What old The rockets have taken off after our rough stretch.
The thunder continue to dominate the Western Conference at a level I don't know, we haven't seen since what twenty fourteen fifteen? If this script is correct and my spectacles are working, uh, and.
We'll get into the state of the Bucks and more with thy Windish on today's episode.
I'm Miles Break and I'm Jack O'Brien, and this is Miles and Jack boosting.
Chid streets. Guy it that luka doncic.
Hits j K.
There you go be driving spinning ky.
Sattern number eighteen that's been secured.
The Seltics are NBA champions over the double team right night?
Yes with a ter okay, no short time, won't you go? Yes?
Co host of the Gyro or Edle Step podcast for Blue Wire Podcast, I would just buck them back.
How we pronounced that we go with euro step euro There is no incorrect pronunciation because it's a reasonable excuse me, a regional term. It's also a reasonable term. But as long as people know the pod, you can really call it whatever you want. I mean, if you listen, subscribe, download, et cetera, call it gyro.
Yeah, it's all it doesn't really. The punt doesn't work as well if you're.
Going, yeah, I can't roll. If I could roll ours, I do it the other way though, just because it's cool.
But just pretend it's a d that's the hack for people can't.
Roll there, dro doesn't for me.
I don't.
Tell here.
Well, they're rolling out the ball on March hysteria, yep, is that what we're calling it?
That little tournament for the kids.
Yeah, Spring mad times and the tournament, the big old tournament there the big games, sixty three of them in fact, So I did want to just check because this is when I start paying attention to college basketball, although this year a little.
Bit more like, you know, the Johnnies.
I'm a big, big Patino guy, very excited to see what he's been able to do with Saint John this year. And you know, UK, it's fun to be able to root for them again now that Calipari's gone. They they've been entertaining big Mark Pope fan. But this is essentially when I start paying attention. I was just looking at the mock draft to be like, all right, who do I have to watch before they get knocked out of the tournament? You know, we like Jah had that tournament
his last year in college basketball. That was only it seemed like it stopped the world. Everyone was like, oh my god, that team was out in the second round, wasn't it? Like he They got bounced pretty pretty quickly, But what a run it was when we were introduced to Jah. So who we looking at? What teams should we be checking out? There are three players in this
Bleacher Report mock draft from Duke three. All Right, I knew I knew about this Cooper Flag guy, but they also have a center who is supposed to be pretty awesome and another player in the top ten. So Caman Maloch that there's no way that's even close to being right.
That's the center, right, yeah.
Connople klingon language here for the other Duke guys who aren't Cooper Flag connoople k o n that's a Wisconsin guy.
And then U P p e L.
Caniple like even like evil canievel. Those are the only two times that I've seen K and N together where the K is pronounced Anyways. Another team has two players in the top five. Rutgers two players in the top five Dylan Harper obviously supposed to go number two, and then I feel like he's been long time coming. I've been aware of Dylan Harper for a long time. And then Ace Bailey at number four, a small forward that team's not not in the NCAA tournament somehow. Yeah, that's
kind of mind boggling. But anyways, you're gonna want to watch VJ. Edgecombe for Baylor, and they're not a high seed, so you're gonna want to catch their first game if possible.
He's awesome.
I did like happy to catch him this season. Maryland has Derek Queen, power forward center. Just at a lot of big guys, a lot of size that to be checking out. Texas has a shooting guard who's supposed to go in the top ten, Tray Johnson.
Anybody.
You guys are excited excited to see Jace Richardson from Michigan State top ten guy. This is in no way because my team. The most exciting thing that has happened for us is that we're now have the third best chance at being the.
Number one pick.
Has nothing to do with that, No, definitely, But you guys excited for the tournament. Any anybody you're looking forward to seeing.
I just do the thing where I follow you my alma mater U c l A. For however, however long they go, and then unless I'm doing a bracket, that's then I'm kind of checked out, and then I'm watching casually. But usually it is always tied to the bracket as long as i'm if I've got if the stakes are high, that I'm watching. But for me, I'm pretty much just trying to see how quickly UCLA lose.
I my alma mater, uw Oshkosh, Wisconsin, I don't think made the tournament this year. I think they were first out. I think they saw that.
Yeah, you're right, they were bubble. They did not make.
So that's so I'll watch the Wisconsin schools. Usually one of them will go on like a little run. It's never the one you think it is, so, which would mean Marquette this year, but didn't go to either. So kind of just I like the first week when you get to see, like, you know, this guy's going to be an accountant next week and he's got a chance to knock out Duke. That's the real magic. It's true, right, Like, Okay, your basketball career is over, you just played your forty
fifth year at Mount Mary or canyon or wherever. You know, you got the real estate name tag printed out already. But you can hit a corner three and knock out a one seed. That's what I live for. I do like the Alabama team. I think Sears is going to be a winning player in the NBA, the small point guard. And then Jeremiah Fears, the bigger point guard from Oklahoma. I like him quite a bit.
Six or four point guard from Oklahoma with a name that rules, Jeremiah Fears and five sounds like he should have been one of the children of the corn Jeremiah Fears.
If you take it as a sentence, it would make him contimid kind of last.
Name to go both ways like that could be great, make for great headlines celebrating him.
Or if he's a bus then they're gonna stop all over that.
Yeah, it's actually pronounced Fears. Yeah, yeah, gouy, Sorry, it's uh. I know it looks like I'm scared of stuff, but it's actually fear actual hand situation. Yeah, exactly. All right, back to the NBA. Even though we were technically talking about the NBA. Don't don't get mad at us NBA because we were talking about prospects.
These are future employees.
Exactly. All Right, game of the week, Miles, what was it? Thunder at Bucks? What was our game of the week? That one ended one one, one oh six.
Thunder's close in the first quarter, then then incrementally got further and further away.
Mass Shave.
Shaye was fantastic watching alex Caruso. He was. He also looked up just great. I mean, Jabari and I are just talking about.
Like he's like kind of like this subtle guy who has like this low key flavor that pops out every now and then you're like, oh, that's right, that's right, you have that in your back.
Yeah.
Hartenstein was eleven for fifteen from the floor, put up twenty four and twelve. Chet also look sixteen and eight. I mean, I think a lot of people were looking at this like, Okay, well let's let's see have these two matchup. Okay, see, clearly a contender. Shay is unbelievable still, I mean, this man creates more separation than a divorce judge.
And wow, yeah yeah, I call him the divorce judge.
Yeah they call it.
Oh you mean, welcome to Shay Gil and Alexander's divorce court.
Okay, they call him infidelity because he creates more separations.
But I mean, Ty, what do you think of watching this? You think the thunder?
I mean, based on what we're seeing, the stats, their performances, the just the cold consistency, I think this is a clearcut favorite. Or what do you where you looking at in terms of just the finals before we maybe zoom in on the Bucks a little bit.
Yeah, I'd say right now I'm probably pretty close to taking them versus the field in the West. I think it's kind of a toss up for me, to be clear, I would pick them over any one team. I do think there. I can't quit the Lakers just because you know,
I'm a simple guy. I see Lebron, I see Luca, and you could say Reeves two, but really those two are the main attraction there together on a team, and I just go, how does anyone stop them at all in a seven game series when they're both going to be out there for the whole series and together for a lot of it. The Warriors Devil Magic seems to be back on. I don't think that they've got enough for Okay, see, but again, like I see Staph, I see Jimmy Butler, and it's like, Okay, that's that's a
lot to stop in the playoff series. But okay, see definitely as the best, deepest, most complete team. I mean that Bucks game generously for the Bucks, didn't mention Okay, see both teams on a back to back. Okay, see traveling to Milwaukee and without two starters, one of them an All Star and still just kind of handle business. So uh yeah, it's hard to pick against them. SHA's playing like the best in the world, and their depth just as great, and Dagenault has them all just flowing.
I mean, they they roll no matter who's in who's out, and their team is just beyond impressive.
Yeah, it's like you have to look at their strengths, like you like, their their depth is like the thing I see a lot of people being like, well, that's not gonna matter as much in the playoffs.
It's like, yeah, but it's also not going to hurt them.
Yeah, they're still gonna be pretty Like all their players are still gonna be really good, you know. I feel like, and what once they get to the playoffs, I don't know if i'd take them field like versus the field, but it definitely, they seem to be the favorite. Would you take them over the Celtics, Like, do you think because the betting odds have shifted so that I think, for the first time all season, Oklahoma City is the favorite to win the title.
I probably would take them over the Celtics. Something about the Celtics all year to me has just felt off. So it's a little bit about that, not totally just I think okay See is just flat out better. Like I think the way the Celtics played last season, I would take them, if that makes sense, over this year's okay See. Yeah, it's like that the three point shooting for Jalen Brown and Drew Holliday has trailed off Drew
in general. Has they still have their injury issues. I just feel like they're shooting as many threes, but they don't have the crazy success rate right now and it's holding them back a little. They're still better than almost everyone. They're still match up nightmares for almost everyone, but I don't think their matchup nightmares for Oka See. And that's why I think okay See. I think kind of Shay's brilliance could put them over the top there.
Miles, I tell you, I love this guy. I tell you I love this guy? Or what tell you this guy?
Welcome to the new podcast.
Do you how do you think?
All right, how do you think they match up against the Calves? He's think the Calves have a chance against the Celtics in a seven game series.
I think they do. I think I would. I would put the Calves as very slight favorites to come out of the East right now, not not over the field like okay, see, I favor the Calves a little bit. I think kind of like the Thunder. Their system is just great and super dialed in. They are the team this year like last years Celtics where they are just striping everything right, Like everyone on that team can knock
down a shot. They're super deep there. They went from no wings to like a lot of really capable wings like that last year. You know, Okay, Dean Wade's a nice player, relying on a lot of Dean Wade to do stuff, whereas now he almost seems like an extra guy. Same with the Coro, and I think that's exactly what they needed. And I think the difference I've seen this comp of like, oh you know, they're like the Budenholzer Hawks, like they're gonna go and lose, doesn't matter how much
they win. The Budenholzer Hawks did not have a guy like this version of Donovan Mitchell, who've seen put teams on his back in a playoff series and take it home. And that to me is the difference. So I think the Calves are really legit and I think them in the Thunder both like these are not regular seasons teams. To me, these are just great basketball teams.
Yeah, Donovan Mitchell, I feel like we've seen him do things in playoff series, like we've also seen him have off series, but yeah, when he takes over a playoff series, it has been as impressive as like anything we've seen from a like a player just putting a team on their back. That like, that's one thing that I feel like gets underrated a little bit, is just that they might have the better, like number one player than the Celtics.
I Mean, everybody loves Tatum, but I do feel like Tatum can fade a little bit in big moments, and I don't. I don't feel like Mitchell is going to fade now. Granted, like Tatum might have just needed to get that first one under his belt, like I mean, Steph wasn't great in their first championship run, and then like once he got that first one under his belt, he became Steph. Maybe this is the year that Tatum
just shuts up all the doubters. But I do that is the one thing for the Cavs that I kind of like having, you know, when you just need a bucket, I kind of like having Donovan Mitchell over having Jason Tatum as the person you go to to get that bucket.
Yeah, I mean I totally agree, And I think Tatum, I mean Mitchell quote unquote settles for jumpers too. I think Tatum the biggest thing for him, you see is when he just kind of has the advantage and takes the contested MIDI when he could probably go to the rim more with that size, or maybe take a three instead of the long two. Mitchell, I do I agree with you. I trust him a little more in the half court. I just I'll never I'm hung up forever
on that rookie year series. Yeah, I mean, like Prime Russ, a great version of Paul George, and he just went in there and just whooped them. And maybe maybe that's you shouldn't get that hung up on that, But that was just one of the coolest NBA moments for me, and I trust that guy in a series, especially when the team around him, you know, was much much better than those Jazz teams.
The supporting Yeah, agreed on the Tatum front, I do just want to call this out because the Celtics are.
Shooting a lot of threes this season.
But to put it in perspective, how many threes they're shooting, the record for a Celtics player for the most threes they've hit in a season in the history of the franchise is two hundred and forty five with fourteen games to go. Jason Tatum is that two hundred and twenty seven threes made. Derek White is a two hundred and twenty five threes made. Peyton Pritchard is at two hundred and twenty three. They're all going to destroy the franchise record.
Like it's not even gonna be close that that's how many threes they're taking and you know, knocking them down. But I mean, Tatum's thirty five percent on ten attempts this season. Pritchard's just under forty two percent on eight attempts. Derek White thirty nine percent on nine attempts. So but it's they are putting them up from long run.
Yeah, should take a break and come back to the bucks.
Yeah, let's take a little break and come back to the bucks. Let's let's take a little break.
They can break, make a few bucks, come back and talk.
About the bucks right after this, and we're back, and we're back, and we're back a lot of bucks.
I remember, what was it, Jack? What did you say when Tye came on?
Uh?
Did you say fall fourth in the Eastern Conference?
That must fourth in the Eastern Conference?
Well, because we were like, ty how's it going? He was like, things are great for me professionally, guys killing it I think was a direct quote crushing it and turn that into like seventeen syllables. And then he was like, I mean the bucks, it's obviously not great.
And I jumped down.
I was just like, wha fourth in the Eastern Conference.
That must be he's so hard.
No, I'm I'm I'm thrilled with how the seventy six ers are understanding the assignment and doing what they need to do. So no complaints for me there?
Did you hear that? I think I think I just heard Quinton Grimes sprain and ankle while we were talking. Probably not going to be able to play.
Love what we're saying from Grimes. Believe he looks We'll get to that. He looks great.
That's you should send over another second round pick, another second round pick, just to be nice. You know, I think the actual one was not enough.
We've got assets on this roster, that's what we've got.
We got forty point a night.
Guys, if you have the right circumstances, mix to send our way.
M all right.
So the Bucks, the story at the beginning of the year was like the Bucks and the Sixers, what happened? And then you know, we're back here, like your loser friend being like, yeah, I used to know him when he used to be used to be cool. Now he thinks he's all great and stuff. But yeah, you guys started winning games like you were expected to. And the Bucks are now thirty eight and twenty nine, fourth in the Eastern Conference, tied with the Pacers in the lost column.
So it's not clear cut that you'll be in the four seed. But how are you feeling heading into the playoffs?
Not great for all the you know, they definitely salvaged the season. They started two and eight, to your point, and the kind of you know, it felt really bad because some of those losses were it just felt kind of like the basketball was apathetic and that's not what you want to see. And like your team's home opener. You know, we're not talking about mid March here. It's like Game three and they were just totally flat against
like the Bulls. It's like, Okay, it's not ideal. Can we wake up now and play the good basketball, please? But they pulled it together. Big trade deadline for them, shifting around a lot of parts, of course, and things geled for a bit after that said, they have not beaten any of the teams above them in the Eastern Conference a single time this season. They of one Knicks game left later next week, and after that, if they lose that one, they will have gotten swept by the
top three seeds. So anytime that you're in the fourth seed and you've never beat the top three seeds the whole year, you're probably not feeling great about being able to do so in the playoffs. Some of those games were close earlier, but like that thunder game we talked about, they have just felt a cup below those teams. It feels like they need to do some soul searching kind of click and go on to a run heading into the playoffs. In this West Coast trip, yere a good
chance for them to do that. But unless they kind of put a bit of a monstrous run together to end the playoffs. You know, I think they can beat Indiana, but I don't trust them against the better teams in the East right now.
Doc Rivers probably just holding some things back. Notoriously, you guy, bad regular season coach, but great in the playoffs.
Sorry, I'm sorry I had that backwards. I'm talking sorry about that.
Yeah, no, it's it's not ideal, but it's also fun to have on your squad heading into the playoffs. Somebody who has taken a team on their back and won won the NBA Championship in the past five years.
It's pretty cool.
Yeah.
Do you think it's a situation where he could just take over? Where are the matchups just too challenging for you guys?
Yeah? I think that's the path forward realistically, is I mean, the last time we saw Yannis play a full series without Chris Middleton playing at all, he was able to take that Celtics team that went to the finals and lost to the Warriors to seven games and had the lead in a potential close out game six, and Tatum was brilliant, And that's how have we ragged on Tatum earlier. I'll give him miss Flowers there. It was brilliant to kind of steal that way and bring it back to Boston.
Then the gas ran out and Damian Lillard played like barely any games for the Bucks, but his first half against Indiana last year was a forty point half. So the optimistic case for the Bucks is certainly we've got some more athletic defenders now, which you need around around Dame, and if we're even close in games, we should. You know, this is again like the optimist case, rely on those two guys who are both absolute playoff killers that we've seen in the past, and have them just outscore teams
going down the stretch, get enough stops. You know, Gianna's timely defense, We've seen that from him before, and they can win games that way. And I think again against Indiana, for sure, against Cleveland, that's a lot tougher. If you have a bad eight minute stretch against Cleveland, you might just be out of that game. So I think their defense has been good. Their offense they need to work
things out. They're spacing hasn't been great lately with the new starters, but I think that they'll have a puncher's chance against almost anyone if as long as they have Damon Gianna's healthy.
Man.
The potential second round East Eastern Conference with Celtics versus Nicks, Calves versus Bucks is super fun, like well that both of those would be all time matchups. I didn't watch all for the losses against the Calves, like, are there were there reasons to be helpful there or was it just a drubbing? Or how do you feel about your matchup against the Caves.
Yeah, one of the early ones, I think Giannis and Dame either played together and one or two of them, so the games with just one of them, the Bucks didn't really stand a chance, which you'd kind of expect against a team that's that great. One of the games where they both played, I think it came down to a Dame buzzer beater he missed after Mitchell hit a clutch you know, Iso shot to give the Calves a
really late lead. And then I want to say one of the other games was relatively close to that they both played, so they haven't gotten totally annihilated by the Caves. They just have not gotten over the hump at the end of games, right. I think that series is really interesting because Dame should be able to find some joy
against that small backcourt. I mean, they can put you know, Hunter whoever they started the three on him, but they started a lot of a couple of small guards, which is going to be how Boston and everyone tries to target the Calves and the Bucks can do that too, and both teams are so big and they can and stay big for a lot of the games, which makes
it interesting. The Bucks historically, if they can keep Brook Lopez on the floor, that's their best chance because what he gives them is that weak side rim protector, and I think against the Calves they'll probably be able to do that. And Brooke looked good in their last game against Cleveland, so backup center Jericho Sims, who now is probably out until the playoffs unfortunately, but I think they have a shot. It's going to be a weird matchup. It's going to be more bigs involved in almost any
other series. I think you'll see around the playoffs. But that said, I think the Bucks have a chance they're depending on. Really, to me, I think it's like Garland and Mitchell, if those two can just tear up Milwaukee's guard guards. That's a weird term, But then I think that the Cavs can win. I think Milwaukee needs to hope that they can force those guys into some misses from three point range and try to own the paint on defense.
Just pack it in.
Yeah, as you know, watching my dear Kyle Kuzma on his NBA Jarreney, seeing him in Milwaukee, feeling Mike looking like he's fitting in, although I see like on Twitter and stuff like the Bucks fans aren't doesn't feel like they're a big fan of Cus. I mean, I get there's other things involved with that too, but I mean generally, what's your feeling on your kus like working with this group and also like you know, and hand in hand with that moving.
I see his outfits as he rolls up to games, and I'm like, this is a workmanlike guy with the Midwestern.
It's just.
That. Yeah, I think a lot of the emotions for coups from some of those people you're seeing Miles are certainly, you know, we traded Chris Middleton for this guy, and yeah, and I think there's just a difference of golf and what Chris actually is at this point or at least this point in this season, and you know, what he's meant to the Bucks and what he's done in the
past and everything else. So that's part of it. I also think Kuzma, you know, he is We've said this before, he's approached this season the Bucks part of this season like when you meet your girlfriend's parents for the first time. Like checks in the games. He's screening and re screening. He's making the extra pass, He's taken charges and it's appreciated, it's held up. He's still playing that way. He has been probably their best perimeter defender since they got him.
They don't really use yiannis On to do that much in the regular season, and he's tried hard and he's been really effective on defense. Actually had some great possessions against Shay in the OKC game over the weekend. The offense has been the problem. So they're starting him. They're starting Giannis and Brook Lopez and those three guys. I mean, honest,
obviously just doesn't really take the threes anymore. The media is there now, they need those other two guys to help space the floor even without being great three point shooters, and Brooke has done a pretty good job, you know, kind of cutting to the rim and doing the tight screen to make room for Jannis. Kuzma's kind of been the one where it's been a little difficult. You know.
The threes have not fallen very much, and his rim efficiency has been down a bit too, So I think for him, he's got to figure out to maybe just better work within the spaces that are there with that offense and score at the rim at a much higher degree or maybe cut more, which he tries to do,
but that's been their work in progress. But if he could figure out the offense and help that group score more defensively, he's been a huge boost for them, kind of like we saw just giving a big athlete like the MAVs got with PJ Washington last year.
Chris Middleson.
Also, he looks like he's I mean, obviously it's a completely different environment on the Wizards, but.
You know, I saw I saw him doing all the solid beating the pistons, So.
They're they're trimming down those minutes because I think him smart. We're doing a little bit too much of that winning basketball and that is not the path to Cooper Foy right.
Now, No, because ankles look tired.
My god, with those two guys. I mean, you know, you know what fair right is like, yeah, you know what, Yeah, you're right, you're right.
All right.
Just taking a quick look around the league, Houston is rolling. Like usually there's a teams will like kind of come on towards the end of the season and kind of enter the playoffs on a hot streak. And Houston has won seventh straight. They're now the two seed again out West.
Remember the last year we were talking about them creeping on people into the plane and now were.
Like, oh, okay, yes, they're just coming together.
It's coming together straight up. What like what a coaching job? Unbelievable.
I don't know, Like, do we think there's any world where they get.
To the Western Conference finals? Let's say the West is just I don't know.
I mean, I'm excited for their resurgence, but I don't I just don't think this that's.
The current standings. Ok see one Houston two? Uh, they would be matching up with worst case scenario for them, Minnesota, who's in the seven right now, or the Clippers, who I think I think they could beat the Clippers, or.
Sacramento or Dallas. But I mean, obviously best case scenario for them.
But they Denver, Lakers, Memphis, Golden State. They're gonna have to play some of those teams, right, you know, it's possibly two of them. They are the team that seems the least likely of of those top six. I'd say, okay, see Houston, Denver, Lakers, Memphis Golden State to get to the.
Western Conference finals. But I don't know.
I've also, like I probably haven't watched as much of them as I've watched of those other teams.
So yeah, well.
That that last that run of seven, I mean, like, no disrespect, but they played the Sixers, the Bulls, that was you know, okay, that little bit more respect. They're a MAVs team that's threadbare. Yeah, the Sun's magic and two against the Pelicans, and they're seven of their last thirteen are going to be against people that are actually.
Like in the conversation on the Western Conference, I.
Think that's that's the real test, I think, to see what happens when they deal with that run of games.
But yeah, that is a I was like, you know, I don't like to get two down into the details of like strength to schedule, but that is yeah, threadbare is.
Oh my god, the maps.
I just like just to continue to just feel like have like deep stress anxiety when I see how that like. But they had like seven fit players the other night and now seeing oh man, your boy over there now on the sixers, Quinn Grimes quick, Quentin Grimes just go from like what averaging ten points with the Mavericks, then like having a forty six point night the other night.
And averaging over twenty. Yeah, like he's averaging over twenty points.
Now, Miles, funny you brought that up. His last five games thirty five points, five assists, seven boards, twenty nine points, three assays, four boards, twenty eight six assists, two rebounds, forty six points, four assists, thirteen boards.
Oh my.
And he started the month scoring a career high forty one in a win over the Warriors. And that's when I was like, is this guy gonna cause problems?
Like an evil ceo? You know it's gonna.
Cause problems for us.
We just beat the Warriors, rule follower, but now he is doing his job and he just he just put up forty six and thirteen boards, and you know, we and we got one step closer to keeping our pick. For people who haven't been listening, the Sixers, if they if they fall outside of the top six, they don't have their pick next year, which would be bad, but at least it would go to a team and need the Thunder so wild.
I feel like people joom casting like against the Sixers are not fully realizing that you just absolutely cannot hand the oka see Thunder a top six pick a lot of pick.
Yeah, yeah, because they're gonna get it right. They're going to get the best player available at that point.
You don't have to worry about us. We'll mess up the pick. Don't worry.
We're the ones who traded to get Markel Fuls instead of Jason Tatum, Like we traded that. Guys, We're you don't have to worry about us.
But the Rockets, I think will know for sure their last five games Thunder at Warriors, at Clippers, at Lakers home, Denver. You know, if they come out of that still in the two seed, then maybe I'll believe going in, But I don't really like, can Jalen Green catch fire like one of these Jamal Murray playoff runs. I would tend to not think so, but it would probably take something like that. I just their defense is great. I just don't think they have the half court juice.
So who do we think we're looking at in the second round? It sounds like we think it's going to be Out West thunder Lakers, Nuggets if that, if that ends up being possible, and Golden State or the Timberwolves, which we that that will be my don't look now team, but the Timberwolves are on a on a tear as well. Yeah, those seem like the most likely candidates. Maybe throw Memphis in there as well as as a possibility.
Is that what we're thinking?
Yeah, I'm just looking. I'm like, yeah, that's that feels that feels solid. That feels about right.
There's gonna be one series out there, at least one series out there where we're looking at it and we're like, wait, one of these teams is going to lose in the first round. Yeah, right, like that three to six right now, it would be Denver Golden State. Yeah, oh, one of those teams probably, I mean I would assume I don't know.
I think Denver wins that. I don't really know. But either way, like that team going home like we just got Jimmy Butler and paid them all this money, or Denver we have Nicole Jokic who probably just put up sixty sixty sixty as we were recording in the first round. Is gonna is gonna hurt man. So I think before we get in the second round, like, it's not going
to be the best for probably because of that. But I think I think we're going to see okay, see probably Lakers, and then one of Denver Golden State, and then another team.
Yeah, all right, it is time for my don't look now.
I don't know. I haven't really figured out how to make that into a thing. Don't look now.
But Minnesota is absolutely peaking at the right time. They won eight in a row before losing an overtime to the Pacers on Monday night. Anthony Edwards had a chance to win at the buzzer and regulation, but missed a three Now oh for fourteen on game winners, which seems impossible.
Yeah, but those shots are hard.
Okay, but yeah, there, I mean, he's playing as well as he played all he's played all season, and like it just seems like everybody's kind of gelling and coming together.
A little bit now after a kind of a rocky start.
Yeah, yeah, know why more players don't just decide to become the best three point shooter in the league on high volume. I think more players should do that, Like Anthony Edwards has this year kind of dumb that more guys don't do that.
In my opinion, yeah, they should try.
I mean, they've got a hoophead by any means, but I just think that's what I would do if I was If I was an NBA player, I'm going to be really good at the start after Yeah, really, And.
We always talk about the hell with them?
Shot making is an underrated skill, you know, making shot making the shots the like when you take a shot at the basket, you want to make it, make it.
Yeah, that would be good.
That's it. He developing that mid range. I'm like, okay, see, looks pretty easy. He did it all twelve.
Julius Randall has also just kind of is back to playing as well as we've seen him play in a long in a long time. So yeah, it'll be again, like we're gonna see some matchups in that first round where we're like that, that's wild that one of these teams is gonna be out, you know. For for Minnesota, I guess not that surprising, seeing how their season had
gone up to a couple of weeks ago. But heading into the season, I think we all had them having a pretty good season being there in the second round at least, and now they seem to be playing like that. But it's only so many spots left in the second round. I believe four teams. Let me just check my math here real quick, four teams in the Western Conference are going to make the second round based on preliminary calculations. So there's gonna there's gonna be some sad some sad fans out there.
Yeah.
Not everyone's gonna get a chair, you know, when we're playing musical chairs, and someone's gonna be out there lacking.
All right, Well, let's take a break.
And we come back, Ti Wendish, it's not for the fourth quarter rapid fire round of questioning.
You poor soul will be right back and we're back.
We are back.
It's the fourth quarter rabbid fire around questioning, TaiWhen iss, you've been.
A fantastic the time We're just gonna ask you some questions.
You better repeat them as quick as you can.
When you don't, we will be straight up East Coast rude to you. Okay, yeah yeah.
As a Midwesterner that is actually quite intimidating.
Even as a West Coaster, I'm like, man, the way there, yeah, it's but it's comforting. I do like there's something even when East Coast people are mean, there's a kindness about it.
I don't know.
When people see how tough I talk, they're like, you must be from the East Coast.
Who sure am pallo?
This guy's this guy can see the Atlantic from his house the way he's talking.
But here we go.
It's a fourth guard rapifire question.
You already know the rules, Brian, start the clock? So mean, so much coaching.
Sorry, sorry, I'm having to tap into something. Man, we're getting.
We're off to a start.
Man, who's gonna go first? Jack? You or me?
Miles? I would love it if you went first.
All right, here we go. Who's the more dominant player?
Tie Yannis in Hakeem's era or Hakeem intoday's game.
Hakeem in today's game?
Wow?
Yeah, I just they don't we don't have the centers for there's no one has the capabilities. I mean, they had big, strong centers back then. Hakeem in today's game is just destroying pretty much every single team. There's no answer for him.
All right, let me give you another one. Yannis in Shaq's era or Shaq in today's game.
I'm honestly say it's gonna sound like I'm hating. Honest Yeah, I just don't think the league is built for like the way Yannis plays now, teams are crying like, oh, it's all offensive falls. We can't like we hit in the weight room. Shack is like to the m to be more. I Meannest is faster and whatever, but Shack's power. I just don't know who to hang in there with them.
Yeah, okay, next question, why do you hate Gianni's Why do you hate player on your team?
Yeah?
Yeah, yeah, I am, you know, working to get him out of here, you know, like Katie, I'm the Warriors, like just I want to have all the power, you know, I want I want to feel powerful. No, I I just you know, I tried to be even though I didn't get to watch those guys, I try to be. I'll watch alf a bit, but try to be respectful
of the greats to counter all the plumber talk. And I think those two players with you know, the centers today being like all switchable and three shooting, those guys were just like they'd leave bruised egos and sterns.
Oh yeah yeah, whereas trying to go into the paint when it's like packed against Charles Oakley and like back then you were legally allowed to punch somebody.
Yeah yeah, close line legal defense back then.
Yeah then, yeah, for sure.
I mean yeah, these centers now they got like the bone density if I'm cook spaghetti. So it's not gonna he's gonna be ugly now, Ty, you can pick any former Bucks legend to make a run with this current squad.
You can pluck them out from and.
Put them in your DeLorean and dial it up to twenty twenty five.
Who are you taking on this journey?
It's really hard. I'm gonna go with Ray Allen trying Bucks. Ray Allen. I just it's really hard to not say Kareem because he's you know, has a goat case. Still youngsters don't want to hear it. But the man won at every level. But I think Ray is just such
a perfect fit. And this team kind of has like this fluctuating two guard spot and you just put a total two way menace who was still I think has the three's record in Bucks history, which is crazy because seeing how the game has changed, he is just the perfect fit. Extra Dame and they would they would rain down hell fire with the honest pounding it down low.
All right, would you take Prime Ray Allen into this current team or Prime Ray Allen and Prime Kareem slash Luau center in place of Yannis.
He's gonna say, he's going to say Luiser he hate him.
It's close taking it.
You were talking a little bit about three points and sounded like you knew a.
Bit about your the Bucks stats and some trivia.
Let's do a little trivia real quick, ty, who's the all time franchise leader in three point percentage?
Three point percentage? Grayson Allen?
No sill Kurry.
Yeah, he probably made probably made ten threes that.
Yeah, it counts.
Its forty seven point six on twenty three attempts. This guy's They treated three point shooters like junk ball pictures back then. This guy's gimmick.
He shoots it from all the way out the three point line.
I'm scared all.
Time franchise leader in blocks per game.
What do you think, ty, they didn't count him enough when Kareem played? Is it Larry Sanders.
It is Kareem? Actually, yeah, I.
Always forget when they started. I know it wasn't his first couple of seasons, but obviously they captured enough of them.
I like the idea that they didn't count count them enough. They just like they're like, oh, we should count blocks this one on this game.
It was like every fourth game they counted.
Counted, count block tonight maybe.
Apparently if you do rebounds again.
And when they were when they sports writers wrote about Bill Russell, they'd like casually mentioned like every two weeks, like, yeah, Russell probably blocked twelve shots in this game. Probably it was probably like twelve.
I don't really important, Like, yeah, my buddy was at the guard. He said he probably had about ten or twelve.
My buddy was sitting down low so he could actually see through the cloud of Cigarett smoke. He said he probably blocked fourteen, blocked fourteen.
I think probably yeah, something.
This one you're I know you're gonna get I'm gonna throw you a softball here, all time leader in offensive rebounds percentage.
Oh, I mean obviously.
And here's a hint.
This person dunked on me, uh, probably a dozen times in a single game once in high school school.
Wow, John Henson, damn got Zuri.
Yeah, I mean, how did you miss that? One?
Man for three? And I've talked about the leader and offensive rebounding percentage like in every other pot, and it just.
Missed that one. Yeah.
Pressure of the moment, Yeah, exactly.
Hey, another great bruin as well.
Also, Okay, here's the last question, Ty, you can go back and one year as an NBA player, you are experiencing every single thing they experienced in that single year.
Who are you choosing? What player, what year? Whose body are you jumping into.
I'm gonna go with Lebron in sixteen because I still think that comeback was just one of the end of the whole year, but that comeback in the finals was one of the most incredible. And if the Warriors is held on Curry and sixteen would be a good answer too, because they had their own insaying three to one comeback. The other option I weighed was Jordan in the end of the second three peat because just like the exhaustion, but then the satisfaction to do it again must have been absolutely insane.
Yeah, I think those are.
A good answer. I had right answer.
I would have picked those, but unfortunately I would have kept being like every time I was doing what they were doing, Like every time I'd don't, they'd be like, why does Lebron keep showing?
I mean, that's the other dimension of this question when I ask him. I also always want to follow up. I'm like, now, I get that that was an amazing run, but are you most excited to be the person being.
Like, am I just riding? Am I just along for the ride? Like? Am I am? I like a parasite to do it?
Then the run is over and I'll just ride in this driving Lebron. We lose all the games.
Well, it's like.
You're in there, but your son like, whoa, I'm doing cool stuff?
This so crazy?
Yeah, you got the talent, but then wild eye body afterwards.
Suck Josh basking again.
Yeah, they should have been made a sequel to Big just like him going back to life as an eight year old and being like I had sex. He's like woman was in a mature relationship.
For months, Josh, you want to ride bikes? Hell no, I don't want.
To ride cigarette Manhattan, all right. And the last thing we ask our guests to do, uh game of the week. Three games to choose from. We got Bucks at Lakers on League Pass and local, we got Grizzlies at Clippers on NBA TV. We got Nuggets at Rockets on League Pass. What would you choose to be our game of the week. This is the game that we watch with our viewers and give a give a little bit of recap with.
Since I hate Giannis, I'm gonna go with the Nuggets at Rockets game. Nugget, No, I actually have. I think it's a better game. I think sounds like bron is not going to play in that Lakers game. If I thought he would, then I maybe picked that one.
Yeah.
Yeah, but let's see that I hate in here. But let's see the two three kind of West match up there. It's a lot of intriguing again, big game for these Rockets to prove that they're not just beating up on the bums in the West. Right now, R.
Exactly all right?
You heard it from a Janis hater, right number one here, number one.
Number one rated h.
All right, well, uh that you have your homework assignment boost to the listeners.
Exactly, Thy Windish, thank you so much for joining us on the illustrious podcast.
Miles and jacko mat boost tees. Where do the people find you? Follow you hear you absorb all your wisdom?
Where do they do?
Wherever they are absorbing the wisdom of this incredible podcast. You can find the Eurostep Podcast Network two I R O Step, YouTube, Apple, Spotify, all the places. And I am just at Thai Wendish on the you know whatever. We're calling the bird one these days and the other bird one too at Tywindish dot gespn dot something just put in t I winded. It's gonna come up because no one has this name, so you don't need the exact specifics to be honest.
For sure, to be honest.
You can find me on Twitter at Miles of Gray, also on blue Sky Miles great up, he's kind of social.
I'm at Jack underscorel Brian on Twitter, jack ob One on Blue Sky.
And that's going to do it for us this week.
Back next week with more NBA action. I've heard somewhere that it's fantastic.
It is NBA action it is, it's fantastic action and we will see you then.
Bye bye bye