Knicks Getting Their First DUB, Tatum's Game Winner & Ant Man's Injury Sets The Arena Off! Part 1

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1:00 get $ 25 in bonus funds when you deposit just $ 10 on Polymarket. Welcome back to Gil's Arena presented by Polymarket and powered by Playmaker.

1:08 Whoa, whoa! H to the Izzo.

1:17 That'll make sense in a little bit. But this is Gil's Arena. I'm your lead host, Josiah Johnson. I'm here with NBA legend, 2K Uncle Badges, Peter King, and the goated Gilbert Arenas.

1:27 Yeah. I see you repping your squad. Even after a loss.

1:32 No, I didn't count that as a loss.

1:35 Okay, okay. The NBA did.

1:36 I don't got to count it.

1:37 Okay. Yeah, so we four and over. Name time. Mm-hmm.

1:45 It's tough when you play real teams.

1:52 That's crazy. It's tough when you play real teams.

1:57 He went into the roller school with a rollie on. That's what he did. Y'all missing a 41-year-old, it looks like.

2:02 But we got NCAA champion of the world, three-time NBA champion of the world. And when he's not in the arena, you can check out his Inside the Green Room podcast or catch him calling Lakers games.

2:13 Danny Green, back in. I'm happy you're calling Lakers games. Yeah, me too.

2:21 I didn't call last night. I'm happy you didn't have to call last night. It was a tough one. I appreciate y'all always having me.

2:25 Lakers fans are a little riled up, Danny. I'm going to be out. All right, man.

2:29 Pretty mean on social media last night. You ain't going to win 82. And we ain't ever seen it happen. Go Bronny.

2:38 We got four-time All-Star, two-time All-NBA selection DeMarcus Cousins back in the building here on Gills Arena. We had a very heated discussion prior to the show. We're going to bring it to the arena shortly.

2:52 Uh-oh.

2:53 Had to. You guys were very animated.

2:56 Come on, Cass. Here with the chat things as well. But we got a lot of things to discuss. Here's what's cracking in the arena today. The Knicks got their first win of the season while handing the Pistons their first loss. Will the defending champs get back on the right track? Jason Tatum has his best game of the season in the aftermath of his escalating feud with Jalen Brown.

3:19 Will Tatum make the Celtics a legit contender in the East? And Ant-Man expected to miss up to the next two months after undergoing knee surgery. Will the White Emberwolves be able to hold it down in the West without their franchise player? Also talking Lakers Blazers.

3:33 Yeah. Got to.

3:34 Like we have to. But chat, shout out to everybody in chat. We got a new and improved Mostly Fans for y'all today. We had a few hiccups yesterday. We are still working through it. But we're going virtual, allowing fans to pull up to the arena, ask their questions. Just make sure you keep your camera at a safe distance.

3:50 But if you want to come on the show, go to the No Chill Guild Discord for a chance to get picked to be in our virtual crowd. We appreciate y'all. We had like four or five people on Monday. Doubled that number yesterday. Let's see if we can double it again today. Pull up to our virtual crowd, and we'll get to y'all at the end of the show. And Gil's Arena, everywhere you want to be. So shout out to everybody watching the show on Twitch. If you're watching on Twitch, make sure you follow our channel at Gil's Arena Show. Appreciate y'all for all the subs and all the love. So, let's start the show in the East.

4:18 Knicks opened the season with a championship hangover, becoming just the third team in league history to lose their first three games. Knicks captain Jalen Brunson took responsibility for the slow start, saying everything falls on his shoulders. Meanwhile, the Pistons pulled up to MSG Tuesday night as the last remaining unbeaten team in the East, overcoming a 22-point deficit in their season opener in Boston over the Celtics, followed by back-to-back, wire-to-wire wins over the Heat and Sixers. Detroit's winning streak would come to an end, though, as the Big Bodega came through with a monster game to get the Knicks back on the right track. Let's take a look at the highlights. If we can, please, Paolo, like

4:54 we always do at this time. Defending NBA champions are finally starting to look like themselves again. But early on, it looked like they were about to take another L. Detroit came out firing, scoring 38 first quarter points behind Kane Cunningham and Paul Reed. Reed scored 13 in the first filling in for the injured Jalen Duren while Cunningham was controlling the offense. Detroit led by 13 after the first frame, but then the Knicks woke up. New York held Detroit to just 12 points in the second quarter, outscoring the Pistons 26-12 and taking a one-point lead into the break. So Brunson and the Knicks completely took over In the third quarter, after shooting just one for nine in the first half, Brunson came out aggressive, making his

5:34 first three shots. New York opened the third with an 11-0 run, pushing their lead to double digits. Carl Anthony Towns was dominating everything as the Knicks outscored Detroit 37-13 in that third quarter. Took a 25-point lead into the fourth quarter. Detroit made a late push, trimming the deficit to 11, but that's as close as they would get.

5:52 Cat came through with his best game of the season. 27 points and 20 rebounds. Jalen Brunson added 23 and seven dimes, but he was five for 18 from the field. While Mikael Bridges finally found a shooting touch, hitting four threes after missing his first 10 to start the season. It was looking real nasty for Bridges. Early on, finally got back on the right track. So for Detroit, Paul Reed led the way with 22 points and nine boards.

6:17 Cade nearly got a triple-double. He had 19, nine rebounds and eight assists. But the Pistons shot just 24% from three, 58% from the line. as his undefeated start came to an end. So after the game, Brunson had this to say about the Knicks getting their first win of the season.

6:34 First win of the season for you guys. Was it due for your psyche? A lot.

6:39 Very thankful at this point.

6:40 Very thankful. You said the first few weeks of the season, you'll learn who you guys are. Who are you? We're the Knicks, actually.

6:47 But I think most importantly, we got to remember that.

6:51 You know, Rome wasn't built in a day. This is a new year, new team.

6:56 Adversity started early, so we just got to fight back.

6:59 I know you're a stoic guy, but there almost feels like you're not totally pleased with where you guys are quite yet.

7:05 No, we have a long way to go, but obviously we want to learn from wins as much as we do from losses, so I'm just happy we came with a win today.

7:12 We are the Knicks, actually.

7:16 Oh yeah, that's a Kawhi answer. You said why that answer?

7:20 Yeah, that's a Kawhi answer. Well, actually with the Knicks. We'll start with our New York native, Danny Green.

7:27 Biggest takeaway from the Knicks getting their first win of the season on the Pistons?

7:32 I mean, well, they played the way they were supposed to play, for the most part. You know, I think the biggest part of this, they weren't scoring, and that was obviously getting the others involved. You know, Jalen's put a lot on his shoulders, and You know, Mikel was not playing his best basketball. OG had some struggles, you know, game one or so. I think they probably should play Mikel more with that second unit some so he can get, you know, more looks. Cat balled out. He still had five fouls. But can you look up how many fouls Cat averages? I think that's where a lot of it starts.

8:04 Five.

8:06 Like, he's always going to– like, if he doesn't get in foul trouble– It doesn't change their rhythm. Like, now drums got to come in earlier. They hold offense. Defense is different. But they got the monkey off their back. Got their first win. Detroit didn't shoot well. They don't have Jalen Dern, so that's a big factor. Cat took advantage of that. Paul Reed stepped up.

8:27 He hooped.

8:28 But Cat, what are you supposed to do?

8:29 27-12? 27-20. 20-20. 20-20. Excuse me. Big bodega.

8:30 He averages four fouls per game, too, Denny, so that's... Probably not.

8:38 Yeah.

8:38 Most of them probably in the first half. Like he's got to if you get him in the second half.

8:41 Cool. I don't give a damn.

8:42 Just don't get the fouls early in the first half. But taking advantage of the mismatch because Paul Reed, even though this is a big difference, you know, getting 20 rebounds. There was times when they played Detroit. They got smacked last year and he let Paul Reed out play him. This time, I think he kind of took it a little more personal and did allow that to happen.

9:01 So.

9:02 But, yeah, you know, collective effort. You see more of that rhythm. Shaman off the bench shot well, played well. Drum did his part. It was a good overall, all-around type of win effort, group effort.

9:16 Boogie, let's shift over to you. Knicks get their first win of the season. Pistons didn't have Jalen Dern, but the Big Bodega took advantage. 27 points, 20 boards.

9:25 I feel like this is eventually going to happen anyway. This is a championship group. For them, I feel like it's a lot of outside noise kind of hovering on them, and I feel like that played more of an impact on this kind of a slow start. I mean, obviously, deservingly so, they had a pretty extended summer.

9:46 You know what I mean?

9:48 You got to realize, you know, when it's season ended for them and just kind of enjoying their time off, it was probably a lot longer than every other player in this league. And like I said, deservingly so. So, I can't excuse that. This is damn near a holiday for New Yorkers. You know, this championship, the run, what it means to everybody involved. So I feel like they put a lot of energy into celebrating, you know, receiving their flowers. I mean, even after the first game, I believe it was Cats. they were promoting him on the night show right after the game. So, you know, these guys are still celebrating that part. And like I said, deservingly so. So I want to get him the benefit of the doubt when it comes to that. Because originally

10:33 when we were speaking on the Knicks, I thought they were going to be the team to come out firing. They had the most chemistry as far as, you know, the teams in the East, a group that knows each other, one together. So I felt like they had the advantage coming in earlier into the season. But I thought that way without, considering everything that happened leading up to it.

10:53 I feel like it's that, and then on top of that, cheap-ass owner, man. What's the ultimate prize in this league besides championships? I feel like that's what everybody plays for, especially if you're in a position to do so. So when it comes to getting rewarded for the results, this should be a no-brainer. So a guy like Cat, a guy like Josh Hart, and you got your owner saying, oh, we'll worry about that later.

11:20 Why? You know what I mean? For what?

11:24 We did what we came to do. We won the championship. Let us be rewarded for that. So I don't want to ignore those two things. That's just speculation. That's just my opinion. But I feel like it could be either one of those things as far as to why they started off so slow. But with all that, I think they will get back to their winning ways. I think this is the first step. They beat a really quality team early. So this is great for the locker room, great for, you know, the confidence moving forward, just getting back on the right page. So Cat wants his bread.

11:57 Josh Hart wants his bread. Deuce McBride looking for his bread. Brunson obviously eligible for an extension next offseason. So James Dolan, first championship in 53 years. Stop saddling, brother. But championships are expensive.

12:10 They are expensive. But I don't know. Nick's like a great regular season team anyway. They didn't have a great one last year. And then it's even harder the following year after you win it. So I knew that they would have some struggles, but they'll be fine. I still think they're the team, to me, to come out the East.

12:24 You think they're coming out the East this year?

12:26 I think they'll get right at the right time.

12:29 So, Gil, let's shift over to you. You're on the Knicks bandwagon. Yeah, I jump on the Knicks when it's winning time. When it's winning time. Has not been winning time so far to start the season. Started 0-3, just got their first dub last night.

12:43 That's what I– see, I'm going to consider what you said, right? Yeah. playing all the way to the end, then they won a championship, right? This is a different championship than the Boston San Antonio. 53 years. This is something you really celebrate, enjoy, and then short training camp.

13:05 Right.

13:06 This is the type of start you have. Like, they're at a really big disadvantage because, you know, you're playing longer, so that means while everybody's ramping up, you're actually about to start, you know, resting. Right. So I'll take that in consideration.

13:23 But.

13:27 Fifth, I still got them. Four or five. Yeah.

13:31 Right?

13:31 It's just.

13:32 Regular season, four or five?

13:33 Yeah, because when you look at the team, it's like... Like, I need something more. Like, I just, I personally just want to look at something. Or for the playoffs. When you, you got to add something. I always believe in, you got to add. I do feel like they need to add something. You just got to add something. Like, I don't care what it is. Like, to the bench, to the something.

13:58 They lost Mitch, and they brought in Drum. That's pretty much only, but they just brought everybody back.

14:01 Only brought everybody back, yeah.

14:03 Probably need one more piece.

14:05 We've seen teams do this, though, but the rest of the East, at least.

14:07 Or like, if you're not going to add something, like, sometimes a team don't add something because someone said, that was young, got way better. That's just like, oh, this is another player. But this is an older group. They're going to figure out how to win. They're a grinded out team. They know how to win because they did it last year. So I'm not counting them out. It was an ugly win. A horrible win. You know what I mean? But they played the perfect team that has horrible wins themselves.

14:45 Again, so when you look at the East, I'm with you. I think if they want to actually win again, I think they can come out the East, but I still think they'll lose. Whoever's out West is going to win to me.

14:59 Right now? Whenever, it don't matter. The team's getting beat up right now, early.

15:04 Yeah, but OKC, San Antonio, I think still.

15:08 I think it's coming out the East this year.

15:11 Nah, I can't.

15:12 Only two teams that I could. Again, even those other teams that.

15:15 OKC beat down.

15:17 They still better than other teams. Kaysen Wallace is going to be back.

15:22 Then Philly? Yeah, Kaysen Wallace. Yeah, Kaysen Wallace is going to be back. But if his left is off, I'm not worried about it. You're not worried about that. If it's shooting on that labrum, you got to tighten that bitch too tight.

15:36 Reports five to six-month recovery.

15:38 If it's too loose, it's always going to pop out. If it's too tight, your shot's done. That's the Mokeo folks. Yes.

15:46 But looking at the East, there's some great regular season teams that you would not bank on in the playoffs. They'll probably be ahead of New York. You think Cleveland, Detroit. Those teams, even though Cleveland did go to Eastern Conference Finals last year, I think they're a good team, but I don't put them in the contention category. They got Peyton Watson, but again, I don't think they got better.

16:08 I think Cleveland got better. I think Peyton Watson was a big.

16:12 Sign for them.

16:13 It was, but They didn't show much to me when you give up 22. You still losing the way you lost last year? Well, I don't think he's the problem. I agree. I think they didn't get better. To me, that's an issue. I don't think that was the plan originally. I think they wanted their old man.

16:31 There and it didn't quite work out the way they wanted it to because of certain individuals.

16:35 So that fell through. Now it's stuck.

16:37 Who you been talking to?

16:39 Who you been talking to?

16:42 I have sources.

16:45 He might be on his own.

16:47 I have my sources. But Detroit, who they play that was so... They had terrible wins. I feel like they beat Boston, right?

16:54 In the garden. It's terrible. Beat the Heat. Beat the Sixers.

16:57 I call it delusion basketball. Maybe Philly. Because.

17:01 And Boston, who else? And the Miami Heat, who? I mean, those are good wins. What I'm saying is it.

17:09 Two of those ones. Because you're winning, you don't see your real problem. It showed its ugly head last night. But you don't really see... What's going to happen in the playoffs? They were missing the.

17:23 Big fella too.

17:26 Outside of Cade, if you take Cade off the floor, who's the guy? I agree. I think that's their problem. The guy that has all the cap space to just develop into a monster, they just use him as a defensive player. And I'm like, man, I would be sitting right now, we're spending hours working on just offense. Your defense, that's you. That's just what you do. We're going to work on post moves. We're working on offense all day because I'm going to need your offense.

18:01 I don't think he's quite there yet, though.

18:03 That's because they haven't pushed him.

18:04 They haven't pushed him.

18:05 I mean, even the brother, who I think is better, I don't think he's a second option good right now.

18:10 But they at least put him– But.

18:12 I got to feature him because– Worst case scenario, him coming to the rim is a problem. Right. I need that problem. Especially with Cade. Cade can't just get hit all the time for free throws.

18:24 Yeah.

18:24 So I need somebody else on a fast break.

18:27 So would you do what they did with Amin?

18:30 Put him at the point? Yeah.

18:31 So while Jalen, like you could feature more now that Jalen is out. Like Duren's out right now. You put him at a point. You're taking the ball out of Cade.

18:38 Just sometimes. Not all the time.

18:39 Sometimes. Cade don't need the ball all the time. Like Cade do enough. That business group, he need the ball all the time. He can still... I don't think... He can play off the ball some, not all the time, but I'd say at least 20-30%. I think if.

18:53 You get a legit second option in there, like a legit go-to score, then that's possible. I don't think without that second option score, you can just give the ball to the twin and expect great results.

19:05 Like, You got to practice.

19:06 You got to push.

19:07 Fine.

19:07 You know what I'm saying? Cade can come off DHLs pinned down.

19:10 I agree.

19:11 It ain't pressure on him. It's not like he's going to have trouble bringing the ball up the floor. He can set the offense up and get Cade off of something easy.

19:16 You know what I mean?

19:17 He don't have to bring up the ball, set the offense, tell people to go, come off and pick and roll, and then second side action. He got to do all of that? He can't get somebody else to bring the ball up? You got to wait for Dan to come in? He was the point, and the brother was the two. I'm thinking the way he plays. I think y'all are like because they twins. They do the same shit, but.

19:35 They do this. They do the same. They do some of the same shit.

19:39 I don't think they're the same player or not, but they do a lot of the same shit.

19:43 But just half of... Just half. Just all the genetics that you want to know. Just half. Like, just half that shit I could use. Because I'm looking at a team that's just... Offensively, it's just like... Duncan Robinson's taking that many shots. Like, 14-3. Like, that's... You win if he's hitting those because you're not expecting him to hit that many threes. But if he's off, y'all going to struggle.

20:10 I think Duncan Robinson was a lazy move. Two for 10, shot, what, 24% from three, nine for 37 in the game?

20:15 Yeah, it's just, like, you're only.

20:18 Going to get what you're going to get from Duncan.

20:20 Yeah.

20:21 I think it was a lazy move. I don't think that's a starter for that group.

20:27 But then because so many athletes... It's like when you come in, you feature him a little bit, but you're really running plays for him.

20:35 And he's a liability defensively. So it's still, yeah.

20:39 Like, I'm looking at it, so it's like, okay, Nick, this is a win you could get. But they'll tune it up. You know, probably end-season tournament. We'll see how they kick it in once.

20:49 But, I mean, you're doing yourself a disservice by not, like you said with Asora, like not helping him develop. You got to put him in position because you're going to need him in the playoffs.

20:58 It was glaring. Right.

21:00 As expensive, how talented he is, and you can't use him or play him in certain moments of the game in the playoffs is an issue. And you have to solve that issue throughout the regular season by putting him in a position to grow.

21:16 Okay.

21:17 But let's get back to these Knicks if we can. Did we just see the defending champs wake up? Or are there still some serious problems in New York that are going to impact them?

21:26 They're still a little hungover. They're getting a little sober.

21:29 They're a little sober.

21:30 I don't look at them as a team that has problems. I just think it's getting back to playing good basketball. Like I said, the boys had a lit summer. And deservingly so. So it's a lot of shit they got to kind of shake off. that a lot of other players and teams were able to do earlier. So I just think they're kind of going through the motions and they're going to get back to hooping the correct way.

21:55 What's the upcoming schedule? Let me get it up for you. That'll determine, like, if they can get rack up, like, you know.

22:03 That fan base is long going to get them back. Three out of four, the next three out of four. Good basketball.

22:07 They get the next three out of four, they're going to be solid ground, get to 500.

22:11 They're at the Bulls. Okay, there you go. Then they're at the Sixers Friday. Then they got the Nets at home.

22:17 That's the one. Monday.

22:18 Got the Bulls at home on the 4th. Why couldn't they have started with that? Bulls, Nets, Bulls, Nets.

22:29 Sixers, Celtics. Then they got the Magic. Damn. Then Pistons.

22:34 That's what I said. It should have been the Bulls, Nets, Bulls, Nets. That's a tough start. Let me get a quick little 4-0. Give me a little rhythm.

22:40 After Nets the second time, who they got after that?

22:43 After that? Probably go West.

22:45 They got Nets, they got Bulls, then they got Cavs, Bucks, Cavs, Pacers.

22:50 There you go. Solid.

22:51 So they get right back on track right by the time they get to Cleveland.

22:53 Then at the Raptors.

22:54 It could, obviously, we don't know with Philly.

22:56 Who would rest.

22:56 Alley just went down. Yep.

22:58 Who's going to play for Philly when they play Philly? We don't know if it's resting in or not.

23:02 Philly will be a challenge regardless. For sure.

23:04 And then Cleveland. Those are the two ones. But they can still get those.

23:07 No, they can get right back to winning.

23:08 Yeah.

23:09 They'll be above 500 before we get to that.

23:11 I think they got Cleveland twice, you said, right? I think they'll win one of those.

23:15 Brooklyn twice.

23:15 Chicago twice. Yeah, they got.

23:17 No, Brooklyn once.

23:18 Chicago. Or Brooklyn once. Cleveland twice. Toronto twice. Pacers. I don't know.

23:25 Bucks is well mixed in there.

23:27 Oh, yeah. They're going to streak it up. Yeah.

23:30 Okay.

23:31 They can shoot up to fourth, fifth. Pretty quick. All right.

23:36 So let's talk a little bit about Mikael Bridges. Been struggling to start this season. Through the Knicks' first three games, he was averaging three points, three rebounds, two assists. Shootin' 22% from the field. How many minutes?

23:48 0 for 10.

23:48 He's playing about 25, 30 minutes a game. But got it back and had 12 points, hit four threes, and missed his first 10 three-pointers. heading into that matchup. But do y'all feel like Mikael Bridges is an X factor for another Knicks championship run or with all the issues they have going on with extensions for other guys as they look ahead to the next season?

24:07 So everybody's up this summer?

24:09 Boogie wants his, or excuse me, Cat wants his bread.

24:12 I'll take it. Boogie wants his bread.

24:14 Cat wants his bread. Josh Hart looking for an extension too. So basically, Cat right now, if they don't get an extension done before the deadline, they would go into the second apron if he opted into Okay. But he'd have a lot more leverage. Josh Hart, team option, so a little bit less of an issue on that front, but obviously a guy you want to keep. When you look around, there's been reports that Mikael Bridges potentially could be that odd man out. He's making like 34, 35 mil.

24:37 Yeah.

24:38 I mean, if you don't keep Posh, that could be an upgrade for the New York Knicks.

24:42 Offensively? Offensively, yeah. Offensive rebounds, second-chance points. I mean, you got Andre Drummond now, so.

24:50 I mean, kind of get that back to your question. He is the X factor. The reason why they were smacking the shit out of teams in the playoffs last year is because he was hooping. It was him and Shaman because nobody expected those guys to ball like that. They went in 20 because Shaman's on the bench with 12 or 13 in Eastern Conference Finals. Mikkel was averaging like 16, like 80 percent from the mid range, getting easy layups.

25:11 But it.

25:13 It's an adjustment for him. He's not naturally a role.

25:17 Player like that.

25:18 In Phoenix, he kind of was, but when he got to Brooklyn, he was the guy. Now, it's like, how do I figure this out?

25:25 I mean, I feel like he's been more of a role player in his career than a star.

25:30 With the Knicks. He was a role player with Phoenix. That's right.

25:33 Only time you had.

25:36 I would say he was in a star rose, that short stand in Brooklyn.

25:39 Yeah, he had two or three years there, right?

25:41 Nah, he won two, three.

25:42 He averaged one year 19, another year 20.

25:44 He averaged 26, one year with 27 games in Brooklyn and 22, 23 after the trade, I believe. Then 20 that next season. So he averaged 20 points overall in the 22, 23 season with Phoenix. So it was only a year and a half he was there? Yeah, and then.

26:00 Too long. You ain't there long enough to.

26:04 But, again, for a guy that was getting the ball, even in Phoenix, he was getting the ball.

26:07 I mean, yeah.

26:08 Because now it's Brunson, Cat, then it's OG, and then Josh pushing the break. Like, he's the last guy to see the rock most of the time. And to adjust to that was like, do I go with the offensive? Like, you're going to have to be active to try to get just feel. You know what I'm saying? Damn, some night it might be heavy. You don't even know the weight of the ball some nights if you're not getting an opportunity to get something run for you. But, yeah, I mean, he's got to be aggressive. He was the X factor why they won. I think in playoff time he's always shown up. Even when it came to defense, like Boston series, he was getting certain steals at the end of the game, making big plays and big shots.

26:45 So if they want to win again, he's going to have to be the guy. But I said this before on other platforms, like they got to find a way to feature him more. Whether it's with the second unit or not, they got to give him some rhythm looks somewhere.

26:57 I think it also is a difference, too, because, you know, I think, his most effective role was kind of in Phoenix.

27:04 But he had that pass first guard to where.

27:06 He was getting CP and book basically his own.

27:08 And then when it comes to Brunson, who's looking more to score, you know, those looks kind of get taken away. But, um, at the same time, we've seen him struggle before. Like, so it's not really that big of a concern.

27:20 Yeah.

27:21 Uh, you know, he's shown the tendency to be able to bounce back from rough stretches of basketball. Um, He's a trustworthy guy. I think any team in the league will want that guy on their team. Regardless if he's shooting good or not, there's so many other things he brings to the game that doesn't necessarily show up on the stat sheet. I do agree with Danny as far as him kind of being that X factor for the group.

27:45 When he's rolling, they're a tough team to beat. I expect him to get back to it. I give him the same excuse I've given the rest of the team. He just got to shake the rust off, shake the summer off, and still early.

27:59 It'll be fine.

28:00 I'm not too concerned about it, but to answer the question, when he's at his best, the Knicks are at their best.

28:07 And when you look at this Knicks squad, who do you feel like is the X-Factors? Is it Mikael Bridges? Does Cat need a bigger role on the offensive side?

28:17 Josh Hart. Everybody needs a bigger role, right? It's trying to Who is actually, if you, out of this offense, if you just put him in regular offense, who is the third option? Is it him or OG? OG ain't the third. OG might be second.

28:48 Overcap?

28:49 Yeah.

28:53 I mean, it looked that way in the playoffs.

28:57 But I'm looking at OG and McHale. McHale actually is a bucket getter that has to suppress. So he's sitting in the corner just... So his thing... He's like a Rip Hamilton style. So if you're not calling, if you're not doing that form, now he becomes a spot-up shooter. You know what I mean? That's not his thing. So it's like....

29:21 O.G.

29:21 Is going to force those shots. He's going to get them up. So I'm trying to figure out, like, do you really need plays to make sure McHale's involved? Because that's what he does. He can put the ball in the back. He can shoot. You know what I mean? Like, he gets bucket. Like, he's not big in free throws because he's going to do the little turnaround, one-two. dribble, pull up. Right? But if you're not really putting him in the offense, you got him sitting in the corner.

29:45 I agree. You know, now you got to start from zero.

29:48 Like, it's... He's not in his natural habitat.

29:50 Like, I'm trying to figure out, like, this year, do you give one of them a bigger role to, like, make up for not... I think you hit something on the head with saying that. And I think it goes back to personnel of the lead guard. In the Knicks situation, it might be where they have to call plays for him because in the natural flow of the game, obviously Brunson being a score-first type of guard, he won't get many looks with the natural flow. So to get him rolling, to get him back in that rhythm, it may be a situation where it could be like that J.J.

30:20 Redick type situation. The first five shots we all know going into it. You know what I'm saying? Just to make sure he's rolling early and then he's comfortable throughout the game. So, you know, based off the personnel, that might not be, you know, a bad play. As far as to get him rolling.

30:35 Again, like, back to the point, like, he's a role player, but he's not like your natural corner dude. He's not used to just sitting in the corner.

30:42 You know what I'm saying?

30:43 Like, he's, I got to get some, you know what I'm saying, activity. So, throw a pin down to two.

30:49 A little floppy, actually.

30:50 To start the game, start the half. Start the game, start the half. It'll make him more confident for the rest of the game. He'll probably get even better defense, too.

30:59 I'm surprised they don't do any type of triangle stuff. When Brunson don't have the ball, it goes to Cat, OG, and McHale, and you three play something.

31:11 Right?

31:12 I mean, it's like.

31:12 I mean, they play Cat more on the outside anyway, though. He's more in the middle of the floor.

31:16 But it's still like, all right, Cat got it. Maybe he might get, you know, a little backdoor, a little something, a little pop to go screen and roll. I mean, but in the triangle, they would need... No, I mean, like, not necessarily triangle.

31:28 Like a split action type.

31:29 Like a split action type. Like, I would have split action for those three while Brunson still do Brunson. Oh, for sure.

31:35 Yeah.

31:37 All right, well, let's keep this thing moving. Time to try and finesse some bread on Polymarket. This is Put That On Something. We're going to give you a trade on the Polymarket app. You've got to pick a side and put that on something. So Knicks finally got their first win of the season, have made back-to-back trips to the Eastern Conference Finals. Very, very impressive. There have been eight different champions in the past eight seasons. No defending champ has made it back to the Conference Finals the following season in that time frame. So if you look on Polymarket right now, 10% of traders on Polymarket think the Knicks will be the first team to break that trend while 91% think they will get eliminated before that happens.

32:11 But let's take it to the couch. Boogie, looking at this Knicks squad, we're talking about the championship hangover. Will the Knicks reach the Eastern Conference Finals this season?

32:24 Ooh, that's a no.

32:28 I'm just trying to think of who I can, outside of Philly, who I believe could kind of make that push towards that outside of New York. I could see a New York Philly.

32:41 Yeah. Conference final.

32:42 Outside of those two, I don't really see. There's not a team that I have a lot of strong faith in.

32:46 Yeah.

32:47 Toronto, maybe, but Kawhi, I don't know. Miami, hell no. As of right now, hell no. Hmm.

33:00 It's Cleveland and Detroit, really, that's in there. And then Boston, maybe.

33:02 Detroit, I.

33:03 It's still young.

33:05 Y'all see them Wizards, man. Y'all see them Wizards. The boy coming back today, too.

33:10 AJ DeBonsa making it. I mean, they're going to have to make some noise.

33:14 I think the Wizards will be good this year, but they're going to have to make a little more noise to even be considered in that conference finals type of.

33:21 I mean, they'll be in the playoffs this year.

33:22 Again... I know this. If the Wizards play New York, Wizards won. Wizards won what? And they play New York in a seven-game series. Seven-game series.

33:31 So seven games in an NBA playoff series.

33:33 Who winning? Trey Young is winning, like always. That's like he is the guy. He's like Reggie Miller. It don't matter what his team is.

33:47 There's something about him in.

33:51 The garden that just puts something else in the air.

33:54 I agree with you on that part.

33:56 We've seen what he won with before.

33:58 With this situation, yeah, with this situation, Trey's going to lose that one.

34:02 He's going to be shaking dice all through the building.

34:05 But is he rolling seven or is he snake hunting? You know he's rolling seven in the building. You know he's rolling seven in the building.

34:11 Is he Melvin and Baby Boy? I think it would be great.

34:14 Yeah, that's nice. I would love that. That would be great.

34:17 I mean, I got Washington ahead of Miami right now.

34:19 100%. Wow. Shit, I got Orlando.

34:22 But I had them in the same category. Miami fans talking that shit. They was on my ass about it.

34:27 Nah, they was real hostile before the season started.

34:31 Everybody was dumb. Nobody knew what the fuck they was talking about. Y'all done got real quiet with that 0-4 start.

34:37 Talking about motherfuckers don't know what they're talking about.

34:40 Yada, yada, yada.

34:41 They can still bounce back, but that's seven through nine. That's a good, you know what I'm saying? And we said it from the beginning. The fit wasn't going to work.

34:47 That's a lot of good teams.

34:48 There's a lot of good teams ahead of y'all.

34:51 Said it from jump. The fit between.

34:52 Giannis and Bam. I think I included Orlando and Atlanta here. I gave them grace because I said New York, Philly, Cleveland, Detroit, Boston, Toronto. That's six right there for me.

35:03 Wow.

35:04 I didn't even mention Washington Wizards.

35:07 We talking about Atlanta?

35:08 I'm talking about Miami right now.

35:09 I'm saying, did you mention Atlanta?

35:10 I haven't mentioned Atlanta and Orlando yet.

35:13 I'm not big on Orlando right now.

35:14 Or even Charlotte, because Charlotte right now, didn't they beat Miami? Without Kobe White and Konka Nipple?

35:19 And they were smacking them, too. The heat obviously came back. I don't think Charlotte's going to make it either, though.

35:24 No.

35:25 But no Konka Nipple at this point. Brandon Miller, though, playing. Yeah, he involved.

35:30 But he deserved that.

35:31 I think Charlotte... Atlanta and Washington are going to be in that same realm with Miami. Those four teams are going to be playing.

35:38 We're talking about Atlanta, but do you agree with Danny saying that about your Miami Heat?

35:43 That ain't my Miami Heat. I've never liked Miami Heat. When did I ever cheer for Miami Heat? Never. I just said how Pat Riley and Miami start off, they start off on fire. They play hard. They play defense and So since they're not playing no defense. That's what really had me thinking they would be better.

36:07 I just thought alone, like defensively alone, I'm like, this is going to be a hard ass team to beat.

36:12 I thought the offense was.

36:13 Going to always struggle, especially early, and I thought eventually they'd figure it out. But defensively, I thought they were going to be by far the best.

36:20 I thought they'd be decent because, again, it's really just Davion, Bam, and Giannis.

36:25 I mean, that's a lot. You still got Wiggs. Wiggs is the guard, too.

36:29 Again, Wiggs and Claire and Tim Hardaway are good pieces. Tim Hardaway is not in that competition. They're older, and they're not keeping up with these young dudes no more, bruh.

36:39 I mean, from a.

36:40 Team, I'm more so speaking from a team defense standpoint. If you got them two monsters behind you.

36:45 I thought it would keep things close. But the offense was, you got rid of too much. You don't have enough offense. And Bam does the same thing Giannis does. So he don't got the ball in his hand.

36:53 I'm speaking only defensively. Offensively, I knew it was going to be a shit show.

36:57 That's why Bam's struggling. He ain't initiating offense no more now. You got him being a corner boy.

37:02 Yep.

37:02 And he don't shoot threes like that. What the hell y'all got him spaced out in the.

37:05 He better start. But go back to these Knicks real quick. You better start launching them, bitch. You think the Knicks will reach the Eastern Conference Finals?

37:13 You better start.

37:14 Do I think they're going to reach the Eastern Conference Finals? You just have to make it to the Eastern Conference Finals. The New York Knicks.

37:19 Yeah. You don't think they make it to the first round? Second round. And then.

37:26 So you think they match up with Washington first round?

37:29 And they go home. When it comes to that, it's all matchups. You know what I mean? At that point, it's all matchups. So if they had the 4-5 seed, they'd put somebody right around them. And the next seed is a one or two.

37:41 So you're saying they're going to play Philly in the second round, basically.

37:44 Yeah, they'll be playing Philly, Detroit.

37:46 And they're going to beat Detroit. Actually, you know what? They'll beat Detroit. They struggled with Detroit yesterday.

37:55 But in the playoffs, if them two meet in the playoffs... They.

38:01 Had Malik Beasley and Tim Hart back. They had actual people who could play ball. Yeah, they had some shooters.

38:06 They struggled with them for about the past two years.

38:08 They struggled with Detroit. But in the playoffs....

38:13 I think they'll beat Detroit, though.

38:14 I think just New York has Detroit gotten better. New York has just a little bit more.

38:20 Like.

38:21 If somebody's going to, like, catch fire, there's multiple guys that's going to catch fire from outside. Detroit over there is just, if Duncan Robinson hits a three, a couple threes that game, if he averages three threes, like three for five, three for six, y'all won. Three for eight and above, y'all lost that. Unless K.E. got his 50-60 like he usually, you know what I mean? Right, right, right.

38:42 All right, well, that was Put That On Something presented by PolyMarket. Download the Polymarket app and use code ARENA to get $ 25 in bonus funds where you deposit just $ 10. Make your next move your best move. Join the revolution. Polymarket, the most accurate sports odds and forecast in the world.

38:56 So sticking with the New York theme, at the top of this show, Jay-Z officially set the headline, the Super Bowl 61 halftime show at SoFi Stadium, February 14th, 2027. So on Monday, Apple Music, the NFL, and Roc Nation formally announced that Jay will take football's biggest stage, The announcement marks a massive milestone celebrating his 30-year legacy in the music industry.

39:20 So Boogie, we'll start with you. What are your thoughts on Sean Carter, better known by his rap stage.

39:25 Name Jay-Z, celebrating 30 years in the music industry by headlining.

39:30 Super Bowl 61 in Los Angeles? I don't care. Oh, man.

39:37 It doesn't move, Boogie.

39:39 It doesn't quite move.

39:39 It's not moving you.

39:40 Nah.

39:42 Do you think it's going to be a good show?

39:45 Eh.

39:46 I wouldn't be there, so I don't think it's really a... No plans to attend the Super Bowl. Where's it at this year?

39:53 So far, right? What if the Raiders make it? Hey! It's in L.A. That's a different conversation.

39:59 And if the Raiders make it, I need Ice Cube before him.

40:03 You don't think he'll bring out Cube like the West Coast dudes?

40:08 Nah. I don't know.

40:12 It don't really move me. This might be for a New Yorker. In LA.

40:16 Yeah, man.

40:19 New York, how you feel about it? I'm a South guy.

40:22 I don't really move.

40:22 I'm a big fan of Hope, man. He's been doing it for 30 years. That's legendary stuff, bro. Had his show here.

40:28 Definitely a leg. Last weekend.

40:30 I'm waiting for new music. I'm hoping for new music. That's what I'm hoping for.

40:35 So last time we were at SoFi, Dr. Dre Snoop Dogg.

40:39 I missed that one. I was at night one. He only brought out. Blue playing the piano was dope.

40:43 He brought out.

40:44 Then Ghostface or Scarface.

40:45 I'm just saying, no, at Super Bowl, last time Super Bowl was at SoFi, Dre and Snoop electrified the audience. You don't think Jay-Z's bringing that same level? I believe, I mean, he's going to have to bring some acts with him.

40:57 Because he brought Dre and Snoop out here the second night.

41:00 Yeah, the second night at SoFi. I mean, I could expect a Beyonce to hit. His warm-up. I could see Beyonce coming out. That would be dope. Maybe a Rihanna.

41:11 I'm excited because I think it's been 10 years since we got a Jay album. I think we're going to get some new music from Jay. Which would be dope. I'm assuming and imagining that he'll have a lot of those artists that he's worked with in the past on the album. Whether it's Beyonce, whether it's Rihanna, whether it's Ye.

41:28 I don't know if him and Ye will ever... Bring Beans out.

41:31 Fuck it.

41:31 Bring Beans out.

41:35 That'd be hard.

41:36 Memphis Bleak.

41:37 I'm excited for new music and I think You know, you're going to put out something. You know, it's always good to have new music.

41:43 Miguel, what's your reaction to Jay-Z headlining Super Bowl 61 so far?

41:49 I got to think business. I got to think business because he's a businessman. Now, he considers himself hip-hop, right? And everything he does is for hip-hop, even if people don't see it. Now, you're talking about a guy who's about to do what he's going to do, and this is a chance for him to bring people that wouldn't be picked by the Super Bowl. Oh, shit, bring Cap out. Right? So, I'm looking at some of the people. Like, you're talking about if we just say he's going to bring out his list, you're talking about he can bring out Beyonce, Rihanna, Kanye, Eminem, Alicia Cole, I mean, Alicia Keys. You're talking about Drake.

42:41 You know he's going to bring out Nas, right? You say he can bring out Drake? He can bring out Drake. But that's what I'm saying. But he can. If we put a politics aside. That's what we need to do. Now, that would be intriguing. I'm just saying, if we put a politics aside. I'm pulling up. Lil Wayne. I'm pulling up.

42:56 He can bring out Lil Wayne.

42:57 I mean, he kind of, I don't want to say burnt the brick, but Wayne was supposed to do.

43:00 The one in New Orleans.

43:02 I hate it on him.

43:03 I'm just saying, if you take away the politics and say, I want to bring in. All right. I want to bring on people that they wouldn't usually do and this this is for hip-hop Yeah, we're gonna do this for him cuz they always because we they don't do this Yeah, it'll never be that it could be so it could be a legendary one. It'll never say But it's on him though.

43:23 And that's why I said it never be that cuz it's gonna always be politics involved I.

43:27 Mean if you if you if you got your politics all the way here, you can really save hip-hop though You can do you can do something. No one's ever done. I And everybody will look at you.

43:38 Real deep like, I would love for that to happen, but I doubt it. Like I said, I think the politics going to always be involved.

43:44 That would be super dope, bro. He did that. Like I said, bring Colin Kaepernick out if that's the case.

43:50 I don't think that would happen.

43:53 I think they'd rather have Beanie Siegel than him. I mean, shit. We on some heroes.

43:59 Shit, let's do it.

44:00 The Cap got some songs I missed or something?

44:02 Young Jeezy.

44:02 They just have some.

44:04 Yeah. Young Jeezy out there. Come on, man.

44:06 JZ hasn't been as supportive as he should have been.

44:08 We'll be a legendary moment. We'll bring him out there, just.

44:10 Have a jersey. We're bringing everybody together. Bring in the Young Jeezy. Come on, man. It could be crazy.

44:17 Yo, it could be crazy.

44:19 So to my next question, I'm going to start with you. Is JZ globally respected in the rap game?

44:25 Globally? Is he a global icon? I mean, I've never went overseas as he's.

44:28 In the hip hop, but, um, stadium tours, headline Glastonbury many moons ago.

44:33 Yeah. I mean, he's just, he's just.

44:35 The globally respected or like a global, global superstar.

44:40 I would, I would, I would hope so. I would think so. I don't think he's local. Um, not local one, but you, when you're talking about business wise and things he's done, I mean, of course, um, I mean, that's what I don't, I've never seen, like, does he even go overseas? I have no idea.

45:00 He's done some tours.

45:01 He does? In Paris, right?

45:03 He was an N-word in Paris.

45:04 I mean, that's what I said. I would just assume, like, that, yeah, that motherfucker sells out everything over there.

45:11 Boogie, let's shift over to you. Do you feel like Jay-Z is a global hip-hop superstar?

45:19 Nah.

45:24 I don't I mean it's hard when you think global you gotta touch.

45:28 So you're just talking about based off the music alone yeah you.

45:30 Gotta touch all walks of life like I think when it comes to Jay it's a specific you know what I'm saying a taste of music.

45:40 You think global it's.

45:43 It's more of a I don't know it's more of a commercial field if that makes sense you think of the the Drake's the Taylor Swift shit like that.

45:51 Like so.

45:55 No, not, but nah. I think he's a global businessman. I think that's global, but as far as.

46:01 His music, though, is not as global, not like the others.

46:04 I mean, I've been places, and, you know, while I'm there, different Asian communities and things like that, they love hip-hop, but that's not really something that's being pushed, like, as far as Jay-Z.

46:20 Ooh.

46:21 What's the numbers, Gil?

46:23 I had to go chat GBT. As we all do. They said Jay-Z is a global superstar in fame and influence, but if we're talking about actual music, he's not in the same. That's what I just said. He's not in the same league as Drake, The Weeknd.

46:38 There you go.

46:38 Yeah, but he can still be in that conversation. He can still be there, but just not in that category.

46:43 Those are global superstars.

46:44 I didn't say he's the biggest.

46:46 Yeah.

46:48 Did the chat say he's a global superstar?

46:50 No, not really. Right, I mean, no. Damn.

46:53 I mean, even with the conversation earlier, it was about, you know, does Jay-Z have the same impact on the South as he does?

47:00 I think his impact is more culturally than it is music, like, musically. I think it's more culturally than it is musically.

47:06 Yeah.

47:10 His minimal impact in the South?

47:11 Well, ChatGBT answers your question, Cash. He didn't make the top 20. Argue with ChatGBT. He didn't make the top 20 of global music. numbers. There you go. Last year in 2025.

47:27 In his career though, obviously he hasn't been heavy in the music game. He's an old nigga now.

47:34 Morgan Wallen? Sabrina Carpenter? Morgan Wallen is the country singer, right? Straight kids. Who? Stray Kids?

47:46 I feel like it's probably K-pop.

47:47 K-pop?

47:48 That's some different shit. Okay, that's this own world. That's all new shit. K-pop ain't nothing but a... If you did it up to 2017... K-pop is.

47:56 So if you type in.

47:57 It's kind of stemmed from hip-hop, right, Cass? R & B.

48:01 R & B?

48:01 K-pop?

48:01 If you did it to 2017.

48:02 It's a fast... It's a fast.

48:05 You did it to 2020 or 2017 with that number change. Because his last.

48:08 Album was 2017. Just like fried chicken.

48:10 But Serena Carpenter is young. She probably just got. No, I mean, before that, I thought he was a global. I thought he was more impactful culturally than anything.

48:20 Okay.

48:21 Well, I just wanted to find that out. Obviously, we veered off a little bit, but let's get back into some basketball discourse. Undefeated Lakers.

48:30 Gil's Undefeated Lakers.

48:31 According to Gil.

48:32 The Undefeated Lakers, Gil's Undefeated Lakers, and the Undefeated Blazers met Tuesday night in primetime in Los Angeles. Not far from our studio here. Both squads feature dynamic backcourt duos with Luka and Austin Reeves leading the Snowtime Lakers and Damian Lillard and John Morant holding it down for Portland.

48:49 So despite another big scoring night from Luka, Gil's favorite player, Blazers backcourt would reign supreme and show why Dame time is alive and well as the Blazers went on a fourth quarter rally to give the Lakers their first loss of the season. Let's take a look at the highlights. If we can, please, Paolo. Game was an offensive shootout.

49:11 Luka came out firing as he tends to do, dropping 16 points in the first quarter, helped the Lakers take a six-point lead after that first frame.

49:20 But it was back and forth. Damon Demetrius, Jamel Murray. Yeah.

49:25 That's a good touch pass right there. That's crazy.

49:27 That was beautiful.

49:28 You know exactly what was going on.

49:29 Portland shot nearly 70%. From the field in the first half. If you were looking for defense in this game, you were going to be looking very, very hard.

49:37 That's hard to do without defense, honestly. 70% from the field.

49:41 70%?

49:42 And it's not just all layups.

49:45 Yeah.

49:45 Was it mostly layups? Nah. Everybody shot good last night.

49:49 Everybody was doing their thing. Portman moving that ball.

49:50 Jotting, hitting trade balls.

49:53 On both sides. Okay, Mamu.

49:54 Mamu. I like Mamu. Yeah, I do.

49:57 George and Jordan. George and Jordan. Yeah, yeah, yeah. He's the Georgian.

50:02 Come here, Tumani.

50:04 The Blazers got 70% in the first half. Still trailed 73-68 at halftime.

50:09 He had 41 on Tumani.

50:10 Tumani's a good defender.

50:11 Luka had 24 points in the first half. Lakers looked ready to pull away. Slovenian Jesus followed up his 52 piece against the Jazz with 41 points, 9 assists, and 5 rebounds.

50:20 12 for 22 from the field. 6 for 15 from deep.

50:23 While Austin Reeves, also known as Lemon Daddy, added 26 points and 7 dimes. So coming out of halftime, Luka and Reeves knocked down back-to-back threes. pushing L.A. 's lead to double digits, but Portland refused to go away. That was some fake hustle right there. Portland got some strong performances from John Dane and Danny Avdia. Blazers battled all the way back and eventually took the lead as they showed off their long-range game.

50:50 Let's see what the numbers are when they finish.

50:52 You already know.

50:54 Yeah, they shot 70 in the first half. It was a shootout.

50:57 Back and forth.

51:04 And then, you know what time it is, Gil.

51:08 Dame time. You see Ja doing the celly at the bottom of the screen. Damian Lillard did his thing. So, Dame finished 21 points going 4 for 8 from deep. Ja had 23 points on 9 and 13 shooting. Drew Holiday, big off the bench, 22 points on 8 and 12 shooting. Portland shot, 59% from the field, 50% from deep. 18 threes.

51:28 They also had 30 assists in the game to hand the Lakers out. the Snowtime Lakers, the Luka-era Lakers, the non-LeBron Lakers.

51:37 A lot of great offense on both sides, man.

51:39 Their first loss of the season. Gil, see you still supporting Los Angeles. I respect you for that.

51:45 Yeah, because I don't look at that as a loss, to be honest. They lost, though, Gil. You know, Luka did what Luka had to do.

51:52 You know what I mean? What, 93 points?

51:55 94 points?

51:56 93 points in two games?

51:57 He really only missed... Like, if he takes away the threes, like, he didn't... He only missed one shot. You know what I mean? You know, I think.

52:06 From two.

52:07 Yeah, only for two. Yeah, he only missed one.

52:09 Six for 15.

52:10 From the three.

52:11 That's a lot of threes to take away. Yo, 15 of them things.

52:14 If he hitting, he going to shoot.

52:17 Him. Still 40%. Blazers, we should have just let the coach do what he was going to do. To be honest. When he wanted to bring them off the bench. Yeah, just bring them all off the bench. You know what I mean? Just fucking bring them all. You know what I mean? But looking at the Blazers, they can put the ball in the basket. Oh, yeah. Like, just overall, like it's, when you think Blazers, you just think they suck.

52:50 I'm just being honest. Just the name. If you told me, did they make the playoffs last year, I would have just said no.

52:56 And then you would be incorrect.

52:57 I'm like, did they? They made the playoffs. No, I would have said no, they didn't. Because whatever series that was, they probably got.

53:04 The seventh seed in Adam Silver's National Basketball Association.

53:07 No, they won a game. They beat San Antonio.

53:09 Oh, okay. They won one.

53:11 They almost won. Did they win two, actually?

53:13 No, I doubt it.

53:13 No, they won one.

53:14 For sure. Just the name itself. Watching them last night, and you just....

53:20 You don't like the Blazers? Good uniform?

53:22 Dame. Rip City? Like, Dame back. You know, that's my guy. Jaws back, that's my guy. So I got to, you know, I'm rooting for them two. Drew Holiday, I'm rooting for them three. No Danny Abdi you're rooting for? I don't really know him.

53:35 Okay.

53:36 But. Emerging star?

53:38 23 and 9. All-star last year, right? All-star.

53:40 Yo, that, he got something. He got something on him. He's nice. Yeah. Yes. He cold as fuck. Like, he's not, like, he, so y'all, we played him. He has that Lou Aldane package in him, too. where he don't just, like you pass the ball, he don't catch it just thin. He's always moving. So when you're trying to close out, he's on the move already. That's a whole different skill.

54:07 He's north-south.

54:08 He's fast. He's running into the pass. Yeah, he's running into the pass. So, you know, just watching him move the ball.

54:14 He gets it at cook. It's like, man, they're going to be dangerous.

54:17 They had the three guards out there yesterday, and it's like, Damn, three guards that can put the ball in the basket. They can shoot. They can play make. That is a very different offense. So, I'm like, okay. I can see this. If I'm coach, I would have probably had, like, you sitting there like, damn, I do got decisions to make.

54:37 But I'm glad he made the decisions and then all three of them are actually playing together.

54:41 Mike Inori, the Blazers head coach, on a proven deal himself. And then Sharp coming back. They're three and all, right? They're undefeated still. I think I think something that we ignored in all of it was.

54:52 Shaden's going to be out.

54:55 I don't know. She hurt right now too, right? Yeah.

54:57 When Shaden comes back, I don't see where they're going to find a lot of.

55:01 That's crazy, right?

55:03 Like you said, Kamara comes back, he might be the guy.

55:06 Kamara? Nah, probably.

55:08 They need him for defense.

55:08 They need Kamara for defense. Shaden's going to be the odd man out, probably.

55:12 Yeah, yeah, yeah. I thought it was Scoot. They could probably get something back for it anyway. It's either him or Scoot, right?

55:16 Unless they try to roll a small ball line up. I don't know how that's going to be.

55:20 Yeah, I mean, go ahead.

55:22 But I think the part that we've been missing in all of this, obviously when they rolled out that starting lineup, it was just like, what.

55:28 The hell are you thinking? You know what I mean?

55:30 But when it comes to Dane, we got to realize this dude has always flourished next to another guard. So seeing it now, seeing everything kind of play out, seeing how they're playing these guys now, You got a job with that more of a playmaker type of role, getting to the paint, creating for others.

55:48 Dame letting that motherfucker fly.

55:49 Like he's officially a two guard in this situation and it's working great for him.

55:55 It may preserve his body.

55:56 A little more, give him an opportunity to continue to come back from the injury, whatever the case may be. But I like the combination and it helped me realize like Dame.

56:06 Has always flourished in these type of situations.

56:09 So, uh, Shout-out to Dame, and I'm pretty sure, you know, just his experience doing it has made it an easier transition for a guy like Ja.

56:18 Dame averaging 22 points, four rebounds, four assists so far this season. Shout-out to Coach McGee.

56:23 I had the pleasure of being coached by him, one of my favorites.

56:27 But I like the move.

56:29 I like the courage to even be able to go with the move. You know, you put all the nonsense aside regardless of what others are thinking, and, you know, you went with your best two players at that spot, and it's working. On top of Denny being able to– on top of those two being able to work, you're still presenting Denny in a light to where he's still able to flourish and do what he does best. So it's actually kind of turned into a really good situation as far as those three. And then you got the big fella back there blocking shots. I can't remember the four's name, but he can really shoot.

57:01 I think he went like three for four last night. Was that Kamara?

57:04 Klingon?

57:05 No, not Klingon. Not Klingon. The four.

57:06 I think he's like 6'7. Sosuka or not?

57:09 No, Kamara. Is it Kamara? Yeah, Kamara.

57:12 Tumani.

57:13 Who? Tumani.

57:14 He went four for five.

57:15 Yeah, Tumani Kamara.

57:16 Yeah, he was shooting the shit out of the ball.

57:20 So it's turning into a pretty good situation.

57:23 I think the guys on the floor complement each other pretty well. So I'm liking what I'm seeing from this Portland group. And, you know, let's see where this shit goes because they can only get better from here.

57:34 So you played for Micah Norrie before Micah spent a ton of time with Chris Finch and that Wolf Squad. Always gave great interviews. Needs to have a great personality demeanor. Incredible personality. Blazers gave him a whole deal. And he took it.

57:45 It was a whole deal.

57:46 But he took it.

57:48 Sometimes you have to get in the door however you can, though. This is a guy that's been an assistant a long time.

57:53 So he's playing for his job, too.

57:54 Yeah. When you start talking, hey, yeah, you know, it's been great being a coach, you know. That money. I need that money.

58:03 You know, 3-0.

58:04 I need that money. He's definitely setting himself up to walk into the payday.

58:09 Joe, you can do me a favor while I see how many points Portland's averaging per game and how much they're also giving up.

58:14 So Portland has the highest rated offense in the league right now, Danny. Wow.

58:18 Let me see.

58:19 Averaging 130 what? Let me see, please.

58:22 120, 130.

58:23 And how much they're giving up. So I'm going to get into that.

58:27 I think The Blazers are averaging 129 points per game.

58:31 Yeah, almost 130.

58:31 And giving up how much?

58:34 Let me see.

58:39 111.

58:39 Okay.

58:40 Damn. Goddamn.

58:41 Yeah, so that's a big difference. Yeah, so like Gil said.

58:45 They played the Suns when they beat the Suns.

58:47 Yeah, they beat the hell out of the Suns. Like Gil said, there's teams that I was right about. Miami I was not wrong about. Portland, I was totally wrong about.

58:57 Right.

58:58 Because I didn't know what their identity was. Got a bunch of guards. I don't know what the hell they were doing. We didn't know who was starting or what. I knew that Ja had a potential to get buckets. I knew Dane was going to get buckets. I knew Denny was going to get buckets. I knew they were going to score. Those guys, they're scoring at a high clip from everybody. You got Klingon shooting threes. The only concern I have is defense. They also gave up 120.

59:23 They're going to have to outscore people every night pretty much. That's what it looks like to me. That's always been Dame's team. If they're not shooting well, because shooting 60 from three and like 50 from three, 60 from the field, like that's not going to happen every night. So what happens when y'all not shooting like that? So that's why, again, they're better than what I expect them to be, but I still, it's hard to consider them like a playoff team that's going to advance past the first round.

59:52 Dame's team has always been offensive juggernauts. Yeah.

59:56 For the most part.

59:57 It ain't never been a lot of defense on Dame.

59:59 For sure.

59:59 As far as Portland.

1:00:00 They hooping right now. They getting buckets.

1:00:02 They hooping. They scoring. I think that's who they are. Offensive team. They're going to outscore people. Same with the Lakers. They're going to outscore people.

1:00:08 Because only to, I mean, Lakers just had a couple guys show up. But, like, I don't think they had a great night. I mean, they also shot 56 from 40 from three.

1:00:16 They were also offensive. Yeah.

1:00:17 I think they're offensive. That's Luka Austin Reed.

1:00:19 Yeah.

1:00:20 Mamu off the bench doing his thing.

1:00:22 I was completely wrong about the Blazers. I said certain teams I knew for sure was not going to be good. I thought Portland was going to be kind of Miami in the West.

1:00:30 Totally wrong. So far.

1:00:32 I don't see nobody passing them.

1:00:36 I don't see nobody really, unless you slow the game down, which then becomes a problem too. And the playoffs. Because they're a half-court team. Also, you do have the issue with this. Joss Pickens will be, because he's so athletic, agile, and he knows how to do all these, you have to try to collapse on him. Right? Or he's going to get in there and he's going to do damage. Right? So, when you're collapsing your defense, it's Dame and Danny out there. Right? So, you know, you got a squad that all five players can actually shoot the ball. Shoot the shit out of the ball. Yeah, you can shoot the shit out of the ball. So... Like, Ja's the worst shooter, but he's getting in a lane, planting his strength. Like, he's become

1:01:28 a better shooter. Yeah, no, he's become like, he's going to sit there with Dame all day, but he's going to take his one. He's not going to go over what he does. And just when Danny has the ball, it's so hard because he just does it all.

1:01:44 Ain't he like, what, 6'8, 6'9?

1:01:45 Fast, man. 6'10. He looks bigger. He looks bigger. He's fast, man.

1:01:50 He gets to the basket.

1:01:50 Yeah, that's what I'm saying. He's fast. He knows how to get fouled. You can't touch him straight like that. He has that Austin Reeves speed, but he's simpler. He's not going to do all the extra.

1:02:01 He's just going to straight line you like the Ginobili.

1:02:04 He's going to straight line you, and he knows where to pass the ball. So it's like he's going to lead the team in assists, fuck around, lead him in scoring, can fuck around, lead him in rebounding.

1:02:14 And you got Ja playing super efficient. Numbers might be down across the board, but Ja only taking 11 field goal attempts a game so far in the season. 59% from the field. 44% from three. He doesn't need to do... He can just be a point guard that has.

1:02:29 The flashy moments. He doesn't need to go out there and have his 20-something.

1:02:34 But also, Rob Williams, he's going to do his double-double if he plays the minutes. What shocked me, if you can get this every night, Drew is a great player. But if he comes on the bench and can give you double figures of 16 or above. That makes your bench– I didn't expect them to have any real depth.

1:02:53 Shit, he doing that. That's six, man.

1:02:54 He had 22 last night. Eight for 12. Like, super efficient. So, you got those guys getting buckets, and you got your bench getting buckets.

1:03:03 I think that's where the league is going, though, and we ain't really paying attention to it. Most of the better teams in the league have a plethora of guards. Like, even when you think about a team like San Antonio, they have a bunch of guards. Minnesota, a bunch of guards.

1:03:17 Right, right. OKC, a bunch of guards. So, I don't know.

1:03:22 I think we all know this is a trendy league, but that could possibly be where, you know, the league is kind of going. Like, you want to have that extra layer of guards or that rotation of guards to where basically when one group comes out, the game don't really change.

1:03:36 It stays exactly where it is. So, I don't know. I think that's something we got to pay attention to. Yeah, man. And you guys like what you're seeing from this John Day back court? Y'all think it's sustainable?

1:03:45 You know, like, it averaged 130? Yeah.

1:03:47 Like what? Speaks for itself. Inefficient? The best defense is a great offense. That's my motto.

1:03:53 I've never seen a game 1-0-0. That's my motto.

1:03:56 If I can get you in foul trouble, get your ass out of the game. That's my defense right there. Exactly.

1:04:01 Did my job. And Drew averaged, I think, 16 last season. He's in a good spot now. He averaged 16 this year.

1:04:08 In year 18, it's crazy to average 16.

1:04:11 In the running for 16.

1:04:12 A minimal roll. Because he's, you know, with.

1:04:15 Drew, got a kid.

1:04:18 San Fernando Valley he's just a fifth arguably the greatest player to come out of the San Fernando Valley.

1:04:22 He's very whoa Drew Holliday like I mean we don't gotta do that so for me to be negative like listen it's.

1:04:30 A it's a fight for number two who number one who number one sure A thousand percent. Well, technically, it could be Elijah. It could be Elijah. I'm just saying. When it comes to a high school basketball, I think he went in front of it. How many Elijah got? He averaged 30 from freshman year. State chips? Zero. We don't care about none of that. No, we can't win that here in public school. I feel you. Times have changed.

1:05:00 That's private school. That's here in Canyon, then. We're just happy to get to play. He got there, though, twice. Twice? Twice. Yeah, but it's a.

1:05:10 Different– I got there twice in the public school. It's a different situation. Yeah, it's a different situation. They're playing championship games like 10 a.m.

1:05:18 Now.

1:05:18 It's different stuff.

1:05:19 And they're playing like people in their league. Yeah. Like when I made it, it wasn't like no matter how good my record is, it's open division.

1:05:29 You're saying Crenshaw.

1:05:30 So, you know, we lost three games. We playing Crenshaw. We the 16th seed. Yeah. What the fuck? Look at the 16th seed. Nigga, we lost by 50. Shit. So, getting to the playoffs for a Valley team, that was the win.

1:05:52 Impressive. Hey, we made it. Has Campbell been.

1:05:56 Good ever since?

1:05:58 Campbell has always been pretty solid.

1:05:59 Oh, okay.

1:05:59 But the Holiday family obviously.

1:06:04 Yeah, it was the Holley family that kind of put him back.

1:06:07 Back to Drew. What did Drew average his last year in Boston? I feel like he might be averaging more his last two years in Portland.

1:06:11 I think he was averaging like 18 in Boston.

1:06:14 Yeah, he's consistently around 16 to 14 to 18.

1:06:17 I think his last year. Drew always 16 to 18, 19 type of guy. My computer a little janky on it. So his last season in Boston, 11.

1:06:28 I told you. 11? Yeah, he averaged.

1:06:30 13 a season before that.

1:06:33 In Portland, he's having better seasons in years 17 and 18 than he did in 14 and 15.

1:06:39 Boston, which is crazy.

1:06:40 If you can get that, like, maybe because the floor is open and he's playing against weaker defenders, his second unit.

1:06:45 Second unit, yeah.

1:06:46 Or, you know what I'm saying, not paying attention to him. They ain't got enough defenders to focus. He's not paying attention to him. But he's going to get a 16. Drew's about to get another max. He's getting 22. He's about to get another bag, bro.

1:06:56 Got that one more for 130-ish. Drew Cole is about to get another one.

1:07:01 I mean, that makes sense. I mean, when you're going to Boston, I mean, you got JT and JT.

1:07:08 Yeah, but the ball was moving at Porzingis. They had Derek White. He still gets some looks, but he was playing team ball. He was more of a defender. Playing team ball, defense, team ball, but still. They got like three or four guys ahead of him here.

1:07:22 Denny, Ja.

1:07:26 Damn.

1:07:27 I think Drew still owe me money from New Orleans. $ 320 million career earnings.

1:07:32 How much? $ 320. $ 320.

1:07:32 He told me to tell you, you.

1:07:34 Were at $ 340. He's going to clip that. He's going to clip that. He's going to get a little fold. He's going to get a little fold. He's going to end up with another $ 680. He's going to get another $ 900, man. He may not be the best out of value, but he's definitely not the front. $ 280. Is he in his last year of his deal?

1:07:48 Let me see.

1:07:48 They might give him a $ 380. Because if he.

1:07:51 Is, Miami needs to be on that phone.

1:07:55 But to get him at year 19 is like a risk.

1:07:57 But not for Miami. The risk is with year 19 at 36.

1:08:01 Yeah, this season he's got a player option next summer.

1:08:04 He's 36. Like, I'm looking at 36. Drew's my age. I'm looking at 36 like it's 30.

1:08:11 Yeah, he only did one year of school. I forget that he's that much younger. Because he was my class. He was 09.

1:08:16 He was what? He came out 09.

1:08:18 I was about to say, I'm 09.

1:08:19 And his legs ain't as... 60, 59, 61, 67.

1:08:25 You're looking at the games played.

1:08:28 I'm looking at games played. So, you know, he still got mileage. He about to get another 100.

1:08:33 Yeah.

1:08:34 He about to get another 100, bro. All right, well, let's shift to the other side. Obviously, with every winner, there has to be a loser.

1:08:40 Yeah. We already went by. No, no, no. We did not.

1:08:43 We already talked about this. We talked about the Lakers, good or bad. As you know, this is a Lakers-themed show. You guys look like y'all are missing something out there.

1:08:52 You think so? We're missing more time.

1:08:54 Nah, yeah, that's pretty much it.

1:08:56 We're missing a little bit more time. Hey, man, hey, man, listen. What it sounds like is in Philly, they missing their old thing. I thought y'all was happy over there with the cheese steaks and all that shit. But now y'all missing your old thing, y'all, to come back.

1:09:09 Philly, a fine city.

1:09:10 Now y'all want to go back to where y'all came from.

1:09:13 Trying to go back to Cali.

1:09:14 Yeah, I know. Nah.

1:09:15 But Lakers have second highest offensive rating in the league behind only.

1:09:18 The Portland Trailblazers. They're getting buckets, bro. About 128, right?

1:09:20 Getting a lot of buckets.

1:09:21 127?

1:09:21 Yeah, like 128-ish or something. They're getting buckets. Luka having to do a lot.

1:09:29 The last two games. The first two games he struggled.

1:09:32 Teams were assed, though.

1:09:34 True, but he still struggled. Warriors, Clippers, I'm just saying. He found his rhythm in Utah. The Lakers gave.

1:09:40 Or the league gave the Lakers the schedule they should have gave the Knicks or Sixers, but that's fine.

1:09:43 Yeah.

1:09:44 They wanted to push narratives. It's okay.

1:09:45 I mean, you're champions. You got to come out the game.

1:09:47 They didn't have, Lakers didn't have, did they have an opening night game?

1:09:50 They didn't have an opening night. Nah, nah, nah.

1:09:52 LeBron wasn't there.

1:09:53 Don't do all that hype.

1:09:54 If they did, I believe every season LeBron was there, but that's neither here nor there. We're not talking about LeBron. We're talking about this current incarnation of Lakers. Lakers' second highest offensive rating upon only the Blazers. Defense currently in the bottom 10 in the league, Gil.

1:10:07 But not 10. They're like 22nd.

1:10:10 Oh, that's Gucci. So, Luka and Reeves combined for 67 points. They can get better, though. They can get better.

1:10:14 That is good. Two and 22?

1:10:16 That sounds crazy. Bottom 10 of the league. Bottom third, if you will.

1:10:21 Okay, that's one side.

1:10:23 So, offense top two.

1:10:24 So, that's two. Defense 22. 22.

1:10:28 But Luka and Reeves combined for 67 points. Purple and gold shot 56% from the field. 40% from three.

1:10:34 That's a damn good offense. It still took an L. I think that's their identity, man. I think this is exactly who they wanted to be.

1:10:40 But it's Walker Kessler. He had a great first two games. But his defensive impact, I think, needs to be there a little more and offensively. With those two guys, he should average 18 to 20. Just off dump-offs and He had a bad game in Utah.

1:10:56 Who?

1:10:56 Homecoming, Walker Kessler.

1:10:57 You say it's your average, what?

1:10:59 18 to 20. With those guys?

1:11:00 18 and 20 or 20?

1:11:01 18 to 20. Oh, yeah. I'm like, man, what the fuck? Nah.

1:11:04 He can about, you know, he gives 10 rebounds.

1:11:07 I thought you said 18 and 20.

1:11:08 Nah, that's a lot. Hell nah, he's that damn good. Some high expectations.

1:11:12 But he had two blocks last night. He's, remember, protected, supposed to like.

1:11:17 It looked like Scott Foster was hating on him last night, too. Like, he had, like, a personal beef.

1:11:20 Scott Foster.

1:11:21 Yeah, but it was, like, he had the damn one early on that called the charge on Josh.

1:11:25 He had some foul issues, too, I think, in Utah, too.

1:11:28 Yeah.

1:11:29 So, if he stays out of foul trouble, the game would be different for him and for them. But, ultimately, I think you got to get Q involved. Quinn Grimes got to be more, like, I thought he would be one of their starters.

1:11:41 Yeah.

1:11:41 Even though he's not a starter, I thought they would mix in, they would change the starting lineup from game to game. You know, because Matisse is out there, great defensive purposes.

1:11:50 They need that.

1:11:51 So you need him to chase Steph when Steph's out there. But if you don't have– I mean, obviously Portland has threats out there. But you can play mixing Quinn in some of the starting games.

1:12:02 I thought it was Quinn Graham. But when Luka's out the game, you need that offense. 5-6-6? They got threes?

1:12:08 Ain't nobody playing defense anyway. It looked like to me 136.

1:12:10 I mean, I think Thibault is out there– He started the game only playing 22 minutes, though.

1:12:17 Yeah.

1:12:17 Again, but I think you'll get, like, Matisse, he's grown to be a better shooter. He's a capable shooter now. But Q is, like, more of a threat. And then defensively, he's solid. He ain't going to be. But I think if you get him in rhythm, get him more involved, it gives you more offense, which I don't think you need unless you're playing against the Blazers because you have to outscore them. But every other team ain't going to put up 130.

1:12:39 But just looking at that, we look at that 52 piece for Luca.

1:12:42 Yeah.

1:12:42 Jazz were in that game. They had to need a fourth quarter run.

1:12:45 To get up there. They had the game.

1:12:46 They were 18 in the first quarter.

1:12:47 You know what I'm saying? So looking at what he did last night, 41.

1:12:50 Yeah.

1:12:50 That's a lot to ask for Luca, even for Slovenia and Jesus. But Gil, how much of an issue would the Lakers defense be moving forward? Are you concerned about it at all? You could tell the truth.

1:12:59 I'm concerned about our offense. No, the reason I say that is. The number two with the league. I know the number two, but if you look at our offense, that hurts our fast breaks getting back on defense. Sometimes we're coming down. Twenty six, twenty seven feet. And we're doing step back heat checks. Right. You know what I mean?

1:13:34 No one's in position. Long bounce. They're on a fast break. Yeah. Right. That's part of defense. Another part of our defense is.

1:13:42 It's about the style of offense.

1:13:43 Our style of offense.

1:13:44 Not the scoring.

1:13:45 Not the scoring. Just the style of offense. And we'll turn the ball over or we think we got fouled. We do this. It's a four on five. Right? They're scoring those buckets. Like, teams ain't just, oh, no, come on, Luka, we're going to wait for you. Or Reeves, we're going to wait for you. They're actually scoring. So you're giving up so many points on bad shot, fast breaks, and then the I think I got fouled, talk to the ref bullshit, and then we tronk down. If they just stop that and we're just playing half-court defense, we'll be 21.

1:14:23 And that's good. That's good, though. That's good, though. That's good, though, is what I'm saying, because we'll be 1-21.

1:14:31 Just jump one spot.

1:14:33 We jump a little jump. It's baby steps, baby. It's baby steps. It's baby steps.

1:14:42 I'm looking at Luka defensively at least putting forth the effort. He actually had his hands up.

1:14:45 Yeah, he got his hands up for the first time.

1:14:47 Half the problem with Luka is just not arguing with the refs and not taking bad shots. If he eliminates that, they'll jump a spot or two defensively. They can find a way to get his knees bent. What is Luka averaging right now? Because the first two games, I don't think he averaged like 25.

1:14:59 So these last two have boosted and bolstered. He's averaging 36, eight assists.

1:15:04 Seven rebounds.

1:15:05 So we're averaging 23 to 36 rebounds. If the Lakers.

1:15:10 Have figured out a way to become a top 15 defensive team, I think they become a real threat in the league.

1:15:17 Top 20. They need to be top 20. You said real threat for what?

1:15:21 In the league, as far as a championship. If they can find their way into the top 15 defensively.

1:15:25 Yeah. That's not going to happen, though. No, no, no. Even if they do defensively, I just think our– A good team defensively. I think just basketball-wise, what you're talking about, winning the championship and you look at certain teams, you look at New York and you look at, even when Indiana made it and you look at OKC, there's just things that those teams don't do that the Lakers do, right?

1:15:53 And it's these little bad habits that just, you just watch them in the first quarter, second quarter, And little do you know, like, Austin, that was a bad shot. Damn, Luka, that was a horrible shot. You just need him to take a bad shot. Now he comes back and take a worse shot. It's like, yo, you can't keep doing this bullshit.

1:16:12 I think that's their identity. Some of those teams can do that. Like, only when you have a defensive person that can clean up. You know what I'm saying? Like, when you have defensive people, they can't afford to do that because they have nobody that can protect.

1:16:24 They don't have a Wemby.

1:16:25 I think they're banking on being– a really good offensive team, and going out and outscoring everyone.

1:16:31 But, again, that's where the issues lie. How sustainable is that as a model? It's sustainable for a regular season.

1:16:35 You're not getting 40 or 50 from Luka every game.

1:16:37 I don't know what else y'all expect. If your two best players are limited defense, I don't know what else you expect.

1:16:47 For me, I've always looked at the offense and it's like, all right, you made a three. Damn, you made a tough three. for sure you're going to shoot the next three. You know what I mean? The whole fucking arena. That's why I'm like, yo, are y'all thinking the game? Because if I know you're going to shoot the next three, they know you're going to shoot the next three. Drive.

1:17:08 Hit them with the fake. You just hit two. Hit them with the fake. Go in. Come back with the three, right? Like Steph is going to hit two, then he's going to pump fake, hit a midi, then he's going to come back with the three. You know what I mean? It's like you guys are so predictable sometimes where it's like...

1:17:26 When you're going left, you're going to shoot the step-back three every single time.

1:17:30 It looks good, though.

1:17:31 It looks good, but what I'm saying is majority of the misses that he make are the step-back threes. When he's going into the lane and he's doing a little one-foot shot and a little bank, he don't miss those. He's shooting 80%, 90% in that shit. It's the threes that brings his percentage down. And then Austin is like...

1:17:55 I'm in love, and when we're losing and he comes in and he starts, like, hell yeah, we needed that. But sometimes when we're up and we need some good shots, he just seeing Luka do some shit, he want to do some shit.

1:18:08 But, you know what I'm saying?

1:18:11 Much more agile mobile than Luka.

1:18:14 I like Grimes. I think when Grimes and Sexton comes in, Office change, it needs to change a little bit. Like, that Sexton has the ball, the Grimes have the ball, and Reeves comes over with that guard-to-guard pick-and-roll. Like, nigga, I don't want you to man on me. I already got, you know what I mean? Like, one, you got the better defender. You got the better defender on you, man.

1:18:39 Get the fuck away from me. Like, it's just like some things that I see, like, ah, like... This type of offense is going to stop you from winning because you're going to take some shots that you don't need to take in the playoffs. Like the playoffs is, Shea's going to take great shots every time. You're not going to have wild shots, right? Same thing with New York.

1:19:04 And the person who's going to take it will be Kat. Cat only. Other than that, they're going to take great shots. Lakers, we got two people who's going to take some bullshit sometimes. And that's what I think more about defense. But they're going to get to the line a ton. For sure. Regular season.

1:19:21 That's why it's sustainable during the regular season. Like we said, playoffs, when you start playing against those teams, I don't think it's going to be sustainable. But like Boog said, if they can get top 15 and create some defensive habits... They can put themselves in contention. But I saw them as a top five seed and a really good regular season.

1:19:40 But because they don't have the defense yet, it's hard to gauge where they're going to be at in the playoffs. It's not sustainable in the playoffs.

1:19:50 Well, let's talk a little bit more about Slovenian Jesus. Last season, Luka averaged 34 points, 8 assists, 8 rebounds, making his sixth career first team all-NBA.

1:19:58 34, 8, and 8.

1:19:59 Had a historic march, highest point-per-game average in the month in NBA history. but suffered a season-ending injury in April and missed the playoffs. So Rob Palenka and the Lakers built the team around him this offseason. They're getting rid of about 53% of their scoring, getting rid of the former face of the franchise, LeBron James, the man who brought a championship, an in-season tournament championship, multiple banners.

1:20:20 You got to let it go, man. You got to let that heat go. I can't, dude. I miss y'all. I know, man. Y'all down in Philly, man. I know it's going to get cold soon, but you know what I mean.

1:20:28 I miss y'all. But Luka made it clear what is expected from him and the squad. He took that full-page ad out in the paper. He said, our championship run begins tonight. They know what's at hand. They know what it means to put on that Lakers uniform. We guys heard you smack your lips, but I'm just saying, a full-page ad in the LA Times, the most prestigious paper in Los Angeles.

1:20:46 Cute, man.

1:20:47 So, so far this season, Luka averaging 36 points, eight assists, seven rebounds in four games. But when you look at Luka, how much pressure is on Luka to lead the Lakers back to the promised land? Like right now, I don't think it's that much pressure on them.

1:21:03 Yeah.

1:21:04 Nobody's expecting them to go.

1:21:05 Yeah, this is year one of basically a switch of captains, I guess you could say. So this is now Luka's team. This is year one of that. I would say this is just the beginning of his era. So I don't think anyone has had pressure year one. But, you know, I think the Lakers are figuring out they're going to invest in Luka. They got to figure out. The best situations for him moving forward. And this is year one of that. They put this team around and we're going to see how it works out. But as far as pressure, I don't.

1:21:41 Not right now.

1:21:41 No. Yeah. Not right now.

1:21:43 But you're saying what's not expected of him, but he's taking an ad out and saying our championship run begins. I mean, he can't take an ad out and say, hey, man, we might be a play-in this year. We were trying to just get to the playoff. Our playoff run begins. I mean, that's to get the full support of the city.

1:21:55 You know, you want the fans backing you.

1:21:57 You want them to know you're going out to give your best effort every night.

1:22:01 I do believe that Luka has championship aspirations.

1:22:05 I truly believe that.

1:22:06 But that don't mean it's true.

1:22:09 Right. You know what I'm saying? Yeah.

1:22:12 So as of right now with this group, he's supposed to say those things, but I don't think the group represents his words as of right now.

1:22:21 So year one, no pressure.

1:22:23 Yeah, I'm with Boog. Every preseason, every media day, every team thinks they can be a championship team.

1:22:30 I'm sure you can find an article from the damn Kings saying the same thing.

1:22:34 A full page?

1:22:35 Maybe shit. I don't think any team is going to come in and say, all right, man, we're going to suck this shit.

1:22:41 But he obviously did that to try to win the fans, let them know, this is Luka, this is my time. Brian is gone, this is my team. This is what he's supposed to do.

1:22:50 As a superstar, I'm only trying to win, no matter what the team is around me. Does he have a lot of pressure to make it to prom this year?

1:22:58 No.

1:22:59 And I would say the Austin team's year one, it depends on his group. Nobody expects this group. It's not like Boston or Miami or Golden State when KD went through or Bron went. You know what I'm saying?

1:23:09 Exactly.

1:23:10 It's a start over him and it's just Austin, really. And they don't really see, like, if he had another third superstar, then it'd be like, oh, y'all got to win now.

1:23:19 Jokic on his way.

1:23:20 Yeah, if he was here, it would be different.

1:23:21 Different.

1:23:22 You know what I'm saying? If he had Giannis or Jokic, they'd be like, yo, y'all got to win.

1:23:25 I think Jokic on his way.

1:23:25 He has a lot of pressure to carry this team this year, yes, but not to the promised land. But for them to win games, to get to the playoffs, and be a respectable team in the playoffs.

1:23:38 Okay.

1:23:39 But that's not the same pressure as making it to the promised land.

1:23:43 So, Gil, when you look at this Lakers squad, you know Lakers fans.

1:23:47 Mm-hmm.

1:23:48 Not the most rational fans in the world. Justifiably so. Used to winning championships. Used to hitting banners. Championship or bust is generally the mentality for Lakers fans. I think Lakers fans can agree with that. But you feel like Luka gets a pass this season. How long does he get that pass for before he starts to feel the pressure?

1:24:06 Lakers fans have bullied people to greatness.

1:24:10 I keep saying that he personally doesn't have Pressure because the franchise themselves has produced championships for their superstar. Oh, for sure.

1:24:25 Right?

1:24:26 So right now, out of the 10 superstars, there's only one that didn't make it. So in theory, as long as he's there within the next four years, he has a 90% chance of winning the championship. Yeah. Because they're going to go and build players. New ownership.

1:24:41 Huh?

1:24:42 It's new ownership.

1:24:44 Shit changed.

1:24:45 They built a team around you. Yeah, but they got to start building more and better.

1:24:49 The all-ownership. Didn't they just sell the shit today?

1:24:51 They got two years.

1:24:53 The all-ownership could put their superstars in position to win.

1:24:58 The bus, man.

1:24:59 The bus sold to Mark Walker, sold it to Kushner and Bob Iger.

1:25:03 The Lakers are getting flipped. I'm not going to say what. I'm going to stay with history until... I feel Magic's going to somehow find his way back into it. But you know what I mean? But this is Lakers history, right? When you're talking about just like legacy players and you're talking about top 10 greatest of all time. Lakers has the most people inside of them. For a reason. They're going to grab whoever they have. Whatever skeletons is buried, they know them all.

1:25:35 Right?

1:25:35 So they're going to get players that we just don't expect. Ownership. Right? Nobody expected LeBron to get hit. Nobody expected Luka or AD. Right? So.

1:25:45 Buzz family.

1:25:46 When Shaq came, nobody expected it. Bust family. Yeah, yeah. Bust down. I mean, yeah. Ownership matters. I'm with him.

1:25:53 It's not on Luka to get them there. It's on the ownership. So they got two years to make something happen.

1:25:57 LeBron leaves. They say, Luka, what do you want? I want Walker Kessler. LeBron and AD ask for a center. They told them tough shit.

1:26:03 They had a center. They said, AD, you are the center. You are, because LeBron is the four.

1:26:08 We got one.

1:26:09 His name is Anthony.

1:26:11 Anthony Marshawn Davis. But Guy Walker, Kessler overhauled the roster. Honestly, some great offseason moves. One of the most active offseason Lakers have had.

1:26:20 In a minute.

1:26:20 In my time as a Laker fan, it was every summer, like, all right, can we make some moves? And it was always like, eh, we got y'all down to 180. After that 2020, they made a bunch of moves.

1:26:27 That was a bullshit move. That was bullshit.

1:26:29 We don't want to pay Caruso. We're not going to bring Dwight back. I mean, it's just like. Yeah, our team, we should have stayed big. Lied to Boogie. I remember that All the Smoke interview, Boogie. I was there.

1:26:39 Man, if you would have stayed, boy.

1:26:41 Man, that was a tough walk around the tour. They like, hey, bud. Hey, man. We going to bring you back. You in our long term. I'm like, oh, this is great. Hell yeah. Never heard from him again.

1:26:53 But this is now Luka's second full season with the Lakers. Got traded at that deadline. Lost in the playoffs to the Wolves. Luka not available in the postseason last year. So already got some grace for that.

1:27:03 You got two years, man.

1:27:05 Now this is.

1:27:05 With this group, they said a lot of those guys signed long-term deals. Like Kessler's here four, five years, right? Austin in the five years. Quinn Grimes, four years. Sandro, four years. Mamo, shout out Sandro.

1:27:19 Yeah. George and Jordan.

1:27:21 He never gave them type of deals out.

1:27:23 That's crazy.

1:27:24 Yeah, they gave out like two.

1:27:25 Rob wasn't giving out no four years. It was everything, year, two years in the brawn. That's fucked up. Yeah, I mean, this ain't brawn ever, man.

1:27:33 All right, it's over.

1:27:34 It's not even brawn. Don't try to bring that toxic shit over here, man. All right, don't try to bring. Luka got all the pressure. He got it. That shit came with it. I appreciate that. That was that was greatness coming here. And when you come here, you better be great, too That was a LeBron train just like in Philly because of who he is The expectation of winning and getting in the championship is there that that don't put that on He's older too. Not right now.

1:28:06 He is he is let him build It's a difference in the greatness is what you're saying. Yes, you're not a great because what would that yeah one one already one is already go talk and So when you're GOAT talk, nobody want to see you go down.

1:28:20 Six first-team All-NBA selections, Gil.

1:28:23 Yeah, that's individual.

1:28:25 No MVP.

1:28:25 Individual, you came here with goddamn three rings, four MVPs. You come in here as the number two greatest.

1:28:32 27 years old.

1:28:34 In media terms, you're the number two greatest of all time. But LeBron was hitting those expectations in year 16, Gil. You're the number two. player in all-time.

1:28:42 Greatness coming to L.A. You better be great here. Kobe. Like, you're coming into all the pressure. So that's why. So when you say... He won a championship. That's why the Jordans fans, it's only the Jordan fans. That shit don't count. Because that's who's putting the pressure on you. Luka's not in that, he's not in that breath for people to even put that on him.

1:29:06 Luka's not on that level?

1:29:09 Not yet. No. In the Kobe, LeBron, Jordan talk? Get the fuck out of here. Not yet. What are you talking about? Not yet. Are you serious? He's in the part of the, are you part of the new face talk?

1:29:22 He's got to get some MVP.

1:29:23 He ain't won no NBA six seasons. I don't give a fuck. 27 years old? He's got to get MVP. I don't give a fuck what that is.

1:29:28 Finals trip?

1:29:29 27 years old. Kobe had how many rings at 27? How many LeBron? How many VPs LeBron had?

1:29:35 That was the expectation. How many Jordan?

1:29:36 What did Jordan have at 27?

1:29:38 Was that the expectation for Kobe Brown?

1:29:39 They were sitting on LeBron before he had his rings.

1:29:41 No, not for Cole, but for Bron, yes.

1:29:43 They were shitting on Bron before the rings.

1:29:44 Because it was taking too long. So you don't put Luka on that tier and winning doesn't matter to the Lakers anymore?

1:29:49 It matters to the Lakers. That pressure is not on Luka right now.

1:29:53 No, it's not on Luka.

1:29:55 Interesting.

1:29:57 It's not the same as Braun. Nobody's going to get the same as Braun. It's not the same as Braun right now.

1:30:01 Because Braun, since before he even got to the league, the expectations were crazy.

1:30:05 Like even if Shea lost in the first round right now.

1:30:09 He tapped that white goat for me.

1:30:10 Yeah, if Shea lost in the first round right now, nobody's going to say nothing. He tapped that white one. That pressure comes once that media starts saying, are you the next? Is he the next? And you start pumping down on that list. You crack that list.

1:30:23 He's the next Lakers superstar, right? Yeah, he's the next Lakers superstar.

1:30:27 Right now, where are they ranking them?

1:30:29 Once he gets the MVP.

1:30:31 As a Laker, 20-something. You're not pushing on nobody's legacy right now.

1:30:36 Trajectory, though.

1:30:37 Fastest 3,000 points in Lakers history? Once you get there.

1:30:39 You got two years.

1:30:40 I'm just saying, as Lakers announcers, watch your words. Don't do all that. Lakers, you're the fastest of 3,000. You know, you tie with Kobe. Don't do that. Just be careful with your words because it can turn ugly real fast.

1:30:57 He's the only Lakers since... It seems like Lakers fans are kind of learning their lesson. We're going to be a little more gentle on the superstars.

1:31:04 No, no. We're going to kill whoever. Because, you know, it's the ones that came here. So when you're talking about top two, it's going to be It's going to be Cole, Magic, Jerry West. Them the three that's going to always lead it.

1:31:23 Yeah, yeah, yeah.

1:31:23 The other ones got drafted somewhere else. We stole them. Jerry West over Shaq? He's the logo.

1:31:29 Yeah.

1:31:29 At the NBA. He's the logo. Shaq was in Orlando.

1:31:32 Wasn't he like a non-time... He went to the championship. He got like a finals MVP when they lost.

1:31:37 Yeah, and that's why they don't do it anymore.

1:31:39 They don't do that anymore because of how he felt as the person who got it. Like everybody was like, yeah, because they only talked about the finals MVP. They didn't give a fuck who won the championship at that point. And he didn't like the idea of that.

1:31:53 How many times did he go when he lost? He went like, how many consecutive years?

1:31:55 He was like, yeah, he was going. Him and they was battling. Wow.

1:32:02 So my question is, if it's not pressure now for Luka, how long before it is?

1:32:06 Two years.

1:32:08 Two years?

1:32:09 Two years. From the media? How long he got on this deal? Two years? They already extended him? He here for a while. It's all on them. So how long?

1:32:19 I'll tell you right now. So he's got this season, next season, the player option, 2028. So I'll probably get another extension, I imagine, next year at some point or next offseason.

1:32:29 I don't see where a lot of pressure would come on him where people are... Because there's a Wimby here. Right? Because there's a Wimby here when you're talking about MVPs. Like, everyone's like, if you don't win it this year... You're never going to win it because Wimby's going to be on. You know what I mean? So the pressure of that is because it's Wimby. So all the pressure is going on Wimby to win a bunch of MVPs, to win all these awards. So everybody else gets to go under the radar and sneak them. No, no, no, no, no.

1:33:03 I'm trying to tell you. No, let's switch it back. No, no. Like Spurs this year, everybody's like, y'all supposed to win it even though they don't.

1:33:09 I'm talking about Lakers fans. I'm talking about Luka fans. in the Laker fans and the Laker fan base. How long before it's... I'm not worried about the rest of the league.

1:33:21 That's part of it, though. If he's running up against Spurs every year, everybody's going to be like, eh, okay, we understand. Especially if we don't get another superstar. Which we will, but... And we don't get Giannis or Jokic.

1:33:39 Depending on who he runs into.

1:33:43 Any other Lakers superstar get that grade? That's the question, bro. You see where I'm going with this?

1:33:49 If you don't have another superstar. If he has another superstar, you don't get excused.

1:33:53 He got another Max guy. That one with Rick Baxter. Y'all paid him that. I didn't pay him that. Y'all paid him. Listen, there's a lot of guys out there. That was no pressure. There was no pressure. Listen. There was no pressure when Shaq was out. Yeah, it was bad years.

1:34:08 Yeah.

1:34:08 But just because you get the Max don't mean you a Max player.

1:34:11 What the fuck does it mean? Thank you, Boogie.

1:34:13 So Chet's a Max.

1:34:15 Type of guy? Yes, he has a Max. Ooh. Nah.

1:34:17 Brennan Haywood said, just because they give you a max don't mean you a max type of player.

1:34:20 Cool.

1:34:20 We can say whatever we want. They're not featuring you like a max.

1:34:23 Cool. We can say whatever we want. When you a max, he has a max deal. Okay. Nah.

1:34:26 That's correct.

1:34:28 He ain't playing like a max.

1:34:29 We were just talking about the motherfucker was all NBA all-star last year.

1:34:32 Now, all of a sudden, you got a max. That don't mean you a max player.

1:34:35 I never thought.

1:34:36 They was saying Austin Reeves was an all-star last year.

1:34:38 Yeah, but I don't.

1:34:39 Nah. He was playing like one. He didn't make one. None of that matters.

1:34:42 I'm trying to figure out why.

1:34:43 He has billboards. I'm trying to figure out why in this situation.

1:34:46 Multiple guilt. Multiple limited... I'm trying to figure out.

1:34:50 Why in this situation is now the superstars being.

1:34:56 It's a lot of delicacy around him now. It's like, oh, well... Austin Reed is a good player.

1:35:01 He could be a max player and not be a superstar, though. He's not a superstar.

1:35:04 Cool.

1:35:04 He's a max player. He has a max player next to him.

1:35:07 So we said superstar. You need another superstar next to him.

1:35:09 You know what it is?

1:35:10 Jokic, Giannis, those are superstars. You have another superstar, then you have no experience.

1:35:14 Jokic don't have another superstar?

1:35:16 No.

1:35:16 That's besides the point. But that's what I said. He got one. Yeah. So that's why no one is looking at him as, oh, you failed. If he never got one when he was here, he's like, ah. Like, when people start looking at, when you look at the team and say, you know what? You're supposed to win this year. Right? So, like, if they got Jokic, oh, the pressure's on now. Now you got to win. But if he's keeping the same, if this is the same team a couple years, nah.

1:35:43 Because nobody else recognizes that Alston Reeves is on that level. Yeah, you're getting the points because of how you're playing. But no one's looking at you like that, even though you're putting up those numbers. He's considered the scoring guy, that scorer on a bad team.

1:36:03 Okay.

1:36:04 Right? That, that, that. For some reason, he can put up the points, but not a gifted. Just the guy.

1:36:08 He's very good.

1:36:09 Like Cam Thomas on that next team, that's him. He's not you. What I'm saying is he's not you on a bad team. He's not a superstar on a bad team. I just never heard Lakers fans. He's a regular. He's a very good player. He's a very good player.

1:36:23 So let's say he make an all-star.

1:36:24 He's still not a superstar. Unless he's in.

1:36:29 An MVP conversation, he ain't no superstar.

1:36:31 Fucking crazy.

1:36:32 That's a lot of excuses being thrown around.

1:36:35 Like Tiakam. Is Tiakam a superstar? This is ridiculous, man. Tiakam.

1:36:39 Ridiculous.

1:36:39 Yes. And a champion.

1:36:42 Superstar?

1:36:42 Is he going to be a champion? You're right. Not a superstar. You're right. He's a star. He is Tiakam Lashley. That's what I'm saying.

1:36:50 So he's a star. So Austin can be a star, but I don't think he'll ever be a superstar. He'd have to be Luka. Could he be Luka?

1:36:57 Interesting. Who? Austin.

1:37:00 He'd have to develop into that level of superstardom to be like, oh, Lakers now.

1:37:04 They both score and don't play defense, yeah. You got to score it.

1:37:08 Like, Luka's scoring 12 more points in a game, probably.

1:37:13 He has the skill set to do it, but his skill set is.

1:37:18 He could.

1:37:18 It's like the six mans. They have three max guys now that I think about it. Yeah, they do. Walker Castle is a max guy as well. A lot of people do.

1:37:27 He don't be giving us that shit.

1:37:30 Are the assets giving up to bring Walker Castle? Would you bust Walker Castle's ass right now?

1:37:34 Nope.

1:37:35 I don't have a chance.