Our NBA Finals Preview: Boston Celtics vs. Dallas Mavericks

Our NBA Finals Preview: Boston Celtics vs. Dallas Mavericks

[Music] cheers good morning cheers cheers cheers morning welcome to this edition of road tripping with RJ and chaining Richard Jefferson chaning fry I’m ali clipon um guys the NBA Finals they have arrived they are here we know who the two teams are here we go it starts this week tomorrow as this is um dropping on Wednesday having settle of that before we dive into the NBA Finals there’s some other Hot Topics that um Channing and you can weigh in on this obviously uh that our guy Rich would like to address and it is about the NBA in a conversation and I’m going to set it up so everyone is well aware in case you’ve been living under a rock it’s okay I lived under a rock for half my life um there has been a recent discussion between Draymond Green and um Rasheed Wallace that has gone back and forth that rich decided to chime in on um Draymond saying we would have smacked y’all y’all was scoring 72 points per game it would be the 2017 Warriors versus the’ 04 pistons and I’m going to kind of give you a little insight to remind you of who their starters were 2017 Warriors Steph clay KD Draymond and Zaza patulia okay the 04 Pistons chony rip tan Prince Ben Wallace Rasheed Wallace okay well you go into the comment section and Rich decides to say I played against both during their playoff runs Warriors win in a gentleman’s sweep oh oh janning um rip says to Richard yeah right and then says it would definitely be a very tough series but I’m going with us the Pistons in six games hash best five alive okay that’s that’s a over ridiculous but I I would you like to weigh in before Rich Dives in at a give your initial take I wasn’t there in 04 I went to league in ‘ 05 and I caught the’ 05 pistons and I think they are the most under talked about championship team almost ever and to put Rasheed Wallace was like a huge inspiration that nobody talks about as a shooting big so to okay let’s take Rasheed Wallace in today’s game and go hey Sheed you can step out and shoot these and then on switches you’re gonna post up in that Dirk thing where he shoots above his head Rasheed was doing that before Dirk right so that’s just that Chanty was a problem was a problem and you talk about big guards he was a big guard that could shoot the three wasn’t afraid of the moment can control the pace of a game and definitely defended his ass off tan what to me would do a above average job of guarding Klay Thompson or even if you want to put him on step for a moment or two would do a above average job on that now where I think the big win is now let’s say you say Steph let’s say you say Steph wins his matchup clay and Sean they go even and even Draymond and Rasheed I’m taking she no offense to Draymond offensiv especially offensively offensively especially I think defensively similar similar defensively similar what if is Ben Wallace now if y’all think on any Court ever imaginable you’re gonna have ZaZa patrula and Ben Wallace on the same court you’re gonna have to go you’re gonna have to play Draymond at the five you’re G have to play Draymond uh Andre clay somebody somebody who am I missing you got your years wrong player they’re not talking about like the 14 15 16 you’re missing Kevin Durant oh the 17 yeah [ __ ] well you said 17 team he was on he was on the 17 team he was on the 17 team was he I don’t remember oh I was okay now never mind that discussion never mind I take I digress okay okay okay okay I was waiting for you to say the horse anyways yeah yeah this message is for Rip Hamilton and Rip Hamilton only there is no disrespect to either you guys are rip is fine man no R Richard Hamilton I got nothing but respect for rip right we we battled against each other multiple years in the postseason it was always respectful this is my issue to your point chony and Steph right both both of them have finals MVPs I think obviously Steph was a better regular season player the MVPs is stuff okay Hall of Famer versus Hall of Fame now we go to the next position right the next position is Klay Thompson versus taan Prince with all due respect love taan on my team in Nike Camp you’re talking about an All-Star level caliber all defensive player all defensive player but Klay Thompson is a first ballot Hall of Fame right done the next when you get to Kevin Durant at the three that’s where the problem comes that’s where the problem is for everyone right and Detroit they’re a giant killer they took down the Lakers they took down GP and Shaq and and car Malone was banged up but they took out that team so you can’t just say because you have stars but that team with their dep because you’re not talk you’re talking about Andre guadala you’re talking about Livingston that team was a matchup problem you’re right they would have gone five they would have gone small it would have been in my opinion it would have been Draymond versus Ben Wallace Kevin Durant versus is Rasheed Wallace and I think Rasheed if you do a hybrid of the rules rased would have been putting up nine threes a night rashed that would have that would that have been what he did but ultimately I don’t think that they could have scored at the pace and I’m doing a hybrid of the rules I’m upping what Rasheed would shoot taan that just wasn’t his game taan wasn’t to score that was that was not his thing he was a high level defensive player G you between 10 and 15 points a night is a problems is a lot of guys running around yeah and I think and I think those guys could cancel each other out on on the defensive end when you’re talking about rip chasing around Klay Klay chasing around rip I respect for their defense 100% but that 17 team that was in my opinion the second best team that I ever saw minus the 01 Lakers with Shaq and they were rolling they won three in a row the next best team I ever saw was the 17 team the best team I was ever on was 16 the most talented team I was ever on was our 17 team and I’ll say this with all respect to to to rip and them our 17 team would have beat you our 16 team would have beat you we were starting with LeBron James best player in the world we saw what he did to their team in their Prime when he wasn’t in his prime so LeBron was gonna be the best player on the court then you had Kyrie and then we had the de so respect to 04 Pistons great Champions under talked about team but against that 17 Warrior team it would have been gentleman’s sweet I digress yeah yeah that’s Rasheed says we would have beat the [ __ ] out of them because for the simple fact that they couldn’t match up with us at any position Steph Curry not a Defender he would have had to guard Rip Hamilton Draymond Green too little too little for who too little for who but Kevin Durant is not too little to guard basheed Ben Wallace was a zero offensive threat zero offensive threat he was a finisher Hall of Famer but he was more like in the Rudy goar D kimbe Matumbo like we are Elite defensively we will finish around the rim with all due respect of the first ballot hall or not first ballot but the Hall of Famer and Ben Wallace he wasn’t an offensive thre on put Draymond on him put Kevin Durant on Rasheed I’m still giving that matchup to now they would have posted his ass up but I’m still giving that match up to Kevin Durant I’m still giving that match up but the post-ups you know what they do on post-ups they double team every postup and then they Swing Swing so now taan has to shoot 15 20 shots a game which is wasn’t what they did also Rip Hamilton Running around back in our day we didn’t switch we showed and got back to the post but they’re switching all of that switching all that all that so now ch’s up top just like okay let me post up now you’ve waited okay let’s say the clock starts at 18 you post up you do the Rip Hamilton power two that takes another three four seconds now you’re at 14 right then you post up let’s say you post up uh Rasheed on Steph that’s an automatic double team team right that’s two seconds now you’re at 108 Swing Swing now you’re at butter situation with taan in a corner now imagine doing that all game long with switch switch switch now we’re in rotations it’s not the same they’d have to run a whole different system which they weren’t as prevalent I think they’d be fine they’d win a game but it’s not the same as we’re talking about the hybrid of the rules understand who Rip Hamilton was rich Legend but he was a mid-range monster he did shoot a lot of Threes he would be the equivalent to Jimmy Butler he would be the equivalent Roan the D rozan very hybrid like like he was just mid it was automatic 90% from the free throw line 90% from the mid-range he was Unstoppable from the mid-range but you have to outpace the Warriors from three so I just think that even in a three-point era I think Rip Hamilton was a mid-range guy he even then when he was going against Allen Iverson and Carri KD and Ray Allen he didn’t shoot threes he he shot and he shot a a semide decent percentage that just wasn’t his game so if we were Translating that you’re like well rip would have shot a lot of Threes it’s like rip H Rich Rip Hamilton had the opportunity to shoot a lot of Threes he wasn’t that season to your to your point he averaged 18 but he attempted less than one three a game he gave us 50 on one three he gave us 50 on one three that was his game that was his game and it’s not that he couldn’t shoot but it was like same with Demar de rozan Demar de rozan just doesn’t shoot two threes that’s his game in an era where everyone does and that’s not a knock that’s just the way he played so even if he’s getting switched out getting to the mid-range on the other side they’re switching it out with Andre Gala with Livingston with Klay Thompson with Kevin Durant so they’re switching all of that stuff and if Rasheed wants to post up fine those are twos versus the Warriors coming back with three of the greatest three-point Shooters we’ve ever seen it’s it’s it’s also on a screen and rooll they used to show and get back or drop an ice you can’t do none of that what are you doing you have to trap right if let’s say rip Hilton goes on KD that’s a that’s an automatic double so now you’re doubling KD for what to rotate to Ben Wallace to Steph or Ben Wallace or Sheed at the three-point line to clay or Steph or Andre guadala and then now we’re rotating even if you rotate to Andre or not Andre to to Draymond he’s driving and throwing LOB so that’s the problem let me say this and this will end the conversation the Detroit Pistons went to two finals lost in seven to to the Spurs and they won one Championship that 17 team was on their way to a dynasty they were about to win three in a row and then we lost in ACL and we lost in Achilles they wer have to recover that’s injuries are a part of it like the Warriors won their first one in in 15 with Kevin Kevin Love out and with Kyrie out that’s a part of it but they were about to win three championships so if you’re asking me the team that was about to win two championships maybe a third I’m going to go with them over the team that won one championship and only went to the finals twice okay I’ll give you that very notable Point good fun conversation here I would love to nothing but respect guys take on this as well we got to stop saying that because obviously we do is respect I’m clarifying I ain’t talking [ __ ] about Sheed or rip or hell Sean I would talk [ __ ] they know me well enough like I would talk [ __ ] if I was talking [ __ ] but this is just a respectful conversation about people who I feel are the best of our basketball generation I honestly would love if they watch film like if they got three of them together and they watched the 17 Warriors and said here’s how we would have guarded this man everybody that’s what I want to see look good with with a with a remote control in their hand bro every coach is like I understand but I want to see what thinking is when they watch these actions how would they have played it because how we played 05 06 04 07 is nothing how it was played in 2011 like the eras changed so much but they did Rasheed was a better than like I would consider him like a jiren Jackson Jr a bam out of Bio type A guy that could move his feet as a big he could he could guard on the perimeter I don’t think you’d want him guarding steep but to say all game long yeah but I’m no not all game long I’m saying him chony taan and rip could switch across the board they like Rasheed was that versatile of a big to switch across the board so defensively I think they would have been good they would have upped their three-point shots but there were just too much we’re talking about four first ballot Hall of Famers versus versus two I also this is like just so interesting when you talk about Aras and obviously we all know and the the three ball and the different Evolution there Channing but as you mentioned it chony put up the most threes in 2004 how many think he averaged a game attempts three six oh attempts four with Larry Brown with four five four he attempted 4.3 a game Steph Curry attempted in 2017 10 we know like the three up their numbers I up the I up those three I up those guys like when I say Rasheed if Rasheed was playing today Rasheed could shoot leftand threes and Rasheed was one of the most skilled bigs out there like he would shoot eight to nine threes but I still don’t think even with that elevated three-point he would have outpaced Kevin [ __ ] Durant sorry yeah that just like taan Prince might have shot the ball more but even in his error he wasn’t a score is he gonna outpace Klay Thompson is he gonna is is chony Bops who was the leading three-point shooter in that like time period is he gonna outpace Steph Curry even if we up his numbers to six or eight he ain’t out Pac and Steph the greatest we’ve ever seen versus the second best we’ve ever seen versus maybe the third best we’ve ever seen on the same [ __ ] Squad in their Prime [ __ ] out of here okay let’s talk about the NBA Finals welcome to it 2024 we’ve got we’ve got some things to actually address that have come up on our lives uh some things you have said Channing some things you have said Richard and I want to know if you can still believe what you said um when talking about the Mavericks the Celtics facing off here um just as a heads up Boston comes in at 12 and two um through the playoffs so far which is the fewest for any finalist in terms of having lost just two games um in the last seven years you guys were a part of that you were 12- one going into the NBA Finals the warriors were 12-0 going into the NBA Finals D they went 16 one by the way in 2017 speaking of that team they went we beat them we were the defending chance we gave them their one loss and we almost had like 90 points in the first half just to try [ __ ] okay so before we dive into the hot takes that you guys had which were hot dive in it you’re about to um I I really do want to know what you guys will have we kind of asked JJ this question and he jumped all around it and all over it um who or what you will have your eye on going into this series before it even begins are you looking at like storyline from past teammates or being a part of different teams are you looking at matchups what will you have your eye on what’s standing out porzingis health porzingis is that a word poring Pingus Pingas his health which he is expected to play obviously game one has missed the last 10 has not played since the first round game five so porzingis is practicing against his players he’s playing Luke in practice Luke cornette is not [ __ ] Daniel Gafford or Derek Lively or PJ Washington so whatever you’re practicing good job you’re practicing good job you’re in shape you are not an NBA Finals War battle tested shape versus three young aggressive bouncy human beings and you’re practicing you how do you emulate what Jason Tate or what Luca and Kyrie do like how do you practice against that versus your second unit like no offense of pyton Pritchard he’s not Kyrie Irvin so your scout team you’re like oh okay this play this is what we’re gonna do yeah right and I think for Dallas I think they’re honestly gonna just say if we can get a couple stops we can win this like I think if they say we can get a couple stops we can win this but getting a couple stop like limit I bet you they say let’s shut off Derek white Drew holiday and if Tatum beats us with jumpers Tatum beats us with jumpers keep him off the free throw line Jaylen Brown to me is the biggest up or down who’s gonna guard him if he can win his matchup versus PJ Washington might guard him I think Boston wins but I think Mavericks H their big men are what I think is the weighing weighing Factor when you to your point when you look at who they played in the first round they played against the Miami Heat right bam atab bio he’s a role threat but he’s more of like a rim threat like that not a rim threat like that second round right they play against Cleveland Jared Allen doesn’t play Evan Mobley I would consider him similar to Bam out of Bio we’re like yeah yeah when you look at their team then you go to Conference Finals when you talk about their bigs when you’re talking about Miles Turner he’s a SP he can roll to the rim they they get some of that but these are two bigs that their only job is to be in front of that rim to dunk the ball all game long he was 16 for 16 in the finals gaffard had a stretch where he made like his first like 20 or made 28 buckets in a row or something like two away from the record like these guys are going to be at the front of the rim all game long and so yes they have not played against against that type of Rim pressure with those type of downhill Talent right they they just Haven it um I think the one thing about porzingis and I would say as long as he progresses game by game because game four game five game six they still got Al Horford they still got the deepest roster they still got all these things so my thing is like porzingis can play 18 minutes and space the floor he doesn’t have to post up he doesn’t have to do all these things he can ease into the NBA finals and I know that sounds crazy but as long as his teammates do their job they will allow him to ease into it the minute we start putting pressure on porzingis like first game he was 0 for four next game he was two for seven it’s like he’s gonna get there but as long as these guys are doing their job then it’s fine I think the thing a lot of people have been having the conversation about when I when I said that oh I think you know the Mavs have the first that have the two best players in the series I want to ask you this question Chang if the way Kyrie is playing right now yeah he was on the Celtics who would be the best player and I know this is a weird hypothetical because he’s already been on the Celtics but those guys were a lot younger if he was on the Celtics who would be the best player Kyrie Tatum Brown who would be the person leading that Squad oh it would be cut R oh it would be cut R it would it just you said that very confidently the alpha that that’s just it is the alpha I I think I think what’s crazy is Jaylen Brown is showing I could be an alpha too there’s nothing wrong with having two they got a lot of tear of they got Alphas like yeah they got alha energy out there but lot lot of this is not a I could talk about Jaylen Brown and not knock at this point I’m not knocking Jason Tatum I am acknowledging Jaylen Brown’s tearing of how good he’s got so Jason Tatum is in the MVP conversation and Jaylen Brown got Eastern Conference Finals MV so we need to admit that yes Tatum is good and and I’ll even take a digress of saying this things about Tatum has said I’m GNA talk about Jaylen Brown and say when you have two guys that on any giving series can take over that makes you very dangerous but if we were to go who’s G to win this matchup Tatum versus Luca most people unless you’re drunk you’re gonna say Luca okay right and then you would go Kyrie versus Jaylen brown right okay now those two once you get past those two now you go Drew holiday or PJ Washington Celtics right then you go Derek white versus Derrick Jones Jr Derek white then you go oh porzingis who hasn’t played in a month Derek Lively Daniel Gafford I like but you know what I’m saying it’s like by the end of and those guys can dominate those guys can have a great series we’re not saying that just because the greatness is matched up that’s the way it’s going to be equal my only thing is the fact that it didn’t matter where Luca is he’s the best player on the floor you put Kyrie on the Celtics there’s a conversation about who is the best player on this team and that just means that at any point in time Kyrie Luca will be the two best players I think they are the two biggest Alphas that are looking for the moment trying to attack the moment and there’s not a question across the league that those two can handle the moment there are questions throughout the Boston Celtics locker room so walking into that that series those are the two like most battle tested prepared individuals in my opinion who’s Kyrie guarding probably Derek white pyton Pritchard no it’s coming match no I don’t know I don’t know I don’t know Kyrie starting on defensively starting I don’t mind him against Drew I don’t mind him against Drew because I this gonna sound crazy I I put him on Jason Tatum and just don’t let him shoot jumpers just hear me out you put him on Jason Tatum right so you start Luca uh Luca on Drew holiday right because they’re not running the offense to that Luca on Drew holiday yeah Dereck Jones Jr on J Jaylen Brown Kyrie on Tatum uh PJ Washington on I don’t know who starts at the four for them who am I missing was Horford they start they Derek white Jason Tatum Jaylen Jaylen Brown technically would be the four and then Al would be the five so PJ Washington on uh Jaylen Brown and then Derek Lively on Al Horford oring okay K this is where we need to go channy okay with your hot take you took Derek Lively over Chris STS por zingas and I need you to address yes are y’all drunk I need you to address that drunk we’re talking about regular season I haven’t seen the dude in a month I don’t even know if he still likes basketball I’m going with the dude who is 16 for 16 in the Western Conference Finals you see his impact you see his impact on the game of basketball 16 for 16 and you do one thing do you know how hard that is gets injured your question his love for basketball I’m tell J I’m not I’m not K’s great about to say come on I think K Chris porzingis is great but I have to go with what I’ve seen I have not seen him I don’t know I would change my attitude if all of a sudden porzingis is posting up Kyrie like he was doing in the the regular season in balling he has been hurt so all of a sudden I’m supposed to say the hurt guy is better than the guy where Luca who won Western Conference Finals tried to give him his award to say how important you are to the team if Derek Lively wins his matchup the Dallas Mavericks win the championship that’s a fact that is a fact if Luca can get downhill and throw lobs and get easy buckets Dallas can set up their defense if Derek Lively can play defense on Anthony Edwards at the end of a game and can switch one through five then Dallas is going to win if he can play defense and not get hurt then you have it two shot blockers in a game oh and guess what when he plays his 24 30 minutes there’s another dude who’s 7 foot who comes in who’s a rim threat who’s a shot blocker so you know what Dallas has to do limit their threes to less than 35 make him go to the rack Don’t Spray and play Two on Two that’s it I mean it sounds easy sounds easy but obviously Boston’s amazing and if you want me to argue for Boston I could do that too but I’m taking Lively if to redo the draft I might take Lively third you got this is my thing and CH I’m backing you up when the information changes so will my opinion thank simple as that when the information of I haven’t seen this play I’ve watch this kid be dominant let’s go back to Derek Lively for a second I did his first game of the year against wimy number one pick like every he literally came out dominated the first half I’m not saying he outplayed wimy but he balled in the first half he was coming off the bench he played so well in his very first half that they started him in the second half that’s Lively has been since the moment he showed up into this league oh Victor I’m going at him I’m finishing I’m dunking I’m blocking shots I’m bringing energy and they were like oh let’s me and JJ were both saying man they need to put this dude they need to start him they started him in the second half and the rest of it’s been history so I just look at Derrik Lively and say hey the information that I have now on the two players I’m going to say this kid now if if porzingis comes out in his first game and goes you know seven for 13 and has nine rebounds then well okay hey young fell you got a bit of a problem on your hands but until then we gotta give it to it can I ask you can I ask you this the Jaylen Brown porzingis screen is PJ Washington and Derek Lively easy switch easy switch and guess what are you gonna is porzingis gonna post up Derrick Jones Jr after guarding Anthony Edwards that’s the type of player that porzingis isn’t good with is strong three-man Defenders who can get underneath him right but it’s it’s what I’m saying is Dallas has seen what Boston’s style they’ve seen that style right they’ve seen it with the sun right they’ve seen it with these teams right they’ve seen it but I don’t know if Boston Like Richard said has seen this style of basketball yet they have not seen no one’s seen it what team has 52 alley oops no one the next team that’s under his 10 and they had Rudy goar and Cary towns and they’re going home so manchest has 50 um that you asked me something but you didn’t ask me anything okay this is my question to you right now follow me here with this stay with me people right and just give you a little bit when Giannis won the championship what did we say oh he’s best player in the world he’s been knocking on the door been dominant all first team all MVP won best player in in in the world when when joic won his Champion joic it’s his he’s the best player in the world right Luca wins a championship we’re gonna be like oh it’s it’s his turn it’s his turn like right now he has dominated and played better than anybody in in the league he took down the team that took down the defending champs he is either the best player in the world or one of what will we say if the Boston Celtics win the championship about Jason Tatum about time do you see how like everybody else that has won a championship in that space with their best player and dominant Jason Tatum has been all NBA what three years in a row two years in a row three years in a row I believe so it’s like First Team all NBA finally wins a championship even if he dominates the finals and wins 4-2 will he be considered the best player in the world because we’ve done that with everybody else I would argue that Jason Tatum would say the same thing though he Jason Tatum would say he’s on the best team which he’d say it’s about time yeah it’s about time would say that no you’re you’re I’m talking about how Jason Tatum is viewed I’m I’m talking about how Jason I’m talking about how he’s viewed no all of those other guys the minute they got over that hump we put them in a space of like it is your crown now you are the best player if Jason Tatum wins this Championship even if he has a very good NBA Finals is the finals MVP average 28 and they win and they they’re the best team we will not consider Jason Tatum the best player in the world same reason why he doesn’t get MVP votes does it matter that all three of those guys that you asked us before asking this question about Jason Tatum had never been to the finals and Jason Tatum has he’s been in the finals two of the last three seasons they’ve been in the Conference Finals what some crazy six out of the last eight years yeah well that play a part in that narrative but we were we gave Joel embiid an MVP with zero postseason success and he earned it that’s regular season though but but I’m saying we gave I’m just saying the MVPs and stuff I don’t think it’s held against somebody LeBron was probably the best player in the world him and Kobe like when he lost in the finals early on and then he lost in the finals in Miami that that first year right he was probably the best player in the world you know him and Kobe were kind of hovering right there in my opinion so it’s like I’m just saying that most of the time when you’ve been knocking on the door and you finally get over they’ll say that about Luca they’ve said it about Janis they’ve said it about joic they won’t say that about Jason Tatum and that just gives it idea of how he’s viewed which is unfair in my opinion it’s also indicative of how good that [ __ ] team is I was goingon to say but his entire career has been him and Jaylen Brown I know but they have also give Boston Credit give Boston Credit they saw Jason tum and Jaylen Brown as being cornerstones so you know what they did they constantly surrounded them with Allstar caliber players they have not ever not played with at least two All-Star caliber players on their team they’ve had the most consistency when it comes to coaching they’ve Styles they’ve had the most consistency when it comes to Bringing in types of players that will promotee them and help their growth they are as much of of a reaction to their work as they are the environment so give Boston Credit they said these are our guys more teams should do exactly what Boston did you got a stud like Jason Tatum and Jaylen Brown you don’t you don’t break them up I thought they should have a long time ago and I’m wrong you keep them together you say you better [ __ ] work it out what do you need you need more veterans in leadership Here Comes Al Horford oh you need some uh guys that come off the bench you got you need oh you need Defenders got it you need Playmakers got Derek white got Drew holiday like what else do you need okay okay let me let me give the other rebuttal you’re talking about how loaded their teams are right yeah was there conversation about Steph being the best player in the world on his loaded team was there conversation about Kevin Durant being the best player in the world on loaded now they didn’t win the MVPs and that was something but it was like when Kevin Durant won those two they were like oh he’s the best player in the world and the conversation was best player in the world but you join the best team so that’s where the fighting all started but there was conversation about Steph unanimous MVP they had like again we didn’t know that their roster was loaded because it went on to show that but having Klay Thompson that’s a Draymond Green was all of these guys became a loaded roster and there were still conversation about Steph and Kevin Durant being the best players in the world along with LeBron because they were winning even though their teams were loaded that’s the only thing I’m saying that Jason tum can win with the loaded roster and even when Kawai won the championship they were like dude he went on that epic run and people were like is he the best player in the world and Jason Tatum is not brought into that conversation and I can say that even when he wins people will not they be like oh well there’s Luca LeBron’s still out there you see joic embiid people start listing all of these names but that but there that has not been done with prior Champions that have been all NBA level for multiple years that got over the hump the last well the last time the finals MVP wasn’t the best player on the team was Andre guala shout out Bear Down air down but here here’s a real question and I’m not saying I believe this so this is a question I’m not saying I believe this let me pref let me preface is the conversation Jason Tatum isn’t even the best guy on his team right now no no no okay I’m ask a question what are you saying Richard no I think Jason the best jayen Brown wins be the best player on your team and not play the best I’m saying like look Kyrie J Brown wins the finals MVP and Boston wins we need to have a real discussion of like maybe Jaylen Brown got better than Jason Tatum now we know I’m just win the Conference Finals right what he did just win the Conference Finals MVP right no but under but understand this when kawhai won the MVP when the kawhai won the MVP with the Spurs right he wasn’t the best player on that team yeah he was I’m just I’m arguing I’m arguing okay okay I was like no that’s not a knock on him I’m just saying you can see how like someone can have an outstanding series and still Vault themselves into like hey he played the best right look he hits the three he hits the three to get him in overtime after Jason Tatum struggled then Jason tatums goals and scores eight points in the overtime right there is a symbiotic thing that they have going one of them picks up the other one right understand even with Jordan when he wasn’t there Scotty Pippen still took him to the Conference Finals Scotty Pippin might have been a top five player in the world right so that’s why I’m saying same with Shaq and Kobe Shaq might have been the best player on those three championships team but Kofi still averaged 28 one year inof Kofi you got he said Kofi you got open your ears bro okay so rich let me ask you guys this question you have Luca as the best player in this series yeah not even close Luca best player you have Kyrie at number two I’m saying that I have Kyrie the way he’s playing and at the level that he’s playing Jason T rebounds points defense all Stu I’m saying Kyrie is playing some of the best basketball of his career and that to me puts him that he’s playing better than Jason Tatum by a smidge Marg doesn’t mean it’s like all season long Jason Tatum has been a better player in the postseason Kyrie has played better in my opinion than tum his situation has situation situation how does the narrative change if it hasn’t already of course about Kyrie if he were to win an NBA championship in this current situ hey put stock in rain sticks and white sage because [ __ ] gonna be doing that [ __ ] left and right hey hey when he bring the drum get ready we had this conversation on our most recent live which by the way we are going to do uh live here in the NBA Finals starting Thursday with game one so if you haven’t already subscribed to Road Tripp’s YouTube page that’s where you’ll find us post game after every single finals game having said that we had that on our last live the conversation Channing you were working handles that night of Kyrie and his place in NBA history in terms of he wasn’t a top 75 player where do you what would another champion ship for Kyrie do I just think L hard conversations here listen you know what I thought Kyrie is and I use this analogy probably to too much as a joke get nervous you ever seen that movie A League of Their Own yes right do you remember when Dy and uh kit were on the same team and they won a bunch and kit said you know what I’m always underneath you right and she went off to her own team and then K end up winning her own thing and getting her own like really be in the face of the league and things like that you remember that part remember at the end that she had her own Shrine that to me is Kyrie like we always thought Kyrie as like the little brother to LeBron back in the day Kyrie went on his his path of discovering himself and he found the right place and we’re seeing what we saw in practice every single day but as a mature father who really knows himself who’s sacrificed so much and given so much of the game so to answer your question would he turn into to be top 75 I might have to mess around say he might be one of the top five best guards ever you don’t think so talented wise yes but I’m saying like you still have to be the if you’re going to put him in the top five category that means most of those guys were the best player on a championship team right yeah that’s that’s no just no no because then you put Luca in there and he’s a guard talking about Isa you mean like in the league or ever uh well I said ever that’s top five is way too much I got you I got you I got you magic you would say magic no wait wait wait let’s slow down let’s slow down let’s slow down no I’m going Kyrie is is but top 10 but again we have to let’s let’s just cover it up I think Kyrie’s basketball as a top five player has never been doubted we knew if someone would have told us watching Kyrie play at 24 that he had future MVPs we would be like oh yeah I could see this dude being MVP now was there a a maturity that needed to take place like from him understanding basketball and how to lead and do yes he he talked about it himself when he was with the Boston Celtics Kyrie Irving I I think the reason why this Championship is important is because when you want to prove that you can do it in a different space I think LeBron’s championship in Cleveland is his most important I think Steph’s Championship without Kevin Durant 22 was his most important of proving his like who he is and where he stands and I think if Kyrie were to win a championship I think this would be the most important Championship the first one is special the the big shot yes but proving that like I am a championship player Wherever I Go LeBron has proven that Steph has proven that with different teams I think there are certain guys that when they win Championship not necessarily changes the narrative it just proves oh I can win without LeBron I can go to the finals without LeBron and I’m not saying that that was the narrative because again that um that team in Boston went to the Conference Finals like and they were talented they could have done more this his team in Brooklyn they were a toe away from a Conference Finals an ankle away so he’s always been a winner but this just solidifies and if he’s able to finish it off and don’t act like couldn’t win a Finals MVP I was just going to say is there a world where Kyrie is the finals MVP and two I don’t think the The Narrative is a secret that he wanted to try and do it without LeBron right yeah well you wanted to do it his career you wanted to do it in your career like you want like Braun you are no longer on a team he still wants to win championships so now he’s got to prove that he can do it without that team or with not in Cleveland so that that’s not I don’t think like a big like without LeBron I think it’s more of I want to prove that I can win a championship still Kyrie would need to absolutely cook cook Drew holiday Derek white and Jaylen Brown you need to cook all three of them to get final he saw Drew I think he saw Drew in Milwaukee he’s seen before he’s seen Drew before I’m saying this is a little different now what do you mean need to win his matchup he would need to literally they would need to double see him if he can get a double team in the NBA Finals when you have drew Derek white Jaylen Brown those kind of guys on the floor you might be NBA uh NBA Finals yeah yeah yeah I think there’s four there’s four players that can win NBA Finals that’s it I think there is I I think over a six-game series over unless someone had some crazy performance there’s four people that legitimately you should could feel safe putting your money on I the leaders would be Jason Tatum and Luca the next to would be Kyrie in my opinion than Jaylen Brown four Channing said if Derek Lively wins his matchup the Dallas Mavericks are going to win an NBA championship what’s your who’s your X Factor rich I still can’t believe that is your take Jim I love it what’s the truth I love it I love it do you think Al hor is gonna win that match up versus well he can he can shoot the [ __ ] out of Threes so so wait a second Al Horford is a better shooter and taller than Carl Anthony towns no no no no no what I’m saying is that used to seeing that no but I’m saying though but but Al Horford is more of like the Silent Assassin where it’s like you look up and he’s hit three3 like you know there’s a point of attack with Carl Anthony tal so all the defense is is focused in on him and that group that’s a very different than being an ancillary piece kind of like PJ Washington you’re not focused on me and I’m just lighting your ass up over here from the corner because y’all gotta worry about those two monsters Al Horford’s very similar so I look you’re right if they if he dominates his matchup that’s going to be big for d i I still think that this whole thing hinges on Kyrie I I like that I know it’s a it’s it’s cliche but that’s just the real answer we can dissect and look but if Kyrie plays Elite it’s hard for me to say that Luca would have such a drop off or play so poorly I think even if Luca is just good and Kyrie plays great I think they win I think that I think they win or it goes seven I if you ask you wen’t convinced either way I’m not convinced either way I’ll tell you what ask me after game one like I know I don’t feel the need to predict so we can say oh I picked this right it’s like I ain’t seen him play one game Boston play if Boston wins I’d go they were supposed to if Dallas wins I go oh they must have played great here’s why like but I think that Derek Lively will win his matchup based on his skill set compared to what Boston is used to but also Gafford and and Lively are the same Gaff meaning I’m just meaning that Center position the center the two so let’s let’s put them together because I feel like they split so if Gafford and Lively win their matchup correct that’s a that’s a two-headed monster also right and like when you come off the bench with Luke cornette and okay so Luke let’s let’s talk about the bench Hardy you have uh obviously Tim hard out rotation but let’s just we’ll just say three and a half guys versus Peyton Pritchard the shooter and cornette H Hower yeah who goes back to the bench who goes back who wait and how Horford is now bench oh yeah Al Horford Al Horford is now benched that’s what I’m saying Al Horford versus Gafford who do you got it depends on how well Al Horford shoots if Al Horford shoots the ball well like again that’s what I’m saying it’s like if Al Horford hits three threes in the first half that’s a problem that’s a problem because that’s G to space the floor for everybody else to work he doesn’t have to go for 18 we saw what he did in game one of the finals two years ago like he’s still and you’re asking him to do so much less you’re asking him to guard a lot in pick and roll a lot in space and you’re asking him to stand there and shoe threes he’s G boy he better get some new shoes because they are gonna go you know Jay kid hey as soon as he see a matchup problem he gonna be like where where you at come on over here who do you think has theage there kid or Missoula uh kid Jason kid why because you got the best player on the floor so you if you have the best player you have respectfully you have the queen you have the queen on the chess board you have the most moves you have the most options especially offensively I think defensively Missoula has more in his bag for like what they’re I don’t think that they have more options of how they can play based off their depth and versatility where I feel like um because because they have five guys that defend right you have five like Elite Defenders on board at one point in time that’s tough Dallas doesn’t have as many Elite Defenders they don’t they have a few guys and then Luca and Kyrie are playing inspired defense for for them yeah yeah they’re playing they’re playing like they’re doing what they what what they’re supposed to that’s different than having five Elite Defenders that we can switch some we can show some we can hedge some we can do this we like we can play some Zone when we have a big like you us more options but offensively he’s got more he’s got more he’s got great it’s gonna be a [ __ ] great series and I just it there’s so many like what ifs right meaning what if this guy hits three threes like that’s how close it is we’re talking about Horford going if he goes three for three we’re like yeah Boston probably gonna win that game because now you have to spread out now when they drive downhill they spray for threes if Boston gets 43s up they’re going to win a game if Luca gets Brown or Drew holiday in foul trouble Dallas wins the game like That’s how little of of like uh uh the in between they are yeah all right anything else you guys want to discuss do you know why I have no clue because I had no idea that Dallas was gonna mop up Minnesota the way they did so I don’t know they look at the great Defenders one for one so I you think that they were gonna get mopped up the way they did no but after the game I said damn this is a matchup problem yeah they they had one guy or two guys that defensively they needed to help the minute that you help Dallas was just like we’re GNA go we’re GNA exploit that over and over and over again and now this is creating our Rhythm they like oh you want to put two on the ball they go Swing Swing let’s give it to the uh NBA champion Kyrie now I’m gonna make a play oh you want to double him swing swing to Luca goes downhill alyu oh now you want play us straight up oh LC is the best scorer in the NBA buckets oh you think BJ can’t make a corner three here goes six of them DJ Washington here goes four and I’m not a dud on defense either so that’s a problem by shout out Jared Dudley having said that great episode you guys are awesome the NBA finals start on Thursday and again subscribe to our YouTube channel because we will be doing lives all finals long don’t forget Rich’s shirt road tripping of course you can get it at homage.com roadtripping and we did have a viewer asking about shipment to Canada so we will person deler it will personally deliver it D we need usas you’re you’re in Portland you’re basically in Canada hush that’s not true that’s that is not true there’s a whole other state above us we will work on that with Richard but for now it’s the addition of Road triing

It’s NBA Finals time! On this week’s episode we preview the upcoming series between the Dallas Mavericks (Luka Doncic, Kyrie Irving) and the Boston Celtics (Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown), discuss which players could be the x-factors, and which star will ultimately have the best series. We also breakdown RJ’s debate with Rasheed Wallace on who would win in a seven game series: 2017 Golden State Warriors or the 2004 Detroit Pistons. This was a fun one. Let’s go!