Episode: 14 Season: 1 "NBA Playoffs"

Big matchups and crazy finishes are all happening on today's episode. Dom and Zach go in depth on the NBA playoff picture and who they believe will show success. Opposing each other is what they do best. We'll see soon enough who has the better analysis between the two. 

Transcript

SPEAKER_01 0:00

Those Doritos in the corner are gonna be staring at me the whole time. You fucking open some, bro. There's a good amount in there. Might have to. I don't know why. I don't want to get too westered with it.

SPEAKER_00 0:15

Dr.

SPEAKER_01 0:15

Dom, yes, sir.

SPEAKER_00 0:16

ZBD Sports. Back at it again. EBD Sports. Yes, uh. Alrighty. I mean, yeah, this week talking about NBA playoffs. Uh playing starting off tonight. So, yeah, I mean, this is what is what I've been waiting for for a little while for sure. I mean, Pistons have been number one team all year. I remember that. You know that's what you know that's what I gotta start off with.

SPEAKER_02 0:41

Bro, one even in the guy. Not even in the notes, man.

SPEAKER_01 0:46

I know, but I but that's what I've been looking forward to, man.

SPEAKER_02 0:49

Gave you all the glory last episode. Fucking Wolverines, bro. God damn, and then you even brought Detroit in last episode because we wouldn't even talk about Detroit again too, bro. We're talking about the playoff. It just, god damn, bro. Y'all won a championship, okay? Like, fuck. God damn, bro. Good time to be a Michigander.

SPEAKER_01 1:12

Uh yes, sir. I guess.

SPEAKER_00 1:15

But I mean, yeah, so. Fucking God. I mean, just going back to it. I mean, I've been looking forward to it for a while because I mean the anticipations were high. I bet. Um, the East is competitive this year. I mean, honestly, I didn't think that the East would be this competitive as it has been this year with Tatum going out at the start of the year. The Celtics have been above expectations. Um, Jalen Brown's been a top top five in the MVP conversation for a good amount of the year. Um, he's the reason that they're in the spot that they're in. Um with some of their other role players, Peyton Pritchard. Um, they they they got some other guys that have been just good, just good, just good role players. I mean uh Kada has been has been playing really good. He's been starting at the five for them since um or like I mean, even since they even since they got Vusevich.

SPEAKER_02 2:03

Yeah, but Pritchard's been big. Yeah, Pritchard's been big. All yeah. I mean Brown too, but that's what that's what you expected with Jalen Brown. You know what I'm saying? Like he they paid him the money that they paid him, so you expect him to kind of uh fill the void or do what he's done. Yeah. So for B. The Celtics, yeah. It's still good good season for him. But I'm gonna go.

SPEAKER_00 2:26

They also got Joe Missoula. So have having a coach of that caliber that's gotten that team to championships and that's won them a championship. Or he's got up to two, but they only won one, didn't they? No, he's got him no one. Okay.

SPEAKER_02 2:40

I thought they had. I thought they I thought they lost one and one. Yeah, they did, but he uh It wasn't Missoula. It was uh um fucking Rockets Uduka. Yeah, Udobo Udoba, yeah, yeah. Whatever the however Jefferson's yeah, but he's uh ex-Sper used to play for the Spurs, but um well so I mean I mean just even having even having Missoula just go to the championship that one year and win it.

SPEAKER_00 3:08

I mean he's so yeah, having a coach of that caliber is not it's surprising for me. I'd say it's surprising that they're that they're that like that they finished the season that high, but getting Tatum back as well is also making them an odds-on favorite to get out of the East. It's making them a big threat. Um but I also didn't think um, like, I mean, I I figure Cleveland was probably gonna be as good, like around as good as they were last year. They had a really good season as well. Um, traded for hard in the offseason, made that backcourt a lot stronger. Um then you got like Toronto. Toronto was hot as well. Charlotte was hot. Um Orlando was kind of, yeah. Um they were hot at times, cold, cold at times, but found their s found himself in the play-in. Um, so yeah, that game against the 76ers tomorrow night will be a good one. Um no embied, but um start off a little bit by talking about the Charlotte Miami team that was tonight. Because um Charlotte, I mean Charlotte's been I mean, they haven't been as hot as Atlanta's been since the All-Star break, but they've been close. I mean, I feel like Charlotte's been pretty good all year though. I mean they've had the they've had the big kind of the big four with LaMelo, Bridges, Kanipple, and um about All-Star break.

SPEAKER_02 4:27

That's when they week or two before All-Star break is when they really started getting hot, honestly. Like when they really started making kind of like people watching.

SPEAKER_00 4:38

That put that push into the that push into the playoffs.

SPEAKER_02 4:40

So playoff view, I think was like end of January, um uh beginning of February type. And then they kept it going towards after uh All-Star Break. But I think they still had like top five best record overall, or top seven or something like that since the All-Star Break. Yeah, so they I mean so they retained that. They've been yeah, they've been high. I don't even know if they were in were they I don't it was close. I don't know if they were in like uh playing at the time at the end of January. They may have been in there close because they might not have a lot of things.

SPEAKER_00 5:19

They lose that was hanging around for a while. Yeah, they were um I feel like there was one other team that that's not too far off, that wasn't too far off, I make in the east. Um P real quick. Chicago, Chicago, Chicago, yeah, Chicago.

SPEAKER_02 5:35

Chicago actually started pretty hot. They did. They had the best record for first. And my and my I mean they did though. First week, week and a half, but they started off pretty good. It's a surprise.

SPEAKER_00 5:48

Yeah, I think they didn't beat the first game of the season. I remember that. Yeah, the first game of the season they beat Detroit. But um yeah, Detroit only finished with 22 losses, though, and Chicago finished with 51. So I'm alright with that.

SPEAKER_01 6:03

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 6:05

But yeah, I mean, so that Charlotte Miami game, like how how much of that did you end up watching? Because it was on Prime.

SPEAKER_02 6:12

Oh, I didn't I didn't watch any of them really because. On and off. I forgot about it and then watch some of it at the crib and shit.

SPEAKER_00 6:22

Yeah, I mean, you received four B came. It was pretty back and forth most of the game, though. It was yeah. I I saw that Nipple had a pretty bad game. He wasn't shooting no well.

SPEAKER_02 6:32

Yeah. Nobody really uh LaMelo was playing decent at half or about them, but uh actually he was playing good. But he was the only one that was really uh doing anything for them.

SPEAKER_00 6:45

I mean Lamelo went two for sixteen from three, so he definitely wasn't efficient from behind the line. No, no, no, but he's gonna be able to do that. He still dropped 30 and 10, though.

SPEAKER_02 6:52

Yeah, I mean you look at if you this the biggest two highlights of the game other than shot. Yeah, other than Kobe White, yeah. I mean, those two layups he made in the last, you know. He also only shot he shot 12 for 31. So he like threes. Well, those were threes, that's why. He only made two threes and shot 16. Yeah. So 16. Yeah. So I mean, from the field he shot over 50 percent. So he'd have been that's what I'm saying. Yeah, so I mean, um he played, like I say, he played, he played relatively well. Um not great, but he played decent at least.

SPEAKER_00 7:32

Five for eight from three, seven for fifteen off the bench with 19 from the show.

SPEAKER_02 7:35

Which I thought that was a big pickup for them.

SPEAKER_00 7:38

Yeah, for sure. I was surprised when Charlotte traded for them because I I heard um Houston was trying to pick up another another guard shooter, and like I thought Houston might kind of be a good spot for him, but Charlotte, like, and and because like I thought Charlotte had a good amount of shooters, Houston could have used that for sure because they need a pure point guard. They do. Yeah. And I mean, I wouldn't even, I wouldn't, I like I would look at the other.

SPEAKER_02 8:03

I would say the white's a little bit more than pure, but like a guard he's a point, he's a point guard. Somebody who can facilitate the offer. Right, he can. Like he's not known for it, but he can. For sure. And the only one it really got, I feel like now is what Reed Shepard.

SPEAKER_00 8:19

Reed Shepard, and I mean they were trying to make a man Thompson. That's the same thing. But I'm saying like that type of yeah, right.

SPEAKER_02 8:24

True type of guard. You I mean, a man Thompson can play the forward. 6'7, ain't he? 6'7, 6'8, yeah.

SPEAKER_00 8:32

Yeah. Yeah, so I mean or you said a man? Yeah. Yeah, I think like 6'7, 6'8.

SPEAKER_02 8:36

Yeah, so yeah, that's not that's not natural. I mean, a natural guard, Reed Shepard really is uh uh main one they got. But so I wouldn't surprise, but I mean also um Colin Saxon wasn't playing bad for them uh before the trade. But I thought that was a pretty even trade. Well, actually, I think they I think Charlotte won that trade uh getting Kobe White. Um and I was relatively kind of surprised that Chicago traded him. Because I mean Sony's what his third or fourth year. Yeah, I wasn't. But he showed a lot of upside last year. I want to say he averaged 20, 21 points a game last year. He had some good games. Yeah, he has yeah, and so and he started off this year hurt. I feel like they made the play in, didn't they?

SPEAKER_01 9:17

Chicago.

SPEAKER_00 9:19

Yeah, they yeah, I think they did. Because they still had Levine, DeRozan. I feel like they got traded after. I feel like this was their first, or maybe not maybe not DeRozan. Whoever got traded first, I think was wasn't at at the play like I I want to say one of them was in the playoffs last year with Chicago because one of them got traded like a decent amount before the other one. I wanna I can't I can't I think Levine got traded first, and DeRozan stayed in Chicago for a little bit, and it was DeRozan, um, it was before Giddy, I think. Um so yeah. It was like Kobe White, fucking Boosevich was still on there, De Rosen, Patrick Williams. I can't even think that much because they were so pretty buns. I think they got knocked out in the plane, so it's not like they were good, but um Yeah, okay.

SPEAKER_02 10:16

So they had uh DeRozan, but they did have Levine.

SPEAKER_00 10:21

Okay, so DeRozan was the one that got traded first. Yeah, yeah, well. I mean they had Vucevic still and Kobe White. I'm surprised they traded Levine, bro, because Levine was Levine was solid. Like I'd like he was he was putting up for production for Numo, which I think they played for Timberwolves, right? Yeah, I forgot they traded to Sumo to the Timberwolves too. So like, dude, they literally traded away all their guards, but let's not talk about Chicago. We can talk about them when in the offseason we're talking about the fucking lottery, because their bumass is gonna be up there for sure.

SPEAKER_02 10:55

Yeah. And as of now, as we're watching um this Phoenix game in Portland, uh just kind of what you want, really, I think, as just a fan base generally. Like if you don't have a dog in that fight or a particular team that you pulling for, you just want to see a good team.

SPEAKER_00 11:21

Right, yeah. You know what I mean? Like and then like just like you were saying earlier, Miami, since the playing has started, they've been in it every year. So they finally went and they've won. So like this is the first time they've lost, and it was a budget beater in overtime. So like four matters. Charlotte played a great game. They showed resilience, one of their better players all year, wasn't shooting great, but they found a way to none of them. They found a way to speak. None of them, yeah.

SPEAKER_02 11:48

Yeah, yeah, he can Miller or Lonello. Actually, only one who shot relatively well was Bridges. Was Bridges, yeah. He was he kept them afoot.

SPEAKER_00 11:57

I saw Bridges not. He kept them afoot in the first half. I think he had 14. He was five for ten from three. Yeah, so how much he finished with points? He was ten for eighteen from the field with 28 points. Yeah, so he had four. He had their second most, and it was he was efficient. Yeah, he had 14 in the first half. So he he kind of was yeah. Miller Miller was five for ten from three, nine for seventeen. So he was pretty efficient as well. Okay, he had 23, 5, and 5.

SPEAKER_02 12:23

So what it was. Okay, so that yeah, at halftime, he shot, I think it's five for 14. Because I'm I'm a uh Miller. Yeah, I'm kind of uh I like Brandon Miller, so I kind of follow a lot of like his status shit in the first half. He did not.

SPEAKER_00 12:36

He must have been like five for or like because he ended up. He might have been playing perfect.

SPEAKER_02 12:40

Yes, I'm saying he might have went perfect in the second half or missed one shot.

SPEAKER_00 12:43

But he only had I mean he must have knocked down a few three like just knocked down a few threes. Yeah. He was not, yeah.

SPEAKER_02 12:51

He will finish with how many points? 23. Yeah, that's a prior, yeah. Because I don't think he had double digits. Oh, sir.

SPEAKER_00 12:57

I didn't have half time. I don't think he did. Yeah, so I mean that's a that's a great game. And like I I thought that Charlotte before before the game um was gonna walk away with it pretty easily. I'm not sure what the spread was at before the game, but I know they were favored by a pretty decent amount, um, just because Miami hadn't really been playing that great. Um and even with Bam going out too, like that gives Charlotte that much more of an advantage. Charlie changed it. Um but yeah, it really didn't. So I mean, you're kind of thinking if Bam's still in the game, then they might win. Yeah. Probably will. Um, but so Charlotte gets out of that. And um tomorrow night, Sixers, Orlando, um the winner of that will be the seventh seed and play the Celtics. Um, and then the loser will play Charlotte for that last spot for the eight seed to play the Pistons. Okay. Um so what do you think about uh what are we thinking about Charlotte or Sixers Orlando? Uh no indeed. I think Orlando I think Orlando is fully healthy.

SPEAKER_02 14:04

Um I think uh Orlando wins that game.

SPEAKER_00 14:08

Okay.

SPEAKER_02 14:12

Uh 76ers overall. Uh probably has a little bit more playoff experience or the players on the roster, like game-wise. Uh but um it's three versus two. Uh in the fact or in the sense of that you got Bain, Ben Carroll, and Wagner versus uh Paul George and Travis Maxie. Edge Combs had a good year, but yeah, he's a rookie, and it's kind of playoff. It is for them. I mean, it's it's winner go home, so it's playoffs. You never know how a rookie's gonna show up. You know, I think he's the X Factor though. Um I think if he has a good game, I think Philadelphia will win it. You're saying X Factor. Edgecombe. Okay. I think for Philadelphia, that's an X Factor.

SPEAKER_00 15:11

I'm looking at the two times they played this year. Um the first time was back in when is this January? It was NBA Cup. It was in Philly. Um and Orlando won by like 144 to 103, so they beat them by yeah, they beat them. They won't. But they didn't have MB'd or um enbiad or PG, so it was just Drummonds. Or no, it was just Maxi. Maxi, I'm tripping. Um, and then they played against they played again in January, so they haven't played each other since they haven't played each other in like three and a half months. Wait, yeah, yeah, Philly won the second one. Um, I think it was in Orlando, so so they just each won at each one at each other's place. But the second the second time they had PG, Max the N and B. So they had their full team, and then Edgecombe as well. Edgecombe didn't play very well, three for eight. Um, I mean he still had seven assists and nine boards, though. So he had a good all-around game, it's not a great shooting game. Um yeah, they beat him by 12. The but that was also that was almost three months ago. Um, they won't have Embiid this game. So they're they're they're they're relatively full strength. Like you still like your chances with Maxi and PG. You still got like a Kelly Ubre who can show up and give you 15-20, knock down some timely threes. Embiid is kind of their their uh the training conductor, in my opinion.

SPEAKER_02 16:44

I mean, they play better, obviously, when he is on the court versus when he isn't. And if it was, you know, him and Paula George or him and Maxie, when he went to the city, I'd feel much more comfortable saying they'd beat Orlando, but the fact that he's not there, um Paula George is up and down sometimes.

SPEAKER_03 17:05

Um Maxie might put him on his back though, dude.

SPEAKER_00 17:09

Maxie could. I mean I'm seeing him do it. He's a he's a really good player. He is, he could. He's good at defense, too.

SPEAKER_02 17:17

But I think one of those three from Orlando, if not two, maybe, could have really good games.

SPEAKER_00 17:22

You got Bain, Wagner, or Boncaro. If any of them are getting off, yeah. That kind of three the energy just kind of feeds over a little bit, and you got some you got some good governance over in Orlando, correct? Uh yeah. Yep. So I mean it's in Orlando. Or wait, let me double check that because it might I'm actually not. No, it's in Philly. Philly's the higher seed. Okay.

SPEAKER_02 17:46

Well, yeah, I mean, I mean, so that I mean, Crow could factor in, could not. We don't know.

SPEAKER_00 17:51

I think Clemensy was I think I'm honestly not even sure who's favored for that game. I feel like the money line or the spread should probably be pretty close. Um, but I mean it might not be just because I mean, but the two games that they played in the regular season were so lopsided this year, but the lineups were so different. So I feel like it's a it's kind of a hard game to pick. Um yeah, it's a it's a one and a half point spread. The Sixers are favored. The Sixers are favored without embies, so that's a little bit um that's a little bit surprising. But it's only my they're minus 125, Orlando's plus 105. So um, I mean, I feel like that I feel like that's either a game that Orlando, um but I was gonna say like Orlando gets really hot and just shoots the lights out and just but like but then you got Philly being at home. I feel like they're not gonna they're not gonna get beat by like they're not gonna get they're not gonna let the game get away. They're not gonna let the game get away from them. Like just being at home, but you also do have those games where it's just a humiliation and you just can't do anything to get out of it. Um but like I do like Philly though, like I don't I don't want that to happen. Um like I I do like Embiid or no, I do like Maxie. I I like Maxie, I like Paul George, like you were saying earlier. Um Paul George when he was a few years ago um that season on OKC when he was putting up almost 30 a game, looking like one of the better players in the league. Um yeah, so I mean if Paul George can get back if he can show us a little bit of that again, I wouldn't I would love to see that. Um because when he when he when he's in his game, he's yeah, he can he's he's one of the better players offensively for sure on the court at all times. Um he could he could take especially a playing game to get into the playoffs. I could I could see him getting over. So I mean, whoever wins that Sixers Orlando game, though, gets a straight bid to the playoffs, which is nice. Um, but then so like so you were saying you said Orlando, right? Was winning that Sixers Orlando game. So what do you think about Charlotte um Charlotte Sixers then?

SPEAKER_02 20:10

Um guess it depends on if Embiid is a bat is back yet. That's that's hard to judge for me. It depends on when he comes back. Uh if he's there and they're full of power, this one will also be in Philly too if they lose.

SPEAKER_01 20:30

I'll go Philly. I was gonna say Charlotte's playing on the road no matter who they have to play.

SPEAKER_02 20:36

So I'll go Philly if if they have him beat. If they don't have him beat, I'm gonna go Charlotte.

SPEAKER_01 20:44

So that'd be that'd be a tough, dude. I wouldn't I wouldn't want to play the Sixers in the first round if I was the Pistons, to be honest.

SPEAKER_00 20:52

If Embiid was healthy, I mean I honestly wouldn't be super worried about it because I think I think Jalen Dern could probably like he he could have his way relatively because Embiid's not fully healthy, bro. Like if Embiid was healthy for like 20, 25 games prior to this and was like in a good run of games, then I'd be scared, right? Then he'd probably fuck up Dern offensively and he would and he would use too much energy and he would probably pick up pick up quick fouls. But just the fact that Embiid isn't really in a good run of games right now, he's been in and out, he's not really in, he's not in good form.

SPEAKER_02 21:31

Um one thing you're gonna do is he's gonna take one of that paint though. That's one thing that's you know, one thing it bees or Duran is gonna have to respect. Uh if they if they even have to play, I mean, if they yeah, but I mean that's something you gotta respect for sure. Is that three?

SPEAKER_01 21:50

He just got surgery on what do you get appendix.

SPEAKER_02 21:53

He got a pending. I mean that's that's not that's not really uncommon. Okay. A lot of people do that, and they come back and play within the next week or two. But it depends. I mean he got the fantasy move last week.

SPEAKER_01 22:05

But he's also been he's also a bit hurt in and out the whole season though. So be it every year. Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 22:10

But I mean I'm just saying this. But it depends on how he's feeling it's not like it's been a it's it's not like it's been different this year than other years. I'm not saying he's played more Philly he's played kind of more games. It's it's just a qu like Philly's a question mark whether he's just playing or not really. Like honestly like like like just because he's not playing tomorrow night like you're taking Orlando like if he was playing you'd probably be taking the other side. Yeah. But so yeah I mean I think Philly really is a wild card whether whether MB's playing or not for sure because they just don't really have another big man who is as much of as as much of an enforcer in the paint offensively or defensively. So yeah um kind of wraps up wraps up east a little bit um yeah I mean so Miami's out we still got we still got uh yeah I mean we still got so those West those West playing games but um yeah so I mean we'll so Orlando this game right now but so like so east though Orlando playing Celtics and then I've I think you think Charlotte or you think Sixers if MB's back will play the Pistons if not Charlotte will play the Pistons okay that's fair I I I I think the Charlotte will end up playing Detroit and Boston or and I think probably Orlando plays Celtics too. I agree with that.

SPEAKER_03 23:37

Okay.

SPEAKER_00 23:38

But then on the other side you got Suns Blazers is the game that's on right now Blazers kinda Blazers are up 7769 with about half the quarter half the third quarter left and the winner of this game will play the Spurs. Do you want to pull up the head to head of the Blazers Spurs low key? Because I think they probably played each other at least three times um oh I I wouldn't be surprised if Spurs blew him or if Spurs swept him but I just kind of want to see how close they were um because if yeah if he keeps going like this then or oh no songs just cut a little bit but yeah so it's a good game I mean but if the Blazers can run away with it I mean I don't know I feel like I mean I mean Blazers versus Blazers vs Spurs I feel like in the playoffs would be interesting man because the Spurs definitely have much more talent. They'll definitely be pretty heavy favorites but neither of them have playoff experience. And well they so Blazers actually have Drew Holiday running point um championships in Milwaukee and Boston and he's got he's got some great young people around him Denny Odvius playing his best season he's played um I don't know I mean it's really it's really whether they have a a matchup for Wemby that's really the main thing with the Spurs um with this team is whether you have you whether you have a way to stop Wemby defense defensively and offensively you know I'm saying like but they have Klingon Klingon was a Klingon was a top five draft pick um he might not be able to he's not gonna be able to guard Wemby every possession like you're not gonna okay did Portland win one? Okay. So was everybody healthy y'all or so like who is was anybody not healthy in the so the first one was NBA Cup they won 115 okay I suppose 115 102 oh no Wemby no Wemby okay first game so yeah I mean I really like really just want to say like like how many times did Wemby play the game this the Blazers won? Because yeah I mean I feel like when like because the Spurs Wemby the second game okay because I mean the Spurs definitely have a lot of really good people around Wemby like a lot of good guards um I mean I mean they really don't have a ton of big men around him like Luke Cornette Harrison Barnes Wemby their main ones okay so the games that they've played this season.

SPEAKER_02 26:29

Okay so that's so that's interesting.

SPEAKER_00 26:31

So it's hard to get a a good judgment on yeah so it's it's it's hard for the Blazers to kind of get a good read on how on how you might be able to stop that.

SPEAKER_02 26:41

Well I mean it just I mean I think that that'll probably be honestly dude uh a sweep in my opinion. I just I think it might maybe maybe a six game series maybe I mean but my bad maybe a five game maybe maybe the Blazers on right here it's like three and three oh right in San Antonio like we want to win our on our home court so we gonna you know not let but kind of let you win this game and then you know go home and wrap this up but you know unless they just like you know what we want in this motherfucker right here in Portland uh if they if they pull this out um but I think they'll sweep them no Wimby I mean they're only gonna play better right it's not like they're gonna play worse so yeah um no no they only lost by 14 in a game Wimby didn't play.

SPEAKER_00 27:34

Yeah, what I was more in that game probably you know what I'm saying like what I was saying earlier like the Spurs definitely talent Spurs definitely talent wise character but um yeah Spurs talent wise are definitely miles miles ahead of I mean not miles but miles ahead of the Blazers just because they have Wemby really like he's the fucking he's he's an alien. I mean as long as Wemby's on the court I don't I don't know if many teams can hang with the Spurs. I mean the only thing that kind of gives me a little bit of worry is just then like really them really that second round them coming up against the Nuggets. If they get out of that first round and Denver gets out of the first round against the Timolves them coming up against each other will be a big big test. When fat when be coming up against one yeah no I know that I mean the Timberwolves have made the conference finals. Yeah but the Timberwolves haven't looked good this year I mean they haven't looked the same. I don't know what it is ant hasn't been fully healthy all year he's been in and out Julius has been pretty healthy but he's been he I feel like he had a pretty long stretch after the All-Star break where he was not performing very well at all. And you know Gobert's not gonna give you a ton offensively and defensively yeah he's usually pretty good but he can sometimes be a liability when you get switches on him. So but yeah I mean we can go into this let's go into this last playoff game real quick or this last play in game. So the loser of this Suns Blazers game will play the winner of the Clippers Warriors game. The loser that Clippers Warriors game is done. Okay you think Steph gonna pull it out or you think or is Kawhi healthy too I think so I think they should both have pretty fully healthy rosters um Clippers let's see Clippers are favored by five and a half so I think they'll cover too you think they'll cover yep and yeah it's in LA um Moses Moody out for a season damn I didn't even realize that yeah they they have pretty much yeah everybody's healthy for both teams going into this Clippers Warriors game a little bit more I think Warriors and it's a home game for the Clippers yeah I don't I mean the Warriors don't really have a ton going for him right now um except getting Steph back but I mean I mean you know how the Warriors are though like whenever they get into these games I don't I don't like betting against Steph in a one off game like it that's that's scary but I also the way Kawhi's been playing this year I also trust I also trust him so I think I'm probably taking the Clippers with you as well. But then so clippers I mean shit who do you think's gonna win this game dude 8377 a buck left in the third buck 20 said Phoenix earlier but Portland. Dude Denny's having a game too 11 for 16 he's efficient 27 points yeah this is a this is a solid game living up to the first game as well um it's both both close um yeah I mean Phoenix has been able to pull their way back into it a bit Jalen Green has been he's shown up he had a big first half hit hit that AM1 three pointer at the end of the first half which brought him within three or four I want to say and yeah I mean they've just ooh Colin Gillespie with a nasty nasty move right there. Colin Gillespie's also been a player that's been stepping up for Phoenix a lot um just without Jalen Green kind of in and out like he's been in most of the time in the second half of the season but I mean he's been somebody that's been playing that true point guard position for him. Like he's a facilitator like he's like I mean the fact that Phoenix is one of the better defensive teams in the league um I don't know like so I mean I mean so what do what are you saying on this game? Four point game right now 38 seconds left in the fourth who do you think's playing the Clippers or who do you think's playing the yeah who do you think is playing the Clippers to play OKC who do you think is getting that eight spot because winner of this gets seven to go to the Spurs and then whoever whoever loses so Portland so Portland LA to get the eight spot uh Clippers Clippers okay so Clippers OKC I know you so I remember you talk I remember you talking a few weeks ago about uh LA and OKC's regular season matchup and how LA was playing them pretty well um and so that I mean that's a that's a first round matchup that I think is most um most watchable I mean not even most watchable but I think would be like the bet like just the best the best first round matchup that OKC would have to play. I mean I think that if if if Kawhi can stay healthy if Darius Garland can have a good series um and if and if their role players all are playing solid D they can get their timely buckets um the the Clippers could take the Clippers could take two if not three if Kawhi's going for three 40 plus um but um I don't know I mean I mean how do you think I mean the the founder had a pretty good the founder were playing pretty good um by the end of the year they've they've got all their players back at this point. Like I think start of the playoffs they're gonna have their full five they're gonna have Shea Dort um J Dub Chet and Harkenstein then they're gonna have their full bench and they're then they're gonna have a fucking another full five off the bench if they need it. So they got a fucking 15 man rotation if they really need it. So I don't know I don't know if the Clippers gonna be able to beat that first round. I want to I think I think I think those I'll give them a good chance but yeah OKC is just the train right now. Yeah I don't think they'd lose first round if anything so yeah I mean it kind of wraps up the play in a little bit I mean so we got Suns playing Spurs so predictions Suns playing Spurs first rounds sweep sweep um and then clippers 4-2 4-2 Clippers okay see first round okay so then um let's get into these we got a few or the 3-6 and the 4-5 matchups and the east and west are both really really intriguing to me um I'm gonna start off with the East Cleveland Toronto uh Cleveland beat New York for the three spot yeah because New York or wait uh no New York I'm tripping yeah yeah yeah New York beat Cleveland for that three spot so Cleveland um Cleveland Toronto I mean Toronto was one of those teams that um beat expectations they traded for Ingram in the offseason and he brought he brought scoring um yeah he played a full season he was he was consistent I mean he's back home in to he's back home in Canada where he's or not we I don't think no he he's from the US but like I wonder who am I thinking as from somebody's from Canada that just yeah I was thinking of RJ I was thinking of RJ so I mean they they have a they have a really they have a pretty a pretty solid team like not not a not a bunch of all stars but they got like four or five like within Scotty BI Two all stars yeah uh RJ um whoak and Purdle who run is quick is quickly run the point for them is he's um I want to say it's like because I feel like quickly was coming off the bench for a little while and like I want to say I'm missing one player like one key player on their team because I feel like their whole starting five was like pretty solid because Purdle's a seven footer that's like defensively he's he's gonna he's gonna get you buckets or no he's he's he's gonna get stops. Yeah I mean he's healthy they don't have a they don't have a great bench to be fair um they don't have a ton of talent that's gonna get him off yeah like just that second rotation button I mean dude with BI RJ and Scotty Barnes all all of them were going for 20 or like like at like 17 18 most of the year. Yeah Ingram 21 Ingram 21 Barnes 19 Barnes 19 and he was also putting up all around stats or actually Barrett 19 Barnes 18 okay so so so they were so they were weakly was 16. Okay so yeah so they got four people putting up 16 plus yeah so I mean I mean against against Cleveland's I know I'm uh dude I I mean I give respect to Cleveland for sure I love I love Donovan Mitchell and Toronto gonna beat him I mean I think they gotta I mean dude there's there's a chance bro there's always a chance I mean especially with a four a four a four five matchup I mean dude Toronto I mean we'll also Cleveland bro I mean they trade yeah traded for Harden but I mean yeah I'm like I'm for I'm I'm de I'm definitely expecting Harden to get off some of these games for sure but Mitchell's gonna get off yeah Mitchell will probably get off and I love I love I love their two bigs with Mobley and Allen like I think I think Mobley and Allen are both really really good um so I I would I will take them over Toronto in this series just because ultimately I think um the they they like Cleveland just has too many people that can um influence the game too much for Toronto to really hang in it for a seven game series. But I think it will be one that Toronto can take two of them and just just stretch it and just stretch it out a little bit more than it could be.

unknown 38:07

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 38:07

And then that Knickshaw um I think could even could be just as close if not closer than this Cleveland Toronto.

SPEAKER_02 38:16

I think four or two Knicks okay so I mean but I mean the Hawks kind of have Dennis okay yeah and New York's been hot I mean New York has played you got you got Jim I I relatively really good kind of what you expected New York to play SAL by five uh kind of what you expected New York to play um all years what they played the month of April.

SPEAKER_00 38:47

The last kind of like half a month to a month um New York is so I think New York and Atlanta they play good you know you know me I've been high on Atlanta I mean I think Nikhil and Jalen Johnson are both valid to get most improved to be honest like um Nikhil's had a great year Jalen's had another great year trading for CJ McCollum did you guys have Daniels Dyson Daniels had a great year as well Okongu is solid I mean he's he's their starting big man um Risa Shea is even coming off the bench a number one overall pick because I mean and and and he's and he's solid too like I like I like I I honestly like I honestly like Risa Shea's game's line in the game get you yeah like I mean like but I mean when he's hot and when he's hitting his threes like he he's a good defender like like he's he he's honestly like he's honest potential yeah he does he does for sure he's got he's got size he's he's got size he can shoot the ball and he's fucking French dude fucking all those Europeans bro he played with Wemby so I mean he's he's got that he's got that three and D type game um but so yeah I mean you think Nick's probably coming out of that four two yeah I mean I yeah I see Knicks probably winning the first two games at home Hawks maybe get one and Knicks go up 3-1 um then goes back to New York and they wrap it up.

SPEAKER_02 40:14

I think Hawks might take one of those games in New York the first one. Okay. I think that's probably maybe a game that uh the weighs New York up you know what I'm saying like I think I think maybe maybe the first game maybe I mean maybe that first game start off you know this is one and two one to five point game all game right like one minute is fucking 55 to 53 next is game six to eighty two.

SPEAKER_00 40:41

We saw that in the playoffs last year with the Knicks and the Pistons though. Dude when it was close at the end of the game Brunson's got that fucking ice in it man when it's close Brunson using the case usually gets in the foul line too that's another you guess he gets that line and and as much as I don't like Kat as well and as much and as inconsistent as he's as he's been this year um probably playing one of honestly his worst scoring seasons that he's ever had like I feel like I've I mean I don't I I don't even know if I'd say he's gonna middle I don't know if I'd say he's even putting up 1920s bro like okay I I want to check that real quick bro because I mean I'm I'm not saying you're I'm not trying to doubt you but fucking I just hate cat so much dude but he he can he can be cut 20 20 point he's getting 20 he's 20 but he's also averaging I want to say a career high and rebound if I'm not wrong let me see okay no this is not a career high he's still good at an old though yeah I mean like his last since he's been in New York he's averaged the most he's averaged since 2018 and 19. Okay so he's giving he's having so he's having a relatively good year but dude I mean you put him up against those teams with good big men bro you put him up against women last year he averaged 24 dude you put him up against women put him up against Allen and Mobley put him up against Dern you put him up against Chet like I just I just no he can't no he can't you can't not against not against the best big men in the league bro not against bro you saw you saw against Durin bro he got fucked he didn't do the regular season he didn't do anything against the regular season broken Spurs and one of those games one of those games against Shaw he didn't play yeah you're right you didn't play one of them but this dude the two this one game bro I bro I just remember seeing it in person because I went to one of those games and dude Carl Anthony Towns looked out of shambles bro he didn't look like he didn't look he didn't know he literally he did not look like he knew how to play the game of basketball bro like he brought every single time every single time he touched the ball bro he's getting looked like he had autism i put I swear to God bro like he looks so out of rhythm like like dude if you put him up against a team that knows how to defend him bro he is going to get shut down he is gonna like he's gonna look out of sorts bro like you know those you know the highlights I'm talking about when his game he gets shut down and he just doesn't know what to do and he's just he's all over the place bro yeah like I did you say you tell me he can't score against I think I think a little bit of your biasness is coming in okay but to your judgment as far as uh towns as a player.

SPEAKER_01 43:46

Yeah but but okay but okay but you did okay but okay but did you hear what I said earlier bro you put up okay so you put up he plays like that though half the time he put he play he plays he plays like

SPEAKER_00 44:00

Like that though, bro. Like he just doesn't look like he knows what's going on half the time.

SPEAKER_01 44:05

Listen, man. But so okay, so just hear what I'm saying.

SPEAKER_00 44:08

Hear what I was saying earlier, bro. So you put him up against Dern or Um Mobley or Allen, Cavs or the Pistons, if they have to run into them at any point, Kat's gonna get sh I don't like Kat in that matchup against either of the big, against Dern or Stu or Mobley or Allen. If they have to come up against those, if if the Knicks have to come up against those, I don't like Kat in that matchup. And then if if somehow they get if somehow they get to play San Antonio or OKC, I don't like Wemby or I don't like the Wemby matchup or I don't like the Harkenstein Chet matchup against Kat.

SPEAKER_02 44:44

He's bro.

SPEAKER_00 44:46

Are you kidding me?

SPEAKER_02 44:48

There's only one player. Come on, bro. Maybe one that you name that is better than him. And that's crazy to me. Because Chet's not better than Kat. I'm just saying no chance. I'm saying neither is Harkenstein, neither is Mobley or Allen. The only one that you name that's pop, maybe, and that's Duran.

SPEAKER_01 45:09

That's maybe crazy that you're saying that. It's better than all of them, bro. All of them, bro.

SPEAKER_00 45:14

Bro, you bro, you only mean to tell me that Harkenstein is better than Kat.

SPEAKER_01 45:20

No, maybe not. Maybe not maybe not offensively. Overall. Bro, Harkenstein will stop. Bro, okay. I guess I'm talking about Harkenstein stopping Kat, bro.

SPEAKER_02 45:31

Kat will not offensively. Take him out of that paint and he's shooting that bitch. What's gonna happen when he goes five for eight for three? And he got 32. He's not not in any time in his playoffs, but he's gonna have 30 points.

SPEAKER_01 45:46

Let's pull up. Bro, let me pull up Kat against Let me pull up Kat against the um against OKC this year. You know what's crazy, bro? You know he was getting shut down by fucking average. Shut his ass down, bro. All the good big men in the league shut him down, bro, because he's fucking not good. I'm telling you, bro. I'm gonna tell you something right now.

SPEAKER_02 46:10

Hold on. Listen to me. He has good spurts. Listen, bro. Seven three and his numbers all. If we had a blind test or whatever, and it just showed you the figure of the player, and I showed you the numbers, I guarantee you wouldn't guess him. You know how much he's averaging for a career if it's a career in it today? How much he averaged in points and rebounds? What? Guess. Give me a guess. 27 and 12. You're wildin'. Stop it, bro. 27. I don't know. I was just you're just trying to be a little gracious. I was guessing. 20. Very few pleaver. I averaged a 27, bro. No. You're talking as a big man.

SPEAKER_01 46:48

Okay.

SPEAKER_02 46:49

A big man, bro. He's a big. 21. 21, okay. That's in rebounds. 21 and 11. You're close. Alright. That's he's averaging 23 and 11. As a career, that's fantastic. That's not you know what he's averaging as a field goal percentage in his career?

SPEAKER_01 47:11

48.

SPEAKER_02 47:12

53. You know what he's averaging three point in his career right now? 46. 46? Come on, Zat. Stay 2K, baby. Stay 2K.

SPEAKER_01 47:23

46. That's what my newbie's doing, though. That's not 2K shooting.

SPEAKER_02 47:45

Not 2K numbers, bro.

SPEAKER_01 47:46

Okay, 30, 36. 39. Okay.

SPEAKER_02 47:51

39.

SPEAKER_01 47:51

Okay.

SPEAKER_02 47:52

So 53 and 39 as a career with 23 and 11, right? That's not. If we put those blind tests up with just a figure, just to you know the outline of a player, you like, you never gonna guess that's Thomas, correct?

unknown 48:07

No.

SPEAKER_02 48:07

That's my point, bro. Is he's not I thought that was to me, bro. I thought that was a bad trade on Minnesota's part. Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 48:15

Because Randall's not better than Thomas. I was like, I question that trade. Dude, Thomas is a weird trade.

SPEAKER_00 48:23

I thought it was a weird trade, too. Thomas is good. I won't disagree with you about that trade that I thought. He's a better rebound than Randall. I thought the Knicks better shooter. Yeah, I thought the Knicks did get the win.

SPEAKER_01 48:34

I did think that. Keep grabbing it. I'm happy. No, yeah, I don't I don't disagree with you there that the Knicks did get the better end of the trade.

SPEAKER_00 48:45

Um, I just I mean, he put in he averaged 25 last year, man. Yeah, I just I just don't like him in the big matchups, bro. That's just just from what I've seen. Um I mean, what have you seen as a tournament in a big matchup?

SPEAKER_02 49:00

Uh let's see what he averaged last year.

SPEAKER_00 49:04

Well, Durant still there. Let's see what he did. Pull up conference finals against what was it, OKC? So I think they made conference finals and then they traded in that offseason, right? I think go postseason, Hunter. We're going right here. Because I he probably probably did do decent.

SPEAKER_02 49:20

He averaged 21-11 last year in the postseason, bro.

SPEAKER_00 49:23

Last year in the postseason. Shooting 48% and 35%. They made did they make it to the conference? Yeah, they lost to Indiana. Yeah. What did he do the year before that on the Minnesota?

SPEAKER_02 49:35

19-9. But he shot he shot 46 and 36. Yeah. 85. And he can Amy's not missing from a free throw line.

unknown 49:44

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 49:45

No, so I mean, dude, that's honestly that's what you want. I mean, dude, that's so that's interesting. Like, I don't know why Minnesota felt that they needed a change. Like, maybe it was something in the locker room, maybe it was probably something with the like price of this undisclosed right now we don't know of that may come up.

SPEAKER_02 50:04

It looks like Phoenix might take this, maybe. But uh something that came above that we just don't know. Possible. You know, I don't know. Yeah, it's one of those things. Maybe Towns and Ant-Man didn't get them on. Yeah. That's Ant-Man T. Maybe it's maybe it's Ant-Man, like something that I don't know what y'all need to do, but something need to happen. Um, and this is coming off of them game. That's ball game right there. In a Western conference, not necessarily this 11-point game, bro. That's still seven minutes. That's still bro, the moment the momentum just shook to the Phoenix. That's fine. Seven minutes, though. Yeah. We look up four minutes ago and it's 97 101.

SPEAKER_00 50:46

But no, talking about this, um, talking about this T-Wolves Knicks trade. Skip over to this Nuggets T-Wolves game, because we got those Eastern Conference, Nick, Knicks 4-2, Cleveland probably 4-2 as well. Um, probably two, six game series, but then Nuggets T-Wolves, that's a big one. Um because uh because I mean, dude, that's that's tough, bro, because like I think the Nuggets will most likely win that first round. And I'm hoping that they will. I'm hoping that they will because I want to see the Spurs and Nuggets play each other really, really bad. I think that will be a fucking amazing matchup. I really want to see Jokic and Wemby go up against each other, especially early in the playoffs. I think will be good for both of for both of them to see kind of like how much how much experience Wemby kind of does have and how much he can do against somebody who's won it. Like, you know what I mean? Like going up against Jokic. Um and also with the Nuggets being fully healthy. Um, they haven't been fully healthy a ton this season, so their starters haven't had a ton of time to all play with each other together. But it's a team that has had enough time to play with each other in the past where it's kind of like if you if you get a little bit of rhythm, they're they they can snap like a finger and play like the best team in the league like that. Especially when they got Jokic on the team, no doubt about it. Um So I think Nuggets, I think Nuggets are probably gonna take this not easily, but the way that the T-Wolves have been playing this year, I don't think I I think Jokic is I think Jokic and Murray are gonna handle them, especially since the T-Wolves have taken them out of the playoffs recently. Um it's not gonna happen in the first round. The Nuggets are not going to go out in the first round, I don't think, especially to a team that's beat them. Uh if not one year. I know they beat them at least one. Only once, okay. So even once. I mean, Jokic definitely wants that get back. He wants to play against San Antonio, for sure. Um and because I mean I think Nuggets, I mean, with the Spurs lack of experience, I mean, Jokic is going like Jokic is already like he's he's not looking ahead at that series, he's most likely, just because he knows that Minnesota is gonna be a force, force we reckon with the first round. But you know he's probably kind of looking ahead a little bit, like just to see who potentially is that second round matchup, and he's looking at it like it's gonna be the Spurs.

SPEAKER_02 53:30

Denver does have a 3-1 record against Minnesota, so but so the first three games are before the new year. Okay, so they played them early on. Uh Denver or sorry, Minnesota one. Okay. Um I think I don't know, I think that series uh really hinges on Ant, man. Um because I know Yoke is gonna play good. But it's also a Minnesota.

SPEAKER_00 54:06

It's also Minnesota's defense, man, because I feel like this year Minnesota's defense has has been really inconsistent. Like they're letting up 115, 120 too much. And like even like 125, 130. Like, and a team like the a team like the Nuggets are just gonna find are gonna find ways to put up offense.

SPEAKER_02 54:29

No, it's crazy is actually Minnesota's a better defense.

SPEAKER_00 54:34

Than Denver? No.

SPEAKER_02 54:35

Well, Denver's given up 117 a game this year. Minnesota has given up 114.

SPEAKER_00 54:42

Okay, so I mean, I was gonna say like like Denver's defense also hasn't been amazing, but they haven't had Aaron Gordon most of the year, um Christian Brown out for a little while. I know he's been back for a while. Like Cam Johnson. I mean, I feel like I feel like Aaron Gordon, bro, the Nuggets getting Aaron Gordon back probably moves them up a solid 10 spots defensive rating. Like as long as like the Nuggets, if they have Jokic, if they have Jokic, if they have Murray, Brown, um, Cam Johnson, Gordon, and Jokic, like those five, if they if they can get some good running together, and like none of them, if they can stay healthy consistently for good two rounds, go into that conference, like they potentially beat the Spurs, get into that conference finals. They're I I mean I I'd probably take them to win it, to be honest. Like, depending on how they're playing, depending on who they're playing in the conference finals, whether it's OKC, um, that'll I mean that'll be a great series. Um, but shit, I mean, dude, Spurs OKC. Like, you've seen like beat Spurs beat them four times, but I think if they had to play each other in the playoffs, it'll be a whole different story.

SPEAKER_02 56:01

We all gotta, I would uh honestly probably would take OKC.

SPEAKER_00 56:04

Yeah, I think I I would too, just because I mean we saw it last year. Yeah, yeah, a lot of O's. OKC wasn't now, and now OKC's got their full five. And they won they won the final week. They won the finals last year, and we saw we saw that run last year, and it was they looked like the best team coming out of the regular coming out of the regular season, and by the end of the playoffs, we were like, yeah, that's that's the best team. They were the best team all year. They held on to that number one spot. Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 56:36

San Antonio was on the hills within a game at one point, but OKC what they're supposed to do. They I mean they they played like the best, oh what I'm ouch, that hurts. Um played like the best team. Um really from uh midway through February on. You know, once they really got Shay back and healthy, and that's when they showed they're the best team. Yeah. I mean, it's it's tough to to stop them because they can beat you from so many ways. I mean they they the bench can beat you, the biggest can beat you. Shea can beat you. Like all I mean it don't matter. I mean, we've seen like I said, Joe put up 30. We've seen fucking Shay put up 30 games.

SPEAKER_01 57:32

I mean, just because defense.

SPEAKER_00 57:35

They just collapse on you on defense. So it's just if they get on a little if they get on a run where they they get three, four buckets in a row, three, four stops in a row. Like that's that's a ten o' that's a ten-o run right there.

SPEAKER_02 57:48

Like in that game. Got it. What a game. Portland making a run.

SPEAKER_00 57:55

What a game. Yeah. Eight-o run last two. Yeah, bro. Yeah, it's coming down to it for sure. But I mean, we might have to add a little bit of time on this to talk about this Rockets, Lakers game, just like maybe a lot of like 10 minutes or something. But get into it a little bit. Well, so so what do you think about this series though? Ending Nuggets T-Wolves. You think Nuggets Nuggets and Seven? Oh, just closing Nuggets and seven.

SPEAKER_03 58:20

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 58:20

Yeah, because it would end in it would end in Phoenix. Or it would end in Denver. So yeah. I'd take um, I'm gonna take I'ma honestly take Denver in six. I don't I don't think the T-Wolves will win three. Um defensively, I just don't think they'll be able to hang with Nuggets offense. Um and I think Nuggets are just gonna show up come playoff time, especially first rounds. Um getting those first two games at home. But um Lakers Rockets, four five matchup. Or no, not four five. Or is it the or no it's three six because yeah, the Nuggets T-Wolves is four five. Um so um Luca, biggest question mark going into that series. Um Austin Reeves is also supposed to come back uh like beginning of May. So that'll probably be like towards probably like game four or five of the first rounds, maybe towards the end of it. So that first round could already be decided by the time Reeves could potentially come back. Um so that's why I think the biggest question marks on Luca. He's been in Spain getting treatment for the last few weeks. Um and he's supposedly coming back, and it's gonna be like game time decision for the first few games, and first game is on Sunday, I wanna say. You also got KD and LeBron. I mean, that's a that's a storyline in itself, yeah. For sure. I mean, because when was the last time those two played against each other in a playoff? Was it fucking finals? Was it finals? Golden State Cleveland. Oh yeah, so that's a that's a storyline in itself. Um, yeah, I mean, two two of the two of the two of those old gen players having some of their last great years. Yeah, going up against each other. Um I think a lot of people are probably taking Lakers the way that um Houston has kind of been up and down this season. Oh but I mean, yeah, and I also don't love the way that KD has been playing in the playoffs, the luck that he's had in Brooklyn, um, and the luck that he's had in in Phoenix. Um just can't really put a team on his back. Um like he will like, I mean, I wouldn't even say that he was putting him on his back in Golden State, but he can't put a team on his back, really, in the playoffs. So as much as I love Kevin Durant, and he is definitely a future Hall of Famer, 100%. Um just in these later years, since he's been since he's left the Warriors, he just hasn't hasn't had the right team around him, hasn't had the right group around him. So for that, for that reason, and especially this season, because before before he went to the Rockets, he th he thought that Fred Van Vliet was gonna be healthy. When he went he when he got traded, Fred Van Vliet was still healthy. Gets injured or tears his ACL, maybe like a few weeks, a month later. And at that point, KD's like, fuck. Like, what am I gonna like he doesn't have a point guard. But he's already he's already on the Rockets, like he can't do nothing about it at that point. So I feel like before the season even kind of started, he he he knows like it's not gonna be the it's not gonna be what he signed up for. Um, so I don't know, but they still still get in this playoff series against the Lakers, which will be highly, highly watched. Um very I mean I I think it'll be a really close series as well, probably go to six games. I mean, I don't I think the Rockers will take two at least, if not three. Um I think KD will keep him in it, but depending on if Luca can come back by say game three, game four, um it'll I mean it also depends on what on what Brown can do. What Brown, what Brown and the others. I mean, because you got Hachimura, but Houston's got pretty good defenders as well, bro. Um I mean Kennard, Kinard's gonna be big, smart's gonna be big, Aiton's gonna be big, Hachimura and Braun. That's their starting five, probably. Without AK and Lucas, without AK and Luca. That's the five I just named. Smart, Kennard, Braun, Ruy, and Aiden. Um, I mean, so they're gonna need big games from all of them if they're gonna stand a ton of a chance against Phoenix or against um Houston. But I also wouldn't be surprised if Houston kind of digs themselves into a little bit of a hole. Um just not playing to their potential. It's kind of the way they've been playing this whole season. So I mean, just saying that, I think I think it'll be a six-game series, possibly seven, with the with the Rockets maybe pushing it to seven, but I mean, but uh it also just depends if if Luca can come back. Because if the Rockets do pull it out to seven, do the Lakers have enough offense to to sustain that.

SPEAKER_03 1:03:52

Right.

SPEAKER_00 1:03:52

Um because come come game six, game seven, like are you relying on Braun to get 25-30 points, all of those games? Like, is you're probably gonna need that type of production. Like you're gonna need Canard, like you're gonna or like probably like Ayton and Ruby to go for like 15-20. Smart and Smart and Connard to knock down their threes, like go for like a 10-15, like consistent scoring. And um, I don't know. I mean, like, what's your what's your kind of take on this series? What do you like if Lucas not playing, if he like it's that's just the biggest question, Mark, because Well he's not playing Houston, do you?

SPEAKER_02 1:04:36

Okay, unfortunately. Uh but um even if he is playing, I still may have it depends on when he plays. Uh if he plays game one Lakers, but if he comes back game three, four, or something like that, I got Houston. Um I just I think it's tough, bro. Houston's got Houston more firepower, in my opinion. I think he has more firepower with Kevin KD uh LeBron, they're gonna cancel each other out. But then after that, I'm just not sure. Thompson can get you still 18. Yeah, and Thompson's also Thompson's also a good defender as well. Thompson can get you about 15 and 20 a game as well. Yeah. Um and then you got Reese Shepherd off the bench. Well, Reese Shepard usually starts. Well, yeah, well he might, yeah. Well starting off the bench, he might drop 15, 20, 42. Yeah, for sure. Uh Lakers, you got Braun. So who would they play? Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 1:05:50

Um who would they play next? So was I mean you uh so you say Rockets probably in this series then?

SPEAKER_02 1:05:57

I mean, like I say, it depends on when Lucas starts. when he plays and how healthy he is. Um but I just I don't know I don't know if the Lakers got no score.

SPEAKER_00 1:06:10

Well dude honestly I think I think Houston might be a little bit of I don't even know if I'd say they'd be it a little bit of a better matchup for OKC because with Luca I mean I don't know like OKC definitely has the defense to kind of shut down a caliber of Luca. But yeah no I don't yeah I I don't think so either um Houston just doesn't have the backcourt Luka would hang with them.

SPEAKER_02 1:06:38

Unless the guards the only way I think um LA stands a chance is if uh if Luca plays like how he did in that finals run. Yeah. If he comes out guns blazing I mean averaging 30 32 33 points a game I think they have a chance depends on Luca and how he's how good he's playing I mean we've seen him at his best we've seen him I mean it also depends on it also depends on Brown a little bit too Brian and when AR can come back when AR if AR when you get a healthy AR.

SPEAKER_00 1:07:17

Well because ultimately bro if if Luca doesn't come back until like what you said up I won fuck Jeremy Yeah so yeah I mean this Phoenix Phoenix Corky game 107 106 catching alive right now by Phoenix this is a this I mean by this is a great game uh wow Devin oh wow ouch yeah I mean this game this might be another OT game um but yeah I mean so I mean I think ultimately um dude I I want to I wanna take the Lakers man just because I haven't really been high on the Rockets all year but I think whoever gets out of that is gonna get beat by OKC doesn't really matter too much. The other side of the West is where I think it's a little bit more interesting just because whoever has to play San Antonio or because I think San Antonio is going to get out of that first round for sure. And then but it's really it's that second round just because that's where the that's where that inexperience might come into play a little bit if they have to play even if they have to play in Minnesota. Like if I mean Minnesota's not going to be as threatening as Denver just because I mean just the way that Minnesota's been playing this year they haven't been as consistent. And I don't think that they'll get out of that first round against Denver. Wow so I mean I think Denver's experience against potentially that second round against the Spurs will be will be a great test for the Spurs. And if the Spurs can if the Spurs can eventually come out and take that series then I mean that'll be a huge confidence boost for them. They'll go into that conference finals against OKC and we'll see if they can keep up their regular season their regular season magic. But yeah I mean I think with that next Tuesday we'll um yeah I mean we got we got game one starting on Sunday so Sunday yeah next Tuesday we'll be into games one and two so with that ZBD out ZBD