- 2 days ago
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00:00All right, you want me to overreact?
00:01What do you want me to do here?
00:02I would like your...
00:03I have a feeling I'm going to be a wet blanket for everybody,
00:05and I don't know if that's going to be allowable.
00:07I would like your normal reaction.
00:09You don't have to overreact.
00:10Just give me the Ken Carman reaction.
00:12My normal reaction is not that to be upset.
00:15I didn't understand.
00:16I didn't spend much time on the Internet yesterday.
00:18I know that they lost.
00:20I saw that they lost.
00:21The defensive effort was bad.
00:23After every loss, I can save you the runaround, Kenny.
00:27What?
00:28Like a famous discount store here in town.
00:30I'll save you the runaround.
00:31Every loss, we are getting tagged immediately
00:33and being called clowns,
00:34forever saying they had a chance to go to the finals.
00:37What?
00:37Yes, it's happened every single loss,
00:39especially after the last two.
00:42Oh, for the love of God.
00:43Yes.
00:44People keep asking me,
00:46ask Ken, where's his pencil?
00:48Does he have him penciled in?
00:49I still got him penciled right here, pal.
00:52I still got him penciled.
00:53We're good.
00:55What are we doing?
00:57What are we doing or what are the Cavs doing?
01:01Why is everybody?
01:02I'm so frustrated.
01:03I mean, I'm not going to sit here and fake it.
01:05I'm not going to sit here and fake like I'm upset with them.
01:07You are being more defensive than the Cavs were yesterday in the basketball game.
01:11Well, I didn't realize I was being tagged in a bunch of stuff.
01:13I didn't see myself getting tagged in a bunch of stuff.
01:15Fine.
01:152-1-6-4-7-4.
01:16Which means Ken has a lot of you muted out there.
01:18Your best friend, Ken, from online.
01:20I didn't mute anything.
01:21I didn't see anything.
01:21He sends you happy birthdays.
01:23He 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 had 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.
01:41Where is it?
01:41Oh, 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've 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?
02:00It's like, hey.
02:00I don't know if it's a freak out.
02:02It'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.
02:45You said great.
02:45You'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.
03:25We're going to have to put up a...
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 don't...
03:40I think they had an out-of-body experience shooting the ball.
03:42Certainly.
03:43Desmond Bain and everybody, they did not miss in that game.
03:47What was that?
03:47Was that Wednesday night?
03:49Last Wednesday night?
03:51He did have a good question, which is, do you think they are more likely to lose in the
03:55first round or get to the NBA Finals?
03:58Get to the NBA Finals.
04:00I 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.
04:17I do think it's a...
04:18I'd like to see...
04:19I'd like to take the temperature of the fan base right now.
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.
04:34Yeah.
04:35Golden 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.
04:42Cooper 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...
05:00I'm 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...
05:07Especially when I was doing a lot of drinking 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,
05:14and I got to go stay dialed into another game?
05:16Like, I wanted more matinees, but this team doesn't exactly respond to those.
05:21Well, they're not very good on a Sunday afternoon.
05:24No, they are not.
05:24It's very odd.
05:26That part...
05:28That 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.
05:54I didn't feel the need to.
05:56I had...
05:57Liz went to bed.
05:58I had Cavs.
06:00And that was...
06:01That 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.
06:20And those...
06:21Akron, I knew was going to go to the front.
06:23Akron goes to the front.
06:24And then Cavs just beating the brakes off the Mavericks.
06:27I do want to ask.
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...
06:39You 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.
06:57Dude went for 40 in an amazing thriller, the Arizona game that went down to the wire in the semifinals.
07:04Well, that doesn't excuse losing.
07:06I'm not...
07:06No, 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,
07:14they'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.
07:21They 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.
07:31We'll get to that coming up here momentarily.
07:34They are...
07:35You have every opportunity to let me have it today.
07:38There's going to be a lot of Cavs today.
07:39You got every opportunity to do so because it wasn't a great game.
07:44It didn't go our way.
07:46Obviously, it's been a rough patch.
07:47The defense has been bad.
07:49You're bringing in Max Struess.
07:50I was happy to see Max Struess yesterday.
07:53That was nice.
07:53I was happy to see him starting to thrive.
07:56You got a lot of things you have to mix around.
07:58I am worried a little bit about...
08:00I am worried a little bit about the injuries, but then you guys are going to say that that's
08:03an 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 in the
08:10first 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.
08:16It 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.
08:21Like, yeah, there's going to be heads that are rolling.
08:24There's going to be problems.
08:24I mean, hell, we heard the rumors about Kenny Atkinson's future in the early part of the
08:29winter 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.
08:35I'm just being honest.
08:37I'm not...
08:38Does 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?
08:42Well, 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.
08:47You said we're...
08:48You just put that in my mouth.
08:49I said if they lose in the first round of the playoffs, I don't think they're going
08:53to lose in the first round of the playoffs.
08:54Nothing is bleeped.
08:56They're fine.
08:58Relax.
08:59For the love of God.
09:01I know we don't know how to act at times, but...
09:04It is now officially a poll question on 923 The Fan.
09:07Which outcome is more likely?
09:08I 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.
09:19And 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.
09:27That's how you win $10,000.
09:28That is how you get it done.
09:29And add some animals.
09:31They love cats.
09:32Bob Saget ain't walking through that door, though.
09:34Rest in peace.
09:35They love the cats.
09:37How much of that stuff was fake?
09:38Do they have that show now?
09:41Isn't Carlton the host?
09:42Carlton's the host, really?
09:43Or is that like 20 years ago?
09:44No, Alfonso 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, the bars are giving up on them now?
10:02Really?
10:03Oh, we won 60 games.
10:05Boy, 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.
10:15Bleat.
10:15Who cares?
10:16Okay.
10:1664 wins.
10:17That wasn't enough for us last year.
10:19About 45 wins, I think it is this year.
10:22That's still not...
10:2241 wins.
10:23That's still not enough for us.
10:24Like, they're going to win 50 games this year again.
10:26But it's somehow just not enough for us.
10:28I mean, come on.
10:29This is a great, talented basketball team here.
10:31And I'm not going to hear anything of it.
10:32So we are down...
10:33Again, I'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, they're not there.
10:41Sorry.
10:42So we are down defensively to number 10, but it has slipped drastically.
10:48And people are pointing out, well, James Harden...
10:51Number 10 of what?
10:52Defensive...
10:53Rankings?
10:53...efficiency numbers.
10:54Oh, I thought we'd be lower.
10:55So, well, we're 10 on the year.
10:57But in the last...
10:58Really, since the Harden trade, we have slipped 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 Darius was.
11:10But team-wise, you no longer...
11:13You've shifted so many new players into the rotation that I do think if one...
11:18I do think, Kenny, if there's one thing I underestimated was mixing in this many guys into the rotation this
11:26late in the year.
11:27Because it's not just Harden.
11:28It's Ellis.
11:29It's Schroeder.
11:30Now Max Schroes, who does know the defensive rotations because he's been there.
11:35But you're adding him to the final, you know, 15 games of 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.
11:51And 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 and to kingdom come.
11:59And I don't want that to happen.
12:00Because I have to learn a valuable lesson at some point.
12:03Don't I?
12:03That stuff doesn't happen.
12:05Yes, it does.
12:06Because it happens all the time.
12:08Because I don't want to be accused of something I've done in the past.
12:12And 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.
12:21Give me five minutes.
12:23And I'm going to think about saying this.
12:25Because I think we got him.
12:26Ken Carman, Tone Master General.
12:28Daryl Wright are going to join us at 820 this morning.
12:31It's not.
12:33So I'm going to say this.
12:35Relax.
12:36For 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.
12:44I'm not going to use it.
12:45You're the talk show host, Ken.
12:47You've got to talk.
12:48You know what?
12:48On the talk show.
12:49I 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.
13:07For the love of God.
13:10All right.
13:10I'm going to say this.
13:12Well, 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.
13:22Jay Hayes out.
13:22Right?
13:23Like, that's a big piece of cleaning up a lot of the mistakes that happen.
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, we
13:31would 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.
13:44But, especially when you don't have both bigs out there, you have to make sure we hammer
13:49down on our principles and contain the ball.
13:52Because, obviously, those two are elite at 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.
14:00All right?
14:00The matchup that I'm most concerned about in the postseason is the Boston Celtics.
14:06That's given.
14:07I think everybody believes that.
14:09So, 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 if 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 they sit 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.
15:26But 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.
15:35As 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, I 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, but I think it'll battle test you throughout the rest of the
15:53postseason.
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 Eastern Conference is wide open.
16:07I think things have kind of changed, though.
16:09Not that the Eastern Conference still isn't wide open, although it seems like everybody is now just picking Boston.
16:13They've seen Tatum a few times, and that's it.
16:15Now Boston's just there, because 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, and they've been statistically one of the best
16:25teams in basketball.
16:26And now they add Jason Tatum.
16:28We added Harden.
16:29They 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.
16:38To me, the Eastern Conference was not supposed to be.
16:41The Eastern Conference playoffs were not supposed to be this tough.
16:44And now they look tough.
16:47It looks tough.
16:48Honestly, I think it's just as tough as the Western Conference now.
16:52And if you would have told me that two months ago, three months ago, I would have said absolutely no
16:58shot.
16:59But now, where are all the easy playoff series that the Cavs were supposed to have in the Eastern Conference?
17:04It doesn't seem like there will be an easy one.
17:06There really aren't.
17:06There are teams that are driving.
17:08They're driving forward.
17:08Again, I mentioned Orlando.
17:10They've been white hot recently here.
17:14There'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.
17:24They're 34-34 back to .500.
17:26I think that they're a bit of a formidable opponent.
17:29You've got Milwaukee coming up tomorrow night.
17:30Milwaukee's actually out of it right now.
17:32And they'll probably continue to slip a little bit further and further as time 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.
17:51One of the first things that he 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 who 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,
18:23every 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.
18:31Like, Jared Allen's missed the last five games, and that's a big reason why their defense is totally plummeted.
18:35Which 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 think 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.
18:49Especially the way he's been playing, especially 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.
19:00And part of it I just wonder, like, Donovan would not shock me if he's kind of in cruise control
19:05before 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.
19:39So, you know, did I expect him to go 5-5 during this stretch when we thought they would just
19:45be mopping up
19:46and 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.
19:59But 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
20:08this stretch.
20:09I know we're in a weird spot.
20:10I know this is time for a ramp-up usually.
20:13But you have Donovan 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?
20:31Okay, then James Harden has his hand injury that he's learned – I know it's not shooting,
20:35but 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,
20:43but this is part of the reason why 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
20:50and we get ready for the 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.
21:01But they're not a bad basketball team.
21:02The East has gotten tougher.
21:04However, you have gotten better, but you still need to gel as this time goes on.
21:08You 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,
21:19they need a lot of help with Boston.
21:21I still think this is at least an Eastern Conference Finals team.
21:24I 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,
21:49and then DeAndre Hunter, and things were 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
22:00because you can't add this many new rotational players
22:03and just expect them all to be on a yo-yo, all to be interconnected
22:08the way they're going to need to be.
22:10And so how are they going to make up for that?
22:12Well, their offense has to be incredible.
22:13Now, funny thing is, yesterday, their offense was really good yesterday,
22:16but their defense was 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,
22:28would refuse 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.
22:42That 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.
23:11As well.
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