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00:00All right, you want me to overreact? What do you want me to do here?
00:02I have a feeling I'm going to be a wet blanket for everybody, and I don't know if that's going
00:06to be allowable.
00:07I would like your normal reaction. You don't have to overreact. Just give me the Ken Carman reaction.
00:12My normal reaction is not that to be upset. I didn't spend much time on the internet yesterday.
00:18I know that they lost. I saw that they lost. The defensive effort was bad.
00:23After every loss, I can save you the runaround, Kenny.
00:27What?
00:27Like a famous discount store here in town. I'll save you the runaround.
00:31Every loss, we are getting tagged immediately and being called clowns, forever saying they had a chance to go to
00:36the finals.
00:37What?
00:37Yes, it's happened every single loss, especially after the last two.
00:42Oh, for the love of God.
00:43Yes. People keep asking me, ask Ken, where's his pencil? Does he have him penciled in?
00:49I still got him penciled right here, pal. I still got him penciled. We're good.
00:55What are we doing? What are we doing or what are the Cavs doing?
01:00Why is everybody? I'm so frustrated. I mean, I'm not going to sit here and fake it. I'm not going
01:05to sit here and fake like I'm upset with him.
01:07You are being more defensive than the Cavs were yesterday in the basketball game.
01:10Well, I didn't realize I was being tagged in a bunch of stuff. I didn't see myself getting tagged in
01:14a bunch of stuff. Fine.
01:152-1-6-4-7-4.
01:16Which means Ken has a lot of you muted out there. Your best friend, Ken, from online. Your Facebook friend.
01:20I didn't see anything for the love of God.
01:22He sends you happy birthdays. He has a lot of you in Cleveland muted.
01:25I got to find my pencil.
01:27That's not the Ken.
01:27Talk while I look for my damn.
01:28That's not the Ken that says we're best friends.
01:31That's not true.
01:32I got rid of the pencils, too.
01:33I don't say I have them muted.
01:33And now there's no pencils.
01:35What is he at?
01:35Where the hell is the pencil at?
01:37Not even mechanical pencils?
01:38Damn it.
01:40No. Where's it? Oh, there it is.
01:42Oh, there's my pencil.
01:43I still got him penciled in.
01:45All right.
01:46Well, I guess we're going to have a hell of a show today.
01:48Because I got to tell you.
01:49I'm like, yeah, they lost.
01:50It happens.
01:51I'm not freaking out.
01:53It sounds like I'm freaking out because you're pushing my buttons.
01:55But I'm not freaking out over it.
01:57I have to say.
01:57Should I freak out?
01:58Should I be panicking?
01:59It's like, hey.
02:00I don't know if it's a freak out.
02:01It's a bit of half-assed effort.
02:03I ain't going to lie to you.
02:04But, I mean, we're not in the playoffs yet for crying out loud.
02:06Let's not lose our minds here.
02:08Yeah.
02:08I would say, obviously, what I wanted to caution everybody when we were.
02:13A lot more people agree with Nick Wilson than we thought.
02:16I'm going to tell you that right now.
02:17I'm going to tell you that right now.
02:19They win, and it is tumbleweeds down Euclid Avenue when they win a basketball game.
02:24When they lose, oh, my goodness.
02:27Well, they are 5-5 in their last 10.
02:29Yeah, it ain't the greatest stretch of basketball.
02:31But I said they've struggled here over the last week and a half.
02:34I mean, I told you that.
02:35I said that to you.
02:37So, I don't understand why I have to answer for the Cleveland Cavaliers when they're still a great basketball team.
02:41It just, it's been a bit of a struggle.
02:43Now, you're working in Max Strews.
02:44You're working in Max Strews.
02:46Yes, of course they're a great basketball team.
02:48They made a trade for James Harden.
02:49They're not a talented basketball team.
02:51You still think they're a great basketball team?
02:53Yes, yes.
02:54It feels like that's teetering a little bit.
02:56I would be the worst person to depose ever.
02:59I swear to you.
03:00You'd be the best.
03:01All they'd have to do is bring you in.
03:03And I'd just immediately get defensive and nasty.
03:05I'm sorry.
03:06Go ahead.
03:06What were you going to say?
03:07What were you going to push my buttons about?
03:09I feel like they're teetering on that.
03:12Teetering on what?
03:13You said a great basketball team.
03:15They are still a great basketball team.
03:18Oof.
03:19Our producer, John.
03:20Young John came in and keeps wanting us.
03:22John doesn't know his ass from a hole in the ground when it comes to the Cleveland Cavaliers.
03:25But we're going to have to put up.
03:26He's been here for a month.
03:27He doesn't know his ass.
03:28He had a good question that should be a poll question.
03:30What?
03:31Which is, do you feel now?
03:32Because they'd be matched up against Orlando.
03:34And Orlando's playing their best basketball of the year right now.
03:37And that includes a win over us in which I think they had an out-of-body experience shooting the
03:41ball.
03:42Certainly Desmond Bain and everybody, they did not miss in that game.
03:47What was that?
03:47Was that Wednesday night?
03:49Last Wednesday night?
03:50He did have a good question, which is, do you think they are more likely to lose in the first
03:56round or get to the NBA Finals?
03:58Get to the NBA Finals.
03:59I do think that needs to be a poll question.
04:02Put out the poll.
04:03Does he know the password to put out the poll?
04:05He is not allowed.
04:06I'm going to look in my password account and send him the password.
04:10People are watching and they're making fun of my bag.
04:13It's a Samsonite.
04:14Sorry, go ahead.
04:16I do think it's a, I'd like to see, I'd like to take the temperature of the fan base right
04:21now.
04:21And obviously it's always going to be better after wins and worse after losses.
04:26People were asking if that was the worst loss of the year.
04:29I still think the Golden State game was the worst loss of the year.
04:31The Golden State game was the worst loss of the year.
04:32Like Dallas has actual NBA players.
04:34The Golden State game was the worst loss of the year.
04:36PJ Washington, Najee Marshall, I mean, they were in the NBA Finals a few years ago.
04:43Cooper Flagg.
04:44I mean, he is very legitimate.
04:47He was probably the best player on the floor last night between the two teams.
04:50How many of the games in the postseason do we have to play on a Sunday afternoon?
04:53That's my next question.
04:55There could be a few.
04:56Maybe the first one.
04:57We're getting these weekend matinees and it's putting a bit of a cramp in the style, man.
05:03I know.
05:03I don't even know I wanted them because I didn't want the, especially when I was doing a lot of
05:09drinking on the weekend.
05:10You get to.
05:11You load up.
05:11You party.
05:12You get to set Sunday night and I'm like, and I got to go stay dialed into another game.
05:16Like I wanted more matinees.
05:18But this team doesn't exactly respond to those.
05:21They're not very good on a Sunday afternoon.
05:23No, they are not.
05:24It's very odd.
05:26That part I'll give you.
05:29And, you know, let me ask you.
05:31Do they deserve a little bit of a break because they had just beaten Dallas by 33?
05:35That was their largest margin of victory the entire year.
05:38So, now they're back home.
05:40I'm not giving them that.
05:41They were probably going to mail it in.
05:43I'm not giving them that.
05:44It's when you beat a team by 33 and it was basically uncompetitive on Friday night.
05:50How much that game did you watch on Friday night?
05:53Not much.
05:53I didn't feel the need to.
05:56I had Liz went to bed.
05:58I had Cavs.
06:00And that quickly went from the first monitor to the third monitor within about 10 minutes.
06:07Well, conference championship games going on.
06:09I had the high school stuff down in Dayton.
06:11I ended up watching Akron, obviously.
06:14Ended up watching World Baseball Classic, obviously.
06:21Akron, I knew it was going to go to the front.
06:22Akron goes to the front.
06:23And then Cavs just beating the brakes off the Mavericks.
06:27This is that time of the year where NBA gets pushed to the back burner for all the other hoops.
06:33And so, as they're trying to figure this stuff out, it's getting lost in the shuffle, for sure.
06:38Because most people, you know, we talk so much about the NCAA tournament.
06:41Conference tournaments are incredible every year.
06:46There was so much amazing basketball.
06:48I mean, did you see some of the finishes yesterday?
06:51That Dayton VCU game.
06:53The Ivy League was incredible now that they have a conference tournament.
06:56I didn't see any of the Ivy League.
06:57The dude went for 40 in an amazing thriller, the Arizona game that went down to the wire in the
07:03semifinals.
07:04Well, that doesn't excuse losing.
07:05No, no, but I'm just saying.
07:07I'm not excusing them losing.
07:08This is a time where, if you were going to lose, people like the National Basketball Observer,
07:13they're not really going to be as dialed in right now because there's so much phenomenal college basketball.
07:18All right.
07:19Well, I'm waiting for them to call in and yell at me.
07:20They ain't calling in or yelling at me right now.
07:22It's 6 in the morning.
07:23So, maybe it's a little bit early for everybody.
07:25Everybody's rubbing the sleep out of their eyes.
07:27I don't know.
07:27Do they have power?
07:29Boy, that's a whole different thing.
07:30We'll get to that coming up here momentarily.
07:33They are – you have every opportunity to let me have it today.
07:38There's going to be a lot of Cavs today.
07:39You've got every opportunity to do so because it wasn't a great game.
07:44It didn't go our way, obviously.
07:46It's been a rough patch.
07:47The defense has been bad.
07:49You're bringing in Max Struis.
07:50I was happy to see Max Struis yesterday.
07:53That was nice.
07:53I was happy to see him starting to thrive.
07:56You've got a lot of things you have to mix around.
07:57I am worried a little bit about – I am worried a little bit about the injuries,
08:02but then you guys are going to say that that's an excuse as well.
08:04Like, guys, we all know what the stakes are.
08:06If they end up losing in the first round, like John thinks they're going to lose
08:10in the first round.
08:10If they lose in the first round, then, yeah, there's going to be some –
08:13you said you read it on Reddit or he saw it on Reddit.
08:15It doesn't need to be said on Reddit.
08:17You could say it in the middle of a bank.
08:18You could say it in a grocery store.
08:19You could say it at a school play.
08:21You could say it whenever.
08:22Like, yeah, there's going to be heads that are rolling.
08:23There's going to be problems.
08:24I mean, hell, we heard the rumors about Kenny Atkinson's future in the early part
08:29of the winter for crying out loud.
08:30Like, yeah, if you lose in the first round, he'll get canned.
08:33And you'll move on to another coach.
08:34Like, I'm just being honest.
08:36I'm not – does it sound like I'm freaking out?
08:39Like, I'm a freak out type person.
08:40Does it sound like I'm freaking out?
08:41Well, if you're saying we're a month away from the coach getting fired.
08:44I didn't say we're a month away from the coach getting fired.
08:46You said we're – you just put that in my mouth.
08:49I said if they lose in the first round of the playoffs.
08:51I don't think they're going to lose in the first round of the playoffs.
08:54Nothing is bleeped.
08:56They're fine.
08:58Relax, for the love of God.
09:01I know we don't know how to act at times.
09:03It is now officially a poll question on 923 The Fan.
09:06Which outcome is more likely?
09:07I hope we get yelled at just for putting up the stupid poll.
09:11Right now, it is tied.
09:13First round exit and finals appearance.
09:14There's probably two votes.
09:15There are 10 votes in.
09:17Told you.
09:17Still 23 hours left.
09:18And then we'll tabulate those vote totals.
09:21Lock them in.
09:21Lock them in.
09:23Like, America's Funniest Home Videos.
09:25Lock in your vote.
09:26That's how you win $10,000.
09:28That is how you get it done.
09:29And add some animals.
09:31They love cats.
09:32I was going to say it ain't walking through that door, though.
09:34But they love the cats.
09:35They love the cats.
09:37How much of that stuff was fake?
09:38Do they have that show now?
09:40Isn't Carlton the host?
09:42Carlton's the host.
09:43Really?
09:43Or is that like 20 years ago?
09:44Alfonso Ribeiro.
09:46It's on any Sunday afternoon that I go to a bar and need to watch a Cavs game.
09:51That's on instead.
09:52Okay.
09:53Well, regardless.
09:54It is weird that their defense.
09:56Oh, because they're on so many different streams.
09:59Okay.
09:59Yeah.
10:00For a second, I go, what?
10:01The bars are giving up on them now?
10:02Really?
10:03Oh, we won 60 games.
10:04Boy, Owen was right, by the way.
10:07Owen is the litmus test, the barometer for the normal fan.
10:11And it's like, we made this great big trade for James Harden.
10:13Everybody's like, yeah, whatever.
10:14Bleat.
10:15Who cares?
10:16Okay.
10:1664 wins.
10:17That wasn't enough for us last year.
10:19About 45 wins.
10:21I think it is this year.
10:22That's still not 41 wins.
10:23That's still not enough for us.
10:24Like they're going to win 50 games this year again, but it's, it's somehow just not enough
10:28for us.
10:28I mean, come on.
10:28This is a great, talented basketball team here, and I'm not going to hear anything of
10:32it.
10:32So we are down.
10:33I've opened it up to everybody.
10:35It's all quiet on the Western front.
10:37All quiet.
10:38Nobody wants to call me out.
10:39All the tough talking internet people.
10:41They're not there.
10:41Sorry.
10:42So we are down defensively to number 10, but it is slipped drastically and people are pointing
10:50out.
10:50Well, James Harden.
10:51Number 10 of what?
10:52Defensive rankings.
10:53Efficiency numbers.
10:54Yeah.
10:54I thought we'd be lower.
10:55So, well, we're 10 on the year, but in the last, really since the Harden trade, we have
10:59slipped into the bottom 10.
11:02And the thing is, like, I actually think Harden's been fine defensively.
11:06Like he hasn't been any worse than, than Darius was, but team wise, you no longer, you've,
11:13you've shifted so many new players into the rotation that I do think if one, I do think
11:19Kenny, if there's one thing I underestimated was mixing in this many guys into the rotation
11:25this late in the year.
11:26Because it's not just Harden, it's Ellis, it's Schroeder, now Max Schroes, who does know the defensive
11:33rotations because he's been there, but you're adding him to the final, you know, 15 games
11:38of the year.
11:39That is a lot.
11:40That is a lot to ask.
11:42Is that enough time to get them playing the type of defense championship level defense?
11:47Probably not.
11:47Probably not.
11:48I didn't say they're going to win a championship.
11:49I penciled them into the finals and I still think it's far more likely.
11:53And I'm debating on saying something here, knowing that you guys will use it against me
11:58and to kingdom come.
11:59And I don't want that to happen because I have to learn a valuable lesson at some point.
12:03Don't I?
12:03That stuff doesn't happen.
12:05Yes, it does.
12:06It happens all the time because I don't want to be accused of something I've done in the
12:11past and I've worn it like a cloak of failure for years and years and years after it happened.
12:17I mean, it was one of the worst mornings ever.
12:19So I'm going to take a break, give me five minutes, and I'm going to think about saying
12:24this because I think we got him.
12:26Ken Carman, Tone Master General.
12:28Daryl Ryder going to join us at 820 this morning.
12:31It's not.
12:33So I'm going to say this.
12:35Relax for the love of God.
12:39I'm not going to say it.
12:40I'm not going to say it.
12:41You guys always live to use my own words against me.
12:43I'm not going to use it.
12:45You're the talk show host, Ken.
12:47You've got to talk.
12:47You know what?
12:48I can't use your thoughts against you.
12:50I'm going to say it.
12:51Yes, you can.
12:52You put words into my mouth and thoughts into my head all the time.
12:55That's all you do constantly to me.
12:57It seems into his eyes.
13:00Stop looking at me like that.
13:02I don't like it.
13:05Damn it.
13:07Relax for the love of God.
13:10All right.
13:10I'm going to say this.
13:11Well, let's hear Donovan Mitchell on it if we can here.
13:15Here's Donovan from last night.
13:17Maybe that'll change my mind here.
13:18Maybe I should start to get worked up and upset.
13:21Go ahead.
13:21Jay is out, right?
13:23Like that's a big piece of cleaning up a lot of the mistakes that happened.
13:26We're playing five smalls.
13:27And also, we got, I don't know how many they have for the game, but to start the game,
13:30we would get stops and then they had five whole boards out of their ten-minute shots.
13:34So even when we do play good defense, we're not getting the rebounds.
13:36You know what I'm saying?
13:37So I think it's a combination of both.
13:40And then tonight was, you know, our turnovers hurt us as well.
13:43But when you, especially when you don't have both bigs out there, you have to make sure
13:48we hammer down on our principles and contain the ball because obviously those two are elite
13:53at helping us in what we do.
13:55And, you know, in order for us to move forward, obviously both of them are going to have to
13:57be out there, right?
13:58So I'm going to tell you this, all right?
14:01The matchup that I'm most concerned about in the postseason is the Boston Celtics.
14:06That's given.
14:07I think everybody believes that.
14:08So that's not saying anything crazy.
14:11The matchup I'm second most concerned with, second most concerned, I got to tell you,
14:17I think it's Orlando.
14:19I really think I'm most, I think I'm the second most concerning one is Orlando.
14:23And if the playoff started tomorrow, you play who?
14:26You play the Orlando Magic.
14:28Now I'm going to say this, and this is not going to be bring on the Yankees.
14:34Don't do it to me.
14:35Oh, I already couldn't tell by the look on your face.
14:37Don't you do it to me.
14:38That's not it.
14:40It's not bring on the Yankees.
14:43However, it can be beneficial.
14:45Listen to me.
14:46It can be beneficial.
14:48If you play them in the first round, go through that matchup.
14:52Because I think that, okay, if Detroit played, who do you think is going to come out of the A?
14:57Like if they played Philly, Atlanta, Charlotte, whatever.
15:00I think that you have Detroit second round, right?
15:03When you take Detroit, I think that that's where you get to the Eastern Conference Finals.
15:07I still think they're on a good path to the Eastern Conference Finals.
15:11Orlando is tough.
15:12I think it'll battle test you.
15:14I think we'll know a lot about this team and the future of this team right off the rip first
15:18round as it sits right now.
15:19It's not bring on the Yankees.
15:21It's not bring on.
15:22I'm not saying that about the Magic.
15:24That's not what I'm pointing out.
15:25But we're going to find out a harsh truth.
15:28Either I'm going to be right because I think that they're a great matchup against Detroit.
15:32I really think that Detroit really can't handle it.
15:34As long as you're healthy, I think Detroit really can't handle your stuff.
15:38I think it's a bad, bad matchup.
15:40However, you get to that second round.
15:42I think it's good to take on Detroit.
15:44I think you're going to have a very tough series on your hand against Orlando.
15:49I think it's going to be very difficult.
15:51But I think it'll battle test you throughout the rest of the postseason.
15:54And I'll let the chips roll they may against the Boston Celtics.
15:57That's where I'm at on this, okay?
15:58That's why I'm not freaking out.
16:00Part of the reason they made the hardened trade was we've got to pounce.
16:05The Easter Conference is wide open.
16:06I think things have kind of changed, though.
16:08Not that the Easter Conference still isn't wide open, although it seems like everybody is now just picking Boston.
16:13They've seen Tatum a few times.
16:14And that's it.
16:15Now Boston's just there.
16:17Because Boston's been so good all year.
16:19They've been so well coached.
16:20They've got guys you've never heard of who have played so well.
16:23And they've been statistically one of the best teams in basketball.
16:26And now they add Jason Tatum.
16:28We added Harden.
16:28They added Jason Tatum, who's a better player than Harden.
16:32But I'm not even talking about how wide open the East is anymore.
16:36I'm just talking about how tough.
16:38Like, to me, the Easter Conference was not supposed to be.
16:41The Easter Conference playoffs were not supposed to be this tough.
16:44And now they look, they look toe for, like.
16:47It looks tough.
16:48Honestly.
16:48It looks tough, yeah.
16:49Honestly, I think it's just as tough as the Western Conference now.
16:52And that, if you would have told me that, you know, two months ago, three months ago, I would have
16:57said.
16:57You wouldn't have believed it, and I wouldn't believe it.
16:58Absolutely no shot.
16:59Yes.
16:59But now, where are all the easy playoff series that the Cavs were supposed to have in the Easter Conference?
17:04It doesn't seem like there will be an easy one.
17:05There really aren't.
17:06There's teams that are driving.
17:07They're driving forward.
17:08Again, I mentioned Orlando.
17:10They've been white hot recently here.
17:13You know, there's a couple teams that I think are kind of floundering here and there.
17:16But they all seem to be.
17:18I mean, you look at the 10th seed right now.
17:20Charlotte, they've been a streaking team that's been fantastic here over the last couple of months.
17:24You know, they're 34 and 34 back to 500.
17:26I think that they're a bit of a formidable opponent.
17:28You got Milwaukee coming up tomorrow night.
17:30Milwaukee's actually out of it right now, and they'll probably continue to slip a little bit further and further as
17:34time goes on.
17:35I agree with you.
17:36You know, it's not like they're – I know we like to go in extremes either way.
17:41That's what our business is.
17:43But if I can just remain measured for a moment and tell everybody you didn't have – the first thing
17:49that came –
17:49Donovan has not minced words.
17:50One of the first things that he'd mentioned last night or yesterday afternoon was Jared Allen being out.
17:56Donovan has never minced his words.
17:58He's never held back this year.
18:00He told it like it is the entire way through.
18:02The first thing he mentions is Jared Allen.
18:04Jared Allen's an important piece for this basketball team.
18:07He would have been important, obviously, yesterday against Dallas.
18:10They did come out lackadaisical.
18:12There is no excuse for them.
18:13I'm not making an excuse for last night.
18:15I'm just saying that I think the overall craziness has – is reaching a peak where every time they lose
18:23a game, every time they even struggle in a game, I got people reaching out, getting crazy about it.
18:27I don't think it's worth getting crazy about it.
18:29Well, now, part of it is we do have to ask.
18:30Like, Jared Allen's missed the last five games, and that's a big reason why their defense is totally plummeted.
18:34Which it was a knee knock, and I'm like, man, a knee knock.
18:37Well, I wouldn't – hey, look, if they're just being extra cautious, well, this is the time to be extra
18:41cautious.
18:41I don't need anything happening to these guys.
18:44The last thing we want is all of a sudden us to go into the playoffs, and we're not even
18:47close to full strength.
18:48Missing Jared Allen, exactly.
18:49Especially the way he's been playing.
18:51Especially the way he was playing with James Harden.
18:53I agree.
18:54And Harden had his worst game of the year yesterday.
18:57Donovan Mitchell was not good as well.
18:59And part of it I just wonder – like, Donovan would not shock me if he's kind of in cruise
19:05control before the playoffs start.
19:07Right?
19:07Yes.
19:08Because what have we seen the last few years?
19:11Donovan Mitchell's been on fumes in the playoffs.
19:14And we are not just trying to go two rounds.
19:16And after two rounds, Donovan Mitchell needs to be scraped up off the floor.
19:21That can't be the case this year.
19:22We need him for the long haul.
19:24We're expecting this team to be an Easter Conference Finals or NBA Finals contender.
19:28Well, if that's the case, then, you know, I don't need Donovan Mitchell going balls to the walls, you know,
19:34here while the NCAA tournament is getting all the basketball attention.
19:37I don't really need that.
19:38So, you know, did I expect him to go 5-5 during this stretch when we thought they would just
19:45be mopping up and getting wins here and there, left and right, because of all the teams that are tanking?
19:51No, I did not think 5-5 was probably going to be their mark in the last 10 games.
19:55It has been rough.
19:56There's no doubt.
19:57It's not been a lot of fun.
19:58But if I look at it and I say, Donovan has a groin injury, you just said it.
20:02I don't want them to be going, I don't want them to be going hardcore as we go down this
20:08stretch.
20:09Where I know we're in a weird spot.
20:10I know this is time for a ramp-up usually.
20:13But you have Donna with a groin injury.
20:15You got Evan Mobley who's been battling a calf injury all year.
20:18You got Jared Allen who's battling that knee injury, which, again, it's a knee knock.
20:21So, it's got to be more, that's what they said.
20:23So, it has to be more serious than that.
20:24If you're banging knees, you should be good to go a week later, right?
20:27Shouldn't you?
20:28Yeah, I think so.
20:29A week and a half later, shouldn't you be good?
20:30Okay, then James Harden has this hand injury that he's learned.
20:34I know it's not shooting, but he's learning to do it in a different way.
20:38So, you have those things that are working against you.
20:40Now, I know that that sounds like a giant big fat excuse, but this is part of the reason
20:44why they are who they are as they are right now.
20:47Now, all that happens at the end of the year when all this goes down and we get ready for
20:51the playoffs, I'm not going to use that anymore.
20:53So, I'll let the chips roll where they may.
20:55If I go down believing in a bad basketball team, then fine.
20:58I guess I got hoodwinked by a bad basketball team.
21:00But they're not a bad basketball team.
21:02The East has gotten tougher.
21:04You have gotten better, but you still need to gel as this time goes on.
21:08And you don't have a lot of time to do it.
21:10So, I don't want anybody freaking out.
21:12Again, I still think this is an Eastern Conference Finals team.
21:15I penciled them into the finals.
21:17I still think that they can get to the finals, even though, boy, they need a lot of help with
21:20Boston.
21:21I still think this is at least an Eastern Conference Finals team.
21:24And I think a lot of people are overreacting to this.
21:26They won 64 games last year because their offense was just nonstop.
21:31They were relentless.
21:32Yeah, but also the East was way worse than it was this year, and you know that.
21:35But their defense, their defense was special throughout the regular season.
21:40And, you know, look, that playoff series was that playoff series against Indiana.
21:45It's like they were blitzed for moment one.
21:47Then you had the injuries with Darius, and you had Evan, and then DeAndre Hunter, and things
21:51were never the same.
21:52This year, they're not going to be able to have special defense by the time.
21:57They're not going to be able to work that out before the playoffs start because you can't
22:01add this many new rotational players and just expect them all to be on a yo-yo, all to be
22:08interconnected the way they're going to need to be.
22:10And so how are they going to make up for that?
22:11Well, their offense has to be incredible.
22:13Now, funny thing is, yesterday, their offense was really good yesterday, but their defense
22:18was that of a tanking team.
22:20And that surprised me.
22:22I did not expect, I thought there was too much ego, too many guys that, you know, would
22:29refuse to allow that to happen yesterday.
22:30And that's why I am a little unnerved as to what's going on here.
22:35You had more than enough talent to have a better defensive effort than they had.
22:39Jared Allen or not, they had too much.
22:41That should not have been the case.
22:42Jalen Tyson or not, that should not have been the case.
22:44You are right.
22:45I am not excusing what happened last night or yesterday afternoon.
22:48I'm not excusing it.
22:49It was terrible.
22:50It was terrible, terrible defense.
22:52Where was the pride?
22:53At halftime, they should have known it was a basketball game.
22:56They should have woken up, and they didn't.
22:58And that, to me, is a little large.
22:59They were down 20 late in that game.
23:02Come on.
23:02There's way too much talent for them to be down 20 to that team.
23:06Well, we'll see what Daryl thinks about it coming up at 820 this morning.
23:08We're obviously going to get back to this a little bit sooner than that.
23:10That is-
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