Welcome back to Unplugged, brought to you by Draft Kings. We have a lot of hoops to discuss today, fellas, but first let me welcome my two guests, my former teammate and homeboy Kean Dueling fresh out Welcome, and my dog Max Max hey Man.
Nice to see you too, Bang of boy. Kean, What's what's up?
Home Team?
What's up? Florida Boy? What they do?
Love?
Max? I heard you still. I heard you're still waiting on your pack, Max Man flee.
I was about to ask you what we came up this, Max, I'm down here about to have to bysop.
Obviously, before we jumped on air today, I walked into an interesting conversation of kind of redemption for both you guys. Obviously, you know, I mean myself included. We've all been through some ship and we've all had to atone for our mishaps. And what does it mean to both of you to kind of be able to start to regain your footing in a space you dearly love Katie, y'all start with you.
Yeah, So I'm big on seniority, So the O G always get to go first.
Okay, I'm been past the mic. Then Okay, what's what's the meaning to you? Man? You know obviously you know you you played before us and got out before us and and out outstanding career, but obviously you had some trouble off the court. Uh. We ended up connecting on a whim at All Star and it's been amazing ever since. But what is it? How's it? How's it been for you to kind of get in the same question I gave Kad to kind of regain your footing in the space you love so much.
Well, that's a blessing for me, because man, I was it.
I was down to at a low man, a point in my life where you know, I didn't know what.
Direction was up in which waves down.
And I had this young guy come up to me at my son's basketball game when my son was playing at North mech High School, and he was like he had this visioness name is Cam.
Carter, my dad who hit? Who really heads up.
My uh whatever everything that I do. And he was like, young kid, I think he was like twenty three twenty four at the time. He was like, Max, you know, I think you could You'll be a good podcaster.
And I looked at him.
I was like shit, Like I was looking at him like, Nigga, how much money that shit gonna cost me? You know, I thought, I was like, shit, this ship calls meself, Weddy. I ain't ready to do that, you know, I got I'm you know, I'm trying to stay alive. So but then I finally got into it. And then one thing led to another that started getting start. You know, it's all about the numbers, Matt, and the numbers started coming
together a little bit for me. H when I was with this company called Babarda and shout out to Babada because if for them too, I wasn't. I was able to get out and do what I had to do. And but just like kept grinding, man, and kept grinding. And then I started with my mental health thing, my LLC, you know, the Vernon Maxwell Initiative. LLC started the mental
health thing. And it was a blessing for me because, like I say about it all the time, if I can help one person when I talk about the mental health space, man, you know, I don't care one person. If I can just help one person, they get it. And it means so much to me that, you know. And then another thing with that, you know, and I just like to say in the black community is you know,
we don't talk about it enough. And I think it's very much needed, you know, and we sided you know, we all want to be you know, Mandingo's the big man and you know in the crowd so and you know, so I just think, you know, it's okay to be to ask for help if you need it.
And that's my thing, and that's.
What I care about, and that's that's that's what I like to talk about outside of talking shit about all my stories that I tell. And so that's the reason what helped me get to this space where I'm at today.
Appreciate my guys on all the smoke.
Yeah, we're happy to We're happy to have you KD same question down, yeah, man.
Just to piggyback what MaTx said is that, like there's some stigmas that come along with us as black men, Like we're not supposed to cry, we're not supposed to have feelings, we're supposed to internalize, right, all those different things.
Right.
But the the other side of that is that, man, we see some traumas coming up. I know, I got exposed to a lot of stuff, sexual abuse at an
early age. You know what I mean, seeing gunfights at an early age, poverty, you know what I mean, all these different things that you like carry with you that a lot of times like we are able to channel onto the court in our play right and so like it bring that dog got us like you know, yeo, I'm a dog, But like man, deep down inside, when it gets quiet, when it gets silent, when we don't have an infrastructure like NBA, you know what I mean.
You know what I mean, all these things start coming back, and so like man for me, man like just being a Florida boy and just seeing back og.
Mad Max, you know what I mean, in his journey.
I still got a problem with how he got hair when he was ball head, when he was like double pump, and.
I still got a problem with that.
But man, Og like at the end of the day, man like you know, I've gone through some hardships in life, but I've also done some good. And you have to wear your story. Your story is not like chapters in the story.
It's a journey, and the journey continues.
The marathon continues, rest in peace, Nipsey Hustle, marathon continues.
But I think you know that's why this spaces like these are important. You know, we started All the Smoke nearly six years ago to give people a safe platform to come tell their stories, speak their truths. And we all came from an era killa on you and I caught the end of, or excuse me, the beginning of the social media Ara. But Verne, you lived in a full era where what they said about you or what they prayed about you was the gospel. You never had a rebuttal, you never had a voice, you never had
an opportunity to rebuke or dispute anything they say. So that's why I feel like obviously All the Smoke was so important when it came. And you know, now you see a ton of you know, sports podcasts in general. Yeah, I don't look at none of them as competition because I feel like each one has a unique journey and a unique story and something to share. So I'm glad we got a chance to touch on that mental health side and that real side, because again, that's why we
do this. But there is business waiting for us, fellas. The second round of the playoffs are here, and let's start with the Celtics, who blew a twenty point lead in the third quarter against the Knicks, Boston in fifteen for sixty from the three point line, Tatum four for fifteen, Brown one for ten. I didn't read too much into this, to be honest with you. Obviously, I applaud the Knicks for going in there and still in game one, but I feel like this is the type of team Boston is.
I still feel like they're the best team in the playoffs. I still feel like they will win a championship, but I feel like they have mental lolls sometimes, and one of those lolls are settling a little too much for threes. But what did you guys see in this game last night that sit out to you and shocked you or pleased you or surprised you.
Ojis go first.
Ojile shutch Kian, Like I always say, Man, you live by it, you died by it.
You know what I mean.
I mean, you see you know your percentages? Those guys hit those stats. She's over on that sideline. They get to look at it. We wouldn't able to do that, but they get to look at that motherfucker and you see that you won for seven, one for eight. Then god damn, you gotta change it. You gotta change what you're doing, you know what I mean, But Boston gave away one last night.
I mean, they got to kill on the other side in Brunton.
Man, this guy, I mean, I'm telling you, man, he's probably playing the best basketball right now in the playoffs. Man, I feel, man, that guy's a killer. Man, he's really really playing exception Well. I love him, man, but I mean, and I just think that Boston will win the series. And I just think now it's gonna go seven games now, Yeah, Boston is gonna win the series.
Yeah, definitely, Yeah, no, the piggyback mans.
It's like at the end of the day, you know what I mean, Like, you know, like styles make fights, right, and analytics are a part of the game at this moment, And so the Celtics play at a fast paced and they shoot a certain amount of threes, and if they can have their guys shoot their three at the percentages that they usually clip at, they feel like they.
Can win over the course of a year.
The playoffs is different, right, it's possession by possession.
Big shout out.
To the referees, because the referees a lot letting, allowing a lot of stuff to happen that doesn't happen in the regular season, and you know what I mean, Like, you know, I put referees in the same block as I put cops.
Indeed, everything that's forced the law, you know what I mean. So I have my feelings about them.
But I also think that the referees know that there is a time and the space and the playoffs are a unique experience, right, and so they're letting a lot of physicality go and things like that.
I agree with Max.
I believe the Celtics will win ultimately, but I don't think it just has to be rim in threes.
I believe that the mid.
Range game is what might made Michael Jordan who he is. It's made all the great sinners who they are, you know what I'm saying.
So I don't.
Believe like rim and threes are the only way if you go four fifteen, if it's not going from outside, like get.
To your MIDI.
I know, Jason Tatum, I know Jason Jaylen Brown, I know that you know what I mean, Derrick White. They can get to their midi as well. And so like when you have a guy you know who missus free throws like Mitchell in the game, and you can kind of get these gaps, like use those to like get to your midi and just kind of maintain the league instead of just going rim and threes. I think, if you live by the sword, you die by the sword.
And I think this is where analytics versus the eye and experience kind of comes into play, because we haven't seen a lot of three pointers three, two, one, you know what I'm saying.
Three for the game. It's been the midi.
It's been Michael Jordan pulling back, it's been Magic Johnson's hook. And so I think that the two point, you know what I mean, Like basket has been minimalized, minimalized, and I would just love to see that balance because like the playoff basketball is coming back because I see physicality.
I just think that and another thing I want to point out, but I think it's a wake up call for these motherfuckers. Now Celtics, now they they got the call. Now it's time to go. Now this motherfucker.
That's the series start.
I know it's supposed to start the first game, but these kids are different. These hit these time and day man the next time, man, it's gonna go down.
Now it's serious start.
I mean, this is this is nothing new for the Celtics. I mean, they're currently shooting about thirty six per game in the playoffs. During the regular season, they shot above forty for the playoffs, so I think sixty is a bit much. But again, this is this is one of those goals that they have. But I still feel to your point, Keyn, that mid range and all the guys you named that Klut and Drew Holliday can get to that mid range, and or Zingis can get to that
mid range. This is a stepping stone. But let's also credit New York. I mean to come into Boston and what Jalen Brunson could be the best player in the playoffs right now are playing the best, But let's give credit where credit is. Dude, Brunson and Og the way they played last night, you know, they didn't they didn't
necessarily Boston didn't give it to him. They went in there and took that motherfucker and shout out Mickel Bridges, someone who played fifty one minutes, didn't have a good shooting game, but hit a huge three in overtime and had the game ceiling steel. You know, and again, this is a guy that had a lot of people talk about you know what they gave up to get him, and he had needs to do this and he needs to do that. That dude is just a gamer and he makes big plays in big shots, and he was
also huge for them. So I mean to your point that the series has officially started, the way team came and got one on your home court, how do you respond.
Like you said, Michal Bridges, big time played down the stretch defensively, big three man. Third quarter went crazy, I mean, really got him back into it. And then we already we already know in the fourth quarter who the finisher is. The finisher guy is you know, Bronson the best finisher in the fourth quarter in the NBA this year.
So shit, when you.
Just get him there, man, that motherfucker knowing they're gonna take care of this business man.
And it was close like that.
Yeah, I don't well call another player just right now. That makes you jump up out of your seat and turn your head and put your hands over your face when you hit shot like him and Steph. Him and Steph are the two guys I feel like when they hit shots the way they hit shots down the stretch in the clutch, it's just like God, yeah, I mean excited for this series. It's only game one. Game two
will be on Wednesday, next up Thunder and Nuggets. Jokich Is is channeling his Bill Russell out there, dropping forty twenty doubles, but also screaming at his teammates. And you know, obviously with the coaching change, this was something to me that that wasn't a concerning but I was just interested to see how it played out with Adamman. Come is
it David Adelman. I played for his dad, Rick Adaman, one of the best basketball minds I've ever been around, but David Adaman and sometimes, and you guys know us players, sometimes the greatest thing a coach can do is get the fuck out the way. I think Andy Steve Steve Kerr did a really good job of that with those those Golden State teams. He would implement what he wanted, but he would get back because he knew he had players that he can trust out there to do what
they needed to do. And obviously, I feel like Adaman has that same trust in Jokis. Yokich, who you know, throughout his career has been someone who's been very, very reserved and quiet. But I love to see the passion and the teaching and the yelling and the sense of uh, you know, eagerness at the time, but for what they were able to do against this young OKC team, Uh to come back. My brother Aaron Gordon I meant a quick story. I've been playing with Aaron gord Man since
he was like fourteen or fifteen. He used to play in the San Francisco prorams with me when I was a pro with the Warriors. I was throwing this dude libs at like fifteen years old for like half court. I oh, lou, he was gonna be special. And people quickly forget what kind of score he was over in Orlando. He was twenty points a game in Orlando. I think he came to Denver and kind of found what his role was and was kind of more of a Swiss army knock. But he's someone that could score the ball.
But definitely wanted to shout out him for knocking down that big three. But let's discuss that game. What did you guys see in that game? Kean? I know you like to hand it off to the OG, but I want to start with you, Kean. What did you see in this game where the thunder left the door open. Check missed some free throws and allowed Jokic and his boys to come back and get the dub.
Yeah.
So the first thing I'll say is that Chet's miss free throw was worth one, right, they hit a three to win the game, you know, So I don't think that was the game in particular.
I still like okay See.
I still think they have, you know, the talent, the skill set, the coaching, the continuity and the bench play in the diverse amount of combinations that they can play. So I still like them in the series. But here's the thing, like joke it, the Joker is the best player in the NBA. We have never seen a point center. We've heard of the term point forwards and things like that until this point. That guy is a point center, right.
He can get you, you know, thirty plus points, twenty plus rebounds and then still assist the game.
So he is different. He is different.
I still like okay See in the series, though, you know, Denver got that win. But it was a great game, great competition. I still think that Denver, you know what I'm saying, Like, you know, has an issue because they got rid of Mike Malone, Like at the end of the season. But what I saw is that I saw Joker in the huddle like hey, listen, like we gotta do this, we gotta do that, right, and so he's like a coach on the floor and so like at the end of the day, man, I think this is
a very intriguing series. I think brom is kind of playing the role of like Bruce Brown. I think that Aaron Gordon has been a MAX player at some point, right, I think that, you know what I mean, Murray is a MAX player. Even though he hasn't been an All Star, He's still been one of the most elite players in
the playoffs. So I think Denver still has that confidence they have won a championship, etc. But I like, okay see, at the end of the day, I don't think that Jalen Williams, you know what I mean, shoots at the percentage that he did last night that he does over the course of a series. I think they have more combinations and so I still like, okay see in that series.
But like, man, we got to tip our.
Hat to Joker. Man, like that boy is something unique. He's a unicorn. He's something we never seen and I got nothing but respect and good things to say about him.
Kad. You mentioned a lot of things that Oklahoma City has, but there's one thing you didn't mention that they don't have. What's that it's that experience.
Experience.
Yeah, it's been there, and we all know playoffs is about getting hot at the right time. And obviously, I think the layoff for Okay see sometimes it helps you. Obviously they're gonna have fresh legs, but not playing playoff basketball for as long as they had hadn't played, you know, there was a little rust at times. You could see that. And I agree with everything you say Oklahoma City has.
But what I do like about Denver is they've been there and they've done that, and they have the best player in the world who's very engaged right now, and he's got the rest of his team.
Matt, that's a great point.
And like Matt, Max knows that Sam Casel didn't have playoff experience when he came in, you know, in the championship round.
But he had, but he had a lot of he had a lot of OG's around.
Him who had Yeah.
Absolutely, and then you know, and you know that that that that that confidence is contagious, you know, what I mean, if you're around the team, you're around Max, you're around Clyde, you're around motherfucker, then have already done it. That ship is gonna rub off on a younger player. And I'm not just say that okay See won't win this series. I think it's gonna be a great series. I'm personally picking Denver because I feel like this is the last
hurdle of okac's learning curve. I think they're gonna learn so much. If they end up losing from this and from here on out after the season, watch the fuck out. But I think this could be the last season of their learning curve. And I love experience when come playoff time, and and the way Yoki is playing, and the way Aaron Gordon has been playing two game winners in this playoff. Michael Porter Junior has woken up. As you mentioned, Murray's
is playing good basketball. Is playing that uh Brown excuse me, or how you say his last Nay Brown is playing that uh that type more of more of a skilled score. Yeah, that I like too. So I mean them boys are playing right right now. Adam and is kind of getting out the way and letting them boys do it. So it's gonna be interesting. But Max, what did you see in game one?
Well, to figure back off what you said, I I like, uh, okay, see win in the series. I just feel like, uh like Jalen didn't have a great game.
Ship Chat.
You make the damn two free throws. I'm sorry, Check, you know how much I love you. You gotta make them free throws. Down and stretch, brother, you make them two free free throws, and fuck they go down there and hit the three. Okay, we're going overtime. Okay, but you know that's real big in in the playoffs making it free throw. I mean my father's turnovers and making free throws. And I pick it back over what you said too, Matt about the experience level, And that's true.
That's what happened to my fucking Rockets, you know.
Oh, I mean with Golden State, just didn't have enough experience, you know what I mean? All those guys, they're great young players and a great young team, but shit, he got these guys, some won three four damn championships, and I mean together, man, that's big man. In the game seven, I don't give a damn for you just playing it at somebody's backyard for the Rockets. You know, Golden State's gonna win that goddamn game. So and I knew that, but I'm just saying, man experiences everything.
And uh and and like you said, joke it.
He's so engaged now he just like that, damn just give me the ball and get the hell out the way. And just a guy who gets he had to what. I think he led the NBA and touches this year. I thank you and shit and and that's big, you know, I mean, so and a guy that getting all those touches and knowing what the fuck to do with the ball every time, making a lot of decision making a lot of the right decision decisions.
Man, that's tough, man. But it's gonna be a tough for Okac. But I still got the.
Young guys pulling that. It's got to do seven. Now, they got to go up in Denver and win one now.
M yeah, we shall see, We shall see. Halliburton, Papa Halliburton, John Halliburton has been banned from Pacer games for this foreseeable future because of what happened at the end of Game seven with Giannis during the Bucks series, kind of overshadowing you know what the pacer they will do to the bucks. How do you guys look at this, Because when I initially looked at it, I looked at it
one way. My initial thought was, you're lucky you did it to a nice guy, because if you would have hit someone like me or Max, you might have got you might have got Daffy Ducks. But after I kind of watched it a little bit, and then I was talking to some people who know him really well. He's just a really proud father. I think that was caught up in the moment. And I think we've all been
caught up in the moment one time or another. And obviously our shit hasn't or actually some of it has probably been caught on camera, but you know, our stuff didn't happen at the end of a you know, a crazy back and forth series. But I'm looking at more as a father now, as a proud father of his son, and you get to know that, you know, this guy goes back and referees in the inner cities, and he's huge as far as giving back, and I just think he really just loves the fuck out of his son.
And he's a black father that is there to support in dispelling the narrative of you know, there's no well black fathers, all these players from single month, I think you throw all that into the mix, and I kind of see it. I look at it different now, and I'm not bothered by it. I think it was a mistake obviously, but shit, he has to pay for it now, man.
And I think one thing that I've heard is Halley the son is a little disappointed with Pops and he want them to just shit, sit still and shut up so he can focus on what needs to be done. But when you guys initially saw that, Max, what did you think when you initially sell Pops on the floor waving the towel of his son's face and Jannie's face.
Well, I was and this series was over too, So what I thought. I was like, Shit, Wow, what I would have done, I don't know.
I probably would have hit him with a two piece, But I'm saying that ain't the right ship to do.
Right. He got the right one though, because is a good, mild manner dude. But he would have did that to the wrong one. It could have been real. He could have escalated, absolutely, So that's what I was like. But and I get it.
And to a lot of people don't know what you just said, Matt, you know, they probably say, this dude's asshole. You know, Haller Burtons got a asshole because I didn't know all this about him, what you said, just said, until now.
So god damn.
I was like, man, this dude's asshole. That's what I thought, just like I knew I was an asshole. But my kid, my oldest son, was playing ball. I know, motherfuckers that ran me out of gyms. So, I mean so, I get it, you know, I get it. I was a proud motherfucker father, you know, So I didn't got kicked out of big games for my son playing.
I mean so, and I get it.
But you know at these games, man, where you can drink that fucking alcohol, man some point, and sometimes you gotta cut each motherfuckers off.
Man, when you.
See this motherfucker getting right, you gotta cut these motherfuckers off when you see I mean this man that had four five six of Matt, Come on, man, this motherfucker I get cut off, all right, all right, I senor, We're gonna give you something that water feed the s motherfucker water. So but other than that, man God's probably a great guy, man. But you're right, Matt, he had to He went to the right motherfucker and did that shit.
So and you know, but.
I'm just glad nothing escalated, but he did take away from the sunshine from winning the you know round and and but I mean, more power to your Haliburton. Keep doing what you're doing. You had a great game one. Let's see what you do tonight, baby boy.
And uh and real quick before you answer, Katie. As a father, I've actually had the punishment that Halliburton's pop has had. Actually at Harvard Westlake. I couldn't go to Harvard Westlake this year because of the ship that happened in the last season or the people was out of pocket talking to me, and I responded and they gave me a year's suspension from from from Harvard Westlake. So when I've been able to talk to the people in charge over there, and next year I'll be allowed back
in the building. But you know, sometimes you do get caught in the moment. As a proud father, Max, you mentioned, you know, get kicked out of your son's games, And I can I say, Man, I had a blessed and so much fun playing in the NBA. But nothing makes me prouder than watching my kids excel and succeed something they love doing well. So again, I can completely put myself in John Halliburton's space. I'm gonna get John. I'm gonna get John on the show.
We gotta get them.
I'm sure, yeah, I'm sure. I'm sure Holly's making them be quiet right now. But I'm gonna get John on the show. We're gonna caller that John Man. We're gonna get a little redptions.
After the Let's get him on after the playoffs.
He probably can come, Katie, what you think, No, Man, I see that.
I see both sides of it, Matt, because you know, a father of four and so like, I do take a lot of pride in the fact that I've cuptivated and helped my kids develop their skill set, whether it's through tennis, whether it's through baseball, et cetera.
So I do understand that point of it.
I do think that it is a little bit cloudy in a sense where like kind of going in front of Giannis after you lose the game, Matt, you don't lost the game.
We done cried in locker rooms and things like that.
Together, as men when we're trying to pursue like greatness and things like that. So like when we lose, it's a certain amount of emotions that come with it. And I believe like sometimes like emotional intelligence, you know what I mean, and impost kind of like runs together, and so like, you know, I just didn't think that that was the timing was right for him to be able to do that to Giannis, to a player of that caliber at that.
Moment, in that time, in that space.
I just remember like telling my pops, like when I played for the Heat, Like Pops, like, don't don't walk outside with the Cavasier at the end of the day. I know they're serving it up in the family room and all those different things, but like, dude, don't walk out with the Covasier because like I still got a name, a likeness, an image that I'm trying to project, and I.
Got a job to do. This is my job.
I'm not coming to your job, you know, or your business. And in partant like how I feel things should go. And because the stakes are so high, I feel like, you know, his father kind of missed the mark on that he got kind of called up in the emotions that doesn't take away like the journey, right and the support and the love and the appreciation that he has. But that could have turned into another malice at the palace, especially Indiana being.
A part of that.
That could have been something that could have spiraled out of control. And so I do think that, like you know, okay, like you know, like holding Pops accountable, you know what I mean, Tyree's taking his stance along the way at the end of the day, Like, dude, he's a MAX player. I know he wears short shorts, you know what I mean. I know a lot of the NBA players hate on him and.
Things like that. I know the Kings got rid of him.
But man, Tyrese has go gold medal, you know what I mean, He's an All Star. He's got the pacers rolling, and so like, at the end of the day, man, let's enjoy the journey because I'm telling you, man, that shit ends Max, you and I will say all those things at some point, it ends, right And so like you know, while you're in it, you got to be appreciative and respectful of the rhythm that comes along with the game.
Katie, I think you before we move on, I think he made a great point. I think both Halley and Pops have a chip on the shoulder. I mean, he was voted the most overrated player by his peers. That shit hurts. I mean, you can have the news media and me I'll be able to say shit about you and talk trash and degree, but when your peers vote you the most overrated player in the game, I know
he took that shit. Personally, he's playing with that kind of swagger and ship, and I know if someone voted my son that, I'll be ready to fight everybody too. So I totally understand where Pops was coming from. Doesn't make it right. It doesn't make what Pops still right. But the one thing I do like is obviously I love the way Giannis was able to articulate the situation and have forgiveness in his speech, and both the dudes
said I love you to each other. So again, I'm glad it didn't escalate to anything big and we definitely got to get Big John to come fuck with us on Unplugged and hear his side. But moving on, fellas a legend has stepped away from the coaching sidelines. Greg Popovich is now the president of Basketball operations for the
Spurs after suffering a mild stroke in November. Pop is seventy six years old, one of the greatest to ever do it, twenty nine seasons, coaching twenty two straight consecutive playoff appearances from nineteen ninety eight to twenty nineteen, won five championships ninety nine, three, five, seven, fourteen, gold medalist in the Olympics. A true legend is stepping aside and stepping into the front office. But what was a little
more concerning to me was just his health. Pop doesn't look good and it's scary and it's sad, and it hurts my heart because he's gave his life to this game and to see him have to have help getting up and guys walking next to him to make sure he gets to that shit just really hurt my heart. Obviously, I'm happy for him and and you know, obviously him going up to the front office, but just as a human, it scares me a little bit.
Man.
We're getting to an age now where we're seeing our mentors are getting older and slowing down and some are passing, and it's obviously a blessing for us to be making it this far and a blessing for them, but just the reality of life is, you know, some of these guys are getting a lot older. So Max, what did you think about what you saw? And then also do you have a favorite Pop story being out there in Texas?
Well, Pop was just you know, he's one of the guys that bought me in there the San Antonio they drafted me, well, they traded for me.
Denver drafted me. They traded for me the same night. So a lot of love for Pop. Great man, great father, that's great husband, great grandpap.
I mean, he's everything, man, But like you said, he's gave his whole damn life to the game man. And it did hurt me too to see him helping Pop the way they was helping him move around the way it was moving around. But like I said, I always tell my friends still today, I'll be like, Nigga, shit, I got, I got thirty five good ones left, motherfucker. So hey, I gotta, I gotta, I gotta live these.
Mother But I'm thirty five.
You know, I turned sixty on September the twelfth, So wow, thirty five more good ones left. So shit, So I'd be like, man, I mean, we all got our exit dates.
And you know, Pop's done a lot.
Of great things for a lot of good people, a lot of people, and helped alone the way even me still today, you know what I mean, Like I just said, man, Pop is up. He's a basketball junkie and he can't leave the game.
He's not not in a step away from the game.
But just him, just for him to be still up there in the office being the president doing what his just his knowledge and just his presence, just being up there in that office. I mean, it's it and it makes him. It means so much of the organization. Man, because when you say Sam Antonio Spurs, you say, so that's how you say.
That's how I feel about that, Yeah, KD Yeah.
Man, So like of the Mount Rushmore to me, you know, it's Red r Back, Phil Jackson, Pat Rowley, Greg Pofovich in my opinion, right, I think that like Pop was the most reachable of all of those guys. Though I didn't know Red and his impact, you know what I mean, because like I was, time stamped out of that. But like for our generation, man like Pop impacted us. He would always give us a word, or always have some sarcasm, or always have something you know what I mean to engage with.
Right, and then you look at.
His disciples, the eighth Verie Johnson's of the World. Right, you look at you know, you look at this Sam Presty having great success. Like not only did he build co in players, he built like infrastructure and so like when you see Draymond reach out to him, when you see you know, Murray you know, like leave Louisiana after like having an injury and being there for Pop.
In that moment.
You see that, like he's been able to impact the generations across the board. So I will miss his energy on the sideline. I actually saw like one of the teams in the playoffs like send a trap from.
The backside, which is a Pop.
Technique, you know what I mean, to be able to stop Jokic, even though they didn't really stop them, but maybe on that possession. But like he you know, not only from a strategic standpoint, impacted the game from a manhood standpoint. He impacted the game from a social standpoint. He took stances that sometimes were unpopular from you know, a feminism standpoint.
He hired women you know what I mean.
To be you know, assistant coaches, like he is a trailblazer. He is something special to us. We love Pop, we respect Pop, we appreciate him, and all we care about is his health. And I'm glad he doesn't have to go cold turkey and figure it out, right.
I'm glad that he gets too.
Though he stepped down, he elevated right, which was really like, he's.
A natural leader at the end of the day.
So man, I'm just glad that Pop is still a part of the San Antonio fabric. And I hope that other teams can take the same approach with people who we you know, put on a pedalstal because a lot of times they'll chew you up.
This system will chew you up and spit you.
Out, spit you out. Absolutely great coach, but even better person. Pop. And I'll share a quick story before we get out of here. When I was playing with Memphis my second to last season, we played them in the playoffs and our whole team was fucking hurt. And I remember after the series, he came out to me. He said, Barnes, he played your ass off, but you can't bring the spoon to a knife fight. Absolutely, I mean to your guys' point, I mean, you know we're concerned now just about you know,
him enjoying the rest of his time. I mean, we all have us us on this screen have more time behind us than we do in front of us. Man, so we definitely got to cherish our times, fellas. I appreciate you guys joining me today. I will see you guys back here soon.
Man.
You guys enjoy your day.
Matt Max. I'm gonna be like you when I grow up.
Matt.
Thank you, bro for all that you do.
Bro. Now back for our favorite segment and our favorite resident. He doesn't want to be called hater, so let's just call him Eugene Davis today or fire presented by Roe Sparks Fast acting long lasting ed treatment for Geno JJ Reddick is under not necessary. A little bit of fire, I think people have kind of it was taking offense the wrong word for just kind of his energy towards the media a little bit in this tough first round
exit versus the Wolves. But he recently said, without naming names, that guys must get in champion chip shape.
I'll start with the off season and the work that's required in an off season to be in championship shape. And you know we have a ways to go as a roster, and certainly there are individuals that were in phenomenal shape. There's certainly other ones that could have been in better shape. That's where my mind goes immediately, is you know, we have to get.
In championship shape. Is that Sparks or fire? I don't think it was a low key call out. I think it was a high key call out. And I think we all know who he was talking about. He was talking about Luca. But is this Sparks or fire? Geno? This fire? Okay? Talk to me.
I mean he has a lot of nerve talking about getting shape.
Though, to me, why is that?
Because he needs to get his coaching together too, Like you know, he also has to do some work in the off season.
Oh yeah, there's no quote having first year coach coaching Lakers and don't get mad. I'm just saying fifty wins in the playoffs, I think they overachieved. They got the third seed. I thought, personally, to be honest with you, that after the trade Dallas removing injury was a better roster for the playoffs and making a championship run than the Lakers. I think the Lakers caught some chemistry fire
and did well got to the third seed. But I've always thought that they have a poorly constructed roster and adding Luca was a long term play, not a short term play. But I saw you lost your mind. I mean, you wanted Lebron gone, you wanted you want to, you wanted Bronny gone, you want jj gunn. You think Luca needs to get out of here? How can you trade him? Like? You were very emotional and I kind of let you
just be emotional, don't. I didn't want to. I didn't want to trigger you because I was gonna fuck with you, But I just let you be emotional on social media. What is your thoughts now that that the you know, we're into the second round, the Lakers are in cancoon? Lebron put out a tweet yesterday that he wasn't going to be able to make the met Gala because of his kneecap. Where are you at with your team and and and moving forward?
I mean it was depressing to watch, and I'm talking for the whole city at LA. I mean, we're all the depressed behind our team that's being around playing for the rest of the playoffs. You know how boring it is to watch the playoffs without the Lakers. I believe you post that. You know what you see Lebron. That's the statue. That's his new statue right there. You posted that.
That's perfect. You saw it. I didn't see that, Lebron. All these hating takes are from from Eugene Davis is Twitter handle. I don't have nothing to do with this. What else you have? N I told Nate said he screenshot and all your bullshit just to bring it on here. He did see how LA fans.
Lebron's not exempt from ridicule from when we take Al's bro. So, I don't know.
Nobody is talking about. Nobody is well, how do you feel moving forward? Obviously, depth in the front court is is a must. JJ didn't play Jackson Hayes. I don't know what Jackson did, but he just must have not have did enough. He didn't get a chance to get I wonder what we can do for you know, I can't bad eyes Luca this off season. What does his team need?
I mean, we need a big man, a sap. I feel like that's the first point of business this summer is locking up a big man. We saw what happened against Minnesota. We had Copert looking like Wilt Chamberlain, Like, seriously, I've never seen him look like that before. And of course it's against us, yes, in the closeout game, of course, for our season. But I mean, I'm hearing all kinds of things Rumlins Giannis, which Nates tells me is a dream I shouldn't even dream about.
I saw no I saw a list today, and it would they would have to make some shit work. But he has four big city destinations that that that intrigue him, and a Los Angeles. They didn't say what LA team, but they said Los Angeles was on there, so I don't think that's too far. Fett.
Yeah, yeah, And then I heard Jared Jackson from Memphis. I'm down with that too. Anything to get somebody.
Jared Jackson, What did I say? Yeah?
Whatever, Bro, you know what I'm talking about. But we need a a big to come in and set the tone for next season, especially moving forward. If we're going to be resigning Luca a long time.
Well you're definitely going to do that. I just feel Luca. I'm sure everyone's giving him advice Center right now. It is going through one ear and out the other. In shape is going to be a priority, I think for him. I think his diet is going to be a priority for him, just to slim down because he is bigger out there. And you can hide a little bit in Dallas with kind of some of the shit you were doing, but you can't hide in LA with some of the
shit you're doing. The percentage of him getting blown by is just unacceptable. He's going to need to get with the apply metrics coach to get his feet faster and his agility, and most importantly is shape because obviously he's asked to carry a huge load offensively, and that is I'm sure I've never had to carry that title load, but I'm sure that's draining. But he also has to
be present on defense. And I think Steph Curry went through some of this earlier in his career, where he was someone that team's targeted and it wasn't that Steph became a great defender overnight. Steph just started putting in great effort on the defensive end, and that's all it takes. You don't have Luca doesn't have to be a great defender. Luca just has to give fucking effort on the defensive end,
and you need a great team defense behind him. But again, I'm still someone that believes his offense outraised his bad defense. I still think this was a good move. I think this was a move for the future. So again, I feel like they overachieved this year and got hot and you know, at the end of the at the end of the day, the better team won in Minnesota. Shout out Julius Randall. He played with the chip on his
shoulder the whole series. And if you don't want to be the face of the league, stop playing some motherfucking good, bro, because you are going to be the face of the league. You're a bad motherfucker and just deal with it. Gobert played great, and you know Grobert takes a lot of criticisms, so I definitely want to make sure we give him some love for his twenty twenty game, the way he was able to affect the game and at the end of the day send the Lakers home. So how long
are you going to be saying you're wearing black? Like the series over? I know that the series been over almost, you.
Know, almost are going to watch any more basketball. He almost gave up, But now I funk with the Knicks because I need them to be Boston.
They can't get Boston.
They get nineteen, Bro.
Because they're one ahead right now, right eighteen seventeen.
Let's go.
Let's go Knicks.
So that's it, that's your whole thing is for the nixt Absolutely, absolutely well, Geno, thank you for spending this season with us, show showing us how volatile Laker fans are in LA. At least you got the Dodgers. I hear you. Absolutely, we need to start getting some games lons. The homie now we need to start getting some more Dodgers.
Make the call, he tells you every time he sees.
You, Bro, we got to get out there line we come into some Dodger games, man, since Geno is depressed about his Lakers. Yes, well, Gino, great season for you guys, third seed in the West, first round exit, fifty wins for JJ. I think the future is Bron made some demand, some some ship is going to happen. You know, Rob just signed that extension, so Rob is on the hot seat again.
Do you think Lebron should take a pay cut to get some more players.
I'm never gonna tell a man to take his you know, do what we do anything with his money? But if you want more guys to be able to come to the team, some guys are gonna have to make sacrifices. I'm pretty sure, especially if anything is true about getting close to getting you honest, I'm sure some restructuring will have to be done. So we'll have to see how much these guys want it. You know, the Lakers are never down for too long, so at least you can hang your hat on net. It's a nice hat. By
the way, I appreciate that. Good season, bro. I'll give you a hug off camera. Team up with DraftKings Pick six to give you guys some picks for these playoff matchups Wednesday Night Nicks versus the Celtics. I feel like Jalen Brunson will have more points than the Draft Kings Pick six has him at. And I feel like Jason Tatum will make more threes than the Draft Kings Pick six has him at. That's a rat for this week on Unplugged. You can catch us on All the Smoke
Productions YouTube and the DraftKings Network. We'll see you guys next week
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