You're listening to Giraffe King's Network.

This is the Dan Levatore Show with the Stugats podcast.

I'll talk to you guys later. Thank you. Good luck, Jimmy.

Thank you.

Love you.

No commentary on what you look like. I want somebody to comment on what you look When you say love you, I wonder if Jimmy Graham leaves college and he's like, Man, that Levatard show is aged. Who's that guy in the front row? I listened to those guys when I was in college. Who's that Ben Franklin? Who's the George Washington in the corner? That visual joke all show today, you've had me smiling because of how ridiculous you look as the Larry David.

Billy, did he convince you?

Do you believe Jimmy? Now that he's gone, you can give your true feelings.

Believe him on what? I never said any I have no such thing about Jimmy Graham. I just came here, I was sitting down minding my own business. I wasn't doing anything. It's a body of work.

Who's the guy on the one show? It's that one. Historically, Billy, when someone crosses an ocean, I think that's where skeptical Billy was born.

Look, I've got to- I don't know.

I've got a couple of origin stories here. Forgive me for just a second because I want to get to this audio from last night of Monty Williams. The original Look at Me, Louis, I remind you, Monty Williams, who now makes $78.5 million with the Pistons, is the original Look at Me, Louis. Emine Alhassen was brave enough to say, The world's nicest man, someone that everyone loves, that this person, by going into the locker room after a series that he had lost to say, Congratulations to the winners, that he's the original Look at Me, Louis. Last night, he was robbed, and this is a nice man. Him being enraged about the officiating, you know he is totally right. Nothing he is saying is wrong. The pistons were robbed up and down last night. Later in the show, we're going to talk to our new Nicks correspondence, Sam Morrell, about just what is happening with the New York Nicks who won last night. Because this is as angry as any of us have seen Monte Williams, correct? None of us... This is original nice guys to guys.

He's upset he didn't win his ninth game of the season.

They're a scrappy eight-win bunch. They are a scrappy eight-win team.

Scrappy. He should actually thank the referees. He should thank whoever he needs to thank. That's a good loss for them.

Scrappy means they're awful. Did you see the end of the game, though? No. Okay.

Who watches the of a Pistas game?

The Knicks were playing. The Knicks were playing. That's why he was asking me.

Who are you working with right now? Okay, look.

Lapping in your face.

Come on. It's a great finish. Come on. Last night, and there was one sports story, and it's your teams, Dugont. How do you know this little about the things happening in the sports world?

But to Greg's point, the Pistons. Okay.

Is that protest still out there? They haven't ruled on that yet.

At the end of the game last night, this is a clear and obvious obvious foul. The Pistons have won the game or should get the game. After the Knicks were robbed in a Rockets game, they, too, had an official complaint and an appeal that they should win because of the bad officiating at the end of the game.

The refs Odom won.

Thank you, Stugatz, for even less than you just gave me before.

Lamar Odom won.

Thank you for giving me even less than you did moments ago. You guys are at the top of your game, but it's a clear and obvious foul. He's got the ball, and then there's no call, and then this is how the Knicks win, and it's ridiculous. And there's the end one. And New York gets the storyline it needs and deserves. They got their call back from the other night. Mike, why are you... Good one. You're on fire. Mike, why are you shaking your head?

That's a brutal call. It's bad. It's real bad. They had the game won, or at least they were headed to the line. That stinks.

Here's Monte Williams at the end of the game. You have to understand this isn't just your common everyday coach going off about the officiating. This is a man who always represents the league well. This is a man who is viewed by all as a reason for respect. He is having a tough go of it, man. He got a record-breaking contract. That team stinks. And he's in New York, and he just got robbed. And here he is, and he is pissed off. And it hurts more when the nice guys, the guys who are always about your league, when they get pissed off.

Where's the New York media now? The absolute worst call of the No call. And enough is enough. We've done it the right way. We've called the league. We've sent in clips. We're sick of hearing the same stuff over and over again. We had a chance to win the game, and the guy dove into Assar's legs, and there was a no call. That's an abomination. You cannot miss that in an NBA game, period. I'm tired of talking about it. I'm tired of our guys asking me, What more can we do, Coach? That situation is exhibit A to what we've been dealing with all season long, and enough's enough. You cannot dive into a guy's legs in a big-time game like that and there be a no call. It's ridiculous, and we're tired of it. We just want a fair game called, period. I got nothing else to say. We want a fair game, and that was not fair.

I'm done. It really does mean more coming from him. Does it? Wow.

It It does. It does. I really feel bad. I want to go and support Monte Williams and the Detroit Pistons, and I know exactly how. I'm going to open up my game time app, and I think I saw on that graphic over there that they're going to be in town here on March fifth. Well, look at that. Flash deals available, all in pricing, $23 a get-in price. And you can actually see your view from that seat. I want to thank GameTime because they've reupped because of all the love our audience has given them. Thank you so much, audience, and thank you so much. They're a good sponsor. Gametime, they're a great sponsor. Download the GameTime app now. Create an account, go watch Monty Williams and the Pistons, and use code Dan for $20 off your first purchase. What do you mean no? Do you realize that if you use that promo code- What do you mean no?

I don't want to watch the Pistons Pissons. I don't want Monte Williams telling me after the game, after his 49th loss of the season, that the reason they're going through this season is because of the referees. I don't want to hear it. You know what's unacceptable? Being the highest paid coach in the NBA and your team being 8 and 49.

What was the code?

Just out of curiosity. Sorry, Mike. Yeah. I do want to see the Pissons. If I create an account for the first time, I use that. I use code Dan. I get $20 off my first purchase. That means that Pistons game is $3. Terms apply. Last minute tickets. I always check for last minute tickets because people are always trying to load those off. So make sure you head on over there. Lowest price, guaranteed. I love game time. Thank you so much.

Stugats. The playoffs are coming up here, and you're going to have to be slightly less lazy than my team is the story of the sport tonight, and I don't know what you're talking about. Can you be slightly 1% less worse?

When we get to the second season, yeah.

I'll be there. Less worse than that. You can't do better than that. That's the best you can do.

They're not going to play the pist into the postseason, I promise you.

That's the best you can do. Greg Cody, are you going to rescue us? I would really love some rescue here from just the profound unending laziness that is the two of you knowing nothing about sports while still cashing sports checks. Do you have a back in my day to rescue us today?

I don't. Yeah. He hurt his knee.

Yeah, I do. What?

No, I do.

With a hurt knee. Do you have a no you can offer up after I say a prompt to download an app? Because that's helpful.

I just said no to the game. The piste is not the app.

You're probably listened during a three.

Of all people. Of all people.

He built his career on the live box. That's a penalty box, right? That's a penalty box.

Listen, all I said is no. I don't want to see the piste.

With the worst time as possible. I love game time.

Let me stop for a second. Stugats, five-minute major Go sit in the median across the street.

They're not wanting to see the pistons?

No, no, no, Stugant. Go sit in the median in the middle of the street.

Which one?

For five minutes.

Which street? You've just given him a smoke break.

That's fine. Don't smoke a cigarette out there. That's fine. We'll do the show without him. It can be done. The reason is for- In the case for 10 years. The reason is because I value more than ever the sponsors that you not. Game time has been legitimately good for us. You have no idea about these things because you're just looking for your latest grift where you can sell your book that you're not writing.

I was looking for my keys and my cigarettes.

You can leave. Go.

It's going to take you a little bit to walk down.

What are you doing?

I care very much about game time. I don't care about the pistons.

Go, please. Sit in the street.

Well, not in the street. In the media.

Where the camera shot is. I'll honestly be okay with the street. Don't say that.

Wait, that's mean. You all right?

Yeah, sorry. Bless you. Mike, it's not in that shoe. It's okay. I am offended by what Stugats just did there because I keep telling that the sponsors like the relationships with us.

That was such a great organic place for it.

Independent brands need the support of their sponsors and their independent audiences. We have a very good one in game time, and our audience, as it always does, supports the brands that support us. So he should not say, No, don't download the game. Yeah.

Well, he was saying no to the piss-ins, but his timing couldn't have been worse. It was just really bad out of him. You'd expect more.

He's a professional salesman.

No, not really. He's a con artist. I bought I'm going to go on them art tickets on game time. Oh, did you? It's not just sports. You can do concerts, it's comedy, all kinds of things. Big concert guy.

Yeah. Wow.

How about that? I'm going to the trilogy tour. Really? Yeah. Second leg of the concert. I would have rather seen them down here in Miami. Enrique Ricky Martin and Pitbull, but I'm going to actually go up and see them in Sunrise. I cannot wait for that. Wait, they're coming back down? Yeah. When is this? Two weeks. March eighth. Really? Yeah. Sesa cyclones conflict. Chris, I need you to cover that one for me because as you know, I'm a big gearhead, and Pitbull just conquers every industry he goes into. Did anybody congratulate Pitbull for winning at Atlanta Motor Speedway? Congratulations. He did that. What a time. He did that. How's Pitbull going to have a concert the same day? I guess his team's off that day. He actually He never ended up getting a highlight team. What? Which is weird because the team's named the Fireballs, but it's there. The key's under the mat. They merged it without telling anyone. He went from owning a team to being an ambassador for the league. Really? Well, he's Mr. Worldwide. Who got the team? Mr. Red? Mr. Red has a team. I have a bone to pick with Mr.

Red. Why? Because I was at the last game and Mr. Red sent his people to talk to me, as opposed to just straight up talking to me. What does that mean, he sent his people to talk to you? He's like, Hey, I I represent Mr. Red. I'm watching a highlight game. Totally unexpected to hear the words, Hey, I represent Mr. Red. It'd be great to get him on the show. I'm like, Cool.

Making the big contacts? Working your way up in the game?

Yeah. Keith Bogans was there.

How can Stugatz not know?

He wants to be on South Beach Sessions.

How can Stugatz not know that- Got any questions for Keith Bogans?

I promised him yes. You never know who you're going to find in that center chair. It's always wild. They put the two teams, and then there's just this little center couch area. The most random people show. When I went, it was El Duque. Keith Bogans is dying to talk to. El Duque has been there a bunch.

Yeah.

Great golfer.

What are you guys doing?

So this is- They're luminaries.

This is Miami Media Sports elite legends of the game where you guys are sitting next to people whose history you know because they've been conquerors in sports. Ray Lewis was there.

I'm assuming it's people that are paid to be there. No, no, no, no, no. These are owners, luminaries, people that go there for the love A game. Dan, you remember a time here. Dan, Greg certainly remembers a time where all South Florida luminaries, their big weekend plans were to go over to the front on and watch some highlight.

Of course. Chris Cody paid to be there?

Well, they're basically giving away free money. You go in, they give you money that you can gamble on the game. No risk. I'm actually going on Sunday. What? Because we have family days now. There's a Sunday, and I've been told that it's the only day of the week that you can actually bet real cash. When your kids can run the front on after. That's not Really? That's not a thing.

Sunday, fun day. Storm of the Court.

No, we know how to stop that. Although Corbeil will embellish-Arrest them all!

Steugatz here. Did you know that according to FBI property crime data, most home break-ins happen in broad daylight. As the days get longer this spring, protect your home with Simply Safe. It's the award-winning home security I use and recommend. I've had it in my home for many, many years now. The peace of mind it gives me when I'm not home is the best thing about it. I could see everything happening in and around my house. Both experts and customers love Simply Safe for its comprehensive protection. It was just named Best Home Security System of 2024 by US News & World Report and recognized for the best customer service in home security by Newsweek. The whole system is backed by 24/7 professional monitoring for less than a dollar a day. There is no long-term contract ever. So you always get the emergency response you need and at half the cost of traditional home security. Protect your home today. Our listeners get a special 20% off any new SimplySafe system. When you sign up for Fast Protect Monitoring, just visit simplisafe. Com/dlb. Don't wait. That's simplisafe. Com/dlb.

Don Lebatard.

Hey, everybody. Not here. Well, can't come to the phone.

Leave a message.

See, doesn't that sound better, Chris?

No, it does not. It does not sound better. It sounds... He is absolutely slurring his, Hey, everybody. By the way, not surprising at all that he would answer the phone and think just everybody is there.

It's only one person calling you. No, it's everybody.

Still got to. He's performing, baby. Every time you put a mic on around him, Hey, everybody. He was 19 Miller lights deep when he recorded that. It's everyone calling him at the same time. Hey, everybody. He's doing a little show. A little show. Everything is good content. The Greg Cody Show featuring Greg Cody. Hey, everybody.

This is the Dan Levatard show with the Stugats.

He's waving to people out there, smoking a cigarette, enjoying. It's lovely out there today. The last few days around here have been like California. He's enjoying sitting on a stump-Is that a joint?smoking a cigarette.

There is a high probability that police tell him to move during this segment.

Cars are whizzing by him. I don't think that's the median either. I think that's... One of my favorite moments at ESPN was him very dangerously, standing on a rooftop in a bar, holding a misspelled sign, wanting to get on air, unhighly questionable. He could have parasailed right off of the roof because it was a liability. He had to sign a bunch of paperwork. He is in real danger there. We have more pedestrian deaths than anywhere.

That is a median, though. Can't confirm.

All right, so he's in the median.

If he gets struck by a car, the driver is at fault.

I will blame someone else as I- How small he is in this world. I threw him in the street. He will be returning a smelling of cigarettes and sweat as he has for a while now. We have a back in my day to get to, but Mike Ryan is complaining about this, and he made an embarrassment out of everything Metalark Media and business partnership related when he went so strongly at Paul pierce the other day. And now, Nicks fans are about to get loud. This is the most annoying viral strain there is in... I'm going to say, down here in general, I was trying to get to the point earlier telling you what these heat teams do. New York's been dying to be relevant since Pat Reilly left there. They were for a couple of years, and they've been really loud with a playoff win here and there. They are dying to topple the heat. Well, Stugatz isn't, but the rest of the moment. No, but my point is, I need Stugatz to keep up in the media game where everyone wants to talk New York basketball, but Mike Ryan is mad at me because everyone in New York has a podcast now to talk New York basketball.

No, Dan, I think you're doing a very brave thing. As you know, New York Knicks fans, I mean, totally on an island to themselves. No real platforms. Nationally, we're on podcast to tout their New York Knick fandom. I think you're actually doing a great service, and you're servicing a really underutilized part of the media, Knicks fans. You and Jimmy Graham, right here.

The best part of this is that no one actually thinks that they're going to win the championship.

Everyone is saying the thing of- Except for them.

This is the best they've been in a long time, but still, that's the best part about this.

They will talk themselves into beating Boston. Just like last year, they would have talked themselves into beating the Heat. They played the Heat harder than anybody played the Heat, but they, too, would be terrified of the Miami Heat.

I would say the Nuggets most would. And the Celtics did take the Heat to seven. The Knicks just barely got to six because Jimmy Butler decided to sit a game out, and the Heat still almost beat them. But, yeah, no, it's great. The Knicks Fandam is a special one, and the game probably does actually need them now. For the first time, you can actually say the game of basketball might be better with the Knicks being good. And thankfully, they have a a good team because they have two conference championships in the last 30 years. The Miami Heat, crown jewel of the Eastern Conference, have seven. You understand? Seven. Seven. Celtics three, Knicks two. You combine their Eastern Conference Championships as long as many of our audience members have been alive, they don't have as much as a Miami Heat do in your lifetime, seven.

My point is, over not many administrations, but many classes- Let's add the Sixers in there.

Combine them Six. Miami Heap, seven.

They are the cream of the conference and what I was saying earlier, when Sacramento loses for 22 years, when Charlotte wins two playoff series, it's not normal to change, not administrations, but your roster over and over again and continue to get excellent results. The Knicks have arrived here now into this conversation. Miami has been here since Pat Reilly left there. It's been a 20-year run. It's good to have New York in that conversation. Conversation again. Greg Cody, your Back in my day is ready? It is. All right. I can't wait to hear this. What's this about? That's fine. Good timing.

Well, you said he couldn't wait.

And now it is time to take a trip down memory lane.

Here's your guy, Greg Cody with Back in My Day. Waterbeds. Ask somebody today if they have a waterbed. It's It's about the same look you'd get if you asked if they drive a Mercury Bobcat or an AMC Hornet. Waterbeds were really, really popular, especially with the in-crow, back when people said the in-crow. That was back when all the guys looked like Cheech or Cheong, and everybody, including your pet dog, was sucking smoke out of a bong. The waterbed was invented by a guy in San Francisco, of course, patented in 1971 and popular throughout that decade and well into the '80s. At its peak, almost 25% of all beds sold in America were flotation mattresses. Now it's barely 2%, and most of those are related to medical rehab. What happened? The waterbed was cool once, embraced first by hippies, and the free-spirited free love movement before it caught on in the suburbs. Bum, checka, bum, bum, if you catch my drift. Or to be specific- That's not a drift anyone wanted.

Baby.

Unmitakably, there was a sexual element. Hugh Hefner in the prime of Playboy, famously had a waterbed. Trippy bands like the Jefferson airplane did, too. Advertising for waterbeds in the swinging '60s made it clear. One famous ad slogan was, Two things are better on a waterbed. One of them is sleep. The waterbed boom was starting just as the bump, check a bump, bump was dawning in Greg Cody's life.

You made it a game show sound.

You made it a game- And he tried one out in his friend's off-campus apartment. Hated it. Don't get me wrong, I can sleep on anything. I've slept on a bed of nails. I don't need any bells or whistles. What? Don't need a foam memory bed that outlines my body like a victim at a crime scene. Don't need sleep number bed. I certainly don't need a water bed that to me was like trying to fall asleep or do anything else, wink, wink, on a raft in the middle of an ocean. Similarly, back in my day, a lot of roadside motels and lower-level hotels had vibrating beds. Creopy. Waterbeds ran their course, and for a number of reasons. New mattress technology made non-waterbeds better. Waterbeds were high maintenance with the possibility of leaking and property damage and algae and mold. Many apartment complexes banned them. Moving them was a bitch. For me, even the squishy, sloshing sound they made was weird. To install one, you had to run a hose into the bedroom. The whole thing was bizarre. This is where I'd usually say, Bring back the waterbed. No, don't do it. You go ahead and ride the waves to sleep.

I shall repose on the firm dry land. Thank you. I'm Greg Cody, and that's how it was back in my day.

I slept on a bed of nails. Was that necessary? I did once.

But you know what? They...

It's another $5.

No, the nails weren't super sharp. They round off the nail head. What's the trick, though? Technically, you're sleeping on a bed of nails, but they make it tolerable. It's weird like that. You can do that. Anybody can sleep on a bed of nails.

It's all weight distribution, right?

It's all weight distribution, but also, they're not super sharp.

This is the new and improved Dan Levatard show with the Stugats. Gamble on by Kraftkins. Dan Levatard.

Who I'm thinking of is Lorne Green. We all remember Lorne Green. Who could forget? Bonanza. Lorne Dorn. Am I right? There's a cookie named Lorne A Dune or something like that.

It's my favorite cookie. It's number one on my top five cookie list.

You and nobody else. But Lorne Green played the head cowboy in Bonanza. Thank you.

You're so old. Thank you. Yeah, the stumbling on his word there, the precise manner of it was as old as you've ever sounded.

Stugatz.

Also, why did you say thank you at the end of that?

Well, because I'm enlightening people. People out there are nodding like barbed heads going, Yeah, yeah, Lauren Green, Bonanza. I remember that.

You should say you're welcome then.

Well, I mean, Bonanza and Gunsmoke were big rivals on TV. Tv. It was must-see TV. We'd watch them at 14:40 on a black and white Magnavox every week.

On their time, not mine.

My grandma used to watch those shows every day, Greg.

Damn right.

She would have been 90 this year.

Hello. Good for her. She had good taste in TV. Lauren Green. This is the Dan Leventhal Show with the Stugats.

He's got shows coming up this weekend in Salt Lake City. He's got four shows early next month in Boston. That's going to be fun. I'm sure he's going to rile up Celtics fans going in there strong and heavy as a Knicks fan.

He's got a T-shirt with Mike Breen on it.

That's right. He is auditioning to be the Knicks fan. The greatest Knicks fan there is, He's also auditioning to be our Knicks correspondent. He's got a Netflix special same time tomorrow. Sam Marelle is on with us. We will see if Deezus and Mero compete for this position, but we're proud to have you here. You enraged You enraged Steven A. Smith fans last time you were on, but Nix fans thought you were a conquering hero. You became a stronger voice in the Nicks universe than you had been, right? Are you still feeling light-headed from how you rode around on that white stallion on behalf of Nicks fans?

It's better than cocaine. I mean, the hatred of Steven A. Smith only riled up the Nicks faithful. And by riling up Steven A. Smith fans, you mean people with a collective IQ of under-80? So I'm okay with that. Oh, no. Yes, I am taping a I'm taping a special next week in Boston. That's the ultimate Knicks fan heat check. I'm fired up for the Knicks right now. We're injured and we keep winning.

How does this work for you, though, Sam? Because when you go into Boston, this seems like an allegiance to you that's a bit unreasonable. I don't know if you have any other relationships like this anywhere in entertainment. Your identity is tied up in this team being good this year, and you're going into Boston looking for a fight. Are you not? You like that there's that decades-backed racist tension coming to fight you with the Celtics.

Yeah. I mean, decades back, sure. If you say so, I guess there's only racism in Boston in the '60s. Whatever you say, Dan, they've cleaned up their act and they're good to go now. I mean, I don't know. They're a great team, the Celtics. What can I say? They beat us on Saturday. We're down three starters. Isiah Hardenstein is not 100 %, but they're a hell of a team. I can't take anything away from them. They're a great basketball team.

Can you explain to us what happened last night? Let's play this video and this audio for him because Monte Williams... I also want to get into Monte Williams. People were, Nice guy, Monte Williams starts complaining about the officiating. You got a real officiating problem. But here's the end of the game here.

Wait, he's making $80 million, and he's won eight games this season. He shouldn't be complaining about anything. I love you, Monte. You're an ex-Nic. We have nothing but respect for you, but I could have won the same amount of games this year for five million a year. I'll take five million when you ate games by just telling Cade Cunningham to shoot. I think that would work.

You can aim a piston, huh? Okay.

Yeah.

All right, let's just play the end of the game here. Not the Monte Williams sound just yet, but just the end of the game here. Do you want to try the play-by-play here? Do you want to take a crack at the most factually correct version of it? All right, let's see what we got.

Sure. I'll be completely unbiased here. Let's do it. A miss, a rare miss by Jalen Brunson, a loose ball, and oh, my God, I think Hardenstein saves it. And now a pass stolen by Austria. Oh, and a completely legal Goldberg spear by Dante DiVincenzo. And an and one by Josh Hart. Oh, my God, the Knicks win. Okay, fine. So we got away with one. What do you want from me? So I guess now the Pistons won't make the playoff. What a big deal. This doesn't really compare to the... A no call is not the same as a blown whistle that happened to us in Houston just recently. Aaron Hollerday shooting a three. That was not a foul on Jalen Brunson. We lost the game because of that. The NBA evened out every once in a while, and the basketball gods, I guess, smiled on us for once. Depleted. We beat a bad Pistons team, but we needed that W, man. Grimes came in and was killing us in the fourth. I still love Quentin Grimes. Once a nick, you're always a nick.

You're scared of the Miami heat, yes?

I think the heat are tough. They always scare me a little bit. They're hot lately. Spoh is undeniably one of the greatest coaches, I think. And yeah, no, I got to admit, they always do scare me. I do think we're a better team than we were last year. But the Heat are tough. Heeding the Celtics are probably a team, as a Knicks fan, that scared me the most. The Bucks, I'm not buying the Bucks, and I'm not buying Doc. Doc Rivers is like... For a dude who's willing to trade his son, you think he'd be a better coach. You think he'd be more cutthroat. You know what I mean? But he's just like, he doesn't scare me.

Sam, I'm stunned to hear you say that just because of this, okay? For no other reason and overly simplistic. I know they've been bad at defense, but if you give me Giannis and Damian Lillard in any incarnation throughout the history of time, the need to fear that combination and not ever feel like they can beat those two guys. Not in any incarnation of the Knicks I've seen.

I think if we're ranking the teams I'm scared of, they're third I'm most scared of. I think it's Celtics Heat and then the Bucks and then probably Billy in the East. I think the Knicks, I'm not scared of the Cavs. The Cavs don't have a tough guy. You need a tough guy to win a playoff round. Mitchell Robinson toyed with Jared Allen. Julius beat up Evan Mobley. Josh Hart beat up the great Donovan Mitchell. I I think size and toughness play a role in the playoffs.

Do you have an opinion on what is happening right now with Jason Tatum as face of the League stuff? Jason Tatum is saying he's the best player in the League.

He's anointed himself as face of the League. You don't get to do that. That's like giving yourself a nickname. It doesn't work. He's like, Do I think I'm the best player of the League? Yes. And we're like, cool, you're not. You can think that. You're not top five. I'm sorry, no one in the League is taking him over Gilgis Alexander over... We're talking young guys. You want to build a team? I'm taking Ant over him. I'm sorry. You're like neck and neck with Devin Booker. I guess due to length, you get the nod over Booker, maybe. I'm not taking him over Luca. I mean, There's just too many dudes that I would take. I mean, obviously, Jokić and Embiid are ahead of him. I've just named five easy. You're not the face of the league. It's like, why? Because we're so xenophobic, it has to be an American guy.

Well, what's he saying about MVP, though? Like, when When Draymond Green is saying, and I don't have the sound here for you, but Draymond Green is saying, Why are we moving the goalpost on Jason Tatum? We don't have to get a championship from him to include him in an MVP conversation. He's the best player on the best team.

You know why he's saying that? Because they beat him in the finals. That's why he's saying that. Draymond is like, It's a classic dude who could be nice to a guy that he's beaten up. That's why he's doing it. I don't think... Fine, best player in the best team. I guess we've done that in the past, but I They have too many good players to make him MVP. I'm sorry, we're rewarding Jason Tatum because he doesn't drop 30 a night? He doesn't have to. That's a privilege. Jalen Brunson has to drop 30 a night because we're depleted right now. You got Tate. And by the way, if it's game seven, nick Seltz, I trust Jalen Brunson more than I trust Jason Tatum.

Oh, my God. I do. Oh, Sam. Sam, you're getting-I do. Sam, that's aggressive. Sam, that's an aggressive take, Sam.

Go, nick. Sam. I think they have so much... I'm sorry, the Celtics, you don't get to be in the MVP conversation when you have maybe the best perimeter guard defense in the last 20 years, dude. You got Drew holiday and Derek White, Elite defenders, maybe both all NBA this year. And then you got Porzingas at the five, who I still have a fondness for as a Knicks fan, and I have a fondness for holiday. It really annoys me that they got those two guys. And you got Jalen Brown, another All-Star. I mean, I'm sorry, you're not in the MVP conversation. It's great. You have a great record. It's on paper, one of the best starting fives of the last 20 years, I'd say. You're not in the MVP combo. Was Durant in the MVP combo when he was on the Warriors? No. Exactly. He was the best player on the best team.

Sam, here's the big question. Would you draft Bronnie if it meant you could get LeBron James to the Knicks?

No. What? Where are we putting him? We have- We're putting Bronnie on the bench. Well, where are we putting LeBron? I don't really want LeBron. I think he's a distraction. I think we have a culture.

What is happening? Mike, hold on. Mike, what is happening now where Knicks fans don't want LeBron?

Oh, I'm sorry, because when you were really hot and you passed on us, and now you got a few more pounds on you, and we're like, Eh? Yeah, that's how it happens, dude.

But Sam, what if we get knocked out Eastern Conference semifinals, game seven, and Brunson isn't as good as you think he's going to be in a game seven, and then you feel like you're a LeBron away.

What do you do then? I'm not saying we don't need another guy. I'm saying why does it have to be a guy who's going to be 40 next year? I'm sorry.

I'm also not going to cast- You don't want LeBron James over Josh Hart.

Are they making the same money? No, they're not. I'm not comparing them to each other. I'm saying I love Josh Hart, though. But the same reason you're not casting a 65-year-old is to start a James Bond franchise. That's why I don't want LeBron on the Knicks, all right? I don't want a 40-year-old as my primary ball handler. I don't want him. Lebron is a great player, but I don't want him on the Knicks. He had his moment. I'm sorry, are the Lakers a good team? Am I missing something? Why are we talking about them like they're a good team?

You have made a lot of good points. You are injured. You do keep winning. I mean, thankfully, that call yesterday, you went from three and seven in your last 10 to now four and six. So you're really finding a good group just two and a up on the Miami heat.

Right. Well, unlike you, we actually been- We're not hurt at all. Yeah, we're hurt. We're not suspended like you, Degenere. We actually have injuries in our team. Mitchell Robinson, the great O'Giananobi and Julius Randall, and we're back. Look out. It's fucking coming, dude.

Sam, only Dallas and Memphis have had more different lineups than the Miami Heat. You haven't had more injuries than other people.

And I've told you, you're the second team I'm most scared of in the East. What more do you guys want? I admit you're a scary team. You're a tough team. Jimmy Butler is a killer. Bam is a great two-way player. What else do you... You got great shooters. I don't know how I feel about the Rozier move. I don't think it's amazing. Your best point. It wasn't like...

It's what?

It's a great point. I don't like Rozier.

Okay.

So you may not like everything I say, but we root for different teams. I think I'm being fairly unbiased.

You're actually being quite kind to the Miami Heads chances. I appreciate that.

I think Spoh is a scary coach. And look, I like he culture. I'm a Knicks fan. We want that to be our culture. Tibs runs a tough ship. It's a similar type of culture, I think.

Sam, you're kicking ass so far. You're the only one who has gotten any Knicks correspondent love around here. Same time tomorrow is the Netflix special. And again, Salt Lake City, four shows early next month in Boston. He will for sure sell those out. Sammoreell. Com. Thank you, sir.

That's a special tape, and I'm taping a special next week, so it's going to be fun.

I can't wait till you go after Boston. That should look good. Thank you, sir.

Thanks, guys. Spring.

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