Did the NBA NAIL The Christmas Day Slate? Kevin Durant DRAMA, EAST SNUBBED?!

Did the NBA NAIL The Christmas Day Slate? Kevin Durant DRAMA, EAST SNUBBED?!

On today’s Locked on NBA Game Night podcast, the NBA nailed the Christmas Day slate, even if they snubbed the Eastern Conference. When that final buzzer rings, you know it’s time for Locked On NBA Game Night. All the postgame reactions to every game across the league, every single night with insights only the hosts at Locked On can provide. It’s the true NBA fans one stop for all the action, every game, every night. It’s locked on NBA Game Night tipping off now. Let’s get it going on locked on NBA Game Night. Diving into the NBA getting the schedule release coming this week in full. But I’ve already seen some sprinkles of news from Sham Shirania of ESPN. I’m Ran Styles, host of Lockdown Thunder. That’s Swipa Cam, host of Lockdown Nuggets. And we’re here bringing you Lockdown NBA game night today. and Swipa. I mean, the first thing you always look to when the schedule gets announced is the Christmas Day uh event. It is the showcase day for the league, and that’s why uh there is such heavy reporting around it. And we did get the Christmas Day slate for this season, which will include the Cavs at Knicks, the Spurs at Thunder, the Rockets at Lakers, the Mavericks at Warriors, and Timberwolves at your Denver Nuggets. Did the NBA nail this swiper? Yeah, I like it. Personally, I think that, you know, one of the things we talked off air, but then, you know, I said yesterday when it came out, I think it’s interesting that they’re so heavily dominated by Western Conference teams. You know, the the five games we’re getting eight teams from the Western Conference, which I think speaks to the just the sheer size gap between the two conferences in terms of just overall quality of play and teams, but also just even where the marquee names are. Uh even just with the Spurs, you know, De’aran Fox and Victor Wimmanyama, and then obviously Dylan Harper, uh Stefan Castle, Devin Vel, and then you got the OKC Thunder, the MVP, SGA, JDub, third team all the NBA, Chad Hongrim, probably going to finish at least top three in DPI if he played 65 games this next year. Houston Rockets with Durant and the whole crew and the young boys that won 52 games last year. Then you got Braun and Luca Donuch. And then you get the Dallas Mavericks with Anthony Davis and Cooper Flag. And you get Golden State with Steph Curry, Jimmy Butler, uh maybe Jonathan Kaminga, who know maybe Josh Giddy, who knows? And then obviously the Minnesota Timberwolves and the Denver Nuggets. And one thing I noted, the Wolves and Nuggets have played each other 24 times since the 2023 season. And so the NBA is spamming that matchup as much as possible because uh they’re usually really good games. So I think these are really good matchups. I think it’s interesting though, Ryan Ryland, that this feels like these are just like Western Conference like day slate games, you know what I mean? These aren’t like all of these teams play each other so often that like when I see the OKC Thunder versus the San Antonio Spurs, it’s like, oh, they’re just trying to give Victor Womeny and SGA like the true spotlight uh to kind of be like, all right, this is the the next generation of the NBA. Yeah, I’m very curious to see the actual schedule announced this week and seeing like how often will these teams play each other that are both inner conference ahead of Christmas or do you want to try to the best you can to avoid uh any early season showdowns between the Spurs and Thunder for example up until Christmas Day? I I thought it was interesting that the NBA uh we talk all the time about the face of the league and about how you know some of the biggest names are aging out and it feels like that, you know, they’re shoehorning in young talent. Of course, the Thunder are are young, but at least they won a championship, right? Like they they’ve they’ve accomplished something with the score. Spurs get a second straight Christmas Day slate because of the power uh that Webyama holds as a star. And then the Mavericks, whenever you don’t know that AD is going to be around, then you really have to put together a competitive slate. Like in years past for the NBA, Christmas was just their day, point blank, period. But now with the NFL not only playing, but playing with their biggest stars on Christmas Day, the that puts more pressure on the NBA to to combat the NFL and to put the best possible matchups. And when we look at Dallas, they’re a team who they’re not going to have Carrie Irving at Christmas. No one assumes they might not have Anthony Davis. This this feels fully centered and a full bet on Cooper Flag. And I think that the league is trying its best to uh reshape who we view as superstars through having Shay Chat JDub uh Cooper Flag, having Dylan Harper, having Anthony Edwards. Of course, you still have Jokic and you still have Steph Curry, and you still have some of these older stars, but they’re trying, I think, to reposition themselves. Yeah, I think it’s interesting. Do do you think that we’ll talk about this on the other side too, but I think there the Indiana Pacers, Tyrese Hallebertton was interesting. Um, you know, we’ll talk about somebody in particular not being here for the second straight year, but I actually think this is a really good slate. And I love the idea that, you know, Cooper Flag, you know, at least on that day if Anthony Davis isn’t there, which we hope he will be because two years ago he played 79 games. So, you know, hopefully he can get back to that. having Anthony Davis, Daniel Gaffford, Derek Lively, Cooper Flag, then having Naji Marshall, they’re still going to have like a really, really, really good defensive core. I’m actually really excited to see what Anthony Davis looks like. I think this is going to be a resurgence year for D’Angelo Russell. That’s actually fun basketball like to see this really big, physical Dallas Mavericks team versus another physical Golden State Warriors team. But again, more perimeter oriented because obviously the game that’s built around Steph Curry. But I think Jimmy Butler in a Christmas Day game, it’s actually a fun watch just watching him try to figure out how to attack the Dallas Mavericks on the interior. I think SGA and JDub trying to like navigate the Victor Wimmenyama paint presence and how they’re going to figure some of that stuff out. Um Stefan Castle, I think getting an opportunity to really take another step forward as an isolation defender, as a one-on-one defender playing versus SGA in particular. De’Arren Fox and SJ like the Kentucky all you know for like who’s one of the the better Kentucky guards in the league and the best Kentucky guard in the league. I’m actually really excited to see what that looks like. So that’s actually a lot of good basketball, man. Like these games are going to be a lot of fun all for different reasons. And I even think the Cavaliers and the New York Knicks, you know, Darius Garland, Donovan Mitchell, Evan Mobley, Jared Allen, DeAndre Hunter’s there, and then on top of that, you’re going to get a new Jaylen Brunson, Carl Anthony Towns is there, OG Anobi, Muel, Josh Hart. Now you got Jordan Clarkson, Gershon, Yabuselli coming off the bench. Like these are some good teams. And like I think from the morning when these games are going on to the late evening, these are going to be some really good captivating games that I think the audience is really going to love. Yeah. I mean, obviously it’s unpredictable and you you don’t really know how any game’s going to go. But when you just look at this slate of games, it doesn’t feel like any of them are going to get out of hand or any of them are going to be decided by a wide margin. It’ll be very competitive all the way down. Story lines to watch all the way down. I mean, there’s storylines that even when we’re trying to list them all, you can’t possibly get them all out. I mean, Kevin Durant and LeBron James going at it on Christmas Day again. You you have the Chad Wimby rivalry, which regardless of what those two individuals say, it’s clearly a rivalry, but based on the way that they act against one another, I I think it’s a healthy rivalry. I think it’s one where they both respect each other very highly, but they clearly want to get the better of each other on the basketball court, which is which is something that the league has tried to make happen since 2023 and now uses their biggest showcase date that the sport has to do it once more. I I just think it’s going to be very fun and you know, you know that your lockdown Nuggets co-hosts are uh shaking in their boots about the Minnesota Timberwolves. So, an early test there to see how the division rivals uh face off. But coming up, who got left off of the Christmas Day slate in historic fashion? There’s actually two teams that fit that category. And is the Eastern Conference snubbed as we also have opening night dates. But first, want to say right now, my good friends over at Open Phone, go check out Open Phone today because Open Phone is there for you as a fantastic phone service if you’re running a business because you know that every missed call is money left on the table. Think about the last time you had an urgent need. Maybe it was a plumbing service or an air conditioning service. If the first person you that you called didn’t answer, did you just simply sit there and wait? No. You moved on uh and and found your needs elsewhere. And that’s why you need open phone because open phone is the number one business phone system built to streamline and scale to customer communications for you from an app on your phone or computer. Open phone uh takes the of course management side of things and streamlines it for you uh on a single app with a shared inbox feature which is a game changer. So your team can jump into conversations instantly without missing a beat. And their AI agent handles afterhour calls. It allows them to answer common questions and capture leads so you never miss a customer. Open Phone is offering my listeners 20% off your first six months at openphone.com/locktonba. That’s op.com/locktonba. And make sure you go right now because if you have an existing number somewhere else, you can port that over to this service with no additional charge at open phone. Open phone. No missed calls, no missed customers. We’re back on Locked in NBA Game Night podcast. Thank you so much for making us your first listen. For your second listen to go check out Lockdown Nuggets as they have a revamped roster trying to get back on top of the West. But Swipa, when you look at this Christmas Day slate, was there any team or any matchup that jumped out to you as one that you were dying to see, but it did not get the NBA showcase? Dying to see? No. But Ryland, I feel it’s just Giannis for me is just like a he really is a victim of circumstance at this point. I mean, you know, Miles Turner is the second best player on this roster. So, I understand that like the NBA is like, “Come on now.” Like, that’s why we’re not putting them on TV, right? You know, KPJ, Gary Trent, Kyle Kosma, Gary Harris off the bench, you know, Bobby Portoris Jr., they don’t have Brook Lopez anymore. Like, you know, he’s with the Clippers. But I do think that not having for me I still think Giannis is one of the two or three best players in the sport hands down for me. Uh obviously Embiid if he’s healthy for me is in that conversation but I think Giannis is spectacular and you know there’s still a lot of people that believe that he’s the best player in the world and they have legitimate arguments for believing that. But just to not have him like kind of he’s kind of cast off into like really truly like this abysmal part of the NBA which is not even a bad team and they’re not even like mid. They’re just like stuck between mid and not good and you know what I mean? They’re just in this place where no one expects them to do anything. Yeah, Giannis whoever’s 32 12 and six next year he’ll shoot 64% from the field or something like that. He’ll shoot 82% at the rim next year. But the idea that I’m not going to be able to see him on Christmas again, that still would have been such a fun matchup just to see him versus honestly I would love to see him versus SGA and them again like they were in season tournament last year. Like that would have been fun. Giannis versus Wimi is that’s a popcorn matchup. I love watching them play in that game. Even Giannis versus Jokic is fun. Like you know we always get it on like some local TV network because the NBA never puts it on national television. But I think that like that’s that’s one person that I really wish I got a chance to see. Now, you tell me if I’m tripping, I think this Clippers team is good and like yeah, they have a legitimate like title argument. Like I think they might be the deepest team in the NBA. Kawhi Leonard’s there, James Harden is there, John Collins, Bradley Bill, Zubach, I think was a second deep had him as 13 all NBA last year. Is there an argument that the Clippers should have been on the Christmas day slate? Yeah, there’s for sure an argument. I I I think that because of how good we expect them to be and you look at what they did in the regular season last year of how good that they were, how competitive they were every single night, even while Kawhai was still nursing his way back and then eventually finish the season strong. Like if you just look at that and they got even deeper than they were a year ago, you imagine they’re going to have a lot of regular season success and then obviously like everyone else, the playoff success hinges on health. I think what what detracted them from the Christmas Day slate was the fact that at the end of the day, you’re selling posters right now. You’re selling graphics on social media. When you got when you got the NFL tweeting out a graphic of Bo Knicks and Patrick Mahomes, you want to be able to tweet out a graphic and know for sure that Kawi’s going to play and that their stars are going to play where Kawhai would be a big question mark in every regular season game of if he’s going to compete or not compete. I think that the biggest I think you’ve already hit on what could be the biggest miss from this. I think that no matter how good the Clippers are, nobody’s going to say, “Man, the NBA missed the boat on this rating bonanza that was the LA Clippers this year.” I think that the NBA could miss the boat on a ratings bonanza that is just simply Giannis. Like, what? Like, Giannis is so good and he’s had to deal with so much outside noise this off season. Will, he, won’t he, or demand the trade? What if he just goes out there and has an a Russell Westbrook MVP level season where the roster around him, it’s not terrible, but it also shouldn’t have been as good as good as it was in in hindsight or allowed him to have the ability to to have the the stats that he had in that season and the efficiency that he had with those stats in that season. Whereas Giannis, he’s just a better version of that. He’s a oneman wrecking crew on both ends and he can quite literally carry teams and and put up these these triple double stat line nearly. Of course, the assist will be hard for Giannis, but you know, you can see the gotty stat lines that he can produce and every single win it feels like it’ll be because Giannis did something almost or or close to or actually is historic each day. And so if you if you get through the November slate and the NBA Cup portion of the season where you have more rest than usual and and you’re playing more intense games because some teams do really try for the NBA Cup due to the the lack of money at the end of the rosters like you could be in the midst of a season that is Giannis’s best statistically and to not have him on Christmas Day I think is the only misstep. Even as the Clippers have a gripe and of course the the Celtics fans are are mad that their tradition ended and the Pacers fans are mad that they made the finals and didn’t get a slot. I think that’s the one from a from a financial standpoint, from a rating standpoint that could really really hurt the NBA. Yeah, I mean the Clippers for sure, the Celtics I think is a tough one, man, because no Jason Tatum, no Drew Holiday, no Christoph Porzingis. It’s a completely different team. Like even like their projected starting lineup, you’re looking at it and just like now I still think they’re going to push for 45 wins next year. I seem to be like higher on them than the public. But like they’re starting Derek White, Anthony Simons, uh Jaylen Brown. I think they’re probably going to It looks like we even if I look up the depth chart, Sam Hower and Kada. Like that’s just not a Christmas Day. Yeah. And I mean like the the Celtics would get ratings period because they’re the Celtics. But to your point, you are higher on the Celtics cuz you know ball. I mean like you you know Derek White’s good and like like the the the point being, yes, I am glazing. You you do know ball, but also the people who are watching Christmas don’t know ball. They’re casuals. Like that’s the whole point. Like Christmas Day is viewed as for casual basketball fans the unofficial start of the season. And you’ve already played a month and a half. So it’s like when you get to Christmas, you’re not going to be able to explain to people this is a big game. Derek White’s really good. Like, no, they just want to they just want the breadandbut names, the household names. And that’s why I think even putting Cooper Flag on there was a bit of a step forward for the league of just, hey, you you casuals need to get introduced to Cooper Flag because we think he’s going to be a main stay in this league for a few seasons now. So, I I I I really don’t see the the argument from Boston standpoint and and the Pacers, the Pacers situation, it sucks because everything from the from the two minutes into game seven of the NBA Finals onward has been terrible for Indiana. tonight and this was just another blow. But come on, like in your heart of hearts, you had to know after Terry went down, you were not going to get a Christmas Day game. Yeah. I mean, I’m trying to think of another Eastern Conference team that had an argument. I mean, the Hawks, like a new version of the Hawks. Would that have been a fun like trendy team? Yeah. And this is this is where the East gets tricky, right? Because I I love that shot of the Hawks. I love the offseason of the Hawks. But what’s the only fun matchup for the Hawks in on Christmas Day? Trey Young going to the Garden. So now you bump off the Cleveland Cavaliers. Well, then where do you put them? So then you’re back down to just two teams uh in the East where it’s like the whole conference is just uh not it’s frankly not good and it’s not good enough to to be a showcase level. Well, you only have in this sport for as long as the regular season is, you have about three dates that you own on the calendar and you barely own Christmas still, but it’s opening night is still a big deal. Christmas is a big deal. Then that MLK day is a huge deal because everyone everyone is watching and huddled around and they make and they make a great production out of out of the event. So it’s like those are the three days that you know people are going to watch your sport and you got to put the best of the best on there to try to if you if you get those casual eyeballs on Christmas and you even reel in one or two people uh you know per capita that now start following your sport daily that’s that’s the win for you and that’s where you have to market this thing. But which which game do you think would be the funnest to watch? I I think that of this Christmas. Matter of fact, let me do do rank them how you would rank them. One of one through five. You think on watchability? Watchability. I think that Spurs Thunder is number one because of Wimi Cadet and I do think that those two teams and we’ll we’ll see if this is still true for the Thunder, you know, at the start of this season, but I think those are two of the teams that on this list you count on every single night that they’re going to compete and they’re going to try really hard and they like still care about the regular season. And so like I think that that just is going to lead itself to uh being a very fun game and a very fun environment. And you know, being in a small market, you understand how big of a deal it is to have your city and your community shown on Christmas. Like the Paycom center is going to be rocking. Like, it’s going to be awesome. Number two, I would have Cleveland at New York. I I I really do think that these are the two best teams in the East. And the rest of the slate, while good, doesn’t have one versus two in their conference with with actual what feels like finals implications. Number three, I’m going to go Timberwolves and Nuggets. and you got to stay up late for it. But uh there’s a reason why at least twothirds of lockdown nuggets is is really uh respectful of Minnesota and fearful of Minnesota. I think that that’s a bit overblown. I think the Denver is quite a bit better than Minnesota. But stylistically that you know there is some boogeyman stuff with there and you have an versus Jokic. So I’ll go them three Houston LA Lakers uh four and then five is Dallas and Golden State. I think that still we’ve mentioned how Dallas and Golden State can be fun. I love your point about Dallas’s defense and Jimmy Butler trying to figure that out, but this is a loaded slate and it’s it’s tough to to crack into higher than five for a roster in Dallas that has the most question marks of anyone on this list in terms of who’s just going to play that day. Yeah, if I had to rank it, I’m going to put Man, that’s kind of difficult because there’s so many different implications here. I see the funny thing is you’re focused more on the Cet and the uh the Cet and the Wimi matchup, but for me it’s just Wimby SGA because you know I think Wimi is going to be a top five player in the NBA again for me. You know I know famously had him at four uh this last year based on just level of play. Um I think that’s going to be an incredible matchup. I think De’ar Fox and SJ is going to be like a nice fourth quarter shoot off. That’s what I want to see between those two players. Uh the Spurs are also pretty deep too like so that should be like a nice fun game to see everybody. Um, I’ll go Rockets Lakers just because, you know, Durant versus LeBron, Luca versus like the defense and Almond Thompson. How’s Almond Thompson going to attack that defense? The Lakers won’t have any paint protection. So, he should have three or four dunks that game. Uh, I’m going to say I’ll say Wolves Nuggets just because I’ve seen it so much at this point. And I just hope everybody’s healthy because you know last season in the regular season Murray missed games and Nas missed game, Porter missed game, but everybody should be the Nuggets were vastly improved this year. So, it should be a fun matchup to see. Um, and then I will go I’m going Mavericks Warriors and then I’ll go Cleveland New York. Um, I’m just I think the Mavericks are going to be like a a sight to see next year. A special special uh Christmas Day coming up later on this year. But before all that, we get to opening night and the NBA did the most petty thing possible. We’ll talk about that coming up. But first, I want to tell you right now, my good friends over at FanDuel, go check out FanDuel today because summer sports are in full swing. And whether you’re all about baseball under the lights, golf on the green, or highstake soccer action, FanDuel is the best way to get in on the action and make it more exciting. You’re already watching the games, why not make it more thrilling? With FanDuel, you can get in on the games with your friends or just get sunburned in the beach. But you can track these games all day long. And you know, whenever you use FanDuel, they have new and exciting daily promotions that help you create more fun ways to bet. You can also join in on the same game parlay and just sweat this thing out all the way through the ninth inning. If you’re new to FanDuel, new customers can just bet five bucks and get 150 bucks in bonus bets on your first bet if it wins. So, take that five bucks if you’re a new customer. Put it down something that’s just a lock and get your 150 bucks in and bonus bets if you’re a new customer by opening up the FanDuel app today or visiting fanduel.com. If you only care about the NBA, which is the boat that I fall into, you can already bet on these Christmas Day lines where the Thunder are nine and a half point favorites over San Antonio in this Christmas Day affair at FanDuel.com. We’re back on the Lockdown NBA game night podcast. We’re joined with Swiper Cam who’s usually on Friday and Sunday of this pod. I’m Ryland Styles. Locked on Thunder. Swipe is on lockdown Nuggets and Swipa. The NBA also saw their opening night leaked October 21st. It’ll be tipping off their partnership with NBC and the entire NBA season. It’ll be the NBA champion Oklahoma City Thunder hosting the Houston Rockets. Kevin Durant is going to be in OKC as the Thunder raise their first ever championship banner and hand out their rings. and the if the NBA on NBC returns to what they used to do with with intros where they’re having these saliloquies and the this beautiful poetry uh playing in the open before throwing it to the court. You can only imagine what barbs are going to be in there as Kevin Durant returns to OKC. And I am just fascinated by the fact that the league has fully gone all in on being just a drama and a soap opera and making this about the clicks. like they know what their audience wants and they gave it to them. I don’t know that many other leagues would do something this blatant, but whatever Kevin does is going to be a spectacle, right, wrong or indifferent. You know, I I I will have thoughts on what the Thunder fans should do if I was them uh for opening night. But if Kevin’s out there watching it, all cameras are on him. It’s a huge deal. If Kevin goes and warms up and then runs back to the locker room and doesn’t come out until the game starts, that that’s a big story as well. So like that’s a subplot of already two of the best teams in the west going at it. Already a Thunder team that that people are are still interested in to see if they can continue their dominance defensively next season and improve from there. First time champions, first game of the NBA season. And you get you get the second in my opinion, second most improved team this off seasonason behind your Denver Nuggets in the West against the reigning champs. Like basketball-wise, it’s very very fun. Drama-wise, it’s even better. And that’s hard to do because the basketball’s going to be really good. And you know, funny enough, like it’s a good matchup from a physicality standpoint and defensive scheme standpoint. I’m actually really curious to see the iHeart Chad minutes versus Shinon and Steven Adams or Shinon and Clink Capella or Steven Adams and Clink Capella. I think that’s going to be a lot of fun just kind of figuring out like how Eay Udoka tries to attack the OKC defense. Kevin Durant though, it’s interesting. I don’t think he feels any way about it just because like he seems to just be kind of real, you know, loving and accepting towards like his his time obviously in OKC, but also just like, you know, hey, this was just their time to win. But them winning a title and then him being like the the first the first, you know, player to see that, you know, after they’ve already won. Uh I know I I imagine that’s like a mix of emotions, but I think it’s going to be a really good basketball game. Uh, do you expect OKC just to like come out with uh their patented just roller co like just full steam ahead train energy and they’re going to win that game in like a dominant fashion or do you think maybe it’s going to be a close game or even with the Houston Rockets like they’re trying to prove a point that hey, you know, we’re here, we’ve made this addition, we have a top six or seven player in the sport, we already won 52 games last year. We feel like we were close to you last year. We’re going to come out and we’re going to beat you in OKC on ring night. which which of those options do you feel like we’re kind of going to fall into from just like a field standpoint? So, how it feels right now and and obviously we’ll get to talk to these guys again at training camp and preseason, but I mean this whole organization’s identity for the last few years under Mark has been built on zero and zero mentality and every game is is kind of a is kind of an internal battle every single game and it’s just how can you get better every single night and they care deeply about the regular season. And so since that’s their identity, I have to stick with that being what to expect until we hear otherwise. I think that the only thing that could change in the sense of after winning a championship is you had to play till the last day of the NBA season last year. Perhaps you do start to rest on backto-backs. Perhaps you do start to say, “Okay, Chess’s not going to play in two of these games.” Whenever we have a three and four night stretch, just kind of play in in one per perhaps that’s what you do. But whenever you’re actually playing the games, the these guys have proven to have a unique sense of responsibility in the regular season and kind of effort in the regular season. And until that’s proven diff, you know, different, I will still lean that way as I don’t think that they can really dominate Houston. I I think this will be a very fun match up. They didn’t necessarily dominate them last year uh either. So I I don’t know about like a dominating win, but I do think that right now you you’d lean with the Thunder to win the game and lean with the Thunder to like really be um able to get up for this game and flex their muscles defensively. And I think that physicality is the perfect word to use of just this is going to be very fun basketball X’s and O’s wise while also the league putting Kevin in a in a tough spot because I don’t think that it’s as big of a deal for how Kevin Durant truly feels. I think that you’re putting him in a tough spot because no matter what he does he’s going to be before the game he’s asked about it. The week leading up to the game he’s asked about it. After the game he’s asked about it. Like we said, pregame, you’re you’re watching one team raise their first ever championship banner and get out their rings. And I I understand already that the director in the truck’s going to be cutting to shots of Kevin all the time during that during that event whenever usually you don’t even know who who the other team is lining up against the champions until actual tip off. And it’s like that’s just different and it puts Kevin in a weird spot. And I could see where uh it opens up the possibility of if you’re going to pepper Kevin with questions for a whole week leading up to this this tipoff game and then also in the locker room pregame before this game. I could it could lead to the possibility of him saying one wrong line and wrong is a relative term that people on Twitter run with and it and he just seems he just seems to find this stuff like that. He seems to attract the people on Twitter who take things out of context and and be really just twisting with his words and like being really subtractive to what he’s trying to say. And I just think that this opens up one of your players to to having that happen when you could have put on a different game. I think the thing is though, he’s also been in the league since 2007. So like none of this would be new for him and he’s 38 this year I think at some point. like this is just for him this is just going to be like look you know this team they they did what they’re supposed to do they went out won a championship you know I think he’s going to be cool calm and collected because you know how Katie feel at the end of the day just basketball and so I already got I got two rings I got an MVP like I’m already for many people the best thunder ever as it is but also know what I’ve done in this league you know I know my resume speaks for itself and I think he’s going to be very complimentary but nonetheless man I’m excited for it I think Shenon’s going to find some touch around the rim again this here. I want to see what the next step of this evolution of Aman Thompson looks like and get to see him versus JDub. I think that’s going to be a lot of fun. Uh I’m excited to see kind of what the OKC bench looks like this year with just see what Wiggins does. Isaiah Joe obviously Caruso Isa, you know, Isaiah Hartinstein has another maybe really good season in his bag. I thought he was a excellent defensive player in the regular season last year. I mean all the way around this is going to be excited. Tory E coming off the bench. I mean this is just going to be a really good basketball game. And then Fred Van Fleet dealing with SGA and all that like the pick and roll navigation, how they’re going to kind of implement this new Kevin Durant ccentric offense as well. I think that’s going to be a really really really fun game. I can’t I can’t wait to see it. Yeah, I I I cannot wait for the game itself to take place and I just think that these are going to be, you know, I I think there’s a clear top three in the West and to me it’s OKC Denver and then Houston, but they’re the three that like legitimately you you don’t even blink if they’re the ones that win the West uh and go to the NBA finals. the rest of the teams. If you tell me right now that they’re going to end up winning the West, I would say, “Wow, I wonder how that happened.” I I wouldn’t even question how Denver or Houston and of course OKC won the West if you tell me that’s what’s going to happen at the end of the season. So, how they manage things and for as much as Houston did keep intact um their assets and did keep intact their roster in terms of just simply names going in versus names going out, you’re absolutely right. It is it is different having Kevin Durant there because if you want to go double big now you’re sliding KD back up to the three and how how can you sustain the level of defense because the question is is Kevin Durant at this age enough to be a oneman offense because that offense last year was pitiful and like Kevin Durant’s going to be the only improvement point from that offense along with internal development of Shangoon’s never played off of a guy like Kevin that’ll make him better I think Jabari Smith will get better by playing with Kevin but you know whenever you look at it, he’s going to have a lot to shoulder and it’s going to be interesting spacing. It’s going to be interesting defensively because that’s what elevated their team as a whole last year was defense and now you’re playing lineups with Shingun and Kevin on the floor together. And how does that look? But I think it’s going to be great basketball. And then you go to the double dip of the double header and it does not include an Eastern Conference team. Again, it includes the Golden State Warriors and Los Angeles Lakers. LeBron and Steph uh getting a marquee date for what could be one of the last times. And then you also have the Luca match up and everything else. I think that the NBA made the right call making this about LeBron and Steph and about the the Western Conference. But it is bucking tradition a little bit to not have the West go at, you know, 8:30 and the and the C in the Eastern go at six o’clock instead of having two Western Conference teams. But it I mean, if you’re going to complain about it, I say I always say when people complain, get better Eastern Conference. I mean, that’s just the end of the day. Get better. Draft better. If if you’re going to complain about something, what’s the solution? So, what’s the game that you that you’d want them to put on there that’s better than LeBron Steph? And again, one of these one of these few dates that the NBA has to win and has to have great games that this is what it is. So, I I do think that when you look at the East Swipa, last question of the day. How many Eastern Conference teams that if if I told you right now, I already have the answer to to the test in June that this Eastern Conference team won the NBA championship? One. One would be the one that wouldn’t surp surprise you if you if you heard any other name. One as in win the championship. Yeah. Yeah. Win the championship. Zero. You’d be shocked if I told you any one of these. I don’t think any of them. No. I think the four best teams in the in the in the league or in the Western Conference. I don’t think Cleveland’s beaten any one of those four teams. I don’t think they beat OKC, Denver, Houston, or the Clippers. Or if you know if you want to say the Wolves like or the Lakers like may maybe that might be too far down, but those four for sure. I think those are the four best teams. And I and I agree with you as of today, August 9th, because because the reason I agree with you is because even on August 9th, the best that you can say is, well, the the Eastern champions not going to have a tough test and and you know, the Thunder might have to go through Houston and Denver and Denver vice versa, you know, etc. So, it’s like the well, the West is going to have such a beat up team that they might lose it. Well, then you’re not real contenders, man. Like if you’re having to plan on contingencies of like, well, what if Denver just gets manhandled for three rounds and survives it and then now they’re running on fumes in the finals? Well, then you shouldn’t win the finals anyway. So then you’re not a real contender to me. So I would agree with that answer in terms of win. How many Eastern Conference teams do you legitimately think can win that conference? Is it wide open because of how bad it is or is it actually just I think New York, Cleveland are good. They’re a step above the rest. again. Like I just don’t think the team around Giannis is good enough, man. I’m just not believing Miles Turner and KPJ and Kyle Kosma. Uh the Pacers are still going to be better than I think people realize. I don’t think they’re going to be like they probably make it to round two next year. I would not be surprised. Nimhard and Pascal uh leads the way. Jay Huff has the year a lot of people think he could have in his bag. Um Aaron East Benny’s going to be starting this year. Um, the Hawks have an interesting, now think about this, Ryland, the Hawks are gonna have Trey Young, Dyson Daniels, Zachary Rishet, Jaylen Johnson’s healthy this year, Christoph Porzingis, Nikil Alexander Walker, uh, Buouay. They’re going to have uh, uh, Anaka Kong Woo and uh, uh, what is it? Visich. Yeah. Uh, and somebody else. their their team is better than folks realize. So they could be like a team that sneaks into the conference finals again like they did in 2021. Um the Magic Desmond Bane, Jaylen Suggs, Fron Vagner, Paulo Benerro, Window Carter Jr. Mo Vagner, Anthony Black takes a step this year be a not just a backup a starting level ball handler that’s a good defender as well. Tristan Dilva steps in this year and has a better season. Jonathan Isaac plays 55 plus games this year. They have a pathway. I mean, there are some teams that like can sneak in there. So, if you told me the Magic, the Knicks, Cleveland, I think I can make a like a a very salient argument for all three of those teams coming out of the conference next year. Yeah. See, my my list is three and a half of I I have Cleveland and New York, and then I have the Hawks at three, and I the half is Orlando on August 9th. Now, my the reason for them being a half is I just want to see Paulo and Fron take a step forward and they could do that as soon as the season starts and then all of a sudden with the addition of Bane now you’re not as concerned about their offense and now they’re the legitimate four teams who could win the who could win the East to me and at least get to the Eastern Conference finals especially. So, I have it at three and a half right now just because I’m on a wait and see approach with Orlando’s offense. But I I do think that the problem with the East is it’s topheavy. Outside of those four, I can’t make a sane argument that anyone else wins the East at all. And those four, I can’t make a sane argument that if all things were equal and we played this 100% on each side, that they’d win the I think Cleveland would get they would get manhandled because think about all those teams in the West are physical as crap and they’re big on the inside, not just like on the perimeter, but Shay’s big as a guard. Dub is big on the wings. Caruso big and aggressive. You know, Murray’s big, Brown’s big. Uh Bruce Bruce Brown’s strong and athletic and then you got obviously Yo, Aaron Gordon and then Cam obviously, but then the Houston has Shinon and KD and Amen. Fred Strong. He’s six feet tall but he’s strong as crap. Tory Een, then you got Steven Adams. I mean that’s just now the Houston Rockets office could be the thing that’s that that dooms them. But man, I just like I just really think like you go into the playoffs this year, OKC probably number one seed against 64 dumb games somehow because they’re just going to, you know, walk through people all year. you know, Shay’s gonna go out and have 30 in third quarter and then next thing you know, Isaiah Joe’s gonna come and hit four threes and 38 points and then, you know, this is not even a bad team. It’s like Memphis, you know what I mean? Like, you know, whatever. But they’re going to play like who’s going to be the AC this year? The Dallas Mavericks. That’s that that that’s the thing that like the Thunderlid path could legitimately be like Dallas or even the Lakers in round one and you’re facing Luca in round one and then if if one of Denver or Houston messes around then you have to play the other if they’re if if Denver or Houston is the four seed that’s the worst case scenario for OKC to now have to go through both of them because I think that the four seed will of course win and it’ll be either Denver or Houston round two and I think that the one who’s on the other side will make the West finals to where if you have to go through both teams Oh, that’s brutal. That That’s just brutal. On top of a way better eight seed than you’re accustomed to. But this is going to be a lot of fun this season. We’ll have it covered for you all year long at lockdown NBA game night. Go check out Swipe a Cam, Lockdown Nuggets, Players Choice. Check me out, Ren Styles, Lockdown Thunder. Until next time, be good and be good to one

NBA Christmas Day Showdown: Western Conference Dominates the Spotlight

The NBA’s Christmas Day schedule is set, and it’s a Western Conference extravaganza. From Victor Wembanyama’s San Antonio Spurs facing Chet Holmgren’s Oklahoma City Thunder to LeBron James’ Los Angeles Lakers taking on the Houston Rockets, the lineup is packed with star power. Hosts Rylan Stiles and Swipa Cam break down each matchup, analyzing the league’s strategy in showcasing young talent and established superstars. They also dive into the leaked opening night games, including Kevin Durant’s emotional return to OKC as the Thunder raise their championship banner.

Is the Western Conference truly superior to the East? Tune in for a heated debate on conference strength, potential NBA Finals contenders, and why some big names were left off the Christmas Day schedule.

Follow & Subscribe on all Podcast platforms…
🎧 https://lockedonpodcasts.com/podcasts/locked-on-nba

Locked On NBA League-Wide: Every Team, Fantasy, Draft, WNBA & More
🎧 https://lockedonpodcasts.com/leagues/nba

Find a Daily Locked On NBA Newsletter covering your favorite team:
📲 https://newsletters.lockedonpodcasts.com/nba

Follow the Locked On Podcast Network
Twitter 📲 https://twitter.com/LockedOnNetwork
TikTok 📲 https://www.tiktok.com/@lockedonsports

Subscribe to the Locked On NBA YouTube Channel: Locked On NBA

Follow/Subscribe/Listen Anywhere: linktr.ee/LockedOnNBA

Support Us By Supporting Our Sponsors! | Offers: https://lockedonpodcasts.com/offers/

PrizePicks – Download the PrizePicks app today and use code LOCKEDONNBA and get $50 instantly when you play $5! You don’t even need to win to receive the $50 bonus, it’s guaranteed! Prizepicks. Run Your Game.
Click Here: https://prizepicks.onelink.me/LME0/LOCKEDONNBA

BetterHelp – This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp. Rediscover your curiosity with BetterHelp. Visit BetterHelp.com/LOCKEDONNBA today to get 10% off your first month.

Gametime – Download the Gametime app, create an account, and use code LOCKEDON for $20 off your first purchase. Terms apply. Download Gametime today. What time is it? Gametime.

FanDuel – You can start the season with a big return on FanDuel. Place your first FIVE DOLLAR bet and you’ll get started with TWO HUNDRED DOLLARS in BONUS BETS – guaranteed ! Visit FANDUEL.COM to get started.

FANDUEL DISCLAIMER: 21+ in select states. First online real money wager only. Bonus issued as nonwithdrawable free bets that expires in 14 days. Restrictions apply. See terms at sportsbook.fanduel.com. Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER or visit FanDuel.com/RG (CO, IA, MD, MI, NJ, PA, IL, VA, WV), 1-800-NEXT-STEP or text NEXTSTEP to 53342 (AZ), 1-888-789-7777 or visit ccpg.org/chat (CT), 1-800-9-WITH-IT (IN), 1-800-522-4700 (WY, KS) or visit ksgamblinghelp.com (KS), 1-877-770-STOP (LA), 1-877-8-HOPENY or text HOPENY (467369) (NY), TN REDLINE 1-800-889-9789 (TN)

#NBA #Basketball #Podcast #NBAPodcast #Sports #SportsPodcast