The NBA Finals Are Here!

The NBA Finals Are Here!

[Music] hello everyone and welcome again to another edition of the shooters loue podcast I am your mat at post 323 don’t forget to like And subscribe guys you can follow us on the socials at Shooters loue 3 um and you follow us the videos on you YouTube and also follow us on the Spotify and wherever you get your podcast in podcast form uh this week guys it’s NBA finals week we are here it’s that time of year again this is where again this is where the Legends are made this is where the discussions are hard um so tonight got got to bring out the big guns it’s finals week so we got to bring out the big guns so uh as always we’ve got Mr boser here how’s it going bro good see you again man I just cool don’t worry big up to the shooters Lun I got some fans that have been battering me waiting waiting for the for the man ones you know um we hear you we hear you promoting on the shooters Lounge when are you going to next be on blah blah blah but it is finals week this is June this is June this is what we live for absolutely absolutely yeah always a pleasure bro always a pleasure and tonight we have the returning ab ab what’s happening bro good to have you on the Sho was loue against yeah you know have to come back for the finals man this is what it’s all about I mean we’ve gone through all the 82 games and a couple rounds of the playoffs but this this is where Legends are made man you got the gold badges on the jerseys you got the you got the finals uh script on the court this what it’s about man this what it’s about this is it bro like the energy mate like the energy bringing the energy it’s it’s all good it’s all good man always a pleasure to have you on bro um so like you say it’s f finals week um you know so the the the finals is set um before we kind of kick on to the preview of the the NBA finals which starts on Thursday evening uh we just kind of go over you know we’ve kind of missed a lot since the last show uh we’ll kind of go over the Conference Finals um first off was uh Celtics managed to uh overcome uh I say overcome well it was managed to just step over the Indiana Pacers unfortunately for the Pacers ended up in a in a sweep um AB did you catch much of of this series what what were your thoughts on this bro yeah I did this just standard procedures man this is what you expect from the Boston Celtics even before obviously the playoffs have begun obviously winning 64 games we know what they do in the post season anyway it was always going to be like finals or bust and you come up against an Indiana team who probably shot the wall by beating the Knicks I mean the Knicks had been running to the ground we spoke about off air about how T just loves running these guys into the ground and yeah obviously they were just they were just tired by the time they play the Pacers and the Pac Man to advance to the Conference Finals and yeah I mean it it gives a lot of similarities to that Atlanta run a couple seasons ago when Unfortunately they took down obviously my Sixers in game seven and in the blink of her eye probably they didn’t really expect it a lot of the NBA fans around the world didn’t expect them to get to the Conference Finals and then there they are going up against the buck so I would have thought that a lot of even Pacers fans themselves didn’t expect to get to the Conference Finals to go up against the Boston Celtics but uh obviously getting swept and losing tyres halber and in what I think it was the third qu quarter of um game two I mean paac is barely still the chance with halan so you lose your star player then it’s over man and then obviously you have to give credit to them you can only beat who is faced in front who who Who’s Who You’re faced in front off and they managed to handle business in four get them out of the way and yeah they Advanced for the NBA Fels but obviously it’s not the matchup that I really wanted to see because we all knew that the Celtics were just way more talented than the Pacers but obviously as I mentioned earlier you have to beat who your who you face in front of you and the Celtics you got to credit them for getting it done in four they didn’t play around with they didn’t and extend it to five and maybe even six so yeah now they have this rest that they deserve what is it nine days rest before the NBA Finals would take place Thursday night so you gotta hand it you got to hand it to them man yeah yeah the hand of the business bro like you say no no mocking about this time no uh no stupid games given up or or anything like that boser have you uh do you have do you have some thoughts mate I’m sure you’d have some anecdotes for this one yeah actually they actually going against the Green they going against what we all saying here know because for a number of reasons for a number of reasons and and none of them are because I hate the bloody well leprechaun none of them are that reason so let let me get that out the gate bro you you were we we put the we put the Conference Finals Prediction you were straight up hating bro you had Paces in seven I was and and I could I could I could back up I could back up why I thought that was possible I still think it was possible game one in Boston Garden showed that it was possible one bad quoting decision and one horrible brain fart caused the Pacers game one yeah if they had snatched that game one at the very worst it would have been a gentleman sweep you you just think of that for for a moment oh yeah if the piercers go to Indiana at one all the piercers taals are up and yes I know they had a worse record than New York but I expected them to beat New York as well because I thought they were better matched than New York Pascal sakam is is an NBA champion no one would know if you watch that Boston series just now you know I mean because sadly I think what beat the the Pacers is inexperienced mil’s Turner making horrible decisions um uh and and and they them giving away giving away the B the basketball way too easy like they turnover their turnover rate was insanely high it was the highest for their for for the Pacers for the whole playoffs that that series the Pacers is but again take nothing away from Boston who obviously is a different animal alog together than a New York or was it the bux I think they faced in the WR before that yeah yeah yeah so so yes they have to face the bucks with their two main stars which would present a whole different ball game for for Indiana for sure but the P but the Celtics show them exactly what you face when you have to to to to meet the big boys this is where big boys come to play this is the playoffs win or go home and unfortunately you have to go home if you do the kind of nonsense the Pacers did um so if in the first two games you giving up those type of chances and this is where I agree with AB wholeheartedly and you have your star player in Tyrese halberton when he goes down what then are we to expect what should happen is the pascals and the miles Turners and even the TJ conal McConnell and those boys turn up the heat a little bit that they have done the entire season which is what because because if you remember tyes Alberton was out for a for a good chunk of the season and even then Bryant them boys was playing very very well but alas this is the Conference Finals if you don’t do it here on this stage then you got hey book your ticket you know I mean the yukatan peninsula is yours so um unfortunately um once they hadn’t taken their chances um My Last Hope was to maybe see if they could rally something in game three um but even with Tyrese has a tall order and I you know I’m not putting it just down to one star but like I said the the disappointing thing was for The Supporting Cast as sh to say the others you know um and and I I don’t have my stats up right here in front of me right now but you’re doing some research for this for tonight I realize that they were also tremendously outrebounded I’m sorry I Horford and his 197 year old self not outrebounding me if I must Turner I’m that’s not happening I don’t care I don’t care you see what I’m saying so you can’t you can’t allow those things to happen and then be upset when you get swept you’re gonna get you’re gonna get dealt with from a machine like like Boston a well oiled well prepared machine like Boston so big Up To Boston and and I must say at this point and end off by saying this I have to give jayen Bron his Flores he deserve that he deserve that yeah that yes final yeah he’s had some criticism bro an he over the last in the last two or three years and I think myself included yeah I think yeah I think a lot of us on this show mate have have voiced you know our our displeasure but I think yeah I think the uh the Improvement that I think uh Brown has made has been has been evident in this year’s playoffs I think for definite hasn’t it I think um you can definitely see it and like you say turnovers like Pacers were averaging 16 turnovers game bro you’re not winning are you voser like you say if you’re turning the ball over routinely uh like that and also late game execution turning the ball over late game situations some of the games were tight weren’t the guys do you know what I mean so like you say exactly you know games one game one you were right there and probably should have won that game and once you coughing up that game once once they cough that game one I was like this might this might be this might be a rrap now bro that was the one and like you say you win that one and then you you kind of get you kind of get the confidence and the balls rolling then in your momentum and like like you say bro um once that one was gone I thought yeah this this could this could end in a in a sweep it like but you always think you know Boston they’re you know Boston over the last couple years have given up games where you just think how the hell have they just coughed up that game but they didn’t do that this time so is this year’s Boston team different than the than the rest I think they’ve proven All Season that they are aren’t they um I think ultimately Boston too too talented too deep I mean Pacers you got to give them credit man they brought the effort like you know McConnell and all them guys the second unit guys that you know eff Talent don’t it BR you know what I mean that’s why I think I think the Pacers the Pacers are deeper than New York um yeah the Pacers could challenge ab’s Philly when it comes to Deb bro we’re deeper than the Knicks mate right here three of us mate exactly exactly the sh L rosters deeper than the Knicks thing I tell you inexperience inexperience beat them beat them boys man and Boston put them to the sword yeah I got a shout out speaking about inexperience I got a shout out Andrew neart as well man because obviously when Hal went down he really stepped up in game three and game four game three got 32 points nine assists he had what 17 points in the second quarter of that game that game the Pacers were up 18 in the third quarter you know that was the game when Al hit those seven threes yeah so the the the Celtics Tendencies they haven’t fully uh um grown from previous that lapses in concentration because they’ve shown Tendencies like they were down 18 points in that game three in the third quarter I’ll hope for that to knock down seven threes and Drew holiday had that clutch Steel in the end which kind of iced the game but yeah and really impressed me in game three and game four yeah and we forget as well the Pacers didn’t even have Ben mafin that was a 15o per game scorer in the regular season he was out for the entire playoffs so he was someone that would have had to play a big part in this series as well especially with going down the Pacers could have I’m I’m sticking to it the PAC the Pacers could have troubled them but they they could have TR listen Rick car go take a lot of lashes for this to you know yeah yeah yeah yeah for not not following up three at the end of game one’s going to going to come back to Haun you in it think he had he had he had a coach Bud moment he had a coach Bud moment oh no oh no I’m gonna experience this next season guys oh my days don’t know I don’t know what you’re doing there boy neither do I bro neither do I that’s for another podcast yeah you know Celtics did what they needed to do they got out early and like you say AB you know some nice uh some nice rest leading up to the finals finals can’t start any earlier um even if you’ve won early so yeah especially you know we we’ll look forward to you know what they’re looking at for the finals but yeah Celtics just they’ve been rolling like they have I mean people are saying oh they’ve had an easy route to the finals you can only beat who’s in front of you bro he can’t control he can’t control who’s in front of you jet can you so I know but at the same time D you look at this run to the finals yeah in the first round dude Le for a decade bro talking about you the heat in round one with no Jimmy Butler no Jimmy Butler you go in the second round you beat the Cavs no Jared Allen for the latter stages no Donovan Mitchell and then you come in the Conference Finals and play the Pacers who a lot of people they expect will be there with no teres Halton for the last couple games I mean if there was ever a k Hey listen I’m not ha I’d love my team to be in this position but every team miss their best player at some point I’m not saying it wasn’t easy it wasn’t easy but what I’m saying is is they can’t control that it’s safe Mt but but ab’s got a point I’m sorry m well what can what can you do I’m like what can you do Boston it’s like well okay well they haven’t got the best players so crap I’m sorry we didn’t have this conversation before because I would have gone into my bossal historical moment there would have this luck in the playoff I’m thinking if anyone if any one team has ever had a run AB just raised it where everything team’s yeah you’re missing best player for at least a significant part of the series yeah we might have to deep dig deep into the archives for that because we might you know we might it might never it might never have been done it might never been not not every team like one team maybe two but not every round to something bro i’ be I’d be worried if I was M fans mate I’d be caught on wall he’s not going anywhere just from the arena to his house that’s to be his and Uncle Drew and Uncle Drew Drew too yeah yeah absolutely yeah absolutely but yeah I’m not doubting guys it’s it’s been easy for him don’t get me wrong I completely agree but when you Boston what what can you do you can only beat us in front of you so you have to Big up Jordan at this point though I hate the leprechaun so much they have to bring up and I know AB as a Sixers man don’t have no love for him NE but Jordan Jordan said at the beginning if you remember in our chat he is going to sweep everyone say they lost a game in round one he did yeah they lost did they lose one against the Cavs as well yeah yeah lost one against the Cavs yeah and they and they sweat and they swept the faces in the conference fins they’ve lost two games literally that’s one of the best runs to the Conference Finals but the reason why I will refuse to rate it now no hit involved is because of what AB just show big up to AB you can’t get no ratings from me if you beat Man without the without the Stars don’t mean don’t mean a thing without a ring though J does it that’s that’s that’s where we’re going it uh SO waiting for or the you know the Celtics are waiting the winner of the of the West uh and this one kind of went probably a bit sooner than what people thought uh we got Dallas Mavericks uh gentleman sweep of the apparently already anointed Minnesota Tim wols after beating the reigning Champs in the last round uh AB um did you were you surprised on how how quick this one was this one went out yeah no I was I was surprised I was surprised that the m that the Wolves went out in F especially as you mentioned you beat the rigning Champs I mean that should be your momentum to take you into that next series and be like listen we can actually go all the way here and obviously this is a franchise which hasn’t had a lot of hasn’t won a championship hasn’t really had a lot of play playoff success in in a lot of years and then obviously you’re you’re um baring in the confidence of your Rising super Anthony Edwards so you’re thinking they’re gonna take this momentum into the next series and really flourish but it didn’t really it didn’t really happen that way I mean you have to give credit to Carrie and Luke I mean you’ve heard all these commentators and pundits talk about this is might be the greatest offensive back call in NBA history I don’t know if I’ll go that far I don’t know if I’ll go that far we might have that conversation for another day but they’re definitely up there and they’ve definitely shown what they’re capable of doing and how much of a poent offensive Force both of them are I mean just in game one I mean they both dropped 30 uh um in in the close out game they both dropped 36 points game three they they both dropped 33 points I mean if you’re starting back court is combined for 60 to 70 points a game then yeah fres is onzy yeah fresh is on crazy but as for the series itself yeah I was really disappointed in the Tim balls man I thought that they would really ride the cocktails off that uh Denver Nuggets uh um Series win but they really struggled I mean car Anthony towns he just didn’t show up in certain games always in foul trouble his free ball wasn’t really going for him obviously sha and Ken and all those guys really criticizing for it but it’s just unfortunate to see that because you’ve got these two uh Duos in cat and Cat and Antman and obviously Carrie and Luca you want to see them class go head to head go bucket for bucket and stuff like that but it didn’t really happen that way and yeah it was just unfortunate and I feel like defensively as well I mean they just got cooked man when I every time I saw Luca give gold bear that get him on the island just give him every single and I’m looking at the S I’m say Chris fit why do you not switch these that you guys have to go harder around these screens you have to fight through these screens you cannot leave Rudy gold on the island with LC I don’t care how many defensive player of the years you have it’s barbecue chicken every single time yeah I feel like um schematically they definitely had things that they could have worked on an adjustment should have and could have been made in that series but at the end of the day Luca and Carrie that two man tandem man that’s a dangerous de right there man Bad Boys mate bad boys bad man absolutely philosopher I’m sure you I’m sure you have some thoughts on this one as well sir I’m upset are you I’m very upset okay because as much as I late Uncle Drew as you know I mean um respect Luca the dawn that’s why I call I wanted the Wolves to win not because of the B wag everybody hopped on simply because they he they dispatch the defending Champions they dispatching the defending Champions was more of a shocker to the world even though he wanted them to beat the Nuggets but I knew that the W still Ain really ready the Wolves is still ain’t really ready because even in the Nugget series they show Tendencies as to why they’re not ready you know what I mean and not just obviously you can’t stop Luka you can’t stop the Joker from getting his same way you can’t you can’t stop LCA from getting his and you definitely can’t stop Uncle Drew G yeah but you got to realize that you’re a star and it’s not cat man it’s a let me get that right now is anybody saying otherwise you you my bro AB but let me get that right now it might be McDaniels at this point man listen somebody cause you cannot be number one drive F Carl Anthony tones out of Kentucky NCAA champ I believe I think I think he won doesn’t matter he didn’t win bro he didn’t win no he didn’t win okay cool sorry that’s s right but he come that basketball program that put out so many top uh prodigies so many top prospects you number one are fit the team was literally yours the team has now progressed simply because it’s moved away from being yours yeah and the few Bright Lights throughout the whole season which shows that you seem to be content in being the robin you don’t have no will to actually want to prove to people hey I know he was a number one draft pick too I know he but he but this team was mine y’all give him the the keys but just show you that I still I am still that guy I no you I we cannot say that about cat and this series this man Series right here Gafford and a r Le second make cat look so soft he look like a [ __ ] cat yeah they P they PP goar as well man them two guys bullied them they bullied them they I get to I’m getting to the Frenchman I’m coming I’m sure that’s all right my coming to the Frenchman but you cannot be C at a loow these man to put you and it’s it’s not that you in full trouble because you you I think we’re all relatively nostalgic in terms of liking the the older version of the NBA and so on so you if you getting in full trouble because man coming at you and you know I mean you get caught blindsided or you actually defending up no you get stupid Foles yeah y’all saw I game three y y’all saw that game three the one they actually won s sorry game three or four game four no they won game three game three game three so where he giv them two stupid FS right before half time like I I I I I if I was if I was Chris Fitch he would not he would he would be called for the whole third quarter I would put he on isolate the Titanic let just sit on here sit no man you cannot be doing them things not in conf finals it’s the type of fouls is it Vos for it’s like it’s you know it’s it’s it’s all it’s down all the way down at the other end of the court and things Town Town turn he turned into his old self again in the series he had he had a really good series didn’t he he turned back to his previous self I think in this one at least for at least for three or four games in the Denver series and and and and coming to the Frenchman now you are not one two or even three you are the four time Defensive Player of the Year and you I don’t even mind if you getting torment by Luka every time you get because like AB said that don’t chrisit that don’t to Chris Finch you got to manage the switches make men fight because time McDaniels had either uh Luca or Kyrie he was actually making them work if you and and one of the reasons why I think Antman though he had a decent series wasn’t out loud was because he had so heavy of a workload with kyria Luca and who wouldn’t because I actually do think they are the most ENT back back court the league ever see you know I mean shout out to Kyrie and James Harden in Brooklyn Shout to Jes Harden and Chris Paul in Houston shout out to the Splash Brothers in in Golden State shout out to to Isaiah and Jo Dumar in Detroit shout out to Magic and baron Scott in La um I can keep going but none of them wasn’t Luca and Kyrie Irving like like on a real I would debate that with anybody and yes it don’t mean nothing but a ring a m can drop that in me fast it a’t mean nothing with ring but them boys serious and that’s one of the reasons why I think a know cuz he had to put it like Michael Jordan is my favorite and is the go I used to do it on both ends of the floor but has other worldly a man is Aunt man is what a threeyear player three years foure player you I mean he’s still got things to learn and this series also showed that and like the Denver series did you know I mean you’re G double team Mak throwing the double team at you and you really ain’t sure what to do out of the double team or how to work your players into it but then I go back to go and ending my my my discourse here by saying even if luuka mixing you up when he when you get when he gets you on an island you cannot be a most on on the Block you are a most man getting the block yes Luka passing some awesome D I think but they’re right in front of you and then finishing on top you defensive player year how are you the defense that’s not happening to embiid that’s not happening to the to Zeus that’s not happening to the Joker that’s not happening to ad that no minute finishing on you consistently like that all I don’t care no you have no excuse go here and that’s one of the reasons why the M put this series to bed put this series to bed and fast that man was up like what 40 in the in the clo come on game game five was embarrassing bro was it it was he got ugly like Luke could just come out first quarter and just just took the soul you’re just like I am taking this game and and all of your souls as well yeah all your soul like you’re dead you’re dead I don’t mind one but it’s whole it’s like you put like you say I I can’t get M you can’t get mad at go being cooked by Luca because everybody gets cooked by Luca it’s it’s the he he he got punked by Gafford and Lively mate them got them boys were having their way mate and they and they and they knew it too and Lely lely’s a rookie if I’m go bear I’m like Rook you better step back bro like I just he he just let him he let him do what wanted literally um you know they did a really good job Lively and Gafford that man they were swarming and M in the paint like at man couldn’t get in the payment because they were swarming him weren’t they soon as he got in there they were they were just on him and um you know and I like his attitude I like I love his mentality that okay now I got go back and work on this or don’t worry I coming back I coming back so he got to go and learn what what why what Denver and Dallas did to him yes to to nullify his effect 100 you know what I mean yeah yeah and this and this is what superstars do don’t they bro they go through stages you don’t just go straight to the top it’s like right okay you know you you you go out in the second round first round Conference Finals lose in the finals it’s like right what do I need to do now to go up another level and and I think like you say ant man’s kind of you know I think they’ve got further than a lot of people thought thought they were going to um you know if you’re a Timberwolves fan you’ve got be thinking we’ve had an unbelievable year um you know but uh yeah Dallas would just this was always the worry want it with Dallas if Kyrie just kind of gets on and just plays ball th this is what it could look like and it’s scary isin’t it if games are close down the stretch guys like they’ve got two guys who literally can get a bucket at will and that’s the worry is it and that’s what Boston are going to to gonna have to find out you know looking at this looking at this series guys you know Edwards did his thing he needed somebody else to kind of come with him and nobody could no way cat that’s way cat getting ass SM that’s way cat getting because NZ coming off the bench and being more effective than you yeah man they Let Nas Down man yeah NZ earned himself a lot of money mate I think going forward um you know I don’t think he’s out of contract this year but I think next year he might be yeah it was that game two as well man because that that’s yeah he hit seven threes in that game to 23 points that’s the game ant struggled I think he shot like five for 17 and you lose by one and yeah that that’s really a killer man really really a like you get it’s these fan margins these fan margins but like we we we applauded the temple wols last series for how amazing their defense was and and Luker and Kyrie just cooked him mate like almost like they were they weren’t that good on defense you know and the thing is they weren’t even bad because and you guys probably got all the stats in front of you so check their turnover rate wasn’t bad check the check you know I mean but but but check where the where the where the MS kill them is on the boards yeah and and some of a St L we seeing um recently but man you see the extra pass the M was running that kind of all Spurs basketball at one point they’re doubling ler in the middle of the court so it’s easy find them Corner guys you need to you got to trap him somewhere I mean how you sol L Trap him where it’s like what’ you do man I don’t know because he’s he’s that good he’s going to find the open guy he’s that great of a passer it’s just how would you solve this Luka is a luka is a cheat cord to solve to solve LCA I think you got to play Luca like a smaller version of the jok because you have to you’re not going to stop them from getting their including getting the ball to their players but then you go pressure their players which is why you mentioned the defense NZ Reed played particularly well so did Josh McDaniels obviously so so man we talking about on the defensive end of the floor but then we the rest we can’t really depend on M calling for defense even though he’s no SL Kyrie had with with with with all of them all of didn’t matter it was all of them no matter who it but it come down to them same two man we talking about on the Block which is way shot when when men talking somebody old school men got to stop with this think think mindset of oh they would have do this they would have do that I’m sorry you got to employ that mind mindset if I am Rudy go or Carl Anthony tones yall ain’t getting nothing down here nothing shoot that ball out there and then if they’re getting the free shots then I can blame the the antm’s and the Josh MD and the um and the mik Cory and them boys for not not you know I mean stepp into them men a little bit better putting a little bit more pressure whatsoever if the man putting playing pressure and the only man don’t he hustl is Nas Reed when he get up off the bench of course we can struggle cuz when Luka come through the middle and realize oh so you thought that cring me in the middle will solve the problem bang Corner extra pass elbow back to the corner money good good night thank you yeah St in it yeah but uh you know uh Ms are probably you know the surprise of the playoffs um I don’t know if we were too high on them when we coming into the playoffs guys um I don’t know if you want to correct me but I wasn’t I wasn’t too high on Ms coming in um but you know they made that they made that trade in the in the the deadline didn’t they they brought Gafford and PJ Washington in and it’s kind of turn their Fortune hasn’t it it’s been lovely yeah it’s been lovely because then that back court sorry no I was just gonna say I mean those trades of Gafford and I mean and PJ won they got them from Charlotte and Washington and the Wizards and they going straight to the finals Gaff Gafford was available for a pack of pickled onion Chris mate like it was like take him yeah you know like you said about n like you said about Nas Reed if you’re talking stock Gaff stock looking lovely too now 100% you know mean knows knows what to do knows what his role is and gets I think those those that collection of role players on the Block that Dallas now have is one of the reasons they could set free LCA and K J kid has to be loed for that as well yes I was just gonna come to that bro what do you think that they’re not the Stars they don’t need to be the stars but we going put in the muscle work down through here even even Gams like or back at guards like um Hardway junor and um and Swingman like Junior’s hardly got any minutes really in that series because they’re satisfied they’re satisfied now for the role for them big role man to take the ground work and kid rotating them yeah and just L Luca and Kyrie obliterate yeah I said this on the on the last show when I was uh alone in me in the broom Cup on my own uh you know Derek Jones Jr somebody who’s been around who nobody wanted and they’ve turned him for him now and you know turned himself into a half decent Corner three-point shooter the defense that he plays he’s turned himself into a really useful player on a team now who’s in the final so like you say people who probably other people other teams didn’t want oh he yeah remember he was you remember he was in Miami yes remember he was in Miami he was a good a good piece for Miami as well but I think and I don’t know might even notice a little bit better than me following contract situations and what not he had some issue with with monies and what what which is where his stock went down or whatever the case may be but that is a that was a lovely pick up yeah even just even just inserting him into the starting lineup because he wasn’t starting straight away as soon as put him into the lineup I think they went on like a 24-9 run and which was like the second best in the league obviously behind the Celtics and even in the postseason like him and PJ Washington like he’s shooting 46% in corner frees Derek Jones Jr so obviously if you can ride that going into the finals and then definitely Dallas will be a team to be feared man but yeah Derk Jones that’s perfect for a point guard like Luka exactly who who who will find that corner absolutely absolutely I mean I’m just looking at Jones’s teams man he’s had five or six teams like over the years so you know he’s been a bit of B of bit journeyman but now he’s found somewhere where he’s one valued and doing it doing a decent job so you know fair play to to the Mavs the Mavs front office as well for getting these guys they new they’re all happy with the roles they’re all happy with the roles on the team that they’ve got and they come in and they do the job and and it’s it’s coming up good for him at the moment so uh moving on you ask if we were high on the MS if you can remember what I said um I I wasn’t I know that M sorry no we we none of us I don’t think any of us were if you could correct me if if he was but I remember on the show I remember I saying that the Mavs are tricky to to call because if the Mavs get it right Mavs is one of them teams that if they get it right behind a player like ala then they could be a problem yeah yeah yeah absolutely absolutely um so uh coming along to uh moving on this obviously the finals is going to be Celtics and Mavs uh you know game one starting on Thursday night uh AB what’s what what what are your initial thoughts on the on on the finals matchups man and what uh can you give us a score prediction how you think maybe it’s going to turn out dude yeah I’ll do the prediction at the end but yeah in terms of like stylistically I think this is going to be a great finals man obviously you got Jaylen BR Tak back in the finals after two years out losing to the Warriors um trying to see if they can finally get over that hump because they’ve been knocking on the door man they’ve been in like what that six Conference Finals now second finals and yeah I think now is the time for them to really get done obviously in their second finals the first Finals you’re going up against a a team with so much history and Legacy in the Warriors obviously you can get a bit rattled and frazzled by that you’re looking at at the other side you seen Steph clay jaymon at the time three time NBA champions obviously Jason Tatum was what 24 24 in his first Finals and he was like the head hunch of the Celtics at the time so yeah you can understand why they got a bit frazzled and stuff like that losing I think it was in six at the end but yeah you’re going up against a maths team Luca is his first Finals in the NBA because we got to remember that boy was killing it in the Eur League that guy was for Real Madrid at 16 let’s not forget it’s still basketball it’s still basketball exactly at 16 so it’s still a lot of people say oh he first Finals he might be no Lucas that guy he have you seen them crowds in them Euro League games bro they are go play you gotta go play Michael B Hyer and Crow the crowd is worse than a football game because it’s Clos they are insane aren’t they insane mad mad so yeah you got the other side of Dallas obviously Jason kid he was in the finals with the Mavs in 2011 when they not when they managed to pull it off now he’s coaching beat that’s exactly so yeah krie irin back in the finals in what I think is his perfect role as a number two he’s probably one of the best ever man I mean you get him as a number two you know what he can do like the pressure is not on him but but when you need him in the clutch when the game’s on the landine you know you can give him the ball and he’s going to hit that big shot so yeah man’s got man’s got priers mate game seven finals I mean exactly got we’ seen it before haven’t we bro yeah do you what I mean exactly so yeah um as we mentioned earlier I don’t think the Celtics have played a team of this ilk in the playoffs I mean we spoke about that run to to the finals the fact that they haven’t played any well every team they’ve played their star players listen I’m not even sh I’m just being honest they haven’t played a team of nothing but facts nothing since you said it I’m backing you 100% bro take that into consideration and obviously you’ve got the health aspect of things porzingis is he gonna be ready uh apparently on Saturday he participated in light five on five play with his teammates but we don’t know obviously just thrust him into the lineup in the NBA finals against his former team and say listen go B out because you don’t know what’s going to happen in that situation but yeah so um Celtics gonna have to raise their game obviously there’s a lot of discourse online about Jason Tamm is he the best here on the team Jaylen Brown win winning uh uh Eastern Conference Finals MVP and all that kind of stuff so yeah we’re going to see how he elevates his game how the Mavericks if guys at PJ Washington Derek Jones Jr Daniel Gafford we mentioned they came from uh Charlotte and Washington and all those other teams like this is the NBA Finals now we seen them doing the Conference Finals we seen them do it against the rning Champions but with all that being said the the NBA Finals is a different Kettler fish right now so can they keep up that hot streak I mentioned earlier uh Derek Jones J shooting 46% from the corner PJ Washington shooting 40 41% from the corner when lcas swings in the Rock now in the finals are those shots going to be getting knocked down as well cuz it’s about the others as well cuz we know what Luca is going to do we know what kyry is going to do but obviously it’s a team Collective so those are the things that I’m going to be looking at from my Boston side of things obviously you’ve got the team we spoke about uh luuk and Carry’s offensive firep power but when you talk about matchups if there’s ever a team that can nullify that backward threat you have to say it has to be the Celtics you look at Drew holiday you look at Derek white all NBA Defenders you’ve got size and tatm and brown and you know the Celtics they love to switch They Don’t Really Leave the guys a one one so that switchability with Kon with brown with Drew because obviously Drew holiday is a undersized when you look at him guarding Luca so you have to look at that sort of defensive scheme and if there is a team to cause them trouble it would be the Celtics so with all that being said I think it’s going to be a really really good series and you look at obviously the Celtics bigs in I’m sorry the Mavs bigs in Gafford and Lely as well going up against old man Al he’s still trying to get his first championship age 405 so yeah how how is he gonna cope how’s he especially if there’s no porzingis it’s not the Celtics previously where you know they had like Robert Williams the third who was that athletic Bounty big they put next to hour at times when they went when they needed sze but they don’t have him anymore so yeah that’s going to be and obviously you don’t want Luke if they ever bring out Luke corette in the final so yeah that’s barbecue chicken man if you if Luka done that to go be what’s he going to do to Luke cornette so yeah those are the kind of things that I’m looking at um schematically when I’m looking at uh the matchup but yeah um what did you want me to give my predictions as well yeah man go for it mate all right cool so obviously with all that being said obviously you got stay with your chest man said it earlier I don’t really like the Celtics but I have to give cogent analysis with no bias B BR I just can’t I just can’t think about how I just can’t stop thinking about how Luca and Kyrie are really GNA dominate this series man I mean we spoke about earlier probably the biggest the best offensive back we’ve seen in NBA history I mean I don’t I don’t see how the Celtics stopped them despite the fact they’ve got these all defense have caliber Defenders but I just have to back the Mavs I think the Mavs get this done in six I think um Luca is the best player in this series when I look at the teams and I think based off experience Kyrie Kyrie’s the second best player in the series as well I think if you look at bory and right now how they’re playing I know Jason TS had a great series even though he didn’t win Eastern Conference MVP but he’s dropping like 36 and 10 30 point games and things like that but I can’t forget the fact that um there’s certain times where he really struggles that especially uh shooting from threee or even from Feld goals that some sometimes he gets two and things like that and Carrie Irving like sometimes him and Luka they alternate like Luka might go off 20 points in a quarter as we saw in the closeout game against the mouse Carri of second quarter you’re up he might hit three four threes and then gets them going and stuff like that he doesn’t really need the ball like that to get going so I don’t see how the Celtics stopped that um I feel like the size as well of obviously Gafford and Lively we’ve mentioned numerous times I feel like that’s really going to be a problem as well and obviously yeah I just I just think the maps uh get done in six I think they’ve got best player in the series I think they’ve got their second best player in the series and I don’t think that even though the Celtics defense is strong I don’t think they really they’ll have an answer for Luca with all due respect to Drew holiday so yeah I’m taking the Mavs in six Mavs in six nice a nice great analysis six bro uh theosophy over to you my friends so I’m G start where he ended I also got the Mes in six okay anybody could they could include my here in that don’t care don’t care I don’t not choing Boston bro to beat them believe that I don’t ever back the Celtics to win nothing listen the Los Angeles leers should have had Jason Tatum and Jaylen Brown let’s not even begin to remind me that we drafted Lonzo ball andul yeah and Brandon Ingram now the two years that that that Boston drafted Brown and then Tatum at both number threes we drafted I think it was Brandon Ingram we drafted Brandon Ingram and La some ball but no kilco so we could though all right cool but yes I have no love for the leprechauns and I actually think that so here’s here goes the objective side of me know Boston is the better team in this matchup in this matchup Boston is the better team Bost is the more balanced team like by far to like ain’t even close how balanced how more experienced Boston is over Dallas yes yes Luka got that Euro league experience and I don’t think anybody should take that for for granted when it comes to winning things but this the NBA Finals to to put my best Stephen a voice this the NBA finals this is the NBA finals this is this is where it’s mid hey Euro EUR Euro league players all want to play on this stage no matter how H style of an environment they’ve played in they every basketball player ever want to be in the NBA finals and in the NBA Finals Boston have the E experience Edge and as a team they’re more balanced than Dallas um where I think Boston I still remember what I said Mavs in six good this is where I think Mavs will have a problem I don’t think Mavs have an answer as much as Dallas as as as Boston don’t have an answer for Luca or Kyrie I dare say the MS have no answer for Jason T and Jay BR here they are two swing men it’s not like they either of them are out and out guard no matter how well they shoot the ball from behind the Y and from mid-range there are two swingmen there are two forwards at them so this is like having Mike and pip on D when they’re playing well when they’re playing well notice what he said so let me not be Blasphemous and include a Jordan and P reference you know I mean for two leprechauns but if if we think about it Jason Tatum is a six foot1 shooting guard really truly really truly and J J jayen Bron is 67 68 maybe you know what I mean another really and truly shooting guard and play four and three they play the par forward and the small forward yeah um they have the luxury of having two very good defensively minded guards in giru and Derek white so they can do that but Dallas going really have a problem with them two with them two young boys there because they’re two swingmen who can shoot the ball well so they’re going to draw out their matchups like the livelies and the gaffords and the PJ Washingtons and they can step past to which I think Boston need to do so joa need to tell Jason T to not depend on that outside shot like he tends to do so often from early even when he called as AB said he he he deciding he shooting he shooting bro you six for 10 Drive the people basketball if Jason Tatum does that they will have a se Dallas will have a serious problem because and here’s my first disagreement with AB yes Luca is the best player in this series I think that’s relatively Undisputed but Jason Tatum is the second best player in this series let me not get tired all due respect to my boy Uncle Drew NBA champion Kyrie Irving Jason tum is that guy don’t hey hey he is a monster don’t forget don’t not g moments and you trust him that’s the question no talent wise but do you trust T more than KY going into these finals no you you changed the question okay okay okay what I meant what I meant was cool what I meant was I trust Kyrie more to deliver than Jason T yeah yeah you have to trust yeah been there done that he been he K’s been to the m talk Cleveland have a ring because of Kyrie all due respect to Gloria James um son who know plays his trade in Los Angeles Cleveland has a ring because of a huge shot by Kyrie Irving yeah and he was no SLO in that finals either you see what I’m saying so yes we trust K more we you know trust Jason tum but let’s now enter all the narratives I don’t think think I think Boston will have a problem with Luca and Kyrie but not as much of a problem that the Wolves had because they got jeru and Derek white who if we objectively calling it correct will give the two of them more trouble than by far than the Wolves did than anyone yeah you see what I’m saying and then if they step past them just and jayen Bron can also defend so so like I said Bon a better a more balanced team period um it be surprised if you get if you get T Mo Brown guarding lcer at some point yeah I see I see that I see that because they’re bigger probably they’re gonna try put the size on him put the size on him put the wi remember the Clippers used to put Paul George on Luca when they played the playoffs those last couple series and that guy was that guy was but the problem the problem there is the problem there is in a in a in addition to putting the bigger guard on Luca you have to double him with a equally um um competent um defensive player so if the Clippers had Kawaii this is why the Clippers feel they miss Kawai so much if the Clippers had Kawai when they send Paul George for Luka and he Ste past Paul George he got to deal with the claw neck you see what I’m saying in in them defensive schemes and what’s not Boston can do that now between jeru I not even G include dere W because Derek W can get murder I personally feel like he could get no slou in his own right bro but exactly he can defend but he can get Slaughter he too small to guard LCA and he too slaugh to guard Kyrie so he can he can get Slaughter but they can employ between jeru Tatum and brown are schematics that deal with the double tandem of Luca and Kyrie um um what I had one more point that I wanted to I wanted to drop before before I finish my thing but but I I I it’s a it’s an exciting oh the narratives it’s an exciting series to watch because of all of the narratives porzingis a ex player ex Dallas player playing against him now Kyrie ex ex Boston player playing against you know jaru um won a ring with the Bucks Kyrie won a ring with the with the Cavs luc’s first NBA Finals um against tatm and brown return to the finals Al Horford still a win n Joe moula has brought the team that everybody said was tlor made for him that he couldn’t even get back to the finals that um what’s his name took to the finals now Joe’s got got um Jason kid who won with the mes as a player has now got the mes there as a coach it’s so there’s so many all the boys um that come from garbage teams that know have been critical pieces on the maps to get them to the finals to help them get to the finals there’s so many little stories and narratives that are wrong this finals that’s going to make this finals a beautiful beautiful thing to watch and I don’t think and as for porzingis porzingis them them youngsters Gafford and Lively them met porzingis miserable he’s hurt he coming back from an injury he not gonna be in form and he’s gonna struggle dealing with them Mavs boys and for that reason I think the MS win in six Derek W can deal with the guards por Zing struggle and and to to incorporate ab’s point if TM don’t do what he should T tum in particular because Bron has been relatively consistent this playoffs yeah um then bossing be in trouble wow yeah say yeah excellent analysis as always sir um yeah it’s it’s definitely going to be an interesting finals isn’t it um yeah uh I actually I’ve had a message from Jordan do you want to I can read his analysis for the finals it’s h short and sweet I think come on Jord he’s he says Celtics in six what he say what’s he say he says Celtics in six he says uh Tatum MVP um he says lucer injury I think will wors him with the intensity he will still be great he W able to reach the level that’s it’s a question mark you know Jordan for sure Luka looks like he’s having his knee drain before every game m to me um because he keeps having he keeps having them BL stains on his knees man that’s right Rich strengthens E’s point to this asteris run to the finals by the Boston Celtics lose time I’m losing my head man if if Luka if Luka loses time we’re going to dinner bro we’re going to dinner we’re going to I’m gonna call you I’m gonna call you and tell you bro it might be McDonald’s but I’m taking you to dinner bro because you cannot you cannot be that spot on every single round the Boston Celtics have had I’ve played against a team that has had their star player out for a significant among other games yeah Jordan also says something about Kyrie that I probably shouldn’t say on this podcast but safe to say he tells him he can go make love to himself or something yeah that’s way Kyrie prove it do it we’re gonna be burning sage you over the TD go M since he since he on the leprechaun guys he hasn’t won since so you know that’s true like 10 and0 or something oh and 10 sorry I think I think it might be 11 or something yeah is 10 it’s 10 so he’s he’s he’s gonna hear it he’s goingon to hear it from that Boston crowd is he that’s for sure he’s not going to get a hero’s welcome is he K I don’t think that goes without saying um uh for me guys I think you know I think those four are going to cancel each other out and it’s going to come down to the guys as the uh the TNT crew always say and I think I think Boston have uh more other players who can contribute than Dallas do so uh I’m I’m going against you guys man I’ve got I’ve got Celtics and six uh We’ve we’ve seen we’ve seen all Playoffs bro home court doesn’t mean anything because like team teams are going in and and uh not just winning but you know whipping Folks at home aren’t they away from home I’ve got a theory about that as well you know and y’all know y know y’all know I always harping on about this it’s the reason why the allar weekend is broken it’s the reason why the game is the defensive intensity needs to return to the NBA I don’t it’s the reason why we get 150 point games I the defensive intensity the lack of defensive intensity yeah is what because even now when teams play good defense it’s it comes as a surprise like oh the defense is so good and I’m like this was a norm this used to be a norm yeah now now it’s like unbelievable defending this used to be standard right so so now we walking to a to a gym to an arena playing away from home nobody Ain scared you know I mean nobody is scared if if if we leading if our team is away from home we leading by 20 when you got players in press conferences now say oh a 20o lead isn’t safe what AG day age it’s not mate but like it’s really not to the offense fine but I’m sorry if if I am at home I defending home court all but I don’t know man I think the three-point shooting as well is one is one of the things because you was mentioning uh um Adam when you when talk about the Celtics and Tatum fallly in love with the free well the Celtics in general falling in love with the free they don’t want to get to the p and you know uhra contract and like try to finish inside the paint remember the Celtics in the regular season I can’t remember who they play I think they played the box that game there was Zero free throws for both teams you know no one shot any free and to like of course it’s has be involved in that and that it’s just insane that I don’t know maybe because I don’t know mat te is Sixers and we live at the land with him n it’s not it’s it’s not that’s not why like free throws is crazy no free throws is no free throws is madness yeah in the NBA game Madness get to the line get all great players here get to the Lan especially especially if you don’t if you don’t and nothing is wor like for instance going back to a man and his struggles with the double team yeah get to the line he needs somebody like Mike or Kobe God Rest him that he gets that he’s being compared to all the time to tell him you don’t need a LeBron you don’t need a Jason ton because this is the man that does run from the line you need talk to embiid talk to Yiannis who struggles from the line but gets there if I struggling to with my with my uh field goal average all right cool I can dve this basketball because you got to follow me you got me talk to Kyrie get to the line I if my shot not falling I going to talk to Luka and going to the hall and you’ll be amazed to see but get to the free throw line sink in a few free throws then all of a sudden you’re get r in yeah we’re going aren’t we we’re off it’s going to be fun finding out guys a it so are you going to be watching game one jents live are you going to tune in are are we go did you just ask me if I’m going to be watching the the answer really bro I just just what let me let me boss for let me boss for a minute I’ve been privileged to live in different countries in my life thing I have never missed the NBA finals are you mad now NBA Finals I was sitting in front of the TV with my legs crossed in 1994 when they cut the NBA Finals to show OJ Simpson running running across the highway what you mean no and he’s dead and gone now God Rest him I hope he he sorted out his demons with with with with the man upstairs you know I mean but like on a real I don’t miss the finals and the the first Finals I can remember watching was 1988 1988 I must about four years old four or five years old but 98 1988 yeah um the first time the the Pistons I think the Pistons lost to to Magic lers my dad was a huge Magic Johnson fan huge magic joh them days obviously I like I I I am in awe of Michael Jordan mind playing above the ring blah blah just want to do that I mean but that’s the first one I can remember watching haven’t missed one since don’t plan to either I’ve seen the good the bad the ugly you poor absolutely so the boser will be watching I’m sure a will be watching I’ll be watching uh so uh to see us out then if you want to H as we as we leave you want to give yourself some self-promotion while you duck out bro yeah obviously I’ll be in tune to the finals looking forward man looking forward I just want it to start already I mean it’s been so many days with NBA basketball and all this I hate this time between like the conference fals and the NBA F because all narrative stuff and all that kind of I just want the basketball to do the talking like I love the talk shows and I love the analysis more but all the agenda stuff I know we had a little bit of agenda here but I just I just want final to start I I just want it to start so yeah come June 6 I’ll be locked in man I’ll be locked in for sure and yeah hopefully you get to see some good basketball being played and most importantly I don’t want no stars getting hurt man we talk about this ear I want everyone as full strength as possible and then whoever wins fair enough if if I’m wrong fair enough if I’m right fair enough but I just want everyone healthy and everyone ball out that’s all I want to see basically for real yeah man whoever wins wins yeah no excuses bro yeah absolutely mate absolutely pH loser give yourself some self-promotion bro while we before we duck out dude well you know you can find me BOS for5 uh check YouTube don’t worry we coming um or markor Maximus on Instagram and never never ever ever ever watch this podcast or listen to it before smashing that like or subscribe hey big up to AB as well you done no clutch the real clutch real clutch yeah yeah the real T always comes through in the clutch bro it’s true it’s true it’s true absolutely yeah thanks jent for coming on as always absolute pleasure having you guys uh so we’ll be back in a couple of weeks I’m Matt at postup 323 uh I will be dropping this uh podcast on Spotify and wherever you get your podcast you”ll be able to listen to it for your morning commute uh I’ll be doing some podcasts later on this week where I’ll be talking to some Dallas Maverick fans and some Boston Celtics fans before the finals so stay tuned for that guys uh they’ll be dropping in the next few days before the finals start uh we’ll be back in a couple of weeks where you know the finals will be well into it and we’ll talk about all the Talking Points so uh thanks very much for tuning in people uh we will take care and we will see you again very soon thanks very much [Music]

It’s that time of the year people, welcome to the NBA Finals. Join Matt and his guests as they discuss what happened in the Conference Finals and preview the NBA Finals.