East Over/Under Predictions | 2025-26 NBA Season Preview

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spk_0 Welcome to a new era of no-dunks.

spk_0 We're in a new studio.

spk_0 It's our 20 year anniversary in a few months.

spk_0 One of our guys is in Canada right now.

spk_0 Listen, it's a work in progress.

spk_0 This is going to work over the next few weeks.

spk_0 We'll be going when the NBA season starts.

spk_0 I'm Tass Melis.

spk_0 With me, it's the man in the middle, Tray Kirby.

spk_0 Hey, yo.

spk_0 And man making the magic happen.

spk_0 As always, he made this studio happen.

spk_0 Did I?

spk_0 Yeah.

spk_0 Yeah, you did.

spk_0 Super producer JD.

spk_0 Hello.

spk_0 Hey, JD.

spk_0 And that man in Canada, as I said, scuts and immigration issues we're working through.

spk_0 We're working through, as I said, you know, it is a work in progress.

spk_0 There is as happy as ever, Jay skits.

spk_0 It's actually not an immigration issue anymore.

spk_0 Now it's a mailing issue.

spk_0 Hey, pure later, what's going on?

spk_0 Their truck broke down.

spk_0 We're waiting on documents, but hopefully we'll be back later this week.

spk_0 But hello, gentlemen, the studio looks very different.

spk_0 You got like a debate show going on.

spk_0 You guys are so far apart.

spk_0 Yeah, I feel like we need to bring 20 people in to argue with either your points or

spk_0 my points.

spk_0 And you got to just shut them down, go ahead to head here.

spk_0 But it feels nice.

spk_0 We're only missing one thing.

spk_0 You know, skits.

spk_0 Man, can I?

spk_0 JD is on the opposite side of the garage now, too, right?

spk_0 Of the factory.

spk_0 That's correct.

spk_0 Kitty corner mode, yeah.

spk_0 It's weird watching you guys look to the opposite side now.

spk_0 It's very interesting.

spk_0 Oh, whoa, whoa.

spk_0 High lines are going to be crazy.

spk_0 You got a PIP.

spk_0 It's going to take a while to get news to.

spk_0 But I'm loving the new look overall, the new rebrand.

spk_0 And definitely excited to finally talk hoops with you guys.

spk_0 I've been listening to all of you shows.

spk_0 And I'm ready to actually share some opinions.

spk_0 Yeah, and hopefully we'll have everything together by the beginning of the season, because

spk_0 things are going to be working in here.

spk_0 Like, yes, we're sitting across from each other now that'll change with a third person

spk_0 here.

spk_0 It'll be different.

spk_0 How much are we changing the background?

spk_0 We'll find out.

spk_0 Hopefully, hopefully we make some significant changes here.

spk_0 I know people are asking about the sign.

spk_0 And it's still here in the factory at some place somewhere, but we're probably going

spk_0 to upgrade the sign as well.

spk_0 And look, it's the pre-season for the boy upgraded.

spk_0 Yeah, it's the pre-season.

spk_0 It's the pre-season.

spk_0 We're going to be upgrading.

spk_0 We'll be making more announcements as time comes by.

spk_0 Yes, yes, yes.

spk_0 Yes, sooner or later, pure later, we're actually going to be reunited to touch hands and

spk_0 make takes.

spk_0 Yes.

spk_0 Hey, listen, I've been waiting for my daughter's passport.

spk_0 Very, very different problem.

spk_0 Also, some FedEx truck issues as well, skits.

spk_0 If that makes you feel better, it does not.

spk_0 I'm sure.

spk_0 Well, I don't believe that pure later truck broke down on a Friday night, one hour before

spk_0 service ended.

spk_0 Let me just say that for the record.

spk_0 That's what you say when you realize the package is not going to be delivered by the

spk_0 end of the day.

spk_0 Yeah.

spk_0 Hell, am I to know if their truck is actually working, but anyway, I'm a little frustrated.

spk_0 I've been here way too long.

spk_0 At least the blue jays are kicking ass.

spk_0

spk_0 That go in for me here in Toronto, but yeah, I want to get back there.

spk_0 And I also know what people are thinking.

spk_0 Didn't you have all summer to redo the factory?

spk_0 Oh, yeah, we waited until the final weekend to do it.

spk_0 So that's why it's the work in progress.

spk_0 Yeah.

spk_0 And I think because we have two weeks before the start of the NBA season, people will

spk_0 think it gets better and better.

spk_0 We didn't want to come out with the bang, the finished deal.

spk_0 Yeah, the finished product.

spk_0 We wanted to make sure everybody saw it.

spk_0 Doesn't Bill Simmons call it the Milton Burl where you showed just enough to make people

spk_0 impressed?

spk_0 Hmm.

spk_0 Sure.

spk_0 I didn't know.

spk_0 But okay.

spk_0 Yeah, he does.

spk_0 But I won't go further into that.

spk_0 All right.

spk_0 But hopefully we can burl this thing out as time goes on.

spk_0 Let's go.

spk_0 Let's get into the Eastern Conference over under total predictions because it's fine.

spk_0 And all of these are provided by Fandall.

spk_0 I want to start with the first one because I think this one is really interesting.

spk_0 We'll get to all 15 teams.

spk_0 But the Boston Celtics over under number is 41 and a half.

spk_0 This team that won 61 games last year.

spk_0 So start a soft trade.

spk_0 Do you think this team is basically a little bit better than 500 this coming season or

spk_0 not?

spk_0 I think this is one of the hardest teams to tell.

spk_0 Where are the Celtics going to be because their win total is going down by 20 wins.

spk_0 61 and 21 for Boston last year.

spk_0 We're looking at can they get to 42 wins, but they lost basically everybody on their team

spk_0 of any sort of size.

spk_0 Jason Tatum will be playing this year unless he hops in at the end of the season for a handful

spk_0 of games for a playoff push, perhaps.

spk_0 But Chris Taps for Zingus gone.

spk_0 Al Horthard gone.

spk_0 Drew Holiday.

spk_0 He's in Portland right now.

spk_0 We're talking about some of the best defenders on the Celtics and most of their big man rotation.

spk_0 I don't even think it's a guarantee that the starters they have opening night will be

spk_0 the starters they have the first week of December like Jalen Brown you're starting Derek

spk_0 White you're starting everything else basically up to grab up for grabs to me.

spk_0 Simon's Pritchard who's going to be the center Namiish Keta right now.

spk_0 I do think though that this is going to be one of the biggest curveball teams in the NBA.

spk_0 We know the Celtics like to shoot threes they were first in three point rate last year.

spk_0 That probably bumps up even more so this year with a team that has very few creators on it.

spk_0 But they do have a lot of guys who like to shoot threes.

spk_0 Celtics were 30th and pace last year.

spk_0 I think that goes up this year as they try to play a little bit faster.

spk_0 But the question is like what does a Joe Mizzoula team look like when they're not one of

spk_0 the best teams in the league?

spk_0 I think it's a chip on the shoulder season for him.

spk_0 I think he's going to be locked in and as many wins as possible during the regular season.

spk_0 But yeah, Celtics are a weird team to consider this year because they have had so much continuity.

spk_0 The past five seasons.

spk_0 This is the first year that feels really confusing.

spk_0 Yeah, I would agree with that just to piggyback off what Tray is saying and traded really well by the way

spk_0 in our over under predictions last year.

spk_0 You had like an incredible overall record.

spk_0 But like I don't know about you TK and test.

spk_0 This is like the most difficult year I can remember like with a lot of these teams and a lot of these lines.

spk_0 And I think the Celtics starting with them.

spk_0 The injury part, it's like what are they?

spk_0 Like we know they're a good team, but to lose three of their five starters right from 2425 like not on the floor.

spk_0 That's that's all a hell of a drop off in talent.

spk_0 So can white and jail and brown and Pritchard like they played well when Tatum wasn't out there with them,

spk_0 but it's a small sample size.

spk_0 And then yeah, the questions of the front court.

spk_0 I am this is the one I keep going back and forth on.

spk_0 Whether they're a plus 500 team or whether they may be like,

spk_0 it's a bit of a down year and like they're sort of scraping to get into a play.

spk_0 And I struggled with this team and a lot of these teams in the East.

spk_0 The line makers know what's going on.

spk_0 That is for sure.

spk_0 They're they're hitting home runs.

spk_0 This 41 and a half though is such a huge drop off from last year.

spk_0 Obviously those guys that you mentioned, Tray.

spk_0 I mean, you basically lost a huge chunk of this championship team.

spk_0 To me, it comes out to is Joe Mizzula a good coach.

spk_0 Can you get enough energy out of these other guys?

spk_0 And I will say it's all talk during this time here,

spk_0 but some good really good stuff coming from some veteran coaches like Sam

spk_0 Kassel has assistant coach.

spk_0 So this is my 34th training camp.

spk_0 And this is the hardest training camp I've seen right now.

spk_0 I don't think he just says that.

spk_0 He said, we're going to play hard.

spk_0 We're going to compete.

spk_0 We're going to be the hardest playing team in basketball.

spk_0 Okay.

spk_0 I thought that was the Miami Heat.

spk_0 What?

spk_0 Yeah.

spk_0 Well, then you get a player jumping in.

spk_0 Josh Maynott, new player on working with Joe Mizzula.

spk_0 He's inspiring and a little bit of a weirdo.

spk_0 So I do.

spk_0 I do understand.

spk_0 I do think the guys that you mentioned in Derek White,

spk_0 Jalen Brown and Peyton Pritchard are the primary guys leading this team.

spk_0 Yes, they're going to probably shoot more threes than they ever have

spk_0 because they obviously shoot a ton under Mizzula in the three years that he's coached.

spk_0 They've shot 48%, 47% and 53% of their shots from three point land.

spk_0 Will it go even higher this year?

spk_0 I wouldn't be surprised coming off a 53.5 year just to keep it going,

spk_0 but their front court is an issue.

spk_0 So to me, I'm taking the over because I do think they will work hard enough for Mizzula.

spk_0 Number one, because it is, yeah, it's a, hey, it's on his shoulder to do this.

spk_0 Uh, this time, I think they have enough guys to be a 500 team, especially in this Eastern

spk_0 conference. But what are your takes?

spk_0 Yeah, I actually am in Mizzula mode for this one as well.

spk_0 He seems to me to be the kind of coach who will be able to succeed with not having a lot

spk_0 of talent and will take a great deal of pride in being able to do that.

spk_0 You know, like I'm thinking of a Doc Rivers or Land O Magic team where you're like,

spk_0 you should be the eighth seed and suddenly you win more games than anybody is expecting.

spk_0 You win coach of the year sort of thing.

spk_0 He seems exactly like the type of guy to thrive in that scenario.

spk_0 We just haven't seen it yet.

spk_0 I'm going for a slight over here on the Celtics as well.

spk_0 I'm kind of surprised though that you took the over since you said,

spk_0 Jaylen Brown won't even be an all star this season.

spk_0 Yeah, well, I've gone through some waves.

spk_0 I mean, when it happened, when Tatum's injury happened, I know you formulated the,

spk_0 the idea that, hey, the other teams like Yanis de Gumpo and the Milwaukee box are going

spk_0 to be fantastic because of these injuries.

spk_0 There's no doubt.

spk_0 And I felt that that time though, the Celtics are just too good.

spk_0 They'll be able to hang with the Milwaukee box.

spk_0 Then I watched Jaylen around in the playoffs and he just wasn't quite the same guy.

spk_0 And maybe he won't be the same guy, but we're talking about the East.

spk_0 We're talking about a 500 team.

spk_0 So even if Jaylen Brown isn't necessarily an all NBA player again,

spk_0 if his knee is still bothering him, this team is good enough to be literally be a 500 team.

spk_0 I think this is a 41 and a half number.

spk_0 It's not 500 days in under tests.

spk_0 Yes, barely.

spk_0 Yes, you're right.

spk_0 I mean, I should say they have to be over 500, but I'm fine taking that even if I don't

spk_0 know how Jaylen Brown's knee is, but I think they'll be fine.

spk_0 What do you think, Skits?

spk_0 Are you over under on a 41 and a half number?

spk_0 I'm ultimately going just under.

spk_0 I think this is going to be like right around that 39, 40, 41 wins and that'll be under.

spk_0 I mean, we're glossed over it.

spk_0 This is a rough front court.

spk_0 And I like Kata and he looked great in your basket.

spk_0 And he's going to get an opportunity.

spk_0 But then we're talking Chris Boucher, who I also like, but I always like in the doghouse up in the

spk_0 Toronto.

spk_0 And now he's an important part and look at Garza.

spk_0 I mean, like, he barely played in Minnesota.

spk_0 These are like their main bigs.

spk_0 So as even if the much three point shooting and scoring they get,

spk_0 they're going to need to stop some teams and get something from the front court.

spk_0 So I think, you know, look, this is there's going to be no shame in being a 500 club

spk_0 just over just under whatever with when you lose a top five MVP guy in Jason Tatum.

spk_0 But I'll go just under.

spk_0 Yeah, that's the weird thing about these numbers.

spk_0 Sometimes the bulls have 39 wins, not too far off from this 41 win number that we're

spk_0 looking at last year, right?

spk_0 And would you consider the bulls front court all that amazing?

spk_0 I mean, they did it.

spk_0 They did it late in the season.

spk_0 What are bulls that have to do with that?

spk_0 It's nothing.

spk_0 I know.

spk_0 I have a great year last year.

spk_0 The Celtics will love to have booch as a starter.

spk_0 Yeah, they would be 10 times better than any of their front court players.

spk_0 I know.

spk_0 Yeah.

spk_0 So it is a question about the Celtics front court players, but I say Josh.

spk_0 Why not?

spk_0 Josh, why not?

spk_0 Why can't this team go 42 and 40?

spk_0 That guy should be decent.

spk_0 He's called Mizzoula weirdo.

spk_0 I think Mizzoula's as we said, he's focused on getting this team to fricking above 500.

spk_0 So it'll be fun.

spk_0 Yeah, he said he would.

spk_0 If he was ever in a marathon, he would just run until he dies.

spk_0 What?

spk_0 Asked him how he thought he would do an marathon.

spk_0 He's like, I'll just run until I die.

spk_0 I personally think he could finish before 26.2 miles.

spk_0 I think he finished that before dying, but you know, this guy isn't going to let the Celtics slack at all.

spk_0 They're going to try and win as many games as possible.

spk_0 The problem is if like Jaylen Brown goes down with an injury, Derek White goes down with an injury.

spk_0 They're even shallower than they are, but like, I feel like they can challenge for 42 wins.

spk_0 Would you want to play hard for a guy that says that?

spk_0 I mean, I guess it doesn't matter.

spk_0 But I don't know.

spk_0 It's just a weird thing to say.

spk_0 He says a lot of ways that say that that was so under the radar that you didn't even care about it.

spk_0 No, like, yeah, it's sure he want to play for a guy that's going to throw down on the

spk_0 Brazilian jujitsu map.

spk_0 Yeah, we didn't even mention Amphor de Simon's who said, I mean, I've never been taught defense before.

spk_0 And now he's here on the Boston Celtics and he's being taught defense.

spk_0 We'll see if they can go 42 and 40.

spk_0 Let's get to another team.

spk_0 That's in a very drastically different position.

spk_0 The Brooklyn Nets line is 20 and a half after going 26 and 56 last year.

spk_0 So can this team win 21 games to be over that line?

spk_0 Try what do you think?

spk_0 Under 20 wins is pretty bad.

spk_0 Three teams were under 20 wins last season.

spk_0 We only had two in the 23 24 season and then one in the year prior 2022 slash 23.

spk_0 I do think the Nets roster is the worst roster in the Eastern Conference from the beginning of the year to the end of the year.

spk_0 Like once we get to the end of the season, I think the Wizards will probably have a worst roster,

spk_0 but at least they're starting the year with Chris Middleton and CJ McCollum around.

spk_0 You look at the vets for the Nets and it's like Michael Porter Jr.

spk_0 He's probably going to lead their team in scoring.

spk_0 It'll be him or Cam Thomas, depending on, I guess, who gets the jump ball.

spk_0 Cause that person's getting one more shot at the other guy.

spk_0 Other than that veteran wise, it's like Terence Mann.

spk_0 So I'm not really enthused by this Brooklyn team.

spk_0 You think of their season last year, they won 26 games.

spk_0 That includes going 9 and 11 through November.

spk_0 Then they said, we're a little bit too good right now.

spk_0 We got to get rid of Dennis Schroeder from there on 17 wins the rest of the way,

spk_0 which is still a 22 win pace.

spk_0 But I think this is the year the Nets really want to be bad for the entirety of the season.

spk_0 They have their own pick.

spk_0 They do have a swap next season with Houston.

spk_0 So it's better to be bad this year.

spk_0 Get another look at hopefully a top five pick and at least have good odds to get it.

spk_0 So I'm anticipating the Nets being.

spk_0 I don't know.

spk_0 One of the two worst teams in the Eastern Conference.

spk_0 Take your pick if it's going to be them and the Wizards.

spk_0 But I will go under on the Nets.

spk_0 I think they're in the teens for wins.

spk_0 All right, skeets.

spk_0 Your thoughts on the Brooklyn Nets.

spk_0 Yeah, this team stinks.

spk_0 They're going to be bad.

spk_0 I'm with Trey.

spk_0 I mean, 20 and a half is low.

spk_0 It is really low.

spk_0 They did look solid to start the year.

spk_0 Like Trey said, they got a great coach.

spk_0 But yeah, then they traded all their talent and then they drafted five rookies in the first round.

spk_0 Like they're going to be the first team to like, but a full season with five rookies selected in the first round on their roster.

spk_0 They had a bunch of lineups last year.

spk_0 And now their main guys are Michael Porter, Jr.

spk_0 And Cam Thomas, like that's going to be fun.

spk_0 I know how so highlights is going to have a blast clip and all their high jinks.

spk_0 And I'm sure Cam Thomas will score 40 plus in a couple of games, even Michael Porter, Jr.

spk_0 maybe, but I don't think it's going to translate to a lot of wins just with all the rooks.

spk_0 And like, even these like, like Kobe Bufkin, their hoping pops and obviously Terrance Van is there.

spk_0 I guess he would high Smith.

spk_0 It's just like it is a gross looking roster.

spk_0 They're in a transitional sort of phase here.

spk_0 They're going to want a high draft pick.

spk_0 And don't worry, they're going to get it because they're bad.

spk_0 I think they're going to be one of the worst teams.

spk_0 And that probably will be, I don't know, 17, 18 wins, something like that.

spk_0 Yeah, the worrisome part is getting into that offense without a veteran point guard.

spk_0 Really now could it be Terrance man getting the reins here a little bit, even though, you know,

spk_0 he's more of a combo guard.

spk_0 Their first round pick that people were excited about.

spk_0 Yeah, your Jomine is injured to start the season.

spk_0 Ben Sarov could be the guy.

spk_0 He literally could be starting for them.

spk_0 This 19 year old dude's capable guy is a big six six guard.

spk_0 That being said, yeah, it is worrisome, even though you got Jordi Fernandez who,

spk_0 yes, started that season last year coaching a nine and 11 team.

spk_0 But the point guard problem is the biggest problem.

spk_0 Dennis Schuders traded last season.

spk_0 Then DeAngelo Russell gone at the end of the season here.

spk_0 Cam Johnson gone.

spk_0 So you're you're running out, Michael poor junior Terrance man.

spk_0 And the guys I mentioned, you mentioned Cam Thomas.

spk_0 Nick Claxton will be there.

spk_0 The point guard thing is is an issue.

spk_0 Lotford left.

spk_0 It is a very good line.

spk_0 I think they're going to be somewhere around there.

spk_0 But the point again, starting these possessions getting into their offense is not

spk_0 something Michael Porter junior ever did.

spk_0 So even though he's there and he's their guy, that's not what he didn't.

spk_0 Denver, he can't do that.

spk_0 So they have a lot of point guards.

spk_0 Yeah.

spk_0 But to me, they're all their strength is on the wing or they're big.

spk_0 So I don't see them getting there.

spk_0 It'll be close, but I'll take the under as well.

spk_0 They're best chance to hit the over is to have so many games where the competition

spk_0 comes in and be like, look at these guys.

spk_0 Oh my god.

spk_0 We're going to play like we're going to play pickup hoops for three quarters tonight.

spk_0 Right?

spk_0 Like we don't have to trial that hard.

spk_0 We're not going to be giving it on the defensive end.

spk_0 And then suddenly it's like a close game in the fourth.

spk_0 And maybe they pull out more victories than we sort of anticipate.

spk_0 But all said, yeah.

spk_0 Yeah, it's a good line.

spk_0 They're going to win 15 to 20 games or 15 to 22 games.

spk_0 I'm just taking the under.

spk_0 Yeah, it would be a, you know, it's a pretty drastic drop off from last year's

spk_0 26 and 56 to lose.

spk_0 They have a worse team.

spk_0 They do.

spk_0 I'm confident they can pull it off.

spk_0 Yeah, we shall see.

spk_0 Let's about this though.

spk_0 Fewest assists per game in the shot clock era, the eight or the 98 99 Hawks,

spk_0 only 15.6 assists per game.

spk_0 Hmm.

spk_0 I think that's could challenge that this year.

spk_0 Not a lot of passers on this roster.

spk_0 That's a great line.

spk_0 I mean, under four assists per quarter is pretty brutal.

spk_0 But they got some guys that like to dribble and shoot.

spk_0 Right, right.

spk_0 They're not going to play super fast by any means.

spk_0 So something to keep track of for sure.

spk_0 Very good line.

spk_0 All right, let's stay in the New York area.

spk_0 Let's go to the New York Knicks because this one is a little bit

spk_0 more inspiring to talk about.

spk_0 I'd say than the Brooklyn nets.

spk_0 The next line is 53 and a half wins up slightly, you know,

spk_0 bumped up a little bit from last year's record where they're 51 and 31.

spk_0 So Trayvore, what are your thoughts on the New York Knicks?

spk_0 Yeah, then we got to win three more games to hit the over here.

spk_0 I think this is an over for me the next because they have their starting five

spk_0 intact though the formulation may change.

spk_0 It might be Mitchell Robinson in for Josh Hart.

spk_0 I know you've said you'd like to see Gershaw and Yabu Selle in there for Josh Hart either way.

spk_0 Their top six guys are still around.

spk_0 They added Yabu.

spk_0 They added Jordan Clarkson who I think is at least a helpful player,

spk_0 especially considering he'll be farther down on the pecking order for the next.

spk_0 Doos McBride is still good.

spk_0 Even their dudes who are getting like camp invites might not make the team.

spk_0 You're like, I know that guy.

spk_0 He might be helpful.

spk_0 I'm talking about a Malcolm Broadden, Alex Len, Garrison Matthews, guys who are like,

spk_0 you know, 10 to 12 men on teams.

spk_0 But that's what they are on the Knicks.

spk_0 And last year it was like they wouldn't even go past number eight.

spk_0 So I think a little bit of extra depth is big time.

spk_0 They don't have much depth on the wing.

spk_0 The good thing is that McHale Bridges basically plays all the time.

spk_0 If they can keep him healthy, keep OGN and Nobey healthy.

spk_0 I think they've got a really solid one through 10.

spk_0 So I like what the Knicks are cooking up.

spk_0 They've been playing together for a while.

spk_0 They won 51 games last year and that's throwing Carl Anthony Townes for Julius Randall

spk_0 trade in right at the last second.

spk_0 Completely changed their team compared to the Nova Bros that they thought they were going in with.

spk_0 So I think the next will be good this year.

spk_0 Wouldn't surprise me if they had the most wins in the Eastern Conference.

spk_0 Yeah, what do you think?

spk_0 Skeets is just two and a half more wins.

spk_0 Essentially, then last year if you're looking at the line, it's a line that everybody's optimistic

spk_0 about. What do you think?

spk_0 Yeah, it was sort of shocked that Vegas put this line at 53 and a half.

spk_0 I think before they came out, I thought it would be higher.

spk_0 They're running back the same core that was really good.

spk_0 They've added some pieces like Traders went through.

spk_0 Now they have the new coach thing.

spk_0 That's the big question mark.

spk_0 It's, well, Mike Brown be playing more of a longer game,

spk_0 trying to build up the second unit, maybe a sacrifice,

spk_0 some W's there, where tips are always balls to the wall.

spk_0 Everybody's playing 40 minutes, maybe, but you need to do that in order to have

spk_0 playoffs success for to build up these six, seventh, eighth, and ninth guys.

spk_0 But yeah, I thought it was going to be higher.

spk_0 So I like the over two.

spk_0 I think they're in the 55 to 60 win mark.

spk_0 That's where I would have them if everybody stays healthy.

spk_0 This is low.

spk_0 It's fairly low.

spk_0 So I'm in.

spk_0 I mean, on the next being one of the best teams in the East, of course,

spk_0 they have goals to make the Eastern Conference finals and finals.

spk_0 So I think they're just going to piece together, really get season here.

spk_0 More, you know, just continuity with their main guys.

spk_0 And I like it.

spk_0 It feels almost too easy.

spk_0 So a little hesitant there.

spk_0 I'll take the over.

spk_0 Could be a sneaky one.

spk_0 I also have to say I agree.

spk_0 How can I, how can you disagree?

spk_0 Like coach aside, who I think will benefit them staying way fresher.

spk_0 I just think we forget that Mitch Robinson is healthy to start the season.

spk_0 He wasn't last year.

spk_0 He can get in there at the five and play good defense and allow Carl to go to the four.

spk_0 And last year,

spk_0 they didn't allow guys to come off the bench enough.

spk_0 And I think Mike Brown's going to do that.

spk_0 Everyone will be fresher to me.

spk_0 I think they're going to go way deeper throughout the bench.

spk_0 And last year, they were just so good offensively.

spk_0 They just came back in one games.

spk_0 And even though they were just sort of a middle of the pack defense,

spk_0 they were just able to turn it on in the fourth quarter, Brunson.

spk_0 And Carl were able to do that.

spk_0 And I think if they do have a little bit more of a defensive attitude

spk_0 that starts with Mitch Robinson starting.

spk_0 And Yabu Selle probably coming off the bench.

spk_0 I think there's enough guys to help their defense.

spk_0 I think everyone will be fresher.

spk_0 And everybody will be into it.

spk_0 This is these guys are in their prime.

spk_0 You know, I'm talking about Jalen and Carl Anthony Towns,

spk_0 NOG and Michele Bridges.

spk_0 It feels in the Eastern Congress that they're going to win

spk_0 55 games.

spk_0 It just feels right, especially again, with the in between years of the Celtics and the Pacers.

spk_0 I got the over, but maybe the right skates.

spk_0 Maybe this is just a sneaky line.

spk_0 Maybe they don't try.

spk_0 I don't get it.

spk_0 I honestly, I don't get why they wouldn't be this good.

spk_0 Have the tendency to be like a 55-56 win team.

spk_0 I just don't get it.

spk_0 I mean, Tom Thimmittal is a good coach.

spk_0 Of course.

spk_0 And for as much as we talk about how shallow he goes with the bench players,

spk_0 like that's good for getting regular season wins.

spk_0 That's a large part of the reason the Knicks usually overperform.

spk_0 I mean, same with the bulls back in the day.

spk_0 When you play your best guys all the time,

spk_0 you're going to probably win more games than you should.

spk_0 Yeah.

spk_0 Maybe spreading out the minutes is better for them long term,

spk_0 especially come playoff time.

spk_0 But I suppose they could go under on their wins

spk_0 just from playing their guys less.

spk_0 That's a fair point.

spk_0 I mean, Michele Bridges, though,

spk_0 during the season said you got to play our guys more.

spk_0 And I think he met that because yes,

spk_0 they got tired for the postseason,

spk_0 but also because they got some good guys.

spk_0 And they have even more of them now,

spk_0 especially with Mitch and Robinson,

spk_0 starting the season healthy.

spk_0 And we'll see what they do as far as the buy-in for Mike Brown's offense,

spk_0 where Brunson has to come off the ball a little bit more,

spk_0 a little bit more of the aborriers or calves type,

spk_0 where it's not just, hey, Brunson, you bring up the ball.

spk_0 Let's get everybody involved.

spk_0 So we'll see if they don't like Mike Brown for some odd reason.

spk_0 But I am looking forward to Carl out there,

spk_0 with Gershani Abu Salli, a guy who shoots threes

spk_0 to space out the floor for him as much as possible

spk_0 on those drives and play five out.

spk_0 I'm just a Abu Salli backer.

spk_0 You think you're going to call him Carl the whole season?

spk_0 Yeah, I can't.

spk_0 You always call him Carl straight up Carl.

spk_0 I'm not going three names.

spk_0 It's just too many names.

spk_0 How about towns?

spk_0 Cold cat.

spk_0 Yeah, cat.

spk_0 Everybody else.

spk_0 Yeah, yeah, yeah.

spk_0 I like you calling out Carl.

spk_0 You know, it's Carl every time.

spk_0 It was Carl.

spk_0 Well, Reggie Miller calls him Anthony Towns, right?

spk_0 Or that one's either the leader.

spk_0 I don't know, which is a weirder out there.

spk_0 Carl or Anthony Towns.

spk_0 All right, let's move on to the Philadelphia 76ers.

spk_0 Now this one is up here, guess.

spk_0 Another tough one.

spk_0 Line makers are doing well.

spk_0 43 and a half.

spk_0 Can the Philadelphia 76ers

spk_0 win basically 20 more games than last year?

spk_0 They were 24 and 58 last year.

spk_0 Their line is 43 and a half this year.

spk_0 What do you think, Tre?

spk_0 This reminds me of the Clippers line

spk_0 before last season where you're like,

spk_0 literally who's going to be playing?

spk_0 Because of Paul George and Joel and being played,

spk_0 their starting five looks good.

spk_0 Guess what?

spk_0 Those guys are already question marks

spk_0 for when they start the season.

spk_0 Great time.

spk_0 All of their returning players this season

spk_0 played 60 or fewer games.

spk_0 Like Kelly Ubrej Jr.

spk_0 is the high games played man

spk_0 from last season on this year's

spk_0 Sixers team.

spk_0 And Beat and George played a total

spk_0 of 60 games last year.

spk_0 I think they'll play more this year.

spk_0 But literally who knows,

spk_0 this one feels like

spk_0 an impossible way to pick on either side

spk_0 with confidence.

spk_0 Not knowing when and beat and George

spk_0 are going to be healthy.

spk_0 Air girl, I'm going under.

spk_0 Things are already bad for the Sixers.

spk_0 You know, Jared McCain is out.

spk_0 We've got the question marks.

spk_0 With him, Beat and George.

spk_0 I know Paul George said it can't be

spk_0 as bad as last year,

spk_0 but it could be the same as last year.

spk_0 Right.

spk_0 Yeah.

spk_0 And when you look at the number

spk_0 at 43 and a half,

spk_0 it's a low number.

spk_0 Yeah, even if it's close to last year,

spk_0 they're winning way fewer games than 43 and a half.

spk_0 I'm leaning under as well.

spk_0 I just could.

spk_0 I mean, I would have put this point.

spk_0 I mean, I basically want to flip a coin

spk_0 because who knows.

spk_0 But I guess we'll go with what we've

spk_0 seen over the last little while.

spk_0 Just in being struggling to stay healthy

spk_0 and Paul George.

spk_0 Don't love McCain injured.

spk_0 I'm excited for VJ Edgecomb.

spk_0 I this guy's going to be an unbelievable highlight

spk_0 from night to night.

spk_0 Very excited for that, Rookie.

spk_0 And the possibility of him getting

spk_0 an opportunity because of all the injuries.

spk_0 But there's no way I have confidence in them all playing.

spk_0 Their main trio of in being Paul George and Maxi played

spk_0 what 15 games together last year?

spk_0 Like, even if we double that,

spk_0 even if we make it half the season,

spk_0 we still might be struggling to get to this overall line.

spk_0 So give me just under.

spk_0 I think they're going to be in, you know,

spk_0 that play in sort of category or maybe

spk_0 vying for the sixth seed for a good chunk of the season.

spk_0 But I'll go just under.

spk_0 Yeah, that line of 43 and a half is just for 76ers fans,

spk_0 I guess, to go over.

spk_0 I mean, who else is really thinking

spk_0 that in being in Paul George are going to play again as much?

spk_0 It's just hard to see that happening.

spk_0 And be played 19 games last year.

spk_0 He's not playing right now.

spk_0 They think they're, I think they're going to go more with the

spk_0 modern day, Kauai Leonard load management system,

spk_0 which is sit out October, November, December,

spk_0 and playing January and February.

spk_0 I think that's what the unless they want to try what they did last year,

spk_0 which was play one game, sit to play one game, sit to it.

spk_0 I just don't know what the over underline is for Jolene Beat Games played.

spk_0 I think that's

spk_0 25 30.

spk_0 I guess it's halfway.

spk_0 I guess you would do it halfway.

spk_0 But I'm taking the under on that one, no matter what it is.

spk_0 Paul George last year played 41 games.

spk_0 He's not playing right now.

spk_0 He had offseason knee surgery.

spk_0 Again, can he bounce back?

spk_0 Last year was his worst year in a long time.

spk_0 Is this not exactly the same as Jolene Beat that has these injury issues?

spk_0 But Paul George had that very traumatizing injury early in his career.

spk_0 A long time over a decade ago,

spk_0 is it starting to catch up to him at this point?

spk_0 Maybe I'm leaning into that a little too hard,

spk_0 but it's just difficult to see a lot of guys playing on this team.

spk_0 As you said, Treyet,

spk_0 the leaders games played last year.

spk_0 It was Ricky council IV who's gone,

spk_0 Gershaw and Yabu Selle, who's gone.

spk_0 Those were one two.

spk_0 And then it's Ubrei, Adam Bona,

spk_0 Tyrese Maxi, who played 52,

spk_0 Justin Edwards, and then Paul George was seventh.

spk_0 And then this year,

spk_0 who are you going to play those games?

spk_0 It's Ubrei.

spk_0 I guess Grimes will play a good amount if he's a Edgecomb.

spk_0 And Trenden Woffer.

spk_0 Yeah, I tried to find a silver lining here.

spk_0 I was like, Trenden Woffer.

spk_0 That guy had to play a ton of games for the Nets last year.

spk_0 He had nothing.

spk_0 44 games.

spk_0 Yeah, he didn't.

spk_0 Come on, man.

spk_0 That's like the one bargain basement signing.

spk_0 They did that I was a little enthused by.

spk_0 And he played half the season.

spk_0 He's a foreign sixer.

spk_0 So across the board, we're going under, I guess, on 43 and a half.

spk_0 Just seems.

spk_0 Seems out there.

spk_0 Yeah.

spk_0 I don't think this is the year for the sixers.

spk_0 Yeah, I think this could be a year too.

spk_0 I know they make an insane amount of money both guys

spk_0 and being in Paul George, but you're taking phone calls from teams

spk_0 that are maybe trying to get them.

spk_0 Like if you're Daryl Worry and the sixers,

spk_0 like to trade off of them,

spk_0 I think it'd be silly to at least not explore that.

spk_0 But again, I don't think there's a,

spk_0 it wouldn't be great packages for guys that are perpetually injured.

spk_0 But when healthy or talented,

spk_0 and maybe like there are enough for some of these teams

spk_0 that want to jump up a level or even, you know,

spk_0 with hopes of a championship.

spk_0 I don't know who, but I'm just saying I wouldn't be all that shocked

spk_0 if one of those guys is maybe moved during the season

spk_0 if it goes to shit again.

spk_0 Yeah, I can look at the roster and think the same thing.

spk_0 They have a seemingly that two-path system here.

spk_0 Maybe we go, yeah.

spk_0 But Paul George has this current,

spk_0 this coming year plus two years after that.

spk_0 Oh, I know.

spk_0 Well, that's the, yeah.

spk_0 I mean, would not the sixers have to add draft picks

spk_0 to get off like either one of those contracts?

spk_0 And that doesn't mean he's not.

spk_0 Maybe not in bead oddly, but yeah.

spk_0 Yeah, unless, yeah, unless Paul George can turn around

spk_0 because last year was a bit of an anomaly

spk_0 because he hadn't been that bad in a long time.

spk_0 So we'll see what PG can do and then he could be trade worthy

spk_0 for another team, I suppose.

spk_0 I would guess that they're both sixers

spk_0 by the end of the season, but we'll see.

spk_0 If they have literally two weeks of good health,

spk_0 they should be in trade rumors.

spk_0 Okay, let's move on to the Toronto Raptors.

spk_0 The line is 39 and a half coming off a 30 and 52 season.

spk_0 Skeets you want to start on this Toronto Raptors team?

spk_0 Yeah, sure.

spk_0 Look, before I wave the homer flag,

spk_0 I want to remind everyone that the last couple years

spk_0 I was not high on the Raptors.

spk_0 Then I was saying pound the under.

spk_0 This team is bad and they're going to be bad.

spk_0 So it's not like I'm every year coming in here going over.

spk_0 Little different this year.

spk_0 I actually do believe somewhere in this squad

spk_0 is around a 500 team.

spk_0 We got the line at the perfect spot of 39 and a half.

spk_0 It's going to be real close on one side of the other.

spk_0 But I'm going to take the over, I think.

spk_0 They look like, look, there's no other Raptors front office

spk_0 is believing this is a 500 team with the amount of money

spk_0 they've thrown at it.

spk_0 Like this, the pre-payment for this team is unreal.

spk_0 So now they need to at least deliver a borderline playoff team

spk_0 or at least one that's in the play.

spk_0 And you're going to be around there with that record.

spk_0 But I am, I'm excited just to see them out there

spk_0 and hopefully playing together.

spk_0 And that's what we get with this team.

spk_0 I guess it's not all that's dissimilar

spk_0 to like a sixers team or teams that are perpetually injured.

spk_0 Like we got to see them at this point.

spk_0 The quickly, obviously the Barnes and the Brandon and Grume

spk_0 and RJ Barrett as their main four and then Pertles, they're fit.

spk_0 Like that's a good starting lineup.

spk_0 It'll be interesting to see how it meshes.

spk_0 But I'm in on just hitting the over.

spk_0 And I am excited for the articles that will be written

spk_0 about this second unit on the Raptors.

spk_0 Give it like four or five weeks

spk_0 because there's a lot of dogs, defensive minded guys.

spk_0 And I think they're going to like help the Raptors

spk_0 stay in games and win games with some of those guys.

spk_0 And they're talking the talk here in the preseason.

spk_0 So I'll go just over.

spk_0 I am not saying this is a 50 win team or anything like that.

spk_0 I think they're flirting with a 500 squad here.

spk_0 And I'm excited to see really Scotty and Brandon and Grume

spk_0 see how that works.

spk_0 They do have a lot of dogs.

spk_0 It is funny.

spk_0 When you think the best thing about this team

spk_0 is saying their names most of the time.

spk_0 It's Barnes and Grume and RJ Barrett.

spk_0 And just saying their whole story lineup,

spk_0 it seems to be the most exciting part.

spk_0 Does it work together?

spk_0 Is it quite?

spk_0 Yeah, I'm enthused.

spk_0 But anyways, before I get to my enthusiasm,

spk_0 Trey, what do you think?

spk_0 There's a lot of talent here.

spk_0 Yeah, for sure.

spk_0 They just have never played together,

spk_0 which is pretty tough to overlook

spk_0 when the big question is how are all of these guys going to fit?

spk_0 Like you guys keep including RJ Barrett.

spk_0 I think the only way they hit there

spk_0 over is if they trade him right away.

spk_0 And I don't think that's going to happen.

spk_0 A manual quickly played 33 games last year.

spk_0 Brandon and Grume played zero games

spk_0 for the Raptors last year.

spk_0 And they still won 30 games.

spk_0 They should be better this year.

spk_0 But 10 wins better.

spk_0 It's Brandon Ingram.

spk_0 A 10 wins worth player.

spk_0 I don't know about that.

spk_0 Yeah, I just think the other guys are going to play.

spk_0 No, I'm just assuming.

spk_0 I'm assuming a manual quickly doesn't take the floor

spk_0 and Darius Garland gets under him for a rebound

spk_0 in the first game and knocks him out.

spk_0 And they go down.

spk_0 I just assume that just being positive

spk_0 that these guys are healthy to some degree,

spk_0 there is going to be a year

spk_0 where they play basketball.

spk_0 They have been playing together.

spk_0 Since the beginning of September or something like that,

spk_0 it's been a long time.

spk_0 I'm just enthused by their enthusiasm

spk_0 about playing together.

spk_0 Like these guys seem like they want to play ball together

spk_0 as in they're going to allow the other guy to shine.

spk_0 It sounds like a squat.

spk_0 The Scotty Barnes is not going to be the go-to guy.

spk_0 Here's a ball.

spk_0 Darko Milchich said as much.

spk_0 And he's a Darko Ryakomite.

spk_0 Yeah, I'm sorry.

spk_0 Milchich, wow.

spk_0 Once you say Darko, it's kind of hard to say.

spk_0 He's not like everyone.

spk_0 Yeah, but he is the number one Darko.

spk_0 But he said he's going to be on the ball less,

spk_0 which I think is great.

spk_0 You come in for those little seal on post-ups,

spk_0 the Dunker Spot, that kind of thing,

spk_0 give the ball to Brandon Ninger.

spk_0 And manual quickly also said,

spk_0 I think I can average 10-3s per game

spk_0 and watch a lot of them are going to be catching shoot.

spk_0 They're all dependent on each other.

spk_0 RJ Barrett is excited to play as not just the go-to guy on a team.

spk_0 As a guy who sets up other guys,

spk_0 allows other to take pressure off him.

spk_0 So it's optimism time with all those four guys

spk_0 if they allow each other to do their thing,

spk_0 and they're deep enough.

spk_0 I think Scotty is just going to do so many good things.

spk_0 If Brandon Ninger is the leading point score on this team,

spk_0 like he has been before in his career

spk_0 and Scotty can play off the ball,

spk_0 do a ton of things like that set up his defensive side of the ball

spk_0 because he's not going to have to do as much offensively.

spk_0 And then all those dogs, as he said, skits.

spk_0 So many dogs.

spk_0 Name some dogs.

spk_0 Jamal Shed.

spk_0 Oh, Colin Murray Bulls is already...

spk_0 Yeah, guys, an elite defender.

spk_0 I know I'm like drinking the preseason juice here,

spk_0 but he's legit defensive guy.

spk_0 So he'll be a second unit guy that's going to shut down guys.

spk_0 They got a near seven-foot dog in Mammu,

spk_0 Kellan Shafili.

spk_0 He's less of a dog than the other guys,

spk_0 but there's enough dogs on that second unit.

spk_0 We're in Taipei, Grady, Decker,

spk_0 and Taipei, Chikoby Waldo.

spk_0 Jonathan Mobo, more of a dog than those last two guys I mentioned.

spk_0 But he can be added to the dog pound.

spk_0 He can't be.

spk_0 The reason why this line is maybe high to some,

spk_0 like 39.5 is pretty simple.

spk_0 Like last year, it couldn't have started worse.

spk_0 Barnes and quickly were out early.

spk_0 They missed extended time in November and December,

spk_0 and the Raptors started like 7 and 26,

spk_0 like by the new year.

spk_0 After that, they actually ended on a positive note.

spk_0 They were a 500 team.

spk_0 They were like 22 and 21 over the final half of the season.

spk_0 And they had a defensive identity.

spk_0 Like it jumped from like 26th to second in defensive rating.

spk_0 I get it.

spk_0 It's Mickey Mouse, March time and all that,

spk_0 and the people are taking their foot off the gas.

spk_0 But there is something there.

spk_0 And so now the hope is adding Brandon Ingram

spk_0 and adding quickly, like you said,

spk_0 shooting like maybe 10-3 is the game.

spk_0 They need to hit three.

spk_0 So this team stinks at shooting threes and hitting them.

spk_0 So they need quickly in there firing away.

spk_0 Ingram has added a little bit more to his game

spk_0 from the three-point line.

spk_0 That's got to continue.

spk_0 And then Grady Dick does need to stretch the floor

spk_0 and hit threes, if he's probably in the second unit.

spk_0 So we were asking a lot here,

spk_0 but that's the reason I think that's line is what it's that.

spk_0 There was like glimpses of it last year.

spk_0 And now you've got more talent.

spk_0 And now it's up to Darko.

spk_0 The third best Darko there is behind the Lechitch and Donny

spk_0 to make it work.

spk_0 And I think that's where we'll get here.

spk_0 500 team.

spk_0 And look, that's the expectation.

spk_0 This is an expensive team.

spk_0 Try, you've said a million times.

spk_0 It is.

spk_0 So at least has to be flirting with a playoff position.

spk_0 And Darko's gone if they can't get around 500.

spk_0 Like there's is such a prove it ear for the coach

spk_0 and a lot of these players.

spk_0 And I'm guessing banking on it, they put it together.

spk_0 The other savings of money by firing Messiah Jiri.

spk_0 But they decided, yeah, this is what they're going with.

spk_0 So this is a team that could make a deal.

spk_0 And Bobby Webster was kind of indirect about that,

spk_0 but basically saying we'll feel it out,

spk_0 but it could feel like a team that trades RJ Barrett.

spk_0 Most likely that would be the guy of the of the three mid-range players.

spk_0 Bobby Webster also said that RJ Barrett needs to improve his offense,

spk_0 his defense, and his rebounding at media day.

spk_0 So I don't think he's maybe the biggest man.

spk_0 It would help their roster to move him for a guy who can shoot from the outside

spk_0 or give Grady Dick a little bit more space.

spk_0 I'm going to go under here like 39 to 38 wins.

spk_0 Sounds about right to me.

spk_0 I think they'll be better this year,

spk_0 but I don't know if it translates to an over-salt-gall slide under.

spk_0 Okay, let's get to the other 10 Eastern conference teams in a second,

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spk_0 We've got 10 teams to get through since the Atlantic Division took a little

spk_0 bit of time.

spk_0 Let's move on to the central.

spk_0 It's your team.

spk_0 Trey, the Chicago Bulls.

spk_0 Yes.

spk_0 Their line is 32 and a half coming off of you.

spk_0 We're there 39 and 43.

spk_0 Quite the drop-off in numbers.

spk_0 What do you think?

spk_0 Well, 39 and 43, that of course includes going 15 and 7

spk_0 during Mickey Mouse March.

spk_0 And I don't believe it April.

spk_0 The only real change for the Bulls this season is Isaac Acoro

spk_0 and Lonzo Ball out.

spk_0 Even look at their veterans who might get traded during the season,

spk_0 talking about a vooch, maybe Kobe,

spk_0 why I, I'll dissimew even Zach Collins.

spk_0 These are guys who I think if they're traded,

spk_0 probably don't move the needle.

spk_0 Winds wise, all that much for the Bulls dissimilar to me.

spk_0 To last year when they traded Zach Levine,

spk_0 and he was kind of like clearly the best guy,

spk_0 there's just some guys on this team.

spk_0 I think there will be less surprise for the Bulls this season.

spk_0 Last year, after the derogzen and Levine era,

spk_0 with derogzen gone, even with Zach Levine still around,

spk_0 and then even more so once he got traded,

spk_0 they played super fast, shot a ton of threes, finished the year,

spk_0 third and three pointers last season.

spk_0 People will be more ready for it this year.

spk_0 The team I think is worse, but the number is so low.

spk_0 32 and a half wins.

spk_0 So I'm going barely over this year.

spk_0 Barely over.

spk_0 I was, I was envious of this 32 and a half.

spk_0 I was like, why can't this be the rapture?

spk_0 Totally.

spk_0 You're telling me the Bulls are that much worse than the rapture?

spk_0 I mean, yeah, I know.

spk_0 I was a little shocked that the rapture was maybe as high as it was,

spk_0 and this was as low as it was.

spk_0 I don't think I've correctly predicted a Bulls over underline ever.

spk_0 I'm always wrong.

spk_0 I was wrong last year.

spk_0 I was wrong the year before that,

spk_0 and I'll probably be wrong again.

spk_0 So Tray will not be happy to hear me say,

spk_0 I'm taking the over as well.

spk_0 This feels very, very low in a crappy, crappy Eastern conference,

spk_0 where there's just a lot of somewhat easy wins to pick up here

spk_0 against some of these bad teams.

spk_0 And they're like, they got their little core,

spk_0 their little nucleus of their 25 years or younger guys,

spk_0 and Gideon, Whiten,

spk_0 Buzellis, like there's something there.

spk_0 Basically the same team, like Tray said,

spk_0 but that should still be a 35 win team to me.

spk_0 So I'm taking the over.

spk_0 This one's a weird line to me, Tati.

spk_0 It is a weird line.

spk_0 Do they know something?

spk_0 Are all the Bulls fans saying, wow,

spk_0 seven fewer wins than last year?

spk_0 Of course I'm taking the over.

spk_0 That's the part where I think if other teams are looking at last year and saying,

spk_0 okay, this team's going to run.

spk_0 They're just such a pace-based team.

spk_0 Can we play with them and slow them down a little bit?

spk_0 Because that's how you beat the Bulls.

spk_0 They're not going to stop you.

spk_0 They're defense stunk across the board, every single stat.

spk_0 They're a bet.

spk_0 So then they go and get Isaac Acora,

spk_0 who's literally their best defender.

spk_0 Can he be a guy who just instills defense?

spk_0 It's hard to imagine that.

spk_0 I think I would just sumo got injured late in the season.

spk_0 Maybe him working his way back would help

spk_0 because he's been training for a long time.

spk_0 Maybe that helps on the ball,

spk_0 but at the same time,

spk_0 we're going to play him with Gidea Ton, probably not.

spk_0 This 32 and a half is a good line.

spk_0 Really, it's Isaac Acora in,

spk_0 their Draftwick Noah San Gheon,

spk_0 and Lonzo Ball out.

spk_0 So it's such a similar team,

spk_0 does it all come down to March?

spk_0 This was going to happen.

spk_0 Are they able to turn it?

spk_0 What was the line or the record you've been...

spk_0 It's team seven during the last two months of the season.

spk_0 And that's why I'm ultimately going over.

spk_0 You know the Bulls are going to care

spk_0 about winning those games when they probably

spk_0 should be going the other way and trying to get better lottery odds.

spk_0 That's not how it's going to be.

spk_0 They're going to try and make it back to the play.

spk_0 I saw over on Fandall,

spk_0 there are plus 185 to make the play in.

spk_0 As that fan told us at Summer League,

spk_0 we love the 10th seed.

spk_0 That seems like a given right there

spk_0 that the Bulls are going to finish 10th

spk_0 in the Eastern Conference after back-to-back years,

spk_0 finishing all the way up at 9th.

spk_0 Yeah, all you do, all you have to do is finish 10th.

spk_0 You got to be better than five teams in the Eastern Conference.

spk_0 There's five teams that it's a lock,

spk_0 but no, no, no, no.

spk_0 But they're going to care a lot during the last third of the season.

spk_0 Yeah, the Hornets, Nets, Wizards, I'd say,

spk_0 are the teams that are destined to be at the bottom,

spk_0 but there's not five locks.

spk_0 No, I totally agree with that.

spk_0 I want to know from Trey,

spk_0 what a year looks like for Buzellis.

spk_0 Or what a good year looks like from Buzellis for you.

spk_0 Because he did look strong to end the season.

spk_0 Again, it's classic at the end of it,

spk_0 but he looked good over the final 20 games,

spk_0 shot the ball well.

spk_0 But where do you see him going?

spk_0 What's his ceiling, I guess?

spk_0 All right, he finished the season,

spk_0 averaging eight and a half points per game.

spk_0 I want to see him at 12 to 13 points per game.

spk_0 I would like to see the three-pointer stay at least 36%.

spk_0 That's what he shot last year.

spk_0 If he can shoot, leave you average.

spk_0 I think that's awesome.

spk_0 Take more of them.

spk_0 Give us some highlights and be a guy

spk_0 who we mentioned at the end of the season

spk_0 as an all-defense team snub.

spk_0 I think it's asking a lot for him to make it

spk_0 to second team all-defense.

spk_0 But I would like him to be one of the guys

spk_0 who would make third team or maybe fourth team all-defense

spk_0 if they did that.

spk_0 That's what I'm excited about.

spk_0 Can Mata's Buzellis be a fourth-team all-defense player this year?

spk_0 I hope so.

spk_0 It is a strange season in Chicago.

spk_0 Not a lot of balls talk at the wedding, unfortunately.

spk_0 What was the talk about?

spk_0 Any Cubs blowing it against the brewers, of course.

spk_0 They went up one zero in the first inning

spk_0 and then it was over by the end of the bottom of the first inning.

spk_0 Yeah, the brewers.

spk_0 They just saw it.

spk_0 They got it going.

spk_0 They got it going on right now.

spk_0 All right, moving on to the Cleveland Cavaliers.

spk_0 Also an interesting line here at 56.5 after going 64 and 8 team last season.

spk_0 And they're running back a very, very similar team, Trey.

spk_0 Starts off here.

spk_0 Yeah, no tied to Rome, no Isaac Acoro,

spk_0 but you are getting Lonzo Ball in.

spk_0 We'll see exactly how much he's able to play full season of Deandre Hunter as well.

spk_0 One of the most forgettable guys when I'm looking at the rosters.

spk_0 I'm like, oh yeah, they did trade for Deandre Hunter.

spk_0 He did play for them last year.

spk_0 It was a big deal when it happened.

spk_0 I think they'll probably need a little bit more from him,

spk_0 especially with Darius Garland banged up to start the season.

spk_0 Max Truce banged up to start the season.

spk_0 It feels like Deandre Hunter, at least in the early goings,

spk_0 will be important for the Cubs.

spk_0 But yeah, 64 wins down to 56 and a half.

spk_0 I'm probably still going over here, even though I think the calves will prioritize the postseason.

spk_0 More than they did last year when they ripped off a huge win streak to start the year

spk_0 and focused really hard on getting the number one seed.

spk_0 I don't think chasing wins is as much in the cards.

spk_0 You also look at how healthy they were last year.

spk_0 82 games for Jared Allen, 75 for Garland, 71 for Donovan Mitchell, 71 for Evan Mobley.

spk_0 A couple of those guys are younger, so I assume they'll play quite a few games like Mobley is.

spk_0 But Garland being banged up, I don't think that's encouraging.

spk_0 Jared Allen does play a lot of games.

spk_0 Mitchell seemed to manage his body pretty well.

spk_0 But if any of those guys misses extended time,

spk_0 the calves look a little worse.

spk_0 That'd be inside like, I don't think they're going to lose that many more games this year.

spk_0 So I'm still sticking with the over, though I do think they will be under 60 wins this year.

spk_0 Okay, line 56 and a half.

spk_0 Yeah, skits, what do you think?

spk_0 Okay, I'll sort of, I guess, a little bit from Trey.

spk_0 I'll go just under.

spk_0 I mean, for all the reasons he just said,

spk_0 I think it's going to be around 55, 56 maybe even.

spk_0 The perfect season, hold on, they had the perfect regular season.

spk_0 Last year, they scored a ton of points.

spk_0 I read that they scored the eight most points in NBA history on their way to 64 wins.

spk_0 Apparently they scored 9999 points.

spk_0 Man, somebody couldn't hit one more free throw.

spk_0 I think that's a cool 10k, but they led their conference for like the entirety of the year.

spk_0 165 straight days, they had three all-stars.

spk_0 They had the coach of the year, they had defensive player of the year.

spk_0 And then, they got banged up once again in the postseason.

spk_0 In 24, it was Alan and Mitchell missing multiple games against the Celtics.

spk_0 Last May, it's Garland, Moby Hunter.

spk_0 They're all missing time in the semis to the Pacers' law.

spk_0 They need to flip that and get guys injured in the regular season and then

spk_0 they'll be healthy come the postseason.

spk_0 I think they're just going to play the long game here.

spk_0 With these injuries coming in, I think they're not just going to be the starting as hot as they did.

spk_0 So, I'm just going to go just under.

spk_0 There's still going to be one of the best teams in the Eastern Conference,

spk_0 but not 60 plus like Tray said.

spk_0 So, I'll go just under.

spk_0 You mentioned the injuries being a problem.

spk_0 I do think the Darius Garland injury to start here this season could be a bit of a blessing,

spk_0 because this team needs to do more than just give Garland and Donovan Mitchell a ball to finish

spk_0 games. It's got to go through Evan Moby, a heck of a lot more.

spk_0 Now, that doesn't necessarily mean a ton more regular season wins,

spk_0 but this team will focus on what they have to be in the playoffs and they have to be a more

spk_0 versatile team.

spk_0 Evan Moby just wasn't used enough last year.

spk_0 He just got it has to be given the ball.

spk_0 He has to be unleashed a little bit.

spk_0 This number is crazy when you look at their clutch situations.

spk_0 Their usage rates were Donovan Mitchell 37.7,

spk_0 Darius Garland 28% and Evan Moby just 11.9%.

spk_0 And then when it came to that series against the Pacers,

spk_0 Pacers knew what was going on here.

spk_0 They were just ready for this team.

spk_0 So, at that 56 and a half win mark, I think they can beat it,

spk_0 and they're not going to crush it like last year because Garland is out.

spk_0 I think that does hurt.

spk_0 But Lonzo Ball, who's going to get a ton of minutes

spk_0 because Garland is out, will do a good job of sharing the ball.

spk_0 His job, they essentially went Lonzo Ball over Tijeroan because they,

spk_0 number one, they needed a ball mover and a guy who could play for fourth quarters.

spk_0 In the end, they said, by Tijeroan, we're keeping Sam Merrill.

spk_0 They paid him and they got Lonzo Ball.

spk_0 So, I think they know what they have to be.

spk_0 They got to be the team that moves the ball more.

spk_0 So, I think I don't see a problem with all those guys.

spk_0 Plus, Deandre Hunter there for a full season.

spk_0 As Kenny Atkinson said, you can argue that he is our best player this off season.

spk_0 Cool. God, then I'll pound the under.

spk_0 Yeah, this is making me less confident.

spk_0 Why? God.

spk_0 I know you're not a Deandre Hunter fan skis, but he's...

spk_0 He's forgotten even plays on his team.

spk_0 He's a forgetful guy.

spk_0

spk_0 He had his best season last year.

spk_0 I know you don't like the fact that he can't play games.

spk_0 He's usually injured. He was injured.

spk_0 Usually with the Atlanta Hawks.

spk_0 Then he got traded to Cleveland.

spk_0 Whoo.

spk_0 It looked like a new player.

spk_0 Although, he was great coming off the bench for the Cox last year.

spk_0 And then now he's entering his prime.

spk_0 So, he doesn't have to be much of a player there.

spk_0 Because everybody else is going to take a lot of...

spk_0 So, what is it, man?

spk_0 Does it need to be...

spk_0 Doesn't need to be much of a player or he was the best guy in calves training camp?

spk_0 Well, I don't know.

spk_0 I'm not watching the training camp.

spk_0 In training camp, he doesn't have to...

spk_0 He doesn't have to be...

spk_0 I might be...

spk_0 I might be changing up here.

spk_0 I might be changing up here with this Deandre Hunter pitch.

spk_0 Because Kenny Atkinson said he's our best player.

spk_0 Yeah.

spk_0 I'm not pitching him.

spk_0 He's a good player.

spk_0 He's a good basketball player.

spk_0 He was fourth in six men voting last year.

spk_0 That's all you need to hear.

spk_0 And they haven't for a full year.

spk_0 So...

spk_0 Now, they need them to be good for him.

spk_0 And he was good for the Hawks at the beginning of the year.

spk_0 Last year.

spk_0 But the clutch thing is kind of interesting because

spk_0 the reason Darius Garland and Donovan Mitchell got the ball so much in the clutch

spk_0 is because they were great at it.

spk_0 They both finished top 10 in clutch player of the year voting last year.

spk_0 I can't believe Garland actually finished higher than Mitchell,

spk_0 but he made a lot of big shots late.

spk_0 So, I do think if the calves are wanting to prioritize the playoffs,

spk_0 which they should, because they've kind of flamed out,

spk_0 these past couple of years and they need Evan Mowbley to be more empowered,

spk_0 come playoff time, that would mean that they are...

spk_0 Turning down better clutch options in Garland and Mitchell

spk_0 to build up Evan Mowbley, which is bad for their regular season win total,

spk_0 even if it's good for the team in the long run.

spk_0 So...

spk_0 I don't know.

spk_0 I'll stick with my over, but I'm not feeling good about it.

spk_0 Yeah, they'll definitely finish a lot closer to that 56 and a half win total.

spk_0 Because of that, then they did last year at 64 and 18.

spk_0 That being said, it's such a similar team.

spk_0 Why should they be dramatically worse?

spk_0 I know Garland's not playing.

spk_0 Yeah, Ty Jerome was like Steve Nash last year as well.

spk_0 That couldn't miss.

spk_0 He was good. He was good coming off the bench.

spk_0 All right, moving on to the Detroit Pistons, who were everybody's Cinderella last year.

spk_0 They finished 44 and 38.

spk_0 This year their number is 46 and a half.

spk_0 Skeets, what do you think of this over under number?

spk_0 Good line.

spk_0 Well played, Vegas.

spk_0 You know, they didn't go crazy with it.

spk_0 Didn't even keep it the same.

spk_0 Just a couple wins more than last year, where they went from the worst team in the league

spk_0 to clinching a playoff spot, which was pretty impressive.

spk_0 They've added...

spk_0 Keras Levert, Duncan Robinson, sort of to replace Malik Beasley,

spk_0 Javante Green's there, lost him hard away junior, Schroeder,

spk_0 Fatechio, Waters of the Third.

spk_0 So just around the fringes, they are adding a fully recovered Jada and Ivy,

spk_0 which is exciting.

spk_0 I think that's going to really give them a nice boost.

spk_0 Should take some pressure off.

spk_0 Kate Cunningham.

spk_0 He has a super high usage.

spk_0 He should. He's awesome.

spk_0 But the one knock against Kate is he sort of sloppy with the ball at times and the turnovers

spk_0 are high.

spk_0 So maybe that sort of like is a little more kept in check with Ivy back in the fold,

spk_0 maybe as a secondary ball handler.

spk_0 I guess I struggle with where to go over under here when I go, okay, which of the three teams

spk_0 of the pistons, the hawks, and the magic are like you expecting to jump up sort of into the

spk_0 top of the Eastern Conference picture.

spk_0 If any of those three are you picking one of the three, two of the three, zero to three,

spk_0 whatever.

spk_0 So I'm like going back and forth here.

spk_0 And because of all that, I'm shocking myself here as much as I love this team.

spk_0 I'm going to take the under and I really truly believe they're going to win 46 games.

spk_0 So I am saying just under.

spk_0 But I think a lot of people, maybe you guys included, are going to pound me over and say,

spk_0 no, this is just a team growing an all NBA garden,

spk_0 Cade leading your team and then and then guys like Thompson and Durin and Holland and just

spk_0 everybody's sort of improving as they get a little more reps in the league.

spk_0 So I get it, but I'm I'm swarving.

spk_0 I think I think a lot of people are going to be on the over and I'll go just under on Detroit.

spk_0 True.

spk_0 Yeah, I'm under as well.

spk_0 I think this is basically the same team as last year and last year was the big jump.

spk_0 They won 30 more games than their disaster season.

spk_0 When they had Monti Williams there in 2324.

spk_0 So you know, progress isn't always linear going from 14 to 44 wins.

spk_0 Doesn't mean you're going to 54 wins.

spk_0 I think they have very similar talent.

spk_0 Like to me, Duncan Robinson can replace the shooting that it got from Malik Beasley last season.

spk_0 From Tim Hardaway, Jr., the question then becomes can Jaden Ivy do what Beasley and Schroeder

spk_0 were doing from a ball handling standpoint and hitting clutch shots.

spk_0 Maybe I think we haven't totally seen that, but in the 30 games he played last year,

spk_0 he looked pretty solid alongside Cade Cunningham.

spk_0 So I think the pistons can be a little bit better this year and still go under,

spk_0 still have a quality season.

spk_0 Last year was just such an aberration to jump up that high that I think it's unlikely they have

spk_0 a similar improve in this year.

spk_0 So give me like a barely under like 45, 46 wins.

spk_0 I think is still a good year for the pistons that just unfortunately and under for them

spk_0 when you're making the pick.

spk_0 Yeah, I'm with you.

spk_0 I guess people who watch this team realize, you know, they don't have to jump up a ton of wins

spk_0 to be a better team.

spk_0 That's what it comes down to.

spk_0 I still think they can finish around that 46 win mark.

spk_0 I just think they are banking in a lot of young players in new roles.

spk_0 And that's what it comes down to.

spk_0 Jay Nive could be really good in catching shoots with Cade Cunningham.

spk_0 Sure, that could work.

spk_0 But this is the first time that they're really playing together with Cade being that number one guy.

spk_0 In a serious role here because I've used roles going to jump up,

spk_0 especially with Malik Beasley gun.

spk_0 A Sartonson is a similar thing where he played in short little spurts last year coming off

spk_0 the blood clot.

spk_0 Now he's going to play even longer minutes, which is good in the long run,

spk_0 but maybe it doesn't result in four more wins, essentially.

spk_0 They have so many young guys.

spk_0 They're going to rely more on Jalen Dern, Ron Holland as well.

spk_0 What they didn't do last year is rely on somebody to be Dennis Roeder.

spk_0 Essentially, Dennis Roeder was a ton.

spk_0 Had a ton of ball handling possessions at the end of games.

spk_0 Now it's Carousel Vert, I think, is going to be that guy.

spk_0 And BJ Bickerstaff has a ton of connection with Carousel Vert going back to his Cleveland days.

spk_0 That he will work for him.

spk_0 But this is different.

spk_0 This is different than Dennis Roeder.

spk_0 So I don't know.

spk_0 There's just question marks that you go into the season you didn't have last year.

spk_0 And can Duncan Robinson really be as good as Malik Beasley?

spk_0 I think that's a fair question.

spk_0 We haven't seen as good a year from Duncan Robinson as we did Malik Beasley last year.

spk_0 Like I was just awesome.

spk_0 Malik Beasley hit nearly 323 last year.

spk_0 We haven't seen Malik Beasley have a season like that before last year.

spk_0 That was a spectacular year.

spk_0 So it's going to be a lot on dunk.

spk_0 Yeah, just a lot of moving parts here with this team that obviously is going to be led by Kate.

spk_0 The guy expects to win.

spk_0 And they're going to have a winning record, but jumping up to 40s.

spk_0 I think it has to be the number two guy.

spk_0 I'm sorry.

spk_0 If it's Keras Levert as the second guy soaking up possessions in fourth quarters alongside

spk_0 Kate Cunningham, something's gone wrong.

spk_0 Because this is the year we need to really see something from Ivy year four.

spk_0 Kate had an injury year where they didn't get to play together.

spk_0 Then Ivy had an injury year where they didn't get to play together.

spk_0 This year he needs to play like 70 games.

spk_0 Stay on the court alongside Kate Cunningham and show us what you got as the number two men.

spk_0 Yeah, this is his year.

spk_0 There's no doubt.

spk_0 I do think Keras Levert's sort of just overlooked as a player.

spk_0 Dendishrooter was relied on last year.

spk_0 Got moved.

spk_0 And we'll see if Keras Levert can replace that.

spk_0 But it is good to see Jay Navi back playing basketball after he was taken out by Cole Anthony

spk_0 last year.

spk_0 So this is good to see him play.

spk_0 But again, these are, this is a new connection between him and Kate.

spk_0 Moving on.

spk_0 The pistons do feel like a team just before we move on.

spk_0 Where, like you guys are saying, if they have a similar record to last year,

spk_0 I don't think that's like a failure.

spk_0 I think that's building on something.

spk_0 I think you'd want to see some incremental win increases and maybe some more

spk_0 another great fight in the playoffs or maybe even winning a playoffs here is who knows.

spk_0 But I guess what we're getting at here is even if we say the under,

spk_0 I don't think that's bad by any means.

spk_0 They have obviously their superstar guy and Kate and then these other really good talented

spk_0 guys.

spk_0 And they're hoping like Trace said, Ivy is the secondary guy.

spk_0 And then you've got all your other guys.

spk_0 So I'm just want to make that clear.

spk_0 I don't think this is a knock on them.

spk_0 And I think they're one of the weird teams like they got a similar year and people

spk_0 like, Oh, that's great.

spk_0 That's not bad.

spk_0 As long as there's some internal growth that we're seeing from the team.

spk_0 Yeah, absolutely.

spk_0 Yeah, it'll be fun to see people either love or hate on the Detroit business.

spk_0 That's bound to happen.

spk_0 But they have so many capable players.

spk_0 We'll see what they can do under JB Bickers.

spk_0 Let's move on to the Indiana Pacers.

spk_0 It's a very interesting team here.

spk_0 Last year going 50 and 32.

spk_0 They're lying now at 37 and a half way lower.

spk_0 I know when you did our we did our mailbag show recently.

spk_0 Trace said this team is going to be that overachieving team next year.

spk_0 What do you think now?

spk_0 That's even crazier that I'm looking at this.

spk_0 The Celtics went from 61 wins down to their over under being 41 wins.

spk_0 You're saying 50 wins last year for Indiana and they are lost.

spk_0 Tyree's Haliburton.

spk_0 They lost Miles Turner.

spk_0 And theirs is only dropping down to 37.

spk_0 Which is why I'm going with the over here.

spk_0 I do think this is the biggest change up team in the league.

spk_0 Like Haliburton defines that offense.

spk_0 He is the generator of most of their good looks.

spk_0 He's completely their identity on that end.

spk_0 Losing him completely changes the way Indiana is even going to approach

spk_0 the offensive side of the ball and the defensive side.

spk_0 Miles Turner was their center for literally 10 straight years.

spk_0 So another change on that side.

spk_0 But Rick Carlisle in the 23 seasons.

spk_0 He's coached in the NBA.

spk_0 He's only had 37 or fewer wins in seven of those seasons.

spk_0 I just think there's enough good players left on the Pacers to win 38 or more games.

spk_0 So give me the over.

spk_0 I'm a Pascal Siacum believer.

spk_0 I think Nemhart is capable of more and they're going to need more from him.

spk_0 Ben Mathurin is basically in a contract year trying to prove that he is worth

spk_0 keeping around as long-term peace for the Pacers.

spk_0 So I think they will be back to full strength for the 25-26 season.

spk_0 They'll be looking good then.

spk_0 But in the meantime, I think probably play in for the Pacers,

spk_0 but still a good enough team.

spk_0 So give me the over here.

spk_0 Skates 37 and a half for a team that just went to the finals.

spk_0 Yeah, I contemplated going under because they did lose

spk_0 their like two of their best players.

spk_0 One to injury and then the other in sort of a shocking

spk_0 free agency move in Miles Turner leaving from Milwaukee.

spk_0 But I just love all their guys still.

spk_0 And I think we're going to have like a most improved race between Nemhart and Mathurin.

spk_0 I mean, that's a season's going well probably for Indy.

spk_0 If that is the case and those guys are like in the top five for MIP votes.

spk_0 Siacum is a lead guy.

spk_0 We've seen it as Raptors fans.

spk_0 You know, it has its limitations, but we have a very low line here.

spk_0 I'm going just over.

spk_0 There are going to be a play in team.

spk_0 They're well coached.

spk_0 You know, they're like going to have obviously their system in place.

spk_0 And they just still like, are this team feels still better to me somehow than the Raptors,

spk_0 than the bulls?

spk_0 I guess we could debate about the box and stuff like that.

spk_0 But they're not.

spk_0 There's no way we're sliding them down to the lower tier of the Eastern Conference.

spk_0 They're in the middle.

spk_0 And I like a lot of guys.

spk_0 So I'll go just over with Trey.

spk_0 I'm with him on this one.

spk_0 Yeah, it's easy to buy into this team after watching them go.

spk_0 Essentially nine, 10 deep into the NBA finals and say, well, that guy,

spk_0 whoa, OV top it.

spk_0 Whoa, everybody contributing off the bench.

spk_0 Will they just get into a funk like they did last year?

spk_0 They were 10 and 15 to start the season.

spk_0 And they suddenly found their group.

spk_0 And they got super hot.

spk_0 Will the lack of Halibur in starting every position?

spk_0 Limit them from getting into that group and miles turn around the defensive end.

spk_0 Will he not be in around limit them there?

spk_0 Because that is where defensively they got a big issue.

spk_0 They're running out Isaiah Jackson.

spk_0 They're running out James Weisman.

spk_0 They're running out J. Huff and Tony Bradley.

spk_0 So the defense is going to take a step down.

spk_0 Will no Halibur and be out there take a huge step down offensively.

spk_0 I mean, they will share the ball.

spk_0 Rick will make sure TJ McConnell will share the ball with everybody.

spk_0 And you know a guy like TJ McConnell is going to try and lead this team into

spk_0 their betting against us type of mentality type of locker room.

spk_0 They have a bunch of guys.

spk_0 There's no doubt like Pascal Siacomo.

spk_0 Like he said, he did lead a Toronto Raptor team

spk_0 to a lot more wins.

spk_0 Like he led this team to a 48 win

spk_0 season in 21-22.

spk_0 There was a Fred on there.

spk_0 There was an OG playing half a season on that team.

spk_0 This seemingly isn't as good.

spk_0 But you know 500 team would not be surprising.

spk_0 I do think the Haliburton loss.

spk_0 They may just not find that groove.

spk_0 It's really just it is a it's a coin flip here.

spk_0 I'll take it under.

spk_0 But there are so many guys.

spk_0 There are so many freaking guys that could easily propel them over that total.

spk_0 It does seem low.

spk_0 What do you think of J. Huff shaving his head?

spk_0 I haven't seen the Huff head.

spk_0 Much needed.

spk_0 Good choice.

spk_0 This looks good.

spk_0 Yeah.

spk_0 He was well-compared.

spk_0 Was he?

spk_0 It's a previous.

spk_0 Was he balding before?

spk_0 Oh yeah.

spk_0 Yeah, okay.

spk_0 Yeah.

spk_0

spk_0 He shaved his head.

spk_0 Rudy go bear shaved his head.

spk_0 That's the time.

spk_0 See now that you say that.

spk_0 Now that I'm looking at the hair on his head.

spk_0 I mean it is pretty substantial.

spk_0 Like when you said bald and I've seen bald,

spk_0 I guess the bald spot is pretty.

spk_0 Yeah, yeah, yeah.

spk_0 You gotta get the reverse angle.

spk_0 Yeah, the reverse.

spk_0 The reverse angle.

spk_0 The back.

spk_0 There you go.

spk_0 Yeah, he's looking good.

spk_0 He's looking good.

spk_0 He'll look nice next to Tyree's Halibur next year.

spk_0 But they don't got the setup man this year.

spk_0 We shall see.

spk_0 They're not going to be as fun to watch,

spk_0 but I think they can still win games.

spk_0 See, and our new studio set here,

spk_0 we just flipped the camera,

spk_0 flipped the screen around,

spk_0 and we show you J. Huff.

spk_0 If I could figure out how to show you J. Huff.

spk_0 There he is.

spk_0 That's J. Huff.

spk_0 That's Huff.

spk_0 Yeah, yeah, that is that camera.

spk_0 There's Huff head.

spk_0 Hey, looks good.

spk_0 Hey, we're moving on.

spk_0 Pacers will be fun to watch.

spk_0 Let's get to the locky box.

spk_0 42 and a half for a Yanis team.

spk_0 It's low.

spk_0 You locked it into and over.

spk_0 This is one of my locks.

spk_0 Yep.

spk_0 This is, I was shocked how low this was.

spk_0 Now, I know there are some question marks,

spk_0 especially when it comes to their guard play.

spk_0 And they had a busy summer.

spk_0 They retooled to try and keep Yannis happy.

spk_0 We can debate whether they did a good enough job.

spk_0 I guess they did a great job because they got his brother back on the team.

spk_0 Good for vibes.

spk_0 The Nazis is there.

spk_0 But Cole Anthony, Gary Harris, then Miles Turner.

spk_0 That was huge.

spk_0 And it took waving Damien Miller to get there.

spk_0 Brooks Gone, Pat Conninson's Gone.

spk_0 Resigned a bunch of guys.

spk_0 Portis, Kevin Porter Jr., Gary Trent Jr.

spk_0 I just think this line is too low.

spk_0 If Yannis is healthy for 70 games,

spk_0 if he plays 70 games,

spk_0 he's enough in the season conference

spk_0 to get you, you know, 44 or 45 wins, I think.

spk_0 So I'm locking this one in.

spk_0 This is going to be, I guess we're getting whispers of the point Yannis

spk_0 experiment here too.

spk_0 The guys' numbers are already insane.

spk_0 So if they only increase somehow across the box guard,

spk_0 he will, like he always is, is in the MVP conversation.

spk_0 Maybe they even surprise teams that are flirting with 50.

spk_0 And then he's like, possibly even winning another one.

spk_0 I don't think that's out of the question.

spk_0 So I'll go over, Trey, as one of my locks to tip my hand here.

spk_0 I like it.

spk_0 Yeah, they got to have point Yannis

spk_0 because they have probably the worst creators in the NBA outside of head.

spk_0 Their top perimeter options are going to be Kyle Kuzma,

spk_0 Kevin Porter Jr. and Cole Anthony.

spk_0 So Yannis is going to need to make a lot of plays.

spk_0 They lost Dame, they lost Brooke.

spk_0 Miles Turner is going to make the defense pretty solid.

spk_0 I think him and Yannis are a destructive duo together.

spk_0 The last time the Bucks won fewer than 40 games was Yannis's third year in the NBA.

spk_0 But back then, Yannis played like 80 games a year.

spk_0 And now he's at like 65 games a year.

spk_0 And the question to me is what happens in those 15 games that Yannis misses?

spk_0 Bucks could go on 15.

spk_0 They have basically a tanking roster outside of Yannis.

spk_0 So if Yannis has an MVP like season, they go over, but I'm going under.

spk_0 I just think he's going, if he misses any kind of time,

spk_0 they're one of the worst teams in the league.

spk_0 It's totally reasonable.

spk_0 And that's why that line has dropped from a team that went 48 and 34 last year.

spk_0 It's a 42 and a half.

spk_0 I'm going over because I think Yannis will just be pretty prideful this year.

spk_0 He wants that MVP back.

spk_0 He wants more talk of that.

spk_0 I think Miles Turner will help him just having to deal with a heck of a lot more centers.

spk_0 Brooke was there last year, but Brooke couldn't be old prime Brooke while you're getting Miles

spk_0 turn off. Yeah, yeah, yeah, he just wasn't the same guy.

spk_0 And now Miles Turner will be guarding every single five out there.

spk_0 And I think that just helps him on both sides.

spk_0 Because Yannis has had to deal with centers and that just, it hasn't worked all that well.

spk_0 Actually, when he was interviewed after Europe asked it an hour long,

spk_0 Greek interview, he was asked about playing in Europe versus playing in the US.

spk_0 He said he kind of favors playing in Europe because you don't have to deal with all these

spk_0 monsters like Jalen Dern. He just named these monstrous centers that he had to deal with.

spk_0 It won't happen the same way with Miles Turner. He's going to take that off him.

spk_0 That being said, who's going to help the guy?

spk_0 Who is their second best player that's going to handle the ball?

spk_0 It's just such a big question.

spk_0 Is it a positive that he'll big up coal Anthony?

spk_0 The United is doing that right now. He said,

spk_0 coal Anthony is going to be a secret great player for them.

spk_0 Okay. I mean, they're really,

spk_0 a giant horse is really just grabbing guys in the barrel.

spk_0 Give me coal, Anthony. Give me Gary Harris.

spk_0 Come on by, help us out in any way, shape or form.

spk_0 You can. A mere coffee from the Los Angeles Clippers could literally be their best wing at times.

spk_0 Or is Calcosma a new player?

spk_0 Calcosma have to reinvent himself to be good.

spk_0 But yeah, Milwaukee has won at least 46 games for seven straight seasons.

spk_0 Is this the season that they're going to drop to essentially like a 500 team?

spk_0 I'll take the over, but it is. Yeah. A ton of question marks,

spk_0 especially considering how many games Janis is going to play. I think he's still young enough to

spk_0 be able to play as many as he wants. But how many does he want to play? He wants to be healthy for

spk_0 the postseason. But will the Miles Turner factor help him out a good amount? I think he will.

spk_0 Yeah. I mean, it's a Turner. He brings rim protection.

spk_0 Obviously, Brooke did in his prime and he at least last year showed an ability to really

spk_0 stretch the floor. He hit over two, three, three, and he shot a really good percentage with the

spk_0 Pacers. They're going to need that Turner to be the same type of thing replicated in Milwaukee.

spk_0 But yeah, you're right about the guards. It's rough. I mean, this is why this Janis sort of point

spk_0 on us everything through them. Not that it feels like it already does anyway. It's like how much more

spk_0 can go through them is going to be fascinating. I saw DA. I thought sort of perfectly wrapped up

spk_0 the front office from the box and how they like turned over every stone to keep Janis happy.

spk_0 And again, I will include bringing back his brother, which is definitely a part of this. But

spk_0 they burn through much of their future draft capital. They've cycled through coaches. They've

spk_0 traded impact players. They even did the whole waving and stretching of Lillard and like setting

spk_0 fire to like $100 million right there doing all they can to at least please Janis and keep him.

spk_0 And now maybe it's Janis turn, I guess, to sort of like thank them, so to speak. So I just if he plays

spk_0 enough, they just he's too good to have a 500 team. Yeah, at least I might kind of what it came down to

spk_0 for me is like if he misses 15 games, because they win 40 out of 60. Yeah, that's when Janis plays.

spk_0 And that seems like a big lift. Right. Because I mean, you're I mean, they're really scraping the

spk_0 barrel. If they're bringing in Gary Harris and Cole Anthony, two guys who were on the worst offense

spk_0 in the league. And they're like, Hey, we got these two to help us out. Yeah, Ryan Rollins is

spk_0 probably going to start a lot. He's also bad on offense. Unfortunately. Yeah, he struggles.

spk_0 Yeah, that's why the box defense was better than the Pacers last year, even though they had

spk_0 Brooke Lopez and the Pacers had Miles Turner. I think that's like a sideways move. Lopez for Turner.

spk_0 We'll see. We shall all right, moving on to the south east division. Always fun to say.

spk_0 The Atlanta Hawks, let's stay here in Atlanta. They are at a line of 47 and a half. They got

spk_0 huge one. What do you think, Trey? Can they win over 47 games this season? Hawks haven't won 48 or more

spk_0 games since the 2015 16 season. That's 10 years. This is the best deepest team they've had around

spk_0 Trey Young. I'm anticipating a breakout season for our guy, Mogue. The Mogue that's on the Hawks,

spk_0 not the one that was signed by the Bulls and is a former Raptor. There's a lot of health concerns.

spk_0 Certainly, I think with Chris Statz, Porzingis and Jalen Johnson, but to me, those are more

spk_0 health concerns for will they be healthy, come playoff time when it really matters.

spk_0 The bigger risk to the over under for me is Trey Young. He's generally pretty healthy. But if he

spk_0 misses time, there is not a backup on the team for Trey Young. I guess it would probably be like a

spk_0 combo platter of Dyson Daniels and Nikhil Alexander Walker. Maybe they even would start a guy like

spk_0 Luke Connard for a little three point shooting and playmaking. But if Trey misses any significant

spk_0 amount of time, I could see this going under for sure. This is such a devious number. I do think

spk_0 the Hawks are going to be better. They were 40 and 42 last year. I think they can easily win five or

spk_0 six more games this year. That would still put them under unfortunately. So I am going to go under.

spk_0 I believe in the team. And I think if they have Porzingis and Johnson and Trey healthy,

spk_0 come playoff time. Like they've got a good chance to surprise people and make a run similar to 2021

spk_0 where they make it to the conference finals if things break perfectly. As for regular season,

spk_0 47 and a half is just too high for me. It is a devious number because we just talked about the

spk_0 Detroit Pistons who have a lower number and 46 and a half and they went to the playoffs. What do

spk_0 you think is this just the line makers riding the hype train of June and July where listen,

spk_0 they made some glorious moves. But can they win 48 game skates? I think that's exactly what this

spk_0 line is. I think you're right. You know that their tests. They're they're they're getting people with

spk_0 this one. Oh, that's not that crazy. 47 and a half. They could win a 50 games. Yeah, maybe they

spk_0 could because I don't think like it's a stretch of say Atlanta's front office probably had top three

spk_0 summer, right? I mean, Houston, maybe Denver's in the mix there. I think the Hawks are in the mix

spk_0 for crushing the odd season. But that's all on paper. And now we got to see an inaction. I'm excited

spk_0 to see Nikhil Alexander Walker alongside Dyson Daniels like when they're out there, that's two

spk_0 elite perimeter defenders and they can force turnovers and fuel that offense for Atlanta and if

spk_0 Jalen Johnson's on the wing run in and obviously trade push in the ball, that's going to be a

spk_0 lot more fun to watch. I think they'll be exciting. Porzingis huge question mark. I played 42 games

spk_0 last year. I mean, he had ankle surgery at the start and he had a mystery illness and he never

spk_0 plays like this. I checked. He's never he hasn't played more than 70 games since his rookie season.

spk_0 So to get like a full healthy KP season, it's far fetched. I think the Hawks have guys that they

spk_0 can slide in there during the regular season and would need KP come playoff time like Tray said. But

spk_0 I'm going just under as much as what I love. They did this off season. There'll be an improvement

spk_0 and it'll be right around here. I don't see him as a 50 win team. I really don't and that's why I'm

spk_0 going under. Yeah, the front office was incredible. Anci Salay those moves helped everybody out here

spk_0 in Atlanta. I had a Hawks shirt on. I was out and about. Guy just yelled at me. Go Hawks. And I

spk_0 said, it's going to be a good year. He said it's going to be the year. And I said, wow,

spk_0 wow, people are people are hype because of these moves. There's no doubt. For every good move,

spk_0 though, there is a question mark. Like you said, Christophe Sports, Angus, is he going to play?

spk_0 Jalen Johnson, fair question if he's going to play or not. He's only played in 56% of games in his

spk_0 young career. He's easily, you know, their second best player or therapist, whatever you want to call

spk_0 him, he's super important to this team. That being said, he's start to look at the lineups. Like you

spk_0 said, Nikhil, I said, rocker, Dyson Daniels, if they're playing beside Tray Young and they go

spk_0 in that direction, Tray Young doesn't even have to play defense in those lineups. There's going to

spk_0 be enough defense around him. It's going to be fun to watch like a Christophe and Tray. Christophe

spk_0 said that Tray Young is the best passer in the league. He's going to be picking him popping. There's

spk_0 no doubt. It is going to be interesting to see those, those guys in these, I think there's a lot

spk_0 of versatility in these lineups. Like a Dyson Daniels who unfortunately could have to be more of a

spk_0 ball handler. He said he's working on his mid-range game, but you start to put those pieces in these

spk_0 lineups where you put him beside Nikhil Alexander Walker and then you got the fire guys around

spk_0 and like Luke Connard. You start to think, whoa, this team can win plenty of games, but that number

spk_0 is just, it's just big. And there's too many question marks for me. So I'll go under, but the first

spk_0 winning team in a while, it feels like, and over 500 is a good season for the Atlanta Hawks.

spk_0 Good season for the Hawks is to avoid the damn play in tournament. Like get into the playoffs.

spk_0 Like 46 wins? That should get you in, I think, or maybe right around there. 46, 47 wins. Like gets

spk_0 you maybe like a 16 or a 15, even. So that's the goal. Avoid the play in at all costs, where they

spk_0 just are like the bulls are just sort of always in the mix there and can never sort of take it to

spk_0 the next level. Yeah, injuries come into play. I'm excited. Like I do think there's like not

spk_0 pressure because you had a pressure on him in his entire career. But like this on paper is as

spk_0 about as well as you could do, I think, to put a team around Tray Young to fit sort of his style.

spk_0 Right? You went through all the defensive guys and the pick and pop big and all these athletic

spk_0 guys that he can throw lobs with like it makes sense. And now it's like, okay, now it's got translate

spk_0 into some wins and then maybe some playoffs success. So there's that that he should be looking

spk_0 around like, oh, this is my best chance here in a very depleted Eastern conference like we said, too.

spk_0 So I'm excited to get down to the fortress, watch some Hawks games, Keca left and right on the

spk_0 podcast because I think they're going to be more fun. They will be more fun. I didn't mention

spk_0 some guys that we'll see playing like Zachary Risa Shea, I think it help out, you know, when he's

spk_0 pegged into a fourth, fifth, sixth best player type of role, he can be awesome. But will they

spk_0 put him in a third best role because of injuries or the third best player type of role?

spk_0 That's the question mark with this team. So TBD. And then the question mark is if Trayong is happy

spk_0 at the end of the season because he was put into all those rumors last year that he wasn't happy

spk_0 if this team isn't all that good, which is a fair question. I've not made a little noise

spk_0 about not having that extension yet. He did say that. But the pressure is on him. Like,

spk_0 easily, this is the best team he's had and the team that makes the most sense and the deepest

spk_0 team and the things that address his weaknesses the most. So if it ain't this year, it might not

spk_0 ever be the time. Yeah. Right. I did think I watched that clip of him being asked about the extension.

spk_0 He just kind of answered the question. I mean, he was asked. He said, well, I'd always like an

spk_0 extension, but I want to talk about my team here. You know, so then it's, well, this guy doesn't

spk_0 want to be on this team. And I think he is happy to be here at the same time. This is it. This is

spk_0 on paper. This team can go monstrous and long beside him. And I think we don't give enough credit

spk_0 for how hard he played defensively last year. But again, if these guys are injured, then it's not

spk_0 really on tray. It's kind of just like, okay, this teammate, all that good. It'll be fun. It'll be

spk_0 fun this year going down to state farm. All right, moving on. The Charlotte Hornets 26 and a half

spk_0 after going 19 and 63 last year, Skit, do you want to start us off on a 26 and a half line? What do you

spk_0 think? Oh, the Charlotte Hornets. Okay. They are on a crazy long playoff drought. It shocked me when

spk_0 I saw it was nine years. I think it's the longest active playoff drought in the league right now.

spk_0 So they have not sniffed any postseason in a long time. But they have their reasons. They have

spk_0 their excuses. It usually starts with injuries again. I hate to sound like a broken record. Like,

spk_0 we've done a lot of these teams, but like, does LaMillele Ball play? That really helps her

spk_0 chances to hit a very low over here, same with Brandon Miller. I think they're just trying to

spk_0 replicate what the pistons sort of did last year. And that is to grow, develop the young core.

spk_0 That's the theme. But then you bring in sort of these vets, like sexton and dinwitty and Pat

spk_0 Connitton and Plumdog Millionaire to like, raise the floor a little bit to help out the kids.

spk_0 And maybe put together some wins. But I still don't like love this squad overall. I'm not really a

spk_0 LaMillele Ball believer. And I'm going to go under. There's got to be some bad teams, really bad

spk_0 teams in the East. And I think they're still going to be in the mix as one of them.

spk_0 But I get it. I could see people going, are you silly? Like, when he plays, they're a much better

spk_0 team. Well, he's got to play first off. And a lot of other things got to go right. So I'm going

spk_0 under trey 26 and a half. That's the smart move. But I'm a believer. I see. I know it. I don't know.

spk_0 I guess I saw a LaMillele do a 18 foot step back yesterday on Instagram. And now I want to go over.

spk_0 He's playing 60 plus games this year. And if that happens, I think the hornets go over the last

spk_0 three years. LaMillele is playing 36, 22 and 47 games. And when he plays, guess what? They play

spk_0 at a 29 win pace. So it doesn't really even matter if he's out there. Skeet you'll listen off the vets.

spk_0 Those vets suck. Colin Sexton, Pat Connitton, Spencer Dinwitty, who's maybe not even on the team.

spk_0 That's not Tobias Harris. That's not Mollie Beasley, right? Like those guys are rotation players for

spk_0 basically any team, Sexton and Connitton and Dinwitty. They are rotation players for the hornets.

spk_0 Then you look at their biggs. It's Plumley, Cockbrenner, A Rookie and Tijon Salon, who was maybe the

spk_0 worst rookie in the league last year outside of Cody Williams. I don't know. Toss up between those two

spk_0 guys. They should be under the hornets should be under. I'm going over this one's the one I'm going

spk_0 to be wrong on 27 wins for the hornets, I think. Wow. I was wrong last year. I got fooled last year.

spk_0 When he went 19 and 63, I thought there were an over team because I thought LaMillele Ball was

spk_0 going to play basketball. I believed in him saying I'm wearing ankle braces for the first time

spk_0 in my career. My ankles are going to be strong. He learned that from Steph apparently.

spk_0 So I thought that he was going to play, but I got fooled. I'm not sure how many games he plays.

spk_0 Number one, like you said, they could win 27 or 29 games is what they're on pace for if he plays.

spk_0 I don't know. I don't know if he plays. He doesn't have the leadership in him. I don't think.

spk_0 And Colin Sexton is there. Yeah. Because apparently he's there to be his bud. And they talk about him

spk_0 helping him out as far as leadership goes. They're inseparable and he's really helping him out,

spk_0 but I can't buy that talk. I just I can't buy it. I got fooled last year. And they they're literally

spk_0 trying to get young guys there as well that can hopefully turn around this team. You mentioned

spk_0 guys like Ryan Calcbrenner, the defensive player of the year in college. That's right.

spk_0 Conk and Nippel who plays really hard. Liam Neely plays really hard. They got a bunch of those

spk_0 guys, but a bunch of like us. Yeah, they so many white guys. Yeah, that's why they got Mason

spk_0 plum dog there. That's what they have. Is this a 27 win team after going 19 and 63 last year?

spk_0 I find it hard to believe. So I am under unfortunately. Go under. Back to Colin Sexton. I just saw

spk_0 this yesterday from clutch points sort of blew my mind. It was about how Colin Sexton has been in

spk_0 the league for eight years. And he has still not played for a true contender and nor will he this

spk_0 season with the Charlotte Hornets because he went through Cleveland's post LaBron years. And then

spk_0 find some sort of rhythm or try and win. He's played for, I looked it up. He's played for one winning

spk_0 team in his career. It was the 21-22 calves. They finished 44 and 38. And that was the

spk_0 Sexton barely played. He played like 11 games because of injury. So it wasn't really because of him.

spk_0 So he is in here as a vet voice. I guess to help LaMelo Ball. Again, I don't think it's going to

spk_0 matter. There, there's still going to be a bad team and they're just hoping Knapple Calcbrenner,

spk_0 they're going to like pop. They got something they're hoping for because they need salon. I'll tell you

spk_0 that. Yeah, Colin Sexton hasn't played in a playoff game in his career. Although, as you said,

spk_0 they're 44 and 38. They finished eighth in that 21-22 season. Fell off completely in the second half

spk_0 if I'm not mistaken. Why would they have playoff team? Why didn't he play in the playoffs that

spk_0 he was in tournament, right? Yeah, I guess it was the play in tournament. Yeah.

spk_0 Well, I'll just say Colin Sexton's numbers are always better the worst his team is.

spk_0 Yeah, I don't think it's more of a feature, not a bug. Yeah, he hasn't made it to the playoffs yet.

spk_0 Yeah, yeah, good good season last year and they decided, okay, use the Finneurkitch isn't working

spk_0 here in Charlotte. Let's trade him for Colin Sexton. I suppose to literally have a friend

spk_0 to sit beside LaMelo Ball to try and get him just have a bit guard around him. I think that's

spk_0 what the idea is to try and get LaMelo to be a leader because that's what this team comes down to.

spk_0 We watched LaMelo Ball. He's obviously enamored by so many fans out there. He led the

spk_0 freaking Eastern Conference guards in all star fan voting last year. It's pretty weird and they finished

spk_0 1963. It's just about playing. We'll see if he plays. That's what it comes down to and they'll

spk_0 be on a 29 pace win streak. Sure. All right, moving on to the Miami Heat 37 and a half.

spk_0 37 and a half for a team that went 37 and 45 last year. Yeah, that's one of the such a dare.

spk_0 You don't really think the heat were that bad last year. Do you? Or do you? He haven't had back-to-back

spk_0 sub 40 win seasons since 2002 and 2003. I saw on Fandall there also a plus 154 to get to 40 wins

spk_0 if you're saying it's not going to happen again. But guess what it might happen again. 13 and 12

spk_0 with Jimmy Butler in the lineup last year. People blamed him a lot for the heat's problem saying

spk_0 his trade request was hanging over the team, but they were also bad once he finally did get traded.

spk_0 24 and 33 in the games they played without Jimmy Butler last season. A large part of that was

spk_0 because the heat couldn't win clutch games. They were 28th in the league and clutch wins last year.

spk_0 So if you're looking at this from a glass half full perspective, better luck. More wins.

spk_0 If you're looking at it and a glass half empty situation, you're saying Tyler Hero is already out.

spk_0 He is their main clutch player. So maybe fewer clutch wins. I still think the heat that we're

spk_0 going to have a top 10 off top 10 defense. They'll probably finish in the bottom 10 on offense as well.

spk_0 I think they go over, but I think they finish under 500. So give me 38 or 39 wins for the Miami Heat. A slight over.

spk_0 Skew to what do you think of this line here? 37 and a half.

spk_0 I'm glad Tray brought up their abysmal play in the clutch. They lost so many games that they were

spk_0 like leading by double digits or leading when they entered the third quarter. And then when it

spk_0 got into clutch time, I think they had a 14 and 28 record in clutch games. And they still finished

spk_0 37, 45 and they still had a positive net rating, which is really weird. So I think that does flip

spk_0 back a little bit here. There is no Jimmy Butler cloud hanging over them at the start of the season.

spk_0 There's question mark, especially with the Tyler Hero injury. It's like, who is starting for this team?

spk_0 Like, what is the lineup? Is it Mitchell, Powell, Wiggins, Bam and Ware? Are they going with that?

spk_0 Are they going to go a little differently? But I think it's enough to be a ballpark 500 team.

spk_0 I think this line is a little low for them. I think if this was 39, 40, I'd probably go the other way.

spk_0 But give me the over. Give me the over. That's just odd to have still a positive net rating and

spk_0 blow all those games. I think the luck flips a little bit in their favor.

spk_0 Yeah, I don't buy that Jimmy Butler. It was a huge cloud on this team. It started 2017.

spk_0 That's pretty solid. The fact that they go and get norm, Norman Powell to be their leading scorer will,

spk_0 I think it'll cancel the Tyler Hero injury decent, a decent amount.

spk_0 Nickle Yo, which I think will have his best season. Young guy. I'm a hot guy. He could start too.

spk_0 He'll probably start. I imagine he will. I'm a hot guy. We'll have a bounce back here. It can't be worse.

spk_0 Then it's a half more season. Andrew Mwiggins there for the beginning of the season.

spk_0 Can't be worse, either. I think Eric Spolschregel is really, really deep with this team because

spk_0 there's a bunch of guys. I think they're good enough to win over 37 wins. Whether or not they hit 500,

spk_0 I still think they're a turnover for me. The hero, however long heroes out, I think,

spk_0 kind of determines this. He's foot surgery, so he's out for quite some time. If he misses,

spk_0 all of November and they're playing catch up, I think they're definitely on under. But as of now,

spk_0 hoping he heals quickly and barely over. Yeah, he'll be back some point in November, but yes,

spk_0 it could be late November. And again, he'd have a bunch of guys, but will they be able to score

spk_0 as the question because their defense will be solid as always. All right, moving on to the Orlando

spk_0 magic. Pagged at 50 and a half wins. Whoa, what do you think, skis? Is this an over or under on a team

spk_0 that was 500 last year? I'm hesitant to go over because I did it last year. And then I got

spk_0 screwed by the obliques. The obliques didn't mean, or at least that's what I'm convincing myself.

spk_0 But I'm going to go over. I love the addition of Bane. I know I cost them a lot of draft capital,

spk_0 but the guy is exactly what they need. They need a boost in perimeter shooting. The guys are

spk_0 really good three point shooter. They only hit 11.23 pointers per game last year. One of the worst

spk_0 when it came to 3.0 percentage as well, like sub 32%. Those are bad bad numbers in today's NBA. So

spk_0 formula simple boost the offense. Keep that elite defense, that lockdown defense. And I like it.

spk_0 So I'm going to be basically banking on this is the team of those three. I sort of pitched to you guys,

spk_0 sort of the hawks, the pistons, and then the magic as the one I think does sort of break out into

spk_0 that next level, hoping Ben Carroll and Franz play coming off best years for both those guys.

spk_0 Big numbers just need to be healthy. And Jellin sucks too. He's like the ultimate like glue guy

spk_0 when he plays their good. And he was setting career highs across the board. Then his knee,

spk_0 went out on him there and he had to have surgery in March. So I'm going to drink the cool aid.

spk_0 It looks good. They have an identity that defensive identity. And now they're adding some hopeful

spk_0 punch to their three point shooting. And they need improvements from Ben Carroll and Franz as well.

spk_0 It's can't just be bain, you know, hitting three or four threes a game. But I believe in it enough.

spk_0 I like that. I love the team that sort of knows who they are and are trying to improve the things

spk_0 that they suffer at. So I'll go just over. They're not going to be a 60 win team, but I think they're

spk_0 low fifties. Yeah. 41 and 41 last year. And that's with 60 games from Franz, 46 from Paulo. And I

spk_0 think Suggs only played 35. He doesn't seem like he's totally ready for the start of the scene on

spk_0 Suggs. But you know, they brought in Tyus Jones as a good backup point guard. Jace Richardson has

spk_0 been running with the starters scene in Jellin Suggs is absence. And then the addition of bain

spk_0 definitely helps on the offensive. And it feels like this should be a regular season wins machine

spk_0 cause they've been second in defense last season. The season prior as well. You assume that's

spk_0 going to stay strong that end of the ball top five for sure. If Franz, Paulo and Bain are able to

spk_0 stay on the court, Ben a question mark with Bain as well. I think their offense creeps out of

spk_0 the 20s. We're talking about low teens, which would be amazing for the Orlando magic. They don't

spk_0 be like seven seconds or less sons. If that happens. So if they keep their good defense, we're all

spk_0 expecting their offense to take a step forward. That means you have to be looking more at the 23-24

spk_0 season. Franz and Paulo both played 70 games or land oh 147. So I'm kind of judging it more so

spk_0 off that. I think this isn't over as well. Yeah, I'll go the over hopefully those two guys play.

spk_0 There's no doubt. I think they just have so much less pressure now. And you just watch a lot of

spk_0 those possessions. It's literally those guys handling the ball creating on their own.

spk_0 Desmond Bain known for a shooter, but also can create five assists per game. The last couple

spk_0 seasons he can create on the ball. He can definitely attack closeouts and he'll just create space for

spk_0 those two guys. Hopefully, Jalen sucks is on the floor with him. And these little tiny moves

spk_0 like Tyus Jones. That's an improvement. He will take the minutes of Corey Joseph literally was

spk_0 starting for a ton of games for them last year when Sox was injured. J. Richardson's exciting guy.

spk_0 He's probably going to be their six man. I would guess. And he's going to be good. He looks good

spk_0 in preseason because that means a lot. But he is obviously a talented guy. So plus 194 to get to

spk_0 55 or more wins the magic. How likely do you think that is 55 wins? That's a lot. That's like

spk_0 challenging for the one. You are. You are. I wouldn't take that. I wouldn't take that line. I'd rather

spk_0 bet the nix plus 55 at the calves plus 55. How many 55 teams wins can you have?

spk_0 55 win teams can you have in a conference? There's two last year. Yeah. It's usually one to three.

spk_0 I think right. I guess it's possible to have three. It's in an Eastern conference. I guess it

spk_0 is possible. But I think Trey, you said that you slipped in there. They just feel like they're

spk_0 going to be a regular season machine. I like health bearing. They're already flirting with the

spk_0 second apron. It's coming. It's looming. It's sort of like I guess start winning now. We

spk_0 got to start really showing that we're one of the elite teams in the Eastern conference. So I do

spk_0 think they're going to approach. And when you have an awesome defense, you can do that as well.

spk_0 Even on nights where you're struggling to score like the year last year and still we're a 500 team

spk_0 and we think that's going to improve. So that's why I do like them winning 51 plus here.

spk_0 And jumping up sort of into the conversation at least of the better teams in the Eastern conference.

spk_0 I do have some trivia for you guys. I know it's been a while. Ben Carro, 25.9 points for

spk_0 a game. Franz Wagner, 24.2 both coming off career years. Like I said, they're one of only three

spk_0 returning healthy duos to each average 24 plus points per game. Can you name the other two duos

spk_0 to score over 24 points per game that are that are both healthy that coming into the season here?

spk_0 Okay. Both healthy coming into the season. Yeah.

spk_0 24 plus last season. We're just yeah. Right. We're going off the last season. So points for

spk_0 a game. Yeah. I need pretty obvious one. Pretty obvious one to towns and Bronson. There you go.

spk_0 Yes. There you go. I was going to say maybe the other one was even more obvious. There you go.

spk_0 There you go. I haven't thought about the Western conference in days. Same to Wednesday.

spk_0 Same to Wednesday. And was there more? No, that's it. Again, healthy coming into the season.

spk_0 Yeah. It's Luke LeBron and then it's Kat and Bronson and then Palo and Ben Carro. Sorry,

spk_0 Palo and Franz. Yeah. Tatum Brown obviously would have been there.

spk_0 Harden Ben get there. Actually, no, Jaylen Brown only had 22.2 points per game last year. So

spk_0 yeah, 24. I guess that's why you called him a role player. No joke. Yes. Yes. I went bare earlier

spk_0 on this off season. Yeah, I hope his knees all right. Obviously, that's a factor. Let's get to

spk_0 a team that there really aren't any factors to talk about. I would say. Sorry, Washington Wizards.

spk_0 Will you be better than the Brooklyn Nets? I don't know. I don't know. What's the name of our bet

spk_0 later on in the season where we bet on the not dust bowl. Yes. The team that's got to stay out of

spk_0 this seller hits the Wizards. It's the Nets in the Eastern Conference. The Wizards line is 21.5.

spk_0 So higher than the Nets. They're 18 and 64 last year. Who wants to start? I'll get leave it

spk_0 open to anybody who wants to start about the Washington Wizards. I'll start this one because maybe

spk_0 it's a little surprising. I think they're doing the right thing here in Washington. They're

spk_0 taking baby steps. Definition of baby steps because they're all young kids. They basically are all babies.

spk_0 They're rookies played a crazy high percentage of the team's minutes last year. They feature

spk_0 10 former first round picks on this roster. Now you got to try Johnson number six pick because they

spk_0 didn't have lottery luck and sort of slid down there. But they went 15 and 67 two years ago, 18 and

spk_0 64 last year. And I like them to win four more games than they did last year and hit the over.

spk_0 I'm going over here, which I can't believe I'm saying because I don't think I've ever done that

spk_0 with the Wizards. But I like at least the front office is like valuing all these bites at the

spk_0 Apple, like trying to get all these picks. They're hoping to hit maybe on one or two of these and

spk_0 have like cornerstone guys. But I just don't think they're like the worst of the worst. I think

spk_0 the Nets are going to actually have a worse record than the Washington Wizards. So I'm going over

spk_0 tray because I don't have a man. They've got the worst best player in the league.

spk_0 Name their best player. That's the problem.

spk_0 The Wizards best player in 2526. As a great question. Is it Alex Sarr?

spk_0 Right? See him a column still. That's the thing. It could be Chris Middleton or CJ McCollum.

spk_0 Yeah. They won't be on the team at the end of the year. No. It could be

spk_0 Alex Sarr. Could be Bologna Littlebolly. They both struggled in Eurobasket. They've taken a lot of

spk_0 bites at the Apple. None of them delicious yet. Some of them okay. The pick is top eight protected.

spk_0 I think they're going to keep it. I think the reason that this over under is a win higher than

spk_0 the Nets is because they do have better vets right now in Middleton and McCollum. CJ McCollum is scored

spk_0 20 plus points per game for like 10 straight seasons. A crazy run for that guy. But been doing it

spk_0 mostly in obscurity. He's probably approaching 20 points per game easily on this team. But I do

spk_0 think the Wizards will be the second worst team in the Eastern Conference. I'm still going under

spk_0 that. I think they win like 20. Which would be an improvement over the past two years. It's bad

spk_0 when you win 18 games and that's an improvement. Yeah. It's hard to see them winning a bunch of

spk_0 games. I'm debating. Are they going to win more than the Brooklyn Nets? Can they win enough before

spk_0 they trade the vets? Yeah. The over because that's what the trade did last year. Yeah. They don't have

spk_0 young guys that are going to do enough in Kishan George, Alex R. Bob Carrington. It could be

spk_0 Cam Whitmore time getting out of Houston to try a more of a lead role. But I don't see it either.

spk_0 The lock will ball is injured to start the season. There's a Canadian. Will Riley's going to help out.

spk_0 But not enough guys. I think I think that line is too high. I can't wait. I can't wait till

spk_0 it comes down to the nut Dust Bowl Nets or Wizards at the end of the year. It's going to be a part of it.

spk_0 Well, I guess I get the Wizards by default. You guys sounds like you guys are taking the under of

spk_0 the hood. I guess that might want the jazz. The jazz will be challenging for worse team in the league

spk_0 for sure. Back. Back in the nut Dust Bowl Utah Jazz. All right. That's it. All 15 teams.

spk_0 Over under. Did we go a hundred minutes so far talking about the. We're very close to right at

spk_0 100 right now. I got 102. Nice. Yeah. All right. So what are your three Eastern Conference

spk_0 over under locks? Tray, start with you. Give us your three, please. Okay. I'll take two overs for

spk_0 locks to begin with. The next over 53 and a half. I think they will have the best record in the

spk_0 Eastern Conference over 55 wins. I assume for the next. I'm also going with the Orlando Magic over

spk_0 50 and a half wins should also finish top three in the Eastern Conference. Wouldn't surprise me if

spk_0 they surpass the Cavs. So give me the over on the next and the magic 53 and a half and 50 and a

spk_0 half respectively. I will take one other under and that's going to be the 76ers under 43 and a half.

spk_0 Not a lot of confidence in this one, but you can do okay, betting against the 76ers and that's

spk_0 what I would do under 43 and a half for Philadelphia. All right. Skeets. What are your three locks?

spk_0 Doing some quick typing over here because incredibly train. I had some of our locks the same. So I

spk_0 wanted to switch at least one of them, which I just did. I'm going over over over this year. Red

spk_0 lock the magic. So that's where I agree with tray 50 and a half. I like it. That's one of my locks.

spk_0 I already said the box. I believe in Yannis MVP honest 42 and a half. That's enough for me.

spk_0 And then I'm going to I agree with your sixers one tray. I was going to take them as an under,

spk_0 but I will swerve just for fun here. And I'm going to take the Miami Heat over 37 and a half,

spk_0 which still feels like a weird line to me. So I'm going over Orlando Milwaukee Miami triple M.

spk_0 With the magic, magic Milwaukee. My three. I also grew in the next over 53 and a half.

spk_0 Just too good getting better. I'm going to take the bulls as an over lock at 32 and a half. I do

spk_0 think it's important that in March and April, they got something to play for. They will be playing

spk_0 for that plan, getting those few extra wins. They can do that. And I'm locking the under on the

spk_0 Charlotte Hornets. Man, this is a bit spiteful because I locked them the other direction last year.

spk_0 I was banking on Lamello. I like a lot of people banking. Yeah, it's just hard to see. It's

spk_0 it's a low number in 26 and a half because yes, they could win 27 or 28 games, but it's hard to see

spk_0 with that roster. So my next my bulls, overs and my hornets as an under some fun stuff.

spk_0 All right. Nine and no. Oh, wait. No, we had some duplicates. Never mind.

spk_0 I think it's a seven to know. Seven to know. Okay. Perfect. We'll do it. We'll share this on our

spk_0 socials. Obviously. We got a new logo out there as well. I didn't mention that during our show.

spk_0 A lot of things changing around here. We'll be back on Wednesday for the over under Western conference.

spk_0 15 teams in debate there. Actually, I got to do the math on those because it did the math

spk_0 like a huge nerd on these Eastern conference over under totals because there's 1,230 games in an

spk_0 NBA season. So if the wins are even for each conference, it's 615 wins for each side, but the

spk_0 over under total to like 597 or 598 in the Eastern Conference. Not a lot of respect for the Eastern

spk_0 Conference. He seems to wonder if the Western Conference makes up for that like if it's you know,

spk_0 633 or whatever. Just interested in these numbers. Love these numbers. Hey, it pays off to do the math.

spk_0 Yeah. I guess that's what's happening that the Eastern Conference just pegged to be bad, but we will

spk_0 get into the Western Conference on Wednesday for now. Clipper bros. You heard it here first. Have a

spk_0 me. Yeah. Thanks for joining us. We're back Wednesday. It's free season. We're getting

spk_0 our legs under us.

East Over/Under Predictions | 2025-26 NBA Season Preview

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