Did SGA End MVP Debate? + Best Year Of Kawhi Ever & A Big Question In The East

- Hello, welcome to Who Click To Fivecast. We talk about the NBA,

“which we're doing on Tuesday afternoon, East Coast time.”

Joining us from Down the Hall here in Los Angeles for Second Straight Week, Jackson, how did my room in our LA offices get stolen by McMahon last week and get stolen by Bond Temps this week? This, I'm the home team.

Why am I being relocated? This will be discussed off air. Tim Bond Temps, joining us from Los Angeles. So rare visit to the West Coast.

- I was gonna say, I never get to come to the West Coast.

The love of everybody in the reason I'm in this room. - And not in the other room is because I woke up late to go to the airport with K-Bond in the center block on Thursday and in the scramble to get out of the house, one thing that was not brought with us was the excellent

kit we have to do these pods. So here I am in the nice room. My problem, Jackson, that is now my problem. Joining us from Oklahoma City, where he was at the fabulous nuggets thunder game

on Tuesday night is band McMahon. - Howdy partners, listen, if I ever visit Omaha, you're gonna be in comedians 'cause I'll be sitting right in that fancy chair in the big screen behind me. (laughing)

A podden from right there, you can find somewhere else, but I am in Oklahoma City as you can see by my, my hook 'em hoodie here.

- Always be trolling, that's the man motto.

Always be trolling. - I guess it was Monday night, I still Tuesday night, today is Tuesday. - It's Tuesday, it's Tuesday, maybe the best game I've covered this regular season, definitely on the very short list,

maybe the best regular season performance of Shakespeare, according to him and several teammates, definitely on the short list. - Well, now hold on, seriously. The game is a final MVP.

- Regular season performance, A. - I did hear regular season, that's the first time I heard regular season.

“- And B, you're gonna lay out those stats, McMahon?”

- The man had 35 points, 15 assists, zero turnovers. One person's done that, since turnovers have been an official stat. That's LeBron James and a Cavaliers win over the Raptors and I believe Mark 2018, 14 of 21 from the floor. - Arguably, LeBron's peak of LeBron's career,

2017-18C. - 14 of 21 from the floor, including two step back three spectacular step back, three is in the final 14 seconds.

The first of which felt like a dagger

until there was a four-point play with the next possession and suddenly it's tied up again. And then the game winner, tightly contested. As emotional as I've seen, Shay and a regular season game, by the way, my God, doing this without,

Isaiah Hartnstein, who's nursing the cast, and who's out and holding it, who's out sick, without even Williams, who's still Jay, Jay, until he will, and it dubs out with the handstrings still without Alex Kruzo.

- Yeah. - I mean, dude, Shay, it was just an absolute metric ton

“of white guys and street clothes on the Thunderbass.”

- I didn't really consider it that way, but that's facts will plus dub. - He did. - Well, especially the two-way guys who were not active as well. He also, as long as we're gonna have a stat line,

how about a border line iconic quote, post game? - Well, not border line, not border line iconic. - Iconic. - You're talking about, I have the answers to the test, but I need to see the questions first.

- Bro. - I want to ask this thing to know you're getting to the step-by-step. - Who's Bumps? - Just, just a credible. - Just you.

- Bumps, listen, and the other thing, I mean, I didn't mention the nine rebounds, but like their sin and doubles at him, every day in your every possession, and he just dissected in the defense,

and like the two step-by-step says, "Hey, I knew I had to do that." - Not every possession, it wasn't every possession, 'cause they didn't do it late in the end of the game. - But, but that, you know, on those plays,

he said, "I had to go quick because, like if he penetrates, the defense is collapsing, and he sees the health defenders there, he knows he's gonna run into a crowd." So if he got to a step back, then he could get a shot up,

if we're just one defender, and again, just an MVP statement, sort of performance against a guy who's one of his primary competitors for the award. And, you know, Joe got a 30-plus-point triple double, so I joker was bad, but Shay was just spectacular.

- Well, Dr. MVP, we have Dr. MVP here in the building in Los Angeles. - I saw, well, first off, I do kind of wanna know about if you could describe what it was like in the building there for the last couple of minutes,

because we had another door, yoke incident, which the Thunder fans were in their feelings when it was clearly a flavor and fun. - There's an obvious flag at one. - Well, and listen, they showed the play

on the, on the jumbo trons at the arena. They showed it from one angle

over and over and over again.

- I know they have multiple angles, because you're doing this a conference. - Well, I saw the angle that I saw in television. It was quite clear.

- I mean, it was, yeah, I don't believe it was intentional. He certainly said it was accidental. He apologized to Joker, after where Joker was not nearly, like Joker didn't, wasn't offended by this. It was not like last time, but the fact

it was those two guys, but it was also a key play. It was a sub-point lead.

“I think there was 72 seconds left at the time.”

And then Joker splits the free throws, the nuggets hit a three, and it's right back to a game. I mean, it was a wild finish again. Shay hit what felt like an MVP moment dagger with like 13.9 seconds, I believe it was.

Put it in the thunder out four. And then Joker hits a three, and Jay Will, Jay and the Williams, the big man, gets called for foul running over Jamal Murray's screen. So it ends up being a four-point play.

At a tough moment for Jay Will, he was awesome. He had 29 and 12 last night. When seven or 11 from three and played minute for minute with Joker, like Joker put his numbers up,

but he made him work for it. And so he's just sitting there thinking, man, I hope that's not the moment that's remembered. Well, here's Shay comes to say the day, the next possession, hitting that, it was really kind of a side step step back,

three from the right wing, almost identical to the dagger he hit, sat at night against the warriors, splash, and to punctuate a 35-point 15 assist, nine rebound,

“no turnover performance on a night that he tied,”

a will-chamble and record, whoa. - May I just say as a little bit of a side comment about Jay Will, Jay and Williams, he had that game into trait, was about two weeks ago, where he's facing off against Dern in that game.

I'm pretty sure Dern played in that game. Maybe he was suspended anyway, if he had a game-- - Yeah, he had 30 and 11 in that game. - Yeah, we're high 30. - Which the pistons won that game, but still,

I don't think Shay played in that game. - It was just a very impressive, this is our third string center. - No, Shay didn't play that game. - And then he has this game against Yokech, ostensibly, he's guarding other guys.

- He's their third big to be clear, he's not their third string center, he's their third big. - Well, if their first two centers are out, he's their third string center, but they start. - His voice, jet and hard and stunned, played together.

- Yeah, they start doing so. - I mean, he's a rotation, he's one of the best, if not the best backup center in the league. - He's a terrific player. - 29 and 12, you know?

“- How about those two games against Detroit and Denver?”

- Which I think is, you know, other than the Shay play,

which was amazing in this game,

and I'll get to Dr. MVP here in a second. - Yeah. - The takeaway from this performance is just how freaking deep the thunder are. I know that we already knew that, but you see it in action,

and this is the example of why I can't get to anybody else winning 4 out of 7, because the margin for air that the thunder possess are huge. Now, it was made huge in this game by Shay, and if Shay's not there, we have a different conversation,

but they're margin for air's huge. - Yeah, and speaking of the depth, obviously, all those guys out, they did get a key guy back last night. AJ Mitchell, who's out since January 21st, comes back. All he does is course 24 and 29 minutes,

a nine to 16 shooting off the bench. - You guys know how I feel about AJ Mitchell. - Okay, he's awesome. - All right, we're on a agreement on M2. Bon Thumps, I saw a lot of reaction to this game,

saying up, the MVP race is over. Now, look, Shay was already first in your most recent poll. I vote him first. - Last four in a row. - Right, including the big one.

- That's right. - And I'm not arguing against that, because I already had him there. I will just say, as another one of my sidelights, as I take my pulpit, I often see people

in early to mid-march declaring things over in the NBA, whether it's playoff races, whether it's seeds, whether it's awards in eight. - What do you like to say, bro? - There's always time.

- There's always time. - There's always time.

- There's always time, and you know, in all honesty,

when I developed my credo about there's always time, it was after watching, making that same mistake, when I was in my 20s. - And I was a young lad, not an old lad, like now. - Yes, when I was young and dumb,

and now I'm middle aged and dumb, ordering an old and dumb, what I would make this mistake. So while I'm not saying that Shay isn't the MVP, I would just say, be careful about declaring things on March 9th.

Okay, and I watch, and so Bonds have your assessment of the MVP race now in the wake of everything over the last couple of weeks since the poll. - I have thought since the poll came out that there, while there were four people at the time

who I thought could win Shay, Yokech, Victor, and Cade. That list is now down to three.

against San Antonio and the way they've tailed off. Like there's really no chance of thinking of doing that barring. - That's violating the rule. - Well, I'm glad I'll just try and go.

- Violating. - I don't disagree with you. - I don't disagree with you. - I don't disagree with you. I don't disagree.

- I don't disagree with you. - I don't disagree with you. - I don't disagree with you. - I had this discussion with the great bike brain over the weekend.

Jayla Brown is not winning MVP. He's had a great year. He's not winning MVP either. While I will not rule out Yokech finding way to win MVP,

“I think the chances of that have taken a pretty massive hit”

between the way he has performed, as you've talked about a lot of Brian coming off with this injury. He has not played to quite the same level. He obviously was great yesterday.

- And they've been losing. - Well, yes, come back with the fact. - I've sunk to six in this standing. - It's a combination of his stats of taking a hit and the team has taken a hit.

And I do think Victor still has a chance, just like I think Yokech has a chance. However, the whole time, if Jay stayed healthy and the thunder were the one seed, Jay was going to win MVP.

And the way Jay is playing, especially with all these guys out, with the thunder continuing. By the way, the spurs of one like, I think 16 out of 18 or something like that,

going into this game 16 out of 16 out of 16. - Yeah, they're like 15 and won over the last 16 out. - So whatever the number is, they've won a staggering amount of games, and they're going, we're doing this obviously,

ahead of this first Celtic game Tuesday night. There's still a couple of games back of the thunder. Like the thunder have been able to stay at three games back as McMahon tells me.

“And they've been able to stay ahead of them”

while San Antonio's on fire, while they have all these injuries because they have this human metronome and Jay goes to the south's ender,

who is always there, is always awesome.

And it's just really become one of my favorite players to watch because of the control he has of the game at all times. Like those two shots at the end of the game, like obviously you were there, McMahon.

He knew exactly where he wanted to get to and got there and got, - That's the answers. - Well, he has the answer. That quote was incredible.

- And he gets the ball, he surveys the floor, he says, "There's where the help is coming from." - That's the question. - Yeah, I mean, he's just amazing, he's amazing to watch.

So yes, that's all, that's a long line up to say, "I think if Jay stays above 65 games, I do think the race is pretty close to over." With the one caveat that if the spurs can get ahead of the thunder,

then I think there's a real chance that Victor can make it a real-to-horse race because of he'll have the narrative behind him. And obviously he's got some unbelievable stats to go with it. - Well, I told you guys after the week

and I thought the Victor had closed the gap

and become the second horse in the race,

but I agree that his case is gonna have to be based on they catch spurs and the three games in the back and the standings, too in the law's column. Obviously they have the tiebreaker. So I don't think Shayne needed that,

like I don't think he was like, "Oh, Shayne's got to make a statement in this game." But as when he was building some momentum, that was one of the statements. - And he's the wins to stay ahead of the spurs.

I mean, that's the bigger thing. It's like the longer they stay ahead of the spurs, the more I think he walks his thing up. - All right, real quick, before we move on, the nuggets, I know that they're hurting right now,

they're taking losses, they're scheduled this week as brutal, they have the toughest schedule remaining in the league. They have Houston on Wednesday, well, they have, boy, I should have it ready.

They have Houston on Wednesday and then they have a tough back to back.

“I think San Antonio on, no, it's San Antonio on Thursday.”

- So riveting, riveting, radio, right now. (laughing) - Yeah, San Antonio on Thursday, buddy. - That's correct. - We're everywhere.

- Yes, we're alive. (laughing) It's a home road back to back. - Here's the games coming up, rockets, spurs, lakers.

So it could get worse before it gets better. I'm just gonna say that if I was a nuggets fan, even though that was a gut punch loss, I wouldn't feel terrible, even with my team sliding in the standings.

Aaron Gordon looked excellent. And I mean, I know they're gonna be walking on eggshells a little bit because, and the same thing will be the case for the funder when Hardenstein comes back and to a certain extent, Jay Will,

because these are guys who re aggravating injuries. - Yeah, more to the job of the hamstring, for sure. - Right, right. - Just like Gordon would. - Well, but you know, Hardenstein's this year.

- Keeps hurting his calves. - Yeah. - So you're gonna be, you're gonna be walking and X was a little bit with Gordon the rest of the season, but he looked really good.

We had 10 rebounds, he had 23 points.

- He dominated the first quarter.

He looked spectacular. And Peyton Watson is pretty close, possibly this week. Not certainly, but possibly this week. And that'll be a big boost for them as well. But, and they're continuing to manage the risk thing

with Joker, you know, they're taking measures to manage that. He shot it very well last night,

That's certainly an encouragement sign.

- Yeah, that three pointer, I was gonna let him have it, 'cause the way he's been shooting it, and then they ended up at the 4.5. I don't know who where Denver's gonna end up

like in the, what's seed or whatever, but as long as your team is healthy, and I know that the thunder were banged up, I'm not saying like it guarantees anything, but I'm feeling better about the nuggets.

- In listen, I think we all agree. There are three teams we think can come out of the west, and two of them are the top two seeds, and the other is Denver. And one of the huge subplots of the final five,

I guess month to the season, there's like 32, 33 days left in the season. Is where is Denver gonna land? 'Cause if they land in the 4.5, if they land in the 3.6,

you're the spurs of the thunder,

“and it's you have to go through both of the other teams,”

or one of the other two teams, that is gonna be a pretty massive advantage, potentially, in the Western Conference playoffs. And those three to six teams, the lakers of the thunder,

are the lakers, the wolves, the rockets,

and the nuggets, they're all basically tied.

I mean, they're like a game apart, and they're probably gonna be jogging back and forth for the next several weeks, and it's gonna make for a really compelling finish of the season. - I don't want to be scared. - Do you want to be scared?

- Save. - With what do you want to be scared? - Bontems, you went to see the nicks. I know you hadn't seen the nicks in days. I knew you were very excited to see this. - Yes, of course, my one visit to LA for the year,

and who is here? - The New York Nicarbockers and the one game I will see. - Yeah, well, the nicks got bigger problems that haven't even seen you, because they've had a tough couple of days here in LA,

but you got to see, well, first off, it's not like it's a new and to such a novelty, but your thoughts on the into it don't. - The toilet bowl is a fascinating arena.

“It's really unlike any place I'd been before, I think.”

Obviously, Steve Bulmer spent a lot of time and a lot of money to create the place, and I think there's a lot of things about it that are really cool. See, in the wall in person was cool.

Like, how steep the stands are. Like, you could feel the noise in the building. A lot of the LED stuff was actually really cool. Like, it did this mentalist thing during the time outs, so you had to like guess what's color was gonna come up

on the screen, and like they sort of tracked it down to one person to one and they like showed them on the screen with their name, 'cause they were in their seat. Like a lot of stuff like that was really neat. I just kept thinking the whole time that it just felt

like a sterile atmosphere, because they're like, let's just be honest,

like the clippers don't have an incredible home fan base.

It's a lot like when you used to cover the Brooklyn Nets, and the irony of being at this game last night was there were a lot of Nick fans in the building, who were just quite losing the game. We're making a lot of noise, and at one point in the fourth quarter,

there was a very loud, let's go Nick's chant. And then all of a sudden, the sound in the arena shot up to about 10,000 decibels, where they started playing some song over the, over the Nick's fans cheering and drawing them out.

But the, the, the, the, the, the, the arena itself is amazing. And it's really cool. It was a really cool visual experience to see, to see a game there, and you can see the vision of it. It's just, you know, it's interesting.

The whole, it was a very interesting thing to finally get to see. - Most arenas that are new are very nice, but generally you have the same experience. I mean, the chase center is beautiful and opulent, but it's not like being at the chase center

and being in Pfizer forum is that different in Milwaukee. These are newer arenas, but this is a different experience. Okay, so I just want to point something up before we talk about this game, specifically. On December 18th, the Clippers lost in Oklahoma City by 20

to fall the 6 and 21, okay? When they beat the next last night by eight, one Monday night, the two days ago, by the time you hear this, they improved the 32 and 32. - 26 at 11 since then.

“- I think it's the third best record of the league.”

- And I got to say, watching the game, watching Kawai play great.

and how great Shay is. You can make a real argument, Kawai has been the best player in the league over these last couple of months, are certainly in minimum right there

with guys like Yoka Chimus Shay. And I just kept thinking, watching this game, that it is the ultimate curse of this entire era with the Clippers, that after everything that's gone on and the likelihood of this punishment

coming down at some point in the next month or two months or three months or whatever, whatever, we're gonna find out what happened with the Clippers if anything with the salary cap stuff, with Kawai. But now is the time when they have no chance

of really doing anything that this guy is playing like this consistently over the course of a season. It's just the ultimate knife twist in this whole saga.

- He's got a shot at first team all NBA.

Forget a shot, if he plays 65 games, he has to be, in my opinion, a first team all NBA player. He's been unbelievable. - Over Jay them Brown. - I would have him.

- I would have him over Jay them Brown. I mean, who's been better this year? - Over Anthony Edwards. - Yeah, I think so. - Yeah, I would have Kawai, I would have Kawai on there

“as, yeah, I think I would have to have Kawai on there.”

I think I'd have to, he's been unbelievable. - That's bold. - I mean, I mean, he's been great. - I'm not ready to say that, I guess. - I think first team all NBA is pretty bold.

- I mean, first team all NBA, I think first team all NBA is less about team success and more about individual accomplishment. And I mean, is he not better than Jaylon Brown? Is he not better than Anthony Edwards?

Is he not better than Jay'd cutting him right now? - Oh, wow, no, he's not getting, he's not getting the notes down. - I'm not talking about envy. - To me, there's three guys compete for one spot there.

And then Kay'd's got a spot. - Kay'd is going to be on the team. But I mean, like, if I'm just talking about pure talent, if you're picking a guy to play a talent. - But that's what I'm saying.

First team all NBA is about individual excellence,

I would say. - As opposed to team accomplishment. I think it's different than MVP. I'm not voting for Kawai Leonard for MVP when their team was 6 and 21 and he's in the eighth spot

in the Western Conference playoffs. I don't think he could be on an MVP belt then. But to me, that's different than all NBA. And this guy has been one of the three or four best players in the sport for at least the last three months.

Do we argue that? - No, I would argue first team all NBA, but that's fine. - That's fine. - It's a long discussion there.

- Sure. - The point is, he's been absolutely phenomenal. He's playing as well as he has. Maybe in his career, certainly in his clippers tenure. And the clippers, again, after a horrendous start,

whenever it was a go, my God, are they gifting, okay, see it top five pick. They've had the third best record in the league and are a potential first round matchup for those very thunder or for the spurs,

either way, what a storyline. You know, collievers is the spurs, or collievers is the potential, okay, see Dynastine that his arrival in LA helped birth. - I think if he's healthy,

they're gonna be the seven seed, almost for sure. 'Cause with all the injuries the spurs, the sons have, I mean, they could be healthy by then, but if I'm picking, they moved into eight last night. I don't know if it'll be that way.

I don't know who's all played tonight, but they've moved in eight, right? - Well, the Warriors lost at the Jazz Monday night. The Warriors have all these injuries, Steph is out.

“I think the clippers are gonna be ahead of the Warriors.”

It's to me, it's a question of can. - Jazz, we're too in 20 without Larry marketin' and they've gotta move and prove to three in 20. - So now, by the West, the question of four in eight. - The question to me is can the clippers

potentially catch the sons who are a few games ahead of them,

but obviously have a billion injuries right now

and are trying to fight through it. - McMahon, huge break for the clippers, trading if it's a zoo bots, right before he was out for the year with injury. - Amazing, amazing fortune.

- Hey, did the bad matter? - The pace was asked to revise the terms of the trade after the business. - I don't think that's happened yet. We'll have to wait and see.

Bedmatherin, he's not exactly scoring with efficiency, but he had 23. - His score, no. - He had 19, he's averaging 19 for him, and now Darius Scarland is healthy and bad.

He's in the starting lineup. - Yeah, I think 23 or 24 for that game. So, listen, the clippers, I don't know what to make. It's very hard for me to judge this season and say, "Oh, this is great, they're accomplishing it."

I don't even know how to judge this season, but I will say that the guys who are playing in the coaching staff who had this team at 6 and 21, and what they've done, that it's something to be said.

“Also, I think they have the fourth easiest schedule”

the rest of the way. - 6 and 21, they go on a run to near 500, and then trade, I would say, second and third best players,

With this scandal and potential punishment,

“looming over their looming over into a dome,”

like a black cloud. - And again, who knows what would happen last year, Baron Gordon, doesn't get that tip dunk. So, I mean, they've had, there's a lot of what it's. - They've had 12 months of healthy koai,

and it spans sort of two seasons, I'm not sure they're gonna get much out of it, is what I'm saying. - No question. - Okay, speaking of that, we spent the next,

the next of Lost 3 of 4, they lost Oklahoma City at home, which happened, then they lost to the Lakers on Sunday afternoon, on spring forward day, they go 8 of 34 on 3, as the Lakers played really well that game. I don't know how you wanna grade them in this game,

Bon Thames. Towns had another good game, like I know everybody thinks that, Towns had a really good production game, he shot the ball really well,

and he was like minus 15 or 17 in the game, it was like a very close thing, and fouled out. - Yeah. - Here's a stat that made me raise my eyebrows from our stats and info group.

That was Kat's first 30-point games

since December 27, he went 32 straight under 30, that's the second longest streak of his career, the first or the longest streak was when he was a rookie starting out, like the first stretch in his career. That, I know he felt like he hadn't been a featured part

of the offense and all that, but 32 straight games under 30,

“that honestly caught me up guard, that surprised me.”

- Yeah, I mean, look, the next I've felt often kind of clunky for a while, and I would say that this recent stretch is sort of an emblematic of that. I mean, they were down pretty big at home to the rockets and the rockets fell apart in fourth quarter

of that game as they have plenty of times this year, and the next game back and escaped it. And they then got, they had the nice win at the home, against the spurs on Sunday afternoon at MSG, where we were things sent to happen,

just like they tend to happen for the road team in LA, which is why, like the other day, we sort of rode off that loss they had to the lakeers, but we're sitting here with a month ago in a regular season, and you look at how Boston's playing

in particular, and yes, I know the next beat, the Celtics last year, in the playoffs, but that was an incredibly weird series, and I don't feel like it would repeat that way many times, given the next head to 20 point comebacks

in the first two games of that series on the road.

And it's hard right now for me, if you're a Nick fan, to sit here and feel confident that the nicks are gonna be able to make the kind of playoff run that they have been expecting to, since they fire time to video,

and especially since James Dolan went on the radio two months ago, and said, we have to make the finals, and we should win 'em. Like they look like a team that is not going to come close to making finals nor winning them.

And, you know, there's time for that to change, but it's a weird fit, and, you know, it's certainly not rule them out, and why don't we need some confidence,

“but I think there's a lot to be concerned about if you're a Nick fan.”

- The bit of pushback I'm going to give here last night, it was a defensive dud, but for a stretch of, you know, however several weeks now, they've been top-ranked, deconstainably. - Six weeks, I think. - Six weeks, I think.

- Yeah, exactly, like, so if didn't, and even the lost OKC, like they, Oklahoma City scored 103 points, you know, that was an offensive one. - Well, it's competitive game.

- Yeah, it's competitive game. - Yeah. And, you know, a couple losses and a long trip Delay, I'm not gonna trip on. - I am going to uplift the nicks fans here,

because I am going to now tell you the nicks schedule for the next two weeks, which is why they have,

I believe the second easiest schedule coming in.

- I think only behind Cavs Corner, which I think is why I say that, I think. - Oh, yes. - With a, how about the robust win for the Cavs on Monday? I mean, don't mention that Maxi and Mbid and Paul George

didn't play with. - Mbjadchko, by the way, two. - Mbjadchko and over the blue coats. - Yes. - At Utah on Wednesday.

Now, Utah is our place to win, you know, but once they've won a game, you can, that has not happened there, not winning two in a row. At Indiana to finish up this game. - They have lost to Indiana already this season,

just, this is a reminder. - I can lose any of these games, it's the NBA. So, at Utah, at Indiana. - Things have the same goal in mind, go on. - Next Sunday, Warriors at home, Tuesday.

- It's a lot easier game than it will used to be. - Fontams, you better be there for this one. Paces at, at, at, at, next, following the next Friday, they have a couple of days off. They can prepare to go over, to play the nets.

Then, they can recover, prepare for the wizards. - Oh, my. - Then, staying at home, they don't, by the way, if they get back from the road, so they don't go anywhere for two weeks, other than Brooklyn.

So, let me recap. Here are the, upcoming games. Jazz, Pacers, Warriors, Pacers, Net Swizzards, Pelicans. If you can't get healthy on that group,

I don't know what to tell you. - They've done a good job of winning a lot of these games all year, and look, they're gonna be a, they're gonna, obviously, be a top four seed. And look, I would say, if the next can find a way

to get into the four seed in the east, if, assuming Detroit stays in one, but if they could get Toronto in Detroit

in the first year rounds of the playoffs,

I feel pretty good about the next chances.

“That, that I think is the bracket that need to be,”

- Oh, you'd completely, - This is for what? - This is for what? - Customs dominance of them all season. - Yeah, I can't see what it was, man.

- Okay, last year, last year, the Celtic Austin plant. - Last year, the Celtics dominated the next all season, and I thought that the Celtics are going to roll the next in the playoffs, and they were up 20,

and the second half of the first two games, and collapsed and lost. I was also around back in 2014 when the next played the heat, and one, I think at least three of the four games in the season series between the two teams

and lost in five games in the second round. Like it's that, it's not the first time this has happened.

That's like when you make a good point,

it completely goes against all the trends in the next game. - That's the exception and not the rule, okay. Okay, so we mentioned the calves a little bit earlier, calves play in the magic on ESPN on Wednesday night. I will say, if you take a look at the play in zone

of the Eastern Conference, and unless you're a fan of these teams, why would you? There's just weird little uplifting thing that's happened. You're largely because there's a bunch of tankers that are being played, but--

- Yeah, there's a few uplifting things here. - So there's some games on Tuesday night, we're not gonna know the outcome of, but the magic are gonna come into that game against the calves having one foreign arrow,

and Palo Ben Caro for all his, you know,

“would you call it controversy or is that too strong of a word?”

- Certainly headbutting with the head coach. - Yeah.

- Yeah, that definitely happened.

- I'd say for all of the disappointment that is surrounded both Palo and the magic this season. I think it's a fair way to put it. They were expected to be a top 14 and said they've been in the play in the vast majority of the season.

Joel Glass from the Magic, foil podcast listener, wants us to know that Ben Caro is averaging 25.10 rebounds and six assists while shooting 49% since the All-Star Break. He did at the All-Star Break sort of, I mentioned this last week when we were talking

about the controversy, his statistics at least are somebody who was tried to refocus. They are winning games, they're on a winning streak. They've won like eight out of 11 or something like that, and they are back above the play in line,

which they were below the play in line for weeks on end and they've won like they've won seven to 10. To be noted and Franz Wagner is still recovering. They just gave an injury update on him. He's not quite ready yet, but he's making progress.

All right, so the heat, meanwhile, who are in seven, now they've won five in a row and eight out of 10.

“As we speak here, I think they've my play tonight,”

so I don't want to get too far ahead of it. - Clothing, snapping the bus city killer's winning streak. - Snapping in half, and the bus city killer's is still reeling, having lost two in a row. And the hawks, one of the biggest shams of the week

in the NBA are that the hawks are above one six in a row, and are playing very good basketball, Jalen Johnson, putting up huge stat lines, and the headlines being ripped away from the performance on the court to the performance off the court

of the promotion department with the magic city, which by the way, in my 23 years, I'm not sure I have seen a press release quite worded like the way the NBA worded the press release when they announced that the magic city promotion

was being canceled. It was NBA cancels hawks promotion. In other words, we are coming in and telling them to shut it down, and a quote from Adam Silver, there are many, many actions that happen in the NBA.

And many, many press releases that come out without an out and out and out and silver quilt. And not only an Adam Silver quilt on terms, but it was a meaty paragraph. - I was gonna get to it.

- Yes, let's read the quote. So the NBA today announced that it has canceled the Atlanta Hawks Planed Incees and Interrater Promotion for the Game of Mark 16th. NBA Commissioner Adam Silver issued the following statement.

Quote, when we became aware of the Hawks Schedule Promotion, we reached out to Hawks leadership to better understand their plans and rationale. While we appreciate the team's perspective and their desire to move forward,

we have heard significant concerns from a broad array of league stakeholders, including fans, partners, and employees. I believe canceling this promotion is the right decision for the broader NBA community.

- And then the Hawks release a statement. - Yes, they did.

in the NBA's decision to cancel our Magic City Night Promotion,

we fully respect this decision.

“As a franchise, we remain committed to celebrating”

the best of Atlanta with authenticity in ways that continue to unite and bring us all together. - Here's the single best part of that release. - The single best part. - The full array of award-winning culinary options available

at State Farm Arena for Hawks Games will be available. - Come on, including wings, period. (laughing) - So let me translate all that. - The NBA was like, you guys should do one what?

(laughing) Call the phone. What the hell you guys doing? Well, we're doing it. No, you're not.

And the Hawks are going, all right, well, you're still the bosses, but we're still gonna do something. - They're also honoring the purchases of the Magic City. Hoodies that have been sent out.

Those are gonna be real collectors item.

So you can get your hands on one of those, so you're gonna have to stay in the house. - eBay is gonna be a lot. - It's gonna be lit. - Anyway, the Hawks have won six in a row.

They play the mavericks tonight.

“Do we think the mavericks are winning in Atlanta tonight?”

- I suspect the Hawks are gonna be at seven in a row. Hawks have been beaten up on Thursday. - And Thursday they play the nest. - Although, hey, the magic needed a buzzer beating dunk by Winnell Carter Jr to beat those maids.

But yeah, the maids are, the maids are well on their way to pairing Cooper flag with a nice prospect in this draft. - The maids are below the Grizzlies who are truly doing some, I mean, we're not, we don't talk about tanking here,

but if we did talk about tanking, we could do 25 minutes on some stuff. The Grizzlies are pulling off. - Yes. - I'm just gonna, I was gonna leave it at that.

- The Grizzlies are desperately trying to move up the lottery's sandings and having success. - Just because we're not talking about it, Memphis, we see you. - We see what you see.

- We see what you're doing. - We see an injury report. We see a two-day contact. - Out of respect. - We see a rotation.

- We see a rotation. - And by the way, the next five games for the Hawks are home for Dallas, home for the nets, home for the bucks, home for Orlando on Monday on NBC, Peacock, and then at Dallas.

So like they, I mean, they could easily get to at minimum 10 out of 11, which, you know, now they then get into a, you know, they then have, and even after that, they have a Memphis game.

We've got a Sacramento game. They've got a Brooklyn game, like they, you know, the Hawks are gonna get some easy wins here down the stretch, at least they should. - And Wendy, this is where you're, you're,

you're love of ordinary time, yes. - Ordinary time.

“- I really believe you're mine with that, didn't I?”

- I've got a lot of, I got a lot of comments about ordinary time, and the liturgical calendar breakdown from the Cross League, yes, don't I think I will say, is it not ordinary, if a large chunk of teams actually are trying to avoid victory, that's not ordinary.

- Well, we just put it in the classic sense, and the classic sense, yes, it will just, I would just say that the Hawks are obviously incentivized to win, because they don't have their pick. So they're in this, you know,

they're incentivized to win and root against the pelicans, which I will say, by the way, we mentioned that the clippers rising up, I know nothing ever goes to Thunder's way, but like, when they were 6 and 21, that unprotected pick, Hendo Clome City,

looks a little, a little tantalizing, and now, like, we might not be a lottery. - Oh, by the way, I will say this. - That's just Mike, I'm a lottery pick though. - Ah, that's right, as I mentioned,

you'll be able to see their winning, the losers in that is Philly has plummeted to eighth, which they're barely hanging on to, and, you know, and beat us out, and now Maxi, Maxi's out for two games.

- Well, many are just getting really evaluate. I mean, it sounds like it's not gonna be a super long term thing, but we don't know for sure. Paul George remains out for at least a couple more weeks, as he serves out this suspension,

and V.J. Edge comes, but now for a few games, now with this back issue, like, you know, like we've said a few times. If they're healthy, they've got a chance

to be a nuisance team at minimum in the first round

for one of these top teams, but they have to be healthy, and they have to get in. And, you know, the way things have gone the last few weeks, like, look, there are a couple wins away from me right back at 6th again.

That's sort of the nature of this thing, but we just talked about all these easy games that Lana has, like, you know, there's a lot of various tank games on the schedule for these teams, and, you know, the more games you're

without all your key guys, you know, the harder it's gonna be to avoid being down at the bottom of that plane picture. Hey, hey, Yannis returned, the bucks, the bucks hung in there,

and we're actually stacked some wins without them. The bucks were right in the mix too. Yannis is back, right? He's gonna lead in the glory, right? Uh, well, oh, did they keep losing

by, like, 30 with him back? That's weird. Let's sure where the bucks are, that what they are. Oh, I'm sure they are.

They are in purgatory, that's where they are. More who-collective podcast after this. (upbeat music) - The cone is factor is a cornerstone thing

We've been doing it for, you know,

approaching the next game.

“- We'll just peel back the curtain, really.”

- We'll just peel back the curtain. - We're in a meeting last week. And a loyal listener to the pod, said, "Hey, Nick, man, it's March. What happened to Cahoni's factor?"

Like, I go, "Uh, I forgot, I got to do it." Then we get to Sunday, what happens? We don't have it again. I thought we were away, Brian. - After I did that mention, I did the hard work

and did the rankings. - I blame Jack, there's gonna be, there's gonna be 700 honorable mentions now. - I'm glad they're ready to go, gonna sit back. - Okay, a couple things here.

Number one, we've paid a lot of attention, given a lot of flack to Wendy for the Wendy sleep updates. I've become like a friend's rotation player and I'm getting up.

- Yeah, it's not so funny now, is it?

I had to get up at the beginning of the month, and I was out doing MBA today in LA, which is a three, 15-way clip call to get on the... - Yeah. - To get on that.

“- So all the fun games until your phone goes off”

at three in the morning. - And as you boys know, I've got like a policy against like single-digit AM flights. I, you know, once got demoted at a job in college for refusing to come in before it was double digits on the clock,

like the band sleep update is a thing. - It's an issue, it's something... - All you didn't know was this, my whole thing. - All you need to know is this. McMahon is flying home, book home, a city today,

and he's taking the two, 30 flack. - For a game that started 20 hours earlier. - No, the hours coming out. - Time out. - Gadget would forward get up, so the plan was get up,

do the show, take a nap, go to the airport. - And you know what, you could have done that. - You know what, you could have done that. - You could have moved the plane earlier. - No, absolutely not.

- Yeah, well, there you go. I got canceled because then I fell for anyways. So my apologies for Kahone's factor being overdue this month. - It's not everyone's hurt, but I'm, you know,

you disrupt my sleep and I end up things go haywire and I apologize, I don't apologize for when he gets... I can relate to the windy winding and winding over the years. I will admit that. - So winding, it's just reality, it's reality.

- Oh, card being a star. - I mean, said that, February, short month, obviously. - Not a short list. - No, it is sort of, it was given right over Honorable Moon. - No Honorable Moon, it's just this month.

- We're heading right to, and by the way,

“I'm just gonna give you a little secret.”

The March, early front runner. - Shaggle to South Zander. He's already at the Honorable Moon. - Oh, I gotta feel he's getting the fire in that. - All right, I just mentioned those Milwaukee bucks, baby.

Actually, we're stacking some winds together without yawness in the month of February. All that optimism for yawness in college, factor for coming back in the start. - No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no.

- No, sir, read my class balls though. - Are going to scoot. - Kevin, Paul. - Junior. - Listen, not cut in time, as you boys know,

that's like super clutch. Last three minutes, one possession game. This man was at 14 points. Five of five from the floor. And those moments, the bucks were forno in those games.

To keep hope alive for yawness to put that cape on and come back and lead in the glory. Now, that last part hasn't happened. But the old scoot, Kevin Porter, Junior, is certainly getting the brass balls.

- He's having a very good year. All things considered, and he has said injuries. He's turning, but he's helping save his career. - There you go. All right, the silver.

There was one singular game-winning buzzer beta last month. I don't need was you call this one. Anybody? - Anybody buzzer beta? - I don't, buzzer beta felt.

- It's not 10 days into the month. I forgot and what happens, I'd be wondering. (laughing) It was Jalen Green. And it was, actually, when I was a hell of a show.

- That was a great shot. - Jalen Green was horrific in this game. And they needed, like, brooks was out. They didn't have a booker. The man was six of 26 from the floor.

But did that cause the cone? Is the shrivel? No, sir. - Free bottom. - Not only did he hit the overtime buzzer beta.

One of his other five field goals in that game was a three-pointer late in regulation to send it into overtime. And our, you know, ESPN research folks has some good stuff here.

The third player in the play by play era.

At since '97, '98, with multiple game time or go ahead, field goals in the final five seconds, a fourth quarter and overtime in a single game. Joining our podcast, brother and Jeff Tee, and Brandon Roy is the other ones.

The third player with a three-point game winning buzzer beta and overtime in Sun's history. The great Eric Bledsoin's to farm Mar bear. And he's in this, I'm gonna store it. - I don't wanna be company in the first player.

- Oh, this is actually double O.T.

He didn't wanna bid that nails along.

“- There was an old time, Rich, I respect Rich Paul”

a lot with the all-time explanatory thing, Rich Paul. - Okay, story time with Wendy. This doesn't tell the story. People probably have forgotten about it. Go ahead to Wendy.

- Eric Bledsoin, Eric Bledsoin's frustrated in Phoenix and all of a sudden this tweet comes out, I don't wanna be here. And Rich Paul tried to explain the way he's saying, "Oh, he was at the salon or the nail salon with his wife

"and he just, he was tired of being there." - That's what he said.

- One of the great non-tradal quests in NBA history.

Anyways, I love you, Rich. - And I did it same like Jayden Green couldn't buy a bucket. He hit two huge ones and including the only buzzer beta in the month. So we're going to give him the silver for that.

- I'm gonna let you guys have one guest each on who got the goal.

“I honestly don't remember what happened in February.”

I'm really not being facetious. - Oh, I'll give you a hint. I'll give you a hint. - That's what I believe in dude. - Come on, come on, come on, fellas.

Anthony Edwards. - Oh, yes, right. - Right after Chris finished yells at him. - That's right, to dude, you're double. Stop taking bad shots, pass the ball.

He's doubled, he takes a tougher shot. I'm not gonna say it's a worse shot, a tougher shot. They step back three right in front of the wall's bench. Knox down, it is a dagger, makes it a four point lead in the final seconds against the clippers.

Turns right to Finchie, points out in the nails. That's what I believe in dude. It's a time I picked on Junior's walk and buy. Couldn't help but crack a smile. Just 'cause this guy is so freaking audacious.

But here's the thing, and wasn't lying.

That is what he does. Last month, the guy led the league in clutch scoring at 35 points in 19 clutch minutes. That the efficiency was an awesome, but the wolves did win for those five games.

That is absolutely what Ant-Bleepen does. And for that reason, he is the gold medal winner. The overdo, sound of the snooze Laura Mercenet, smack the snooze Laura in a few times. Maybe we'll make a homemade factor,

play over the month. - End glorious, glorious. And once again, on the mantle, the golden balls, right there, right next to his player, the month trophy, which I think he's one of few of them.

- Mick, man, you gotta go catch your early afternoon flight. Bonsemson, I are gonna saunter on over to crypto.com, the night and see your boy. We should have set us the trophy. - Gotta present to him. - We could have handed it over to Ant tonight.

- We worked on some sort of trophy or belt. I don't think they've ever made to the production line,

“but you can, I think it was a budget for me.”

- I'm sure he will be so thrilled. You know, actually, I can predict what he would say. Hey, Ant, what's up? Hey, you would name Tim McMahon's Cahonaise factor, golden, you know, testicle player of the month.

You know what Ant would say? - Dope. Like Dope. All right, thank you to Mark Jackson and Devon, our producers, thank you to Mick,

but Bonsemson, McMahon. Thank you for watching. Let's see who the collective will catch you later. This week, best of luck to your college basketball team. And there's Cinderella Dreams.

- Audios Migos. (upbeat music)