Ho ho ho, sports fanatics! Anthony the "Ant-Man" Felli here, unwrapping a sack full of sports insights just in time for the holidays. Brush off the snow, grab some cocoa, and get ready to tackle the NFL's latest twists with me. We'll be examining the unexpected struggles of the Kansas City Chiefs and dissecting the Dallas Cowboys' playbook. Is Mike McCarthy's coaching style a gift or a lump of coal? It's a discussion that'll deck the halls of sports debate.
Shifting gears, the NBA's got a shiny new in-season tournament that's jingling all the way. I'll break down how these changes are keeping the league more riveting than a Christmas cliffhanger and why players might find an extra incentive under their trees. Don't change the channel when I discuss the highs and lows of the Orlando Magic's season and whether they'll be singing carols or facing a silent night come playoffs time.
And for the grand finale, I'll play Santa's helper, delivering bold predictions that could make or break your holiday spirits. We'll peek into the futures of the Utah Jazz, Phoenix Suns, and other teams dancing on the playoff bubble. So, light up the fireplace and tune in to Beat the Clock Sports Talk, where sports insights and festive cheer go together like milk and cookies!
Find more from Beat the Clock by clicking the link below :
https://t.co/dp37RhqPU5
Ho ho ho, sports fanatics! Anthony the "Ant-Man" Felli here, unwrapping a sack full of sports insights just in time for the holidays. Brush off the snow, grab some cocoa, and get ready to tackle the NFL's latest twists with me. We'll be examining the unexpected struggles of the Kansas City Chiefs and dissecting the Dallas Cowboys' playbook. Is Mike McCarthy's coaching style a gift or a lump of coal? It's a discussion that'll deck the halls of sports debate.
Shifting gears, the NBA's got a shiny new in-season tournament that's jingling all the way. I'll break down how these changes are keeping the league more riveting than a Christmas cliffhanger and why players might find an extra incentive under their trees. Don't change the channel when I discuss the highs and lows of the Orlando Magic's season and whether they'll be singing carols or facing a silent night come playoffs time.
And for the grand finale, I'll play Santa's helper, delivering bold predictions that could make or break your holiday spirits. We'll peek into the futures of the Utah Jazz, Phoenix Suns, and other teams dancing on the playoff bubble. So, light up the fireplace and tune in to Beat the Clock Sports Talk, where sports insights and festive cheer go together like milk and cookies!
Find more from Beat the Clock by clicking the link below :
https://t.co/dp37RhqPU5
Welcome to beat the clock, sports, talk, swing and about Way back Fending in. The blue jays have repeated as World Series champions Joe, you'll never hit a bigger home run in your life, six yards away from Pontiac.
Speaker 1:The clock sports talk.
Speaker 2:Our test looking gets it a briar to put it up with a buzzer.
Speaker 1:Your host, anthony the Ant-Man belly. What is up? Everybody? The Ant-Man is back. Beat the clock sports talk is back. A Very special Merry Christmas to all of you out there. However you're listening, wherever you are listening from, it's a pleasure to be back, coming through your speakers, in your radio, through your computer. However, it is that you're here in the show, I'm happy to be back, got some great news to share with everybody, to Tell you what's been up in the world of beat the clock sports talk and what direction we are going to go in this relaunch. Here's the scoop Beat the clock will no longer live in the universe of just the NBA and WNBA or just basketball in general, although we will still have a lot of the same great guests that you've come to be so familiar with. We are going to branch out and we are going to talk about all the major power sports out there, as well as Anything that's newsworthy or noteworthy in any place within the sports universe. So that's that's that.
Speaker 1:Secondly, I'm committing to putting more content in video form on YouTube for all of you out there that rather Watch or look at somebody who's having the conversation as opposed to just hearing it come through your speakers. So here's what's been up. Early in the year got a new job's been great, absolutely love it. Love it just as much as I love creating content and putting stuff out for all of you and talking about all the things I love About about the sports world with all of you. Secondly, I moved. I'm down here in South Texas now, and so this one Episode will not be on video because it's a quick release, it is a Christmas special and it's basically just a a getting reacquaint it type of episode and so the studio is not set up. But I promise as soon as the studio is set up and we will get content on video. But but that's in progress. Thirdly, I've been able to spend more time with my daughter because of the move. I've been coaching her in in golf and in going on this golf journey with her for the last year and a half as she Started playing competitively in high school. It's been great Just to watch her develop and grow in the in the game of golf and also mature as a young lady. So shout out to Malia Lane I love you and it's been such a great journey and such a pleasure to be a part of this with you as coach dad and as dad, and Even though I know that you won't admit it, I know that you have enjoyed going through the process as well, even with coach dad. So I love you and keep knocking it out the park girl.
Speaker 1:So Surgery had a surgery, have my tonsils taken out? Why am I telling you this? Well, because I don't know if it's affected the way that I talk, but I know that it gave me some time to really think about what direction I Want the show to go, and you'll notice in the Intro that we have made some changes to reflect when the show is going to go. Again, all sports, right, and I hope that everybody can appreciate the little montage that I put in there, because those are some of my favorite calls in sports history. So, got the tonsils taken out and I don't know how this is gonna go. I don't know how talking for periods of time are going to be. So, a little bit of grace, don't be afraid to Point it out, and I certainly will point it out for myself as well, like right now as I take a drink. This episode will be raw and uncut. As I prepare to do more video stuff, I don't want to get into the, the perfection of things. I don't want to. I don't want to. It doesn't need perfect. I just want to have conversation With all of you out there listening. So this one will be, this one will be probably be uncut and we'll probably do more uncut stuff in the future, going forward.
Speaker 1:So here we are Christmas Day, december 24th, 2023. Man, this year has been a blur. It's been a blur. Sure, all of y'all have filled that and I hope that All of y'all have accomplished the things that you've set out to accomplish. And those of you who might have fallen short, just keep grinding. Got a new year coming, move those goals over to the next year and keep grinding. That's the most important thing. The grind right. We all have, we all have it, we all face it. We all struggle. We got to get out there and grind.
Speaker 1:Having said that, the first topic I want to get into today the NFL baby. Let's go. So. Monday night games not included. Monday night games not included. So if you listen to this, on Tuesday after Christmas, I will not have covered the Monday night games. There's three of them.
Speaker 1:I wasn't prepared, I didn't want to wait, but we will talk a little bit about what happened on Christmas Eve and the Sunday slate of games. Saturday, again two terrible games Pittsburgh and I'm sorry, I mean Pittsburgh and Buffalo, and Pittsburgh and Buffalo and Cincinnati, and I'm sorry, buffalo and Chargers sorry, that's my fault and bangles in Pittsburgh. Not great games. Not great games, not a whole lot of movement in the playoff race. We'll just take a look at the playoff picture right now we have we have the chiefs and third currently, which is it's something that that I Don't think anybody expected them to have such a struggle. They're nine and five, although they are leading their their division. I think we all expected them to be way up at the top, because this is the dynasty, remember, but they are having a down year. There's a lot of reasons for that and and I'm looking forward to getting more into it and kind of taking a deep dive into the chiefs as we move forward at the number two spot Right now is the dolphins, who are 11-4 and lead their division. The dolphins who, man? So we've seen this coming Ever since Mike McDaniel.
Speaker 1:Can I just say Mike McDaniel is probably the most genuine and most entertaining coach in the NFL right now. If you don't, if you don't believe that or if you don't agree with that, fight me, because there is. There is nobody. I look forward to hearing at the podium post game, pre game mid week, then then I do Mike McDaniel. I am constantly looking for Mike McDaniel clips and I will bring some of them on this show moving forward, just some of the classics and anything new that may pop up. But this guy is a treasure and everybody made fun of, including myself. Everybody made fun of him when he was hired. Everybody made fun of him. But to know the journey that this guy has been on and to see what his personality really is and the fact that he really knows how to get the best out of that team is, is a testament to to coach Mike McDaniel. It really has been awesome and he is right now by far my favorite coach in the entire NFL, maybe in the entirety of the sports world.
Speaker 1:To be honest, and and rounding it out at number one is the first place, ravens. Now, nobody expected the Ravens to be in one, I would say two, three, best. Of course, the dolphins were a bit of a surprise because I had them at like four or five, but this Ravens team has been incredible, although the question still lies. We've seen this movie before. Can they get it done in the playoffs? Can Lamar Jackson get it done in a playoffs now? Lamar Jackson, this is as healthy as he, as he's been the last maybe three years At this point in the season, and so all the trends are pointing up.
Speaker 1:I feel like I can't trust anybody right now. In the afc playoff picture, there is no set pick. I feel like, with the Chiefs being down, the dolphins being a surprise team but not really having a set identity yet I think they're one year, two years away. The Jaguars are frauds. They're being exposed. I think the problem is they're not they're not a deep team, so as they mount up injuries, they just don't have the the quality depth to compete at a high level. If the Ravens we're going to do it, it kind of feels like this year has to be the year, doesn't it? Lamar Jackson's as healthy as has ever been at this point of the season. Their offense is getting the job done, they're consistent, they're scoring points and their defense is one of the top in the NFL. It feels like if the Ravens don't get it done this year, then they need to consider blowing this team up. And I haven't even talked about the bills, yet you, because I don't trust anybody.
Speaker 1:This AFC Playoff picture is going to be a wild ride and I'm here for it. I'm happy to be in it, I'm glad to be covering it. This AFC Playoff picture is a blurred mess right now. It is abstract art For sports fans, for true sports fans, it's everything you want, because the parody in this side of the league is going to be outrageous. It's going to be outrageous.
Speaker 1:Moving over to the NFC, not so abstract, it's pretty clear. It's pretty clear. Right now you have the Niners at one, the Lions at two, eagles at three, cowboys at five, the Bucks my Bucks at four, but the Bucks haven't clinched yet. So what it looks like is the Cowboys can't do any worse than fifth. They're going to be in. The Bucks have an opportunity to get to three, depending on what happens next week. What a huge win in Jacksonville. By the way, I don't want to turn this into a Homer, but deal with it. I mean, we're going to talk a little bit about the Lakers later.
Speaker 1:Anybody out there listening, and anybody who knows me personally, just knows that not only am I passionate about sports, but I'm passionate about the teams that I follow. Like. It has become clear to me that how my teams do in the sports world affects my everyday life, and there's many of us out there who feel that way. So I know that I'm not alone, and all of you out there who feel like you're alone in that, trust me, you are not alone. All right, so the Bucks are at number four. There's a lot of things that can happen. They haven't solidified that yet. Next week is going to be a huge week in the NFC for the rest of the Playoff picture and I think the AFC Playoff picture as well will become more clear. As a matter of fact, the bills right now not to jump back to AFC on you, but just something that's noteworthy is the bills right now are currently sixth. They're holding that last Playoff spot. So, having said that, it is very clear in the NFC and in the entirety of the NFL that the 49ers are the best team in the NFL. I mean, there's no arguing it, there's no denying it, it's very clear.
Speaker 1:Quick shout out to the Detroit Lions the first NFC division title in. Was it NFC North Division title in 30 years? Shout out to them what a fantastic football team. I've enjoyed watching them, not only because golf is my fantasy quarterback most weeks. But just I've never thought I would say I enjoy on a week-to-week basis watching the Detroit Lions, and this year was that year. Shout out to my buddy, steve, he is a huge Detroit Lions fan Y'all did it, y'all did it. Y'all conquered the NFC North this year and it's been a long time coming.
Speaker 1:My brother and the Eagles are kind of on this downward spiral right now. A lot of they're just not playing quality football. I expect that to get better going into these last couple of weeks of the season. What we've seen over the last few weeks I don't think is a clear reflection of who this team really is, where usually you say like teams will regress to the mean Hot teams at the beginning will fall back as the schedule goes on and they become more in tune with who they really are. I don't think that's the case with the Eagles. I still think that this is a quality football team that in a one game playoff elimination scenario can go in and make a lot of noise in that tournament.
Speaker 1:But that brings me to the number five Dallas Cowboys and the ladies from Locked In Sports are not gonna enjoy me saying this, but the Cowboys are absolutely untrustable. Shannon Sharp said it best they're a good team, they look good, everything about them makes you wanna believe in them, but you can't trust them. You can't trust them, and last night was a clear indication of that. It was a clear indication of that. Every time you think they're gonna get over the hump, they lose to a quality football team. Yeah, they beat the Eagles, but we just got them saying that the Eagles aren't. This isn't reflective of who they really are. So did they really beat the Eagles at their best? I don't think so. I think they have caught the Eagles on this little slump and took advantage of it. So, sitting at five, I just don't trust them. I don't trust them. I believe and you're hearing it right now I believe that the Dallas Cowboys will end up being a one playoff game and out team again. Again.
Speaker 1:Here's what Mike McCarthy had to say after the game yesterday Hold on, it's not queuing. We'll give it a minute to let this queue. For right now, I just wanna point out that Dak Press guy is probably having the best year that he's had in. You know, since maybe year two Turnovers way down. He's not getting sacked as much. The difference between Dak Prescott this year and last year is last year coming off the leg injury. He you saw hesitation to use his legs to get out of trouble, to get first downs, to pick up necessary yards. This year Dak Dakota Prescott has done everything that he can do to keep this team. This is not an indictment of what Dak is or is not doing. He is playing wonderfully. The team, the coaching, the culture, the aura, whatever it is with this Dallas Cowboys team. That is the issue. And here's what Mike McCarthy had to say after yesterday's game.
Speaker 3:The plays that were, you know were there. You know we had some miscues. I had a horse back up plan. You know we were back up twice and it didn't, you know, didn't move the field position. So you know we didn't help our defense there. You know we had to take one give away. So I mean, it's those big mistakes that you can't make in these kind of games. But you know, I think the resilience, the battle, the grit that you're looking for, you know, I think we clearly have that.
Speaker 1:So basically, what he said was is that he thinks that they're okay For all you Dallas fans out there, how are we feeling about Mike McCarthy, is it? Does it seem like the same thing over and over again? Does it seem like the same movie? When they win, everybody's on a high, but it wasn't ever really Mike McCarthy that helped the team win. But when they lose, isn't it Mike McCarthy's glaring coaching errors that can be pointed to? Yes, now coaches, coach and players gotta play, I get it. I get it.
Speaker 1:But to hear Mike McCarthy constantly become apologetic at the press conferences after losses and make excuses, but when is enough enough? Dallas Cowboy fans, when is enough enough? I mean, we're talking about America's team, we talk about them boys, right, right, and they cannot be trusted in the playoffs. They have won, won, and it's a very questionable, with an asterisk quality win on this season. I don't see them getting by the first round. So I state my case again the 49ers are the best team in football. They are clear favorites to come out of the NFC, and I can say that, trying to be as objective as possible, even though my heart clearly, clearly hopes for a Bucks resurgence and a hot Bucks team going into the tournament. I'm not going to fool myself. I won't be disappointed if the Bucks get to the second round and lose. If they get to the NFC title game and lose, I won't be disappointed after the year that the Bucks have had if they go one and done. I'm at peace with that and that allows me to clearly state, with an objective point of view, that the 49ers are probably going to represent the NFC and the Super Bowl and they'll probably win it Bar in any kind of major injury or setback to this team. They've got the best pass rushing defense in the league. They've got the best receiving core in the league. Brock Purdy is a clear MVP favorite. Mccaffrey is the best running back in pro football. He is the best all around football player in pro football.
Speaker 1:They are stacked, plus the coaching, even though I think that Shanahan tries to be too smart for his own good at times and gets caught up in the smartest guy in the room mentality, because that's where you could beat them. If you catch Shanahan trying to outsmart or he just sometimes outsmarts himself instead of just run the basic plays, stay in the game, stay in the flow of the game and execute a game plan. You'll see him do these little things that are like head scratchers. Why, right there, kyle, you got the best team in football. You can beat anybody just playing football. We don't need the gadgets or the trickery or the misdirections. You don't need them. They're fun when they work Right. Come on, kyle. All that being stated, that's why they're clear favorites. They should be clear Super Bowl favorites. I don't know if the line is in Vegas, but I'd be highly surprised if they weren't clear favorites in Vegas as well. And again, I'm at peace with that. I'm at peace knowing that this team is probably going to kick everybody's ass in the playoffs and win the Super Bowl. I don't see anybody in the AFC right now that can beat them. I really don't. The four niners are the most well rounded team in football, simple as that.
Speaker 1:Staying on football, I just want to make mention of this. This is a sidebar. It's time for Beat the Clock. Who are you? Sports Talk Player Spotlight.
Speaker 1:This is the player spotlight, a new segment on the show where we are going to highlight a performance of a player in whatever sport. Maybe multiple players if it's warranted, but this certainly is Amari Freakin' Cooper. Don't the Dallas Cowboys wish that they had this Amari Cooper, because Amari Cooper yesterday went 11 catches for 265 yards and two touchdowns on 15 targets. That's record setting. I watched Amari Cooper make catches yesterday that the late great sorry, I said late great. I don't want to imply that I think something happened to him. I watched. Let me restate that I watched him make catches that even the Great Lins won would be proud of. I mean, the footwork on the sidelines was amazing and any old football head will know that Lin Swan made one of the most incredible sideline catches ever in the history of the game and I think is seriously underrated, especially for that time when athletes weren't the same as athletes today. So for that catch Lin Swan made was incredible to get both feet in bounds and secure the football. Very different game back then, I know, but even Lin Swan would have to appreciate some of the sideline footwork that Amari displayed yesterday. It was an amazing performance. I hope to see more because I like watching Amari succeed, especially when the Cowboys are falling flat. And that's not to say that they don't have received.
Speaker 1:Cdlam went off yesterday as well. I mean CDLAM. Cdlam had like 30 fantasy points in the first quarter of the game yesterday. Cdlam was not the problem. Their inability to keep getting CDLAM involved in the game until the third late third quarter. Fourth quarter was again an indictment of the coaching, the game plan and probably some of the execution as well. But Amari turned out. He turned up and I love to see it and I hope this continues for Amari Cooper. Shout out to the great Amari Cooper. Yesterday on his game Again, 11 catches, 265 yards, two touchdowns on 15 targets. That is the player spotlight. It's time for beat the clock. Who are you Sports Talk? Player Spotlight. Moving on to the NBA, we are back in the world of basketball.
Speaker 1:Okay, so yeah, this is a relaunch show. I know it's not going to be very meaty. We're not going to have the interviews, it's just going to be me talking. Hopefully it's engaging enough to where you guys feel like you want to respond and reply. I just want to make mention right now that you can do that on all the social media. Follow the show. The links will be in the show description. You can also catch me on beattheclocksportstalkcom where you can leave comments. You can send emails. You can join the email list and hit subscribe. Click that follow button and that little shiny bell. That way you get notified where all the new episodes drop and you don't miss out on all the conversation. That plug should have happened at the beginning. I acknowledge that, but I do want to make mention of it because this show only survives with all of your participation and I am eager to have these conversations with everybody out there listening To the NBA leading up to Christmas, because we won't talk about the Christmas matchups. They're going to be great matchups. We'll do that in the follow-up show.
Speaker 1:I do want to give my thoughts on probably one of the biggest newest events this NBA season. You guessed it the end season tournament. Not because my Lakers won it. I don't want to talk about hanging a banner okay, although I get it and my thoughts on that are I believe that it was something that the league mandated for anybody who won it, because, again, let's be honest, they are just trying to create momentum with this tournament and they need the teams to show that they believe it means something, so that it means something to all of us out there watching, and so hanging a banner is a way to do that. Oh, there's a banner in there. It's got to be important, because teams don't just hang banner. Well, most teams don't just hang banners for the sake of hanging banners, and that's a win for the league All in all, because I was skeptical about this, here's why you do it in season tournament in a league that has never done anything like this before.
Speaker 1:Regular season games are important because you're always jockeying for position in the playoffs. Well, they added two more spots to the playoffs. That worked Because we got meaningful basketball late in seasons where teams were now jockeying for nine and 10 and seven and eight. You weren't secure so it created a little tournament per se I guess the easiest way to describe it at the end of the season. So you've created two more playoffs spots. It can minimize the first half of the season where everybody's just kind of trying to find their footing the first month.
Speaker 1:Two months in, by Christmas time, you start to see the cream rise in the league, which we'll get into a little bit later, and then certainly after the all-star break the Lakers last year were a huge example of that you turn it up teams that are kind of teetering on that 11, 10, 12, nine every game kind of becomes a playoff game. From the all-star break on, the Habits of Lakers last year, who still managed to get in, did what they needed to do in the playoffs, got to the Western Conference Finals and ended up being swept, and I believe, heavily because they've been playing playoff basketball for two months, where the Denver Nuggets had really only been playing playoff-level, high-stress basketball for two weeks. That might be an understatement, but the example's the same, the weight of it, I think, is the same. So now you have an in-season tournament, so from the time the season starts in October to two weeks into December, so a month and a half of basketball. All of that matters. Now we start seeing playoff-type basketball, and this is exactly what the league tried to pitch to all of us fans was you're going to get more meaningful basketball more often earlier in the season. Ok, I'm for that. Check that box. You're going to have teams that don't make it to the playoffs start to experience what playoff basketball feels like. Ok, if it works, if you get high-intensity basketball, then everything that you're predicting the in-season tournament games to feel like, then yes, check that box. Those players, those teams, those fans will have something more to root for earlier in the season. You're going to generate what Revenue? Revenue? This is a huge money grab by the league. Come on, come on, we have to be honest about this.
Speaker 1:My fear was that if you put an in-season championship then you cheapen the actual NBA championship. I don't know that that's true anymore. That was just my belief. I don't know if it was ever true to begin with. It was just my belief Because my whole life of watching NBA basketball being an NBA fan, it was you played 82 games, you had a playoff and then at the end of the playoff gauntlet you had one championship and that team did everything they needed to do. Whether it be Fluky or Parody-driven or Cinderella-like, they still did what they needed to do. And you had one champion. That city got to hoist a championship banner, that team got to raise a championship trophy, or vice versa Raise a trophy, raise a banner, hoist a trophy, whatever Same difference. So does it cheapen it? I mean, I'll take the thoughts and the comments, but that's just where my head was.
Speaker 1:But then, after it happened again not because the Lakers won it just watching the games, seeing how they separated those games from the rest of the regular season type games by changing the floor, giving it some purpose, giving it some tangible differences, watching the energy of the players. The players completely bought in the incentive was certainly nice, especially for low salary players or deep bench type players, as stated by the Lakers when they won it, especially LeBron James and AD making it a point to mention that they want to make that money available for the guys that don't get to get on the bench, that don't have high salaries. You know that's what great leadership to think about those guys and want to go out there and play your best. You don't need that money, but you know there are guys on your bench, on your team, on your roster, that certainly could use it and I think that trickled down though we saw it from the Lakers because they won it, but I believe that that feeling was the same for all the teams involved. So it did exactly what the league hoped it did. It made basketball meaningful early in the year. It gave teams an opportunity to play high pressure, high stake basketball when most of these franchises don't make it to the playoffs and the players on those rosters don't ever get to experience that. The fans don't get to experience that. Now that should be an indictment on how those teams are ran, and we will do episodes where we could talk about poorly ran franchises and all of sports because they are out there. They are out there.
Speaker 1:There are ownership groups on every level of the sports world, in every league, that don't show the interest or invest in the teams that the way that they need to to make their team relevant and to give their fans, who are paying those salaries, who are putting and investing their own hard earned money for lifetimes, through generations, into these franchises. And there are just some franchises that ownership is so bad that they can't get out of the basement, they can't get out of the cellar. They are not taking strides to improve, they are just collecting money. They are there and those NBA fans, those Major League Baseball fans, those sports fans in general, are victims of this kind of fraudulent activity the selling, you hope, and not delivering. So the NBA said well, we're going to give all these teams an opportunity to play meaningful basketball. Well, it worked. And box number three was the biggest for the league, because interest and fan interest and player interest and commitment and viewership and branding and all of that leads to one thing and that's revenue. And I believe that because of the buzz and the stir and the raising of a banner and all of those things, the league made revenue in the end season tournament.
Speaker 1:Like it, love it, hate it, are indifferent to it it is here to stay. It's here to stay. The league accomplished what it set out to accomplish. It sold the hope of meaningful basketball in the first two months of the season, delivered and then made. They made a few bucks, and that is an understatement, I'm sure. So it's here to stay. Those are my thoughts on it.
Speaker 1:Kudos to the Lakers for winning. That was nice. They did what they needed to do. They went 7-0. Shout out to all the teams that battled and made it, you know, with this European style, made it through the group stages and into the knockout rounds. That's an accomplishment in itself. And now it's time to set that behind and go out and get the thing that really matters, and that's an NBA championship. So to my Laker fans out there and to the Lakers who may or may not be listening enough's, enough with this. You celebrate it. You're Rosa Banner. You went on a four-game lose streak, picked up a win the other night, crucial win in OKC. Let's go take Boston out on Christmas Day later on today and let's get back to the main focus, the main goal of the season. That's to go get an NBA title and that's it. That's what I got to say about it Again, love the feedback, love the comments.
Speaker 1:Get on social media. Let's talk about it Now. Calling out all the frauds. Calling out all the frauds Because we're at this turning point. We're at Christmas Day and All-Star Break is right around the corner. Be here.
Speaker 1:Before we know it, we got a month of basketball before the first half is done. I know the half happens before the All-Star Break. For all you keep in track, but for most NBA fans, the All-Star Break is the halfway point, the trade deadline, and then you have the second half. So we'll just go with that. But look, it's 82 games. I didn't choose it. Okay. I mean, you have to have something that marks where you're at in the season.
Speaker 1:The All-Star Break and the trade deadline for me and I think for most, I think I'm not alone in this is that's your marker Post. Those two events is serious basketball. You know, basically your top teams are your top teams. I mean your teams 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, and 12 usually are all fighting playoff games. Every game is a playoff game, every week is playoff basketball and they're just trying to get in the tournament. So that's meaningful basketball from the All-Star Break and the trade deadline going out to the end of the season. Don't fight me, excuse me. You know the thing about talking a lot. Okay, so, but as with all cases, there are frauds. There are teams that got really hot at the beginning and I'm going to tell you if I expect them to return back to the mean Okay.
Speaker 1:And the first team on the list is the Orlando Magic. The Orlando Magic are fourth in the league in there and they just had a football brain meld there. They're fourth in their conference, the Eastern Conference, and they're currently 17 and 11. And it seems as though they are starting to regress, as they've won only four of their last 10 and their latest win coming in their last game, which I'm not sure when it was, so I'm not going to say, but their streak is won, so they've basically gone four and six in their last 10. They're fourth in the Eastern Conference.
Speaker 1:By Orlando Magic standards over the last few years, this is fantastic. I mean this is truly the OKC Thunder, the Utah Jazz, but all happening on the East Coast for Orlando, right, they've gone through drafts, they've developed young players, they've shipped young players out, they've tried to put some, you know, some veteran leadership on their bench and these are the results of that, and it takes time and for a franchise like Orlando, you have time. I mean, orlando hasn't been relevant I think I heard the ladies on Lockton Sports mention since Dwight Howard and I would even say they really haven't been relevant since Anthony Hardaway and Shaquille O'Neal that championship level team. From when was it 2009? They lived and died by the three point shot. That's where the league was. It was a little fluky and it reared its ugly head for them in the finals when they shot atrociously from three and the Lakers came out and beat them. So I would say their relevance goes even as far back as Anthony Hardaway and Shaquille O'Neal.
Speaker 1:But this is a team that's building as a franchise that's trying to do it right. They didn't sell their soul for a championship. Now They've built and developed in the draft. They appear to be taking all the steps in the right direction. They appear to not be afraid to acknowledge when they've made drafting mistakes and ship young players out for more picks or more talent, and it's culminating. They are the fourth seed. Do I anticipate them being the fourth seed at the end of the season? No, no, I don't, I don't. I would say they're a play in team, at best at the end of the season. That's where I see them at, because this youth, this inexperience, it'll only go so far. They have a very good Nix team that's tricky, right behind them at six.
Speaker 1:You've got a Cavaliers team at seven that's battling some injuries right now but might get some. You know, again, they got to choose. If they make some moves at the trade deadline and beef their team back up and want to make a run, they certainly can. I think that they have the ability to do that. If they choose to sell Donovan Mitchell's out. That's my take. If the Cavs choose to sell this year and don't make moves at the trade deadline that are indicative of winning, donovan Mitchell isn't going to stay, he's out, and it might be the Cavs who sent him out in acknowledgement of hey, we are going into a complete rebuild, we are selling out. What a disappointment the Bulls have been, what a disappointment the Nets have been after they got hot last year. So I easily see the Cavs can jump into the sixth spot. I think the Nix and the Heat move up to four and five. I think that puts the magic at seven. I think there are seven, 16 by the end of the year. We'll see, but you got it. It's Christmas Day. Everybody's going to reference this. It's on track now. It's on tape. It's recorded. I think the Orlando Magic are a 718 at the end of the season. Moving on to the Western Conference, which is even more intriguing because this team can't decide if it wants to be an absolute dumpster fire or a contending team.
Speaker 1:The Minnesota Timberwolves the Minnesota Timberwolves you want to talk about a team that sold out. They sold out for Rudy Gobert. What was it like? Five draft picks and a handful of players between several teams to get the Rudy Gobert trade done? And it didn't work out last year. Chemistry problems or I'm not really sure. Rudy Gobert seems like the type of guy who has trouble in the locker room, and so maybe some of that is subsided now that they've had some time in and they've kind of figured it out. Anthony Edwards can always count on him to ball out and do his thing. But the Timberwolves are 22 and 6 as it stands on Christmas Day, and they are currently 8 and 2 in their last 10.
Speaker 1:Do I see the Timberwolves making anything happen from here? Do they stay at the top and I'm going to say no, although I don't think that their fall from grace is going to be as bad as the Orlando Magic. I think the Timberwolves go to 5. I think the Timberwolves are a 5 seed team by the end of the year. I think the Clippers drop out into a play in. I think the Mavericks can get to that 4 or 5 spot as well, which means the Timberwolves could fall to 6. I like the Lakers to make a run and get back into the top 6. And that's a little bias, but I have to. As a Laker fan, as I bleed purple and gold, I have to project them high.
Speaker 1:This team is capable. I don't know what's going on where they've been, but they showed in OKC. They beat a very good OKC team and this team is capable and we'll see what they got against Boston. Let's see you want to be the best. You got to beat the best and right now the Boston Celtics are one of the top three teams in the NBA. I don't know where the Power Rankings are currently. I'd have to look that up, but I believe I'd be remiss to think that they were not number one at this point. I don't see the Warriors doing much.
Speaker 1:I think they stay in the play-in scenario and the Suns? The Suns who have been the biggest disappointment, but battling so many injuries, they can't keep Bradley Beal on the floor. When they get Bradley Beal back on the floor, devon books out. Kevin Durant's always hit or miss. They're all play when. When each of them are on the floor individually, they are all playing great, but they haven't played very many games together, which is how this team was built. They're not a very deep basketball team and they are completely reliant on two of their three stars being available almost all the time, and it hasn't worked out. In fact, they are three and seven in their last 10, currently at the 11 spot, so they are out of the playoff picture currently at Christmas.
Speaker 1:I don't think that stays that way. I think the Suns buckle down and they get back in this thing. I see them as a nine or eight seed. The rockets have been a huge surprise. They are currently at the eight seed. I think they regress and they end up at the 10 or 11 spot, which puts them out at 11 and. And the timber wolves, I think, sit comfortably in the playoff picture, I think. I think that, if anything, they don't fall further than seven. But I'll put them at. I'll put them at five. I'll put. I'll put the Tim rules at five again, a lot can happen. Teams could get better in the trade, teams get worse in the trade. Obviously, injuries and illness and all of those things can Can take place. But as we stand right now, those are my picks. So we talked a little bit about the Sun's and their struggles. There's a couple other teams that I think are struggling teams, that that they can vastly improve their spot, maybe through trade or maybe even just getting some players back. I don't see the grizzly staying at 13 with job being back. I think I think they make a run at that 10 spot in the second half of the year.
Speaker 1:I think that the jazz are a Very good team, although there is some conversations right now that they are looking to sell Jordan, jordan Clarkson, apparently, is on the trading block and Markinin is on the trading block and, and so I think the jazz are kind of at this crossroad where, as you would say in the, in the, in baseball, around the trade deadline, are we selling or are we going to make a push, and it looks right now the way that the media is presenting this is that the jazz might be ready to sell Danny Angel's huge on draft picks, so he might be looking to stock up on some more draft pick draft capital to be able to make moves this offseason. So we'll see. I think this year's trade deadline is going to be a lot of fun. And and then in the Eastern Conference, I would say that the Raptors at sitting at 12 right now might be the best bet. If I were to pick a team that's, that's, that's been really low, who's been underachieving based on where I would have put them at this point in the season, I think that they are very capable of making a run. And the Hawks at number 11 again, do they sell? I see the Hawks selling. So I think they dropped out and I think that I think that that puts. I think that paves the road for the Raptors to try to get that 10 spot. The bulls are Dumpster fire. I think they drop it out. So, especially if they trade Levine, if they trade the Rosen and and and Caruso as well, which seems to be a package that they're shopping, I see the Raptors, they're there there, a few healthy players and a couple moves at the trade deadline away to get that 10, 9 spot. I think if I was going to pick an underachieving team to make a run in the Eastern Conference, it would be the Raptors. I Like the Raptors to do that by the end of the season. I think the Raptors will hold that 10 spot and that's it. That's it I also want to.
Speaker 1:I also want to point out before before we, before we close this out, that many of you know that my little teaser with the Lakers I believe purple and gold, as stated earlier, and I just want you to know that, in spite of that, all Of my Laker takes need to be taken with some seriousness. They need to be taken With some authority on the matter. And here's why because I'm a diehard fan and I have these conversations in my head where, if I was the GM, if I was, you know, if I was able to talk to Rapalink, if I was able to have a conversation with Genie, if I was Darwin ham, what line of sweat have? And all of you out there, you probably, probably do this with your own teams. I get it.
Speaker 1:So, again, I Would take your opinion seriously as a diehard fan of whatever team and whatever sport. If you had input like that and I'm not just speaking out of my ass, they are educated Takes and opinions on what the team should do and what direction the team might go. I will be honest and as objective as I possibly can. But everybody knows where my heart lies and so I say that with a lot of with with, with some self defecating tone, acknowledging that that I'm a huge homer when it comes to the Lakers. But but also, you know, speaking as a true fan of the sport, I will be as genuine as possible, I'll be as realistic as possible and when my takes are outlandish and crazy, I will acknowledge that so that there's no confusion as to where or what I really think or where my head really lies in the grand scheme of things. But I think through all the sports the Braves when we talk baseball, the Bucks when we're talking football and the Lakers when we're talking basketball. We'll talk some hockey here and there.
Speaker 1:Like I said, hockey and boxing I don't know where the two sports really what. The lines are kind of blurred. Sometimes they're the same, Especially from the hockey standpoint, when you know you could say I went to a boxing match in a hockey game, broke out. But I'm a Ducks fan and I'm a huge Los Angeles homer because that is where I'm from. That is my home in my heart. I will represent Los Angeles to the best of my ability. You even hear me cheer on the Dodgers from time to time, because as long as the Braves aren't involved or can't be their, their season can't be challenged. For it, I will root for the home team, it in the Dodgers.
Speaker 1:Huge news out of LA, by the way, getting a Tony and and the other Japanese cat which I'm not gonna try to butcher his name right now and I do not have it up in front of me but they have spent over a billion dollars in payroll just this offseason between three players, the two Japanese standouts and Glasgow and, and they're looking to do big things now. That is just on paper. They should. They should be clear favorites on paper to start the season as we head into spring in April. But but the Braves will always be my favorite personally and Even though the mountain is going to be tough to climb and come in off of such a great year with such a huge disappointment, the Braves are looking to do do big things as well and the Dodgers are completely reliant on performance, because names are the name on the back of the jersey only gets you so far, and that again, we, again sports fans, know this, and and that's just my thoughts on it. So so I got off track a little bit because I want to throw some baseball thoughts in there, but but the the point I'm trying to make is I will show bias to the teams that I enjoy, that I am a fan of, but I would say that I Commit to doing my best to be as realistic and as Objective as I possibly can, and all my takes and that's why you should take my take seriously when it comes to me talking about my own favorite teams. Okay, got that off my chest. Got that off my chest.
Speaker 1:It's Christmas Day, everybody. Merry Christmas to everybody. If you're listening to this episode on Tuesday and and any day after that, I hope you had a great Christmas. I hope I hope everybody stayed safe and you were able to enjoy your families and eat some good food. Hope you got everything you wish for. Hope you, in the process setting all your new year's goals and rolling over the the goals that are still in progress from the year before, and and and and. Stay tuned, stay tuned. Hit that like button, hit that subscribe button. That way you get Notified every time a new episode drops. Beat, the clock is back. I am the ant man and let's go into the new year, 2024. I'm looking forward to hanging out with all of you. That is it for today and P-C. And yeah, cool video guys. Okay, love you guys, and small Christmas tree day Peace.