thePeachBasket ChatRoom - Early Season Predictions!

[00:00:00] ChatRoom, kind of difficult to say. We're all contributors at thePeachBasket.net and some hosts

[00:00:05] shows on the Peach Basket Podcast Network, which includes shows like 13 Rules, Random NBA Thoughts,

[00:00:12] Run It Back, NBA Week in Review, Open Run, 10 on the Clock with Tyrone Smith, The Milwaukee Bucks Beat,

[00:00:19] Nick NBA, Hoopdini and more. I'm Jose Salviati, editor at thePeachBasket.net and host of Run It Back,

[00:00:26] NBA Week in Review. Joining me today to discuss the 2024-25 NBA season are Tyrone Smith of 10 on the

[00:00:35] Clock with Tyrone Smith, Roger Strauss who covers the 7-0 Cleveland Cavaliers and Eric Labrador who

[00:00:43] covers the Miami Heat. We might have a few other people jump on and if we do that's fine we'll pull

[00:00:49] them in but if not it's just going to be us and we are going to talk today the chat room is open

[00:00:55] to discuss our thoughts and predictions for the 2024-25 NBA season. Now we understand right that

[00:01:02] the season is a few weeks old but I think that's the perfect time to discuss it because we've seen

[00:01:08] the teams play. We've got an idea as to who they are. Now some of these teams started off hot and

[00:01:15] they're not going to last. We're going to talk about this. Some of these teams started off flat and they're

[00:01:19] going to be okay. We're going to talk about that. So stick with us if you've got any comments and you

[00:01:24] happen to be watching on YouTube leave a comment man. We'll pull you into the call. We'll answer your

[00:01:29] question. We'll discuss your concern. If you're watching us on Twitter unfortunately I don't think

[00:01:34] we'll be able to see your comment live but go over to YouTube. You can find us there and again leave

[00:01:40] those questions or comments about anything anybody has to say. For example if Roger says something crazy

[00:01:47] call him out. Tyrone says something weird call him out. I'm not going to say anything unusual so you

[00:01:53] probably won't have to be worried about me but you know Eric might. So call us out. Join us on YouTube.

[00:01:58] We'd love to hear from you. All right that's it. That's our introduction. Guys you ready to go?

[00:02:04] Absolutely. Let's do it. For sure. All right topic number one and we've got a again a crack

[00:02:12] uh graphics department. So there is our first topic. The top two teams to come out of the west.

[00:02:21] All right we're going to do this counterclockwise. I think that's right. No this is clockwise. I'm sorry.

[00:02:28] Um it's daylight savings time is over. Messed me up. Roger you first. Who do you think are the top two

[00:02:34] teams that are going to come out of the west? These are essentially the teams that are going to meet in

[00:02:37] the western conference final. Who you got? Yeah my two teams that I got going to the western

[00:02:43] conference final played their opening games against each other. I got the the Oklahoma City

[00:02:49] Thunder and the Denver Nuggets uh where it could be possibly the OKC uh be will be making their first

[00:02:57] finals appearance since they had Harden and Durant and west squad uh that opening game showed me that

[00:03:04] that Chet Holmgren could go toe to toe with Nikola Jokic who is a perennial MVP candidate.

[00:03:10] And I know it's just the opening night small sample sizes but the the Thunder have been coming on

[00:03:14] strong. Shea Gildas-Aziz-Lisander another MVP candidate. I think those two teams they they seem to me to be

[00:03:22] the class of the west. Hard to argue with any of that and uh I can tell you as a guy from LA um

[00:03:30] talking about who Shea has turned out to be uh I know this isn't on topic but it's easy to say now

[00:03:39] right the Clippers absolutely lost that trade right I mean they they absolutely lost that trade the guy

[00:03:46] that they gave up Shea and others for is no longer on that team Clippers are floundering the Thunder

[00:03:52] are in this conversation uh so it's kind of a tough pill to swallow here in LA but uh yeah no argument

[00:03:58] from me uh I'll share my thoughts in a minute um let's see Tyrone what do you got?

[00:04:05] Um I'm gonna I'm gonna second that I'm gonna go Oklahoma City and I'm gonna go Denver so you know

[00:04:12] last year um one of the things that we talked about when we was doing the uh the playoff show uh

[00:04:18] Oklahoma City was my was my team of destiny I felt like you know they were coming in they had a lot of

[00:04:25] success and they was going to ride that success into the playoffs unfortunately it didn't happen

[00:04:30] that way but now they have that experience that I really didn't take into account I just felt like

[00:04:39] if you if you play a ball then stuff like that shouldn't necessarily matter but now that they

[00:04:45] have that experience they went on they got Alex Caruso um they got Hartenstein who's not going to

[00:04:51] be playing for a little bit but once he comes back that's going to take um pressure off of Chet Holmgren

[00:04:57] in terms of having to play that five man maybe he can be more of a traditional four and guard some

[00:05:03] fours and maybe not have to be as physical playing um like centers like Jokic and other centers in the

[00:05:10] western conference so Oklahoma City is a complete team right I I love what they're doing you know

[00:05:17] they have the the youth they went out and they got some guys some veterans that can help them

[00:05:23] and I feel like the the sky's the limit for them it will be a major surprise if they didn't come out

[00:05:31] as one of the west now for Denver I mean they're struggling a little bit I mean they're three and

[00:05:37] three right now but you know anytime that you have Jokic you know you always have a a puncher's chance

[00:05:44] and overall I like what Christian Brown is doing um the starter coming in from KCP I feel like as the

[00:05:52] season progresses you know the bench get better mainly Russell Westbrook I feel like he has his up

[00:05:58] up and down moments but as the season goes along I feel like he'll be that that key guy coming off

[00:06:05] the bench for them and everybody will pull into their role eventually you know it's hard to really

[00:06:12] gray or like look at teams right now because it's so early in the season 100% and I feel like Denver

[00:06:19] will you know right now it's tough for them right now but you know once they find their stride they'll

[00:06:23] they'll pull it together so okay those will be teams Oklahoma City and Denver all right it just dawned on me

[00:06:30] all right you all are east based I'm the only guy here west to based uh and it's tough for me to answer

[00:06:35] east coast questions uh so you know I appreciate you guys jumping in and interesting we got the same

[00:06:41] two teams Eric are you gonna break the tie or who do you see in the west no it's like uh Chris Berman

[00:06:48] used to say when he would do a Sunday uh NFL countdown so you're all on the thunder

[00:06:54] uh I'm on the thunder too I think if when they got knocked out of the playoffs last year they're like

[00:07:01] a team on a mission this year uh with their pickup of Isaiah Hardenstein and then um I was checking out

[00:07:09] you know yeah me space so it's like uh unless the heat are playing people on the west um I don't really

[00:07:16] you know check in but I did and I saw that you know Caruso's playing you know good defense and it's like

[00:07:23] they're defending and then that means they could probably get you know to those uh you know they

[00:07:29] could level up from the second round third round and maybe get to the NBA finals but not Denver um I

[00:07:36] think uh and it's from I'm keying off of an article that I wrote um that the heat are trying to get more

[00:07:43] entertaining uh Phoenix uh is off to a hot start and uh finally with a pickup of Tyus Jones maybe they have

[00:07:53] a guy that can facilitate to that big three because if not it's just you know a three-headed dragon

[00:08:02] that isn't going anywhere Devin Booker um you know and uh and Kevin Durant and Bradley Beal now they have

[00:08:10] somebody else there and um you know I think they're gonna they're gonna maintain and they're gonna keep

[00:08:15] it hot um and then if they can and everything comes together geez it's like everybody thought when they

[00:08:22] saw uh Bradley Beal get signed you know all those are 20 point per game scores 30 40 point point per game

[00:08:30] scores yeah I love the Phoenix shout out you know so let me give you my thoughts top two teams coming

[00:08:38] to the west and I'm in the west right so I pretty much watch most of the games out here I feel like

[00:08:44] I can you know speak pretty well to the west less so to the east but Eric you said something that I

[00:08:50] think is real important and and as a former coach you know and I'm talking you know kids I'm not talking

[00:08:55] high school college or anything but you know I've coached and and the first thing I always tell the

[00:08:59] kids is it doesn't matter um what individual players skills are what matters is that we come

[00:09:06] together as a team right because in the NBA it's been about the big three for a long time right

[00:09:13] when LeBron you know met Dwayne Wade in Miami with Bosch you know the big three Kevin Garnett

[00:09:21] in Boston it's always about the big three you can have big threes every team has them now but if

[00:09:27] you're not a team you're not gonna win you're not gonna win anything and we saw that in Phoenix last

[00:09:31] year these are three individually really good players but they just didn't come together as a team

[00:09:35] um and you see that often right you see players that just have to figure out how to play together

[00:09:42] right you can't have you can't put together five 20 point uh scores and figure out that they're you

[00:09:48] know assume that they're gonna be a great team they're not they've got to figure it out and Phoenix

[00:09:53] certainly looks like they have um so I like I like I like Phoenix uh but let me start with you know the

[00:10:00] number one team and I agree with all of you uh the thunder the cream of the crop um they're they're

[00:10:05] young uh they're fun to watch uh they don't seem to have any weaknesses their two pickups are the kind

[00:10:11] of players that you want on championship teams right Hartenstein and Caruso these these are these are the

[00:10:17] guys are going to get those 50 50 balls they're gonna make the right play they're not gonna make

[00:10:20] mistakes you don't need to call plays for them these are perfect guys for a championship team and they got two

[00:10:26] of them um so yeah unless something goes wrong they are they are the cream of the crop I'm not as sold

[00:10:33] on Denver either Eric um you know we saw Russell Westbrook front and center he's phenomenal guy

[00:10:41] honestly I just think he's he's a great person his game is just you can't trust him you can't trust

[00:10:47] him with a shot you can't trust him to make the right play uh every time um he will be spectacular

[00:10:54] one second and he will just make the most baffling play the next and um it's it's it's rough it's rough

[00:11:01] and he's gonna have his ball in the hands I've seen him closing out games for Denver so Denver you know

[00:11:06] Nicole Nicole Jokic is the cream of the crop is you know in terms of of of ballers I think he's probably

[00:11:12] the best uh in the game again um but you've got to have a team and I think losing KCP is going to hurt

[00:11:19] them uh so I'm not as sold on on Denver but when I think of the second team man I struggle uh the

[00:11:25] Mavericks were in the finals last year right are they going to come back um is John Morant going to

[00:11:31] make a difference in Memphis is Anthony uh Edwards going to make you know finally push his team over

[00:11:37] the top I think bringing in or losing Kat was a problem for them I don't know man definitely the

[00:11:44] Thunder I have to pick a number two I'm gonna go with Dallas um not because I like the Dallas Mavericks

[00:11:51] I don't I'm not sold on them but I just they made it once you know and and generally teams that make it

[00:12:00] you know they work hard to get back there again I think you're going to see a big move at the trade

[00:12:03] deadline for Dallas they're going to go all in um so yeah I'll stick with it Dallas let's move to the

[00:12:11] east this is an area where you guys uh live you guys see these games you guys know uh these these

[00:12:18] teams a little bit better than me um so let's see let's uh Eric you kick this one off this time

[00:12:23] uh the top two teams coming out of the east who you got well since there's a Miami bias in the NBA

[00:12:32] I mean every time they don't like the way that he played the defense they slow the game down

[00:12:38] um you know it Boston's gonna be one of them because they're the darling everybody loves them

[00:12:44] uh you know like I put in an article that uh everybody's saying that Boston has the most talent

[00:12:51] and I mean they're good players they're they're the best enemy anybody can have um but uh the other

[00:12:59] one is going to be New York I mean uh you know you saw what Kat did uh you know um and he

[00:13:05] really he's the guy that everybody wants if they want the three-pointer to be the most interesting

[00:13:13] thing of the game uh he can shoot the three and then also he's huge I mean the heat they really

[00:13:19] didn't have an answer for him when they played on Wednesday night um you know I looked at the the line

[00:13:25] 44 points I mean wow you know I um so I think it's going to be Boston and New York until you know proven

[00:13:33] otherwise um because everybody loves the Boston and New York thing you know uh secretly and quietly

[00:13:40] I'm hoping that you know Miami uh you know uh throws a monkey wrench in there but uh I'm I'm a legit

[00:13:49] fan I'm not going to be a super homer all the time you know they got a lot of things that they need to

[00:13:54] uh they need to shore up but you know yeah Boston and New York for me okay and I I want to call out

[00:14:01] Eric you know this is twice now you've had the mic and twice you've promoted your articles

[00:14:06] well done that's how you do it he's twice said I've written about this before and you know what

[00:14:14] we're going to do we're going to make sure that we link to those articles too to to get them out yeah

[00:14:18] that's that uh you know the I I I was thinking of the the Jeff Van Gundy Stan Van Gundy um all of

[00:14:26] a sudden they just on the Boston bandwagon and I remember during the NBA uh Eastern Conference

[00:14:31] finals when uh Miami was playing Denver and Boston geez I mean non-stop it was like every good play

[00:14:39] it would be Boston so great oh my god Miami would do something good and then it was like yeah Miami did

[00:14:46] that you know and and then uh Jeff Van Gundy went to work as a consultant he had to leave Boston because

[00:14:53] he got a job with the Clippers and then Stan Van Gundy comes out says the same thing oh they have

[00:14:59] the most talented roster okay I'll give it to you you know but um you know we'll see what happens uh

[00:15:05] you know later in the season all right well again always good to to to to self-promote and yeah we got uh

[00:15:13] we got Van Gundy here in LA uh you know which has been good for LA oh you know he always finds a way to

[00:15:20] you know people tire of him after a while like in Houston and you know the ABC telecast

[00:15:27] and you know that's a good topic for you because we're going to talk about coaches right and I think

[00:15:32] the the when the beginning of the end for any NBA coach is when you start losing your voice right

[00:15:37] when they do get tired of you the players uh more than anybody else and we'll talk about that in a

[00:15:42] minute uh Roger who do you got coming out of the east yeah I I had the same exact pics of of Austin

[00:15:51] somehow being the uh the darling NBA but also somehow the most disrespected the only team that won 60

[00:15:57] games last year has probably the best depth uh from one through you know 15 on their roster every single

[00:16:04] night and they uh they they probably will take that as a sign disrespect to to push them through this

[00:16:11] season to get back to the eastern conference finals and uh yeah I I think making that splash as well

[00:16:18] getting cat makes me think that they are serious about contending this year as well not just you know

[00:16:24] just being you know grinding in every in grinding out every single game that they do kind of under tibbs

[00:16:30] I think got plans for getting to the finals at least having having that aspirations uh because it always seems like

[00:16:39] tibbs teams kind of down the stretch lose some steam it might be the way that he you know he practices he

[00:16:45] plays them you know 40 minutes a night but I think getting cat will hopefully alleviate spacing issues and

[00:16:51] and be able to kind of open up their team a little bit more I I would love to say that the calves have

[00:16:58] a ceiling that they could win two playoff matchups but I it's difficult to see now since uh

[00:17:06] we we have construct going into last season but unless they make like acquisition at the trade deadline

[00:17:14] to get like a number two guy or maybe Darius Garland or and Mobley could be that number two option I if

[00:17:21] if teams key on Donovan Mitchell in the playoffs I think I think it'll probably be Boston New York

[00:17:28] Eastern Conference finals okay okay coming from a Cavs guy that says a lot uh I'll share my thoughts uh

[00:17:36] last year Tyrone what do you got uh I think I gotta I think I gotta go with the with the panel here

[00:17:45] okay oh so you know Boston is a team man that I just you know they they they style of basketball

[00:17:53] is so beautiful like you know just if you just like to see threes chucked up all over the place

[00:17:59] it's beautiful but then it always makes you wonder like what happens when those shots don't fall like

[00:18:06] what happens when you know they go on a stretch where they miss like 12 13 straight three-pointers and I

[00:18:13] mean I've seen it in the flesh uh Saturday last Saturday when they played the Pistons they was up 23 points

[00:18:21] and the Pistons was able to grind it out and actually had a lead at one point in that game

[00:18:27] because they just stopped missing shots and when it seemed like when they stopped missing shots they didn't

[00:18:31] want to play defense and you know the Pistons was able to capitalize on it but ultimately you know

[00:18:36] the Celtics show championship pedigree right winning that game which you know made me feel some type of

[00:18:42] way as a Pistons fan but that's neither here nor there yeah but uh so you know we talk over the

[00:18:49] depth is nice for Boston and they're doing all this without Porzingis so you gotta remember when he

[00:18:55] comes back he's going to probably give them that element of somebody that they can throw the ball

[00:18:59] to in the paint and he can you know be a post presence for them per se in addition to what he does

[00:19:05] out there on the perimeter so Boston is nice I like I like what they do but you know it's still

[00:19:12] questions about you know how how do they handle when they don't make shots because it seems like

[00:19:17] when they don't make shots it messes it it goes into like their defensive philosophies and that

[00:19:23] that aggression that they had on the defensive end and for the Knicks look I mean I like what I like

[00:19:30] what they did in terms of getting uh Carl Anthony Townsend to fold uh the OG Ananobi one was kind of

[00:19:36] interesting to me I felt like that was a lot to 200 plus million for for OG I felt like it was kind

[00:19:43] of a stretch but you know when you're a team that feels like they have the pieces to go to win a

[00:19:48] championship then these are the type of things these are the type of moves that you have to make

[00:19:52] to you know do what you want to do so you know the Knicks man I want McHale Bridges to get his shot

[00:20:01] together um you know that's been a big talking point I feel like as the season goes along that uh

[00:20:08] that'll change and you know he'll be a more consistent shooter you know they just have death

[00:20:13] uh you know from one through five and you know with Timbs their defensive philosophy is gonna be there

[00:20:19] so you know the Knicks man you know I think those are the two teams out the out the east that can come

[00:20:25] off for sure so all right so the three east guys have got the same two picks right so me the Knucklehead

[00:20:35] and the west I'm I'm I'm gonna I'm gonna disagree I'm not gonna disagree with Boston Boston's fun

[00:20:41] they're they played that they're the defending champs they play good basketball they they are a team right

[00:20:48] in every sense of the word their coach is acting as if they are you know the underdog right everything

[00:20:55] he says talks about we got our target on our back you know every coach says this but they're

[00:20:59] still about that guy's mentality I just think they're buying in he definitely has their ear

[00:21:04] and he's going to convince that team that that that they're the worst team in in the NBA and going

[00:21:09] out there improving in every game so this Boston's the cream of the east I think the cream of that

[00:21:14] the cream of the crop in the east but now here's my problem in New York all right

[00:21:20] Tibbs is a defensive coach Cat is an offensive player okay in the regular season you're going

[00:21:26] to be okay with that but in the in the playoffs defense wins games right and Cat's going to be a

[00:21:32] liability um the other thing the other problem I have in New York is that it's a brand new team

[00:21:38] right bringing in someone like Cat changes your team they're they're obviously going to have 82 games to

[00:21:44] figure it out but you remember right we talked about Chris Bosch uh LeBron and and Dwayne Wade in Miami

[00:21:51] that team started and Eric keep me honest here I think they started two and three or two and four

[00:21:55] or something they did not start winning right away it's eight and nine like that was that was when uh

[00:22:03] the shoving match between uh or the little shove the indirect shove between Spoh and uh and LeBron

[00:22:10] they were eight and nine something like that in the 11th season and um yeah and then they ended up

[00:22:17] picking that together but yeah like at first it didn't look like it was gonna it was gonna happen

[00:22:22] it takes time man it takes time and Bron wanted to spell out and Pat Riley said deal with it I mean

[00:22:27] there was a lot of drama and I'm not saying the Knicks are gonna deal with have to have to deal with

[00:22:32] drama but you know it's New York man you know every little bit of drama is just gonna be you know

[00:22:37] magnified just like in LA so I think things are gonna be a little bumpy for the Knicks so I like

[00:22:45] the Cleveland Cavaliers I think that team and I'm not saying that because Roger's here I'm not

[00:22:50] I really do think that that team is there because they're a team and I think they're gonna have to

[00:22:55] make a move they're gonna have to bring in somebody else and I think that team understands that they're

[00:23:00] close um and and um you know I'm hoping that they make a run uh it'd be great for Cleveland great

[00:23:06] for that team great for Donovan Mitchell who's been on really really good teams it just could never get

[00:23:10] over the hump um so my picks are Boston and Cleveland all right and if I'm right I will hold it over all

[00:23:17] three of your heads just so it's clear just so it's clear all right let's move on to the next one

[00:23:24] next topic top two MVP candidates uh we we've already yelled out a name Nikola Jokic a couple of times

[00:23:32] uh who are the top two uh and I don't I don't mean to start with Nikola Jokic a matter of fact let me

[00:23:36] I'll I'll I'll do this first I'll do this first I've gone last the first two times

[00:23:43] I hate the MVP award I'll tell you why because what does valuable mean right my estimation has always

[00:23:51] been that it should be the best player on the best team right it makes it really simple right

[00:23:55] but it's so incredibly subjective if you want to pick the best player in the NBA over the last 10 years

[00:24:00] it's been LeBron James I get why you know Nikola Jokic won it I I get it I understand it I get why

[00:24:06] all the other guys who didn't win it uh who won it over LeBron won it but the best player is LeBron James

[00:24:11] man I mean he's he's the best player but I so the the the the the the subjectiveness of the award bugs me

[00:24:20] all right um but that being said I I do think the top two you know Nikola again because of who he is

[00:24:28] um I think Wemby is going to get more votes than you might suspect because he's changing the game

[00:24:34] um I don't think he's a number you know number two guy but I think Wemby probably finished in the top

[00:24:40] five this year make a real significant jump um I think all right it's a west coast bias I think but

[00:24:51] I'm gonna go with and it's funny because Minnesota's more east but I think Anthony Edwards and uh Nikola Jokic

[00:24:57] would be my my two and I feel like I'm missing a few people but that that's my gut I'll go with it

[00:25:03] um let's see Tyrone you're next who you got who your top two MVP candidates

[00:25:08] uh wow um I split it up I'll do one east one west so I'll say for the west

[00:25:16] you know you got you got good ones you got Jokic you got LeBron you can throw AD in there if you want to

[00:25:22] Luka Anthony Edwards you know it's a lot of good J yeah that's that was gonna be my that was gonna be

[00:25:29] my bit Jokic I feel sorry yeah you know but I just I'm shame man you know what he does offensively is

[00:25:37] nice but you know the defensive aspect of what he does in terms of being a disruptor just makes it

[00:25:43] makes him that much more of a complete player and I feel like Oklahoma City probably gonna be the best

[00:25:50] team in the league and I agree with you like if the award should be for the best player on the best

[00:25:56] team so I'll go Shea for the west and then for the east because he been on a he been on a tear as

[00:26:03] late and you know it's just it's been it's been fun to watch Jason Tatum so Jason Tatum and Shea will be

[00:26:11] my two uh MVP candidates one conference um you know just everybody wondered about you know his shot

[00:26:19] being changed uh coming into the season it looks like it's had no effect whatsoever and you know

[00:26:26] his other aspects within his game is just making him that much more of a complete player which made

[00:26:32] Boston that much more dangerous so Shea and Jason Tatum would be my two MVP candidates love it I love it

[00:26:39] and I love that we've got four different names so far uh that's that's that's kind of cool and it shows

[00:26:44] how wide open the race is Roger who you got top two MVP candidates yeah uh before I get there I do

[00:26:52] agree uh with you Jose and so much that like it is a very subjective award it's a writers voted on you

[00:27:00] know so there's like the stats versus narrative type of conversations that always happen every single year

[00:27:07] the the whole MVP uh you know fatigue thing that that happened to Jokic and and will happen

[00:27:13] possibly say that he's the most valuable based on the analytics that he puts up but he's already won

[00:27:18] it three times so it's kind of like what are you gonna do there uh I mean I I do think that yeah

[00:27:24] having Shea if he wins like 60 games this year with the the thunder and they're they're leading from

[00:27:30] the start no doubt in my mind he should be up there he would be up there I think he finished second

[00:27:36] last year behind Jokic I believe uh so like he should be definitely a strong candidate and I think if

[00:27:42] the the the way that the Knicks are are setting up their team based on the the constraint they've

[00:27:49] they're building around Jalen Brunson with with Cat coming in to face the floor to get out of there so

[00:27:54] Brunson can attack the lane more I think Jalen Brunson could be easily up there top three

[00:28:00] voted upon uh MVP if he has a season he should have okay I love that call out um Jalen Brunson's a bit

[00:28:10] of a dark horse but uh yeah I'm for it uh I love that all right Eric you got the last word who are

[00:28:15] your two top MVP candidates this season well I'm I had three kind of listed but now I'm listening to you

[00:28:25] guys um I think since Jokic has won it so many times and LeBron has Bronny playing with him this

[00:28:34] season I think LeBron's gonna be a candidate in consideration it's gonna be like you know the

[00:28:41] swan song the last dance type of gift to him you know even though his son has nothing to do with it

[00:28:47] but like if the Lakers continue to play well um but it's like you know a PR thing for the NBA

[00:28:53] and then um Donovan Mitchell uh you know he's uh you know he's a face um I think they could back him

[00:29:02] you know in terms of you know if Cleveland continues to do well um you know he's you know he's a guard

[00:29:09] he's flashy he's got a great nickname spider you know um I was gonna say also Jason Tatum but like

[00:29:16] I'm I'm kind of tired of talking about Jason Tatum so much so yeah Donovan Mitchell or or LeBron

[00:29:24] um just off the top of my head dang okay those are interesting picks man and I love it I love the

[00:29:31] diversity in the picks here uh again it just shows how wide open uh that race is and very interesting

[00:29:37] I think we'll probably I will probably get it right between all the names we threw out

[00:29:43] and I love what Roger said I never heard it called that way but MVP fatigue right you win it three

[00:29:48] times all of a sudden it's harder to win it the fourth time it just should go to the best player

[00:29:52] it shouldn't be any fatigue man but on we go all right last question that we're going to ask you

[00:29:58] guys that we're going to allow you know a little bit of conversation around then we're going to go

[00:30:02] some a rapid fire round but this one we're going to have a little bit of discussion just like

[00:30:06] we've had about the other topics who's the first coach to get fired and why I've got a name in mind

[00:30:13] uh let's see uh Eric I know you just got done talking but uh let's start with you who do you

[00:30:19] think is on the hot seat already I'm going to say Rick Carlisle from Indiana because um Indiana's off

[00:30:27] to a rough start uh and uh with everything that they did last year uh in terms of you know getting to

[00:30:36] the Eastern Conference Finals um if they continue uh losing games he's going to be out because you

[00:30:43] don't want to waste uh that fan base you know they're going to start making noise and it's like

[00:30:51] you know you got all those young guys there and if and if they're not winning after the season they

[00:30:57] had last year I think he'll be the first coach I hadn't even thought about him yeah I mean anytime

[00:31:04] you win the expectations go up uh so it makes sense I saw a lot of chatter about Halliburton and

[00:31:11] you know is he playing well is he not playing well what's going on and it's like you know I just

[00:31:18] started looking at you know doing some research before I came on and I'm like yeah I mean you

[00:31:24] know Rick Carlisle unfortunately like he's long in the tooth so they're going to start you know

[00:31:28] banging the drum about oh we need to get a younger guy in there this and that and it's like you know

[00:31:34] I think I mean I also had Doc Rivers in in Milwaukee because uh you know he filled in uh when they fired

[00:31:43] uh the coach last year uh they're talking about you know Giannis and and Dame you know having problems

[00:31:51] but uh yeah I think Rick Carlisle more than anything else because uh that that team everybody was

[00:31:58] probably expecting them to be a contender and they're not they're not doing well good pick I had

[00:32:02] thought about it if it happens that's going to be a very popular snippet on the internet you calling

[00:32:07] that out at this point uh let's let's put that in our back pocket see how that flies uh Roger who do

[00:32:14] you think's the first coach to get fired and why yeah if you're yeah I know the first coach that's not

[00:32:22] getting fired and that's Kenny Atkinson because he has delivered more than I thought he would this

[00:32:28] first you know week of the season uh or first two weeks of the season and I and I think that

[00:32:34] have him having him come from the Golden State system they're going to be implementing more split action

[00:32:39] in the the offense running less pick and roll allowing the ball to you know uh move a little

[00:32:45] bit more freer but get hopefully more open three-point looks will be the key for the Cavs this year

[00:32:51] it up uh I believe uh since since you alluded that we we all should have the same answer I think the

[00:32:57] correct answer is doctors because the Cavs put a dagger in their heart last night with uh

[00:33:04] Mitchell uh jumper 0.3 seconds left and if it keeps going this way for Milwaukee I I can't not see it

[00:33:12] going because they have guys that are there to win now I know Chris Milton's hurt and that's you know

[00:33:18] hopefully he can come back and be the player that he was in 2021 but yeah they don't they don't really

[00:33:23] have too many excuses if they can't compete in the uh in the you know the east yep I'll go next

[00:33:31] Tyrone we'll save the last word for you but yeah man I Doc Rivers tenure in Milwaukee is and and just

[00:33:39] look at his career right he won it all in 2008 with Boston and and and he's just consistently

[00:33:45] nothing else yeah nothing else since then but he always gets another opportunity right um he was

[00:33:54] really good in LA uh he he was the right coach when the whole Donald Sterling thing happened uh he was

[00:34:02] the right coach for that team just to handle that and the weirdness of it and the ugliness of it

[00:34:09] he was the right coach but in terms of you know making the right calls and managing that team's

[00:34:15] odd you know not odd unique personality between you know CP and Blake he didn't do a great job

[00:34:20] he just keeps falling up man and we're just not seeing success from Doc Rivers and you know Adrian

[00:34:27] Griffin the guy that he replaced you know I I'm trying to find the tweet now I can't find it but I

[00:34:33] think you know they've coached the same number of games and Adrian Griffin's record much better than

[00:34:38] Doc Rivers record it was in first place they were leading they were leading the east and then

[00:34:44] yeah and you know it reminds me this is in the you know the 80s so I might lose folks already here but

[00:34:51] you know the Lakers were winning games they had Paul Westhead as the coach but Jerry Buss the owner at

[00:34:57] the time said they're not winning fun right they're they're mucking up the game I want showtime so he

[00:35:03] fires Westhead brings in Pat Riley now that worked out okay for for for the Lakers but I kind of think

[00:35:09] that that's what Milwaukee wanted we're winning but we you know we're not winning well we we want to we

[00:35:13] want to be excited we want it you know we brought in offense over defense uh with Dame over Drew and it

[00:35:20] just hasn't worked man and so the first coach to to to to to to find the unemployment line has got to

[00:35:25] be Doc Rivers Tyrone you get the last word who do you think okay uh so I'll I throw a little bit of a

[00:35:35] monkey rich in it um I'll say this I'll say that Doc Rivers definitely deserves to be fired Doc Rivers

[00:35:40] definitely didn't deserve to be the head coach of the Milwaukee Bucks and we talk about champions

[00:35:47] and I feel that the the Boston's that 2008 Boston Celtics team I feel like they're just over glorified

[00:35:55] like every single time they're talking about that championship like I don't hear the 03 Pistons

[00:36:02] talking about it you don't really hear about the heat talking about theirs but every single time

[00:36:07] they're talking about that championship and it's just it's so annoying it's so annoying like I've

[00:36:14] always felt like Doc Rivers was an overrated coach I've always felt that way and him coming to the Bucks

[00:36:20] and not being able to produce yet I mean it's still early so let's yeah yeah that in mind it's still

[00:36:27] early so there's still a chance for him to put it together but the results are there since he's been

[00:36:33] with the Bucks the Bucks has not been a good team Adrian Griffith got robbed of his job and it's the

[00:36:39] message um so first coach to be fired um I'm actually going to say I'm going to actually go

[00:36:50] Chauncey Billups importantly and the reason I say this is because I don't feel it's fair to Chauncey

[00:36:58] when you are a rebuilding team like your ownership should understand that you're rebuilding so it's not

[00:37:07] going to it's not a it's not an overnight success like a lot of teams have overnight success but when

[00:37:12] you're rebuilding most of the time it takes a couple years to kind of implement what you want to

[00:37:18] implement in terms of your philosophies to the players to be able to be successful and something

[00:37:23] just tells me that you know Chauncey just he's he's on that he's going to be on that short at least this

[00:37:30] season because it's been a couple seasons now um and they've been kind of struggling still

[00:37:35] and who knows how what the you know what the season is going to bring for them in terms of a losing streak I

[00:37:41] feel like if they go on one big six seven game losing streak during the first year I feel Chauncey Billups

[00:37:47] will probably be the first coach to be letting go dark horse I'll say Billy Donovan in Chicago too

[00:37:54] now Chicago's doing well I mean they're 500 so you know it may not happen like I want it to happen but

[00:38:02] Chicago made the moves to rebuild they didn't bring back the Rosen they're trying to get rid of

[00:38:08] Levine they're trying to get a Vucevic so they understand that they have to they have to prioritize their

[00:38:14] young players and with Donovan something tells me that Donovan is more of a coach that wants to be put

[00:38:21] in the situation where the players are established and the culture is maybe when now compared to having

[00:38:29] to develop players and building that building that culture over time so Billy Donovan is my dark horse

[00:38:37] Chauncey Billups is probably going to be by the first coach that I can see being fired and Doc Rivers

[00:38:44] please like just go like just go you know again I'm an LA guy I'm out here in the west coast and I

[00:38:54] I'm relieved slash excited uh slash optimistic that nobody said JJ Redick I think it would have been he would

[00:39:03] have been on the list at the start of the season because people were you know they weren't sure

[00:39:10] you know and they didn't like how he got the job and I think there was a little bit of an expectation

[00:39:14] that he'd fail and um so far the Lakers are doing good which is a great segue to our rapid fire round

[00:39:23] okay now here what we're going to ask you guys to do is to share your thoughts but share it quickly

[00:39:28] right one or two sentences um and um you know be as you know precise as you can as detailed as you can

[00:39:35] but you know again keeping it short and we're going to start and this is the segue part we're

[00:39:41] going to start with this question all right which team that got off to a hot start and let's say you

[00:39:47] know they're a top five team in either conference which team that got off to a hot start is a mirage

[00:39:52] and just to kind of level set here here are the top five teams in the west the Thunder the Suns

[00:39:57] the Warriors the Lakers the Mavs top five and it you know it can be top 10 but I'm just just to throw

[00:40:02] this out top five in the east the Cavs the Celtics the Knicks the Heat and the Bulls Roger who do you

[00:40:09] think got off to a hot start but it's just a mirage man yeah I kind of feel like this impending

[00:40:19] feeling that there's going to be some commonality and we're going to agree again about this answer at

[00:40:23] least for the east because uh I mean the the Cavs are 7-0 for the first time ever without a LeBron

[00:40:30] in the team since 1976 1977 so this is unheard of territory for the Cavs I know I'm being a bit uh

[00:40:41] raining on my own parade but I guess I I should rain on my own parade then let y'all rain on the Cavs

[00:40:46] parade uh they're they're not a mirage they are just I guess they got their core four and a lot of

[00:40:55] teams like the Knicks uh you know have new players uh and and whatnot so they're they're just they're

[00:41:01] just ready to go so they're just once we I think play Boston in a couple weeks we'll figure out what

[00:41:06] kind of actual team this is uh I think it's on the 19th on TNT so tune in all right TNT you're welcome

[00:41:15] uh we we're happy to take royalties for that promotion Eric what team that got off to a hot

[00:41:22] start is a mirage I think um just it's a cursory look but I don't buy Golden State at four and one

[00:41:30] um I don't think they're back um I think at one point in time they're gonna start you know going

[00:41:36] on a losing streak yeah okay I like that one um Tyrone I'll say as the last word for me what do you got

[00:41:44] what team a hot start mirage I'm gonna go Cavs I'm gonna go Cavs uh you know still early like I've been

[00:41:52] saying um so you know they're finding their stride right now but you know as the season goes along I feel

[00:41:58] that things will probably level out and it'll so I got the Cavs okay okay listen Cavs aren't gonna go

[00:42:07] 82 and up okay but I think I I think the Cavs are a good team I think they're gonna finish definitely

[00:42:15] in the top three in the east the mirage in the east are the three and three bulls this is not a good team

[00:42:22] and I don't know right now they're number five in the east that's not gonna last and Eric you beat me

[00:42:27] to it uh there is so much love for the Warriors right now but uh that's a mirage man they're five

[00:42:33] and one right now but he heel went off uh it's a mirage they're not gonna last let's move on

[00:42:42] rapid fire next one what team that got off to a poor start is an anomaly right they're gonna be okay

[00:42:50] but they just stumbled out of the gate Tyrone you start us off who you got I'm probably gonna get a

[00:42:57] lot of laughs for saying this particular team and I think you know where I'm going with this Jose

[00:43:03] Detroit versus everybody so I'm gonna go with the Pistons okay I say this to say because if you look at

[00:43:09] the Pistons now they are one and five you can legitimately make an argument for them being four

[00:43:15] one I think you can legitimately make that argument they've been in games they they've just faltered

[00:43:21] in the fourth quarter it seems like that their culture is changing in Detroit finally so they're

[00:43:28] gonna get they're gonna put it together as the season go along so I'm going to go with my hometown

[00:43:32] Pistons as that team as you should I respect it Eric who you got bad start but they're gonna be okay

[00:43:41] uh Philadelphia uh Philadelphia only got one win but it's like and beat he's gonna have he's having

[00:43:49] his he's in his feelings right now I saw a couple of you know headlines that you know he's upset at one

[00:43:57] point in time they're gonna have a sit down because this team they were they were too close they got

[00:44:01] Caleb Martin they traded you know Tobias Harris uh they're gonna they're gonna settle down and

[00:44:06] they're gonna start playing well okay yeah it's interesting um I don't have that much faith in

[00:44:15] the Sixers I saw my thought about that but I thought no they're not going to be a bottom tier team

[00:44:20] but when I look at it I'm glad you called it out and I'm glad there's there's there's faith and

[00:44:25] confidence in the Sixers when I look at the bottom tier certainly the the nuggets are the ones that

[00:44:31] kind of stuck out to me right they started off you know poorly they're three and three right now let me

[00:44:36] look that up um definitely the bottom of the west uh yeah they're at 11 and three and three uh they're

[00:44:43] gonna be okay and then the nuggets we talked about them when we talked about the top two teams they're

[00:44:46] gonna be okay uh Roger you got the last word bad start but they're gonna be all right yeah

[00:44:53] yeah I I don't think Rick Kyler really is on the heart hot seat I think they may be feeling a little

[00:44:59] bit of a eastern conference uh you know dip for earlier depression from losing and having I think

[00:45:07] a lead in all four games against the Celtics if I remember right uh so I think the pacers are gonna

[00:45:12] get it right they always play the calves hard and they have that run and gun offense where they're

[00:45:17] gonna score 150 points like 20 times a year that once they get their their flow going I think they'll

[00:45:24] be right there in the four or five seed for the playoffs love it I I love that you know we all

[00:45:30] have different thoughts that's the beauty of it that's why we love sports everybody's got different

[00:45:34] opinions and uh this ensures that one of us who gets it right is going to have bragging rights on

[00:45:40] everybody else when uh with this season you know when they're in the dust settle which I love

[00:45:44] all right let's see uh we got a couple more rapid fire let's uh go to the next one okay this was kind

[00:45:52] of an interesting one and again I asked this one because I have a player in mind so uh I'll go last

[00:45:58] because none of y'all gonna name my player I know it who's one supply or surprise player the uh who's

[00:46:04] gonna have a really good half of the season and become an unlikely all-star uh let's see Eric why

[00:46:10] don't you start us off who you got anybody come to mind well this guy um he's it's Anthony Davis just

[00:46:18] because I mean he's off to a hot start and I think before he gets injured which Anthony Davis usually

[00:46:24] at one point in time in the season gets injured uh he's man scoring 32 points per game geez like you

[00:46:32] know that's a surprise to me and you know everybody's been looking you know for that for like forever

[00:46:39] because he's tailed off the last couple years yeah all right AD I you saying when he gets hurt that was

[00:46:49] he's gonna get hurt again it's gonna happen no doubt about it but before that

[00:46:55] he's gonna he I mean he's he's balling out he's doing New Orleans Anthony Davis he's been spectacular

[00:47:02] there Tyrone you got a surprise unlikely all-star candidate uh I'll give you two I'm gonna go

[00:47:09] LaMelo for the Hornets just because he's been he's been hurt the last two seasons but when he's played

[00:47:17] he's a he's a 20 26 20 26 and 8 guy still I mean he's a radical to shooting but he's a playmaker

[00:47:27] and he's been he's been balling out for uh for Charlotte so far this season so that's one and once

[00:47:33] again I gotta go home team I gotta go with Kay Kay Cunningham same kind of story been hurt

[00:47:41] haven't really had the help per se but you know this season he's been real consistent him and Jaden

[00:47:47] Ivey that's been a great backcourt to watch so far but Kay I think he's uh he's making the argument

[00:47:54] for being an all-star this year so those would be my two for Melo and Kay good picks good picks

[00:48:00] Roger who you got surprise all-star yeah and Eric don't forget uh AD is the 2024

[00:48:10] NBA cup champion so he's he's got he's got hardware you know from last season to to brag about so

[00:48:16] hopefully you know the Lakers will make another run for another championship this year right yeah

[00:48:23] uh my guy uh because Atkinson seems to have a lot of faith in him and obviously has seen his

[00:48:29] development the last couple years is Evan Mobley he goes around circles as the nickname of Slim

[00:48:35] Duncan and if he can be half the player of Tim Duncan's stature he'd be you know I think a great uh

[00:48:41] number two to Spider Mitchell and they might not even need to trade for anybody if he can

[00:48:46] grow into the player that he's you know promised to be okay I love that pick I love his game I never

[00:48:52] heard Slim Duncan that that's an interesting nickname I I like it we don't have great nicknames in the NBA

[00:48:59] anymore so I'm off for bringing that back all right here's my pick uh this guy currently is averaging 17

[00:49:05] and a half points 13 rebounds center position this is a guy you don't have to call plays for

[00:49:10] he's a grinder he's a bulldog he doesn't make a lot of mistakes and that is the uh Clippers center

[00:49:17] if it's a zoo bots um I like him man I just think he's a solid player would love to see him you know

[00:49:24] it's kind of a blind squirrel gets a nut every kind of you know every now and again you know I I'd like

[00:49:28] to see him finish his career with it with one all-star game uh and this might be that season all right

[00:49:34] that's my surprise pick all right here's the final one rapid fire before we go uh with closing thoughts

[00:49:42] do you have a shocking prediction for the 2024-25 NBA season what's gonna happen is gonna shock some

[00:49:50] folks uh then happen every season but we've had some big trades we've had teams excel you don't

[00:49:56] generally have Cinderella teams in the in the NBA but might happen what do you think um let's see

[00:50:03] Rod just start us off do you have a shocking prediction for the 2024-25 NBA season I feel like

[00:50:12] we were talking about this a lot last year um but I'm gonna go the other way because I have faith

[00:50:17] in it I think Draymond Green is not gonna get suspended this year he's gonna play 80 82 games

[00:50:24] and he's gonna he's gonna lead the back to the promised land wow love okay that's shocking

[00:50:32] that is shocking uh but it's it's it's now saved for forever and ever the internet doesn't forget I

[00:50:39] love that pick and I hope it's true for Draymond Tyrone you got a shocking prediction

[00:50:46] Bucks Sixers don't make the playoffs or play in wow um

[00:50:57] uh I just you know what I look all the teams are younger they got a lot to prove coaching I just

[00:51:07] injuries Paul George or LNB Giannis may get traded this year that may be another shocking prediction he

[00:51:15] might he might be traded this year he doesn't look happy at all they look like to the cat

[00:51:21] hey maybe Golden State who knows but those are those that's my shocking prediction I don't think

[00:51:27] Philly or Milwaukee makes the playoffs they'll fight for a play in spot but I think those two teams will be

[00:51:35] out shocking shocking all right Eric I'm gonna save the last word for you uh well at least on this topic

[00:51:43] here's my shocking prediction um and I'm not all in on this but I'm about 75 feeling confident about

[00:51:50] this one the Boston Celtics will not win it all this season shocking and they're the favorites they're

[00:52:01] not gonna win it all this season I don't know who is I've got my I got thoughts but they're not winning

[00:52:06] it all they're not repeating the dynasty is on hold all right Eric what do you got shocking prediction for

[00:52:12] the season I've been seeing uh chatter that at least one of them is thinking of getting traded I think

[00:52:20] I'm gonna I'm just gonna do a super shocker Dame and Giannis get traded this season

[00:52:29] Milwaukee Bucks blow everything up okay you know we I host a show uh 13 rules uh random NBA thoughts

[00:52:39] podcast with with Steve and we talk a lot about how hard it is right to to to to be a GM to build a team

[00:52:45] and the the biggest decision you have to make is when do you have to blow it up right you always want

[00:52:50] to blow it blow it up early right you don't want to hold on to players too long I'm I'm with you man I that

[00:52:56] is shocking and it would it would send you know that'd be an earthquake around the league but uh

[00:53:02] yeah I guarantee you that that's on a whiteboard somewhere what can we get what can we get for this

[00:53:08] guy we can imagine yeah and we we've already said Giannis already started seeing the chatter for for

[00:53:13] Giannis that he you know that he's his potential teams you know that he likes uh I think you know

[00:53:21] Dame hasn't been happy since uh Joe Cronin and and uh you know they leveraged the trade to Milwaukee and

[00:53:29] he didn't want to do anything with Miami which is like one of the the worst trades in history I don't

[00:53:36] know why Cronin still has a job um so if Giannis ends up going and and he starts you know uh banging

[00:53:43] the grass to stir the snakes Dame's gonna be like look I'm gone see you right right yeah he he he's still

[00:53:50] better he didn't end up in in Miami where he wanted all right great ones man that was fun

[00:53:56] those were those were those are great great great predictions let's see which uh if any uh we get right

[00:54:03] um final word and we're going to give everybody a little bit of time to talk about their team right um

[00:54:11] we got the Cavs represented we got the Heat represented we got the Pistons represented

[00:54:16] kind of the Hornets with the dotted line and I'll hear representing the the LA teams um so how many

[00:54:23] teams will your teams how many games will your favorite team win this season I'll start I'll

[00:54:29] let one of y'all have the last word again I'm an LA guy um you know grew up a Laker fan covered the

[00:54:35] Clippers uh for for different sites um and I think things are tough uh in LA I think both LA teams are

[00:54:44] middle tier at best uh I think the Clippers are going to struggle uh to be a play-in team uh I

[00:54:50] think they'll get there um but uh yeah I mean you're you're looking at a 40 to 45 win season at

[00:54:55] best for the Clippers now the Lakers might have a little better luck but it all depends on Eric's

[00:55:00] prediction right if AD can keep going because it's got to be AD's team it's got to be the fact that it's

[00:55:07] been LeBron's year in and year out has been a problem AD's got to be the best player on that team

[00:55:12] uh they they could make some noise um but I you know I I see them topping out at about 50 they're

[00:55:19] they're gonna be better than the Clippers but not by much um so just just kind of an underwhelming

[00:55:26] season in Los Angeles basketball uh in my opinion um all right let's see Roger your favorite team

[00:55:33] currently no losses yeah yeah the Cavs are hot and they're they're they're hopefully the talk of the

[00:55:45] town I know they're always lamenting how much uh or lack of uh media attention they get and hopefully

[00:55:52] they keep this momentum going throughout the whole season in the playoffs I think best case scenario for

[00:55:59] the Cavs is like a 50 win season 51 52 like three seed four seed and I think what has to break right

[00:56:08] for them is they've got to be healthy and and possibly making a deal at the trade deadline to

[00:56:14] possibly get a a secondary score or someone to to get the ball if Mitchell's not having a good night

[00:56:19] um like I said it could be Mobley if Mobley's growing into that player um but I think if if the

[00:56:25] Knicks kind of start crumbling they get some injuries at the wrong times I think it's like a

[00:56:29] Boston Cavalier Eastern Conference final is is best case scenario kind of like how you predicted

[00:56:34] Jose and and you know at that point who knows you know what we'll see we'll take it we'll take it if

[00:56:41] we can get that far I think it'd be a good season if we can do that nice I'm high on the Cavs I like

[00:56:48] them uh let's see let's see where they things turn out for them uh Tyrone which team are you going with and

[00:56:54] how many games you think they're winning um you know what like I want to do both I want to do both so

[00:57:02] I wanted um I'll start with Charlotte I'll say Charlotte look that team on paper roster wise

[00:57:12] very talented I think with Lamello Brandon Miller I like the center rotation with Mark Williams and Nick

[00:57:19] Richards Josh Green was picked up in the trade Trey Mann was picked up last um trade

[00:57:24] deadline so it's it's a lot there injuries has always been the Achilles heel for this team

[00:57:30] Mello's been injured Brandon Miller is currently injured I believe he's coming back this week though

[00:57:35] or maybe next week one of the weeks he's coming back Mark Williams he shows promise but he's been hurt

[00:57:41] so for Charlotte you know it's funny because I when we talk about articles I actually wrote an article on this

[00:57:48] um my ceiling for the Hornets is 34 games I think they'll win 34 games this stretch right now that

[00:58:01] they're going through is really tough right now but I think it'll ease up as the season going along they

[00:58:06] got like nine straight home games in January going into February so 34 is going to be my my number for

[00:58:13] the Hornets now for the Pistons it looks rough right now they're one and five but even as I said you know

[00:58:20] you could I think you could legitimately make the argument that they are a much better team they've

[00:58:25] been in every single game with the exception of the Knicks game that they just played

[00:58:30] it it stacks up to me that the Pistons I think they will turn it around I think the Pistons would be a

[00:58:36] 36 win team this season so I'll go 34 for Charlotte I go 36 for the Pistons okay I love how specific you

[00:58:45] are man no range I mean that's just right spot on I love that all right and if you know if it's right

[00:58:51] you get you get bragging rights all offseason good numbers good thought process all right uh

[00:58:57] yeah before I give it to you Eric I think I said 50 for the Lakers that'd be a really good season I

[00:59:03] I did mean 50 I'm sorry 45 is their ceiling 40 for the Clippers again middle middle road of the team

[00:59:09] middle road for both of them Miami Heat Eric where do you see them finishing this season well um

[00:59:17] I think they they're trying to as I uh I put in um in my most recent article that are trying to be more

[00:59:33] bam could shoot the three Thomas Bryant could shoot the three so if they have you know this five out

[00:59:39] you know offensive mentality that they're doing um once those guys start hitting uh they're gonna get

[00:59:45] better but I think Miami just they they have a duplicate with Tyler Hero and Terry Rozier and if

[00:59:52] they can get like that they got a good defensive it's what I call the Jimmy Butler strategy if we concentrate

[01:00:01] on defending and not just worrying about making shots we'll be okay if Miami can get uh a dot in the

[01:00:11] wall point guard kind of like Kyle Lowry and they can get like a vacuum rebounder um you know when

[01:00:19] Kaleo Ware you know comes up to speed and he's ready to go that might be the guy um then Miami can

[01:00:26] counteract all that entertainment stuff and they'll be you know the villains with the black hat and

[01:00:31] they'll slow down all the you know the three-point shooting and stuff for right now you know until

[01:00:37] then if they choose to go this route 45 wins same as last year okay okay so the only one of our teams

[01:00:46] that has a legitimate shot are the Cleveland Cavaliers based on what we're predicting uh so let's see how

[01:00:53] that plays out all right man that's it that's our show we're so glad you found us thank you for

[01:00:57] listening uh listen everything counts and we appreciate everything that's in terms of listens

[01:01:03] comments likes sharing anything y'all can do to help to get uh get the word out about the peachbasket.net

[01:01:10] is uh is very very appreciated we thank you all for watching join us next time to talk hoops when

[01:01:16] the peach basket chat room is open we'll see y'all throughout the season thanks all thank you jose

[01:01:25] joseph all right man