 The Academy Awards were just announced and now it's time to watch Top Gun 367 more times who cares about the others run it back starts now. Good Tuesday morning and welcome to run it back. I almost forgot what day it was. Let's just introduce everyone right now. Very serious. We're talking hoops. I could see why we're very being very serious. Yeah, thank you. And congratulations to all the approvements. Hey, baby. Wow. He's a great guy. A great hostess. He's a great bra. He's a bad boy. They have a shum Shorania Stadium insider right there next to me. Of course, Chandler Parsons back in his hostage cage, whatever that is. And he on the end looking lovely as usual Chandler. The house Say the house decorating is coming along. Yeah. Yeah, I think they're doing the office last, Michelle, so we still got some other priorities. I get it. Can we pick colors? Let's vote on colors. I'd be fun. Guys, we had a lot of a lot of hoops. I say that every time. But I really mean it today. And the big news was, of course, but I really mean it today. And the big news was of course, Giannis and Middleton big returns. Bucks put up 150 points on the Pistons. Giannis had 20 on 100% shooting in the first quarter. All right, Chandler, how scared is the rest of the league after last night? I mean, this is a great version of the Bucks. And this game was over early. They scored 49 points in the first quarter. Giannis dominated and made his presence felt super early. And this is a game where Middleton, they're not putting him in the starting lineup. They're only keeping him at 15 minutes just till he gets his legs back. But this is a deep team with so much experience. They defend, they have multiple ways to hurt you. We all know how good they can be and they're just gonna get that much better when Middleton is back to who he was before this injury and a couple of years ago. I was kind of that go-to guy in the crunch time. But this was good to see Giannis back. He's missed a few games and just he looked like he's better than ever and it didn't miss a beat. Yeah, shout out to the Pistons, worst record in the East, second worst record in the league. They played like they had a bit of an inkling that the Rockets might still to win last night. And they wanted to get, catch up a game in the standings for Victor Wimby, I'm gonna be, yeah, this game was over in the first quarters, over in the first six minutes really, the Bucks look amazing, but they look exactly as you would expect them to look against inferior competition. It's a great game to bring all your guys back, getting a good rhythm. I don't know if the league is any more scared than they were two days ago because you had to expect this was gonna happen. It went exactly as planned for them. And good to see Chris Middleton and Giannis back out there and seeing those guys get ready to hit their stride. Yeah, I bet it was a good day, Giannis. Yeah, that's the biggest thing. That's the biggest thing what Eddie just said is having Chris Middleton back on for 15 minutes, just eight points, but two, three pointers and they just need to continue to have them build up these minutes and get game reps. Giannis, 29 points in like 24 minutes. Brooke Lopez, I think 24 points and 21 minutes. So it was light work for them against the Pistons, but I think the biggest thing is this is a great game for all of these guys to be back on the floor and they need Chris Middleton to stay on the floor. Like they can't afford any more extended absences because then the league will be fine with the Milwaukee Bucks, but as long as these three guys stay on the floor together, Drew, Chris and Giannis, yeah, I mean, everyone is always going to be scared of the Bucks. Dun, dun, dun. It's crazy that Detroit still had 130 points, by the way. Brooke Lopez, he had 21 in the effort, said it was great to see everyone playing together with no real chemistry issues. I mean, were we ever worried about that, Chandler? So healthy Chris Middleton, Bucks title chances. Again, this is a team I feel like we just don't respect or love or think is sexy enough a lot of the times, but if he's healthy and he stays healthy, what are their chances? I mean, they're very good, but on the flip side, if he's not and he's in and out of the lineup, he's not playing, I don't think they're gonna win a championship without him. Being who he was last year, the year before, is that all-star caliber player. Like I said, in the fourth quarter, we all know how great Giannis is, but when defense is really key in on him and in the playoffs, when it shrinks the floor, you, Giannis, especially, he needs a guy like Chris Middleton that can go get a bucket, that can score in different ways, that can shoot the ball. They've had great wins without him. They're gonna stay afloat and they're gonna stay right there. I just think for them to kind of be in those, that championship contender team, they need Chris Middleton. They need all-star Chris Middleton, not minute restriction, 15 minutes, you know, inefficient. They need him to continue to build and no doubt he will. This takes time, he's missed a lot of time, but this is their closer, this is their score. This guy does it all for them when they were winning at a high level. He was a huge, huge reason and he is the perfect, you know, Robin to Giannis's Batman. And I think in my eyes, without him, they're not a contender with him. They're right there in the mix with anybody. So no pressure on Chris Middleton, check, make note. Okay, every season since the beginning of time, there's one team that seems inferior that has the number of the other and Orlando Magic come on down, snapping the Celtics nine game win streak. This is their third straight win against the Boston Celtics team. Eddie, why? Why are the Magic such a bad match up for them? I don't know what's going on out there in Orlando. Look, when I see the Celtics play the Nets twice a year in Brooklyn, they look like the 96 Bulls. They go to Orlando, I don't know, they're going to Disneyland, they're staying at the bubble hotel, I don't know what's what, but they go out there and they look like the old Bobcats. I have no clue, I don't have a real great reason. They didn't have Marcus Smart last night. You know, you can chalk up as much as you want. They started Blake Griffin, which was kind of odd to me, but you know, with Grant Williams, kind of consistently nursing injuries, I guess you make it work, however you make it work. But yeah, it was tricky. And then Jason Tatum leaves late with a little bit of a tweak, a little injury. But yeah, I bet the Magic, they would love to play these guys a few more times this season if they could, because they look spectacular last night. Love it. This is one I don't really understand. The magic are young, you know, they have energy, they have long physical guys that can kind of speed the Celtics up. And you know, they forced a lot of turnovers on the Boston Celtics last night, but this is really a head scratcher. But holding them under 100 points is super impressive. They defended, they locked in, and for whatever reason, this is one of those teams, but you said they have their number, they know how to play, they bring their A game against them. And yeah, I almost want to see a series now at the Celtics first in Magic to see how it pans out. This is a, this is a confusing one. It's very confused. Look, it was also a very big night for the Orlando Magic with the return of Jonathan Isaac, who had missed 211 games. The obviously the whole team, they showed up in one jerseys and one T-shirts. His return a lot to the fans, but what does it mean to the team, Shoms? Well, it means everything. And Jonathan Isaac really encapsulates what this magic team is about. When I talk to team executives and other players with other teams around the league, they look at the magic as a tough opponent because one, they're young. Two, they're really playing for nothing. They're playing with house money every night. They're athletic, they're talented. They've got good depth around the entire court. You have Markel Foltz, Paula Bankero, Jonathan Isaac. Now, Wendell Carter Jr., Franz Wagner. They have a pretty good young nucleus that they can build on. They're clearly going to get another high draft pick again this year. So this is a tough team to play against. Jailor Brown said it last night, they're like the calves of last year where they're so long, they're so athletic. They can make it difficult for even the best of teams. As long as they're having a good night, the likelihood is that either it's through execution or not making shots, they're not gonna have these nice often, but they can make it hard. I've seen them beat the Bulls a few times this season. So they play all the good teams very, very, very tough. I gotta say, on this Jonathan Isaac's thing, we talk about Chris Middleton missing these games. And even Clay Thompson missed a lot of time and how hard that is to come back from. This dude hasn't played in two and a half years, 211 games. And there's this misconception about guys that they're soft or they're injury prone. And this kid that was on the path to stardom and he was supposed to be so good, he'd just been riddled with injuries. So I was just so happy to see him back out there doing what he does. And that's a long exhausting grind that this dude just had to be on. And as a guy that was injured a lot, especially with my knees, I know exactly what he's going through. And that was a real special moment. Even for me on a pointless Tuesday game, that was awesome to see. Yeah, it was awesome to see the way that the rest of his team was super stoked for him to be back in the building as well. I think the young man is very much liked. Celtics though, without Marcus Smart, we mentioned at the top of this thing, he did injure his leg on Saturday Chandler. Not sure yet for how long this is gonna go on, but how big a loss for any period of time, really. I mean, it's a loss. He's the glue. He's the toughest. He's the leader of this team. And, you know, he kind of carries the defensive sets and the schemes. And we all know his value there. He's shooting the ball well. He's kind of a do-it-all player for them. So as good as Brown and Tatum are and how Broggin's been for them, yeah, this is a different look without Marcus Smart. He's kind of the heart to that team. Yeah, the Celtics are treating it like a dated injury, but I wouldn't be surprised if Marcus Smart takes a little bit of time off, because this is the same ankle that he hurt last year in the playoffs. This is something that, at this point in the season, they're the number one seed in the East. They've been the best team in the league all year. You want to make sure he's 100% for the second half of the year. So I think it wouldn't surprise me if whether it's a week or, you know, a couple of weeks that he takes off to make sure he's 100% with that right ankle sprain. Guys, America's team, don't look now, but that beam, that beam's gonna burn out. It's just lit up every single night. Last night is no exception to the rule. Kings beat the Grizzlies. They've now won six of their last seven. They were 12-13 from the three in the first quarter. Outscore Memphis 33-10 in the fourth quarter. Man, Eddie, I know this is your hometown team. How you feeling about this team right now? They're legit. They have the second best offense in the league, and it's only by a 0.1 points in the net rating or offensive rating, whatever the fancy number is they use for that. They shoot the, I don't know, it's a cuss word. They shoot the ball like nobody else. 10 straight threes to start the game. Tied the record for most threes in a quarter in the history of the league. Like they looked insane. Now I will say their defense has a ton of holes, and we know that the Grizzlies have been great the last two years even when they don't have drama rant. Grizzlies actually came back. I think they tied. It might have even took a one point lead, but that third, that fourth quarter, they blew the doors off of the Grizzlies and got them out of there and handled business. This is a good team. They had Mike Bibby on their broadcast yesterday, and he said, this feels like us. This feels like our old team, that old early 2000s team that was passing a ton from the elbows with the big fellas bringing the ball up with Vladi, with Chris Weber shooting a ton of threes for at the time. And he's got a good point. I think some bonuses in all-star, I think Darren Fox would be an all-star. They're legit. They're gonna have to figure out a way to play some playoff defense, but they got a ton of shooters. They know what they're doing. They run that offense crisp out there. And yeah, I'm not gonna say they humbled the Grizzlies. I don't think anybody humbles the Grizzlies, but a 33 point win at home, you gotta be excited about that. Humbling. Yeah, this is an exciting team. And to 12 of 13 threes to start the game is insane. I don't know, that's a crazy way to come out of the gates, swinging and the fourth quarter run they went on. That kind of just put a stamp on the game, but this is a legit team. This is a legit team with two stars, and they have a bunch of guys that know their role and that can really, really shoot the ball. Harrison Barnes has been unbelievable last couple of weeks from the three. Kevin Herter's been such a great addition for this team. I love their rookie and Murray. And when you get guys like Trey Liles having career nights, this is tough. And we know the Grizzlies are a shell of a team of what they are without John Burant, but anytime you can get a win like this at home, it feels good and there's definitely some buzz in Sacramento. I mean, Trey Liles, 24.63 pointers. Throughout his NBA career, he's been bouncing around a lot of different places. He was supposed to be a really good player. It just has not worked for him in the NBA. And then this season, what he's been able to find, I have to give Mike Brown credit. Like when stuff like that happens and you have a rotation player that becomes solid out of nowhere, you have to give credit to Mike Brown. He's done a great job with him. Harrison Barnes, Keegan Murray. This is a team that has gotten off to just a great start. And I have to give a lot of credit to Mike Brown establishing the culture there. I am very curious, who's going to be an all-star among D'Arem Fox and DeMonte Sabonis? Do they get two all-stars this year in Sacramento? They probably are deserving, but it's tough for me to see Sack getting two. But to me, it's big time for Mike Brown, what he's done this year. Yeah, that's tough. I don't know if they'll get two. I think D'Arem Fox is a for sure lock. But listen, they're having a great year. They're right there in the thick of things. And usually the top two, top three teams, they deserve two all-stars. So it's going to be, they're going to have to take a hard look at that. I think, like I said, I think Fox is in and Sabonis, looking at the bigs in the West. He's having just as good of a year as everyone else. And their team's having a lot of success. Yeah, I think they're both in. I think whether it's injury, whether it's whatever, DeMontis has played more games than Anthony Davis. As crowded as you think the forwards would be, I don't think Draymond Green's getting in. And then going to the guards, we're probably looking at D'Arem Fox versus Damian Lillard. Fox has played more games. Fox is the leading clutch scorer in the league right now. And he's shooting like, it's some astronomical, like 80% from the field in the last five minutes of close games. I think they both deserve to be in. They're the three seed right now by game and a half. They picked up a game on the two seed last night with that win. If they keep trending like this and they're still the three seed as we start picking teams here in the next, what is it they picked next week? I think they both are deserving. We'll see. I understand a future Hall of Famer like Dam getting that spot over to De'Arem, but I would love to see some new fresh faces in there. And I think Sacramento deserves the nod. What a fun All-Star this is turning out to be. So many unknowns that we don't normally talk about. I kind of love it. On the other side of things, we mentioned no jaw. There was no Stephen Adams. This is the third straight loss for Memphis. I mean, look, they're asking this for the rest of the season as long as they stay up at the top, Chandler. But are they ready to contend this season? I mean, yes, I think so. And they are cocky and they are arrogant, but that's kind of their lane. You know, they've kind of established this culture and this arrogance and they're running within. That's part of the appeal of the Memphis Grizzlies. They're young, they're exciting. They talk a lot of trash. This is who they are. And they are extremely talented and they have an absolute stud in John Morant and they built this team with the right pieces around him. They're young, they can shoot the ball, they defend, they play hard. So yeah, I think when you look at the Western Conference, I don't think there's a head clear on favorite. I think I wouldn't be surprised if any of these top teams, I'd be surprised if Sacramento came out of the West, but if any of these other teams come out, I think the Grizzlies are right there and they've had a great year. And I don't think they should change. I think this is who they are. And they've created this whole villain, bad guy, dancey, trash talking situation. And yeah, like this wouldn't happen to many other teams. I promise you that. Is Shannon Sharp the face of the Memphis Grizzlies? Go. I will say, that was a good apology. Yeah, and I feel like that was my... That was very good. It's almost like his co-host doesn't know what an apology is. Cause he took four minutes to apologize for this. Oh, sorry, Eddie, go on. No, and I believed his apology. He looked right in the camera and then apologized to everybody, his grandson, everybody. But no, I mean, the Grizzlies are considered. They contended it last year. They were up in the conference finals. I think they had the best record in the league. They're two seed right now. They have the best defensive rating in the league. There's getting some chatter going for Jaren Jackson as the defensive player of the league this year. They're contenders. This is what you look for in a team. We've seen them spread out, play a smaller lineup with Jaren at center and switch everything and be a great defensive team in the playoffs. So we've seen what they can do. Obviously the Warriors got the better of them. I think that's still gonna be their worst matchup if they still haven't a run in them. But the Warriors look great now. We don't know if the Warriors are even gonna be there as crazy as that sounds. So yeah, this is absolutely contenders. It's one of the best teams in the league. Just a tough loss out there in Sacramento against a hot team. And when you only score 10 points in the fourth quarter, you're probably gonna lose that game. Man, who would have thought Sacramento Memphis tickets in January would be like a hot, hot ticket? That's crazy. And I love it. By the way, Jaren Jackson is the odds on favorite right now for defensive player of the year. I don't know why this next topic's in here. I thought we were just gonna go straight to break, but we can just hurry through this Portland Trailblazer San Antonio Spurs game real quick if anybody wants to talk about it. Yeah, Damian Lillard with a very nice 37 points. It ended up being a blowout win, but it was much closer for three quarters. Blazers are a game out of the play-in right now. Look, this is a team that's kind of flip-flops. I'm never sure where to put them, but where are we on chances of them earning a play-in spot in the West, Chandler? I like their chances. I like what they're doing. I love Dame Lillard. And when you look at that kind of bundled up group that I like them more than the Thunder, I like them more than the Lakers. Mini and the Jazz are kind of right there in the bottom half. So I think it's right there for the Blazers to kind of make a run here. And they've lost a few here in a row, so it's good to see them kind of stop that losing streak and they can't afford many 3, 4, 5-game losing streaks. They do want to get a chance, but I like them. I like what they're doing. I love Anthony Simons, Jeremy Grant. If you're having more games like Nurkic had last night, they're gonna win some games and they're gonna be right there with a chance. So, you know, games like this from Dame are gonna only help them. And like I said, I think they are just as good as those other teams right there kind of at the bottom. Oh, those shots. Killing me. Eddie, you agree? God. Well, I mean, the six seed and the 13 seed are separated by two games. So it's gonna be a tough out for all of them. And you know, the Clippers are getting healthier, I guess. The Jazz are kind of steady in the ship after a rough patch as well. You know, they're in the mix. I don't know if I'd favor them. The Warriors are right there. The Lakers are clearly motivated and they're waiting on their second best, maybe their best player to come back. They just made a move. Everybody's taking a shot there. It's exciting that everybody's giving it a go because in years past we would see, you know, some of these teams are probably bound out by now. I think they may be the worst of the bunch besides maybe the Thunder who are exciting to watch and having a good time out there. But only one game in the lost column back from the six seed. So, I mean, they have a chance. That's crazy. Yeah. The Troublasers better hope that they make the play-in or the playoffs. I mean, you give Damian Lillard a super max, you go out and trade for Jeremy Grant, give him a first round pick, you give Yusuf Nurkic some money this past off season. They've invested a lot in this team. Anthony Simon's got a bag as well. They put a lot into this team and if this team does not make it to the play-in, I think you have to look at this organization and question where the future is, what moves they could make in the summertime. Jeremy Grant is eligible to sign a four-year, around a $113 million extension. Right now, he has yet to sign it. So there's definitely questions about the Troublasers' future. But currently, yeah, I mean, they better hope that they have a really good chance. They're gonna be right there. This is gonna go right down to the wire. Yay, excited about that. Here's the thing, Chandler. The world loves what Damian Lillard has done. He's been so vocal about staying in Portland. That's really sort of part of his brand at this point. But if they don't make it, and this is another quote-unquote wasted season, what does Damian Lillard do in the end? I mean, listen, I can't... It seems like he's staying there and he's there for the long haul here. But yeah, he's gonna want to win. He's gonna wanna add more pieces. He's gonna wanna be able to contend and get a championship. And you don't just stay there to stay there because you like to see the year. You like the people. You like the organizations. You wanna go to work. Yeah, yeah, voodoo donuts are good. But I mean, you wanna contend and there's gonna be a frustration here. And like Shams has touched on, this is, most of these teams kind of in this situation, we thought we're gonna tank. And now it's kind of fun because everybody seems to be trying to win and accept San Antonio. Whoa, whoa! Everybody wants to, I feel like everyone wants to get in that plan and thinks they have a chance, especially in the Western Conference. It truly is wide open. So I love Dam, I respect him for doing what he's doing, staying there. But yeah, at a certain point, enough's enough and he's gonna want help or he's gonna want to get the hell out of there. That's a universe two summers ago where he leans into the chatter rather than stepping out and taking it all back. He actually asked for the trade and maybe that meeting with him and LeBron and AD go a certain way. And he's a Laker instead of Russ. You know, look, I respect him staying there and trying to make something happen there. And it's all great. But he's seen, front office has changed, coach has changed, he's lost his co-star, he's got new co-stars. They're drafted as, you know, I guess pseudo replacement. Dam is a Laker, Dam is a Nick, Dam is a Maverick, Dam is in whomever the teams that were interested at the time. It's enticing. I'm surprised that he stood on that. But, you know, the big three of Dam, AD and LeBron would have been quite the contender right now. And they would have been a much better fit than Russell Westbrook. But I'm with Shoms. They're bought all the way in on this team, on this roster, on this current iteration of the Blazers, and they need this to win. They paid a ton of money to Dam and Lillard. They're looking like they're gonna pay a ton of money to Jeremy Grant. They paid Anthony Simons his check. They got Narciss, they're gonna figure out, like, they're locked in on this and they're not a contender at all. So like, yeah, they would wanna make the playoffs and try to make some noise. Oh, I wish I could tell the future. I'd be so much richer, and also I'd know where Damian Lillard was going. Up next, Shoms gave us the scoop yesterday on Hatchimura, and then he was traded to the Lakers. How much better are the Lakers now? That one, run it back, returns. Well, there it is. Lakers finalizing a trade, sending guard Kendrick Nunn in three second round picks to the Wizards for Rui Hatchimura. And that was yesterday, right after the show. Young man, you asked to be traded, and you are now going to Los Angeles. All right, okay. It happened, Shoms. Everybody happy on both sides on this one? I mean, I think the Lakers for sure are. You give up second round picks for a guy in Rui Hatchimura. Yes, he's gonna be restricted for agent. You know, you're gonna have to pay him in the summer, but this is a guy who's shown that he's an explosive score. And just to get him for second round picks is a pretty good haul. This is a guy that probably would go for a first rounder under a normal trade, potentially, but you know, the Wizards had maybe waited. But I do think getting three first round picks that opens up the log jam for the Wizards, now they can fully focus on just paying Kyle Kuzma in the offseason. They don't have to worry about Rui Hatchimura. And for the Lakers, you have A.D. coming back, Austin Reeves, Lonnie Walker. Now you add a guy who just came off a game where he scored 30 points, a career high time performance. I think the Lakers are gonna be very pleased to get Rui Hatchimura. Yes, he's had things off the court, but now I think this is a move to the Lakers that Rui Hatchimura even himself wanted. And we'll see how he takes advantage of it. Yeah, he was pretty vocal about it, Chandler. Look, we've seen the listings, the rankings of the Western Conference right now. What does the addition of Hatchimura do to this team? Do they move up? Yeah, I love the trade for them. And first of all, Shams, there's nothing wrong either with second round picks, okay? So it's Jim that he got, not the second round. But no, I love it. I love it. In a situation like the Lakers are in, you just, you need a splash. And I don't, is Hatchimura a cannonball splash? I don't know about that, but I love him because he's young. He gives them youth. He gives them something different. He gives them this boost of energy, of excitement coming to the team. And he can score the ball and he's talented. And he has a future now with the Lakers where if they end up hanging, which I think they should, this is a great move for them. This gives them talent. This gives them someone that can relieve pressure that can go score the ball, that can get a bucket, has size. I love the trade for him. And honestly, they didn't really need a, they didn't have a need for Kendrick Dunn with Schroeder, with Reeves, with Russ. So they didn't give up much to get someone that can be there now for years to come. And so I love it. And I think the real winner of this trade is Kyle Kuzma. Cause I just basically solidified that he is going to get the bag this summer and he's going to be in DC for a long time. Oh, we got it. We got a magic tweet. God, I love magic tweets. Look at that. It's just facts, always facts. He's after you. I think Chandler, I think Chandler nailed it in that. They traded somebody who they didn't need for somebody who could potentially fit a need. And so in that sense, it's a win. You know, you got to see what they ended up paying him this summer, but I think he's the type of player that LeBron will help it make a lot better. He will find him easier buckets than he's had thus far in his career. He'll be able to create off the catch and slash on the weak side with this roster. And yeah, I mean, they're taking, they're buying low on him. They weren't doing much with Kendrick Dunn. That was a bad signing. They lost a whole year to him where, you know, so they're looking back at that free agency and feeling like they failed a little bit and they got something for him on the way out. So it's a fine deal. We'll see what Rui can do over there. And, you know, I mentioned him yesterday. I compared him to Lori Markin and I think, you know, that's obviously the best case scenario that he turns into an all star, but maybe he needed to change the scenery in just a better situation for himself. He's still young. And, you know, whether we like to admit it or not, not everybody's look at Doncets. Some of these young guys, they take five, six years to turn into the player that they're going to be. Some of us are late bloomers. I take everything, Michelle, I take everything I said back. Actually, if the Wizards draft a player like Chandler Parsons, they, they win this trade. So I take everything I said back. That's 2023, Chicago first. That's going to turn into Chandler Parsons. The Wizards win the trade. Wizards are onto something. I love you, but you are nowhere near the best second round pick in the history of the league. And I love you. Really? Yeah, no. Or you would say, he's got to be one of the best. One of the best earners. How about that? One of the best earners. Oh, now we're talking. Ha. It's all that matters. It's all that matters. Honestly, money is the scoreboard of life. So yeah, Chandler, you're back on top. My bad. I think I corrected. I liked it. It's a staff. I mean, it's got, you have to factor that in. Hey, in the world. It's an important staff. I saw Coos, was boy the other day, and he said he was, he was pissed at me for something I said earlier in the show, how he's not a star. I said, listen, your kids, kids are going to go to private school off you getting the bag. Not an all star gate, but don't worry about it. Chandler preaching truths. All right, talk to me. What else do you want to see the Lakers do before it's all said and done? Did you say me? Yeah, sure. I mean, I just, I like a trade like this. I like them kind of getting rid of people that they don't really need and bringing in talent, bringing in youth. And like I said, it doesn't really matter who obviously that helps, but just to switch things up and to get a new face and to kind of this, I know the feeling when you trade for someone, especially someone like Rui, there's this new energy in the facility today. There's this new kind of sign of hope that this guy's really, really going to help. And I think if they could do a couple more like this, if they could maybe do a big one with shipping out Russ, anything, any way that they can add shooting, any way they could add talent, I'm all for, because the Lakers are right there. LeBron is having an insane year and Anthony Davis is going to come back eventually. And they just need to get as much talented on this roster to start winning games and take advantage of this year because there's no reason to lose and there's no reason to take. Yeah, I'm a channeler. If they can add some shooting, I actually don't think they should trade Russ. He's been one of their best players. He's kind of a steady, their second unit. His shot creation has helped them a ton without Anthony Davis. Now, when you get Anthony Davis, obviously the calculus changes a little bit. And Russ is probably your best trade ship, but maybe there's something they can do on the fringes and maybe add another shooter. There's not too many athletic bodies like Rui out there. That's why it's a nice steal for them. You know, it depends on who's available. But yeah, they need a little bit more. And they're a dangerous team. I mean, that Grizzly's game showed that they're a dangerous team right now. And then they're missing their, I think their best player. And once they get him back, they're gonna have a chance to make some noise. Yeah, I'm curious. They still have Patrick Beverly's contract that they can play with. He's at around 12 million. So you can use that and a couple other salaries. And I think that they're gonna continue to be in an old boy on Bogdanovich. That's a guy that does make some sense. Imagine a lineup of AD, Hachimura, Bogdanovich, LeBron, and then fill in the blank Dennis Schroeder, Russell Westbrook, whoever. Like, that's a pretty solid lineup of shooting, scoring, some defense, playmaking. So I would look at them to be active on that front. There's just not that star level player right now available. You know, could they look into Pascal Siakam or Odjana Nubi. That remains to be seen. But right now, I think boy on Bogdanovich is a guy that, you know, keep monitoring for them. Yeah, Bogdanovich, is he gonna move? That's the million dollar question. Moving on to Serge Ibaka, it looks like. Choms, he's getting his way, yeah? Yeah, the Bucks in Serge Ibaka are parting ways. He's a guy that's a 2019 NBA champion, three time all defensive team player. He just did not work out for him there. He's gonna stay away from the team. I'm told as they figure out exactly how his parting is gonna happen, whether it's via trade before the February 9th trade deadline or is it a buyout afterward? He's on a $2.9 million minimum contract. So when you think about deals with Jake Crowder or any other player out there in the marketplace, Serge Ibaka's a guy you're probably gonna put in that deal anyway. And now this agreement between both sides essentially firms that up. But I'm curious if he does hit the open market, you know, who makes sense? I'm curious what Chandler and Eddie think as far as fit. Yeah, I mean, listen, I think there's still some value here, especially at the minimum. I don't like when a player ever steps away from a team. It's usually there's some, he's disgruntled, he's a distraction. So I don't know exactly what's going on there. But looking at the teams here, I like the Mavs, I like the Nets, I like the Cavs, I like the Grizzlies. Somewhere that's kind of teams that lack size, someone that need a little help depth. And so in a team that kind of thinks they are in that contending role to make a, make noise this year, a guy like Serge Ibaka with his experience, with his locker room presence and the way he can still play. I think, you know, you look for teams like that and I could see that. I could see, you know, one of those four teams makes sense to me. Yeah, I think the teams he mentioned, I think the Suns could use them, you know, get a ton of minutes to Bismarck Bianbo. And he's not what he once was in his prime. I don't think he's a floor spacing big, like people had hoped he would eventually turn into. But he obviously offers some shot blocking, some rebounding, he offers some size, which a lot of teams need right now at the moment. It'd be very interesting to see, you know, these are the kind of pickups where, I said this a lot about the Nets. When you get a big that is a buyout, and you're getting a buyout big, you're getting a Dwight Howard level Serge Ibaka level big, he's not gonna start for you. He's not gonna play a ton of minutes. But if he can offer any value really, he's worth it. And so I think there will be a ton of suitors for him, much like there continues to be for Tristan Thompson, for Dwight Howard, for Andre Drummond, for guys who can just go out there, take up size and grab some rebounds. Rebounds will always be valuable as long as there's basketball and missed shots. So it'll be interesting to see where he goes. I love it. I hope he gets to go one of these contenders. We see a little bit more of him. Shoms, as always, we appreciate you. And thank you so much. We'll see you bright and early tomorrow. We, however, are gonna take a quick break when we come back. The Academy Award nominations are out and we have our own best actor, best supporting actor, best director. We've got them all, the NBA versions. Run it back, return. Run it up, run it back, yeah. Well, here's a fun little bit. That's currently up on the FanDuel Sportsbook. You can bet on which of these games LeBron's going to break Kareem's scoring record. Right now, he's 223 points away. The Knicks is, I think, the fifth game from today, basically. So that gives you sort of a little perspective on what we're talking about here. Chandler, you're so good at this. I'm gonna do whatever you say. When will LeBron break the record? I like the Warriors game there. I like the plus 750. I think that would be a really, really cool place to do it. It's gonna be a national TV game, obviously, the closer we get. But I think that would be a really special place and, you know, special team to do it against. February 11th, okay. All right, it's giving us some time to breathe. What do you think, Eddie, before that, after that? I know LeBron's pettiness has no bounds and it would be perfect to do it there in that arena. I would love to see that crowd react and see what they do, because, you know, if Warriors Twitter is there, they might boom for three minutes. If regular normal people off Twitter are there, they might do the whole charade where they stop the game and all of that, like they did for step last year with the three point thing. I would love for him to do it. If I was a betting man and I am, shout out Fandle, I would pick a home game because I know that LeBron's theatrics also know no bounds and he's absolutely, positively not going to pass the chance to do that at Staples in front of the home crowd and do whatever it is he's gonna do, cry, jump in the crowd, stop the whole game. I don't know what he's gonna do, but I'm positive he has a plan. So bet on a home game. Can we add that? Can we add like home versus road? It looks to be equal amount. And I would hit the overall road. The favorite is in a home game against Oklahoma City on the seventh, that's the current favorite. Yeah, that's the other thing. This is a big speculation on the internet that he's been practicing, that the Skyhook is going to be the way he chooses to finally do it. Eddie, I mean, look, I'm with you. Man is very calculating. Do we think this is going to happen? This is actually going to happen. Yes, and I think Draymon's gonna let him, like Brett Barvin, Michael Strayhan, like I just hate everything about it. I'm so happy for LeBron's record. And just stop telling us you're not first, you are. You've shot more shots than some of the greatest shooters of all time. Like it is what it is. But I absolutely believe he's going to try to do a hook shot. He's going to make it. We'll see. I just hope it's not a free throw. Like when Kobe hit 30,000, it was a free throw. And it's like, boo. So yeah, do the Strayhan breath or thing and just, it's fine. It'll live on forever. By the way, you can actually bet on how the point is scored or how the points are scored. Right now, the layup is the favorite. Just a good old fashioned fundamental layup. But you're right. A free throw would be so anticlimactic. And for that, I'm rooting for a free throw. OK, sorry. Moving on. Aaron Gordon had a brilliant moment last week on social media. This is negotiations 101, right? Said that he will do the dunk contest if he's also an all star. OK, Adam Silver. I'm sure saw this, Chandler. If you're Adam Silver, are you making the deal? It's tough because honestly, you look at it with the number one seed in the West. And Memphis isn't getting two. New Orleans isn't getting two. Dallas isn't getting two. A lot of these teams, kind of in that upper echelon of the West, aren't getting two all stars. And if Denver continues to be the number one team, the second all star with Jamal Murray's ups and downs is probably Aaron Gordon. And that was the sickest dunk contest I've ever seen. So this was brilliant. This was absolutely brilliant that he said this. Because I mean, he's averaging 17 points, six and three or something like that. I'm not having that crazy of a year. But you know what? They're winning. And he's a huge part of that. And he has had an unbelievable year. So yeah, if you want to spin stuff to dunk contest and you want to see things like this instead of these guys who we've never really heard of before, put them in the game. I love it. Seems easy, right, Eddie? Great bargaining chip. Great bargaining chip for this guy. His coach might be coaching the team as well. And I think if there's an injury replacement, him and the commissioner get to choose. Or I don't remember how it works anymore. It's all a mess. But he is a borderline all-star. And yo, he's right to use his leverage because they need him on that all-star Saturday. We have Mack McClung. Shout out, Mack McClung. But we have AG Ligard in the NBA dunk contest. Let's just let him go out there and dunk. Let's just give him 20 minutes to show us his best of. Give him 50s and make sure Duane Wade is out there. But yeah, great bargaining chip. Smart of him they do. You can't crap on McClung and then say, shout out, Mack McClung. By the way, besides LeBron James, who else do you guys blame for the decline of the dunk contest, Chandler? I mean, it's tough because now with the contracts and with this all, I blame the team doctors. I blame like the management. Most of these guys don't want to do it. It's much more of an honor to be an all-star game and to play in that game than to be. It just somehow along, it just kind of lost its lust from these top tier guys. And yeah, like LeBron, I wish he would have done it. All these other great players that were great dunkers like him have done it. So I think it kind of starts with him, but it's just kind of, it needs more guys like Aaron Gordon. It needs more Zach Labien. It needs more good players to do it, not G-leaders and guys that we've never heard of. Yeah, I do kind of blame LeBron for that year LeBron and Aaron put himself in the dunk contest. I don't remember the quote, but I actually blame Aaron Gordon and Zach Labien. They did some stuff we are never going to see again and we would never see before that. Zach Labien did an East Bay from the free throw line, then did a 360 from the free throw line. That was like make believe. Kobe did an Adidas commercial in like 02 and it was fake and he did a free throw line 360. So I blame them because there's no topping that, but it's tough and I don't know how they get past that dunk contest. It's probably the best dunk contest of all time. And the stars just aren't incentivized to do it. If it was like it should be, we would have had Zion already do it. We'd had John Morant already do it. We've seen all that already and it's just not as big of an event for them. Maybe throw less parties on Saturday. These guys are trying to get their fits off and go kick it in whatever and they just don't want to get sweaty. I have no idea, but yeah, I don't know. It's going to be tough to fix that. Picture that this year, if it was John, Zion, you know, John Evan Mitchell and LeBron, I would watch that and I wouldn't watch the game. So like it is, you know what I mean? That's way more exciting. That's way more fun. So it is, there is something to say where, you know, two or three or four of these guys kind of can agree and do it. It can bring it back just as quick as it left. Besides Eddie, the counter to your argument about can't top it is, well, where's the competitive spirit? I feel like if I'm a professional athlete in the world, anything I see, I think to myself, I can do better and I'm going to do better. So where is that? It has to exist. Somebody, some star knows they can do better. You're right. And that's what made that year's dunk contest so great is they were both really into it and wanted to win. You mentioned it last week. Aaron Gordon has held that grudge for not getting a 50 till now. Like he's where's 50 because of that. And I'm guessing the way way better stay away from him in public. But that's why it ended up hitting like it did. They cared that night and it just hasn't been the same since. Man, I really, I'm just hoping for a surprise but I'm not holding my breath. All right, Oscar nominations brighten early out in La La Land were announced today, which means ours were also announced today. And it's all Chandler and all Eddie and we are going to get things started with best actor, i.e. floppiest flop, Eddie. I got Trey Young who has like made them change the rules with his flopping. And like there's nights when I watch Trey Young and he's not even like an NBA player. Like I can't, I understand he's slight. I understand he's small. And I understand he's taking advantage of defenders. And that's great. This is not fun basketball. He is absurd to watch. Honorable mention to Joel and Bede. I know that's not Chandler's pick but I want to make sure we know that Joel and Bede is quite the flopper as well. He's up and coming. He's up and coming for sure. Chandler? Yeah, there's a lot of great nominees for this award. They all, they all do it. But I took Marcus more. This guy has kind of mastered it. He's looked at Jaylen Brown. He's so good as teammates. He's even flopping with it. Here it is. At least one of them, did one of them get the call there? Probably not. Cause they flopped, but we did. Yeah, listen, that's what he does. He kind of, he's the ultimate kind of grab your face. He's the ultimate check if you're bleeding when you got like hitting your chest. He's mastered this. This is actually flopping has become a part of his defensive scheme. Yeah. He's the Daniel Day Lewis of flopping. Like he's in it every year. He's the player of the year for that. He's like, he's added that to his bag. He's grabbed the reins. He's grabbed the reins from Kyle Lowry and he is not letting him get that bag. It's his brand. I wanted to go the old head guys. I wanted to go LeBron or Chris Paul or these guys, but I feel like we got to go with more current. Whoa, whoa, whoa. LeBron say he has to learn how to flop. So I don't know what you're talking about. He hasn't learned that yet. Awesome. Adam, best supporting actor. Maybe like your second, your third option, Chandler. I love Jaylen Brown. Not for his flopping on that first play, but just the things he's doing. It is ying and yang over there. I think this is the best duo in the NBA. They have carried this team to the most consistent best team in the NBA thus far. And the year, the growth he's had, the way he scores the ball, the way he gets the rim, his athleticism, I think he's the best supporting actor because I think he could be the best lead actor on a lot of other teams. Oh, I like that. OK. All right, Eddie. Yeah, I have Aaron Gordon. And I know we just talked about him and want to see him in the dunk contest. But they're at the best record in the Western Conference. And he's a large part of it. He's one of the biggest beneficiaries on offense from all of Nikola Jokic's magic. But he's also by far their best defender and has made them a league average defense, which doesn't sound like a lot, but is incredible for the personnel that they have over there. He guards one through five legitimately and patches so many of their holes on defense. He's going to be unsung all year. He's not going to win defensive player a year. He might not make it this all-star game, despite his leverage play. But he's been incredible for the Nuggets. He's been a great pick up for them. That's a good. That's a good award for a head best director. Very important. Obviously, we're going coach here, Eddie. You first. So I'm going to butcher his name, like I already said. But Mark Dagnalt from the Oklahoma City Thunder. We talked about the magic earlier and how great they look and how competitive they are. And they're probably right on schedule. The Thunder or somehow ahead of schedule, they're just at 500 and they've continued to develop those guys in the two years that Mark has been there. Shay has grown into a star. Josh Giddy has went from people wondering if they've drafted him too high to understanding that he's a franchise corner piece. And they're doing all that without a top draft pick talent in Chet Holmgroom. They look great this year. They're ahead of schedule. And next year there should be a surefire playoff team. And what he's done with them and his development is a big part of that. Love it, Chandler. Yeah, he's been great. I went with JB Bickerstaff. Personally, I just know how good of a coach he is. I think Mike Brown also should get some love here. But JB, what he's doing with this young team, he's keeping them just kind of right there in the mix of things. I know he's developing these young kids. And that's really what he does best. He's an exes and those guys. He's great offensive mind. But he can really develop. He's in the gym with these guys. He's in the gym with Darius Garland. And he's got his player development guys. But JB is on the floor with these guys getting them better every single day. He knows how to relate to players. And they're having fun. And you can tell they love playing for him. And they're winning. And they're 10 games above 500. And they're a very dangerous team. And I think a lot of that obviously is the talent and the roster they've built. But JB is a huge reason for that. That's a loaded field, the best director field. All right, best picture, which is the best moment so far, Chandler. I'm sticking with Cleveland. I think Donovan Mitchell is incredible with 71 point performance. You don't see that very often. It was an incredible game. I don't care about the two minute report with the blown free throw call. This was so special. This was fun to watch. And this was a historic, historic night that he'll always have. And I don't see many other people do it. Even with the scoring now, it's tough to get 71 points. So this was huge for me. This was fun to watch. Eduardo. All right, I went biased. But this is absolutely my favorite part of the season. KD back home, dropping Daniel Gafford in front of all his friends, his family, everybody who is there to see him. It's just ridiculous. Without the push, like I said, I'm biased. Love to see my brother out there shining. He'll be back soon. I think they're going to announce it today, how much longer he has or whatever. But that was great. It was amazing. You know what? We'll give you that one. Our best picture. Also a loaded field. Guys, it happened. We hit our parlay. Oh, there we are. So when we come back, not only are we going to brag about that, we're going to build on that. The empire begins again when Run It Back returns. You do not want to be on the sidelines during the NFL playoffs. So get in on the action with FanDuel and official partner of the NFL. Right now, all customers can play as the same game parlay or same game parlay plus of three legs or more on the NFL playoffs and get bonus bets back. If you don't win, there are so many ways to bet on the NFL playoffs, including exclusive player props, live same game parlays, alternate spreads, and so much more. So download the app today to start betting the NFL playoffs. Well, Monday was a big win for the three of us and hopefully all of you because we hit our parlay boys and I feel pretty, pretty good about it. So there it is, beautiful green Ws that we are going to grow accustomed to seeing again. If I say so myself, the honest one by the skin of our teeth and I love it. OK, Tuesday, Eddie, go. I got the next getting points at home against the Cavs. I just like the little bit of revenge against the guy that everybody wanted them to trade for. They beat him last time. I'm looking so I'm doing it again. OK, OK, I like the reasoning. Chandler. Yeah, I went pretty simple here. I just took the better team against the worst team. I like Mab's money line. I feel like this one's pretty, pretty good. It's just sound logic. I like it. It's the worst team. You know what? That feels pretty good. All right, I took the the Pelicans plus one against Denver. They're at home. I feel like, you know what? Again, I don't have reasoning. I just feel OK, like witches do that 20 bucks. Man, we lose, but we actually lose money of all three of these hits somehow. I know, we're so stupid. We have no reasoning other than that. All right, guys, that's what watch what we find out. Yokech is coming back at about three o'clock. I'm going to be like, all right, Beatle. Guys, stick with us, get rich. We'll be back tomorrow. Have a good one.