NBA Season Preview

Mark: 00:00:09

All right, everybody, welcome back to another episode of the Casual Nonsense podcast.

Mark: 00:00:14

I'm your host, Mark, and I want to remind you that if you're listening to the show and you like even a little itty bit of what you hear, you know, be sure to follow us on whatever podcast platform of choice that you're listening to.

Mark: 00:00:27

Apple, Spotify, whatever.

Mark: 00:00:29

Uh, and if you're feeling really crazy, uh, we wouldn't mind a little five star review or something along those lines.

Mark: 00:00:35

Listen, today, we have the casual nonsense dream team with us today, uh, because, of course, we're talking about some basketball.

Mark: 00:00:42

We're going to get into some NBA.

Mark: 00:00:43

We're going to get into some WNBA.

Mark: 00:00:45

Uh, so I welcome back again.

Mark: 00:00:47

Uh, y'all know who Lord Booze is.

Mark: 00:00:50

Booze.

Mark: 00:00:51

What's up, bro?

Booze: 00:00:51

Captain of the two and a half star review here to try to get.

Mark: 00:00:54

To three today, also with us.

Mark: 00:00:56

Of course, it wouldn't be an NBA show without Mister Tim in the house.

Mark: 00:00:59

Tim.

Mark: 00:00:59

What's up, my man?

Tim: 00:01:01

What's up, Mark?

Tim: 00:01:02

What's up, booze?

Tim: 00:01:02

We're back.

Tim: 00:01:03

We're ready.

Tim: 00:01:03

It's a new season.

Tim: 00:01:04

I'm ready to go.

Mark: 00:01:06

You ready?

Mark: 00:01:06

Ready to talk about some.

Mark: 00:01:07

Some Knicks versus Celtics?

Tim: 00:01:09

I might be able to squeeze a little bit of knicks talk in there.

Tim: 00:01:11

I guess I'm squeeze a little bit of knicks in there.

Booze: 00:01:14

Who cares?

Mark: 00:01:15

Bruce doesn't care.

Mark: 00:01:16

Tim, what are you gonna do?

Tim: 00:01:18

We're gonna win.

Tim: 00:01:19

That's what we're gonna do.

Mark: 00:01:20

Let's get right into some NBA.

Mark: 00:01:22

You know, first thing, we'll talk.

Mark: 00:01:23

We'll get into some.

Mark: 00:01:24

Some offseason moves, right?

Mark: 00:01:25

So, obviously, the Celtics were champions, green 18.

Mark: 00:01:29

There was so offseason moves.

Mark: 00:01:32

I think the big one here, we'll lead, right?

Mark: 00:01:34

We'll lead off with it.

Mark: 00:01:34

We'll lead off with who?

Mark: 00:01:35

The Knicks just picked up.

Mark: 00:01:36

They just picked up cat.

Mark: 00:01:38

Tim.

Mark: 00:01:38

What.

Mark: 00:01:39

What's your.

Mark: 00:01:40

What's your thoughts, bro?

Mark: 00:01:41

You like?

Tim: 00:01:41

Well, I'm sorry, I got.

Tim: 00:01:42

I got to back up a little bit, Mark, because the story doesn't begin there.

Tim: 00:01:45

Okay?

Tim: 00:01:45

That was not the first, nor even the most important of our offseason moves.

Tim: 00:01:50

So let me break it down for.

Mark: 00:01:51

Those at home, specifically for the Knicks.

Tim: 00:01:54

You're getting into specifically for the Knicks.

Tim: 00:01:56

Yes.

Tim: 00:01:57

So number one for a treatise.

Tim: 00:01:58

Oh, yes.

Tim: 00:01:59

So, number one.

Tim: 00:02:00

We lost one of our biggest x factors last year to free agency.

Tim: 00:02:06

He went over to the Oklahoma City Thunder.

Tim: 00:02:10

I'm speaking about Isaiah Hartenstein.

Tim: 00:02:13

He was our backup center, who became our full time center when Mitchell Robinson got hurt.

Tim: 00:02:17

We're gonna miss you dearly, but that left us a little thin.

Mark: 00:02:20

Well, he left the team last year.

Mark: 00:02:22

Not in the office.

Tim: 00:02:22

He left in.

Tim: 00:02:23

He left in off season.

Tim: 00:02:24

Yeah.

Tim: 00:02:24

His contract was up and he signed a new contract with OKC.

Tim: 00:02:28

Also during the offseason, we also made a huge trade.

Tim: 00:02:32

We traded a Bohem Bogdanovich, I think, four picks and some, unlike some other smaller guys, to Brooklyn.

Tim: 00:02:39

First trade we've made a Brooklyn since the eighties.

Mark: 00:02:41

Bunch of nobodies, right?

Tim: 00:02:42

Brought back Mikhail Bridges.

Tim: 00:02:44

Mikhail Bridges, Ironman Bridges, who has not missed a single NBA game since he joined the league.

Tim: 00:02:49

Mikhail Bridges, who is one of the greatest wing defenders on the league.

Tim: 00:02:54

Mikhail Bridges, who was part of that Villanova Wildcats team that won those championships with Jalen Brunson, Dante D.

Tim: 00:03:01

Vincenzo and Josh Hart.

Mark: 00:03:02

Wait, are you saying this guy doesn't sit out NBA games?

Mark: 00:03:05

He doesn't need to rest.

Mark: 00:03:06

He's not saving.

Tim: 00:03:07

He's not.

Tim: 00:03:07

Only, not only does he not rest, he's never been hurt.

Tim: 00:03:10

He is.

Tim: 00:03:11

He is the definition of endurance.

Tim: 00:03:12

And he has, I think he holds the record right now for the longest active NBA games played boost.

Mark: 00:03:19

He just gave it the Chris Collinsworth kiss of death right there.

Mark: 00:03:22

Wait, you know that?

Booze: 00:03:22

Sorry, I was sleep asleep the last five minutes.

Booze: 00:03:26

What are we talking about?

Tim: 00:03:27

We're talking about the team that's going to mop the floor with you in the finals.

Booze: 00:03:31

Oh, yeah, we're back to bed now.

Tim: 00:03:34

In addition to that.

Tim: 00:03:36

Hold on.

Tim: 00:03:36

In addition to that, we, we signed OG Ananobi to a massive deal.

Tim: 00:03:40

Now, if you don't remember, we traded for OG an Anobi at that middle of the season while we traded Rgy, who's OB Gyn?

Mark: 00:03:48

Who's that?

Tim: 00:03:51

You should ask your wife that question.

Tim: 00:03:54

OG Ananovi, he's one again, one of the best wing defenders.

Tim: 00:03:56

So we have two of the top five wing defenders in the league right now.

Tim: 00:03:59

And, oh, geez, he's just great.

Tim: 00:04:00

So he's actually the highest play player on our team right now.

Tim: 00:04:02

So we made a lot of offseason moves prior to what you're talking about.

Tim: 00:04:06

Now, in addition to those moves that we made, we made the decision a few days before training camp to trade Julius Randall.

Tim: 00:04:12

Julius, I love you.

Tim: 00:04:13

If you ever listen to this podcast, I'm a big fan and I appreciate everything you've always done for the next.

Mark: 00:04:17

He does.

Mark: 00:04:18

He's a big fan.

Mark: 00:04:18

Actually, he text me once a week.

Tim: 00:04:20

That's right, Julius and Dante DeVincenzo.

Tim: 00:04:24

Love you, Dante.

Tim: 00:04:25

One year was the best one year that I think I've ever seen on the team.

Tim: 00:04:29

Traded them for Carl Anthony Towns.

Tim: 00:04:31

As a reminder, Carl Stowns was drafted ten years ago by the Minnesota Cinderwolves.

Tim: 00:04:35

He's been a perennial all star.

Tim: 00:04:37

He's a 20 and ten guy.

Tim: 00:04:39

He's probably one of the best shooting bigs in the history of the league.

Tim: 00:04:42

Up there with like Dirk Dwinski and maybe some others.

Tim: 00:04:45

Chris Bosh.

Tim: 00:04:46

So, yeah, my point that I'm making is we didn't.

Tim: 00:04:50

Chris Bosh was a great three point shooter, especially when he was Miami.

Tim: 00:04:53

You remember he was beating your Boston team every year.

Mark: 00:04:56

It wasn't because of Chris Bosh.

Mark: 00:04:57

But anyways.

Tim: 00:05:00

My point though that I'm making is it wasn't just one.

Tim: 00:05:03

We made a plethora of trades.

Tim: 00:05:05

I think we had one of the greatest offseasons in modern history.

Tim: 00:05:08

And I think that our team, which is already the number two seed in the league, is going to be even better this year.

Booze: 00:05:13

You know.

Booze: 00:05:13

You know, you know, I like ice cream.

Booze: 00:05:17

Hard ice cream is a lot of different flairs.

Booze: 00:05:20

Soft, you get vanilla or chocolate.

Booze: 00:05:22

Carl Anthony Towns is vanilla.

Booze: 00:05:24

Soft ice cream.

Booze: 00:05:25

He's like the softest player in the history of basketball.

Booze: 00:05:28

Please.

Booze: 00:05:30

I'm so glad he's in New York.

Booze: 00:05:31

It's so enjoyable.

Booze: 00:05:32

He's gonna bomb in that city.

Booze: 00:05:34

Bomb.

Tim: 00:05:35

You know what?

Booze: 00:05:36

So here's his Minnesota.

Booze: 00:05:37

He couldn't even play in Minnesota.

Booze: 00:05:39

He was, he.

Booze: 00:05:40

He went his pants in Minnesota.

Booze: 00:05:42

Minnesota.

Booze: 00:05:42

Now he's gonna play in New York.

Booze: 00:05:43

Okay, keep on going.

Tim: 00:05:45

Keep it good.

Booze: 00:05:45

This is great.

Tim: 00:05:46

So let me back check it here.

Booze: 00:05:48

We need some live fact check.

Tim: 00:05:49

Mister.

Tim: 00:05:49

Mister soft average 23 points, ten rebounds, three assists.

Tim: 00:05:53

Shot 52% from field goal, 40% from the three pointer.

Tim: 00:05:57

In his career.

Tim: 00:05:58

For his career.

Mark: 00:06:00

I don't think soft is a definition of stats.

Mark: 00:06:03

I think it's.

Mark: 00:06:03

The stats are unquestionable.

Mark: 00:06:06

The soft prevention from producing like james is.

Mark: 00:06:10

It puts up great stats, but doesn't make him any.

Booze: 00:06:12

Pritchard averages over ten points a game.

Booze: 00:06:14

You want to put him in the same category?

Booze: 00:06:15

Let's go.

Tim: 00:06:16

I mean, I said 23, sir.

Tim: 00:06:19

And so let's use your ice cream analogy for a second.

Tim: 00:06:23

Whether it's ice, whether it's vanilla, whether it's chocolate, whether it's cookies and cream.

Tim: 00:06:27

Do you like it or not?

Tim: 00:06:28

Does it get the job done?

Tim: 00:06:30

Does it hit the spot right when.

Booze: 00:06:32

You know what, though?

Booze: 00:06:33

You know what's a big pain, though?

Booze: 00:06:37

You know, it's horrible.

Booze: 00:06:38

It's soft serve.

Booze: 00:06:40

I like it breaks all the time.

Tim: 00:06:44

As long as it tastes good, it gets the job done.

Booze: 00:06:47

Oh, he was so soft as pudding.

Booze: 00:06:49

Can we stop the nick's love for Mark?

Booze: 00:06:51

We've gone for like eight minutes.

Booze: 00:06:52

Do I get my rebuttal, like a debate here, or is it just wait?

Tim: 00:06:56

One more thing, Steve Jobs, one more thing.

Tim: 00:06:59

Carl T.

Tim: 00:07:00

Towns is a native New Jersey.

Tim: 00:07:01

He's from the area.

Tim: 00:07:02

He's a Dominican.

Tim: 00:07:03

The Dominicans up in uptown are gonna love him.

Tim: 00:07:07

You know, he's a star.

Tim: 00:07:08

His girlfriend is, was a friend of the Kardashians or was a friend of Kardashians.

Tim: 00:07:12

They are used to the spotlight.

Tim: 00:07:14

They are ready for the limelight is my point that I'm making.

Tim: 00:07:17

And he's surrounded by dogs.

Tim: 00:07:18

He's surrounded by Jalen Brunson.

Tim: 00:07:19

He's surrounded by OG Ananovi.

Tim: 00:07:21

He's surrounded by Josh Hart, McHale Bridges.

Tim: 00:07:23

He has coach Tom Thibodeau, who's one of the toughest, grittiest coaches in the league.

Tim: 00:07:28

If you don't believe that he, even if he is not as much of a dog as other guys, he's surrounded by dogs.

Tim: 00:07:35

Even if he was a bunny rabbit, he's going to be barking by tomorrow.

Mark: 00:07:37

I think Tim's ready.

Mark: 00:07:38

I think Tim's ready for the.

Booze: 00:07:40

Are we going to cut mics during this debate?

Booze: 00:07:42

Do we have to go down that route?

Booze: 00:07:45

Who had the most wins in the history of the NBA last year?

Booze: 00:07:48

Who had the most wins in the.

Tim: 00:07:50

History of the NBA?

Booze: 00:07:51

Yeah.

Booze: 00:07:52

Top five.

Booze: 00:07:52

Boston Celtics last year.

Mark: 00:07:55

Like, like regular season wins, total playoffs, everything.

Booze: 00:07:58

The Boston Celtics set over, I believe, over 90 wins last year, right?

Booze: 00:08:02

Guys suck.

Tim: 00:08:03

I don't know.

Booze: 00:08:05

Yeah, they did.

Mark: 00:08:06

We got 16 in the playoffs.

Mark: 00:08:08

And what was their regular season record?

Tim: 00:08:10

They didn't have 74.

Tim: 00:08:12

They didn't have 74, I'll tell you that.

Booze: 00:08:14

It was over 80.

Booze: 00:08:15

It was over 81.

Booze: 00:08:17

Whatever.

Booze: 00:08:17

You guys suck.

Mark: 00:08:19

64.

Mark: 00:08:19

The Celtics were just like a Boston fan.

Tim: 00:08:22

Just like a Boston fan.

Booze: 00:08:24

Add 16 to that 80.

Mark: 00:08:26

Exactly 80.

Mark: 00:08:27

We would have had another five.

Tim: 00:08:28

Oh, my gosh.

Booze: 00:08:31

No.

Booze: 00:08:31

You got between a Boston New York mark.

Booze: 00:08:33

Now it's my turn.

Booze: 00:08:34

Let's talk Boston.

Booze: 00:08:35

Okay.

Mark: 00:08:36

Talk about Boston this year.

Mark: 00:08:37

I want to know about Boston this year.

Mark: 00:08:39

Last year's last year.

Mark: 00:08:40

That season's done.

Mark: 00:08:41

We're moving on to this year.

Mark: 00:08:42

What are those?

Mark: 00:08:43

What are the Celtics?

Mark: 00:08:44

What are the Celtics look like this year?

Tim: 00:08:45

Porzingis isn't coming back till January.

Booze: 00:08:47

Well, all right.

Booze: 00:08:48

I don't need until May.

Booze: 00:08:49

Let's see here.

Booze: 00:08:50

You pissed off our best two players while you sat on the bench for the entire Olympics for no reason whatsoever.

Booze: 00:08:57

Because your Nick loving Steve Kerr didn't put Jason Tatum in the game.

Booze: 00:09:01

And then, yeah, he loves the next.

Booze: 00:09:03

And then.

Booze: 00:09:04

And then let's just put in.

Booze: 00:09:05

Let's just take Jalen Brown, who should have been on the Olympic team, and just give him the bunch of crap and don't put him on the knick.

Booze: 00:09:13

I mean, on the Olympic team, like, so.

Booze: 00:09:15

You just pissed off two of the top seven best players in the NBA.

Booze: 00:09:18

In my opinion, they have now a more mission to go after you guys.

Booze: 00:09:23

We still have some excellent players.

Booze: 00:09:25

Do we have the best point guard?

Booze: 00:09:27

Clutch playoff point guard.

Booze: 00:09:28

Yes, we do.

Booze: 00:09:29

Drew Holiday.

Booze: 00:09:30

You guys have no chance.

Booze: 00:09:32

It's not even.

Booze: 00:09:32

We just went to Abu Dhabi and beat the Nuggets by 30.

Booze: 00:09:36

And it's the Nuggets, which are way better than your team.

Booze: 00:09:39

So please cut me a break.

Booze: 00:09:41

Carl Anthony Towns, Kyrie Irving, like, destroyed him in the NBA.

Booze: 00:09:46

In the Western Conference files last year.

Booze: 00:09:48

He was a puddle against him.

Booze: 00:09:50

And Luca donches absolutely abused him.

Booze: 00:09:54

Luca abused him.

Booze: 00:09:55

And we took care of Luca in five games.

Booze: 00:09:57

Please.

Mark: 00:09:59

Lucas.

Mark: 00:09:59

A one man show over there, by the way, too.

Mark: 00:10:01

Luca has zero help.

Tim: 00:10:02

Yeah, but what you got Derek Lively and PJ Washington mid season.

Tim: 00:10:08

He has a great team around him.

Tim: 00:10:09

Dallas is great.

Tim: 00:10:10

And now they have Clay Thompson, too.

Mark: 00:10:11

All right, let me.

Mark: 00:10:12

Let me rephrase.

Mark: 00:10:12

When they showed up for the NBA championship, those guys didn't.

Mark: 00:10:17

I would say no.

Tim: 00:10:18

Actually, Luca messed up in the final.

Mark: 00:10:20

Minutes a game, but, well, I mean, maybe towards the end because he was just hooking up shots.

Tim: 00:10:26

Listen, Mark, you said you want to my last season.

Tim: 00:10:28

Here you are talking about last season.

Booze: 00:10:31

He towers and carl the towns last season lost to the Mavericks, who we made.

Booze: 00:10:36

We destroyed the Mavericks.

Booze: 00:10:39

Honestly.

Booze: 00:10:40

But I don't want it.

Booze: 00:10:40

But we destroyed the Mavericks.

Tim: 00:10:42

Okay, here, let me talk about your boss.

Mark: 00:10:45

I was trying to take a dig at Luca.

Mark: 00:10:46

That's all I wanted.

Booze: 00:10:47

No, I don't mind.

Tim: 00:10:48

I should try to take a dig at Kyrie.

Tim: 00:10:50

Let me talk about the Boston Celtics.

Tim: 00:10:52

I can.

Tim: 00:10:52

Booze.

Tim: 00:10:53

I have nothing but respect for your team.

Tim: 00:10:54

Listen, I.

Tim: 00:10:55

A hidden secret.

Tim: 00:10:56

I love Jalen Brown.

Tim: 00:10:57

I think he's the best player on your team.

Tim: 00:10:59

He has the most heart.

Tim: 00:11:00

He plays the best consistently as consistency.

Tim: 00:11:03

He cannot handle the ball to save his life, but he plays his role and so many other roles so, so well and so consistently.

Tim: 00:11:12

I love Jalen Brown.

Tim: 00:11:13

I think he got robbed of the Olympic team this year.

Tim: 00:11:16

But he picked up the most beautiful woman in the WNBA to be his girlfriend.

Tim: 00:11:20

So I'd say he won the offseason, as far as I'm concerned.

Tim: 00:11:23

On top of that, Jason Tatum, he's a, he's a showboat.

Tim: 00:11:26

He's a front runner.

Tim: 00:11:27

Like, listen, he's.

Tim: 00:11:29

He's good.

Tim: 00:11:30

He's skilled.

Tim: 00:11:30

I'm not gonna.

Tim: 00:11:31

I'm not gonna hate on him.

Tim: 00:11:32

He had a good offseason.

Booze: 00:11:33

Two.

Tim: 00:11:33

He.

Tim: 00:11:33

He had a baby, another baby.

Tim: 00:11:35

You know, he's dating a huge r and b pop star.

Tim: 00:11:38

You know, great year for him, as well.

Tim: 00:11:40

He got to be on the team.

Tim: 00:11:41

He has a gold medal.

Tim: 00:11:42

He got to be there in the picture.

Tim: 00:11:43

It's cool.

Tim: 00:11:44

But Jason Tatum is not a leader.

Tim: 00:11:47

And as much as he wants to be, he wants the image of being a leader.

Tim: 00:11:51

He wants to be the face of the team.

Tim: 00:11:52

He cares about that so much that he's going to mess up the team.

Tim: 00:11:55

His ego is even bigger now because he lost the finals mvp to Jalen Brown.

Tim: 00:11:59

They're going to implode because they don't have the mental wherewithal to overcome themselves.

Tim: 00:12:05

Last year, they did a good job.

Tim: 00:12:07

Jason Tatum did his best to ruin it, but Jalen Brown stepped up and got them the win.

Tim: 00:12:11

And Porzingis, the guy that Nick strafted, you know, came in clutch for you guys in game one and two as well.

Tim: 00:12:16

I think you guys are still the favorites to win because you guys have a great roster, not just your starting lineup, but you have a fantastic bench.

Tim: 00:12:23

I mean, your top eleven are, like, formidable.

Tim: 00:12:26

I will admit that.

Tim: 00:12:28

That being said, I think you can be beat.

Tim: 00:12:30

I think that you're lucky that we got injured so bad that the Pacers took us out in the second round.

Tim: 00:12:35

We had one starter, one guy who started the year, finished the year because everybody was hurt.

Tim: 00:12:41

Mitchell Robinson is still out because bum ass Joelle Embiid took a cheap shot and pulled his leg down while he was coming down from a rebound.

Tim: 00:12:48

Julius Randall has been out ever since.

Tim: 00:12:50

Jaime Hawkes from Miami took a cheap shot on him earlier in the season.

Tim: 00:12:54

We were without our whole team.

Tim: 00:12:56

But best believe if we met you guys in the finals, even not at 100%, even at 80%.

Tim: 00:13:01

I'm not saying we would have destroyed you, but we would have taken it all the way with you.

Mark: 00:13:05

It would have been a better series, for sure, because absolutely were a joke.

Tim: 00:13:09

They're trash.

Mark: 00:13:11

How the paces got past the Knicks, yeah, is unbelievable.

Mark: 00:13:14

But.

Mark: 00:13:15

Yeah, but I don't disagree about your, your take on Tatum and I and I like Tatum.

Mark: 00:13:19

Don't.

Mark: 00:13:20

Don't get me wrong.

Mark: 00:13:20

He's my guy.

Mark: 00:13:22

I like him.

Mark: 00:13:22

But you're right.

Mark: 00:13:23

I don't think he's a leader, either.

Mark: 00:13:24

I don't think he has that kind of makeup.

Mark: 00:13:26

And there's times when he'll try to take over a game, and I think he just gets in his own head where when you compare him to something like Jalen Brown, he.

Mark: 00:13:34

He's so even keeled across the board.

Mark: 00:13:37

Like, he doesn't.

Mark: 00:13:37

He doesn't have those kind of spaced out moments like, he might dribble off his foot, but that's not because he's focused on something else.

Mark: 00:13:43

He just lacks the skill to not dribble off his foot.

Booze: 00:13:46

I mean, it.

Booze: 00:13:47

Booze, math.

Booze: 00:13:47

They won, like, 115 games last year, right?

Booze: 00:13:50

So, I mean, I.

Booze: 00:13:56

Hey, you guys couldn't beat the Indiana Pacers in game seven on your own court, by the way, again, because you guys always choke in game sevens at home.

Tim: 00:14:06

One starter, one.

Tim: 00:14:09

Even Jalen Brunson got hurt, man.

Tim: 00:14:11

It was only one guy.

Booze: 00:14:14

I can't wait for this here.

Booze: 00:14:16

The only thing that ticks me off as you trade defenses.

Booze: 00:14:18

I wanted the whole villain over team on so we could beat down the whole Villanova teams.

Booze: 00:14:22

I can't stand that.

Tim: 00:14:24

Made me sad, man.

Tim: 00:14:25

I was really excited.

Tim: 00:14:26

It was a beautiful story.

Tim: 00:14:27

You know, Josh Hart and Jalen Brunson Dart podcast last season, and it did really well.

Tim: 00:14:32

They actually did a big event in Central park called the Roommates show, and they brought all these celebrities, and it was just a big thing for the city.

Tim: 00:14:40

It was nice to see the city get together for these guys who call themselves brothers, and you gave them two months together and then shipped off Dante, and Dante was our best shooter last year, so I'm sad about it.

Booze: 00:14:52

By the way, the Knicks aren't even a top three team in the east.

Tim: 00:14:54

You're right.

Tim: 00:14:55

We're top two, huh?

Booze: 00:14:56

No, I'm done with the Celtics.

Booze: 00:14:58

I'm saying they're not even number two in the east.

Tim: 00:15:00

He's trying to talk about the Sixers who have no bench and the Bucks and who can't stay healthy.

Tim: 00:15:05

The Bucks.

Tim: 00:15:06

Did you know Damien Lillard and Giannis Anticupo didn't even get a chance to train this year?

Tim: 00:15:11

They're better offseason.

Tim: 00:15:12

Not once did they train this offseason.

Tim: 00:15:14

They're done for the fifth best team.

Booze: 00:15:16

You're not even going to host the whole.

Booze: 00:15:17

You're not even at home court in the first round.

Tim: 00:15:20

Oh, is that a booze?

Tim: 00:15:21

Lock.

Mark: 00:15:23

We're going to get to those booze locks.

Mark: 00:15:25

So let me just run through some other offseason moves that people may or may not care about.

Mark: 00:15:29

Of course, you know, cat going to the Knicks, as we got into such detail, Paul George went to Philly.

Mark: 00:15:35

I don't think he's the answer there personally, but he's there anyway, better than cat.

Mark: 00:15:39

He's.

Mark: 00:15:39

We got Westbrook over to Denver.

Mark: 00:15:41

So Westbrook, I know your guy, Tim.

Mark: 00:15:43

I know you've always been a fan of Westbrook.

Mark: 00:15:45

You like him in Denver.

Tim: 00:15:46

Westbrook is one of my favorite players of all time.

Tim: 00:15:48

His like his career in a whole.

Tim: 00:15:50

Now I recognize that he's not the guy he once was anymore.

Tim: 00:15:53

That being said, I think it can be good.

Tim: 00:15:55

I'm a little concerned because Westbrook is better on the ball and just, he's not going to be on the ball here.

Tim: 00:16:00

He needs to be more of a Jamal Murray off the ball kind of guy.

Tim: 00:16:03

That being said, if he runs with the second, if he runs with the second unit, I think it could be positive.

Tim: 00:16:07

They need some energy up the second unit.

Tim: 00:16:08

So I'm not sure yet, but I'm.

Tim: 00:16:11

If the Knicks don't win, I want them to win.

Booze: 00:16:13

He's cashed.

Mark: 00:16:15

Speaking of cash, Clay Thompson, a cast out.

Mark: 00:16:17

Clay Thompson goes to Dallas.

Mark: 00:16:19

You know, he could still shoot, I think, of course, but he's not that the player he was before his injury.

Mark: 00:16:24

Do we care about Chris Paul and San Antonio?

Tim: 00:16:27

Hold on.

Tim: 00:16:28

I like to say about the clay thing, I think, I think people are going to be surprised by Clay.

Tim: 00:16:31

I think that he was, you know, come off injury last couple years and yes, he slowed down a little bit, maybe especially on defense, but he, he can still hold down when they.

Mark: 00:16:39

Oh, he's still playing.

Tim: 00:16:41

Yeah, when they move into the bench.

Tim: 00:16:42

Last year he was killing it off the bench.

Tim: 00:16:45

So I think that people can be surprised with Clay Thompson this year.

Mark: 00:16:47

So 20 minutes a game he's going to.

Booze: 00:16:48

Chris Paul plays awesome the first three weeks in October, then you never hear from him again every year.

Booze: 00:16:53

So I like Chris Paul, too, but.

Mark: 00:16:55

The other one is DeRozan went to Sacramento, but I don't think he cares about.

Tim: 00:16:58

Did he?

Tim: 00:17:00

I mean, Sacramento is good.

Tim: 00:17:01

Let's not sleep on Sacramento.

Tim: 00:17:03

They were the best team in California, I think a couple of years in.

Mark: 00:17:06

A row, that's actually saying something.

Mark: 00:17:08

It's like five teams in California.

Tim: 00:17:09

Exactly.

Mark: 00:17:12

What about rookies this year?

Mark: 00:17:13

Do we see any rookies coming out of the draft that we think are going to make an impact.

Tim: 00:17:17

Well, while we're on San Antonio, Stephan Castle from UConn, he had a huge poster in preseason.

Tim: 00:17:23

I love him, and I think he's going to be great, right?

Tim: 00:17:25

He's one of the best defensive players, defensive wings in the draft.

Mark: 00:17:28

Just fell out of his chair.

Tim: 00:17:29

He hits him at UConn.

Booze: 00:17:30

I actually like Stefan Castle.

Booze: 00:17:34

Just the Yukon New York thing is like, my eyes are bleeding, but it's.

Tim: 00:17:39

Not the last time I'm gonna say Yukon on this podcast.

Mark: 00:17:43

All right, so let's do this.

Mark: 00:17:44

Then.

Mark: 00:17:44

We'll do some.

Mark: 00:17:45

Some super early predictions for the finals.

Mark: 00:17:49

I don't need any Runway leading up to it.

Mark: 00:17:51

Give me two teams booze.

Mark: 00:17:53

Give me your two.

Booze: 00:17:54

You want me first?

Mark: 00:17:55

Yeah, I want you first.

Booze: 00:17:56

Minnesota.

Booze: 00:17:57

Boston.

Mark: 00:17:58

Minnesota.

Mark: 00:17:59

Boston.

Mark: 00:18:00

Tim.

Mark: 00:18:00

New York versus who?

Booze: 00:18:03

It's New York versus New York because they're so good that the play.

Booze: 00:18:06

Just play each other's team.

Tim: 00:18:08

New York versus Denver.

Booze: 00:18:11

We'll get Patrick Ewing out there for the second team.

Booze: 00:18:14

We'll have an awesome game.

Tim: 00:18:15

And, hey, Patrick ewing just came back.

Tim: 00:18:17

He's now our.

Tim: 00:18:18

I think he's the ambassador for the team or whatever.

Tim: 00:18:21

They gave him some.

Booze: 00:18:22

That's awesome.

Booze: 00:18:24

He was so great at Georgetown coaching them.

Booze: 00:18:27

That even makes me better that he's now back in the Knicks.

Booze: 00:18:29

Oh, just bring them all back.

Booze: 00:18:31

Let's go.

Tim: 00:18:33

The Knicks have been cursed since they traded Patrick Ewing.

Tim: 00:18:36

We've been cursed, and we had to bring him back to break the curse.

Tim: 00:18:39

And he's finally back with the team.

Booze: 00:18:41

You were cursed when Stern made the frozen envelope that got you Patrick Ewing in the first place.

Mark: 00:18:45

So I'm going.

Mark: 00:18:46

I'm going with Boston because that's my homer pick, but I'm going with OKC.

Mark: 00:18:49

I think coming out, I think that they're going to.

Mark: 00:18:51

They got some young players that took a leap.

Mark: 00:18:53

I think we might see some stuff there.

Booze: 00:18:55

That's my second pick.

Booze: 00:18:56

I like that one, too.

Tim: 00:18:57

I like them.

Tim: 00:18:57

They're my second pick.

Mark: 00:18:58

That's a fun pick.

Mark: 00:18:59

I know we talked about them last year, too, and I was hoping they do better, but I don't think.

Mark: 00:19:03

You guys don't play fantasy basketball, right?

Mark: 00:19:04

Does anybody play fantasy basketball?

Tim: 00:19:06

I used to, yes, actually.

Tim: 00:19:09

I know this is not basketball related, but I want to say after 16 years, this year it's not basketball related, but I retired from fantasy football, and so for the first time, I'm watching football without the lens of, oh, it's beautiful.

Tim: 00:19:25

I love it.

Mark: 00:19:25

So retire on top or did you like it?

Tim: 00:19:29

Depends on which league you're talking about.

Tim: 00:19:30

Well, no, no.

Mark: 00:19:31

Did you win last year?

Booze: 00:19:32

Well, being New York, they probably picked all Giants.

Booze: 00:19:35

They probably lost every game last year.

Tim: 00:19:37

No, I have two rules.

Tim: 00:19:37

I pick no giants and I pick no Cowboys because I don't want to be mad at the Giants and I don't want to ever root for the Cowboys.

Mark: 00:19:44

It's a fair rule.

Mark: 00:19:45

I can respect those rules.

Mark: 00:19:46

I the same.

Mark: 00:19:47

I don't pick any jets ever.

Mark: 00:19:48

I don't care who it is.

Booze: 00:19:49

I have breeze hall on my team.

Booze: 00:19:51

But, yeah, I've been the manager and owner of team yacht Rock for over 15 years, and team yacht rock does very good.

Mark: 00:19:58

So dirty trainer boost, but yeah, fancy.

Tim: 00:20:01

Basketball is too much.

Tim: 00:20:02

It's too much.

Tim: 00:20:02

Keeping up with it.

Tim: 00:20:03

I did it when I was in college, but, yeah, I can't.

Mark: 00:20:05

One of the things we talked about before this call is we're nearing the end of the WNBA without getting into the teams that are remaining, because it's probably gonna change by the time this show airs.

Mark: 00:20:18

What's your, what's your thoughts on the season?

Mark: 00:20:20

You know, I know that when we talked last year, we got into, you know, the impact that Caitlin Clark would have on there.

Mark: 00:20:27

I don't wanna say, like, everything is because of her, because I don't know that it is, but I think she was definitely good for the sport.

Mark: 00:20:33

But.

Mark: 00:20:33

And, you know, but I also think that she took a lot of flack for it.

Mark: 00:20:36

So.

Mark: 00:20:37

So, Tim, I'll let you.

Mark: 00:20:38

Why don't you kick it off, man?

Mark: 00:20:39

What do you like?

Mark: 00:20:40

What's your take on WNBA?

Mark: 00:20:41

Do you think that it gained any fans with or without Caitlin Clark?

Mark: 00:20:45

Like, is this something that is going to.

Mark: 00:20:46

Is the fan base going to keep growing, you think?

Mark: 00:20:49

I mean, I know you probably hope.

Mark: 00:20:50

It's not what you hope.

Mark: 00:20:51

Like, what do you think?

Tim: 00:20:53

No, I have a lot to say about this, so just to give a little premise, I know most of the world just really started realizing basketball existed for women last year.

Tim: 00:21:02

I am a UConn Huskies fan, and I've been a UConn Huskies fan since I was eleven years old.

Tim: 00:21:08

When I lived in Connecticut, there were many years when the UConn men's team were not good.

Tim: 00:21:12

However, for that entire period of time, the UConn women's team was a juggernaut that ran women's sports.

Tim: 00:21:20

Not all women's sports, maybe.

Tim: 00:21:22

I think they went three seasons in a row without losing a game.

Mark: 00:21:24

Are we talking.

Mark: 00:21:25

You're talking college women's right now?

Mark: 00:21:26

Hold on, hold on.

Tim: 00:21:28

I'm setting the premise real quick.

Tim: 00:21:30

I have watched women's basketball for a very long time from even before Diana Taurosti was drafted into the league.

Tim: 00:21:36

That being said, it's exciting now to see that the league is finally getting some recognition and some notoriety because the woman there are very, very talented and have been for a long time.

Tim: 00:21:46

And I think a lot of the issues that people have had with the dialogue this season is that because there are new fans, there's a lot of language that's being used to praise some of the new stars that have come in the league that inadvertently dismisses or downplays the impacts that previous stars have made.

Tim: 00:22:10

And I'm not even talking about ancient history like Lisa Leslie.

Tim: 00:22:13

I'm talking about even in recent history.

Tim: 00:22:14

There are people who are still playing in the league right now who have done historical amazing things.

Tim: 00:22:20

Their impact gets downplayed.

Tim: 00:22:22

Now, Caitlin Clark specifically, she is amazing.

Tim: 00:22:27

She is an amazing offensive player.

Tim: 00:22:30

She is one of the best scorers, specifically three point shooters that the game has ever seen.

Tim: 00:22:35

And she is, and even better than her scoring, she is one of the best passers that the league has ever seen.

Tim: 00:22:40

And that's not the only thing she does.

Tim: 00:22:42

She's also an excellent rebounder as well.

Tim: 00:22:44

She's been like that.

Tim: 00:22:45

If you saw her in Iowa, she was like that every single year.

Tim: 00:22:48

She came in scoring really big.

Tim: 00:22:50

The story around Caitlin has always been really exciting because she's this midwestern white girl who went to Iowa, which no one goes to Iowa.

Tim: 00:22:57

You didn't go to a blue blood school, you went to some small school and you did great.

Tim: 00:23:01

And she didn't have playoff success right away.

Tim: 00:23:03

She started having playoff success until her junior year.

Tim: 00:23:07

And it was really in her junior year that I'm going to keen in on at Iowa.

Tim: 00:23:11

That's when the Caitlin Clark hype really began.

Tim: 00:23:13

I remember the actual games because the game where Iowa eliminated UConn.

Tim: 00:23:18

Caitlin Clark's a trash talker.

Tim: 00:23:19

People don't realize it.

Tim: 00:23:19

She's a heavy trash talker like most players are.

Tim: 00:23:22

And she went to Paige Beckers, my UConn girl.

Tim: 00:23:25

She was showing off and doing the you can't see me John Cena thing to Paige Beckers as she beat Paige Beckers.

Tim: 00:23:32

And then the week after she went up against LSU and Angel Reese.

Tim: 00:23:36

Now Angel Reese is a great player as well.

Tim: 00:23:38

She's not as good individually as Caitlyn Clark, but she's a very good player in her role.

Tim: 00:23:42

And she was on a very stacked LSU team and LSU beat the brakes off of.

Tim: 00:23:48

Off of Iowa.

Tim: 00:23:49

And in that moment, Angel Reese did what Caitlin did to Paige, right back to her and showed her.

Tim: 00:23:55

And then she tapped on her ring finger, said, I got a ring.

Tim: 00:23:58

That was where it began because it was.

Tim: 00:24:00

It was the championship game, was nationally televised game.

Mark: 00:24:03

Create a rivalry?

Mark: 00:24:04

Is that what we're talking about?

Tim: 00:24:05

Yeah, created a bit of a rivalry.

Tim: 00:24:07

And from that moment on, like, everyone knew what Caitlin was doing, but people who weren't paying attention now started paying attention.

Tim: 00:24:13

And so then she entered her senior year, and everyone was watching because of the hype that came out of the previous season, and the hype only built and built and built.

Tim: 00:24:21

She did even better.

Tim: 00:24:22

She beat LSU.

Tim: 00:24:23

She got to the finals.

Tim: 00:24:24

She lost to South Carolina, because South Carolina is that juggernaut right now.

Tim: 00:24:28

And then she came into the league.

Tim: 00:24:29

What's most important about Caitlin Clark is she had no break in between coming from the NCAA into the league, maybe like a two month break.

Tim: 00:24:36

She got drafted, went straight to it.

Tim: 00:24:38

She was a little sloppy in the beginning.

Tim: 00:24:40

The team didn't have much cohesion.

Mark: 00:24:42

Let me ask you this, Tim, right?

Mark: 00:24:43

So when we're talking about the impact that makes.

Mark: 00:24:45

I mean, you talk about the older players that that made impact, but, you know, unfortunately for those players, like, if a tree falls in the woods, no one hears it, then no one cares.

Mark: 00:24:56

You know what I mean?

Mark: 00:24:56

And I don't mean to sound, like, crass with that because, like, I don't want to take away from what they did, but that was.

Mark: 00:25:01

That's been the problem.

Mark: 00:25:02

So whatever triggered, whatever moment that you talked about when they had that, when people started paying attention that single handedly was probably one of the best things for the WNBA because, you know, agree, agree.

Tim: 00:25:15

Now, I'm not, I'm not.

Tim: 00:25:16

I'm not.

Tim: 00:25:17

I'm not diminishing her impact at all, and I want to make sure I'm being clear on that.

Tim: 00:25:21

Caitlin is a great player, and she brings a lot of eyes to the game because of the way that she plays, because she's excellent player.

Mark: 00:25:27

However, three point shooter in the league right now.

Tim: 00:25:30

No.

Mark: 00:25:30

So how come.

Mark: 00:25:31

But this is what I get, right?

Mark: 00:25:32

So she gets the show for the all star game with Steph Curry.

Mark: 00:25:35

How come they never pulled?

Mark: 00:25:36

Like, is there no one, like, charismatic in the WNBA prior, Sabria Inescu went.

Tim: 00:25:43

To the all star game with Kerry.

Booze: 00:25:44

Yeah.

Tim: 00:25:45

Which, again, Sabrina Inescu was Kobe Bryant's mentee, close friend with Gianna Bryant.

Tim: 00:25:51

You know, the game has been.

Tim: 00:25:52

The game has been growing.

Tim: 00:25:54

When Kobe started wearing the WNBA sweaters courtside at NBA games.

Tim: 00:25:57

People were watching.

Tim: 00:25:58

People knew Sabrina Inescu or people knew Asia Wilson.

Tim: 00:26:01

Were these names?

Tim: 00:26:02

Have, I guess, the point that I'm trying to get to, and I know I'm being a little long winded, is it didn't just happen, like, as a big bang.

Tim: 00:26:08

It's been growing.

Tim: 00:26:09

And Caitlin came in at the right time and.

Tim: 00:26:11

Yes, and she has a huge part of to play in it as well.

Tim: 00:26:14

But it was headed this direction, maybe, right?

Tim: 00:26:17

Exactly, exactly.

Mark: 00:26:18

So it was already the moment, it sounds like what you're saying.

Mark: 00:26:21

The momentum was moving in that direction.

Tim: 00:26:23

Exactly.

Mark: 00:26:24

Came in, which kind of the straw that broke the Campbell's back.

Tim: 00:26:29

It was very intentional.

Tim: 00:26:29

The NBA.

Tim: 00:26:30

The NBA did a lot in the past, like, five, six years to ensure that they were marketing the WNBA.

Tim: 00:26:35

More NBA players were showing up courtside at WNBA games.

Tim: 00:26:38

You know, celebrities, their hearts having celebrity row at the New York Liberty games.

Tim: 00:26:42

Like, that's been happening.

Tim: 00:26:44

And the Caitlin Clark thing was just.

Tim: 00:26:45

Thing that was needed to, like, explode it.

Tim: 00:26:47

The.

Tim: 00:26:48

The whole chartered planes thing, that didn't happen just because Caitlyn joined the team that was already in the works.

Tim: 00:26:53

But people talk about it, like, Caitlyn's the only reason they have chartered planes.

Mark: 00:26:56

Right.

Mark: 00:26:56

Mark, the marketing just evolves.

Mark: 00:27:00

You know what I mean?

Mark: 00:27:01

And that's kind of what's happening, and it happens in every business.

Mark: 00:27:03

Right.

Mark: 00:27:03

So this is just another way that they finally said, hey, you know what?

Mark: 00:27:06

We can pull these people in and help us out.

Mark: 00:27:08

So.

Mark: 00:27:09

Okay.

Mark: 00:27:09

All right.

Mark: 00:27:10

Booze.

Mark: 00:27:10

Do you watch any WNBA?

Booze: 00:27:12

I think a couple things.

Booze: 00:27:13

You know, everybody talks about women's basketball while it's boring.

Booze: 00:27:17

It's not.

Booze: 00:27:18

We'd say that, but I think what they're missing is they don't dunk.

Booze: 00:27:22

Right.

Booze: 00:27:23

So what's the cool highlight of WNBA?

Booze: 00:27:25

That's not dunking.

Booze: 00:27:26

It's logo.

Booze: 00:27:27

Three shots.

Booze: 00:27:28

Right.

Booze: 00:27:28

That's kind of like the.

Booze: 00:27:29

The highlight thing you see a lot, right?

Booze: 00:27:31

Yeah.

Booze: 00:27:32

And so that's what I think got everybody attracted the.

Booze: 00:27:34

Caitlin's the logo three, right?

Booze: 00:27:36

That was, like, the logo three now?

Booze: 00:27:38

Yes.

Booze: 00:27:38

There's a lot of other factors.

Mark: 00:27:40

We don't go three.

Mark: 00:27:41

What are you talking about?

Booze: 00:27:41

She can shoot three.

Booze: 00:27:42

So, like.

Booze: 00:27:43

So everybody has a.

Booze: 00:27:44

A logo in the center of the court.

Booze: 00:27:46

She'll shoot the threes from, like, the logo.

Booze: 00:27:48

Like, that's.

Booze: 00:27:50

Yeah, like Steph Curry, but it's Seth curry shoot from anywhere.

Booze: 00:27:53

So the logos are so big.

Booze: 00:27:55

It's not like, at half court, but she can pull up past half court.

Booze: 00:27:59

And hit a shot near where the logo is.

Booze: 00:28:01

And it's called a logo three.

Booze: 00:28:03

That became, like, a signature thing, which is something that the W does have a signature play.

Booze: 00:28:07

Right.

Booze: 00:28:08

If that's the signature thing, is a.

Booze: 00:28:09

A logo shot.

Booze: 00:28:10

I think the WNBA, you know, I've.

Booze: 00:28:12

I said it, I think, in a podcast a couple months ago with you.

Booze: 00:28:15

Like, they need to get paid.

Booze: 00:28:18

I think one of the most, biggest, in my opinion, one of the saddest things is that most of these women were playing in Russia, in Europe for so many years because they were getting paid over there.

Booze: 00:28:29

And obviously, we knew what happened a couple years ago with Russia, and I'm forgetting her name on top of my head.

Tim: 00:28:36

Brittany Griner.

Booze: 00:28:37

Brittany Greiner.

Booze: 00:28:38

Thank you.

Booze: 00:28:39

And, like, they should not be having to go over there in the first place.

Booze: 00:28:42

So I'm hoping, one, I know they're gonna have a new contract they're working on now that they should get paid so they never have to play in Europe or western Europe again.

Booze: 00:28:52

Hoping that, you know, I do like the nastiness.

Booze: 00:28:55

I think one thing about the eighties, I love about basketball, with the Lakers and Celtics, it was nasty.

Booze: 00:29:00

So as long as it's nasty competitive wise and not because there's other overtones, that might be reason why it could be.

Booze: 00:29:07

You need a little nasty in sports.

Booze: 00:29:10

Right.

Booze: 00:29:10

That drives it.

Booze: 00:29:11

So I'm a huge fan of Angel Reese.

Booze: 00:29:13

I thought what she did was fine.

Booze: 00:29:14

I mean, she, you know, I love that you can't see me thing, but Clark, I hope she keeps on doing it.

Booze: 00:29:19

I think that's cut.

Booze: 00:29:20

You need that type of stuff in these sports.

Booze: 00:29:22

So, you know, I hope, you know, Boston had one game this year.

Booze: 00:29:28

It sold out the Boston Garden of 18,000 people.

Booze: 00:29:31

So I'm hoping some other bigger.

Booze: 00:29:33

I mean, I love, it's nice that Connecticut gets their pro team at the Mohegan sun casino, but really, they should be in Boston, right?

Booze: 00:29:39

And I'm not saying that the downplay Connecticut, bigger cities need to really get the.

Booze: 00:29:45

Boston should have a women's team that would be more profile as well.

Booze: 00:29:48

So, yeah, I think so.

Booze: 00:29:50

So it's been great.

Booze: 00:29:53

It's been great.

Booze: 00:29:53

I wish they ended their playoffs before football started.

Booze: 00:29:56

I think they've lost a lot of little momentum since the NFL start.

Booze: 00:30:00

So I hope they can look at maybe a schedule change.

Booze: 00:30:03

I hope their playoffs change.

Booze: 00:30:04

I hate the two out of three or, you know, make it like, real NBA.

Booze: 00:30:07

Go four to seven, but do it right, but maybe move it down a little bit so they can all play vote.

Booze: 00:30:14

I think it's great.

Booze: 00:30:14

The summer was awesome.

Booze: 00:30:16

I wish their playoffs were in August.

Booze: 00:30:17

Just the NFL takes up so much oxygen for them.

Booze: 00:30:21

So I don't have as much detail as Tim does, but I do enjoy watching it.

Booze: 00:30:25

And I think Caitlyn Clark's helped with that.

Booze: 00:30:27

But there's a lot of other women that, that also cleared the path for this as well.

Tim: 00:30:31

If I can add two more things, Mark, real quick before we move on from this topic.

Tim: 00:30:34

So on the first point, there's one part that does need to be stated as well, that while with all the Caitlin Clark praise came, you know, the idea that everyone hates her.

Tim: 00:30:45

Right.

Tim: 00:30:46

And I want to address that point because I think we saw, there was a moment when Kennedy Carter had given her hard foul and pushed the ground and got a, a technical valve for, and the team was cheering.

Tim: 00:30:56

That's not, that's not new in sports or competition.

Tim: 00:30:59

Like Booze said, that's the competition of the eighties that we love about it.

Tim: 00:31:02

The woman are very gritty and they, you know, a hard foul.

Tim: 00:31:05

Like, it's nothing more than that.

Tim: 00:31:07

And I think a lot of fans made it a lot more.

Tim: 00:31:10

It was, oh, they're hating on Caitlin Clark.

Tim: 00:31:12

They, you know, these, these jealous da da da da.

Tim: 00:31:14

And like that type of, I guess, language, yet, language from fans.

Tim: 00:31:21

And actually, if you, if you look, even courtside fans that fans would say and things that fans will say on Twitter to non Caitlin Clark and WNBA players, you know, show you, you know, that that's the danger.

Tim: 00:31:33

And, you know, you give Caitlin all the credit.

Tim: 00:31:36

You hate on everyone who isn't Caitlin Clark and that, that they kind of have gone hand in hand throughout the year.

Mark: 00:31:40

I think what you're saying, Tim, is like, it's been taking place, but they're not reporting on it until now because she, she has the spotlight.

Mark: 00:31:48

So now, like, people are watching her more.

Mark: 00:31:50

So when it happens to her, they're seeing it and saying, oh, she get all this hate.

Tim: 00:31:53

I don't think it's been happening is.

Tim: 00:31:54

I don't think what's happening before.

Tim: 00:31:55

I think that this is.

Tim: 00:31:56

I think it's really the new fans.

Tim: 00:31:57

It's not.

Mark: 00:31:57

Well, then that's the opposite of what you're saying.

Mark: 00:31:59

If it has happened before, now it's happening.

Tim: 00:32:00

Just, I'm talking about.

Tim: 00:32:02

No, I'm not talking.

Tim: 00:32:03

I'm talking about the fans.

Tim: 00:32:04

I'm not talking about the grittiness.

Tim: 00:32:05

The grittiness has always been there.

Tim: 00:32:06

That's always been the case.

Tim: 00:32:08

What I'm saying is the new fans are interpreting the grittiness as hatred against Caitlin Clark and are using it as an opportunity to attack verbally and in some cases, sometimes even physically.

Tim: 00:32:20

There was an altercation outside of a Chicago game with, with fans before even physically trying to have an altercation with non Caitlin Clark w a players.

Tim: 00:32:30

And that's, that's part of the problem.

Tim: 00:32:31

That was the first one I want to make.

Tim: 00:32:32

I don't dwell on that too much.

Tim: 00:32:34

And the second point was about the scheduling booze.

Tim: 00:32:36

I completely agree with you.

Tim: 00:32:37

The WWE has to do a much better job with that.

Tim: 00:32:40

Sundays belong to football.

Tim: 00:32:41

ot have WNBA playoff games at: 01:00

Tim: 00:32:45

on Sunday.

Tim: 00:32:46

That is a no no.

Tim: 00:32:48

That has to end.

Tim: 00:32:49

I hope that they'll do better.

Tim: 00:32:50

deal and the CBA is ending in: 2025

Tim: 00:33:00

They're also bringing on three new teams.

Tim: 00:33:02

The Golden State Valkyrie are starting this year, and then Toronto and Portland are getting teams next.

Tim: 00:33:07

Who knows?

Tim: 00:33:07

Maybe Connecticut will go to Boston.

Tim: 00:33:09

They're trending in the right direction, for sure.

Booze: 00:33:11

Yeah.

Booze: 00:33:11

Get up and get it off NFL weeks, and baseball's not doing that great.

Booze: 00:33:15

You have a market there, so do it.

Tim: 00:33:17

Yeah.

Tim: 00:33:18

Take baseball.

Mark: 00:33:19

You can have it.

Mark: 00:33:20

We'll trade you baseball.

Booze: 00:33:21

Who cares about the Yankees?

Booze: 00:33:22

They suck.

Tim: 00:33:23

Wait till we win this year, though.

Mark: 00:33:24

First, on the same theme of basketball, let's booze.

Mark: 00:33:27

I know you got a few booze locks here.

Mark: 00:33:29

You got some NBA locks.

Mark: 00:33:30

Let's, let's, let's hit it.

Booze: 00:33:31

Hit my music.

Booze: 00:33:45

So booze and locks for the pre, for the NBA season.

Booze: 00:33:49

I have a couple of games opening night.

Booze: 00:33:51

I want to pick up and pick some easy wins here.

Booze: 00:33:54

You can make some money.

Booze: 00:33:54

I'm doing pretty good this year.

Booze: 00:33:56

Opening night, banner night, banner 18.

Booze: 00:33:59

Let's do it.

Booze: 00:34:00

The Celtics are four and a half point favorites against the New York Knicks.

Booze: 00:34:06

And so we're going to pick the Celtics on the taking that given the points to the next four and a half, Celtics are going to win on banner 18 night.

Booze: 00:34:14

Now we have my Timberwolves at the LA Lakers.

Booze: 00:34:18

10:00 that night.

Booze: 00:34:19

Timberwolves are a point and a half favorite in LA.

Booze: 00:34:23

Well, Brownie's going to play, make them a ten point favorite.

Booze: 00:34:26

But Brownie's and not Bronnie.

Booze: 00:34:28

Brownie is not the greatest basketball player in the world.

Booze: 00:34:30

He shouldn't even be on the team.

Booze: 00:34:31

I'm taking Minnesota, giving up a point and a half to Lakers an opening night the next night.

Booze: 00:34:37

I got the Bucks at the Sixers.

Booze: 00:34:40

The Bucks are giving are getting four and a half points.

Booze: 00:34:43

I'm taking the Bucks all the way.

Booze: 00:34:45

Four and a half points on opening night with the Bucks over the Sixers.

Booze: 00:34:49

And finally, just a end of season thing, the Bucksheen win loss 50 and a half.

Booze: 00:34:55

I'm taking the over.

Booze: 00:34:55

I think the Bucks are going over 50 and a half wins this year.

Booze: 00:34:59

That's my locks for this opening of the NBA season.

Booze: 00:35:03

On casual nonsense.

Mark: 00:35:04

Did the Celtics scoop up another 115.

Booze: 00:35:06

Wins this year or 36?

Mark: 00:35:09

We'll take the.

Mark: 00:35:10

Let's take the under.

Mark: 00:35:11

I'm going to take the under.

Tim: 00:35:13

Absolutely.

Tim: 00:35:13

I'm definitely taking the under on everything, including that four and a half.

Booze: 00:35:17

I'm taking the under on the Celtics this year.

Booze: 00:35:19

By the way, I don't think they have they hit the over this year I believe is 58.

Booze: 00:35:24

I think the Celtics actually will have a much down regular season because they're going to cruise a little bit and then they'll pick it up in the playoffs.

Mark: 00:35:33

Wow.

Mark: 00:35:34

Okay.

Tim: 00:35:34

Okay.

Mark: 00:35:35

Yeah, I think you're probably right because I think.

Mark: 00:35:37

I think, like Tim mentioned earlier, portsing us is out for a bit.

Mark: 00:35:40

So that's going to affect some of their regular season record.

Mark: 00:35:42

And, you know, it's unfortunate because, you know, I think that it's important you get.

Mark: 00:35:46

You want that home court advantage.

Mark: 00:35:48

They're probably not going to get it.

Booze: 00:35:49

I'll say.

Tim: 00:35:50

I'm not going to comment on your Knicks Celtics.

Tim: 00:35:52

You know, do you know how I feel?

Tim: 00:35:53

I agree with you about the Timberwolves.

Tim: 00:35:56

You're completely wrong about the Bucks.

Tim: 00:35:57

I think you're overestimating them, and I think they're going to get, you know, the Sixers.

Tim: 00:36:01

The six aren't as good as us, but they're.

Tim: 00:36:02

They're better than the Bucks.

Booze: 00:36:04

Bucks are rested.

Booze: 00:36:05

They're ticked off.

Booze: 00:36:07

I think Giannis is a little embarrassed over the last two years, and I think you will see a new Bucks team this year.

Booze: 00:36:13

I have to admit, I.

Booze: 00:36:15

I wasn't the biggest fan, but I don't mind Doc Rivers coaching this team.

Mark: 00:36:19

What flavor ice cream is Giannis?

Booze: 00:36:21

Rocky Road.

Mark: 00:36:23

Rocky Road.

Mark: 00:36:25

So, Tim, one last fun fact for you.

Mark: 00:36:27

The WNBA merchandise sales.

Mark: 00:36:30

Clark and Reese were one and two in all, like jersey sales this year compared to last year.

Mark: 00:36:35

Their merch sales are up 500% because of those two in the league this year.

Booze: 00:36:38

By the way, Asia Wilson's a badass.

Booze: 00:36:42

She is awesome.

Tim: 00:36:43

The WNBA MVP who deserves a lot of the who deserves a lot of credit for where the league is today.

Mark: 00:36:50

She needs a better marketing campaign because no one know.

Booze: 00:36:54

Everybody knows who she is.

Booze: 00:36:54

She's awesome.

Booze: 00:36:55

She's really good.

Mark: 00:36:56

All right, well, listen, thank you, Tim.

Mark: 00:36:58

Thank you, booze.

Mark: 00:36:59

Always a pleasure having you back on the casual nonsense podcast.

Mark: 00:37:02

We're going to come back soon, and we're going to run back some other.

Mark: 00:37:05

Whatever we want.

Tim: 00:37:06

New York, all day New York.

Tim: 00:37:07

Stand up.

Tim: 00:37:08

Orange and blue skies, as Stephen a would say.

Mark: 00:37:10

All right, listen, everybody, stay casual.