Are Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown the Best Duo In The NBA? | Biggest NBA Storylines
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On this episode of Missing the Point; We take our first trip around the NBA and focus on some of the biggest storylines to the league's first two weeks.
We'll first take a look at the Boston Celtics and whether the combination of Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum is the current best one-two punch in the league. We'll discuss if the emergence and early impact of Payton Pritchard make him the seal of the 2020 NBA Draft and if Guard Kemba Walker will be able to make an impact when he returns from his knee injury.
We'll also take a trip around the rest of the NBA and discuss whether the Brooklyn Nets' rocky start put a damper on their sky-high expectations of a first full season of Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant. Are Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Milwaukee Bucks still a dangerous team? And what about the Eastern Conference champion Miami Heat?
In the Western Conference, Golden State Warriors star Steph Curry dropped 62 points early this week. Is Curry enough to spell resurgence for the Warriors? Or are they just a memory of a Western Conference powerhouse?
All that and Bobby finally concedes about the Toronto Raptors.
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This episode of missing the point is being brought to you by box Oh crafts, save 15% off your first holiday box at checkout with the promo code MTP. That's box o crafts.com. On this episode of missing the point, we'll take our first trip around the NBA and take a look at some of the biggest storylines to the league's first two weeks we'll first take a look at the Boston Celtics and whether the combination of Jalen brown and Jason Tatum is the current best one two punch in the league. We'll discuss it the emergence and early impact of Payton Pritchard makes him the seal the draft and of kemba Walker will be able to make an impact when he returns from his knee injury. We'll also take a trip around the rest of the league and discuss whether that's rocky star put a damper on their sky high expectations. Are you honest in the bucks so dangerous team? And what about the Eastern Conference champion Miami Heat? Steph Curry dropped 62 points early this week. Does this spell resurgence for the Warriors? Are they still just a memory of a Western Conference powerhouse all that and Bobby finally concedes about the Toronto Raptors. But first some housekeeping. missing the point is a one hour podcast recapping the biggest stories in the world of sports with the New England flavour. The show notes and transcript from today's episode can be found in the description box below, as well as on our website. www dot MTP show.com. If you're new to the show, please consider subscribing is the easiest way to see we publish new episodes we are on Apple podcasts, Spotify, Google and wherever you get your podcasts Be sure to rate us and leave a review of any of our shows. We always appreciate your feedback. Be sure to follow us on all of our social medias. All of our links will be in the show notes and check out our brand new website WWW dot MTP show calm that's MTP show.com. And now, this is missing the point Episode 30. But it's all relative.
Joe Malkin:Hello and welcome to missing the point the show where we desperately try to talk about sports so we don't have to think about the dystopian hellscape burning outside our very windows. Welcome into our merry and whimsical adventure where it's always candy canes and rainbows. I'm your host Joe Malkin just wanted you guys to know. I know we are sponsored by my wife's company, little bit of heart who made our shirts. I have to ask though, please only call in and ask for high end screen printing on various goods. I need those guys from the cannibal association to stop calling and asking how much is a little? Alright, now that we have that out of the way Today, we're gonna talk about that wonderful old game invented by James Naismith in Springfield, Massachusetts in 1891. That's right, you guessed it horseshoes? No, that's a typo. So wrong show basketball, and in the 2020 2021 season of the National Basketball Association. But first, let me introduce my panel of basketball brainiacs. I have with me today who will carry me through this entire episode. First, we have the real BK And much like his namesake, the real Slim Shady. People are often asking him to please stand up on like Slim Shady. It's often followed by Sir, when the judge says All rise, that means you too. It's Bob Kelly. Bobby pop quiz. How tall is a regulation NBA basketball hoop
Rob Kelly:10 feet?
Joe Malkin:No, I'm sorry. The answer we were looking for was only as high as you can dream. Some call him DK sizzle. And many have speculated that's because the things he says are all sizzle and no substance. not actually true. It's because he has a rare condition where his mouth starts burning every time he says the word doorknob. Go ahead do
Dave Clarke:door knob out Dude, why did you do that to me? Come on.
Joe Malkin:Because you listen every time Dave pop quiz, who's the only player to ever score 100 points in a single basketball game?
Dave Clarke:Wilt Chamberlain?
Joe Malkin:No, I'm sorry. The answer we were looking for was Wilt Chamberlain. But better luck next time. Guys. Let's get right into this episode.
Rob Kelly:If because yesterday, I would have been pissed
Unknown:for you.
Joe Malkin:I have a debate for us to start off this show. And it involves arguably the two best players on the Boston Celtics. And that's Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown. Discuss.
Rob Kelly:I'm going to answer the question that you have right on here. This isn't a debate that we should even be having. Okay, wait is not a debate. It's these two are the future no one's better than one another. This is one a and one a that we have on the Celtics right now. And I know that's not what you think. But I'm telling you these two, we're gonna have something that the Lakers have, but they had to sign through free agency. These two are gonna end up as two of the top five best players in the NBA in two to three years. And I truly believe that and I think that's the sealingly See, in these past two games, I know I'm completely overreacting from game five. But Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum are definitely going to be as good as LeBron James. Definitely. Did I say definitely not definitely.
Dave Clarke:Sure confident.
Joe Malkin:I have two things to point out, Bobby. I just want everyone there out there to know those that have been listening to us. Since we started this podcast nearly five months ago. Bobby, your outlook on the Celtics is so different than your outlook on any other team you're a fan of. And I love it and hate it at the same time. But here's my question to you based on that assessment of Jaylen brown and Jayson Tatum, you say that they're one a and one a, my personal opinion is we need them to be a two way and to a, because they don't have that third guy. So just like Dave said, You sounded very confident in that. They're not going to be as good as LeBron James and Anthony Davis. But they do need that third guy, in my opinion, to you guys, who would be that guy?
Dave Clarke:They definitely do. And we thought it was going to be Kemba Walker. That was the dice. We're rolling. And he obviously we've talked about this enough, but he obviously didn't come in looking right in the playoffs last year. And we don't really know what he's gonna look like when he comes back. I think the guard plays been pretty good by the Celtics so far this season, but the thing that's been saving us is those two guys playing Super well. I think that it's fair enough, when Celtics fans get frustrated with Tatum, because he tries to do too much, and those ISO stepback threes are, they're definitely garnering polarizing view in the Celtics fan base at this point. And I feel like most people are on the south pole of not liking it. But you have to think like you said, Joe, the Celtics are basically pretty reliant on those two players at this point to get the job done, which it wasn't very far away era of basketball, when you can rely on one guy and one became three. And then if you have guys that are as good as LeBron and ad three can become two, but it's the cast of characters around them. We're relying on a lot of guys to take leaps now. Has Robert Williams tape taken a leap? Yes. Is Payton Pritchard way better than we thought he was going to be? Yes. And I'm sure we'll get into all that later. But I agree with you, that has to be a third guy. And right now as it stands, who we have on the team, we're basically just hoping it's Canva. We're hoping chemic comes in and becomes Kemba again, and the sooner we start realizing that's our fate, that's like what the position we're in right now. The better because I said it would suck if we drafted the players we drafted pritchards been playing well, so Okay, no problem there. But I'll just perennially feels like we're one piece away. Could we be JB and JT go up a huge level. And that's the piece we needed. And if they can play like this consistently, sure. But it's only been a few games. Let's see, this isn't far away from the team that was jacking up. Rick's like building houses in the playoffs, like not too long ago. I'm just saying just take it one day at a time here with the se v a really could go either way, it could still all explode. So when Bobby, when you get super amped up about it. I'm like, dude, I don't know, man. We're bouncing on a pretty precarious bridge here.
Rob Kelly:So really what I got excited. So really what? I got really excited that for a moment, I'm very aware. So I don't think it needs to be QA and QA to go back to what you said, Joe, I think it's more there. 1818. And we needed to, you know what I mean? Like those two are the top players in the team. And he was like DK was saying, that's why we all thought Kemba was the guy because Kemba is so willing to take that back seat and let those to be the star. And when they need him to step up to score those 30 points. He did. And that's why he was perfect. So that we don't know if that guy was trade rumors out there right now for Kemba because of that knee, so we're not sure if he's actually going to end up being that guy. But that's why I'm so against bringing in like a big star like a James Harden, or like these guys who are going to demand those minutes and those shots because I feel like you can't take those shots away from those two, because those are your two guys. And I think those past two games have proven that listen, we can give them this faith we can give them they're going to be our one we need to get someone in here who can be that solid two
Joe Malkin:grand we had that already a little bit with Kyrie right when he was here earlier and those two guys careers but I'm going to say exactly what you're going to rebut there is if a guy like Kyrie we're here now, it wouldn't be and this is the first and probably only time I'm ever gonna say this because you guys know my feelings on Kyrie it would it was more helpful than it would ever be. Now, if he were on this Boston Celtics team with these two guys now. I think personally This is what Brad is trying to do is what you just said Bobby, he's trying to over the long run, build his teams like he did it but For all those years at an NBA level, if that makes sense, and you have those two pieces, and now he wants to find those really good role players, and bench guys so that he can have Dave, like you said, two guys that run this, but let's talk about kemba because he came up, are we worried a little bit about that knee? What do we think the team is gonna look like when it comes back? And does he come back? Because even nine hours ago, there were articles on on him being moved, and possibly for James Harden. So what are our thoughts on Kemba? In that sense,
Dave Clarke:I would love it if kemba came back. And he was the same guy that he was before because I think he has like such a, everyone's talked about this, the identity that he has fits really well with the Boston Celtics, like the kind of guy that he is, it seemed like the exact locker room presence that we needed in response to the Kyrie debacle. And I think that he did a really good thing Bobby said of giving away the leaders like leading but giving away the the superstar role immediately to Tatum and brown. And I think that was a very smart thing that he did for himself and for the team. So it's really difficult to figure out character, it's really difficult to figure out what kind of a dude you're getting when you in any sport when it comes to a trade or free agency signing. And I think it's hard to bet on a potentially bad character when you know, you have a good one. Now, it's saying that Harden's numbers are absolutely filthy. Like they're absolutely, absurdly good. So I understand people saying, I don't want heart and because of the chemistry, like you're saying, Bobby, like you're in it because of the chemistry situation in the locker room. And we've already seen a bad chemistry situation blow up on this team. I think James Harden coming onto the Celtics is it would be good news. I mean, I know it's a hypothetical, but I think it'd be good news he drops 40 on a regular basis. We're all going off about Tatum dropping 40 the other night. We're going off about JB getting close to 40. Dropping 37 James Harden drops 40 without even trying he's the best offensive player in the NBA right now might be the best Offensive Player of his generation, if not ever just on the pure offensive side of the ball. He's an unbelievable shooter. He's an unbelievable dribbler. He's an unbelievable finisher. He might get everybody better at making layups, which is something that we need. And yeah, you can say he's like, not a leader, but like, how many years are you going to give Jalen and Jason, pouting every time somebody comes in, that's just as good as them. You know what I mean? Like, they need to be fucking happy that that a good a good basketball player showing up to play with them, and it gives them a chance to win. So go win.
Rob Kelly:That's my, that's my question for you, though, is from what I've seen. Okay. Harden's not coming here without giving one of them to up like they want Brown. They're not going to give up harden for kemba. Smart in a first round pick from the fucking, I don't even know, do we have any first round picks right now? No, we don't. We're not in our own first round pick. So it's, yes, I would, if he came here. Awesome. You know what I mean? Like I said, I hate him so much right now. And I wouldn't want him on this team. But if he got traded here, I would have to root for
Dave Clarke:if you have to give up one of those two, you don't have it. If you you know to it. If you have to give up one of those two, you don't do it. If you can give up literally everything else, and get him and then just assign veteran max deals around those three, then yes, you 100% do that. But no, if you have to give up No, you don't trade away your future, for I agree with you on that. But I will give them everything else. I will give them access to the TD Garden on weekends. If they wanted it. I don't it doesn't. That wouldn't matter to me at all. Like whatever we can throw at them. Let's give them like a cut. Let's cut them in on the mass pike on the sales on the mass pike. Let's just cut them in like 3%. And that's good. Those are good numbers for the city of Houston. Let's let's do a deal. But not No, not for those two,
Joe Malkin:for sure. So, Bobby, just to follow up on your draft real quick. They do have a first round pick in the 2021 draft.
Rob Kelly:No, they do. They don't have anyone else's right.
Joe Malkin:They have two second round picks their own and then Oklahoma City
Rob Kelly:is like the first year in the past eight years that we don't own to other teams picks. But so I feel so with Tatum and brown. Now I feel like this all started back in that Eastern Conference Finals run. You know what I mean? That's when these two decided I feel like I honestly feel like they told each other this. And I know I say that should all time because I'm like the fucking fly on the window that listens to athletes conversations. But they definitely like I feel like they had to have had that conversation. Listen, this is our fucking team. Look at what we're doing right now. We're going to the Eastern Conference Finals. And when Kyrie comes back, if he plays up the suit, we could win championships. He didn't. They fucking hated him. And there was chemistry issues. The he left and then last year we saw them bring this team to the Eastern Conference Finals. And this year, we see this next step up and I feel like what you said Joe is exactly right that Steven saw that year, and he's been trying to cater to that ever since.
Joe Malkin:I think he's telling them that like I think he's telling him they're the guys
Rob Kelly:that carrier that carrier to so that way when Kyrie tried to come back and be the guy, it just didn't work it I don't think that can happen here which is why like i said if he gets traded here, I'll eat my words and I will root for him I'll grow my beard long like he does,
Joe Malkin:but you're gonna look just like him.
Rob Kelly:Yeah, I'm so against it. I'm so against bringing him in here.
Joe Malkin:But that's that was gonna be my question though because clearly they are one one above average peace from getting to that next level
Dave Clarke:but how long we've been at that but the
Rob Kelly:thing is is like we've been at that place, but we've never added it. So why is it their fault is what I'm always saying. It's like these two have done everything we've asked them to do you know what I mean? Like they've played their roles and because we haven't had that extra scoring when they happen to have an off night,
Dave Clarke:but they haven't played their roles. It was 100% on them for not getting it done last season in the playoffs in the bubble. Like Jason Tatum's getting swatted at the rim by BAM on a bail. Yeah, I agree that if we had a little bit of a better big man, but we should be beating the heat like we just should be like, that was inexcusable borderline. And we all said that at the time, they failed at these two Conference Finals two times like there is two ways of looking at this. I hope they're looking at it your way. I hope they're looking at your way I really do. But they the East has only gotten stronger. You know what I mean? So we need something here with like I said at the start of the season, we draft the draft picks. We're not winning this year. And I don't see that nothing's happened to change my mind as of yet. I know it's early in the season, but nothing's happened to change my mind as yet. And I think you're really married still to the idea of Tatum and brown, which is a great idea. And I'm not saying it's done yet, far from it. But I think that we just need to all be careful that we don't keep talking ourselves into Tatum and brown and have them come up short every year. I know they're young, but so was LeBron. There's two of them. So Brown was young, he was under an intense amount of scrutiny. How do they react to this scrutiny? How do they overcome the scrutiny if they keep if it understands their own measuring stick making it to the Eastern Conference Finals, but we're winning culture here in Boston, and they're gonna need to win? Like they were?
Rob Kelly:Well that's the thing is like, it's Boston, so I feel like everyone in Boston forgets it. I'll count myself in it. forgets how hard winning a fucking championship is. You know what I mean? Play great players go their entire careers without doing it.
Dave Clarke:Because the Bron James makes it look easy. Exactly. So
Rob Kelly:just because he can do it every fucking year. He's there what the last nine years. He's a God among men. That's not what we're expecting these guys to be as detailed as like, they're not Tom Brady. They're not LeBron James.
Dave Clarke:But you're but you if you want to talk about matchup nightmares, like if you can't get past BAM out of volume and Jimmy Butler. You were sure shit. You're not getting past the brawn and AD. Like that's just not happening with lebrons gonna be in the league like another 12 years. Okay, so
Rob Kelly:like, sure, but
Dave Clarke:what are we building for? Are we building the wind in the east,
Joe Malkin:it helped that Miami had Tyler herro as well. So that was definitely a big part of that matchup issue. And it just looked like the Celtics really had given up towards the end like that last game. I don't know we're
Dave Clarke:gonna beat up at the guard position like segment. And yes. All right, let's talk about Payton Pritchard. Like it's great that he's here. Like, I think he's definitely surpassed expectations. I think that I love his game. I think he's super confident. He like runs. He runs right back guys. He doesn't care who's guarding them, which is a great quality and a rookie. I like basically never seen that. I would be very worried about him in a defensive situation in the playoffs. Because I think that he's a little undersized. I think that he could get bullied especially by Jimmy Butler type. I think you get tortured by Jimmy Butler if he if they play this with the switches. So I don't want to become overly reliant on Prichard being on the floor. Most of the time, I'm good with him coming in and shooting, which is what he's been doing. Like really well, like he's coming in. He's making the shots and if that's what we're missing hugely offensively against the heat like you said, yeah. And I think prettier can like actually bring that I thought Naismith was gonna be the guy to come in and do that. I don't know what they're saving him for. But he's he we've barely seen him do anything. And when he does come on, he doesn't even look like as good of a shooter is brilliant. I don't know if it's a confidence thing. And maybe he just needs men says legs.
Joe Malkin:But let's dive into that. Dave. And let me ask this question. You asked, How long are we going to build towards that? Bobby says it could take 12 months. I know you were joking. And it was in jest, but 12 more years?
Rob Kelly:Because LeBron is a fucking animal.
Joe Malkin:Yeah, he is. But so brown and Tatum are in what year four, four and three, four and three. All right, so they're in years four and three respectively. And that so not everybody can be LeBron, and you guys and I can't remember which one of you said it, but it's a five or six year window. And I think it was David's five or six year window and if you don't do it in that window, you're not gonna do it, which isn't necessarily true. But most of the time it is statistically That is true. Is that third guy, those pieces? Are they on this team? Could they be Payton Pritchard? Could they be nice Smith Pritchard at 23 points and career high but in in eight games against Toronto, he shot eight of 13 from the field to a four from three,
Dave Clarke:we've needed scores. Man, we've just needed scores. Like I know that Tatum and brown can score but they're both so much better when each other is on the floor. If that makes sense. They can't really take workloads off each other that well. So somebody on the bet, like we were just not scoring off our bench last season at all, like not enough and then especially not in the playoffs. So you rely on Jalen and Jason so much. I know that sounds weird. But if you rely on them less, they'll score you more points here if you need them. It like if you need them to score 45 a night, they're not going to do that for you. But you can get them to score you like 35 a night each probably this season and get up to that level. You know what I mean? Like at like average high 20s both of them and but you need guys to come take the minutes off. You know what I mean? That's just what you need. You need guys. And I'm hoping it's Payton Pritchard, but he's a rookie, we would hit the absolute jackpot if he's come in and he's really gonna play this consistently. I think we're gonna see a dip with him at some point.
Rob Kelly:Yeah, that's, there's always a rookie debt. You know what I mean? It happens every rookie. They're used to playing 30 games in a season and all sudden you jack them up to 72. Like, that's inevitable. But Payton Pritchard to me has been. So I was like watching a lot of highlights this past week. And he's been the most impressive rookie. Almost, maybe in the league so far this year, like the things that he's doing. Were so unexpected, that he at this point has entered the top five for Rookie of the Year consideration in 2021.
Dave Clarke:That's pretty crazy, considering we didn't even draft him first overall for us
Joe Malkin:know he was the 26th pick in the Draft.
Rob Kelly:This guy has been so impressive. And it's been since day one is the most impressive part since the day he's walked on an NBA floor. He's just what I know. But he's just one of those guys. I know. It's early. I know. I'm overreacting.
Dave Clarke:He's also six one.
Joe Malkin:So he's listening six. He's listened to six to 190.
Rob Kelly:But when you see a rookie come in, sometimes if they belong, or they don't like pretty fast. If they belong in an NBA court, they don't you want who's the guy that we have from Kentucky a couple year James young doesn't belong in an NBA court. Payton Pritchard belongs in the fucking NBA like he will be. He'll be in the league for the next 10 to 12 years what he ends up being we don't know. He could be bench he could be a starting point guard but like that guy is impressive. So I think he is he's the first piece I've seen on this team in a long time. That's homegrown that we brought in and I've been like, okay, that's a guy besides statement bro.
Dave Clarke:I'm pretty sure he won the Bob Cousy award too, which is like yeah, which is like the best point guard award so I think that would be like a pretty cool sign. Like he won that and then came on as the great with the great hope of the Boston Celtics but
Rob Kelly:the first sign for Payton Pritchard to me was when Marcus smart started singing his praises Marcus smart isn't a guy that like is gonna be like this guy's awesome. He only Lark is smart and he loves dogs. smart guys a dog. That's when you know, that's when you know that you got something so I'm very high. Listen,
Dave Clarke:I'm excited to okay.
Rob Kelly:Listen, I will get you excited.
Joe Malkin:Bobby, you're excitable. No matter which way you get excited. You always go from zero to 100.
Dave Clarke:Now you got me though, you actually totally got me because I was like, I am excited about I'm high on him. But I was trying to help you out because I don't want you to. I want you to forget like overreacting to get your hopes dashed. I'm looking out for your well being. But now I'm excited to think about how excited I was about Jeff T two. I'm basically crazy over the top excited about the Celtics guard play right now because like Jeff Teague is also something we were missing in a different way, which is playmaking in the guard position off the bench, especially why Canvas hurt. And I think that T could take a little bit better care of the basketball. But again, it's early but I think it gets a little bit better carry the basketball but I do I love his passing game. I love everything he brings to the table when he brings that thing that Gordon Hayward was doing when he would play his minutes where he can play make inside the paint. You know what I mean? Like he can spread the ball, he puts spread the ball, not around the perimeter, spread the ball inside and outside of the paint, which is basically what he was doing, which was what was helping us in the playoffs last year. But he wasn't shooting well. If he can shoot well. That those are really valuable minutes, then you know that you're not overstocking on Gordon Hayward gone. Come on, Gordon, we need more from you. You're going like oh, all we need from you is this Jeff? We just need you to do these like two things which are five, five. That's what
Rob Kelly:Jeff tags. Five.
Joe Malkin:Yeah. And I was literally I have 15 things rattling around in my head. First of all is Bobby. It's so funny how you get so excited about the Cowboys improving to two and three and then You also put Payton Pritchard in the Hall of Fame when he scores 23 points in an eighth career game against Toronto. So you guys are excited for good reason, though, right? There's still 64 games left in the 72 game shortened season for the NBA, but this Boston Celtics roster. While they're only five and three, that's still a pretty good start. They, their roster has started to shape up a little bit and you guys mentioned that the obvious the browns, the Tatum's, the smarts, and then the not so obvious, the pritchards and the nice Smiths who haven't gotten there, too, but Dave one one guy you've been really high on this year so far is Robert Williams coming off the bench in a game in seven games. Excuse me. He hasn't started a game. He played 29 games last year 32 games in the 1819 season but he's played a fourth of the games he normally plays in all of his numbers already Dave off the bench are exponentially higher than what they were Why are you so high on him? And what do you see him giving the Celtics
Dave Clarke:Batman upon this body? I've been saying that Robin Williams his ceiling is the thing that solves all the Celtics problems for the good year now. And the
Rob Kelly:since since we started
Dave Clarke:Yeah, since we began and but I've always been hypercritical of his defensive awareness. I think he last season in the playoffs, he was very guilty of biting on every single fake that every offensive player threw at him. He was when he first came in. So he's he was super bad on switches and calling switches participating in them. Like he got beat by the picker row a ton. He played a little undersized around the basket when it came to standing top blocking like owning the paint. But he was good around the rim like with his hands. So you can see the things he could do right like he's super long, he can get to the he can get to the to the rim really easily. He can lock the ball, not the man, which is like a very useful skill set. But we need him then moving in that two three zone a little bit better. We could have beaten that zone, no problem against the heat of Robert Williams can move in the paint, as well as he's moving this year. And I don't think he's got a ceiling yet because I think his ceiling is crazy high because of his physical abilities. You can't teach that stuff. But you can teach the defensive stuff. And I think that he's been working on learning it. And he looks a little bit better. A lot better, actually a lot better. And I think I think but I just I'm still hopeful because the ceiling is so crazy high if we can and if Thompson can help them to play a little bit of that big boy big body basketball and teach him a little bit more of that how to use his body. And he's still got who grown to do like he can still muscle wise he can still fill out a little bit more like he's pretty young. So
Rob Kelly:that's the guy Thompson Thompson is going to make Robert Williams if anyone's going to make Robert Williams into that player Tristan Thompson is going to be like bringing him in here to mentor Robert Williams was so smart. Because you're right dude, that's exactly what we need him to do his body people down low. Especially not two threes. I mean, you talked about that all last year in the playoffs. He's just like, dude, he can't move down low. He was a treat. Like, if you got him going left or right in that paint. It was over yours. You got
Dave Clarke:two guards on him two guards and if he's just gonna get scorch, and it's do just go with one of them. Don't let him finish it. It's fine. You know,
Rob Kelly:all he had to do was foul with meth. He All he did was follow one of those guards hard one time last year in the playoffs and it's completely different, but he just wouldn't do it. And I feel like that's where testing comes in. And I feel like he's gonna make such a big impact on this team. with Robert Williams, he will make an impact with his play, but we're gonna see a lot out of Robert Williams and I think Tristan Thompson has a lot to do with that.
Joe Malkin:So Bobby right now the Celtics sit at five and three. As we record this on January 5, which is a Tuesday of the Celtics will be taking on the Miami Heat tomorrow in Miami after beating the closing out a road trip after they beat the Tampa Bay Raptors last night down in Tampa, Florida. The Celtics are five and three in fourth place, just behind Philly, Orlando and Indiana. Are they you guys predicted them forth in the preseason prediction show? Are they playing up to those standards for you so far?
Rob Kelly:Yeah. Yeah. What I said we're going to season six. And for the first time, we had a very tough first 10 games. If we can get out of this first 10 games of six and four, I see that it's very successful. Right now. We're five and three. So we're literally right on that pace. So yeah, I completely see the successful, the development of Prichard and Robert Williams is the most promising thing so far in this season. Didn't you add in Tatum and brown scoring there was Tatum's career high? I don't think it was Yeah, I think it was actually was it so rear highs. I'm back to back Actually no, he
Dave Clarke:was almost no I'm sorry. I'm wrong. He was almost at his career
Rob Kelly:high like 47 is the class I'm like, so close to career high and a career high on back to back nights think that we're definitely heading in the right direction where we're going to compete for title in the Eastern Conference this year, barring injury. And I don't think that's up for debate anymore. I think that we are one of the top four teams in the east. No doubt about it.
Dave Clarke:Yeah, I think that it's tough with this team too, because you have to still keep figuring stuff out as you go. Because everyone's games change in leaps and bounds. And because it's a lot of the same personnel, but a lot of those personnel are playing very differently. And we have a completely new supporting cast of characters. You're gonna have to give them a few minutes to get their stuff together. You know what I mean, everybody's giving Brooklyn, like, as much time as they need to get it figured out with KD and Kyrie. But really, that seems the same except for those two guys. We changed out a bunch more pieces. So with the weights of the Celtics play basketball, with the amount of with the minute allocations that Brad especially likes to play with early in the season, because he's just this is playoff training for us. You know what I mean? Like we know we're a playoff team, it's established that we're a playoff team. So the regular season, we use it to work out our rotations work out our defensive assignments. But it's really difficult to do that, especially this early in the season with the truncated season. It's really difficult to do that when guys come in and say, Oh, wait, shit, he's a lot better than we thought he was going to be. Oh, wait, he's a lot better than he was last year. He needs more minutes. He needs less. Like this is stuff that you have to like really get acclimated. And like Bobby said was a tough first 10 games. So overall, I'm actually really happy with them. Like, again, I always say I still think we're one piece away. But if Bobby's world comes to pass and tournament brown become the players that he believes that they can be. I hope they can be but i don't know if i believe it. 100% yet? If they do, then yes, they absolutely the world is our oyster. We can 100% beat anyone we want. And I am but yeah, the answer is yes. I'm very happy with our first
Rob Kelly:thing is to add on to that is we're not even at we're not even close to full strength right now. Close, Marcus was out last game, we still have kemba back. And obviously that never changed chemistry and how things play out. So we'll have to get used to that again, this team still has another level to go to we still have another level where we're not relying on patient on Pritchard. To do that we can have kigoma scored 10 points a game, we can have these pieces that are roleplayers actually be role players. If chemic can come back and score 18 points a game. So there's still another level Sorry, I'm really excited.
Joe Malkin:No, you're good. I was just gonna say is that the hope is exactly that right that they continue to get better that those freshmen slumps don't occur with Prichard and need, Smith sees more time, Williams continues on the path that he is. And Tatum and brown stay healthy and continue to play the way they are. And whether Brad Walker comes back or they trade him for something, I hope and that bread and trader Danny have their wits about them to not bring in a guy like harden or Kyrie. And they go find a piece that's going to complement the guys on this roster. Because five and three through eight games. I honestly think when I saw the schedule that they were playing Miami in Miami tomorrow I know there's no fans there, but it's still a road game. So that's a good test for this team right now. They've had a tough schedule these first eight games as Bobby and Dave both just alluded to this is a very good test for this team right now playing the way that they are so
Rob Kelly:a Miami's even better than they were last year to me. Absolutely.
Dave Clarke:That's a spicy matchup. That's a spicy matchup. I want to see that. Yeah, I want to see that game. I want to see where they're I want to see right. This is a good one got our muscles warmed up. Let's see what they got. Like they knocked us out. We definitely didn't take them seriously enough last year. We're definitely take them seriously this year. So let's see what happens. Let's see how those matchups work out. But like I said, runoff for strength. I would be really excited if Jason and Jalen play at this level consistently for the rest of the season. And kemba Walker comes back as himself. I would not be afraid of Miami. I would be just as bullish with Miami as I was going to the playoffs last season because I think if that scenario happens, where 1000 times better than
Rob Kelly:the thing that the Celtics team is we're also frustrated with those last second taking shots. If kemba Walker is healthy and in there. He 100% has the ball in his hands.
Dave Clarke:I think Jalen, I think we need to start grooming Jalen for the last box hands last guy.
Rob Kelly:It's it's Canvas ball. Five seconds left. If he's healthy. If he's there. I will never feel bad about him having a ball and crunch time. Hopefully
Dave Clarke:by the end. He is that guy for sure. But when it comes down to it like right now practicing who should be the guy. I think it should be Jalen Brown. Because he goes to the rim and he can he makes good choices. He can decide what to do with the ball. When he gets in there. Maybe you'll pass it to camera for a shot. Maybe he'll pass the camera early in the clock. Maybe he'll go to Jason in the corner. Maybe he'll go to Jason like at the top of the key. Maybe he won't take a 32 footer. Maybe Yeah, he won't do that though.
Joe Malkin:You don't hear the ball too smart to fire up 23 again,
Dave Clarke:what he might do is get fouled and Miss poses free throws though that would be what I'd be nervous about because he needs to really work on his feet there. But I think I think it for me it goes sure if he wanted to Jalen and Canva but not Jason. He's just a bit annoying. They lay with the last shot
Joe Malkin:shenanigan. Now, of course, I have one more question on the Celtics because we talked about the offense. And you mentioned the possible defensive ineptitude of Payton Pritchard. But that brings up another point with
Dave Clarke:this ineptitude. He's just small.
Joe Malkin:sure that that's where I'm going with this. This is sorry, I shouldn't say vertically challenged Payton Pritchard on the defensive side of the ball. We don't have a lot of size on this Boston Celtics team. That's still a problem. Because if they don't go out and find a big man, they don't have any size. So that's a problem throughout the entire year, correct?
Dave Clarke:Yeah, like I said about Rob Williams, Tristan Thompson's come in, and that's going to be definitely going to help with size and rebounds. Especially we're getting killed on the glass. And I think Bobby made this point. So I'm just gonna steal it. He made it a few shows ago back in the playoff time. If we had interest in Thompson Tabor and Myles Turner type, which would have been my preference. But if we had that type on BAM autobio for an entire series, and he's chopping them and he's slowing him down and he's catching him coming around the corner and he's just on I'm just like hand fighting, just doing all that dirty download work. like Justin Thompson does, then BAM Otterbein is not getting up for that block on Jason Tatum most likely, he's just going to be too beat up, he's going to be too discouraged. He's going to be too preoccupied with what Tristan Thompson has been doing to him for six games. And he's just not going to be able to get up there and make that happen. That's a huge thing. I do think that they address a lot of the holes that we had on the bench but bench doesn't win you championships and basketball. Unfortunately, it helps you get there. But you got you need you guys. And it's really all gonna come down to them. NFL teams don't win Super Bowls with their best player at the running back position right most of the time now.
Rob Kelly:That's That's a fact. By the way. That Not that I said it, but I did say it. But it is a fact that if we had someone down there chipping him, he's not only the confidence level and knowing that you're dominating a team just takes you to a different level because you like these fucking guys get out of here. You can meet going up for that dunk. No, it was it was it? We let it be his coming out party. Right. He's ready for it.
Dave Clarke:Yeah, we let him grab the headlines. We let him go home every night and have ESPN be like, oh, check out BAM autobio like we just let them get pumped up. I remember being mad at the bears show specifically for that. Adrian Peterson do that to them. Because you don't want to be the team that they break out against. Like, just let somebody else take that. Yeah, they're probably going to be good, but just don't be the team that makes them good. Like that teaches them that they can be good. Don't be anyone stepping stone please for the love of God. Don't let that happen again. They should if Chris Johnson was there, he'd be like, there would have been at least one game where he went Not tonight though. He would have seen those same ESPN shows and then go on to student he would have been like not tonight though. Just tonight. And that's all you need.
Rob Kelly:If it took him getting kicked out of the game, he would have done it he would have been in his head
Dave Clarke:something would have happened. We needed that Marcus smart type presence at in the front court and I do feel like we got that I do. I do Justin Thompson for that again. I would have liked Myles Turner better because of his skill set. But don't tell Justin Thompson I said that.
Joe Malkin:So moving on. Craig, I have a question for you. Have you done your Christmas shopping yet? Oh many times. Many times. Are you still doing your Christmas shopping guy get ready for next year? Are you ordering from box? Oh crap.
Craig D'Alessandro:I am ordering boxes of crafts, even though I have no children actually know what I'm not gonna get for my kids. I'm
Joe Malkin:getting it for your kids. Wonderful. They're both crazy maniacs. Have you used the code MTP at checkout for 15% off your first box?
Craig D'Alessandro:I have not. That's actually a pretty good deal. Yeah, you should try that. Although I will have to do that soon. Because orders are running out rapidly. You haven't done it.
Unknown:Now. Yeah,
Rob Kelly:they're gonna be pretty mad at you, bro. They sponsor a show. I don't know if that goes well.
Joe Malkin:You're always forgetting you forget about the New Year's Eve party that you plan that you forget about the sponsor that you do the spots for? I really I don't know what we're gonna do with you.
Craig D'Alessandro:That's what I tell you on the outs on the outside. I may only be 32 but on the inside, I'm like pushing 78 or something.
Rob Kelly:I actually completely understand what he's talking about.
Joe Malkin:Yeah, let's because we know you've been 40 since 2008. So Bobby's 40 Craig can't remember anything and David's just you and me now
Dave Clarke:You means the world buddy. That's right.
Unknown:That's it.
Rob Kelly:That was pretty good boxer crafts right there.
Joe Malkin:You like that? Yeah, so box Oh crafts. We can't wait to see you create $15 off your first box MTP at checkout. So guys, let's get into a different topic other than the Celtics because I think we've sufficiently broken down the Boston Celtics. I'm sure we could go on for hours and hours. But let's talk about one of my favorite topics. Main read class. I'm
Dave Clarke:really glad you brought that up, Joe. I'm just kidding.
Joe Malkin:So taco fall getting great numbers up important is the Brooklyn Nets being off to a rocky start. It fits my narrative so well, that we that I've been talking about for months now. The they granted their seven games into 72 Game seasons. Unlike Bobby, I'm not going to get too excited because they have 65 games left on their schedule. But they are three and four currently in 10th. On the outside looking in to the playoff picture at this point in time, guys, what's going on with the Brooklyn Nets?
Rob Kelly:Let's just say Brooklyn fans should be happy. I'm not doing power rankings right now. Yeah, you know,
Craig D'Alessandro:33rd.
Dave Clarke:Okay. No, honestly, where would they be? Where would they be roughly
Rob Kelly:in your right now? I'd put them right in the middle east of the East yet. I don't see anything. I don't see anything that's making them stand out right now. I know. It's early. They have the games where they go above and beyond. But what are they really gonna beat him? You know what I mean? Dinwiddie tore his ACL. I think that's a big loss for them because they need like the James Posey from the Celtics years, they need those guys to be that roleplayer. And right now, I don't know if they have that around them, because those guys were all starters last year. So that's a tough transition to make to go from. This is your team to like, not only is this not your team anymore, but you're on the bench and you're like the seventh guy now. I just think that's a tough thing to get used to.
Dave Clarke:I don't know if I agree. We're recording this tonight of the senate runoffs and I'm just saying too early to tell too close to call. You don't want to hitch your wagon to any predictions about the Brooklyn Nets right now. I will just point out that I'm not trying to be wait and see guy here, but we need to wait and see guys. Okay.
Rob Kelly:But you're gonna be wait and see guy. Yeah,
Joe Malkin:I mean, Bobby,
Dave Clarke:but I have to be because Kevin Durant, I watched his Achilles tendon retreat into the middle of his leg. It was horrific. It was really bad injury. Okay, he came back from a really bad injury. You need to give him some time. Okay, it has to be at least 30 games before Kevin Durant is judged on any progress or coming back from any injury. He's probably got a setback in his future. He's probably got a bad few games. And Kyrie Irving is like just getting used to playing with him. Don't worry about it. They're gonna figure out how probably most likely to turn it on and destroy teams that will. So I would say that's still the most likely scenario for the Brooklyn Nets today.
Joe Malkin:Destroy the dress.
Dave Clarke:I wouldn't circle the vultures just yet. If I was you guys, I wouldn't stop start popping the champagne over their corpse just yet. They've lost a few games, just like you said about the Celtics is they're really,
Rob Kelly:definitely not vultures circling right now. But I just think that the thing is that Kyrie and KD aren't the problem. Those two are playing like they're supposed to.
Dave Clarke:I'm not I'm saying there isn't a problem yet. You can't certifiably say there's a problem.
Rob Kelly:I'm not saying there's actually a problem. I'm saying that the weakness of this team isn't KD and Kyrie at this moment, that's not why they're losing because those role players are having trouble fitting into those spots that they're supposed to play right now, because they were used to playing 40 or not for 32 minutes a game and now they're playing at least that is just a tough transition to make. And I just feel like
Dave Clarke:that was coming on. Like they knew that was gonna happen. Like they, they knew that they were like overachieving last year doing their best. Like they knew that their minutes were going down this year. So they have at least a little bit of time to prepare because two superstars have to come back in it's not a surprise to them. And they usually fill in those minutes with better production. You know what I mean? Instead of it's if they're 32 minute game players they're playing 18 minutes they should be a hell of an 18 minutes Don't you think?
Rob Kelly:I know what you're saying but like I just did when he going out really I feel it's a big thing to them. Chris lover going from Most Improved Player to possible six man Jared Allen, and I just don't see it from those guys. I feel like they all think that they can be starters and most places they would be so I just feel like the chemistry of this team is just going to be off all year and I'm with Mike at this point. I know I was so against it at the beginning, but I really feel like this team is gonna finish in the Middle East and
Dave Clarke:so I'm the only one on site with the Brooklyn Nets now at this point basically, Joe hated them when Kyrie got there.
Rob Kelly:Oh, I haven't finished in 16th out of 15 teams without I was completely against Mike when that all happened, but like just seeing them man. It's just I don't I don't see that cast working for that's great. I actually love being on my own for stuff like this. So I'll just be over here with Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant.
Dave Clarke:I feel perfectly fine, but this is about
Rob Kelly:the situation. Are you gonna are we gonna are we gonna do this in the entire basketball season to
Joe Malkin:probably Yeah, absolutely. So my next question is because I think I don't I think I know Dave's answer to this, based on what he just said. But Dave, are the nuts the team to beat neisd or is it still Milwaukee?
Dave Clarke:I think that they're better than Milwaukee. I don't think Milwaukee are that good. I have never really been that scared of them. I know that we got swept by them. Wait, do we get swept by them? Or it was a five one or 411? Yeah. Okay, we got two strikes. We won the first game. It was like Oh, here we go. And then passes kick. Yeah. Okay. It's all coming back to me now. Still not scared of them by the way. I just think Kevin Durant is like so good. I'm such a big Kevin Durant fan as far as like his game, and I think he's a winner. And I think Kyrie Irving is also really good. Like, I know we all hate Kyrie Irving now, but I just think he's really good. So if that means that the team to beat I'd like to say that the Celtics have the team to beat, but that's probably not the case. It's definitely not the 76 series anymore. there that's done. That process has ended. And I think Yeah, I guess they are they I guess they are but it's these they wouldn't be if they're in the West. I'll say that. But yeah, I would say they are because I don't think you're that good. And Kevin Durant's here guys. He's really good. He's really good.
Joe Malkin:Don't he is really good. He's still coming off an injury, Kyrie is still at some point going to implode that team somehow. But Bobby, what do you think? Is Milwaukee the team to be in the store? Is it somebody else isn't the nest it's neither of them.
Rob Kelly:I think a team we're all leaving out as a team not one is I shared that the Miami Heat.
Dave Clarke:I think that the team to beat nice and I don't think there's much doubt in my mind. matchup wise that's so tough for the there's such a bad match or that that's just such a bad matchup for them though. Because like they can't do anything about Kyrie Irving.
Rob Kelly:When do they play the Nets? I'm very excited to see that. Yeah, I want to see that too. Very excited to see that game. I think that is that's a tough matchup for them. But if anyone, I just realized he can get around tough matchups just because of who they are because of the style of basketball they play. Because if they find a one, if you're lacking for 10 minutes against the heat, you're down by 20. Or they go on like a 20 to two run. So they're just that kind of team that like if if you're not playing your best basketball there, you don't stand a chance against them. You need to play your best basketball every single night against this team. And not only did they win the East last year, but then they brought in the number two guy for Rookie of the Year in my opinion. And that's press it precious I have to this dude is unbelievable, man. I don't know how he fell as far he as he did in the draft, but he's a baller. He's awesome. It sucks. How
Dave Clarke:much stronger the east is from last year. I felt like last year was our shot. Out of the Eastern Conference Finals. I still don't think we want to beat the Lakers. But that was our shot to get out of Eastern Conference Finals. We blew it and they're even stronger than they were before. You're right. I still think I think we're better than we were last year too, though. And I think that we'll beat them if we see them in the playoffs. But we'll see how it shakes out. That's crazy how
Rob Kelly:literally every single contender in the East this past year went up a level going into this year.
Dave Clarke:Well, it was easy for the 76th as the worst contender to go up a level because all they needed was somebody who could coach a basketball team even a little
Rob Kelly:spacing. Imagine look at what a little tiny bit of space guys for a team.
Dave Clarke:There's they still always have good players but like they were so pathetic in last year's playoffs that I'm glad somebody is there to help them because it was just looking bad. It was fun. That matchup with that rivalry was fun because we always beat them but at least they look like they were like good.
Rob Kelly:I do see and Seth curry steps brother play a prominent role on a team. He hasn't been rated before it. I think he's underrated. Yeah, yeah. Is what their job
Joe Malkin:is so Yeah, exactly. It's so funny.
Rob Kelly:I just love seeing that. I love the bloodline stories I always have I would love to see I want to see a Steph Seth shootout night when it comes to family versus
Dave Clarke:death was stolen. He just dropped 62 points. Oh, yeah,
Joe Malkin:we'll get there. But my my my next point, and I'm gonna totally point out the obvious here. But to that conversation, we were just having of how good the east is getting it. This is the LeBron James effect. And I don't know if that's been coined yet. But I'm going to coin it right here on this episode of missing the point. Every year, LeBron James was in the east, there was a couple of teams that would try and get there and beat Cleveland or Miami, then he goes to LA. Now there's a couple teams that are going to try and compete with LA. But when he was in the east, every team in the West started to get exponentially better. Because all the players were going out there just to get there just to get the opportunity to play against LeBron in the finals. Now it's happening in the east and you're gonna see it as long as he's in LA, that the Eastern Conference teams are gonna get better just for that opportunity to play him in the finals.
Dave Clarke:I honestly, I don't think it's because they want to get better. I think it's because they're like, I don't want to be in the bronze conference.
Joe Malkin:Well, no, sure. That's what I mean. They don't want to play LeBron all year. They'd rather play him at the end.
Dave Clarke:Yeah, it's just like, I'm glad to see the West have to deal with going through LeBron James now because I had to put up with it my entire adult life. So I'm really glad that like they have to deal with that bullshit. Now because turns out newsflash, he's really hard to beat because he's the best basketball player of our generation by far.
Joe Malkin:Well, Dave, you know what it's like to not be a Patriots fan and not be a fan of a LeBron James team. That must be very interesting existence for the last
Dave Clarke:20 years like I hate LeBron James for the years of misery they put me through Although I will say I saw live the game where Paul Pierce went toe to toe with them and just started absolutely draining shots in his face, and I was pretty close to it when he like ripped off his Cavaliers jersey for the first time. threw it away. But I was like I saw that and then Shaq was playing for the Cavs at the time. And I thought I saw shacks last every game in the NBA. And I thought I saw the bronze last every game for the Cavs. Turns out I saw neither of those things. Because the brown went back to the Cavs and Shaq came and played for the Celtics and the next season. I thought this is a wonderful moments that I witness history, but really, I didn't
Rob Kelly:mean to go the ghost of shack came and played for this the corpse. Yeah, they dragged
Dave Clarke:his corpse out onto the court.
Craig D'Alessandro:Like, he was tired.
Rob Kelly:I was like Charles Barkley in St. Charles in Space Jam. You had Charles Barkley, you
Unknown:don't want to be
Joe Malkin:the best part of Shaq's career at that point where his general insurance commercials not a sponsor, friend of the show, not a sponsor. That was probably the best part of his late career. Now, I
Rob Kelly:thought about those commercials.
Joe Malkin:Now. I just like listening to him and Charles yell at each other on live TV. It's hilarious.
Craig D'Alessandro:I remember when Shaq came to the Celtics, the first part of that season was the Shaq dunk. And I was thinking, this is gonna be more one of those spectacular seasons I've ever seen. And it was massive disappointment. I think he was injured for the rest of the season. And then he retired. I'm not kidding. The very first point of that season. I've been to jack dunk. I was like, Yes, yeah, he did. Then they broke everything.
Joe Malkin:It's a good thing. You gave that visual for the people listening like,
Rob Kelly:no, it's the sound effect. That's really what did it was, uh, he shot not to go into a shack tangent, but it's just fun. He showed up last season, like 450 pounds. He wasn't on the court. I was like, Dude,
Dave Clarke:what's funny, I went to a regular season game on season. And the way if you get there a little bit early, you can go down towards the like, the baseline, like be courtside and see them warm up a little bit. And I walked down and I was like pretty close to Shaq. And I wasn't even really shocked at how big Shaq was because I expected chaque to be big. I was shocked at how big Ray Allen was because they were playing the heat. And I was on the heat by that point. And I was like, are actually was he still on this Southern snippet? Yeah, you sound Southern at that point. And I looked over around and I was like, he's enormous, because you look at the TV and he's tiny. He's so little compared to everybody else. I was like Ray Allen's a monster of a man. He wasn't around a bunch of other monsters of men. He'd be like, the largest man you'd ever seen. He would like to that point he was if Shaq wasn't standing right there,
Rob Kelly:like Ray Allen on a basketball court in a small round in your living rooms like Jesus. It's it's all about perspective.
Unknown:And
Joe Malkin:it's all about perspective. Craig knows my house and I had a six eight fella in my house once and Craig would know that gentleman would hit his head. standing straight up in the highest point. Oh to get in your kitchen. He didn't really get into any part of the house. That's the
Rob Kelly:No one's ever been in your kitchen guess.
Craig D'Alessandro:I've been into narrow kitchen.
Joe Malkin:Yeah, it was a narrow opening. So if anybody wants to donate to the Malkin remodeling of the kitchen fund, you can enter code MTP
Rob Kelly:give you a bank account information.
Dave Clarke:I'll give it to me privately. Yeah, but
Joe Malkin:you want me to you guys want my social security number to? Yeah, that'll help talked about the East versus West the LeBron James effect. But was it last night or two nights ago? A Steph Curry dropped career high 62 points. Dave. Does this spell resurgence for the Warriors?
Dave Clarke:It's not news that Steph Curry's good it's great that it's great that he did that but the problems are still the problems their next best player that's healthy is a rookie Are you agree with that right Bobby? He's their next best player.
Rob Kelly:Right? here's the best part
Dave Clarke:Klay Thompson I don't know when he's ever going to be really coming back and what's he going to look like when he comes back? That must have been so devastating for them to get that news. No one you had such a high draft pick and Steph and clay was going to be back and it was like okay, we're gonna be the Warriors again. And I don't know man I just think I know it sucks for narrative but clay going down like that's their season dude. That's just this season.
Rob Kelly:They knew it too because they panic trade for Kelly who right which put them that that trade actually I read something the other day that caught that cost them he gets paid 10 million but it brought them over the luxury tax so that trade actually cost him like $48 million and he's not Klay Thompson keluar is not good.
Dave Clarke:Like he's got a good first game I think and then he hasn't done
Rob Kelly:he's all right he's like a Marcus smart or like he's Marcus smarts not good.
Dave Clarke:I get it. He's that that isn't a tear under Klay Thompson's like in the same tier as Steph Curry.
Rob Kelly:Exactly. So like that's the level that they're going to start replacing clay with Uber so that's why if the warriors have a chance, Clay needs to score 45 out of 10 nights for that and to be able to get like top six eat in a way
Dave Clarke:but just him being there to worry about like Steph doing it all by himself. Like he's Not injury prone either. And he's coming off an injury tonight is made a glass he breaks it like every year. That's such a big status setback for them and like now the West is so much stronger. You have to think this is obvious to say but like basketball sort of is reacting to the Golden State Warriors right now all the other good teams are basically built to beat the Warriors but you don't have to beat them anymore. In that same way because like they, I gotta give them credit like they changed how people play basketball like you needed to have really good shooters. You remember the Orlando Magic, the Stan Van Gundy Orlando Magic like trying to build a team around spot up jumps, shooters like just didn't work before until off opposition's are super fast. All five positions can pass the ball, they can move up and down the core faster than anyone you've ever seen. And they all make all their shots all the time. Like they don't stop like Steph Curry just doesn't go through cold spells. So now that they're a little weaker their cast of characters a little bigger dream was a little older. Yeah, Steph Steph can go out for 62 men but like the West is so tough. I think they'll finish higher than they did last year because I think they came in last but because that's healthy, but they're not going to go like though gets absolutely whacked by the Lakers. There's about three or four teams that beat them in the West now I think and
Rob Kelly:look at the team. If the suns are the team that we've seen so far, the West is so much better than it was
Dave Clarke:suns are so good, dude. They
Rob Kelly:look so good. Poland and together are just a duo. That's
Dave Clarke:what I think that Chris Paul does that though to a lot of teams. He flatters to deceive. He comes in he gives them a really great regular season and then he's his body breaks down in the playoffs. And he's just not there when you need them. And you know, it
Rob Kelly:asks so goddamn.
Dave Clarke:That's why that's why it's so hard to move off the ball. And I mean, front sides and everything. But it's he flat. Yeah, I say that he's done. He does that because he's done it to a couple of teams now. sounder last year. Yeah. Yeah, I wouldn't get too excited about the suns, but they're a really good team, regardless of him. And he really definitely fits in perfectly there. But he fits everywhere he goes, he always finds a way to fit in and play really well. So if he can stay healthy, sure, but I just don't I'm not banking on that.
Rob Kelly:But then the Lakers are better than they were last year. clippers same as they were last year at pelicans. Probably better than they were last year
Dave Clarke:jack clippers might still figure it out. Dude, Brian, Paul, George might figure it out. Like Paul George might stop sucking like he keeps saying he's every night. I feel like it's a press conference. Paul George, I promise I'll stop sucking soon. continues to suck. But he might stop soon. Who knows? That West is the West is tough, dude. It's Yeah,
Rob Kelly:it's tough. It's out there.
Joe Malkin:There's a lot of good teams out there. And as you guys are mentioning them, I'm looking at where they are now currently in LA, Phoenix and La are all five and 212. And three, clippers suns Lakers with their win over Memphis will move into first six and two. Golden State is at sixth. Bobby, we re and I predicted them to finish seventh. It sounds almost like you're higher on them than that. And Dave would have them right about there. Am I correct in that assessment?
Rob Kelly:Well, I'd say that's about right. I think their goal for this season is to at least make that play in tournament. If the Warriors can get into that playing tournament. Let Steph shine a little bit let people show that he's still here. He's a force and maybe he leads them to a couple games. Maybe he gets them in and they like losing sex to the to the one seed. That's their goal this year? I don't. So six through nine would be where I would put them this year for sure. Somewhere in that area where the regular on the border of missing the playoffs? Maybe Maybe not.
Dave Clarke:But I think those five teams that are ahead of them right now are better than the jazz pelicans, Lakers. The sons of the Clippers are all better than them. So that's a lot of teams that have you better than you.
Rob Kelly:But the thing is, though, then you look underneath them. And there's teams that are underperforming, who are also better than that.
Unknown:I think the Mavericks have the potential to be better than the Mavericks
Rob Kelly:are definitely better than them net and the nuggets, the nuggets are definitely underperforming so far. But again, it's early days. Jamal Murray. They have I know why I keep forgetting names tonight. What's the white guy's name? Joe? kitch. Dave jokin show like,
Dave Clarke:yeah, honestly, I think you're right looking at I think it'd be lucky to get the eight seed.
Rob Kelly:Yeah, if their goal is to get into the playoffs and the Warriors can get in this year. That's a success for their season without totally for sure. It just sucks because that's not was not the case before clay went down. But obviously that's gonna get
Joe Malkin:another team that could be lucky to get in. If we can extend this a little further because I know this is a great topic between the two of you is the Tampa Bay Raptors of Toronto or the Toronto Raptors of Tampa Bay have been very disappointing. They're one in five to start the season. Is this a playoff hangover day where they have a problem.
Dave Clarke:Guys, they stink last year they stink. They're not good. They're only good because kawhi was there I fucking said this last year, it was the biggest argument in the entire playoffs. Turns out they do because the Celtics beat them and the Celtics should have beat them before. But Joe Jinx them all the way to seven or five, whatever it was, and then the Celtics got beat by the heat. So they're not even as good as the team that lost in the finals. They're not even as good as the team that lost the team that lost in the finals. So fuck them, I don't care about them, Pascal siakam is has been completely figured out. They have a top three coach. So I'll tell you exactly what's gonna happen. Top Five. That's exactly what's gonna happen with the Raptors, they're going to lose a few more games, they're going to go through a few more bad stretches, they're going to put together a couple good runs, but it'll be sneaky bad teams that they're beating. Because Nick nurse is just going to coach them and try to figure out like Daniel just like us minutes smart and all that stuff. And they'll probably make the playoffs again. I'd say they sneak into the playoffs again, at sixth through eighth and then they're gonna get waxed by whoever they play immediately because they suck sorry, Bobby, don't the wrapped and also it doesn't help. I will say in their defense that they have to play in Florida and not at home, which is worse than not having any fans because they're not even like where they live. So that is tough. Now,
Unknown:I don't want to like Oh, you're gonna concede Yeah, I'm
Rob Kelly:gonna concede here the Raptors this year they're not even close to the team they were last year so they lost one of the most physical defenders in the NBA search ibaka and brought in Aron Baynes to replace him. Okay, so that right there any kind of inside presence any kind of worry that anyone had down low is gone. And that completely takes away from what their strength was their guards fragile and fleeting and Lowery you you can't not have a Diablo presence and have two guys under six to be your best players. That's just not gonna work. Never we'll never have
Dave Clarke:glad you finally come around now never disagree with me again.
Rob Kelly:They lost a big piece also six Pascal is out right now. So like he is hurt. So the one five is a little deceptive. Has
Dave Clarke:he been hurt all year?
Rob Kelly:He's been I think he's been out last week.
Dave Clarke:Yeah, I think he's put, and I feel like he has not played well. But maybe he's been hurt. I don't know. I'll give him the benefit of the doubt. You know why? Cuz they're not our problem anymore. Because we're probably not gonna have to worry about him too much coming posts.
Rob Kelly:If he was playing hurt, it was growing so I don't feel fit. I don't blame him for feeling bad or playing bad. Carry. He hurt. You're growing, bro. That's pretty rough.
Unknown:No. Pride, dude.
Rob Kelly:But yeah, so I'm gonna concede this one. Speaking of pride. I'm definitely considering this one because this team is not even close to the team. They were last remember last year, I was like their basketball porn. Now. They're like, the porn that you're like, Oh, my God, and you gotta shut the computer.
Joe Malkin:I don't think a lot of people understand that or will admit to it anyway. But to Bobby, that's why we have to see these things out. You can't just make a take and stick with it. You got to see the things out first. So Exactly. You got to see
Rob Kelly:it, and then react
Dave Clarke:and then be wrong the whole time and then be wrong at the end. Right? You
Joe Malkin:have just wrong at the end, and then be wrong. That's how it works.
Rob Kelly:I do want to talk about my surprise team of the entire Eastern Conference that I think they are going to be contenders and as the Atlanta Hawks. Last thing I'm gonna say is I think this team is real. I think they're here today. And I think that they will be in the top six, and the Eastern Conference
Dave Clarke:just for funsies of the two emerging teams in the Eastern Conference of the start of that NBA season. To attach our bandwagons to just for fun, I'm gonna take the Orlando Magic in that same vein. I think that they're legit. I think they have good players. They've won some games. I think that Yeah, they're very fun to watch. And I think we we should watch that narrative because I think it's gonna be the magic that get good and have finished higher than the Atlanta Hawks and probably thinks it's the Atlanta Hawks. So tune in to find out who's winning listeners.
Rob Kelly:I can't wait to I can't wait to fight. I can't wait to fight with you over this.
Unknown:Yeah,
Joe Malkin:we always have competitions. On missing the point whether it's who we want to take out of the NFL Hall of Fame still Troy Aikman, or if every episode
Rob Kelly:we're talking about basketball.
Joe Malkin:You're right. You know what, I'm sorry. Thank you. Thank you for teaching me to basketball tonight. Guys, that was a lot of fun. I learned a lot I hope you guys did as well. We've obviously broken down most of the league. Definitely the Celtics. My name is Joe Malkin. I'm your host. Thank you to Dave Clark and Bob Kelly for joining me tonight on missing the point we want to thank Craig D'Alessandro our EP even though he didn't keep time of our episode, which he normally does. We think he didn't even go with the beanie tonight he went with the hoodie so I think he's just Bella checking is checked out and he's sitting on his on his couch in his vacation home in Nantucket
Rob Kelly:he surprised his dog with
Craig D'Alessandro:my dog draft.
Joe Malkin:Yeah, that your dogs keeping the time the time for us. So, guys, thank you very much for joining us. This has been another episode of missing the point and we'll catch you next time.
Craig D'Alessandro:Thanks for listening to this episode of missing the point. missing the point is a one hour podcast recapping the biggest stories in the world of sports with the New England flavour. The show notes and transcript from today's episode can be found in the description box below. As well as on our website, www dot MTP show.com. If you're new to the show, please consider subscribing. It's the easiest way to see when we publish new episodes. We are on Apple podcasts, Spotify, Google and wherever you get your podcasts, be sure to rate us and leave a review of any of our shows. We always appreciate your feedback. Let us know how we're doing and how we can sound better. Also, be sure to follow us on all of our social medias. All of our links will be in the show notes and check out our brand new website WWW dot MTV show.com that's MTP show.com. For all of us here missing the point. I'm Craig D'Alessandro. We'll talk to you next time.