Celtics Roll As they Open The Second Half; How Close is Banner 18?

Rayshawn Buchanan: Hello and welcome to the next edition of MTP. I am your host, Hollywood Race Show, I'm BK with my guy, the real BK, Bob Kelly. If this is your first time listening to us, we thank you for tuning in. Make sure you hit that like button, hit that subscribe button because that's still the best way to get us out there.

Rayshawn Buchanan: And we're, we're, we're trying to get out there in a major way. So, BK, how are you doing tonight, man? 

Bob Kelly: Good, man. Good. It's good. 

Bob Kelly: Good to be back talking some C's, man. I feel like. We've been so wrapped up in football and like all this other stuff, man, that we haven't really Hit our stride with the C's yet this season, but man, it's, it's, it's been, it's been going good, man, for them.

Rayshawn Buchanan: Yeah, I mean, I always, I always feel like this time of year we like I said, we get back into this and then next thing you know we get a bunch of new eyeballs that hadn't seen us before, even though the football contest is really good, but for some reason you know, the basketball is what brings people in, for whatever reason, outside [00:01:00] the UFC stuff that we've done as well, so, yeah, hey, listen, stay tuned, because we, like I said, this next month or so, we're going to ramp it up, we're going to give you some Celtics stuff, we're going to give you some Bruins stuff, and even though they haven't done much, we're going to talk Red Sox eventually too, but, like I said, tonight is good vibes because your boss is Celtics.

Rayshawn Buchanan: Celtics. 

Rayshawn Buchanan: Currently stand at 45 12. Not only are they first in the East, but they're first in the NBA overall. They are currently on a eight game win streak as we record this on a Monday night. They face by the time this comes out they'll be facing Philadelphia and then they have Dallas and Golden State later on this week.

Rayshawn Buchanan: But we'll talk about that as the show progresses. But, man, eight games in a row, um You know, I was worried about maybe them coming out kind of slow after the All Star break that hasn't happened, but just speak to, you know, what you've seen so far from them as we are two thirds, or at least, no, not two thirds, we're about three fourths through the [00:02:00] season just, you know, who has been the biggest X factor if I can get that out of my head, if I can talk, if I can talk okay who has been the biggest X factor for you so far?

Bob Kelly: I mean, who There's only one answer, right? There's only one answer to this question, man. 

Bob Kelly: That's, it's Porzingis. That what, what he has brought to this team, man, I, I, I know, I know there's, there's, there's a lot of like unsung and there's a lot of guys who have, have become X Factors this year. But in my opinion, the reason for all of that, man, is Porzingis in the middle of that offensive rotation.

Bob Kelly: He, he changes. Everything for this team. He makes them so versatile and, and has just opened up so much ball movement for this team. His, his efficiency rates are just astronomically better than we thought they were gonna be. You know, like, that was our biggest positive coming in when we, when we found out we were getting Porzingis.

Bob Kelly: It was like, bro, the efficiency is just gonna, is gonna take [00:03:00] off for this team because of what he's gonna bring to it. I didn't think it would be like this, man, did you? So, 

Rayshawn Buchanan: I gotta give Mike credit, cause Mike's the one who initially brought this up on our show. I think all of us were like, no way, like, what are you, what are you thinking?

Rayshawn Buchanan: And I think it's because we were so, because we had dealt with so many injury ridden big men, or just even players in general. That we were just like, no, like, I, I don't, we don't, we don't, we don't want to see that. We don't need any more of that. Let's just stick with what we have and then just see if guys continue to grow, continue to develop.

Rayshawn Buchanan: So kudos to the front office kind of, so Brad Stephens, Mike Zarin, Austin Ainge Steve Pagliuca and the crew. You know, shout out to them for thinking, hey, we, we have a chance to go get this guy. We may have to part with a player that, you know, we don't really want to part with, but at the same time, if it's going to make us exponentially better, not, not you know, len you know, not linear growth, but exponential growth you know, you, you do it.

Rayshawn Buchanan: You take the chance. And yeah, he's been [00:04:00] every bit of What they've asked for and, and more. But to, but answer, answer your question. No, I, I didn't expect it. 

Rayshawn Buchanan: For me, it's the guy that I've been clamoring for since he got here and, and it's Derek White , like Derek, Derek White. Yep. Yep. I, like I said, I, I will continue to take a victory lap until, you know, he's not on the team anymore.

Rayshawn Buchanan: That dude has been lethal. He has been lethal and he kind of hit a low kind of towards the beginning of this month, but going into the all star break, he started to catch fire again. He was great the other night in New York. He was great. In that game of Chicago as well his, his confidence was shooting a three point shot.

Rayshawn Buchanan: His defense has been incredible. That block that he had on Vucevic the other night, I said, oh, my God. I was like, a dude being 6'4 6'5 and blocking a guy that's 6'10 like, that, that, that was, that, that was crazy. So, I just, to me, he he, he's always going to be that. I love what Drew Hawley has been able to do as well, like, [00:05:00] obviously, I don't think he's been a big ass factor than Derek White, but defensively, he's been, he's answered the bell time and time again.

Rayshawn Buchanan: He continues to blow up plays. On the defensive end, so, yeah that back court as a whole has been X factor, but, like I said, I'm always gonna pick Derek White, but like I said, any, anyone that says Prazingas or agrees with, about the Prazingas thing is, is not wrong he has been the curveball that Brad Steeves talked about, he's been the curveball that Joe Mazzullo's talked about, so, I'm glad that he's here once again, and, Do I miss time, Lorde and Smart?

Rayshawn Buchanan: At times, sure. But I mean, I enjoyed them on the team. We know that there was times when they drove me crazy, especially Marcus. But I mean, we can't argue with the results right now. And once again, men lie, women lie, numbers don't. 

Bob Kelly: You know? 

Bob Kelly: And you know what else, you know what else doesn't lie is the injury report.

Bob Kelly: And I don't know if you've seen the Grizzlies injury report and the Trailblazers injury report all year, but there's been two names that have [00:06:00] constantly been on those lists. Marcus Smart and Robert Williams. So, so, you know, we, we, right, people can sit here and clamor away about any Bro, it, it was A plus moves on both parts.

Bob Kelly: Drew and Porzingis, man. What they have brought to this team have been it's just, it's a stabilization. Of the offense is really what it is. You know what I mean? Like, there's, there's a few times the past eight game winning streak where there were moments where it was everything that we were looking for and asking for these past three years, you know what I mean?

Bob Kelly: Where it's like the ball movement, man. It's so crisp and, and the amount of times that they make that extra pass to get that open shot versus just driving a lane or doing whatever, man, is, is. It is like a dream come [00:07:00] true compared to past years. Like, I hope it keeps up, but I don't see any reason why it won't.

Bob Kelly: You know what I mean? I, I, based off of the efficiency stats and like all these different things, man, it's just, this team, this team seems like they got it so far. Yeah, 

Rayshawn Buchanan: I mean, that, I mean, that's the, that's the eyeball. And once again, listen, last year's team was, was awesome in many many ways. Brogdon was awesome.

Rayshawn Buchanan: Rob went healthy, was, was awesome. But like I said, it matters when you're not playing four on five at times. It matters. Sometimes it was even three on five because teams would sag off of Rob, they would sag off Marcus. And then once again, Brogdon is as good as he was at times. Once that shoulder, you know, was, was compromised, you know, he, he wasn't the same guy.

Rayshawn Buchanan: So, you know, that, that, that, that matters. So, I don't know, it's just like the eye test alone. And you kind of saw, you kind of saw within the first 10 games too, right? I felt like, you know, sometimes I think we were, we were being cautious, [00:08:00] cautiously optimistic about how it would unfold. But, like, look at the first game of the season against New York.

Rayshawn Buchanan: Porzingis comes in there and scores 30 the first night. It's that big three to put him up, you know, three with like a minute, a minute left. And you're like, wow, like he's never been this wide open. Tatum has never been you know, this wide open. So, JB has never been this wide open. So it's just like the spacing is there.

Rayshawn Buchanan: More importantly, the trust is there, and as JB said the other night, this is the most disciplined team I've ever been on. That says a lot. And once again, it's, it's, it's not, it's not, it's not, and once again, it could be a shot to Margaret, it could be a shot to Rob, it could be a shot to the Kyrie led teams but it, it is what it is.

Rayshawn Buchanan: But I, I, I have to do a quick aside because I, I saw a post and I forgot who posted it, so forgive me for someone who posted it on, on, on Twitter. It was, it was talked about the subjects being favorites the last several [00:09:00] years. And, you know, I gave I won't say what I said word for word because I don't want to get canceled.

Rayshawn Buchanan: But, it was totally, you can imagine what I said, but I was like it was like, oh, they were second and the second favorite or the third favorite or fifth. And I want to reiterate. And once again, we're a green team, so of course we're going to hype up certain players that we shouldn't hype up. But now that we're removed from it, I want to be clear, right?

Rayshawn Buchanan: We were relying on the corpse of Kemba Walker, the likes of Romeo Lakeford, a younger Grant Williams, right, at the time. Tremont Waters, right? We talked about this before on the show. Like, these are guys that were considered to be key rotation pieces on a team that was supposed to contend. How can y'all say that Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown have been spoiled when I'm like, once again, they're the best team they've had until maybe this year.

Rayshawn Buchanan: Was the 2018 2019 team, [00:10:00] and Gordon Haywood didn't want to come off the bench. He said, I still can go. Now once again, he's proven that he can still play a little bit. I don't know what he's doing on the OKC at the moment, but when you can still get 16 a night, you know, off the injury he had, that's not bad.

Rayshawn Buchanan: But he still was trying to prove himself on that match deal when he got here. But I just want people to pump the brakes, like, I want you to look at the rosters before building this narrative about What Boston had, because once again, there's only really two years where they should have blooped you out the water.

Rayshawn Buchanan: So that was 2018, 2019, and then obviously we should have won the finals a few years ago. But once again, mentally, or as we say, as our, as our, as our, you know, the championship DNA, which just, just, just was, just wasn't there, unfortunately. So, but like I said, we're looking for better days. I had come, you know, come April, May, and June, so, I want to go back a few weeks.

Rayshawn Buchanan: Hopefully June. Yeah, hopefully June, right? Plus there's more money in my pocket, too. [00:11:00] Ay. Right, but so I want to go back a few weeks ago, because like I said, we haven't done a selfish show in a while, so I want to touch on, what happened at the deadline? So, they make two small moves, bringing over Xavier Tillman from Memphis bringing over Janet Springer from Philadelphia.

Rayshawn Buchanan: So, you know, Springer's only 21 years old Tillman's only 25. So, they fit the timeline of this team. So, do you think did they make an impact right away? Or was this really a move for next season and, and, and beyond, in your opinion? 

Bob Kelly: I think it's next season to be honest. I think it's more depth than anything.

Bob Kelly: It seems like, you know, it They're not expecting either of these two guys to make any kind of serious impact on this team, and I think if they do, things went really wrong. That's, that's where I'm at with those two, you know, I, I think that they definitely can make an impact, you know, if they get the playing time, but I just don't see a path for either of them to significant playing time in like crunch time minutes or in the playoffs.

Bob Kelly: I [00:12:00] just, I just don't see it happen, like you said, man, this isn't the days where Tremont Waters and, and guys like that are playing significant minutes on this team, you know? Like, I mean, even guys like, You know, Hauser, struggling to find minutes at times. You know, Kornitz, struggling to find minutes at times.

Bob Kelly: So, for anyone, or like, Brissett, I trust Brissett more than those two guys as well. But even he's struggling to find minutes at times. So it's like, when you get guys that are that talented, and they're struggling to find minutes, it's really tough to see guys that We're on less talented teams a couple weeks ago, struggling in the five minutes, it's tough to see that, but like I said, if they're forced into that opportunity, I think that they can, you know, stay afloat for a few games, I think especially Springer, I really like his game, but other than that, you know, I don't, I don't see much from those two men, and I, like I said, if we do, I think something went wrong, personally.[00:13:00] 

Rayshawn Buchanan: Well, I mean, I mean, yeah, because I mean, obviously, so I mean, someone got hurt and they have to do, they have to send the time, right? For those that, you know, and this has been on every Celtics show just about, so we're not giving you anything new unless you miss those shows and you turn into water. So thank you.

Rayshawn Buchanan: Tillman was great last year in the playoffs against the Lakers in the first round. You know, looking no further than his Game 2 performance last year when he had 23 12. So he's capable of having those type of moments. He reminds me of a, of a Paul Milsap type guy. Milsap obviously was a better shooter.

Rayshawn Buchanan: Mary Brown obviously, you know, Milsap was all star in his league for, for several years. Tillman gives me those vibes. I feel like I was very encouraged by the video I saw from him earlier today at the practice facility knocking down several threeers in a row. I think that that's how he's going to be able to get on the floor eventually.

Rayshawn Buchanan: So, yeah, it definitely was a depth piece. It definitely was. Added insurance, for sure. We essentially gave them nothing to acquire both players, so, I love what I've seen from Brad in that regard with [00:14:00] not really dismantling the team in order to, you know, add on to them, and, and you get cheap labor in, in that regard from, from those two contracts, so, yeah I, I think just from, like, say, for instance, say we face Milwaukee in the second round of conference finals, right?

Rayshawn Buchanan: Yeah. I, I feel like Springer would be good in that series because it gives another guy that can defend. You, you're gonna need that against Dame and you're gonna need the six fouls, quite, quite honestly. So, I'm here for him getting some more time. Your boy Pritchard has deliberate this year. So, you know, we, we give credit where it's due.

Rayshawn Buchanan: Hauser, I wanted off the team. So, you know, Ricky, Ricky, that's for you, bro. I mean, many get on air. He has proven me wrong. But I was, I was very, very nervous at the beginning of the year. You know, could, could he be an intricate part? So now, you know, Pritchard and Howser [00:15:00] are the 7th and 8th man.

Rayshawn Buchanan: Right now, Cornette's probably the 9th guy. He stepped it up, as, as you mentioned. So, he's also saying, hey, I'm not letting Tillman come in here and get my minutes. Once again, Cornette comes off very goofy. But, you know, as, as a player, you're competitive, and you're competitive. You want to make sure that you're giving the team your best when it's required.

Rayshawn Buchanan: So, I'm, I'm excited. I'm, I'm excited to see. I, I, I liked both of those moves. I just think just to limit the minutes as the regular season dwindles down, I want to see Springer and Tillman on the floor. I just do. Because I feel like if you're, even if it's like 10 to 12 minutes, like if we can get Tatum and Brown really just supposed to start at 5 to between 29 to 32 minutes for the rest of the year.

Rayshawn Buchanan: That would be ideal, like, but the thing is, Tatum wanna play 30, Jaylen Brown wanna play 35, like, Holiday wants to play 34, but it's just like, bro, like, this is not about right now. This is about April, this is about May. And like I said, hopefully you know, we'll see, but [00:16:00] like I said, I, I, overall, I like the additions I hope they're able to make an impact, but at the same time, if this is, if this is about next year and some guys are not there at the back of the bench you know, guys like Sfid Mahaluk sorry Sfid Mahaluk, and then O'Shea Brissett, like those guys aren't there, then maybe those guys step in and fulfill those, those, those roles, so.

Rayshawn Buchanan: Thank you. You know, I'm excited to see, you know, what they do for us in, in the future. 

Rayshawn Buchanan: But I, I want to transition into, into the coach. Joe Mazzulla's got a lot of flack on the show. Sometimes rightfully so. But for him to be one of the quickest guys to win 100 games for them to be 45 12 this year he looks more comfortable.

Rayshawn Buchanan: So I, I just want, I want you to expand on the job that you think he's done. And. You know, has, has he earned your respect currently or, you know, do you, are you still waiting to reserve judgment until playoff time, you know, to, to give your full synopsis of full analysis of him, I should [00:17:00] say. 

Bob Kelly: So, as a Cowboys fan, I have to.

Bob Kelly: You know what I mean? I'm just, I'm programmed not to trust regular season success anymore. It's just the way my body and brain work now. But at the same time, man, I gotta say, his, his, his evolution of his offense from last year to this year. It is so encouraging, man, with, with, you know, last year, all we talked about was how stagnant things looked, and it looked like he didn't do plays, and it looked like he didn't, he didn't do these basketball mind things that we wanted him to, like he was just kind of letting it roll and letting everything just kind of go.

Bob Kelly: This year, Missoula ball is real, man. That offense is real. You know, there's a set play every single time down. There's cutters on every single play, which to me is exactly what this team needs. You have a [00:18:00] pick and roll at the top. With, with two guys that can pop, and you have a slasher coming off the edge, which, which is, you know, deadly on this team, because they literally have five guys at all times that can put the bucket in the hoop, or put the ball in the hoop.

Bob Kelly: You knew what I was saying, yeah, you knew what I was saying. So, so, you know, all these elements that he's brought, man, have, have taken this team to me to a next level. And if he trusted in the playoffs? I don't know yet. You know, like, we don't know because this is definitely the first full season we've seen, you know, Missoula running the system, running, running what he sees as the best way for this team to win.

Bob Kelly: We'll see if it works in the playoffs against, like, the best coaches in the league and stuff. But, for now, man he's definitely had more. Of my respect and more confidence than he did at the beginning of the season. I'm not giving him, like, my full go yet. I don't think I'm there. You know, like I said, [00:19:00] I need to see it in the playoffs for sure.

Bob Kelly: But he's getting there. He's getting there for sure. 

Rayshawn Buchanan: Yeah, I mean, no, I think that's totally valid. I think that You know, we, like I said, like I said, like I just said a few moments ago, we were so far on the other side of the spectrum, especially Dave, like Dave was like, man, fuck this guy, he's gotta go, he's he's awful, da da da.

Rayshawn Buchanan: So, you know, but the more they win, obviously the, bring Ime back. Chants have, you know, kinda quieted right now. I think they're still on the surface, cause fans are just waiting for something to fall to, like, see, like, we're here, man, we would've won. We don't know that, once again, he's 25 and 32 right now with with Houston, and it looked a lot like how we did right before we went on that run.

Rayshawn Buchanan: Last year, if you ask me, so they still need some help down there in, in, in Texas, but that's another, another show for another day, but, yeah yeah. I just, I think it speaks to what's been around him too, right? When you add on Charles Lee, when you add on Sam Cassell you [00:20:00] know, I know Ben Sullivan and some other guys have left, but, you know, they put a brain trust around him that he hired That, that's helped them be successful.

Rayshawn Buchanan: And, you know, you're only as good as the person around you. So whether that's coaching wise whether that's, you know, player wise, you know, personnel, obviously. So, I, I think that he's done a phenomenal job. Once again, I'm still reserving my judgment to fully for the postseason because I want to make sure.

Rayshawn Buchanan: That, like I said, you know, in the words of Big Daddy Kane, we did the job done. Like, that's where I want that to be, and I want to see them hosting the LeBarney Trophy once again. I told the story when we did that show, and it's funny, our pain was our most watched show. Our pain on here was our most watched show on here, so, hopefully the next time we do a show in June is us sharing joy, and all y'all that watched our pain better watch our joy, too.

Rayshawn Buchanan: Like I said, I really, you know, side note, I want to go to the state to [00:21:00] catch fire and get back there. Once again, J Mon got in my face and said I got floored, motherfucker, that has stuck with me since June 16, 2022, and now, I, I, I need it in my, I need Goin to State to catch fire, I, like I said, I, I can't, like I said, we're gonna talk about Sunday in a few moments, but, man, I, I need Goin to State back here in the finals, like, I, I need, I need that.

Rayshawn Buchanan: Like, I need that, like, we need water, like, badly. So, I'm hoping that they find a way to figure it out because I know they've been struggling. But once again, our coach has been good, our players have been good. And once again, life is good. Life is good right now if you are a fan of Self Donation and not overreacting to every loss or win.

Rayshawn Buchanan: Just enjoying the process, right? Not trusting the process. That's it, man. We're enjoying it, enjoying the process because, you know, I'm sorry, you know, I mean, I'm gonna, I'm gonna go full BK mode here. This is feeling like, oh, wait, oh, sorry, I didn't say that last [00:22:00] year. I said the year before, but this, this is feeling, this is feeling like, oh, wait, like, once again, they came into places most nights, and you knew.

Rayshawn Buchanan: The other team had no shot, and I know that sounds wild, and you know, Craig, if you clip this later on, and I'm like, if I get killed for it, so be it, but it feels Like 08, it does and once again, we couldn't predict that they were going to win 08 either, but when you saw them beat certain teams the way they did, it was like, oh, okay, we have something special here.

Rayshawn Buchanan: So, and they've had a few of those signature wins this season, so. I just think, like I said, we're inching ever so closely, you know, to that, to that banner 18, 18 goal. So, and any final words on that before we move on? 

Bob Kelly: No, I feel like my final words will be touched on later on in the show. I don't want to interrupt anything, so, yeah, we'll keep going.

Rayshawn Buchanan: Well, let's, let's get into some players, man. 

Rayshawn Buchanan: Obviously, you know, we talked briefly about Porzingis. [00:23:00] Talked about Derek White but I want to talk about the guy who is now considered to be an MVP candidate that might be the leader of the MVP race, and that is none other than Jayson Tatum, right? Do this again, 27, on the year.

Rayshawn Buchanan: He's on the team with the best record. Once again, not just in the East, but in the NBA. But before we get into, you know, do you want him to get the MVP, like, but I feel like his interviews lately, whether it's been about basketball, not basketball He just seems to be at a different level mentally right now than he's ever been in his career.

Rayshawn Buchanan: So, just speak to the maturity you see for him this season and are you, are you, are you worried about him getting the MVP at season's end? 

Bob Kelly: So, I, I just want to take, I mean, I'm not going to take the full victory lap quite yet because, you know, he hasn't gotten the MVP or hasn't gotten the championship yet or gotten anything like [00:24:00] that.

Bob Kelly: But, I don't know if you remember, when we first started this podcast, right, Sean, everyone was calling for Tatum's head, everyone was like, oh, I'd rather do Brown, Tatum, you know, what did, what did, I think it was me and you, personally, who really were on the, like, bro, this dude is 22 years old, do you know How much maturity you gain from the ages 22 to 25 to 27.

Bob Kelly: It is astronomical, man. The more, even, even a dude, I was watching an interview earlier today with Kyrie Irving. Even Kyrie Irving has matured to an adult and actually says adult things when he is interviewed now and actually has some kind of humility and like has these qualities that you kind of evolve into as you get older.

Bob Kelly: Man. Right. This is what Tatum is going through now, and honestly to me, it feels like this dude is [00:25:00] years. Up ahead of where he should be mentally, in my opinion, the way he handled the Jaylen Brown All Star Game thing, where he had Brown take his minutes so he could get more points like you said, the interviews about the, the MVP, like he's not worried about MVP at all, man, he just wants to win a shit, and, and To see that mentality from a dude who, how old is he now, actually?

Bob Kelly: 25? Right? 25? He'll be 26 on Sunday. 26 on Sunday, okay. To see that from a dude that age is different, man, because usually this age, you know, you look at dudes like a Devin Booker, or like, yeah, I'm trying to think of other dudes I don't know, even like, a Ja Morant, or like, dudes like that that are clearly, that are clearly, Not at the maturity level and leadership level that Jayson Tatum is at, and I, I don't, this, this might [00:26:00] derail a little bit, but like, I have never seen a player get held to such a high standard like this dude is, man.

Bob Kelly: I, I don't know what it is, but like, if this was James Harden when he was 24, I don't know what it is, but like, if this was James Harden when he was 24, Or James Harden, or, or, or even like, LeBron when he was 24, or Dwayne Wade when he was 24, and he was dropping 30 points a night with the maturity and leadership That Jayson Tatum is showing.

Bob Kelly: Is there, is there another player that you could think of that would be held to this kind of standard that wouldn't be getting this credit like he isn't? So in 

Rayshawn Buchanan: this current era, no. Like there's been other players that have obviously like, obviously LeBron was On a pedestal from day one. And he's answered the bell time and time again, right?

Rayshawn Buchanan: Whether people think so or not. For sure, for sure. But I think yeah, in this current [00:27:00] era, which is why when these conversations are being had about who is going to be the face. Luca doesn't get the slander. SGA doesn't get this slander. You know, I'm trying to think who else is in that. I said John Morant.

Rayshawn Buchanan: Well, he gets slandered, but he gets slandered for what he did off the court. You know, it's, you know, Zion to me Those are the, Giannis Yeah, yeah, yeah, you know what I'm saying, Giannis, you know what I'm saying, so, you know, he is someone that, but he's also about to be 30, so I feel like, even though you know, that's not old, but I feel like, you know, you know, 

Bob Kelly: Tatum and all the guys.

Bob Kelly: He's got the ship, he's got the ship, though. He's got the ship, 

Rayshawn Buchanan: so I think that's where he is. Same thing with Jokers, like Jokers is about to be 29. Later this year. So, you know, but it's like, you know, quietly, you know, I don't see those guys being the face all the time. Once again, hell of a player. But I don't, I don't see those guys, you know, becoming, those two becoming the face of the league.

Rayshawn Buchanan: You know, the guy that's enabled for MVPs and, and championships to to, to back those claims up. But yeah, no, the, the, the slander is [00:28:00] real. And, and I, and I don't know whether it's, 'cause they felt like people anointed him too early in the 22 run. But I'm like his, I mean, we saw some of the best rookie performances in the playoffs from him.

Rayshawn Buchanan: At age, at age 19, he was, oh no, he was 20. He was about, he just turned 20. So he was 20 years old. Took, took LeBron the game seven. They beat Philly in five. That Milwaukee series went 7, but I'm like, I remember him and Jaylen Brown both at 30 in that game 4 on the road. So, he showed from day 1 that when he was given a chance, he was going to be special.

Rayshawn Buchanan: So I, I just, I don't know about, what I, what I will say as a quick aside, what I think happens. And it wasn't every player, but you brought up Dwayne Wade, so Wade, Bird, Magic, Kobe, who was his idol a lot of those guys went early, right? And so now what happens is When now, when certain guys don't win by year [00:29:00] three, year four, you automatically get cast aside as some, as some failure, as some guy that is a choke artist, and I'm like, wait a minute, those that y'all, those that consider Michael Jordan to be the GOAT, Michael Jordan didn't win until he was 28.

Rayshawn Buchanan: LeBron didn't win until he was 28, you know, once again, everyone's not going to be magic, not going to come in and get 42 in a closeout game, it's not happening, it's not. Bird, you know, wins the next year, you're not going to win in your second year, most times, and then two and three and then go to four straight finals, that's not how this works.

Rayshawn Buchanan: So we were spoiled by some people's greatness, we were, and I think that's part of it. And who knows? Maybe because they see it in him. Maybe they think he's supposed to be better than he was. But once again, the man had 30, average 30 last year. It was a spring that go away from going to back to back finals.

Rayshawn Buchanan: Once again, not an opinion. To me, that's a fact. You know, we had the momentum at that moment. Unfortunately, it gets hurt and, you know, once again, [00:30:00] Miami prevailed. Should have been down three on the first place, but you know, they had all the momentum at that moment. So, that's kind of what I've seen on that.

Rayshawn Buchanan: But I said all to say, because I've been long winded on tonight's show. I don't care about the records in the MVP. Talk to me in June when he's holding up with Paul Pierce held up. What's up, Jay? Maxwell held up. That's what I want to see. Be the finals MVP. Do that. I, then I'm, I'm like, I'm good. If you're the finals MVP, you are the best player in the world, because the best player don't always win MVP.

Rayshawn Buchanan: So, 

Bob Kelly: I think, I think, I think what Dray, I kind of, you know, normally I don't, I don't like what Draymond said. You're not being long winded, don't worry. And, you know, I, I like what Draymond said about it. It was like, it's almost exactly what we were just saying, man, is like, there's no one, That gets the disrespect that Tatum does just because he hasn't won a ring in this era.

Bob Kelly: It's crazy, man, how much of a standard he's held to. I saw a thing earlier today that was like Jimmy Butler, [00:31:00] 2023 NBA Finals. Averages versus Jayson Tatum's 2022 NBA Finals averages, and it was almost identical, and the quotes underneath each of them was under Jimmy Butler, it was, Himmy Butler can't get no help man, man, put the back on his team, and he grew over to Jayson Tatum.

Bob Kelly: It's not even a top 20 player, fraud, can't handle the clutch, and it's like, bro, it's the same exact stats. Just with two different storylines attached to him, and that's just what the public takes off on. And it's, it's, it's not fair to Tatum to beat I'm stealing this line from DK to beat him over the head, beat him over the head with his own success.

Bob Kelly: You know what I mean? That's, that's, that's not fair to him, in my opinion. And it just, it sucks to see that happen. I think he's at least gonna be top three this year, MVP. He has to, right? He's got to finish. 

Rayshawn Buchanan: Oh, I mean, for sure, but I [00:32:00] think about someone like someone who was in the same draft as him, Donovan Mitchell, right?

Rayshawn Buchanan: Donovan Mitchell from day one, because he was a lottery pick as well, you know, I think he went 13th overall to the Jazz in 2017. This dude has been money from day one. He's been awesome. But doesn't it feel like Cleveland is the Utah Jazz of the East? Great defenders. Good point guard, that could score, you know, obviously you had Mitchell on both teams, but, you know, he had Gobert, had Ingles once again, got, he got Utah out the Hayward era, because they didn't know who was going to play as Hayward, but he would play as Hayward, was better than Hayward while he was there in Utah, but it's just like, they, they've been second round exits.

Rayshawn Buchanan: His whole career, regardless of where he is been. And once again, New York beat them last year in the first round. So he doesn't get the slander that that others get, you know? And, you know, mainly Tatu, you know, guys like Luca, you know, I mean, you know, and what, 'cause he's six or one, so he, he gets a pass.

Rayshawn Buchanan: No, he's, he, [00:33:00] he's, he is someone that gets you 30 a night and he hasn't done enough to get his team, at least to a conference final. So I 

Bob Kelly: think, I, I think to me. I think Luca to me is the best comparison when it comes to the, the, the standards that they're held to. You right? Because I, I feel like all these other guys that we're mentioning, right?

Bob Kelly: In my opinion, can't hold a flame to Jayson Tatum's shoes, you know what I mean? Like, listen, Donovan Mitchell's amazing. He really is. I love Donovan Mitchell. Not in the same stratosphere as Jayson Tatum. Do you think so? Like, actually? 

Rayshawn Buchanan: No, I, no, I, I, I, I, I agree. 

Bob Kelly: Right? So, so, I feel like, right, he's, he's, he's that next tier down.

Bob Kelly: Tatum, to me, has to, you can't, I think it is, it is absolute blasphemy. That people mention who's the [00:34:00] next face of the league, and Luka Doncic comes out of people's mouths, and the next name isn't Jayson Tatum. That's where I think he, he has to be in this echelon of people at this point, because like, he's had more success from day one.

Bob Kelly: That Luka's ever had, and it's like, Luka just has this like, aura of like, he's the best, he's Luka, he's, bro, I don't, I, fact, in my opinion, that Jayson Tatum has had a much better career so far than Luka Doncic. I don't even think it's that close, man. 

Rayshawn Buchanan: Luka, Luka is James Harden in Houston. Yeah, 

Bob Kelly: exactly.

Rayshawn Buchanan: Exactly. Yes. That's, that's what he is. And once again, that's okay. 

Bob Kelly: He, he's, he's, he's obviously a little better than like what, like he's got, I think he's got a little more perspiration, I think. That's true. That, that, that Harden, [00:35:00] that Harden was a different level. 

Rayshawn Buchanan: You're right. You're right. You're right. The man was hooping, but it's just like, you're right.

Rayshawn Buchanan: Luke is getting 35 a night now, right? And it's just like, dude, like, that's great that you're going 87, MJ. There's nothing to show for it. Cause that's what, that was happening too. MJ was going 37 at night. 

Bob Kelly: What are they, the 7 seed? They're the 7 seed right now, Dallas? Something like that? 6 seed? 

Rayshawn Buchanan: Maybe?

Rayshawn Buchanan: Yeah. And they a day just want 7 in a row themselves. Just to get to that. You know, that's how stacked the East is. Remember, we, we grew up in an era where the 6 seed had 50 wins. You know what I'm saying? So it's like, that might be the case now. We might be getting back to them days where, you know, the A. C.

Rayshawn Buchanan: might have 48 wins, you know, which, which is, I'm like, that's a great state to be in because you shouldn't be 33 or 49 getting into the playoffs. It just shouldn't be. It's a fact. You know, I, I, I never want to see that again, unless it's us. [00:36:00] Unless we were that bad some year where we had to go that bad just to get in and be, be an AC, but you know, that, that, that would just be whack for the ratings overall.

Rayshawn Buchanan: But yeah. So, I don't know, but like I said, I'm sick of this fandom myself. Once again, have I had my frustrations with Tatum? Absolutely because, you know, the settling, he settles too much at times, but it's like, I feel like now they're preaching, attack the mismatch. Attack is what he's doing. And there's not a defender in this league, and I say this confidently, there's not a defender in this league that can slow him down.

Rayshawn Buchanan: Or no, let me say that, that can stop him all the time. You can slow him down a little bit, but, you know, it's like, I even remember that Clippers game a few months ago, he's, he's killing the Clippers. 

Rayshawn Buchanan: And you see P. J. Takara like, you know, throwing his hands like, oh my God. And I'm like, look, P. J., you know, you got a nice run.[00:37:00] 

Rayshawn Buchanan: You ain't doing nothing with this version of Tatum, brother. Maybe a couple years ago when he was still trying to figure it out. Not now. Not now. He's giving people whatever he wants. And, you know, it's just like, the manager's special. 

Rayshawn Buchanan: I know people were mad about the 19 points the other night because, you know, it fucks up the parlay.

Rayshawn Buchanan: Fuck that. That was one of his better games of the season. He saw 

Bob Kelly: that JB was cooking. Messed up my, he messed up, he messed up my parlay. But hey, it was one of his better games. 

Rayshawn Buchanan: Yeah, but hey, I'm like, okay, I'm just like now. The mess of the parlays made people give understated slander. It's like, no, Smith's not a scrub.

Rayshawn Buchanan: Like, just because you didn't get the 25 to get the 65, sorry. Like, I'm worried about the name on the front. 

Rayshawn Buchanan: I need them to win a championship badly. Like, we've been knocking at the door. It's time to kick that motherfucker down. That's where I'm at. I don't care about no bets. Once again, I like my fair share of betting too.

Rayshawn Buchanan: I don't care about that. [00:38:00] I want the name on the front. To say in June, I want to hear Eddie Palladino's voice saying, And that's the ballgame, your 2024 NBA champions, The Boston Celtics! Like, that, that's what I want to hear. That's my parlay. That's what I want to, that, that's my plus 1500. That, that's, that's what I want.

Rayshawn Buchanan: That's what I want. That's what I need, more than anything. 

Rayshawn Buchanan: So, I say, let's, let's chill with the Tatum slander because the same ones that's killing him now are going to be sucking him off, you know, pause, come, come June. If they win. He said he's such a great player. I knew he could do it. And I'm, and I'm, and I'm, I'm attacking everybody that changes their stance.

Rayshawn Buchanan: So, my boy Jaylen, I'm talking to you. Justin, I'm talking to you. You know, my whole TD group chat, they be going on, Leek, what up? I'm coming to all of y'all, cause y'all kill Tatum on a regular basis. So if [00:39:00] they win in June, y'all better not be excited for shit. Don't even show up to work that day. Don't even come to the parade.

Rayshawn Buchanan: And I'm like, I'm like, I feel, I feel like you in 2011. Remember when me and you had that back and forth? And it was Vancouver, game seven, and they had not done anything on the road. And I'm like, I was missing negative. I'm like, I don't, I don't know, Bobby. Like, they just, they just haven't. He was like, and that's like, that's like the only time he really, like, really touched at me negatively.

Rayshawn Buchanan: He was like, get the fuck out of here. Like, we're, I am not accepting this bullshit right, Sean. Get off my page. And I was like, Man, I was like, when Bobby hit at me like that, I was like, oh, this is serious. I said, you know what, they better win this fucking 

Bob Kelly: game. 

Rayshawn Buchanan: And thankfully, you know, them boys came through.

Rayshawn Buchanan: You know, speaking of them, I'm hoping they get a long run too compared to what happened last year because they missed, they missed up my money. Not my parlay, but they missed up my money because they didn't go as far as they stood up in last year's playoffs. So, you know, let's just avoid Florida.

Rayshawn Buchanan: Even if [00:40:00] Florida is right behind us. And the standings, let's just let's avoid them at all costs if we, if we can.

Bob Kelly: Not to go on a bee's tangent, but they're, they're looking, they're looking a little bit more like the bees of the past lately, aren't they? They really are, man. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. 

Rayshawn Buchanan: Yeah. Quick aside. Yeah. They've, they've been, they've been struggling. We'll say, you know, like I said at the beginning of the show, we're going to get into them as well.

Rayshawn Buchanan: You know, we gave you all a playoff 

Bob Kelly: preview. Those late, those late leads, bro. Those late leads are crazy. Hell in us. 

Rayshawn Buchanan: Hell in us. 

Rayshawn Buchanan: I think it's up to nine now, nine of them they've blown, so it's like, it's pathetic, but, you know, once again, back to positivity, so, I've said this before on this show, and I'll say it again once again, I didn't say it originally, I give credit to Isaiah Thomas, that played for Detroit, and the late, great head coach Chuck Daly they had went to three straight finals in the late 80s, so 88 you know, if Isaiah Thomas doesn't get hurt, they're probably the only team in that era to go 4 3 peat, but that didn't happen because Isaiah Thomas got hurt.

Rayshawn Buchanan: But he mentioned, I guess, when they won in [00:41:00] 90, Chuck Daly looked around and said to every guy on the team, so Benny Johnson, Joe Dumars James Edwards, John Sally, Dennis Rodman, so on and so forth, and he said to them, or he asked them do, if we need one game on the road, do y'all feel that we can win it?

Rayshawn Buchanan: And, you know, Isaiah Thomas tells a story that says, to a man, we all said, yes, coach. We feel like if we need one game on the road, you know, we, we trust each other to get the job done. So they said, okay, cool. Seeding's not the most important thing. Health is. So, I set that up by saying after what we've seen at TD Garden and both sports last year do you, do you care about seeding?

Rayshawn Buchanan: And, you know, my follow up question to that is if we, if we wrap up the 1C by late March, do you want to sit for Zingas until the playoffs? 

Bob Kelly: No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no. I don't. I think it's a horrible idea. 

Bob Kelly: His, his body type, to me, is not the one [00:42:00] that you can just sit. And expect to come back and not have some kind of flare up of something, you know what I mean, like, just his history and his past, man, like, I think that the way that they're using him right now is perfect, you know, with his efficiency rates, you What they are, the way that they use him in the offense, where he's not, he's not really the banger down low, you know what I mean?

Bob Kelly: He's not getting beat up on a nightly basis, he's, he's up top running screens, running picks, shooting, His step back three is so fucking awesome, man. It's so cool to see a seven three guy do a step back three. Insane, insane. But yeah, no, I, I don't, I think you can scale him back. I don't think you can sit 'em.

Bob Kelly: No. You may, maybe, you know, rest nights here and there. But no, I, I wouldn't sit him in. I, I, I don't trust that I, I think you need this [00:43:00] team firing. From day one in those playoffs, man, I, I personally wouldn't. 

Bob Kelly: I think you, you know, like I said, you, you pull all the minutes back, you kind of get into the depth a little bit more, maybe, you know, tell me when those guys start doing something down the stretch once, you know, we, we do lock up that one seed knock on wood.

Bob Kelly: But, yeah, no, I, I wouldn't submit. You can't do that. You can't do that. In my opinion. Yeah, 

Rayshawn Buchanan: I think, well, see, yeah, no, no, I, I, so I, I, as I wrote this earlier and I was, you know, we were, we met about this, I, I went back and forth on this question and I thought that I had. An answer, , and I'm still kind of up in the air, honestly.

Rayshawn Buchanan: It looks like he's gonna get around the 60 game mark, that that's what it looks like he's about to reach this season because he's at 42 right, right now. Which is already more than where Rob Williams played last year. in the year before. So, you know, that, that's already a plus in that regard.

Rayshawn Buchanan: The man's getting 20 a night still on limited shots so that, you [00:44:00] know, it just speaks to his efficiency. But to answer the first question that I asked say if they did have this mini collapse and they fell to the two seed like, I'm not worried. Like I said, this team has also won eight in a row on the road.

Rayshawn Buchanan: I just think they go into arenas saying, it doesn't matter who's in front of us. We are the team to beat, period. And I think that's a phenomenal mentality to have. Once again, there's some teams that may have some more resistance towards that than others. But I just think coming into each scenario, they're like, look, you know, we're 26 3 at home.

Rayshawn Buchanan: You know, it really should be 27, you know, 27 2. But that's a whole nother story because the L. A. loss was terrible. Oh, my God. But I just think, like I said, when you're, when you're winning like that and you're that together, once again, the ball movement was great. Once again, that game in New York yes, they were missing Randall and NNLB and Mitchell Robinson.

Rayshawn Buchanan: The way they stuck together, even when that game got tight early on, and then just like that in the third quarter, [00:45:00] it was, it was like the Thanos snap, it was like, oh, it's over. And, And I forget, and I should have mentioned this earlier, but it just, I just, it just, it just dawned on me. I'm almost hoping that the second quarter becomes their quarter of doom now, and not the third, because if you're keeping it close, and it's like, next thing you know, you start blowing out teams in the third quarter.

Rayshawn Buchanan: Cool. I'm with that because I was getting nervous with this third quarter trend of them not doing what they're supposed to do and then teams saying, well, as long as we keep it close, you know, we could take that lead on them. It's like, no, I want them to go in how they did against Chicago, how they did against New York.

Rayshawn Buchanan: This is coming from the brick and say, okay we're going to move the ball. We're going to take our defense up to another level. And then the game is going to be over, especially in, in the third quarter, because teams are now getting ready. Yeah. Little ones, but I'm not, I'm no longer sitting here saying Damn, this team's gonna come all the way back against us.

Rayshawn Buchanan: I, like, Ali maybe get down to [00:46:00] 7 or 8, and I'm just like, Jewel Holliday's body hit a corner 3, and then he does. Then it's like, Derrick West's gonna get an and 1, then a steal, then he does. Tatum's gonna do the 1, 2, dribble, sidestep 3. Time out the other team. Now the lead's back up to 15. You're like, oh my God, they're back in control.

Rayshawn Buchanan: That's what's been happening just about all year. So, you are, you are the habits you build and they're building that habit. They still have moments of, you know, lax basketball. But those are, those stretches are becoming more few and far. Between, so I'm grateful that we're not seeing no stretches as much and that they're starting to tighten up playing well in the third quarter.

Rayshawn Buchanan: Once again, it's still some stuff they need to work on as the regular season comes to a close, but hopefully the third quarter woes are something that are of the past and it doesn't rear its ugly head too much in the near future, so. I 

Bob Kelly: just think that the setup of this team really helps eliminate that.

Bob Kelly: Like, I hate to keep [00:47:00] going back to it, man, but like Porzingis adds that element that takes that stagnation away. You know what I mean? Because, you know, even when he isn't on the floor. You still feel that they, they, they, they keep things moving way more than they ever did. Like you said, there is still moments where you feel like they're about to go into hero ball, but then it all it takes is two or three set plays, a couple slashers, And then all of a sudden, you have that open man in the corner, man.

Bob Kelly: Like, I've never seen a team get so many wide open corner threes than this Celtics team does. It's every single night, there's at least five to six wide open corner threes happening, which is the best, you know, it's the most efficient three point shot. Out there. So, like, that's what we're looking at. 

Rayshawn Buchanan: And then when you have the best corner three point shooter in the NBA, Andrew Holiday, the man is shooting 63 [00:48:00] percent from the corner.

Rayshawn Buchanan: And think 

Bob Kelly: about this. It's something, man. It's something. He came 

Rayshawn Buchanan: in from last year in Milwaukee, and he was hitting 45% from corner threes last year in Milwaukee. So that's almost 20%. That's fucking insane. So just from playing with Giannis, once again, 45 is phenomenal. That is way above league average.

Rayshawn Buchanan: But to, I mean, once again, the word I used earlier, exponential. There's nothing linear about this team right now. Porzingis was not a linear move. Holiday was not a linear move. They have exponentially gotten better. And that's where Brad Stephens and Austin Ainge and Mike Pagliuca and Witt Grosbeck, they have strategically put this roster in place to say it is now or never.

Rayshawn Buchanan: And I love that they have that type of pressure. I hope that it goes into next year, even if they win it. Go into next year, fuck it, go back to back if that's the case. Like, I, I, I [00:49:00] want, I want the dominance. I need, I need that back. You know, I injected it to my veins. But yeah, that's, that's, that's just kind of how I see that.

Rayshawn Buchanan: But yeah, I said, when you, when you had that, like you said, when you have that going on I said, all five guys are just lethal. And I want them all to start shooting the corner threes. Kadeem and Jaylen Brown's getting better at that too. You know, well, 

Bob Kelly: it's like if you, if, if you remember, man, that's what made that Kawhi Raptors team so deadly, you know, that they, every person on the floor could drop 20 on any given night.

Bob Kelly: Yes, Kawhi was the guy that made that thing move for sure, man. But you still had Van Vliet, you had Siakam, like you had these guys that on any given night. Could drop and give you 20, man. You know, and that's so important for a deep run into the playoffs. It's so, so, so important to have a [00:50:00] guy when your best guys aren't giving you it.

Bob Kelly: Those 30 and 40 point nights, to have a guy like a Derek White, or like a poor Zingas, or even like a Pritchard, or a Hauser, who can give you a quick 15 points, who can give you a solid, solid scoring night, man, and that's it. That's the shit that wins you NBA championships, not your stars. You know what I mean?

Bob Kelly: The guys, the guys that will pick up the load. And that's what this team has. That's what we've been begging for. And that's what they got this year. 

Rayshawn Buchanan: Yeah, even like, I keep reverting back to last year because that's just the sample size that we have. But, you know, you really can only trust Brogdon to have those moments off the bench last year.

Rayshawn Buchanan: Agreed. And once again, he delivered plenty of times, so I don't want to make it seem like he didn't, because he did, which is why he won six men of the year. But now, like I said, you have Pritchard, who's been consistent. You have Howitzer, who's now been consistent. Cornette in limited minutes has been really good.

Rayshawn Buchanan: Kada in [00:51:00] limited minutes has been really good. So, they've pushed the right buttons more this year. And I say it's evident in their play, it's evident in their confidence, and more importantly, it's evident in their execution. Like, they execute much better. Once again, Jaylen Brown said the best a few years ago.

Rayshawn Buchanan: This is the most disciplined team we've been on, that I've been on, you know? And he's been there eight years, you know what I'm saying? So, you know, it's really good when everyone's on the same page. You know, they've been to the Conference Finals. They've gotten All Star MVPs. They've been All NBA guys.

Rayshawn Buchanan: It's now time to say, okay, the only thing that I need is an NBA championship. You know, or, you know, plural, or ships. You know what I'm saying? So, you know, that, that, that's that. 

Rayshawn Buchanan: So, I want to transition into the, the standings overall in, in, in the East. So, obviously, Southerners are 1, Cavs 3, Knicks are 4 76ers are 5, Pacers are 6, Miami are 7, [00:52:00] Orlando's 8, Chicago's 9, and then the round after playing Atlanta's at, at 10.

Rayshawn Buchanan: They may dip out because of Trae Young's injury. He's gonna be out for the next month or so. So that probably, you know, ends their season presumably. So just out of those teams I named you know, in the first or second round, like who, who would you, who would you want to avoid the most? And you know, just who, who do you think we would match?

Rayshawn Buchanan: I mean, we match up well against most, but just like, who, who do you think would be the the craziest matchup this year for us in the first round? 

Bob Kelly: And I don't, I don't see any, Ray. Let me, let's read 'em again. Read, read me the last few again. So. From? From six, oh, it was 6, 

Rayshawn Buchanan: 7, 8, 6. Oh, okay. So five is the pace.

Rayshawn Buchanan: I mean Pacers five is the Sixers. Six is the Pacers, seven is Miami. Eighth to Orlando. Nine Chicago. 10 Atlanta.

Bob Kelly: I mean, I guess[00:53:00] 

Bob Kelly: Indiana would be the toughest 'cause they definitely have the best squad out of everyone at the most complete squad. Halliburton can win a game any night. If you give them the chance to. The addition of Siakam was pretty big for them. I really liked that they have him to be able to score down low now with Miles Turner.

Bob Kelly: I think that's great. They're pretty dynamic now, but I don't, you know, I don't see them falling into that, you know, eighth seed in any way. Those eight, nine, ten men, I don't see a team that can really get more than one against this team. I feel like anyone, if anyone does, it would be a disappointment. I mean, obviously the heat or the heat.

Bob Kelly: They're always going to be scary. Anytime I see Boston vs. Miami Heat, I'm shaking in my boots a little bit, but this year feels different. I don't think that they can hang with us this year. I 

Rayshawn Buchanan: really don't. Yeah. No, and I'm, I'm, and I, I'll give my team in a minute, but you know me, I always gotta connect history to, you know, to what's going on.

Rayshawn Buchanan: It's the teacher in me, right? I, [00:54:00] this, I mean, and I, and I brought this up before, but this really feels like it now, even more so than, than last year or the year before, I should say. I, this feels like the heat feels like our Detroit Pistons. To our bulls, and Detroit, I mean, Miami had the mental advantage against us.

Rayshawn Buchanan: They were never more talented than Chicago, but they had, they had the mental edge, they had the physical edge. And until Phil really caught his bearings, Chuck Daley had the coaching edge, right? Early on, anyway, obviously, you know, we know what Phil became, but early on, Chuck Daley was better than Doug Collins and the crew.

Rayshawn Buchanan: Fine. But we get to that 91 series, you know, and Miami, and Miami or Detroit, you know, Miami's beaten us twice, Detroit had beat them twice, and all of a sudden, they got swept in the conference finals. Right? 91 Conference Finals, Chicago, Detroit walks off the floor in Game 4. And I [00:55:00] feel like this is the first time where they finally know, oh, we're not better than them right now.

Rayshawn Buchanan: We're not. And I think that this is the first time I think last year they felt that way. They were, oh, we're better a year before even though they lost and we went to the finals. Like, this is the first time they're looking at us like, yeah, we don't, we don't have the better team. We don't have the edge like we had before.

Rayshawn Buchanan: And I think that's what's going on. And so, although I know they were to push us to six games at least I don't think they'd beat us in the first round if that was the case. Obviously, anything can happen. So, I'm not sitting here thinking that it'd be automatic because it's not. But actually, the team that I was thinking of is actually the team that's right behind them and that's the Orlando Magic.

Rayshawn Buchanan: I, I don't want to see them in the first round. A team that has nothing, they have nothing to lose. No one thought they were going to be there. And they have the size, you know, Wendell Carter is 6'11 you know, the Wagner brothers are both 6'10 or above you know, you got A child. Yeah, yeah, Ben [00:56:00] Carroll's a problem, so, Jonathan Isaac is a good wing defender, so.

Rayshawn Buchanan: I, I'm good. I'm good. And you know, I, and knowing our luck Mark Carroll Fultz will have a revenge game. Oh, you guys picked Tantum over me? Like, I just, I just, I, I, there's so many scenarios. I'm just like, nah, I'm, I'm cool. I'm actually good with, I'm actually good with facing Indiana only because I feel like because they're young and aggressive.

Rayshawn Buchanan: I feel like we could use that aggression against them and probably beat them in five. Like how, like you say, Haller's good to get you one. Maybe even two because I think he's just, he's just super talented. But I feel like it would be pure domination. As good as Mile Turner is defensively he's still five inches shorter than Pingus

Rayshawn Buchanan: And I said he can bring, take, take present, gets out the, out the paint. So that, that would be a different matchup, but I, I just think that we've played them so many times this year. You know, I mean, we have to worry about Nisper trying to fucking hurt somebody, because I just think he's fucking dangerous out there.

Rayshawn Buchanan: You know, but other than that, like I said, [00:57:00] Orlando's the team for me. I'm like, I, I do not want to see them at all, because I'm like, I want as smooth as a first round series as possible. Ha! And then, and then move on. Because even, even though they could beat Orlando in five. I feel like it'd be a physical five, and I'm like, I don't, I don't want that, so.

Bob Kelly: I think that's a good call because, you know, we're, like you said, we're gonna relate it back to history. That's what we do here on this basketball show, bro. And it would remind me. of that Hawks team in 08 that we played in that first round. I feel you because exactly. Yeah. Yeah. Because they're, they're young, they're young.

Bob Kelly: They don't know any better than to, than to, you know, back down. And, and they got that youth to a man like that Hawks team did. So yeah, I feel that, man. I feel that hard. I like that call. Well, I don't, I don't like that call, but I like that call. Yeah, 

Rayshawn Buchanan: well, yes. Once again, I want, want to be, I want to be proven wrong, but like I said, I just, like I said, from what we've seen and what happens, I [00:58:00] just want to make sure that it's the least resistance as, as, as possible.

Rayshawn Buchanan: So, and then now before we get into the week ahead and close this out who do you think would be the biggest threat out West if we get to the finals?

Bob Kelly: Got to be Denver. It's got to be Denver. You know, that Jokic and Jamal just create such a deadly dynamic duo, man, that, you know, it's, it's already proven, you know, what they can do, and everything like that, so yeah, it's gotta, it's gotta be Denver Pro. I, I mean, I don't see anyone else, maybe, maybe the Lakers, cause LeBron but even them, you know, I, I think we can beat them.

Bob Kelly: I, I, I really do, even though they, they've already gotten us once this year, yeah. Well, no, we beat 

Rayshawn Buchanan: them on Christmas Day. I mean, once again, I, I, just, I mean, just for the optics, I mean, obviously, Pierce got his one and only ring against the Lakers. I would, I would love for that to be the case where we beat you know, beat the Lakers for that.

Rayshawn Buchanan: That would be [00:59:00] great. But they have a lot of hurdles to jump to, to get over that. Low key, I think it'd be juicier if it would be, if it was Luke and Kyrie here in the finals. That would be fucking amazing. Storylines would be crazy for that one, but like I said, we don't have to worry about Dallas getting there either.

Rayshawn Buchanan: So yeah, I mean, yeah, Denver for sure. This is an outside chance because of their health, but I would love to see us against Phoenix. I think that'd be a phenomenal series. I think that'd be great. 

Bob Kelly: Yeah, I agree. There'd be so much star power in that series. I agree. Yeah, so I 

Rayshawn Buchanan: think that would be awesome to see.

Rayshawn Buchanan: So, you know, we'll, we'll see, but yeah, like Denver for sure, like I said, until someone knocks them off you know, they're going to be, you know, the team, the team to beat in that, in that regard, so, let's let's close this out by getting into the week ahead I'm not, I'm purposely not talking about the five game homestand because I, I feel that we'll be back next week and we can talk about it we can talk about it then.

Rayshawn Buchanan: But, they got Philly tomorrow night, like I said, it was recorded [01:00:00] on Sunday night they have Dallas on on Friday night, and then they have Golden State here on, on Sunday, so just how do you see those games unfolding, and you know, what do you want to see them work on during this homestand?

Bob Kelly: I don't see any reason why they wouldn't win all three. Just based off of what we've seen you know, obviously Golden State's always a struggle. It's a little bit of a rivalry game, so I think you toss the records out. I think you toss out they're struggling. They actually look a little better lately, too.

Bob Kelly: They're playing with that swag again, and I don't know if you saw that pass by Curry behind the back where he wasn't even fucking looking. That was crazy. Crazy, crazy, ridiculous. And just, just, just like the confidence in that pass that he had, man, like, he knew where that shit was going, and that's, that's that swag from Golden State that you gotta worry about I think people at West do have to worry about them if they get that 7 or 8 seed, man one of those top seeds could, could be in trouble early, but, I don't see any [01:01:00] reason why they, they, they shouldn't win all three games here. You know what I mean? And what I'm looking for, man, is the same thing they've been doing. I don't want them to change a goddamn thing. I want them to keep doing EXACTLY what they've been doing. Because goddamn is it working.

Bob Kelly: This team, this team is firing on all cylinders, man. And, actually, I, I, actually got my phone. One thing I do want to see is Or mostly what I want to see them keep up, I guess, is the defensive intensity, man. I think that was one thing that they lost last year a little bit of, and this year they definitely seem to be ramping that back up.

Bob Kelly: You know, you'll be seeing a lot more, like, highlight reel blocks from this squad this year. You know, a lot of big defensive plays that create offense on the other side, which is exactly what got them rolling two years ago. Or I guess, is that? Yeah, two years ago. That's what I want. I want to see lots of defense in the offense, not that they haven't been doing that, but I want to see that keep going.

Rayshawn Buchanan: Yeah, no totally valid. I, [01:02:00] so yeah, obviously, like, you know, we nitpick when a team is doing this well. So yeah, defensive intensity is always going to be at the top because, you know, that has to be your identity as you enter any game, especially in any series. But for me, it's on the offensive end.

Rayshawn Buchanan: Like, I Every game, really the rest of the year that Orsingas is in, I need him to get the ball the first five times. Every game, down the court. Every time. I like it. First five times. Cause that's what we used to do with KG. He would set the tone. Throws him in the post, he's getting fouled, he makes the right pass out of the post.

Rayshawn Buchanan: Like, Portakus can do all that, right? And he shoots better than KG. Just, you know, it's like, it's a different game, obviously. But I mean, damn, they both were super efficient. Obviously, KG was efficient for the mid range. You know, KP, I think, is shooting 52 percent himself from the field and almost 40 percent from three.

Rayshawn Buchanan: So, it's just like, you know, I just, to me, get him the ball early and [01:03:00] often. Especially against Philly and Golden State because they're both super small. Once again, you know, NBA, unfortunately, is still out. They don't have an answer. They don't. And I said Philly is going to go small because they you know, they got Buddy Hill now and, you know, Uber Eats back and, you know, Tobias Harris and so on and so forth.

Rayshawn Buchanan: But Maxie is the guy you got to worry about, obviously. But, I don't, I don't I just like, to me, I'm giving them the ball, and especially if it's going to state, they're not going to soccer ball Moody, and you got Kuminga down there. I'm sorry. It's, it's, it's barbecue chicken. Should be. Every time.

Rayshawn Buchanan: Every time I give him the ball. You know, once again, obviously Draymond would be a better defender on him because Draymond's a smarter defender. But if you're going to put Kuminga on him, like, good, good night. Good night, Irene. So I, to me that's what I want to see. Feed. The post that's the reason why you brought him over here.

Rayshawn Buchanan: He leads the league in post ups post up efficiency. So, let him get the ball the first [01:04:00] five or six down, five or six times down the court. Let JB continue to cook in the first quarter. And then Tatum take over in the second half. So, that, that, that's, that's where I'm at. I want to keep seeing that.

Rayshawn Buchanan: And more, more, I want to see an aggressive Drew Holiday going into the playoffs too. These last 20 games or so. I want to see him, because I feel like he sacrificed the most by far, you could tell. And he can easily get 20 a night. Easily. Easily. So, this team is a lot more dangerous when he's getting 20.

Rayshawn Buchanan: Like them games where they all have 15 or more, that's when it gets spooky. It gets real scary out here for the opponent. So, I just want to see more of that because I'm here for total domination. I don't want to win by three, I want to win by 20. And once again, that's greedy. Agreed. I'm greedy, but that's just where I'm at as we go into.

Rayshawn Buchanan: You know, like I said, this final stretch of the season. Like I said, we'll be back next week to you know, discuss that five game road trip which is their last major road trip of the season. So, any, any last [01:05:00] words on this before we wrap up? 

Bob Kelly: Nah, man, just that it's good to be back talking seeds.

Bob Kelly: You know, we'll definitely be back on here. With you guys for the rest of this, you know, this stretch run, so definitely stick with us, guys, because we got a lot of Celtics to break down over the next few months. We're really, we're really gonna get into it here over the next few months, for sure. Yeah, 

Rayshawn Buchanan: and, like I said at the beginning, just remember to hit that like button, hit that subscribe button you know, make sure, you know, you drop comments as this drops on YouTube if you're listening on Spotify, Apple, iHeartRadio, whatever it may be you know, just make sure that you show that love and, and, and follow us on there so that you don't miss what great content is coming down the pike.

Rayshawn Buchanan: So, he's the Real B. K. Bob Kelly, I'm Hollywood Reporter Sean McCann, and until next time, we'll see ya. Peace!