Yes, I dio, um, if Anthony Davis with 100% I think the loss, the Los Angeles Lakers going to the finals.

If the Brooklyn Nets are 100% there's nobody in the East that's beating them.

I've stated that from Day one on.

Guy maintained that position that the Brooklyn Nets in the Los Angeles Lakers will meet for the NBA championship come July.

My attitude is very, very simple.

I think that when you look at a D and you look at LeBron James's greatest, the Utah Jazz are looking right now as much of a threat is the Denver Nuggets could end up being Portland could end up being etcetera.

I think LeBron and his brilliance combined with the greatness of Anthony Davis and the way Frank Vogel and his staff have those guys playing defense.

They get themselves ready for playoff competitions and it's all about matchups.

And nobody is better at exploiting matchups than LeBron James.

Alright, so that's what I think about what the Lakers plain and simple.

When I think about the Brooklyn Nets, I think that Kyrie, James Harden and Kevin Durant are just lethal.

Um, they are absolutely sensational offensively.

And I think in this particular case, a great offense, uh, makes for a better defense.

I don't think that they're gonna be the elite defense by any stretch of the imagination.

Max is highlighted, how awful they have been.

Nevertheless, we found ourselves looking at them and we said, You know what?

They're getting a little better defensively, particularly at key moments and fourth quarters.

I've seen them do it.

And then you look at how later they could be offensively, not just from the perimeter, not just scoring overall, but what they do from the free throw line.

They don't miss free throws, either, and I think that's pivotal.

And I think when you look at the Philadelphia 70 Sixers Ben Simmons as great as he is, he doesn't even attempt perimeter shots.

I don't think that you could beat them without him doing that, even though they have Seth Curry and Tobias Harris.

I look at Boston, I question their depth.

Andi, I don't know what's going on with Kemba Walker and I look at you know Miami.

They are They're sliding fast and not what they used to be.

The Milwaukee Bucks.

They've been struggling.

And if Johannes can't make perimeter shots, as I've said on many occasions, you don't have a prayer in hell against the Brooklyn Nets and specifically Kevin Durant.

So I look at the Brooklyn Nets and I don't see anything standing in their way but themselves, and I don't think they will do that.

The Brooklyn Nets, If healthy, the Brooklyn Nets and the Los Angeles Lakers will meet for the N B A championship in July, and I don't have a scintilla of doubt about it.

That's possible, but I think there's plenty of doubt.

Number one, the Western Conference.

Let's not pretend this is the same old jazz.

This is something different.

Mike Conley was not Mike Conley last year.

He is this year.

He's one of the best players in the league, and when you combine them with Donovan, Mitchell and I just consider that the Jazz gave the Nuggets is sort of the all time great seven game Siris in the first round.

Give them everything they wanted without Bogdanovich.

Now add him, and also add the rial Mike Conley they're being compared to this Spurs from several years ago on those teams beat everyone.

They beat LeBron James teams.

They beat everyone, had the Lakers Onda for good reason.

They're being compared to them.

And then the Clippers.

The Clippers have gotten better when healthy.

Not only does Paul George have a lot to make up for now, but they have Ibaka and, as I mentioned, Nick Batum, who's back to playing kind of like he played when he got that Max Steel or close to it in the first place.

That's just in the Western Conference, and I haven't even mentioned Denver of Dallas can get it all together, right?

Is choppy waters in the Western Conference?

But what about the Eastern Calm?

You know, I agree with you about the Bucks, Steven.

I'm not convinced about the Bucks, but the Sixers or another story, and I will tell you why you mentioned Ben Simmons.

Can't shoot the three.

If he could.

I'd be just taking the Sixers already, because the difference between the Sixers and the Nets no team in the last 20 years has won a championship ranked lower than 11th.

Defensively, James Harden is right when he says, Guys, we don't have to be awesome defensively.

Just average if we're just average defensively.

But Stephen A, they're not.

They're dead last like they're awful defensively.

Sixers aren't matter of fact.

And when you talk about Ben Simmons three point shooting Stephen A.

On the court when Ben Simmons is on the court, they shoot 41% from three.

It's the second best in the league when he's on.

When he's off the court, they shoot 29% from the three.

At least this was true a week ago, UM, 29% dead last.

So while Simmons himself doesn't shoot, he makes everybody else much better.

They go from worst, basically to basically best with Simmons on the floor.

So you know what the difference is here with the Sixers.

This is not your slightly older siblings.

70 Sixers.

They have Daryl Morey now and obviously Doc Rivers.

But what Maury did in Houston is the same thing he's doing here.

He's like we are gonna play the most efficient brand of basketball.

He just didn't have the horses in Houston.

Not really.

He has the horses in Philadelphia and beats playing at M v P level.

He'd be my pick for MVP right now.

And Ben Simmons is also excellent.

And they've got shooters everywhere.

You look the Nets, Congar there.

But they must start playing defense.

Let me educate you about something here, Max.

And I say that respectfully, Um, when you're watching the game of basketball, let me give you a little bit of insight in the my philosophy about certain things when you spend years not showing up when it counts.

And what I mean by that is I'm not talking about choking or anything like that.

I'm just talking about you just don't have it.

You're not that person.

You see them saying you're a role player, you're a marginal player.

I'm not talking about James Harden, who has been a little less than what we're accustomed to seeing him being a regular season once the postseason arise.

Because I believe in James Harden.

I believe that James Harden is going to show up in some capacity and have some kind of a positive impact.

I'm talking about the guys that just don't necessarily have it.

It's not who they are.

There are limits.

There's a ceiling I don't rely on those folks when it comes time.

See when you see it during the regular season, that's nice.

But when it gets tight and when the competition gets elite and that pressure mounts, I'm not sold on you.

If I've never seen you there before, that's just stop me.

And so when I think about the Philadelphia 76 is I like Tobias Harris a lot.

I believe in Seth Curry.

I love Jo Ellen being and what he brings to the table, and I believe in Ben Simmons to a point.

Do I believe they could get to the conference finals hell year?

Do I believe they can win it all going up against an offensive juggernaut like the Brooklyn Nets?

That's where my reservations kick in Milwaukee.

Yeah, honest, you ain't never work on your J.

I don't believe all of a sudden you're gonna find it come postseason time.

When I think about Boston, I believe in Jason Tatum and Jalen Brown.

Ah lot.

I don't believe in their depth.

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