Pick'em Pros
Pick'em Pros is a father and son dynamic duo who love talking sports. Their show "Who Ya Got" features their weekly sports game picks along with commentary of fantasy sports. 13 Year old Diego Thompson is a hit as he passionately makes his points and never backs down when going head to head with his father!
Pick'em Pros
When your favorite team falls, how do you pick a new champion?
Death, taxes, and playoff injuries altering championship dreams. We dive into how the current wave of NBA injuries has reshaped this postseason's narrative. From Steph Curry's hamstring derailing Golden State's hopes to Jason Tatum's Achilles threatening Boston's championship path, we examine whether these setbacks have tainted the playoffs or simply reinforced the brutal reality that availability is the best ability.
The Indiana Pacers have crashed the Eastern Conference Finals party after years of disrespect. We debate whether they're legitimate contenders or simply beneficiaries of an injury-riddled bracket. Did we all underestimate Tyrese Halliburton's impact and Pascal Siakam's playoff pedigree? Our heated conversation explores whether the Pacers could shock the basketball world and make a surprise NBA Finals appearance.
Game 7 between Denver and OKC looms large as a battle for Western Conference supremacy and unofficial MVP validation. We break down what went wrong for the Thunder in Game 6 when SGA's foul trouble changed everything, and predict whether Oklahoma City's electric home crowd can push them past the defending champions. Plus, we react to the NFL schedule release, debate whether the league needs a draft lottery system, and discuss the Dallas Mavericks' incredibly fortunate 1.8% chance lottery win landing them Cooper Flag to pair with Luka Dončić. Is this the birth of the NBA's next dynasty or pure luck?
Don't miss our live show at Kings in Raleigh three weeks from now featuring special guests, live music, and more sports talk than you can handle. Subscribe now and join the Pick'em Pros community!
Pick'em Pros is a father son duo who enjoy talking sports, debating and having fun while doing it!
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Now coming to you live from the Pick'em Pro studio. Here are your Pick'em.
Speaker 2:Pros.
Speaker 3:Yeah, yeah, oh man, another episode here. So, diego, you are out. You're Warriors man. Sorry, man, you didn't make it. Christopher C Payne Davis, your Lakers lost about a year ago and so I'm the last man standing. You know, brianna, we didn't hear Brianna's pick. So I know she got OKC, but that was late, so that doesn't technically count. So I'm the champ, I'm the default champion man with my Celtics. We got a clip here of our guy, Diego, and then we're going to start the show. Pick them pros. Okay, we're on record, diego, who you got in the finals facing off and who's winning.
Speaker 4:I got the Golden State Warriors versus the Boston Celtics, just like 2022. And just like 2022, we're going to beat them Because we got both of their owners in the team. Steph owned them three years ago. Bm in the finals beat udoka, beat all, all the crew. Jimmy butler two years ago beat the boston celtics in seven to go to the nba finals. You pair both of those guys together. Oh boy, that's just you. You can't stop that. You just can't stop it. I don't see how you stop it.
Speaker 3:We're going to submit you to be drug tested.
Speaker 4:We just beat them two weeks ago. They're too small, they can't mess with us. They're too young, they don't have enough experience. We beat them and you're too old. We have all the experience and we have two amazing playoff players. Okay.
Speaker 3:So the Warriors, it's going to be Warriors. Celtics repeat 2022. Warriors win the championship is what you're saying.
Speaker 4:Okay, easy.
Speaker 3:Easy. He says oh boy, Ladies and gentlemen, welcome back. You know who it is. I am Derek the champion Thompson, and I'm Diego Thompson.
Speaker 5:I'm C-Pan Christopher Davis. And who are we, the Pick'em Pros?
Speaker 3:We are the Pick'em Pros coming back at you in the house with a special episode, episode 135 of who you Got. Oh man, beautiful day man, it's just the weather's great. You in the house with a special episode, episode 135 of who you got, oh man, beautiful day man, it's just the weather's great. Uh, we got uh joe running things here in the studio. Shout out to joe. Shout out to summer behind the scenes. Shout out to brandon behind the scenes. Everyone that makes pick and pros go, everybody watching the show. Thank you, so, so, so, so much. Diego, my man, you don't have aau today, so so happy to have you here. How you doing, man?
Speaker 4:man, I'm doing good. Y'all expect me act all sad and stuff. I mean, sure we lost that, that's not what we wanted. But I mean we didn't have curry and we all knew if we had curry we would have won the championship. So I mean I'm I mean all the stuff I said in there is not. I wasn't lying. We would have beat all those teams and we still own the Celtics.
Speaker 5:I was going to ask about that second-best playoff player that you had, jimmy Butler, and his shot attempts. You know him. Him was not really acting like him. He was a little shy. He was a little gun shy.
Speaker 4:Him, he's Robin. Okay, he said himself that he's Robin. He was a little shy, he was a little gun shy. Him, he's Robin. Okay, he said himself that he's Robin. He was without Batman. See, when Robin fights off Batman, he's always going to lose, just always going to lose, because they need Batman. You know, they didn't have Batman.
Speaker 5:I wish I'm a comic nerd up here, but you got to turn into Nightwing sometimes, man, you got to pull you got to heal it when. Batman go. You going to need to turn to Nightwing Red Hood somebody. You can't be Robin, off the top you got to do something.
Speaker 4:No Nightwing, just Robin.
Speaker 3:All right All right, man, man, yeah, man. So let's stay on this for a little bit, because we are an NFL playoff, we got games. This is such a beautiful time of year to have games every night, Isn't it? Chris? It is. It's just so great to have games every single night, especially those of us that pick teams that are still in it.
Speaker 4:It's great to have you only got a few more hours left. Yeah, clock ticking Pumpkin is about to Two days Two days.
Speaker 3:Yeah, yeah, yes, I'm the champion, no matter what happens, my team has gone the furthest, so I have yet another, another ring on my.
Speaker 4:Technically it's a tie, though, because we both like, because we both lost in the same round. You didn't advance farther than me. Have I lost you're good.
Speaker 3:Am I missing something?
Speaker 4:once you lose. You wouldn't have advanced farther than me. We both lost in the same round. If you advance, that mean you would have won, but you didn't. So this is the same. It's the same.
Speaker 3:If, for some reason, the Knicks get lucky tonight, I still would have gone further, okay, so yeah.
Speaker 4:I got it, so you lost the same amount. We lost the same amount of games. Okay, lost the same amount.
Speaker 3:Stop trying to hang on to my championship. This is my championship. It's mine, mine and only mine.
Speaker 4:If we had Curry, Curry would win his fifth championship and be in the GOAT conversation.
Speaker 3:He'd be right there with Jordan, I tried to In that clip. I said you're too old. I said you're too old, just like I told C-Pain. You know when something looks too good to be true. See all this wisdom. This is this father and uncle wisdom that I am imparting on you, young bucks man. You guys are going to be there. One day, man, you're going to have all this wisdom and you're going to be spewing it, but right now, you just learn it, just learn, learn, peep gang, Peep gang.
Speaker 5:All right.
Speaker 4:Appreciate you for that, but fly jersey on. That's football season.
Speaker 3:It's football season.
Speaker 4:Already.
Speaker 6:That's football season, yeah.
Speaker 3:Schedule release. Football season is long way away. The schedule's out. The only people playing football right now is Clayton High School. Those are the only people playing football right now. That's it, that's it, that's it. They're working on those run players, jet sweeps. That's what they're working on. We ain't passing All right, all right. So let's go, man. Let's get into this first topic here. Let's get into the injuries.
Speaker 4:Yes, the injuries, see that Injuries.
Speaker 5:Here's the cop out.
Speaker 3:Here it goes, here it comes uh, let's get into these injuries here. Okay, because there have been a lot of injuries. Okay, steph curry pulled his hammy, for those of you that don't know. Okay, uh, jason tatum okay, he had an injury toward his achilles, although boston stepped up and won and swung the ball, but that's neither here nor there. I don't know why I brought that up. Damian Lillard he getting toward his Achilles and it's just been a lot of injuries. Even before the Cavs dealt with a lot of injuries, diego, have the injuries tainted the NBA playoffs?
Speaker 4:I wouldn't. I mean the playoffs still been really entertaining, but as far as, like, who's advancing, this definitely affected it. Like I mean we all know Curry would have, you know, carried them to win that series or the championship, I mean that was affected. The Celtics would. I think the Celtics would have came back from 2-0 if they had Tatum and beat them Milwaukee if they had Dame. I think the Pacers would have been gone in the first round and the Cavs. They had three starters, two all-stars out and that cost them to lose to the Pacers. So yeah, they've definitely affected it, but the playoffs they've still been entertaining. There's still been a lot of good games going on, okay.
Speaker 5:All right, I never want to be a contrarian on this, but again, in NBA history, injuries have been a part of literally every single playoff race, every playoff journey. I mean shoot Draymond even came up after the series and said hey, listen, I won the finals with Kevin Love and Kyrie. I would think that we would still win, but because of those injuries it did swing it.
Speaker 3:One thing I'm sorry to cut you off, but, LeBron, he had the injury also, right he?
Speaker 4:got an ACL in Game 5.
Speaker 3:Game 5 was something. Game 5, yeah, so that was it man, my bad.
Speaker 5:We forgot about LeBron. Y'all just blew my mood. I was happy, I was in a good mood. We wasn't talking about the lakers, we were just gonna focus on the warriors, listen. But now you had to bring me back here anyway. But with that like injury and with everything that's gone on during these playoffs, it's still been entertaining. It still has been fun seeing up and coming teams.
Speaker 5:I did want to ask how do you think the calf series was shaped? Because Because I'm of the opinion of A you were up by eight in game two, even with Donovan Mitchell doing his full thing, having an all-time Donovan Mitchell game. How do you forget to do an inbounds pass four straight times? You feel me. How do you not get the rebound? And let Tyrese Halliburton get the rebound, you feel me, and let him get you for game? So that contributed to why they lost that series more than them being hurt. And again Darius Garland was not himself and that that was tough. But again, I don't trust Darius Garland in those big moments, I'm sorry. I trust Evan Mobley was showing me something. Jared Allen was showing me something. Deandre Hunter he ain't do much except get the guy ejected. So it's like did that really contribute or were the Cavs fake? What do you think?
Speaker 3:Man, I think it was injuries and I don't like how everybody is not giving the Cavs a pass for that. Everyone is saying that you know the Cavs lost that series. They're giving Indiana a whole lot of credit for that series. I personally feel that the Cavs are going to be back next year and I'm buying all the Cavs stock for next year because if the East is going to be in the state that it is right now and the Cavs come back whole same roster, I'm putting the Cavs in the NBA Finals easily because any tell me another team that loses three starters that's going to win the series.
Speaker 3:I don't know of anything and so it's baffling to me that they don't get a pass for having three starters hurt. But every other team that had injuries golden state loses one player, one hall of fame, all-time top 10. You, you know great player, but still they lose three starters and you know, all of a sudden they choked and this and that I think that's totally unfair. I'm buying Cavs stock for next season. If there is any place I can go and put something on it, I will put something on it right now.
Speaker 4:Yeah, yeah. Also the Cavs yeah, they definitely, definitely would have beat the Pacers they had. They were healthy. Easily, yeah, easily, yeah. Nba finals. I like that take for next year NBA finals Cavs yeah, they got. They got a lot to prove and Mitchell's one of the best playoff performers in the leagues.
Speaker 3:Yes, definitely happened. Mitchell man, I saw that fire in Mitchell's eye. He was looking, looking serious man. A shout out to him because he played his heart out Again was hunched over, looking like Luka. He was so tired at the end of those games. But no, he's going to be ready.
Speaker 5:He's going to be ready next year and guess where he and Luka are at on the couch Because again it was not enough. And listen, I'm not going to talk bad about Donovan Mitchell because he shows up every playoffs, but I'm just getting more and more concerned with the fact that he hasn't gotten past the second round, which again it's like, but again to me it's like it's the East, like I get it. When you were with Utah, you feel me, you were running into some dogs and I'm like, listen, it's the East, and you're like a one seat typically, like there's no way you're not getting past some of these guys.
Speaker 4:This is the first year he's been a one seat Like the like. Last year they ran to Boston. Even before that it was, it was the Knicks. I mean they could have got that, I mean last year you can.
Speaker 3:If you're going to get on him, I'd say that series against the Knicks. I think that's more of an indictment than this year or any other year, definitely. But yeah, I I believe in them, I believe in Mitchell, I believe in them and he's one of the few teams, he's one of the few players, I should say, that can carry his team to a second round appearance, his team to a second round appearance. Many of these, the freak, can't even carry his team to the second round anymore. So you know, and we all put freak in, you know top top five, but let's bring in Brianna, our athlete correspondent, because we've got to get her take on this. And she said Nixon five, okay. So okay, nickix, you might be okay with that, but definitely not nixon five no, not in five, but if they win tonight, they could win.
Speaker 3:It could be something you got, so, so it is your guy, okay. So which? Which bridges, which nikhil bridges, are going to show up tonight? All right, is it going to be the one that's all brash talking junk, hitting shots, talking about we here, we ain't scared, and all of that? Or is it going to be the one that showed up in the last game when the Knicks got blown out? Which one are we getting today?
Speaker 2:Bree, the first one. He's going to be there. He's going to be ready in his defense. He's going to be ready in his defense. He's going to get all the rebounds. He's going to be amazing.
Speaker 3:Going to be on one. All right, so that New York Knicks crowd. They're going to have the battery back in his back and he's going to be doing his thing tonight.
Speaker 2:Yep, they're all going to be good supporters and they're going to help him be the best he can tonight.
Speaker 3:Okay, all right, all right. What do you guys think?
Speaker 4:Yeah, I got the Knicks tonight.
Speaker 5:Listen, they got to win tonight. It can't go back to Boston because again we're on the precipice of history. Everybody's joking about what's going to happen if New York can potentially win the finals, because now it's looking like, I mean, I don't even know. We're talking about this Nuggets Thunder series. Who's going to come on top of that? But like I mean, if they play the Wolves, I don't think it's possible. I don't know. I'm very intrigued to see what the Knicks can do.
Speaker 3:Yeah, so, because we'll talk about the Celtics in a minute, but just staying on the injuries for a minute here. Bree, we need to get your take on the injuries. How, bree, we need to get your take on the injuries? How do you feel? Have they tainted the playoffs at all?
Speaker 2:for you. No, I mean all the teams that I think are going to win, all the players on the other teams that I don't think are going to get hurt. So it kind of helps my odds, Even though I feel bad, for like Stephen Curry obviously I feel bad because I mean I love him so much. You know, know, I even had a jingle for him when I was little. Like I'm not gonna say it because it's embarrassing, but you know I do like steph curry, so I feel bad for him obviously.
Speaker 2:But yeah I mean I don't know, I just don't really care. I think it helps me in the end, which sounds so bad, but I mean, it's what it is. It is what it is. At the end of the day, they'll be fine.
Speaker 3:Yeah, they are.
Speaker 2:Like to play for game six, maybe possibly.
Speaker 3:Okay, okay, yeah, they are part of the game. You know, last year, I mean, brunson had his injury. There's always a team that's impacted, so a lot of winning the championship, it's a war of attrition, so you have to stay healthy. Of winning the championship, it's a war of attrition, so you have to stay healthy. Some luck involved. There's a lot of different factors involved, but health is definitely a big factor. Yes, so yeah, and you know, and even speaking of brunson, we may talk about that a little more but with brunson seems like every other game he tweaks that ankle, he goes in, gets something done, comes back, but I don't know If he keeps doing that, every game, every other game, something's going to happen.
Speaker 2:Yeah.
Speaker 4:Especially against the Pacers, where, magically, the star gets hurt. That's my concern.
Speaker 3:Yeah, for sure, for sure. All right, bree. Well, I know again, you're doing a bunch of great interviews for us. We've got Will Hernandez coming up, so we've got that coming out next week. Yeah, Really excited about that. So great job there, and I think we'll be seeing you later on today or tonight to talk about the NFL schedule. Yes, on today or tonight to talk about the NFL schedule, and I know our guy Diego will be super excited to talk some NFL to get away from basketball.
Speaker 4:Carolina Panthers. We're hype, all right.
Speaker 3:We'll see you a little later.
Speaker 5:Got to find joy in the void. I've already been playing this shoot. I've been playing it a week early, diego. You're finally, actually no, two weeks early technically. Yeah, yeah, you finally arrived on schedule. Let's Carolina Panthers oh yeah, almost.
Speaker 3:All right, we'll relieve you guys and talk a little bit of Panthers later. Let me acknowledge some of the comments that I've been seeing. So, big Three is starting soon. So, brandon, I know you put that out there. So, yeah, that's founded, they start soon. I think they had their draft. I think there was a player you messaged me and told me that I think it was, was it Lance Stevenson? I think it was that you said is playing with some. There was a player that you mentioned that's playing Big Three. A lot of big people are playing there, so a lot of great things happening. Wnba, I think, also starts tonight, so we've got that. And then I also saw a comment of Josh with his Cavs, and I think he is definitely a big Cavs fan, so I think he liked the fact that there's somebody taking up for him. Yes, lance Stevenson, okay, he will join the Big 3. I thought so.
Speaker 1:Yeah, so that's big man, lance Stevenson Love.
Speaker 3:that, all right. Well, we're going to talk Celtics here in a moment. All right, yeah, now Nick's going to lose the night, but before we do that, we want to again plug. We will be at Kings here in Raleigh, north Carolina, three weeks from tomorrow. Oh man, we got a fire show. Guests are being lined up. We got like seven guests. We got all types of people coming through. We're going to have music, as always. We got high school athletes, we've got Gridiron Gang football team, people to be named later A lot of folks coming through.
Speaker 3:You definitely want to come through and get your, get your picks, and then let's see Was that a question? Second chance picks, who we got winning the championship? Yes, so actually, let's, let's tackle this. So a question from Josh Second chance who do you guys have winning the championship? So, of course I don't have to. I'm still in it, so I don't have to give a second chance pick. But for you two guys, since you have to give a second chance pick, why don't you go ahead and give your second chance pick, since you have to do that, diego, when we start?
Speaker 4:seeing you might as well re-pick.
Speaker 6:You got a few hours left, I'm good.
Speaker 5:TikTok's irrelevant.
Speaker 4:Let's see, I got OKC. Okc versus Boss. No, not.
Speaker 1:Boss.
Speaker 4:OKC. I think I taped him OKC versus the Knicks. Ok, in the finals I'm getting taken OKC and 5 against the Knicks Ooh.
Speaker 5:Alright. So so I got. Actually, after that Nuggets performance, I'm a little scared. I'm a little scared. I'm a stick with OKC. I gotta hope to these. I'm just so weirded out that they haven't announced the MVP yet. If they like, announce it at the end of the game, regardless if somebody loses. Somebody said WWE style, just hanging above the ring like a championship belt.
Speaker 5:Let's just hang it in the arena or something like that. But man, I still have OKC winning it versus the Knicks. But I'm I don't know Jokic and that guy Strother, he just came out of nowhere last night. I don't know Jokic and that guy Strother like he just came out of nowhere last night.
Speaker 5:I don't know, never seen him before I ain't never like never heard of him off the bench. All of a sudden it's just like oh all right, there's dog in them, so we'll see. But I got an okay seat still, but I'm a little scared. I'm a little scared.
Speaker 3:Yeah, yeah. Well, again, josh, I'm, you know, sticking with my original pick that I made. I still have OKC and Celtics in the finals. I'm going to stick with that, so I don't have to. Oh, you're sticking with Boston? Then yeah, oh, yeah, Of course.
Speaker 4:Yeah, they're still in.
Speaker 5:I saw the vials. I was like a little shifty there All right man, nope, nope, nope, sticking with it. I'm good, not nervous at all without Jason Tatum, and so, speaking of the Celtics.
Speaker 3:Now it's time to talk about the Celtics. All right, so don't underestimate the heart of a champion. All right, the Celtics have three, really four, olympians and all stars. All world players is out and Jason Tatum get well soon, tatum. However, the Celtics have a very strong team, very capable team, and they actually have a team that, as you saw from game five, that will be able to move the ball a little more, be a little more scrappy, swing the ball, swing, swing, swing, get those open shots and they're just going to kind of play more of a grit and grind Knicks style. But the Celtics are so talented they can play Knicks ball better than the Knicks. So that's exactly what's going to happen tonight.
Speaker 3:And then, oh man, that thing, go back to Boston Monday night, man, I might get a last minute to roll out there and be out there. Man, me and my guy Julian probably roll through Boston and be hanging with Bobby Brown and Ricky and Mike and go down there and check out the Celtics. Yeah, man, it's a beautiful, it's a beautiful weekend, it's a great time to be alive. What's your take on the Celtics?
Speaker 4:man. That's not going to happen because they're going to lose tonight. Jalen Brunson, he took that sixth foul so that he could get some extra. Rest that ankle, very smart, yeah, very smart. Rest that ankle for this next game and close it on out. I expect a 40-piece, 10 assists, something like that and knock the Celtics out and get ready for next year.
Speaker 3:But my question is what kind of defense is Brunson going to play tonight? I mean, we don't need defense.
Speaker 4:They got Mikael Bridges, they got Josh Hart, they got Cat Never mind yeah they got Mikael Bridges and Hart. But yeah.
Speaker 5:They got some defense. I'm sorry the Cat captain took me out, but I think that when it comes to your team again, it, the Celtics, are so good, but I feel like the Knicks have to rise to this occasion, like you have to dispel the little brother in the East Ruber, this is you're at home. They don't have their best player who again was literally going toe to toe with y'all and they, they don't got that guy. No more Again. It's just John got Derek white, that that that we shot the ball. Dudes, you feel me, y'all are, y'all are. Y'all are crazy, y'all are.
Speaker 5:But, I think that when it comes to how well he played last game, that's what scares me, because you don't factor for that all the time. You're just like oh, we got to stop Jalen, we got to stop Chris Hassell from getting on the boards. You're not going to count for Derek White hitting five threes. You're not going to count for Peyton Pritchard or Luke Cordell locking down defensively. So this has to be and I know that you just throw a lot of shade at Kat Kat's got to dominate. This can't be one of those games where Kat decides, you know, to turn into Big Purr. You feel me that ain't the time for that.
Speaker 1:That ain't the time for that. I'm sorry. I'm sorry.
Speaker 3:Kat got to turn up she cannot be Big. Purr, tonight Minnesota pulled the Dallas Mavs yeah.
Speaker 4:Wasn't that bad. I wonder how long. I wonder if Julius Randall's going to be playing like this next year, Once he gets paid. Once he gets paid.
Speaker 5:Shoot. I ain't never seen him play this good in the playoffs. That's what I was counting on for, why we were winning. Yeah, really.
Speaker 4:We turned him up.
Speaker 5:apparently we gave him the confidence. It was like beating us.
Speaker 4:And then he was like oh wait, I'm doing this right. I didn't even mean to like throw a shade at Cat there, but I was like I was just thinking like the seven feet, like physically imposing, and then I was like, oh yeah, he just doesn't play defense, yeah.
Speaker 5:And it's always in foul trouble. So yeah, cat.
Speaker 4:Somehow he gets in foul trouble playing no defense.
Speaker 3:Always he wants to get a rest or something or go to the bench. But yeah, I don't know, that was actually a Shaq tactic, so like, if Shaq I remember he has a hilarious story of like he had a huge birthday party planned and he really didn't feel like playing so he purposely got like two quick fouls to start the game to be on the bench. So yeah, that is a real thing.
Speaker 6:That they would do.
Speaker 3:And, like you said, Brunson smartly got his sixth foul because Tibbs would have just kept him in the game the whole time Probably would have broke his ankle.
Speaker 5:No, we can come back.
Speaker 4:We got this. No dude, please.
Speaker 5:Y'all are down, please, we're not going to do it.
Speaker 3:No no that's just a tragedy, man, but okay, well, yeah, so Celtics man can't wait, but this show will be over by the time. So we'll, you know, talk about it next week and, if you know, if the Celtics win, we might have an emergency show. And you know, if something goes the other way, we'll just wait, talk about it. Oh, so we got to wait, but y'all was quick, just wait. Speaker 2.
Speaker 5:Speaker 3.
Speaker 4:Talk about it? Speaker 4. Oh, so we got away.
Speaker 5:But y'all was quick. Y'all was quick with the Lakers Day after everybody texted me Speaker.
Speaker 3:2. There was a very high demand, so we had to put something together.
Speaker 5:Speaker 3. Everybody texted me. Hey, what happened? Chris oh Speaker 2.
Speaker 4:We couldn't even make it into the studio If the Celtics lose. They don't have Tatum and we lost without Curry Y'all lost with healthy. Lebron healthy Luka.
Speaker 3:No, not switching my pick oh.
Speaker 4:LeBron was hurt.
Speaker 3:Don't need to switch my pick. I'm good, confident. Yeah, like I said, we got two Olympians on the team, another guy that could have been an Olympian all-stars, another $300 million guy on the roster. We got plenty, Plenty, plenty of ammunition. So, all right, minnesota. Yeah, a lot of people are on the Minnesota train now all of a sudden, so we got to talk Minnesota when we get to that.
Speaker 3:So next topic, let's go ahead and talk about Game 7. All right, nuggets and OKC. So I was, you know, wasn't sure if it was going to go seven. Look like OKC might go ahead and be able to take care of business early. But again, part of a champion Nuggets showed up at home. I knew that was going to be a tough one for the OKC Thunder to get to. You know they didn't want to go out like that, the crowd represented. But that game actually turned.
Speaker 3:And that game turned at the end of the first half because the Thunder were up by about 10, 10-ish points in the last couple of minutes and SGA got his fourth foul, and that was a foul he fouled. I don't know what he was doing, why he was reaching like that, but then they just kept. He was on the bench. I thought they actually should have just kept him in the game at that point because it's like, okay, you're going to, you're letting the game slip anyway. The odds of him getting his fifth foul, I think, were very. I just would have rolled the dice Because they ended up losing the game because of that anyhow. So roll the dice and hopefully you can keep that lead.
Speaker 3:That gave the Nuggets all the momentum when they pretty much erased that lead going into halftime. I think Dort hit a three at the end, so they were up three. All the momentum had been taken away, but I felt like the game changed at that point. So what's your take on this game? Seven what do you think is going to happen, man? What do we have to look out for? Diego?
Speaker 4:Yeah, I got OKC in this game. I think they're going to bounce back and so they got the home court, which I think is huge. The crowd is going to be hype and I think Jalen Williams is going to play a lot better, because now people have been doubting him a little bit. He went 3 for 15 at 6 points.
Speaker 5:He shot tour dates, this whole playoffs.
Speaker 4:It's been rough for him, but I think he's going to show up when needed Chet and the whole crew, sg. I think he's going to watch his foul trouble too, because he knows how big of an impact that can leave on OKC. So go with him.
Speaker 3:Now we want to talk conspiracy theory. Okay, when has SGA or any star player ever gotten four fouls in the first half? So we want to talk conspiracy theory. Did the NBA want a game seven? Because that's what we all really wanted. But one more thing before we go to UC Payne Diego the t-shirt game at OKC, man. What are they going to do? I mean, man, shout out to OKC and their crowd with their t-shirt game. Man, how they all have the same shirt. I don't see how they coordinate and do that, even when they go with the two-tone one half has blue and the other half has white. What do you think they're going to roll out tonight?
Speaker 4:I think they're going to do black and blue. Either black and blue or maybe orange-blue, I don't know. Yeah, I think orange, they are just orange. That'd be fine, yeah that would be fine but I'd predict a black and blue since they did white and blue last game.
Speaker 3:I love that yeah, and I don't even see how. Then then, and everyone had me. You know, people are all different sizes, so I'm like, all right, how do you coordinate that and make sure everyone has the right size?
Speaker 4:yeah, I'm just fascinated by how, especially because the warriors, they got people sitting front court.
Speaker 5:They don't even have anything associated with warriors oracle arena with them, strength of numbers, shirts Y'all. I'm telling you that was every single time watching every Golden State series. It was terrifying because you know that was Warriors chance. Steph hits a big three, clay heats up. It was awe, it was great. That is the definition of aura. I miss Oracle, though.
Speaker 6:I miss Oracle not anymore.
Speaker 5:Chase Hunter is definitely depleted right down there. It's not good. I hope they do all white, though. For me personally like bring back that whole, like Russ Katie feeling all white. Have some towels going shirt and towel All white. Okay, yeah, have some towels going. Yeah, just have a white outfit, have a shirt and towel.
Speaker 3:Yeah, it'll be hot. It'll be hot, all right. What's your take on this game? I think you already kind of touched on it, yeah.
Speaker 5:I mean the true battle for the MVP at this point and everybody's mind, regardless of who ends up winning it. I mean, this is the defining performance of who everybody's going to view the MVP this year. Because you already see people, especially after Jokic's second 40-point game this series, where it was like, oh, he's the best player, but his team sucks. And now his team finally shows up and everybody all of a sudden conveniently forgets that Everybody's like, oh, but Jokic is still. It's like we can't have it both ways with this MVP argument. So, Shea, don't foul bro. This is the time to show up, man, Because you're going up against Game 7.
Speaker 5:I think that, like I think, Game 5 and Jokic starting to hit those Jokic-type shots, finally cueing the thunder into like, oh, this is what we actually have to face and deal with. I'm excited. I do think again, NBA conspiracy theory. They know how good these playoffs have been. They know how good this Nuggets. You gotta extend the series with two MVP candidates at least. I feel like you know, Kate, there's no reason not to do that, even with celtics knicks. I mean, why wouldn't you extend that boston new york rivalry? So hey, and if silver is pressing the right buttons after the all, after the whole ratings discourse discussion earlier this season, the playoffs have been really fire, so shout out to him yeah, yeah, they have been fired.
Speaker 3:I just hope they don't, like like last year, end with a dud, yeah, and that's where you can really see the injuries come into play. So the injuries, you know they have altered some series but it's still been entertaining and exciting to see, especially having a good game every night. But at some point it takes its toll and we could possibly see, depending on how things go, the finals finals, unfortunately is where we might realize. I hope not, but that's where we might realize the you know, playoffs not living up, because last year was that was like it does the way it seems like the Western Conference semifinals and finals are like the NBA finals this year and so I don't know what can be better than this OK denver series that definitely, this definitely feels like the nba finals in a lot of ways, and then after that it's like, whoever the wolves play, like that's.
Speaker 5:Ah, I'm excited yeah, that's uh.
Speaker 3:We'll have to touch on that in a little bit when we talk sga and ant. But uh, yeah, because a lot of people are now jumping on the minnesota train. Now, all of a sudden, their team is so complete and no holes when we were all throwing darts at it before. Now, all of a sudden they're this complete team because they beat a Steph Curry-less, you know, warrior squad. So I think there's a little bit of recency bias going on there, but we'll talk about that in a minute. All right, but next let's go ahead and talk about our Indiana Pacers. All right, indiana Pacers. There are some people on this set who have been extremely critical of the Indiana Pacers.
Speaker 5:Please note that possessive pronoun. This man just said our Indiana Pacers, let's watch back a couple episodes.
Speaker 4:real quick people, let's hold on.
Speaker 5:I'll let you cook. I'll let you cook. Be a fan Be a fan.
Speaker 3:Pacers beat the Cavs or the Cavs were depleted, beat them in five games, won the other series. I believe they won that in five, so they won five-five. Now they are in what's up, johnny-o. Yeah, so Indiana is here, and so have you guys overlooked them. You guys, man, I don't remember being. Why are they getting lucky? We see some comments that say mixed bag so far. Hold on.
Speaker 5:I don't remember being the only one saying that they were a sleeper team, but everybody looked at me like I had a chicken you did.
Speaker 3:You did that they were a sleeper team.
Speaker 5:but everybody looked at me like I had a chicken, Like I developed a second head on the side of my neck.
Speaker 5:Everybody was looking at me crazy. Now, was I slightly overrating Tyrese Halliburton at this point? He didn't realize that they have a bunch of killers on that team. Pascal Siakam is one of the better playoff performers right now in the East. Miles Turner, even though he's all in trade rumors every single year, regardless of the playoffs, he's going to show up, defend, well, hit his threes. Andrew Nibhard like all of a sudden becomes one of the best shooters we've ever seen. Obie Toppin plays really well Like they have.
Speaker 5:They're so well-rounded where Tyrese doesn't necessarily have to play that Trae Young role of like oh, I have to shoot and be the main distributor of the offense. It's like all I gotta do is get everything set up for everybody else to eat and then, like, pick my spots in the big moments to win. So I like that formula. Now it is boring because everybody's like oh well, there's not like a star star, it's like, it's not like it's grabbing me. It's not like a name, you feel, because pascal siakam doesn't have the same name. Value ofalen Brunson or Carl Anthony Towns, right, but they're such a good team, they're very well-rounded. And again, celtics fans during that sweep last year were like, hey, these games were close. So also shout out to my friend DJ for getting the series right, because he did predict Pacers at five and I looked at him crazy before Big shout out.
Speaker 5:He was Big shout out. Yeah, yeah, he was on that. He was on that for sure yeah, big, big shout out, okay.
Speaker 3:So, diego, did you overestimate.
Speaker 4:Uh, I'm sorry, underestimate the pacers man uh, no, um, you said the pacers are a sleeper team. Well, I'm still. I'm still asleep. I'm not looking at you, all right man, I'm still asleep. All I'm not looking at you, all right man, I'm still asleep.
Speaker 5:All right, Conference finals. You're asleep, All right bro.
Speaker 4:Yes, I am Still asleep, all right, yeah, I mean so. They beat the Milwaukee Bucks, relying on Kyle Kuzma to step up and Dame tore his Achilles an injured team. Then they go to the next round. They go into the Cavs without three starters and two all-stars, Win that everyone's going all crazy. Then they get an easy ride to the conference finals. It's just, I just don't see it. Tyrese Halliburton just doing all types of crazy passes, 360 passes.
Speaker 1:You said he's swinging the ball.
Speaker 4:He's definitely swinging the ball.
Speaker 1:He's definitely swinging it. He's definitely swinging the ball. He's definitely swinging it. He seems like a great teammate.
Speaker 4:I think everybody would love to play with him. Oh yeah, he feeds everybody the rock for sure.
Speaker 3:He would Shout out to Julian. Can we bring that comment back up? I did see that. Yeah. So, pacers fan, thank you for checking us out. We really appreciate you. So, julian, you got to be with us because we like to mess with the Pacers, but it's all in fun. So I don't take it personally. We like to mess with the Pacers and have fun with them, but we really appreciate you checking us out. And they are dangerous. They are a dangerous team. I will give them that. I've given them a lot of grief here. I've talked a lot of trash Some I meant, some I didn't but we'll see, man, we'll see. It's going to be interesting to see what they do in the next round. It's interesting If, for some reason, I just have this funny feeling if the Knicks can somehow knock the Celtics off because they don't have Tatum, I could definitely see the Pacers beating the Knicks.
Speaker 3:I could definitely see that for a couple of reasons. I mean one yeah, the Pacers play really good defense, so they definitely do that. But then also Brunson this is not to take anything away from the Pacers. This truly is not a shot. I'm worried about Brunson, with him continuing to tweak that ankle. He cannot keep doing that every single game. One of these days he's not going to come back. So I think the Pacers have a lot going for them. They have a lot on their side. They definitely, you know, have been disrespected and so they've got a lot of motivation and a lot to play for. So I would not be shocked, especially by the Knicks do their thing. I would not be shocked to see them in the finals. I wouldn't. That would be. That would be really, really interesting.
Speaker 4:I could see something like last year happening with that series.
Speaker 3:That'll be a trip Alright. Well, hey, man, but they're in the Eastern Conference Finals back-to-back A lot of teams that maybe aren't as stacked from top to bottom. When they do make that run, they don't come back, like the Hawks that year. We haven't heard from them since, not at all. You know what I mean, so credit to them. It does take a lot to come back, even if you have some things bounce your way. You know got to give them credit. So we'll see. The biggest question is going to be if they do make it to the finals. If they do make it to the finals, does dad get the comeback Now?
Speaker 5:the bird is down. Listen, you got, even though it was bad, just like what he said, what he said to Yadis. You gotta let your son hoop in the finals.
Speaker 1:That's a family dream, right there you feel me.
Speaker 5:We can talk about how out of pocket that was to just jump into Yadis' face and like talk all that trash and stuff, very disrespectful.
Speaker 4:I think he'll stay quiet if he can. Yeah, like shoot what's up, fellow yeah.
Speaker 5:What's up? Just doing nothing?
Speaker 4:I wouldn't even say a word.
Speaker 6:I'll just be like good job For real.
Speaker 5:Hit a golf clap real quick.
Speaker 3:You feel me he will be on his best he will be on his best, it's a BGA tour, it will be on his best behavior, all right, okay, cool. Well, let's get. I know y'all are ready for this man. Let's talk a little bit of NFL and then we'll come back to NBA. But let's talk about the NFL schedule. All right, some of these big games that are coming up, the schedule has been released. Uh, man, and I'm just blown away by all that every single team does to announce the schedule like they're. Just, I tell you, man, the nfl mean, there's no better. The nba used to be the ultimate marketing machine and the way they marketed. But who markets better than the nfl? Yes, I mean, man, my, my goodness. But what? What are you excited for, diego?
Speaker 4:man. The game I have my eye on in particular is Week 12 Monday Night Football Carolina Panthers versus San Francisco 49ers. You know this is the first time in seven years we have had our own Monday Night Football game. You know it's really crazy. Coming off a year we had no primetime games. This is big for us and we're going to go into San Francisco overpaid Brock Purdy and Christian McCaffrey. We're the ones that built Christian McCaffrey up. Christian McCaffrey would not be the same without us.
Speaker 5:I mean sure we're not the same without him. So I don't know what?
Speaker 4:Yeah, well, everybody knows that he came from us. So you know we start, you know we're going to go in there and we're going to beat him, and that's going to be a thing Everybody's going to be excited to. After Monday, come from school work and, like man, turn on the Carolina Panthers game.
Speaker 3:You know that's how it's going to be Now. Are we sure? Have we verified that this is not a doubleheader?
Speaker 4:No, it is not a doubleheader. Not a doubleheader.
Speaker 3:It's a solo game, solo Solo Sunday game.
Speaker 5:Monday night football game. I mean yeah.
Speaker 3:Monday night. Yeah, because we know it's not Sunday night. Because, yeah, if they ever get on Sunday night, because the Sunday night is the new Monday night. So the true, true, true, true game of the week is the Sunday night game, but still not going to take nothing away from the Panthers.
Speaker 4:I've never seen the Panthers playing a Sunday night game. Yeah, I don't know if that's ever happened.
Speaker 3:Brandon, that might be a job for you, Brandon.
Speaker 5:You have to let us know if the Panthers ever played on a Sunday night, Well probably in the Cam days, because I think I do remember them playing Seattle actually. Yeah, nah yeah. So I think they did in the Cam days, but yeah, it's been about 10 years.
Speaker 3:Cam days was the last days, yeah.
Speaker 5:We're coming up on a decade of that man, which is crazy, Because I saw an old Panthers highlight 2015 looked like 2005 clips. I was like, oh, I am getting old now. That is scary. But yeah, I'm actually most excited for Ravens Bills week one Because you know, listen, you know our great MVP for our discussion Week one.
Speaker 1:That's week one, Yep week one, Sunday night.
Speaker 5:Sunday night is going to get real spicy. Listen, let Lamar go to Buffalo. Win that one, I'm already.
Speaker 4:You know the season is the regular season.
Speaker 5:I got you. It is the regular season.
Speaker 4:He'd probably win the MVP, which means he's probably not going to win the.
Speaker 3:Super Bowl yeah, that is true. I have heard Lamar is in the lead for the MVP right now for the regular season, so yeah, Ravens by 30. I think, if he at least throws for 200 yards and gets a touchdown, I think he will be in the lead for MVP. Yes, for sure.
Speaker 5:That's a lot of shade right there. All right, don't get me started on this one right now. Don't get me started on this one right now. We already have a lake of stuff. I got but Ravens-Bills and then for me the Eagles-Commanders matchups during the next.
Speaker 5:Because again, two great teams I mean again Commander-Surprise team how do they build on that? How do they build against going up against the Super Bowl team in their division? And then on top of that you see the comebacks that Jaden Daniels has had versus them. Yeah, especially last year. I'm very excited to see those matchups as well. But, yeah, ravensville is in both the Eagles-Commanders games. For me I'm most excited to see.
Speaker 3:Okay, yeah, I'm excited to see that. Well, brianna, we got to bring our homegirl back. Princess of Pick'em Pros. Brianna, what's going on, brie? Nothing much all right, all right. So, uh, yeah, now you got now Brie, we know you got about five teams. All right, we know you have many teams from your world travel. So I believe you got the Falcons, you got the Lions, you got the uh Cardinals. I mean, who else?
Speaker 4:you have Panthers no not the Panthers that was a quick consideration, that was a quick consideration.
Speaker 5:That was a quick.
Speaker 2:I'm not hesitant.
Speaker 3:What I feel so that's three strong ones that I mentioned. Who am I missing?
Speaker 2:it's not five, it's just the three. But the falcons are like less than the lions and the cardinals.
Speaker 3:Lions, cardinals, falcons are like less than, okay, lions and the cardinals see okay, okay, lions, cardinals, okay. So then falcons are just a little yeah, they're just like.
Speaker 2:It's like they're playing against like a team and I'm just watching it. I'm gonna go for the falcons gotcha.
Speaker 3:Okay, all right, gotcha, gotcha. So what? What has your attention? Uh, as far as this schedule?
Speaker 2:um, well, definitely week two, the Eagles versus the Chiefs. That would be a good matchup, again since the Eagles beat them in the Super Bowl. But also, diego, going back to saying Brock Purdy overpaid. He's from my hometown here in Arizona.
Speaker 4:Don't hate on him.
Speaker 2:Yeah, actually fun fact.
Speaker 3:Yeah, don't hate, I did not know that.
Speaker 2:Yeah, didn't know that 49ers, but I like rock pretty okay. His high school was like not too far from me, so all right, all right, well, that's oh, and another game. It's also the chiefs, because I hate the chiefs not hate, I guess, but you them against the Bills, week nine. I think that will be a good matchup because the Bills are a really good team. Yeah, yeah.
Speaker 4:Yeah, I was thinking that was going to go.
Speaker 3:We already know how that goes. Yeah, we'll see where that do. You know where that one is?
Speaker 2:I think it's in Buffalo.
Speaker 3:Okay.
Speaker 2:Yeah, well, that would be a good one.
Speaker 5:We know how to.
Speaker 4:Yeah, yeah, yeah. You need the Bills, you need the playoffs.
Speaker 5:You need the playoffs, you need the Chiefs.
Speaker 2:Well, the Lions are winning the Super Bowl this year. Okay, so let's yeah.
Speaker 4:I actually agree.
Speaker 2:Calm down. Yeah, don't take the.
Speaker 4:Panthers. I could definitely see them being the Panthers. Really only competition in the season, what?
Speaker 2:man there you go that's so sad. I'll give the Lions the edge yeah, the Lions slight itch slight itch the Lions actually play the Ravens in week 3, so so two things I want to cover while we have everybody here.
Speaker 3:Um, one is the ravens brutal schedule to start their season, and then the bears want to talk a little bit about the bears, because I think we got somebody on this set that's starting to get really high on caleb william and the bears, and then we can also touch on how Caleb didn't want to go to the Bears. So those are three things overall. So let's start with the Ravens. Start with the Ravens. Homer here, lamar Jackson, apologies, c-pain, what up? So, man, dude, y'all going to go? What are you guys going to go to start the season? I guess what. First six games.
Speaker 3:Is that what's?
Speaker 5:so brutal, let me pull it up.
Speaker 3:We want a prediction on the record of what's going to happen. While you look that up, we got a question what do we think about the Lions playing Thanksgiving and Christmas? I didn't realize they were playing Christmas.
Speaker 2:I didn't either. I knew they.
Speaker 4:I haven't seen the Christmas schedule yet. Yeah, I didn't realize they were playing Christmas. Yeah, I didn't either. I knew they. I haven't seen the Christmas schedule yet. Yeah, I haven't seen it, so I know the Chiefs played Christmas?
Speaker 3:Yes, but who knows if they play the Broncos?
Speaker 2:The Lions play the Vikings on Christmas.
Speaker 3:Ooh, ooh, okay, oh, yeah, yeah, that'll be good. Yeah, yeah, yeah. So thank you for that question. Yeah, yeah, I love it.
Speaker 2:I love it. It's about the Vikings.
Speaker 4:Yeah, I love it. Cowboys also play on Thanksgiving and Christmas.
Speaker 3:Yeah, yeah.
Speaker 2:Oh, wow, man, there's going to be good matchups this year.
Speaker 3:Right, great matchups. So yeah, great question, joe. And so yeah, it looks like the NFL is continuing to take Christmas from the NBA.
Speaker 1:Yes, for sure.
Speaker 3:Especially with these teams that are going to be playing. My goodness, so I'm not sure what. So last year Christmas was on a Wednesday.
Speaker 5:Yeah, it was Thursday, so I don't know if it's.
Speaker 3:Thursday or if it's Friday. I'm not sure if we're leaping yet or not, but yeah, that's going to be.
Speaker 4:They're getting their get back for having the Luka trade right before the Super Bowl. Oh that's right.
Speaker 3:That's right. Keep on messing with the NBA, all right, they're going to pull something else out.
Speaker 4:Lebron get traded, oh wow, wow, wow, wow.
Speaker 5:Too far that's right. Let's not do that one.
Speaker 3:That's right. That's right. Opening weekend, LeBron might retire.
Speaker 4:We're going to take all the headlines away, Then kid LeBron might retire.
Speaker 5:We're going to take all the headlines away, then you would just see Chris falling to his knees and crying because, oh, that would hurt All right, I'll be fine. Will I? I don't think I will.
Speaker 3:All right, so Ravens, how are the Ravens going to start this year off 0-6?
Speaker 5:2-4. Okay, calm down, calm down. So first we got Ravens-Bills Toss-up. I give the Ravens in the revenge game. Okay, browns, ravens.
Speaker 4:Ironically this is where I have one of their weird losses, yeah.
Speaker 3:I can see that.
Speaker 5:I would say they're going to lose the Browns, which might be crazy. Okay, the Lions. Oh gosh, I didn't make it back. I thought about that.
Speaker 5:No, not at all. All right, I bought more of that one. The Chiefs oh godly, oh yeah, I believe that they can beat the Chiefs. The Texans they whooped about Christmas. The Rams that might be a loss, at best 4-2, 3-3. That's all I'm saying. It is a very rough start. I don't know who they ticked off. I don't know what happened in the NFL League office. Who made who mad? Because these are all playoff teams outside of the Browns and inexplicably they just end up losing to the Browns randomly. It's very weird. So yeah, let's see, let's see a perfect time.
Speaker 5:He happens to Cleveland For real. I have no idea.
Speaker 3:I think 4-2 at best 4-2 would be amazing.
Speaker 4:At worst, I'm going to say 2-4.
Speaker 5:At worst 2-4. Didn two and four. Yeah, at worst two and four, three and three.
Speaker 4:Didn't they start off this year 0-2?
Speaker 5:They started off 0-2, and then they went 8-5.
Speaker 3:I can see something like that happening, okay, so let's talk, because we're getting a little short on time, so we'll pick up a little bit here. We've got Bears, all right, so you're paying. You're high on caleb williams and the bears. If you know, he didn't want to go chicago, all right, but now they got, you know, a guy from, uh, detroit yeah, over there is their coach. So why, why are you so high on caleb and listen?
Speaker 5:so, after re-watching his highlights, looking up his stats from last year, he threw over 3,500 yards, 20 touchdowns, less than six interceptions with the worst offensive line and getting sacked 68 times more than any quarterback in the league. They upgraded their offensive line. You actually have a dude who knows how to operate a functional offense. So the fact that Caleb was able to do that with again everybody can talk about how good their skill position players are. That coaching staff was horrible, in fact. The reason why he didn't even want to go to the Bears is because, as one of the great cities in the NFL where quarterbacks go to die Cleveland and Chicago. Historically if it would be Jim McMahon and Bernie Kosar, the two greatest quarterbacks of those organizations Not a great list. So the fact that Ben Johnson has faith in Caleb I mean you talked about how Caleb's going to be this year the first Bears quarterback to throw for over 4,000 guards which crazy stat.
Speaker 1:I can't even believe that.
Speaker 5:But again, they have a very solid defense. Ben Johnson, because you've been hyped as the offensive wonder kid, as the next great offensive line in the NFL, you're going to want to prove it this year. Again, you're in the division with your old team, so why not stick it to them a couple times and be like hey, this is my show now. Thank you for leading me up, but now I'm the guy now. So I really like how Chicago could be this year.
Speaker 3:They're my sleeper team. They're your sleeper team. They, chicago, could be this year. They're my sleeper team, they're your sleeper team. They're my sleeper team. You definitely have them going to the playoffs.
Speaker 5:Yes, it sounds like they're your sleeper team. Wild card, wild card.
Speaker 3:Bree, what do you think about the Bears this year? Do you have any thoughts yet on them?
Speaker 2:I mean, I don't want to say too much because I'm a Lions fan, but my sister likes the Bears. I know what happened there, but, um, I feel like they could possibly do good this year, but not to beat the lions? Obviously because yeah, I mean they took ben johnson from us so they're not gonna get a win out of us either, but I mean I think they would do good because caleb williams, he is a good quarterback. He just needs to pull it all together with a good team, I guess. So yeah.
Speaker 3:So who can they be? So okay, we're not going to say they're going to finish higher than the lions, but they finish higher than the packers or the, because I mean the. The division is stacked now. The packers are the vikings. Diego, do you think they can finish higher than either of those teams?
Speaker 4:I think they could, over the vikings. I'm not going to predict it, but I could see ab. Definitely not the lions or packers, I think like eight and nine.
Speaker 2:Okay, maybe the vikings well, jj mccarthy starts for the vikings right, yeah, yeah, it's just unknown.
Speaker 4:So I mean, yeah, I wouldn, I wouldn't. It's a toss-up really, yeah, it's tough.
Speaker 3:That's tough to call. Yeah, a lot of it depends on the Vikings quarterback situation. So, yeah, I'm a little leery. I've seen some flashes of Caleb, but he can still hold on to the ball. He held on to the ball a lot at USC. That concerns me a little bit and I just don't. I still, at the end of the day, feel as bad as an organization can be. I don't know if I truly buy into that as far as the quarterback killer, because I think if you're really that dude, you can overcome that. The main example I have with that is Joe Burrow. Now, again, you can look at his receiver. Right, he got an all-world receiver. But I mean, shoot, we were all going into last year with the Bears. All we talked about was how strong they were at receiver, all these moves they made to welcome Caleb in. Why didn't they do all this when they had Justin Fields? You know what I'm saying. And then all of a sudden he plays poorly and it's all well, it's the Bears, it's the organization. I'm like, ah, I don't know.
Speaker 4:I just think in the past they've evaluated talent badly, like Trubisky and Fields, and when they left they didn't do anything crazy. And Caleb, I think that was a great pick. I think he's going to end up being good and that's just going to show that they just hadn't evaluated talent well earlier and that they just needed to evaluate it good, alright.
Speaker 3:Well, great discussion. I know we've got to move on to our last two topics and get on out of here because we're about at time. But, bree, we will be looking out for your Will Hernandez interview next week. And congrats on graduation, thank you and we'll be talking to you soon.
Speaker 2:Perfect, Yep talk soon All right.
Speaker 3:All right, y'all. So let's move on here. We got two more quick ones and then we've got to bring Brandon in for his recap, so let's try to go through these a little quicker. So we've got Ant because, also, you know, celtics are about to go into game six and win this game and get to game seven, so I got to check out the Celtics game here. All right, so we could have, if OKC wins this game, all right, we will have Ant versus SGA. So let's go ahead and prematurely preview this a little bit. That could be the showdown battle of the next generation. If this is the matchup, we know Minnesota's already there. What do you guys think? Diego, start with you. What do you think about this potential showdown for next generation here?
Speaker 4:I definitely have OKC 100%. I see something like last year happening because, you know, when they were the underdog against Phoenix, I remember, like last year people weren't as they were the underdog against phoenix. No, I remember like last year people weren't as high on the timbrel and they beat them. They beat denver, then the conference finals, they had all this hype and then just to get gentlemen swept by luca and luca just totally, son aunt. I think the same thing is going to happen. So like like he, they, they were. Everyone was high on the lakers and they beat the Lakers and they beat the Warriors, even without Steph, but people still were high on them for that, for some reason, and you know, they're going to come in and the Thunder are going to come off a tough seven games and the Thunder are going to just totally shock them. That's what I have happening.
Speaker 5:I do have the thunder winning this, what's going to be closer than people think because of julius randall. I think that that was a very great trade for minnesota. It weirds me out because I everybody's like, oh, you got rid of the thing that beat yokich and then you actually have a guy who's a very good running mate, who wants to take the big shots and be in the big moments, unlike a Carl Anthony Towns, which is somebody you need alongside Ant. You can't necessarily because, again, you can have Rudy, but you need somebody else to help offset the offensive load. And I really am grateful for Julius Randle for this team, even though what he did to my Lakers was, yeah, yeah, he remembered where he started and he remembered how we treated him, and then it just got bad from there. So shout out to Julius. I'm glad that he's had this playoff run to prove that he's one of the better players in the NBA. I am happy for him.
Speaker 3:He's doing his thing, playing ball, played great against the Lakers, really went head-to-head with LeBron. He was the perfect matchup to go against LeBron because he's just as big, just as strong and it really really negated a lot of the advantage that LeBron typically has when he's in the post, because he can just throw man ball people typically and he couldn't do that against Julius. So Julius was really the difference in that series. Then this past series with the Warriors, he really did his thing against Draymond. Draymond was not able to check him at all. So that does make it interesting.
Speaker 3:I just man, I'm really leery on Minnesota again. Like Diego, I don't think they're a team that plays well. With everybody patting them on the back and expectation, it seems like once they are expected to win, I don't think they're going to do well in that type of situation. So I think they're a year or two away from being able to handle prosperity. I think they're a year or two away from being able to handle prosperity. I just don't believe in them past the second round against a good opponent like this, especially by them being favored. If everyone was dogging them and telling them they had no chance, I might believe in them, but with everybody now starting to get on the train, I'm like I'm leery, I'm leery, I'm leery. And also the fact that I didn't really see the ant that I expected to see in this last round. He hasn't quite looked like that ferocious ant that we see. Flashes of that we saw in, like the first few games against the Lakers.
Speaker 3:To me, minnesota hasn't really looked all that great since game three or four of the Lakers series. They just still don't look all that polished as far as what they can be, what they're capable of. Now. Maybe they flip it on, we'll see. But I'm high on OKC. I love the pieces that they have. Chet man is just scratching the surface. A lot. Chet man is just scratching the surface. A lot of those guys are just scratching the surface. Okc's got house money this year. Like if they mess around to win the title now it's just scary because they're gonna try on so potentially, which is still yeah just ridiculous.
Speaker 3:So, yeah, I hope we see it. This would be great. It will, uh, you know, just be another, another great series, but uh, yeah, we'll know. We we'll know this weekend what we're going to have. So again, promo shout out to Lexi's Bussin' Bacon, one of our sponsors. Great cookies treats here in the North Carolina area, based out of Clayton, but their website is here Lexi's Bussin' Bacon. Check them out. They've got amazing goods and are at all of our shows at King's and they'll be at our show at King's giving away some great, great goods. So check them out and support them and show them some love, please. Great family-owned business, all right. Our final topic Dallas Mavs. The Mavs get the number one pick. They are going to win the Cooper flag sweepstakes. So excited about this man. Nico Harris may have been on to something getting ahead of everything I don't know.
Speaker 3:As far as Luka goes. And man, their starting lineup looks scary. It looks especially scary. So we got a comment here from Delcia Thompson. Mom Dukes, the professor, the professor Pawpaw Thompson, my dad, shout out to Pops, says the Mavericks are riding the Duke car with three players from Duke. All right. So, diego, we know that makes you very happy. So, man, how do you feel about the Dallas Mavericks basically being Duke South?
Speaker 4:I mean I think it's a good move because I mean Duke, we have all the top prospects. I mean all the top guys want to go to Duke. And then you know the Mavericks make the right picks by drafting all our guys and I see I like how you put the 77 on and that was pretty cool.
Speaker 3:Yeah, I mean what you know. We just we wanted to pick an available number for him. That number's available.
Speaker 4:It is available this is the future face the nba right here, cooper flag, and I just think it's great that he gets to go to a good team, play with all these, all these vet vets that are experienced and I have and that have just went to the finals two years ago I mean mean last year. So I mean, yes, great. And Nico is a genius. He's been saying defense wins championships. He took all the slander and now he is going to have the guy who's going to become the best two-way player in the NBA. Yes, he trusted the process.
Speaker 1:And he knew that AB got hurt and you know this is
Speaker 3:what it resulted to you know. Yeah, so Aaron Square draft lottery lottery, all right.
Speaker 5:So, yeah, a 1.8 percent chance of this happening. And nobody thinks that, hey, our ratings are down, let's trade your best player to the best market in the NBA. Hey, because you did that, let me sweeten the deal. You go get the next guy to add to your championship team who fits a role that you need perfectly. Nobody thinks that this is rigged, nobody, it's just here. Just look. 1.8% chance. Same thing happened last year.
Speaker 5:If anything, you have in life has a 2% chance of happening, would you take it Okay, but we have to look.
Speaker 3:Let's look at this because I was pretty good in math in school, all right. So you can look at it that way, all right. But who had more than a 14% or 12% chance of winning it? Right? So what team? So are we going to say who had the worst record? Wizards the Wizards, okay. Team. So are we going to say who had the worst record?
Speaker 3:Wizards the wizards okay, and they are picking, so they're six right, they had this, so they had like a 90% chance to not win it, right? So every team has such a finite chance to win and they flatten the odds to prevent tanking. Also, you've got Ernst Young, who is a well-respected accounting firm. They are a part of it. If it's rigged, like late David Stern said, if it's rigged, then we're saying the NBA is committing a federal crime. We're also saying that Ernst Young is in it. We're saying that every other team in the nba is. Do you know how many people would have to be a part of this? And in order for this, this, to be really actually, they need the other teams to be on board and it's not it.
Speaker 3:It's not leaked at all. It's not, it's, it's just. They just have a complete cover-up that everybody is all on board with all right, let's send cooper flag Just a team and a plan versus a team.
Speaker 5:Alright, we're going to get into that, but one question I want to ask you before we go is do you think the NFL should have a draft?
Speaker 4:lottery yes, absolutely Alright man. Y'all killing me, the NFL should definitely have.
Speaker 3:You should not have just the worst team get the number one pick. Heck, in my fantasy football draft that I ran, I had it to where the last team did not get the first pick, like I had it to where it was staggered so you had to if you weren't going to make the playoffs. Then you had incentive to win because the team that had the best winning percentage once they were knocked out was the team that I had to pick first. So you need to have an incentive for winning.
Speaker 5:So, yes, I think there should definitely be a lottery in the NFL, but my thing is like, okay, it's a 17-game sample size and people are trying to impress other teams and show that they're talented so that they can get another contract. So I feel like taking isn't as big of a problem with the NFL. The Browns suck because the Browns suck because again they chose it. They chose the Sean Watson. He got injured and was a very terrible quarterback in that whole office, their whole dad, crazy injuries. You feel me? Titans sucked because again, we'll let us. They didn't have that guy.
Speaker 5:I feel like taking is like a very NBA centric issue because that whole trust, the process mess back in like 14, 15, 16. That's a much bigger issue. I feel like the NFL because there are jobs on the line. It's like a finite amount of games and stuff that you can prove that, hey, I'm actually good at this. I feel like it's less of an issue. That's why I wouldn't want a lottery. I do now with how the draft is set up, I do feel like, okay, the worst players going to immediately bad situations if you win a Heisman. It's like, hey, you're going to train to dysfunction. I don't like that for the players. But as for the teams, eh, I don't really see the issue.
Speaker 3:Yeah, I'd love to have it. I guess my retort to be like what does it hurt to have?
Speaker 5:a lottery in the NFL Let the Panthers go 2-15 and we all of a sudden be able to get the guy that could save our franchise. I think Panthers fans would be pretty upset about that. If all of a sudden you're picking six, then you can't get the main person that you want to get and like Brandon has created a tournament whose teams see the 11 through 15 face off and the winner gets the number one pick.
Speaker 3:I like that. Yeah, like we need to incentivize winning. You should not be rewarded for losing. So, yeah, I like that. I like that. But man, a shout out to Dallas Mavs 2026 champions. All right, but man, but shout out to Dallas Mavs 2026 champions for sure. Yeah, man, nico, everyone you know was getting on him and getting on the franchise, but actually me and Diego, we were on this, we were, we were, you know, taking up for him.
Speaker 4:Yeah, yeah, I think they didn't get a fair shot.
Speaker 5:Y'all take it out for him because of y'all hatred for Luka. That's a different.
Speaker 4:I don't hate Luka. You trade any other. I have a Luka jersey.
Speaker 5:Okay, yeah, all right, all right, Let the Knicks trade Jalen Brunson to the Lakers or something. And then you'd be like what are the Knicks doing? What's going on?
Speaker 4:That's Jalen Brunson, it's totally different.
Speaker 3:That's totally different yes, so Joe has a question about the Vegas rumors, so the no, I think, joe, can you expound on that?
Speaker 4:moving to Vegas yeah nah, I don't see that happening is about the Mavs moving to Vegas Moving to Vegas.
Speaker 3:Yeah, nah, nah. I don't see that happening. They're staying right in Dallas.
Speaker 5:Yeah, listen, you move that, you move Luca and you move them to Vegas. Oh my goodness, nah, they're staying right in Dallas.
Speaker 3:I think they will actually end up probably adding a franchise there at some point, whatever, but nah, I don't think the Mavs will move there.
Speaker 5:Yes, you end up probably adding a franchise there at some point, whatever, but no, I don't think the Mavs will move there. No, we're not going.
Speaker 3:We're not going to talk about LeBron. Let LeBron keep on talking about the lotteries rigged and all this other kind of stuff. Good luck getting a franchise, my man. Good luck with that. Alright, let's bring on our guy, brandon Bean, who's going to tell us why the lottery is rigged, as well as give him, give us his three minute take on all that we talked about and also kind of drop some pearls on some things that's going on in the world of sports. So, brandon man, we're ready for you to enlighten us with these last three minutes. Man, what do you want to hit first?
Speaker 7:Obviously, the NBA draft lottery. All right, let's hit it, man? I feel like no. I think the reason why I feel like it is is that there's a you know like a pros and cons to it. Obviously, you know people are going to say, obviously, you know people are going to say, hey, you know, we tired of seeing top college prospects, you know in bad organizations wasting their you know, wasting their talents and careers away. Let's send them you know, to a contender.
Speaker 7:But if we do that now it's like okay, well, how do you expect these bottom three teams teams get better if they can't get the top prospects every year? So there's that. That's why I said I'm not, like I'm not, for you know nfl, trying with the lottery, because then you're gonna to be sending like imagine if that was the case, imagine Ashton Jette on the Kansas City Chiefs, or like the Eagles, or you know any you know well-run organization. Now, if you're like you know Carolina or the Saints or these struggling franchises, you know they're going to be thinking like well, how are you going to like?
Speaker 7:but they're going to be looking at the NFL. Like well, how are you going to tell us it's parity or competitive balance and you sending all the top college guys to the contenders? So you can't say oh it's competitive balance, but you're sending Cooper Flag to Dallas, a team that was just in the finals a year ago, so like that's not like parody. To me that feels like that's a competitive imbalance.
Speaker 3:Okay.
Speaker 7:Okay, that's why I suggest, you know, have everybody create a tournament. So that way you know, like you have these bottom three teams, I love it out. You know, let's see who gets the number one pick. So that way it's like, okay, they earn that pick and you know whoever loses. Hey, you get the second pick, you know that part, that team gets the third pick, you get the fourth pick and you just take whoever's best available. But at least that avoids you from you know tanking or whatever. Right.
Speaker 3:Just taking the season.
Speaker 7:Now you have to go out and earn it, much less just tanking the season. For sure, don't have a lottery playoff. Yeah, there you go. I like that. I like that. We'll have a lottery playoff. Yeah, there you go. I like that. I like that For us. Like, obviously, the WNBA is tonight. It's going to be an interesting season. Hopefully everybody stays healthy, even though we have a lot of injuries to start the season. Yeah, celtics can win in seven if New York doesn't choke this game tonight.
Speaker 7:Parody I feel like it is kind of overrated a little bit because I feel like at times fans want parody but at the same time they want to see a dynasty, so they can't really make up their mind. At times it's kind of like watching the NCAA tournament and saying, well, I like upsets, but I want to see the best remain still in the tournament. Yeah, because we just saw what happened in the men's Final Four and the National. Yeah, because we just saw what happened in the men's Final Four and the National Championship game. That was like probably better than the last two Final Fours and last two National Championship games. So I prefer that over. Like the UConn-San Diego State game or like in college football the Georgia-TCU game one year. College football the georgia tcu game one year. So it's like, I think, for me I'd rather see a competitive tournament, but also I need to see a competitive final as well.
Speaker 7:Okay, same thing with the nba. Like, yes, like, make the nba playoffs competitive, but at least make it the nba finals, you know, watchable. Like you can't go into the finals and be like, oh, it's Pacers, knicks, or I mean Knicks, thunder or Thunder Pacers, or T-Wolves Knicks or T-Wolves Pacers Hopefully. I'm still banking on Celtics and the Nuggets, even though Celtics won't have Jason Tatum, that's probably the best possible matchup left. Okay, so, yeah, that's what I'm looking forward to, because I feel like if we don't get neither of those teams in the finals, I fear that it'll become unwatchable, like the Bucks-Sun series four years ago. Yeah, that the bubble in 2020. And they had the heat in there. Then the obviously the Nuggets-Heat finals Right, pretty much last year's finals and then the 2000.
Speaker 3:And Brandon, we got to cut man too, so we're out of time.
Speaker 7:Yeah, and the 2003 finals, with the Spurs in this. But WNBA happy for NFL seasons back and hopefully we'll get a competitive NBA finals.
Speaker 3:All right, All right, we'll be looking for it, man. All right, brandon? Well, thank you. Thank you. All right, we'll see you next week. All right, cool, cool, all right, man. Well, hey, again, quick promo. We got to run. You can get your merch at vpickleproscom. You want to check that out? We got new stuff dropping every week, so definitely want to get your fire merch coming out in all different colorways and whatnot. So we will be back next week on Friday, same time, 7 pm. Shout out to everyone for checking us out. We are going to get on out of here. Got a new little outro, so we're going to play on out of here. Got a new little outro, so we're going to play that. So you'll want to take a look at that. But hey, man, y'all ready to check out this Boston Knicks game? Yep.
Speaker 5:Let's see it. All right, let's see it.
Speaker 3:Yeah, yeah, it's going to be good man Knicks is sex Can't wait and you know, as far as the we'll probably touch on next week. I want to talk about AAU and because we want to get down to the root of okay, why are we having all these injuries, especially Achilles injuries?
Speaker 5:Gotcha.
Speaker 3:With people that, okay, dane was a little older, but Tatum is what like 26? 27. 27, right in there, and you've got a lot of younger guys that are getting these injuries. Is this a result of aau? And not necessarily. You know. We got low management, these different things, but I just wonder what that correlation would be. I mean, diego's got tournament tomorrow, playing four games. You know what I'm saying. It's like these kids they're playing year round, year round. Uh, all the time they're not getting a break. So definitely want to talk about that. And when we're at Kings we actually will have a lot of, you know, folks that are heavy in the AAU game. So just something for us to talk about later. So a little teaser on that one, all right. Well, let's get on out of here. We appreciate y'all Love. Let's check out this game. It looks like it's tight, so we know we're going to pull this out, all right, all right, we'll see y'all next time. Pick'em pros, pick'em pros. All right, later, later.
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Speaker 1:Lincoln and Tinkertour Can't start on the right track with a Pick'em Bros anthem Stop random. A dance on tandem. Want a pair of sneakers? I was so eager, and a phone call I featured on fandom. When it comes to the right pick, they're all psychic, even seep in psychic Boom. The activity is seismic On a mount so high can't climb it. Wanna be on a team that elevates at a better rate Than a featherweight versus a heavyweight. There ain't no better way. Gotta let them demonstrate Second to none with the numbers they generate, setting real goals with their extra points like field goals, never taking defeat like steel toes and they blowing up on a real dough. Without them you would never know what team is on an island. Every social platform shouldn't be that hard to find them, From the north, from the south, east and west.
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