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Episode: Part 2: NBA League Pass Rankings and Million Dollar Picks With Chris Ryan, Rob Mahoney, Wosny Lambre, Sheil Kapadia, and Anthony Dabbundo
Author: The Ringer
Duration: 02:07:49
Episode Shownotes
In Part 2 of a two-part podcast, The Ringer’s Bill Simmons is joined by Chris Ryan, Rob Mahoney, and Wosny Lambre for the 2024-25 edition of NBA League Pass Rankings (0:56). Then Bill talks through the weekend's NFL slate with Sheil Kapadia and Anthony Dabbundo (1:16:58), before making the Million
Dollar Picks for NFL Week 8 (1:56:34). Host: Bill Simmons Guests: Chris Ryan, Rob Mahoney, Wosny Lambre, Sheil Kapadia, and Anthony Dabbundo Producer: Kyle Crichton The Ringer is committed to responsible gaming. Please visit www.rg-help.com to learn more about the resources and helplines available. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Full Transcript
00:00:00 Speaker_05
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00:02:03 Speaker_05
Always monitor traffic and weather conditions. We're also brought to you by the Ringer Podcast Network. If you missed part one of this podcast, it's up. We talked basketball, we talked UFC, we talked Yankees with my buddy Jacko.
00:02:17 Speaker_05
Part two is coming up right now. It did a league pass draft with Big Waz and Chris Ryan and Rob Mahoney. And then I brought in Sheil Kapadia and Anthony DiBondo to help me with million dollar picks for week eight. We have a little momentum going.
00:02:30 Speaker_05
Can we keep it up? It is all next. First, our friends from Pearl Jam. All right, we're taping this. It is 1.30 Pacific Time, Thursday, here with Chris Ryan, the Charles Nelson Riley of the Ringer. He's done 17 podcasts this week.
00:03:06 Speaker_07
This is the one that counts, though, man. This is the one that matters.
00:03:08 Speaker_05
I appreciate that, C.R. Big Waz. Yes, sir. How are you? I'm happy. Good to see you. Yeah, you love—this is your time of year.
00:03:15 Speaker_01
Yeah, it is, especially, like, Hope Springs Eternal for all of these teams, for at least the next month.
00:03:22 Speaker_05
And the one and only Rob Mahoney. Hi. Who's somehow breaking down the NBA again and not weird shows on Apple. It's getting weirder.
00:03:29 Speaker_02
It can't eat you both. Yeah. We'll find out.
00:03:31 Speaker_05
What's that new show with Kevin Kline where- Disclaimer.
00:03:33 Speaker_02
Yeah.
00:03:34 Speaker_05
My mom was like, this is the best show in a while. My mom's 76.
00:03:36 Speaker_02
She hasn't gotten to episode 5 yet, I can tell you.
00:03:40 Speaker_05
She likes super weird. So anyway, it seems disturbing. So we're gonna do league pass rankings, which is great because we We're actually supposed to do this on Tuesday and fate intervened. I got super sick.
00:03:49 Speaker_05
But I'm glad we got to see two days of games because I feel like this is a better way to do it. Yeah. Now I have a better feel for the season. So shout out to Zach Lowe.
00:03:57 Speaker_05
Back in the day at Grandland, we came up with the league pass rankings, I think in 12 or 13. We had five categories. I went back and read what the categories were. They're going to shape what we do for this.
00:04:09 Speaker_05
So you can't just be, you can't just say Brooklyn's my number one. Because- Literally, why would you? Yeah, who did you think would say that? Wait till we get to Brooklyn. All right. Category number one is relevancy to the playoff picture.
00:04:20 Speaker_05
Category number two is hoop nerdgasm potential. Category number three is the League Pass experience, which was a big passion of Zach's and still is. Announcing teams, sideline reporting, uniforms, the mascot.
00:04:35 Speaker_05
Like the Clippers last night just was a 10 out of 10 with how weird that was. Fucking guy came out of the rafters. What's that guy's name? Their mascot dropped from the Raptors.
00:04:47 Speaker_02
I actually don't know. Owen Hart's style is terrifying. I didn't know that was going on.
00:04:51 Speaker_07
Yeah, they're all excited. I was mesmerized by the wall.
00:04:55 Speaker_02
Well, the wall is cool. I wish it wasn't James Harden. He didn't come down.
00:04:59 Speaker_05
Category number four, individual player appeal. And then category number five, the most important for all of us is unintentional comedy. irrational affection, and personality intangibles. I'm just going to make this easy.
00:05:11 Speaker_05
Sierra, I'm giving you first pick. Oh, you are? And we'll just go around. Okay. And there's no snake fashion. Okay. There's no real way to win this.
00:05:17 Speaker_07
So we'll just get started. You didn't want to do any headlines? You didn't want to ask any imbued questions? Nothing?
00:05:22 Speaker_05
We'll get there. Philly will be mentioned at some point during the pod. And as we hit each pod, each team, we'll talk about, you know, variables. Like, is your best player ever going to play? Why did they give him an extension when he's not healthy?
00:05:36 Speaker_05
Those are questions we'll ask.
00:05:38 Speaker_07
We're not there yet. With the first pick, I'm going to go with the Minnesota Timberwolves. Explain. Ant is my favorite current professional athlete. Wow. I think even within— Over Angel Reese?
00:05:51 Speaker_07
In a day and a half, he has managed to already make, like, hilarious content out of one game where he told Bronnie he didn't need to take a shower. I love that so much.
00:06:03 Speaker_01
He yelled at Van and said, you haven't played in two years.
00:06:06 Speaker_05
Yeah. It seemed angry about it.
00:06:09 Speaker_01
Yeah. Did Vanderbilt chirp at him? Like what happened? They used to be teammates. Yeah, I think it's just shit talk. Familiarity factor. The Briany thing killed me.
00:06:17 Speaker_07
If there was a premium tier to pay $1,000 for a season to have Miked, and it was just going into my AirPods, I don't even know if $1,000 would be too high. Like I would pay pretty much anything and I would just expense it to you.
00:06:31 Speaker_05
Well, there's a new level with swagger with him because now he played with all the best guys. Yeah. So now he's on the court with LeBron and he's just like, ah, fine, I'll talk shit with him.
00:06:39 Speaker_05
Yeah, and LeBron probably edited him out of starting five a little bit so that he didn't steal the show.
00:06:44 Speaker_07
Then you add the Dante piece, which is this weird revenge tour that he's on that seems to be metastasizing beyond even the Knicks. And it's like, he's angry and playing hard.
00:06:55 Speaker_07
I think that they're just gonna have like a tougher, more competitive, more fuck you team without Kat.
00:07:01 Speaker_05
Don't forget the Gobert piece.
00:07:02 Speaker_07
And there's Gobert. Yeah, there's Gobert just going out there and getting choked out. So I think it's just a really exciting night-to-night team that's gonna be in the mix for the title.
00:07:11 Speaker_02
Just to tear down your team right off the bat. Okay. How do you feel about the thing you love most? Watching Anthony Edwards play basketball, being actively stifled, every possession by Julius Randle doing whatever it is that Julius Randle wants to do.
00:07:24 Speaker_07
You don't like Julius Randle jab steps? I actually, I'm like a big supporter of Kentucky alumnus across the board. So I'm excited actually, because I also think Randall at least is saying the right things where he's like, you know what, I can pass.
00:07:36 Speaker_07
I've just been in situations where they've asked me to take 26 shots a game. So I'm sure it'll clog up the lane a little bit.
00:07:43 Speaker_05
I told Waz before we started that I had Minnesota second and I moved them down six spots after watching Randall for two hours. It's just like, wow, I just don't like watching. Forgot, I just don't like watching him play basketball.
00:07:54 Speaker_05
Nothing personal, I'm sure he's a great guy.
00:07:56 Speaker_07
But I bet for all of us, Minnesota's towards the top of the board, right?
00:08:00 Speaker_02
Yeah, they're fun, they're interesting, they're gonna be good in competing for things. And the Gobert part of it, like having a guy on your team that everybody else wants to dunk on, Rockets them up a ranking like this.
00:08:10 Speaker_07
Also speaking of Kentucky alumnus Dillingham. I'm like already like do we think he's gonna play? I it just I when he does I think he's jumping out of the building. Got you.
00:08:20 Speaker_05
It would be funny if there was like an actor or an actress like Gobert that everybody who did a scene with them just wanted to destroy them. He was like, Taye Diggs, people are just like, I fucking destroyed Taye Diggs.
00:08:35 Speaker_05
Dave Gobert brings something special out of everybody's got a gripe with him. There's like American foreign stuff with him. There's defensive player of the year stuff.
00:08:43 Speaker_07
There's inter-French beef.
00:08:44 Speaker_05
Yeah.
00:08:45 Speaker_01
He's just despised. It's bizarre. Yeah. He's the individual version of like Memphis who like everybody hates. Yeah. As a team. Right. Rudy's just that individual for every single NBA player. 450 guys hate him.
00:08:59 Speaker_05
I didn't agree with the first pick, but I see you. I see you, CR. I see you. You've been putting the word CR.
00:09:04 Speaker_01
I see you, Chris Ryan.
00:09:07 Speaker_05
What do you have for number two, Wes?
00:09:09 Speaker_01
Uh, my number, man, I didn't know I was gonna be put in this position. To draft? Did you take the pick? You know what, I'm gonna go with Oklahoma City. This is the pick, I think. Which I think everybody's really excited about watching them.
00:09:24 Speaker_01
It's not just Shay, it's J-Dub, it's Chet for me specifically. I'm a big, big Chet guy. The new additions, Hardenstein got hurt. A lot of people said I jinxed it because I said that.
00:09:35 Speaker_01
on our part, I said their depth was unbeatable, and then he got hurt the next day. What power you have.
00:09:40 Speaker_05
We did the over-under, we all did over lock 57.5, and I think he broke his hand listening to the podcast. But I still think they can hit it.
00:09:48 Speaker_01
It's just young guys, the My favorite thing about League Pass, outside of great teams, is a sense of discovery.
00:09:54 Speaker_01
Watching guys week after week learn new things, beat new things, or teams discover things about them and then they overcome that adjustment by other teams. So I think OKC has it all.
00:10:05 Speaker_01
They have the top-to-bottom talent, and then they have this sense that you're gonna be learning new things about their potential every single week.
00:10:12 Speaker_02
Yeah, in every single game. It's not even like, is this guy having a great week? It's, oh, I didn't know Case and Walls could do that. I didn't know these guys could pop off in that way. And they're so deep. They have so many interesting players.
00:10:22 Speaker_02
I'm not worried about the Thunder to say the least. I think they're gonna be awesome to watch.
00:10:25 Speaker_07
Do you think there's any, like, it's like too predictable how good they're gonna be? Like, I was thinking about this, like, I would love, like, a crazy midseason Koki-Presti move. Like, trade for Kawhi.
00:10:35 Speaker_07
You know, like, just do something nuts to, like, upset the apple cart. I think the Hayward thing also probably scared him off of doing that ever again, too.
00:10:44 Speaker_05
They've even elicited a terrible Kendrick Perkins take before the season started.
00:10:48 Speaker_02
What was that take?
00:10:49 Speaker_05
How SGA needs to cut his scoring down to 24 points a game and get other guys involved. It's very specific. It's like, other guys involved? He's, like, one of the most inclusive stars we have.
00:10:58 Speaker_01
He is the most. What is that take? It's like him and Steph Curry.
00:11:01 Speaker_05
Where are the producers on those shows? It's like, no, Kendrick, no, please don't say that.
00:11:05 Speaker_05
I like the discovery thing, especially like with League Pass, day in, day out, when guys get scratched, guys aren't playing, or you're just flipping around in second quarters.
00:11:13 Speaker_05
I like, I feel like for League Pass, you need kind of a bench that can either be really good or really weird. Really weird is like, there's a couple teams that we'll get to where you're just like, wow, this guy? Holy shit. Which I think is fun.
00:11:30 Speaker_05
Now that burns off, what, by November, December?
00:11:33 Speaker_02
They're like, all right. But that's where them having all this stuff to trade, even if it isn't a Cokey trade, like they could mix it up anytime they want to. And they could have a slightly different team or a very different team by February.
00:11:44 Speaker_02
And I think that potential makes them super watchable too.
00:11:47 Speaker_07
This is a good character for us to develop, this Coke Presti.
00:11:50 Speaker_02
Coked up Presti?
00:11:51 Speaker_07
And what he could do with all these picks. So it's like Saul Rubinick in True Romance?
00:11:56 Speaker_06
Screaming at Gordon Hayward? You stabbed me in the heart!
00:12:02 Speaker_05
All right, okay, so now you're up, Rob. This is, I feel like this is a easy pick, but you won't make it.
00:12:09 Speaker_02
What does that mean?
00:12:10 Speaker_05
I don't think you're gonna make the pick you should make.
00:12:12 Speaker_02
I'm gonna take the San Antonio Spurs. Wow. Easy reason. Straightforward reason. Although look, I'm also gonna talk your ear off about Chris Paul and how much I'm looking forward to seeing him there.
00:12:22 Speaker_02
I just have no idea what Wimby is capable of, and I very much look forward to seeing what that is.
00:12:27 Speaker_07
And Paul's already resting?
00:12:29 Speaker_02
No, I'm not. Don't worry about it. Okay. Don't worry about it. He's gonna be fine.
00:12:32 Speaker_01
Chris Paul is theoretical. Theoretical? Yeah, he's like Kawhi Leonard. Their bodies are shot. That's incredibly rude. They're not gonna play. These guys don't play. But the reason why, look, I was quite idiotically skeptical of Wembley.
00:12:48 Speaker_01
Very vocally skeptical. Performatively America first skeptical. Yeah, I was like, oh, he did it in the French League, give me a break. Do it in the ACC. Obviously, I was wrong.
00:12:59 Speaker_01
But my thing about the Spurs, while they're lower on my list, I don't care about anybody else on that team. Like, not a one other player do I get geeked to watch. Even though Wembley is, yes, you know, he's transcended. But, you know, I like the pick.
00:13:14 Speaker_01
You're not into Harrison Barnes like that? Harry Barnes doesn't do it for me. Poor Harry.
00:13:17 Speaker_02
No, but Stéphane Castle though, like they do have interesting young guys. He's a nice rookie, yeah. So some pop, some intrigue, obviously everything that Wemby- So Han at the point? Come on. Yeah.
00:13:27 Speaker_07
Stéphane Castle? Yeah. UConn? I hated the feeling last season when you would watch the Spurs and Wemby would have like, he'd be drawing like a triple-double in the first quarter.
00:13:37 Speaker_07
And then Pop would just go against all vibes and just pull him out for like most of the second or, you know, sit him like with just like unrepentant, just like we're managing it, we're managing it. It's like people want to watch this guy explode.
00:13:49 Speaker_07
Let's go.
00:13:50 Speaker_05
Yeah. I had them like in the 8 to 10 range because I'm with Waz. I really only want to watch Wemby. I don't know if Castle's ready yet. But the thing with Wemby is anytime he gets going, Or make some crazy play.
00:14:03 Speaker_05
I'm gonna see it on my phone in five seconds, right? So all the stuff that he did last year or when he had like the 17 points and six minutes in third quarter, like you start hearing about it as it's happening, just go over and get it. So I don't know.
00:14:17 Speaker_05
I still don't know what this team wants to be.
00:14:20 Speaker_02
They're not gonna be that good yet.
00:14:21 Speaker_05
Yeah, I don't feel like they will and they're over under I thought was pretty high, but there's some people really going in on them being good. And I just think Chris Paul's too old. I'm with Waz.
00:14:29 Speaker_05
Like, all of the evidence in NBA history is against point guards, little guys, at his age, being really good.
00:14:37 Speaker_02
I don't see it. He's not going to play a ton of games, but when he is out there, he will actually throw the ball to Victor Webenyama, which is something that they needed. I think I hear your point about the highlights. I think it's well-founded.
00:14:48 Speaker_02
The thing you will miss is Wemba Nyama trying shit that doesn't work, and he has some of the most elaborate and incredible, like, near highlights of any player in the league.
00:14:57 Speaker_02
The time he jumps at a ball but can't quite block it, or goaltends it, the threes he'll attempt. Like, I want to see all that stuff in addition to the great highlight plays.
00:15:06 Speaker_05
I have Orlando at number four.
00:15:08 Speaker_02
That's the team that I should have drafted? Well... I'm not talking down to him, I love the magic.
00:15:14 Speaker_05
Here's why. I have a bunch of reasons. One is I think they're really fun to watch. Two, Cerruti's here and I just wanted to make his day. He's got a big smile on his face for those at home watching.
00:15:23 Speaker_05
Three, I think they're the discovery team this year along the lines of what OKC was last year. And we were banking on this when we did the over-unders. I know you guys liked them too.
00:15:34 Speaker_05
The 47 wins last year felt like of any team in the league, them or Cleveland had a chance to to jump, but I loved what they did last night. There was a real killer instinct with them.
00:15:45 Speaker_05
Palo is clearly just a level higher than he was last year, and I want to just watch them because I don't know what their ceiling is.
00:15:53 Speaker_05
Like, I watched last night, and I know it's early, I'm not trying to overreact after one game, and I want to see the Knicks game 25. Right? I'm not going to judge the Knicks after one game. Let's wait until 25, let's see when Mitch Robinson comes back.
00:16:05 Speaker_05
But Orlando's really fucking hard to play. And Sarudy made the key point when we were talking about it today. They can just play well for six minutes and go on like a 19-1 run. And you're like, what?
00:16:15 Speaker_05
You know, they're almost like a football team that can score points in bunches. They're just really scary. I was scared last night watching them for the Celtics. And then the Palo piece is the x-factor for a league pass.
00:16:26 Speaker_05
Like, he's just gonna have nights where he puts up 38 and 20 and 9 assists. So, that's my fourth pick.
00:16:32 Speaker_01
What I like about them too for a league pass team is their style is very distinct. Like, nobody's as physical as they are. Nobody's as downhill as they are. Their entire core is young guys. who are still trying to establish and prove themselves.
00:16:46 Speaker_01
That's what I really like about Orlando. It's like, you're not gonna watch a team that plays that style where they're just like hitting you the entire freaking game.
00:16:54 Speaker_07
Several teams in the Eastern Conference, especially the favorites, are all kind of like on a almost organizational load management program. You know, where you're like, oh yeah, you guys are gonna build up to the spring.
00:17:05 Speaker_07
There's a couple like, this one, the one that I might pick next, that you're like, man, every single night, I bet you guys are going to go for it.
00:17:12 Speaker_05
Yeah, they're going to have to like protect these dudes from not playing.
00:17:15 Speaker_07
Yeah, so I think that's a cool pick.
00:17:17 Speaker_02
There's also a version of a defense first team that is not that fun to watch. That's like a real slog. The Magic are not that. Like, watch Jalen Suggs play defense.
00:17:25 Speaker_02
He's flying around, he's hounding everybody, he's going to make every guard's life miserable. talking tons of shit, but great vibes on the Magic side. Like, they have so many guys who are very physical, but super watchable.
00:17:36 Speaker_05
So one other thing with this from a League Pass standpoint, because they did, and they started this last year where they basically show the Jumbotron camera during the timeouts, so you just stay with the feed.
00:17:47 Speaker_05
Orlando's got one of the most lit crowds. It's just cougars everywhere. A lot of off-season pro golfers. Yeah, weird celebrities like golfers and NASCAR drivers.
00:18:00 Speaker_05
There's older rich guys sitting in the front row with some wife that's like 40 years younger than him. I actually really... See, Rob's shaking his head. I really enjoy their time out stuff.
00:18:12 Speaker_02
I'm just trying to get out of this room. I'm just trying to get away from this table right now. Cougar Central, the Orlando Magic.
00:18:19 Speaker_07
It's pretty funny. All right, Chris, you're up. All right. Number five pick. So there's an extra element I'll just throw in to one of Zach's criteria there, which is something that's more recent for me, but it is fantasy. And I got Mowgli this season.
00:18:33 Speaker_07
And let me tell you, small theater sample size,
00:18:37 Speaker_08
Yeah.
00:18:38 Speaker_07
Yeah. Mobley. Mobley and the Atkinson program might be incredible. And we've been waiting for this, like, Tim Duncan next generation thing to happen. It's only one game.
00:18:48 Speaker_05
Yeah.
00:18:48 Speaker_07
But I think that Cleveland looks like the kind of team you want to watch every single day.
00:18:52 Speaker_05
My stockbroker is still hammering me about all my Mobley position. Yeah.
00:18:56 Speaker_02
Just like, we are just overextended. Is it considered insider trading for also incredibly over-leveraged in EvanMobile's stock? If we talk him up on this pot, is that a crime of some kind?
00:19:06 Speaker_07
I think it's very smart. 25, 8, and 3 in 27 minutes last night.
00:19:10 Speaker_05
And that's the other team that kind of has the look a little bit. Like, granted, one game, simple size, but they did all the right things in the offseason. They got Mitchell to commit.
00:19:19 Speaker_07
And if you're Cleveland, you can't really afford to be like, we'll start playing hard in February. It's like, no, you guys gotta like, you guys gotta go.
00:19:25 Speaker_01
Yeah, they have to do it now. And I think Atkinson is bringing just a whole new dynamic. Rob mentioned it on the live stream yesterday, where he's like, yo, Mobley, we're gonna give you the ball. and actually allow you to do something with it.
00:19:38 Speaker_01
We're not gonna treat you like some traditional big and give it to you on the block and think you're gonna dream shake people to death. Like, that's not how he's doing.
00:19:45 Speaker_01
He's just more creative than the last coaches, and I think that's reason in and of itself, even though, like, it's the whole team is back from last year.
00:19:53 Speaker_01
If they're just healthier and more creative on offense specifically, then yeah, they're definitely worth a watch.
00:19:58 Speaker_02
I also don't want to let the larger conversation about Donovan Mitchell cloud the fact that he's fucking watchable and electric every time he's on the floor. Super fun to watch.
00:20:06 Speaker_07
Especially them against a good team. It's going to be entertaining. On the West Coast, those central time zone games are very in the sweet spot of you've gotten home from work, you can throw it on as you're making dinner, you can check in with them.
00:20:17 Speaker_07
Definitely.
00:20:18 Speaker_01
Wow, that's a six pick. This is easy for me. It's the Philadelphia 76ers. For both sides of it. One, because I do think legitimately when everybody's available, this can be a really good to great team. Just the talent that's available.
00:20:39 Speaker_01
The other thing, so just on a talent contender, we all know that, on paper. The other thing that I like is that I know for a fact the entire fan base is ready to turn on these guys. The second- Ready. The second that- Locked and loaded.
00:20:56 Speaker_01
They are ready to kill these dudes. So it's like both of those elements like do they fulfill their potential? Do we just watch one of the worst car crashes of recent memory? Paul George had an excuse.
00:21:07 Speaker_05
He has a bruised knee that was hurt. That's a two-week injury. That was a real injury. Yeah, like my daughter just had that in soccer. It fucking hurt. She was limping around for two weeks. There's no way to heal it. Embiid is healing from the off-season.
00:21:20 Speaker_05
He's recovering from the off-season.
00:21:22 Speaker_02
It's hard work losing 25 pounds. Yeah, he lost too much weight. That's a lot of cardio.
00:21:26 Speaker_05
Explain the extension to me, CR.
00:21:31 Speaker_07
You got I mean like I like you're gonna really play like show us prove it to us with yeah and beat I'm out Yes, show me another example in the NBA of that happening right now
00:21:42 Speaker_05
As you know, I don't understand why the corporates did it with Kawhi. I don't understand the point of these extensions when you have no idea if the guy's gonna be healthy three months from now.
00:21:50 Speaker_05
I'd rather be like, oh man, we should have extended him, he's healthy.
00:21:54 Speaker_07
They're moving into a new building and they need to have a stable face of the franchise. And Maxie, for as much as he's beloved in the city, is not there yet.
00:22:02 Speaker_02
Also, he's awesome. Are we just pretending Joel Embiid's not good? Like he's hurt a lot. The playoff concerns are what they are, but he's an excellent player who I, like, I would be in business with that idea. He didn't look healthy in the Olympics.
00:22:14 Speaker_05
He didn't look healthy in the playoffs. And now he's not healthy.
00:22:17 Speaker_02
That's six months. Yeah, but you're not playing for now. You're hoping that he's healthy by May.
00:22:21 Speaker_07
Yeah, that's the example of what I was saying, where it's like, do you really want to watch the Sixers in December? Probably not.
00:22:26 Speaker_05
I just want to say, no franchise has ever said this before as like a selling point to their fans. We only care about the playoffs. Like, no fucking kidding. Everyone cares about the playoffs.
00:22:36 Speaker_01
Oh!
00:22:37 Speaker_05
Whoa, this is new theory.
00:22:39 Speaker_01
We only care about the postseason. Okay, cool. The problem with taking that stance if you're the Sixers is that you've never done anything. Like, if Boston decided tomorrow, like, yo, we're chilling until the playoffs.
00:22:52 Speaker_01
It's like, yo, they've been going to finals, conference finals.
00:22:55 Speaker_07
He didn't say, I'm chilling until the playoffs. He said, I want to be as healthy as possible for the playoffs. And that means I'm gonna try and monitor my body. I don't care about MVP. I don't care about All-NBA. The extension is done.
00:23:08 Speaker_07
It's all about being healthy. I'm just playing devil's advocate. He wasn't like, I don't give a shit until the playoffs start.
00:23:14 Speaker_01
I just think it's a weird decision to treat the regular season like, you know, when you go to a restaurant, there's the 20% gratuity automatically. And then they're like, you can put a plus three if you want.
00:23:24 Speaker_01
And it's like, that's how he's treating the regular season. Like that's plus three. It's like, it's optional. Like, I mean, it's not that important. You know, the gratuity is happening already. It's just like, I don't care. That's what it feels like.
00:23:37 Speaker_01
And it's with a brand new roster construction. Again, like I bring up Boston because they've had sustained success. It's like conference finals, finals all the time for six years. So they're like, look, we get the regular season.
00:23:50 Speaker_01
We're worried about getting to our final destination. There's credibility there. For a team that just got constructed to be like, we're going to figure out what kind of team we are in the playoffs. That doesn't make any sense to me.
00:24:01 Speaker_02
From a League Pass perspective, here's what I'm not looking forward to, is this exact conversation every time I see a visiting or an opposing broadcast.
00:24:08 Speaker_05
Last night, they didn't make one of the three TVs for me last night. It's like, I don't want to fucking watch Andre Drummond.
00:24:14 Speaker_01
No, thank you. I'll be tuning in as long as two of the big three are in.
00:24:18 Speaker_05
Did they get bumped off for 2B? No, I had three other games. You can get League Pass on three different outlets, so I had all three. Rob, you're a conspiracy guy based on some of your TV watching. Wow, okay. This is like an Apple TV question.
00:24:34 Speaker_05
Is this just an excuse that Embiid's not healthy and this is like they sat in a room for five hours and they were like, Let's do a whole, we only care about the playoffs, we just want to get him ready. This is one random quote that he made.
00:24:47 Speaker_05
You guys are making it sound like this. Maybe he's not healthy.
00:24:49 Speaker_07
They're not putting up billboards in Philly that say, Sixers, just wait for the playoffs. We're seasoned with this with five years of Kawhi. This is five years of Kawhi, same blueprint of like, ah, you know.
00:25:00 Speaker_07
Leading up to the Paul George injury, I would say that this has been the most enthusiastic people have been about the Sixers in a long time. Like, where it was just like, holy shit, this actually worked. You actually did sign a guy into Capspace.
00:25:12 Speaker_07
He actually might be the perfect third wheel. People were enthusiastic for the Joker too. Were they?
00:25:21 Speaker_01
He drafted him, you know what I mean? Like, I feel like I have to defend these guys. No, look, again, like I said, as long as... Joel or Paul George on the, two of the big three. Maxie, I'm gonna be interested to see how those guys work.
00:25:35 Speaker_01
Particularly Paul George around Joel Embiid. Cause he's never played with that kind of player before.
00:25:41 Speaker_01
And Joel's never played, well he had the one season with Jimmy, but he's never played with a wing that's... He's never had a wing that's also like, I'm happy to be the beta here.
00:25:51 Speaker_07
Jimmy was obviously, he would go in and out of wanting to be the playmaker. I hate this.
00:26:00 Speaker_01
He's also never played with someone like Gershon Yabusele and I'm not afraid to say it.
00:26:03 Speaker_05
Yabu.
00:26:05 Speaker_01
Fun guy.
00:26:07 Speaker_05
None of this is passing the spell test for me. Okay. None of it. That was Waz's pick. That was my pick. And I think they're putting too much pressure on Maxi because now Maxi is becoming- He's fine.
00:26:18 Speaker_05
It's like when this- I remember writing about this a million years ago. It happened with David West in New Orleans. Everybody talked about how great he was so often. It was like he somehow became overrated by not doing anything.
00:26:28 Speaker_05
And Maxie, it's like, ah, Maxie, I love Maxie. Oh, he could be the face of the franchise. It's like, can we see Maxie, like, be the best guy in a team for three weeks in a row?
00:26:36 Speaker_07
Why? Okay. I just wanted to be, first of all, Waz picked them. And second of all, this is the League Pass Rankings draft, and now it's just been like unloading on the Sixers for five minutes. Well, that's what we do here.
00:26:49 Speaker_02
And it's unloading them for them for like what they've done in the playoffs.
00:26:51 Speaker_01
We blazed the magic. We're just like these guys, fighters every single night. That's right. That's right. But I think, to me again, I think the human interest of it appeals to me. Okay.
00:27:03 Speaker_01
Like Joelle's story, Paul George's story, even, you know, Daryl's story, right? Like the way this team is put together and how all-in it feels, like that's compelling to me. So I'm paying attention. It's a burn the ships team. Yeah, man. For sure.
00:27:21 Speaker_05
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00:29:01 Speaker_05
All right, coming back, somehow we've only done six teams, Rob Mahoney is up with pick seven.
00:29:06 Speaker_02
I'm going to take a team that is in close games all the time, usually because they're blowing lots of leads, at least that was the case last season.
00:29:12 Speaker_02
Also, crucially, on the League Pass side of things, as Chris pointed out, I'm going the other side of the time bracket. West Coast, kind of a tough slot this year. Not a lot of teams I'm super invested in except the Sacramento Kings.
00:29:23 Speaker_02
Give me the Cardiac Kings. They found every way to blow games last year. Now let's put DeMar DeRozan in there. Let's have a closer. Let's have two of the best closers in the league between him and De'Aaron Fox. It's a weird basketball fit.
00:29:35 Speaker_02
I want to see if it works. They have an overall alignment that I think if they put two other stars on the floor at all times could be resulting in like really high level baseline play all the time. I'm excited to see it.
00:29:46 Speaker_01
I'll be committed to watching them all season for the fun factor. And again, because their style is so distinct, even though I know that they will not do anything in the playoffs as constructed.
00:29:56 Speaker_02
They may not even make it, to be honest.
00:29:58 Speaker_01
Right. I don't know. But it's just the visceral, like, feeling of watching these guys play so fast and be committed to that style that, like, every single team every year says, yeah, we're going to play with more pace this year.
00:30:10 Speaker_01
And, like, never does it. But Sacramento is going to actually do it. and deliver while playing absolutely no defense, but I'm still here for it.
00:30:18 Speaker_07
They might be the most entertaining team on the West Coast, you're right. Incredibly.
00:30:22 Speaker_05
They were entertaining last year. Yeah, yeah. And now the Taurosan thing makes it even better. I feel like we can't lose with the Kings because if it doesn't go that well, then it just becomes De'Aaron Fox trade machine time.
00:30:32 Speaker_05
Oh yeah, because he didn't sign that extension, right? Yeah, let's go. Let's start making up trades with him. Coke Presti on the phone. Coke Presti's like, hello?
00:30:41 Speaker_06
What's the Scarface thing where you're like, ah!
00:30:46 Speaker_05
Tony. But I actually think they're gonna go be more entertaining, would be my pick for them. I like their team. I thought, you know, they won 48 and 46 the last two years. I don't know why they would go backwards.
00:30:57 Speaker_07
Also pretty fun arena, and when it's close games, it gets pretty well played.
00:31:01 Speaker_05
Yeah, from a League Pass standpoint, a lot of good stuff from that. Like, I like Light the Beam, I like their fans, their games always have a good atmosphere. So, strong pick. I'm taking the Celtics 8. This sucks.
00:31:14 Speaker_07
You're picking your own team? Well, they're really fun to watch. They shoot a shitload of threes, they have two of the best— Can I tell you on behalf of our nation, who all love you and love your podcasting, they're not that fun to watch.
00:31:25 Speaker_05
They're fun to watch.
00:31:26 Speaker_07
They have some of the best parts of the week. Show of hands, does anybody find the fucking Celtics fun to watch? They're like in the middle of my ranking. Okay.
00:31:32 Speaker_02
Yeah. Well, here's my question.
00:31:33 Speaker_05
It's my pick.
00:31:36 Speaker_02
Is there anything left to discover that we don't know?
00:31:39 Speaker_05
Yeah, so here, so I'm gonna make the case. Oh, Christ, you had to ask this? I think there's a chance. My fingers crossed. Sometimes when a team wins the title, the next year they come back. and they actually go up a level.
00:31:50 Speaker_05
Like, and Steve Kurtz talked about this, because I remember talking to him about this in my book. There's a weird confidence that comes into play, and I felt like they had that in that Knicks game, so I'm intrigued by how hard they go this season.
00:32:03 Speaker_05
I think they're gonna have a lot of blowout wins. I think Tatum is really motivated. Is a lot of blowout wins good for league pass? It's good for you. Yeah, that's fair. That's fair. But it's interesting to watch these teams try to figure out.
00:32:18 Speaker_05
They're just bouncing around the schedule. Every team has these weaknesses. And then they come in and the Celtics have 43s in the first half. These teams, they almost don't know.
00:32:27 Speaker_05
It's almost like in football when you play those teams that are just throwing it every down. You're just like, what's happening? No other team plays like this. I don't know. There's a vibe. I think the atmosphere is good. I like the announcers.
00:32:38 Speaker_05
And I don't know. I just think they're really good to watch.
00:32:41 Speaker_07
I'm more interested in them for non-basketball reasons. I'm interested in them for Missoula post-game quotes. Absolutely. I'm interested in them for who's the worst person they could possibly be sold to who will bankrupt the team.
00:32:55 Speaker_05
That is a conversation topic right now in Southeast Asia.
00:32:58 Speaker_02
Six months you're going to be on here defending sovereign wealth funds.
00:33:01 Speaker_01
Yeah, you're like, look Abu Dhabi, you take the phone call. You can't judge. Shouts to MBS. But no, I actually... On our show yesterday, I think the Celtics could win 70 games this year. I really do.
00:33:16 Speaker_01
I think there's enough fuck you factor to Tatum with the Olympics, Brown with the Olympics, Joe Mizzoula, who nobody respects still, even though he just won a championship.
00:33:26 Speaker_01
I think legitimately these guys, you know this like nobody believed in us and nobody respects us, like Jordan just completely made it up out of thin air, wasn't true. With the Celtics, it's true.
00:33:36 Speaker_01
Like, they've been legitimately disrespected, especially on an individual level. So I could see them chasing 70 wins or even trying to break the record, and they got the talent, they got the continuity to do it.
00:33:48 Speaker_01
I really do see them as like a 2016 Warriors type.
00:33:52 Speaker_02
Yeah, if they hit that streak in the middle of the season where it's like the heat when they were on their run, or even the Rockets, where it's like 18 regular season wins in a row, like, we're locked in for 19.
00:34:01 Speaker_02
Like, we want to see if they can pull that kind of stuff off.
00:34:03 Speaker_05
One thing, I forgot to mention this in my League Pass case, they've mastered the regular season, I think out of all the teams, where they'll just rest one guy, and then it'll be like, Sam Hazzard, it's your night. So this is, but this is cool, right?
00:34:14 Speaker_05
Yeah, it's cool in the Celtics. Here you go. No, but they, They have an infrastructure where they fit these people in and they actually make sense in the game. Versus like, oh, Embiid's playing.
00:34:24 Speaker_05
Well, there's no reason Rikki Council can't be getting blooded by the, you know, Nick Nurse. It's just all part of the plan. But I like as a fan, it's like, oh, it's gonna be a Peyton Pritchard, let's call him loose game. Anyway, see how you're up.
00:34:37 Speaker_07
For pure aesthetic reasons, and we were talking a little bit about, like, everybody wants to push the ball, nobody pushes the ball like the Pacers. So I'm gonna go with them.
00:34:47 Speaker_07
Matherin's back, which is, you know, the kind of thing you say on a podcast, but I actually love Benedict Matherin. He brings a little bit of that crazy fuck-you energy to the games.
00:34:56 Speaker_07
Halliburton presumably does not have a hamstring injury right now, and they're just a really exciting team.
00:35:01 Speaker_05
Is he gonna be good again, or are we just, that's never happening?
00:35:03 Speaker_07
It comes just in variety. They just went to the conference finals. Yeah, but that was kind of like a fluky Blazers.
00:35:09 Speaker_02
There's some flukes involved, but he was still good. Like their offense was still good. Yeah, and he's driving their offense.
00:35:15 Speaker_01
So... Is he gonna be good again though? When we saw him at in-season tournament, like he was... He was MVP level, right?
00:35:25 Speaker_01
And that's when I was really like, when I saw it in person, I was like, damn, like that's when I really joined the Halliburton train.
00:35:31 Speaker_01
But ever since he came back from that injury, he has not been that dude that was like doing the Dame time to Milwaukee and like showing everybody up and just destroying people. So I think, but I think the level that he got,
00:35:44 Speaker_01
In certain games against the Knicks, he's still a high-quality, all-star level guy. He hasn't been MVP level like he was very early on.
00:35:53 Speaker_05
His first two months, he was one of the four best guys in the league last year. It was crazy. Even yesterday, I was watching Mather and had a look in his eye like, I'm here, guys. I was the missing piece last year. He's a very confident player.
00:36:06 Speaker_05
Clear out for me. He really is.
00:36:07 Speaker_07
There was a video over the summer of him like dominating Carmelo's son and like talking shit to him. I was like, this is the sicko stuff that I love is when NBA players like, I'm not even gonna let you get like an Instagram reel off me.
00:36:20 Speaker_01
He's one of those guys who takes, you know, he takes the- I know, he's Gilbert Arena's kid. He takes the challenge of being, like, really good seriously.
00:36:28 Speaker_01
He dealt with a lot of nagging injuries last year, but, you know, a lot of times these guys be thinking the second year is gonna happen, and then it doesn't.
00:36:35 Speaker_01
Then, you know, ultimately the third year becomes the year that they take that proverbial leap.
00:36:40 Speaker_02
They have so many young guys. It's like, is Matherin gonna pop? Is Nembhard gonna take a step forward? Is Jairus Walker gonna give them anything? Like, I want to see what all those guys can do. Or is Jairus Walker a bust?
00:36:49 Speaker_05
What's going on with him? Two other things with them. They're a good opponent. They bring out really fun games from the other team, and I like their home court.
00:36:58 Speaker_05
Like for League Pass, it's just fun to watch games there where the fans seem really close to the court.
00:37:03 Speaker_07
It's like the only thing, it's like the field house. It's like almost like this throwback thing. And so it also goes along with like McConnell pressing guys for the entire full court. It's like, it's just, they're fun games to watch.
00:37:14 Speaker_07
Fun timeout stuff too with them.
00:37:15 Speaker_05
It's like, Pacer fans, let's honor Bob from Bob's Hardware Store. Available for 60 years, selling the best hardware in Gary, Indiana.
00:37:26 Speaker_01
Bill, your Heartland voice is perfect. Thank you.
00:37:29 Speaker_05
Appreciate it. All right, you're up, Wes.
00:37:32 Speaker_01
I can't believe they've lasted this long. It's Luka Doncic, the favorite to win the MVP, the Dallas Mavericks. I just... I think Dallas is going back to the finals. I think Luke is going to win the MVP.
00:37:47 Speaker_01
I think they've constructed an even better roster around him this year, around the edges. Klay Thompson is one thing, Najee Marshall is another, but I think also just going that far in the playoffs and learning what it takes to actually win.
00:38:01 Speaker_01
you know, at that level. I think Dallas is going to level up this season. And, you know, I'm excited about Derek Lively. I think I'm over the moon for him in terms of his potential. And I just, you know, and the Kyrie thing, of course, is fun.
00:38:15 Speaker_01
You know, the twisty layups and the handle and all of that stuff every single game. But really, it's Luka, who, you know, I was joking to Rob the other day, like, my first next LeBron was Giannis, then it was Jokic, now it's Luka.
00:38:28 Speaker_01
I really do think Luka Is the next LeBron in his poise to, like, really make this thing happen? I have nothing to add.
00:38:36 Speaker_02
I think there are guys… Look, there's some people who I think are turned off by Luka's style. Like, how much he has the ball in his hands, how much he creates. I am turned off by Luka's style. A little bit. I can't connect with that.
00:38:46 Speaker_02
I think in part, for me, it's like, the longer his possessions go, the more dramatic they feel. Like, his passes are so exceptional that I'm just, like, waiting to see how he gets himself out of the straitjacket.
00:38:56 Speaker_07
I think it's awesome in the playoffs. It's a little bit of a tough beat on a Tuesday night.
00:38:59 Speaker_02
I hear you. And that's where you hope that the Kyrie factor, like the space they'll have with Klay, everything lively is going to be popping off this season. That stuff will help.
00:39:07 Speaker_05
It's a tough beat for P.J. Washington, year two, now that it's not a new team anymore. Yeah. It's like, oof, six months, I'm going to just be in the left corner. Hope that I get passed. So are you kind of like completely neutral on this team?
00:39:21 Speaker_05
I don't know. Listen, I've talked about it before. I don't love the heliocentric. Yeah. Harden to me is like my idea of hell to watch. I didn't go last night.
00:39:30 Speaker_05
Granted, I was sick last night, but I just don't want to drive 45 minutes to watch James Harden have the ball for Two hours straight. It just sounds horrible. Nothing against him. Some people like it. I just, that's not what I like.
00:39:42 Speaker_01
No, absolutely nothing against him.
00:39:43 Speaker_05
No, I just don't like that style of basketball, but Rob makes a good point. Like, other people see it as like, this is amazing to watch this person solve all these machinations off this same thing over and over again. I just don't personally like it.
00:39:56 Speaker_07
They've made a lot of advances at the Intuit Dome. It's like a new experience. I would love it if James Harden got a notification every time you're coming. So he's like, 23 seconds at the top of the key.
00:40:08 Speaker_07
The lunging into people, I just— Bill got up to go to the bathroom, I could pass him. Every time Bill goes to the bathroom, Harden's like, alright, I'll sit now. When he comes back, let me know and I'll dribble for a while.
00:40:19 Speaker_02
Who do you have? This team would have been very high for me, except for opening night. I'm gonna take the New York Knicks. A lot to figure out.
00:40:28 Speaker_01
Yeah.
00:40:29 Speaker_02
I think the fact that they don't have a bench makes them a better regular season team in some ways. I'm not going to get a lot of bad minutes from guys who can't play.
00:40:37 Speaker_02
I think we're going to find out pretty quickly if Dadier can be literally anything for them, if Campagne can be literally anything for them. But Jalen Brunson has to play huge minutes. Their best players have to play huge minutes every night.
00:40:49 Speaker_02
And so it's almost the Knicks are the opposite of the Sixers problem, where their best guys are going to be out there. Like, they're going to run themselves into the ground to try to get this thing through, and I want to be there to watch it.
00:40:59 Speaker_02
And I want to see if they can solve some of the clutter that they had on opening night, for sure.
00:41:03 Speaker_05
I agree with Rob.
00:41:04 Speaker_02
I want to watch just to watch Mikkelberg just shoot.
00:41:07 Speaker_07
It's like, it really should be a sixer with that shot. His last three was good, though. Okay, you know— That's one looks smooth. It was looking pretty gamey for the last couple of weeks. Waz, where'd you stand on Bodega Cat?
00:41:22 Speaker_01
Look, my thing is the same. I like that he's the seventh most important voice in the room. That he's coming into a situation where, like, nobody's ever called you the savior of the Knicks. You've never been the golden boy here.
00:41:34 Speaker_01
You're coming here and people are looking at you like, you gotta assimilate to this culture. I love that aspect of it. He's not being asked to lead anybody, because let's face it, he couldn't do that. But, like, I think he's old enough
00:41:48 Speaker_01
And I don't want to say wise enough, but like, I think he'll get the hint that he has to conform to what they're trying to do. And I would hope that it's impressed upon him the sort of magnitude of what they're trying to accomplish there.
00:42:02 Speaker_01
Like, what it would mean to the people in New York, the fans of that team, for them to actually live up to the expectations. Like, you know, Jalen Brunson so obviously gets it, like,
00:42:13 Speaker_01
truly gets it, like what this Nick thing is, I just hope that Karl Towns gets to that point. I think if he does, he's gonna learn how to be additive to what they're doing.
00:42:22 Speaker_01
I don't think he's gonna be Wilt Chamberlain or anything stupid like that, but I think he can be very complimentary to Jalen Brunson, what he's trying to do in the in-between game, and I think he could be, obviously, way better than Julius Randle.
00:42:36 Speaker_01
So, like, yeah, that's where I'm at with Kat.
00:42:39 Speaker_05
I thought Brunson looked pretty good in the first game, considering he was still covered in Dante DiVincenzo's blood. After the ruthless trading of his college buddy. Oh my god, would I ever trade Joe House? It's like, sorry House.
00:42:58 Speaker_05
If we had a chance to get so-and-so, you're now working over there. Sorry, buddy. We're still gonna hang out, right?
00:43:05 Speaker_06
This was fucked up! Can you imagine if I was just like screaming at Cerruti, like, this is what happens when they let you run things, Cerruti! We have to talk about the magic before the Sixers!
00:43:16 Speaker_05
Oh my goodness. Well, this draft has been too predictable and I'm about to uproot it. And it's genuine too, because I love this team and I almost picked them four picks ago. They were on the big screen last night for me.
00:43:29 Speaker_05
There's a lot to love the Atlanta Hawks. Wow. I have their over, 36 and a half. I like watching them. Trey is just like, thank God DeJounte Murray's not here anymore. Yeah, the vibe change was crazy. Incredible vibe change, lobs galore.
00:43:46 Speaker_05
Um, multiple six, nine, six, 10 skinny guy. You can, you have to really look, you can almost not tell them apart to bet. You have to like, I'm still getting used to like, Oh, is that no, that's Johnson.
00:43:57 Speaker_05
That's um, and they all like, it's just like interchangeable length and weirdness. And I'll be honest, man was I, we haven't talked about this. I have property on Richechet Island.
00:44:10 Speaker_01
I'm fucking in on Richechet.
00:44:12 Speaker_05
Like, I'm legit in on him. I like that guy. I liked him in the preseason. Listen, it was not expensive.
00:44:18 Speaker_01
Is there a vineyard attack?
00:44:19 Speaker_05
Expectations were down. I like that guy. I like how even his box score last night didn't really show what he was doing, which was he fucking hustles.
00:44:29 Speaker_01
Can I read you the ESPN headline here? What is it? It says, number one pick, Richechet, opens with three, goes two for eight. Mr. Lamp in traffic. That's clickbait right there.
00:44:40 Speaker_05
I thought he was good, I think he hustles, and he makes sense to me as somebody who will be a valuable person on a really good NBA team. And they have him, and they have Dyson Daniels, and they have Johnson, they're just weird.
00:44:51 Speaker_05
They're fun to play, they have two big guys, the Congo came in, Bogdanovich comes in and just takes over the offense for six.
00:44:57 Speaker_07
I think they're pretty good, I gotta say. It's a good question when you say, like, you know you have league pass when... Dyson Daniels is trending on your 4U, whereas Dyson Daniels is locking guys up.
00:45:10 Speaker_02
Alcatraz, let's go! Well, last night he was almost murdered in real time by Nick Claxton.
00:45:15 Speaker_05
Nick Claxton was trying to get suspended for the season, so he doesn't have to play with Cam Thomas anymore. Who can blame him? Yeah, he was like, this is my one shot to get out of here. That game was super fun. There was almost two fights.
00:45:27 Speaker_05
It got super feisty. It was close to the end. Atlanta's also not good enough to close games, which is great for league pass. They're up like by eight with a minute left somehow. Brooklyn had a chance at the end. Thumbs up.
00:45:39 Speaker_05
I like, that team is like, seems like a 43-win team to me.
00:45:42 Speaker_01
Yeah, I'm a Jalen Johnson believer. I really love his just, his package of both, you know, physical gifts, but like he has a nose for the game. Like he has genuine feel. He's not just like out there some robotic athletic guy. I like that.
00:45:58 Speaker_01
And I think, like you guys said, the DeJounte Murray thing was a clarifying trait. Like the team now has an obvious focal point, and it's more organized instead of the sort of your turn, my turn nature that they were doing last year.
00:46:13 Speaker_01
And for League Pass purposes, Trae Young is going to get on people's nerves, and that's always fun. And he's going to make a point of it. Plus, He went to Istanbul, y'all. I seen him. I see the new beard. We know what's going on with that.
00:46:27 Speaker_01
So we can't put that past him.
00:46:30 Speaker_07
He was like, give me the Antonio Conte.
00:46:34 Speaker_02
You had me at, they could be fun to watch. You lost me at 43 wins. Like, this team is not winning that many games.
00:46:40 Speaker_05
Well, that would be like six over the over-under. I think they can get to like 43 and 39 because it looks like Miami might be worse than we thought. Or they got Magic. Did you see all those sucky Eastern Conference teams yesterday? It's brutal.
00:46:57 Speaker_05
Somebody is gonna have to win 43 games that we don't, like could it be Charlotte? I don't know.
00:47:01 Speaker_01
I think the Hawks are like way better than, you know, Washington and Chicago. Detroit, they're way better than that group. But I don't know that they're that close to the Miamis and the Indies and, you know. I think there's a level below.
00:47:18 Speaker_05
that somebody's gonna be in and I would, it's either them or Miami.
00:47:21 Speaker_02
You could step on rakes all season and make the East play in, so like I'm not ruling out that they could be there.
00:47:25 Speaker_07
Yeah, it's like there's gonna be a Bulls-Hawks kind of like race to the bottom there.
00:47:30 Speaker_05
I kind of like their team, man. If Rhys Ashae turns out to be good right away, which I think there's a chance he's a little bit impactful, I don't know. Watch out for them. Alright, CR, we gotta move faster.
00:47:42 Speaker_07
Okay, I'm gonna go with the Rockets. There's very few teams who market themselves as tough, so it's kind of fun to watch them on any given night get into people's shit.
00:47:52 Speaker_07
It's more of a preseason thing, but the Reed Shepard experience so far has been delightful. He didn't get as much of a look last night, but Sang-hoon did, and basically did baby Jokic all night. And I still have. And they lost, by the way.
00:48:03 Speaker_07
And they lost, I know, which is kind of the fun part is because there isn't like the Boston thing where you're like, can you win 70, though?
00:48:10 Speaker_07
It's like, no, are these guys going to actually pick a rotation, pick an identity, pick a sort of hierarchy, and are they going to play tough every night, which I think they will.
00:48:20 Speaker_07
This is very foreign for me because I usually traditionally do not like the Rockets, but this is a collection of guys that I like and a collection of guys that I hate watch.
00:48:28 Speaker_05
I watched a lot of them last night, same thing. And I don't think they have any idea what their rotation is. They played their top five a lot. Whitmore barely played. But he played, which I thought was a pleasant surprise.
00:48:42 Speaker_05
Right, so he tried to play 10, and then... Shepard, it's just he just seemed tiny to me. Yeah, like people were talking about him.
00:48:49 Speaker_01
They got smoked as soon as he came in. I'm feeling re-Shepard.
00:48:52 Speaker_05
No, I'm in too, but it was like, oh, this guy's little.
00:48:54 Speaker_07
I think once it slows down a little bit, but like the preseason it was like, is this Pete Maravich? And now it's like, oh, this guy's little.
00:49:01 Speaker_02
Like, they're gonna hunt him on defense. Yeah, yeah. Well, in the holy war that is developing, Chris, do you identify more as a Shane Goon guy or a Jalen Green guy?
00:49:08 Speaker_07
I think I really way preferred watching them on that run they went in after Shang-Goon, but they are aesthetically way more pleasing to watch with Shang-Goon.
00:49:17 Speaker_05
Isn't the question, are you a Shang-Goon guy or a Jabari Smith guy? Because that seems to be the fundamental... Like Jabari was invisible last night.
00:49:25 Speaker_05
And I thought what made them special was him as the stretch five, like in that kind of pseudo Towns role. And then that opened up the paint.
00:49:32 Speaker_01
If he's not playing five, he has to like apply some basketball-like feel. And that's not what he does. Where do you think Miami is going to play him? When they trade for Jimmy Butler.
00:49:44 Speaker_07
This is the thing is that I feel like Houston, even though they haven't really proved anything, are almost at a point where they have to do some subtraction.
00:49:50 Speaker_05
You know what I mean? I did this in part one of the pod. I think it's a three-for-one trade team, and I don't know what the trade was. Could it be Jimmy Butler? Could it be somebody on that level where they just kind of cash in?
00:50:03 Speaker_05
Because I think they have too many guys.
00:50:04 Speaker_02
They have like six players who could have, could deservingly play 10 more minutes a game than they will probably.
00:50:09 Speaker_05
Well, and also Thompson seems like he might actually be special.
00:50:12 Speaker_02
He's really, he looks really good.
00:50:14 Speaker_05
He's almost like I can't keep him off the court guy. So I don't know what that means either.
00:50:18 Speaker_02
He's maybe the biggest quirk in the Shangoon part of that, because like playing Jabari at the five is the clearest way to make Ahmed Thompson really, really good really, really quickly, or at least give him lots of opportunities.
00:50:27 Speaker_02
And maybe it's like a first line, second line thing where the second unit is the time where he gets to cook.
00:50:32 Speaker_05
Like I floated this in part one. Brooks, Adams expiring and Thompson for Jimmy Butler is like a really interesting who says no. And I don't know if I would do that if I was Houston.
00:50:44 Speaker_05
I think I would rather, because I don't think that guarantees me round three.
00:50:51 Speaker_01
I think we're in the same phase we've been in the whole time. Alright, what do you got Wes? Man, this is tough. It's not that tough actually. It's the Los Angeles Lakers for me. And the tier that I put them in,
00:51:07 Speaker_01
It's like, you know, Steph, KD, LeBron, like, it's like your favorite bar just announced that they're about to close in a few weeks, so you go for a few last times. You go a couple more times. I gotta steal a glass.
00:51:20 Speaker_01
That's why I'm tuning into the Lakers. Like, LeBron is 40 years old, right? So, like, For that reason alone, and then, Quad has kept the Lakers have been one of the most hilarious teams to watch in the league for like two and a half years now.
00:51:36 Speaker_01
Like a bunch of blown leads like dissing the coach for no reason, both Vogel and Darvin Ham. Even though we lose that element with JJ, the players won't be sniping at him, but the JJ media interactions are gonna be entertaining.
00:51:50 Speaker_05
Would you see his first in-coach interview, in-game coach interview?
00:51:54 Speaker_01
I did not.
00:51:55 Speaker_05
He gave like a minute and a half long answer. It's like, JJ, one sentence is enough. JJ's like, here are the four things I thought went well in the first three quarters.
00:52:03 Speaker_07
Then he did the post-game thing where it was like he had just gotten out of the shower and he was like, I'm writing a letter to the league requesting that we use worn basketballs. I was like, you gotta fucking take it easy, man.
00:52:14 Speaker_05
Like, this is a long year. The Creator, we're watching on TV. I was pretty impressed by him.
00:52:18 Speaker_02
I mean, their team was really good.
00:52:19 Speaker_05
He seemed locked in. He was locked in on the refs. They ran good plays out of timeouts. I thought he handled the Bronny thing as well as you could have possibly handled that situation.
00:52:26 Speaker_07
They did a really good job just being like, we're doing this, we're getting it out of the way.
00:52:29 Speaker_05
Yeah, let's get the fuck out of the way.
00:52:30 Speaker_07
There's not gonna be any LeBron watch.
00:52:31 Speaker_05
They really ran through Davis. Like, they weren't beholden to, alright, LeBron, a tear of all time. And they're using Connect in the right ways. I thought he did a good job. We also, with League Pass standpoint,
00:52:42 Speaker_05
You get the celebrities and the shots during the timeouts and just you get a taste of how fucking weird LA is every time out.
00:52:50 Speaker_02
Do they count as a League Pass team if they're going to be on national TV every day?
00:52:54 Speaker_05
It's an interesting, I honestly don't know. Well, it's a soap opera, because you know they're going to have, they're going to lose three in a row. The first passive-aggressive D'Angelo Russell. Yeah. Oh, he's available. That's going to happen.
00:53:04 Speaker_07
LeBron, first time LeBron's like, I just work here, you know.
00:53:06 Speaker_05
Yeah, yeah, yeah. I don't know why I only took eight shots. You have to ask JJ. Yeah. Yeah. So we'll have all the rollercoaster ride of that stuff. I love that stuff. Who do you have, Mahoney?
00:53:15 Speaker_02
Easy one for you, Memphis Grizzlies. Love watching John Murray play basketball. I'm a simple man, simple pleasures. He does incredible shit.
00:53:23 Speaker_01
Down the stretch last night was nice.
00:53:26 Speaker_02
The up-and-unders, the dunk attempts, the way to intercept fields out of midair. Who the fuck was the white guy? Which guy?
00:53:31 Speaker_05
Huff. Where'd he come from? Cover basketball for a living. I was like, who's this? And he was on two teams the last two years, but never really played.
00:53:40 Speaker_02
He was in crunch time. Huge Santiago game, too.
00:53:44 Speaker_05
I know we're locked in on that, Waz, of course. Huff, you could have told me 30 countries, and I would have believed any of them. But I think he's from here. Yeah, I'm with the job parts.
00:53:56 Speaker_05
Fun to see how it's gonna play out, whether he can get to where he needs to go.
00:54:00 Speaker_01
Scotty Pippen Jr. 22 minutes last night. He's legit. I think he's a legit backer.
00:54:06 Speaker_02
He's a legit guy. I really like a lot of their players, and especially once Gigi Jackson and Vince Williams get back. Probably gonna have a little bit less Jay Huff though.
00:54:18 Speaker_05
I wish he didn't have a first name. I just think he should go Huff. Huff Jersey. Huff. Marcus Smart looked a little doughy to me. Just gonna mention that. I don't know if it's age or what.
00:54:29 Speaker_01
He looked so swole. Is Marcus Martin not gonna be in the Celtics ring of honor? Oh, yeah, you guys are not gonna retire, retire his number? No. You guys are gonna, is he, is he gonna get like- We all have a lot of affection for Marcus.
00:54:43 Speaker_05
I just thought he looked big. Like he put on like weight. I'm not saying look fat. I'm saying he looked like- Oh, I celebrate that Celtics title.
00:54:50 Speaker_02
Muscle. Also Memphis barbecue not to be trifled with. Let's all be honest about it.
00:54:54 Speaker_05
I like him a little leaner. I'll make this quick. I'm taking Denver cause of Jokic.
00:54:59 Speaker_02
Yeah, that's easy.
00:55:00 Speaker_05
We don't need to discuss them. Although it is fun to watch whatever the hell's gonna happen with their bench and see if they can figure out whether they can find eight guys who can play consistently.
00:55:10 Speaker_05
But Jokic, this will make me mad this year that his team around him isn't better because you have this incredible asset.
00:55:20 Speaker_05
and he has no bench, and they were trying to do the thing where they were much smarter than everybody, and we're going young in length, and it's like, you know what helps? Some fucking players that could come in and play well for 15 minutes.
00:55:30 Speaker_01
Can you just find a couple of those? The thing about Jokic too, like he doesn't, he doesn't strike me as a guy who's like reading the press clippings and is like, oh Denver's gonna stink this year. He doesn't care.
00:55:41 Speaker_01
He's just gonna go out and do what he does. He's like, people write about this? You guys like this?
00:55:47 Speaker_02
Yeah. I just have a bad feeling we may get to the point in January where it's like the Fakku Compasso Nuggets vibes. It's like, why is this guy out there? Why is this guy in the rotation?
00:55:57 Speaker_07
The Michael Malone, like, performance art of, like, refusing to play anybody under the age of 26.
00:56:01 Speaker_02
Julius Strother, Hunter Tyson, like, let one of these guys play.
00:56:05 Speaker_05
Yeah, it could be like an amazing yoga chair where he's just like, all right, get on my back, everybody. I'm just gonna make chicken salad out of chicken shit again.
00:56:12 Speaker_07
CR, you're up. I'm gonna go Pelicans, aka Philadelphia South. DeJounte, I think he had 10 assists before he fractured his hand last night. Zion Williamson out for- These guys probably should have gone higher.
00:56:24 Speaker_07
Bill Simmons flew, but as far as like watching on League Pass goes, Zion still is one of the top five reasons to watch basketball when he's on and when he's playing. It's just so fucking fun and interesting. They have fun bench guys, too.
00:56:37 Speaker_05
I like Nessie. I like Hawkins. Yeah, Hawkins.
00:56:40 Speaker_07
Trey Murphy, obviously. Is really good. And, yeah, I think when Murray comes back, the fact that they don't have a center might be an issue at some point at this season. Seems like it could, yeah.
00:56:50 Speaker_07
But I love how, like, freestyle it can be and Willie Greene can throw all these different combinations. And if you get Zion out there, it's worth watching alone.
00:56:57 Speaker_01
Plus we're on Brandon Ingram watch. That's right. Yeah, he was good last time.
00:57:00 Speaker_02
Entering year six of it. Yeah.
00:57:02 Speaker_01
No questions. Obviously, he wants a new deal. Good luck. He was so clearly on the trade block this entire summer. Well, shit, last year too. But yeah, I'm interested to see how he responds to that. Could that be a Coke Presti phone call?
00:57:17 Speaker_02
No, no, no. Don't do it.
00:57:20 Speaker_05
Don't do it. I think he's more of somebody's had a chance to compete at a really high level and their best player got hurt or their best scorer got hurt. Or like Sacramento's like, I'm desperate now, let's do something.
00:57:32 Speaker_02
Why would you get Brandon Ingram when you have Damar at home is my problem.
00:57:36 Speaker_05
From a league pass standpoint, I just want to point out the New Orleans is kind of a bummer sometimes. Yes, sometimes there's 14 people. The crowds are awful sometimes where you're just like, Jesus Christ, guys. Like, Minnesota's in town. Yeah.
00:57:48 Speaker_01
Jose Alvarado is a guy that's a soft spot, Christ the King guy, Puerto Rican guy. If you grew up in New York City, you absolutely know a Jose Alvarado. And so, you know, love that guy, root for him.
00:58:00 Speaker_02
What I love about the Pelicans is, we're talking about all these other teams in the sense that like, we're all gonna watch the same version of the Sixers, whether they're healthy or not.
00:58:06 Speaker_02
When you watch the Pelicans, there's like your version of that team within them.
00:58:10 Speaker_02
The five guys that you like playing together, they may not actually get that much time on the floor as one unit, but everyone has their version of that roster that they like. It's just a matter of who's, whether they get enough run or not.
00:58:21 Speaker_05
This is another team that feels like it's not gonna be the same team in February. Like something will be different.
00:58:26 Speaker_02
Something will have gone very wrong if it is.
00:58:28 Speaker_05
All right, we're gonna take one more break and then now we're entering the most exciting part of the podcast. There's only seven rounds and two teams will not get drafted.
00:58:36 Speaker_05
Who are the two teams that are gonna live in ignominy, not getting drafted in the League Pass draft? That's coming up next. This episode is brought to you by Uber Eats.
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00:59:57 Speaker_05
Rob Mahoney is up.
00:59:59 Speaker_02
I feel like we're in a very simple part of the ranking now in the draft. I'm taking the Milwaukee Bucks. They have Giannis on their team. I will watch him play every game that he can play.
01:00:07 Speaker_02
Watch him run through the wall every time he wants to run through the wall. I know they have their issues as a contender, but as a regular season product, Dame and Giannis is pretty great where I stand. Yeah.
01:00:16 Speaker_05
Dame with a summer workout regimen too. Dane, can Dane go from being once a week to twice a week as having good games? Which is, if he does, it's gonna be fun to watch.
01:00:24 Speaker_01
He started off slow and there was little grumblings in the room that we were watching and like, can you believe they gave up Drew Holiday for this? And then he drained like four threes in a row from 30 feet away.
01:00:36 Speaker_02
It's like, oh, that's why they traded. Those were also, those were partisan gripes that were being made.
01:00:43 Speaker_05
Yeah, we don't need to do too much on Milwaukee, but the Doc coach interviews are always fun, too. Yeah. Doc, what happened out there? Oh, you tell me. We were terrible. I'm not sure. Apparently we're not playing defense tonight.
01:00:56 Speaker_05
He just doesn't give a shit anymore. So I'm up then? Yeah, who do you think? Alright, I gotta write. I just gotta keep track of this. Okay. Oh man, I really wanna... Do I wanna throw the draft out of whack again? No, I'll take Phoenix. Guess what?
01:01:16 Speaker_05
Kevin Durant, still really fun to watch. I thought it was interesting that they still don't seem like they have chemistry yet.
01:01:26 Speaker_02
A little rough on that end so far.
01:01:28 Speaker_05
Last night, Booker was the one that suffered. But it seems like they can't get all the guys going at the same time. But I like seeing Coach Budd, who just seems like he was on Ozempic or Atkins or something. Or both.
01:01:42 Speaker_05
Kind of the Arizona sun was really getting him. But yeah, Phoenix for me.
01:01:46 Speaker_01
Yeah, I hope that Coach Bud could get them to be more elastic in their games, man. Like, KD, Bradley, Bill are just so used to playing one way. Like, I hope he could coax some elasticity out of them.
01:01:59 Speaker_01
But, you know, yeah, it's still KD when he's just, like, dribbling people at mid-range and just training it. Super fun.
01:02:07 Speaker_07
For my next pick... I'm gonna go to Steph and the Dirty Dozen. Just gotta watch Steph while he's still here. It's just crazy that we get this far in the past. Wow, you sound like you're talking about like grandpa.
01:02:19 Speaker_05
We gotta go visit grandpa while he's still here.
01:02:22 Speaker_07
I honestly weirdly feel like the extended Twilight of LeBron has overshadowed this is probably also the Twilight of Steph. Do you know what I mean? Or has it?
01:02:31 Speaker_05
Because I feel like Steph can play until he's like 48.
01:02:34 Speaker_02
But like literally no guard has ever done this before. Yeah. No one his size has ever played this well this late.
01:02:40 Speaker_07
So they were, I mean, I think, were they the Blazers last night? That was pretty quick. Yeah. And they played like 14 guys.
01:02:45 Speaker_05
But it's a weird... Would you see what Kerr said? What? I mean, he literally did a 12-man rotation and talked about it after. He's like, I just wanted to see if we could figure this out.
01:02:55 Speaker_02
I mean, how did you feel about that as someone who watched Jason Tatum's next shot? It's an absolute violation.
01:03:01 Speaker_05
Yeah, especially at the Olympics, but no, I just don't think... I think you play 12 guys during a season, but during an actual game, it makes no sense. You play basketball. Occasionally, yeah. Because you're just not playing enough. It's stupid.
01:03:13 Speaker_05
I don't get it.
01:03:14 Speaker_07
As an experiment, I think it's interesting. But yeah, I'll go with Warriors.
01:03:19 Speaker_05
No, I think Curry has to be—he can't be in the bottom 10 of a draft. No.
01:03:25 Speaker_01
Uh, my team is Charlotte. God damn it. That was the one I almost took two spots against. Yeah, Charlotte and, you know, Brandon Miller I feel very heavily invested in. Um, I watched him play two games in the SEC tournament. There you go.
01:03:37 Speaker_01
Declared him the rightful number two pick in the draft. Seed investor, yeah. And I've just been holding on ever since, um, when I put my scout hat on. But no, like, I just really love
01:03:48 Speaker_01
His, you know, his like fake Paul George routine that he's doing, um, especially early on in his career.
01:03:54 Speaker_02
Aspirational Paul George routine.
01:03:56 Speaker_01
Okay. Aspirational. Oh, I like that. We're reaching for the stars. See, that's why you get paid big bucks, Rob Mahoney. Um, and then of course, LaMelo Ball, man, like he dropped 34 last night. I think it's, you know, everything has come sort of,
01:04:07 Speaker_01
Like, as a given, right? Like, they gave him that big extension just automatically, just as a given. I think it's now finally time for him to actually put this stuff on tape and show, like, why he- You think so? Year five, maybe it's time?
01:04:19 Speaker_01
I think so, yeah.
01:04:20 Speaker_05
I think it's- I thought he was awesome last night. I watched that whole game. That was one of the three TVs. So Verno talked about this on the mismatch. He sat next to the bench. The Celtics love Charles Lee.
01:04:35 Speaker_05
And this was, I thought, the hardest over-under for me because it was 29. I really liked the over. I also don't know what incentive they have to be like, we made the play-in. But you watch them last night, and it's just they're a good team.
01:04:47 Speaker_05
Like, I mean a good, bad team. But they had, you know, they have Curry, they have Grant Williams, Miles Bridges, they have rebounding, and Lamella was awesome. And then out of nowhere, Trey Mann.
01:04:58 Speaker_02
I know. He can hoop.
01:04:59 Speaker_05
If they can say mildly healthy, I think it's gonna be good. But I think the team I watched last night, was well coached, they had a specific style, they had an identity, they were tough, they were like walking around with their chests out.
01:05:13 Speaker_05
And I was like, oh, this is, I might've bet on them too. So I'm just enjoying that part. But I think for the first month, they're a team to kind of watch as a frisky, dangerous, oh my God, Charlotte beat Cleveland in Cleveland last night.
01:05:29 Speaker_05
I do think they might be one of those teams.
01:05:31 Speaker_02
They're not as good as the Pacers, but they play a similar up-tempo style. Lamello has a similar kinetic energy to him that's really watchable. And when he's healthy, they win a lot of games. So I hope he can be healthy.
01:05:41 Speaker_05
And he puts up big stats.
01:05:42 Speaker_02
Puts up big stats. Fun to watch in like a no, no, no, yes kind of way. Like the step backs.
01:05:47 Speaker_05
The killer he shot, he took like a 30-footer to close the game yesterday.
01:05:50 Speaker_02
There you go. That's what you need on a league pass like Thursday, like Tuesday night, I guess I should say.
01:05:54 Speaker_05
I thought that team, and we haven't talked about Detroit yet, but same thing where They just seemed like they weren't rudderless anymore. Detroit seemed more professional to me. It wasn't Monty Williams benching Jaden Ivey for some reason.
01:06:06 Speaker_05
No, it's like, what's going on here? It's like, all right, they have Malik Beasley, but at least he's an adult. Yeah. You know, anyway. All right. What do you have, Rob?
01:06:12 Speaker_02
This is where I feel like there's a chasm. Yeah. Like the Charlotte was kind of the embankment for me. Couldn't agree more. Yeah. There's a drop. I am going to take the Pistons here. I just, I want it to be true so bad. I want them to be fun and watchable.
01:06:26 Speaker_02
I'm not even hoping for good yet. Just, can they be an entertaining basketball product? Because they have a really exciting playmaker in Cade Cunningham. They have, in theory, better spacing. I don't know that those guys will actually hit shots.
01:06:38 Speaker_02
Like, I see a lot of, like, one for seven.
01:06:40 Speaker_01
They're going to take them. They will take Tim Hardaway Jr.
01:06:42 Speaker_02
And that's the thing, like, is Tobias Harris enough of a shooter that people will kind of guard him in ways that they wouldn't guard Pistons of seasons past? And if so, I think the Pistons are going to be at least watchable.
01:06:53 Speaker_05
He's a better shooter than the Beef Stew. I thought they were watchable last night.
01:06:55 Speaker_07
I mean, we, it seems like we cannot possibly overestimate how bad Monti was for that team. How bad the Monti Williams experience was.
01:07:02 Speaker_07
I mean, Jaden Ivey was one of my favorite guys coming out of college that year, so it's really exciting to see him score 17.
01:07:06 Speaker_01
It's almost like you shouldn't beg a guy to coach your team, or GM your team, like the Knicks did Phil Jackson.
01:07:14 Speaker_02
He was supposed to professionalize them, and for all their flaws last night, they still couldn't close it. They did look more professional.
01:07:20 Speaker_05
New hair for Cage. He's like, I'm a new man, new team. I took note of that. In the Trey Young sense of New Year? New hair. I took a... Beef stew is out there. Yeah. Always enjoyed him. Yeah, they're interesting.
01:07:35 Speaker_05
It's either going to be Charlotte or Detroit for that 10th play-in spot. And we'll see who gives a shit more about the season. Wow, this is getting dark. Man, I really want to take Brooklyn here, but I'm not going to. I know that's stupid.
01:07:49 Speaker_05
Why would you want to? There's no way. What is the urge you're feeling to take Brooklyn? Maybe I'll take them with my last pick. Utah, I have no, they have to be the next pick. I have no idea what they want to be.
01:08:03 Speaker_05
I assume they don't want to win and they're just stockpiling picks. But you watch them last night, especially when in crunch time and it's like,
01:08:13 Speaker_05
These guys are pretty good, like they're well coached, they have a score at the end of games, they have rim protection, they have guards that can go by people, they seem like they're trying on defense, and they're just gonna be a lot of fun West Coast games, so.
01:08:27 Speaker_07
I feel like I'm not gonna, I won't get fooled again with the Jazz. Because they know what's gonna happen, which is at the trade deadline or right afterwards.
01:08:34 Speaker_05
The 22 and 21 record to start.
01:08:36 Speaker_07
Ainge is gonna come make the phone call, and it's like, look, we need to get in the Cooper flag business. Stop fucking winning these games.
01:08:42 Speaker_05
Well, the guy to trade is Kessler then, if they're gonna do that, because he's... You think so? Well, just like, you want to start weakening your team with like, let's get rid of our shop blocking.
01:08:51 Speaker_01
Or you can... They're not gonna trade Barkan, and they're not allowed to. Or you can continue to empower Keontae George to take 18 shots and Colin Sexton to take eight. That's one way to ensure that you get the number one pick.
01:09:03 Speaker_05
I like the 12 guys you probably wouldn't want to play with if you were like a swingman.
01:09:08 Speaker_02
Oh, I think I think Sexton's a guy that contenders should call about.
01:09:12 Speaker_01
He's not as he's not as ball hoggy as he used to be when Kev Love was like beaming him in the back of the head.
01:09:17 Speaker_02
Honestly, I think he's been a Boy Scout over there. Yeah, I think he's really turned his career around.
01:09:20 Speaker_01
And I want to say, I hope by the deadline that he's able to go to a contender that needs like some scoring pop, some ball handling. I'd like to see him get out of Utah. He's a sixth man, I don't think. Yeah, yeah, yeah.
01:09:30 Speaker_02
That's what he's not a... Or the point guard on a team that has like, like we were talking about him for the magic, like wing playmaking that needs maybe an alternative look at a scoring guard, like he could make sense for a team like that.
01:09:39 Speaker_05
Well, I don't know if you noticed during the Nets game, Dennis Schroeder was actually wearing an Orlando Magic jersey with the Brooklyn logo taped over it, just praying for them to trade for him. Alright, CR, I think this is it.
01:09:51 Speaker_05
We only have six teams left. Oh, okay. This is our last round. I can't wait to see who doesn't get drafted.
01:09:57 Speaker_07
All right, this is in the spirit of 2012 era real heads kind of league pass like possibly stoned watching on your couch looking for almost abstract art in your basketball. So I'm gonna pick the Blazers.
01:10:13 Speaker_02
Yeah.
01:10:14 Speaker_07
Because Is Scoot high on his couch watching abstract art while he's playing? Who are these guys? Is Denny for real? Like how many centers do they have? Is Klingon gonna be like what he was in the preseason?
01:10:28 Speaker_05
Also, they might go 0-15 to start the season.
01:10:30 Speaker_07
Yeah, how many player pauses is Chauncey Billups gonna do where he's like just being like, I hate all these guys. So I'm excited for the Blazers experience and it's like often the last game ending on the West Coast.
01:10:42 Speaker_07
So it's kind of fun to just be like, yeah, it's just me and seven other dudes watching this Blazers-Kings game.
01:10:49 Speaker_05
Chauncey's agent's like, yo, if you can get out of your contract right now, NBC and Amazon are looking for guys. You gotta get out now.
01:10:58 Speaker_01
So I'd play, scoot, 48 minutes a game and just tell them to clear out. I'm a big Anthony Simons guy, so I'll always enjoy those minutes, particularly on this team. Dominating, just being happy to be wildly overpaid.
01:11:12 Speaker_05
I think you have to pick one complete shit team and it's yeah, I have a different shit team, but Simons I think is another fun contender piece. Yeah, I'd like to see him on Orlando. I don't know if they need somebody like that. Yeah.
01:11:31 Speaker_05
Alright, Wild City, yeah.
01:11:33 Speaker_01
Um, we disrespected this team by not picking them. I'm picking a Miami Heat. Like, come on, man. Jimmy Butler is bam. Jaime Jaquez, you know. Don't you feel like this is like season 11 of this TV show? I know, yeah. It's like Virgin River's still on.
01:11:47 Speaker_01
It's Grey's Anatomy at this point. I get it. But, um, I'm going to watch them when they're on, right? Especially over the teams that are left on this list. So yeah, Miami, you know, they're going to be well coached, if not very fun.
01:12:00 Speaker_01
And yeah, I can't in good conscience pick any of these other teams left.
01:12:05 Speaker_02
That's the thing. The alternatives are very, very bleak. So thank you for that. I appreciate it, Walsh.
01:12:10 Speaker_05
It's fair, and they'll get going at some point, but probably my least favorite stadium announcer timeout situation of the crowd.
01:12:19 Speaker_01
People showing up at 8.25. You don't want to pop that off?
01:12:24 Speaker_02
No.
01:12:25 Speaker_05
The heat culture, it's like an infomercial. It's not a very fun experience. It's fun to have them on a small TV with no sound. Rob, who do you have?
01:12:34 Speaker_02
I feel terrible about all these teams. I will take by default the Toronto Raptors.
01:12:39 Speaker_07
Oh, interesting.
01:12:40 Speaker_02
The RJ Baird renaissance is upon us, my friends. I'm eager for him to get back, back in the mix. I think it's like week to week right now, which is not what you want to hear coming into the season, but I identify as an Emmanuel Quickly guy.
01:12:52 Speaker_02
I love watching him with a little more room to work. I think we're all eager to see what Scottie Barnes can become.
01:12:58 Speaker_01
Are you one of those hipsters who thinks Scottie Barnes is like the prototypical NBA player?
01:13:03 Speaker_02
I'm not. Okay. But I'm invested. I'm invested in the greater project. Got you. I don't want to watch them at all.
01:13:12 Speaker_07
So this is the Mr. Irrelevant pick you've got here.
01:13:15 Speaker_05
You're telling me you would take Brooklyn over this? Here's the thing. I fucked up. We skipped a Waz pick. I'm going to blame the fact that I'm still on cold medication. We skipped a Waz pick.
01:13:27 Speaker_05
CR took New Orleans, it skipped to Rob who took Milwaukee and I took Phoenix. So Waz, I'm sorry, I hope you have to take another team. Are we sure we don't want to make fun of Toronto for another second?
01:13:45 Speaker_05
What the- did Masayu Harry, like, he won the title and that he got another job? What's he doing?
01:13:50 Speaker_08
Yeah, I don't know.
01:13:51 Speaker_01
But I think he got equity in the team, so like- But why is he then trying to take them?
01:13:55 Speaker_08
He put together a bad team?
01:13:59 Speaker_01
Make them a less valuable property? That's a great question. That is like a brutal team to watch.
01:14:03 Speaker_07
Didn't Jakob Podol say, like, it's not like we're trying to win every game? Like, wasn't that like his quote? I had them in my bottom too.
01:14:10 Speaker_02
Yeah.
01:14:11 Speaker_01
Oh, I think you really underestimate the Wizards. I just don't like watching that team.
01:14:18 Speaker_07
Well, you get to watch them and be like, this is basically like what it was like watching the Knicks five years ago.
01:14:22 Speaker_01
Yeah, that's what it is. I want to see the RJ thing get like, where it goes. I want to watch where that story goes.
01:14:28 Speaker_01
To go from the guy that got picked directly behind Ja and Zion and what those guys have become bonafide All-Stars when Zion plays, well, Ja too, to like RJ who's just like, eh. You know, he was so disappointed in that. Counter. Not that interested.
01:14:44 Speaker_05
Why? There's four teams left. Chicago, Brooklyn, the Clippers, and Washington.
01:14:49 Speaker_01
Those are our big four. I'm picking Chicago just for Kobe White alone. He's one of my favorite guys to watch in the NBA. His elevation of his game from like just this volume sort of shooter guy to like
01:15:02 Speaker_01
Legitimate ball handle turn the corner on guys firing up pull-up threes. He's one of the most fun guys to watch And so I'll be watching for that alone. I don't care about you know the freaking Josh Giddey thing I think he stinks.
01:15:15 Speaker_07
Yeah, but I don't think Giddey and Lonzo were both playing you could have like a pretty fun passing team.
01:15:19 Speaker_01
Yeah Lonzo too. The Lonzo thing's fun.
01:15:21 Speaker_07
I feel like we shorted them a little bit unfairly.
01:15:24 Speaker_02
I don't know. Do you guys think this team is going to be fun to watch?
01:15:27 Speaker_07
Also, four league past Stacey King, Stacey King's a pretty fun announcer to watch, to listen to. So it's good.
01:15:34 Speaker_05
Well, I was hoping they'd still be there, pick 28. Do it. And they are. Do it. The Brooklyn Nets. I was absolutely riveted by them last night. Ben Simmons, who actually looked pretty good,
01:15:51 Speaker_05
I did something on part one about, I think, you know, it's a little showcasing. Nick Claxton was like, I got paid. I also don't want to be here anymore. Maybe I can get ejected right away. The Cam Thomas thing.
01:16:08 Speaker_05
is the funniest league pass sub-pot of the season. Why is this, why do they let him do this? He, this is, this is like the NBA I grew up with in the late 70s where guys were like, I'm coming in and I'm shooting every time. I'm shooting every time.
01:16:22 Speaker_05
He, he might actually lead the league in scoring this year if Lucas decides not to score less. They were fando odds on him. Really? Yeah. He might score 30 points a game. He shoots all the time.
01:16:34 Speaker_07
Who's idea was this?
01:16:35 Speaker_02
Nobody else shoots on this team. Cam Thomas' idea, I can assure you.
01:16:38 Speaker_07
Why is this happening? Like he could literally, he could lead the league in scoring and not make the all-star team. There's zero chance he makes the all-star team.
01:16:46 Speaker_05
Oh, not only will he not make the all-star team, they might just have to send him home so other guys can shoot.
01:16:54 Speaker_07
Isn't this basically like, how many nets have just been like, please get me out of here because of this? Nobody wants to be there.
01:17:00 Speaker_05
So Rob scoffed.
01:17:02 Speaker_02
Yes. I can't even feign enthusiasm for this team. I can't.
01:17:06 Speaker_05
No, you scoffed at the Cam Thomas scoring title? Yes. Right now, he has the 7th highest odds on FanDuel out of all the players in the NBA.
01:17:13 Speaker_02
I feel legally obligated to inform everyone listening to this podcast, do not make that bet.
01:17:19 Speaker_05
Are you sure, though?
01:17:21 Speaker_02
I'm so sure. Let me go through it.
01:17:22 Speaker_05
Luka's the favorite, plus 145. And Bede's plus 390. He's not gonna play 55. He won't qualify. Shea, Giannis, Brunson, Edwards, and Cam Thomas! He's literally on Fandle right now!
01:17:36 Speaker_07
Cam Thomas! How many coaches now have gone through the process and like, I'm here now, and like, I've taken over for Jacques Vaughn or whatever, and like, they still just let him have green light?
01:17:46 Speaker_05
Well, the other piece of it, when he doesn't get the ball late, he gets visibly mad on the TV, which I love. This is the NBA. This is all these latecomers and like it's a friendlier brand. This is the NBA then. These are my roots.
01:18:03 Speaker_05
This is the 90s coming back where guys just being like, I'm shooting 30 times. This is JR Ryder in Minnesota being like, I'm fucking shooting every time I get the ball. I love it. And the Simmons thing is really fascinating because
01:18:17 Speaker_05
There's moments where, you know, he was All-NBA four years ago. And there's moments where you think, oh, that guy's a real basketball asset. Will somebody talk themselves into him?
01:18:27 Speaker_02
Coke Presti. There's not enough Coke in Oklahoma.
01:18:34 Speaker_05
And then I like their swings and there's a lot of trade bait on the team too. All right. So that was the last pick. Not picked. The Clippers and Washington.
01:18:43 Speaker_05
Yeah, we knew Washington wasn't gonna get picked, but the Clippers... The Clippers are depressing. The Clippers did it themselves.
01:18:48 Speaker_07
They gave the Suns a fight at least. Yeah. You would only watch for the arena, basically. If you've had the Harden experience, you would only watch the arena.
01:18:56 Speaker_01
And it needs to be said again, Harden said he watched the Mavericks go to the finals. Yeah. and Luka was playing his brand of basketball, and what he saw was that his brand of basketball is a winning brand of basketball.
01:19:09 Speaker_01
That's what he learned from last year's NBA playoffs, that the James Harden brand of basketball is championship quality.
01:19:17 Speaker_07
If we have one wish to make to the NBA gods, it's that the Clippers trade for Cam Thomas. Oh my god. And then Harden and Thomas get to go bottom and bottom from each possession.
01:19:28 Speaker_05
I actually think he's one of the great tanking assets any team's ever had.
01:19:32 Speaker_02
He's not that bad.
01:19:33 Speaker_05
No.
01:19:34 Speaker_02
Are you talking about Cam Thomas? Cam Thomas. I thought you were piling that on James Holmes.
01:19:38 Speaker_05
Cam Thomas puts up points, keeps you in games, casual fans think he's amazing. And ruins your locker room. You're definitely gonna lose if he's your best guy, and he's gonna shoot every time he gets the ball. I think it's wonderful to watch.
01:19:52 Speaker_05
I'm just glad that guys like this still exist in the league. The league was getting pretty, like, Sam runs, comes in, all the swings can shoot threes, all the point guards play certain ways, and Cam Thomas is like, clear the fuck out. I am scoring.
01:20:05 Speaker_05
It's my time. They don't even send doubles at him. Because they're like, yeah, go ahead, cook Cam Thomas. We'll give you 70, man. It's okay. I love that. I really enjoyed watching them last night. Anyway, that's it for the League Pass Draft.
01:20:23 Speaker_05
You can hear Waz and Rob on a group chat on the NBA, Ringer NBA feed. Where are you going to be, Charles? I don't really have a podcast anymore. You're going to be on car chat?
01:20:33 Speaker_07
On NPR, yeah. Card Sharks, 20,000 Pyramid. I'll be on MSNBC. Family Feud, you're gonna go with that? Yeah. Family Feud. CNN Election Show.
01:20:43 Speaker_05
Steve Harvey. Good to see you guys. This episode is brought to you by Peloton. Now I know what you're thinking, Peloton doesn't look that tough. Well, let me tell you, Peloton is way more challenging than most people think.
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01:21:48 Speaker_05
This episode is brought to you by Paramount Network. Sunday, November 10th is the epic return to Yellowstone and it's only on Paramount Network. One of my favorite networks, by the way. What will become of the Dutton family?
01:21:59 Speaker_05
Can they save the Yellowstone ranch? How far will Beth and Rip go to protect the family legacy? I bet they'll go far. Generations of blood have led to this.
01:22:08 Speaker_05
Nothing will prepare you for this must-see premiere event, the epic return of Yellowstone, Sunday, November 10th at eight, seven central on Paramount Network. All right, we're gonna do some million dollar picks.
01:22:21 Speaker_05
We have all the ringers in town this week. So I grabbed Sheil Kapadia, Anthony de Bundo. They're doing this with me in person. And I'm super happy that you're here because this is the toughest week of the year. The lines are super weird.
01:22:34 Speaker_05
They're like old school, high lines, huge home dogs. There's teams that I feel like we've either given up on or we're too bullish on. And it has all the makings of a zigzag week. And I'm scared.
01:22:48 Speaker_05
And I might actually, we did really well on Million Dollar Picks last week. I thought we should have swept, lost by the half point in Packers game. And then I still don't know how the Chargers didn't beat the Cardinals.
01:22:57 Speaker_05
But when you have a guy on the team you bet on that fumbles the ball out of bounds for the touchback, has that team ever then covered in the history of football? No, that's an L every time. Yeah, that's an L every time. You just immediately know.
01:23:08 Speaker_05
It's like a black hack, it's thrown on the TV. What are you the most afraid of from this week?
01:23:14 Speaker_03
I think you said it, the big lines. Like, you have the Lions. I'm like, the Lions are awesome. The Lions can get to the Super Bowl. They're 11 and a half point favorites.
01:23:22 Speaker_03
I'm looking at the Panthers, who Andy Dalton gets in the car accident, Bryce Young's back. I'm like, do I want to take Bo Nix to cover 10 and a half points? So those- Can the Broncos score 10 points? Yeah.
01:23:33 Speaker_04
Everybody scores 20 on Carolina by halftime.
01:23:36 Speaker_03
Right. Yeah. So the big lines are the scariest. What are you the most scared of?
01:23:41 Speaker_04
The bad teams are worse than they've been in years, according to DVOA. That's scary. And road favorites are 16-2 in the last three weeks. Wow.
01:23:49 Speaker_05
It should have been 17-1 if the Chargers beat the Cardinals, right?
01:23:52 Speaker_04
Jalen Rager elevated from the practice squad to room in the game.
01:23:55 Speaker_05
Unbelievable. So you're the most scared of that?
01:23:58 Speaker_04
I mean, things never last forever, NFL not for long. So I feel like there has to be some mean reversion. The first four weeks, I came on the pod, we talked about it. Underdogs were crushing it. And now the spreads are really, really big.
01:24:10 Speaker_04
There's six games with at least a touchdown spread. There's a couple I like and a couple I want no part of.
01:24:16 Speaker_05
So I'll walk you through a couple of the games that I ultimately decided to stay away from before we get to the ones I liked. And then I want to hear what you guys like.
01:24:26 Speaker_05
I was looking at the Seahawks all week, plus three against Buffalo, because I still feel like you can throw on Buffalo. And that's the one thing I really believe Seattle can do.
01:24:36 Speaker_05
And I actually think their offense might be a little better than people realize. And then ultimately Metcalf being hurt, not knowing what's happening with him. And then I realized like, I just hate betting against Josh Allen. I just don't like it.
01:24:50 Speaker_05
And you just feel so stupid. And so I was like, I think I'm out. But you guys could also talk me back into that.
01:24:56 Speaker_03
I like the other side quite a bit. Oh, good. Yeah, I like the Bills. Minus three is one of my favorite picks of the week. I'm looking at it.
01:25:03 Speaker_03
That Seahawks team last week against the worst pass rush in the NFL in Atlanta, Geno Smith was pressured on 50% of his dropbacks. Now, he played awesome. He's able to play under pressure and he did that in that game and they won.
01:25:16 Speaker_03
But the Bills defense is overachieved this year. I mean, they've got a good pass rush. Their offense is top five in the NFL against that Seahawks defense that has not been great.
01:25:25 Speaker_03
I feel like the Seahawks, I don't want to call them the good bad team, but I do feel like they're that if you lose to the Seahawks, you probably stink. But against good teams, they played with the 49ers, the Lions.
01:25:36 Speaker_03
Those have both been double digit losses this year. I think the Bills are really good, actually, with that Amari Cooper addition. He played well last week, and so, in kind of a three-point spread.
01:25:45 Speaker_03
Yeah, they can run the ball, their offensive line is good, so I like the Bills minus three in that game. You think the Colts are the good-bad team, or would you go with the Seattle? Are they good enough? He's the Colts guy.
01:25:54 Speaker_03
Are they good enough to be the good-bad team? Maybe.
01:25:57 Speaker_04
They're the coin-flip-every-game team. Every game just decided in the last five minutes this year.
01:26:01 Speaker_05
Yeah, I was looking at their point for every game, and every game was like two points, three points, six points. Yeah.
01:26:08 Speaker_03
Yes, I mean, the Colts, I think the Seahawks are better than the Colts.
01:26:11 Speaker_03
I think the Seahawks will surprise some teams, but they're not healthy, they're not good on the offensive line, and it's like if Geno turns into a magician and has one of those games against a bad defense, they can win.
01:26:21 Speaker_03
But I think if I see a team that I think can get to the Super Bowl playing the Seahawks, I feel pretty good about that team taking care of them.
01:26:28 Speaker_04
Any other Seahawks thoughts? Buffalo has been running the ball a lot all year until last week. They actually got more pass happy for the first time. And it is interesting to me because they have now more options with Cooper in the lineup to throw.
01:26:41 Speaker_04
And the one concerning thing with me for Buffalo is it's always been that they play the two high. They never give up big plays. This year they are giving up more big plays.
01:26:49 Speaker_04
And so I do kind of think Seattle could stay in this with some explosives if they had Metcalf. But without him, who's the explosive threat on this offense now?
01:26:57 Speaker_05
Seattle 27th against the run, their defense. Feels like Buffalo can run on them. If Metcalf was playing, I'd be a little more bullish on Seattle. So that was one. I guess we gotta talk Packers-Jags. I can't believe the Jags are even in the conversation.
01:27:16 Speaker_05
But this line is offensive. I mean, the Packers are four and a half point favorites in Jacksonville. It's probably gonna be hot. The Jaguars are probably gonna be able to move the ball on them, I'm guessing.
01:27:28 Speaker_05
And then conversely, I haven't liked the way Jordan Loves looked. I like that Packers team, but they have a big game next week. Coming off, they had a big game last week. This just feels so trappy to me.
01:27:39 Speaker_05
It's like, oh yeah, we're gonna go to the Jacksonville and beat the shit out of them. And it just scares me.
01:27:45 Speaker_04
As somebody who likes to kind of follow where's the lines move on certain teams throughout the year, because you'll see that big groups, people with a lot of market influence, they will bet certain teams repeatedly throughout the year.
01:27:55 Speaker_04
And there's no team in the NFL that has gotten more of that support than the Jags. If you look at the spreads, week three, week four, week five, week six, somebody has come in and said, we love Jacksonville. I don't know who they are.
01:28:06 Speaker_04
If they are, if you're betting Jacksonville every week and you're listening to this podcast, call me. We can talk about what you see that I don't, but Green Bay has some real red flags. Well, talk about them. Give us three.
01:28:16 Speaker_04
So their early down numbers are terrible. Their success rate numbers are very mediocre. It's a very boom or bust team, and they forced a ton of turnovers. They've hit a ton of explosives.
01:28:26 Speaker_04
That's good, but how sustainable is it is a question that I have about Green Bay.
01:28:32 Speaker_03
This would be a stay away for me. We've had interventions on this podcast about the Jaguars before. I'm not doing it against Matt LaFleur who wins, what, 70% of his games or whatever it is.
01:28:42 Speaker_03
And you're right about Jordan Love, but we saw him the second half of last year. There was some boom or bust to him and then he put it together and he was sensational. I think that stretch is coming. If you're looking at sleeper MVP candidates,
01:28:54 Speaker_03
I think Jordan Love has like a 7-8 game stretch coming up where he's going to be one of the best players in the end and one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL. I just don't think those turnovers are going to last. I can't take Jacksonville.
01:29:05 Speaker_03
They win, they won by what? Running it 18 times in a row. Like, how often is that going to happen? So I understand sort of the analytical view. They beat the soft Patriots. That's right, the soft Patriots.
01:29:17 Speaker_03
I don't know that that formula is going to work against the Packers. You know,
01:29:24 Speaker_05
You should put this in your column. You write an excellent betting column for us every week. Every year there's an I hate myself team where you bet them and then you just, you literally hate yourself halfway through the game. And that's the Jaguars.
01:29:37 Speaker_05
I don't even know who's even in the running against them for that.
01:29:40 Speaker_04
I mean, if you bet the Browns at any point this year, you probably need that. You got duped. Cardinals? Cardinals?
01:29:46 Speaker_05
You're just ignoring obvious signs. Well, the Cardinals are just like the zigzag team. Like, it's like, oh, and then all of a sudden they're losing by 30. Yeah.
01:29:54 Speaker_05
And certain defenses just seem like they can shut down Kyler completely, and then other ones just let him run around, and I never understand. how teams don't just defend collar the same way.
01:30:04 Speaker_03
Yeah. Giants are probably in that, I hated myself for picking the Giants last week. You had the Eagles and I was like, I don't know. I kind of like the, I hated myself one, you know, eight minutes into that game.
01:30:14 Speaker_05
So if I gave you a parlay with the Jags up to plus seven and a half and the over up to 39 and a half, and it was minus 120, you're not intrigued at all. Because there's probably going to be points in this game, right?
01:30:27 Speaker_04
I know you don't like team totals, House. You got mad at House about that, but why not just bet the Jags team total? I just have bad luck with team totals, so I'm not saying I'm right or wrong. Okay.
01:30:34 Speaker_05
I just stink at them.
01:30:36 Speaker_04
I like the Jags, I think there'll be points, so I generally agree with that.
01:30:39 Speaker_05
All right, I'm going to cross them off. This next game I might not cross off. Colts, who... As we said, they might be the good-bad team. Catching Houston in a really interesting spot where they've already played them, the game was close.
01:30:57 Speaker_05
Every game they're in is tight, and they're getting five and a half at home. And I don't understand, without Nico Collins, why I wouldn't tease the Colts backwards and play around with the over-under. Why wouldn't I do that?
01:31:10 Speaker_03
Every advanced stat, and Dabundo and I have talked about this, every advanced stat on the Texans is suggesting they're a fraud.
01:31:16 Speaker_03
And I like the Texans coming into the season, but if you look at any of the offensive stuff and what they're doing on early downs, they're what, plus six on the season?
01:31:25 Speaker_03
Their point differential, like their offense is underachieved maybe as much as any offense in the NFL. But they didn't have Nixon for half of that.
01:31:32 Speaker_03
Yeah, but I don't know, like Joe Mixon's fine, but I'm not, if Joe Mixon means that much to your offense, then you might have some issues. So I know they don't have Nico Collins, but yeah, I like the Colts a little bit in that game.
01:31:44 Speaker_03
I don't totally trust it, but I don't trust that Texans team. I think fading the Texans while their record's really good and all the numbers suggest they might not be that good is probably a good play for the next whatever, two, three weeks.
01:31:55 Speaker_03
Do you believe in the second game thing?
01:31:58 Speaker_04
I think it's fascinating how much the perception of these two teams has even changed in the last seven weeks. Both have overperformed relative, if you just look at their records, right?
01:32:07 Speaker_04
If you told a Colts fan before the season, we're going to be four and three, they would have taken it. Texans, five and two, they feel great. And yet I feel like Under the hood, both are kind of worse.
01:32:17 Speaker_04
Like, Richardson has been worse than I think most expected. It's very boomer bust. And honestly, Stroud has been very boomer bust.
01:32:24 Speaker_04
And the whole Texans offense is, okay, it's third down, Stroud drops back, he looks, where's Nico Collins, he throws in the ball, and they move the chains. That's the whole offense. And the last two weeks, they did it to your team, everybody has.
01:32:37 Speaker_04
They can't score in the second half. Every game, it's like three points second half, three points second half against Buffalo, against pretty much every team they played this year. Last week, Stroud couldn't get to 100 pass yards.
01:32:47 Speaker_04
So I don't really trust this offense.
01:32:49 Speaker_05
Colts to 11 and a half, and the under up to 52 and a half. I don't... The only way I lose that is if Anthony Richardson just loses his mind and throws like a pick six and has a fumble. I haven't liked what I've seen from him at all.
01:33:04 Speaker_05
It doesn't seem like he's... ready to be a efficient starting quarterback yet. And the thing that made him special was the running. which they seem a little more hesitant for him to do now. So now it's like, well, what is this then?
01:33:18 Speaker_05
Because we were being promised like this Cam Newton, Josh Allen, physical threat who's going to run the ball. And now they're seemingly afraid to do that. This is your favorite team.
01:33:29 Speaker_04
But don't you feel like they have them on the shackles basically? We were sitting in the movie theater in the Spotify office on Sunday. And at one point, Danny Kelly turned around and said, so like, are you still a believer?
01:33:40 Speaker_04
And I'm like, yes, but I have to be a little quieter about my belief now. It's harder for me to put my chest out and say, we got the QB one in the draft, because obviously Stroud's been as good as he's been.
01:33:51 Speaker_04
And you know what, I was still happy they took him over Levis, because that was basically the option. And, you know. It's a low bar to clear, yeah. It's a low bar to clear, but you had to take the swing, and I'm still not out yet.
01:34:03 Speaker_05
Well, they're in a weird spot, because they're four and three in a conference that's not that good, right?
01:34:08 Speaker_04
With a defense that stinks.
01:34:10 Speaker_05
Right. Yeah. But I like your receiver weapons and it seems like whoever's in the game can run the ball. So I don't know. I'm gonna mark this one. I like the, I don't think these two teams can get to, like their first game was 56 points.
01:34:23 Speaker_05
That was with Nico Collins and with Richardson hitting some bombs. I don't see that happening again. I'm gonna mark that one down. And then the, I just, the Chiefs Raiders game is a stay away to me.
01:34:37 Speaker_05
As much as I wanna be like, oh, they talk shit to my homes. I just think those home teams getting that many points, the history of that is a nightmare with teases. And we have the Browns in that situation. And we have the Raiders.
01:34:50 Speaker_05
I think the Raiders are awful. I just don't, to me, that's an automatic no play.
01:34:57 Speaker_03
It's probably a stay away, division game, line that high. I am tempted a little bit though with the Chiefs, with the way they've played the last two weeks. They've had double digit wins in each of those games.
01:35:07 Speaker_03
And I agree with you, that Mahomes narrative thing is kind of a factor. I'm sure that's it. He's looking for anything. Last week, look how he put, you know, their underdogs.
01:35:15 Speaker_03
And I know we had the two interceptions, but he was treating that game with the way he was running. Like that was a big game. And that Raiders team just, I mean, they're just waiting to, I mean, they've already collapsed.
01:35:26 Speaker_03
They're just waiting to collapse more. They traded their best wide receiver. They've got nothing to look forward to. They have no players. They can't run the ball or stop the run. And they turn it over. Their defense isn't good.
01:35:35 Speaker_03
Their defense was good last year when they played the Chiefs and upset them. Their defense this year is like a bottom five unit. So if I had to pick a side, I would pick the Chiefs, but I'm kind of with you.
01:35:44 Speaker_03
I like to stay away when it's a division game that line that high.
01:35:47 Speaker_05
So if I gave you this eight point tease, which is even money on FanDuel, Ravens minus nine and a half, Lions minus 10 and a half, and Chiefs minus nine and a half, and you could tease all those under three and all of them have to cover, who would you be the most worried about?
01:36:02 Speaker_05
Ravens, Lions, or Chiefs?
01:36:03 Speaker_04
It has to be the Ravens. Right? The first game with Jameis? Well, which could go either way, but... Right, but that's, you're introducing... I think that Brown's defense has been okay.
01:36:14 Speaker_05
I agree. You know, and Schwartz, the problem is the Ravens are rushing for 200 plus yards a game. Yeah. Yeah, I just, I can't... Betting against Jameis seems smart.
01:36:26 Speaker_04
The Ravens have given up the most 20 plus yard plays in the league. So if Jameis wants to get in there and lob some balls up, see what happens. Could get dicey.
01:36:36 Speaker_04
This feels like the kind of game that we look late in the fourth quarter and you're looking at it and you're like, wait, Baltimore's up three with the ball. I know.
01:36:43 Speaker_05
It seems too easy. I think that teases the stay away. But I looked at it long and hard. Dolphins against the Cardinals with Tua coming back. And the Dolphins actually played pretty well last week, considering they don't have a quarterback.
01:36:57 Speaker_05
Like, I thought their defense kept them hanging around, but I just, this to me seems like an all-time zigzag stay away.
01:37:04 Speaker_03
I want no part of this game. I agree.
01:37:07 Speaker_05
I don't know what to expect. Arizona might be a no-bet team for me now. I don't know how the Chargers didn't beat them. I don't even really know what the Cardinals did.
01:37:18 Speaker_05
You guys have a minute to talk me into the Cowboys plus four and a half against the 49ers. Go.
01:37:24 Speaker_03
I'm not doing it. I like the other side. This Cowboys defense stinks. I don't care who's out for the 49ers. Give me Kyle Shanahan against a Cowboys defense that probably still won't have Micah Parsons that can't stop anybody.
01:37:36 Speaker_03
And I like the Niners in that I'm not a believer in this Cowboys team at all. I think the Niners actually bounce back in that game.
01:37:42 Speaker_04
I've been a Dak guy forever, but there's one team he has never solved, and it's the Niners.
01:37:47 Speaker_04
Their defense, no matter who the coordinator was, that personnel, like Warner's ability to take away the middle of the field has really, I think, hurt Dak, and he's always had problems in that matchup.
01:37:56 Speaker_04
That's what scares me the most, more than any of the Niners stuff. I mean, offensively, They look a mess. You guys talked about it on the Ringer NFL show, all yak now.
01:38:05 Speaker_04
It's no more easy button plays for Purdy to just kind of get guys in space and just dominate. The Monstars are no longer, but I don't know. I don't think it's that.
01:38:14 Speaker_05
It's kind of a must win for the Niners too.
01:38:17 Speaker_04
Yeah.
01:38:17 Speaker_05
I mean, they beat three and five. Well, Dallas isn't good. I mean, that's the reason to pick the Niners over everything else is I just don't think Dallas is good.
01:38:26 Speaker_03
Yeah.
01:38:27 Speaker_05
But I also don't know who I'm scared of of the Niners if Debo doesn't play. So now it's just like, I got to stop George Kittle.
01:38:34 Speaker_03
This feels like all the nerds after this game are like, oh my God, Kyle Shanahan, look at what he did on this run play. And oh my God, he had this linebacker and a blender, that type of game. The Ronnie Bell game somehow. Yeah.
01:38:47 Speaker_05
Stay away. Okay. Let's go to the picks that I actually liked. So, and you guys can feel free to throw your body in front of any of these. Oh, first of all, before I do that, what's your favorite other than the Bills? I like the Bears. I have them.
01:39:02 Speaker_05
They're coming up. What's your favorite?
01:39:06 Speaker_04
I'm going to go with the Jacks. Wow. Yeah. I hate it. I hate I'm a part of it, but give me the Jacksonville. I'm going to hate this on Sunday, but.
01:39:15 Speaker_03
At least it's not a London game. You won't feel terrible until like, you know, two o'clock Eastern time. You and Raheem just cannot resist.
01:39:22 Speaker_05
You just can't. And Austin Gale is the worst. Like he was like Deshaun's last fan.
01:39:27 Speaker_04
No, this is the week. I think he can get it going. He needed Deshaun to keep trying so he could have the content on Twitter where he could say Deshaun is the worst quarterback in the history of football. He just would not give up on him.
01:39:36 Speaker_05
Okay. My first favorite game. Sorry, Shield. The Bengals down to minus one and a half against the Eagles. Okay. I don't think you can stop passing offenses. And I mean you, like you're on the Eagles.
01:39:49 Speaker_05
I just don't think you're gonna be able to stop Higgins and Burrow and Chase. And I think that Tampa game a couple weeks ago was more of a snapshot for who you are on defense.
01:40:02 Speaker_03
It could be. Now, the last two weeks, they haven't allowed a touchdown. I know they've played... Who'd you play? They've played bad offenses. It's true. Bad offenses?
01:40:09 Speaker_05
You played Deshaun? You played Danny Dimes?
01:40:11 Speaker_03
Listen, Dimes was carving up some defenses earlier in the season. No, it's true. This is a test for them. I will say, their corners, though, have played really well.
01:40:18 Speaker_03
When they were struggling against the Bucs, a lot of it was the pass rush wasn't getting home. They had eight sacks last week against the Giants.
01:40:24 Speaker_03
Again, I know it's the Giants, but their corners, the rookie, Quinion Mitchell and Darius Slay, have been having awesome seasons here.
01:40:32 Speaker_03
It's gonna be a lot of one-on-one, I think, on the outside with those corners versus the Bengals receivers, and can the Eagles' pass rush get home without blitzing? So, I actually took the Eagles this week.
01:40:42 Speaker_03
Now, I was against them last week, but yeah, I was on the Eagles this week because I think Saquon can have a monster game here against that Bengals defense.
01:40:50 Speaker_05
So that's the fear. Yeah. Yeah, Cincy, some bad defensive stats with them. They're actually higher on DBOA than Philly is, but... We're just staying to Bundo.
01:40:58 Speaker_04
So, you know, you want to guess how many points the Eagles have in the first quarter this year? It's not many. It's, it's not any. Zero. They still have not scored in the first quarter. I mean, Kellen Moore. I don't know what to make of that.
01:41:12 Speaker_03
I mean, the offense looks, you know, very similar to what it looked like last year. The passing game is a mess.
01:41:17 Speaker_03
If there's a reason to take the Bengals, it's because the Eagles, they had 21 dropbacks last week, and seven of them were a scramble or a sack.
01:41:24 Speaker_03
They can't, they throw, go ball stage at Brown, there's literally nothing else with this entire passing game. So I understand that reason to take the Bengals. I actually like the under in this game.
01:41:34 Speaker_03
I think both defenses are going to play pretty well, and it's going to be a little low scoring.
01:41:39 Speaker_05
I was looking at my favorite bet on Fando, the first half game bet, and I thought I'd get more value on Bengals win first half, Bengals win game, but it's only plus 130. It's not worth it.
01:41:49 Speaker_04
Maybe Shiel should do the Cousin Sal special, do Bengals first half Eagles game comeback.
01:41:53 Speaker_05
Maybe. That is plus 750. Lean into the script problems. A little bit? A little sprinkle? Where are you on Hurts mentally these days?
01:42:02 Speaker_03
He hasn't played well. I mean, their passing game is a mess. He's turning down throws.
01:42:07 Speaker_03
They're playing like they did that 20-21 when it was just run the ball, run the ball, run the ball, hit a couple deep shots, and that's the offense, and they've got nothing else. So he's got to play better.
01:42:16 Speaker_04
There's jokes about how they're like a service academy, just run, run, run. But even Navy and Army have more interesting offenses than the Eagles do now.
01:42:24 Speaker_05
My fear with taking the Bengals is their offensive line's banged up, and your defensive line could just take over the game and Burrow would be running around for his life. But I think the Bengals can move the ball and throw on them.
01:42:38 Speaker_05
I think Burrow's 70% completion this year. He's either leading the league or second, which is basically the Tampa recipe of just the chains are moving.
01:42:48 Speaker_05
Ball's going, six yards here, 15-6, and they take the lead early, and then you're in a spot you don't want to be in if you're the Eagles.
01:42:55 Speaker_03
Yeah, that absolutely could happen. I think you're right. The left tackle injury for the Bengals against the Eagles' pass rush, can they get home? That'll probably determine the game.
01:43:04 Speaker_04
Bengals' run defense has been a little better since Rankins and Hill came back, the two defensive tackles, but they also played some bad run offenses, so I'm not sure where I stand on Cincinnati run defense.
01:43:14 Speaker_03
Yeah, they play the same two teams, right? The Giants and the Browns. The last two weeks, same two teams as the Eagles. Are you ready to see the Bengals go 3-5? That seems improbable to me.
01:43:24 Speaker_03
Especially for someone like me who picked them to win the Super Bowl, so yeah.
01:43:28 Speaker_04
I think I'm going to keep them.
01:43:30 Speaker_05
I heard all the warning flags. I think I might keep that one. Next one is the Bears, which it sounds like we all like. That's up to 2.5. I'm going to do the rare thing of if Daniel somehow plays, I almost feel like that bet should be scratched.
01:43:43 Speaker_03
I agree with that, yeah.
01:43:44 Speaker_05
Yeah, I don't think that's fair to be stuck with that line if Daniels is playing, but it doesn't seem like he's going to play. I think I would have liked the Bears anyway in this game. Their defense, the stats are pretty good.
01:43:58 Speaker_05
They're third against first on first down, seventh on third down. They're fifth yards per play, third turnovers. They're good in the Havoc stuff. I like that Havoc ranking. And then Caleb looked really good against some bad teams and some bad defenses.
01:44:12 Speaker_05
Guess who doesn't have a good defense? Washington. So whether Daniels plays or not, I think they can move the ball. He's got all three receivers. This feels like a get everyone's hope up in a real way.
01:44:23 Speaker_03
bears win followed by their schedule gets harder well they've got the hardest remaining schedule in the nfl if you look at the the betting markets and win totals but my big i mean i don't know if i would like it if daniels is playing but mario dot i think people are looking at that game last week in oak cliff kingsbury created this quarterback proof offense
01:44:40 Speaker_03
It was the Carolina Panthers. We've seen enough- They're by far the worst team in the league. Yes. We've seen enough of Marcus Mariota over the years. Like, I want a three-game sample of Marcus Mariota, and this offense is gonna be trash.
01:44:50 Speaker_03
So that's the reason this Bears defense, you mentioned it, they don't give up 20 points against good offenses.
01:44:56 Speaker_03
So against Marcus Mariota, I think after this game, we're being like, wow, Jaden Daniels was a big reason why that commander's offense was good.
01:45:03 Speaker_05
You lose all the explosive plays with Mariota. Yeah. He's gonna have a dumb turnover. And there's a reason You know, he's been in the league for a long time and nobody's ever really been happy with the experience.
01:45:14 Speaker_05
Like he got benched when he was on the Netflix show.
01:45:16 Speaker_03
Yeah, that was an amazing, yeah, he just left the show.
01:45:18 Speaker_05
Yeah, he's like, I'm out and I'm out on the show as well. What do you have to add?
01:45:22 Speaker_04
This game for me, I wrote the least on it just because I don't have a strong opinion, but I don't really see the case for Washington.
01:45:29 Speaker_04
They have, there's one thing that they've gained and no team has gained more win probability from turnovers than the commanders this year. That tends to be kind of fluky.
01:45:37 Speaker_05
Yeah.
01:45:38 Speaker_04
And this is the Bears off the by, right? So if we're going to see any imagination from this offense, which we have seen very little of thus far, maybe this is the spot we see it from Chicago. Because I still have major questions about their offense.
01:45:49 Speaker_04
Like you said, they beat up on some of the worst defenses in the league.
01:45:53 Speaker_05
It would be a horrific Bears loss. Like, wow, we just lost to Marcus Mariota and our schedule is about to get harder. Conversely, Washington wins, they're fine.
01:46:03 Speaker_05
It's like, hey, our record is still awesome, we still have the NFC East, we still have control over it, we didn't have Daniels for this game, we're fine.
01:46:11 Speaker_03
Yeah.
01:46:11 Speaker_04
The Commanders still have to play Philly and Dallas twice each, so the NFC East is gonna be decided much later than this week, for sure.
01:46:19 Speaker_05
They have to play Philly twice, and they have the privilege of playing Dallas twice.
01:46:23 Speaker_04
Not sure how Dallas gets any stops, but I'm still not, DAC has just dominated the NFC East in a way that I refuse to give up on them stealing a bunch of division games and somehow sneaking in.
01:46:33 Speaker_05
Falcons bucks is my next one. I don't understand this line at all. And I do understand it, but I also don't. The Falcons, this line moved to Falcons minus two and a half. They looked awful last weekend in Seattle.
01:46:45 Speaker_05
Chris Godwin and Mike Evans are no longer playing for the Bucs. We're skipping over this? That was the whole reason they were successful. And Bucky Irving's pretty good too.
01:46:57 Speaker_05
But Baker had these two great receivers that he had real chemistry with and was just moving the ball left and right. And in one game, both of them went down. I just picked up Jalen McMillan in two of my leagues for big money, by the way.
01:47:10 Speaker_05
He's the new number one. He's 22 years old. Feels like a little must-win-ish for the Falcons, coming off an awful loss.
01:47:19 Speaker_05
I get it, they can't rush the passer, but I just find it hard to believe they're not going to be able to beat the Bucs without any star receivers.
01:47:27 Speaker_03
I've got the Falcons. I mean, you nailed it. I've got the Falcons. You watch that Bucs offense. It's not just like, oh, they lost a good play. Like, that was the offense.
01:47:33 Speaker_03
If those two guys can't win one-on-one or create explosive plays or yards after the catch, I don't know. Are they good enough to scheme stuff? And you lose both of them. It's not like you lost one of them.
01:47:42 Speaker_05
You know what it's like if you had opening night for the Sixers and the bead and Paul George didn't play.
01:47:47 Speaker_03
Who's Yabasele? Who's going to be playing? Trayvon Martin. Jalen McMillan is Yabasele.
01:47:53 Speaker_05
Atlanta's offense, fifth against the fifth passing. Tampa's D, 29th against the pass. 28th first down. Their defense isn't that good.
01:48:01 Speaker_05
And they do, they try to do a lot of gimmicks with the blitzes and stuff, which might work against cousins, because the offensive line hasn't been great. But I just, you know, first game, Atlanta stole it. So is there a revenge spot?
01:48:15 Speaker_04
Kirk threw for 500 plus yards in that game. Right. And Tampa Bay's secondary has given up more explosives than anybody. Them and Baltimore are giving up the most explosives in the league. Also, what's... So Atlanta is... I'm looking up the standings.
01:48:28 Speaker_04
I did tease Tampa for the record. Oh, you did? Yeah.
01:48:31 Speaker_05
So Atlanta's 4-3 and Tampa's 4-3. This game's for the division.
01:48:36 Speaker_04
for the division in week eight. If Atlanta wins, they're gonna be two games up with the tiebreaker and Tampa's not gonna have their best receivers. If Atlanta wins, this division's kind of over.
01:48:45 Speaker_05
New Orleans isn't coming back. One of these teams might have five wins after week eight. Like, what the fuck? It almost feels like this has to be a tie, but I mean, if Atlanta loses this game, that's embarrassing.
01:48:57 Speaker_05
You can't beat the Bucs without Mike Evans and Chris Godwin. That's literally their whole team. Yeah, that's my only, is it a little rat liney? I mean, I'm with you, I saw a minus two and a half.
01:49:05 Speaker_05
Well, Atlanta lost by 20 to fucking Seattle last week, so I don't, and Atlanta, they're four and three, but literally could be one and six?
01:49:14 Speaker_04
Yeah. Atlanta's had one game that wasn't down to the final possession, basically, or two games now with last week. Every other game is like, two minutes to go, they're within six either way, and Kirk's gotta lead a drive to try to win it or lose it.
01:49:26 Speaker_04
And they got a couple home, they didn't get others home. But yeah, these division games, at home, catching eight and a half and a tease, I love Tampa.
01:49:35 Speaker_05
You love Tampa and a tease. Can you name four Tampa receivers?
01:49:40 Speaker_04
Do I get to count the running back? Jalen McMillan, no. Who do they run in a four receiver set? They're not going to. That's the one concern. So they run a lot of 11 personnel.
01:49:50 Speaker_04
They don't have three full receivers now, so they got to go a little heavier, but Kate Otten. Kate Otten, big game this week. See, this is young and experienced, youthful exuberance. We just got to keep them in the ring or fold. That's right.
01:50:02 Speaker_04
Trey Palmer is going to be pissed off. He's going to get a big game for him.
01:50:06 Speaker_05
Last one. I'm marking the Falcons down. If they lose that game, they should give up the team.
01:50:12 Speaker_05
By the way, Shiel, who, if they didn't take Pennix, after having seen all the rookies, who should they have taken that would have had a huge impact for them at number eight?
01:50:22 Speaker_03
Yeah, I'm trying to think of who was taken. I mean, I don't want to be a homer, but Quinion Mitchell would be looking very good as a corner in that secondary. And just look at like the last three years, the guys they could have had.
01:50:32 Speaker_03
I mean, last three or four years, they really could have built. on the lines of scrimmage very well. But yeah, that was one name that came to mind.
01:50:40 Speaker_05
Byron Murphy, I know he got hurt, but I think he would have been really good for them, too.
01:50:43 Speaker_03
Yeah, Jared Vers. I mean, there were definitely good defensive players that they could have taken and added to that group.
01:50:49 Speaker_04
One of the stories is that none of the defensive guys have really taken the leap.
01:50:53 Speaker_05
But we knew that in the draft, right? Nobody was taken till pick 15? Yeah, people were pretty down on it. But yeah, you're right, the cornerback that you got, the guy Detroit got, the D-back. It seems like those have been kind of the winners.
01:51:07 Speaker_03
Yeah, there hasn't been one dominant guy yet for, you're looking at the defensive rookie of the year odds, I can tell.
01:51:13 Speaker_04
Yeah, Jared Verse is the favorite.
01:51:14 Speaker_03
Verse was good last week. He's probably the guy, you know, if you had to pick one guy, if they could redo it, that'd probably be the guy.
01:51:20 Speaker_05
All right, last one that I really liked. And I try not, sorry, Kyle, try not to bet against the Patriots. Oh, Kyle's sad. You're playing seven with the Jets? No, I'm not. I'm going to tease the Jets with the over of 35, down to 35 and a half.
01:51:37 Speaker_05
The over is 41 and a half. Tease the Jets to one. over 35 and a half. The Pats are a sneaky, the over under lines have not caught up to the team they have. Their defense sucks. It's awful. The quarterback actually makes some plays. May's pretty good.
01:51:53 Speaker_05
And they're a garbage time threat, right? They're an end of the half, two minute warning. They can actually get a field goal. They're not, offense isn't terrible. And it's also an all time must win for the Jets.
01:52:06 Speaker_05
Like their season's over if they don't win this. They beat them already. And the only fear would be like a 24 to three type game, like what they had on the Thursday night. But this Pats team is going to be able to put up like 14.
01:52:20 Speaker_05
So 35 and a half seems right. Is there any way that Pats actually win this game?
01:52:25 Speaker_03
Wait, what's the teaser?
01:52:27 Speaker_05
So Jets down to minus one. Minus one. The over to 35 and a half. I just need to get to 37 points. Jets can win 2017 and I win.
01:52:35 Speaker_03
Is it a good sign that Devontae Adams had to give a fiery post-game speech when he had been in New Jersey for like three days after last week's game? Did you see this story? I did. So you have that.
01:52:45 Speaker_03
I mean, everything that can go wrong has gone wrong with the Jets. You mentioned it. Drake May will push the ball downfield. The Jets' defense has actually been the bigger story over their offense. They're 21st in defensive DVOA.
01:52:57 Speaker_03
The offense ranks exactly the same, 21st. You thought you were getting a mediocre offense with a great defense, and their defense isn't good. But Rodgers basically said that.
01:53:06 Speaker_05
He's like, our offense needs to take care of our defense. We need to score points, give them lead. He's basically saying our defense sucks. Yeah. Which I was surprised by, but as usual, Aaron Rodgers said something.
01:53:21 Speaker_03
I think you're on the right side. I would be afraid to have any wager depending on the New York Jets with the way this season has gone.
01:53:27 Speaker_05
I don't think you understand, and nobody does, because nobody cares about the Patriots, nor should they. This was a pretty traumatic week in Patriots Nation. I've been following.
01:53:36 Speaker_05
The Mayo Soft thing, first of all, and we talked about it Sunday night on the pod, so I'm not going to rehash it. They were so bad on Sunday night, and so poorly coached, and just everything was mismanaged, and they looked awful.
01:53:49 Speaker_05
And then the quotes after the game from him, which, as usually, Mayo took no culpability for anything and just blames everybody else, says he's soft, and that really went badly.
01:53:59 Speaker_05
And then Belichick said, fuck it, and just started, like, doing little sniper shots out of the eight different shows he's on, and just escalated the stakes.
01:54:09 Speaker_05
And there's, like, a real conversation now in Massachusetts, because God knows they love, the media loves this stuff there. It's like, can this guy be one and done? Would Kraft do this? I personally don't think he would.
01:54:21 Speaker_05
I think he'll give him more time, but it's a fucking mess. The wide receiver room, they've had like three different guys have complained publicly. No other team has this.
01:54:30 Speaker_03
I feel like this is an under the radar, like huge story for week eight, the pay with everything you said, and I've been following it all week long.
01:54:37 Speaker_03
Like if they come out and are just get blown out by 35 at home, what are you doing after that with the head coach? Now, is there a chance that it's not as bad on the inside as it seems on the outside and they come out and they.
01:54:50 Speaker_03
play well and some players actually like Gerard Mayo and they figure some things out.
01:54:54 Speaker_03
That's the other thing, you know, maybe you come out of this saying, oh my gosh, everything last week was so overblown with the way they played in London and they're competitive in this game. But they're a sneaky big story I feel like in this week.
01:55:05 Speaker_05
I always, listen, the player podcasts are for the most part ridiculous and player interviews, exporter interviews, you always have to take with a grain of salt. I was shocked by how many people
01:55:16 Speaker_05
who talk or have platforms who are like, wow, you don't call your team soft. That's never worked. That's never motivated anybody. That's like the number one thing you can't do. Like people are pretty horrified by it.
01:55:27 Speaker_05
And you try to walk it back the next day. It's like, I wasn't saying the team was soft. I was saying we played soft. It's like, No, you said the team was soft. That's actually what you did.
01:55:37 Speaker_05
And it's one of like many huge mistakes he's made, but they just seem really poorly prepared and poorly coached, which every year there's two teams, right? Like Carolina last year with Reich. you knew something was like way off.
01:55:51 Speaker_05
It's like something, Monty Williams and the Pistons. It's like, this seems off, something's wrong. And that's the vibe I'm getting from the Pats. It just doesn't seem right. What do you see when you're watching?
01:56:02 Speaker_04
Maybe they could try a different former linebacker as their head coach next year.
01:56:05 Speaker_05
Mike Vrabel?
01:56:07 Speaker_04
He is available, I believe. Yeah, I think the offense is kind of interesting early in the game, and then the second half offenses have not been as inspiring once they get off the script.
01:56:18 Speaker_05
Yeah, once they try to establish the run, it's a disaster because they can't run the ball.
01:56:23 Speaker_04
But the ones that I like, they were 31st in explosive pass rate the first five weeks with Brissett. They're up to 15th the last few weeks. Yeah, Kyle. Hitting some big plays down the field. They finally hit some 10, 20 plus yard plays.
01:56:35 Speaker_04
And that's when you don't have a good, you've talked about this, when you don't have a good offense, try to hit some big plays and see what happens.
01:56:41 Speaker_05
We had a Drew Bledsoe season. I think it was the second season. The same thing, couldn't run the ball, team wasn't very good, and they were just like, Drew, air it out. And he did, and it was kinda, it kinda worked a little bit.
01:56:53 Speaker_05
And he's just flinging the ball at Ben Coates that year. I have a feeling if they're actually gonna try to win this game, which I would assume they'd want to, because it's the Jets. Like, that's it for the run game.
01:57:03 Speaker_05
They can't run the ball, the line sucks. So I just generally like the over because I don't think they're gonna be able to stop the Jets. The tackling linebackers, they've made history with how bad the tackling is. I've never seen anything like it.
01:57:18 Speaker_05
So I think Brees Hall could have a big game. So I like Jets minus one with the over 35 and a half. All right, so we have four on the fence with Colts plus 11 and a half with the under 52 and a half in Houston. I'll let you guys vote on that.
01:57:32 Speaker_03
You like that one?
01:57:32 Speaker_05
I like it. I like it.
01:57:33 Speaker_03
Okay.
01:57:33 Speaker_05
So we'll add that. Cardiac Colts. And then Bills minus three in Seattle. What are your thoughts?
01:57:40 Speaker_04
I'm completely passing on this game. I'm excited to watch it.
01:57:43 Speaker_03
I like it. It's one of my favorite, but listen. I thought the Bundo, you know, we had a nice dinner last night, but I thought he would come in, support me by pick, but that's okay. Listen, you gotta speak with whatever you're feeling at the time.
01:57:57 Speaker_03
I do like the Bills, minus three at Seattle. Well, maybe what I can do is do little half bets.
01:58:04 Speaker_05
Or we could do a parlay with all three of those. Bills minus three, Jags plus seven and a half and the over, or maybe just bills minus three with Jags plus seven and a half.
01:58:15 Speaker_04
I do feel like Charlie at the wall and it's always sunny. And I know that they filmed it right outside the office. I'm trying to keep track of all the teasers that have just been thrown at me in the last 10 minutes.
01:58:23 Speaker_05
What if we teased Jack's bill up to, or not teased, nudged it up to plus 7.5 so we get that touchdown buffer with bills minus 3 and it's a de bundo shill parlay?
01:58:35 Speaker_03
All right, you're responsible for the Jags part of that. Let's do it.
01:58:39 Speaker_05
All right, so we just looked this up. Bills minus 3 and then the Jags up to plus 7.5, that parlay is plus 179. So I think we'll sprinkle something on that too. I also need an anytime touchdown scorer.
01:58:52 Speaker_05
Preferably a tight end because Fando is running a very cool touchdown bonus. What are we getting for that one, Kyle?
01:59:03 Speaker_04
30% profit boost. Has to be a tight end? Does it have to be a tight end? No. I was gonna say Kate Otten's looking real good this weekend. Kate Otten? For the bucks, yeah. Tucker Craft? Somebody's gotta score. Oh my god, Tucker Craft.
01:59:14 Speaker_03
Emotional hedge? No, we're not emotionally hedging with Tucker Craft.
01:59:18 Speaker_04
I do Brian Thomas often, so maybe he could score for the Jags. The only reliable receiver. Kate Otten, plus 180 anytime scorer? Sure. I love it. Yeah, somebody's got to score for the Bucks. They will get eventually get points in the game, right? So.
01:59:34 Speaker_04
All right. Hopefully. What a performance by you.
01:59:37 Speaker_03
Kate Otten and the Jags just coming in on fire. What a performance.
01:59:40 Speaker_05
This is the NFL. And we're definitely doing Colts under. Okay. Are we gonna do million dollar picks in a second?
01:59:46 Speaker_05
But first we're gonna do who's delivering presented by Uber Eats where we break down the NFL players who have delivered so far this season from household names to out of nowhere surprises. No surprise that Lamar Jackson has been delivering.
02:00:02 Speaker_05
I feel like he has the MVP in his hands now, right? Who would you even put against him at this point?
02:00:07 Speaker_03
No, he's the favorite. He's never played better. Their offense has been so much better than any other offense in the NFL. It's crazy. He's coming off an MVP and he's playing better than he did last season.
02:00:16 Speaker_04
Have you seen the Steven Ruiz updated QB rankings? No. There's a new number one. Lamar Jackson. He wasn't number one before? Mahomes has had the number one spot for, I think, a few years now.
02:00:27 Speaker_05
Mahomes has took the year off. He's on sabbatical. And yet undefeated. Six touchdowns, eight picks. No, I'm kidding. Mahomes, don't listen to me. Five years from now, he's going to come back to haunt me.
02:00:37 Speaker_05
Another one who's delivered, the Derrick Henry trade slash how awesome he's been. It's just fun to watch those dudes together. Any receiver? I would have said Nico Collins here, You know, none of this.
02:00:51 Speaker_05
Yeah, so all the receivers who have been delivering are basically out. I feel like St. Brown could get going with no Jamison Williams for two games. He's been right on the cusp of having an awesome game, but that could be one. Brian Thomas Jr.
02:01:05 Speaker_05
Brian Thomas Jr., another one, who's been overthrown for a couple of touchdowns too. What's your favorite defense for delivering?
02:01:12 Speaker_03
My favorite, it's gotta be the Vikings, right? With Brian Flores. They've had the best defense in the NFL, even though their team isn't great, I feel like their coaching has been unbelievable.
02:01:21 Speaker_05
Yeah. I'm always scared to go against them now. I didn't even feel good taking the Lions against them this week, but it did it. Pittsburgh's defense has been pretty good too.
02:01:31 Speaker_04
Pittsburgh's been good. I think we, this is the year of Spagnolo.
02:01:35 Speaker_05
Casey's Defense. All right. That was Who's Delivering presented by Uber Eats, where you can get the best deals on game day food all season long. We didn't talk about a kicker who's delivering. You're the kicker.
02:01:47 Speaker_04
Aubrey.
02:01:48 Speaker_05
Aubrey's just delivering all over the place. Uber Eats, the official on-demand delivery partner in the NFL. Order now. All right, Kyle, it's time.
02:01:58 Speaker_05
the million dollar picks for week eight, coming off a $580,000 windfall last week, that really should have been more.
02:02:04 Speaker_05
We're up 163,000 for the year, mainly because I don't bet on Deshaun Watson, do some of the stuff your buddy Austin Gale does on paper chasers. I'm glad we came up with a name finally for,
02:02:16 Speaker_00
It's a good name.
02:02:17 Speaker_05
We had a bunch of trademark violations before we got to paper chasers. Million Dollar Picks Week 8. We all love the Bears. Minus two and a half against Marcus Maradona and Washington.
02:02:28 Speaker_05
Do we put the caveat that if Daniels plays, this is a no bet, or do we just ride it?
02:02:34 Speaker_04
I would be shocked if Daniel's playing.
02:02:36 Speaker_05
Okay, let's just ride it. You know what? We're gambling. Let's go. Bears minus two and a half. Washington doesn't need this game. This is the last easy Bears game before it gets hard. Washington D is terrible. The Bears can win the ball on them.
02:02:49 Speaker_05
So that's our first one. Falcons minus two and a half against the depleted Bucs. Dabundo doesn't like it. But you like the Bucks and the Tees a little bit, even though you could have named three receivers on the team.
02:03:01 Speaker_05
Sheila and I like the Falcons and a bunch back. Minus two and a half, no Mike Evans, no Chris Godwin. Just played on a Monday night. These teams have already played. This feels like Atlanta gets their team right. That's two.
02:03:14 Speaker_05
The Bengals, minus one and a half. against the Philadelphia Eagles. Shield doesn't like this one. The Bundle likes it. The Bundle likes it.
02:03:21 Speaker_04
Yeah, a little bit. You mentioned havoc. I'm a little scared because the Bengals do not create much.
02:03:26 Speaker_05
They do not create much havoc. The havoc might be on the Philadelphia sideline with people throwing stuff. I just think we saw this game a few weeks ago, a version of it with Tampa, where they just threw on Philly the whole game.
02:03:38 Speaker_05
Philly's defense wore down. The Bengals, I think, can do that again. I don't think the Bengals are going three and five. So that's three. We're going to put $200,000 on each of those.
02:03:48 Speaker_05
We are also putting $200,000 on the Jets, teased, down to minus one, with the over of 30, down to 35 and a half, because Drake may can get cheap points. And I think the Jets win.
02:04:01 Speaker_05
If the Jets lose this game, this becomes one of the dark moments in Jets history. They lose this dysfunctional Pats team that's turning on the coach? Come on. And we all like this one. Another tease, Colts up to 11 and a half against Houston.
02:04:16 Speaker_05
They've already played. The under up to 52 and a half. 53 points needs to beat this, no Nico Collins. Yeah, he's dominated the Colts in this head to head. The fear would be the Anthony Richardson pick six, like to start the first quarter.
02:04:29 Speaker_05
It's all of a sudden it's seven nothing. You're like, oh my God. All right, and then last but not least, we're doing a little 100K. on a Dabundo Shield Parley. She'll love the bills minus three against Seattle. Dabundo likes the Jags.
02:04:44 Speaker_05
We're gonna bring them up to plus seven and a half. That is plus 179 on FanDuel. So we'll put, actually we'll put 120K on that so they get that over 200. And then last but not least, FanDuel's 30% touchdown scoring boost.
02:04:59 Speaker_03
Are you in on Otten? I can't wait. This is all I'm going to be watching.
02:05:02 Speaker_05
K-Dot plus 180.
02:05:02 Speaker_04
I'm going to have to have a screen on Falcon's Bucks now for some reason.
02:05:07 Speaker_05
We'll throw 25K on that just to respect ourselves. Yes. Sheil Kapati, we can hear you on the Ringer NFL show. Dabunder, you're on the Ringer gambling show. You pop on Philly Special from time to time, right?
02:05:16 Speaker_04
Yeah, we had a short-lived Philly's playoff run to reminisce. I didn't have a playoff run at all, so I'm jealous.
02:05:23 Speaker_05
Good to see you guys. You too. Good to see you too. All right, that's it for the podcast. Thanks to Waz and Mahoney and C.R. and Kapadia and Dabundo and Kyle Creighton and Steve Serif for producing as well. That's it for the two-part pod.
02:05:39 Speaker_05
I will see you on Sunday, unless I'm dead of an illness.
02:05:57 Speaker_00
the wayside
02:06:06 Speaker_05
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02:06:16 Speaker_05
Call 1-888-789-7777 or visit ccpg.org slash chat in Connecticut or visit mdgamblinghelp.org in Maryland. Hope is here, visit gamblinghelplinema.org or call 800-327-5050 for 24 seven support Massachusetts or
02:06:34 Speaker_05
Call 1-877-8-HOPE-NY or text HOPENY in New York.