Isaiah Blakely

So this is not to dismiss any subtle differences between the U.S. and Canada or not so subtle differences. No. I don't want to piss off Canada.

So this is not to dismiss any subtle differences between the U.S. and Canada or not so subtle differences. No. I don't want to piss off Canada.

So this is not to dismiss any subtle differences between the U.S. and Canada or not so subtle differences. No. I don't want to piss off Canada.

They're making a bet in August, right? The schedule is built, and they actually work on this for months even preceding that.

They're making a bet in August, right? The schedule is built, and they actually work on this for months even preceding that.

They're making a bet in August, right? The schedule is built, and they actually work on this for months even preceding that.

It's a really complex process, and there's arena availability issues, and of course you have to balance the schedule with X number of games against all your opponents, and now you've got the NBA Cup, which presents another set of variables and challenges, and they have to be flexible around the Cup semifinals and final because... They don't know who's going to be in it. Right.

It's a really complex process, and there's arena availability issues, and of course you have to balance the schedule with X number of games against all your opponents, and now you've got the NBA Cup, which presents another set of variables and challenges, and they have to be flexible around the Cup semifinals and final because... They don't know who's going to be in it. Right.

It's a really complex process, and there's arena availability issues, and of course you have to balance the schedule with X number of games against all your opponents, and now you've got the NBA Cup, which presents another set of variables and challenges, and they have to be flexible around the Cup semifinals and final because... They don't know who's going to be in it. Right.

So trying to flex games on Christmas, I think, would be incredibly difficult, if not impossible. So I get it. But yeah, the Thunder probably should have been there from the beginning. And the Sixers, who could have known that Joel Embiid and Paul George would get hurt?

So trying to flex games on Christmas, I think, would be incredibly difficult, if not impossible. So I get it. But yeah, the Thunder probably should have been there from the beginning. And the Sixers, who could have known that Joel Embiid and Paul George would get hurt?

So trying to flex games on Christmas, I think, would be incredibly difficult, if not impossible. So I get it. But yeah, the Thunder probably should have been there from the beginning. And the Sixers, who could have known that Joel Embiid and Paul George would get hurt?

Maybe that's just not a bet you should make. Maybe play the odds with certain stars who are always injured and don't bank on them bringing in the eyeballs on Christmas. I don't know. That feels like nitpicking to an extent.

Maybe that's just not a bet you should make. Maybe play the odds with certain stars who are always injured and don't bank on them bringing in the eyeballs on Christmas. I don't know. That feels like nitpicking to an extent.

Maybe that's just not a bet you should make. Maybe play the odds with certain stars who are always injured and don't bank on them bringing in the eyeballs on Christmas. I don't know. That feels like nitpicking to an extent.

But your thunder did get some shine this week.

But your thunder did get some shine this week.

But your thunder did get some shine this week.

They were in the final of the NBA Cup, which they lost to the Milwaukee Bucks. And I don't want to dwell too much on the NBA Cup myself. People who are wonderful fans and our listeners who listen to this podcast have heard me plenty on the NBA Cup. Some of them are very supportive of my skeptical agnosticism, as I call it. Some of them are tired of hearing it. But Tyler, you were there. I was not.

They were in the final of the NBA Cup, which they lost to the Milwaukee Bucks. And I don't want to dwell too much on the NBA Cup myself. People who are wonderful fans and our listeners who listen to this podcast have heard me plenty on the NBA Cup. Some of them are very supportive of my skeptical agnosticism, as I call it. Some of them are tired of hearing it. But Tyler, you were there. I was not.