Jay King

They go into halftime, they're down 54-39. And it was entirely what happened in the seven minutes that Steph sat that ruined them. And then by that point, you're demoralized. And it seemed like they came out that way in the third quarter and the Celtics just trounced them from there. So... It really is weird.

They go into halftime, they're down 54-39. And it was entirely what happened in the seven minutes that Steph sat that ruined them. And then by that point, you're demoralized. And it seemed like they came out that way in the third quarter and the Celtics just trounced them from there. So... It really is weird.

And some of the stuff they've said with, you know, Draymond and Steph saying, yeah, that seems to me like, why would you even try? Right. Like you'd never hear stars who still have something left in the tank.

And some of the stuff they've said with, you know, Draymond and Steph saying, yeah, that seems to me like, why would you even try? Right. Like you'd never hear stars who still have something left in the tank.

say don't don't trade the young guys for me usually it's the other way around where they're campaigning for trades to bolster the roster that sounded to me like like they don't think there's any fix right now for this group that they don't really think there's any hope or any trade out there that that can take them back to championship caliber

say don't don't trade the young guys for me usually it's the other way around where they're campaigning for trades to bolster the roster that sounded to me like like they don't think there's any fix right now for this group that they don't really think there's any hope or any trade out there that that can take them back to championship caliber

I think the last month, it's just 8-8, but it's been just inconsistency. And because last year was so smooth, this is the first time this group with Porzingis, with Drew Holiday, has experienced any type of rut. And so it's just different. And to see that group struggle, to see the starting lineup be as bad as it has been over the last month,

I think the last month, it's just 8-8, but it's been just inconsistency. And because last year was so smooth, this is the first time this group with Porzingis, with Drew Holiday, has experienced any type of rut. And so it's just different. And to see that group struggle, to see the starting lineup be as bad as it has been over the last month,

Um, to see them like just be outscored or close to it with Chris Ashpor Zingas on the court, which is very strange. Like just been a weird month. The, the end of game stuff against Atlanta, even the game they won against the Pelicans. I date. They threw a ball out of bounds like just for no reason. They had a five second violation. They they've missed clutch free throw.

Um, to see them like just be outscored or close to it with Chris Ashpor Zingas on the court, which is very strange. Like just been a weird month. The, the end of game stuff against Atlanta, even the game they won against the Pelicans. I date. They threw a ball out of bounds like just for no reason. They had a five second violation. They they've missed clutch free throw.

It's like everything has gone wrong. So do you think they like been a very weird stretch? But but today obviously was just a pretty complete win there. Their defense was there in the first half when the offense wasn't quite rolling. And then once the offense kind of came around, they ran away with it.

It's like everything has gone wrong. So do you think they like been a very weird stretch? But but today obviously was just a pretty complete win there. Their defense was there in the first half when the offense wasn't quite rolling. And then once the offense kind of came around, they ran away with it.

Yeah. Yeah. So I'm sure Joe loves it. Yeah. I'm sure there's a part of him that's like, you know what? We can really benefit from this and, and we can benefit from things being hard. We can benefit from, um, Going through like they've talked a lot lately about how the NBA has adjusted to them and how teams are guarding them differently.

Yeah. Yeah. So I'm sure Joe loves it. Yeah. I'm sure there's a part of him that's like, you know what? We can really benefit from this and, and we can benefit from things being hard. We can benefit from, um, Going through like they've talked a lot lately about how the NBA has adjusted to them and how teams are guarding them differently.

And and especially with Porzingis back, I think the coverages against them have been different. They've been shifting and they're sort of trying to figure all of that out. So maybe they come out of this better. But I think the the bigger point is like. Like, they're probably just a little. like, low energy right now. They won a championship.

And and especially with Porzingis back, I think the coverages against them have been different. They've been shifting and they're sort of trying to figure all of that out. So maybe they come out of this better. But I think the the bigger point is like. Like, they're probably just a little. like, low energy right now. They won a championship.

And as Steve Kerr pointed out today, not only did they win a championship, most of the guys on this team spent seven or eight years building toward that championship. Right, yeah. And so you put so much time, so much energy into winning that, and then you've got to come back, and it's like, where is the motivation, you know? Do it again.

And as Steve Kerr pointed out today, not only did they win a championship, most of the guys on this team spent seven or eight years building toward that championship. Right, yeah. And so you put so much time, so much energy into winning that, and then you've got to come back, and it's like, where is the motivation, you know? Do it again.

And so I think to some extent, you know, they dominated the first couple months of the season, and they got to December to January. And it was a little tough reincorporating Chris Asporzingas because he plays very different. But I think also it's just kind of. the motivation is tougher to find than, than it was last year.

And so I think to some extent, you know, they dominated the first couple months of the season, and they got to December to January. And it was a little tough reincorporating Chris Asporzingas because he plays very different. But I think also it's just kind of. the motivation is tougher to find than, than it was last year.

So you can say that, but then you can also look at during this nine and eight stretch, they've shot something like 34 percent from the arc, which is very rare and will probably never happen again. And they have like the fourth ranked offense or third ranked offense during that time. And part of that is because they do have such a such a high three point volume.

So you can say that, but then you can also look at during this nine and eight stretch, they've shot something like 34 percent from the arc, which is very rare and will probably never happen again. And they have like the fourth ranked offense or third ranked offense during that time. And part of that is because they do have such a such a high three point volume.

And part of that is because the math suggests like if good shooters get up that many shots, it's going to be really tough to keep that offense down. And that's part of the reason why they've been so efficient at the rim is because you have to worry about everyone on their roster firing away. And so I think, yes, you do have to have other things to go to.

And part of that is because the math suggests like if good shooters get up that many shots, it's going to be really tough to keep that offense down. And that's part of the reason why they've been so efficient at the rim is because you have to worry about everyone on their roster firing away. And so I think, yes, you do have to have other things to go to.

And I think Porzingis coming back, getting him in the post. Jalen Brown has developed as a post player. Jason Tatum in ISO has been more efficient than anyone else so far this season. There are other ways they can score. But, yeah, like if you do shoot. low 30s for a month in the playoffs, then maybe you don't survive that. But I don't think they're the only team that that would be the case for.

And I think Porzingis coming back, getting him in the post. Jalen Brown has developed as a post player. Jason Tatum in ISO has been more efficient than anyone else so far this season. There are other ways they can score. But, yeah, like if you do shoot. low 30s for a month in the playoffs, then maybe you don't survive that. But I don't think they're the only team that that would be the case for.

I think pretty much any team, if you go through a cold shooting stretch, will have real difficulties. So it's interesting because if their three-point percentages were just normal during this streak, how different would it be? How many more games would they have won? And so you can point to shot luck, but also at the same time, it's like,

I think pretty much any team, if you go through a cold shooting stretch, will have real difficulties. So it's interesting because if their three-point percentages were just normal during this streak, how different would it be? How many more games would they have won? And so you can point to shot luck, but also at the same time, it's like,

I think the process going into those looks hasn't been quite the same as it was earlier this season. The thing that Joe Missoula has pointed out a couple of times is like, they're not, they're also not getting up as many threes as it did earlier this season. It was like 50, they were averaging 52 threes attempted per game for a while, which is insane.

I think the process going into those looks hasn't been quite the same as it was earlier this season. The thing that Joe Missoula has pointed out a couple of times is like, they're not, they're also not getting up as many threes as it did earlier this season. It was like 50, they were averaging 52 threes attempted per game for a while, which is insane.

And over the last month or so, it's been down to about 45. So I think he would be okay with them getting up more. And I think it's, it's, part of the clunkier process that they've had that they haven't gotten those up and also bringing poor Zingas back. Obviously, he's going to take more twos. He's going to take more post-ups.

And over the last month or so, it's been down to about 45. So I think he would be okay with them getting up more. And I think it's, it's, part of the clunkier process that they've had that they haven't gotten those up and also bringing poor Zingas back. Obviously, he's going to take more twos. He's going to take more post-ups.

So it's been a process for them figuring it out the last month or so, especially with that starting lineup. the struggles they had with that group for a while was really startling.

So it's been a process for them figuring it out the last month or so, especially with that starting lineup. the struggles they had with that group for a while was really startling.

Yeah, I think that's a big part of it. Obviously, like when Porzingis was out. The first two months of the season, they were actually one of the best teams at preventing three point attempts by the other team. Right. And so that was the style that they use.

Yeah, I think that's a big part of it. Obviously, like when Porzingis was out. The first two months of the season, they were actually one of the best teams at preventing three point attempts by the other team. Right. And so that was the style that they use.

Whereas last year with Porzingis, they sort of played like the Bucks did with with Brooke Lopez and Giannis under Budenholzer, where they were like, you can fire away. We'll leave your best shooters. We'll protect the rim. We'll kind of have our defense start from the inside and then work out.

Whereas last year with Porzingis, they sort of played like the Bucks did with with Brooke Lopez and Giannis under Budenholzer, where they were like, you can fire away. We'll leave your best shooters. We'll protect the rim. We'll kind of have our defense start from the inside and then work out.

um and with porzingis back they've kind of gone back to that previous style where they're allowing a lot more three-point attempts and right now teams have been gassing them the last month teams have been gassing them from behind the arc i think to some extent like every team is shot like the cavaliers against it was something like when porzingis i looked at this a couple games ago uh so it's probably not exactly the case anymore especially after what the warriors just did but for for a 10-game stretch

um and with porzingis back they've kind of gone back to that previous style where they're allowing a lot more three-point attempts and right now teams have been gassing them the last month teams have been gassing them from behind the arc i think to some extent like every team is shot like the cavaliers against it was something like when porzingis i looked at this a couple games ago uh so it's probably not exactly the case anymore especially after what the warriors just did but for for a 10-game stretch

When Porzingis was on the court, the Celtics opponents were shooting forty three point five percent from the three point arc and getting up like forty four three point attack for forty eight minutes. Damn. So so it's like every team was was shooting like the Cavaliers against them, both with volume and percentage. And it's like it's going to be tough to survive that one.

When Porzingis was on the court, the Celtics opponents were shooting forty three point five percent from the three point arc and getting up like forty four three point attack for forty eight minutes. Damn. So so it's like every team was was shooting like the Cavaliers against them, both with volume and percentage. And it's like it's going to be tough to survive that one.

Also, I don't think other teams will sustain that. But. I think part of it is playing a new style. Part of it is, like I said, probably a low-energy stretch, and you let guys get too comfortable.

Also, I don't think other teams will sustain that. But. I think part of it is playing a new style. Part of it is, like I said, probably a low-energy stretch, and you let guys get too comfortable.

But they definitely have to adjust to kind of a new style, and I think at the end of the day, it will help them out that they can kind of toggle back and forth between a team that shuts off the arc and a team that allows bad shooters to shoot open ones from above the break. But right now, they're just sort of figuring it all out.

But they definitely have to adjust to kind of a new style, and I think at the end of the day, it will help them out that they can kind of toggle back and forth between a team that shuts off the arc and a team that allows bad shooters to shoot open ones from above the break. But right now, they're just sort of figuring it all out.

So Cleveland has obviously been the best team in the race. That's not even a discussion. They played a historic pace. The one thing I think about as I project forward to the playoffs is like, The Celtics don't really have any weak link on either end in their rotation. There's no one you can really hunt that you'd be comfortable hunting.

So Cleveland has obviously been the best team in the race. That's not even a discussion. They played a historic pace. The one thing I think about as I project forward to the playoffs is like, The Celtics don't really have any weak link on either end in their rotation. There's no one you can really hunt that you'd be comfortable hunting.

There's no one you can leave at the three-point arc that you'd be comfortable leaving. And I just feel like Cleveland has some of that. Like, they're vulnerable in different places. What does Darius Garland do if Jason Tatum and Jalen Brown are hunting him relentlessly? What is, you know... Sam Merrill do? What does, you know, what does George Niang do?

There's no one you can leave at the three-point arc that you'd be comfortable leaving. And I just feel like Cleveland has some of that. Like, they're vulnerable in different places. What does Darius Garland do if Jason Tatum and Jalen Brown are hunting him relentlessly? What is, you know... Sam Merrill do? What does, you know, what does George Niang do?

Guys that are important to their second unit. Ty Jerome, like, they've been really good. They've been incredible. That second unit has just blitzed teams all year. But in the playoffs, I do wonder if they have just... just too many weak links to survive another great team. That said, they're absolutely good enough to beat the Celtics. They've been a well-oiled machine all year.

Guys that are important to their second unit. Ty Jerome, like, they've been really good. They've been incredible. That second unit has just blitzed teams all year. But in the playoffs, I do wonder if they have just... just too many weak links to survive another great team. That said, they're absolutely good enough to beat the Celtics. They've been a well-oiled machine all year.

The Celtics would have to play a great series against them. I would love to see it. But yeah, Cleveland's been unbelievable.

The Celtics would have to play a great series against them. I would love to see it. But yeah, Cleveland's been unbelievable.

I was saying to somebody during the game, it's just so weird to see the Warriors suck.

I was saying to somebody during the game, it's just so weird to see the Warriors suck.

right like it's so weird to see them lifeless it's so weird to see their defense not flying around it's so weird to see like obviously when Steph comes out when Draymond's not in the lineup it's gonna get ugly but just seeing how bad it can get with the Schroeder buddy healed lineups it's like there's nothing they can do to score and Like that first half, Steph Curry was a plus two.

right like it's so weird to see them lifeless it's so weird to see their defense not flying around it's so weird to see like obviously when Steph comes out when Draymond's not in the lineup it's gonna get ugly but just seeing how bad it can get with the Schroeder buddy healed lineups it's like there's nothing they can do to score and Like that first half, Steph Curry was a plus two.

And the way that he took over for Portland down the stretch, fourth quarter and in overtime. And he really gave him a really good chance to win it, not to mention taking it into overtime.

And the way that he took over for Portland down the stretch, fourth quarter and in overtime. And he really gave him a really good chance to win it, not to mention taking it into overtime.

What do you feel like the biggest difference between, aside from the level of competition being higher, do you feel like the Celtics themselves maybe are a little bit more vulnerable this year as compared to last year, just internally?

What do you feel like the biggest difference between, aside from the level of competition being higher, do you feel like the Celtics themselves maybe are a little bit more vulnerable this year as compared to last year, just internally?

He should be treated the way that teams are treating Lou Dort. Lou Dort is a flamethrower. And Drew Holiday can't hit the broad side of a barn. And I don't understand why teams aren't making them pay for that.

He should be treated the way that teams are treating Lou Dort. Lou Dort is a flamethrower. And Drew Holiday can't hit the broad side of a barn. And I don't understand why teams aren't making them pay for that.

You don't imagine a lineup change? I mean, Peyton Pritchard has been, I mean, that guy. Yeah, I mean, he's been amazing all season long. And obviously, if you need the defense, Drew is out there. But if you need the offense, you've got that option. You think that could be something that they look into?

You don't imagine a lineup change? I mean, Peyton Pritchard has been, I mean, that guy. Yeah, I mean, he's been amazing all season long. And obviously, if you need the defense, Drew is out there. But if you need the offense, you've got that option. You think that could be something that they look into?

When he's committed to two feet in the paint, he's an automatic bucket inside 10 feet, and he's unstoppable to get there. Jay, before we get out of here, do you have a hot take on the MVP since everybody seems to have some sort of opinion with 20 games to go?

When he's committed to two feet in the paint, he's an automatic bucket inside 10 feet, and he's unstoppable to get there. Jay, before we get out of here, do you have a hot take on the MVP since everybody seems to have some sort of opinion with 20 games to go?

Guys, don't forget, stick around after the show. We've got a trailer for the revamped athletic women's basketball show. No offseason. All your favorites. Our own Zena Keita, Chantel Jennings, Ben Pickman, Sabrina Merchant. Relaunching the show just in time for March Madness. So go ahead and check out that trailer. Subscribe. You know, subscribe to this on YouTube. Like us. Give us a review.

Guys, don't forget, stick around after the show. We've got a trailer for the revamped athletic women's basketball show. No offseason. All your favorites. Our own Zena Keita, Chantel Jennings, Ben Pickman, Sabrina Merchant. Relaunching the show just in time for March Madness. So go ahead and check out that trailer. Subscribe. You know, subscribe to this on YouTube. Like us. Give us a review.

All that. For Jay King and Espera Henney, I'm Dave Dufour, and this has been the NBA Daily. Thanks for waking up with us.

All that. For Jay King and Espera Henney, I'm Dave Dufour, and this has been the NBA Daily. Thanks for waking up with us.

It felt like he was getting a rebound every single time they needed it down the stretch.

It felt like he was getting a rebound every single time they needed it down the stretch.

He is so big. He had a great block, you know, clutch block in this game. And Denny Obdia had 27, 15 rebounds, five offensive rebounds from Denny.

He is so big. He had a great block, you know, clutch block in this game. And Denny Obdia had 27, 15 rebounds, five offensive rebounds from Denny.

Cause he hit the clutch basket before bridges hit the shot. I mean, that's what I was setting up for. I was like, Oh, I'm going to have a whole thing on Denny, but let's swing it to, you know, again, the Portland man, what they're doing. Yeah. Ethical. It is ethical. They're playing the young guys. They're getting, they're getting real game reps.

Cause he hit the clutch basket before bridges hit the shot. I mean, that's what I was setting up for. I was like, Oh, I'm going to have a whole thing on Denny, but let's swing it to, you know, again, the Portland man, what they're doing. Yeah. Ethical. It is ethical. They're playing the young guys. They're getting, they're getting real game reps.

It feels like it, man. They're so competitive in every single game for the Knicks. Look, This is a gutsy win without Jalen Brunson, their offense, you know, it's not the easiest thing to come together. He hit some of the toughest shots and, and this was a clutch game that they won without the most clutch guy in the league. So I think you've got to tip your cap to them.

It feels like it, man. They're so competitive in every single game for the Knicks. Look, This is a gutsy win without Jalen Brunson, their offense, you know, it's not the easiest thing to come together. He hit some of the toughest shots and, and this was a clutch game that they won without the most clutch guy in the league. So I think you've got to tip your cap to them.

And for Mikhail bridges, look, he hits a game winner. He struggled with the three ball. I think that was probably got to feel pretty good, but also he only played 41 minutes.

And for Mikhail bridges, look, he hits a game winner. He struggled with the three ball. I think that was probably got to feel pretty good, but also he only played 41 minutes.

What a game. And we're not talking about Nuggets, Wolves, or Thunder Celtics, although Thunder Celtics was maybe.

What a game. And we're not talking about Nuggets, Wolves, or Thunder Celtics, although Thunder Celtics was maybe.

Uh, before we get to the jazz being fine guys, stick around after the show, we've got a trailer for our athletic women's basketball show. We're doing a relaunch, no off season, go and check it out. All your favorites still there covering what feels like, I don't know, is it six women's basketball leagues that they're covering? I mean, they've got WNBA women's college has no time off.

Uh, before we get to the jazz being fine guys, stick around after the show, we've got a trailer for our athletic women's basketball show. We're doing a relaunch, no off season, go and check it out. All your favorites still there covering what feels like, I don't know, is it six women's basketball leagues that they're covering? I mean, they've got WNBA women's college has no time off.

She also has no off season, right? That's exactly the show named after Zena.

She also has no off season, right? That's exactly the show named after Zena.

Hey, speaking of ethical tanking and non-ethical tanking. Yeah. The Utah Jazz were fined $100,000 yesterday for violating the NBA's player participation policy with regards to Lowry Marketing. They sat him against the Wizards, okay? And I understand you're in the tank race against the Wizards. But nobody's catching you guys, Utah.

Hey, speaking of ethical tanking and non-ethical tanking. Yeah. The Utah Jazz were fined $100,000 yesterday for violating the NBA's player participation policy with regards to Lowry Marketing. They sat him against the Wizards, okay? And I understand you're in the tank race against the Wizards. But nobody's catching you guys, Utah.

And there are a lot of people that want to see Lowry Marketing play, especially other players. executives who may want to trade for him this summer. So please, you know, $100,000. This is insane. And on a night when we got Toronto and we got Philadelphia.

And there are a lot of people that want to see Lowry Marketing play, especially other players. executives who may want to trade for him this summer. So please, you know, $100,000. This is insane. And on a night when we got Toronto and we got Philadelphia.

It was the tank-a-thon, and the Raptors won that game. I mean...

It was the tank-a-thon, and the Raptors won that game. I mean...

It's going to be on the list of games of the year, and we went pretty deep on that on both sides, not just the Celtics with Jay, because Jay is so good about covering every team. So stick around after the break, guys. We're going to go deep on Celtics Thunder and talk about what this game means for potential finals. matchup, but man, the game last night.

It's going to be on the list of games of the year, and we went pretty deep on that on both sides, not just the Celtics with Jay, because Jay is so good about covering every team. So stick around after the break, guys. We're going to go deep on Celtics Thunder and talk about what this game means for potential finals. matchup, but man, the game last night.

Meanwhile, by the way, the Mavericks are down to like seven players that are healthy and they're competing every single night. And, you know, look, it's never the players. It's always the organization. Yes.

Meanwhile, by the way, the Mavericks are down to like seven players that are healthy and they're competing every single night. And, you know, look, it's never the players. It's always the organization. Yes.

Frankly, I'd get rid of the lottery. You incentivizing losing creates the environment.

Frankly, I'd get rid of the lottery. You incentivizing losing creates the environment.

You know, flatten the whole thing. I would just like to encourage, you know, just these guys should play. I just I don't know. The tanking doesn't even necessarily work.

You know, flatten the whole thing. I would just like to encourage, you know, just these guys should play. I just I don't know. The tanking doesn't even necessarily work.

It hasn't worked out for New Orleans. I mean, just not yet. So anyway, that was funny. And then the Nuggets and the Wolves, supposed to be one of the marquee games, but a little bit of a letdown, I think, if you're Denver. Coming off the split with OKC, especially that second game where they look so good. But the Wolves here lately have...

It hasn't worked out for New Orleans. I mean, just not yet. So anyway, that was funny. And then the Nuggets and the Wolves, supposed to be one of the marquee games, but a little bit of a letdown, I think, if you're Denver. Coming off the split with OKC, especially that second game where they look so good. But the Wolves here lately have...

they've sort of righted the ship, you know, they're getting more healthy. And it feels like this is a team that at least it's turned a corner from a chemistry perspective. I think they're going to have their up, you know, their ups and downs, like, like any team that's middle of the road, but it does at least seem like they understand who they are.

they've sort of righted the ship, you know, they're getting more healthy. And it feels like this is a team that at least it's turned a corner from a chemistry perspective. I think they're going to have their up, you know, their ups and downs, like, like any team that's middle of the road, but it does at least seem like they understand who they are.

I mean, I just think that it's, look, they're likely to be a play-in team, right? Unless they can, you know, unless they can be the 16th.

I mean, I just think that it's, look, they're likely to be a play-in team, right? Unless they can, you know, unless they can be the 16th.

I just trust the Warriors right now a little bit more. I think Jimmy Butler has created an edge for that team. Yeah, they're better right now for sure. Yeah, but also there's this thing where Jimmy Butler gets to help give them this push to the playoffs, right? He's nice and fresh, so he's able to pick up. Whereas Minnesota, this has been a grind for them this year.

I just trust the Warriors right now a little bit more. I think Jimmy Butler has created an edge for that team. Yeah, they're better right now for sure. Yeah, but also there's this thing where Jimmy Butler gets to help give them this push to the playoffs, right? He's nice and fresh, so he's able to pick up. Whereas Minnesota, this has been a grind for them this year.

Guys have been in and out of the lineup. They've been playing around with that starting lineup. And it hasn't gone exactly to plan. So, I mean... All that being said, you've got a team with that much talent. If they are the seventh seed, and right now Memphis is the two seed, if they catch Memphis, yes, they can win the first round. If they catch Houston, yes, they can win in the first round.

Guys have been in and out of the lineup. They've been playing around with that starting lineup. And it hasn't gone exactly to plan. So, I mean... All that being said, you've got a team with that much talent. If they are the seventh seed, and right now Memphis is the two seed, if they catch Memphis, yes, they can win the first round. If they catch Houston, yes, they can win in the first round.

And as we saw against the Nuggets, I think they've got a chance against the Nuggets. There's something there in that matchup.

And as we saw against the Nuggets, I think they've got a chance against the Nuggets. There's something there in that matchup.

I think we got another game of the year winner. How about this?

I think we got another game of the year winner. How about this?

Knicks and Blazers going down to the wire in overtime. The Knicks win on a McHale Bridges just straight away, top of the key, three-point make at the buzzer, but... Before we get to how the Knicks win this game and just pull out a gutty win, we got to talk about the Blazers, man. They continue to just play tough. By the way, Chauncey Billups coaches the Blazers. I don't know if you guys know this.

Knicks and Blazers going down to the wire in overtime. The Knicks win on a McHale Bridges just straight away, top of the key, three-point make at the buzzer, but... Before we get to how the Knicks win this game and just pull out a gutty win, we got to talk about the Blazers, man. They continue to just play tough. By the way, Chauncey Billups coaches the Blazers. I don't know if you guys know this.

But I think that Memphis Memphis is just they are just a prime example of a team that is built to win in the regular season that I just don't think has it in the playoffs. And yeah, if Minnesota catches them. I could definitely see that happen. Guys, stick around after the break. J. King goes way off the rails. No, I'm kidding.

But I think that Memphis Memphis is just they are just a prime example of a team that is built to win in the regular season that I just don't think has it in the playoffs. And yeah, if Minnesota catches them. I could definitely see that happen. Guys, stick around after the break. J. King goes way off the rails. No, I'm kidding.

J. King actually is talking more about the Oklahoma City Thunder after the break than maybe the Boston Celtics. And it's because they were amazing. We have another game of the year candidate after last night's thunder Celtics game. And we convinced Jay King to hang out and talk to us after the game. Jay, you got a chance to see the Oklahoma city thunder up close.

J. King actually is talking more about the Oklahoma City Thunder after the break than maybe the Boston Celtics. And it's because they were amazing. We have another game of the year candidate after last night's thunder Celtics game. And we convinced Jay King to hang out and talk to us after the game. Jay, you got a chance to see the Oklahoma city thunder up close.

I know you cover the Celtics, but you watch as much basketball as anybody. What was it like seeing them up close? What do you think?

I know you cover the Celtics, but you watch as much basketball as anybody. What was it like seeing them up close? What do you think?

Good morning and welcome to the NBA Daily. Coming up, the Knicks hit a game winner, the Jazz got fined for tanking, and Jay King joins the show to talk about how the Thunder handled the Celtics. Good morning, everybody. Good morning, S. Morning, Dave. What a game. What a day.

Good morning and welcome to the NBA Daily. Coming up, the Knicks hit a game winner, the Jazz got fined for tanking, and Jay King joins the show to talk about how the Thunder handled the Celtics. Good morning, everybody. Good morning, S. Morning, Dave. What a game. What a day.

They were so consistent. They kept getting into the paint. They were making shots, too. I mean, I think, what was it, S? When the Celtics had shot 22 threes, I believe Oklahoma City had 20 paint points.

They were so consistent. They kept getting into the paint. They were making shots, too. I mean, I think, what was it, S? When the Celtics had shot 22 threes, I believe Oklahoma City had 20 paint points.

Not everybody watches the Blazers. But it's good that we're confirming that we know that Chauncey Billups. And only I mean, we I just saw him. So, you know, and the Pistons are above 500.

Not everybody watches the Blazers. But it's good that we're confirming that we know that Chauncey Billups. And only I mean, we I just saw him. So, you know, and the Pistons are above 500.

He didn't look like he had much juice watching on TV. He would hit the floor and just kind of slow getting up. I thought he looked like he got maybe a little shaken up after he attempted that post up on Shea and Shea was able to fight him off.

He didn't look like he had much juice watching on TV. He would hit the floor and just kind of slow getting up. I thought he looked like he got maybe a little shaken up after he attempted that post up on Shea and Shea was able to fight him off.

I don't know if you remember that play, but I was it was odd watching him out there because usually he's just such a more of a bull in the China shop when when they need that. Right. He attacks the basket. And without him doing that, it just felt like. they didn't scare the Thunder's defense hardly at all.

I don't know if you remember that play, but I was it was odd watching him out there because usually he's just such a more of a bull in the China shop when when they need that. Right. He attacks the basket. And without him doing that, it just felt like. they didn't scare the Thunder's defense hardly at all.

Before we move off the Thunder and get to the Celtics, I do want to talk about Chet Holmgren because I do think the Porzingis-Holmgren matchup, if we do see this in the finals, and man, that would be a great finals. I think that that... is what's going to swing the finals. It's which of those guys is best in the series. What did you think about Chet in the game last night?

Before we move off the Thunder and get to the Celtics, I do want to talk about Chet Holmgren because I do think the Porzingis-Holmgren matchup, if we do see this in the finals, and man, that would be a great finals. I think that that... is what's going to swing the finals. It's which of those guys is best in the series. What did you think about Chet in the game last night?

And then in what ways do you think Porzingis counters what Chet was able to succeed at last night?

And then in what ways do you think Porzingis counters what Chet was able to succeed at last night?

But look, Portland, this this game, you know, if you haven't seen a lot of Portland, I think this one would be a good one to go back to. Totally. Yeah. You know, if you're a real basketball nerd, these guys are young. They're playing under control. And I think the guy that stands out to most to me in the recent weeks and especially last night's game, Scoot Henderson, 30 points.

But look, Portland, this this game, you know, if you haven't seen a lot of Portland, I think this one would be a good one to go back to. Totally. Yeah. You know, if you're a real basketball nerd, these guys are young. They're playing under control. And I think the guy that stands out to most to me in the recent weeks and especially last night's game, Scoot Henderson, 30 points.

So, I do. Um... And so it took them a while, I believe, to adjust to Chris Stapps Porzingis coming back. Their slump, whatever you want to call it, started right around the time he came back from injury. He missed the first 17 games of the season. But not only that, he then had three injuries over the next 10 games and was just in and out of the lineup.

So, I do. Um... And so it took them a while, I believe, to adjust to Chris Stapps Porzingis coming back. Their slump, whatever you want to call it, started right around the time he came back from injury. He missed the first 17 games of the season. But not only that, he then had three injuries over the next 10 games and was just in and out of the lineup.

And so they just kept having to bring him back. go back to life without him, reincorporate him again, and it was just kind of clunky. And for a while, even their starting lineup, which was amazing last season, one of the best lineups in basketball, was getting shredded.

And so they just kept having to bring him back. go back to life without him, reincorporate him again, and it was just kind of clunky. And for a while, even their starting lineup, which was amazing last season, one of the best lineups in basketball, was getting shredded.

Their first like 10, 9 or 10 performances, their first 200 or so minutes, they were minus 11 points per 100 possessions, which is impossible with the amount of star power they have. Lately, that has turned around. They've started to crush teams again with that group on the court. Chris Asporzingas, the last month or so, has been fantastic. And so I think they're starting to turn around.

Their first like 10, 9 or 10 performances, their first 200 or so minutes, they were minus 11 points per 100 possessions, which is impossible with the amount of star power they have. Lately, that has turned around. They've started to crush teams again with that group on the court. Chris Asporzingas, the last month or so, has been fantastic. And so I think they're starting to turn around.

But they've got to string wins together. Like you said, they haven't had three straight wins in a long time. And it just hasn't been super consistent lately. They've handed away games late in the clutch with some weird, weird crunch time mistakes. So I do believe they're coming out of it. They're showing signs. They're beginning to transform back into what they used to be.

But they've got to string wins together. Like you said, they haven't had three straight wins in a long time. And it just hasn't been super consistent lately. They've handed away games late in the clutch with some weird, weird crunch time mistakes. So I do believe they're coming out of it. They're showing signs. They're beginning to transform back into what they used to be.

But it's been a weird, weird stretch.

But it's been a weird, weird stretch.

So... Maybe. I just feel like Jason Tatum and Jalen Brown have a level of physicality that they haven't always had. Porzingis, he's shooting right now at an incredible rate. And if you look at his stats throughout his career, he's always been a good shooter, but not a great one. But because he's 7'3", it really matters that he's as good a shooter that he is.

So... Maybe. I just feel like Jason Tatum and Jalen Brown have a level of physicality that they haven't always had. Porzingis, he's shooting right now at an incredible rate. And if you look at his stats throughout his career, he's always been a good shooter, but not a great one. But because he's 7'3", it really matters that he's as good a shooter that he is.

But if he's a knockdown shooter, then it's totally different. His post-ups, they might want to use those more often even. He's just an incredible post-up player. He just bashes switches in the post. He's as efficient as it gets. And because he rarely played in the playoffs last year, that's your answer. If they're going to get better, just having Chris Stapps healthy throughout the playoffs.

But if he's a knockdown shooter, then it's totally different. His post-ups, they might want to use those more often even. He's just an incredible post-up player. He just bashes switches in the post. He's as efficient as it gets. And because he rarely played in the playoffs last year, that's your answer. If they're going to get better, just having Chris Stapps healthy throughout the playoffs.

would be a great way to start because when he's out there and they're flowing and they're making the right decisions, reading the game the right way, there's not much you can do to stop them because if you switch that, Chris Stapps will kill you on the switch. If you don't switch it, then Tatum or Brown is going to have a pretty easy time.

would be a great way to start because when he's out there and they're flowing and they're making the right decisions, reading the game the right way, there's not much you can do to stop them because if you switch that, Chris Stapps will kill you on the switch. If you don't switch it, then Tatum or Brown is going to have a pretty easy time.

So I think that's the obvious answer, just a healthy Chris Stapps.

So I think that's the obvious answer, just a healthy Chris Stapps.

I think a lot of it's variance, like like that stretch against the Rockets. They had Luke Cornett out there. When will Luke Cornett be out there in a tight game that they really, really need to win? Yeah. He was guarding Alfred Shang-Goon. Like, somehow they let Shang-Goon just have a straight line to the rim. You're not going to see that very often. The next play...

I think a lot of it's variance, like like that stretch against the Rockets. They had Luke Cornett out there. When will Luke Cornett be out there in a tight game that they really, really need to win? Yeah. He was guarding Alfred Shang-Goon. Like, somehow they let Shang-Goon just have a straight line to the rim. You're not going to see that very often. The next play...

They just have a miscommunication error, and Cornette and Jalen Brown try to pre-switch, but they don't do it in time, and so Jalen is closing out, and Ahmed Thompson is able to get into the paint very easily. He might have gotten into the paint anyway, but would have had a much tougher time if Jalen was squared up against him. That was a weird one.

They just have a miscommunication error, and Cornette and Jalen Brown try to pre-switch, but they don't do it in time, and so Jalen is closing out, and Ahmed Thompson is able to get into the paint very easily. He might have gotten into the paint anyway, but would have had a much tougher time if Jalen was squared up against him. That was a weird one.

They had the Pelicans game where Derek White just dropped the ball out of bounds on an inbounds pass. I don't think that'll happen very often. Then he had a five second violation that same game with like six seconds left. The Clippers game, they're up six with a minute. And then all of a sudden they're just throwing it all over the place.

They had the Pelicans game where Derek White just dropped the ball out of bounds on an inbounds pass. I don't think that'll happen very often. Then he had a five second violation that same game with like six seconds left. The Clippers game, they're up six with a minute. And then all of a sudden they're just throwing it all over the place.

Joe Mizzou is literally out at half court trying to call timeout. Refs won't give it to him. You can see him like for seconds just calling timeout. They don't give it to him. Jalen gets called for an offensive foul later in that play. That doesn't happen very often. So it's just like there's been a lot of weird, weird stuff.

Joe Mizzou is literally out at half court trying to call timeout. Refs won't give it to him. You can see him like for seconds just calling timeout. They don't give it to him. Jalen gets called for an offensive foul later in that play. That doesn't happen very often. So it's just like there's been a lot of weird, weird stuff.

And I'm not trying to give them excuses because they also need to execute better. Their crunch time defense needs to be a lot better. Their fourth quarters in general just need to be a lot better. A lot of it is just like weird stuff has happened during this stretch. And over the course of a season, that's that stuff happens. But for them, it's all happened.

And I'm not trying to give them excuses because they also need to execute better. Their crunch time defense needs to be a lot better. Their fourth quarters in general just need to be a lot better. A lot of it is just like weird stuff has happened during this stretch. And over the course of a season, that's that stuff happens. But for them, it's all happened.

It's all been jammed into slamming jammed into a one or two month stretch.

It's all been jammed into slamming jammed into a one or two month stretch.

The Magic, I've been a Magic fan for a long time. I think the way they play defense is just incredible. Those guys can really, really defend. I don't know if they have enough offense to challenge a team like the Celtics, but even if that's a four or five game series, you come out of that... You're bruised. You're beaten. You've dealt with jail and sugs for seven games.

The Magic, I've been a Magic fan for a long time. I think the way they play defense is just incredible. Those guys can really, really defend. I don't know if they have enough offense to challenge a team like the Celtics, but even if that's a four or five game series, you come out of that... You're bruised. You're beaten. You've dealt with jail and sugs for seven games.

You've dealt with the size and physicality of Franz Wagner and Paulo Banqueiro. You've just... You're not going to be feeling great about yourselves coming out of that series, I think, because you probably struggle to score. Nobody's really in rhythm. If I were them and the Magic are near the bottom of the standings in the Eastern Conference, that's the team that I wouldn't really want to play.

You've dealt with the size and physicality of Franz Wagner and Paulo Banqueiro. You've just... You're not going to be feeling great about yourselves coming out of that series, I think, because you probably struggle to score. Nobody's really in rhythm. If I were them and the Magic are near the bottom of the standings in the Eastern Conference, that's the team that I wouldn't really want to play.

Yeah, I mean, it goes back to last season, too. During the playoff run, he shot 20-something percent on threes, and he was still awesome. It's really hard when you shoot that high volume to shoot that poorly and still be great at basketball. But he's screening. He's moving off the ball. He's getting off the ball when he's double teamed. He's in charge of the offense. He's in command. Yeah.

Yeah, I mean, it goes back to last season, too. During the playoff run, he shot 20-something percent on threes, and he was still awesome. It's really hard when you shoot that high volume to shoot that poorly and still be great at basketball. But he's screening. He's moving off the ball. He's getting off the ball when he's double teamed. He's in charge of the offense. He's in command. Yeah.

Like you said, he plays defense. Great, great rebounder for his position. And so this transformation is it started happening a long time ago where he was like just a bucket early in his career and has gradually become one of the best all around players in the league.

Like you said, he plays defense. Great, great rebounder for his position. And so this transformation is it started happening a long time ago where he was like just a bucket early in his career and has gradually become one of the best all around players in the league.

Yeah, so it's been a weird season for him because his playmaking has gone way up. His assists have gone up. He's making much better decisions at the rim. Where he's had the biggest dip is like long twos or mid-range twos. And last year he was automatic. For the past five years, he's been very good at those. And so the rate that he's hitting those shots right now is,

Yeah, so it's been a weird season for him because his playmaking has gone way up. His assists have gone up. He's making much better decisions at the rim. Where he's had the biggest dip is like long twos or mid-range twos. And last year he was automatic. For the past five years, he's been very good at those. And so the rate that he's hitting those shots right now is,

kind of might be fluky how poorly he's shooting um i don't know if he'll get back to where he was last year where it was like long two seemed automatic fadeaways seemed automatic but you know this this season the long twos um he might be due for a turnaround

kind of might be fluky how poorly he's shooting um i don't know if he'll get back to where he was last year where it was like long two seemed automatic fadeaways seemed automatic but you know this this season the long twos um he might be due for a turnaround

First, I just want to lodge a protest. I know you guys rigged this game against the guests. Wow. And I just want to get out of that. If I win, it's because I've overcome a cheating job. If I lose, it's because of the cheating job. So I'll go with four.

First, I just want to lodge a protest. I know you guys rigged this game against the guests. Wow. And I just want to get out of that. If I win, it's because I've overcome a cheating job. If I lose, it's because of the cheating job. So I'll go with four.

Am I allowed to look at the standing, like pull up my phone and look at the standing so I can see the teams just to remind me of which teams are out there? Who plays in the NBA? Who is in the NBA? I promise I'm not cheating right now other than looking at the standing. I just need to see which team plays in the NBA. To remind me of, so, okay. I'm looking at Boston.

Am I allowed to look at the standing, like pull up my phone and look at the standing so I can see the teams just to remind me of which teams are out there? Who plays in the NBA? Who is in the NBA? I promise I'm not cheating right now other than looking at the standing. I just need to see which team plays in the NBA. To remind me of, so, okay. I'm looking at Boston.

No, there's no other player on Boston who does that. New York, I'm going to say no. Philly, no. Toronto, no. Brooklyn, probably not. Cleveland? Let's go all 30, baby. I'm going to go with Merrill. That is correct for one million. Wow, your strategy is working. We got Merrill. Milwaukee. A.J. Green might be a possibility, but that's not an answer yet. Okay. I'm going to go to Indiana. Indiana.

No, there's no other player on Boston who does that. New York, I'm going to say no. Philly, no. Toronto, no. Brooklyn, probably not. Cleveland? Let's go all 30, baby. I'm going to go with Merrill. That is correct for one million. Wow, your strategy is working. We got Merrill. Milwaukee. A.J. Green might be a possibility, but that's not an answer yet. Okay. I'm going to go to Indiana. Indiana.

Indiana, probably not. Detroit, no. Chicago, they get them up. They really get them up, but I don't know. They're trying to. They have anybody. Miami, Duncan Robbins. Duncan Robbins has added some twos to his game lately, so I'm going to say no there. Orlando, this is... All right, let me look at the West. I don't think anyone else in the East, other than maybe A.J. Green, is on this list.

Indiana, probably not. Detroit, no. Chicago, they get them up. They really get them up, but I don't know. They're trying to. They have anybody. Miami, Duncan Robbins. Duncan Robbins has added some twos to his game lately, so I'm going to say no there. Orlando, this is... All right, let me look at the West. I don't think anyone else in the East, other than maybe A.J. Green, is on this list.

So you got one possible name? Lakers? No. Clippers? Probably not. Phoenix? Phoenix could have, like, some random bum who does that. Like, just a role player next to KD and Booker. Damn it! Okay. Okay.

So you got one possible name? Lakers? No. Clippers? Probably not. Phoenix? Phoenix could have, like, some random bum who does that. Like, just a role player next to KD and Booker. Damn it! Okay. Okay.

Has Klay Thompson morphed so much that he's there too? Have his twos gone down? Probably not. He's got more to his game than that. San Antonio, no. New Orleans, probably not. Okay, see, this is hard. I'm going to go with A.J. Green. That is correct for another point.

Has Klay Thompson morphed so much that he's there too? Have his twos gone down? Probably not. He's got more to his game than that. San Antonio, no. New Orleans, probably not. Okay, see, this is hard. I'm going to go with A.J. Green. That is correct for another point.

I need to find the other one.

I need to find the other one.

So that means this is, this is a random, random player. Um, I don't think I'll go three for three either because those two stood out to me, but nobody else does. Yeah. Just nobody. Absolutely nobody. I can't pass, though. Who am I going to say? Just throw out a random guy.

So that means this is, this is a random, random player. Um, I don't think I'll go three for three either because those two stood out to me, but nobody else does. Yeah. Just nobody. Absolutely nobody. I can't pass, though. Who am I going to say? Just throw out a random guy.

Semi-tall white guy. Those are the guys who just launched. The 6'7 guys that teams draft simply as specialists.

Semi-tall white guy. Those are the guys who just launched. The 6'7 guys that teams draft simply as specialists.

Oh, man. Man, man, man. Man, man, man, man, man. It's going to be someone random. It's not going to be a white guy either. It's not. I'm going to say a Phoenix. I'm going to say a Phoenix bum. I'm going to go Ryan Dunn. Okay.

Oh, man. Man, man, man. Man, man, man, man, man. It's going to be someone random. It's not going to be a white guy either. It's not. I'm going to say a Phoenix. I'm going to say a Phoenix bum. I'm going to go Ryan Dunn. Okay.

I know he's a non-shooter, but I feel like he still takes all threes.

I know he's a non-shooter, but I feel like he still takes all threes.

That was not even close, by the way. That was a terrible guess.

That was not even close, by the way. That was a terrible guess.

I googled, has Caleb Houston ever dunked? In the AI overview, I googled He says, yes, he has dunked the ball. On July 10th, 2023, Bleacher Report posted a video of Houston performing a dunk. So that was in the summer. When the only recollection of you dunking a basketball is in July, that's bad news. It's a big problem.

I googled, has Caleb Houston ever dunked? In the AI overview, I googled He says, yes, he has dunked the ball. On July 10th, 2023, Bleacher Report posted a video of Houston performing a dunk. So that was in the summer. When the only recollection of you dunking a basketball is in July, that's bad news. It's a big problem.

So I, I've been covering the team since 2012, 2013 and, I don't know if anybody that I've covered has ever averaged double-digit rebounds.

So I, I've been covering the team since 2012, 2013 and, I don't know if anybody that I've covered has ever averaged double-digit rebounds.

Al Horford probably hasn't. He's never been a super high rebound total guy. Yeah. These are going to be long answers for me because I've got to properly do this. I've got to beat the cheat is what I have to do. Beat the cheat.

Al Horford probably hasn't. He's never been a super high rebound total guy. Yeah. These are going to be long answers for me because I've got to properly do this. I've got to beat the cheat is what I have to do. Beat the cheat.

The one who might have had a chance is Jared Sullinger, who was an absolute rebound machine when he was playing a lot. Yeah. They had Chris Humphreys, too, but he probably didn't play enough. He was a rebound destroyer. Chris Humphreys! I definitely don't think Kelly Olenek ever did it. Couldn't have. The bigs lately, like Chris Stapps didn't get there last year.

The one who might have had a chance is Jared Sullinger, who was an absolute rebound machine when he was playing a lot. Yeah. They had Chris Humphreys, too, but he probably didn't play enough. He was a rebound destroyer. Chris Humphreys! I definitely don't think Kelly Olenek ever did it. Couldn't have. The bigs lately, like Chris Stapps didn't get there last year.

I'm going to go Kevin Garnett was the last one to do it.

I'm going to go Kevin Garnett was the last one to do it.

9.2 in the first season. Wow. So close.

9.2 in the first season. Wow. So close.

I'm going to go five.

I'm going to go five.

So the obvious answer is LeBron, but I feel like nine might have been like a little too high there. Yeah. Like he was always like 27, eight and eight. Right. Yeah. It could be. But who else would average numbers like that? Nobody. Maybe Russ. Russ or LeBron? I have to lean LeBron. I know this is going to be wrong, but maybe it's right, but also it's probably wrong.

So the obvious answer is LeBron, but I feel like nine might have been like a little too high there. Yeah. Like he was always like 27, eight and eight. Right. Yeah. It could be. But who else would average numbers like that? Nobody. Maybe Russ. Russ or LeBron? I have to lean LeBron. I know this is going to be wrong, but maybe it's right, but also it's probably wrong.

Okay, so that's your final answer. LeBron is my answer.

Okay, so that's your final answer. LeBron is my answer.

I knew it. He never got to nine. He didn't get to nine enough.

I knew it. He never got to nine. He didn't get to nine enough.

Jokic would have been my third guess. Giannis. What was I thinking?

Jokic would have been my third guess. Giannis. What was I thinking?

LeBron never got to nine. Why would I say LeBron if he didn't get to nine?

LeBron never got to nine. Why would I say LeBron if he didn't get to nine?

LeBron, by the way, has never gotten to nine rebounds.

LeBron, by the way, has never gotten to nine rebounds.

Not once has he done that. I guess a guy who has literally averaged right below 27-9-5 every year of his life, but has never done it. Let's see.

Not once has he done that. I guess a guy who has literally averaged right below 27-9-5 every year of his life, but has never done it. Let's see.

Yeah, a lot of the time he didn't have the points. Wow. That's surprising.

Yeah, a lot of the time he didn't have the points. Wow. That's surprising.

It's absolutely not transition defense. I mean, transition offense. Absolutely not transition offense because they are bad at transition offense and have typically been pretty bad at transition offense lately. I'm going to go. So my two answers left are transition defense and what?

It's absolutely not transition defense. I mean, transition offense. Absolutely not transition offense because they are bad at transition offense and have typically been pretty bad at transition offense lately. I'm going to go. So my two answers left are transition defense and what?

And I will tell you, it is one of those... I'm going to go... Well, I know it's one of those. I'm going to go with half-court defense is their biggest improvement.

And I will tell you, it is one of those... I'm going to go... Well, I know it's one of those. I'm going to go with half-court defense is their biggest improvement.

But transition defense is their biggest improvement.

But transition defense is their biggest improvement.

That makes sense because Chris Sass missed a lot of time. Transition defense might be better without the 7'3 guy. But Joe was complaining about their transition defense the other day, and that stuck with me. How do I not know that? How do I not know that? Andrew, the board is yours.

That makes sense because Chris Sass missed a lot of time. Transition defense might be better without the 7'3 guy. But Joe was complaining about their transition defense the other day, and that stuck with me. How do I not know that? How do I not know that? Andrew, the board is yours.

That's one I should have known.

That's one I should have known.

It's going to be either Al Horford or Luke Cornett. I'm going to go Luke Cornett.

It's going to be either Al Horford or Luke Cornett. I'm going to go Luke Cornett.

Uh-oh. Uh... So I just guess and then she like guesses? That is correct. I'm going to go... There's no... There's no way a Wizards player has gotten a triple-double this year, right?

Uh-oh. Uh... So I just guess and then she like guesses? That is correct. I'm going to go... There's no... There's no way a Wizards player has gotten a triple-double this year, right?

I would have gone... Utah? Utah's correct. I would have guessed Golden State.

I would have gone... Utah? Utah's correct. I would have guessed Golden State.

I'm so surprised. LaMelo's got to get his boards up.

I'm so surprised. LaMelo's got to get his boards up.

Joe Johnson, he was a COVID call-up. A COVID call-up. He hadn't played in years, and they called up Joe Johnson, and it was magical. He hit a jumper, and the TD Garden crowd went wild, and he hadn't played there since his rookie season with the Celtics. It was an amazing moment. It really was.

Joe Johnson, he was a COVID call-up. A COVID call-up. He hadn't played in years, and they called up Joe Johnson, and it was magical. He hit a jumper, and the TD Garden crowd went wild, and he hadn't played there since his rookie season with the Celtics. It was an amazing moment. It really was.

Patreon, baby. Patreon.com slash Still Potable. It's a great show. Go check out Still Possible. Jay, thank you so much for coming on the show. Thank you guys for having me. Thanks for not cheating too much this time.

Patreon, baby. Patreon.com slash Still Potable. It's a great show. Go check out Still Possible. Jay, thank you so much for coming on the show. Thank you guys for having me. Thanks for not cheating too much this time.

And the way that he took over for Portland down the stretch, fourth quarter and in overtime. And he really gave him a really good chance to win it, not to mention taking it into overtime.

What do you feel like the biggest difference between, aside from the level of competition being higher, do you feel like the Celtics themselves maybe are a little bit more vulnerable this year as compared to last year, just internally?

He should be treated the way that teams are treating Lou Dort. Lou Dort is a flamethrower. And Drew Holiday can't hit the broad side of a barn. And I don't understand why teams aren't making them pay for that.

You don't imagine a lineup change? I mean, Peyton Pritchard has been, I mean, that guy. Yeah, I mean, he's been amazing all season long. And obviously, if you need the defense, Drew is out there. But if you need the offense, you've got that option. You think that could be something that they look into?

When he's committed to two feet in the paint, he's an automatic bucket inside 10 feet, and he's unstoppable to get there. Jay, before we get out of here, do you have a hot take on the MVP since everybody seems to have some sort of opinion with 20 games to go?

Guys, don't forget, stick around after the show. We've got a trailer for the revamped athletic women's basketball show. No offseason. All your favorites. Our own Zena Keita, Chantel Jennings, Ben Pickman, Sabrina Merchant. Relaunching the show just in time for March Madness. So go ahead and check out that trailer. Subscribe. You know, subscribe to this on YouTube. Like us. Give us a review.

All that. For Jay King and Espera Henney, I'm Dave Dufour, and this has been the NBA Daily. Thanks for waking up with us.

It felt like he was getting a rebound every single time they needed it down the stretch.

He is so big. He had a great block, you know, clutch block in this game. And Denny Obdia had 27, 15 rebounds, five offensive rebounds from Denny.

Cause he hit the clutch basket before bridges hit the shot. I mean, that's what I was setting up for. I was like, Oh, I'm going to have a whole thing on Denny, but let's swing it to, you know, again, the Portland man, what they're doing. Yeah. Ethical. It is ethical. They're playing the young guys. They're getting, they're getting real game reps.

It feels like it, man. They're so competitive in every single game for the Knicks. Look, This is a gutsy win without Jalen Brunson, their offense, you know, it's not the easiest thing to come together. He hit some of the toughest shots and, and this was a clutch game that they won without the most clutch guy in the league. So I think you've got to tip your cap to them.

And for Mikhail bridges, look, he hits a game winner. He struggled with the three ball. I think that was probably got to feel pretty good, but also he only played 41 minutes.

What a game. And we're not talking about Nuggets, Wolves, or Thunder Celtics, although Thunder Celtics was maybe.

Uh, before we get to the jazz being fine guys, stick around after the show, we've got a trailer for our athletic women's basketball show. We're doing a relaunch, no off season, go and check it out. All your favorites still there covering what feels like, I don't know, is it six women's basketball leagues that they're covering? I mean, they've got WNBA women's college has no time off.

She also has no off season, right? That's exactly the show named after Zena.

Hey, speaking of ethical tanking and non-ethical tanking. Yeah. The Utah Jazz were fined $100,000 yesterday for violating the NBA's player participation policy with regards to Lowry Marketing. They sat him against the Wizards, okay? And I understand you're in the tank race against the Wizards. But nobody's catching you guys, Utah.

And there are a lot of people that want to see Lowry Marketing play, especially other players. executives who may want to trade for him this summer. So please, you know, $100,000. This is insane. And on a night when we got Toronto and we got Philadelphia.

It was the tank-a-thon, and the Raptors won that game. I mean...

It's going to be on the list of games of the year, and we went pretty deep on that on both sides, not just the Celtics with Jay, because Jay is so good about covering every team. So stick around after the break, guys. We're going to go deep on Celtics Thunder and talk about what this game means for potential finals. matchup, but man, the game last night.

Meanwhile, by the way, the Mavericks are down to like seven players that are healthy and they're competing every single night. And, you know, look, it's never the players. It's always the organization. Yes.

Frankly, I'd get rid of the lottery. You incentivizing losing creates the environment.

You know, flatten the whole thing. I would just like to encourage, you know, just these guys should play. I just I don't know. The tanking doesn't even necessarily work.

It hasn't worked out for New Orleans. I mean, just not yet. So anyway, that was funny. And then the Nuggets and the Wolves, supposed to be one of the marquee games, but a little bit of a letdown, I think, if you're Denver. Coming off the split with OKC, especially that second game where they look so good. But the Wolves here lately have...

they've sort of righted the ship, you know, they're getting more healthy. And it feels like this is a team that at least it's turned a corner from a chemistry perspective. I think they're going to have their up, you know, their ups and downs, like, like any team that's middle of the road, but it does at least seem like they understand who they are.

I mean, I just think that it's, look, they're likely to be a play-in team, right? Unless they can, you know, unless they can be the 16th.

I just trust the Warriors right now a little bit more. I think Jimmy Butler has created an edge for that team. Yeah, they're better right now for sure. Yeah, but also there's this thing where Jimmy Butler gets to help give them this push to the playoffs, right? He's nice and fresh, so he's able to pick up. Whereas Minnesota, this has been a grind for them this year.

Guys have been in and out of the lineup. They've been playing around with that starting lineup. And it hasn't gone exactly to plan. So, I mean... All that being said, you've got a team with that much talent. If they are the seventh seed, and right now Memphis is the two seed, if they catch Memphis, yes, they can win the first round. If they catch Houston, yes, they can win in the first round.

And as we saw against the Nuggets, I think they've got a chance against the Nuggets. There's something there in that matchup.

I think we got another game of the year winner. How about this?

Knicks and Blazers going down to the wire in overtime. The Knicks win on a McHale Bridges just straight away, top of the key, three-point make at the buzzer, but... Before we get to how the Knicks win this game and just pull out a gutty win, we got to talk about the Blazers, man. They continue to just play tough. By the way, Chauncey Billups coaches the Blazers. I don't know if you guys know this.

But I think that Memphis Memphis is just they are just a prime example of a team that is built to win in the regular season that I just don't think has it in the playoffs. And yeah, if Minnesota catches them. I could definitely see that happen. Guys, stick around after the break. J. King goes way off the rails. No, I'm kidding.

J. King actually is talking more about the Oklahoma City Thunder after the break than maybe the Boston Celtics. And it's because they were amazing. We have another game of the year candidate after last night's thunder Celtics game. And we convinced Jay King to hang out and talk to us after the game. Jay, you got a chance to see the Oklahoma city thunder up close.

I know you cover the Celtics, but you watch as much basketball as anybody. What was it like seeing them up close? What do you think?

Good morning and welcome to the NBA Daily. Coming up, the Knicks hit a game winner, the Jazz got fined for tanking, and Jay King joins the show to talk about how the Thunder handled the Celtics. Good morning, everybody. Good morning, S. Morning, Dave. What a game. What a day.

They were so consistent. They kept getting into the paint. They were making shots, too. I mean, I think, what was it, S? When the Celtics had shot 22 threes, I believe Oklahoma City had 20 paint points.

Not everybody watches the Blazers. But it's good that we're confirming that we know that Chauncey Billups. And only I mean, we I just saw him. So, you know, and the Pistons are above 500.

He didn't look like he had much juice watching on TV. He would hit the floor and just kind of slow getting up. I thought he looked like he got maybe a little shaken up after he attempted that post up on Shea and Shea was able to fight him off.

I don't know if you remember that play, but I was it was odd watching him out there because usually he's just such a more of a bull in the China shop when when they need that. Right. He attacks the basket. And without him doing that, it just felt like. they didn't scare the Thunder's defense hardly at all.

Before we move off the Thunder and get to the Celtics, I do want to talk about Chet Holmgren because I do think the Porzingis-Holmgren matchup, if we do see this in the finals, and man, that would be a great finals. I think that that... is what's going to swing the finals. It's which of those guys is best in the series. What did you think about Chet in the game last night?

And then in what ways do you think Porzingis counters what Chet was able to succeed at last night?

But look, Portland, this this game, you know, if you haven't seen a lot of Portland, I think this one would be a good one to go back to. Totally. Yeah. You know, if you're a real basketball nerd, these guys are young. They're playing under control. And I think the guy that stands out to most to me in the recent weeks and especially last night's game, Scoot Henderson, 30 points.

So, I do. Um... And so it took them a while, I believe, to adjust to Chris Stapps Porzingis coming back. Their slump, whatever you want to call it, started right around the time he came back from injury. He missed the first 17 games of the season. But not only that, he then had three injuries over the next 10 games and was just in and out of the lineup.

And so they just kept having to bring him back. go back to life without him, reincorporate him again, and it was just kind of clunky. And for a while, even their starting lineup, which was amazing last season, one of the best lineups in basketball, was getting shredded.

Their first like 10, 9 or 10 performances, their first 200 or so minutes, they were minus 11 points per 100 possessions, which is impossible with the amount of star power they have. Lately, that has turned around. They've started to crush teams again with that group on the court. Chris Asporzingas, the last month or so, has been fantastic. And so I think they're starting to turn around.

But they've got to string wins together. Like you said, they haven't had three straight wins in a long time. And it just hasn't been super consistent lately. They've handed away games late in the clutch with some weird, weird crunch time mistakes. So I do believe they're coming out of it. They're showing signs. They're beginning to transform back into what they used to be.

But it's been a weird, weird stretch.

So... Maybe. I just feel like Jason Tatum and Jalen Brown have a level of physicality that they haven't always had. Porzingis, he's shooting right now at an incredible rate. And if you look at his stats throughout his career, he's always been a good shooter, but not a great one. But because he's 7'3", it really matters that he's as good a shooter that he is.

But if he's a knockdown shooter, then it's totally different. His post-ups, they might want to use those more often even. He's just an incredible post-up player. He just bashes switches in the post. He's as efficient as it gets. And because he rarely played in the playoffs last year, that's your answer. If they're going to get better, just having Chris Stapps healthy throughout the playoffs.

would be a great way to start because when he's out there and they're flowing and they're making the right decisions, reading the game the right way, there's not much you can do to stop them because if you switch that, Chris Stapps will kill you on the switch. If you don't switch it, then Tatum or Brown is going to have a pretty easy time.

So I think that's the obvious answer, just a healthy Chris Stapps.

I think a lot of it's variance, like like that stretch against the Rockets. They had Luke Cornett out there. When will Luke Cornett be out there in a tight game that they really, really need to win? Yeah. He was guarding Alfred Shang-Goon. Like, somehow they let Shang-Goon just have a straight line to the rim. You're not going to see that very often. The next play...

They just have a miscommunication error, and Cornette and Jalen Brown try to pre-switch, but they don't do it in time, and so Jalen is closing out, and Ahmed Thompson is able to get into the paint very easily. He might have gotten into the paint anyway, but would have had a much tougher time if Jalen was squared up against him. That was a weird one.

They had the Pelicans game where Derek White just dropped the ball out of bounds on an inbounds pass. I don't think that'll happen very often. Then he had a five second violation that same game with like six seconds left. The Clippers game, they're up six with a minute. And then all of a sudden they're just throwing it all over the place.

Joe Mizzou is literally out at half court trying to call timeout. Refs won't give it to him. You can see him like for seconds just calling timeout. They don't give it to him. Jalen gets called for an offensive foul later in that play. That doesn't happen very often. So it's just like there's been a lot of weird, weird stuff.

And I'm not trying to give them excuses because they also need to execute better. Their crunch time defense needs to be a lot better. Their fourth quarters in general just need to be a lot better. A lot of it is just like weird stuff has happened during this stretch. And over the course of a season, that's that stuff happens. But for them, it's all happened.

It's all been jammed into slamming jammed into a one or two month stretch.

The Magic, I've been a Magic fan for a long time. I think the way they play defense is just incredible. Those guys can really, really defend. I don't know if they have enough offense to challenge a team like the Celtics, but even if that's a four or five game series, you come out of that... You're bruised. You're beaten. You've dealt with jail and sugs for seven games.

You've dealt with the size and physicality of Franz Wagner and Paulo Banqueiro. You've just... You're not going to be feeling great about yourselves coming out of that series, I think, because you probably struggle to score. Nobody's really in rhythm. If I were them and the Magic are near the bottom of the standings in the Eastern Conference, that's the team that I wouldn't really want to play.

Yeah, I mean, it goes back to last season, too. During the playoff run, he shot 20-something percent on threes, and he was still awesome. It's really hard when you shoot that high volume to shoot that poorly and still be great at basketball. But he's screening. He's moving off the ball. He's getting off the ball when he's double teamed. He's in charge of the offense. He's in command. Yeah.

Like you said, he plays defense. Great, great rebounder for his position. And so this transformation is it started happening a long time ago where he was like just a bucket early in his career and has gradually become one of the best all around players in the league.

Yeah, so it's been a weird season for him because his playmaking has gone way up. His assists have gone up. He's making much better decisions at the rim. Where he's had the biggest dip is like long twos or mid-range twos. And last year he was automatic. For the past five years, he's been very good at those. And so the rate that he's hitting those shots right now is,

kind of might be fluky how poorly he's shooting um i don't know if he'll get back to where he was last year where it was like long two seemed automatic fadeaways seemed automatic but you know this this season the long twos um he might be due for a turnaround

First, I just want to lodge a protest. I know you guys rigged this game against the guests. Wow. And I just want to get out of that. If I win, it's because I've overcome a cheating job. If I lose, it's because of the cheating job. So I'll go with four.

Am I allowed to look at the standing, like pull up my phone and look at the standing so I can see the teams just to remind me of which teams are out there? Who plays in the NBA? Who is in the NBA? I promise I'm not cheating right now other than looking at the standing. I just need to see which team plays in the NBA. To remind me of, so, okay. I'm looking at Boston.

No, there's no other player on Boston who does that. New York, I'm going to say no. Philly, no. Toronto, no. Brooklyn, probably not. Cleveland? Let's go all 30, baby. I'm going to go with Merrill. That is correct for one million. Wow, your strategy is working. We got Merrill. Milwaukee. A.J. Green might be a possibility, but that's not an answer yet. Okay. I'm going to go to Indiana. Indiana.

Indiana, probably not. Detroit, no. Chicago, they get them up. They really get them up, but I don't know. They're trying to. They have anybody. Miami, Duncan Robbins. Duncan Robbins has added some twos to his game lately, so I'm going to say no there. Orlando, this is... All right, let me look at the West. I don't think anyone else in the East, other than maybe A.J. Green, is on this list.

So you got one possible name? Lakers? No. Clippers? Probably not. Phoenix? Phoenix could have, like, some random bum who does that. Like, just a role player next to KD and Booker. Damn it! Okay. Okay.

Has Klay Thompson morphed so much that he's there too? Have his twos gone down? Probably not. He's got more to his game than that. San Antonio, no. New Orleans, probably not. Okay, see, this is hard. I'm going to go with A.J. Green. That is correct for another point.

I need to find the other one.

So that means this is, this is a random, random player. Um, I don't think I'll go three for three either because those two stood out to me, but nobody else does. Yeah. Just nobody. Absolutely nobody. I can't pass, though. Who am I going to say? Just throw out a random guy.

Semi-tall white guy. Those are the guys who just launched. The 6'7 guys that teams draft simply as specialists.

Oh, man. Man, man, man. Man, man, man, man, man. It's going to be someone random. It's not going to be a white guy either. It's not. I'm going to say a Phoenix. I'm going to say a Phoenix bum. I'm going to go Ryan Dunn. Okay.

I know he's a non-shooter, but I feel like he still takes all threes.

That was not even close, by the way. That was a terrible guess.

I googled, has Caleb Houston ever dunked? In the AI overview, I googled He says, yes, he has dunked the ball. On July 10th, 2023, Bleacher Report posted a video of Houston performing a dunk. So that was in the summer. When the only recollection of you dunking a basketball is in July, that's bad news. It's a big problem.

So I, I've been covering the team since 2012, 2013 and, I don't know if anybody that I've covered has ever averaged double-digit rebounds.

Al Horford probably hasn't. He's never been a super high rebound total guy. Yeah. These are going to be long answers for me because I've got to properly do this. I've got to beat the cheat is what I have to do. Beat the cheat.

The one who might have had a chance is Jared Sullinger, who was an absolute rebound machine when he was playing a lot. Yeah. They had Chris Humphreys, too, but he probably didn't play enough. He was a rebound destroyer. Chris Humphreys! I definitely don't think Kelly Olenek ever did it. Couldn't have. The bigs lately, like Chris Stapps didn't get there last year.

I'm going to go Kevin Garnett was the last one to do it.

9.2 in the first season. Wow. So close.

I'm going to go five.

So the obvious answer is LeBron, but I feel like nine might have been like a little too high there. Yeah. Like he was always like 27, eight and eight. Right. Yeah. It could be. But who else would average numbers like that? Nobody. Maybe Russ. Russ or LeBron? I have to lean LeBron. I know this is going to be wrong, but maybe it's right, but also it's probably wrong.

Okay, so that's your final answer. LeBron is my answer.

I knew it. He never got to nine. He didn't get to nine enough.

Jokic would have been my third guess. Giannis. What was I thinking?

LeBron never got to nine. Why would I say LeBron if he didn't get to nine?

LeBron, by the way, has never gotten to nine rebounds.

Not once has he done that. I guess a guy who has literally averaged right below 27-9-5 every year of his life, but has never done it. Let's see.

Yeah, a lot of the time he didn't have the points. Wow. That's surprising.

It's absolutely not transition defense. I mean, transition offense. Absolutely not transition offense because they are bad at transition offense and have typically been pretty bad at transition offense lately. I'm going to go. So my two answers left are transition defense and what?

And I will tell you, it is one of those... I'm going to go... Well, I know it's one of those. I'm going to go with half-court defense is their biggest improvement.

But transition defense is their biggest improvement.

That makes sense because Chris Sass missed a lot of time. Transition defense might be better without the 7'3 guy. But Joe was complaining about their transition defense the other day, and that stuck with me. How do I not know that? How do I not know that? Andrew, the board is yours.

That's one I should have known.

It's going to be either Al Horford or Luke Cornett. I'm going to go Luke Cornett.

Uh-oh. Uh... So I just guess and then she like guesses? That is correct. I'm going to go... There's no... There's no way a Wizards player has gotten a triple-double this year, right?

I would have gone... Utah? Utah's correct. I would have guessed Golden State.

I'm so surprised. LaMelo's got to get his boards up.

Joe Johnson, he was a COVID call-up. A COVID call-up. He hadn't played in years, and they called up Joe Johnson, and it was magical. He hit a jumper, and the TD Garden crowd went wild, and he hadn't played there since his rookie season with the Celtics. It was an amazing moment. It really was.

Patreon, baby. Patreon.com slash Still Potable. It's a great show. Go check out Still Possible. Jay, thank you so much for coming on the show. Thank you guys for having me. Thanks for not cheating too much this time.

They go into halftime, they're down 54-39. And it was entirely what happened in the seven minutes that Steph sat that ruined them. And then by that point, you're demoralized. And it seemed like they came out that way in the third quarter and the Celtics just trounced them from there. So... It really is weird.

And some of the stuff they've said with, you know, Draymond and Steph saying, yeah, that seems to me like, why would you even try? Right. Like you'd never hear stars who still have something left in the tank.

say don't don't trade the young guys for me usually it's the other way around where they're campaigning for trades to bolster the roster that sounded to me like like they don't think there's any fix right now for this group that they don't really think there's any hope or any trade out there that that can take them back to championship caliber

I think the last month, it's just 8-8, but it's been just inconsistency. And because last year was so smooth, this is the first time this group with Porzingis, with Drew Holiday, has experienced any type of rut. And so it's just different. And to see that group struggle, to see the starting lineup be as bad as it has been over the last month,

Um, to see them like just be outscored or close to it with Chris Ashpor Zingas on the court, which is very strange. Like just been a weird month. The, the end of game stuff against Atlanta, even the game they won against the Pelicans. I date. They threw a ball out of bounds like just for no reason. They had a five second violation. They they've missed clutch free throw.

It's like everything has gone wrong. So do you think they like been a very weird stretch? But but today obviously was just a pretty complete win there. Their defense was there in the first half when the offense wasn't quite rolling. And then once the offense kind of came around, they ran away with it.

Yeah. Yeah. So I'm sure Joe loves it. Yeah. I'm sure there's a part of him that's like, you know what? We can really benefit from this and, and we can benefit from things being hard. We can benefit from, um, Going through like they've talked a lot lately about how the NBA has adjusted to them and how teams are guarding them differently.

And and especially with Porzingis back, I think the coverages against them have been different. They've been shifting and they're sort of trying to figure all of that out. So maybe they come out of this better. But I think the the bigger point is like. Like, they're probably just a little. like, low energy right now. They won a championship.

And as Steve Kerr pointed out today, not only did they win a championship, most of the guys on this team spent seven or eight years building toward that championship. Right, yeah. And so you put so much time, so much energy into winning that, and then you've got to come back, and it's like, where is the motivation, you know? Do it again.

And so I think to some extent, you know, they dominated the first couple months of the season, and they got to December to January. And it was a little tough reincorporating Chris Asporzingas because he plays very different. But I think also it's just kind of. the motivation is tougher to find than, than it was last year.

So you can say that, but then you can also look at during this nine and eight stretch, they've shot something like 34 percent from the arc, which is very rare and will probably never happen again. And they have like the fourth ranked offense or third ranked offense during that time. And part of that is because they do have such a such a high three point volume.

And part of that is because the math suggests like if good shooters get up that many shots, it's going to be really tough to keep that offense down. And that's part of the reason why they've been so efficient at the rim is because you have to worry about everyone on their roster firing away. And so I think, yes, you do have to have other things to go to.

And I think Porzingis coming back, getting him in the post. Jalen Brown has developed as a post player. Jason Tatum in ISO has been more efficient than anyone else so far this season. There are other ways they can score. But, yeah, like if you do shoot. low 30s for a month in the playoffs, then maybe you don't survive that. But I don't think they're the only team that that would be the case for.

I think pretty much any team, if you go through a cold shooting stretch, will have real difficulties. So it's interesting because if their three-point percentages were just normal during this streak, how different would it be? How many more games would they have won? And so you can point to shot luck, but also at the same time, it's like,

I think the process going into those looks hasn't been quite the same as it was earlier this season. The thing that Joe Missoula has pointed out a couple of times is like, they're not, they're also not getting up as many threes as it did earlier this season. It was like 50, they were averaging 52 threes attempted per game for a while, which is insane.

And over the last month or so, it's been down to about 45. So I think he would be okay with them getting up more. And I think it's, it's, part of the clunkier process that they've had that they haven't gotten those up and also bringing poor Zingas back. Obviously, he's going to take more twos. He's going to take more post-ups.

So it's been a process for them figuring it out the last month or so, especially with that starting lineup. the struggles they had with that group for a while was really startling.

Yeah, I think that's a big part of it. Obviously, like when Porzingis was out. The first two months of the season, they were actually one of the best teams at preventing three point attempts by the other team. Right. And so that was the style that they use.

Whereas last year with Porzingis, they sort of played like the Bucks did with with Brooke Lopez and Giannis under Budenholzer, where they were like, you can fire away. We'll leave your best shooters. We'll protect the rim. We'll kind of have our defense start from the inside and then work out.

um and with porzingis back they've kind of gone back to that previous style where they're allowing a lot more three-point attempts and right now teams have been gassing them the last month teams have been gassing them from behind the arc i think to some extent like every team is shot like the cavaliers against it was something like when porzingis i looked at this a couple games ago uh so it's probably not exactly the case anymore especially after what the warriors just did but for for a 10-game stretch

When Porzingis was on the court, the Celtics opponents were shooting forty three point five percent from the three point arc and getting up like forty four three point attack for forty eight minutes. Damn. So so it's like every team was was shooting like the Cavaliers against them, both with volume and percentage. And it's like it's going to be tough to survive that one.

Also, I don't think other teams will sustain that. But. I think part of it is playing a new style. Part of it is, like I said, probably a low-energy stretch, and you let guys get too comfortable.

But they definitely have to adjust to kind of a new style, and I think at the end of the day, it will help them out that they can kind of toggle back and forth between a team that shuts off the arc and a team that allows bad shooters to shoot open ones from above the break. But right now, they're just sort of figuring it all out.

So Cleveland has obviously been the best team in the race. That's not even a discussion. They played a historic pace. The one thing I think about as I project forward to the playoffs is like, The Celtics don't really have any weak link on either end in their rotation. There's no one you can really hunt that you'd be comfortable hunting.

There's no one you can leave at the three-point arc that you'd be comfortable leaving. And I just feel like Cleveland has some of that. Like, they're vulnerable in different places. What does Darius Garland do if Jason Tatum and Jalen Brown are hunting him relentlessly? What is, you know... Sam Merrill do? What does, you know, what does George Niang do?

Guys that are important to their second unit. Ty Jerome, like, they've been really good. They've been incredible. That second unit has just blitzed teams all year. But in the playoffs, I do wonder if they have just... just too many weak links to survive another great team. That said, they're absolutely good enough to beat the Celtics. They've been a well-oiled machine all year.

The Celtics would have to play a great series against them. I would love to see it. But yeah, Cleveland's been unbelievable.

I was saying to somebody during the game, it's just so weird to see the Warriors suck.

right like it's so weird to see them lifeless it's so weird to see their defense not flying around it's so weird to see like obviously when Steph comes out when Draymond's not in the lineup it's gonna get ugly but just seeing how bad it can get with the Schroeder buddy healed lineups it's like there's nothing they can do to score and Like that first half, Steph Curry was a plus two.