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Three Hot Topics Going into the 2024 Playoffs · The Stop and Pop

• 0:01
  SPEAKER_00: Three hot topics going into the 2024 playoffs.
• 0:06
  SPEAKER_00: As the Golden State era ended,
• 0:09
  SPEAKER_00: finally,
• 0:11
  SPEAKER_00: Golden State Warriors with Stephen Curry,
• 0:13
  SPEAKER_00: Klay Thompson,
• 0:14
  SPEAKER_00: and Draymond Green have never missed the playoffs when all of them were healthy together.
• 0:21
  SPEAKER_00: There were some years where at least one of them played and probably one of them
• 0:27
  SPEAKER_00: were out when Klay was out.
• 0:31
  SPEAKER_00: Steph and Draymond was both there, but they still missed the playoffs.
• 0:35
  SPEAKER_00: When they were all on the court together, rarely lose, rarely.
• 0:41
  SPEAKER_00: But with Draymond,
• 0:43
  SPEAKER_00: his antics this season,
• 0:44
  SPEAKER_00: being in and out of the lineup,
• 0:47
  SPEAKER_00: Clayway's streaky shooting this season,
• 0:52
  SPEAKER_00: Steph has had a heavier burden to carry and trying to get this team back to the playoffs.
• 0:58
  SPEAKER_00: Unfortunately,
• 0:59
  SPEAKER_00: they was only able to get the 10th seed,
• 1:02
  SPEAKER_00: and they lost to the Sacramento Kings in the playing tournament.
• 1:07
  SPEAKER_00: So is it time to break up the big three?
• 1:09
  SPEAKER_00: No, I don't think so.
• 1:11
  SPEAKER_00: But I think a realignment has to be done.
• 1:15
  SPEAKER_00: Next season, I feel like Klay and Draymond should come off the bench.
• 1:20
  SPEAKER_00: You find some players who can, I don't want to say replace them, but
• 1:27
  SPEAKER_00: ultimately can line up with what they want the team to look like going forward,
• 1:34
  SPEAKER_00: younger,
• 1:35
  SPEAKER_00: quicker,
• 1:36
  SPEAKER_00: and can play with Steph because Steph is still in his twilight years.
• 1:42
  SPEAKER_00: He's still playing amazing basketball.
• 1:47
  SPEAKER_00: You have Klay and Draymond come off the bench.
• 1:49
  SPEAKER_00: I'm old school.
• 1:51
  SPEAKER_00: I prefer if Klay and Draymond stay in the Warriors and retire there.
• 1:58
  SPEAKER_00: You know,
• 1:59
  SPEAKER_00: I'm big on players staying with one team,
• 2:01
  SPEAKER_00: especially teams where they built such a legacy with,
• 2:06
  SPEAKER_00: like Kobe,
• 2:07
  SPEAKER_00: Duncan,
• 2:08
  SPEAKER_00: Dirk.
• 2:09
  SPEAKER_00: So, you know, I feel like Klay and Draymond come off the bench.
• 2:13
  SPEAKER_00: They have a lot of mileage on their body.
• 2:15
  SPEAKER_00: They can still benefit the team coming off the bench.
• 2:17
  SPEAKER_00: All right, the Oklahoma City Thunder, the weakest first seed in recent years.
• 2:27
  SPEAKER_00: Shannon Sharp believes so.
• 2:29
  SPEAKER_00: I don't think so.
• 2:30
  SPEAKER_00: I think they have a chance to be special.
• 2:35
  SPEAKER_00: But I think that you have to crawl before you walk.
• 2:40
  SPEAKER_00: You have to get the experience.
• 2:42
  SPEAKER_00: So I feel like OKC is not ready yet.
• 2:46
  SPEAKER_00: They're really young.
• 2:46
  SPEAKER_00: Shea's only been to two playoff series.
• 2:49
  SPEAKER_00: Lou Dort has only been to one.
• 2:52
  SPEAKER_00: Gordon Hayward has probably been...
• 2:54
  SPEAKER_00: handful,
• 2:55
  SPEAKER_00: not many,
• 2:55
  SPEAKER_00: and the team is really inexperienced,
• 3:00
  SPEAKER_00: so I feel like they would get to the second round,
• 3:03
  SPEAKER_00: and then that's it.
• 3:07
  SPEAKER_00: You know,
• 3:07
  SPEAKER_00: you have to have the experience to close out playoff games,
• 3:10
  SPEAKER_00: to close out,
• 3:11
  SPEAKER_00: excuse me,
• 3:12
  SPEAKER_00: close out playoff series,
• 3:15
  SPEAKER_00: and OKC doesn't have that yet.
• 3:19
  SPEAKER_00: You know, the inexperience, the lack of discipline, and
• 3:22
  SPEAKER_00: It's a different level when you get to the playoffs, and they have to experience that.
• 3:26
  SPEAKER_00: They have to get there to understand that.
• 3:30
  SPEAKER_00: They probably don't understand it yet.
• 3:34
  SPEAKER_00: So the final thing, the Lakers versus Nuggets matchup.
• 3:40
  SPEAKER_00: The Lakers beat the Pelicans to advance to the seventh seed.
• 3:46
  SPEAKER_00: Now they have to play the Denver Nuggets, which is a rematch of the conference finals last year.
• 3:52
  SPEAKER_00: Darviham said LA's not dunking no smoke, but the Nuggets are about that action.
• 4:00
  SPEAKER_00: Denver looks like a well-oiled machine.
• 4:02
  SPEAKER_00: I feel like even if Anthony Davis and LeBron play out of their mind and D'Angelo
• 4:10
  SPEAKER_00: Russell's playing amazing basketball,
• 4:12
  SPEAKER_00: Austin Reeves,
• 4:13
  SPEAKER_00: I feel like they can't stop Jokic.
• 4:17
  SPEAKER_00: I feel like Jokic is going to pick them apart again and
• 4:23
  SPEAKER_00: I'm not sure if they will be able to withstand that.
• 4:28
  SPEAKER_00: I think the Nuggets are possibly going back to the finals.
• 4:34
  SPEAKER_00: I feel like the only real threat in the Western Conference for them is probably the Los Angeles Clippers.
• 4:43
  SPEAKER_00: But I think Denver could definitely repeat.
• 4:48
  SPEAKER_00: I'm not sure if the Lakers have enough to stop the Nuggets right now.
• 4:54
  SPEAKER_00: And that's it for today's episode.
• 4:57
  SPEAKER_00: I want you to stay tuned for updates throughout the playoffs.
• 5:03
  SPEAKER_00: And.
• 5:05
  SPEAKER_00: Continue to give you updates on what I think of what I think the playoffs is going
• 5:10
  SPEAKER_00: to bring,
• 5:12
  SPEAKER_00: how it's going to unfold.
• 5:14
  SPEAKER_00: And thank you guys for listening.
• 5:16
  SPEAKER_00: Don't forget to like, subscribe and share.
• 5:20
  SPEAKER_00: You can find this on Substack.
• 5:24
  SPEAKER_00: YouTube, and Spotify, Apple Podcasts.
• 5:29
  SPEAKER_00: And thank you guys for listening.
• 5:30
  SPEAKER_00: See you later.