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Chapter 1: What is the main topic discussed in this episode?
This is the Dan Levitar Show with the Stugatz Podcast. Final weekend of the NBA season. Final Friday of this NBA regular season. Tony? There's a lot happening this weekend, then. It's moving day in the NBA. Moving couple days in the NBA. Is that what they refer to it as?
No, I'm just saying it because we talked about moving day at the Masters, but the next couple days in the NBA, moving day, we're going to see who's filling out the brackets where, who's filling in the three seed, the five seed, the six seed, where all these things are happening. Do you think that'll catch on, moving day? I'm trying to get there. I would lose that. Do you have a top five for us?
I've got a top five storylines heading into the NBA playoffs, gentlemen. Okay, let's do it. In the OLI, which I have four of, get locked in right now. Dave Damaschek, I'm filling you in because you're a guy that likes to fill in on the NBA post-NFL season. We had that show a couple of weeks ago. Now I'm locking you in for what's going on into the future of the playoffs.
So OLI number one, nobody wants to play Charlotte. Let me ask you something. You think Detroit wants to play Charlotte? Okay, hold on. Let me ask you something, because we do this every year. No one wants to play this team. No one wants to play this team. Does the team that no one wants to play ever actually do anything in the playoffs? No, of course not, but that's the point. The Miami Heat?
We were saying that. The zombie heat from a couple years ago. You don't want to play these Miami Heat in the playoffs. Mike Schur was going on for a full year. Bill Simmons has a conniption every time they're there. We want to play those Miami Heat in the playoffs. The Charlotte Hornets, even though we've laughed at them for multiple, multiple decades, have been the best team.
this year right this calendar year they've been one of the best teams in 2026 which is insane but they've got a lot of young players and I think they're going to be given uh problems to a Detroit team a Boston team I don't think either of those guys want to see the Charlotte Hornets I think Detroit would smack them but nonetheless this is your list thank you you said it second OLI New York sneaky contenders the New York Knickerbockers very interesting in the eastern conference
O-line number three.
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Chapter 2: What are Tony's top storylines heading into the NBA playoffs?
Can Houston do anything in the West? Something to keep an eye on. A big team, a team that can get a lot of offensive rebounds. They've won eight in a row. Won eight in a row. They've got KD. They've got Shepard, who's been playing really well, too. Like, there's an interesting piece there in Houston. I've got to see what's going on there. What was the fourth note? The number four?
I haven't gotten there yet. No, no, no. I mean, you're going in ascending order, right? So, like, what was the last one prior to this one? New York Knicks sneaky contenders? Huh. Can Houston do anything? Well, no, I know the New York ones. You wrote that down. I had that one prior, too.
Chapter 3: Why is nobody wanting to play against Charlotte in the playoffs?
I wrote this in the morning. All right. Fourth OLI, last OLI. A healthy Philly team is intriguing.
He had an appendicitis operation yesterday. He'll be fine. He'll be fine. Yeah, for next year. No, he'll be fine.
Bold take of Embiid went healthy. Good. No, that's not true.
He just had an appendicitis.
Still somehow worse than the Knicks observation. Yeah, no, they're good. No, the Knicks observation was sneaky contenders. Yeah, they're... They're good. They're one of the three seed of the East. Help me out here. No, I want to focus on him saying if the Sixers are healthy right after Joel Embiid suffered an appendicitis. You don't think that they're going to try to get him out on the floor?
Appendicitis? Who cares? From what I saw, it's a month recovery. A month. That's not true. Jason Tatum came back in nine months in an Achilles. Remember, Uncle Jesse had an emergency appendectomy when Rebecca went into labor, and he walked out and he was holding both babies by the carriage when they walked in the house.
And then he misplaced the socks, and then he forgot which one was Nicky and which one was Alex. Number five. The East is wide open this year.
Hey!
Uh, yeah.
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Chapter 4: What makes the New York Knicks sneaky contenders in the Eastern Conference?
Sneaky. They're sneaking up on teams. They're sneaky. Again, I think you're making a point.
Hey, I would not be surprised if in the upcoming NFL season, if the San Francisco 49ers make a little bit of noise. You see, that's how I know you're a moron. That's how I know you're a moron.
If they're healthy, they're good. The 49ers have made it to multiple Super Bowls. Look out for them Rams. One of the Knicks made it to the NBA Finals. Look out for the Rams. If Seattle's healthy. They could put something together next year. Oh, you guys are morons. All right. Denver Broncos, Rams. They made it to the conference championships. They didn't make it all the way. Look out for them.
Sneaky contenders. Number four. Try to bring you guys gold and you pawn it off. Okay. Number four. If I was the Spurs, I'd try the NBA on the 65 game rule with Wemby. I tell you, you guys really like the 65th game? You want Wemby to go play with a rib contusion? Hey! We're sitting him out.
Chapter 5: Can Houston make an impact in the Western Conference playoffs?
64 games. Try to vote for him for defensive player of the year. Do it. I dare you, Zazz. I dare you. Take him out of the MVP race. Take him out of the depoy race. Do it. First of all, I don't have a vote, all right? So, like, whatever with daring me. But... You don't think that he's going to play in these final two games? No, he will. He will.
But if I'm the Spurs, I'm trying to teach the NBA a lesson. I'm trying to tell them, you know what? You're going to hurt Wemby to teach the NBA a lesson. No, because he's hurt, and he's going to go play hurt in one of these last two games. What if he gets more hurt? I think the NBA is teaching them a lesson by having this rule. A rule that we all hate.
Is he going to do the thing where he plays five minutes in the game? No, you have to play at least 20 to qualify. I didn't know that until a few weeks ago.
When it comes to World War II, be on the lookout for the allies. I think they have a shot in this one.
Number three, Lakers are dead men walking. Now that's a take. There you go. That's how you do it. You guys like that? You don't know that Luka and Austin Reed are both not playing? You're making a statement. Yeah, you're putting yourself out there. New York Knicks sneaky contenders is also a statement. Everyone would agree with that. They're not even sneaky. They're very sneaky. No, they are not.
They're just flat out a contender in the East.
They beat the Celtics.
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Chapter 6: What challenges does a healthy Philadelphia team present?
The sleepy burrow of Manhattan. They might make some noise out of there.
Pay attention, everybody. Did you see yesterday LeBron get into it with a courtside fan? I did. Yeah, that was interesting. Telling the fan to sit down and relax. Relax, relax. Just watch the game. Watch the game. How can the Knicks sneak up on anybody? Very simple. Whenever they're over 500, we have Sam Morrell on the show for like 15 minutes. That is true.
Dan won't let the Knicks sneak up on anybody. That is true. But if you're telling me the Knicks are the three seed and the Atlanta Hawks are the six seed, you're not worried about the New York Knicks? No, we saw that game unfold. You're not worried? I think it'll be a great series. I think Atlanta's going to, whoever they play, be it Cleveland, be it New York, it'll be a hotly contested series.
Might go six, but I think those teams end up... So you're not worried whatsoever? Styles make fights, right? Why would he be worried? He's not a Knicks fan. Because he's on the other side of the circle. Now he's a Knicks fan.
No, what I like about the Eastern Conference, what I like about the Eastern Conference is the matchups are hugely important because no Knicks fan wants to see the Pistons, for example, right? Oh, that team has our number. Cavs had to make a move to be able to handle the Knicks because the Knicks give them all sorts of problems. So I do think styles make fights in this conference, no doubt.
And I think Atlanta is a... Not to use the sneaky word again, but another sneaky team in the Eastern Conference that if the Knicks are looking down and say, damn, we have to play Jalen Johnson and Dyson Daniels and everybody that's playing over in Atlanta, Nikhil Alexander-Walker, who should be sixth man of the year over Kelton Johnson, in my opinion.
I think Atlanta can give Detroit issues, but I don't know if they can give the Knicks issues. I don't know about that. Just like Boston, picked by many, but the Knicks seem to give Boston some issues. Sal's make fights. You know that. You're an MMA guy. Which would hurt less as a Heat fan? Boston winning the championship or the Knicks winning the championship?
Just give me Boston because I'm used to it already. Celtics would hurt less, much less. See, that's an interesting way to look at it because I think the Knicks winning would hurt less because these days I hate Boston so much more, but I've experienced Boston winning recently. At least New York, if we can keep them from ever winning, that's a good thing. Yeah, you've changed my mind.
I am annoyed by the Boston media types, whereas I find the Knicks fans funny. And I kind of would revel in seeing their reaction to it. Yeah, I think I would hate it less if the Knicks won.
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Chapter 7: How does the playoff bracket affect team matchups?
None games. You don't think Luka can get him to one game? Do you understand how injuries work? I don't think you understand how gutting it out works. I think you're missing that part. You gut it out. He doesn't gut it out on vacations. Also, I don't know how much an injury hampers Luka because he doesn't really lean on his athleticism. A hamstring he can't play.
I mean, he's the last guy down the floor, last guy on the floor. He's been playing better. If anybody can play hurt, It might be Luka. And that's what I'm trying to tell Zaz, who doesn't understand gutting it out. Your hamstring hurts? Great. It's the playoffs. Get out there. Okay. He's not explosive.
There's always that shift after college hoops ends where you think things are going to slow down. And instead, it's just different sports pulling you in. Now it's baseball every night. You swear you're only half watching. And then suddenly, you're locked into the seventh inning. Then you flip over. It's the cars making left turns for three hours. And somehow, you're locked in.
This was me actually the other night. I told myself I'd just stay home, keep it casual. Then my buddy college Mike texted me, hey, come through. We've got everything on. And I said, yeah. I picked up a pack of Miller Lite on the way. The next thing you know, we've got multiple screens going. Everybody's locked in on something different.
And the whole night just builds and builds to one of those moments where you take a sip, you look around, and you realize, yeah, this was the right call. Cheers to legendary moments with Miller Lite. Great taste, 96 calories. Go to MillerLite.com slash Dan to find delivery options near you. Or you can pick up some Miller Lite pretty much anywhere they sell beer. It's Miller time.
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The crown is yours. The crown is yours.
Oh, wow.
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