Season 3, Episode 30- Ball Don't Lie

In this week's episode of "Diehlman at Halftime," Larry and Chris discuss:

NBA Draft lottery results
Conference Semifinals series discussions
Game of the Week: Detroit Pistons @ Cleveland Cavaliers, Monday, May 11, 2026 (Eastern Conference Semifinals, Game 4)

All music written by Larry Diehlman

Release date: Monday, May 11, 2026

Transcript

Introduction

SPEAKER_02 0:15

Hey guys, and welcome to episode number one hundred and one of Dielman at Halftime, the NBA podcast that tops all others. I'm your host, Larry Dielman, joined by my co-host Christy Pietro. If you're joining us for the first time, it's great to have you. And if you've been a regular listener, welcome back. We have a lot to cover today and not a lot of time to do it. We'll look at a general overview of the NBA this week and then discuss some important topics across the association.

Overview of the NBA this Week

SPEAKER_02 0:55

Let's get to our content for the week. The biggest thing in the NBA, besides the playoffs, the NBA draft lottery happened just yesterday on Sunday, and it did not disappoint. And I believe we are still in the current format of the lottery. And then obviously, as we've discussed in previous episodes, the NBA will switch into their complicated new format. So the lottery consists of the top 14 teams that might need some help. And there are teams in here that don't really need any help, but they were fortunate enough that teams that do need help gave them picks to get there. In reverse order from 14 to 1, we have the Charlotte Hornets, the Miami Heat, Oklahoma City Thunder, Golden State Warriors, Milwaukee Bucks, Dallas Mavericks, Atlanta Hawks, Sacramento Kings, Brooklyn Nets, LA Clippers, and then for our top four, the Chicago Bulls, Memphis Grizzlies, Utah Jazz, and the Washington Wizards win the draft lottery and get the number one overall pick, barring a monumental collapse and even some rumors that the Wizards might look to trade down, but I don't know why they would do that. AJ Debanza will most likely 99.999% chance he will be a wizard alongside Trey Young and Anthony. Oh, you think they are going to trade down? Okay.

SPEAKER_01 2:25

Well, I don't know if DeBons is going to be the first pick, but they also could trade down. I don't I don't know. I don't know. I think the jury's still out on a lot of this, and that's why it's going to be very fascinating to talk about here.

SPEAKER_02 2:35

Just a lot of interesting storylines to get from this draft lottery. Probably two of the teams that got royally screwed the most, the Indiana Pacers and the Sacramento Kings. The Pacers could have had a top four pick after they made the finals last year in their surprising run. They suck this year because of the injury to Tyrese Halliburton and Miles Turner walking in free agency. And now with the Viza Zubots trade they made at the trade deadline, they wanted to get a starting center and they ended up giving their pick to the Clippers because it had to be top four protected. Oops. But I will say their president of basketball operations, he did apologize for that trade. He said he takes responsibility for that one. So it's good to see accountability in the front office there. And the Kings, LOL at this point, I don't know. The Kings, no matter what they do, they'll still get a terrible pick. Some other things to look at. The Heat, they always find a way to get in the middle of the pack. And thank God the Oklahoma City Thunder fell out of the top ten because there were rumblings. They had a chance to get the number one pick, or at least it's a top four pick. If they had somehow gotten into the top four in this draft, with the fact that they're most likely about to win back-to-back titles, you might have to fold the NBA. Like it was getting ridiculous. It's still ridiculous over in Oklahoma City. But they fell out of the top ten. They are number 12. Thank you, LA Clippers, for that one. The NBA draft is June 23rd to 24th at Barclay Center in Brooklyn, home of the Brooklyn Nets. Chris, a lot of movement here in this draft lottery. See some teams that need help get where they need to be. The Utah Jazz are building. The Grizzlies after Jaron Jackson's departure to Utah, actually. They need some help with John Morant. The Bulls finally getting some help. And some of these other teams, the Bucks, they need some help. But, you know, with the Thunder and the Warriors have a chance to really rebuild in their lineups. The Hawks will look to add somebody next to Jalen Johnson. But you gotta feel for the Kings and the Pacers here.

SPEAKER_01 4:54

Yeah, brutal outcomes for both of them. Um I think Indiana specifically, they they knew what they were getting into when they gave up that radically weirdly protected pick um in return for Visa Zubots, which obviously in hindsight, you know, now that the lottery has gone down, uh, you know, you you say that that's a really steep price for Zubots. But Zubots was was gonna be a lot to acquire anyway. He he's he's truly a great center, he's a defensive anchor, he's a one of the best rebounders in the league, and he is a perfect fit on this Pacers team. Um the the the the this is the sort of team where I I could, you know, you you could definitely justify maybe a a bit of a overpay for for a Vitzazubats, but man, missing out on a top four draft pick in this class specifically, where I think after the top four prospects, um definitely it doesn't fall off a cliff, but I mean there's a pretty substantial jump from four to five in this class. I mean, that is brutal. And I mean I mean, even if even if they ended up with five, I mean, you you would sure as hell take that over nothing. This is a this is an amazing draft class. Um, so yeah, it's it's it's really it's really unfortunate for the Pacers. And you know, like you mentioned, I thought that apology from the the GM was so funny. Uh he he I mean he he he outright said that he they thought that they were due for some luck. I mean that that's hilarious. That's that's a level of transparency you never see from from figures in his position. Um and he's just out there, you know, you know, blurting it out on Twitter. I think I thought I thought that was hilarious. And and he's a real one for that. Uh so so shout out to that front office member. Yeah, brutal for the Kings as well. They they just had a miserable season, and and they just have a total lack of direction with their franchise right now. They're paying a lot of guys who aren't good and are aging a lot of money. And to end up at seven here, um, again, you're gonna be able to get a good player at seven. It's not the end of the world for Sacramento. Uh, they own their picks moving forward, so and then they're not getting much better anytime soon. So they're gonna have shots to you know get back into the you know at the top end of the draft here. But but in this class, this is the class you want to be in that top four, and then they didn't make it, so it's it's tough for them. But um, you know, there's a lot of talk about um Adam Silver and and the league's involvement with these ping pong balls that they claim are random. I err on the side that it's that they do it ethically, and I don't think we've seen a rigged lottery. I'll say lately. I I think if you go back to the the the conspiracy regarding the uh the frozen envelopes um back in the day, I I I mean I could see a case for that. But I mean I I I think people see that the oh the maps got Cooper Flag after trading Luka Doncic, that was 100% rigged. Like mm, I I I don't I don't know. I don't I don't think there's enough for for me to say that. Um, you know, or or that they wanted Victor Reminyama go into a really favorable situation in San Antonio, and and that's why they won the lottery. Like, mmm, I I don't know about that. But all that is to say that I think they cooked with this top four, whether it was rigged or not. Either the basketball gods cooked with this top four, or Adam Silver himself with his hand chosen ping pong balls cooked with this top four. Um, because these are teams that are really not too far away. Um, I don't think any of these top four teams, Washington, Utah, Memphis, or Chicago, is as far away as a team like Sacramento from contending here. You even saw, again, the top two teams in this draft, the Washington Wizards and the Utah Jazz, they kind of made like almost like maybe not win now, but you know, win in the next couple years trades like at the deadline this season. The Wizards go out and get Trey Young and Anthony Davis. The the Jazz go out and get Jaron Jackson Jr. And these were the two teams that ended up with the top two picks in this draft, and it could not have worked out better for them because they go get established veteran talent, and then they get blessed by the lottery gods and into what are going to be two generational players if they stay at their spots. So just a a home run for for Washington and Utah. Um, Memphis ending up at three and Chicago ending up at four. I mean, that that is equally such a massive blessing for those teams. Memphis, man, I mean that that is huge for them. They have so many picks moving forward, they are in such a good spot, and they get the third pick in the stacked draft class with a with an all-time top four that's gonna either be looked back on in legacy or infamy. Um, because I mean that this is this is really building up to be quite the draft class. And Chicago too. I mean, that that it's huge for them. They got AK out of the front office, they fire Billy Donovan, and then you know, they kind of clean house on their their dysfunctional front office, and and good things happen. Good things happen. I I think I think they were cursed for a bit, but but it may have been lifted here. And they're gonna end up with AJ Debonsa, Darren Peterson, Cameron Boozer, or Caleb Wilson. This is an unreal top four. We uh we haven't seen a top four like this in a in a long time. AJ Debonsa is just a massive wing. I I would I would say he's about the consensus number one player on the board right now. Although there's definitely room for debate. Um, I think I might be like a hedge lower on debonsa than than some people, but just a huge wing, ridiculously athletic, and just an unreal frame, and absolutely has shot creating chops and and has shown you know shooting talent that that he he can get to his spots and hit jumpers. Although it's not as kind of consistent yet as I would like to be out of a potential generational first overall pick, and that's that's maybe my hesitancy on DeBonsa. Um, I just kind of question the shooting a little bit, but with how physical he plays and how athletic he is, I mean, he's not gonna have trouble getting buckets in the NBA. He is just an unreal athlete. I I would say the number two player um on the board is it would be probably Darren Peterson out of Kansas. Um, a guard, 6'5, also real young, 19 years old. 6'10 wingspan, he's got a massive wingspan. And and this this guy is like, I mean, there's it it's it's hard to point to another comp, but he's almost like Kobe Light. The fluidity in which he gets to his his spots and and hits jumpers is unreal. He he's he's exceptionally efficient. He's just an unreal scoring and shooting talent. It's it's pretty it's pretty nuts um the idea of Darren Peterson. And and I say that because the execution of Darren Peterson, the the the outcome of Darren Peterson is a little fuzzy because um he dealt with some really weird injury things this year. Nothing, honestly, like we've seen maybe ever. It's it's really weird. He was in and out of games all season, just for seemingly no reason, and no one really knew what was happening all season. Like he would play eight minutes and hit three threes and and and hit a nice pull-up jumper and you know look like himself, and then he would just pull himself out of the game. It was really odd. And um we've we've kind of started to figure out here with you know the draft process evolving and many people getting to talk to Darren Peterson that apparently he was dealing with really, really bad cramps from what he thinks was due to a elevated dosage of creatine, which is a substance many athletes take for muscle recovery and um for for brain health. It's uh it's it's it's become a very popular, um, kind of widely covered and researched uh supplement that that a lot of athletes take. And but but it keeps a lot of water in the muscle. And I don't know how that interacted to make Darren Peterson end up with what he claimed were like almost life-threatening cramps. Like he like he he he was retelling stories about like there was one day he was on the training table and he literally was getting these full body cramps that were making him like immobile and and in so much pain, and that he he lay down on this table and was like begging the Kansas training team to to call an ambulance. Like and this is the stuff he was dealing with all season. It's it's almost it's it's not it's not quite the same thing, but it's almost just as weird as the the whole Palo Bancaro uh sweating thing while he was coming out of Duke, he would lose like 10 pounds a game from sweat, and and they would have to make these weird concoctions of of electrolytes to to have him even be able to finish games. And obviously that has not been an issue for Paulo Bancaro in the M in the NBA, and you'd like to think that this cramping issue wouldn't be an issue for Darren Peterson as he comes into the league because he is just an unreal generational scoring talent. It's it's it's insane. Cam Boozer, kind of kind of a big man power forward, um, could probably run the five, he's six foot nine. Not exactly a ridiculous athlete by any means. His kind of claim to fame is just his his feel for the game, and some of his advanced metric stuff is just unreal. Like like his his offensive and defensive impacts according to advanced stats. He can kind of do everything, he's just a very skilled player, but I don't I don't know if he has the athletic ceiling to maybe become like a superstar, but you know, you watch him play, he just takes over games. The question is just how it translates to to NBA frames that he'll be competing against every night. Um but I think he's gonna be great. I I I think he may be the safest player in this top four. And then Caleb Wilson out of University of North Carolina, um, another another big man power forward. Definitely can't run the five though, like Cameron Boozer. He's he's more of a wing, kind of like DeBonsa. He's very similar to Debonsa, uh, and just kind of his playstyle, massive frame, ridiculously athletic, and has shown shooting and shot creation chops. He's he's a pretty similar player to debonza. I thought de Bonsa just kind of played with more aggression and was maybe more consistent getting his own looks than Caleb Wilson. I I think Debonsa has more scoring chops than Wilson, but Wilson has the frame and the athleticism and has shown enough flashes to where you think he'd be able to get into the NBA and and get his own looks consistently. He he is just, again, another freak of nature. And these are the top four guys in this class, and I think any of these four dudes would have been the runaway first overall pick in that Zachary Risachet draft. There was not even a prospect in that draft on the level of these guys. I'm just trying to kind of put it into perspective how good these four guys are. Like I said earlier, there's a bit of a drop-up after four. So you if you if if you if you were gunning for a top pick in this draft, all you wanted to do was end up in the top four. Because honestly, you could plead a case for any of these guys to be your number one player in the class, and just such a huge moment for the Wizards, Jazz, Grizzlies, and Bulls franchises here, um, being able to get into this top four. I think it would be a massive mistake for any of these teams to trade out of the top four. Now, if they want to move around within the top four, that would make sense to me. If, you know, if if we get real close to the draft and and Darren Peterson maybe with his kind of weird injury concerns, is kind of moves down to like three on the consensus board, and say you're Washington and you like Darren Peterson as your number one player in the class, I could see almost maybe like a like a Tatum Fultz-esque swap one to three to end up getting the player you like the most. The Celtics were at one, they liked Tatum the most, but there was all this noise about Markel Fultz going one, and I'm sure they had some intel um from the Sixers that the Sixers wanted Markel Fultz, and they decided to trade down and they still got their guy. So I think it would make sense for teams to move around within the top four, but man, you cannot give up a top four pick in this class. If you want to move to one to three, two to four, if you want to move up from four to one, whatever. Just these teams cannot below this. They have to keep these top four picks. These are these are this is a truly once a decade type top four we're looking at here in this class. But besides that, um obviously huge win for the Clippers. Um, I mean, they really need an ejection of of youth and and and getting the fifth pick, even though there is a bit of a drop-off in talent. That is huge for a team that that really just needs some young guys to look forward to in the coming years. Um, Brooklyn falling to six is tough. That they they they could have really used one of these guys to kind of take their franchise to the next level. Um, cause because they're kind of absent a player to build around and would have been perfect. And they fall to six. Um again, brutal for Sacramento. New Orleans and Dallas who kind of expected them to be around this range, and it's a good outcome for them. Again, this is a good class. Milwaukee at 10, they could they could use another youthful prospect. They they their their future looks a bit grim right now. Pre-Giannis onto the Kumpo trade, which they are um, according to Shams, taking calls on right now. We could see a Giannis trade materialize really quickly here. And I and I'm sure they they will get a great return for Giannis, but but getting this 10th pick is is is pretty substantial for them. They they they they need more youthful talent, uh Golden State as well at 11. The Thunder may not have ended up in that top four, but I mean this is a pretty damn good outcome for them. There's a lot of great players in this class. I could see them ending up with like a Yaksel Lendeborg out of Michigan, and and that's just their type of player, and he would be great for them. And it, you know, it just seems like the stars always align for this Thunder team, so so maybe they end up with him and then Miami and Charlotte to to kind of round it out here. That they will get good players at those spots. This is a really deep draft class, highlighted by the top four. Just absolutely, you know, franchise altering for the teams that ended up in the top four. But uh yeah, I was at work when all this went down, and and I I remember just staring at my phone for like five minutes when I got the notification about the draft order. It's just you know, it was like whoever ended up in that top four. I was just gonna be like, wow, like like these four teams, like like this this radically altered the trajectory of their franchises. And it's really cool to see, you know, four teams that that really needed it. So that about sums up my my thoughts on this draft lottery.

SPEAKER_02 19:35

Now I watched the draft lottery live before a certain game that happened, which we'll talk about in a few moments.

SPEAKER_01 19:41

Uh-oh. Uh-oh.

SPEAKER_02 19:42

But what's what's interesting is when they do this lottery every year. First of all, this is Mark Tatum, the deputy commissioner. This is his moment to shine because this is like the only chance he gets. Besides the actual draft itself, he usually takes over the second round. The second round of the draft and the draft lottery are kind of like his two main moments. So Mark Tatum does a lot of this. They show a killer voice.

SPEAKER_01 20:06

I appreciate what he's doing.

SPEAKER_02 20:08

They show that there's a law firm and there's a security guard that walks. It was a it was a woman from the firm. He walks her out and she has all the cards. She is the only person in the building that knows the exact order, and then she puts it on the lectern for Mark Tatum to reveal. And there's like a thousand and one combinations or some crazy number, and they just go in reverse order. They go from 14 to 5, like pretty quickly, and then the number four, before they get there, they go to commercial break, and then they reveal the top four, and you you kind of understand who's getting that top pick. For the Wizards, John Wall was the representative, which it's kind of weird when they have representatives at the draft lottery because like do they really even do anything? They're more like just a show face.

SPEAKER_01 20:58

I th I think it's fun.

SPEAKER_02 20:59

Yeah, no, I think it's fun.

SPEAKER_01 21:00

It's fun, but like, I think I thought it was awesome seeing John Wall there. Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 21:03

John Wall was the last number one pick the Wizards had back in 2010.

SPEAKER_01 21:08

Yeah, I mean, that's why they do it. I mean, that that's awesome. The the Wizards' last number one pick is there to see their next one.

SPEAKER_02 21:13

John Wall is, you know, one of the faces of the Wizards franchise all time. He recently, I believe he is now the men's basketball GM at Howard University down in DC, HBCU school. And John Wall, I mean, the Wizards, they need some help. Like, hopefully, they can make a playoff run next year or a play-in run. They haven't been to the conference finals in like 50 years. They've had some miserable performances. Hell, they gave up 83 points to Bam Atabaya of all people this year.

SPEAKER_01 21:42

And that's why they deserve this. They deserve they had it coming. And you throw DeBonsa in this lineup. You know, people are already getting, you know, they're already playing around with these potential wizards and jazz lineups when you when you insert Debonsa and Peterson. And uh they have a scary lineup, they have a scary, like, eight nine-man rotation. With Trey Young, and if you want to start Will Riley or Black Kulabali at the two, DeBonsa at the three, Davis at the four, Sarr at the five, and then you have again one of Kulabali or Will Riley coming off the bench. You have Trey Johnson coming off the bench. You have Bub Carrington coming off the bench. I mean, like that is that's a solid eight. Like that, that's that's like playoff team at least to me.

SPEAKER_02 22:23

The funny thing watching the Wizards get that number one pick, Brian Keefe, the head coach, you can see him smiling, and you just know that man just thinking that this just saved my job.

SPEAKER_01 22:33

Oh yeah, 100%. 100%.

SPEAKER_02 22:35

I mean, I mean, who knows if he even makes it, like to the point where he can he can he could probably be like a starter pack coach, but the Wizards front office might look at him and say, Yeah, buddy, you might not be making it past this year. Sorry.

SPEAKER_01 22:48

I don't I don't I don't I don't look at Brian Keefe as a as a coach worth keeping. I think I would probably let the dude go and just go into the AJ DeBonsa era with a with a fresh face.

SPEAKER_02 22:59

But could you could you could give John Wall a fresh promotion?

SPEAKER_01 23:02

Shoot. I mean he he would he would he would uh he would rally the boys up, that's for sure. Do doing the Dougie in the lineup.

SPEAKER_02 23:09

Do the Dougie in the starting lineup. So we'll see how this all shapes out. The draft is in late June in Brooklyn, and a lot to look forward to in this top four, especially. This episode is entitled Ball Don't Lie. So who's raising eyebrows at the moment?

Eastern Conference Semifinals: Pistons vs. Cavaliers

SPEAKER_02 23:32

Alrighty, so we are smack in the middle of the Eastern and Western Conference semifinals. We're down to our last eight teams and well, actually seven teams, and we'll get to that in just a moment. But when we started the round, we were up to eight teams, and it's gotten pretty interesting across both conferences. So starting off in the Eastern Conference with the Pistons and Cavaliers, the Pistons have a 2-1 series lead over Cleveland. Game four is tonight, and we'll get to that in a little bit more detail with that. But for the moment, the series has been pretty good. Cade Cunningham has been consistent. James Harden took over at the end of Game 3 to help the Cavs make sure they wouldn't go down 0-3. What is kind of odd though, Cleveland has not won a road game yet. Against the Raptors in that seven-game series, the home team won every game. And in this Pistons Cavs series, they haven't lost a home game either.

SPEAKER_01 24:36

That's not too bad.

SPEAKER_02 24:37

They haven't lost a home game, but you have to win on the road, especially when you're not especially when you're not the number one seed, and especially when you're not the Oklahoma City Thunder. The Pistons and Cavs, it's been a back and forth series so far. A lot of good defensive play. And you know, you you're seeing from your star players, and I think what's going to be the key for Cleveland, they need James Harden to not turn into playoff choking James Harden and the Pistons trying to go up 3-1 in this series in game four. You cannot do what you did against the Magic and just get in that early hole. A lot to look forward to with this series. Good star power, and we'll see if the Cavs can keep this home streak going or if the Pistons want to maybe step on their throats.

SPEAKER_01 25:26

So yeah, they they went to James Harden late in game three, which was, you know, interesting to watch given some of the noise that we've seen about James Harden uh lately. And and and and this this noise uh dates back for a long time. James Harden has a has a bit of a reputation for being a playoff dropper. And so it w it was really interesting to see them, you know, almost undisputedly turn to him in the clutch of game three, you know, in a must-win game. And um he stepped up at the plate, he made he had seven straight points um in the last minute or so of the game, including a three that probably should have been a four-point play. The Cleveland crowd was electric for that one. That was a really fun game, and it's been a really fun, you know, gritty series. But I I I bring up how it's interesting that we saw them commit to James Harden so heavily in the clutch um in that must-win game, because I I I think it's the right call. Because I mean, I saw this stat about Donovan Mitchell in the clutch this postseason. It was it was ranking players clutch effective field goal percentage in this playoffs um from the bottom. So I saw the 10 worst. I thought I think the second worst was I kind of want to say maxi, but I I'm not I'm not sure. But he was at like it was like 43% or something effective field goal percentage. That's not good. Like, that's not what you want your star player shooting in in in the last you know, you know, two minutes of close games at all. Like that that's that's that's pretty rough. I believe Donovan Mitchell in this playoffs was down at 16%. He has been abysmal in the clutch these playoffs. And and that kind of like blew me away. It was it it was you know, like like when you see that stat, you kind of think about it. Like, you know, they they they they go to Donovan Mitchell a lot at the end of games, obviously. He's he's you know probably their best player. And you know, seeing that stat, it kind of hits you like wow, like he he they go to him a lot, but he really doesn't convert a lot. Um so it was just fascinating to see you know all the noise about James Harden after game two and yeah, you know, the the reignition of of the the uh the choker, you know, allegations, which you know are are are founded beliefs, I'd say. But it was it was really it was really interesting to see you know him him get all the touches and and and he you know went to work and he was great. Um but yeah, this is this has been an awesome series. I think Kade Cunningham is the best guard in the East at this point. It's an interesting conversation given uh some of the guards that we'll talk about in our next series here. But but he's been phenomenal these playoffs, and again, this has just been a great series. I'm I'm honestly excited to see the outcome of this game for because I think this could go pretty deep here. But I do like Detroit's odds, and I think we'll see them in the conference final.

SPEAKER_02 28:11

Now

Eastern Conference Semifinals: Knicks vs. 76ers

SPEAKER_02 28:12

let's go to our other Eastern Conference matchup. Good God. The three-seven matchup we have the Knicks and the Sixers, and like I alluded to with there only being seven teams at the moment, the Knicks swept the 76ers in a clean four games. I think personally this series was over the minute the Sixers won Game 7 in Boston. That was their Super Bowl, that was their NBA finals, because they finally took down their kryptonite. That was the number one thing standing in their way, and then they get to the Knicks all excited, and the Knicks say, watch this, and they took him out again. Three of the four games in the series were blowouts. Knicks fans, it was Madison Square Garden East again, despite Joel Embiid saying he needed the Sixers fans to pack Xfinity Mobile Arena. OG Ananobi for the Knicks. He was injured the last two games, and it did not hurt the Knicks chances whatsoever. I watched Game 4, I watched a couple games. It was uh Game 2, that was a collapse. They the Sixers had it in the bag and they just blow it. Game four was if you want a comparison, it was basically Knicks Hawks Game Six Part 2. That's really the only thing you can describe it as. Maybe not as bad as that, because that was like a 60-point game at one point. This Sixers Knicks game four was disgusting. Deuce McBride was a flamethrower. He led the team in points, and he's not even their best player. Carl Anthony Towns, his playmaking has really improved. They don't really need him to score that much. Jalen Brunson does a lot of that. They've obviously Deuce McBride's taking most of that now. And you know, they have they have OG Ananobi, they have Michaela Bridges. They don't need Carl Anthony Towns to go for 25 or 30 points a game. He has really turned into a great playmaker. And OG and Mikael are two of the best wing players. And, you know, even with OG, they just have guys who can just lock you down. They have guys who can score. You have Josh Hart, who's like a machine, more of like a heart and soul guy, but he still can take over games. And the Knicks get about a week and a half of rest until the Eastern Conference Finals start next week, either against the Pistons or the Cavs. I think if you're the 76ers, you need to make major, major changes because right now this roster is not constructed to be a championship contender. Joel Embiid, he is the only MVP to never make it out of the second round in his career so far. There are rumblings that Darryl Morey, the president of basketball operations, and head coach Nick Nurse could be on their swan song, and we are praying for that day in the Philadelphia area, especially for Mr. Daryl Maury, because that man has overstayed his welcome by about five years. The Jared McCain trade was the nail in the coffin. Chris, I don't even know what to say anymore. Like, I think we're kind of just numb to Sixers misery. We were back for a moment with the Celtics and with Joel Lambi coming back from injury, but holy cow, I I I don't even know what to say anymore.

SPEAKER_01 31:31

I'm gonna start by pushing back on your the series was over the second they beat Boston take. I I I really like their odds in this series. Like obviously New York was coming off an incredible series against Atlanta, an incredible end of the series against Atlanta. Um, I mean not only in that game six where they won by like 80 points, but I mean like they they they looked like they really had Atlanta figured out and they were playing really well coming into the Sixers series. But I mean Boston was the odds-on favorite to win the East, and the Sixers just took them down, and NMB looked great, and you know, Maxy looked great, and you know, a very different, you know, stylistic matchup uh the Sixers were were faced with coming into the series. But I mean, you know, given what they just accomplished, the Sixers absolutely had a chance in this series. And despite, you know, the 4-0 outcome, you know, they they they had a fighting chance in this series, but I I think they were just overwhelmed by what I said, the new stylistic matchup. They they had a really tough time finding good shots in this series. The the Knicks defended them exceptionally well. I mean, Tyrese Maxy really struggled in this series, and you know, it it's not like he was just missing shots. Like anytime he would take a screen in the entire series, they they were running him off it and they were doubling him and they were chasing him around, and they were not allowing him to breathe off of those pick and rolls, and which worked, you know, those pick and rolls that worked so well in the Boston series, and he was able to create shots off them and you know come really hard off those screens for open threes, and then the Knicks were just not allowing that to happen. They were not they were not allowing him to play downhill, they were not allowing him to get to his spots. He had a tremendously tough time finding good shots in the series. I did as did Joel Embiid, um, maybe a bit more labored than he was in round one. You know, he he was dealing with a hip injury and ankle injury, and and obviously his knees are never gonna be 100%. You know, he he he really struggled this series, and it's not just the fact that the Sixers weren't hitting shots and and were having difficulty finding good shots. The Nick the Knicks also played really well offensively. They they've kind of pivoted to to make uh Carl Anthony Towns the the hub of their offense, you know, as you kind of alluded to with his with his uptick in in playmaking production. Um he's averaging yeah, like six assists these these playoffs, and whereas you know he he wasn't he was never really that guy, like really the only centers doing it, you know, you know, with with playmaking production like that, were Embiid and Jogic. You know, they they they were typically the only guys you'd ever see up to over seven assists a game. And Carl Anthony Towns is has stepped into that role for New York and it's it's really you know functioning at a high level right now. They they're shooting the lights out. Um Jalen Bronson's been incredible. He he took advantage of Joel Embiid and drop coverage all series long. I mean, I mean he was feasting and he and he was magnificently efficient in the series, as were a lot of Knicks players. Um Deuce McBride, like you mentioned, was was huge for them towards the end of the series. He he just couldn't miss. Carnothy Towns great. OG Ananobi was great in those first two games. And you know, when he was ruled out, you know, going into game three, I mean, that this was the Sixers' chance. You know, they they they just lost those first two games, and you know, it it we kind of saw what the Knicks were kind of deploying against Tyrese Maxi and Joel Abi defensively, that was really working well in the first two games. But I mean, OG Ananobi was huge in those first two games, and he gets ruled out, and now you're thinking, well, I mean, if the Sixers can adjust a little bit here and you know hit some shots at home, we have we have a series on our hands, and and you know, they just let it you know slip through their hands. And you know, they just couldn't hit shots, they just couldn't find good shots, and and the Knicks are just on another level right now. They are playing the best basketball of their season right now. I think it's going to be really hard to pick against them in the Eastern Conference final, whether it be Detroit or Cleveland, they they face against them. At this level they're playing at right now, you know, you know, once upon a time, a couple weeks ago, we thought that you know our NBA champion this year was going to be a Western Conference team. We thought it was going to be Oklahoma City or San Antonio, or maybe Denver, if you're crazy enough to pick Denver to make it so far. I think my my co-host right here did, unfortunately. But, you know, that's besides the point. Uh we we expected it to be from the West, but with this level that the Knicks are playing at right now, I mean, like they I think they have a shot against anybody right now. I think I would still take Oklahoma City in a series against them. I would probably still choose San Antonio in a series against them, but I mean they they are just playing at a at an unreal level right now. They're playing so great. And for the Sixers moving forward, um, Daryl Morey, he's had some bad trades and and some some moments where he sat on his hands when he shouldn't have, and obviously he made the McCain trade that was terrible, but he really has drafted well for the Sixers. I don't think this was like a horrible stretch of uh of basketball operations, I'll say, from Daryl Maury. Um, but and you know, kind of a similar story with Nick Nurse. I don't think Nick Nurse was was the worst thing. I don't think he was Doc Rivers, I don't think he was Brett Brown. I think he was a better coach than both of those guys. And you know, he had shown a willingness to to um to adjust, which I think is a really important trait for any coach. And you know, we still see a lot of coaches in the NBA. And you know, Doc Rivers was like this and Brett Brown was like this, where they just they just don't have that trait to adjust. And and Nick Nurse was he was really creative and um after timeout plays, super efficient on those. And you know, he was able to throw some interesting things at some teams that that caused a lot of trouble for them and adjust and you know, see things in the game and you know, change what what what the Sixers were doing out there, but but it just hasn't been enough. And it's been three years of this, and you know, it might just be time for a new face. Uh and you know, you you said it. I think it's time for Daryl Morey to pack his bags a little quicker than Nick Nurse, but I would not be complaining about you know, if Nurse got fired and you know, they just clean house. I'm really just worried about the new hires because obviously the owner Josh Harris has a bit of a tendency to look for retreads, guys who have been GMs, guys who have been coaches, and and I think that has a lower success rate or is just a worse path to take than you know taking a chance on someone who could really, you know, change your franchise around and um be an innovative coach. And and they they have you know historically kind of turned their cheek to that style of coach and they've they've looked for experienced guys and it it hasn't been working.

SPEAKER_02 37:47

So um you'll get Jamal Mosley or Billy Donovan and you'll like it.

SPEAKER_01 37:52

Yeah, see, like I would rather have nurse at that point. Uh and it's it would really be unfortunate if if they look for another retread. It it'd be so frustrating. Um, but you know, we'll see what happens with with the the future of those two. Um I I wouldn't be mad if they were both gone. I think I'd be happy generally. Uh again, it depends a lot on the new hires, but yeah, Sixers are in a in a weird spot in their franchise right now. They're kind of at a crossroads whether they want to compete with Embiid or, you know, kind of kind of you know get get a jump start on a potential rebuild here. Uh we'll see. But yeah, the Knicks are playing tremendously right now. I I think they're going to the finals out of the East.

Western Conference Semifinals: Thunder vs. Lakers

SPEAKER_01 38:34

All right, so we'll transition to the Wests here. Not a whole lot to say in the Thunder Lakers series. There hasn't been a whole lot to say about the Thunder this playoffs because they have yet to lose a game. They are 7-0 in these playoffs, and they are looking to close it out tonight against the Lakers. Been a lot of complaints from the Lakers about the officiating in this series. I think that those are um, you know, rational complaints. We've seen kind of a lot of moments from the Thunder where you know you kind of scratch your head watching the TV, like like, how was that called? And you know, uh on the flip side, you see a lot of moments when the Lakers are are on offense and you know the the the Thunder can be physical, but the Lakers can't defensively. Um it can be frustrating. And I don't think this has been the best officiated series, but uh the Lakers seem to be really uh pissed off at that. And we'll we'll see if things change here in game four uh with with Tony Brothers uh refinging the game. Historically, not great official, so so we'll see how that shakes out in game four. But I I expect the Thunder to close this one out.

SPEAKER_02 39:36

They should have got Scott Foster, he's known as the extender.

SPEAKER_01 39:39

That's true, that's true, and you know LeBron, LeBron and LA is a big draw, so so it's a bit head scratching why they didn't deploy the extender for this game four. But uh and you know, uh the them them deploying Tony Brothers, uh an official who I don't think is very good. So it's so maybe they think the series is already over, and maybe they're putting Tony Brothers out there uh so that there are more missed calls in favor of the Thunder in this game, and they get more viral reactions out of Austin Reeves and LeBron and JJ Reddick for for social media. Who knows? Who knows? Conspiracy Chris in the cut here. Yeah, I think the Thunder are gonna close this one out. Shade Gil just Alexander is the best player in the world. This Thunder team is unlike anything we've seen in a really long time. They just have guys after guys after guys after guys. I think AJ Mitchell is maybe on the best contract in sports history. I think it's like three years, nine million dollars, and he has like been pivotal for them, like an amazing role player. Yeah, the Thunder are just a farm, and um I I think people are are probably at their peak of hatred for them right now. But I brought this up to a coworker. It's like every everyone wants these homegrown, you know, championship winners, and you know, they don't like when teams go out and you know go acquire the third superstar or go pay a dude, you know, $300 billion in a free agency. People want the homegrown contender uh until the Thunder take over the league, and and now they hate the Thunder. And you know, it's it's and they're super homegrown. Yeah, I mean, literally, like I mean, you they make the trade for Shea, but I mean, like, you can't I don't even think you can count that because they kind of developed Shay. And you know, they drafted Chet Holmgren, and they drafted Jay Dub, and they drafted the other Jay Dub, and they drafted Casen Wallace, and they drafted Lou Dord, and then it goes on and on and on and on and on, and and um, you know, now now people hate them and and and you know think they're you know the the basketball devil and this sent from hell to terrorize the league. So a bit of hypocrisy, bit of bad officiating, and a bit of a sweep.

SPEAKER_02 41:41

But he also have the best general manager in probably NBA history at the moment, or at least in the 21st century. That that helps. And when you traded for Shea, I don't think anybody saw you know this skinny guard from Kentucky being eventually the best player in the NBA when he was on the Clippers. They thought, like, ah, you know, good role player, good good starter on an average team, and then you know, boom, here he is into you know one of the best players. Definitely one of the best players in the 2020s. Absolutely. He has just taken over the league by a storm. But yeah, you've pretty much hit all the main points. Oklahoma City should be getting the sweep tonight, and if they do, then they will be joining the Knicks with about a week or a week and a half off before the Western Conference Finals get underway. I don't think anybody's expecting the Lakers to come back 0-3. Every game's been a blowout in this series. With the Knicks, game two was pretty close. In the Lakers, every game's been a dud. AJ Mitchell's been taking over. Jalen Williams has not even played since the Suns series, and the Thunder have not skipped a beat. Similar to OG Ananobi, which you know, we're putting all these comparisons with the Knicks, but here we are. And SGA not even putting up monster performances. He's not putting up like 40 points a game, he's just doing his thing. What I saw online, it was it was pretty funny. Chris, did you see the DeAndre Ayton thing from game three?

SPEAKER_01 43:06

Well, the are you talking about the foul like one second into the game?

SPEAKER_02 43:09

No. Okay, so you didn't say it. So DeAndre Aiton, there was a clip, and it was, I forget who the play-by-play announcer was, whoever, whatever his name is, and it was Doris Burke on Color Commentating. They were like roasting DeAndre Aiton because he was getting cooked on rebounds. Like they were saying, like, oh, like he's been in the game for like 20-something minutes. He has like one defensive rebound, and he's just standing there. They the the Thunder got like three offensive rebounds in a row, and they're like, Yeah, and he's just standing there. And like the fans were like, you know, probably getting upset. And then he gives up this rebound. Here comes AJ Mitchell on the drive. He shoves him in the back and won. And yeah, it was just it was so funny. DeAndre Ayton got coughed in the paint. Now you can see JJ Reddick. Well, JJ Reddick probably gets mad over like a vending machine. But you know, DeAndre Aiton just absolutely getting cooked in the paint.

SPEAKER_01 44:05

You could probably see he is truly like if if I was JJ Reddick, like I if I was the person coaching this former number one overall talent, like if you're if you're looking at it through that lens, like he's gotta be one of the most frustrating players to watch, like maybe in the history of basketball.

SPEAKER_02 44:21

This man got pulled from the Suns, like game seven because Monty Williams was like, it's internal.

SPEAKER_01 44:27

It's pretty it's nuts. It's really nuts. Because I mean, like you have these like four-minute spurts where it like, you know, he looks I'm not even gonna say where he looks like himself, because at this point, what he is is is just a extremely low effort, low consistency rebounder. I uh I mean I think I think he's got you know more scoring ability than than Andre Drummond did. It's just like he is just uh like you you you see all these quotes from him every four months about how he's really locked in and how man, I I I I just hit this I just hit this realization over All-Star Break that I'm really gonna turn it up. Um I'm I'm gonna be dominating. And you know, it it's it's like he plays like that for the first eight minutes coming back from All-Star Break or coming back from the next game after he makes some quote at a press conference, and like then he just like forgets he ever said it for two months. It's it's it's unreal. It's like pulling teeth, getting this dude to like really like put like five minutes of consistent effort together. It's it's unreal. He he's he's he's very frustrating to watch.

Western Conference Semifinals: Spurs vs. Timberwolves

SPEAKER_01 45:37

All right, bro, probably a uh more interesting series here in the Western Conference. We have a 2-2 series tie between the six seed Timberwolves and two seed San Antonio Spurs. Uh, this has been such a fun series. I I was super hyped about this one coming into it, and it's absolutely lived up to expectations. Um, the wolves have been, you know, making these games super competitive like I expected them to. But I'm not sure if I expected them to have this series tied through four games. Uh they they've done a tremendous job. Anthony Edwards, you know, makes his superhuman recovery uh f from his knee hyperextension, and he has been amazing in this series. Like uh he he's moving just the same, and he's gotta be, you know, one of the best isolation players in basketball. It it's it's genuine terror on you know the Spurs' faces ever every time you know it catches somebody on an island. It's it's pretty nuts. And and you know, he's been ridiculously efficient in this series. And the wolves have played great. Um, but probably the most uh interesting thing to come out of this this very fun, probably best series of the second round here uh was Victor Wembanyama's ejection early on in game four just threw a a wild, uncontrolled elbow right into Nasreed's chin. I what what did you think of that? Did you think that was intentional?

SPEAKER_02 47:07

Probably not. I mean, I don't see Victor Weminyama being a guy who's gonna be like intentionally trying to hurt people. I think it was just I think it was unintentional. Now, what's funny is that Wemby is not facing a suspension for this. If this was Draymond, Draymond Green would be banished of the shadow realm had he done this.

SPEAKER_01 47:25

Nah, I don't know.

SPEAKER_02 47:26

But Victor Wemanyama, I'm not saying that he's like, you know, the golden child or anything, but I mean the fact that you know he's not getting suspended is I think it's good for the league. Definitely go for the Spurs because they can't afford to lose him, especially when there's a potential to go down 3-2.

SPEAKER_01 47:43

Well, listen, I'll tell you what I saw in in that moment. That looked intentional to me. Am I crazy? Everyone on Twitter, everyone, like like every soul in the universe was like, oh man, he was just trying to he was just trying to rip the ball away and and secure the ball. Dude, he put some gas into that elbow. Like some heat, some real heat. Like, and it landed a square on his face, and then you know, that that really, really could have like messed up Nasreed. Especially given, you know, wemby's sharp, you know, bones with with you know, very, very, you know, um skinny and and you know, and not not much cushion on those things. Like, oh my god. I mean, if he caught if he caught just the right angle on Nasreed's face, I mean, we could be talking like a broken jaw. And and you know, like that would be a you know series-changing moment. And and like like honestly, like like probably one of the most notable moments of this playoffs if if if Wemby just caught Nasreed in in a you know in a more damaging way. I mean, I I was honestly like in the moment kind of stunned that Nas Reed kind of walked away unscathed from that.

SPEAKER_02 49:00

I don't know if Wemby was trying to it kind of looked like the infamous Ron Artest uh or well MetaWorld piece, the elbow to James Harden's is hilarious, by the way. He took his elbow and put it right into James Harden's skull. It's not funny, but like it that kind of was what it looks like in a way. Like Wemby just has that look.

SPEAKER_01 49:22

Like, yeah, it was like because when you watch back the the run art test thing, it it's it's like oh all right, well, like he was just celebrating, dude. When you're just celebrating, you don't wind up like a nasty elbow and have it land right on someone's face. Like, and and you know, he was running up behind Harden, like he clearly knew he was approaching somebody when he was about to do this. And it's like it's kind of a similar thing with Wembinyama, in my opinion. Like, you know, if if the if the if the whistle is blown and the play is dead and you're wrestling for this, you know, dead ball, this is like maybe a split second after the fact where like you should, you know, you know, be aware in that moment that the play is dead and that you know he already had like good control on the ball, and he still continues to just wind up and whack the out of Nasreed. Like, I listen, I don't know if he was like really trying to hurt Nazreed, but I mean that looked like a a boilover of some like genuine frustration and anger, like from Wembin Yama. That did not to me look like just some innocent, you know, trying to secure the ball thing. Again, like, yeah, I d was he trying to knock Nazreed out for the series? Probably not, but I mean that looked like a real like venting, like uncontrolled moment to me. And that's not good. And I don't know if he should be suspended for that, but like I am not buying that this was just some you know totally reasonable motion from Wembin Yama. I don't buy that, but it's just just a it's just a wild moment, honestly, and and and really like honestly had the had the room to be even more devastating and critical to this series if you know he catches Nas Reed on the chin or something. Like like we could be talking like missed games for Reed, like a suspension for Wemby if he really, you know, hit him like in a damaging way. It just such a such a crazy moment. Wemby's first career ejection. It was just it was it was so wild to watch. Um, but this series has been awesome.

SPEAKER_02 51:28

Clear definition of a flagrant foul of wind up impact follow-through. And I think all three were right there in front of our eyes.

SPEAKER_01 51:36

Uh absolutely.

SPEAKER_02 51:37

And yeah, I mean, this series has definitely been interesting. Minnesota stole game one on the road. They really made that statement early. Spurs got two back, and then the Wolves tie it in game four. And like you said, Anthony Edwards has been a man on a mission putting the Timberwolves on his back after his miraculous recovery. And the Spurs almost won game four, despite the fact that Wemby only played 12 minutes.

SPEAKER_01 52:01

Yeah, if it wasn't for a heroic catch in the clutch by Ioda Sunmu. That would that was man, what a what a fascinating game this again, this series. It's just been uh a basketball fans buffet. Just so many awesome moments.

SPEAKER_02 52:15

Ioda Sunmu and TJ Shannon have not had they've kind of cooled off a little bit from their previous heroics, but they're proven too. I mean, you would expect that with any of them. Yeah. I mean, they're they're still they're still quality pieces in the starting lineup and off the bench, but you you kind of have a cool-off from their previous heroics, and that's okay because they're doing really well. Pivotal game five tomorrow, May 12th, 8 o'clock, in San Antonio. We'll see how Gwenbanyama reacts to seeing Nasreed's face again. Maybe, maybe he should see every time he shoots the basketball, pretend like the ball is going right into Nasreed's face. I don't know.

SPEAKER_01 52:51

I think Nasreed needs some headgear.

SPEAKER_02 52:53

He might, yeah, he might need a helmet or something.

Game of the Week

SPEAKER_02 53:00

Finally, let's go to our game of the week. For this week, we will be doing the Detroit Pistons and Cleveland Cavaliers, as we mentioned earlier. And this will be game four tonight, Monday, May 11th at 8 o'clock. It'll be in Cleveland, and we kind of hit the main points earlier, but just to kind of reiterate, James Harden needs to be Cleveland's X Factor if they want to have a chance. Donovan Mitchell can only do so much, and their young core as well. Donovan has had back-to-back 30-plus point games. Cade had a 27 and 10-10 game in game three, and he's had 10 assists in consecutive games, so he's really doing well. Been the engine that they need. And as I said earlier, the Cavs need to win a road game. This one is at home, but if they win here, they need to win in Detroit. If the Pistons win here, then the Cavs are on life support. A really pivotal game. Every game's pivotal in the playoffs, but I think this one, especially for Cleveland, they need to lock in and get this one. Chris, I don't know about you. I am taking Detroit basketball 118-108.

SPEAKER_01 54:07

This is a tough game to pick and a good one. I'm really looking forward to this one very soon here. But, you know, every every game of this series has been close, uh, within 10 points of each other. It's just been a a a physical, um, competitive series, a series of runs. And, you know, I hate to do it, Larry. I hate to do it, but I I think I might have to agree with you on this one. I I I think uh I'm gonna have to take Detroit in this one. I'll take Detroit. I'll go I'll go 105 to 102. Give me Detroit in a nail biter, a lower scoring nail biter here. Um take the commanding 3-1 lead, and I think they'll eventually punch their ticket to the Easter Conference Finals with a date with the New York Knicks. So, but yeah, I'm I'm stoked for this game.

Conclusion

SPEAKER_02 55:08

Well, that's all the time we have for today. If you haven't already, make sure to follow the podcast accounts, Chris and me, on social media. The three podcast accounts on Instagram, TikTok, and X or Twitter are under at Dialman at half. My personal ex and Instagram are at Larry Dialman, Chris's personal ex and Instagram are at Chris Dippy. All seven handles are in the description on BuzzSprout, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. Remember, although you can find Dialman at Halftime on major podcasting platforms like Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, iHeartRadio, and YouTube, the main podcast website is on BuzzSprout. The website URL is dealman at halftime.buzzsprout.com. Feel free to send a comment by using the send us a text button located in each episode's bio. With the exception of Apple Podcasts, the text option is available on Buzz Sprout and all the major platforms. Your comment could end up in the fan mail section of the Buzz Sprout website. And don't forget to spread the word about Dealman at halftime. See you next time, fellow hoops fans.