Welcome in What'll Drive in the Great Episode three twenty four on NFL Draft Day. Now, obviously we're in the middle of an amazing first round of the NBA Playoffs. Every series in the West tied at one game a piece, except for the series in the West that really doesn't need to be happening in the Thunder and the Grizzlies Eastern Conference series Nicks Pistons good. The other ones probably not,
but we can get to them as well. However, today is really an NFL day, and I think the NBA did as good of a job as it could have with setting up tonight's schedule, acknowledging that, yeah, people are going to be focused on the NFL by putting the by choosing the games and the time of those games that they did. I if you don't know the NBA schedule tonight, Nick Pistons at seven o'clock, that's a good one, you know. I maybe wish that was yesterday if it
could have been, but so be it. Thunder Grizzlies at nine thirty, totally irrelevant, and then Nuggets Clippers at ten. Now it's weird that Nuggets Clippers is an NBA TV game and thunder Grizzlies is the T and T game, but set that aside. The what that will allow for is the NFL Draft to end. And you if you're a single screening and which you know, why would you do that unless you're obligated to. But if you are, you can then flip over to the end of what
has been an awesome series in Nuggets Clippers. Also, by the way, a little self promotion here. We are doing something incredibly ambitious and what should be hopefully fingers crossed very cool on the TV show today, and so it is. We've never done anything quite like it. It is going
to be potentially difficult to pull off. I don't want to spoil what it is, but if you're a fan of First Things First, or even just an occasional viewer, this is one that I would ask you to watch at three o'clock and see if you stick around for the whole show, because it's not gonna be I don't think consuming it in clip form is going to do justice. What we're doing today in relation to the NFL Draft
seemed like I got Demand's interest pequed there. Demand's a i'd say a pretty loyal First Things First viewer.
I'm watching throughout the week ye.
And so yeah, so that should be good demonse. Great to see you, ton to do today. Also, by the way, this is a great time of year to subscribe to the YouTube feed or iTunes or Spotify. Uh. And again, I don't really know why, but giving us ratings really helps. I really care more about subscriptions than ratings. But if you're subscribed already and you haven't rated the show, that the five stars does help. But here's why it's a
good time of year. We've done a pod every day this week because we have been the way the NBA playoffs been going, we've been reacting to it. We might do the rare weekend pod depending on how Lakers, Timberwolves and Warriors Rockets goes and so those should be good. And so you'll get the update if we go live, or you'll get the update when we're on the air if you're subscribed. But let's get to the show. Here's what missed the cut. Jalen Brunson wins Clutch Player of
the Year. Lebron should have Oh, I didn't know this. The ufcason Kansas City this weekend. I had no idea and the Cavs win Game two against the Heat in a game that had moments of Oh wait, are the Heat gonna pull this off? And then Donovan Mitchell a little personal eight to ozero run at the end of that game, a hilarious Kenny Atkinson challenge after Tyler hero tried to flop his way into some free throws. So that's what missed the cut Demons. Before we get to
the draft. Huge game in Houston last night in your kind of adopted claimed hometown. The Rockets get the win, go ahead.
Rockets got the dub against a somewhat depleted Warriors team last night. Jimmy Butler obviously went down. I think Pods was dealing with a stomach flu thing. You called this a must win, and you also picked the Rockets in this series. Do you think the Rockets figured something out or do you think this is more credit to the Warriors having some injuries slash sicknesses over there?
So I think the Rockets, even if Jimmy Butler didn't get hurt, we're gonna win that game. Now, Jimmy Butler's health could go a long way in determining who's going to win that series. Because the Rockets as evidenced by last night, or not a deep team. They played a guy last night who I will admit and I had
never seen play in the NBA. And the only reason I knew who he was was because he's one of the greatest lacrosse players of all time in Pat Spencer so and I mean he, by the way, was really good for them off the bench, gave him twelve decent minutes, made five shots. I want to talk about the Jimmy Butler injury to start with Demonse, did you think that was a dirty play by Amen Thompson.
I did not. I didn't think it was dirty. I didn't think it was dirty.
Daniel said he might have gotten pushed a little bit into in teaching me there, but.
Uh, I didn't think it was dirty either. I think, listen, I thought it was You could argue a little reckless, but I think the recklessness started with Draymond. I think Draymond gave him a little shove. He went maybe trying to sell the shove flailing, and Jimmy was the victim of it. But I did not at all think that was Now, if you remember in our series preview, I said, and Rockets fans got super pissed at me. I said, you gotta watch out for Dylan Brooks. He might undercut you,
he might hurt somebody. And then this obviously wasn't Dylan Brooks, this was Amon Thompson. But that to me was not an intentional undercut. It was unfortunate undercut. And that was a hard damn fall for Jimmy Butler. And obviously I can't prove that even if Jimmy played, the Rockets were going to win that game. But unless you think, and maybe you would have, that Jimmy was gonna shut down Jaialen Green, the reason the Rockets won that game was because Jalen Green had one of the best games of
his life. In fact, to be honest, I understand he's had bigger scoring nights in the regular season, given the stakes, given it that it's his first playoffs, it was the best game of his life. And Jalen Green, this is a he's a unique player because he's number two pick of the draft four years ago and in his second year Demonse, he was twenty two points, four rebounds, four assists on forty two percent from the field thirty four percent from three. That was in year two, twenty two,
four and four on forty two thirty four. In year four he is twenty two four and four on thirty two thirty four. He is so the The Jalen Green angst is why hasn't he gotten better? You know what I mean? Like if he was that guy in year two, now you can argue he got better because he was doing that for a bad team. Now he's doing that for a good team. And where he deserves massive credit is eighty two games played last year, eighty two games
played this year, So he's super available. I think, one of only six guys to play all eighty two this year. But you'd like to see him become a better shooter. You'd like to see him, you know, the game evolve a bit. But when he goes off, this Rockets team can beat anybody because defensively, they're just monsters. And Amon Thompson got in foul trouble again, Dylan Brooks got in
foul trouble and Steph still struggled mightily. Because if Jimmy's not out there, and this is where his loss was really felt, the defense can just be like, all right, we are top locking Steph, we are following Steph, we are just not gonna let Steph kill us and who else can score? Draymond Green with his second consecutive triple single with five turnovers to go along with it, and didn't have great defense to and didn't take it. This
was another noteworthy thing for Draymond. Didn't take a single shot inside the three point line.
I think he had his first points in the third quarter or something like that.
I'll trust you on that. I mean, listen, he only had six points, I mean, or eight points because he made free throw a couple free throws. But Draymond's impact was not really felt all of a sudden. You know they're playing. I mean, the Warriors played, even if you remove the garbage time minutes of Key Knox and Tray Jackson Davis. They played twelve guys. They played fifteen guys in the game when.
You included guys and took in there. They put well Through Kaminga in there. It was probably because of the Jimmy Butler thing. I was curious if they were gonna try throwing him in the mix if they got sour on him.
Yeah, they they did put Kaminga in there. It was listen, Kaminga lost his spot to Jimmy Butler essentially like that. They just want so that's why when Jimmy went out, they put him in almost immediately, And Kaminga kind of reminded you why Steve Kurt doesn't really want to play him. Jonathan Kaminga in twenty six minutes, took twelve shots. Jonathan Kaminga was very active and looking for his offense, inefficient
and not that great anywhere else. And now listen, you feel for him because he's rusty, so I'm not gonna kill him on not being super efficient offensively. But when you get put on ice because they want you to rebound and defend, and you get twenty six minutes for an undersized team and you come away with three rebounds and you make kind of some boneheaded plays, you just kind of got the feeling. This is the frustration Pods
being what was they said, food poisoning. I mean, Pods played fourteen minutes demons zero points, zero rebound, zero assists, zero steel, zero block, zero turnover, zero fouls, five miss threes. All Right'm sorry, five miss shots, two miss threes. That so POD's was not really available and the team's just too thin to deal with those types of losses. So what does this mean for the series. I thought the
Warriors could be in trouble to begin with. I think they are in significant trouble if Jimmy has to miss even just a game or two, because let's just say Jimmy misses both games in Golden State. Now, you're probably best case scenario coming back to Houston tied to two, staring at We're gonna have to win a game seven and on the road, and I'm not listening. We saw Steph win a game seven on the road in Sacramento a couple of years ago with a fifty point game. Now,
that was a very different team. That was a team that was relied on its offense and at shooting. This team relies on its physicality. But I would I think the Warriors are going to be fighting a major uphill battle against either the Timberwolves or more likely the Lakers in round two. And if this series is a seven game physical war, I just don't think you're gonna end up seeing the best of the Warriors in round two if they get there. Here's the other concerning point. I
think for Golden State. Fred van Vliet can't be worse. Fred van Vliet in this series is six for twenty seven from the field, three for twenty from three and they got the split. And so if Fred van Vliet, who has been historically not like dominant but a good postseason performer, is fi you know, in his final two years in Toronto, he's sixteen a game, thirty six percent from three, seven assists. Like, if Fred van Vliet just stops being terrible, that's another offensive option for the Rockets.
And now Jalen Green. Yesterday was such a huge game for Jalen Green, because when you've never played in the playoffs, when you're that young, and you're bad in game one, if you're bad in game two, all of a sudden, you just might be in your head the rest of the series might be like, oh man, I'm not coming there. But now he was not only was he not bad in game two, he was great in Game two, and so he's gonna be feeling good. And I just don't love the ice. You watch the Warriors and it's like, man,
Buddy Healds prominently involved. He couldn't get on the court for the Sixers in the playoffs last year. Gary Payton's prominently involved. He really hasn't been the exact same since sadly Dylan Brooks broke his elbow a few years ago. He doesn't want to shoot, they don't. KURR is grasping its straws a bit. And without Jimmy, I think you are in real, real trouble. And so I think that the Rockets were likely going to win last night even if Jimmy didn't get hurt. But I think that if
Jimmy misses time. I don't know what this, I don't know what answers, the Warriors can have go ahead.
They could yeah, I mean that was without Jimmy.
What Now, here's the bright side, because I know there are some people that are Warriors fans, and then there's some people that are just Steph Curry fans. We all know the rules as they've always been with Steph Curry. When he's awesome and or when they win, we start talking about him being better than Magic Johnson. Is this the Steph Curry or does he belong in the goat conversation? And when they lose in round one or miss the playoffs or anything like that, we just move along to
the next thing. So Steph is not going to be under massive scrutiny about why he couldn't carry them past round one against a Rockets team that had no all stars and no you know, no guys that was considered an overrated tu or an overseeded team at two. Like, don't don't worry, folks, The sports media apparatus will have his back and there will not be any referendums on what Steph Curry what you said?
Do you think he's supposed to be able to do that right now? Lead that team and you know, just evil without Jim's power that eye.
Do I think he should? No, But I don't think he belongs within a country mile of the goat conversation either. I do. I think he should know, But I don't think he's you know, firmly in the top ten all time. I think he's right on the outside. I think, and listen, Steph is an unbelievable player and is having one of the three greatest old guy seasons ever right now this moment. But what I am saying is folks that want to foist him into those conversations that I think are just
a touch rich for his blood. You don't have to worry about those folks being intellectually consistent and holding him to those type tapes of standards. You don't You don't have to worry that thirty seven year old Steph Curry is going to get the same flack that thirty eight year old Lebron James got when his co star got hurt and round one and they lost to a young, upstart Phoenix Suns team, when the Lebron's team was a couple years removed from the title. You don't have to
worry about that, And that's nice. It's a nice, peaceful way to be able to be a fan of an athlete that you don't have to worry that any type of bad luck or ad just didn't quite have enough is going to end up being a retroactive referendum on their place in history. It's a constant, you know, only when can't lose situation, and I imagine it's it's delightful
and so that's all I'm saying. I I won't be because I thought the Rockets, even if Jimmy Butler were healthy, were the better team, and so it won't be coming for me. I'm just saying, it's nice to know it's not gonna be coming from anybody.
Uh.
We won't talk about Draymond for a minute.
Yeah, I was.
I was about to say, especially with if Jimmian's are being out, But even if Jimmian's are coming back, do you think that Draymond's gonna be even more unhinged throughout the rest of this series?
So Draymond Yesterday was Draymond yesterday was like bordering on losing it and Steve Kerr and I I love Steve Kerr. Steve Kerr did a whole Woe is Draymond because the fans were chanting f you Draymond, and like, I wish they wouldn't do that. Maybe I'm old school. What about the kids that would resonate more with me if A Draymond wasn't asking them to do it louder and if Draymond hadn't two days ago taken credit for Carl Anthony Towns is good game one I knew that would make
you mad. Demonse like terrible, the lack of shame when it comes to him and Carl Anthony Towns, juxtaposed with Carl Anthony Towns being very open and honest and vulnerable about all the losses he suffered in his life, and us then finding out that the latest game that Towns missed that Draymond said he was afraid of playing Jimmy or whatever he said on here I think was Jimmy.
It was because he was at another funeral. And then Draymond's saying, you know, I lit a fire under him or whatever it was, Like Draymond asks for this, he wants to be the villain. That's fine, But then crime a river about the fans in Houston not liking him and using a little profanity. But I thought Draymond listen, Draymond was flailing about Draymond is going to try to get in it, get in in it with the Rockets.
But here's the difference. There's like four guys on the Rockets that could get into a real scuffle or altercation with Draymond Green. Dylan Brooks could, Amon Thompson could, Steven Adams could, Tarry Easton could. I don't think Jalen Green's I don't think that's his flavor. Any of those guys the Rockets would be like, Okay, throw them both out,
throw out Draymond and dealer's choice on our guy. Shngoon's not gonna Shingoon's not gonna take the bait, and Draymond's gonna target Shingoon because the other thing we know about Draymond is he likes you know, he has a type of center that he thinks he can intimidate. And in my experience, it is Rudy Gobert from France. Uh, demontes Sabonis from? Where's Sabonis from? Is it serb is somebody? Right? I forget where Sabonis is from. His dad is Yugoslavian,
but that's not a country anymore. My apologies. I mean Sabonis technically is from America, but his because his dad was playing here. Uh who am I forgetting Steven Adams from New Zealand and Shingoon from Turkey like he likes to Lithuania. Maybe I was wrong about this Yugoslavia thing. No vlades from Yugoslavia. Bad job by me? So I yeah, I mean I think Draymond's on a knife's edge. And it was noteworthy to me that after the scuffle last night,
Kurr didn't wave the white flag. Kerr was still playing Steph Curry, but he took Draymond out, So it wasn't like we're taking the starters out. It was no We just don't want Draymond to get thrown out, to get thrown out of the game. All right, So let's move on to the Celtics, and remember everybody like rate, subscribe review. We'll answer some of your listener questions from the chat later in the show. If you're watching live, we can go on to your Celtics.
Uh.
Yes, not Tatum, no problem. Took care of business last night. Beat throw Orlando Magic in Game two thanks to Jalen Brown. Porzingis actually got a forehead contusion whatever you want to call. He got an elbowed in the head, gush and blood. Missoula came out and said, I like watching him bleed on the court.
I think that's important.
Ula is such a nutcase.
Yes, what was your biggest takeaway from the Celtics going up too?
Oh, Jalen Brown's knee looked healthy.
Ne looked healthy.
And you need to Tatum get that hand on ice man game.
Yeah, it was pretty close.
It's the Magic, right.
That's the well hold on. What do you mean you mean the game was too close for comfort for you?
I think that it's just if that's what because I feel like Jason Tatum gets a lot of disrespect.
You saw what they looked.
Like against Orlando Magic last night without Jason Tatum. If they're looking like that against the Magic, what's it going to look like round two whenever we started.
Yeah, so that's I So I agree with that that I think that I don't think they need Tatum to beat the Magic. No, I do think they need Tatum. I think they need Tatum in round two against the Knicks. And I know they need Tatum.
No Tatum and we can have anybody else gone, it just cannot be Tatum in rest two.
So I so I agree with you. So my so with that said, I would sit Tatum and we'll get Jalen Brown a second. I would sit Tatum game three, even if he's like I'm Fine're like, no, we'll sit you game three. If we go up three to zero, we the you know what I mean, they're gonna quit Orlando then it's over. So then you can make, you know, do what you want. Now. If you lose game three and you've sat Tatum precautionary wise, then get him back in for game four. Uh, but I would I don't
think Tatum should play the next game either. I thought the Jalen Brown game was important because Jalen Brown since getting banged up. He he hurt his knee I think in the Sun's game back on April fourth. Since then, he played twenty minutes against the Wizards, scored sixteen points, played twenty minutes against the Knicks, scored six points, didn't play in the remainder of their reg season games, and then played thirty minutes in Game one and scored sixteen points.
It was like, Oh, how big of an issue is this knee gonna be? Seeing him play forty two minutes every time the Magic made a run. He kind of answered, having thirty six points, ten rebounds, five assists. That to me was the story that because the Celtics need him, they are going to need Tatum and Brown both fully go by round three. I don't think they need them both full one hundred percent to win round one, certainly, and probably not even to win round two without shaking
the Knicks. Look, but I do think that the Calves are for real, and obviously whomever comes out of the West is for real. Honest question, Demons before we move on to the Magic side of this, because you feel like Tatum gets a little too much disrespect. Was there a part of you that wanted the Magic to win last year.
There was no part of me that wanted the Magic to win last night. But I was kind of thinking in my head as I was watching the game, and they would like cut to the Tatum mios or whatever. He was probably enjoying. I don't want to say enjoying it someone. And I don't want to put this on his character, but like you.
Want to feel me, he would.
I don't think it would have felt great for him if the Celtics won by thirty four, yeah, right, yea.
And so I think it played in his favor, yeah, because I think always especially what he means to the team.
But go ahead, right, And so I just and this is where I get into it with Wilds on the show, where I just basically tell Wilds he's got to pick a lane that he wants to rep. With the Celtics. You can rep the Jason Tatum is underrated. If he's if they win the Chancechampionship this year, and he's four time first Team All NBA, two time champion, best player on the team both years, all before he turns twenty eight, we need to start putting him in some real historical conversations.
You can have that lane or you can have the There is not another team in the league who's third best player would even start for the Celtics. And you know we have the best roster and we have the sixth man of the year and our seventh man's Al Horford. And where I give Wilds a hard time is I tell him, I'm like, you're trying to argue both cases. Tatum's wildly disrespected and the roster is perfect. Like the second thing there leads to the first because people have
so much respect. So I try to tell Wilds, I'm like, you're if you really are all in on Tatum being an all time right, you actually low key need to be like Drew Holiday overrated, like the like the you need to like right, you need to like poke some holes in the Who was Kris STAPs for zingis really before Jay? He got to play with Jason Tatum like and so Chris STAPs By the way, this Celtics team the reminder for how scary the Celtics can be, or
the thing you not the reminder. The thing you have to remember for how scary the Celtics can be is that they went on that run last year getting almost nothing from Chris STAPs throughout the playoffs that he got hurt in round one and didn't play, you know, in he was like the second round or the third round and then had the say it again, Starry, he.
Was just like Game one of the finals and then he was gone.
Correct. No, so he played game one and two and then a little in game five, So you've got it right. Game one was the game he checked in and couldn't miss. Yeah, but they and they went on basically that playoff run getting nothing from him, and that's unfair because he it was awesome in that Game one. But he is such a X factor for them, indifference maker. And so yeah, listen, Celtics are really scary, and I think this, I think
the Celtics. I think the best sign of how much people respect the Celtics is how little respect we are giving to the Cavs. And by that I mean, like nobody is even though the Calves won sixty four games, you know, they are very well rounded team. All they would have home court advantage over the Celtics in the conference finals. I haven't heard anybody be like, ooh, how do the Thunder or the Clippers or the Lakers or the Warriors match up against the Calves in the finals.
Everyone is just like, how does everyone match up against Boston? And so I, so I the Celtics are And that was a great win yesterday because Orlando. Listen, Orlando scores one hundred points. That's that's a big deal for them, and so it's they got to one hundred. And for the Celtics to be able to get to one o nine against that defense without without Tatum being involved, really impressive. What's our follow up here?
What does Polo need to make the to make the Leite next year? Like the same type of leap that k did this year.
It's just got to I mean, just got to become a better three point shooter. That's really it does everything. Palo's gotten better every single year. His Rebounding's gone up every year. His assists jumped in year two, dropped a little this year.
It's fine.
His scoring from twenty twenty to twenty two to twenty six. His efficiency is forty five percent shooter thirty two percent from three. If all, if you can just get that to thirty six percent from three, then you're twenty eight a game. Then you're like that It just adds another element.
So that's really it. I think Palo's excellent. Now. I said yesterday on the show that I think he's you know, his destiny is probably best player on a good team, second best player on a championship caliber team, Like I don't know that he can jump that fi that final level to rump is damn hard and so I but I'm really impressed by Pellow. I like him a lot. I like him a lot. All right, let's do a couple quick previews before we get to our draft stuff.
Yeah, see, you said this Nuggets Clippers series is going to be super tightly contested and just gonna be a great series overall. Kawhi is obviously coming off the really good game the other day. These teams played a night in Los Angeles.
Who do you have.
Tonight? I do like the Clippers. I picked Nuggets in seven, so my I think it goes back to Denver to two. But I am very curious what the Intoit Dome is gonna be like. And I'm curious. I'm looking it up right now with our friends at seat Geek. Code right ten get ten percent off for free plug. I guess not a free plug, but regardless, I'm curious what what tickets are like at the end of it Dome compared
to at Staples. The okay, so they are no, they are much cheaper, but the I just kind of feel like sitting in that now you there are no seats available in the wall. The wall is the wall. Maybe that's just for season ticket whatever it is, but there's uh. I'm really that was a great job by Bomber. Those were you know, he his his foresight on build this arena, give us a real home court. I think was was
really smart and it's paid off. And listen, they bet on the fact that Harden was gonna be worth the contract they gave him and that Kawhi wasn't cooked, and throughout the majority of this year I thought it was a bad bet because Kawhi missed like the first thirty games, and then when he came back, he was a twenty point a game guy, if that I think seventeen point a game guy. But now since March first, he's been unbelievable. And I am you know, Michael Porter Junior saying he
has the shoulder sprain. That one concerns me a bit, and I just think this is hard fought series where I expect, I'm it's not yet late enough in the series for me to just really bank on James Harden having a playoff James Harden moment. I think that he'll I think he'll be fine today. I do worry that if Michael Porter Junior's banged up, it's gonna be a lot of Russell Westbrook, and I think that is potentially for Denver. But I think Jokers a little worn down
and I think I do like the Clippers tonight. What follow ups do we.
Have with how you've hyped up the series. If Jokich ended up losing this round to the Clippers, would it be a huge knock on him in your book?
No, I do not think it would be a huge knock on him. What I do think is this. I think that going out last year in Round two to a team that was not a championship caliber team and blowing that game seven lead at home, and then if they were to go out this year in round one in a series they had a home court advantage, where Game two you can say part of the reason they
lost was because jokicch didn't play very well. What I think is it could depending on what happens with the rest of the playoffs open the door for the best player or alive conversation to start up again, like Jokich has sealed that door shut where it is just consensus clear he's the best player in the league. You have a you have back to back early playoff exits against team now, especially if the Clippers then get popped in round two. Like that's the other thing. It's one thing,
we got a tough draw. We played the champs in round one last year. You didn't have a tough draw. You played Minnesota who lost to the team that then lost to the team. If you you know, if you lose to the Clippers and they go on to win the championship, that's one thing. You lose the Clippers and they end up getting waxed in round two, in five or six at something else. It also matters how well you play, Like Joker was good in Game one, and I thought was not good in Game two, and I
thought the foulbating was bad, the flopping the turnovers. Now he should again. I still think the Nuggets are gonna win this series, and I'm not gonna kill him if they lose it. But I do think that it could reopen the door on that conversation, just like Giannis having a tough round two loss followed by a round one loss opened the door and Joker stormed through it. Now who would storm through it? Am I really gonna say
Shay is the best player in the world? Probably not like I just probably like I gotta see what happened, But that do I actually think in my bones Shade is better than Joker? I don't Could Luca storm through it if they win the tie? Demonty Schikan said, what do the Lakers win the title? Lakers win the title? Luca? Could Luca could have a claim to it?
Yeah?
Uh could Tatum? Could Tatum be like? What about me?
Like, yes, Tato, Luca and.
Yes, Okay Aunt? Sure if they were to win the tie, I got his affairs fair. Yes, if the Timbrelves were to win the title, then Aunt would probably have to be the best player in the world for them to do it, because I don't think they have a championship caliber roster. I mean to that note, I guess Kate Cunningham like this win. I just give it to him. So again, I'm not even saying he would lose the title.
I'm just saying the door would be open a like, and people you would now be allowed to submit names for consideration, so to speak. Also, Daniel, you can tell me in the chat what's up with your interim coach whining about the Clippers piping and crowd noise. You guys, I don't want to hear anything from Nuggets folks complaining about unfair home court advantage when you guys get to play on the moon.
You, I mean, it's fair enough, actually fair.
Enough, Daniel saying, learn to breathe, I mean, give me a break. Um, all right, let's quickly get to these other previews before we get to the draft stuff.
So, yeah, the Knicks are coming off that upset in Game two against Detroit the other day a few days ago, I should say, So they're back tonight, They're playing in Detroit. It's gonna be Detroit's first playoff home game since twenty nineteen. How nervous should Nicks fans be right now?
Nervous Like I have overreacted to every game of this series, to be fair, But now I think the Knicks just have to feel like, let's just get it, let's just be two to two, coming back to New York, like,
just find a way to get a split. And because right now it's fair to say they have been out played for seven of the eight quarters in this series, that they had the one amazing rally twenty one to nothing run, an all time run in the fourth quarter of Game one, and I just I know this is not breaking news to anyone, but you just worry, are these guys gonna wear down a bit the where Let me let me just pull it up real quick with the minutes that these guys are already playing. Now. I
understand their young guys, I get it. I understand that Tibbs doesn't want to hear it. And you can argue Tibbs basically calloused them by how he plays them in the regular season. I get all that. But when you are Jalen Brunson has played eight forty two minutes per game, OG has played forty four minutes per game. I you know, Josh Hart, Karl Anthony Towns, and Michale Bridges all at thirty five minutes per game. Gotta feel fresh, and so you try to see if you can get a little
more out of Mitchell Robinson. I've never been a campaign guy. He did play well in that first game, and the Pistons just right now do feel deeper. The Knicks are more talented, but the Pistons deeper.
Well, you can't have that mindset like, let's leave it, let's get back to New York too too. I think you got to go in there and show him his boss.
Oh you're saying, you're saying get back to New York three to one. And what I'm saying is what I'm saying is you got to be careful. You don't go back to New York one three. Yeah, that's what I'm saying. Like I and again I have totally overreacted. I'm not giving great analysis on this series. I will be honest with you. I'm being emotional about it. I think it's part of going to the game and bet live, betting the game and still feeling a little bitten by it.
All right, let's do a few follow ups here.
Yeah, do you expect a pretty similar foul baity type of game from Brunson.
Yeah, it's just how he plays correct. He's an excellent player, but he's got some Jabbroni elements to his game. And now listen, maybe that's what he has to do. Because of his size and he is skilled at it. But fair is fair. I didn't like I don't like Trey Young doing it. I don't like him doing it. I like Jalen, I like his dad a lot. I you know, I think he's your mom at this point, one of her three or four favorite players in the league. You know,
your mom just now claims she's a Knicks fan. Wow, she's like, I live here, I love going to Sorry, I just rolled over right here sal you guys, how good of a boy is he being? Though you guys didn't even know he was here.
Yeah, right and right by you too? At that none of that.
I'm sorry, buddy, but uh the no. So, yeah, your mom's a Knicks fan, now, all right?
That's fair.
I feel like that's it because when we were living in Houston, I feel like she was she was a Rockets fan.
So she's yeah, just adopts the team of where she's at. Uh and listen, I would I want the Knicks to win this series. I really want to be able to go to Nick Celtics in the garden. I think that would be a ton of fun. But I fair is fair. Like Brunton is flopping all around the place and in ways that I don't really love. All right, do we have anything else on the series?
Yeah?
So is Detroit playing with house money here or do you think that they still have something to prove?
Both they are playing with house money, but I think that they are like, this was a good season, a great season already, no matter what. But I think at this point they're like, hey, we can win, like it'd be. It's it. It's one thing if you get if you're not supposed to, you had no expectation going into the season, you overachieve, you get to the playoffs and it's like, okay, we're out classed, you know what I mean. But a
good year. But now, but that's not what's happened. Now they're like, we're not only are we in this, maybe we're better, Maybe we have the best player on the court in kid, we're the deeper team, you know all of that, And so that is that's where they're at. And then also, I don't you can ask this last follow up, I don't remember this story. So I don't.
Are you scared of Knicks fans coming up to you in the boldhega again?
After I don't, I'm sure that happened. I don't remember talking about it. That is, Oh wow, they got me with the hot cheetos and not to No, that's not brew that's Jim Dole' that's the owner of the Knicks. That's super funny that you thought that was Brue just because of the color of the hair and the goateate. No, that's the owner of the Knicks. That's super funny. It's a reason to watch this on YouTube. All right, let's Dottle Lakers Timbrels befo where you get to the draft. Uh.
Yeah, So thanks to their defense, the Lakers evened up that series the other day.
So they're playing on Friday, and JJ Reddick might have schemed some nice stuff here.
And I said after the game the defense was confusing in something he hadn't seen.
So you talked yesterday on You talked yesterday on an.
Emergency pod and said that Lebron would be whatever the Lakers needed to be.
What do you think that's gonna be tomorrow?
Uh, it's probably gonna have to score a little more uh than he did in Game one or Game two, but I think mostly and by score a little more, it really just means hit a couple more hit a couple open shots. Lebron is I eighteen for his last sixty eight from three? I think and so and that is you. You guys have heard me say this one hundred times. I'll say it again. Lebron never shoots his average from three. And by that, I mean if he shot thirty eight percent this year, You're not gonna find
a month he shot thirty eight percent. You're gonna find a months where he shot forty five percent, and then months where he shot twenty seven percent. And it evens out. He goes hot on these hot and cold streaks from three. Right now, he's on a cold streak. But I think him being the head of the Snake defensively is what they need from him, what they The guy who I actually think they need more from offensively is Austin Reeves.
Luke has been awesome man and Luca Game two, Like you all, you've got to adjust your eyes to what some of these stat lines mean within the context of the game. So Luca in game two having thirty one, twelve and nine in a game that the team scores ninety four points, responsible for seven rights in the points, right, it's just remarkable. So It's just like Steph in game one scoring thirty one when they scored ninety five, Kawhi in game two scoring thirty nine when they only score
one to Ozh five. Those are big time numbers, like big outputs. I've said for I've said for years that I think and this is part of his legend, and it's a deserved part of his legend that I think the greatest game Michael Jordan ever played was his final game with the Chicago Bulls. Uh. And that game, you
see he scored. He was fifteen of thirty five from the field, so that was not he was hyper efficient, but Michael Jordan in that game, and again the stat line's funny because it was forty five points, one rebound, one assist. But the reason I think that was the greatest game of his career was he scored forty five points, his team scored eighty seven, so like that, you know, and it was to win a championship, and he knew
it was his final game. Just a remarkable performance, so you gotta always It's also why I thought people were a little too critical of the statline Lebron had offensively in Game two, twenty one to eleven and seven, they scored ninety four, and so I'm good with that. I also think Anthony Edwards was a little too honest. It's like, man, they had me frasfled, haven't. I haven't seen that, and so I'm really people upset. You know, typically role players
play better at home. I'm curious the level of pressure or anxiety the Timberwolves feel going into this Game three where they laid down to but yeah, I mean they they they were not ready to work the way they needed to work offensively. Let me say one other thing about Anthony Edwards. Anthony edwards last ten playoff games demonsey zero thirty point games, thirty point games, His previous twelve playoff games before that eight thirty point games, four forty point games.
Well, I mean, I don't think that's I don't think that's a sign of him taper it off or jumping off the deep end. That means it's just probably a thirty piece coming soon.
Maybe yeah, but he needs to be more aggressive in driving to the basket on this Lakers team that is never in protection. And so listen, I think the Lakers are gonna win game I think the Lakers will win Game two or Game three, pardon me to go up to one, and I think it probably goes like this, Lakers win Game three, Timberwolves win Game four, Lakers win Game five at back in LA, and then the Lakers close them out in six in Minnesota. But I think
it's two to two going back to LA. And so that's where that's where I think we're at right now, all right time now for one of our favorite things we do every year, Nick Wright, GM consultant.
Yes, sir, so, after finishing among the top Monck Drafters last year, NFL gms know that you, Nick right, are the secret.
To nailing the draft once again.
All thirty two teams have your number and on deck and to call you tonight in case they can't make a final decision. So in the extremely likely scenario that some of them call you to weigh in on their pick and get them right, you need some practice. I'm gonna play an NFL GM calling you with a dilemma and you've basically got sixty seconds to convince me what I should do.
Okay, all right, So demanse if I have this right, is going to play different gms for different teams. The first one, well, demonte's just gonna tell us and I am playing myself. Easy role for me. Ronda, Oh a lot? Where it is?
Take it away, Hey, Nick, it's the Jags GM James Gladstone. We're picking an offensive player to help restore the Prince's throne. Will Campbell is off the board. Do we draft a weapon for Trevor Lawrence or do we draft someone to protect Trevor Lawrence? Sixty seconds go?
All right, So if you're listen, if you're dead set on an offensive player, then this is an easy pick. You don't need to draft Membo. Probably it's not that it's too high for him. But you at the fifth pick, you want to be able to say you got the best player at a position. This is not a wide receiver draft. You had Brian Thomas Junior last year. I thought you guys would go defense here, potentially Mason Graham out of Michigan. But if you're going offense, there's no
question who you take. You take Ashton Genty. You take Ashton Gent at number five. You then also call teams like say the Dallas Cowboys, and see if they want to give you a mid round pick for Travis Attn get more draft capital. But the answer is you take Ashton gent if that if you're dead set on offense, that one was easy. I mean again, I think they're probably gonna go defense. But that one's easy. All right? Who's next to Monsay?
It's Saints GM Mickey Loomis, Hey, don't say it, man, I'm gonna fix the cap eventually. Ca Whart cam Ward is the only quarterback taken, so we can pick the future face of our team. But the Giants are calling with a great offer to trade back in the round one. We don't really know what's going on with Carr, so now it could be the time to take our cap medicine and retool for next year. Do we trade the pick to New York or do we draft a quarterback?
Sixty seconds?
Oh, this is very easy. You trade the pick to New York. However, you really need to squeeze Joe Shane. Joe Shane is terrified he's losing his job. Joe Shane, because of that, is does not care so much about future draft capital because he thinks it might not be his to deal with. So what you need to do is hang up on New York and tell them hold on, you're getting another call. You gotta call him back, and then you need to call him and say, wow, we
just got an unbelievable offer for number nine. So what we're gonna need is we're gonna need your second this year. That's obvious. But we're also gonna need your first round pick next year, your third round pick next year, and a fifth this year. That's what you're gonna need. And Joe Shane, you know what he's gonna say. He's gonna say yes, trade back, squeeze him. Take advantage of the desperate guy. He doesn't want to take his kids out of private school, he doesn't want to have to move.
Take advantage if you're gonna do that, and you'd be moving down twenty five spots. Mickey, all right, who's next to Monsay?
Hey, Nick, it's Mike Tomlin with Pittsburgh. Our GM has given me the final decision. Ward is still the only quarterback off the board, so we can finally go with other options. However, Rogers just called, begging us not to take a quarterback and sign him instead. Do we draft a quarterback or do we sign Aaron Rodgers? Sixty seconds?
All right, Well, what you should tell Aaron Rodgers is that you know respectfully and you appreciate him and no hard feelings, but you can't work on his timeline. He'll understand. It's what he told you guys already. I don't love Shador however, at one and with the potential upside and with the fact that the Steelers are the one team
that can I think deal with the potential. Is Dion gonna be the head coach noise better than anybody were without it affecting their head coach because of Tom Because you're there, Mike Tomlin, I think you tell Aaron Rodgers to kick rocks uh. And I think you draft Shot or Sanders and you try to move on to the next iteration of Steelers football. That's what I would do, Mike. Okay, you like that one. I also don't think you know how to use that phone, Mike. I think that's too
old time you have a phone. I think you were talking into the receiver. I think the whole thing all right, Who's.
Next, Nick is Brandon Beam from the Bills.
Don't hang up, please, You're the best in the business and we need you. Man.
We can go in any direction here at thirty or even trade back. What do we need to beat your Chiefs sixty seconds ago.
All right, what I would recommend you do, Brandon Bean in this draft. This is a real this is the real advice. In this draft. There is not a huge difference between players that are going to be taking at twenty and at forty. So you need to call up the Cleveland Browns and tell them, hey, man, heads up, we're getting a lot of calls teams that want to move into our spot to get what's going on here.
Wait, wait, wait, we're getting a called. Your Chiefs are trying to trade up. Tell us what they're planning to do, and if we should twelve for this trap again?
You know they've got.
Okay obviously, Brandon Bean, hang up on the Chiefs. Just hang up on the Chiefs, Brandon. But yeah, there you go. You don't do business with the Chiefs. What you need to do is call the Browns and get them. Tell them someone's trying to move up to get Jackson Dart. You know they need a quarterback. Get an extra pick from the Browns, move back four spots. That's what you need to do. Now. Sadly, that does probably mean the
Chiefs will end up taking the player you wanted. After you move back, But it's the prudent move that's what you need to do. Great job, great job, Brandon Bean. Yeah, no problem. So I enjoyed that game. I enjoy that game every single year. Before we get to listener questions, let me remind you guys, the NBA eighty two game grind is done. Now the real fun has begun. The NBA Playoffs are here. Time for all the high stakes drama,
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see DKNG dot co slash b ball. All right, demonse, Let's go to some listener questions before we get out of.
Here, Curtis is demonsee.
If you could add either You'll catch or Yiannis to the Lakers, who would it be.
And why.
Who?
What's your answer?
My answer would be honest, Yeah, you'll catch on that team. It's like a bunch of like savants on the same team. No athleticism.
Well, need to put YadA on the athletics.
Seems a little harsh Lebron James on the team. But uh, the answer is janis the answers Yiannis without question, and it's for the defense and for all of it. But they obviously, listen the Lakers. Giannis could be on the move this summer. Yeah, but the Lakers wouldn't be involved in that. But the answer for what the Lakers need to be honest. Uh. The all right?
Next, Ronnie asked Nick, were you as disgusted as I that Lebron finished seventh and clutch Player of the Year?
Right? Listen, I listen. The fact that only one of the one hundred voters voted him first is just such a joke. It's not worth getting bent out of shapeover. But it's just it's a farce. So yeah, there, I mean I thought he I thought he should have won it, but it certainly shouldn't have been the runaway that it was, and it shouldn't have been that he you know, came in seventh.
But go ahead, Liam ass is the goat, the best ever? Is the goat the best ever player of the best ever career. Uh find it weird how people chop and change between definitions without clearly stating it.
Well, I you know you're correct there that it's kind of a it depends on what you value. I guess now. I happen to think that in the NF in the NBA, they're the same. It's the same guy. I think the best player ever is Lebron James, and I think he's had the best career ever. I think that that is not always like in football, the best career ever is Tom Brady. But if Patrick Mahomes, you know, has three more years at this level, he won't have the career
as Brady, but he'll be the best player ever. And so you know, and so those are It depends on what you want. I think it's nice and clean. How in basketball it's the same guy. And here's the other thing. On the basketball goat debate, you can argue that Jordan was the best player. You can't argue he had the best career. You can argue Lebron was the best player, and he very clearly has had the best career. But we don't have to do that right now, all right? Next?
Uh Scott as how many O line guys to the Chiefs draft? Over under two and a half? I think it should be over. What do you think?
Oh? My guess is it's probably two. So I would take slight under, but a lot of those late round picks, it just sees how it falls. All right.
Next, Jay, For the teams that are uncertain at quarterback or are spending too much money on them, like the Dolphins and the Niners, should they have been should they have been in on getting in developing Joe Milton?
Uh? I would have thought the Dolphins with Joe Milton would be more interesting than the Cowboys when they have Dak there. I don't understand the Cowboys fascination and trading mid round picks for guys that they hope to never play. They did it with Trey Lance and then they did it with Joe Milton. All right, enjoy the draft tonight again. Reminder, check out first things First Today it's gonna be a ton of fun like rate, subscribe, review, do all that
it really does help us out. We appreciate all you guys watching What's Ray