Nightcap Hour 1: Deandre Ayton is USELESS + Cavs SURVIVE Late SCARE from Pistons + Wemby & Ant Man BATTLE in Game 3

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Welcome to Nightcap, fam I'm I'm your host.

Oh there you go. I'm your host. Ojo seven time?

Hey, what you in?

Seventeen seven times?

Come by one job?

Joe?

Hey, Joe, Joe, Joe Johnson. Hey, we got we got.

Three times.

We're going to chat, and we got the goddamn chat.

I just want to tell you I love you, and I didn't rehearse this, so I'm going off the top of the head.

Joe, what's up?

Assing? Slow motion better than no motion? Adding?

Yeah, I know that's right. Listen here, I'm over here trying to turn one into Hey, what's up? How you feel about them legers?

We're not feeling good. Thank you for joining us. He's already did the intro. Please make sure you hit that subscribe button. Please make sure you hit the like button. Do us a favorite, go subscribe to the Nightcap podcast feed wherever you get your podcast from. We would like to thank each and every one of you for your support and you continue support because thanks to you, Nightcap has become the success that has become all the awards that we want, all the praise, the adulation. It's only

Well.

The Lakers played as about as well as they can play in the first half, Joe.

They were fifty five percent from the three.

Everybody the ball was moving, even though they had had some turnovers. But I thought they shot the ball really well. But it's almost like Usain Boat when he was in his prime. You knew at sixty meters you might be even with it, but you knew he had another gear that you couldn't get to, and he was gonna win

Carusoe is Caruso on both ends of the court.

Joe uh.

The Thunder beat the Lakers one, one oh eight. If you look at eight and he's averaging seven less than eight points a game, shooting less than forty percent from the floor. John Mitchell had twenty four points, ten assess four rebounds, three steals, shooting fifty eight point eight fifty nine percent from the basketball for the game. Of players with twenty points, ten assists, three steals and zero turnovers in the playoff game since nineteen ninety, Magic Johnson, Chris

Their well or engine fellas, they root for one another and the game just comes easy. Those guys, man, you know, the system that they're playing in is great. But I know, I know you, Ojo ain't surprised about the outcome, are y'all?

I mean tell you absolutely, if any if anything, Joe, I think unk uncle felt they they at least win a game.

I ain't.

I ain't think I thought they were going to bring the broom out. They about to bring the I thought.

They would win a game two. But when you look at the game, Bro, it's like as bad as Shaye was playing in their first half, It's like, ain't the Lakers as what? They was only up with one or two points at the half?

Ojo, Well, you think they shot level of twenty from the three point line, so that's think about. It was perfect from the three? What do you call it was three or far from the three? I think Lebron was two or four from the three, and you're only up, You're only up by that margin.

They don't listen. The defense stinks so bad. Oh I'm talking about I'm talking about Listen anybody for OKC on the permember, whether it was a j Mitchell, whether it was Shay Case and well, I don't care who it was, Bro. If they seen the Laker in front of them, they went by them. And look, if you can't keep the ball under control, I don't care what team. Man, you your defense broke down from the jump, so you give up dunk slobs, floaters. It's just too much to pick from.

And honestly, Uncle and Joe, I want to ask you something. I think even if Luca was playing, obviously Luca probably give you thirty seven, do they still have enough? Do they still have enough even if you if you add Luca to the mix in this series, I think maybe

Like you said, they're well oil engine.

So I'm not sure what Lakers fans actually expected, you know, I mean, I'm uncle UK was kind of tripping when you say maybe they could win a game.

I didn't even think they would win a game.

I didn't.

I didn't.

I didn't want to say that because I'm I'm just being realistic based off what I've seen from him. Their achilles hell has always been their defense. That's the one thing we've always talked about when we talk about the Lakers. We know Luca could score, we know Lebron could do his thing. We know what Austin Reeves could do. You don't know what eight and you're gonna get from night to night. Margaret Smart is the only viable defensive player you do have. There's only one of him on the

Man, they got too many guys who could beat you, Bro. You got guys coming off the bench, hell, who probably could be starting for for for a team in the league.

Like Yeah, Wallace. Wallace is definitely because he's a He's a two way player. He a three in d guy. He can play, hey, he can defend, he can hey, he can take you off the dribble, he can shoot the three. And I think the thing is uh uh Joe and Ojo, is that when you look at it. I think the thing and the Lakers turn the ball, and see they got two problems. They don't play defense and they turn the ball over too much. So now

And then I'm looking at.

These guys and this is when I know, I say, you know what it's over, Yes, you just packed by.

Shaye is shooting a free throw.

He makes the first one, he misses the second one, they allow offensive rebound, they kick out.

And here the three.

I'm like, you got to be kidding me. The cameras called j. J Reddick A thought, John, you're Aiden gave up two off fifty rebounds. I can't play him. I just can't play it. The broadcast was killing Aiden said he wasn't even trying. But see, people get I keep telling you, it's excuse me. It's not that he doesn't have the ability. He doesn't have the consistency that is the problem. Because we've seen yo, we've seen him give you twenty and twelve. We've seen him give you eighteen

It just seemed like it seems as though Aiden just kind of be out there going through the motions. You don't tell you can tell when a guy really loves playing the game of basketball or you know, he just out there it's like, this is my job. It's a it's a big difference, Fellas. And to me, I mean, I think his energy and effort could be way better because I know he here a talented guy and they need they need him in this series. Bro, they just I mean they just they down Beatman Hill. You're down

Ruy has played great. As a matter of fact, Ruy's been their best player in the series. If you look at the totality of it's been ruined. See the problem is with eighton and this is what we talk about it sometime before you go, Joe, he's them foot tall. He knows he's gonna have a job in the NBA because guess what, there ain't two hundred seven in the world, and that damn sure ain't two hundred that can play basketball.

Hold on, hold on, even even with that mindset, even knowing I'm seven feet tall, even knowing I'm gonna have a job, no matter what. If you put on that goddamn yellow one, that that purple and yellow, that's that alone in it self, playing for the goddamned Lakers, the historic franchise, you should want to ball out anyway.

Regardless, Oh joy, it's time to get paid.

Unc He said he's trying to get paid.

What we talking If.

He's gonna get paid regardless, he might not get a MAX.

We talked to o Ta men.

We had to chat.

We had to chat, and people saying, hey, I'm I just do the half. If I could work from home and make one hundred thousand as opposed to taking my ass to work to make two hundred thousand. How many people say they stay at home. Think about what we talked about, O Yoe. Okay, so now he says, if I can make two fifty or I can make one seventy five, do it like I'm doing.

Now.

You see, I can do bulgize, make one fifty one seventy five, or I can play my ass off and make a quarter of a billy. I take the one fifty one seventy five. I ain't got to do too much out of that.

Do you really see any NBA player really thinking like that?

Think about it though, Think about it as hard, think about it as hard as you work to.

Even get to that level. The percentage them the one percentage Joe, how could you even have that kind of mindset? Maybe he cost don't got.

Him, O Joe.

We had the conversation, would you rather make two fifty and go to the office or one hundred thousand? What did the percentage of the chance say? They would rather take? Ojo the rather to be at the crib? Okay, So you mean he's human, regardless that he's a professional athlete. You gotta realize professional athletes are Michael Tomama Society. All you just did was remove him from working a nine

They probably lose by fifteen even if he tries.

But the mere fact that he didn't try.

I mean, looking at the offensive rebounds, I mean little guys getting offensive rebounds, and he's standing there. He had one, and he tried to let up, he got it blocked, he got it back, and then he missed the whole Damn go hold rim. They turned the ball over too much. They can't defend. They attack Ar. They look everybody. I don't want Marcus small on me. I'm gonna attack Ar. I'm gonna attack Luke Canard. I get lu Canar in a year eleven or twelve. Luke Canard has never been low.

He can't move in puppish like that. Uh, I'm saying, I'm looking at aj Mitchell the way he was going at ar Bro I'm talking about it was first move boom, I'm blowing.

Your duty right out of there, y'all.

That's what Joe, that's what we're asking. Can we can we stop the first move? Okay, he tried to go to the right. Cut him out there. That's how we ask about Joe. That's it, Joe, that's it. You've done your job. Make him come back.

They don't even make the dude counter.

Hey, we just saynkie beating him out the first step up.

That's it, Joe.

You look, it's it's hard because sometimes you got a guy he got a bag. He didn't even having to get to his bag. He's just going to his first move, getting right by. Because the thing is ar is not stronging up in his little body because he's trying to control it with his little body. You see how he played it, Joe, But he's not strong enough down there. Yeah,

I got a question how many. How many white defenders have we seen in the NBA. I mean we know carew so.

Old ball defenders. I can't think of Edith A k forty seven was a real protector. You got Mark Eaton one defensive Player of the Year. You get guys like m but on ball, no, man.

Hey, it takes a different type of brother man to I'm just keeping it real. He think about it in football. How many white DB's is in football?

And a whole bunch, especially at the corner position.

You got the feeling and you got Riley moss Up the coming yes.

Defenses of one two fellas. You gotta want to sit down in that chair. You you know what I mean. And I'm like, man, I look at the I look at the turnovers. Some of these turnover they just lacked lust. It's just like lazy passes. I'm like, damn brounh you throw that lazy left hand. Oh you saw that on the court. You got the ball to his left handed, your thought the guy in the back of the foot and then the ball.

And then I just make you driving. I wasn't the only one, because sometimes people think bad you be too. I was like, well, I sure, hope somebody.

State, you can't throw your hands up like it's eighty fall or something. I mean, it was just a lazy pass and they leaves points, you know what I'm saying. Next thing, you know, you go from down four to now you're down ten. It's like and then it starts to just catapult into a fifteen point deficit. Bro That that that third quarter kills them every time. Man. I mean, they come.

Out, they come out with the same attitude, with no intensity, no fire, and a two point lead. All of a sudden, there's an eight point deficit, so they minus twelve. But in the process of going minus twelve, they've got seven turnovers.

The other teams got one. I mean, look, they shot. They didn't shoot the ball, bad joe.

They shot forty seven percent from the floor, forty seven percent from the three. They went to the free throw line, there was plus ten at the free throw line.

You see you see OKC shot from the floor. They shot fifty six percent.

Oh, hold on, right in the second half of the whole game.

You're talking about overall the whole game, o Joe. You can't win no game, no team shooting fifty six percent from the field, forty four percent.

Hey, Joe, is only one way to stop it.

To Joe, you got to be able to sit in the chair all if all five of you can't do it, at least three of you, because you at least they got everybody. Everybody there got damn double figures over there. And okay, so until you got you got three people on the bench and double figures too.

But o Jo, that's not the issue. The Lakers had six guys in double figures. But they but they can't defend because see, okay, see can get multiple stops. The Lakers can't. That's why the problem is that they fall behind. It is so difficult and they exert so much energy to get back in it that once they get even, the team takes off again.

Yeah, it's just too much. I mean, okay, see too they too much for the Lakers fellas and they it's.

Really that simple. But they got some tough decisions.

The Lakers got some tough decisions like what because because because they want to sign Aar to a maximum, But Aar and Luca in the back court ain't winning you nothing. They can't defend.

They'll have fifty they'll have fifty sixty points between the two of them.

But they're not winning.

Yeah, they got they got to make They got to make some decisions, man.

Because they gotta get some defens eight and eight answer.

I been knew he wasn't. I mean as good as Marcus Smart as playing defense. I mean, here, this was a game you would think the Lakers will win. You're like, okay, shape one for eight. Hell, he can't get nothing to go down. Everything seem a little short. I thought Margaret Smart was doing his job, frustrating and being physical with him.

He was in his chest.

That Clinton's score enough points to even get away from him a little bit. Him playing bad. It was a tie game, bro.

Yes, Dan and and that the rebounding the Lakers, I mean, just like the rebounding is just atrocious. The defense is atrocious. They're just a bad basket ball t This is a bad matchup for the Lakers. I just thought they could win a game. I didn't think they could win the series, not if Lebron, not if Lebron rip back to twenty eighteen, if they went back to twenty eighteen. Yeah, they could win a game. They're not winning the series. I never

So that's off same you.

That's great, a Joe. What the next game at is?

In La money?

Money?

You going?

Unfortunately, I honestly, honestly, if I was you, you know, as as as as a friend, you know, I suggest you say that money man, whatever, I don't even even even they give you the ciccret free.

I suggest you.

Now, they probably when they see you, they may, you know what I mean, they may get in their bag a little bit, bro, Maybe they can still get a game here.

And what what bag?

I mean gone to your next December?

They might, they might, Joe, I.

Mean, come on, I mean, fellas, we gotta be one hundred. I mean we kind of seeing this coming now. I know uncle's hoping. I was even hoping, hell they would win a game, which they still got, they still got one more game left. But I never for one second thought that they could be Okay. See, they just way too deep man, too much depth, too many guys who understand how to play with each other. The chemistry and continuity that they have is off the charge, Bro, It's

And when you get they getting They got forty four points off the bench. The Lakers didn't have bad production tonight, Joe, they got what twenty eight twenty nine?

I agree, I agree they didn't play bad offensively, but damn defensively, it's like.

Every they can't they don't have anybody other than markets Mark they can play defense.

And they look they channeling. It's almost like they channeling their man and the aid he.

A ay namea defander. You you running them into a guy.

All you doing is like, hey, look we're gonna come right, We're gonna bring right here. You make sure you click close the door, and I be damn, he closed the door. Wants the ball in the basket. Once they they got in the house, he closed the door. It's too lame.

Yeah, adom boyd nasty boy, nasty you know what.

And in football terms too.

When I think about it, I think I made this comparison not too long ago. Obviously, this is the best thing for me to do, is to use football analogies that took to compare it to basketball teams. And when I look at Okay, see uncle, I forgot what sure it was when I compare it to the greatest show on turf.

Really huh, But they did? They really ate Joe. They had no weakness. Goddamn Marshall fulk and all them boys.

When Kurt wanted with the quarterback, it on, every every single one, every single game is somebody show.

It's somebody different.

You don't know who, you don't know who gonna who, gonna who gonna ball out?

And there is no weakness.

It's not bro I mean you think on the road obviously containing shade the way they did. It's just energy and effort that you need from the Lakers. They may give it to you for a quarter, Okay, Joe, the hell a quarter ain't enough. It's full quarters in the game, you know, and you take you take the last two quarters off with no energy and effort. Well, that's where OKAC thrive at. They wake you down, they wait for your ass to get tired. Then they massive gas. Yeah, they massive gas.

But if you think of that third quarter again, they come out with no energy and they have a little too. I mean, because I think about how soon they wiped that lead out. It was only what was it, fifty nine to fifty seven? They wiped that lead out and it was boom, the game was tied. What was it, eighty three all? Seventy three eighty three all? And then they go on to ten, they going to thirteen to two.

Run.

Think about the turnovers too, though, not the fact that not not only kid you not scored with him, but you turn the ball over too, and they're getting points off your turnovers.

That ain't making it no easier. On top of that, yeah, can't play no damn defense.

Hey, and then he bring Cleive.

I just want to try to figure out why he brought Cleeve in the game on three.

Papers those blew out, blow got doll blowed off, got got.

Turned the ball over and then it off.

It's a foul he should play.

If you're thirty up and you're thirty down, you put him in the game. Because you got to run the time out of But other than that, he can't pay, he can't play. No, I mean eight minutes in there, he was less harmful.

You got it, Hey, you gotta understand that pressure man wearing that jersey and it's and it's the playoffs to the lights, right, Damn.

They don't need him to be a start. Damn, we just need you to buy some little time. Give us a few senets. Thank you, bro down. They an needing here. They don't even do a whole lot. But so I'm like, as soon as he got in, I seen it. Dude went right by him scoring Yeah, JJ like here I got to get his ass out of it. He played, he played it eight minutes long. As what you do, hey, Joe. We'll just say, as soon as he got gold blowed off going right by, I'm like, man, it was it would be interesting.

I want the broadcast, Hey, Chad, what was the broadcast saying about DeAndre Ayton?

What was dark?

What was dB and passed saying they could have been pleased with that man because he looked he didn't look like he carried. Sometimes you look like a guy's carry and you could tell, you could tell he got frustrated. Uh he shoved no boy in the back. I'm surprised they didn't give him a flavorant one.

Oh yeah, because they he on the recipient of that, uh that pick and roll when they coming downhill as soon as look. You know how frustrating it is. That's how guys get dumped on. If I'm the center, and oh, Joe, you the guard, you can't keep your man in front. I gotta keep coming over helping your ass. Yeah, I'm gonna be pissed off.

Too, especially if it's specially if you don't get that fast enough, you're gonna you're gonna be on a poster.

It is.

And Joe, I'm trying to figure out. I thought, you know what, we're gonna run the guys off the three point line. Why they walking out there with their hand up. Austar Reeves did that? How many times?

D A did that too? It was Da that let.

Shake get into a river because proud of that. He hadn't made him outside shot everything he had got the two lambs and a free throw. But then he hit that one shot.

He saw the ball go in. That was it.

You see aust Reeds stand up there like this, here you see it, bro, run them off the three point line. Yeah, And then I saw lou Door put the ball on the floor, go away from the basket and kiss it off the glass. I said, you got to be kiddingy, Hey, that's what hey? Hold on now, I came on downstairs started eating a slice of my hold on.

You got to be careful that right.

You talk, you about Austin Reed doing a statue of liberty, But as soon as you try to run him off the three, they're gonna put the ball on the floor and go right by you.

Anyway, Okay, you you rather have? You rather score two or three? Because they did that three times, like three times in a row. Man, So instead of giving up six points, now you gave him a three point?

Do you have a nine point? Some things you just can't explain. I mean, hell, they miss a lay up and they beat you. You miss a lay up and they beat you down course, It's just like they were giving up so many easy baskets and then turn old leader. It just sucks the life out of you. Bro, when you turn the ball over carelessly like that, You know what I mean. I'm watching the game, I'm like, man, late that y'all really got a chance, Bro, but it's might.

Then they turn over Lebron turned it over, aar turned it over, uh ds ad and turn it over. And the thing is, I'm looking at Lebron, Bro. Now you see in the fourth quarter. You see how he was going to the fourth going to the old force in the third quarter, He's think he's gonna get some calls.

But somehow he thought all.

Of a sudden, he gonna turn it into shade or prime James hard to ENJOYL and B and get to the free throw line five times. They not calling that either go with authority or just break back the ball back out.

And you gotta give OKC credit. Man, they got good. They got great bigs. Who know they roll down. Now I'm talking about offense and defense because they wall up, they block shots, and they and they hustle.

Bro.

They That's the one thing I always say, Bro, can be a constant your energy and effort. You can bring that ship every game. Bring that every game. But regardless of how many points you score, you can bring your energy and effort every game. And I feel like for the Lakers, they just don't get that from their bigs. I mean he had Roochie Ruy, I think he playing, he playing well, but hell Broun and Aiden. I mean, you gotta match that energy and effort that Hardenstein and

No, I don't mean Bron got one Bron got one file. How you play thirty seven minutes? You only got one file? Rud played thirty nine minutes, he got one file.

Yeah, huh.

No, of ain't no where you can play that, cleek. Not when they're putting the ball on the floor, and look if they don't break it, stop waiting for them to bring the double team go. He looks fit of the brain, the double team. How many times did he thought that gonna bring the double Tay it didn't come. He ended up turning the ball over.

Joe had a bit. That's why I tell you it's like a It's like a mind game. On the defensive side, because if I send the double Brun two times in a row, the third time, you know, he expecting that damn double to come, and maybe we don't come this time, but he gonna be expecting it still looking, you know, because he's not in rhythm. He's caught off guard. So I think it's tough. It's tough, but I'm you're right, uh, you know. I think as as the game started to flow,

Order to have a game like that, Joe, you and I both know you got to have the energy to do it. At forty one, he just doesn't have the energy to do it. He's gonna need a charge. That's an electric charge. And the faster you go, and the pacers they up and dow that pace. Let me, I gotta lect your car and the faster I go. I just watched that matter of Jaine. They go from one hundred ninety six to ninety two. Next thing, you know, I gonna come back.

I said, I just had a full charge.

I they go with ten miles, but I was going faster than the fifty five sixty. When you when they played this young man's game and they up and down, they shooting three, then you gotta get up and down. He doesn't have the endurance to go give you that now that game where he can sustain it and give you forty give you forty five, maybe fifty. I don't see right, No gonna say it.

Off the bench. Outside of lou Crenard, who the hell gonna come in there and really make a difference.

I like Fierro. Fierro gave some. He gave you eight man played at thirteen minutes, gave you eight rebound. How he the leading rebound to Joe and please look me from Arkansas. I like him too, okay, Ojoe, But guess what his energy and effort, that's what they need. But here he was so wide open. A few times to where he was he was d he wide open.

Drip. Hey, hey, you've been sitting on that damn bitch long enough. Bro, You better get you some chots up. You better learn how to shoot in this league. You want to play in this league, and you want to play for a long time, you're gonna have to learn how to shoot. Uh. But I think they got guys that's capable, of these young guys. But hell, j Reddick

And I like Luca. I thought Luke Canard looked good. Look can he shot the ball with authority to night? He looking for a shot. They did a great job. Hey, he's not a defender.

He just.

Look Oh, Jeorge, just like we got a we gotta we got a white dB or sat throners. I'm looking to cook. Hey, I'm sorry, Hey, strebled eggs, baker ban cakes.

I'm just saying, tell you what it is. That's my right. They ain't mellenated enough. I'm gonna just keep it. When you know, Luca nar and a r out there together. If I'm if I'm on the other team, look at Kesey Wallace saying A J. Mitchell Man Shane was on the bench boy. They were going to the board left and right.

Yes, you thought like, well, damn, I thought Shane was on the bench. How shame get back in the game.

It's like Larry Bird said, Larry Bird sayd y'all put a white gulls that disrespectful. Don't sh up me like that.

Hey real, I mean it was. I mean it's bad. But the thing is, Joe, Look, they made it this round. They weren't supposed to go. They weren't supposed to beat uh Houston. They beat Houston. I thought they could win a game. In my heart of hearts, I thought they could win a game. Did I think they can win more of the game? Absolutely not, Absolutely not. Not with the way they defend. And the only thing is Houston. Those young guys ain't smart enough to know they should

They got guys, They got.

Champagne and vassal Vaseail and Castle, they got guys that can slide and slide and slide.

Yeah.

But Joe, what I tell you, I say his offense is more important than his defense right now, because he's gonna give you three to five.

He don't need twelve, but you get twenty five to thirty five.

As in Trouble.

The Cavs beat the Detroit Pistons by the score of one sixteen to one O nine.

Now the series is two to one in favor of Detroit.

James Harden finished with nineteen points seven assists, but he had nine of those points in the fourth quarter and he had three straight. He had the middle, he had a pull up, he had a floater, and then he hit a step back three hard and had everything working in that fourth quarter.

The minute was.

Falling, float game dropping the three ball that really iced it. This was this was regular season James Harden. Donovan Mitchell came up big. He had thirty five points, ten rebounds and four assists. Joe, lucky game or do we God? We definitely got a series. I think this is why you really bring James harden Over to be able to close out a game. Now, can he duplicate? Can he duplicate that? Yeah, he don't have to be great throughout

Y'all were down with fifteen seventeen in the quarter of two minutes thirty four seconds on the clock. It's a tie game. Kay taking the ball out. I'm screaming at the TV. Oh yo, man, y'all one time out. The boy dead down time Kate is Kay tried to throw the ball in. He turned it over, led to a bucket, come right back down, and the screw stuck it. Got it right out there, king right back down again, turned it over again. They went down. I don't know, I

I think should have won the bad. Let me ask you this, Joe. It also okay, you're down. Why would you why would you.

Take Thompson out and bring Jenkins in?

You need stops, you don't need offense, because now they're gonna put they're gonna put uh Robinson in the pig Yeah, they put him, They put him in the piggy roll. Now he got boomed. So that's twice. Now he an unbelievable shot on on Tobias.

But I wouldn't. I wouldn't. I wouldn't I agree with you?

Uh, I thought, Kate Kate inefficiency in the first half really put him behind the eight ball. He was terrible in the first half, but you look at him in the four, the third quarter and the fourth quarter. He's single handedly I mean he didn't single handedly, but he brought him back. He hit the three, the game, the lead.

But like you said, Joe, he was he was out of here to turn it over three times in a row like that again, Oh Joe, y'all, I mean that at the end of the game when you gotta have blame it because he couldn't even get back on some of them turnovers he was making. You know, that was

Oh Joe, Joe, another thing, Oh Joe, explain to me, Paul Red is cooking. Why would you take him out and put Durham back in?

Joe, man, you I wouldn't have took him out. But you know how you know how it is they he felt like he had to get during back in. No, you don't.

Paul Reid was a perfect from the floor. He was perfect from the field, perfect from the three point free throw line. Yeah, and he's plus eleven. The guys might guess who had the biggest minus plus minus, well Jenkins. Jenkins was defensily was all over the place. Duran minus fourteen.

Joe. I mean, he he was getting he was getting cooked by Allan h He hadn't been having a great playoffs. I think we know that. I think with Allen and Mobley playing like this, I still would like to see Mobley being a little bit more aggressive. But a man, they were the more desperate team. They were the more desperate team today.

They were.

Yeah, they were tonight. I think I think they obviously this game. I understand kid being tired, you know, with two minutes left to go, But I'm glad James Harden show up, showed up in that fourth quarter, Joe, and I'm glad he showed up.

I think it gets him a little confidence. Obviously.

Most of the time you think players don't hear some of the stuff that is said from fans of some of the stuff that said, you know from analysts and pundits that that watched the game. But I think this

Hell, God, damn.

Donovan Mitchell was with thirteen to twenty four for thirty five, right right, James Harden could still give them boys won them games. He can have an outer body experience like that because he used to doing it and just about having that confidence to do so. He only had three turnovers the night he been He's been killing them in the turnovers, damn, they're all series long. But the night he minimized those and he showed up when it mattered.

If I'm d short, I'm trying to keep Duncan Robinson off of him. Don't let dog. But that's what that's what I did. Standing Joe, Why would you take Why would you take Thompson?

Out, leave Robinson in and then but put Jenkins in those are they're not good to fit. I don't want none of them guys matched up, because you're gonna take Kay and put him on Donovan Mitchell. So I want Thompson. I want Thompson on James Harden. So if he gets the pick and the pig has to go through Uh Tobias, I can live with that, even if the pig has to go through Paul Reid. I don't want Duncan Robinson. I don't want Jenkins, who's a smaller guy, on James Harden.

At any point.

But it don't matter if be in the game. Un if Duncan Robertson, we see don't give damn mooie. Garden comes to this and he hey, look, it's like you put him on that island by himself.

He can't.

He ain't got the foot speed to stay with James on that isle. Getting with that left the right cross over whatever was so mean to night. I'm like, hold on, and once you get a guy going, he made one on Nuckie Robinson. Then he got to buy his hair, then he get to his flow game. Now he closing you out.

But and that's the thing. It's the same thing with Luca as great as Lucas officials.

They hunt him.

I don't the defensive me. And so the thing that they did really well is that they set to pick up high.

So now you can't bring the double team because if I bring it to one of the corners, you're gonna bring You're gonna trap me, You're gonna make me give it up. I'm gonna bring it, bring it to the top. Now one four me and you, baby, Now I have this dance. Hey, okay, you know what you're gonna do. He gonna ha ha okay, you ain't gone with that with ha ha ha ha oh. I see you, you lead it, and see you a next thing you don't whoop boo.

Yeah yeah. And then he see you playing back off that. He goes pull up. Hey, I'm gonna get James's proper. Bro We've been on this by now coming through and you know, I thought this was why they brought him here, you know, to come up in great yeah, big situations like this in the postseason when they really needed it. They need a guy who can really calm things down, get to his spots, make plays. I thought he'd done that. He was perfect in that fourth quarter. So let's see,

He just he because you think about what you're asking him. He had a trip, dub. You're asking this man, I need you to give me everything offense. I need you to score it, need you to rebound, I need you to get facilitated for others. But also I need you to guard James Hard and Donovan Mitchell. You're asking an

Hey, that's why he get paid the big bucks he got. Well, the other guy, he said, hold on, the other guy want big bucks too, So when you gonna hurt his play yet? Hey, listen, man, they gave himselfs a fighting chance. That's all you're gonna ask on the road, man.

I still believe that I'm gonna be surprised if they don't win games Detroit, Detroit.

They I don't believe. I don't.

I don't believe Cage is gonna play this bad again. I believe Tobias Harrison is in a great great Tobias Harrison's played great the last five six games. Tobi, this is the best Tobias Harris I've ever seen. Yeah, yeah, And maybe it's Detroit. Maybe he has less pressure than when he had when he was in in Philly, but he's playing phenomenal basketball.

And Detroit got enough bigs they can throw a Cleveland's big they can kind of offset them. Guys. I'll red played games Stewart. You know he was decent in the minutes that he got. He ain't played for nine minutes. But they got enough bigs on show to where they can always stay and compete. The thing is, with Kve being so young, I'm like, oh, he gonna play better. I wonder if James and Donovan can duplicate a great performance like they had tonight.

No, I don't well we're gonna find out James played forty minutes, Donalvand played thirty eight.

We're gonna find out. Well.

But Thompson ain't no easy out.

Kate ain't no easy out.

So there's a reason why they're shooting those percentages from the floor. It's because those are two really good defenders. Thompson is unbelievable man, Thompson. They switched it off.

I don't know who that was.

Maybe it was Donovan, but anyway, he came left, hit left Donovan and came all the way back and down.

Yeah. Yeah, I'm saying just shouted them an air ball before that. He did in the corner now, and that's that's probably one of the reasons, Joe. They wanted him out because they kind of wanted some offense. But the question is, yeah, you want offense, but boy, you had a decided disadvantage on the defensive end when you take him out, because you now you down one. So you got Cave and you still got James Hard and you still got Donovan Mitchell, and I still want to make

Hey, I like like I like the bed, I like the bid to get the boys tying this series up.

You think you think Cleveland?

Yeah, hey, listen, I only like it.

We understand he's had bad performances in the playoffs before, but something about you know, the confident due to your Joe, you know, a confident due to your that them nine points and that fourth quarter might mean the difference, might make the difference in that next game.

I'm telling you, I'm telling you, I guarantee you. He was probably questioning.

Himself turning the ball over looking like a d they like, looking like a days ago. My moves ain't working. Okay, I haven't seen a few fall now my float I done seen my three go in. Okay, you know what, I'm feel a little better. I'm gonna try this next game. I'm finna go at their head.

And the thing was, what because it was Cleveland, I mean for this game to get back to what Cleveland shot fifty eight percent from the floor. Damn Joe, they shot fifty percent from the floor. There was forty three of seventy four. I mean Wade was one or two, Allen was seven or nine, Evan Morley was four or six, Harden was eight or fourteen, Donovan Mitchell was thirteen or twenty four, Shrewder was four or five, Merril was won

He was three or seven.

He shot down in the sixty percent, and it took it took Kay turning the ball over three consecutive times for them to pull that out.

I don't believe Kate and Kate is such a mismatch on that they don't got nobody who can guard it. I mean the shot, no, it ain't, you know. I mean Headley missed a shot, but he getting to his spots. He getting every shot. I mean, hell, they got the d Wade dude chasing him because you can't put hard in a miss on him. You know what he gonna do? You know what he them? Who you go for fifty? So I think Detroit and they in a good spot. You're right, I mean he had a shooting fifty seven

Easy, easy, but give the give the Cavaliers credit. They knew their back was against the walls. They knew they could I'll afford to go down three zero. The likelihood of them coming back and winning four straight wasn't very good, especially when three of the four gonna be yea in Detroit.

Detroit. I didn't see that happening. I ain't see that happening.

So we'll see what. We'll see what. Let's see what adjustments Detroit made. But obviously they had to feel good the back court. This is why you brought those guys together, two veteran players, James Hard and Donovan Mitchell. When you needed buckets, they delivered. They combined for fifty four points, twelve rebounds eleven or since they only had six, they only had three turnovers the police.

You could live with that. It was I mean, two politics scores at that, But I still think Detroit has the perimeter guys who can slow those guys down. Donovan just get into a nice little rhythm to where he was attacking. He was downhill all night. I like to see him. I like to see him playing like that, being aggressive, and James was just kind of podestrian, just kind of controlling things until that to the last few

I believe If Kay doesn't turn that ball over three consecutive times.

I think he get I'm telling you, manying, I'm screaming it. Please take one time out. The boy is doll tied out there. You can you can see it, and them turnovers, I'm like, oh yeah, yeah, three in a row under two minutes.

Yeah, yeah, he'll own it. Last night San Antonio Spurs took a two to one lead. Victor women Yama joined some very exclusive joined a very exclusive club. Shaquille O'Neill, Quem Elijah Wan, Kareem Adua Jabar are the only players

He was phenomenal. And then he hit Rudy with.

That high car Keem turned around a Chris fin said enough, Paul, no get it there. He started cooking team, he started pulling up from the three and now you can do with that.

But we get going. If women get going like that offensively on Rudy, hell, you gotta take him out because if Rudy ain't playing great defense, it ain't a whole like hes gonna be able to give you if we just keeping it real. Ives got a better bag. Obviously, he can shoot the three. You know, he can go off the drib wh he can create, he can fight him. But I mean, this is one of those games thirteen

Hey, at that, at that point, Joe, you got to pick you. I mean, you get pick your poison. You wanted that fast, you wanted that slow. Either way you're gonna die fast.

They got too much.

It just I mean, there's nothing you can do because the thing is, Joe, we're talking about what's more?

What is he more valuable?

He's gonna give you three to five blocks just because he's seven four, Yeah, and then he's gonna alter another five shots.

But when he's giving you those count of that point.

Total offense, what you're gonna do with that?

Damn?

I mean, he gave you thirty nine. Castle gave you thirteen. Vassal gave you thirteen, Fox gave you seventeen. Kelton Johnson gave you a lever. Harper came off the bench.

Gave you eight. They just he played like that.

They that's that's unbeatable. You ain't got no answer to it. You who won't block that shot? That turnaround? First of all, he jumping, he's seven four and a half when he jumping and shooting it from a nine and a half foot eight.

That's why, that's why when the Spurs meet the thunder Unk and Ocho, that's gonna be a series, man, because you got all the guys on your team who can sit in that chair and lock up and play defense. Not only that, Hell, if you do manage to get by him, look what you got to run into. Bro.

Think you Randa's gonna have to give him more. Jon Jadon McDaniels, Joe five or twenty two, j Randal.

Three or twelve.

That's eight of that's eight of thirty four.

You're not winning, You're not you're not beating you're not beating san Antonio with those shooting those numbers.

I just don't Yeah, you're right, they I don't think they got enough. I'm gonna be honest and man head thirty two and fourteen twelve for twenty six. I like to see him back, you know, in a tag mode like he was. But they, I mean, they just ain't got enough, dude, you know what I mean? Like if we just being one hundred, they just ain't got enough. Because you need you need not only do you need Edward's and man to play great, Yeah, you need. I like,

Yeah, he is some tough with But you gotta you gotta shoot that over for Sale, you gotta shoot that over Champagne, you gotta shoot that over Stephan Castle. That's that's different than Christian Brown. That's different than Bruce Brown. That's a whole that's different than Cameron Johnson. That's a whole different ball in him. If you do get by them, dudes, Shit you gotta go in there and then with big fella. No, I want that, so you got he Hey, hey, you gotta make a lot of jump shots.

That's why you see. You see a man out there shooting them middies and them floaters and them A no't even trying to get our way to the rack when he down there.

You know what, Hey, that's where you go there with their whole No, there wasn't home, Mama, Yeah it was home. I just didn't want to do with it.

I ain't they would to go in there, the home but the bigger women, y'all. But he was, Oh my goodness. I mean just watching him and the effort that what he plays with.

And people don't realize it takes a lot when you that big, It takes a lot of oxygen to fuel your body. And he give it everything he got. He up and down the court. I mean, he's challenging shots. They call him five ye hey, And I love that. His coach said, we not bringing your big ass out. Stay in there. Just be smart.

Hey, be smart, you got five now. I like his demeanor, the way his approach to the game. You can sell all business, Ojo. The man don't want to do. He don't want to do one thing, and that's when you know what I mean. I think that's very effectious to the young team they had. They follow his lead, bro like, Hey, san Antonio is gonna be good for quite some time? Boy?

Yes, yes, yes? Castle? Uh is it only in the second year? Women Yama only in his third year? You got you got Vassal, you got Champagne, you got Dylan Harper. The question of Joe.

With Vassal for sale? Excuse me? Uh?

Castle and uh uh Harper? Can you keep all three of them?

I think I think that the person who probably gonna be the eye man out of Fox. You think so? Yeah, I think they're gonna bring I think they're gonna they're gonna groom Daling Harper to play the point. He's gonna be the point called him and Castle they're gonna play the one in the two I think, and the if you just want me to keep it one hundred a couple of years, that's how it's gonna be. Yeah, you can't.

So I think, yeah, you grew and Dylan Harper them to beat the point guard and Basale. I mean, but basil Is is such a good defender that he didn't shoot the three. None of them really shot the three well last night other than Victor Win Miyama, nobody else killed in Johnson he had a couple of Carter Bryant with two for but you look at Champagne, he was two of six, Victor was three or five, and then Fox was one of five, Basil.

Was one of six, and Castle was one of three. But Darren Fox is so mad.

That quick man, that jo quicker of the cattle on the marble table, Joe Man, that Joe Hey, he got that ball of the rob of the key.

He start and they cut him up. Well he's back up, go again. He stopped. They crossed over. Whoop. I like my guy and when you got all when you surrounded by all these weapons that he's surrounded with, you can't really help. You have to deal with the results though, so you have to play one on one hair you help out winby all he gonna do. He gonna close his eyes and throw their thing up there. That boy gonna dunket backle. You see what I'm saying when you

Yes see, I thought I was like, man, but I thought that I thought they were about to blow him out. Give the Timberwolf's credit, they stuck stuck in there. But you know, I thought Minnosota said san Antonio, I get it because they started going for the juggler. They started taking a lot of etherviudes shot like hold on, hold on, they tried to get they try to get them guys

It like this.

Hey, when you're that tall man, you got an advantage on. It's a lot of things you gonna see him do we ain't seen before?

Man? Hey, look.

He is Yeah, he is a he phenomenal And some of the shots that he was making off the glass, he hit some shots down the stretch. I said, yeah, he that's the that's he has everything you need to be a superstar. He has the mindset, he has the game, he has the poise, and he's on a team that.

Them joke, they believe he hung the moon boy, or at least drove it.

Happy with that man, he he just just the watching. Hey, look think about this. As great as Nicola Yoka chis, he couldn't have no game like this against Rudy last series. Look, it's different different, a different different, no, no doubt too.

Totally different style of play.

Who being Yama he's more like a guard. Okay o, Joe, he just in that big ass body. He can't you know what I'm saying. Yes, because the way he be handling and dribbling on Rudy, it's like a cone drill man. Come on, I'm serious, like and don't look it's like drill man, you're a cold home. I'm just I'm out here working on my game. You ain't what you can't do nothing with it? You're right, I mean, I mean think about it.

Rudy Rudy seven to seven three houra tall, Rudy is bro Ain't no guy, ain't no guy going to defend.

I mean, you know, Elijah was a defender, but Juan was six nine sixteen tops.

Laja want to.

Play soccer also, so you had nominal fut that's wise.

Offensive game was so great, nomenal football.

But if you a big guy, you need to go see a lot every big guy.

Damn hel you want pay that fifty thousand, go get that three four eight tutorial.

And I got some two lists from from the little time that I played with the Rockets. Look, he should have play three on three with me every day, Okay, y'all gonna well, he's on the same team, running running them young boys up out of them. He make three on three with us every day. No, Lie.

Man, Victor Wimen and y'ama he Jordan shot Kaquem Olija Wan and Kareem. I do at your bar is the only player in the NBA history with thirty five plus points, fifteen plus rebounds.

Five plus blocks in a playoff game.

Shot did it three times, Keem did it three times, Kareem did it three times, and now Wimby is.

In that legendary group.

Thirty five plus points, fifteen plus rebounds, five plus blocks in a playoff game. And they needed it every single point, every single rebound, every single block.