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TABLE TALK: NBA Drama, Viewership, And Storylines · The Philadelphia Sports Table | Philly Sports News & Views

• 0:00
  Speaker 1: What's up, everybody. It's Jeff here.
• 0:02
  Speaker 2: I wanted to let you know that we've recorded this
• 0:04
  Speaker 2: Table Talk podcast interview on Monday, March tenth, twenty twenty five.
• 0:09
  Speaker 2: By the time you hear this, some things may have
• 0:11
  Speaker 2: changed here or there, but we hope you enjoy the show.
• 0:34
  Speaker 2: Welcome to Table Talk here at the Philadelphia Sports Table
• 0:37
  Speaker 2: podcast Show, the longest running weekly Philly sports podcast show
• 0:41
  Speaker 2: in the world.
• 0:42
  Speaker 1: Next month it's gonna be twelve years.
• 0:44
  Speaker 2: It's gonna be celebrating that twelve year anniversary. We've got
• 0:47
  Speaker 2: some great stuff coming your way here at the PST
• 0:49
  Speaker 2: podcast Show. But before we celebrate that twelve year anniversary,
• 0:53
  Speaker 2: we've got a great Table Talk interview and discussion here
• 0:56
  Speaker 2: this week. We're gonna be getting into some NBA talk
• 0:59
  Speaker 2: in general. Well, a lot of storylines. What does the
• 1:01
  Speaker 2: Eastern Conference look like? And Yeah, we're going to start
• 1:04
  Speaker 2: off the discussion talking about Lebron James steven A.
• 1:07
  Speaker 1: Smith.
• 1:07
  Speaker 2: It's an interesting storyline beyond what what is talked about
• 1:11
  Speaker 2: in the media in general. So let's get to the
• 1:13
  Speaker 2: conversation right now. Joining us this week to get into
• 1:17
  Speaker 2: some NBA talk. There's a lot of great storylines going
• 1:20
  Speaker 2: on in this league. And we've got one of our
• 1:22
  Speaker 2: very good friends of the podcast.
• 1:25
  Speaker 1: He's joined us a number of times. You've got Jack Simone. Jack.
• 1:27
  Speaker 3: How you doing, Buddy, I'm great, Thank you for having
• 1:30
  Speaker 3: me on the show. I appreciate you. Happy to be back.
• 1:32
  Speaker 1: It's great to have you.
• 1:34
  Speaker 2: And look, I know you're over at fan Sided now,
• 1:36
  Speaker 2: so let's get these promos going hero And I know
• 1:39
  Speaker 2: you're doing a Celtics podcast as well. If people want
• 1:42
  Speaker 2: to do some hating on the Celtics at least from
• 1:44
  Speaker 2: our listeners, standpoint here. Let everybody know where they can
• 1:47
  Speaker 2: find you on the interwebs out there, Jack.
• 1:50
  Speaker 3: Yeah, all my written work is at Hardwood houdi need
• 1:52
  Speaker 3: dot com, which is a fantaity website, so you can
• 1:54
  Speaker 3: find all the written content there. My Celtics podcast is
• 1:57
  Speaker 3: how about Them Celtics. We post videos every day. Full
• 1:59
  Speaker 3: POD's our plus is Sunday, Tuesday thirty Thursday.
• 2:02
  Speaker 4: Excuse me.
• 2:03
  Speaker 3: I do that with sam La France, who writes at
• 2:04
  Speaker 3: Celtics Blog, which is where I used to write. And
• 2:06
  Speaker 3: then I do a bunch of like short form content
• 2:08
  Speaker 3: now to like little videos explaining plays differently to see
• 2:10
  Speaker 3: in Celtics games. So that's just on all my socials,
• 2:13
  Speaker 3: which is Jackson one, NBA, Twitter, TikTok, Instagram and YouTube.
• 2:17
  Speaker 1: That's awesome.
• 2:18
  Speaker 2: I honestly, I think you need to start doing that
• 2:20
  Speaker 2: for a Sixers fans too, so that the coaching staff
• 2:24
  Speaker 2: understands what they need to do with some of the
• 2:26
  Speaker 2: talent they have. On the team topic for another day, probably,
• 2:30
  Speaker 2: but look, I wanted to dive into some NBA storylines
• 2:33
  Speaker 2: with you, Jack and the first one I really want
• 2:37
  Speaker 2: to talk about the drama surrounding Lebron James steven A.
• 2:40
  Speaker 1: Smith. As many know, Steven A. Smith from ESPN has been.
• 2:44
  Speaker 2: Pretty relentless at times when it comes to his criticism
• 2:47
  Speaker 2: of Lebron's son, Bronni James and the only reason why
• 2:51
  Speaker 2: Broni's in the NBA is because of his dad, which yes,
• 2:53
  Speaker 2: I mean that is the truth. So I'm wondering, you know,
• 2:56
  Speaker 2: as we've kind of been following this quote drama over
• 2:59
  Speaker 2: the past few days, you know, what, what are your
• 3:01
  Speaker 2: thoughts on this situation and where people are in terms of,
• 3:05
  Speaker 2: you know, taking Lebron's side on this, taking Stephen A's
• 3:09
  Speaker 2: Smith's side on this, Like where are you with this
• 3:12
  Speaker 2: in particular, and you know, have you have you kind
• 3:14
  Speaker 2: of given it any thought as it deals with sports
• 3:16
  Speaker 2: nepotism things like that.
• 3:17
  Speaker 1: What are your thoughts?
• 3:18
  Speaker 3: Yeah, I do think I feel a little bad for
• 3:21
  Speaker 3: Brownie because like he didn't really ask for any of this,
• 3:23
  Speaker 3: Like it kind of sucks from his perspective to be
• 3:25
  Speaker 3: thrown at this. And when you look at his numbers
• 3:27
  Speaker 3: in the G League, like he's been really really good
• 3:29
  Speaker 3: when he's been given an opportunity to play in the
• 3:31
  Speaker 3: GD Like I look at it here, played eight games
• 3:33
  Speaker 3: averaging twenty one five and five on forty five thirty
• 3:36
  Speaker 3: nine splits.
• 3:37
  Speaker 4: That's really really good.
• 3:38
  Speaker 3: Yeah, it's just feels like he's being kept in LA
• 3:42
  Speaker 3: and on the big roster as like a zoo animal almost,
• 3:45
  Speaker 3: like he's kind of just like a It's a.
• 3:47
  Speaker 4: Good way to describe it exactly. And I feel bad
• 3:50
  Speaker 4: from perspective.
• 3:51
  Speaker 3: So maybe if you want to criticize Lebron for that,
• 3:53
  Speaker 3: and like I guess, but I think And there was
• 3:56
  Speaker 3: like a clip that surfaced to Lebron when he was
• 3:57
  Speaker 3: in Boston talking to Richard Jefferson.
• 3:59
  Speaker 4: I think it was he was like, you know, it's fine, blah,
• 4:01
  Speaker 4: blahah But as soon as you like.
• 4:02
  Speaker 3: Say, like as a father, I come to you, that's
• 4:04
  Speaker 3: where I draw a line and I get it from
• 4:05
  Speaker 3: that perspective. Like Stephnay's job is to talk about basketball,
• 4:09
  Speaker 3: to talk about that type of stuff, and he's gotten
• 4:11
  Speaker 3: to the point where he can like talk about other
• 4:12
  Speaker 3: stuff and it'll get clicks too. But when he starts
• 4:15
  Speaker 3: like attacking Lebron or I don't even know if it
• 4:18
  Speaker 3: was attacking, but like talking about it is like is
• 4:20
  Speaker 3: if Lebron is a bad father? Like that, that's when
• 4:22
  Speaker 3: it can be made personal because you made it personal
• 4:24
  Speaker 3: by taking it to that realm. And so I get
• 4:26
  Speaker 3: why Lebron is upset. I get why players get upset.
• 4:29
  Speaker 3: I get why stephen A has to talk about Bronni
• 4:31
  Speaker 3: for the sake of ratings, because that's unfortunately the point
• 4:34
  Speaker 3: we are in the business. I think it's kind of silly,
• 4:37
  Speaker 3: and I wish that ratings would be more focused on basketball,
• 4:40
  Speaker 3: but I think that's just as much the audiences, you know,
• 4:43
  Speaker 3: viewer retention problem as it is the people think out
• 4:45
  Speaker 3: the content. But like, if you're going to make it
• 4:49
  Speaker 3: a you know, I'm talking to you as a father,
• 4:51
  Speaker 3: then you you know you bring it to that light,
• 4:54
  Speaker 3: then Lebron has every right to talk about you in
• 4:57
  Speaker 3: that light and criticize you in that light too, because
• 4:59
  Speaker 3: you you made it personal first.
• 5:00
  Speaker 1: Absolutely.
• 5:01
  Speaker 2: Look, I think if you know you're bringing your kids
• 5:05
  Speaker 2: into a world in a realm where you're both going
• 5:09
  Speaker 2: to be playing in that world and realm, there's definitely
• 5:12
  Speaker 2: going to be criticisms. I mean, it's not going to
• 5:15
  Speaker 2: be lollipops and rainbows all the time. And we know
• 5:18
  Speaker 2: what type of talent that Bronni James had coming out
• 5:21
  Speaker 2: of out of college going into the NBA, Like we
• 5:24
  Speaker 2: knew what the talent was Jack, And Yeah, as a father,
• 5:28
  Speaker 2: you're always going to be protective of and wanting to
• 5:32
  Speaker 2: protect your kids in any way, shape or form. But man,
• 5:36
  Speaker 2: when you're Lebron James and that spotlight is on you
• 5:39
  Speaker 2: as one of the greatest NBA players of all times,
• 5:42
  Speaker 2: it unfortunately from a media perspective and a narrative, it
• 5:46
  Speaker 2: just trickles down to family members. And that's why you know,
• 5:50
  Speaker 2: that's why certain you know famous folks out there, you know,
• 5:53
  Speaker 2: you make the decision of where you want your fame
• 5:55
  Speaker 2: to take you, and where fame is inevitably going to
• 6:00
  Speaker 2: affect your family. It's like, I feel like it's like
• 6:03
  Speaker 2: a no no win situation, whether it's for Lebron or
• 6:05
  Speaker 2: whether it's for Steven A.
• 6:06
  Speaker 1: Smith.
• 6:08
  Speaker 4: It's just tough.
• 6:09
  Speaker 3: It's just tough when you like, as soon as Lebron
• 6:11
  Speaker 3: brought Bronni to the team or whatever it was, or
• 6:14
  Speaker 3: like made that push, like part of him had to
• 6:16
  Speaker 3: know stuff like this was gonna happen. Yeah, I think
• 6:18
  Speaker 3: his biggest problem is just when you take it to that,
• 6:20
  Speaker 3: you know, I'm talking to you as a father, like yeah, yeah,
• 6:23
  Speaker 3: as much as they can be friends, like you don't
• 6:25
  Speaker 3: know me like that, dude, Like that's probably what he's
• 6:27
  Speaker 3: feeling at least. So I think there's an element to
• 6:29
  Speaker 3: it where it's like you had to expect at least
• 6:32
  Speaker 3: a good chunk of this when Bronnie's brought in the situation,
• 6:34
  Speaker 3: just by the nature of Lebron's fame and and all
• 6:37
  Speaker 3: the narratives that are gonna be thrown around. But I guess,
• 6:41
  Speaker 3: as with all things, there's a line, and the media, yeah, there.
• 6:44
  Speaker 4: Crosses that line a bit too often.
• 6:46
  Speaker 2: Absolutely, absolutely, I completely agree with you. Well, moving along
• 6:49
  Speaker 2: here and speaking of Lebron He's gonna be missing anywhere
• 6:52
  Speaker 2: from a week to two weeks with an injury.
• 6:54
  Speaker 1: And Jack.
• 6:55
  Speaker 2: You know, as I reflect on what this NBA season
• 6:58
  Speaker 2: really has been up to this point here in mid March,
• 7:02
  Speaker 2: we're at that point in the season where you got
• 7:04
  Speaker 2: a lot of teams that are missing key players with injuries.
• 7:07
  Speaker 2: I mean, look, Joe el Embiid out for the rest
• 7:09
  Speaker 2: of the season for the Sixers. Wemby is out for
• 7:12
  Speaker 2: the rest of the season, Kyrie Irving tore his ACL
• 7:15
  Speaker 2: out for the rest of the season, Anthony Davis is injured.
• 7:18
  Speaker 2: I mean, we can keep going on and on with
• 7:20
  Speaker 2: players who are injured, players who are day to day,
• 7:22
  Speaker 2: players who are out for a significant period of time.
• 7:25
  Speaker 2: I don't know, as I'm reflecting on this season, I'm wondering, like,
• 7:28
  Speaker 2: how do you think some of these injuries actually affect
• 7:31
  Speaker 2: the NBA products and some of these players are really
• 7:34
  Speaker 2: the keys to their teams in certain cities.
• 7:37
  Speaker 1: What are your thoughts here?
• 7:39
  Speaker 3: Yeah, I mean at a certain point, it's just like
• 7:42
  Speaker 3: an unlucky factor like Kyrie tearing his ACL like out
• 7:45
  Speaker 3: of nowhere, Wemby has a blood clot like that's a
• 7:47
  Speaker 3: terrifying out of noword thing, and maybe with the Lebron thing,
• 7:51
  Speaker 3: it's to grow in. And if it was the playoffs,
• 7:53
  Speaker 3: maybe he'd played through it. But since the playoffs are
• 7:55
  Speaker 3: a month a way, he's taking more of a cautious approach.
• 7:58
  Speaker 3: And I think NBA ratings this time of year naturally
• 8:01
  Speaker 3: decline a lot because of teams.
• 8:04
  Speaker 4: At the bottom.
• 8:05
  Speaker 3: No, they're out, so they're sitting all their players, or
• 8:07
  Speaker 3: teams at the top are gonna be more cautious with
• 8:08
  Speaker 3: their stars so they don't get eliminated in the playoffs,
• 8:10
  Speaker 3: And so I think you're gonna see a natural dip
• 8:12
  Speaker 3: and ratings at this point. Anyways, as far as how
• 8:14
  Speaker 3: the injuries impacted, like you've seen the increase of injuries
• 8:17
  Speaker 3: over the last x amount of years with like top
• 8:19
  Speaker 3: stars if anything, like it's weird to say, but I
• 8:23
  Speaker 3: think we're getting to a point where it's going in
• 8:25
  Speaker 3: the obst dirrection.
• 8:26
  Speaker 4: Like I think's actually kind of getting better.
• 8:27
  Speaker 3: Like you think of about some of the top stars
• 8:29
  Speaker 3: around league right now, like top four MVP candidates, Tatum
• 8:34
  Speaker 3: has been healthy all year, Yokud has been pretty healthy,
• 8:36
  Speaker 3: Sga has been pretty healthy, Giannis has had a healthy season,
• 8:39
  Speaker 3: like the Knicks have been healthy. I know Jaylen Brunson
• 8:42
  Speaker 3: just braining his ankle, but he's been playing all year.
• 8:43
  Speaker 3: Like you're getting to a point where I think the
• 8:45
  Speaker 3: core stars, even like Stephen and Lebron, up to this point,
• 8:49
  Speaker 3: have been pretty healthy. Like you're getting to a point
• 8:50
  Speaker 3: where I think a lot of the core stars are.
• 8:54
  Speaker 4: Almost weaning off.
• 8:55
  Speaker 3: Of the injury management era a little bit, unless you're
• 8:58
  Speaker 3: in like like there's there's levels, right because Stephen Lebron
• 9:01
  Speaker 3: are like thirty six, thirty eight, forty at this point,
• 9:04
  Speaker 3: Like gim I'll give them a little grace. But you
• 9:07
  Speaker 3: look at like the Tatum's and the Brunson's and the SGA's,
• 9:11
  Speaker 3: like they don't really do that as much. Like Tatum
• 9:13
  Speaker 3: actively does not like to sit, and you might sit
• 9:15
  Speaker 3: tonight because they're gonna force them because they have the jazz,
• 9:16
  Speaker 3: but I'll actively go against that, and Jalen Brunson, I
• 9:19
  Speaker 3: don't think is a big fan of sitting either. Like
• 9:22
  Speaker 3: you've got guys around the league where I think you're
• 9:23
  Speaker 3: getting a new thought process about it, and I think
• 9:26
  Speaker 3: that's good for ratings.
• 9:28
  Speaker 4: I think this time of year.
• 9:29
  Speaker 3: Though, is always going to be a little bit of
• 9:31
  Speaker 3: a natural dip because of the way teams are approaching
• 9:33
  Speaker 3: the end of the regular season.
• 9:35
  Speaker 1: Yeah, it's interesting.
• 9:37
  Speaker 2: We're gonna get some viewership and ratings talk in a
• 9:41
  Speaker 2: little bit here, but I wanted to really just hone
• 9:44
  Speaker 2: in on the Eastern Conference here, because look, you are
• 9:48
  Speaker 2: a Boston Celtics not only fan, but you write about
• 9:51
  Speaker 2: the team, you cover the team, podcasting about the team.
• 9:55
  Speaker 2: I mean, they're eight games behind the Cavs at this point,
• 9:58
  Speaker 2: second in the East. They have a really good story.
• 10:00
  Speaker 2: I mean I'm being an objective basketball fan, an NBA fan,
• 10:04
  Speaker 2: I mean, the Celtics have a really fun story this season,
• 10:08
  Speaker 2: and it seems even though they're probably going to remain second,
• 10:12
  Speaker 2: possibly in the East from here on out, that that inevitable.
• 10:17
  Speaker 2: I view it as a possible, inevitable Eastern Conference championship.
• 10:22
  Speaker 2: You know, would be great to see the Calves and
• 10:24
  Speaker 2: the Boston Celtics. So I guess a two part question
• 10:27
  Speaker 2: for you here is, you know, what are you concerned
• 10:30
  Speaker 2: with most about about the Celtics as we're looking towards
• 10:33
  Speaker 2: this postseason. And we'll then get into like what aspects
• 10:37
  Speaker 2: of this team you think are really gonna shine come
• 10:39
  Speaker 2: the postseason. So what are your concerns first and foremost,
• 10:42
  Speaker 2: you know, looking towards the postseason with the Celtics.
• 10:45
  Speaker 3: Yeah, I think right now, it's just health. Like Christops
• 10:47
  Speaker 3: has been sick, like he's gonna miss his I think
• 10:50
  Speaker 3: sixth straight game for an illness tonight as we're recording this.
• 10:53
  Speaker 3: So he's like really sick. No one really knows what
• 10:56
  Speaker 3: it is, but he's dealing with something there. Drew Hollida
• 10:58
  Speaker 3: is off the injury report, but he's with mallet finger,
• 11:01
  Speaker 3: which sounds silly, but it's like honest pinky and it's
• 11:04
  Speaker 3: basically a tend like the top ten in your pinky
• 11:06
  Speaker 3: like snaps and so it like hangs down a little bit. Yeah,
• 11:08
  Speaker 3: so it is something he can play through but and
• 11:11
  Speaker 3: he's off the injured port now, but it is something
• 11:13
  Speaker 3: that he will have to I think, just manage throughout
• 11:15
  Speaker 3: the playoffs because he said he's not getting surgery on it,
• 11:17
  Speaker 3: and I don't know if that means we'll get it
• 11:18
  Speaker 3: the summer, but he's gonna have to play through that
• 11:20
  Speaker 3: general bumps and bruises. Jalen Brown's been dealing with me
• 11:23
  Speaker 3: things recently. Jason Tatum has been pretty healthy, but he's
• 11:28
  Speaker 3: I mean, he's probably worn out a little bit at
• 11:30
  Speaker 3: the very least. So I think, you know, Al Horford's
• 11:33
  Speaker 3: thirty eight. So just managing health and rest and stuff
• 11:37
  Speaker 3: is probably the biggest concern for them. As far as
• 11:39
  Speaker 3: like an actual on the court thing, I think it's
• 11:45
  Speaker 3: it's hard, like they're very.
• 11:46
  Speaker 4: Well built on both ends of the floor, like the Chemist.
• 11:51
  Speaker 3: I think it's just a matter of letting in a
• 11:56
  Speaker 3: specific cav series, but even in like you know a
• 11:59
  Speaker 3: Pacers or to finals with with you know, the Thunder
• 12:02
  Speaker 3: and Sga or Luca and the Laggers, if they make
• 12:05
  Speaker 3: it like letting a star pop off like the dude
• 12:08
  Speaker 3: like Donovan Mitchell when the Cavs have won, has had
• 12:10
  Speaker 3: like twenty in the fourth quarter in both games, right,
• 12:13
  Speaker 3: like they they have found ways to pick on the
• 12:15
  Speaker 3: Celtics in a way where don of the Mitchell can get
• 12:17
  Speaker 3: his buckets, and so for the Celtics, I think honing
• 12:19
  Speaker 3: in and you know, stopping him in those spots with
• 12:22
  Speaker 3: bigger and like last game they had Sam Houser on
• 12:24
  Speaker 3: the court in the fourth quarter because Drew Holliday and
• 12:26
  Speaker 3: Kristops think us are out so you probably won't have
• 12:27
  Speaker 3: as much of that issue, but really honing in and
• 12:29
  Speaker 3: focusing on stopping the top stars in fourth quarters. I
• 12:33
  Speaker 3: think I don't even know if he's a concern, but
• 12:35
  Speaker 3: something that the Celtics need to probably hone in on
• 12:37
  Speaker 3: a little bit more in the playoffs if they do
• 12:39
  Speaker 3: get in a series with Cleveland.
• 12:40
  Speaker 2: Okay, what aspect of the team do you think is
• 12:42
  Speaker 2: really gonna shine come the postseason? I think I may
• 12:44
  Speaker 2: know what you're gonna say, but what are your thoughts on.
• 12:46
  Speaker 3: That they are unbelievable at hunting mismatches like they are,
• 12:53
  Speaker 3: like just the best team I have ever seen at
• 12:56
  Speaker 3: We are going to get the exact matchup we want,
• 12:59
  Speaker 3: and there's nothing. They'll screen with Pritchard to get a
• 13:03
  Speaker 3: guard on Jalen Brown, They'll screen with the big to
• 13:05
  Speaker 3: get whoever, you know, a center on Jason Tatum. They'll screen,
• 13:09
  Speaker 3: you know, they'll give Porzingis the ball, they'll screen off
• 13:11
  Speaker 3: the ball, and then with Derek Whiton to get a
• 13:13
  Speaker 3: guard on him. Like, they will do whatever they need
• 13:15
  Speaker 3: to do to get themselves in a mismatch, and then
• 13:17
  Speaker 3: from there it is trusting that they can beat you
• 13:19
  Speaker 3: one on one and considering they have Tatum, Jalen Brown
• 13:23
  Speaker 3: and Christops they usually do, and it's just that they
• 13:26
  Speaker 3: are like as perfectly built as an all around basketball
• 13:30
  Speaker 3: team as I've seen in a while.
• 13:31
  Speaker 2: And that and that leads me to the next topic,
• 13:34
  Speaker 2: which is why I think that a Celtics Calves Eastern
• 13:37
  Speaker 2: Conference Finals is going to be something amazing to watch,
• 13:41
  Speaker 2: because it's pretty astonishing what we've seen from the Calves
• 13:44
  Speaker 2: at this point now as well. I mean they've they've
• 13:46
  Speaker 2: now won fourteen in a row as of us recording
• 13:48
  Speaker 2: this podcast, and the emergence of even like Ty Jerome
• 13:53
  Speaker 2: has been really interesting to watch from the outside, a
• 13:55
  Speaker 2: player just viewed as a depth piece and now is
• 13:57
  Speaker 2: a real key piece to what the Calves success has
• 14:00
  Speaker 2: been this season. I'm wondering, if, you know, if it
• 14:02
  Speaker 2: does get to it, you know, how do you see
• 14:04
  Speaker 2: the Calves or I'm sorry, how do you see the Celtics,
• 14:07
  Speaker 2: you know, really trying to contain Evan Mobley, Jared Allen,
• 14:10
  Speaker 2: the rest of the talent on this team come the postseason.
• 14:12
  Speaker 1: If the Celtics and Calves do end up meeting.
• 14:14
  Speaker 3: Each other, yeah, I think it'll depend a lot on
• 14:17
  Speaker 3: the Celtics health, Like I think if Drew and or
• 14:19
  Speaker 3: kp has to miss time in a Cavs series, it
• 14:21
  Speaker 3: gets really sketchy for Boston if they're healthy. The Calves
• 14:27
  Speaker 3: have mismatches that the Celtics don't have, Like they have
• 14:31
  Speaker 3: weak points, like Darius Garland cannot defend in one on one.
• 14:33
  Speaker 3: He just can't, and he'll get some stops, like he
• 14:36
  Speaker 3: tries really hard, but Jaylen Brown will get on him.
• 14:38
  Speaker 3: Chris topsill be on him and you're fried. Jared Allen
• 14:41
  Speaker 3: was played off the court in the last matchup with
• 14:44
  Speaker 3: the Celtics, like he cannot play because Jayson Dana will
• 14:46
  Speaker 3: beat him. They attacked Devin Moley they only might win
• 14:49
  Speaker 3: defensive play of the Year. They made it a point
• 14:51
  Speaker 3: to say, come out on the perimeter, you lose. And
• 14:54
  Speaker 3: I'm not saying Jason Patam's gonna have the same shot
• 14:56
  Speaker 3: making game he had in that Calves gave him a
• 14:57
  Speaker 3: couple weeks ago because he was incredible. But if the
• 15:01
  Speaker 3: Celtics are fully healthy, I think I'd still go Celtics
• 15:04
  Speaker 3: because of the way they can attack those mismatches. Then again,
• 15:07
  Speaker 3: Donald Mitchell's incredible. He averages more points against Celtics than
• 15:10
  Speaker 3: any player in NBA history. And the second is Michael
• 15:12
  Speaker 3: Jordan for context, like like he's been ridiculous against the Celtics,
• 15:15
  Speaker 3: so they deserve their credit. They could absolutely win a
• 15:18
  Speaker 3: series against the Celtics. But I think what it comes
• 15:20
  Speaker 3: down to for me when I look at like what
• 15:22
  Speaker 3: they have to do, how they do it. The Calves
• 15:24
  Speaker 3: just have a few more defensive weak points than the
• 15:27
  Speaker 3: Celtics do if healthy, and that's the key thing, if healthy,
• 15:29
  Speaker 3: because if Drew and kPr out, then you're left with
• 15:31
  Speaker 3: the you know, Houser pitcher on the floor and Crish
• 15:33
  Speaker 3: time and then it gets really interesting because they can
• 15:35
  Speaker 3: attack those guys. So it'll depend on that. But I
• 15:38
  Speaker 3: think the Celtics' ability to ability to attack those few
• 15:42
  Speaker 3: but existing weak points in the Calves lineup could sway
• 15:45
  Speaker 3: a series.
• 15:45
  Speaker 2: Well, I may put some money on the Calves at
• 15:47
  Speaker 2: this point to win it all.
• 15:48
  Speaker 3: I don't know.
• 15:49
  Speaker 2: I don't know, Jack, you're convincing me again. Folks were
• 15:51
  Speaker 2: talking to Jack Simone from Holly Hardwood Houdini dot com.
• 15:56
  Speaker 2: Follow him on the Twitter slash x at Jack Simone
• 15:59
  Speaker 2: NBA a great, great follow and there seems to be
• 16:04
  Speaker 2: teams every season that really creep their way into the playoffs,
• 16:07
  Speaker 2: really start having a nice run towards the end of
• 16:09
  Speaker 2: the season. I don't want to call them necessarily Cinderella stories,
• 16:12
  Speaker 2: but some teams that have interesting storylines. And I'm wondering,
• 16:16
  Speaker 2: are there any teams in the league. I mean, it
• 16:19
  Speaker 2: could be the Easter or in the West that you
• 16:21
  Speaker 2: see possibly being a quote sleeper during this latter part
• 16:26
  Speaker 2: of the season to possibly make the playoffs.
• 16:28
  Speaker 1: What are you thinking?
• 16:29
  Speaker 3: I think the Warriors could be a pain for that
• 16:34
  Speaker 3: Western Conference. Like right now, it looks like they could
• 16:37
  Speaker 3: get like Lakers, Nuggets, Grizzlies, maybe even Rockets in the
• 16:41
  Speaker 3: first round. I think they could beat any of those
• 16:45
  Speaker 3: teams in the first round. Yeah, I think they could
• 16:48
  Speaker 3: beat the Warrior or the Thunder in a series. Like
• 16:50
  Speaker 3: I think having Stephen Curry and Jimmy Butler gives you
• 16:53
  Speaker 3: two of the best playoff performers in the last what decade.
• 16:57
  Speaker 3: Having Draymond Green, you get a good defense, you got
• 16:59
  Speaker 3: good support cast.
• 17:00
  Speaker 4: They're ten to one.
• 17:01
  Speaker 3: I think with Jimmy, I would not want to play
• 17:04
  Speaker 3: that team in the playoffs. Put it that way, as
• 17:06
  Speaker 3: as you know, a person who's covered the Celtics when
• 17:09
  Speaker 3: they lost the Warriors in the finals and the Heat
• 17:10
  Speaker 3: and the Eastern Conference Finals. I don't want to play
• 17:12
  Speaker 3: either of those players in the playoffs, let alone them
• 17:15
  Speaker 3: on the same team. I think that mix of experience
• 17:18
  Speaker 3: could beat the relative and experience of a thunder. I think,
• 17:21
  Speaker 3: you know, they're shooting in playoff whatever could beat the Lakers,
• 17:25
  Speaker 3: who could get exposed defensively in a series. I think
• 17:27
  Speaker 3: they could beat the Nuggets if they have the right
• 17:28
  Speaker 3: defenses against Jokic.
• 17:31
  Speaker 4: I think they could beat the inexperience of the Rockets.
• 17:33
  Speaker 4: Maybe the Grizzlies.
• 17:34
  Speaker 3: I'm really high on the Grizzlies too, but like just
• 17:35
  Speaker 3: from a pure experience, but like that Grizzlies team is scary.
• 17:39
  Speaker 3: I think they're going to be a really, really, really
• 17:41
  Speaker 3: fun team in the playoffs.
• 17:42
  Speaker 1: Yeah, I think I think so too.
• 17:44
  Speaker 2: Actually, if there was one team I was gonna say,
• 17:46
  Speaker 2: that would be that, like quote sleeper, definitely the Grizzlies.
• 17:49
  Speaker 2: I think they have the ability to definitely make some
• 17:51
  Speaker 2: waves for sure. But Jack, I'm gonna let you go.
• 17:55
  Speaker 2: But beforehand, as I mentioned earlier, I want to talk
• 17:57
  Speaker 2: about the NBA viewership with you little bit here, because
• 18:01
  Speaker 2: it's been down from reports about five percent this season,
• 18:05
  Speaker 2: and it seems like interest in the league may potentially
• 18:09
  Speaker 2: be waning, as it kind of has been over the
• 18:11
  Speaker 2: past couple of seasons. I don't know, like it saddens
• 18:15
  Speaker 2: me because you know, I love the NBA product. I'm
• 18:18
  Speaker 2: not as big of a fan of college basketball quite
• 18:21
  Speaker 2: frankly anymore. We've talked about on this podcast platform a
• 18:23
  Speaker 2: number of times just the sheer and stark differences between
• 18:28
  Speaker 2: college basketball and the NBA in terms of the product.
• 18:31
  Speaker 1: But I'm wondering, like.
• 18:32
  Speaker 2: What do you make of this, basically the decrease in
• 18:35
  Speaker 2: viewership and how do you think the league can maybe
• 18:38
  Speaker 2: get back some of its viewers in the future in
• 18:41
  Speaker 2: terms of different things are doing or need to do.
• 18:44
  Speaker 3: Yeah, it's it's interesting. I think it's such a weird
• 18:47
  Speaker 3: thing to have to talk about how it is because
• 18:49
  Speaker 3: like you look at viewership and like you said, it's
• 18:51
  Speaker 3: down a little bit this season. You look at social media,
• 18:53
  Speaker 3: the NBA laps every other league like by far, like
• 18:56
  Speaker 3: they are worlds ahead of the NFL, not even in
• 19:00
  Speaker 3: the same stratus here as the MLB or NHL. And
• 19:03
  Speaker 3: so you look at that, and they're up right, and
• 19:05
  Speaker 3: that's probably what they look at a lot. I also
• 19:07
  Speaker 3: think you have to look at the fact that having
• 19:10
  Speaker 3: just stream all these games and all these different platforms
• 19:12
  Speaker 3: has been horrendous.
• 19:12
  Speaker 4: So how much of this viewership is just people watching.
• 19:14
  Speaker 3: On illegal websites instead of watching on actual numbers? Like seriously,
• 19:18
  Speaker 3: like there's probably that five percent is probably just watching
• 19:21
  Speaker 3: elsewhere because they can't afford to pay for other for
• 19:23
  Speaker 3: you know, a million different streaming platforms to watch their
• 19:26
  Speaker 3: favorite team, especially if if you're an out of market
• 19:28
  Speaker 3: fan or you're an in market fan and it's a
• 19:30
  Speaker 3: blackout on League Pass, you can't watch it, so you
• 19:32
  Speaker 3: have to go, Like there's just so many hoops you
• 19:34
  Speaker 3: have to jump through to watch the product. In the
• 19:36
  Speaker 3: ways they count for these ratings, and I think part
• 19:39
  Speaker 3: of it is, you know, maybe they're upset with the
• 19:45
  Speaker 3: way the rules are going, or they don't want to see,
• 19:48
  Speaker 3: you know, the All Star Game is not good enough,
• 19:50
  Speaker 3: or like they're they're I think there's varying things.
• 19:53
  Speaker 4: I don't know.
• 19:54
  Speaker 3: I think they're their social media presence and the way
• 19:57
  Speaker 3: they present the game in that context is good. But
• 20:00
  Speaker 3: I think the way that the media covers it for
• 20:02
  Speaker 3: a lot of it is bad, like I think they are,
• 20:04
  Speaker 3: Like just last year they they gave Kendrick Perkins a
• 20:07
  Speaker 3: massive extension and fired Zach Low.
• 20:08
  Speaker 4: That's not going to help your game. That's not gonna
• 20:10
  Speaker 4: do anything.
• 20:11
  Speaker 3: Like just the way they're they're approaching it is more
• 20:15
  Speaker 3: geared towards social media instead of ratings, and I think
• 20:18
  Speaker 3: that's the wrong way to look at it. In to
• 20:20
  Speaker 3: an extent, like I think social media is very important
• 20:22
  Speaker 3: for getting in a new generation of viewers and enticing
• 20:25
  Speaker 3: people to watch. But it's just in a weird spot
• 20:28
  Speaker 3: I think where they are promoting the product in the
• 20:31
  Speaker 3: wrong way. Like you listen, even like from the Celtics lens,
• 20:33
  Speaker 3: like Jason Tatum's having an incredible season. He is like this,
• 20:36
  Speaker 3: you know, great father, he's a great role model, he's
• 20:38
  Speaker 3: a great basketball player.
• 20:39
  Speaker 4: And it's oh, he's not cool enough, like what are
• 20:42
  Speaker 4: we doing? Like how But but.
• 20:43
  Speaker 3: Anthony Edwards is cool with all the stuff that he
• 20:45
  Speaker 3: does off the court that we don't have to get
• 20:47
  Speaker 3: into it, like yeah, it's just it's just I think
• 20:49
  Speaker 3: it's super backwards. I don't know if that has much
• 20:52
  Speaker 3: to do with the ratings itself. And but if anything,
• 20:55
  Speaker 3: I think it is people. The way they're gearing their
• 20:57
  Speaker 3: product is they're making people care more about the reality
• 21:00
  Speaker 3: TV show aspect and the actual product on the court,
• 21:02
  Speaker 3: which listen, I love the entertainment that comes with the
• 21:04
  Speaker 3: NBA more than anybody, but the fact that they are
• 21:07
  Speaker 3: going to the links to promote that part of it, Like, yeah,
• 21:09
  Speaker 3: of course your ratings are gonna be down because no
• 21:11
  Speaker 3: one wants to watch the exles sport. They just want
• 21:12
  Speaker 3: to hear about you know, Jason Tatum's aura and Anthony
• 21:15
  Speaker 3: Edwards whatever, like right, like like reining in a little
• 21:18
  Speaker 3: bit exactly.
• 21:20
  Speaker 2: Look, you know, I think all leagues are dealing with
• 21:23
  Speaker 2: social media, the new streaming options contracts with regard to
• 21:27
  Speaker 2: those streaming options in a different light. This is a
• 21:30
  Speaker 2: new day and age in so many ways in terms
• 21:33
  Speaker 2: of how we're viewing sports in a digital way. That
• 21:37
  Speaker 2: you know, these leagues are still learning and the teams
• 21:39
  Speaker 2: are still learning as well. So that being said, folks,
• 21:42
  Speaker 2: he's jacksimone at Jacksonmone NBA on the Twitter, slash x
• 21:47
  Speaker 2: Hardwood Houdini dot com and check out how about them
• 21:51
  Speaker 2: Celtics on various podcasting platforms and over on YouTube, Jack Buddy,
• 21:55
  Speaker 2: it was great talking to you. Always enjoy talking NBA
• 21:57
  Speaker 2: and Celtics and then the Eastern conferends with you.
• 22:01
  Speaker 1: Come back and join us down the road, my friend.
• 22:03
  Speaker 3: Absolutely would love to and congratulations to your Eagles.
• 22:05
  Speaker 4: I wasn't throw it. Thanks, it's in order. Great work.
• 22:12
  Speaker 2: That's gonna do it for us here on table talk
• 22:14
  Speaker 2: this week. Please share our podcast with your friends and
• 22:17
  Speaker 2: family members who are Philly sports fans or sports fans
• 22:20
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• 22:24
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• 22:27
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• 22:31
  Speaker 2: dot com for all of our podcasts, and follow us
• 22:34
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• 22:38
  Speaker 2: threads at Philadelphia Sports Table, and over on Instagram as well.
• 22:43
  Speaker 1: Take care and we'll catch you next time.