Nuggets Comeback Concerns? | Who’s the Next Face of the NBA?

Nuggets Comeback Concerns? | Who’s the Next Face of the NBA?

One to 10 how are you feeling I feel great outstanding 10 out of 10 uh I’m give a hard six dude we’re moving so like the house has to look a certain way but we have four kids we’re living in it it goes on the market tomorrow and then we’ve been

Trying to buy another house we may have bought a house half this size so then we have to remodel that house while we’re selling this house so yeah shoot me right in my little wee wee home you know you know you can don’t tell anyone the size you can always not do

That yeah it’s a little too late for that big guy that’s why hey I’ll say this I’m traveling for the next three months so I’m not I’ll be in New York what was that no I didn’t say anything love you Lauren love you Lo hey your business doing

Stuff oh my God I love her she is you almost got in trouble yeah he tried he tried got in trouble I’m the principal I don’t get in trouble oh God [ __ ] okay this is how we’re starting the Episode I said you want me to help remodel I said B I just love how you guys have to say that so silent because you know oh I’ll always have her back okay panic at the TL put this on X today okay I’m having a debate if someone says they’re gonna

Show up around 7 but get there at 7:20 is that still considered around seven yeah yes yes yeah you get A45 7:45 is around eight yeah I’m sorry I’m sorry what yeah you get a 40 minute grace period I’m saying are we using increments of time if they’re said I’ll

Be around around seven right that means that means you could be there you could be there at 650 you could be there at 7:20 that around 7 you might be running early you might be running a little bit but you’ll be there around 7 if you show

Up 7:30 past now that’s a different story you might want to shoot a text might shoot a call around 7 is 6:45 to about 720 it also depends on what city you’re in right because everything in La takes 40 minutes to get to where like

Everything in Portland is 20 so if I say I’m be there around 7 I’m figuring 720 7:30 ma might as well just be there at 7:30 then well listen it’s a when you say a round you say around you are giving a a a you’re giving a a window of

Time a window when you could say I’ll be there at seven or I’ll be there at 7:15 if you say there I’ll be there around seven somewhere around this time I will be there that that the term that is so effed up 720 is around seven in your

Book yes yes J said a greas period of 40 minutes you know what no I said I said once you get to 40 once you get to 40 that’s late I said SE as long as it’s before like 7:20 725 now you’re in the 730 range now you’re in the 730 range

Give me an example use it in a sentence use it in a sentence like yo uh what time’s a birthday party start I’ll be there uh it starts it starts at it starts at seven all right I’ll be there I’ll be there around seven oh if you

Show up at 7:20 the [ __ ] yeah it’s actually I like when people are sectioned off then I get to say hello to them and it’s not a big rush of all the people it’s easier to talk to them yeah what if it was your Gathering that you were throwing and someone said there

They’d be there around and they show up at 7 context I don’t care it happens all the time your boys coming over to the house to watch a fight if everybody’s we are not of the same family you you walk from house to house in Van work or you ride your your Bessie

Why do you always have to dog on my hometown though bro it’s I just got to it’s in the my family is starting to get offended no they can insulted they are they should have thick skin after eight years of me roasting their work speaking of thick

Skin have you guys cooled off from our conversation our debate last week yeah what else you got to talk about I was right man man first of all first of all for people that have haven’t been listening or are our new listeners me and him will do that at breakfast like

About any topic it don’t like that’s nothing new like we had done that a million times in person and then went out and grabbed dinner and argued again about who was gonna pay well typically it was me but if you aren’t aware of what we’re talking about just go listen

To last week’s episode really the second half where these two decided to yell do you know the meme where it says um I knew I was wrong 15 minutes ago I’m just trying to piss you off like that’s all he was doing he knew he was wrong he

Was just trying to pick he was just trying to pick I’m not wrong he’s not going to win he should okay so here’s an example Luca donic is having an MVP season he’s not top three right now because of his team is it all because of his team I’m not

Saying his statistics but it’s also we look at statistics and compare them to impact of winning right the impact of winning that’s the that’s where the statistics where they really kind of hit you so that’s look look I agree there’s every year there’s five guys that are having MVP caliber Seasons that given

Different years different years embiid would have won the MVP he finished second what two or three times so there’s multiple years where he no but I’m saying there was multiple years where he was having an MVP caliber season when LeBron gets his ankle rolled on by Solomon Hill down like he was

Having an MVP caliber season right so it’s just not it’s no dispute that he’s having a from a statistical category an a defensive player of the year type season there’s no question in that the question is should you give that to a player whose team is where they are and

Where they rank based off of oh well the plus minus we not giving out Wards because of plus minuses yeah I can’t well I was going to use Russell Westbrook but then I was like cuz their team six but he was averaging a triple double so I was like

You gota you know it’s fine we will agree to disagree we will agree to disagree okay okay okay so when it comes to we’ll agree to disagree do you have a topic that you want to discuss Janny uh in terms of pick aside do you have one that you’ve been sitting on

Because I asked Rich this same thing too so if you have one so my two things are this right one everyone and I didn’t know the full context but like last game Shay Gil just SGA right he fouled and then got that KD record right I forgot what that

Situation was but like you know you think of the guys who um oh man what was Ricky he played on the caves he threw himself the ball off the backboard Ricky Davis yeah right so like so was it like most point was it most points of like 25

In a row yeah I think it was something like that right so for me those type of awards or you know people are like well Luca is just looking for his stats and he wanted this and he wanted that and I was really like do we forget that Devin Booker had

70 against Boston team that shut down in the third quarter or like a lot of these crazy stats aren’t in close games like maybe jonovan Mitchell’s is the most points I’ve seen in a close game ever I agree I think some of the some of the best performances LeBron had 50 in a

Finals game and and a loss then Jordan had was it 61 in a in a in a playoff game in a loss so I think sometimes we talk about how big the numbers are and don’t necessarily look at how they got there or the result

And which is my point is are you like as a player and now on this side do you care that he’s still looking for that extra point that he’s like quote unquote stat padding or are you like man do this on another game no I don’t mind there

Are some there are actually some NBA player current NBA players that are not a fan of that no there are are many but understandably so but I also remember boxing out so JK could get another rebound I remember shooting a shot so I remember shooting a shot so JK could get

His 10th assist right so like these are things that have gone on well past like like my our generation of basketball I don’t think it’s to the to the degree in which it’s done today but it’s always happened and even then you still got to

Put in a [ __ ] ton of work for you know what I’m saying is that stat padding if you’re like 25 or more for 15 straight games and you want that and you foul one time so you can get the 24th and 25th shot I’m okay with that because you put

In work for two straight months okay with doing that the stat padding for some like little and again it’s still stat padding however you want to call it I’m not disputing that but I still believe that you know Russell Westbrook how he got the MVP there was some stat

Padding like there was days he was the only one rebounding right and that’s because his teammates wanted it for him and he went and did the freaking work I I’m there’s no disrespect to what Russ has done and then he proved it wasn’t a one-year thing it was multiple years

Dude six six what three averaging double digit rebounds you know you know how ridiculous that is for multiple years like that [ __ ] that is mind blown the motor you have to have to go 30 10 and 10 25 10 and 10 what Steph Curry makes you believe you can do anything and the

Curry 11s are specifically designed with ultimate bounce grip and stability to allow everyone to do their thing new generations of ball players are coming up and showing the basketball world that the old rules do not apply the future is exciting fast positive and hungry this NBA season rock with your favorite

Player and rep his shoes on and off the court the curry 11s are perfect for both committed and Casual Ballers the UA warp Tech makes the shoe feel like it was designed for your feet locked in no matter what you do on the court stop in your tracks with dual density UA flow

Cushioning and traction it’s an emergency break you don’t even notice Steph’s 11th signature shoe steps into the second decade of his sneaker career pulling colorway inspiration from the wonders of a positive and modernized future on and off the court take these kicks with you when you leave the

Scrimmage and rep Under Armour wherever you go do your thing change the game the curry 11 future Curry is available now at Curry brand.com speaking of Donovan Mitchell obviously you know and you’ve heard the latest surrounding him right now correct yeah in terms of and we’ve

Talked a lot about the 65 game Mark he will have missed his he’s missed his 18th game now should he be penalized again a idea spawned by the League’s campaign against players resting while healthy enough to play hey he better listen number one that’s a lot of money

And he was is having a killer year top five top five NBA scoring average career highs in rebounds and assists you think of the leader what he’s done for a third I mean Rich you’re talking about impacting winning third seated Cavs no I’m I’m backing up your point of like oh

Yeah I love e Donovan Mitchell his game love it this year I thought he really stepped up yeah yeah I think he’s improving I think we he burst on the scene as a rookie and won a first round playoffs series so he’s been on this and then was given the

Team as and went to the playoffs every year they culminated in the number one seed but that that team it kind of maxed out then they and dude was what is he 26 27 dude’s been you I’m just saying it’s like Donovan Mitchell still has a lot of

Room for growth very similar to like Jason Tatum just because Jason Tatum has been on the scene for so long seven yeah doesn’t mean that Jason Tatum doesn’t have a bunch more to grow right and that’s a that’s a compliment it’s scary if he can get 10% better in the next

Five years that’s scary for both of those players yeah I can you make a case for it how do you make a case for it how do you make a case for it too in a situation when obviously you know where the Cavs are the position that they’re

In with the postseason and how valued the postseason is oh you just you just give it to them no no when I say this is that you just say hey look I’m trying to I’m trying to win I’m trying to make a playoff run right he knew the date was

Coming he’s not he knew so then he just accepts the fact that he is ineligible now for NBA honors and any kind of award they signed it they signed it and let’s be honest for every year that we were talking [ __ ] about kawh Leonard and Paul George and AD those

Dudes have been healthy and putting out crazy numbers and they’ve done what they’ve had to do and certain guys just it’s just going to happen every year it’s going to be a new conversation of Joel and beid was in the MVP they’re gonna change it they’re GNA

Change it because now you look at Joel embiid you know you don’t know how long Carl Anthony Talon’s Gonna Miss oh man yeah you don’t you don’t know you don’t know like Donovan Mitchell and again we still have time left to go in this season where you know there’s you know

There’s still some guys that might be hovering Tyrese halberton right so now all of a sudden this is where it messes it up a little bit no disrespect if you make all NBA you are a badass man if you make all NBA you’re a badass man but

Let’s say there’s three or four extra guys that make all NBA that might not have made all NBA before yeah what are they gonna look what are they gonna look for what dollar amount are they gonna look for now they’re gonna look for I made all NBA I don’t care I played 72

Games and I was healthy and I did this I want that all and it’s like now you open up another bit of the pandor box where you might get guys instead of getting the top 15 top 17 guys you start looking further down as in let’s say top you

Know top 20 to 30 now have options now for for getting uh that hit all NBA over the course of their contract and getting the super max or wanting more than the regular Max because it’s super max is the number Max there’s still a range

That you can do in between it so that’s what I’m saying now you get those guys that are starting to look for that and you’re like like are we really going to give X this you know this number because had you know no disrespect let’s say

Let’s go back a few years let’s say a guy like Chris Middleton Chris Middleton hits third Team all NBA and what if he’s not asking for the supermax but he’s asking for damn near no disrespect again to to you get a Tobias Harris number right where it’s like this number

Is elevated he’s still a very very good player but is he at that cap space but if they’re in that contract space what else what else can you do so that’s where I think they’re going to they’re going to you know other guys might make the money incentives are going to be

Hard to get nowadays because a guy he might have have a breakout year and just be one Good Year and be right there on the cuss and make third Team all NBA and now he gets an extra three million and that goes against the team’s cap or you

Know think about shoe deals oh [ __ ] guess what because four or five dudes got hurt and they need centers and forwards n got a guy like you know I’m not going to say like a non Allstar guy who’s going to make all NBA how about that I think that’s the best

Way to explain it I’m trying to think of a player who’s really really good who you know possibly can make an all-nba that that in other years because Joel embiid is now out Jared Allen you know yeah again like a Jared Allen that he’s a great example great

Good player very good player yeah but there there’s probably outside of the the the yic and be Giannis like he’s in that next tier of cers he’s in that next tier of bigman right it’s a big gap but I’m saying he’s in that next TI of like

If you have him you’re set at center for the next 10 years what do you think about porzingis I mean he’s been a little off and on for zingis no but yeah those are the guys those are the guys that you all of a sudden their value can get jumped

Up so um I don’t know how the cap works I’m not going to play that game I’m just saying is that these guys signed the deal and a lot of people said it was not a very good deal and now you’re starting to see we just saw how big the n Season

Tournament was and I believe it was Draymond that was like yo weren’t they supposed to get a million dollars per player and you saw how much value that added to the league how much ratings went up all the league it was a huge success for the league huge success

They’re going to be able to sell this [ __ ] out of that Lakers do all the work LeBron gets it that’s why when they were talking about possible a million dollar prize that number should have been a million in my opinion especially looking back on how well it went and all the

Stuff and all the Buy in that they got and all the player should have gotten a million I’m not gonna complain about what they got but yes that would like a million dollars for the tournament yeah another player um within all of these Awards like Donovan Mitchell I forgot

About this one Jamal Murray oh [ __ ] and and a couple of those games that’s the other thing too a couple of those games because you have to play 65 games of at least 20 minutes and he fell Below in I think three of those games minutes wise

It was like nine minutes 10 minutes 14 minutes because he got injured and so you think about someone like him as well I I had an unnamed coach who said they were gonna start playing guys 20 20 20 minutes and then just taking them out so that game would

Count you mix those games in where it’s like you know yeah again you yeah I’m not I’m okay with resting players to a small degree you get a guy and you want to give him one day off and he’s a high usage rate the resting that was going on

For non Allstars on sub on on sub playoff teams that was absurd yeah was disgusting yeah what you need Toba Target Allstar the NBA targeted Allstars if I’m not mistaken I want to stick on this Denver I was looking for the tweet that I saw yesterday Denver conversation is it more impressive that

They’re completing The Comebacks or to your point that they’re down I think they’re playing with fire personally that you can’t and obviously we’ve been on some teams where we’ve got down and we’re like ah here we go let’s just turn it on and I think that happens but once

That starts to become because as many games as you play that becomes your practice they’re not pra you think that team is practicing not really they’re trying to stay healthy they’re trying to win a chip so they won last year they’re coming into the season they got off to a great

Start they’re now they’re feeling good they’re healthy all of a sudden they’re playing these teams and they’re like H we could just turn it on you do that one time yeah we can just turn it on we could do it two three four five now it’s

Starting to look like a habit when you get in the playoffs and you’re like H we can turn it on there ain’t no just turning it on in the middle of a game like that it’s rare and it’s rare to do that four times maybe against Toronto or

You know a regular season Lakers or Charlotte or whoever else but to do that consistently is a little scar no I I agree they’re Champions so I don’t I don’t necessarily worry about them but there should still be a question of why are you down 20 that many times I would

Say this if if you’re a good team you should be figuring out how to play from ahead right like that is that is set you you need to be setting the tone and it sounds like you know if if just from The 20o Comeback scoring’s at

An all-time high so you could be up 20 down 20 that’s like 10 points 10 points used to be 20 is the new 10 or yeah 10 10 is the new no 20 is the new 10 yeah you at it right yeah 20 is the new 10 so

I you know 20 point comeback I kid you not I’ve watched four games with my boys and it was you know 20 something to this and and I was like oh no no there’s still plenty of time plenty of time plenty of time we’ve seen them in the fourth quarter we’ve seen players

Outscore teams in the fourth quarter yeah yeah I just don’t think Denver is taking the attitude we need to beat the crap out of them and then sit in the fourth quarter they’re like let’s chill at the beginning of the game feel our way around and then oh we’ll just turn

It on which is dangerous no we we know we know that there’s the [ __ ] around and find out teams we we know that we know that we were one of them we were one of them oh and both both years the second year was probably worse because we knew

We could do it and we knew we knew what it took I think Denver’s in that mold um again of the teams that I question Denver Denver is probably lowest in the top four for obvious reasons okay speaking of top four Minnesota cat obviously surgery to repair a torn

Meniscus earlier this week he’s expected to return um come playoffs t-wolves 45 and 21 buying for the top seed in the west we talked about the top four seeds last week actually on here do you think they are a top four without Carl Anthony

Town no yeah yes no yes pick aide go I’m saying no I I think again I have not seen them have extended success now I watched a lot of that Clippers game Anthony Davis is special or Davis goly Anthony Edwards is special Anthony Davis is special he’s very special right very

Special but like I don’t know if I can rely on that during the playoffs I think moving Nas Reed is a starter on 28 of 30 teams right uh maybe 27 when you don’t have somebody big you can rely off Off the Bench to give you that versatility like during a regular season

Yes I think you can win a bunch of games in the playoffs if you can’t even go seven eight down the bench with like you know how much are you playing slow-mo how much are you playing some of the other guys you got off the bench like

They’re not really playing like that so you just gonna play six that’s going to wear down on a young team I I I see your point I I think because you have Nas Reed because you have Nas Reed it allows them to fill the hole for a little bit right it allows

Them to kind of plug that Gap just for a short amount of time so everyone was like why do you sign Nas Reed you got all this money in your front court and now all of a sudden Nas Reed’s had a great year good you know what I’m saying

And he’s doing that while that The Bigs have been primarily healthy so I look at it from this standpoint they’ve got what 15 games left right he’s got so let’s say the meniscus is maybe they remove it he’s got to wear a brace he’s out six weeks right so he’s basically out till

The start of the playoffs so if if you know if they do play consistent right if they just play consistent and they do like Anthony Edwards is their best player they still got Rudy goar they still got Mike connley they still got McDaniels they still got slowmo they still have such a

Deep roster right that like yes losing an All-Star is going to hurt them but ultimately they’re young enough they’re a fiery enough team like I think that they can hold down the fort and put stay in that top four is not like Jo andb leaving the 76ers not like Ty Alberton missing

Missing 20 games right even the reason why the Cavs can withstand Donovan Mitchells because they still have an allar in Garland they still have an Allstar in Moy they still have you know a very very good young player in EV in um Moy and then they got Jared Allen so

What I’m saying is like collectively they still have and then look it’s still taken half court shots from streu and from Wade it’s taken some crazy games but they’ve held down the fourth so I think Minnesota they look good last night they look very good like the defense that Edwards was playing was

Crazy like it was just it here’s the thing though they’re not they don’t lose a step defensively without Carl Anthony towns that’s just the numbers and I know it hasn’t been a large sample size obviously but offensively is where you’ve lost the production goes down with yes the production gonna go down

Yeah they’re gonna go down but you’re not you’re not asking you’re asking Anthony Edwards Nas Reed McDaniels Conley to up their offensive like production for another month that’s what you’re just asking and you have Nas Reed that just fills in there and does very similar things like you know shoots the ball can

Guard out on the perimeter right maybe seven threes against the Lakers the other night that’s what I’m saying Nas Reed Nas Reed is good Nas Reed is is a very good player so that’s what I’m saying you can up it he’s he’s a B minus to Anthony to to Carl Anthony town a

Minus we were just having a conversation about this the other day and not to write LeBron Away by any means but obviously as we know in season 21 age 39 how many years does he have left he’s still the face of the NBA will you agree

With that yeah the NBA and Beyond can Anthony Edwards be the face of the NBA without a doubt yes he can he can based off his production but look we were talking earlier we’re all old well not Ally but channing’s old enough to remember once he stops moving his camera

Um channing’s old enough to remember when Jordan retired so look Magic Johnson and Larry Bird they were the face of the league save the league they were the face They Carried the NBA no one asked who was going to carry that next torch when because they Jordan was there they

Knew that oh it’s about to be his time like he’s that dude very similar to Patrick Mahomes when when Tom Brady was on his way out you were like oh well this kid is the F this kid is the future right so they didn’t have that they

Didn’t have like with Jordan you knew they didn’t know after Jordan everybody was the next Jordan it was Kobe it was Grant Hill it was it was Harold Miner baby Jordan it was like all of these guys who was going to be next because there was no face and

Then you got the Allen Iverson the Kobe Bryant and the Shaquille O’Neal those those guys really carried the league in my opinion from like a a outward facing space fast forward when LeBron came everyone was like y it’s his no one asked who was going to be the face of

The league when Kobe retired right because it very similar to Magic and Larry there was already that person was there it was Michael Jordan very similar to Kobe retiring that person was already there was LeBron now we’re asking that question now we’re asking that question because no one’s here this hasn’t been

This hasn’t happened since M since since Michael Jordan retired isn’t that funny Michael Jordan and LeBron both retiring and everyone’s cor oh what the [ __ ] are we gonna do next so this is the first time that we’ve seen this and there are guys but it goes back to when Jordan retired no

One had established themselves Patrick Mahomes established himself before Tom Brady retired he’s the next you know LeBron LeBron established himself before Kobe retired I don’t know if any of these kids and young men want that responsibility they may say they do outwardly they don’t want that right

After being around LeBron and seeing how he has to live no thank you no [ __ ] thank you like they let’s be real and I’ll start with with Luca Luca there’s no pressure on him to wear a chip they’re not talking about his legacy they’re not going to say oh

He hasn’t won a chip in his first five years there’s no pressure on him like that he’s not a chosen one sgaa you’ve exceeded expectations you’re an MVP candidate everything past this is whatever there’s no expectations you know who has the most expectation wemi wemy does more than any more than

Jason Tatum more than joic more than embiid more than uh uh any but you know why but you know why Channing you know why you know why because he’s the why is no the why is because none of the other guys have taken the mantle yeah no one

Else is taking that mantle you gotta come in this leag ready the same thing that the same thing that Patrick Mahomes did what did Patrick Mahomes do when when he showed up and went to what four five straight Conference Finals how many Super Bowls they got three first

Back-to-back Super Bowl since who Tom Brady and the Patriots so what’s that window like for wimy how long does he have to prove that he he on the clock he’s on the clock the NBA on clock oh he’s not on the clock LeBron was on the

Clock when he showed up LeBron okay okay I’m sorry I’m sorry LeBron was on the clock when he showed up fair I get it dating all the way back to high school I understand that having said that he didn’t make the he didn’t make the postseason is his first year so is that

What we’re saying for wimy you have this one year if you’re not in the post like I’m talking about the layers of being on the clock and what that means well I’m saying we’re if we’re talking about the face of the league it’s not statistics

It means you show up and you have a profound impact on the court off the court you are winning you are Derek Jeter you are Patrick momes you are one of these guys that show up and you [ __ ] win and we have not seen anything like it wimy had the talent we

Didn’t even when LeBron was first came into the league he wasn’t this 6 foot n and a half Behemoth he was 6′ seven and change and and 230 pounds and he he grew into a [ __ ] grown like no one knew he was gonna be as tall as big as strong as

Fast no one knew that it was work it was all the other things I say all that to say is that people throw around this face of the league like it’s just who’s going to be the next best player it’s far greater than that Steph is the face

And they know Stephan it’s like Giannis has won multiple MVPs one his championship you wouldn’t call he’s one he’s one of the guys but you wouldn’t call him the face same with jokic you wouldn’t call him the face you know it’s a great example Tim Duncan is one of the

Most winningest players ever to play basketball right good dude quiet one team guy Middle America was not the face of the league didn’t want no parts of as much as it is winning is as much as it is you put this league on your back when you go out into

The media in the public and you represent the other players to build up our game jit just wants to come play basketball go back to his country and go home he complain no complaints that’s fine Anthony Edwards is still figuring out who he is right and how hard and he

Talked about it when he was on the Olympics he was like I didn’t know that stuff worked out that hard and you’re like yeah [ __ ] like this [ __ ] is different and so he’s learning and he’s 22 so there is time but at the end of the day it’s not just about winning even

Though it’s the most important thing it’s also about the visual it’s also about how you speak it’s also about how people perceive you it is almost half as political as it is basketball-wise Braun is yeah people people are throw people are throwing people are throwing it around people are

Throwing it around as if it’s just you come in and you’re very good player no man it’s it’s so transcend it’s so Transcendent it is so like Larry they’re the names it’s Russell it’s bird It’s Magic it’s Jordan you know it’s it’s it’s Kobe LeBron like they’re just certain names are we going

To be able to just say Edwards so it’s fair to say no no I’m not there’s no dis we might end six years we might end six years but I’m saying that’s where we have to get we have to just be able to say one word and people

Know grandmas and great grandkids know who the hell we’re talking about yeah Shaq like Vince what like J yeah no that’s I no we’re we’re on the same page I just think people throw it around like it’s not just the best player in the league like there’s other guys that have been

The best player in the league LeBron hasn’t won an MVP since he was in Miami right he hasn’t won an MVP since he was in Miami and he’s been the face of the league for the last 15 years so it’s like to say we don’t know who the next face

Exactly what we’re saying the reason why we’re asking is because for the first time since Michael Jordan retired there wasn’t a Dei there wasn’t a defined next person Kobe hadn’t established that yet Shaq hadn’t established that yet yeah so it was like there wasn’t a it’s scary what scary it is scary for

The media it’s scary for the league it’s scary this is one of the very few transitional phase Michael was there when magic and Larry moved on they gave him the mantle Larry our our MJ held the mantle and then everybody was like what the [ __ ] are we going to do when this guy

Retires and then Shaq and Kobe came they they figured it out then you know but Shaq and KOB then Shaq was the fa or Shaq and Kobe were the face of this league for years even thinking about a guy like dwade dwade showed up won a championship in his third year he was

One of the guys he was one of the guys now was he able to elevate to the Michael Jordan LeBron status no but he was one of those guys where early on you’re were like well [ __ ] this dude won a championship in in what his third year fourth year think

About want to find his MVP think about how good Steph is and he’s not the face of the league ah Steph Steph is not the face to but it’s Steph and LeBron I would say it’s LeBron it’s LeBron and Steph and everyone else that’s why they’re confir

That if LeBron was gonna retire and Steph was if this was 2015 Steph everyone would know oh it’s his next okay I’ll give you that right but if you know but LeBron and stepper looks like they’re going to go out within Dam time at the same damn time that’s not that

That’s like magic and Larry magic and Larry going out scared people but magic but Jordan was already there yeah um great conversation moving on having said that here we go again Kawhi Leonard um left the game last night against the tea wolves with back spasms he has played in

58 of 64 games this year um it’s been as healthy a season as a Clipper they ended up losing though by 18 to the t-wolves um after leading 5735 in the second quarter then obviously you lose Kawai um do you think that when you hear this I

Don’t know about you guys but when I saw it on the internet last night on Twitter last night kawhai leaving the arena barely moving obviously dealing with the back spasms uh oh is this a turn for them no no you better shut his [ __ ] down

No it’s back no come on guys back is half your body but I’m saying if you played 58 of 60 of 66 games you might have back spasms you might have a you might wake up one day after a long flight to Minnesota and slept wrong and he’s not young anymore it’s different

When it’s knee pain but I’m just saying it’s like good point um when but I’m just saying it’s like maybe you had a long flight back from someplace else all my point is more of backs spasm to some is like oh okay we need just need to

Rest you for a little bit back spasms go away in 3 4 days it’s just we didn’t we didn’t say that he’s in traction we didn’t it’s not like back surgery he just had back spasms and that if you’re playing a lot you’re putting a lot of

Wear and tear you know shit’s gonna happen I I don’t view this as anything like alarming I got back spasms at the allar game I will tell you this dude I went to go pick up my wine luggage and like it got jostled and then I had a sit on a

Plane for three and a half hours dude I had to go to a chiropractor at the airport cuz I couldn’t stand upright I was like so like I get how he’s feeling and Richard makes great points I’m not worried about it I think what Kawaii has

Done and and to know tou for as long as I have which is not that long at all I could say he goes now that I said that you would say this you would say hey kawhai DG we’re four right now we’re good like yeah if

You need two or three games let’s make sure that you’re coming back perfect you’ve already shown us that you are re roaring ready to go the clip back back spasms to me is is wear and tear a sprained ankle is bad knee inflammation is bad back spasms that’s just like

[ __ ] you old and you little tired that’s all that is and they’re in fourth four games out of seventh so they’re they got a boot they’re in fourth they got a little bit of a cushion two games ahead of New Orleans uh who was yeah but look they’re

In Minnesota is right above them half a game yeah so you’re like dog in third yeah Minnesota’s gonna gonna trick away some games yeah I agree um okay change my mind thank you you’re welcome uh friend of the show magic head coach Jamal Mosley shout out congratulations to you Jamal signing a four-year

Contract extension takes him through 2027 2028 we pocket watching he got to take us out and I don’t want no vegetarian food either I don’t want none of them Sprout [ __ ] yeah you don’t eat yeah because of all that vegetarian food he runs circles around the both of you

True but when we buys this dinner we want a steak steaky Yeah I cannot wait how much you making what was it what was the deal terms you’re so I’m curious put up in Orlando with no tax how much they know how much we make

Huh they don’t know how much I make I’m saying they know how much they know how much athletes make why we trying to hide a coach contract I don’t I just didn’t put it in there hey he getting that tax threee too in Orlando I see he gonna be

At iow worth soon I know it dention h yeah they they they often don’t report the money that’s why I’m telling yeah it just says four years oh and then you’re having me over here looking for it Ellie glasses girl why I have contacts oh color contacts

Weirdo no you wish these are my natural eyes I have the one eye that’s like green and blue no you don’t Ellie I’ve known you for 10 years no you don’t I’m sorry I’m sorry I don’t have green and blue it’s the one where I have green

Eyes with the Hazel dot like the one actress I’m never that close to actresses have you ever noticed that about me though nope um all right what I said he’s new here are the magic on the right trajectory I feel like they are having said that can you

Build as a title Contender around Pao and fron Vagner no I wish they had one more top if they could get one more top five pick one more time how about this give me this let’s say you have the magic and you could pick yeah you could do a little magic on the

Magic could you imagine I would like to pair a guy like Paulo with a guy like Jaylen Brunson right I just don’t think they have a true if they can get a Allstar level guard in some Shooters Paulo is going to explode I think fron is great I think that they

Are a bit repetitive at what they do one of them needs how about this how about this how about this how about this let me give you a Counterpoint are they the the front Court version of a young Jason Tatum and Jaylen Brown yeah but but no because neither

One of them can shoot right consist Nei one of who France and Paulo are not good three-point shooters where Jason Tatum came in but I’m saying they’re still young let’s get let’s pull up the numbers know I’m not I’m not disagreeing with I’m just saying is that maybe the

Formula is different you’re right they need a guard they need some guards right they need some guards that and I’m not saying that they don’t have young young good guards right what I’m saying is that if you’re talking about an All-Star guard with two big they’re repetitive

But but Pao guards Wings right he guards Wing players he’s not just guarding fours and fives like he’s like a he’s a 34 like I would say he’s don’t beat me out but he’s kind of like a Carmelo so fron 20 points a game six boards four

Assists shoots 30% from three doesn’t sh a lot of them but he’s good very good um to your point I can give you those numbers uh he attempts uh five a game he’s two of five one and a half makes on 4.9 attempts that’s right keep them on

Us that’s a keep them on us that’s a but but I’m saying he’s still but I’m saying he’s still young if he gets that up to 35% is averaging uh 23 a game seven boards five assists shoots 36% do what do so it’s six maybe six no

But I’m saying no no I’m not disputing that they need on 4.2 attempts so what I’m saying is that himself up to 38 yeah 30 you know 38 39 and and Vagner can get himself up from from whatever to 34 right 34 34% 35

Right so I only say that to say is that they are still so young where you could see those increases in their game so if you have two good front Court players like that you like rebounding assisting doing everything they’re actual matchup nightmares because you put a big on them

And the [ __ ] just go right by them do all that [ __ ] you put a small of them they go in the post they’re both big strong and physical and aggressive so they are both matchup problems so I’m saying is that those two guys could you

Build around them I think if you had a loaded roster like like like Boston does I could see in three four years them being a version of Jason Tatum and Jaylen Brown if you told me poo was averaging 28 and fron is averaging 23 and you know what I’m

Saying like I can see you’re already a top five defense dude they are so big in person all their whole team is big but they’re all big okay here’s I said this before you know who I think is an immediate help that is probably not going to leave anywhere if Klay Thompson

Was on this team I think it would help them immensely leadership shooting consist consy moving without the ball just his ability to play the game now I’m saying in theory in theory obviously he’s a little older but a player that can move around like that that’s generally a two-way guard but that can

Shoot the [ __ ] out of the ball and just get them to play four and five once or twice they’re very similar to OKC in my opinion where they’re ahead of schedule because these guys are are really good they’re ahead of schedule that you know they don’t have as much depth because

Don’t forget OKC got a pick and got a second round pick or already had the number two pick and check come so it was like they were and they have all these assets Orlando doesn’t have the amount of assets but I’m saying is that like they’re ahead of schedule and I think

These dudes if you the key thing is you got to keep them together for three to five more years and that’s the part where it’s like you got to Tinker you got to figure it out um but yeah if you just like oh we we got a two-year window

These dudes are both like Paulo’s in his second year second year averaging that come on man come on now he’s he’s huge like he’s a a big that’s what I’m saying he’s like Carmelo like people don’t understand how big and strong and physical Carmelo would play and I think USA Basketball helped

Him a ton oh a Tonasket a lot I honestly hope they bring him back yeah he he you could tell like from the defense from the intensity from the everyday like like you and you you get some criticism they didn’t play great they didn’t so you recognize like

There’s criticism that’s going to come from being on that stage I think that’s valuable for young players to understand Paulo goes to USA Basketball does well learning picks it all up playing with these great players seeing work habits and then next thing you know you guys don’t play great and there’s criticism

That’s very similar to going to the playoffs not playing well and losing you know being up 2-1 and losing the playoff series that’s [ __ ] should stay with you and motivate you and I think you can and but it’s also positive to learn that like oh [ __ ] with this type of attention

And intensity and playing this way every single night can the Magic win around right now it’s the Nicks in Magic no not that one not that not if the Knicks if the Knicks are healthy if they don’t have Julius Randall they I think they can if they don’t have Julius

Randall if it’s Brunson if it’s Brunson har and OG and like I I think they can win that round without Randall because Randall can negate some of the physicalness and he’s so strong in physical he can negate for from fron or um or from Paulo I think that kind of

Offsets one of them but if it’s those two physical boys and Brunson will be a stud I don’t dispute that but you know they got bodies to throw at Brunson too Jamal see how these guys do you they demand a steak dinner and then don’t

Even pick you to R win a I said I said yes you said if Julius randle’s not you said with with you said no if Julius randle’s not out there yes no I’m saying I you guys I was just kidding we know they took all them boys last night I’m not

Picking Pao on them yet they’re ahead of schedule having said that it is that time of the show give us your top players from last week these are are our under arour game changers of the week which players or coaches impressed you the most Jan’s going first

Uh I mean I know we kind of [ __ ] on them earlier but the Denver Nuggets are nine and one we’re we’re have high expectations for them but you’re like dude you’re nine and one they’re cooking like they’re just rolling on all cylinders and the one thing that I appreciate is

Like they don’t get enough credit for their young Player Development they’re young guys coming off the bench are making veteran Pro Player plays and and not like they’re getting 20 points that’s not their job but they come in and their team goes on a 60 run 80 run

And when you watch the little chess m match that goes on Coach can go pretty deep down that roster and get guys that are contributing so the Denver yeah you know I was leaning towards our guy trigger Trey uh but I I think Trey Murphy and the Pelicans they’re playing

Well just saw that yeah he uh no I think they’re playing well I think for a young player and to be you know have you know an injury and have to deal with that and then trying to you know regain your Rhythm I think it took a little bit but

When he plays well they play well uh I was watching um uh the hoop Collective shout out uh windhorse um and they were just talking about the numbers that when he plays well versus when when he plays well versus their team and it’s like his 15th big his 15th

Best games they’re 14- one in his nine worst games they’re they’re two and seven and he’s been playing well and again those numbers are purely made up it was something along those lines oh you really had some numbers no no no no it was something no it was something

Along those lines but if they was like well now no it’s 13 and two and it’s like guys it’s I’m paraphrasing here um and so no when you look at that I think he is a player that was making those jumps and I think he’s only going to get

More consistent as the season goes along and as we go into the postseason I think he’s going to be more cons consistent so now I like the Pelicans I like what they’re doing they’re also another team that needs to win around in my opinion Cleveland needs to win around um I think

We’ll get into that in one second hold please Road trions game changers of the week are sponsored by Under Armour do your thing change the game Curry 11 future cures are available now at Curry brand.com continue Cleveland needs to win around no I think Cleveland needs to win

Around um the the most pressure in the league of who needs to win around is [ __ ] Cleveland it’s not even close yeah okay that’s fair that’s fair but who’s second that’s why I’m I’m trying to think who else is in that space you kind of want to say Minnesota no Kings the

Kings but I mean they’re not awful they’re not great but they’re consistent sabonis is having a career year like but everyone’s like oh okay it’s just the Kings which is crazy I mean oh the Clippers I want to know your biggest I want to know is it the

Clippers though I think they’re I I’m talking about the pressure think Clippers are under pressure yeah um I want to know your biggest threat to Denver biggest threat Clippers it’s a great Clippers are one how about a healthy Suns team yeah but yeah right now trust I weirdly this is this is a

Compliment I trust the Clippers being healthy down the stretch right now more than I do the Phoenix Suns the Clippers have had more Health this year not traditionally but this year so if you were to ask me which team do I think is going to be healthy enough to make it

Through and to do I think I right now I would say the Clippers they got the bodies they got the perimeter they got the depth they got all they can play different styles they got lots of are not dependent on one or two even if two

Of their guys have an off night they got Dwight pal zubac can lift them up coffee’s been playing well you know you got Terren man so I just think that they’ve got they’ve got guys that can lift up if one or got one or two of the

Guys are having an off night or you know Paul George is struggling a little bit Dwight pal might not Dwight U Norman pal might hit a bunch of Threes you know and just carry him through a first half like I forgot the game just a little bit ago

Where Paul George had had two points in the first half and then ends up ends up with 20 you know what’s crazy and this just came to my head I playoff Dallas I I think who’s Denver who’s gonna guard Luca is my question and then Dallas is

Your biggest threat to Denver I would say sleeper pick to to Denver I just think stylistically they both play through one player right and Denver doesn’t have an answer for Luca and Luca is different in the playoffs and Dallas doesn’t have an answer for joic but they do have three

Big men that are athletic and energetic and I would say would take on that challenge so they are loaded not loaded they are deep at that position wait what but her question was who’s the biggest threat not who is the sleeper so I’m like I can’t let you go on saying that

Uh I don’t I don’t really see anybody you just don’t want to agree with me in the Clippers you just don’t want to agree with me that’s all it is you just doesn’t want to agree I tried to give you your moment Philadelphia healthy Philly let’s end with this how many

Statues will LeBron James get when it’s all said and done three you think he’ll get a statue with the Lakers what yeah stop it stop it yeah if his career were to end right now now yes yeah without winning another title you got understand you got okay you will get a statue with

The Lakers so hear me out hear me out you win a championship you win a Finals MVP you win the first ever end season tournament you break the scoring record and you’re the first to score 40,000 points all in the Lakers uniform [ __ ] out of here don’t put that statue up for

That man hopefully they they spell people’s names right yeah I saw I text Jose kerone I said who the hell is cers who the hell is cers how do you fix that you can’t wipe that out no they’ll just replace they’ll replace that they’ll just replace that

Side of it it’s not like one whole piece you see somebody there just like shaving it down like yeah okay so you guys really think that he’s gonna get one with look at all look at all those things again he led the league an assist

Like he did a bunch of things in my opinion like does he have the five championships that the no but when you look at what he did in a what are we now six year six-year stretch yeah with Brun yeah yeah so in a six-year stretch let me ask a

Question what type of unnatural expectations I know you’re the Lakers I know he’s LeBron if you were to take any player right okay let’s say KD goes to Phoenix and he wins a chip in his first six years breaks all these records and then retires you think Phoenix is not going

To get him a a statue you’re tripping anybody Phoenix isn’t Phoenix isn’t the Lakers let me say one last thing one last thing St let me say one last thing he picked them he picked the Lakers he chose them so if you want to send a

Message to all of the great free agents that you have gotten as Shaq pick the Lakers left Orlando picked the Lakers right when you start looking at this you want to look looking forward to all of the great players over the next Generations if you pick us and you

Succeed this is one of you can be immortalized now that’s not for every player that that’s not for every player that is for that is for the select few that you can be a part of this greatness you want to send that message to the next wimy if you pick

LA right if you do that this is what you can get this is what can be there so it is not only just for now it’s for the Legacy and no different than people are coming and we know this to be truthful while this might not have been the best

Phase of his career while he might not have been you know young LeBron in Cleveland or Miami people will come see a LeBron statue people will come that’s what I’m saying it’s like he is he’s not to La what Kobe is to LA but he is to the game

Of basketball like very few people are and have ever been so you put that up there he he is immortalized as a Laker great his Jersey’s gonna be up there oh yeah his Jersey’s gonna be retired in three places and he you guys both agreed that uh Kyrie should have his jersey

Retired with the Cavs yes oh yeah yes oh not you win the first championship and hit the biggest shot of all time stop it Aldridge Channing I cannot with you we’re ending on this Aldridge Curry Harden Milsap Griffin Durant Irving what do they all share no idea hold on hold on hold on

Durant Aldridge don’t they have like more than 20,000 points or something like that telling your kids the 2021 2022 Nets had all of these last names on one team it’s going to be wild to look back on yeah they were loaded if it I’m tell

If it was for that oh [ __ ] I wasn’t even thinking about that bringing a sprained ankle should have could have would have isn’t that wild no but but you know what’s crazy too and I know that this the Phoenix Suns aren’t as good aren’t as good at didn’t have as much but it’s

Like we gonna just gloss over the fact that Kawai like James Harden and Paul George are playing together or Devin Booker Bradley Beal and Kevin Durant are playing together I understand it’s not Brooklyn there’s there’s more there was more like sub Talent but if we’re talking about top three name and they

Got Russell Westbrook on the Clippers like what like that’s what I’m saying like people want to [ __ ] on the Nets for that understandably so I’m not even coming to the defense of the Nets I’m just merely saying is that we’ve got some other groups of guys that are

Together that when we look back at it we’re gonna be like yo what the hell no that that is I Fair yeah I hear you like the old SCH from Rockets with AEM Barkley and Pippen yeah what yeah yeah wild all right go move all your houses

Bye Richard thanks for being on time today rich thank You

After the Denver Nuggets pulled off yet another comeback victory, is it more impressive they are able to steal wins, or are these comebacks cause for alarm? On this edition of Road Trippin’, Rich, Channing and Allie discuss, the reigning NBA Champs, and their penchant for come-from-behind victories. Also, the crew discusses the potential of the league changing the minimum game requirements for individual awards. And we debate who has what it takes to take the mantle as the “face of the NBA” after LeBron James and Steph Curry retire.

CHAPTERS:

0:00 – Intro
1:43 – Rules for being late
4:48 – Recapping Wembanyama DPOY debate
7:25 – Stat padding players
11:30 – Potential changes to NBA minimum game requirements
19:21 – Denver Nuggets comebacks
22:35 – Are the T’Wolves top four without Karl-Anthony Towns?
26:41 – Next face of the NBA
36:42 – Kawhi’s back issues
41:33 – Are the Magic on the right track?
48:45 – Under Armour Game Changers of the Week
51:41 – Teams that need to win a round in the playoffs
55:05 – How many statues will LeBron get?

► YouTube! 💻 https://www.youtube.com/roadtrippin

► iTunes 🔊 https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/road-trippin/id1195897108?mt=2

► Spotify 🔊 https://open.spotify.com/show/4Q4qqC6UxoTB09ePc14AbB?si=4a514bea430b4b8b

🍷 FOLLOW ROAD TRIPPIN’ 🍷

► Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/roadtrippin/

► Twitter | https://twitter.com/roadtrippinpod