Welcome to Bullyball, presented by DraftKings.
I am Rachel Nichols as always, mister DeMarcus Cousins boogie still in Taiwan, Greetings from across the seas here.
Good to see you.
Thanks right, and we are joined by the one, the only, Isaiah Thomas.
Look, look, not the one and only, you know, there's another one.
You're the only one of you, my friend, That's what I mean. Welcome.
We're so happy to have you, and you are coming off such a great, you know, a couple of months of just you know, I think there was so much joy around the league to see you back after how hard you had worked and uh, you know, overcoming so much injury stuff and all the other stuff that comes along with once you fall out of the NBA. How hard it is to get back in. Can you just tell us a little of it, what it was like for you, kind of having that finish line after you know,
running that marathon. As you've said for so.
Long, it was everything, Like you know, I just at the end of the day, I just wanted to get.
My foot back in the door.
I just wanted to to to be where I belong, where I feel like you know I deserve to be, so I had to go through some hurdles. I had to you know, run some laps on this marathon, but at the end of the day, I just I just stayed down.
I believed in myself.
You know, Phoenix gave me the opportunity to come in and just you know, be a part of the culture, be a part of a great organization.
And I can't thank them enough.
So you know, I'm I'm I'm happy with, you know what what happened getting back in the NBA, but I still want to showcase that I could be a part of something and still play at a high level as well. So super thankful, appreciative. The hard work definitely has paid off to get back in, but you know I want a little more as well.
Yeah, well, I think once you show people, hey, you know, not just one day and day they re signed you, they wanted you with them the whole rest of the way. I have to assume right book that that's going to make an impression on other teams.
Absolutely, But I mean outside of that, like, I don't think this guy gets enough credit for like his story and like forget not forget, but excuse the part of him you know, making the NBA, and you know the legend that he created while.
Being in there.
Just the consistency, the grind, obviously, the slow ground, which is your model, your logo, Bro, your inspiration to so many around the world.
Hightover I mean.
Hard over height, all of those things, Bro, like just to continue to fight this fight when it could have been so easy for you to just you know, hang it up, call it quits, or take your talents to the other places, because there's so many other places to go play basketball. But the consistency with your fight is it's inspiring to so many people. And obviously it may not just be about basketball. Your story could easily convince the next person that's going through their.
Own personal battles in life.
So you know, I just obviously I want to give you your flowers and your and your kudos in this moment right now. But man, your story is amazing and I just don't think you've gotten the real credit that you deserve with the grind that you've really put into this shit.
So but look, I appreciate you all. You know, I came in with you. I came in where you know, the back was against the wall, and you've seen the work each and every day, so we grew not only as teammates but as friends. So I always got to you know, I always tell people like I always give you your flowers just because you started what's happening now, Like we know, we know first and foremost who started the big man that could be able to do everything and
play like a guard. So like you know, that doesn't get talked about enough, like and that's I'm always got the first and foremost give you your flowers on that, because we wouldn't see the all all respect to every big man that's playing right now, but we wouldn't see the MBS. We wouldn't see the Jokers if it wasn't for DeMarcus Cousins being able to to lay to lay the ground for those guys to be able to do the things that they do at a high level.
So I appreciate you always giving me the love, but.
I gotta I gotta give you the love back because it's not always given because not only who you are, but you're one of the best to ever play the game, no matter what, no matter how it ended, no matter what you went through, you know I seen it first and foremost. How like I never seen a big like you before, you know, And I always tell you that though like I'm not, I'm not because we on this,
It's because it's real. And I'm always, you know, showcase love and respect for you because I've seen it day in and day out.
I've seen I've seen how special a motherfucker is. Like not not you know, talk like that like you.
You got to give you your respect, you know, like I always do that, so you know, it's all love and respect on my end, And I appreciate you always because you feel like, you know, we.
Ran the same race for so long.
We got hurt around the same time we was fighting to get back in and it just felt like we wasn't given the respect that we ultimately deserved as we was fighting for stuff that we shouldn't really had to fight for. So you know, we'll talk about that at a later day, but always give you your love and respect.
For sure.
I appreciate you. I love it always always.
I wanted to kind of get your insight on Phoenix as well. I t because you obviously were up close with the organization that is in a pretty big transition moment. I guess you know the roster has been the big thing that we've been talking about. Buggie has been saying
since October this TV's point guard. So what did you see in terms of that and the sort of the things played out with that being such a sore spot for them, you know as the series and as the end of the regular season and playoffs went on.
I think we just tried something that you know, really hasn't been done before with not having a point guard. Now, I think it just paid a toll on us, you know, in a series where we played against a young, energetic, physical team that kind of kind of knew like, Okay, we're gonna pressure these guys the whole game to see if they can last, Like see if guys can really be able to make point guard plays and not necessarily be saying just because I'm on the team, we need
to play a point guard. Even before you know, I got on the squad, like from Afar, looking at the Phoenix suns, I always felt like when it came to the playoffs, that kind of would be a missing pleae because you can't ultimately, you just can't play without a point guard, even if it's you play a point guard five to ten minutes each and every little half, like
that's enough. It was taking a toll on a guy like Bradley Beial, It was taking a toll on a guy like you know, Devin Booker and even Kevin Durant at times, because it's just different things you got to do when you're a point guard, bringing the ball up, getting guys in position, Like I don't think they were ever. You know, they ever, They've done that a lot throughout
their careers. So like when you go against a team that pressured us full court, that made us bring the ball up and get past half court at ten, you know, at thirteen fourteen seconds on the shot clock, that's tough for forty eight minutes. So I think it just it just paid a toll on us. You know, like those guys did a hell of a job. Coach put those guys in position to do a hell of a job.
It was just, you know, we ran into a group that had some really good energy that you know, a guy like Anthony Edwards really showcased to the world that he's here and he's here to stay. So it was it was tough, but you know, we didn't match their energy. We didn't match their energy throughout the series, and I think that just paid a toll on us for sure.
Yeah.
I mean Book's been on it since being in the season that this wasn't gonna work when it got to the postseason to structure the team that way, and look, we saw it, And now they're gonna have to make some changes to the roster or something. If one of the big guys ends up getting traded. Do you have any insight into whether it would be a KD. I can't see Devin Booker getting traded. Bradley Beal has a no trade clause. It's complicated. They don't have a ton
of roster flexibility there. Do you have any thought about what they could or should do going forward.
I don't think they're gonna trade any of them.
Like when it went well, like when we played well, and those guys really played well, you've seen you've seen what it could look like on a consistent basis. It just was inconsistency at times. But those guys really rock
with each other, So I don't think. I think you just got to figure out who you can put around those guys to compliment their personalities, to compliment their game, to make things a lot easier for those three guys and then you move on from there because, like you said, there's not a lot of options you can go to, So you got to figure out how to make this thing work for the next couple of years and how to maximize you know, their abilities to win a championship.
And I think I think it could happen. I think
it's a great organization. You know, it was the first year for a lot of things, figuring things out, and I think you just got to you got to figure out what's best for those three and maximize there the opportunity you got for the years down the line, because you know, you only got probably a two to three year window in terms of playing at a high level for a guy like Kevin Durant, not necessarily saying he only got three years, but that window is not not a five year window at all.
So you you'll see what changes they make.
You know, hopefully I'm around to be to be able to, you know, make things easier for those guys. You know, I'm I'm a definitely you know, have my two cents and try to be around because it's definitely a a good group of guys and a great organization to be in for sure.
I love that.
And look, you mentioned Anthony Edwards and what it was like playing against him book, did you expect the ant experience to just carry right over to the Denver series from what he was doing against Phoenix the way it did, because I mean, he just was phenomenal again in Game one.
Man, I love everything about this kid. The biggest thing that stands out is the fact that he's twenty two and his leadership skills are off the charts, Like I just I don't feel like that can go unnoticed. And the contagious good energy that he brings to the group, the charisma, the personality, just everything that comes with this kid.
I really think this is his coming out moment, and I think this is also where he's letting you know, the world know, the league know that you know, I'm taking this league Like this is now becoming his lead. And I think the opportunity presented itself and he took full advantage of the opportunity.
So he's definitely a gain de fan in me.
I think he has all the intangibles of carrying this league and continuing.
To make it a great lead.
Like I said, the personality, the charisma, the great energy is everything that that's that's that's.
Needed for this league to move forward. And you know the kid is shining.
So he's living in the moment and the moment is his right now.
Yeah, I T what do you think now?
I mean, bog he said it like his energy is amazing and he and he's doing it the right way, Like he got personality. He knows what this opportunity is. He knows the world is watching like like like, but he said his leadership skills are not like a twenty two year old would be. Like you could tell everybody respects him on the floor, you could tell his coach.
Has got his respect and he shows respect to his coaches.
Like that was big for what he said after game one when they talked about what is Nick Norri to you guys, he said, he's the same as Fincy, Like he got the same voice as Finchy. We respect him just like he's the head coach and that goes a long way. Like he knows one thing I say, like he's a humble kid, but he knows he's cold, like he knows he's really good, Like he gives his props to everybody else. If you look at his quotes you're gonna tell you like I'm here, I'm I'm I'm.
Here to kill all y'all.
And I think that's an energy like we don't always see like God shy away from that, and he's he's taking full advantage of it. Like I always go off if if I pay to see you play, like he's one of the guys I'll pay. I'll pay my money to go to play for sure.
Yeah.
Yeah. I mean he's just so natural with it too, right, the leadership side, the way he goes at it on the court, it none of it feels fake. It's super authentic, and I think that's what other guys, even on his team,
pick up on. I mean I was watching him with Karl Anthony Towns after one of those games in the series against you guys, and you know he's sitting up there giving Carl a hard time on the podium in front of everyone about you know, I think he just was like, stop fucking failing, stop fouling, you know what's happening.
And like, you know, that could potentially be pretty touchy.
I mean it's like to transfer that to some of the dynamics on other teams, Like if someone turned and looked at Lebron, one of the young players up on the podium, it was like, hey, l runs, don't mean can you imagine like the cold list that would descend over the room.
And yet you have to tell.
He just has that good energy with him mate to where you can't even be like, damn, you're hating on me right now. He's doing that at all times. You could just tell. And from being in that series and watching him, you could tell everybody rocks with him, like he lets them talk to him, he lets them tell, like he lets others get on him as well. So he's not a guy that's just trying to get on
everybody else and think he's doing everything right. You can tell he's the leader of that squad and everybody will run through a wall for him for sure.
Yeah, And look, obviously he was the engine. He was incredible in Game one, forty three points seven to twenty nine from the floor. He's averaging nearly thirty a game so far in the postseason. But when I look at that matchup overall, the biggest thing that jumps out isn't ant although obviously he jumps off the screen. It's that this was a team built to beat the Denver Nuggets, and you know, of course it was built by the
same guy. I mean, that's what's incredible is you had a guy who was in Denver for I think about a decade summer, give or take, and then he goes to Minnesota. Right, Tim Conley goes to Minnesota and basically builds the team to take down Denver. And I got to give him credit too, because the rest of the league wasn't as on point of Okay, no matter what else we do, it's got to be a team that can take on Nikolaiokch.
Right.
You saw Phoenix adding the positions they've adding, and the big man was kind of almost thought but something a piece they had to put in later. And all of these big moves around the league over these past couple of seasons haven't been as big man focused as Minnesota was when they led the way with the Gobert trade, which got a ton of criticism at the time, Right, I mean, it was a ton to give up for
Rudy Gobert. It didn't work out in the first you know, sort of half season that they had, and it was sort of like, man, this was a colossal flub. This was a failure, and guess what, they figured it out. And with Karl Anthony Towns and Rudy Gobert and Naz Reid, I mean, what is that like for a guy like
Jokich to face all of that. He came out after the game and said, the only thing I can think of is to get another carbon copy of me, because they just keep throwing guys and I don't have another me to throw at them.
It's actually mom blowing to me that is taking this long to figure out the formula. Like the last championship team that did this was the Lakers Bubble team three Bigs, David Javel McGain, Dwight Howard, and the formula worked. I spoke on this on an earlier episode of how After.
Denver one, I thought, well, at one point this was a copycat league, and.
I thought that after Denver one, I just figured most teams would now start to go big.
They'll start to respect the big man a lot.
More, since the current champion is a big man driven team. For some reason, the league is still outdated to this fucking small ball shit like it doesn't work anymore. Is outdated, and it's oh, it does not work. So the fact that we are seeing a three man a three man big lineup where they can all alternate. They're all defend him in different ways that it's different looks. It's gonna be a challenge from the Kolokics. So I do think this team is built to be Denver. I do think
Tim Conley understands. He knows what he building Denver, and he also knows he knows the strengths that he built in Denver. He also knows the weaknesses of Denver. He also knows the weaknesses of Nicola Yogic. So he's using that to his advantage and it's working. So I'll be glad when the rest of the fucking NBA catches up and realize you can't guard Nicola Jokic with a power forward in a small It does not work.
So you guys hit it over the head though, Like he's built a team where at first everybody was everybody was down in the Minnesota timber Woods. But he's built it just just for this. And I think, you know, the biggest thing I think they made them turn the page is whether it was a conversation or not.
They told Anthony.
Edwards is the head honcho or this group I think I think Karl Anthony Towns understands he's robbing and he's fine with that. I think last year they were fighting that they didn't know who was the head honcho of the crew, and now that it's Anthony Edwards, and no question about it, it makes everybody.
Fall in line to what they got to do and what they got to do at a high level.
So I think you guys hit it over the head right. You need bigs to stop a big like it's it's a no brainer. Like you gotta throw the analytics out the window. You gotta turn the computer off and throw them numbers.
Get the game.
Exactly and have some bigs that can actually guard a big and slow him down just a little bit. And they got They got the formula, not knowing if they gonna win the series, but they gonna make shit tough for Nicola Jokics for sure.
Well, what do you guys think Denver can do because obviously dropping the first one at home was not part of the plan. So what do you think they can do so they don't go down?
Oh two?
Well, I think I think it starts with Jamal Murray obviously him scoring sixteen seventeen points in a game. Is it gonna be enough to help this team win? We know what Nicole Yoka is is gonna do. We know we're getting thirty and ten, twenty eight and ten, whatever the case. We know the numbers that are coming from the coach. He has to have his Robin at least give us twenty five to thirty for it the ever, for it to be a real competitive, you know matchup.
So and obviously also with KCP, CASEP probably has one of the most important matchups on the floor, the toughest assignments on the floor with guardner Anthony Edwards, but we got to have him make the shots on the other end as well. So I'm pretty confident in saying I think we'll get a big, a better showing from Jamal Murray next game, but we're gonna need KCP to make some shots as well.
Yeah, yeah, I feel you on that too.
I think overall, I think Denver will win win the series with their championship experience, But if they go down all too, that's gonna be too, especially at home. That's that's gonna be tough. But like you said, Jamal Murray has to be the twenty five to thirty point game because this is what they're gonna do, or from me seeing them play against us in the playoffs, Anthony Edwards is gonna pick up full court. Alexander's gonna pick up full court. Jamal Murray's CAF is not one hundred percent.
So over seven, over six seven games of you having to play bring the ball up, you gotta to go against Anthony Edwards every time down. You gotta go against the energy and the physicality. Their mindset is like, we're gonna wear him down because he's not one hundred percent. So if we can have let him have mediocre games and then slow Joker down just a little bit, we
got action that winning this because we have enough. But I think Anthony Edwards has to be amazing every game, and obviously he's twenty two, twenty two years old, but in the playoffs, that's tough to continue to do each and every game. So if he has an amazing, you know, turn out every game, he's putting them in a great position to beat the dependent champs.
For sure.
It's gonna be interesting, man.
I mean, this could end up being the most high quality series of the playoffs. Like just these teams are both so good, and Minnesota's so hot right now, and Denver obviously has shown us who they are. And these West second round matchups are great. In the East and the second round matchups are a little more lopsided, the Knicks are heavily favored in the Indiana series. But Indiana, you know, look, it was a beat up Bucks team and they had some up and down moments. But they've
got pace, and they've got young players. And the Knicks have fewer bodies, I think than they have or at least the way Tibbs plays them. I do have to read off the minutes, guys. For the last game that the Knicks played against the Sixers, Game six and Nobe forty five minutes, Hartenstein thirty minutes, Hartenstein, I should say Hertenstein thirty minutes, Brunson forty four minutes, Josh Hart forty
six minutes, Dante DiVincenzo forty eight minutes. Crazy, and the only real bench player that got run was Robinson eighteen minutes.
McBride played nine. That was it.
The other guys on the bench who were checked in supposedly zero zero zero. I mean he's really going basically sixty oh right, I mean at least he's consistent.
At least what he does, you.
Know what you're going to get.
I mean, do you guys think that that is going to have a long term effect by the time they get to the second round or do you feel like, Hey, that unit, they're guys, they know what they're doing. They've been conditioned to play that way the entire season, and they're going to be consistent throughout this series and fatigue is not a factor.
What do you think, I tea.
I think fatigue is a factor.
Like, obviously they I believe they can get past the Pacers, but it's not going to be easy.
It's not going to be easy.
If you can't play more than seven guys and you're playing those heavy minutes, no matter who you are, it's gonna take a toll on you. So I think like they gotta be smart with this, especially with the pace that Indiana comes with. Like if Indiana is playing well in hidding shots and their pace doesn't slow down, like, that's gonna be tough to keep up to playing forty eight minutes, playing forty five minutes each and every game. And I think at this point in the season, it's
hard to change up and go to your bench. Like, guys don't even think they're getting in at this point, so their minds might be already checked out. You know, I'm not in the Knicks locker room, so I don't know. But like being a player, if it's not being talks about you getting in that game, you're already like, ah, dang, I'm gonna just cheer my ass off. You know, I'm gonna just I'm gonna just stay ready. But it's hard to stay ready when you know guys are playing forty
five plus minutes. So I think it's gonna take a toll on them. I'm not saying they're gonna lose a series, but they gotta play exceptionally well, especially the guys like brunt Sid. I mean especially guys like Heart even Chinz. So those guys gotta play well. Brunton is gonna bring his thirty because he get the opportunity and he's really good.
But those other guys got.
To be able to keep up with playing those heavy minutes against different opponents.
So we're gonna see.
But this is a TIBs team that he's consistent with how he coaches, So every team down the line that he's been on plays these type of minutes, so you who knows they could be ready?
But the history history repeats itself with a TIBs.
Team, like they always seem to die out later in the later in the playoffs, whether they gotta Derek Rose or they got a Brunson, they always seem to hit a wall.
Who knows that they're going to But it's going to be tough to last Like that.
I couldn't agree more, and he actually took the words right out of my mouth. I mean, as big of a fan as I am of this New York team, as happy as I am for them to have the success that they're having with this market, what it does for the league, what it does for the brand, all of those things. When it comes to TIBs in his teams, has the formula worked yet and the answer is no, So to expect different results, I mean, that's that's just
foolish thinking. Obviously, Brunson is the starters team. He's going to produce on a nightly basis, But playing seven guys playing them at this rate.
Like he's basically playing six guys.
Okay, Mitchell Robinson getting eighteen minutes is not playing seven guys to in a regular basis to me, I mean, it's.
Sorry, he's the sixth guy. Mitch is sorry. Robinson is the sixth guy. He's the sixth guy. He's basically playing six right.
So it's going to be very, very hard to find success with this formula.
Guys are going to burn out.
Guys are human, they're not robots like and like I said, it's like I Tea said, history repeats itself like, we haven't seen success with is formally yet, So it would be foolish to think about the wise moving forward in my opinion. But I am happy with the success of the New York Knicks for sure.
They got the league jumping, for sure.
Exactly when when the Knicks are winning, When the Knicks are successful, the league is successful.
It's a fun.
But I think the vibe in that building is insane. And I do think that, by the way, gets you a game in a playoff series, just just the sheer force in a close game of that crowd and that building and all the magic and history that's in there. And then you were saying that you can tell it's
legit in Minnesota or in Oklahoma City. I think we were talking before the show about how these guys play for each other, and you can tell that it's you know, everyone's crowded around at the interview or all of that.
That's what's going on in New York right now.
Like, the guys in New York are a team, and obviously they have the base of three Villanova guys and so they had a little team that came to become to their team. But they are a team and they want to play those minutes. I mean, what's funny is they do these player polls. I think the athletic does them, and TIBs for the whatever year in a row, was
the coach players would least like to play for. And it's been several years that he's won that honor quote unquote, and obviously that's because of the way he runs guys into the ground. But the guys on the team right now love playing for him and they will, you know, go to the mat for Thibodeau. So like I you know, they they found the right guys, they found the TIBs guys, they found the guys who play well together.
That organization is built. I think so well.
I love this time of year because I don't think front offices really get a ton of attention when people are talking about the league and what makes team.
Successful or not.
And guess what we're seeing the teams with the good front offices. We just talked about Tim Conley in Minnesota and then what he built in Denver, and I think Leon Rose has done a tremendous job in New York with a team that had a crappy front office for you know, sort of generation after generation, iteration of different guys coming in and out. Just these are a team of players that play well together, that play well for TIBs.
Not everybody is gonna survive in that environment. And he's found the guys, and that front office has found the guys.
So I love all of that.
I'm curious to see if Indiana can give them a little more of a run than people expect him. And what do you guys make a Tyrese Halburton?
I think I think Tyras is an incredible player. And everything we just said about the Knicks, obviously I think is factual statements. But when it comes to this series, I do have the Knicks winning this series against the Pacers. I just think they're going to outgrade this team all the way through. But as far as Halliburton, I think he's an incredible talent. I think he's a star in this league. I think he's a franchise guy for the Indiana Pacers. But as far as they're moving forward, I
just don't think there's enough there right now. I think it's something to be talked about with the drop off after all Star when it comes to Halliburn's production, I think that's a conversation that has to be at why. I mean, I think it's way more besides an ankle injury. Me and I t both know, you know, you can Lenk. An injury can linger, but with the ankle injuries, maybe two weeks at most that it kind of affects you.
He's played all the way through since that injury. So I think there is a conversation to be had about the fall off in production. Like I said, I don't have the exact answer, or really don't have an opinion on why the falloff happened, but I think that's something that you do have to pay attention to. It could possibly be where teams are now scouting him in a different way, or teams are actually really, you know, paying attention to the way he plays a game, how he
leads the team, and those things can change. So I think I think moving forward, the Knicks will win this series. And I think this will be a huge offseason for tyres with just player development, finding out how to better himself as you know, the league guy for this franchise. And obviously we obviously moving forward for this franchise to have the success that they're looking for with him leading the way, he's going to have to be a way more productive guy. It can't be a seventeen to ten
guy we're looking for more so a twenty five twenty five. Yeah, gotta be that for them to be So I think moving into the off season, those are the you know, those are the things he needs to work towards. Like as far as becoming a better player, a franchise guy, and like I said, moving this franchise in a successful way, Yeah, you couldn't.
Say it even better.
Like I said, I got the Knicks as well. I think they're just gonna be way more physical. They play a little harder. Like obviously, if Tyrese has exceptional games,
I think they get one or two. But he has to play, like Buoy said, he got to give you thirty and twelve, Like he got to have those type of games for them to have any type of action at winning this series because they're kind of two totally different teams, and I think that that that rubs well on the Knicks more so the Pacers in this in this series.
So we'll see.
But one thing I do think being on the USA team this coming year this summer is gonna help Tyrese have an exceptional year next year because you know how that is, like it gives you that that confidence, it gives you that you know you're one of the top players in the world. So I think I think that's gonna help him having a great year next year and learn how to lead from guys that's done it in
the NBA for a long time. Being around those Lebron, being around KD, being around those exceptional guys is only gonna make him that much better.
So I think next year is going to be yeah. Yeah, So so it's going to be a big.
Jump for him.
But I don't think they have enough to beat the Knicks in this series.
But he's definitely the guy that leads that group, So we'll see how it goes.
Yeah, I love that idea about Tim USA for sure. And hey, he's going to be around Aunt Edwards, so you know he'll get some leadership there too.
There you go.
I want to talk to you guys about Dallas.
Okay, see, that's the other series I think is going to be like crazy competitive Dallas.
You know, took care of the Clippers. We'll get to them in a minute.
But Kyrie, man, he he is doing everything you could ever want him to do. Uh. His defense has been like exceptional over these this first series. Uh, he's contributing and the way the MAVs wanted him to when they acquired him. He and Luca Legit really like each other, you can just tell. And the way they talk to each other about each other on the court, in the locker room, when I'm around them, that's a real relationship and that makes a big difference, I think.
And then Luca, of course, I mean he's Luca, doncha.
She's you know, averaging thirty a game, high usage, doing all the things in all the areas he should. And then on the other side, Okay, see, I mean we know what a young, talented team they are, and Shae Shay is just continuing to blow stuff up. Twenty seven points per game in the playoffs and just dominant against the Pelicans.
It t where do you see the series going? What do you think?
I see this going six or seven?
Like I got I got Dallas just because of the experience of Kyrie Championship experience. Luca is who he is. But you can't you can't count out Okay. See, like they're well coached, Coach of the Year. They got guys, like you said earlier, the guys that you just you could tell they play for each other, not just with each other, they genuinely like each other.
And they remind me of a college team. Like their energy reminds me.
Of a college team in college sets, Like they run their shit. They really run the ball movement, player movement. They're really hard to guard, and you can tell they have no ego. They gotta you never know, Shay might be the MVP this year. Like they got somebody that special exactly, they got somebody that special, and you can see nobody cares about it, like on their team, like everybody's in love with anybody's you know, success, and that
goes a long way. But you can't count out Dallas, Like they really made the Clippers not look as special as they really are. And you gotta tip your hat off to a guy named Kyrie Irvin who was one of the best players to play the game. You gotta tip your hat off to Jason Kidd as well. He's putting those guys in position to where you can't them. You can't put two guys on each other of those guys. So you gotta tip your hat off to the coaching because it's going to be a battle with the coaching as.
Well, not just on the floor with the players, but.
It's going to be a battle with the coaches because those are two hell of those are two great coaches with great coaching staffs that put those guys in to be who they are. So I'm I got Dallas winning this series, but I got to going six or seven guys for sure?
What do you think that I'm going to complete opposite? I can, okay see.
Any series and the reasons, Okay, okay, it's not any of the popular names. I'm the guy that I think is going to stand out in this series is lou Dort the way he defends I think obviously when it comes to Luka Doncics like, I don't think there's a human on this earth that can stop this guy. But as far as containing them, as far as making the game a little more difficult, a little harder for him, I think lou Dort is a loot door, is a guy that can make that happen, that could actually make
it a realistic thing. And when I look at these teams, I just when it comes to Dallas, I see an offensive team, a really really good offensive team. And when I look at Okay See, I look at a really really good offensive team and also a really really good defensive team. So for me, is leaning towards Okay See. Like I said, I think Lou Dort is gonna be an X factor in this in this series, I do agree with I t on the fact that it will go to six or seven games. It won't be an
easy series for either team. But I just don't see a guy on Dallas being able to contain Shay. I don't see a guy on Dallas being able to contain Jaylen Williams. And as far as lou Dort, I think he can slow down Lucas somewhat. So I'm gonna go with hell, okay see for this series.
M all right, all right, we'll check we'll check back in on both of those predictions. It's so funny I watch Kyrie, and by the way, I'm not saying he's defensive player of the Year, but he has ratcheted up his defense considerably. The whole team has. And that's where I think you're right. Jason Kidd gets a lot of credit.
Jkated to me one of my favorite people in the league, like just his personality, the way he heats, chill and runs things, and I think that he has been able to pull the strings there in a way that again, I think we need to give him more credit for that.
But Kyrie in particular, I.
Feel like it's just actual magic what he does around the basket. I mean, he had that shot the other day where he's like fallen down on the ground and he throws it up and it goes exactly I mean, it's not even it doesn't even bounce, it goes right in the hoop and everything. Just from a guard perspective, can you explain him at all around the hoop and just how great he is and maybe one of the maybe the best ever right in that particular way.
Oh yeah, I mean I have him down as the best ever. When when it comes to finishing around the hoop, he has no weaknesses he has when it comes to the offensive game, the offensive side of things, like if he was six six sixty seven, he would look just like Kobe Bryant, Like he has that type of game, and his finishing skill is amazing with either hand, either foot.
Like the things he does, you just.
Be shaking your head, like, oh my, I don't even think he knows the half the shit he's doing.
Like when he gets in the pain, I think he's just like, let me figure out what.
I'm gonna do at that point in time, and then it just happens so like and then to not even talk about that the defensive side of the ball with Kyrie. Ever since James Harden left Brooklyn and he played against James Harden, you could tell he's had an energy against James Harden that like, I know.
All your moves.
I'm gonna pressure you, I'm gonna pick you up full court, I'm gonna be super physical with you. And I think, like I watched that as a fan, like I watched them two guys go at it, and his his intensity on the defensive level has raised everybody's on the team and like you know that boogie, Like when your best player is playing full out defense and he may may not even be known for that, it makes you feel like you gotta.
Do that as well.
So I think choice, I think that's leadership as well, Like that's championship pedigree.
He's showing.
Okay, if I'm dialing in on this end and I'm not known for this, everybody else got to lock in on this end. So you got to tip your hat off to a guy, guy named Kyrie Irvin who's doing exceptional things on offense but also raising the level of competitiveness on defense as well. And it's that time of year to do that. So I can't say enough good things about Kyrie ierbt. He's he's one of the greats in our league and it's going to go down as one of the best guards they ever played this game.
For sure, Top seventy five as well.
Oh yeah, we mad you know, you know, the peers know that. They just can I guess they do that. We know it might be top fifty man like that he is so exact.
Peers know that though, like you know, he's that good for sure.
Well, look they'll do in top hundred in twenty five years or whatever and take maybe twenty twenty on that one.
He might make that one, so well, I'll see.
I mean I asked him, you know, I was talking to him during this Slipper series and I was asking him about his defensive play and and and what kind of caused him to ratchet it up. And he was like, well, you know, teams that win championships play really tight defense. I was like, yeah, you were on one of those teams. Obviously that was a hallmark that Cavaliers team. And the personal stuff doesn't hurt. As you point out the James Harden stuff. You know, we've got that coming up in
the next series. You've got Jalen Brunson facing the coach that didn't play him in a Game seven or barely played him in a Game seven, and you know it was part of the decision not to keep him in Dallas.
So that shit matters, man. I know that.
Y'all think about that when you take the court against a guy that you know did or said something that you don't like.
It's all in there at all times. Time.
We had a big change since we last saw each other. Bug the Lakers did, in fact, dismiss Darvin Ham. We certainly thought that was likely what was coming. We actually dismissed the entire coaching staff, which surprised me only in that Phil Handy, one of the assistants there has been with Lebron since that Cavs title in twenty sixteen, and it seemed to be a real favorite among the players.
He's just one of those assistant coaches that can kind of relay the message or the rest of the coaching staff, pull guys aside, tell them the truth without it feeling, you know, like an attack or anything. So I'm interested to see where Phil Handy goes. I was a little surprised that he got let go, but maybe I don't know. We'll see what happens there. Who do you think books should should take over that team?
What kind of coach would work there.
At this point? At this point, just pull a Bill Ross, Meg Lebron the head coach, and ride off in the fucking sunset. Whatever the fuck happens happens. We spoke about it a little bit off camera. You know, any coach that takes this Lakers job, I t sitter, it's a higher to five uhs.
In general. Is that this specific roster or Lebron related. What do you think it's I mean, they have been able.
They haven't been able to find a real fit on that team at the coaching spot since Phil Jackson left.
I'm telling you, pull Bill Roe. That's that's.
I can't think of another coach. J. J. Reddick, I've seen his name. It would be you know, a first time situation.
So you know.
That's that's a huge question mark. Kenny Atkinson doesn't really move the needle.
What was t Lou exactly? Why would you leave a job with great security?
You have an incredible relationship with the owner, like you have a good job security, that's that's a big thing in this league. So him, I don't see him want there.
They are, they are, they're about to back up the bretructure.
They're not gonna let like the only I feel like the only option the Lakers would have if they were to get.
Another coach would be t lu because he's familiar with Brian.
But like t Louton owes, you you don't you don't go to the finals every years, Like he gotta get fired too. So like it's a higher, higher job. It's a tough job. Because Darvin Ham did what he was supposed to do. They made it to the Western Conference Finals, they got eliminated by the defending champions.
This year, with the roster you have, realistically, what's he gonna do? Like they won forty seven games, Like, it's just tough.
It's just tough. I don't know what option you're going to next. Who's gonna do any that much better with the roster you have. At the end of the day, it's about the players you have in the building each and every day, Like you can only do so much. I bet Darvin Ham was a really good coach. I bet the players related to him, respected him, like you can talk to him like he was one of the homies as well.
Like that. That's a big thing in the league at this point.
In time, with these young guys and with a team that has a Lebron James on the team. So I don't really know what direction you go in, Like do you get JJ Reddick a first time head coach, and then when shit.
Goes bad, what are you gonna do? Let him go as well? Exactly.
So it's a tough job. Like Darvinham had to take the job. I feel like it was a lose, lose situation for him in your first two years, you do that like any other job, like you're probably keeping your job right at the end of the day. So it's a tough situation for him. I know he's a good head coach. That coaching staff was really good as well. So I don't know what direction Lakers go at this
point in Lebron's career. So like Buggy said, maybe you got to do something that hasn't been done it's a long.
Time ago, and named Lebron the head coach. You never know.
Well, look, I mean my big thing about fire the coach, which.
You know, fan bases I think always go to fire the coach, and it's obviously owners go to it too, because it's easier.
Than moving players around. Who are you getting instead?
That has to be the answer, the question you ask yourself and the answer you have to have before you fire your head coach, because the guy who's in the job right now at least has had a couple of years experience working with these players, knowing what guys can do, you know, getting used to the job with a first time head coach, especially we saw right, we saw it happen Adrian Griffin and and look You can go back and forth every whether it was fair or not that
he got let go, but you talk to people inside that organization and there were just some basic things that head coaches do that he wasn't doing. Whether it was communication with players, whether it was the way the rotations were working, you know, pick and roll stuff that it was just sort of like, oh, he needed time to get in there, right, And we've seen that with coaches, you know, Missoula and Boston at all. A lot of criticism his first year because he needed to find his
way into the job. And Darvin has been in the job now for a couple of years and he clearly had lost at.
Least part of the locker room.
You know, Anthony Davis was pretty publicly critical of him several points in the second half of the season, Lebron James hopping up and down on the sideline, upset not getting a challenge from his own bench and stuff. It seemed like maybe they had to make the move because that's what the stars wanted. But I don't know, man, you had to have an idea of who you're going to get next, and we're all sitting here being like, I don't know this.
Guy has shortcomings. This guy has shortcomings. I don't know about this guy.
Maybe they pull a rabbit out of their hat or bug your idea goes forward. But I just I'm kind of amazed to sort of have them make this move without a clear direction of what they're going to do next. And to me, Tyler was never a realistic option. The Clippers were never going to let him walk to their main rival across town.
So I don't know what they're going to do.
I don't know what the Clippers are going to do either, though, guys, because it was another disappointing playoff exit. They're moving into this new arena. They've got Kawhi Leonard locked up, but Paul George did not sign an extension that was put in front of him during the season the way Kawhi did, and I always thought that was very interesting. And now he's got this forty eight million dollar player option he can opt into for next season and be fine, but
it's most likely he will opt out. And the question is does he stay in LA where his family is. I know that's really important to him. When Philadelphia comes to drop a bag of money on his door at twelve oh one, a free agency. When Orlando comes to drop a bag of money on his door at free Agency.
I don't know what do you guys think he should do? But what would you do?
Well?
I don't feel that Orlando has a chance at all. Philly is intriguing, obviously with the foundation they have there, but Paul George being at this stage of his career, He's in the later stages of his career. It's well known he's an LA kid. We know the love that he has for LA and one to be in LA. I just don't see him making a move cross country to the East. It just just doesn't make sense with you know, as hard as he worked to get to LA, it doesn't make sense for him to leave it now
at this stage of his career. It's obviously a red flag or a flag in general, with the fact that he hasn't signed an extension already. The only thing I can think of is, you know that that team across the street may be a threatened.
You'd have to you'd have to clear so much roster space and salary, cab space, and then you end up a little bit the way Phoenix struggled a little bit at times the season of being a top heavy team with three guys and then not having the depth.
That we know you need.
I mean that's we go back to the Denver Minnesota series. Minnesota's got more depth than never. That's part of how they won Game one. Like you do need depth as opposed to the top heavy team money wise, and you know Lebron's gonna want his new contract this summer.
I don't see PG going across the hallway, but I don't know.
I mean to me, the thing with Paul George is, yes, he wants to stay in Los Angeles. He's talked so much about being an LA kid. His mom had a stroke a few years back, and she can come play and see come see him play in LA, but she can't really travel. So I know that's really significant. You know, his kids have all their cousins here like all that stuff. He does not have a title yet though, and I
know how badly he wants one. And the difference with him and Kawhi Leonard is Kawhi Leonards won multiple times. He's got two finals MVPs. If he never wins again, his career not only will be set, but he personally can know that he reached the highest height and I don't know if with this Clippers team and with Kawhi in the physical condition that he is in this stage of his career, if it's realistic for Paul George to sit here and go, Nope, we are I'm gonna stick
with it. We are gonna win a title. And look, maybe all this posturing is just to get the Clippers to pay him the MAX, because I don't think the extension was reported as a MAX, and certainly I think he will command them paying him the max to get him to stay.
But I don't know.
Is there something appealing it about Philly with Joel Embiid and Tyre Smaxy.
I think it could be.
But like Boogie said, like at this point in his career, he probably comfortable in LA. The sunshine is good, that's home. They moving into a new arena, so you're gonna you gotta separate the Lakers and Clippers stuff. So I think I think I think he stays in LA. They try to figure it out. They give it a go because they don't have too many options as well, Like going to Philly would be good like on paper, but it's like you really want to live in Philly like that, No, disrespectful Phely, you know.
Dispect the most disrespectful thing I've ever done.
I mean living in la unless you like the whole weather, like that's what I'm saying, Like I don't I don't know the city of Philly like that.
I'm saying in terms of like you got the decision to be in some good weather, be home.
I'm probably not dipping the crib.
I'm probably not leaving a crib when when it's not a guarantee that I'm gonna win the championship if I go there, Like the teams are kind of like the same type of team other than Joel and Kawhi Leonard, then you got James Harden that could possibly come back.
I think I think he stays with the Clippers. They run it back and see if they can make something happy with women, make something happen with trying to be a healthy squad and also going to Inglewood, Like that's gonna be good energy for whoever's on that new team to change things up. You'll feel like you're going to a new organization or a new city with separating yourself from the Lakers.
So I think he stays with the Clippers.
And they try to run it back and have that window of winning the championship.
You never know what's gonna happen.
Yeah, I mean, look, that's a team with another you know, they're an aggressive team. Steve Bomer's aggressive owner. They're going to try to make moves this summer.
You know. I think Kawhi and obviously PG if he signs.
I think I think they've got a lot of other roster flexibility unlike some of these other teams, so I think they can make some adjustments.
I think we will see a lot of guys moving around the summer. I think Paul George is kind of the most intriguing guy. But every player I talk to, you guys are the same way, say, oh, he's not gonna leave. So uh, I don't know. Maybe we're all media people. We're just we just want action.
We just want to get You got to at this point in your career, like is.
The weather good? Like good on the body?
Like?
I think that's a that's a big, big thing when it comes to making decisions, and if you if you ain't guaranteed no championship, it's like why move.
I'm gonna take it a step further than that. Tea I mean, why leave one situation that's similar to the next possible. I mean, Kawhi is never really there for the playoffs, and neither is Joe LMB. I mean, it's not really a situation where the grass is necessarily greener on the other side.
So I would say so you'd get a different Joel Embiid if Paul George was there, because part of the problem with Joelle some of it's been random injuries, but a lot of it too, has been just running out of gas in the fourth quarter. You know, big men, we know that's what happens, especially after you've been in the league for ten years, that kind of thing. And if a guy like Paul George was there to take some of that pressure off and it wasn't just all on Tyres Maxy, which as we saw at the end
of this last game. You know, he had some great plays in Game six, but he couldn't be the guy he was in Game five because it's just too hard, as you've said I to do that back to back to back to back to back. If you had a PG in there, I think the pressure on Joel would be different. I think Joelle could get the kind of rest that he needs at the beginning of the fourth quarter, which every time Nick Nurse tried to do that, you know,
the Knicks came in and ran up the score. So I think you'd have a different Joel Embiid if Paul was there, whereas Paul being in LA does not give you a different Kawhi Leonard in terms of the injury stuff. But I get it again, Yeah, y'all, y'all, y'all are very sure of it. So I'm gonna I'm gonna go with the guys who know right there.
All right, but we got to introduce it to to three stats. Two are true. One is a lie.
This is a segment we do every week and Isaia, I gotta be honest with you, Bookie and I are not very good at it. I'm just gonna put that out there.
Producer Nate cooks up.
He tries to stump us. He usually succeeds. I don't think either of us have a very good track record. But you're gonna save us.
You are the one. I know it. You're gonna You're gonna do it. So let's see. Two of these are true. One is a lie. Uh, Timberwolves lead the league in scoring.
During the playoffs. That's one stat. The Nuggets lead the league and assists per game during the playoffs, and Brunson leads the league in postseason scoring as an individual. So those are three stats. Two of them are true, which is a lie. I t am gonna let you go first.
The liar is Minnesota. The other two or true.
I think that was very certain, bug, he has certain.
I just played against the Timber one.
I don't think they would scored like that.
Look, that's that's what I'm going with. The other two is true. You picked that's true, right, yeah? And one this fall?
Yeah yeah, okay, all right, but what you got.
I was actually gonna roll with the same answer, all right. I mean, obviously we know how the Nuggets moved the basketball, so that could definitely be a factual thing in Brunson has been on a terror as far as scoring. But I feel like I feel like we had this up once before and I was wrong.
Hm hmm, this is okay.
Yeah, I'm gonna stick with the same answer. I'm gonna ro.
Here's my question for producer Nate. Are you saying they lead the league in scoring in terms of total points or points per game? Okay, so he's saying points per game. I was gonna say that would make it very easy since it was only a four game series.
I was trying for a loophole.
Guys, I was smart the question, all right, I thought it might be the Nuggets answer that to me is the one that I'm not sure about. But I'm gonna I'm just gonna go with the group. I'm gonna say Timberwolves to producer Nate, are we all wrong?
Or what?
What do you got?
Ha?
I should have gone with my first instinct. Damn it? All right?
All right, So the Pacers lead by three more assists a game than the Nuggets. Man, I'm influenced too easily by the crowd.
Right, damn yeah?
You have you had.
Wed?
I love it, guys. I love the two of you together.
It's so fun to have the Boogie and I T Show revived.
It's great. I love you all when who play together.
I love it now, Isaiah, Seriously, we're so thrilled to have you joining us more often. And I mean, I can't wait to see what you can do in the league next year, but for now, you're with us. So you guys out there, you can catch all episodes of bully Ball in the DraftKings Network. You can catch us on the All the Smoke Productions YouTube channel. You can find us wherever you get your podcast. Rate us, review us, say nice things.
We like that. We pay attention to the comments. It t We'll see you soon.
Nice to be back in Seattle, and boogie keep tearing it up in Taiwan. He's in his playoffs, so you got to playoffie before we go.
He already knows what to do.
He already knows what to do.
Don't win it all.
Absolutely, absolutely appreciate you.
Yeah, I love it all right, guys, see you next week.
All right.
Appreciate y'all.
Alright. Hmmm