Mark Jackson, Goals for the Core and NBA Title Hopefuls | Raptors Show Full Episode

Mark Jackson, Goals for the Core and NBA Title Hopefuls | Raptors Show Full Episode

Hello and welcome to the Raptor show on the sportset radio network brought to you by Campbell’s new chunky spicy soup it’s time to get fired up make sure you find the Raptor show wherever listen to podcast subscribe please R review the program I’m your host way blue joined

Once again by Phil and co-host amm how you doing man you all right doing well doing well thank you so much once again for letting me do this after yesterday I mean I got some good feedback but hey I mean it’s all about the bosses and uh of

Course you it’s called the Raptor show with William Lou I’m happy to be here yeah I never say the other part because I feel like it’s personally I feel like it’s tacky but you know it was it was forced upon me and uh you know I I

Suppose that is not bad for Branding uh I actually have an update to to pass along about Blake Murphy the uh co-host who has been away on vacation want to send our best wish is to Blake um he actually had an emergency appendectomy uh this morning uh he’s fine um he’s

Recovering been in contact with them he’s he’s doing well but just wanted to send our wishes to Blake if you you are missing Blake if you honestly just just send your love to Blake as well all right he’s he’s okay but still you never want to see something like that happen

To him so Blake probably will continue to miss a bit more time obviously understandably he’s going to be recovering but just wanted to send our love to Blake first and foremost yeah man I uh it’s also breaking news for myself too so that’s I I didn’t tell you

In the two hours we were prepared for the show I didn’t know that oh man I’m sorry I’m so sorry to hear that I mean damn I’m I’m hoping that you’re you’re good to go buddy that’s that’s really really fortunate um obviously just hope you’re you’re well and everything uh in

Blake’s own words this is uh this is his OG and an Obi before the 2019 Championship run moment are we going on a run here well I mean I hope I hope so maybe in a playin run rather than a than a championship run yeah I mean we were

Talking about the schedule down the stretch here for the Raptors uh it’s pretty tough it’s pretty tough how many wins they have I I don’t really I don’t know um I estimated 5 to seven yesterday without looking at the schedule that I looked at I’m like wow that actually

Could be accurate it could be 5 to seven uh in the last 20 games yeah well that’s what we’re going to talk about right Raptor’s got 20 games left including one tonight against the Suns we’ll preview that shortly um but last 20 games of the year that’s still a quarter of this

Season I still think that for a lot of the guys even though this is a l season for the team overall still always little things for individuals to play for so we’ll cover that but before we get there ah what was some of the feedback that

You heard that you got on on on on yesterday’s appearance uh just good you know my mom was watching it she said my mom was watching my dad was watching he said I looked very handsome my wife said that too she has to my parents don’t

Have to or maybe it’s the other way around actually but anyways yeah they said uh good stuff and uh nice to hear you doing stuff again after a long layoff of it and uh I was doing a lot of a lot of this if a control room can help

Me out a little bit a lot of smiles on my end I was very excited uh and uh it was just really fun to be doing things uh that I haven’t done in a long time but yes control room if you do have that photo that I sent over to you um it

Would be a great time to post it right now so will can also see it um our smiles were equal I was just as excited as he was in this very moment well perhaps it’s not ready that’s okay were you teing this up is that what was Happ

If I was and it’s it’s not available that’s okay um but anyways I was I was happy it was really cool to to do that and the feedback was cool everyone’s happy to see CJ again doing that doing that again with them a very different Dynamic just like doing it live versus

Our our podcast style you guys don’t even realize how many times we were doing that podcast and he was holding his son or this his son was around him while we were recording yeah were you holding your your kids while M are older it’s okay but Apparent from what he’s

Told me is that his his voice was very soothing for his son so it actually put him to sleep which sounds like a bad thing but at that age it’s it’s a good thing if you can just talk and get your son at that age to fall asleep and he

Was very small um Isaiah little Isaiah said over a Raptor’s Jersey for him nice yeah yeah that’s really nice of you I’m not sure if he wor or not but anyways yeah um fun times yeah you know I I have don’t have kids so I I don’t have this

Experience but the most similar experience I have was got quite a bit of feedback of people saying will we love listening to your reaction podcast while we go to sleep that is a so it’s like couples will even do this like you I guess if you’re playing it out loud on your phone

Or on your speaker or whatever yeah I guess everyone’s subjected to me giving the Gerald Henderson award as people fall asleep or do other things in the bedroom but in any case that’s that’s the closest that’s other closest other comparison and I’ve actually heard it a remarkable amount of times people love

Falling asleep to the Pod so if you’re one of them let me know I guess it depends though like after that Laker game um where you know the referees eh great oh yeah after that one the 23 to1 free throw disparity in the fourth quarter I listened to that one too I was

Walking uh back from dropping off my kids and I was walking somewhere and I was like wow like Will’s really heated like I didn’t blame you I mean that was a terrible game um but that was like the most passionate I’ve passionate I’ve heard you in a little while on those

Podcasts yeah I I I also get the other kind of feedback which was like you know it’s it’s pretty emotive and number one my thing is it’s called the reaction podcast for reason that’s genuinely how I feel in those moments and also I think this is something I’m learning myself

But you you have to make space for difficult emotions and you work through them and then afterwards you talk it out and you feel a little bit better but in any case speaking of difficult emotions the 20 games left for the thr Raptors this season and I thought we could just

Go through each player and you’ll hit me with one goal for the rest of the year for these 20 games and of course we’ve talked these guys you know every single day but that’s also the what we do on the show it’s the Raptor show after all

We will have other guests bya way coming up Mark Stein will be joining us some somewhere in Europe by the way he normally we would get markstein on Wednesdays but he messaged me and he was like well can we reschedule this week um I’m busy Wednesday and I looked at the

Schedule and I was like oh yeah City’s playing Copenhagen in uh Champions League so he’s actually was not available to hard or hardly working there in that exact 3 P.M period which is I believe when the kickoff was so we actually delayed it to today uh so that

We can get Mark Stein up we got Mark Jackson coming on the program very exciting about that Mr hand down man down I can’t wait to ask him about M there goes that man yeah you know what let’s do that now before we before we get him on later no but seriously talk

About um his new media Venture and also just uh honestly he’s he’s got a illustrious career he’s one up against Jordan one up against Kobe one against Shaq one up against um what am I missing here like he uh he was a raptor obviously in his final season I think it’s it’s

Amazing that he averaged like 8.5 points 9.2 assists at 35 years old in his final season um with the with the Raptors one season he was 35 years old though like he was still very productive someone who can read the game in that way um they’re

Always a great person to speak with also just um his herbage his lingo it’s it’s amazing so I’m sure his podcast is also great I watched a little bit of it yesterday um I like it yeah no some some stories there and then of course we’re

Going to get to Steve Jones Jr and talk about honestly I’m not actually sure what you guys wanted to talk about but that was one of your requests obviously it’s one of the favorites of the program and I’m sure you guys will get up to the

Ex’s and O and then nuts and bolts but right now the Raptors last 20 games of the season one goal for each player let’s start with Emanuel quickly what’s his goal for the last 20 games here so in a nutshell more pullup three and drives so right now um over his past 12

Games he’s averaging 4.3 pullup threes per game and he’s shooting 44.2% pretty good that’s a great great number but my challenge to him is like make it more Leo donic over that time he averages 8.3 that’s the best in the NBA he’s around 37% but that’s my the potential that I

See with IQ is that he can get into that realm of conversation of like 8 to 7 threes and I think he should challenge himself to to do that yesterday we talked about a little bit of how he’s hunting his shot and I love that but you

Know when teams go under on screens like he’s got to be able to read that and also get the shots up and it’s just going to like strengthen his game it’s going to make the Raptors like so much more lethal when they’re able to space

Out the court in that way and then his drives um I mean we’ve talked about it we’ve all talked about it man like his drives getting to the baskets finishing at The Rim it’s been a bit of a weak point it’s been better recently um but I

Mean last game against the Pelicans not a great game for everyone but he had a play where he’s coming up a dribble handoff with Kelly o lenck he uh he rejects it and then he drives to the basket and um and it’s stuff like that that I want

To see him doing more of and getting more creative finishing around the basket with the different options different versatility Scoops overhands his floater want to see that pop too so that’s kind of a it in a nutshell but I mean like looking at the numbers like

He’s done a really good job like he’s he’s consistently like elevated his game through Road his time with the Raptors and uh I’m excited to see like what he has in store here because again a great opportunity for him great opportunity for everyone yeah uh most games are

Going to have to come down to IQ yeah and quickly and and RJ and RJ’s the next player we’ll get to too but I I do appreciate the Asian parenting coming out being like you know you know who justs a lot of pullup threes Luca so you should be held against Luca’s standard

It’s it’s great it’s it’s you’re next to a neighbor who has a 99 average and their proficiency I’m also Asian I know what it’s like that’s what I said that’s why I said immigrant parent baby I’m like I know where this is coming from I I agree with you look overall just the

The aggressiveness I think for quickly this is obviously a huge impact because um he’s this slight for a Payday coming at the End season big payday and how big that payday is is is kind of dependent on him and how he performs in this time maybe not necessarily leading the team

To as many wins cuz again we we recognize how difficult the current situation is but for quickly um yeah it’s pretty important you know it’s it’s yeah it’s let’s say he finished the season really hot I think he could probably push it closer to 30 per year

But right now I think it’s between 25 and 30 we talked about this a few times RJ his contract’s already locked in guaranteed his money is there um playing for your finances that’s crazy honestly that’s what we do every single day without even even knowing it uh RJ what

What’s your goal for his last 20 games and less turnovers more assists so he was doing pretty well with that um since uh he became a raptor but I think over the past two games where there’s increased attention he’s becoming more of the focal point of the offense as

Scotty’s out and so forth he has eight turnovers and six assists now uh RJ I think like even Darko mentioned it too that he is a point guard playing the wing and I respect that like he grew up playing a point guard he was playing

Point guard at at Duke he hasn’t had the a lot of those reps necessarily with the Knicks and with the Raptors but he has those instincts right that’s part of his of who he is and he great dribbler um obviously I love when he gets downhill

But I think being able to make those reads especially in transition he gets himself in trouble sometimes where he’s just kind of like bulldozing through and I love that aspect of him that he’s he believes he can get through some of these these small crevices in the

Defense he does get through he does but then sometimes he he doesn’t and then it becomes a turnover it’s live ball turnover and all of a sudden it’s a a basket for the other team um and no different than in the half court 2 is that are you able to recogn that second

Level of defense do you know where the help’s coming because when he makes some of those spins like that’s where the help Defender is coming at the nail and he passes out and it’s a turnover so like we’re kind of nitpicking a little bit because he’s been very very good I

Hear you since he became a raptor but this is like as dark was mentioned too like he sees so much potential in and RJ and these are ways in which he can kind of get tap into that yeah I think the context here really matters because you’re mentioning the last few games

When Scotty’s been out there’s more defensive attention because overall since being coming inter Raptor his turnovers are not high he 2.2 a game um his career average is 2.1 so it’s exactly in line in fact he’s actually increased his assists although I think the Raptor also playing a more pass

Heavy system regardless overall he’s done a good job but as you mentioned it’s the attention to detail I think last game he had two driving turnovers were well yeah I mean most of his turnovers are off drives to be honest and he does play in a crowd right so he

Draws a crowd I think he is looking to pass um when obviously the double team comes to him it’s just about recognizing those making the right passes out and again a lot of it is going to come down to RJ my personal thing for RJ is just get that free throw back

It’s it’s absurd that he’s shooting like 50% from three or from throw and he’s also shooting like 40% from three it just doesn’t really quite make sense for me but ultimately those are the two guys that going to have to perform night in and night out they probably have to go

For like honestly close to 60 most nights for the Raptors to get enough offense um by the way they’re playing the sun tonight so uh that’s going to be difficult we’ll get to that in a second they will put 60 up yeah good question another young starter that we’re we’re

Keeping tabes on right now Gary Trent Jr uh unrestricted frent at the end of the season picked up his player option this year to remain with the Raptors has been a starter has also come off the bench now he’s a starter and I think he will remain a starter because of all the

Injuries what is the goal for Gary Trent Jr last 20 games well first on that like I want to get your take on this because uh it seems like Darko is putting him as the the defender on a lot of point guards so he’s the one who’s getting

Skinny around screens who has a lot of the screen navigation UH responsibilities on on defense and you would think that sometimes you know maybe that would go to IQ but he’s giving Gary those reps why do you think that is I think that’s a make or break

Skill for Gary I mean he’s got to have a secondary skill in addition to the three-point shooting um whether that’s a secondary skill like passing whether that’s a secondary skill like drawing fouls or uh getting his own offense more often I mean he can to some degree but

Not to an efficient way like so you can’t necessarily play him like a six-man um and I think the easiest path is for him to get back to where he has shown for flashes defensively I mean we’ve seen it for for months at a time even in the bubble I thought he was

Really prominent defensively but it’s always little moments I think has to be a consistent part of his game so yeah I mean I see you written here defense as well so I mean I think for Gary there’s a chance whether that’s with the Raptors or going for or going forward in a

Different team yeah um where he establishes himself as a really premium 3 and D guy because he really does have a really high catch and shoot three-point percentage um he plays well off of other players it’s just you need that secondary skill especially if you’re going to be a starter and it has

To be consistent and for him if he can establish that defensively that’s how he can carve a role for himself going for with the Raptors or the different team and to be a starter too like if you want to be a starter in the NBA you need

Those two skills as you mentioned and that’s the thing that’s kind of holding him back from being solidified as this is a starting shooting guard in the league and uh he has great hands like he has some of those heavy hands that you you’ve mentioned before with you know

Fred Van B Kyle Lowry and so forth he has that and also you know his feet can move pretty well but he has to like commit himself to being like a bit frantic in that sense and like being like a little bit choppy with them getting around screens and just staying

Uh in front of Defenders um or offensive players I think that’s where he has to kind of lean into a little bit and also I mean you mentioned the the shot frequency around the rim I would love to see that kind of get back to at least

Where it was last season because right now he’s down like 4% and 2% in shoot shots from the rim and also from short mid-range and also um in terms of efficiency it’s down 5% from both locations so um I don’t see why it has to be like that you know raptors have

Gone through like four different phases of their season I think he could definitely get back to doing more of that kind of stuff um his step backs in the short mid-range getting to the basket off Cuts working off of Kelly I think that’s in the realm of possibility

For him he just has to commit himself and also recognize the defense right they’re going to want to take away a shot right and they want to keep the pain open so there’s going to be back door opportunities for him to get to the basket and hopefully he finishes and

Makes layups it’d be great if he made transition LS in particular I think that’s a big sticking point but I also think that there’s something you can learn from Grady in that sense which usually would sa for a rookie but um you know I think Gary’s off ball movement

Especially compared to Grady on the same team um there is a gap there for Grady what do you want to see from Grady last 20 games damn man just get the shots up there’s more shots shot shot do you want him to like not not to say Chuck up

Shots but like do you want him to like take every single shot the ball comes to him yeah I think like what’s unique about him is that he kind of has a he has a really good idea of what the shots he shouldn’t shouldn’t take uh there are

A couple of shots he’s taken over the past few games where I’m just like whoa that’s a that was a quick trigger but he made a couple of them missed a couple of them he’s very aware of what he’s able to do and so right now he’s over the

Past like 12 games or so he’s at 7.6 shots per game 4.4 of those are threes um I would love to see that get to more round 10 shots per game and that’s more of like a Darko thing because like you said yesterday um he’s kind of like a

System of the offense that he has in front of him he’s running off a lot of screens and they got to incorporate him into the office so he has these opportunities to be the kind of player that we’re talking about and to get these shots up and to you know

Compromise defenses make some of the passes and the reads that we’re hoping he’s able to make at some point in the NBA so I think that would be a a great step for him and also for the Raptors as well and for some reason I I just feel

Like I want to see him take five charges that’s like a a number a weird number cuz I I want to see him be able to make those defensive uh Instinct instinctual decisions right when being able to stunt recover um knowing where you know his feet got to be he’s planting himself

He’s uh well positioned um he’s not moving on the on the charge draw like stuff like that I think is really going to be helpful for for him as he carves out where he’s going to be effective defensively yeah everybody’s got to have a calling card defensively especially

When you’re honestly a weaker Defender and so you’re seeing a little bit of that with quickly right now sing from behind poking the ball away for Grady taking charges being a human crash test dummy I mean he already does le the team in charges so hopefully he does more of

That going forward which is a problem in itself too is that he shouldn’t lead the team charges I want I want gry to focus on taking the right shots and I want him to finish above 40% from three on this season that would be a really really

Good Mark as a rookie I believe he’s like 37 38% right now you can check that while we pivot to oai abaji so oai the last 20 games here I think number one for me wanted to get back into the lineup and stay healthy um because I

This is a huge time for him um rookie extension eligible after the end of this year but I I kind of doubt that that’s going to happen right away I think he’s got to show number one does he have the ability to be a starter weirdly enough

His his goal right now not to say that it’s you know he’s he’s going out there nefariously trying to take Gary’s starting position but can he show enough offensively to take you know a stab at that starting spot for next year because it’s a question as to whether Gary is

Retained or not Y and for ochai if he can be he’s closer to that three and D on the defensive end I think he’s kind of mostly there but I think on the three-point end Gary is clearly a much more reliable and much more high efficiency shooter than oai is so how

Much more can oai find his comfortable in this offense he does have an ability to cut and he has he’s more athletic than Gary but at the same time there’s a pretty substantial offensive gap between those two so I think it’s for oai showcasing more of that offense to go

Along with his defense because there is a potential for him to be a starting level player but he needs to make a couple more steps in his game and that’s what the last 20 games should be for him you look up GR shooting yeah 37.2 yeah

From get to 40 you’re right you’re right there yeah if anything it’s just more of him doing the exact same thing that he’s been doing since the since uh 2024 began is that he’s just shooting at a pretty high clip he’s shooting very well um so I think it’s

Possible go yeah um on o it’s funny that we’re talking like Gary and O but uh it’s like the opposite things we’re expecting for them we want Gary to improve a little bit on defense we’re looking for o to show he can do a little bit more on offense and uh The Cutting

Points I I mentioned that too is that I I want to see more of that um he had a couple of really nice Cuts in that Charlotte game and like while he did take 20 shots you look at it like a little bit you know more in- depth and

There’s probably maybe four shots that you’re like H maybe didn’t have to take that but a lot of these shots were open a lot of them were off cuts and I think that’s again that’s something that going to make him stand out um although he is a great Corner three-point shooter above

The break not so good yeah um and I think that’s an area where if he wants to like I’m picturing scenarios where like Scotty Barnes next season like he’s posting up on the on the Block he’s on the weak side and like can o lift from the the

Corner and be able to make some of those um shots from around the wing like that’s a a different spot it’s further away um he struggled with that location throughout his entire career so far especially with the Utah Jazz with the Toronto Raptors but he’s been Corner uh

A corner three-point shooter a very effective the whole time that’s good but can you you know make yourself more versatile across the three-point line Beyond The Arc I think that’s another big step for him and like I mean the starting lineup for next season um it’s

A topic yesterday and I want to talk to Steve Jones about that too and like what is the best way to uh nurture Scotty Barnes now like is are we still talking about you know him being this like versatile guy or do we start honing in on what his position should very well

Very well be and when we do that you know then you got to look at who is the best person to be at the two guard or is it RJ or maybe like as I mentioned yesterday is it more of a three and D guy that you want at the small forward

Spot you want more SI like these are things that they got to figure out but if for o if he’s able to you know really tap into his three-point shot across the board um then his defense is even more valuable yeah um War Jordan wara I

Think so for me for Jordan War the last 20 games number one you got to Showcase are you worthy of like a two threeyear long-term kind of contract right because he’s unrestricted this is already his uh third team and I think for him you can see the talent it’s pretty obvious you

Know 6 fo8 decent athleticism can shoot the three at a high clip um you know can even handle a little bit but where is the consistency going to come from and why has he not cracked the rotation it’s kind of a make or break time for him and

Especially if the Raptors continue to miss more time here with certain other veterans you know sitting out parts of the Season which we might continue to see down the stretch there will be opportunities for him and I think for war like we’ve seen the high highs right

That Atlanta game was awesome to see from War I would just like to see something more consistent especially on the defensive end um that can get there but um do you have anything quick to say about war that’s kind of it man I’m just don’t let that be thing happen again no

More Ring Around the Rosie that wasn’t good bro that was that was a tough one I mean listen Ingram Ingram he he’s a tough guard what can you say yeah um for the veterans the two vets on the team that are in the rotation at least Kelly

Al already got his extension so we know he’s going to be here Bruce Brown we’ll see if he’s going to be here the rest of the season uh anything on those two vets established players already in this league right so yeah yeah and for Bruce

Brown like I mean it’s a hard thing to figure out because uh he’s had a a rough time with the Toronto Raptors hasn’t been exactly what we were probably expecting and we don’t know how long he’s going to be here um just be an effective player in his role with the

With the Raptors turnovers I’ve been a little bit uh a little bit crazy at times while he’s been on the floor he’s not healthy right now I don’t think he’s playing tonight either um so just I don’t know fill your role and uh be a contributing member of the rotation it’s

Kind of like a it’s very vague it’s uh think I don’t want him to do too much that’s kind of where I’m at too but I think he wants to do more what what is the need the contract is is there for you already maybe you’re going to be

Here maybe you’re not going to be here yeah there’s obviously going to be an effort to try to move him once again yeah I think his value in this league he’s already showcased it with the the championship run that he made now I think the only concern that you would

Have on this is not just necessarily that he’s not playing well at the RS I think for a lot of teams that we looking at can that player still be that player after playing with yic mhm you know like I I think this is not a fair comparison

But like Will Barton for example we got Will Barton in Toronto and I think the difference in terms of like what he showed in Denver versus what he showed in Toronto or even what he showed in Washington before he got to Toronto sure very very different so I think for Bruce

I don’t think it’s necessarily he’s only affected because of jic but right now he’s kind of cutting his own legs off right now yeah by making some mistakes of being too too aggressive so just like settle in or just like not don’t overdo it you know what I mean I think there’s

Good moments where have it for some of the younger I forgot about Chris bu in these vets too I’m sorry I guess he wasn’t in the rotation but if if you got a if you got a if you got a goal for Chris in the last 20 games here real

Quickly what do you got um get the road team crowds chanting we want bu you want the road team crowd I want it to be every single every single game I mean hey I mean like again you want a League wide protest on dark rakovich to play Chris bue I just want

To see him on the floor yeah well you know I want to see him on the floor that’ll be interesting I mean I wish we had talked to Chris or Darko about this while they were in Toronto unfortunately they’re on this road trip for the next

Two weeks or week plus so it a little more difficult but hopefully we get some answers on this um especially from some of the reporters on the beat uh real quickly jonte Porter uh Javon Freeman Liberty DJ carton muhammadu gay one real quick thing on all four of those guys before

We pivot to tonight’s game yeah we’ll keep it real quick um three deflections per game would be nice from jonte Porter um okay right now Kelly’s around there too and uh again active hands is what Darko loves he loves those active hands there’s a sound bite somewhere that is

Absolutely hilarious hands I love hands exactly right we all love hands that’s it’s a good thing for us to to have especially as all love hands especially as a a low man right and who working in pick and roll like having good hands is going to be important for him if he’s

Going to be undersized in some of these matchups coming up Yousef nurkic is 290 pounds right that’s going to be a problem for them um he had 30 rebounds very recently so that’s something he’s going to have to probably figure out uh JF I would love to see him just

Establish himself as a rotation piece and if he’s able to do that um 8 to 10 points per game I think he’s extremely talented I love like he’s got a a very smooth game um it seems like everything’s so natural and fluid for him um I I I love everything about him

Um in terms of as a prospect and I think he’s going to be able to be rotation piece next season if they really want it to be but um we’ll have to see how that goes and for DJ and Mohammed D just I mean force yourself into the rotation

Like yeah there’s a lot of players we’re talking about who want to get some some playing time and uh as we talked about yesterday it’s one thing for us to say you know we want to win games but another thing for maybe the the front

Office to be like we got to see these guys right if they’re trying to win games force yourself into that top nine or 10 yeah this you know the closest thing that we had to this was Tampa when the Raptors played in Tampa and um first

Off that’s dark second of all um the guys who got contracts out of Tampa who are in these exact situations where javon’s in now DJ’s in now mohammadu is in now jont Tas and now guys like Utah watame who played the right way even though they weren’t winning even though

They weren’t uh that competitive um they still played the right way even when they were losing and I think that that it wasn’t like UT was putting up crazy numbers but that’s actually what ultimately got him that deal going forward and he’s still in the league now

Three years later so I think for these guys those last 20 games it’s more important for these guys almost more than the other guys may mentioned but those are kind of things to watch out for the last 20 for these players in terms of tonight what to watch for

Tonight time now for between the lines brought to you by B Rivers take a chance the line tonight is Raptors plus 10 and a half oh my God uh over under 233 and a half it’s uh yeah it’s it’s uh it’s it’s it’s not great these days but I also

Think that that’s pretty reflective of the fact that the Raptors are Shand and in some significant spots Scotty Barnes uh out was you know with the recovering surgery on his hand yaka prle same deal um yeah on the flip side there’s no Deon Booker for the Suns so a bit of relief

On that front um is back though Bradley Beal is back although honestly you know watch I don’t know Bradley be has killed the Raptor so I’m not going to over over uh you know overstate any of these things they still Kevin Durant still got YF nerk grabbing 30 rebounds a game it

Feels like um who do you like in here who do I like yeah do I’m getting I’m getting a feeling uh similar to the before that Pelicans game right now really maybe not that bad but I don’t know if it’s going to be that bad man no

Well I hope not I mean after what happened in that Pelicans game and everything that we we talked about yesterday energy effort Focus all that stuff I’m hoping that that’s not what we see but it’s going to be very difficult for them to keep up with the offense of

Uh the Suns and if they’re able to keep it competitive if they’re able to come out show effort um limit the unforced turnovers especi on both ends really um I think that’s going to be a good sign for them IQ RJ this is a great moment for them too like the

The point of attack defense on on the sun side has been a little bit of a problem and they’re a little bit leaky at times like they they like to go with Kevin Durant at the five I mean it has 233 points yeah get him up so he’s

Saying the over all right well yeah the over bro unfortunately it’s a big line but I still think that the Suns will take this um suns have been I mean they just came off a nice win in overtime against uh the raining Champions the de nuggets so yeah that’s between the lines

Brought to Rivers take a chance I know the Raptor season is in a bad spot when I’m not picking the Ws that often now because uh that was your staple too that was my thing but we’re gonna take a break I’ve been your host will you’ve

Been listening to the rap show and the sports on radio network brought to you by Campbell’s new chunky suit when we come back let’s bring in Mark Stein joining us once again on the line Mr Mark Stein Mark where in the world are you right now currently you’re not going to believe

This tale I’m about to tell you go ahead go ahead I am so I so I am in the Manchester suburb of Charlton okay I’m having having dinner with a close friend who’s uh covered basketball he’s like Britain’s longest serving basketball writer his name’s Ian widle with his son

Tommy his partner Arianne and they were having dinner and they took me to a place called brusi that serves their specialty is poutine wow not making this up okay so I’m eating I’m I’m eating at a Canadian themed restaurant oh in a Manchester suburb and just sneaked away to

Talk to you guys yeah I’m not surprised you’re having chips in in in Manchester but I am a little surprised that it’s Putin that style but uh I am too I I did I did not I did not see that coming in all fairness so Mark I I hope you don’t

Mind me saying or revealing your your whereabouts I’m I’m quite sure you’ve been pretty proud of it but I’m if I have this correctly you were at the edad Stadium uh over the weekend to watch the Derby between uh obviously City versus United Phil foden with a double incredible incredible goals by Phil

Foden and also Marcus rashford and that one you guys coming back to win 3-1 congratulations you know blah blah blah uh Copenhagen you were in Copenhagen for another 3-1 victory in Champions League yesterday that was at home last night that was at home that was here as well

So also home those are okay that was I’ve seen those two games and then I actually went to show you what did the kids say now you’re a sicko right yeah is the term on on Tuesday night I went to Boundary Park Olden to watch a non- league game that’s the fifth division

Wow and then on Saturday because City play at Liverpool on Sunday on Saturday I’m going to Port Vale in the third division because that’s in the Stoke area and it’s a ground I’ve not I’ve been to about I’ve been to something like 40 40 to 50 Stadium I actually have

A list at home I don’t have it on me but I am like I told you I have major issues no I’ve never been to Port Vil so I’ve been I’ve been set up to go to a third division game Saturday and then this is going to disappoint you you’re not going

Because I’m I I I can’t get a ticket in my I’ve I’ve been coming here almost 30 years I’ve been making trips over here for almost 30 years I never encountered a tougher ticket in my life than City at Liverpool on Sunday yeah press guys can’t press guys I know can’t get in

Really and the like I I’m I’m absolutely blessed I’m going to do another shout out I’m absolutely blessed I have these friends who’ve been going to games since the 60s uhuh Barry Gates Allan Martin DOD I’m just giving them a shout out because I love them that much and so

They’re always able to get me tickets every time there’s a tough spot or a small allocation I’ve been here they always find a way like when Phil foden Phil foden made his senior debut for City at Oxford United in the League Cup a tiny Stadium they got me in they got

Me a ticket for that one but for for this game on Sunday I and I can’t like I said I cannot complain because I’m the most spoiled American ever when it comes to coming over here to watch game but I I there is no way I can get a ticket

Mark I gotta say that is uh it’s it’s everyone wants to see Jurgen versus pep for the last time and well actually I guess potentially the last time there might be other meetings but I if I’m not mistaken but um in any case yeah it’s it’s definitely the place to be and I

Understand why it would be difficult to get tickets but I mean you are having I mean I thought I was a sickle for watching like uh Europa League on one other screen here while doing the show as Liverpool is cruising to a win right now over Sparta Prague but um no you’re

You’re a true sickle going to some of these non- League games but you know listen man I was exp I was exposed to it when I was so young and literally the first 15 years that I followed English football I wasn’t you know I wasn’t able

To see it in person so I just built it up into my head right to be it’s this magical thing and so I was I think I was 25 or 26 when I finally got to come here uhuh and you know this is you know in

The the my first trip here City had just been relegated so city was in the second division at the time and they were just the people here were shocked they were like you’re coming here on your holiday to watch Manchester City are you insane like they just the locals couldn’t

Believe it for I mean now it’s so different you is a worldwide phenomenon but you’re not one of these bandwagon fans from all over the world no I mean you know like I said I’ve been com I’ve been coming to this part of the world for almost 30 years I am yeah I

Think you guys can probably hear it in my voice I am I’m I’m kidy when I’m here I can I get I fit into the I fit into the culture it’s just it’s just foot and and that’s thing when you wake up on a Saturday here just even if your team’s

Not playing like just the the anticipation for soccer is I don’t think there’s anything like it where you guys live or where I live no you I’m uh I’m I’m so jealous but I’m also so happy for you because you know we’re talking to a

Man all right because a lot of City fans right now they get a bad rap you know like okay you hopped on the bandwagon pep came there you guys won everything got a lot of money and all that kind of stuff but we’re talking to a man who

Probably seen Holland’s dad all right play for City not just not just erling no question my my third my third trip my third trip here city were in the third tier yeah that’s and that was the year that that was the year that uh that was

The year that United won the treble so it was a uh it was a long ride to where it is now believe me I did not just as I did not anticipate interrupting a poutine dinner to speak to you guys I didn’t uh I didn’t exactly see this

Coming in in the year 2000 so can you you be the person to ask about this what’s the story behind Joe moula and Pep Guardiola exchanging kits Missoula if this he is just he I don’t know how he picked City I haven’t had the chance to ask

Him I’m going to when I but okay and look maybe he is maybe it’s recent but from what I heard he follows every kick of the ball now and so it was Allstar break and he arranged to come here and you know couldn’t wait to to huddle with

Pep and you know again based on everything I’ve been told he is pretty closely following everything that city does and you know pepep you know they they had a they had a full-on strategy session and talk tactics and yeah so no I I I don’t think it it was more than it

Was more than just you know let’s swap jerseys gotcha got you Amed I’m we’re gonna stop talking soccer for a second it’s okay you can get into some basketball question no it’s all good I mean I I I I like seeing people happy right and Mark Stein is clearly

Absolutely giddy as you said um where where he is how is the poutine though is it good the poutine was not bad I am probably not a poutine expert um you know come to we were we were talking about food last time I have there’s tons

Of food in Toronto that I love but I can’t say that I’m a huge a huge poutine connoisseur so I’m probably not the best judge but honestly I wanted to help I wanted to see this is also I mean this is basketball but the NHL trade deadline

Which I’m sure you guys know is tomorrow the day off tomorrow buddy exactly we’re shutting down it’s a national holiday here in Canada I’m fascinated by this like and I I I finally wrote a piece about it this week like the NHL season starts two weeks before the NBA’s but

The trade deadline is a month later why why it is a bit strange I hear you I hear you but yeah I I actually never really thought about it that way it makes that stretch drive after the trade deadline a lot harder because with the

NBA one um you have a lot more time to integrate the players and get yourself ready for the postseason but with this one it’s like you’re ready to go and you just got to get in there and uh hopefully that the next pieces um are the ones that help you win a

Championship sh or whatever the case is yeah Mark I’m going to give you one one theory about this cuz the NBA moved their trade deadline a little bit later they only moved it up but they only moved it up a week it’s not like I mean

You know it’s not like they move moved it up several weeks like yeah you know again every March when I see that it’s the NHL trade deadline this thing just fascinates me that you know anybody who’s traded tomorrow with the buzzer I mean they basically get four or five

Weeks with their new team and then the playoffs hit so this week I actually did a piece and I actually asked asked a few hockey expert friends of mine like give me your theories why is it like this because it just seems so late to me yeah

Yeah you know what that’s I I will ask I will ask Nick hos who will be sitting in the seat afterwards he is a former leaf and also does you guys are off tomorrow because the trade deadline is such a big deal that they’re basically saying there

Could there could be no Raptors there could be no Raptors or football or poutin talk they have to F I mean there could be Pou talk to be fair the Raptors are like 28 not or 30 games under 500 I don’t even know what that is right now

They’re losing my 40 these days first time they’ve done that since uh at home since Skydome since they were playing in skydom so um yeah it’s not a big thing to bump the Raptor show these days and uh certainly it’s not it’s not something I mind either but Amed please ask him a

Basketball question who’s MVP who do you think I think it’s joic yeah but I would say it’s joic or Shay I think they are I think they have separated themselves as the two main contenders I think Luca can get back into it if the Mavs rebound and

Get back on track you know the Mavs to me would if the Mavs could have won 50 games I think that puts donic in the conversation but they’ve obviously hit know they one and five in their last six games you know they had the seven game winning streak and the All-Star G

All-Star break came at a horrible time for them they had finally gotten some momentum and then yeah you know they’ve they’ve certainly been wobbling here lately um so if I think but but to me I just think Boston is so good and so deep that I think Tatum is going to struggle

From that perspective just because they are so good I think that probably works against his MVP case but um I mean if the Thunder I the Thunder win the West yeah oh and Cat’s out now too maybe it is Shay maybe maybe Shay can beat joic out that’s what I was curious about

Because like they’re kind of neck and- neck they’re both incredible players in their own right and they’re both help their team like dramatically win gam when they’re off the court it’s a huge difference and estimated win shares you want to take a stat like they’re pretty

Much neck and neck so for a voter like what are some of in your experience what are some of the things that can separate a case like this because it is so close well I would say this I am no longer a voter I haven’t voted since 2017 but I

Think I have a pretty good handle on the mentality that most voters approach this with I mean look every voter can do it any way they want and be justified so I mean I think you do have to underline that and you know there are so many more metrics and

Analytics available to voters than the last time I did it which I can’t believe seven years ago but I can just tell you the way that I always approached it and the way I always approached it was it is purely judging the best player of the

Season so it’s like joic I think if we were having who’s the best player in the world discussion joic is probably going to win that argument but that’s not what MVP is about MVP he is meant to reward the best player of that particular season don’t let past seasons and past

Playoffs Cloud your judgment and based on that Shay gild just Alexander will have a great shot at it because the Thunder have been such a darling they’ve been so much better than anticipated and that does give him a real shot at this and you know to me again this is my

These are my standards but I always felt that it doesn’t matter who the best player in the world is because you know back when I started we could have just given MVP to Jordan at the start of every season there would have been no need to have an MVP vote or discussion

Because the best player in the world was always Michael Jordan in the 90s but that’s you know that’s not really what mvt is supposed to be about you’re supposed to reward the guy who’s had the best season now what constitute the best season that’s where you get the debate

And so many different people with different stand but you know I think I think Shay definitely I think I you know I would say he and joic are at the top of the yeah the top of the Heap with five what is it five six weeks to go he’s got

Sorry he’s got 46 30-point games 46 sh that’s what he does every single G you open the box score and Shay’s got probably about 32 to 35 probably like seven seven rebounds eight assists kind of thing couple steals how big a deal is Jay’s MVP candidacy in Canada right now

Would you say as a story I think think number one for me watching Shay this is a continuation of what he did at the World Cup um the leadership that they showed at that moment of course it’s a continuation of what he did last season and he’s been building progressively as

A player but especially the Poise that he shows late game that’s all that he showed for Canada um in the World Cup where Unfortunately they got bronze but they mean they come on they they beat they beat Luca along the way us you know

It’s like they got Bron oh no I I just think they had the talent to even win gold cuz they actually beat Germany uh in the tuneup game leading up to the actual tournament itself but regardless I think for sh this would be a really big moment for Canada I think honestly

You know um I know for a lot of raptor fans myself included you know uh we would love to see him here sometime it’s not going to happen anytime in the near future that OKC team is set up for Success Never Say Never I do Wonder with yic and in terms of different

Standards do you have to have a better season than the other two MVP Seasons you’ve had to win your third MVP because I don’t think anyone’s looking at this yoka season and saying this is better than the other two MVP season I don’t even know if it’s better than last

Year’s yic necessarily which he didn’t win MVP although he didn’t win Finals MVP which is more important Mark should you have different standards if someone’s actually going for their third rather than just their first in the case of Shay I personally would say no okay

But I think I also have to concede that not everybody sees it the same way and the reality is remember and this is important to remember the league gives you zero guidance on this thing and the league loves us having these debates and arguing about it and one of the reasons

Why they went to the inseason tournament was just to give us something else right to focus on and argue about in the regular season because before the in-season tournament yeah like the MVP talk would start literally three games into the season sometimes on opening night on opening night somebody would

Go 18 and they would say oh you know they’re getting their MVP campaign off to an early start because like the league loves us arguing about this because it is the MVP race is one thing that is consistently given the regular season meaning and that’s just something that they’re constantly worried about at

The league office how do we make the regular season matter yeah all right Mark last thing before we let you go back to your wonderful life of eating chips and watching all sorts of football at every level man I I know I am ridiculously spoiled I apologize no no

Trust me when I get to when I if I get enough time in this game as you have I would love to be in the exact same position right now uh eating chips uh while you know anticipating and looking forward to a whole bunch of matches but

Um real quickly before we go your Finals Prediction at this given moment I think you had Celtics versus Nuggets and I think you had the Nuggets beating the Celtics um why did you have the Celtics come out of the East and why did you have the nuggets come out the West most

Importantly well well look I I do want to say I am one of those people who once I make a prediction in the preseason I don’t like to change it so really what it is more than you know I predicted Milwaukee to win the E so I can’t take

That back and I will take the L on that but basically I wrote a piece after you know the nuggets and the Run they’ve been on and after Boston just obliterated Golden State with that 61- 17 run which again say that you know write that down a few times and look at

Look at that number I mean to me last season was all about parody this season to me on my scorecard we have a clear favorite in each conference I don’t care what the standings say the nuggets are the team to beat the road to the finals still goes through Denver in

The west and I think any Western Conference team if they were telling you the truth they would say the same thing and Boston look we still have all the questions about the Celtics in crunch time and they’re going to have to do it on the biggest stage to prove it to us

To hush the doubters but they’re having an incredible regular season and they have to be the favorites to win the East I mean they deserve that much yeah well Mark we appreciate you so much you know that 61- 17 run by the Celtics probably kind of like uh the three goals

Unanswered that you guys scored against the United over the weekend so yeah I mean the score line the score line was was only 3-1 but I have to say I mean I’ve seen a few I’ve been lucky enough to see four or five darbies in my life

Yeah the domination level was oh surreal to see City have the ball that much to see United just basically yeah packing it in they played like a small Club you know they played like a small club play on the counter maybe get one Miracle goal from rashford that was cool and

Then it was not close from that point I mean obviously I was watching hoping you guys would drop points but I’ve seen a lot of City Games hoping you guys would drop points and uh it almost never happens so we’ll look forward to what happens this weekend though last week

Last week’s substitute host who I believe was touting his United fandom how come he’s not back here today to I I I don’t think he I don’t think he wants to represent United public anymore I think uh you think he’s hiding and cowering also on substack by the way

Raptor in seven you could find him there but the Jacob yeah Mark we appreciate you all right all right Jens be good all right speaking of those bostel what you haven’t commented on my sweater oh well we’ll get there we’ll get there but right now it’s time for the spicy side

Of the day sorry just I wanted to point it out like we’re going to break soon I wanted to we have another hour man don’t worry we got this we got this the beginning all right time now for the spicy side of the day brought to you by

New chunky super are you ready to get fired up so we on the topic of the Celtics right the way this how I set it up Celtics not rating the season is 13 uh 11.3 it’s 11.3 their net rating that’s the difference between our offensive rating minus our defensive

Rating 11.3 um that is almost double their league best Mark of 6.7 from last season which was also owned by the Celtics to put 11.3 net rating into historical perspective here are the only teams with a higher net rating in NBA history okay 2017 Golden State Warriors

They won 67 wins they had a net rating of 11.4 mhm going back before that 1997 Chicago Bulls oh boy 69 win season 11.8 uh net rating and then of course before before that the 96 Bulls the 72 win season 13.4 was their net rating so obviously

That’s just absurd but that’s the entire list that I found on S Muse so if the Celtics don’t win it I mean they better win it because all those other teams won it you know what I mean speaking of high expectations that’s high expectations but we’re going to take another break

Here been your host Wu you’ve been listening to the Raptor show on the sports radio network brought to you by Campbell’s new chunky spice soup when we come back another Mark but a former player this time Mama welcome back to the Raptor show on the sportset radio network I’m your continue

To be joined by co-host aitm um how you feeling man this is actually a Friday for us really people don’t know this I feel like that mean people don’t know but like people don’t know that this is a Friday for us because as we mentioned to Mark earlier tomorrow’s show

Programming wise it will not be on because it is NHL trade deadline so you should have said that at the beginning you know I think yeah Blake C going undergoing minor surgery uh was more important news but we will not be on tomorrow morning but in the meantime we

Still have found the time to bring you just a killer slate of guests and today and joining us on the program right now is Mark Jackson who has recently launched the Mark Jackson show on Cameron and mace’s network come and talk to me been listening to the couple episodes of the

Show Mark and I got to say um it’s really got obviously everyone’s heard you on ESPN calling finals games for a very long long time but it it’s really got people to get a chance to hear you have longer conversations be more like yourself and talk to a lot of the people

In your life so Mark Jackson thanks for joining us on the show well thank you so much for having me I’m having a good time and I certainly appreciate hearing you guys in obviously connection with Toronto and Canada in general so it’s it’s a pleasure to be on yeah we will get to

Your time with the Raptors even though it was brief a couple notable moments for sure but I want to start with the fact that you’ve moved on to to do the Mark Jackson show and of course you’re doing with Cameron and mace um tell me if this is true Cameron was telling a

Story essentially where he came to you with 500k in cash in in a bag trying to assign you I think it was it was it was probably one of the more difficult recruitments that they’ve had um talk to me about that experience and and was it true and also what it’s been like

Working with those two rap Legends well I’m sure you’re not true to this but rappers and uh have a way of you know adding to stories and okay making it you know so so it was a bag and and I’ll go as far as saying that

And at least he was accurate with the fact that uh I turned down the bag uh so I was more impressed with two guys that were passionate about you know me being involved and passionate about uh my comeback story and and being a part of it so uh that that’s that was the

Impressive part to me I got to it where I turned them down and then we had dialogue again and we was going back and forth and ultimately we came to the conclusion that it would work and uh it’s it’s been a blast but those two guys I got tremendous amount of love and

Respect for I really appreciate their stance their impact on today the way that Sports is being covered their success and and and it means a lot you keep on living and you realize how important it is to have people that are passionate and concerned and caring about you winning personally

Yeah I mean that’s that’s a hell of a pitch but you know I think it’s also Street Smart sometimes to turn down a gigantic bag of cash if it’s presented to you you know you can’t can’t say yes to everything right away but I’m happy

It’s working out I want to ask you um what’s been the biggest difference between calling games which is what you were doing with ESPN and also now doing your own show on your own time you know getting that space to sort of dictate the kind of conversations you’re having

And also just the the style of conversations in a podcast setting it’s a huge difference as you’re aware of uh in in a game you’re you’re punched in with different you know whatever the story is for the game a guy makes a shot you got five seconds

Sometimes 10 seconds to talk about it and you don’t get into the the real stories if Jeff Ang gun and I was sitting there with Mike Breen and we were having you know at at dinner you can you can tell the Back stories and the and the and and and the entire part

Of the story as opposed to a five or 10 second clip that’s the advantage of having the show and and also I’m telling my stories and my history and stories that I know firsthand and being able to add you know to it if I’m doing a you

Know LeBron topic I’m I’m talking about what he’s doing in this game and how he he’s impacted history and all those things as opposed to you know I can personally get into relationships and encounters I’ve had uh in in those situations it makes it you know much

More intriguing in my opinion yeah well I mean I guess my question to you then is like do you want to continue to do media long term is there still a desire to get back to coaching um you know where are you at on that well I’ve I’ve always wanted to you

Know continue coaching I just haven’t had the the luxury of being given opportunity uh but I look forward to one day coaching again it’s valuable and important to me to uh do it from a competitive standpoint and as important an impactful standpoint uh I get a kick

Out of watching guys that I’ve I’ve coached whether they they’re with the Warriors or with other teams even a guy like is Smith who’s with Charlotte now watching his success in his story knowing that you know I had a small part in it you know it it it means a lot so

Uh I do look forward to coaching one day I’m having a fun time you know being a part of the media uh and if I I’m I’m a guy with tremendous Faith so if I never coach again I’m not going to you know you know stomp my foot and be upset I do

Look forward to it and excited about the next chapter in my life though Mark if you don’t mind me asking why is it you think that you aren’t coaching in the NBA currently because you had a heck of a run with the Golden State Warriors and

Some of the their main players the Clays the the Draymond the Steph Curry’s they all give you so much credit with how you’ve nurtured their growth and I was looking at some of the clips yesterday of you on YouTube and some of your uh conversations with the players and and

Timeouts like they’re it’s so inspirational uh the way you’re able to Galvanize some of these guys so just on that like do you think there’s anything going on like why is it that you aren’t a coach in the NBA or haven’t got another chance well obviously I humbly submit

Something’s going on um I don’t know exactly what it is um I’ve had you know some interviews I’ve been a finalist a couple of times and they’ve went different directions understandably you know for whatever reason you get down to the last two you got to pick one and

That doesn’t mean that the other one isn’t worthy uh I do look forward to coaching whether it’s on the professional ranks or the college ranks in the right job uh moving forward someday but I don’t have the answer to that but you know a friend of mine made a great Point uh and

He said whatever they say about me obviously from my standpoint is not true but hypothetically if it was true we are documented in a time where there are coaches in this league today that have had things said about them and it can’t be debated because they’ve been the two

Three four stops and it’s been consistent if it’s true about me and I’ve never had another opportunity to make it right or make it wrong it’s it’s it’s it’s it’s it’s unjust which is unfortunate but I I really believe that the opportunity will come that somebody

Will ultimately hire me one day and I look forward to you know proving whoever it is wrong and uh I’m going to continue to live my life and conduct myself in a form and fashion that contradicts anything that has has been said about me negatively I take pride in myself as a

Man as a father as a friend as a coach as you know those things are important to me I hear you I hear you um well you know I think for us on the other side of things you know selfishly I think a lot of people have really enjoyed um your

Media career right um I mean I’m going back and I’m obviously we knew we were going to interview yesterday so I spent a lot of time yesterday listening to the program that you’re on listening to a lot of your best calls over the years in finals games

And I I just I couldn’t stop listening to some of the catchphrases because I think when you when you’re talking about broadcasters certain I mean not that you guys want to say the same thing every single time but there’s certain things right like your your your your your

Former partner um in the booth you know Mike Breen the bang call I mean it’s it’s iconic right and so I think for yourself I want to ask you about some of the origins of some of your catchphrases when you were doing live broadcasting we got to start with Mama there goes that

Man I mean when was the first time you pull that out if you remember a play that came out of that and also just like give us the history of that one I wish I I wish I would you now if I was Jeff Ang Gundy I’d detail the moment

The quarter The Possession the player that shot the ball and the year that it occurred I’m not I’m not good with that what I will say is that pretty much all the catchphrases have come freestyling spur a moment and it’s just just the nature of a New York City kid talking

Trash on on the on on the playground around in the middle of a game or or an NBA player in the middle of practice talking trash and you stumble onto something and you say well that was that was all right you get the right reaction and then you continue it yeah that’s

Pretty much where they all come from there’s been some obviously that’s been suggested uh you know I I can remember using a line that a guy in the clothing store sold me a suit and he said you know this is this is good I’m G to send

The suit to you and he used the line and I’m like that’s not bad and he said you should use it in the game so that night I actually used it and you know made his day m do you remember what the line was or yes I remember the line I think

LeBron James went to the rim uh dunked it and and and the guy because he had to ship my suit to to my house uh and he said it’s it’s not how you drive it’s how you arrive so basically me getting to the game so I use it as LeBron

James you know dribbling through the lane and dunking on somebody and I used the line and made his day that’s that’s pretty good well I mean there’s there’s a couple other lines of course hand down man down another classic allow me to have this dance absolutely another

Classic you do your homework hey yo this the homework is watching the NBA Finals like that’s the easiest homework in the world right there I I I think my question is do players have players come up to you and like repeated these phrases to you or or just like shown you

Sort of that appreciation of sort of your work in terms of on the broadcast because again when people think to like final broadcast moments like a lot of these phrases people like it’s instant for people they instantly connect with it so I want to know if that’s the with players

Too absolutely they they they do an impression of you they basically look forward to you know saying it they’ll they’ll say it towards another player I can remember specifically you mentioned Mike Green with the bang I can remember doing the NBA Finals with uh Phoenix in

It with Chris Paul at the point guard position and he talked about while we interviewed him before the game how he looked forward to Mike Green saying bang when he made a three that night in the game Chris Paul shoots a three looks over towards your table and says bang

And so it’s it’s moments like that that you realize how impactful the phrases that you utilize during the course of games of situations how impactful they are and they’re documenting history and I tell you I was fortunate enough to be with in my opinion the best to ever do

It at Lisa Sals Jeff F Gundy and Mike breing for so long yeah well I was gonna ask you about the crew at least the former crew what was uh give me one favorite thing you had about working with Jeff one favorite thing you had working with Mike and also one favorite

Thing you had with Lisa well working with Lisa first of all like a sister and she’s um the best at what she does and she she does it not just with basketball but also with football at a level that you gota you got to acknowledge her greatness and uh fortunate to call her

Family um tremendous tremendous human being and we we’ve you know gotten closer and closer over the course of the years and somebody I got the ultimate respect for when you talk about Mike he’s the goat at what he does and he’s you know I believe that Mike Green and

Ernie Johnson are the two best point guards in in in all of you know television they have the ability to you know run their team initiate the offense and set guys up like nobody else you know Ernie does it obviously with that TNT crew in studio and Mike does it uh

In in the midst of the biggest games we we have uh and a guy that’s family to me I got tremendous respect for and appreciation because I watched him you know early on coming out of you know getting that mad Square Garden right job calling Nick games and then propelling

To to gold status and then Jeff is is somebody that I think it’s criminal that he’s not a head coach whether it be in college or in the pros today I have I have met you know so many people over the course of 40 years almost 40 years in professional basketball

And he is as bright as I’ve ever met uh nobody do I trust more if I had to have a discussion with somebody about basketball and get an opinion or advice Jeff Van Gund would be at the top of the list uh he is a brilliant basketball

Mind and an even better person he’s had great success with the Knicks with the rockets and uh he’s now uh consultant a senior consultant advisor to the boss of Celtics and uh Stevens and that organization raised about him to be expected but he’s a guy I believe also

He’s the only person that could have done the job in qualifying Team USA putting him in position to win the gold medal spur a moment with a bunch of guys that wasn’t in the NBA y he wins the tournament and they Advance he’s a guy that again family for life and the best

Moments with all three of them were not calling games they were just at dinners just sitting around at a dinner table talking about family friends and relationships important things joking and we had an incredible producer all those years by the name of Tim cargan who’s still with ESPN who does an

Incredible job so we were family and we will always be family yeah you you definitely got the togetherness of the group because I think you know what the one thing you can tell that you guys were really together and connected as a group was how often you and Jeff would argue you

Know about the most random things and I got to say I mean obviously I’ve never met either you in person and we’re speaking now but you know watching on the television I’m like Jeff seems a little Annoying and I would like to argue with him too like if I were around

Him in person I’d argue with him a little bit more so I I I want to know obviously if someone who works so closely with them is that is that annoyance like a is that come from a genuine place like of Jeff just s of

Having that little bit of a I don’t know if he’s irritated or he’s just opinionated you know like yeah talk to me about that that chemistry you guys had all of the above and he’ll tell you that he’s annoying it’s a fun annoying it’s like a little brother like time be at dinner

And he say something I’m like I don’t understand how Stan would be in the same house with you at some point I’m throwing you out the room throwing you out the house like just just get away he’s he he’s and and even his family

Knows about it but it’s a it’s a it’s an annoyance that you embrace you acknowledge and you celebrate because it’s a pure it’s a it comes from a pure place he’s a he’s an incredible guy and I got talked about um you can’t make up that chemistry right you we’ve seen

Great booths where it be in in in all of sports and and and ESPN to their credit stumbled on it years ago with us and and we had an incredible run but it’s it’s it’s pure and what you see drawing a telecast you would see if you went to

Dinner with all of us and it’s it’s it’s family for life and and it came across that way for sure I mean that’s the biggest thing building shows is the chemistry that you need to to make a flourish that’s the same thing with Cam and mace like you know what I mean like

Half the show is just them like bantering about something you know what I mean like so I think not and it’s not made up it’s definitely not made up you could tell and honestly most of it’s probably not scripted either um I want to Pivot over to your playing career as

Well a couple questions about that um the shimmy celebration I don’t know if you expected me to go there first but the shimmy celebration yeah walk us through that cuz when people think about Mark Jackson the player I mean they think about the assists they think about

Playing with the Knicks I mean here in Toronto he probably playing with the Raptors as well you got to talk to me about the shimmy though where did that come from and um what do you think about players sort of still doing that to this day again it was a freestyle celebration

My dad told me when I was younger to find a job you love and you never have to work another day in your life and it gave me opportunity to celebrate as a kid you know playing in the NBA starting at the point guard position for whoever

I was starting for at the particular time I I I made it and I didn’t didn’t want to act like it I stumbled onto it I put a lot of work into it and I overachieved and the ability to be on the biggest stage in the world something

That I dreamt of I wanted it I wanted to celebrate it and uh I I needed to be able to celebrate and do different things like that because if I didn’t have that I believe I’d be a regular player and I would have never made it

But being under you know uh not a great defender not great speed not great athleticism I had a gift I humbly submit a pass in the basketball not a great shooter throughout the course of my career but to be able to make it I had to be able to celebrate it and not

Celebrate it when the game was over I was celebrating it possession by possession quarter by quarter game by game that was valuable to me and that was a way of expressing myself I hear you because you know you see stuff doing the shimmy nowadays and I guess my

Question to you is did the players back then did did they do the shimmy back to you cuz I remember cuz you know Ste loves to do the shimmy right there’s one time where Chris Paul hit a shot on Steph and Chris Paul hit the shimmy in

You know to TA him back did they didn’t want shimmy on you absolutely yes yes one one person did and it was a childhood friend in the playoffs and it was game five of the playoff series and his teammates were like this your boy you don’t want to go back at him you

Don’t want to go back at him you need to go back at him the way he’s going at you it was Kenny Smith with the Houston Rocket in game five just provve to his guys that he you know he was treating me like everybody else so okay he makes a shot and doesn’t

Shimmy I’m like okay this is my guy uh hilarious was it I was gonna ask was it funny or were you hot about it because uh I was shocked I was so shocked it couldn’t be funny or I was like this my guy what are we doing

Man that’s awesome um I also want to ask too I mean there something that um you hear about now the Mark Jackson rle AKA or or maybe even the Charles Barkley role but one of the two of you because they implemented the rule that you can’t back down a player for five

Seconds how does it feel to have a an NBA rule book change essentially based on your game again it’s absolutely incredible if you told me when I was a kid that that’s going to occur I’d be like how is it rug gonna be change in the NBA when I when

I’m not in the NBA and then and so I I really you know humbly acknowledge it and and it’s it’s shocking to me but then there’s a side of me that’s frustrated by it because it’s okay for a guy to cross me over five times and and

Blaz Blaze by me and lay it in a dunk but I can’t back him down for more than 5 seconds so it was an unfair rule but something that they obviously did to make the game much more attractive and and the force different type of plays to

Have success on the offensive end but I’m I I I I take it with great pride that I’m part of the reason that the rule was changed yeah I you you maybe see it called once a week in the NBA now yeah yeah and and they take more than

Five seconds but they don’t enforce that rule which I wish I was still playing I was about to say that too there’s a raptor named Scotty Barnes who has done his share of it’s called Barkley post-ups but absolutely it should be called The Mark Jackson Post up too but

Anyway Scotty does that every once in a while tell me there a raptor did did you just tell me there’s a raptor named Scotty bonds like I didn’t know SC no sir no no sir okay around yeah um hey by the way speaking of your time with the Raptors so obviously this

Is being the Raptor show this is being broadcast all over Canada I wanted to ask about just you signing as a refri with the Raptors in 2000 what was your feeling at the time because you knew you were coming to play with a prime Vince at that

Moment I was excited Prime Vince was As Good As It Gets and practicing with him playing with him playing against him prior to that I knew how great of a basketball player he was and really had no flaws in his game could do everything on the basketball court at a high level

At a high high Elite level so it was a joy to sign with the Raptors I actually you know purchased a house in Toronto you know with the family we we we absolutely loved it the kids were going to school across the street from the house so they come home during lunch and

Spent a lot of time there and and and I I to me it’s very similar to New York City I loved it my family loved it and uh class organization and always pulling for yeah if you if you kept that I don’t know if you kept that house or not but

You would have made a lot of money if you bought some house some property in Toronto in 2000 uh yeah the the crazy thing is I didn’t keep the house but when I was when I was traded I actually I had I mean this tells you how great it

Was I was I sold it within you know weeks yeah so that says a lot about about the the uh community that would be a two times or three times as value now Mark not not to make you uh I should have held it’ll make me feel bad you

Could H you know what my question cuz I missed that Vince period unfortunately as a as as a younger fan of the team but um for for Vince at that time it’s always been the league was looking for the next like MJ right and of course there’s never going to be no next

Michael Jordan like that that’s ridiculous but at the same time Vince Kobe you know tmac other guys sort of like were kind of positioned in that way did you see I mean as someone who actually did play against Michael Jordan and not to compare the two players you

Know you you don’t want to diminish how great Vince Carter was but did you feel a little bit of that push at that time in the league like looking to to market the next star and how close was Vince to being that next star for the league as a

Whole well he was he was extremely close and and he was a guy that rightfully so they pushed his talent was was Elite when you talking about players in the league the things he can do his impact on the court highflying dunks from taken off from everywhere the excitement of to

Toronto fans and Canada in general so he was he was a guy that they certainly had eyes on and you can make the case he did he was one of the guys that was pushed forward with his Allstar appearances his dunk contest and all of that but you

Know in in fanas Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant separated themselves right at at that position not only because of their skill level but as important their will level their competitive Drive was just different than anybody else’s but you you you R about what T-Mac and what

Vince was able to do they had no weaknesses on the court and true true Hall of Fame all-time great players yeah easy assists if if if if assists were easy I mean first off assists are not easy but if they were easy assists playing with Vince playing with guys

Like that well I mean you know speaking of some of these great players you’ve played against Jordan uh a few more than a few times um in playoff moments not to not to go through some of the more difficult ones but still you played against Jordan in his Prim you played

Against Kobe and sha in the prime I I got to ask you you got to remember memory that stands out with like playing against Jordan at at at that level at prime prime Michael Jordan you got to takeway well when you talking about Mike I I was fortunate enough to play on you

Know some great teams in Indiana and some great teams in New York and didn’t win a championship and the sole reason you can make the case is because of Michael Jordan yeah uh is I mean that Bulls team was great but without Michael Jordan they’re not they’re not winning

You know six championships and I can make the case they not winning one and that’s in spite of the greatness of Scotti Pippen but Michael Jordan was clearly the best player on the floor every single night and um we had great teams whether it being Indiana led by

Reggie Miller we had a great starting five we were loaded we were winning double digits game seven in the in the Chicago stadium and you know they they they win the ball game in New York we we we took took him to game seven the same situation I can remember going to the

Pat Raleigh was a head coach we went to the game this the only time it ever happened in my 17 year career as a motivational to Pat Raley said we’re going to the game dressed already so get taped put your uniforms on oh put your

Warm-ups on we got on the bus ready to play it didn’t work because they had Michael Jordan but it was a heck of an idea you know what I appreciate the sentiment you know um I mean you got to play against Kobe and Shack as well 2000

What was uh I mean damn a lot of a lot a lot of tough opponents if you’re going to win the championship so yeah um what was what was that experience like uh you know yeah I mean yeah speaks for your almost but I gotta ask

You again we were a loaded Indiana team and we felt like we were the better team now theyve clearly had two alltime greats uh in a special room of anybody that’s ever played in Shaq and Kobe but we felt like like we were a better basketball team and they we we’re in

Game four down 2-1 and Shaq fouls out and we think because at that time it was 232 as far as the format of the finals so we felt like we get game four it’s 22 we’re going to get game five and go up 3-2 but something happened going you

Know one one Shaq went down a young fell by the name of Kobe Bryant absolutely took over the ball game and he he put on a Clinic making tough shot after tough shots like he had been waiting for that moment his entire life yeah and Kobe you

Know they won game four we won game five and then they beat us in game six but it was the greatness of those two guys had put them in position of winning their first championship Kobe scoring and Shaq for the series I believe average 38 and 17 they were absolutely dominant they

Were dominant yeah and that’s 38 by the way remember game in game four Kobe hits a couple of shots in a row when Shaq goes down and I tell Reggie Miller switch let me get him one possession I’m not thinking I’m going to stop him I’m

Thinking I’m GNA Hammer him and send a message that we you’re not winning here he makes a move so fast and eliminates me from the pcture I have no no I can’t touch him so he knocks down the jumper I look at Reggie I go you got him I don’t

Want no more yeah turns out neither of you guys got him sorry sorry Mark yeah yeah last question for you sir and thank you so much for your time so you are one of seven players in NBA history to have over 10,000 assists a hell of a mark That’s so so cool and

It’s a credit to your passing chops but uh you know in Steve Nash’s last season he didn’t play too many games right only 15 games but in that last season the final game 2014 April 88th he had five assists and he passed you on the all-time assist leaders record um tell

Me have you guys ever talked about about that it’s a funny kind of thing I’ve thought about it no I’ve thought about it there’s no way in the world that Steve Nash didn’t do that on purpose he passed you by one assist man one one single assist by one assist his body

Held up for one more assist but I you know one thing I thought about I left the game being the number two assist man all time which is crazy no one’s ever about yeah yeah when I when I thought about uh that getting that Mark one

Thing I said people are gonna pass me one thing I don’t want and I feel bad about a dude that’s not special passing me and everybody that has passed me right is a first ballot Hall of Famer and a clear-cut Hall of Famer and Steve Nash is obviously one of the greats ever

Play the game not just point guards but one of the great players to ever play the game I remember being with the Raptors and he came home to play against us and he shot 11 for1 I’m like this guy is special so shout out to Steve Nash

And all and his great great great career yeah but he had to get that one extra assist but I mean the other guys that pass you I mean it’s like it’s like Jason kid it’s like Chris Paul and it’s LeBron special people you know you don’t

Mind you don’t mind if one of your by the way there was also a really nice woman in 2000 I don’t even remember this but you were playing with the Raptors and you pass Isaiah Thomas uh in the assist leader charts and I think they actually kind of stopped the game a

Little bit and everyone gave you a big Ovation in the game as well I don’t know if you remember this uh so much I think it was in the middle of the fourth quarter almost but there there was moment in Toronto where you passed Isaiah Thomas and everybody celebrated

You in that moment do you remember this I do remember how could you know I can’t forget when you talk about passing uh an all-time great like Isaiah Thomas watching him as a kid watching him even as a college student the the great great performances he put on he’s

An all-time great not again not point guard but player and in that rare room when you’re talking about special talent so to pass him to pass magic that was special for me fair enough all right Mark we appreciate you for joining us thanks for walking through some of your

Career and also both on the media side and also on the playing side and yeah for everybody else you know tune in to the Mark Jackson show it’s uh you get to you get to hear Mark Jackson in a very different way than you heard him on the

Broadcast and um you know I’m enjoying all the conversations you guys are having there thank you so much for having me all the best you guys keep on rolling thank thanks Mark all right we’re going to take our last break of the week been your host will you’ve been listening to

The Raptor show on the sports radio network brought to you by Campbell’s new Chucky spicy soup on who’s coming up after this break Steve Jones Jr we really missed out the chance for for Mark Jackson to say mama there goes that man I would have been sick I know that

Would have been pretty sick that would have been very very good that oh that would have been a career highlight I should have done that I’m sorry man oh I should have thought that you know what I that’s my bad as the point guard that

Was my bad as the point guard I had it in my mind I didn’t want to put in the rundown cuz I didn’t want you to you know I wanted to surprise you with it but then as the interview went on when he’s talking about Kobe stories Jordan

Stories I was like ah I hear you and then it’s all good it’s all good hopefully we can have a mark on again great interview great person um I loved just love his personality as a media personality it’s so cool to to hear from

Him yeah for sure so who do we got now we got ourselves a very very smart basketball mind right here um someone who played at UNLV he played in college all right and you could see the passion if we’re going to get the control room to help us

Out here with the photo you can see the passion that this man had when he plays basketball and he brings that passion once again to when he’s on the the broadcast and when he’s working with the Kai’s dunking on the dunker spot and also JJ reck um you three working

Together are amazing but I mean Steve you look great here love the passion thank you thank you I’m glad you you found the fro uh you know this a couple action shots with the gun show was looking pretty good but we’ll take it I was I was I was fired

Up I’m sure the gun show hasn’t gone away man you still got it don’t worry thank you yo I honestly I was not you know sir I was not familiar with your game like this is actually actually a perfect time to let people know your game because you know what all these all

These little podcasts little bloggers want to talk about basketball but some of some of some of you guys have actually played it I’m one of these little bloggers so tell us about tell us about your playing career oh I I just wanted to win I was going to

I was going to defend I was going to move the ball I was I was your perfect role player got you a coach’s dream yeah you sound like a raptor come on over sound like a coach’s dream man come on so you got yourself a segment with

Nika you call free throws right we’re gonna work off of that we’re going to call this pitch pass all right I’m going to give you a few a few pitch passes and uh we’re going to see where you take them we’re going to go around the NBA a

Little bit but let’s first let’s start with the Toronto Raptors and uh I ask you to take a look at Scotty Barn RJ Barrett man quickly that’s their core going forward and I’m curious like what is what is the next step for for them when they’re in the lab in the offseason

Here um what are some things that they can incorporate into their games and that can help them and the Raptors be better next season well I think Scotty yeah go ahead I think with Scotty I probably point to shooting I think he he’s got a really good playmaking package we know what he

Can do off the bounce and how he can create plays for people if he can get that shot up and start to build more counters for himself like my mind goes to it’s not Apples to Apples but Shay to a degree to where Shay has game to where

You know I have the drives if you cut off the drives I I can build out to this mid-range pullup I can get to the step back that’s my counter now you go under screens he’s adding the three-point shot to that can Scotty add that to his game

To where now okay you guys are playing me a certain way you’re switching or you’re thinking really hard in the drives if he improves uh gets the the handle a little tighter improves the shot to where the pullup can be a part of his game and part of his attack en

Counters I think that becomes a really dangerous player there are flashes during the season where he pulls out a mid-range shot you’re just like I haven’t seen that before and he did the exact same thing last season two at several points down the stretch and I I

Agree with you like the the ball handling I think is what’s going to help him be a better mid-range shooter and once you’re able to add that element to it like the snaking the pick and roll there have been possessions where he’s got the defender on his back he’s doing

A step back in the mid-range like it’s stuff like that that’s going to make him that much more unique and uh I mean I’m curious what you think about RJ RJ Barrett too um someone who’s had a lot of fun being a tronto raptor uh well I think with RJ it’s it’s

It’s hard to point to exactly one thing you would obviously want the shooting to improve but I think so much of his stuff comes with reps in game as far as making quick decisions we know he can get in the paint we know he can drive we know

He can finish at times but now is it just sharpening those edges so now I’m in space I’m taking my time I’m getting to my Spots I’m in more control of what I want to do so it for for RJ it feels more like sharpening rather than just

Purely adding one specific thing to his bag and what did we just talk about in the first segment it was the same thing right it’s so reads when he Fe sees doubles recognizing that second level of Defense where’s the help coming from um great my think like I’m putting myself

In that category Eman quickly that’s a self Alle you man this guy threw it off the glass to himself all right let’s keep going Emanuel quickly uh then we’ll get move on to some NBA uh on IQ it’s it’s reads it’s just reads this this is a good time for him

To get these reps I think he obviously has the scoring ability that would allow him to really open things up for Toronto but just now understanding the timing when to change his speeds when to come off quick uh what to do against a drop how to engage the big if there’s two on

The ball where’s my first bounce going and it’s stuff that he’s done before but I think uh being in Toronto have to do at a higher level have to be a little bit more consistent with that so that would probably the number one thing I would probably shift towards to him hey

How do we get the handle to a place where now we’re seeing these plays and making these plays and knowing when to attack when to change our speeds and when to get in the paint yeah they’re going to have those opportunities down the stretch here no

Question I better let’s move to some NBA stuff um first question I sent them over to you earlier on and I just want to get your take on these things the Milwaukee Bucks will make the NBA Finals if dot dot dot uh if they get the two seed and

The defense can stay clean yeah and Chris Middleton can stay on the court there a lot of hands geez man and Damen Lillard plays very very well I had to be honest I had to be honest because here’s the thing right Giannis onto the kmo is

In March still on Pace to become the first player in NBA history to average 30 points or more on 60% shooting I I think he’s fine I think we’ve seen the Bucks clean things up defensively there’s more switching more work to keep the ball in front those little things

They’re doing will have an impact later because if they can nail those that’s going to help you over come the scheme issues it’s going to help you overcome the Personnel issues they you’ve seen them rotate and scramble and help each other and just have more of a focus

Mindset defensively I think that’s huge I think they’ve done a good job with the rotation Middleton coming back will help balance that out so they can stay stronger throughout the game but my mind keeps going back to Dame and how important he is so when Damen Lillard

Scores 20 or more points the Bucs are 33 and eight this season there we go and a lot of talk a lot of games where you didn’t score 20 thinking too a lot of games where he didn’t score 20 and that’s Dave Lillard we’re talking about yeah but when he does they’re pretty

Good and so I think a lot of a lot of talk been about Dame shot his drive has been really important and so if the shot comes back which post All-Star break he’s at 41% from three as opposed to the 34 before the All-Star break if he’s

Able to mix in the drives with the shot Giannis is playing at that level their defense is stronger can help you know bounce out throughout playoff series and they have the two seed that’s when I think okay the Bucks have a a real good shot that’s a lot to deal with in a

Playoff series okay can I can I just jump in and ask this I mean putting last night aside cuz um uh yeah the Warriors kind of watched them last night but just putting last night aside I actually feel like what the Bucks needed to do in terms of the coaching change the new

Coach in Doc Rivers has actually done at least what needs to be done so far now no one’s going to be judging them based on like hey they were defending and transition again okay um but like I I actually think that he’s he’s actually done the job so far and I don’t

Know that that doesn’t have to be a courageous statement I just feel like no one ever says anything good about Doc Rivers well I was gonna actually say something good about Doc Rivers go ahead yeah so since he became the coach of the Milwaukee Bucks they are 19th in offense

And 10th in defense right but if you zoom in a little bit more last 10 games 11th in offense fifth in defense so they’re trending in the right direction and what I’ve always liked about Doc Rivers is that he has a way of simpli things for players right he gives you

Like your your your Q card and he wants you to do these three things and he’s done a great job of that with the Milwaukee Bucks now they have the Personnel already right to be a good defensive team especially with Brook Lopez in In His deep drop and you know

Finally they’re getting back to that but it seems like he’s kind of found something with that and Dame Lillard I mean it’s a strange thing that he’s so he’s such an amazing player and you know Giannis has already said that this is your team but it doesn’t really feel that

Way because it’s giannis’s team yeah yeah want yeah exactly okay yeah I guess so it’s like hey it’s your house it’s like no no no no no your name’s not on the leas exactly like you know it’s like telling your girlfriend when she moved in it’s

Like ah but it’s you know it’s our house it’s our house our house it’s our house I’m paying the bill well and that in that scenario you might want to shift differently but that’s a different conversation dangerous talk about this go ahead please dve Lillard say ground uh LA Clippers okay another team

That is praying that they’re able to stay healthy and also hopefully win an NBA title but what are their weaknesses one two whatever what do you think do you know the biggest weakness for me right now and this is going to sound wild I’m going left field do they

Really have a fifth guy to take them over the top they need another guy holy they don’t need another guy guy but I’m looking at during this stretch where it’s like okay are the Clippers that good they had some rough moments in the back of my brain I’m thinking they have

Kawhai they have Paul George they have James Harden we’ve seen the highs from them offensively and defensively with this unit they they went on runs they’ve shown what they can be MH so I’m not going to question that partion my thought is okay in the playoffs in a playoff

Context who what happens if zubach gets hit defensively that’s where Mason plumbley that’s what they did last night they were like hey Mason plumbley get in there Shang goon’s hurting us early and I thought he did good defensively guess who didn’t play the last two games

Before last night yeah yeah I know I know Mason plumbley yeah he’s not the answer so that that’s where that’s where and I love mace so it would totally work but that’s okay that’s a big and another big who does the same thing if you want

To stay big the other option is Daniel Ty which okay in a playoff context am I just helping off Daniel Ty yep he have the same rooll gravity as zubach or mace okay if we don’t like that now we go small we traded out a lot of our

Versatility with the small lineup so in theory Terence Mann right Terence Manon should be the person go we go our big three Norm pal Terence man SW Terence man and picking Terence man in pick and roll one it’s small but Terence man in pick and roll it had doesn’t have the

Same like Bruce Brown effect to where he’s making those decision on the short roll and when he spaced our defens is treating him uh with that kind of respect with not to like disrespect his shot but he’s probably going to be the help Point by default which means

They’re going to try and funnel the ball towards him that would probably be the same with Russ so that that is the one thing where I’m thinking okay outside of Denver where it’s like I don’t think youall have an answer for jic if you get deep in these series and a team can

Force you out of being big can you maintain because in theory you should be able to have the versatility we can go big we can go small we can alternate and kind of have that versatility to help us throughout a playoff series but more and more my eyes are going to what happens

If it what happens they just don’t have the fifth in that combination yeah yeah part of me is also when I watch the Clippers I’m like every every possession is a jumper there you know there’s a lot of jump shooting with that team which is fine they have

Incredible jump Shooters but at the end of the day I’m like you get into tighter series again when you when you think about like close possession what the best shot your team can realistically create yeah that’s when I watched the nuggets and I’m just like dude it’s like

Yic doing a flip shot from five feet or he’s throwing that little disguised lob to Aaron Gordon and I’m like I will take 10 of those shots in crunch time way more than I would take 10 pull-up jumpers even if they’re kaashi you know out for you the Clippers 2018 versus

Teams above 500 I think that means something okay I think that means something for one reason okay because they do have an isolation style they do depend on James Harden to create edges and create advantages spray it out Paul George Qui Leonard do your thing but it’s so isolation heavy now if they’re

Able to get to the last two minutes of a playoff game they can win that but they got to get there and I I have issues with believing that over the course of a series and like they win one round win two runs whatever but when it comes to

Winning a championship will they be able to have that style and they can implement it and they can still win in some of these Series against a Denver Nuggets right it’s going to be very tough for them to do that with this uh kind of ethos it’s it’s it’s the it’s the

Pull-ups that are getting youall huh it’s just a lot of jumpers man I mean it’s cool it’s cool like 23s they be any there’ll be any team in the league yo trust me Ka Leonard like he’s a God here okay we literally have the Jersey hung up behind alond and alond is

Wearing a sweater that does understand the grind which is Norman Pal’s brand and he bought this back in 2019 this is true when he and and he wor for like at least half the games in the finals I saw this man in this sweater every day yeah but he’s a Clipper

Believer but I mean the same time you know you do see some ups and downs with that group 100% one more question for you Steve um before we let you go um and control room once again need you to help me out here um who is your big money

Role player heading into the playoffs I know you love a good role player um someone that knows their role that’s going to get the job done on both both ends um who is that person for you and once again control room if you can bring

In that photo that I hope will help us out uh in illustrating the importance and the big money aspect of role players money uh I think I’m certainly a role player every time I play basketball I’ll tell you that my mind went to a lot of people that probably graduated from that tier

Like your Dereck white your cavius cwell popes oh I know you love D White man very very solid the way him and poring is operating pick and rooll huge yeah I point to I’ll go two Caleb Martin in Miami when he is cooking they look like a whole different

Team uh when he’s defending and able to knock down threes and I’ll go Royce O’Neal and Phoenix that’s a good one we’ll see him tonight I think the the Royce O’Neal fit has been very good he can help them defensively knocking down some shots being able to attack some

Closeouts those are probably my two where it’s just like those are role players I that can really lift and help a team Advance through a series those are some pretty good picks amond did you have somebody in mind when you asked this question no actually I didn’t

Really have anyone thinking about it um I mean Kyle Lowry comes to mind right now just because of the love we have he’s been pretty good for the Philadelphia 76ers dude I no one’s expecting K to score even 10 points but do all the little stuff in between yeah

I mean listen I even for the heat like I know that like the heat needed C to score more which was you know kind of the heat problem really when you don’t need him to score as much and you can do the rest of the stuff I have all the

Faith in the world in Kar I had a magic question but I will say jayen slugs he’s kind of seems like that kind of player that could fill that sort of role we got to see how they do in the playoffs but uh the way he plays the game how hard it

Is um you just watch him you focus on him for entire game you’re going to see how much he impacts things on on both ends Steve this was really really cool of you to come on thank you so much um the dunker spot podcast work with JJ

Reck you’re one of the best out there thank you so much thank you thanks for having me hey you’re a producer’s favorite too but I we’ll mention that a different time um yeah what what what a week of shows man I’ve been really happy first off very

Thankful to both you and Samson for helping fill in um Blake get well soon we might need some more fillings uh but we’ll work that out later on but most importantly um how did you feel about being on the show the last couple of days too much fun man too much fun

Especially I mean today was yesterday was cool too but uh I mean today just like talking to some of these these people some of these these talented basketball Minds different big names man shout to danelli for getting us some of these big big names man indeed you

Brought in Mark Jackson um such a cool such a cool person to speak with I mean just like the mama go there goes that man we’re looking at clips on YouTube I was looking last night we’re looking today to of just like the the moments that he’s covered in NBA history and I

Wanted to ask him like you know what’s his favorite NBA Finals he’s covered but it’s just the fact that he is synonymous with what we view as the NBA Finals it’s it’s such a moment in uh in sports uh to me at least and he’s such a big part of

That and uh yeah I mean working with you has been very very fun um chopping it up with you I didn’t I’m sorry I didn’t talk much before the show today I was uh I was locked in on Liverpool versus spart talk or Sparta Prague but yeah no

I’m happy look we we work closely all the time together anyway right you you’re the producer and you know there’s a lot of things that um you know kind of go hand inand with that role but um I know for you you know you you’ve been

Doing a lot of podcasting but it’s been good to get you back on the air get you those reps again get you feeling comfortable again you know yesterday you were like I got to shake off the the cobwebs a little bit of rust I didn’t

See that I didn’t but you know you might have felt that but we didn’t see that we didn’t hear that yeah and and I’m happy for you and yeah you know these have been some great guests so again program you not we will not have a show tomorrow

It will be hockey too bad all day so I will be probably enjoying some time with family but I hope you do the same and uh yeah Raptors wise obviously the Raptors reaction podcast will continue and then yeah next week we’ll figure fig it out at the moment but once again want to

Send best wishes to Blake Murphy and uh yeah that do it for us today been your host will you’ve been listening to the Raptor show on the sports radio network brought to you by Campbell’s new chunky spicy soup it’s time to get fired up sure you find the Raptor show wh we

Listen to podcast subscribe please R interview the program thanks once again to producer am man B producer Austin Mackey Jennifer Ock Davis says J Man to help him behind the scenes thanks to Our Guest Steve Jones Jr Mark Steiner Mark Jackson big obviously thanks to again

And we’ll be out next week week be well everyone

Will Lou is joined by Amit Mann to chat about their goals and expectations for the Raptors’ young core over the team’s final 20 regular-season games. Marc Stein stops by to chat about the NBA MVP race and his current NBA Finals favourites. Mark Jackson joins to discuss his desire to return to coaching, the origins of his iconic broadcasting catchphrases and more. Steve Jones Jr. checks in to discuss the continued development of RJ Barrett and Immanuel Quickley, the Bucks’ chances of emerging from the East and the L.A. Clippers’ ceiling.

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0:00 – Goals & Expectations for the Raps’ Young Core
28:39 – Marc Stein on the MVP Race & Title Contenders
48:56 – Mark Jackson on His Iconic Catchphrases & More!
1:19:32 – Steve Jones Jr. on RJ & IQ, the Bucks and the Clippers

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