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Welcome to Bullyball, presented by DraftKings.
I'm Rachel Nichols as always, mister DeMarcus Cousins across from me, and we have a friend today. No, it is not Boogie's fern planting mcplanterson that he does have in the shot. Is that a fern? Is that a palm tree? I don't know what that is there. That's your friend, our project, our magical plant.
That's a whole different thing. That's a their magical plants look different. But I'm just going to say non plant division. Our other friend Rajon Rondo Dell.
Welcome to the show, and you've been the name on everyone's lips. This week, Lebron James did his first podcast with JJ Reddick, and you're the guy, he said, his former teammate who should be coaching?
Who's not? He said?
It was you, and they were wondering why you're not coaching. So we've got you. Why aren't you coaching?
Oh well, I'm just waiting on bron to buy that team in Vegas and then I'll be pretty ready to go. No, I'm I'm just at home obviously with the fam finishing my out ofgree at University Kentucky. The main priorities is my daughter getting off of college properly, and you know she's really big in the volleyball right now and getting a lot of recruitment.
So I just want to be here for and you know that's my main focus.
So eventually, hopefully, really soon, I'll be in coaching alongside, ready to hire my new staff. I believe Bug might make the cut. I do need enforce on the staff because these kids nowadays, you know, they fight the coach. I got to need a guy like book on the staff and security purposes.
He'll have dual purposes on the staff.
So I was gonna say, what would his if he was one of your assistant coaches? What would his would just put his his specialty?
Uh security slash big man coach?
All right, just check out you taking that chat book?
Absolutely?
Yeah, I gotta walk out with my dog. But you know he's given me short in onder stick, which is fine. You know, I work my way up, but I'm all game winning players are ran through me. I don't get it. I don't get the damn what he has to say. That's part of my contract. That's on the way I'm signing.
So that's on the way I'm signing. Well, I don't want to.
I don't want to predict anyone's demise because every single one of us on this podcast today are big coach cal fans.
But your alma mater could be calling you guys soon. I don't know.
It has been rough, rough down there at Kentucky. It's been what four or five days, guys, since UK dropped to one in four in its last five NCAA tournament games under coach cal I'd be remiss if I didn't ask you guys about this before we get to the NCAA stuff.
There is blood in the streets down there.
First of all, the Lexington Herald Leader newspaper misspelled coach Calipari's name today in the paper in an article about whether he should be bought out of his contract or not. Calipari with a K. I don't know if this was just a copy editor error. There's people online saying that that copy desk was fired recently and that there hasn't been enough people fact checking. I don't know if it was just intentionally disrespectful. Honestly, it doesn't matter. It's disrespectful
either way. And the fact that so many people are calling for coach cal to be fired. I want to ask you, guys, we sit here on Monday morning. He still has his job. That could change by the time this podcast comes out. What do you think should happen to Kentucky in the future with that program? What do you think should happen on the bench with the coach's seat, and what do you think should happen in the approach of the way that they recruit players do I'm gonna start with you.
I'm not going to simper and say, hey, want should be fired. Obviously, what he's done for the program of the last decade speaks for himself. With obviously the last couple of years hasn't been so great. And as a Kentucky fan, as a Kentucky alumni, you know they expect greatness night in the night out each year. High expectation, especially when you have the number one recruiting class coming in. People expect nothing but the championship, and the mindset is pretty much championship or bus.
You know.
He set the standard so high when he first came in, but he won in twenty twelve. With all the NBA players, he has all the things he's done for all the players that he's coached in the past history, you know. But now with the loss of Oakland, allowing a guy like Jack to shoot, to even shoot twenty three point attempts in the game, no one coming into the game plan. He's only taken I think four to eight mid ranges all game, all season and to come out.
All season eight all season before that game he meant and for.
Him to come out three. For him to come out and make ten three, seven in the first half. To me, that is on the coach coaching staff that isn't a player personnel as well.
Understand the game plan.
It'scount report that guys shouldn't have had any effect on the game, let alone thirty two points with zero assists. It's unacceptable before University Kentucky playing against a team you know, with all the respect, there's no way they shouldn't even been in the game. Uh. And I get you know, they're a little bit older. Some people want to use
that excuse. But for me, with the amount of time that you have as a college player, the preparation that you have, you know, being across the street from the gym, not even across the street, you know, ten yards away from your gymnasium, all the practice times they put in, there's no excuse for them to loser a team like Oakland, And like I said, with the talent, they have seven potential NBA draft picks, it's just accepting for them to lose those guys what you got because.
First off, you know, my story at Kentucky started off under calib period. So I was one of the first classes to come in, well the first class to come in under calib period. So you know, I understand a standard that was you know, helped set with that team and with you know, being a part of his first team being there. So it was a standard set which
was you know, championship or bucks. It was a standard step because of the quality of players that not only came in that first year, but we knew would come in later on down the line.
So it's going to.
Always be the top talent, always the top kids to come, you know, out of each class.
So that's a standard.
But uh, where I get kind of confused about it all is if it was a standard set by you know, a class that came in and what was it before that? And that's where I kind of get lost with it. It's like, how do we get to this place of you know, we're now disrespecting the guy that created a standard.
If it is what have you done for me lately?
World?
Right?
Which is totally and I understand, but it's like he's brought more positivity to this university and to this fan base than any negativity he could have.
And that's just my opinion.
There's different ways this problem, but there's different ways you solve that problem. Right, So, either you can get rid of him, right, that's one to say, great, he hasn't been able to compete in this market in a while, let's get someone else.
I always ask, then, who are you bringing in?
It's not a question of like should we get rid of him or not, it's can you get someone better?
So that's the biggest question.
No, okay, I was well.
Okay, so that's a big, big question. And then the other part is I was talking to Anthony Davis about this over the weekend after a Laker game, and he was saying he thought when Kenny Paine left us his number two, that was a big hit, and that maybe the program needs to bring either Kenny physically back in under Cal or someone else like that instead of just getting rid of Cal, who obviously is such a powerful.
Presence at that school.
But that idea of who else is on that bench makes a huge difference in terms of who the players feel they can talk to.
I agree with that one hundred percent.
This is this game is about, you know, evolving with the times college basketball has evolved. Again, this is a guy that's evolved with each generation of basketball. We talk about a guy that's found success when he was at UMass. So this isn't a guy that can't you know, find
his way through the evolution of the game. So that's more so why I'm so confused as to how we got to this point because no matter what university, no matter what legendary coach, they all went through a dry a dry spell of you know, losing tournaments, not really meeting the standard for that year.
It happens with every program, like.
And they get fired.
That's not true. That's not true.
We're talking and we're talking about the category of elite coaching.
We're talking about the elite. College is an elite.
How many chips? How many chips got enough? No, no, don't give me enough missing facts.
That is that is a fact enough and it's not.
And it's been over a deck. It's been plus a decade. That's cool, said earlier. It's about what have you done for me lately?
Work revenue, revenue is booming. You've been the UK that.
It's not just and that's what you just said, Like you just said, it's university winning chis in Kentucky, do not.
I never never nevers colleges of all time. I got there kul and sept the standard that it's winning basketball.
Now it's been that.
No, it wasn't. When I got there. It wasn't. It was down it was.
How man championships they got, how many championships they got.
I'm talking it was in the thirties.
I'm talking about when I got I'm talking about when I got there.
I'm only speaking on when I got there.
The standard wasn't championship or bus.
Yes, what was championship a bus with Billy? The less are we We couldn't even get his games? Like, what are we talking about?
Listen, that was a tied. That was a bad hire.
When I got there, the standard wasn't championship. When we got there, whips.
It still was Kentucky basketball.
And I'm like changing that the Los Angeles Lakers, Like, we're not trying to Detroit.
Even those franchises have dry spells. That's the point I'm making.
You're right, it ain't easy to win, you right, It's not so my.
I don't understand how we get to the point where our next best option is to replace this coach that doesn't even.
Make with what.
I never said it replace him.
Everything that Cayler Perry brings to a program, it's going to go down. If they replace this guy, everything is going down.
I disagree with that. It is u K, it is the brand. It is due.
Who would who would you bring?
I never I never said fire cal I said that clearly. I never said.
All I'm saying is this is the biggest, one of the biggest brands of basketball.
At any level. That's all I'm saying.
So whoever they bring in you right, they got big ass shoes and feel and it's not an easy job at all. He's done a hell of a job. Again, I'm not that's my guy, so I'm not going to disrespect him. Will say he should be fired out. No, I'm just telling the facts about my disappointment in this particular loss vision, and I agree.
One hundred percent it's unacceptable. It looks, it looks bad for the brand.
I agree.
Do you think he's got to make a major change either in the way her think.
It's about his staff. I think it's about his staff, and I think about the way he recruits. I think you should. I think you would be foolish not to go for all the top talent that comes out every year. That's that's a getting you have to do. But you now have to find a way to blend that young
fresh talent with some experience, like season talent. And I think that blend helps this situation more so than going out there with five freshmen expecting them to to over it or or overachieve on a yearly basis, because at this point that's what it's becoming. You're right, though it has only been one championship team, that was also led by freshmen. But time after time, we're starting to see
like this formula isn't gonna work. So I do, like I was saying earlier, this is a guy that's evolved with every generation of basketball that he's been a part of. So I think he can once again do it again. It'll start with changing his staff. I think KP is a big part of that. They have to go get Kenny painback. I think he'll be available once Louisville decides to make their decisions. KP they did alright, So KP is available. That's a step forward. We already know what yes,
what it brings available. Yes, absolutely, Rondo's available, I.
Think too.
I think t u Less is a great is a great player, a great mind on the bench as well. So I think a few slight changes the way in recruitment and this thing is going to be rolling just like the standard we set in twenty ten.
It'll be like about this because I just feel like that he has to get the guys to buy in.
That's never been a problem.
I no know, I'm saying no, no, just hear me out.
I'm saying as far as buying into wanting the best for one another, sacrificing because again you got as a strand.
Listen to what I'm saying. Every personnel is different.
So when I come into it, when you were Ak Tuck, if I'm Rob Dealing, I'm Re Shepherd, I'm doing DJ Wagner. Like these guys are looking at the damn draft boards every day every other you know what I mean. So it's like mentally, it's like, Okay, I want to do what's best for the team. At the same time my
agents calling me. You know, the nil deal money is coming in, So these are these are different times that you kids are going through to buy in to understand, Okay, it's about sacrificing every night on the floor.
I don't think they did that completely and understanding. Okay, we need to focus on.
Winning versus looking at the draft board because again you're your personnel is different from when you came in eight These team is different, so the times are different.
Like I said, they'll get money.
Down, so I feel like they have to buy in kind of how I hate to always go back to it, but like how Doc got us are buying with the twenty eighteen.
You know, we had a lot of new faces than what you said, mixed in with.
Some high IQ guys, mixing some veteran guys that know the game with the young talent and mess to buy in to get one common goal. And I don't think they did it this year, and that's why I think they get bopped early exit because of that.
And it's hard. I wasn't a kid at that age getting all this attention.
Put Drake's pulling me out on stage, they telling me I was not a first round pick.
Now I'm top five picking Red Shepherd.
So again, that's a lot of pressure to understand quite out all the noise and focusing on winning one game at a time. And I think that's what they didn't do a great job there, and I think that starts with Cal and the staff getting them to buy into that system.
For me, So let's go to the NBA guys, because there's still a lot happened in our league. Houston has been on fire. They've won eight straight, nine out of ten. They are only one game back in the lost column from Golden State for that final playing spot. There's thirteen games left and all of this is happening with Shan Gun being out. He's been out for the past six games and counting after a sprain to ankle, they don't necessarily expect him back for the rest of the regular season.
I don't know.
I mean the Rockets don't really have anything to play for in either direction, meaning that like, yes, they can make the plan, but without Shangoon, especially if he can't come back, I don't know what they're doing from there. But also they don't have their first round draft picks, so it's not like they have to lose to get better draft position.
What do you expect from them going forward?
I think the eight game winning streak that they're on right now is more so credit to the level of play that Jalen Green is playing. That the kid is playing lights out basketball out. I want to say, he's averaging thirty plus over this stretch. He's playing the best basketball of his career. Obviously, they're missing a big piece
in their big man, young big man Sagoon. But if you get you get the big fella back in this kid, Jalen Green playing at this level, and you put these two back together on the floor, you know, that's that scary potential right there. And I think this is just a small sample size of you know, what Houston has to build on, you know, any type of momentum they can build, you know, going into this year and they finishing out this year going into the next season, I
think it's great for them. They hire uh Udoka with the mindset of being a playoff team eventually, So everything that we're seeing umfold for this team is all part of their plan in my opinion, So they're taking the
steps into becoming a good team. So regards to how they finish out this year, I think this was a positive year for them, and uh you know, next year, I think it'll be a big jump as they'll probably look to add more veteran presence, you know, actually put some talent around, you know, their core guys, and they'll figure out, you know, with the young pieces. They do have what they want, what they want to keep, and
what they can get rid of. So I think everything's playing exactly, planning out exactly how they wanted to finishing out this year Going into next season, I.
Would agree that schedule, they do have some winnable games the rest of the rest of their schedule. But like you said, because a young kid is playing extremely well, and I think we give enough credit to your Dooku.
You know what he's been through the last.
Two years, mischange agent scenery and him to come in and do what he's doing with the I'm gonna say lack of talent, but the young talent that he has in Houston, giving the point guard Freddie Vanfleet the hell of the credit.
Kudos to him. He's been running the show leading these guys.
Uh.
And then the og Jeff Green is down there. You know it's a teammate of mind. They don't have a lot of bests, but again, you know, he's a winner. Uh, you know, you toach his name with winning, and I'm happy he's doing well exactly you know down there as well. So they have a lot of young talent, you know, their best players obviously out right now.
But at the same time, you.
Know, it's the next man up mentality, and these guys are competitor, competitors in this league. You know, they wouldn't be in this league without you know, having that type of mindset. So they definitely want it went out and I believe they do want to, you know, get their foot in the game regards with their best players that are not if they can get to the playing game, which I think they could possibly get there.
U because you never know.
You know, the Warriors are in front of them, but uh, they're I don't want to wish it on anybody, but their injury away or they're you know, something happened in the locker room or where they don't have their chemistry or things happen and things can change in the last teen games of the season, and I would like to see those guys get into a playing game. They'll be fun to watch on TV, especially when it all counts. So I'm looking forward to them finishing the season. I'll
be looking closely how it plays out. And like I said, you just never know. There's a young, fun team to watch, and especially him, that young talent at point guard position, Jalen Green.
Well, it could be a great experience for them, right if they do get into the play in Obviously it's not as much as pressure as a playoff situation, but it is experience, and it's being in that high stakes here we go experience. If some of their younger players do get a taste of that this year, that just puts them a step.
Ahead for next year.
You mentioned Jalen Green, I mean, obviously he's been streaky up and down, but he has been a rock star the past couple of weeks. Thompson has been great, stepping in after Shanghun got hurt and sort of putting him in that dunker spot. And I just think he's been so impressive. And you mentioned Udoka. We say culture change or culture shifter or something like that a lot, and people toss that around and it can mean a lot
of different things. But you have to remember how bottom of the barrel the Rockets felt just a couple of seasons ago, right, Like the vibe around them was terrible. You know, there was so much junk being talked around the league about you don't want to be there, you.
Don't want to go there, you know where people go to die, right.
You know, I mean just I seriously, like no one wanted to be there, no one to be around there. And now it's considered a team where, you know, if people want to be in that locker room, that team looks fun, like they have a good time together. Udoka obviously he's got great discipline, great defensive strategy. He is a coach who clearly players want to play for it.
We saw it in Boston and now we're seeing it here, So I think that matters just in terms of carryover, whether it goes into the summer, who they might pick up, you know, who wants to be there all of a sudden when it goes into the experience they've got going into next year. And then if Shangun can come back and they can make some noise, I think that'll be a big deal. The Warriors, man, I don't know what they're going to do and how this is going to set them up. I think they've lost six of ten.
These teams play each other coming up in this next stretch too, so we'll see where they are. But it is there's going to be a lot of questions in Golden State over when this ends, no matter how this ends, of what do we do next? Okay, Clay was willing to come off the bench in the end this season, but what does that mean for the contract that they have to negotiate now with him this summer?
You know?
Do they want to be a team that just keeps it together no matter what until the wheels fall off? Have the wheels already fall off? You know? All of these questions are still coming up for them.
It's it's a lot.
I don't know quick quick on the Warriors guys though, would you would you make a huge change there this summer if either getting the plan and lose or you know, if things things don't end in a great way this year.
Absolutely I'll make a change. I'll make a big splash. If they don't get in, what would I do? Yeah, I might have to.
Figure out where we can put you know, Draymond and Clay, I don't know. You know, Booge probablyn speak to that more. He's played with those guys personally. But for me, it might be time to break up that dynasty. I don't think you continue to hold on to it, Just how they broke up the Big Three in Boston. It's got to be a point in time where you do break it up and try to move for not necessarily meaning rebuild. Depend on the draft picks and who else is available
to come trade time this summer. But they don't make the play and it definitely got to get rid of, you know, some people on the team.
My opinion, I think it's I've spoken on this before, but I think it's time for changing leadership at the head coach position. You know that small ball era of basketball is done, and I think that's what Steve curves. You know, specialty was in that, you know, in that style of play in that moment in time. I don't think I mean, the last championship team had a seven foot center, so obviously the small ball era is over. I'm also lean towards the leadership. I still think you
have great core pieces in those guys. I think they're the foundation. I think they deserve a ride off in the sunset on their own terms. They've done that much for the Golden State Warriors. Once again, I don't just look at the production, you know, of what they they've done on the court. I think about everything they brought to the organization when they when they purchased the organization, it was I may be wrong, but it was somewhere
around five six hundred million. You look at this organization now, it's worth three billion dollars. Joe Lacob did not do that. Steve Curry did not do that. Draymond Steph Curry and Klay Thompson did that. And let's throw in Kevin Durant as well. Like those guys did that. So, like I said, I feel like they should be able to go out on the terms they want to go out on. You
know what Clay is going through. I get it, bro Like I was, I was in that spot trying to, you know, accept the criticism of guys who've never done it at your level. But you got to you got to accept, you know, their opinion of what you should be as a player. Like it's hard to deal with. So, I know Clay is in a tough spot right now, but I think it's a time. I think it's time
for changing leadership. I think those guys ride off in the sunset and you know, you figure out a new style of play and what talent took place around those guys to be a productive team. Steph Curry Hill has a lot in the tank. Steph still has I mean Clay has a lot in the tank, and so does Draymond. I think it's about filling out, you know, the roster with real idea of talent that also enhanced them and vice.
Versa, because what can you fill it out with with their contracts? What can you fill that roster?
Again, I'm not saying I'm not saying contracts an change.
I said they should be able to ride off in the sunset if you know how crase.
Deal is not done yet, so we're going to see what happens this summer and whether you know, Clay, they put an offer on the table to him this past summer.
He didn't take it obviously. Now that offer is going to be a lot lower.
So so the question is sort of how little are you paying him and what what does that free up?
I don't know. They's still way over extended.
That's the reason I said I understand what the place Clay is in because it will be a change, and you know his value amongst the league, and I believe he thinks he'll be able to, you know, maybe find it somewhere else, which may not be.
The case, you know what I mean, that's just how the league works.
But I still think it should be something where this guy rise off into sunset on his own terms. I think he's due to respect to figure it out. So that's more so what I mean by when it comes to that, I agree with you. Contracts do have to change because the production isn't the same. It's only one guy gonna be making the money is worth and he's one of the faces of the league.
Understanding correct, And this.
Is going to say is By the way, it doesn't matter in the end what any of us watching think. It matters what Steph Curry thinks.
Right.
If Steph would rather keep this team together and just can't, let's see what we can do, they will be there. If he wants Steve Curti to stay there, Steve Kerr will be there. If Steph goes to management, or management comes to Steph and said, what's more important to you? Sort of the loyalty factor in being with these guys or winning another title. Those are not the same thing anymore. I mean, it's pretty obvious that those are two different roads.
So it's okay. The answer could be either one.
Either answer is okay. The question is which is your answer? And I think what Steph answers that question will sort of determine this franchise. It's just always a bummer to see sort of some of the ups and downs and backs and forths of what you say, are these great champions and guys who've given so much to just league the team. We've watched them do so much and accomplished so much. I'm very interested to see how this next
stretch goes. You know, with these teams we're talking about Houston, the Warriors, obviously, the Lakers, and then there's jostling in the middle of that Western Conference bracket too. We got to talk about what's going on with the Pelicans, guys, because they've won eight of ten. Zion was a beast on Sunday. He scored thirty six points beating the Pistons. And look it was the Pistons. They were shorthanded.
I know again.
It okay, but we have seen Look we've seen all over the league this year. You know, the Earth Lakers from the Lakers go in without Lebron to Boston and they win.
I mean, you know, stuff happens.
You still got to beat the teams you're supposed to beat, and we haven't seen that all season. So the fact that Zian went in beat this team, as you said, thirteen for fourteen from the floor, ten for fourteen from the line. This all happened in thirty six minutes, seven rebound, six assists. The crowd, the Pistons crowd cheered him when he left the game. Things are going well for this team. They're only why are you laughing at me?
Okay?
What I mean, it's like it's the truth back when it's like when you played against Phoenix Sons, you new you were to get your numbers. It's like, you know this this is a game where it's like, Okay, I'll get my numbers up, or you know, I need to reach a certain milestone on my contract.
This is the team you get it on.
But looking forward, No, seriously, Look, I went to the game I watched against Boston.
I didn't know.
Again, I don't want to be sunder second, but I went to the game I played. I watched the Boston Detroit game. Yeah, I could name two players on the floor of Detroit. I mean I got been there for a while. I'm a little older. I was watching much basketball. But at the same time, I didn't know a guy on the floor. But jump back to the Pelicans. These guys have a tough ass stretch coming up. Maybe okay see buck Celtic Sons magic Now with BT brandon ingram Out,
I don't know what. I feel like they possibly could drop even though all these games are at home, which role players play.
Better at home.
But at the same time, these are the top teams in our league coming in ready to go. So I don't know what is gonna say that these guys going it is obviously next man up mentality and the design cam play the.
Way he's playing.
But again, these elite teams, he will not shoot thirteen for fourteen from the field. I mean, I'm sure they're gonna pack the paint maker shoot the game. So again, obviously discounting for will be different. The personnelity's about to play against is going to be completely different, and he's going to find a different way to be effective. And to me, who's the other playmaker? You know, all the respects he J McCullen. You know, he's obviously a score
first guy. But with bi Olt who creates the offense.
For the Pelicans coming up at Okay, because.
Against the Celtics, the Bucks, the Studs, Okay, I'm actually I'm gonna watch these games particularly just just talk shit to you the next the next two weeks, see how.
Well I feel completely different than this guy. I'm gonna get the Pelicans and Zion a lot more credit because they're not getting that. I mean early on shit, I would say the past two seasons, two and a half season, Zion has received so much criticism, like we've we've we've talked down, we told him all the things. Well, I ain't gonna say talk down. He's received a lot of it was just.
It was just earlier this season.
It was only there were all those headlines about about like, oh, he's not listening to coaching staff, he still won't change his diet. I mean it's been this way and it's been as recent as just a couple of months ago.
Well, the kid looks incredible as of lately. His body looks like he's in shape. He's playing at a high level. He's helping carrying his team. Also with you know b I obviously bys out right now, but I think they're well coached with Willie Green, I think they have a good young core. Herb Jones, Obama guy got a shout out him. I think he's a great two way player. Trey Murphy, he's under the radar guy, but he can
really really play this game. He's a young, up and coming talent talking like you know that that version that that wing version of the Paul George's that's being created, that Brandon Miller's. Trey Murphy is also kind of in that category, Like he's a really really talented wing and I think his him stepping up in replacement of b I. Obviously everybody's gonna be able to you know, notice his talent a little more. I think he'll also be able
to you know, carry a bit of that way. He's not the level of b I, but you know he has the potential to be.
So.
But uh, this, this Repelicans team has a lot of talent and I think they're playing well. I want a credit, zign. I'm proud of you. I'm I'm I love that you receive a criticism actually win, applied it and bettered yourself. That that's a true sign of a pro that's a that's a sign of a guy that wants to get it right. That's actually chasing greatness. You got two options. You can either crumble from it or you can take in the information and build yourself up with it. And
I think he did that. So I want to give you your flowers. I'm proud of me and I love what I'm seeing from you as of lately. So you know, stay on that. And you know, I think this Pelicans team has a lot of potential. So uh, I feel.
Completely opposite that I was talking about the next five games. Though they think they have a.
Chance to win, they are a really good team. They have a chance to win every time. You got a chance to win, a high chance to win.
About that.
They just got it. You've got and I'm gonna say're gonna get it.
We're gonna get the best.
Okay, waits the game.
Cool man, I need to work on my ship anyway, I ain't tripping, bro. Fifty fifty fifty fifty.
So this is for the next five games on the Pelicans schedule. I just want to get this down. Next five games on the Pelicans schedule.
You've got Okay, see Milwaukee, Boston, Phoenix, Orlando all five games?
Are we doing per game? Or are we doing one of those games?
Hold on, let me look at this again.
Okay, one examined.
Yeah, it's let's do.
What are the stakes not to game?
Okay, fifty a game?
Okay, all right, fifty.
I know I got one. Said with boss, now I got one.
We talk about we talked about zion transformation, transformation in the next.
Push.
Well, like the Pelicans are in fifth right now, you know, they're definitely a striking distance of the Clippers and fourth. I'm not sure it matters, you know, where those teams go in in terms of you know, who has home.
Court in a potential series there.
I think both of them just have to worry about staying out of that sixth spot. With the Clippers, though, Look, they've not had a good stretch, right That's the At one point in the middle of the season, it looked like, man, they could actually be a title contender here. Right now, it just looks like they're struggling to find themselves going into the playoffs. Obviously, the Russell Westbrook injury, we all said it at the time. Obviously the players, Paul George
made a big deal at the time. This is not nothing. Just because Russell Westbrook was the guy, the odd man out when Harden went in, he was the guy who ended up on the second unit.
That was a huge difference maker for their team.
And we're seeing some of it, and we saw it on Sunday the Sixers came in defeated the Clippers.
This was the first.
Game played between these two teams since James Harden got traded. You know, I just feel like the Clippers are still trying to find their way and the Sixers, who've been trying to stay afloat without Embiid, are starting to see a light at the end of the tunnel, they're eighth in the East. They're tied Indiana Miami. In the lost column they have six and seven. But Embiid's been progressing.
He could be back in the next couple weeks. And I guess I want to ask you guys, if he is able to come back, what will that be like for him? He has been missing from nearly two months, I think just around two months. What is it like to come back from an injury, especially a big man bug?
What can we expect?
We can expect, you know, an adjustment period for him, you know, being a seven foot two eighty plus guy, I'm gonna say two ninety plus, two ninety plus.
He's a big guy. He's a really big guy.
And you know, missing that much time, you have to you know, you have to be comfortable in your movements coming back from injury.
That's not an easy thing to do.
It's a mental it's like a mental block there sometimes with certain players, especially when you experience injury a lot. You have to be comfortable in your movements. You have to trust your movements. You know, game speed and rehab speed and just workout speed. It's not the same, no matter, no matter how you try to simulate it.
It's not the same.
So coming it's one thing to come back regular season trying to find your rhythm and things like that, but it's a it's a whole other beast trying to do it among amidst the playoffs, and you know, the playoffs is a monster. Guys will know you're coming back and injury and attack you purposely like that will literally be the game. They are literally attack it's just left me. We're gonna attack left every time like that would be
a game plan. So you know, those things are real and it's not as simple as you know, just you know, making shots. I mean, obviously, him coming back, he could be sixty seventy percent Joe LMB and that's still better than ninety percent of the NBA. But with that being said, we for him to carry this sixties team in the playoffs, we need him at one hundred percent or as close to one hundred as he can get.
So you can.
Expect a huge adjustment and definitely some rusts with him coming back. I think we'll see a lot of rush and obviously conditioning will be a factor.
It will, I agree everything becuz my thing is obviously I come back.
I came back from.
ACL and I'm not too n plus, but the mental part of it coming back mentally trusting yourself, understanding that it's going to take time, not getting frustrated with not being able to be or step one hundred percent, and I think it's going to be It's going to take a big toll on the staff as well to be able to manage his minutes, manage him, not trying.
To overdo him, over ezell them himself amongst play.
And when I think of these past months that he's been out, has given his teammates confidence. You know, when you got to start player that goes down, you got a guy like Kelly Bredy steps up. Cameron Cameron Payne went crazy last night against the Clippers, So I mean, you give those type of guys confidence to when they when he does come back, he's going to give them more confidence and he's going to be able to trust his teammates more that he doesn't have to go out
and score forty and twenty every night. So I think they ease him back in they can avoid Boston in the first round. I think he'll be okay and he'll continue to improve each round. That they can further, they can get but I don't and I don't see them coming back and try to put him playing thirty minutes a night. So if he's okay, we'll come back playing,
you know, four minute stretches like most like a hockey rotation. Subwise, keeping them loose on the bench and trusting itself mentally because low extremities are hard to come back from and be able to overcome. And again they're going to run the shit out of and probably over down the court trying to chest that left knee. But at the same time, Tyre Smax, he's playing well. Tobias Harris has been playing well, so the team confidence has grown.
They haven't been great the last team games.
I think they're four and six, but again again, going and get a win like that against the Clippers, who actually had all the guys playing speaks volumes of that team, and I think they're going to be I think they'll be okay.
Yeah, I mean I.
Spent a little bit of time around the Sixers this past couple of days, and look, I think they all know they were hanging on. I was at that game against the Lakers. They just shot horribly. They played really hard though they're still playing. They're all still bought in, which you know, we all know is kind of the
big thing when your star goes down. I think this could be interesting for Embeid on the flip side, if he can can get back, if the conditioning, if the wind, if sort of the rhythm can come back, he can avoid what we've seen in some recent playoffs, which is that him running out of gas has been an issue.
Right.
I mean, he's had this two month break, so it works on the flip side too. Your body has had those two months to rest in other places. Obviously you're still rehaving that injury. But you guys know there's you know, it's not just a knee. If it's a knee, it's a knee and an ankle and a wrist that's been bothering you and that this is and of that, and
my body's tired. And if he is able to get his wind and is rhythm back from the injury, if the injury can hold up, because as you said, guys are going to attack him right and left with that, the flip side is he's going to have that burst that he would not have in the postseason. And we've seen in recent years, So I don't know. In the East is a wildcardsan b man. I know that the Celtics obviously are just a class above. We're gonna talk about them later in the show, and it's just a
whole different factor. But once we get past them, I can't tell you what the Bucks are going to do. I can't tell you what the magic A're going to do. They're threatening to be in third. I mean, it just it feels like anything could happen in the East, and so I'm interested to see if embiid comes back. And look, the Celtics even I know it's been a historic season, but until they get to a finals and win it, Jean, there's always going to be questions about them, right, even with.
These incredible crazy bunkers numbers they're putting up.
Absolutely, I mean talked about Kentucky earlier. These certain franchises that you have to win regardless of regular season records. Uh, you can break all the in season records you want, but if you don't hang a banner uh in Beantown, Uh, it's a failure. So I look forward to obviously the new change. I'm a big fan of coach Joe Missoula and what he's done already so far. So I'm rooting for those guys and I hope they do well and hang another banner.
But uh, it's going to be a lot of pressure and they know that.
Uh. They brought in a guy like Drew Holliday. Uh, prising is not having to be the first or second option. I think it's big uh for their for their growth. And then you got the role players that have stepped up this year pretcher Sam, they got a lot of role players and not not I can't beget my guy number nine, Eric White, So you know he's I think he's definitely ex factor.
Him and Drew. Uh, they play well, they win. Uh, we know we're going to get from tATu when we're gonna get from Brown.
So I feel like they have a well deep team and a well coached team. Even the staff along with Sam Pacel and the other guy he's brung in, will help tremendously in this playoff run I think they're going to make. I think they're going to make a deep run and look forward to them in the championship.
Yeah.
I mean, look, look, I have a hard time sometimes and we talked about it a couple of weeks ago putting the Celtics regular season in perspective, because so much is through the lens of they've had these playoff kind of fumbles, and so it is hard to talk about what is largely the same group and say, oh, they're amazing, they're great, they're whatever, when they haven't gotten it done when it counted. So it's just hard to have that discussion about them. But it's also hard to avoid the
fact that they are playing so insanely well. They're fourth all time and net points per game differential like all that stuff. Producer Nate and I were getting into an argument before the show started because I was saying that the scoring differential doesn't mean much to me because scoring
has just inflated so much. So I can't look at that and say, oh, they're up there with the twenty sixteen Warriors, they're up there with the Bulls, great both teams, because you know of the scoring differential that that's not what I can do. How that doesn't do it for me. But I guess my question for you, book is, as you're looking at the Celtics team, can you put what they're doing this regular season in context or just it doesn't. You can't without the postseason helpment.
I say yes and no.
And the reason I say one, I can't, I can't. I can you got My answer is yes and no.
But you want to be how can you do? But I say yes and no, yes, because.
The regular season gives you a simple size of what you can be in the playoffs. You know, It's it's rare that, you know, a bad regular season team ends up winning a championship.
That's a rare thing.
It's usually one of the better teams throughout the regular season that ends up winning. So that's the reason I do say yes. The reason I say no, they've historically done this and went to the playoffs and laid in egg like So that's the reason I say yes and no. This Celtics team has shown time and time again that they will get to the playoffs and kind of fumbling. This is another opportunity to you know, you know, compete
for another championship. I think this is the best version if they have shown of themselves throughout regular season over you know the history of them being together, these young team being together.
The thing that is on their side.
This young group has a lot of experience that most you know, young groups don't really see early on. Jason Tatum and Jaylen Brown have you know, basically experienced the playoffs and finals since they've come into the league, So they have a lot of experience being on this stage. So eventually experience is gonna you know, play out in your favor.
So these guys have been here before.
You know. I'm a big believer and you learn from your losses. They've taken a lot of losses being on these stages. This is the opportunity to show that they've improved. So I think this is the best version of them and they have a great chance to you know, bringing it home this year.
All right, Joe, So if if the Celtics make a rail run, are we seeing you know, our little all the smoke group here, especially with KG and Paul coming into with their pod and their projects. Are we seeing a full Celtics eight team representation in support of this Celtics squad.
You guys are going to be courtsied. What's the plan here?
I'm definitely showing up.
I'm gonna be in coached hopefully coach Miss locker Room picking his brain, learning from them.
And what it takes.
Obviously to get to that level and if I'll be able to share some notch, you know, from that aspect. But at the same time, I'm a fan, you know, I'm rooting for the young guys, rooting for the city of Boston, UH to have this type of group together this year in particular, I think they got they can get it done. So yeah, you probably will see a
lot of us there. I know you will see a lot of us there, hopefully more than the starting five, Like I said, even the other guys that were there alongside of us, and I know Eddie House to be there, Brani will be there, so yeah, yeah, we'll be in support absolutely, all.
Right, you hear that, Boston. You got the guys coming to get We.
Try to get cuz there at one point it just didn't.
Honorary one time, man, Honorary.
I love it. I love it.
All right, Let's get on to I'll take that bet presented by DraftKings. We're looking at Most Improved Player Award. We're looking at the odds here. Tyrese Maxie is still the leader in the clubhouse here minus two fifty. Kobe White is now at plus one seventy. Jonathan Kuminga is at plus eight thousand. That's interesting, and j Deb also plus eight thousand. So if you put one hundred bucks down on Tyree's maxie those you only make seventy five, that's not worth it.
It's a positive, you know, it depends like you look at money. It's your perspective. It's a positive.
That's true.
You put a thousand coming and you don't lose a thousand.
All right, So you're taking any of these bets. You're waiting the next DraftKings back.
Yeah, we're gonna wait for the next round.
I'm put some gas money in my pocket. Man, I'm gonna go with Tyre. I need, I'll take it.
Well, well, obviously, is he not the favorite to win it?
Yeah?
He was?
Yeah, I mean congrats congratulations. Right, I'm glad. I'm glad to be the first one to give you your congrats.
Man.
All right, So Joe, you haven't been on the show since we started doing this boogie and I have been handed two stats and a lie from our producer Nate Bronson, and so far it has not gone as well as we would have hoped. Is how I'm going to say it, book right, that's the nice way to say it. Both of us have have had some failure on the job. So dolle come in, help us wrap a little bit better.
Here we go.
Three stats, Two of them are true. One is a lie. Number one. The Sun's rank three thirty overall last in the league in fourth quarter scoring. That is stat one.
Stat two. Luca leads the league in text.
That is true.
That it's that three. Yannis ranks first in total free throws made.
That's a trick one right there.
I know that's easy.
I'm gonna go with the first Sons, the thirtieth.
I don't know how to hell their thirtieth, you know, in the fourth quarter, but on that roster, I know, and thinking about who they don't have.
But who the hell passing is?
That's what I said.
I've been, I've been, has been.
Since the beginning of the year.
I'm gonna go with uh Luga and Jannie.
Well, okay, so which one is a lie?
The lie is Yannis ranks first and total free throws made?
What about your book?
I think.
The Sons and the Luca ones are true?
Is the lie? All right? I'm gonna make that an even three.
Well, look, I know that they ranked the Suns ranked last and fourth quarter scoring as of like four or five days ago, because it came up, Nate, are we are we?
Correctness is a lie.
Ding ding ding Yay, don't spark up.
I'm selling it's time to celebrate. Man, Okay, right, perfect.
All right.
That fourth quarter scoring scoring stat with the Sons, though, is bonkers. I just I heard that the other day and I was like, you got to be And I knew that it wasn't going well, but you've got to be kidding me. And that's something that even when their guys are playing and but you're right, you've been on it since the beginning, not having a true point guard in there, you know, to organize them in those moments.
I think Book has done a very good job. I think, in fact, he's done as good a job as you could have asked him to do. As the player who he is.
That's just different than having a guy like no one there or someone.
Like The whole opinion on it is it's a championship point guard. Matter of fact, he's top five all time working in your organization. I think you might want to listen to the advice he gives you on constructing a team.
Mm hmm. I think it.
I think it might play out in their favor. How do you have a top not you, motherfucker, not you. His name is Isaiah Thomas, not the not the one on that think said. Yeah, So I just feel like his voice should be, you know, respected a little more.
Like he's done this, he's done it.
He's done it as a player, like he understands what's it takes, what it takes to you know, be a championship team.
So you know, I've spoken to him personally.
And I just feel like his voice should be a little more respected because this, this.
Three guard scorn, it makes no sense to me. Literally, it doesn't. It just doesn't. And obviously it's not working. So that's just my two six.
Well, the Phoenix Suns, a team that used to have two hundred starting point guards on the roster, now has no no put.
It's just like a whole man that position right in a very long time.
So so I don't know, all right, Well, gentlemen, I hope by the time I see you next, Kentucky Basketball will have solved all problems.
Possibly with the two of you, we'll see.
I want to know what's the outcome of the betting you've done on the show tonight. We'll have to see what happens there. Watch particular jobs for John Rondo is up for over the next four or five days. We'll have to find that out. There is a lot going on on Bollietball. Boogie's plant. Does that plan have a name yet? By the way, weren't we discussing?
No?
But just know it's flourishing, all.
Right, plan show do put it more in the frame. Show do what you got here. It's a special friend. Can love your plant? Boogie? Just don't love your plant?
No, no, no, it ain't. It ain't on no weird ship. But I do love my plants. So you talk to them, You talk to them all it depends on.
Okay, you're supposed.
To talk to plants.
And that's that's what I'm saying. All right, Yeah, that's what I'm asking. I mean, we can we can spend time right.
For the NBA basketball, stay for the horticultural advice. You can catch all episodes of our show on the DraftKings Network. That's exciting. All the Smoke Productions YouTube channel. You can listen to us wherever you get your podcasts.
We will be here. Rate review us. We will see you next Monday, see you