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Bully Ball presented by Yes Draft Kings. I'm Rachel Nichols. This is DeMarcus Cousins. The semi finals of the n Season Tournament are set, Buggy. They are in Las Vegas, and so were weak. We are here live at the Blue Wires Studios at the Wind Resort and Casino. And now that we're in it, man, what is your take on the midseason tournament?
Man, it's been actually a lot better than expect. It's been super competitive. It's got these guys no competitive nat in the season. That's great for the fans, that's great for the game. So I think it's been all positives, you know, moving forward with this playing that the league put in and uh, you know, it's a good thing that it worked out in you know, a positive way.
So I think it's been good for the league.
Yeah.
I mean, look, I think it's done a great job like energizing the base, like they say in politics, Like, if you're an NBA fan, this has definitely made your November and beginning of December much more interesting than in previous years. I can't tell because I live in that NBA fan world, Like do you think that people who are just general sports fans, like, you know, the games
the other night, we're against football Monday night. Like it's it's a little bit hard for me to tell if we're talking about it or everyone's talking about it, what do you get a sense of?
Uh?
I think people are excited about it.
Yeah, you think it's a main topic usually in your local gyms, Yeah, you know, in your local barbershops. So, like I said, I think the plan worked out well and everybody's favor that you know, was pushing this idea and we're getting to results the exact results that we wanted, which is high level basketball early in the season.
Good games in the quarterfinals for sure, and then you know they have come in to Vegas. They've got Lebron on one side of the bracket and Yanis on the other. I know the NBA isn't mad at that, and Willard in there. They've got some big stars. They also announced what the hardware is going to be for this. In addition to the money which we've been talking about the hardware, they're gonna give out a trophy to the team that wins. There's an MVP trophy, but the MVP trophy appears to
be for the tournament, not for the game. So that's kind of interesting, right, you can have a guy win for the tournament but not even be on the winning team right for the game. So I don't know how that's gonna work out. That's gonna get some cond there's gonna be some controversy there.
Well, in a way, I guess the main result would be getting everybody to play at a high level. So regardless, you know, a guy may slack back. It's like, man, we're down thirty. You know we may not have a chance today. Well, you can still get a guy on that losing side to go get a fifty ball then night, and you know it's it just it's entertained. Obviously, it's going to keep these fans entertained.
That's the name of the game.
The best of the best, playing the best level of basketball thirty games into the season. So you know that's a plus, and that's that's exactly what we were looking for.
There's more hardware, though, but so here we go. The winning team every remember the middle, winning team is going to get I'm laughing because it seems a little silly to me, get a medal placed around his neck like Olympic style.
How do you feel about that?
No, theatrical maybe.
Maybe do they do this in soccer?
I don't know.
I would not want someone to put a medal around my neck unless I want an Olympic games. I feel like that's special for that, But I don't know. I don't pay attention to the soccer tournaments in Europe that this was based on. Maybe they get medals, although soccer is different anyway.
There's all kinds of different things. I don't I feel like medals should be for something. I don't know. It's lovely, like the more than everyone's happy. If it makes them happy, go for it. I wonder if next year we'll also see medals. It's a little bit you want to medal, you want you want to Yeah, guys, maybe they want medals. There you go.
There is also a basketball made out of solid black crystal.
And you saw that photo of that. That was nice.
And this will go to an all tournament team that they're also doing. So maybe a guy who got eliminated in the corners but will make the all tournament team. You know, so they're they're really trying to obviously make all these accolades mean something. Do you think that when you know, say Lebron, well everybody's a winner, Well, say Lebron goes. You know, the Lakers have had the best
point differential of the tournament so far. He's obviously been the player of the on the team, you know, the Lakers. So if they went on to win, he would be that MVP, right in this scenario, or Yiannis if the Buck's gone to win, maybe he's the MVP or Dame's the MVP. Is this going to be listed in his Hall of Fame? Any of those guys in their Hall of Fame accolades that they won.
I'm not sure that they got a medal that they want MVP. I mean, is it? Maybe it is. I don't know. I'm gonna make a fun.
Yeah, I'm not sure how that will go. I mean, if it came down to my legend, I want everything, I want everything I earned, I wanted listing.
You want it on there?
All right?
So naked three models?
Yes, absolutely, see we're learning something apparently, player non player.
The players want it all, all right. I mean, look, here's what I think.
I don't think if Lebron goes on to win this or Yannis or Dame, especially with a guy like Yannis or Lebron who's won actual you know, season MVP awards, who's won actual you know NBA Championship rings, Like, I don't think this is high on the list. But I think when we talk about the n season tournament, who won it the first time is something we will always
talk about. And that's what I think Lebron has been after because when you hear him talk after games and how this has been, you know, from the jump, he was the one from the jump who was like, oh, no, no, no, we're gonna care in these games. And they were four to oh and they had this huge you know, eighteen points a game, is what they were averaging their wins by. Like it's because he wants to be the first, not so much that having it on his resume matters, I think, right.
I mean being the first is also add into the red.
There you go.
I mean we can we can sit here and act like we don't know.
Lebron wants every reward he can get, like leaving out of this game, and deservingly so. He wants to be known as one of the greatest to ever do it. So he's going to do everything he can in his power to make that happen. And winning this medal and all these new awards that's just added to the list.
And when they beat the Suns, I'm looking for my paper here because I got quotes from the guys when they beat the Suns.
On might be on the back.
Yeah, when they beat the Suns, we got to talk a little bit about how it went down. Lebron thirty one points eight and eleven five steals, played forty minutes, ridiculous fourth quarter.
But we can talk about that.
We can talk more about how he's had a crazy year or all season ridiculous.
He's turning thirty nine two weeks.
I can't talk about any of that though, until we talk about what happened in the final ten seconds of the game. Lebron calls the time out. It allows the Lakers to maintain possession. Lakers were only up two. The Sons would have gotten the ball back with seven seconds and two deadly shooters on the court. Instead, Pakers keep the ball. What was your take seeing how it played out?
Business? That was? That was?
That was Jankie. It's really no explanation. There's no excuse. Is you can go back and look at the replay. You would literally have to come up with a lot.
Yeah, excuse I missed it with the referee, mister he was.
Any others, Yeah, they should have got a ball to Phoenix, and you know, whatever happened at that point happens. But you can't take the game away from Phoenix the way you did.
Well, Okay, So the guys on the team had very different viewpoints of this. After the game. Kdi was more like circumspect. He was like, look, he said, quote, that's not the ball game. It's one play the forty eight minute game. I don't like to complain about calls. Sometimes the ref's not going to get it right. Sometimes it's on us to play through all that stuff, not worry about and putting and not ever putting the game in the ref's hands. So that's one take. Book not so much.
He's like, y'all saw it.
Y'all saw it.
And then he's like, we're not asking for favoritism, just a fair chance. So who which which would you be after that game? Would you be Devin Booker? Would you be kd Well?
It also shows you the difference, you know, it shows you who's the champion and who's trying to be a champion. So obviously there's nothing but respect for you know, Kevin Durant's approach, Like, I think that's as a leader, I think that's the right approach to have. You want to always keep your guys in a positive space, and you know, you don't want to trip off at certain costs because it can all those habits built doing that can start a habit and then those.
Habits some long term.
Yeah, you know, I learned, I learned learn But with that being said, I'm not mad at Book either, because I was.
I was the type Book was.
I'm fiery when when I felt like things were taken out of my control when it comes to the game, I'm upset about it. So I can totally understand what book is coming from. But uh, two different approaches, and I believe two different you know roles when it comes to that team, and I think both you know, handle it in a respectable ways.
Do go on and win this?
Will it stick in your mind an asterisk of some sort or like I don't know if they should have even been there, would it be like that was three games ago?
I mean you also can't look at it that way either, because I mean the Lakers didn't force them to call it. Yeah, so you can't be mad at the Lakers for and win their way something. And that's how the game goes sometimes it just happens that way. So you know, it's it's really no fairness in the game. It's it's all about competing, and you know what happens happened. So no, I don't I don't believe it should be an asterisk next to their name at all. That stop trying to put asterisk next to it.
I don't look, nobody, nobody get it. It's shouting from rooftops more than I that.
I think the twenty twenty title should count for more, not less more, because that bubble was serious business and I think that that should that anyone who says that's not a real title does not know what they're talking about.
That or just a.
Just a hit. But no, I just you know, how much do you take this stuff to account? I think it happened.
If it happened in the title game, I think people might be a little more coruick to be like, hey, how is this? Yes, but it happened what will have been three games ago, and they might not even know.
Lakers might not even.
Making there because they've got the Pelicans coming up. Anthony Davis I doing it before we leave that game. Twenty seven points, fifteen rebounds. He was ten or twenty six from the field, but really dominated up close. You know a d so well you played with him. Why do you think he's a target for fans, even fans of their own team sometimes?
Well, one, he's the easiest target. You know, we've watched this game long enough, we've been around and long enough. It'll never be Lebron's fault. He's the easy target. It's always going to be AD's fault. He could have scored fifties, well, he didn't score fifty two, right, But you know, it's the nature of the beast. You got one guy that's established legendary, so he's earned that. He's earned that that
right to you know, almost never be wrong. So I mean, it is what it is, the nature of the beast. So eighty is the easiest target. Like and for the most part, the people that are complaining or that do try to blame, you know, ad for the struggles or the lack of the casuals, they don't really understand the game and how it's played or you know, this is a moving puzzle, so every piece matters.
So like I said, they're just casuals.
So they're trying to understand the game on a you know, not just a surface level. They'll never be able to get to that point.
Yeah.
Well, look, I'm interested to see what happens in this next game against the Pelicans because there's been a lot of attention on him. We look what the Pelicans did to the Kings finally getting healthy, right, they look like they're really have all the pieces working.
Brandon Ingram had a nice strong game.
CJ McCollum back from that second collapse lung my lord CJ.
Come on, got to keep you healthy, friend.
You know, it was interesting Zion didn't play for a chunk of the fourth quarter and the Kings were really targeting him. And it's an interesting case because he is so explosive offensively, even when they try to take his game away, he finds a way around it. He's just really just been exceptional so many times in this young season.
But defensively you can pick on him.
And you know, it seemed like Willie Green had to decide at one point, like am I gonna let that keep happening?
Or am I going to take him out for a little while?
But he's can't have one of your best players on the bench when it matters. So as a big man, what do you see there when you see that breakdown?
I think that's on management. I don't I don't.
I don't blame Zion for I mean, you know his strengths, you know his weaknesses, So that's management. Management's job to put the correct pieces around him to make your star be a star play at the highest level and also compliment everything that he brings to the game. So if you know one of his weaknesses is you know, being a defensive lot but you need to make sure it's something either in front or behind that's going to protect him at all times.
So I put that on management.
But regardless of that being said, as a player, you also have to hold yourself accountable. If you know these are your weaknesses, let's work on it, you know what I mean, or or or increase effort in another area to you know, make up for that lot. So even if it's you know, being the loudest guy on the floor, the best communicator on the floor, you always know in every rotation you're able to coach your guys through it. That can help, you, know what I mean. So it's
it's a balance of both. I mean, I could look at both people in both situations and well in the same situation and you can blame either or but uh, it's a fixable situation. It's just about everybody getting on the same page with fixing that weakness.
He's in a couple of great fourth quarters this season, so it's not like you can't blame in the fourth. But I am interested what happens in this game against Lakers because this is a size matchup, right this this is where the Pelicans are going to bring it with their size, the Lakers with their size.
Lakers are a big team.
What do you think who wins that aspect of the line of the matchup As far as.
Size, I I would lean towards the Lakers.
They got a lot of you know, fours around that six nine six eight area, so you know, just seeing that on a nightly basis is tough for any team. So I would lean with, you know, towards the Lakers on that part. But I think they have you know, I think they have the explosiveness to you know, match that height ain'ty given nights. Zion is not a typical sixcess, so it's it's like that's kind of leveled out by default, you know what I mean. So I think it's a
great matchup. I think it's going to be the hell of the game. So I'm excited for this. You pick, My guest's gonna go with the Lakers.
I just feel like when Lebron wants something, yes, Lebron goes and gets it right, and god knows how don't win. Yeah, and sometimes look there's a Nicolayo kitchen your way, but not this time.
So yeah, i think I'm gonna go with the experience.
On this, but you like this Pelicans team, you played with a lot of these guys and like Zion Ingram c j S, Valoncinis, Murphy Alvarado. Uh, there's there's so many guys in the team who I think have talent learn ants, like what are.
You very young talented group?
Uh, you know a lot of under the radar guys that you know, they weren't big names coming out, but they're extremely talented, you know in the position they're in now, so they're going to always surprise people until those names are really established. But I mean as far as talent,
I think it's a perfect matchup. Both teams are very talented, both teams are hungry, and uh you know, once I really really has something to prove with being a young team and another one has something to prove just because they're they're legend.
So it's gonna be a good one.
Plus, you got one of the top five nicknames in the NBA currently on that roster, Grand Theft of Florado Baby.
I mean he does that move right?
You just steal?
Like sure, Logo Lillard, that's one of my other favorites right now. What's on at Logo Lillard for? For like current current NBA players nicknames, right, we got your list going.
I don't know who else we should get on the.
Red velvet right. Oh god, I'm not calling a.
Please please, no, that nickname is banned. Let's talk about the other side of the bracket.
Bucks, Pacers, uh Man Tyrese Haliburton came out strong the other night.
Who I mean he was crazy.
That four point play as things were breaking down the last minute and a half was incredible. It was so much fun. The environment at the Fieldhouse. I love that when basketball's.
Hype in Indiana, those people know what they're doing like that.
That building is rocket reminded me of some of those Regi Miller days. And I got to tell you, it was so fun to see that. And that's one thing about this tournament that's great. That fan base had that great moment and that would not have existed in a random game the beginning in December.
So I love that.
Look, they're an offensive wrecking ball, right the defense not so much on the defensive side.
Is that important? Who needs it? I say?
Given that balance though, given that they you know, put the put the gas pedal down. Do you feel that, like big picture, no matter what happens here in Vegas. Do you think that like this, this team could actually contend in the East or they are still some sort of defensive stopper away.
As far as the tournament goes for the East.
This year, Look, we're saying a team that's I.
Think there would be a really good team this year. I think there will be a.
Playoffs first round maybe.
See, I mean, we it's kind of well known. Things just change in the playoffs. It's not regular season, So I think there'll be a playoff team.
Will there be a second round team play defense?
Yeah, it's gonna be a little different when when when teams start the key in and scheme and all these things. It's a different game.
So uh. And then also the youth isn't really the you know.
Same fact. Yeah, yeah, yeah, have been there before.
Look, I mean this was there Tyre's Teliburton. This was his first game ever on tn T. When you talk about experience, having been there will not.
Be the last.
But I mean it was interesting to me too hearing that, like you, when you were in Sacramento, did it take a while for the national media to recognize that they should be putting your guys games on TV?
Or with the history of Sacramento, it was it was good enough.
They made the right choice. I mean, views would definitely be done, but they made it. I mean they got the right Sacramento team.
On TV, not the other one.
But I mean, if you're a young star, I mean you were putting together all Star seasons. Like if you're a young star and have your team either because they're not playing so well or you know, because they're in a smaller market.
Unless you had a number one pick, like you could be as talented as you want.
Like, it's just not gonna be It's not gonna happen. You're not gonna be on.
TV until you start winning games you actually have a good team around you. People want to see good teams, they don't just want to see, you know, good players. Yeah, so that's kind of what the situation was. So, like I said, they got the right Sacramento rolling right now.
Will be interesting to see them play the Bucks. What's your for before we get to the Bucks? What's your call there? Run Bucks Pacers.
I'm gonna go with the Bucks man.
It's just no, it's no answer for your honest yep, Miles Turner, you know, you know say your prayers and you know, a little sip of holy water, you're gonna need it.
But yeah, it's no answer. It's literally no answer.
There's nothing.
It's nothing there.
For I was gonna throw you some numbers.
I'm gonna go. I'm gonna go with bucks.
Yeah, I was gonna throw you some numbers.
Two about Damon Giannis together because they were sixty three points they put in together combined in that game against the next on Tuesday, and when Dame scores twenty or more, they are fourteen and one. And the fact that he has obviously been able to organize them at the end of games in a way that we used to complain about them not being able to do before has been We've seen it. The thing that they traded for, we've
seen it. I would say their record is a little bit of a mirage, like they haven't won all those games in as strong fashion as they should have. But I'm willing to give them time to get it together. Do you think that they've had some defensive issues? Do you think that's going to come into play, If not in the Spacers game, then maybe in the final if they get that far.
I think so, But that's kind of expected. This is a brand new team, you know. So it's a brand new team with a brand new identity. Like you know, what they were accustomed to before Dan got there, that's you know, that was the old Bucks. So it's going to be an adjustment for even the guys that have been there five, six, seven years, you know what I mean, because this is a whole new system. They brought in a major piece that you have to you know, have to make work. It has to mesh. So it's going
to be new for everybody. So for them to still be producing like this on a positive.
Note, even in just a few months in.
A miss you know, figuring things out and you know, still creating the team chemistry, I think they're in the great place and this is obviously a good sign that they're moving in the right direction.
Well see, I think it's funny, so we were saying about teams in this tournament. You could tell this tournament did not matter in the same way to the Denver Nuggets that it did to say, the Indiana Pacers, because the Denver Nuggets are worried about June. Even the Boston Celtics the other night, Boston, I thought played very hard
in that quarterfinal game. I'm no way saying that they were like slacking off at all, but after the game, if you listened to their quotes, they were like, oh, yeah, it's too bad it didn't work out, Like we got another game later this week. Like they you know, they're looking at June. The Pacers, this was a huge deal for them. I actually think the Bucks, even though they were looking at June, they were more in that Nugget's
Celtics category. I actually think it would be a big deal if the Bucks won this because you have a bunch of guys who haven't played together and to have them accomplish something together in a tournament setting with steaks on the line, and if they can put that together and win this Cup, I actually think that will leap from them a little bit ahead than they would be progress wise in their first season together.
That would definitely be a confidence boost. And I see where you're coming from on that note. So and also it'll be great for the Raids.
Yeah, Lakers, Bucks, Johannis Dame, Lebron, Anthony Davis, not bad, not bad. Do you know who else is good TV? Booky Cousins. Good TV is Steph Curry? Steph Curry is good TV Headliners with Rachel Nichols. That's Me is back on show Time. We got season two starting this week.
I'm so excited and the first interview. We killed it with the first interview because we sat down with Steph and Steve Kerr together, And for me, this was so important to get them sitting and talking together book because I think this is one of the great coach player relationships we have in pro sports right now. I mean the way they got these guys have grown together and what they put together and we saw that tested right with the Jordan Poole to Mark with the show cousins,
Draymond Green baby, with the Draymond Green situation. Steph, Steph ran in there right. He did as much as a coach in kind of repairing that. So I was really excited to get them together. And one of the things we talked about was that they're similar players, and I think that helps the relationship too. The most accurate three point shooter in NBA history was on that couch during
this interview, but it was not Steph. Curry is still Steve Kerr is still number one, and I asked them about that, and Steve he explained why Steph isn't number one. He thinks it's because Steph puts himself out there a little bit more.
Take a listen.
One of my favorite things about Steph. So we had a game last night. One second on the clock before halftime. We have the ball out under our own basket, ninety four feet away. He looks at the defense, he catches it, and he flings a shot ninety feet that actually comes kind of close, and that shot goes against him in the score. Grous that's a missed SERI.
Right. He takes these shots.
Every game, every game. And I'll be honest, when I played, most players you get that ball, it's like maybe you take a drive ball, like, oh, I don't think I.
You know, you give it to the rookie.
Right, that's a big movie.
This guy shoots every one of those shots. And I think part of it is he's he's one of the greatest showmen like that I've ever seen. Like like you love you love the spectacular, and you you love to do something that nobody else does. And it took me a while to learn that. Like, you know, you're our first year together, like you were taking some of those threes and you know, I had the voice of every coach I ever had saying that's a terrible shot. That's
a terrible shot. And then I realized, like that was as part of your superpowers. You love, you love to put on a show. But what I had to piece together was part of the show. Is it also wins. This is not like just doing crazy stuff for the help. This this helps us win. Do you know how many like he? He made a whole court shot at the end of the Memphis series, our first year together, at the end of the third quarter in a brutal six game series, he makes an eighty foot shot that basically
helps us win. So he not only does does he love to put on a display for the fans, but he knows he's gonna make.
Some of these.
I've been having so much fun with these conversations because they're just relaxed shooting the ship, as you can tell, and you get some of these great stories you played on that roster. What is it like watching Steph in a game make some of those shots and in practice even right, and it's.
It's pretty sit.
I mean, I remember days we would just you know, we'll be walking into practice to prepare for practice. You know, guys would kind of shoot around before and after that, you know, we would sit down and watch film, go over you know, whatever we're going to go over. But you know, Steph had this thing to where he kind of walked in the gym in the first basketball you can see you would just pick it up.
He was toss it, and I watched this dude like make shot at the shot, at the shot, just.
Throwing this random basketball like it's just a little tennis ball or something, and it's just.
So to you know, transfer over to the game.
Like obviously his confidence is through the roof with you know, I'm gonna say grenades, like those are grenades great. So I mean he makes some time time after time. I know his confidence and his you know, his mindset is that I know I can make this shot. So it makes sense why he shoots those every chance he gets. So that's the ultimate greenlight ultimate greenlights. We'll probably never see that again in the history of the game.
Steph keeps teasing Steve. He's like, look, man, you were a better three point shooter.
Than I was. And Steve's like, yeah, no, that's not accurate.
At all, remotely, Like Headliners is back this This episode is gonna date you Thursday evening, just ever seventh Paramount Plus with Showtime, So go check that out. We will bring you little clips every week from now on. I'm very excited about that. I'm also always excited about on the Radar presented by DraftKings in season tournament odds, we've had those going up. But I want to talk to you about the NBA Awards at the end of the season. There has been a new award that's relatively recent, the
Clutch Player of the Year. We voted on that last year, and if we look at the odds, three of the players who are up for Clutch Player of the Year who had the best odds are in This isn't in season tournament right now. Do you think if say Lillard has a great clutch moment during this tournament game, even though they're not going to count in the regular season standings, he's just still that should be factored in in voter's minds.
Absolutely.
I mean, he has a history of doing this anyway, so it's not a far fett thing to you know, considered Dame Lither there's you know, one of the clutch players of the season. So he's done in time and time again, I'm pretty sure finishing out this tournament we're going to get a clutch moment from him.
That's just who he is as a player, So it makes sense.
Yeah, man, I mean look so far, I would give it to Dame Willard. I mean he's been he's been exceptional in that Milwaukee uniform in that category, and as I said, like just changed Milwaukee's sort of you know, geometry there. They can do things at the end of games they couldn't do before. So be interesting to see how that turns out. All right, our friends at all the smoke. Speaking of clutch players, matn Stack recently sat down with Dirk Novitski.
I want you to take a look at this clip.
Twenty eight points were game forty nine percent of field goal forty six percent three throw line.
Geene Woollakers tuts.
Down Kobe kat and Lebron we call that as you know on one, he was definitely on one.
Well, what mind frame will you win?
We started a roll, We won game five at home, beat them in game six, went straight down to La and stole a miracle Game one where Kobe was like hot, like forty I think it could seem like he couldn't miss, and we basically stole that one at the buzzer and from there, I don't know, we just we just got confidence was getting better and we had the roles were defined perfectly right. You had you had Tricks and Kid
and Tyson they were the defenders. Right on offense, we we knew Jet and I and JJ we were going to wheel and deal and do our thing. And obviously we had some shooters. But I felt like we're our roles were were perfectly defined, and we had, uh you know, a great bench that we can change the tempo a little bit. So uh yeah, I don't know. It was just a magical time.
To eight points we gain.
Right, that is serious Steven's point right, that he went through Katie, Kobe and Lebron to claim his first title. I mean, in the history of the toughest road to the final, that's that's pretty good, right, I mean, all right.
I mean we he got one.
You know, he took a lot of scrutiny in his career for not being able to winep but the one he did win, it's not it's not many that may even come close. Yeah, So he's solidified in this guy obvious.
His Hall of Fame induction was so much fun to be at this year. I mean it was a crazy induction anyway, with doing wait, I mean all the guys that they had there, but Dirk just he had such a great sense of humor about everything. He playing with one team his whole career and how special that turned out to be. You know, he told me a great story about how Kobe tried to recruit him for the Lakers late in his career. He was like, no, no, I'm not coming to your team. You can come to my
team if you want, which I love. But yeah, look, if you look at the ninety five Rockets, they won the title as the sixth seed. They beat the Jazz, Phoenix, Spurs, and Magic who had won fifty seven games. Maybe kind of, I maybe in the sixth seed is tough, right, that's tough, right. And then to me, the twenty sixteen Cavs are in that conversation. They swept Detroit that would you know, they swept Atlanta that was supposed to give them a lot of trouble and didn't beat the Raptors in six That
was a little bit of messing around. And then uh, you know, obviously we know what happened in the finals. You beat a team that makes history for seventy three wins. That automatically counts you as having one of the tougher roads to a title, right, So yeah, but I don't know. I think I think Dirk's got got claim to the toughest road, certainly by far.
Yeah.
Yeah, that's the one. All right, that's the one. Check out all the smoke. That's a great episode and it's up already. It's really really really good. All right, doom scroll. We are looking at social media so you don't have to, and much of the social media buzz around the NBA this morning involved you Boogey cousins. Last day, Kyle Kuzma was doing a Q and A from fans on Twitter and someone asked, what was your welcome to the NBA moment?
And Boogie I would like you to read the tweet of what he said back.
Ah, man, let's see. I hit Boogie with a nice up and under. Then Bro said he was going to close line my life skin ass if I did it again.
That's how accurate. That's accurate? Yeah, man, that's accurate.
Strategy there.
Uh, he hit me with a really nice move. I mean, I mean, that's that's kind of where stem from. But uh, he was young at the time. You know, I kind of throw him off his game. I don't want to build confidence off a good move, you know, to keep going in the game. So I'm gonna throw his you know, his mind. Hey man, do that ship again. I'm right here, Yeah, you right here. So uh but nah, it was fun and games. We laughed about it causes, you know, that's
my guys. Uh, you know, still stands though, still.
Stands by the way. Movagner then chimes in.
He says, Kevin Durant failed me when I'm talking about his his welcome to the NBA moment. He said, Kevin Durant failed me, and without knowing it was him, I said, you can't guard me. And then it turned out to be Kevin Durant and you you were on this team. You, Katie and Dramm were all of the free throw line talking ship to me. While I was throwing three free throws. He said, I was so shook. I made one out of three. YEA.
Remember that moment. And for him to say, yeah, I didn't know it was KD. That's cap That's the reason you got. You know, we was on his ask the way he was after that, so you know he was feeling himself. He made a couple of good plays, and you know he's a he's a chirper, so he likes to get under people's skin. He likes to say off the wall, shit, Yeah he did that, and you know it bit him in the ass in the end.
So KD piled onto this.
Also this morning he said, damn, I remember walking away from that game thinking that rookie's an asshole.
There you go. It makes my point right there.
I just love the guys are still like, yeah, my welcome.
To the NBA moment with Boogey Cousins two for one on this one hundred percent, I'm sure they are not the only ones. Look, let's tackle the NBA expansion, because Adam Silver was once again talking about this the Guardian newspaper ranking the top five cities that could land a team.
Number five on the list was Vancouver.
I would like to see the NBA back in Vancouver personally, as a person who visits NBA games, just saying number four Montreal, I would also like to say that would be phenomenal. I used to cover hockey Montreal fantastic city. But let's get more into the realm of reality. Number three on this list is Mexico City, number two with Seattle, and number one is where we sit here, fabulous Las Vegas and look Las Vegas and Seattle.
We've been talking about for years. This feels like a sure thing. Mexico City, though the league is like dabbled in being interested in being there.
They play a game there at least once a year, sometimes more often. What would you think about putting an actual NBA team in Mexico City?
It will be interesting, you know, it would be different. I don't know how, you know, how comfortable guys would be when you know, moving an entire family to Mexico and things of that nature. Mexico City is, you know, a beautiful city and things like that. It's just it's a different world, you know what I mean. It's different than where we're accustomed to. So, I don't know, it would be interesting. But you know, as far as Seattle in Vegas, those make perfect sense.
Those relax.
Absolutely, you move two guys to the West, you know, and maybe Memphis in New Orleans.
Yes, exactly, realign where they should be.
Absolutely so those obviously makes sense.
So yeah, no, I want to see that. Obviously Seattle deserves a team back. I'm not sure it should. You know, we moved in the first place, so the Oklahoma cities they've shown up for that team, so that's great. Sacramento almost moved to Seattle, but having a new, fresh team I think would be good for them. Las Vegas absolutely be good for them. All right, well, we will see what happens with these tournament games. You and I will be there, and I'm very interested. When we regather on
Monday to talk about who won this thing. We will be on your airwaves. You can get this podcast wherever you get your podcast. You can check us out on the Showtime YouTube channel as well, and if you go to the podcast app, it's on Spotify. If it's on Apple, you've got to give us our five star reviews. Otherwise Boogie will come closeline your ass. Apparently it helps us in the algorithm. People were in new pod, so co give us those good reviews and we will see you on Moday.