MJGMB #54: Suns in 4, Conference Finals Kings with Lina Washington

nightly roller coaster. You're up, You're down, You're up, You're down, And we'll discuss that in plentymore with I mean, we are so honored to be the Emmy Award winning Okay sports journalist with twelve News Lena Washington on today's episode, I'm Miles Great and I'm Jibori Davis, and this is Miles, Miles, j Barie sometimes Jaria. There were we go three Davis driving spinning Curry a three quarters stuff Curry from downtown again to do what Lena Washington, the twelve Sports asy

sports Lady, how are you welcome back? I'm great, Thank you guys for having me back. I guess I didn't screw up too much last time, so you know we're back in better than ever. Look, when you're collecting statues like that, you know what I mean, we gotta have you back, you know, we gotta we just we we knew how great you were, and we're like, now, she could really class up the joint, because you know, I don't. The closest I can get is to this dude I know named Demi that is an Emmy. So you know,

that's that's the best I'm doing right now. But yes, m yeah, it's really great to have you back, really good to have you back. Anything going on with you? Oh well, you know, I am finally recovered from the entire month of February where we had this uh this game. I don't know if you guys have heard of it, the super Bowl that happened here along with the biggest party in golf, and then in the middle of all that, this blockbuster trade actually favored the Suns in a way

that I'm still trying to believe actually happened. Um. And so yeah, we have Kevin Durant, we have the hottest team in the league right now in Phoenix six and Ozo with Katie in the lineup, and right now it's it's feeling and looking a lot like Finals or Bust. But at this point I'll be happy if we can make it beyond the second round because I'm still recovering from Game seven of last year. Yeah, oh man, yeah,

I still like feel like my eyes are adjusting. When I see Kevin Durant on a Sun's jersey, I'm like wow, and in that purple Starburst or Sunburst jersey, like that is Chef's kids to this Phoenetian right here, I'm gonna lie. I get it. I get it. Lena, we were talking before the show. You're a Phoenix die Hard right like you grew up a Phoenix Suns fan, right, Yes, for better for worst my formative and it's it's actually funny.

I actually got to tell Charles Barkley in person, as he had his arms on my shoulder, I showed him a picture of me and my dad. He My dadd used to work at what it was then called America West Arena West. There is only America West Arena on this show. I will just say so they don't have to say anything else. It's always bank One Ballpark in America West Arena, so you know, real ones. No, if Lena's daddy called it America West, we gonna call it America.

We don't call it America West. Absolutely. So I actually have to show Chuck a picture of me and my little, you know, nineties hot pink polyester sweatsuit on my way to work with my dad, which, thinking back, I'm like, that's pretty cool that they allowed him to do that. But those were my formative years watching Chuck, watching kJ watching Dan Marley. Yeah. So I actually got to show Chuck that picture and he said it was awesome. But yeah, I'm a Phoenix die Hard. Those were the golden years,

and now it feels like they're coming back. I was gonna say those were the golden years. I'm like, how how good are you feeling now? Right now? Because right now now is I'm even like, Wow, I'm part of me is jealous. I'm like, that's seem pretty cool over there. Yeah yeah, I mean again, it's only like what six years ago, we were like right there with the Kings in terms of the level of misery that we were feeling as a fan base. And now where the cool

kids back again. You know, I always thought this was a great market, an attractive market for players, and now we actually have the organization from top to bottom to back that up, and we have a new owner in Matt Ishbia that I think a lot of people are excited about. And of course, by the end of his first day in power, he gets the trade done to bring a baby here and change the entire trajectory of the season and the NBA at large. Yeah. Truely, that's

a grand opening right there. That's how you want to walk in the door. You mentioned the market. Just in terms of the excitement in the buzz, how does it compare to say seven seconds or less or even back in the day when Barkley, you know, joined the team. Man, it's hard. It's hard to equate it because I think from like, you know, the thirty thousand foot view, Charles Barkley is still one of the most beloved athletes to

ever play for a team in Arizona. But I will again say this, halfway through our week of coverage of the Super Bowl and the waste management and all the red carpets and all the NFL honors, the question that they wanted me to ask people was what do you think of Katie coming in Phoenix. I was the first first past rock Coty, that asking DeAndre eight and that asking Jalen Rose that you know at the Fanatics party.

But that just goes to show how much of a headline and how big of a deal that really was. When all eyes were on Phoenix, it was all about Katie still and he hadn't put on a jersey, he hadn't been with the team yet, and then it was a seven week wait to see him actually take the court at Footprint Center. So I think America America West Arena, yeah, formerly known as of course we gotta keep it O. But I think that's just still something that even players

in the locker room are trying to absorb. I mean, Das still trying to accept the fact that when he was drafted here, like again, this was considered widely throughout the league a dumpster fire of an organization, and now

again they're contenders. So yeah, I mean, right now, you've got a five game winning streak going as of this recording, probably looking good in that for the four spot um, which could mean okay, so this could be a number of matchups here, could be the Clippers, the Warriors, the Pelicans, maybe even the Lakers possibly if things went you know, obviously the things have to go very well for the Pelicans, But if you had your pick, is there a preferred matchup that you have or are you just kind of

you're fine, You're like, just get everybody healthy and we're good. I'm ready for I'm we're ready to eat. I'm not gonna pull a John say we're good in the West because and even though the Warriors can't really win on the road, I don't want to see them in the first round. And you know what, I want to give Kings fans what they want, which is to have Warriors fans in their building and maybe be able to talk trash to them in the first round of their first

playoff series in nearly two decades. So I personally would prefer traveling to LA for the first round. For which team it is, Yeah, yeah, let's let's link up, Let's go to Roscoes or something like that. Yeah, abolutely, But that's what I would prefer because I think those two teams have weaknesses that the Suns can exploit. And again, with Katie in the lineup, I don't think there's a question that they can get through the Clippers or the

Lakers easier than a team with staff or Clay on it. Yeah, I mean it's I mean, you know, we would love to have you and to your point, yes, we do have a bit of history. Yeah, I could understand how you feel about that. The Lakers actually finally snapped there. What what was it? Two year long losing streak to the Sun, I mean, going back to the twenty twenty one playoffs. That was that? Yeah, no, I heard that. I heard that. I heard you know, it's tough. It's

tough when you lose to the eventual champion. Oh no, you're right, they didn't know to the eventual champions on the back jersey, on the back of your jersey, right above the logo. What's that number above there on yours on your Yeah, well we have Mercury, we got we got yeah, yeah, yeah, no I'm not I'm not moving

for them. Yes, absolutely absolutely. Um. But yeah, currently got the seventh best team defensive rating, eighth in opponents points in the paint, twelfth and the opponents three point percentage. I mean, yeah, you got the Spurs, Nuggets, Lakers, and Clippers still on the schedules. This is gonna be Yeah. These are thigh rubbers, as they say over in the in the UK. Yeah, you can start rubbing your thighs because it's exciting. Are you are you guys? Ask exciting.

I mean, this is one of those where it's like asking an obvious question, but I mean, I'm so excited about what Katie and Booker can look like as a scoring duo in the series. Like the defense, we'll talk about that later on down the road, but just as a scoring threat that tandem. To me, it's potentially one of the better scoring duos in recent history. Absolutely. I mean, I think the first three games Katie and Booker were playing together, book was averaging thirty points and you know,

Katie on a bad night was still getting twenty. I love seeing them too on the floor together because you can tell that they not only respect one another, but are willing to sacrifice and be unselfish and play to each other's strengths. And I'm glad that Katie is here to take some pressure off of CP three when it comes to trying to be the floor general or be the guy that says, get on my back up. We're winning this game of mentality. So I love seeing them

play together. I'm happy that they finally got to play together at this level, and for me, it's also been interesting hear Katie say, you know, he was nervous before taking the floor for in both Charlotte and at home. He feels the pressure of being who he is every game and he doesn't want to let his teammates down. And for someone of his caliber to say that what he doesn't have to I thought was really telling and exciting for a fan to hear. Yeah, And just when

you brought up CP three, how does he factor into it? Because, like to your point, all we're talking about, like I feel like I have not mentioned mister Christopher Paul. How do you see him factoring into all this, like the in the best possible way in terms of how you

see you know, making a deep run. Yeah. Again, I think having Katie there to relieve some of the pressure of him and having to be as aggressive as we saw him maybe last year in the Pelicans series, which will, of course, I think help him stay healthy for the long term. I think that's where the Suns will have

a bit of trouble. And of course this can be said for every team, but when you have a Booker going down with a hamstring or CP missing time with some kind of or heel or ankle or something like that, and if you know, Katie's knee starts to flare up, again. You know that's going to be a big challenge for this team to overcome because they don't have the depth of having Mhaal Bridges, Cameron Johnson, and Jay crowd are

all to kind of be that spark plug. But I think CP does have another run, especially considering the window that they've enjoyed so far. I don't know how much longer he has in his mind that he wants to play, but I think with this kind of firepower in Katie that he can go have another Pelicans like three thirty eighth birthday CP three performance in the first round, for sure.

I mean, I'm always rooting for people my age in the league, so you know, I'm like, show we were now all we still got it, We still got it. Come on, Broun. We graduated the same year in high school. Look at us, Look at us, look at us, you being one of the most historical athletes ever. And you know, I got these pots cast. But you know, we'll talk

about it later. We got to move on to some listener questions because you know, we had to let people know we've got we got Emmy Award winning journalists coming on, you know, what are your questions? And I believe at Blunt Doctor, who was an actual doctor, had some questions. What were some of the things that old l doctor was asking about. Yeah, it shout out the Blunt Doctor. He's actually really good guy and it based out of the Phoenix area and jactually a pretty good podcast. Shout

out to him. But he did he did have a few for us. I'll set it up for you, Lena. He wants to know how many defensive problems did macal Bridges cover. And I think the obvious answer to that is a lot, all of them. You're are you not willing to sacrifice that when you have the you know, the opportunity to bring Katie in. Yeah, losing the twins was really tough, and you know, we're still emotionally missing McHale, especially when he goes off the way he has in Brooklyn.

And I'm happy that they're together. But yeah, man, I mean McHale was I thought. I mean, we called him our DePoy here all respect to Marcus Smart, but over on the West Side, we thought that it belonged to McHale just because he was always given the toughest assignment and he delivered and then he was able to turn that defense into offense. I mean, if you look at just the schedule, I mean, he's on there as one of the leaders for this team throughout the first half

of the season until the trade deadline. So I think defensively, Bismack Biombo has stepped up a lot. And his whole journey and story and coming back to the team when he did, he's been a great addition to this roster. I think he's stepped up, and I think Tory Craig and Josha Pogi have kind of relished the challenge of

being that defensive dog. And even though you know it's a challenge for them endurance and stamina wise to do that, they're willing to do that because they know they don't have to be the guy to also score on the other end of the floor. They got three or four other options on that end. So I think they're missing mcale, but I think they've found ways to figure it out

with thirty five on the floor. Yeah, you also have an abundance of riches when he comes to down, kind of aldo throughout your rotation and just quickly quickly with these other two. He noticed and he specifically mentioned that the Sun's foul too often. He wants to know if there's a fix for that, and I'll just say, yeah, it's called the playoffs. They're going to allow you to

play more physically. Now, I'm not talking about the little, you know, tick tech stuff or or the you know, foolish fouls that you can certainly get better at avoiding. But when it comes to the postseason, isn't that when you're going to be able to play more physically in the style that the Suns have been playing? I hope. So. I mean, we saw if the you know, National Championship games or any indication of what we could see in the NBA in terms of reffing on the biggest stage.

It might be tough, But I just if I knew how to fix their problems when it comes to fouling, I think Monty would immediately put me on his staff. But I just have to say to harken back to like a you know, Disney Channel original movie deep cut from the Classic Brink when his sister Katie comes up to him after he loses a competition, just says, skate better,

just right, Just do that, just that simple. Or or get a time machine and we can go back to nineteen ninety three any because I was I remember as a child being like, that's that's basketball. Post season was a wild I love the era, but please don't take us back to the human games. No not, I'm just saying, bring back that era of postseason basketball. I like to when the whistles vanished. Yeah, you know what I mean physicality? Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes yes, Um shall we move on? Sorry? Yeah, let's

go for it. I mean, because you know we're talking, We're talking a lot about the phoenix you we need to go to. And you know, I believe that they want the best for you. I want nothing but the best. But I do we just do have to Jabar and I and other Lakers fans just do need to exhale a little bit and just say, wow, Okay, Anthony Davis, you are You're coming online right at the right time. He got the Western Conference Player of the Week for

the second time this season. Lakers went three and on the road, and he was putting up almost thirty nine points, almost twelve rebounds, two blocks of the week prior and yeah, it was one of those things where we needed a lot of things to go right, and boy have they gone right in a way that I remember telling Japart like with tears in eyes, and I'm like, how are we realistically even thinking about being above the six seeds somehow?

And here we are, Jabari. I mean, I'll let you because you know we we we talk all the time about our love for ad. But I'll let you continue this, this love festive. Well, I was actually going to pivot this directly to lean it. And the reason why it's so valuable is because you know she's unbiased or certainly not biased in the favor of the Lakers. No, no, you have this big motive exactly, thank you. More object you have this Lakers team to start it out two

and ten. Since then, they've gone thirty eight and twenty eight, Like, it's one thing for you a miles about this before the show. It's one thing to poopoo oh. They've won six out of seven, so what But if you move them out a little bit zoom, a little bit farther, thirty eight and twenty eight's nothing to sneeze that. I recognize that. You just let us know that you you're not too worried about that matchup, But can you speak from an outside perspective to what you've seen in terms

of their progression over the year. Yeah. Absolutely, I think a lot of people were counting them out just about three weeks ago, even I mean, you know, at least in Phoenix, I will say, but I think they're they're doing what a Lebron led team does, which is find a way to win, find a will to win. Even without him on the floor, He's still a presence and ad getting healthy at this time and performing well. I want, you know, I want the highest level of competition in

the playoffs. I want all the stars to be available. However, maybe his availability and consistency is a bad sign for you know, April May June, depending on his his bandwidth when it comes to staying healthy. But when the Lakers and the Celtics are in and the Knicks are playing at high levels, I mean basketball is better, the atmosphere is better, the trash talk is better. So I think

the overall experience of postseason basketball is elevated. But I think it's exciting for any any big time team like that to be healthy and ascending at this time heading into the postseason. This is why you got Emmy's you know what I mean, Because if you are not, you're not trash consuming bacteria like Jabari and I, where we feed on past glories of the Lakers to sustain our life into the next day. You could zoom out and actually accurately describe what's going on. Yes, like you said,

We're is a big team. Obviously, it's a massive franchise. We all know that, and I do like though too, part of me does you know? And look, I might regret this. I would like to play the Phoenix Suns, you know, because I feel like I remember when they let the fans back into Staples in the playoffs and I went to the first game back against the Suns. We won that one, but the rest was not great. But at the same time, the pain from that that's

kind of what drives you as a fan too. You don't want to shy away from certain matchups, like you want to feel like you're confident in what the performances and you're like, yeah, you know, honestly, this is what I want to see, Like, and if we're gonna go as far as we're gonna go, we're gonna have to go through the teams that are playing really well. So I invite it because I think right now I've really adjusted my expectations and the fact that I'm even like

what we oh, we're doing this right now. Okay, it's happening, Like I'm like, all right, well yeah, let's see where it goes. All right, Well, let's take a quick break so I can, you know, just take all the sweat off my prow because I've gotten so excited talking about the Lakers and the Suns. And we'll talk about some of the best performances of the week right after this, and we're back and let's check in on the Mad

Boostige Great performances of the week. You know, got to highlight some of the big time performances over the past week, because you know, this isn't just talking about the West Side on this podcast. You know, we've got to look elsewhere. Let's go north of the border to Toronto, where Pascal Siakam thirty six, seven and seven, Fred van Vliet with just the fourth twenty and twenty game in Raptors history in a win over the Hornets. I was saying this earlier.

I was like, oh, they are they in the They're in the picture. Oh, and that's on me for not keeping my eye over there. But I was surprised that they look like they're clawing their way back like a

raptor would with their clause because very raptor light. Every time I hear Pascal Siakam's name, I just think back to my time working in Bakersfield covering in cal State Bakersfield at the Whack Tournament, and they punched their ticket to their first NCAA tournament appearance with Pedrich Bazel hitting a three over Pascal Seem and his new Mexico State team at the buzzer uh. And that's just what I what I think of when I when I just you know,

that's how long I've been in this business. And that's what I love about it too, because I've seen these guys at that level and now you know, they're champions and doing great things in the NBA shout out the road and getting a boost these performance of the week shout out. But remember when you cross paths with the cow State Baker's Field road Runners and what happened then? Yeah, you know, it was ugly. It was ugly. And then wester ingram Man Bingie Bingey Bingie mister ingram h thirty

six and eight. Wait, okay, so should we just play this baseline jam over Norman Powell. Uh oh wow against the Clippers. Huh. Anyway, that's family. Yeah, let's just let's just check this moment out from Bingie out started. We haven't We actually haven't done a business decisions in a while, have we We haven't. That's a business decision right there. That was a mister Powell, sir, you have right, it's

looking up to you. He knew right here, don't gather, don't be out here now that's where you just run over towards the ref and take the ball out exactly, just be like all right, yeah, all right, check up here, we go right back here. Yeah, I mean, what did he think? I look, the old head we were just

talking about loving ninety three. So the old head in me appreciates that he tried to go up and contest that I grew up watching Georgetown Centers and George and and if y'all know anything about Georgetown Centers, they were they were either getting blocked or either either blocking someone or getting dunked on because they were going after everything. So you know, it turned out to you, Norman Powell. But I do feel for your family because that was rough. Yeah,

he tried it. He tried and you know what like and again that is his own business decision, you know. And that's again this is not financial advice. But sometimes your investments can go hey wire, like it did in that instance. And this is again this is not financial advice. Just quickly shout out to the Pelicans, because when it looked, you know, much like with the Raptors, when it looked like the Pelicans were down and out and probably going to just be out, they quickly won with seven out

of ten. If I'm not a sakeing seven of their last eight. Yeah, and they're and they're right there and right there in the mix. The West is just going to be so crazy down the stretch, three games separating the fourth through eleven seeds. It's insane for the last three weeks. Why has it Like, Yeah, we're kind of spoiled for how competitive it is, but not how easy it is to you know, get out. But hey, I

like it. I like it because it's so tight. I mean, yeah, you know, like for teams like the Lakers and things, you know, you your fortunes can change rather quickly. I remember a lot of people complaining that I would be quick about this. I remember a lot of people complaining about the play in when it came, and I was probably one of those until I thought about it a little bit more. But I'll tell you right now, it

has been exciting. It has produced exciting finishes down the stretch these last couple of seasons, and quite frankly, we wouldn't be in this situation right here. You'll let you know that we're in if you're worked for it. So because yeah, you've expanded the number of teams games that actually have something to play for. And when you have that, call me, you know, a nerd, But I think athletes and elite competitors like to be in a situation like that and we get this kind of stuff. So yeah,

I was not hating on that at all. Like most of the time I've been here for the play and I love it. I saw meant to be Golden State in their first play and that was already like, okay, yeah, this is a great game, great atmosphere, high stakes, keep it going absolutely and you know, like just even like Zion, you know, he's not even factoring into this. It's still very up in the air and we will see what happens there. Speaking of the Grizz now I'm not trying

to say this disrespectfully, but they cannot be destroyed. Okay. I believe them to be the cockroaches of the NBA. And I say that with respect babes kids, yes, babes kids exactly for people of a certain age in disposition. They beat the Clippers on the night where Joh triple J combined for just nineteen points on eight from twenty one on the floor, without Brandon Clark, no Steven Adams. They are surviving. They are just getting through. And that's

why I'm saying. I don't mean that because I'm saying their roaches they're dirty or whatever. I'm saying that. How when they talk about if the atomic bombs and stuff went off, you know who's gonna hear it? The earth? The roaches, they will they will survive. That. That's how I feel about the Grizzlies in the most respectful way, because I'm very much looking forward to them playing. But the resilience of the team is really remarkable. You know.

They have this um I think it's called grit, and they find the way to, you know, like grind out these wins. And I don't know, I think that should be their identity right, like a grit grind kind of kind of brand and basketball that they play. But yeah, they they found a way to get it together jawless or with jaw and I would be scared to see them in the playoffs with jaw and. Yeah, man, they they just won't die. They are the cock of every

time and the best way possible. Yes, yes, and I don't again, this is this If anything, this is a tribute to the lowly cockroach. And because if a lot of people don't realize that they can survive a nuclear blast, I don't think people know that, and in the ecosystem that you need that, right, Like if they get rid of them, it's all thrown off, so their net and eventually they might get their own movie on MTV called Joe's Apartment if you remember. For people who are that

old too. I'm sorry, I'm just here for a playoff crowd in Unison singing and performing whoop that trick? So yeah, there we are, Yeah, exactly whom We got to talk about some of our broadcast calls a week and this shot, I gotta say I really enjoyed. Call it a circus shot.

I was telling you know, Jabari It's more like when you play the slam ball or something, or you playing on a rim that is like not weighted down properly in someone's driveway and someone shifts the entire backboard, So when you go to shoot from like the baseline, you're like, I'm sorry, wait, how is this oriented? Somehow mister Bridges

knew exactly how to get around that. In this shot over the hawks recently Hart back to him, McCaw stopped it from going out shot clock winding down Bridges way stairs for the deuce behind the backpoorth too, and that was off his shot getting blocked and he does the one the double hop on one leg to stay in bounds. Oh man, we missed the homie clips like that, and it just it just further submits just how supremely talented

all of these guys are. Whether it's you know, honestly, whether it's your top guy or your fourth option, all these guys just just ridiculously down. I'm gonna lie to you and say five okay, but off of the psychological trauma of getting rejected like he did, and he's like, nope, I'm right back at it. I'm gonna lie to you. Is still say five, but it might take twenty. I think it would take me twenty three times maybe right at least? How about how confident are you hitting a

sort of fading shot over the backboard like that? I have to give myself about a dozen tries. I'll probably just give up after that and be bored with the attempt of embarrassing myself. But yeah, yeah, I'll give myself about a dozen. That should be a new segment. Jabari is we go to we go to a we go to a gym. It takes to recreate to be like, I'm not gonna windmill on somebody, but something like that off my left foot, like trying to catch a ball

for keeping it from going out of bounce. Just to see how many times would really take us, because I believe it will probably take forty six if I'm really being honest, and you would need to live stream it obviously, yes, and people be so bored they'd be like, is this like a charity live stream? What is he doing? Is he trying to make it like look worse every subsequent attempt? Okay maybe not? Uh? And then also Billy Mack our boy calling this one a d You know, look, we

kind of went back and forth with the Bulls. Recently again, Zach Levine. The way he absolutely just handled us like he was a postal carrier was just it was, it was, It was terrible. The young man from Chicago, Anthony Davis, just let them know there was no love lost with this wonderful alley that was thrown by my brother from another mother ry hotching world. But yeah, let's hear Billy Mack with this call the wolves. We'll keep away down lookout below. If I just love just the intention my

baby came, it was pulled out of him. Love a call. I mean that painted the picture for me. If my eyes were closed, I would know that was an exciting, explosive play. And that's what you want from guy. Close your eyes out, Yeah, close your eyes and imagine all of those wonderful clips we just mentioned, Okay, or you can find them on the internet. They're definitely there. We should also shout out some of the unsung boost these ballers talent Horton Tucker his last three games forty one,

twenty eight, thirty two, Who are you? What happened to you? I Love you? Come back opportunity Okay, right right on, Shaden sharp with twenty seven or more and three of his last four is really something else. And then spee, mister Spee, what happened here? Averaging five point seven points per game on the year, but with nineteen over the last five. You'd love to see it. You'd love to

see it. You'd love to see it. All right, Well, let's take another quick break and we'll be right back with Emmy Award winning journalist Lena Washington to put her through the most intense and fast segment in podcast history the hot seat right after this, and we're back and Lena Washington, I hope you are ready because it's the fourth quarter, which means it is time for the fire round of questions. Okay, this is what we do. We're gonna ask you a question. Don't think about it, just

give us our answer quick. You know, we'd like to keep this moving, and if Jabari and I start dragging it along, we are counting on you since you have one Emmy's, to keep this thing. Mo. Yeah, oh man, you're okay, Okay, the pressure is on. Okay. All I'm saying is this is rapp Are you ready? Are you ready? Are you ready? Is this like the pitch clock? In baseball, like do I have like to be in the have

to be ready with like eight seconds. Let's imagine we're just doing some chess passing grills, but like, don't hold on to it, like fire it right back. This is you know what I mean. This is everybody playing you like on the playground and you catch the ball five four three, Yeah, boom, right back, right back, right back, right back, gotcha, gotcha. Here we go, start the start

it up. Here we go. You know, Washington, is there a single NBA player you would take right now over the chance of taking wemban Yama with the first pick this summer in a hypothet? Please? Who is there? Or would you you you're ready for Wemby? Uh? Yeah, I'm ready for Wemby. Let's let's see him in action. Let's let's get him fed really really well and get the calories up. Yeah, and get him on the court. Now. Now, what is it about him, Victor wemban Yama that has

everybody talking or how's you even thinking about him? I think just the hype overall about him, and I just want to see it. And sorry, Lena, I'm sorry, I'm very sorry, but this is this is the time where we need you to step up in this. Yeah, yeah, you need to cut miles off and say it's one and done. This is the tournament. This ain't the playoffs tournament. Sorry.

Yeah you know what? Actually, no follow ups, Jabari, drop your address in the chat so Lena can send you her emmy because that was fantastic what you just did. I want to yeah, meet me, meet me and Costa Grande. Yeah, yeah, y'all, y'all, yeah, two of you. Geez on, Hey there it is meet me at the Mesa College Gymnasium. Okay, abolutely right, Yeah, on Broadway or University or one of those. I gotta go to hurt Turf. Okay, here we go. Yeah all right, but I'll keep it going. Lena. You can go back

and attain any single game in NBA history. Which game are you choosing? Oh my gosh, um, probably I guess Game four of the twenty twenty one finals, so I could run on the court and make the final quarter. Do not happen at game the glue on my hands in the middle of the book and never moved from fiser forum, and and make sure that game is never relived or or finalized, because I think I have the power to change the course of that entire series if I were in the building. That's a true fan. That's

a true fan. I got, I got a true fan. Question for you. What is the best thing to eat at the America West Arena? Oh, my gosh, we will call it the America West Arena. Just yeah, we know. But in this home, it is the America West Arena. The president is Moroack Obama, and yes, forever, first Lady or forever Arena America West. Oh man. That is a great question, because I have not I will say the dessert spread, the dessert spread that they have at least

the media center is top notch. I mean, we get cookies, we get little you know, part fake tubs. We got brownies, we got cheesecake, we got chocolate, we got part we got sweet, we got fruits, we got we got a bunch of stuff going on. And you know what I actually discovered on accident, this killer combo. They have these

like fruity pebble sugar cookies. But if you kind of frum pull it up and put it in the top form bag, you get a little sweet, you get a little salty, you get a little chewy, you get a little crispy of the Colonel. So for all my Phoenix fans out there, if you're able to get a hand on the fruity pebbles, cookies and some porn, just let me know what you think about it. Wow, that's next level, because I'm in the honest Do you had me a cheesecake? Yeah?

And now with the new you know, the players agreement, that sounds real good, That's what I'm saying. Next next level, keeping keeping it going. You can take any former Sons player and pair him with Booker and Kadi. Which former son is so close to your heart that you would like to see that? I mean I have to go with Charles Barkley now because I just want to see how you would be together. Wow. Good friends and you know they respect each other to the highest degree. I mean,

that's that's where I would automatically go with that. And I just think that we've a fun little trash talking session among the teammates. Oh yeah, easy money Sniper and Chuck whoa, whoa, whoa whoa. Okay, how about this, Lena, what is your boldest postseason or even play in prediction for this year? Gold Bollo, are you guys. Ready, are you ready? Ahead, go ahead, go ahead? Well, you know, the Sun's fan in me, I can't, I can't fully

say Okay, I get you. But the Kings will be in the Western Conference Finals, Okay, the Kings will be four wins away from a trip to the NBA Finals. Wow. Wow, Which team they'll have to get past? Yeah, I don't know, yeah, okay, but I think they the beam and the power of the beam. Yeah, the beams to the city and and Mike Brown's entire staff in a way that we will

not see you again. And I'm ready for the first of all, I will say they apparently had a thirty for thirty done on the Kings many many years ago. I've seen the zip drive file. It's it's not open because they had a premiere at a local theater and then it was never released to the grand public. But I've seen it, and it needs to be either released updated. Yeah no, but now they need to bring it back.

With the energy that they've got going in Sacramento and the way that Mike Brown has turned this entire franchise around, I mean, it's going to be rocking in there. And so my bold prediction is that They're going to keep this momentum going and and take it to the to the finals in the West. Could you imagine they went all the way? I can't imagine it. It It feels like

they're a team of destiny. Although it feels yeah and the like, like to your point about the power of the Beam, like I believe in it, Like I've changed religions to beam because from the Laker fan, I mean, I mean, look, it is what it is, you know, be fair weather and that that was even upon the sack. I appreciate it. I appreciate that. But now I want to say, rather than start the clock, I'm like like the bee uh people I feel people say that, yeah,

like that like from Austin Power's Lover the Cloud. But it's yeah, there it is, all right. Are you ready for the most important question that you've been asked today? Oh gosh, I don't know, guys, Yeah, this is it. You will be judged based upon this answer, I know, Miles or I've been thinking about this one since the last appearance. Actually so almost is it a calendar year? Almost? You know? It keeps me up at night, to be honest with you, Um, but I have to go with

jar stop the Colen. We are good. I have to go with Jabari And I will say this, this is why only because Miles has a little bit of an edge on my familiarity with him, because I first heard him on another podcast that I Love an a Door, but that that kind of wrote me in. And now we've come full circle where I am a guest on this incredible podcast that I'm honored to be a part of. Shout out to Lacy Moseley bringing us together. Yeah wait really, yep,

we are members of the congregation. Baby. Oh wow, hey, you know you know I'm the I'm the person who coined the name scam Goddess. Oh yeah, scamming you out of your royalties? No, no, no no. Lacy and I are cool. She's actually very like anytime she doesn't interview, she's like, yeah, my friend Miles Gray came up with the name because I refer I would nickname her that because before she even had the show, she was we were always talking about scams and how much we love scams.

And then when she would come on my other podcast, I was like, the scam Goddess is in the building. Oh man. She took that and I was like, yo, let me just get a T shirt. You know what I mean, and we're good. Um, so I know it's coming. I know it's coming. Well then well then maybe I have to go with my files. And because you came up with this is how we do anymore. I'm just I'm just saying I'm trying to keep it logical. No no,

no, no no no. I respect that first answer. And look, you are an Emmy winning entity, so what you say I will never push back on. We really appreciate you, Lena for coming on the show again. Um where can people find you and follow you and read you? You know, it's just support you in whatever way they can. Oh yeah, first, thank you guys so much for having me again. Love the podcast, Love you guys. If you live in the Phoenix area, you can find me on twelve News in Phoenix.

I'm on Monday through pretty much every day of a week really, but our flagship show, twelve Sports Night, is on Sundays at ten thirty during the football season. You can catch me right after Sunday Night Football hosting Cardinals Locker Room and hosting Friday Night Fever, Arizona's longest running and only high school football show. You can find me on socials at l Washington TV. And hopefully I'll see y'all in the postseason at the playoff? Is that a

baseball game? Who knows that Ronos when we meet up in the first round, perhaps please please would love nothing more than that. And also, yeah, if you can get me tickets the NBA, you know, that'd be great, you know, Jabarian and I would would really appreciate it. Hey, we'll go yeah, okay, Well that is going to do it for this week's edition of Mad Boosts. You can follow us on Twitter at M A. D. Bublo s T I E. S on Twitter and be sure to you know,

maybe follow us maybe at us. We check our man cheese, you know what I mean, So holorad us and you know we asked for your son's takes and our boost He's listener of the week was at Tyler J. McDowell says, quote Lena rules, which we obviously agree with, but also thinks book has ascended to officially being the most popular

pro sports athlete in Arizona. Wow okay. Also shouts yeah yeah shouts are super listeners Erica checking in from Ireland and also you know, PG Paul Garaventa and everybody's favorite Celtics fan Alicia. We see you, ap We see you out there, always steadfast. That's why we respect you, even though we're on the wrong side of the tracks. It's all good, all right. That's gonna do it for us this week. We're gonna be back next week with who knows where the league will be at that point, but

we just can't wait. And we'll see you then and Jack we'll be back too, so we'll see all that. Bye bye bye