I think it means, I think, for LeBron.

It's another game for for Kyrie.

I think it's a big game and I will confess to you that I didn't really think about it much other than because K d was out in Anthony Davis was out.

But I gotta tell you something.

I was doing my SportsCenter with Stephen a Smith show last night, and I have Mike Wilbon on the great mike wilbon uh, you know, for P T I fame, pardon the interruption and all of that.

We all know and love him.

Well, here's the deal.

He said something, and during his soliloquy he talked about how Kyrie missed the previous game because he was told that Kyrie wanted to be 100% for tonight's game going up against LeBron James.

And I think one of the storylines that has sort of slid under the radar because again, after they won the championship in Cleveland and ultimately a year later, he wanted out of Cleveland and was granted his wish and ended up going to the Boston Celtics before he would become a free agent a year after that.

And then he would decide to take his talents to Brooklyn, New York.

What got lost in the shuffle is that number one Kyrie Irving's wanted to depart from Cleveland.

Didn't wanna be, uh you know what?

What?

What did they say?

Max didn't want to be the son.

He didn't wanna be the little brother.

I wasn't made to be the son.

You know all of that stuff.

Marlow from the wall over one with that son.

That's right.

I wasn't meant to play the son.

He wasn't trying to do that.

Okay?

So he wanted out of Cleveland.

And then now he has an opportunity to go up against LeBron.

And if you remember in the off season when he was so on K.

D s podcast, I think it was own podcast.

Katie, I don't know one of those damn podcast.

He was talking to Katie and he said basically that you're the first guy that I played with.

That I had confidence in more than myself or Justus Muchas myself to give the ball to and say, Hey, take us there and I ain't worried about it Now.

Everybody and their mother took it as a shot against LeBron.

Kyrie emphatically denied that that was his intent.

But even LeBron, when asked about it thereafter, acknowledged that he felt like it was a shot at him.

And so there's something there.

And so when I listen to Mike Wilbon last night, Max my mentality in terms of being just recall, it just reminded myself who Kyrie is and what he is because he's a show stop.

He's a superstar.

The brothers box office.

You walk through the turnstiles, toe watch Kyrie Earth, showing that damn special he truly is.

But you look at him and then you see a guy that just he's motivated to put on the show to begin with, because his talent just demands that that's the kind of capability that he has.

But when you combine that with the fact that he has said what he has said and his actions is dictated that guess what?

You know what, mad respect for LeBron or whatever, But I'm not trying to play with the brother.

I want to go against him.

Now you're thinking about Katie being out, and all of a sudden you're salivating at this because Kate LeBron doesn't have a D.

Kyrie doesn't have K D, but he's got hardened and he's got a team that's capable of beating the Lakers, particularly without a D.

And so now you look at tonight's game and it's a show.

It's him against LeBron.

You know LeBron gonna be ready because he no Kyrie coming.

And Kyrie is coming and is unapologetic about it.

And listen, this is not something to create negative headlines.

I hope people are not taking it that way.

I'm saying when we're talking basketball, when we're talking basketball here, Max, all right, and you talk and you're talking about not just teams going up against each other, but that individual show because not like Kyrie can guard LeBron or something like that cause LeBron just too damn big for me.

I'm just talking about two cats who are elite going at one another, looking forward to going at one another, and no matter how much they try to hide it, everybody knows they're going after one another.

That is what makes tonight such a compelling matchup.

I think Kyrie Irving is gonna try to put on a show.

I think he's gonna try to drop 50 okay?

And I think LeBron is gonna be right there.

Saying what?

What?

Wait a minute.

Have you forgotten who the hell I am?

I think is that kind of matchup.

And I'm looking forward to what?

Your Your years, Your years on the beat, Stephen A and writing for, ah, paper like a pick.

The one you did in Philly is showing because you hit the nail on the head in terms of this storyline like, that's the story for everyone who's like, Damn Lakers Nets.

This was I was looking forward to this one.

This is supposed to be a finals preview.

Oh, no, A D and no k d.

Damn, it's not the same.

Well, that's the story right there.

Kyrie is coming for LeBron's head and you bring up Marlow from the wire.

You know, I love to talk about Kyrie that way because Proposition Joe told them I treated you just like a son.

And Marlowe's about a Have him bumped off and Marlowe says, I wasn't made to play the sun.

The difference here is if Kyrie ever felt like LeBron was trying to sun him that maybe LeBron a prop Joe LeBron is the boss of all bosses.

This ain't prop Joe.

So the thing about LeBron and I won't get into what may have happened in their personal relationship in Cleveland toe have Kyrie feeling like this about LeBron.

But anyone who plays with LeBron is the sidekick.

Anyone you know A D is with LeBron, who's the main man?

It's LeBron.

Doesn't matter who LeBron's playing with because he's the best player in the n b A.

And there's downside here for Kyrie Stephen A.

And here's the downside, and you touched on that, too.

There's no a d.

Bron a part of a Big three.

He's on a nicely constructed team, but he's part of an M v P two with a d a d s out.

Kyrie is on a Big three and K D is out, but he still has James Harden.

So I hear what you're saying.

Kyrie is gonna put on a show.

No doubt.

I think everyone would agree with that or try.

And when Kyrie tries to put on a show, a show was put on.

You are not stopping him on offense.

You better win.

He's The pressure is on Kyrie to win because if he and by the way, even then what's the upside, right?

Well, LeBron and have a D.

He's not necessarily supposed to win, but if LeBron beats Kyrie and Kyrie has James Harden, Stephen a heart is not in the M V P conversation because of the way he had to get out of Houston and because of the shots he's had to give me.

Oh, right, that's what I'm saying.

But in reality in, he's not gonna win the M v P, in other words, but in reality, he's been one of the most valuable players in basketball since he got to Brooklyn.

Kyrie has him.

You can't lose this game to LeBron.

If you have hardened and he doesn't have a D, well, I think you could lose the game.

I don't It's a regular season game, and I don't think I'm not gonna put that much emphasis on it.

What I will tell you is that Kyrie can stink up the joint while LeBron puts on the show.

That can't happen, you know.

But if Kyrie loses the game, but he drops 50 and it's a show and they going at one another, we'll all forgive a regular season loss.