Ken Doubles Down on Cavs Reaching NBA Finals

0:00Hi, I'm PJ Vote and I want to tell you about my podcast Search Engine. We try to make sense to the world, one question at a time. No question too big, no question too small. We will even answer your questions if you send them in. Stuff like, what happens when a cemetery goes out of business? What should we do about teens using AI to do their homework? Who buys luggage at the airport luggage store? Follow and listen to Search Engine in partnership with Odyssey, wherever you get your podcasts. Apparently, I had better taste in cinema than Anthony Lyme. That coming up in Lyme likes at 745-216474-1992. The poll is out. We started the show. You didn't actually, you're the master of it. I don't get to the phones here in a bit because these people have been wanting to get in now. I don't even know where you stand about the loss. Oh, it's up to you yesterday. It was a horrendous loss. Like, where was the prize? Well, like at half time, half time, you're locked up with a tight one.

1:00Where's the prize? Like I would expect at the very least, see that and then the calves go on their merry-way and win that game. And the defense got worse. So at this moment, as it says, as this moment, as this moment, which calves post-season outcome do you feel is more likely? News in the first round reached the NBA finals. Sixty-three percent say lose in the first round. Come on. I can tell you just in talking to whoever I can about the calves for some bizarre reason. And a lot of it has to do with the fact that they have not earned their way. So you guys are in the same place. There seems to be a lot of people who are just really down on them and didn't like the hardened trade to begin with. And now they feel even worse, which is weird, considering they still, it's not down to been Mitchell, like he's been pretty good in the playoffs. I think I think we can all attest he's been pretty good.

2:02I'll tell you this. Two things. One, it would be one of the biggest disappointments in Cleveland Sports history. Two. I mean, I'm serious. You have the most expensive roster in the NBA still. If you lose in the first round, it is. This would be one of the biggest disappointments in Cleveland Sports history. I don't know what I would do because again, it would turn into one of my worst takes I've ever had, right? I think it'll be right up there with Freddie Kitchens over Mike Vrable. I pencil them to the finals and they end up losing the first round. Would that not be the one of the worst worst takes I've ever had, one of the worst opinions I've ever had? Yeah, but I wonder if fans would hold you accountable in that way because they would. They seem down on the calves. Of course, I don't know if they think they're going to the finals. Yeah, but I still like that's very different for I don't think if everybody in town was like, that's it. They're going like back in back in 0809, like fans after they made all the moves, like I remember it, like fans were stunned when they lost to Orlando all times stunned when

3:07they lost that series to Orlando. Especially when when they had hit the game winner, when LeBron hit that game winner. I listen, if I would have let, if I would have raised the white flag on this season and would have said, Oh, yeah, you guys are right. I was wrong. They're not ready to be. I'm still strident about my opinion on I think that they could be an NBA finals team and I'm penciling him to the finals. And then I doubled down on it earlier this morning and I'm still saying this and I still believe it's true. You had one of the easiest first round matchups I think I've ever seen watching basketball last year against Miami. It was barely anything, if not just a tune up for the rest of it. And then of course you ran into a buzzsaw. I think this would be one of the best runs that you could have. I respect Orlando. I think they're going to get physical. I think it's a tough matchup and I think that will battle test you. I think that Detroit can get to the second round. You would see Detroit the second round. I think you are an incredibly difficult matchup for Detroit. That's why I think that you get to the Eastern Conference finals. They are a quality opponent that you can't either you have to take seriously.

4:07These are these guys are a year older. They're a year they got to be more professional. You're more professional. I think it could be a better matchup for you or I end up looking like a total idiot. And if I'm a total idiot, then they've made me out to be a total idiot because on paper this team should not be a struggling basketball team and they have struggled over these last a few weeks. Yeah. Some of that's explainable because injuries, some of the defensive stuff though, I mean some of the defensive stuff is terrible. I'm not giving them a bunch of excuses for losing last night. Last night at home, you lose to Dallas. That sucks. That's terrible. But in the grand scheme of things, I still think it's a top flight basketball team. I think the East has just gotten tougher and a lot of us don't really want to recognize that because this is going to go with what you've said. Not a lot of people are watching anybody but the calves or have watched anybody but the calves. So you've had these types of campaigns over the last couple of years where we need to be watching more NBA basketball. We need to be watching more non calves NBA games. Well, yeah, fishing a barrel for a lot of guys like me.

5:07It's like, yeah, I'm going to put some on in the background. I'm going to watch in Nick's Lakers last Sunday, like there's still some in there. But I think for a lot of people, it's like, hey, the East is still the East, which isn't as good as the West. Why are you struggling against some of these teams here? I think that that's the way. Now, I know you've lost to a Western conference team and the other most embarrassing loss you had was to a Western conference team, but this is still where a lot of people think you are. Sorry. This is where we're at. I do with it because I, I'm, I'm not saying all of a sudden that they're garbage and they're going to lose and that they're, they're a first round exit because they've had a rough couple of weeks. That's not going to happen. And I'm not freaking out, even though it was a bad loss. I'm not freaking out after last. Where it definitely gets interesting is Orlando Orlando finally is playing well and they have turned it on and then cast fans just saw the magic beat, you know, their team in Orlando. And now if the season were to end today, who would you be playing in the first round? You'd be playing the magic who also gave you an unbelievable all you can, they, they, they

6:08took into the limits. Seven games is a couple of years ago. So a team that had no business, even though that was also a four or five, they had no business taking you to seven games with this young as their roster was there here. They are a tough group to one six, four, seven, four to below 92, so which one is more likely? Are they more likely to lose in the first round of the NBA playoffs or actually get to the NBA finals? Maurice and Maple Heights, you're first up in the fan. Hello, Maurice. How you doing, man? Doing well, Maurice. Go ahead. Definitely won't get past the first round. I went to the game yesterday and I've been to at least eight, no defense. They constantly lead other teams, three point shooters wide open and it's like does anybody stay home, man to man versus okay, Matt Struse comes back by next week, he'll be out with a spray and ankle for the rest of the year. That's unfair. I love it. I love it. God, that's unfair.

7:08Now, they still have the tent. You say that, Maurice. They still have the 10th best defense this year in the NBA by the numbers that the teams, you know, used to track that stuff. So, you know, you're making it sound like there's some terrible defense. They have been terrible since Jared Allen's been out the last five games, making his thing like I'm seeing it even on TV. You don't think Jared Allen, you don't, you don't think Jared Allen helps them on defense. Jared Allen, I can see, I call him Marshmallow. Why? He's not physical. How could you spend, how could you spend, how could you spend this much money to go see Cavs games live and still not be able to come up with anything better than this? He's a Marshmallow. Yeah. So, he's gonna make no difference, he's gonna make no difference to their defense. Even though, even though, even though, even though, even though, even though, don't of a Mitchell specifically references him in his answers last night, he makes no difference whatsoever. Jared Allen. Yes he does, to a certain degree.

8:09Okay. I guess we can be halfway on that. Equality and don't get me wrong. You talking about Detroit. I ain't worried about them. It's Boston, dude. Well, you got Wait a minute. Wait a minute. Okay. Well, first off, Maurice. Thank you for the call, but you're not playing Boston in the first round I probably even the second round here. So where you so which way is this thing gonna go? See we got to understand this. Are they more likely to lose in the first round or they're more likely to get to the NBA finals? Which one is it? Now a lot of people are saying first round. Who's your first round opponent name your first round opponent? It's Orlando. So you have to say Orlando. Forget Boston. Forget Detroit. I know the road I laid out. It's Orlando. Do you think that they would beat Orlando? If you think that they would lose to Orlando, then fine if you think they're going to the NBA finals and fine I know that a lot of people are upset with it, but I have to have reasoning to be upset with yesterday's loss and I know it's the frustration of them Which is easy to be an underwhelming big time in the postseason, but the amount of people that right now there are there are Seven or eight teams that have better records than the calves in the NBA and yet the callers and the people that are reacting the most when we talk about the calves

9:15They're making it seem like we're a bottom 10 team in the league like that they have no saving grace. No redeeming qualities to this team all year. It's like how spoiled are the calves and I know that these teams don't even have Lopron like that that was really being spoiled when you could just walk into the NBA finals every year. You know without without any any real hassle. Okay, now they have to work a little bit harder obviously, but let's not act like this is a bottom team in the league. You guys are acting like they're the Browns. You know, if you were to compare the NFL and the NBA, they're not the Browns. They're like really good. Well, in these situations, you're the Baltimore Ravens. I think you're not the Browns. I think for a lot of folks, they're used to and people Baltimore aren't happy about the Ravens. I wonder I wonder this is the you know what this is just me flying off the seat of my pants. I wonder if a lot of people are just getting themselves ready to be disappointed. They've been disappointed the last three years in the postseason. Have they not have they been and not just disappointed. They've been sorely disappointed. I mean, I don't mean they're just getting themselves ready. I'm holding them to a standard dammit.

10:17You have the most expensive roster in the NBA. You traded for James Harden. I'm not trying to soft pedal this thing. Okay, I'm not trying to do it. There are excuses. There are I should say explanations for the way things of going right now. All right. I'm not just trying to be some calves soft pillow. Yes, man on this. I'm trying to hold them to a standard. You made your decision. Now you got to work with your decision here and your decision when you brought in James Harden who's a better player than what you have with Darius Garland. When you made that decision, it's obviously not to just get past the first round of the finals or first round of the playoffs. But that is the question that's being asked. And I think there's a lot of overreaction. Yes, losing Dallas sucks, but I can't lose the grand scheme of things. It's a terrible loss. One of the worst losses of the year. Maybe not the worst loss of the year, but it's arguable. One of the worst losses of the year. They are still a much better basketball team. And I don't think they're going to go in there and turn in a defensive performance like that against your Orlando Magic. I'm the one trying to tell people relax. And here I am worked up about this. Yes. I just wanted to play this clip from Kenny yesterday. It was on the defense

11:17and how they started. They played defense play is really different than they yesterday. Then they normally do during the regular season. I think that's important. Listen, I can look at myself too. We started the game switching, you know, one, two, five, which is not normally what we do. But I want, I think we wanted to challenge a group. You have to do that in the playoffs. See where we are. And I don't know, you know, but that's not an excuse, right? I also have to look in the mirror. Was it the right coverage to start? Yeah, and that's a lot of factors, right? And that's again, it's kind of why you give up, give up one 30. I mean, when he calls them out for the quote, inexcusable. I think, yes, inexcusable. And another clip was the word. You know, I, I think he's trying to remain reasonable to some level. Here's the, here's where he calls the defense and excusable. Just too permissive on the defensive end. I just told you guys, I started that first unit. Just not not good enough defensively. They never felt us, you know, they got comfortable. They got confidence. And then, you know, we start to start to have think is kind of the same story, right? We have really good defenders in that lineup. So, um, kind of a, you know, my way is inexcusable, defensive effort today.

12:30I mean, he's saying what the truth is and the truth is it was inexcusable. It still doesn't mean I think they're just going to go out there and embarrass themselves in the post. He's, if they do, then he's gone. I, I think that that, that goes without saying. I mean, if they were to actually lose in the first round, I think it's going to come on in that situation. And I think certainly Kenny, because you think that what Donovan could want to know. I think executives could lose their job. I think had coach could lose their job. Assistance would be bounced. And yes, I think everybody would be potentially on the table for trades. Yes. Let me get Darryl and Mayfield Heights real quick. Hello, Darryl. Yeah, gentlemen, I, I listen to you all a lot and it gives me how you are. You stats to justify things like, you know, they got the best 10 defense in the league, but the I test here. You saw what they look like yesterday. The reason why this team is not going to make it out to the first round is because I'm Jennifer and I'm Angela Kinsey. And together, we have the podcast office ladies just because we finished rewatching the office does not mean we're going anywhere. Every Wednesday will be sharing even more exclusive stories from the office and our friendship with brand new guests.

13:37Plus, you can revisit all the office ladies rewatch episodes every Monday with new bonus tidbits before every episode. So follow and listen to office ladies on the free Odyssey app and wherever you get your podcasts. When you're an ally with our injuries, you are forced to play Dean Wade, who doesn't just do anything. Dean Wade drives to the basket and kicks the ball out to Evan Mowgli to hit a three. Dean Wade is a horrible defensive player. And he does not give you. He is not horrible defensive player. Horrible defensive. No, he's not. He has been a huge difference maker for them defensively because he's again, he's six nine. Okay, do you watch the games when they go all small and they got a bunch of six, two, six, three, six, four, guys try to defend gentlemen. You do realize he's getting a little bigger. I don't know what you're a basketball. Like you enjoy the most, but you realize the NBA is gotten a lot bigger and longer and more athletic.

14:38And when you try out a bunch of six, one, six, two, six, three guys, that's where Dean Wade, the problem with Dean Wade is the offense, not the defense. What are you talking about? Okay, so what's the problem with all this with Dean Wade then? What's the problem? Well, he's just very limited. I mean, he's the only thing he's going to do out there is rebound for you and shoot open threes like that's that's the that's a risk reward in trying to play. But defensively, they love that. Did you watch him? Did you watch him? Did you watch him against Jalen Brunson in the next few weeks ago? He put the clamps down Brunson couldn't get past him because he has trouble with size and length. So Dean Wade gives them that. Okay, like I said, first round, first round. Okay, still. He, I mean, he asked you if you watch it. He's like, Dean Wade, I'm talking to Darryl. You asked him if he saw he didn't see, he didn't see what he wants to see. Dean Wade, it's a limited player, but the reason they have to use him is because if you just send out guys like Dennis Schroeder and Keon Ellis, Keon Ellis is a pesky defender, but he has trouble against size. So you know, this is an Oklahoma city where they have 10 guys that are two way players.

15:41You know, we don't have that. Lime of likes coming up at 743. Apparently, I have better taste in cinema than Lime of does. It's coming up on the fan. Hey, everyone, I'm Josh Radner and I am so excited to tell you about how we made your mother a rewatch podcast looking back at how I met your mother. And I'm here with Craig Thomas who co-created the show along with Carter Bayes. Hi, Craig. Hey, Josh, somehow it has been 20 years since the show premiere. I'm going to check the math on that 10 years since it went off the air and we thought that made this a perfect time to look back. See what the hell we did and why the show still seems to resonate with fans around the world today. Follow and listen to how we made your mother wherever you get your podcasts.