Michael: Yo, welcome back to the Hear me out podcast where we talk about the hottest news in the sports industry. We’re your hosts Michael and

Roger: Roger.

Michael: let’s start this episode off we want to go over last night game between the Lakers and Warriors in game one of the Western Conference semifinal and the Lakers come on top 112 117 And let’s get your first reaction. Roger.

Roger: I thought the Lakers played a really good basketball yesterday. I think that Lakers the Lakers have a lot of potential going into these playoffs. I could definitely see them making the finals if they play the way they played yesterday. Because defensively like they just they’ve been like on another level when they want to play. There’s some times where they do like it.

But when they really come like aggressive like you could just tell the mentality how different their mentality is each game by the way, they play their defense, because you’ll see like today like yesterday’s game, they played with such great defense because they wanted to win.

But then I feel like they get a little complacent and they’re just like, okay, like, we don’t really care about the second game, when they should come out with that same like aggression. I don’t know. But the Lakers overall. played a pretty good game ad 30-20 game that’s crazy

Michael: I think that I mean, they play the first half a little questionable on defense. I mean, they gave over like, like, I think 63 points, but in the second half, where they really stuff up on defense, only allowing 48 Compared to 6364 which is really good. O’Brien dummy obviously he’s still struggling shooting I don’t know why so she was three. Stop shooting.

Please, please. I beg you to stop. But I think obviously Anthony Davis was like the main reason why like one of the main reasons why he won because of his defense in pain and also in rebounding in scoring, but I think it’d be nice to give a lot of credit to Jared Vanderbilt for the defense he put on curry. People will look at the statute and look like Kearney had 27 points.

I mean, that’s normal, but he shot him for 25 or 10 for 24. Which is I mean, for courage that is not good. And when you think about it, the only the Lakers row 14 and the Warriors won on a 14-0 run, but when they went on that 14 Oh running when Vanderbilt went out the game because he was in foul trouble. So like Vanderbilt played a big part and the Lakers win yesterday. And I think the key for us to win this series is to just depend on our veg our business we’re going to be making a difference because we know our target score but it’s going to be up to our role players to step up.

Roger: And we did see that with Dennis Schröder already made a comeback after that little like sleepy performance last the Grizzlies starting to come out in this series, which is good we need that.

Michael: Yeah, and that’s like the one thing that concerns me about the Warriors is just like, how often can you depend on during play like this? Cuz I don’t. I mean, if Jordan Poole came out that game and he shot one for 12 I wouldn’t be surprised. Lately, he’s just been super, super inconsistent. And I don’t know if you can depend on him. Just like he did today. I mean, obviously capable of doing it, but I don’t I just don’t think he could do it consistently and for the Warriors.

I mean, for them to hit 20 to one breathe and still lose. I mean, teams, if you didn’t put him on features, you’re not getting the chance to be winning that game. Or they should be high if you think about it, but you know, they didn’t come out and the Lakers I mean he shot with 29 Fritos. 2529 I mean, they were aggressive in the paint. And I mean, that’s kind of like well, they’re aggressive days on defense.

Roger: Definitely. How are you feeling about that Denver series?

Michael: I mean, I’m not sure. I’m not sure. Like, I even when we talked about Kevin Durant first I traded my one concern about them with their depth and their defense. And that’s basically the issue right now. I mean, like, give me a good on defense. You came to the X amount of other entrepreneurs but it’s just not a good thing when you’re depending on DEVIN BOOKER and and Kevin Durant to play 48 minutes, 45 minutes a night. Like, that’s not gonna get you fired, especially that like, you know, Kevin dress a little older. DEVIN BOOKER, he’s 2526 So he’s a little younger, so he can play those type of minutes but on on the bench for averaging like 10 points. Yeah. And

Roger: then it doesn’t help that Chris Paul got injured, Pulled his groin.

Michael: I mean, anybody could have seen that coming. Unfortunately, he has a history of his being hurt in the playoffs and like almost every single time the team needs on a boat or something always happened to him. And I mean, they were winning point he before you got here there’s a buy fix.

And it looks like they’re kind of gonna start taking control the game that you got hurt and it changed the whole game. And I don’t know what Monty Williams to coach for the Phoenix Suns you’re thinking when he’s letting the Andre in guard Yogi’s want to win like that’s just like you’re gonna lose doing that because the other end big for no reason and he settled for for no reason.

He set a foot but he plays like he’s a powerful ball for like, on defense. He’s too small. He doesn’t hustle for rebound at all. I mean, only I really like eight rebounds. While yoke is not you’re getting like 16 on him every single game. I could see this being asleep, but I was just saying that when you’re five games,

Roger: I think five is a good safe bet. I mean, still got Kevin Durant, so he’ll probably just at least get one game.

Michael: I don’t know. We thought Kevin did I guess so. I mean, we could see it again. And if that does happen, what did I say about Kevin Durant

Roger: is true. What about another man that’s doing the opposite? Jimmy buckets?

Michael: Like He’s crazy. I was one of the people it was like, I was like, I didn’t have a lot tougher playing game. When Jimmy played pretty bad, I would say when they lost that first one to Atlanta like man.

I don’t know. Even when we were talking about it. We’re like, we’re like where we’re gonna win this game between the snow oxen and when I was talking to my uncle, whoever wins between the heat and boys and it’s playing your face she’s just gonna be swept by the by the bucks but I mean didn’t happen they showed up. I mean, of course the damage was hurt. But y’all need to have two chances. To get game could have been three, three. They’re up by 13 the first game.

We’ll get to game five. So game four, they’re up by 15 and before that material brothers are like 56 and the second game they’re up again, by 13. And to be honest, I’m gonna do I mean, they hit 38 But he missed like 10 free throws. But generally man he’s hurt right now, but I’m pretty sure he’s gonna. He’s gonna come back next game. And I say Miami’s gonna win the series. Over the next I think I’m gonna say five or six. Okay, okay.

Roger: What about the new, the newest MVP Joel Embiid?

Michael: I mean, he deserved it.

Roger: He deserves it. He does not deserve his knee to be messed up in the playoffs.

Michael: Yeah, I mean, that’s unfortunate, but when it comes to the MVP award, I’m pretty like I saw it coming. Like I can I can see a case like if they wanted to give it to your kids and I can see you they want to give it to the audience. But think about your MBA. Don’t bother me a little bit. I think he cared about the award too much. To a point on that’s all he was thinking about like he wanted the MVP award. He wanted it so bad. Compared to like Yoki to me, I literally had two of them.

You don’t even care if you want this one. But I just think that’s like the one thing that bothered me I really thought about a little too much. But I mean, he deserved it. So I don’t think especially now that we’re in an era where like big men are taking over the league again.

It’s looking like you know, the 90s not as good as mine used to be there hasn’t been a big man in the league that has been nearly as good as a keyboard, or shackling. The big men are slowly taking over the league. Yeah,

Roger: But what do you have? Do you have one in that series?

Michael: I don’t like Boston. So my personal bias I would say Philadelphia

Roger: Okay, maybe in six wall for me. A lot of people are saying that you all of these injuries is going to be really like it’s it’s pretty bad. People are saying so they don’t have Joellen bead I think the Celtics are going to win the series. I know they didn’t they didn’t they lost in game one. But if you really look at the Celtics, they did that with the Hawks like the Hawks game should not have gone to win. Six games. It should have not gone to six games the Celtics have.

There are a couple of games where they just feel like they shouldn’t win them. And they come out and they just kind of let people hanging around and then they end up losing the games but in reality, it’s a series and then with Joellen bead questioning I think I got Celtics and maybe like six.

Michael: I mean, I could see both teams winning I could because like I don’t think when NBC comes back and he let’s say let’s just say for the sake of argument, he comes back and he he’s fine. Like he looks fine. I don’t think there’s anybody on that team that can matchable him. Like out Horford not gonna have a rematch at the museum. Even Robert Williams, as big as he is. I don’t think he would be able to stop him beat so it just depends on how they match up against them.

Roger: I have a question. Do you think of whoever wins this series is going in the finals

Michael: from that time? Well, I think Miami went to the Eastern Conference Finals. So I say yeah, I mean, it Boston goes to the Eastern Conference Finals. I could see Miami though, but I don’t think I could see Miami meeting goes daily because they don’t have anybody to match up and beat.

Roger:Definitely see that. Well, only other news, we got some football news this past weekend. Let’s just talk about our teams. I know you’re a Raiders fan you guys had to pick in the first

Michael: I liked our draft pick. I really did. I know a lot of people were saying to go after Jalen Carter or Christian Gonzales that corner Honestly, I was I was fine with our pig. I mean, I understand my Jamie Collins was available. I mean, he’s arguably the best defensive player in the in the draft.

You can even say the best player in the draft but I understand why the reason you go that route because due to like his off-field issues either having in the Raiders history with having players who have off-field issues like recently like any roads, actually got scented for three to 10 years in prison due to what he did back in 2020 to 2021 2022 season. But I really like our pig and then even our second-round pick. I mean, I just wish I want to Christian Gonzalez but I’m fine. I’m really fine with who we did getting.

Roger: Well, my Eagles we pretty much won that draft the the GA Eagles, the Philadelphia Bulldogs. That was a masterclass by Howie Roseman. The Eagles if they do not go to the Super Bowl this year, it’s a failed season. I don’t care what data says it’s a failed season. The Eagles are pretty much all in this year. We got Jalen Carter in the first round, which at first I was a little skeptical.

But I do think we have about we have Fletcher Cox we have we have some veterans on that D line that could really show him the ways of how to be a professional. And then we got with the 30th Pick. We got Nolan Smith, another Georgia Bulldog, which is crazy. We got our defense is going to be really good. We couldn’t get to my homes on the Super Bowl. So we have to have the Rosemont always invest in his D line no matter what it is. Every Draft. He always goes for D lineman and I don’t I don’t blame him. We got to we got to tackle from Alabama Tyler seam and then the safety that we got in the third round.

He’s going to be an impact player. He’s going to be a starter rotation player. Sidney Brown from Illinois. I think the Eagles are scary this year. And then don’t don’t get me started that we got DeAndre Swift. Oh yeah, that’s why we got for nothing on a deal. And he’s from Philly in. I think in high school used to call Philly they were like yo to the ball Philly. Like he’s on a contract against art with our own line.

Like I think he’s gonna have a good year. And if you play even for now, yeah, and even if he doesn’t even if he gets injured, we still have Rashad Penny. I’ve only heard about the game. Well, and then who else do we have Boston Scott. Like our rainbow. I think we’ll be good with running back.

Michael: And actually one more question What do you think? The premium quarterbacks Bryce young TJ Stroud and Anthony Richardson. Those three guys a little three minute or draft difference which one do you think is going to have like it would be the best one and the rookie in the Alta or who has a better rookie year out of all three?

Roger: I think CJ [Stroud] for the Texans is a good pick.

Michael: I will say Anthony Richardson because I think he’s in the best situation. On both teams. Because the Texans I mean, they still have a lot of work. So with the Panthers, but I think in terms of like who’s in a better situation. I really think that Anthony Richards situation. I mean, the colts arent a bad team. They’re not a bad team. They’re actually a real solid team. It’s just you know they have talent. I mean, they have the best garden football. They have. I mean, Jonathan Taylor, he was one of them. He was the best running back at one point like he had such a great year, the year before this one. So I mean, he just had an off year. I’m sure he’ll be better this year. And I think I would say Richard, I don’t want to kind of younger because I know

Michael: it has potential to occur. That’s gonna wrap it up for this episode. I hope you guys enjoyed listening and thank you see you

Roger: Appreciate ya.