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WCCU Radio discussed various topics, including the NBA playoffs, MVP contenders, and the Most Improved Player. They debated between Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Luka Doncic for MVP, with the majority leaning towards Luka due to his impressive stats. They also discussed Victor Wimbanyama as the top candidate for Defensive Player of the Year. For Most Improved Player, Jalen Johnson was mentioned as a strong contender for his contributions to the Hawks. You're listening to WCCU Radio, Coastal Carolina University's student-run radio station. It's true, there's some change here. Not our normal time for Sports Uncaged with some technical difficulties. Today is April 8th. We have an eclipse going on today. Episode's going to be a little bit differently than normal. We're going to run just straight through, maybe go for about a 25-minute episode here. There's a lot going on as there normally is. The NBA is starting to pick up with playoffs actually starting a week from today. Which I am very excited for. Something to hold us over for football. But then after basketball, it's like, just baseball. No hate on baseball, but that's a tough transition into the summer. But yeah, the NBA season is really starting to wind down. It's looking like a good time to predict some award winners here. Most notably, we've got MVP, Defensive Player of the Year. Most Improved Player, Coach of the Year, and Sixth Man of the Year, as well as Rookie of the Year. Not like that was the debate. Still an award. We're going to go around the table, around the circle here. We'll start with MVP. I'll get mine last. I'll open the floor up to Braxton here. Who is your MVP in basketball this year? For what he has done for the Thunder as a young team, Shai, you know, he's always been. One, because, you know, Luka, he's already won it, right? Luka has not. He's not? Luka has been really close, and I thought he won it before. Okay, well, then that kind of shakes things up for me. But I think Shai just because, you know, such a young team the Thunder is, you know, he's been the leader for that team. Like, truly, he's been a leader for that team. And leading that team to such success. I mean, Luka does, too, but, you know, Shai, that's a young, young team. Not a lot of veterans on that team. I'm also going to say, Shai's been a fight. Like, Shai has been. He's worked on a few players in a really young team like Braxton did. And if you watch the Thunder right now, Shai is the most valuable player to that team. If he went down, I wouldn't be so confident about how far this will go to the playoffs. And then you've got Luka. He was able to help the team in everything. Luka's a mother-to-father experience. I get that. We're talking about maturity and, like, Shai is leading the team. And this is no dish on Shai. Shai is 25 years old, right, which is still pretty young, you know. But Luka Doncic is also 25 years old. They're the same age. And even just like the way we were just talking right then, you're holding them to a different standard. They have to be held to that same standard. They're both 25. They're both young players. I don't care how many years Luka's been in the league now. He's still 25 and young. To me, it's got to be – I love Shai. Love Shai. I just don't think he has the numbers to back it up this year. That's why I got to go Luka. I think this is Luka's MVP year. It almost reminds me of, like, the Bills and Josh Allen, how, like, every year you go to the year, like, this is the Bills year. They're going to the Super Bowl. Yeah, like, these last few years have been this is it. This is Luka's year. And I think it's actually true this time. He's averaging, just by stats, 33.9, so 34 a game, 9.2 rebounds, 9.8 assists. He's averaging almost a 34-point triple-double. And that's just – he's a robot. I don't understand it. Like, how does he just consistently night in and night out, telling me you're averaging 34, 9, and 9? Like, that's insane. The only other player that can compete with that is Jokic because, obviously, Mr. Triple-double, you know. It is. Yeah. And for me, I think it's got to be Luka this year. I think voters to see he's in the NBA is a real thing. Otherwise, LeBron would have won, like, six straight MVPs. Yeah. You know, Jokic has been a great player, not better than him this year. Anyway, I think it's got to be Luka this year. I think the Mavs are legit. After their trade acquisitions at the buy-in – at the deadline, their buy-in, they're surrounding Luka with T.J. Washington, Daniel Gafford, making these players look ten times better than they are. He's not the only one doing the scoring now. So, I mean, I do agree with the Mavs. I think they're going somewhere. Yeah. I really do. Especially with Enoch. For sure. And it's just – when you have Luka, I was just watching the Mavs and the Rockets the last, like, minute and a half at work yesterday. The shot that Luka – he hit a step back like James Harden, like type three, heavy contest. I don't remember. I think it was Jalen Green in his face. Just so effort, silky smooth, pulls it up, barely hits the net. Like, it's ridiculous. So, I'm going to go Luka there. Moving forward, we'll go to DPOI. This is interesting. I'll start with myself. I don't think it can be anybody but Victor Wim and Jan. Flat out. What do you all got? For the amount of games he has played, I will go Victor as well. Cats close to me, though. Really? I don't know. I don't know if he has been playing so well defensively this year, especially, of course, in the paint. But even if he is taken up to the key, he will play really good defense against guards as well because he's an agile center. He can move a little bit. But he's played really well on defense this year. But, again, the amount of games he's played and then, you know, just the fact that he's a rookie is insane. Victor has played outstanding defense this year. I'm going to go with Victor. I'll go DPOI for the player of the year. Based on what you said, Jumenga, he's a rookie. Not a game he played going into the first year, putting up all these crazy numbers. And you see how tall he is and be able to walk and play. So, I do think Victor. Yeah, Victor has been close to dropping a quadruple double, like four times this year with blocks alone. I think he finished a game with, like, dead serious. I think he finished a game with eight blocks this year. And even as a rookie, the way players don't go at him because he's, like, eight feet tall, you know. Like, it's just everything is in his range. He's impossible to shoot over pretty much. And if he gets a hand up in front of you, like, what can you do? Exactly. You're probably cooked. The way he moves, like, he can stay with guards. He really is just, like, the versatile. Like, any position out there, one through five, you throw Wembley on him, you feel pretty okay about him guarding. And that's, like, one of the few players. I mean, say the same about Broad, I guess, you know, Kawhi, Paul George. But the amount of blocks that Wembley gets, too, and I forget what team it was, but there was a clip of some team on a fast break, two-on-one against Wembley, and the first player, you know, doesn't take the layup, just kicks it over, tries to drag, like, Wembley out of the play. He stays in there, and the other player does not go up for the layup because he is standing there. And I'm, like, this is insane. The damn Eiffel Tower is in the paint. Like, you're not even trying to go up at all, and that just kind of shows. That, to me, was like, yeah, this is no question for me. Will they give him B-boy and Rookie of the Year in the same season? That, I don't know. I don't know. I just hope it's not Gobert again. I'm, like, oh. Like, there's no way. Yeah, there's no way Gobert is better than Wembley defensively, at least this season, at least this season, you know. He's had his own criticisms in previous years, but he's been solid, probably over-hated to a certain point, but then also kind of justifies the hate in some of the stuff he does. So, like, whatever. I'm taking Wembley. Moving forward, the Most Improved Player Award this year. I think there's a couple good ways to go this one, and this is one that's more open. I'm not sure who the favorite is or if there's really a big favorite here. So, we'll start with Will. Who do you think should win Most Improved Player this year? Honestly, Jalen, bro, they put up 23-3 sick. And when you see him play on the Knicks, he's the centerpiece of that team. So, I do think he should win it. Jalen Johnson. Okay. Anthony Braxton. What's he going to play? Jalen Johnson. Yeah. What he's done for the Hawks team, man. So good. You know, so good. And, you know, since Trey Young, I mean, he's been the other guy with Trey Young. And the Hawks have a future now because of Jalen Johnson. And you bring more guys in the draft, hopefully you get a center. My goodness. You get another center, that team could be not just a playing team anymore. Maybe they can make it into the tournament nice and well. They will be a better team. But Jalen Johnson has done so much for this team. Yeah, completely agree. He's also on my fantasy basketball team. Shout out to him. Jalen Johnson now, yeah, in year three, this has been really the most opportunity he's gotten with the other two years. He's played 15 minutes and five minutes against. So it's like, oh, you finally get a chance to play and you're putting up 16-8-3 efficiently. Next to Trey Young, DeJounte Murray, who both take a lot of shots. Obviously they missed time this year. But he just dropped a huge 30-point triple-double last week. They made the play in partially because of him stepping in when, you know, DeJounte and Trey have been out. What's their center's name? I cannot think of his name. Capella? Yes, yes, from the Rockets, Clint Capella. Not the best center. You know, he gets bored. He's not going to score. But the way Jalen Johnson, his athleticism, his kind of versatility plays next to Clint Capella is also great, opening up the Hawks in just a new way, really. And a shout out to DeJounte Murray for taking 44-50 shots. Two weeks ago, having a Kobe Bryant moment. He shot 50%. But he hit the game-winner. He hit the game-winner. It doesn't matter. It doesn't matter. Also, it was against the Celtics, so anytime you see the Celtics choke, I'm here for it. Shout out to DeJounte, man. Get me front-row seat, popcorn in hand, happy, you know. But, yeah, I think it's going to be Jalen Johnson. It's either him or Tyrese Maxey in my mind because Maxey's just ginormous jump this year with Harden gone now. It was kind of going into the year. I was like, dang, like Harden's gone. Like this sets up room for Maxey. But, like, is he going to be as good as Harden? Well, he's even better than James Harden this year. Just shot 52 without a bead on the probable DPOI in Wendy. He's just had a great season, and I think it's going to be one of them two, really. I said there was no favorite, but those two would probably be the main two front-runners. Moving forward, for coach of the year within the NBA, I think this is an exciting year for coach of the year. A lot of teams that haven't been so good recently, like the Thunder, like the Magic, like the Pacers, just playing well and on the verge of breaking their, you know, playoff. Like they're missing the playoff streak by making it. Pacers not fully there yet. Magic are going to be locked in. Thunder obviously locked in. Big year for these teams. We'll start with Braxton here. Who is your coach of the year? Got to give it to the new guys. Muhammad Udly, man. I mean, come on. Like, this Magic, listen, past eight years, Magic has been awful. Some of the worst basketball I've ever watched in my life. It's so bad. He's changed it, man. That whole culture, man. I mean, come on. Like, Orlando Magic. Like, dude, you know, that whole social media. That team is so good now. They have young, young players. They keep him as the coach. Who knows where that's going to take him. You get more assets. Probably this free agency, I feel like they're going to go after a star. Really, I think they're going to need another leader. But that whole team is balanced. You don't have one player that stands out like that. The whole team is balanced. I did see reports this morning that Klay Thompson, they were the Magic are big frontrunners, and Klay Thompson, if he were to leave Golden State, obviously a veteran guard that can shoot, I would think that would be perfect for them. It would be interesting to see him on Magic. It would be. It would be weird to see him anywhere but the Warriors. And, like, hugging Steph Curry. He wants to go to Disney World. Yeah. Who do you got? I got Magic, man. I like how he's doing with his team. He plays correct. Usually when you bench him, when he has it, you don't see how they're playing. They seem to be playing pretty good. Also, you've been using Pablo Machero. Yeah, Pablo's got to be, like, one of the least talked about. First overall pick. Like, he was the rookie of the year last year, and nobody – I don't want to say nobody cared, but, like, it feels like nobody cares. Nobody really cares. Yeah, it's like the Magic are the three seed out east for the first time in, what, like, literally 15 years. Boy, Anthony's never played like this, ever. Like, he's playing good. Martel Soltis, too. Bro, like, you found the shot again? What? And then Pablo, obviously. Franz Wagner's been good for them. Just such a good defensive team. It's like I don't have the most confidence in them in the playoffs. But again, like, future though, you get a veteran's residence in there, and then you draft a – again, they also need a center. Yeah. That team can do something. For the future, that team is really good. Their defense is so good. It's just the shooting and the overall offense that – I think Klay Thompson would be a perfect fit there. He's got the exact voice that they need. But, yeah, I also got to give to them all those years of Magic. It's just been such a good year. Like, when's the last time the Magic have been relevant? Exactly. In 2000, this was my 10th. Yeah, like, literally like when – I'll give them when Dwight Howard was there. Okay, yeah. What was that? Literally, like, 2008? Yeah. Like, 16 years ago now. I wouldn't be surprised if I learned from them, too. Maybe if I was in a few different groups, I would keep running on the field for four years. I think if they – Klay Thompson, I don't know. I'm sorry. Yeah. Yeah, they just – they also – I think right now the Magic would be playing – don't quote me on this, but I think if the season ended today, the Magic would be playing the Pacers in the first round. It's just a matchup I don't hate for them. With Tyrese Halliburton and the Pacers, they're all offense. They score a lot of points. That team's got a future. Yeah. I like both of them. This could just kind of meet – in my head, I've already put this together. Pacers, historic offense meets Magic historic defense. What normally happens when good offenses meet good defenses, especially in the playoffs where that whistle isn't as big, I wouldn't hate the Magic moving on there. Anyways, getting a little off topic, we've got one more of the major awards left for this year. That's going to be six men of the year, and I think this is a fun one. Give some recognition to them boys off the bench for real. We'll start with Braxton here. He's never played like this, bro. When he was on the board, he averaged like six points a game, and he was a starter. Six men, Malik Monk's playing great this year, man. I mean, every time I see on my Instagram, if I go to the NBA page, Malik Monk makes some crazy dunk. You know, it's always Malik Monk. But that Kings team, man, they look good too with Malik Monk as the sixth man. I mean, the bench plays a huge role, and Malik Monk has played that six-man role so well. And you know what, that's probably why he's not a starter. He might not be better as a starter. He might wear out the guys on the other team's bench like he does. Yeah, I got Malik Monk. I also like Malik Monk. He's a really good player of the year. Putting up 15 points, doing five assists. Like I said, he did really good with Malik Monk on the Kings bench, so I like him. Same time out there second on the Kings bench. And he's performing and playing well. He's just kind of perfect on the Kings bench to me. Like, perfect kind of play style. Like, he's just a scorer. He's out there to hoop. You know, it's like some players are basketball players, and some players are hoopers. Yeah. Malik Monk is a hooper. Yes, man. Yeah, like, he just has – he's got the bag. He's just a scorer. He's like a walking bucket. Obviously, Kentucky guard. And it's still weird that he's only 26. Like, I feel like he's been in the league for a long time now. Like, those Hornets days feel much longer than they were in actuality. Him a walker. Yeah. Yeah, Malik Monk has been great. The Kings, they're struggling to get in the playoffs. I think if they get in the playoffs, they'll be fine. I'm just hoping that they, you know, finally get there. It's weird how well they did last year, you know. Big fall off. Yeah, big fall off. But it doesn't mean anything, though. I mean, you still get to just have one of those months. It is also the regular season, man. As long as you get there, like the heat showed last year. As long as you're in the dance, you're dancing, you know. So, I think that's – I hope the Kings find playoff success, man. I hope Malik Monk is a part of it. Also a bucket in 2K, obviously. Yeah, the BM team. Also, shout out to Sabonis, man. He's putting up nearly triple-doubles every night. Wasn't even an all-star this year. That's just disrespectful. Disrespectful. Moving forward onto the topic of the NBA playoffs. Not all the matchups are finalized yet. We still have – I think each team has like four games or so left. If that, three to four. With a week left to play. I picked out four current matchups that stand right now that I think would be just great. Like thrillers of series that I cannot wait to watch come literally just next week, which is weird to think about now. First off, it would be the number one seed in the East is the Boston Celtics. So, it would say it's the number eight seed in Miami right now. Here we go. So, it's like, are the Celtics legit this year? Are the Heat frauds now? There's a lot of storylines going around this. But on paper, it's Celtics-Heat, a rematch of the conference finals last year. And these two teams have bad blood at this point. They're two teams that seem like they play each other at least one point in the playoffs every year. And they're always kind of classic. And there's no reason – I guarantee you Celtics fans would not be super confident going into this series against the Heat based on what's happened previously. But right now, I'll start with Will here. Are you taking the Celtics or the Heat in a seven-game series? Honestly, taking the Heat is not going to lie. You saw – what else was there? So, Larry, you saw the Heat back to the Boston Celtics. You saw a playoff Jimmy Butler. He turns it up in the playoffs. So, I got to be – it's hard to argue with that. I think the Heat's playoff run stops now. I think so. I think Celtics has just been too good. They play – I think they're bound for the finals. You know, it's been a little bit. So, I think they're ready. I think they're going to play way better than the Heat. You know, the Heat's had a couple of playoff runs in the past year. They went a little far. And I think it ends now. I think Celtics wins. It's pretty much – it hurts my soul to kind of say this. Like, there's – the Boston Celtics are like my Dallas Cowboys at the NBA. Like, it's like the – I love basketball. I love a lot of different players on a lot of different teams. I don't like any Celtics player. Hate them, hate them, hate them, hate them. Either way, I still think they're going to beat the Heat. Obviously, it's hard to discredit what the Heat literally did just last year in a similar situation. And they literally went up 3-0 on the Celtics in the conference finals last year. Almost choked it away. Didn't, obviously. And then just another finals loss. Jimmy Buller's not getting any younger. Bam Adebayo's not really getting any better. Tyler Herro's not really getting any better. They have Amy Jaquez. He's tough. He's a mid-round rookie pick that you're going to have starting in the playoffs. Probably going to be guarding Jason Tatum a little bit as well. I don't like it. Yeah, again, I don't like it. Again, the Martin brothers probably not. It's like Kyle Lowry is not there. That's going to have an awesome game. Like last year, the guys that weren't amazing in the regular season just showed up. Again, I don't think that's going to happen this year. Yeah, I completely agree. It was a one-hit wonder. Also, the Celtics are just literally so good. They have an all-star at all five of their positions at this point. For Zingas, all-star. Well, all-star at some point in their career. For Zingas, Drew Holiday, Tatum, Brown. All four have been all-stars in the last two, three years. And then you have Derek White. Not an all-star. Borderline not an all-star. There were conversations, but just a winning player, obviously. It's like how do you get better than that? You have four all-stars starting. And a guy who's on the verge of being an all-star who just plays elite defense. Who beats them in seven games? How do you get around? It's just the way they match up with any team. They have the favorites. This is weird and team-out. Yeah. If they're going to line up against the Bucs, you have Drew Holiday's follow game for the entire season. You have poor Zingas and Tatum pretty much on Giannis the whole time. Don't hate that. Same thing Sixers. You leave Drew Holiday on an island on Tyrese Maxey, see what Maxey does, you know? And then we have poor Zingas, Paul Defender on Indeed. It's just they line up everywhere. Yep. And I don't think they can get any better than they are. I just think they wipe the heat. Moving forward, this would be the 2-17 matchup out east. Currently, as it stands, it would be Bucs versus Sixers, the Doc Rivers battle. And this one, I am a Sixers fan, but I think this is one of the more interesting series too. The way the Bucs have been struggling as of late. Just an overall 500 record since Doc Rivers has taken over for them. Seemingly getting worse and worse each day. And then the Sixers, who were that for a little bit, are now on the flip side with Maxey back, are on a, I believe, five-game win streak right now, picking up momentum towards the playoffs. This could be a huge series out east. And y'all already know my take, so I'm just going to kick it, and Will's take. I'm just going to kick it back over to you. Yeah, again, Doc Rivers, why? You know, like, why? Why is he back? Yeah, Sixers, they're just a way better team than the Bucs this year. Like, just straight up like that. And again, like you said, Doc Rivers. You know, like, Doc Rivers is not going to lead that team much far in the playoffs if they do beat the Sixers. Let's be honest. If they get past the Sixers. They're not going to. The Sixers are going to show up and be there now, and so I think it's going to be good. Here's my question. I'm worried about the past couple years. You've been hurting the playoffs, and then when you get to the playoffs, you know how the Oakville's inherited that Christian. I think he wants to prove everyone wrong. I think he's wanted to prove everyone wrong the last, like, four years. You've been hurting the playoffs. I'm a little worried about if he's going to inherit that. That's always been the question with the Sixers. Is MBE going to, like, have his knees by the time the playoffs start? And the answer is always no. But this series, honestly, like, the Sixers have made me not believe for a long time. The Sixers, we've gone through so many rollercoaster rides with them. Oh, this is our year. We're different this year. We're different this year. And we're not. You know, we're just not. And I've gotten to that point. If it's not happening this year, it's probably not happening next year. But, but, but, but, Doc Rivers is coaching the other team. Look, he does not make adjustments. He does not say the right things in the media and in the press to help his team. And Nick Nurse does. Nick Nurse has been, it's literally been night and day seeing us go from Doc Rivers to Nick Nurse. And if we can last a series, you know, six, seven games against the Bucs and their offensive firepower, I'd like that. If we, if we're looking at a game seven, I think that plays more in favor of the Sixers. Sixers even have pushed it to seven, you know. Again, a guy that motivates his team, a guy that literally once he got hired said he doesn't know why he got hired. Oh, yeah. That's crazy. And it's just the Bucs the whole time this year has been like, yeah, they have Dave. They have Giannis. They're going to be good in the playoffs. They have the worst year, 100%. Yeah, like there's just been no, like they have, like on paper they're so good, you know. Chris Middleton, Dane, Giannis obviously. So you have your top player in the league, maybe top three, top four at worst in Giannis. Then you have still a top five easy if that point guard in Dane. And then a three and D shooter in Chris Middleton, Bobby Fortis off the bench. There's no reason for them not to be good if they've lost to the Wizards this week. They have lost against three straight lottery teams. I have a question for Randy. Bucs and I just didn't really think far enough. Why would you hire a top three? Tell me why. Because you're doing so good before you guys. I'll let your coach go. Why? Yeah, I don't get it. And I think the longer that series goes on, the more it tends towards the Sixers, which just, indeed, I just hope he can take over. Seeing him and Giannis battle is always awesome as well. Switching it up over to the Western Conference side of things, there is, I believe, the three-seeded Thunder and the six-seeded Suns are slated to play in the first round as of right now. And I think this would be a great series as well. A lot of stars on the court, and it's kind of the Thunder, that young team, look good, been good all year. Playoffs, real deal. Kevin Durant, Devin Booker, Bradley Beal, three guys who have been there. Well, maybe not Beal. Three guys that have been there, done that, and then a consistent all-star scoring bet. That's, you know, you're meeting the experience. In a series, I think I can go either way. I'm going to start with Braxton here. I think the bets matter. I really do. I think the veteran experience matters, especially Kevin Durant. I think Devin Durant is probably going to show up out of all of them in this time, because he was always great in the playoffs. He always showed out in the playoffs. He didn't get injured in the playoffs, except the finals. That happens, you know. Well-timed. I think veteran experience matters right now. I'm not saying the Thunder, like, it can't not happen. It can definitely happen. I've got veteran experience. I've got to plunge a little bit. What is that? The Thunder are missing the experience and those veterans on that team to go up on the playoffs, and I do think there's still an opportunity at Bradley Beal and Harris right there. I do think we're going to go far, especially with the experience. I've been there before. I know what I do. I know how it is. Yeah, it'll also be interesting to see KD go to OKC for these games. First time back in a playoff atmosphere. Not something we've seen since he's left, even it being so long ago. For sure, which is going to be – I love basketball environments. I think OKC, man. OKC shows out. They got nothing else to do there. So, yeah, they're going to get rowdy. I don't know, man. This is a toss-up for me. My gut is telling me to go with the Thunder, and I'm going to ride with Shea Gilgis-Alexander. Good thing. I mean, home court advantage too. The Thunder were a team I was really high on last year as well and thought they were going to beat the Nuggets and then ran into that buzzsaw, that kind of editing. They've just been so inconsistent. It's a common theme with KD teams to not play altogether until the last month of the season, which is kind of what's happened with Beal, Booker, and KD all playing. I just – I don't know. I don't know if they're going to make it work in the playoffs, and if any one of them has a bad game, they're kind of done. They're screwed. Absolutely. That bench is mine. There's nobody. Yeah. That's probably what it all is. And finally here, our last interesting matchup of this first round. Obviously, there's a couple of good ones as well, but this is another one I wanted to highlight. It is the Clippers taking on the Mavs. This is a 4-5 out west, and both of these teams, like if they were to win the championship, I would not be surprised. And it's just a first-round matchup. So we'll start with Will this time. Who you got, Clippers or Mavs? I got Mavs, man. You look at that team, you know who you've got. You have PJ Washington. You have Kyrie Hurry. To that bench, basically, but you will. When you look at the team, I just like it. I agree with that. They can go as far as the finals. Yeah. You got that. What you got? Well, two months ago, I said my sleeper pick was the Clippers, so I'm sticking with the Clippers here. Again, Klylan in the playoffs. Harden in the playoffs. Paul George in the playoffs. I think when veterans are going to show up, you put Kly on the bench. That puts a real hole into the Mavs' strategy. Don't get me wrong, Kyrie's a threat. You can put Paul George on him if you need to. Yeah, exactly. He's got some of the best defensive players in the league right now. And I think the Clippers' defense is really going to help him out. I can respect that. Standing on business from a take earlier. See, the Clippers are a team I've really liked all year. They seem to be kind of peaking now. They started off rough after the Harden trade and then really hit a stride. They were like 30-3 or something like that over a stretch. Cooled down since. Mavs are on the thumb up. Pick Luka to win the MVP. Luka Dantas in the playoffs, man, has done more than James Harden, NPG, has in their entire careers. Even in just the four years, I believe, Luka's played in the playoffs now. Like I said, any time you have a player like that on your team, you've always got a chance. Not to say that the Clippers and Kawhi also is not a different animal in the playoffs. Kawhi's like 33. He's getting up there. He's getting up there. You've got to play 16 of your best games against the best competition to win. It's a young man's league. It's a young man's league. The Clippers, while they have all the talent and like the Celtics, they can defensively match up with anybody, with PG and Kawhi. I just think Luka and Kyrie can get it done. That's fair. They've been playing so well. They've given Luka some support around them. That's worked. I mean, Porzingis and Brunson also worked, but this year there's just something about it that feels different. It's like there's no question in who's leading the team with Luka. Kyrie's right up there dropping 40 at night with them, pretty much. I really like the Mavs. I'm going to take the Mavs here. Overall, cannot wait for the playoffs to start next week. We should have a good set of playoffs on our hands. Hold us over for a little bit as well for that last week before the draft. A lot of exciting things coming up. We'll be back next week with another episode of Sports Uncaged. Thank y'all for listening.

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