Isaiah Blakely

I will say, in the league's partial defense here, and I used to, back when I had my podcast, The Full 48, back at Bleacher Report, I started this tradition of every August, I would bring on Evan Wash and Tom Corelli, the schedule makers, the schedule czars, as I dubbed them, and we would deep dive on how you built this, and I would tweak them

I will say, in the league's partial defense here, and I used to, back when I had my podcast, The Full 48, back at Bleacher Report, I started this tradition of every August, I would bring on Evan Wash and Tom Corelli, the schedule makers, the schedule czars, as I dubbed them, and we would deep dive on how you built this, and I would tweak them

on behalf of various fan bases, why do you guys hate Toronto? You know, because Raptors fans have always been out of shape during those years that they weren't getting on Christmas. And we would go through it. And there is a little bit of both art and science to this whole thing. And in the NBA's defense, like there's a lot of considerations. And so some of it is, yes, who do you want to promote?

on behalf of various fan bases, why do you guys hate Toronto? You know, because Raptors fans have always been out of shape during those years that they weren't getting on Christmas. And we would go through it. And there is a little bit of both art and science to this whole thing. And in the NBA's defense, like there's a lot of considerations. And so some of it is, yes, who do you want to promote?

on behalf of various fan bases, why do you guys hate Toronto? You know, because Raptors fans have always been out of shape during those years that they weren't getting on Christmas. And we would go through it. And there is a little bit of both art and science to this whole thing. And in the NBA's defense, like there's a lot of considerations. And so some of it is, yes, who do you want to promote?

Some of it is like the Knicks have just become a standard on Christmas. Like that's just, it's like, you know, the Lions and Cowboys on Thanksgiving in the NFL, right? Right. And you know that the garden is always going to be a great atmosphere. So there's that. The rest of it, it's a lot of like you're pretty much always going to have LeBron in the LeBron era.

Some of it is like the Knicks have just become a standard on Christmas. Like that's just, it's like, you know, the Lions and Cowboys on Thanksgiving in the NFL, right? Right. And you know that the garden is always going to be a great atmosphere. So there's that. The rest of it, it's a lot of like you're pretty much always going to have LeBron in the LeBron era.

Some of it is like the Knicks have just become a standard on Christmas. Like that's just, it's like, you know, the Lions and Cowboys on Thanksgiving in the NFL, right? Right. And you know that the garden is always going to be a great atmosphere. So there's that. The rest of it, it's a lot of like you're pretty much always going to have LeBron in the LeBron era.

And you're always going to have Steph in the Steph era. And you're now they're playing each other. And I don't blame them for that at all. Like wherever those teams happen to be right now, like like, yes, by all means, these are the standard bearers of your league and have been for the last decade plus.

And you're always going to have Steph in the Steph era. And you're now they're playing each other. And I don't blame them for that at all. Like wherever those teams happen to be right now, like like, yes, by all means, these are the standard bearers of your league and have been for the last decade plus.

And you're always going to have Steph in the Steph era. And you're now they're playing each other. And I don't blame them for that at all. Like wherever those teams happen to be right now, like like, yes, by all means, these are the standard bearers of your league and have been for the last decade plus.

I'm fine with that. Kevin Durant is part of that generation to like the guys who are starting to age out and who we may not have for much more than another year or two or three at most. I get all that. And to their credit, yes, Mavericks, Luka, perennial MVP candidate. He's on there. Celtics, defending champs, on there. Wemby, of course. And the Wolves, you mentioned Anthony Edwards.

I'm fine with that. Kevin Durant is part of that generation to like the guys who are starting to age out and who we may not have for much more than another year or two or three at most. I get all that. And to their credit, yes, Mavericks, Luka, perennial MVP candidate. He's on there. Celtics, defending champs, on there. Wemby, of course. And the Wolves, you mentioned Anthony Edwards.

I'm fine with that. Kevin Durant is part of that generation to like the guys who are starting to age out and who we may not have for much more than another year or two or three at most. I get all that. And to their credit, yes, Mavericks, Luka, perennial MVP candidate. He's on there. Celtics, defending champs, on there. Wemby, of course. And the Wolves, you mentioned Anthony Edwards.

So there is some, there are small markets represented here. There are younger stars represented on this list. slate. But yes, it's, it still feels like an oversight to not have the team that had the most wins in the West that was widely favored to win the West and has the guy who finished what second, I think an MVP voting last season in Shea.

So there is some, there are small markets represented here. There are younger stars represented on this list. slate. But yes, it's, it still feels like an oversight to not have the team that had the most wins in the West that was widely favored to win the West and has the guy who finished what second, I think an MVP voting last season in Shea.

So there is some, there are small markets represented here. There are younger stars represented on this list. slate. But yes, it's, it still feels like an oversight to not have the team that had the most wins in the West that was widely favored to win the West and has the guy who finished what second, I think an MVP voting last season in Shea.

That little line we draw right at the top of the U.S. there between here and Canada. It's funny because he's the one guy, like we keep talking about all the international players. If you didn't know that Shea was Canadian, you wouldn't know that Shea was Canadian. Totally, totally. Not in the same way you know that Jokic and Doncic or Giannis are from somewhere else.

That little line we draw right at the top of the U.S. there between here and Canada. It's funny because he's the one guy, like we keep talking about all the international players. If you didn't know that Shea was Canadian, you wouldn't know that Shea was Canadian. Totally, totally. Not in the same way you know that Jokic and Doncic or Giannis are from somewhere else.

That little line we draw right at the top of the U.S. there between here and Canada. It's funny because he's the one guy, like we keep talking about all the international players. If you didn't know that Shea was Canadian, you wouldn't know that Shea was Canadian. Totally, totally. Not in the same way you know that Jokic and Doncic or Giannis are from somewhere else.