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OPPOSITION TERRITORY: This NBA Season! · The Philadelphia Sports Table | Philly Sports News & Views

• 0:24
  Speaker 1: Welcome to Opposition Territory here at the Philadelphia Sports Table
• 0:27
  Speaker 1: podcast show, the longest running weekly Philly sports podcast show
• 0:30
  Speaker 1: in the world, over twelve and a half years strong.
• 0:32
  Speaker 1: Got a great discussion coming your way on Opposition Territory
• 0:34
  Speaker 1: this week. Not getting into one particular team as we
• 0:38
  Speaker 1: usually do here on Opposition Territory, but we're gonna be
• 0:40
  Speaker 1: taking a look at storylines in an entire league. In
• 0:43
  Speaker 1: that league being the NBA, it has been a very
• 0:46
  Speaker 1: interesting season, a lot of interesting storylines for us to
• 0:49
  Speaker 1: dive into here on Opposition Territory. We have one of
• 0:53
  Speaker 1: our very good friends. He is host of The Dime
• 0:57
  Speaker 1: NBA podcast, the WTF Live game show, and Internet TV
• 1:03
  Speaker 1: host for Fantasy Smack Talk. We've got our good friend,
• 1:05
  Speaker 1: Josh Rodriguez, my friend. You've got a lot of stuff
• 1:08
  Speaker 1: going on. I know the dime has been taken off
• 1:10
  Speaker 1: for you. Yeah, then, holy cow, brother.
• 1:13
  Speaker 2: It's always been a lot of stuff. I mean, I've
• 1:14
  Speaker 2: been an internet TV host for about a decade now.
• 1:16
  Speaker 2: So you get random gibbs gigs here and there. Uh,
• 1:20
  Speaker 2: you just roll with it. You see what you see
• 1:21
  Speaker 2: what doesn't?
• 1:22
  Speaker 1: You just go with it? Man? Absolutely, man, thanks for
• 1:24
  Speaker 1: coming on man. Always great to see you for sure,
• 1:26
  Speaker 1: Always appreciate it. All right, look, got to get into
• 1:29
  Speaker 1: the Sixers. I always love getting your Sixers viewpoints. And
• 1:32
  Speaker 1: when I've been on the Dime podcast with you, and uh,
• 1:35
  Speaker 1: you know, we we get into the Sixers, we get
• 1:37
  Speaker 1: into the Knicks, the getting the Eastern Conference and it's
• 1:40
  Speaker 1: it's really interesting in the East right now. And I
• 1:43
  Speaker 1: got to ask you about the Sixers, so we Uh,
• 1:47
  Speaker 1: I couldn't have imagined that this season has gone the
• 1:50
  Speaker 1: way that it has being a Sixers fan because so
• 1:52
  Speaker 1: many of us, you know, we we couldn't have cared
• 1:55
  Speaker 1: less about this season Initially before that, you know, first
• 1:59
  Speaker 1: tip off ever happened, got two old men with Joel
• 2:02
  Speaker 1: Embiid Paul George their injuries. We knew it wasn't gonna
• 2:06
  Speaker 1: be necessarily a great watch. But then all of a sudden,
• 2:08
  Speaker 1: the man who continues to develop a year after year
• 2:12
  Speaker 1: after year, Tyrese Maxey becoming that much more of a superstar. VJ.
• 2:16
  Speaker 1: Edgecombe just doing some incredible things as well. And now
• 2:19
  Speaker 1: as Sixers fans, we're looking at a backcourt that is
• 2:22
  Speaker 1: so interesting and has so much potential for the future
• 2:26
  Speaker 1: and at this point in the season. This Sixers team
• 2:29
  Speaker 1: is number five as of us recording this in the East.
• 2:32
  Speaker 1: What are your thoughts on what you have seen from
• 2:34
  Speaker 1: the Sixers thus far this season, Josh, and what you
• 2:37
  Speaker 1: think as an outsider, objective outsider, what the what the
• 2:41
  Speaker 1: outlook is for them?
• 2:43
  Speaker 2: All Right, well, I'm not saying this just to say
• 2:44
  Speaker 2: this because I'm on the podcast. I think the Sixers
• 2:47
  Speaker 2: can win the East, and come on, come on, come on,
• 2:53
  Speaker 2: I think I think if they're healthy now, there's a
• 2:55
  Speaker 2: lot of things that have to go right. You know,
• 2:56
  Speaker 2: of course, there are a lot of things have to
• 2:57
  Speaker 2: go right. If you're to ask me today Josh picking
• 3:00
  Speaker 2: to win the East, It's not going to be the
• 3:01
  Speaker 2: Philadelphia seventy six years. But I do think they are
• 3:04
  Speaker 2: in the conversation with the Detroit Pistons. I do think
• 3:07
  Speaker 2: they're in the conversation with the New York Knicks. I
• 3:09
  Speaker 2: actually think they are a particularly bad matchup for the
• 3:11
  Speaker 2: New York Knicks, and I'd be petrified to play them
• 3:12
  Speaker 2: in a seven games sire. To me, the emergence of
• 3:17
  Speaker 2: Tyree Smaxy vj Edgecombe has just been He's he's a star.
• 3:21
  Speaker 2: This man's gonna be a perennial All Star for his
• 3:23
  Speaker 2: career as long as he's healthy. Joel Embiid looks like
• 3:26
  Speaker 2: he's getting back into shape. He's playing better. And then
• 3:28
  Speaker 2: you know, Paul George doesn't have to be the Poles
• 3:30
  Speaker 2: George that he wasn't in Los Angeles. He can be,
• 3:33
  Speaker 2: you know, your third option. He can hit the three
• 3:35
  Speaker 2: when he's open. He can defend you know, the perimeter
• 3:37
  Speaker 2: when need be. There's not too much pressure on him.
• 3:39
  Speaker 2: And then you have players like Quinton Grimes coming off
• 3:41
  Speaker 2: the bench. The two things I like most about the
• 3:43
  Speaker 2: Philadelphia seventy six ers is their offensive guard play, and
• 3:46
  Speaker 2: then they can flip it on you and also pressure
• 3:48
  Speaker 2: you full court and be one of the better perimeter
• 3:50
  Speaker 2: defendive defensive teams in the league. Yes, Tyrie Smax, he's
• 3:53
  Speaker 2: a good defender for his position. Vjay's good. He's just
• 3:56
  Speaker 2: getting sorry. He's a rookie. Quinton Grimes when he was
• 3:58
  Speaker 2: on the Knicks to used to put him on the
• 4:01
  Speaker 2: best player on the opposite team when he started. He's
• 4:03
  Speaker 2: a fantastic point of attack defender. Paul George is Paul George.
• 4:07
  Speaker 2: We know how he is. You know, I think they
• 4:08
  Speaker 2: need a little more size, yeah, but talent wise, I
• 4:11
  Speaker 2: mean in Eastern Conference, if they're healthy, their ceiling is
• 4:14
  Speaker 2: the NBA Finals in my opinion, Oh my god, they
• 4:17
  Speaker 2: get there right right for sure? Definitely. I mean I
• 4:20
  Speaker 2: think it's Detroit, New York in Philly, Oh my.
• 4:22
  Speaker 1: Gosh, I mean to go into the restroom for a
• 4:24
  Speaker 1: second here and take care of some business. My gosh,
• 4:27
  Speaker 1: talking about Eastern Conference finals and listen.
• 4:30
  Speaker 2: Gosh.
• 4:31
  Speaker 1: Yeah, I know.
• 4:32
  Speaker 2: And I like to say this too. I think a
• 4:34
  Speaker 2: lot of people don't want to say that about the
• 4:36
  Speaker 2: Sixers because I think the Sixers have become a franchise
• 4:38
  Speaker 2: that people just like to hate on. Yes, Like they
• 4:41
  Speaker 2: have that reputation of ha haa Philadelphia and.
• 4:43
  Speaker 1: They burn us fans. Yeah we've been burnt how many times?
• 4:46
  Speaker 1: Second round? You're out out?
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  Speaker 2: And I just think because of that reputation, because of
• 4:51
  Speaker 2: that history, people don't want to believe in them. The
• 4:53
  Speaker 2: fan base doesn't necessarily want to believe. But as from
• 4:56
  Speaker 2: an outsider's perspective, watching the Sixers beat the crap out
• 4:59
  Speaker 2: of my I have watched the six years. I host
• 5:02
  Speaker 2: an MBA podcast, so we keep up with the Sixers.
• 5:04
  Speaker 2: Recap the Sixers game against the Raptors the other night. Yeah,
• 5:06
  Speaker 2: just seeing how just seeing the guard play. I can't
• 5:11
  Speaker 2: stress this enough. Being able to put pressure on the
• 5:14
  Speaker 2: opposing team from full court or in the half court,
• 5:18
  Speaker 2: and they have all the answers that you need in
• 5:20
  Speaker 2: the half court, whether it's Maxie in the pick and roll,
• 5:23
  Speaker 2: or and Beat in the pinch post or driving. They
• 5:25
  Speaker 2: just they have There's no weakness in their rotation outside
• 5:28
  Speaker 2: the fact that maybe you know, you could use a
• 5:31
  Speaker 2: better big than Andre Drummond.
• 5:32
  Speaker 1: Or something right exactly exactly.
• 5:34
  Speaker 2: The Banas go off the bench too, So it's just
• 5:36
  Speaker 2: they They are deep, man, and they are a team
• 5:38
  Speaker 2: that I think if they are healthy, now that's a
• 5:40
  Speaker 2: huge if we don't know what it's look like. Yes,
• 5:42
  Speaker 2: if they're healthy, it would not shock me if they're
• 5:44
  Speaker 2: in the Eastern Pomace.
• 5:45
  Speaker 1: I gotta have my co host Eric listen to the beginning,
• 5:49
  Speaker 1: the first like seven minutes of this podcast to be like, yeah,
• 5:52
  Speaker 1: what do you think of Josh's assessment, because he's got
• 5:55
  Speaker 1: he he is our NBA guy on this podcast platform,
• 5:58
  Speaker 1: and we actually haven't talked about it yet on our
• 6:00
  Speaker 1: regular show. We're gonna be talking this week about the
• 6:03
  Speaker 1: Sixers and a lot of details gonna be I'm gonna
• 6:05
  Speaker 1: bring you up, and I'm gonna bring up this conversation.
• 6:07
  Speaker 2: I hear what he says. Yes, I mean, listen, I
• 6:11
  Speaker 2: know how Philadelphia sports fans are.
• 6:12
  Speaker 1: I know how.
• 6:14
  Speaker 2: And the Eagles just lost this weekend, so it's Tuesday
• 6:16
  Speaker 2: in Philly.
• 6:17
  Speaker 1: We are down trodden. Yeah, absolutely do it.
• 6:21
  Speaker 2: But but I listen, the Sixers are good. This gouya
• 6:23
  Speaker 2: stay healthy and the specific that stay healthy.
• 6:25
  Speaker 1: Absolutely absolutely. Look. Look, you're you're wearing a Knicks hat.
• 6:29
  Speaker 1: You are a Knicks fan, true, true fan, have been
• 6:33
  Speaker 1: for so many years. I mean you basically were born
• 6:36
  Speaker 1: a Knicks fan, if I'm not mistaken, right, And yeah, yeah,
• 6:40
  Speaker 1: this next team, they're number two in the East right
• 6:43
  Speaker 1: now as of us recording this. And boy, it's like,
• 6:45
  Speaker 1: as as much as I hate to say it, I'm
• 6:47
  Speaker 1: gonna be honest with you, just like you were with
• 6:49
  Speaker 1: the Sixers with with me. I mean, they are a
• 6:51
  Speaker 1: fun team to watch. I do believe the Knicks are
• 6:53
  Speaker 1: a fun team to watch. It We're gonna We're gonna
• 6:55
  Speaker 1: get to a topic in a little bit of how
• 6:57
  Speaker 1: the NBA is changing in terms of what superstardom looks
• 7:01
  Speaker 1: like and what teams need to do, how they need
• 7:03
  Speaker 1: to be to win on the court. But they're tough.
• 7:07
  Speaker 1: The Knicks are a tough, physical, defensively connected team, yet
• 7:12
  Speaker 1: sometimes they're inconsistent on offense as well. And I'm wondering,
• 7:16
  Speaker 1: does this core of this Knicks team, Josh have or
• 7:20
  Speaker 1: a real championship ceiling or are we see just a
• 7:23
  Speaker 1: real talented group of players that needs kind of a
• 7:27
  Speaker 1: fundamental shift to kind of get over the top. You know,
• 7:29
  Speaker 1: how are you assessing things here in mid January with
• 7:33
  Speaker 1: this next team here?
• 7:34
  Speaker 2: I think the Knicks have the highest floor out of
• 7:36
  Speaker 2: all the Eastern CONTs hi high ceiling, I'm sorry enough
• 7:39
  Speaker 2: floor high ceiling out of all the Eastern Concress teams.
• 7:41
  Speaker 2: I think that if you were to tell me an
• 7:43
  Speaker 2: Eastern Conference team won the championship, I would play it
• 7:46
  Speaker 2: was probably the next I don't thinkin I think Detroit
• 7:48
  Speaker 2: winn the East, but I don't think they can win
• 7:49
  Speaker 2: it all. You know, we said we said about Philadelphia,
• 7:52
  Speaker 2: but I do think the Knicks, as far as the
• 7:54
  Speaker 2: ceiling is concerned as well high. The problem I had
• 7:55
  Speaker 2: with the Knicks is I think their.
• 7:56
  Speaker 1: Floor is lower.
• 7:59
  Speaker 2: Like if you tell me, like the Nicks got knocked
• 8:01
  Speaker 2: down in the second round, yeah, I'd be like, oh yeah, okay,
• 8:03
  Speaker 2: I said, because they are inconsistent. So it's one of
• 8:05
  Speaker 2: those things where you know you know what you're getting
• 8:08
  Speaker 2: from certain teams, right Like, I know what I'm getting.
• 8:09
  Speaker 1: From the Nuggets, right exactly.
• 8:12
  Speaker 2: I know what I'm gonna get from the Thunder, even
• 8:13
  Speaker 2: though they'retruggle right now, I know what I'm getting from
• 8:15
  Speaker 2: the Thunder. You know what you're getting from certain contenders.
• 8:17
  Speaker 2: With the Knicks, to me, it's like one game they
• 8:20
  Speaker 2: look fantastic and then the next game it's just like
• 8:23
  Speaker 2: we can't guard anybody. And so that's where it's kind
• 8:27
  Speaker 2: of scary for me. You know, we've had more injuries
• 8:29
  Speaker 2: this year than we had last year, but I will
• 8:31
  Speaker 2: say that this team is overall, even though the record
• 8:34
  Speaker 2: is around the same as it was last year, I'm
• 8:36
  Speaker 2: more confident this year. Last year, the Knicks could not
• 8:38
  Speaker 2: beat anybody worth the damn. I mean, they lost every
• 8:40
  Speaker 2: game in the regular season to the Celtics, they lost
• 8:42
  Speaker 2: every game in the regular season against the Thunder. They
• 8:44
  Speaker 2: lost every game the regular season against the Cavaliers. The
• 8:46
  Speaker 2: lost every game. They didn't beat the Warriors, they didn't
• 8:48
  Speaker 2: beat the Lakers, they didn't beat any good team throughout
• 8:50
  Speaker 2: the year. They were one to three against the Pistons.
• 8:53
  Speaker 2: So going into the playoffs last year, don't I remember
• 8:55
  Speaker 2: we had a conversation. I was like, right before they
• 8:56
  Speaker 2: played the Celtics, I'm like, I'd be surprised if they
• 8:59
  Speaker 2: win a game. Yeah, I don't know how they won
• 9:00
  Speaker 2: that series, but they did.
• 9:01
  Speaker 1: They did. Yeah. I mean there was a lot of
• 9:04
  Speaker 1: perseverance too, And I think that's another underlying theme of
• 9:06
  Speaker 1: this next team. Is that perseverance, I think is what
• 9:09
  Speaker 1: gets them to that high ceiling.
• 9:10
  Speaker 2: Yeah, I agree. And also they're moving to basketball more.
• 9:12
  Speaker 2: Jalen Brunston's playing off the ball more when they are
• 9:15
  Speaker 2: getting into trouble to when they revert back to last
• 9:16
  Speaker 2: year's habits with Jalen Brunton town in the basketball and
• 9:19
  Speaker 2: going one on one, and if they stay away from that,
• 9:22
  Speaker 2: I think that they'll be better off for it. Also,
• 9:25
  Speaker 2: the bench this year is way better. Jordan Clarson's finally
• 9:28
  Speaker 2: settled day and Tyler Kollik has been a revelation as
• 9:30
  Speaker 2: a backup point guard to me, I just think this
• 9:35
  Speaker 2: is a better team than they were last year. I
• 9:37
  Speaker 2: think they're a mentally tough team. The only question I
• 9:39
  Speaker 2: really have the going in the playoffs is like, all right,
• 9:41
  Speaker 2: is Jalen Brunston going to be exposed on the defensive end?
• 9:43
  Speaker 2: Is Carlthony Town's going to exposed on the defensive end?
• 9:46
  Speaker 2: But if they could hold their own defensively, this team
• 9:48
  Speaker 2: could absolutely, in my mind, go to the NBA Finals.
• 9:50
  Speaker 1: Yeah, it's really amazing where this next team has gone
• 9:53
  Speaker 1: over the course of the past three years here. And
• 9:57
  Speaker 1: it's not just a flash of the pan, of course,
• 9:59
  Speaker 1: it's because of talent like Brunson that is just absolutely kill.
• 10:04
  Speaker 1: He's killer. He's killer. He really is man, he really
• 10:07
  Speaker 1: is so dude. Before we go to break though, I
• 10:10
  Speaker 1: want to get into some bigger picture NBA storylines with
• 10:14
  Speaker 1: you here, Josh. I mean, we talked about the Knicks,
• 10:17
  Speaker 1: you know, you mentioned the thunder the Pistons there. They're
• 10:20
  Speaker 1: having a great year so far, especially you know, from
• 10:22
  Speaker 1: a record standpoint, But thinking long term, like down the road,
• 10:26
  Speaker 1: like when we look back at this NBA season saved
• 10:29
  Speaker 1: like ten years from now, what do you think this
• 10:32
  Speaker 1: season will be remembered for what are your thoughts here?
• 10:36
  Speaker 2: I do the season is going to be remembered for
• 10:38
  Speaker 2: the beginning of the Spurs Thunder rivalry. Oh okay, that's
• 10:42
  Speaker 2: happened in the Western Conference. I think that these two
• 10:44
  Speaker 2: teams are pretty much destined to meet in the playoffs,
• 10:46
  Speaker 2: whether it's the Western Conference Finals or Many Finals or whatnot.
• 10:50
  Speaker 2: I think they're gonna be nemesis for a really long
• 10:52
  Speaker 2: time to come. These are two teams that have been
• 10:54
  Speaker 2: built from the ground up. You know, got some luck
• 10:56
  Speaker 2: in the draft as far as the lottery's concerned. They
• 10:59
  Speaker 2: hit on their draft, picked their young teams, young talent.
• 11:01
  Speaker 2: The Thunder already have a championship. The Spurs, I mean,
• 11:04
  Speaker 2: if they're healthy, I don't know how you argue that
• 11:06
  Speaker 2: they don't win a championship eventually, Yeah, exactly so. So
• 11:10
  Speaker 2: for me, I think when we look back on this
• 11:12
  Speaker 2: year specifically, it's going to be the year that Wenby
• 11:15
  Speaker 2: went of the against the defending champions, the Oklahoma City Thunder. Now,
• 11:18
  Speaker 2: whether they win that series or not, I don't know,
• 11:20
  Speaker 2: but that's what it's going to be the beginning of.
• 11:22
  Speaker 2: And then also, you know, my prediction was that the
• 11:25
  Speaker 2: Denver Nuggets actually end up winning the whole thing anyway,
• 11:27
  Speaker 2: So Nuggets win, you know, it's another notch on belt.
• 11:32
  Speaker 2: It's kind of where he goes from the conversation up. Yeah,
• 11:34
  Speaker 2: he's definitely one of the grace of all times. Like
• 11:35
  Speaker 2: all right, now, where do we put him?
• 11:37
  Speaker 1: Exactly?
• 11:39
  Speaker 2: But a lot of it also just depends on, like
• 11:41
  Speaker 2: who wins the championship, right, So, like I can guess
• 11:44
  Speaker 2: narratives based off the predictions that I have, but until
• 11:47
  Speaker 2: you know, we get to the NBA Finals, we really
• 11:49
  Speaker 2: don't know. Because who knew last year that the Indiana
• 11:51
  Speaker 2: Pacers would be one game away from one in the
• 11:53
  Speaker 2: NBA fives.
• 11:53
  Speaker 1: Yeah, exactly, exactly. Seriously spurs thunder that rivalry. I mean,
• 11:59
  Speaker 1: that's that's fine basketball. If you're a basketball fan, that's
• 12:02
  Speaker 1: fun basketball.
• 12:03
  Speaker 2: You're playing right now?
• 12:04
  Speaker 1: I know, Well, we are going to go to break
• 12:07
  Speaker 1: here and then we're gonna finish our conversation after the
• 12:11
  Speaker 1: break so that we can actually finish the rest of
• 12:13
  Speaker 1: that game and finish watching it as well. But again,
• 12:16
  Speaker 1: you gotta listen to the Dime Great NBA podcast, folks,
• 12:20
  Speaker 1: get out there, search it the whole he's the host
• 12:24
  Speaker 1: he is fantastic. Josh tell us where folks can find
• 12:26
  Speaker 1: you on the interwebs that they want to connect with you.
• 12:29
  Speaker 2: Yeah, I'm everywhere at Josh Underscore Ardi because on the Score,
• 12:31
  Speaker 2: Follow the Dime, Everywhere at the Dime NBA. Those are
• 12:34
  Speaker 2: our social handles and then our YouTube pages The Dime
• 12:36
  Speaker 2: with Josh and Quab, Quab and I. We do nightly
• 12:39
  Speaker 2: reactions to the biggest games of the night. We do
• 12:41
  Speaker 2: power rankings. Every Friday. We do a we call it
• 12:44
  Speaker 2: the Dimebag with a mailbag segment where we take the
• 12:46
  Speaker 2: best comments start the week and respond to them. You know,
• 12:48
  Speaker 2: we want to go live, we want to do other
• 12:50
  Speaker 2: things with the channel as well. We're just continuing to grow.
• 12:53
  Speaker 2: So yeah, make sure you subscribe.
• 12:54
  Speaker 1: Awesome, awesome, And if you are watching us on YouTube,
• 12:57
  Speaker 1: folks like and subscribe. Also, you can hit the bell
• 12:59
  Speaker 1: to be notified we post new videos. You can find
• 13:02
  Speaker 1: us on various social sites as well. We are over
• 13:04
  Speaker 1: on Instagram, Twitter, slash x. Not too sure how long
• 13:07
  Speaker 1: I'm gonna be over there anymore. Quite frankly over on
• 13:11
  Speaker 1: TikTok at mister Jeff Warren, Facebook threads. Blue Sky can
• 13:16
  Speaker 1: search out the Philadelphia Sports Table. We'd love it if
• 13:19
  Speaker 1: you'd follow us. So we're gonna take a break now.
• 13:20
  Speaker 1: When we get back, we got more NBA talk coming
• 13:23
  Speaker 1: your way. All right, we are back with our good
• 13:26
  Speaker 1: friend Josh Rodriguez from the Dime NBA podcast. Great great
• 13:31
  Speaker 1: podcast that really has been blowing up as of late.
• 13:34
  Speaker 1: Always good talking with him about NBA themes, the Eastern Conference.
• 13:37
  Speaker 1: But as we're moving along with this conversation here, nothing
• 13:42
  Speaker 1: lasts forever in basketball, Josh, and there are always teams
• 13:46
  Speaker 1: that are in that building mode. You know, We've we've
• 13:49
  Speaker 1: seen it. We've seen it with both of our teams.
• 13:50
  Speaker 1: Sixers have been in what seems like a forever building mode.
• 13:54
  Speaker 1: The Knicks have certainly been there as well. We see
• 13:57
  Speaker 1: it time and time again. And I think we can
• 13:59
  Speaker 1: even look at perhaps the Detroit Pistons, Uh, what they've
• 14:03
  Speaker 1: done over the past few years is one of those
• 14:05
  Speaker 1: building teams. So I'm wondering which which organization do you
• 14:09
  Speaker 1: think is actually quietly building something special here in the
• 14:13
  Speaker 1: NBA that really isn't getting enough attention at this point
• 14:15
  Speaker 1: in time.
• 14:16
  Speaker 2: Utah Jazz, Yeah, Cante George is turning into a star.
• 14:21
  Speaker 2: I think Ace Bailey is going to be a very
• 14:23
  Speaker 2: serviceable basketball player. I don't know what you plan on
• 14:24
  Speaker 2: doing with Lori Marknen. You know, there's he's been discussed
• 14:28
  Speaker 2: in trade talks, especially the Golden State, you know, for
• 14:31
  Speaker 2: the past three years, like all right, God, just make
• 14:32
  Speaker 2: out already, just do it. Go. Yeah, I don't know,
• 14:36
  Speaker 2: you know what they plan on doing with him. But
• 14:38
  Speaker 2: you know, Danny Inge is going to get the draft capital,
• 14:40
  Speaker 2: He's going to get the cab space, you know, I
• 14:43
  Speaker 2: know that. I don't don't Quob has this conspiracy that
• 14:46
  Speaker 2: ag debands there from b YU. You know, went to
• 14:50
  Speaker 2: b YU and then Utah is going to try to
• 14:52
  Speaker 2: find a way to get him.
• 14:53
  Speaker 1: So I love the conspiracy theory.
• 14:54
  Speaker 2: Yeah, that's conspiracy. I don't know how they're going to
• 14:57
  Speaker 2: get him right now. You know, they have to slide
• 14:59
  Speaker 2: a little bit in lo to get him, but they're
• 15:01
  Speaker 2: going to get a top tier draft pick next year.
• 15:04
  Speaker 2: I think they're quietly putting together a team that, you know,
• 15:08
  Speaker 2: eventually like kind of like with the Spurs. The Spurs
• 15:11
  Speaker 2: kind of we're treading water for a little bit. Last year.
• 15:13
  Speaker 2: There were a few games low five hundred. Now, all
• 15:15
  Speaker 2: of a sudden it's like, oh my god, your contender
• 15:17
  Speaker 2: is like it, how that happened? And also the Spurs
• 15:21
  Speaker 2: are also good without women Yama too, So it's not
• 15:22
  Speaker 2: one hundred percent just Wemby, right, I'm Walker, like Walker Kessler,
• 15:28
  Speaker 2: who they think they're going to start. They'll probably trade
• 15:30
  Speaker 2: Kessler for some picks in draft capital. Uh. They have
• 15:33
  Speaker 2: a really Walter Clayton. That's another person, Walter Clayton, who's
• 15:36
  Speaker 2: just a he's a gamer, he's a winner who I
• 15:37
  Speaker 2: think could be a a backup guard and a contending team. Yeah,
• 15:40
  Speaker 2: they're just slowly quietly building a team that I think
• 15:43
  Speaker 2: can contend later down the road. Just no one talks
• 15:46
  Speaker 2: about him because they're Utah.
• 15:47
  Speaker 1: I love it. If you're watching on on a YouTube,
• 15:50
  Speaker 1: you know, leave us a comment, let us know what
• 15:51
  Speaker 1: you're thinking about here in terms of an organization, a
• 15:55
  Speaker 1: team that is really quietly building something here. I'd love
• 15:58
  Speaker 1: to hear from you again, leave a comment uh here
• 16:01
  Speaker 1: on YouTube, And if you're listening to us on whatever
• 16:04
  Speaker 1: podcast platform you're on. Philadelphia Sports Table at gmail dot com,
• 16:07
  Speaker 1: we'd love to read your email here on the show
• 16:09
  Speaker 1: and respond to it. And as we're moving along here too,
• 16:13
  Speaker 1: you know, I've been thinking a lot about various teams
• 16:15
  Speaker 1: and their culture. Some teams have pretty damn good culture.
• 16:18
  Speaker 1: Other teams really do not. You know, players, coaches, and
• 16:21
  Speaker 1: front offices are always being tested in some capacity. Some
• 16:26
  Speaker 1: do a better job at moving out in front of
• 16:28
  Speaker 1: whatever roadblocks may be in front of them. Others are
• 16:31
  Speaker 1: just stagnant. In the NBA as well, whether it's overcoming injuries,
• 16:35
  Speaker 1: you know, there's team chemistry issues at times. You know
• 16:38
  Speaker 1: who's going to be the next man up after an
• 16:40
  Speaker 1: injury or so. So, Josh, what what what team's culture
• 16:44
  Speaker 1: do you think is really being tested the most this season?
• 16:48
  Speaker 1: And why here?
• 16:50
  Speaker 2: Well, being tested the most. I'll give you one that's
• 16:52
  Speaker 2: passing and one that's failing. Okay, a team that's passed
• 16:55
  Speaker 2: right now is the Boston Celtics. I hate it. You
• 16:57
  Speaker 2: hate it. We hate it. Yeah, person listening to the
• 16:59
  Speaker 2: show hates it. We all we can all hate Boston together.
• 17:02
  Speaker 2: But they lost in six last years the New York Knicks.
• 17:04
  Speaker 2: They lost Jason Tatum. This was going to be a
• 17:06
  Speaker 2: gap year. This was supposed to be a year where
• 17:08
  Speaker 2: the Celtics just kind of like coast, you know, see
• 17:11
  Speaker 2: what they have maybe trade Anthony Simon's at the deadline
• 17:14
  Speaker 2: for something, Maybe see if you want to keep him,
• 17:16
  Speaker 2: hold them tryouts for some people. You don't know if
• 17:17
  Speaker 2: you want to keep Perzingis is gone, Hortford's gone, just
• 17:20
  Speaker 2: a different And now all of a sudden, they're third
• 17:22
  Speaker 2: in the East. Black game for the Knicks, and people
• 17:24
  Speaker 2: are talking as if they could go to the Eastern
• 17:25
  Speaker 2: Conference finals. Now I don't think they're a contender at all. Yeah,
• 17:28
  Speaker 2: you know, right now, there are already three teams in
• 17:30
  Speaker 2: the East I think can come out of the East,
• 17:32
  Speaker 2: and that's the Knicks, Pistons, and Sixers. But just the
• 17:34
  Speaker 2: fact that they're third and right now projected to go
• 17:37
  Speaker 2: to the second round, Yeah, it's crazy. And it just
• 17:40
  Speaker 2: goes to show you you know that the foundation, you know,
• 17:43
  Speaker 2: in that organization's there. You lose a bunch of players,
• 17:45
  Speaker 2: you use the best player, you lose your important big men.
• 17:48
  Speaker 2: Yet Jalen Brown comes out, he's having an MVP type season,
• 17:51
  Speaker 2: and everybody Huban Gonzalez rookie steps up. Jordan Walsh, who
• 17:54
  Speaker 2: has only got playing time throw us career steps up.
• 17:56
  Speaker 2: That's culture, and so they're passing with Flying Colors team
• 18:00
  Speaker 2: that is being tested and is losing and then is
• 18:02
  Speaker 2: failing right now? Is the Cleveland Cavaliers. What happened to you? Yes, Cleveland,
• 18:06
  Speaker 2: what is going on with you? Yes, you need to talk.
• 18:08
  Speaker 2: You were supposed to be better than this. I thought
• 18:10
  Speaker 2: you were better than this. You had one of the
• 18:12
  Speaker 2: better regular seasons of all time in your franchise last year,
• 18:15
  Speaker 2: lost in the playoffs of the Indiana Pacers, and all
• 18:17
  Speaker 2: yell are hurt this year going into it. You hear
• 18:20
  Speaker 2: and talks right now. Even today, I was reading something
• 18:21
  Speaker 2: about DeAndre Hunter not wanting to be in Cleveland at all.
• 18:24
  Speaker 1: I know, how about that? Yeah, geez.
• 18:27
  Speaker 2: Darius Garland's constantly trading block. Jared Allen is lost favorite
• 18:31
  Speaker 2: with the fans. Donovan Mitchell is having a great year.
• 18:33
  Speaker 2: He's the only thing that seems to be going right
• 18:34
  Speaker 2: with them.
• 18:35
  Speaker 1: Yeah.
• 18:36
  Speaker 2: You bring in Lonzo Ball, He's been a failure as
• 18:38
  Speaker 2: far as an acquisition. I thought he'd be great. He wasn't.
• 18:41
  Speaker 2: You know. They don't play with the same type of energy.
• 18:43
  Speaker 2: They're not moving to the basketball like they used to.
• 18:44
  Speaker 2: They look at a completely different team half the time.
• 18:46
  Speaker 2: Now they've been playing better, but very disappointed with Cleveland.
• 18:49
  Speaker 2: And how they've handled aniversary so far.
• 18:51
  Speaker 1: There's no chip on their shoulder at all. Right, it's
• 18:53
  Speaker 1: just you guys, Yeah, yeah, absolutely, all right, Well, buddy,
• 18:57
  Speaker 1: before I let you go here, you know, we liked
• 18:59
  Speaker 1: to talk on this podcast platform every now and again
• 19:02
  Speaker 1: about how various leagues, whether it's the NFL or whether
• 19:05
  Speaker 1: it's the NHL, even the NBA here, how how times
• 19:09
  Speaker 1: change and different eras produce different types of play with
• 19:13
  Speaker 1: a particular sport. It's interesting how we're just seeing more
• 19:16
  Speaker 1: and more teams in the NBA using that more deep,
• 19:21
  Speaker 1: the more deeper, and more balanced roster to see success
• 19:25
  Speaker 1: in the NBA, and it seems like the big three
• 19:27
  Speaker 1: model really has been in decline. I think it's safe
• 19:30
  Speaker 1: to say that for sure. I know, I know. And
• 19:34
  Speaker 1: it's like, like, are we at that tipping point now
• 19:37
  Speaker 1: with the NBA where we're now out of that big
• 19:39
  Speaker 1: three model era and now into the next era basically
• 19:43
  Speaker 1: the dynamic duo we're seeing it with the sixers, that
• 19:47
  Speaker 1: more balanced roster here? Are we really at that tipping
• 19:50
  Speaker 1: point right now? What are your thoughts here?
• 19:52
  Speaker 2: One Drew even I would even argue that you don't
• 19:54
  Speaker 2: even need a duo yeah, I mean the Pacers last
• 19:57
  Speaker 2: year with Halliburton, Yeah, maybe you can consider him and
• 19:59
  Speaker 2: Siyakama do will, but it was just more like a machine.
• 20:02
  Speaker 2: The Thunder have SGA, but they're more like a machine.
• 20:05
  Speaker 2: You need that. You need that star, don't get me wrong,
• 20:07
  Speaker 2: like you absolutely need that star. But to me, it's
• 20:10
  Speaker 2: just kind of how many players can you put on
• 20:13
  Speaker 2: the court who could defend the perimeter, and that includes
• 20:15
  Speaker 2: big guys defend the perimeter? Can you switch? Can you
• 20:18
  Speaker 2: hit the three ball when you're open? That that's really
• 20:21
  Speaker 2: all it is. It's like, can you get eight to
• 20:22
  Speaker 2: ten guys who can defend and hit the three? Because
• 20:25
  Speaker 2: the more guys you can put out there who can
• 20:26
  Speaker 2: do that and change the game and hit the three
• 20:28
  Speaker 2: ball when they're open, you know, the better your teams are.
• 20:31
  Speaker 2: You look at the teams that are great right now,
• 20:33
  Speaker 2: it's pretty much teams that can hit the three and
• 20:36
  Speaker 2: defend the perimeter. And that's why I like the Sixers
• 20:38
  Speaker 2: so much because they have all that.
• 20:39
  Speaker 1: Yeah.
• 20:40
  Speaker 2: So yeah, I think we've completely moved past a Big
• 20:43
  Speaker 2: three era and I think we moved into an era
• 20:45
  Speaker 2: where being in deep matters, having a bench matters because
• 20:48
  Speaker 2: coaches want to play. You have to play your bench
• 20:51
  Speaker 2: now because of the way the game is played. You're
• 20:52
  Speaker 2: not guarding just the paint anymore. It's not the ninth
• 20:55
  Speaker 2: You're guarding like literally from thirty five forty feet out
• 20:57
  Speaker 2: sometimes full court.
• 20:58
  Speaker 1: Yeah exactly.
• 21:00
  Speaker 2: So, yeah, you need more players. You do need that star,
• 21:03
  Speaker 2: but it's more important to have the three and D
• 21:05
  Speaker 2: types and you know, the lockdown defenders like an Alex Caruso.
• 21:09
  Speaker 1: Yes, like that, absolutely, boy, great way to end it again, folks.
• 21:13
  Speaker 1: Josh Rodriguez from the Dime NBA podcast, I listen on
• 21:18
  Speaker 1: Apple Podcast. Listen to on whatever podcast platform you are
• 21:22
  Speaker 1: listening to us on. Search them out, subscribe. You're also
• 21:24
  Speaker 1: on YouTube, right.
• 21:26
  Speaker 2: Yeah, YouTube where we're mainly at now. Okay, so if
• 21:30
  Speaker 2: you can subscribe on YouTube, that'd be perfect. I mean,
• 21:32
  Speaker 2: we're also in the audience there. We have a couple
• 21:34
  Speaker 2: of fans who comment on all of our videos. It's fun.
• 21:36
  Speaker 1: We're having any time with it. It's always fun to
• 21:38
  Speaker 1: do this. And Josh, man, it was great to see you.
• 21:40
  Speaker 1: Great to talk basketball with you. Man. Come back join
• 21:44
  Speaker 1: me again. I'd love to talk more NBA with you.
• 21:47
  Speaker 1: Then come back and join us. In the future. Man.
• 21:49
  Speaker 2: All right, Jeff, if we play you guys in the
• 21:50
  Speaker 2: playoffs and no hard feelings, I might change my tone
• 21:53
  Speaker 2: a little bit. We'll see.
• 21:57
  Speaker 1: That's gonna do it for us here on Opposition Territory
• 22:00
  Speaker 1: this week. Please share our podcast with your friends and
• 22:03
  Speaker 1: family members who are Philly sports fans or sports fans
• 22:06
  Speaker 1: in general. We thank you our listeners for being part
• 22:09
  Speaker 1: of this online community with us and within this space.
• 22:13
  Speaker 1: Make sure to check out our website, Philadelphia Sportstable dot
• 22:16
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• 22:19
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• 22:21
  Speaker 1: at Philadelphia PST, on threads at Philadelphia Sports Table, and
• 22:26
  Speaker 1: over on Instagram as well at Philadelphia Sports Table. Take care,
• 22:30
  Speaker 1: we will catch you next time.