Early Season Observations: Knicks in Crisis, Tatum-Brown Drama, and Giannis's Miami Honeymoon Gone Wrong

Welcome to the Miss Fetch. I'm Chris Varnin. It joins us every week from TheRunger.com is David Jacobi Jacobi. This is a tied drone podcast. We'll be forward. Before the show, we talked about tied drone for five minutes. I'm sure we'll talk about tied drone for an hour. I think we shouldn't even cover the league. We should just cover tied drone. Average went down to 29.8 last night. So, uh, yeah, not as best performance, but still right there at the very top of the league and scoring. Uh, we do have a bunch of news that we are going to get to besides our drone. Yeah, we're not going to talk about tied drone for the whole episode. I mean, I could. I mean, I'm down. Oklahoma City is for no, but yesterday got like truly horrendous news. A couple of nights ago, we're on a group text and Bill Simmons text us right when the Jalen will I didn't have the game on and right when the Jalen Williams thing happened. And of course, I'm waiting for social media to post it. And when it got posted, I was in deep regret that I clicked play because that was mortified to watch a season end that quickly. And then when they cover you up with the towel immediately and then you see the looks on everyone's face on the court, you knew it was a terrible terrible injury. And then the case on Wallace news like we were all waiting on the Jalen Williams you news yesterday. And then the case on Wallace torn labor news comes down as well. Just the double gut punch for Oklahoma City. And it does obviously change the way we think about them. It changes the way we think about the Western conference going forward, right? It's both of those injuries all injuries are obviously upsetting and terrible tragedies every single one, but him being so limited in the playoffs last year and that being a direct line to them losing to the spurs and them losing some of their debt this offseason with Isaiah Joe and Lou Dort and and Aaron Wiggins leaving was a commitment to case on Wallace. And they gave him a new deal. And it just felt like for different reasons both of those injuries were so devastating. It's just it's so hard. It's so hard. And now it's just going to be a lot of like Bennett starts, you know, well, I mean a huge push for AJ Mitchell, who was great last year. And now role grows greatly. Alex Caruso went out with a sprained ankle last night. I mean, it was like the hits just keep up coming because you figure it's going to be now. Look, because they have such unbelievable depth and so many good players, it was going to be a lot more Mitchell, a lot more Caruso and probably a lot more McCain. Yes. And yeah, I mean, yeah, do they got McCain from the Sixers the way they did? It's just insane. Just incredible blessing. And the one thing that the one silver lining is Wallace signing his contract just a week ago. And that, you know, for that to happen when you were possibly going to be going into negotiations like they made him whole before this even takes place. Obviously, Jalen Williams is a made man financially. That being said, still, these guys want to play basketball. And this is a young team with real championship aspirations, like legitimate, you know, realistic. I'm saying championship aspirations that now is going to have to go out go at it with two of the best players being out. And both of them having to go get surgery. And you hope they can both come back as best versions of self, but especially for this to happen. One week into the season is just crazy. It's a season's worth of injuries. We're Caruso going out to just crazy. This episode is presented by Sam's Club during the holidays. Everyone's in a club. The last minute gift givers club, the coolants club, the food coma club, whatever holiday club you're in. Sam's club is the club that helps pull it off. Need to get a meal on the table onto two hours, run, shopping for the brands they want, like Dyson and Lego without blowing your budget, check and check. Sam's club helps you make the most of the holidays. Come join us. Sam's club. And it does change thing, right? I mean, I think if you are, you, you look at things a little bit differently. If you are Minnesota, you look at things differently. If you are the rocket, you look at things differently. If you are the Lakers, you know, we, and it just goes to show you could do all the preview shows in the world at the beginning of the year. And you can think you have it's like, all right, that here's a tear with the spurs and the thunder. And then there's everybody else. And then the spurs have gotten off to a little bit of a rocky start and the thunder have lost two of their best players within a week, and so what you, what you know is erased within a week's time. So quickly, so quickly. It changes everything. It does. In the West Conference. Boy, you were lit watching the cabs versus the wolves last night. I'm so excited. You love this game. I love this game. I, I can't keep my eyes off the timber wolves. They're just fascinating to me. I love him so much. Just everything about him. I mean, I'm going to talk about him later, but like, I mean, Lamell didn't play great, but Anthony Edwards, 47 points, Rudy, go bare just doing weird shit right and left. It's just, they're just so much fun to watch. But where do you mean missing every shout? Yeah, just like not catching the ball and just missing, he's missing the rim on layoffs. He's just completely missing the rim or just throwing it off the backboard. It's wild. It is, you watch and it is just unbelievable to witness someone miss as many shots as he did from where he takes them from and how tall he is. It's wild. It should be impossible. It felt like he's taking three. He's all right next to the basket. Uncontested. It's just missing layoffs right and left. And Anthony Edwards is just tough shot after tough shot. It's he is, he is so good. He is, he is so good. And what was wild is at the, at the end of the game, when they're down by four and then there is a foul and Lamello goes and makes one and then an unbelievable intentional miss. They're down three and he missed the first one. Oh, all down three and missed the first one. Okay. Okay. So miss the first one. So he potentially missed the second one goes right to Anthony Edwards, top of the key. Just a but naked three pointer. Incredible. Like that was an unbelievable missed free throw that played out perfectly. And you got your superstar taking a wide open top of the key three. Those are fun games to watch. No way around it. And I know that you were going to be engaged on the Timberwolves this year. They have certainly through the first four games. I know you're going to get to it paid off in spades. I mean, advertise. Yeah. If you have tuned into what's the Timberwolves you have been wildly entertained thus far this season. And then we had we had the rockets beating the hawks last night. The rockets have certainly been an easy or a early season story. And one of the things that I'm going to get to in great deal as we go on with our observations from the first week of the season. Is that balance that we craved for them is back. Like you see the van bleed the organization. And like you look at it, we talk all the time about how these lineups and these teams are, you know, it's a puzzle that you got to put together. And it has to fit. And they just look so much more cohesive with just a legitimate point guard. And even if it's shepherd, right, just somebody just running. Yes. That it's not just throw the ball to the wing. And now it all has to be initiated by either Durant or Shen. Yeah. Shen Green was great last night. Um, he is, he is he he's just never he's like, if you think about Eason and Thompson, these like athletes that are going to jump out of the gym like Shen. Good. It's not that. But he just, he just scores ugly every time. Get a grape behind back past to to Eason last night. Like Shen. Goon is just effective. He's a specter speaking of not particularly athletic. I can't stand watching him run. Like if that was a normal human being, like if I saw a guy running down, like you you're in New York where everybody walks and runs all around the city all the time. If you saw a guy running like that down the street of New York City, you'd be like, what the hell? He runs like Wiley Coyote. Like his chest is just leading his head is behind his He runs like a looney to run like that like foghorn leghorn out there. I've never I've never seen Another human run like that. It's petty, but I'm just saying I can't take my eyes off me. Why do you One of the best players in the league can't run. Why do you run like that? I don't know, but he can finish man. He got touch. He's got touch. He can finish the runs look good I like the rock. We picked them preseason to be good. You know, it's only a few games into the season But like the only one last thing without Stephen Adams. I hope Stephen Adams is okay. I think he's got a calf or something but yeah No, they're certainly very good. All right. We're going to our first impressions early early season observations thus far to COVID Talk to me You want to take a look at the undefeated teams? You're gonna find you're gonna find Detroit You're gonna find the Lakers. You're gonna find the Rockets. You're gonna find Oklahoma City You get to find Portland who's only played two games so far. I think there's another one in the Western Conference We haven't named yet though. Oh Who had a win total of like 29 and a half in Vegas? I'm trying to think who it is 26 to go to Kobe 26 The Grizzlies are four and oh to start off the season now a bit of levity here They are They have played the Kings they have played the Warriors and they played the jazz twice Okay, that being said the very beginning of the season I told you that my fervent prayer was that they will be This year's sons they will be the tri-hard team where you have the requisite depth and you have a bunch of guy where it doesn't necessarily always make sense, but you're sitting there watching like every night They are going out there and they're trying to win the possession battle and how do you win the possession battle offensive rebounding defending your own backboards Creating turnovers and you don't have to shoot as high a percentage if you get to take more shots and so far so good on the We will be the team that plays harder than you we will be the team That is prepared to play fast still in the fourth quarter and especially at the beginning of the seasons You can rack up wins doing that because you know the other Inevitably, it's not exactly a huge game for your fans like I have a massive Bobblehead collection, okay Really and part of that in fact the major part of that is that when for many of the years for 20 plus years. There's a little inside knowledge for you for 20 plus years the Grizzlies are Bobblehead night because Nobody wants to go to the Grizzlies game if you are so they make it Bobblehead night and so they'll say it's Steph Curry Bobblehead night. It's Anthony Edward Bobblehead night It's what like if you go back. Oh they do it for the visiting players. No they do it for the home team so that their fans want to go to the game So our radio play-by-play guy Eric Hasselstein for 20 plus years I Will text him and he will get me the Bobblehead that was given away in the stadium that night. I've got 20 shelves of Bobbleheads and so the point is It's never a game that the opposing fans are getting up for it's never one that the opposing players are Necessarily getting up for because it's not star-laden except for like when the grit and grind Grizzlies were a big deal Or when the jama rant Grizzlies were like the two seed other than that over the course of 20 something years It's not exactly been the one that everybody buys tickets to and the one that your Your players are going to be enthused about and it gives you a perfect opportunity To be the team that goes in there and it's like you give them the game that you didn't think you were going to give them or They get the game and so so far so good and Ty Jerome's average went down to a tick under 30 points per game last night Is he just could not find the basket? For for 15 last night, but then you know can Booser hasn't exactly you know torn it up? No, he's got to figure out I will tell you he's got to figure out how to finish against the link it was the one knock That people gave him when he was coming out of college and again Because he's a great basketball player. He'll figure out the counters to this But you realize like finishing at the rim is a different world when it comes to the NBA And so you've got to figure out how you want to do that whether you're going to stop up short or whether whatever you're going to do Rather than just going to the basket trying to finish amongst trees Um, and the other thing I'll say is this I know that people were not going to be enthused with this last night but as I was watching the game and then it ended Will Hardy walked over to Two months east alone the Grizzlies coach and You can find this Virally like if you're watching the broadcast you know how you can always like read the lips and it looks like He says Because I mean it wasn't a hard lippery I think jaren tore something. I don't know on Laurie. Oh no. Yeah, jaren jackson jr went out Uh in this game in the second quarter tied Jerome Was going to the basket and fell down and ran into his knee and he was like He was hurt and then tried to play for one possession and then just went straight back to the locker room And Laurie Marcon and got hurt at the very beginning of the game and so I will just take it from what I and and you can see The Grizzlies coach go damn it. I'm sorry Like when he's saying it so We will see there will be news inevitably that will come out today, but just brutal And there's another one at the beginning Yes, there's so much focus on the thunder's injury troubles, but if you lose Marcon in and jackson Yeah, I mean No It's been a tough start for the season. Oh god, they were having I mean that look they're best player last night was mo bomba Did you know he was on the jazz? Yes, I did dominant Dominate just be in mo bomba Tough one anyway so far so good on the Grizzlies are the tri-hard team Yeah, the Grizzlies are making a great first impression And that's one of the sort of the bit that we're doing today is our first impressions and I just have to say It's not great here in New York City The vibes are off The it's it's off You know, I wasn't ready for this, but the um We had a show after or no right before the ring night and the banner and the rings And it was like I wasn't ready for how alive the city was gonna be with Nick's excitement You know, I mean it was sort of like a it wasn't as big as sort of the parade day But it felt kind of like that like you're on your on the subway on the way to work You know, there's a lot more nicks hats and nicks shirts than I expected It was just kind of like a little bit more like a little excitement about the season and about the rings and about the ceremony but between The losses and they've lost a good teams, you know, they've they've lost to the you know the Celtics the Sixers and the Magic right um The losses the story about the the phishing email if you follow this thing I don't know if this is big outside of New York, but like I have to follow the msg Regraught an email about the rings and it was like a link they if you clicked on it Then you have to do it's like oh you shouldn't be clicking on links like some sort of like cyber security training thing Oh my god, and then the currently to be towns drama It's just the vibes are bad and that game against the magic should have been a win That was that felt like a win. They were up pretty much the entire time. I'm watching football You know what I mean? So like I'm not I'm not 100% locked in on that game, but It's not good around here. I mean if you win tonight divide it be Detroit who's undefeated so far the vibes turn I mean it is but it's it's supposed to be this like I'll never be upset about the nicks They brought me so much joy. They won a championship first time in 53 years This is all house money season. I'm not going to be upset But the group chat does not reflect that and the city does not reflect that like it's well Well, because here's the I think if I am trying to diagnose this like your uh Psychiatrist what's your name Dana Dana if I'm gonna be Dana. I don't think she's a psychiatrist Go ahead psychologist. I don't know counselor. I don't know. She's not that expensive. So I don't know. I don't know how many degrees she has She's just a person. You think she's Listen to you talk like drop that high school just a person that list. Okay, someone that listens well Much like Dana. I'm not qualified to do this, but I'm going to do it I would just say that at the beginning of the season what we find from ever and this is a message to every fan base outfit that when you win, it is confirmation of what you believed going into the year when you had the high hopes. And if you lose, it is confirmation of the fears that you had about your team. Like, that is the genesis of the overreactions both ways. And I will tell you, especially at the beginning of the season, you are only one game away, right? Like, last night, I'll give you, for instance, as I'm watching that game. Trust me. If Kianta George and Daring Peterson make three threes down the stretch, it is going to be comfortable. I told you, Tyger, I wasn't going to be able to do this. And I know, like, that's the way this goes. But at the beginning of the season, if you had fears about your team, and so now times that by a billion in New York City, which is a team coming off a championship that you worry about a championship hangover, and you worry about off the court distractions because guys weren't made whole. And then when they lose, I knew it. I knew that this would happen. I knew they wouldn't take things with the same level of focus. I knew that there would be a problem if Kat didn't get his contract. And again, you beat Detroit tonight and everything will be back to normal. Well, a couple things. There was this whole idea of they did it. They won the championship. It's okay. It's house money now. I don't even care if they go on 82 next year. But that's not what the group chat says. That's not what the streets say. And you know what, Bruno? I'm going to the game tonight. I'm going to the business game. I'll tell you. Yep. Tell you the story on Friday on our next episode. I'm going to the game. They need me. They mix need me. They need me in the building. I need to go down. No, my buddy has a season ticket. So he's got an extra one. So I'll be paying a phase value. Oh, that's going to be like $300. But you are going to be in the arena. You say that enough is enough. Yeah. They need me. You know, that magic. That magic game was a win. They were up by 10 the whole time. I had my eyes on it. I was like, oh, they're at home. You know that. Oh, God. That was a disappointing loss. So yeah, the budget back here in New York. It's not. It's not how expected it to be. And this is a team that has handled you. The pistons have been a problem. Oh, yeah. Oh, yeah. You better be ready to play some bullies. I think Jillian turns out those. Yeah. Yes, he is. I will. I will say too. It is the starters. Like one of the things that I did for today's episode that we could reference as time went on was like sample size is incredibly small for all of these. But like in most played lineups that have taken place so far, you see some of the, you know, some of the successful teams and some of the teams that have not been as successful thus far this season. That next starting lineup has been a net minus 25 so far. Oh, that's ridiculous. And I mean, it is ridiculous. And it's also not sustainable. Right. They've been a minus 25 net rating so far with their starters. It would be different if their starters were still playing pretty good basketball and their bench was getting malled. But their starters have been poor to start the season. And you've got to imagine that's going to work. It's way out. Maybe it starts tonight with you in the building. Yeah. It'll start. I got this win. I got us. New York City got us. Don't worry. The mismatch is brought to you by Fandall. The NBA action just got even better with Fandall. This Wednesday with early win. A fast start could be all you need to win big. Just pick an eligible NBA game. 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See terms for all offers at sportsbook.fandal.com. Gaming problem call 1-800-Gambler or call 888-789-77777 or visit ccpg.org/chat in Connect. This episode is presented by Sam's Club. During the holidays, everyone's in a club. The last minute gift givers club. The coolants club. The food coma club. Whatever holiday club you're in, Sam's club is the club that helps you pull it off. You need to get a meal on the table under two hours, done, shopping for the brands they want. Like Dyson and Lego. Without blowing your budget, check and check. Come join us, Sam's Club. All right. Next one. Early season. First and first. This whole Tatum Brown thing is getting super messy. So over the weekend. You have it last episode I mentioned to you that Jason Tatum had. There was a video posted by bleach report saying like, you know, basically I was in Vegas and I found out when you did and whatever. And that. Jalen Brown called it cap. So he said he's lying about this. Then. Of course, reporters run to Jason Tatum. They're like, hey, you just must have seen that the, you know, that the way he responded to this, whatever. And he's like, look, there's no Kobe and Shaq thing, there's no beef here. You know, there's no problems here. And then the reporters run to Jalen Brown. And Jalen Brown says there's not beef, but there might be some land jobs with gravy. Fast forward the yesterday. Brian Scalabrini goes on serious XM and just like unloads the clip. On Jalen Brown. I don't know why Jalen Brown's acting like this about Jason Tatum. But Jalen Brown had a list of demands he gave the Celtics. And basically it was you do this. And if you're not going to do this, trade me. He asked to get traded. So he had to walk this back. He did a, he did a game last night where he had to walk the whole thing back. Because he's doing a radio show, probably three hour show. I think he does with a solo. He does. And it's like, I don't think he realized that it was going to get picked up the way it was. I don't think he understood the implications of what he said. Because he said basically there's a trade demand. Because evil because base. And then he goes on the Boston broadcast last night. And the announcer asked him. So basically this hasn't been reported. Are you reporting this? How messy? How messy is this? I mean, you knew that it wasn't just going to be clean. Hey, thank you for your, thank you for your time. You know, Jalen Brown was going to say his piece here and there. And he's been sneak disson on stuff. No way around it. He's gone on podcast. And he's like, you know, basically he intimated. Tatum wasn't exactly happy that he won the MVP's. You know, some people are happy for you. Some people aren't that guy. They're like, oh, who could have been talking about. And there's like, you know, this kind of stuff. And Tatum is attempting to take the high road. But you know it just pissed Jalen Brown off when he watched that video. Because if we're being fair, whether you are. And you've got the whole Boston media market and fandom behind Tatum. Because he's their guy for good reason. And he's the guy that's still there. So of course they're going to defend him. Even they would have to admit. It's a bit goofy. To do the whole. I knew as soon as you did. Like nobody believes that. No, no, nobody believes that. It's fine. Just say, you know, look, we are teammates for a long time. Everything runs its course. Whatever, but I mean, anyway, he goes the extra mile. To be like, I couldn't, I couldn't, I got the call. And I was shocked as you. Like, come on. Nobody, it's fine. It's fine that you said it's fine to say everything runs its course. The organization makes decisions. We were champions together. We want a title. And look, you keep talking to me. Like, I'm a decision maker here. I don't make the decisions. That's bread. and Joe and everybody else's job. And you can just stand on that. And they thought this is what's best for the franchise. That's it. But when you go the extra mile to be like, "Oh, I don't know, you know, that's when I can understand." And on the other end, I'm not take it, be clear. I'm not taking a side here. Jalen Brown's petty, too. But like, this is not- - There's something you need, yeah. - You skipping over one of the biggest things. And everyone's so focused on the beef versus lamb chops and gravy or whatever. First of all, I think lamb chops normally come with like a mint jelly or something. I don't think gravy and lamb chops are together, but neither here nor there. When he said, "I thought the most disrespectful thing "that Jalen Brown said was he's got a good PR team." - Yeah. - That is rude. You know what I mean? - It is rude. - He's basically saying like, "That guy's a phony." He's an absolute phony. And everything you've read or heard about him is fake. 'Cause he's fake, he's got a good PR team that polishes up the turd. So you think he's a great guy, but that's just sped. - And then you have Scalabraini, who is then called out on his own broadcast. Like, "Hey man, you said this stuff on the radio today." So what he said, the best was, I was proud of the announcer. He was like, "So what were the demands?" - Because I don't know. I don't know what he's talking about. What do you mean? Beep, beep, beep, beep. He was just backing up and everything. - Like what were the demands? - On air, he was like, "Keep basically said, trade me or else." These are my demands. And then they asked him what the demands were. He's like, "I don't know what you're talking about. I don't know what you're talking about." - Well, all things getting messy. And let me just dot, dot, dot. - And I love it. - Me too. (laughing) - It is great. - I do like watching it play out. - And the first game in Boston, there's gotta be a tribute video, right? - Oh, I know. - There's gotta be a handshake in half quarter something. I don't think they can shake hands at court at this point, right? - Nothing would be funnier than Jalen Brown hugging everyone except him. - I could see that happening, can't you? - Yes. Yes. - Oh, that, I mean, this is like, circle it on the calendar. It just keeps getting better. - It reminds me of a Westbrook Durant. - Yes. - Your next one. - Your next is one. - All right. So our last episode was after the Warriors Lakers game. And we had Yaxl talking about Luca saying that he thought Luca sucks and it was one of my loads. And he just does not stop. So they have now played three or four games. - Oh, he did stop after the Grizzly's Warriors game, by the way. He stopped after that. - Well, he was talking about sort of adjusting to the NBA game and getting to the free throw line. And here's what he had to say. - Yeah, just seeing the way the NBA is, man, I guess a lot of bouts, a lot of free throws. So I mean, I think I gotta just adapt to what this is evolving to be. So I mean, I'm gonna learn all the sweep-throughs and all the bumper flaps. So I mean, eventually I'm gonna get good at it and be able to shoot as many free throws as possible. - So he has said that it's easy to rebound in the NBA. He said that Luca sucks. He said that it's just a lot of flopping in the NBA. I'll get good at the sweep-throughs and the flopping. So that's one way that I need to improve my game. And then yesterday, the Warriors got a great win against the Nuggets and it was an NBC game. So naturally, he goes on the NBC broadcast because Steph Curry didn't miss a shot. But of course, they wanna talk to Yaxl and just listen to how he sort of like addresses the panel at the desk. - I mean, do you guys have any advice? Like this for me in general, just like, you know, try to keep going and things I gotta work on and anything you guys see that I don't see? - Do you guys have any advice of things I have to work on? But no, I can't tell if I absolutely love or hate this kid. I don't know where I stand on him. - Oh, I cannot stand him. - I know you don't. - I told you, since college. - He said, do you have any advice for that game? To Tracy McGrady, Vince Carter, and Carmelo A. - He went off, but he, I mean, look, you can't, he went crazy last night. Over the final tally. - 31.12 rebounds. - 31 and 12. - And they blew out the Nuggets. They blew out the Nuggets. It was not competitive. - Yeah, the Nuggets thing is off. Steff didn't miss a shot, it's eight for eight. Do you win? All right, we'll talk about yaks. I'm sure he's gonna give us something to talk about every episode. What do you think about this yokeach and the booing thing? It's getting weird. - I mean, I think that, I think that if you are playing poorly and your home team starts, or your home crowd starts booing you, that they are a hundred percent in their right to do it. If they think there is a lack of effort and they think there is, like these people are, you just said, like tonight, when you go to the next game, you'll play face value. It's probably gonna cost you $300 to go to this game. That is true of everyone around the NBA. I am always on the fan side on this. They're paying a fortune, you take a family of four, it might be a thousand dollar night to sit in the lower bowl. And then you go there and these guys are mailing it in. Like if you show your level of disc content for that, you know, these are people that paid their hard-earned money. Is that 'cause they don't like you? It's 'cause they're showing you, this is wrong, man. - Yeah, they did. - This is a planned thing, I'm taking my son, I'm taking my kids, I'm taking my wife and kids, I'm coming after work, I bought season ticket, whatever. Like what are you guys doing? And so him responding to fans showing their level of disc content is goofy to me. He's wrong for that, they can do whatever they want. They paid a fortune to be in that arena. And if you guys are playing like crap or you're mailing it in, and they suspect that there's a lack of effort there, they have every right to boo you. - It's like people that can plan about the other team running up the score. It's like, well then stop 'em. If you don't want your fans to boo play harder. Play better. - Yeah. - And he doubled down on it too. He's like, well those are, they asked him about it again. He's like, those are not real fans. It's just interesting. He's talking about like all the environments that he played in, I played in front of 10 people, and he said I played in front of 150,000 people. He's like, actually, they're not really, I thought that was kind of funny. But he's just like, you know, you're always talking about how like it's such high pressure in Europe, and if you lose, the coach gets fired and this and that. He's always talking about like sort of like the European pressure intensity of the game, and then he complains about the fans booing. Like, play better. - Yeah, right. These guys are like, you talk to people that played overseas, they're scared to go to their car after they lose. - He's always talking about that. I don't know. It's a little weird, but yeah, shout to you, Axel. And you know, kids. - I think it's just a frustration thing that titting all of them at the beginning of the season, 'cause that, I mean, good. - Right, I don't look really good. - Losing like that at the beginning of the season to the Warriors and a rookie going for 31 and 12 on you. - It's not what you do, it's how you do. It's not just losing to the Warriors, but they're getting blown out. Like, step, step, you didn't come back in the game. - Yes. - Next one, we're just never gonna see whatever the magic we're supposed to be our way. I mean, it is, we were talking about this at the beginning of the show how, and in fact, about the Oklahoma City Thunder, and you can make all the predictions in the world, and you can feel like there is a tier, there are tiers in the Western Conference, and then that gets ripped away within a week's time. And we posted a video, I think a week and a half, two weeks ago, and it's you and I talking about the magic, and about how we just never see them all together, Apollo, Fron, Sugs, Bang, like the way it was in Carter, the way it was envisioned to be, right? Like we just, it's like somebody's always out. - And then immediately, Apollo gets hurt. - And then Sugs gets hurt, and then Sugs gets a non-contact. - Like, it really does just feel like it's snake bit. Like we're just, my feeling is, it is going to end. I'm talking about that groove. We'll get broken up before we ever see what it was, the best version of it, what it was meant to be. 'Cause it's too expensive, too expensive, it's too expensive. And, you know, there very well may be an overlap problem there with too many guys with similar skill sets, meaning they're two best players with similar skill sets. But they can't ever stay healthy. It's always either Apollo or it's Frons or it's in the obviously, it's just wild. And it's depressing because all we wanted to see, you know, people at high hopes for them going into the last season, it was like, hey, this is a theme that kind of hangs its head on defensive end. And they're big and they're strong and they out rebound you and they can get stops. but God, they just can't shoot. Well, now they go and get Desmond Payne. And now, at least that's a big piece to open it up. And now they can start to open up the floor a little bit and let those big guys operate. And we're just like, never gonna get to see it. - So with Tammy Brown, we talked for a long time. And don't, like, it's easier to forget, but don't forget, before they won a championship, it seemed like every single pundit was trading one of them every other day. Like, it just seemed like there was a redundancy there. They played the same position. They needed to sort of diversify their roster. But at least we saw it. Like, we don't even see it with the magic. It's just an idea. - Ever. - Like, we just don't see them play together. We don't have like a sample size of it working or not working. - Right. - And again, when we can't even make it through one week, it just feels like, all right, this isn't happening. Because this is going to be a make or break, where they're going to be making decisions, especially dependent upon, you know, Anthony Black is gonna be coming into a, you know, they did not extend him. And so that makes a whole nother decision that's gotta be made as the season goes on. Because you either fancy yourself with someone that's going to be really able to compete in the Eastern Conference and you let it ride. And you just say, all right, we're going in and this is the best version of self. And yeah, we might have to, you know, Anthony Black might be a casualty in the off season. Or you decide, you know what, this isn't the best way to mix it. We're gonna make Apollo or Franz decision because these contracts are too bloated. And then we could also have somebody to resign Anthony Black in the off season. Like, they're gonna be, like again, it's too expensive to not be good. And it's already injured. - Yes. - And Sean Swini was supposed to fix everything. And it's, it's, it makes me sad. - For sure. 'Cause we like the song and we want to hear the song. - It's a good song. - All right, this is a quick one. Nice to meet you Sergio de la Rea. I was not familiar with your game, Mr. de la Rea. Like, I was like, you're too in a match. Like, oh, I want to see Kyrie. You know, he didn't play last night. He was like, you know, Cooper Flag is playing really well. He looks great. I was not familiar with Sergio de la Rea. But man, he looks like a player, 25th pick. He had 21, I think it was Saturday night. No, it's, yeah, Sunday night, 21 points. I was not familiar with this. Good for you. - Cool name too. - De la Rea. - Also, don't know if you saw this, but a guy that I expressed a week ago, I'm like, man, I've been burned on this. I just don't like giving up on young guys. Walter Clayton went off. - Oh yeah, I saw that. - The Grizzlies cut him, he had 15, 4 and 4 last night and looks like a player. I think Clutch probably wanted about a Memphis because watching his highlights for last night and then watching what I watched, I think the guy tanked his way out. I don't share it. - No, no. - No, he was like airballing shit, Jacobi. - He did not tank his way to Dallas. - I do. No, no shit. - I absolutely believe it. He was getting the, go back and watch the preseason. He was like getting the ball ripped from him at the top of the key. He was like throwing it off the backboard. He was like pulling up for air ball threes and transition. Like, I was like, do you wanna be cut? As I was watching it, that's the feeling you got. And then he got cut. So I can't be, look, I'm telling you is you watched him last night and you're like, who are you? - He's that same guy? - I just watched you. Not the same guy. - Well, between them, they've got La Rea. They've got the battle in the future there. - Well, and also you want some of those, what you want, especially with your young pluggers and then it's gonna be wait and see. It's early in the season. But the most exciting thing is a fan and if you're a Dallas fan, you're sitting there going, well, we want as many guys that can be good on the flag timeline as we can have. And it becomes essential that you hit these picks when you've got that one. You hit the lottery with him and now you need more res to hit. And then if you catch a day La Rea or you catch a Clayton or you catch some of these signings and you got like a young core that you can move forward because then the vision becomes real and you go, we got, it's other guys that you're sitting there going, all right, we got flag, we got this guy, we got this guy, right? Whether, and if De La Rea pops, you sit there and go, we got flag De La Rea and we know that more as is going to be a functional rotation part for us or whatever. You just want the maximum amount of guys in that age range that fit flag's time. >> How long is Kyrie Irving on the team? 'Cause this looks like a 500 basketball team, right now. Who knows, you know what I mean? It's going to be one thing that's seen like four five games. But like, this feels like a trade deadline, 500 basketball team right around the edge of the plane. And then if you're Kyrie Irving, like what are you doing with your time? >> Yeah, I mean, and there's a real trademark it. There will be a trade. >> Oh yeah. >> For him, especially as he continues to prove that he's Kyrie Irving. Next one, boy, this Yannis honeymoon is terrible. Just terrible. And here's been the shocking part to me. The shocking part has been, okay, if you told me Yannis Bamm is clunky. And even David On Mitchell, oddly, who's still a young player in the league, at his like media availability yesterday, said these guys both kind of play in the same spaces. And so you got to figure it out and it's like, okay, so even if you told me it's clunky, that it's too much overlap, that it doesn't work, fine. That's offense, right? How about a hundred and thirty-three defensive rating with them cult on the court? >> Jesus. >> How, how? How? Like, again, if you told me that their offense stinks because they just like, they got, they're going to be some figuring out to do. And there's too much overlap. And they got crappy guards anyway. Like, okay, like, but you figure, the offense will be able to come from getting stops, getting out on the run and being good in transition. Like, and he is as devastating a transition force as we have ever had in the NBA. >> They can't get a transition because they can't get no stops. And how? How do you cross them out of bio and y'all decided to go pro and you can get no stops? It's crazy. >> It's crazy. >> The Clay is not helping. And, you know, Hardaway Jr. has always been streaky. It seems like he goes like six for eight or over eight. But he hasn't been hitting early on. Everything that could go wrong for this team is going wrong for this team. >> Frick, and you know what? Frigg and Stan Van. >> Stan Van did it again. >> I thought, look, he saved me. By talking as spicy as he did on Zacklowe's podcast a couple of weeks ago. He was so down on the heat. I was like, you know what, he might be mad that he used to work there years ago, whatever. But he also might be right. And I was like, all right, I'm backing off then. >> This honeymoon is not going well. >> You know what, the worst honeymoon ever. >> You know what, my wife doesn't listen to this. I gotta say, we kind of had a shitty honeymoon too. >> You did? >> Thailand for like two weeks. And the rainy season came early. So it was just like raining all the time. So it was like, it was cool. I was reading books like in the room. But the rainy season came early. >> Were you creeped out by the amount of middle-aged American men there? >> But we weren't really in those spots. We were kind of island hopping. We weren't in the big cities or anything. Just getting a lot of massages. I mean, one time we got an hour massage. >> A lot of massages. >> It's a lot of massages. We got an hour massage for $7. My wife was like, they do it for $5 down the beach. I'm like, what are you saying? $2, I'm an hour massage. I was like, what are you talking about? Your money goes a long way out there in Thailand. We had a great time. >> I'm for sure not talking about this. >> This feels like a trap. Anyway, the honest honeymoon. Truly terrible. I am maybe the worst superstar honeymoon ever. I'm not kidding. >> Let me think. >> Who has a quad? >> Kyrie Kyrie with the nets. That was pretty bad. Not the honey. It looked like it was going to be good. >> I remember the pandemic and the vaccine. >> No, no, no, no, no. >> But that wasn't for the honey. But that wasn't the honey moon. It got bad. >> Yeah. >> I'm saying, has anybody ever acquired a superstar and been like, oh my god, we suck. >> Because the nicks are only three, right? But they're tight games, comebacks. They're in it. Like the heat on even in it. I mean, that was pretty close game last night. But like, there. They don't look good. I put a lot of stake in culture and, you know, sort of like institutional knowledge is what I was thinking that their floor was gonna be so high because you have a superstar and you have the institutional knowledge and the culture and the coaching that they have. And it seems like they have a lot of working out to do. - When it also feels like you're gonna be making a Janus BAM choice. - It's early. - I'm overreacting. (laughing) Because I'm overreacting. Let me overreact. - It's how it feels though. - Look, let me just say this. That Calvin Booth did a very regrettable interview. And I only say this 'cause he regretted doing the interview with Kevin O'Connor a couple of years ago after he was fired from the nuggets. And, but there are some real pearls within the interview, like he said what he said about Michael Porter Jr. and some others and they got in trouble for it, right? That being said, one of the things that I have never forgot that he was talking about with team building. He said, overlap is the silent killer of teams. And he said, keeping, and what he meant by that was keeping too many players that have the same roles, the same skill sets, the same physical limitations. Like this, this is what can kill you. And I do watch teams on a regular basis and think to myself, oh wow. Like there's a, if you can't figure it out and everybody can't figure out, like some players are so good that they can just they can slide into becoming a bloodline. - Lebron and Wade, but like Lebron and Wade come to mind. - A Tatum and Brian come to mind. - Correct. I was watching last night. This is before Mark and Jackson got hurt. It doesn't make sense. The Kianta George Peterson thing doesn't make sense. And the, and the, and the Jerry Jackson Jr. Mark and the thing doesn't make sense. 'Cause both those guys are best at four. The best at four, right? And the Kianta George and you can, there are going to be like Lillard McCollum's, but like those stand out like a sore thumb because it did work and they did figure it out as two dynamic guards that go ahead. But like, there's a lot more examples of it not working because there's nobody that's like really a table setter that's out there and can make the best. Same with Phoenix, you watch them so far and you watch Booker and you watch Green and you watch Brooks going along with Bridges and you're like, this doesn't, this doesn't, like the puzzle don't fit together. And so like I say, there's all of these where you do wonder, and that's why I make that overreaction statement about Yannis and Bam. It's not just him. You watch a lot of the teams that have struggled early in the season and think to yourself, how much overlap do they have? Who's playing a role? - The Blazers have two point cards. - I know and do our best players take up the same spots. - Yeah, I know. - I've always, I call it the odd numbers. Like you want your team to have one, three and five. Point guard wing center. And you look at the jazz, it's a lot of twos and fours. - Yeah, totally. - Nice, last one. - I got two more, buddy. - Oh, okay, good. So I'm looking at the Lakers, and they're undefeated, right? You know, and then I started looking, they beat the Warriors, the Clippers and the Jazz. All right? This is their schedule through Thanksgiving. I don't know how this went this way. They've got Warriors Clippers, Jazz. Blazers, Clippers, Warriors, Raptors, Heat, Kings, Blazers. Then Pistons, Hawks, Bucks, Suns, Hornets, Jazz, Kings, and then Jazz again, and then it's Thanksgiving. I am just prepared for them to be like 15 and four, and everyone's giving Luke of the MVP, and them having played basically the Pistons, the Hawks. I can't name another good team. - I think they put Portland tonight. - Yeah, they have the Blazers tonight, then the Clippers and the Warriors and the Raptors. The Raptors are good, and then the Heat, the Kings, and the Blazers. Then they play the Jazz, like they've got a really easy start to the season, and I can already see that we're going to overreact to their 15 and five start. It's going to happen. - No, no, no one ever. - They're the Lakers, it's Los Angeles, the Purple and Gold. I can already see it, and then they come crashing back to Earth after Thanksgiving. - All right, I'm going to give you two quick ones at the very end here, then we just talked about overlap, so I'm not going to be labor this, but a couple of weeks ago, when we were talking about San Antonio and we were talking about the Dylan Harper comments, you said, they'll just start them all, and I was like, there's no way, it doesn't make sense. You're not going to start Fox Harper and Castle, and you were right, and they have. But it doesn't look right. And again, just like we were talking about, you're trying to figure out how can you get best versions of self with these teams? And I don't think there's any way that you can get the best version of Harper, Fox, and Castle with them playing together. - Never mind. They're best player, Victor Wabinyama. It's like the thing has to function. Again, we talk about, and especially when you've got young guys, it's like who's going to fall back and play the role? Like so far, so good on the Sixers thing. We have wondered, who's going to fall back? Like who's going to sacrifice? And a lot of times what you will find is veteran teams are much more likely to be able to do that. They're made man, they'll fall, you know, they've either won, or they're ready to sacrifice to win, but they're longer in the two. This was exactly what happened many years ago in 2008 in Boston. Do it three guys that were all willing to adjust being the man in Ray Allen, Kevin Garnett, and Paul Pierce. And that's like, that can be held up. And then to another extent, Chris Bosch, Dwayne Wade and LeBron James did it as well. And I do think that once you've been in the league for a long time, you're much more willing, but especially when Harper's gonna, you know, every year going forward until he becomes a made man, he's playing for a contract, and all the castles same way. Like when you're young, that's not, you're not ready to fall into a role. This is gonna be, like Edgecomb will be the one that's like, what's going on here, right? Because he's not the made man. And I do think that it's three guys that the Harper, when Harper comes off their bench, it is devastated. And my point is, they're going to have to just make the Harper Fox decision. And you can either bring Dianne Fox off the bench or you can bring Dylan Harper off the bench. But like, that will be a decision because the best version of them is going to be having another role player in that starting lineup. - Ms. Johnson calls your phone and says, looks and we're kind of sputtering out of the gate here. What should we do with our rotation? What do you say? You put your hand in there and you put-- - Yes! - And take Harper off the bench. - Yes, he's a second year player. - 'Cause I don't think Benching Fox is going to be helpful. He's making $60 million. - Correct. - Or taking him off the ball doesn't really work either. - I agree with that. - And you can always tell-- - Or a week side attacker closeout guy. - And also you tell Harper, like, this is the best version of us. And your time will come. And you're going to be playing 30 something minutes and closing game. - You're going to be closing out the games? - Yes. - This is not-- - Yeah, that's exactly what I would do. - Vasella Champani in the starting lineup. - That doesn't matter to me. - Somebody, somebody's going to stretch the floor and play the role. - Probably Champani. - That's fine. - Oh, and also just small sample size theater here on the, when I talked about these insanely sauce sales. Most played lineups for teams on the bad side. Knicks minus 25, they're starting. These are net ratings. Heat minus 33 with their most played lineup. Cams, how about this one for a shocker? Minus 27 with their most played lineup, which is their starter, with the, putting Peyton Watson into the three, which we both like. And then, this might take the cake. The Suns, Booker Green Brooks, Malawock and Bridges minus 36 net ratings so far on the positive side, Lakers 26, Philadelphia plus 33 net rating with their starters, Grizzlies plus 18 net rating with their starters, and then I saved the best for last at plus 25. This is not the highest net rating. Let me guess. It's not the highest, but their most played lineup has been a plus 25. Um, it's got to be a team that's winning pistons. The most played lineup this team has had has been plus 25 net rating routers thus far so the rest of them are screwing it up. It's not these guys. When I tell you, you would have bet your entire life savings against this. Okay. It is. The lineup of Ryan Rollins, Tyler hero, Jaime Hawkes, Kyle Kuzma and Miles Turner. Rollins hero, Hawkes, Kuzma Turner plus 25 net rating for the bucks, most played lineup. Ow, not again. Maybe we should. I'm over reacting to touch the ropes, the MVP. The bucks are the favorites to win to come out of the East and the next. Seems to me if the bucks just played their starters more, they be matching people. By the way, Tyler hero died telling the truth. He took that punch for everyone. No, he wasn't. Hey, was he lying in the DM's? They might have I was making a genius out of him. He's like, you think they game plan for him? Yeah. It's interesting. And then he got hit for it. In Vegas. All right. You know what we've already covered this. Just the wolves are just exactly as advertised. They're exactly as advertised. There's so much fun to watch. Tell us all over the place, taking one footed three. I don't think he's taking a single set shot. I don't think he's jumped off two feet and taking a three this entire season. They've got this long handshake that they do in the middle of games. Anthony Edwards. See if he's come out with 45 different commercials in the last like three weeks. It's just they are perfect. Rudy Gobert being weird. J. McDaniel's super fun. I wish Dante even chenzo was healthy. Like this team, man. Hey, can we also mention the comminga thing is working. Yes, we can mention working. It is working. They're put there are plus 26 net rating. They're starting line up so far. That's where they go. It's with Rudy Gobert. And the other thing is comminga was in on the fight two last night, same with McDaniel. You know, you're watching that game between the calves and the wolves last night. And didn't it feel like the wolves go after and get every 50 50 ball. Yes. It does now. Now part of that is the calves don't. Yes, that's true. Like they're well, I mean, you know, there was the one where Harden was like rolling on the ground with him. But even then there's like two wolves on top of him. You know, trying to wrestle it away. I just feel like they've got this great combination of fight and talent. Like they feels like they. You know, a lot of times the talented team is not the one that fights for the 50 50s. Well, you saw the interview with Anthony Edwards. We surrounded all of his homeboys and it was like home studio or whatever. And he's like, we're going to come to town with the wolves come to town. We're going to be on some bullshit and we're going to foul you. Like we're going to foul you. I love that he said that. He's like, we're going to foul you. I said, all right. Well, and they've also got this combo whether it's, you know, even these guys that they can bring off the bench, the Shannon and the Clarks. Also IO and then you see Kaminga getting in the mix with them and you see because it all kind of feeds from Ant McDaniels. Yes. And then all of a sudden it permeates the team. And then also you have to have that like you have to have that ability to become that, you know, you know, I mean that fight in you. Some guys are built for that style of play and some people aren't. But some people that can be brought out of them. And you're seeing that like, you know, you see this, you know, when you see Kaminga diving on the floor. It's like, this is just what they all do. And I just felt like as I was watching that game play out, they lost that game. But it's certainly they certainly look like the harder playing team on a regular basis. Yeah, they do. And it makes it more fun. It felt like they won that game last night. I know the score says. I was watching. I was like, I don't know. They seem like they're having a great time. They're hitting shots. And you have Anthony Edwards just playing out of his mind. Like he hit everything except for that last three. But he was just hitting everything last night. I mean, there were like three of them that he hit like the wing threes, like the corn like between the wing in the corner. And like in front of the bench where he's like fading and shoot it. It's just like this like it's just like it's a flick of the wrist. And it's like good grief this guy. I mean, he is so good. He is so good. And he is so fun to watch. I'm a I'm a mobility skeptic, but he hit some big shots last night too. And had a big block. Yeah, I've been waiting for Evan mobility to be having mobility for years now, but he look good last night. He is what he is. Yeah, but he was really good. He was supposed to be more. That's the problem. Yeah, well, I mean, it's that it's that level of fight. Like some guys are just not wired that way, right? And you just got to accept like he is what he is, but he's not going to be the guy that's like, you know, I mean, it's a personality. It's a personality. I didn't expect him to fit this well either because you know, it's been great. When you've got the mellow ball on the ball, and you've got anything ever scoring everything that's just just like it just takes a lot of pressure off of you. You know, so you just get some weird fits in. I love the wolves. All right, I'm going to the game tonight. I'm going to watch the next win tonight. I'm going to go there. I'm going to have two beers. I'm going to have two beers of Chris Vernon. Well, and this would be a really good win if they're able to get it because the pistons have started off three and oh, and they've been bust of people's asses. Mm hmm. I think you have to wait without Jalen Duerren. You got to win. You got to win. Well, I mean, they're three and oh, and two of their wins are the Celtics and the Sixers. And it's like they did this last year. Yes. Remember, all year, we're like, bro, they keep beating all these good teams. They bring their lunchpale. So, I mean, you're about to find out what the nicks are made of early in the season. Whether or not they're, you know, ready to go ahead and send a message and become the nicks again. Or if they're just like, this is going to be, this is going to be a slow burn and we'll turn it up eventually because you know you have got to be ready to play when you're playing that pistons team. Because they're ready to, they're ready to play them. Dennis Jenkins ain't stopping. Have fun, man. I will. So, first time, the first time you've been there since they won the title, right? Yeah. I didn't go in the playoffs last year, so tickets are crazy. I'm not spending that kind of money. I understand. All right. Let's go ahead and do it for another episode of the Miss Match. Thanks to Jesse, Steph and Liz as always. And to Kobe, I'll talk to you later this week. [Music] Remember, you must be 21 and over and present in select states for Kansas in affiliation with Kansas star casino or 18 and over and present in DC or Y Oaming. Got a game of problem. Call 1-800-Gamble or 1-800-My reset. Call 1-888-789-7777 or visit ccpg.org/channel. Or visit mdgamblinghelp.org in Maryland. Hope is here. Visit gamblinghelpma.org or call 800-327-5050 for 24/7 support in Massachusetts or call 1-8-778-Hope and Y.