Sam and Jack are back with the latest Boston Celtics talk. They discuss two blockbuster Celtics mock trades, the news that the Celtics didn't know about Kristaps Porzingis' injury before they traded for him, and a potential Isaiah Thomas return. Plus, they talk about the FIBA World Cup, referee Eric Lewis, and Ben Simmons. Let us know your thoughts, and as always, thanks for listening to How 'Bout Them Celtics!
Podcast Twitter: @HowBoutThemCs
Sam's Twitter: @SamLaFranceNBA
Jack's Twitter: @JackSimoneNBA
0:00 - 3:03 Intro
3:03 - 5:43 Celtics didn’t know about Kristaps Porzingis injury
5:43 - 14:50 Brad Stevens interview with WEEI
14:50 - 20:24 Email check-in (hbtcpod@gmail.com)
20:24 - 25:33 Romeo Langford signs with Jazz
25:33 - 30:46 Rajon Rondo on JJ Redick’s podcast
30:46 - 38:38 Tinfoil hat for Isaiah Thomas
38:38 - 47:08 Bleacher Report Celtics trades
47:08 - 51:17 FIBA World Cup update
51:17 - 53:11 Eric Lewis retires
53:11 - 55:10 Ben Simmons talks about Philadelphia
55:10 - 01:00:59NBA rule changes ideas
01:00:59 - 01:07:21 Sam’s Reddit post of the day
01:07:21 - 01:17:16 The Rat List
01:17:16 - 01:19:33 Outro
#bostonceltics #celtics #celticsnews
Podcast Twitter: @HowBoutThemCs
Sam's Twitter: @SamLaFranceNBA
Jack's Twitter: @JackSimoneNBA
0:00 - 3:03 Intro
3:03 - 5:43 Celtics didn’t know about Kristaps Porzingis injury
5:43 - 14:50 Brad Stevens interview with WEEI
14:50 - 20:24 Email check-in (hbtcpod@gmail.com)
20:24 - 25:33 Romeo Langford signs with Jazz
25:33 - 30:46 Rajon Rondo on JJ Redick’s podcast
30:46 - 38:38 Tinfoil hat for Isaiah Thomas
38:38 - 47:08 Bleacher Report Celtics trades
47:08 - 51:17 FIBA World Cup update
51:17 - 53:11 Eric Lewis retires
53:11 - 55:10 Ben Simmons talks about Philadelphia
55:10 - 01:00:59NBA rule changes ideas
01:00:59 - 01:07:21 Sam’s Reddit post of the day
01:07:21 - 01:17:16 The Rat List
01:17:16 - 01:19:33 Outro
#bostonceltics #celtics #celticsnews
Category
🥇
SportsTranscript
00:00:00 (upbeat music)
00:00:02 And we are back with another episode
00:00:12 of How 'Bout Them Self-Examiner here
00:00:14 on Wednesday, August 30th.
00:00:16 I had to wait 'cause my phone is plugged in.
00:00:18 You know the drill by now.
00:00:19 We were just talking about that before we jumped on too.
00:00:23 As soon as I looked at the phone, it was bad.
00:00:25 Yeah, this is the version.
00:00:26 This is what we were talking about.
00:00:28 Every time I go to start the show, Sam picks up his drink
00:00:31 and I just like, I don't know if you guys can hear it
00:00:35 'cause maybe it's faded out by the music or like--
00:00:37 They probably hear it.
00:00:39 But like you just hear, "tsh" of Sam's soda water
00:00:43 just in the intro.
00:00:44 And he picked it up as I was about to start.
00:00:47 I said, "I'm gonna wait for you to finish drinking first."
00:00:49 And then he made fun of me for the date.
00:00:51 But we hit both boxes regardless
00:00:53 in the first minute of the show.
00:00:54 So good. Sure did.
00:00:56 We're right there.
00:00:57 But we do have plenty of Celtics stuff to talk about.
00:00:59 But before we get into any of that,
00:01:00 I might as well say this because you can join it now
00:01:03 even though there's nothing to stream.
00:01:05 Sam and I are on Playback now,
00:01:07 which is basically we'll be able to watch live Celtics games
00:01:11 with you guys next year, which will be pretty cool.
00:01:13 Playback is essentially you log into your TV provider
00:01:16 and then we will also be on the screen
00:01:19 if you go watch it on Playback.
00:01:20 And we can just watch it there
00:01:22 because obviously you can't do that on YouTube
00:01:24 or anywhere that because of copyright.
00:01:27 So Playback provides a platform
00:01:29 for us to watch live events with you guys.
00:01:31 So if you'd like to follow us on Playback,
00:01:33 obviously there isn't much to stream right now,
00:01:35 but there will be when the Celtics start up again.
00:01:38 Go follow us on Playback. Specifically.
00:01:40 Those pesky in-season tournament games
00:01:43 because Jack and I are heading out to Las Vegas.
00:01:47 I mean, we're gonna have a good time regardless.
00:01:49 Like we're going as a trip,
00:01:51 but we're assuming that the Celtics are going to be there,
00:01:55 which may piss some people off
00:01:57 if they're not Celtics fans.
00:01:58 But the reason why I think they're going to be there
00:02:02 is because their group sucks.
00:02:05 And all it's going to take is them
00:02:06 to win one knockout stage game to get there.
00:02:08 So.
00:02:09 - Would be cool.
00:02:10 - Essentially Jack and I have gambled a fair amount of money
00:02:14 that the Celtics will make it to Las Vegas.
00:02:17 So we will watch those games on stream
00:02:19 because they'll mean a bit more to us.
00:02:21 - We'll probably be, we'll go to the games regardless.
00:02:23 The ones in Vegas.
00:02:25 - At least one.
00:02:26 - We'll be there.
00:02:26 Yeah, we'll be at some games in Vegas, but.
00:02:28 - I don't know if I'm double dipping if they're not there.
00:02:30 But if.
00:02:31 - That's fine.
00:02:32 - If they don't make it, we'll still go.
00:02:33 - But yeah, Playback, I believe it's playback.tv
00:02:36 not playback.com.
00:02:37 Let me just check that.
00:02:38 But just how about themselves on their playback.tv/howaboutthemselfics
00:02:43 Give us a follow there.
00:02:43 You can comment in the chat now,
00:02:45 just like an offline chat if you want to,
00:02:47 but follow us on there.
00:02:48 We'll be streaming some games
00:02:49 throughout the regular season.
00:02:50 Obviously not all of them because I'll be at some games
00:02:53 and there's times where we're not gonna be able to make it,
00:02:56 but we'll try to stream some.
00:02:57 Maybe we'll start with the preseason, but yeah,
00:02:59 follow us on playback for next season.
00:03:01 It'll be fun.
00:03:02 Anyways, let's dive into the Celtics news we have.
00:03:06 Excuse me for today.
00:03:07 Brad Stevens did a radio interview,
00:03:09 as I'm getting the hiccups as I'm starting this,
00:03:12 talking about Porzingis.
00:03:14 - What are you doing, the what?
00:03:16 - Okay, buddy, whatever.
00:03:17 The Celtics were not aware of the foot injury
00:03:20 when they traded Marcus Smart and got Porzingis,
00:03:23 which is just not something you really wanna hear.
00:03:25 I mean, Sam put this on the sheet and I responded with,
00:03:30 well, then he's a bozo.
00:03:32 What are we doing here?
00:03:33 I don't really know what to make of this.
00:03:36 I guess it's not surprising if it's just popped up,
00:03:39 but plantar fasciitis isn't exactly the type of thing
00:03:42 that just kind of pops up.
00:03:43 So it's confusing. - It's not an ACL tear.
00:03:45 - Yeah, it's confusing to like why the Celtics
00:03:48 wouldn't have known about this,
00:03:49 but it also doesn't seem like it's,
00:03:52 if they had known about this,
00:03:53 I don't think it would have restricted them
00:03:55 from making the move.
00:03:56 Maybe they could have gotten another second round pick
00:03:57 or something, but it's just, I don't know.
00:03:59 It's just weird that it comes out like this.
00:04:02 - Yeah, well, if they didn't know,
00:04:04 then they could be entitled to compensation
00:04:07 'cause that's how the NBA works.
00:04:09 No, I don't know.
00:04:10 I'm pretty sure there have been like situations in the past
00:04:13 where teams are like, hey, these guys screwed us.
00:04:18 They need to, we need to be compensated.
00:04:20 And I think it's happened.
00:04:21 I don't know why, I can't think of any off the top of my head
00:04:24 but I'm almost positive that this has happened before.
00:04:27 - Isaiah Thomas is the closest thing I can think about,
00:04:31 but that grade hadn't gone through yet.
00:04:33 The Celtics just had to throw in an extra second
00:04:34 or something. - Maybe that's what
00:04:35 I'm thinking. - The Kyrie trade.
00:04:37 But that's the only example I can think about.
00:04:41 This one's just weird.
00:04:41 Like it's just like, why is this coming out now?
00:04:46 Is this Brad Stevens' way of getting mad at the Wizards
00:04:48 or is this just him saying, yeah, we didn't know,
00:04:50 but it's fine 'cause the rest of the quote
00:04:53 or like him talking, it sounds like he's not worried
00:04:55 about it, which is kind of the sentiment
00:04:57 that a lot of Celtics media and people around the team
00:05:00 are taking right now because like we've detailed time
00:05:03 and time again, players deal with plantar fasciitis.
00:05:05 Joel Embiid dealt with it, won MVP.
00:05:07 Shea Gildas Alexander, excuse me, dealt with it.
00:05:10 First team all NBA, like players deal
00:05:12 with plantar fasciitis and move on from it.
00:05:15 That's not to say it's nothing, but still.
00:05:17 - This part didn't come from Brad.
00:05:19 It came from Brian Robb.
00:05:21 - Oh, Brian Robb reported this.
00:05:22 - He reported this as part of an article
00:05:25 discussing Brad's radio appearance with WEI.
00:05:29 - Gotcha, okay.
00:05:31 Well, regardless.
00:05:32 - I mean, the information is there regardless.
00:05:34 - Okay, okay, yeah.
00:05:37 So Brian Robb- - Not great.
00:05:38 Not the best.
00:05:39 Usually you should know who you're trading for.
00:05:41 - Not at all.
00:05:43 But speaking of Brad Stevens, he did do an interview
00:05:46 with Jones and is it Meggo?
00:05:48 Is that how you pronounce it?
00:05:49 Jones and Meggo of WEI.
00:05:51 I talked about Porzingis.
00:05:52 That was the main sort of a tidbit pulled from it.
00:05:55 There were some other things too we'll go over briefly,
00:05:56 but the stuff about Porzingis was the main aggregated content
00:06:00 from this Brad Stevens interview with Jones and Meggo.
00:06:03 So we'll go over that quick, then we'll talk about it.
00:06:05 Talking about Chris Stubbs,
00:06:06 when Robb was out at the start of the year,
00:06:08 those guys that played in this place
00:06:11 did an amazing job keeping us afloat.
00:06:12 Blake was good as it gets on the court,
00:06:14 on and off the court.
00:06:15 Luke did a really good job.
00:06:16 Cornette, obviously, Al, talked about him doing a good job.
00:06:20 We just can't put that much on those guys
00:06:22 and continue to expect it to be at the level
00:06:24 we need it to be.
00:06:24 So we had to address the balance of the roster.
00:06:27 The part that was very obvious was he's seven foot three,
00:06:29 he can play the five and the four
00:06:30 and can play with any of our fives and fours,
00:06:31 which I think is important.
00:06:33 Chris Stubbs seems to be in a really good place.
00:06:34 He's focusing on what matters.
00:06:36 He's coming here to do his part and help us win.
00:06:37 That was very clear in communicating with him.
00:06:39 And when he was here for his press conference.
00:06:41 So again, just sounds like Brad is very excited
00:06:44 to have Chris Stubbs on board.
00:06:45 Sounds like everything is all right.
00:06:47 And something we talked about,
00:06:48 it sounds like they wanted somebody
00:06:50 who could just be a Horford successor.
00:06:54 That's not exactly what Brad's saying,
00:06:55 but what I mean by that is Chris Stubbs can play effectively
00:06:58 with anybody in the team because he can shoot
00:07:00 and he can guard fives,
00:07:01 but he's also capable of playing the four a little bit.
00:07:03 So we mentioned it before any of this was even like an idea
00:07:07 in the Celtics head, like saying like, okay, yeah,
00:07:09 Porzingis is the only guy around the league
00:07:11 that can really replace what Horford does.
00:07:13 And then they went out and got him.
00:07:15 You were all over it.
00:07:16 You were all over from the very beginning.
00:07:17 You were throwing him out there as a replacement.
00:07:19 So good on you.
00:07:21 I would be for one concerned if Brad wasn't excited
00:07:24 about this trade, at least publicly, right?
00:07:27 Imagine he's like, I made this trade, but it sucks.
00:07:29 Like he's just, he knows how bad it is.
00:07:31 He's just trying to get out in front of it.
00:07:33 That would be red flags, I would say.
00:07:36 - You think?
00:07:37 - Would you agree?
00:07:37 Yeah.
00:07:38 - Oh yeah, I think that'd be pretty not good.
00:07:40 - Imagine if he just came out and he was like,
00:07:41 this is terrible.
00:07:42 And we had to get on the pod and talk about it.
00:07:45 - Brad goes on WEI, hand up my bad guys.
00:07:47 - Yeah.
00:07:49 So it turns out he lost a foot.
00:07:51 - Yeah.
00:07:52 - He's just got one.
00:07:54 - Oh man.
00:07:56 No, I mean, there's not much to talk about, about this.
00:08:01 Like Brad Stevens is excited about a trade
00:08:04 he made two months ago, right?
00:08:05 Like that's essentially what we're talking about here.
00:08:08 I think this part about balancing the roster is interesting
00:08:10 or it would be more interesting
00:08:11 if we didn't hear the same from Wick about a month ago.
00:08:14 So like, that's also cool.
00:08:15 I don't know.
00:08:18 Cool.
00:08:19 Glad Brad is excited.
00:08:20 I am also excited.
00:08:21 We said it a time and time again.
00:08:22 I feel like people aren't excited enough
00:08:25 for Christoph Porzingis in Boston.
00:08:26 And I mean, fair because Marcus Smart is gone
00:08:29 and that has been the focus,
00:08:30 but I think Porzingis is gonna be great with the Celtics.
00:08:33 So I mean, I'm excited about it.
00:08:34 More than consensus, I feel like.
00:08:36 - Well, I think we've both been kind of positive on it,
00:08:40 at least as much as we could be from the jump
00:08:43 because he's just got such a great game
00:08:46 to fit with the Celtics.
00:08:48 Brad kind of nails it on the head
00:08:49 where they needed to bring in somebody
00:08:51 to help out that end of the roster.
00:08:53 The big guys, they were solid.
00:08:55 Horford's getting older.
00:08:57 Rob Williams isn't consistently healthy.
00:08:59 We don't even know if Blake Griffin's going to be back.
00:09:01 And Blake Griffin was not playing a major part in this team.
00:09:04 And they let Grant go, but that was after the fact.
00:09:08 It really didn't turn out to be good enough
00:09:10 in the Miami series.
00:09:12 I'm not saying if they had Porzingis, they win, who knows?
00:09:15 But having a low post presence
00:09:18 is going to change this team for the better.
00:09:21 It's going to be something
00:09:22 that they can go to in the half court.
00:09:24 It shouldn't be their number one option,
00:09:25 but if things aren't going well
00:09:26 and they can't score late in games, which is a trend,
00:09:30 then it's going to be nice to have somebody
00:09:31 they can throw to the ball to low
00:09:34 because for whatever reason,
00:09:35 they don't want to do it for Tatum.
00:09:36 They don't want to post up Tatum late in games.
00:09:39 Even though in the playoffs,
00:09:40 there were times they did post up Tatum
00:09:42 and it worked wonders.
00:09:43 They just didn't go to it when they needed a bucket
00:09:45 and it was weird.
00:09:46 - Yeah, I agree.
00:09:49 I just, it'll be good for the offense.
00:09:50 And I also think it'll be good for the defense,
00:09:52 excuse me, especially when they go to the drop,
00:09:53 which they seem to like a decent amount.
00:09:55 The other piece, excuse me, of Brad Steven's interview
00:09:59 was him talking about last year's teams.
00:10:00 He said, excuse me,
00:10:01 "Ultimately our job is to chase banners
00:10:03 and that's what we're trying to do.
00:10:04 We think this team will be in the mix again,
00:10:06 but being in the mix is only part of it.
00:10:07 You got to be able to play your best
00:10:08 when your best is needed.
00:10:09 I thought we had a couple of bad weeks last year
00:10:11 and the worst one was in May,
00:10:12 which can't let that happen
00:10:13 if we're going to be what we want to be."
00:10:16 Basically Brad saying we weren't good enough
00:10:18 when we needed to be.
00:10:19 Yeah.
00:10:21 A lot of people could tell you that, right?
00:10:22 - Two bad weeks.
00:10:24 What are you going to do?
00:10:25 - Yeah.
00:10:26 Well, I mean, as much as it is easy to mock it,
00:10:31 like, yeah, well you can't have those bad weeks then.
00:10:34 It does just kind of suck that the Celtics
00:10:36 like worst weeks of the season happened.
00:10:38 Like as much as you can say,
00:10:39 well, you can't let that happen.
00:10:41 The shots just didn't fall.
00:10:42 Like as much as-
00:10:43 - No, they were bad.
00:10:44 - They could have been better on defense.
00:10:45 Obviously there were things in their control
00:10:47 that they could have helped,
00:10:48 but like it also didn't help that
00:10:50 the shots just stopped falling at the worst possible time.
00:10:53 - Yeah.
00:10:54 And he really does know it on the head
00:10:55 because I can point out a few stretches.
00:10:57 Let's just say Brooklyn, New York, Cleveland.
00:11:00 And then of course the Miami series
00:11:02 where they just had the wheels come off,
00:11:03 even the middle of that Atlanta series
00:11:06 where they lost the two games in a row,
00:11:08 like that was a bad stretch.
00:11:09 They shouldn't have lost either of those games.
00:11:10 - Even the Philly series a little bit.
00:11:11 - The Philly series, game one was bad,
00:11:13 games four and five,
00:11:14 they had a lapse at the end of game four,
00:11:16 it carried over into game five.
00:11:18 They just, they disappeared at times.
00:11:22 So I guess he felt the need to make a drastic move.
00:11:24 It was something that they talked about
00:11:26 and they felt like something needed to change.
00:11:27 We heard from Wick last month about that.
00:11:30 But I'm really sick of them having bad weeks
00:11:35 because this is essentially two straight years
00:11:39 where they haven't won a title
00:11:40 because of a couple of bad weeks.
00:11:42 I mean, the end of the finals was a bad week and a half
00:11:45 or a bad week.
00:11:45 - Yeah.
00:11:46 - Games four through six weren't great.
00:11:49 - They got to perform at the right time.
00:11:50 It's as simple as that.
00:11:51 That wasn't meant to be like an excuse for the Celtics.
00:11:53 It's just like, as much as there was stuff
00:11:56 within their control, there was also just like bad shooting.
00:12:00 Which is like, as much as you say,
00:12:02 we'll just make the shot.
00:12:03 Sometimes you just go cold.
00:12:04 Like Al Horford and Malcolm Brogdon
00:12:06 were two of the top five shooters in the league
00:12:07 during the regular season.
00:12:08 And they both shot like crap at points in the playoffs.
00:12:11 So what are you gonna do?
00:12:13 But the other thing coming out
00:12:14 from the Brad Stevens interview,
00:12:15 which is another thing a lot of people are running with.
00:12:17 As you looked at it as simply
00:12:19 as a roster construction standpoint last year,
00:12:21 Peyton, pre-out shirt obviously,
00:12:23 really got squeezed obviously
00:12:24 because our guards were so deep.
00:12:25 With Marcus, with Malcolm, with Derek,
00:12:27 you slide Jason to the point a lot with that group
00:12:29 where he brought the ball up a lot
00:12:31 and our bigs were pretty thin.
00:12:34 And the speculation is, okay,
00:12:36 does this mean Pritchard's gonna play more this year?
00:12:37 Obviously that's something that we've talked about a lot.
00:12:39 Something a lot of people are talking about a lot.
00:12:41 There's Derek and Malcolm in front of him,
00:12:43 but still that should leave room for Pritchard.
00:12:46 You value the shooting,
00:12:47 you value the playmaking a little bit.
00:12:50 My thing is always, I feel like him and Hauser
00:12:53 should be fighting for that last rotation spot.
00:12:54 And at that point, I'd probably just go with Hauser
00:12:57 'cause he's just bigger.
00:12:58 But I do think Pritchard will see a serious uptick
00:13:01 in minutes this season.
00:13:02 - I hope so.
00:13:04 I think this is all a bit strategic.
00:13:06 I think Pritchard is somebody that they believe in.
00:13:09 I wrote about this somewhere, Houdini today,
00:13:13 that he really has stepped up
00:13:17 in any opportunity he's gotten in the league.
00:13:20 His rookie year, he got minutes at the beginning of the year
00:13:22 and he was a sensation.
00:13:23 We were all in on Pritchard.
00:13:24 All the fans were excited about him.
00:13:26 He looked like he was really gonna be
00:13:27 like a constant within the Celtics.
00:13:29 Then the Celtics go out and get a little bit better.
00:13:32 So he kind of falls out of the rotation,
00:13:34 but he's still getting minutes in 2022.
00:13:36 He still got playoff minutes under Emei Udoka.
00:13:39 He had a really good series against the Nets.
00:13:42 - Yeah, he re-earned them too.
00:13:43 He wasn't getting minutes at the start of the year.
00:13:44 He played well towards the end of the season,
00:13:46 then he got minutes in the playoffs.
00:13:47 Like that's how the trend worked.
00:13:48 But he just didn't get that chance.
00:13:49 - Even this past year, like the games where guys were out,
00:13:51 he was pretty good.
00:13:52 He had a good game up in Toronto.
00:13:53 Of course, he had a triple-double at the end of the season
00:13:55 against one of the teams.
00:13:56 I think it was Atlantis. - August, yeah.
00:13:58 - And he's still proven that he's ready
00:14:01 when the time comes.
00:14:02 I'm interested to see what they get from him.
00:14:05 'Cause if they can get something from Pritchard,
00:14:07 it's gonna be like a X-Factor type thing
00:14:09 that people around the league were not expecting
00:14:12 from the Celtics, especially writers, media.
00:14:15 Like they're gonna be like, "Oh my God,
00:14:16 look at this Peyton Pritchard guy."
00:14:18 (laughs)
00:14:19 - Yeah, I mean, I hope so.
00:14:20 I hope so.
00:14:21 It's weird.
00:14:23 I mean, it was also weird,
00:14:24 and we've talked about this from the other angle too.
00:14:25 Like Peyton Pritchard got playoff minutes over Sam Hauser,
00:14:28 which was, I thought, a poor choice probably at times
00:14:31 because they were super small.
00:14:32 Like there was one point in the Heat series
00:14:35 where the Celtics brought three guys off the bench.
00:14:38 It was Rob and two point guards,
00:14:40 which is just, I don't know, weird choices.
00:14:41 I hope Pritchard sees an upgraded role this year,
00:14:43 which I assume he will.
00:14:44 He has to play more than last year
00:14:46 just by roster construction,
00:14:47 but we'll have to see how it plays out.
00:14:49 All right, the next thing we have is an email.
00:14:53 Again, if you'd like to email us, we will read them.
00:14:55 HBTCpod@gmail.com.
00:14:58 Another email from RJ Johnson,
00:15:01 who is the only person who emails us, but I love it.
00:15:03 And I love reading his emails,
00:15:05 and so we're gonna check it out.
00:15:06 - Better than a phone call.
00:15:07 - Yeah. (laughs)
00:15:08 - Big phone calls.
00:15:08 Hate 'em.
00:15:09 - Yeah.
00:15:10 So we were recently,
00:15:12 I think this is where we talked about it,
00:15:13 or we've talked about it multiple times.
00:15:14 We were recently on the first to the floor, guys,
00:15:16 is trivia podcast, Sam kicked my ass.
00:15:18 Shocker, I know.
00:15:20 But Sam has talked about wanting to know more
00:15:22 about the quote unquote Celtics Dark Ages.
00:15:25 And RJ has offered to help us with that.
00:15:27 So I'm gonna, I'll read the email.
00:15:29 I won't read the whole thing,
00:15:30 but we'll paraphrase and we'll talk about it.
00:15:32 So basically RJ, to sum up the first part, at least,
00:15:35 he said, "Sam has expressed the desire
00:15:40 "to know more about these Dark Ages,
00:15:41 "and since I lived through it, I'll fill you in."
00:15:43 And he said, "If I'm being diligent,
00:15:45 "I'll email the pod daily with new players."
00:15:47 And so we will have content from RJ to cover,
00:15:50 and we will be updating Sam on some of these players
00:15:54 as much as RJ decides to email us.
00:15:55 RJ, we appreciate you if you're listening to this.
00:15:57 Thank you very much.
00:15:58 So he said he's decided to start with the '92, '93 Celtics
00:16:02 who were coached by Chris Ford,
00:16:04 third season on the hot seat, not great.
00:16:06 Still had McHale and Parrish and finished 48 and 34
00:16:08 for the second best record in the Atlantic,
00:16:10 which sounds good until you see that they were 12
00:16:13 behind the Knicks in the first round playoffs,
00:16:16 lost three games to one to the Charlotte Hornets.
00:16:18 Not a black hole yet, but the shadows were getting long.
00:16:21 Great descriptor.
00:16:22 This is phenomenal.
00:16:23 - I like that.
00:16:24 - I do too.
00:16:26 So the player, excuse me,
00:16:27 the player he's picking to educate Sam on today,
00:16:29 and I guess me too, but Sam will remember it and I won't,
00:16:32 Joe Klein, six foot 11 center,
00:16:34 who graduated from Arkansas.
00:16:35 Joe had a 15 year career, which surprised RJ.
00:16:39 Five of them in Boston, coming over the mid season,
00:16:41 early 1989 with six nine power forward,
00:16:44 easy ed pickney, who we've heard about.
00:16:47 Was in the Danny Ainge trade,
00:16:49 trading a shooting guard for a backup center
00:16:52 for a pair of rotation big men.
00:16:53 It's probably seemed like a good idea,
00:16:55 but Klein turned out to be less of a successor
00:16:56 to Robert Parrish than he was
00:16:58 in the historical chain of tall broad white guys,
00:17:02 like Greg Kite, Mark Akers, Marty Conlon.
00:17:04 And he goes on to list a ton of tall self-made white guys.
00:17:07 - Aaron Baines twice.
00:17:09 - Yeah, well, he's that good.
00:17:10 He fills up the whole room. - All over Australia.
00:17:12 (laughing)
00:17:14 - 31 year old Klein played in 78 games,
00:17:16 averaging a little over a quarter's worth of playing time,
00:17:18 14.5 minutes a night, 3.3 points, 4.4 rebounds.
00:17:22 Klein mostly took up space while giving Parrish, McHale,
00:17:25 and Allah, I don't know how to pronounce this guy's name,
00:17:30 some rest.
00:17:30 There's nothing inherently bad about Klein,
00:17:32 but he was sort of the NBA lifer that keeps getting minutes
00:17:34 more because he was tall than he was good.
00:17:36 And then explanation here, this is, again,
00:17:39 we're filling in Sam's black hole years knowledge.
00:17:42 Why single out a guy like Klein to kick this off?
00:17:44 He's indicative of one aspect of the Celtics team
00:17:46 during this period,
00:17:47 the veteran who can help out a contending team,
00:17:49 but should yield his roster spot to younger players
00:17:51 who have more of a future in front of them
00:17:53 than the past in the rear view mirrors.
00:17:55 Happy Wednesday, looking forward to training camp.
00:17:58 Thank you very much, RJ.
00:17:59 Sam, have you ever heard of Joe Klein?
00:18:01 - I have not, but I think the interesting tidbit from this
00:18:03 is that he was part of the Ainge trade
00:18:04 and people actually viewed him as a successor to Parrish.
00:18:07 So this to me is like one of the first dominoes to fall
00:18:11 in the terms of why the Celtics fell off a cliff
00:18:14 in the '90s besides tragedy.
00:18:16 Ainge was a key piece of their team
00:18:19 throughout their powerhouse years in the '80s,
00:18:21 not that he was a star, but he truly,
00:18:23 I thought he was wearing 33 for a second on this graph.
00:18:25 - No. (laughs)
00:18:27 53, this is Joe Klein.
00:18:28 He's on the screen on YouTube if you're looking.
00:18:30 - Okay. - Yeah.
00:18:32 - But yes, helped them be successful in the '80s,
00:18:37 Danny Ainge.
00:18:38 Losing him for somebody that ended up being a journeyman
00:18:40 in the NBA, tough trade.
00:18:43 Number one L, first one.
00:18:44 - Yeah, L in this trade,
00:18:48 never averaged more than 10 points a game.
00:18:50 Here's the basketball reference page
00:18:51 for those who are curious about Joe Klein.
00:18:54 He won a championship in 1998, so good for him.
00:18:58 Didn't play a lick of minutes for that team,
00:19:00 the Bulls in the playoffs at least,
00:19:02 but got a ring anyways.
00:19:04 - And a start.
00:19:05 - Yeah, he started a game for the Bulls that year.
00:19:08 He really got off to a hot start
00:19:09 when he was younger in Sacramento.
00:19:11 Didn't really play much past that.
00:19:13 I know basketball reference does that.
00:19:15 You know that thing where they like compare players'
00:19:17 careers together?
00:19:18 - Yeah, similarity scores.
00:19:21 They compare him to Spencer Hawes.
00:19:24 That's the best comparison I'm seeing on here.
00:19:27 He's the Spencer Hawes, the Bill Wennington,
00:19:29 the Luke Longley.
00:19:31 - Myers Leonard.
00:19:32 - Myers Leonard, Len Elmore, and Vitaly, this is Celtic.
00:19:37 I only know this because I cheated.
00:19:39 - Another former Celtic.
00:19:40 - Because I got it on the thing.
00:19:41 But anyways, thank you, RJ.
00:19:43 We're gonna be learning a little bit more
00:19:44 about the black hole years of the Celtics
00:19:46 from RJ throughout the course of the rest of the summer.
00:19:48 And hopefully, Sam, one of these could help you
00:19:51 in the finals of the first of the floor trivia.
00:19:53 Joe Klein could be the kicker for you.
00:19:55 Do you have a date for it yet?
00:19:56 - This is essentially Rocky chasing the chicken
00:19:57 as us reading the email.
00:19:59 (laughing)
00:20:00 It's the same thing.
00:20:01 - Do you have a date for the first of the floor trivia yet?
00:20:03 Or just saying?
00:20:04 - I don't, I don't know.
00:20:05 - Okay, all right.
00:20:06 - I'll be there.
00:20:07 - Yeah, I'll be there.
00:20:08 I'll be watching.
00:20:09 I'll be on the other side.
00:20:10 - Can I have Jack like on the screen with me?
00:20:13 (laughing)
00:20:14 - Some moral support.
00:20:15 - Well, I'll just look and be like, okay,
00:20:16 well, I was still better than him.
00:20:18 (laughing)
00:20:20 - Eat shit.
00:20:21 Come on, man.
00:20:22 Give me a break.
00:20:23 All right, the next thing we have is catching up
00:20:26 with more former Celtics,
00:20:27 although we're not gonna go as far back as Joe Klein here.
00:20:29 Romeo Lankford has signed a training camp deal
00:20:33 with the Utah Jazz.
00:20:34 What'd you say?
00:20:35 - Good segue.
00:20:36 - Thank you very much.
00:20:37 I'm trying, I can't tell when you say good segue
00:20:40 if you're mocking me or if you're serious.
00:20:41 - No, no, I don't think I say that sarcastically
00:20:44 unless like it's clearly not.
00:20:46 - Well, Romeo Lankford has signed a 10 day deal,
00:20:50 or sorry, training camp deal with the Utah Jazz.
00:20:53 Romeo Lankford last played
00:20:54 for the San Antonio Spurs last year.
00:20:56 They did not bring him back.
00:20:57 They have too many players on the roster as it is.
00:20:59 He was obviously a part of the Derrick White trade.
00:21:02 He played in 43 games for the Spurs last year,
00:21:05 started 21 of them, played 19.6 minutes a night,
00:21:08 averaged seven points, a little under three rebounds,
00:21:10 a little over one assist and shot 47% from field
00:21:14 and 26% from deep.
00:21:16 Still can't figure out that three point shot.
00:21:18 Although he was figuring it out
00:21:19 towards the end of his career in Boston,
00:21:21 just hasn't really translated.
00:21:22 I don't really know what to think about Romeo Lankford.
00:21:27 - He's only 23.
00:21:28 - He's still young, but man, I don't know.
00:21:30 Danny Age wants his guy back.
00:21:32 - Sure does.
00:21:33 He's all in on that draft pick.
00:21:35 He's like, I'm gonna be right.
00:21:37 Whether it's in Boston or Utah,
00:21:39 he's gonna pan out for me.
00:21:41 I read about this today.
00:21:43 Lankford has been an injury guy.
00:21:45 He's played 140 something games over four years.
00:21:48 He's missed over a season total.
00:21:50 That's one of the biggest hindrances to his success.
00:21:54 Last year probably could have been a decent year
00:21:55 if he didn't have to miss so many games.
00:21:57 Missed almost half the season.
00:21:58 He started almost half the games he played in.
00:22:01 And he had a career high in scoring,
00:22:02 albeit because of opportunity.
00:22:05 But there's still room for growth.
00:22:08 Again, he's only 23.
00:22:09 It's not like he's 27.
00:22:11 It's like, okay, this is all you're gonna get.
00:22:13 And don't get me wrong,
00:22:14 just because somebody's young
00:22:15 doesn't mean they're going to progress.
00:22:17 It's not like a 2K game where no matter what,
00:22:19 they get better and better and better every year.
00:22:21 It's not true.
00:22:23 But it doesn't mean there's no hope.
00:22:25 Utah's in a good spot to take a chance
00:22:27 on somebody like Romeo,
00:22:28 where they don't have a ton of expectations
00:22:30 heading into the season.
00:22:31 They have a weird roster where it's like,
00:22:34 they could be good,
00:22:35 but they could also be one of the worst teams.
00:22:38 Not good, but competitive.
00:22:40 Or they could be one of the worst teams.
00:22:42 - The Jazz, yeah, I agree.
00:22:43 Quiz for Sam here.
00:22:46 Romeo Lankford was what pick in the 2019 NBA draft?
00:22:50 - 14.
00:22:51 No, yes.
00:22:52 - Yeah, no, yeah, 14.
00:22:54 How many players can Sam name that were drafted after him?
00:22:57 I'll give you the team,
00:22:57 you just have to tell me the player.
00:22:58 - After?
00:22:59 Okay. - Yeah, right after.
00:23:01 So this is basically like, oh, Kelly Olenek to Giannis.
00:23:04 Do you know what I'm saying?
00:23:04 - Okay. - Or that sort of thing.
00:23:06 So the pick after the Celtics was pick 15.
00:23:10 Detroit had the pick.
00:23:11 Who did they select?
00:23:12 We're starting off hot.
00:23:15 - They picked Secu Dumbia?
00:23:17 - They did.
00:23:18 There were not many heaters immediately after Romeo.
00:23:21 So I was gonna come in here and complain about the pick,
00:23:23 but Celtics didn't do too terrible.
00:23:25 16 was Orlando.
00:23:27 Can you tell me who they took?
00:23:29 2019. - Cole Anthony.
00:23:30 - No. - No?
00:23:32 - No, not Cole Anthony.
00:23:32 - He was the year after then.
00:23:34 - Yes. - 'Cause people wanted
00:23:35 the Celtics to pick him when he was in the draft.
00:23:37 - He was the pick right after Aaron Neesmith.
00:23:40 - Who the hell was- - The year after.
00:23:41 - Cole Anthony pick?
00:23:42 I mean, who was picked that year then?
00:23:44 - This guy did not play his first NBA season.
00:23:48 It wasn't even for injury though.
00:23:49 He just like wasn't there.
00:23:52 Chuma Okiki.
00:23:53 I don't know why he didn't play his first season,
00:23:55 but I remember he didn't.
00:23:57 17 was Brooklyn, but this guy didn't go to Brooklyn.
00:24:01 I think it was a draft day trade,
00:24:02 and he went to New Orleans instead.
00:24:05 So New Orleans made the pick, the Pelicans.
00:24:08 - I don't know.
00:24:09 - Nikhil Alexander Walker.
00:24:11 - Okay.
00:24:12 - Indy was 18.
00:24:13 - Chris Duarte?
00:24:17 No, you're laughing, so it wouldn't-
00:24:19 - Goga Bittate.
00:24:20 - Okay.
00:24:22 Well, at least I know who these guys are.
00:24:24 - The Spurs at 19 was Luka Samanich.
00:24:27 I'm just kidding.
00:24:28 Yeah. - I would not have.
00:24:29 - Luka Samanich at 19.
00:24:30 Boston for Philly at 20 was Matisse Tybal.
00:24:33 That's the first one where you look at
00:24:34 and it's like, "Oh, maybe they could have."
00:24:36 But really, this 14 to 20,
00:24:39 Romeo Lankford to Luka Samanich, 14 to 19, dead.
00:24:44 But on the opposite side of that,
00:24:46 you get into the 20s, Tybal,
00:24:48 Brendan Clark, Grant Williams, Darius Baisley,
00:24:50 Ty Jerome, Nasir Little, Jordan Poole,
00:24:53 Kelton Johnson, Kevin Porter Jr. also there.
00:24:55 So like, this all just sort of
00:24:56 is in the worst possible window, apparently.
00:24:59 - Right.
00:25:00 - But Romeo, yeah.
00:25:01 I mean, of those guys,
00:25:02 maybe you'd rather them take Nikhil Alexander Walker,
00:25:05 but I, hey.
00:25:07 - There was no winning.
00:25:08 - No.
00:25:09 The winning was-
00:25:10 - Are you impressed that I knew Dumbia?
00:25:12 Or Dumbia? - I was.
00:25:13 I was surprised you got that one there.
00:25:15 But yeah, there was a heater of talent
00:25:17 from the 28th pick into the first pick in the second round.
00:25:20 Jordan Poole, Kelton Johnson,
00:25:21 Kevin Porter Jr., Nick Claxton at the turn.
00:25:24 So like, some real solid NBA players there.
00:25:26 But Romeo Lankford, excuse me,
00:25:28 signing with the Jazz, Danny Ainge got his guy back.
00:25:30 I thought we'd give you an update from there.
00:25:33 Next thing we have is a former Celtic.
00:25:36 Again, not Lankford, not Joe Klein.
00:25:39 We're gonna go to a different era.
00:25:40 We're just covering all the eras today.
00:25:42 Raejean Rondo joined JJ Reddick
00:25:45 on the "Old Man and the Three" podcast.
00:25:49 And he talked about a bunch of Celtic stuff.
00:25:51 The most prominent that I saw,
00:25:52 and this was just the clip I saw,
00:25:53 I haven't gotten the chance to listen
00:25:54 to the full podcast yet.
00:25:56 The clip I saw from Rondo
00:25:58 was him talking about studying coaches rather than players.
00:26:03 So when he goes into a game,
00:26:05 he will try to beat the coach
00:26:06 versus trying to beat the player.
00:26:08 And he used Brad Stevens as the example.
00:26:10 He noted the Bulls Celtics series in 2017,
00:26:13 saying, "Great examples when I was going against the Celtics
00:26:16 when I played for the Bulls.
00:26:17 My whole mindset this entire series
00:26:18 was to beat Brad Stevens.
00:26:20 'Cause I'm thinking my mindset is thinking,
00:26:21 how can I beat the coach?
00:26:22 How can I out-coach the coach?
00:26:24 I feel like I have the power and I'm involved in the game.
00:26:26 So I have more of an influence and impact
00:26:27 than I can make versus a coach yelling from the sidelines."
00:26:30 I think I watched maybe four or five of Stevens' games
00:26:32 to where his fourth quarter plays were calling sets
00:26:34 that were in for Isaiah and Horford.
00:26:35 Isaiah Thomas, obviously, and Al Horford.
00:26:38 In the particular series to get ahead to the curve,
00:26:40 also talks about how in the 2020 finals,
00:26:42 he and LeBron sat down and talked.
00:26:44 He said, "Okay, if the Celtics win, I got Brad.
00:26:47 If the Heat win, you got Spoh."
00:26:48 And so it's just, I just thought it was cool to hear
00:26:51 Rondo talk about this sort of mindset
00:26:55 that not a lot of players have.
00:26:57 Like he's like, "I don't want to beat the players."
00:26:59 Like most people go up against Celtics,
00:27:00 "How do we beat Tatum? How do we beat the Celtics?"
00:27:02 Focusing on how do I beat the coach?
00:27:04 How do I out-coach the coach from the floor?
00:27:06 And that's just probably the most Rondo thing
00:27:08 I've ever heard in my life.
00:27:10 - Yeah, the full conversation, like they went on
00:27:13 and like Chris Paul was another guy that Redick brought up
00:27:16 just as like a real thinker on the floor.
00:27:19 - Those two would probably be the best coaches
00:27:20 of any players in the league right now.
00:27:22 Or Rondo's not, you know what I'm saying.
00:27:23 - Yeah, and as for coaching,
00:27:24 since it's something we did talk about back in like May,
00:27:29 because I mean, Joe Mazzola was kind of on the hot seat
00:27:32 until they almost came back.
00:27:33 He says he wants to coach someday, maybe not yet.
00:27:37 - Yeah, sorry, I thought there was more.
00:27:42 I had something over your face and sometimes you pause.
00:27:44 - That's okay.
00:27:44 - Yeah, no, I mean, just a cool conversation.
00:27:48 You said there were some other things he talked about too?
00:27:50 I didn't listen to the full podcast.
00:27:53 - So they talk about Rondo getting drafted.
00:27:55 He gets drafted by Phoenix trade to Boston.
00:27:58 First year he's in Boston, the team sucks.
00:28:00 Doc's not playing him a whole lot.
00:28:02 He wanted to ask for a trade
00:28:03 and he ended up not doing that.
00:28:05 He was almost included in the KG trade, he wasn't.
00:28:08 So he felt very fortunate to have stuck around
00:28:11 and be able to compete with those three guys,
00:28:13 the Hall of Famers and win a championship.
00:28:15 He also talked in detail about his ACL tear in 2013
00:28:20 where tore his ACL against Atlanta,
00:28:23 said he posted a triple double in that game,
00:28:25 was planning on warming up against Miami two days later
00:28:28 and was getting stretched out and the doctor checked his knee
00:28:30 and told him to go to the hospital.
00:28:32 Then he was on the way back from the hospital
00:28:34 and on the radio they said that he has a torn ACL
00:28:36 and he didn't even know that yet.
00:28:38 - Yeah, I mean, good story.
00:28:43 - Other anecdotes?
00:28:44 - Yeah, I was gonna say, is there anything else?
00:28:45 - Off the top of my head, I can't tell you.
00:28:47 Like I don't know, but I did listen to the full thing today
00:28:50 'cause I wanted to be ready.
00:28:52 - Good, I didn't, I'm bummed, it's fine.
00:28:54 - Times you wake up today, you were up early.
00:28:57 - I was up early, I got up at like 8.30 I think.
00:29:00 I don't know why, it was a normal day.
00:29:02 I didn't wanna be up at 8.30.
00:29:03 I wasn't productive till later in the day, so that's fine.
00:29:07 But I procrastinated long enough to where I was.
00:29:09 - You gotta get up early and just be like, I'm up,
00:29:11 I'm gonna take advantage of it.
00:29:12 Then later in the day, you're like, ah,
00:29:14 I'm done with everything, I can do whatever I want.
00:29:17 - I don't think I'll ever function that way.
00:29:19 I'm exhausted right now, I didn't get enough sleep.
00:29:22 Speaking of Rondo, this doesn't have to be its own point,
00:29:24 but something else I saw.
00:29:25 Delano Banton supposedly modeled his game after Rondo.
00:29:28 I just searched Rondo and this came up somewhere.
00:29:31 Taylor Snow of Celtics.com wrote it.
00:29:33 "From a young age, Banton modeled his game
00:29:35 "after a former Celtic point guard, Raejon Rondo.
00:29:37 "He stuck with the position even after experiencing
00:29:39 "a massive growth spurt in high school,
00:29:41 "rising from five foot nine as a freshman
00:29:43 "to six foot six as a junior."
00:29:45 That's nuts, I imagine.
00:29:48 - Yeah, the growth, well, you kinda had similar.
00:29:51 - Yeah, except I went from four 10 to six one
00:29:53 rather than five nine to six six.
00:29:54 - That's a massive growth spurt, though.
00:29:56 - I know.
00:29:57 - So you can't imagine being five nine to six six.
00:30:00 - I guess, except mine was, Delano Banton went from
00:30:04 good high school basketball player to NBA player.
00:30:06 I went from a life of hell to being able to stay--
00:30:11 - I went from little person to regular sized.
00:30:14 - Yeah, I went from not being able to ride
00:30:16 the roller coasters, not wanting to ride them by choice.
00:30:19 - Yes.
00:30:20 Well, now you don't have to.
00:30:21 See, wouldn't you rather not be able to ride them, though?
00:30:23 'Cause then nobody's like, "Wow, what a fucking pussy."
00:30:26 - No, 'cause then I'd be four 10.
00:30:28 (laughing)
00:30:30 Love to the short kings out there,
00:30:32 but I beat the allegations.
00:30:34 I'm gonna be happy for myself.
00:30:36 Oh, man, speaking, I looked like a rat
00:30:39 when I was a freshman in high school.
00:30:41 I was so small.
00:30:42 I was like, ah, it was tough.
00:30:45 It was tough luck, it was a tough period.
00:30:47 Anyways, enough about my high school days.
00:30:49 Isaiah Thomas is what we're talking about.
00:30:51 - Speaking of five nine.
00:30:53 - Yeah, perfect.
00:30:55 Sam wanted to put the tinfoil hat on,
00:30:57 so I'll let you do that, Sam.
00:30:59 - Yeah, so Isaiah Thomas has been in the news,
00:31:04 on Twitter, at least a little bit lately.
00:31:07 - Manufactured news.
00:31:08 - Part you're doing, right?
00:31:11 - Yeah.
00:31:12 - Read your article, I read it today,
00:31:13 'cause I really just haven't been sitting around
00:31:16 to read anything, and it was excellent.
00:31:18 You went into detail about his time here.
00:31:20 So I thought that was great,
00:31:22 but then he went on Twitter and he shouted you out.
00:31:26 - He did.
00:31:27 Like the article, if you tweeted it,
00:31:28 it was very nice of Isaiah Thomas.
00:31:29 - Did you like to talk about that?
00:31:31 - I mean, I woke up, well, it was funny,
00:31:33 'cause I woke up at my normal 2 p.m. time,
00:31:36 and I saw this influx of stuff.
00:31:38 I was like, "Oh, that's pretty cool."
00:31:40 And then I saw Isaiah Thomas,
00:31:42 and I was like, "Oh, that's really cool."
00:31:43 And then I saw everyone talking about it,
00:31:44 I was like, "Oh, what is happening?"
00:31:46 And I was very confused.
00:31:47 I was appreciative that he retweeted it.
00:31:50 I was more happy, obviously it's dope
00:31:53 to have him retweet the story and say,
00:31:55 "Love for Boston," and you like the tweet and stuff.
00:31:57 Obviously, I had to plug underneath
00:31:58 and say, "Open invite to the pod."
00:32:00 - And he didn't respond. - Don't think he'll ever do that.
00:32:01 No, he did not.
00:32:02 I was more happy that more people
00:32:04 had their eyes on it, though,
00:32:05 'cause this was like,
00:32:06 this didn't happen the day it released.
00:32:07 This happened like a day or two after it came out.
00:32:10 So I was like, "Okay, more people are gonna see this now."
00:32:12 And I was pretty happy with the way it came out.
00:32:14 I have imposter syndrome,
00:32:15 so I can never tell if things are good or not.
00:32:17 - No, I thought you did good.
00:32:18 You could tell you put effort in,
00:32:19 you went into detail about
00:32:22 all sorts of different parts of his career,
00:32:24 and I thought that was pretty great.
00:32:25 I thought you did a good job with it.
00:32:27 - I appreciate it.
00:32:28 But yeah, no, I mean, it was cool.
00:32:29 It's cool to see he still likes his Celtics,
00:32:30 but I'll let you spew your tinfoil hat stuff,
00:32:34 and then I'll shut it down.
00:32:35 - So, of course, like Jack said,
00:32:37 he quote tweeted Jack's tweet.
00:32:39 He said, "I'll always have love for Boston," or something.
00:32:43 He loves the city.
00:32:44 "Then I was listening to 'Pardon My Take' today
00:32:46 as one does on a Wednesday,
00:32:48 which is why we drop on Thursday, Tuesday, and Sunday.
00:32:51 Big cat question if Isaiah ever got a tribute video."
00:32:56 Not in relation to Jack,
00:32:58 but they were talking about Max Scherzer
00:32:59 who got one from the Mets, I guess,
00:33:01 after being there for a season.
00:33:03 And so that came up, which he did get one.
00:33:07 And then the Celtics account tweeted a graphic
00:33:09 with him on it.
00:33:10 Of course, it was really for Tatum,
00:33:11 who was the first Celtic to score 30 points
00:33:14 per game in a season.
00:33:15 But I feel like that's the first time,
00:33:18 in my recollection, that they have done
00:33:22 any kind of social post, anything like that with Isaiah.
00:33:26 - Well, they did the tribute video.
00:33:28 - No, they did that.
00:33:29 But I mean, actually posting it on social media,
00:33:33 maybe it's just because time has passed,
00:33:34 but it's this weird thing.
00:33:36 They hadn't been really talking about him.
00:33:39 They kind of act like he didn't exist, it felt like.
00:33:41 - Maybe.
00:33:42 This is the post, by the way.
00:33:43 I'll just put it on the screen for YouTube.
00:33:45 - Like, it is kind of, isn't it?
00:33:46 It is strange seeing him in a post.
00:33:49 'Cause I saw this today and I was like,
00:33:51 "Why the hell, what is this?"
00:33:53 - Well, it's very weird 'cause you usually only hear
00:33:58 the Celtics talk about,
00:33:59 and this is something I talked about in the article.
00:34:01 - If you're listening, by the way,
00:34:02 it's a graphic of Havlicek, Isaiah, Byrd, Tatum,
00:34:05 all of the top points per game scorers
00:34:07 in a single season for the Celtics.
00:34:09 - Tatum, you only wanna hit 30,
00:34:10 which is the point of the post.
00:34:11 But it's weird because I don't know
00:34:16 if it's the Celtics ignoring Isaiah intentionally
00:34:18 or the fact that what context
00:34:21 are they supposed to bring up Isaiah?
00:34:24 And that's not a diss at Isaiah,
00:34:25 but it's the point of the article, right?
00:34:27 He did not win a title in Boston.
00:34:28 He was here for two and a half seasons.
00:34:30 It's not like he was here for a long time.
00:34:32 You hear them talk about Larry Byrd, obviously, right?
00:34:35 Paul Pierce, obviously,
00:34:36 won a title here for years and years and years.
00:34:38 Garnett and Allen won a title here, right?
00:34:41 Bill Russell, obviously.
00:34:42 All these legends who played on those teams back then,
00:34:44 obviously, 'cause they won titles and did all this stuff.
00:34:47 You hear the Grizzlies talk about Tony Allen
00:34:49 and Zach Randolph 'cause those are literally
00:34:50 the best players who ever played for the organization.
00:34:53 I don't know if it's as much as the Celtics trying
00:34:55 to erase Isaiah Thomas from their franchise
00:34:58 or more the fact that if they're gonna talk about players
00:35:01 who did the best things, he's just not up there as often
00:35:05 because of how big the franchise is
00:35:07 and how little he played here in terms of tenure.
00:35:11 - Also- - Which is part of the draw,
00:35:13 I think, what made it so special.
00:35:15 - Makes my point a bit moronic,
00:35:16 but also plays into it at the same time.
00:35:18 When Pritchard had his big Pro-Am game,
00:35:20 Isaiah was in that post, too.
00:35:22 - He was, he was in the post, yeah.
00:35:24 - So this is a couple in a couple weeks.
00:35:26 They've got him on the social account.
00:35:28 So there's two roster spots left.
00:35:32 Do they finally do it?
00:35:34 I know how you feel about this
00:35:35 'cause you put it on the sheet,
00:35:36 but it is something I have said for years.
00:35:41 What is the harm in doing it?
00:35:45 And you have given me a good response when we talk about it
00:35:48 'cause I think you make a good point
00:35:49 when you bring this up 'cause it's true.
00:35:52 I'll let you say it if you'd like,
00:35:53 but you're always like it could be a distraction.
00:35:56 - It could be a distraction.
00:35:58 I worry that he, again, love Isaiah Thomas.
00:36:01 I wrote the article.
00:36:02 It was one of the best errors,
00:36:03 one of the first most enjoyable errors
00:36:05 of Celtics basketball for me as a fan.
00:36:07 - Correct. - But because I know Sam here
00:36:09 the same way, I didn't start watching
00:36:10 'til the very, very tail end of the Big Three era.
00:36:13 - At least I didn't have an appreciation for it yet.
00:36:15 - Exactly. - You're not really old
00:36:16 enough yet. - Exactly.
00:36:18 But if he wants to play real minutes,
00:36:21 that's not gonna happen here.
00:36:22 If he, the fans, I mean,
00:36:25 we thought Taco Fall was a big thing.
00:36:27 Imagine Isaiah Thomas on the end of the bench there.
00:36:30 I would be more open to it now
00:36:31 than I think I probably ever have been
00:36:33 just because of how perfect,
00:36:36 or obviously knock on wood,
00:36:37 but they have good depth at every position.
00:36:40 They genuinely have. - This is the,
00:36:42 Indiana Jones swaps the sandbag for the relic.
00:36:46 It's the same weight, him and Marcus.
00:36:48 Try and offset that, that everyone's upset,
00:36:52 they bring him in.
00:36:53 - I'll put it this way.
00:36:55 If the Celtics come out in a couple days
00:36:58 and they say that the final two roster spots
00:37:01 are Blake Griffin and Isaiah Thomas,
00:37:03 I mean, I won't be complaining,
00:37:06 and I know Sam will be running around his house.
00:37:09 - I'll be hyped.
00:37:10 I'd be hyped if they brought him back.
00:37:11 I think he deserves to be back in some degree.
00:37:13 I think he deserves the end of the bench spot.
00:37:15 I don't see what harm.
00:37:17 I mean, we just did four videos this week,
00:37:19 nobody gave a fuck,
00:37:20 of the guys that the Celtics brought in to work out.
00:37:24 Like, other than maybe Lamar Stevens,
00:37:26 like who is it really worth putting on the roster
00:37:29 over an Isaiah?
00:37:30 - I don't know how open he would be to it.
00:37:33 I'd more rather him-- - That's another factor
00:37:34 in this.
00:37:36 - Yeah, well, that too, but I was gonna say,
00:37:38 I don't know how if you'd be open to this idea.
00:37:40 I'd rather him in the Evan Turner coach role,
00:37:42 where he's like the player coach.
00:37:43 I think that's-- - I think, I think,
00:37:45 I only care if he's playing.
00:37:46 - You're the worst. (laughs)
00:37:50 Why can't he be the coach?
00:37:51 - 'Cause it's not as exciting.
00:37:52 There's no like, oh, if they beat the piss out
00:37:55 of some team tonight, he's gonna come in the game.
00:37:58 (laughs)
00:37:59 - I guess, I don't know.
00:38:00 I'd be open to it.
00:38:00 I don't think it'll happen, but I'm more open to it now.
00:38:02 Did you see his response to this tweet, by the way?
00:38:05 - Yeah, he was like, "Danny sat me down,
00:38:07 put me on a minutes restriction, and I was at 29-3,
00:38:11 and then I fell off at the end of the season."
00:38:13 (laughs)
00:38:15 - Yeah, he almost, he's saying he could have gotten the 30,
00:38:18 which is crazy that he could have--
00:38:19 - I don't know, this has just been a lot
00:38:20 of Isaiah Thomas stuff in the last couple of weeks.
00:38:22 - It has been, more than you've seen in a while.
00:38:24 But I don't know, like I said, I'm more open to it now
00:38:27 than I ever have been.
00:38:28 Do I think it'll happen?
00:38:29 No, but--
00:38:30 - Would be cool.
00:38:31 - Would be very cool.
00:38:33 All right, do we have any other Celtics stuff?
00:38:35 Oh yeah, we have a couple more things, maybe one.
00:38:37 Sam, I'll let you lead this, 'cause you put it in the sheet,
00:38:40 and you phrased it very eloquently.
00:38:41 - Bleach Report is back again.
00:38:43 Today, Zach Buckley put out a mock trade article
00:38:46 for every single team offloading their, quote unquote,
00:38:49 worst contracts.
00:38:51 The Celtics were involved in two trades.
00:38:53 One was their own, one was another team's.
00:38:55 Did not even see the second one,
00:38:57 to be completely honest with you.
00:38:58 - I threw it on here, yeah.
00:38:59 - For their trade, Buckley pitched that the Celtics
00:39:03 send Jaylen Brown, Peyton Pritchard,
00:39:05 and a 2024 first round pick to the Cleveland Cavaliers
00:39:08 for Donovan Mitchell.
00:39:10 We'll talk about this one before we move on.
00:39:13 - Sure.
00:39:14 - I wrote about this one for Hardware Houdini.
00:39:16 I think if in any world, the Celtics were to trade
00:39:19 Jaylen Brown, this would be the best return
00:39:21 they would get for him.
00:39:23 But to me, the trade is not intriguing
00:39:25 unless you're only doing a swap.
00:39:27 And even then, I'm really kinda out on trading
00:39:29 a guy that just extended with you,
00:39:31 and said he's gonna do all these great things for the city,
00:39:33 and all of that.
00:39:35 Like, it's just another breach of trust,
00:39:37 like, kinda feels like an unwritten rule,
00:39:38 like, don't do that yet.
00:39:40 And they can't even do it 'til January anyways,
00:39:42 if they wanted to.
00:39:45 Here's why it's really bad.
00:39:47 One, you're giving up Pritchard,
00:39:48 who we literally just kinda pontificated
00:39:50 on being a rotational piece this year,
00:39:52 and might actually help, especially if guys get hurt.
00:39:55 And you're also giving up a 2024 first round pick.
00:39:57 I don't remember if it's theirs or the Warriors' pick.
00:39:59 If it's the Warriors' pick,
00:40:00 it could actually have some kind of value,
00:40:01 depending on how their season goes.
00:40:03 And I wrote about the picks for Celtics blog.
00:40:07 I talked about it on here, which is what it inspired me
00:40:10 to write for Celtics blog last time,
00:40:13 is these picks are starting to become more valuable
00:40:15 than ever, because that's a way to add bodies
00:40:18 to the roster that could produce for cheap.
00:40:20 With the new CBA coming in,
00:40:22 strangleholding the whole league, you need those picks.
00:40:25 And if you're the Celtics,
00:40:26 the idea of this whole article by Buckley
00:40:28 is to shed salary.
00:40:31 You're gonna give up a pick
00:40:32 that you could bring in a guy for, for nothing?
00:40:35 What sense does that make?
00:40:36 For essentially a same level player,
00:40:38 would you say these two guys are the same level?
00:40:40 Or at least that it's fair to say?
00:40:43 - Uh.
00:40:44 - I think they're pretty comparable.
00:40:46 - I'll put it this way.
00:40:47 If it wasn't for
00:40:49 all Jalen Brown has done,
00:40:53 the fact that he just extended the chemistry,
00:40:55 like all this exterior stuff,
00:40:56 purely just basketball, nothing else,
00:40:59 like I wouldn't do this trade,
00:41:00 but if it was just basketball, I might do this trade.
00:41:04 - I'm not saying it's a bad,
00:41:05 I literally said this is probably the best thing
00:41:07 I've seen for Jalen.
00:41:09 - I know, but my point is,
00:41:09 I think Donovan Mitchell would be that much of an upgrade
00:41:12 where I might consider this.
00:41:14 If it weren't for all the exterior stuff,
00:41:15 him just extending the stuff he's doing in the city,
00:41:17 his relationship with the team, et cetera, et cetera.
00:41:20 Donovan Mitchell's a dog.
00:41:22 Donovan Mitchell's a beast.
00:41:23 He is consistently one of the best.
00:41:24 - I think the big difference between these two guys
00:41:26 is Donovan Mitchell throughout his whole career
00:41:28 has had to be the number one.
00:41:30 Jalen Brown has never gotten the opportunity/
00:41:32 had to do that, really.
00:41:34 He had that one game where he scored 50 against Orlando
00:41:36 when Tatum didn't play.
00:41:38 - I hate to beat a dead horse.
00:41:41 Another big difference is Donovan Mitchell's
00:41:42 very good with the ball in his hands.
00:41:44 Very, very good with the ball in his hands.
00:41:46 - Oh, it's true.
00:41:47 - So, I mean, Donovan Mitchell averaged 28,
00:41:50 four and four and a half last year on 48, 39 splits
00:41:54 on nine threes a game.
00:41:54 Like he's 6'1", so he's shorter,
00:41:57 but you pair him with Derek White in the backcourt,
00:41:58 that's lethal, right?
00:42:00 You run them as the one-two, Tatum poisoning you.
00:42:02 - He's only 6'1"?
00:42:03 - He's, yeah, 6'1", he's very short.
00:42:05 - Do you have like basketball, right?
00:42:06 Yeah, you definitely do, 'cause you just read the stats.
00:42:08 - I do, yeah. - Wow.
00:42:09 - He's very short.
00:42:10 I like this trade, but that's just gonna be huge
00:42:13 to Donovan Mitchell fan.
00:42:14 Again, because of all of the other stuff off the court,
00:42:17 everything Jalen Brown has done,
00:42:18 not that Donovan Mitchell wouldn't be a good person
00:42:21 to have in the community, but the relationship
00:42:23 with the foundation that Jalen has laid,
00:42:25 the fact that he just signed this extension,
00:42:26 his commitment to the team, wouldn't make the deal
00:42:28 because I think the Celtics should continue to grow
00:42:30 and build what they've already built.
00:42:32 Purely basketball, I would probably do it
00:42:35 just because Donovan Mitchell's that guy.
00:42:37 I don't think the Cavs would ever consider it, but yeah.
00:42:40 - Well, the pitch was that they'd be afraid
00:42:42 Mitchell was going to leave in 2025.
00:42:45 - Sure, maybe.
00:42:46 - So that was the reasoning.
00:42:49 But the other one- - The weird thing about this,
00:42:50 sorry, before we do that,
00:42:51 the weird thing about this specific thing
00:42:53 is I'm pretty sure Donovan Mitchell
00:42:54 and Jalen Brown are really good friends.
00:42:55 - Yes, I was thinking that when you were talking.
00:42:58 I was like, I wonder if they text about this today.
00:43:00 Like, "Hey man, you see this shit?
00:43:02 "Can you believe this?"
00:43:03 Second trade, this was for the Lakers
00:43:06 to offload their quote unquote worst contract.
00:43:09 Anthony Davis, who just got extended,
00:43:10 goes to the Celtics in exchange
00:43:12 for Jalen Brown and Robert Williams.
00:43:14 Would I do this?
00:43:17 Probably not.
00:43:19 Anthony Davis can't stay on the court, which sucks.
00:43:21 With injuries off, maybe you do it.
00:43:25 But then again, that kind of defeats the purpose
00:43:27 of trading Rob because that's his like big Achilles heel
00:43:31 is that he can't stay healthy.
00:43:33 But you're essentially putting those two players
00:43:37 into one player where you're getting a second option
00:43:40 and a defensive stalwart down low.
00:43:42 So like, I get it and you're not giving up a pick,
00:43:45 but I don't really think that Anthony Davis extension
00:43:47 is very good, which it makes sense.
00:43:49 I mean, I guess you could say the same thing for Jalen.
00:43:50 - It's more expensive than Jalen's contract annually,
00:43:52 put it that way.
00:43:53 So, take care of his work.
00:43:57 Like you said, if injuries were off,
00:43:58 like I'm not gonna sit here and say Jalen Brown's
00:44:00 a better player than Anthony Davis,
00:44:02 but if you take into account injuries
00:44:05 and consistency, stuff like that,
00:44:07 I'd probably just keep what the Celtics have.
00:44:10 That being said, I would be lying if I said a part of me
00:44:13 didn't like light up inside intrigued by an Anthony Davis,
00:44:17 Chris Topps, Porzingis front court,
00:44:18 'cause that sounds disgusting.
00:44:19 - I kind of forgot Chris Topps was on the team.
00:44:21 - Exactly, that sounds nasty.
00:44:23 And think about that in the context--
00:44:24 - It wasn't Jordan Walsh today, it was Chris Topps.
00:44:26 - Right, and think about that in the context, excuse me,
00:44:30 of the Porzingis trade, the Mitchell trade too.
00:44:32 Like Donovan Mitchell, Jason Tatum, Porzingis.
00:44:35 Think about how evenly that would flow
00:44:37 across the positions too.
00:44:38 Not that I'm saying Tatum and Brown
00:44:39 are bad paired together,
00:44:41 but adding another big or another guard
00:44:44 instead of two wings, there's stuff.
00:44:46 I will say I'm shocked that one of the first three words
00:44:48 out of your mouth wasn't Anthony Davis's dad sucks.
00:44:51 (laughs)
00:44:52 - Oh, I kind of forgot, I'm off my game.
00:44:54 (laughs)
00:44:55 Anthony Davis's dad probably had a stroke
00:44:57 reading that article.
00:44:58 - I was waiting for it.
00:45:00 - Like he probably had his day ruined.
00:45:02 - Think about how--
00:45:03 - Zach Buckley got a couple emails from like Clutch,
00:45:06 they were like, "Delete this."
00:45:08 - Think about how giant that lineup would be though.
00:45:10 A front court of Tatum, Anthony Davis,
00:45:12 Chris Topps, Porzingis.
00:45:13 (laughs)
00:45:14 - You have Derek White, who's what, 6'4" at point?
00:45:18 - 6'3", 6'4", something like that, yeah.
00:45:20 I mean, who would you run at the other spot though?
00:45:22 That's the other thing.
00:45:23 - Doesn't matter.
00:45:26 - No, I guess you roll out--
00:45:28 - Put me out there.
00:45:29 - Brogdon, low key just run Brogdon, Derek White.
00:45:32 Brogdon, Derek White, Jason Tatum,
00:45:35 Anthony Davis, Chris Topps, Porzingis.
00:45:37 I mean, the defensive punch of,
00:45:40 if you start Brogdon, he's obviously
00:45:42 not the greatest defender, but then
00:45:43 the defense of White, Tatum, Porzingis, Davis,
00:45:47 not saying Jalen Brown's a bad defender,
00:45:49 but like, holy shit, that'd be fucked.
00:45:52 But no, I probably wouldn't do either of these trades.
00:45:56 Like realistically, basketball perspective,
00:45:58 might do the Donovan one, injuries off,
00:46:00 might do the Davis one.
00:46:02 They're fine trades, right?
00:46:03 They're, you know, it's whatever.
00:46:04 It's, like you said, Bluechip Report is fucking back.
00:46:08 Not bad today.
00:46:09 - They are back. - Bluechip Report.
00:46:10 There you go, there you go.
00:46:12 - They're in peak form, is really what I should have put.
00:46:14 - We don't have to go over it,
00:46:17 and I don't even know if I could find it on the fly.
00:46:19 I was looking for like trade articles,
00:46:22 or excuse me, yeah, for something I was writing
00:46:25 for Fan Sided, and I found a heater Celtics trade.
00:46:29 It was true.
00:46:30 - It wasn't the one from last time, was it?
00:46:31 'Cause the maps were in that one.
00:46:33 - It was a different one.
00:46:34 It was truly maybe the worst thing I've ever seen.
00:46:37 I desperately want to find it now,
00:46:39 but I don't know if I'll be able to.
00:46:42 Off the dome, it was another, oh man.
00:46:49 It was another like three, four teamer
00:46:51 where the Celtics just got absolutely like screwed.
00:46:55 I won't be able to find it off the dome,
00:46:58 but I'll look for it eventually.
00:47:00 Anyways, we can move on.
00:47:02 We'll bump the other Celtics thing we had to another time.
00:47:06 - Yeah, just roll it over.
00:47:07 - Just roll it over.
00:47:08 And we will move on to the NBA portion of the programming.
00:47:11 And the first thing we have here in the NBA section
00:47:14 is a FIBA catch-up.
00:47:15 So let me pull up the scores from today
00:47:17 because we looked at it just a couple of days ago.
00:47:19 I did actually watch a little bit of FIBA this morning
00:47:21 when I woke up.
00:47:22 When I say a little bit, because I was up,
00:47:24 I watched it while I was still in bed.
00:47:25 Let me put the NBA section on.
00:47:27 - I have not watched a lick of it.
00:47:29 - I didn't watch much.
00:47:30 - I'm a bad basketball fan.
00:47:31 - When I say a little bit, I watched probably like 10 minutes
00:47:36 so I was lame.
00:47:37 I watched Slovenia's game against Cape Verde.
00:47:39 And for those people saying that the NBA whistles suck,
00:47:44 play more like FIBA,
00:47:45 there were more whistles in a 10 minute period
00:47:48 of me watching than I've seen in the NBA.
00:47:50 - That's what everyone's saying
00:47:52 is that it's so much better though.
00:47:54 - But I literally, every single play down the court
00:47:57 was a whistle, every single one, back and forth,
00:47:59 whistle, whistle, whistle.
00:48:00 And you could sit there and joke like, oh, it's just Luka.
00:48:02 It wasn't Luka, it was just in general,
00:48:04 there was a whistle every time down the court.
00:48:06 - Yeah, I mean, I know off the top of my head,
00:48:09 I know US 3-0, Lithuania 3-0, France gone, Greece gone.
00:48:15 Canada, juggernaut.
00:48:17 Other than that, I don't know.
00:48:19 - Okay, so catching up here,
00:48:20 I believe all the group stage games are over.
00:48:23 So I don't know if that's true, I think so.
00:48:26 - US and Lithuania are in the same group, I think.
00:48:29 And they haven't played 'cause they're both 3-0.
00:48:32 - Yeah, I don't know how the group stage works,
00:48:37 but I know every team has played three group stage games.
00:48:40 I don't know if that's all it is.
00:48:41 Let me look up FIBA World Cup bracket
00:48:44 'cause I have to assume it goes to a bracket
00:48:46 at some point, right?
00:48:47 When does the- - Yes, there's gonna be
00:48:50 a knockout stage.
00:48:51 - When does the knockout stage start
00:48:53 is what I'm curious about 'cause if-
00:48:55 - Early next week. - I have to imagine.
00:48:58 September 5th, so middle of next week.
00:49:03 So I think, I don't know.
00:49:07 Let me go over the standings though.
00:49:09 Dominican Republic was 3-0, or they are 3-0.
00:49:11 I don't know if there's more group stage games,
00:49:12 I don't know how it works.
00:49:13 So Anthony Towns, shout out.
00:49:14 Serbia 3-0 without Jokic, so that's kinda cool,
00:49:17 good for them.
00:49:18 They have one of the Bogdanovic's,
00:49:20 I don't know which one they have.
00:49:22 I know one of them is Serbian
00:49:24 and the other one is not Serbian.
00:49:27 Bojan is Croatian, so that means Bogdan Bogdanovic
00:49:29 is Serbian, so there's that.
00:49:32 Other teams that, well, Puerto Rico is 2-0,
00:49:36 shout out Tremont Waters.
00:49:37 Italy's 2-1, good for them as well.
00:49:39 They have Simone Fantecchio,
00:49:41 and the only reason I care about him
00:49:42 is 'cause the only reason my name's ever gonna be in 2K
00:49:45 is because of Simone Fantecchio.
00:49:48 So thank you to him.
00:49:49 Greece 2-1, like you said.
00:49:51 Lithuania is 3-0, Jonas Valanciunas leading them
00:49:54 to a good record.
00:49:55 Nikola Vucevic has Montenegro at 2-1.
00:49:57 Germany is 3-0, shout out Daniel Theis.
00:50:00 Australia's only 2-1, which isn't terrible,
00:50:03 but they're stacked, so they should probably
00:50:05 be a bit better.
00:50:06 Slovenia's 3-0, Georgia is 2-1,
00:50:08 Sandra Momokela-Shvili's on that squad,
00:50:11 NBA player leading the way.
00:50:13 Spain is 3-0, Brazil is 2-1,
00:50:16 Canada's 3-0, Latvia's 2-1, France is 1-2, bums.
00:50:19 And I believe that is it.
00:50:22 I'm seeing different groups here, though,
00:50:24 which is why I'm confused, 'cause I see group A,
00:50:27 or excuse me, I'm seeing group C
00:50:30 with US, Greece, New Zealand, Jordan,
00:50:32 but then the US is also in group J
00:50:34 with Lithuania, US, Greece, Montenegro.
00:50:37 So I don't know how it works in terms of the group states.
00:50:41 But that's the point.
00:50:42 The other thing, the US won this morning,
00:50:44 won 10 to 62 against Jordan.
00:50:49 - Reboots. - And Rondé, yeah,
00:50:51 against Rondé Hollis-Jefferson, who played well.
00:50:54 The other thing I saw is
00:50:55 Brandon Ingram got benched for Josh Hart.
00:50:59 - Oh, it finally happened. - In the starting lineup.
00:51:00 - There was rumblings that he was cooked.
00:51:02 - Yeah, and Josh Hart put up two points,
00:51:05 but he had 12 rebounds, so he did his job.
00:51:08 - I saw that stat line, he's all over the place.
00:51:10 Funny enough, I was just looking at my Celtics blog post
00:51:14 from today, 'cause I like to look at the comments,
00:51:16 and our good friend Eric Lewis came along and said,
00:51:21 "Well, the gig is up, friends.
00:51:24 "I cannot help this team anymore.
00:51:25 "Off into retirement I go,
00:51:27 "and I'm not making this up for the purpose of a segue."
00:51:30 It actually happened, go look.
00:51:31 I thanked him for his service.
00:51:32 - That is hilarious.
00:51:33 - But it's true, Eric Lewis has perished.
00:51:37 The NBA announced on Twitter today
00:51:38 that Eric Lewis is retiring. - Perished.
00:51:40 Retiring, don't say perish, it's if he died.
00:51:44 Oh my God.
00:51:45 - The statement read, "NBA referee Eric Lewis
00:51:49 "has informed the league office
00:51:50 "that he is retiring effective immediately.
00:51:53 "In light of his decision, the NBA's investigation
00:51:55 "into social media activity has been closed.
00:51:58 "Eric Lewis quite simply ruled,
00:52:00 "I can't believe the NBA let the Lakers and LeBron fans
00:52:03 "bully them into making him retire.
00:52:05 "Eric Lewis was under investigation for,"
00:52:08 not quote unquote, "reportedly having murder accounts
00:52:12 "or allegedly having murder accounts on Twitter."
00:52:14 - He definitely had murder accounts.
00:52:15 - "To defend himself and other referees."
00:52:17 Now, he has since come out and said
00:52:21 that it was his brother running those.
00:52:24 - Lie.
00:52:25 - Regardless, kind of rules.
00:52:27 Why isn't KD getting reprimanded?
00:52:29 - True. (laughs)
00:52:32 - Why did Eric Lewis have to retire?
00:52:33 KD's still out there.
00:52:36 - I don't know, man.
00:52:36 This whole situation was so weird.
00:52:38 I remember we looked at the burner a long time ago.
00:52:40 - Eric Lewis was fired. - When it first popped up
00:52:41 on Twitter.
00:52:42 - He did the music video with Scott Foster in the car.
00:52:45 - Oh, really?
00:52:46 Was he in that? - With Jack Marlowe.
00:52:46 - That was maybe the best thing NBA refs have done ever.
00:52:51 Maybe ever.
00:52:52 - I don't know, Eric Lewis, Celtics, very good record.
00:52:55 It's all in the say.
00:52:57 So he'll be missed.
00:52:58 - Yeah, shout out Eric Lewis.
00:53:00 Thank you, Eric Lewis.
00:53:01 - Did they put the whistle in the rafters?
00:53:03 (laughs)
00:53:04 - No, didn't get a ring.
00:53:06 2022, they were close.
00:53:07 Couldn't get it done.
00:53:08 - Yeah.
00:53:10 So close.
00:53:11 Next thing we have, another one of Sam's favorite players,
00:53:13 Ben Simmons.
00:53:14 Talk about Philadelphia. - Oh, I love Ben Simmons.
00:53:17 - Did you see these quotes?
00:53:18 - No, well, I read them in the sheet,
00:53:19 but I had not seen them before you found out.
00:53:22 - Ben Simmons did an interview with Mark J. Spears
00:53:24 of Anscape Hall of Famer, by the way.
00:53:25 Mark J. Spears got his Hall of Fame ring this year.
00:53:28 Shout out to him.
00:53:29 Talked about Philadelphia.
00:53:31 Said he'd go back to Philly.
00:53:34 If he had to go to somewhere, another team.
00:53:35 He said, "I'll always have love for Philly.
00:53:37 People always ask me,
00:53:38 if you were to get traded again,
00:53:40 where would you want it to be?
00:53:40 I always say just Philly.
00:53:41 Philly is a second home to me.
00:53:42 And in time, you learn to grow.
00:53:44 You learn and grow as people."
00:53:46 Now, if this is Ben Simmons saying,
00:53:50 "I have learned and grown,
00:53:51 and I was probably wrong for the way it ended there,"
00:53:54 respect, I guess, 'cause that, I mean, it takes-
00:53:57 - Yeah, respect.
00:53:58 You played bad and then got mad at them
00:53:59 for holding you accountable.
00:54:01 - It takes something to admit that.
00:54:03 So, good for Ben Simmons.
00:54:05 Just weird, though.
00:54:06 (laughs)
00:54:07 It's a weird thing to hear in the news cycle.
00:54:08 - How many years left on his contract?
00:54:10 - This year and next year, I believe.
00:54:12 - Yeah, so he's getting to the point
00:54:14 where he's gonna be a free agent,
00:54:16 and he's gonna need somebody to sign him.
00:54:18 So he's just covering his bases, I would say.
00:54:21 I don't really think you can be like,
00:54:22 "I'd love to go back to Philly,"
00:54:24 when you were like, "I'm never playing for this team again."
00:54:26 - That's another trade.
00:54:27 That's the weird part.
00:54:28 That's what I classify as weird.
00:54:29 - They should boo Ben Simmons even harder in Philly
00:54:31 the next time he plays there,
00:54:32 if he ever does play there again.
00:54:35 Because this is just annoying, trying to be the big man.
00:54:39 Like, "Oh yeah, it's all love.
00:54:42 If they hate me, they're immature, blah, blah, blah.
00:54:45 I hate that stuff.
00:54:46 I hate when they try and high-road fan bases like this."
00:54:50 You were wrong.
00:54:50 And if you're, again, I guess Jack said it best.
00:54:53 If he's admitting he's wrong, it's fine.
00:54:55 You're allowed to do that.
00:54:57 But Ben Simmons, very weird behavior, like you said.
00:55:02 - Yeah, it's just an odd thing to see in the news cycle.
00:55:05 Ben Simmons liking Philadelphia
00:55:06 is not something I had in my view.
00:55:07 - Oh yeah, he loved it there.
00:55:09 - Right, that's what I'm saying.
00:55:10 All right, next thing we have, NBA rule changes.
00:55:13 - Oh, the rollover.
00:55:15 - This is something we had last time
00:55:17 that we didn't have time for.
00:55:19 We just wanted to save, so we'll cover it now quickly.
00:55:21 Andy Bailey, a Bleacher Report.
00:55:24 Shout out to Legends of Bleach Report
00:55:25 for giving us content this off season.
00:55:27 Wrote, "NBA rule changes the NBA still needs to consider."
00:55:32 And so we're gonna go over them, talk about them briefly.
00:55:34 It doesn't have to be a long thing.
00:55:35 - Shout out to the Bleacher Report guy in our comments.
00:55:38 We see you, we respect.
00:55:41 - Yes, the Bleacher Report.
00:55:42 - Hit us up sometimes.
00:55:43 - Community person, yeah, let us know.
00:55:45 Let's get on the Bleacher Report live streams.
00:55:47 Hit us up if you're still there.
00:55:49 We'll do some live streams for you.
00:55:51 FIBA goaltending rules is something Andy Bailey wants to see.
00:55:53 Basically, once the ball hits the rim, fair game.
00:55:58 I don't have a problem with it.
00:56:00 It's just, I don't think it would ever happen.
00:56:02 You know what I'm saying?
00:56:03 It's just too big of a change to implement.
00:56:05 - Yeah, I think people are afraid of the change.
00:56:08 I heard, I think Bill Simmons talked about this
00:56:10 on his podcast, and he was like,
00:56:12 "Realistically, it'd probably happen
00:56:14 "like two or three times a game if that,
00:56:16 "where it would actually impact the play."
00:56:19 So I don't really know if the change would be seismic,
00:56:23 but it would be a tough thing to implement.
00:56:25 I feel like there's going to be
00:56:26 a lot of knee-jerk reactions or different.
00:56:29 I guess FIBA has a set of rules,
00:56:30 so there's not going to be loopholes,
00:56:34 or can they touch it in the cylinder?
00:56:36 What's a goaltender, what's not a goaltender?
00:56:39 I think you'll get that from fans if you were to do that,
00:56:41 but it's not the worst thing ever.
00:56:42 - I will say, I do think it would eliminate
00:56:47 a lot of the issues with goaltending,
00:56:48 like where they don't call it, or it's missed,
00:56:51 or they call it incorrectly.
00:56:53 Like if it touches the rim, it's fair game.
00:56:55 Obviously, I don't know if this is a thing in FIBA,
00:56:57 but I assume you can't stick your hand
00:56:59 through the bottom of the net.
00:57:00 I think that's still illegal.
00:57:01 I don't know, my point is I don't know,
00:57:03 but I think it would make things
00:57:04 a bit more concise and clear.
00:57:07 I just think it's too big of a change to implement,
00:57:10 but maybe over some years, who knows?
00:57:12 Fewer timeouts.
00:57:14 Soccer and basketball share some common ground,
00:57:16 two opposing teams, blah, blah, blah.
00:57:18 I don't know how many he's suggesting.
00:57:20 I can't see here.
00:57:21 Cutting the number of timeouts, basically,
00:57:22 to three or four per game would improve the flow.
00:57:25 Yes, but I don't know if NBA would ever do it
00:57:29 because then they'd be cutting out
00:57:30 on commercials and add time.
00:57:31 - Yeah, it'd lose money.
00:57:32 They'd have to start panhandling,
00:57:34 so they would not do that.
00:57:35 - Yeah, I don't think so.
00:57:36 And I think it's a fine amount right now,
00:57:38 especially with the required--
00:57:39 - That is what makes soccer fire, though,
00:57:41 is they just don't have commercials.
00:57:42 Like, they're out there playing,
00:57:44 they're going 'til halftime or the end of the game.
00:57:46 That's it.
00:57:47 - That is fun.
00:57:48 Speaking of soccer, Brentford almost lost
00:57:49 in the FA Cup to Newport County.
00:57:52 (laughing)
00:57:53 - So, Newport, Newport, fine city.
00:57:55 - Yeah, I mean--
00:57:56 - Newport's sneaky the best city in Rhode Island.
00:57:58 It might be better than Providence.
00:58:00 Like, just in terms of being a city,
00:58:01 especially in the summer.
00:58:03 I went there a couple weeks ago,
00:58:04 not to completely derail this,
00:58:06 but there is so many more people out and about.
00:58:10 Newport actually feels like a city.
00:58:12 Like, if you're in downtown Providence at times,
00:58:14 it feels like a movie set.
00:58:15 Like, the landscape is there,
00:58:17 but there's just no people.
00:58:19 - Yeah.
00:58:21 - No, sorry, I was just saying,
00:58:22 Brentford lost, Newport County, by the way,
00:58:23 in case you're wondering, is in the,
00:58:25 I don't even know what league they're in.
00:58:27 League two, league one, they're bad.
00:58:29 Football league two.
00:58:31 And Brentford had to go to penalties
00:58:33 because they let in a 96 minute goal.
00:58:35 - Well, they probably rolled out the fellas.
00:58:37 - Still, I don't care.
00:58:38 You can't lose to a league two team.
00:58:40 Harsher penalties for flopping.
00:58:43 I'm in. - They're doing that.
00:58:44 - I'm down.
00:58:45 Or is that definitely a thing?
00:58:46 - I think they're doing that.
00:58:47 - Well, I would enjoy it, if that's a thing.
00:58:51 Basically, they're saying,
00:58:52 penalize players for flopping.
00:58:53 Offsite replay review.
00:58:55 This has to be Andy's best one.
00:58:56 He cooked here.
00:58:58 We gotta cut the shit.
00:59:00 We gotta stop acting like the refs
00:59:01 are the only people who are looking at this play
00:59:05 that they're reviewing on the box on the side of the screen.
00:59:07 Let New York figure out the correct call,
00:59:09 send it in, call it a day.
00:59:11 Replay reviews take too long.
00:59:13 You could have all of these replay reviews.
00:59:15 You know how they cut off the, like,
00:59:17 oh, you can't review the out of bounds call
00:59:19 at the end of the games now.
00:59:20 Like, that's not a thing anymore,
00:59:21 like it was two years ago.
00:59:23 You could just have that
00:59:24 if you just let New York figure it out
00:59:26 and let them know.
00:59:27 Have them in an earpiece.
00:59:28 Like, just figure it out a way.
00:59:30 - Yeah, you can literally just do this.
00:59:32 - That's what I'm saying.
00:59:33 So this is definitely a thing.
00:59:34 I don't get why it has to be this way.
00:59:36 - I would love a Scott Foster meme of him doing the review.
00:59:39 - It would be great.
00:59:40 I would agree.
00:59:41 Two more.
00:59:42 Ban the block charge.
00:59:43 I don't understand what this is.
00:59:45 Banning the block,
00:59:47 banning charges, basically, taking a charge.
00:59:49 - Oh, is this,
00:59:55 this is the people that were all mad about the charges.
00:59:59 - Yeah.
01:00:00 - Yeah, no, bad.
01:00:01 - The charges are part of the game.
01:00:03 Go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go.
01:00:03 - Is there any more?
01:00:04 - Yeah, there's one more.
01:00:05 Bring back-
01:00:07 - Is it the four point shot?
01:00:08 - No, bring back prep to pros.
01:00:10 Basically let people come in until the end of high school.
01:00:12 - Oh, I've read this article.
01:00:13 I'm an idiot.
01:00:14 - Yeah, you put it on the-
01:00:15 - I can't believe they didn't put the four point shot
01:00:15 in there.
01:00:16 - Yeah, and no, out on the four point shot.
01:00:18 - No, I'm out on it too,
01:00:19 but everybody loves to be like,
01:00:21 they should make the four point shot.
01:00:22 - The only acceptable thing is like,
01:00:26 or the only way I would entertain it is of like,
01:00:29 oh, if you're past half court,
01:00:31 but then you'll just have people pulling up from,
01:00:34 well, I more meant like on like half court heaves,
01:00:36 like at the end of the game,
01:00:37 if you want to make that four points,
01:00:38 if you're going to make anything four points,
01:00:39 that's the only variation I will accept.
01:00:42 - The real change they should make in regards to this is
01:00:45 the any shot over half court is not
01:00:48 towards your field goal percentage.
01:00:49 So they actually take that.
01:00:50 - Yes, I agree.
01:00:52 I think that that should be a thing as well.
01:00:54 - Chat, what changes would you want to see
01:00:56 before we quickly go through the Reddit post?
01:00:59 - Yes, Sam's Reddit post of the day.
01:01:01 Hit me with it.
01:01:02 What you got today?
01:01:02 - Hey, the Reddit post of the day from @heemzagan,
01:01:07 or you slash heemzagan.
01:01:10 What is the quote unquote worst career LeBron could have had
01:01:14 and not been labeled as a bust?
01:01:16 LeBron had so much hype coming in that draft,
01:01:19 even just an all-star level player
01:01:22 would have been a disappointment.
01:01:23 Despite that, he is always regarded
01:01:25 as having exceeded the hype.
01:01:27 What is the worst career he could have had
01:01:29 and still quote unquote lived up
01:01:31 or at least not been a disappointment?
01:01:34 Hypothetically, what if LeBron has the career
01:01:36 of Paul Pierce or Carmelo?
01:01:38 What about Paul George or Butler?
01:01:40 Would that still be enough to live up to the hype?
01:01:42 Slight disappointment?
01:01:44 What do you think?
01:01:45 I'm gonna pull up the post
01:01:46 so I can see what the replies have to say.
01:01:48 But I'll let you pontificate.
01:01:50 - That's an interesting question.
01:01:51 I think there's a lot of stuff that goes into it.
01:01:53 'Cause obviously, I think the best way to think about it
01:01:56 is what if he just stayed with the Cavs
01:01:58 for his entire career, never left,
01:01:59 and never had them be bad and then get Kyrie and stuff?
01:02:01 'Cause as I say this all the time and you get mad,
01:02:05 or maybe you don't get mad, but we quibble about it.
01:02:08 Those Cavs teams were so unbelievably, unbearably terrible.
01:02:12 They were just objectively awful.
01:02:14 And if he stayed with them- - I'll say this
01:02:15 when you're done.
01:02:17 - Yeah, say it now, go ahead.
01:02:19 I'm laughing. - I couldn't tell.
01:02:21 If he had stayed in Cleveland,
01:02:24 I partly think some of that pressure comes off
01:02:27 'cause everyone's like, "Respect."
01:02:29 - Maybe, possibly. - You know, like Kobe,
01:02:32 I mean, Kobe won five, but like Dirk won one.
01:02:34 He stayed with Dallas his whole career.
01:02:36 Everyone's like, "Respect, Dirk, greatest power."
01:02:38 - I think a Dirk career, he would have been fine.
01:02:41 - I agree.
01:02:42 I think if he wins a title, they respect it, yeah.
01:02:45 Go ahead, back to what you were saying.
01:02:49 - I was just saying, anything,
01:02:51 I think the context is important
01:02:53 because if the Cavs never put a good team around him
01:02:56 and he never won a title, it'd be hard to judge him
01:02:59 because he stayed for the same place
01:03:00 and they just couldn't do it.
01:03:02 If he leaves and stuff, you expect a couple rings.
01:03:06 With the amount of hype though,
01:03:09 it's just hard to imagine 'cause probably this
01:03:13 is the least he could have done.
01:03:14 (laughs)
01:03:15 - No, I don't know about that.
01:03:16 Maybe.
01:03:17 - I think if his career ended
01:03:20 after those two Miami titles, he would have been fine.
01:03:23 I think people would be like, "Okay, he is LeBron."
01:03:25 And then I think it was the going back to Cleveland,
01:03:28 getting them a ring, and then winning another one
01:03:30 that made him an ego combo. - Yeah, 'cause everyone's
01:03:31 like, "Respect."
01:03:32 - Yeah, exactly.
01:03:33 - Just like if he never won.
01:03:35 - I think if you stop his career after Miami though,
01:03:37 that's probably where I'd say,
01:03:38 "Yeah, okay, he's good now."
01:03:40 - LeBron having the career arc of Carmelo
01:03:42 would have been a major disappointment.
01:03:44 Two thousand up votes. - Yes.
01:03:45 - I think it's true. - It would have.
01:03:46 - He didn't win.
01:03:47 - Correct.
01:03:48 - Carmelo, I think, is so overrated.
01:03:50 I don't think he's had, he's not as heralded as,
01:03:54 or he's too, he's held in too high of a regard, I think.
01:03:57 I think he's all-favorite. - I know what you mean.
01:03:58 - But I don't think he's this otherworldly player.
01:04:03 The Knicks teams he was on sucked for the most part.
01:04:05 Partly his fault, partly not.
01:04:07 He really bottomed out towards the back half.
01:04:10 He didn't have the longevity of LeBron.
01:04:13 Somebody else said, "One title," in parentheses,
01:04:15 "as the main guy, eight all-star appearances
01:04:18 that gives him the championship breakthrough,
01:04:20 plus longevity."
01:04:21 That's probably fair.
01:04:22 That does not say anything.
01:04:26 - For your Carmelo-- - People are just complaining
01:04:27 that people use the word bust.
01:04:30 - For your Carmelo point, he's ranked 63rd
01:04:32 on the athletics all-time players list.
01:04:34 - Is he better than Pierce?
01:04:36 - No, no, no, no.
01:04:37 Pierce is-- - No, no, on the list.
01:04:39 - No, no, no, Pierce is 50.
01:04:40 No, that's what I'm saying.
01:04:41 He's not close.
01:04:42 - That's something to add. - My question is,
01:04:44 the biggest things that I have,
01:04:46 and I know you don't like this player either,
01:04:49 Carmelo versus Kyrie, who's had the better career?
01:04:52 Right? - That's a good question.
01:04:57 Well, I think Carmelo didn't have situations
01:05:00 where he was burning bridges too, too much.
01:05:05 Houston, maybe. - Sure.
01:05:06 - Right?
01:05:07 Or OKC wasn't the best
01:05:09 'cause he didn't wanna come up the bench.
01:05:10 But Kyrie, the knock on Kyrie now
01:05:13 is not even so much a basketball thing.
01:05:15 It's just, I mean, I guess you can be like,
01:05:17 he couldn't be the number one in Boston
01:05:19 'cause they didn't get past second round when he played.
01:05:21 But it was that he's a team killer now.
01:05:24 Went to the, left the Cavs,
01:05:26 said he didn't wanna play with LeBron,
01:05:27 joins the Celtics, leaves the Celtics,
01:05:29 where everybody was mad at him.
01:05:31 Goes and plays with the Nets, quits on them.
01:05:35 He requested trade, by the way, when they were doing well.
01:05:38 - Yeah. - All of these,
01:05:39 and he had the whole, the COVID thing
01:05:40 where he wasn't playing. - Oh yeah.
01:05:42 - Yeah, that was all a mess too.
01:05:43 So he's got the reputation of a team killer,
01:05:46 but if you just look at the career,
01:05:48 I would probably say Kyrie
01:05:49 because Melo didn't win a ring
01:05:51 as a number one option either.
01:05:53 But Kyrie got one as a second option.
01:05:55 Like, I don't know.
01:05:56 I don't know.
01:05:57 It's really tough to say.
01:06:01 - Now, I think these guys are also in the same conversations
01:06:03 and I just saw them on the list.
01:06:05 Carmelo, Dame, or Anthony Davis.
01:06:07 And Dwight Howard, throw him in there too.
01:06:09 - Career? - You know what I'm saying?
01:06:10 Like, these are the players I feel like a lot of people,
01:06:12 like, if you spit out that list right away,
01:06:16 almost everyone would say Carmelo
01:06:17 without a second thought, right?
01:06:18 Like, everyone would be like, "Oh, Carmelo,
01:06:19 what are we doing?"
01:06:20 But like, realistically, those four players-
01:06:22 - I think Dwight and Carmelo had very similar careers.
01:06:25 - I think Dwight had a better career.
01:06:27 - He might've, but they were similar.
01:06:28 Like, Dwight powerhouse with his first spot,
01:06:31 was okay with the second and third spots.
01:06:33 Like, he was okay in LA, didn't play great with Kobe,
01:06:35 was okay in Houston next to Harden,
01:06:37 then he left and then it went downhill.
01:06:39 Melo leaves, goes to the Knicks.
01:06:41 First half of his tenure with the Knicks, okay.
01:06:43 Second half, not great.
01:06:44 Then he's bounced around, eventually out of the league.
01:06:47 Dame stays with Portland the whole time.
01:06:49 He's had an interesting career.
01:06:51 The market in Portland is not great enough to get talent.
01:06:53 So that's like a little like-
01:06:55 - Made the conference finals though.
01:06:56 - Made the conference finals.
01:06:58 I don't know.
01:06:59 I think Dwight, Dwight's an interesting player.
01:07:01 I saw Dwight highlights a couple of weeks ago.
01:07:03 I thought it was- - AD too.
01:07:04 I mean, as much as AD-
01:07:05 - I completely ignored him, my bad.
01:07:07 - No, you're good.
01:07:08 I'm just saying like- - Injuries held him back.
01:07:09 He was like, supposed to be one of the best players ever
01:07:12 at one point, 'cause he was healthy.
01:07:14 He was gonna win MVP.
01:07:15 I mean, the substitutes paid him for him.
01:07:18 - I just thought I was gonna ditch your conversation.
01:07:20 Anyways, shall we head into the rat list here?
01:07:23 - I have stretching to do.
01:07:24 I gotta get ready to try to win a championship.
01:07:27 - You got something for the rat list here?
01:07:29 - I do, I have three things.
01:07:30 - Hit me, you go first.
01:07:31 I don't have anything-
01:07:32 - I'll do a quick one.
01:07:33 So yesterday I was out running and I,
01:07:36 do you have people, you don't, 'cause you don't go outside,
01:07:40 but if you're listening, do you have people in your life
01:07:43 that like you see them all the time
01:07:45 and you kind of have like a understanding
01:07:47 that you have like a small, small relationship,
01:07:49 like you're acquainted and you're friendly?
01:07:51 - Yeah, no, I know what you mean.
01:07:53 - So I run by this guy's house all the time,
01:07:56 but he's out walking his dog, 'cause I like this guy.
01:07:59 But anyways, I run by him yesterday, he says.
01:08:02 You better start eating, you're getting skinny like me.
01:08:05 I said, what the hell?
01:08:06 (laughing)
01:08:07 He's just catching straight,
01:08:08 he took my AirPod out, do you hear that?
01:08:10 - Up the calories, buddy, come on.
01:08:12 - If I win tonight, I'll be eating,
01:08:15 who knows what I'll eat.
01:08:16 So my champagne, if I win a championship tonight,
01:08:20 might get a pizookie to myself, we'll see.
01:08:22 - I'll rat list myself, not because I think I deserve to,
01:08:27 oh, we didn't even put the rat list banner on,
01:08:29 let me put that on quick.
01:08:30 - Fuck that.
01:08:32 - Oops, my bad.
01:08:33 - You talk, I'll do it.
01:08:34 - I got it, I got it.
01:08:35 I'll rat list myself, not 'cause I think I deserve
01:08:38 to be on the rat list, because I think you would put me
01:08:40 on the rat list for something I'm feeling.
01:08:42 I'm excited for football this year.
01:08:44 (laughing)
01:08:45 Which is, I've never been excited for football.
01:08:48 Like I've never sat--
01:08:49 - Why are you excited for football?
01:08:51 - I think it's 'cause I've been playing Madden,
01:08:52 and so I've been like paying attention,
01:08:55 I'm like, oh, this is fun, blah, blah, blah.
01:08:56 And I also love fantasy football,
01:08:58 so I'm excited to play fantasy again.
01:09:01 But I just like, every once in a while I'm thinking like,
01:09:03 I might watch some Patriots games this year.
01:09:05 Which I know like three games in,
01:09:07 I'm just gonna stop doing, but like I'm,
01:09:09 and I also think it's just 'cause there's nothing.
01:09:12 (laughing)
01:09:13 - Well, that's what I was gonna say.
01:09:14 I like subliminally get excited for football season to start.
01:09:17 One, I actually enjoy college football.
01:09:19 Week one's gonna be this week, it's gonna rule.
01:09:21 - Do you have a favorite college team?
01:09:23 - I don't know, man.
01:09:23 I like--
01:09:25 - That should be our options in question.
01:09:26 - I really started getting into college football
01:09:28 like two years ago, my friend Devin was like,
01:09:29 come over, we'll watch the games.
01:09:31 And Georgia was a powerhouse, like they had Jordan Davis.
01:09:34 And he was like, you gotta see these guys,
01:09:35 these guys are athletes.
01:09:36 And like they like got a big stop
01:09:38 and he was screaming athletes,
01:09:40 so I like supported them that whole season,
01:09:41 but they were also like the best team.
01:09:43 So I can't be like, I wanna be a Georgia fan.
01:09:45 I kind of like LSU and here's why.
01:09:48 The head coach of LSU, Brian Kelly,
01:09:52 he's from Massachusetts.
01:09:53 He was the head coach at Notre Dame.
01:09:56 He like took the LSU job like 24 hours
01:09:59 after like the season at Notre Dame left.
01:10:01 He goes down to LSU, has an introductory press conference.
01:10:06 I think he's at like some like event,
01:10:08 basketball game, something.
01:10:10 A lot of people there.
01:10:11 And he's giving a speech
01:10:12 and all of a sudden he has a Southern drawl.
01:10:14 He's like, me and my family, you guys welcomed us.
01:10:19 And it's like, dude, you're from Massachusetts.
01:10:22 So I always thought that was kind of hilarious.
01:10:24 So I kind of root for them.
01:10:25 I like Big 10 football a lot.
01:10:28 I'm somewhat partial to Penn State
01:10:30 'cause my boy, Greg, who I've been friends with forever,
01:10:32 he's a big Penn State guy.
01:10:34 So I always kind of supported them too.
01:10:36 But I don't have like,
01:10:37 I don't like get super duper like up for any team.
01:10:40 - I don't really have a favorite team either.
01:10:43 I like Michigan,
01:10:45 but only because I had a Michigan sweatshirt I wore as a kid.
01:10:47 And so then just internally, I just,
01:10:49 I think I just like- - That Ohio State guy,
01:10:50 he would spit in your direction.
01:10:52 - Yeah, right.
01:10:52 I think I just like the colors.
01:10:53 And so I was like, oh, I'll support Michigan.
01:10:55 I really liked Troy Burke too, when he was at Michigan.
01:10:57 It's not football, but like, Troy Burke was sick, right?
01:11:00 And so I just, I think they're fine.
01:11:01 I also had a Texas sweatshirt.
01:11:03 I just based, I had a lot of college sweatshirts.
01:11:04 So I just based it on which sweatshirts I wore the most.
01:11:07 And those two are the ones I wore the most.
01:11:09 My friend, Danny, went to Pitt.
01:11:12 So like, that's also, but they're kind of ass.
01:11:15 So I root for Pitt.
01:11:17 I don't know, tell us in the comments,
01:11:18 who should we root for for college football?
01:11:19 Maybe we'll do something.
01:11:21 Maybe we'll watch a playback, college football.
01:11:22 - Colorado State with Deion Sanders.
01:11:25 - Should we play back at college football?
01:11:26 - No.
01:11:27 (laughing)
01:11:28 College football is like,
01:11:29 go to Devon's house and watch college football.
01:11:30 Leave me alone.
01:11:31 - Yeah, that looks like-
01:11:33 - But back to you being excited about football.
01:11:35 I get like subliminally excited for football every year
01:11:38 because I know basketball's next.
01:11:39 And I also like fantasy football,
01:11:42 but I don't like,
01:11:43 I can't sit and watch a whole football game.
01:11:46 I just can't.
01:11:47 There's too much sand around.
01:11:48 - I got bored in the Super Bowl last year.
01:11:50 I was watching it and I started playing video games.
01:11:51 I'm like, yeah, I'm out.
01:11:52 I don't care.
01:11:53 Rat List,
01:11:54 the girl working the register at a restaurant last night.
01:11:59 So I've got my order to go.
01:12:02 And as I'm leaving, I say, hey, have a great night.
01:12:07 And she said, have a better one.
01:12:09 Why do you have to one-up me?
01:12:12 I'm just doing my pleasantries.
01:12:14 Why do you have to be better at it than me?
01:12:17 - Yeah, that's-
01:12:18 - I was like, I don't even know what to say to that.
01:12:20 I was like, thank you, I guess.
01:12:22 - That's a new one.
01:12:23 I've never heard that.
01:12:24 - Yeah.
01:12:25 - That is a rat list.
01:12:26 That's a great rat list.
01:12:27 Yeah, that's unacceptable behavior.
01:12:29 - It's a rat move.
01:12:29 Like I was like, I got nothing.
01:12:31 You beat me.
01:12:32 - Period.
01:12:34 Rat List, the giant bug in my kitchen last night.
01:12:39 So I'm getting my food or whatever.
01:12:44 I'm getting my drink.
01:12:45 I run to the bathroom.
01:12:46 I come back, just getting my stuff ready to go eat.
01:12:50 I'm excited 'cause I'm hungry, right?
01:12:51 As you do.
01:12:53 Come back in the kitchen.
01:12:54 I just see right across my face.
01:12:56 In my head, it was smaller than I think
01:13:01 what I perceived it in the moment,
01:13:02 but it looked like the size of my hand
01:13:04 just flying across my kitchen.
01:13:05 I thought it was a bat for like a split second.
01:13:07 I was like, what are we doing?
01:13:08 What is happening?
01:13:09 It ended up being like,
01:13:10 I'm trying to think of like something.
01:13:11 It's probably the size of my finger,
01:13:13 like tall and like half of that wide.
01:13:17 So it was significantly bigger
01:13:19 than just like a fly or something in your kitchen.
01:13:20 So it was enough to have me shook.
01:13:22 - Don't kill bugs guy.
01:13:24 - Hell no, that shit had to die.
01:13:25 No, no, no, no, no, no, no.
01:13:27 Miss me with that.
01:13:29 Out on bugs, hate bugs.
01:13:31 This thing was huge.
01:13:32 I got a croc and I killed it.
01:13:36 But when it was on the counter,
01:13:38 you could just see it like a little bit alive left
01:13:40 and I hate bugs.
01:13:41 And so I just, I had to fully put it out of its misery,
01:13:45 but just Rat List for just,
01:13:47 I mean, I had never felt more or less of an adult
01:13:52 and then in that moment,
01:13:53 I reverted back to my five-year-old self.
01:13:55 I was like, oh, I ran away to get stuff to kill it with.
01:13:59 Disaster, disaster.
01:14:02 - I'm not gonna do the Rat List I put on the sheet
01:14:05 'cause I don't really feel like getting into it,
01:14:07 but I'll do a fun one.
01:14:09 Rat List, kind of Rat List.
01:14:11 The text has changed on mask or,
01:14:13 if I can speak English, video game.
01:14:15 I've been playing with my friends, love it.
01:14:18 A lot of fun.
01:14:18 The problem is, is it has made its way into my dreams.
01:14:23 So if you don't know, the game consists of seven players.
01:14:28 There are four victims, three killers,
01:14:31 and you try and escape.
01:14:32 And if you kill, you try and kill people.
01:14:33 - Who do you play with?
01:14:34 I might have to jump in.
01:14:35 - Ray, Frank, Joe.
01:14:37 - Oh, that's not fun.
01:14:38 - It's fun.
01:14:40 But anyways, I've been having dreams
01:14:42 from the perspective of being in the game.
01:14:45 These dreams are not nightmarish,
01:14:48 as in like, I feel like I'm going to die.
01:14:52 I have the same amount of emotion I have
01:14:54 when I'm playing the game,
01:14:56 but I still find myself getting annoyed
01:14:57 when the killers won't piss off.
01:14:59 Like I'm just trying to like move around
01:15:02 and then I'm like, "Oh, gotta hide."
01:15:05 So yeah, that's been a weird dream thing
01:15:08 that's been happening to me.
01:15:09 - That might be the most Sam thing you've ever said.
01:15:11 - No, I don't get scared when the killer's
01:15:12 trying to murder me, it just pisses me off.
01:15:15 - Well, like in the context of the game, it does.
01:15:17 Like if I spawn in and it's right near me right away,
01:15:20 I'm like, "What the hell?"
01:15:21 Happens three or four times in a row,
01:15:23 you start getting real pissed.
01:15:24 - Is it just like dead by daylight, effectively?
01:15:27 - It's the same thing, yes.
01:15:28 - Okay, cool, cool, cool.
01:15:29 I just had a rat list.
01:15:33 Oh, excuse me, rat list from our comments.
01:15:36 Shout out, Philip Hart, who commented.
01:15:39 This is something we talked about before.
01:15:40 - Oh, oh, oh, I thought you were rat listing a commenter.
01:15:43 - No, no, no, no, this is somebody's rat list
01:15:45 they put in the comments, shout out, Philip.
01:15:47 Commented, "Rat list people who leave shopping carts
01:15:49 "in the parking lot and can't be bothered
01:15:50 "to walk a few feet.
01:15:51 "When it smacks someone's car and costs $1,000,
01:15:53 "raises their insurance.
01:15:54 "I hope it's a car of someone
01:15:55 "who leaves out carts themselves.
01:15:57 "It's the same people who chuck trash on the ground
01:15:59 "because they're too precious to carry it to a trash can."
01:16:01 And I agree, we've talked about this before.
01:16:03 Put the cart back, just walk three steps.
01:16:05 Come on, what are we doing?
01:16:06 - Rat list, my girlfriend, we went to Whole Foods yesterday.
01:16:10 And she wants to get groceries for apartments.
01:16:14 I'm like, okay, whatever.
01:16:15 - Yeah.
01:16:16 - And I'm like, "Hey, do you want a basket?"
01:16:18 She's like, "No, no, we'll be all right."
01:16:19 And then we're at the back where the oat milk is.
01:16:23 And she's like, "I wanna get three of these."
01:16:25 I'm like, "Would you like me to go get a basket?"
01:16:28 And she said, "Yes."
01:16:29 But she got it. - Disaster.
01:16:32 - I had mentioned that we should get a basket.
01:16:34 - Does she listen to the rat list?
01:16:35 Will she know you put her on the rat list?
01:16:36 - Not unless I tell her.
01:16:38 - Okay.
01:16:39 - Did she listen to one of them?
01:16:41 That when we were like, "This is the greatest rat list ever,"
01:16:43 and then nobody even commented about it?
01:16:45 - Yeah, no one gave a shit.
01:16:46 - The one last time was good too,
01:16:47 nobody commented about it.
01:16:49 - No.
01:16:50 Let us know if you liked the rat list.
01:16:51 Somebody actually did, people commented about last rat list.
01:16:52 - People liked the rat list, people will comment about it,
01:16:55 but they won't be like,
01:16:56 oh, someone was talking about the basketball thing.
01:16:58 Nobody gave a little nitro.
01:17:00 - I loved a little nitro.
01:17:01 That was maybe the best rat list we ever had.
01:17:03 I don't think I have any more rat lists though.
01:17:06 I think I'm done for the night.
01:17:07 I think I've got it. - All right.
01:17:09 - I think I'm good with rat lists.
01:17:10 - Rat list me if I'm not a men's league champion
01:17:12 next time we talk.
01:17:13 - Yes, we'll see.
01:17:14 Sam's got his men league game tonight.
01:17:15 Wish him luck.
01:17:16 Thank you all for tuning in to How 'Bout Them Celtics.
01:17:19 Obviously, like I say every time,
01:17:21 subscribe to the channel.
01:17:22 What, what are you laughing at?
01:17:23 - Nothing you would understand.
01:17:25 It's like an inside joke.
01:17:26 - All right, I'll go fuck myself.
01:17:29 Thank you all for tuning in to How 'Bout Them Celtics.
01:17:32 Subscribe to the channel, we appreciate it.
01:17:33 Check us out on Apple and Spotify.
01:17:35 Leave us five stars there.
01:17:36 Check us out on Playback.
01:17:37 Go follow us on playback.tv/howboutthemceltics.
01:17:41 Leave us a follow there.
01:17:42 Obviously we have none right now
01:17:44 because I just created it literally an hour ago.
01:17:47 - What are you gonna say to that?
01:17:49 - But we are, we do have the little verified check there.
01:17:51 So we are kind of cool.
01:17:52 - Oh, we have a check?
01:17:53 - We have a little check next to How 'Bout Them Celtics.
01:17:55 - Did you pay for it?
01:17:56 - Don't worry about it.
01:17:57 No, it's just there.
01:17:58 Don't worry about it.
01:17:59 It's in the account.
01:17:59 Look at us.
01:18:00 Who would have thought?
01:18:01 We have one member and it is me.
01:18:03 So go make that more than one member.
01:18:05 Check us out.
01:18:06 We'll be watching some Celtics games
01:18:08 with you guys next year.
01:18:09 Leave us a comment on the YouTube.
01:18:11 Thank you all for watching.
01:18:12 I'll let Sam take us out.
01:18:13 - Yes, Playback.
01:18:14 Do what he said.
01:18:15 On top of that, thank you very much for watching
01:18:18 and listening.
01:18:18 If you're watching, you're on YouTube somewhere.
01:18:21 If you're on our channel, make sure you subscribe.
01:18:24 Leave a like.
01:18:25 Tell us what you think about the many things
01:18:27 we've prompted you on today.
01:18:28 And hit the notification bell.
01:18:30 We're putting up daily videos.
01:18:32 One more month,
01:18:34 and then we're gonna have games to talk about.
01:18:37 But yes, follow us.
01:18:38 We're here every day.
01:18:39 Audio platform, Spotify, Apple, we're there.
01:18:44 Follow us.
01:18:45 Leave a nice five-star review.
01:18:46 Say something nice about the show
01:18:47 so people have good reference for when they wanna listen.
01:18:51 You can find us on socials at HowAboutTheMCs,
01:18:53 Twitter, Instagram, and TikTok.
01:18:54 Facebook is just the name of the podcast.
01:18:56 You can find any live stream we do there.
01:18:59 You can follow Jack on Twitter @JacksMoneyBA.
01:19:01 Go read his Isaiah article if you have not.
01:19:03 And you can follow me @SamLaFranceNBA.
01:19:05 You can read my "Why the Celtics
01:19:07 should not be worried about having to be a draft pick."
01:19:10 That's it for us, bye.
01:19:11 (crowd cheering)
01:19:12 (upbeat music)
01:19:14 - Chick-Taco, come on.
01:19:15 - Tacos?
01:19:16 - Tac-Taco.
01:19:17 - Tacos having some fun here.
01:19:19 - Man, he was bogus!
01:19:21 These guys are ridiculous!
01:19:26 These guys are ridiculous!
01:19:29 - Give us!
01:19:29 (upbeat music)
01:19:32 [BLANK_AUDIO]