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twenty three. Julius Randall said, this is a better, more talented team than the Knicks team that caught fire in the spring two years ago. You guys remember it was like a huge thing. Everyone was like, oh my god, Nick's tape, Nick's Mania. They made it to the first round against Atlanta, and then they only won one basketball game in the playoffs. So do you guys think that we can expect more from this Knicks team this year? The way Julius Randall says, we're looking at maybe them

playing Cleveland in the first round, Maybe I do. I really like this team. And I gotta give Jathen Brunsons some more props because I didn't think he would have this act on the team. Not only is he playing his best basketball, but in the process, I feel like he's helping slowly but surely change this culture. And I think Jalen's Brunson's arrival not only on the offensive end the defensive end. In his leadership is also free Julius Randall of any kind of playmaking that he has to do.

I mean, right now, if he's just focused on scoring, and this guy's a bucket, they're one of the best one two punches in the league. The only thing that worries me about this team, and obviously Brunson is out right now. All tips teams, he always plays his stars high, long minutes the entire season. He can't really go too much in his big so I hope that that doesn't affect this team's run. But I really like this next team. I have to say, I'm surprised like everyone else, but

they're playing really good basketball and there's a good team. Yeah, I think I think they could possibly make it out the first round. I don't think sego round, and then that depends on the matchups who they play. You know, this is a young team that they're peaking at the right time. You want to be playing like this going into the postseason. You want to have a good field about just seven. Have everything healthy. I mean, have everybody healthy.

I like Matt said, playing a lot of minutes. You know, those guys could be drained in the first round and not make it out because the basketball level goes up way up another Knights, right, So I just it really depends on who they match up with and how those guys feel going to to their first round. But the way they're playing right now, this is definitely the way you want to play going into the playoffs. Yeah, I mean the offense that they're laying out there, it's not

so typical Tips. I mean, first of all, they're sixth in the league in their offensive rating. That's interesting. And they're not doing it with a lot of three pointers. They're twentieth in the league in three So what they're doing it is every other way. They're rebounding great, they're getting to the line great, They're getting those timely contributions from people in the right moments that They've had some great play in the clutch during this streak. I will

say they have tightened up the rotation. I think it was back in December. Tips tightened the rotation to nine, and that gets it exactly what you're talking about. Matt is a lot of minutes. Julius Randall second amount of minutes in the league this season. Jalen Brunson has been playing a lot. He's a little on the smaller side. What I mean he's listed at six two. I don't know. I mean everyone's taller than me, so who knows. But to me he does not appear to be six two

on the court. How much is that going to be an issue during the playoffs because we know what happens to smaller guards. His heart is six eight. I buy that. Yeah, but you know we saw him have success with Dallas last year in the playoffs, so I don't really put too much into his height. He's just he's just a really smart player. He's a three level scorer. He's someone who at however, six one, he can post guards up that he's stronger than He's got a nice mid range,

he shoots the ballwell. He makes plays for his team. Also, I think another person who's come and I love the energy, has brought as his form of Villanova teammate Josh Hart. He's brought up a ton of energy, hitting big shots. I mean, Quigly is playing really well too, so I'm excited. Obviously, I agree with Jack. I think it's all on the matchups and I don't want to get caught in the moment. But if it is Cleveland and New York earlier in the season, I would have thought Cleveland, you know, would

handle him easily. But I really don't know right now. So I'm excited to see how they finished down this stretch and who their first round matchup is. But I wouldn't be surprised to see them make the second round. You know, it's gonna be spicy if it's calvs. Nicks, especially with Donovan Mitchell on the whole subplot of last summer and which team was he going to go to

and all of that. Look, I love Jalen Brunson. I'm with you, guys, and I want to just read you some of his numbers over the past two months, averaging twenty eight points a game, shooting fifty one percent forty five percent from three. Obviously, he's just gotten better and better each year. Stack what do you think Brunson's ceiling is? Like? What do you how good a player can he be? I think you can be an All Star, especially in the easy to be staying the East. He can be

an All Star for for multiple years. The way he's leading the team, the way all the guys are buying in and letting him control the pace of the game. Definitely when the game's on the line and the player needs to be made, the ball is in his hand. So just just a confidence he's brought to the team. Raage, I know the heart the heart of this kid has because I know his pops and uh making that bringing that to the to the Knicks and making everybody buy in and and feel that same energy and passion for

the game and hunger. I think that that says a lot about this kid. And uh, he has a high setting race. He can be asked off for multiple years. I think he's playing with a lot of confidence too. And New York is one of those places where you can feel the energy and feel the vibe and be playing on a whole other planet. So I think his biggest thing right now is his confidence. Obviously, very talented player, but he's very confident right now, and it's a it's

a very silent confident leadership. Can get where he wants on the court, can control the game, like Jack says, So I'm really happy for this kid. And to think, you know, going into the summer, people thought, you know, the Knicks overpaid. I can easily say right now he's definitely underpaid because I feel like he's playing at an all NBA level. May not be a first team, but he'll find himself on possibly that second or third team. I do think he is underpaid considering what he's contributing

and the effort. I mean, first of all, the whole team was playing hard as hell, like they are fun to watch if you caught any of these games this last couple of weeks, they are just fun. But Brunson, in particular, they were playing a game against the Nets, and there was less than five minutes to go, and I think that the Knicks were up by like twenty six points. Jalen Brunson is not only still in the game because you know Tom Thibodeaux, but he goes to

take a charge and he didn't get the call. He starts arguing Tibbs actually did a coach's challenge less than five minutes to go up twenty six and he won. Because that is what's going on with this team right now. So the heart of this team is so much fun and Matt, You're right, the way New York responds to them is incredible. I hope, I hope that they there's to me. I used to live in New York for a long time, a couple decades, and there's nothing to

me like the Garden. When that team is on a role we've been waiting so long for it to happen again, I just I can't wait to see it. I hope that. I hope this continues to some degree and gives us some good playoff matchup, so we will see. We have no we're getting good playoff matches in the West because KD and Phoenix has been a movie. Guys, the sons are three and oz with him. Durant's numbers since he arrived twenty seven points a game. Seven is says fifty

three from three point percentage. We're talking with the producer Nate over here. Do you think he is the most plug and play superstar ever? Because you could put him anywhere. We know that, but compare him to guys in the past. Absolutely, I don't think and I've been saying this for a while. You know now the days where superstars are changing teams.

It normally takes time for not only the superstar to kind of fight his footing, but you know, playing with the superstar as either you know, a sidekick or a role player sometimes sometimes difficult. But I think Katie's efficiency is what makes him so easy to just plug and play. His ability to get to a spots when he wants.

And this kind of reminds me, Rachel and Jack of when he went to the Golden State the first time, where he kind of just fit in and played his role, and then when the playoffs came, that's when he showed up when the finals came. I mean, he showed up the entire season, but he put the Cape on come playoff times. So I really just think his arrival is

obviously gonna help Devin Booker. Book's not going to see the same looks he's seen as far as double teams, traps, shifts because he has Katie on the other side of the floor. It's gonna help Chris Paul because we all know Chris is my dog, but he's just getting older. You know his numbers, right, I think at nine points and eight assists since Katie's joined the team. But I know in the playoffs, those will go up and then

we can't forget about Eton. I mean eighton is one of you know, this is not a game of biggs anymore. There's a handful of very good bigs. But aiden you know, to me is that next tier behind Joker and Beat as far as bigs that is versatile, can pick and pop,

rebounds like a monster, and protects the paint. So I really like, obviously it's only been three games, and you know, we don't know what is to come, but if this team is healthy, with Booker and KD and CP orchestrating things, Phoenix is going to be very scary to me in the Western Conference. Yeah that Matt. I mean Katie, you can put Katie innywhere the probably he's gonna win everytire. He's gonna probably be the most efficient player to touch

the game as you see. You know what I'm saying, to continue to get over thirty points to up to get other Knights shooting twelve or seventeen, like, that's just that's just crazy efficient and he's been doing it his whole career. Um, I think I think, to echo, Matt, the person who's going to get them the most out of it is not aiding to me. It's Chris Paul because if you see, if you see in the Dallas Mavericks game, um, they was doubling a Kadi and helping off Devin Book and Chris Paul got a lot of

wide open threes. If he can knock those shots down, his arrabs can go up from nine to fifteen eighteen in the heartbeat because he's gonna get a lot of open shots and he can knock them down, and he and they're gonna need him to knock them shots down in the playoffs because that's definitely what they're gonna do. They're gonna make somebody else beat them besides Katie and Bookle. But it's super scary. There's no reason for not put them not to be playing at the end of the season.

Rage you know, in the league where it's either three points or paint scoring and they want to give up that mid range. You have three of the most efficient midrange shooters in the game and CP, Book and KD So again, there's no holes in this offense and if they can stay healthy, it's gonna be scary. Well, it's interesting though about Chris right because that one hundred percent is going to be the book on this team. Defensively,

we saw Dallas lay it out this past weekend. You're going to have to help help help on Durant and Booker, and they have decided, Hey, Chris Paul, Look, he's shooting forty two percent this season, which I think is his second worst shooting percentage of any season of his career, not to the standard he's used to or he likes to put out, and I think teams are going to lay off him a bit to see make him prove

them wrong. We saw, especially from deep, if you were a Phoenix Suns player not named Durant or Booker in that Dallas game, those guys were just eight of twenty six from three. So I think that we are going to see teams try to do that more for Chris Paul specifically, though, to me, his competitiveness is going to come out when he has presented with that, and we saw that in the Dallas game too, right, did not

have a great first three quarters. They were laying off him, and then the fourth that man came out, hit two three, scored eight points total and had a lot of savvy IQ moves, not just moving guys around the court, dealing with the officials, all that kind of stuff. Matt, you know Chris better than almost anyone else. You played with him. You guys are good friends, your neighbors, your kids play together.

What do you know about Chris, especially in the postseason if this continues, if if guys do lay off of him defensively, well, he's got to be ready, Rache. You know, obviously he's a Hall of Fame point guard and you know, coming down to the tail end of his career, and you know, I definitely would like to see him have another opportunity to win a ring. But you know, as both you guys said that the game plan is going to be book and CEPR, book and KD. So what

is Chris gonna be able to give you? You know? And I have confidence, like I said, I think the window is really shutting. You know, it's coming towards an end on a Hall of Fame career. But I know he's still asked some left in the tank and with this team right now, I think right now he's just orchestrating.

I think, you know, has come playoff time. He's gonna have to up his average, you know, at least five or six points to really be a threat out there, and then again along with Aiden and you know, some of those guys on the bench, they're gonna have to do their job. But you know, I'll take a problem all day if you know you're telling me that, you know we're gonna have to see what you know CP

is going to give us. Like I said, he's not the CP of old, but I'm sure he still has something left in the take because he knows it's coming down to the end. I think it's fascinating with Durant too, with the idea that he's gotten all this criticism stack of oh you joined this team, you joined that team, you joined that team. You're kind of fitting into someone

else's team. In the end, that could end up being well, that could be end up being the strength, right, That could be the thing in the end that we remember his career for as a strength that he's the guy who could fit in anywhere. He is the guy who could go to any team and be a major player and the best player on the team. I just think it's interesting that the thing that like the Internet has has criticized him over could end up being one of

the like elite hallmarks of his career. Well, I mean, Rachel, I'm not nowhere close to the player Durant was, But for a while, I was known as that player that a lot of teams was one player away. I got to San Antonio, I was that player to get a championship. I went to Indiana and they were saying I was that one player getting the Golden State. I said, you know so, I was always that guy, but not on

the level with KD. But the way that he's able to go anywhere and play the same game with the same greatness, of the same efficiency, Rachel, I mean that that's that that that's greatness, and there's nowhere else you can you can explain that. Yeah, I think I think it's fascinating. You know it. You know it. And by the way, anyone's still hating on Kevin Durant needs to get their eyes checked and made different sport. Just sank Um, we were talking about the Mavericks leaving some players open,

including Chris at the end of that game. Over the weekend, speaking of leaving people open, Russell Westbrook, ladies and gentlemen, we saw what Draymond did to him last week. We got to take a look at how this Clippers experiment is working. Because they were ten and four before they added Russell Westbrook. They were on that fourteen game streak where they were really cooking the starting lineup. Seemed like ty Low had finally gotten guys playing together, found his rhythm.

They I think were the number four seed in the West and now they are one and five with Rustbrook in the starting lineup, and they have tumbled down into the play in section of the bracket. Their only win that number, that one and five. Their only win was a Grizzlies team without John Morant that was in the middle of a lot of turmoil. What do you guys, I mean, I guess, I don't know. Match just start with what do you think the biggest issues are here?

And what do you think they should do about them? I don't know. It's tough race because his numbers aren't bad, you know what I mean, outside of his turn of its every thing fifteen, eight and four. But he's averaging four turnovers, so that obviously you want to cut down on that. But it's hard because sometimes number cann't be deceiving. And I never got a chance to play with the Russell.

I don't know what his presence is like. And I don't mean in a negative way, but I mean on a court from a standpoint of guys that are used to having, you know, the Norman Powell you know could be you know, he's a top three contender for six and Man of the Year. Terrence Man has shown to me he's kind of struggled all you're kind of trying

to find his footing. But then you bring someone in such as a Russell Westbrook, who on paper looks like you can definitely help the team because this team needs playmakers. But again, I don't know how those two guys that I just mentioned are gonna able to blend with Russ because outside of Kawai and PG, you know, Russ is going to be the next guy with the ball in his hands and most and that's obviously gonna take away from Pal. That's obviously going to take away from Terrence

Man's ability to score and make play. So I don't know what it is. You know, the record tells you, oh, this is not working, but I don't. You know, me playing basketball long enough, I know that may not be the case. But I don't know whether it's bringing him off the bench or just maybe they're in a bad funk right now and they can turn the corner. But again, Russ's numbers are solid. It looks like he's making you know, he's making a positive impact. The record hasn't shown that.

But I wonder if his ball dominance outside of their two superstars, how's that gonna affect Norman Pale and Terrence Man and the other guys that are used to having the ball in their hands a little bit. I'm not gonna panic right now, Rache. I panic when the season is over and they don't make the playoffs right when they when they get into that position, well, that would be bad because some people pick them to win this year.

So that would be that would be a big fault. Yeah, and I understand that, you know, because they should be at the top of the West, you know, with with being there before he got there. But I'm just saying my point is that they played five got five six games with him and they haven't been winning. Okay, they still have enough time to turn the stick around and put themselves in a great position come playoff time. But if they don't do it, then you got to look

at it as a problem. So they you know, That's why I'm not really panicking you because it's still new when they have time rates, but if they don't, yeah, we're gonna be talking about it in a different way. It's right, it's it's just hard because, as you say, Matt, some of his numbers are really totally workable. The turners, they have not just been a problem, but they've been at bad times. So I think that has kind of

put the spotlight on those as well. His decision making, as we know, is just not as strong as some of the other people in his positions, so that has come into play as well. And in the end, chemistry is a tough thing. Like sometimes it's hard to point to the reason, but we just know that that team was cooking before he got there. Him in the starting

lineup has not had them cooking. I don't know if the Clippers had to tell him he would start, so that he picked them over say Chicago or DC or any other places that might have been looking for him. I'm not sure if that was a good decision. If that did happen, I'm not reporting anything. I've no idea

if that's what happened. I was surprised to see him in the starting lineup as much as he's been, considering that he really found success with the Lakers playing off the bench, so you would think that that is how he would be for the Clippers, and that's sort of what I thought that they needed. We will see if they go back to that at some point with him.

The Clippers do have some practice days coming up, which they haven't had a lot of this season, but the schedule is going to get a little looser for them. I know tylu is looking forward to that. The stretch that they have played with us has been some tough games that played some good opponents, so I don't know if that factors into it, but to me, this is

a real interesting situation. And you said it, Matt, that how these last twenty games are so go for us is going to really impact how people see him for the rest of his time here in the NBA. And I'm very curious how this marriage is going to be. We'll see. We gotta talk legendary moments presented by top Shot friends. The scoring surge in the NBA this season has been wild wild. I tell you, six players averaging

thirty a game, ton of huge stat lines. So I want to bring you back to a couple of particular big nights. Right, we had Dame and Donovan both dropping seventy one, Luca had that sixty twenty one ten back in December, and Bead was absurd. Do you remember that fifty nine eleven eight with seven blocks? That monster performance is stack? Which of these guys generated the most memorable moment stat line moment? What would you want to see on a top shot? For me? Um, I just like

the way in Bees looked for me. Yeah, just just just just the way. I just love the way he plays. You know, he's one of the by like a Chemolijah one. He's one of the most killed big man that we've ever seen. And to see the way he puts up those big numbers and then the dominant fashion is what I love to see because you don't see that much.

You know, you have him in Yokichen and Greek Free putting up those type of numbers, but to do the way he does it, you know, with the step backs to fade aways as a big man, I think it's beautiful to see. Give me Luca. I love Luca, I love a game. I love how how young he is and to me to think that this guy's only going to get better. It's crazy what he's able to do with his body type in in lack of athleticism, Uh, to still be as effective as he is on the court.

This guy is a genius on the court. And uh, you know he must watch basketball for me. So give me a top shot of Luca, maybe spoken a cigarette or something. I want him. I want him with his recovery beer. That would be the top shot. Does him drinking the recovery beer? I don't know, Guys. Damian Lillard seventy one points I think was the most efficient seventy point game ever. I mean, he he has been just

out of hand this season. But Stack, I want to go back to the Mbid thing for a second only because the statline we were talking about that particular night, the thing that made it special to me was that he also had the seven blocks. And this gets into that larger conversation about how we see Joel Embiid and

how we see defense in the league in general. Right now, is that when you look at say the MVP candidates, which has been you know, kind of back into the discussion now that we're getting closer to voting time, how much do you put stock in the fact that this guy is a monster on the other side of the floor. And when you talk about these great performances, the fact that he's doing it at both ends, how much does

that matter to you? Guys? Does that push his performance where he's fifty nine to eleven and eight because he had the seven blocks versus a guy like Luca who did as you said, it was incredible that night. It was incredible. But it's not like phenomenal defense, right, go ahead, Jack, how do you see it? We Well, I mean, I think we look at guys a different way to do everything. Race that it's called it's called basketball. It's not called offense.

It's called basketball. You're right. And a lot of people the way the game is playing right now, people are going they're not going to watch basketball, They're going to watch offense. So when I played and Matt played, we were two guys that loved and and and took pride and playing defense in both sides of the ball. So to see a guy that magnitude the way he can and he can be, you know, close to Greek Freaker being dominant every night, one of the most dominant players

in the game. To see him take pride to defense and the block shots, and that says what he That says um a lot about what he feels about his team and how how much pride he takes and the load he's putting on his own shoulders to make sure this team succeed. You gotta love that in one of your star guys to give that effort. A lot of guys don't give up that effort. They just want to

score up points and little good on one end. But the game of the name of the game is basketball, and in b gets that rage it's too I mean, look, you guys appreciate great scoring. I know that you guys played defense at a level. I mean watch you guys played defense. You guys played defense at the level we don't see with a lot of guys today. How much

would you take it into account? How much when you're like again, when we get back into this MBP discussion, And by the way, Nikola Yokich, his defense has improved so much, he plays completely solid defense. Is just not Joel Ebid level defense. And I don't think that's arguable, but yo, just offensive dumbers are better, Like, how much are you taking both of those things into account? As

former players. I think it should be taken into account, and I think unfortunately, because of the way the game changed, it's not taken into account. It's both sides of the ball is not taken into account anymore, you know what I mean. And it's unfortunate because Ebid is someone who you could say the last few years is right there, could have won one, could have won both, but has

won none. And then you look at this year where his lashes and what he's able to do for his team and continuing to you know, hit their stride at the right time. He's right in the mix, you know what I mean. So he definitely does more on the

defensive end than Joker. Granted Jokers got better, but at the same time, I don't even think people give a shit about defense anymore, to be honest with you, when it comes down to accolades, unless it's because ave Player of the year stack, what would you when you were if you were voting what we how much would you take defense into account? It's everything to me, Rachel. I mean it's everything because like so that's that's a decider

for you. Yes, I mean, it's it's part of it because you know that that's the part of playing the game, you know, and I don't know how to explain it, Rache. You've been around a game a long enough. You know how we played the game and how and how we take pride in the game and stopping your man that that that feels. Stopping a guy at the end of the game, Rachel h at the end of the buzzer from hitting the shot feels just as good as a guy hitting hitting the buzzer beat. It's the same thing

so for us, for us as a different feeling. All right, So next week I'm going to challenge our producers to find an NBA tie shot amazing moment centered on defense. We'll see if we can get that done. I don't know if you give you one right now. Ra Lebron, Okay, what Lebron? Yeah, lebrono Angladalla. That was a that was a big block and didn't know of course, but I mean from this season, from this season? Yeah, okay, Well,

at I got good. I got some nominees. You guys can start your NBA Top Shot collection today at NBA top shot dot com. Get closer to the game and players you love. Sign up today. All right, let's get to the on the Radar segment presented by Draft Kings Coach of the Year Odds here Mike Brown, Joe Missoula being in the top two? All right, which ones to you? Guys have put these teams in their best position? Who do you think the favorite is? Stack? I got to go with my guy Mike Brown. I wouldn't have had

the NBA career. I got a shout at San Antonio or Indiana. Uh if it wasn't from my guy Mike Brown. He gave me some key words when I was in New Jerry's my first year, and that's how I was able to keep my mind right that season. When I went Byron's got instantly stopped playing me. He kept me focused from another team and he let me know that he was coming to give me. So Mike Brown's my guy.

What he was able he's able to do in Sacramento, it's really just bring that championship experience, that composure, that understanding the defense, how you have to be on the string. Everybody's responsible for their own job on defense, but you have to, you know, be on the string with your brothers. And they showing that and that's why they have a success. So I gotta give kudos to my guy, Mike Brown. He definitely deserves it to me. Hats off to Missoula,

but definitely gonna go Mike Brown. And you know, Rachel and Jack. At the beginning the season, I didn't know if this was the right higher because we had him in LA and it didn't go good. It was ugly. But I really think that pit stop in Golden State completely changed him, bettered him, seasoned him, and what he brought to Sacramento is a foundation, a leadership. And then, like Jack said, he's a tremendous teacher. I mean, you know,

obviously I worked for them. And he calls those quick early timeouts that veteran teams might go crazy for, like what the fuck you calling this time out for this younger team. This younger team adapts to it because he'll take it. He'll call the time out thirty six into a game just to teach Keegan Murray or or Deer and Fox how to get over screen or where they're

supposed to be. And I really appreciated that now seeing that because we had a veteran team with LA and that ship didn't fly at all and no one was really going for But again, this young Sacramento team who was looking for an identity, who was looking for a leader and a coach. Mike Brown has provided all that. These guys are a half game out of second and all the self inflicting, you know, trauma that Memphis has caused themselves. I think Sacramento is going to slide into

that second. Spotted to think this team hasn't been to the playoffs in sixteen years. First year head coach in Sacramento has got the best. He produced two all stars, has a team played at a very high level. Milely thing with them, but they need to be able to pick their defense up if they want to make any noise in the playoffs. But definitely has off to Mike Brown. And it was a great hire that the King's made

by bringing Mike Brown in. Yeah, and I mean look the fact that he faced adversity, that he had some stumbles and then actually took the time to not be stubborn but say I can learn something here in Golden State. You know, we spent a lot of time with him during that run, especially when he had to take over for Steve for a little bit when Steve is having all those back issues and I really think that it did change him and he was always I mean, look,

he's always been a great guy. I mean, he's always been one of the all time good guys around the league, and such a great defensive coach, and so many strengths. But the fact that he has been able to put it all together to a degree that he has here in Sacramento, he is my Coach of the Year choice for sure. I will say all of the recent Joe Missoula slander, especially coming out of Boston, I know Celtics fans, you're very You're very wrapped up with the team, and

anytime there's a stumble, there's an issue. He did not play the right lineup the other day. There have been some at the end of game, some mistakes, but come on, I think Missoula has done a really really strong job all season in a situation where he stepped in at the beginning of the season cold, and I think that team has done so many good things and I think that they will write themselves by the time the playoffs get started, even though they've had like a micro stumble here.

So I don't like all the Joe Missoula slander. I've been here in the state of Massachusetts. But I will say Mike Brown coach of the year. All right, I want to get to our closing thoughts here, because we do got to talk about the other team in la Anthony Davis has played a wild last five games, thirty points a game, twelve, three pounds a game, two and a half assist a game. They're three and two in

the stretch run of must wins. They don't have Lebron for at least the next three weeks, probably maybe a little longer. They are both not anywhere near the play in and yet also five games out of fifth place. I don't know. Is a d under the most pressure of any of these stars around the league right now because he could possibly get his team into the postseason on his back. We've got Dame Lillard, Kawhi, Jimmy Butler, Luca Kyrie all in these pressure positions. But is AD

the most sort of the scrutiny under him? I think I think Ad is under pressure. Um, what can he do with this team without Lebron? I think he's showing that again. But the only thing that is we've ever questioned Anthony Davis about this, his availability when he's on the court, he's one of the best players in the world. He is under pressure, But I think someone who needs to be under more pressure, who hasn't been under any pressure, is the two time MVP and the person who possibly

could be the three time MVP in Joker. You know, how many times can you be MVP but not really take your team to the next level? And I say this with all the respeccy. We all know he's a tremendous talent, but you know, why isn't he under the microscope? He's number one in the West, He's won two MVPs in the road. They're talking about this will be his three PET but I think that'll be the first time since Larry Bird if I'm not mistaken. But when is the pressure going to be put on him to Hey,

you got to get your team over. You know, we've you know, you've earned these, but you see your team hasn't really done what they're supposed to do or you know, to me, the bubble Western Conference appearance to me doesn't very much weight. Um, they got to do it now, you know, And we've talked about this. You know, Jack and I used to were never high on Utah. Utah was a great regular season team and a handful of

years ago we never did anything in the playoffs. I think the most pressure this year is going to be out Luca. Great talent, deserving if he is giving the third MVP, deserving of the MVP. But there's at this point with everyone healthy, he has to give his team to that next level, right, Jackie, you just want to pick it back that about either Yoka trade d Yeah, I go. I kind of go Yokis too. And that's crazy,

you know me? Right, that's just crazy. All the people that came to came through the league, leave Bird and Yokas are going to be the aut two to three p the MVP. That's crazy. There's a few more, but he's the first one in so long. Yeah, Yeah, that's crazy. That's that's crazy. But I've been saying this, I've been on that. I think that they've they've been going around and putting pressure on him. You know, ever says the bubble.

You know what I'm saying. They made it to they made it to play the leagas in the bubble, you know. And uh and really it wasn't him who showed up. It was Murray. Murray had those fifty point games when they counted. So, you know, I just I just feel like he's a great regular season player. But after two years in a row, you give I mean even after a year you give a guy MVP and the next year you give it to him again and he don't

go for on the playoffs. You got it. You gotta start thinking about that third year because that it has to say you have to give it to a guy who's well, what do you say to a guy rache that dominates all year, then dominates all regular season? Like, what do you say to him? You know what I mean? Like, like, I think he deserves that award two. You know, and we know a lot of guys that come into this season that dominate all regular season and we know what

their teams are going to do in the playoffs. They we know, we know what's expected, then they do it. So I think those guys should be rewarded too. Well, look, I am going to buy in on yoga until he shows me. I shouldn't only in that. Look, that Nuggets team is number one in the West. They have held on to number one in the West. You can't ask them to be better than that. Right now. You can only play the games in front of you right now. It's the regular season, so that's what he's doing. His

numbers are great. I did say earlier in this show, I would like to see a little bit more of the defensive discussion come into play, just because I do believe that. I want to say, I was about to say, stack, I believe it's a two way game. But I think that's also when you said, it's not called basketball, it's called offense. It shouldn't be a two way game. It's a game. A game involves both ways. It's just ridiculous

to me that we make that distinction. But that being said, I think Yokich has done what we have asked him to do so far. That team's made it to the Western Conference finals. I just do think he's at the point where they do need to get to the finals. I think a lot of people think that he needs to win before we can continue to keep this regular

season stuff. And we saw this same discussion with James Harden by the way, people saying, oh, great, he's great in the regular season, what are you doing for me

in the playoffs? So I do think it's interesting. I do want to say Anthony Davis should be given a lot of credit for what he's doing right now, but he is under a lot of pressure to move that Lakers team as we get toward the postseason without Lebron James, and that will not be end Let you leave here, Stack without asking you about a recent tweet from on as long as we're on the subject, he tweets the other night man Bronnie definitely better than some of these

cats I've been watching on League Pass today. This ship lightweight, hilarious. So, Stephen, does Labron have too much free time at home with that injury? Or do you think possibly his twelfth grade son is better than some of the guys in the NBA. Hey, I mean, well two things. One only he can get away with that too. Yes, on the yside, he should be a sign as big as fan. So I ain't ad at a Forday, Yes, one hundred percent. Absolutely, And we could actually kind of guess from the timing of

the tweet which game he was watching. I'm not gonna say it out loud, but I do kind of know who he was talking about. Anyway. What's Burning Friends available every week on Showtime Basketball YouTube, on Twitter, Instagram, and TikTok at show basketball, Thank you all. We'll see you next week.