Welcome into What's burning, my friends, joined by Matt Barnes, Steven Jackson, and guys. We've got so much good playoff stuff going on, I just want to get straight into it. Monday night in the NBA thrilling in Miami, Jimmy Butler dropping fifty six points, swaying the series, putting the number eight seed up three to one on top of the
top seeded Bucks. And look, we have to start with Jimmy, right, This was the most points in Heat playoff history, which is saying something on a team where Lebron, James, Dwayne Wade shack all one titles. At one point in the third quarter, guys, Jimmy had thirty five points and the rest of the Heat had thirty nine points. So cannot overstate his value there. But I got a question for you. Was Jimmy Butler's Game four the single greatest playoff performance
for a Miami Heat player. We know it's the most points, but you got to remember we had that Lebron game in twenty twelve, that Game six versus the Celtics up in Boston in the Eastern Conference Finals, when the Heat were down three to two. We had forty five fifteen to five. We had Tim Hardway versus the Knicks in ninety seven, that Game seven in the second round, thirty
eight points, seven assists. And of course Dwayne Wade in the two thousand and six finals, remember he had that Game three, they were down two, they were down thirteen points in the fourth quarter and it came back and I think he had forty something points. He did it again in Game five of that series. So where would you put this Jimmy Butler performance stack in the grand scheme of Miami performances.
I definitely put it up there with you know that one of the top performances. I definitely think lebron performance is at the top. Just what was his stake and the team he was playing against and how he dominated. I think Lebron his performance against Boston is always going to be at the top of me for Miami.
But Jimmy Butler's right there to score those points.
And you know, if it was if it was the East Conference Finals, then I will be saying it might be bigger than Bron. But it is just the first round, which is still big because they're playing a number one seed, and I don't think I think the last time what a number one seed was knocked out in the first round was us, So it's good to see they have them have an opportunity to do it.
I think too, I think the stage obviously, and you never want to take anything away from Jimmy. This guy wills his team somehow someway every single time he steps on the floor.
My number one performance is.
D Wade because he did it on the biggest stage, which is in the finals, and it was a long time ago, and my memory is a little shaky because I do smoke a lot, but I just remember seeing how incredible he was in those games to become finals MVP. Obviously, what bron did in Boston is huge because on that stage, but you know not the definitely don't want to take anything away from Jimmy for what he did last night.
It was incredible.
Just someone who's a Swiss army knife can give you whatever you need to win, and last night it was scoring and he did it.
But I'm one of the greatest.
Players now, I'm with you on the gween Wig one.
I just remember sort of them looking like that whole series was going to be a wash, and he turned the whole thing around. They end up winning a title him in check and that great team with a lons of warnings. So I agree that time and place matters, But there's no question that Jimmy Butler has been phenomenal in the playoffs overall throughout his career, certainly on Monday Night, but he really took issue guys with that playoff Jimmy idea. And you remember, for Jihon Rondo used to take issue
with the idea that there was a playoff Rondo. Jimmy was asked about last night about playoff Jimmy, and he was like, no, there's no that's not true. I'm just hooping that kind of thing. Why do you think, Matt, why do you think guys don't like that?
Moniker?
Maybe because you want to think that you're giving your best effort the entire season. But you know, Jimmy has been that one guy particular, I mean even more than maybe even more than Rondo. And I say that's all due respect. In the playoffs, Jimmy turns something else on. I mean, maybe it's the beer he's drinking come playoff time, or the music he's listening to. But again, Jimmy is someone who has willed his team not just this year,
but pretty much every year he's been in Miami. They made a run to the finals, and he was incredible in Gas the entire time. But he is just one of the most, you know, one of the greatest competitors we've ever seen in this game, who's whose heart is as big as anyone's in this game. And whether he likes it or not, playoff Jimmy is just some different stack.
Playoff Jimmy is a real thing, right.
I wouldn't say that with him. I mean, because he you know, he gives effort all year round. It it's some guys that when they give him their playoff name it f it's because they only play harder, they only give the effort in the playoffs. But with Jimmy, I I think I think he gives that for all year round.
I just think in the playoffs.
Is highlighted because the game slows down, the star players have the ball more, and you really get to see our chalented these guys.
His numbers are better in the playoffs.
I wonder if that's the I don't I don't think it is an effort thing, because I agree with you, I think that that he gives effort the whole year through. But I wonder if it's just situationally he's able to do more in those situations. Whatever it is, it's working for the Miami Heat. Do you guys think, I mean, coming back from three to one in the series has only very rarely happened. Do you guys think that Giannis in the Bucks can do this or do you think this series is over?
If there's one player that can his team back from being three to one, is Giannis I believe. I'm not saying they're going to do it, but if somebody could do it, it would be him.
I don't know how healthy he is.
He still he was limpy, limped away last night from the game in one position and he fell hard for the first.
Time so again on his back.
So I don't know how healthy is but if he's a one hundred percent, they got a good chance.
And you also see what I think Jack just pointed out, or maybe I missed one, but at the very end of the game, the last play of the game, he fell right on his tailbone, and I don't think no one noticed that because Miami had won.
But that could be a big if. But I agree with Jack.
I mean, if there's one team that can well back, It's Giannis's team. And the only reason why I feel like they can do it is because Jimmy has to play like this every single game, you know. I mean, obviously, this is one game which was incredible. You know, obviously they're shorthanded with Tyler Herro. They just lost Victor Oluwadipo
to another terrible knee injury. But if Jimmy's going to have to drop fifty every night or be in the high forties every night, that doesn't necessarily favor his team. And then, you know, because Milwaukee pretty much had the game in hand, they saidn't play a full forty eight minutes, So I think it'll be interesting. You don't want to take anything away from Jimmy in the Heat squad for what they were able to accomplish last night, but the
windows definitely still open for Milwaukee. They got to go home and take care of business and then game again.
We don't know, we don't know how Yiannis is going to be and frankly, as you point out, the Heat cannot sustain one more injury to one more important guy on that team. I mean, they're so thin right now. So we'll have to see what happens if the Bucks do end up losing this series. Though a first round exit for a top seeded team, as you point out, Stack has not happened in a long long time. The Bucks will have to sit and take a look at
what they want to do. You've got Brook Lopez as an unrestricted free agent, Chris Middleton has a player option. Do you think Stack, if they do lose this first round series, you just draw it up to, you know, hey, chalk it up to injuries and Giannis and we try to run it back for next year again.
Or do you think you want to make some major changes.
Yeah, I mean it's hard to say you need to make changes when Giannis is not one hundred percent. I mean, that's that's what makes that machine go. I mean, if he was a hundred percent, we're probably be saying that David Series. So I think that I think they kind of keeped the core of that team together. Lopez has had a great year. He almost won Defensive Player of
the Year. So Lopez is and somebody that need to keep in pocket the pick and rolled at him and Gianna was running yesterday was Miami couldn't stop it, So I just I just think it might be some other players they need to need to tune in and take out. But for the most part, I think they're still good.
Yeah, I definitely don't think you blowed this this core up. This corp has been one of the most consistent cores
the last handful of years. But if you guys remember before Milwaukee came out of nowhere and won that finals, who was on the hot spital coach but it was Bud And you got to think there was a lot in shock point or was it Charles that pointed it out last night and on TNT after the game, there were some times there there was some questionable decision making and timeouts that weren't called during that run that Miami was making.
That kind of had me on that.
Yeah, and I was just thinking, like, I was about to start tweeting, but I was dealing with Ash so I didn't. But I'm thinking, like, and it just made me think back to before Milwaukee won their championship. That's that championship saved their head coach, so out again, I don't think it's with the players, if anything, and I'm not even saying they need to if this doesn't work.
They need a fire bud. But I think he brew Up probably will take some heat and there will be some you know, deep examining of his abilities to lead.
That'd be interesting to see. But as you guys say, I think the Bucks still have a chance. That series is far from over, and either way it's gonna be it's gonna be a good time, all right. I want to get over back here to La because Lebron went twenty and twenty in year twenty, first time in a playoff game he's ever posted those numbers, by the way, first time in fifty years that a player of his age has done it. In fact, he broke Wilt's record. What was thirty six when he did it. Lebron is,
of course thirty eight. So crazy to have a guy at that age put up those.
Kinds of numbers.
Lakers fans, of course, a whirlwind of emotions this entire season. They've re ramped the roster eighty and Lebron have both missed extended periods of time.
They battled just to get into the play in and now they're up three to one. Though on the number.
Two seeded Grizzlies and Matt you always said if the Lakers get in, they'd be dangerous. But is that just because hey, they're the team with Lebron James? Is that going to be enough? Is they keep going here? I don't know if he can do twenty and twenty every night. What's your assessment here as we go?
Well, Rachel was crazy because as I was watching this game last night, I was in a group chat with Jelani and a couple of the UCLA home boys and I literally said, because he was really passive down the stretch before overtime, like didn't look to attack, didn't look to anything. I was just like, damn, it doesn't look like Lebron can get you know, he's not really doing anything to get by no one. And when I tell you, as soon as I said that, he started going, you
know what I mean? And everyone in might like, hey, you know that in age well, literally like thirty seconds, it's like he heard me. But to your point, Rachel, I don't think Lebron can sustain. Sometimes people say you had to catch your second win. He had to catch his third win last night, which was incredible, and he was able to do it and again, like Jimmy will his team to victory but my biggest question mark is
Anthony Davis is inconsistency. He'll give you thirty and seventeen, one, nine, and then he comes back and gives you what do you have last night?
Like eleven and twelve?
You know what I mean?
When he's talent wise supposed to be one of the greatest players that this game has. So it'll be very interesting to see how much juice Lebron has because there's times where you watch the game and granted that twenty twenty was absolutely incredible for someone his age at this point, but you can just tell that that as a team, they can't sustain energy consistently. It's crazy. There's so many
peaks and valleys with that team. So I think this team can still beat Memphis because Memphis is shorthanded, but it'll be interesting to see if they have enough gas as a team to continue to advance. It's gonna take the role players to continue to play well. Austin Reeves has played itself into a lot of money, but I really put a lot of a lot of the a lot of the focus on Anthony Davis. If Anthony Davis is going to be the guy that can step up in these big games and help burden the load that
Lebron has faced every game its entire career. This team has a chance to, you know, continue their journey through the West, because the West is to me still.
Tell a D if you were his coach or his teammate, Oh boy.
I want to hear this.
I tell.
That's a good question. I don't know, honestly, they don't know. What would I tell? What would I tell?
I was?
I was thinking more from the Memphis side, the Lakers. You know, they got a D and Lebron, they should win the series. The Memphis don't have the big man. That's a big difference. Lebron wouldn't be getting twenty rebounds with Steven Adam and it was in the series. Steven Allams is a big part of this series. And then again, you know, Lebron just smartered. He just smarter than all these players out there on the court. You know they don't they were talented, rach, but they don't play attention
to detail at all. You know what I'm saying. And I think this is what's sewing at Lebron's age. Is his IQ over everybody's IQ on the court. You let Lebron go right at it could clutch point of the game with one drivel to the rim. He's gonna score every time, you know. And it's just just and every time. I mean just They're just not They just not understand the game of details.
No way. If I was in that game, I would let Lebron go right.
Lebron can score, he can, he can score right every time, but going left the percentages dropped. So I would force him to go left and make him past to somebody else and make Austin Reeves and somebody beat you. But you don't let Lebron just drive to the rim. So Lebron is just ten times smarter than everybody on the court.
Well, you can definitely see the youth with the Grizzlies, and they've had their own kind of discombobulation throughout this series.
Dylan Brooks talking, not talking.
It's going to be interesting to see what happens when they get back down to Memphis. But I do agree with you, Matt Anthony Davis has to be more consistent. This was supposed to be a situation when Lebron came to the Lakers that, yes, he was going to be the dominant player. When he first got to La. But
the idea, I mean he said it out loud. The idea was that it would transition into being a D's team, and that he would be a very talented elder statesman, but sort of as he approached forty, that he would be sort of the older piece on the team and that the real powerhouse would be Anthony Davis. And we haven't seen that full transition yet. I mean, Lebron is
still the guy that makes this team go. You would think that this playoffs, if the Lakers are going to win, it's going to have to be because Anthony Davis can take over games consistently.
I'm looking for it. We'll see if it happens. I don't know.
Hold on right before we jump to the next topic, let's rewind you mentioned Dylan Brooks. How do you talk shit? Continuing to talk shit and then try to say that the media and the fans are making you a villain, and then when you start getting your head busted, you don't want to talk to the media no more?
Like how does how does that? I mean, how do you It's.
Easy to talk shit when shit's cool, you know what I mean, But when your back's against the wall, you got to stand on what you're talking and now you want to I'm out and I'm not talking to the media. He's acting like a whe straight up, straight up, and he's trying to point the finger at everyone else.
That's we talk about on the court, that guys gotta like learn how to do things right. That their young team and they got all the stuff Sack was just talking about. I think with trash talk is the same thing.
Right, come, mom, man, you gotta stand on it.
You got to stand on it, especially when you're talking about you know what I mean, you're disrespecting one of the greatest, if not the greatest player we've ever seen.
And when things start to not.
Go your way a little bit, now you're pointing the finger at the media, and you're pointing the finger at the fans, and you don't want to talk to the media because you your mouth roid to check your ass cash, you know what I mean. So I think he's on some clown behavior and and all that kind of stuff adds up, you know, because the one thing about MEMPHISI is, you know, during the regular season, a little bit of
outside noise won't necessarily deter you. You know, they had some stuff with joh Dylan's been in and out with technical fouls. They've they've obviously had some injuries, but you know, come playoff time, there has to be a singular focus and there has to be a team focus. And I think he individually had tried to make it an individual one on one type matchup and when that shit didn't work, now all of a sudden, it's everyone else's fault with his.
That's some clown shit.
Well I don't, I don't. I kind of disagree, man, because they asked him about Braun. I mean, they asked him a question, and I don't think he was supposed to say, oh, Braun is the greatest and all that.
He said, what do he wanted? How he felt?
Now, if he didn't back up his play, that's one thing, and people canna say he talking trash and not backing up his play as one thing, But the other things they saying about him as a person, I think that's what he talking about. Yeah, he talking trash, he didn't back it up as a person. Because I've been there, I talked trash on the court. I got my ass buzzed by Broun, Kobe, all of them. But when they try to take it as you as a person and attack your as you as a person and not on
the court. I think that's what he kind of talked about running from the media. Yeah, you got to stand up because you're the same person that said he was old and all that, so you got to you gotta take that after Lebron have a twenty twenty game. But when you start tacking the person off the court, I think that's what he running from. No, we different. We didn't run from nothing whatever said. We stood up behind him. But I don't think he really talking about as far
as him talking is trash and not backing up. I think they're trying to say he a thug and a villain and all this stuff which he take on on the court, but once he off the court, lead that man alone.
Yeah.
I never heard the thug part, But I mean I think the villain rolling. We've both been villains, and we played a big hand in creating that villain narrative, and we were cool with it.
Like you said, we stood on it.
Whether we were right or wrong, played well or played like shit, we stood on it and we followed through.
But that was I've never heard. I haven't heard no one.
I must have missed it, you know, talking about him off the court, as far as I mean, he can't be a thug. He walks in with a vest with no shirt on. That ain't a thug. So I'm not talking about I don't think I missed If they were talking bad about him as a person, I.
Didn't hear that part.
But I'm keeping it strictly on the basketball front, you know what I mean, Like you've got to stand on all this shit you're talking about and when it doesn't go, well, that's the humility part. That's the part where you still have to look at the look into the media and look into the camera and still say whatever you want to say. But to me, you're you're running after the last two games because shit has necessarily gone your way.
And that's what I'm not definitely not talking about because you and I have both been labeled off the court. Well you might have a little thuggish tendencies in you, but you know, b I was never in you know, in those shit like that. But I'm talking strictly like basketball. If you're gonna talk and and and again, I like Dylan Brooks because to me, you know, Jack are saying is you know, check it or respect it, and no
one has checked it, you know what I mean. But I'm saying he's kind of checking hisself now by just not standing on what he's said, you know what I mean. I like the fact that Dylan Brooks lives rent free in a lot of different people's head and one has really done anything about it, but that the tables have turned slightly. And I don't like how he wants to blame the media and the fans and now he doesn't want to talk after the game.
That's what I'm talking about, And.
I'm I'm I'm happy he did say those things about Broun because because he brought a side Lebroun and I never seen that. I never seen Lebron Broun walk up to nobody before the game, you know what I'm saying. So I've been I've been dying to see this person for twenty years.
Everybody say, well, Braun, ain't that guy.
I get it, But I've been dying to see this guy for twenty years because if we would have seen this guy from year one, Rach And I'm gonna say and I'm gonna say that we'd have seen this guy in this Memphis series that we seen from year one, we wouldn't be talking about who the best player of all time?
A mad or mad or mean Lebron that's what Lebron's Yeah, we wouldn't mean.
They wouldn't be Lebron.
Tried to be mean for a season in Miami, members first year in Miami, and he said being a villain did not do well for him. Villain like himself.
But I get it, I got.
It.
Got to be in.
You're not on, you can't be on.
I just want to know what you think act would look like. If he came in with the best with no shirt.
We wouldn't be friends no more.
Hell, I wouldn't have no friends.
I wanted to get to Devin Booker too, on the other side of the series, though, because he's been electric, Sons hitting their stride, Booker averaging thirty five a game, shooting fifty seven percent from the floor. So, Matt, would you say Devin Booker has been the best player in the postseason so far?
Would you give that title to someone else?
I want to say this before I say that this is the Kevin Durant effect, and this is not taking anything away from Booker. It's the fact that Kevin Durant is on the floor too, and it frees up Booker so much. And obviously Bookers so has to go out there and do what he does. But Booker's always been incredible. But I think the freedom in the ability to do
everything he's doing again. And this is definitely not a knock on book because he's one of my favorite players, but the fact that Kevin Durant is that other wing allows him to go crazy. With that said, I definitely say that Booker is up, you know, probably top. You could have him won two or three. I mean, there's been a lot of great guys, Stephan and Deer and Fox has been a great battle in that series.
Booker has been incredible.
Anthony Edwards, although his team hasn't really played well, he's been incredible. You look over at Brunson, He's There's been a lot of great individual performance this year. But I definitely think Booker is the head of the class this year. He's playing the lights out for them and I hope it can continue.
When the last time Booker got a swing swing from a double team wide open three right right, since KD been there, man, they look good. I mean it's definitely the KD effect. I mean, Matt said it all.
All right, Matt, So while I have you here by yourself, it's the time to ask you about the Matt Barnes versus Matt Barnes series Kings Warriors.
Kings had a chance to.
Go up three to one, little sloppy played down the stretch some savvy from the Warriors means they're now tied at two instead, and now Darren Fox is a fracture on his index finger of his shooting hand. Matt, how do you handicap this series from this point out?
It's fucked up, man, And I've been torn this whole series rage obviously, you know Warriors in my history with them, and we believe, and the opportunity to be on a championship team, and then you know, Sacramento's my hometown team and they've been bad for so long and they're finally here and they're real and then they're the real deal. And I think you touched on inexperience played a huge
part in Game four. Down the stretch, clutch time, turnover, shot selection rotations, just a lot of things that you know, the Warriors aren't going to beat themselves and I feel like the Kings beat themselves in Game four and still had a shot, you know, with Harrison Barnes at the end of the game to win it. The unfortunate news
with Dearon Foxes is terrible. And I'm someone who's played through several finger injuries, but I've never had the yeah, yeah, but I've never had the load and the responsibility of a de Aaron fox And I tell you, and I did play through this, but it shit was terrible, you know, especially because similar to him, we were both very active
on the defensive end. So anytime you swipe at a ball and hit it the wrong way or even land and then offensively holding the ball and people swiping at you, and you know someone like Draymond is going to take a hacksaw Jim Duggan hack at that hand like he should, you know what I mean. That's a part of the game, Like if someone has an injury, you go after that injury. So when I heard the news yesterday, I was just so disheartened because I still feel like this team has
a chance. I mean, I think Game five is a must win for Sacramento if they're going to move on. But they're gonna need de Aaron, so you know, I'm praying that, you know, he's able to come back and be healthy because we want to see these teams at full strength. You know, I didn't agree with the Draymond and you people can get mad all they want. I didn't think he should have been suspended because I want to see both these teams, you know, at their best.
So Sacramento is right there.
You hate to just you know, you hate to have like these moral victories, but I think Sacramento has shown that they're this team is real and for the next handful of years, they're going to be very real and continue to get better. But it is a must win. Game five is a must win for Sacramento. You don't want to let the Warriors win three straight games going back to uh San Francisco. So we will have to
see how dearon Fox handles this injury. And then from m King's side, Sabonis and heard her playing the simple I have to step up.
Keigan.
Murray had struggled the first three games, and he came out and had a tremendous game, and I didn't know why he wasn't playing down the stretch, but Herder and Sabonis have yet to really find their rhythm in this game. And I say that with all due respect to to Sabonus because he's still putting up double doubles, but it's just not his normal typical game if you've seen him play all season. So Golden State is sitting right where
they want to. You know, Sacramento had their first two games at home go and Stay handled their next two games. But now you're starting to see the experience of where Golden State has been the last eight to nine years.
You mentioned that Draymond suspension, and you know, of course the League office when they did it said that his history came into play.
I thought.
Draymond, by the way, the other day, had the line of the playoffs so far. He said, I didn't know you could get suspended for a flagrant fell from seven years ago, which thought was great, Which is great. Draymon really did an interesting thing in game four, by the way, is that he took himself out of the starting lineup.
He went to Steve Kerr and after sitting on the sidelines for Game three, he said he watched the game it was like watching film live and that he saw the extra space that was there by only having one big on the floor, and he went to Steve Kerr. First he went to Steph Curry and asked him. Then he went to Steve Kerr and said, I think that you know, he said, look, I think we should just start Kevon Looney, we should just start one. And he's
the one who's earned it at this point. And then you know, of course Steve did start Draymond for the beginning of the second half, but what did you think of Draymond doing that overall and just stepping up and taking that on himself and then also the effected head this this.
Is the reason why he's one of my favorite players.
Uh.
Just and I think people get a glimpse of him as a as a player during those two and a half hours. Well now you obviously get him on his podcast too, but just the way he thinks the game. One of the most intelligent high basketball IQ players that I think this game has ever seen. And just a
stand up move, you know what I mean? I mean, because that was the question, like, Hey, the Warriors finally won a first game without Draymond, and obviously people are trying to say dumb shit like, oh, they're better with the that's ridiculous, not better without him, That's an absolute fact. They don't have any championships if this guy isn't on
the team. But I just think the fact that you know, obviously he stood up, you know what he probably you know, you know he thought he shouldn't have been ejected either or suspended either, but he was. He took the time to watch the game and kind of see the game. You know, most people couldn't wait, I can't wait to get back out there and do but he he saw how well they played without him, you know what I mean.
So it's just like, you know, for him to have that kind of that mind and willing to sacrifice and it worked.
But him still being so instrumental in the game.
I mean, he had huge steals in blocks and rebounds down the stretch that really sealed this team's victory. So his energy to win, so again another reason why Draymond is not only one of my favorite players, but favorite people. And again this is this is going to be big for the Kings. I mean, they're in they're in uncharted territory right now. You know, how do you bounce back from two straight losses two games you possibly could have won.
There was chances, even in that first game when they ended up losing by double digits, that if Sacramento could have hit anything, they could have made a run.
So this is a great test for a young.
Team going back home wounded, with guys not playing very well, and you know that Golden State is looking. You know, Golden State sees blood in the water. Now you know they see blood in the water, they see a wounded animal. So we're gonna have to see how this Sacramento team responds behind to.
See how Sacramento rises to the occasion. I want to see other Warriors rise to the occasion too, because they've been crappy on the road for so much of this season that even with a golden opportunity in front of them, I want to see if they can execute.
So we'll have to see.
It's a pivotal game five, one of the most fun series in the first round. I can't wait, all right, I want to get to our Top Shot legendary moments because the playoffs are moving along. Top Shot has twenty twenty three NBA Playoff packs and they're ten dollars dropping dimes, twenty nine dollars three pointer versions. Those are available until
April thirtieth, twenty twenty three, at seven pm Eastern. Each pack purchased is an entry to win an all expenses paid trip to Games one and two or Games three and four of the NBA Finals. That is a good prize, people, I know, right, Matt, I want to know which playoff series do you think has generated the most moments? Kings Warriors, Knicks, Cavs, Lakers, grizz King's Warriors.
I think there was a stat that someone just sent me. Let me look on my phone real quick. It was the most viewed order to go Sacramento Kings versus Golden State Warriors Game four, and ABC draws the largest NBA Playoff first round audience across any network in twenty one years. They peaked out at ten point five million views. So I'm a Homer, I'm a Norcow guy in North Kyle is rocking right now, so I'm definitely gonna say that
King's Warriors series. The battle between Stephan d'aron Fox has been incredible and Daron Fox is letting everyone know I'm one of the best players in the world.
Those numbers are crazy too when you consider it's West Coast game. So half the country. You know, that's eleven o'clock midnight type of situation. Everyone's staying too.
So Yes, best moments, Best you guys.
Can start your NBA Top Shot collection today at nbatopshot dot com.
Get closer than ever to the game and players you love.
Sign up today on the Radar mat presented by DraftKings, the only sportsbook you need for the twenty twenty three playoffs. Let's take a look at Wednesday's game Makes Picks Game five nix at Calves. Calves are five and a half point favorites. Do the Knicks close it out in Cleveland or Matt Can the Calves extend the series back to MSG?
That's a tough call, the nix of them. Brunt I mean, I just I want to shout out Brunson man. I just I always knew he was a good player, but to see what his departure from Dallas has done and what his arrival in New York has done has been incredible.
I don't think anyone saw him being this.
Pivotal, you know, with all due respect, and you know, everyone said, like, you know, oh, they're paying him one hundred million. I think he's underpaid and I've said this a handful of times since like he's underpaid. This next contract is going to be bigger, so first of all, want to shout him out. It's going to be interesting, I think for them for the for the Knicks to close out Cleveland on Cleveland's home court, Julius Randall has
to show up to this series. Obviously, he had a great season, but a bad, bad ankle sprain coming into this playoffs, and I think he's kind of been a shell of himself, settling for jumpers, maybe because his ankle isn't as strong it is as it needs to be for him to get downhill. But I think in order for this team to close out Cleveland in Cleveland, it's going to have to ride on Julius Randall because I pretty much feel like, you know what everyone else is
going to give you. You know, Brunton is a gamer of Mitchell's coming off a bad game at the Garden, so you know he wants to get back to the crib and and really show up and show out. So I would give the nod to Cleveland right now because I think it's going to be easier for Donovan Mitchell to turn it on at home than Julius Randa to kind of find his rhythm.
Mitchell going out like this, frankly.
I mean, I still would think New York is going to win the series, but a gentleman sweep losing it.
Home, I don't know.
I'm gonna say that Donovan Mitchell is gonna come up, show up big, and and then you know, take the series back to New York and then I see the next closing it.
Out, but we'll see.
That's why why they play the games. I want to get to Lakers grizz too. Four point favorites. Do you think that's going to happen? Or do you think Lebron sends Dylan Brooks and company to Can't Coot? This is a tough one for me.
Yeah, I think Memphis as long as you know John took a few falls last game, scary falls if he can, if he's going to be on the court, I give Memphis the edge in Game five, and then the Lakers got to finish it home because Memphis is one of the loudest arenas in the world, and you don't want to have to go back for a Game seven. So it'll be a Game seven even though it's Game six.
In LA.
I give the nod as long as Joss playing. I give the nod to Memphis going home and protecting home and then having to come back to LA and pretty much play.
It's going to be a Game seven for the Lakers.
Yeah. It's gonna be interesting too if that series keeps extending because they play more often now, right. I mean, they were playing at big breaks in the beginning part of the series.
Now they're going to start playing every other day. That kind of thing.
Travel is going to go back and forth, so an older team could get more tired. It's gonna be interesting to see. But I think Memphis is favored for the right reasons.
We'll have to see real quick.
Yeah, Rach, before we jump, I want to go back to that Madison Garden crowd. How great is it to just see them going nuts and being loud and then being star studded. I mean, I'm really happy for the Knicks and what they've been able to do for their fan base, because we all know that's one of the craziest, wildest, disrespectful, greatest intelligent fan bases there is. And the fact that they are rocking in New York.
I just think you imagine if things continue the way they're going and it's Nick's heat in the second round.
No, yes, how insane is that going to be?
And I want to see all the old guys from both sides coming back and sitting in the crowd.
Yeah, they all got to show up.
I want to see that Van Gundylons of Warning tape over and over and over again.
I want the whole thing.
Getting ahead of ourselves, obviously, but the way both series are trending as we said here, I mean, I just think the garden would be happened Ogrer your series. Getting back to that Warriors Kings. Warriors are four point favorites with that deer and Fox injury.
That's how the swing was.
The Kings were favorited, and then as soon as that news broke, it swing right over back to the Warriors. So you didn't quite make a call before. I want to know who takes the game. Give me one team or the other.
If the Aaron Fox plays, I'm going with the Kings. If Dearon Fox sits out, this series is going to be over. And I think Sacramento fans even know that. I mean, he's been so instrumental for this team on both ends of the floor again going shot for shot with one of the greatest players we've ever seen in Steph Curry and and out dueling them some of these games. So I think his availability is going to be the key, hopefully that you know it's been I'm sure it's been
around the clock treatment. He may have to shoot, shoot something, you know, he takes some kind of shot to be able to get out there. But I think if he's able to play, he will play. He knows how important this is. And I saw something mad at him and I haven't seen that, that back and forth between him and Draymond, And because Deeran is such a mild manner, polite, quiet guy, but when I saw him throwing cuss words and asist and that, I'm like, hell yeah, I knew it was in him.
I just wanted to see it.
So I hate to see that injury can possibly derail uh this team's opportunity. But I got Sacramento de.
Wet Our closing thoughts is signing with the Rockets. Look, you thought Matt the Rockets needed a players coach for such a young team.
Is he may the right guy?
UH?
Is is different goes about I think he's a players coach, but he's he's going to be more. He's going to stand on it more than And then why am I forgetting his name now my former assistant coach, I'm forgetting us Steve silas coach Silace. I think it's a it's a solid move, you know what I mean. May, He's as a head coach was great. You know, just his off the court stuff is kind of what got him in some hot water. But I mean, you can't take anything away from what he did to that to that
Boston team. Although there had a lot of talent, he was the driving force kind of building that foundation.
And you remember.
Boston was terrible the first half of the season and they finally bought into what I May was preaching and they hit that stride in January and made a tremendous run. So I think is a great coach. I think obviously some off the court stuff has kind of derailed that.
But at the end of the day, this Houston team is a young team and they need someone who is going to be more vocal, more stern, almost an asshole to kind of get these young guys in line, because there's a lot of young hotheads that are very talented over there with no direction, and you hear and I have people over there saying, you know that management told coach Silace to take it easy on on Jalen Green ye a quorter and all that kind of stuff. So I may is not the kind of guy that's going
to stand down to anybody. He'll swing on somebody if needed. So I hope that he is a coach that can build a foundation because I like the young talent over there.
They just don't have.
It's going to be a huge swing of the ping pong balls.
You know. If they end up getting Victor webin Yama, then the entire situation changes. If they don't, that is it's a whole different thing for him. But I'm very interested to see what he's going to do before we go. I want to shout out Ann Edwards. Five thirty point games and only ten postseason appearances. That is absolute madness. The only other player to reach that number Kobe Bean Bryant. What do you think Ann Edwards steiling is matt because this is ridiculous what we've.
Seen so far.
I mean to think that, you know, there was a real debate where people thought that you know, and I love LaMelo. That LaMelo was. You know, he won Rookie of the Year. Anthony Edwards is a superstar in the making. He's got the charisma and the character off the court to continue to make his you know, his his his his play on the court that much better because I feel like his personality matches how good he is as a player. To be only twenty one, we obviously know
is his team. The sky is the limit for Anthony Edwards. I mean, he's and I think two. Once he understands that he can lock up on defense, because he is one of the greatest athletes this game has ever seen. Once he starts to playing hisself on the defensive end, the league is in trouble.
League may already be in trouble when he's on the court. I've been so blown away by him.
He is.
He is just so much fun too. So I'm looking forward tomorrow. I know that we probably won't get him much longer in the playoffs, but still pretty good. All right, Before we go to I want to just play a little bit. We got on headliners this week. We got Dwayne Wade as the guest and Matt you got to hear this. He was explaining to me what happened at his draft party. You know part of that, of course. Incredible two thousand and three draft class gets picked fifth
overall by the Miami Heat. He's in Chicago, he's a young kid. He's really excited, and take a listen to what happened. And it was amazing to me on draft night, because you're in Chicago, you have your party.
It's amazing.
And honestly, I don't know if this story is true.
I know I've heard you tell.
It, but.
Why it ain't true?
It's too crazy.
Let's talk about it.
Someone comes up to says.
My cousin in the party, my cousin Antoine Wade, which you know n Twine shout out to Antoine. He came up to me and he said, Bro, Michael Jordan is here. And I said, where is he at?
You hadn't met him. You're a kid in Chicago who grew up watching the Bolts, and your cousin says Michael Jordan.
Michael, so I think he's playing games with me. So I'm like, where he at? Yeah, and he's like he's outside.
They won't let him in.
Now I'm like this, He's he's like, bro, I'm not playing, and I was like, okay, so let's go. So we being lining out the club. Right right out the doors, it's a slew of motorcycles and Michael Jordan is sitting right there on one of the motorcycles, right up to him like it was like seeing like a ghost. And I went right up to him and he said, he was like, I just wanted to come and show you some love. Like he was, he was a little felt.
He felt the way I don't know why they want to let Mike in you have fifty people with him. But yeah, he was outside, he was on a motorcycle and he said, I was coming through the show you some love, congratulations, you know, and the whole welcome to the NBA type of thing.
And so that's a true story.
That was my first time meeting Michael Jordan, and it was the coolest experience ever. He was sitting on a motorcycle looking cooliest.
So you're trying to tell me that a bouncer didn't let Michael Jordan anywhere, let alone Dwyane Wade Draft party but anywhere. Yeah, hopefully that guy got fired. But Rach, how has it been. I mean, obviously your new show headliner shout out to you. I'm so excited to kind of see you back in your element. But I mean, you don't fuck around. I mean, right from the jump, you're coming out with Hall of Famer after Hall of Famers left and right. How has that experience been, in particular, how.
Was the de fun?
You know, I covered Dwayne from the moment he was drafted on, so it was fun to relive with him some of the moments that I walked through throughout both of our careers. But he's still telling stories that I've never heard before, which is what's been really fun about the show. It's one of the great parts of all the smoke is get some of that stuff that just
hasn't come out in the media before. There's a story he tells about him and Lebron James after they lost that twenty eleven finals where things went so bad for them. Lebron's flinging himself off a balcony into a pool, just all kinds of crazy shit.
So I like when you have these longer form opportunities to be able to really.
Dive deep into what guys are thinking and what they're doing, and to catch a guy like Dwayne Wade, who is about to walk into the Hall of Fame, came up in.
A really difficult situation.
Grew up, you know, his first ten years in a gang riddled part of Chicago.
His mom, who by the way, is amazing.
His mom has come back and her life and become a real advocate and speaker and helped all sorts of people with drug addictions because she was there.
She was a heroin addict. She was a coke addict.
Dwayne was talking in this interview about how he didn't know if his mom was coming home for days at a time or not. And he's eight years old lying in the bed, couldn't sleep because his mother isn't there and he doesn't know if she's dead or not on the street. And so the fact that he was able to come through that to become a Hall of Fame basketball player, I think it was just amazing to sit with him in chat. So I'm excited for people to
see this interview. I think it's gonna be a lot of fun Thursday nights on Showtime and then it's on streaming. It's on Showtime, it's on Paramount, the whole deal right next to on streaming on paramount and Showtime is some all best of all spokes, so I'm in good company there.
Congratulations. I'm really excited for you. I can't wait to watch that episode. And the fact you mentioned, I mean, obviously we know Dwayne's accolades as a player, but a better person, which is, you know, I've got a chance to know him, and he doesn't live too far from me, and we've we've got a chance to hang out a lot post careerge just a really good person too, which is which makes him even you know, his his his legacy as a player better to me.
Am in for that, all right, guys, What's burning available every week on Showtime Basketball, YouTube, Twitter, Instagram at TikTok at show Basketball Matt Barnes.
Thank you very much.
You can catch Matt Barnes on all of the Sacramento Warriors series. I can't wait to see up there again in a day or two.
All guys, thank you,