Episode Transcript
[00:00:00] Speaker A: WVUA FM, Tuscaloosa.
[00:00:09] Speaker B: Hello, everybody. This is WVUA 90.7 FM, the Capstone. And welcome to episode 69. Nice of the full court press podcast. My name is Jamie Martinez and I'm joined by Nick Atkinson, Kaden Johnson and the returning Alex. Sports chasing I had to pop in.
[00:00:29] Speaker C: You know, for the playoffs, guys.
[00:00:30] Speaker B: Yeah, we're doing our eastern conference predictions, so Alex had to pop in. We'll get to that later, though, to stay up to date. Make sure to follow us on Instagram FCBpodcast UA with that being said, let's get into it. A decent amount of news this week. Not as bad as last week.
Just a preface. Also, we are going to go back on our western conference because, yes, we did our western conference predictions last week, but things have changed in the seating, so we'll be brief with the west, maybe cover that for 1015 minutes. And the east, we'll get real in depth and debate like we did last time. So let's get it kicked off with the news. To start off, this came out today. Per Adrian Wojnarowski, six time all star forward Blake Griffin has announced his retirement from the NBA on Instagram. Griffin, the Clippers first overall pick in 2009 out of Oklahoma, made all NBA three times, third team twice, and was the 2011 rookie of the year. He played his final season in Boston just a year ago as the team's number one hype man. So, Blake, heck of a career. A lot of fun times in lob City with Chris Paul and DeAndre Jordan. Very successful career. Anything to say on Blake?
[00:01:36] Speaker A: I think he's a hall of famer.
[00:01:37] Speaker B: Yeah, for sure.
I mean, it's so easy to get into nowadays. I mean, if Calvin Murphy's in the hall of Fame, I'd play Griffin.
[00:01:45] Speaker A: There's a lot worse players than Blake Griffin in the hall of Fame.
[00:01:49] Speaker D: Is he better than Tony Parker?
[00:01:50] Speaker A: No.
[00:01:51] Speaker B: No.
[00:01:51] Speaker D: As an individual player, take rings and alkalize away.
[00:01:56] Speaker B: I don't think Tony Parker has that many OMB selections.
[00:02:00] Speaker D: He's got four rings, though, and.
[00:02:02] Speaker B: But you just said take rings away.
[00:02:03] Speaker D: Yeah, that's what I'm saying. Well, accolades is everything. So we're taking all star games away. We're taking everything away.
[00:02:09] Speaker B: Oh.
[00:02:10] Speaker D: So, I don't know.
[00:02:11] Speaker B: Cause positional is hard to compare a power forward to a point guard, if you want to look at it. That's right.
[00:02:15] Speaker A: I don't know. Because, well, yeah, geez, I don't know.
[00:02:19] Speaker B: I don't know.
[00:02:19] Speaker A: But it's hard to compare a four to, like a true point guard to.
[00:02:22] Speaker D: Like a really overrated point guard.
[00:02:23] Speaker E: Yeah.
[00:02:24] Speaker B: Yeah, yeah. Yeah. So congrats to Blake Griffin on this very successful career. Moving on the Brooklyn Nets have found their next head coach. Per ESPN sources, Jordy Fernandez has emerged as the Nets choice to become the franchise's next coach, separating himself in a wide, month long search that now the Nets are prepared to hire the Sacramento Kings. Tyler top assistant coach. Big time signing Jordy Fernandez has been in the loop for a lot of head coaching jobs for the last couple of years now, and he finally gets that spot in Brooklyn, so good for him. It sucks as a Kings fan to see one of the top guys go, but that last year's run was fraudulent. The Kings are a terrible team and will never sniff the playoffs again, so it's good to see Jordan Fernandez get his bag while he still can. Moving on the Milwaukee Bucks are in some trouble. Uh oh. ESPN sources the Milwaukee Bucks are preparing to be without two time MVP Giannis Antedokounmpo for the start of their opening round series against the Indiana Pacers, but our hopeful treatment of his left calf strain will allow him to return sometime later in that series. Huge hit for the Bucks, who have been pretty stagnant for these last couple of weeks and now without two time MVP, debatably the best player in basketball. I mean, against an upcoming team like Indiana, that's heartbreaking. Any thoughts on that?
[00:03:39] Speaker D: I had Indiana winning anyways.
[00:03:41] Speaker B: I think I'm. We'll get to that later, but it's time.
[00:03:43] Speaker A: It's time to see if Dame is still got it like that, I guess. I mean, I think the Bucs can step it up in the playoffs, but defensively they're already so bad with Giannis, let alone take him away. And then on top of that, they're playing the best offense in the NBA, probably.
[00:04:00] Speaker E: Yeah.
[00:04:01] Speaker A: I don't know. It's not looking good for them.
[00:04:03] Speaker B: And also, Stephen A. Smith said that Damian Lillard is not happy to be in Milwaukee. So is this more fuel to the fire? Who knows? Maybe he ends up in Miami next year like he originally wanted.
[00:04:13] Speaker A: Well, also, it'll be important to see, I mean, the series is going to start in Milwaukee as well. So missing Giannis for two games in Milwaukee that, I mean, you have to win pretty much if you lose those tracks. Yeah, yeah, that's what I'm saying. If they lose, even blowing one game in Milwaukee is pretty huge, especially to.
[00:04:29] Speaker B: An up and coming team like Indiana who could really turn it on at any time.
[00:04:32] Speaker D: I mean, who's going to guard Pascal without Giannis.
[00:04:34] Speaker E: Exactly.
[00:04:35] Speaker A: Pascal's going to be Miles Turner. I mean, Brooke Lopez is a pretty solid defender. He'll be able to him on Turner will be good, but yeah, Pascal, Pascal should have a pretty good series.
[00:04:45] Speaker B: Yeah, I don't really trust anybody, especially with how poor defensively compared to other seasons the Bucks have been.
It's going to be tough to compete with Tyrese Halliburton, who's probably the best playmaker in basketball. So it's going to be a fun series, but Indiana definitely has a way better shot. Moving on. Team USA announces an absolutely stacked roster for the 2024 Olympics in Paris. The players that have been announced so far, out of the twelve spots, they have announced eleven. They have announced Stephen Curry, LeBron James, Kevin Durant, Jason Tatum, only 19, and he makes it very surprising. Joel Embiid, Devin Booker, Tyrese Halliburton, Anthony Edwards, Drew Holiday, Bam Adebayo and Anthony Davis. Absolutely loaded from top to bottom. They left one spot open. Any thoughts? I know, Nick, I kind of think I know where you're going to go, but who do you think it makes that last roster spot? Who do you think it should go to?
[00:05:38] Speaker A: I think it's between Paulo and Brunson only because they were both on the team last year, and obviously they're both fantastic players. Either of those, I think, is valid, but then there's also a lot of players that got left out that could make it Kawhi. Jimmy Butler, Jalen Brown. All three of those guys could.
[00:05:53] Speaker B: Kyrie Irving.
[00:05:54] Speaker A: Oh, Kyrie.
[00:05:55] Speaker E: Yeah, he's a FIBA MVP.
[00:05:57] Speaker A: But yeah, I think it should deservingly go to Brunson or Apollo just because I think that they should reward those guys that played on the team last year when a lot of players didn't want to.
[00:06:05] Speaker D: I agree. I think between Brunson and Paulo, I think one of the two of them will get it.
[00:06:10] Speaker B: Yeah, I completely agree with that. Chandson was phenomenal last time they did play for Team USA, and so was Bancaro. I think the most reasonable option, in my opinion, would be a Kawhi Leonardo.
[00:06:23] Speaker D: He's not gonna do that.
[00:06:23] Speaker B: I don't think he will either. But I think if you're looking for somebody to perfectly fit this team with defense and shot making and all that, it would be Kawhi. Paul George is definitely another option.
So a lot of great guys left off this list, but I mean, if this team doesn't win at all, then. Oh, man, I don't know. There was a dream team. There was the redeemed team, and now there's.
[00:06:46] Speaker A: It'll be fun to see, though, especially if this team makes it all the way and, like, plays against Luca. That'd be pretty cool to watch.
[00:06:51] Speaker B: I mean. I mean.
[00:06:52] Speaker D: Or Yokich.
[00:06:53] Speaker E: Yeah.
[00:06:53] Speaker A: Luca.
[00:06:53] Speaker D: Yokich.
[00:06:54] Speaker B: Dennis.
[00:06:54] Speaker A: Yokich against the entire world? Pretty much.
[00:06:56] Speaker E: Yeah.
[00:06:56] Speaker B: Dennis Schroeder.
[00:06:57] Speaker E: Yeah.
[00:06:57] Speaker A: I mean, Germany was insane last year. Canada's still pretty good. Jamal murray. Shea.
[00:07:03] Speaker D: New dorks.
[00:07:03] Speaker B: Dylan Brooks.
[00:07:04] Speaker E: Yeah.
[00:07:05] Speaker A: Wiggins.
[00:07:05] Speaker E: Yeah.
[00:07:06] Speaker A: Wiggins.
[00:07:07] Speaker C: The world game is getting a lot better. I mean, look at this year's draft class. I'd say six or seven of the top ten picks are all gonna be foreign.
[00:07:13] Speaker A: Yeah, probably so.
[00:07:14] Speaker C: I mean, the world game's getting a.
[00:07:15] Speaker B: Lot better, for sure.
Basketball's expanding. What can I say? Moving on. The Oklahoma City Thunder had their coach named as the coach of the year. ESPN sources OKC Thunder head coach Mark Dagenault has been named the NBA Coaches Association NBA Coach of the year, voting as 430 head coaches. Big time achievement.
Dagonault led the youngest team in basketball with an average age of 24 years old or second youngest team, but average age of 24 years old to the first seed in the Western Conference. Big time achievement. OKC's future is bright and diagonal is right there. So big time achievement there. And our last news of the day, I'm going to go right over to our resident Grayson Allen expert.
[00:07:57] Speaker A: Kathy Johnson, Phoenix Suns guard Grayson Allen agreed to a four year, $70 million contract extension with a player option. I mean, geez, what? He's a superstar, according to WOJ. That happened yesterday, I think on Monday. Pretty exciting news for Grayson Allen. He's one of the best spot up shooters in the NBA right now. I think he's maybe second in the NBA in three point percentage or first.
[00:08:20] Speaker E: He's one.
[00:08:21] Speaker B: He was first at one point.
[00:08:22] Speaker A: Yeah, I know it was between him and Luke Kennard for a while. What can I say?
But, yeah, four year, 70 mil, the market is definitely changing. I mean, even five years ago, you wouldn't see role players getting paid like this, but Grayson Allen solidified himself as a solid starter in the league. That shooting ability is literally unmatched by anybody else in the NBA. And he's getting better on the defensive end as well. He's not really a liability defensively anymore.
[00:08:49] Speaker D: He's like buddy heel, but with defense.
[00:08:51] Speaker A: I think he's really having the role that the Suns thought Eric Gordon would have when they brought him in. Eric Gordon has been solid this season, but Grayson Allen has definitely solidified his spot as their other starter.
[00:09:04] Speaker B: Grayson Allen's been phenomenal defensively. He's underrated.
Yeah, if you need him to flop a little bit, he'll get that for you, too.
Grayson Allen much deserved extension. And now that's it for the news this week. Let's move on to our NBA playoff predictions. Like I said earlier, we went through our Western Conference last week, but the bracket has changed since then. So let's get right into it. We'll start with the play in. We're going to be very brief with this because the plan did swap originally, as of last week, it was Kings versus Lakers and warriors versus Pelicans. Now it is Kings versus warriors, Pelicans versus Lakers because the Lakers managed to snag that top seed from the Kings because the Kings are mediocre. So lets start with the lower seed game between Sacramento and Golden State.
[00:09:49] Speaker D: You want me to start? Yeah, lets let Alex start since hes the guest.
[00:09:52] Speaker E: Yeah.
[00:09:52] Speaker B: All right. I appreciate it. Chasing sports. Alex, thank you.
[00:09:54] Speaker C: Ivan said too much so far. But thank you guys for letting me hop back on.
[00:09:58] Speaker E: Lets talk.
[00:09:58] Speaker B: It was a tough decision because we were originally thinking about not having you on here again.
[00:10:01] Speaker C: Yeah, but, yeah, let's talk some playoff basketball and for the play in. You just want me to talk about this game?
[00:10:07] Speaker E: Yeah, yeah.
[00:10:08] Speaker B: We'll just start with the first game.
[00:10:09] Speaker C: And then we'll go warriors versus Kings tonight. I'm going with the Golden State Warriors. I mean, they went two and two in the season series. Jamie and I were talking about this earlier. All four games this year ended within a ten point or less differential. So all good games, Curry and the warriors versus Fox and the Kings. But the Kings don't have Fox or herder. So I'm gonna have to go with the Golden State warriors tonight.
[00:10:31] Speaker D: Yeah. As for me, I'll have to say the same thing. It's just, and it's due to a lot of last year in the playoffs, just how Curry played and everything like that. It's just I just don't see him getting eliminated in the first playing game. You know, I just, I don't know. I mean, the Kings just really got unlucky playing the warriors because I think if they were to play the Lakers in this game, they would have won the first game. But I think playing the warriors is really very unlucky for them.
[00:10:58] Speaker A: Yeah, I really, oh, man, I really want to pick the Kings. I just think the Kings are too good to like just lose first game of the play in. But that being said, I'm never, ever going to bet in a one game thing against Steph Curry. I think he'll show out tonight. It is in Sacramento. So, you know, maybe being next to the beam will give him some home court advantage. I think it'll be a really, really close game. It's going to be down to the wire, but that's all the more reason to bet on Steph Curry in the clutch.
[00:11:30] Speaker B: Yeah, for sure. Last season in that Kings warriors first round playoff series, I picked the Kings to win in seven and they lost. And I've been on the Sacramento train thinking they would run it back. And I think I've learned my lesson.
I really would like to pick the Kings in this game. So I am. I'm going to take the Kings over the Warriors.
I believe in the power of friendship. And even without Malik Monk and Kevin Herder, Keone Ellis has been a pleasant surprise for Sacramento, averaging about ten points per game while being in the starting lineup for less than a month.
And he's a much better defender than Kevin Herder was. So I'm going to take the Kings over the warriors in a very close game. I don't think this is. I mean, this game might be decided by sub five points.
It's going to be phenomenal because the first, I believe three games that the warriors played, including preseason, was decided by one singular point. And so I think Sacareno, with home court advantage in a raucous golden one, center, I think barely is going to be Golden State. So sorry, Steph Curry. It's about that time Clay Thompson's old Andrew Wiggins forgot how to play basketball. So I'm going to take Sacramento on a close one.
[00:12:37] Speaker C: Kuminga and Pojemski, though, the young guys, tripod.
[00:12:39] Speaker B: Tripod, Jackson, Davis, they're ready to play.
[00:12:41] Speaker C: They've been playing good.
[00:12:43] Speaker D: No, don't forget about dream on earth. Don't forget about demonis bonus, you know, father.
[00:12:49] Speaker B: Oh, yeah.
[00:12:50] Speaker C: You think they're going to have any conflicts tonight?
[00:12:52] Speaker D: Yeah, they're going to boo him like crazy.
[00:12:54] Speaker E: Yeah.
[00:12:54] Speaker D: Yeah, they're going to boo him like crazy.
[00:12:56] Speaker B: It's going to be a fun game.
[00:12:57] Speaker D: But next up, it's the Lakers versus Pelicans.
[00:13:00] Speaker E: Yep.
[00:13:01] Speaker A: First game of the night.
[00:13:02] Speaker D: Alex, you can start off.
[00:13:03] Speaker B: Alrighty.
[00:13:03] Speaker C: So for this game here, I am going to go with the Pelicans. The Lakers just blew the doors off the Pelicans in the last game, 82nd game of the season, they played each other. So the Lakers go nowhere.
[00:13:13] Speaker E: Dang.
[00:13:14] Speaker C: Enola for tonight, for the playing game. And I am going with the Pelicans, though. Zion Williamson didn't have a good game. It was Bi's first game back since around like March 21, he had an injury. So I'm going to go with the Pelicans. They're not going to have two bad games in a row. And in that game, Herb Jones played amazing 18 points. All NBA, should be an all NBA defender.
[00:13:34] Speaker D: Oh, he should be. First team. Yeah, yeah, we'll see.
[00:13:37] Speaker C: But definitely it's first or second team for all NBA defense. I think they're going to win this game against the Lakers tonight at home.
[00:13:43] Speaker E: Yeah.
[00:13:43] Speaker D: As for me, I would say the same thing, and reason being Anthony Davis did just get injured, but, you know, that's every game he'll play, but he'll just be a little sluggish. And with that being said. Yeah, I think that they'll lose this game, though.
[00:13:59] Speaker E: Yeah.
[00:13:59] Speaker A: I like the Pelicans in this one as well. It's in New Orleans. I think that the Pelicans are going to be a lot more desperate to win just because I think. I think if the Pelicans get a lead early, the Lakers are going to kind of back off. They probably don't want to play the Nuggets anyways. And then on the other side, the Pelicans are probably a lot more eager to get in now than the Lakers are and try to avoid playing what might be Steph Curry in a winner, going home game in the last game of the play. In that being said, I think Zion, bi, CJ McCollum all have big games tonight and get the Pelicans a win.
[00:14:30] Speaker C: But believe it or not, I think the Pelicans have more to lose. If they lose, just because it's like they do.
[00:14:33] Speaker D: It's like.
[00:14:34] Speaker C: Like LeBron. Yeah, that's what I'm saying. LeBron, this is year, what, 21?
[00:14:36] Speaker A: I think they're going to play with.
[00:14:37] Speaker C: More urgency, like the Pelicans. This is a team that shouldn't even be in the plane. It's just that Western Conference is so deep that they're in the plan.
[00:14:43] Speaker A: But 49, they were supposed to.
[00:14:45] Speaker D: If they wouldn't have lost that last game, they wouldn't have been in the six seed.
[00:14:48] Speaker C: So it's like they have more to lose because they are better than the 7th seed.
[00:14:52] Speaker B: Yeah, I completely agree. That's why I have the Pelicans going over the Lakers. The pellas just look, they look hungry. What can I say? I mean, when you have Zion, the team's gonna be hungry, but the Pelicans do look really good. Jonas Valentunis in that core with Zion. CJ McCollum has been phenomenal scoring at that point card position. I think it's just going to be enough to beat the Lakers at home especially. I do think that's going to play a part. So I'm going to take the pells and move on to that second game of the play in where you guys will have. Who would you guys have?
[00:15:20] Speaker D: Lakers Warriors.
[00:15:21] Speaker B: Lakers warriors. Okay, I'd have kings.
[00:15:23] Speaker A: Alex, who you got in the second.
[00:15:24] Speaker C: Playing game for the second playing game, I'm taking the Lakers over the warriors in a win or go home game. You have the king at home in the Staples center. I'm not calling it crypto.com arena, so get over it. I am taking LeBron James at home. I know we are not having Stephen Curry in the playoffs, but one of them can't make it. It's either LeBron James or it's Stephen.
[00:15:44] Speaker D: Curry or they can both make it. Potentially.
[00:15:47] Speaker C: I mean, potentially, yeah.
[00:15:48] Speaker E: Yeah.
[00:15:48] Speaker C: If the Lakers win tonight, potentially. But potentially they both can make it.
[00:15:52] Speaker B: It's so rigid. That happens.
[00:15:53] Speaker C: If the warriors win tonight or, excuse me, if the Lakers win tonight, then potentially, yeah. But for what I got written down here and what I've been thinking about, I think in this winter go home game, I'm going with the Lakers. Warriors aren't making the playoffs, which is weird. But yeah, I think that real quick. I think if that happens, this offseason is going to be the biggest offseason in Stephen Curry's career.
[00:16:12] Speaker B: I think so, too.
[00:16:13] Speaker C: Draymond Green questions up in the air if they'll trade him, what's going to happen there. And then the biggest one is Clay Thompson because he's a free agent. So we'll see.
[00:16:20] Speaker D: Yeah, I agree. I have the same result. I think the Lakers will win this and I think, you know, what we saw them do to them last year with less help. So I think the Lakers are going to get through this game relatively easily.
[00:16:33] Speaker A: Yeah, I like the Lakers over the Warriors. I think they'll just beat them. I think this game will be the one that exposes all of the warriors problems that they need to address going into the offseason. I just think the Lakers are the better team. They're hot at the right time and they just have so, so many scoring options. I think they'll get it done.
[00:16:50] Speaker C: To the warriors credit though, the last 30 games of the season they've been like what? I think they're like 20 and ten. So they're a different team than the first half of the season. That's why they're gonna beat the Kings tonight. That's why they're gonna beat the Kings. But then, yeah, I think they'll lose it away.
[00:17:01] Speaker D: I mean, imagine the situation where the Lakers are playing the Nuggets and the Thunder are playing the warriors.
[00:17:07] Speaker C: That's huge. You could possibly see one upset there.
[00:17:12] Speaker B: Okay.
[00:17:13] Speaker C: I think there's a bigger opportunity for an upset if the Lakers beat the, if the Lakers get the 8th seed.
[00:17:18] Speaker A: Yeah, sure.
[00:17:19] Speaker C: 1200%.
[00:17:20] Speaker A: There's no way the warriors beat the thunder.
[00:17:21] Speaker D: No, I don't think so either.
[00:17:22] Speaker A: No shot.
[00:17:24] Speaker B: All right, so I have kings versus Lakers, and the Sacramento should have zero reason to lose this game. They are, they have won their last ten games against the Lakers in the Sabonas era. Sabonis is 100 against Anthony Davis. And even when they go in, I mean, they have a good record against OKC and the Nuggets, too. But I am a man that has been heartbroken so many times, and I could see in every single possibility that the Lakers at home beat Sacramento because LeBron in the playoffs is a different, different type of player. So I see zero chance that Sacramento beats the Lakers.
[00:17:59] Speaker A: You're due.
[00:18:00] Speaker B: Makes it to the playoffs as a kingdom, bro. You're due.
[00:18:04] Speaker A: Yeah, he's due. I mean, you watch the Niners as a Super bowl. Yeah, you're due.
[00:18:08] Speaker B: I mean, that's what I'm saying. I have been, yeah, I have been like, lifted so high just to crash. So far with the Niners making Super Bowls and losing, it's like one step.
[00:18:17] Speaker A: Forward and two step forward.
[00:18:17] Speaker B: The Kings were up 20 against the warriors last season and blew it.
And I think that happens again. Everybody's talking about how Sabonis owns ad. It's going to be a different script. And I think the Lakers beat the Kings in heartbreaking fashion.
[00:18:28] Speaker C: As a Kings fan, can you walk me through the emotions of what you'll feel tonight?
And then what's the number one thing that has to happen this offseason?
[00:18:36] Speaker B: So in Sacramento, I think the warriors or not the warriors, the Kings are going to be up at least 15 points going into the fourth quarter.
[00:18:43] Speaker E: At least. At least.
[00:18:44] Speaker B: At least.
No, tonight. Tonight. This is tonight. The Kings are going to be up 15 points and they're going to start playing like they don't care anymore. The warriors are going to come back. This happens every game. This happened against Phoenix. We were up 20 points and Phoenix came back and won.
So I think the warriors will storm back. But I do think Sacramento ends up, you know, with the Iron Fox clutch player of the year, just, you know, icing it late in the game. But it's not gonna happen against LA. And the off season of Harrison Barnes is still on this team in 2025, I revoke my Kings fan membership. I don't know where I'll go. If Harrison Barnes is on this team in 2025, one of Harrison Barnes or Kevin Herder, I will probably just not watch basketball anymore.
[00:19:26] Speaker C: Link Monk's a free agent.
[00:19:27] Speaker B: Link Monk's free sign. Lake Monks resigning.
[00:19:29] Speaker C: Giving him the bag.
[00:19:30] Speaker E: Yes.
[00:19:30] Speaker B: I'm throwing. I'm giving him a blank check. If he wants a super max, give it to him. I don't care. Malik Monk, 6th man of the year for a reason. He has been a phenomenal scorer three years, 155 mil. Give it to him. I don't care. Give it to him.
I don't care. At this point, Malik Monk is my only hope in life. If Malik Monk's not on this team and Harrison Barnes is, I'm not doing this podcast next year. I'm not.
[00:19:53] Speaker A: All right, all right. Herding here first, like, set in stone.
[00:19:56] Speaker B: Yes. If Malik Mug is off this team and Harrison Barnes is, and if we don't have Jared McCain. I'm just not watching basketball. I'm unfollowing the NBA. I'm unfollowing the full court press on Instagram. Wow.
[00:20:09] Speaker E: Yeah.
[00:20:09] Speaker B: I'm sticking to, like, breaking news.
[00:20:11] Speaker A: I just can't wait to post on our instagram. Breaking news. Jamie Martinez has unfollowed all kings related pages as well as FCP podcast.
[00:20:19] Speaker B: It'll be the entire thing. I'll probably drop out, but that won't happen because I know Monty McNair, and he'll. No, he'll break my heart. He didn't trade for OJ, an obi. But let's move on. Yeah, that's what's going to the.
Yeah, let's just keep the rest of it brief, because we stopped to do the entire east 20 minutes in. So let's move on to the first round, where it would be, I believe, what? Thunder. Thunder?
[00:20:43] Speaker E: Yeah.
[00:20:43] Speaker B: Lakers.
[00:20:43] Speaker E: Any.
[00:20:44] Speaker A: Anybody's won v eight?
[00:20:46] Speaker E: Yeah.
[00:20:47] Speaker A: Do we all have.
[00:20:47] Speaker D: We all have Lakers?
[00:20:48] Speaker A: Oh, really? Okay, okay, okay.
[00:20:51] Speaker D: You can start, Alex.
[00:20:52] Speaker C: I have the thunder beating the Lakers, of course. And I saw it could be an easy series, but I think the thunder will win in six.
[00:21:01] Speaker B: Whoo.
[00:21:01] Speaker D: Okay.
[00:21:02] Speaker C: I think the Lakers could get two games on them.
[00:21:07] Speaker D: I'll say it proudly as the biggest Lakers hater in this room.
The Lakers are going to win the series in five. And what? And whoa, whoa.
[00:21:17] Speaker B: Why?
[00:21:20] Speaker D: Youngest team in the NBA. And you know, guess how many games this team has combined in the playoffs. 18 games.
[00:21:27] Speaker C: Probably mostly just Shane Gordon.
[00:21:29] Speaker D: And that's just not, that's literally, that's literally like not enough to beat the second greatest player to ever touch a basketball. Their team, their team is more talented than the Thunder. They have more depth.
[00:21:43] Speaker C: No, they do not.
[00:21:43] Speaker D: They have more depth. They definitely more depth. Bismack Biambo is their backup big man doesn't play. They don't have backup big man. Anthony Davis is gonna. The things that Anthony Davis is gonna.
[00:21:53] Speaker A: Do, that is true.
LeBron's not gonna score more than 30 in the whole.
[00:21:58] Speaker D: He'll average like 28 because nobody cuz Lou Dort, six four. Lou Dort is not guarding LeBron in a seven game series.
[00:22:06] Speaker A: I think LeBron is gonna be forced to pass, which is fine because Anthony Davis gonna dominate.
[00:22:10] Speaker D: He's gonna dominate. And then you also have Austin Reeves, D'Angelo Russell, you have Gabe Ventson supposed to come back.
They just have a bunch of options. You're not going to be able to outscore that team. And then they also.
[00:22:24] Speaker B: Gabe Benson is good in Miami.
[00:22:27] Speaker D: He's been good this year and they have so many options. It's just going to be tough to beat them. And I don't see the youngest team in the league doing. The second youngest team in the league doing that. I speak from past experience, from the 2010, 2011 Thunderbolt, who were the youngest team.
[00:22:42] Speaker C: Different players though.
[00:22:43] Speaker D: Three top 40 players of all time.
[00:22:45] Speaker C: Not at the time, though.
[00:22:46] Speaker D: I mean, Westbrook and KD were both top twelve.
Harden was just like. Harden wasn't even relevant at that point when we lost that. But anyways, they lost to the, they lost to the Dallas Mavericks in five games in 2010, 2011. So I think it's the same exact situation.
[00:23:07] Speaker C: I mean, I wouldn't. It's like one of those series that if the Lakers win it, I think it's going to be in seven.
[00:23:11] Speaker A: I agree.
[00:23:12] Speaker C: It's not going to be.
[00:23:13] Speaker D: The Lakers are winning that series regardless.
[00:23:15] Speaker C: You may say the Lakers have, obviously they do a better overall talent and more experience, of course, but who's going to run them off the court? The Thunder going to run them off the court? They got there a lot faster.
[00:23:25] Speaker A: All right, I'm going to keep it brief cause we did west last week.
[00:23:31] Speaker C: That's so hard.
[00:23:32] Speaker A: I don't know. I could see either team winning, but I'm going to go the Thunder in seven. I think game seven being in OKC is going to be huge for them. I think they're too good defensively to get beat in the first round.
[00:23:42] Speaker D: Game seven. LeBron give LeBron game seven.
[00:23:45] Speaker B: And that's why I have thunder in six.
I do have OKC winning this one in six games because they don't want to see game seven. LeBron Shay Gilch Alexander is extremely talented. He's going to get to the line. He's going to get his mid range shots. He's going to get his threes. Chao Holmgren is extremely talented inside the paint. I think he holds Anthony Davis well. Anthony Davis is also having a not great season. That's like three down there from three.
But I do think the thunder walk out with this one.
[00:24:08] Speaker A: You should look into being an auctioneer.
[00:24:10] Speaker B: I know Shay isn't getting those calls.
[00:24:12] Speaker D: In the playoffs either.
[00:24:13] Speaker A: Maybe not.
[00:24:14] Speaker D: That's what happened.
[00:24:15] Speaker A: But they have like seven really good players.
[00:24:17] Speaker E: Yeah.
[00:24:18] Speaker D: Lakers have the second greatest player of all time anyways. Two. Seven is.
Do we all have different ones?
[00:24:23] Speaker C: Pelicans.
[00:24:24] Speaker B: I have never. Pals.
[00:24:25] Speaker E: Yeah.
[00:24:26] Speaker C: So I've been looked at, been told to keep this brief. So I'll keep it brief. Denver versus Pelicans. I'm gonna go Denver in six.
[00:24:34] Speaker D: Okay. I'm gonna go Denver in four.
[00:24:37] Speaker C: Sweet.
[00:24:37] Speaker E: Yeah.
[00:24:38] Speaker C: I say Denver in five or six.
[00:24:39] Speaker A: I like Denver in five. I think, gentlemen, sweep Zion wins them again.
[00:24:43] Speaker C: I'll redact that. I'll say Denver in five. That's more reasonable.
[00:24:46] Speaker B: I also have Denver in five.
[00:24:47] Speaker E: Okay.
[00:24:48] Speaker D: Okay. Four, five. I'm gonna. I already know I'll be standalone on here. I think the Clippers win in seven.
[00:24:54] Speaker C: So I think the Mavericks win in seven. Cause I think game seven, Luca.
[00:25:00] Speaker A: Is Kawhi. Is Kawhi missing a game?
[00:25:03] Speaker C: If the Clippers win? If the Clippers win, it's in six or less, in my opinion. But game seven, Luca and game seven, Kyrie. I'm just taking that over what the Clippers got.
[00:25:11] Speaker A: Yeah. Mavericks in seven. Really good series, though. Could go either way. You can say that about any series in the first round, really. Playoffs are gonna be great.
[00:25:18] Speaker E: Yeah. Yeah.
[00:25:19] Speaker A: Mavericks in seven.
[00:25:20] Speaker B: I also have mavs in seven. Luca's been a generational talent in the playoffs and I think it continues this season.
[00:25:26] Speaker D: Okay. Three, six. We have Timberwolves, Phoenix. I think we're all gonna have the same winner here. I have Phoenix winning in six.
[00:25:32] Speaker A: That's such a good series, man.
[00:25:35] Speaker D: We got robbed of an even better series.
[00:25:36] Speaker C: Cat's back too.
[00:25:38] Speaker E: Yeah. Yeah.
[00:25:38] Speaker A: I would have much rather seen OKC.
[00:25:39] Speaker D: No, I would have loved to see that Katie not get his jersey retired there.
[00:25:45] Speaker C: I'm gonna say, I say suns and I agree, like six. I don't think it's going seven.
[00:25:50] Speaker D: No, because kat is horrible in the playoffs.
[00:25:53] Speaker E: Now.
[00:25:53] Speaker C: I can, I can see the Timberwolves winning because they are a good team.
[00:25:56] Speaker D: Absolutely.
[00:25:56] Speaker C: Defensively, they'll anchor it, but they will.
[00:25:59] Speaker D: Be in seven if they were to win.
[00:26:00] Speaker E: Yeah.
[00:26:00] Speaker A: Bad matchup for the Timberwolves. I think. I think in the playoffs, good offense beats good defense. And Phoenix, especially in the, when Bradley Beal gets involved, they're like scary good. They're probably like a top three or four team. When Bradley Beal is playing well, I think he'll play well through the playoffs. I think the sun's winning six.
[00:26:18] Speaker B: I'm really back and forth on this 1D book and Katie are some of my favorite players in the league, but I'm a really big tee wolves believer. They're top ten in almost every percentage in the NBA when it comes to three point defensive rating and really every major percentage.
You know what? I'll go upset. I'll go t Wolves in seven. I know the matchups.
[00:26:37] Speaker C: Yeah.
[00:26:38] Speaker B: That's not a bad. I mean, the T Wolves are the higher seeded player team, but the Suns, I would say are more stacked. But I think the Tea Wolves, just because of what they bring to the table and them having really no holes.
I'm gonna go with Anthony Edwards because, I mean, the Suns may have Kevin Durant, but they just.
[00:26:54] Speaker C: Right now I can't pick a D book. Beal and Durant team. Grayson Allen.
[00:27:00] Speaker E: Yeah.
[00:27:00] Speaker C: In the first.
[00:27:00] Speaker B: Grayson Allen.
[00:27:01] Speaker E: Allen. Yep.
[00:27:02] Speaker A: Honestly, the only team that I think is just straight up not losing first round in the west, like 100% is Denver.
[00:27:08] Speaker E: Yeah.
[00:27:08] Speaker A: Like, that's the only team that's just all their team.
[00:27:10] Speaker C: I can see it going anyway.
[00:27:11] Speaker E: Yeah. Yeah.
[00:27:13] Speaker A: All right, second round last.
[00:27:15] Speaker E: Yeah. Okay.
[00:27:16] Speaker C: Versus mavericks.
[00:27:17] Speaker A: I have.
[00:27:18] Speaker D: Okay, I have Lakers versus Clippers and I think, I think that the Clippers in that series, I've already told them this on the show last week. Clippers will win that series in six or five.
[00:27:30] Speaker A: Yeah, I agree.
[00:27:31] Speaker D: And I just, I just think the talent, you know, I think just depend. I'm gonna. No, we just need to keep it brief. I just got Clippers one and six.
[00:27:39] Speaker C: So OKC versus Mavericks, that's always gonna be a really great series. I say OKC wins that one and six.
[00:27:47] Speaker B: No, I got.
[00:27:48] Speaker D: If that happens, Dallas wins in five.
[00:27:50] Speaker C: No, I say OKC in six.
[00:27:52] Speaker A: I got OKC versus Dallas as well.
I think this is a little bit easier of a series for the Mavericks.
And then this goes back to my last pointer. This goes back to my last point. I mean, I'm still punching them. I still have Mavericks winning in seven. Still in seven.
But I don't know, I just think the games that the Mavericks will win in this game will be because the Thunder are just solely banking on their defense and Luca and Kyrie just can't.
[00:28:18] Speaker D: Miss and they're banking on 20 free throws a game.
[00:28:20] Speaker C: The Mavericks are the one team out of all these teams in the playoffs that could make it all the way to the finals. But a team that no one's going to think they could. But they could.
[00:28:29] Speaker E: Yeah.
[00:28:29] Speaker A: I just think I'm trusting Luca a lot this year, especially now that he has such a good supporting cast around him that really meshes well with him. I think he enjoys playing with him. Mavericks in seven.
[00:28:41] Speaker C: I just can't trust PJ Washington. That's a guy you gotta trust in the playoffs.
[00:28:46] Speaker B: So I also have Mavericks over Thunder in seven games. I gave my reasoning. Well, no, this is a different series, but again, I think the Thunder are extremely talented. But I do think this is where the age factor comes into play. This is the second round and you're facing a Luka Donchic sled team where Luka averages, I believe, 35 points a game in the playoffs. And that doesn't go to show for his assists and his rebounds and his defensive ability. And now with Kyrie Irving, who has been a great playoff performer throughout his entire career, except for kind of Brooklyn, that was a little different. But I still think this is the Mavericks.
I think they take down the thunder in this one. In a very close series, though.
[00:29:21] Speaker D: Okay, so I have Phoenix versus Denver in this series. I'll have Denver winning in six.
[00:29:27] Speaker C: WCF.
[00:29:28] Speaker D: No, this is the second round.
[00:29:30] Speaker E: Yeah.
[00:29:31] Speaker D: Yeah, for that game. I mean, Denver already beat him last year and really easily. And I just think it'll be the repeat of the same exact series last year.
[00:29:40] Speaker C: So I also have Phoenix versus Denver and I would. I'd say Denver in six. I agree.
[00:29:46] Speaker E: Yeah.
[00:29:47] Speaker A: I think. I think, honestly, this.
I don't know, I think Sunz can give Denver trouble, especially if d book like, gets hot and stays hot. That's going to be kind of the main factor of the series because a lot of. I feel like a lot of it is going to fall on him and I think he picks them up a couple wins just on his own. He's such a good playoff performer and that's not even mentioning Kevin Durant or Bradley Beal. So I think the Suns can even like have a lead in the series early, maybe go up like two one.
But that being said, I just think Jamal Murray and Nikole Jokic are just going to clutch. I got some Nuggets in six.
[00:30:21] Speaker B: I have Nuggets versus Timberwolves and I think this is a more favorable matchup for the Timberwolves than versus Phoenix because you're going to have the go bear on Jokic type thing. But Jokic is a different animal. We saw what he did last year in the playoffs and the team basketball of the Nuggets is unlike anything I've seen before.
I think it resembles the 2014 spurs.
So I think Denver takes this one at six.
[00:30:45] Speaker D: Okay, so I have Clippers versus Nuggets in this series. I will say I'll give it to the Nuggets in, I want to say five, but I'll say six just for whatever. Yeah, they're just too talented. Nobody else is beating them.
[00:31:03] Speaker C: OKC versus Denver. Y'all are going to hate me.
[00:31:06] Speaker D: No, you do not.
[00:31:07] Speaker C: But I'm saying. Okay, see, I'm kidding.
[00:31:10] Speaker E: I was about to say that's kids.
[00:31:10] Speaker D: I got the Clippers winning in.
[00:31:14] Speaker E: I'm kidding.
[00:31:14] Speaker C: No, I know April Fools was a few weeks ago, but April Fools, I'm saying Denver in probably at five. I think OKC can get to the Western Conference finals, but playing Denver, they just don't match up well with the.
[00:31:26] Speaker A: Stage being that big, too.
[00:31:28] Speaker C: It's a stage that big.
I do agree it's a young team, but I don't think it's going to hit them until the Western Conference final. So I say Denver in five.
[00:31:36] Speaker A: All right, I got Denver versus Dallas. I think this would be an awesome series. I mean, you already know. I just feel like something about Luka playing Jokic. Luka is gonna play out of his.
[00:31:47] Speaker B: Mind because they're like best friends.
[00:31:49] Speaker A: Yeah, I just feel like this is gonna be Luca and Jokic just flexing on each other. And I think they'll give the Nuggets the most trouble any team has given them in the playoffs in the last two years.
But with that being said, Denver in seven. Seven. I mean, the Mavericks could have heard of the Mavericks.
[00:32:06] Speaker C: Mavericks could win.
[00:32:07] Speaker B: Yeah.
My opinion on this series hasn't changed. I also have Mavericks, Nuggets. I gave my reasoning on this last week. So if you want my reasoning, just go tune in because we love viewership, good advertising. But I have Mavericks beating the Nuggets in seven games because it's a much well rounded roster compared to seasons past for the Mavericks. And then adding PJ Washington and Gafford at the deadline was huge. And like Caden said, luka and Jokic are, you know, best friends forever. Luka plays out of his mind. He might average 40, 512 and twelve. So that's my WCF.
And so now I think we can move on to the east.
[00:32:44] Speaker E: Yeah.
[00:32:45] Speaker A: Go a little bit more in depth with the east pitch.
[00:32:47] Speaker B: Yeah, for sure.
[00:32:48] Speaker E: Okay.
[00:32:49] Speaker A: You want to do the play in first?
[00:32:50] Speaker E: Yeah. Yeah.
[00:32:50] Speaker D: Okay, I'll start this one off.
Sixers versus heat. I have the. I don't know why. It's kind of ridiculous to me that the heat have been getting, saying that they'll lose this game. I don't see it. Bam has been way too good. I get the Sixers have been on a streak since Embiid's been back, but Jimmy Butler does not want to go through what he did last year. This, them going to play the Knicks, in my opinion, is an automatic trip to the Eastern Conference finals.
[00:33:17] Speaker C: So for the Sixers.
[00:33:19] Speaker D: For the Heat.
[00:33:19] Speaker C: For the Heat. I completely agree with you. But on the flip side, I picked the Sixers to win because I think it's an automatic trip to the Eastern Conference finals for the Sixers. That's the way I'm looking at it.
[00:33:27] Speaker D: You should want the heat to win this game.
[00:33:29] Speaker C: I want them to lose. I want to play the heat the first round.
[00:33:32] Speaker D: I wouldn't.
[00:33:33] Speaker C: I wouldn't want to.
[00:33:34] Speaker A: I'd rather play the Heat.
[00:33:35] Speaker C: I want to get.
[00:33:36] Speaker A: Our Sixers are better.
[00:33:36] Speaker C: I think the Sixers are better right now. The Heat last year, they were heating up. At this time, there's been no signs of them really heating up until, I mean, we'll see what happens in the actual playoffs, but I am going the Heat in this one. I mean, excuse me. I'm going with the 76 ers at home.
[00:33:49] Speaker D: You see the right answer first.
[00:33:50] Speaker E: Yeah.
[00:33:50] Speaker C: No, no, no. They're on an eight game winning streak going into the playoffs. Possible mip. My bad. And Tyrese Maxey. And then Joel Embiid, of course, is back and he's been playing like he hasn't really missed a step. And he's been out a long time. Usually he slows down in the playoffs. I heard this theory on the Boston radio this morning. What if he heats up in the playoffs this year because he's had time to rest so he's not. Maybe he doesn't slow down this year because he hasn't played a full season. He's healthy right now, and he's had a lot of time to rest. So maybe he heats up and he can make that push to the ECF.
[00:34:19] Speaker B: The old effect.
[00:34:20] Speaker A: Yeah. I like the Sixers in this one, too. I just think this, this year, the Heat are a little bit worse than normal. I think them relying on Bam more so than Jimmy offensively is going to, like, be, is going to be a factor in this game because Embiid's going to have Bam unlocks and kind of what, like what Alex was saying, Embiid has rest, and we saw him playing it like 75% for the last, like, week or two of the season, and he was still giving everybody 25, seven and seven pretty consistently on like, 20 minutes of action. I like him beat in this one. I think they're going to be too much. I actually think the Sixers dominate this game. I think they win by 15 or 20.
[00:34:55] Speaker E: Yeah.
[00:34:56] Speaker B: So I'm a bigger believer in Tom foolery than many when it comes to the Miami Heat because that's what they're all about, is having fun and beating people up. But I think the 76 ers with Joel Embiid playing absolutely out of his mind, because even since coming back, I'm pretty sure not too long ago, he had a 35 point double double game. I'm gonna take the Sixers in this one. Joel Embiid looks unstoppable. And if you're gonna rely on Bam Adebayo to win you this game, when Joel Embiid's on him, it's not gonna happen. You're gonna have to leave lean on Jimmy buckets, especially in this time of year. So, yeah, I'm gonna. I'm gonna take the six.
[00:35:30] Speaker C: They do have t row this year, though, which is nice.
[00:35:32] Speaker D: And heroes back.
[00:35:33] Speaker B: Hero. Hero did come back.
[00:35:35] Speaker E: Yes.
[00:35:35] Speaker C: I mean, they have more firepower.
[00:35:36] Speaker B: That's why I think the next playing game, though, they'll be fine.
[00:35:40] Speaker D: So I have. Oh, well, I have, but bulls versus Hawks, I've changed my opinion. I have the Hawks winning this game. So if there's no reason to.
[00:35:48] Speaker C: If there's any reason why we should have conferenceless playoffs, it's these two teams.
[00:35:51] Speaker E: Yeah.
[00:35:52] Speaker C: Hawks should not be here.
[00:35:54] Speaker D: No, it should be like, the Rockets. The Rockets and Hawks.
[00:35:57] Speaker C: Rockets. I think the Bulls are higher seed.
[00:35:59] Speaker B: But whatever the Rockets are, yeah, they.
[00:36:01] Speaker D: Are a higher seed, but the John.
[00:36:03] Speaker A: Murray's just got to be. The most boring thing is though, like.
[00:36:06] Speaker C: In the NBA, de Jonte Murray and Trey Young's plus minus together, they just don't work together. And then trae Young just came back the last game of the season. He's missed about a month. So I'm going to go with the Bulls. They got Demar, they got my personal mip and kobe white.
[00:36:19] Speaker B: Yup. Facts.
[00:36:20] Speaker C: And then they still have Alex Caruso, who's going to lock up one of Dejante Murray or Trey Young. I think for a play in game of a one game setting, I'm not.
[00:36:28] Speaker B: Talking about the playoffs.
[00:36:29] Speaker C: Their road's going to end quick. But for this one game, I got to go with the Bulls. They got a better. I think they have a better team for a playing game. And they also have Demaro, Rosen's daughter, screaming under the basket. And remember the last two free throws?
[00:36:39] Speaker E: Yeah. Yeah.
[00:36:40] Speaker A: I just think if Jalen Johnson can come back healthy and they have trey Young for this game, in one game, I'm gonna go with Trey Young, Djonte Murray and Jalen Johnson. I just think Jalen Johnson have the star power to get it done in this game. I think they will. Should be a close game, I guess. But also, I don't even know if Chicago wants to be there. They need to, like, rebuild.
[00:37:00] Speaker E: Yeah.
[00:37:00] Speaker A: They need to, like, seriously get some moves.
They're four years behind on demand.
[00:37:05] Speaker C: They haven't made a move since Vucevich.
[00:37:07] Speaker E: Yeah.
[00:37:07] Speaker C: That was their last trade.
[00:37:08] Speaker B: It's times like this that make me miss Lonzo ball, because if Lonzo was on this Bulls team, they would be. And if Zack Levine was healthy, they'd probably be a playoff team.
But they were. They were the one seed with a healthy Zac Levine and Lonzo Ball because Lonzo Ball was insane. He did everything.
But it's not the case. None of those two. And you're really relying on Kobe White to get a lot of your scoring done. And Demar Derozan, obviously.
I just don't see, I guess, a star studded team like the Hawks with Trey Young back, Dejonte, who's been great since Trey Young was out. So he's on fire. I'm going to take the Hawks.
[00:37:45] Speaker D: Okay, so I'm the only one that has a different one. But I have Sixers versus Hawks, and I have the Sixers winning.
[00:37:50] Speaker C: I got Miami versus the Bulls. And again, the Bulls journey won't last too much longer. I got the Miami Heat winning this one pretty easily.
[00:37:58] Speaker A: Yeah, I got Heat hawks. I think he went by like 30.
[00:38:02] Speaker E: Yeah.
[00:38:02] Speaker B: I also have heat hawks. And I would not be surprised to see the Hawks throwing the white towel in the second quarter.
[00:38:07] Speaker C: I think if it's the Hawks Heat, the Hawks have a better chance to beat the Heat than the Bulls.
[00:38:10] Speaker B: I think so, too, but Jimmy Butler is a crazy man.
[00:38:14] Speaker E: Yeah.
[00:38:14] Speaker A: So if it's heat, Bulls heat went by 50.
[00:38:16] Speaker C: No.
[00:38:17] Speaker B: Yeah, probably.
[00:38:18] Speaker C: I think the Bulls beat the Hawks, but I think the Hawks have a better chance of beating the heat, if that makes sense.
[00:38:22] Speaker A: I agree, but that's just goes into like Trey Young one game.
[00:38:26] Speaker C: That's exactly the reason.
[00:38:28] Speaker D: Okay, so one eight.
[00:38:30] Speaker E: Yep.
[00:38:31] Speaker D: I have Celtics versus the Sixers. I have the Celtics winning in six.
[00:38:39] Speaker C: I got Boston Miami, one eight. And I think the reasoning, and maybe Kden can agree with me on this, is let's get the boogeyman out of the way.
[00:38:46] Speaker E: Yep.
[00:38:46] Speaker C: If we play him in the ECF, there's a better chance of us losing there.
[00:38:49] Speaker A: If they've already built up that momentum.
[00:38:50] Speaker C: Exactly. They have no momentum right now. Again, they haven't really finished, finish off the season anything crazy. I think they're, you know, like they're seven and three to end off the season no good, but nothing wild.
[00:38:58] Speaker A: And before that, it was like a huge losing skate.
[00:39:00] Speaker C: I mean, when they first got Terry Rodger just wasn't really working out. But, you know, they, they do have a better scoring power now, but as of, as of yet, their randoms, like Caleb Martin, and that's really it. All the other randoms are gone. Max strues on the Cavs, it's Heywood high.
[00:39:15] Speaker D: Duncan Robinson has gotten a lot better.
[00:39:17] Speaker A: Duncan Robinson, I wouldn't call him a heat random.
[00:39:20] Speaker C: No, no, no. He's not a random.
[00:39:21] Speaker B: He's a staple.
[00:39:22] Speaker C: He's a staple.
[00:39:23] Speaker A: It would be like high Smith, Heywood High Smith or Cole Swider, Jovic or.
[00:39:27] Speaker B: Just get ready for Jaime. Get ready for Jaime Hawkes.
[00:39:29] Speaker C: Jaime Hawkes. Yeah, but no, to give an answer here, I would say Boston in six. Maybe it could. It could be as low as five. But I think just because it is the heat and they're going to play every team tough, I say in six.
[00:39:41] Speaker A: I have Boston Heat as well, and kind of building off what Alex was saying.
[00:39:46] Speaker E: If the Heat.
[00:39:47] Speaker A: This is different than playing them in the ECF, because if the Heat were to come into this series and give the ball, Austin a challenge, they would be having to do a complete 180 from how they were playing for basically the entire season. They just haven't really found that identity. I don't know. Harrow has had some good scoring games back, but I don't know if he's really had enough time to, like, mesh into a starting lineup with Terry Roser in there. He's been off and on all year. Exactly. So with that being said, I just think Boston's going to come out ready to play. Like, they're going to be more motivated than maybe any series we've had under the Tatum Brown era because they know, like, this is where we can, like, put our foot down and say, we're not. We're not doing this this year.
Like, we're getting the job done quick. Miami doesn't really have that momentum that they would have if we saw them in the ECF. I like the Celtics in five.
[00:40:33] Speaker C: The only thing I hate about this is, like, it's not like a normal one eight matchup. We can't sweep them.
[00:40:38] Speaker E: Yeah.
[00:40:38] Speaker C: Now, I will say, though, we did sweep Brooklyn a few years ago when they had KD.
[00:40:42] Speaker A: Yep, that's a good point.
[00:40:43] Speaker C: And KD, what did I say?
[00:40:45] Speaker B: Katie.
[00:40:45] Speaker E: Katie.
[00:40:46] Speaker B: Kyrie.
[00:40:46] Speaker D: Thank you, Kyrie.
[00:40:47] Speaker E: Katie. Yeah.
[00:40:48] Speaker C: Kyrie and Katie, they. We did sweep a med, so there's a possibility of that.
[00:40:52] Speaker B: I just.
[00:40:53] Speaker C: I genuinely think Tatum and Brown are scared of the heat, so it's gonna take up six games, but maybe that.
[00:40:57] Speaker A: Is a good point.
[00:40:57] Speaker C: Different team, though. I mean, we'll see. They don't have smart, you know, d white porcelain.
[00:41:01] Speaker B: That's true.
[00:41:01] Speaker C: We'll see.
[00:41:02] Speaker E: Yeah.
[00:41:03] Speaker B: So I also have the Heat Celtics in this one. And I really like the point that Kaden and Alex brought up with. If this was the eastern Conference finals, and if the Heat beat the Sixers and this was the case, then I don't think it's really that crazy to say heat in six or seven.
[00:41:17] Speaker C: Oh, I'm not saying the heat would win, buddy. I'm just saying a lot tighter of a series.
[00:41:20] Speaker B: Oh, yeah.
[00:41:21] Speaker C: It could go six games, but it's not gonna be like this Heat team.
[00:41:25] Speaker A: Would never beat Boston in six. Like, not if they played ten six.
[00:41:28] Speaker C: But this is a different.
[00:41:29] Speaker A: They didn't beat us in six. They were up 30 and they still didn't win it in six.
[00:41:31] Speaker C: Yeah, but they did.
[00:41:34] Speaker B: So, I mean, I still also have Celtics heat, but I'm going Celtics in six just because. Yeah, the Heat will get a couple games off of him. But this is a different Celtics team than we've ever seen with Porzingis and Drew. They really have it all offensively and defensively. So I think Jason Tatum has a heck of a series, gets his revenge on Jimmy and the foolish ones and Celtics get out of the first round.
[00:41:58] Speaker D: Okay, so I have Nick's heat down at two seven for this.
I'll say heat in seven.
[00:42:08] Speaker B: I like it.
[00:42:10] Speaker C: I have Nick's 1st 76 ers in the two seven. And if Julius Randall was here and the whole team was healthy, Ognobi never got hurt and he's only coming back from injury. Now, I'd say Knicks in six or seven, but since that's not the case, Julius Randall's out for the season, OJ, and Obi is just coming back from rehab again on his elbow. I am saying the 76 ers in six.
[00:42:28] Speaker A: Yeah, Brunson's gonna get his this series, but who's gonna get his even more is Joel Embiid. Joel Embiid's gonna feast in this series. Expect to see him score 30 to 40 every single game of the series. That post presence is going to be way, way, way too much for the Knicks to handle 76 ers and six.
[00:42:44] Speaker C: Mitchell Robinson is back, though. But I mean, again, they're just coming back.
[00:42:48] Speaker B: They're such an injury prone team. Mitchell Robinson, his entire career has been injury prone. And you know, OG and Julius, you know, that whole situation. I have the Sixers in seven because I do think Jalen Brunson in the playoffs has been phenomenal his whole career. And I do think he sneaks past the Sixers in a couple games. But in those games, Joel's still going to have 45, ten and six.
And in their wins, it might be even more than that. So I have 76 ers and 78.
[00:43:13] Speaker C: Can I add one thing real quick?
[00:43:14] Speaker B: Sure, man.
[00:43:15] Speaker C: So Tom Thibodeaux, he just runs his teams into the ground, like running seven, eight man rotations in the regular season.
[00:43:21] Speaker B: Josh Hart just played 50 minutes in a game, right?
[00:43:23] Speaker C: So now they're going into the playoffs. Injury. It hurt already. Injury prone team. I mean, they're not going to.
[00:43:30] Speaker B: He did it to Derrick Rose.
[00:43:33] Speaker C: All right.
[00:43:33] Speaker D: Okay. You can just do four, five, four. Magic Cavs.
I don't think I should be in the minority on this series, but I have the magic winning in six. So, I mean, the Cavs have been completely.
I mean, when you look at their record versus good teams, it's like, it's the worst in the NBA for teams that are in the playoffs. They don't win against good teams. I think they were 13 and they've won 13 games against good teams. That's what I know.
[00:44:01] Speaker C: I just think, though, it's like, defensively, they're both great defensively and then you have to go to the lone star on each team. Not lone star, but the main star on each team. It's like Donovan Mitchell versus Paul Bankero. I am putting my money on Donovan Mitchell. Cause if you look at it defensively, they're pretty even. And then offensive firepower. I think they probably both average around the same points. If I had a guess, I don't know exactly. That was around 23 team wise, but I know for a fact that they're both really good on defense. I haven't looked at the offensive stats, but again, if I had to put my money on one star on each side, it's Paulo and then Donovan. I'm taking Donovan Mitchell. I say cows in seven.
[00:44:34] Speaker D: I think it'll be a good seven's cool.
[00:44:36] Speaker C: It's not going to be easy.
[00:44:37] Speaker E: Yeah.
[00:44:37] Speaker A: I saw something that said, this is going to be the first playoff series ever to be streamed on teemu. Thought that was kind of funny.
Yeah, it's kind of a weird series. Both of these teams are going to get hit with the broom in the second round.
With that being said, though, I don't know. The Cavs tend to show lately, post LeBron era, that they're not good in the playoffs, like, at all. So I think that might play a little bit of a factor into it. I think the Magic are going to be hungry to get a win. I think they hop out to a lead early, and I honestly think. I don't think the Magic are more talented than the Cavs, but I think they're a better team.
I think you are. I think the magic kind of put their foot down, established themselves as a future contender in the east. I think they win at seven.
[00:45:21] Speaker D: Who?
[00:45:22] Speaker A: The Magic?
[00:45:23] Speaker E: Okay.
[00:45:23] Speaker C: I think I can go either way, but I gotta go with Cleveland.
[00:45:25] Speaker E: Yeah. Yeah.
[00:45:26] Speaker B: I think this is a very fun series. I have magic in six.
Just because Cleveland, throughout the entire season, that starting lineup has not been healthy and coherent all year. It's been Darius Garland getting hurt, it's been Mitchell getting hurt. It's been Evan Mobley. It's just been all over the place. And I think the Magic, who have been together all year, with Boncaro being healthy and Franz Wagner really turning up, I'm gonna take the magic. They're a very young team, and I think they establish dominance and take the Cavs out.
[00:45:55] Speaker D: Okay, next year's three $6 versus pacers. I fight to assume, I guess, that Giannis is out for three games. And regardless of even if Giannis were to be in the series, I had Pacers winning, so. But with. With him not playing for the most likely, the first three, I'll say pacers in five.
[00:46:14] Speaker C: Can I jump? Can I give you a question real quick? If Giannis was healthy, he wasn't injured at all. Why do you think the Pacers would still win?
[00:46:20] Speaker D: Because their defense is a joke, and this is the best offensive team in almost of all time.
[00:46:27] Speaker E: Yeah.
[00:46:27] Speaker A: The Pacers defense is a joke, too, though. I mean, these are probably the two worst defenses in the playoffs, but they're off.
[00:46:32] Speaker D: But the Bucks offense doesn't make up for the Pacers offense.
[00:46:34] Speaker E: That's.
[00:46:35] Speaker C: That's why I think the paces are very fast paced.
[00:46:37] Speaker E: Yeah.
[00:46:37] Speaker D: And the Bucks aren't.
Damian Lillard already kind of got exposed by Tyrese Halliburton just being able to guard him the way he was. I mean, you're not. He's not going to be able to go and shoot around six, six five. Tyrese Halliburton. It's not going to happen. And then he's not going to be able to drive on Pascal and Miles Turner. So that closes the floor even more for Giannis. Chris Middleton can't shoot this season. Malik Beasley is okay, but he's nothing in the playoffs.
[00:47:02] Speaker C: So a lot like a warrior situation, but we have actually a better team, the Milwaukee Bucks. I think they're gonna get bounced out in the first round. And then again, to, like, the warriors, they have a big offseason.
[00:47:13] Speaker D: I mean, oh, Giannis might leave if they lose. Giannis will leave.
[00:47:16] Speaker C: I mean, he's under contract for a while. He's the type of guy to do that. I mean, like Dave.
[00:47:21] Speaker A: It's more like they're gonna move.
[00:47:22] Speaker C: Dame tries to get, but what are you gonna do?
[00:47:24] Speaker D: How can you improve from him?
[00:47:27] Speaker A: It's more about fit.
[00:47:28] Speaker D: The biggest improvement from Dame. Yeah, but then Chris Middleton's 38 years old, and he can't do it.
[00:47:35] Speaker A: I don't know.
[00:47:35] Speaker C: I don't have the answer right now. I got to think about it more, but it's more like this team's getting older. Brook Lopez doesn't have a lot left. Same with Middleton, who's already proven to be injury prone. Dame is not really meshing. I mean, it works. It's just not as good as it should. 24 points, same record as the Boston Celtics, if you think about it.
[00:47:51] Speaker D: They should be better than y'all. They have the. They have who they had who people thought was the top three point guard, which he never know on paper.
[00:47:59] Speaker C: If everything worked, they should have had roughly the same record, and they didn't. They had a guy who fired their.
[00:48:03] Speaker D: Coach, Adrian Griffin, who was 20 times better than.
I mean, you just look at how much worse their defense got when Doc got there. I mean, they might blow a three one lead to the Pacers. It happened again. I mean.
[00:48:15] Speaker C: I mean, doc's not going to last the offseason.
[00:48:18] Speaker A: I don't think.
[00:48:18] Speaker D: He'll never do. He never needs to get this job.
[00:48:21] Speaker C: The Bucks made a big mistake.
[00:48:23] Speaker D: Maybe Katie Dame, they never shake.
[00:48:25] Speaker C: Maybe firing agent Griffin, those deeper reasons to it, but they made a massive mistake firing their head coach midseason for a team that wasn't bad.
[00:48:32] Speaker D: I wouldn't fire coach Bud. Coach Bud is one of the best defensive coaches in the NBA.
[00:48:37] Speaker B: That was crazy.
[00:48:38] Speaker A: I think that was the source of the problems. You shouldn't have fired coach. Buddy got you a ring.
[00:48:42] Speaker C: Coaches are getting tossed around too much these days. But to answer the question here, I just wanted to ask you that question to see what you thought, but to answer it, what are we on?
[00:48:49] Speaker B: Pacers.
[00:48:50] Speaker E: Oh, Bucs.
[00:48:50] Speaker C: Pacers? Yeah, I would say pacers in six or seven because Giannis is going to come back. How good will he be? I don't know, but I think they'll jump out to lead the Pacers, actually, I don't know because it's going to start off in Milwaukee.
[00:49:03] Speaker D: I think they'll think I'm going to hold it down.
[00:49:04] Speaker C: They'll split one one. I think they'll split one one.
I know you don't like Dame.
[00:49:08] Speaker D: He's not holding that down. No, he's been very bad.
[00:49:11] Speaker E: Just listen.
[00:49:11] Speaker C: Just listen. I know you don't like Dame, but he is a fantastic player. Playoff or four?
[00:49:15] Speaker D: No, he's not. He had one good playoff series.
[00:49:17] Speaker B: It's not true.
[00:49:17] Speaker C: He had two.
[00:49:18] Speaker D: Okay, my bad.
[00:49:18] Speaker A: He had took.
[00:49:20] Speaker D: He had two good playoffs. He had the one against OKC and then he had the one against the one against Houston where he hit that shot. Those are the only two good playoff series he's had in his entire career.
[00:49:31] Speaker C: I feel like he's been on a bad team.
[00:49:32] Speaker D: He always had good talent, though. Like, okay, CJ McCollum wasn't an all star, but he still averaged like 23. Yousef Nourkic was always really good. Robert Covington, Norman Powell, they always different than.
[00:49:45] Speaker C: Again. I don't think they're going to make it out of the series because Giannis is hurt. But I think it's when Giannis comes.
[00:49:49] Speaker A: Back, they're going to pick up a.
[00:49:50] Speaker C: Little bit in this series, and I say Pacers in, Pacers went five and.
[00:49:54] Speaker A: O against the Bucks this year.
[00:49:55] Speaker C: I never played them once and they were all great games, too.
[00:50:00] Speaker A: I think the Bucks come out or I think the Bucks are going to be motivated. I don't know how long Giannis is out for, but I'm going to say that he's out.
[00:50:06] Speaker E: What?
[00:50:06] Speaker A: You said three games. That's what it seems like. Yeah, I think that's fair.
He'll be at least out the first two Milwaukee games, which I think they'll split. I think they go back into Indiana and the Pacers win three and maybe four.
That being said, I think Giannis comes back. Man on a mission. I think the Pacers might be up three one, but when Giannis comes back, I think they lock in, find everything within themselves, and I think the Pacers defense is so bad that when Giannis comes back, they're just not going to be able to stop him. I like the Bucs in seven, but.
[00:50:36] Speaker C: They do add an interest.
[00:50:37] Speaker D: Don't trust Damon.
[00:50:38] Speaker C: That do add an interesting factor that they didn't have last year. They had Pascal.
[00:50:42] Speaker A: Yeah, that is true, too. And Halliburton's at a much different level, but I don't know if he's 100%. He didn't really have a great end of the season.
[00:50:50] Speaker C: His back 25% of the season wasn't as good as the.
[00:50:52] Speaker D: Yeah, I was gonna say, and I.
[00:50:53] Speaker A: Think they should have rested him through that end of the season.
[00:50:55] Speaker B: Yeah. Pre all star break Tyree Taliburtin looked like one of the best point guards in basketball, the best playmaker. Nick's got a smile on his face.
[00:51:02] Speaker E: I don't know why.
[00:51:02] Speaker D: Just because I looked up Damien Lillip, game seven stats, 13 points per game.
[00:51:07] Speaker C: How many games?
[00:51:09] Speaker B: That's kind of sad. So that's why I have pacers in six. Without Giannis, it's going to be a struggle. And I do think they sweep those first two games, we'll say he's out or Giannis is out. Three games. I think they split the first two games in Milwaukee. They go back to Indiana, and I think the Pacers kind of take control, and by the time Giannis comes back, I think it will already be out of control.
[00:51:28] Speaker D: Well, that's what happened last year with the heat.
[00:51:29] Speaker E: Yeah.
[00:51:29] Speaker B: And I think the Pacers are just. They're really good. I mean, the Siockham trade, I think, helped them. I do think the chemistry hasn't been built up 100% yet, but Halliburton is the best playmaker in basketball with Siakama and Miles Turner, Benedict, Matheran. It's a good team. I think it's good enough to be sure.
[00:51:46] Speaker C: The fastest team in basketball. So, I mean.
[00:51:48] Speaker B: Yeah.
[00:51:49] Speaker D: And my bad. Just one more thing to add. Well, I was saying my bad to.
[00:51:53] Speaker B: Alex because he was in the middle of the butt. It's your.
[00:51:55] Speaker D: Yeah, I don't care about.
No. When they beat the. When the Raptors beat the bucks, but, you know, when they won the title, Pascal was the biggest part of that.
[00:52:06] Speaker E: Yeah.
[00:52:06] Speaker D: They put Kawhi on them in the perimeter, but they would. They built that wall, and Pascal was just down there.
[00:52:11] Speaker E: Down low.
[00:52:12] Speaker D: And Giannis wasn't really doing nothing.
[00:52:14] Speaker B: So that.
[00:52:14] Speaker C: Scott's an underrated defense.
[00:52:15] Speaker D: Yeah, he's. Yeah, he's not.
[00:52:17] Speaker E: Because you haven't really.
[00:52:17] Speaker C: We haven't seen him in big games in years, but, I mean, he's a good player.
[00:52:21] Speaker E: Yeah.
[00:52:21] Speaker D: Okay, so what is it now?
[00:52:24] Speaker E: East.
[00:52:25] Speaker A: Is it east?
[00:52:26] Speaker E: Sami, Sam. East.
[00:52:26] Speaker B: Sammy's.
[00:52:27] Speaker D: So I have heat versus pacers, and this one, I'm gonna say, give me the heat in six, and heat are going to the. And I just think that's just because they were in the finals last year. They have all this experience.
[00:52:39] Speaker C: Boston, are we starting at the bottom?
[00:52:42] Speaker D: I already started with.
[00:52:42] Speaker C: Okay, that's fine, that's fine. So Pacers versus 76 ers. If this. I agree with you, Nick. If it was flipped, if I had the heat here, I'd say heater walking into the ECF, but I had the 76 ers, and the first time in the jewel and beat error, they make it to the Eastern Conference finals because they have a relatively not easy, clear playing team, but a relatively easy road into the Eastern Conference finals. I say they beat the Pacers in five or six. I think it's going to be one of their easier series just because who's stopping Joel and beat.
[00:53:11] Speaker B: Miles Turner's solid, but it's not enough to beat the Sixers.
[00:53:14] Speaker C: And I agree, and it might, you know, probably be more like six, not five. But I think the 76 ers reach their first ECF, which is weird, too, because of the 7th seed. But I think just the path, if they make it to the actual 7th seed, it just works out, matchup wise, in their favor.
[00:53:31] Speaker A: I've got the bucks and the Sixers in this one. And I, like Alex, also have the 76. You like Alex, finally. Yeah, sure. Finally making it to the ECF.
I think.
Honestly, it feels like the Bucks, the Sixers, sorry, are the better team they got Nick Nurse as a coach. I think he's a much, much better coach than Doc Rivers.
Much better coach than Doc Rivers. And that being said, Sixers have great wing defense with Kelly Oubre and then Tobias Harris, who I think is an underrated defender on the perimeter. And then I don't think that Damian Lillard is keeping up with Tyrese Maxey. I think he's too young for him. Damien Lillard is going to score in this series, but Tyrese Maxey is going to score as well.
With that being said, Giannis Embiid in a series, I don't think that's happened before. I don't think they've seen each other.
[00:54:20] Speaker B: I don't think so. That'd be fun.
[00:54:21] Speaker A: That's blessing right there because I'm pretty interested to see who. Who wins in that battle. But I do like the Sixers just because of that coaching aspect. I think that they're just better as a team right now than the Bucks are. 76 ers and seven.
[00:54:33] Speaker C: It's usually like six.
[00:54:34] Speaker A: I'll go 70 sixers and six. Sorry, 76 ers and six.
[00:54:36] Speaker D: It's usually like Sixers. Sixers heats.
[00:54:38] Speaker C: I feel the Celtics play everyone, but they never really play each other.
[00:54:41] Speaker E: Yeah.
[00:54:42] Speaker B: All right. I have Sixers pacers. I got the 76 ers winning in six games just because that Joel Embiid factor is much larger than what people think. I like the point Alex brought up earlier with Joel Embiid now having that rest after missing so many games with that surgery. He's healthy, he has full stamina, and he's been dominating since he came back. I don't see in any scenario the Pacers beating the Sixers in this series because Joel La beat is that man, Tyrese Maxey is that man. And I just don't think it's enough because, yeah, there's good defenders on that Pacers team, but as a team as a whole, it's just not a good defensive team and the Sixers are going to expose them. So I'm going to take the Sixers going to the ECF.
[00:55:21] Speaker D: Okay, so my ACS is ECS. My ECF is Celtics versus heat again this time.
[00:55:28] Speaker E: What?
[00:55:29] Speaker C: The other. Who the Celtics beating?
[00:55:31] Speaker D: Oh, did we just completely forget that?
[00:55:33] Speaker E: Yeah. Okay.
[00:55:34] Speaker D: Celtics versus magic. Who, regardless of who the Celtics play, we all can agree on this. They're going to beat them in minimum. In a maximum amount of five.
[00:55:42] Speaker C: I have Celtics first Cavs and I would say similar five if the Celtics continue to be the Celtics this year.
Six. But I'd say Celtics in five over the Cavs.
[00:55:53] Speaker D: Drew Holliday or Doug Donovan? Mitchell isn't scoring more than 25.
[00:55:57] Speaker E: Oh, no. Because.
[00:55:57] Speaker D: Or Derek White.
[00:55:58] Speaker C: Yeah, he's gonna have an awful series. Garland in.
[00:56:01] Speaker D: Yeah, they're gonna have.
[00:56:02] Speaker C: I think KP is gonna guard.
[00:56:04] Speaker D: Kristoff's Porzo is one of the most underrated defenders in the league. He's going to lock one of the two of them down. I will say, though, they do have.
[00:56:09] Speaker C: Good twin towers in Mobley and Allen.
[00:56:11] Speaker D: Y'all have Al Horford and Pelt. Poison. They're better.
[00:56:14] Speaker A: All right, I got Celtics.
[00:56:15] Speaker E: Magic.
[00:56:16] Speaker D: Yes, I think they are.
[00:56:17] Speaker C: I mean, for playoff time.
[00:56:18] Speaker A: Yeah, yeah, definitely, definitely. I got magic. Celtics.
Welcome to the league. Paulo Banquero, Celtics in four.
There might be one close game in the series. I think if the Cavs beat the magic and go to this, I think Don maybe goes off in one game and steals the Cavs a game.
[00:56:36] Speaker E: Maybe.
[00:56:36] Speaker A: But I think either way, Celtics sweep, and I think they sweep the magic. And maybe one game of the series is close.
[00:56:43] Speaker B: I think you're underestimating the magic. You think they only keep one game close? I think they keep two game closest and get swept anyway. So I think the Celtics are just way too experienced overall. The magic, again, when you talk about young teams, you talk about the thunder, you talk about the magic, and there is zero chance in a blue moon that they beat the Boston Celtics. Who, I don't know.
[00:57:03] Speaker C: They give us some trouble at times.
[00:57:05] Speaker B: When Bobo was on the team, they.
[00:57:06] Speaker D: Gave us some trouble in, what was it?
[00:57:08] Speaker B: 2019? Yeah, it was DJ Augustine.
[00:57:11] Speaker E: Yeah.
[00:57:11] Speaker D: Augustine had a series.
[00:57:13] Speaker B: If the magic had DJ Augustine, I take them right now, but they don't. And so I'm gonna take the Celtics and vote sweep city. Get the brooms out. Sorry, Paula.
[00:57:21] Speaker D: Okay, so I have Celtics versus heat. Commerce finals again. Celtics will win this with ease, in my opinion. Heroes ears going back to Austin. I don't know how those fans will treat him.
[00:57:33] Speaker A: And, oh, Terry Rozier gets met with open arms.
[00:57:37] Speaker C: Yes.
I want him in my locker house.
[00:57:40] Speaker E: Okay.
[00:57:40] Speaker D: All right.
[00:57:41] Speaker C: Well, it wasn't his fault.
[00:57:42] Speaker D: I know.
[00:57:43] Speaker C: In the bag. We got Kemba, too.
[00:57:44] Speaker B: It worked.
[00:57:45] Speaker E: Yeah.
[00:57:45] Speaker D: Y'all should have just kept Terry. I mean, for how bad Kemba was, but anyways.
[00:57:49] Speaker C: At all.
[00:57:50] Speaker D: But I would say Celtics win this one in five.
The heat are just this. They're going to show fatigue in this series being already kind of hurt, and then I just don't. I just. I just think it's this era of them going to the finals is just over. I think if. What if they lose this series against y'all? Then it's time to rebuild.
[00:58:11] Speaker A: Thing is, though, I think if they do see us that late into the playoffs, they're already gonna have established this stupid heat culture. That's where they can beat us. They're gonna have randos. They're gonna have randos that are dropping 20 a game. I think if they do, I think we still beat them if we see them in the ECF. But I think it's like a seven game series.
[00:58:26] Speaker D: Y'all have poor zingas now. Nobody was.
[00:58:28] Speaker C: That is a good point of a defender.
[00:58:29] Speaker D: As robbers, as good of a defender as Rob is. Porzingis is 20 times the floor.
[00:58:35] Speaker A: The offensive player.
[00:58:36] Speaker E: Yeah. Yeah.
[00:58:37] Speaker D: And his defense is good.
[00:58:39] Speaker A: The slashing, that would come from. From JB or Tatum. If we had, bam. Having to guard Porzingis all the way out 40ft. Cause he can shoot from anywhere would be insane.
[00:58:49] Speaker E: Yeah.
[00:58:49] Speaker A: I mean, but I'm saying, if we can run a five wide, which would kill their zone, because that's. That's how they beat us in the stupid playoffs. All the, like, the two times they have is because their whole zone was pissed. And we have to have Rob down Low, who can't shoot, and space it out. So if we run a five out and draw. Bam. All the way out to the perimeter, because Porzingis can shoot out of the zone. So if he has to guard Porzingis all the way out on the perimeter, Jalen Brown is taking Nicole, which. To the rack every single time.
[00:59:20] Speaker E: Yeah. Yeah.
[00:59:22] Speaker B: Is it my turn?
[00:59:23] Speaker E: It is. Yeah.
[00:59:24] Speaker A: Y'all, you know, sorry, I got ECF. Oh, did y'all want to say your ECF MVP's?
[00:59:29] Speaker C: I didn't say who was winning.
[00:59:31] Speaker A: Oh, so it's Alex.
[00:59:33] Speaker D: Who do you have? You have sixers?
[00:59:35] Speaker E: Yeah.
[00:59:35] Speaker C: Okay, six or celtics?
[00:59:37] Speaker A: Yeah, you just.
[00:59:37] Speaker C: You go, all right.
[00:59:38] Speaker A: Yeah, I got six or celtics.
The rivalry in the ECF, it's not a rivalry, though, as Joel Embiid once said, because we always kick their butt. Celtics win this one in six. I just think they're gonna be on a mission. But that being said, the sixers will have that momentum. And Joe elimbied, rested, is gonna play very good. He's gonna give Porzingis some problems down low.
I think he's probably gonna take Porzingis out of it for the entire series. But with that being said, the wings and the guards are just too good for Boston.
I like us in six in this one. MVP Jason Tatum.
[01:00:12] Speaker C: I'm really buying into.
[01:00:13] Speaker A: No, sorry. Jalen Brown.
[01:00:14] Speaker B: Jalen Brown.
[01:00:15] Speaker C: I'm really buying into how dwelling bead is going to be really rested and really be even more dominant in the playoffs because he always slows down in the second round when it counts. Now they're in the ECF, and I think they'll be fully healthy. But again, they're playing the Boston Celtics, and I think it'll be a good series.
And I'm going to take the Celtics in six. I don't see the Celtics going to any seven game series unless it's the finals.
But in the Eastern Conference, I think the maximum they go to is six here or six with the heat in the first round. Which sucks, though, Kaden, because it's like we should. Like, we don't have an easy. Like, it's easier, but it's not, like an easy road.
[01:00:48] Speaker A: Oh, definitely not. Which kind of sucks because the second round is the easiest series we'll have.
[01:00:52] Speaker C: Which sucks, because, you know, if we meet Denver in the finals or whoever it is, that that could be an area where we lose, because we're just gassed.
[01:00:58] Speaker E: Yeah.
[01:00:59] Speaker A: But it could also be good. It'll be nice to have, like, close game prep. Yeah, that's true. So.
[01:01:04] Speaker C: But it is scary, because that is still a problem.
[01:01:07] Speaker A: Like, we still need to find, like, our offensive rhythm in closing games.
[01:01:11] Speaker E: Yeah. For sure. Yeah.
[01:01:13] Speaker B: In the Celtics Sixers series, I have the Celtics beating the Sixers in six games just because Joel Embiid is matchup proof. As good of a defender as Christophs Borzingis is, and what Al Horford has done in his career, in the playoffs, it's Joel Embiid. He's gonna be matchup proof. He's gonna get his buckets. But then you look at the rest of the team and compare them. Just take the fives out of it. And the Celtics just WHOOP the Sixers in every position. Unless, I mean, you could throw Tyrese maxi over, but Jason Tatum wipes and Jalen Brown wipes. I just think the Celtics overpower them. I do think the Sixers will get a couple games just because I think Joel Embiid will have some great games in Philly. But it's Boston's time. And my mvp is gonna be Jason Zander.
[01:01:54] Speaker D: And then for the finals, well, he's the only one that has a different one. Celtics Nuggets is mine. I have the Celtics winning in six. Tatum with a finals mvp, the first one of his career. And I think they would just flat out, not dominate that series. But I think putting Drew Holliday and Derek White on the perimeter against Jamal Murray completely shuts that down. And then I don't think Aaron Gordon is running around the perimeter with Jason Tatum for seven games. And then I don't think that Michael Porter junior has the defensive capability to guard Jalen Brown for seven games. So it's just not going to even.
[01:02:29] Speaker C: Go to seven, in my opinion. It proves how much yoke. It just makes everyone around him.
[01:02:33] Speaker D: It proves why he's the best player in the NBA. Yeah, for sure.
[01:02:35] Speaker C: What do you got, Jamie?
[01:02:36] Speaker B: Oh, I'm going now.
[01:02:38] Speaker C: You said he had someone do.
[01:02:39] Speaker D: He has Mavs.
[01:02:40] Speaker B: Celtics.
[01:02:41] Speaker E: Yeah.
[01:02:42] Speaker B: So do y'all want to go and then I'll go last?
[01:02:43] Speaker E: Yeah, sure.
[01:02:43] Speaker B: Because I have the different one. Okay.
[01:02:45] Speaker C: I have, obviously, Boston versus Denver and I'm gonna say Celtics in seven. I, like I said, I was like, I was just saying every series in the Eastern Conference, I don't see any of them going to seven. This one, I think goes to seven.
I am actually scared of Jokic and I mean, that could be the Celtics. I would not be shocked, but I think we're either winning in six or seven, but I lean towards seven.
[01:03:09] Speaker A: Boston against Denver, I have Boston in seven.
I just don't think they can keep up with Jason Tatum. It's like Nick said that you can either put Aaron Gordon on Jason Tatum or Jalen Brown and both of them would give him buckets. I know Aaron Gordon's like a near All NBA level defender, but he, he's just, he just doesn't have that kind of speed.
[01:03:27] Speaker E: I think they'll be the easiest team.
[01:03:28] Speaker C: For Tatum to play in the entire. Exactly.
[01:03:30] Speaker A: That's why I had Jalen Brown winning ECF MVP just because I think the lesser of or like the worst defensive player on the Sixers will have to guard him for that series. So he'll have a big series. But this is such a good matchup for Jason Tatum.
He can just basically do whatever he wants in this series. I think his playmaking will be a large part of it, too, because I think they're going to have to play a lot of help. Defense. If Aaron Gordon is guarding Jason Tatum and Mann on the perimeter. And with that being said, I think he's going to do a good job of everybody, getting everybody involved, including himself, and get the Celtics a ring.
[01:04:05] Speaker B: Yeah, I have Celtics and Mavericks in my NBA Finals matchup. I have it going to six games with the Celtics winning the NBA Finals.
The reason I like the Mavericks is because the reason I have them taking a couple games is that Mavericks depth is really good in playoff basketball. A lot of lineups are shortened, but in the Mavericks case, I do think Luca and Kyrie will obviously play a lot of minutes. But when you have a Tim Hardaway and Dante Exum, guys who are coming off the bench and scoring a lot of points and giving really good minutes, I do think the depth and keeping guys fresh is going to play a big factor in the Mavericks taking two games, probably in Dallas, but the Celtics just from one to I would say probably seven are probably unmatched in the NBA. That the lineup is disgusting. So I have the Celtics beating the Mavericks. Celtics Jason Tatum wins finals mvp, averaging 33, seven and five shooting 52 38 85. But I think, oh yeah, I'm going down to percentages. I'm all over. But Luka Doncic, I think is the best player of the series despite not winning. I have Luca averaging 30, 711 and nine shooting 55 40 80. Because that's what Luca does. It's what he does. Yeah, it's what Luca does. But they're not going to win because Derek White doesn't miss.
[01:05:20] Speaker C: Before we close this out here, I just want to ask Kaden a question because we were just talking about. I just kind of wanted to go more in depth on it for 1 second. So in each series we'll be the toughest player for who's guarding Tatum. So round one if it's the heat. Who's guarding Tatum?
[01:05:35] Speaker A: Jimmy.
[01:05:35] Speaker E: Jimmy.
[01:05:36] Speaker C: So that's a pretty good defender, obviously. Round two if it's the Pacers. Pascal.
[01:05:40] Speaker E: Yeah.
[01:05:41] Speaker C: And then if it ECF, it's no.
[01:05:43] Speaker A: No, round two would be Cleveland or magic.
[01:05:46] Speaker C: Cleveland.
[01:05:46] Speaker A: So yeah, you have Cleveland in Cleveland. Who would be guarding him? I guess Okoro maybe Lavert.
[01:05:56] Speaker C: And the ECF versus 76 ers would be Tobias or Kelly.
[01:06:00] Speaker E: Yeah.
[01:06:01] Speaker C: Like I said, I think the easier.
[01:06:02] Speaker A: Series for Tatum was the finals.
[01:06:04] Speaker E: Yeah, it is.
[01:06:04] Speaker C: I just wanted to go back to that, to kind of walk through that, but yeah, yeah, for sure.
[01:06:10] Speaker B: Phenomenal episode with the boys once again. I want to thank Alex for coming along. He has very busy days and he was able to show up. So great episode once again. We'll be back next week. Thank you all for tuning in to WVUA 90.7 FM and the full core press podcast to stay up to date. Follow us on instagramodcast ui. See y'all next week. Daquan Cook Peace.
[01:06:38] Speaker D: Wvuafm tuscaloosa.
