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00:00Out to the River Islands guest line, we go out to the namesake of the cornbread that we just ate
00:05here at Splash, Kalena Azebuki.
00:08How we doing today, my man?
00:10I'm doing great. How you guys doing? Thanks for having me on, man.
00:14Yeah, we're just sitting here reading about you and your wife's story and how this cornbread all came together,
00:21and there's four different kinds, and Dibs is pointing out that it's actually your wife's signature recipe,
00:28but your name's on it. I mean, we got all kinds of things and discussions going on over here.
00:35Yeah, man, so this is how it happened.
00:37See, so my wife, it is her recipe, and originally I was like, you know what, let's put both of
00:44our names on it
00:45and just sell it that way.
00:46My wife was like, no, we want your name on there only, and she was just the one to stay
00:51in the background.
00:52She's not the one that likes to be on camera or anything like that or have to do interviews about
00:57anything.
00:57She's like, just put your name on there, and I'm just going to sit back here,
01:02and she's the MVP of the whole operation.
01:05It's her recipe.
01:07Basically, so before we got married, we were dating, and she was just like, one day randomly,
01:15she's just like, hey, I got some leftover cornbread here.
01:17Do you want some?
01:18And I was like, yeah, who doesn't love cornbread?
01:21And so she let me try some, and I was like, whoa, did you really make this?
01:27She's like, yeah, I made it, of course.
01:29I'm like, this is the best cornbread I've ever had.
01:31It was just like a leftover thing she had made.
01:35And so I'm like, you need to do something with this.
01:39Fast forward, we get married, let's try some again, and same reaction.
01:44I was like, no, no, this is different.
01:46You have to share this with the world.
01:48People need to taste this.
01:50This is different than any cornbread I've ever tasted, the texture, all of that stuff.
01:55So she just thought I was being nice or whatever.
01:58It was kind of just problem-solving for her.
02:02So fast forward, we end up starting a business, and, yeah, you're at the last taste of it.
02:10I think the flavors came along kind of later on because one day she was just like, hey,
02:17you know I can make a caramel version of this.
02:19I like caramel.
02:21And then my mind started racing, and I was like, can you do blueberry white chocolate?
02:25And then we just started brainstorming on different flavors that would work.
02:30And, of course, I'm quality control, so I had to taste all of it, make sure it's all on point
02:35and everything.
02:36But, yeah, man, so now we're at multiple locations, including Splash, where you guys are.
02:41By the way, how nice is Splash?
02:43It's like the nicest sports book I've ever seen.
02:46It's phenomenal, and we love the food here.
02:48And then today, as we were eating our normal fares, he brought out the sampler, Kalena's Cornbread Sampler.
02:55And I'm having a hard time picking my favorite.
02:57The sweet honey pepper fiesta was good.
03:00Jalapeno cheddar came at me, but it was the banana walnut sweetbread.
03:05It made me think about vanilla ice cream, Kalena.
03:08There you go.
03:09That's kind of my new – so my first love was, like, the blueberry white chocolate that we had.
03:16We came up with that pretty early on.
03:19But then the banana walnut is, like, my new love.
03:24It's, like, the – you know what I mean?
03:26It's just – it's unbelievable.
03:28People think of, like – you think of, like, banana bread when people – when I say it to people?
03:34But I'm like, no, it's not – it's still cornbread.
03:37You can taste the cornbread and banana walnuts.
03:40The walnuts are in there.
03:41It's amazing with ice cream, as you've experienced in there.
03:45And I really love what Splash has done with all of it.
03:48And then also the honey butter is there as well.
03:51They have honey butter there.
03:52So there's so many different things you can do with it.
03:54But the banana walnut is probably my new favorite right now.
03:58Because I obviously have a sweet tooth, and so I'm big on anything like that.
04:04So banana walnut is unbelievable.
04:07Yeah, but all the flavors – you've got the savory in there.
04:09I think they've got the jalapeno in there.
04:11They've got the garlic, roasted garlic and herbs.
04:15They've got fiesta, which is the multiple peppers, red, green, and yellow, I believe, peppers in there.
04:24So, again, my wife's recipe, and she came up with all of it.
04:30The only thing I added to it was like a few ideas when it comes to the flavors, and then
04:36the honey butter.
04:37I came up with the honey butter concoction, which is like liquid gold.
04:42But I love it, man.
04:43I'm addicted to it myself.
04:45I'm trying not to get high on my own supply, you know what I mean?
04:48It is strong.
04:49It is a strong effort.
04:50Kalena Azebuki is with us on Willard and Dip.
04:52So, Kalena, how about those Warriors?
04:57How about them, man?
04:58They're playing tonight, right?
05:01We've got to get two of them, two wins to get up in there,
05:04and then have the right to face the Thunder, who are a juggernaut,
05:09and that's a whole other conversation.
05:11But, listen, the Clippers, it's going to be a tough matchup.
05:14We just saw them, but we saw them without Kawhi Leonard.
05:18I'm pretty sure he's going to play.
05:19I don't know why.
05:20I mean, he's listening to the question.
05:22No, he's playing.
05:25He's playing.
05:26So, I feel like one of the main things the Warriors have to do,
05:31first of all, on-ball defense is going to be hard,
05:33because they go ISO so much.
05:35I think the Clippers are, I believe the Clippers are number one in the league
05:37when it comes to ISO frequency percentage.
05:40And it's going to be Kawhi Leonard, and you've got a key on him.
05:44They may put him in positions where it's tougher to double,
05:47like the middle of the floor.
05:49But if you can't double rotate to the shooters and all that,
05:52make sure you're ready to help.
05:54Try not to overhelp, and the on-ball defense being better will help you
05:58when it comes to not overhelping there.
06:00Like, being deliberate, I feel like,
06:02with seeking out matchups is going to be really important, too.
06:06With Garland in there, he's much smaller.
06:08See if you can get him switched on.
06:10I feel like Pajemski really enjoyed when Garland was on him,
06:17and having a much smaller defender he can kind of bully and go through at times,
06:23even if he can't get by him that easily.
06:25If Bogdanovich plays, see if he can go at him.
06:28He played well in their last game there.
06:30I think crashing the glass is going to be super important, too,
06:34because they are 25th in defensive rebounding percentage.
06:38That's the one area where they had a ton of slippers this year.
06:41I believe they were the best defensive rebounding team in the league last year,
06:44and they really struggled there this year.
06:46And the fact that Niedenhauser is out for the season,
06:50and, yeah, they have Brooke Lopez,
06:52but they kind of get a little small after that.
06:54You've got John Collins, who's super bouncy there.
06:57But see if you can take advantage of the size when you have the advantage there.
07:02Like, you may have – you're going to see Al Horford
07:05and Brzingis playing together at times, Draymond and whoever playing together.
07:08So Warriors may have the size advantage at times.
07:11I really think you've got to take advantage of that,
07:13and then obviously taking care of the ball,
07:14which kind of goes without saying with this team.
07:17But winning the possession battle is going to be huge.
07:19But I feel good about the matchup,
07:20and also I feel good about the Blazers winning their game
07:24because I didn't want to see the Blazers.
07:26I don't know about you guys, but they are –
07:29they gave us problems all season, like 3-1 against us.
07:31The only game we won against them was when Danny Obdia didn't play.
07:35Yeah.
07:36And he had, like, what, 41 points last night against the Suns,
07:40and they couldn't stop him and his driving and all that stuff.
07:42So I like that Suns matchup better.
07:45We're 3-1 against them, including the game we didn't even have Steph.
07:49We were able to win that game.
07:50That was one of those inspiring wins.
07:52Only issue, though, we didn't see Jalen Green all season.
07:55So that's kind of a new weapon they have that we didn't get to see.
07:59And he had, what, 35 last night?
08:01So that'll be a fun matchup, too.
08:03But we can win, too, I believe.
08:06I believe.
08:06Yeah.
08:07I love you.
08:08You're convincing yourself, and you're trying to convince all of us.
08:11And, you know, a couple hours away, we'll all be on board.
08:14But the one thing I'm most concerned about, I guess, is just Steph Curry,
08:18not only how many minutes he plays,
08:20but how has he been looking to you, Kalena?
08:22And he's obviously still trying to work back into shape.
08:26He's been looking good to me.
08:27He said it's kind of the new normal.
08:29He's managing that knee.
08:31He understands how to manage it.
08:33The tweak of the ankle, I feel good about that
08:35because I don't think he would have played in the last game against the Clippers
08:39if the ankle was still bothering him.
08:41And you see him on the bench.
08:43He's working that ankle out.
08:45He's got the resistance bands and all that.
08:47And he's had two days to kind of recover and get all the new age treatment
08:51and everything he needs to on that ankle and the knee.
08:54So I feel good about it.
08:56Coach Curry said, obviously, he feels like he doesn't want to play him 40-something minutes,
09:02but probably get him over 30 minutes and get close to his normal minutes there.
09:08So, obviously, if it's a close game and you need him to play a few more,
09:13I think you can extend that a little bit, especially if Steph gives you the okay
09:18and Rick still would bring you on board.
09:20So they got a really nice synergy between those three.
09:25Steph and Rick have worked together for a long time,
09:28and Steph's really in tune with his body.
09:30So he's been moving good to me.
09:32And the fact that he did play as much as he did against the Clippers in a game
09:35that didn't really mean anything other than just getting more reps in with him
09:40and Porzingis getting on the same page.
09:43There were some nice plays where they were working together,
09:46and they're going pick and pop.
09:48And Porzingis got some open shots because of Steph,
09:51and Steph is setting screens for him.
09:52And you're doing all that.
09:54Steph is cutting off of him,
09:55and you're getting some pretty good passes from Porzingis there.
09:59So they got a couple games in to work together.
10:02So I'm looking forward to seeing them do their thing.
10:05But it's going to be – you need the Warriors to make more shots just in general.
10:11So I think they got all their misses out against the Clippers
10:14is what I think everybody's hoping, especially from three-point range.
10:18So hopefully Steph has his normal three-point shooting game
10:22and everybody else can come along with the ride.
10:23But if you don't knock down threes, you want to go rebound those.
10:26Well, then Azabuki with us here on Willard and Dibbs.
10:29The Warriors are in L.A. to take on the Clippers in the play-in game tonight at 7.
10:33Warriors live with Mark Grandy will be at 6.
10:35And that's presented by Xfinity, your home court advantage, brought to you by Xfinity.
10:39Watch all your favorite teams all in one place.
10:41Xfinity, imagine that.
10:43You're listening to 95.7 The Game, KGMZ, FM, and HD1,
10:46San Francisco, and Odyssey Sports Station.
10:49And the home of the Golden State Warriors and Valkyries,
10:51always live on the free Odyssey app,
10:53coming to you live from the Laughing Monk Studios.
10:55Kalena, I want to run this by you because I feel like the lineup that Steve Kerr
11:01can put out there tonight is a much more legitimate NBA lineup
11:06than he's had at his disposal for the last two months.
11:09My question is, though, about chemistry
11:12and about how much time that group has had together.
11:16So in your experience as a player,
11:18how much does that matter,
11:20especially in an elimination situation like this?
11:25It matters a little bit, but I also think
11:28you have guys that are really smart and high IQ
11:33and have experience in the league.
11:35So that also helps, too, and you can figure it out on the fly.
11:38And you've gotten, again, a couple games to see
11:41some of the combinations you would like.
11:43That also helps.
11:44You felt it.
11:45You felt what it's like to play with each other.
11:47You've kind of felt where guys like the ball,
11:51what their tendencies are.
11:53So I think they can figure it out.
11:56And when it comes down to it, you want those guys out there.
12:01You want the talent.
12:02You want the size that Al Horford and Porzingis
12:06provide you at your disposal.
12:09And they're going to figure it out.
12:12Once it comes game time, it's all about competition.
12:16It's all about, okay, what are our pet plays that we like to run?
12:20What are some of the things that we want to do against this team?
12:23And what's our keys that we're going to go with?
12:26But I'm not too worried about the chemistry when it comes to that.
12:31Because, listen, Steph Curry is Steph Curry.
12:33And I think even if you haven't played a ton with him,
12:37you've seen a lot of him on film.
12:40You've seen a lot of Porzingis on film.
12:42If you're Steph Curry, Al Horford, and Porzingis
12:46have played together in the past on the same team.
12:48So I think they'll be fine when it comes to that.
12:51And I feel like they're pretty confident going into this one.
12:54This is, you know, win or go home situation.
12:58Warriors have guys on their team that have been in some high,
13:02high pressure situations.
13:03And obviously won championships and know what it's like to perform under pressure.
13:08And when it's much higher stakes, I think this is the kind of pressure,
13:13the kind of stakes the Warriors have been looking forward to all season.
13:16Because when you've had the success the Warriors have had,
13:19it's sometimes hard to get up for a regular season game on a Tuesday
13:25against whoever is.
13:26Draymond has delineated plenty of times.
13:29So I think this is what they've been waiting for.
13:32The guys are going to play as hard as they can.
13:35They're going to be intense.
13:37And they're looking to be the more aggressive, scrappier team,
13:41which is kind of what they've had to do all season.
13:43And the guys that have had to perform while some of the veterans have been out,
13:49while Steph has been out, I think they're better for it.
13:52All the experience they had being put in those tough pressure situations,
13:56not fresh situations, but tough situations where you're not able to rely on a Steph Curry.
14:01Obviously, Jimmy Butler being out half the season, a Pajemski, a Guy Santos that's just blossomed
14:08before our eyes.
14:09And we've seen his entire repertoire.
14:10Those guys can kick in as well.
14:13And DeSantos can be that high-energy guy that he always is
14:17and also provide some attacking threat out there.
14:22I remember against the Clippers, it was him on one side with the ball,
14:28and Porzingis and Steph were on the floor with him.
14:30And he drove in there, and he drew a double team.
14:33And so you have someone else out there that can draw a double team
14:36while Steph Curry is on the floor and Porzingis is on the floor.
14:40That has to bode well for the Warriors.
14:42So those guys are going to continue to stay aggressive, I think, with Pajemski as well.
14:46His ability to run through the catch on some of those drives,
14:50if they get any type of ball movement, if his defender is helping off at all,
14:54he gets it and just goes quick.
14:55Don't mess around with it.
14:56Don't try to dribble too much.
14:59Don't mess around with it all.
15:01Just rip it through as quick as you can and drive, get into that defense.
15:06And I feel like the Clippers had a tough time with Danny Obdia
15:09the night before the game before that one they played against the Warriors
15:14because Danny just hit 1-3 and he had 35 points.
15:18He was driving the whole game.
15:19It was pretty much like that.
15:20He wasn't really dribbling too much or messing around with it.
15:22He was just catching and ripping it through
15:24when his defender kind of had a bad angle to cut him off.
15:27So Pajemski's been really good at that.
15:29And if you can get penetration against this team,
15:32I think that that takes care of the chemistry.
15:35Now it's just drawing a kick.
15:36It's things you guys have done really their whole careers.
15:39When you get into a game with the Clippers,
15:41who are the third slowest as far as pace goes,
15:44how do the Warriors impose a faster pace against the Clippers
15:48to get them out of their comfort zone?
15:51I think even if they score, throw the ball up ahead.
15:55The ball can move faster than you can sprint the ball up the floor.
15:59So throw it ahead.
16:00I think, you know, obviously on misses, everybody has to run.
16:05It just has to be something you're super intentional about.
16:09And, again, the ball movement once you get down there,
16:12if you have any type of advantage, if you have numbers, move the ball around.
16:16See if you can find some lanes to drive in,
16:20some awkward closeouts to really make that defense work.
16:23But I think it's just, you know,
16:25just something you have to come into the game thinking about
16:27and see if you can dictate everything about the game,
16:30especially the tempo.
16:31And I think Draymond's been really good at that a lot of his career
16:35is just rebounding and going,
16:38pushing and getting the ball up the floor as fast as he can.
16:41And then once the Warriors do that,
16:43they just have to make sure they don't turn the ball over.
16:45They come to a jump stop.
16:47Sometimes when you're trying to go fast, you can just take a beat.
16:50Once you get in the half court, see what you have.
16:52You still have the numbers.
16:54You'll have time to find someone open and make a good pass
16:58and see if you can take advantage of the numbers you have
17:00or just getting out and transition early offense.
17:02But I think that's something the Warriors are going to come in,
17:05trying to do as much as possible,
17:07especially with Brooke Lopez out there.
17:09See if you can run by him, get him away from the basket.
17:11He's another guy you can try to attack.
17:14See if you can get him in on the action when it comes to pick and rolls
17:18and split actions and all those things.
17:21A lot of times he'll be in drop coverage.
17:23If he wants to come out the three-point line, you can drive by him.
17:25Even when you're in transition, if you're trying to play fast,
17:28you can run some of those plays.
17:29Instead of a quick screen, a quick little handoff, a hit and get back,
17:34some of the action that the Warriors love really in the half court
17:39or in transition.
17:40So all of those things I think the Clippers can have a tough time with.
17:44If the Warriors can do that a lot of the game,
17:47that will really bode well for them
17:49and that will be a big advantage for them for sure.
17:52Kalena, thank you so much for coming on on a big day.
17:56And please do give your wife our thoughts with regard to this cornbread.
18:02It really set up the whole show perfectly.
18:05I definitely will.
18:06It is cool that you guys are there.
18:07Shout out to my guys at Splash.
18:10Yeah.
18:11Kenny, Chef Martins.
18:13Oh.
18:14Shout out to you guys.
18:15Willard and Dibs.
18:15Dibs, are you going to go show everybody your beautiful swing
18:19and the full swing golf simulator in there?
18:21Yeah, funny you say that because we actually had a little station showdown
18:26and we played a couple of holes at Pebble Beach
18:28and I'm as bad on the simulator as I am in real life.
18:34I like that.
18:35I like that.
18:36Very nicely done.
18:36The ending there was well done.
18:38For sure.
18:39They might have to kick me out of that full swing.
18:42When I saw that golf simulator in there, I was like,
18:44oh, this is great news.
18:45I got to get in there.
18:47We got to get out and you play with Willard
18:50and we'll do a little station outing again, Kalenic,
18:52because it's fun playing golf with you.
18:53I'm glad that we got a chance to do it.
18:55Let's do it.
18:56Let's do it.
18:56Willard, what's your handicap?
18:58You know, I mean 10, 11, probably something like that.
19:04It's not something you want to divulge.
19:05Okay, not bad.
19:06Yeah, no.
19:07He's like a 6, but he doesn't play, so he's really like a 12.
19:10Like I don't even really have one.
19:13Like I don't follow it.
19:14You know what I mean?
19:16I got you.
19:16I got you.
19:18Like I'll hit the ball.
19:19It'll go sort of in the right direction.
19:23That's a general idea.
19:24I like it.
19:24He can play, Kalenic.
19:26He's being too modest.
19:28My handicap is not old enough to vote, but it's old enough to drive, sadly.
19:35That's actually good.
19:36That's a good line.
19:38We got to get out there for sure, man.
19:40Let's do it.
19:41Let's do it.
19:41Kalenic, thanks, man.
19:42Appreciate it.
19:44All right, brothers.
19:45Take care.
19:45Okay, there he goes.
19:46Kalenic, Izebuki.
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