The Arena Debate Giannis's LEGENDARY Comp, Lebron's 1ST 76ers Scrim & Jokic's Chip Window Closing Part 1

0:00 Welcome back to Gil's Arena, presented by Poly Market and powered by Playmaker. Whoa, whoa!

0:04 Woo, woo!

0:07 Glorious Monday here in the arena. We're back for another week, Monday through Friday. God bless everybody for supporting the show. This is Gil's Arena. I'm merely a host, Josiah Johnson. I'm here with NBA legend, 2K Unc, Witt Badges, Gilbert Arenas. Yeah! Next to give, we got NBA champion of the world, Swaggy P, Nick Young.

0:29 Gotta say father.

0:30 Dad of the year. Dad of the year.

0:32 Dad of the year. Dad of the year. You know, I'm a star.

0:36 I went to Complex Con. Shout out to Kai. You know, he took a picture with the kids and all that, you know. Felt good, you know. Came out the grief, Swaggy.

0:44 He's like, Swaggy, where my clothes? Came out, you know.

0:49 Team Ray J, too, so.

0:50 Where yours at? Complex Con.

0:51 Okay.

0:52 The Ray J of the NBA. Saw the Ray J of Ray J. I took a picture of a Ray J. I'll post it later, man.

0:56 If I was one of those, I know I'm a star. The people's champ, Ray J.

1:01 And on this side of the couch, we got four-time All-Star, two-time All-NBA selection, the Marcus Cousins, back here with us.

1:07 What's up, Boogie?

1:08 Before we start the show, Gil Swagg, y'all cool? Everything all right?

1:13 Yeah, I thought Complex Con was for, like, the people who had money. When did they just start letting anybody in there? Like, I was seeing, like, streamers fighting shit. I'm like, whoa, this ain't... This ain't for y'all.

1:24 No, man, I don't know.

1:26 This is when Kanye brings his collabs out. This is when Pharrell brings his collabs out.

1:30 Celine Dion. That's conflict.

1:34 I've seen a whole bunch of.

1:37 I'm about to sue Kanye.

1:38 Celine! You about to sue who? Sue Kanye, yeah.

1:41 What you suing him for?

1:42 Because I was walking with the kids and, you know, Kanye didn't look up. He just, with the security guards, and they just pushed through and shit. Pushed me out the way and shit.

1:51 Scared me. Guess you ain't that famous, huh?

1:54 I said, damn, who the fuck is that?

1:56 He says, Kanye, the kids and shit almost fell.

1:59 Yeah, yeah, he ain't no swaggy, huh? That's what you should have called me. That's my level.

2:08 I met Nick tight like that, remember?

2:11 He gave me the shoes. When he walked right through you. He didn't see me.

2:14 You know when you just walk in and there's too many people around. There's too many people around and they was Kanye. This crowd was a little bigger than mine, but it's Kanye.

2:27 Just a little. Kanye, Swaggy, Celine Dion. Complex Con, for real.

2:36 That's where they go. But y'all good, everything? Me and Gil? Yeah, man.

2:40 You know what I mean?

2:42 I was on the internet this weekend. Yeah, man. Talk about it. Nah.

2:52 We said what we said.

2:53 Yeah.

2:54 You said what you said.

2:55 I didn't say shit. But shout out to everybody.

2:58 What you say, Swaggy? What you do, Swag? You know this? You the Ray J, man.

3:06 I'm just sticking to sports. I'm going to just stick to sports.

3:09 Just shut up and dribble, Swaggy. Shut up and dribble.

3:13 You know they're going to cook it up the way they want to cook it up. You can't be mad how they cook it up.

3:17 Nah, they ain't cook it up right.

3:18 Nah, they cook it up how they want to cook it up.

3:20 They ain't cook it up right.

3:21 They ain't cook it up right. You got in trouble when you got home.

3:23 You got to go heavy on the marinara sauce.

3:26 Heavy on the marinara.

3:27 First and foremost, I need silence.

3:29 First and foremost, I need silence.

3:33 But shout out, we said what we said. Shout out, Melly. Great show. Monday, Wednesday, Friday, 6 p.m.

3:37 Pacific. Subscribe to the channel. We said what we said. Good show. Gills Arena, good show. We got a lot of things to discuss today. Here's what's cracking in the arena. Giannis' preseason debut with the Heat had Coach Spoh comparing him to the greatest point guard of all times. But how much points should the Greek freak run in South Beach this season? Sixers held their blue-white scrimmage this weekend, gave fans reason for optimism. But how should Nick Nurse utilize his two former MVPs to get the most out of Philly offensively. And Nikola Jokic, considered by many to be the best basketball player in the world, but are the Nuggets doing enough to keep the three-time MVP's championship window open?

4:17 We will discuss.

4:17 Jokic also had a great no-look cross-court behind the back pass that we will discuss, see how you guys feel about it. Everybody was glazing after. I want to make sure it was an accurate and appropriate amount of glazing. But for everybody in the chat, mostly fans back, but exclusively for our Super Chat, throw something in the offering plate.

4:35 Drop your questions. We'll pick some to answer at the end of the show. We appreciate all y'all's support and love. Keep those questions coming. You guys have been asking great questions and putting a sufficient amount of bread in the offering plate.

4:44 So God bless you guys.

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5:48 And we appreciate you to everybody watching the show on Twitch. As always, we're running our numbers up on Twitch, guys. I don't know if you've been paying attention, but if you haven't done so already, make sure you subscribe to at Gil's Arena Show and we appreciate y'all for all the subs.

6:01 All right, let's get into it.

6:03 Preseason tipped off, but we're going to talk the most important team in the league at this current juncture. The process was popping this weekend as the Sixers hosted their annual Blue-White game. The game is normally held at their G League affiliates home in Delaware, but with around 10,000 fans pulling up to get their first look at the new and improved star-studded lineup, team moved it to the Xfinity Mobile Arena where they play their home games. And the Sixers' Big Four, plus one more, did not disappoint.

6:28 Let's take a look at some of the highlights if we can, please, Paolo. They were out there doing their thing. Ooh, ooh. Embiid, I heard dunking. That was Embiid's first dunk. Embiid didn't get his first dunk in the regular season last season until January. Already out there looking spry on that Ozempic, looking good to go. But everybody was doing their thing. Embiid, Maxie, Vijay, Edgecombe, Jalen Brown, and LeBron all getting to it, putting on a show for the fans. LeBron hitting threes like this with ease. Ooh, 41 years old. He's also out there catching lobs as well. Let's take a look.

7:06 Ah.

7:08 He's 41, ladies and gentlemen. Tyrese Maxey showing why he made his first All-NBA team last season. Jalen Brown was doing his thing as well. Just having fun. Edgecombe looked like one of the most electrifying young players in the league. And most importantly, former MVP Joel Embiid continuing to give fans a reason to trust the process. And Bede out there playing defense, being available.

7:31 Oh, you see it. Looking good. What's up with the hair, man?

7:36 They look pretty good. Look pretty good out there.

7:40 That's crazy.

7:43 That's Phylon right there trying to get his handshake out of LeBron. But like Vijay Edgecombe told him, they're not there just quite yet. But he's going to get there soon if he keeps doing stuff like that.

7:53 Shout out, Vijay. We're going to play. I see you guys are just enthralled watching these highlights.

8:00 Man.

8:03 So, looking at this squad. Man. Yeah, I know.

8:10 I know. Sixers opened their preseason tonight at home against the defending champion Knicks. Obviously, this was just an open scrimmage for the fans. But, Boogie, what are your first impressions of the Sixers' big four plus one more sharing the floor together?

8:25 First off, I would say this is probably one of the most impressive starting fives we've seen I would say since Golden State, when they were on their dynasty run, I think they have a threat from every position.

8:36 On the floor.

8:39 I mean, on paper, they're by far the best team in the NBA.

8:44 I think the only thing that comes down to for this group is figuring out how to share the ball with so much talent on the floor at once. I think this is literally a group that you could say for sure has two starting fives, but Even possibly the third.

8:59 That's what I was about to say. Even possibly the third.

9:02 And, you know, as crazy as their offseason has been, it'll make you forget that they probably got the steal of the draft as well in LeBaron Phylon.

9:11 Yeah.

9:12 So, it just goes to show how much depth this team has.

9:16 And they're loaded.

9:19 I mean, you can't compliment them enough. Obviously, the season hasn't started, so, you know, the opinion may change over time.

9:25 But, yeah.

9:26 I think the only issue is chemistry and health. And if those two things or even one of those things are in place, they're going to be one of the hardest things to beat in the league this year. So it was on full display yesterday. And they're scared because as good as that scrimmage looked, usually most scrimmages are pretty boring.

9:43 You know what I mean?

9:43 It looked like they had chemistry already, had somewhat of a flow.

9:48 You know, you're already getting lobs thrown at you. All of that comes with time.

9:52 So for the fact that it's already being shown now and we're not even 10 games into the season yet, it just goes to show how scary this team can be once things really get rolling.

10:01 So I'm excited to see this group play this year. Good mix of old Vets, young fellas.

10:06 Vijay obviously did everything he did last season, like you said, Phylon, out there putting in work at Alabama these past two seasons. But just good demeanor. He was on a stream recently talking about how they want to adapt. Him and Vijay want to adapt with LeBron. Vijay had to humble and tell them they're not there yet. But just to show the chemistry, Vijay talking about adding Bron to the group chat and not having his number in. Just to be in that Sixers group chat even. But Swag, when you look at this Sixers squad, again, they got their first preseason game tonight, so we'll get a little bit better indication of what it looks like. Obviously, once the season starts, we'll know more for sure. But just looking at that

10:40 blue-white scrimmage, just the atmosphere, how turnt up it is in Philly right now.

10:44 Man, man.

10:45 Like Boogie said, I think chemistry is going to be one of the main things and health, but I see championship, you know, on that team. Got a starting 12 to me coming off the bench. They got some great players that could just keep the, you know, the momentum for them.

11:03 My thing is, with.

11:05 Like Vijay, with this team, you still, you know, he could be considered the trajectory to be a superstar. And you're going to, like, you know, he's got to shorten his game a little bit with LeBron and everybody. So I just want them to keep that in mind. When they do win, you still got to pay them like a superstar because he's still out there flying and still young doing all that stuff. And he's going to have to shorten his game for the team.

11:42 You still got to pay that man. That's what I'm saying. Still got to pay Vijay.

11:47 I like when you always say they got to.

11:48 They ain't got to.

11:50 Like, no.

11:52 Yeah, because when you, like, later in your 30s and 29s, his career really haven't started yet. Like, LeBron and everybody, they going there to get championships. But this motherfucker's out there flying.

12:05 No, I get it. And you're going to shorten his game.

12:10 Yeah.

12:11 You got to shorten his game. He got to shrink his game for the goal of winning. And you still got to remember that, what he's doing.

12:19 Yeah, I do got to remember.

12:20 I'm going to remember that I'm going to get him for a discount because of it.

12:24 No. I remember.

12:25 That's usually how it works.

12:27 He's like, I get to discount you because these are your numbers.

12:33 We won.

12:34 Discount.

12:36 Discount on who? DJ?

12:37 Yeah.

12:38 I don't have to pay him.

12:39 Like, if he's a Supermax player, but because we have this talent and he don't get to tap into the Supermax yet, I got him for cheap.

12:47 Somebody.

12:47 Why am I going to Supermax him?

12:50 Somebody. If we miss out, that'll be sad.

12:54 Somebody. Yeah.

12:56 That's my only issue with it. You win, like, two championships or.

13:02 That's what happens. Averaging with 12 or something.

13:05 You're going to get paid 12, baby.

13:08 Welcome back.

13:08 How much of a backseat do y'all think Vijay is going to have to take? He seems to me like a guy that's going to be available. That's the most important thing. Not give you the opportunity to rest.

13:15 And be a wrestler.

13:15 They're going to have those Austin Reeves big games. The 30s and 40s and stuff. When everybody's back, I feel like.

13:24 He has superstar talent.

13:26 You're not going to... Him on the court... Him on the court is just... they're just show-stopping, right? He's like John Morant, right? When he takes off, everybody's going to be in his, you know, out the seat. So, you know, he's just going to, he don't really even need numbers to get paid. Just the potential of just what his body is is going to always keep a dollar in his pocket.

13:51 So he just has to just keep playing and keep getting better.

13:54 And then, you know, when that time comes, if you need to spread your wings and say, hey, I need to take on a starting role, There's going to be a team out there that's going to give it to him. If he wants to say, hey, I'm cool being a part of this team, going to win some championships, and 28, 29, I want to get my own team then, there'll be somebody.

14:13 I could see him being on a Jimmy Butler-type trajectory, starting his career off, obviously, as a role player first, that defensive 3 and D-type wing, and then eventually. I mean, I think it's... think it's inevitable for his sake as far as becoming a superstar. He has all the talent. It's just more about the timing for him. This was a top draft pick coming out. Easily on a very bad team. He could have won rookie of the year in my opinion. If he's shooting 20 times a night, there's no doubt in my mind he could have done that.

14:49 This is just a wait your time type situation. He's on a team full of veterans. Not only are they veterans, but they're proven veterans as well you got the kcps of the world uh so uh you know he's in a position i think he's in a good position though you young guy you know coming into the league it's a lot to learn but you're learning from some of the best in the game you got four at least three hall of famers in the starting lineup as of right now so um he's in a really good spot he's got to wait his turn and uh his future is bright no doubt a superstar though this If the Sixers don't figure out a way to max him down the line, somebody else is.

15:31 But, Gil, overall, what are your first impressions of seeing the Sixers squad? We've seen them on paper. We've had the conversations. Now we got to see them actually on the court together again. They play first preseason game tonight against the Knicks. We'll see how much.

15:42 So you want me to judge them off that bullshit you said?

15:44 Yeah, I do.

15:45 Seeing them on the court is exciting. When did they start this?

15:48 What? When did they start playing against each other? Most teams have scrimmages, Gil.

15:52 Since when?

15:52 Practice scrimmage?

15:54 For the fans? Yeah, that's always been a thing.

15:56 We did? Yeah. We did. Yeah, George Mason. I remember, yeah.

16:03 I don't give two shits about something like that.

16:05 You don't? The starters playing against the bench niggas. That's never going to play. You really think?

16:10 They were rotating.

16:12 Come on, man. I'm supposed to be a president. You can run around a bench. No.

16:17 I want to see you tonight. LeBron James playing against somebody who ain't going to get off the bench.

16:22 All right. I'm impressed. One of them motherfuckers would be on the bench. I'm impressed. If they was on the Phillies, they'd be on the bench. Brother, I'm impressed.

16:28 I'm impressed a 40-year-old is scoring against a dude who ain't going to make the team.

16:31 You know what? Let me praise these.

16:34 Philly got a squad. Who was the backup center?

16:36 We don't know.

16:37 There you go.

16:38 That's who would be dunked on. Who?

16:41 Adam Boner, UCLA.

16:43 Who?

16:43 What was his name? Adam Boner, UCLA.

16:45 Exactly.

16:45 Definitely.

16:45 Okay.

16:46 Who are you going to play against tonight? Yeah, we'll see. Who he's going to play against tonight? We will see.

16:50 Who he playing against tonight?

16:52 I see.

16:53 Who is him playing against tonight? They playing against who? Brunson tonight.

16:57 Anthony Simmons.

16:58 Brunson.

16:58 And Simons.

16:59 Simons. They playing against what? Brunson tonight?

17:01 Or there's going to be a Carl Anthony out there? I mean, that's who we waiting to see.

17:05 I don't care. Not a happy cat, Gil. Not a happy cat. I'm going to say, is cat playing?

17:08 Not a happy cat.

17:09 Hey, man, we not.

17:09 Somebody got another Jalen Dern situation. We not glazing.

17:14 We're not glazed in practice.

17:15 Oh, I forgot.

17:16 You LeBron hate. No, I'm just saying. I forgot.

17:17 I forgot.

17:18 It ain't hating. It is. It is. You mad. It's just not glazed yet.

17:21 Sitting out on dunks and shooting from half court and shit. You miss that shit.

17:24 I mean, the shooting is, the half court shooting is cool. But just running down the court back and forth? Like, and B look like he ain't even running. He look like he about to be out. He gonna be out tonight. Let's just put it like that. He might not play. LeBron probably not gonna play tonight. Because they want to run up and down against their friends for the fans.

17:41 Hey, come on. For the fans. Just being real.

17:43 For the fans. I'm just being real. They not going to play tonight. One of them is not playing. And B didn't look like he was running up and down. He looked like he was hurt.

17:51 No, he didn't, man. You know how... Blocking shots and shit. You know how you can coast and still get buckets and stuff.

17:57 Yeah.

17:57 You know how you can... Available, though.

17:59 Tell him to call Anthony tonight. They both going to be coached. He playing for a contract.

18:05 Y'all don't be playing like that in preseason. No, I know preseason is not yet. That's what I'm about to say. I think I averaged like 10.

18:10 Yeah.

18:11 And y'all passed more than him.

18:12 Hell yeah, boy. It's not realistic.

18:15 It's not realistic at all.

18:16 That was Steve Nash out there. Boy, I didn't go ahead and get all these passes out of my system.

18:20 Let me get my minutes in. Get my minutes out.

18:22 Let me go get all these passes out.

18:24 I go hard.

18:26 He did look hurt, right? I know I'm not the only one that.

18:29 Y'all didn't go hard in preseason?

18:31 Hell no.

18:33 I did, but that practice, you can get that rhythm. I mean, that's the rhythm going in the game.

18:37 Wait, wait.

18:38 When you came in, how many, was y'all already eight games?

18:45 No, hell no. This might have been like four.

18:47 Oh, you're right. It might have been closer to like seven.

18:50 Yeah.

18:51 See, ours started, see, it isn't like they go backwards.

18:56 We was like first game 15.

18:58 18, 20.

18:59 21, 23. That's how we play. So, by our last two games.

19:02 By the last three, I'm not playing. Oh, see, we're playing four minutes. Really? Yeah.

19:08 Hmm.

19:09 So, game one, our bodies is already ready for it. So, yeah, that's why I said y'all went backwards.

19:14 Y'all not.

19:14 Okay.

19:15 Hustling backwards. Had to. But Gil, not impressed? And B on the court.

19:19 I mean, I'm not impressed by nobody's scrimmage because you're not going to go try to hurt each other.

19:22 They're not really playing D-D like that. They were getting to it. It's like an all-star game.

19:25 It depends if you're talking trash.

19:28 If you're talking trash and y'all like you, like there's somebody still trying to make a minute, like, you know, there's still positions on the court. Other than that, I don't think that's what I said. I don't even remember we actually did that.

19:41 That's when you tell Waffle Call that no matter what you do, You're not going to take my spot.

19:46 Oh, yeah?

19:46 Yeah. Who you telling this to?

19:48 Javaris, because we was in there busting their ass, talking crazy. Yeah, the young, yeah.

19:52 He told us, no matter what you do, you're not going to take my spot. You can score all the points out there.

19:58 Yo.

19:58 You're not going to take my spot.

20:01 Man, you was hell.

20:03 Huh?

20:03 You was hell.

20:04 I mean, it was going hard. I'm just, you got to, hey, y'all can go.

20:07 Talking trash and winning. Talking trash and winning.

20:10 And then it escalated just a little bit.

20:12 Not that year. Not that year. But that was the start of the build-up?

20:16 Nah.

20:16 Nah.

20:18 It wasn't even. That's what I'm saying. Like, you don't even know. That was the start of it. No, me, him, and Javaris was the ones that hung out. Oh, shit.

20:25 It was Javaris and somebody else going back and forth. And I was like, nah, you can't talk to your teammates like that.

20:30 Mm-hmm.

20:31 Yeah.

20:31 All right, well.

20:32 And then that's what happened.

20:33 Like.

20:34 Back talk?

20:34 You mean I can't?

20:35 I was going at Deshaun. You mean I can't?

20:37 Yeah, he was going at Deshaun. You was going at Deshaun? Deshaun. Yeah, he was going at the old heads, man. Antoine. The Lions? Yeah.

20:46 But Joel Embiid could be the most important piece for the Sixers this season. Since winning MVP in 2023, process has been limited to 96 games over the past three seasons. As previously stated, his focus now is on being available for his team and trying to win a chip. So after the game, LeBron had high praise for Embiid, and his availability so far in camp to help build chemistry with the team. How important have these reps been with Joel this week?

21:10 What have you kind of seen from him and how healthy he's been able to kind of look for you guys here in camp?

21:17 The reps is basically kind of picked out from, you know, 2024 during the Olympics. We had some chemistry. We played a lot of minutes. He started a lot of games for us that summer. But the difference between 24 and now, he's just so much more healthier. He hasn't Missed the practice. He's been in damn near every, he's been in everything that we've done. And pretty much they've had to sit him out at times, even when he wanted to keep going. So, obviously, you see him tonight, how much he played tonight. So, you know, it's been good. Actually, it's been great.

21:52 We're here with 41-year-old LeBron, talking about Embiid. So, Gil, we'll start with you. Which version of Joel Embiid do the Sixers need to see this season? A healthy one.

22:05 Or close to healthy. Anything over 75, they good.

22:08 75 game?

22:09 Just 75%. 65%. I mean, it's like as long as he is in the game and he can function. As long as he can function, he can keep up with the pace.

22:14 He's so talented that.

22:32 Even like when we're talking about injuries, injuries usually take away your game. Like 29 a game, nigga, you three, five, seven, you're barely out there. He still dominates with, you know, being injured. So as long as he's out there and he can play back to back and he's not doing a lot of sitting around, saving his body because, you know, that knee's flaring up and he got to take out the, You know, as long as that is kind of like maintained, then they shouldn't have any problems. Because, I mean, that Embiid right there, just up and down is 19 and 10.

23:14 Right.

23:16 That'd be 19 and 10 from your big man. That's enough to win any type of championship. I agree.

23:25 Swaggy, you heard LeBron's comments about Embiid. Best ability, availability. When you hear LeBron giving B such high praise so far for being available, being at camp practicing, what's your reaction to that?

23:38 LeBron gave him that shit, man. You know, he's trying to win.

23:41 I don't know.

23:43 He's going to be playing for a long time.

23:46 Any team LeBron goes to, he give him that shit.

23:48 He's trying to win. I need you out there, so.

23:52 You know.

23:54 You're going to see him beat out there. I love him being happy. Because he didn't know about the shit that he... Been taking lately. You don't know about the shit he's been taking lately. LeBron gave him all this.

24:06 Got to rub this on my shit?

24:07 Yeah, got to rub this. But no, it's going to work. I think it does help having guys like that around.

24:16 You been seeing him rub his knee?

24:17 Yeah, you know. He's been doing a lot of rubbing stuff on his body lately.

24:23 You know what I'm saying? You know what I mean? It's crazy.

24:27 It's crazy. It's just the LeBron effect.

24:31 And he can show you how to be, you know, how to have longevity. You know, as somebody you can listen to for, like, that part of the game, too.

24:40 What to eat, what to sleep, how to sleep, what to do, you know.

24:44 LeBron is a year, what, 24, 25?

24:49 24.

24:50 Still catching lives, bro. Like, I would dare somebody to throw the ball up in front of me, like, if I'm going to catch it.

24:56 You know, I have 40.

24:57 Yeah.

24:58 So I was getting mad at the damn point guard for even doing that dumb shit. So you just got to commend him and just the team factor. Like, they got a bunch of good guys over there that I think they're just going to rub, the energy going to rub off on each other.

25:16 All right, buddy, let's shift over to you.

25:20 Looking over at B, what version of B do the Sixers need to see this season for you to.

25:24 Trust the process? Honestly, I think we got a whole new version of him.

25:27 And the reason I say that, this season is not the same level of responsibility that he's had all the previous seasons. It's a lot of shared responsibility now. I think the best thing for him to be, like LeBron said, is being available. But the difference would be this year, he'll be in shape the entire season if he just does what he needs to do.

25:51 To help the team win.

25:52 We can worry about the big performances later on in the year, but just being able to play consistently every night, more so in a smaller responsibility type role, I think he's in 100% shape by the end of the year. And one of the issues I think he had in the past is he was always leaving, then coming back, leaving, coming back. So it was always trying to restart that engine as far as getting the game.

26:19 Shape or season shape.

26:20 Yeah.

26:21 If he can just stay in shape consistently this year, like I said, we see another version of him. But I think also the best version because, you know, conditioning isn't necessarily an issue like it's been in the past. And it's also not as much stress on the body.

26:35 You know what I mean? Getting in shape puts more stress on the body than anything.

26:39 So that could also have been playing a part in why he was always re-aggravating.

26:43 Injuries and things like that.

26:44 So I think this is the best situation Embiid has been in his entire career. And like I said, I think the best version of him is yet to be seen. So this is a big year for him, so I'm excited for him.

26:58 So we had Dwight Howard on the show a while back. We were talking about Embiid, and he basically said Embiid was low managing. He was playing a lot of minutes, then sitting a bunch of games. I think Dwight said something along the lines of he'd rather see Embiid play a little less but play more games.

27:12 To extend that season.

27:13 100%. So do you guys think that strategy makes sense? That's exactly what I'm trying to say.

27:17 It's less responsibility.

27:19 We don't need him on the floor for 40. We don't need him to be the focal of the offense. We don't need him to be the focal of the defense. Like I said, all that responsibility is now shared. I also think the assist numbers are going to go up. So used to seeing him, you know, take 25 plus shots a game. He can be anywhere from 14 to 16 and still dominate the game.

27:39 So, yeah.

27:40 Like I said, I think this is the best position he's been in his entire career.

27:46 Is that why LeBron keeps bringing up the Olympics? Because their team is so many people on that team.

27:52 That style of play.

27:54 Is going to be needed for them.

27:57 To flourish this year.

28:00 I wasn't necessarily as dominant as Embiid is, and I'm not saying it's a bad style of play because it's obviously been successful regular season in the past, but Him just, you know, we don't need you to average 30. We don't need you to average 30. If anything, that kind of harms the team. So, like I said, taking 12, 16 a game. On the good nights, he may go 18, 20 attempts a game. But I think, man, it's going to be a good season for him. And the main reason is.

28:27 Because he's going to be healthy.

28:29 Treat him like the Spurs did when it'd be 28, 29 minutes a game. Yeah, like the Spurs treated Timmy.

28:33 Yeah.

28:36 Gil, you've had some thoughts about Embiid, his needs.

28:39 Previously, but looking at him now.

28:41 Yeah, I said that same year that they should have set him the whole year because there was nothing that they was going to get out of it.

28:47 He could have went over wherever he could have went over and they could have spent the whole year doing whatever they need to do to get him back. But, you know, for some reason, teams are hard-headed and lack just.

29:07 Vision when it comes to upcoming seasons.

29:11 There's a lot of teams out there that just, the one mistake they make is they don't think about upcoming seasons. If you see a player that's lingering and you know the way the grind is, and you know you're not in that championship mode, then he's going to keep playing. Sit his ass, let him spend this whole year rehabbing by the time summer comes, He can develop his skill.

29:38 He's not going into the summer banged up. He's going into the summer, you know, getting something better, right? A shot, mid-range, whatever that is. And then when the season starts, he's fully, fully healthy versus finishing the season, limping into the end of the season, spending a month doing nothing, which is worse.

29:58 All right.

29:58 And then try to ramp it up a little bit and now you're limping into preseason and training camp. So, I can't, I can't, I can't, you know, this is, you know, they're not going hard enough for you to actually see any flaw or, you know, if he's good enough, right?

30:17 You got to wait to the game where you have actual real people.

30:21 Remember, if we're playing against each other every day and that's the false narrative with.

30:28 When you're injured and.

30:31 You're practicing and then you come to play, right? What happens is I know my teammate, right? So I know what he's going to do. Remember, whoever Joel Embiid is playing against, he's not a superstar. He's a backup center that's scared of him.

30:48 So he already knows what to do.

30:51 What happens is no matter how much you rehab, you're not going to get tested until you play in the game. And that superstar you have to guard is coming at you full speed, right?

31:04 Now that's the first time.

31:07 You've been good for two weeks, been playing, been doing all these one-on-ones.

31:11 First real game, shit done. Sore, swelling.

31:15 Because now you're going against the Steph Currys, the Shays, the Brunsons, and you've been playing against your backup for two weeks.

31:22 Now these guys got different movements.

31:24 They running around doing all this, and your knee wasn't actually ready for it.

31:28 Can he just be motivated, too, though? Like, he finally see, like, he could win a championship. Don't that motivate you, too?

31:34 We would hope.

31:35 Yeah. We would hope that, you know. He's skinny and that, like.

31:40 Man.

31:41 Like, could have been some years.

31:42 Brother, we see a lot of goddamn superstars and celebrities out here. They skinny as a motherfucker. You really think they can run and do a line drill right now? Hell no.

31:50 They do.

31:51 But, yeah, that's what I'm saying. This right here. So.

31:54 And then suck out all that fat, that don't get you in shape. You're just losing weight. So we got to see when he starts running up and down.

32:03 Look, that's all I'm saying.

32:06 Was he running miles? Was he on the track running up and down? No, no.

32:09 He just was running, though. Stop hating on Philly.

32:13 You got to stop hating on Philly.

32:17 I'm doing the same thing I did last year in Philly.

32:19 Fuck Philly.

32:20 Where did I like Philly? I'm sorry. I didn't like Philly last year.

32:25 Girl, you like basketball, though.

32:27 Yes. This is basketball season. I'm sorry.

32:31 This is Laker time. I'm sorry for the interruption here. It's Laker time. It should be Laker glaze.

32:40 Right? Use the Laker, right?

32:40 We don't talk about Lakers on this show no more.

32:42 No more.

32:43 We ain't say Lakers anymore. You want to talk about Walker Castle? The show started. I don't think we can talk about the Lakers.

32:51 We've definitely covered the Lakers.

32:54 Wow.

32:55 We haven't since the show started. I ain't seen no... Nothing on the screen. We probably bring it up ourselves like this.

33:01 We've talked about the Snowtime Lakers on this program. Snowtime Lakers. J.J. Reddick saying that there'll be three Caucasians starting and then.

33:08 The other two.

33:10 All right. All right, Chuck.

33:11 Hey, Chuck. For all my Laker fans out there, man. We've done it. It's going to be a rough year. We've talked about it. It's going to be a rough year.

33:17 Four players on that squad.

33:18 Last quarter. Crazy. Gil said he's waiting for ticket prices to go down because he doesn't have faith in the team. We've covered all those. So we want to talk about the upper echelon of the NBA. We're about to talk about a bunch of old, off-brand-ass teams. By the old, off-brand-ass teams.

33:30 I like that.

33:31 The Philly hoodie is nice. So at the start of camp, head coach Nick Nurse was asked about how he plans to utilize all of the Sixers' weapons he has at his disposal to make sure the offense is flowing.

33:42 He had this response.

33:44 I think we got several guys that what I would call grab and go. Like if they get rebounds and their first advantage is to start pushing it up the floor and it stays that way, then they're going to do it. And I think we'll have enough what I would call probably secondary triggers, secondary offensive triggers that shouldn't matter.

34:01 You know, if it's Ron, if it's JB, or if it's Vijay. you know, kind of on and on from there.

34:09 And I just think LeBron, I consider him, you know, a great offense creator.

34:16 I don't necessarily mean score.

34:17 I just mean creator and a table setter and all that kind of stuff. And I think that's where I could see, you know, if it isn't bringing it up and starting, it's probably going to be first pass anyway to the wing.

34:28 And then we get into our actions.

34:29 And he's kind of seeing what's there and he's creating offense for others.

34:36 Boogie, you hear that.

34:37 Obviously, we talk about this team, but again, there's only one basketball, so what's the most effective way for the Sixers offense to utilize all the talent that they have in that starting lineup?

34:47 I think obviously playing through Bron as a playmaker is a plus for any team. Obviously, TJ Maxey is their starting point guard, but he's also a natural scorer, so kind of putting Bron more in that playmaker type role, allowing him to To be an attacker as soon as he catches the ball is a plus for Philly. And you also got Jalen on the opposite side, who's also always in attack mode. So I think, you know, Bron creates that balance within the offense on top of, you know, MB kind of playing, I'm assuming, also kind of playing that same style and also being a finisher at the same time. So I think Bron is obviously, you know, the go-to playmaker slash point guard in this offense. and it's just going to create a balance for the entire team.

35:38 And then, you know, possibly once those guys come out, Bron kind of shifts to a more offensive role when you bring in, you know, the backup guards and, you know, allow them to, you know, run the offense. So Nick Nurse is kind of– he's been here before. We've seen him put together some pretty impressive offenses. One that comes to mind is that Toronto group that, you know, beat us that year. They also had a lot of talent and firepower within that starting five.

36:04 He has experience in that field. At the end of the day, this is a good problem to have.

36:09 Trying to figure out how to get my scores more touches isn't necessarily a bad thing. There's teams out there just trying to figure out who the hell can score for us.

36:20 It's a good problem to have. I trust them in this situation.

36:24 It's not necessarily a bad thing to put Brown in this role because that also preserves him and keeps him healthy throughout the entire season.

36:34 It's taking a little bit of responsibility off of him as well.

36:37 So this is a well-balanced team just overall. It's going to come down to, you know, how they decide to share the ball.

36:47 When you look at this, it's just offense.

36:49 I don't, but I care.

36:50 You do.

36:51 You care good.

36:52 You can't hate on this. This season has started, man. You can't hate on this.

36:55 I'm a delusional Laker fan right now.

36:59 What the Lakers look like?

37:00 Last week, brother. Champions.

37:03 Last week, I had to be normal. Right now, I get to be just like every other fan. We thinking our team is going to the chip.

37:10 That's where we are right now. That's where we are. That's where we are right now. Everybody don't think that.

37:14 Everybody thinks that. Every fan thinks that at the beginning of the year. Everybody thinks that. If you didn't make the playoffs, you think you're going to make... I mean, if you didn't make the playoffs, you think you're going to make the playoffs? There's going to be 16... Philly think they win the championship. New York think they're going back-to-back.

37:27 Miami think they win the championship. Boston thinks they're about to go to the second round, third round. Pacers think they're going to the championship.

37:34 Brooklyn, nobody that's a Brooklyn fan. They think they're going to make the playoffs.

37:37 No, they don't. Maybe they're playing. No, they don't.

37:42 Toronto think they're about to do something.

37:44 They think they got Kawhi back. They're about to go win the championship. They think it's 2019.

37:47 This is how it happens right now. And then November, December.

37:58 We back to reality.

38:00 For sure. Sometime after that first game.

38:02 Yeah, sometimes after the first game.

38:04 So right now, let me live.

38:06 In my truth.

38:06 Get your ass up like, damn, it's over. Let me live my truth. What you want?

38:11 Gil, I want you to be locked in, emotionally invested, and available like Joel Embiid, LeBron, and.

38:16 The rest of the Sixers squad. It's the damn sweater.

38:18 Yeah, I got to dress like a Lakers fan now.

38:22 Nah. We different.

38:24 We different.

38:25 Yeah, because I didn't even know that was the coach.

38:28 You didn't know Nick Nurse?

38:28 Unprofessional like a motherfucker. Oh, that's what I'm saying. The hoodie cold, though. You don't know Nick Nurse? Huh?

38:34 No, he's talking about because he has a black hoodie on.

38:37 He's never coached for the Lakers. They can't wear that. Like, I'm looking like, damn.

38:43 J.J. would never. Never.

38:45 He would never conform to the color of the skin on the team.

38:49 What? That's got to be LeBron. Right? Right? Out there wigging.

38:54 Out there wigging.

38:54 I'm over here looking like, damn, that's how you.

38:56 That's how you lose most money, right? For real.

38:59 You're able to get a couple more black people on your team, and you think you can just wear anything to the press conference.

39:03 Okay.

39:04 Okay. He about to get a beer next.

39:10 Start rapping now. Lakers are snow time. Sixers are Negro.

39:14 Max Kellerman out this bitch in the 90s.

39:17 Max Kellerman right there in the 90s.

39:19 You feel me? Traffic. Traffic. Traffic. Traffic.

39:20 Trafficking. Trafficking.

39:21 Trafficking.

39:22 Trafficking.

39:22 Trafficking.

39:24 Trafficking.

39:26 Trafficking. All right, let me stop.

39:36 Oh, man.

39:36 All right, but last question, then we'll move on. Talk about topics you're more engaged in. But who should control this team at crunch time? You're talking about Tyrese Maxey, made his All-NBA team.

39:47 Control it, it would be LeBron James controlling the offense, right? He would be dictating who's getting the ball, who's hot, which plays that are going to be ran, right? You know, you want the ball in the smartest person's hands, right? No matter what the play is, you want the ball to touch LeBron James. If it's going to be a pick and roll, if it's going to be, you know, down screens, you want him dictating, you know, where the shots is coming from, who's getting them. And that's how basketball has always been. You want your smartest. Hopefully your smartest is your best player on the team. You want them with the ball making all the decisions in the last five minutes.

40:29 I'm glad you agree with that sentiment.

40:32 Sometimes I feel like you got to let Maxi instincts. You got to trust him with the ball. We have five minutes left in the game too. Somebody that You don't want to take the rhythm out the game, too.

40:46 That's what I'm saying.

40:48 Like, if I'm telling Maxie to get in the corner and he want to, you know, he have a fast break and he got to slow it down and he feel he can get a bucket, you don't want to take that away from him. But you do want LeBron with the ball for the majority of the make certain plays, but I think it's like 50-50 for sure.

41:09 Do you foresee any potential problems? It all sounds good right now.

41:12 It does. It all sounds great.

41:14 Maxie, if somebody keeps telling me to get to the corner, I'm going to have to know.

41:19 Okay, hold on.

41:19 I'm going to have to know. It sounds good.

41:21 I know, man. Kumbaya, all that.

41:23 We all going to share the ball.

41:25 I'm actually, like, really tired of the idea that we some dumbass basketball players.

41:33 Yeah, yeah.

41:34 Like, like.

41:36 Yes, I'm averaging 35. He's averaging 35. He's averaging 35. We get together. We that dumb as players and say, you know what? We got all this talent. We going to be selfish to it. That's why I say Olympics. It just never makes sense. Every great team, we done seen that the talent has gotten together.

41:57 The talent has figured it out.

41:58 For some reason, coaches and GMs think they need to try to manipulate it. To make it work, we need a team. Yeah, that's when we all get together, we will figure out each other's roles. That's usually how it always happens. It's always a problem. Before every Olympic that we knew of, right? I mean, if we didn't know about the 88 Olympics, you know.

42:27 Michael Jordan, we didn't watch that. 92 Olympics, right? We watched the best players in the world figure it out.

42:35 96 Olympics, which is, to me, probably the most decorated team because every single one, all 13 players, was All-NBAs. They all made the All-NBA that year. They figured it out. Shaquille O'Neal came off the bench. Hakeem came off the bench, right? That's how great that team was.

42:59 Easy work.

43:01 Right? Yeah.

43:02 So the last Olympics, easy work. When you are together, greatness will figure it out. I don't know why we question great players. We've watched LeBron James play with some of the greatest players the game has produced.

43:19 Kyrie, Bosh, Wade. Who else? I mean, yeah.

43:28 Kevin Love, AD, like Luka, he's done figured it out with every single person.

43:34 Yes, man.

43:35 And I'm not worried about LeBron in this instance.

43:38 LeBron's 41. He's not tripping. But again, they done figured it out. Maxie, Joel Embiid, they've been figuring it out. Joel Embiid and Jimmy Butler, they.

43:47 Figured it out. Great players do figure it out. Just give them enough time. They will figure it out. I don't never worry about the stars. Mm-hmm. My question is always, do the role players know their roles? Right?

44:04 The two stars, they're going to figure out how to dilute each other's shots for each other.

44:08 Right?

44:08 Steph Curry and Klay and KD. They understand that. It's everybody else. When we come in a game, do everyone know their roles?

44:16 Right? Because you got to remember, those.

44:18 Are the most important guys because those are the ones that's trying to get.

44:21 Their star money. So what happens when it's four stars?

44:24 But me and Vijay, that's why I was talking about Vijay.

44:28 Vijay's a star, bro.

44:29 Vijay's one more.

44:30 We ain't never seen a five-star situation.

44:33 This his second year? Yeah, this is his second year.

44:37 He will benefit the most because he will play the most. He's going to be the one that... That's going to.

44:42 Be out on a break.

44:44 When you're trying to throw lobs, you're trying to get easy plays, he's going to be the one that does a lot of damage because no one is expecting him.

44:51 So when you're doing your scouting report, that's who you're leaving open.

44:55 Give it to Vijay.

44:56 So there's going to be games where he's lighting up and dunking and doing all this stuff because they're going to be not paying attention to him. So he's going to look phenomenal.

45:06 It's basketball. Like, I'm like, I'm.

45:09 Sick of people just, oh, there's only one basketball. There's always been fucking one basketball. I've never seen no game but two basketballs. When Magic Johnson was with the Lakers and they had a number one pick, a number one pick, and a number one pick, there was one fucking ball.

45:23 Five chips. It's five.

45:27 The problem usually comes when there's a dominant guard, dominant big, and it's like, yeah, yeah, yeah.

45:32 I mean, that is.

45:33 But it's a rarity.

45:34 But it's a rarity because.

45:36 Philly got a dominant guard, a dominant guard, another dominant guard, and a dominant big, and a potential dominant guard.

45:42 What I mean by the dominant guard and big is usually, which is when the dominant big can't shoot free throws, in the last five minutes, he still wants the ball. And he still wants to be dominant and not realize, hey, if you have a dominant guard, that's when.

46:00 The guard gets the ball.

46:01 Just like with Braun over the years. That ball going to Kyrie. Kyrie, do your thing. I'm secondary now. The great players know how to switch their roles up a little bit.

46:13 So who's secondary in this?

46:15 They'll figure it out. They'll figure it out. When Cole had his team, 35 a game.

46:22 Right?

46:23 When he started getting better pieces, he was off that mug. Averaging 27, 28, okay, Gasol do work.

46:30 Like, they know when to let others, you know, shine.

46:34 Who do you think is, what?

46:36 Me?

46:36 I think it would be Maxie, Dan, Brown. As far as what?

46:41 Just how he did with.

46:42 Like, if I'm doing it, I'm going to let.

46:44 I'm going to let, if you're Bron.

46:50 What you're going to do is, if we just watch how he plays the game, Maxie Brown are going to be the engines at the beginning. When they get in a penalty, that's when Brown is going to try to get his little easy chip-ins because he knows every foul after that, he's going to go to the free throw line.

47:05 He's not going to count against his shots.

47:07 I'm talking about the close, like, towards the end.

47:10 Towards the end. It's like.

47:12 And it's a two-point game. Who's taking Embiid?

47:15 Yeah, you got to go down to Embiid.

47:17 I'm going to go down to Embiid. I'm going to go down to Embiid. And just like Embiid, we see right there, we're going to throw it to him.

47:23 We're going to run off. We're going to run off, see if we can get some easy.

47:25 Little things, see if we can get some duck-ins, and then let Embiid go one-on-one. If we need any ISO work, Jalen Brown on the left or the right. And then fast breaks, the two guards are going to try to get out of the fast break. LeBron and Kyrie, he did give it to Kyrie.

47:41 But late game, Tyrese, Maxie don't factor into that?

47:44 That's what I'm saying. No, what I'm saying is... That's what I'm saying. I'll give it to Maxie. It'll be Maxie and... It'll usually be Maxie and Embiid. Like, the Maxie and Embiid pick and roll, that's going.

47:53 To be the last five minutes.

47:55 Maxie's going to come, throw it, run off, next time going to come, come off of it, throw it back, and then if Embiid don't have his thing, he'll probably dribble.

48:03 Handoff with Braun or what's that?

48:06 Vijay probably won't get no plays in the last five minutes, but you got to watch for back ends, back cuts, pick and pop. That's when you don't have to worry about Vijay.

48:18 They plan on playing a little faster this year, too. Nick Nurse said he's trying to create a style of play so anybody that rebounds can push it.

48:26 Yeah.

48:26 So, I mean, that's also kind of putting everybody on the floor. Well, one, everybody's going to rebound a lot better because they want to be able to, you know, be in control of the offense for possession. So, I think that kind of deletes the issue of, you know, it's my turn or this person's turn. Everybody kind of gets the opportunity once they're pushing the ball. You find your rhythm. You're able to kind of play, mate.

48:50 You know, some guys find their rhythm by getting a couple dribbles in before, so.

48:54 I think that style of play eliminates a lot of that as well, but also you can expect some really high rebounding.

49:00 Everybody got their money, too. You know what I mean? There's no one fighting. This is my contract year. So there's really no selfish thought into this group right now because Vijay's second year, he don't have to worry about extension till year three or four.

49:15 And by that point, by the time his extension kicks in, you gotta imagine LeBron We'll be gone.

49:20 We'll be leaving.

49:20 Yeah, so you don't really have to worry about it. Shit, LeBron and Embiid can be gone. And I still got Jalen Brown still fairly young.

49:29 You think they done with Embiid? How much he got left on this contract? I think it just started. So three years, I think 193 or something like that. What I'm saying is if he has a good timeline, if they win a.

49:39 Championship this year, they're going to try to repeat next year.

49:43 If they repeat or lose that one, I'm good.

49:46 Absolutely.

49:47 Yeah, I'm good.

49:48 And they still got a chance to compete. And they move on.

49:50 Yeah, I'm good. Because you still got your four intact. And you got a lot of money being released. Well, the Sixers kick things off tonight. Make sure Gil's glazing the scissors by the end of the season. I'm not glazing. By the end of the season, you will glaze. You're going to glaze, Gil. I'm a Laker fan.

50:04 You're going to glaze.

50:05 You can be a Laker fan.

50:07 I don't know why people don't understand this. I'm a Laker fan first. Let's try this again. I'm a Laker fan first.

50:13 We understand.

50:13 The superstars that come here, I'm going to super glaze. That's how that works. LeBron came, super glazed. LeBron leave, don't know the nigga no more.

50:24 Right?

50:24 Just like I didn't before. You know that nigga. Like, I didn't know him in Cleveland.

50:28 You didn't hear no glazing in Cleveland.

50:29 I don't know.

50:30 I don't know him. You know that nigga. He look like a robot to me. He look like he got a big head now. Like, damn, he got big once he left. Like, you don't see the flaws when they from afar.

50:41 I'm not rolling.

50:42 When they close, you don't see nothing. They game perfect. All right, well, we will.

50:45 Leave.

50:47 Aw.

50:48 What kind of juice he on again? That's that talk.

50:50 He'll be back Christmas.

50:51 He'll be back Christmas Day. We play tomorrow.

50:55 We play today. Your team.

50:57 Oh, I can't watch till tomorrow. I can't stream it till tomorrow.

51:01 Laker game tomorrow.

51:02 Live.

51:03 Good luck.

51:04 Live. Hope it's entertaining. Watch that.

51:07 I hope it's entertaining for you.

51:09 Oh, wait.

51:09 Bronny's still there. I'll watch. I'll support.

51:12 Wow. I'll support. Still got one LeBron left. But let's keep this thing moving. You ever have those weeks where you're doing the same stuff you always do, same work schedule, same workout, same routine, but somehow everything feels harder? You wake up tired, the gym feels heavier, your energy's off, and you're sitting there like, why do I feel like I'm moving through mud right now? That's the type of stuff men don't always talk about, but a lot of guys start feeling it as they get older. That's where Mars Men comes in. Shout out to Mars Men. sponsor show.

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52:59 No, no, I actually take it. No, this got some good shit. Yeah, I didn't take it earlier, so I was like, I might as well just go in and pop it.

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53:15 Everybody taking Mars Men on the show, ladies and gentlemen. We live our raps.

53:18 Yeah, I take it on.

53:22 I didn't notice that it was open, Gil.

53:23 And.

53:25 That's Mars Men. Somebody said, don't forget about Caldwell. Man, we don't care, man.

53:30 I really don't care.

53:32 I want to know how to play with stars, though.

53:34 Huh?

53:34 Like, I'm going to just be honest.

53:36 I want to poke. Absolutely know how to play. Yeah, that's what I'm saying. And that's a talent.

53:39 Yeah.

53:40 KCP and Simons, you got a lot of good people. Shout out to KCP, man.

53:43 Like, y'all going to buy Philly jerseys? Hell yeah, I'm going to get them. Not the number nine, though. I did get a cheesesteak the other day from Philly.

53:49 That's what I had on number nine.

53:50 That's a practice jersey, 23, I think. Bron wearing 23, wearing number nine. He normally wears number six for his practice jersey, but because of Julius Irving, Dr. J, moved it to number nine out.

54:00 Of respect for the doctor. It's a practice jersey, though.

54:04 Yeah, I know. But Saturday, talking real basketball now, Gil. You might be excited about this topic. I expect to see some blazing. Saturday, NBA preseason tipped off with an Eastern Conference matchup between the Raptors and Heat. Kawhi did not play in the game with some low management as he continues his conditioning ramp-up.

54:20 Preseason game. Had to get his brace fixed.

54:22 But Giannis made his Heat debut, gave the basketball world a glimpse at things to come in South Beach. Let's take a look at the highlights. Are you excited now, Gil? Greek freak.

54:35 Praying to his God.

54:37 Doing work. Greek Freak only played 14 minutes in the game, but that was enough for him to show why he still belongs in the conversation. One of the greatest players in the world. Finished with nine points. A team leading seven dimes and four rebounds. Perfect three for three from the field. Finding Andrew Wiggins multiple times. Raptors tried to wall up against him defensively, but he was able to dime up teammates for wide open buckets. Also hitting One-legged middies.

55:06 Shout out to my favorite Greco-Nigerian. Put that wall up. Tree, told you.

55:14 Easy three. Is Scotty Barnes out there? Yeah, Scotty Barnes out there.

55:18 None of that works, man.

55:19 I don't see him.

55:20 Where's he at? Be honest.

55:23 I heard doing it.

55:24 14 minutes, parts of the first and second quarter.

55:28 He's a game. You don't see him.

55:32 You can't help no more. I told you. You can't help no more.

55:37 Get your thought together before you start talking. I am.

55:40 Easy work. Don't help no more. Don't help no more.

55:45 Scotty Barnes? I don't see Scotty Barnes.

55:46 Scotty Barnes is out there, bro.

55:47 I don't see him.

55:48 It don't matter if you can see him.

55:50 I see this motherfucker with DJ.

55:54 Quick braids on his door.

55:55 And all that shit. I don't know who that is. DJ Quick, the greatest producer slash rapper of all time.

56:00 I have to bring him up.

56:01 Giannis said he wants to leave his mark with the Heat so far. So good. Boogie, we're going to start with you. How did Giannis look in his preseason debut with the Heat?

56:11 Giannis looked good, man. He honestly did. And I think the biggest question mark for me with Giannis was, you know, how much of a willing passer would he become in this system? And I think he put that on full display. Knowing how much gravity he creates, his drives to the basket, obviously is going to, you know, create so many opportunities for the guys on the outside.

56:32 So, yeah.

56:33 I think he did a good job and showed a good example of what we can expect for this season. You know, he created that gravity, drew the defense in, and it was an open shot galore. So, you know, I think if this style of play is what we can expect, I think Miami has a really good chance of being a great team this year. But I think it all falls on, you know, Giannis and being a willing.

56:58 Passer because.

57:00 If the passing isn't there– It's going to kind of disrupt the whole flow of the offense. It's going to take a lot of the guys he's going to depend on later in the game.

57:08 It's going to take them out of rhythm.

57:09 Those guys need to see those shots, you know, kind of falling to be those, you know, perfect role players for Giannis in this offense. So, like I said, if he's a willing passer, this is a scary team to beat.

57:21 Simple as that.

57:21 Giannis averaged 5.4 assists last season, a limited amount of games, five assists for his career swag. When you look at those highlights, Giannis out there making his heat. Preseason debut has embraced Heat culture, said he wants to leave his mark with his franchise.

57:36 They look good.

57:37 But, you know, it's hard to really get, like, a full glimpse because they're really taking that preseason game serious compared to most teams because they're trying to learn chemistry. So they're really out there playing compared to, I've seen Toronto out there, like, it's a preseason game. Like how Gil was talking about the scrimmaging and all that. You know, Kawhi wasn't on the court. Um, And they're really trying to find their team, so they have to play hard right now.

58:07 But I like it, you know.

58:08 Giannis passing the step-back duck shot. He get that jumper consistent. Then I will be like, okay, there will be a tough team to beat. But until I see a real game like Gil say, this is nothing.

58:28 This is nothing. This is just.

58:30 Scrimmaging.

58:31 So I will have to see how they do the first game of the year, who they match up against. But so far, so good. Just happy to see Giannis on the floor, you know, and playing. You see a tan Klay out there, Miami Klay.

58:47 You know, him and Wiggins already got a good report. In this preseason, like you said, preseason don't matter. Klay played 13 minutes.

58:54 Giannis played 15.

58:56 What are we talking about? All those highlights came for just 15 minutes.

59:00 Yeah, but good. Klay's stat line a little bit different than Giannis' stat line in that game. What was Klay's?

59:06 Klay had zero. Oh, see?

59:10 That's what I'm saying. No, he didn't shoot.

59:12 I don't even know if he shot the ball.

59:13 That's what I'm saying. Some people were like, Giannis was like out there.

59:18 Going hard?

59:18 Oh, so when I said they might be first.

59:22 They might be first because they're going to be the team that just plays hard from the beginning.

59:26 Y'all looked at me like I was stupid. But y'all say now you want to use it. You don't care about preseason either. You don't care about preseason. You can't go for that.

59:32 No, no, no. What I'm saying is you use that they play hard.

59:35 They're going to be the only one to be out there playing hard. That was my reason for why I would have them first.

59:38 No, I said they're taking this preseason seriously compared to other people because they're trying to find a team.

59:43 Because they're going to be playing harder than everybody else. No. They look like Toronto's playing pretty hard.

59:47 No, I don't know. Trying to keep them in front of them. I didn't know one person on Toronto that was on the court.

59:52 Swaggy, both of the starting lineup was available. No, Kawhi.

59:56 Kawhi's a big deal. But you had R.J. Barrett, Scottie Barnes, Manuel Quigley. What did they look like? What are their teams? Scottie Barnes, dude. Scottie Barnes played 12 minutes, 5 for 11. 5 for 11. 11 shots in 5 minutes.

1:00:11 12 minutes. What about RJ?

1:00:13 RJ played 17 minutes, had 15 points. He was 3 for 9 from the field, 7 for 8. Free throw again this preseason in Quebec City. NBA Canada Series.

1:00:22 What's so funny is Giannis only took 3 shots.

1:00:26 Right?

1:00:28 And what I thought and the reason I said I like this team is Because he drives so much and you can't stop him with just one person. You are forced to try to play team defense against him. You're forced to sit in the lane. And now that you have a Wiggins that can shoot the jumper, you have your point guard, you have, you know, Clay, you have guys when he passes it to them, they are wide open shooters.

1:01:00 Right.

1:01:00 So Klay don't have to rush shots.

1:01:02 Wiggins don't have the rush shots. You are sitting there by yourself now.

1:01:06 Right.

1:01:06 Where those guys never had those those shots before. That's going to be the game is going to be so much easier for those guys. And now you're going to make a tough decision where it's like.

1:01:19 Playing as a younger Westbrook.

1:01:20 Do we just give Giannis the middie and we kind of like sit with that one player back there?

1:01:25 Because we can't pick him a full court. It's a difference, though, when that motherfucker's seven feet.

1:01:28 Yeah, that's what it is. You know what I mean?

1:01:29 So it's like, now how do I play Giannis one-on-one so we don't give up open shots?

1:01:35 We might.

1:01:36 They might see a lot of zone this year.

1:01:38 I think so. Yeah, they're going to see a lot of zone.

1:01:41 We can't play man-to-man against this team if Giannis just keeps blowing by everybody.

1:01:44 Throwing it to Klay. Now Klay is shooting practice shots.

1:01:47 So let me give you... The difference is.

1:01:50 The reason I'm going to argue at, though, I'm going to go out on a limb and already say I think they're going to be top five defensively as a team. More like top two, just my opinion.

1:02:01 Miami. Miami, yeah.

1:02:02 So you're saying we're going to see a lot of teams. Playing zone against them. Yeah, it's going to take them making some shots to set that zone.

1:02:07 Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. So I think it's.

1:02:09 Going to be a lot of this as far as the Miami Heat and their style of play. And the main reason is Giannis. But I think the biggest quote we're missing in all of this was, Sposha mentioned he's in the same breath as the greatest point guard to ever play this game.

1:02:28 Thank you for setting that up. That's what we're going to next.

1:02:30 So, like you mentioned, after the game, Coach Spoh had high praise for Giannis, comparing him, like you said, to the greatest point guard in NBA history.

1:02:37 I'm assuming that's Magic. Magic down one? He is the greatest.

1:02:41 The pimp?

1:02:41 Magic Johnson.

1:02:42 Irving Magic Johnson. But let's take a look at what Spoh had to say about Giannis. LeBron.

1:02:47 LeBron.

1:02:48 He said he makes great plays. We knew that about him. But when you really see it every day in practice this week, you can appreciate how brilliant of a playmaker that he can be with the size and the vision and his ability to put it on the numbers to shooters.

1:03:00 It's really impressive.

1:03:02 Pat Riley was at practice all week and the way he's played with the ball in his hands and delivering the ball. He reminds all of us of a great big point guard that played for Pat back in the 80s. There we go.

1:03:13 Makes a lot of sense.

1:03:14 The greatest point guard of all time brought strawberry sodas to the hood. With his movie theater. The Magic Johnson Theater is Gil. Yeah.

1:03:21 You guys didn't have one in the Valley? Yeah. Why are you looking like that?

1:03:24 Yeah, Regal.

1:03:24 No, why are you looking like that?

1:03:25 When he rolled? United Artists. Yeah. So we'll start with you, Gil, first. This is not Gil Day. Gil got all dressed up and switched up on us. But thoughts on Spoh comparing Giannis to Magic. Magic and Laker, remember? To Los Angeles Laker. Pat Riley, coach of the Lakers. The team you glass. Delusional Lakers fan. One of your championships.

1:03:44 You see him.

1:03:46 These seven passes that he made look like magic.

1:03:50 Irvin Magic Johnson.

1:03:51 I think it was the totality of the week.

1:03:54 Irvin Magic Johnson.

1:03:56 So regular ass passes get compared to genius.

1:04:01 Right.

1:04:02 We're talking about we're talking about magic. The reason his name was magic because it looked magical.

1:04:08 You got to glaze. So you're going to go on a.

1:04:11 Limb to jump to Magic Johnson passing.

1:04:13 You got to glaze your star player, though. Make them feel good. For the Lakers. Yeah, you got to make them feel good. Oh, you mean, oh, they need to.

1:04:21 I think it's more so the role they're looking at. What they're expecting from him. And like I said, I think it comes.

1:04:26 Go LeBron James.

1:04:28 Oh, you look like a LeBron James, a big motherfucker that's just athletic as shit, going around making passes.

1:04:33 That's more of a good comparison. But they don't really like LeBron. They took bronze cookies, if you don't recall.

1:04:39 I think the style of play is more important than what he's talking about.

1:04:45 But delivering good passes, obviously not throwing no looks and hitting them with the hee-hee's, but.

1:04:50 You need this version of Giannis for Miami to be successful.

1:04:55 All right, I got a question.

1:04:56 Giannis looks like Giannis with better shooters around him.

1:04:58 I'm about to say, Giannis never had shooters around him? That's what we're saying? No, we have. That's cap.

1:05:03 Yeah.

1:05:04 The championship team had exactly what he needed.

1:05:09 I'm just saying, he had shooters last year, too, though.

1:05:12 Who?

1:05:12 In Milwaukee? Dirty Bird. He had some shooters.

1:05:17 We didn't play that much, right? Yeah, Dirty Bird. Who else was shooting? Who else could make a shot?

1:05:22 His fucking shooting guard was shot 40% in Toronto or something like that. 40-something percent.

1:05:28 Who?

1:05:29 I forgot his name. Yeah, you forgot it.

1:05:31 Yeah, and he had Kyle Kuzma shot 40% too or something like that.

1:05:35 From the field? Maybe from the field.

1:05:38 Mm-hmm.

1:05:38 Which is not, that's not good.

1:05:39 No, from three. From three.

1:05:42 From three. Yeah.

1:05:43 I don't think they were the same defensive type of team, though. And he didn't play that much last year.

1:05:50 Let me see.

1:05:51 Like, are you still trying to figure out how not to like Miami?

1:05:54 Like, I get it. He did this before, though.

1:05:56 They won the championship.

1:05:57 No. In other years, he did that, too. And they didn't win.

1:06:01 Because he got hurt in the playoffs.

1:06:04 Listen.

1:06:04 That's cool, man.

1:06:05 So if he's not hurt, they win the championship.

1:06:08 All on you?

1:06:08 I don't know.

1:06:09 There's some other talent out here, man. That's what I'm saying. And there's some other talent out here. I'm just saying, I like them. I like them to finish really high because Giannis, 28 to 32 a game in 12.

1:06:21 Now you're going to average about seven, eight assists. Six to eight assists.

1:06:25 Number six number's going up, for sure.

1:06:27 Like, you literally, like, we got to talk about, like, I know Klay's been having some rough years shooting, but.

1:06:34 But a 38%.

1:06:36 Klay changes the game for Giannis.

1:06:39 I know we're used to Splash Brother Klay, but don't get it fucked up. Splash Brother Klay was millions of miles away from the next person.

1:06:50 He's coming down. This is like Vince Carter, Michael Jordan at 38. That's still a 42-inch vertical. So Klay sitting here with a 38-clip, 37-clip Klay. That is a very dangerous person shooting wide-open shots. So I'm going to give you a list of notable Heat players, what their catch-and-shoot percentage was this past season.

1:07:12 So you got Wiggins at 41%. 41. From three. This is from three. Wiggins at 41%. Tim Hardaway Jr. was at 42%. Bobby Portis, 45%. Bobby Portis, obviously, with Giannis, with the Bucs. Klay, 39%. Davion Mitchell, 39%.

1:07:32 The whole team got to retain bro.

1:07:36 What about Bam? Hold on. Let me check with our research team.

1:07:39 And Bam had to create his own.

1:07:42 Now he getting wide open. And I want to know attempts as well. Let me find it. In the highlight, he did have a catch and shoot, which looked really good.

1:07:53 That's what I'm saying. Wide open catch and shoot, man.

1:07:54 I did see a play, too, where they tried to do the big, big pick and roll, and the bigs just sagged off and just switched.

1:08:00 It didn't necessarily create anything. Bam needs the ball, then.

1:08:04 Bam.

1:08:04 That's what I was saying earlier as far as who's going to be the guy that can handle and shoot off the handle.

1:08:10 Like, if we're going to do big and big pick and roll, Bam has to be the point guard. So if Bam comes off and they want to sack, he can shoot it.

1:08:18 Right. If they try to come up or switch it, Giannis is diving. Right.

1:08:22 It has to be that situation. I wouldn't even do big and big.

1:08:25 But it's hard to say that when Giannis would probably be more of a ball handler than Bam.

1:08:29 But if you're in half-court situations, you have to understand and think about defense. If I have two bigs, I need to be– I want Amari to be– Giannis wants to be Amari. You have to be that guy that's diving with that jumping ability. So your point guard's coming off, you're diving. How they play that is where you make the pass. If they're playing you because you're the shooter, throwing it. If the other big is sagging, bam is the shooter.

1:08:58 You're doing it right there. Now you can go shooting.

1:09:00 Straight to bam bam throws it right if you.

1:09:02 Try to sag off this other guy that is clay in that corner or wiggins so you come in you want to sag with that guy we're throwing it back.

1:09:09 Right though that's the half court offense if you want to try to pick a roll so bam uh 31 percent on catch and shoot threes last season He's averaging four and a half per game.

1:09:18 Same thing. Bobby Porter's 45. Ryan Rowland, 41. A.J. Green, 40, 42. Calc was 137. Kevin Porter, 40. Gary Trent, 41. I'm just saying, he had the same type of numbers. The defense is the difference. He had the same type of numbers.

1:09:38 How many games did he play, Nick? You remember, he didn't play.

1:09:41 These are just catch and shoot threes.

1:09:43 He didn't play in the game.

1:09:44 You know the game? He didn't play in that.

1:09:46 I did 24 and 25.

1:09:50 I mean, two years. So the guys.

1:09:53 You were naming played both years for it?

1:09:56 Yeah.

1:09:56 Okay. That's what you're saying.

1:09:59 Because he's only looking at numbers. You think it's going to be the same results?

1:10:03 Yeah, I'm just saying he played 36 games.

1:10:04 No, he's saying they're going to be number one in the East.

1:10:07 I think it's more so off the defense, though. I don't know if they're going to be number one in the East.

1:10:13 That's what I'm saying. I know they'll be top five in the East. I think they'll be top five defensively all in the NBA.

1:10:18 But number one in the East, I'm still going with the Knicks.

1:10:21 I can see that.

1:10:22 I can see that. I'm going with the Knicks early.

1:10:23 Yeah. Is that pace sustainable for this Heat offense? Obviously, Heat, I think, were second in points per game last season. Had one of the fastest-paced teams. Kind of twist the whole approach.

1:10:34 I'm not worried about that shit right there.

1:10:36 You got to go to the real game, bro-bo.

1:10:39 You got to go to the real game.

1:10:40 You know what I'm just saying?

1:10:41 You got to, like, you the one went to you got that computer.

1:10:43 First and foremost, I need silence.

1:10:45 You got to put it. You went to, you went here and started looking for shit.

1:10:50 We already made our take. You start trying to get unnecessary.

1:10:54 Unnecessary. But, Boogie, when you look at this Heat team, the pace, especially having a guy like Giannis go coast to coast, rather easy, but now has shooters both sides of the court.

1:11:06 They're going to be able to outrun teams.

1:11:08 Heat culture, I think, which Giannis is also very high on, has some interesting comments about heat culture also.

1:11:13 Bucs culture.

1:11:15 I think that may be an identity they're looking to, you know, have as a team. Playing fast, playing freely, you know, allowing Giannis to play in the.

1:11:27 Middle of the floor.

1:11:28 Obviously, the gravity he creates is going to always make the defense react.

1:11:34 So guys getting out and running, I think that's to their advantage.

1:11:37 But it's still, it's still just that factor as far as those two bigs. And the reason I asked about, you know, the catch and shoot situation, and I know Bam, that's a little bro, that's a UK bro.

1:11:49 I know he work his ass off.

1:11:51 So I'm pretty sure, you.

1:11:53 Know, with this offseason, it's going to be a drastic improvement just off his nature.

1:11:58 But based off last year, which is all I can talk.

1:12:00 About right now, um, Shooting 31 on catch and shoot, that's just not necessarily a good thing. And the only reason I'm saying this about Beck is because he's going to play such a big factor in that starting five. So I still think that's going to be a factor that gets figured out. Even when it comes to the relocation, I saw a play where Giannis drove and Bam relocated.

1:12:28 I know he got a middie, but now that's going to have to become a consistent shot. a lot of the shots we saw Bam taking before are going to change a lot this season. So, um, that's why I keep speaking on his name, but, uh, I'm just interested in seeing how Bam figures out his game within the offense. That's, that's just my main concern. I think Wiggins is going to be fine. I think Clay is going to be fine.

1:12:51 I even think Davion Mitchell would be good. And, uh, you got some great insurance with Hardaway coming off the bench.

1:12:57 He's a career 38% plus shooter.

1:12:58 So, uh, They got some good pieces. It's just that one factor as far as them figuring it out.

1:13:08 And they have some time.

1:13:09 Obviously, I think they enjoy playing with each other, enjoy playing against each other. But looking at what they're able to send out, again, it seems like one of those good problems for the Heat to have to figure out. Yeah, it's a great problem for them to have.

1:13:21 But I just don't think it's something that can be ignored or something that is just going to fix itself. I think it's going to take some real attention to detail as far as those who figuring that part out. And like I said, if it's Giannis pushing every single possession, you know, even if it's Bam, it's just, it's not enough space on the floor and neither one of them are great enough, you know, shooters from the outside for it to just be this easy flow.

1:13:49 So it's something, the wrinkles are going to have to get worked up.

1:13:52 Bam's not a three-point shooter.

1:13:53 How did y'all do?

1:13:54 32%.

1:13:54 I'm talking about that. Could that be a little bit?

1:13:59 I mean, like, have we seen Bam shooting and working on shots? I don't go off of the percentage. The percentage of Bam shooting.

1:14:08 Yeah, 83.

1:14:09 You got to remember, he is the one that's creating his own shot. So he's like a guard. And then you're talking about wide open shooting. Who are you doubling? on that court for him to have a wide open shot.

1:14:22 They're going to double Giannis.

1:14:23 No, what I'm talking about last year.

1:14:25 Oh, oh, yeah.

1:14:25 Most of his shots are going to be bombs for, like, somebody's trying to do something, they give it to him, and he's shooting it.

1:14:31 So he's going to be defended.

1:14:33 Nobody was sagging off of him in the lane, and he's getting a swing, swing, swing.

1:14:37 He's shooting a wide open three. for his 31%. So that's not a 31% shot.

1:14:43 31% on catch and shoot. So when you have.

1:14:46 Giannis bringing down the ball and Bam's big, has to go in there, and he's getting that, that is a wide open shot. That's a catch and shoot shot. A catch and shoot shot from who last year? Who are you leaving on the court and leaving Bam open?

1:15:03 Nobody.

1:15:04 You're not leaving nobody on that court for Bam to get these clear wide open threes for us to be like, okay, he's a horrible catch and shoot guy.

1:15:13 38% wide open.

1:15:16 38% wide open. It's called driving. 38%. You see, that's very different. Bam is? Well, I'm saying it's called driving.

1:15:23 Here it again. He's 38% wide open. Very different shooter now.

1:15:27 That's valid.

1:15:31 But you said he ain't had no wide open and shit. He was shot 38%.

1:15:36 38%.

1:15:37 Now are you leaving him? Ain't no no.

1:15:40 Yeah. I'm going to stop. Man, them boys are going to be all right, man. Them boys are going to be all right. They're going to be all right just off the strength of defense. So we're talking about that, but we're talking about the point guard issues or lack of point guard. That was the big concern this summer's offseason.

1:15:55 But Davion Mitchell, I think, deserves a little bit more credit for what he's bringing to the table as well.

1:16:00 Oh, you're a dog. Okay, can I ask y'all a question?

1:16:02 Seven assists per game last season with a heat squad that you don't seem to be particularly fond of, Gil.

1:16:07 Every dynasty that we've seen, who was the point guard?

1:16:10 Hmm?

1:16:12 Oh, huh. You heard.

1:16:15 Who was the point guard? Who was the point guard? When the Lakers was the Lakers, who was the point guard? Fishman. Okay.

1:16:21 When the Bulls was the Bulls, who was the point guard?

1:16:24 Right? They're just regular-ass niggas, right?

1:16:26 Yeah, they're just regular-ass. Like, the best players are the best players.

1:16:34 Right?

1:16:34 Like, it's ran around the best players, man. Like, when Rondo was with the Boston.

1:16:39 Celtics that year. Now, you ain't keep calling Rondo regular, bro. No.

1:16:44 I'm not accepting that.

1:16:45 Then when Rondo was there, remember, the reason Rondo was mad at them and he shut off for the world is because they was treating them as if the team was just them. And he's like, y'all tried to trade me. Y'all brung in other veterans because I was only a second-year player. So it was like, who is going to be?

1:17:02 That was all they had.

1:17:03 Who's going to be the point guard with them? Who's going to be the point guard? When they won a championship, they was like, oh, man, Rondo's our guy.

1:17:08 Nah, y'all keep the same energy. Y'all keep the same energy. Don't do it now.

1:17:14 Let me just be me. KG spoke up on his butt. After.

1:17:17 This is after.

1:17:18 No, that ain't true because they was in talks of trying to get Chris Paul for him.

1:17:22 KG shut that shit down. But this is after. But that was the problem because Rondo, it was his second year.

1:17:31 You remember, it was just his second year. It was horrible the year before. So they was always questioning him. Miami, questioning Charmers.

1:17:40 Right?

1:17:42 We're always questioning the point. This is not 1962, 70, 80. Well, 1962, they.

1:17:47 Got to it.

1:17:49 Remember, no one questioned the point guard until Magic Johnson became the point guard. He started off as a shooting guard, but his vision was so great, they had to remove Norm Nixon and just say, you know what, we'll just get a regular-ass two-guard that can just defend, and our best player, put him at the point, and let him just create everything.

1:18:12 Then it was, oh, we need a Magic Johnson.

1:18:15 That's when the point guard and the Magic Johnson became a thing. But for the most part, the point guards was actually scoring guards. Jerry, what's a scoring guard? Oscar Robinson, scoring guard.

1:18:27 Right?

1:18:27 These were scoring guards. Isaiah Thomas, scoring guard.

1:18:30 Right?

1:18:31 Like, the magic, the point.

1:18:32 Guard that passed the ball that won championships was just magic. If your point guard was a visionary passer that did this, magic was the winner. Everybody else didn't do that. John Stockton, Steve Nash, Jason kid. When it was in their height, they didn't win championships because if you're if you're playmaker and your point guard is the best on the team and he has to make everyone better, that means you niggas ain't that good.

1:19:00 Right there was that.

1:19:01 Goddamn good is what I'm trying to tell you.

1:19:03 So when Kobe got a point guard that knew how to pass and needed the ball, you're going to clash with that. Jordan, you're going to clash because the ball needs to be in the best player's hand. So Miami having their point guard that can just play defense, hit.

1:19:22 Shots, hit shots, right? That's Derrick Fisher.

1:19:26 That's Steve Kerr. But Ron Harper wasn't no slouch, though.

1:19:29 All-star. He averaged, what, two, four?

1:19:31 Hollywood Harper. It was an all-star. No Ron Harper.

1:19:36 Yeah, he averaged 20. Let's try it again.

1:19:37 No Ron Harper slouch.

1:19:38 When he got there with Michael Jordan.

1:19:41 He sacrificed.

1:19:42 Okay.

1:19:43 His Ron Harper-ness.

1:19:44 Give me the ball. Play it.

1:19:47 Defense, hit an open shot.

1:19:49 That's it.

1:19:50 That's all we need from you. We don't need, you're not coming here to make Michael Jordan better. Scottie Pippen better. You're just here to play a role.

1:19:57 Right? And that's just, that's exactly what the point guard is right now.

1:20:01 You're here to play a role. We have Bam. We have Giannis. We have Wiggins. Everybody else, you just fit in, hit your open shot.

1:20:08 We're good. We don't need you to come in here and sit here and give. You don't feel like role players make the superstars better?

1:20:18 No, he don't.

1:20:18 A role player?

1:20:19 You said no?

1:20:20 He don't.

1:20:21 He hates. He hates role players.

1:20:23 You don't think role players make the superstar better? Like, you got to give me an example. I'm just sitting like, hell no, but you got to give me an example.

1:20:33 Does Draymond make Steph better?

1:20:36 Absolutely.

1:20:37 That was a good one, let me think. Yeah, absolutely. I mean, Steph was Steph before Draymond.

1:20:43 I'm not saying that.

1:20:44 You know, see, but that's... Does Clay not make? See, it's definitely better.

1:20:50 I get what you're saying, and I understand it from the basketball standpoint, but Draymond himself.

1:20:59 Sacrificed what he can do. To add to them.

1:21:04 That's every role player.

1:21:06 My question is, does a role player make the series a lot better? But making them better as in if they was off the team, this guy would.

1:21:13 Be ass or trash? No.

1:21:16 No, but it allows a superstar to be the best version of himself, which every team is. Tristan Thompson grabbing those offensive rebounds helps LeBron become better.

1:21:27 Oh, see, now we're doing good, though.

1:21:29 If he's not getting those extra possessions, we're not getting those extra plays from LeBron.

1:21:34 Yeah, okay. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Y'all using it different. I'm not. I can't complain on how you're using it. You've been killing us. No, I understand what you're saying. Yes, I get that part. King and Martin made Jason get better.

1:21:50 But when you say make me better, I'm thinking because you're doing.

1:21:54 Something to enhance my skill. Right? And no, you're not.

1:21:59 Because if you're not on the court, then I'm still going to average 35.

1:22:02 Oh, my God.

1:22:03 Yeah, but the 35 may be... It don't matter how it is. It might be at a lower percentage. I get it, but it's still going to be 35. Right? Like, I get what you're saying.

1:22:12 You may average 35, it may be a lower percentage, and your record might be worse.

1:22:16 Cool! But you're not making me better as a player.

1:22:18 You're not making the superstar the best version of himself.

1:22:21 Oh, that's very different.

1:22:23 But I need my role players to.

1:22:26 The same way I make my role players better is vice versa. It's a mutual relationship.

1:22:31 Yeah.

1:22:31 You don't make your role players better. Yes, you do. They got a second. You don't think role players second? No, I mean, what role players are we talking about?

1:22:36 We're talking about the second option.

1:22:38 We talk about KCP the way he does. Yeah.

1:22:40 Because he's that role player that everybody wants to be.

1:22:44 Okay, so.

1:22:44 That can play next to any superstar.

1:22:46 Okay, so if Dyson Daniels, Daylon Dyson, who's that one that can't shoot?

1:22:52 Hold on. Hawk? Dyson Daniels?

1:22:54 Dyson Daniels.

1:22:55 For the Hawks? Yeah. Two-guard. Yeah, yeah, yeah.

1:22:58 What about?

1:22:59 What player in the.

1:23:00 NBA that can make him a better shooter?

1:23:06 That means they coming downhill. He's wild. He may not become a better shooter, but he can definitely play a.

1:23:10 Bruce Brown type role. He can do that now.

1:23:13 Bruce Brown became a champion and got paid.

1:23:17 After they left. And he's cheap.

1:23:20 So who's making who better? If Bruce Brown is understanding the game to.

1:23:26 The point where.

1:23:26 He still made Jokic better, though, because he has his live cutter the entire game.

1:23:31 Because that's what that player's doing.

1:23:33 I'm saying a guy who can't shoot, no matter what a star player do, if he can't shoot and he's going to sit in the corner to shoot two, shoot his threes.

1:23:41 I can't make him better.

1:23:42 That's cool.

1:23:42 But if he's smart enough to backdoor and play to his strength, he's making himself better.

1:23:48 And he's making Jokic better because at the end of the day, yeah, Jokic is going to still get those assists. But the difference is, is a championship. He won a championship with Bruce Brown. He now has Chris Brown, who does the same exact role, but we're not getting the same results.

1:24:01 But again, it's not.

1:24:03 You that's– if I'm the guy that's on the off ball, And I'm not playing to my strength and know my game.

1:24:12 I'm not helping you. If everybody's sagging off the three. I'm not saying everyone is.

1:24:16 You can pass it to me a hundred times. If I can't shoot, there's nothing you're going to do that is going to help my shooting. Right? Unless I get in the gym and enhance it myself.

1:24:25 But if they're sagging.

1:24:27 Off you and I'm back doing it and I'm getting these lays, I'm helping, but I'm helping myself. There's nothing you're going to do that's going to help me in the gym.

1:24:36 That's how I'm saying. Like Gary Payton Jr. can't shoot. He don't sit at the three. He's going to dive.

1:24:40 He's in the cup.

1:24:41 But that's him understanding the basketball game. So there's really nothing you're going to do to help. You're just, I got to put myself in position to help you. And a lot of players don't really understand that.

1:24:53 You know what I'm saying? Like, like, like, like Jokic, right?

1:24:58 If you watch Gordon play before Jokic and looking at him now, he's putting.

1:25:03 Himself in a position.

1:25:05 He understands, okay, my guy's going to help. Jokic knows how to pass.

1:25:08 Let me cut.

1:25:08 But that's still helping Jokic.

1:25:11 Yeah, but Jokic is a guy that's going to see double teams, double, triple teams every single night. If that role player doesn't make the correct cut, the correct read, All of those.

1:25:22 Things, that doesn't make Jokic better. But that's what I'm saying. Hit that open shot. But they have to.

1:25:27 Now the team, if that, let's say Gordon doesn't do those things, he doesn't cut out the corner, he doesn't make the right cut, then the double team and the triple teams are doing their job on Jokic. So how does that make Jokic better if that guy isn't doing the things I need to make me better? Because Jokic is going to do whatever Superstar did. I'm going to go on my own. Like I said, Jokic is great enough to still go average 30, but him averaging 30 on 58% may now drop to averaging 30 on 49%.

1:26:01 Just because not having the right role players around.

1:26:04 Now you're arguing the argument that every superstar that's never won a championship has argued. You want me to dilute the game and pass it to whoever. But if they're not smart enough to understand the game of basketball, how does that help?

1:26:25 Right?

1:26:25 So Jokic, if Jokic has the ball, you have this great talent, right? If the people around him don't understand basketball.

1:26:36 But that's the value of having the right role player. But that's what we know. The right role player. Names is cool. But if he got guys that knows how to.

1:26:45 Backdoor at the perfect time and do all this, the game is easier.

1:26:49 The game is better.

1:26:49 That's what makes Jokic. Is that what I'm saying? No, no, that's what I'm saying. I'm saying they have a better chance of winning.

1:26:56 So when a player doesn't win a championship and he's this great, it's because the role players around him He wasn't giving the guys that he needed to help him win.

1:27:08 So they're not going to make him better.

1:27:11 So you can either be a superstar that puts up numbers or you're going to be a superstar that puts up numbers and win.

1:27:17 That's the difference. If it's not the right role players around Jokic, he's just going to be Jokic that's putting up numbers. Then you're going to get the right piece like a Bruce Brown. Now Jokic is a superstar putting up numbers and a champion. So yeah, I'm not saying every role player is the answer. the right role players makes that superstar better. And vice versa. That's the value in the role player. You got your KCPs that can go play next to any superstar. And I'm not trying to shit on nobody, but you may have another guy that's a role player that don't necessarily find a success or help elevate the team.

1:27:53 It's a value in role players.

1:27:56 100%.

1:27:56 So now Jokic is winning MVPs, MVPs. Maybe.

1:28:01 No, but that's what he's been on this trajectory, right? But people haven't realized. So his numbers are going up because his team sucks.

1:28:14 Think about what I'm saying. So they're not helping him.

1:28:17 Yes.

1:28:18 So I know what you're thinking about.

1:28:21 His numbers is going up because he has to do more because he doesn't have the team.

1:28:28 He needs to win a chip.

1:28:30 You think his team sucks?

1:28:31 Yes.

1:28:32 When Jokic won a championship, think about it. When Jokic won a championship, right, what was his numbers? The reason he needs to output more is because the pieces he needs are gone. So now he has to keep the ball more. He has to shoot the ball more. He has to do a lot more because the players that were making it Easier.

1:29:03 So when Kobe averaged 35, the reason he averaged 35 is what? He has less help.

1:29:06 But if you make my job easier, you're still helping me.

1:29:09 When he has Gasol over there, when he has Gasol over there, more relaxed, it's all the same. When Gasol is over there, is he averaging 35? No. I have better players with me, so I don't need to do that.

1:29:21 I'm going to be real with you.

1:29:22 He averaged a triple-double when he won a championship?

1:29:26 Say yes. His numbers the past two seasons... I would say have been better than his MVP numbers.

1:29:31 The past two seasons, did they win a championship?

1:29:34 They've only won one championship. Okay, and what was his numbers during the championship year? Because that was the best team he had.

1:29:40 Was that the best team or did they just advance the front? They had the best team. So you averaged 24, 12, and 10 during the regular season that year? 24, 12, and 10. 25, 12, and 10. And what is he averaging now? 25, 12, and 9.8. This past season, what? He didn't even average a triple-double with more points. So 28, 13 rebounds, 11 assists this past season. So he has to go up more points because there's an area lacking.

1:30:10 Yeah.

1:30:10 And that's what I'm saying.

1:30:11 The lone players of the world.

1:30:13 That's what I'm saying, Gil. But again, his numbers is going up. He's been averaging 12,000. He's already a super.

1:30:20 Once you already become a superstar, the numbers don't even matter no more. You're determined by them.

1:30:26 He's already established as a superstar. Listen to your argument. I'm the number one player every year. Listen to your argument.

1:30:32 When he had the best surrounding 25, 10, and 9, right?

1:30:40 His role players are leaving. The ones he needs to win.

1:30:45 What he had to sacrifice for.

1:30:47 Yeah, what he had to sacrifice for. Right? So they're gone. I'm sacrificing for you because you know how to backdoor.

1:30:55 I can do this.

1:30:56 So I'm sacrificing shooting.

1:30:57 That's not sacrificing.

1:30:59 If I'm a defense and I know Yoke is the focal point of the offense, I know that motherfucker can shoot, pat, whatever the fuck he.

1:31:08 Wants to on the floor. What am I doing as a defense?

1:31:11 I'm going to make his job as hard as possible to not get those numbers. So who helps him get those numbers? The motherfuckers around.

1:31:19 Because I'm a willing passer because I have more time. That's his game. That's what I'm trying to say. The role players are going to help him become a better player. So am I a better player? If I don't have anybody to pass to, how am I playing to my strengths?

1:31:32 So am I a better player when I average 24 this and this? I think you're thinking from a score, like only score. My assists went up, my rebound went up, and my points has been up. And the wins went down. So which one am I? So again, which one are you making me a better player at?

1:31:47 By winning. So you're only determining.

1:31:50 That I'm a better player because I'm winning or I'm a better player because I'm winning the MVPs and stuff.

1:31:54 So you see how we're having this weird conversation.

1:31:56 It's not weird.

1:31:57 Because if you ask him which one is he better at, you got to stop it before you win a championship because I'm sacrificing these points and these rebounds because you guys are better.

1:32:07 You guys are better. You guys are playing, so I don't.

1:32:09 Have to shoot as much. Am I a better player then or I'm a better player now that I'm MVP, second runner-up, MVP, MVP, runner-up?

1:32:17 Which one do you think I'm a better player? When you ask the superstar, My numbers, I'm averaging 28, 12, and.

1:32:28 10, 29, 13, and 11, right? I'm an MVP here, I'm an MVP here. I lost, I'm an MVP here.

1:32:34 I won three MVPs when more talent left me.

1:32:38 But since his first MVP, he hasn't finished any lower than second. Okay, now can I ask you a question?

1:32:44 Ask me a question. When did he win a championship?

1:32:48 Did he win a championship? Before MVP? In 22-23 season, they were 53-29 that season, first in the West.

1:32:57 This past season.

1:32:57 He won MVP. What? What year did he win MVP?

1:33:00 What was the best record they had as a team?

1:33:03 As a team.

1:33:03 Hold on a second.

1:33:05 20, 21... You got to understand what the conversation is.

1:33:08 I understand. So you think... So let me ask you this question. You think... With the Wizards group you were with, you replaced CB.

1:33:19 Deshaun Stevenson and Antoine Jamison with just any role player, you think you're getting the same success. Outside of your scoring numbers, you're going to be, you're a bocce.

1:33:35 But as far as where you go.

1:33:36 In the playoffs and how far you think you're getting the same results, you think that makes your job easier every night?

1:33:43 No.

1:33:44 No, no, no, no, no, no, no. The.

1:33:49 What was the question?

1:33:51 If we replace your three main guys, fuck it, we replace your whole starting five outside of you, are you getting the same results overall?

1:34:00 As an individual?

1:34:01 Yes. As an individual, yes.

1:34:07 Big as it like me just about like shoot just just no.

1:34:10 Yeah, go shoot more.

1:34:12 I'm like I got 20. I got somebody average of 20. I got somebody averaging 19. I'm at 29. So you remove one of them. I'm trying to go to 35 36.

1:34:19 So if you don't have a but I don't have a Quran ball in the Antoine Jameson as threats to score the ball.

1:34:26 Like you say, they get teams in foul trouble once you get the bonus.

1:34:30 Bitch, I'm averaging what I'm going to average.

1:34:32 But you don't like that, though.

1:34:34 What I'm saying is that I understand. Are you winning, though? No, you didn't say winning. I said overall results. You said overall results.

1:34:43 You got to like, what is that overall? But if you gave me better, another like this.

1:34:47 What was the highest I finished in the East as a group? What was the highest? 40-something. 47.

1:34:53 47 is 4C. I'm saying 4C. Would you like Jokic's records by a year?

1:35:00 Like if we got, if we got, if we got another player, like let's say our, like when Larry Hughes was there as a shooting guard, I didn't average 29 or 28.

1:35:08 I averaged 25. We went to the second round.

1:35:12 Right?

1:35:12 He leaves, and we get Deshaun Stephenson, who don't shoot. I take on Larry scoring.

1:35:17 Right.

1:35:17 So now I'm averaging 20. As a player, I'm a better player.

1:35:21 How far did y'all go after that?

1:35:22 First round. That's team results. That's team results.

1:35:27 You're saying better player. What I'm saying is who makes the point I'm making? We're making different points. All I'm saying is the role player made me a better player. The role players make you a better team player.

1:35:38 Yes. Right?

1:35:41 Yeah.

1:35:41 Team.

1:35:42 Team, like, because now I have a better team around me, so now I'm more, I'm unselfish, so I become more of a winner now.

1:35:49 Instead of a loser. Yes.

1:35:53 Right, like, so, like, we see Kobe, right, when Kobe was Shaq. So they make you better.

1:35:59 All right. As a what, though?

1:36:00 Like, when you say better, like, you got, you just.

1:36:02 Fuck the scorn. Like, as in, they make you better. As a what, though?

1:36:09 If you don't have that support cast, then you're just me and Sacramento. You just putting up numbers and you're losing. With that supporting cast? But your Gil.

1:36:19 Yes. Mr.

1:36:20 Hibachi, you go to the second round. That's the difference. They made you better. You're using better as in? You're already a superstar. That's already a sign. You're using better as in the guys making you better. You're a superstar that's winning or a superstar putting up?

1:36:37 No, I'm saying team better.

1:36:38 It makes you more of a team player than, yes, you're a better team player.

1:36:42 But if you're a team better, team better, more accolades. Yep.

1:36:47 If your team's better. No.

1:36:49 You get team awards, which... Individual awards for you. What I'm saying is... So we're just talking about Jalen Dern last season. You tell me he didn't deserve that All-NBA. That was based on the success of his team, right?

1:36:58 Yep.

1:37:00 Jalen Dern. He's not getting that All-NBA collection if his team is the eighth or ninth seed in the East.

1:37:04 No, what I'm saying is, does them... Did they make Cade better? If you remove them, Cade still Cade, right? But he ain't MVP, Kade. He's not MVP candidate, Kade. But he's not first team All-NBA, Kade. I would make that argument. He's just a superstar with no numbers. Wait, you're saying Kate will hold him? If you removed all that, he'd put him in. You remove all that. Kate is not first team.

1:37:26 The numbers may suggest that, but he's not going to get the award, though, based on the square media and their voting.

1:37:30 It's hard to get a first team lose. Man. Just pointing that out. I'm not saying the numbers aren't.

1:37:36 First team worthy. I never went past the second team because I couldn't win. But the....

1:37:43 But how you're using, how you're using, like what I'm saying is how you're.

1:37:48 Using better, it indicates that they're enhancing your skill.

1:37:54 They're enhancing my winning.

1:37:56 Okay, yeah, okay, yes. That skill makes me better. That's where I'm having the trouble. You know what I mean? Like Jordan in the 80s, like, it was God.

1:38:10 He was God. Like, you could touch that man. That's before we had the internet. But you couldn't touch him. They got a winning team. It didn't make him better.

1:38:19 It made him the GOAT.

1:38:20 It made him the GOAT.

1:38:21 He was the GOAT already. No, he wasn't. No, he wasn't.

1:38:23 Technically.

1:38:24 No, he wasn't. No, he wasn't. He was great.

1:38:26 Like I said, he was already an established superstar. What made him the GOAT? That's the winning.

1:38:32 Exactly.

1:38:33 But that's team. They made Jordan better.

1:38:37 That's what I'm trying to say.

1:38:38 The role players around Jordan made him better.

1:38:42 The corner niggas.

1:38:42 They made him a winner.

1:38:44 Okay, but being a winner and you're saying better, that's very different.

1:38:48 That's very different.

1:38:55 Right? That is very different. Me being better at something and me being a winner at something is very different. Because me being better, I have to go level 10. Me being a winner, I'm not at level 10 anymore. I got to dilute because there's better players around me.

1:39:12 So give me your top five.

1:39:13 So if I got to go to a six, like say if I'm 10, that means I'm by myself.

1:39:17 Right?

1:39:17 Every player you give me, I got to dilute myself for the player.

1:39:21 So now I'm at a six.

1:39:22 I'm winning at a six. You're saying I'm better. That's what I'm trying to.

1:39:29 Did they not say Jordan got better once he started winning?

1:39:35 I don't know.

1:39:36 No?

1:39:37 I think they did too. It was Kobe better when he was averaging 35.

1:39:46 Him as a player.

1:39:46 Is he better at 35 or is he better when he won the three championships before that or the last two championships as a player himself?

1:39:55 Which, like, you know what I mean?

1:39:57 Like, we can... I think he was better his last two championships. He was a better player. He was better, yeah.

1:40:03 He was a better player. He was more feared when he was averaging 28. No, I mean, I have Gasol now. I don't need to exert all his energy no more.

1:40:11 Because I have a good soul. Remember, it's the very next year. I have a good soul.

1:40:15 I have a Bynum now that I can play. I have Odom that's in his thing. So I don't need to go out and shoot on fucking four people now. But you're saying better? Am I a better version? I'm a smarter version because I realize I got niggas with me.

1:40:31 So I can pass.

1:40:32 Like this year, if LeBron wins, is he saying he's a better player? This is not the better version of him. He's not a better player because he won. If Embiid wins this year, he's not a better player. That MVP here would be saying, I'm a better player this year.

1:40:50 Jalen Brown won a championship last year. He said, I'm a better player this year.

1:40:54 This is my fun shit.

1:40:56 I'm trying to say as a player. No, player.

1:41:02 I would think you're your best when you're going the hardest. The more talent I get around me, you can't go that hard.

1:41:09 So when I.

1:41:10 Say Steph Curry, Steph Curry wasn't a better player.

1:41:16 You got to go harder with good talent around you or you're going to stand out. But I don't. You do.

1:41:23 I'm saying you're going to stand out.

1:41:24 No, what I'm saying is when KD and Duren are on the same team, neither one of them really had to go 100. Because I don't have to go 10 out of 10 plays no more. I can go four, six out of play because I got better dogs with me now.

1:41:40 And that's what I'm saying.

1:41:41 So technically, is that the better version of you as a player? But you're going to win. Like when you're winning, the markets are sacrificing. So when you went to New Orleans, you ain't doing everything you was doing in Sacramento because you don't have to now.

1:41:55 And I think my best season ever was in New Orleans.

1:41:59 Because you was winning.

1:42:00 Exactly.

1:42:01 So I'm using how you use it. But that wasn't, you wasn't the best player then.

1:42:06 Your best, Sacramento nigga's the best player.

1:42:08 I think that was the most complete player I ever was.

1:42:10 Complete, okay.

1:42:12 Makes sense.

1:42:12 I think that was the best version of me. Numbers down, I don't give a, that was the best version of me.

1:42:18 See, okay, now, okay.

1:42:19 You're saying how I, you're using how I, how and why? had a better career.

1:42:29 But that's the thing where.

1:42:33 As not.

1:42:35 Players, we kind of understand the greatness, but when you're talking about the difference between what puts the elite on top is winning.

1:42:47 Winning.

1:42:47 And when you're winning, remember, you're diluting yourself. That's why when you're, like, when James Hanks, I don't think that's, I don't have to. I got a problem with the words. I'm not disagreeing.

1:42:58 I just got a problem with it. Diluting sounds, I don't know about that. I wouldn't say diluting.

1:43:03 Like, okay, okay, Cat last year, right? He had to dilute his game to win.

1:43:10 Right?

1:43:10 Alter. Okay, alter. He had to alter your game to win.

1:43:13 And now he's offering his best.

1:43:14 That's greatness, too, though. So, win, win, win. Yeah, it is greatness. Nobody has ever... That's greatness.

1:43:20 But nobody has... Until he won. Now, Cat is in a whole other category. But nobody was going to say, Dad, I was your best year.

1:43:27 I was the best version of you. Right?

1:43:30 Because the best version of you is usually when you're by yourself because you're doing everything. The most complete version of you is when you, okay, I don't need to shoot 30 times. I can shoot 20 times and I'll pass a little bit more.

1:43:41 Right?

1:43:42 So you become more of a complete player. So someone like Jokic, that's what I'm saying. He wins the championship, but he don't have the ball all the time trying to manipulate the defense from his greatness because he has other players that can do a little bit more.

1:43:57 Now that he's doing all of this, he still has a bunch of those same players. You become more of a complete player, right?

1:44:03 Yes.