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Welcome in What's driving Nick Great Episode two thirty seven. Ton to do today. We're gonna try to keep today's run time to forty five minute sharp. We are starting right at ten thirty, so we will see if we're able to do that. We hope you're watching on YouTube. The YouTube audience keeps growing. I'm not sure or if the audio audience on podcast is growing or stagnated or what.
To be totally honest, I know that when I was researching Pat Bev's podcast so I could make fun of him on television, I saw that ours was not quite where I wanted on the charts. To be totally honest, I really left myself open to a lot of attacks from a lot of flanks there. But luckily Pat Bev recognized that he was better off just you know, laying his sword down, so to speak. But so, if you could subscribe on YouTube or Spotify or iTunes or wherever
it is, it'd be great. It is thanks to your guys subscriptions that demand is able to afford fancy new shirts like the one he's wearing right now. That is a good looking shirt. Buddy, how are you?
Thanks?
Thanks guys. I'm great. I'm fantastic. Couldn't be better this morning.
That's awesome. All right, I'm doing great. We're gonna get to the basketball from last night in just a moment, but first, here's what missed the cut not on today's show. Taylor Swift wears k C colors for her eighty seven shoh, that's nice. The Pistons once again the worst record in basketball, and once again in with the fifth pick of the draft and the forty nine ers in Jets open Monday Night. Football. Will get to some other NFL scheduling things, but demons,
before we even get to thunder MAVs. Something interesting actually happened in a Celtics playoff game last night, and it had nothing to do with the game. It was courtside at the game Lebron and Savannah James and I am I everybody. It seems like the producers and others care a lot of effect that Lebron brought his own wine to the basketball game. I'm not that interested in that.
I am interested in Lebron choosing to attend this game. So, as Windy pointed out, this, you know, reminded some people of Lebron's last year in Myami when he went to a Calves game for zadrunas Ilgowskis's jersey retirement. Now, Wendy also talked about Lebron and Savannah war and then he signed with the Calves. The following off season, Lebron and
Savannah were in the Ohio area because of Mother's Day. Also, Bronni was in Chicago yesterday and shout out to Bronni by the way, for really doing a great job at that combine a forty and a half inch vertical, the second best of every competitor in the movement shooting competition. He did. He acquitted himself quite well. Now, six one and a half is not great, but six one and a half two ten is something else with a six
to seven wingspan. Now, I saw some people on the internet say Lebron should have had Bronni playing corner this whole time. That made me laugh. I was like, oh, maybe, like maybe the crazy wingspan, the good maybe more or a football body type. But why did Lebron go to Calves Celtics? Because I'm here to tell you what wasn't just to take in a basketball game. Now, does this mean Lebron is signing this offseason with the Calves? No? Is it on the board. I think it's on the board.
And more importantly, is Lebron reminding the Lakers guys, I can do anything I want this offseason. I can go play anywhere. There's gonna be the Olympics, which you know, guys get together and talk. And I want to see, after we stood pat at this trade deadline, what the Lakers do this offseason in order to actually become championship level. And if they don't do anything this offseason to significantly upgrade the roster, all have some options. I'm also very
interested if this is the last NBA playoff game. Lebron goes too. It might be, but he also I think the Lakers wouldn't love seeing him court sided a MAVs game, tapping up Kyrie afterwards. I don't think they'd love seeing
him court sided a Knicks game at the Mecca. So it is just this was not nothing, and this was not unintentional, and it was finally, Demonde, something interesting has come out of Celtics Cavs or this entire Celtics playoff run, which is just other teams star players getting injured and the Celtics having the greatest cake walk to an NBA Finals in league history. By the way, shout out Jason Jamis played well the last couple games before we move on to the MAVs. Did you want to say something here?
Uh yeah, I mean it was supposed to be a short show, and you spent like six or seven minutes somewhat missed.
So that that was just my own in my own insertion to the show. Now we'll get to Thunder, MAVs go ahead.
Yeah, So it looked like the Mavericks were going to take a commanding lead against the Thunder three to one, but the Thunder one on a nine or were on late and Dallas couldn't hit their free throws.
That nine over run was led by.
Shay So you called it in a tweet the type of loss that you can't get any sleep after. So after a sleepless night, how do you expect Dallas and especially Luke and Kyrie to respond in this next game?
Listen, I think that I still think the MAVs are going to win this series. But they could have won it last night. They could have ended it last night. There was no real they were infirm control of that game despite Luke and Kyrie neither playing well or efficiently night. I mean they Luke and Kyrie combined had combined for twenty five points with four minutes left, and the MAVs were up six or were up five at the time.
Like despite that they were in control of this game, they were gonna steal one, basically leading wire to wire despite their two best guys not playing great because PJ. Washington is still a flame thrower, and Jalen Williams for the Thunder was having a brutal game and Josh Giddy continues to be unplayable. All of these things working in the MAVs favor to go up three to one and send the Baby Thunder home, and instead Kyrie never got it going, Luca continued his struggles and Shay was phenomenal
once again. So I don't want to just make this about what the MAVs didn't do. I do want to give the Thunder credit because Shay, who I had third in MVP this year, he finished second, and the guy who I had at one of the guys I had ahead of him, Luca Shay continued to be the best player in this series. He has been the consistent driving force for the Thunder not only all year but all postseason, and in this series in particular, he's given you twenty nine,
thirty three, thirty one, and thirty four. In his first conference semifinals of his young career, he went twenty nine, nine and nine, thirty three, twelve and eight, thirty one, ten and six, and now thirty four, eight and five. And it's how one becomes a superstar in a game where a lot of his teammates, Flatley didn't have it.
Jayleen Williams five of nineteen, Dort four of fourteen. The bench, aside from Cason Wallace, gave them nothing and Shay wouldn't let him lose and kept him connected throughout, so credit to him. Now, Kyriees had an odd series because Game two he only had nine points, but I thought played exceptionally. Game three he was solid, and then yesterday was one of the worst Kyrie playoff games I can remember. And he has, particularly his time in Boston, had some bad ones,
but he just wasn't there. And then there's Luca, my guy. Okay, obviously Luca's banged up, but he's playing and it shouldn't be an excuse. And I understand that Luca, it's just his nature to always be yelling at the refs. I think it has. He has become a distraction to himself. Almost every single play he's he's yelling at the refs every and when Luca's playing well and flame throwing and doing everything a He's still yelling at the refs a lot, but not quite as much as this. But it seems
to and maybe this is just confirmation bias. It seems to get him going like he feels like it's, you know, the whole world's against me. I'm going to show him right now with him struggling, it seems to be pulling him down a bit that he feels like that everything's working against me and the refs are against me, and his play can't pull him out of it. And so I think that he is the best I believe he's the best player in the series. He hasn't been Shay
has been. He is definitely the best player on his team. And there's only one other star on this team and right now, he's got to pull himself out of it. Now. We have seen him do that plenty of times. We saw him do that against the Suns. We saw him do that in the series against the Clippers, even when they lost two to two. Is a fine spot for the MAVs to be in. It feels like they squandered it because they had three to one sitting in front
of him. But Luca's got to be better. Flatly, he can't hit a shot to save his life, and he's letting thee what he feels is unfair officiating affect him. So he's got to be better.
Go ahead, and Kyrie like also have a like a spotty playoff history outside of Lebron, am I.
Well, oh no, I mean it's he has a nonexistent playoff resume. Outside of playing with the Cavs really and and I mean he so in Boston, he was brutal in their series against Milwaukee when after winning the first game, they lost four straight games. He was I can tell you in those games he averaged less than twenty points and shot thirty percent from the field and nineteen percent from three uh. And then the next year he was with Brooklyn and he was good in those playoffs, but
then he got hurt. So it's really it's one series in particular, that series against Milwaukee where he was brutal. Aside from that, he's actual. You know, he never made the playoffs in Cleveland before Lebron. With Lebron, he was awesome in Boston. He the other thing that kind.
Of because like you're saying, Luca's gotta like be better, I'm saying, even if he is better facing this team that's pretty galvanized and plays well together, if I think it's unlike a few teams that lucas seen before.
So Kyrie step it up.
But I love how Kyrie has played this entire postseason until last night, is I guess the point I'm making. I think he's been very good this postseason, and I think he's been, you know, a distributor in the first half of games, then tried to score more in the second half of games. Again, it looks weird because in their Game two win, he only had nine points, but he only took eight shots and he had eleven assists. And I was he's actually really trying on defense. You know,
I've been very critical of Kyrie in the past. I think he's been excellent all year and excellent these playoffs. Last night was an outlier. I Also the other thing is the MAVs gotta hit their free throws that I didn't even mention it. Luca with ten seconds, yeah, and Luca with ten seconds left got fouled down to and missed the first one, and otherwise they go to overtime, potentially go to overtime. Obviously, okay, s would have a chance to win it. So I still think Dallas can
win the series. But man gets harder and now they they could have won the series last night. All right, this is something else you want to say. You want to move on to Denver.
Can't be going fifty with that many free throws taken?
No, I mean in a one possession game, and okay, see missed one. Okay, see it was nineteen of twenty or seventeen of eighteen, something like that. All right, let's go to Nuggets Timberwolves, which I'm going to stop you repeatedly read this question verbatim because I don't know who wrote it. I have a feeling who wrote it, but I have some questions about the writing of this question. That is, either you're either gonna have to answer for or the productor answer for. But we can go ahead.
Something about that this morning. That's so so hilarious.
All right, so then I could sign up the series two to two on the road after you dug their grave last week?
Who could have guessed you would have ended up being wrong about Joki?
All right, all right, stop hold on before I get to it. I'll open it up to the production room, probably Daniel, who wrote this? What was I wrong about? I just want to know? Just tell me. We were all here together, I'm on TV, I'm on the pod. What tell me? I'm very curious. I want to own up for my mistakes. What did I what? Thus far in this series? Have I been wrong about anyone? I want to know?
Maybe I think where Daniel's going with it as probably you were icking him out of that conversation of like all time great all greatness.
Two games was all it took to forget about it.
Okay, so again, and this is why. And I know that it's very busy in that production room and there's a lot going on, but it is very important to listen to the things that are set on the show, particularly if you're then going to ask about them afterwards. After two games, I laid out very clearly what was
on the line for Jokic. After two games. I laid out very clearly that if he were to be swept there with the full list of the last forty years MVPs, to be swept would be Magic Johnson in the finals when he got hurt, Jokicic two years ago, Jokic this year. That would not be great. I laid out the fact that there he is already of the guys who the season they won MVP that is the shortest playoff runs. Two of the seven shortest are already Yokages, including these shortest.
Uh just making it five games into the playoffs, he was potentially going to be three of the eight shortest. I laid all those things out as what was on the line and why it was so important that he and the Nuggets respond in those two games in Minnesota. I don't think maybe I'm wrong, but I'm very, very judicious with my words. I don't think I ever said Nuggets are finished, they got no shot. I don't think I.
Ever you're delivered as if it was like done data. I think there was a lot of like, you know.
Well it was there. What there were here is the thing that I think some let me call it younger NBA fan and don't yet fully understand, but will as they watch more playoff runs, the playoff games and form our opinions of these players in a significant way. And how strong your title defense is informs our opinion of that team historically, those players and the previous title. All of it matters. And now, did I see some people going too far throwing out the Nuggets haven't beaten a
fifty win team thing? I saw that on social media. I didn't engage in that because I think last year's Nuggets team was an exceptional team. And even if the Celtics hadn't you know, fallen apart against Miami, they would have then beaten the Celtics in the finals and they would have beaten a fifty win team. I didn't write anybody off. I did, however, have the weird standard of my defending champion best player alive, three time MVP. If he gets rocked in round two by a twenty two
year old, it goes on the ledger. Now, this is the most This is the reason the postseason is so great, and this is the reason why these games matter more than thirty game samples of the regular season, because the truly great players then respond. And that's what Game four was. Game three. It would have been legitimately shocking if the Nuggets had rolled over in Game three. You have a natural inclination where Minnesota is going to relax, Denver is
playing for its whole life. They also get a lifeline because Murray's not so spended. Denver's supposed to win Game three. But then there's Game four, where both teams are somewhat equally desperate, where Anthony Edwards answered the bell and Jim Jamal Murray was fine but not great. MBJ was not great. I know Aaron Gordon couldn't miss. But the reason the Nuggets won Game four was because Nikola Jokic said, we're not f and losing. And that is the type of
performance that a great player has. That is the type of performance that you need to see if you are going to evaluate basketball players the way they've always been evaluated. Rather than be like, hey, guys, look at this, vorp by being like, hey, back against the wall, uncomfortable circumstances, knowing they're gonna come for you if you don't respond, says you know what, I don't really like shooting the ball twenty five times, but I'm gonna do it because
it's what today calls for. That was great and because of that game for performance, and because now this series is going at least six, Jokic fairly inoculated himself from any super harsh criticism if they do lose this series because he made it a fight. But after two games, that harsh criticism not only would have been in bounds, would have been part and parcel with how we've done things. I'll give you another four instances. Yannis in his title defense in round two. What did he do? He lost
that series? But game six, Round two, Yannis after being excellent that entire series. By the way, Yanna's had a forty four twenty and six. Now they lost anyway, But Yannis doesn't get dinged for that series because he was excellent. He kept him alive, he put up a fight. Now he gets dinged for the next two years, going out in round one or I mean this year he missed the playoffs because he's hurt, but it's get in. Last year he was hurt a little bit too, but he
gets dinged. That's how it works. And so going into this series, I did something I've never done on TV. I refuse to make a pick. I just kind of I just I let the audience decide which way I was leaning. But Wild was all in on the Nuggets, Brew was all in on the Timberwolves. I felt this was a coin flip series. Right now, I still feel
it's a coin flip series. And I am really intrigued by how Carl Anthony Townshend Rudy Gobert respond tonight, because now that pressure flips where if you're Rudy Gobert and the only knock on you forever has been your postseason performance, right uh, and all of a sudden, it looks like the team you're on could win the championship. But if they end up losing in six and the last game the Timberwolves won all year was a game he wasn't at and where they looked better than they've ever looked.
Those questions are coming back in full force. And Carl Anthony Towns, who people have said, you know how much of a winner, good stats, bad team guy is he? He needs to respond in full force. Uh So I'm super excited for tonight.
I do thay splitting them up going one in one, just having them in a starting and then bench in the second the second five.
So I mean you say that, But the thing is this, that's to me a little reactionary. Theo's are the number one defense in all of basketball. They looked great in game one playing together I and they have too money resources associated with those guys two in order, in my opinion, to do that to not.
Play them right.
And if you do them, if you stagger them, you're not gonna be able to play them enough minutes. What the But what they need is Karl Anthony Towns to be better. That's what they need. I do think the Timberwolves win tonight. So now, but let's keep going because this is there are more questions I have about the questions, So go ahead.
So yeah, Minnesota obviously has to go to Denver and win on the night.
That Jokic gets his MVP trophy.
So when pedigree is the number one thing that you care about, why did it not matter in this series?
So what does that even mean? I saw this question. I don't don't even know what the question means. When go ahead.
I think it's like they got those championship red players, they're coming off of the the NBA title, when they end up playing some kids that have never gotten close to that, and you were just like, oh, they got you know, the Nuggets are in shouble instead of being like, oh, Denver has the pedigree and like they'll take over and win.
Okay, Yeah, But so then again, this is where I think people are assigning me opinions that I did not assign myself.
That might not have been what was, but I thought.
The So I think I think you probably read it correctly. I if again, any team in league history that loses its first two games at home, the second one getting run out of the gym, when the other teams, uh, you know, four time Defensive Player of the Year is not there, there would be real questions about real concerns about now The reason I did not write the Nuggets off was exactly because of that pedigree, because you can't
say they're dead. Now. Did I think they were? Did I in Vegas think that they were in really bad shape? Of course, at any point did I say the series was over? No, the and it was weird the reaction that people do overreact to individual NBA playoff games. Bill Simmons, who has been driving the Jokicchen Nuggets train for quite some time, did a whole thirty minutes after Game two about how the league's about to change and Denver is getting swept now that folks for like were not as bothered.
I think by that opinion because he has been such a Yokich proponent. But every time your team wins a playoff game, it feels like, well, who could ever beat them? And every time your team loses a playoff game, it feels like the sky is falling. I think that there has now been a massive overreaction in the other direction, which is people are now I think writing off the Timberwolves far too quickly. I still think this is a
coin flip series. And I also think that Denver right now unequivocally looks more vulnerable than they did last season, whether it's in this round or the next round or in the finals against Boston. With that said, go ahead, Demanse.
I love how you're just putting us putting us there.
But we got you guys, I mean the I mean you guys are you guys are about to have the easiest path to any and so I I do not I do not feel the Nuggets are inevitable. I also feel like with Jokich's performance the last two games, he did remind people that he is going to be the best player in any series they play, and that's hard to overcome. Now, the sneaky thing about Denver and their chances is this, Jamal has not been good this entire postseason.
Game three was his best performance other than Game five against the Lakers. Game three he had the three they were off Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday. Then Game four on Sunday he was mediocre once again, and if not for that fifty five footer, his stat line really doesn't look good at all. How good is Jamal Murray going to look
on another back, you know, one day between games? That to me is a massive question mark, because I know Anthony Edwards is gonna be ready, and I've gotta think Karl Anthony Towns and the and Rudy Gobert are going to show some pride tonight and step up. So I think this is I think this goes to a Game seven with zero home games one by either team going into Game seven. I think Minnesota wins tonight and Denver wins in Game six, and then we get a classic
Game seven. Go ahead and ask the follow up demons.
Yeah, so when we're talking about the Nuggets, is the time to start saying never a doubt. It's hard not to notice the Mahomes Chiefs parallels.
So yeah. So again, this is the third different little mini question within this question that I think is utterly ludicrous. So there's right now, there's no parallels. If they win the championship this year, then we can start discussing if there are some parallels. But the Chiefs going into this season had been to five consecutive Final fours, three championship games in the last four years, and had won two titles.
Going into this year. They've now been to six consecutive championship games, four of the last five Super Bowls, and won three of the last five Super Bowls, that's what and their star player is in consideration, considered by many to be the best player in the history of his sport. Uh one time? Say it again?
I do hear people saying that is like on his way to be.
Who said that that Jogic is on his way to being the best player ever?
Yeah, I mean not like ok what I've had a conversation with wild or Brew, but like people that I talked to.
You know, oh, okay, I think Demanse, I gotta be honest with you. I think you're making that up. I don't think you've ever had a conversation where someone says, I think Nikola Jokic is on his way to being the goat. I don't think anyone's ever said that to you. I think you're making that up. And if they have said it to you, I want to know who they are. You just give me a first name, because I don't think I think that. I think that people say he
could end up top ten. I think people say he could end up the best international player ever I have. I'm yet to hear the jokicch is gonna be end up better than Jordan and Lebron. I haven't heard that take. Maybe it exists. If it does exist, all the more reason to where I've been holding him to a fair standard. But back to the point, this is where we have to pump the brakes a bit. We have the the right now this moment, the Nuggets are on the exact
trajectory of the Milwaukee Bucks. Two time MVP versus three time MVP. I get it, who won the championship the year before, and then we're in an absolute round two dog fight that they lost. That's the trajectory. And I don't think the Bucks will ever be like Ah, they're the chiefs of the NBA. We haven't had the Chiefs of the The last time we had a Chiefs of the NBA, it was the Warriors with Steph and Clay and Durant and Draymond. That's a similar arc. Three titles
in four years. They want a back to back. They lost the finals. That's the arc. So let's let's show some respect to the never a doubt Kansas City Chiefs. Now we can move on to the Knicks.
All right, ellis those heavy stuff? All right? The Knicks are hanging on by a thread.
After a couple of injuries in that Pacer series, we all love the next because of how hard they play. Having said that, damn near their entire team is injured. But is the thing that makes them so enjoyable they're unraveling?
Well, I mean yes, yes, and no, I mean it. Here's the thing. I respect what Tibbs does and I love watching the Knicks, but there is It's not as if no other coach has ever thought of, why don't I just play my best players all the game? There's a reason they don't do it, like there is a reason that yes, every the Nuggets would be better if Jokic could play all forty eight, and the Thunder would
be better if Shaye played all forty eight. The reason they don't is because it's not sustainable, and that og, who's already been injury prone, having a soft tissue injury is wild to begin with, and or not wild, but somewhat predictable to begin with. And now I'm gonna say this, I think the Knicks are still gonna win this series. I think they are going to find a way. I think they are going tonight the Garden is going to
be absolutely insane, and I think they're gonna win this series. However, I think they're gonna be ground to dust by the time they get to the Celtics in the conference finals. All right, let's move on to Caitlin Clark.
Yeah, so Caitlin Clark will have her professional debut tonight for the Indiana Fever. She's such a draw that they've got to play in bigger stadiums to get the crowd to fit inside. Will this hype train keep its stream throughout the season and into the future.
If she's awesome? Yeah, If she struggles a bit, then it'll die down until she's awesome again. But she's superstar, and it doesn't really matter the sport, and it doesn't really matter the gender. If you are a superstar, if
you have that quality, people are gonna follow you. And there is also good momentum with the timing of the WNBA season, not only being so shortly after the March madness, but also the fact that it's going to be really getting in the meat of the WNBA season when we hit this sports desert, post NBA Finals, pre football, So all that works in their favor. All right, Speaking of football, Chiefs Bengals Week two, we do that next quick break right back? What's right? All right? Welcome back in what's
right with Nick? Right, demonse, Let's get to the B block Chiefs, Ravens and.
Other Yeah, the chat and believe you'll finish in under forty five minutes. You got a ninety percent and nine percent. Yes, I don't know where that other one percent is, but uh yeah, I don't think you're gonna do it.
So we got to roll through.
These stop yamor and get to the question.
Yo, so your Chiefs have a date with my Ravens in the NFL season opener this year. Then in week two reportedly get Burrow in the Bengals. A little dangerous to start with Lamar and.
Burrow, right, I mean it's perfect, it's so.
Most dangerous, it gets to be honest.
Well, no, first of all, the next time Lamar plays well against the Chiefs will be the first time. And Mahomes the Mahomes has crushed the Ravens. That you lost one game against the Ravens, and I think the Chiefs scored thirty four points.
The also recently was.
That was that not last year during the regular season or was it the year before? Because I feel like I remember it.
Okay, well, i'll tell you know what I'll give it to you right now, because it certainly wasn't last year in the playoffs that I know for sure. But Patrick Mahomes against Baltimore in his career it has gone like this. Let me find it. Twenty eighteen, Patrick's first year as a starter. Lamar had taken over the was Lamar hold on. Was Lamar the start was the starter for Baltimore in twenty eighteen. I think that was the year Lamar had Yeah, Lamar had just taken over Baltimore. I think it was
the only game they lost after he took over. Mahomes threw for three seventy seven and a couple scores. The Chiefs won. The next time Mahomes played Baltimore was Week three of twenty nineteen, when Lamar was the league's unanimous MVP. Mahomes threw for three seventy four and three touchdowns and the Chiefs won. The next time they played Baltimore was twenty twenty, the Chiefs thirty four to twenty. Mahones threw for three eighty five and four touchdowns. The next time
they played Baltimore was twenty twenty one, Week two. Baltimore won thirty six thirty five after going for too late. Mahones threw for three forty three and three touchdowns, and the next time the Chiefs played Baltimore was, of course, the conference championship game. Mahomes in his career against the Baltimore Ravens is four and one, and in the regular season he has twelve touchdowns, two picks, and a one
twenty rating. If we would like to compare that to Lamar Jackson in his career against the Chiefs, I'm pretty sure it's the opponent he's had the least success with, which is why before the playoff game he said, and I quote, I don't like playing Patrick at all. Lamar has four touchdowns, two picks, a seventy nine rating, and seven hundred and fifty passing yards and then whatever he
did playoff game as well. So I'm not worried about Baltimore in their new defensive coordinator who was born around the same year you were to Monsey in Week one, And if you're Cincinnati, you've got to be livid that your biggest game of the year, biggest game of the year, the Chiefs get extra rest for the Chiefs are on a mini by and since he is not what are you shaking your head about. Tell me, tell me, what can you think?
You're looking at this the wrong way. They'll probably, I mean they'll be they'll be rested as well. Better to see them in week two than week sixteen when they are injuries. I think that it's a great it's a great chance for the Ravens. I'm not really Bengals, you got that that. I think it's a great chance for the Ravens to start their season off well by punching the team in the mouth that knocked them out of the playoffs last year.
All right, sure, here's the flip side. What if the Chiefs beat them again? What if they're they have what if the Ravens the Ravens, it was their season, they the league MVP, they had home field, they had all of it. The Chiefs come into their building and beat them, and then the next football game they play, they have to stand on the sideline and watch the Chiefs hang that Super Bowl banner that they think was supposed to be theirs and the Chiefs beat them again. I don't
know that could be problematic. And if you're Cincinnati, go yeah, well yeah, And if you're Cincinnati, you have always started seasons slowly under with Borough. The Bengals since drafting Borough in his rookie season, they didn't get their first win until Week four. In the second season, they started one and one. In his third season, they started oh to two. Last year they started oh to two. They always get
out to slow starts. And now you have to go to Kansas City when the Chiefs are on extra rest and the yeah, the injuries thing, I understand what you're saying, but either team could be injured late in the year. You're more likely, obviously both teams be full strength at the beginning, and this game could decide tie breakers. So I love it for Kansas City. Get you knock off Baltimore and Cincinnati to start the year early on. And here's where Kansas City is in such a position of strength.
If they win those games, it is going to feel like they are inevitable, and if they lose those games, they're not going to worry at all. On the flip side, for Baltimore and Cincinnati, those become must wins Baltimore because of how last season ended, because the Chiefs have had such success against them, and Cincinnati that would be three consecutive losses to the Chiefs for Cincinnati ever since that
Burrowhead Invitational. Nonsense. All right, let's move on to the whatever game we're playing, which is right or wrong?
So we're playing right wrong.
H My Celtics went on three to one against the Donovan Mitchellis Cavs team last night and they are now minus six fifty to win the East. Right or wrong, the Celtics are a lock for the finals.
Yeah, I gotta tell you, I've never seen a team more of a lock for the finals. I mean that, you know, Jimmy Butler round one, Jannison Embiid are injured and you don't have to play either one of them. Donovan Mitchell gets hurt in this round and next round you're gonna be playing either what's left of the Knicks or this Pacers team.
Go ahead, like three just three shows ago.
I'm like, hey, everybody's gonna be like that track for the Celtics, so easy if they end up winning the finals, and if they end up winning the finals, that is definitely what people are going to be saying.
No, no, no, no, here's the thing, not if they win the title. If they win the title, no one will care. It'll only be if they don't win the title that people and people are like, oh, well, how you know they won? They made Here's the thing. If they don't win the title, some people will argue they need to make changes.
Because they won't look at this.
Right. And but normally, if you make the finals, you don't think you're super far away. But if they were to make the finals and get rocked, people will then say, well, I mean the East was a cakewalk.
Go ahead. Yeah, what if they end up playing an injured team in the finals.
Well, no again, if you win the championship, nobody cares. Honest to god, people don't remember this but steps first title. So if the the the I want to get it exactly right the team. So I've got to look because I don't remember exactly the twenty fifteen playoffs demanse Round one they played New Orleans. Who was I think it was without Drew Holliday. I think he got Yeah, Drew Holliday got hurt. He was uh he barely played in that series. They get New Orleans and round one, round
two they play Memphis. Memphis I think was without Mike Conley. I'm looking it up real quick. No Conley was there. I forget who Memphis was missing. I know they pissed because now Randolph was there. I don't remember that one round three they played Houston that had uh what was Houston's injury? I remember people showing it all the injuries
that they every team was missing. Twenty fifteen their first title, and then obviously twenty and then in the finals it was no Kevin Love and Kyrie got hurt in Game one, but they but nobody cares, like I can't even remember who the people were. You just remember they won the championship. Now, if they don't win the championship and they look bad in the finals, that's a different story, all right.
Next, the Atlanta Hawks won the draft lottery for the first time ever. Unfortunate happened in the worst draft in recent history. Is getting the number one pick after their offseason. Is getting the number one picked after their off or alter their offseason play?
Sorry?
Yeah, right or wrong? Is still going to Holy crap, Go ahead, right around the Jays.
They'll go to the Spurs.
You're fine. I don't know that the Spurs are where Trey's gonna go. H I do think getting the number one pick gives them way more optionality where they can say, you know what, we're gonna do a full reset, even though the number one pick in this year's draft does not seem obviously not as valuable as last year, but not even close to as valuable as two years ago with Polo, But I do think it gives them they can sell hope with via the number one pick.
All right, next, Brownie passes medical and is reportedly likely to stay in the NBA draft pool. He impressed in the draft combine drills, but measured it much shorter than he was listed at USC. Right or wrong, you already know who will draft Ronnie, I don't know.
I do think his performance at the combine changed some things where I think teams will look at him as higher upside than they had previously thought because of his strength, because of his wingspan, and if he can become the three and D, and people had real questions about the three point part of it. But him finishing second in that movement shooting drill, which is also a conditioning drill
because you've got to not be exhausted. I think that raised some eyebrows, like yesterday couldn't have gone better for him, and explains a little bit why people thought he might be a first rounder before his year at USC and
it is not. It is totally only fair to mention when you're discussing how you know, underwhelming his freshman season went, that the guy had cardiac arrest shortly before the season started and they didn't even know if he was going to be cleared to play, and how much did that throw off any of his regular, you know, kind of progression or schedule. Now, I do think most likely the Lakers draft him, and you know, he's in their developmental league,
and that's most likely. But I don't think I think that there's more optionality for Bronnie, particularly after yesterday.
All right, next, the Lions are all in on this court. Now.
They've locked up Golf on a four year, two hundred and twelve million dollars contract, well one hundred and seventy million guaranteed, right or wrong, in Jared Goff's contract is worse than Daniel Jones.
It's not worse than Daniel Jones' is because Jared Golf can play a little bit. If you keep him up right and he doesn't get pressured, he's good. I don't think this is a good contract, though it's not worse than Daniel Jones' is but I wouldn't have done it, and everyone said, oh, you have to rewarding me, you have to do those things. I don't know that you did. And I certainly think fifty three million a year for
Jared Goff is rich. I'll tell you this much. Trevor Lawrence, Tua, Jordan Love, Dak Prescott all saw this deal and were absolutely thrilled because all of those guys are going to ask for considerably more than Jared Goff. They just are. You can say that's unfair, you can say they haven't been to a super Bowl. All that's true. They're all gonna ask for more than Jared Goff. All right, last one.
The NFL schedule releases tomorrow, so there isn't a ton to talk about now besides the anticipation.
Every year NFL teams.
Every every year NFL team social media pages go all out for their schedule releases, and everybody loves them, everybody right, right or wrong.
Nick likes fun.
I think it's fine. I don't like. I don't I am not against it. I mean I won't watch any of the page I guess.
Was doing like each week of them playing each team like it had like their mascot or.
Like something destroying that.
Yeah, so they all try to do something unique. The Chargers social media team tends to do the best, but they all try to. Some do video games, some do like you were, like you were saying something involving actual animals. I don't know. I'm sure it'll be fun. It's good fun. I don't have anything against it. I just it's not really that Jason. It's just not for me. But I'm almost forty like it. I'm not the audience they're going for. That's fine. I don't judge it.
It's just it's just not social media for the Chargers.
That's exactly right. Quick break answer some listener questions. Next, what's right? All right? Well, demon say I didn't hit eleven fifteen, but I think I can hit eleven, so I'm all right with it. Let's answer some listener questions.
Seeden Walder says, Hey, I just want to say thank you to Nick and his team. This is the best time of the week. I appreciate y'all.
Oh, well, that is super nice of you. Yeah, we appreciate that, Seaton and I hate that this is I guess maybe the wrong time to then mention this, So I apologize, but no show Thursday.
Sorry.
I have a prior I have something that I have to do on Thursday, and I don't I have a surprise also for Demansey Shade's pulling up. I don't want to reveal it this moment, but I can't do that. We're not going to do the show Thursday, so we'll be back on Tuesday. All right, Let's go to the next question.
Bradley Hammond asked listener question, golf gets paid the Prince Dak too a party? Love all come and do soon enough? Are you finally going to see the quarterback contracts level off or will golf be a cheap deal a year from now?
Oh? No, I think golf will be cheap. Adjacent like I think Dak's gonna get sixty plus million. I think that. I think the I think the prints and TUA will be around Golf's number fifty three to fifty five ish perty. I have no idea, and I don't know how Jordan Loves contract's gonna work out, all right.
Next, Joey Kantra asked what amendment would you make to the rules in the NBA in the NFL if you were allowed to change one in each sport.
Draft or playoff opponent. That's the one change I would make across the board. It'd be unbelievable drama, it'd be great television. It would also reward regular season excellence.
Next, Jack Sullivan asked Nick, what percentage of the time should you draft for need versus draft best player available?
Is it different for the NFL and NBA?
Oh, it's wildly different for the NFL. In the NBA, the NBA, you should one hundred percent of the time draft the best player. You should be totally, positionally agnostic. Whoever the best player is, that is who you should draft. That's not even a question. The NFL, it's far more complicated. Uh, you are, if you need a quarterback, it makes sense to reach and take, you know, on a lottery ticket. Be like, even if you only think you have a
ten percent chance of hitting. If you if the best player available on your board is a position you're stacked at, or a position to blow value running back, tight end, and there's a you have a huge position of need that's a key position like tackle, you can reach on that. So it's just totally totally different.
All right, go ahead, Jeff Jeff Carter asked Nick, do you think Caleb will be the second best quarterback in the NFL by the end of his rookie contract?
The second best quarterback in the NFL by the end of his rookie contract? Yes, I do, Yeah, I do. I think that Caleb will be. I think he'll be a top five quarterback by the end of year two, and I think he'll be the second best quarterback in the league up at the end of his rookie contracts by the end of your five I absolutely do. All right, only ten minutes later and I said we were gonna
do We got eleven twenty five. Pretty good. It's spent a little especially considering I did the the lebron Cavs thing, which wasn't even in the rundown. All right, I'm on Colin in ninety minutes. I've got the show in three and a half hours. We are not back on this podcast for a week. We will see you guys. Then we'll tray. Hey, thanks for watching. If you're still here, do me a favor. Hit the subscribe button, then hit the bell so you can be notified when we have
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