And we continue on Fred Rogan Rodney Pete at a five seventy LA Sports Lakers tip it off tonight at the Crypt, the newly updated Crypt against the Minnesota Timberwalls. Let's bring on our good friend from the LA Times, Dan Wiki and Dan, thanks for jumping on.
Guys, Thank you for having me. You know, this is one of my favorite calls of the week.
All Right, as the new season begins, Dan, what are the realistic expectations play in team? Playoff team?
Which one realistically? I mean, I think they can be a playoff team, sure, you know. I mean a lot of will have to go right. The team will have to stay healthy. I think they are in you know that that second dish tier of teams in the Western Conference. Look, they have two great players, two great players and Lebron James and Anthony Davis. Right, and that's good enough to get you into most conversations in terms of making the playoffs. You do need they need those guys to be healthy.
I think they need a particularly big season for Antony from Anthony Davis. Uh but but sure, why not? I do think though they're like they are a what you would say, highish ceiling, lowish floor type of team. You know, it's not hard to see how it could go bad, Like you don't have to squint two art to figure that out. But but yeah, sure, I mean I think the Western Conference is very good, very very good, and they're on that sort of not top tier contender list.
There's maybe four or five teams, and I think the Lakers are in that tier.
You mentioned health. Anthony Davis and Lebron.
Now, they were you know, as healthy as we've seen them both together last year, as they've they've been. Yeah, is it is it hard to imagine that they're going to have that same kind of you know, health and production this year as they get a year older.
I don't want to make too many predictions about stuff like this, but but I will say this, I will be very curious to see where this team is at, like around mid December. I think Lebron and Anthony Davis are gonna enter this season in a in a pretty good rhythm. We've seen it already for a d for sure, right coming off the Olympics, not really having a ton of time off, they played a fair amount of competitive basketball this summer and it shows, you know, in a
in a good way. Right, Like, they don't look rusty in any way. I mean, Anthony Davis was one of the best players in the league in the preseason I believe, trailed only Giannis for most points scored. Was crazy efficient, showcased you know, a little three point shooting while doing all the defensive stuff he always does. Let's see, though, I think you know, in December, as we get into you know, that first sort of dog day stage, uh, where their fatigue was, you know, because I think that's
when that bill from Paris will kind of come. Do you know it won't be tonight, I you know, I won't be early in the season, I don't think, but as the year goes on, that's when I'm would be curious about that. But yeah, I mean, look, you have to be realistic about it, right, Rodney. I mean you have a player in Lebron James's starting year twenty two, right, Like that's like kick you out of the house age this season, like you know, like you're gonna get a
job now, get out of here. And you know, Anthony Davis is a guy who you know has had you know, a lot of injury FROMMS. So you have to be realistic about that.
Uh, Dan, you mentioned the summer and playing and especially the Olympics. As we watch those Olympics, I mean, A d and Lebron were the two best players on the court. I mean, aside from Steph Curry going unconscious in the in the final game, the gold medal game, those two basically were dominant in the in those Olympics.
How much do you think that carries over.
You know, I don't know. I think I think what it does is it does energize the players around them to a degree. Right, it shows, it sort of reaffirms which should be obvious. But like these are championship level players who really excel when playing championship level basketball. And if you're a role player and you're around that, you know, knowing how to impact the game without scoring, stuff like that. I think I think it has guys excited.
It's it's a.
Different it's a different thing. And I say this like as respectfully as possible, right, Like, there's a big difference between you know, running a pick and roll with Kevin Durant and running it with Dangel Russell or Austin Reeves. Like there's just a big difference, you know, Like, like you know, Lebron was on the court with Steph Curry. You know, I do think though from a from a competition's standpoint, I think they're sharp. I think they're mentally sharp entering the season.
Dan Wikey is whether us Dan he talked to Lebron earlier today. What did he have to say is we get ready to go.
You know, we talked a lot about Bronni James today, you know, and this is going to be a really special moment, uh for their family, for the league too, but but really for their family when he plays with the Sun. My hunches that it will happen tonight. I don't think you have Ken Griffy Junior and Ken Graffy Senior there sitting courts at if it's not gonna happen again, no disrespect, they're not here for Dalton connect. You know, Like that moment I think will happen tonight, and when
it does, it'll be really special. It's it celebrates a bunch of things, right. It celebrates Lebron James's longevity. One of the things that I think though, like we've celebrated that a lot, and we will continue to celebrate that
a lot. I think that it's important that you know, it's easy to be cynical about this, guys, and about how orchestrated it was and some of that stuff, and how this feels kind of maybe cheapened in some ways by by you know, Brownie's statistics at USC and different things like that, and you'll hear the word deserve a lot.
I'm choosing instead to focus on the fact that Bronnie James wants to play in the NBA, He wanted to make it to the NBA and last summer, guys, he almost died, like I mean, there's there's no way around it, right, Like like he had his left saved at USC by those trainers, you know, and his road back has been remarkably quick. You know. It's it's an incredible story. I'm sorry a year and a half ago, it's an incredible story.
And to me, you know, as a as a parent imagining, you know, my son being able to be well enough and to be out there, I think it is. I posted a video of the broad time on it. It's an incredible achievement for that family. It's an incredible testament to Browne James's hard work, to the to the medical professionals, to the people who work with him on rehab and
stuff like that. That he's like physically able to do. This is incredible And I can worry about whether or not the deserved part, Like, I'll deal with that another time, right, Like tonight, like, let's celebrate the fact that this kid has gotten to accomplish something incredible, something that almost was taken from him.
Yeah, no, no doubt, no doubt.
Man, when you look at the bigger picture of that that it it really is incredible. And regardless of people think he's going to be a are even make it in this league? Is the one thing you can say is Okay, so he's not he's not a you know, top two three player on this team, right, he may not even suit up, you know, anymore, but he can he can still play basketball. He can compete at this level. Maybe not to the level that his dad does or somebody else does, but he can compete at this level.
So so why not at the end of the day, Dan does this? Do they get this over with tonight?
And then?
Uh?
I think so?
And then and then it goes wrong from there, right they just go play the season?
Yeah? Look, I mean I think you know, there's a couple of things that play here. I mean, you know, the G League season hasn't started yet. That's for Brodie. I mean like resetting here a little bit, like you know, like today, Brinnie James is not an NBA player today, He's not, you know, like he has to get better in a bunch of different areas. And it is the Lakers job and his job to to make that happen and make that work right. And that's gonna happen mostly
in the G League. It should, you know, and I haven't heard anything that suggests that it won't in a real way, you know. So that's where that work is going to happen. I think one of the things about him is she talked to people that you know, his work ethic is unquestioned. He's about the right stuff, Like, you know, this is not someone who wants to come into the league and average twenty points a game necessarily, right Like, I think he knows the kind of player
he's gonna have to be, especially right away. And and that's a huge head start. Guys. Self self realization and self knowledge in the NBA is not is not in the kind of great supply always that you might think it is. And so I think he's already been sort of humbled in that way and is willing to do, you know, the little things he has to get better at him though. I'll say that he's got to more consistently play hard. He's got to box out more consistently. He has to to pick up ninety four feet more
consistently and do that stuff, and he has to. I think a lot of it is confidence.
Honestly, Dan, Dan, Dan, You're just talking about fundamentals. He's got to learn how to play in the NBA. He's just not an NBA player yet.
Yeah, but but yeah, but it is, like you know, I will willing enough, I'll say to believe that it is a multiple piece of clay. Sure, you know what I mean. And by the way, when you pick fifty fifth, like that's fine. Now, if this is twenty five minutes a night, that's a bad idea. But I don't think that's gonna happen. I just don't think that's gonna happen. I think everybody involved with this, from Lebron on down
knows that's not a good idea. Right, Those twenty five minutes a night should be happening in Rio Grande Valley. They should be having in Rino in Fort Wayne, you know, you in your favorite rough felt cities that have minor league basketball. That's where it should be happening. I think
that's where it's mostly gonna happen. But I do think that you know, look, if if if the end game here is to create you know, an eighth or ninth guy on a team, a rotation level NBA player, which, like, honestly, I think that should be the goal, right, you know, Ridnie, I saw what Magic tweeted about Caruso and Reeves. I mean, I mean, that seems a little that seems like the bar is being set a little high.
A little high, a little bit, a little bit man, a little bit, yeah.
I mean, but but you know, look, Magic gets excited. You know, I think he's an excitable He's an excitable person. Those exclamation points are aren't there by accident in those tweets, Like they're there for a real reason. But I think, look, if the goal is to mold him into that, they're going to get to work on it. And I think, you know, he's going to give them the best chance
at figuring that out. Maybe it works, maybe it doesn't. Tonight, like I said, I think it's more important to just like I think like the getting there tonight is more than the what happens next.
Hey Dan, all Right? The biggest acquisition the Lakers made during the off season was JJ Reddick. As he approaches this first game, where do you think he is and his comfort level?
I think it's high. Now we'll see what happens. Right, Like there is like a everybody has a plan until they get punched in the face sort of element of this,
you know. I think the one thing, guys that I've been impressed with with JJ and having known JJ for a long time, having covered him with the Clippers and seeing him around the league and stuff like that, Right, he's a very confident person that comes across every time he speaks his confidence, I would say, uh, but he's an open minded person and he's a he's somebody willing
to adjust. And I think that has been sort of my takeaway in talking to him, both in scrums and a little bit behind the scenes, is that, you know, like there's been three point three point three pointer has been a lot of you know, the talk in training camp and in the preseason, and this team has not shot shot the ball particularly well. If that continues, Like I mean, he's not going to do something just because he thinks it's the best way. I do believe that
he will. He will adapt to what the team sort of is. And and you know, I think he's excited and willing to find that out. He's not going to get out worked, He's not going to get out prepared, you know. But but we'll see, you know. I've I've spoken some coaches who've told me that, you know, nothing really prepares you for the amount of decisions that you have to make in an NBA game as a head coach, that like they come at you rapid fire, you know.
And I think so far in the preseason, you know, he's shown to be pretty quick with timeouts, He's been a good processor of information. Uh, the team hasn't played that great, you know. I think there's been some some real roster issues that have been exposed, you know, And I don't really know what to expect from them out of there, like right away to that in terms of how they look, that's kind of a that's hard to
figure out. But I think he's prepared and has put them in the best possible position, you know, in terms of game plan and stuff like that, and then you know, we'll see if if it matches up with the with the talented ass.
So that being said, on day day, what's what's going to be as big as challenge? Like early on and as the season progresses, but in particular is these first you know, a few weeks of the season, something that he may not be ready for.
What do you think is going to be his challenge?
You know, when things don't go well, probably is going to be like you know, I think we've heard a lot about the vibes around camp and stuff like that, and you talk to people and anybody knows knows that. You know, it's not hard to have good vibes early in a coaching regime. That's when that's that's when their things are at their Vibeists usually go, yeah, is that you have a change and you're happy and you're enthusiastic about it. And then you know, you deal with whatever
comes in front of you. And so you know when when when things go a little off script, when things get hard, when you know you want to run motion offense, and you know Lebron thinks it's the right time to run pick and roll isolation, Like you know, like what happens then you know what I mean that to me is we'll be will be where the real tests are?
You know. I do think everybody about this is pretty clear minded and understanding that this isn't a a day one solution, despite I think, you know, JJ being pretty prepared that there will be you know, some growing pains in this. But I but I but I think that that to me would be where because how do you how do you script that? You know, how do you get ready for that? And I think the other thing too, And like I said, I think he's answered some of
this is just over analysis. He's a very analytical person,
you know. And I think sometimes if you're somebody who want, you know, you're in a situation and you want to study it because you know, you think you have the brain power to figure it out, like you've got to you've got to hit it rapidly, you know, Like this is it does seem like the NBA is much more like the New York Times Mini Crossword than it is the big one, like speed matters and figuring the stuff out, uh, you know, And so I think, but I think he's
shown that so far. But we'll just see how that happens when he's coming up against guys who have five, six, seven, eight years of experience of matching wits that quickly.
All right, well, thank you for showing your wit with us today, Dan, we begin.
To guys, guys, I have tell you I have it in droves over here. I'm overflowing with wits. Oh, this is what I've been telling overflowing. It's been it's been a long it's been a long off season. It's just been bubbling over. I'm ready to share it back with the listeners, with the five seventy world. That feels great to be back.
All right, we will talk again soon, Dan.
All right, guys, be good play team.
You think rather optimistic there, Fred, Yeah, An you think. I think it's a playoff team. I think.
So they stay healthy, Yeah, well, they got to stay healthy. But my issue is this, their best players are their oldest players, and the West is getting young. The teams in the West that are good are young.
This team they're getting ready to open with is gonna be pretty good.
I know this would be a good game tonight. Yeah yeah, all right, we'll have Vic coming up, and then also let's talk about how you can win those World Series tickets.
That's try, that's tried, right to be Fred Rogan on a Tuesday, and we absolutely always need what we need, Freddie, that's spirituality, baby.
Gotta have it.
You need World Series tickets. We know that you want them. You're gonna have them. Here's the deal. Go to our remote show tomorrow Hollywood Park, Ginglewood. It starts at noon. You've got to get down there. If you're there, you are automatically registered to win World Series tickets. Thursday morning, Kates and Sacks will award the tickets just for the people that went to the Hollywood Park show. Then on Thursday afternoon, we'll be at BJ's in Racho Kukamonga. Go
to BJS. If you go, you will register to win World Series tickets. Friday morning, Kates and Sacks will announce the winner as to who was going to that game. We have World Series tickets. They belong to you, but to get them, you've got to either go to Hollywood Park or BJ's and Rancho Kuckamonga or both. That's the only way you can win the tickets. There's no call in, there's no online. You've got to go, and if you go, you're registered. The Hollywood Park shows are usually pretty full.
I would recommend getting there early. All right, let's have some spirituality and to provide that there was only one man. Victor Brick the Daily haikup at two and Big Good afternoon.
I am so pumped if you're going to set up all listeners the World Series tickets in Inglewood tomorrow and Rancho Cucamonga on Thursday.
Fred Rogan, Hello, Vic, and don't forget tomorrow at Hollywood Park. We're giving away Clipper tickets for opening night. So if you'll win those tickets, you walk right across the street the Intuit Dome for Game.
One fully loaded.
Fred, yes, and he says tickets are going for close to fifteen hundred dollars a pop.
Who know, Rodney Pete DP, who knew? You're telling me.
It's worth the price of admission. That's all I could say.
Fred, You're right.
Those are indelible memories. They cannot be measured in currency. The currency of memory and spending quality time with your hardball soulmate is precious and his baby Oliver is cooing once again with the World Series flavor Dodgers and six.
Okay, now I like it.
His inspirational cuts carry the azul to the four classic Roadie fascio.
He never needs a ticket.
It's King Flavor. Roll out the red carpet, big.
Well.
I am covelling for all Dodgers fans, but I'm also covalent for all Fernando Valenzuela fans.
A feeling you.
Lhigante tribute to the great El Toro and Boil Heights. It's a giant mural created by the same artists who painted the Otani Mural in Little Tokyo, the multi skilled Robert Vargas.
He's calling it Fernando Mania Forever.
Vargas says, because there was Fernando Mania before there was Oltani Mania. And Vargas begins his project of thirty four Love Today and he's going to finish it by November one, which would be Fernando's sixty fourth birthday. And you're gonna see it from both sides of the one on one. It's on First Street and Ball Heights. Of course, all our love and prayers to Fernando's recovering from health issues.
But we've got to think back to Fernando Man when he first created the Delirium and the CEO died in nineteen eighty one.
Yes, last time the Dodgers played the Yankees in the World Series.
Pick exactly, exactly, Rather, he was a pen arm out of Mexico his first eight games and the Majors, Fernando hurled five shutouts, and Fernando Mania was born, and Valezuela galvanized the Dodgers Latino fan base, brought the city together. Everybody loves Fernando, his amazing spirit and journey, and that nineteen eighty one World Series ryd than you said it
forty three years ago. That was the last time Dodgers and Yankees collided in the World Series, and Fernando led a Dodger rally to win that World Series in six after the Azul lost the first two to Reggie Jackson and his crew in the Bronx. Then game three, Timylasorda says, Fernando, you do your thing, Si se Pui, and Fernando won Game three, twirling a Juavos Field.
Complete game Wavos Field.
Sparking the Azul rally as the Dodgers won the last four, sending Timula sort of dancing in the streets.
And that's the last time the Dodgers and Yankees met and the Ultimate showdown. Freddy, you have memories of nineteen eighty.
One, think I've got some?
That was a wild, wild series in Masazul. Welcome Old Tony Sign to the World Series.
Well, we'll have to continue that welcome when we come back.
Let's go, Freddy.
Come on, it's Tuesday, Rodney p fred Rogan Vic to break Jacobs.
Come on, Vic, we need it baby, Come on Vic.
Welcome old Toni side to the World Series.
As they say in Japanese, Yogatae are so happy for your happiness. And the Mount Fuji of Masfuerte will erupt against the Bronx Bombers. Remember, Yankee starting pitching is not so great Cole Schmidt, Gil Rodin and they got a mediocre bullpen.
Everybody.
They walk a lot of guys, and Otani's gonna get some nice pitches to drive with Muki standing by the crush.
I love the way the series is lining up. Love it Dodgers in seven.
So way.
So if the Dodgers are that much better and they can eat alive their bullpen and all this stuff, why is it going seven games?
Have a nice lineup. Listen.
I respect the Yankees. They have a very solid offensive rotation. Your judge is gonna hit, Sodo's gonna hit, Stanton's gonna hit.
Uh.
You know, Taurus has been very very clutch lately.
You know, valbe that sure this he gets, he gets on base a lot. Remember Dugal, the former Dodger. He's been producing. They got a nice lineup.
You know.
Offensively they're tough, but the Dodgers are a better team. There's no there's no doubt.
You know, look at it many different ways, but I'm looking at it just strictly.
Pitching.
Dodgers have better pitching. Pitching wins World Series Dodgers and seven. You know what that leads us to the source for it. Yes, I'm relying on the zen Archer Kenzo zen Bows and arrow, and I'm an hands sing and go something like this.
Soon.
Think of experience as something divine. We teach based on experience. Experience allows us to speak with authority, and you must trust experience as something divine the sense, say Dave Roberts, seeking his third World Series ring, best winning percent pissed winning percentage of any manager through his first one thousand games, Dave Roberts, experience is divine.
I'm feeling you.
Yeah, saying yeah.
All right tomorrow you better read Hollywood Park. It's your only shot to win. World Series Tickets. Show starts at noon. I would get there early. If you're there, you're registered. If you're not, no tickets for you. Okay, Ronnie, thank you, Kevin appreciate it, and Rodney will talk soon.
Right on, right on, right on,