You're tuned into Heat Check with just a quick.
On this episode of the Heat Check, the Denver Nuggets are the NBA Champions of twenty twenty three, doing it in just five games.
Sinko. We break down Game five, which should have been a Miami Heat win, and I really really wish it would have gone to overtime because I would have won a bunch of money. But Nikola Oakis is also the best player in the world right now. It's not even close. Remember when we were like, oh, how do we feel like, will we take Joel Embiid or will we take get
out of here? Get out of here. We also get into some other news from around the league, including how Toronto and the Raptors have a new coach, new Intel, and how to keep Zion healthy uh without having to hire more porn stars, and how the coaching carousel actually works in the NBA. So much to get into, So Nit, do me a favor and drop that generic gas beat the shit be Rihanna. We got a new NBA champions search and their name is.
The Denver Nuggets.
Get your little baby chariot flow on, because Nikola Jokic and his little infant are gonna be hopping on it for the parade. Who saw this coming?
Who did the NBA media see this coming?
No? Did people outside of Denver see this coming? Largely No, anyone with functioning eyes and a lack of small market bias did they see this coming. Yes, from the halfway point of the season until the end of the playoffs. Well, here's the deal. Really, it was like the last two months of the season and Denver Nuggets mailed it in because they knew they could. But the playoffs were dominant time for the Nuggets. The crucial month like one to
month four. Awesome for the Nuggets. They were not just better than anyone else in the league, they were much better than everyone else in the league. It really wasn't close. Miami, give it to them. They were scrappy as hell. They kept these finals much more interesting than they probably should have been, given that Tyler Hero was injured and Gabe Vincent was injured and Jimmy Butler was injured, and Game five was one of the ugliest badger in a box
type of games you're ever gonna see. How ugly was it? Well, at one point in the fourth quarter, the over the total was set at one hundred and seventy nine and a half points, which would be some quick math. That's ninety points basically per team. That is a number that you have not seen in an NBA Finals since about
nineteen eighty seven. That I don't even know who was the best artist in nineteen eighty seven, but I don't even think rap music existed when the last time we had seen one seventy nine and a half the final was ninety four eighty nine. But the game was much closer than that. The Heat probably should have won this game, but like the rest of the games, they shot nine for thirty five from three. Yeah, the one thing that they could count on for the entire playoff run literally
deserted them at the last moment. And also, let's be real, what the fuck were those last ninety seconds. It was almost like Miami decided, Yeah, we don't really want to go back and play game six, you know, like that's the point this is. We gave it the college try, We were up all games, and like, let's just let's just lose it. What would have if we just decided we're just gonna lose. Miami played like they had never seen a fourth quarter crunch time before. Down three fourteen
seconds left. No, let's start before that. In the thirties seconds left, Jimmy Butler dribble drive penetration throws it directly to cantaviious callwell, Pope, easy steal, have to foul? What the fuck? Max Streus just stands there waiting to get picked off. What are we talking about? So then down three fourteen seconds left, Jimmy Butler decides early in the shot clock he's gonna turn have a step back turn around three over a six' Ten Aaron. Gordon do you
think he made that? Shot? No, no WHAT i would CALL i hate high quality decision from a guy who's been incredible in the. Playoffs as it turns out that he could not keep shooting like they were shooting in the rest of the. Playoffs it turns out that when people said could they continue this heater of fifty percent from, three turns out the answer was. No The, nuggets of, course got exactly what we expect from nikoliokch was just a dominant performance no matter what's.
Going on around.
Him twenty, eight sixteen, four even though he was mobbed the entire. Time give it To eric spolsterra hell of a. Game. Plan people need to shut up about THE mvp. Race M b so clearly did not deserve to win THE. Mvp, now in, Hindsight nikoliokic decided he would take his foot off the gas, because let's be, real he cares about
nothing else besides his child and his. Horses so does he give a shit about a third STRAIGHT Mvp when when embiad's crying about it every day on national, Television when When Nicole it just keeps taking my MVPs, AWAY i deserve to win. One he's, like, fine, kid have. IT i don't. CARE i really just. Don't i'd rather have championship. Anyway this is What Yoker jokic twelve for sixteen in a closeout? Game what?
What?
That? WOULD i Love Joel, embi but there would be no scenario Where JOE lmmb would be twelve for sixteen in a closeout. Game they're just like he would be two for seventeen in a close out. Game let's be. Honest he shot fifty eight percent for the entire. Series in the, Finals jokic forty two percent from. Three these are outrageous. Numbers here's what we're not gonna. Do AS i take a sip of my. Drink we will never say that Nicola jokic is boring. Again we will never
say That Nicolai okic is not an athlete ever. Again we are not going to say That Nikolai okic is overrated ever. Again he has earned every accolade he's going to, deserve pretty much every other accolade that he hasn't. Gotten and guess. What he Won FINALS Mvp Western CONFERENCE, mvp
and he won the BEST mvp trophy that there. IS i Bet Joel embiid would trade his regular, season little scrappy third BEST mvp for that FINAL'S mvp trophy every day twice On, Sundays, Denver we're just A buzzsaw took out The timberwolves in the first, round and five had a hard FOUGHT i guess not, Really let's be. Honest we never were scared of The, suns even though it was. SIX i thought it was. Five they swept The lakers in The Western conference finals and beat a cockroach team
The Miami heat in, five a gentleman's. Sweep not any of those series were particularly. Close they just never felt, close and people were, like, well they beat they beat an eight seed and then they beat were what were the sixth, seed and then they beat a seven seed and then they beat an eight. Seed but let's be real honest about what it. Was they Beat Karl Anthony towns And, aunt they Beat Kevin durant And Devin. Booker they Beat Anthony davis And Lebron, james and then they
Beat Jimmy butler and Bam. Adebayo that's what it really. WAS i don't care about the, seeds like the duos they just slayed are fucking sick scoring. Phenoms. People The nuggets were fifty three and twenty nine in the regular season and sixteen and four in the playoffs for sixty nine nice and thirty three. Record that is a sixty
eight percent winning. Percentage and you, know the thing THAT i didn't write, down BUT i do want to say is That Michael, malone when he was still going By, MIKE i feel like When mike turned Into, michael that was when he stopped being. Insecure because there was a time When Michael malone thought he would never coach. Again he had just been jettison from The Sacramento kings for no reason, really and he told, People i'm never gonna
get a shot as a head coach. AGAIN i worked my whole life just to get, fired AND i am not. Employable he got fired from The Cleveland cavaliers before that as an assistant and wasn't getting any head coaching, Looks Michael malone is a tremendous success, story now a, champion one of the best coaches in the, league continuously gives us gold from the, podium and is the perfect fit for a team that has been pretty much overlooked and underrated for the entire time that they have been in.
Existence we're gonna have a lot more to say about this on OUR nba wrap up, show but for, now congratulations To, Nacoleokic, Jamalmray Michael, Malone Denver, Nuggets Kentavious, Call Will, Pope Aaron, gordon and you know what not to Mediocre Porter. Junior twenty twenty THREE Nba champions has a nice ring to it AND i cannot wait for more dominance from them to.
Come the File donro fell in THE nba.
World As Mashai yuzuri and The TORONTO i don't know WHY i said it like. That Massai yuzuri and The Toronto raptors went in an unexpected direction and picked a guy WHO i have to write out how to pronounce his fucking name on my. SHEET i don't know, HIM i know almost nothing about, him AND i love THE Nba Darko. Ryakovich who who is? That? Exactly so The raptors interviewed everyone under the, board ranging FROM Jj, Reddick what a joke? Interview To Steve, Nash what a joke?
Interview and then they ultimately went with a young assistant with a lot of a success on some. Teams he's A serbian. National he's been coaching since nineteen ninety, six first in his home country and then since twenty twelve in the league At, okay See Phoenix. Memphis Why, darko let's dig into. It kind of. Fascinating why you do a little research and it all boils down to swag to swag to. Swag. Okay according to friend of Show Demarcael,
cole who covers The, grizzlies H darko's buzzword is. Swag and that's kind of, funny as he, says because every time someone mentions the word swag with the, players you'll get a laugh out Of Jaron Jackson, junior Or Desmond bane or one of those guys and they're, like oh my. God darko says this all the. Time Apparently darko loves the word. Swag he is going to be taking over a team That Nick nurse pretty much stripped all the swag out, of so he's gonna have his work cut
out for. Him The raptors are not a team like The grizzlies doing the. Gritty The raptors are maybe an anti swag, team not with this. Roster in, Fact The athletic dropped in an article today about what went wrong at the end Of Nick nurse's, tenure and the problem turned out to be That Massa jujeri felt That nurse was not as good as developing young talent as some other, people which turns out to be one Of darko's best traits with draft picks at a premium in the near.
Future The raps currently are now losing a top six protected and three second rounders in twenty twenty. Four they're going to need someone who can judge talent and develop talent very, quickly Especially european, talent And. Darko darko has been scouting his little last off since he was seventeen years, Old so what does this mean really going forward for The Toronto. Raptors let's be. Real if he likes, swag there's going to be a lot of roster movement Because
fred Van fleet's got. None he just opted, out which means he's certainly. Gone the team's already all but said That Gary, trent or their swaggiest, player is almost. Gone siakam And og could also be on the, move leaving this team with only one returning starter Aka Scottie, barnes a man WHO i don't think swag is the first thing that comes to mind WHEN i hear. Him so we have no idea really what to expect going forward In. Toronto no one has any idea what this team's gonna
look like on opening. Night no one has any idea How darko is going to. Coach all we know is that he's going to be the, coach and, that's to be, fair not the most encouraging news if you're A raptors. FAN i am reserving. Judgment, However Kevin, Young Charles, Lee Sam cassell probably would have felt better about any one of those. Three let's move. On of, course the non final subject de jure in THE nba Is. Zion he's
been getting into some trouble. Lately the tweets just keep, coming And zion just keep sending this spitch more money to get her to shut the fuck, up which makes her tweet even. More, zion delete your. Account Mariah mills just will not, stop can't, stop won't. Stop, Rockefeller Bang, bang come. On BUT i am not here to talk. About THAT i want to talk about is the multitude of articles that have come out About. Zion and there's
one anecdote THAT i want to concentrate. On that Is zion's connection To stan Van, gundy his coach for one season in twenty twenty In New. Orleans you would probably assume That zion would have absolutely hated working With Van. Gundy Van gundy if you, REMEMBER i remember it like it was. YESTERDAY i was watching It twitter live video press conference Of stan Van gundy where he banged his fists on the, desk railing on his, players AND i
knew his days were. Numbered he was talking bad About, lonzo he was talking bad About Eric, bledsoe AND i said to, myself this is a man who's. Frustrated He's Bobby knight style chair, throwing ass throwback. Coach makes your. Run he's like the Meaner Tom, thibodeaux the, meaner more, cantankerous like More i'm gonna throw you under the bus
to the, Media Tom. Thibodeau he loves all day. Practices and for a guy Like zion who's not known exactly for his work, ethic a guy who struggles with his conditioning and, wait you, KNOW i wouldn't think that Stan Van gundy's style with jive With. Zion Jackson hayes is on record saying that practices that lasted forty five minutes Under Alvin gentry were regularly three. Hours Understandan gundy his, philosophy Stan An gundy were THE nba, players not my,
opinion his. Opinion So i'm just gonna make SURE i say that that we're. So Stan Van gundy BELIEVED nba players need to be run like thoroughbreds in order to be in playing. Shape like the anti load. Management Van
gundy took over during THE nba pandemic. Season he got pissed because the team wasn't practicing enough and often, enough clashed with the head trainer who was a big proponent of, caution, caution, caution and in the end, result Stan Van gundy, won and this was literally the first time in his entire Lifetime zion played a complete. Season Understand Van, gundy mister three hour practices, himself mister, listen no more cake, bitch
no more wee. Bitch, no you're spending all your time with me Idle hands or The devil and the cakes playground sixty one of seventy two Games zion. Played he was a. FORCE i Believe zion was An All star that. Year and guess, what that's eight more games Than zion has played in his other three seasons. Combined sir fucking. Insane you might ask yourself, why But Van gundy has an, answer AND i think the answer was. Fascinating fascinating to, me AND i think we'll be fascinating to. You Keeping
zion in shape was. Paramount so this is What stan Van gundy. Said WHEN i got the. JOB i called coach k At. DUKE i remember him saying to me About. Zion, stan the best way to Get zion in shape and get him ready is he needs to. Play he needs scrimmage in, practice he needs to play in. Games he needs to. Play Keeping zion in shape by making him practice hard seems to have had the only Result zion
has ever. Gotten let's be real in, fact, like if you're practicing forty five minutes a day And zion's housing five thousand calories at, breakfast what you think is about to? Happen Although Van gundy got shit canned in the end of that season and he's held a grudge over since Over New. Orleans on a broadcast this, Year stance, said The pelicans have to figure out what they're doing wrong that they can't keep their players. Healthy, stan what would you?
SUGGEST i bet you all of my coke zeros in my fridge and all of the plethora of color full socks in my cabinet. DRAWER i bet. Anything he says three hour, practices five days a. Week and the wild thing is That Van gundy's probably not even. Wrong the only way to Save zion from, Himself the only way to make Sure zion is in good enough shape not
to injure himself while playing is to have him. Playing always something to think about moving, Forward As shams dropped the bomb today and announced that The New Orleans pelicans are going to aggressively pursue a trade to get either the number two or number three pick so they can Get Scoot. Henderson they are very interested in moving up
Because scoot fits. Perfectly so what does that? Mean it could mean major, changes right BECAUSE cj McCollum would have to take on a two guard, rule which, means now you have issues WITH cg might be on the move BECAUSE cj can't play, two can't play defense as a, two and he will need to be a two in order For scoop to be a one and get those, minutes and then they can't play them both at the same. Time AND cj just got an. Extension and what it really might mean is that it could mean That zion
is on his way. Out. Now it seems crazy to think that that could be the, case but that's been in the rumor mill for a while. Now the front office is a little frustrated With zion and The pelicans can't count on them to be healthy with all the negative press surrounding. Him with The Mariah mills thing that might be the thing sends them, over might be the thing that sends them. Over we could see some major changes In New orleans moving. Forward we're gonna be On
pelican watch for the entire. Offseason it would appear that's all the time that we have for the Heat. Check THE nba season is, over but the league is going to keep popping because now we got, draft got free, agency we got the summer league right around the. Corner so check out the feed for past episodes and many episodes which. Drop not almost every, day they just, Happen
so don't forget to, download. Subscribe please tell your, friends every single one of, them and follow us on socialide at this heat check and at trist To, crick on, TikTok instagram And. Twitter thanks so much for, listening. Knuckleheads we will see you On, friday