PMT DB
PMT DB
Rachel Nichols and Stuff Island on NBA Playoffs, Tires, and Trampolines
The Celtics have taken a 2-0 lead over the Pacers, and while the city of Boston is celebrating, the PMT studio is mostly just focused on the fact that Jalen Brown is outplaying Jason Tatum. Hank is doing backflips over Jalen Brown scoring 40 points after being snubbed from the All-NBA teams, while PFT is already crafting the narrative that Brown might actually be the alpha in Boston.
PFT CommenterJalen Brown is the best player on the Celtics except for almost every statistical category
I can definitely smell a narrative that's building. There are gonna be people that ask like, is Jalen Brown really the, the leader of this team? Is he the best player on this team? And aside from the player efficiency rating, scoring field goal percentage and defense and dribbling with your left wind shares and all the other advanced stats, except for all those, he is the best player on the team.
With Tyrese Haliburton dealing with a hamstring injury that seems to flare up whenever the Pacers are down by twenty, the outlook for Indiana is bleak. Big Cat pointed out a bizarre post-game comment from Rick Carlisle where he thanked the Boston Police for a seven-minute bus escort. To Big Cat, this was the ultimate white flag.
Big CatThe Boston Police Department giving the Pacers an escort is proof the series is over
The reason why this series is over is after the game, Rick Carlisle, thank the Boston Police for escorting the Pacers team bus today... Do you think there's any chance if the Boston Celtics or the Boston Police thought the Pacers posed any type of threat, they would escort 'em and give them that type of treatment? That is a full sign that they know this series is over.
Luka vs. The World
While the East feels like a foregone conclusion, the West is providing the high-level drama we crave. Big Cat isn't backing down from his stance that Luka Doncic is the best player currently active in the postseason, even if it makes Celtics fans insecure about Tatum's ranking.
Big CatLuka Doncic is currently the best player left in the NBA playoffs
I said he is the best player left in the playoffs with four teams left. . . Luka Doncic, what he did on Wednesday night is why he's the best player left in the playoffs.
Speaking of Tatum, the debate over his "superstar" status continues to rage. Big Cat currently has him firmly in the second tier of elite players, though a ring and an Olympic gold might change the math.
Big CatJason Tatum is the 4th, 5th, or 6th best player in the NBA
Let's just end this Jason Tatum thing for one last time. I have him ranked somewhere between the fourth and the sixth best player in the NBA... [If he wins the finals and Olympics] I'd probably have him third.
On the other side of the bracket, Anthony Edwards is finally facing some real playoff adversity. After calling out Kyrie Irving, Ant-Man has struggled to find his rhythm, leading Big Cat to point out that the "Next MJ" comparisons might have been a bit premature based on his recent scoring output.
Big CatAnthony Edwards has not been good enough over his last six games
Anthony Edwards has not scored 20 points in four of his last six games. That's not good enough.
Rachel Nichols on the New Kyrie
Rachel Nichols returned to the show to provide some much-needed perspective on the Mavericks' turnaround. She broke down how Jason Kidd has managed to reach Kyrie Irving in a way other coaches couldn't, largely by treating him with the respect a Hall of Famer commands. According to Rachel, the "scary" Kyrie of the Brooklyn days is gone, replaced by a genuine locker room leader.
Rachel NicholsKyrie Irving has become the elder statesman and leader in the Mavericks' locker room
Kyrie so settled in even more than last year, he's such a leader in the locker room. . . the fact that Kyrie has willingly stepped in to do all of that, the guys in that locker room love him. It's really unbelievable.
We also touched on the broader NBA landscape and whether we'll ever see another dominant six-ring run like Jordan's. Rachel is skeptical, citing the explosion of international talent and the lack of "watered-down" competition in the modern era.
Rachel NicholsNo single player will ever win six NBA championships as the main guy again
I personally, I don't think it's even possible for someone to win six rings anymore. Like maybe as like the extra guy who goes tops from team to team or something. But as like the main guy, I just don't think that's available anymore. . . the competition is so much thicker from team to team and game to game.
Tires and Trampolines with Stuff Island
Comedians Tommy Pope and Chris O'Connor from Stuff Island joined the show to talk about their new Netflix series *Tires* with Shane Gillis. The conversation quickly shifted from acting to the trauma of living in the Northeast. Chris explained how the constant anxiety of Philly and New York actually fuels their comedy, while Tommy is still adjusting to the "disturbing" kindness of people in Austin.
Chris O'ConnorLiving in the Northeast keeps you in a state of constant mayhem and anxiety
You don't realize the Northeast, Philly and New York, it's like you're constantly under mayhem. Your angst is up, your anxiety's flying. You're just angry for no reason.
In what might be the story of the year, Chris recounted the time he was invited to Chevy Chase's house in high school. While most people would be starstruck, Chris decided the best way to impress the comedy legend was by showing off his vertical on a backyard trampoline. It did not go well.
Chris O'ConnorChevy Chase once kicked me off his trampoline for jumping too high
freshman year of high school... I'm gonna impress [Chevy Chase] by how high I can jump on this trampoline... And instead he goes, get off my trampoline. You jumping too high. It's dangerous. And I was like, oh man. And I get off the trampoline and then he just jumps on the trampoline with my friend and I was just standing there.
Tommy and Chris also discussed their unique dynamic, which involves a level of bickering that would end most friendships. For them, it's just the secret sauce of their relationship and their podcast.
Tommy PopeA healthy relationship requires constant bickering and conflict
I think a healthy relationship requires a bunch of that [bickering]. . . It was a perfect storm of living together. Then you're getting into lifestyle differences. . . that person's gonna get it.
Fyre Fest and Final Thoughts
Fyre Fest of the week featured a truly harrowing video of Hank and Nicki Smokes in the gambling cave. Due to a specific camera angle choice by Foli, it looks like Hank is performing a certain act of service for Nicki while eating his lunch. Hank tried to claim it was just a "bad look" caused by a taco, but the footage tells a different story.
PFT closed things out with a warning about the upcoming "Cicada Summer." He predicts that minor league baseball games are about to become a horror show of fans eating bugs on camera for clout.
PFT CommenterPeople catching and eating cicadas at baseball games will be a viral trend this summer
We're gonna see more and more, I predict this summer of just cicada cam. Just people just grabbing a cicada and eating it on camera. . . normalize it.
Good luck to everyone trying to unsee that video of Hank this weekend.
