Month: August 2018

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Think this fan called bank? ($25,000 shot)

Today’s Panel:

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Are Rockets closer to winning a title?

“I think they’re closer since they let Trevor Ariza go. Now you bring in Marquese Chriss a guy who needs a change of scenery. It moves them up slightly since July” – Haynes

“I don’t think anybody within this deal is going to make that much of a major impact as far as beating Golden State” – Friedell

“I’m not sure if this actually helps them close the gap toward the Warriors”

“You better win this season” – Friedell

What changes for Warriors this season?

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🎥🎬 @thatsdeezy #TheResurgence #0doubt

A post shared by DeMarcus Cousins (@boogiecousins) on Jul 27, 2018 at 11:03am PDT

“First and foremost: Bringing in a guy like DeMarcus Cousins. Somebody who hasn’t had the best reputation as far as dealing with his teammates. You bring him in, he’s automatically going to change the dynamic of that locker room, whether it’s good or bad. Allowing some of the young guys to play a little bit more” – Haynes

“I think they’re going to change a little bit of their style of play, from training camp onwards” – Windhorst

Do players care too much about video game ratings?

Knicks rookie, Kevin Knox (Via Instagram):

“Absolutely. They care too much about everything. So many of these guys are so thinned skinned” – Friedell

“Rookies definitely shouldn’t be complaining. What have you proven this far?” – Haynes

“I actually like that the players are this invested in it because it’s fun and it engages with the fans” – Windhorst

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Brian Windhorst trying to understand what ‘Fire’ is from Senior Sneakerhead Insider, Nick DePaula as they go on a mini trip to the sneaker store:

Nick DePaula is back to discuss the latest news in the sneaker world of basketball!

Is Brian officially a sneakerhead now?

“We’ve got a ways to go” – DePaula

Latest on Gordon Hayward’s sneaker status?

“It’s getting close to a decision” – DePaula

Blake Griffin expected to sign multi-year extension with Jordan brand

“This is a partnership that we can expect to see continue and will be a future guy for the brand ” – DePaula

Jaren Jackson Jr. signs multi-year deal with Nike

“He is going to be a great example of somebody who’s in a smaller market and the colors aren’t particularly brand favorite colors. Because of the new sneaker rules, he can really take advantage of the new rules and get some incentive and get some visibility for himself” – DePaula

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Ramona Shelburne on athletes reframing motherhood (ESPN)

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YouTube; Joel Embiid learned his shooting form watching YouTube? (Via Players’ Tribune)

“White People shooting three-pointers”

Kicks; Fan of Josh Hart’s competitiveness?

Via jhart/IG:

History; Jordan-LeBron debate gets heated on “Hard Knocks” (HBO)
Cleveland Browns players got into a shouting match. Christian Kirksey says:

“Michael Jackson is Michael Jordan. Chris Brown is LeBron. And Usher is Kobe.”

Laziness; Giannis works out with Kobe

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Find a way and have no regrets – Kobe Bean Bryant. Thank you for allowing me to workout with you @kobebryant I learned a lot.

A post shared by Giannis Antetokounmpo (@giannis_an34) on Aug 30, 2018 at 5:36pm PDT

Could Giannis rise to Kobe’s MVP challenge this season?

“He can. Absolutely. It’s about performance and narrative” – Friedell

“No doubt he’s an MVP-caliber player, but he needs the team around him to get that goal” – Haynes

“He’s got skills that can lead him there. But the Bucks have to be an elite team” – Windhorst

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Happy Birthday, Chris Haynes!

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At @LUXSLIVE Lounge & Entertainment Venue. For your service needs and more info, hit up my brother @mhdachamp. Good lookin on the flyer @therealmikestamps.

A post shared by Chris Haynes (@chrisbhaynesnba) on Aug 29, 2018 at 5:05pm PDT

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Surprised Dirk can still dunk?

Via JJ Barea’s IG:

Today’s Panel:

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Walt Frazier (Knicks Legend) on KD: “There will be an asterisk by his name”

Via SiriusXM NBA Radio:

“Durant, as great a player he is, I would still hold back [giving him credit] because he joined a team that really didn’t need him. He’s right there with LeBron, probably would’ve surpassed LeBron as the best player in the game soon, but for him doing that I still don’t give him the full credit that he probably would’ve deserved if he stayed in OKC and won a title with that team. He’s going to be down the list for me because of that. There will be an asterisk by his name. It’s not something I would’ve done, I would’ve never joined [Jerry] West, [Bill] Russell or [Wilt] Chamberlain. I wanted to kick their butts.”

Rich Kleiman, Durant’s business partner on Walt Frazier’s comments:

“Some may call it ‘shade.’ Some may call it ‘criticism.’ I call it: this opening salvo in the recruitment of KD to the Knicks. This is him saying: You want to be elevated, come win a championship for a great franchise. You got to do this on your own” – Windhorst

“This is going to fuel him like every other slight, talking about the thin skin and he’s going to go in and say ‘You know what? I got one more hall of famer to prove wrong.'” – Friedell

“This is going to be a recurring theme this season, no matter how the Warriors play. It’s going to dog the Warriors and KD the entire season” – Windhorst

What will you remember most about David West?

“He wasn’t always about the money. He took a lesser role to be part of a championship contender. I will always respect him for that” – Friedell

“I will always remember him as a Pacer. He took and lead that team to the top” – Windhorst

Where does David West rank among class of 2003?

Both Windy and Friedell agree that David West is in the top 5 in terms of great players from the 2003 draft class

“For what he’s been able to accomplish in all these acts and continue to carry himself the same way, it’s a lot of credit to the professionalism he’s had throughout his career” – Friedell

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2014 – David West shoves KG after he blew into his face!

Happy Retirement, David!

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From yesterday’s show:

“Cass, I’m gonna be honest with you: if I’ve got a bat problem, I’m looking for someone who is stronger than Terminix. A little more powerful”

Claps; Terminix claps back!

Aging; D-Wade’s not retiring…right?

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It’s about the small details on and off the court. Talent will only get you so far. It’s about putting in the constant work and taking care of your body so you can perfect your craft…and get a little bit better each day. Day 2 with my guys… #blueprint2018 #DwadeInvitational . . . . . 🎥: @bobmetelusstudio @tareshmonchel @elitemediaconcepts @uri_israel

A post shared by dwyanewade (@dwyanewade) on Aug 30, 2018 at 9:09am PDT

Jumpers; Does Lonzo’s form look different or the same?

Post Moves; Glad to see Hassan working on threes?

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Late night work #Workingonmycrafteveryday #Postsoitcountlol

A post shared by Hassan whiteside (@hassanwhiteside) on Aug 29, 2018 at 8:26pm PDT

Connections; Ben Simmons wants Jamal Crawford & Jamal agrees

“I think Jamal Crawford will end up there” – Friedell on Crawford possibly joining Philly

Moving on…

Ben Simmons: “I know I have a lot more to give” | Expect Ben Simmons to shoot more jumpers next season?

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@ricohinesbball @hometeamhoops 🤟🏽 #PHILLY

A post shared by Benjamin Simmons (@bensimmons) on Aug 24, 2018 at 10:55am PDT

“He better start shooting more. That was the flaw in his game” – Friedell

“His future is amazing. I proudly voted for him for ROY. His shot will improve” – Windhorst

“I’ve talked to people in the league and people are going to laugh at me when I say this: Some people think that Ben Simmons might actually be kind of a point-center because he has the ability to play and defend so well. He’s got such great length” – Windhorst

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The day Kyrie Irving was traded by Chris Forsberg

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Should Kyrie have demanded a trade?

“He was thrilled at the time. Horrified when it almost didn’t go through. Was relieved when it did. He is very happy today” – Windhorst

“I don’t think he’s going anywhere. I’d be shocked if he left the situation he’s in, given the way everything has worked out” – Friedell

How does Cavaliers return on the trade look now?
As Rachel Nichols says about the Cavs: “THEY DIDN’T HAVE TO TRADE HIM!!!”

“It depends on what Collin Sexton is. They are super-duper high on him. I feel like the Cavs misplayed the opportunity after they saw how bad Isaiah’s (Thomas) hip was” – Windhorst

“You got to be sick to your stomach. You gave him (Kyrie) away for basically nothing” – Friedell

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Terminix best move for Manu? (They offered him a pest control job to enhance his bat catching skills)

For those that have forgotten, from 2009:

Today’s Panel:

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Surprised Draymond encouraged LeBron to be the best player?

Via HBO Sports (“The Shop”):

“I think Bron over the last four years became LeBron James. And it wasn’t nothing to do with winning and it wasn’t nothing to do with stats. He found himself. People didn’t start to view him as they view him now, until he became that force, that man to say, ‘I’m here.’ I feel like for years, he shied away from saying ‘I’m here’. And when he started to say, ‘F–k y’all, I’m here.’ That’s when he became who he is, and no one would have ever said that until he did it himself. Motherf*ckers f*cked with Mike because Mike was like, ‘I’m Mike with my hoop earring, f*ck all y’all, I’m here,’ and until he did that, that’s when he became the figurehead that he is. So many people shy away from that and that’s why they never reach their full potential.”

“I was fascinated by the Draymond stuff because the Draymond/LeBron relationship is so prickly and bizzare and unusual” – Windhorst

“What Draymond was saying was that he’s now owning it that he’s the best player in a way” – Hubbarth

Agree LeBron has found himself in last 4 years?

“LeBron became LeBron in Miami. That was where he sort of got his graduate degree. Went from being a player of potential to a player of delivery” – Windhorst

“The end is near for LeBron as the #1 guy. Durant is a guy who is going to come into his own soon, probably this season” – Friedell

Buy Lakers have less than 2% chance to win title? (Per ESPN’s BPI rankings)

“I don’t think they have any chance. It is zero. The Lakers are not very good. I’m not sure if they’re going to get into the postseason. The roster that they put around him, right now, is not good” – Friedell

“This is the farthest LeBron has been from a title since 2nd year in the league” – Windhorst

“The one thing about the BPI: That is what the dipsticks says today. The concept is, where are we at today” – Windhorst

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August 29, 2014 – Brittney Griner blocks a shot with authority!

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Confidence; Would you want to run pickup with Lance?

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Pickup 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥 @br_noonzz mix

A post shared by Lance Stephenson (@stephensonlance) on Aug 28, 2018 at 1:14pm PDT

Ankles; Is this the best offseason crossover?

Winning Time; Suns making the playoffs?
Devin Booker says: “It’s winning time. We’re in the best shape we’ve been in since I’ve been a part of the franchise” (Via CBS Sports)

Fear; How would you react to this Taurasi death stare?

Fear; Is Taurasi playing the best ball of her career?

Moving on…

What are 76ers doing with GM search?

Managing partner, Josh Harris told ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski that they won’t rule out leaving Sixers head coach, Brett Brown in place (as GM) the coming season

Also, according to The Athletic’s Derek Bodner, he says that the Sixers search “may be too narrowly focused”

“If you’re not going to hire a GM and you’re going to stick with Brett Brown, then just say that. Instead, they’re saying that they’re still not solidified in what we’re doing. The Sixers did not have a great summer. They didn’t handle their GM search the correct way” – Windhorst

“They punted on the summer. That’s what it boils down to. You have to have that person you feel comfortable in recruiting other players. The key will be the summer” – Friedell

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NBA to begin working with elite teenagers in new program by Brian Windhorst
The beginning of the end of the “One and Done”

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Senior sneakerhead writer, Nick DePaula returned to the show!

NBA allowing players to wear sneaker color of choice

“It’s going to be tons of fun. It doesn’t even have to be a matching pair” – DePaula

“Two big things here: The NBA is really allowing the guys to be the most expressive out of any league we’ve seen and giving their guys the freedom to wear whatever they want. Main piece: Nike has an 8-year deal with the NBA and they’re paying them $1 billion. So it’s definitely in the league’s interest to allow all the brands more freedom and more fun to have with all the players” – DePaula

“I think PJ (Tucker) is going to be the guy that starts to take stuff from like 10-15 years ago that we haven’t seen that’s just in all crazy colors” – DePaula

“It’s the one sport where the exact shoe that somebody is wearing, somebody else can buy and they want to let guys be expressive and tell a lot of stories” – DePaula on why the NBA is so proactive with shoes

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Buy #StayParanoid as a good slogan?

Today’s Panel:

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What’s next for Gregg Popovich?

“All honesty, we can’t see the future but I think this will be a challenge for him. I don’t think this signals the end of Gregg Popovich. He’s going to keep on going and his new players and new challenge will energize him” – Windhorst

Worried about Spurs making the playoffs? (Via Kevin Pelton)

“I can’t shake this notion that somehow that Pop finds this magic and is energized with this new toy to work with. Everytime someone leaves that program, we say ‘Oh. They’re fall back to earth a little bit’ and it never happens. I just can’t rule out Gregg Popovich” – Forsberg

“The Spurs will be better this year than they were last year” – Windhorst

“We are going to see a motivated DeMar DeRozan, Gregg Popovich” – Windhorst

Haywatch Update!
Celtics now biggest threat to Warriors?

“I absolutely feel that way. I get the sense that the Celtics feel like its not as big as everyone else thinks it is” – Forsberg

“They fit the mold of a championship contender” – Windhorst

Windhorst: 3 of the 5 best teams are in the east: Philly, Toronto and Boston | With Golden State and Houston

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August 28, 2010 – Becky Hammon (San Antonio Silver Stars) drives to the basket and finishes with the tough one handed circus layup!

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Trolling; Buy players loving Enes Kanter’s trolling?

Past trolling:

You can read more about this below:

Understanding; Lyft driver mistakes Jeremy Lin for a high schooler

Whips; Should we be afraid of Steven Adams’ ponytail?
Asked about how sweaty his hair gets during games

Gold; Commemorative LeBron 15s worth over 100k

Fandom; Knicks fan sells fandom, is now a Lakers fan?
The auction has ended; The winner paid $3,500 to the fan to root for LeBron James and the Lakers!

“I’d like to tip my cap to the Knicks for going tongue and cheek with this answer” – Windhorst

“What they should have done though is have Enes Kanter tweet and bring it full circle. Let him even troll his own fan” – Forsberg

Moving on…

How would you grade Rockets offseason?
Per Kevin Pelton: D+ for the Rockets
Click here to read more about grades for West teams’ offseason by Kevin Pelton

“The Rockets are not done with their offseason until March 1st. Daryl Morey is always tinkering, always messing around. This isn’t necessarily the roster they’re going to walk into the playoffs with” – Windhorst

“When we think about what they have to do well to be competitive with the Warriors is defense. They clearly weaken on that side” – Forsberg

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Manu top 20 moments by Michael C. Wright (ESPN)

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WNBA MVP, Breanna Stewart sat down with Holly Rowe to discuss the MVP and her remarkable career both professionally and personally:

Nick Friedell joined the panel!

Thibodeau on Jimmy leaving: “Winning will take care of that” (Via Minneapolis Star Tribune)

“No. Jimmy is gonna be out of there in a year. The mix of Jimmy as the alpha in that locker room with Towns and Wiggins, who have not lived up to their potential up to this point, just does not click for what they want to be in the future” – Friedell

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Reaction to New Bucks Arena?
Fiserv Forum

Today’s Panel:

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Jimmy Butler eyeing Lakers? (Via Bleacher Report) | What Should Wolves do with Jimmy Butler?

“In my mind, it’s not even just about the contract.  If this season doesn’t get off to a good start, I think he will start to pop up in trade rumors ” – Windhorst

“Jimmy to Los Angeles has been something we’ve heard about for several years. Dating back to when he was still with the Bulls. It makes a lot of sense on a lot of levels” – Friedell

“With this squad, I think he’d be fine in the framework” – Friedell referring to the Lakers

Latest on KAT negotiations with Wolves?

“There’s nothing happening right now. The fact that this isn’t getting done yet is sort of eyebrow raising. I believe he is going to sign it but what type of deal is it?” – Windhorst
October 31 is the deadline to extend his contract

“It’s a matter of when, not if on the money. But being around that team a lot last year: I think Jimmy’s (Butler) probably going to be gone a year from right now” – Friedell

“I would take Jimmy in a heartbeat over Towns” – Friedell

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Posters; Jayson Tatum says he doesn’t remember jumping when he dunked on LeBron? (Via the Bill Simmons Podcast)

Supervision; Best daycare ever?

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Daycare DOMINATION 😂🤣😂 Don’t leave your kids around this guy #teamflightbrothers #flightfamily (Ronnell Clark) @rp_tune

A post shared by Team Flight Brothers (@teamflightbrothers) on Aug 26, 2018 at 10:05pm PDT

Dimes; Best Taurasi pass this playoff run so far?

Vinsanity; Vince Carter open to playing beyond next season? (Via The Athletic)

Allergies; Zach LaVine gets burned by seafood eatery

Moving on…

Manu Ginobili retires after 16 NBA seasons

“This guy changed the way the game was played a little bit. I know he didn’t invent the eurostep, but the way he used it and brought into the game made it much more popular. The way he was willing to be an unselfish player where he rotated over the years coming off the bench, into the starting lineup, changed his role, changed his game, developed a longe outside shot, played at both ends of the court, played multiple positions. The quintessential type of modern day NBA player. He will be a first ballot Hall of Famer” – Windhorst

“He defined his career both internationally and in the NBA with that passion and that is why he is going into the Hall of Famer” – Friedell

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Players Tribune: Stephen Curry on gender pay equality

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ESPN Celtics writer, Chris Forsberg joined the show!

Who needs to sacrifice most for Celtics?

Forsberg: Kyrie Irving
“He’s going to have to be eased back in a little bit here, him and Gordon (Hayward). He’s going to have to be okay with maybe like 28 minutes per game instead of 30”

Windhorst: Jayson Tatum
“When the injuries happened to Hayward last year, Tatum got a huge boost in shots. He became a major offensive factor for them. I don’t think that’s neessarily going to be the case this year. What they really need from him is to do his dirty work on the defensive end and rebound and be the gritty guy” – Windhorst

Haywatch Update!

“If training camp were to start today, he (Danny Ainge) believes both Kyrie Irving and Gordon Hayward would be full go, 5 on 5” – Forsberg

 

Chances LeBron appears on Dancing with the Stars one day?

Panel:

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First Half

Buying Kobe’s “Endorsement” of LeBron in LA?

Here was his take as told to the Audience Network (Via Rich Eisen Show)

“I hear that but, If you’re a fan of mine, you’re a fan of winning. You’re a fan of the Lakers. I bleed purple and gold, so that’s above anything else. I’ve been a Lakers fan since I was yay-high. That’s never going to change”

“What he talked about is true though. The idea of winning. That’s ultimately what LeBron is going to be judged on as a Laker” – Isola

“It was an implicit endorsement of him” – Herring

“He (Kobe) loves the fact that the fans still have this much love for him” – Isola

“This might be the only town and only personality where this happens” – Elhassan

Tatum not worried about role on Celtics?

“A little bit. He needs to gel with someone like Gordon Hayward because if (Jaylen) Brown gets hurt or something like that, you’re going to have to share minutes with some of these guys. He’s going to need time to gel with them. But he’s going to be doing it off the bench” – Herring

“Let him prove that he’s all the way back before he loses his job to Gordon Hayward” – Isola

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Buckets; Expect another big jump from Aaron Gordon this season?

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Playing in a small market sometimes you don't get all the respect you deserve…but @youngheirgordon can BALL‼️‼️ Was matched up vs arguably the best player in the world yesterday @kevindurant & he did a great job. You better recognize that AG can hoop‼️He's my early vote for "Most Improved Player" for next season @blackops.basketball 📸 @harrington1313

A post shared by Chris Brickley (@cbrickley603) on Aug 24, 2018 at 6:23am PDT

Handles; Do we appreciate Andre Drummond enough?

Credit: ricohinesbball/IG

Layups; Should NBA players be studying these guys for dunk contest ideas?

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Fake between 😎my bag so deep

A post shared by Taevion Kinsey (@taevionk_) on Aug 22, 2018 at 4:04pm PDT

Credit: realdockery/IG

Nostalgia; How has the league changed since the 80s? (Via NBA Reddit user: u/macgarnickle)

Complacency; Think (Ben) Simmons will actually attempt some jumpers next season?

Credit: bensimmons/IG

Last Summer:

Moving on…

Why don’t the Sixers have a GM yet?

“Yes. They want to name a general manager. But they are also looking for someone who doesn’t have the final say, so to speak. They want to do it all like a group decision. There’s a guy in the ownership group, his name is David Heller. He’s one of these guys from New York. When (Sam) Hinkie was the GM, from what you hear, Heller was a guy that who was basically running the meetings and he had a heavy hand in the decision-making and at this particular time, he again has a hand in the decision-making” – Keith Pompey (Philadelphia Inquirer) to Chris Mannix on the Yahoo! Sports podcast

“I don’t think they need a GM this second because they’ve gotten through the most important stuff” – Herring

“The Sixers need to go out and hire a GM” – Isola

Are Pacers a contender in the East?

“I actually like them. I like their pickups too. “I don’t think last year was a fluke. I thought they could have beaten Cleveland” – Herring

“I think they absolutely are. They almost knocked off LeBron in the first round” – Isola

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Second Half

Jemele Hill of The Undefeated joined the show!

Redick on Clippers era: “There was so much pettiness” (Via Pardon My Take)

INTERVIEWER: “Was the most annoying team pretty much all time to watch because every year it’s like ‘The Clippers. The Clippers. This is the year.’ What was the moments like it kind of fell apart when you felt like it was going to build something?”

REDICK: “It was weird because separately everybody was really cool with each other, off the court everybody sort of got along. And then, there was just so much pettiness, it was just pettiness. It’s weird to think what we had the potential to accomplish and what ultimately derailed that was pettiness. I think the biggest problem was passive-aggressiveness. Like, I would rather have a guy blow-up at a teammate, whether it ends in a fight or just a verbal shouting match I think getting stuff out in the open is healthier than sort of holding it in and just whispering things in corners and never really addressing the root issues”

“It’s totally believable given all the storylines that came from that particular Clippers teams. The longer you’re together, especially the longer you’re together and you don’t win, that’s when those issues tend to spring up” – Hill

“They were never the same organization after that. They should have been in the Western Conference Finals that year” – Isola
Lookback: May 2015, 19 point lead in Game 6; 13 point lead heading into the 4th quarter vs the Rockets; blew a 3-1 series lead

“They had the talent to break through, but they couldn’t put it back together” – Herring

Let’s…

Think Kobe Stans will ever embrace LeBron?

“They just don’t want to because right now, their feelings are hurt. LeBron is the player of this generation. They feel like Kobe should be in this conversation whenever they talk about greatest ever. This is the NBA version of Biggie, Pac” – Hill

“You’re judged on one thing: Winning championships” – Isola

“What other situation could LeBron go to a team that was not in the playoffs, had not been in the playoffs for five years and not want him?” – Herring

10 years ago today: The Redeem team won gold!

Dream Team or Redeem Team?

Isola: Dream Team
“Only because Isiah Thomas should have been on the team”

Herring: Redeem Team
“Athletically, the redeem team would blow them off the court”

Hill: Dream Team
“They meshed together perfectly. That team was better”

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The future of mental health in NBA (Part 5) by Jackie MacMullan

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Reaction to Kyrie officially joining standing Rock Sioux tribe?

“It was really beautiful and genuine. It’s an awesome tribute to his mom” – Hill

“You could tell that he was speaking from the heart” – Isola

Like seeing Diana Taurasi clap back at Sun?

Here’s her postgame interview with Holly Rowe after the Phoenix Mercury beat the Connecticut Sun in a playoff game:

“She is a savage and I mean that with respect” – Hill

“She’s a killer. It is so much fun watching her play” – Herring

“She’s had some moments in these playoffs where she looks like Steph Curry” – Isola

ESPN.com: The future of Mental Health in NBA

“This is especially a tough battle for all professional athletes” – Hill

“You go through different phases of your career. It totally changes the scope of what these players are facing” – Herring

Pressure on Trae Young in Atlanta?

“He’s going to be as scrutinized as any rookie” – Isola

“Social media for them is a street corner. It’s the place where they gather. I applaud that he already is exhibiting this of discipline and maturity” – Hill

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What do the kids need to know about Penny Hardaway?

“A lot of kids are wearing my shoes and don’t even know who I am. But the kids that do know, they do understand that the Foamposite (Nike) is my shoe and they love the Foamposite. The last 5 or 6 years of my career didn’t end the way I wanted it to and they weren’t (his players) even born. Most of these kids, when I was in my prime(s), they go on YouTube just to see ‘Let me see if this guy is as good as they say he was’ or whatever and they come back to me and go ‘Coach? You were good.’ And I’m like ‘Thanks man. I appreciate it.'” – Hardaway

“He was the player that you watched” – Herring

“Tell them to show the Lil Penny commercials” – Isola

 

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A Korean Tae Kwon Do competition; Does this need to be in the dunk contest?

Today’s Panel:

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Think PG-13 will regret not giving Lakers a chance?

Here’s what he said on the ‘Short Story Long’ podcast:

“L.A. was pissed at me. I didn’t give Magic [Johnson] a meeting, which I understand. But at that point, I knew I wanted to give it another shot [in Oklahoma City]. I didn’t want to prolong it and waste people’s time.”

“I wonder if he looks at LeBron and thinks: He’s going to be 34 in December, I’m with Russell Westbrook, a much younger player. I talked my way out of Indiana. Do I really want to now leave another team?” – Isola

“It was just weird to me that he wouldn’t give them a meeting” – Herring

“Let’s be honest here: LeBron, father time is coming at some point” – Herring

Agree with PG-13’s take on superteams? (Via Tim Bontemps of the Washington Post)

“The superteam era, were kind of at a different spot. Once Kevin Durant went to Golden State, you basically have to have a superteam to be able to compete with them” – Herring

“I feel like superteams are as American as apple pie. These teams have been loaded since the beginning of time. The difference is that free agency has finally matured in our league” – Elhassan

Kyrie Irving honored by Standing Rock Sioux tribe

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ESPN.com: Inside the life of an NBA ref (Series on Mental Health in the NBA)

Click here to read Part 4 of 5

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Tributes; What was your favorite Kobe moment?

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Black Mamba 🐍!!! I remember watching him closely when i in high school, college and the NBA. This dude was UnReal! I remember the day i heard he was retiring and selfishly i thought Nooooooo. Who will i have to chase?Who stats will i’d check as soon as my game ends? I knew inside I’ll never be the same when he retired. A lot of y’all forget very easy that this dude was an absolute BEAST! @kobebryant thank you for your greatness!

A post shared by dwyanewade (@dwyanewade) on Aug 22, 2018 at 8:22am PDT

Herring: 81 point game

Isola: Every time he came to MSG and put on a show

Elhassan: The game where Shaq fouled out in the Finals and played amazing
Game 4 of the 2000 NBA Finals vs the Indiana Pacers

Retirement; How much can Wade still help the Heat?

Boogie Watch; What do you make of Boogie’s progress?

Shorts; Enjoy these high-res photos from NBA, ABA in 1970s (Via NBA Reddit user: u/macgarnickle)

Moving on…

ESPN.com: Inside the life of an NBA ref | Are we too hard on refs? (Why is it important for fans to understand what the refs go through each and every night?)

“You need to get some status in the league before you think you can start complaining to me about calls” – Isola

“The main thing about our refs today: None of them have any personality” – Elhassan

“I get mad when they don’t talk to me because they feel like it’s a respect issue” – Herring

NBA considering 14 sec. shot clock after offensive rebounds (Via Woj)

“I like it personally because it speeds stuff up a little bit. It changes the momentum of the game so much” – Herring

“I like the rule from this standpoint: Let’s say I’m down by 1 [point], the other team gets the offensive rebound with 20.0 seconds left, now I don’t have to automatically foul. To me, that eliminates free throws and it makes more strategy defending. It’s a smart rule by the league and moves things along” – Isola

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Jabari Young of the San Antonio Express-News talking about Kawhi Leonard and whether the Raptors have a chance of keeping him for the long-term (Via TSN Radio 1050):

“I think they do. Based off of me talking to people within his circle, they’re going to go into this thing with an open mind and give this thing every last opportunity to work. And let’s say Toronto Raptors is in the Eastern Conference Finals and they win, or they get to the NBA Finals and maybe they win, if your Kawhi Leonard, you just can’t off and run. You got to give this thing every opportunity to go back and win more championships. So I think the Raptors success will dictate a lot of it”

Raptors have enough to keep Kawhi?

“We said the same thing about Paul George and I think they do. He’s going to be the best player in the Eastern Conference. They should have a chance to make it to at least an Eastern Conference Finals” – Isola

“When you play there (Toronto), you’re not just a star in Toronto, you’re a star in all of Canada and there’s a lot of money to be made up there” – Isola

“It’s strange to me that the level of success is going to dictate that, especially when Kawhi’s health is probably going to be the biggest factor in determining whether or not they can get there” – Herring

“He controls their future because if he doesn’t re-sign, they’re probably going to trade Kyle Lowry and begin the rebuilding process in Toronto” – Isola

Manu contemplating retirement?

“I want him to play forever. It’s just going to be super odd when he’s the last guy left” – Herring

“One of the most unique players that we’ve seen in a long time. One of the best international players in the league” – Isola

From the 2004 Olympics:

Bonus: Larry Brown, the USA head coach at the time, had Carmelo Anthony as a DNP