

SPEAKER_02 15:31

Yeah, for the Capitals, that's a sweet mascot.

SPEAKER_00 15:34

Yeah, that's a that's a good mascot. I don't know that I've ever seen the Washington Cap I haven't seen Slapshot in action. But from a it looks like he's bringing the vibes. He's bringing the juice.

SPEAKER_01 15:53

What are you gonna give me for the next one? I don't think I can go wrong with putting the nation's favorite bird.

SPEAKER_00 16:06

And now Slapshot at number one. I'm gonna put him number one. Okay. Alright, number one. That's a strong mascot. I like that.

SPEAKER_02 16:16

No, it is a strong mascot. I like that a lot. Well, the last one that I'm gonna give you is Wild Wing from the Anaheim Ducks at your number two.

SPEAKER_00 16:25

Wild Wing from the Ducks. Quack. Quack. Quack. Oh quack. He quack. Quack. He's pretty cool looking. I love the design on his face mask. It kind of looks like a hockey mask, but is also just uh very much so the duck, right? But it's got the holes.

SPEAKER_02 16:48

Um I think that's a pretty good five. The only thing you'd probably change is Yuppie and the devil.

SPEAKER_00 16:56

Yeah, I put Yuppie down, but yeah, I don't I'm not mad at Wild Wing at number two. I maybe would even put Wild Wing at number one in a re-rank. Uh but yeah, Wild Wing goes pretty hard. I like Wild Wing.

SPEAKER_02 17:10

I know, I like that. See, the NHL has some fun mascots.

SPEAKER_00 17:13

I mean, and obviously, fun looking mascot, dude.

SPEAKER_02 17:15

I considered throwing Tusky in there too, but Tusky's solid. He's great. It's a cool mascot.

SPEAKER_00 17:22

And his inaugural debut, Tusky has been incredible. I like Tuskey a lot.

SPEAKER_02 17:30

I like that list. I think that's a that's a pretty strong blend.

SPEAKER_00 17:34

There we have it. Slapshot, wild wing, both great names, also. Gritty, devil, and you.

SPEAKER_02 17:50

What a name. The Montreal Canadiens, dude.

SPEAKER_00 17:53

Montreal Canadiens Yuppie. What a weird mascot, dude. Yeah, yeah. I agree. Kind of weird. Okay, I love it.

SPEAKER_02 18:03

Overall, solid. But next, what we've got up, these last two things that we're gonna touch on. We're gonna pick some of the remaining you know, Stanley Cup matchups that are still to be determined um here in and who we're gonna pick as a champion. Are we gonna are we gonna pick a champion right now?

SPEAKER_00 18:21

That's what I was just gonna ask you. You want to go all the way to champion or you just want to pick through this round? Probably just pick it through, right?

SPEAKER_02 18:28

Yeah, let's let's pick through the round and then you know we can re- we can unless you want to pick a champion. I'm good either way.

SPEAKER_00 18:38

No, I let's let's pick who we think comes out of this round, and we can do another we can do another actual chick and choose of the whole thing.

SPEAKER_02 18:48

Yeah, let's let's do that. I think that's a good idea.

SPEAKER_04 18:51

Okay, so right now Stanley Cup. Trying to pull up the Stanley Cup bracket and I'm having technical difficulties.

SPEAKER_02 19:10

I know, they they don't make it very easy on us. Let's see if we can go here.

SPEAKER_00 19:17

Just give me the playoff bracket, ESPN. There we go. Alright, so Western Conference. Let's go through Western Conference first. We already know Avalanche swept the Kings. So they have moved on. In game in the Stars Wild series, it's tied 2-2.

SPEAKER_03 19:35

Mm-hmm.

SPEAKER_00 19:36

Going into game five. Stars are number two. Wild are the third spot. I am gonna go wild on that one to to go up against Avalanche. I think they they upset the stars there.

SPEAKER_02 19:54

Okay. I uh I'm gonna go opposite. I think the stars are gonna come out. I mean, they've been knocking on the door for a while. I'm gonna give them the edge over the wild. That's a great series.

SPEAKER_00 20:05

Yeah, really good series. Really, again, at 2-2, it's been tight. So excited to see how that one unfolds. Mammoth Golden Knights, we're in at game four right now. I mean, you already know where I'm going. I know I'm going Mammoth here.

SPEAKER_02 20:22

I feel like I feel like they just, man, they've just got the juice. And if we can somehow figure out how to win this game, I'm predicting let's they win tonight, they lose in Vegas, it's 3-2, and then we win it at home, game six.

SPEAKER_00 20:37

Heck yeah.

SPEAKER_02 20:38

That's my prediction.

SPEAKER_00 20:40

Yeah, I love that. I'm and I cannot wait to go into a second round. The just the juice and the again having a home team in the playoffs has been awesome, so I'm excited to see that. Then it for the last matchup, Oilers, Ducks, Anaheim leads three to one going into game five. And uh unfortunately for the Edmonton Oilers and uh McDavid. Connor McDavid, yeah. Like arguably the best player in in the NHL, I think the Oilers are out. I think the Ducks get it done, and they they're who we're gonna have in the second round.

SPEAKER_02 21:25

Yeah, I I think so too. I think being down 3-1 is a little bit tough for for Edmonton to come back from. I'm gonna go with the Ducks as as well.

SPEAKER_00 21:36

Yeah, and I mean, even the this last game, if I'm not mistaken, I'm pretty sure that's they won it an OT by just like inches. I mean, it it's a t that last game was very tight, but yeah, I think the Ducks get it done.

SPEAKER_02 21:51

Hey, it's yeah, game of inches, right?

SPEAKER_00 21:54

One hundred percent. On to the Eastern Conference, and I think one of the most enjoyable Series thus far, Sabre's Bruins. It's been wild. Dude, absolutely electric. The Buffalo looks like maybe one of the fun, most fun sports towns to live in. Yeah. Like the fandom in Buffalo is just so electric. I just want to be in the rooms where they're celebrating because their streets, like the videos of their fans rollerblading down to the games in full hockey pads. Like it's just so cool. Give me the Sabres, dude, to finish out that series. They're leading 3-1 already.

SPEAKER_02 22:38

Yeah, I agree. I think I think they'll be able to pull it out as the one seed. They've had an incredible year. I'll I'll go the Sabres as well, which hurts because I like a lot of those Boston teams. So seeing the Bruins struggle is not ideal, but I like what I'm seeing from the Sabres.

SPEAKER_00 22:54

Yeah, 100%. Going into game five, series tied 2-2, Lightning and the Canadians. Oopie.

SPEAKER_02 23:03

Yep. Oopie.

SPEAKER_00 23:05

He's in the or Yuppie, he's in the mix. I am going to go lightning, though, on this one. I think they edge out. Tampa Bay gets gets the job done. And Montreal Falls.

SPEAKER_02 23:19

I'm actually going Lightning as well. That was the route that I was going to go. I like the those Florida hockey teams. I know the Panthers aren't in it this year, but I think the Lightning have what it takes to go on to this next round.

SPEAKER_00 23:37

And then looking at the last two, obviously Hurricanes sweep the Senators. They're in, so we won't worry about that. But Philly versus Pittsburgh, another great battle that has been going on. Philly leads 3-2, but Penguins on a heater with Legend Sidney Crosby in their lineup. Um the odds of them coming back and winning the series after Flyers go up 3-0, I'm sure, are astronomical and not doesn't happen hardly ever in the playoffs.

SPEAKER_02 24:14

I mean, I wonder if that's happened in the NHL. It's never happened in the NBA where you've been down 3-0 and you win.

SPEAKER_00 24:20

Yeah, like I I would we should look up that stat, which we can do that and follow up on it. But I am gonna go flyers because and their only reason why I'm going flyers is because I want Philly to to get some love. I think good sports in the town is good for everybody. So yeah. Let's see the the Flyers get the job done. But I mean you can't go wrong with either Sydney Crosby going through with Pittsburgh to pull that out would be history.

SPEAKER_02 24:55

Oh, it'd be it'd be awesome. I that's why I'm gonna I'm gonna lean Penguins. I hope that with all this momentum they have going, like can they figure it out to win? They're the higher seed, so if they can figure out how to win in Philly, they'll play game seven in Pittsburgh. And they just I just feel like they can make that they can make that work.

SPEAKER_00 25:16

I love it. Well, Benny, Mammoth and Golden Knights are going to overtime. Yes. So we can't wait to see how this unfolds. We'll do another check-in on NHL, but I just want to plug one thing, and that is my ideal Western Conference final is Avalanche Mammoth. So cool. We can give birth to just this great rivalry between those two that sets up for an even cooler winter classic this next year when it comes to ricicles and we play that outdoor game against the Av. That'd be so good.

SPEAKER_02 25:49

That would be really good.

SPEAKER_00 25:51

So good.

SPEAKER_02 25:51

It'd be awesome if for if we could make it to the Western Conference Finals in the Stanley Cup, it'd be electric.

SPEAKER_00 25:58

It'd be absolutely electric.

SPEAKER_02 25:59

I think Grian Smith would sign up for that today.

SPEAKER_00 26:02

Uh yeah, very much so.

SPEAKER_01 26:05

Great ROI for him. Oh, yeah. Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 26:10

Definitely a solid ROI for him. But that takes us into the NBA where the first team just clinched their spot in the second round. So only one team has gone through so far.

SPEAKER_00 26:22

OKC back at it again.

SPEAKER_02 26:24

OKC, the number one seed in the West. Um, beat the Suns tonight 131-122. So they move on to the second round with a 4-0 sweep of the Suns. But that takes us to Lakers Rockets, the 4-5 matchup. Lakers lead 3-1. Who you got coming out of that series?

SPEAKER_00 26:45

Lakers leading 3-1. I am going to go Lakers, especially. I mean, we talked about it. LeBron's doing LeBron things. And uh, if they can just get a little more healthy, I'd like to see the Lakers go through.

SPEAKER_02 26:59

Yeah, I mean, I don't know what that second round is gonna look like for them if they know playing the thunder, but I think the Lakers will inevitably win one more game. Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 27:12

And beat the Rockets. Yeah, and I mean I think they're just set up to have that success.

SPEAKER_02 27:18

Yeah, I agree. The third series, which has their fifth game going on right now, is Nuggets, Timberwolves, the 3-6 matchup. Nuggets are up 20 right now. And the Timberwolves lead 3-1. Who do you think comes out of that one?

SPEAKER_00 27:36

Yeah, three a 3-1 hole is a tough hole to be in, but obviously Nuggets taking care of business tonight. Uh, you have Jokic, right, with the Nuggets. Um and I believe Nuggets won the last game, right? So that they're gonna win back to back.

SPEAKER_02 27:57

Well, actually, no. So uh the Timberwolves won the last game.

SPEAKER_00 28:01

Timberwolves did win the last one. Okay. Yeah. Um give me, you know, give me the Nuggets to rally.

SPEAKER_02 28:14

I don't know if that will happen, but that would be electric. I mean, it's really hard for me to not pick the same thing. Like, I with no Anthony Edwards, he's hurt, and Dante DiVincenzo, hope he recovers from tearing his Achilles. Yeah, that's a huge hit. Those are two solid players, but I feel like they're gonna lose tonight in in Denver. Or no, yeah, yeah. The game five, they're in Denver. I think they're gonna close it out in Minnesota. I think give me the Timberwolves to win game six and to win and go on to the second round. Upsetting the Nights.

SPEAKER_00 28:56

Oh, it'd be yeah, gigantic.

SPEAKER_02 28:59

Which the next one is Victor Wimbanyama and the two-seed Spurs against the seven seed Trailblazers, where San Antonio leads three to one. And I've got San Antonio moving on.

SPEAKER_00 29:11

Yeah, well now when I'm going San Antonio and talk about a guy who just immediately changed the the franchise. I feel like Wemby has brought the Spurs back, man.

SPEAKER_02 29:21

Yeah, Wemby is so fun to watch. He's he's unreal. Yeah, I've I've got them winning, and Trailblazers have been fun to watch too, but that's a hard team to beat. And, you know, they've got some talented young guys in Castle, and um they've got Dylan Harper, and so you know, they've got some really talented second year and rookie guards, and then you've got De'Aaron Fox, Carter Bryant, Harrison Barnes. They've got a solid team.

SPEAKER_00 29:52

Yeah, I mean, San Antonio's getting an 11 and a half point favor going into game five, too. I mean, that's yeah. Yeah, I think that and they'll be at home. That'll be done and done and dusted.

SPEAKER_02 30:04

Yeah, they're gonna be wrapping it up at home, I'm pretty sure.

SPEAKER_00 30:07

Yeah. 100%. Western Conference, that's Thunder are tough, dude. Yeah, they are tough. Thunder are tough.

SPEAKER_02 30:17

They're gonna be a very tough out, but I think I it honestly, it's gonna be very hard for the Lakers to beat them. But if the Spurs match up with them in the Western Conference finals, that's very, very so good. So I think that would probably be ideal. Obviously, I want to see LeBron play as long as possible, but we'll see how it all takes out.

SPEAKER_00 30:42

That that's a hard, yeah, hard pull.

SPEAKER_02 30:45

Um, but in the Eastern Conference, so we touched on this earlier in the one seed, it's the Pistons against the Orlando Magic eight seed, and Orlando is leading after winning today three to one over the one-seed Pistons. So devastating if you're Detroit.

SPEAKER_00 31:01

I mean, just brutal if you're Detroit. Uh the city's taking it on the chin. But yeah, give me the magic to get the job done. I mean, that would be. I mean, you gotta love a Cinderella story. If you can't get it in March Madness anymore, at least get it in the NBA. That's awesome.

SPEAKER_02 31:18

Yeah, I mean, I I can't argue with you there. I feel like man, the Pissons should be a lot better, but they've had just there's been a lack of physicality, specifically down low. There's getting out outplayed. So, you know what? Give me the magic too. I mean, it's hard to come back from 3-1 down.

SPEAKER_00 31:38

Yeah, just especially in basketball, I feel like I mean LeBron did it, but I mean LeBron's LeBron. But I do feel like in basketball, it's hard to to shut someone out four straight.

SPEAKER_02 31:52

That is it's just tough to do. Yeah. Very tough. So I mean, and it just gets yeah, it gets harder and harder to do it. Or three or three straight. Three in a row, yeah. Like it's just hard. So that's a hard feat, man. I agree. And so that one, that one will be interesting to see, you know, and the Pistons, of course, just making it to the playoffs at one seed, have a great season, then they just are wetting the bed.

SPEAKER_00 32:19

Yeah, brutal. Brutal is still laying egg in the in the playoffs like that. They're still favored nine and a half. Yeah, they're that's going into game five. That is a large spread, to be honest with you. Yeah, it's pretty, pretty decent spread there for them.

SPEAKER_02 32:34

So but you know, the next series, so the four-five matchup is Cavaliers, Donovan Mitchell against the Raptors, where the series is tied two to two.

SPEAKER_00 32:44

Yeah, two-two. Give me the Cavs. I I like Don. I want to see that success. He loved when he was here in in Utah. But yeah, let me see Donovan Mitchell and the Cavs go on.

SPEAKER_02 32:59

Yeah, I think I think they are the better team. I would be shocked if the Cavaliers didn't pull out this series. I think I think they'll be able to win um at you know, probably two straight here and finish it up in game six. Yeah. I like it. Now, another tied series, we've got the three-seeded Knicks against the six-seeded Hawks, tied two to two. Knicks have started to pick up the pace a little bit after dropping a couple games to Atlanta. Um, but I'm gonna go Knicks. I think you know, they're built for the playoffs. This is a team that should be performing really well. But what are your thoughts?

SPEAKER_00 33:36

No, I'm I was gonna go Knicks as well. I think we talked about this the other day that I feel like the Knicks are back. I think it's really fun to see them playing as well as they have been. Um, and I would like to see the Knicks go on a little further, keep that thing going. Um with what Jalen Brunson, right? Is kind of their Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 33:57

Jalen Brunson. They've got Carl Anthony Towns, Mikhail Bridges, Josh Hart, Mitchell Robinson. It's a good squad. I yeah, give me the Knicks. OG Ananobi, the Englishman. Yeah, they go. Yeah, they got some they got some good players. Uh they just have to put it all together and see that playoff success. But the last one, we touched on it earlier, Boston, Philadelphia. Boston 76ers, man. I mean, Boston is just absolutely crushing it. They're up 3-1. Jason Tatum's looking healthy. Jalen Brown hasn't been playing his best, but haven't needed it.

SPEAKER_00 34:35

Yeah. Like Tom Will Celtics on this as well. Yeah, I don't I don't think 76ers are gonna rally on that one either. And Celtics move on. They may end, I mean, they're probably the main horse that I'm riding with in the Eastern. I think Boston is probably the tough one, especially with Pistons laying an egg.

SPEAKER_02 34:58

Yeah, I I mean a Boston-New York second round would be a great second round series.

SPEAKER_00 35:03

It's a good series, yeah.

SPEAKER_02 35:05

Cavs magic, I wouldn't have seen that. I think the Cavaliers might be making it to a conference championship.

SPEAKER_00 35:10

If they can figure out the Raptors, go on a little bit of a run.

SPEAKER_02 35:14

Yeah, I think that they can go to the conference finals and try and and then they'll run into the big brother Boston. I mean, that's the team they gotta figure out how to beat.

SPEAKER_00 35:24

It's gonna be tough. I the NBA finals will be fun, man. I think OKC's your tough one there on the west, Boston's tough on the east, but you have some people that can definitely shake it up with the Spurs and yeah, if it's the Cavs or I mean either Nick, how do you think the Knicks fare against Boston? How do you think that matches up?

SPEAKER_02 35:47

I mean, I think I think they can match up pretty well. Like, I think that's a that's that's it's not a foregone conclusion that you know Boston would make it. I just think that that team is so well coached, they're they have so many talented players. It's hard to it's hard to knock them down. Um so I would take Boston as the edge, but that's a great series. I think they match up pretty well.

SPEAKER_00 36:11

I love it. Well, dude, that's our our round one picks for just a great playoff. More than anything, we just would had to do this because the playoffs have been amazing. They've been so good.

SPEAKER_02 36:25

Yeah, it's it's been so fun to watch, and it's only gonna continue that way because we're just in the first round. But first round NHL is like some of the best.

SPEAKER_00 36:34

Yeah, so again, watch it. You just gotta watch it. It's so fast. Every bit of it they're they're hitting, they are fighting, they are scoring. I mean, 4-4 in this game four between the mammoth and uh Las Vegas. It's just so good. It's so good.

SPEAKER_02 36:56

And hey, Salt Lake Las Vegas. I mean, hey, let's make this a thing. I like it.

SPEAKER_00 37:00

Both games today were really, I mean, high scoring affairs, so yeah, let's let's keep it going.

SPEAKER_02 37:09

Yeah, I absolutely love it.

SPEAKER_00 37:11

But brother, what a night. Now we gotta watch some overtime. Enjoy this last bit of overtime, see if we can close this thing out. But dude, I love ya. It's been an absolute blast. Love you too, brother. If you uh have listened to this this long, we appreciate you. We hope you continue to join us on the bench, and like always, stay hydrated. Hydrated audios. See everybody later. See ya.