Are the Sixers Back? Plus: The Suns' Turnaround Season, and Jalen Johnson’s Rise | The Mismatch

Who speaks in this episode?

• Chris Vernon (Host)
• Dave Jacobe (Host)

What is discussed, and when

1. 0:00 – 10:00: Joel Embiid, Paul George, Chris Vernon, Dave Jacobe
2. 10:00 – 20:00: FanDuel, Chris Vernon, Golden State Warriors, Atlanta Hawks
3. 20:00 – 30:00: Memphis, Memphis Grizzlies, Denver Nuggets, NBA Cup
4. 30:00 – 40:00: Dave Jacobe, NBA, All-Star break, NBA Cup
5. 40:00 – 50:00: NBA, Cleveland Cavaliers
6. 50:00 – 1:00:00: Joel Embiid, Memphis, Orlando Magic, Memphis Grizzlies
7. 1:00:00 – 1:10:00: Chris Vernon, Memphis, New York, New York
8. 1:10:00 – 1:13:11: New York, New York

Notable quotes from "Are the Sixers Back? Plus: The Suns' Turnaround Season, and Jalen Johnson’s Rise | The Mismatch"

• Welcome to the mismatch. I'm Chris Vernon and joining me to see us every week from therger.com is Dave Jacobe.

  about Dave Jacobe · at 0:17

• And the Rockets had every opportunity to win the game, but just there's in transition Maxi is just getting his knuckles to the backboard, knuckles to the rim, and finishing…

  about Tyrese Maxey · at 3:31

• About him later because he's been playing well lately but like Paul George in this one like he had a huge steal that led to a maxi transition bucket which there are a lot of…

  about Paul George · at 5:05

• The Rockets. other things that deserve a mention. boy, it has not gone well for the Magic recently and they got worn out by that Charlotte team. Charlotte just ran all over…

  about Orlando Magic · at 7:04

• Couple other quick mentions we have the Mavericks beating the Warriors. This week has been just bad news after bad news on the Warriors and then Kaminga's going tonight and he has to leave the game with a busted ankle. It's.

  about Golden State Warriors · at 9:52

• FanDuel's putting you in control right from Tip Off. That's right. You get to choose your reward. You want to play it safe? Go for it. You feeling bold?

  about FanDuel · at 12:52

• Loaths of the week. That was I am going to start because I know you love when I start. I went to a basketball game and saw the Atlanta Hawks in person for the first time last night.

  about Chris Vernon · at 14:02

• I'll make this one quick. I'm trying to keep this a secret.

  about Joel Embiid · at 54:13

Who and what is mentioned in this episode?

People

• Chris Vernon — Person · Host · 4 mentions · first at 0:17
  Primary host of The Mismatch; drives the episode structure (news, loves/loathes) and provides firsthand arena/Grizzlies perspective.
• Dave Jacobe — Person · Co-host · 3 mentions · first at 0:20
  Co-host and main conversational counterpart to Vernon; provides analysis on teams/players (Sixers, Suns, Warriors) and introduces segment ideas (e.g., 'Peak week').
• Joel Embiid — Person · Referenced player (Philadelphia 76ers) · 5 mentions · first at 4:32
  Discussed as a major determinant of Philadelphia’s ceiling; Jacobe notes Embiid’s recent form and how it changes playoff expectations.
• Tyrese Maxey — Person · Referenced player (Philadelphia 76ers) · 2 mentions · first at 3:23
  Central on-court subject in the Knicks–Sixers discussion; described as the key problem for New York and a playoff-swinging star due to transition scoring and late-game creation.
• Paul George — Person · Referenced player (Philadelphia 76ers) · 3 mentions · first at 4:35
  Framed as a high-variance 'swing' contributor for the Sixers—corner-three gravity, timely defense (steal), and veteran wing value.
• Kelly Oubre — Person · Referenced player (Philadelphia 76ers) · 2 mentions · first at 4:19
  Highlighted as a potential 'third guy' who can swing games with scoring bursts, supporting the argument that the Sixers are deep and dangerous when stocked.
  Had some really big games that have stood out. I will say also, we need to give a special shout out to Kelly Ubé who is like you're looking for that third guy and that's what…
• Nolan H. Brunson — Person · Referenced player (New York Knicks) · 1 mention · first at 2:21
  Appears in the Knicks segment as the figure associated with a players-only meeting; used to discuss team leadership and the meaning/optics of such meetings.
  When I read the story when I read the story about Jaylen Brunson closing the door and having a players only meeting, I hearken back to many years ago. I was covering a team that had a players only meeting and I.
• Damon Stoudamire — Person · Referenced coach/former player · 1 mention · first at 2:37
  Cited for an anecdote defining 'players-only meetings' (“for teams that suck”), used to frame the Knicks’ situation and leadership dynamics.
  Basketball coach at Georgia Tech. And to this very day, I remember Damon Stydermire telling me, Players only meeting are for teams that suck. I was Oh, oh man, that's a tough that's a tough one. And you know what, the Knicks don't suck,.

Companies & orgs

• NBA — Company · Core topic · 2 mentions · first at 34:24
  Central theme of the episode, discussing various teams, players, and events.
  Now, they lose to the Bulls. We're taping Thursday night because we want the mismatch to be ready and waiting for you Friday morning to get your morning commute on the last day of the week. We.
• Orlando Magic — Company · Referenced team · 3 mentions · first at 7:09
  Discussed as a team that has been disappointing this season.
• Golden State Warriors — Company · Referenced team · 2 mentions · first at 9:55
  Discussed in the context of their recent struggles and player injuries.
• New York Knicks — Company · Referenced team · 2 mentions · first at 1:04
  Mentioned in the context of a recent game and player meeting.
  Show solo if the Knicks were to have lost to the Brooklyn Nets, especially after their players only meeting. But instead, the Knicks had a 50point romp and here you are. So, I…
• Memphis Grizzlies — Company · Referenced team · 2 mentions · first at 26:23
  Mentioned in the context of a player's performance and trade rumors.
  I feel like the whole thing is everyone knows me. I'm loyal. I've got Memphis tattooed on my back. Grizzly. I want to stay here. I don't think he's being honest. I just don't.
• Houston Rockets — Company · Referenced team · 1 mention · first at 3:12
  Discussed in the context of a game against the Philadelphia 76ers.
  Playing a monster showdown with Philadelphia who comes in looking really good. And we just happened to be recording on Thursday night after they had an epic win against the Rockets.
• Atlanta Hawks — Company · Referenced team · 1 mention · first at 14:07
  Mentioned in the context of a player's performance and the team's future.
  League where you're watching for 30 teams, they're not going to command a tremendous amount of attention. But we have referenced many times like every morning when you get up…
• Brooklyn Nets — Company · Referenced team · 1 mention · first at 1:04
  Mentioned in the context of a game against the New York Knicks.
  Show solo if the Knicks were to have lost to the Brooklyn Nets, especially after their players only meeting. But instead, the Knicks had a 50point romp and here you are. So, I…
• Charlotte Hornets — Company · Referenced team · 1 mention · first at 7:13
  Mentioned in the context of a game against the Orlando Magic.
  The Rockets. other things that deserve a mention. boy, it has not gone well for the Magic recently and they got worn out by that Charlotte team. Charlotte just ran all over…
• Dallas Mavericks — Company · Referenced team · 1 mention · first at 19:14
  Mentioned in the context of a game against the Utah Jazz.
  Couple other quick mentions we have the Mavericks beating the Warriors. This week has been just bad news after bad news on the Warriors and then Kaminga's going tonight and he has to.
• Denver Nuggets — Company · Referenced team · 2 mentions · first at 11:01
  Mentioned in the context of a game against the Washington Wizards.
  And then you have Nuggets beat the Wizards. Timberwolves, as you mentioned, went down to the wire against the Bulls and took a loss there. That's a good win for the Bulls. And then they just lost to the Jazz, right? Right.
• Georgia Tech — Company · Referenced institution · 1 mention · first at 2:37
  Mentioned in the context of a former player now coaching there.
  Starttomire who is now the head coach at Georgia Tech. He's the college basketball coach at Georgia Tech. And to this very day, I remember Damon Stydermire telling me, Players only meeting are for teams that suck. I was Oh, oh man,.
• Cleveland Cavaliers — Company · Referenced team · 1 mention · first at 41:48
  Mentioned in the context of a game against the Charlotte Hornets.
  There was a very quiet loss against the Mavericks. I'm sorry, the Cavericks.
• NCAA — Company · Referenced organization · 4 mentions
  Mentioned in passing in the context of basketball discussions.
  Tonight, right? Because they're not in London. Adam Silver ain't breathing down your neck anymore. Dyson Daniels is about to be coming for you cuz that's who you're going to…

Places & events

• Memphis — Place · Setting · 8 mentions · first at 15:12
  Mentioned as the location of the podcast and some basketball games.
  Welcome to the mismatch. I'm Chris Vernon and joining me to see us every week from therger.com is Dave Jacobe.
• NBA All-Star Game — Event · Referenced event · 4 mentions
  Mentioned in the context of the NBA season timeline.
  And the Spurs took care of the Jazz. So, we are getting some We are at that time of the year where, people say that as we hurdle towards the trade deadline and then Allstar break, this is a typical time of.
• All-Star break — Event · Referenced event · 2 mentions · first at 11:27
  Mentioned in the context of the NBA season timeline.
  And the Spurs took care of the Jazz. So, we are getting some We are at that time of the year where, people say that as we hurdle towards the trade deadline and then Allstar break, this is a typical time of.
• New York, New York — Place · Setting · 2 mentions · first at 1:05:56
  Mentioned as the location of some basketball games.
  Loaths of the week. That was I am going to start because I know you love when I start. I went to a basketball game and saw the Atlanta Hawks in person for the first time last night.
• NBA Cup — Event · Referenced event · 2 mentions · first at 28:23
  Mentioned in passing in the context of NBA discussions.
  We talked about this. This was in my last room for Carl Towns and guys that stick their fingers in each other butts.

Sponsors

• FanDuel — Company · Sponsor · 4 mentions · first at 11:50
  Sponsor of the podcast, mentioned in the ad read segment.

Full transcript with timestamps

0:17 Welcome to the mismatch. I'm Chris Vernon and joining me to see us every week from therger.com is Dave Jacobe. Jacobe Verno, I just want to take the uh listening and watching audience behind the curtain. We've changed format this week here in the mismatch. This is Thursday night. Anthony Edwards just missed a corner three seconds ago. That would have tied the game against the Bulls. Instead, the Wolves go down after losing to the Jazz earlier this week. Now, they lose to the Bulls. We're taping Thursday night because we want the mismatch to be ready and waiting for you Friday morning to get your morning commute on the last day of the week. We almost really changed formats because for those that listened to the show earlier this week, you threatened at the end of the episode that you would not even be here. That I would be doing this show solo if the Knicks were to have lost to the Brooklyn Nets, especially

1:10 after their players only meeting. But instead, the Knicks had a 50point romp and here you are. So, I am very glad. I was watching that game with baited breath and I'm thinking to myself,

1:24 you were rooting for the Nets, weren't you? I'm gonna I mean, it's going to be it's going to be the mismatch with Chris Vernon on and I'm just going to get to say anything I want to say later in the week.

1:37 No, there probably would have been a better show. A B there is no um Knicks later on in the rundown, so I'll just address it now.

1:45 I was even disheartened by that. Oh snap. You know what I mean? Like I would have must I WOULD HAVE MUCH preferred a workmanlike we always have a 20point lead. The the the subs played the entire second half of the third quarter and the full fourth quarter. But the idea that they have to curb stomp it curb stomp it. Curb stomp. Dig the grave bury them in the grave. Light the corpse on fire in the grave and then fill the grave with the Nets. It was just like guys like that's great. Great win against the Nets. But how about we see the sort of passion and energy when you play a team over 500 that's not trying to lose games. Just throw that out there.

2:18 When I read the story when I read the story about Jaylen Brunson closing the door and having a players only meeting, I hearken back to many years ago. I was covering a team that had a players only meeting and I remember interviewing my beloved Damon Starttomire who is now the head coach at Georgia Tech. He's the college basketball coach at Georgia Tech. And to this very day, I remember Damon Stydermire telling me, "Players only meeting are for teams that suck." I was like, "Oh, oh man,

2:56 that's a tough that's a tough one." And you know what, the Knicks don't suck, but certainly they had recently, but maybe they have writed the ship. And we will find out as they are going to be playing a monster showdown with Philadelphia who comes in looking really good. And we just happened to be recording on Thursday night after they had an epic win against the Rockets.

3:18 And the it's a Tyrese Maxi thing like the Knicks in their I think it's three losses now to the Sixers. They just cannot control this guy. And it was the same thing at the end of the fourth quarter in overtime. It was a great game and the the Rockets had every opportunity to win the game, but just there's in transition Maxi is just getting his knuckles to the backboard, knuckles to the rim, and finishing past you 100% of the time, no matter how fast, how big, how small you are. And uh and he he had a great night uh tonight.

3:47 And I just want to give a shout out because like we're not going to spend too much time celebrating the losing team in this one. But like Reed Shepard early this week in that game against the Spurs just absolutely was on fire in the fourth quarter and did like a mini little burst of that in this one to bring this one into overtime. But like

4:03 he might be the answer. Everyone's looking at them like Vanble out like he didn't play last year and seems like you know doesn't like him as a defense or whatever but like he might be the answer for them in that position. certainly has had some really uh really big games that have stood out. I will say also,

4:19 we need to give a special shout out to Kelly Ubé who is like you're looking for that third guy and that's what makes a Sixers like this Sixers team is dangerous. If if you're getting this maxi and you're getting this Embiid and then on a given night, Paul George might give you 20 and Kelly Ubé like on a night like tonight is on a heater and he's knocking down 26 for you. And obviously we've seen the nights where Edgecomb can be great. Like they've got a they got and obviously they got guys that come off the bench whether it's Grimes or whoever else. Like they got a slew of guys McCain could catch a heater one night. like they got A LOT OF GOOD players on that Sixers team when they're fully stocked

5:03 and it's like you know I'm going to talk about him later because he's been playing well lately but like Paul George in this one like he had a huge steal that led to a maxi transition bucket which there are a lot of and there's one play where MP sort of like you know got kind of slowed down and tripped up and just kicks it to Paul George in the corner like listen a lot of guys who stand in the corner and shoot corner threes are aren't Paul George level shooters you know what I mean like and normally that's not Paul George's role in an offense up to point in his career, but anyone who's watched the Sixers game understands that's why that's his role in the offense at this point in his career. And it's a great spot to have.

5:35 And and I I've liked the Sixers team this year. And and uh I don't have high high hopes for them in the playoffs, but there's there's something

5:42 I do cuz it's interesting how it's built. It's two mega dynamic guards. It's two long like vet wings. And if if this is again, we'll get to it later because I know it's one of the things you love from the week, but this Embiid is a thing. Like he looks great. He looks great recently. And you've got a chance like if you're getting this Embiid when I when I'm talking about high hopes for the playoffs, you got at least two possibles on your team that could be the best player in any series. Maxi could be the best player in a series and this Embiid could be the best player in a series.

6:27 Oh, see when you say two possibles, I think about spades immediately and I feel like Maxi is is a hand. He's like he's like the king of spades. Like he's going to win me a book and I and I think I feel like Embiid is almost a a book and sort of like PG is a possible and Edgecom is a possible. You know what I mean? I think those are the two possibles I see. sort of like those like swing guys because kind of know what you're going to get from Ed Beat at this point. Definitely know what you're going to get from Maxi, but like you could win a book one, you could win a game in a series because PG goes whatever. Four for seven from three and scores 24 points.

7:03 It's a really good win for them against the Rockets. Uh other things that deserve a mention. Uh

7:09 boy, it has not gone well for the Magic recently and they got worn out by that Charlotte team. Charlotte just ran all over them. And what would upset me is there's going to be these nights where you run into these teams that shoot a high percentage from three, but the looks are too good and they and Charlotte shoots 47% from three. But what is more alarming is a 47-31 rebounding advantage. Like this Orlando team became the Orlando team that we all started to really like last year because it was able to hang its head on the defensive end. and they were one of those teams that we talked about were the honest effort teams and in the absence of Suggs, obviously they didn't have Bronze tonight, but like you still have to go out there and give the honest effort, right? And that when you're gettingund and something hung on you at home and the other team's shooting 47% from three and you're getting destroyed

8:06 on the boards, that is a tough look. And that that is beyond just like we're kind of in the dog days right now. Orlando's been a disappointment for me for sure. A disappointment.

8:18 You know what? I'm glad you say that because right now they're in seventh. They've lost two in a row. They're 23 and 20. And even teams like the Clippers that were such a big disappointment have sort of like figured it out. And the Hawks have sort of had their Trey Young issues. Now they're like sort of readjusting to life without Trey Young. So, they're a bit underperforming. Obviously, the Bucks have their thing, but like the Magic have dealt with some injuries to some key players, of course, but like they've pretty much disappointed.

8:48 No, they were a team that people people fancied as a top four seed. Still, it it you know, people viewed them as peers for the Pistons

8:58 and one of those has taken like, look, they made the big Bane trade and it was like, all right, now they're going to take a big, you know, step forward, right? They're they're going for it with this and so they've gone for it and you've seen like that Pistons team has taken another leap. It does not feel at all as if Orlando has taken a leap. In fact, it feels like they've taken a step backwards thus far.

9:23 Yes, I think that the enthusiasm in October was warranted because you're expecting Paulo to play better, hasn't? You're expecting France to play better, hasn't? You're expecting everyone to at least be healthier than they were last year. haven't been because this team on paper win healthy makes sense to me. I think they could probably use it someone else at at you know the five

9:47 but it just hasn't played out that way and you can't blame health so much because every team is dealing with injuries.

9:52 Couple other quick mentions we have uh the Mavericks beating the Warriors. This this this week has been just bad news after bad news on the Warriors and then Kaminga's going tonight and he has to leave the game with a busted ankle. It's like, "Oh my god, the guy never plays." And now I know the guy never literally never plays and all of a sudden like, "Here's your chance, guy." And he has to go out with a busted ankle. It's like, "Are you serious?" It's

10:19 I'm watching this game because I I mainly was focused on Rocket Sixers and I, you know, I turn on this one during commercials or whatever, but like this is really like it's pretty dark, you know, without Jimmy as an offensive weapon or even a guy they can give the ball to at the end of the shot clock. Like

10:36 it's kind of Steph and no one else. Yeah. In this one. And then once it's Steph and no one else, defense just gears up on Steph. Then you're looking for Moody, your Draymond or just like, you know, Santos, like anybody to do anything or pods and and every once in a while those guys will have big games, but in a game like tonight when they don't have it and it feels like it is just Steph, it doesn't look good.

10:59 Yeah, it's a tough tough beat for them. And then you have Nuggets beat the Wizards. Timberwolves, as you mentioned, went down to the wire against the Bulls and took a loss there. That's a good win for the Bulls. And then

11:11 they just lost to the Jazz, right? Right about that a couple nights ago. Yeah. And then you have

11:15 Yeah. Timberwolves. Yeah. And the Spurs took care of the Jazz. So, you know, we are getting some We are at that time of the year where, you know, people say that as we as we hurdle towards the trade deadline and then Allstar break, this is a typical time of year where you're seeing some goofy results that take place, right? Yeah. You're

11:36 in the January, you're in the very middle of the season. Yeah, Christmas to All-Star break and then sort of like the last five weeks of the season or just sort of like

11:46 maybe just take it into consideration before you start putting real money on FanDuel. You know what I mean? And also strange things happen.

11:52 And also before you start making bold proclamations of what it tells us about a team, you know what I mean? The the ma the the Magic getting run off the court against the Hornets notwithstanding.

12:04 Well, because that was that was ridiculous. I mean, the Timberwolves getting beaten by the Jags. There's all these weird things that I've had to mention that to some of my um my Knicks fan group chats like, "Guys, this is, you know,

12:17 well, that's the only that's the only way. That's the only way you can make it through in these moments."

12:22 No, everything's fixed. Beat the beat the Nets by 54 points or whatever. So, everything's fixed, guys. Don't worry.

12:27 Players only meeting. Players only meeting. Players only meeting. This is about us, guys. The coaches have nothing to do with this. We are in control of our own destiny. Someone was like, "Mitch, Mitch, it's not it's a players only meeting. It's not an only fans meeting. It's a players only meeting." Mitch Mitch.

12:43 And then he he took off his headphones where he was listening to Morgan Wallen and he attended.

12:48 Yes, he did. He's like, "Oh, I'm sorry." This match is brought to you by FanDuel. FanDuel's putting you in control right from Tip Off. That's right. You get to choose your reward. You want to play it safe? Go for it. You feeling bold? That's your move. Whatever your style, you are in control. No matter how you play, FanDuel's giving you the power to choose your reward and own your game this NBA season. All you have to do is head to fanduel.com/mismatch. That is fanduel.com/mismatch to make your pick, get in the game, and play it your way. Remember, you must be 21 and present in select states or 18 and over and present in DC, Kentucky, or Wyoming. Optin is required. Rewards are non-refundable. Restrictions apply, including bonus and token expirations, leg requirements, and max wager amount.

13:44 See terms at sportsbook.fanduel.com. Gambling problem, call 1800 gambler or visit rg-help.com. Or you can call 1888789777 or visit ccpg.org/hatific. All right, let's get to our loves and loaths of the week. That was I am going to start because I know you love when I start. Um I went to a basketball game and saw the Atlanta Hawks in person for the first time last night.

14:15 Good game. And it was a good game. And man, let me tell you something. The experience of watching Jaylen Johnson up close and personal, I was wowed. It's one of those where it's not like we've been honed in on the Hawks throughout the year. You're not watching a ton. They're not certainly they're way down the list in terms of teams you want to tune in to to watch unless they're in like some kind of niptuck game and you flip it on at the end, but they're not going to in in a league where you're watching for 30 teams, they're not going to command a tremendous amount of attention. But we have referenced many times like every morning when you get up and you look at the box scores and you see what this guy has done, there was this quick swoon right after they traded Trey and brought in McCollum where he, you know, the production went down for a second and then he responded and right before he

15:12 came to Memphis, he had 2816 and six earlier this week against the Bucks. And I watched this guy last night have 3215 and eight and I WAS LIKE, "OH GOD." I mean, and the first at one point I turned to the guy that was sitting next to me and I was like, "Bro, this dude has 28." Like when I tell you it was an easy 28. Like not know like a lot of guys that's when you know somebody's a star star is when you look up and you're like, "Wait, what? This guy's got 28. Like I didn't even I didn't even remember the 28 like that that took place. He is He's also once you see him up close, he is one of those guys that every once in a while throughout the year I'll reference this like bigger than you think he is. Um but the size, the movement, the athleticism.

16:09 Um you understand how they look at that and go, "All right, we've got to build with this guy in mind. Obviously, he's having this great season where he's averaging 2310 and 8. I mean, that is crazy production. 51% from the field, 36% from three. And like he's also the guy, the reason it impressed me cuz life is different when you move to the top of the whiteboard. Now, he has dealt with that quite a bit this year with his

16:40 come on and with Trey being absent from the team, but boy oh boy, do they have a special one in Atlanta. I mean, getting to watch he was one of those that it almost like took me by surprise when you see you don't see a lot of 32 15s and eights and it was just super production but it looked easy doing it. Like a lot of times if you you put up those kind of numbers, it's mega noticeable and it seems like the guy had to work to do it. This was just getting to his shots, backing people down, catching in transition. He is awesome. He is absolutely awesome. I loved him last night.

17:23 I think the Hawks aren't going to be much of a story for the rest of this year. I don't think they'll be necessarily loud in the plan or the playoffs or anything of that. But one of the things I love about watching Jaylen Johnson and I've been trying to sort of like figure him out this year and it's like well he can get past his man. He has a killer floater. He can finish at the rim. He can shoot the three off the dribble. He can play off the ball. He can catch and shoot. Yeah.

17:54 He can defend pretty much anybody. He can switch. He's not like elite elite elite at one thing, including like his size and body type, right? But he is just good, better than average, excellent at everything. And I say that just to bring it back to where I started where it's like you're not gonna really hear from them this year, but I feel like the Hawks front office has decided instead of trying to build a roster that accentuates the best parts of Trey Young and makes up for the worst parts of Trey Young, let's focus on this Jaylen Johnson fella who doesn't truly have huge deficiencies that need to be made up for by other players around him, but what sort of specialists around him will get the most out of him and how can we create a basketball environment that gets the best out of him and everyone and I think that's going to bring clarity to them moving forward because the Trey Young thing we've been talking

18:49 about for like four years, right? What's your first love? All right. Um, my first love, uh, Keonte George

19:01 in the last few games. Um, this is like, you know, tonight they're playing the Spurs right now. And, um, you know, it doesn't look like they're going to win that one. And these are not in wins, but he's been on an absolute heater. Like the against Dallas in a loss, he had 29 points and, you know, six rebounds and six assists. And then in the the next game that he had, like he's just been killing it against the Spurs, another loss. He was uh what 34 points or wait, he had 30 points, 10 four for 10 from three against the the the Dallas in the previous game was four for six from three. And then that win against the Wolves that I referenced earlier, a comeback win. They won because Kee George is absolutely on fire. He had 43 points, was six for 13 from three. didn't light it up today, but like if you are a Jazz fan, there's a lot to look forward to with Keonte George.

19:55 Yeah. And the other thing is with him, it doesn't always when when you watch him, it doesn't feel like just a good stats, bad team guy. Like you could see the talent and you think, okay, maybe it's not this because he's given this huge I was about to say,

20:13 no, he's given this huge leash and opportunity there, but you could also see him being able to hone that in. He is so talented that he you you could see him honing that into a winning concept.

20:25 Yes, that's what I'd say. Yes. Right. He's a I don't think you're going to get this version of Keonte George if he's surrounded by different players on a winning team, but you're going to get a very good starting rotation player, third option type.

20:39 My first loathe, oh my goodness, is this easy. The John saga. I mean, look, you know, I'm right in the middle of it all. And this afternoon, an injury report came out. They are playing a game against the Pelicans on Friday. Then they have a game on Sunday afternoon against Denver.

20:58 Where are these games? He's on the road or home? Both of these games are at home.

21:02 Okay. And what I had said, so wait, Sunday afternoon, Verno's going to be at a basketball game instead of watching the conference championships

21:11 in the middle of an ice storm, no less. OH. OH, RIGHT. You're getting hit with that too.

21:16 Yeah. Y Oh, wow. Oh, Sunday. Yeah. The South's going to be this this could be rough uh coming up this week, but it's rough basketball-wise because one of the things and obviously you and I have talked about this a lot and I've said, you know, the hope is problems become solved whatever the problem may be, whether the guy uh does want to be in Memphis, then obviously be earn a uh uh an extension and that's been the issue, whatever the case may be. Um, problems are solved by being available and awesome. And he played in London on Sunday and he was available and he was awesome. And he played last night against Atlanta and he was available and he was awesome. And it lasted two games.

22:06 two games before you have him being ruled out with an elbow injury for tomorrow night. That has already been reported today that Friday night's game against the Pelicans, he will not play. And and they also said is out for two games. And so, look, he did bang his elbow on one of the blocks that he had at the rim. He had three. absolutely spectacular blocks. But there's no good outcome with this because what I will tell you is if he's not if I if he's not playing for a reason other than the elbow, that's bad. IF IT IS THE ELBOW, that's bad cuz you couldn't even make it three games. Like, so either this means like you're totally this is a reminder of how unreliable and how unavailable you are or are we just h hurtling towards this inevitable end. As as we record this on Thursday, it's two weeks to the day from the trade deadline, but there's no good outcome that comes from it. And so w with my opium of just be available and

23:32 awesome and if you want to get traded your trade stock goes up by being available and awesome or if you want to earn a extension and you truthfully want to stay in Memphis that will take care of itself by being what? Available and awesome. And step one was Sunday London available and awesome. Step two was Atlanta. They lost the game, but they lost by two and he missed a game-winning three.

24:00 It's available in Austin. Available in Austin. WE DIDN'T MAKE IT to step three.

24:06 What? So, wait, I have I have some Bob questions. My first question I'm stuck on is this is is what is opium? Do you snort opium? Do you smokeopium? DO YOU SHOOT OPIUM? You shoot? Do you have a plug? I need some opium. Yes, I definitely We'll talk about that after the bud. We'll talk. Number two is is like I feel like the whole thing is is everyone knows me. I'm loyal. I've got Memphis tattooed on my back. Grizzly. I want to stay here. I don't think he's being honest. I just don't.

24:39 I mean, I think he wants to be the good guy and the franchise is the bad guy. So, every time he comes back to Memphis, he's celebrated and he ends up sort of like the one who gets to keep the friends in the divorce.

24:52 That's what it feels like to me. Well, I will say that this and I've not had any hope yet

24:56 when there is an elbow injury that has taken place like within two games. Like if the whole thing is the reason you don't have his extension is because you're not available and awesome and now I'm just sitting there going, "Hey man, things will take care of themselves if you play regularly." Do you know it's been three years that he has not played six games in a row? That's disgusting.

25:22 We couldn't even get to three this time. LIKE, WHAT HAS HAPPENED? Either like either one is ridiculous. Either one is ridiculous. Either he just played twice and now he's not going to play anymore on his own valition. I don't know. OR HE ACTUALLY DID GET HURT WITHIN two games, which is also an impossible thing to deal with.

25:46 This sucks. I mean, and they're going to lose to the Pelicans too. It sucks. Oh my god, this whole saga. I've been in the middle of the worst soap opera ever.

25:55 This thing's awful. And it was so fun for two games. It was SO FUN. HE WAS BACK TO LIKE DOING CELEBRATIONS AND DANCING AROUND AND IT'S LIKE OH this is what it was like. It was like this is what it was like when he was awesome and he was. He's engaged. Like last night was the perfect night considering what we've been through for the last year and a half. Like I went to the Knicks game last year where he hated the offense. So he stood in the corner playing thumb wars with Muel Bridges, right? He was they didn't have they didn't have good wings. He's getting guarded by the biggest guy on the team all the time and he's like to hell with this and then he just goes and stands in the corner. Last night was the perfect night for that to happen. And that's what what I was concerned about. I'm like, "Oh, well, we're gonna find out tonight, right? Because they're not in London. Adam Silver ain't breathing down

26:54 your neck anymore. Dyson Daniels is about to be coming for you cuz that's who you're going to catch." He attacked him all night. Like it was like, "Oh, this is back to the way it used to be." And then the news comes out this afternoon. He's he's out. He's got a bum elbow. And it's like, I feel so bad for you.

27:18 Like, are you serious? Just run me over with a car. You sound You sound ridiculous. Yeah, you need you need some more Hopium cuz the Hopium is clearly taken over. There's no hope.

27:26 You guys are over. It's over. Just be lucky if you keep Jiren Jackson. How dare you? How dare you?

27:32 We talked about this. This was in my last room for Carl Towns and guys that stick their fingers in each other butts.

27:38 I will monumentous historic win. Historic win night. I'd rather have a losing record than my team fingering each other's butts.

27:49 You get a lot of mileage out of that. That's all you got. You're just like a child. You're just in the corner. Jaw hates you. Your your whole city hates job and no one wants to say it out loud. Nobody hates. Like, well, your team Well, your team is scared. That's what you sound like. That's what you sound like.

28:06 Nobody hates. Seriously, you're a child. You're reverting back to like just like like like pre free pre-adulthood behavior. You need therapy. You need therapy and you need to get off the

28:18 You were tormented by that moment and I just want to be a constant reminder that that happened. Your team won the NBA cup and started sticking their fingers in each other's asses.

28:28 Fans have been tormented all year. My first loathe obviously because I brought it up last week is whatever comes out of Giannis's mouth. Here's what he said after another bad line.

28:39 We not play hard. Not playing hard. We not do the right thing. We not play to win. Uh not playing together. Our chemistry is not there. Um guys are being selfish. Um guys are trying to look for their own shots instead of look for the right for the right shot for the team. Um guys try to do it on their own.

29:02 I hate this. Doesn't he have like a Doesn't he have like a 50 usage rate? I hate this so much.

29:10 Guys are being sell guys are looking for their own shot. Pass it to me. LIKE YOU'RE GIANNIS ATTENT like I hate everything about this. Like Giannis is one of the most likable, not even athletes, like celebrities, but like this process is ugly and it makes the stink even gets on Giannis's like perfect reputation. Like even I now look at Giannis a little differently than before all of this. Guys are looking for their own shots. We don't have the chemistry. We We don't have the time to get it together. You're the captain of the team. You're the MVP. You're the FACE OF THE FRANCHISE. You're the leader. Be the guy that's the reason we win, not the guy that points the finger at everybody else and says they're looking for their own shots. They need to give the ball.

29:59 He was being a leader. That's why he's calling everybody out. Okay. Okay. Giannis the leader.

30:06 They're going to turn it around. All right. Put a pen in January 22nd. This is when the Bucks are going to turn around the season, make their sprint to the top of the Eastern Conference in the one seed. I mean, I guess he could have I guess he could have just had a players only meeting instead.

30:20 Um, what's your next love? Free throws cratering. I love this. Oh, I love this. Tom Havverstro has been all over this. He's always all over this kind of stuff. Tom Hstro is the goat of

30:32 when you're watching Blazers games, every once in a while he'll pop up in the corner. He's like they're like numbers guy. When you're at league pass watching Blazers games, which I understand if most people don't, but Havstro will just pop up every once be here's Havstro with the number tonight. Average is the absolute goat of NBA trends. And one of the things that he has been on top of is he he noted the other night that the Bucks took nine free throws in in the game on Wednesday night. And then he said that is the 11th time this month that a team has taken less than 10. Now the reason that that is relevant is because it's the 11th time this month that a team has taken less than 10 free throws in a game. That is more than October, November, and December combined.

31:21 Oh, combined. Teams teams took 40 plus free throws almost every night in October and early November. And yet it has not happened since January 7th. And so his whole point is like and and you know Jaylen Brown, you know, drove the ball 23 times a couple weeks ago and

31:44 it was against the Spurs, right? They got four free throws. The entire team shot four free throws the whole game

31:48 and he got zero on 23 drives and he said this is so the point that Habers is making is something has changed, right? Like you're see three different coaches have gotten fined. Jaylen Brown got dinged for 35 grand. Like something has changed. And so what changed right from like this point in January? And my answer is

32:14 I don't give a crap. I just I JUST HOPE IT STAYS. YES. WE DON'T NEED to launch an investigation. Let's just enjoy the results.

32:21 No, no, no. We went through this a few years ago, right? Where they just the All-Star break.

32:26 Yes. And they just stopped calling fouls. Right. Now, the the funny thing was when I was reading it and it said teams took 40 plus free throws almost every night in October and early November. That hasn't happened since January 7th. I almost immediately went to go find out when Austin Reeves got hurt. That's what happened. I mean, it's crazy. the number has gone down a precipitous amount. As someone who goes to NBA games all the time, uh I am always in favor of less free throws. Always. I am always in favor of less free throws and letting things go. And if that if there is an edict, fine. If there is a uh if it has been passed on like, hey, we're going to the free throw line too much. Hey, we got all these, you know, look, we're on Peacock. We're on Amazon. We're on national TV all the time. I'm like, let's cool out on the freaking 90 free throw games. I'm

33:27 thing is like they they have certain blocks in the television blocks for the games. There's so many damn free throws at the end of game sometimes like, oh, turn over to USA if you want to see the Nuggets against the Warriors right now. We're still hearing the Bulls Hornets and they're fouling, you know, for the next 10 minutes. Where's USA again? That's a good one. And shout out to Habstro. Yo, I'm with it.

33:48 So, here's here's my next love. I think rivalry week has gotten a lot of flak and I totally understand that. Right. Cavs Hornets is not exactly like an old rivalry week. Thunderbucks I don't even know how that is a thing. I'm trying to think back like did they have a good regular season game a couple years ago or something like we've all been through this like this has been spit chewed up and spit out by the sort of like NBA media and I understand what they did something that you sell as a package to Amazon. You're going to get this new thing called rivalry week. You're going to pay extra for it. You're going to get the NBA Cup.

34:25 You're going to pay extra for it. You're going to get this. I've got a new week that I think is better than rivalry.

34:30 Oh, I'm with I'm with it. Let me hear it. Here's the title. Peak week. Peak week.

34:38 What we do during peak week. Listen, is it is it a perfect title? No. It just sounds cool, but it I'll get there. Here's what we do during peak week. We relive every year just one or two. and they have those sort of like home and home or like two games in three nights baseball series sort of things. Okay,

34:57 we relive some of the best playoff series in the history of the NBA. So, they wear those uniforms. They bring out some of the old coaches and players. They do special interviews around the games. So, like Kings Lakers 2002,

35:15 you bring back Vlatty, you know what I mean? PA and for the game in Sacramento and then the game in LA, you bring out all the old Lakers. Lakers Celtics 84, Jazz Bulls 97

35:26 and you bring out you bring out the old ref crew to absolutely screw him and Tim Donnie shows up.

35:32 Well, according to Hammerstro, no one's calling anything anymore, so who cares?

35:36 AND YOU BRING OUT TIM DONNIE. COME ON. JUST JUST GO WITH ME ON THIS ONE. THIS IS PRETTY GOOD BECAUSE THERE'S A TON OF SERIES that people forget about too that you can just bring back. You know what I mean? I everyone's like, "Oh, Jerry West like, you know, didn't win the finals, but won MVP." I'm like, "I don't know anything about that series. Maybe that should be dur during peak week." It's just like a little history lesson slash

35:57 throwback jerseys, throwback field, throwback court. It's a stunt week. I'm calling it peak week because it's like when like sort of the I don't know, it just sounds cool.

36:06 We've got to work on the name, but I love branding needs some help. I love this idea. We pick a great playoff series from years past and we relive it with those two teams in those uniforms with like a home and away game where we bring out legends or people are still alive and do run video highlights and things and relive that

36:28 during when I'm currently as a working title as peak week. I love that. Mr. Silver, I know you watch

36:34 and listen to the mismatch twice every episode. You can find me on social, Jacobe Juice, Juicy Ce. Use one of your Finstas or have one of your people reach out to me. I don't even want money for this. I just want credit.

36:47 I love this. And then there's like, right, we the Knicks in the Heat with Van Gundy hanging on a leg and then we have Pistons Bulls. Oh, yeah. Like the, you know, the Jordan rules and like, oh, this could be great. And do you think you think for a second that like you can't get PJ Brown and Alonzo Morning to come out and like Jeff Van Gundy to grab their leg in like a little jokey joke halfcourt ceremony? That'd be awesome. If only we had a colleague that was like really good at understanding

37:14 sort of television stunts and like NBA history that just sort of had like an encyclopedic mind of some of these great matchups and moments that happened in past. Oh, look.

37:25 Oh, you mean you mean Richex? Oh, I thought you were talking about Rich Paul. Yes. Yes. Yes. I was actually talking about um uh Joanna Robinson from the TV recaps.

37:36 Joanna Robinson. Okay. All right. My Night of the Seven Kingdoms is out. I'm into it.

37:41 All right. Uh my next loathe am I loathed? Yeah, I'm loathed, right? Yeah, you're los.

37:47 Yeah. Okay. All right. My next loathe is the lack of the inside NBA. So, the reason that this uh drew my eye this week is because Charles Barkley went on Dan Leard's show and said he was mad about it. And I was like WAIT WHAT?

38:06 FAMOUSLY doesn't want to work. He said, "We've only been on ESPN four times in three months. The first two weeks we were off all of December except for Christmas and all of January until the 24th. He goes, "I looked at the schedule and we're going to be on Saturday and Wednesday and Saturday again. So, we're going to be making up for I guess time lost." He's like, "But I wish we would have been on." And I was like, "Damn, man." Like, he's like, "I just don't want to do all those other shows." that I didn't mean I didn't want to be on ESPN. I just don't want to be on Purse Tank and this and that and ESPN 2 and like I'm not doing all that crap.

38:51 But I didn't mean don't put me on inside the NBA. And so the idea that those guys like have been complaining that they haven't been on more all of a sudden then I WAS LIKE DAMN MAN THEY SHOULD HAVE PUT HIM ON MORE. LIKE you got this thing and I got it right. like it doesn't really crank up until after football is over. I understand, but I didn't realize they'd only been on ESPN four times. That's bananas, man. That's bananas when we've had half the season,

39:23 dude. Dude, it's like that's crazy. They're I think they're on like 15 to 20 times during the regular season until the playoffs. And like I just want to remind Charles that

39:34 the last time I was watching him on Inside the NBA, he was out on his feet at the end of a Christmas marathon like completely just like comeoma toos on television not even forming sentences. They definitely needed two crews for that day. They'll probably do it next year because poor Charles just like midnight. I think the last game went to overtime. It was like the Clippers against the Wolves or something. I remember the Clippers nuggets or something. It was a great game, but it went to overtime. Oh god. And again, like I miss Charles, too, but I saw this coming. I said it earlier in the season.

40:07 I was like I I I I'm pat myself in the back. I saw this coming and I saw the Michael Jordan thing coming the second they made these announcements because I know the schedule. This is the Magic Johnson package. When he was on um NBA Countdown, he was like, "Yeah, let me know when it's important and I'll be there."

40:23 You know what I mean? And so, so like the big ones are the ABC, the threeletter network, and anybody's going to be there on Saturday, right? And it's Saturday. Those are those like 100 pm or 8:00 PM sort of like I think the Saturday ones are 800 p.m. Those prime time things and ABC, you know, it's the Warriors without Jimmy Butler against the Nuggets without Yo Kitchen. You're like Payton Watson against G Santos.

40:47 Did you ever produce any of those like studio shows when you were there? Tons of studio shows, but not

40:52 No, I I That's what I meant. like the game ones like either NFL or NBA or baseball. No, you

40:58 that's like a different Yeah, that's like a different thing like it's called remote production. Those are people like get in trucks and like drive to the Monday Night Football and you know what I mean? And like remote production sort of studio production are two different things.

41:10 All right, what are we on? Loads. I've um I'm an unabashed uh Lamelo Ball supporter against all of my better judgment and what I know about the game of basketball and how it should be played, especially the National Basketball Association. Uh regardless, I just love LaMelo Ball. He plays with a joy and a sort of just sort of whimsy that I just find so endearing. And he and like I've said before, when he has the ball, he's like, "What's the coolest thing I can do right now?" You know what I mean? Like what's going to trend? You know what I He seems like he's like constantly trying to like trend on social with every time he has the ball.

41:43 But there's he's been coming off the bench sometimes and he came off the bench the first time. He was fantastic.

41:48 Uh there was a very quiet loss against the Mavericks. I'm sorry, the Cavericks. I like to call them the Cavers. Against the Cavaliers. And uh LaMelo didn't play well. Um

42:00 Oh, you don't think he he might have been 0 for 10 from three and one for 15 from the field. And um all of that whimsy and joy that I just explained was completely gone and his body language it just like the soul was no longer in his body. And as a LaMelo supporter and as someone who has been in trade rumors I don't think they will move him but he's been in trade rumors. It's not exactly a great um performance that you want to put on the old uh little VHS tape.

42:28 Oh yeah. I I I I I resent the uh the lamelo ball trade rumors completely because I as someone who I'm on the Bill Simmons side of yo this team is so fun to watch. They would be infinitely less fun to watch without Lamelo Ball. Even with Khan, even with Brandon Miller, even with like

42:48 that like if you extracted him from that, it's not nearly as fun. It's fun to watch them

42:57 and a major portion of why it's fun to watch them is the what's going to happen next.

43:04 LaMelo Ball of it all. Yes, absolutely. PJ Edgecom and LaMelo Ball and Womeny Yama are kind of like those worth the price of admission because you never know what you're going to see type of players.

43:13 Yes. And oh god, that Edgecomb block earlier this week that he when he landed like Spider-Man, that was insanity,

43:22 dude. Did they won tonight? If they don't win tonight, this dude, I think it's a tie game or they're up by two. I think they might be up two. He tried to dunk on the entire Rockets with like a minute left in regular in regular regulation. It's just like it's like down in distance, my guy. Like that's a great highlight in the first quarter, second quarter, third quarter. Totally go for it. But don't try to up Anthony Black with a minute left of a tight game in, you know, in a big game and one that you need. But yeah, I love LaMelo Ball.

43:53 That was a tough night for He played pretty well tonight, but I think he started tonight. But, uh,

43:57 my next love from the week, um, this Suns article that I read, I'm gonna give a shout out to Ricky O'Donnell from SB Nation. So, he wrote this article called how the Suns pulled off the NBA's most shocking turnaround. And he he starts the article by talking about how like where where he ranked him at the beginning of the season. And it it's almost like from the perspective of I got this so wrong. How did we get this so wrong? Vegas had them at 30.5 wins for the season. And obviously you see their trajectory right now. They are going to blow past the expectations that not only Vegas but most every analyst had. So but but Ricky just he just took it in his article. He's like, "Look, I this is what I said before the season.

44:53 This is what I said about the Durant trade. This is what I said about like so what all happened here?" And he kind of goes line by line of how did this happen? And he says they nailed the Durant trade, right? You got Brooks and he's like and Green and Malia like Malik's having like a red shirt year.

45:12 Yeah. He's not playing at all. and and Green's a he's like they got two for the horizon that aren't even contributing yet and

45:21 but why does it how do we say Malawak Malak Malak Malawak Malawak Malak Malak Malawak Malawak

45:28 you you don't know just I don't know I don't know Malia are you Malak yeah I think

45:34 well that guy Yep I you look you look at cockbrunner out there oh no for you know for the Hornets even tonight like he's playing tons of minutes and like contributing What is it about he who should not be named that he can't get in the floor?

45:49 This is like a red shirt year for him. It started off injured. Now he's going to play in the G-League. And it's like so,

45:55 okay, he's on the horizon. They nailed the Jordan higher, right? So they nailed that higher of the head coach and then these fringe roster guys that they signed, right? Like get like the the money ball type thing, right? where it's like okay good

46:13 here are and Gillespie, right, who both shoot reasonably from three, but beyond that, they they both have these like freaky steel rates.

46:25 So, they have these steel rates that come along. Uh, and so then he gets kind of then I was most interested in like kind of the X's and O's of it because it gets to that part like, okay, how is this happening? And the fact that they've become like this outstanding defense this year has this very strange statistical profile where they crush the offensive glass, right? So ball goes up and then they do this by they've got like two big wings in Brooks and Royce O'Neal and then they've got Mark Williams and then you've got those little guards that filter in and they chase down. So, they do great on offensive rebounding, right? They are like sixth, I think, in the NBA, it said. Yet, they are amazing as a transition defense. And those two things do not usually add up.

47:22 It you usually have to sacrifice one or the other, right? If we're going to be the team that crashes the offensive glass, we're going to give stuff up going the other way. BUT INSTEAD THEY'RE AWESOME AT BOTH. So in the possession game and then their steel rate is crazy and that is you know Brooks took Gillespie under his wing. Goodwin's obviously had this skill that has been honed like Gillespie and and and and Brooks and and uh and and Goodwin are just like absolute menaces when it comes to this. But the idea that they can create these extra possessions by with the steals, then they create these extra possessions by offensive rebounding and it's like this consistent effort that they put off. And now keep in mind last year they were a miserable offensive rebounding team and a miserable, in fact 27 in transition defense. So, these are things that have just been complete 180s from last year. And the article is

48:27 really good and it's super fascinating because I'm always interested in the almost like the money ball of like how the hell does this happen? Because we've talked about the Suns a lot this year as has everybody as like what is going on here? like like they're not you don't look at it and go like oh well they added him and they added him like they it's IT'S KYLE GILLESPIE AND JORDAN GOODWOOD and Mark Williams whose trade was rescended from the Lakers and it's it's kind of crazy

48:56 Booker's out like they run the offense through Grayson Allen and he scores like 30 and you're just like what and you would think that if the Suns were going to be this good this year if you talked to me in September and said this is going to be the Suns at the end of January I would have been like whoa And like, did they make any big roster moves? No.

49:13 Okay. Well, Devin Booker is like number one in the MVP voting is the next thing I would say, right? They'd be like, no, not a chance. They like pretty much a a decent Devin Booker year, but not like some breakout crazy thing. I'd be like, well, I I then you got me. I don't even know what happened. Like, oh, they just get the best out of everybody who's in the uniform, and they're organized. They're together, and there's this like unity thing. Their roster doesn't look as good on paper. You look at someone like the Clippers or the Cavs and you're like, "Your roster looks so good on paper." Sure,

49:40 Garland's been out or whatever and you, you know, you don't have Max Cruz, but like

49:45 sometimes the team just plays better than the roster on paper and sometimes they don't.

49:49 And we saw this with Oklahoma City, right, where it was like a quarter of their points come off of teams turnover. Like when you you don't even like when people say like uh oh well like what what kind of shooting do you have? Like the shooting matters less when you're getting transition buckets, right? when you're getting layups, you're not having to play as much half court uh offense. And so, not only are you you create you you create yourself easy buckets when you're getting uh easier buckets when you're getting offensive rebounds and when you're getting steals and then they stop the easy buckets the other way. I It's very strange to be that awesome at re at offensive rebounding and transition defense. Credit to them. Pulled it off.

50:40 And I I'll move on in a second, but one thing I find interesting about this is if you look at a team like the Spurse, which is playing, you know, number two in the West, they're great, above expectations. And you look at a team like the Suns, you know, they're sixth in the West, tied for seventh, but 27 and 17, way above expectations. And if you look at the the next few years for the Spurs, they're young. They have a nucleus. Get to the playoffs, lose. Get to the second round, lose. Talk to me in 2028. We'll be like favorites to win the whole thing, right? But the Suns, I don't really know what the plan is for the next three years.

51:14 Well, I because they don't have this sort of like young nucleus, but they they they've built something that you that free agents will want to play with.

51:22 Oh, and it's a great city and they got a great fan base. They really do. Like I I told you this. I went to Arizona about uh maybe six months ago or something like that and I was riding in an Uber and I started this guy had like a Diamondbacks hat on and I saw like Diamondback stuff and I would see some Cardinal stuff but I didn't see nearly as much Sun stuff right and obviously they'd been a disappointment. I asked the guy and I was like, "Hey, man." I was like, "What about the Suns? Like, are you friends of all the Arizona teams?" And he goes,

51:52 "I love I lived and died with that Chris Paul, Muel Bridges, DeAndre A that finals team."

52:02 He goes, "When they broke that up, I I like I liked rooting for them." You know how like earlier this year when I was talking to you about the whole, you know, the Knicks thing in Giannis and you're like, I just like rooting for my team. Like, you know WHAT I MEAN? I DON'T WANT TO I LIKE my team, right?

52:19 I remember those days. Good old days. And there's a lot of Phoenix fans I think THAT THEY LIKE THAT team and then they, you know, they tried to do better

52:27 and it's and then that Uber driver turned around and said, "Sons and four. Suns and four." He's like, "It's the SUNS AND FOUR GUY." I JUST THINK ABOUT THAT GUY and I think I bet he's back.

52:39 Yeah. Yeah. I bet he's back. That's a good point. I bet that guy's back. I bet he's in the fold. Also, their social media team, the videos with the humping squirrel. Oh, you thought I was done? And he's humping like the window and he and they make fun of the opposing team. They're hilarious. I love those. I love the humping squirrel videos. I do. They're great.

53:02 I'm making a note of that. I mean, that's key to the key to Sun success. It's not Jordan Goodwin or the defense.

53:07 It's not Devin Booker or the coaching from Jordan. They they that goes big squirrel. The humping squirrel.

53:14 They they are they you know what? I'm going to give you guys a Phoenix whoever's putting those videos together. You're you're you're getting big credit. And I know the song is, you know, not unique to Phoenix, but you're up there with the Pisses Winonian and a song I haven't heard as much recently. Orlando Magic.

53:33 Oh. After they beat the Grizzlies in Berlin, they went on their microphone like, "Do you have the song?" And they had the song.

53:41 I turned it off. Yeah, I know you did. I turned that one off. I'm a journalist.

53:45 I turned that one off. I'm a journalist. I didn't I didn't watch that after after Anthony Black dunked on the whole team. I said on to hell with this. I'm out. I'm out of here.

53:54 The only thing on Friday afternoon IF THEY CALL SANTI ALAMA A [ __ ] ONE MORE TIME.

54:01 I'm out of here. Fran Vagner tomato chested him and then said [ __ ] and I was like a no.

54:09 In this one in Germany no less. I'll make this one quick. I'm trying to keep this a secret. It's kind of like a no hitter. like, "No, I don't want people to talk about it, but Joel beat has been pretty good."

54:26 Oh god. Yeah. No, I like it. Oh, wow. You're the only one talking about this. Shut up.

54:30 No, I'm not trying to take credit for myself. Ferno, who do you think I am? Did I'm just not trying to let him know. I don't want him to know that he's playing well

54:39 cuz it might ruin it. It's like a no hitter. Like a pitcher with a no hitter. Cuz if he if people start talking about too much and he gets to him, next thing you know, he's going to tear something.

54:47 Oh god. his last five games. Now Drew Hanland's going to clip it. Jesus Jacobe.

54:54 27 20 30 33 and 32. He looks good and it looks slow and it's herky jerky, but when he rises up for a mid-range shot, it just goes in. And he can he can do like a Carl Towns long step slow as [ __ ] delude weird finish thing like he just scores

55:16 now. Okay, here we go. Bill Simmons, the Oracle, as you said, this encyclopedia brain who like he like a week ago, he listed off like the six greatest Patriots catches. And I was like, what? So, we use your encyclopedic brain, the top six non-jumping basketball players. He's got to be like elevating like He doesn't even jump anymore. No, but no, but he can but he can. Jokic will dig joking. He

55:52 No, no. Embiid like really he doesn't jump during the game. Well, that's the thing. Well, here's the thing is like I think that this is a regular season being awesome and

56:00 in a playoff environment he just can't move on defense. Like he cannot move his feet at all. and it works on offense, but on defense in a playoff environment against any decent coach is gonna get absolutely torched and played off.

56:15 I have never been more shocked in my life than when I was at a game two weeks ago and Joel Embiid in Memphis tried to throw it off the backboard and alioop it to himself and dunk it.

56:26 Just the fact that he jump I don't think that was an earnest attempt. I don't think that was AN

56:29 EAR FELL. HE FELL doing it. He was like, "Yeah, I'm never jumping again." He looks good, man. I like it.

56:36 What? Don't yuck my young. Don't Don't yuck my young. I like it. All right, next one. Uh, my next loathe. Draymond Green on Pelle Larson. Are you serious? Okay, I'm not going to go in depth in this, but you know how I've talked about in the past Draymond Green only picks on overseas guys.

56:53 Yeah, you're an unbiased objective journalist and the his history with the Cruises has nothing to do that paints your opinions of him because you're an unbiased objective journalist. I understand

57:01 the fact that he talked about Pelle Larson being possibly dirty and then went on to say, "I'm not a dirty player." I did a quick research project and typed in on YouTube Draymond Green's dirtiest place. There is a 4minute montage that has 280,000 VIEWS. AND THAT'S JUST ONE of the videos. AND THE VIDEO BEGINS WITH HIM kicking Stephen Adams in the polls.

57:36 WHICH TIME? YEAH. A few of those. AND I'M LIKE, IS THAT A DIFFERENT ONE? Then he's LIKE STRANGLING PEOPLE, STOMPING ON PEOPLE. I MEAN, it's unbelievable. Like the irony of him talking about FREAKING I MEAN LARSON,

57:54 the most harmless European player ever. Pelle Larson. And he's like, "Man, when I saw Demar De Rozan get mad at him, he must be doing some sneaky stuff. You know, these Euros, they're they're dirty." It's like, "What? Are you serious? This is like

58:12 I can't believe I can't believe the best thing about this is tonight's game, the first game after the dirty comments, he had a flagrant one in the first half and then he got another flagrant that it looked like he punched Dwight Howell, Dwight Powell in the balls." Upon review, it was a basketball play. He just elbowed him in the chest and it was it was rescended. But then after he got ejected for a his second flicker at one, but then it was rescended so he got to go back on the floor. He then fouled out with about two minutes left in a semi close game, but he's not. Just the idea of there being like not like one, there's like multiple compilations.

58:56 Like everybody just type it in, you'll find it. Search it. People have taken the time to cut together all these dirty plays. It's like him

59:06 grabbing Brandon Clark by the neck and dragging him down, stomping on. It's like crazy. The worst of the worst are egregious.

59:14 They're unbelievable. And okay, a couple we can talk about this Larson. Let me go the other way. Let me zag on this Verno

59:24 because like I really believe because he does that pod by himself that when he says that into a microphone, he really truly believes it in his soul. like he's delusional to the point where I kind of admire him where it's just like it's just like you really think that like you really think there are there is no video of you doing anything dirty on a basketball court or that the things you've done on a basketball court were all justified and you're the victim or you're just a lunatic. But the lack of self-awareness like I'm so insecure and self-deprecating that I could I could never do that. I kind of admire his delusion in a way.

1:00:08 Yeah. No, he really believes that when he says it like Py Larson belongs in this category called dirty NBA player whereas Draymond Green is high IQ tough defender.

1:00:19 It's like Charles Manson doing a podcast talking about somebody being sinister.

1:00:25 Yes. What what are we doing? What? HE'S LIKE THAT GUY. That guy. THAT GUY THOUGH. that guy what but the next game to get a flagrant one by for throwing somebody to the floor and then being accused of punching Dwight Howell in the balls but upon review you didn't and then fouling out it's like okay Larson like Pelle Pelle Larson's like really

1:00:53 yeah yeah he knows my name what all right next love or lo that mean all right we're on loath y this will be quick

1:01:02 your third Just everybody stop coming for my guy Chris Paul. Chris Chris Rich Paul.

1:01:07 Oh, like what are we doing? Look at Austin Reeves says he shouldn't have a podcast and then everyone's jumping on that and it's just like listen he's allowed to have opinions. He's allowed to have a platform. Like why is he and then Jeanie Bus and and Baxter Holmes are writing this long thing about you know Rich Paul's the enemy and Clutch is the worst and ruining the Lakers and this just leave leave Rich alone man. Let him do his thing. Leave him alone. Leave him alone. You a clutch guy now. You didn't tell me.

1:01:43 Yeah. I haven't gotten a free sweatshirt yet. Once I get a sweatshirt, I'm a clutch guy.

1:01:46 You if we do the next Mismatch show and you're wearing a clutch sweatshirt, I'm going to lose my mind.

1:01:54 You should. I'm an XL. I used to be a large. I'm an XL now. I'll send you one so you can wear it. Leave. Oh, yeah. You know what? He really needed somebody to say, "Leave him alone." He really needed that.

1:02:04 Yeah, leave him alone. Yep. All right. Need my last love. Conan's rookie stat so far. So, ESPN put out their list of like their uh best rookies thus far, and it was super interesting that they, you know, look, I know you're you're in the click business, but they gave their reasoning for having Canipus one right now. They elevated him ahead of Cooper Flag. it

1:02:27 even though flag is like -750 to win rookie of the year. But then they listed like these different like historical uh reference points for what Canipple is doing and a couple of them were super interesting. So at one point they said the main narrative is about his three-pointers. He's making 3.4 a game. The Kings Keegan Murray has the rookie record for most made threes which is 206. They say Canipple's on pace to hit over 270. HE WOULD SMASH that record in his rookie year. And by meanwhile, he's shooting 44%. From three. And then this stat about his offensive efficiency. He has a 65% true shooting mark right now, which is the highest for any rookie with at least 20% usage in,200 minutes. And like the other names on there, Sherunis Marcelonus got a shout out, but the other names were like,

1:03:27 no, Magic, Charles Barkley, James Worthy. I mean, a bunch of really good names. And he said, just looking at this season, Canipple's true shooting percentage is higher than seven of the 10 Allstar starters except for Joic, Giannis, and SGA. He is third amongst all high usage guards behind only SGA and Austin Reeves. And he is 20. AND

1:03:59 THIS ALSO ISN'T a volume thing either. Like he's shooting at a decent volume. It's not just like

1:04:04 No, no, no. His usage rate is they like they use that as But even that he can still be low volume, high usage rate, but like

1:04:10 Yeah. unbelievable at 20 as a rookie to be as he is having one of these like all-time efficiency seasons. He has been just outstanding so far and I think that kind of put it in perspective when I was reading all that. I was like damn man like that is I wonder

1:04:30 first time through the league. Someone text do you have Tom Habro's number? Get a Habro on this. When was the last time American Caucasians went one and two in Rookie of the Year?

1:04:41 Never. I mean, you can't say never. I mean, 54. It had to be the 50s. It had to be the 50s.

1:04:53 Oh, let me go grab the book of basketball. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Go grab that. All right. We got to finish up. I'm on loves.

1:05:00 Yep. All right. There's a story the National Basketball Association that really gets to sort of like your soul and one of the reasons that you love sports which is sort of the underdog the second opportunity that everyone's counted them out but they've come back and you know not only does Jonathan Kaminga represent this someone who had 16 DMPs and then has performed well in the last couple games and amidst all the sort of behind the scenes turbulence and triumph but there's another athlete that exemplifies this exact thing that we all love in terms of storytelling and the triumph of the human spirit, what we look for in sports. That other athlete is um Haley Vernon of a 12-year-old

1:05:43 12year-old Memphis WC league team. Is that right? School at school. Whatever. Had a DMP. What? Four games ago.

1:05:53 Yeah. Four games. Was upset about it. Oh yeah. Much like Jonathan Kamingo. I was with I was with you in New York when it happened and my phone was blowing up

1:06:02 and then you texted me one of my favorite texts you've ever texted me and there's been many uh just your notes function from one of her games. Let me see if I can find this. We text each other a lot.

1:06:15 Unbelievable. Where is it? You find it. Oh my god, I got so many texts. Anyway, it just said steel bucket. Steel rebound rebound. steel, bucket, rebound, steel, steel, bucket, rebound. I was just like, damn, Haley. She was on a tear.

1:06:32 I told I told her, I said, look, every time you get in the game, you've got to give it everything you've got, and I am going to chart every steel, rebound, 50/50 ball, and bucket. All right.

1:06:48 Oh, I like the 50/50 balls. Those are good. You got to win every one of those. That should be a stat. And just the idea that I was gonna be marking these down.

1:06:58 Wait, hold on. Put Hold the push brakes. Punch the brakes here. Pull the brakes. We're not celebrating you here. I don't love Chris Vernon, the motivational dad. I love Haley Vernon, the young athlete who's been through turbulence and downs and brought herself to the ups. Not. She had some sports dad saying, "I'm going to track everything you do, so you better go out there and hustle."

1:07:22 I will just say, uh, get that. I'm out. Career high career high 18 tonight for the aforementioned.

1:07:28 Oh, yeah. Probably because you motivated her. I gave her a popsicle on the way over there. Yeah,

1:07:32 it was crumble cookie. Yeah, those are good. Those are good. Too big. Too big. Too big.

1:07:39 She was She was slamming it. I mean, it was a horrible pregame meal, but I mean, then she had a careerh high, so now she's going to think she needs

1:07:47 crumble cookies every time. I know. Talk about the disaster. One time I had a I had a cocktail before a really good wreck league game and then if the next week came around, I was like well

1:07:58 got to. There's only one there's only one option here. It's when I play my best. All right.

1:08:04 Yeah. You don't want me stressed out out there. My last loath. Uh, all these stories about the Pelicans not trading anybody except for Jose Alvarado and Eve's Missy. Bro, look, I am Many have called me Mr. Small Market. I

1:08:24 Oh, that's a good one. And I am the keeper of the flame and defender of all small market teams. I understand fandom in a small market. I understand the plight of a small market, but bro, YOU'RE 10 AND 36. LIKE, WHAT ARE we doing here?

1:08:45 You didn't draft any of these guys. You traded your pick to the Hawks. Move up, Derek. We are not trading Herb Jones. We're not

1:08:54 You think Zion's going to turn the corner next year? We're not trading Trey Murphy and we're not trading Zion W. LIKE, WHY?

1:09:01 WHY NOT? CUZ YOU cuz you're 10 and 36. What is going like what is the point? Like look, I'm about to see THEM IN PERSON TOMORROW NIGHT. Like you know what? I'M EXCITED TO SEE QUEEN. They say the future is fears and Queen.

1:09:20 So why would you hold on to Jones Murphy and that's THE TIMELINE NOW. BUT I just I just Yeah, it's just bizarre to me. It's just bizarre. That's all. It's just bizarre.

1:09:33 I have one final load and I'll leave you with this. Uh, Verno, there was a report um as Jake Fischer, one sort of like Mark Stein's people had a report and uh, you know, on Tuesday, one of the things I said that I care about is the future of LeBron James and Stephen Curry. And here's the report and I don't love I don't loathe this reporting at all. Shout to Jake Fischer

1:09:54 that the Warriors are targeting Giannis Attento in a trade and also targeting LeBron James this off season.

1:10:03 Now, I have no idea if this report is accurate or what the sources are or anything. That's not the part that I loathe, right? I just load the fact that I'm being teased with this because because I said I care so much about the future of LeBron James and Steph Curry and I got so sad that they're both in these sort of like dead end teams and next year is so just just a a foggy messy murky who knows question mark looming ahead of them. But the idea that we could have Giannis and Steph and and you're not gonna be all three area with LeBron in the offseason signs for a vet minimum. I don't know.

1:10:39 It just don't tease me with this. That's what I love about it. It's cuz I know it's never going to happen, but it just sounds so amazing.

1:10:45 The real last dance and then they win the championship and retire. What? I I honestly look Hey, look, Mike Dunlevy, maybe you could pull it off. Mike Dunlevy, who really made a name for himself with the most unbelievable press conference this week of saying when you demand a trade, there has to be demand. Okay, counterpoint. Unbelievable. If you are in negotiations to trade a player, you should not publicly state that there is no demand for that player. I'm just I I don't I don't do I don't work in the front office. I don't read books about how to negotiate, but just my gut tells me that if I was trying to trade someone, I would not devalue them publicly before I did. So,

1:11:33 think I think they all just hate Jonathan Kaminga. Hate him so much. Why isn't Draymond Why is Draymond beat his ass?

1:11:40 Everybody Everybody loves Draymond so much. Yeah, love him. Love him. But Jonathan Kaminga a bad guy.

1:11:46 Yeah, you beat up Jordan Pool, but you have him beat up this guy. I don't know. I've never I mean I don't know anything about Jonathan Kamingo's personality, but everyone said he's been such a pro through this. He's working super hard during practice and like poor guy. What do you do?

1:12:01 Missed a couple defensive assignments. It's going to do it for this episode of the Dispatch. Thank you to our producer Jesse Lopez as always. I'll talk to you next week. must be 21 or over and present in select states for Kansas in affiliation with Kansas Star Casino or 18 and over and present in DC, Kentucky or Wyoming. Gambling problem, call 1800 gambler or visit rg-help.com. Call 1888789-777 or visit ccpg.org/hat org/hat in Connecticut or visit mdgamblinghelp.org in Maryland. Hope is here. Visit gamblinghelplinemma.org or call 80032750 for 247 support in Massachusetts. Or call 18778y or text hopey in New York.

Questions about this episode

Who speaks in "Are the Sixers Back? Plus: The Suns' Turnaround Season, and Jalen Johnson’s Rise | The Mismatch"?

Chris Vernon (Host), Dave Jacobe (Host).

What is discussed in "Are the Sixers Back? Plus: The Suns' Turnaround Season, and Jalen Johnson’s Rise | The Mismatch"?

In order: 0:00 Joel Embiid, Paul George, Chris Vernon, Dave Jacobe; 10:00 FanDuel, Chris Vernon, Golden State Warriors, Atlanta Hawks; 20:00 Memphis, Memphis Grizzlies, Denver Nuggets, NBA Cup; 30:00 Dave Jacobe, NBA, All-Star break, NBA Cup; 40:00 NBA, Cleveland Cavaliers; 50:00 Joel Embiid, Memphis, Orlando Magic, Memphis Grizzlies; 1:00:00 Chris Vernon, Memphis, New York, New York; 1:10:00 New York, New York.

What is mentioned in this Ringer NBA episode?

28 people, works and ideas are mentioned, including Chris Vernon, Dave Jacobe, NBA, Joel Embiid, Orlando Magic, Tyrese Maxey. Each one on this page links to its own page with every episode that mentions it.

How long is "Are the Sixers Back? Plus: The Suns' Turnaround Season, and Jalen Johnson’s Rise | The Mismatch"?

The episode runs 1 h 13 min; the transcript is about 13,328 words in 229 timestamped sections.

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