Celtics sweep Pacers, Nick’s NBA playoff player rankings, Kyrie changing his legacy with Mavs?

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(00:00) Celtics sweep Pacers and advance to another NBA Finals. Jaylen Brown named ECF MVP over Jayson Tatum
(23:30) Is Kyrie Irving’s time with the Mavericks changing his legacy?
(34:50) Is the Lakers vacant HC job set up to fail?
(40:32) What would getting swept mean for Anthony Edwards and the Timberwolves?
(44:59) Nick’s NBA playoff player rankings
(56:51) What is at stake for Joe Burrow and the Bengals this season?
(1:04:15) Nick’s NBA Medals / Can the Mavs complete the T-Wolves sweep?

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I think LC live from New York it’s a show that is 100% positive that I’m the fastest member of the show and faster than Kevin Hart now you’re going to get us a beef with Kevin Hart not a beef we don’t want that yes some your age he’s faster than you first of all it would be good for the show if that happened second of all I don’t think it’s going to hit his radar today why one person here thinks the wolves are not going to get swept M that must mean too cuz you Haven talk to me well there we go meanwhile Joe burrow at OTAs look at this I things are off to arousing Dusty that was the highlight the oh no backwards Colin and a wobbly throw that was a duck this be the definitive year of his career and finally the friendliest segment in all of sports with a brand new intro it’s King of the Hill you the King of the Hill Music alongside Nick Wright and Chris Bard I’m Kevin Wilds uh uh Nick mhm any surprises on King of the Hill I think there will be some controversy surrounding row two that’s what I’ll tell you everybody knows who’s going to be at the top my large adult San son is going to be at the top but who’s going to be in you know you notice Nick just started referring to Lucas that like over the last what do you mean right two years it was LCA donic now of a sudden it’s my large adult he asked me to stop for a bit we had a lot of photoshops there yeah colle oh yeah the photoshops were that’s why I stopped doing it now we start with the Celtic site Boston came back from a nine-point deficit in the fourth while Indie hit a scoreless drought for the last 3 minutes to end the game and their season Celtics headed back to the finals for the second time in three years here’s Jaylen Brown execution down the stretch um I thought that we made some big time plays and some shots um defensively I thought we we got we got some good film to be able to see that break that down and see where we can improve offensively I thought we spaced the floor well and I thought we made timely plays we got a lot of great players in our locker room that made Big Time plays we’ve all been able to take turns just being able to make impactful winning plays and that’s what it’s about okay were you impressed with the Celtics sweep no and here’s the thing if they win the title none of it matters there will be no asterisks there will be no yeah but and history will not remember at all the path to the finals they simply won’t but if you and do the Celtics have anything to apologize for no do you play who’s in front of you absolutely did they earn the one seed which should be the simplest path to a champion or at least to the finals they did have they checked all the boxes from a if the just what’s their record what’s their point differential they’ve done all of that and they have earned credit for that but have I been impressed by the Celtics at any moment this postseason no was I impressed by the Celtics at any moment in the Eastern Conference Finals no do I think they deserve a ton of credit for beating the Pacers in game one when I attribute that not to Great defensive plays by Boston but to the Pacers self ulating in the final 30 seconds no do I think in game three when the Pacers just seemed so frenetic down the stretch of that game like they had to like they were trailing by eight rather than up by five with a minute left do I think that was the Boston doing it to him no and do I think yesterday the Pacers going scoreless the final 330 of the game was part Boston’s doing and part the Pacers without Halle Burton just didn’t have anybody who could calm things down no so I I am not trying to denigrate what they have accomplished but I am being honest that I think there are eight teams in the league that if they had played Miami without Jimmy Butler Cleveland for the second half without Donovan Mitchell and then this Pacers team for the last two games without Tyrese halberton that would have won those three series and have a record around 12 and two yeah I do so no I wasn’t impressed I give them their respect but that’s where I fall BR well let me start with this in the playoffs it’s win in advance yes it doesn’t matter what you look like I’ve said it before I’ll say it again the last time the Celtics won a championship Atlanta which wasn’t a good team took him seven in round one then they went seven in round two then they went six in the Eastern Conference Finals and won the championship in six that of course was Ray Allen Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce so that’s all it’s about all right and like you said if they WI win it all none of that stuff will matter but I am with Nick like it’s not that impressive all right um yeah sure they swept Indiana that’s what you should do won the other Series in five but like Nick said game one they should have lost all right period all right game three they were down eight with two and a half minutes left okay against an Indiana team that didn’t have his best player Tyrese halberton and last night they Trail by as many as eight points in the fourth quarter all right so if you want to say give them credit for The Comebacks and they’ve been a good clutch team even despite Jason Tatum struggles in the clutch they have been a good clutch team this season if you want to give them credit for that or if you want to say well hold up Chris Denver when they kept coming back on the Lakers or you know Minnesota for their comebacks and even in this series Dallas coming back and beating Minnesota time and time again the difference is all those other series I mentioned they you were facing a team that was relatively on your level like Denver was coming back against LeBron in ad okay Minnesota was coming back against the best player in the world yic and Dallas of course against Minnesota that’s different than coming back against teams that really aren’t that good anyway with their best player look at this with their best players Miami 14 46 games yes with their best players Cleveland won 48 with their best players Indiana won 47 they haven’t even beaten a 50- win team and these teams don’t even have their best players so again I’m not I think they do have a chance to win the championship but to act like they’ve done I I’ve seen people say it’s one of the greatest runs we’ve seen in recent memory in the play that’s ridiculous because of the competition so can I go ahead Wilds no I just don’t know if you were on the Celtics what you’re supposed to do win the next series okay what are you supposed to do you weren’t supposed to be challenged This Much by an Indiana team they blew out the Pacers every game like blowing them out I’m not impressed by blowouts not impressed by close games not impressed by comeback it’s just impr press might not have been on the board we shouldn’t have had the question so here’s the thing I the I think it’s a bit of a straw man to say not impressed by blowouts you I think people are natural I think there is a level of well you did literally everything you could do in that spot even if you didn’t maybe blowouts don’t necessarily prove like did the Celtics now prove they are something else no they beat a lesser team but I can be impressed by you handling a team start to finish I thought the Celtics for massive stretches of the Conference Finals played poorly and I think that is not impressive I also Brew pointed out those teams records on the year 46 48 and 47 wins here’s those teams records without this year without Jimmy without Donovan without halber you add all that up that’s a winning percentage a little bit right between the Hawks and the Bulls so I then asked like a team like Phoenix if they had just played 14 games against the Hawks and Bulls would we expect them to have around this record would we expect them and I just pick Phoenix cuz they’re a team that lost in round one I I I understand Celtics fans because I have been a bit of a thorn in their side over the years think I’m picking on them I’m here to tell you if Luca in round one they beat the Clippers and the Clippers didn’t have Kawai for half of that series if in the next round Oklahoma City who was the one seed by the way not one of these teams didn’t have Shay and in this round Minnesota didn’t have Anthony Edwards and then they show up in the in in the finals I think there would be more questions are don’t think it and to Bru point and this is where I would like bounce this off you if I may the the history is accurate as far as the teams in the last 40 years your buddy Bill Simmons pointed this out he had left a team out so we have the full list teams in the last 40 years to enter the finals with 20 or fewer losses I think we can show it to you there it is so these are we go through them 96 Bulls that’s 72 win Bulls 16 Warriors they lost to LeBron but after the 3-1 comeback the warriors with Durant the Bulls the fifth title 86 Celtics who we talked about as one of the greatest teams ever the Warriors first title team the Lakers fourth championship with Kurt ER yeah that was their fourth championship with Kareem and Magic the Celtics this year the heat the year they had the 27 game winning streak and in my opinion the best Bulls team ever with respect to the 96 Bulls 92 Bulls so I so that is unbelievable right do does anyone think the Celtics are in the same zip code as those other nine teams on that list does anybody think it cuz I don’t Celtics fans can get mad at me I do not probably not but what if they if they if they win it they if they win it I don’t think people will put them with that group unless they keep winning it and not maybe not two in a row but win another one in a couple years like but if there it you don’t think if the Celtics win the narrative will become wow that team was stacked they got Drew holidays their third best they they were winning without porzingis porzingis used to be the number one option he was like build your franchise around well the Knicks with the Knicks the yeah before out his knee yeah sure was yeah but now he’s averaging 20 points a game he’s like well he’s number four guy so yeah I think if they win the championship I will celebrate him like that I think the narrative will be maybe fairly this team was in plings side all year they had all the markers of a great team they rolled through the playoffs and then they beat a team and by the way it’s what Vegas has been telling us all year is going to happen but and analytics guys right but Vegas and the analytics in my opinion well not my opinion history tells us have been oddly too high on Boston each of the last four years where the analytics love them and Vegas is always in my opinion overvalued all right Jaylen Brown had 29 points in the closeout game won the Larry Bird trophy uh given to the MVP of the Conference Finals last time the Celtics went to the finals Tatum won the trophy so here’s Jaylen on the unexpected honor I wasn’t expecting at all you know I’ll never win so uh I was just happy that we won official voting had Tatum with four votes Jaylen with five here’s how their numbers L up BR uh pretty close I mean well rebounds assists yeah you give it the Tatum Brown had some timely plays the three in the corner I think the top that’s what did it um so Tatum not winning MVP is it something or nothing it’s only something if he allow I’m not going to give you your what you it’s only something if Jason Tatum makes it something if he’s bothered inside if he’s upset if he feels slighted that’s it all right because it could have went to Jason Tatum obvious the voting was close and I agreee with Nick I think the three-pointer cuz I look I think Boston still was going to win the series but had tat or brown not hit that three they lose game one now maybe it’s at least a longer it’s certainly a longer series and maybe a tough series that they have to play so I have no problem with brown winning it look Tatum Tatum oddly and I’ve been critical of him as well but I think he’s now being criticized too much all right he just you showed his numbers 310 and six you know how many Celtics have done that in a conference final bird zero bird bird did it in the first and second rounds he’s Bird’s the only other Celtic ever to do it in the playoffs are we even counting it against this Pacers team well yeah yeah we are we are all right so Jason Tatum I mean he put up historic numbers and he and even though Brown hit the big three who was the guy in that overtime Tatum had 10 points in that overtime so I I think he played well I am not the guy that sits here and counts oh it it really wasn’t Tatum’s title if he doesn’t get the finals MVP that’s ridiculous Kareem Abdul Jabar won two finals MVPs out of six championships Magic won three out of five so I I I I hope Tatum can learn from Brown not even learn hopefully he doesn’t even have to but if he is struggling a bit look at Jaylen Brown Jaylen Brown saying we won 64 games by 11 points a game and we got one all NBA players so he’s like doing it alone and he has said it bothered him that he didn’t make all NBA but yet he comes out and plays great basketball and be and is professional so if inside is bothering Jason then that’s what the example he should look at so they go out and just try to win this thing as a team you want me to ask you the question’s the question is it something or nothing Wilds something or nothing H something something good there you go that’s what you were hoping Brew would do why is it something good I felt like Jaylen Brown who has a certain stoicism to it uh even when accolades come his way felt really excited and surprised and you know the narrative is tatums here little Batman and Roby which however much you want to say it’s not a thing is usually a thing between Batman and Robin on every team that’s tried to make a run to the championship now it feels like hey I got my trophy oh Batman and Batman action I feel good about it could be positive for Jaylen that’s true it could be very good that’s and by the way I don’t think it’s a narrative thing it’s reality I mean the the reality is that over the breadth of their careers this year included last year included it Jason Tatum’s been the better player MH and so I don’t think it’s like an unfair thing it’s just where they are as as basketball players now Jaylen Brown I do think in this series was I my vote would have gone to Jaylen Brown I don’t think it was demonstrative because game three Tatum was extraordinary Tatum’s game three was better than any individual game Jaylen Brown played but Tatum game two was not good and game four was last night he was okay he wasn’t that efficient turn the ball over like so he had you know some issues there so I my only real critique on Tatum this postseason is I don’t know why he can’t shoot threes in the playoffs the last two years but he as long as he’s the last two years he’s 31% from three and he’s taking eight a game and they are not typically easy threes they are six dribbles between his legs into a step back and that and so I think that he has been now early in his career on those playoff runs he had a 39% from three season I think he might even had 140% in the playoffs I’m not sure I know he had a 39 but the last two seasons two deep playoff runs last year ended in game seven of the Conference Finals this one’s still going towards the finals it’s not that small of a sample who’s 31% from three and you feel like a guy his size and his athleticism could get easier shots or better shots and falls in love with the three a bit too much but after I thought a shaky opening round of the playoffs I thought round two he was very good and round three he had one D the game three he had what 36 and 10 with zero turnovers I mean he was brilliant zero turnovers I love the zero turnover is huge um all right now we’re we’re at a very special part of the show what’s that well I’m going to try to convince Brew to not side with you inside with me so here’s the backstory uh Celtics started this year of course 20 and0 at home yes and then Joker came in with Denver and they won the game and that further cemented my belief that no one’s going to beat Denver in a seven game series turns out I was wrong and now like a political candidate who has to drop out of the race I have to throw my support behind someone else and since you have been even by your standards somewhat obnoxious about your Mavs pick and Bru have not has not off officially abandon his wolves yet well no he did he said it’s over but the series not over the series not over if they happen to win if they win too we’ll be right back it’ll be Cincinnati B he did a whole I know but he’s done it sever times done it several so Brew I’m just going to lay out some numerical factors on why I’m going with the Celtics Nick oh you laid out some earlier but oddly you have abandoned your what happened to the envelope remember last week we had the whole envelope we had a whole thing the envelope I felt like the envelope you got to pay off the audience you want me to prepare it for you while you get your numerical you do have the envelope well yeah team the Pacers are done the Mavs uhhuh my are yours so we can’t both have the same and then you’re here this is pretty much done it kind of just leaves me honestly for editorial purposes with the Celtics so here’s the thing uh you know I like winners I’m tired of picking losers highest win percentage of course is the Celtics at number one then the Thunder at two then oh my beloved Denver Nuggets at three and then the Wolves so how are they winning brw remember a few weeks ago when I coined I think I did it in football season and it carried over it’s like esbo a little bit defense wins Championship you look at the best defensive teams wolves are number one frisky magic Thunder and then the Celtics obviously Celtics will be the only the best defensive team uh left best offensive rating is Celtics at number one Pat we’re hot well they’re going home then the Thunder and then the Bucks and finally if you add up the best defense remaining and the best offense of course you get best point differential which you noted is historically good and I know you’re were saying wow the wolves are on that and a an awful lot and the thunderer on that an awful lot yeah so who the MS are have beaten okay Counterpoint one the Wolves thought they were running a half marathon we running a marathon they they spent all their energy beating Denver they thought it was more like boxing we beat Denver we get the belt turns out not like boxing actually like the NBA Thunder we knew you were saying all year Thunder too young Celtics yes do have the most playoff experience of any team Josh double check it I’m I’m pretty sure that’s true it’s just really Kyrie and we’re not counting Real Madrid championships when you’re for yeah so Brew I’m going with the Celtics I see you green all over you yeah it’s a little bit talk uh Nick is going with the Mavs where are you leaning well look this is important for the show I have tode with one of you well yeah right um I I think there are reasons to like the Celtics I definitely do I know how this works I mean I I think that they’ve got the Defenders on the perimeter who are great all right and they’ve got a number of them and they got some size on them all right they’ve got the they can spread the Flor Flor with the three-point shooting to bring Dallas away from the basket so and you know they have been a great team all year there’s something in me that is saying this might be the Celtics year but there’s something else I do I I was the first even though it’s his Slovenian son I was the first I believe to coin Luca Legend I is co I remember the day on L yes so I would love to see Luca win his first championship and I am leaning strongly should they take out my Timberwolves yeah I’m leaning strongly Dallas yeah he’s sick of I’m leaning Dallas um I I also the Lakers I I picked the Lakers to win a series if you find any tape of me saying the Lakers are going to win the championship I’ll give you $1,000 it doesn’t exist I picked them to beat the Nuggets and then I said and I no I did not I said that I could absolutely see the Lakers spinning the whole clip on the nuggets and then getting beat by Luca who I had winning the championship when I abandoned the Nuggets what’s happening to the wolves that right exactly right however if I may just quickly cuz wild said something correct which is his CA much like in politics when your candidate loses you need to endorse someone else yeah and also much like in politics when you have spent n months telling us how one team is the only savior we have how they have to win they are guaranteed to win how everyone else pales in comparison and then you’re like oh okay one of those others I’m with it it’s just going to be hard it’s going to be hard for the audience they were built to beat them it’s going it’s going to be hard to for the audience to take this full throated which is why you really need Brew’s support because the audience is used to brew jumping sides going with jumping sides 100% well well if I do it if I had to choose between side with y’all it would be you the team I think is going to win what I I want to be alone I know I never switched picks in the middle of theight some people who do you have winning MAV simol who do you have winning MAV simber wolves no I said it’s over that’s it’s not a s switching pcks it’s not switching it’s just admitting reality welcome back to a very mathematical show Kyrie one game away from his first Finals appearance since 2017 from there he’s been on bit of a rocky trip Cleveland to Boston and Brooklyn to Dallas and this looks like his most successful career move here he is on his journey I feel like it’s a a great chapter that’s being written right now um you know I’m enjoying every step of the way I’m not taking anything for granted we talked about about this early in the season just how much I felt embraced um but I think it’s going a little deeper than that it’s it’s really helped me grow as a human being and find my peace out here on a serious note uh I’ve just been able to grow and uh understand that uh all these things don’t um happen without a lot of the work that goes on scene you know just doing the inner work doing the spiritual work and enjoying the game and putting that in perspective as well you know feels good okay brew has Kyrie’s time in Dallas changed your view of his legacy uh I would say yes now I’ve never had like a a negative view of Kyrie as a person I I just think clearly he’s been he’s been growing and on the journey he used the word journey I think I mean he during his time in the NBA he’s been baptized he’s celebrating Ramadan he burns sage like he’s clearly he’s gotten more in touch with his Indian Heritage or Native American Heritage I think is African Heritage to some degree and he’s a thoughtful intelligent person and he I know a lot of young men including some in my family who have gone through similar things and they’ve gone through it though anonymously he’s gone through it in the Fishbowl of the NBA now you if you look historically I think Kareem Abdul Jabar was similar in in process to Kyrie and Kareem just didn’t talk to the media and had there was a negative view of him because of that Kyrie spoken and said some things that nobody none of us agree with but said you know and he’s been criticized for some of that so I just think that this is a young man finding who’s been finding himself over the course of his career and because he’s in the spotlight he’s said some things and done some things that that people don’t agree with but now I think having children and obviously just getting older he’s 32 now I think he’s just matured and and as he he’s spoken a lot about how he’s grown and and things like that so I think now um the off thee Court distractions that were hindering his career I’ve always said I thought he was about 75% of the player he should be and he still was great and now it’s just basketball with no distractions no injuries as well cuz he was injury PR early in his career and so now it’s just like look how great he is as a player and he’s a perfect like second guy and that’s no slight because there have only been two small point guards who could lead teams to championships and that’s Steph Curry and Isaiah Thomas the legend and so the fact that Kyrie hasn’t done that is no slight on him but as a number two with LeBron he was great and now with Luca he’s great and so yeah it changes my view because it just enhances what I already was a great basketball Legacy hey so I it absolutely should change people’s View and I there’s a weird there’s I think Kyrie deserves massive credit for the Dallas for for what he has done over this last year I also think folks trying to go back and retroactively be like and that’s why everyone needs to apologize I don’t think that’s accurate either I think K I think if we go through Kyrie’s basketball Journey there is a six-year stretch of time where I think he might not say he would do anything different ly because he seems like the type of person who believes if not for that time I’m not where I am right now and so I you know no regrets and not not a judgmental way but if just quickly he he and LeBron are at the top of the world together as close as you can be without winning that championship in 17 he has a press conference after the final game they ever play together where he speaks LeBron’s Praises says I can’t wait to continue playing alongside this guy on this journey before they have another practice together he reportedly says I will have surgery on my knee if you don’t trade me out of here I’m so miserable that was odd to people he then gets to Boston has a media uh push about wanting to retire a Celtic oddly doesn’t show up for the playoffs when he’s not playing remember he’s not on the bench people didn’t love that then the next year people see him and Durant in the tunnel the All-Star Game and they’re like hey were you guys talking about playing together he’s like how dare you say that and then we find out that’s exactly what was happening they go play together in Brooklyn talks about how they don’t need a coach that the the we we can say people can have their own feelings whatever it is on the vaccine stuff that’s fine but then post it’s wasn’t just the vaccine stuff his in my opinion stubborn refusal to Simply say guys I wasn’t totally locked into this documentary everyone’s killing me about they’re might have been things said in it I don’t agree with instead I thought it I thought it was an immature doubling down of you’re not going to tell me what to say I never thought he believed the things in that documentary and it cost him a suspension a whole thing and millions of millions of dollars all of that is part of his story now this is also part of his story where he was on his last chance and not only has he made the most of it he’s playing the best basketball in my opinion of his career at least next and neck with the best basketball prior to this he is clearly the Elder Statesman leader of that team he has melded with Luca in a way none of Luca’s teammates ever have been he seems to be an extension to Jason kid on the court so of course it changes his legacy so I don’t I was one of Kyrie’s most vocal critics I picked the maps to win the title last year and then when they traded for him I said this will be the reason Luca leaves I I don’t I I looks like I was wrong on that but I don’t take it back I am happy for Kyrie because I never thought he was a bad guy I never thought he was a bad guy and I always thought his heart was in the right place I just thought he had some stubbornness to him and some bleep you you’re not going to tell me what to do that got in his own way sometimes he’s clearly a brilliant player and now we’re focusing on that I’m happy for him and it’s interesting that he has become the leader cuz a lot of times we look at it and say you’re either born with it or you’re not now I’ve always thought he was a strong personality but never a good leader I thought he was the strongest personality of the three the big three in Brooklyn with Harden and Durant but he wasn’t a leader and now he actually seems like he really is a leader and has embraced that role and uh you know cuz it it it’s not always easy to play with LCA cuz as you he dominates the ball so much Kyrie seems to be a great buffer in that the other thing is Luca is so vitriolic let’s say and maybe pouting sometimes Kyrie has just been the Steady Hand of the team there’s a one of my favorite I mean it wasn’t it was a quote that didn’t even take off but when Kyrie was asked about ant saying like I got Kyrie he was just he had so much patience and calmness he’s like you know what that’s what makes ant great the competitiveness of this league there was there was no negativity at all he’s just operating up here and it’s showing through in his game and attitude I think it’s a great Point uh Stan Van’s take on the best offensive back courts has picked up some steam uh as Dallas steamrolls the Wolves here’s Kyrie’s take on stamman take who said that it’s a lot of talk about that it’s a lot of talk that you and Luke are possibly the you know greatest back cour in the NBA history I mean it doesn’t mean anything if we don’t win a ring together okay Brew uh you made a top five last week if they did win a ring how would that change yeah in my top five last week accomplishments matter all right like I said in Hip Hop you’re not going to be the greatest Rapp you might be an awesome rapper you better have some hit records if you want to be viewed as the greatest rapper in history I think that might have been a topic on The Odd Couple not on this show I haven’t heard a lot of a lot of great underground rappers with with word play but you got to have some hit records make some good songs if you want to be the goat I’m not even I’m not I’m not talking about anybody in particular I know what you’s talking about but this was these are guys that are accomplished offensively now I I will say Isaiah Thomas and Joe Dumars I got them at number three offensively they would be number two overall period And even if Kyrie and Luca win it they will still be number two they LED their teams to two championships but if luuka and Kyrie win this Championship I move them all the way up and you’ll see to number two and Gail Goodridge and Jerry West who were number two they won one Championship as well so it would be equal in terms of championships they played four years together 1-1 Kyrie and Luca will have had a year and a half together won a championship and Wes and goodr had Wilt Chamberlain notl but no but he averaged 19 rebounds which the league high was second Team all NBA that year so he was still a very good and impactful player so yeah I would put Luca and Kyrie at number two I again this is offensive owner right and and so I think that part’s very important because I don’t want Zeke to get mad at either one of us and it’s not what I would believe uh because it’s some of he was on arguably the greatest defensive team of all time in the 89 Pistons uh I think that’s totally fair and I think that people trying to Usher them if they win to number one ahead of Stephen Clay to me there’s a little bit of forgetting what a dominant player or dynamic is a better word player clay was before the injuries you know I mean Klay is a guy who scored 60 in 29 minutes who scored 37 in a quarter who had the game six against OKC and so clay yes clay was also an excellent Defender as part of his value but prek KD Warriors some of the biggest explosive individual games were there were as many clay games as Steph games now Steph was more consistently a level than clay was so I don’t I even with the championship I wouldn’t be comfortable putting them ahead of Stephen Clay but offensively with a championship I think it’s very fair and it’s also there’s not a lot of Champions across history where their best players or their two guards right and Stephen Clay changed the game I mean we give Steph a the credit but both of them changed the game the way it’s played I’m going to Crunch the numbers on Jordan Lake Show still looking for a coach in my idea of LeBron is player coach got no momentum a one Western conf Scout said you know what job’s not that great anyway telling Rick buer of foxsports.com Lakers job is high and prestige exploitive in every other way yikes wow so Lakers head coach set up to fail I’m glad we used this quote from a western conference Scout rather than the Eastern Conference Scout that said one of the good things about the Lakers job is the easy schedule go which is an odd thing since everybody plays the same schedule it was because you don’t have to travel to the well right but you’d only travel for two of them to begin with so but uh here’s the thing I don’t think I I have a lot of criticisms of the Lakers franchise I do agree with some of the parts of the story I do think they’re cheap I do think there’s a lot of infighting I do think there’s a lot of Game of Thrones style making sure you are closest to power to continue your own power and your own job I I don’t think they’ve been unfair to coaches recently I think they gave Luke Walton more than a fair shot Luke Walton was not an NBA caliber coach when he got that Lakers job has not proven to be one since then Frank vogle they won 33 games his last year there and he never got right or wrong when you trade when you’re up you trade for Westbrook you are doing it believing your coach is going to at some point be able to get through to him he couldn’t and now you can say that was a terrible trade I agree all those things but it was very clear at that point they weren’t trading Westbrook that off season and that he and vogle were not going to be on the same page and you had won 33 games and I don’t think they were unfair to Darin ham that’s where I think brew and I disagree and that’s fine we’ve litigated that I did not think Darin did a good job if I were running the Lakers I would be looking for a new coach as well so I think there are a lot of fair criticisms of the Lakers I also think ah do you want to coach 40-year-old LeBron and you don’t know when 0 he is playing no it’s not as good as coaching the Nuggets or the Mavs right now and the Mavs job is hard you know Jason kid did a good great job getting Kyrie ex but it’s a better job than the Hawks or I think than the Pacers job or I think then the Clippers job or I think then 20 jobs so is it the best job in basketball no is it one of the 10 best in my opinion yes and I don’t think they’ve been unfair to their coach here’s the thing if you look at let’s say JJ reick who is reportedly the front runner would this be a better job for him you can argue for it because look you got two great players and you have a shot at winning the championship if you can work some magic or going to a team that’s building let’s say Indiana said you know Rick you’ve been great but you made some bad mistakes in this series and they moved on that I think that might be a better job for reic because the expectations are lower and that’s what makes the Lakers job I do agree with that it’s you’re set up to fail cuz they’re sbob they are Championship or bust what’s the s for Superbowl but it’s Transcendent sport you know different but they’re a championship or bus team and I don’t think they can win the championship I think we we both went into the playoffs think man Denver might be the only team that can beat them well now I I don’t think that anymore think Minnesota I think Dallas I think Oklahoma City I think there are some several team out there and LeBron will be a year older next year so you are expected to win a championship and if you don’t which you won’t then you’re going to be blamed that’s that’s the and and Nick I would say like we dingham I mean they did go from 33 wins as you said to 40 something in the Western Conference Finals 43 in the Western Conference Finals then this year you lose to the defending champion and now you’re out you won Tour Mike these are the coaches that they fired this predates LeBron Mike Brown this is svil Jackson Mike Brown’s a two-time coach of the year took them at least playoff game further than Phil Jackson had the year before he gets fired what five games into the Year Mike danton’s a two-time coach of the year and helped changed the game the way it’s played nowadays Frank vogle won a championship Byron Scott a coach of the year went to two NBA Finals so it’s almost like you’re being hired to know unless you build a dynasty and this goes around the nowadays too this isn’t just the Lakers but it’s almost like unless you build a dynasty you can expect to be fired go ahead W well I I went through the last 10 championships the only guys that have their job are pop cerr and Michael Malone obviously a lot of multiple Champions yeah tyo got fired Nick nurse got fired vogle got fired coach bud got fired which is to Bru point it Kerr Dynasty pop Dynasty Michael Malone just won it and by the way and again I think Michael ‘s an excellent coach irritates me it cross my mind well I’m tell mind let me tell you this well there was talk if they didn’t win it last year there was talk and and let them all of a sudden have a shocking playoff defeat next year and see who seats hot that is the league these coaches are hired to be fired unless they’re if you’re not going to end up on the next version of the NBA’s 15 greatest coaches list you’re just waiting to get fired that’s just that’s not just that’s why they paying them so much now you know cuz it’s like I mean the buck how many coaches the Bucks had since they won their Championship another one right all good just a week ago go bear trade not an overpay cat was the best shooting big man of all time that was true Anthony Edwards had to do a press conference asking the media to stop comparing him to Michael Jordan the media said we won’t do it now they’re almost twoo underdogs and might get swept bro what would getting swept mean for your wolves well look swep five whatever it is this is going to be good for Anthony Edwards this is what he needs all right he needs to grow and LeBron was swept Jordan was swept Shacks been swept like it happens all right so he’s he’s fine it’s just going to help him get better the question for the Timberwolves this offseason is gonna be is Carl Anthony towns can he be the second best player on the championship team now let’s look back let’s look at some of the recent Champions Golden State had Andrew Wiggins yeah yeah kabe is good is is probably better than Wiggins all right uh Denver had Jamal Murray who is clutch which obviously cat isn’t that but as far as level of player well Jamal Murray’s been consistently better playoff performer and been a better regular season right and so uh you know Drew holiday or Chris Middleton with Giannis all right so cat is I guess right there with those a is he honest now well no that’s but but I think cat is better than Chris Middleton the question is what’s cat going to do in the play and you said it Nick we got his in the playoffs he does his performance goes down you know 23 to 18 and you know the shooting percentages but look I would if I’m the Timberwolves five games four games whatever it is I listen to calls about cat oh but that doesn’t mean I’m trading him like I got to get a great hall to trade Carl Anthony town and he’s Young he’s only 28 I know he’s in his ninth season people think he’s old but he’s only 28 maybe he grows from this he’s never been deep in the playoffs either so I I I wouldn’t be in a h in a hurry to break it up here here’s I think their big problem what if you built the team with beating Denver in mind and you have the team to do that but that is not the team that is going to be able to necessarily beat Dallas or maybe they would struggled against OKC or would in the future or maybe they’re not built to beat Boston and so like that is it is I do think Carl towns was excellent on both sides of the ball against Denver he dealt with jokic’s you know bodying is as well as any player we’ve seen over multiple postseason runs they their ability to have waves of bigs for yic to have to deal with did to me wear him down there were a lot of things there but I don’t know do you you need to in this off season operate as if you are trying to be beat whichever team wins the championship or do you need to operate this offseason as if ah we still need to worry about Denver I think so I think so stuck then right which is a weird position to be in I think it’s a but I hear you cuz obviously they might get swept but these games are clo it’s the difference is clutch yes and if Anthony Edwards grows and becomes more clutch he’s not anti clutch but you know he becomes a better clutch player now maybe you win some of these games that you’ve lost to Dallas down the stretch yeah C’s three for 22 so well there you go it’s a little bit better I just I I think that right if he was like 80% of what he was in the regular season might the point I’m trying to make and I’ll make it very quickly here is we’re in a unique spot because nobody in the league plays the is the size and that plays the same way as joic right there Giannis plays differently than joic Luke obviously plays differently and beid plays differently if you are building a team with beating him in mind but by definition you will never play him in the championship round MH are you building the best team that to actually then win the championship but you can’t win the championship you don’t get through them it’s a weird spot Tim Conley finds himself in tricky okay King of the Hill next I wonder what Denver is going to do live from New York it’s the show that’s thinking Chris Paul is going to be on the San Antonio Spur I’m not thinking that I’m just saying I would do I thought you were reporting I’m not reporting it it was a private conversation you got to be careful what we say in these know this guy Wilds is unbelievable breaking news it’s not breaking news today Joe burrow back in action at otaa getting his hat knocked off to Colin coward’s Delight why this is the most definitive season of his career meanwhile is it mandatory for Anthony Edwards to step up and refuse to lose if you are truly to maintain your Michael Jordan as trajectory no to get that trajectory needs to be swept next year too well you got to be swept twice in back to back oh did he win did he win a title at Georgia okay give a game-winning shot a huge shot yeah did he I got my good you do yeah I I when I saw that shot as an eighth grader I said that guy is going to be great wow LeBron dead serious yes okay uh much like a crawling caterpillar will metamorphosize into a beautiful butterfly so do so too does a BAL playoff list of who’s hot and who’s not turn into the friendliest segment in all of sports through a rich tapestry of precedent performance and expectations that is the magic of what we call King of the Hill is metamorphosize a word I looked it up is it you looked it up is it okay all right no problem all right so the H we’re losing people off the hill there’s no well down to three teams you’re really only playing five six guys a team and so first who slid off the hill obviously all the Pacers and then lookie there wow Carl Anthony towns and Rudy Gober as our friend bman Jones on the alternate telecast has been calling them 14 ft of disappointment now that is a little harsh if you ask me however accurate the reality is Carl Anthony Town’s been brutal this series we gave him Credit in the first in the second round but he’s been brutal this series and then there is the goar question which is not how good is he really it’s not is do the metrics overstate his impact that’s not the interesting Rudy go question this is why does everyone hate him Luca seems to take special pleasure in torturing him Luca commanded Jaden Hardy go attack that man and then Luca cursed M Slovenian we know why Draymond doesn’t like him but there does seem to be an added kind of Fury to other players when they go against Rudy goar he’s slid off the hill now to the actual Hill row five might as well call the beginning of this Row the Nico Harrison row PJ Washington Daniel gaffard midseason Acquisitions without giving up much Derek Jones Jr you know how much he makes the league minimum and he’s been a huge factor for them Jaden McDaniels and Mike Conley must slide down the hill just a bit because their team is down 03 now to the fourth row the oldest guy still playing and the only rookie making a real impact right now in Al Horford and Derek Lively Al Horford 181 playoff games trying to get his first ring thankfully for him doesn’t have to go against LeBron at any point in these postseasons is that’s we cost him probably a couple rings in the past Derek white and Nas Reed two of the best contracts in the NBA right now Derek white making 18 million year Nas Reed making 13 million year both of their teams have them locked in for at least next season now to row three I feel badly dropping Tatum I will explain why he dropped in a moment he didn’t drop far but he went from row two to row three Anthony Edwards I don’t feel badly dropping he has not played well this series but he can’t I can’t put him lower he obviously is more valuable and more impact than anyone beneath him and then there is Drew holiday who has been a brilliant postseason defensive player his whole career but the odd thing about Drew’s time in Milwaukee even in their Championship run offensively he struggled his three postseasons in Milwaukee he was 39% from the field and 30% from three in the playoffs this year he’s 49% from the field and 40% from three in the playoffs maybe it’s the better shots cuz it’s a lighter load there there’s more shot distri better teammates he that last night absolutely and so Drew holiday moves up he obviously had maybe the most important defensive play of the postseason thus far was one of them I mean Luca stealing the lob is up there there are some other ones but the steel on nard in game three is as big as it gets now to row two this is why we had to move Tatum down a touch is because Kyrie has to move up he’s playing brilliantly particularly was early in game one and then down the stretch of game two and three and Jaylen Brown just won the Larry Bird trophy for Conference Finals MVP so we felt like we couldn’t leave him where he was and he has been the Steady Hand for Boston throughout this postseason has not been uh rattled At All by being snubbed but in some people’s eyes for all NBA I do believe Brew had him on his all NBA team correct I Jaylen Brown third Team all NBA I checked your ballot I think you did he was not he was not okay I was trying to give you credit but my bad on that I should have checked again and now at the top of it maybe I got I think you did bro I looked Luca AIC my large adult Slovenian son these guys are trying to act like I ever once renounced him as if he’s a child I didn’t want anymore that’s not true at all I simply didn’t like the photoshops we were using on this show and I I felt like you know what it’s a little much at times but now that he’s about to win the championship he’s full-blown back to being my large adult Sylvian son that Brew is is the latest edition Hill you got now you got me thinking I think Brown was on my thir I think I he was I didn’t have you left off halberton and you put Brown on 64 wins I think you deserve some ACC okay good he gone officially all right but Nick I do have one issue with the hill what’s that I am switching Jason Tatum and Kyrie ER oh all right because and here’s why it is Jason Tatum is the number one in Boston Kyrie Irving is the number two in Dallas and it is it’s still tough you got to play the games and do your role but it’s tougher being the number one guy all right the more of the pressure is on you as the number one guy if if Kyrie or if Luca dones wins Western Conference Finals Player of the Year we’re not doing a Kyrie didn’t win it something or nothing topic right you’re you’re you play a supporting role even as you’re a star all right so there’s that and then you look at the statistics and we have them right here Tatum has been better in everything points rebounds assists ass STS is not even close eight ass STS a game 5.7 Kyrie’s below six now Kyrie’s been a little more efficient but again he’s getting you got Luka getting a lot of that no it’s it’s just one oh the assists the A is for assists and and Tatum is for Steels and the ax is for blocks that makes sense there you go all right so I I think Jason Tatum look he did something maybe this is why he didn’t win the Larry Bird trophy cuz he did something Larry Bird’s never done he averaged 310 and five plus actually six assists in a conference final did Larry average 3010 and eight as STS in a conference there you have it so he Jason Tatum I think move up I mean 310 and six we’re people are I so here’s here is and again we’re I said I felt badly dropping Tatum so I’m not going to act as if he’s played poorly cuz he has not by any definition however in those Conference Finals he did have a poor game and game two he was not good and I thought last night he was fine I don’t think Kyrie’s had that I think Kyrie has been you know B+ to a in all three of those games he had 20 points in game two now if Jason Tatum scores 20 people are like where was Tatum at I mean that’s that’s the difference between being the number one option and the number two yeah I fair I think it’s also and I think you’ll agree with me the difference between going up against the defense that was being compared to the 04 Pistons round ago and going up against Indiana who was a bad defensive team at full strength as oppos even much less what they are now so that so I think I think what you’re saying is fair but I’m comfortable with the hill go ahead Wild I’m putting porzingis on the hill that’s he’s been totally forgotten about well well he’s on the verge of getting healthy he’s been out since April 29th here’s what he does in the regular season if we have that graphic averages about 20 points he’s got two blocks he shoots over 52% from the field but he hasn’t been a real presence in these playoffs but when Jimmy Butler goes down well you you there’s nothing you can do you should just roll over theat and when Donan Mitchell misses a few games like do those games even count and next thing you know Tyrese halberton is not there it should be like the playing games erase the statistics from the record books the games don’t even happen even though the Celtics are missing a 20 point scorer foundational defensive player but foundational he’s got two blocks he’s a pres in there I okay nobody cares nobody no no the media will the media doesn’t want to tell you that he the Celtics also didn’t have a guy on their team okay but yes but main media no one thinks Chris STS is the best player on the Celtics well that’s their fault because they have a lot of dep in the it just means we’re not going to pay as much attention to the loss of your at best third and at at worst fifth best player yeah or most important however you want to do it nobody thinks he the best or second best but Brew this is what is happening now Wilds keeps going viral on on Celtics Twitter and now he is catering his you are catering wild not true wild that Chris staps porzingis take that exact oh we’re missing a guy but when someone else is missing a guy and you them to win it all the I’m I spend all of my time on flag football when I’m online okay I’m just saying all right no one’s even mentioning it is he even on the team still did he get CAU on a two contct two mon playing for the main red because all oh Donovan Mitchell oh Donan Mitchell is their best player it shouldn’t count Jimmy Butler’s their best player well Hal bur’s out shouldn’t count I don’t know how the Pacers get there they the last game no wild when you were on here peacocking about your nuggets that they had won the series and taken back control the Timberwolves were missing their version of Chris eping this Mike connley an important starting level player for them but not where close to their best player and you didn’t you thought Murray could barely walk Jamal Murray had hold on his his calves hurt so much he threw a heat pack onto the floor in frustration you remembered the Conley injury so much you saw a tweet about it and thought it happened today cuz you tricked me about a Shan’s had deep in Shan’s Twitter feed I was like oh my goodness’s out again welcome back to an exciting show Bengal star OTAs to today Joe burrow had his hat knocked off by that weird looking thing uh Burrow’s two favorite wide receivers not there burrow recovering from a wrist injury free to turn it loose not on a pitch count according to Cincy OC here’s Joe’s ups and down season last year first four games bad but they’re bad at the start of every year but this was particularly bad he couldn’t throw the ball more than 15 yards effectively next four games he’s back to be in the old burrow and then the next two games started showing up with wraps on his wrist and like what’s up he’s like by the way scen over so Nick what’s at stake for burrow this year so I was thinking about Brew’s esbo list after the show yesterday where I think you had the Bengals third I think you had Chief sers Bengals as the top three and I think you can make a real argument the Bengals could be number one you can make an argument they should be number one you they definitely could be number one and I think Joe has because he is I still think right now grandfathered into the well other than momes who’s the best quarterback in the league discussion I think that if you were to do a straw poll of that I think right now Josh Allen would get probably about 50% of the vote I think burrow would get probably 30% Lamar would get 15% and the rest of the league would get You’ be a random CJ strad Aaron Rogers whatever Caleb Williams there you go uh but he hasn’t produced on that level recently the he right now is still in my opinion living a bit off a game that he didn’t play that well in but his defense played brilliantly in the AFC Championship game against the Chiefs and then a Super Bowl where he had a lot of chances to win and didn’t and but nobody really holds it against him and so here’s the point I’m building to if he play is excellent this year then he stays exactly where he is if he misses time though with an injury Brew if he does not look like the old Joe burrow after a very rare for a quarterback hand injury the list of quarterbacks who could jump him in the hierarchy and he just you have of course Josh Allen Lamar and CJ you also have I don’t believe it Aaron Rogers you have Justin Herbert you have you mentioned Caleb you have gof who just got his money Jordan love Brock Bru guy Brock birdie Matt Stafford I haven’t even mentioned the prince obvious like there’s a lot of guys and because the further we get away from him beating Mahomes in that playoff game without seeing him do something similar the the less because he doesn’t have the wow of Lamar or Josh and doesn’t have any of the the accomplishments of momes well you were right not to mention the prince so good job there but look my only issue with Joe burrow are the injuries but it’s become coming a big part of the story now he’s missed 15 games in four years all right he’s missed a large chunks of two seasons and they’re not like Lamar Jackson injuries all right these are things that are are relatively serious injuries and so yeah this is a huge year for him last year when he played I get it he wasn’t really himself early on whether it was rust or just the injury he came on and showed us who he is and and played much better look and I I was thinking about the sbob list LA yesterday as I was putting this together I I actually think I could have maybe switched them in Baltimore rather than putting Cincinnati first or moving them up as you want to but because if he gets to the AFC Championship and loses to momes no one’s killing Joe burrow for that no but then it just feels like the one time he beat him was a fluke okay fine but but but he’s still where everybody else is and arguably the second best quarterback in the league if he loses to anybody else if they lose to CJ stra and the and the Texans if he loses to Lamar if he loses to Josh Allen or somebody then it will feel like he and the Bengal are going backwards it it will like they have taken a step back so that’s what I think is on the line for him here’s the Bengal schedule you want to do a pop quiz fellas sure 10 and 1 12 wins here Nick do you like the over do you like the under all right I mean this is in real time I mean I would say the under barely but I would say the under I think they’re in the toughest division in the league I think that the Hendrickson T Higgins stuff is a real you know what I mean a legitimate concern and historically they start slow then they only wi 10 the year they went to the Super Bowl I I that sounds right and then the can I say one other thing that I think I want to a blind stat reveal ooh these are three quarterbacks who have all either played seven or eight playoff games Okay so the touchdown interception ratio numbers are at the top the yards per game you see passer rating you see and the completion percentage is all very similar did I don’t know if one of those guys jumps out to you as the least impressive one does to Me It’s Tricky cuz the Silhouettes this is sad right uh so we can now reveal those three guys the first oh that Burrow’s the last one and so here’s why I mention it Burrow’s real NFL kind of claimed I knew you were going to right but that’s why I that’s why I did it is like let me pad stat no that’s fair but Stafford also was not considered a legendary postseason guy went on the one run and then beat burrow point I’m making is this I think it shocks people when they see wait Joe burrow has nine playoff touchdowns he has five playoff wins and nine playoff touchdowns I think that surprises people a huge part of the Bengals on their postseason run was Luan aro’s defense and you know what I mean what they were able to do and the quarterbacks they were able to stifle nothing more so than Mahomes in the second half of that AFC title game I just think there’s a lot and I have been the guy I was the guy pounding the table last year saying burrow or two years ago was the guy who should be considered second best quarterback in football and would have said the same thing last year probably if he hadn’t gotten hurt but there is a level of well you saw you know Jake rounding play okay you saw the burrow struggle mightily that opening month and we say it you know it was because of the calf I I just think he just needs to come out and play really well I just don’t think he’s as Minted as some of these other guys are as far as his stature in the league and the further you get away from the time they beat momes then there more I think there’s the more wait the playoff game against the Raiders came down to the final drive the playoff game against Ryan tanhill came down to tan throwing the pick there’s a lot of yeah the frisky Patriots week one at home they’re not frisky post spell check era we’re on to Cincinnati man on to Cincinnati to start the year yeah that is Mayo era begins Elliot wolf Drake may maybe man unenviable situation NFL tears tomorrow this is the best segment in all sports oh kayaw claw M with the troph Aon rers stuned metal time back to Indianapolis the last time of the year on the metal stand tied at 102 with 45 seconds left Jaylen making plays finds Derek white who went two for nine but that was one of them and Celtic sweet not enough for the medal bronze medal Drew holiday 17 points 7 of 13 from the field nine rebounds predictably great defense through holiday gets a bronze gets another trip to the finals his first season as a Celtic silver medal Jason Tatum 26 13 and 8 last night five turnovers and I think I think if he played a little bit better last night he would have gotten Conference Finals MBP yeah I also think this is kind of an unfairness to these guys that these Awards didn’t exist in the past there were been plenty of times that the best player on a team didn’t win Conference Finals MVP but it’s only existed for 3 years I like it gold medal Jaylen Brown 29 points six rebounds three steals don’t have the ass stocks off the top of my head but I’m sure he did decent if he had the three Steals and you know how many assists he yet I’m not sure and he gets a goal there is the podium from last night in the final game of the Eastern arm finals check in on Bru wolves were hang BR wolves remember have to call him bruise wolves underdogs yeah uh Brew there has never been a double conference sweep since the conferences were formed in 1970 wow I did not know that do you think it’s happening tonight I am going to go with the Timberwolves tonight my Timber to win and Advance you know keep this thing going I don’t think they they’re going to be the first team ever to come back from 3 0 but I do think game four then you’re back in Minnesota game five I know but he already said it’s over I so he will not he’s not going to here’s the thing dere no Derek Lively and so that that is concerning I thought I think he’s been excellent very important however just because I have the opportunity to have a show sweep where all four games Brew picked the Timberwolves and was wrong each time and all four games I picked the Mavs and was right each time I’m going to go with the Dallas Mavs we haven’t had a show sweep in quite some time it’s been a very long time since thing well check the check the record the show sweep the show sweep I got it right I’m going to go with the w was that yeah the Wolves I’m going you could also do the gentle I want I’m R for the gentleman back is next