2024 NBA Eastern Conference Predictions: Surprises, Contenders, and Tankers

[00:00:12] It's Wednesday, you know what time it is, Front Runner Podcast Collective is back on the air. I am your humble host Vince, and we have a great show for you today. We're going to be breaking down the Eastern Conference from 15 all the way to 1. We're going to give you predictions and whatnot, and we got a couple questions for these franchises and what have you.

[00:00:39] So, that's what's on the docket for today. It's going to be a long show, so just strap in, get your favorite drink, get your favorite snack of choice, because we are here for the duration.

[00:00:56] But before we get there, two things. One, I want to talk about the socials, x at FrontRunnerPC, and then also follow the producers at Raya underscore Funch FRPC.

[00:01:13] Please go ahead and follow there, because these pods are important to you for fantasy, betting, just following your squad.

[00:01:25] If you have a squad that doesn't look like it's going to contend, what are you there to look for? We're going to give it all to you.

[00:01:34] And then we're going to do the West on Friday, the Wild West. Stay tuned. We're going to be knocking these out. It's going to be great.

[00:01:43] And then Monday, we're going to hit you with all the individual awards. So, Coach of the Year, MVP, the all-NBA teams, things of that nature.

[00:01:53] We're going to be hitting you with all of that. We got you locked in for all the predictions, and I can't wait to get there.

[00:01:58] But if you follow us on x, at FrontRunnerPC, and at Raya underscore Funch FRPC, you're going to know, because we're going to let you know.

[00:02:11] The other thing is that there's still a software piece that we're waiting for to get some of these videos up.

[00:02:16] Once we have that software, we will be putting up videos, and I hope, efforting today to get that squared away,

[00:02:24] because I also want to hassle stuff up before the start of the season to get some fan and audience interaction so we can start building this community.

[00:02:34] So, go to FrontRunner Podcast Collective on YouTube.

[00:02:38] The other thing is this. Be a friend. Tell a friend about the podcast.

[00:02:42] Make sure that we are messaging correctly, that we are letting people know that we do Monday, Wednesday, Friday.

[00:02:51] There's three pods, lots of basketball to get to, and we do it here for you.

[00:02:58] Humbly, as servants, and we love to do it.

[00:03:02] So, we will be watching the League Pass, and we will be watching the Charlotte Hornets for you.

[00:03:07] That is our task in life, is that I'm going to be turning on that game at 4 o'clock in the afternoon for you,

[00:03:17] and watch that game.

[00:03:18] Stay with us.

[00:03:21] Now, again, the way we're going to do this is we're going to go from the bottom to the top.

[00:03:28] And the reason why I want to do it that way is because I want...

[00:03:31] We talked about some of these teams in the previous pod,

[00:03:35] so if you're looking for a real elongated situation on these teams,

[00:03:40] just go to the prior pod,

[00:03:42] and we did talk about the teams that we thought were going to be in the mix for Cooper Flagg, Ace Bailey,

[00:03:49] Dylan Harper, Nolan Traore, and the sort.

[00:03:53] If you are looking for the Brooklyn Nets in its full totality, it's in the prior pod.

[00:04:01] But we're going to give you a little bit of them now, and then we're going to move into our teams that we think might be in the mix for playoff contention.

[00:04:12] So let's start with the Brooklyn Nets.

[00:04:14] Now, the Brooklyn Nets have a win total probability of 18.5.

[00:04:20] Vegas doesn't think highly of this team, and neither do I.

[00:04:24] The thing that I will tell you is that what you want to focus in on with the Nets is that they are absolutely tanking for Cooper Flagg or Ace Bailey or whoever.

[00:04:34] They're trying to get the lowest pick possible.

[00:04:37] They're trying to advance their lottery odds.

[00:04:41] And the thing that I do have a question about is that you still got Cam Johnson on this team.

[00:04:48] You still have Dorian Finney-Smith on this team as well.

[00:04:53] Those guys will need to be extricated from this team.

[00:04:58] And so then the tank can properly continue.

[00:05:02] Now, there's one key note that I do want to talk about with the Brooklyn Nets.

[00:05:09] Cam Thomas is going to shoot the ball for Brooklyn.

[00:05:16] Brooklyn.

[00:05:17] This dude might average 30 points this year because he's going to take a lot of shots.

[00:05:25] So Brooklyn is tanking for Flagg.

[00:05:28] We move on to the Washington Wizards.

[00:05:31] Basically, they are in the same boat.

[00:05:33] They are tanking as well.

[00:05:35] But they have a couple interesting pieces to watch.

[00:05:38] You got your first round pick this year, which was the number two overall pick, Alex Saar.

[00:05:45] I like Alex Saar.

[00:05:47] We don't know.

[00:05:49] I think he's a raw developmental piece.

[00:05:52] But you do have him.

[00:05:54] He is seven feet.

[00:05:55] The other thing is that you have Bilal Kulibale and Bub Carrington.

[00:06:01] Now, we talked about these guys in earnestness and also in a real robust way in the last pod.

[00:06:10] So I'm not going to get into it.

[00:06:11] But here's the question that I do have for the Washington Wizards.

[00:06:15] Can Jordan Poole continue to be the tank commander that we think he is?

[00:06:25] That's the question for the Washington Wizards.

[00:06:28] Can Jordan Poole lead his band of merry men to a top three overall pick?

[00:06:39] The DMV is waiting.

[00:06:41] Thank God for Jaden Daniels and the commanders.

[00:06:45] Right now.

[00:06:46] Could you imagine what the fall would look like if they only had to worry about Jordan Poole?

[00:06:53] Wouldn't be great.

[00:06:55] But keep your eye out on development for Bilal Kulibale as well.

[00:07:00] And the Wizards brass is very high on Bub Carrington.

[00:07:05] So there's a couple young pieces to watch there.

[00:07:07] It will be a hard watch.

[00:07:09] But those are the guys that I would focus on if I was a Wizards fan.

[00:07:14] Now that leads us to another team that had a dreadful year last year.

[00:07:18] And that was the Detroit Pistons.

[00:07:20] Now the Detroit Pistons.

[00:07:24] It's really the same song.

[00:07:26] Can you create enough space to allow Kay Cunningham to develop and allow Jaden Ivey to develop and what have you?

[00:07:34] They also selected Ron Holland II who also has an issue with his shot.

[00:07:40] So spacing is going to be at a premium.

[00:07:43] Now this one is for Ryan Russillo.

[00:07:48] The question that I have is how many times will Ryan Russillo watch a Detroit Pistons game and ask himself the question,

[00:07:58] did Tobias Harris play in this game?

[00:08:04] That's the question that I want answered.

[00:08:06] And there's only one man that can answer that.

[00:08:08] And we will have to check in with him towards the end of the year and see how that worked out.

[00:08:15] Now we're going to move along to our last team that we believe that is in the tank race for Cooper Flagg.

[00:08:22] And then the rest of the teams I think we can have legitimate conversations about what we think they're going to do this year.

[00:08:28] And the last team is the Toronto Raptors.

[00:08:31] A lot of people will sit here and go,

[00:08:33] Well Vince, how can you sit there and tell me that the Toronto Raptors are tanking?

[00:08:37] It's very easy.

[00:08:42] Let's put it this way.

[00:08:43] You got RJ Barrett.

[00:08:44] You got Emmanuel Quigley.

[00:08:46] You got Jakob Pertl.

[00:08:47] None of those players move the needle whatsoever.

[00:08:51] And I believe as far as contractually, as far as monetary obligations, what you have,

[00:08:58] is you have a nine-figure obligation to Scotty Barnes, RJ Barrett, and Emmanuel Quigley.

[00:09:10] I don't know how you can be hyped about that.

[00:09:12] And I'm still trying to figure out what Messiah Jerry is doing in Toronto.

[00:09:18] But here's the thing.

[00:09:20] It could get way better really quick.

[00:09:23] Because if you can end up in the top four somehow, some way,

[00:09:29] with some of these dudes coming out this year,

[00:09:32] Yeah, this is the draft to end your non-sizzle, non-entertaining team.

[00:09:39] Now, I love Scotty Barnes.

[00:09:41] I think he is a terrific player.

[00:09:43] I just don't think you have anything else on your team that's very impactful at this present time.

[00:09:50] That now leads us to the teams that we feel have legitimate claims to play-in or play-off spots.

[00:10:00] And we're going to start off, surprisingly, with the Charlotte Hornets.

[00:10:07] Now, the Charlotte Hornets are a team that is going to be very polarizing for whoever you talk to.

[00:10:18] I know people who are completely out on LaMelo Ball.

[00:10:23] They're completely out.

[00:10:24] They think he's a non-serious basketball player.

[00:10:27] They think he's just in it for basically the Instagram follows and the X follows.

[00:10:34] There are some people who have hope that the turnaround will change with the new regime.

[00:10:42] New ownership, a new front office that's spearheaded by a young guy from the Brooklyn Nets

[00:10:51] who is held in one of the highest regards as far as evaluating talent.

[00:10:57] And we're going to talk about one of the picks that he made as well.

[00:11:00] Now, to me, I actually think that Charlotte is going to surprise people.

[00:11:07] I believe in LaMelo Ball.

[00:11:09] This might end up biting me in the ass.

[00:11:12] I'm not going to sit here and sugarcoat it.

[00:11:15] But here's the one thing that I will say.

[00:11:18] LaMelo hasn't played for, I think, a coach that was serious.

[00:11:23] I don't think he's played for a team that really had a philosophy.

[00:11:27] I think he's played for a team that go out and play and do your thing and whatever.

[00:11:32] I think he's now playing for a coach that had a real philosophy.

[00:11:38] There is strategic points.

[00:11:41] There are a certain amount of opportunities for a certain amount of players.

[00:11:46] I think that structure will also settle itself this year as well as time goes on.

[00:11:52] Now, how Charlotte ends this year will be how LaMelo deals with the regiment that is going to be put forth by new head coach Charles Lee.

[00:12:06] We've been talking about it, and we've talked about it.

[00:12:09] We've talked about his accountability.

[00:12:11] We've talked about how people around the league has felt about Charles Lee.

[00:12:16] He has been part of the Boston bench.

[00:12:19] He's been part of the Milwaukee bench.

[00:12:21] And people really believe that this is one of the guys that really does deserve an opportunity to coach in the National Basketball Association.

[00:12:32] So I'm looking forward to it.

[00:12:34] And then here's the other thing.

[00:12:37] You have Brandon Miller who came off a really scintillating rookie season to the extent that I had to admit that I was wrong.

[00:12:47] I was wrong when Charlotte took him.

[00:12:50] I thought they should have took Scoop.

[00:12:53] That looks terrible now.

[00:12:55] So sometimes the observations and the evaluations go awry.

[00:13:02] Sue me.

[00:13:02] But Brandon Miller, the one thing that I was very impressed with him is that every month it seemed like he ascended.

[00:13:11] Something about his game, one particular piece, whether it was on the defensive end or on the offensive end,

[00:13:19] it seemed like it just got a slightly better uptick every single month.

[00:13:25] The one thing that you can see with that young man, there is a seriousness to him.

[00:13:30] There's an intentionality to him.

[00:13:32] Now let's talk about the others.

[00:13:34] Miles Bridges, we can talk about all the other stuff, but he did score points.

[00:13:40] And if Mark Williams can stay healthy, this is a solid roster.

[00:13:44] Now, I want to talk about their selection.

[00:13:48] There's six overall selection to John Salon.

[00:13:52] Now, the one thing that I want to say about this guy is that I was really impressed by him, not just in the preseason.

[00:13:59] Listen, I've been impressed with him since going through the evaluation.

[00:14:04] And remember when I told you about this draft class, you're not going to see guys who are going to come out and pop.

[00:14:11] Now, we might talk about one guy who actually might really surprise us this year, but we did talk about there were really good high-level role players in this draft.

[00:14:24] And I think to John Salon, fits a need, fits a role, and has an actual purpose on the Charlotte Hornets this year.

[00:14:33] This dude could get real valuable 16 to 20 minutes on a young Charlotte Hornets team that's trying to turn the corner.

[00:14:43] And I think that he can be properly set up by a Brandon Miller and also a Lomelo Ball.

[00:14:49] These are great passers.

[00:14:51] Lomelo's a great passer.

[00:14:53] Miller is a really good passer.

[00:14:55] He showed it in the second half of the NBA season last year.

[00:15:00] So, my outlook for the Hornets is this, is that I think they will take the next step.

[00:15:05] I think that Lomelo Ball, he will be the key to this whole thing.

[00:15:11] Can he understand what his opportunities are?

[00:15:14] Can he take advantage of those opportunities?

[00:15:17] And what is he doing when the play is not called for him?

[00:15:23] Those are going to be important things to check out early in the season.

[00:15:27] And this will give us a telling indication on whether Charlotte is going really into the depths of the lottery.

[00:15:36] Where they're looking at some of the young players that are in that top five or whatever.

[00:15:42] Or are they a team that's going to battle for a play-in situation?

[00:15:48] Now, I will tell you this.

[00:15:49] I think I'm leaning towards more.

[00:15:51] I wouldn't be surprised, last couple weeks of the season, we're talking about Charlotte either sniffing around the plan.

[00:16:00] Or they just ran out of gas at this point in time.

[00:16:04] Either through injury or whatever the case may be.

[00:16:07] I'm high on the Charlotte Hornets.

[00:16:12] That leads us to our next squad.

[00:16:16] And it is a squad that my wife is familiar with.

[00:16:20] This is the Miami Heat.

[00:16:21] We got them at number 10.

[00:16:23] Now, people will say, is that disrespectful to Heat culture?

[00:16:28] I don't know necessarily it is.

[00:16:31] We have some questions that need to be answered.

[00:16:33] And the only way they can be answered is through the play on the court.

[00:16:38] And we will see it this season.

[00:16:41] So let's get to it.

[00:16:43] Obviously, all the cast and characters that the Miami Heat bring to the dance table.

[00:16:48] Jimmy Butler looks real serious out there.

[00:16:51] He's playing preseason games.

[00:16:53] He looks spry.

[00:16:54] He looks invigorated.

[00:16:56] This looks like what we came accustomed to with Jimmy Butler.

[00:17:02] Now, if we're going to see that guy, these predictions might be thrown completely out the window.

[00:17:14] And I will be the first one to say I was wrong, Heat culture.

[00:17:17] I'll be the first one to say.

[00:17:20] But you have to allow me the questions that I have.

[00:17:23] Now, you also know that you have Bam out of bio.

[00:17:27] You know what he brings to the table.

[00:17:30] The age-old question is, Bam going to shoot threes?

[00:17:34] Obviously, we've seen the video.

[00:17:37] But it might not be that important.

[00:17:40] And we'll get to the reason why in a couple seconds.

[00:17:44] But I want to also talk about Tawa Hero.

[00:17:48] Tawa Hero is not what they thought he was.

[00:17:51] He's definitely not worth the money that they paid him.

[00:17:55] But now that's water under the bridge.

[00:17:58] We got to...

[00:17:59] Now we got to go from here.

[00:18:01] Where do we go?

[00:18:04] I think that Tawa Hero will obviously start this year.

[00:18:09] I don't think he'll necessarily end up starting.

[00:18:13] I think with the emergence of Jaime Haquez Jr. from last year out of UCLA and how he played.

[00:18:21] And what a connective piece he was last year.

[00:18:26] And I think that he can continue that ascent this year.

[00:18:32] Obviously, being a year playing in the league, a year knowing now what his role will be.

[00:18:38] Because it'll be more formed this year if Jimmy Butler and others can stay healthy.

[00:18:47] And then the other thing is this.

[00:18:50] With the 15th overall selection, the Miami Heat took Kallel Ware out of Indiana.

[00:18:58] Now, he had a stint in Oregon that I did not like.

[00:19:04] Just going to be very fair to that.

[00:19:08] Now, Dana Altman, very good coach at the University of Oregon.

[00:19:14] I don't know if there was a clash of styles or a clash of culture or whatever it was.

[00:19:21] But Dana Altman was not able to get the best out of Kallel Ware.

[00:19:26] Now, Kallel Ware was a highly rated high school basketball player.

[00:19:32] This was a five-star dude.

[00:19:35] Then he goes to Indiana.

[00:19:36] And some of the stuff that we thought we were going to see in Oregon starts to come to fruition.

[00:19:45] We start to see him shoot the three.

[00:19:47] We saw the rim protection, how dynamic it was.

[00:19:50] We saw that he was able to move his feet and get out and pester people and really hedge on screens and things of that nature.

[00:20:00] We saw a really good package of Kallel Ware.

[00:20:05] Now, I had a question during the draft process and I brought this up.

[00:20:11] I said, I don't know if Kallel Ware likes basketball.

[00:20:16] And I'm not saying that he does or he doesn't.

[00:20:20] But there is some sort of thing with big guys and basketball.

[00:20:26] And I'll bring you to one of the famous big men of all time.

[00:20:30] Now, if you don't know Hakeem Olajuwon's story, you might know about the two championships.

[00:20:35] You might know about the All-NBA and he's a Hall of Famer and all of that.

[00:20:40] You might know a little bit about his backstory, about where he came from and Nigeria and all these things.

[00:20:47] But do you know that a year prior coming to the United States, he was still resistant to play basketball?

[00:20:58] Did you know that one of the greatest sinners of all time was they had to implore him to play?

[00:21:07] He liked soccer.

[00:21:11] He liked handball better than basketball.

[00:21:16] And the reason why I bring that up is because sometimes you hear about these stories.

[00:21:21] And I have another story for you that is a little more personal to me because I kind of knew the guy.

[00:21:27] Travis Knight, who was drafted by the Lakers, got to know him a little bit, whatever.

[00:21:34] He was like a revelation when the Lakers drafted him.

[00:21:39] And he played very well.

[00:21:41] He played well enough to get a second contract with the Boston Celtics.

[00:21:45] And I remember having a conversation prior, like way before he was ever thinking about becoming a free agent.

[00:21:55] He said, I'm trying to play to get to my second contract.

[00:21:58] And then, man, it doesn't matter at that point.

[00:22:01] As long as I get that second contract and get that money, I don't care.

[00:22:05] I think it's interesting that Kalil Ware ended up in Miami because it's the one place that you can't not care because everybody cares.

[00:22:18] From Pat Riley all the way down to Eric Spolstra to the player development guys.

[00:22:24] And then you have now Udonis Haslam on the staff as well.

[00:22:29] It matters to the Heat.

[00:22:32] It matters to that organization.

[00:22:35] It matters to who is in that building.

[00:22:38] And Kalil Ware is going to have to bring max effort.

[00:22:42] And we've seen it all throughout the preseason, all throughout summer league.

[00:22:46] He looks like the guy from Indiana.

[00:22:50] So I'm going to go ahead and say that Kalil Ware could be a really big X factor to what the Miami Heat are doing this year.

[00:23:00] And if they're going to have success, this guy might have something to do with it.

[00:23:06] And we might be seeing something really nice come out of Miami.

[00:23:10] I can't wait to see what his development is going to look like.

[00:23:15] And then the last piece of Miami is this.

[00:23:20] Here's a question.

[00:23:22] Terry Rozier can't play any worse than he did last year.

[00:23:26] Terry Rozier is a good NBA basketball player.

[00:23:30] I remember looking at that trade and allotting that trade when it was made and saying, hey, this guy right here is a professional basketball player.

[00:23:40] He's going to help the Heat.

[00:23:42] I like these little kind of minute moves where you're not sitting there doing something super major, but you're doing something where it's just like the floor is raised a little bit.

[00:23:54] And he had an awful season.

[00:23:57] As soon as he came to Miami, it was just never right.

[00:24:02] There was an injury.

[00:24:05] I just can't think that is indicative of what is Terry Rozier now.

[00:24:12] You can't tell me that he cannot get the stink of the Charlotte Hornets off of him.

[00:24:18] No offense, Charlotte Hornets.

[00:24:20] I'm not talking about you this year.

[00:24:22] I'm talking about you the last three or four years.

[00:24:25] It's been bad.

[00:24:27] Y'all know it.

[00:24:28] It's been terrible.

[00:24:30] So I think it could be a bounce back year for Terry Rozier as well.

[00:24:34] And if you get a engaged Jimmy Butler and you get on him for 70 games, we could be talking about the zombie heat again in April.

[00:24:50] We'll be like, we're not rid of this team yet.

[00:24:52] We're still not rid.

[00:24:53] And then the Miami heat culture fans, they'll be like, yep, we're back.

[00:24:58] We're here to just annoy the hell out of you.

[00:25:01] We're just here to annoy you.

[00:25:03] And we're going to say heat culture the whole time.

[00:25:08] This gets us to our ninth team.

[00:25:10] And this was controversial.

[00:25:11] This is where Miami probably should have been as far as that's concerned.

[00:25:15] I just, my whole thing with Miami is the Jimmy Butler contract situation with Riley.

[00:25:21] And that could go, that can go wayward real quick because you got two very staunch,

[00:25:29] very set in their ways individual.

[00:25:35] And if either one of them feel disrespected, this can go way south, way quick.

[00:25:42] That leads us to another team that where things can go way south, way quick.

[00:25:49] Just the bottom of the east is a bunch of just, I don't know, just 9 to 15.

[00:25:55] Throw them in the back.

[00:25:57] Who knows?

[00:25:58] Who knows?

[00:26:00] But this leads us to the Chicago Bulls.

[00:26:03] Now, Chicago, ton of questions.

[00:26:07] You got Zach Levine coming back off foot surgery.

[00:26:10] He looks good.

[00:26:12] He's a 25 point a game player.

[00:26:15] That's what he is.

[00:26:17] He's also from UCLA.

[00:26:19] I have an affinity for Zach Levine.

[00:26:23] They also have Kobe White.

[00:26:25] And I've been banging this drum the whole summer.

[00:26:30] And we're going to talk about all the things.

[00:26:35] But Kobe White is a guy that scored 14.2 points a game.

[00:26:39] Had 4.3 assists.

[00:26:42] And that was for the whole year.

[00:26:43] But remember, when he started to start, it was 18-20.

[00:26:48] And it was 6 to 8 assists a game.

[00:26:51] And there was just such an energy and such a level of intentionality when he played basketball.

[00:26:57] That it brought the level of the Chicago Bulls up once Zach Levine departed for his foot surgery.

[00:27:06] Now, let's talk about what you brought in.

[00:27:11] Because I just said Levine is back.

[00:27:15] We just did a whole thing on Lonzo Ball, who's making his debut tonight.

[00:27:20] And it's on the prior pod.

[00:27:23] So go listen to it.

[00:27:24] I'm not going to get the whole way through.

[00:27:25] We talked about the surgery.

[00:27:28] We talked about how rare that surgery is.

[00:27:34] We talked about his rehab process.

[00:27:36] I think it's a good segment.

[00:27:38] So please go listen to that.

[00:27:41] But Lonzo Ball is coming back.

[00:27:43] Now you add Josh Giddey to the mix.

[00:27:47] Remember, Josh Giddey was brought over via the Alex Caruso trade.

[00:27:53] Now you have Josh Giddey, Kobe White, Zach Levine.

[00:28:00] Lonzo Ball doesn't necessarily need the ball.

[00:28:03] He's a connective piece.

[00:28:05] But he's a good person to have the ball in his hand.

[00:28:08] He's going to make right decisions.

[00:28:11] Now, also, his injury situation and bringing him back.

[00:28:16] He will probably play less games.

[00:28:19] So there's going to be a time where there are going to be certain games

[00:28:22] where this is not going to be even a factor.

[00:28:26] But that's still a lot of miles to feed.

[00:28:29] And then we still haven't gotten to Mattis Buzelas.

[00:28:34] He was the 11th pick overall this year.

[00:28:39] And Billy Donovan has already stated,

[00:28:42] the head coach for the Chicago Bulls,

[00:28:44] has already stated that Mattis Buzelas

[00:28:46] will have playing time on this team.

[00:28:52] Then you still have Patrick Williams.

[00:28:57] And Nikola Vucevic.

[00:28:59] So, what's the outlook for the Bulls?

[00:29:03] It's the same as it ever was.

[00:29:04] The Bulls are too good.

[00:29:06] They're too competent.

[00:29:07] Now, if you somehow find a way to get Zach Levine out of town

[00:29:11] before the trade deadline,

[00:29:14] does that help your tanking desires?

[00:29:17] Yes, 100% it does.

[00:29:19] But you still have a lot of talent on this team.

[00:29:23] But it's not enough talent to get you to be really in the mix

[00:29:28] for winning like a playoff series or anything like that.

[00:29:32] I think you're still a couple years away and maybe a couple more players away.

[00:29:38] But I love Kobe White.

[00:29:41] I wish he would get the bulk of the playing time.

[00:29:44] I do would love to see the Josh Giddey-Kobe White deal

[00:29:47] and maybe sprinkle in a little Lonzo Ball.

[00:29:51] I just wish they could get Zach Levine off the team.

[00:29:55] I think he'd just make it so much better for everybody.

[00:29:59] Him as well.

[00:30:01] Just think it's just a sunk cost at this point.

[00:30:04] But he has to play to build up some sort of trade value.

[00:30:09] And that's the sticking point.

[00:30:12] And that's why I think Chicago will be sniffing around the plan.

[00:30:18] Do I expect anything out of it?

[00:30:21] Not really.

[00:30:21] Not necessarily.

[00:30:23] But I do think they'll be sniffing around the plan.

[00:30:30] The other question that I have for the Chicago Bulls

[00:30:32] and Artur's knifish is this.

[00:30:36] You couldn't get one first-round pick from the OKC Thunder

[00:30:42] for Alex Caruso?

[00:30:44] Really?

[00:30:45] Not one.

[00:30:47] They got 16 of them.

[00:30:49] You couldn't pry one of them away?

[00:30:53] All right.

[00:30:53] Enough of that.

[00:30:58] Now, this leads us to our A team.

[00:31:02] Yes.

[00:31:03] Let's stay true to the ATO.

[00:31:08] Atlanta Hawks come in at number eight.

[00:31:11] Now, USA, Vince,

[00:31:14] you seem excited about the Atlanta Hawks.

[00:31:17] And I'm going to tell you,

[00:31:19] I'm sneaky and low-key excited about the Atlanta Hawks.

[00:31:25] All right.

[00:31:26] Cast of characters.

[00:31:27] We know that Trey Young is there.

[00:31:29] We know that he's a bucket.

[00:31:31] We know that he is a pick-and-roll alley-oop machine

[00:31:35] to Clint Capella or whoever the big is.

[00:31:38] We also know that he is six feet tall and he can't guard anybody.

[00:31:43] But Atlanta said,

[00:31:45] ha,

[00:31:46] we got a fix.

[00:31:48] We got a fix to this.

[00:31:50] Because,

[00:31:52] if you notice,

[00:31:53] when Quinn Snyder took over,

[00:31:56] he was enamored with Jalen Johnson.

[00:31:58] And Jalen Johnson is a six-foot-eight,

[00:32:01] six-foot-nine forward

[00:32:02] with like a seven-foot wingspan

[00:32:05] who offers some playmaking ability for himself and others.

[00:32:10] He also shoots the ball at a really decent rate.

[00:32:15] He had a box plus minus of 2.8,

[00:32:19] which is fairly good for somebody so young.

[00:32:22] He had a true shooting percentage of 59.1.

[00:32:25] And he brings some diversity to the offense that was not there.

[00:32:32] Along with Jalen Johnson,

[00:32:36] they've always had the bigs.

[00:32:38] And they still got way too many of those.

[00:32:41] And we'll talk about that in a second.

[00:32:43] But,

[00:32:45] they also made a trade.

[00:32:48] And DeJounte Murray is now gone.

[00:32:51] So,

[00:32:51] this is now

[00:32:52] Trey Young backcourt once again.

[00:32:55] But,

[00:32:55] I think there's a caveat to that.

[00:32:59] They also brought in Dyson Daniels.

[00:33:02] Okay.

[00:33:04] They still have

[00:33:05] Baudon by Donovich there.

[00:33:07] You know how much I love him.

[00:33:08] I wish he was Laker

[00:33:09] in an alternate universe.

[00:33:12] He is a Laker.

[00:33:13] And I'm probably really happy.

[00:33:16] And we've probably won two championships instead of one.

[00:33:20] And I wouldn't get clowned for the bubble championship that we got.

[00:33:26] All right.

[00:33:27] Now,

[00:33:28] getting back to Atlanta.

[00:33:30] The thing that we also need to talk about is this.

[00:33:34] They had the first overall pick this year.

[00:33:37] And,

[00:33:38] I said at the time,

[00:33:40] when they picked him,

[00:33:41] I was like,

[00:33:42] you know what?

[00:33:42] This works.

[00:33:44] This works

[00:33:44] maybe too well.

[00:33:46] And I might be a little more hyped for this

[00:33:49] than I should be.

[00:33:50] But,

[00:33:52] by the looks of preseason,

[00:33:55] your boy Vince was right.

[00:33:57] Zachary Rissachet

[00:34:00] was everything I told you he was.

[00:34:03] I told you

[00:34:05] when he was at France,

[00:34:06] in France,

[00:34:07] and he was playing

[00:34:08] for the team,

[00:34:09] for the EuroLeague team,

[00:34:10] they had him play a certain style.

[00:34:15] You are to defend,

[00:34:17] and you are to shoot the three.

[00:34:20] Now,

[00:34:21] I was told by his people

[00:34:24] that there was some creation,

[00:34:26] some self-creation,

[00:34:28] that he had it in his game.

[00:34:31] If you notice,

[00:34:32] when somebody closes out on him aggressively,

[00:34:36] he has no problem

[00:34:38] moving to the side

[00:34:39] and getting into his drill package,

[00:34:42] attacking the paint,

[00:34:44] if the paint is cut off,

[00:34:46] there is a quick diagonal pass

[00:34:49] to the above the break three,

[00:34:52] and it's usually wide open.

[00:34:55] This kid

[00:34:56] is going to work.

[00:34:59] I am buying stock

[00:35:01] in Zachary Rissachet.

[00:35:05] I think Atlanta has found something.

[00:35:07] Now,

[00:35:08] this is all

[00:35:10] going

[00:35:11] to fall

[00:35:13] on Trey Young.

[00:35:15] I have said it

[00:35:16] for

[00:35:18] a year

[00:35:19] now,

[00:35:20] and this was the

[00:35:24] question that I had

[00:35:25] in the outlook

[00:35:26] for the Atlanta Hawks.

[00:35:30] Will Trey Young

[00:35:31] adapt to playing

[00:35:32] off the ball,

[00:35:33] or will Trey Young

[00:35:35] get traded?

[00:35:37] It's simple

[00:35:38] as that.

[00:35:39] If you see

[00:35:40] what Atlanta

[00:35:41] is doing,

[00:35:42] they got

[00:35:43] long

[00:35:44] wings

[00:35:45] that can handle

[00:35:47] the basketball

[00:35:49] now.

[00:35:52] Guess what

[00:35:53] you want

[00:35:54] in your offense?

[00:35:56] Guess what

[00:35:57] Minnesota

[00:35:58] wasn't able

[00:35:59] to do

[00:36:00] to

[00:36:01] Dallas

[00:36:02] in the Western Conference

[00:36:03] finals?

[00:36:05] They couldn't

[00:36:06] diversify

[00:36:07] the offense.

[00:36:09] It was too much

[00:36:10] Anthony Edwards

[00:36:11] ISO.

[00:36:12] Well,

[00:36:13] if you have

[00:36:13] these wings

[00:36:14] and they have

[00:36:14] self-creation

[00:36:15] and they have

[00:36:16] the ability

[00:36:16] to hit

[00:36:17] an open man

[00:36:18] for a three-point

[00:36:19] shot,

[00:36:19] and they know

[00:36:20] where to go

[00:36:21] with the basketball,

[00:36:23] you got to

[00:36:23] use this.

[00:36:25] And it's going

[00:36:26] to be up

[00:36:27] to Trey.

[00:36:28] They can end

[00:36:29] up eighth

[00:36:29] or they can

[00:36:31] end up

[00:36:31] twelfth.

[00:36:32] I don't know.

[00:36:33] But I will

[00:36:34] say this,

[00:36:35] I think this

[00:36:36] is what

[00:36:37] Quinn Snyder

[00:36:38] has been

[00:36:39] easing

[00:36:39] Trey

[00:36:40] into

[00:36:41] the whole

[00:36:42] time.

[00:36:47] Now,

[00:36:48] we move

[00:36:49] along to

[00:36:49] now what

[00:36:50] I consider

[00:36:53] a tear

[00:36:54] breaker

[00:36:54] because I

[00:36:55] think once

[00:36:56] you get

[00:36:56] here

[00:36:56] to

[00:36:58] eight,

[00:36:59] I think

[00:37:00] the top

[00:37:01] seven

[00:37:01] of the

[00:37:02] East

[00:37:02] it's a

[00:37:03] bloodbath.

[00:37:04] It's just

[00:37:05] going to

[00:37:05] be nuts.

[00:37:07] And

[00:37:08] the

[00:37:09] seventh

[00:37:09] team

[00:37:10] that I've

[00:37:11] chosen

[00:37:12] with the

[00:37:14] producers

[00:37:15] and with

[00:37:16] all the

[00:37:16] numbers

[00:37:17] and what

[00:37:17] have you

[00:37:18] is the

[00:37:19] Orlando

[00:37:20] Magic.

[00:37:21] Now,

[00:37:22] people are

[00:37:23] going to be

[00:37:23] mad about

[00:37:24] this.

[00:37:24] They're like,

[00:37:25] how dare

[00:37:25] you put

[00:37:26] us in

[00:37:27] the plan?

[00:37:30] I got

[00:37:31] you,

[00:37:31] Orlando.

[00:37:32] I didn't

[00:37:33] feel good

[00:37:33] about this

[00:37:34] either.

[00:37:36] This

[00:37:36] was one

[00:37:37] of the

[00:37:37] hardest

[00:37:37] choices

[00:37:38] that I

[00:37:39] had to

[00:37:39] make.

[00:37:41] But

[00:37:41] I'm going

[00:37:42] to give

[00:37:42] you,

[00:37:43] I'm going

[00:37:44] to give

[00:37:44] you some

[00:37:44] of your

[00:37:45] guys,

[00:37:45] I'm going

[00:37:45] to give

[00:37:46] love,

[00:37:47] and then

[00:37:47] I'm going

[00:37:47] to tell

[00:37:48] you why

[00:37:48] I came

[00:37:48] to this

[00:37:49] decision.

[00:37:50] Alright,

[00:37:51] first of all,

[00:37:52] I'm going

[00:37:52] to tell you

[00:37:53] right now,

[00:37:53] I know

[00:37:54] we said

[00:37:55] it in the

[00:37:55] past,

[00:37:55] but we're

[00:37:56] going to

[00:37:56] say it

[00:37:56] again.

[00:37:57] I don't

[00:37:57] care what

[00:37:57] the nerds

[00:37:58] say,

[00:38:03] I don't

[00:38:04] look at

[00:38:05] the games

[00:38:05] that Paolo

[00:38:06] plays,

[00:38:07] especially

[00:38:07] as you

[00:38:08] started to

[00:38:09] see the

[00:38:10] demise of

[00:38:11] Franz Wagner

[00:38:12] last year,

[00:38:13] where the

[00:38:13] shot just,

[00:38:14] he lost

[00:38:14] it.

[00:38:16] Paolo was

[00:38:17] put into

[00:38:17] positions where

[00:38:18] the shot clock

[00:38:19] was running

[00:38:20] down and it

[00:38:20] was like,

[00:38:21] you're our

[00:38:22] guy,

[00:38:22] right?

[00:38:23] So here's

[00:38:23] the ball,

[00:38:24] make something

[00:38:24] happen.

[00:38:26] Of course,

[00:38:27] he was going

[00:38:27] to be less

[00:38:28] efficient when

[00:38:28] you put him

[00:38:29] in spots

[00:38:29] where it

[00:38:30] was chaos

[00:38:31] play,

[00:38:31] but he

[00:38:32] was willing

[00:38:32] to take

[00:38:33] that shot

[00:38:33] every single

[00:38:34] time.

[00:38:35] And I

[00:38:36] give credit

[00:38:36] where credit

[00:38:37] is due.

[00:38:37] When you

[00:38:38] are willing

[00:38:38] to take

[00:38:39] that shot,

[00:38:39] when you

[00:38:40] are willing

[00:38:40] to bear

[00:38:42] the burden

[00:38:43] of the team

[00:38:43] and the

[00:38:44] opportunities

[00:38:45] and continue

[00:38:46] to do it

[00:38:47] and then

[00:38:48] rebound your

[00:38:49] butt off

[00:38:50] and provide

[00:38:52] leadership for

[00:38:53] the team,

[00:38:53] you have

[00:38:55] a place

[00:38:55] in my book

[00:38:57] as a

[00:38:58] real

[00:38:59] get down

[00:39:00] Hooper.

[00:39:00] Paulo

[00:39:01] Bencaro

[00:39:02] averaged

[00:39:02] 20.2

[00:39:03] points a

[00:39:04] game.

[00:39:04] He averaged

[00:39:04] 7.4

[00:39:05] rebounds.

[00:39:06] He averaged

[00:39:07] 3.7

[00:39:08] assists.

[00:39:09] He had

[00:39:10] a box

[00:39:10] plus minus

[00:39:11] of 4.2.

[00:39:14] His true

[00:39:16] shooting

[00:39:16] percentage

[00:39:16] was 58.9.

[00:39:18] Not bad.

[00:39:20] Then there

[00:39:21] was the

[00:39:21] tale of

[00:39:22] Franz Wagner.

[00:39:24] Franz Wagner

[00:39:25] was the

[00:39:27] guy that

[00:39:28] everybody loved

[00:39:29] last year.

[00:39:30] it was the

[00:39:31] hipster

[00:39:31] darling pick

[00:39:32] of just

[00:39:33] we love

[00:39:34] this guy

[00:39:34] and he's

[00:39:35] going to

[00:39:35] do great

[00:39:35] things and

[00:39:37] it turned

[00:39:38] out to be

[00:39:39] J.W.

[00:39:40] and OKC

[00:39:40] who was

[00:39:42] the guy.

[00:39:43] But Franz

[00:39:44] Wagner is

[00:39:45] still a really

[00:39:45] good player.

[00:39:46] It's the

[00:39:47] shot.

[00:39:48] He has to

[00:39:48] find it

[00:39:49] again.

[00:39:50] And

[00:39:51] that's

[00:39:52] why I

[00:39:53] have them

[00:39:54] at 7.

[00:39:55] Mostly.

[00:39:56] There's another

[00:39:56] reason and

[00:39:57] we'll get to

[00:39:58] it towards

[00:39:59] the end.

[00:40:01] But his

[00:40:02] shot was

[00:40:04] so lost

[00:40:06] that the

[00:40:07] way they

[00:40:08] were sagging

[00:40:08] off of

[00:40:09] him defensively

[00:40:10] in the

[00:40:11] playoffs was

[00:40:12] alarming.

[00:40:13] It was

[00:40:13] Josh Giddey

[00:40:15] esque and

[00:40:16] we don't

[00:40:17] want to

[00:40:17] want Franz

[00:40:18] anywhere near

[00:40:21] the remnants

[00:40:22] of OKC

[00:40:23] Josh Giddey.

[00:40:25] No.

[00:40:26] That's a

[00:40:26] bad look.

[00:40:27] Orlando

[00:40:27] being a

[00:40:28] really smart

[00:40:29] organization

[00:40:30] they said

[00:40:30] you know

[00:40:31] what?

[00:40:31] OK.

[00:40:33] We have

[00:40:34] some issues

[00:40:34] in the

[00:40:35] playoffs.

[00:40:36] We saw

[00:40:36] it.

[00:40:37] We leaned

[00:40:38] too hard

[00:40:39] on Paulo

[00:40:39] Bencaro.

[00:40:41] How

[00:40:41] can we

[00:40:42] fix this?

[00:40:45] Enter

[00:40:46] Contavious

[00:40:47] Caldwell

[00:40:47] Pope.

[00:40:48] Now

[00:40:48] Contavious

[00:40:49] Caldwell

[00:40:49] Pope

[00:40:50] KCP

[00:40:50] was in

[00:40:51] Denver

[00:40:52] for the

[00:40:52] last two

[00:40:53] three years.

[00:40:54] He was

[00:40:54] part of

[00:40:55] the championship

[00:40:55] team.

[00:40:56] Actually

[00:40:57] when he

[00:40:57] got there

[00:40:58] they won

[00:40:58] the championship.

[00:41:00] All right.

[00:41:00] That just

[00:41:01] lets you

[00:41:01] know what

[00:41:02] we're talking

[00:41:02] about.

[00:41:03] He is a

[00:41:04] incredible

[00:41:05] 3 and D

[00:41:06] guy.

[00:41:06] He doesn't

[00:41:07] need a lot

[00:41:08] of shots

[00:41:08] but he is

[00:41:10] ready to

[00:41:10] stand in

[00:41:11] the corner

[00:41:12] and shoot

[00:41:12] them.

[00:41:13] He is

[00:41:13] disciplined

[00:41:14] about standing

[00:41:15] in the corner.

[00:41:16] You don't

[00:41:17] have to worry

[00:41:17] about oh

[00:41:18] he's going

[00:41:20] nope he's

[00:41:20] going to be

[00:41:21] right where

[00:41:21] he needs

[00:41:22] to be.

[00:41:23] He understands

[00:41:24] rotations and

[00:41:25] what have

[00:41:25] you.

[00:41:26] Then

[00:41:26] defensively

[00:41:27] you know

[00:41:27] you're

[00:41:27] getting a

[00:41:28] really good

[00:41:29] point of

[00:41:29] attack

[00:41:30] defender.

[00:41:31] Somebody

[00:41:31] who disrupts

[00:41:32] passing lanes

[00:41:33] deflections

[00:41:34] gets steals.

[00:41:36] He also

[00:41:36] rebounds the

[00:41:37] ball fairly

[00:41:37] well for his

[00:41:38] size and

[00:41:39] he also

[00:41:40] knows how

[00:41:41] to make

[00:41:41] the right

[00:41:42] pass at

[00:41:42] the right

[00:41:43] time.

[00:41:43] Is it

[00:41:43] special?

[00:41:44] No.

[00:41:45] What is it

[00:41:46] effective?

[00:41:47] Yes.

[00:41:49] Now

[00:41:51] the lineup

[00:41:52] for

[00:41:52] the Orlando

[00:41:54] Magic

[00:41:56] to me

[00:41:57] is where

[00:41:58] I have

[00:41:59] you seven

[00:42:00] and people

[00:42:02] are going

[00:42:03] to think

[00:42:03] that I'm

[00:42:03] going to

[00:42:04] take shots

[00:42:05] at my

[00:42:05] guy

[00:42:06] Suggs.

[00:42:07] I'm not

[00:42:08] but you

[00:42:08] got Suggs,

[00:42:09] KCP,

[00:42:10] Franz Wagner,

[00:42:11] Paulo

[00:42:12] Bencaro,

[00:42:13] and Wendell

[00:42:14] Carter Jr.

[00:42:16] Here's my

[00:42:16] thing.

[00:42:17] We talked

[00:42:17] about it

[00:42:18] last year

[00:42:18] and we'll

[00:42:19] talk about

[00:42:20] it in

[00:42:20] one second

[00:42:22] because we

[00:42:23] still haven't

[00:42:23] gotten to

[00:42:24] their rookie.

[00:42:25] Tristan

[00:42:25] DaSilva,

[00:42:26] that was a

[00:42:27] good pickup

[00:42:27] because if

[00:42:28] for some

[00:42:29] reason Franz

[00:42:29] does falter

[00:42:30] with the

[00:42:31] three-point

[00:42:31] shot,

[00:42:32] Tristan

[00:42:33] DaSilva

[00:42:33] is an

[00:42:34] older

[00:42:34] rookie.

[00:42:35] He's

[00:42:35] 23.

[00:42:36] He's

[00:42:36] like one

[00:42:36] of those

[00:42:37] super

[00:42:37] senior

[00:42:38] COVID

[00:42:38] dudes

[00:42:39] who

[00:42:40] stayed

[00:42:41] and

[00:42:42] Tristan

[00:42:42] Silva

[00:42:42] is a

[00:42:43] stretch

[00:42:43] forward.

[00:42:44] He

[00:42:45] can

[00:42:45] shoot

[00:42:45] the

[00:42:46] three,

[00:42:47] plays

[00:42:47] pretty good

[00:42:48] defense,

[00:42:48] knows

[00:42:49] where to

[00:42:50] be on

[00:42:51] the

[00:42:51] court,

[00:42:51] solid

[00:42:52] pickup.

[00:42:54] But this

[00:42:55] is the

[00:42:55] reason why

[00:42:56] I have

[00:42:56] the

[00:42:56] seventh.

[00:42:57] Orlando

[00:42:58] has a

[00:42:58] promising

[00:42:58] young

[00:42:59] core

[00:42:59] with an

[00:43:00] addition

[00:43:00] of KCP

[00:43:01] who will

[00:43:02] provide

[00:43:02] much

[00:43:03] needed

[00:43:04] veteran

[00:43:05] experience

[00:43:06] on the

[00:43:06] floor

[00:43:06] and also

[00:43:08] as

[00:43:08] spacing.

[00:43:09] The

[00:43:10] biggest

[00:43:10] question

[00:43:10] mark

[00:43:11] that I

[00:43:11] have

[00:43:12] is

[00:43:12] Anthony

[00:43:13] Black

[00:43:13] and

[00:43:14] will

[00:43:14] he

[00:43:14] be

[00:43:14] able

[00:43:15] to

[00:43:15] shoot

[00:43:15] it

[00:43:15] enough

[00:43:16] because

[00:43:17] here's

[00:43:18] the

[00:43:18] problem

[00:43:18] that

[00:43:18] I

[00:43:19] still

[00:43:19] see

[00:43:19] with

[00:43:20] the

[00:43:20] Orlando

[00:43:20] Magic.

[00:43:22] You

[00:43:22] still need

[00:43:23] a

[00:43:23] lead

[00:43:23] ball

[00:43:23] handler.

[00:43:25] Paolo

[00:43:26] cannot

[00:43:26] be that

[00:43:27] guy.

[00:43:28] You

[00:43:28] want

[00:43:28] Paolo

[00:43:29] to

[00:43:29] get

[00:43:29] to

[00:43:30] his

[00:43:30] spot

[00:43:30] and

[00:43:31] then

[00:43:31] somebody

[00:43:31] to

[00:43:32] be

[00:43:32] able

[00:43:33] to

[00:43:33] give

[00:43:33] him

[00:43:33] an

[00:43:33] entry

[00:43:33] pass

[00:43:34] or

[00:43:35] get

[00:43:35] him

[00:43:35] the

[00:43:35] ball

[00:43:35] in

[00:43:36] the

[00:43:36] spot

[00:43:36] so

[00:43:37] he

[00:43:37] can

[00:43:37] make

[00:43:37] the

[00:43:37] move

[00:43:38] quickly.

[00:43:39] You

[00:43:39] don't

[00:43:39] want

[00:43:39] him

[00:43:39] to

[00:43:40] have

[00:43:40] to

[00:43:40] do

[00:43:40] all

[00:43:40] the

[00:43:40] heavy

[00:43:41] lifting

[00:43:41] of

[00:43:41] bringing

[00:43:42] the

[00:43:42] ball

[00:43:42] up

[00:43:43] the

[00:43:43] court

[00:43:43] getting

[00:43:44] into

[00:43:44] his

[00:43:44] own

[00:43:45] action

[00:43:45] and

[00:43:46] then

[00:43:46] creating

[00:43:46] a

[00:43:46] shot.

[00:43:47] Can

[00:43:48] we

[00:43:48] get

[00:43:48] this

[00:43:48] guy

[00:43:49] some

[00:43:50] damn

[00:43:50] help?

[00:43:51] And

[00:43:51] it's

[00:43:52] the

[00:43:53] key

[00:43:53] the

[00:43:54] critical

[00:43:54] piece

[00:43:55] to

[00:43:55] this

[00:43:55] whole

[00:43:56] deal

[00:43:56] is

[00:43:57] can

[00:43:58] Anthony

[00:43:59] Black

[00:43:59] develop

[00:44:00] enough

[00:44:00] to

[00:44:01] become

[00:44:01] the

[00:44:01] lead

[00:44:02] guard

[00:44:02] and

[00:44:03] what

[00:44:03] I

[00:44:03] mean

[00:44:03] when

[00:44:03] I

[00:44:04] say

[00:44:04] can

[00:44:04] he

[00:44:04] develop

[00:44:05] enough

[00:44:05] can

[00:44:06] he

[00:44:06] shoot

[00:44:06] the

[00:44:06] ball

[00:44:07] can

[00:44:07] you

[00:44:09] to

[00:44:10] be

[00:44:10] somebody

[00:44:11] that

[00:44:12] they

[00:44:12] have

[00:44:13] to

[00:44:13] check

[00:44:13] on

[00:44:14] so

[00:44:14] then

[00:44:14] we

[00:44:15] can

[00:44:15] alleviate

[00:44:16] some

[00:44:17] of

[00:44:17] the

[00:44:17] quagmire

[00:44:18] that

[00:44:18] was

[00:44:19] down

[00:44:19] in

[00:44:19] the

[00:44:19] paint

[00:44:20] where

[00:44:20] Apollo

[00:44:21] wants

[00:44:21] to

[00:44:21] operate

[00:44:22] or

[00:44:22] let's

[00:44:23] trade

[00:44:23] for

[00:44:23] somebody

[00:44:23] but

[00:44:25] that's

[00:44:25] why

[00:44:25] Orlando

[00:44:26] is

[00:44:26] seven

[00:44:26] our

[00:44:27] next

[00:44:27] team

[00:44:29] on

[00:44:29] this

[00:44:30] list

[00:44:31] is

[00:44:32] the

[00:44:32] Indiana

[00:44:32] Pacers

[00:44:34] now

[00:44:34] the

[00:44:35] Indiana

[00:44:35] Pacers

[00:44:36] were

[00:44:37] a

[00:44:37] feel

[00:44:37] good

[00:44:37] story

[00:44:38] in

[00:44:39] the

[00:44:39] early

[00:44:39] part

[00:44:39] of

[00:44:39] the

[00:44:40] season

[00:44:40] remember

[00:44:41] they

[00:44:41] were

[00:44:41] scoring

[00:44:42] all

[00:44:42] the

[00:44:42] points

[00:44:42] it

[00:44:43] was

[00:44:43] like

[00:44:43] they

[00:44:43] had

[00:44:44] games

[00:44:44] where

[00:44:44] it

[00:44:44] was

[00:44:44] like

[00:44:44] 140

[00:44:45] to

[00:44:47] 138

[00:44:47] they

[00:44:48] had

[00:44:49] Halliburton

[00:44:50] was out

[00:44:50] here

[00:44:51] running

[00:44:51] around

[00:44:52] just

[00:44:52] doing

[00:44:53] stuff

[00:44:54] scoring

[00:44:54] assisting

[00:44:55] doing

[00:44:56] all

[00:44:56] the

[00:44:56] things

[00:44:56] that

[00:44:57] Tyrese

[00:44:58] does

[00:44:59] and

[00:44:59] then

[00:44:59] it

[00:45:00] all

[00:45:00] came

[00:45:00] to

[00:45:00] a

[00:45:00] halt

[00:45:02] Tyrese

[00:45:03] Halliburton

[00:45:04] got

[00:45:04] the

[00:45:04] injury

[00:45:05] the

[00:45:05] groin

[00:45:05] injury

[00:45:06] he

[00:45:07] was

[00:45:07] never

[00:45:07] the

[00:45:07] same

[00:45:08] he

[00:45:09] tried

[00:45:09] to

[00:45:09] come

[00:45:09] back

[00:45:10] too

[00:45:10] early

[00:45:11] to

[00:45:11] play

[00:45:12] to

[00:45:12] that

[00:45:12] silly

[00:45:13] 65

[00:45:13] game

[00:45:14] rule

[00:45:14] so he

[00:45:15] could

[00:45:15] be

[00:45:15] eligible

[00:45:16] for

[00:45:17] all

[00:45:17] NBA

[00:45:18] because

[00:45:18] mind

[00:45:18] you

[00:45:19] before

[00:45:20] the

[00:45:20] injury

[00:45:21] we

[00:45:22] were

[00:45:22] really

[00:45:23] considering

[00:45:23] this

[00:45:23] dude

[00:45:29] in

[00:45:29] the

[00:45:30] early

[00:45:30] part

[00:45:30] of

[00:45:30] the

[00:45:30] season

[00:45:32] now

[00:45:33] the

[00:45:34] other

[00:45:34] thing

[00:45:34] is

[00:45:34] this

[00:45:35] you

[00:45:35] can

[00:45:35] say

[00:45:35] that

[00:45:36] when

[00:45:37] the

[00:45:37] rules

[00:45:37] got

[00:45:39] more

[00:45:39] focused

[00:45:40] on

[00:45:40] let's

[00:45:41] say

[00:45:42] is that

[00:45:42] the right

[00:45:43] way

[00:45:43] to say

[00:45:44] it

[00:45:44] Adam

[00:45:44] Silver

[00:45:44] when

[00:45:45] the

[00:45:46] rules

[00:45:46] got

[00:45:46] focused

[00:45:46] on

[00:45:47] because

[00:45:48] you

[00:45:48] guys

[00:45:48] didn't

[00:45:48] change

[00:45:49] the

[00:45:49] rules

[00:45:49] right

[00:45:50] it

[00:45:51] was

[00:45:51] more

[00:45:51] of a

[00:45:52] put

[00:45:52] on

[00:45:53] the

[00:45:53] rules

[00:45:53] right

[00:45:54] I

[00:45:59] because

[00:45:59] you

[00:46:00] know

[00:46:00] how

[00:46:00] much

[00:46:00] I

[00:46:01] love

[00:46:01] the

[00:46:01] NBA

[00:46:01] and

[00:46:02] I

[00:46:02] never

[00:46:02] want

[00:46:02] to

[00:46:02] be

[00:46:03] on

[00:46:03] Adam's

[00:46:03] bad

[00:46:03] side

[00:46:04] and

[00:46:05] I

[00:46:05] know

[00:46:05] that

[00:46:05] with

[00:46:05] the

[00:46:06] new

[00:46:06] TV

[00:46:06] deal

[00:46:07] and

[00:46:08] with

[00:46:08] streaming

[00:46:09] and

[00:46:10] with

[00:46:10] they're

[00:46:11] going

[00:46:11] to

[00:46:11] need

[00:46:11] content

[00:46:11] I

[00:46:12] like

[00:46:12] to

[00:46:12] get

[00:46:12] picked

[00:46:13] up

[00:46:13] by

[00:46:13] them

[00:46:13] all

[00:46:14] right

[00:46:14] when

[00:46:14] they

[00:46:14] when

[00:46:15] we

[00:46:15] saw

[00:46:15] the

[00:46:16] changes

[00:46:16] happen

[00:46:17] in

[00:46:17] the

[00:46:17] NBA

[00:46:18] in

[00:46:18] the

[00:46:18] officiating

[00:46:19] when

[00:46:19] the

[00:46:20] emphasis

[00:46:20] were

[00:46:21] made

[00:46:21] to

[00:46:22] the

[00:46:22] non

[00:46:23] flopping

[00:46:23] and

[00:46:24] what

[00:46:24] have

[00:46:24] you

[00:46:24] and

[00:46:25] it

[00:46:25] became

[00:46:25] a

[00:46:26] little

[00:46:26] bit

[00:46:26] more

[00:46:26] of

[00:46:27] a

[00:46:27] physical

[00:46:27] brand

[00:46:28] of

[00:46:29] basketball

[00:46:30] I

[00:46:31] wonder

[00:46:31] if

[00:46:32] Therese

[00:46:33] Halligurton's

[00:46:34] free

[00:46:34] flowing

[00:46:35] ease

[00:46:36] of

[00:46:37] motion

[00:46:38] got

[00:46:39] muddled

[00:46:40] by the

[00:46:41] intensity

[00:46:42] and the

[00:46:43] physicality

[00:46:43] of

[00:46:44] the play

[00:46:45] could it

[00:46:46] be

[00:46:46] that

[00:46:46] it was

[00:46:47] just

[00:46:48] a

[00:46:48] groin

[00:46:49] and

[00:46:50] he's

[00:46:51] going

[00:46:51] to be

[00:46:52] fully

[00:46:52] healthy

[00:46:54] and

[00:46:54] that

[00:46:55] leads

[00:46:55] to

[00:46:55] great

[00:46:56] things

[00:46:56] for

[00:46:56] the

[00:46:56] Indiana

[00:46:57] Pacers

[00:46:57] or

[00:46:58] because

[00:46:59] he's

[00:47:00] slight

[00:47:00] he's

[00:47:01] a

[00:47:01] slighter

[00:47:02] dude

[00:47:03] is

[00:47:04] the

[00:47:04] physicality

[00:47:06] going to

[00:47:06] be

[00:47:06] something

[00:47:06] that

[00:47:07] bothers

[00:47:07] him

[00:47:08] going

[00:47:08] forward

[00:47:09] it's

[00:47:10] a

[00:47:10] question

[00:47:11] but

[00:47:11] here's

[00:47:12] the

[00:47:12] other

[00:47:12] thing

[00:47:12] they

[00:47:13] picked

[00:47:14] up

[00:47:14] Pascal

[00:47:14] Siak

[00:47:15] in

[00:47:15] a

[00:47:15] half

[00:47:15] quarter

[00:47:15] offense

[00:47:16] is

[00:47:17] a

[00:47:17] bucket

[00:47:17] he

[00:47:18] can

[00:47:18] shoot

[00:47:19] the

[00:47:19] three

[00:47:19] he

[00:47:20] is

[00:47:21] a

[00:47:21] guy

[00:47:21] who

[00:47:21] can

[00:47:21] hit

[00:47:22] open

[00:47:23] shooter

[00:47:23] he's

[00:47:24] not

[00:47:24] really

[00:47:25] like

[00:47:25] a

[00:47:25] ball

[00:47:25] stopper

[00:47:26] per se

[00:47:27] but

[00:47:27] he

[00:47:27] does

[00:47:27] he

[00:47:28] can

[00:47:28] have

[00:47:29] that

[00:47:29] in

[00:47:29] his

[00:47:29] game

[00:47:29] but

[00:47:30] I

[00:47:53] over

[00:47:54] Orlando

[00:47:54] is

[00:47:54] because

[00:47:56] they

[00:47:57] have

[00:47:57] less

[00:47:57] questions

[00:47:58] about

[00:47:58] them

[00:47:58] it's

[00:47:59] just

[00:47:59] can

[00:47:59] their

[00:48:00] defense

[00:48:00] get

[00:48:00] better

[00:48:01] can

[00:48:01] they

[00:48:02] absorb

[00:48:03] some

[00:48:03] of

[00:48:03] the

[00:48:03] physicality

[00:48:04] that

[00:48:05] is

[00:48:05] going

[00:48:05] to

[00:48:05] go

[00:48:05] on

[00:48:05] in

[00:48:06] the

[00:48:06] NBA

[00:48:06] season

[00:48:07] which

[00:48:08] we

[00:48:23] once

[00:48:24] we

[00:48:24] got

[00:48:24] to

[00:48:24] after

[00:48:25] all

[00:48:25] star

[00:48:25] break

[00:48:25] we

[00:48:26] got

[00:48:26] to

[00:48:27] playoff

[00:48:27] basketball

[00:48:28] it

[00:48:28] was

[00:48:28] different

[00:48:29] wasn't

[00:48:29] it

[00:48:29] not

[00:48:30] crazy

[00:48:30] I

[00:48:31] liked

[00:48:31] it

[00:48:33] but

[00:48:33] the

[00:48:34] other

[00:48:34] person

[00:48:35] they

[00:48:35] didn't

[00:48:35] have

[00:48:36] last

[00:48:36] year

[00:48:36] is that

[00:48:37] Benedict

[00:48:37] Matherin

[00:48:38] was out

[00:48:41] this

[00:48:41] is

[00:48:42] 17.6

[00:48:43] points

[00:48:43] a game

[00:48:43] this

[00:48:44] five and

[00:48:45] a half

[00:48:45] rebounds

[00:48:46] that you

[00:48:46] just

[00:48:46] didn't

[00:48:47] have

[00:48:48] this

[00:48:49] is

[00:48:49] a

[00:48:49] 6-6

[00:48:49] 6-7

[00:48:50] wing

[00:48:50] that

[00:48:51] provides

[00:48:52] offensive

[00:48:53] impact

[00:48:54] and

[00:48:55] also

[00:48:55] a

[00:48:56] ferocity

[00:48:56] that

[00:48:57] your

[00:48:57] team

[00:48:58] sorely

[00:48:58] lacked

[00:48:59] and

[00:49:00] now

[00:49:00] you're

[00:49:00] getting

[00:49:00] it

[00:49:01] all

[00:49:02] season

[00:49:02] I

[00:49:05] think

[00:49:05] they're

[00:49:05] a

[00:49:05] little

[00:49:05] bit

[00:49:06] more

[00:49:06] put

[00:49:06] together

[00:49:07] team

[00:49:07] than

[00:49:07] Orlando

[00:49:08] that's

[00:49:08] why

[00:49:08] I

[00:49:09] had

[00:49:09] them

[00:49:09] over

[00:49:09] Orlando

[00:49:10] now

[00:49:11] let's

[00:49:11] talk

[00:49:12] about

[00:49:12] what

[00:49:12] we

[00:49:12] think

[00:49:13] they

[00:49:13] can

[00:49:13] do

[00:49:13] the

[00:49:14] patients

[00:49:14] have

[00:49:15] made

[00:49:15] it

[00:49:15] clear

[00:49:15] they're

[00:49:15] ready

[00:49:16] to

[00:49:16] compete

[00:49:16] by

[00:49:17] acquiring

[00:49:17] Pascal

[00:49:18] Siakam

[00:49:18] and

[00:49:19] pairing

[00:49:19] him

[00:49:20] with

[00:49:20] rising

[00:49:21] star

[00:49:21] Tyrese

[00:49:21] Halliburton

[00:49:23] if

[00:49:24] Matherin

[00:49:24] is able

[00:49:25] to

[00:49:26] develop

[00:49:27] and

[00:49:27] what

[00:49:27] he

[00:49:28] needs

[00:49:28] to

[00:49:28] develop

[00:49:29] is

[00:49:29] that

[00:49:29] he

[00:49:30] can't

[00:49:30] have

[00:49:30] blinders

[00:49:31] on

[00:49:31] when

[00:49:32] he

[00:49:32] has

[00:49:32] the

[00:49:33] basketball

[00:49:33] he

[00:49:34] is a

[00:49:35] black

[00:49:35] hole

[00:49:36] right

[00:49:37] now

[00:49:38] I

[00:49:39] think

[00:49:39] he

[00:49:40] we

[00:49:40] saw

[00:49:42] remnants

[00:49:42] of

[00:49:48] really

[00:49:48] know

[00:49:49] if

[00:49:50] that

[00:49:50] was

[00:49:50] for

[00:49:50] real

[00:49:52] this

[00:49:53] year

[00:49:53] hopefully

[00:49:54] we

[00:49:55] will

[00:49:55] get

[00:49:55] a

[00:49:55] whole

[00:49:56] season

[00:49:56] sample

[00:49:57] size

[00:49:57] to

[00:49:57] see

[00:49:58] if

[00:49:58] he

[00:49:58] did

[00:49:59] understand

[00:50:00] and

[00:50:00] adhere

[00:50:01] to

[00:50:02] what

[00:50:02] Rick

[00:50:02] Kyle

[00:50:02] wants

[00:50:03] to

[00:50:03] do

[00:50:04] offensively

[00:50:05] and

[00:50:06] if

[00:50:06] he

[00:50:06] can

[00:50:06] be

[00:50:06] less

[00:50:07] of

[00:50:07] a

[00:50:07] black

[00:50:07] hole

[00:50:07] and

[00:50:08] be

[00:50:08] something

[00:50:08] that

[00:50:09] can

[00:50:09] help

[00:50:09] diversify

[00:50:10] the

[00:50:10] offense

[00:50:10] this

[00:50:13] is

[00:50:14] going

[00:50:15] to

[00:50:15] make

[00:50:15] Indiana

[00:50:16] a

[00:50:16] really

[00:50:17] hard

[00:50:17] out

[00:50:17] now

[00:50:18] the

[00:50:19] key

[00:50:19] question

[00:50:20] for me

[00:50:20] about

[00:50:21] Indiana

[00:50:21] is

[00:50:21] this

[00:50:22] will

[00:50:22] Tyrese

[00:50:23] Halliburton

[00:50:23] embrace

[00:50:24] his

[00:50:25] heel

[00:50:25] persona

[00:50:26] and

[00:50:27] lead

[00:50:27] the

[00:50:28] Pacers

[00:50:28] to

[00:50:29] even

[00:50:30] bigger

[00:50:30] leap

[00:50:30] this

[00:50:31] year

[00:50:31] and

[00:50:33] also

[00:50:33] stoke

[00:50:35] the

[00:50:35] fires

[00:50:35] of

[00:50:36] the

[00:50:36] rivalry

[00:50:37] that

[00:50:38] they

[00:50:38] started

[00:50:39] with

[00:50:39] Milwaukee

[00:50:40] last

[00:50:40] year

[00:50:40] oh

[00:50:42] that

[00:50:42] was

[00:50:42] the

[00:50:42] funnest

[00:50:43] part

[00:50:43] of

[00:50:44] the

[00:50:44] early

[00:50:44] season

[00:50:45] was

[00:50:45] the

[00:50:46] games

[00:50:46] between

[00:50:46] Milwaukee

[00:50:47] and

[00:50:48] Indiana

[00:50:49] and how

[00:50:50] chippy

[00:50:50] it was

[00:50:51] and they

[00:50:52] were

[00:50:52] talking

[00:50:52] and Tyrese

[00:50:54] Halliburton

[00:50:54] was doing

[00:50:55] game time

[00:50:56] and

[00:50:56] Dane

[00:50:57] was

[00:50:57] was

[00:50:59] we'll

[00:50:59] see

[00:51:00] you

[00:51:00] again

[00:51:00] player

[00:51:00] we'll

[00:51:01] see

[00:51:02] you

[00:51:02] again

[00:51:03] but

[00:51:04] I

[00:51:04] do

[00:51:04] think

[00:51:04] that

[00:51:05] Indiana

[00:51:05] is

[00:51:06] a

[00:51:07] definitely

[00:51:08] I

[00:51:08] think

[00:51:09] they're

[00:51:09] a top

[00:51:09] six

[00:51:09] seed

[00:51:10] I

[00:51:11] think

[00:51:12] they

[00:51:12] could

[00:51:12] if

[00:51:13] Tyrese

[00:51:14] can

[00:51:15] handle

[00:51:15] the

[00:51:15] physicality

[00:51:18] that's

[00:51:18] a question

[00:51:19] that I

[00:51:19] have

[00:51:19] if he

[00:51:20] can

[00:51:20] handle

[00:51:20] it

[00:51:21] I

[00:51:21] think

[00:51:21] they

[00:51:21] can

[00:51:22] make

[00:51:22] some

[00:51:22] noise

[00:51:22] in

[00:51:27] else

[00:51:27] out

[00:51:28] not

[00:51:29] saying

[00:51:29] to

[00:51:29] move

[00:51:30] on

[00:51:30] I'm

[00:51:30] just

[00:51:30] saying

[00:51:30] we're

[00:51:31] going

[00:51:31] to

[00:51:31] have

[00:51:32] to

[00:51:32] figure

[00:51:32] out

[00:51:32] a

[00:51:32] different

[00:51:32] strategy

[00:51:33] on

[00:51:33] that

[00:51:33] situation

[00:51:35] now

[00:51:38] number

[00:51:38] five

[00:51:39] for me

[00:51:40] is

[00:51:42] this is

[00:51:43] going to

[00:51:43] be really

[00:51:44] controversial

[00:51:44] but

[00:51:45] the only

[00:51:46] way to

[00:51:46] say it

[00:51:46] is

[00:51:47] number

[00:51:47] five

[00:51:47] is

[00:51:47] the

[00:51:48] Philadelphia

[00:51:49] 76ers

[00:51:50] now

[00:51:52] the

[00:51:52] key

[00:51:52] players

[00:51:53] for the

[00:51:53] Philadelphia

[00:51:54] 76ers

[00:51:54] are

[00:51:56] just

[00:51:56] it's

[00:51:57] stupid

[00:51:58] what

[00:51:58] they

[00:51:58] have

[00:51:59] Joel

[00:52:00] Embiid

[00:52:00] who

[00:52:01] was

[00:52:02] 33.1

[00:52:03] points

[00:52:03] a

[00:52:04] game

[00:52:04] last

[00:52:04] year

[00:52:05] he

[00:52:06] also

[00:52:07] had

[00:52:07] a

[00:52:07] box

[00:52:07] plus

[00:52:08] minus

[00:52:08] of

[00:52:09] 9.5

[00:52:11] which

[00:52:11] is

[00:52:11] ridiculous

[00:52:12] he

[00:52:13] had

[00:52:13] a

[00:52:13] true

[00:52:13] shooting

[00:52:14] percentage

[00:52:14] of

[00:52:15] 65.5

[00:52:17] percent

[00:52:18] now

[00:52:19] you

[00:52:21] would

[00:52:21] say

[00:52:21] hey

[00:52:22] that's

[00:52:23] great

[00:52:23] and I

[00:52:25] would

[00:52:25] agree

[00:52:25] that

[00:52:26] is

[00:52:26] great

[00:52:26] how

[00:52:27] many

[00:52:28] games

[00:52:28] are

[00:52:28] we

[00:52:28] going

[00:52:29] to

[00:52:29] have

[00:52:29] it

[00:52:29] though

[00:52:30] how

[00:52:31] many

[00:52:31] games

[00:52:32] is

[00:52:32] Joel

[00:52:32] Embiid

[00:52:33] going

[00:52:34] to

[00:52:34] play

[00:52:35] I

[00:52:35] think

[00:52:36] we

[00:52:36] have

[00:52:36] some

[00:52:36] clarity

[00:52:37] now

[00:52:38] Joel

[00:52:39] Embiid

[00:52:39] has

[00:52:40] stated

[00:52:40] that

[00:52:41] I

[00:52:42] am

[00:52:42] focused

[00:52:43] on

[00:52:43] the

[00:52:43] playoffs

[00:52:44] from

[00:52:44] here

[00:52:45] on

[00:52:45] out

[00:52:46] that

[00:52:47] is

[00:52:47] my

[00:52:47] only

[00:52:48] concern

[00:52:49] for

[00:52:50] me

[00:52:50] to

[00:52:50] be

[00:52:51] healthy

[00:52:51] to

[00:52:51] be

[00:52:52] completely

[00:52:52] healthy

[00:52:53] or

[00:52:53] be

[00:52:53] healthy

[00:52:54] when

[00:52:54] we

[00:52:55] get

[00:52:55] to

[00:52:55] the

[00:52:55] playoffs

[00:52:55] so

[00:52:56] then

[00:52:56] I

[00:52:57] can

[00:52:57] impact

[00:52:57] the

[00:52:58] playoffs

[00:52:58] then

[00:53:01] back

[00:53:02] to

[00:53:02] backs

[00:53:02] not

[00:53:03] important

[00:53:03] to

[00:53:04] me

[00:53:05] okay

[00:53:06] does

[00:53:07] this

[00:53:08] mean

[00:53:08] people

[00:53:09] say

[00:53:09] there's

[00:53:09] only

[00:53:10] like

[00:53:10] 13

[00:53:10] to

[00:53:10] 14

[00:53:11] back

[00:53:11] to

[00:53:11] back

[00:53:11] so

[00:53:12] that

[00:53:12] means

[00:53:12] he's

[00:53:12] going

[00:53:12] to

[00:53:12] miss

[00:53:13] 13

[00:53:13] to

[00:53:13] 14

[00:53:13] games

[00:53:14] okay

[00:53:14] if

[00:53:15] you

[00:53:16] say

[00:53:16] to

[00:53:16] me

[00:53:17] you're

[00:53:17] going

[00:53:17] to

[00:53:17] have

[00:53:18] Joel

[00:53:18] and

[00:53:18] B

[00:53:19] for

[00:53:19] 68

[00:53:20] games

[00:53:20] but

[00:53:21] and

[00:53:21] I

[00:53:21] know

[00:53:21] that

[00:53:22] there

[00:53:22] are

[00:53:22] going

[00:53:22] to

[00:53:22] be

[00:53:23] some

[00:53:23] other

[00:53:24] games

[00:53:24] that

[00:53:25] he

[00:53:25] is

[00:53:26] going

[00:53:26] to

[00:53:26] miss

[00:53:26] due

[00:53:27] to

[00:53:27] load

[00:53:27] management

[00:53:29] or

[00:53:29] whatever

[00:53:29] it

[00:53:30] is

[00:53:32] and

[00:53:33] this

[00:53:33] is

[00:53:33] the

[00:53:33] reason

[00:53:34] why

[00:53:34] I

[00:53:34] have

[00:53:34] him

[00:53:34] fifth

[00:53:36] if

[00:53:37] Joel

[00:53:37] and

[00:53:38] B

[00:53:38] who

[00:53:39] is

[00:53:39] your

[00:53:39] star

[00:53:40] who

[00:53:40] is

[00:53:40] your

[00:53:40] leader

[00:53:41] this

[00:53:41] is

[00:53:41] your

[00:53:41] number

[00:53:42] one

[00:53:42] option

[00:53:42] there

[00:53:43] is

[00:53:43] no

[00:53:43] question

[00:53:44] about

[00:53:45] whose

[00:53:46] team

[00:53:46] this

[00:53:47] is

[00:53:48] if

[00:53:48] he's

[00:53:49] not

[00:53:49] going

[00:53:49] to

[00:53:49] take

[00:53:49] the

[00:53:49] regular

[00:53:50] season

[00:53:50] seriously

[00:53:51] why

[00:53:52] should

[00:53:52] anybody

[00:53:53] else

[00:53:53] on that

[00:53:53] team

[00:53:54] take

[00:53:54] the

[00:53:54] regular

[00:53:55] season

[00:53:55] seriously

[00:53:55] now

[00:53:57] you

[00:53:57] can

[00:53:57] say

[00:53:58] to

[00:53:58] me

[00:53:58] this

[00:53:59] is

[00:53:59] why

[00:53:59] they

[00:53:59] got

[00:54:00] Paul

[00:54:00] George

[00:54:01] and

[00:54:02] I

[00:54:02] would

[00:54:02] agree

[00:54:02] with

[00:54:02] you

[00:54:03] until

[00:54:04] he

[00:54:04] came

[00:54:05] lame

[00:54:05] with

[00:54:06] a knee

[00:54:06] bone

[00:54:07] bruise

[00:54:07] now

[00:54:08] they

[00:54:09] said

[00:54:09] a

[00:54:09] week

[00:54:09] which

[00:54:10] kind

[00:54:10] of

[00:54:10] bone

[00:54:11] bruise

[00:54:11] is

[00:54:12] it

[00:54:12] because

[00:54:12] there's

[00:54:12] three

[00:54:13] different

[00:54:13] types

[00:54:13] I

[00:54:14] looked

[00:54:14] it

[00:54:14] up

[00:54:15] you

[00:54:15] didn't

[00:54:16] think

[00:54:16] I

[00:54:16] was

[00:54:16] going

[00:54:16] to

[00:54:16] look

[00:54:16] it

[00:54:16] up

[00:54:19] the

[00:54:20] most

[00:54:20] severe

[00:54:21] can

[00:54:21] have

[00:54:22] you

[00:54:22] out

[00:54:22] for

[00:54:22] 8

[00:54:23] to

[00:54:23] 12

[00:54:23] weeks

[00:54:25] where

[00:54:26] the

[00:54:27] least

[00:54:27] severe

[00:54:28] can

[00:54:29] have

[00:54:29] you

[00:54:29] out

[00:54:29] 2

[00:54:30] to

[00:54:30] 4

[00:54:30] weeks

[00:54:32] I'm

[00:54:33] going

[00:54:33] to

[00:54:33] ask

[00:54:33] the

[00:54:33] question

[00:54:34] again

[00:54:35] what's

[00:54:36] the due

[00:54:36] date

[00:54:37] on

[00:54:37] Paul

[00:54:37] George

[00:54:38] and then

[00:54:40] you have

[00:54:41] Tyrese

[00:54:41] Maxey

[00:54:41] now

[00:54:42] Tyrese

[00:54:43] Maxey

[00:54:43] is the

[00:54:44] bright spot

[00:54:44] he's

[00:54:45] the guy

[00:54:45] that

[00:54:46] is

[00:54:47] ascending

[00:54:47] this is

[00:54:48] the guy

[00:54:48] that

[00:54:49] probably

[00:54:49] the team

[00:54:50] is going to be

[00:54:51] built around

[00:54:51] in the next

[00:54:52] couple years

[00:54:52] he went

[00:54:54] off

[00:54:54] last year

[00:54:55] he was

[00:54:55] almost

[00:54:56] 23

[00:54:56] points

[00:54:57] a game

[00:54:57] 4.3

[00:54:59] assists

[00:54:59] his

[00:55:00] true

[00:55:01] shooting

[00:55:01] percentage

[00:55:01] was

[00:55:02] 61.7

[00:55:03] that is

[00:55:04] absolutely

[00:55:05] phenomenal

[00:55:06] like a

[00:55:07] third year

[00:55:07] guy

[00:55:07] just

[00:55:09] crazy

[00:55:10] and

[00:55:11] he

[00:55:11] will

[00:55:12] be

[00:55:12] leaned

[00:55:13] upon

[00:55:13] now

[00:55:13] very

[00:55:14] heavily

[00:55:14] he

[00:55:15] was

[00:55:15] already

[00:55:15] the

[00:55:16] number

[00:55:16] two

[00:55:16] option

[00:55:17] Paul

[00:55:18] George

[00:55:18] was

[00:55:18] going

[00:55:18] to

[00:55:22] if

[00:55:23] Joel

[00:55:23] Embiid

[00:55:23] is

[00:55:23] going

[00:55:24] to

[00:55:24] miss

[00:55:24] games

[00:55:24] and

[00:55:24] now

[00:55:25] we

[00:55:25] got

[00:55:25] this

[00:55:25] injury

[00:55:26] for

[00:55:26] Paul

[00:55:26] George

[00:55:27] what

[00:55:27] does

[00:55:27] this

[00:55:27] team

[00:55:27] look

[00:55:28] like

[00:55:28] and

[00:55:29] tell

[00:55:29] me

[00:55:29] how

[00:55:30] do

[00:55:30] they

[00:55:30] get

[00:55:31] home

[00:55:31] court

[00:55:31] advantage

[00:55:32] for the

[00:55:32] first

[00:55:33] round

[00:55:33] if

[00:55:34] we

[00:55:35] already

[00:55:35] are

[00:55:35] missing

[00:55:36] Paul

[00:55:36] George

[00:55:37] and

[00:55:38] Joel

[00:55:39] Embiid

[00:55:39] has

[00:55:40] this

[00:55:40] mandate

[00:55:41] that

[00:55:42] he's

[00:55:42] going

[00:55:43] to

[00:55:43] play

[00:55:43] in

[00:55:43] less

[00:55:43] games

[00:55:44] and

[00:55:44] all

[00:55:44] he

[00:55:44] cares

[00:55:44] is

[00:55:45] playoffs

[00:55:46] now

[00:55:46] they

[00:55:46] do

[00:55:47] have

[00:55:47] a couple

[00:55:47] rookies

[00:55:48] that

[00:55:48] I

[00:55:48] want

[00:55:48] to

[00:55:48] talk

[00:55:48] about

[00:55:48] a

[00:55:49] little

[00:55:49] bit

[00:55:49] and

[00:55:49] I

[00:55:50] also

[00:55:50] want

[00:55:50] to

[00:55:50] talk

[00:55:50] about

[00:55:51] another

[00:55:52] pickup

[00:55:52] that

[00:55:53] Darryl

[00:55:53] Maureen

[00:55:54] made

[00:55:55] Jared

[00:55:55] McCain

[00:55:56] with

[00:55:56] the

[00:55:56] 16th

[00:55:57] overall

[00:55:57] selection

[00:55:58] this

[00:55:58] year

[00:55:58] was

[00:55:58] a

[00:55:59] stroke

[00:55:59] of

[00:56:00] genius

[00:56:01] he's

[00:56:01] like

[00:56:01] a

[00:56:01] 6'3

[00:56:02] combo

[00:56:02] guard

[00:56:03] he has

[00:56:04] point

[00:56:04] guard

[00:56:05] skills

[00:56:05] he can

[00:56:06] shoot

[00:56:06] it

[00:56:06] from

[00:56:18] is

[00:56:19] the

[00:56:19] most

[00:56:19] important

[00:56:19] piece

[00:56:20] now

[00:56:20] I

[00:56:21] don't

[00:56:21] know

[00:56:21] what

[00:56:21] he

[00:56:21] can

[00:56:21] do

[00:56:22] defensively

[00:56:23] and

[00:56:23] is

[00:56:23] he

[00:56:23] going

[00:56:23] to

[00:56:23] be

[00:56:25] necessarily

[00:56:27] leaned

[00:56:28] upon

[00:56:28] as a

[00:56:29] rotation

[00:56:29] piece

[00:56:30] this

[00:56:30] year

[00:56:30] no

[00:56:31] but

[00:56:32] this

[00:56:32] is

[00:56:32] something

[00:56:33] for

[00:56:33] Sixers

[00:56:34] fans

[00:56:34] to

[00:56:34] hold

[00:56:35] on

[00:56:35] to

[00:56:36] as

[00:56:37] you

[00:56:37] start

[00:56:37] to

[00:56:37] peek

[00:56:38] into

[00:56:39] the

[00:56:39] future

[00:56:39] Jared

[00:56:40] McCain

[00:56:40] is

[00:56:41] a

[00:56:41] nice

[00:56:41] piece

[00:56:42] and

[00:56:43] I

[00:56:43] really

[00:56:43] think

[00:56:44] that

[00:56:44] this

[00:56:44] is

[00:56:45] a

[00:56:45] steal

[00:56:46] for

[00:56:46] them

[00:56:46] at

[00:56:47] 16

[00:56:47] like

[00:56:48] that

[00:56:48] now

[00:56:48] also

[00:56:49] Caleb

[00:56:50] Martin

[00:56:51] coming

[00:56:52] over

[00:56:52] from

[00:56:52] Miami

[00:56:53] now

[00:56:53] usually

[00:56:54] we

[00:56:54] kind

[00:56:55] of

[00:56:55] have

[00:56:56] this

[00:56:57] disclaimer

[00:56:57] on

[00:56:58] Miami

[00:56:58] Heat

[00:56:59] free

[00:56:59] agents

[00:57:00] see

[00:57:01] Gabe

[00:57:01] Vincent

[00:57:03] there's

[00:57:04] a lot

[00:57:04] of them

[00:57:04] out

[00:57:04] there

[00:57:05] what's

[00:57:05] our

[00:57:05] guy

[00:57:05] oh

[00:57:16] Hasan

[00:57:16] Martin

[00:57:18] showed

[00:57:19] out

[00:57:19] very

[00:57:20] well

[00:57:20] in

[00:57:20] all

[00:57:21] playoff

[00:57:21] series

[00:57:22] they

[00:57:22] played

[00:57:22] in

[00:57:22] he's

[00:57:23] a

[00:57:24] defensive

[00:57:24] wing

[00:57:25] he's

[00:57:25] a little

[00:57:25] undersized

[00:57:26] like 6'7

[00:57:27] but he

[00:57:28] plays

[00:57:28] up

[00:57:28] he seems

[00:57:30] to hold

[00:57:30] himself

[00:57:31] accountable

[00:57:32] and

[00:57:33] he's

[00:57:33] able

[00:57:33] to be

[00:57:34] stout

[00:57:34] against

[00:57:35] wings

[00:57:35] that

[00:57:36] are

[00:57:46] minute

[00:57:47] or

[00:57:47] whatever

[00:57:47] case

[00:57:48] may

[00:57:48] be

[00:57:49] and

[00:57:50] it

[00:57:51] just

[00:57:51] rounded

[00:57:52] out

[00:57:52] the

[00:57:52] team

[00:57:52] if

[00:57:53] everybody

[00:57:54] and

[00:57:55] if

[00:57:55] we

[00:57:55] get

[00:57:55] to

[00:57:55] the

[00:57:55] playoffs

[00:57:56] and

[00:57:56] everybody

[00:57:56] is

[00:57:57] healthy

[00:57:58] this

[00:57:58] is

[00:57:59] a

[00:57:59] really

[00:57:59] nice

[00:57:59] piece

[00:58:00] to

[00:58:00] have

[00:58:00] whether

[00:58:01] he

[00:58:01] ends

[00:58:02] up

[00:58:02] starting

[00:58:02] in

[00:58:03] the

[00:58:03] post

[00:58:03] season

[00:58:03] or

[00:58:04] ends

[00:58:04] up

[00:58:04] on

[00:58:05] the

[00:58:05] bench

[00:58:05] because

[00:58:05] they

[00:58:06] upgraded

[00:58:07] or

[00:58:07] got

[00:58:07] a

[00:58:07] bigger

[00:58:08] guy

[00:58:08] to

[00:58:08] play

[00:58:08] that

[00:58:09] four

[00:58:09] position

[00:58:09] I

[00:58:10] don't

[00:58:10] know

[00:58:11] but

[00:58:12] Caleb

[00:58:13] Martin

[00:58:13] is a

[00:58:14] really

[00:58:15] good

[00:58:15] piece

[00:58:15] and

[00:58:47] it

[00:58:48] for

[00:58:49] the

[00:58:50] Philadelphia

[00:58:51] 76ers

[00:58:51] and

[00:58:52] it's

[00:58:52] really

[00:58:52] more

[00:58:52] for

[00:58:53] Paul

[00:58:53] George

[00:58:53] hey

[00:58:55] my

[00:58:55] guy

[00:58:56] don't

[00:58:57] you

[00:58:57] dare

[00:58:58] go

[00:58:58] down

[00:58:58] the

[00:58:58] Kawhi

[00:58:59] Leonard

[00:58:59] route

[00:58:59] and

[00:59:00] start

[00:59:00] having

[00:59:01] innocuous

[00:59:01] we

[00:59:02] don't

[00:59:02] know

[00:59:03] where

[00:59:03] you

[00:59:03] are

[00:59:03] for

[00:59:03] two

[00:59:04] three

[00:59:04] weeks

[00:59:05] and

[00:59:06] when

[00:59:06] are

[00:59:06] you

[00:59:06] going

[00:59:07] to

[00:59:07] play

[00:59:07] and

[00:59:07] nobody

[00:59:08] knows

[00:59:08] don't

[00:59:09] do

[00:59:09] that

[00:59:09] you

[00:59:10] are

[00:59:10] in

[00:59:10] the

[00:59:10] wrong

[00:59:11] city

[00:59:12] for

[00:59:13] this

[00:59:14] okay

[00:59:15] you

[00:59:16] are

[00:59:18] Philadelphia

[00:59:19] will

[00:59:20] not

[00:59:20] take

[00:59:20] kindly

[00:59:21] to

[00:59:21] that

[00:59:22] so

[00:59:23] heal up

[00:59:23] my

[00:59:23] guy

[00:59:24] make

[00:59:25] sure

[00:59:25] the

[00:59:25] knee

[00:59:26] is

[00:59:26] sound

[00:59:26] I

[00:59:27] don't

[00:59:27] want

[00:59:27] you

[00:59:27] to

[00:59:27] play

[00:59:27] until

[00:59:28] the

[00:59:28] knee

[00:59:28] is

[00:59:28] sound

[00:59:30] but

[00:59:30] don't

[00:59:31] milk

[00:59:31] this

[00:59:31] injury

[00:59:32] don't

[00:59:33] do

[00:59:33] it

[00:59:33] not

[00:59:34] in

[00:59:34] Philadelphia

[00:59:35] and

[00:59:36] in

[00:59:36] the

[00:59:36] top

[00:59:37] four

[00:59:37] are

[00:59:37] the

[00:59:37] Milwaukee

[00:59:38] Bucks

[00:59:38] the

[00:59:40] Milwaukee

[00:59:40] Bucks

[00:59:41] are

[00:59:41] bringing

[00:59:42] back

[00:59:42] Chris

[00:59:43] Middleton

[00:59:44] Brooke

[00:59:45] Lopez

[00:59:46] and

[00:59:47] Damian

[00:59:47] Lillard

[00:59:49] Chris

[00:59:50] Middleton

[00:59:51] is

[00:59:52] already

[00:59:52] coming

[00:59:55] back

[00:59:55] off

[00:59:55] double

[00:59:56] ankle

[00:59:56] surgery

[00:59:57] and

[00:59:58] his

[00:59:58] availability

[01:00:00] for

[01:00:01] opening

[01:00:02] night

[01:00:03] is

[01:00:03] uncertain

[01:00:04] Brooke

[01:00:07] Lopez

[01:00:07] is

[01:00:07] like

[01:00:08] 36

[01:00:08] 37

[01:00:09] years

[01:00:09] old

[01:00:10] and

[01:00:11] came

[01:00:12] off

[01:00:12] major

[01:00:12] back

[01:00:13] surgery

[01:00:13] like

[01:00:14] two

[01:00:14] three

[01:00:14] years

[01:00:14] ago

[01:00:15] and

[01:00:15] I'm

[01:00:16] wondering

[01:00:16] when

[01:00:18] the

[01:00:18] clock

[01:00:19] strikes

[01:00:19] 12

[01:00:20] on him

[01:00:20] now

[01:00:22] Damian

[01:00:23] Lillard

[01:00:23] is in

[01:00:24] the best

[01:00:25] shape

[01:00:25] of his

[01:00:25] life

[01:00:26] per

[01:00:28] Damian

[01:00:28] Lillard

[01:00:29] but he

[01:00:30] worked out

[01:00:31] with a

[01:00:31] former

[01:00:32] like

[01:00:34] Navy

[01:00:35] seal

[01:00:36] and

[01:00:36] like

[01:00:37] fitness

[01:00:37] guru

[01:00:37] in

[01:00:38] the

[01:00:38] summertime

[01:00:38] and

[01:00:40] he

[01:00:40] looks

[01:00:40] like

[01:00:40] he's

[01:00:41] in

[01:00:41] excellent

[01:00:41] shape

[01:00:41] they

[01:00:42] had

[01:00:42] a

[01:00:42] couple

[01:00:43] off

[01:00:43] season

[01:00:43] moves

[01:00:44] that I

[01:01:05] never

[01:01:05] stops

[01:01:07] relenting

[01:01:08] he's

[01:01:08] gonna

[01:01:09] come

[01:01:09] and

[01:01:10] continue

[01:01:11] to

[01:01:12] attack

[01:01:13] the

[01:01:13] paint

[01:01:13] and

[01:01:14] do

[01:01:14] what

[01:01:15] he

[01:01:15] does

[01:01:15] now

[01:01:15] Damian

[01:01:16] Lillard

[01:01:17] on

[01:01:17] the

[01:01:17] other

[01:01:17] hand

[01:01:18] had

[01:01:19] a

[01:01:19] kind

[01:01:19] of

[01:01:19] off

[01:01:20] and

[01:01:20] on

[01:01:20] season

[01:01:21] last

[01:01:21] year

[01:01:22] the

[01:01:22] shot

[01:01:23] was

[01:01:23] there

[01:01:23] then

[01:01:23] it

[01:01:23] wasn't

[01:01:24] but

[01:01:24] this

[01:01:25] was

[01:01:25] due

[01:01:25] to

[01:01:25] the

[01:01:26] conditioning

[01:01:26] we've

[01:01:27] talked

[01:01:27] about

[01:01:28] it

[01:01:28] throughout

[01:01:29] the

[01:01:29] summer

[01:01:29] he had

[01:01:31] a

[01:01:31] really

[01:01:31] tough

[01:01:32] season

[01:01:33] last

[01:01:33] year

[01:01:34] not

[01:01:34] just

[01:01:35] on

[01:01:35] the

[01:01:35] court

[01:01:35] but

[01:01:36] off

[01:01:36] the

[01:01:36] court

[01:01:36] there

[01:01:37] was

[01:01:37] some

[01:01:37] personal

[01:01:38] things

[01:01:38] that

[01:01:38] he

[01:01:38] had

[01:01:39] to

[01:01:39] deal

[01:01:39] with

[01:01:41] and

[01:01:41] now

[01:01:42] we're

[01:01:42] getting

[01:01:42] a

[01:01:43] focus

[01:01:44] Damian

[01:01:44] Lillard

[01:01:45] with

[01:01:46] Giannis

[01:01:47] Antetokoun

[01:01:48] this

[01:01:48] should

[01:01:48] be

[01:01:49] scary

[01:01:49] to

[01:01:49] everyone

[01:01:50] but

[01:01:50] here's

[01:01:51] the

[01:01:51] thing

[01:01:51] that

[01:01:51] I

[01:01:51] will

[01:01:51] continue

[01:01:52] to

[01:01:52] ask

[01:01:54] are

[01:01:55] you

[01:01:56] two

[01:01:56] players

[01:01:57] Giannis

[01:01:58] and

[01:01:58] Dane

[01:01:59] are

[01:01:59] you

[01:01:59] two

[01:02:00] going

[01:02:00] to

[01:02:00] run

[01:02:00] pick

[01:02:01] and

[01:02:01] roll

[01:02:01] because

[01:02:02] if

[01:02:02] you're

[01:02:02] not

[01:02:02] going

[01:02:02] to

[01:02:03] run

[01:02:03] pick

[01:02:03] and

[01:02:03] roll

[01:02:03] I

[01:02:03] don't

[01:02:04] even

[01:02:04] care

[01:02:04] those

[01:02:05] two

[01:02:05] ran

[01:02:06] the

[01:02:06] fewest

[01:02:06] pick

[01:02:07] and

[01:02:07] rolls

[01:02:08] like

[01:02:09] as

[01:02:09] far

[01:02:09] as

[01:02:10] that

[01:02:10] team

[01:02:10] is

[01:02:10] concerned

[01:02:11] those

[01:02:11] two

[01:02:12] individuals

[01:02:13] ran

[01:02:13] pick

[01:02:13] and

[01:02:13] roll

[01:02:14] like

[01:02:14] the

[01:02:15] least

[01:02:16] Dame

[01:02:17] had

[01:02:17] no

[01:02:17] problem

[01:02:17] running

[01:02:18] pick

[01:02:18] and

[01:02:18] roll

[01:02:18] with

[01:02:18] Brooke

[01:02:19] Lopez

[01:02:20] with

[01:02:20] Bobby

[01:02:21] Portis

[01:02:21] he

[01:02:22] had

[01:02:22] no

[01:02:22] problems

[01:02:23] running

[01:02:23] pick

[01:02:23] and

[01:02:23] rolls

[01:02:24] with

[01:02:24] other

[01:02:33] tell

[01:02:34] me

[01:02:34] that

[01:02:35] part

[01:02:36] of

[01:02:36] the

[01:02:36] Rubik's

[01:02:36] Cube

[01:02:37] has

[01:02:37] been

[01:02:38] figured

[01:02:38] out

[01:02:38] John

[01:02:40] Horace

[01:02:40] was

[01:02:41] on

[01:02:42] his

[01:02:42] game

[01:02:42] in

[01:02:43] the

[01:02:43] off

[01:02:43] season

[01:02:44] picking

[01:02:44] up

[01:02:45] Gary

[01:02:45] Trent

[01:02:46] Jr

[01:02:47] which

[01:02:48] adds

[01:02:48] shooting

[01:02:48] and

[01:02:49] floor

[01:02:49] spacing

[01:02:50] that

[01:02:50] is

[01:02:50] an

[01:02:51] absolute

[01:02:51] need

[01:02:52] in

[01:02:53] Milwaukee

[01:02:54] and

[01:02:55] then

[01:02:55] also

[01:02:55] getting

[01:02:56] Torian

[01:02:57] Prince

[01:02:57] from

[01:02:57] the

[01:02:58] Lakers

[01:02:58] which

[01:02:58] gives

[01:02:59] them

[01:02:59] another

[01:03:00] wing

[01:03:00] so

[01:03:03] 1

[01:03:04] and

[01:03:04] 6

[01:03:04] 7

[01:03:05] they

[01:03:05] both

[01:03:05] shoot

[01:03:06] 3

[01:03:06] they

[01:03:07] can

[01:03:07] spread

[01:03:07] the

[01:03:07] floor

[01:03:09] Torian

[01:03:10] Prince

[01:03:10] adds

[01:03:10] toughness

[01:03:11] ruggedness

[01:03:12] and

[01:03:12] some

[01:03:13] rebounding

[01:03:13] and

[01:03:14] some

[01:03:14] defensive

[01:03:15] chops

[01:03:15] and

[01:03:16] people

[01:03:17] keep

[01:03:17] telling

[01:03:17] me

[01:03:17] that

[01:03:18] Gary

[01:03:18] Trent

[01:03:18] Jr

[01:03:19] is

[01:03:19] a

[01:03:19] good

[01:03:20] defensive

[01:03:20] player

[01:03:20] I haven't

[01:03:21] seen

[01:03:21] it

[01:03:21] since

[01:03:22] he

[01:03:22] left

[01:03:22] Portland

[01:03:23] but

[01:03:23] maybe

[01:03:24] it

[01:03:25] shows

[01:03:26] back up

[01:03:27] because

[01:03:27] he's

[01:03:27] back in

[01:03:28] the

[01:03:28] United

[01:03:28] States

[01:03:28] of

[01:03:28] America

[01:03:29] because

[01:03:30] he

[01:03:30] played

[01:03:30] in

[01:03:31] Toronto

[01:03:31] his

[01:03:32] last

[01:03:32] 3

[01:03:33] years

[01:03:33] right

[01:03:33] so

[01:03:34] I

[01:03:35] hope

[01:03:35] that

[01:03:35] is

[01:03:36] the

[01:03:36] case

[01:03:38] but

[01:03:38] I

[01:03:39] do

[01:03:39] like

[01:03:39] the

[01:03:39] pickups

[01:03:40] I

[01:03:40] think

[01:03:40] they

[01:03:40] were

[01:03:40] shrewd

[01:03:41] moves

[01:03:42] and

[01:03:43] we

[01:03:44] have

[01:03:44] them

[01:03:44] fourth

[01:03:44] now

[01:03:45] the

[01:03:45] outlook

[01:03:46] for

[01:03:46] the

[01:03:46] Bucks

[01:03:46] is

[01:03:46] this

[01:03:47] the

[01:03:48] Bucks

[01:03:48] still

[01:03:48] have

[01:03:49] title

[01:03:49] aspirations

[01:03:50] with

[01:03:50] Giannis

[01:03:50] Antico

[01:03:51] leading

[01:03:51] the way

[01:03:52] but

[01:03:53] Middleton's

[01:03:53] ongoing

[01:03:54] injury

[01:03:54] concerns

[01:03:55] leaves

[01:03:55] a

[01:03:55] major

[01:03:56] question

[01:03:56] mark

[01:03:57] with

[01:03:57] the

[01:03:57] addition

[01:03:58] of

[01:03:58] Trent

[01:03:58] Jr.

[01:03:59] Milwaukee's

[01:04:00] spacing

[01:04:00] should

[01:04:01] improve

[01:04:01] but

[01:04:02] it's

[01:04:02] unclear

[01:04:02] how

[01:04:03] reliable

[01:04:03] Middleton

[01:04:04] will be

[01:04:07] and

[01:04:08] here's

[01:04:08] the thing

[01:04:09] here's

[01:04:09] my

[01:04:09] question

[01:04:10] can

[01:04:11] Milwaukee

[01:04:11] count

[01:04:11] on Chris

[01:04:12] Middleton

[01:04:12] being the

[01:04:13] third option

[01:04:14] that they

[01:04:14] so

[01:04:15] desperately

[01:04:16] need

[01:04:17] or

[01:04:18] will

[01:04:20] the

[01:04:20] chance

[01:04:21] of them

[01:04:22] trading

[01:04:22] him

[01:04:23] in the

[01:04:23] offseason

[01:04:23] and

[01:04:24] breaking

[01:04:24] him

[01:04:25] up

[01:04:25] into

[01:04:26] two

[01:04:27] or

[01:04:27] maybe

[01:04:27] three

[01:04:28] pieces

[01:04:28] to

[01:04:30] provide

[01:04:30] just

[01:04:32] more

[01:04:32] depth

[01:04:33] and more

[01:04:33] diversity

[01:04:34] to the

[01:04:34] scene

[01:04:34] will

[01:04:35] this

[01:04:35] come

[01:04:35] back

[01:04:35] to

[01:04:35] bite

[01:04:36] them

[01:04:36] that's

[01:04:37] the

[01:04:37] question

[01:04:37] but

[01:04:37] therefore

[01:04:38] I

[01:04:53] Darius

[01:04:54] Garland

[01:04:55] and

[01:04:55] you

[01:04:55] know

[01:04:55] how

[01:04:55] much

[01:04:56] I

[01:04:56] love

[01:04:56] Darius

[01:04:56] Garland

[01:04:57] you

[01:04:57] know

[01:04:58] how

[01:04:58] much

[01:04:58] this

[01:04:58] podcast

[01:04:59] love

[01:04:59] Darius

[01:05:00] Garland

[01:05:00] also

[01:05:01] we

[01:05:02] are

[01:05:02] a

[01:05:03] still

[01:05:03] a

[01:05:04] big

[01:05:04] Evan

[01:05:05] Mobley

[01:05:06] podcast

[01:05:06] we

[01:05:07] believe

[01:05:08] in

[01:05:08] you

[01:05:08] Evan

[01:05:08] we

[01:05:09] believe

[01:05:09] in

[01:05:09] you

[01:05:10] and

[01:05:10] also

[01:05:11] Jared

[01:05:11] Allen

[01:05:11] and

[01:05:12] the

[01:05:12] gang

[01:05:12] now

[01:05:13] what

[01:05:13] makes

[01:05:14] this

[01:05:14] team

[01:05:14] different

[01:05:14] why

[01:05:15] am

[01:05:15] I

[01:05:15] excited

[01:05:16] about

[01:05:16] this

[01:05:16] team

[01:05:17] what

[01:05:18] are

[01:05:18] the

[01:05:19] changes

[01:05:19] the

[01:05:20] first

[01:05:20] thing

[01:05:20] that

[01:05:21] I'm

[01:05:21] going

[01:05:21] to

[01:05:21] talk

[01:05:21] about

[01:05:22] is

[01:05:23] Darius

[01:05:23] Garland

[01:05:25] you

[01:05:25] say

[01:05:25] that's

[01:05:26] not a

[01:05:26] change

[01:05:26] it

[01:05:47] this

[01:05:47] dude

[01:05:48] was

[01:05:48] 180

[01:05:49] pounds

[01:05:50] to

[01:05:50] begin

[01:05:50] with

[01:05:51] he

[01:05:51] was

[01:05:52] rolling

[01:05:52] out

[01:05:52] there

[01:05:53] at

[01:05:53] 157

[01:05:54] pounds

[01:05:56] okay

[01:05:57] so

[01:05:57] now

[01:05:58] you

[01:05:58] getting

[01:05:58] full

[01:05:59] strength

[01:06:00] Darius

[01:06:00] Garland

[01:06:01] back

[01:06:01] I

[01:06:02] can't

[01:06:02] wait

[01:06:02] I

[01:06:03] can't

[01:06:03] wait

[01:06:04] to

[01:06:04] see

[01:06:04] the

[01:06:04] juice

[01:06:04] I

[01:06:05] can't

[01:06:06] wait

[01:06:06] to

[01:06:06] see

[01:06:06] the

[01:06:06] three

[01:06:06] point

[01:06:07] shooting

[01:06:07] and

[01:06:08] I

[01:06:08] love

[01:06:09] Darius

[01:06:09] Garland

[01:06:09] I

[01:06:10] think

[01:06:10] that

[01:06:11] combination

[01:06:11] of

[01:06:12] Mitchell

[01:06:12] and

[01:06:12] Garland

[01:06:12] completely

[01:06:14] healthy

[01:06:14] is

[01:06:16] the

[01:06:17] other

[01:06:17] key

[01:06:17] addition

[01:06:18] is

[01:06:18] this

[01:06:20] Kenny

[01:06:20] Atkinson

[01:06:21] is now

[01:06:21] the new

[01:06:22] head

[01:06:22] coach

[01:06:22] of the

[01:06:23] Cleveland

[01:06:23] Cavaliers

[01:06:25] this

[01:06:25] is good

[01:06:26] why

[01:06:26] because

[01:06:27] he

[01:06:28] has

[01:06:29] seen

[01:06:31] superstars

[01:06:32] in

[01:06:33] one

[01:06:33] way

[01:06:33] and

[01:06:34] also

[01:06:34] in

[01:06:35] another

[01:06:35] way

[01:06:36] he

[01:06:37] was

[01:06:37] the

[01:06:37] head

[01:06:37] coach

[01:06:37] of

[01:06:38] the

[01:06:38] Brooklyn

[01:06:38] Nets

[01:06:38] when

[01:06:39] the

[01:06:39] trio

[01:06:40] of

[01:06:41] Durant

[01:06:42] Kyrie

[01:06:43] and

[01:06:44] Harden

[01:06:44] came in

[01:06:44] and they

[01:06:45] kicked

[01:06:45] him

[01:06:46] out

[01:06:46] they

[01:06:46] were

[01:06:47] like

[01:06:47] no

[01:06:47] we

[01:06:47] don't

[01:06:47] want

[01:06:47] to

[01:06:47] listen

[01:06:48] to

[01:06:48] him

[01:06:48] we

[01:06:49] rather

[01:06:49] just

[01:06:50] coach

[01:06:50] ourselves

[01:06:51] or

[01:06:51] have

[01:06:51] Steve

[01:06:52] Nash

[01:06:52] coach

[01:06:52] us

[01:06:53] which

[01:06:53] basically

[01:06:54] we're

[01:06:54] coaching

[01:06:54] ourselves

[01:06:55] and

[01:06:56] we're

[01:06:56] going to

[01:06:57] win

[01:06:57] that way

[01:06:58] how that

[01:06:59] worked out

[01:06:59] for Brooklyn

[01:07:00] didn't work

[01:07:01] out very

[01:07:01] well

[01:07:02] so then

[01:07:03] Kenny

[01:07:03] Atkinson

[01:07:04] goes to

[01:07:04] Golden

[01:07:04] State

[01:07:05] and he

[01:07:06] sits on

[01:07:07] the

[01:07:07] bench

[01:07:07] and he

[01:07:08] watches

[01:07:09] Steph

[01:07:09] Curry

[01:07:09] every

[01:07:11] single

[01:07:11] day

[01:07:12] for a

[01:07:13] couple

[01:07:13] years

[01:07:14] because

[01:07:14] Kenny

[01:07:15] Atkinson

[01:07:15] turned down

[01:07:16] the

[01:07:16] Charlotte

[01:07:17] job

[01:07:17] last

[01:07:18] year

[01:07:19] before

[01:07:20] the

[01:07:20] season

[01:07:21] to

[01:07:22] stay

[01:07:23] an

[01:07:23] assistant

[01:07:23] coach

[01:07:24] for

[01:07:24] the

[01:07:24] Golden

[01:07:25] State

[01:07:25] Warriors

[01:07:25] why

[01:07:27] because

[01:07:28] Kenny

[01:07:28] Atkinson

[01:07:29] was like

[01:07:30] no man

[01:07:30] I

[01:07:31] deserve

[01:07:31] to

[01:07:32] coach

[01:07:32] a good

[01:07:32] team

[01:07:33] I

[01:07:34] now

[01:07:34] know

[01:07:34] how

[01:07:34] to

[01:07:35] handle

[01:07:35] superstar

[01:07:35] players

[01:07:36] because

[01:07:36] I

[01:07:37] have

[01:07:37] watched

[01:07:38] this

[01:07:38] for

[01:07:39] two

[01:07:39] seasons

[01:07:39] under

[01:07:40] Steve

[01:07:40] Kerr

[01:07:41] handles

[01:07:43] Draymond

[01:07:43] Klay

[01:07:45] and

[01:07:45] Steph

[01:07:46] I

[01:07:46] think

[01:07:47] that I

[01:07:47] am

[01:07:47] ready

[01:07:47] for

[01:07:47] this

[01:07:48] role

[01:07:48] and

[01:07:48] also

[01:07:49] I

[01:07:49] think

[01:07:49] I

[01:07:49] can

[01:07:49] bring

[01:07:50] some

[01:07:50] offensive

[01:07:51] versatility

[01:07:52] that can

[01:07:54] work

[01:07:55] better

[01:07:55] for

[01:07:56] this

[01:07:56] allotment

[01:07:57] of

[01:07:57] talent

[01:07:57] that

[01:07:58] I

[01:07:58] have

[01:07:58] now

[01:08:00] that's

[01:08:00] all

[01:08:00] well

[01:08:00] and

[01:08:01] good

[01:08:02] all

[01:08:03] well

[01:08:03] and

[01:08:03] good

[01:08:04] and

[01:08:05] as

[01:08:05] much

[01:08:05] as

[01:08:05] I

[01:08:05] love

[01:08:06] Evan

[01:08:06] Mowgli

[01:08:06] here's

[01:08:07] the

[01:08:07] thing

[01:08:08] either

[01:08:09] Evan

[01:08:09] Mowgli

[01:08:10] is

[01:08:10] going

[01:08:10] to

[01:08:10] be

[01:08:10] a

[01:08:10] center

[01:08:11] or

[01:08:11] Evan

[01:08:12] Mowgli

[01:08:12] learned

[01:08:13] how

[01:08:13] to

[01:08:13] shoot

[01:08:14] threes

[01:08:21] in

[01:08:22] and

[01:08:22] often

[01:08:23] if

[01:08:24] this

[01:08:24] is

[01:08:24] the

[01:08:24] case

[01:08:25] if

[01:08:26] it's

[01:08:26] not

[01:08:26] the

[01:08:26] case

[01:08:27] Jared

[01:08:28] Allen

[01:08:28] better

[01:08:29] have

[01:08:30] his

[01:08:30] realtor

[01:08:30] on

[01:08:31] standby

[01:08:32] because

[01:08:33] if

[01:08:33] Mowgli

[01:08:34] is

[01:08:34] not

[01:08:35] going

[01:08:35] to

[01:08:35] take

[01:08:36] five

[01:08:36] threes

[01:08:36] he's

[01:08:37] going

[01:08:37] to

[01:08:37] have

[01:08:37] to

[01:08:37] play

[01:08:38] center

[01:08:38] and

[01:08:39] you're

[01:08:39] going

[01:08:40] to

[01:08:40] have

[01:08:40] to

[01:08:40] find

[01:08:40] a

[01:08:40] forward

[01:08:41] to

[01:08:41] replace

[01:08:42] him

[01:08:42] so

[01:08:43] that's

[01:08:44] where

[01:08:44] we

[01:08:44] are

[01:08:44] with

[01:08:44] Cleveland

[01:08:45] now

[01:08:45] they

[01:08:46] did

[01:08:46] get

[01:08:47] Jalen

[01:08:48] Tyson

[01:08:48] with

[01:08:49] the

[01:08:49] 20th

[01:08:49] overall

[01:08:50] pick

[01:08:50] now

[01:08:52] he

[01:08:52] has

[01:08:52] a

[01:08:52] real

[01:08:52] role

[01:08:53] on

[01:08:53] this

[01:08:53] team

[01:08:53] right

[01:08:54] now

[01:08:54] I

[01:08:54] don't

[01:08:54] think

[01:08:55] so

[01:08:55] I

[01:08:56] think

[01:08:56] you're

[01:08:56] going

[01:08:56] to

[01:08:57] be

[01:08:57] running

[01:08:57] out

[01:08:57] there

[01:09:53] Donovan Mitchell and Darius Garland,

[01:09:55] and then the two bigs and see how it all works.

[01:09:57] But I have them third in the East.

[01:10:01] That leads us to team number two.

[01:10:04] And team number two,

[01:10:07] they hail out of New York City.

[01:10:13] Sometimes we call it Gotham.

[01:10:17] Sometimes we call it the jungle.

[01:10:22] But the New York Knicks are our number two team

[01:10:26] in the Eastern Conference preview.

[01:10:29] Jalen Brunson is an absolute superstar,

[01:10:32] and we love that guy.

[01:10:34] We made him our, he was on our second all-NBA team

[01:10:41] for Front Runner Podcast Collective last year.

[01:10:43] We love Jalen Brunson on this podcast.

[01:10:47] He put that team on his back.

[01:10:49] He took that team as far as he could possibly take it

[01:10:53] with all the injuries and just incredible misfortune

[01:10:59] when it came to injuries last year.

[01:11:02] He almost had nobody in there for that last game

[01:11:04] for three minutes, and that dude could not move.

[01:11:08] It was bad.

[01:11:09] But Jalen Brunson and the Knicks have retooled

[01:11:14] this completely different team.

[01:11:17] Let's meet the Knicks, shall we?

[01:11:20] Carl Anthony Towns is now a New York Knick.

[01:11:23] Carl Anthony Towns is a seven-footer who shoots threes.

[01:11:27] Okay?

[01:11:28] They're gonna play a five-out style.

[01:11:31] Now, what that means is that the paint is now open

[01:11:34] because you don't have a traditional center

[01:11:36] or you don't have a big that's sitting in that dunker spot.

[01:11:40] Now, if you're not aware of what the dunker spot is,

[01:11:43] it's when you're just right outside the key,

[01:11:46] but you're close enough and you're on the baseline

[01:11:49] and you just wait for lobs because somebody forgot about you.

[01:11:55] They have a true five-out style

[01:11:57] where everybody can be on the perimeter,

[01:12:00] and that means that Jalen Brunson can do his balletic dance

[01:12:06] and get into the paint and either kick it out for threes

[01:12:09] or hit one of those incredible layups that only Jalen Brunson can.

[01:12:15] And we know what his dancing ability is in that mid-range game.

[01:12:21] It is lethal.

[01:12:23] But he is not coming along

[01:12:24] because not only is Carl Anthony Towns here

[01:12:27] because of the Julius Randle Dante DiVincenzo shape

[01:12:32] for Carl Anthony Towns,

[01:12:34] they also picked up Mikel Bridges.

[01:12:36] We thought it was the reuniting of the Villanova Knicks

[01:12:42] until they jettison off Dante DiVincenzo,

[01:12:46] who was not happy about that.

[01:12:49] Not.

[01:12:50] But Mikel Bridges brings 20 points a game.

[01:12:54] He brings four rebounds.

[01:12:57] And he brings something that they desperately needed.

[01:13:03] Now, I like Dante DiVincenzo.

[01:13:06] I like Julius Randle.

[01:13:07] I think they're great players.

[01:13:08] I think they're going to provide a lot

[01:13:11] for that Minnesota team.

[01:13:13] And I can't wait to talk about them on Friday.

[01:13:18] But what Mikel Bridges brings

[01:13:20] and what Carl Anthony Towns brings

[01:13:22] is you're talking about

[01:13:24] taking some of the burden off of Jalen Brunson

[01:13:27] because he carried a heavy load last year.

[01:13:30] And now you have two players

[01:13:32] along with O.G. and Anovi

[01:13:35] who's going to get his too.

[01:13:38] You got four players that are

[01:13:41] can pop off at any point.

[01:13:45] Now, Carl Anthony Towns has the chance

[01:13:47] to go off for volcanic eruptions

[01:13:50] in Madison Square Garden

[01:13:51] if he gets high from three.

[01:13:55] But Mikel Bridges showed a lot

[01:13:57] when he was on that Brooklyn squad.

[01:14:00] Not last year,

[01:14:01] but when he was traded

[01:14:03] from Phoenix to Brooklyn.

[01:14:05] And then,

[01:14:06] I don't know

[01:14:08] what happened last year.

[01:14:10] I don't know

[01:14:10] why the coaching staff

[01:14:13] thought this was a good idea.

[01:14:14] But,

[01:14:16] all the

[01:14:16] self-creation that

[01:14:18] Mikel Bridges showed

[01:14:20] his first run

[01:14:21] in Brooklyn,

[01:14:23] that all dissipated last year.

[01:14:24] Because Cam Thomas

[01:14:26] was getting buckets.

[01:14:28] Cam Thomas did not care about

[01:14:30] Mikael Bridges.

[01:14:31] He did not care about

[01:14:33] his stature in the league.

[01:14:35] He didn't care about

[01:14:36] any of that.

[01:14:37] Cam Thomas

[01:14:38] cared about

[01:14:39] Cam Thomas

[01:14:40] stats.

[01:14:41] That's what it was.

[01:14:43] But now,

[01:14:44] Bridges is going to be on a team

[01:14:45] with a giving

[01:14:47] point guard

[01:14:48] with

[01:14:49] a team

[01:14:50] type

[01:14:51] atmosphere.

[01:14:53] And

[01:14:54] they're loaded

[01:14:56] and this team

[01:14:57] is looking

[01:14:57] directly

[01:14:58] at the Celtics

[01:14:59] and looking at them

[01:15:01] and going,

[01:15:02] we are not

[01:15:02] scared of you.

[01:15:07] That's what they're saying.

[01:15:09] Now,

[01:15:10] they did pick up

[01:15:11] a really interesting

[01:15:12] rookie that I want

[01:15:12] to give some time to.

[01:15:14] Now,

[01:15:14] will he get

[01:15:15] any time

[01:15:16] whatsoever

[01:15:16] with the Knicks

[01:15:17] this year?

[01:15:18] Probably.

[01:15:20] Pacom

[01:15:21] Dodie,

[01:15:23] another French

[01:15:24] wing.

[01:15:25] They're so

[01:15:26] instead of

[01:15:28] French fries,

[01:15:29] we got French

[01:15:29] wings down.

[01:15:31] So Popeye's

[01:15:32] is going to have

[01:15:33] to put some

[01:15:33] kind of spin

[01:15:35] or

[01:15:36] wing stuff

[01:15:37] is going to have

[01:15:37] to put some

[01:15:38] kind of spin

[01:15:38] on the wings

[01:15:41] and

[01:15:42] have some

[01:15:42] French wings

[01:15:43] on the menu

[01:15:44] because Pacom

[01:15:46] Dodie

[01:15:46] is a

[01:15:48] really

[01:15:49] athletic

[01:15:49] wing

[01:15:51] who can

[01:15:51] shoot it.

[01:15:52] He's

[01:15:53] super young,

[01:15:54] he can defend,

[01:15:55] but he can

[01:15:56] shoot it.

[01:15:58] And I like him

[01:15:58] a lot.

[01:16:00] He has

[01:16:00] really

[01:16:01] big

[01:16:02] upside

[01:16:02] potential.

[01:16:04] So

[01:16:04] for as

[01:16:05] stuck as they

[01:16:06] are

[01:16:06] financially

[01:16:08] right now,

[01:16:09] but not

[01:16:09] really because

[01:16:10] they got

[01:16:11] the extension

[01:16:12] for Jalen

[01:16:12] Brunson done

[01:16:13] and he took

[01:16:13] a lesser number.

[01:16:15] This kid

[01:16:16] right here

[01:16:16] who we

[01:16:17] might not

[01:16:18] really see

[01:16:18] this year

[01:16:19] only in

[01:16:20] garbage time,

[01:16:21] but

[01:16:22] I really

[01:16:23] like this

[01:16:23] guy's chops

[01:16:24] and I like

[01:16:24] his makeup

[01:16:25] and I think

[01:16:25] he fits

[01:16:27] the Tibbs

[01:16:28] system.

[01:16:28] So

[01:16:29] look out

[01:16:30] for Pacom

[01:16:30] Dodie

[01:16:31] in

[01:16:33] garbage time

[01:16:33] minutes

[01:16:34] only

[01:16:34] unless

[01:16:36] Tibbs

[01:16:37] have run

[01:16:38] all the

[01:16:39] players into

[01:16:39] the ground.

[01:16:40] Now

[01:16:41] there was

[01:16:42] one question

[01:16:43] there was

[01:16:44] a couple

[01:16:44] questions I

[01:16:44] had for

[01:16:45] the Knicks

[01:16:45] but let's

[01:16:45] talk about

[01:16:46] their outlook.

[01:16:46] The Knicks

[01:16:47] have a lot

[01:16:48] of star

[01:16:48] power this

[01:16:49] season after

[01:16:50] landing Towns

[01:16:50] and adding

[01:16:51] bridges.

[01:16:52] With Brunson

[01:16:53] continuing to

[01:16:54] shine,

[01:16:55] the Knicks

[01:16:55] could push

[01:16:56] for a top

[01:16:57] two finish

[01:16:58] in the

[01:16:59] East,

[01:17:00] but health

[01:17:01] remains a

[01:17:02] major concern.

[01:17:03] Remember,

[01:17:05] Carl Anthony

[01:17:05] Towns misses

[01:17:06] like 20 games

[01:17:08] a year,

[01:17:09] which leads

[01:17:09] me to my

[01:17:10] question.

[01:17:10] We all

[01:17:11] know who

[01:17:11] Tibbs is.

[01:17:12] He's an

[01:17:13] old school

[01:17:14] coach.

[01:17:14] He likes

[01:17:15] his starters

[01:17:15] to play.

[01:17:16] So my

[01:17:17] question is,

[01:17:18] will OG

[01:17:19] Ananove

[01:17:19] survive

[01:17:21] the season

[01:17:22] under

[01:17:22] Coach

[01:17:23] Thibodeau's

[01:17:23] intense

[01:17:24] pressure to

[01:17:25] play minutes?

[01:17:28] And then

[01:17:28] the other

[01:17:29] thing is,

[01:17:30] can you get

[01:17:30] Mitchell

[01:17:30] Robinson

[01:17:31] to stay

[01:17:31] healthy

[01:17:32] enough,

[01:17:32] or do

[01:17:33] you need

[01:17:33] a long

[01:17:34] term

[01:17:34] replacement?

[01:17:35] That's the

[01:17:36] real key

[01:17:37] to the

[01:17:37] Knicks.

[01:17:38] Now,

[01:17:38] we can

[01:17:38] talk about

[01:17:39] how good

[01:17:39] they are,

[01:17:40] we can

[01:17:40] talk about

[01:17:40] how scary

[01:17:41] they could

[01:17:41] be,

[01:17:42] but if

[01:17:42] you don't

[01:17:43] find that,

[01:17:44] if you don't

[01:17:45] button up

[01:17:45] that piece,

[01:17:46] which is

[01:17:47] right now

[01:17:47] the question

[01:17:48] mark that

[01:17:49] is Mitchell

[01:17:49] Robinson,

[01:17:51] you're not

[01:17:52] going to

[01:17:52] take down

[01:17:53] the Celtics.

[01:17:54] I like

[01:17:55] your team,

[01:17:56] I like

[01:17:57] what you

[01:17:57] have,

[01:17:58] but I

[01:17:59] like it

[01:17:59] better if

[01:18:00] Mitchell

[01:18:01] Robinson

[01:18:01] is healthy,

[01:18:03] and he

[01:18:03] is not,

[01:18:05] and we

[01:18:05] don't know

[01:18:06] when he's

[01:18:06] going to

[01:18:07] be,

[01:18:09] so they're

[01:18:09] number two,

[01:18:11] which leads

[01:18:12] us to

[01:18:13] number one,

[01:18:14] and we

[01:18:14] all know

[01:18:15] who that

[01:18:15] is,

[01:18:16] it is the

[01:18:16] Boston Celtics,

[01:18:17] I don't

[01:18:18] have a lot

[01:18:20] to say

[01:18:20] about this,

[01:18:21] obviously,

[01:18:22] because as

[01:18:23] a long

[01:18:24] time Laker

[01:18:25] fan,

[01:18:25] you know

[01:18:25] how much

[01:18:26] this hurts

[01:18:26] me,

[01:18:27] but I'm

[01:18:29] not petty,

[01:18:31] JC Tatum,

[01:18:32] Jalen Brown

[01:18:33] are back,

[01:18:34] obviously,

[01:18:35] everybody's

[01:18:36] back,

[01:18:36] Drew

[01:18:36] Holiday,

[01:18:38] Derek

[01:18:38] White,

[01:18:39] Al

[01:18:39] Horford,

[01:18:40] Peyton

[01:18:41] Pritchard

[01:18:41] got money,

[01:18:43] everyone

[01:18:43] is back,

[01:18:46] so you

[01:18:46] say,

[01:18:47] well,

[01:18:47] what's

[01:18:48] the

[01:18:48] problem?

[01:18:49] There

[01:18:50] is no

[01:18:50] problem,

[01:18:51] unless you

[01:18:52] think

[01:18:52] Christoph

[01:18:53] Porzingis

[01:18:53] is a

[01:18:54] problem.

[01:18:56] Christoph

[01:18:56] Porzingis

[01:18:57] had the

[01:18:57] ankle

[01:18:58] injury,

[01:18:59] or

[01:18:59] whatever,

[01:18:59] back of

[01:19:00] the ankle

[01:19:00] injury,

[01:19:01] that was

[01:19:01] the weirdest

[01:19:02] ankle

[01:19:03] injury in

[01:19:04] the history

[01:19:04] of mankind,

[01:19:06] and now

[01:19:08] Brad Stevens

[01:19:09] has said

[01:19:10] that he

[01:19:11] is

[01:19:12] killing his

[01:19:13] rehab,

[01:19:14] and he

[01:19:15] should be

[01:19:16] back sooner

[01:19:18] than expected.

[01:19:20] Now,

[01:19:20] I'm going to

[01:19:20] tell you right

[01:19:21] now,

[01:19:22] there was no

[01:19:22] date thrown

[01:19:23] out on that.

[01:19:25] I think it's

[01:19:26] safe to say

[01:19:26] that we

[01:19:27] will not

[01:19:27] see

[01:19:27] Christoph

[01:19:28] Porzingis

[01:19:28] until

[01:19:29] 2025.

[01:19:33] I think

[01:19:33] any time

[01:19:34] before that

[01:19:36] is just

[01:19:38] a pipe

[01:19:38] dream,

[01:19:39] and I

[01:19:40] think if

[01:19:40] you're

[01:19:41] thinking

[01:19:41] like the

[01:19:41] 1st of

[01:19:42] January,

[01:19:43] I'm not

[01:19:43] thinking that,

[01:19:44] I'm thinking

[01:19:44] like towards

[01:19:46] the end of

[01:19:47] January,

[01:19:48] that's just

[01:19:48] my thought,

[01:19:50] but it

[01:19:51] doesn't

[01:19:51] matter,

[01:19:53] because this

[01:19:54] team is

[01:19:55] loaded for

[01:19:55] bear,

[01:19:56] Jason Tatum,

[01:19:58] feels some

[01:19:59] sort of

[01:20:00] slight,

[01:20:00] because he

[01:20:01] didn't get

[01:20:01] to play

[01:20:01] in the

[01:20:02] Olympics,

[01:20:03] Jalen Brown

[01:20:04] feels some

[01:20:05] sort of

[01:20:05] major slight,

[01:20:06] because he

[01:20:07] didn't get

[01:20:07] invited to

[01:20:08] the Olympics,

[01:20:10] and then

[01:20:11] you have

[01:20:11] the steadiness

[01:20:12] of Drew

[01:20:13] Holiday and

[01:20:13] Derek White,

[01:20:15] and then

[01:20:17] you have

[01:20:17] Peyton

[01:20:17] Pritchard,

[01:20:19] and you

[01:20:20] have Al

[01:20:21] Horford and

[01:20:22] Luke

[01:20:23] Cornett,

[01:20:23] who know

[01:20:24] the system,

[01:20:24] this is a

[01:20:25] continuity

[01:20:26] dream,

[01:20:28] come to

[01:20:29] life,

[01:20:32] yeah,

[01:20:33] I have

[01:20:33] them number

[01:20:34] one,

[01:20:34] and I

[01:20:35] think that

[01:20:36] it doesn't

[01:20:36] matter until

[01:20:37] Christoph

[01:20:38] Porzingis

[01:20:38] back in

[01:20:40] mid-January,

[01:20:42] now,

[01:20:43] for the

[01:20:44] other teams,

[01:20:45] the host is

[01:20:46] that maybe

[01:20:48] there's a

[01:20:49] complication

[01:20:49] with Christoph

[01:20:50] Porzingis,

[01:20:51] that was

[01:20:51] unforeseen,

[01:20:53] but this

[01:20:54] is a good

[01:20:55] team,

[01:20:55] and Joe

[01:20:56] Mazzula,

[01:20:57] the head

[01:20:57] coach of

[01:20:57] the Boston

[01:20:58] Celtics,

[01:20:59] has gone

[01:20:59] from a

[01:21:01] guy that

[01:21:01] a lot of

[01:21:02] people

[01:21:02] question to

[01:21:04] a guy

[01:21:04] that seems

[01:21:05] like some

[01:21:06] sort of

[01:21:06] evil genius

[01:21:07] because he's

[01:21:09] turned basketball

[01:21:10] into a

[01:21:11] calculus

[01:21:11] problem.

[01:21:14] Mazzula has

[01:21:15] a strategy,

[01:21:16] his strategy

[01:21:17] is 44

[01:21:18] plus

[01:21:19] threes a

[01:21:20] game,

[01:21:21] that is

[01:21:21] the mandate,

[01:21:23] that is what

[01:21:23] he wants his

[01:21:24] guys to do,

[01:21:25] they have the

[01:21:26] green light to

[01:21:27] do it.

[01:21:28] To the

[01:21:28] detriment of

[01:21:29] Jason Tatum,

[01:21:30] who shot

[01:21:31] only 28%

[01:21:33] last year,

[01:21:34] but he

[01:21:34] continued to

[01:21:35] take those

[01:21:36] shots.

[01:21:39] But with

[01:21:40] Drew Holiday,

[01:21:41] who's darn

[01:21:42] near a 40%

[01:21:43] career three-point

[01:21:44] shooter,

[01:21:45] Gary White,

[01:21:46] who is a

[01:21:47] career 40%

[01:21:49] shooter,

[01:21:50] Jalen Brown

[01:21:51] shot the wall

[01:21:52] really well

[01:21:52] last year,

[01:21:53] and it

[01:21:53] looks like

[01:21:54] the hitch

[01:21:54] out of

[01:21:55] Jason Tatum's

[01:21:55] shot is

[01:21:56] gone.

[01:21:56] But whatever

[01:21:57] work he did

[01:21:58] in the

[01:21:58] offseason,

[01:21:59] it looks like

[01:22:00] whatever the

[01:22:00] impediment

[01:22:01] was,

[01:22:02] it looks like

[01:22:03] it's no

[01:22:04] longer there.

[01:22:05] And this is

[01:22:06] a good

[01:22:06] little sign

[01:22:07] for the

[01:22:08] Celtics because

[01:22:09] you don't see

[01:22:10] any complacency

[01:22:11] now.

[01:22:12] Usually when

[01:22:13] you win the

[01:22:13] championship,

[01:22:14] oh,

[01:22:14] we're chilling,

[01:22:16] we're just

[01:22:16] chilling.

[01:22:17] Now these

[01:22:18] guys seem

[01:22:19] really mad,

[01:22:21] and they

[01:22:21] seem like

[01:22:23] there's a

[01:22:24] sense of

[01:22:25] urgency.

[01:22:27] I must

[01:22:28] tell you

[01:22:28] that there

[01:22:30] should be a

[01:22:31] sense of

[01:22:31] urgency in

[01:22:32] Boston because

[01:22:33] I believe

[01:22:34] that this is

[01:22:35] the last year

[01:22:36] you will see

[01:22:36] that team

[01:22:37] together.

[01:22:38] I believe

[01:22:39] that the

[01:22:40] financial

[01:22:41] constraints

[01:22:42] will be so

[01:22:43] overwhelming

[01:22:44] after this

[01:22:45] year,

[01:22:46] someone will

[01:22:47] get traded.

[01:22:48] so I

[01:22:49] can see

[01:22:50] why they're

[01:22:50] saying,

[01:22:51] hey,

[01:22:51] this is

[01:22:52] kind of

[01:22:52] our

[01:22:53] mini last

[01:22:53] dance or

[01:22:54] whatever the

[01:22:55] case may

[01:22:55] be of

[01:22:56] this particular

[01:22:57] group.

[01:22:58] And I'm not

[01:22:59] saying Jalen

[01:23:00] Brown is

[01:23:00] leaving.

[01:23:01] I'm not

[01:23:01] saying Jason

[01:23:01] Tate is

[01:23:02] leaving.

[01:23:02] I have no

[01:23:02] clue.

[01:23:04] But the

[01:23:04] financial

[01:23:05] ramifications

[01:23:06] are coming

[01:23:06] due and

[01:23:08] they are

[01:23:08] enormous.

[01:23:10] And whether

[01:23:11] it's

[01:23:11] Wake

[01:23:12] Grossbeck

[01:23:12] or whoever

[01:23:14] owns this

[01:23:15] team

[01:23:16] afterwards,

[01:23:17] there is

[01:23:17] no way

[01:23:18] they're keeping

[01:23:19] this entire

[01:23:20] group together.

[01:23:22] They are

[01:23:23] going to be

[01:23:24] on a

[01:23:24] mission.

[01:23:25] There are

[01:23:25] people who

[01:23:26] are red

[01:23:27] ass.

[01:23:28] There are

[01:23:28] people who

[01:23:29] feel slighted.

[01:23:30] There are

[01:23:30] people who

[01:23:31] think

[01:23:33] entities or

[01:23:34] media or

[01:23:35] whatever don't

[01:23:36] believe in

[01:23:37] them.

[01:23:38] And it's

[01:23:38] all going

[01:23:39] to be used

[01:23:40] as tackling

[01:23:42] fuel.

[01:23:42] Shout out

[01:23:43] to Adam

[01:23:44] Sandler and

[01:23:45] the water

[01:23:45] boy.

[01:23:46] Tackling

[01:23:47] fuel,

[01:23:47] right?

[01:23:48] So I'm

[01:23:48] going to be

[01:23:48] used for

[01:23:49] tackling

[01:23:49] fuel because

[01:23:50] they're going

[01:23:51] to need it

[01:23:51] to be pissed

[01:23:52] off throughout

[01:23:54] the regular

[01:23:54] season to

[01:23:55] grab this

[01:23:56] number one

[01:23:56] seed and

[01:23:57] try to

[01:23:58] destroy the

[01:23:58] east because

[01:23:59] that's what

[01:24:00] they're trying

[01:24:00] to do.

[01:24:02] And they

[01:24:02] can't wait

[01:24:03] till Christoph

[01:24:03] Porzingis comes

[01:24:04] back because

[01:24:05] he is a

[01:24:07] absolute

[01:24:07] just match

[01:24:09] up nightmare.

[01:24:11] Seven foot

[01:24:12] three,

[01:24:13] seven foot

[01:24:13] four dude

[01:24:14] who can

[01:24:14] shoot it

[01:24:15] and then

[01:24:15] take you

[01:24:16] into the

[01:24:16] post.

[01:24:17] Oh,

[01:24:17] some of

[01:24:17] the key

[01:24:17] questions

[01:24:18] about the

[01:24:19] Boston

[01:24:19] Celtics.

[01:24:21] How many

[01:24:21] great quotes

[01:24:22] will we

[01:24:23] receive from

[01:24:24] Coach

[01:24:24] Missoula this

[01:24:25] year?

[01:24:26] We know

[01:24:27] that the

[01:24:28] dude is

[01:24:30] very

[01:24:31] stout

[01:24:33] religious.

[01:24:34] We know

[01:24:35] that the

[01:24:36] dude loves

[01:24:37] the movie

[01:24:37] The Town

[01:24:38] and watches

[01:24:39] it on loop.

[01:24:40] We know

[01:24:43] that he

[01:24:43] has very

[01:24:45] unique

[01:24:45] training

[01:24:46] methods

[01:24:47] for his

[01:24:48] team

[01:24:48] and I

[01:24:50] just can't

[01:24:51] wait till

[01:24:52] this dude

[01:24:52] is up

[01:24:52] there

[01:24:54] on the

[01:24:55] podium

[01:24:55] after games.

[01:24:57] There's

[01:24:57] going to be

[01:24:57] some jewels

[01:24:58] that are

[01:24:58] going to be

[01:24:58] dropped.

[01:24:59] I can't

[01:24:59] wait to

[01:25:00] bring them

[01:25:00] to you

[01:25:00] all season

[01:25:01] long.

[01:25:02] The other

[01:25:03] question,

[01:25:04] Tatum

[01:25:05] Brown

[01:25:05] revenge

[01:25:06] tour.

[01:25:08] how

[01:25:08] successful

[01:25:09] will it

[01:25:09] be?

[01:25:10] How much

[01:25:12] hate

[01:25:12] do they

[01:25:13] have in

[01:25:13] their

[01:25:13] heart?

[01:25:14] How much

[01:25:15] vitriol

[01:25:16] do they

[01:25:18] have pumping

[01:25:18] in their

[01:25:19] veins?

[01:25:20] And can it

[01:25:21] last until

[01:25:22] mid-January

[01:25:23] when Christoph

[01:25:24] Porzingis

[01:25:24] gets back?

[01:25:27] Only time

[01:25:28] will tell.

[01:25:28] So,

[01:25:29] that is it.

[01:25:30] That is our

[01:25:33] Eastern Conference

[01:25:34] rankings.

[01:25:35] this is how

[01:25:35] we think

[01:25:36] it's going

[01:25:36] to all

[01:25:36] play out

[01:25:37] as far

[01:25:37] as that's

[01:25:38] concerned.

[01:25:38] I will

[01:25:38] tell you

[01:25:39] that

[01:25:41] if we

[01:25:42] were picking

[01:25:42] right now

[01:25:43] the team

[01:25:44] to come

[01:25:44] out of

[01:25:44] the East,

[01:25:45] if you

[01:25:45] tell me

[01:25:46] Christoph

[01:25:46] Porzingis

[01:25:47] is healthy,

[01:25:48] I got

[01:25:48] the Celtics.

[01:25:50] But it's

[01:25:50] a long

[01:25:51] season and

[01:25:52] we don't

[01:25:52] know if

[01:25:52] he's

[01:25:52] going to

[01:25:53] be

[01:25:53] healthy.

[01:25:54] So,

[01:25:55] keep it

[01:25:55] locked

[01:25:55] here for

[01:25:58] more

[01:25:59] NBA

[01:26:00] action,

[01:26:02] more

[01:26:02] news,

[01:26:03] more

[01:26:04] information,

[01:26:05] and I

[01:26:05] just want

[01:26:06] to thank

[01:26:06] the audience

[01:26:07] for this

[01:26:09] journey that

[01:26:09] you are on

[01:26:10] with us.

[01:26:10] Thank you so

[01:26:11] much.

[01:26:11] I want to

[01:26:12] thank my

[01:26:12] producers

[01:26:12] for helping

[01:26:13] me put

[01:26:15] this together.

[01:26:15] This was

[01:26:16] a long

[01:26:17] show.

[01:26:17] We knew

[01:26:17] it was

[01:26:18] going to

[01:26:18] be,

[01:26:19] but this

[01:26:20] is what

[01:26:20] we got

[01:26:20] to do

[01:26:21] to bring

[01:26:22] heat

[01:26:22] for you.

[01:26:23] So,

[01:26:24] with that

[01:26:24] being said,

[01:26:26] the best

[01:26:26] part of

[01:26:27] you is

[01:26:27] you.

[01:26:27] Make sure

[01:26:28] that the

[01:26:28] people

[01:26:28] surrounding

[01:26:29] you are

[01:26:29] just

[01:26:30] brightening

[01:26:31] your light

[01:26:31] and allow

[01:26:32] your light

[01:26:33] to do some

[01:26:34] good in

[01:26:34] this world

[01:26:34] and we'll

[01:26:35] see you

[01:26:36] back on

[01:26:36] this feed

[01:26:37] on Friday.

[01:26:39] Peace.