Welcome to Bullyball, presented by DraftKings. I'm Rachel Nichols.
That, of course is DeMarcus Cousins live from Taiwan, my friend. A couple quick questions. First of all, have you found out.
What a beer leopard is? Because that's very important to our audience. And also I need to here. Okay, all right, so nothing there. We've got no update, no update yet.
No.
Man, you had one job, seriously, okay, belle of jobs, but fine playing.
You're busy. You're not only busy playing. You did this amazing event where you went.
To a place that serves like that bubble tea that's so popular and you dressed up in the full uniform and served one hundred cups of bubble tea to fans.
What was that like?
And it was cool? You know, I'm just doing my job serving the people. Cool little event. You know, I got to learn. I'm learning a little bit about their culture and things that they like to do out here. And you know, bubble tea is a big thing out here. So I learned how to make you know a certain type. And you know, we created my own flavor of bubble team. Like you said, we gave out hundreds of cups of it. The fans came out, they enjoyed it, incredible event, so it was a lot of fun.
And you know, I actually enjoyed the tea, so it was a cool thing.
I saw some big crowds for the event. You know, it just feels like the fans there are so they just love basketball so much.
They're deeply in love with the game. So that's a cool thing to see. And it's been a great experience. I've enjoyed my time and the people here are wonderful. They're great, and like I said, they love the game of basketball. So it's been dope.
I like it. I like it.
Still a beer leopard. We need to know what a beer leopard is. Don't let me down.
Before you leave. That just what I'm saying.
Figure it out.
I know what a clipper is, by the way, some people don't. A clipper is like a kind of ship.
Right.
So they were the San Diego Clippers. They are now the LA Clippers, and I got to tell you this last couple months, it has been insane watching them play. Since December one, they are twenty two and four Kawhi over this stretch twenty five six and four.
Listen to this.
Fifty to fifty ninety two shooting splits.
I mean, that's ridiculous.
Paul George over the same stretch twenty three to five and three for his stats. They've had the best record in the NBA for nearly two months. They have an exceptional coach. They have four guys with thirty two All Star appearances between them. That's absolutely insane.
The best player is a.
Formal former Finals MVP, so he's got that experience. I mean, is it arguable that the LA Clippers are the best team in the NBA right now?
That's that's not a bad statement, and it's not a crazy statement. On paper, they probably are the most talented team in the NBA, and I don't think the talent was ever in question. When this team came together and they made the trade for James, we all knew the talent was incredible. It was off the charts. Their issue was figuring out how to make the talent. Mesh and I spoke on it before in the past. I thought t Lou was the perfect guy for the job, and
he's proven me right. He's figured out a way to make this thing work. And the scary part about it. As good as they are right now at this point in the season, they're only going to continue to get better. And that's the scary part about all of this. So they're the real deal. They're you know, they're clicking on all cylinders, and like I said, they're only going to continue to get better.
So I'm excited to see this team continue to grow.
That game that they played against Boston a few days ago was such a jolting sort of wake up to just how good this team has gotten. I mean, they treated this like a playoff game, in part because Boston when they when the Clippers did not have Kawhi Leonard, Boston came into LA and really kind of embarrassed them a little bit. So they wanted to come back and do the same thing on the Celtics' home court. But also Tyler was very open before that game. He said,
we see this as a measuring stick game. He acknowledged that the Celtics at the best record in the league and just that they work on all cylinders. They played defense, very strong, obviously huge offensive talent. So they said, this is the team on foreign soil where we want to measure up and see where we are and Oh my lord. I mean, they came out on.
Such a mission. It was crazy.
Paul George played injured on the second night of back to back, So in a little bit we're.
Going to talk about guys playing and resting.
I just want to point out that Paul George played through an injury on the second night of it back to back when he certainly didn't have to. And the third quarter of that game, the Clippers, they wheeled off a twenty one to zero run.
Again.
And the team that I would have said was the best team in the NBA right now, the Celtics. It has been crazy, and their defense has been a huge part of it too. I mean when you see them, the question was, as you point out, like could they all play together? It seems like that's solved, right, I mean that there isn't another obstacle for them besides health, I guess.
I mean, health is a big thing.
It's something that's been you know, something that's bit them in the ass in the past. But you know, as long as this team remains healthy, like I said, they're only going to continue to get better and better. The chemistry is only going to continue to grow. This is a scary team. And you know, once we get to this playoff run, you have these options on the floor
in a seven game series. It's just it's hard for me to even put a thought in my mind that a team could actually come in and beat these guys in the seven game series. Super talented team. The bench is one of the best in the league. I mean when it comes to just comparing talent for talent in this league, I mean, I see a one, A, one B and that's the Clippers in the Celtics right now, I don't I don't see anything really close to it.
So this this is this is a scary team, and I'm excited to see what they do moving forward.
And look, we'll see in the spring, right I mean, Denver's playing great, by the way, but they still to me have another level they can ratchet up to for the playoffs. We've obviously seen the Lakers do that once they get to the playoffs, if they get into the playoffs. But I just think that the key is right now. The team that's playing the best right now it's the LA Clippers. And that is a crazy thing to be saying, considering all the tumult that.
They got us here.
But I will say, I asked producer Nate to get a clip of me saying the trade would work out when everybody else thought this guy was falling a week.
After the Heart deal.
I think we probably agree, right, he's going to be bought in at the beginning at least, right. He wanted this trade. He worked for it all summer, talked about it a lot. They've all said the right things to each other. TYLERU had a long talk with him before he even landed in LA. And you know, PG and him, we're talking, you know, all the way through really the off season, in the beginning of the season. He and Russ have a much better relationship than I think people
think that they do. You know, as James said, they go back to the boys and Girls club in LA. This goes a lot deeper with them between what happened in a year on the Houston Rockets. So all of that to me tells me they're going to start out in good, good order. And by the way, James looks like he's in great shape right now, and they're all saying and thinking the right things.
Let's move on.
Talk about the scoring surge in the NBA. Two seventy point games two in the last week, Luca's scoring seventy three and I want to read this, he is only behind Wilt Chamberlain who did it twice, and Kobe for the most points ever. So for the most points ever, there's only three people on the list, and Luka Doncic is one of them, and that's insane. I also saw a stat pointing out that over the NBA's first seventy five years as a league, only six players total had
scored seventy or more so, six players in seventy five years. Well, in just the last year or so, there have been four more who have done it, Donovan Mitchell, Damian Lillard, Joel Embiid and now Luca. So six players in seventy five years, four players in just over a year. I mean, that is as stark as I think you can get. Is seventy the new fifty boogie? I mean, and do you see this as a problem or hey, fans love this and that's what the NBA is now.
I don't.
I don't want to say it's a problem, but I think this is exactly what the NBA wants.
You know this.
It was a quote from Luca early in his career where you know he said when he was comparing the NBA to the euro League game, he said it was a lot easier to score in the NBA than it is in overseas. And I think, you know what we're seeing and the results of what we've seen in the past week, it's obvious that statement is very true.
That's a fact.
And in today's game, I hate to say it, defense just isn't a priority the way it was in the past. You know, me coming up playing the game of basketball, learning the foundations of the game, defense was what won game. Defense is what won championships. You fast forward to today's game, offense wins championships, and that's just what it is. On top of that, you have to give credit to the talent that's in the league. It's way more talent in the league than it's ever been before in the game.
So I feel like people miss that so much, Like that is the defensive rules.
I get it.
Look, I covered the league in the nineties, hand checking the whole thing and why the league wanted to get away from it. But Boogie, you're so right, like people do not bring up the quality of players in the league and the fact that we are now truly going from an international pool from what it used to be, which was like basically a US pool with like a few scattered international players.
Thank you for saying that, no problem, But I mean you just got to call the spade to spae.
The talent in the league.
The scoring abilities of the guys in the league of today's game is through the roof, and it's been evident over this past week. So I think it's a combination of a lot of things. But the biggest thing that stands out to me is so much talent in this league. I think we're going to continue to see nice like this, and I mean, honestly, I think we'll see even bigger performances coming up, possibly this season, So you know, I'm excited to see what happens.
Look, I mean, the players are better. It's just a fact, and that's you know. The people who walked both ways to school might argue with that. Obviously there's a few exceptions, but overall, as a group, I do not think that there is any argument legitimately to be had. And by the way, this style of play in the NBA, it's not just that the defense style is different, the offensive style is so different. You now have five guys on
the floor who can shoot threes. In a lot of cases when these teams go small, I mean, it's it's just a whole different level of firepower with the way the game is played today. Also, so I don't know, do you think we're getting to one hundred point game from someone? Do you think we'll get to a two hundred point game for a team?
You know, KG spoke on this, KG and Paul spoke on this, and you know, I thought that was an interesting topic. But if I had to choose between, you know, a guy scoring one hundred or a team getting the two hundred, I think I'll go with a guy scoring one hundred. And I think the best option of us seeing that it's either going to be a Luka Doncic or a Joe LMB. I think those two guys are the two best scorers in the game as of right now.
And you know, Luca just had a seventy point performance the other night, And I mean, the way this heats up, the way he you know, gets rolling in games, it's it's not too far off to say this guy can score one hundred plus in the game coming soon. So I think that's a very possible thing, and you know, I really want to see it happen, so I hope.
It does happen.
How soon until we get there.
I think this season, I mean, the way it's going, I think it could possibly happen this season.
I truly believe that.
And I mean we kind of saw the headlines when it came to Minnesota and the whole called Anthony Town situation, where you know, he was he was gunning for, you know, a sixty seventy point game, So what's stopping the next guy for having the same goal? In mind, this is an offensive driven league right now, and I can see that happening very soon.
I really can well.
I think Joelle Andbiid and Luca are definitely the best candidates.
We'll have to see if it's quite this soon.
A team going over two hundred points in a game to me does not seem that far given some of the scores. It would have to be an overtime game, obviously, but I certainly think that could happen soon as well.
Of course, for Joel Embiid to.
Be involved in something like that, he has to be on the court, and recently, I don't know if you
heard all the way in time on Boogie. But there is a bit of a kerfuffle on Saturday Night about the fact that Joel Embiid just minutes before tip off, right when they did the lineup announcements, then the announcement came that he wasn't going to play in Denver against Nikola Jokic, fanning the flames of this sort of you know theory that's very popular on the old internets that he is scared in some way to face Jokic in Denver,
which I don't think he is scared. I do think he has not faced Jokic in Denver for five years, which is pretty interesting. And just the fact that, you know, Michael Malone said after the game, he said, I'm not doubting the injury, and by the way, I personally am not doubting it either. He actually has a sore neee
that's been documented and her earlier in the week. But the fact that they didn't know until right up until game time for an ABC Saturday Night game, I don't know, man, what do you what do you think of this whole thing?
Something special? You know, I wouldn't.
I don't have the confidence to sit here and say that you know Joe l Embiid is afraid of Jokic when it comes to talking the best bigs in the game, regardless of who outplays who on any given night, those two names are coming up first Jokic and then beat automatically. So when it comes to the matchup, I think they've both had, you know, games where they've out played one another.
That's that's just how this game goes. Some nights are better than others.
But I think at this point, the big fella owes the fans, he owes the game.
Shit, I want to see it.
Just go to dinner and compete, like, I mean, even if if it's for two quarters, big fellas, get out there and compete. That's all we're asking for. I don't think he's afraid, like, I don't think that's the case at all. But it's definitely a fishy situation as to why the past five years you haven't played in Denver.
Big fella, Like, we need to see this show happen. It needs to happen.
So yeah, I mean, it's just the way it all happened to me. Again, I'm fully on board with the fact that he could have been too wonky to injured to play in some way. I'm not sitting here doubting that. What I am saying is that they had to.
He wasn't even on the injury report.
I mean, they have to sort of treat this process with a little bit more respect because you do have, as Michael Malone pointed out, a team on the other side that's prepping for the game. You have fans who are excited about a matchup, not only buying tickets but on TV as well, and you just deserve to know it's a different thing than what you're going to expect. So I wouldn't be surprised if the league finds the Sixers.
I bet they will make the point as well that no one doubting that Joelle is injured, but that the way that they did it was a problem because they do have all these rules to prevent something like this from happening. And look, one of those rules is to incentivize players to have this not happen. You know, I mentioned Paul George playing through an injury groin injury against Boston.
The league would like to see more of that, so they have put a sixty five game minimum on all postseason awards and a.
Lot of fans like this. I'm in the minority.
I think it's kind of ridiculous, and I can go into all the reasons why, but it's funny whenever I come out and say that I totally get trying to get rid of load management and that it is a problem. I'm just not sure this was the place to try to do it. What do you think about the fact that embiid now he can only miss six more games in the entire second half of the season, otherwise he's just not going to make it onto even the ballot.
I think it's complete bullshit, And I also think it's a shift of blaying when this is something that was created, you know, by the league. You know, I spoke on it last week when I brought up the analytics and how these nerves are fucking up the game, and I stand on that statement. The reason is the analytics are the reason this low management shit came into the game. They brought load management in it because they thought the analytics showed that it would help prevent injury from guys
in the league. Well, now you know that rules manipulated, it was taken advantage of, and now they're trying to put a band aid over something over a wound that the lead created.
So now it's where.
The players are being punished for missing games or a certain amount of games, when this shouldn't have never been in the place it should have been. It should have never been put in the place in the first place, and when it comes to it is now overlooked as to you know, this is an eighty two game season. It's gonna be games missed. You know, it's going to be ankle rolls, it's going to be knee tweaks, it's going to be spraying fingers, spraying risks, things of that nature.
This is a competitive sport. This is all part of the game. So the fact that you know, it's now put on the players to now miss only a certain amount or you miss out on you know, money, bonuses, rewards, and it then affects legacy, I think it's complete bullshit. It takes away the integrity of the game. It takes away the foundation of the game, it takes away that
the competitive nature of the game. And we're at the point now to you know, embiads having a historical season and if he misses what six more.
Games, six more games, you.
Basically have to wipe it away, and I think that's completely unfair to the player. Regardless if he plays fifty eight or sixty five, I'm picking him beat as MVP because he's having that great of a season.
So I think that's interesting. That's interesting because one of the big arguments for this rule is.
That if a guy misses sixty five in more than sixty five games, he shouldn't he shouldn't even be considered for MVP. You know, availability is the best ability, and that whole argument. I would say that whether he is
considered for MVP is kind of an individual decision. Every voter, every person out there who has an opinion on this has to calculate, would you rather have Joel Embiid with the way he is playing this season for sixty two games, or would you rather have your next most sort of qualified candidate for seventy four games or whatever that guy has played, And you have to make that judgment, And by the way, if you take it to its extreme, sometimes the answer will be I would rather have the
best player for sixty games or even fifty five games, then someone else, like say a bench player or someone for eighty two games, and then it's just a matter of like how you make that discussion go and like how close you get before you say, Okay, I still want the guy with more games. But that is a factor in MVP, and to take that off the table is silly. To take the idea that he's not even going to be allowed to be on the ballot. If people want to penalize him for missing a bunch of games,
let them do that. Give the opportunity for voters to do that. Don't just wipe away, as you say, the fact that he was even there this season and the way that he was and the you know we talked about in the conversation. Let him be in the conversation at least. And the fact that All NBA is included in this is a little bit more of a mind blow because you have fifteen players named to All NBA teams.
So now it's the conversation of would you rather have Joel Embiid for let's say sixty two games than the fifteenth guy on the you know, on the All NBA team for however many games he played, And that answer could be Joel Embiid like very possibly. And those are as, you say, tied into bonuses, which now you're messing with guys money. And I think it's not just the league in general that has to take responsibility.
I think the team owners need to.
Take responsibility because, as you point out, all of this is not only approved of, but in some cases recommended by the team with the overall goal of preserving their players until they get to the spring. Because not only do the fans like playoff runs, the owners like playoff runs. It's a lot of extra money if you're in the playoffs, and so there is this attitude of, well, the league needs to police it because we're losing ground on the TV contract if we can't get our guys to play
in big games. But then when I go home to my own team, I'm going to let the coach and the training staff and everyone else do whatever they want to to try to preserve the playoffs.
You got to clean up your own house. If you're an owner the league, they're not the only grown ups in the room here.
I mean, I just I think if team owners wanted to make it a priority for the stars to show up on the biggest nights, I think that has to start at home. They have to make the point to the training staff, to the general manager to the coach. I want these guys in the lineup. I am paying them. It is important to me. And if they can't stay in the lineup for long enough, I'm going to consider wanting to get rid of them. And if all of the owners did that, that's where this problem would change.
To me. I just think penalizing the players is crazy, and to mess with even letting them have the chance to be in the discussion.
I do not like it.
I will repeat, I do not like green eggs and ham and I do not like this role Therey God.
These are my thoughts.
Let's talk about the Knicks, because they are ripping it fourteen and six, fourteen and six in their last twenty games twelve and two with og An Andobis, so I think we can say that was a good trade. I actually think it was good for both teams, but very good for the Knicks. Julius Randall twenty four, nine and five on the season. But news did come out just this morning over here Boogie that that shoulder dislocation he had is going to keep him out for a few weeks.
Is kind of how they're describing it. And look, it's better than they thought. They feared before the MRI. It could be months. It is not months, it is a few weeks, but that is still a factor. And they are coming up on the trade deadline, and the question always was do they have another shoot that's going to drop here this season? And now you're looking you're fourth in the East. You're not gonna have Julius Randall for a while, and the Calves who are at fifth or
breathing down your neck and on a roll themselves. So I don't know, do you think if you're in the Knicks front office, would you be affected by this at the trade deadline?
Would you say, Okay, now we really need someone.
I do think it's I think I think it's a concern for this next tame. You just you can't just go to the bench and think you can substitute twenty four nine five. They definitely have a situation on their hands these couple of weeks, a few weeks of him being out can change their standings and this team drastically.
So I think this is I think this is a point in time where they have to move with some urgency and make a really big move, and not necessarily a big move, but a move that can fit this void for these few weeks, and I think scoring for man would you know, be the right type situation to put a band aid over this for the time being. I could see a guy like a Marcus Morris coming
in and kind of building that boy. And you know, obviously they want to get off a foreigner that's been well noted for years, and you know, I could see that, you know, being a trade piece to make that happen.
It doesn't have to be some huge move, right, No.
It doesn't have to be a huge move, but it has to be a great move if that makes sense. So, and it's also a guy that can still fit the mold for when he does return. You then add to that bench to you know, increase the firepower with moving forward throughout the season. So, like I said, I can see a guy like a Marcus Morris coming in. He's been a well known score throughout his career. Hopefully you
get somewhere between sixteen to seventeen, possibly eighteen points a game. So, like I said, feel that void until you can get that twenty four, nine and five back. So I think it's definitely where the Knicks need to move with some urgency and make something happen to feel this void.
Yes, absolutely, and I just could seamlessly fit in.
And then, as you say, both of their bench.
When Randall comes back, I like this, we had to put you in the Knicks front office.
I would be fine with that as long as you still do the pod with me.
Let's talk about one of the best all time matchups in the NBA, in all of history, as far as I am concerned, and I am saying, you know, of course we still have the revered Magic and Bird and Jordan against I don't know the entire Pistons team or whatever it is, but Lebron and Staph for my money, goes right up there with them. I think that they have had just an incredible rivalry. The fact that this is spanned so long, I think it's like nearly one hundred games.
They've played against each other.
That's such a big chunk of those games come in the NBA Finals is insane. And they took a time machine back over the weekend in that double overtime game. It was so much fun to watch those two guys doing what they do best, and it was just a thrill to get to see it again. And who knows how many of those kinds of games where it just goes down to literally the last point in double overtime.
We'll see it again from the two of them.
So I just it felt very special, and it also just kind of underscored Lebron particularly we talk about all season. I can't believe he's playing like this. I can't believe he's playing in year twenty one. But you look at the stats for a year twenty one player, and look, there haven't been a ton of them.
But there's been some.
And you look at the stats for what everyone does in their year twenty one, it's crazy boogie. Lebron is averaging twenty five points in his year twenty one season. The next person on the list is Vince Carter, who the same year averaged seven and a half. So Lebron first on the list. Second on the list is Vince at seven and a half, then Dirk, next, Robert Parrish, and it goes on from there. But they're all under
under seven and a half. I mean, it's that's nuts, right, I mean, how can you How impressed are you and sort of how do you feel he's mainly doing this at this age?
I mean, I think this is just I think we're blessed to even be able to say we're witnessing this at this point in this guy's career. I don't think it'll ever be done again. It's noted that this he's been a freaking nature since he's stepped foot into this league, and he's continuing to be a freaking nature. Obviously one of the goats of this game, great representation of this league. I mean, the list goes on on what this guy has done for this league and just his game in general.
But I can tell you right now, I may struggle at this age the average twenty five game.
Right, you're thirty three nine, Yes, Lebron is you know Lebron.
To try to give him his flowers, you'll be you know, playing seeds forever. So this guy is incredible. He's going to continue to be incredible. He'll go out when he's ready to go out. And one thing that you know most athletes preaches, you know, when it's time for me to hang it up, I kind of want to go out on my own. Note right, it doesn't usually work out that way, but we're gonna literally watch this guy go out his way and on top of his game whenever he decides to do that, and you know, he
he's an incredible player. I mean, it's not much more you can say about it. It's fucking Lebron James.
That is exactly it.
And the physical stuff, as you mentioned, you know, look, I was at his first NBA game, like he was ridiculous then, So your point is completely there that this has been going on the whole time is just reaching its incredible conclusion period in this amazing way. But I don't think we talk about the mental part of it enough. You know, we know because we can see it with our eyes, that not everyone is as elite physically as
some of the best players. Not everyone is as elite talent wise in terms of being able to do the range of things, or has the same speed, or has the same you know, shooting style or any of those things.
I don't think we.
Talk enough about the fact that there is another tier you can reach mentally that not everyone is at, and the discipline it has taken for Lebron to get to this point, the leadership that has taken to get to this point, sort of the way he is able to see the game. I just I think we kind of assume anyone could do that if they wanted to just work hard enough, and I don't think that's true. I
think it's like the physical side of it. I think that having that package of mental sort of superiority in terms of the game of basket ball, it's just not available to everyone, and he has it, and he has a near photographic memory. He can see plays that were, you know, fifteen years ago at this point, and what guys are doing now, and the difference in all of those things and what coaches have done in the past
against him. I just think in the end, when we're talking about everything that he did, I think that that side I hope is appreciated more because it is a huge part of why he's so successful. And you know, we saw it again in that game against the worst that was just out of control. The Lakers as a team,
though also played really well in that game. The Angelo Russell this has become such an interesting topic here in LA Just for the month of January book, he is twenty four averaging twenty four points, six assists, and his shooting percentage from three is fifty percent. So he was a huge part of any trade package that people were discussing that the Lakers could give away Brad this February eighth deadline in order to get in some more talent,
some more defense. He does not provide them that defensive end that I think this team definitely needs.
But he's playing.
Really well and he's your own player and you don't have to give anything up for him.
So the question is do you trust.
Him to keep at this level or something close to it through the end of the playoffs whenever that is, or do you think, hey, sell, hi, baby, let's get someone else in the league interested in the possibility of him. And you're taking the chance that if you do that, you will a have given up some of your assets and be that the person who comes in will be a better fit on this team than D'angela Russell.
So it's a tough question. Where are you on this?
I think they absolutely are looking to trade D'Angelo Russell Sell Hi.
It sucks to say.
But at the same time, the way D'Angelo Russell is going about this, I think he's handled the correct way.
You know, it's pre s through out the league.
You know, when you go out and perform, when you go out and play on a nightly basis, you're not just playing for the team that's on your chest, you're still performing for every other team in the league. And that's exactly what he's doing. He's going to keep his value high, he's going to keep teams watching and it's all and he's going to keep interest high for himself. So the Lakers won't be this guy's last stop. And
that's just the facts behind it. With the way he's playing, there's going to be teams lined up to try to add him to their team. So, like I said, I think he's handling it the correct way. But you know, I hate to say he's absolutely out the door, and it's there's smoke, there's fire, like I mean, it's it's the rumors are circulating crazy right now and his name is popping up NonStop. So you know, uh, Dejhontey Mary is attached to this, attached to his team. His name's
attached to it. You got the likes of the mar de Roz, you have the likes of Alice Caruso and so on and so forth. But I've seen some of the radar names as well, like Donovan Mitchell's and things of that nature. So he's definitely a you know, he's a good trade piece to make any of those type of moves happen. And like I said, the way he's performing, he's going to make it that much easier for this team to make a move.
But the opposite of what he wants.
Yeah, it sucks because I'm a fan of d Angelo Russell. Like, he's had a lot of ups and down in his career, but at the end of the day, he still goes out and he's a professional.
He plays the correct way, and he.
Continues to perform at a high level regardless of you know, the things that are happening around him.
So with that being said, yes, he's out the door.
He does want to say I don't know how many conversations he's had with management about that and sort of his contract situation beyond this, But I don't know. I appreciate that he's made it harder for them to deal him. I mean, it is now a high risk proposition either way, right, it used to be like, eh, d' angel Russell not playing well for the Lakers this year, obviously trading him is no, you know, it's it's not going to bring
us lower. The whole point is we're trying to trade for someone better, and he can be included in that package. Now you really have to ask, will do Jontay Murray be a better fit on the roster and whatever you have to give up, then D'Angelo Russell, I mean de Jonta Murray is much better defensively, but offensively, at least in Atlanta, he has not been what his old numbers were, and you have to look at what you're not getting because you gave up those that pick.
Or whatever it is. I think it's a hard question.
But I also know that the you know, dangel Russell is really streaky and that in a month he could be playing back to the level he was for the first trunk of the season, and then you'll feel stupid not of trading him.
So it's it's I like that D'angela Russell has made this interesting.
I am very interested to watch what happens over these next couple of weeks because we are close.
We are very close.
Let's get to I'll take that bet presented by DraftKings Boogie.
This is an interesting bet. DraftKings has.
I love this because you go through their site and there's always something good. Here's something good. Will a first time champion be crowned? This season, and they're giving you very good odds on saying yes. It's plus three hundred to say us, minus four hundred to say no, so not even really worth betting on.
And I want to know, are.
You going to take the bet that a first time team for those odds will make the chance we'll make the finals and win it. I want to give you the contenders here, the Clippers, the Timberwolves, and the Suns. Obviously they're not in position to do that yet, but they could be by the end of the playoffs. Do you think one of those three teams this year can be the first time champion for their franchise?
I actually, I absolutely do.
With the way the Clippers have been playing lately, they're obviously going to continue to get better, so I think their odds will only increase. And when it comes to the science, you have the likes of Kevin Durant, you had a likes of Devin Booker and also Bradley Build. You have a chance any on any given night to be the best team in the league. So I do think there's a chance that will be a first time
you know, first time champion crown this season. And but my gut is leaning towards this Clippers team, and we spoke on it earlier. It's just outside of the Boston Celtics. It's not a team in the league with as much talent as this Clippers team. They are coming together at the right time there are they are going to continue to get better. I think they have the perfect coach in t lou to coach his team to a finals run and so forth. So I think it's a great
chance the Clippers can make this happen. So I'm excited to see that happen.
But you Cousins is taking the bet. We'll see if all of you out there are taking the bet. It's an interesting bet.
I like it.
Speaking of the Suns, Kevin Durant is returning to Brooklyn on Wednesday, and this has become part of our Doom scroll where we check everything so you don't have to bring you the social stories of the week.
This one happened on Twitter.
Someone put a poll up on Twitter of asking whether the Nets should have a tribute video for KD. Tribute videos have been happening a lot around the league. Some say too much, but certainly a different step than putting the number of the Raptors or anything. And Kevin Durant himself answered the poll and he said, the night will be better without it, please don't So how do you
feel about this idea in the first place? And the kat himself said, I answered the guy and said no, no, no, no, not interested.
So you respect the guy's wishes. Man, I agree with KD that whole Brooklyn situation. I just don't think it was enough you know, history between you know, Katie and this organization to even really make this topic. It wasn't enough good and it necessarily wasn't enough bad for it to even be a situation.
It just didn't work out.
It was a lot of moving pieces that just didn't metch from the top to bottom. It was different personnel, It's just a lot the situation didn't work. You know, both situations are moved on. I think everybody got into a better situation moving forward. So just leave it at that. You know, respect Katie for what he is and what he did. Let's just go play ball. I think the night will be better. Like I said, just respect the god's wishes and let's just go play ball.
I mean, for me, when you look at the biggest what ifs of this era, of basketball. The biggest one to me is what if Kady had picked the next in free agency instead of the Nets.
I just keep imagining.
I cannot let go about what a perfect fit that would have been being with that organization instead having him play in the garden night after night, and the excitement that would have brought. And if he just brought that team a playoff round win, much less a conference finals appearance or a finals appearance or oh my god, a championship.
I mean, he would be a god in that city, and by the way, as a transitive property around the league because Knicks fans make up a huge percentage of fans in this league, disproportionate even to their market size. And I just think this idea that he would have quote, you know, followed up the Golden State years, and some
people felt he had to redeem himself. I am not among them, but some people felt that he had to to take a next team where he was the unquestionable star solo and have the right supporting cast around him and bring them, you know, playoff success. I think he would still be there today and I think it would have been a huge thing.
So to me, the Brooklyn experiment was never a great idea to begin with. And I completely agree with you and Kevin Durant. No tribute video.
It's a good internet question, it's not good in real life. We say no, no, Let's just move on, baby. Another great week of basketball coming up. We will be here next week to talk to you all about it. You can catch all episodes of Bullyball on the DraftKings Network.
We're very excited about that.
Of course, you can also get it on the All the Smoke Productions YouTube channel or wherever you get your podcasts, Apple, Google, Spotify, all the things. We are on all the things, So please download us, rate review us, give us those five stars, and until next week. We'll see you back next Monday. We'll have to find out everyone. We're going to hold you in suspense. Did Boogie Cousins find out what a beer leopard is?
Come Ball's in your court book?
I got you, I got you,