NBA Contenders Or Pretenders, Fan Questions | WHAT’S BURNIN | SHOWTIME Basketball

I'm good. Had a busy weekend with the boys. We want to made hoops championships. So I lost my voice from cussing out so many refs. But it was a nice little weekend, man, nice little weekend. Well, let's get to it, man. The Heat had a heavy week last week, but prevailed through it all. They knocked down the bulls, the nets and ended the Sixers five game winning streak. O Litta Deepot is due to return soon. Are the Miami Heat the biggest threat to come out of the

East right now? In your opinion? Jack? I wouldn't say biggest, but I just know they are cold, tender and the reason why because they play defense. They compete every night on both ends of the ball. They don't do no non no unnecessary switching. They get over screens. They stick to their game plan and they and they stick to it to a t, especially on the deepest event, even when they have guys out. My warrior is when older

Deepo comes back, how we affect that team. You've got great guys like Tyler Hero playing well, Uh, Kyle Lowry, you know, Jimmy's gonna be what he's going to be to that team, and uh A Bounds playing well. I don't know what his role is actually gonna be, you know, with with Hero being that guy that's coming off the bench and give it points and sometimes starting. So it's gonna be It's gonna be interesting to see if he can bring that older deeple style of player that he

had in Indiana to the to Miami. That would be dope and that would definitely help them in the playoffs. But it's they're definitely a contend for the for the way they played the game on both ends of the ball. Yeah, I think this is a blue collar team that's it's really as crazy as it sales. Being one in the East, it's kind of flown under the radar um all of a deepot. I think it's a good problem for supposed to have. I mean, they just got a lot of talent.

He's got to figure out how to use them. I think Tyler heroes on his way to winning his first six Man of the Year. I like the depth they added, obviously, with Kyle Lowry and p J. Tucker Championship experience. Band's playing at a high level. You know what Jimmy is gonna give you. Um Duck and Robinson could shoot the ship out of the ball and Spoilster is one of the best coaches in the league. So again, this team, I think why they don't get recognized more because they're

not flashy. Again, their blue collar, like you said, they played defense. They compete for forty eight minutes. So they're definitely gonna be in the mix when it's all said done. So we'll see if they're represent the East next. The hottest team in the Eastern Conference, the Boston Celtics, are going fourteen and two over their last sixteen games. Jason Tatum was in a shootout with Kevin Durant this weekend. J T dropped fifty four. It's his fourth fifty point game,

tiring tying Sir Lawrence Larry Bird. How far could Jayson Tatum take these Celtics in your opinion, Jack, I mean, he's playing well and everybody's playing that role to let them be the start. Uh. If he can have big games like this, this guy's a limit for that team. But you know that's not realistic for him to have fifty every night, especially in the playoffs when teams take away a lot of the things you do well. But

with with Brooklyn, Brooklyn just looks terrible on defense. Jason Tatum just did everything he wanted to do on offense um last night with against Brooklyn, got layups, got wide open threes on on switches. He just played with the big man and got any shot he wanted. Brooklyn just looked bad on deepenesse. But Jason Tatum and and and

and Boston Sells are looking real good right now. Shout out to email Udoka for doing a great job coaching these guys getting them back in the winning field over there. Bringing Jalen Brown in not just throwing him in the fire coming off an injury, but letting him play menutes and bringing them back slow to keep him healthy for the playoffs. Great job by him. Yeah, this this has been the hardest team in the league, and you're definitely shout out to Email Judoka for kind of helping this team.

Turn this team around. But this team has always been a mystery. They experienced a lot of success early on. I think it was Taylor's rookie year of first where they went to the Eastern Finals against Lebron. I think Tatum is the clear one A on this team. Although Jaden Brown is very talented. I think he's the B and that's not a bad thing. If this team could somehow get it together again there, I don't know if

they're missing anything. Um, they haven't had success. You know, they've tried to bring scoring point guards and obviously that wasn't the answer because they have such scoring dominant wings. Um. But I love Jayson Tatum. He's one of my favorite players. You know, he's obviously one of the top five. Was he just turned under twenty five players in the game. Uh, there's no holes in his game and he plays defense.

So it'll be excited to see down the stretch. You know, the analytics people are really high on Boston representing the East. So it's gonna be an interesting next two or three weeks as we wind down the season. The MAVs have gone four and all of late, Luca looks like he's in shape. He's catching dunk tips, dunking on people. You already know he's a He's a walking bucket. Can the mass play spoiler in the playoffs? Jack? Of course? When you got a guy like Luca Donchey's of course. Uh,

he can take over games. He can win games, he can make plays for others to win games. He can do it all. And like people like you said, he's in shape now, um, he's looking like an MVP candidate that that we said he was last year. But um, I love Luca man. I love the way he's leading his team. I love the way he's starting to believe in Ja kid and and the team is starting to buy in and come together with With losing KP, I think it's a better team now. They play harder and

we'll see if they can spat somebody's playoff season. I mean to think Luca's only twenty three, and you know Porzingis was supposed to be his his robbin. Uh can never stay healthy enough to be on the court. I really like the point guard, the point guard, the backup point Jathen Brunson. I think Jathen Brunson is gonna is gonna get a lot of money uh in the off season. And again, Luca is tremendous, and I think if they really had a true robbing, this team could really make

a run. But I think we only one star. It can be really hard for them to advance, but they can definitely play us first round spoil against someone because we've all seen with Luca. You know, Lucas pushed teams to the wire um single handley before in the playoffs. I see it no different this year, and he's in shape. Keep in mind, man, he's only twenty three years old. The league is in really good hands once this next

wave with superstars retire. Jack. Next up the Memphis Grizzlies, who are neck and neck with the Golden State Warriors for that too spot in the West. Perk is real big on this team. He's been talking big on this team for the last two or three months. Jaws just been incredible. What do you think about this Memphis team? Are they for real? Jack? I don't know. I mean, I can say Job Moran is for real, but I

can't say the team is for real. And I can't say and and and I can't say the coaches for real because when it comes down to the playoffs, when they get to the playoffs, they're gonna take John Morant out the game completely away, double team while that high fly and all that ship it's not gonna work. They're gonna take all that ship away, and somebody else is gonna have to step up and have some big games.

I'm not I'm not saying they were able to shut you down, but somebody else gonna have to step up and have some big games for them, and I don't know who's gonna have that. They got a great group of young kids that can shoot, that can make plays, and they play hard. But I haven't seen the coach in that position yet, and I haven't seen these young guys in that position yet. I believe in Jail, I just don't believe in the team. Yeah, this is a very young, exciting team, and I think you hit it

on the head. You can get away with all this kind of stuff. In the regular season. Job they'll be able to slow him down. They won't be able to stop him, So you know what Jaw is gonna give you. But again, similar to Luca, who's gonna be that second consistent twenty plus a guy every single night in the playoffs that you need to advance. You know, you definitely need that second twenty point of game. Is it Is it gonna be Jaren Jackson? Uh? We don't know. He's

been up and down. Very talented young power forward, but job has been incredible and um, like I said, he's gonna be judged from here on out what he's able to do in the post season. So it'll be interesting to see. Um. You know that they're sitting in that second seed. A second round battle, possibly with Golden State in the making, would be incredible. So it'll be exciting to see this new young team in uncharted territory in the playoffs if they happen to play a veteran experienced

team like Golden State in that second round. Uh, to see what happens. So is Jah the next face of the league or in the next group of names you feel like will be in the next face of the face of the league after this wave of you know, Lebron, uh, Katie Steph after those guys are going his Jaw the front runner for that. Well, I think even so, Matt, why stepan Katie's around even when Braun stepped down, because for the simple fact that he's exciting the young kids

watch him. He has the flag of the style, the swag he had. He has all that that the culture embraces today and that the culture yesterday, and he go out there and get the job done. He's a high flyer. He's a more athletic guy in Nobson like say he would that's a lot of David Um dead Rose, but yeah, dead Ross. But this kid special man, And I just hope you have a successful playoff season so you can shut a lot of people, mark my words. When Nike decides to give Jaw his own shoe, it will be

the number one selling shoe in the league. I guarantee it. Guarantee. All the kids love Jaw. So once Nike goes ahead and make that ship, once they pressed go on that play, he'll have the number one shoe in basketball. Lebron drop fifty six against the Warriors. What was more important? The Lakers actually won? Just another gym in his crown, Jack or can this team possibly pull some ship together and make a strong finish to the season and maybe make

some noise in the playoffs. I mean, I still think they can make some knowledge. It's definitely a gym in his crown. But I don't think it was big as people think it is. For for me, it was big because it continues to show Lebron's greatness at the ages, at that he's still of loves the game, take care of himself, and and and and and and he's still a goat, you know what I mean, He's still a goat.

So that that says one thing to me. Before the team it didn't say much because if you think Lebron going to keep getting fifty six, how to win y'all last? Y'all God damn mine, you know what I mean? Yeah, y'all got another thing coming. And I don't remember getting scored fifty on by nobody in my whole career, so I don't know what that feels like, you know, to

be in that type of zone. But but Braun, Braun is doing this part, and I'm glad Magic and other people are going after everybody else on the team because y'are putting a lot of pressure on Bun Braun. He's continued to do his part. When is the rest of the team gonna step up and do their part? Yeah, this is crazy. Obviously, he's shown throughout this nasty season for the Lakers that he still can play at a very high level, very high level. One of only four

guys to drop fifty after turning thirty seven. He's been absolutely incredible. Russ drop twenty ending what I think at ten games streak without him touching twenty. I just always tell people Jack and you you were in and out with the Clippers, but particularly with the Lakers, there's so much more to the game than basketball, you know. I think Russ is one of the most mentally strong players this league has possibly ever seen. I was actually talking to his agent at the u c l A Game

SC game the other day. Um, but l A will break anybody, you know what I mean. And I'm not even saying Russ is brokeer his agent said he's broke. But I'm just saying, from the outside looking in, all this chatter is getting to him. And again, Russ has been one of the most mentally tough players I've ever seen this this game has ever seen. But coming home to l a being in your hometown, and I don't think anyone predicted it. It was gonna be this ugly,

and now everything is not on Russ. To me, that's been a real issue because they haven't consistently got Lebron, A D and Russ on the court for a long stretch of time, so Russ doesn't really know who the fun to be. You know, am I am my old Russell Westbrook, am I and uh an aging Russell Russ book. That's Scholso trying to find his footing between two other superstars. It's been Lebron out and a D out and Russ is incredible. It's been a D and Russ and Russ

has been good. It's been a D. It's been Braun and rust and then Russ is trying to find his footing. So it's been really interesting because they haven't got their key three guys on the court for a significant amount of time for Russ to really find who he's gonna be. You know, this guy has been a ball dominant guard his entire career. Now they're asking him to be as dominant playing off the ball, and that's never been his forte.

So I agree with you, Jack, I think if this team can squeak in the playoffs, whether it be playing game or not, if they're in that a spot at some point or even seven, if they get hot, they can beat anyone in the league because there this is

an older team that's built for the playoffs. Now, you definitely can't turn shipped on and off, but you're always gonna have a great chance if you have a healthy Lebron and the health and the Anthony Davis and then a Russell Westbrook that you know at some point it's going to give you something special. Jack. Next up on the Radar, presented you by Draft Kings, Let's take a look at the Coach of the Year odds. We got

Monty Williams as a big favorite minus three fifty. JB. Bigger Staff doing a great job at Cleveland, plus three fifty uh Eric Spoelster one of my favorite coaches, plus six fifty Taylor Jenkins, the guy you're kind of questioning, still over in Memphis at plus six fifty Billy Donovan plus rounded out by Steve Kerr plus hundred. In your opinion, you have a favorite in this group. Yeah, I ain't

gonna lie man. Last year. I wondered, I think Money deserved it, man, I really, I really think he deserved it. And he's doing a great job again this year. And I think last year was his year. I can't give it to him this year. And I was really pulling for Billy Donovan, but I gotta go with that young staff. Man. I gotta go with j B. Man. I think j B he's gonna pull it off, man, because this is the team that really came from ship to sugar, right.

They was in the dungeon since Lebron left, not in the playoffs, they play, they got all stars on their team and all this type of bit, all this type of business going on. So I gotta go with the Biggs, bigger staff Ben, j B. Boy Jack. This is a little bit off talk of it. Let's let's let's look into the future and hypothetically, if you're Cleveland and you've built something this special post Lebron, obviously Lebron is gonna be one of the greatest, if not the greatest player ever.

Would you want Lebron to come back to that young team knowing that it's kind of been hard for him to yes, talk to me about that, Yes, yes, yes, beause I don't even want you to finish the question. Hell yeah, so you you you would, you would? You would take a year or two with Lebron at the end. Well for well, for me, I would because the young roster can use that leadership. But then that gives you a great chance of getting Brownie. So there's a lot

of it's more than just bringing Braun there. You know, definitely gonna bring there, bring the championship field there, and bring that experience in the wage. Playing at this age. I'm telling how you're gonna be playing two years from now, and uh, you get Brownie out there. You know. It's just it's just so many pluses of having brawn on your organization. So it's always yes for me. Yeah, not

mad at that. I just pay for Brownie. Man. Just just just imagine how and how much pressure is going to be on that kid to to be I mean, can you live up to your dad's status. I mean that that's incredible, man. So I hope that he's able to keep his head on straight and uh continue to you know, elevate his game and put itself in a position to you know, be one of the next grades in the league. Next up. Fan questions Janeka eighty two, Jane A k Or is the Janika I Jane A

k two? I don't know if it's I Jane because I don't look look, look look at the thumbs up. I think I Jane would be probably like a more pastier thumb up that has a little bit of color to it. So that's why Janica, That's why I said, you know, yeah, you know, you know, I'm ghetto. I'm slow, think Janica, what's up Janika? My little freak of Janika? You know what I'm saying? Yeah, yeah, okay, okay, all right,

Well I'm gonna go with N two. With it being Women's History Month, how do you feel about the NBA? Can the best honor women this month? Moving forward or hiring? Uh? Love the show? So what can the NBA do to honor women during Women's History Month? What's up? Nika? What's going down? Nika? But? Uh, first off, they can just pay the women what they deserve. Okay, Women's Month? I get that. With this women, I think this women's much shit. It's just like Black history. We Women's once shouldn't be

one money and Black history shouldn't be no one month. Okay, we should celebrate women all year around, just like we should sell black history all year around. Okay, point blank, and the and and the best example of the best thing for all of them to do if they what they wanted to really celebrate Women's month, make sure that the women all get paid equal pay so they won't have to go through with brittany ground of going through right now. M m m m m m m. Yeah,

well probably we'll touch on Brittany at the end. Good call. Next fan question, so points seventy five, how hard it is to stay in games with positivity and seasons We're either losing a lot of a lot of games, are you and knowing that there would no be no postseason? What becomes the motivation after that? Now you're not going to the playoffs, can't wait to start smoking weed and

get on the beach. That's how we used to look at it, right, Although I made the playoffs a lot, I've been on some teams that that, uh, you know, there was no lot at the end of the tunnel, and you just want to continue to play hard because you never know if a contract is up, if you're on a one year deal, you never know who's watching. But if you're locked into a team and they suck and you don't know you're not going to the playoffs. You just start at this time. You know you're planning

your vacations. You want to finish strong, stay healthy, and I'll catch you next year. Honestly, if it's just one reason when we had we just had something a low. Yeah, But if this team, but if this team not going, if this team not going in the winning direction period, Yeah, I'm trying to get up out of here. Player. I'm gone let me know what y'all got going on. I'm gonna let y'all know where I'm trying to go. I'm not trying to be a part of no losing organization ever.

I'm not taking I'm not doing none of that. So it depends on what the situation is the King Jose three. What team has been the bigger disappointment? The Nets Big three of Katie, Kyrie and Harden or the Lakers Big three of Broun, A D and Russ. I gotta go with the Lakers, bro for the simple fact that they've been together all year. They ain't really had no term all yet. They deal with some injury with a D, but they've been basically been together. They have an identity

that they have a cord to their team right. They have guys have been at all season. Brooklyn, Kyrie has been out, James want to be there. Kat He's been heard like they've been all over the place and they ain't had a solid identity or team yet this season the Lakers have. So my biggest disappointment and the Laker is the Lakers. Man. I'm disappointed in the rust. I'm disappointed how the team, how the team is really handled the Russ and his lows not giving him the respect

he's deserved and trying to blame everything on him. I don't like the way a d came into this season with his body. Man, he wasn't physically prepared to go back to back champions If you think about the Katie, Kyrie and Hardened experiment. In two years, they only played what sixteen eighteen games together, which is fucking crazy. And then, like you said, this year, Harden played when he wanted to, Katie carried a lot of low till he got hurt, and then Kyrie kind of came back at the end

um through his vaccination status. So they've that whole Brooklyn thing has just been an evolving door of craziness. The Lakers, on the other hand, have have been hit with injury. But um, again, like I said earlier, I don't think anyone predicted that this this rust experiment would would uh you know, working out this way, because you gotta think you let Demarchell it. DeMar thought he was going to the Lakers, you know what I I mean. And you see

what kind of season he's having. He's probably top five in the MVP voting. H with this with the season he's having over in Chicago, So imagine, you know, if that could have happened, So you know, a lot of hood could have, should have, would have. But definitely i'd have to say, you know, the most disappointing situation. I think, to be honest, with any situation, it's gonna be kind of unfair for Braun because bron is always gonna be If it's great, it's great. If it's bad, it's it's

gonna be a Bronze situation. So I definitely think, uh, you know, the Lakers are probably the more disappointing team, uh this season. At Shan Tribe nine, what's both of y'all's favorite hoop and shoe up all time. Oh favorite hoop and shoe. I mean, I was pretty much indeed is my whole career. And they don't really have too much to brag up out over there, So I'm gonna sit this question out. Jack quit yours, John threes and fours. I played in the John threes and four is a lot.

That's my favorite shoe. Comfortable. I brought both of my feet, So the only shoe that that I never had problems within was the Join and threes and fours. What about the Proteges by Al Harrington? I was just about the same mad day ever, go to the store and they see the Protejas on the aisle as soon as you see them before you buy them. Go to the where they have the gasoline cans and the lawnmoars and go pull gas all on the Protege shoes and burn them

something bitches. They catch them bitches in the walmart. Remember that they're connected by like the little plastic on the on the shoe wreck with a hundred fifty pair of shoes, and bitch is probably seven dollars on their Hey Matt. They relocated the protege as next to the Raymond noodles, man ship by by case of Roman noodles and get

the proteges for free. Hey, y'all thought, hey, well, real real quick, though, y'all thought you were sweet with your little shoe deal before you actually had to wear them in the game. Though, y'all, y'all have some extra area your chest during that season though, before you actually had to wear them bitches on the court until you cross someone over and your whole soul fell off. You have to wear them ships with a spat. Remember in the NFL they used to spat where they would take around

the cleet. That's how you had to wear the proteg so the soul didn't fall off all right. Next up, so now we flows which team from this season would you like to put the We Believe team up against the seven in the seven game series? I would like the Warriors, now down, okay, I want I want to go against Memphis. I like that Memphis team. They play hard, they're young. You want to get a bunch of dogs. Now, you know, I'm not letting John take off on me. I'm gonna grab the mouth of the air. We don't

we done. We don't play those dunk games. The Forgotten Seasons is back this week with the look at the two thousand fifteen Clippers. Man, did we blow it that year? I had a chance to go to the Western Finals. We let Josh Smith take over when James Harden was on the bench. Ugly season. One of the most underachieving teams I've ever played on. Definitely should have been a championship, at least playing for championships, and uh, We're never able to get over that hump. You can find the Forgotten

see this on Spotify, Apple podcast in Google Podcasts. This week Bart's tip, make sure you check out one of the greatest boxes of all time, Roy Jones Jr. Enjoy the teaser. You just told us all the grades and what they had. What would you say about yourself? I took all of that, and packages does not taste so good. I took all that text. I took all that a pexage. You take twelve grades and you take what makes them great, and you put all that in one person cannot be great.

You gotta learn how to take what's happening now and how you elevate it. That's what makes you better, That's what makes you great. Do you take a great I mean chocolate Tito. He followed the great, late great at Alexe's Alexe aguill coppy, Alexe will stuff and a powder, a little bit more condition, little more acrobatics with it,

and look at him. He became quick. My hundred six pounder, hundred six pounds became great because he followed what alexas Ull did and these names in boxing chcol So it's like you have to take the greatness and figure out how you take that the greatnes of today, how you add your to make that the greatings of tomorrow. And that's what I did. I had Sugared, Marvin, had a time of hand, brother, the Ran Mohammed, Natalie, Salve Door Sanchez,

and the list I had quite. I had about a dozen that used to watch, and I used to watch them to see what made them different, because whatever made them different, and I gotta hear that that's on the quart I won't what makes them different. Haggard was to consistency with Benthia with the defense time of hernd with the right hand, and stock. Mohammed was left to the body level of shot. I got something from some of all of them, but I took what made them them.

I sent all those characteristics and trying to put him in my came so that when you look at me, you see all the and that's how it became pounder pound You understanding who else you know what the A thirty punch combetition Roy Jones? Should none could Roy Jones? They could Roy Jones? You said a thirty punch? They get tired thinking about that. But the crowd want to see yea other smoking watch that should we did? Everybody crazy?

They did it. They go crazy. So you gotta you have to give the people their money worth that they're gonna pay attention. If you're not, then you just another box. Closing thoughts, Kevin Garnett will have his jersey retired March's thirteen, following the game versus the Mavericks. Any memories playing Kevin and his his amazing career. Yeah, one time when I was in the Golden State, he tried to garden and I crossed the ship out of him and laid him on the glass. One time. Now, KG, kg Man not

ofhing Protejayson. Could you imagine if okay it's crazy to even think, I mean, we don't have to go too far, but imagine if KG came to our team, like we thought he was coming. That ship would have been crazy. Man, it would have been a blessing for us. You know, k is the Hall of Famer man, one of the best power forwards. Would played again. We could have had his passion, his energy, and his talent on our team. You tried to have a chance, Yeah, it would have

been trouble. Congratulations a big ticket man. Happy for him, and you know he's part of the Showtime family now, so he always got to show him love. Next up, Man, Brittany Grinder is an unfortunate situation over in Russia. She was found with a vate pen and the cartridge. I think she's still sitting down, man. So we're sending prayers out to her and her family, and we hope for man her release and and sex travels back to the States.

Boogie our guy, Boogie a resurgence. Happy for Denver. Mike Maloney. He really he remember he told me he always liked, really, really like Mike Malone. Denver is giving him a chance. This past Friday, he dropped thirty one in the went over the Rockets. The Nuggets are twelve and one when Boogie plays craziest stat with Michael Porter Jr. And hopefully Jamal Murray coming back. Uh Is Denver a scary matchup in the playoffs? Yes they are because now I can

say they officially have a bully on the team. They have an enforcement, They have somebody that could take the pressure off joker, you know what I mean, take the pressure off joking and protect him and then be the bad guy at times when needed. So yes, I like Bookie there. You see you drop at thirty one point, so he still can get buggers and still can play. You got to a probably the best passing big man we've seen in the NBA in a long time on the same team. So I'd like to see it. I

love to see it. I love to see it. Happy for him, I'm just happy to get he gets another chance. Man. It's been well documented, crazy ship. He's been through, man, and for him to get an opportunity and do what he loves, I love to see it. You're trying to see. That's why name was here. You guys are sucking slick goddamn koon yours. I think boy Philly school pleion yours. I think school player on your sappy man be caught nine. Appreciate LOUI scopy your happy birthday. Bro. They've been hiding

this ship over here. They've both been over here smiling all the time. I didn't know what was up. And yeah, man, forty two laps around and that's what I keep getting faster. Man, I don't like it. I'm excited, but I gotta go out of town right now, so hopefully it'll be be straight when I get back in town tomorrow. Then appreciate you all, man, forty two, I'm getting old. I don't like it because I love it, but man, appreciate the family. Appreciate you all. Man. Why don't you smash the cake

face for your fans? No, I'll pass master cake in my own face. Huh funk I look like Hey man, you can catch what's burning every week on Showtime Basketball YouTube and on Twoitter, Instagram and TikTok and show Basketball Man. Peace. See you all next week.