Still in my life never had heard a crowd or louder than those Oracle crowds during our playoff run. I definitely do feel like, uh, you know that home court game seven crowd is very important. You know, you guys can make shots at home, they can't make them on a role. You're starting to see that a lot of today's game. A lot of guys are big shot takers, but they're not big shot makers. Welcome back to another edition of What's Burning. Jack were in the thick of
the conference finals. Atlanta wasn't able to advance yesterday With the big upset victory over the Philadelphia seventies sixers knock on the number one seed in the East out Kevin Herder led the Hawks with twenty seven points. Collins added a nice another double double fourteen points, sixteen rebounds. Trey Young was clutched down the end, didn't shoot the ball
well during the game. But what I loved about what he did Jack, because he kept attacking, he kept putting pressure on it, and he figured, ship, if we're gonna lose, we're gonna lose on my shoulders. And I respect that from anybody, but especially a young superstar. Thoughts on the Hawks performance. Obviously shout out Nate McMillan with able to with their bill the advance of the Eastern Conference Finals. I love hi, man. I think this this is a tough minded team. I think the way they played, the
way he approached the game. He's transferring that to his players. You know, they know that they were up against the number one seed, but they went out there and played like they was the number one seed. They played with confidence through the ups and downs of the series. They stayed focused and and and one thing he said about trade he didn't shoot well, but he kept confident. He still led the team, He still was a vocal leader,
He still was passionate about the game. He didn't get down and hold his head down when he missed the shot. He kept going. And uh, and then that's what you have to do in the playoffs, man. It's all about being the best in this four times out of those seven games, and this team stayed focused enough to do it. They didn't worry about being um planning against the number one seed and who this team was. You know, they went out there and showed there was a better team.
And we know how that feels. Yeah, I mean again, I can't say enough about what Trey Young has been able to do during these playoffs. Um, we owe them an apology, no one. I don't think anyone saw them doing what they did, but they shocked everyone, and that's what you gotta do. But again, I think at one point and during the game, he was like three for sixteen or three for twenty one of those two But again he kept shooting and hit some big threes and
big floaters down the stretch, some big assists. So that's the kind of mentality you want with your star. The star like we're either gonna you know, slink or swim, you know. So he definitely led the team in other ways, but you know, the supporting cast stepped up in a big way. Another off to face the Milwaukee Bucks jack, where does Philly go from here? As the great Skip Bayliss said, Uh, you know, Philly has one injured star and one star that's psychologically injured. So where does Philly
go from here? Well, as talented as Ben Seminars, I would never pay that much money for a player who can't shoot. A part of basketball is being able to shoot. I don't understand what what what what they're saying and that Brett Brown really handicapped him when he was there, didn't really make him work on his shot, didn't even try to give him confidence that he could shoot so to to be a basketball player, and you scared the shooting,
you can't shoot. I don't know how you're gonna be effective, on how you're gonna help any team with a dominant big man. It's like in beat no team will win. Ever, when you have a dominant big man that draws so much attention and you kick it out to your point guard and he scared to shoot, it's just impossible to It's just possible to see anything going well. I think they gotta make changes, and even Doc Rivers is not confident we're going forward with being with Ben Simmons, and
I understand totally why. To me, this is not even basketball for Ben Simmons. I think this is literally all psychological mental and you know, obviously you gotta be careful when speaking on mental health, but I really feel like he needs to see some kind of sports psychologists because I've seen him shoot in the summertime with confidence and knocked down mid range shots, knocked down threes, but when the big lights of the playoffs come on, or really
even the season. I just think he's hesitant to shoot that. I think it was a big sign when you know, he beat Gallo on that baseline spin and instead of dunking on Trey Young, he passed the ball and they and I think it beat even Spoke on the two They hit one out of two three throws when he could normally just sit down and dunk that. So to me, I don't think it's about the hard work, because I know he does work hard. I know he puts those
hours in. To me, it's up between his ears. So hopefully he's able to sit down with someone and just kind of clear his mental because we all know mental is the most important part of this game. It's nine of the game. So he's got all the physical attributes, I think the mental part has to start coming around because he's literally it looks like scared to shoot and and and like you said, you have to be able to shoot when you're playing with the dominant big players.
So it'll be interesting to see what happens um this summer. If he is on the trade market, what kind of value can you get for him? I think Stephen A. Smith said this morning you know, can you can you even get a c J. McCullum for for Ben Simmons. Now c J. McCullum and Philly would be a fucking monster. So we'll have to see what happens this summer. But again, congrats to Atlanta for advancing to the Eastern Conference Finals. Atlanta will be facing Milwaukee in the Eastern Conference Finals.
Who was able to outlast the Brooklyn Nets. Janice had forty and thirteen in the clinching game. Middleton twenty three and ten played it all series would trip me out? Was just the minutes that these guys played. This was really old school Middleton in Janice and then Katie on the other side of paying back to back complete games, Katie didn't go down without a fight, dropped forty eight points. I just think he ran out of gas. Uh. James Harden was kind of a shell of itself. Uh, you know,
picked up offensively a little bit in the last few games. Uh, there's still an a p B on out on Joe Harris. They don't know where the funk he's at. But let's talk about this series and how Milwaukee was just able to outlast, you know, a shorthanded Brooklyn Nets team. Yeah, shouts out to Katie Man. I had a lot of respect for him, but the respect is even through the roof now for the way he performed, Uh, the way he went out there and put everything on the line too.
Kids body to play the whole game the last two games. That that showed a lot of of strength and and and confidence to be able to go out there and play those games, you know, for the eight minutes two games back to back and play well. Janice and Middleton, you know, it's just two headed monster. That that's something
that Brooklyn didn't have. You know, both of these stars aim to play and to me, you know a lot of people might bask me for, but I think Middleton is the better player on their team because you can't take anything away from him. He can drive, he could post up, he could pull up, he can pass, he can drill, he can do it all. You know, you can file you honest, and he can shoot an a ball from the free throw line. And that's what I think they should have done. It should have filed him more.
They didn't follow him enough. They just let him get to the bucket and and and play and do shoot the shots that he normally shoot, which is high percented shots for the most part. We gotta stop calling these guys, uh uh they're great shooters, because anybody can make a shot in regular season, but a lot of these guys that they deemed great shooters can't make a shot in the playoffs because the moment it's too big for him.
Joe Harris was nowhere to be found. And when when you have guys down like Kyrie, when you have a wounded you can't have a wounded James Harden shooting and play better than you. Joe Harrison was definitely, uh, definitely let me down because I was pulling for Brooklyn and uh, even with Steve Nash, I think he had a problem with making adjustments. You know, you got D'Antoni on the sideline.
He's not known to make the adjustments. Your your your your coaching staff did not help you make the right at just when when going through so many injuries and so many ups and downs, you want to protect the paint. You want to have somebody that can that can protect the paint and change shots. You didn't play DJ for what reasons, I don't know, but a lot of things that they did, they were they relied too much on k K D right dog, and we know, we know
what DJ meeans to the team. We know his relationship with the players on that team, and that probably kind of killed the morale with him. I saw him sitting down a lot doing the games, and that's totally not DJ. He's normally upbeat into the game. So Steve had a rough first year. He didn't get a good grade from me. I think Katie really built their coach and staff out this year and it showed. But but hats off to Two Button Ohosa and Milwaukee. They came to play. They
played hard on both fends. And one thing you you gotta do in the playoffs you gotta play harder than the than the team you're playing against. And Janice did that every night and that's why they that's why they're moving on to the Eastern Conference Finals. I think that this was definitely a welcome to the NBA moment for Steve Nash as far as coaching. UM. Obviously, to lose two of your stars going into the playoffs, uh, you know, we never really got to see the three headed monster
um like we all wanted to. And like you said, Katie kept that that that ship afloat. Some guys stepped up, some guys didn't. Brown played really well. You know, a role player who stepped up, wasn't scared of the moment, played his heart out. Very interesting. Why DeAndre Jordan didn't play one minute in the playoffs. Um, you know I was talking to him at the beginning, kind of keeping your head, stay ready, that kind of ship. But I
just kind of sat back in while. So I'm just like, you're trying to tell them you can't use DJ at all right now. Like I was very confused with that. But you know, not to take anything away from Milwaukee, and I think you said it great. I mean you honest, maybe a two time m v P and get a lot of the accolades, But to me, Chris Middleton is the man on this team. But that's not to discredit you, honest, but Christian Middleton is the guy that steps up and
clutch moments on both ends of the floor. Keep in mind, he was although you're not gonna slow down or you're not gonna stop someone like Katie, but you know, shout out to p J. Tucker. But Chris Middleton guarded Kevin Durant down the stretch really well, you know, as well as you can. So Chris Millicon was doing on both sides. Glad to see he stepped up. You know, they still
got Drew Holiday over there. To me, the Bucks are possibly possibly possibly, and we want to say this lightly because Atlanta is tough, but to me, it's it's it's it's Milwaukee's Eastern Conference Finals to lose and possibly titled to lose. You know, they were my sleeper coming out of the East because I really felt that they just kind of floated under the radar all year. Different lineups,
different looks, different rotations. That really showed um in this series at time, the way Bud was able to make adjustments and go with different lineups that we hadn't necessarily seen in previous playoff runs. But again, Atlanta Hawks Milwaukee Bucks in the Eastern Conference Final, that's going to be a beauty keeping the momentum going in this series. Jack, Game one of the Eastern Conference Finals is Wednesday. Let's talk a little bit about this series X factors and
key matchups we like. Let's start with the Milwaukee Bucks. You think the X factor or key matchup will be, well, the X factor to me is gonna be Drew Holiday. Philadelphia had seven foot his guarding Trey Young, and we know how great of a deep, deep defender that Drew Holiday is. I think he plays his role to a team and he knows what he has to do to keep this team going. And uh, he's gonna go out there and really try to lock up Tray and really make it difficult for him. I see him doing a
great job offensive wise. It's Middleton, of course. Like I said, he's the best player on the team. He can do it all, and he's starting to come into his own in these playoffs. People are starting to see who he is and starting to really respect him. And if he can continue to have success on both ends of the floor and carry his team and the clutch moments, uh and make the big players like he's been doing, I see him being a big part of them getting out
of this series. Yeah, a lot of interesting matchups across the board. I like that Drew Holiday, uh Trey Young matchup, But I wonder what it's gonna be like on the defensive end for Trey Young. Do you put him on Holiday? Can't put him on Middleton. Middleton is too big. If you try to hide him on p J Tucker. P J Tucker is gonna bully the ship out of him and stay on the offensive glass. So I really kind
of this is kind of this Milwaukee team. Again, as you mentioned Atlanta did, this Milwaukee team plays a little bit of old school. Well, they'll look for the mismatches in the backdown. So you know, Drew Holiday is great in the post. You know Middleton is great in the post. Uh. P J. Tucker's as strong as they come. So it's gonna be interesting to me to see where they put um Trey Young on the defensive end because it could
be a long night. You know, that gets into his legs because he's gonna have to guard this series either one of those two guys or keep p J. Tucker's big, strong gass off the glass. So that would be interesting to watch. And I think another interesting matchup that I'm really gonna like is John Collins and Janice. John Collins is an undersized I don't know if you want to call him a four or five, but he definitely handled
He's been handling his own all throughout the playoffs. The Donkey had it on on Embiid was monstrous, but he plays bigger than he is, someone that could somewhat match Janice's athleticism, um and strength. So I'm definitely looking forward to that matchup because you know, John Collins can also stretch out and hit the three ball. So that's gonna be a one matchup. But great series. As Atlanta has proven its ship shod ain't sweet over there, you know.
I mean, these guys have battled their way to the Eastern Conference finals where no one thought they would be, and have a chance to go to the finals now. So although I think the Bucks will be favored, this will definitely be another battle, uh to get to the finals for both of these teams. So it's gonna be fun to watch. Who you got in this series, Jack, I got Milwaukee manum more experienced coach, but but has been you know, through the fire. He's been the championship coach,
been on championship sidelines. I just think with the with the dominant dynamic of the way Middleton is playing right now, the defense and the leadership with Drew Holiday, and how hard Janice plays. He plays harder than anybody in every arena, I just don't see them losing this series. I want to pick the upset of the playoffs and take Atlanta. But again, I just think Milwaukee has has a different
focus this year. I think being the number one seed the past two years, expectation bright lights, they didn't do well. This season. They've been floating underwear, like I said, and kind of learning and mixing the matching, shipped up for different situations and different lineups, and it's paid off. So I too like Milwaukee in this series, but I think it's gonna be a hell of a shootout. The Rustern Conference Finals got off yesterday with Phoenix taking Game one
over the Clippers. No CP three for Phoenix. Still no word on Kauai for the Clippers, but Devil Booker came and showed his ass first career triple double, a forty point triple double at one point at eight team points in in the in the third quarter. What I like about this Son's team is everyone else who's stepping up. You know, you know what you're normally gonna get from your stars and that CPN book, and they've delivered all playoffs. The question is what are you gonna get from your
role players? And I don't mean to, you know, put eight in that role player role because I definitely think he's made a name for himself in these playoffs. But you know, your crowders who's been there, the bridges, the pains, all these young kids that haven't necessarily been on this stage have stepped up and act like they've been in these lights before. And that's what I love about this Phoenix team. Jack thoughts about this Phoenix team, man, they
they they're real deep, and everybody's playing their role. Obviously, Booker knew what he had to do, you know, with CP out, he had to play, you know, um, be a score and make plays and lead this team. And he definitely did that to a team at a forty point triple double. All the role players came in. I think Cameron Paine was big, you know, CPS one of those guys that you can replace. But Cameron Paine came in and ran the team, made some big assist to Aid and then got Aiden going in the game when
he needed to. Um. So this team is deep, man. I think coach money Willas got these kids confident and ready to play, and uh, they see the NBA Championship in their future man, and they're definitely starting to play like it. Talk to it I'm just so impressed with Devin Booker. I've always been a huge fan of his game.
My former college teammate, Earl Watson was his first coach and just used to tell me what kind of monster this kid was, and then getting to see it, and then knowing how close he got with Code, I see a lot of Code. I'm not gonna say. I'm not gonna go as far as saying, you know, stephen A. Smith said that he's the next Kobe. I'm not gonna go as far as saying that, but I see a lot of Kobe and his mannerisms, his approach, his appetite to score, his well rounded nous on on the offensive end. Uh,
he was incredible. Uh you know, he pretty much had to play point guard, although Cameron paying that eleven points not assist down the stretch, the ball was in books hand and he was able to hit big shots and keep the rest of the team going, which was beautiful to me. Um the Clippers, Paul George's is back to be in playoff p and I like that because he's such a talented guy that I think he took a lot of heat for not stepping up. But he's been
playing well, he had thirty four hits, seven threes. Reggie Jackson. I credit ty lou Man because you know, he's he's had some they got so much talent he's got. He's had restrictions and some guys haven't been playing, but he's found out the guys that have. And I think once he took the handcuffs off Reggie Jackson, he's to me, he's the reason why this team is in the Western Conference Finals. I think he's had three straight twenty point games. Boog.
He finally got to play man, shout out Boogie. Although he had what five six thousand, there's eleven minutes or in thirteen minutes, but he came with eleven points, some rebounds, a mean as dunk and just muff muffed the game up a little bit, which I love to see. And then Rondo hit big debt shots down the stretch, you know, obviously ran the team. So I think this is still
a very interesting series. You know, with unfortunately, you know, anytime you have a sprained you know, a c L the likeliness of coming back is very low, and you always want to, you know, side on the side of caution, especially with the star like Kauai um so, who knows if we're gonna be able to see uh Kauai back.
But what has been your thoughts on this Clipper team? Man, They've overcame adversity, they lost their star there in the Western Conference Finals and still in it because you know, they're the only team to come down from O two, So if they was the next game, you know they still have a chance to win this series. So thoughts on this Clipper team. I'm not worried. I'm not worried about the first game obviously Ifinis did what they were
supposed to do. But like you said, this is the this team has been down who are already and came back in one series. I think that the fact that they see what Boogie, how bog, how dominant Boogie can be, and people are starting to see why. Men, you always speak highly of Boogie because we know what he can do, and he can and he can really take a lot of pressure off that team and even it out with eighton.
I think I think t Lou continues to rely on Boogie, continue to give Reggie Jackson and um Rondo's confidence to go out there and play. I think they'll be fine. Paul Jorde know his role has to step up, and he's playing well. He's definitely been playoff pete. But if Boogie can can stay out of fire trouble and play like he can play like he played in those third team minutes he played, I think they'll be fine. But uh, salute to Tyler. He's doing a great job with with
all the talent he has. Hopefully mars knee injury is not that serious, he'll be back. But the guys that he has playing, and and and the guys that stepped up in the previous series, I can see them stepping up again. I think this game, I think the series definitely going seven. Yeah, definitely looking forward to Terence Man, you know, getting his footing in this series. But you mentioned uh Morrise going down with a knee issue. He
would be a huge law. He's someone who's hit big shots, um, you know throughout these playoffs, uh seven seven, uh threes in the in in the in the clinching game seven to get to the uh you know, to get to where we're at right now. So he would be a huge loss for hoping that his knee injury is not too serious. But this is gonna be fun. Now there's still no CPS still in health protocol, so they're hoping to get some good good news soon, but they may
have to go in Game two without CP. But the good thing is, you know, they bought themselves more time by winning Game one, so again they did what they're supposed to do. We'll see what happens in Game two on Tuesday, and hopefully we'll get some good news on you know, each team's respective stars and in their return. Now we have on the radar, presented to you by DraftKings,
the Final four is here. The NBA odds have the Bucks plus a hundred has the Phoenix Suns plus one forty, the Clippers plus eight hundred, the Hawks plus eleven hundred. Before you get to who you feel like it is the best pick. One thing I wanted to point out is in this final four we have three black coaches, which I think is a great thing. All we need is a chance we can hoop too, and we can coach. So all we need is some more representation in the
front officers to give minority coaches some opportunities. Shout out to all the coaches in the Final four, but and particularly these these three black coaches that have kind of you know, made their way and and and hopefully making it easier for other black coaches in the future. But back to odds on winning, who you got, Jack, I'm going with the only team that's fully healthy, the only team that has a back to back m v P, and the only team that second best players better than
m VP. I'm going in Milwaukee. St Man Again, I said it, it's not gonna I think if anything, this playoffs have shown it. It hasn't been easy in any rounds that they've just been. They've been great playoffs, although we've seen a lot of stars missed time. The competitiveness is it has been off the charts, and you know, nothing has been easy. And I agree with you. You know, I would love to see EP get to the finals and win a ring. I would love to see my
Clippers get to the finals and win a ring. I love what Trey Young is doing with this young Atlanta Hawk team. But again, the Bucks are the most healthy, have taken a lot of knocks on the way to get to this position, and I just feel like it's their time. So uh to me, again, it's the Bucks finals to lose. But would love to see the Clippers or sons knock them out man. This week we have a great episode coming up on All the Smoke. Our brother Whiz Khalifa drops this Thursday, June. We had a blast.
We got as high as you could possibly get. Enjoy this teaser. See you again. A song that went unfortunately right along with the tragic loss of Kobe Bryant. Talk to us about that song, how it came about. Obviously it had a meaning too with Paul Walkers arrested Peace Paul Walker. But talk to us about how important that song is in just the process of coming up with it, damn.
So we'll start with what you said, how important it is that song for sure, biggest song of my career, one of your moments you're talking about, yeah yeah, yeah, yeah, being in the airport in Korea and here motherfucker's singing you know, the hook and the verse and ship like that. They don't even speak English, you know what I'm saying, Like that that type of ship is crazy. You You can think that your song is gonna do that, but for it to actually happen, it's just like all right, wow.
And the process for making it was was cold because they came to me, the people from Fast and Furious and Mourner in Atlantic. Uh. They came to me and they were like, you know, we're trying to put this song together and your verses is going to be one of probably like eight, you know what I mean. They're like, we want to make this like a compilation song, and Charlie's hook was just supposed to be just like this, like the reference. They were like, we're gonna get this
artist on the hook. We're gonna get this verse from this person and that, and I was like, all right, cool. So I just wrote my verse and just sent it in you know, when thought about it or whatever. I'm like, it's a soundtrack. It's a little bit of money, like cool. And then they were like, no, we want you to do the whole song, and I'm like, all right, cool.
So I wrote another verse and they're like, well, we like this part of this verse and we like that part of that verse, so can you flip this and can you I'm like, oh, I know what's going on here, y'all. Turn y'all turn this to a motherfucking production. So in my head, I'm like, just be available, be ready for every little step if these motherfuckers tell you that they don't like one bar, just be available, be ready to
change it. And it was kind of a process of like tweaking the song for a few months and then you know, we shot the video before we even released it, and along with the release and just the song coming out, it just took off. It did with it, it went crazy, and the message behind it it just really really like, I don't know, I had no idea that they was about to go that crazy with it. All the energy that we put into it, it did everything that it was supposed to do, and the fans made it go crazy.
It was freaking number one for I think fourteen weeks as I don't know how many times platinum, and it's the only rap video at however many billion views that it has. But I was the first rapper to ever get a billion views on YouTube as well, so it helped me make history, you know, in a lot of different ways. And it touched so many people. Talking about your tribute that you and Charlie did, Yeah, man, that
was big. I was actually in Miami the night before because it was Super Bowl weekend and the super Bowl was in Miami, so it was just a fucking craze fest. I had a whole week book down there to just to be in Miami to work and you know, work, and I was like they hit me last minute, was like yo, what we're doing because of course nobody fucking expected that ship to happen. And then there was the
home game. It was like the first home game, and they were like, you know, we want you to do it, and I'm like, I'm in Miami, of course I'm gonna do it. I don't give a funk what I gotta do,
Like I'll jump on the jet blah blah blah. Charlie just so happened to be in Miami too, so we both got on the same jet the next day and just flew out and knocked it out and like that was just such a such an honor and such like a I wouldn't have been at the crib, like yo, I wish I could do the fucking tribute for you know what I'm saying, Like that was just a beautiful ass thing. It was a great opportunity and couldn't ask for better stuff like that, you know what I'm saying.
Just to hold it down and the kind of put people at ease about the situation was the energy like in the arena that night. It was weird. It was like quiet, like you know what I mean, Like, yeah, it was like it was like a hoop game, but nobody was really there though, you know what I mean. That's what it felt there. Yeah, it felt full, but it didn't feel like nobody was there. Yeah. Man, you ever met cob Ever seen him play? Yeah? I never seen him play, but I got to meet him a
couple of times. Always a cool ass dude, bro, Like just great energy, smiling, very welcoming. I do a lot of charities and things like that, and I will always see him at those events, things for single fathers and things for families and things to help out, like real ass situations like Kobe would be there and even like the Sucking party and like seeing I've seen him at like puff Daddy's house. You know what I'm saying, Just
kicking it. Yeah, it's a cool dude. Yeah. Alright, for Shore, it's time to make your mark with Italian Twine watch Company. The luxury watch brand is a hundred percent black owned and ran by two hbc U grads and former college roommates. Italian Twine offers detail of luxury with styles for both men and women. The Virginia based company found the Foeen has been featured in Men's Health, The Robb Report, Black Enterprise, helping to post New York Magazine, Cosmopolitan and more. John
Italian Twine Family. Shop Italian Twine dot com and use the code A T S for ten percent off your next order. Next step, We're on the Luck, presented you by Italian Twine. A lot of teams have made decisions to part ways with their head coaches. Let's start with the Dallas Mavericks and Luca Jack. Anybody come to mind when you're thinking about teaming them up with Luca for a nice successful run. People like Terry Stotts have been thrown in the mix since he's not with Portland anymore.
M A Doka, Becky Hammond's Jason Kidd, someone who I think has a great shot at Jamal Moseley been on the staff since two thousands of fourteen, that has a great relationship with Luca. Um thoughts on this Dallas vacancy. I think it's Jason Kidd. I think that would be the best to pair with him. Jazon Kidd is one of the best point guards to have a touch of basketball he's played in Dallas, had a lot of success in Dallas, and he's respected by everybody in the basketball world.
We see how well teams go and how how how confident players are when they have an ex player as a coach. Um, And I think the position he plays as a leader of the team and as dominant Luca is having a coach like JK that he can talk to about in game and off the course stuff. I think it would benefit him most. I really don't see anybody else being that guy. Um. He lucas more more solid and more urban than people think, So having a coach like j K would win to benefit him in
my mind. So Jack, when you say urban, do you mean he's got a little black in his blood? I mean I mean that most most people that's not black get invited to the barbecue. Lucas throwing his own barbecue and he's viting us. Yeah, Luca might come in with three bad black sisters too, so you never know what. Lucy. Moving on to Portland's who is ideal to team up with Dame? You know, Dame came out the gates and said Jason Kidd, And then Jason Kidd removed himself from
the situation. We got Mike D'Antoni over a Booklyn Note backing Hammond again, Carlisle Brooks, Stan Van Gundi. But my choice is Chauncey big shot build ups your thoughts, I agree. I don't know how D'Antoni keep getting jobs, Bro, I just I just don't get it, Bro, Why why why why is he still getting jobs? No X amount of every coaching job he no. I'm with you, Bro, chaunceon buildup for sure, champs, to build up, deserve a shot. He's a finals MVP, and he sent me to j Kid.
He's played the game, He's been on great teams, and he knows what it takes to win. He knows what he knows what a point guard needs around him, and he knows what it takes what it takes to win. D'Antoni has never won a NBA championship. Chauncey has you gotta go with guys who have more experience on the court, because these guys were relying more and relate more to guys who's played the game. It's just the facts. I think we're we're we're we're embarking upon a new wave.
We're normally we're recycling the same coach as you get fired from one spot and go to the next spot. But I think there's a little bit more former player getting some love and looks, which is important because these players aren't too far removed from the game, so they
can really late to these younger players easier. You know, I said early on that stan Van Gundy wasn't a good fit for New Orleans because he's not not that he's not a good coach, not that he's not a good X and os, he's just too outdated in his styles, you know what I mean. So to me, we continue to recycle these same coaches that again aren't bad coaches, just their systems haven't translated to this younger thing. So I think it's good. I would love to see Billips
get a shot. I would love to see Becky Hammond's possibly get a shot as as the first female. You know, Sam Cosel's out there. We'll talk about him. Darvin ham email udoka um, you know, mentioning those names that the Celtics are interested heavily in former players taking that next head coaching spot in Boston, which is which is very interesting to me and some people at the top of their list are are are African American coaches? Considering um, all the heat this, you know, this fan base has
taken for racist moments and actions. What are your thoughts on who could possibly be the next head coach of the Boston Celtics. Well, if if Chauncey and Sam don't get a job anywhere else, I think they perfect. They both played there, they both have experienced there, and like I said, man, these are guys that's been around, that's been around great coaches, but also we're leaders in their
own right, both NBA champions. So I just I just see guys, you know, really really understanding players and getting the game that they need today because the game has changed, and and and and the willingness to give you all the plan with passion, and and and and going out there to to die and die for your brother to
win the game. That game. It's kind of faded away from the NBA, and I think these guys came in that era where you had to be passionate every night, you have to be passionate for your teammate, You had to lead by example, and these guys can can teach that to these to these young guys that's coming in the game now. So Sam and Johnson are definitely at the top of my list. You know what I like
right now? Jack, One thing that I already mentioned, there's a lot of black candidates and and female candidates available for their possible first time being head coaches. But they're also good teams that they're going to get a chance to coach. A lot of times, these minority coaches get these weak as teams that have been at the bottom of the league and don't have a chance to really do anything with and they get a year or two
when they're gone. So what I like is, although there are gonna be some bad teams looking for coaches, there's also some really good teams that need head coaches. And there's a lot of black candidates and again women um getting an opportunity and getting a look there. So that's always good because to me is it's like fools go when you give a black coach a bad team, it's a ticking time bomb. It's only a matter of time and he's gonna take the heat, you know. So we'll
have to see how this goes. To me, there's gonna be a lot more coaching vacancies opening up. You know, the season isn't even over yet, so look too. There's gonna look to obviously a lot of free agent movement, as always in trades, but look to you know, the the coaching carousel is going to be wide open this summer and fun to watch. Onto our next segment, Our favorite segment, fan questions. Let's get started the underscore Action.
Underscore Hank, what is the most impressive and most disappointing difference you've seen in younger players now versus younger players in the early two thousands. Well, I think today's game, all you gotta do is have to have to have a high Instagram following and and have somebody follow you around and put all your highlights on Instagram to be noticed and be good. We didn't have that. We had to actually work. We have to actually show that we cared about the game. We have to actually play with
passion and show it. We didn't have social media to to to make us look good. We have to look good in real time. And I think that's the difference. You know, I'm not saying that these kids don't work, but it's easier for him and and and a lot more is given to them than what we were giving. We know we have to work harder, and that's the big difference. People might not understand it because they're on the outside looking in, but me as a player, I see how easy it is now then how then how
hard it was when we played And it's just the truth. Uh, to me, the difference is and this is not all the young players, because I don't never want a group bowl, but to me, I see a higher skill level when I talk about individual skill, ball handling and all that kind of stuff, but a lower basketball i Q. I think that players now it's all about the way to prodividual workouts. And you know, back when we're coming up, it was less. I mean, people worked out, but it
was more about playing. You mean, all we did was play. So like your basketball i Q had to raise because you're playing against you know, the best during the season, and you're playing against the best in the world during the summer. So it's just a lot of basketball. And there was more basketball i Q. Now it's the league is younger, and i'd say is skilled as the league has ever been, as lead as athletic as the league has ever been. But I think the basketball i Q
still hasn't caught up to some of these guys. In Again, that's not everyone, because there's some very smart young players out here that are doing it both ways. But that would be my one thing is just like I said, I think the basketball I q UH will eventually catch up. And you know, as younger players in the early two thousands, we sat behind some of these vets and kind of learned the ropes and learned the game. Now there's no vets, so now these young kids are just coming in playing um.
So to me, that was my take, that was Jack's take. Hoping we answer your question, my brother, next fan question at j KYLA twenty three. With all the coach movement going on, do you think someone like Chance we get a great opportunity to turn the franchise or get someone over the hump? I do you know, as we touched in our last segment, there's a lot of high profile jobs up for grabs, and and mark my words, Chelsea Bills will be a head coach in the NBA next year.
I think it's it's just gonna be on who he feels UH is the best fit for him, because you look at all these teams and he's you know, top one or two name on every list. Um, well deserved. Uh always you know, got a chance to play with chaunce play with them and against them, great basketball mind.
And to me, you always got to think that. You know, point guards were always coaches on the floor during their careers, you know, so that transition to that first seat is not the biggest transition as people want to make it seen, you know what I mean. Like Chris Paul I wouldn't although he's probably not gonna be a coach when he's done, great basketball mind, I could see him transitioning those spots. Chauncey Billups the same thing. So I definitely do feel
like Chahncey would get a shot this year. Um, I'm almost willing to bet one of my kids on it. Next question the house on Saturn. What's the illest piece of clothing? You dropped an ask from a blunt on and burned a hole in? Oh man, that's easy for me. I don't smoke them more, Matt, and I'm smoking them more. But I do remember I had this brand new uh Nike Test Tech Flee Swiss suit Man. It was fresh
out of the box. I was, you know, I was, I think I was in the car getting ready to go somewhere, and I was smoking in the car on my way to somewhere, and I had a brand new Nike Tech Flee Swiss with old man. I'm telling my I burned a big old hole right in the crouch area. And I was sick because I couldn't turn back around, and and I knew cameras and stuff was gonna be on me, so I had to kind of like fold it well when I'm sitting down and kind of pot from my hand on top of it, just so they
won't see the hole. But I burned the big hole in the bro I was sick. Man. Anytime you burn your not can take pleash. I know your day is ruined. That's funny. I mean smoking and driving is definitely dangerous. If that, if that, if that cherry falls off, because you could funk around, burn your seat, burn yourself, crash. I mean obviously none of that has really happened, but it's I remember, uh the we believe team Yo. We
were driving back. I don't I don't. I don't even think no one was with me, but I know I was smoking on the way back to your place. We had just landed and uh, the cherry fell off one of my blunts, and I curbed my fucking rim like I was trying to swipe the ship off the seat and curb the funk out of one of my rooms. I had just got some new too. I was mad as a motherfucker. But back to the question. Um, we used to play this game when I first got legal with my home boys back at home, where I'd have
this man cave, but we would just smoke. I would work out in the morning and then the rest of the day was smoking and video games. So we would toss the blood to someone when they weren't look in and hopefully landed on their shorts. And if they're super high, they're just not paying attention to that motherfucking blunt will burn through their shorts, through their drawers, and burn the funk out of their legs. So we used to play
that game a lot. But I was always quick on my toes because obviously I have big lungs, so I would never really get too blowed and non focus. So I was probably the best at like tossing that bit across the room having a land And you gotta think this is the early two thousands, so we all had big baggy shorts, so you didn't really feel when something would fall on your lap like you do tonight with
them like these days with the nut huggers. But I tossed that blood like that blunt across the room and the land on someone shorts perfect and next thing, you know, burn the funk out of him. Ship the good old smoking days. Next fan question ed d Dot Lidel do away teams really have an advantage when the fan base shows up more than the home team inexperienced the personally absolutely um that that still in my life never hadn't heard a crowd or louder than those Oracle crowds during
our playoff run. Um with with the you know, the opportunity to go back during the two thousand seventeen UH playoff and final run, crowd was good, but it wasn't like the Oracle crowd. So I definitely do feel like, uh, you know that home court game seven crowd is very important. What do you think? Well, I think on the road if you if your fans can come, but the home teams crowd is still gonna overshadow the road teams crowd. I don't care how many comes, they're still gonna get overshadow.
But it's just this. It's just this with me. You have some players that can play on the road and some camp you know, you guys can make shots at home, they can't make them on the road. And then that happened. You're starting to see that a lot in today's game. You know, I mean, a lot of guys are big shot takers, but they're not big shot makers. A lot of guys can shoot well at home, but they can't hit a shot on the road. And uh, that's just the way it is. Man. Last question the King Jose
twenty three. What is the realistic trader for you designing that can happened this off season? That can change the landscape of the NBA. Oh, change the landscape of the NBA. If Dame, If Dame goes to l A, If Damn Dame gets moved, Dame goes to another team anywhere in the league. I think that would be that would be a big shift for the NBA. I think everybody else is gonna stay put. But if Dame Lillard is leaving Portland, I moved to anywhere, you know, it's gonna have everybody talking.
There's always movement in the summertime, and I think that's what's continued to grow the game even in the off season. If someone like Dame moves, it would steal the headlines from baseball, football, anything else going on. So there's always gonna be some movement. I'm gonna go out on a rope and say one of those two stars in Portland's won't be there next year. I think that team has probably ran their course with that backcourt, both great players
to me. You know, Dame has obviously had the nod over cig A c J, a great player in his own right. Um. I think one of those guys who moved, most likely Ben Simmons, is going to be on the move. Um. And there's always other people that end up on the move that that that no one expected. So I don't really know who is going to make a move. Obviously, if you name the best player out there and he's thinking about moving, uh, possibly would be Dame Lillard. But
some people are gonna move. But it's definitely gonna change the landscape and put you know, teams in position to make a real tidle run next year. Don't let the Lakers get day. That's gonna be trouble, trouble trouble. Right next up quick hitters. The Celtics trade Kimball Walker to Okay See for Al Horford. Uh in return obviously takes a lot of money off the Celtics salary cap and
gives them flexibility. But Jack, the person in this trade that no one's talking about, but to me is the steal of the trade is my young U c l A brother, Moses Brown, who was seven ft tall and limited time average nine and nine and twenty twenty minutes for okay See. Um, he's someone that could really help Boston. Uh. He's long, he's big, he's had those games, um already.
So he's someone Tephany because we feel both feel you know, outside of fighting, probably a distributing point guard for Boston. They need help in that center position. So this kid, Moses Brown, mark my words, some of you already know about him. This kid is going to be a really good center and a really big pickup, uh for Boston. Yeah. I coached him in the Island ivers the game. Man,
I'm big high, I'm high on him. I just I just want him to get more physical, and uh, I wanted to get more physical and really pay with more passion. The kid has all the tools. He can put the ball on the floor. He could do all those things that that people haven't seen him do. And I'm not I don't even want to talk about Kimball going. Okay see Harpor coming yeah right? Uh? This kid is you right? Man?
You pick the right kid to talk about, because this kid can really change that out look at the Boston Celtics team. So I think with Horford, I'm thinking is obviously leadership because I think, you know, Horford has had a great career, but I think he's at the end of his run. And okay, see, could be a similar situation how it was for uh for CP three. You know, let it be a springboard for him to bounce out
and spread his wings. But someone over there that I really liked that handles the ball a lot already is Shay gil just and to me, he's an up and coming star. So it'll be interesting to see how him and him and Kimba can work together. Next up, din Woody. I think a lot of people forgot about it, but he was a key contributor to the nets before he tore his a. C L decides to opt out of his final year of his deal. I think it's around twelve million dollars and would be an unrestricted free agent.
Good move or bad move coming off in a c L Jack. I think it's a bad move. They needed him, and after after seeing Joe Harris let egg, you know, I think he should have He should have came back and and and got that twelve min improved this sself again. You know, we get we're getting some money. Uh being shocked right now after injury like that, nobody really knows what he's gonna bring to the table, what type of player is going to be. So I think that's a bad move by but hey, eight is he is your
heir charge his own career. Hopefully make the made the right decision. Normally I would say this is a is a bad move, but I don't necessarily think it is a bad move anymore because guys are coming back off injuries like they never missed a beat, and before they didn't. I mean, in case and point his fucking teammate. You know, Katie comes off an Achilles injury and to me is the best player in the game coming off that injury,
which is crazy, you know, So guys are coming back stronger. UM, he would have been huge if they had Dn Witty with all the injuries they had, they would have been fine because he was someone who wasn't scared of the moment, got buckets big, non winning counted. So it'll be interesting to see if Brooklyn tries to resign him or he hits the market, because I think it's gonna come back strong and he's a you know, eighteen to two point of night game guy anyway, So we'll see what happens
with him in free agency. Man, wish him the best of luck, definitely coming off an injury. Next up, the guy we've been showing love to throughout the season, James Jones wins Executive of the of the Year. UM went to that Phoenix Suns front office and has put a lot of great pieces together that has this team three wins away from the NBA Finals. So shout out James Jones, Man, Jack, what are your thoughts again? Someone we've been hyping up all season and glad to see his Uh, he's getting
recognized for his hard work. Yeah, former teammate. Uh, great guy. He's just a winner every team he's been on. He's just brought to luck to it to win. You know, every he's he's he's a multi champion. Uh, he has a whole bunch of rings. And I'm not surprised. This guy has always been a winner, always been a great guy. Always somebody that's gonna give it to you, give you the real at all times. And he understands the game. He's played with a lot of great players. So I'm
happy for my boy. Nobody deserving more than JJ. See. This is great with to me, and this is what I touched back onto with black coaching. When this kind of ship happens, it opens doors and opportunities and possibly raises eyebrows for other teams to give former players chances like the Phoenix Suns gave James Jones. I sit on Robert Salvert All the owner of the son, shout out our brother, executive the Year and you know, Phoenix three
three games away from the finals. Next up, LaMelo Ball wins Rookie the Year, although going down second half of the season, when the broken risk came back, you know, fought did this thing. I'm very impressed with this young kid man. This this you know, there's lots have been made of you know him and his brother, but he's came out and showed that he is a star, someone that can change a franchise, not just with his play on the court, but just his energy and his his usefulness.
I think it's really been a shot in the r for that whole city. So shout out LaMelo, Uh, NBA Rookie of the Year, congrat congrats to Melo. But I had it was winning it. Uh. We don't reward guys for playing the whole season. We don't, you know, we we don't reward guys for what they've doing and be able to stay healthy and play all these games. Uh, it was the missing beat this year. He had some of the biggest highlights of the NBA season, had some
forty point games. This kid really balled out. And and I hate the hip and the people that never played the game are so caught up on the hike, you know, not saying LaMelo is not good. But Edward showed a lot all season long. And I think a lot of players looked at this war are different. I agree one and I was saying earlier to me, this is a co Rookie of the Year opportunity, similar to how they
gave Grant Hill and Jason kidd. I don't know if anyone else has won the co Rookie of the Year, but to me, for everything you said, Edwards didn't miss a beat. Although it was a bad team, he nearly, you know, average twenty points a game, did what he can do and just show that there's the sky is the limit for this kid. So definitely shout out LaMelo. I know I've actually just seen Edwards somewhere too, but knowing him, he's gonna use this ship his motivation and
come out and have a great season next year. So congrats to both those young players. Man, the future is very bright for both those young stars. Jack and Closing, you were front and center this weekend for the Jamal Charlo fight. First, Bartell, Man, that dude has a hell of a chin. When all twelve rounds Charlot had him wobbled a couple of times us, but man, he kept walking through and ended up getting you in the managers decision for Charlo. What was that fighting energy like in
age Town this past weekend? Man, shout out to Age Time, shout to Showtime boxing. Man. It was a great event like usual, Man, a great fight. I think um U Jamal needed that fight. He needed to be tested. He needed to go into deep waters for a fight. Montilla was awesome, man. I think he did. He deserve another big fight too, because that kid kept coming the whole fight. He didn't back down, but Jamal with Jamal was just hit him with so many punches that Jamal won by
last slide. I think it was a couple of rounds where Mantel threw by four or five punches. You know, he didn't he wasn't even throwing punches, but he still was walking and coming forward the whole fight. It was great entertainment, great for the city of Houston. The whole city city of Houston came out to support Jamal and uh, it was another big win for him. Yeah, we saw Errol Spence, who was obviously friends with the Twins, UH coming show support. He's fighting Packia this year. What's next
for Jamal and your point? In your point of view, Jamal wants Triple G, Triple G or Carnello. You know, I think he understands how this fight went and this was a good fight for him. He understands if we fight either one of these guys, he could possibly get knocked out and it's definitely gonna be a twelve round fight. So he's excited about the lesson he learned this fight and he's looking forward the trip of Carnello next fight.
Stay tuned is will be in Atlanta this week for another great bout on Showtime pay per view between Javonte Tank Davis and all the Smoke alumni and Mario Barrios. Thoughts on this uh this weekend? Come on, man, you know we big Javonte Davis fans. Man, I think I've been to his last two or three fights. The kid is exciting. Man. I think what's more exciting about me is we've never seen him take training camp and in preparations so serious like he's done the last two fights.
And I think that's what making him so scary. Um. I want to see him continue to go. He's a knockout artist, and one thing about boxing fans, we love to see knockout. So the guy Mario Barrios, the guy he's fighting, has been in wars and this guy has a chin and the guy can fight as well. So, um, I think when anytime, anytime you fight a Mexican fighter, you know what time it is. They come and they come in and really scrap. So I'm excited that I'm
excited to see this fighting, and I'm excited to be there. Well, hope you guys enjoyed this episode of What's Burning. You can catch us every week on Showtime Basketball YouTube, and on Twitter and Instagram at show Basketball p