Pick'em Pros

🏆 NBA Contenders or Frauds? Playoff Push Breakdown + Finals Predictions

• Pick'em Pros • Season 4 • Episode 145

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0:00 | 1:01:32

The All-Star break is over — now it gets real.

On this episode of Who Ya Got, Derrick and Diego break down the NBA playoff race as the push toward the postseason begins.

  • Are the Pistons legit — or regular season frauds?
  • Does Jayson Tatum shift the ceiling for Boston?
  • Are the Thunder pacing themselves… or showing cracks?
  • Is it too early to expect Wemby and the Spurs to compete?
  • Can Mitchell and Harden realistically take Cleveland to the Finals?
  • And are the Hornets winning at the wrong time?

We also highlight three games that could swing the playoff picture — and close it out with our predictions for who’s coming out of the East and West.

If the playoffs started today…

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Cold Open: Sixers Warning Shot

SPEAKER_02

The team y'all need to worry about in the East, if they stay healthy, is the Sixers. That's the team y'all need to worry about. If indeed with the the way that they are right now, and then you'll have uh our guy, Paul George, he's gonna have fresh legs. He was doing three sixty dumps before he went out with the suspensions.

SPEAKER_04

We know how he was doing it. We're not worried about it. Was he enhanced?

SPEAKER_03

The fact that he was doing it. Was he enhanced?

SPEAKER_10

He had nine threes in one game.

SPEAKER_00

We haven't seen that since the bro, go with drop ball, talk to pick a rope. We're gonna up the scroll touchdown. We the winning team champions when you walk through the hall.

SPEAKER_02

Alright,

Hosts Return And Season Framing

SPEAKER_02

ladies and gentlemen, welcome back. You know who it is. I am Derek Thompson. I'm Diego Thompson. Mr. Davis. And who are we? The Pick'em Pros. The Pick'em Pros coming back at you in the house with a special episode of Who You Got. Man, we are uh coming up on NBA, NBA second half. We got out of the the all-star game, and now it's almost the real season because regular season is trash as always. But uh it's time for the playoffs here in a couple of months, man. How y'all feeling?

SPEAKER_11

I feel great, honestly. The all-star game was surprisingly good. Um, I will say, Derek, you called it on uh pain points. Yep. Basically said that USA would win. I got didn't have the faith, but you know, we USA did hold it down. Shout out to Anthony Edwards. Um, I'm glad that Wendy set the tone now for the rest of the game. So I'm very excited to see what the rest of the season will bring. Okay.

SPEAKER_12

All right. Yeah, all-star game was great, made up for the uh awful dunk contest. So I'm glad that they uh terrible. Glad that that ended up being good.

SPEAKER_02

Yeah, yeah. All-star game ended up being being good. I mean, yeah, the All-Star Game ended up being good. Uh, very happy about that. I mean, all you had to do was get USA versus the world, and that changes, changes everything.

SPEAKER_12

Wimby setting the tone, everybody else.

SPEAKER_02

Wimby playing well, yes, Wimby. Big, big shout out to Wimby. Wimby single-handedly saved it, you know, Ant-Man. I figured he would come in with a lot of with a lot of juice, but Wimby was the one that set the tone. So thanks to Wimby, we've got a uh, you know, someone that's gonna be an ambassador for the league. So really excited about that.

All-Star Reactions And Wimby’s Spark

SPEAKER_02

Well, let's dive into what we're gonna talk about today. So we've got a bunch of fire topics here today. So, first we're gonna talk about the Detroit Pistons, okay? Are they for real or not? So we're going into that. Then we're gonna talk about Tatum. All right, Tatum, uh, can he carry the Celtics?

Today’s Agenda And Topic Lineup

SPEAKER_02

And as we talk about uh the Pistons here in a second, Mike Sims is gonna join us. So we got him in the studio. All right. Uh OKC Thunder is our third topic. Are they uh resting or are they falling apart? So we're gonna get your takes on that. We've got uh Wimby, is it too early for him to compete for the finals? We're gonna dive into that. Uh Mitchell and James Harden now together in Cleveland. Can they make it to the finals? We're gonna talk about that. Uh the Hornets, the Charlotte Hornets, all right. Hometown team here are turning a corner. But um, just like the Charlotte Hornets, kind of maybe doing it in the wrong year. Just so happen to have a uh generational lottery here, and this is the year they'll decide to make the playoffs. We're gonna talk about that. There's three big games that you want to look out for um right before the season ends. We're gonna touch on those and then we'll touch on the NBA finals. All right, all right, okay, okay. So let's uh let's bring in Mr. Michael Sims here. Okay, Mike Sims, man, joining us from an undisclosed location. He's suited up, suited and booted here, joining us virtually. Uh, he is the Detroit Pistons uh man, uh with whisperer from Detroit, hometown, Blease Detroit. So we can't talk about the Pistons without having him on. And he's joining us. What's up, man?

SPEAKER_14

Hey, what's going on, Derek? Excited to be on the show, Pickham Pros. But uh yeah, I'm at uh uh uh a Gala, an event that I'm speaking at, but I had to stop for Pickham Pros and uh just got outside just so we can talk about the Pistons.

Pistons Debate With Guest Mike Sims

SPEAKER_14

Uh what can we say? Fire, they on fire. All I can say is y'all need to hop on the motorcade. If you don't know about it, you better drive on it. The motorcade, because I'm not saying the finals, I'm not saying we're gonna win the finals, I'm saying we're going to the finals.

SPEAKER_03

Okay.

SPEAKER_14

Okay. All right. Okay. And if you don't believe it, just get yourself a little taste of beef stew.

SPEAKER_02

That that's one of the coldest nicknames, man. Yeah, beef stew. I love, love that, love that. Okay. So uh, thank thanks for joining us. You know, stick or stick around as long as you can. We understand if you have to dip because you are there handling business with the gala, but we're gonna give our takes and then we'll circle back to you if if you're still on. Okay, okay. So, Diego, man. So, Mike, you know, says they're definitely going to make the finals. All right. Um, is that is he too emotional? Is that hometown bias in there? Or uh are the Pistons legit and not just a regular season team actually going to the finals? What do you think?

SPEAKER_12

Yeah, I think that might be a bit of hometown bias there. And I'm not mad at it. I understand how it is. That's okay. We've all we all had our experience with that. But um, you know, I just think there are some other teams in the East that you know have had more experience that are more ready for this moment. Now, I think the Pistons, they got a good young core, they got Cade. I think they need one more year, and then maybe next year they can maybe get to the finals. But I like the Celtics, I like I like the Cavs and even the Knicks. So, yeah, I those are I'd have all those three over the Pistons in the playoffs.

unknown

Okay.

SPEAKER_14

I want you to get a little taste of peace too, baby. I want you to get taste of paying attention, Diego. You know you my man, but you ain't been paying attention. The Pistons were one game away against New York, they're already going through that maceration, right? And remember, the motorcade is at a point right now where he knows where he's at. He hit that an elevation where you looked at for the Celtics and even for the Knicks from last year. Now they they're going on to take it a step, especially since they just beat the New York Knicks three times in a row. Okay. The average point spread is 20 points. Celtics can't handle them, especially without Tatum.

SPEAKER_12

Oh, Celtics are gonna have Tatum in the playoffs, and that's gonna elevate him even higher. I mean, and there's their second in the East without an a first-team All-NBA guy. And with the Knicks, right? I believe I think the Knicks, unlike any of these other years, are gonna be healthy and rested in the playoffs, and they're gonna have a good, a healthy Brunson, a healthy cat. All their guys are gonna be ready, and there that's gonna help them go deeper.

SPEAKER_14

I can't wait. I can't wait to get you a can of beef stew.

SPEAKER_02

Oh, yeah. But we're we're we're gonna have a whole show just on this, right before the playoffs. We're gonna have a whole show on the pistons. So we're definitely gonna come back to that. We're gonna get you here in studio, Mike, so we can all be face to face and diving into that. So I I can't wait for that.

SPEAKER_14

Hey, I gotta run, but I appreciate you guys having me on for a second or two. Hey, Diego, keep your chin up, remember and stuff, man. I know you just I know you just not I know you're just not getting your license, but you can always drive the motorcade later.

SPEAKER_02

All right, all right, Mike is out. Thank you, thank you. Oh man, yes, yes, yes. Wonderful having him. Okay, so C Pain, what's your take on the pistons, man?

SPEAKER_11

Listen, um I think the one thing we're forgetting about is the X Factor that is there.

SPEAKER_02

We go okay.

SPEAKER_11

I think we're forgetting about the X Factor known as Jalen Duran in like seeing his step this season. Okay, I will say that like he is he has become one of the better defensive forces in addition to Isaiah Stewart on that team, plus he does contribute on offense. Kate has become one of the better point guards in this league, and they still play that ferocious level of defense. Uh I will say that my issue with just writing them off and saying that they're like one year away at this point. The Celtics, we're not gonna know what their chemistry is. We're gonna get into this later. What the chemistry is gonna be like because Jalen Brown

Detroit’s Case: Defense, Cade, And Duren

SPEAKER_11

has now emerged into a zone and feels like he's a superstar now, right? So, how was that? How could that chemistry be impacted? And I'm sorry, the Knicks, uh every single time over the past few seasons, we've said the Knicks are our finals team, the Knicks are going to the finals, and they just haven't seemed to do it. Again, they got dog walked by the by the Pacers, who were uh who to me don't have as good of defenders as this Detroit Pistons team. So shout out to the Knicks, shout out to Jalen Brunson and Carl Anthony Towns. But the one thing I will say is that the game that K played, I think it was on Thursday, where you saw him go at everyone. It didn't matter who was going against him. He was like, I'm just gonna take it to the hoop, I'm gonna do my thing. That's that's something that I feel like the Knicks only had that with Jalen Brunson. There's a bunch of other players on the Pistons who like feel galvanized by the energy, right? And that's why I think that like I'm not really worried about Carl Anthony Towns in the playoffs series, not like I'm used to. I'm sorry, like he's good, and everybody's acting like he's still like one of the premier centers when he hasn't really played up to stuff when it comes to the playoffs. So that's why I would say I do think the Pistons are a finals team. Okay, maybe my honestly, it really depends on the chemicals. It really depends on like if the Celtics will return to the forum with chemistry, okay. Jason Tatum and Jalen Brown. That would be the only thing that would stop me from saying them from them not making the finals.

SPEAKER_02

Okay. Yeah. This is gonna be good. It's gonna be good. So Diego says no. Mike Sims says that um they are definitely, but he's you know, hometown, a little biased there, but again, says they will be there. You not biased, you don't don't have a you know, dog in a fight with that, but you say yes, they are, and they are showing a lot. I love the um the enthusiasm they're playing with. I love the intensity. Uh, love how they went in there and handled the Knicks. Um, I definitely didn't see Cade being this good. So he he's exceeding expectations, at least mine, and is playing very well. I still I still don't know. You know, again, we'll make our official, official, official picks. This is pick them pros. We'll make our official picks right before the playoffs. And that's when it'll really matter. We'll kind of give our way too early at the end of the show here. But right now, without seeing what what you know they do these next two months, I can't put them in the finals just yet. Not now. That may change come April, but I've I've got to side with Diego on this one. I'm not gonna put them in the finals just yet. Maybe if they had Beasley doing the wheel. Now, now, hey, there's still time. He's a free agent. If they could just ignore the gambling investigation and go ahead and pick up Beasley, then I might be with him.

SPEAKER_12

Yes, they are missing my guy in the league Beasley. That's the whole X factor. Yes, yes. Now you give them Beasley, hey, I'm all in. And my thing is, can Cade with no playoff experience go toe-to-toe with the Tatum and Brown duo that's won a championship and has played together for eight years, the playoff Donovan Mitchell and James Harden, and playoff Jalen Brunson healthy? Like that, like that's those are three really good teams, like three really good guard guards. I don't know. You said playoff James Harden. You said playoff James Harden.

SPEAKER_03

I said I said playoff Mitchell. No, playoff Mitchell. Oh, with Jalen. Okay, Mitchell. Okay. We need to do that.

SPEAKER_12

James Harden doesn't have to be the star anymore. This is a clarification.

SPEAKER_03

You clarified that.

SPEAKER_02

Okay. All right. Okay. Well, let's uh that's great, great time. We got a lot here, and we've got to uh drop by 8 30. So we're gonna move on to our next topic, but we're gonna do a whole show on the Pistons and bring Mike in here. All right. So let's

Celtics Outlook And Tatum’s Return

SPEAKER_02

move on, man. Let's move on to the Boston Celtics, okay? Uh Tatum looks like he'll he'll come back. You know, they don't want to say that right now, they don't want to put pressure on him and whatnot. Um, but it looks like he's making great progress. I feel that all signs point to him most likely coming back. But um, Diego, if Tatum does come back, does that change everything? Where what does that say for the Boston Celtics?

SPEAKER_12

I think it changes everything, uh honestly, for the Celtics. I mean, right now they're second in the East. Jalen Brown is playing the best he's played, averaging 30 a game. And this is the guy Tatum, he's a first team All-NBA guy. And, you know, with the recent Achilles injuries, we've had guys come back quicker, um, which it looks like he's doing because he's still young. And, you know, when KD got injured, you know, he came back and he's still he was still averaging like high 20s, even 30 points a game in some years. And um, I it for the chemistry, I'm not I'm not worried about it because him and him and Brown have played together the last eight years, so that's not really anything I'm really concerned about. And um, yeah, I just think that's that extra star power that the Celtics needed. And uh I think that they could really win a championship actually this year.

SPEAKER_06

Sure.

SPEAKER_12

All right, okay.

SPEAKER_11

All right, what about you, C Pang? I would just say that like although I am excited to see Jason Tatum be back, people don't realize how much of an anomaly, an anomaly KD really is, right? Because anybody after Nikill's tear, like there's gonna be some time to ramp up. So you're expecting Jason Tatum to come back in like let's say end of March, early April to ramp up for the playoffs. And are we gonna expect him to still be like that Jason Tatum that we saw drop 50 versus the Sixers in that game seven? Uh-huh. I'm not totally sure. I think that they will be a good team. I think that they can at least make the conference finals, uh uh, but I'm not expecting him to like shoulder the load of like really leaning that team, which means it's gonna be Jalen Brown's time. Uh-huh. So that's where I would say I wouldn't say that they're a finals team, but I will say that because the East is an easier conference, plus they have the continuity, plus um Missoula is a great coach, I do think that they will at least be conference finals. Now, it is because uh you're expecting him to ramp up and play playoff basketball in about a month. So that's where I'm a little concerned. Yeah, with like how is all that gonna go with like your your best or second best player trying to ramp up like during the playoffs in that in that conference.

SPEAKER_12

Hey, well, yeah, we're forgetting that we're forgetting that this is this is a guy that has faded in the NBA finals against the Warriors. He faded. Well, they lost, but that that was when he was younger. And then when they won, uh Jalen Brown won the finals MVP, he played better. So I mean, he can play second fiddle. I'm not worried about that. I just just him being able to come back and add you know, a a spark, I think that's that's a big that's a big thing.

SPEAKER_11

But you're relying on a first team, and they still and they still have Jalen Brown.

SPEAKER_12

Like if he was if they didn't have Jalen Brown, then I mean that's different. But Jalen Brown's averaging 30 a game.

SPEAKER_11

Yeah, but first team all NBA, and you're just relying on him to be a spark, and then you see that Pistons team was able to play as good defense. With what you said about the Knicks, not worried about the Pistons.

SPEAKER_12

I'm also not, man. They just they don't have things. I'm just I'm like when you play the Pistons, it's just like, ooh, we're playing the like I just don't really feel that, man. Like I'm just not worried about it.

SPEAKER_02

Well, the one actually, again, jump ahead a little bit, but the team y'all need to worry about in the East, if they stay healthy, is the Sixers. That's the team y'all need to worry about. If indeed with the the way that they are right now, and then you'll have uh our guy, um, who's it cut coming off the um the the drug suspension spot guy? Yeah, yeah, Paul George. You're gonna he's gonna have fresh legs. He was doing he he he was doing 360 dunks before he went out with the suspension for one stuff.

SPEAKER_04

Well, yeah, we know why it was like we know how he was doing it. They called the number on him, they were like, We're not worried about it. Was he enhanced?

SPEAKER_03

It's the fact that he was doing it. Was he enhanced?

SPEAKER_10

He had nine threes in one game. We haven't seen nine twins.

SPEAKER_02

Oh shout out, shout out to uh wifey. Uh thank you, love you for watching. We see our comments in there. Just wanted to say hey. But yeah, man, so that's the team we got to worry about. As far as the Celtics go, man, I I don't believe in the Celtics. Um, with Tatum coming back, I don't think, I think the East is just it's open season right now. So I think they're just taking advantage of the landscape right now. The Knicks aren't the same team that they were. Cleveland wasn't the same team before. Now Cleveland's gonna be dangerous because they have Harden. But Cleveland wasn't the same. The Knicks weren't the same. Boston is a great three-point shooting team. I think Boston's gonna be a great regular season team no matter what. So they're able to get through and get a decent seed, but I I don't know if they'd be a factor with Tatum. The way that the

Sixers, Harden, And East Power Index

SPEAKER_02

the way that the Knicks took their heart out of their chest last year, again, remember, they they were about to lose to them with Tatum. I can't unsee that we don't know. We don't know that on ceasing. We don't know that.

SPEAKER_12

That was an if, if, and then we don't know for sure.

SPEAKER_03

They they already lost.

SPEAKER_12

They could have, would have, maybe, you know, alternate you'd have, I don't know.

SPEAKER_02

They already lost to him. So they didn't have Tatum. That that's the issue. So, okay, they lost to him last year. Now they're coming back. They got Tatum coming a few weeks uh from from you know, recovering from tearing his Achilles. I don't think they're a factor.

SPEAKER_12

And the thing with Tatum, Tatum doesn't play with like a ton of athleticism, you know what I mean? True. Like as compared to other players. Like he is a pretty robotic game. He's gonna do cha-cha slide, step back threes. He did the exact same thing. He doesn't need his Achilles, yes.

SPEAKER_02

But that's not gonna be a fact.

SPEAKER_03

He doesn't need his play the exact same.

SPEAKER_12

They're not beating Detroit, they're not beating Cleveland. Bly come back and play the same he did before, because I mean the robotic cha-cha three, maybe a little one-leg dunking.

SPEAKER_02

That's not right, Brandon. Knicks were up three-one before he popped his Achilles. That's right, Brandon.

SPEAKER_12

Yes. They were up three-one, but they but but Tatum got hurt in the last game. They could have came back. Well, hey, hey, we we don't know.

SPEAKER_02

C Payne and I say no, right? They're they're not going to, they don't have a chance to get to the finals. Diego, you say yes. That's where we stand on that. Okay. They might do it all. That's where we stand. Oh, it's crazy. Dwayne, what is he saying? How much trouble are my Chicago Bulls in right now? Oh gosh, man. We we don't have enough show, Dwayne, to talk about that one. The Chicago Bulls, good God almighty.

SPEAKER_11

I mean, I Rob Dillingham, that's all I got. Yeah, I I don't know.

SPEAKER_02

I mean, well, the good thing is, hey, they've got a draft pick. They got a lottery pick. So, yeah, hopefully you strike gold there and get get somebody, you know. Um, but yeah, man, I I don't know. I I think, you know, actually, if I'm the bull, I mean, bulls need to be very aggressive and swing for the fences.

SPEAKER_12

They'll probably draft Darren Peterson and he'll I don't know.

SPEAKER_02

Probably that that would be the person they would draft. Um, actually, they need to swing for the fences and like get Zion. Try to maybe resurrect him. What do they have to lose? Yeah, they have nothing to lose. You know, but yeah. Yeah, I don't know, Dwayne. That that's gonna be rough, my man. All right, okay, well,

Thunder Coasting Or Cracking?

SPEAKER_02

let's move on to our next topic here. We're rapid fire. Uh, we've got the OKC Thunder. All right, so the OKC Thunder, they started off amazing. What was it? 24 and one, it was something crazy, right? They only had one loss to start off. Yeah, they were pushing for the Warriors record, started off amazing. But then uh, you know, injuries set in, but they were doing it without uh Jay Doug. So they were winning without him, and then you know, Jay Doug came back, looked good at first, actually, and then you know, went through um a little bit of a slump. Spurs clearly have their numbers, so that's concerning. But Diego, uh Thunder, are they just resting right now, coasting? Wake me up when the playoffs start, or are they collapsing?

SPEAKER_12

Uh, I actually think they're coasting. Um, it's weird because SGA's hurt right now, but I mean, I don't there's I I don't I haven't heard a lot of details about the injury, so I mean it seems yeah, I don't know, it seems kind of load mangy. Um, you know, and they they did get the new spark of Jared McCain and you know, he's been coming in there shooting threes. So I think you know, I yeah, it's the odds part in the season. They still have the number one seed by like four games, so I just think they're taking this time to make sure everybody. Right and get ready for the playoffs. But I am kind of concerned with the best in the West, though.

SPEAKER_02

Yeah, but the East, like the Pistons, I think the Pistons caught them, or they're like right there.

SPEAKER_12

Yeah, but I I am yeah, I'm talking about the West, but I am I am kind of concerned with them, with them losing to the Spurs a lot, though. That yeah, that is very concerned. Yeah, that is a concern. Okay. All right.

SPEAKER_11

I would say the Thunder, they're not at the point of a collapse, but I will say everybody who had them as like the clear title favorite, I don't think it's like that anymore, especially with the West. Like you see what the Spurs can do. We're gonna see what Anthony Edwards can do. Now, as Lakers saying, I ain't gonna go live. We are getting first rounded go bucket. We are not making it out of the first round because we got the old man, you know. So we'll like if we get a good matchup, you know, we can take it take a team six. But I think in the Thunders case, they it really depends on how the bracket shapes up because if they run into the wolves or the Spurs early, I don't like their odds because I do think that it's just I feel like they're not afraid of that team, you know. I don't feel like there's so many teams like in the West who would be like, oh, like I'm scared of like playing against them, versus like you see what the Spurs were able to do because they have Stefan Castle and Dylan Harper, who like they go against Wemby in practice all the time, who's like a better version of Chet. So are they really gonna be scared of playing Chet? Come playoff time, be like, Oh, is like they're just gonna go at him, and then again, you have Wemby's whole like I don't like the I don't like Chet out, like the Thunder thing he got going on. So that's why I think that it's not a collapse per se, but I do think that they're not the favorite that everybody said that they were in the beginning of the season, yeah, yeah, okay.

SPEAKER_02

Uh man, shout out to uh team picklepros. Thank you, Summer, for running the comments in the background. Appreciate you. And uh, we're gonna end the show uh with Brandon. Brandon's gonna do the recap for us, so we're excited for that. I know a lot of you have been asking about Brandon, so Brandon is uh gonna bless us here. But um on OKC Thunder, man, you guys know I I have a very hard time unseeing things once I see it.

SPEAKER_11

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02

And you you know I don't like you know I don't like when teams get uh I don't like to use the well, I don't like when when people get

Sponsor Break: Pure Green

SPEAKER_02

get teams get punked. Right? I don't like that. And that's happened with OKC with the Spurs. They took their lunch money four times. And I was I was really upset with one of the last times they beat them because it's like OKC, they didn't show any in any fight. You know what I mean?

SPEAKER_12

That's called Christmas. Yeah, that was embarrassing.

SPEAKER_02

Yeah, the Christmas game. They didn't show any fight. So I didn't, I I didn't like that. That didn't look like a that didn't look like a championship team. Again, we were championing them, championing them huge um during the playoffs, you know, and we see just so many. I love the way they've built the team and everything. I love so much about the team and the organization, but they are a bunch of nice guys, right? And so the Achilles heel with them can be if you get a team that's down and dirty and nasty that has a certain moxie about them, that I think you can get them. So that concerns me if they were to face the Pistons. That concerns me. That concerns me if they play the Spurs, that concerns me. Heck, that even actually concerns me if they play Minnesota, right? And you know, in them. So it I have I have a lot of concerns with them right now. Um, I'm gonna be watching closely. I'm not gonna say that they um don't have a chance, but I'm watching these last, these last two months very closely before I make make my pick on them. And there's some games to watch that we're gonna talk about later in the show

Is Wimby Ready To Own May?

SPEAKER_02

that I think will tell us a lot. A matter of fact, yeah, we'll preview. They actually play the Pistons. They play the Pistons like at the end of the season, and I can't wait for that game. So I really want to see, okay, how do you stand? Now is it's gonna be a couple of days from the playoffs. Like, all right, it's time to go. Where are you? So I can't wait for that one. Yeah, so I can't wait to see that. All right, okay, well, um, let's uh we're next, we are going to talk about the uh Wimby. We're gonna talk about Wimby and if it's too early for him. But uh before we do that, we have a quick word from our sponsor, Pure Green. We're going to uh go to that real quick. Again, Pure Green of Clayton, they have supported us and our big, big supporters. So make sure you go to their IG at Pure Green underscore Clayton. Um they have amazing protein bowls, they have amazing shakes, they have amazing smoothies, they have all of that. So make sure you check them out. And uh here's a quick word from uh Pure Green, a commercial that we have. All right, Diego, I'm hungry, man. You want something to eat? I do. Yeah, what you lose for? Man, let's go for let's go for pure green. We need to keep it healthy. Oh, yeah, yeah, I like that. All right, I got it. Let's do it. All right, quick word from Pure Green. Thank you. Okay, so our next topic here, Wemby. Is it too early for Wimby and the Spurs, Diego?

SPEAKER_12

Nah, I think the Spurs are ready, man. I mean, I like Wemby's attitude, I like his um drive, especially with how he treated the all-star game. Um, and just all season, like he's been playing really well, uh stepped it up a notch, and uh just as long as he can stay healthy, I think they can go very far. I mean, they already showed they can beat the Thunder, and you know, that's that there's a reigning champs. I mean, that's about the top to top. So yeah, they can definitely they can definitely go far.

SPEAKER_11

Okay. Listen, this is the year to take the leap. Like, this is year three. Listen, we need Wemby playoff moments. Like, all we've seen is like all the anomaly games he's had in the regular seasons where he almost gets like a five by five, and he's just you know out here getting 40 points. You see him shooting the threes, you see him shooting the mid-range. Uh-huh. Like the fear he has as a defender. Like, we need this in the playoffs. Wemby, uh, this is where you ascend to the whole face of the NBA that we're trying to make you to be. Like, it's I think that we keep waiting for, you know, like, oh, well, this is the year, this is the year. Look, since he came into the league, everybody has said this is going to be the best player to ever do this. This is like the most high prospect since LeBron, all this stuff, right?

SPEAKER_03

Okay.

SPEAKER_11

This is where you the kings get made. So I'm excited to see what he does in the playoffs. Okay, and they do have a good team around him, they have great shooters, they do, they have a great coach. Like, I really like what Dylan Harper and Steathon Castle show. Like, I am very excited to see what they can do in the playoffs, and that's why like they're not a finals pick for me, but I do think that they need to at least make the second round or at least push for conference finals because this needs to be like his crowning moment because everybody after the all-star game, since the all-star game has been like, hey, this is our guy, like this is our this is our person. Because ants basically like shrugged is like I don't necessarily want it, you know. So, Wemby, this is your chance to like really prove that you know you're going to be in the new face. I'm excited to see it.

SPEAKER_02

Yeah, I think you know, health permitting, and we always say that when it comes to Wemby, um, because you know, we haven't had someone that size, you know, be able to dominate. But yeah, if he's able to stay healthy, he clearly,

Can Harden Elevate Cleveland?

SPEAKER_02

you know, is gonna go down as most likely the GOAT. Uh, love, love everything about him. So uh pulling for him, big, big fan of his. Um, I don't see as as as much you know grit that he's shown. I don't see their first time being in the playoffs, they're going, you know, all the way through. I see them probably starting off very, very well, it looking like maybe they're gonna do it, and then having like a really bad, you know, upset, you know what I mean, or something like that. Very similar to OKC the year before, you know, when when they lost to Dallas, it was in a in a crushing, a crushing manner. So I think they have, you know, some last a last second loss to kind of knock them out and then you know come back, you know, in a year or so if they can stay healthy. But I don't see the very first time them just running through and and getting to the finals. I don't, I don't see that. Um what I will say though is if the Spurs beat the Thunder in the playoffs, then it's over. Yeah, it is over. The NBA is Wimby's league and it's over, and everybody else might as well go home. We'll say that. So if they do it, it is over. All right. Okay. Well, let's move on, man. Let's go to the Cavs. All right. Cavs, James Harden, and man, Hardin has come in to save the day. They've made some moves here because we know that um, you know, Mitchell was left by himself in the playoffs last year, so much so to where then everybody thought the Indiana Pacers were actually good because he was out there by himself playing. Yeah. So, you know what I mean? So now Hardin has a running mate. Or I'm gonna say Mitchell has a running mate that will be there. Yeah. And uh, so what does this say? Is Hard Harden gonna come in and save the day and uh take Cleveland to the finals?

SPEAKER_12

Uh yeah, I think Harden does a lot for Cleveland. Um, I mean, just just the fact that they got Garland out of there really, I think does a lot did a lot for Cleveland and bought another starting level point guard in there because like he was just getting so unreliable towards the end and like having Harden there be to you know facilitate and choose step back threes and score and and be and and in the playoffs that that makes me more confident in him because he doesn't really have to worry about being as playing a star role when you because we all know playoff Mitchell is a straight baller. So I mean, yeah, I think Harden does a lot for Cleveland. He he can he he can really take them over the over the hump and get them to to that next level.

SPEAKER_11

Okay. I would say I'm just excited to see what this ha what how this can happen in the east. Because I do think that like if this was still the Western Conference, we've seen that James Harden has not necessarily shown up in the best moments. And last time he was in the East was when he was with the Nets, and then it was like K it was mostly KD's team, and KD was really bawling out, right? So I will say that like really my concern really isn't for Mitchell or um Harden, it really is about Evan Mobley and Jared Allen. Like that's those are my two like big concerns for like how they will play. Yeah, so I will say that like Harden wants to prove something and prove it to himself that he can be like a contributor to a championship team, but really Mobley and Allen have to show up versus teams with really good bigs, like a Carl Anthony Towns, like a Jalen Duran on playoff time. So that's why I would say I think that he's like a great piece, but I do think like the pieces around them still have to show up because regardless, Donovan's gonna do his thing. If Harden is just gives you a little bit of something, that's gonna be fine. But like if they're not able to like really play well on the glass, then are we really think are we really gonna think that Cleveland's gonna make it this far? And again, you know how Cleveland plays. It's like they're gonna get a good first round matchup, it's gonna be a great series, and then they play like a legit team, and then stuff gets a little messy. So that's why I'm kind of that's my

Hornets’ Late Push And Draft Irony

SPEAKER_11

concern.

SPEAKER_02

Yeah, yeah. I mean, history definitely tells us that. I love I love the fact that they've you know brought Harden in, kind of gotten Garland out of there. But yeah, that's a great point. Those other players are ultimately going to be the key. So I'm gonna be watching, watching them closely over these next next couple of months. Um, at this point, right now, I would say yes. I think he can get them, get them over the hump. When I look at the Knicks not being where they should be, um, Boston, I don't think they're gonna be able to really do anything. The Sixers, I think pound for pound are the most dangerous team, but inevitably something's gonna happen with the Sixers. I don't know what it's gonna be, but I can't, I can't, you know, back the Sixers right now. So, you know, that leaves to me, to me, it's either Cleveland or Detroit. You know, to me, it comes down to those two teams. And we'll see. I'm gonna, you know, I could be swayed. I'm gonna be watching. If you know the Pistons continue to take care of business, then you know, I might, I might get on the Mike Sims train and uh, you know, it might be all of us, all of us against Diego. We'll see.

SPEAKER_10

Let's see it.

SPEAKER_02

We'll see, we'll see. Yeah, Brandon says Cavs, Pistons, East Finals. Yeah, that would be that would be nasty. That would be nasty, Brandon, for sure. Yeah, I would love to see, love to see that. All right, okay. So let's uh let's talk a little bit of hometown here. Let's talk about our uh our Charlotte Hornets, okay? Um, you know, it seems like they've been they've been struggling forever, okay? Um and and um, you know, it's just so ironic and so Charlotte Hornets that now that we've got a generational lottery coming up, this is the year they will make the make the playoffs. So I think that's pretty comical. Uh, I get it, you know, you want to always try and do your best and all that, and you know, I shouldn't want to tank, but uh I just find this very, very ironic. So, Diego, what what's your take on this? What what do you think about the Hornets? Uh, should they go ahead and continue to do what what they're doing, or should they try to stack the team even more and get another piece to go along with these three great pieces that they have on the screen and go from there?

SPEAKER_12

Yeah. Um, I think that I mean, they're they're already kind of on this streak and they got the fans going, the city going. So um, I mean, I think they should just roll with it now because I think it's gonna be hard, really hard to start tanking at this point because the other teams have been doing it all year. Like they've been pro-tanking, like from the beginning to end. But um, so but yeah, I mean, and and they got Khan Kanipple too. Um, yeah, because I mean the fact that they already got their piece, right? Um, like if they didn't have him and they were kind of winning without him, then Lamelo was hurt, but but I mean they kind of got all the pieces going. Lamelo and um, yeah, I just think I I think they're all right, actually. I think they're I think they're cool. Yeah. And I think they might they might have messed it up and drafted the wrong guy anyway.

SPEAKER_02

Well, I don't know. I mean, this proves. I mean, if you look at these three guys on the screen, they drafted Khan.

SPEAKER_12

They drafted Khan, they drafted ball, they drafted Brandon Miller. Yeah, but these weren't generational drafts. Like if there was if it was like a draft like this, I feel like they would have just made the wrong pick. Like a Kobe or SGA instant all over. Yeah, I mean that's real.

SPEAKER_11

I think that the Hornets, honestly, I just I know that they're gonna be playing teams, so I'm gonna be excited to see. I'm just glad the Carolina Sports is like coming back and like having a real run. But I will say that like LaMelo, I don't know, man. There's like a recklessness that he plays with, and I just think that that's kind of my big concern with him come playoff time. But I do think that like the fight that they had versus the Pistons

Three Must-Watch Games Down The Stretch

SPEAKER_11

shows the heart that they have. So I am very excited to see you know if they're able to make the eighth seed, and if they end up playing the Pistons, are we gonna get like a real battle-tested, like very intriguing comp like beginning first round playoff series? So I will say I hope they make the playoffs as you know, North Carolina Homer for real, right? But I don't know if they're gonna make it far. I just think it's just gonna be like a cool story about a young upstart team pushing the Pistons to like six games or something. Yeah, that's what I think will happen. Like, you know, interesting.

SPEAKER_02

Yeah, yeah. Yeah, I mean, I there there is a buzz, right? You know, with the with the Hornets. It's good to see the North Carolina teams wrapping and playing well. I just I I think it is just hilarious that you know it happens to be this year when they they could get such a a great piece. Um, LaMelo is interesting. We had the pleasure of uh seeing them in person um around the holidays. And man, dude is super talented. I know that's not a news flash, but man, it was just really something seeing him, seeing him in person. Like it just his his raw ability and raw talent. Like he comes out of the locker room and it's like he's limping, look like he was half eating a sandwich still from coming out, going through warm-ups, and it's like it's just everybody says it's like he plays with one AirPod in, like it's genuinely works.

SPEAKER_12

It's like he's playing with two. Like seeing him in person, like he when he comes out the tunnel, he it's like a middle school, it's like a middle school kid playing their first game.

SPEAKER_02

Yes, trying to be like absolutely, absolutely, yeah. No, that that's a great, that's a great analogy. Yeah, it's just like that. But he's he's clutch, like every big shot he made. I mean, he was going bucket for bucket with Curry there. Like it was, I mean, you see the talent. And one of the best things that could happen to them was getting Khan Kanipple. I think he's someone that's pushing Mello now. He's like not the main, you know, just dominant, dominant, dominant guy. Now there's another person that's there that's getting a lot of line to shine. Um, you know, it's you know, he's not missing as many games now. So I love the direction of the organization. Dang, I just wish they could stack. Maybe they can make someone sneaky in the end draft. Yeah, we'll see. See how it's how it goes. Yeah, so we'll see what happens, what happens with that. All right. So there's three games that we want to highlight, y'all. So we know you're uh, you know, maybe not following the NBA as much during the regular season, except, you know, diehards and whatnot. All-star game is here, the has passed. Now, you know, teams are jockeying for seeding, they're starting to get ready. They're getting ready for the playoffs, and I think the playoffs are gonna be phenomenal. So the playoffs always are good, you know. Um, so there's no debate about that. But as we get into the final stretch, the last two weeks of the regular season, there are three games that we want to call out here that we want to talk about. So one is the uh Pistons at the Thunder. Oh my goodness. So you definitely want to watch this game. Now, we through Pick and Pros, we are going to be launching our um sports app um platform, our gaming platform, where you'll actually be able to pick game. We're gonna have gaming where you can pick who's gonna win certain games, and we're looking to have prizes, you can win merge, all types of stuff. So that's the future direction of pick and pros, being true to our name. So we actually are planning on having like a bracket challenge for the NBA playoffs and whatnot that's our own, not through like some other platform, but our own like pick and pros platform. So as we grow our community, that's something that we're really, really excited about. Uh, and we may even do something with these games here. So let's just do a picking here. I want to get y'all's takes on who's gonna win these games, all right? So this is Monday, March 30th, 9:30 p.m. on Peacock. All right, pistons at Thunder. At Thunder? Diego, who wins this one? Thunder.

SPEAKER_12

Thunder got it. Ooh, Thunder, yes. Okay, Thunder, Thunder, okay, Jerry McCain, we're gonna go shoot a couple threes, man. Yeah, yeah. Wow, okay. Yeah, what what do you say, C Pine?

SPEAKER_11

Because in OKC and Shay's probably gonna be healthy, that's gonna be like a big MVP game, and it's because it's at Shay's house. I'll say the Thunder.

SPEAKER_02

It's because Thunder too.

SPEAKER_11

It's because if it was in Detroit, I'd be like, okay, they got it. But again, Shay's been injured, he wants to like still capture another MVP, I feel. So that's why I would say the Thunder are gonna win that one.

unknown

Ah man.

SPEAKER_02

Yeah, I don't know. I I'll be encouraged big time by whoever wins this game. So this game might sway me. If the Thunder take care of business, especially if the Pistons come out, like we know they're gonna come out, I'll say, okay, all right, I think they're rounding in the shape. I think Thunder's getting ready. Okay. But man, if the Pistons go in there and beat them down in OKC and use that as a statement game, I might, I, I, I, I might be on the Mike Sims train, man. I might be on the bandwagon. So we'll see. So I I can't wait for that one. So we gotta see. And I have a feeling if I have to pick that game right now, I think the Pistons are gonna win that game. I think the Pistons are gonna win that game. Yeah, yeah. So we we we may do something with that game. Yeah. And possibly an NBA Finals finals preview. Yes, Brandon. That's right. Yeah, so we'll see. So that's the game to watch. So you want to watch that game, all right? Next game. You want to watch, all right. So Bree might be at this one. Phoenix Suns. No, the um Rockets at Suns. Rockets at Suns. So this is April 7th. This is a man. My uh let's see. This is a Tuesday.

unknown

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02

So the other game is the money. This is a Tuesday. Tuesday, April 7th, 11 p.m. on Peacock. So Diego, we know you won't be seeing this game. So hopefully Bree will be able to make this one. So the Rockets have been there already, I believe. But this is going to be big because this will probably have seating implications because the Suns are right there on the play-in bubble. So they'll have a lot to play for. They'll be at home. That crowd's going to be rocking. KD back. That's going to be a big clash. So what what happens in this game, Diego? Yeah.

SPEAKER_12

I'm going to go with the Rockets. Um, KD go in there and uh yeah. Yeah, man. Okay. The Rockets. Okay. What do you think?

SPEAKER_11

I would say the Rockets as well. KD has a lot to uh lot to answer for, a lot to like, you know, get better. Because the whole this whole thing with like him calling out teammates allegedly. Oh, yeah. Um that's yeah. That's a whole thing.

SPEAKER_02

So you know he has to crazy.

SPEAKER_11

He has to do better amongst his team, and of course he's playing against his whole team. And it'll be proceeding. So of course there'll be a lot more energy for this game. So I'll definitely say the Rockets will win this.

SPEAKER_02

I need my island hat for this, man. Um because yeah, I don't know, man. I think the Suns being at home, they're gonna be, they're gonna be ready for that game. Uh Booker, I think it's gonna come out. Um and the Rockets, I don't know. I think the Rockets are Rockets seem to be slipping a little bit to me. They they really miss Van Vliet. Um, so that that's gonna be a tough one. But yeah, right now I'd have to say, I'd have to say Suns. Suns take that one. But uh yeah, can't wait. We may have something on our platform for that one. Okay, and the last game to watch at the end of the season, this is like second to last game of the season, because

Way-Too-Early Finals Picks

SPEAKER_02

I believe the season ends on the 12th, if I'm not mistaken, Sunday the 12th. But this game is Thursday, April 9th. The Celtics at Knicks, Celtics at Knicks, 7:30 p.m. on Amazon Prime. What happens with this one? So Celtics, so if if if Tatum's coming back, he's playing in this game. Yeah. So this should be a big one.

SPEAKER_12

Yeah, I mean, I'm pretty high on the Celtics, so I'm I'm I'm gonna go with them. Okay. Um I think Tatum's gonna want to show everybody that he still got it before the playoffs. Yeah. So yeah. Yeah. I got I got the Celtics.

SPEAKER_11

Okay. I'll teach the Celtics too. Um, I'm not gonna lie. I think that is it in Boston?

SPEAKER_02

Uh it's in no, it's in New York. It's in New York. It's in New York.

SPEAKER_11

Uh I don't know. I feel like Jalen Brown or JT needs to have a moment in MSG before they make the playoffs. And again, I'm just cat really concerns me, man. Cause like, yeah, as good of a player as he can be, it's just the fact that like even Mikhail Bridges and Ojianobi are starting to struggle with like being able to contain the players that they're supposed to stop. And again, the Celtics, they'll have a great game plan. So that's why I'll say that they're gonna they're gonna win this one.

SPEAKER_02

Okay. Yeah, once again, I'm on I'm I'm on an island mode. Wow, once again, uh yeah, I got the Knicks with this one. I think this is they return back to the scene of the crime here. Uh Knicks beat them last year with the healthy Tatum. I just think they have their number. Um, I just don't think this is a good matchup for the Celtics. So uh this is one the Knicks, they're gonna get a lot of pressure and a lot of heat. By them looking as bad as they've looked in certain games. I think they're gonna have a lot of pressure at home to show and prove in this game. I think they step up and uh get this one. So, yeah, we'll definitely be revisiting these last three games, but this will be a great way to uh end the season. All right, so we're gonna bring Brandon on here in a second uh to uh get his take on the finals. So want to get his take on that. But uh before we get his take, we'll let him kind of close us out on the finals. Let's get you guys' take. So we're not gonna hold you to this, all right? We'll make our official predictions in our platform right before the brackets go, okay? But this is just kind of based on where we are right now, all right. So you, you know, we can change this right before the playoffs. What do you think right now, Diego?

SPEAKER_12

Right, right here, right now, at the East, I got the Cavs. Uh Mitchell, um, Mitchell, playoff Mitchell. Hardens gonna raise him up, bring him up to that next level. And out the west, I got the San Antonio Spurs. Oh, I changed this actually as throughout the show. I would have had the Thunder before the show, but now I'm going with the Spurs. Oh Wimby, it's his time. Actually, I got the Spurs winning. Oh, what's gonna be the beginning of Wimby's go case? Oh my god. It's gonna be the beginning.

SPEAKER_02

Yeah, that would be go. I mean, your first time in the playoffs, you always win.

SPEAKER_12

He's got the mentality got the Kobe mentality, he's gonna be beating everybody down. He's gonna when he beat when they beat the Thunder, then he's gonna, then it's gonna be over. Like you said, the conference, and they got the young team. They got Wimby, they got Stefan Castle, Dylan Harper, everybody else in that team. They're young, they play defense, and when and the Cavs, they're gonna get far, right? But then Hardin's gonna start showing his age. You know, Jared Allen, you know, Evan Mobley might fade, and then I think it's gonna end up at that stage, it's gonna be a Mitchell, basically. Mitchell versus all, and then I think Wimby and them are gonna prevail.

SPEAKER_02

Are you are are you just wanting to be the first person to claim Wimby and the Spurs? You just try to be first.

SPEAKER_12

Uh, I mean, well, I this is actually what I think. You know what I mean? I'm I'm just thinking what I think. You know what I mean? Okay, okay. But I guess that includes me being the first to hop on the spurs train. Wimby's gonna be the goat, and all LeBron people can uh are gonna see the change of the guard. Okay.

SPEAKER_11

Oh, I'm ringing makes you change the guard is crazy. Anyway, I'm just gonna say I got Pistons. I was gonna say Pistons and Wolves, but I don't trust Julius Randle. So hold on. Pistons and thunder. I do think that would be good.

SPEAKER_02

Detroit that would be good.

SPEAKER_11

Detroit basketball, the hyped up super team. Let's have a remake of 04 where the Pistons are if they somehow win it all, if like a Detroit sports team in this day and age manages to win it all, specifically that Pistons team who went 14 and 68, Kade going like we're not 25 games bad. They somehow manage to win. That'd be crazy. They somehow managed to win the finals. That'd be crazy. I would just say let's have another legendary sports story. Like let's have that'd be crazy. Let's have another moment for that.

SPEAKER_02

That'd be crazy. That would um, you know, and what was interesting about that, yeah. I mean, they've done so much to rebuild the city of Detroit. So um, you know, that concerns me because I don't want to see that go backwards with the with the victory with the celebration and all that. You know, I don't want to see, you know, stuff burned and whatnot. Uh, so yeah, we'll see what happens with that. But yeah, I would love to see, love to see uh that matchup. I think that would be that would be great uh to see. So uh we'll get a preview of that um at the end of this uh regular season. I'm gonna right now say, and again, this might change based on that game, but right now, today, I'm gonna say Cavs. I'm gonna say Mitchell, Harden, Cavs in the final. So I agree with you because I think you said that as well. Yeah. Uh, but I'm gonna go where you didn't. I'm gonna say, you know how I've been on this team and I've been back and forth, back and forth. I already have the gear, so I'm prepared for future shows. I'm gonna be back on the Ant-Man train. Wow, and I'm going Minnesota Timberwolves.

SPEAKER_12

How many times do you have to go? Every single year, every single year, ever since he started making the conference finals, he fades. I'm telling you. Yes, he said you don't believe in Julius Randall. I love Ant Man, but I don't believe in Anthony Edwards. I'm sorry. Every single time, he's he's once a guy like SGA, Jokic, well, boy, never mind. Not Jokic, a guy like SGA, gets his number.

SPEAKER_02

This, this this may be the year. This may be the year. Again, this isn't my final, this is not my final take or final pick. Do not hold me to this. This is just where I'm I'm opening up my heart. I'm I'm I'm being vulnerable to you guys, okay? So I don't really know if I appreciate the way you're coming at me right now. Okay, I'm being open. I'm being open with you right now. All right, so we'll see. You know, we'll see what happens when that time comes. All right. But I am prepared, but you know how I get about Minnesota. They do any little thing, it antles any little thing, then I'm all right.

SPEAKER_12

I thought you would have said the nuggets, eh? You guys have gear for the nuggets. I would have rather you said I do have gear for the nuggets.

SPEAKER_02

I'm I'm fully prepared for nuggets thunder or Timberwolves. I'm fully prepared. I have gear for all of them. You got everybody. I don't have Spurs gear, but I've got the adults. That's the gear you need. I am prepared. I'm fully prepared.

SPEAKER_12

Yeah, all of them except for the one you need. We'll see. We'll see. And you got Celtics gear just in case.

SPEAKER_02

Yeah, oh yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. Celtics gear for sure, just in case. Yeah, Eastern, yeah, Celtics, I think, is the only one there. You know what? Yeah. I'm Phoenix Sun's hat. So even now, you got that. Yeah. All right, all right. Well, man, we're gonna close the show out with the one and only Brandon Bean. What's going on, my man? Uh hold on,

Brandon Joins With Finals Forecast

SPEAKER_02

Brandon. I think you might be on mute. Oh, there we go. There we go. All right, yeah. What's up, man? What's going on? Oh, man, good, good to see you. Good to see you, man. Fam, everybody's been asking about you. Where is Brandon? Where is Brandon? So everybody's hype, man. So everybody's clapping right now. So great, great to see you, my man. Uh, so um, thanks for everything, man. All you're doing. Uh, want to, you know, get your take on the finals. Um, you know, again, we won't hold you to this as well, but you know, we know you're gonna be one of the first ones when we get our sports platform up, our app up, uh, to you know, fill out those brackets. So as of today, who would you have in the finals? Um, in the in the finals right now, uh, OKC and Detroit.

SPEAKER_13

Yeah, OKC Detroit. When you obviously, you know, they the top two teams in the NBA right now, and both of them kind of cancel each other out in terms of defense. Um so like it would, I wouldn't mind seeing the SGAK NBA finals. Um I think it's like when you have two franchises that you know that that's not historical in the in any way. They're still they're still trying to, they're one is small, the other is like medium-sized market. So when you have that, it's like I think it it has a recipe for a great NBA champ uh final. So there's that. Um, I think this is just a year, this is like a year of you know, not writing teams off. We saw that, you know, with in college football with the Indiana Hoosiers. We saw that with the um Seattle Seahawks in the Super Bowl. So we might see it in the NCAA tournament in basketball. So yeah, yeah. So I feel like I think it's just like my final four is pretty much, you know, like I have MKC, San Antonio in the West, I have Detroit and Cleveland out east. Um I feel like they're I don't want I don't want Jason Tatum to rush back given the severity of the Killy injury. So um and it's not the same Celtics team like it was two years ago. So that's where my main concern is. And I think it's like I think we did it last year where we try to push the Celtics, you know, uh over the Knicks, and the Knicks bounced them out, and we're kind of doing the same thing at the Celtics, you know, in the Cleveland uh meetup. I feel like Cleveland could knock the Celtics off and wouldn't come off as a shock. Because once again, you know, this is the year of not writing teams off. So I mean, that's how I feel about you know who's in the finals as of right now. Like okay.

SPEAKER_02

Yeah, I like I I like that. I like that. Well, last question, and uh we'll end the show here. We got to run, but um, so that's who you have in the finals. Uh, who who would you have winning it?

SPEAKER_13

OKC wins it in six games, Shake Finals MVP.

SPEAKER_02

Oh, oh my goodness, oh my goodness. And then if he can come back in a day or two, he'll most likely get regular season MVP. So if that happened, it would be my goodness, back-to-back regular season NBA finals MVP scoring champ. Man, that that that would be pretty ridiculous for his legacy. Yeah, Jordanes. Yeah, that'd be very Jordan esque. Wow. Yeah, that'd be crazy. All right, all right. Well, hey, we appreciate you, Brandon. We appreciate everybody uh else uh for you know tuning in. We know we haven't been live in a while, uh, so we uh we've got some more hot stuff coming. Again, we've got our sports sports uh app coming where you can uh pick games, but it's not sports betting, it's all just picking for fun and prizes. So our motto is it's all the reward, none of the risk. So that's a cool thing. You'll never put your credit card in or anything like that. So it'll be something that'll be open for all ages, and that's one of the things that will separate us with this platform. But we appreciate you, Brandon. We'll see you soon, my man. Amen. All right, thank you. All right, y'all. Well,

Closing Notes And Platform Tease

SPEAKER_02

uh, hey man, let's go ahead and get on out of here. We uh, you know, had a long day today. Uh, got actually a photo shoot to uh take uh place in the front before we get out of the studio. So we got a little more work to do. Uh hardest working sports platform out here. But uh we appreciate y'all. Enjoy sports, enjoy each other. We'll see you next time. Until then, pick them pros later. We'll see y'all. Thank you.

SPEAKER_09

Pick them pros is a show you been with.

SPEAKER_08

NFL, give some clothes in your favourite, NFL, envy more, making your favorite short, linking your fitness yeah, game flow, they know, got your same old, same old cover feed it, double things, there in Diego. Dropping the knowledge you want, professional allergy on, locking the follow the fun, a dynamic duo, following stars. You in the midst of the greatest, we're digital playing it with Christopher Davis. We're changing the game and updating the playlist Then you know we got it. So love for the ladies and shout out Rihanna, the future of female supports and reporters of link up and follow to show you support it. It's a major wave, keeping you up on the latest games, bringing the facts, opinions of facts, breaking down all the greatest plays. Touch your guests, showing love, all the fans show the same. We the best number one, you already know the name.

SPEAKER_09

Oh, let us know, pick up clothes, and you fit, let us fell, let me make it more, make me fit the door.

SPEAKER_01

When a pick of four standards on stand up, there's sneakers, I'm a so-beager when a phone called feature and a fan of When it comes to the right facts, girls like it, it's like it's cool. I think it's fine. When I be on the in that elevated better race, then I better wait first I'm away, then we don't better wait and I'll let them everything don't put the don't put it in a race with like no without without the free that I find up close, it's a show, you better know, if it goes, and you fit oh the four, make in it so