What's up, everybody?It's Austin Rivers here, and we are back for another season of Off Guard.Me and my guy, Pasha Gigi, are hitting your podcast feeds every Monday and Thursday, talking everything hoops.
Austin is bringing that 11-year NBA veteran perspective and, of course, keeping you guys entertained throughout the season.Make sure you tap into Off Guard with Austin Rivers on Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts.
And don't forget to follow everything we've got going on social media, the Off Guard podcast, Ringer NBA, and, of course, check us out on Ringer NBA's YouTube channel.
It is the mismatch presented by FanDuel.The NBA season is here, and with FanDuel, you can go for an early win.
I love nothing more than sitting down on my couch, opening up, League Pass on my television, League Pass on my laptop, and FanDuel on my phone.
Because you can bet the games, you can bet the over-unders, you can bet live quarter player props, and all of the parlays that you could possibly put together.And I love FanDuel because the app is safe, secure, and easy to use.
When you win, you get paid instantly. Right now, visit bandool.com slash mismatch to download America's number one sports book and get in on all the NBA action.The Ringer is committed to responsible gaming.
Please visit rg-help.com to learn more about the resources and helplines available and listen to the end of the episode for additional details.You must be 21 plus and present in select states.Gambling problem?Call 1-800-GAMBLER or visit rg-help.com.
This episode is brought to you by the Home Depot.Whether you want to knock it out of the park gift-wise or treat yourself to a little extra, the Home Depot's got you covered with the gift that keeps on giving.
Pick up a select battery kit and get a select tool from top brands like Ryobi or Milwaukee for free. That's right, for free.
Whether you're building out your personal workshop or buying for someone else, you can choose from reciprocating saws, multi-tools, circular saws, and more.Get Black Friday tool savings delivered from the Home Depot.Limit one per transaction.
Exclusions apply.Full eligible tool list in store and online.
Welcome to The Mismatch, I'm Chris Vernon and joining me as he does every week from TheRinger.com is Dave Jacoby.Jacoby!What's happening, Verno?
What we got today?We... Having a lot of games last night.It is election day, so there is nothing on the NBA schedule, meaning every single team in the National Basketball Association played last night.It was quite a night.
I spent a lot of time on crunch time.So in order for us to break this down appropriately, with the country being divided today in two, what we've decided to do is not talk about politics at all, but we have also divided the country in two.
And there's going to be a lot of negativity around today.So Chris and I decided we're going to keep it positive.And that is not in our nature.I'm going to be honest.I've got a dark heart.I'm a very negative person.
But today we're gonna try to keep it as positive and upbeat as possible about every single team in the NBA.So we're gonna go through every game last night, all 15 games.
Chris is taking the Western Conference teams, I'm taking the Eastern Conference teams, and we're trying to give the fan bases of those teams and fans of the league at large, just a little positivity nugget, a little something that we like, a little something good to think about and feel about these teams as we go through them.
And I gotta say, it sounds easy, it's not that easy.
I love this though. Because it is a brief respite for anybody that is tuning this in.It is a brief respite from everything in the world that is going on.And especially in our fine country.
For those of us, for those of you that are listeners from around the world, I will tell you that you're the lucky ones.
So everybody in the United States, this is a day, unfortunately, of division in many quarters and people yelling at each other and arguing.So we are going to be positive Paulies today.And you gave me the assignment.Not as easy as it sounds.
No, no.Not as easy.No, no.At one point I was like, the Hornets do have cool uniforms.
And I was like, I was like, come on, the Hornets are easy.You got Chino Hills, LaMelo.You've got Grant Williams doing something crazy every game.You got Iverson, Trey, man, come on to Kobe.
Maybe I should have taken the East.We've stacked the teams, uh, the games is in its quarter according to interest, because I know that we're going to go over time.So we have to go fast at the end.So, uh, you start us off with the very first matchup.
All right.So the sons beat the Sixers last night. Kevin Durant hit the game winner.Paul George had a chance at the end of regulation and then Durant called game.Anyway, the positive thing is obviously Durant.
I mean, we are very short amount of time into this season, but the other night I saw, I don't know if you saw this call on one of the games where he made a play and the announcer said he played for the Sonics. Yeah, I did see that.You saw that?Yeah.
So far this season, 27 points per game, 6.6 rebounds, 3.4 assists, 55% from the field, 44% from three.And last night had 35 and the game winner, 17 years in.And Kevin Durant, still one of the greatest players on planet Earth.
Also a guy that tore his achilles And maybe has done like we have seen other guys I think he kind of in some ways has kind of ruined the achilles thing I know kobe came out from the achilles.
We've had other players that came back from it, but rogers I mean I think he set our expectations for post torn Achilles a little too high because this guy is as otherworldly as he's ever been.
And that's also just as sort of like a physical recovery because we all remember like the burner account and sort of him, you know, now he's going back and forth with Steven a little bit, but I just feel like there's a maturity to him.
And once I found him to be sort of a quirky, weird guy, he's got sort of now like a zen-like approach to the game, where he's just focused on getting buckets.
And I think a lot of people saw, including yourself, Mr. Vernon, saw the Suns as a real threat to the Thunder and a real player in the Western Conference, especially with Coach Budd.And so far, it's played out that way.It really has.
I'm going to disagree with you on the, he's a different guy. I'm going to make it a positive thing.Stay positive.We're only two minutes into the show.He's very sensitive, but he has never let go of the fact that he shows it.
Most of these guys just hold it all in, and so I'll make that a positive.Most of them just hold it all in, and it bothers them, but they don't respond to you.There's no way we're going to be able to stay positive throughout this show.
I'm trying.I can already tell.All right.Try the sixes.I got the sixes.I got the sixes. Paul George played basketball, and that's easy.That's the headline.Did he look great?No.This is the part that I found really fascinating.
I don't know if you saw this in the post game.So they're down two, and he gets a switch from Booker to Grayson Allen, which is clearly what they wanted, and he starts to operate from the top of the key.
He takes a contested long two-point jump shot, which is the worst shot on the court, especially with the time dwindling down, and after the game, He says, it was a bad evaluation.I thought we were down by one.Oh, no.
He said, I thought we were down by one.So positive, trying to stay positive.He played.He played.He didn't shoot great, but he had a couple shots.And just the way he moved, he looked like Paul George.
And there's a bright future for this Sixers team, albeit one in five right now, and second to worst in the Eastern Conference.But it just felt like there's a little less pressure on Maxie. You know what I mean?
It didn't feel like Maxie needed to do everything.And Joel Embiid was messing around with Bradley Beal before the game.And he was, he looked like, I just feel like, I feel like we're going to have Embiid, George, and Maxie on the court soon together.
And that is going to dramatically change the way we all feel about the Sixers right now.And they're going to climb the Eastern Conference standings.That's the positive part.Slight negative.
Maybe you should take some time to look at the score before you take the last shot. Just a little suggestion.
Also, I've been in a million locker rooms over the course of the last 20 years.I'm going to say, I'm going to keep this positive.I mean, this top tier cover up top.I mean, maybe the best I've ever seen.
The cameras are rolling the second you walk into a locker room.Somebody's got that video. Somebody's got it.Oh, yeah.There's probably surveillance cameras in there too.And there was a meeting of the minds and there was an agreement.
Hey, everybody likes the access they get.Let's keep a cool booty here. And so, all time, all time.Good job by their PR staff.
Great job.You know what?Great job by you turning that into a positive.I'm going to keep it positive.Great cover up.I like that.I like that.You get the theme of today's special.I'm a master.Very well done.Let's move on.
We got a lot of games to get through.
Okay, you're next.Cavs, Bucs.
They're both Eastern Conference.This is easy.The Cavs are undefeated.There ain't no. Right, I mean, top of the Eastern Conference, best record in the league, 8-0, 8-0.They haven't lost a game.
And one of the main thing that I want to focus on, the main positive thing I want to focus on is we all expected them to be good. But personally, I did not expect Darius Garland to play like this, this early.
Because we all know what he dealt with last year, you know, multiple things, sort of multiple setbacks, injuries and whatnot, off court stuff.But what he has done this year has been so impressive.And just like,
He had 34 against the Knicks, he had 39 last night, 39.They've got two legit perimeter closers that can take the last shot for you in a basketball game.And just from three against the Wizards, he was four for five.
Against the Knicks, he was five for eight.Against the Bucks, he was seven for 11.He is scoring, he's getting assists, he just looks great.Darius Garland would be my big positive for the Cavs, outside of the eight, no start.
And he was on this great trajectory made an all-star team.And then, you know, last year was just the season from hell with the broken jaw and everything else.And regarding that eight, no record.
I mean, you take a step back and you go, Hey man, that's 10% of the season.Yeah.I mean, it is a, that is not an insignificant thing to have taken place, especially when you look and you say some of the teams that we consider to be your peers.
You're getting a massive lead on them already, i.e.the Bucs, i.e.Philadelphia.That's a lot of games to make up over the course of, you know, as we keep on having segments of the season.So good job by them for sure.I can't wait for this.
Something positive about the Bucs?
The Milwaukee Bucks, perennial title contenders.They're dead last in the Eastern Conference.They're 1-6.However... Oh, I thought you were gonna say, nowhere to go but up! Literally, literally nowhere to go but up.Let me go positive on a macro scale.
We just celebrated the Cavs as the team with the best record in the Eastern Conference.
I don't think anyone would consider them the best team in the Eastern Conference, but the team with the best record in the Eastern Conference, they went toe to toe with the Cavs.Yep. Two nights.Lost on the last shot.
Yeah, two nights, toe-to-toe with the Cavs.So we are competitive if we are the Bucs.
And I think that one thing that has plagued this team, and we all know it by now, even though we're two weeks into the season, they're old, they need Chris Middleton, they can't defend anybody on the perimeter, and they can't defend anybody in transition.
Those are just things that were concerns going into the season that have bore out exactly as such two weeks into the season.But there is some hope. A.J.Green.A.J.Green.Oh, no.Seven for nine from three last night.Seven for nine from three.
And... Trey Jackson.Plays defense.He's not gonna light it up on the scoreboard, but he plays defense.And this is sort of a macro thing that is a discussion around the defense.
Andre Jackson.Yes.You said Trey.
They call him Trey.They call him Trey.Oh, oh, oh, Trey.I thought you said Trey.No, no, no.And, um... I will say, listen, these aren't household names, but this is indicative of a bigger problem, which is Doc Rivers loves to play vets.He just does.
This has been something that he's done for a long time.Every old coach.And it's, it's Torian Prince and Gary Trent Jr.It's just like, Guys Doc Glenn Glenn, let's have a talk Glenn.
Let's have a talk You're gonna have to put AJ Green in there for some shooting and Andre Jackson there for some defense We've made it all the more funny that they use their one pick that they're gonna have for the next decade on a kid That's like 17 years old in the first round Doc will never play ever
There's, this has to turn around.And I'll say the positive thing is that there's, there is some hope on the bench and some rot, some sort of like, you know, minute allocation tweaks that can be made to help.
And they have gone toe to toe with the team at the best record in the Eastern conference in the last like five nights.Yeah.
I tell you this, you almost broken me already. very short into the show when I ask you for a positive about the Bucks and you lead with A.J.Green.Not the Bengals.Not the Bengals, A.J.Green.
A.J.Green, who looks like a guy who, like, I cheated off in math.
We should do like the all-I-don't-look-like-a-basketball-player NBA team later on a different show.
He's even got the name of a guy that you can't believe it's him.
I think A.C.Green is his uncle, right?No?
I think so.Pistons beat the Lakers.Oh, they had everything that is...
the struggle, you know, the team that's not supposed to be so great against one of the powerhouse name brand teams and the powerhouse name brand team is just going to crank it up in the fourth quarter.
And I text you while this game was going on and I said, Oh, our pistons.Oh no, this is, this is the anatomy
of a failure where they've been up, they've been bullying them, and now this team's gonna turn up for the last six minutes, and it's gonna be a disappointment, and Isaiah Stewart gets called for this bogus foul on Rui Hachimura, then he gets pissed off and he gets a tech, and I'm like, oh my god, this is literally how it happens!
They bench him.Tobias Harris misses a wide open shot, and I'm like, no way.And then Jaden Ivey saves the day, and they ended up getting a win.So you've got the Pistons.I've got the Lakers.What do you got on the Pistons?
I'm just going to throw you a little alley-oop lob here. It's Jaden Ivey.Yep.It's Jaden Ivey.And you said it before the season.Breakout.Just remind the people what you said about Jaden Ivey before game one.And no, you were better than that.
You didn't just say breakout.You were like, there are certain players that you see in college that you believe in.
And no matter what happens in year one or year two, you still believe in them because you had that faith back when they were not being paid to play basketball.Yep. And it has happened.It's almost like if you play him, he'll be productive.
I know that's crazy.I know that's crazy.But Monty Williams, if you play him, he'll be productive.And to stay positive about the Pistons on a larger scale, Cade and Ivy really look like they can work together well.
And Ivy hit a couple big shots and Kate assisted those shots.It just feels like they're not redundant in the backcourt and that is not a concern.
And they can play together and they can stagger and they've sort of got the backcourt of their future there to build around.That's the positive about the Pistons.
And a lot of times you run into that where the guys are small, like those guys have size, right?So it's not a, it's not a, it's not a diminutive backcourt, um, that overlaps, even though sometimes that can work with great success.
Um, I'm excited about them and the future and certainly Ivy's off to a great start on the Lakers front.It's clearly a D and I know that, you know, he might've gotten a little hobbled, but he's played seven games this year.
under the new regime of J.J.Reddick.He is leading the NBA in scoring. all while doing it at crazy efficiency.57% from the field, um, leads the NBA.And so the Davis, uh, monster season is certainly off to a crazy start under JJ Reddick.
And then on a honorable mention note, Don't connect who I do think will be playing even a larger role on it through the rest of the season Westside Connect.Another one of those guys that probably fell.
You know, a little too far in the draft and we've seen in that mid range of the first round, a lot of guys be able to come in and contribute immediately.
You know, he's not playing a ton of minutes, but he's getting you seven points and he's doing it efficiently.47 from the field, 37 from three.And I do think as the year goes on, you're going to see his role expand.
And so it certainly looks the early reviews through the very early part of the season. are, they absolutely nailed that draft pick for a win now team.A win now team, you know, juxtaposed with what we were talking about with the Bucs earlier.
The Bucs didn't get a guy that can help them right now, which made everybody on draft night be like, what are you doing?Like, what are you building for three years from now?Like, like they went and found a guy who is, you know, you know, the ageists,
got to it there's no there's no way you could have looked at his production and what he did in college and ding him for that what you could ding him for is that he was a little older than many of his draftable peers but as i always say in the end
A lot of these teams will project and they'll go, yeah, well, he's 23 years old.And look, uh, what's this guy that's 19.What's he going to look like when he's 19 or when he's 23.And the answer more often than not is not as good as Dalton connect.
In four years, he's probably not going to be that guy if he hasn't shown it at 19.And so here we are.They've got their superstar that they can play through every single night.
And for a team that needed some added depth, seems like they nailed somebody in the middle of the first round with connect.So that's the good part.
When you say they've got their superstar that they can play through every single night. If you were to say that a year ago today, you'd be talking about LeBron James, but I believe you are now talking about Anthony Davis.
For sure.Do you see the numbers?This guy's he's leading the league in scoring.No one has scored more than Anthony Davis and he doesn't hit threes.
Anthony Davis has always been shown flashes and had huge games or disappeared in the fourth quarter, like in the playoffs.He kind of does these sort of like lulls.There has been no lulls in Anthony Davis's production this entire season.
They've decided.And, and, you know, and LeBron is fine with AD being the best player.
Oh yeah.40 years old.And I, you know, we're gonna, we're gonna keep it positive.It's hard.It's hard for me, but I'll say that, um, AD deserves a lot of credit, and maybe J.J.Reddick doesn't deserve all the credit.I'm just gonna throw it out there.
Just throw it out there. If you're in need of a mid-week boost, FanDuel, America's number one sports book, has you covered with the NBA Hump Day Parlay's Rewards Stack.
Now, every Wednesday, you can get Parlay profit boosts on everything from spreads to over-unders and even player props.This upcoming Wednesday.
See, Verno doesn't listen to me when I do the FanDuel Reads, so he isn't gonna hear me say that I have the Los Angeles Lakers beating his Memphis Grizzlies, and I have Anthony Davis over.
Anthony Davis has been on a tear this season, and I have under .5, 360 hand-switching layups from John Morant.That's not a real prop, I just made that up, but Monday night, wow, he put on a show.I'm over John Morant points, over Anthony Davis points,
and Lakers over Grizzlies.So don't let the weekend have all the fun.Take advantage of the Hump Day Parley's Rewards Stack.Who knows, it might just become your favorite day of the week.
Look for the Hump Day Parley's Rewards Stack in the FanDuel app to find your profit boost.Or you can visit fanduel.com slash mismatch.That is fanduel.com slash mismatch.Make every moment more with FanDuel, an official sportsbook partner of NBA.
Must be 21 or over and present in select states or 18 and over and present in DC.Often required bonus issued as non-withdrawable profit boost tokens.Restrictions apply, including any token expiration.See terms at sportsbook.bandool.com.
Gambling problem?Call 1-800-GAMBLER or visit rg-help.com.
Nuggets Raptors the nuggets.Oh another barn burner with the Raptors.
They just I Hey, this is one of those where you know, like it's like the Twitter night and people are like give me seven of these They're really really good at almost beating the Nuggets I
It's kind of like the bucks in the calves.It's like, you guys didn't win these games, but you were in the games and you're really, really good at almost beating the nuggets.
Did you see the, the RJ Barrett three, it rims around, it hits the front rim, back rim, backboard and Mogbo. puts his hands up as it's rimming around and turns away from the ball and is celebrating the win.Not realizing.Not the Nick Young.
Not the Nick Young.No, he's right under the basket too.Not realizing.I mean, he realized very quickly when he saw the body language of his teammates that the ball rimmed out.
That's how close they were to almost beating the Nuggets who are kind of struggling.But my true singular positivity thing for the Raptors is they're getting good dick. Um, you know, Grady Dick is known, uh, last year- Grow up, man.Grow up.
I will never.He was known for the draft suit look and the jersey swap. with Anthony Black.Like honestly, like he really didn't jump off the screen last year.I expected him to shoot better last year.
I thought he'd make more of a splash, especially for a Raptors team that sort of needed minutes in shooting.But right now he's on seven and a half attempts from three, 38%.You know, his last four games, he's got 30, 31, 22, and 26.
Like, you know, that's positive.For a team. Like I said, he told me to grow up, and then you went right back to it.You told me to grow up, and you went right back to it.
Unbelievable run for Grady Dick, too, because it, like, maybe every three days on my Instagram feed, him imitating Donald Duck on that Caleb Presley interview shows up, and he does this amazing Donald Duck impression.
I promise to my friends, Joey.
I believe that I'm going to play really, really hard.So, so hard.
Let me try my Donald Duck.How's that?Not bad, right?
Oh, I think you guys need to have a... Should I do the rest of the pod as Donald Duck?I think you need to have a duck off with Dick.
You too.We gotta move on.I'm gonna make too many dick jokes if we stay here.A duck fest.
Alright.On the nuggets front. I mean, what more can we say about Nicoli Oakage except that he has to do literally everything for that team.And he does it every night.30, 13, and 10 are his averages.54% for the field, 53% from three.
Last night, 28, 14, and 13, he placed 38 minutes against the Raptors and they need every single second of that production.Yep.To beat the Raptors by two.
He's, I mean, honestly, I will say this when everybody always gets into the MVP discussions as the year goes on, um, no matter, and we all argue about the, uh, What does it really mean to be most valuable?I'm going to tell you this.
There is no chance you could put another human being on that team.And that team would be anything but terrible.Oh, that's good.Yeah.That's a really good point.Take whoever you want.I don't care the player.Name them in the entire NBA.Maybe.Maybe Luca.
But it's also, I think that you can easily get caught up in what he does with all the quantifiable stats.But when you watch the Nuggets, nothing happens without Nikola Jokic.
He'll get double teamed and it'll be a swing, swing for a shot, where he doesn't get an assist, he doesn't get a usage or whatever.
But like, or he'll be in the post with his hand up and the defense is so focused on that, that someone will get a swing and then a drive on the other side of the court.Like, nothing happens without him.
And you know, obviously the famous stats of how they are with him on the court versus him off the court, which is probably like the best sort of like quantitative indicator of his impact.
Because he does get all the points and all the rebounds and all the assists, but he does so much more than just that.Like, when he's on the floor, I've never seen him take a possession off. I've never, I just, they can't.
If they played 20 games without him, I don't think they could win five.I'm not kidding.
Oh, that's a, that's generous.I mean, I'm talking about against, against like the worst teams in the league, 20 average games throughout the season.They would not.They would not.They would not.Nets beat the Grizzlies.
Let's start with you. I mean the John Moran highlights are back.What was that?Within the last week we have had an alley-oop thrown while sitting down on the court after two fakes that was completed for an alley-oop.
And last night we had two 360s, different directions by the way, one on the right and one on the left side of the court, with the complete of the switching of the hands.
Yeah, the switching of the hands part.
Look, we've missed this.We've missed this.Morant off the bounce.
360 spin and a finish.Oh, he did not do that.360 spin and a finish for Morant.
Watch this, partner.Just watch. Poetry in motion is what they call it.
I can't do this part.We missed all of last season.He has a better highlight tape through the first eight games of the season, then 99.9% of the league will have over 82 games of the season.
And, uh, and at a small honorable mention, the first huge ED breakout with the 25 and 12 last night, which was a diminutive team that only had one center in Nick Claxton.
And he took absolute full advantage of it and had the best night of his young career. unfortunately, in a loss.
I want to talk about these two highlights from John Moran, OK?Because it's the second one.First of all, I checked.I watched these a million times.I checked.His feet are pointed, because a lot of times people call things 360 when they're not 360s.
It's a full 360-degree aerial turn.His feet are pointed one direction, and they land in that same direction both times.Both times, we celebrate that Michael Jordan switching hands. It was unnecessary, number one.It was ineffective.
It didn't need to be done.And he didn't spin 360.And the second one, John Morant cocked his hand back behind his head as if he was going to dunk.And then did a 360, switching to his left hand and finished.
And Bruno, see, I'm just going to give you a little, I'm just going to throw you an alley-oop.Like me sitting on my butt looking for Santi Aldama. I know you saw this all day on Twitter yesterday before the game.
I saw multiple people putting a stat about John Moran right in my face all over the timeline. Ja Morant only has one dunk all season.Oh, is Ja Morant trying to save his body?I know you saw that.And I know Ja saw it.
So I know you're right there in the Memphis.You are a grizzly.How do you feel about the sort of narrative of Ja Morant only has one dunk?Is there something wrong with Ja?Is he trying to save himself?Has the injuries changed Ja?
And then him to go out and do that.
I think, I think thus far this season, knock on wood, He has put an onus on landing.You watch the way he is not.Now, of course, the momentum got him too much where he, but he, but he did not fall like violently after the 360.
He just kind of couldn't keep his balance.And then he was on the ground, kind of rolled over and smiled, you know, back at the, but he was on the ground a lot more. In the, in the last couple of years, right on these drives to the basket.
And I do think he's put a premium on, uh, his lower body and also landing.And so I do think, look, the dunks are yet to come.Um, but I do think there's probably some of, Hey, if. If I don't have to do this, I really need to watch myself.
I mean, it's hard when you lose, he's lost, you know, a season and a half basically over the last year.And so, uh, putting a premium on health is not something that is, uh, I would not ding him on.
And look, as soon as we say this, I promise you part of it is the chances. Right.
The lane is a little more like they're playing drop coverage and they're playing like true bigs when it gets, when they get all their roster guys back and it's a little more spaced out.
I bet you're going to see some, I bet you're going to see some, I'm not worried about, I'm not worried about John Murray, but I will say this is a, when I saw the first one, I said to myself, That has to be improvisational, in the air.
I don't think when he plants his feet, he says to himself, I'm going to do a 360 and switch hands.I don't think he practices that.I don't think that's something he drills with a trainer.
I really think that he just launches into the air and figures it out in the air, which is something that, outside of Kyrie Irving, you just don't see a lot of that.And it's so exciting.It's so absolutely just thrilling.
That is the John Morant that we all know and love, and they couldn't beat the Nets. Yeah.
So what do you got on the Nets?They're too good.They're too good.
The Nets are too good.They're too good.Is that a positive?Yeah.They're four and four.Like they're, they, I don't memorize every draft pick that every franchise has.So I did a little research for this one.
I was like, they have their own pick this year, right?Cause I remember them trading their own pick.They got it back from the Rockets.So they have four picks in the first round in 2025.Don't they have Milwaukee's?
They have Milwaukee's, which is one through four protected, which might be a problem.It's looking better.They have the Knicks, which will be a first round pick.
We just talked about the strength of the sort of like mid first round players that we've seen so far this year.And the fourth one.
It would take me an hour and a half to like understand and like another 45 minutes to explain But it's either the Thunder the Rockets or the Suns, whatever They've got four first-round picks and they've got 15 first in the next seven years.
So They've got a future, you know, I mean because if you look at the Bucks which at the bottom of the East no picks and older team, you're kind of like, all right, maybe we're not going to win the championship this year.
Maybe we're not going to get better next year.But if you are a Nets fan, you're looking at this team that is winning games and even losing tight games to good teams.It feels like there is a plan.It feels like there is a future for this.And.
They might have to trade Dorian Finney-Smith or Cam Johnson or Schroeder to get worse, seriously.
This is kind of what Utah did in years past, where you kind of pump up the Mike Conley value or whatever, because you're not really trying to win. You want these guys to play well, so you might be able to get something in return for them.
So, you know, that's certainly a positive.And I'll say this, you wonder why some teams overachieve early in the season.Many times we can look and it is, um, it lines up with the three point shooting because that becomes this great variance.
They're third in the league in three point shots made so far this year, Brooklyn is they are behind Cleveland and they are behind.
Boston by the way, Boston 30 ahead of Cleveland It's like Boston's hit like a hundred and fifty threes Cleveland is second with like a hundred and twenty And then and then and then Brooklyn is right behind them So, you know, how do out of these rat teams win games?
Dennis Schroeder, Dennis Schroeder hit a game winner over your guy Edie.Edie's nine feet tall and Schroeder just hits a game winner right over him.
And the aforementioned Dorian Finney-Smith who was shooting 29% from three coming into the game.He goes five for five.I mean, okay.Like that, typically that's a, it's a shot you want them to take because the guy's shooting 29%.
Not, not a Finney-Smith last night.Next one. Pacers beat the Mavs.You wanna start with the Pacers or you want me to go with the Mavs?Go with the Mavs.Alright, couple positive things.You know, obviously we know what Luka's gonna do.
Luka hasn't been... The counting numbers are all high, but the efficiency's not there yet.But both Kyrie and Klay, both, Have simultaneously been very, very good offensively.
And one guy I do want to highlight who they did not have last night in their loss to the Pacers.And it makes a massive, massive difference is lively. You know, same as it ever was, we saw this start last year in the playoffs and now we saw it.
It was a, it was a highlight again last night.You know, if you just go look at a net rating, what happens when they're on and off the court, offensively and defensively.
Once again, when he's on the court, they're a plus 10, they win by 10 points per 100 possessions. And when Gafford's on the court, they lose by six per 100 possessions.Why do they start Gafford?What are we doing?
But that is a 16 point swing, a 16 point swing between those two players.And I do think what you'll see is as the season goes on, his minutes will go up, that will become more significant.
And then I think you'll see an even greater version of the Dallas Mavericks.But once again, we started off the season, I mean, I think the Uh, the, the, the ceiling for gap, uh, for, uh, for lively is very, very high.
Obviously he had to miss last night's game, but it's one of those things where he misses last night's game.And it's a reminder.This guy is like essential to them being a really good team.
Um, because the numbers of the numbers, they are, they're a fantastic team with lively on the court and they just aren't with Gafford on the court thus far.And this is to me, a carry over of what we saw last season as well.
What I was so impressed with from him last year, it wasn't the dunks and alley-oops or the blocks.It was the short roll when Luka gets blitzed and he catches it right around the free throw line and makes a very quick decision to an open shooter.
And I think with Klay Thompson, And with him having some more experience, he's a rookie last year, and he was reading like a quarterback.Like, what is the defense going to give me?Who's open?Give him the ball.
And I think that with him getting more experience under his belt, more coaching, it's going to even improve more.And he's still going to catch the lobs, he's still going to get the blocks, he's still going to get the rebounds, but his sort of like,
Hertenstein-esque kind of operation from the top of the key as a short roller.
Obviously not as good as a Draymond Green, but that's an added thing that Gafford doesn't really have, which stood out in the playoffs, which I think helps those numbers, which I think is why he's gonna get more run than Gafford, and Gafford's not bad.
This isn't a shot at Gafford.I just think that Lively- It's a better fit.Is a better fit, and because Luca is such an attention gravity pulling force that you need other players to be hubs.
And with clay Thompson in the corner, and that's, that's just, it's just, you can see it.Luca gets blitzed, hits lively, lively to clay, clay to the basket.Let's run back on defense.
You can see that a lot, which is exactly the old gravity warriors play.Seriously, right?
Dream on was the best at that.
Yeah.Yeah, that's right.That's right.Dream on was the best at that.And now, and the same gravity that Curry requires is the same gravity that Luca requires, which then leads to splash brother on the sides.You got the Pacers.
What do you want to say about them?
Um, so let me just tell a little tale of this man's career.I can't think, I would say it was probably six years ago was the last time there weren't miles Turner trade rumors.Seriously.
I think for the last five years, right around the trade deadline, it's been a Miles Turner trade rumor.
And to deal with that year after year after year, and he was also heavily campaigning for the defensive player of the year, I'd say four years ago.
And he's sort of always had it on defense, but now his offense and his shooting have taken a bit of a leap.He was hurt, he came back last night in this win, 10 for 17 from the floor, five for eight from three.
And he hit like a long two too from Halliburton.It was like a bad shot, but he's just, he's catching it and letting it fly.And he is, it's like there's three in D wings and he's like a rim protect in three big.
And that's sort of like, that's a really, really good combination.And I think that he quietly, doesn't get celebrated the way that some other bigs get celebrated for getting it done on both ends and being a threat from the outside.
But he's had a great start to this season.So that I would say is one big positive.It's like a poor man's cat. Yeah.Yeah.Like, yeah.Yeah.Yeah.Sort of like a canal street Gucci purse cat.Yeah.
Which is a positive.Yes.Which is a positive.It's a positive.Yes.He's a big part of what they do.And I think there's so much attention on Halliburton and how he's playing, what he's doing or not doing.
And that I think that, you know, that I think that, that Miles Turner is, is sort of an, is, is not celebrated for his contribution to this team and his contribution and where he is in the league in terms of bigs enough.
That is one big, big positive for them as
Also, unapologetically, huge Lego guy.Big Lego guy.
If you don't know, Google Miles Turner Lego.Like, he's amazing at it.Oh, yeah.He's amazing at it.You've seen the video, right?Oh, yeah, I've seen it.Huge Lego guy.And also, like, let's not sleep.He was probably third.
I don't have the numbers in front of me.He's like third in defensive player of the year, like three years ago.Did you see the movie?He plays defense.Did you see the Pharrell movie? I haven't seen that one yet, but I've got three young children.
I see every single movie every good children's movie I heard it.I was a little concerned about it at the top.I was like a second of Pharrell biopic Through the good lens of Legos.Yeah, it's good.
I mean, it's like watching a documentary, but it's good, but it's also like But it's also like that when you saw the list of people that are in it.I was like, how could that be bad?I
I mean, it's not like funny.It's not funny.Like all the Lego stuff is like truly hilarious, right?Like Lego movie, Lego Batman.
I really want a Lego Pusha T figure.Bad.Can't find it anywhere.I even went to the big Lego store in Orlando.They don't make them.I'll write some emails.I'll write some emails.
Lego, get me a Lego Pusha T. Lego Pusha T. The next game is all to yourself because it's two East teams.Celtics Hawks.
I mean, this was a difficult one.This is where I got stuck in our prep.Celtics, like, What negative is there to say, right?There's just a positive say.Oh, positive say.Okay.Okay.Here's what more positive.
your team is going to be boringly excellent all regular season, right?You're going to win games like you did last night, where you just lose interest in the third quarter.
That sounds like a negative, but you will always, always, always have Joe Mizzoula quotes.So maybe on the floor you'll be winning by too much for it to be interesting, but Joe Mizzoula in the last two weeks has lobbied for fighting
in the NBA, the next day tried to fight a referee and had to be held back by two assistant coaches, and he wants hockey-style penalty box, like, minute-long suspensions for players, and...
He said that none of this matters because we're all going to die soon.That's in just the last two weeks.That's a career's worth of quotes for most coaches.
So no matter how many games, you're going to win 70 games, but you're always going to have Joe Mazzuolo to keep it interesting.You missed?
that Jason Tatum got absolutely trucked by former teammate Grant Williams and then got up like a 2k character and just ran away like nothing happened.
It really reminded me of like one of those computer generated players that like just gets up and keeps on running.
Yeah, like nothing happened. The best I was watching that the postgame and Grant Williams is like in the hallway and someone cornered him and asked him about it He's like, oh There's nothing but love between us.I'm gonna text him later tonight.
Are you you're the worst friend ever?Love I don't know that didn't seem like a love tap that didn't seem like a hug.I don't know about that I don't know.I don't know if you get a response to that text.Mr. Williams.
All right, let's hear the Hawks man Do I have to This is, this is, remember, do you remember this?
This is a day.Look, this is why our country gets divided because in moments like this, there's guys like you that say, do I have to answer?Yes.
You have to be positive.Okay.Okay.I'm going to be positive.And I'm also going to be, I'm gonna take ownership over something.Just like we celebrated your, your sort of prediction of a breakout year from Jaden Ivey.Yes.
I might have predicted that the Hawks would overperform expectations this year.And the jury's still out, but the jury's like asleep in the jury room right now.Is it?Is the jury?They're talking about Game of Thrones in the jury room right now.Is it?
Yeah.Just say Jalen Johnson and get out of here.That's what I'm gonna say.No, I'm gonna say Jalen Johnson and Dyson Daniels. You know what I mean?
Because I really thought that sort of dance would be more impactful than Trey, and obviously he hasn't had the opportunity to.But I think there's been a lot more Dyson Daniels in a hockey uniform than there was in a Pelicans uniform on my screen.
All right.So that's what I'm going to say.Jalen Johnson and Dyson Daniels.And Trey Young last night.Wait, I'm going to stay positive.I'm going to stay positive.
This episode is brought to you by Vitamin Water.Food, entertainment, sports teams.New York City is one of those places that oozes choice.It's got something for every taste.So it's fitting that Vitamin Water was born there.
It's a product of its environment.Colorful, flavorful, anything but boring.Vitamin Water injects a daily dose of vibrancy into a watered down life.So grab some Vitamin Water today, NYC style.Vitamin Water is a registered trademark of Glasso.
This message is a paid partnership with Apple Card.If you want to take control of your finances, Apple Card is where it starts.A credit card that can give you up to 3% daily cash back on every purchase.I have one, I can tell you this is true.
I know and love Apple Card.So many places I can use it, especially during a busy time here with football, basketball, the holidays. All at once, I can use my Apple Card on tickets to a game, a gift for my dad, or even tickets as a gift for my dad.
Apply for an Apple Card today.It's easy.Just go to the Wallet app on your iPhone.Again, that easy.Subject to credit approval, Apple Card issued by Goldman Sachs Bank USA, Salt Lake City branch.Terms and more at applecard.com.
We got a bunch of them to get through, so I'll try to be quick on these.Rockets beat the Knicks.Oh, I'm sorry, Jacoby.But look, every time I turn on the Rockets... I know, I gotta stay positive.
Can we just say, I have to switch to the other team's feed on League Pass, because if you watch this Rocket's weird-ass angle they're using all the time, if you tune them in on League Pass, they do this weird
Like almost like from above in the corner angle on the game.And it's just so jarring that I always have to flip over, even though I like, uh, their, their announcers, they got some vibrance to them.
Uh, anyway, Thompson and Eason, like I sit there, wait for those guys to come in the game.I don't even know. what our man Thompson is going to do.Did you see that last night?Oh my God.
He is awesome.He caught the ball in the air while he was still in the air, threw a ball fake to the corner.So the defender runs to the corner, I think it was bridges, and then he dunks. He, he, he, he, it was, it was wild.
He jumped in the air, caught it before he landed through a ball fake to clear out a lane and then just dunked it.Oh man.The ball fake and then the two handed dunk.
That was pretty. It's so good.I talked about this years ago.
So when they were, when they had left high school in Florida, they went to overtime elite and a guy and somebody from overtime elite reached out to me and said, Hey, the Thompson brothers are going to be in town.
We are with this league and we're got these kids and whatever.And long story short, they were going to be coming to Memphis.They were going to be doing this workout.And the thing was literally like, a mile from my house.I'm like, can I bring my son?
Because I asked my son, I'm like, do you know who the Thompson's twins are?He's so into basketball that he knows him from Instagram at the time, even though they're high school kids.I'm like, I'm going to go over there and check this out.
I'll go watch him.Jacoby, I'm telling you, I saw Ama and Thompson.They were just they had gotten done with all their drills.He's standing under the basket and off vert jumped up and windmilled it. Just straight, no step, no nothing.
And I'm like, what the hell is going on? What is going on?Now, I wish the brother was playing, you know what I mean?The brothers had some injury problems with Detroit, because I like him as well.
But every time Ahmed Thompson comes into game, it's like, you can't watch the Rockets and not notice him.There's some guys that can just be doing, getting straight cardio in games.That is never him.He is in the mix some way, somehow.
And also, Tari Eason just comes off like a bolt of lightning off the bench too.Man, they bring those two guys off the bench.It's like, I have way more fun when they come in the game, watching that team.
And there are some nights where it's just, you can't match up with them athletically, no matter what team you are.
And no one's going to say that, uh, compare, um, Alpy Sengoon to a bolt of lightning.However, took over in the fourth quarter.You know, when you're surrounded by those kinds of athletes, you don't have to be one yourself.
And he absolutely won that game for him.It did feel a little bit like the Knicks were going to come back and sort of make a run in the fourth.And every time it was Sengoon with, with, with a bucket.
Also, a crazy one, since you were watching that game as well, but I have to mention it.
In the fourth quarter of that game, they put up a graphic on the screen to highlight a guy that was sitting on the Rockets bench, Jeff Green, still around, also former Sonic.
He's AJ Green's uncle, not AC Green.That was my fault.That was my fault.And it said,
In NBA history, they put up the graphic.No player has had more teammates than Jeff Green.
Oh, can I guess the number?Can I guess the number?Go ahead.Do you have the number?Yes, I've got it.God, so let's say you got, you got 14 guys on the team.They switch over a couple of times, been in the league for 17 years.17 times, I'll call it 14.
But they're not all gonna be different teammates, too, right?Yeah, I'm going 260.
No.Did you see it?No.Deadass.It's 263.
Look at that.Little math.You want to take any crack at the other four that are listed behind him?No.No.When I say them, it's gonna make all the sense in the world. So Jeff Green has had more teammates than anyone in NBA history at 263.
Second, Vince Carter, 261.That makes sense.Yeah.Third, Trevor Ariza, 259.Oh, that makes a lot of sense.Fourth, Garrett Temple, 250.Huh.And fifth, JaVale McGee, 245.That makes sense.More teammates than anyone ever.
That's crazy.There's 263 people on the planet right now that see Jeff Green and they're like, that's my teammate.He can't get married.I don't know if he's married or not, but he can't.That's insane.He did.He did get married, I think.
He's going to need to use the arena to get married.Oh, good, good, good.All right, we got a- I hope he doesn't marry me.I only have 200 teammates.I get a lot of gifts, though.Oh, you got the Knicks.The Knicks.
And we do have to pick the pace up, so I'll just say this. It hasn't been perfect, but you can see the seed has germinated and a little tiny sprout has sprung up from the dirt that will blossom into Carlin D. Towns working into this offense.
Like you can see it, you can see the potential of it.He's literally shooting, this is not gonna stick.He's shooting 57.9% from three.He was shooting 65% from three before the game yesterday. I mean, it's going to work.And I will also say this.
They've had some tough losses.Tied for third place in the East.They haven't had any bad losses. No.What is it?It's Celtics, Cavs, and last night, right?Celtics, Cavs, and last night.Yeah.That's not bad.I didn't like last night's.
I didn't like last night's.I got you, but that's not bad.Yeah.And I'll say like, and also the East is so weird right now because no one is winning games that it's the Celtics 8-0 and the Cavs and then the Celtics.And then next it's all 500 and worse.
Jazz beat the bulls.Oh boy.All right.So we can go fast on this one.I'm going to say for the jet first win.Good for them.
John Collins, Jack Collins is he had 28, 13 and five last night, but Jack, I was one of those guys that like, you know, he's on a team that's going to be tanking at the end of the year, trying to get one of these great, uh, you know, draft picks, uh, coming up and.
Boy, he could really, really, really help somebody.Like he is increasing his value.So what happened is a couple of years ago, John Collins, he was always a pretty good three point shooter, right?Like a guy that was pretty effective from three.
And then he had that horrible finger injury thing.And I remember we would Google his hand and it was like the most disgusting looking finger ever.And it's like, and then he couldn't shoot. And then it was like, what is this guy?
And he shot 29% for an entire season.And I don't know if he got the finger fixed or just figured out how to shoot with the damn thing.But last year he was 37% from three.So far this year, he's 36% from three and he shoots them.
And like, as a guy that you could bring off your bench on like a good team, if somebody put together a trade, I think John Collins could swing, swing it for somebody.
And a guy that you could see, like if he got traded to a playoff team, could have like real, real impact.And everybody's just forgotten about him because he stowed away in Utah.
Yeah.I feel the same way about Sexton. You know, yep, and yeah, and and it's like you look at that team.You're like, yeah, yeah marketing didn't play last night I'm marketing Kessler and sexting and Collins and there's like you know in some games.
Yeah, you accidentally win some games.Yeah Bulls we skip the Bulls, right?
I mean they play at the fastest pace I'll give them that you don't mean if you're gonna if you're gonna be mad if you're gonna be mad It was fun to watch Lonzo ball play I
for a couple of games, a couple of games.
Okay.That's positive.All right.Let's get to warriors.Beat the wizards.Cause I've got a lot on the warriors.So we covered Chavano in our last podcast.Oh yeah.Chavano.They are leading the league or like right there at the very top.
I think Toronto's actually overtook them after last night's game, but like they're right there at the very top of assists.Um, They've got 11 guys averaging over 15 minutes a game.And Lindy Waters averages 14 minutes a game.
And Gary Payton averages 11.So that's 13 players playing double digit minutes for you this year.It is.And they all play well, and they all play well together.The assist numbers are just crazy.And their bench is averaging 61 points a game.
The next best is the Pacers at 47, uh, points per game.And so this, it's just something we've really, I don't think ever seen this many guys playing and it actually working and them, you know, if you don't have the most high end talent have.
a plethora of players that are good players that can play for you and also play extremely well together.And that's exactly what they have done so far.
It's mega impressive, at least in the first, you know, eight games of the season, have that many guys be able to play and be effective.
As Steph missed three games.If you would have said Steph missed three games, the Warriors are one in six like that.Yeah.It checks out.It's tough.You know what I mean?But Steph missed three games.There's six in one. Six and one.Depth, man.
The depth is crazy.Very positive.So here's my positive about the Wizards outside of Khalil Kulbali, the best player on the Metropolises 92, is pooling Draymond last night. Poole and Draymond, we all know the history.We all know what happened.
So Poole hits a three, points at Draymond, and then Draymond assists a three that Poole contested, and then points at him.It was just, the pettiness, I absolutely am here for.
There's only so much to discuss about the Warriors' output on the basketball court.
But last night knowing that these two guys still don't like each other still can't don't have enough restraint self-restraint to not Point at each other while on the basketball court while being covered by 17 cameras knowing they're gonna get asked about it after the game I love that kind of stuff.
Thank you very much Jordan Poole for just being yourself
Kings beat the Heat, Terry Rozier airball at the end of the game.I mean, like, and this is after the Kings took a shot, bounces off the rim, Sabonis puts it back in.And I'm highlighting Sabonis, especially after the huge game winner last night.
Sabonis averaged a 21-13 at six, 61% from the field, 50% from three.And production-wise, go look at every game. This is maybe the most underappreciated player in the league.Oh, I mean you go look Go look at his lines every single game.
There's not one clinker in there.Every night you get it from him.You remember last year he had like the 77 double doubles and 26 triple doubles.Like it's unheard of to be that like, you're just going to have some bad games here and there.
But here we are again, he like never has a bad game.You know what he's not gonna do?He's not gonna jump up in the air, cock it back with his right hand, spin around 360 and finish off the glass with his left hand.
He's not gonna make the big highlights.He does have some dunks and whatever.But it's crazy to be good every night.Every single night.
Every night.There's no like 3 for 15. ever.It never happens.It's the craziest thing.Just the beacon of consistency.So I'm a, I'm a shout him out.What about the heat?
Tied for third place in the Eastern conference.You're tied for third place right now.Playoffs start tomorrow.You're hosting a playoff series at three and three.That's how weird the East is. You know, there's three and three.Overcame the statue.Yep.
Overcame the statue.They've had their ups and downs so far this season.And Tyler Hero. Last night, albeit in a loss, I texted you about this play.DeMar DeRozan is their finisher.God, he is a finisher.
And he hit a three, he hit a two, and they're going to him, and they're going to work on Tyler Hero.And Tyler Hero put his hand up before DeRozan even got into his motion.He put his hand up.He said, I'm going to get this ball on the way up.
And anyone who's ever played basketball, even in third grade, knows that when you're on your way up with the jump shot, the ball can be exposed and slapped down on.Tyler Hero slapped down the ball, got it, and got the ball back.
I mean, yes, it wasn't a losing effort, but no one's ever put Tyler here on an all-defensive team, and he was being ISO'd for a reason, and DeMar DeRozan is a finisher, and Tyler Herro stepped up to it.And he also has been playing well offensively.
And that was a big win for Herro, because DeRozan waved off the switch, and he had been cooking Bam.Cooking him.Those last couple possessions.
And won three.Had an and-one-three, a four-point play.
Yeah, he had been cooking, bam.And he also got to the nail and it knocked one down.And it's like, and then he waved off the switch.Like, no, give me the, give me this dude.And then just.
What were you going to say?Give me the what?Give me the what?The white guy.Give me the white guy.Give me the white guy.At least you're being honest.
Give me the white guy.Give me whitey.We'll break him off once.Hey, the other, the other thing is that it was kind of sober at the end of, uh, at the end of that game and they lose the heat announcer was like, and now.
Since the beginning of last season, the heat dropped to 23 and 22 on their home court.Just unthinkable.And I was like, damn dog, 23 and 22 at home.
Pat's going to have him remove his name from it.Take my name off of that thing.Take my name off of that court.Yeah, right.
That's pretty bad.T-Wolves beat the Hornets.Okay.
It's a hundred percent.27 a game, 47% for the field, 45 from three and shooting 11, a game four more than he did last year.And then
in true ant form, asked by a reporter about whether or what he thinks about people saying he is shooting too many threes.And he said, F them.
What would you say to, to somebody who said you're shooting too many threes?
Look, there's very, there's very few guys in the NBA that have absolutely no filter. Every time you ask Ant a question, you are going to get an absolutely 100% authentic answer.
And that was his answer to somebody saying that he might be shooting too many threes, especially when he's shooting 11 a game and he's shooting 45%.What do you shoot more?What?
What are you talking about?I should be shooting 23s a game.Yeah, 45%.Bozos.That's how they get you there.
All right, so Ant gets mine on the positive for the T-Wolves, and especially with that particular answer.
Hornets.Hornets. I mean, it's obviously, if you're the Hornets and you're a Hornets fan, you're in Carolina, you golf a lot, great weather, little barbecue, vinegar-based sauce, great stuff.I love Charlotte.
It's just a great part of the country to be at.
Can I tell you a hilarious story?I'll make it quick.Of course. We went to the all-star game a couple years ago, okay, in Charlotte.I loved it as an all-star city.Everything was walkable, super fun.
I take my producer, John Roser, with me, and we go to this place in Charlotte.We just look up a barbecue place. Memphis is known as the barbecue capital, right?There's always these fights, right?
Texas barbecue, Kansas City barbecue, Charlotte barbecue, whatever.Guess what?It's all good.It's all great.But Charlotte's on there.So we go to this place and we look it up and we go to a place in Charlotte called Mack's Speed Shop.
So go out there and, uh, on, on one of the days off.And I filmed this video and the whole video, the whole premise is Charlotte always builds themselves up as this great barbecue city. I'm going to go and have Charlotte barbecue.
And then I'm going to talk about how this is preposterous that they're even, they even put themselves in the same class as Memphis.And so we go to this max speed shop and we order literally everything on the menu.They bring it out to this thing.
I tell him, I said, Rosa grabbed the camera, he grabs a camera and he's going to film me eating this stuff.And so I start taking bites of it.Jacoby, it was amazing and i'm like this is a disaster this is an absolute disaster i like every single thing
It was so good.Everything was so good.They had like six different sauces.I'm trying all of them.They had sausage and cheese.They had brisket.I mean, I'm like, okay.And I swear to God that video still exists somewhere.We never posted it.
I need to find it someday, but I never posted the video because the whole idea was for me to talk about how much better Memphis was and I was like, I can't post this.This stuff is delicious.So you're being positive today.
This is a positivity theme.There it is.It's good stuff.You try to be negative, you end up positive.And I'll say if you, if you're there, you have to live a great life.
You're eating at Max's speed shop, having that vinegar based sauce, best pulled pork sandwich I've ever had in my life. And you golf a lot, a lot of golf out there.Everyone from North Carolina, everyone from Indiana has a jump shot.
Everyone from Indiana has a knockdown 16-foot jump shot.Everyone from North Carolina is a scratch golfer, every single person.And I will say that you have lamello ball back in your life.There's always a reason.It didn't look great yesterday at all.
We'll take yesterday. out of it.That was a tough game for everyone in a Hornets uniform against the Timberwolves.But LaMelo Ball is just so exciting to watch.You never know what he is going to do.
And every single time, I've been watching this man play basketball for four years.Every time I'm like, he's tall. You know what I mean?He's, he's tall.
And he's also like just doing whatever the hell he wants.
He's shooting off one foot.It works.It's like imagine if Jordan Poole was good.Like that's kind of what he's doing.
Dude, I saw, I saw, I laughed so hard.I saw this meme the other day and somebody posted it said, Lamella Ball plays like there's 10,000 chicks in the audience. I was like, that might be the best descriptor of what I'm watching.
Yeah, yeah.Lomelo Ball plays like it's his birthday and he organized a pickup run. That's how he plays.I'm putting up every shot.I'm putting up every shot.I'm doing whatever I want.One foot, left hand, right hand.Maybe I'll try to dunk.
I might pass, but it's going to be a ridiculously fancy pass.It's probably unnecessary.I love everything about his game.And we can talk about this.It seems like we're being negative, but it's effective.No, we love him.It's effective.
And he's fun to watch.It's fun.He's a reason to watch.It's a reason to watch the Hornets.It's why they end up. For a team that has very little of a successful future in this season, I will watch a disproportionate amount of Hornets basketball.
Last three.Thunder beat the Magic.God, I feel so terrible for the Magic.I mean, my God, you get to last night and they're starting Gogo Bidazzi and De Silva.And it's like, ugh.Anyways, Thunder, look.
I said my piece last week about their post-game interview, but this is a day of positivity.Positivity.Bro, their defense is otherworldly.They are averaging seven blocks a game leading.
They are averaging 13 steals a game, which is three higher than anyone in the league.The Hawks are at 10 a game.They're at 13.And that goes along with seven blocks and 13 steals a game.Their defensive rating is 93.8 second.
is the warriors at one Oh two.Third is the magic at one Oh 7.5.They are 14 points ahead of the third place defense.Just freaky, freaky numbers, deflections, blocks, steals, everything.
And this is, and they don't have Hartenstein right at the start of the season without him. And, uh, just unbelievable job so far.Their defense has just been, it's unheard of my math.
is excellent, as you saw earlier with the Jeff Green teammates thing.But 7 plus 13, 7 blocks and 13 steals, that's 20 possessions, right?Because you can't do those both in the same possession.No.Right?
That's 20 possessions where the other team does not get a legit field goal attempt.That is basically a fifth of your possessions.You're not putting the ball towards the basket.
13 steals, 13 steals is an insane number.They can't keep that up.They can't keep that up.I mean, they can't keep that up.I'll just tell you this.They could, they could fall back a little bit.
I mean, they're 10 points ahead of the second best defense and 15 points better than the third best.It's crazy.Crazy what they've done so far early in the year. Uh, magic.Oh boy.Uh, no, I got it.
It's, it's, we've, we've discussed this and this is, this is a player that we've, uh, adopted, not, not at the level that we've adopted Jay Huff, Huff Hive.You can always, you can always, what's Jay Huff been up to lately?We have a quick Huff date.
He had 20 and 14 minutes the other night.
Yeah.20 and 14 minutes.So per 36.Okay.So he's averaging 50 points a game basically.At least.That's how I see it.That's how I see it.Huff Hive.That's the Huff date.You always get a Huff date here on the mismatch.Um,
But I'll say is, uh, is Jalen sucks.You know, we discussed him when he got his extension and we've discussed him since.And while the Paolo is going to come back, I'd say that that's like my big positive thing is it doesn't look good without Paolo.
And it's just, it's just a testament to how important he is to this team.As we were talking about like value earlier, if you replace him with someone else, like you're seeing. how important Paolo is to this team and how impactful he is.
But Jalen Suggs has really turned an offensive corner so far this year.And- Fair enough.You know.Okay.
Clippers, Spurs, Big Zoo.Have a season.Yeah.17 and a half, 13 rebounds, almost three assists. And he's had, so far this year, he's had a 24 and 15, a 23 and 18, and last night, a 17 and 13 with 10 offensive rebounds in the game.Wait, say it again.
Offensive?Offensive rebounds.Oh my god.Last night.So look, to your not very good at math, that's 10 more possessions.Wait, isn't that one?
That was against the Spurs, right? Don't they have like an eight-foot wunderkind?It's positive day!It's positive day!Oh, oh, oh.So you know what?I'm gonna keep it positive about the Spurs.Victor Wimbenyama hit two threes.Shot nine.He hit two.
We're gonna be positive.I'm just gonna say it now, Chris Vernon.People are gonna start talking about this.I've got the West!People are gonna start talking about Victor Wimbenyama shooting terribly from three. I've got the West.All right.
Try to be positive too.It's just hard.
Chris Paul, 65 years old, averaging 12, nine and four shooting 50% from the field, 43% from three.He's the only one that can't hit threes for the, for the Spurs.It's Mavs, Jason kid ask.
This is a, it's very hard for me to be positive on the Spurs.So I'm just going to lay out. Blazers, Pelicans, I get the last one too.
Boy, this was, this was the most challenging.I saved the, you saved the hardest for last.I'm going to tell you this.
You want to just wrap the pod right here?Just to keep it positive.
Thanks so much for listening to the mismatch. In years past and for many years, I have lamented the fact that some of these teams just wear the most obscene looking jerseys ever.
And all these city additions and all this crap and colors that aren't your team's colors and whatever else.And I just want to say that I appreciate the fact that if I have to, if I am forced to watch the blazers that
them wearing the black with the red with the stripes across it.It feels like the Blazers.They're the ones like they have stuck to the guns.I think of Clyde Drexler.I think of Kevin Duckworth.
I think of Bulls versus Blazers on my Sega Genesis and you know in the in the In an era of all these goofy ass jerseys, I'll give them credit.Because I love the old school black with the red and white stripe across it.
And it pays homage to, they haven't had to change and make some kind of like super goofy ass jersey.
There's a variance of a theme throughout the years, but it's a variance of the theme.
It is what it is.And that is a positive thing that I can say.
Yeah.And then on the pelicans, uh, they have, they have medical insurance.
Yeah.They're going to get their guys back.This is the worst it's going to be.Oh, I like that.This is the worst it's going to be.The worst it's going to be is right now.No, no, no, no CJ, you know, you know, her Jones.
It's it's a disaster.It's a disaster injury wise, but this is the worst It's gonna be dead one starter Brandon Ingram did one of their starters.How many games how many games you expect to win?
You have one of your starters and that the Zion thing is just so concerning of course it is Can we play can we play 10 to 15, you know, I mean without me having to worry once I
And I know he played a lot of games last year before he let out, but you know.He did.
I am too.We did good on this day of such divisiveness.We remained positive about every single NBA team.That was a good job.That's a great job by us.All right.Thanks to our executive producer, Jesse Lopez, as always, and Jacoby.
I'll talk to you later this week.That's right.
Must be 21 and over in present in select states for Kansas in affiliation with Kansas Star Casino or 18 or over and present in DC.Got a gambling problem, call 1-800-GAMBLER or visit rg-help.com.
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 24-7 support in Massachusetts or call 877-8HOPENY or text HOPENY in New York.