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Chapter 1: What is the main topic discussed in this episode?
704 on a Monday. Happy Monday, everybody. Halford Brough, Sportsnet 650. A little manic Monday music here. Halford and Brough for the morning is brought to you by Sands & Associates. Are you drowning in tax debt? If you are, Sands & Associates can often reduce your debt by up to 80% with no upfront fees. Visit them today at sands-trustee.com. We are now in hour two of the program.
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The NBA finals are set. The Spurs upset OKC over the weekend to punch their ticket to the final to face the Knicks. Wemby's coronation, it happened on Saturday night. Joining us now to talk about it, as mentioned, NBA writer from The Athletic, Joel Lorenzi, here on the Halford & Breff Show on Sportsnet 650. Morning, Joel. How are you?
I'm good. How are you guys?
We're good. Thanks for taking the time to do this. We appreciate it. So I know that you were covering this Western Conference final thoroughly, very thoroughly for the athletic and at the end. And I know it's hard sometimes to capture these things in the moment.
But did you really feel like you were witness to an occasion that you really you went through something there that you saw the coronation of Wembley? I know it's only to the NBA finals, but it feels like that was very significant on Saturday.
No, that's completely fair, especially because I think a lot of people anticipated whoever was going to come out of this series, I think it was widely considered. That was kind of like the NBA Finals itself, right? And it's more of a knock to the East. And I think maybe that perspective changed a little bit just because the Knicks are rolling the way they are.
And they do seem to be prepared to bring a little better of a fight than, than previously anticipated. And they actually, like, once you get down a matchup, like, they've given the Spurs a little more trouble than they gave the Thunder over the, you know, course of this past year.
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Chapter 2: What impact is Victor Wembanyama having on the NBA Finals?
So I think we're at a really fascinating point, maybe not just for the individual, but for the league, because if he wasn't the face or the presence already, he might soon be, especially when this series.
And of course he now has to become polarizing.
Chapter 3: How did the Spurs upset OKC to reach the Finals?
Yeah. And he has to. Yeah. Really?
No, he started and not even New York. Hey, Oklahoma is not New York, but he is not very well like there. I can tell you that. It's already started. And that just comes with this level, this tier of talent. I think even like... Like, Wemby, I think it's pretty... I'm comfortable saying that he's the best player in the world right now.
But Shane's reign lasted about 18 months, and I thought you saw... The pinnacle, and it's not over with Shea, but I thought you saw the pinnacle of Shea's, like the reception of Shea and how it's kind of, I mean, Shea had a weird thing where he was never really heralded this way. He had this strange ascension. So people really only ever went from being confused about him
to realizing, like, oh, this guy's a first-team All-NBA guy, to being like, no, we don't like the way he plays. It was a pretty weird ascension, whereas Wemby was like, this guy is coming into the league challenging everything we've ever thought a basketball player can be.
Then it's like, oh, well, can this guy be the GOAT if he's not going to be injured, if he's going to be healthy, if he's going to keep improving steadily? And now it's like, okay, this guy in year three is the best player in the world.
He's making his first final trip, his first playoff run, and he's kind of challenging, again, challenging everything we thought we knew about Ascension as a basketball player. People are going to hate this guy. But people are also... I think he's going to bring a... I think he's going to break the ceiling on fandom, to be honest. I mean, that conference finals...
I believe certainly that game one was the most watched game one of a conference finals ever, I believe. Like, he was going to bring that trail with him. And it should be good for the game of basketball. But people got to know he's not going to be the dawn of forever, especially if they win this one, because he's going to be around for a long time.
Yeah. What do people ā you mentioned that people in Oklahoma City do not care for Wimby. Why?
Why?
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Chapter 4: What emotions did Wembanyama display after his recent victory?
Do you want to go somewhere?
Yeah, I did want to go somewhere because the Montreal Canadiens are doing their end-of-season interviews right now, the locker cleanouts, and Brendan Gallagher according to Eric Engels, was very emotional and said, it's pretty clear I'll be moving on here.
I mean, hopefully to Vancouver, but that's the end of an era.
It is the end of an era, and I feel bad for Gally that, you know, he didn't play much in the Stanley Cup playoffs. And there were a couple times where I thought, you know, they're going to put him back in. Never did. As a player, he is not nearly as effective as he was in his prime, obviously. But I do wonder if the Canucks can kill two birds with one stone.
and not only add Brendan Gallagher to a team that desperately needs more veteran character leadership guys, role models that will teach the young players how to be in the NHL, but also maybe get something out of it because the Montreal Canadiens will need to move off his contract.
It's too bad that we're not in the flat cap era anymore where these contracts would be more onerous. I mean, it's not like it's easy to stomach. He's still got, what, one year left at $6.5 million, right?
Yeah, I mean, it's not nothing, and he's got a no-move clause. So I think he's got a six-team no-trade list as well. So I'm not exactly sure how all the no-moves and the no-trades come together.
I'm on the record saying that I would love this for the Canucks.
Absolutely.
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Chapter 5: What unique qualities make Wembanyama a standout player?
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7.32 on a Monday. Happy Monday, everybody. Halford Brough, Sportsnet 650. Halford and Brough in the morning is brought to you by Sands & Associates. Got debt? If you do, reach out to Sands & Associates during regular business hours, and they'll get back to you within 20 minutes. Visit them online at sands-trustee.com.
Still in Hour 2 of the program, midway point of the show, Joshua Cloak from The Athletic is going to join us for some Canadian soccer talk in just a moment. Hour 2 of this program is brought to you by Jason Hominuck at jason.mortgage. If you love paying too much for your mortgage, then don't let Jason shop around to find the perfect mortgage for you. Visit him online at jason.mortgage.
Sometimes it's said that if you didn't have bad luck, you wouldn't have any luck at all. That could be the case of Canadian men's national team manager Jesse Marsh right now. Just when he thinks he's through the looking glass and gets his 26-man roster ready to go for the World Cup. Big injury hit over the weekend.
Attacking midfielder Marcelo Flores ruptured his ACL during the CONCACAF Champions Cup Final on Saturday. And of course, will now miss the World Cup for Canada. Joining us to talk about that and a whole lot more, as mentioned from The Athletic, Joshua Cloak joins us now on the Health and Breath Show on Sportsnet 650. Morning, Josh. How are you?
Yeah, I'm good. I mean... Didn't someone also say that it's also darkest before the light? Can I put an optimistic spin on things here? Like, is this... Have we hit rock bottom with the injuries on the national team? Is that where we're at?
Well, there's still two friendlies left, so let's check that idea. But I'm glad you brought this up because I have noticed that Marsh has been, I don't want to say defiant, but very resolute in saying, I think the line was, you know, we're not going to let anyone tell our story. We're going to tell it. We're not going to let the injuries dictate this team. But at this point, Josh,
It's hard to look at the upcoming World Cup and say that injuries aren't going to play a factor for not just Canada, but one of the host countries where much is expected in a group where they should be able to thrive, and they would have if they were at full strength. Do you agree or disagree with that assessment?
No, I agree. And what concerns me, I mean, there's a few ways to look at it, but what concerns me off the hop is that if Canada played the kind of style where, you know, they, they just, they like to have the ball, but play slowly, slow build up. You probably wouldn't be as concerned. You guys both know, and your listeners, I'm sure some of them know that Canada plays full throttle soccer, right?
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