PMT DB
PMT DB
Kenny "The Jet" Smith on NBA Playoffs, Hakeem vs. MJ, and the NFL Schedule
The vibes in the studio are a tale of two cities after the Celtics forced a Game 7 against the Sixers. Hank is back to his front-running best after Jayson Tatum decided to remember how to play basketball in the fourth quarter, while Max is currently in a state of mourning that we haven't seen since the Super Bowl. Big Cat pointed out that while Tatum was atrocious for three quarters, elite players are defined by how they close.
Big CatIf you are a top five player, you have to be able to pull your team out of the depths of hell
If you're a top five guy—and actually Jayson Tatum said it after the game, humbly, 'I'm one of the best players in the world'—if you're that guy, you have to be able to take your team out of the depths of hell in those moments. And that's exactly what [Tatum] did.
Max is already trying to build a psychic wall for Game 7, claiming that the momentum from Boston’s comeback win won't carry over into the series finale. He's trying to convince himself it's a toss-up, but the tension in the room says otherwise.
MaxNBA Game 7s are a completely different animal where momentum means nothing
Momentum doesn't matter. That's one thing that I've learned is momentum means nothing. Because going into this series, going into this game, all the, all the momentum was going towards the Sixers after the Celtics won two, it looked like the Sixers were dead. Momentum means nothing. Game seven is one game. Throw out everything else.
PFT is looking at the history books and the coaching matchups, and he isn't exactly bullish on Philadelphia’s chances of keeping their composure when everything is on the line.
PFT CommenterThe pairing of James Harden and Doc Rivers in a Game 7 does not look good on paper
If you have James Harden and Doc Rivers with their powers combined in a game seven, that doesn't look very good for the 76ers on paper.
The NBA Landscape and Kevin Durant's Legacy
Outside of the Eastern Conference bloodbath, the Nuggets are busy dismantling the Suns. PFT is fully leaning into his Nuggets fandom, though he’s already scouting potential matchups for the next round. He’s much more comfortable facing the defending champs than a healthy Anthony Davis.
PFT CommenterAs a Nuggets fan, I would much rather play the Warriors than the Lakers in the Western Conference Finals
As a Nuggets fan, I do not wanna play the Lakers. I would rather play the Warriors. I think that their game matches up better against them. The Lakers scare me a little bit on defense.
As the Suns face elimination, the conversation turned to Kevin Durant. After the massive trade that brought him to Phoenix, anything short of a title feels like a disaster for his standing among the all-time greats. The guys aren't holding back on how this postseason exit reflects on KD's career path since leaving Golden State.
PFT CommenterKevin Durant's legacy is almost completely destroyed and taking an irreparable hit
Kevin Durant's legacy's taken a hit the last few years. Maybe an irreparable hit because you would think if he's the best player in the nba... you think he'd be able to get it done with a team with Devin Booker and some nice role players on the side. And Kevin Durant... your legacy right now, I'd say it's almost completely destroyed.
Bo Jackson’s Hiccups and Hockey Blues
In the random news department, the guys are legitimately concerned for Bo Jackson, who revealed he has had the hiccups for a full year. Big Cat is convinced this is a fate worse than any physical sports injury.
Big CatI would rather break my hip than have the hiccups for an entire year
I would absolutely say if you said, Hey, you can break your hip or you can have hiccups for a year. I'd take the broken hip all day, every day. Cause at least you know, like, this is how I can rehab and I know that there's an end in sight.
While the NBA is delivering high-level drama every night, the same can't be said for the NHL playoffs. Big Cat is calling it like he sees it—the second round of the Stanley Cup playoffs has been a blowout-heavy snooze fest compared to the hardwood.
Big CatThe NBA playoffs have been significantly better than the NHL playoffs in this round
The NBA playoffs this round have been a lot better than the hockey playoffs this round. [The NHL] has just a lot of blowouts. It's okay to admit it because there's a lot of 'this sport is better than this sport' talk, but let's have an honest conversation.
NFL Schedule Release Draft
With the NFL schedule finally out, the guys did a quick draft of the games they are most excited for. Big Cat has a bizarre theory that the Lions—who are getting the opening night spotlight against the Chiefs—might actually benefit from a heartbreaking loss rather than a massive upset win.
Big CatThe Lions losing a close game on opening night is better for them than winning
I think the lions losing in a close game opening night is better than winning... Because if they do beat the chiefs week one Thursday night in front of the whole country, the lion's hype will be out of this world. It will be uncontrollable at that point.
PFT also predicted that the league is going to keep inflating the importance of this day until it becomes a multi-day primetime spectacle that rivals the actual draft.
PFT CommenterThe NFL schedule release will eventually become a massive corporate primetime event with a bracket
At some point Roger Goodell is gonna do to the schedule release what he's done with the draft and just market the shit out of it and like take it on the road each year and turn it into like an hour long, two hour long primetime event where he just announces like one week's worth at a time... it's gonna be a massive fucking corporatized sensation.
Hank, ever the optimist for his own teams and a hater for everyone else, is already circling the calendar for when the Patriots get to play spoiler to the New York Jets’ new era.
HankThe Patriots will knock Aaron Rodgers and the Jets out of the playoffs in Week 18
I will go with the Jets vs. The Patriots Week 18, probably taking Aaron Rodgers out of the playoffs. And you know what's gonna be a long and frustrating season of disappointment for Jets fans.
Kenny "The Jet" Smith in Studio
Kenny Smith joined the show to discuss his new book, *Talk of Champions*, and brought some heavy-hitting NBA perspective. He addressed the age-old debate about his Rockets titles, specifically whether they only won because Michael Jordan was playing baseball. Kenny isn't buying the asterisk talk for a second.
Kenny SmithThe 1990s Rockets would have beaten the Bulls even with Michael Jordan on the court
They would not have won eight in a row. They would have been a small team trying to defend Dream [Hakeem Olajuwon] and us. We would have beat them. Now if you ask me the same question and go, can you beat that first three-peat team or the second? I don't know... But those teams, that how they were constructed and just add Mike to it, we would've beat them for sure.
He also gave some incredible insight into playing with Hakeem Olajuwon, noting that the Dream’s defensive presence changed the geometry of the court in a way that very few players in history ever have.
Kenny SmithHakeem Olajuwon invoked as much fear in opponents as Michael Jordan did
Hakeem easily [is the best player I played with]. Not even close. He was Michael [Jordan] in those two year runs. He invoked fear into the opponent when you weren't the position he was guarding. That's fear... Do you think Patrick Ewing, when he caught the ball on the right block was like, 'Where the hell's Michael?' But for Hakeem, you had to know where he was on both ends.
Looking at the current crop of teams, Kenny is all-in on Denver. He thinks the Nuggets are the most complete team left in the field, even if they don't have the championship pedigree of the Warriors or the star power of LeBron.
Kenny SmithThe Denver Nuggets are currently the best overall team in basketball
The best overall team in basketball is the Denver Nuggets... They have an MVP candidate. They have a great point guard Murray. They have young players, Gordon and Porter... they have no holes.
Kenny explained that the mental hurdle of just reaching the Finals is often higher than the one required to actually win the trophy once you're there. He sees the Nuggets as a team currently trying to break through that specific playoff "threshold."
Kenny SmithIt is harder to get to the NBA Finals than it is to win them
There is a different, when you're, it's harder to get to the finals than win it. It is, I actually agree with that... there's a threshold in the playoffs that you gotta break through... you can only learn it by experiencing it.
He also cleared up some misconceptions about playing in high-altitude cities, noting that a certain road trip in the West is actually tougher on the lungs than a trip to Mile High.
Kenny SmithThe altitude in Utah is higher than the altitude in Denver
Most people don't realize Utah is at a higher altitude and no one ever says playing in Utah is tough with the altitude... Denver I felt a burning in my throat, Utah I felt lightheaded.
To wrap up, Kenny talked about how legacies are cemented. While regular-season stats are great for the Hall of Fame, they don't make you a household name. For that, you need the bright lights of May and June.
Kenny SmithThe regular season is where you make your name, but the playoffs are where you get famous
The regular season is when you make your name, the playoffs you get famous. That's fame. People know me for hitting the three to tie it up in the NBA Finals. They don't say anything about when I hit a game winner against the Clippers in the regular season.
Fyre Fest and the Lottery Ball
Hank’s Fyre Fest involved him doing $2,300 worth of damage to Big Cat’s old car by backing into a pole in his own garage. Meanwhile, PFT has accepted that his quest for a soul patch is mostly a vanity project that won't actually change how anyone perceives his grooming habits.
PFT CommenterHaving a soul patch makes zero difference to my appearance because my facial hair is already shitty
I have realized that me having a soul patch makes absolutely zero difference because people will just be like, PFT's got shitty facial hair. More news at 11. I've known that I've been face-bald for years.
In a moment that will go down in PMT history, the lottery ball machine finally provided a miracle. After years of failure and being the butt of every joke, Hank finally guessed his number correctly. The studio nearly exploded, though Jake was quick to point out that the number was actually a 9, not a 6, before everyone realized the line was under the number. Hank finally got one.
Now we just have to wait and see if Hank's luck holds through the weekend or if the sports gods demand a soul patch as payment.
