Sunday Roast with Matt Evans, Founder of Lakers UK
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On this week's Sunday Roast show, Skylar Smith and Brian Bosche discuss the WNBA Finals between the Storm and Aces, if the NBA Playoffs have an asterisk, best fits of the week, and a toast to the British Basketball community for getting to 10,000 signatures on the petition to give the BBL more Government support. Then Matt Evans, Founder of Lakers UK, comes on the podcast to discuss the Lakers season, playoff run, and their series against the Miami Heat in the NBA Finals.
Full Transcript:
Skylar Smith:
Hi, everyone and welcome back to High Tea Hoops.
Brian Bosche:
High Tea Hoops.
Skylar Smith:
High Tea Hoops. That was a good timed one Brian.
Brian Bosche:
Thank you.
Skylar Smith:
It's Skylar, the Duchess of Hoops. I'm back here with Brian, the Duke of Hoops as always. Brian, how's it going?
Brian Bosche:
It's going great. I was really depressed about the NBA Finals just maybe being a sweep, but Miami fought back and made this competitive so I'm excited again.
Skylar Smith:
Yeah, they did. I am excited as well. We got a great show today, Brian.
Brian Bosche:
Yes we do.
Skylar Smith:
Let's run through the agenda really quick. We're going to talk WNBA Finals, we're going to start off with that, go through some roasts, some fan questions, my favorite bit of the week, fits of the week, a toast a new segment this week and then we're going to get to our interview with Matt Evans from Lakers UK. We're talking everything NBA Finals, Lakers, Heat, we got a little bit of ribbing going back and forth between us Lakers fan. I'm a lifelong Heat fan so it's a really fun interview, definitely hold out.
Brian Bosche:
By fun you mean the pandemic? Just the life of the pandemic fan?
Skylar Smith:
Hasn't the pandemic been my entire life at this point?
Brian Bosche:
It seems like it at this point.
Skylar Smith:
So definitely hold out for that interview from Matt Evans from Lakers UK. It was a really fun one, but Brian let's jump into WNBA Finals. Let's get into it.
Brian Bosche:
Let's go.
Skylar Smith:
It's Stormy's.
Brian Bosche:
It's all Storm baby.
Skylar Smith:
The Storms are up 2-0. Okay, honestly, I'm going to kick it to you in a minute to get your takeaways from this series.
Brian Bosche:
Okay.
Skylar Smith:
But throughout this entire podcast, I have always had to yell at you about just the WNBA section just becomes a Storm section because we're such fans and they're so good, but it's honestly let's contrast it with the NBA. I feel like I can talk about The Heat non-stop because The Heat are good, but they're not blowing everyone out.
Brian Bosche:
They're not good as Storms.
Skylar Smith:
The Storm it seems mean because they're literally they're in a league on their own and so then you come on our podcast and you only hear about The Storm. It feels unfair, but honestly The Storm are just putting on... They're fucking clinical they're putting on a show.
Brian Bosche:
It seems warranted to me.
Skylar Smith:
Brian, let me know your takeaways from this series.
Brian Bosche:
Well, I know how it feels to be a Lakers fan right now. Just up 2-0, cocky just thinking that the world's ahead of them [crosstalk 00:02:43]-
Skylar Smith:
Don't jinx The Storm like that.
Brian Bosche:
No, listen to this transition Skylar. I am very aware of how hard The Aces fight, they came back against The Sun, they have the MVP, this is not going to be an easy series by any means. So I'm reining it in, I'm not going to jinx The Storm they have been incredibly impressive.
Skylar Smith:
Nice Brian.
Brian Bosche:
I've also been a huge fan of The Aces fighting back without Hamby who left the bubble and Asia is taking over with McCotter it's really fun to see, but takeaway so far The Storm are up 2-0. It's the best of five series so they're going to have to win one more game.
Skylar Smith:
Yeah.
Brian Bosche:
Game one, Stewie, Breanna Stewart who I think if she doesn't get hurt, because she had a major injury last year, so if she stays healthy I think she's going to be the greatest basketball player of all time. She's just primed for I think-
Skylar Smith:
Brian has been saying this for years by the way.
Brian Bosche:
A long time and I'm going to pull up some stats for you here Skylar because it's pretty impressive what she's been able to do. She's only 26, okay?
Skylar Smith:
So young.
Brian Bosche:
Shout out Matt Ellentuck who has an incredible WNBA newsletter and compiled some of these. So she is 26 and she had four years of college basketball and four years of WNBA. She's playing in her sixth championship series with a chance to get her sixth championship ring, so in eight years six championships. She's the 2020 All-Defensive Team, 2019 Yearly League Regular Season MVP, 2018 WNBA Champion, Finals MVP, and Season MVP, and All Star, and First Team, and FIBA World Cup MVP. That's all since 2018. So Stewie is dominant and in game one, after losing the MVP to Asia, put up 37-15 two assists and four blocks are you kidding me Skylar? You're not?
Skylar Smith:
She's insane.
Brian Bosche:
She is amazing.
Skylar Smith:
She's insane.
Brian Bosche:
What were some of your takeaways from game one because she just was absolutely dominant and they took that game.
Skylar Smith:
I think similar to your points. I love The Aces, I've loved watching them all year. The Storms offense is just-
Brian Bosche:
Ridiculous.
Skylar Smith:
- Insane and it feels like The Aces don't have enough defensively to take them on, but then at the same time it's like if The Aces don't who does? Truly The Storm are just leagues ahead of some of these other teams, but truly the offensive presence of The Storm has been one of my biggest takeaways from these first two games. Last game they shot 57% from the field, they had five players who scored double digit points. Breanna Stewart had 22, Natasha Howard had 21, Alicia Clark had 21, Sue Bird had a double-double 16 points and 10 assists. That's like a not great game for her, it's like an average for her.
Brian Bosche:
At 39.
Skylar Smith:
Yeah. They just have so many insane weapons on offense that I think that The Aces are going to have to really figure out how to lock them down on defense and come up with their own offensive surges to even have a shot in this series.
Brian Bosche:
Yeah. Game one Sue Bird had 16 assists a new record and you're like, "All right, we didn't lock down Breanna Stewart, Clark didn't have a great game, Howard didn't have a great game but Jewell Loyd had 28 points and hardly missed a shot." And then the next game like you said, Jewell Loyd didn't play as well and only had eight points, but you're right. The rest of the team stepped up so what are you supposed to do? There's too many people to lock down and-
Skylar Smith:
Yeah, it's just such a deep team.
Brian Bosche:
Yeah, I don't know what you do when they're all healthy. McCarty has been stepping up, Asia Wilson's been having good games, but she was able to take The Sun down pretty much on her own with a few other contributors, but that's not going to happen with The Storm. They're too good and it seems like she and Makati are basically going to have a perfect game each to take a game in this series. Kind of like Jimmy did with The Heat last night.
Skylar Smith:
Basically, yeah. It'll be interesting to see-
Brian Bosche:
Your coach Bill Laimbeer has a lot to figure out. What's he going to do?
Skylar Smith:
Lot's to figure out I don't know-
Brian Bosche:
He's the Ace's coach?
Skylar Smith:
He's The Aces coach. Honestly, I just feel bad for the teams going up against The Storm. I'm like, "You can try."
Brian Bosche:
I don't know what your supposed to do.
Skylar Smith:
It's just it feels unfair almost and it's also been really fun. Obviously, The Storm have won this championship pretty recently, The Storm have been very dominant over the past 10 years, five years, but it makes me sad to think about just this COVID land and how they're going to win a championship and not really be able to celebrate with the city of Seattle and have the whole parade and do the full thing because of COVID. But it's been interesting to see I'm in Seattle at the moment and so walking around I see Storm stuff everywhere now and everyone's wearing their gear.
Brian Bosche:
Yeah, the space needle.
Skylar Smith:
You know those shirts that say The Storm have been the most statistically dominant team in Seattle sports which like Seattle sports are good. The Seahawks just won the Super Bowl within the past five years, The Sounders literally two out of three MLS cups. It's just really fun to see it and so it's been interesting to see the way that people have been trying to form community around a basketball team in COVID time when we're not able to really gather and celebrate the way that we would in past years and hopefully future years.
Brian Bosche:
Yeah. There's a debate right now where someone said, "Is Russell Wilson the greatest Seattle athlete of all time?"
Skylar Smith:
No. It's Sue Bird.
Brian Bosche:
And everyone going, "Sue Bird come on." And people just discount women's-
Skylar Smith:
How dare you.
Brian Bosche:
- I don't understand at all the women's sports it's just like, "Oh, it's not in these conversations." But Sue Bird has done this for-
Skylar Smith:
She's just literally not in the conversation.
Brian Bosche:
- 19 years. It's insane and Breanna Stewart is going to be the greatest one of all time. So you're right, I'm excited to see this. I'm hoping The Aces steal one just for a little competitiveness just like I wanted The Heat to take a few to make a little bit interesting and show how talented they are, but I'm excited knock on wood for The Storm to bring back the championship as I predicted in the preseason.
Skylar Smith:
That's a very solid knock.
Brian Bosche:
Thank you.
Skylar Smith:
I think we all predicted Brian. All right. Should we move on? Is that enough Storm talk?
Brian Bosche:
I think that's enough Storm talk.
Skylar Smith:
All right, let's move on to some roasts. Brian, I'm going to kick it over to you to start us off.
Brian Bosche:
All right. Do you have one this week?
Skylar Smith:
I understand that you're a little annoyed with asterisk people.
Brian Bosche:
I am. Do you have any good ones this week? This was a light week for roasts, not too much drama.
Skylar Smith:
Honestly, no. I might try to come up with one on the fly while you're talking, but I also know that this is a great fits week. So I'm just not concerned.
Brian Bosche:
You're just waiting for that.
Skylar Smith:
I'm just like we're giving the people good content, so if I don't have a roast it's fine.
Brian Bosche:
Okay, that's fair enough. I'm going to roast the people who saying there's an asterisk on this year and on these playoffs. And you get this especially with The Lakers where it's at this point where like, "Oh, they had an easy run through the playoffs with The Trailblazers, Rockets, Nuggets. They didn't have to face the Clippers now they're in a depleted Heat team." That's all fair, but every series when it started against The Trailblazers people were saying The Trailblazers could upset The Lakers and they took game one. The Rockets took game one looked like they could upset The Lakers and we're really good team, Lakers took care of them.
Brian Bosche:
The Nuggets beat the Clippers and were playing at the peak of anything I've ever seen them do as a Nuggets fan and they still got gentlemen swept. So anyone that's saying that this is not a valid playoff, that the championship that the ring is not valid, is just stupid. There's a luck that goes into every single year, every single season, every single playoffs. Last year, KD gets hurt, the Raptors don't have to play a full Warriors squad. Kevin Love got hurt in the Cavs run against the Warriors so this happens almost every single year. There is no asterisk. The Lakers have had a tough going against The Trailblazers, Rockets and Nuggets is a hard path and people criticize LeBron that, "Oh, the only reason he made it to the finals every year is because he was in the weaker East."
Brian Bosche:
No, he was doing it in the West against really, really good teams. So completely valid season it is unfortunately The Heat are injured we're not going to have a full matchup, but we'll see how the rest of it goes, but whoever wins this, this is completely valid and maybe even harder than most seasons when they're stuck in the bubble for so long. So I'm tired of this conversation. It is an NBA championship.
Skylar Smith:
Yeah, I think the false assumption when people talk about the asterisk is people think that because this season is different it's somehow easier which I don't think is true. I think that this season actually might be harder. I'm not an NBA player so I'm not going to say that for sure, but I feel like it's probably harder for them. I think people think there's no fans in the stadium, that's such a big element of these playoff games when we're not in a pandemic time, guys aren't having to travel back and forth between the cities. Those things are what we think of as traditional elements of NBA playoffs, but in past NBA playoffs they're not in a bubble not seeing their families not living in their houses. For how long has it been now? 70 days? 80? I lost.
Brian Bosche:
A long time.
Skylar Smith:
I'm really lost on how long it would be but, I'm not going to spoil it but with Matt, we talked a little bit about how with these playoffs each series could go either way. Even when in a normal situation, we would feel like we knew who the clear winner was going to be, people could just steal games, there's just all these kind of new elements to this bubble that have not been a factor in past NBA Playoffs and championships and I feel like the bubble is honestly probably harder than the normal NBA playoffs. And so yeah, with the asterisk it's definitely different, but different doesn't necessarily mean easier, better, anything like that. I think it's actually harder and so honestly I'm going to be really impressed with whoever wins this championship since we still don't know.
Brian Bosche:
Seriously.
Skylar Smith:
That was good roast, Brian. I like that one.
Brian Bosche:
Thank you.
Skylar Smith:
Let's move on. I didn't think of one but I think that was a fun conversation.
Brian Bosche:
Okay, sounds good.
Skylar Smith:
I'm happy with it. Well, let's move on to a fan question. This is interesting and we haven't really talked about this. We do in fact talk about basketball off of the podcast together, but what do you think of the Sixers hiring Doc as their head coach? It was a whirlwind romance.
Brian Bosche:
It's so fast within a couple meetings, they watched the game together and they're in, five-year deal.
Skylar Smith:
Yeah, fuck you Tyloo, fuck you Mike D'Antoni.
Brian Bosche:
Well I think there was-
Skylar Smith:
Just we're going with Doc.
Brian Bosche:
Yeah. There was some conflicting reports of the management wanted D'Antoni, Elton Brand wanted Tyloo and they couldn't agree so I think Doc was the in between pick. I love this pick, I think the Sixers primary problem is that their personalities and their human beings on the team just cannot get along and cannot decide who's the alpha, who's not, they can't ever seem to get it together from a personnel perspective. And if Doc has any elite strength it is being a man manager, which Creon one the coaches series which was on the last pod talks about was at this scale it's a lot about man management. You're not a high school coach, you're not a college coach, you're not having to teach them the game as much maybe the system.
Brian Bosche:
But it's more about the culture you put in, managing the individual personalities, getting respect from your players, from someone who's been able to have success in the league and has a championship. So I love it, I'm really hoping he can break through to Embiid and Embiid's tweeting about it and seems happy. So I'm hoping he can bring this team together and provide a little bit of guidance and I hope that he can rebound from what... His Clippers run didn't do a whole lot for his reputation, especially with what just happened in the playoffs. So I'm hoping he can really unlock the potential of the Sixers.
Skylar Smith:
Yeah, I feel pretty similarly honestly. I think I'm slightly more pessimistic about the Sixers than you are. It feels to me the Sixers are like, "Okay we have these two superstars, it's not quite working and it feels like they're just going to try to keep cycling in, "Okay, we're going to make one change and see if that unlocks it." It feels like they're just bringing in Doc, okay, let's see if Doc can unlock this Embiid Simmons fiasco.
Brian Bosche:
Yep.
Skylar Smith:
And I think if there's a person to do it, Doc might be the person to do it, but I'm just not sold on that, on the idea that you can just bring in a new coach and that's going to unlock these years of problems that we've seen between Simmons and Embiid. It's not that I'm doubtful of Doc, I actually have a lot of belief in Doc and I think he might actually be the person for the job if the job is accomplishable. I'm just not sure that the job is accomplishable.
Brian Bosche:
You just don't think there's anything to unlock it's just might be over?
Skylar Smith:
I feel like they just have to choose honestly.
Brian Bosche:
Blow it up. Yeah that's fair?
Skylar Smith:
Yes. I don't know that Embiid and Simmons are ever going to work that well together so they might as well just while they're in their prime try to trade them or something. I'm not an expert, I don't get paid for this stuff, but it feels like going to work.
Brian Bosche:
Maybe Doc can go in and decide who they pick maybe that's one of the big reasons they brought him in.
Skylar Smith:
Yeah, maybe we'll see.
Brian Bosche:
We'll see.
Skylar Smith:
That was a fun one though. We usually don't get into questions like that, but I love talking to Doc and I love talking to Sixers.
Brian Bosche:
I love roasting Sixers at any point we can.
Skylar Smith:
Yeah, I guess that was kind of a roast honestly. We'll just count that as my roast for the week. Let's move on right out in defense, because boy do we have a lot of them this week. This was an incredible week [inaudible 00:18:00] but in the past I've mentioned this in quite a few pods but in past weeks, we're down to two teams, we're down to four teams before that. I was of struggling to string together fits for fits of the week it just felt like guys weren't really focused, they weren't putting a ton of thought into it and we just had less guys. That's not the case this week. We have a lot of good fits this week Brian and I actually think you're going to understand all of them which I'm excited about.
Brian Bosche:
Looking over them Skylar, you don't have anyone from The Heat which is rare.
Skylar Smith:
Honestly it's not that rare.
Brian Bosche:
Did they not make the cut this time? Hero didn't give you something ridiculous?
Skylar Smith:
Well it's like [inaudible 00:18:47] sometimes I'm a Hero. Honestly, I just felt bad putting another Tyler Herro fit even when it's good, but it's basic. I just felt bad I just kept putting him in because I didn't have that many options. He had a pretty good fit this week, but I just felt like we had better options from The Lakers this week.
Brian Bosche:
Great. Let's hear them
Skylar Smith:
I'm not letting my team allegiances dictate top fits for week.
Brian Bosche:
Unbiased fit Lord, fit Duchess.
Skylar Smith:
I think Duchess of fits.
Brian Bosche:
Duchess of fits.
Skylar Smith:
I think there's a clear winner in these top three fits Brian and I will be interested to hear if you agree or can identify it right off the bat.
Brian Bosche:
All right, let's do it.
Skylar Smith:
We're going to start with Bron. He's wearing an uninterrupted set. Bron had a bunch of good fits this week honestly. I've got another fit of his and special shout outs, but I think this is... So it's a t-shirt, shorts, corset like big logos on the shirt and then small on the shorts. And then I think it's his own brand more than a Vogue brand on the hat. It says I can't breathe, but it's the bright orange that they use for a lot of their merch and then some sick shoes with-
Brian Bosche:
Love those shoes.
Skylar Smith:
- Some more orange details. I just think this is a really cool look and this isn't really a look we see LeBron in very often. And there's just something to be said about athletes who know that they have these insane bodies I mean that in the least like gross way possible, they just have these insane bodies that normal people aren't... I don't want to say aren't used to seeing but it's like normal people aren't going to be able to wear what they can wear and so this is a fit that it's pretty basic, but it just looks incredible on LeBron.
Brian Bosche:
I am six three, most clothes look stupid on me because they're not even built from my height or size and LeBron's six eight and just a gigantic human. If he puts on a t-shirt from a store he's going to look ridiculous and it's not going to fit him at all, but these are all custom made, they're incredible, they fit perfectly. You're right, it's way different because these people are freaks and they're not normal humans.
Skylar Smith:
Do you think this is cool, Brian? Do you get it?
Brian Bosche:
I love this outfit. I'm starting to think that I'm a little bit basic where I just love the cohorts because I'm like, "Oh, they match that must look good." But I do love this cohort set.
Skylar Smith:
I also like to think that every podcast I educate you a little bit.
Brian Bosche:
Just a slow education on it.
Skylar Smith:
Yeah. Speaking of cohorts, we got another one for our second fit of the week. Let's move on to Dwight Howard.
Brian Bosche:
Nice.
Skylar Smith:
I'm obsessed with this but it's so this is a cohort, I can't tell if it's a sweatshirt or if it's just a long sleeve with some very short shorts. They're both like a foresty green color and then if you zoom in on the logo, it says Mayfair Athletic Club, which feels like a little shout out to the UK contingent-
Brian Bosche:
The UK? We'll claim it.
Skylar Smith:
- Of NBA fans.
Brian Bosche:
A little west London vibe with this set.
Skylar Smith:
Yeah with some yellow Yeezys that's really hard to say.
Brian Bosche:
Say yellow Yeezys 10 times fast.
Skylar Smith:
Yellow Yeezys and a little Burberry clutch. This is an incredible fit.
Brian Bosche:
I like this little bat.
Skylar Smith:
This is a little bit similar to LeBron where Dwight Howard just has this insane body where like tiny little short shorts with a sweat shirt the same color just look incredible on him. Brian, what do you think of this one?
Brian Bosche:
I like this one. I love this color on him and I love the fit. Not the fit, but the fit of the fit works really well and I love the shoe combo.
Skylar Smith:
Yeah. The cut.
Brian Bosche:
Yeah, I love the cut.
Skylar Smith:
Yeah. It's good.
Brian Bosche:
I really like this one too.
Skylar Smith:
All right.
Brian Bosche:
Hate this one.
Skylar Smith:
Really?
Brian Bosche:
I hate this next one.
Skylar Smith:
Okay, we're moving on to Kuzma. There were a couple of options to choose from from Kuzma this week. Did you see his giant jeans this week? He wore the biggest set of jeans I've ever seen. They bulged I swear 500 times on each leg. It was a look honestly I just didn't pick it for top fits of the week but, we got a different Kuzma fit this week. It's another cohort we got three cohorts this week.
Brian Bosche:
Three cohorts, wow.
Skylar Smith:
I didn't realize that until just now. I think this is a Puma size, it looks like Puma if I zoomed in really far. It has big Adidas Ivy Park Beyonce vibes. It's the same color scheme it's like the burgundy and the black and the bright orange to sweat sight it's more of a track he said actually tracking pants, tracking jacket. I'm honestly into this look, Brian.
Brian Bosche:
I'm not.
Skylar Smith:
You don't like it?
Brian Bosche:
No, I don't like it.
Skylar Smith:
Why?
Brian Bosche:
I don't know. It looks like he's going to go out and put out some traffic cones and directs people around in their cars.
Skylar Smith:
I'm honestly really into this one, but I do feel like there's a clear winner.
Brian Bosche:
You know what?
Skylar Smith:
Who do you think it is?
Brian Bosche:
I'm going Dwight. I really liked the Dwight outfit.
Skylar Smith:
Yes!
Brian Bosche:
Is that the one? Did we agree?
Skylar Smith:
Yes.
Brian Bosche:
I don't know why. I liked LeBron outfit, but it's like okay, it's like your own brand and it's a nice little cohort.
Skylar Smith:
It's not his own brand.
Brian Bosche:
Dwight's is-
Skylar Smith:
He's wearing a different brand, but...
Brian Bosche:
It's unique for Dwight, it looks really good on him. The photographer nailed it because it matches the background of the photo so just works really well there and I think the shoes really do it for me. This is one of those that doesn't match in my head, but I think I've progressed and learned that it actually does look really good together.
Skylar Smith:
Yeah. Brian has this whole thing of matching where he never thinks anything matches. I think that's why you like cohorts because you said it, you're brain is like. "Oh, it matches."
Brian Bosche:
My dumb fashion brand. I like the clutch too, I don't know what he has in there, but I love it.
Skylar Smith:
The Burberry clutch. Yeah, I did not know if you were going to agree with me on this one, this Dwight fit is incredible. This cut on him, the color on him, You're right it's out of left field we don't really see stuff like this out of him very often. I'm obsessed with this fit, I saw it and I was like that's fit of the week I just knew. And this was five days ago, I think this was game one. Incredible fit. Special shout outs. We're keeping it rolling with Dwight Howard. He had one hell of a fit week.
Brian Bosche:
Well Tia Cooper's in the bubble.
Skylar Smith:
He had a couple other great looks.
Brian Bosche:
His fiance Tia Cooper's in the bubble Skylar so do you think that's getting his fit game a little bit elevated?
Skylar Smith:
That's his fiance?
Brian Bosche:
Tia Cooper? Yeah.
Skylar Smith:
Oh my God.
Brian Bosche:
She's in the bubble. You're shocked.
Skylar Smith:
I consider myself an NBA culture queen and Brian knows that there's truly nothing I love more than going down wormholes trying to figure out celebrities dating lives especially NBA players. I love the tea. I did not know that.
Brian Bosche:
Breaking news.
Skylar Smith:
I truly was just lost for words. That's insane. I love that for him. I feel like I had higher expectations for her.
Brian Bosche:
Wow. All right, moving on.
Skylar Smith:
That's incredible.
Brian Bosche:
What do you mean? He's the fit of the week.
Skylar Smith:
That's incredible.
Brian Bosche:
Well, I think that she's elevating his game a little bit, I was just going to say.
Skylar Smith:
Good for them. I'm happy she's in the bubble. Let's go through his other fits. We got two more cohorts to go through with like even a cohort rampage. This first one is... Is it? They look like they're sweat pants, but he's pulled them up really far so they basically look like caprice with Yeezys again, different Yeezys more original black ones. The same Burberry clutch and a matching sweatshirt. This was just cool. This one has a bunch of messaging about Black Lives Matter on it as well. There's black is resistant up top, there's I think it has I thank Malcolm, Malcolm X. I think this is just cool and again, Dwight just really knows how to buy clothes that just fit his body perfectly so that even if it's just a pretty basic outfit it looks incredible.
Brian Bosche:
Yep. These are good as well. Good job Dwight Tia is rubbing off on you.
Skylar Smith:
And then look two, this is one of my favorite looks I've seen in the bubble. This is a purple tracking set like Lakers purple with the top or the jacket and it's a zip up and it says Frere in like Lakers yellow for being French for brother I think. It's been a long time since I took French. This is just a really incredible set and it cringes me out when guys walk in wearing their team stuff, but this is a way that it looks really fucking cool at the same time and so I am here for this fit. Dwight had himself a week on fits and I'm pumped for him.
Brian Bosche:
Good job Dwight.
Skylar Smith:
I'm proud of you. Last but not least, this is just the most selfish fit shout out ever and I don't care. Another Bron fit he came in I think the cap [inaudible 00:29:03] will just move past and a gray sweatshirt that says Midwest kids vote. It hits close to home to me, it has a little outline of Ohio, I'm a Midwest kid. The Midwest is going to be so important for this American election in November so I just love seeing players. We've seen a lot of voting messaging, social justice messaging, I just really love when players really pick their lane and stick to it and just really get good at messaging in that lane. And LeBron is a Midwestern kid, he's done a lot for kids in Ohio, I love to see this out of him. It's very targeted. I love it.
Brian Bosche:
That's a great transition Skylar to our toast section. Which I'm going to lob it up to you for an alley-oop.
Skylar Smith:
It really is.
Brian Bosche:
So you can give the first toast.
Skylar Smith:
Thank you.
Brian Bosche:
Yeah.
Skylar Smith:
Thank you. The toast, this is a new section that we literally just introduced on the fly, but we're going to toast people who are doing good stuff every once in a while. Chris Paul last night was he's in the virtual fans which was kind of random and funny, but they ended up having an in-game interview with him and he said that over 90% of NBA players are now registered to vote. And 15 teams are at 100% registration rate which is really incredible considering in August we had learned that it had been only 20%. So Chris Paul really was the one to lead this being the president of the Players Association. He I think quietly at first had registered all of Oklahoma City. Now I did this last time we talked about this on the pod, but he registered the entire city.
Brian Bosche:
Yeah, the team.
Skylar Smith:
He registered every single player on their team to vote. He made sure they were all registered and then he spread it to all the other teams so this has just been really cool to see. I'm happy to see them. There's a lot of bad faith arguments against athletes making stands on this kind of stuff so it's just really cool to see them walk it like they're talking it just so that those bad faith arguments, those people have one less little argument they can make about athletes.
Brian Bosche:
Mm-hmm (affirmative). Yeah, this was [inaudible 00:31:30] interviewed him though, in the middle of the game that was a really good-
Skylar Smith:
It was a really it was a really interesting interview actually.
Brian Bosche:
Yep.
Skylar Smith:
Brian, do you have any toast this week to send us off on our week?
Brian Bosche:
I do. If you're on British basketball Twitter, there is a petition going around that is calling for more government support of the British Basketball League, the BBL. And so there is a request out to the BBL from Sir Rodney Walker for a million pounds. So this isn't an enormous expenditure, it's basically going to allow the BBL to operate this season without fans which is the government mandate right now is that fans can't go into the arenas. And I just like to give a toast because the Twitter community, the basketball community has really rallied around this petition to support. They hit the 10,000 signatures needed for the government to respond to them at 100,000 signatures it has to be considered for debate in Parliament.
Skylar Smith:
Let's go.
Brian Bosche:
So keep spreading this petition around, it's great to see the support for British basketball and congrats on 10,000, it's almost at 11,000 now so there's still some momentum here.
Skylar Smith:
Yeah, that's a good call out. We got to save basketball guys it's so important. All right, Brian this has been fun, we're going to transition over to our interview with Matt Evans from LA Lakers UK so hang on for that interview. It was a great interview, really fun conversation with him. Thanks, Brian.
Brian Bosche:
Thanks, Skylar. Everyone, welcome back to the High Tea Hoops Podcast. I'm Brian Bosche @dukeofhoops and as always joined by Skylar Smith @duchessofhoops. What's up Duchess?
Skylar Smith:
Hello.
Brian Bosche:
Hello.
Skylar Smith:
Hi.
Brian Bosche:
Good one last night Skylar, for your Heat.
Skylar Smith:
Thank you.
Brian Bosche:
Today we have a very special guest, Matt Evans founder of Lakers UK. Matt, thank you for joining.
Matt Evans:
Thanks for having me. It's been nice to meet you both and yeah, I'm excited.
Brian Bosche:
Not as excited as you might have been 24 hours ago after a potential sweep there, but a lot of good stuff to get into today.
Skylar Smith:
They asked for it.
Brian Bosche:
Yes, thank you Skylar just throwing shade right away. If it would have been sweep I would have been so sad, but before we get into the series Matt do you want to just give us a little background on yourself? Why did you start Lakers UK?
Matt Evans:
So I'll try and do it as brief as possible. So I've been a Laker fan for about 10 years since the last championship run probably around 2010 I don't really remember 2009. I think people think I've just been a diehard fan since then, but that's when I learned through the game and especially being from the UK haven't had much exposure to it back then. So it was mainly playing through the 2K games which was really cool and helped a lot and then from there obviously the tanking years extended my knowledge. People hated them years, but I weirdly enjoyed them because it was pivotal to me building my basketball knowledge and then it's just gone from there really. I didn't have much of a community or people to engage with about The Lakers so I think for a few years, I can't remember because it's a bit of a blur now, I was waiting for something to happen.
Matt Evans:
Obviously, there was the NBA UK fans guys, there was a Double Clutch, but there was nothing really Lakers so I decided to just go ahead and do it myself. I believe that was 2018, maybe late 2018 and it's just grown since then really. We actually started out for people that didn't know us Lakers Fan Club UK and we were just a little fan club and then from then we've had a lot of support from the UK, Europe, The States as well and from the actual franchise. I've been over there personally and spoken to them and met with them and had certain discussions hopefully when all this virus is done, hoping to get a group over there and it's just grown and it just keeps growing. It's crazy really so yeah, I think that's kind of it. Crazy journey, crazy journey.
Brian Bosche:
It's been fun to see the growth, I think you have one of the most popular Twitter accounts for the different fan bases of the different teams which seeing another Lakers one come up as a Nuggets fan. We have a little bit of The Nuggets Europe in there, there's a few little Nuggets ones. Skylar unfortunately I don't see any Pistons fan club accounts in the UK.
Skylar Smith:
Yeah, I don't think there is one honestly, maybe I'll have to start it.
Matt Evans:
I think there used to be one.
Brian Bosche:
There used to be one?
Matt Evans:
I think so-
Skylar Smith:
There was no one else that wanted to join.
Matt Evans:
A lot of them have come and gone because one thing I will say is it takes a lot of hard work to run a fan page and to even do what you guys are doing with consistent podcasts. I think people think that they can just jump straight into it and they reap the rewards of it, but it's really hard.
Brian Bosche:
If you haven't listened to our NBA or casual UK fan guides to NBA teams, we did one team a day for 22 straight days.
Matt Evans:
Wow.
Brian Bosche:
It was awful Matt.
Skylar Smith:
We thought we'd jump straight into it. We were those people who thought we can go back and do it.
Brian Bosche:
Never again.
Matt Evans:
Yeah. I can imagine that sounded like a good idea.
Brian Bosche:
Yeah easy pod a day, just cover the team.
Skylar Smith:
It sounded great.
Brian Bosche:
It's fun. God that was terrible.
Skylar Smith:
It was awful.
Brian Bosche:
By the end, we're just like, who? Lakers? Cool LeBron. Next, what's the next two fucks? Great Yanis. It was a grind you're right. But if we go into how you've actually grown the community, where have you found people really coming attracted into the Twitter community on other platforms? What has attracted people in and how are you finding these other Lakers fans in the UK?
Matt Evans:
So I think in terms of actually the community growing, I think people have found us. So on my personal Twitter I knew a handful of Laker fans so upon starting Lakers UK there was kind of that foundation and then it extended from there really. I think a lot of people just probably search Lakers UK on Twitter and they find us straight away, but I think the main thing is just interacting, just being visible on Twitter is our main outlet. One thing which I found really good was commenting on the official Lakers posts so we were visible in the feed underneath and just interacting with people, trying to come at it from a bit of a new twist.
Matt Evans:
Instead of just being like this games on at this time and I think you scored so many points, just trying to come at it from a bit of like a statistical standpoint, advanced stats trying to provide something a little bit different really. And people have just found us since, they've stumbled across, sent us Tweets, DMs and then it's formed this group chat which has got I think Twitter stops when you have 50 people in a group chat so that's pretty much full. I think we've got like one or two spaces and that's gone over to WhatsApp, it's created this by Patreon Community as well where people can help us out a little bit which I was really surprised that people actually wanted to do that.
Matt Evans:
It's turned into people buying t-shirts and hoodies, it's just gone crazy, but I think social media is key and we've had a lot of big breaks. We did a April Fool's Tweet and Damian Lillard responded to it saying that if you come to The Lakers can you just play and everyone's going to The Lakers narrative. So I think you've got to be a little bit smart as well and have them punchy Tweets that can be a bit funny that can blow up every now and then which I think certainly does help.
Brian Bosche:
Yeah, that's great. It's been fun to see it grow and to go into this season a little bit with AD coming onto the team, with LeBron healthy after I think after his glute injury or something first time he was injured in a long time. What were some of your expectations coming into the season and excitement around the season?
Matt Evans:
There was certainly excitement around AD signing because LeBron just needed that out and out superstar next to him. Personally I've liked AD since he came out of college.
Brian Bosche:
He didn't need it Matt, but he's always tends to get them and bring them.
Matt Evans:
Well, with the disappointment of last season where we thought that they had the right pieces around him, they tried to do it a little different with having multiple playmakers on the team and that's how they described it and it just blew up in their face really. And I've been a believer that you don't really win in the league with youth or with team full of youth.
Brian Bosche:
With Lonzo and Brandon Ingram.
Matt Evans:
I like Lonzo. I would keep an eye out. There could be a possibility that he comes back via trade essentially.
Brian Bosche:
It's just LeBron is never patient with players like Lonzo, he needs a fully developed superstar or get off the team.
Matt Evans:
Yeah, the craziest one has been Brandon Ingram, because obviously a lot of people now are like, "We should have kept him." And things like that, but thinking back I don't think anyone wanted to keep Ingram when that trade went through.
Brian Bosche:
Good movement too
Skylar Smith:
Not at the time.
Matt Evans:
And it's been cool to see players like that grow, it's hurt a little bit seeing them flourish elsewhere even the lesser ones like I was quite big on Thomas Bryan who's with Washington now playing a role. Steve Mikaila, The Pistons I think that one hurt a little bit when he went and obviously Zubac with Thee Clippers was just thrown away for nothing really.
Brian Bosche:
Yeah, that was a crazy one.
Skylar Smith:
Yeah a tough one.
Matt Evans:
For Mike Muscala I don't know. Magic Johnson.
Skylar Smith:
This is your [inaudible 00:41:53], this is a really interesting bunch of Lakers players. You got LeBron and AD obviously, but everyone behind them is just a really interesting ragtag group of characters both on the court and off the court. It feels like literally any night one of them is going to step up and have a huge game, you just never know who it is each night and they all have such interesting, unique personalities. So who have been your favorite players other than Bron and AD? Who have been your favorite to watch on this team and who have been favorite personalities off the court? Because I tend to shit on a lot of their personalities.
Matt Evans:
I think personality wise... You put me on the spot with that one. I think I like the ones that are really like rough and gritty. I really like the Markieff Morris acquisition, I thought that was a really good pickup.
Skylar Smith:
We found one person who likes Morris twin that's great news.
Matt Evans:
He's the better twin though.
Brian Bosche:
He is the better especially if he's just hitting three point daggers over and over again.
Skylar Smith:
Definitely the better twin.
Matt Evans:
Yes so I've enjoyed that. It's nice been having the experienced heads like... At first it didn't really work with Rondo, but having the likes of Rondo, Danny Green just cool heads. On the court I really liked KCP this year, I think he's been doing really good.
Brian Bosche:
He's had a good series.
Matt Evans:
He struggled a lot lately... Well, in the last two games I think, but throughout the playoffs he's been shooting like over 40%. Throughout the season he was at 40% shoot, I don't think anyone saw that coming and then obviously Alex Caruso as well has well has been fantastic.
Brian Bosche:
Are you part of the Alex Caruso fandom and energy around him? Do you buy it?
Matt Evans:
I buy into it, but I try not to be in it if that makes sense because it is kind of a bit cheesy.
Brian Bosche:
So you're not a stan?
Skylar Smith:
I think that's a good way to do it.
Matt Evans:
Yeah.
Brian Bosche:
Cooler heads.
Matt Evans:
His impact is ridiculous. It's-
Brian Bosche:
That's what they say.
Matt Evans:
You do really have to take him seriously.
Brian Bosche:
Yeah, he's almost like a cult favorite, but he's actually been really important in this series and he's turning actually into a contributing role player more so than even like Danny Green who can't make a shot in many games as we talked about on his own podcast the inconsistencies of the role players. I'm glad you didn't say Kuzma because she won't admit it, but I'm 99% sure the duchess started that petition that Kuzma wouldn't get a ring if they won the finals.
Skylar Smith:
I did not.
Matt Evans:
That was actually another thing I did a Tweet about that last night and it went a bit crazy. And then he came back and had that game so he might have seen that petition.
Brian Bosche:
I know, I know. He must have seen it.
Matt Evans:
If you started that, just wait until he does it in game four and The Lakers actually win, that could be down on you.
Brian Bosche:
Don't motivate Kuzma Skylar.
Skylar Smith:
I promise it was not me. I have enough foresight to know that that was just going to motivate him.
Brian Bosche:
Not to jinx yourself?
Matt Evans:
I think someone actually asked him in the interview at the end. I think they said what do you think of the criticism-
Skylar Smith:
He was like Twitter's for jokes.
Matt Evans:
Yeah, something like that.
Skylar Smith:
He did not care.
Matt Evans:
He said something like, "Do does it look like I care? I dyed my hair blonde I definitely don't care."
Skylar Smith:
But I feel like he was actually like that meme where it's a guy smiling and that is like taped onto his face and the face is really... He's crying.
Brian Bosche:
Verbal [inaudible 00:45:24].
Matt Evans:
That's so funny.
Skylar Smith:
Verbal Meme. Caruso was like Twitter's for jokes, but he's actually crying on the inside.
Brian Bosche:
Crying inside.
Matt Evans:
That was funny.
Brian Bosche:
He's sensitive. All right, let's go into this playoff run so far. We talked about this on the zone where they beat my Nuggets which was very sad. Just thank you for the gentleman's sweep though, the gentlemen sweep was respectful I appreciate that. What have you thought of this playoff run so far though? They're the clear favorites going in or not the clear favorites, but both LA teams were favorites going into the playoffs and they have had to go through The Trailblazers, The Rockets, The Nuggets and now they have to go against this red hot Heat team. How have you been impressed? What has excited you? What are some of your thoughts on how they've gone through the playoffs?
Matt Evans:
I think I've just taken every series step by step which has been quite difficult because as much as people don't want to admit it, there have been some incredibly good teams and you kind of just in the back of your head you do wonder if that upset is going to happen especially when you face Damian Lillard, McCollum in round one off the back of the red hot firm hand they had to get into the playoffs. Which was an incredible setup with the playing game and things like that. But then they got them with relative ease after a tough game one and then you go into the Houston series, I really wasn't looking forward to that just because how small they are. Funnily enough, I went over to LA in February and I went to the game where Houston completely demolished The Lakers when they went small on the trade deadline that day, when they got like Covington. So that's kind of-
Brian Bosche:
They got rid of Capela and just [crosstalk 00:47:08] Paul with Covington and PJ.
Matt Evans:
Yeah. So you've kind of got that in the back of your head, like how tricky is that going to be over the course of a seven game series? But there was obviously belief that they should get the job done and the obviously they did going into The Nuggets game, they had that incredible comeback against The Clippers. So again, you've got that in the back of your mind, there's all sorts of these moving parts from series to series where I don't like to kind of speak too early because people have receipts on Twitter, don't they? You go crazy, you go and say all this stuff and then it comes back to blow you in the face, but I thought The Nuggets were incredibly strong.
Brian Bosche:
Thank you.
Matt Evans:
There were a few of them games which were really close but again, got past them. And then we hit this Miami Heat team that again are in a completely different dynamic of... Absolutely plowed through the playoffs, I don't think anyone saw them coming. And they're not necessarily led by a star, they've got such a team dynamic-
Skylar Smith:
Excuse me?
Brian Bosche:
Shots fired!
Matt Evans:
That's what I think.
Brian Bosche:
Woah!
Matt Evans:
I think it's good. Jimmy Butler, obviously last Saturday went and scored a 40 point triple double, but he's not that like 30, 35 point a night guy, but you've got that really well rounded effort. And again, it was a different dynamic of team that we were facing which got me a little bit worried until we went two nil up and then I was like, " Is this sweep going to happen here?" But obviously it didn't and the series is back on it and I'm not gonna lie, I'm a bit worried after last night.
Skylar Smith:
I love to hear that and we're just going to keep this podcast moving. I'm just going to ignore the Jimmy slander for now. Let's go-
Matt Evans:
I meant that in all respects, I didn't mean in it in a bad way. I think to say that he's a bad chemistry guy, that's completely under the carpet now.
Skylar Smith:
It's insane!
Matt Evans:
Yeah.
Skylar Smith:
Let's go across the playoffs a little bit though, I think you touched on something really important about this bubble experience, which is just in the NBA I feel like and like the past 10 years, a lot of the times we've known what's going to happen. We know we're going to see Golden State, we know we're going to see Bron, whoever, but the thing about this bubble is it really has felt like a lot of these series could go either way and it has made this series really, really fun and really competitive. So when you think about this playoff experience in the bubble, outside of The Lakers which are the series that you're still thinking about like, "Man, that was fun?"
Matt Evans:
Well, I think the Nuggets Clippers one. Is one just because-
Brian Bosche:
Yup. Love that.
Skylar Smith:
It was a good one.
Matt Evans:
It's hilarious to be honest.
Brian Bosche:
You're looking for that Clippers showdown for so long and then us, The Nuggets, take them down?
Matt Evans:
Yeah, but there thing is as well is it depends how you look at it. I was a bit worried about a Western Conference Finals against The Clippers because I really thought it was a 50-50 so it depends how you look at it. I mean, we lost that Lakers-Clippers, first ever playoff game, playoff series, but then again, from a Laker standpoint we got but what you saw as being an easier route. And it's quite an interesting way of looking at it, but I think The Bucks were fascinating in the playoffs and when going on to Miami I just think how they completely steamroll through The Bucks and then looked like they were going to do it to The Celtics, who kind of had a little bit of a late fight back.
Matt Evans:
I'm not saying that because we're obviously doing a finals review or mid-series review or whatever it is, but I just think that they have been the fairy tale story of the bubble as a whole really. You're in it to win it so everyone's kind of forgetting about what the regular season was like now and all eyes are on the final. So I think The Heat definitely have... I don't know, you could you guys can speak for me, but I imagine they've probably taken the nation's hearts over there.
Brian Bosche:
Yeah, good recovery after the Jimmy comments. Very smooth veteran move.
Skylar Smith:
very good recovery.
Brian Bosche:
Skylar what's the pulse in the States? I think it's a lot of Lakers. Lakers have one of the biggest fan bases.
Skylar Smith:
I think it's like honestly 90% Lakers. I feel like it's mostly because of Kobe-
Brian Bosche:
Kobe and LeBron.
Skylar Smith:
- Everyone wants to do the Lakers win this year. And yeah, it's Bron too, but it feels like 90% of The States is rooting for the Lakers.
Matt Evans:
Okay.
Brian Bosche:
Yeah [inaudible 00:52:02]
Matt Evans:
Yeah. Just the fan base is so huge, isn't it? I studied in The States, I went to St. John's in New York for a period of time and even just out there, there was people that were born all over the East Coast, completely other side of the country and they were diehard Laker fans. And it was quite crazy to see a lot of them sort of keeping contact with-
Skylar Smith:
They're everywhere.
Matt Evans:
I think in the UK we joke about you've got Man United fans and Arsenal fans-
Brian Bosche:
Yeah, very similar.
Matt Evans:
You're never five foot away from a Man United fan.
Brian Bosche:
Yup, same with Lakers.
Matt Evans:
It's probably the same with The Laker fans in the US.
Brian Bosche:
Same with Lakers.
Skylar Smith:
Yeah.
Brian Bosche:
Yup, absolutely. But let's get into the series a little bit, so it is 2-1, Lakers took the first two. Pretty dominant performances from Anthony Davis and LeBron, I think they both got over 30 both games or something and you just tore apart the zone. And thinking of LeBron and AD at the high and low post going out of Zone is terrifying and they were just dunking all over The Heat, Skylar I'm sorry to say.
Skylar Smith:
It's fine [crosstalk 00:53:04]-
Brian Bosche:
The Heat weren't getting rebounds, Anthony Davis reminded me of a high school player going back to middle school and then just getting every rebound with the put backs against The Heat.
Skylar Smith:
It's like the coaches versus the high schoolers game.
Brian Bosche:
Yes, exactly. Just the men versus the boys which was tough to see and I was like, "Oh, this series sucks! This is going to be a sweep." I felt very similarly to you, Matt where I just want a competitive series. If the Lakers win fine, I don't have any skin in this game, but I wanted some competition. Jimmy brought it in game three so we actually have a series now, Heat take game three. What have been some of your takeaways from this series so far?
Matt Evans:
It's quite difficult asking me that after last night.
Brian Bosche:
I'm glad.
Matt Evans:
But I think a lot of people are forgetting what happened in game two when them games were so dominant. I mean, obviously The Heat did have their little flurries where they fought back as did The Nuggets in the Western Conference Finals really. They made a game of it at some point them 30, 25, 30 point leads were narrowed down to like eight, 10 what ever it was-
Brian Bosche:
Yup, they came back.
Matt Evans:
Yeah, so-
Brian Bosche:
Even game one when there was a blow out they fought back.
Matt Evans:
Yeah, exactly. But I think as a whole, you just get them wins on the board and then I don't know if you guys have seen it, but Devon AK caught the two way play for Lakers. He's been putting the board on Instagram that they're taking off all the wins that they need and then there's like a trophy in the bottom as the path to the trophy. And when you're that close, you just need to get them wins on the board so I thought the first two games were brilliant. I think the first quarter of the first game The Heat just dominated.
Brian Bosche:
Yeah, I got excited there.
Matt Evans:
I don't think they necessarily did in scoreline but just in terms of how the game was going, we were one step behind going big. So I think as soon as AD kind of jumped into that five position, that's when the dominance started for him.
Brian Bosche:
Yup.
Matt Evans:
And then it seems like in game three The Heat made the necessary adjustments to kind of... I thought there were a lot more aggressive in pursuit of AD who and I'll be careful what I say here. There's one saying in my head that probably can't say, but he absolutely dropped to bullet with it. Them turnovers early on-
Brian Bosche:
Yeah. Fouls, a lots of fouls-
Matt Evans:
He just lost his head which was really surprising to see, I really wasn't expecting that. And down the stretch as well he was practically nonexistent, the ball wasn't going to him. LeBron had a few stupid turnovers.
Brian Bosche:
They called traveling on LeBron twice!
Matt Evans:
Twice? Yeah, twice.
Brian Bosche:
Unheard of.
Skylar Smith:
I wonder when the last time that happened was.
Brian Bosche:
Twice in one quarter?
Skylar Smith:
It was probably like 2006.
Matt Evans:
Probably never.
Skylar Smith:
I don't think that's ever happened.
Skylar Smith:
Probably never.
Brian Bosche:
We need a stat man or something on this pod to pull up those random ones. But Skylar what have been your impressions from a Heat supporter? You're a Pistons fan but you've adopted The Heat through the playoffs obviously because of Jimmy Butler. What have you taken away from the series and then from last night Jimmy Butler putting up that 40 point triple double?
Skylar Smith:
Putting the team on his back, what a superstar! I'm kind of really disappointed that injuries are going to make it so that we don't get the full experience with this matchup. I was really looking forward to this matchup and it's so interesting how different these teams are built and they have really different playing styles and really different coaches and it was just going to be really interesting. And so I feel like every game I watch I spend like 90% of the game just disappointed that we're not getting to see the full sides of both teams. I think with Goran and Bam back this would be a bit more competitive. I feel like we're just trying to push the series down far enough just so that we can get Bam back.
Brian Bosche:
Yes.
Skylar Smith:
Like you've said, they just look so tiny and undersized and they just don't match The Lakers and it's just not working the way it is. Jimmy had to have an extraordinary night last night to get that win, he's not had a ton of help from Tyler Herro or Duncan or the guys he would normally go to with Bam and Dragic out. I will be happy to see LeBron and The Lakers win, it's not that serious for me. I love LeBron., I'm not a Lakers hater, but I'm honestly just really disappointed that we're not seeing this series to the extent that I thought we would.
Brian Bosche:
I was really looking forward to the Bam AD matchup to see Dragic and Rondo go at each other as the veterans that are both playing, setting the pace for the game and it is out. That's why I'm really happy that hopefully we get Bam back, there's no word right Matt? Do you have any breaking news for us? Are Bam or Dragic coming back for games four?
Matt Evans:
I haven't got anything, I just think that it's still down as doubtful. But I think that if anything is going to happen I think The Heat would be best keeping that to their chest right up until tip off.
Brian Bosche:
Yes.
Skylar Smith:
Yeah, for sure.
Matt Evans:
A bit similar to going back to was it The Rocket series where they put Markieff in and they announced it half an hour before tip off? That's like the latest possible moment you can do it.
Skylar Smith:
Yeah.
Matt Evans:
I think that The Heat will do something like that, but I do agree with you there Skylar I didn't say that, but I think it has been a bit sad that we haven't got the full experience of this. And I think from just putting on my general basketball fan hat, you want to see the best face the best in the finals and I think with the Heat being the underdogs I can understand people jumping on The Heat train. And for them to get as far as they have and potentially the season... Well, not the season be derailed, but the series will be derailed just because of a couple of injuries, very unlucky injuries would be sad to see.
Matt Evans:
So it just sounds strange, but as a Laker fan I do hope that...I don't think Dragic is coming back I think that it looks like he's probably out, but if Bam can come back... There's a lot of talk about it being an asterixis kind of championship and I think if Bam doesn't come back that's just going to push that narrative even more. So I think you want to beat the best especially when you are at the final hurdle so yeah, hopefully he can come back pretty soon.
Brian Bosche:
Yeah. We talked about this on The Zone podcast Matt where we said all right, if everyone's healthy, which it turned out it's not, but if everyone was healthy it's going to come down to the role players because The Heat role players have been really strong, they were deeper before the injuries. The role players for The Lakers are pretty inconsistent which we have definitely found through this series, especially in game three. So what do you think are some of the factors for The Lakers to actually close this series out and get those two more wins for the championship?
Matt Evans:
I think the role players are pivotal. I think after we did that podcast I was thinking about it a little bit and I was thinking that I think The Lakers are the deeper team in terms of the options that they've got on the bench, but I think in terms of the actual quality of them options, I think The Heat hold the quality. Which again, just adds to that interesting dynamic between the two teams. I think we do need to get the role players firing, KCP and Danny Green are just ice cold at the moment, but last night we saw Kuzma Markieff step up which is very interesting. So I think the main thing off the back of last night I would think is get AD back into it, I think his confidence I wouldn't say shattered that's a bit strong, but he's definitely got toned down a little bit last night.
Matt Evans:
So I think the main thing is get him cooking. LeBron is going to do what he's going to do, he still had a very strong night last night obviously, had a few questionable turnovers in the final quarter throughout the whole game really the whole team did. So I think the main thing would be getting AD back into it, he was playing a Finals MVP level and then just go from there really. I think one thing which I think it's going to be very interesting and we'll wait and see, is are we going to see much of KCP again because-
Brian Bosche:
Stepping up in the series.
Matt Evans:
-Butler practically bullied him down the stretch and that's one thing which I haven't seen. This team has been so dominant, so physical this season, I have not seen that and right at the end of the season I've just seen a Lakers player be completely manhandled down the stretch-
Brian Bosche:
Just mid-range jumper after mid-range after post, after post. He just wanted at KCP.
Matt Evans:
So it makes you think if KCP will actually play his way back into the series, that'll be interesting because they just kept switching and switching and switching on to him a bit like what LeBron's been doing with Robinson when he's got the chance.
Brian Bosche:
Duncan just looked like a deer in the headlights like, Oh shit. I have to guard LeBron.
Matt Evans:
So yeah I would just say one step at a time, get AD firing and then we can go from there because the game last time was still very close.
Brian Bosche:
Yeah, they were in it the whole time.
Matt Evans:
It's easy to say if Butler wasn't as hot as he was Lakers could have potentially nicked it, but then possessions would have probably have gone to someone else who probably would have converted a few-
Brian Bosche:
AD though and I think LeBron said this after the game where he got an early foul trouble and then he was playing... AD's at his best you're right when he's aggressive. When he's in the pain and when he's taking his shots, when he's attacking, his fouls LeBron said that he thought he was a little hesitant and wasn't as aggressive because he didn't want to get into even worse foul trouble and then AD said that after the game as well, that that early foul problem really took them off his game. So I think you're right, but Jimmy had a near perfect game, he probably can't do that for three more times Skylar so what do you think some of the keys are here other than Duncan actually-
Skylar Smith:
I think he's perfect.
Brian Bosche:
You think he's... To me, you were perfect.
Skylar Smith:
I think he can have three more perfect games.
Brian Bosche:
So the key is he has to have three more perfect games, anything else?
Skylar Smith:
Jimmy has to continue being himself which is perfect. You got it again here, Owen, Duncan stepping up-
Brian Bosche:
He doesn't listen to this Skylar.
Matt Evans:
He might do.
Skylar Smith:
I'm holding on hope that one day he will. Jimmy some on the High Tea Hoop, it's fun.
Brian Bosche:
I just have one listen from [crosstalk 01:03:42] from Orlando.
Skylar Smith:
That's really what I'm angling for here.
Brian Bosche:
It's Jimmy. All right Skylar what else sorry?
Skylar Smith:
Seriously, you got to get Herro and Duncan stepping up. Without Bam and Dragic you have to have them... I don't know what's going on with them, they honestly just look so terrified. I swear it's every time they see LeBron, we talked about this on our pod last week Matt when that whole debate was going down about are players too scared of LeBron these days? It's of course they're scared of LeBron. Tyler here is 20 they've been watching LeBron their entire lives and now all of a sudden his first year in the league he's having, I don't know if he's guarding him Duncan definitely is, but he's facing down LeBron and AD like that shit is terrifying.
Brian Bosche:
It is.
Skylar Smith:
But whatever little Spoelstra magic he can work to just instill confidence in them and tell them to just calm down a little bit and just play their games and Duncan's got to make some shots, Tyler's got to make some shots, they have not been going in. They've got to figure it out, those two I think have got to figure out if this Heat team has any chance without Bam and Dragic.
Brian Bosche:
Yeah. I'm so excited it's actually a competitive series now. I'm really happy that Matt is a little bit nervous on this pod instead of up 3-0-
Skylar Smith:
Me too.
Brian Bosche:
I was really dreading if I came into this pod down 3-0 and you had just on your high Lakers horse. [crosstalk 01:05:23]
Matt Evans:
Funnily enough we were planning our mid-series review for Lakers UK and we were thinking, "Well, if they go three up that's not really mid-series, is it?" And then-
Brian Bosche:
Let's just wait for the sweep.
Matt Evans:
If we go and sweep them and things like that.
Brian Bosche:
I hate that so much.
Matt Evans:
With this happening 2-1, I suppose in terms of our podcast it is more than mid-series review now. So I'm not saying that I would have either of them won last night, but with the podcasting-
Brian Bosche:
It's better for content.
Matt Evans:
Yeah exactly. You got to get the content out it.
Brian Bosche:
Yeah, exactly. Well it's going to be a fun series. Matt anything to plug here, listen to your podcast, what else do you got?
Matt Evans:
I think just head over to LA Lakers UK on Twitter and Instagram that's where we commonly are. That's where you'll find the live streams of the podcast. The podcast is called The Late Late Show and we have a website lakersuk.com. Go over to there that's where the podcasts audio lives. We've got interviews with Phil Handy, Mike Pember, Devontae Cacok-
Brian Bosche:
The Phil Handy interview. Awesome.
Matt Evans:
Thanks. Just there's all sorts of stuff. We've got a few partners you can save a bit of money on stuff and there probably is more, but that's pretty much it.
Brian Bosche:
Go follow even if you're just a general NBA fan and even if you hate The Lakers, it's a fun follow. So get in there.
Matt Evans:
I appreciate that.
Brian Bosche:
Thanks so much for coming on, Matt and we will be back next week talking about a winner so Skylar the next time we talk we'll know who wins this. Scary. All right. Thanks Skylar, thanks Matt.
Matt Evans:
We'll be talking Jimmy MVP.
Brian Bosche:
We'll see. All right. Bye.
