Welcome to the Best of the Week for What's Right with Nick Right the best takes and moments from this week on the show. Enjoy. So you would like to have this story be a team that has been intelligently built, that has a superstar scoring champ about to be League MVP, a you know, kind of up and coming second and third options in JDub and Chet and this team just absolutely annihilating Minnesota in the Thunder's first conference finals game since KD was there. You'd love for that to be the story, but it's not the story. The story is and there's no way around it. And I think you guys know from as I r up myself my hesitation across sports to blame officials, and I'm not blaming the officials for this one, but the officiating is the story. Because the dichotomy between how the thunder Guard, which is awesome playoff physical defense, and the way Shay is allowed to be guarded and the way Shae courts contact or initiates contact and then reacts as if there were a sniper in the crowd and just flails to the ground and time after time after time gets rewarded for it is utterly maddening, and we have seen listen, James Harden was different stylistically than Shay, but did a lot of this same stuff. Obviously, maybe this feels more jarring because Harden's teams were not the best defensive team we've seen in a quarter century or at least twenty years. That was on the other end of the court, roughing everyone up. But it is impossible to watch, and I like it by the way, the way Caruso and Dort and Wiggins and Wallace and j Dubb are allowed to guard and then see on the other end of the court, how Shay gilges Alexander is treated by the refs as if he's playing by a different set of rules. Miles Brown, who is someone I quote a lot on this show because I think he's a smart guy, and I also think he has a very funny twitter. He's at Mt Brown. He tweeted the way OKC gets to play football on one end of the court and behind museum glass on the other is infuriating, and that is exactly how I feel. And I do think there is a knock on effect from when Shae gets When Shade draws four fouls in the first five minutes, of the game. Not only does Jaden McDaniels and Rudy Gobert and others get in foul trouble, but and go Beert. Listen, go Bert got two fouls early. One was offensive, so maybe he's the wrong example. He actually didn't fall again after that, but he was kind of seemingly knocked out of the game impact wise after those opening two fouls. But the knock on effect is this, when the refs make it clear immediately we are going to reward Shay's flopping because that's what it is. It is shameless flopping. Then later in the game and you saw it in the second half, guys feel like, well, I have to give him space or else he's going to draw the foul even if the foul didn't exist, And all of a sudden, shaken totally comfortably step into that seventeen footer that he's the best in the league at And we have the the bad, acting, dopey, agenda laden folks who have been trying to tell you for the last five years the league is dying. Because the league had the audacity to be able to try to have some type of social conscience. Those folks who've been in hiding this postseason because the ratings have been off the charts because the games have been great. Those folks obviously have not acknowledged that the first two rounds of these playoffs, the ratings were some of the best we've seen in more than ten years in this league through the first two rounds. Now, part of that is the games have just been awesome, But it have that type of rating when Stepp really only played around, when Lebron only played around, when Durant didn't make the playoffs at all, when Giannis only played one round is a testament to the fact that the audience has enjoyed the way these games have been played and officiated that this postseason we are allowing a level of physics and a level of contact that is so unlike what is allowed in the regular season. The audience likes it, and the teams have adjusted. And it's not even accurate to say that that is applied to every team except the Thunder, because it absolutely has applied to the Thunder's defense. Alex Cruso's awesome and I give him massive credit. Alex Crusoe was basically allowed to take out a police baton on Nikola Jokich the refs are like, whatever, man, you're six inches taller than him, deal with it. Fine. I am not complaining about that. I thought that was great. But when you compare that to the way the refs are saying, you have to guard Shay and these are laughable plays. And credit to Doris and to Richard Jefferson for acknowledging it during the broadcast, but these are Shay. It's not even like the old hard and hook the guy's arm and then go up. It is just take a take a step and act like you got hit and collapse to the floor while tossing up a shot. Some of the most egregious ones yesterday he actually made the shot while falling. There was one truly egregious one that the Timberwolves challenged in won. But you don't have endless challenges and you don't want to use them early, and it's just unbecoming. And I was one of the I had a level, not huge, but a level of thunder skepticism. Was I wondered, was Shay going to get the whistle in the playoffs that he got in the regular season, And up to this point the answer is absolutely yes, if not a better one, because he's averaging this well, probably about the same whistle his free throws in each game of these playoffs. Seven in the first game of the playoffs, he only played twenty three minutes because they won by fifty four. In Game two of the playoffs, when they won by twenty nine in game three, thirteen in the deciding game against Memphis, and then nine in Game one against Denver, eleven in Game two against Denver, just five in the overtime loss to Denver, than twelve, then six, then eleven, then nine, and last night fourteen. And this is going to sound unsportsman of me, but it is sports, and this is part of it. If I am Minnesota and this is how they are going to I'll give it game two and see what type of whistle he's getting. But if it's clear any type of contact he is going even if he generates it, even if it's borderline fraudulent, he's just going to get that whistle, then you guys need to decide as a team if we're going to get our money's worth on these fouls, because right now he is getting the best of all worlds. He's living at the free throw line, and he's leaving the game physically feeling better than he came into the game because there's no hard contact. Last night, there wasn't a single foul that was like, oh, that's a hard playoff foul. And I'm not talking about dirty plays. I'm not talking about undercutting him anything like that. The audience knows what I'm talking about here, and I hate that that's the story, but that's the story of Game one, and it is why people got And sometimes I say things on the TV show are on here and I say ahead of time that I know I'm gonna get killed for this. Don't care. It's just how I feel. I owe the audience honesty. So I'm going to give him honesty. And when I set on the show yesterday, I think the thunder of the best team, I think they're going to win. I hope the Timberwolves win. Part of it was because I do not like this style of play being rewarded. I just don't the foubating, flopping nonsense. And I'm glad I got that takeout prior to Game one because I feel like a lot of America watching that game joined me. And here's the other part of it. He doesn't have to do this, so take later stage Jimmy Butler, who is not a volume or a good three point shooter, who was not a crazy explosive athlete, and in order for him to be peak effective, he had to be drawing fouls. But he drew fouls kind of the old fashioned way. He would pump, fake, get you in the air, and go up, and that can be annoying, but that's not grifting. That is it's a frustrating guy to go against because you're like, just stay on the ground. He's not going up with his first shot, and guys would have a hard time with it. Shay is just kind of wildly throwing himself into the lane, falling sideways, looking for minimal contact, selling it like Daniel day Lewis, and being rewarded by it in a playoffs when for other guys, guys it has been if you're not bleeding from the nose, it probably wasn't a foul and it's just wildly frustrating. Now, was that again, was that the reason the thunder one by twenty six They outscored him seventy to forty in the second half, So was that that was the story of the game. But was that the reason the thunder one. No, let me tell you guys, NBA's eighty two game grind is done and the real fun has begun. The NBA Playoffs are here. Time for all the high stakes drama, clutch moments, jaw dropping plays. I know you can't wait. You're looking to make the playoffs even more exciting. Draftings Sportsbook has you covered as an official sports betting partner of the NBA from the playing games all the way through to the finals. Now's the time to back your favorite players and teams as they chase glory all season long. DraftKings been the go to spot for NBA player props that doesn't stop. Now. Want to make your player playoff experience even more intent try placing a bet on your favorite players performance. We will they drop thirty, forty, maybe more. Your call. Ready to place your first bet, Download the DraftKings sportsbook app. Now, lock in your bets and let's make this playoff run unforgettable, something special for first timers. New Draft Kings customers bet five dollars to get two hundred dollars in bonus bets instantly. Again, make it a playoff run to remember with DraftKings. Download the DraftKings sportsbook app. Use code right. That's code right for new customers to get two hundred dollars in bonus bets when you bet just five bucks only on DraftKings. The crown is yours. Gambling problem call one eight hundred gambler In New York call eight seven seven eight hope in why, or text hope in why, which is four six seven three six nine. In Connecticut, help is available for problem gambling.

Welcome to the Best of the Week for What's Right with Nick Right the best takes and moments from this week on the show. Enjoy. So you would like to have this story be a team that has been intelligently built, that has a superstar scoring champ about to be League MVP, a you know, kind of up and coming second and third options in JDub and Chet and this team just absolutely annihilating Minnesota in the Thunder's first conference finals game since KD was there. You'd love for that to be the story, but it's not the story. The story is and there's no way around it. And I think you guys know from as I r up myself my hesitation across sports to blame officials, and I'm not blaming the officials for this one, but the officiating is the story. Because the dichotomy between how the thunder Guard, which is awesome playoff physical defense, and the way Shay is allowed to be guarded and the way Shae courts contact or initiates contact and then reacts as if there were a sniper in the crowd and just flails to the ground and time after time after time gets rewarded for it is utterly maddening, and we have seen listen, James Harden was different stylistically than Shay, but did a lot of this same stuff. Obviously, maybe this feels more jarring because Harden's teams were not the best defensive team we've seen in a quarter century or at least twenty years. That was on the other end of the court, roughing everyone up. But it is impossible to watch, and I like it by the way, the way Caruso and Dort and Wiggins and Wallace and j Dubb are allowed to guard and then see on the other end of the court, how Shay gilges Alexander is treated by the refs as if he's playing by a different set of rules. Miles Brown, who is someone I quote a lot on this show because I think he's a smart guy, and I also think he has a very funny twitter. He's at Mt Brown. He tweeted the way OKC gets to play football on one end of the court and behind museum glass on the other is infuriating, and that is exactly how I feel. And I do think there is a knock on effect from when Shae gets When Shade draws four fouls in the first five minutes, of the game. Not only does Jaden McDaniels and Rudy Gobert and others get in foul trouble, but and go Beert. Listen, go Bert got two fouls early. One was offensive, so maybe he's the wrong example. He actually didn't fall again after that, but he was kind of seemingly knocked out of the game impact wise after those opening two fouls. But the knock on effect is this, when the refs make it clear immediately we are going to reward Shay's flopping because that's what it is. It is shameless flopping. Then later in the game and you saw it in the second half, guys feel like, well, I have to give him space or else he's going to draw the foul even if the foul didn't exist, And all of a sudden, shaken totally comfortably step into that seventeen footer that he's the best in the league at And we have the the bad, acting, dopey, agenda laden folks who have been trying to tell you for the last five years the league is dying. Because the league had the audacity to be able to try to have some type of social conscience. Those folks who've been in hiding this postseason because the ratings have been off the charts because the games have been great. Those folks obviously have not acknowledged that the first two rounds of these playoffs, the ratings were some of the best we've seen in more than ten years in this league through the first two rounds. Now, part of that is the games have just been awesome, But it have that type of rating when Stepp really only played around, when Lebron only played around, when Durant didn't make the playoffs at all, when Giannis only played one round is a testament to the fact that the audience has enjoyed the way these games have been played and officiated that this postseason we are allowing a level of physics and a level of contact that is so unlike what is allowed in the regular season. The audience likes it, and the teams have adjusted. And it's not even accurate to say that that is applied to every team except the Thunder, because it absolutely has applied to the Thunder's defense. Alex Cruso's awesome and I give him massive credit. Alex Crusoe was basically allowed to take out a police baton on Nikola Jokich the refs are like, whatever, man, you're six inches taller than him, deal with it. Fine. I am not complaining about that. I thought that was great. But when you compare that to the way the refs are saying, you have to guard Shay and these are laughable plays. And credit to Doris and to Richard Jefferson for acknowledging it during the broadcast, but these are Shay. It's not even like the old hard and hook the guy's arm and then go up. It is just take a take a step and act like you got hit and collapse to the floor while tossing up a shot. Some of the most egregious ones yesterday he actually made the shot while falling. There was one truly egregious one that the Timberwolves challenged in won. But you don't have endless challenges and you don't want to use them early, and it's just unbecoming. And I was one of the I had a level, not huge, but a level of thunder skepticism. Was I wondered, was Shay going to get the whistle in the playoffs that he got in the regular season, And up to this point the answer is absolutely yes, if not a better one, because he's averaging this well, probably about the same whistle his free throws in each game of these playoffs. Seven in the first game of the playoffs, he only played twenty three minutes because they won by fifty four. In Game two of the playoffs, when they won by twenty nine in game three, thirteen in the deciding game against Memphis, and then nine in Game one against Denver, eleven in Game two against Denver, just five in the overtime loss to Denver, than twelve, then six, then eleven, then nine, and last night fourteen. And this is going to sound unsportsman of me, but it is sports, and this is part of it. If I am Minnesota and this is how they are going to I'll give it game two and see what type of whistle he's getting. But if it's clear any type of contact he is going even if he generates it, even if it's borderline fraudulent, he's just going to get that whistle, then you guys need to decide as a team if we're going to get our money's worth on these fouls, because right now he is getting the best of all worlds. He's living at the free throw line, and he's leaving the game physically feeling better than he came into the game because there's no hard contact. Last night, there wasn't a single foul that was like, oh, that's a hard playoff foul. And I'm not talking about dirty plays. I'm not talking about undercutting him anything like that. The audience knows what I'm talking about here, and I hate that that's the story, but that's the story of Game one, and it is why people got And sometimes I say things on the TV show are on here and I say ahead of time that I know I'm gonna get killed for this. Don't care. It's just how I feel. I owe the audience honesty. So I'm going to give him honesty. And when I set on the show yesterday, I think the thunder of the best team, I think they're going to win. I hope the Timberwolves win. Part of it was because I do not like this style of play being rewarded. I just don't the foubating, flopping nonsense. And I'm glad I got that takeout prior to Game one because I feel like a lot of America watching that game joined me. And here's the other part of it. He doesn't have to do this, so take later stage Jimmy Butler, who is not a volume or a good three point shooter, who was not a crazy explosive athlete, and in order for him to be peak effective, he had to be drawing fouls. But he drew fouls kind of the old fashioned way. He would pump, fake, get you in the air, and go up, and that can be annoying, but that's not grifting. That is it's a frustrating guy to go against because you're like, just stay on the ground. He's not going up with his first shot, and guys would have a hard time with it. Shay is just kind of wildly throwing himself into the lane, falling sideways, looking for minimal contact, selling it like Daniel day Lewis, and being rewarded by it in a playoffs when for other guys, guys it has been if you're not bleeding from the nose, it probably wasn't a foul and it's just wildly frustrating. Now, was that again, was that the reason the thunder one by twenty six They outscored him seventy to forty in the second half, So was that that was the story of the game. But was that the reason the thunder one. No, let me tell you guys, NBA's eighty two game grind is done and the real fun has begun. The NBA Playoffs are here. Time for all the high stakes drama, clutch moments, jaw dropping plays. I know you can't wait. You're looking to make the playoffs even more exciting. Draftings Sportsbook has you covered as an official sports betting partner of the NBA from the playing games all the way through to the finals. Now's the time to back your favorite players and teams as they chase glory all season long. DraftKings been the go to spot for NBA player props that doesn't stop. Now. Want to make your player playoff experience even more intent try placing a bet on your favorite players performance. We will they drop thirty, forty, maybe more. Your call. Ready to place your first bet, Download the DraftKings sportsbook app. Now, lock in your bets and let's make this playoff run unforgettable, something special for first timers. New Draft Kings customers bet five dollars to get two hundred dollars in bonus bets instantly. Again, make it a playoff run to remember with DraftKings. Download the DraftKings sportsbook app. Use code right. That's code right for new customers to get two hundred dollars in bonus bets when you bet just five bucks only on DraftKings. The crown is yours. Gambling problem call one eight hundred gambler In New York call eight seven seven eight hope in why, or text hope in why, which is four six seven three six nine. In Connecticut, help is available for problem gambling.

Call eight eight eight.

Call eight eight eight.

Seven eight nine seven seven seven seven or visit CCPG dot org. Please play responsibly on behalf of Boothill Casino and Resort in Kansas twenty one plus. Age and eligibility varies by jurisdiction. Void in Ontario.

Seven eight nine seven seven seven seven or visit CCPG dot org. Please play responsibly on behalf of Boothill Casino and Resort in Kansas twenty one plus. Age and eligibility varies by jurisdiction. Void in Ontario.

Bonus bets expire one hundred and sixty eight hours after issuance. For additional terms and responsible gaming resources, see DKNG dot co slash b ball.

Bonus bets expire one hundred and sixty eight hours after issuance. For additional terms and responsible gaming resources, see DKNG dot co slash b ball.

I am just beside myself. That's too strong, the latest WNBA controversy. It's just evidence demons that we are not yet ready societally to have this rivalry exist, and I don't know that we ever will be. So here's the thing that I shouldn't have to say, but I think because it goes without saying ball say it anyway. Obviously, if fans are chanting anything racist or making racist animal sounds anything like that, that is abhorrent, deplorable, and those people should be banned for life. If you didn't catch up, let me, let me, people might be like, the hell are we talking about? So here's the deal. Caitlin Clark's Indiana Fever played Angel Reese's Chicago Sky. Caitlyn had a triple double, Angel had a bunch of rebounds and a bunch of mislayups, and the Fever one by thirty. During the game, Angel committed a hard foul. I'm sorry, Caitlyn committed a hard foul on Angel that was called a flagrant. To me that was borderline, but whatever her it was a smart hard foul. And then Angel got pissed. Some professional or semi professional lip readers you know, think she's you know, said she was effing crazy or something. There were due, there were you know, dueling technicals. Right. Do we think we have this all correct?

I am just beside myself. That's too strong, the latest WNBA controversy. It's just evidence demons that we are not yet ready societally to have this rivalry exist, and I don't know that we ever will be. So here's the thing that I shouldn't have to say, but I think because it goes without saying ball say it anyway. Obviously, if fans are chanting anything racist or making racist animal sounds anything like that, that is abhorrent, deplorable, and those people should be banned for life. If you didn't catch up, let me, let me, people might be like, the hell are we talking about? So here's the deal. Caitlin Clark's Indiana Fever played Angel Reese's Chicago Sky. Caitlyn had a triple double, Angel had a bunch of rebounds and a bunch of mislayups, and the Fever one by thirty. During the game, Angel committed a hard foul. I'm sorry, Caitlyn committed a hard foul on Angel that was called a flagrant. To me that was borderline, but whatever her it was a smart hard foul. And then Angel got pissed. Some professional or semi professional lip readers you know, think she's you know, said she was effing crazy or something. There were due, there were you know, dueling technicals. Right. Do we think we have this all correct?

Yeah?

Yeah?

Just some random person on Twitter who we have no idea if they were even at the game, was like the crowd making monkey noises at Angel Reese is you know, way out of line. Obviously that'd be way out of line. The thing is, the game was on tv I there seems to be no evidence of this whatsoever that this happened. There is a clip when Angel misses a free throw of what sounds like a dolphin noise. Now, I because it's twenty twenty five and everything sucks, have learned. There is some streamer who laughs sounds like a dolphin, and now idiot fen zers like laugh like him, do what demons? Can you kill this? His name's Fly.

Just some random person on Twitter who we have no idea if they were even at the game, was like the crowd making monkey noises at Angel Reese is you know, way out of line. Obviously that'd be way out of line. The thing is, the game was on tv I there seems to be no evidence of this whatsoever that this happened. There is a clip when Angel misses a free throw of what sounds like a dolphin noise. Now, I because it's twenty twenty five and everything sucks, have learned. There is some streamer who laughs sounds like a dolphin, and now idiot fen zers like laugh like him, do what demons? Can you kill this? His name's Fly.

I think they're talking about flight like a popular that's right, t K two k YouTuber.

I think they're talking about flight like a popular that's right, t K two k YouTuber.

I could see a.

I could see a.

Dolphin noise sounding pretty close to monkey noise though.

Dolphin noise sounding pretty close to monkey noise though.

So I agree with that. I agree with that. I agree with that entirely. That may but again, I need more than one person's tweet before I'm going to and let me say this as well, before we get to what I actually want to talk about here. Some of the alleged Caitlin Clark fans and I said this last year, we had really you can just check our archives. We had real smart I think conversations on this. Some of the alleged Caitlin Clark fans are not Caitlin Clark fans. They are just racists, some of them. They they just like that they think this white girl is humbling these black girls that definitely, unequivocally clearly exists. The thing is, it mostly exists online. It to my experience, does not seem to exist that much in person at the games. And now again the WNBA needs to be proactive about making sure that doesn't, you know, invade the actual arenas. There's nothing you do about the online stuff as sadly it's the world in which we live. Those people are pieces of shit. Now, I think everybody knows it. But then the race stuff then gets even more complicated because then there are fans of Angel who I don't even know if they're fans of Angel, but there feels like there is a like a solidarity of like no, like there are shitty people on a acting these black WNBA players. So we then need to act like Caitlin Clark isn't this super nova of the talent. And the whole thing just sucks because idiots get involved, and the WNBA commissioner, who I don't know that Kathy Ingelbert's a wartime consoliari, releasing a statement today like we're investigating this, like I'm not sure. I maybe would have investigated it. And then if there was any evidence whatsoever that this happened, then I release a statement like, to me, your statement validates the allegation when I have seen no evidence that this happened. Okay, now there's all that. Here's the thing I want to talk about. People are gonna be mad, don't care, demons. Angel Reason needs to be better. Yeah at basketball. I'm not talking about as a person. I'm not talking about as a podcaster. I'm not talking about it as at the met Gala. She needs to be better player if we want this rivalry to be able to have some staying power. Like she had a very very busy offseason. Again, we are we are one game in, but at this moment, it does not seem like the offseason involved a lot of Mike and drills of left handed layups. And she is right now, Angel Reese. I'm I'm sorry. Right now, she is a wildly famous rebounder. It's like a I mean, somebody had the funniest tweet on this. I think it was Miles Brown who tweeted it. The The Caitlin Clark Angel Reese rivalry is like if Kobe had a rivalry with Marcin Gortat, and I just can't get that out of my head, Like, I mean, this is the there, Listen. I don't think Caitlyn is the best player in the league, to be clear, that's still Asia Wilson until proven otherwise. I think she will one day be the best player in the league. But ain't Angel Rees right now? Okay, Kent Taggert evidently gets credit for that tweet, Thanks guys. I mean that was really funny. Caitlyn's team is I think gonna be awesome, and she's awesome. An Angel is a nice player that has real value and is maybe already the best rebounder in the league, certainly one of them. But if that is going to be a real right on court rivalry, then Angel Rees needs to get better at some of the fundamentals. That's just a fact. And this is where I'm gonna sound like the old man. But you had a very very very busy public offseason, and if you didn't all like, if you come back this year the same exact player that you left last year, that's a miss by you. And so that's that, to me, is the more the thing to watch is that is Angel Reyes going to continue to be a thirty five percent layup shooter, because that's gonna that that is going to put a real ceiling on who she can be as a player. And this is where I am just going to trust my entire career bona fides that people aren't going to be able to try to draw me into the I mean, you know what, everyone's gonna get drawn into it. Damn. Look the people is I guess a Q was Lebron of being anti black because he gave props to Caitlin Clark. And so this is so toxic on certain levels that anybody could be you know, people could make allegations about anyone's motivations. My real motivations on this are, I do I love the idea of this being because they clearly don't like each other. I love the idea of this being a real rivalry, but one both parties got to hold up there into the bargain as far as making them both being awesome.

So I agree with that. I agree with that. I agree with that entirely. That may but again, I need more than one person's tweet before I'm going to and let me say this as well, before we get to what I actually want to talk about here. Some of the alleged Caitlin Clark fans and I said this last year, we had really you can just check our archives. We had real smart I think conversations on this. Some of the alleged Caitlin Clark fans are not Caitlin Clark fans. They are just racists, some of them. They they just like that they think this white girl is humbling these black girls that definitely, unequivocally clearly exists. The thing is, it mostly exists online. It to my experience, does not seem to exist that much in person at the games. And now again the WNBA needs to be proactive about making sure that doesn't, you know, invade the actual arenas. There's nothing you do about the online stuff as sadly it's the world in which we live. Those people are pieces of shit. Now, I think everybody knows it. But then the race stuff then gets even more complicated because then there are fans of Angel who I don't even know if they're fans of Angel, but there feels like there is a like a solidarity of like no, like there are shitty people on a acting these black WNBA players. So we then need to act like Caitlin Clark isn't this super nova of the talent. And the whole thing just sucks because idiots get involved, and the WNBA commissioner, who I don't know that Kathy Ingelbert's a wartime consoliari, releasing a statement today like we're investigating this, like I'm not sure. I maybe would have investigated it. And then if there was any evidence whatsoever that this happened, then I release a statement like, to me, your statement validates the allegation when I have seen no evidence that this happened. Okay, now there's all that. Here's the thing I want to talk about. People are gonna be mad, don't care, demons. Angel Reason needs to be better. Yeah at basketball. I'm not talking about as a person. I'm not talking about as a podcaster. I'm not talking about it as at the met Gala. She needs to be better player if we want this rivalry to be able to have some staying power. Like she had a very very busy offseason. Again, we are we are one game in, but at this moment, it does not seem like the offseason involved a lot of Mike and drills of left handed layups. And she is right now, Angel Reese. I'm I'm sorry. Right now, she is a wildly famous rebounder. It's like a I mean, somebody had the funniest tweet on this. I think it was Miles Brown who tweeted it. The The Caitlin Clark Angel Reese rivalry is like if Kobe had a rivalry with Marcin Gortat, and I just can't get that out of my head, Like, I mean, this is the there, Listen. I don't think Caitlyn is the best player in the league, to be clear, that's still Asia Wilson until proven otherwise. I think she will one day be the best player in the league. But ain't Angel Rees right now? Okay, Kent Taggert evidently gets credit for that tweet, Thanks guys. I mean that was really funny. Caitlyn's team is I think gonna be awesome, and she's awesome. An Angel is a nice player that has real value and is maybe already the best rebounder in the league, certainly one of them. But if that is going to be a real right on court rivalry, then Angel Rees needs to get better at some of the fundamentals. That's just a fact. And this is where I'm gonna sound like the old man. But you had a very very very busy public offseason, and if you didn't all like, if you come back this year the same exact player that you left last year, that's a miss by you. And so that's that, to me, is the more the thing to watch is that is Angel Reyes going to continue to be a thirty five percent layup shooter, because that's gonna that that is going to put a real ceiling on who she can be as a player. And this is where I am just going to trust my entire career bona fides that people aren't going to be able to try to draw me into the I mean, you know what, everyone's gonna get drawn into it. Damn. Look the people is I guess a Q was Lebron of being anti black because he gave props to Caitlin Clark. And so this is so toxic on certain levels that anybody could be you know, people could make allegations about anyone's motivations. My real motivations on this are, I do I love the idea of this being because they clearly don't like each other. I love the idea of this being a real rivalry, but one both parties got to hold up there into the bargain as far as making them both being awesome.

Blending Vice's signature dynamic storytelling with the high octane world of sports, Vice Sports brings an exciting and diverse range of programming that goes beyond the game catch action pack, live events, and exclusive sports documentaries and profiles only on Vice TV.

Blending Vice's signature dynamic storytelling with the high octane world of sports, Vice Sports brings an exciting and diverse range of programming that goes beyond the game catch action pack, live events, and exclusive sports documentaries and profiles only on Vice TV.

Let's go to the Eastern Conference and your Celtics getting what's the term dog walked in a game six? Go ahead?

Let's go to the Eastern Conference and your Celtics getting what's the term dog walked in a game six? Go ahead?

Uh?

Uh?

Not fair?

Not fair?

I mean, we didn't have our best player, but it is what it is. Yeah, and I was obviously a little confident that we're gonna win that game.

I mean, we didn't have our best player, but it is what it is. Yeah, and I was obviously a little confident that we're gonna win that game.

And that's so that how it went.

And that's so that how it went.

It's time to go home. Tatum was out. We got dogged in the game six. Like you said, do you think that we should blow this team up for the money or do you think that we showed enough to keep the band together try to run it back next year?

It's time to go home. Tatum was out. We got dogged in the game six. Like you said, do you think that we should blow this team up for the money or do you think that we showed enough to keep the band together try to run it back next year?

Listen, I always I certainly don't think they I don't think they should blow it up. They could have won the championship if things break a little differently like I. So I can hold both of these thoughts in my head. I do think if you had a healthy Jason Tatum and the Knick series was a best of twenty one first to eleven, you beat them in that series every time it's played like you don't, no, no, no. My point is is, I do think Boston, over a large enough sample would have beaten the Knicks. I thought where I thought people blew the analysis of it was because games one and two were, you know, one point in overtime games, despite the Celtics shooting twenty five from three. What I where I thought people screwed up their analysis was is that it they acted as if it mattered that ah more often than not, the Celtics would at least split those two, if not win them both. It didn't matter. It's a race to four and it's two nothing, and so to me, I thought the series ended then when the Knicks were up two zho in Boston, and I think the series, even if Jason Tatum is healthy, and I think you might agree, the Knicks still win because the Knick. If you agree with this opinion, the Knicks were winning Game four, even if Tatum doesn't suffer that horrific injury. Then I just think it was unrealistic to say the Celtics were gonna win three straight. And I think you saw that in what happened in Game six, not the blowout. Here's the part I think people are missing, and it gets lost because it was a blowout. The Celtics were relying too much on old guys who showed you all postseason that they were not able to be good in consecutive games unless they had multiple days off. And that's Horford and that's Drew Holiday, and that you weren't gonna get those days off, and so they you had a bunch of time between Game four and five. Those guys were awesome in Game five, and then Drew was one for eight in Game six and Horford was four for seven, which is fine, like they so, so I think the Knicks were better in this series, and that's what mattered. Now, would I blow it up?

Listen, I always I certainly don't think they I don't think they should blow it up. They could have won the championship if things break a little differently like I. So I can hold both of these thoughts in my head. I do think if you had a healthy Jason Tatum and the Knick series was a best of twenty one first to eleven, you beat them in that series every time it's played like you don't, no, no, no. My point is is, I do think Boston, over a large enough sample would have beaten the Knicks. I thought where I thought people blew the analysis of it was because games one and two were, you know, one point in overtime games, despite the Celtics shooting twenty five from three. What I where I thought people screwed up their analysis was is that it they acted as if it mattered that ah more often than not, the Celtics would at least split those two, if not win them both. It didn't matter. It's a race to four and it's two nothing, and so to me, I thought the series ended then when the Knicks were up two zho in Boston, and I think the series, even if Jason Tatum is healthy, and I think you might agree, the Knicks still win because the Knick. If you agree with this opinion, the Knicks were winning Game four, even if Tatum doesn't suffer that horrific injury. Then I just think it was unrealistic to say the Celtics were gonna win three straight. And I think you saw that in what happened in Game six, not the blowout. Here's the part I think people are missing, and it gets lost because it was a blowout. The Celtics were relying too much on old guys who showed you all postseason that they were not able to be good in consecutive games unless they had multiple days off. And that's Horford and that's Drew Holiday, and that you weren't gonna get those days off, and so they you had a bunch of time between Game four and five. Those guys were awesome in Game five, and then Drew was one for eight in Game six and Horford was four for seven, which is fine, like they so, so I think the Knicks were better in this series, and that's what mattered. Now, would I blow it up?

No?

No?

Do I recognize the Celtics' financial realities are such that they are going to have to make some significant changes. And the answer to that question is yes. To me, it's pretty obvious. Here are the changes I would make if I were Boston, because they are in such a devastating salary position, I would And I now opening the Celtics cap table. Al Horford is a free agent. You just have to I think he retires, Yeah, you just have to let him walk. So that's gone. You then have these big salaries Jalen Brown fifty three, Tatum fifty four, Drew thirty two, Chris STAPs thirty, Derek White twenty eight, and then a sneaky one, which is Sam Houser ten million. Okay, I would if I were them, you let Horford walk, and you trade Drew Holliday, and you keep together Tatum Brown White, and you hope that Chris STAPs next year is healthy. And now here's the other piece of the Chris STAPs thing, because I wouldn't trade him before the year. If there is real hope that Tatum could be back for next year's playoffs, I think that is unrealistic. However, it does seem like that because they did the surgery like within hours of the injury, that that could really, you know, curb shave some time off the recovery. At next year's trade deadline, because Chris STAPs is an expiring contract, I would I would look and see does it make sense to offload him or to keep him if we think he's gonna walk in the offseason either way depending on is Tatum gonna be back for this playoff run? But the next time Tatum's healthy, I would definitively want Tatum Brown and Derek White together. The reason I brought up Sam Hauser is I read something that because of like the repeater tax and the aprons and all this shit. Sam Hauser's ten million dollars demonse costs the Celtics sixty two million dollars because it's of the different like three xing the penalties for if you're over this certain lines. So it doesn't that money doesn't go to Sam, it goes to the league. So he's a fine player on a nce on his salary basically, right, Well, not so it's on it. It's on eighty one salary. The point I'm making is if you if you stack the salaries up and like and you're like, hey, here's our total salary. What would happen to our luxury tax bill if we traded the ten million dollars sam Hauser contract that one move, if they had everyone else still there, would save them the ten million in salary and fifty two million in penalties. Now obviously that means trading Drew Holiday saves you even more. But that's that was just an example of what the financial realities are for a team that I think next year is not really competing. But I do think Tatum Brown, Derek White, there's proof of concept when I say competing, Like I think they'll still be good.

Do I recognize the Celtics' financial realities are such that they are going to have to make some significant changes. And the answer to that question is yes. To me, it's pretty obvious. Here are the changes I would make if I were Boston, because they are in such a devastating salary position, I would And I now opening the Celtics cap table. Al Horford is a free agent. You just have to I think he retires, Yeah, you just have to let him walk. So that's gone. You then have these big salaries Jalen Brown fifty three, Tatum fifty four, Drew thirty two, Chris STAPs thirty, Derek White twenty eight, and then a sneaky one, which is Sam Houser ten million. Okay, I would if I were them, you let Horford walk, and you trade Drew Holliday, and you keep together Tatum Brown White, and you hope that Chris STAPs next year is healthy. And now here's the other piece of the Chris STAPs thing, because I wouldn't trade him before the year. If there is real hope that Tatum could be back for next year's playoffs, I think that is unrealistic. However, it does seem like that because they did the surgery like within hours of the injury, that that could really, you know, curb shave some time off the recovery. At next year's trade deadline, because Chris STAPs is an expiring contract, I would I would look and see does it make sense to offload him or to keep him if we think he's gonna walk in the offseason either way depending on is Tatum gonna be back for this playoff run? But the next time Tatum's healthy, I would definitively want Tatum Brown and Derek White together. The reason I brought up Sam Hauser is I read something that because of like the repeater tax and the aprons and all this shit. Sam Hauser's ten million dollars demonse costs the Celtics sixty two million dollars because it's of the different like three xing the penalties for if you're over this certain lines. So it doesn't that money doesn't go to Sam, it goes to the league. So he's a fine player on a nce on his salary basically, right, Well, not so it's on it. It's on eighty one salary. The point I'm making is if you if you stack the salaries up and like and you're like, hey, here's our total salary. What would happen to our luxury tax bill if we traded the ten million dollars sam Hauser contract that one move, if they had everyone else still there, would save them the ten million in salary and fifty two million in penalties. Now obviously that means trading Drew Holiday saves you even more. But that's that was just an example of what the financial realities are for a team that I think next year is not really competing. But I do think Tatum Brown, Derek White, there's proof of concept when I say competing, Like I think they'll still be good.

I don't think they're not championship level next year, right.

I don't think they're not championship level next year, right.

And so, and this was the point I made going into game six. If you treated Chris Stapsid as if he were out, which I was. If you had a team going into a year and you said, our best players Jalen Brown, our second best players Derek White, our third fourth fifth guys are Drew Holiday, al Horford, Peyton Pritche, you would put that team in the same tier you put the regular Detroit Pistons, like, oh, that's a good team, Like you know what I mean, they should make the playoffs, like Jalen his cad in that situation, you know, go on down like, but you wouldn't look at them as a championship contender. And that's what the Celtics were by the end of that series. Does that make sense, Yeah, that makes sense.

And so, and this was the point I made going into game six. If you treated Chris Stapsid as if he were out, which I was. If you had a team going into a year and you said, our best players Jalen Brown, our second best players Derek White, our third fourth fifth guys are Drew Holiday, al Horford, Peyton Pritche, you would put that team in the same tier you put the regular Detroit Pistons, like, oh, that's a good team, Like you know what I mean, they should make the playoffs, like Jalen his cad in that situation, you know, go on down like, but you wouldn't look at them as a championship contender. And that's what the Celtics were by the end of that series. Does that make sense, Yeah, that makes sense.

I like it all. I love getting rid of Drew. I love both those guys, Drew an al Horford. But it is it's and honestly not Drew Drew. I honestly, if you will, the testings out a little further, but that makes sense to me.

I like it all. I love getting rid of Drew. I love both those guys, Drew an al Horford. But it is it's and honestly not Drew Drew. I honestly, if you will, the testings out a little further, but that makes sense to me.

It just if you if you feel like, here's the point I would make on Drew if you if you're if the feeling is of your guys making thirty ish or way more Chris STAPs, Derek White, Drew Holliday, Tatum Brown, that Derek White is too important and younger and all of that, Tatum Brown untouchable, And it's a decision between Chris STAPs and Drew. The the easy answer is will move Christaps. He's But if you want to try to get real draft compensation back, because you are trying to, you know, get you more young, cheap players, Drew has way more trade value, right does that? Does that make sense? Like that? So I those, But I don't think you're trading Jalen Brown. You're obviously not trading Jason Tatum, and I would be shocked if you're trading Derek White,

It just if you if you feel like, here's the point I would make on Drew if you if you're if the feeling is of your guys making thirty ish or way more Chris STAPs, Derek White, Drew Holliday, Tatum Brown, that Derek White is too important and younger and all of that, Tatum Brown untouchable, And it's a decision between Chris STAPs and Drew. The the easy answer is will move Christaps. He's But if you want to try to get real draft compensation back, because you are trying to, you know, get you more young, cheap players, Drew has way more trade value, right does that? Does that make sense? Like that? So I those, But I don't think you're trading Jalen Brown. You're obviously not trading Jason Tatum, and I would be shocked if you're trading Derek White,