Bob Ryan and Gary Tanguay si down to discuss the biggest stories in the NBA this week, inluding the Celtics' frustrating Game 2 loss, Rick Carlisle facing a fine form the league, an overview of what we've learned form the playoffs so far, and much more!
00:35 - Celtics’ frustrating loss
07:58 - PRIZEPICKS
08:55 - Porzingis is missed
10:15 - Can Mazzulla right the ship
14:20 - Rick Carlisle fined
19:55 - GAMETIME
21:40 - Playoff Reset
28:33 - International MVPs
The Bob Ryan and Jeff Goodman Podcast is powered by:
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00:35 - Celtics’ frustrating loss
07:58 - PRIZEPICKS
08:55 - Porzingis is missed
10:15 - Can Mazzulla right the ship
14:20 - Rick Carlisle fined
19:55 - GAMETIME
21:40 - Playoff Reset
28:33 - International MVPs
The Bob Ryan and Jeff Goodman Podcast is powered by:
PRIZEPICKS! Get in on the excitement with PrizePicks, America’s No. 1 Fantasy Sports App, where you can turn your hoops knowledge into serious cash. Download the app today and use code CLNS for a first deposit match up to $100! Pick more. Pick less. It’s that Easy! Go to https://PrizePicks.com/CLNS
GAMETIME! Take the guesswork out of buying NBA tickets with Gametime. Download the Gametime app, create an account, and use code CLNS for $20 off your first purchase. Download Gametime today. Last minute tickets. Lowest Price. Guaranteed. Terms apply.
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SportsTranscript
00:00 [MUSIC]
00:10 It's time for Bob Ryan, Gary Tangua, Zoom and Pod right here on CLNX.
00:26 We are brought to you by PrizePix, the exclusive daily fantasy partner of CLNX Media.
00:30 Pick more, pick less, it's that easy, always with PrizePix.
00:34 Okay, last night, at the time of recording this, this is the day after the Celtics game 2 loss.
00:39 And I was pretty pissed off last night, as Bob and Jeff Goodman could tell on the text chain.
00:45 Here's my concern with the game 2 loss, as opposed to the others.
00:50 Because as we know in the NBA, it's just, it's a different world than the 80s, okay?
00:56 And even the 90s.
00:57 Game 2 against Miami was a 10 point loss.
01:01 It was like one of those games.
01:03 I thought when I was watching the Celtics game last night,
01:06 it was tied at halftime, or maybe one point different.
01:10 And I thought to myself, okay, they could lose this game.
01:13 The Celtics could lose game 2, but maybe it's gonna be a 5 point loss, 3 point, whatever.
01:17 I didn't think it would be a big, but I mean, they just got blown out in the second half.
01:22 They lost by 24 at home to a team that is, I get it, they have a star player.
01:28 I wasn't frustrated by the loss, I was frustrated by the way they lost.
01:33 Of course, we tied it to half.
01:35 I never dreamed that they would, I thought we knew they could lose the game.
01:39 Yeah, I said, okay, they could win.
01:40 I thought they would win the game, but it was terrible.
01:43 They said 8 for 35 on threes.
01:45 And having said that, you say, well, if we're having a bad shooting day,
01:49 maybe we better double down on defense.
01:50 And that never happened.
01:52 Thank you.
01:53 Thank you.
01:53 Thank you.
01:54 So that never happened.
01:56 There's a fault line all the way from the top down on this one, I think.
02:00 And it was a disturbing loss.
02:04 So my answer is, okay, either you're willing to give them a mulligan or you're not.
02:09 And I am.
02:10 I appear to be in the minority among the circle of friends I have who care about this.
02:16 And okay, fine, I'll be Mr. Pagliana.
02:20 I'll give them a mulligan.
02:22 But they were doing.
02:23 Not that cut and dry, though, Bob.
02:24 Here's the I got to tell you what's going on in my mind.
02:26 I'm more I as you I don't think I was as you have pointed out from the get go.
02:36 The concerns with this team front runners, final two minutes of a game, so forth and so on.
02:44 Yeah, yeah.
02:46 I'm wondering about the toughness now.
02:49 And I thought we were past that.
02:51 And I know it's only one game.
02:53 But you got the next who they should be.
02:56 And they will probably win this series against Cleveland.
02:59 But now I'm thinking just how tough is Tatum?
03:03 I mean, he's trying to go to the basket.
03:05 They're trying to play the non three game and they can't do it.
03:08 Like they couldn't do it last night.
03:10 And that's my frustration.
03:11 If you get in the finals with Minnesota, you are ahead of the game on their star guy.
03:15 Like I'm not so sure if Denver is out.
03:18 It's a foregone conclusion.
03:19 The Celtics win the title.
03:21 Oh, I'm not either because I have growing respect for Minnesota, if that's the case.
03:25 No, and you're right.
03:27 I took note.
03:28 I think I may have tweeted to somebody.
03:30 I took note.
03:31 I know I did.
03:32 Ex, excuse me, the missing layups, they're getting to the hoop and not finishing.
03:38 Right.
03:38 That was disturbing.
03:39 I was, you know, that you're right.
03:42 There's lots of dislike about that game.
03:43 There's no question that there's no there's no redeeming anything out of that game.
03:49 No individual performance.
03:50 Nobody.
03:52 There's nothing redeeming out of that game.
03:53 OK, I totally grant you that.
03:55 And in keeping with this discussion about the toughness and all.
03:58 OK, what they were doing was historic and aberrational.
04:02 They had won five playoff games this year by 20, 20, 14, 24 and 25.
04:10 OK, nobody does that.
04:12 Nobody does that.
04:13 Nobody.
04:15 OK, the 50 Lakers didn't do it.
04:17 The six, the 86 Celtics didn't do it.
04:20 The Bulls didn't do it.
04:21 Nobody's ever done anything like that.
04:24 That wasn't going to sustain itself.
04:25 That didn't make any sense.
04:26 OK, now that they have been slapped in the face.
04:29 Now let's see how they respond.
04:32 I'm not.
04:33 I've been very curious to see how they respond.
04:37 And I think that's the issue here.
04:39 You're right to question them.
04:42 And I question them, too, on this regard.
04:43 This has not been settled.
04:45 This issue of there was toughness, their inner fortitude, whatever you want to call it,
04:48 has not been settled.
04:49 I agree.
04:50 And this is one step in the process of finding out who they are.
04:55 So there's no redeeming thing out of that.
04:59 Right, right, right.
04:59 But this is why as a Celtic fan and no longer a media member, even though I'm on CLM Media,
05:05 this is why I get so upset.
05:08 They have so much talent.
05:09 So much talent.
05:14 That's the thing that drives me crazy.
05:16 I'm like, OK, I could take a 10-point loss in game two.
05:20 I could take an eight-point loss.
05:21 You got outplayed.
05:22 It didn't-- they got great players, too.
05:25 They have so much talent that, quite frankly, if Denver doesn't--
05:33 well, we don't think--
05:35 I mean, if Denver's out of it, which is probably going to happen.
05:38 If they don't win the championship, I just feel like it's such a waste.
05:43 You know?
05:44 There's so much talent on this team, Bob.
05:46 That's why--
05:47 And we agreed that the time is now and that they do have the talent.
05:51 I've been saying all year, they've got the most talented, one to five, six, seven, eight,
05:56 nine, and right down to 10.
05:57 They have the most talented roster in the league.
05:59 I cannot believe there isn't a coach in the league who wouldn't trade the roster.
06:03 There's for this roster and say, OK, now let me at them.
06:06 You know, I'll take them over.
06:08 I'll take this roster.
06:10 The deepest roster of legitimate NBA players who deserve to be in a ball game when it's
06:15 two minutes to go or whatever way you want to define it for yourself, they've got it.
06:19 And so it would be very, very bad if they squandered this opportunity.
06:23 They haven't squandered it yet.
06:25 Not to mention, these are the playoffs.
06:28 I looked it up just for the hell of it.
06:29 And in our own experience, and I'm sure there were plenty of other teams that have it.
06:33 You know, I mean, just the fact-- yeah, they lost at home.
06:36 OK, fine.
06:37 The '85-'86 Celtics are one-off.
06:40 They never lost a game in the playoffs at home.
06:43 They lost one game all year in Boston Garden.
06:45 And OK, that's it, OK?
06:47 And '81, they lost game one to Philadelphia at home, and they won five and seven on the
06:54 road.
06:54 That team.
06:55 '84, they lost game one at home to the Lakers.
06:59 They lost game three by 33 points.
07:01 Remember that one?
07:02 That's the 12-to-heart transplants game.
07:04 They played like sissy's game.
07:06 They won game four in overtime, and they won the whole thing in seven.
07:09 I mean, it's just historically-- so you can lose at home once in a while.
07:14 If you can't win on the road, you don't deserve to be a champion.
07:17 Well, that's true.
07:18 That's true.
07:18 There's open questions about this team.
07:20 If they had lost by one point-- well, no.
07:24 This is more disturbing, but more rationalizing than the tortures when you lose the one-point
07:35 game.
07:36 This is well worth talking about.
07:37 I can take that.
07:38 Like, see, like, to me-- and you've said it, too.
07:41 We've all said it.
07:42 The 300 or whatever best players in the world are in the NBA.
07:45 You know, so if Cleveland wins game two, they were on fire, and the Celtics played their
07:52 ass off, and they were playing great.
07:55 And, you know, it just goes Cleveland's way.
07:56 Like, I can live with that.
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08:52 Moving on from that, I just have a couple more questions on that, though.
09:00 Obviously, this is the first time we've seen since he went down where Porzingis was missed.
09:07 Yeah, because he's playing.
09:10 He had become plan B.
09:11 You know, we're worried about this.
09:14 We are.
09:14 I think who isn't that cares about the game, worried about this obsession with the three.
09:18 Right, right.
09:19 And they're living by it and dying by it.
09:21 And they do have an alternative sheer to throw the ball into a 7-3 guy who knows what he's
09:25 doing.
09:25 He wasn't there.
09:26 And would they have usually utilized him?
09:28 Probably not.
09:29 But maybe they maybe they would have.
09:30 I don't know.
09:31 We all feel the same way that they should be able to get through the East without him.
09:35 But they're going to need him when they get to the finals one way or the other, whether
09:38 they're playing Minnesota or whether they're playing the Denver.
09:41 I don't think it would be OKC, but but probably Minnesota or Denver.
09:45 Yeah, this is still an open.
09:49 You know, they're going to I've said this.
09:50 I don't know if you remember, I definitely said my number one question other than the
09:54 generalized one about their makeup.
09:56 You know, my my number one technical question entering the playoffs was, will Joe Mazzola
10:02 use Krasingis to his best advantage properly?
10:06 And we don't know now because he's not playing.
10:09 So that's going to be that was my number one question.
10:12 And here's my second point.
10:14 And in regard to Mazzola, done a great job.
10:19 No argument.
10:20 But when stuff gets shaky and you need somebody to right the ship, we still don't know if
10:25 he's that guy.
10:26 I'm sure you can think of examples in the past where teams have needed an adjustment.
10:31 They've needed a talking to, if you will.
10:34 And.
10:36 You know, I don't know if we don't know.
10:40 We don't know if he has that cloud.
10:42 No, we don't know.
10:43 No, you know, I mean, I'm thinking of previous Celtic teams and, you know, the 60s, they
10:47 had these these Hal Hawthorne veterans and, you know, wind up with a player coach who
10:52 was, you know, the most important player in history.
10:54 And then the next generation, you had how we'll check around and Silas, who was the
10:59 conscience of that team.
11:01 He was the conscience of the 74, 76 championship teams.
11:05 And then the next group, we got Bird, McHale and Parrish and veteran.
11:09 And then the last championship we had, you know, Mr. Alphadog Garnett, not to mention
11:14 Pierce had grown into him into greatness.
11:16 Pierce had grown into greatness.
11:18 We had and we had Ray Allen.
11:20 We had three major adults in the room that, you know, with that team, not to worry about
11:24 that. But the point I'd also like to make in a guy that to me gets he's underrated is
11:29 your friend Bill Fitch.
11:30 When the Celtics were young in 81 and yeah, you know, I mean, and he would he had oh,
11:36 he was a tough coach.
11:38 He he relished the dual sergeant role.
11:42 He identified himself in that vein, you know, and no question.
11:48 And and a war on people and eventually and everybody tuned him out.
11:52 But one person in thirty three, everybody else tuned him out eventually.
11:55 But yeah, he was there for that.
11:57 And then of course, they went completely opposite direction and personality.
12:01 Anyway, now you're now Joe Masola is still this is year two.
12:07 I know of a coach with a guy whose previous head coaching experience was at Fairmont State.
12:13 We know he's intelligent.
12:15 We know he's intelligent.
12:18 Oh, that's not great.
12:19 I applaud it.
12:21 He called it old fashioned, complete routine.
12:24 This is the moment time out in the second quarter.
12:28 I went, yes, that's this is exactly it.
12:31 So I think the timeout thing has been rectified.
12:34 But anyway, well, it it certainly gave people a lot to talk about last night.
12:41 We can.
12:42 Oh, there's no doubt.
12:43 I was just I was really the loss didn't bother me to wrap it up.
12:47 The loss didn't bother me.
12:48 The second half lackluster effort did.
12:52 Yeah, you're right.
12:53 And the fact that it was at home, which people are harping on, you know, historically,
12:57 you know, you don't do what the eighty five, eighty six Celtics do routinely.
13:02 You got to.
13:02 And of course, then we have the famous seventy four when
13:04 there were five road victories out of seven in that.
13:08 So we gave those days when I went and I'm looking to see that.
13:12 So anyway, by the way, OKC lost at home last night.
13:16 Well, well, this is going on.
13:17 Yeah.
13:18 And to Donchik, who has been limping around, he's got two bad knees, apparently.
13:23 And he went out and bounced back and and had his twenty nine.
13:28 So so that both both the favorites, you know, got beaten home.
13:32 All right.
13:33 Fine.
13:34 That's what the playoffs, folks.
13:36 We don't like the way ours was.
13:37 Theirs was more conventional.
13:39 You know, OKC's loss.
13:40 This was this was an annoying loss.
13:42 Very much.
13:43 Again, it was just the way it went down where I was.
13:46 Come on, I lose it to my twenty four.
13:49 No, no, no.
13:49 There was no there's no resistance the way it should.
13:53 Yeah, it was like, you know, no, no, no, no.
13:55 At least because you never know.
13:58 You never know.
14:00 That's the thing is, it's like if you're OK, so it's not your night.
14:04 The threes aren't falling.
14:05 You know, you've been around long enough.
14:07 You keep it within 10.
14:09 So you keep it within 10 with four minutes to go.
14:11 You never know.
14:12 White hits a three.
14:14 Brown goes to the hoop and gets fouled.
14:16 You know, you just never you might steal one.
14:18 That's all.
14:19 OK, moving on.
14:20 Yeah.
14:20 Fellow University of Maine black bear.
14:24 He was there for two years before he went to Virginia.
14:26 That's why we got to claim Rick Carlisle.
14:29 I like to say he and I went to the same school for a little bit.
14:33 Yeah, he lost his he lost his head.
14:36 And that was by thirty five thousand dollars for that.
14:39 Did he?
14:40 Are they funny?
14:41 That's they find a thirty five grand slap on the wrist.
14:44 Rick, what to me, utterly out of character for the person that I've known since 19.
14:51 Well, maybe that maybe that's why the fine was so low, completely out of character.
14:54 That he's a rational person.
14:56 He's an intelligent guy.
14:57 The idea that you would present to the world this with a straight face that you have found
15:02 seventy nine, you know, non bad calls or non calls going against you.
15:09 It's just laughable.
15:10 It's like you've got to be kidding.
15:12 It's like a sick joke.
15:13 And to present it publicly and put it with a straight face and that's nonsense.
15:19 And then they imply that, you know, that the small market teams don't get a break when
15:24 we just had a small market team from Texas win five championships.
15:28 And when we have a reigning champion from a market, it's not exactly overwhelming in
15:33 the middle of Colorado.
15:34 And come on, Rick.
15:36 No, that's that's not.
15:37 And and talking about a team that's won once since that has not won in 51 years.
15:42 So the next.
15:43 So no, that that was crazy.
15:46 But the New York Post took care of him.
15:48 Long live the Post, man.
15:51 Long live the Post.
15:52 It's I like to fancy myself as a student of officials.
15:58 I earlier in my career, I wrote about him a lot.
16:00 And but and.
16:02 And I've seen many officiating injustices in my life and have written about many of
16:10 them, and I'm not any point watching this series has entered my mind that the pacers
16:17 were getting hosed.
16:18 Right now, we talk about the macro and the micro, the micro.
16:23 Oh, yeah, we're going to scrutinize that famous illegal pick play, you know, and and OK, one
16:28 play in the end, that's going to be scrutinized by definition.
16:32 Right.
16:32 We know that's going to happen.
16:33 That's OK.
16:34 And you can come on either side of that.
16:36 But the macro is the big story here.
16:38 He's implying that there's a conspiracy theory going on.
16:41 And and that's nonsense.
16:43 It's utter nonsense.
16:44 And and I'm sorry.
16:46 And yeah, in the heart of hearts with with the networks, everybody like to see New York
16:52 as opposed to Indiana.
16:54 Yeah, we know that.
16:55 But I do not believe that they are influencing the officials in any way or that they feel
16:59 influenced in any way.
17:00 And I don't see I don't see it in this series.
17:02 I'm sorry.
17:02 And he's harping on this play.
17:04 There was an on call because a heart pushed Halliburton in the back and everybody knows
17:10 his back is bad.
17:11 Like, Rick, what?
17:13 That's silly.
17:15 It's just silly.
17:16 I'm unbecoming is the only word.
17:18 And I really like Rick and my room in a lot of ways and just don't understand what this
17:24 lapse of judgment has taken place.
17:26 I wonder if he still tapes his ankles before the game.
17:29 I don't know.
17:31 I love that.
17:32 I love that.
17:34 I was like, what?
17:35 That was in Detroit.
17:36 Detroit was his first team, right?
17:38 Then Dallas.
17:39 Yeah, yeah.
17:42 And I remember, yeah, Detroit.
17:44 Can't remember if we were there or whatever.
17:45 But then somebody said, yeah, yeah, he tapes his ankles.
17:49 He goes through taping his ankles before the game.
17:51 And I went, wow, man, that is I wonder if he still plays the piano.
17:54 Remember, he was a self-taught, non-music reading piano player.
17:59 I don't remember that.
18:00 Oh, yeah.
18:01 He used to go in the lounges.
18:02 He could play the piano.
18:03 He played by ear.
18:04 Oh, wow.
18:05 Yeah.
18:05 So he's a fascinating guy.
18:08 Yes.
18:09 I mean, he had a.
18:12 OK, anyway, that's that story.
18:14 And meanwhile, in that series, if Jalen Brunson is not playing Game 3 as well, you know, and
18:21 Ananoby's out, you know, the Knicks can only take so much.
18:24 They have done remarkably well, you know, with the attrition factor.
18:28 Robinson's out.
18:29 I mean, they can't take continue to take hits like this, which brings us to Josh Hart.
18:35 Yes, sir.
18:35 Go ahead.
18:36 Josh Hart, ladies and gentlemen, is not Mr.
18:39 Minnit in the first two games.
18:40 You don't see this anymore.
18:42 You don't see this.
18:43 So just to put it in context, though, about about, you know, what the gold mark is,
18:51 the gold standard is in 1969, ladies and gentlemen, in the NBA finals,
18:56 John Havlicek and Bill Russell each played 48 minutes in all seven games.
19:02 And how about seven games?
19:06 They played the entire playoffs series, period.
19:10 John averaged 28 points, 11 rebounds and four assists.
19:14 Russell averaged 21 rebounds in the six games and in the seven games.
19:20 And then that's Russell's final year.
19:23 That was his final year, his final game.
19:24 He had six points and 21 rebounds.
19:26 Jerry West, meanwhile, I was I was looking him up.
19:29 Of 336 total minutes, he only missed 29.
19:33 So he wasn't exactly a slacker either.
19:35 But just but this is what Josh Hart.
19:38 That's the bar that Josh Barth has to surmount.
19:42 There's John Havlicek and Bill Russell, each playing every minute of every game in the
19:46 1979 seven game final.
19:48 69, excuse me.
19:49 OK, now where were we?
19:50 That's exactly where we were going.
19:53 That's I mean, you just love to see the minutes.
19:56 Playoff time.
19:57 There is nothing like it.
19:58 I mean, the energy, the effort amps up a good 50 to 75 percent compared to the regular season.
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21:38 Before I know you want to talk about the international MVP, but let's get let's do a reset
21:43 of the playoffs right now.
21:45 Let's because we had certain thoughts coming in.
21:47 Right.
21:48 Obviously, we thought Denver, Boston, Denver, Boston, which I mean, Boston has the one loss.
21:53 I get it.
21:54 We know what's going on with Denver.
21:55 How has your opinion changed about the playoffs?
22:00 I'm going to give you a Ryan reset.
22:01 My first, the biggest takeaway that I've gotten from the playoffs, and I said this early on,
22:06 and it's being enhanced almost daily is first, I said, how good Minnesota and OKC are.
22:13 How good they really are and what they what kind of a threat they pose.
22:17 And now I'm going to separate those two to say how big a threat Minnesota is that you've
22:22 got to take very seriously the position they have put Denver in and the reasons why.
22:27 And and the number one reason, of course, is that Anthony Edwards has taken a step forward
22:32 into superstardom at age twenty two in his fourth year.
22:36 He is he has emerged as a as a transcendent player in our time.
22:40 Yes.
22:41 Evoking memories of a certain number who I want to know.
22:44 What you brought up.
22:45 I go, OK, and and the two big men can play together in a very and very efficient way.
22:51 And they they are they're definitely a danger.
22:55 OK, and OKC, they're good.
22:59 They're very good, too.
23:00 And but Denver is vulnerable out there.
23:03 They're vulnerable.
23:04 And Murray is not 100 percent.
23:07 And that's important, extremely important.
23:09 So that's that's that's my number one takeaway.
23:13 Other than that, you know, I don't know.
23:16 And here's my here's my but.
23:19 I think the Knicks down the road are going to be a force to be reckoned with.
23:23 If you're healthy and if you can make I don't know what their cap situation is.
23:29 Yeah, yeah.
23:29 But I mean, if they you just mentioned, I mean, everybody here's with Brunson alone.
23:37 They have been really causing problems.
23:39 Now, obviously, I mean, if the Celtics played the Knicks and it was just Brunson,
23:44 I'm still going with the Celtics.
23:46 But if the Knicks are 100 percent or if they do some tweaking in the offseason,
23:50 the Knicks have something to build on.
23:52 And I don't think I ever would have thought that
23:56 the Knicks would be equivalent to maybe Milwaukee or Philadelphia.
24:00 But.
24:01 Philadelphia can't stay healthy.
24:05 And I always consider Milwaukee to be the biggest threat to the Celtics.
24:09 Yeah.
24:09 But I think if the if the Knicks tweak the roster in the offseason and everybody stays healthy,
24:16 I think you can I think you'll be able to next season say they are a threat to the Celtics.
24:20 Just go back to January when they had a healthy Randall.
24:23 And January, they had the best month they've had in 20 years.
24:27 And and they were forced.
24:29 I agree with you.
24:30 They're going to be heard from the coaching.
24:32 There's no arguments.
24:34 I'm sorry.
24:35 Can't have an argument there.
24:37 The front office there were questions about how Leon Rose is running that team,
24:40 but he's made some good moves.
24:41 The issue is going to be contractual with the big guys right now.
24:45 I believe Robinson's, you know, Robinson and Hartenstein.
24:48 So you see what that's that's an issue about.
24:52 Can they hold on to them?
24:54 And wouldn't it be nice if they can keep them both?
24:57 You know, Hartenstein's an excellent backup and more than I ever realized.
25:00 No, they've got a lot going for them right now.
25:03 They definitely do.
25:04 And I totally agree with that.
25:06 They're no longer just that.
25:08 Oh, aren't they a fun team to watch from New York?
25:11 But they're not really a threat.
25:12 Well, that's kind of changing.
25:14 You know, it is.
25:15 And they've got the garden galvanized.
25:17 And what I gather, the garden is back as a place, as a great six man.
25:23 And that's just good.
25:25 I think I've said continually over the years that every league benefits when New York teams are good.
25:31 Of course.
25:31 What sport it is.
25:32 We've got their polarizers.
25:33 They roused the nation for or against them.
25:36 And that's good.
25:37 So, you know, good to have the Knicks back in the mix.
25:40 And I agree with you.
25:40 And they're next.
25:41 Randall supposedly will heal and everybody and nobody will heal.
25:48 Brunson will not.
25:49 That's no debilitating issue.
25:51 They're going to be.
25:51 They're definitely going to be hurt from.
25:53 Yeah, you know, and that's the thing.
25:54 Again, you know, you take a look at Brunson and you take a look at Tatum.
25:58 And again, not to pile on Tatum, because it's really hard.
26:03 It's hard being a great player in Boston without a ring.
26:05 It's really hard.
26:08 You know, I think we could we don't save a whole segment.
26:11 About this interesting situation regarding Tatum.
26:16 It is a lot to be said.
26:18 You've opened the door there.
26:20 And I have it's in my mind to to talk about the stress on this young man.
26:25 A lot is not really fair.
26:28 And he's a you know, he's in a certain locale where we.
26:32 I always say about Boston and not just about sports, but but in general,
26:38 we are you like to be enhanced by history, but you don't want to be swallowed by history.
26:43 Oh, we're swallowed by it.
26:44 And we are in sports.
26:46 We're definitely swallowed by history in Boston sports.
26:48 And right now he's a he's a victim.
26:51 And no question, because like he's he's.
26:53 He's the next Brady, you know,
26:58 I mean, really, I mean, it's just and it just left.
27:01 We can explore the next star, which really sucks for him.
27:05 We can explore the whole Celtic history someday.
27:07 And it's interesting.
27:08 So, yeah, but it's worthy of exploration.
27:12 Yeah, because, you know, you take a look and this is like
27:14 you take a look at a guy like Brunson or you take it a look, you know,
27:18 Edwards in Minnesota, and they've got this.
27:22 They've got this will, you know, they've got this growl.
27:28 It seems, you know, Brunson's been disrespected.
27:31 He got the contract.
27:32 He's overachieved.
27:33 Tatum was a third pick.
27:36 And that's like the thing with Tatum is sometimes he's like if he doesn't win.
27:40 The thing that's unfair with Tatum is that if he doesn't win a championship,
27:44 he's going to be criticized for what he isn't.
27:47 Which is an angry player.
27:51 Right.
27:53 I mean, how about the word edgy, edgy, edgy is better.
27:56 Angry is not good.
27:57 But, you know, like I mean, Jordan, you know, Jordan would get pissed off.
28:00 Larry, I mean, these guys get these guys, you know, so edgy.
28:04 He's just going to be criticized for not being edgy, which is.
28:07 I mean, Jordan took, you know, took names at his Hall of Fame.
28:12 You know, I know.
28:13 I mean, you know, so yeah, that that but that was not shocking.
28:17 You know, it was in keeping.
28:18 Not at all.
28:19 You know, that was in keeping.
28:20 So, yeah, you're right.
28:21 No, right.
28:22 Well, you're right.
28:22 I agree with you.
28:23 And that's that's definitely a case on Jason.
28:25 That's the thing.
28:26 So anyway, I can't believe I'm saying I like the Knicks, but it's good for business.
28:30 Oh, the international MVP dominance.
28:35 You know something, Bob?
28:36 I like because you're you know, the game, you know where everybody's from.
28:40 I don't even know if fans think about it.
28:42 Yeah, I don't think people are, you know, I don't think it would just be a good thing.
28:48 It intrigues the hell out of me.
28:50 You know, the idea that, you know, this this run we've had with Joe Kitchen,
28:55 Antetokounmpo, and Beto, of course, is now a US citizen, but he's a native of Cameroon.
29:00 And even and by the way, you know, the runner up this year also happened to be from the first three.
29:06 George Alexander is a Canadian.
29:09 Canadian.
29:10 Oh, yeah.
29:11 And of course, Donchik is a Slovenian.
29:15 So, yeah, I believe so.
29:17 Yeah.
29:18 So, yeah, no, it's fascinating.
29:21 It all, you know, basically goes all the way back.
29:24 This is the residual effects of the Dream Team.
29:27 Right.
29:28 From 1992, the spotlight that was put on basketball for the world to see how to play the game.
29:32 Your friend from Russia.
29:34 Well, the great Boris Stankovic from Serbia.
29:40 Serbia, sorry.
29:41 And of course, but the one player who was already established at the time was Sabonis, right?
29:46 Arvydas Sabonis was already established.
29:49 He was before that.
29:51 But all these young men, all these Dirk Nowitzki and all the Manu Ginobili and all these guys
29:55 we have today, I think you can definitely trace that how basketball has grown from the
30:00 Dream Team presentation.
30:02 But in fact, this is it is I just think is a phenomenal.
30:05 It's an interesting phenomenon that the MVP dominance of, you know, and you say, who is
30:10 the reigning American player right now?
30:12 You know, so really and don't think and think about big men, you know, for the Olympics.
30:18 Because we're going to I guess and he's going to play for us.
30:20 Right.
30:21 Francis pissed off.
30:22 But, you know, but if we didn't have him, who's next up?
30:26 Bam out of bio, I would say.
30:28 Right.
30:29 You know, and I like Edward is probably your next one, right?
30:33 Right now.
30:33 I'm talking about big men.
30:35 Yeah, yeah.
30:35 But I know I understand.
30:36 But Edwards.
30:37 Oh, yeah.
30:37 Well, Edwards is now stepped up, of course.
30:40 And I think the great thing about it, like I think kids or people that are into the game,
30:45 you know.
30:45 You remember the 80 Olympics and, you know, all the I don't think people just don't.
30:52 They just look at him as players.
30:54 They just like I don't even know kids that are watching again.
30:56 They don't know.
30:57 Well, you know, that's a good thing.
30:59 And that's a good thing.
30:59 It's like, this may be my personal obsession.
31:02 That's fine.
31:03 No, people.
31:03 I think it's a good observation.
31:05 And I think it's the type of sport, you know, the thing about basketball, it's not expensive
31:10 to play.
31:11 That's I think the challenge with the NFL.
31:14 Get the sneakers.
31:15 Yeah, I mean, sneakers.
31:16 And I mean, a rim.
31:18 You don't even need a net.
31:20 I mean, whatever.
31:21 A peach basket, if you will.
31:23 I think the challenge like the NFL, they want to they've always wanted to make the NFL an
31:28 international game.
31:29 It's expensive.
31:29 Oh, offensive hockey.
31:32 Oh, yeah.
31:33 And well, hockey, too.
31:34 But like, you know, I think, you know, kids, it's much easier for kids in Serbia or Greece
31:40 or Spain to go out and play hoop and get a set of pads and a helmet.
31:44 And then you got the whole concussion thing.
31:45 You know, I just think the game, the game itself, the game of basketball can be played
31:51 anywhere.
31:51 And I think that that's conducive to being an international game.
31:55 And since I opened the door in this discussion of international, we have to acknowledge that
31:59 the most intriguing one of all is when Bayana, what is going to be the ceiling?
32:05 Yeah.
32:06 And, you know, what's that's going to be?
32:09 That's a really good point.
32:10 I mean, and he's he's going to be well, he's going to be an international rock star.
32:14 Oh, yeah.
32:15 And he's been preparing for it.
32:17 He's for years, including making sure he learned English well, right?
32:23 He wanted to be sure he'd be proficient because he knew he was taking his talents to the US
32:28 of A.
32:28 Not he wasn't going to be lingering in Europe, but maybe he was taking his talents to the
32:33 US of A.
32:34 And he's a very intelligent young man who who wanted to be able to present himself,
32:38 you know, in the way he wants to be the way he wants to be presented.
32:41 And that includes a mastery of English.
32:43 He's going to be right.
32:45 An international total will be the name of basketball in the next 10 years.
32:49 If his legs hold out.
32:50 If the body can, if the body can take the body allows him to.
32:55 And that is an if.
32:56 OK, Robert, I'm off to Lawrenceville.
32:59 Well, good for you.
33:00 And, you know, to give my regards to the I was I was going to say to the fieldhouse where
33:05 I spent countless hours playing basketball, except that it's no longer there.
33:10 I guess I don't know whether they raised it with a Z or what, but they got a brand new
33:15 one.
33:16 So I want to report if you get a chance to peruse the new one.
33:19 Oh, yeah, I'll take the video.
33:20 Yes, I don't know exactly where the lacrosse field is in conjunction with the fieldhouse
33:26 now, but anyway, good.
33:29 We just want young Tengu to get a goal against Lawrenceville.
33:32 I go just loaded.
33:34 He's like that.
33:35 They're loaded.
33:36 I go, just get a goal.
33:37 Just give me something to throw at Ryan.
33:39 Just get like one goal.
33:40 Even garbage time.
33:42 Get a goal.
33:43 Look, look, I want you to check out the Ken from the out the Kennedy House.
33:47 That was my my house at Lawrenceville, the Kennedy House.
33:50 I figured they'd have a dorm named after you, Bob.
33:52 Now that's for you.
33:54 We lose.
33:55 Yeah, 67.
33:56 Get it.
33:57 Get out the check.
33:58 Checkbook.
33:58 Robert, talk to you again next week.
34:00 I Brian Gary Tang.
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