After the Broncos get dogged walked by the Ravens, can they turn it around on the undefeated Chefs? Also: Lets go Nuggets! The best win of the season so far against the Thunder. Can they keep it going? All that plus best bets!
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[00:00:00] The Broncos are not back. The Nuggets, they're so back. Dan, play that funky music.
[00:00:18] Welcome in to another episode of The Blucifer Brothers. I'm your host Kyle Poland, joined as always by my brother and partner in crime Ryan Poland.
[00:00:29] Ryan, how are you doing on this snowy Thursday night?
[00:00:36] Uh, yeah, the weather's been terrible. I almost didn't go to the Nuggets game last night because, you know, it was a little chatros out there, but...
[00:00:48] It sure was. It feels like, and I think there's something where they can't put the same ice stuff down as when we were kids
[00:00:55] because it was just slowly deteriorating the planet. Um, but...
[00:01:01] It's a tough break for everybody.
[00:01:03] Yeah, but it does feel like even with a not crazy amount of snow, it can be just icy as shit.
[00:01:12] Yeah.
[00:01:13] Both days driving and I have to go down to the Cherry Creek area for school and it was dicey out on those roads, both times.
[00:01:24] Um, so yeah, I feel you. But good thing you went to the Nuggets game. We're gonna get into the Nuggets.
[00:01:29] Uh, but first we wanted to get to the Broncos here.
[00:01:32] Um, disappointing week last week. Obviously one of my best bets. I thought there was too many points versus the Ravens.
[00:01:38] Um, the Ravens just dog walked them. Um, we laid it out as like a possibility.
[00:01:43] Um, you kind of highlighted like, hey, they have an offense.
[00:01:47] The Ravens are gonna score a bunch. Are we good enough on offense right now to take advantage of the fact that this Ravens defense makes a lot of mistakes?
[00:01:56] Um, and score with them. The answer was no. Right. Um, and there were absolutely makeable plays, right?
[00:02:03] Like you think about that fourth down they went for, you have Trey Franklin, three steps ahead. Like you have to make that throw. Like that's a touchdown. That's a different, you know? Um, not to say that like, we make that play and we win, but like there were plays to be made that were just like execution.
[00:02:23] Of the way we're just not quite good enough. Even despite them not executing on some of those plays, it was like, you know, uh, that they, they were hanging around the game. Uh, the final score is, was not competitive and it didn't feel competitive for most of the third and the fourth quarter.
[00:02:44] But you know, it at points in the first and second quarter, I was like, you know, right before halftime giving up that touchdown. It was brutal.
[00:02:53] Immediately was what you cooked. Yeah. You just, and you know, cause it's like, it's just double. Right. I mean, you heard Romo say it on the broadcast. He's like the last time Bo Nix had the ball, it was 1710 and he's getting it and it's 31 to 10 now.
[00:03:09] Yeah. It was like, yeah, that's pretty brutal, man. Um, so disappointing effort. Um, don't take tons away from it defensively there. Um, one, it felt like maybe we were a little too focused on trying to use the old strategy versus Lamar of like, Hey, just rush for play contained.
[00:03:41] And he's not smart enough or good enough or accurate enough to just pick you apart. And new Lamar is absolutely good. No, you can do all of those things actually really, really, really well.
[00:03:53] Like, and it's actually hell to cover Zay flowers and to have Mark Andrews running around out there and to have Bateman and all those guys. Um,
[00:04:10] Yeah. I mean, we said in the last podcast, like coming off of the Panthers game, we were talking about the anytime touchdown bets and I was running through the odds of those two things.
[00:04:20] And like, we said it that it's just like, it's so many weapons. And then you have Lamar at the helm and it's pretty filthy. I mean, we just watched it again.
[00:04:29] And a lot, like we're recording this Thursday night and we just watched him come back at 14 down and dice up the Bengals defense who was holding him, stifling him in the first half.
[00:04:40] So he just feels like he's sort of on a Jokic type of level right now where he's everything has slowed down to a point where like, it doesn't really matter. I mean, he threw that.
[00:04:50] You might confuse him for a little bit, but eventually he's just going to get figured out.
[00:04:56] Yeah. He threw that ball tonight where he literally tossed it. And then he held up three fingers, Steph Curry style and started running towards the sideline before the guy even caught it in the end zone to go up.
[00:05:08] And I'm like, you are filthy, dude. Like that is, and it was a jump pass on the move. Like Bo Nix would never, but Lamar's out here. Like, this is boring, dude. Like, come on.
[00:05:20] Well, but Lamar, I've never seen him box out a defensive back for a touchdown. So.
[00:05:27] I think I texted you guys in the group chat when it happened that I think Bo Nix might be our second best receiver. And I mean that. I don't think it's, I don't think it could be ruled out.
[00:05:41] It's not good.
[00:05:43] Who's that guy we cut? Why did we do that?
[00:05:46] Well, Tim Patrick. And it's, it's the dumbest thing that's ever been done.
[00:05:53] It's like,
[00:05:54] You can't let that go unnoticed anymore. Like this team might be good. And we just literally released a weapon.
[00:06:02] But now it's, well, it's also just like, it's one thing if a guy is like, Hey, I'm older.
[00:06:11] I'm not going to put anything out in the media, but like, I don't want to be here.
[00:06:16] Like I'm trying to win a title. I would appreciate it.
[00:06:20] Where is he?
[00:06:21] Let me, let me go.
[00:06:22] So you got picked up by the lions.
[00:06:24] Oh, fair enough.
[00:06:27] Yeah. So he's having a great time, but that didn't seem to be the case.
[00:06:31] And Tim Patrick talks about loving it here.
[00:06:33] And the wide receivers talked about what a leader he was in the room and what a great presence.
[00:06:36] And I think you're at the stage in the rebuild now where if you're the Broncos, you know what?
[00:06:41] You got to overpay some Darrell Arthurs.
[00:06:44] You got to overpay some Jameer Nelsons because they're professionals.
[00:06:49] They've been there. They've had success in the league.
[00:06:52] And you're saying, Hey, you know what?
[00:06:54] We are going to give you an extra million to be here.
[00:06:57] Even though we know on the field is not necessarily where we're looking for your contributions to be made.
[00:07:03] We're looking for you to show our young wide receiver room.
[00:07:07] We're looking for you to show Troy Franklin how to be a professional.
[00:07:10] We're looking for you to show this young talent, how to work, how to be successful in this league and set a culture.
[00:07:18] And then those guys carry it forward and you can maybe have some success.
[00:07:22] But yeah, the Tim Patrick thing talent-wise didn't make any sense.
[00:07:26] And then also culture-wise doesn't make any sense to me when everyone talked about work ethic, great leader, building up guys, always willing to talk to young wide receivers.
[00:07:36] It's my favorite part about off-seasons is when we re-signed DeAndre Jordan and everybody loses their mind.
[00:07:43] They're like, he never plays.
[00:07:45] Like, yeah, you guys are idiots.
[00:07:46] It's like, he's not on the team to play.
[00:07:49] Like, that's not really what he's there for.
[00:07:53] But you need those guys on your team.
[00:07:56] So, no, it's frustrating at the lack of weapons that we've given Bo.
[00:08:03] Because I do think he's looked pretty good.
[00:08:05] I mean, I'm stashing him on a fantasy team that I think there might be a playoff week where I really have to consider playing Bo Nix in a fantasy football game.
[00:08:14] Which I don't think we would have thought was possible at the beginning of the year.
[00:08:19] No.
[00:08:21] Obviously, he had the one pick.
[00:08:24] It wasn't necessarily his fault, but it was the classic overexcited rookie where you roll out and you just throw the ball a million miles an hour.
[00:08:32] And you're like, hey, you don't actually have to throw it a million miles an hour.
[00:08:36] He's four yards away.
[00:08:37] And it's unlucky that it, you know, deflects off and just bounces up in the air right to the Ravens.
[00:08:44] But other than that, it feels like Bo Nix has kind of hit this place where he's not making the same.
[00:08:51] Like, there were some bad picks in the early weeks.
[00:08:53] And we're not seeing the, like, really bad picks.
[00:08:56] We're seeing him miss sometimes, though.
[00:08:59] And he gets the ball.
[00:09:00] Where it's like, oh, that was a play.
[00:09:02] Ah, that was a play.
[00:09:03] That was there.
[00:09:03] Like, Romo did a good job of calling it out.
[00:09:07] There was one, like, third and one where he was like, hey, you put this guy in motion to get a little space.
[00:09:14] And you only need a yard.
[00:09:15] Like, this ball just has to come out right away there.
[00:09:17] And you just know that's where you're going.
[00:09:19] And you're picking up the first down and you're moving along.
[00:09:21] He's like, and he just takes a little too long here.
[00:09:23] Let's the Raven guy get out there.
[00:09:25] Now there's no one there, right?
[00:09:26] How awesome was it to have Romo calling one of our games, by the way?
[00:09:31] Yeah.
[00:09:31] He's good on Sunday.
[00:09:33] I was like, man, I really do learn a lot when you're cooking.
[00:09:36] Like, I was like, man, this is really enjoyable.
[00:09:39] I remember why everybody liked you when you first came out.
[00:09:42] Yeah, it feels like Brady getting all that money has re-motivated both him and Greg Olson.
[00:09:49] I feel like Greg Olson's been great this year.
[00:09:51] He's awesome as well.
[00:09:52] And Tom Brady has been awful.
[00:09:54] But that's life.
[00:09:56] Yeah, we're going to have to listen to Brady in the Super Bowl instead of Greg Olson.
[00:10:01] And it's really going to be frustrating that that has to happen.
[00:10:05] Yeah, it's such a life, I suppose.
[00:10:07] All right.
[00:10:08] Let's look ahead, though.
[00:10:10] Huge divisional game in Kansas City.
[00:10:13] We talked about this being just brutal.
[00:10:17] However, glass half full, you can't be catching Kansas City at a better time.
[00:10:23] They are undefeated.
[00:10:25] They escaped against the Bucs, but they had to go to overtime.
[00:10:28] So not only is it a short week where Kansas City, I think they covered one time at a rest disadvantage last year.
[00:10:39] Obviously, this is a team that has played more games than the rest of the NFL the past two years because they won the Super Bowl.
[00:10:47] And so I think less rest hits them even a little bit harder.
[00:10:53] You also have some older guys over there in Kelsey, those guys who maybe don't bounce back as quick as maybe they used to.
[00:11:04] And they used Kelsey a lot.
[00:11:05] They used DeAndre Hopkins a lot.
[00:11:07] It's not like they left Kelsey in the garage for this Bucs game.
[00:11:11] He caught a lot of—I think it was tied a record or broke the record for most catches in the game.
[00:11:18] It was unbelievable.
[00:11:22] But short week, we're getting—while the weather itself during the game should be fine, there's rain the day before.
[00:11:29] There's a college game the day before.
[00:11:31] Maybe a little bit of a crap field, which just feels like it introduces some chaos into it, which is generally better for the worst team, which we definitely are, by the way.
[00:11:43] Okay.
[00:11:48] So the line is 7.5.
[00:11:51] It feels like Vegas knows that this is a dangerous game because it's odd to me that the only undefeated team is all of a sudden at home, and they're getting less points than the Ravens were.
[00:12:05] And they're begging you to tease it.
[00:12:08] Like, it's that—I don't know if anybody's been paying attention, but those things that they're begging you to tease have not typically been working on.
[00:12:18] And you're coming off of just an unbelievable run for favorites.
[00:12:22] Like, the favorites straight up last week—
[00:12:25] Yeah, the last two weeks, I think.
[00:12:27] Unreal.
[00:12:28] Yeah.
[00:12:28] Like, it's a historic clip that they're hitting at right now.
[00:12:32] And so, let me tell you, Vegas is setting this line with all of that data.
[00:12:38] They know they've been getting killed by Joe Schmo here.
[00:12:42] It feels very trappy to me.
[00:12:44] But obviously, really good defense for the Chiefs.
[00:12:48] I was going to say—
[00:12:49] We haven't been—we haven't looked good against a good defense, right?
[00:12:53] No, the thing I would say about maybe the line is that I think the over-under speaks to both defenses being the strongest units of the four, right?
[00:13:09] So, I think putting a line at 10 or 10.5 when you think that there could maybe only be 35 points, like, that's asking a lot of a defense to cover that line, right?
[00:13:23] So, I think the total is definitely correlated with the Chiefs' line here.
[00:13:27] And I think it's just respect for the Broncos' defense, despite them sort of getting destroyed by the Ravens.
[00:13:34] But I think—I could see this being a defensive battle, and I think it's going to be close.
[00:13:46] If—yeah, I mean, 7.5, I'd take the Broncos' line, probably, just to get it over a touchdown.
[00:13:52] But you know how I feel about pregame betting on lines, so.
[00:13:58] Yeah, this—it's weird because the discourse around this Chiefs team is like, oh, they're back.
[00:14:06] Like, wow, they stole Hopkins.
[00:14:08] This is unbelievable.
[00:14:09] And I'm like, yeah, Hopkins played really well, and that's a big place.
[00:14:15] They still need to go to overtime versus a Bucs team that didn't have Godwin or Evans.
[00:14:23] And, like, they haven't really had a dominant victory all season.
[00:14:31] Like, they haven't really looked super impressive.
[00:14:34] Mahomes probably looked the most comfortable he has last week.
[00:14:38] But, like, this is still a guy who has already thrown eight picks.
[00:14:43] Like, this is not, you know, some juggernaut offense in the same way that we could kind of see that train rolling through.
[00:14:53] And I think mud fights are inherently just more volatile as far as it's always going to be close, right?
[00:15:05] Like, if you're just always in the mud, you know, yes, you can keep it close with any team as well.
[00:15:11] But inherently, you're in a mud fight.
[00:15:15] And the Broncos are more equipped to be in that with, as you said, the defense is still the strongest unit on this team for sure.
[00:15:25] Rather than a team that they're like, hey, we're putting up 30 no matter what.
[00:15:29] Like the Lions, for example.
[00:15:31] They, too, would be a very bad matchup, even though they, too, have holes on defense, especially with Hutchinson gone.
[00:15:37] It would just be like, hey, we're going to score 30 no matter what.
[00:15:40] And we'd be like, oh, we're not going to do that no matter what.
[00:15:42] Your defense is really good, but it doesn't matter, unfortunately.
[00:15:47] So we're going to put up points whether you're good or not.
[00:15:50] It doesn't, yeah.
[00:15:51] Yeah.
[00:15:51] I'm not going to take this in my best bet, but I really did think about it.
[00:15:56] And so I'll just give it out here because we're talking about it.
[00:15:59] But to your point about the mud fight and to my point about the game being close and maybe to everybody's point about our later best bets,
[00:16:08] but I think there's a lot of value in a Broncos defensive or special teams touchdown here.
[00:16:15] It's plus 475.
[00:16:18] And this is just screaming for a pick six here.
[00:16:23] I, the defense has been really good or a strip fumble.
[00:16:27] Like some, I could just see that in this game.
[00:16:31] And so I think there's value in it, despite it probably not seeming like it.
[00:16:37] When I say plus 475, I think it's kind of properly priced.
[00:16:42] Yep.
[00:16:42] Yep.
[00:16:43] All right.
[00:16:45] Prediction time here.
[00:16:48] What say you, Ryan?
[00:16:50] You go first.
[00:16:51] Final score.
[00:16:52] All right.
[00:16:53] I will.
[00:16:53] Um, Broncos 20, chief 17, the, the undefeated streak ends here.
[00:17:02] Um, I, I think the chiefs have been playing with a lot of fire here.
[00:17:06] I think this short week gets them.
[00:17:08] Um, I, I think the Broncos win this game.
[00:17:11] Um, that does not mean that I think the Broncos are better than the chiefs, but, uh, all the caveats in the world around it.
[00:17:18] Um, if you told me the Broncos lost this game, I'm not going to fall out of my chair.
[00:17:22] I'll tell you that.
[00:17:23] Like, it would not have been like, if you told me the Panthers beat the Broncos or something, I would have been like, Oh, wow.
[00:17:29] What happened?
[00:17:30] Yeah.
[00:17:31] Okay.
[00:17:32] Uh, but I, I believe that this is going to be a Broncos win.
[00:17:37] I love the optimism.
[00:17:40] Uh, I did really ponder that, uh, sort of being the outcome here, but I am going to go with the chiefs 21, the Broncos 20.
[00:17:50] Uh, this is just Patrick Mahomes.
[00:17:55] Like, uh, yeah.
[00:17:56] If Patrick Mahomes comes down after dicking around all game and gets a touchdown to beat us by one, I'm, I'm going to be throwing things.
[00:18:06] I think this is like two touchdowns, including a defensive touchdown and then a bunch of field goals.
[00:18:12] And Patrick Mahomes scores three touchdowns and wins the game.
[00:18:15] Yeah.
[00:18:17] It's a, it's definitely a, uh, an option.
[00:18:19] Right.
[00:18:20] And I mean, with this, when the chiefs basically wrap up the division, um, they've already wrapped up the division.
[00:18:29] I mean, on some level, but also like the chargers are still somewhat lingering that like a division lost us puts it back in a bad one where you're like, Oh, you lost one.
[00:18:42] You shouldn't have now you still play the chargers again.
[00:18:45] Like, I think we're going to pick one.
[00:18:47] We're going to ruin both of their, like, you know, we're going to toying with them the whole season.
[00:18:54] So playing spoiler got them right where we want them.
[00:18:57] Uh, yeah.
[00:18:59] So, uh, if I'm right, huge win for the Broncos already going over their win total.
[00:19:04] Um, and if you'd have told any Broncos fan, uh, I don't care how optimistic they are.
[00:19:10] If you said, Hey, we split the Ravens and chiefs, no follow-up questions.
[00:19:15] They said, that's great.
[00:19:17] Like sounds great.
[00:19:19] If you said we split the Ravens and chiefs and have a winning record, you'd be like, what happened?
[00:19:24] Like, yeah.
[00:19:25] Oh my God.
[00:19:27] Great.
[00:19:27] Bring it through to us.
[00:19:28] Who did we trade for?
[00:19:30] Yeah.
[00:19:31] Yeah.
[00:19:32] Tom Brady actually sold his stake in the Raiders in his back.
[00:19:35] Uh, but, um, yeah, I, I think there's, um, I, I think there's real reason for optimism this week.
[00:19:47] And I think you can't get too caught up in like catching a beating.
[00:19:52] Like, I think that this Ravens team is equipped to give out beatings.
[00:19:56] Um, and if you can't score, they're going to score on you.
[00:20:01] And that's just what it is.
[00:20:03] They're starting to get really comfortable with their new pieces.
[00:20:07] Um, and so such as life.
[00:20:11] Yeah.
[00:20:12] It's unfortunate, but, uh, thankfully.
[00:20:15] Also, we should say the Ravens did help us out by beating the Bengals, uh, tonight.
[00:20:21] That was nice for us.
[00:20:23] Um, so thank you to the Ravens for following up, beating us by sweeping the Bengals.
[00:20:29] Um, that was great.
[00:20:31] Appreciate you guys.
[00:20:32] Yeah.
[00:20:33] Lamar owns the Bengals.
[00:20:36] It's a real round Robin.
[00:20:38] I think he's a nice.
[00:20:41] Lamar owns the Bengals and the Bengals own the Chiefs.
[00:20:44] Uh, so it's, it is kind of wild.
[00:20:48] Cause I feel like the rest of the NFL is going to be so pissed if we get in as the seven seed
[00:20:52] over the Bengals.
[00:20:53] Everyone's going to be like, the only people who are going to be happy are the people who
[00:20:57] are going to bet against us in the first round.
[00:20:59] But as far as like actual competitive game.
[00:21:02] Oh yes.
[00:21:04] Yeah.
[00:21:04] Yeah.
[00:21:05] We might be the first double digit underdog.
[00:21:07] Who's the two seed be?
[00:21:09] I mean, probably the Ravens or the bills.
[00:21:12] Oh my bills would be maybe not a 10 point favorite against us just cause like maybe there could
[00:21:17] be weird weather and like, they're going to run so much, but the Ravens.
[00:21:25] It'd be tough.
[00:21:26] Let's put it that way.
[00:21:27] It'd be tough.
[00:21:28] Um, all right.
[00:21:30] Can you imagine if Bo Nix beat Lamar Jackson in the first round of the playoffs?
[00:21:34] The amount of shit that would, that off season for Lamar would be tough.
[00:21:41] God.
[00:21:42] It's.
[00:21:45] Oh man.
[00:21:47] These mega Republicans can only get so much joy, Ryan.
[00:21:50] Don't tell them if that happens to them.
[00:21:52] Don't.
[00:21:52] And I don't want to be associated with them.
[00:21:55] So I, I don't think I could handle that.
[00:21:57] Don't.
[00:21:58] Don't.
[00:21:59] Don't.
[00:21:59] I don't want to think about that for the 45 minutes of this podcast.
[00:22:03] Honestly, everybody knows where we stand.
[00:22:06] That's true.
[00:22:08] Um, all right.
[00:22:09] Let's get into the nuggets.
[00:22:11] Uh, everyone knows where we stand as well with the nuggets, uh, nuggets, best win of
[00:22:15] the season.
[00:22:16] Um, one 24, one 22 over OKC.
[00:22:19] You were in the building.
[00:22:20] Uh, I just want to start with this.
[00:22:22] You texted me.
[00:22:23] You said this was the first get home game where it felt like there was real energy in
[00:22:30] the building.
[00:22:30] There was real energy from the team.
[00:22:32] Now, obviously part of that is some of the other home games.
[00:22:35] Um, the Clippers one was like an afternoon start.
[00:22:38] Um, and the thunder one, they just kind of got their ass beat in the second half.
[00:22:43] So tough to get energized out there for that one.
[00:22:46] And then we've played some bad teams.
[00:22:48] Um, obviously like the Raptors don't get the people going usually.
[00:22:52] Yeah.
[00:22:53] Um, but so there were some missed opportunities, but I do, it did feel different.
[00:22:58] And I'm interested to see your live perspective on like when the energy shifted.
[00:23:04] Cause I can tell you when it was for me watching it, but I'm interested to hear like where it
[00:23:10] was from your perspective, like in the arena.
[00:23:12] Yeah.
[00:23:13] Yeah.
[00:23:13] I mean, it was third quarter and it was when Russ, um, I can't remember the exact sequence
[00:23:21] of play, but hit the three, hit the three.
[00:23:26] And then I think they had a turnover or something.
[00:23:28] And then Jokic, I think scored maybe.
[00:23:31] And then they hit the timeout and Russ was in the corner.
[00:23:35] So our seats are like upper level right behind the bench.
[00:23:38] And Russ was in the corner on the opposite side, but like on our side of the court.
[00:23:43] And he was just yelling at people in the corner.
[00:23:47] And you know how ball arena gets like when Christian Brown does that, we get on our feet.
[00:23:52] So Russell Westbrook, it was like, it was a pop at the arena and it lasted through the
[00:23:56] timeout.
[00:23:57] And I was like, Oh wow.
[00:23:59] This is like that.
[00:24:01] They, cause it, it, you know, the thunder are such a new team that sometimes that feels
[00:24:06] like we don't get up for them as much as we probably should because they're so good right
[00:24:11] now.
[00:24:12] But it felt like everybody was like, all right, they beat our ass that first game.
[00:24:17] Like we want this one.
[00:24:19] And that's when I felt it shift.
[00:24:23] There were times before that.
[00:24:25] I mean, Jokic was just having an other worldly night.
[00:24:28] We sat down in our seat.
[00:24:30] I was there pretty early cause I left the house thinking it's going to take me an hour and
[00:24:35] a half to get to the arena.
[00:24:37] And it didn't really.
[00:24:38] So we were there pretty early and I sat down with my buddy and I was like, if we win this
[00:24:45] game tonight, you're going to witness an all time Jokic performance.
[00:24:50] Uh, yeah.
[00:24:51] And it wasn't all the time Jokic performance cause it was just him in his element.
[00:24:58] I mean, hard doubles and him just throwing the most absurd off balance behind the head.
[00:25:05] I mean, he tried one that got picked off that if any other player on the roster did it,
[00:25:12] Malone would have an aneurysm on the sidewalk cause it was literally a fast break of he
[00:25:17] threw it behind his head.
[00:25:19] No look.
[00:25:19] And it was going to hit Porter in the chest.
[00:25:23] Uh, but there was a defender standing there.
[00:25:26] Obviously Jokic didn't see cause he didn't look.
[00:25:28] Uh, so it, it was a very fun game to attend, uh, in the, uh,
[00:25:35] Uh, the flow of it was a little funky in the first half for sure.
[00:25:40] Um, but once Russ was screaming at people in the third quarter, it felt very much like
[00:25:46] we were going to win the game.
[00:25:49] So like I said, I watched it pretty much start to finish, um, uh, on, on the old phone there,
[00:25:58] uh, with the sun.
[00:26:00] Um, and I must say, I agreed with you with the time.
[00:26:09] It felt like down 11.
[00:26:12] It felt like the building and it felt like to a degree, the nuggets were sitting there
[00:26:17] and we're like, all right, we gave them a pretty good fight here.
[00:26:21] Like they're a little too good.
[00:26:23] This is kind of where they pull away.
[00:26:25] And then Russ gave them that pop.
[00:26:29] The thing that I haven't seen talked about is how hard Jokic played after that.
[00:26:39] He was getting mauled.
[00:26:41] And instead of saying, okay, I'm going to let this piss me off and I'm going to do this.
[00:26:48] He just crashed the boards hard as hell.
[00:26:51] And he said, okay, Chet Holmgren, I'm going to fuck you up now.
[00:26:59] Like he was going after every offensive rebound.
[00:27:02] He was playing with such physicality, such force down there.
[00:27:06] We also saw him, um, you know, he's a listener to the show.
[00:27:10] So I'm sure he was taking some of my coaching points out there.
[00:27:13] We saw him do the, like, get it up top.
[00:27:16] And then he just fucking little boy, Chet Holmgren and came across the lane and was like,
[00:27:23] give me this fucking ball in the middle of the lane.
[00:27:26] And was like, double this bitch.
[00:27:27] And just turned it up and put it in.
[00:27:29] And the running hook shot where he was basically falling and he puts it in effortlessly, like
[00:27:37] not on a bank, just like nothing but net.
[00:27:41] That shit didn't get talked about enough.
[00:27:44] That ripped through Chet on the double.
[00:27:48] I, cause that was right after a play where he just got absolutely destroyed.
[00:27:53] And I think found Mike and I think he missed the shot, but he got, he was getting hammered
[00:27:59] all night.
[00:28:00] Uh, if they officiated Nicole Jokic, like Joel Embiid, it would be, I mean, I don't know
[00:28:09] how many awards that there aren't enough awards.
[00:28:12] He'd be leading the league in points and rebounds every year.
[00:28:16] Um, but they, they, uh, that ripped through.
[00:28:25] I, I looked at it, my buddy, it was like, he is so mad right now.
[00:28:30] Like he never does that stuff where he's, he could always do that.
[00:28:35] Right.
[00:28:35] Like it always feels like he, he's making the right basketball decision because three is
[00:28:40] more than two when he's kicking it out during the corner or whatever.
[00:28:43] But like, it always feels like he could just turn around and shoot the ball anyways.
[00:28:48] And it would go in 90%.
[00:28:50] Yeah.
[00:28:51] So he's, I mean, he's on a different level.
[00:28:56] I don't know what his MVP odds are, but it's plus five 50.
[00:29:00] It's time to start betting it.
[00:29:02] Like, I mean, these stat lines are absolutely stupid right now, by the way.
[00:29:07] It's, um, I was doing a little bit of research because last night particularly reminded me of
[00:29:13] that 2021, 2022 season, uh, when Jamal got hurt and then Mike got hurt really early.
[00:29:21] Uh, Mike only played nine games.
[00:29:24] Um, so I, in preparation for the podcast, I did a little bit of research into our lineup
[00:29:32] data from that season and I'm going to give you a little pop quiz.
[00:29:37] Uh, so I, you might be able to guess this, but what do you think is the number one five
[00:29:44] man lineup that we played that year?
[00:29:49] Okay.
[00:29:50] Monty at the point, um, 2021.
[00:29:56] 2021.
[00:29:57] So we had Gordon.
[00:29:59] So Gordon in there.
[00:30:02] Um, now.
[00:30:08] Jokic.
[00:30:09] Yeah, of course.
[00:30:10] Jokic.
[00:30:11] Do we still have Barton?
[00:30:13] I feel like we had Barton.
[00:30:14] Barton in there.
[00:30:16] I had, who the fuck did we play out?
[00:30:19] Uh, Jamichael.
[00:30:20] Yeah.
[00:30:21] Good for you.
[00:30:22] Yeah.
[00:30:22] What a boy.
[00:30:23] That was impressive.
[00:30:24] Um, so the second most, and remember I said that Michael played two games or nine games
[00:30:33] involves Michael Porter.
[00:30:36] Uh, but the real point that I want to get to is that we won almost 50 games.
[00:30:42] We won 48 games with this lineup and Jokic is 10 times better than he was in 2021.
[00:30:50] So I don't really, I think I'm at the point where I don't care what our supporting lineup
[00:30:58] looks like.
[00:30:58] Like, yes, it's going to infuriate me because it should be better, but Jokic can turn shit
[00:31:06] into gold of any sort.
[00:31:09] I mean, we were playing, we were playing Austin Rivers and Will Barton and Monty Morris together.
[00:31:16] Uh, the fifth most played lineup that season, they played 112 minutes together.
[00:31:25] DeMarcus Cousins, Bryn Forms, Jamichael Green, Bones Highland, and Austin Rivers.
[00:31:35] Buckets.
[00:31:37] That is, that was a lineup that we, that we had, that we played a lot of.
[00:31:42] So, sounds like 50 wins to me, baby.
[00:31:45] You know, Jokic is maybe underappreciated even by us who watch him every night.
[00:31:52] So, I just, uh, I like to look back at things like that and be like, he won 48 games?
[00:31:59] How?
[00:32:00] With what?
[00:32:02] Fakou Kompazo?
[00:32:04] No.
[00:32:06] It's, it's unbelievable.
[00:32:07] So, the thing I wanted to talk about next is obviously this was the Westbrook game.
[00:32:13] Um, we talked about his energy.
[00:32:14] We talked about all of that.
[00:32:16] Um, I feel like all that happened was his finishing was a little bit better this game.
[00:32:28] Like, it's not like he got different shots.
[00:32:32] Um, I think we discount that first game because we just played about the stupidest game plan
[00:32:37] that I could have imagined someone coming up with.
[00:32:40] Like, we were like, hey, uh, can you play off ball, Russ?
[00:32:44] He was like, I mean, I can.
[00:32:46] I, I guess.
[00:32:48] Um, and I mean, we've abandoned it so quickly that like, but like since then, I feel like
[00:32:54] Russ has, number one, he's had some other big games, but two, it's like, he still can
[00:33:00] get to the rim when he wants to.
[00:33:02] It's just some of those finishes weren't quite there or he got shots blocked or whatever.
[00:33:08] And it feels like it's just, maybe it's, you know, early season rust, whatever.
[00:33:13] But he felt like he just finished better.
[00:33:16] And that was the major thing.
[00:33:18] Obviously the two of three threes is great, but he only took three, right?
[00:33:24] Like it was just constant pressure on the rim, constant aggression, constant stuff.
[00:33:29] And, um, the nuggets take the most free throws in the league.
[00:33:32] And I don't think Russ is a small part of that.
[00:33:34] Um, because even if it's not on shooting plays, it's him picking up fouls.
[00:33:39] It's him putting pressure on people and all of a sudden you have to pick up a, uh, a foul
[00:33:46] there.
[00:33:47] Um, and that's tough for him.
[00:33:49] Uh, I also think when we talk about the shooting woes where after, you know, every national podcast
[00:33:56] was having a crisis about the shooting, like Porter's now back a 40% three point shooter.
[00:34:03] Christian knocks down a fair amount of wide open threes.
[00:34:07] Like it's, it was never going to be as bad.
[00:34:12] Yeah.
[00:34:13] It was never going to be as bad.
[00:34:14] And that number will come down.
[00:34:16] Like there's no way he shoots 50%.
[00:34:17] I don't, I don't believe it will.
[00:34:20] I will believe it when I see it.
[00:34:23] Yeah.
[00:34:23] I'm done doubting him.
[00:34:25] Uh, but he's going to shoot 90, 50 and 85.
[00:34:31] That's going to be his season long splits.
[00:34:33] Yeah, maybe he, uh, but I mean, it was never quite as bad as it looked in the beginning.
[00:34:42] And you see here, you're talking about lineup data.
[00:34:46] Um, the nuggets starters are still awesome.
[00:34:52] One of the best units in the league.
[00:34:54] Like that's what it is.
[00:34:56] And so I think here it's all about like getting some experience and getting it for the guys
[00:35:05] that matter.
[00:35:06] Strother matters.
[00:35:07] Watson matters.
[00:35:08] Russ matters.
[00:35:09] It is awesome that Hunter Tyson is eating up minutes and seemingly pissing off every single
[00:35:14] player that he goes against in the NBA.
[00:35:17] Uh, he kind of pisses.
[00:35:19] And he is trying as hard as he can and he is eating minutes.
[00:35:23] And that is what we need right now due to injury and all of that.
[00:35:27] Hunter Tyson should not.
[00:35:30] And I do not believe will not see the floor in an NBA playoff game.
[00:35:35] So it is fine for him to eat some minutes, but like the development of Strother, Watson and
[00:35:42] Russ, that's where people need to like understand that.
[00:35:47] Like, yeah, Russ still has a negative plus minus because he still played with the backups
[00:35:53] because like he, we needed someone out there.
[00:35:57] So he eats some Hunter Tyson minutes and it hurts him, but those minutes just won't be
[00:36:04] there in the playoffs.
[00:36:05] And Russ is going to, he's getting really good experience and him and Jokic are developing
[00:36:09] a really good cutting chemistry.
[00:36:12] This is one of the quickest chemistries I've seen.
[00:36:15] And Russ's entry pass has been talked about.
[00:36:18] Russ's built to play with Jokic.
[00:36:19] Like all he wants to do is run downhill at the rim and Jokic will come set that screen
[00:36:25] and Russell go downhill and he's will find, he will make the right basketball decision.
[00:36:31] He was making some circus shit at the rim last night.
[00:36:34] Like it was a little bit vintage and that stuff's not always going to happen.
[00:36:39] But to your point about getting good shots too, like I just looked at the shot chart from
[00:36:43] last night.
[00:36:45] He missed a couple of mid range, like 10, 12 footers that he normally makes.
[00:36:50] I'm like happier shooting that.
[00:36:52] He made a couple threes and then literally everything else is out of the basket.
[00:36:57] There is nothing else.
[00:36:58] And that is how that should look.
[00:37:00] And if it does look that way, we're going to win some of these games where he just gets
[00:37:05] in a rhythm.
[00:37:05] I think that the sneaky part about Russ is that he's good defensively.
[00:37:09] He's not necessarily as athletic as he used to be, but when he turns it on, I think that's
[00:37:15] what feeds that offensive energy.
[00:37:18] Like when he's actually gets a little bit pissed off on defense, that's when that energy starts
[00:37:24] to flip on the offensive end.
[00:37:26] He's going to make stupid mistakes.
[00:37:27] Like he's not perfect defensively, but when he's really trying hard, you can see it and
[00:37:33] you can feel it on the other end to a transition.
[00:37:35] And we've talked about it.
[00:37:37] He's a good on ball defender.
[00:37:38] Like he has always been, even like when Katie came back, when Russ was guarding him, like
[00:37:45] Russ was doing well there.
[00:37:48] He gets big.
[00:37:50] You can't move him.
[00:37:51] He's insanely athletic and he's very quick.
[00:37:55] It makes sense.
[00:37:56] He would be a great on ball defender.
[00:37:58] He takes some risks off ball and sometimes he falls asleep.
[00:38:02] One thing about...
[00:38:03] Malone has done a good job of putting him on a guy with the ball.
[00:38:07] Like we're not, because he's getting to play true point guard, he's getting to guard on
[00:38:12] the ball a lot.
[00:38:13] And Russ on the ball, to your point, is good and brings energy and will get you a turnover,
[00:38:21] get you a deflection, will talk to shit.
[00:38:24] And he will piss somebody off too.
[00:38:27] Yeah.
[00:38:27] The thing I don't understand about Tyson is isn't he supposed to shoot the shit out of
[00:38:33] the ball?
[00:38:33] Yeah.
[00:38:35] Yeah.
[00:38:35] I think he's supremely unathletic is what I've noticed.
[00:38:40] So it doesn't appear that he can rise and fire.
[00:38:43] Like I, I can't remember an open three he's passed up like last night, but it's just like
[00:38:50] he, I mean, obviously let's be clear here.
[00:38:54] Ryan and I are not advocating for us to run the second three unit to get Hunter Tyson threes.
[00:39:00] But if he's standing in the corner...
[00:39:01] I haven't seen him get the open ones, but like he can't just Michael Porter rise and
[00:39:06] fire and be like, oh, you're smart.
[00:39:08] I just, I feel like he's always on the wing and I'm like, why not put the guy in the corner?
[00:39:13] I know he, I just don't understand.
[00:39:16] Yeah.
[00:39:16] But he, I mean, he was fine last night, right?
[00:39:19] Like he was doing exactly what you wanted him to do.
[00:39:21] Now he's playing insanely hard and these are big, some juice.
[00:39:27] These are big minutes for those guys.
[00:39:29] And Strother, like it's kind of not up or shut up time.
[00:39:34] Like these are minutes that you should be taking advantage of because you're going to, if,
[00:39:39] if you don't show it here, we know what's going to happen.
[00:39:42] Malone has shown this over and over and over again.
[00:39:45] He's going to get buried.
[00:39:46] Like you're going to get the Zeke Donji treatment pretty soon if you don't, I mean, not pretty
[00:39:52] soon.
[00:39:52] I don't think Strother's going to get, I don't think Strother's minutes are in danger here
[00:39:56] at all.
[00:39:57] Just because I think.
[00:39:59] Well, we don't really have anything.
[00:40:00] He's shooting too much.
[00:40:02] And we don't really have anything to put out there anyway.
[00:40:05] So, but I'm just kind of like.
[00:40:07] Made sure that we have to play him.
[00:40:09] That leash is going to get pulled a little bit.
[00:40:11] Like he's not.
[00:40:12] Well, you saw it last night.
[00:40:14] Oh my God, dude.
[00:40:15] He shot the ball poorly.
[00:40:17] He went 0 for 6.
[00:40:18] And a couple of those were in transition and early in the shot clock and terrible threes.
[00:40:25] So that's what has to stop.
[00:40:27] Yeah.
[00:40:27] So he, and you saw it because Malone was going to let him close that game.
[00:40:35] Malone was absolutely.
[00:40:36] He was like, Hey, I saw what happened with Russ out there against the Clippers.
[00:40:42] Like they're not going to guard him.
[00:40:44] He's had a great game, but I don't want to put him out there.
[00:40:46] I want, you know, Strother is a threat.
[00:40:49] I don't want OKC to have easy doubles.
[00:40:52] Right.
[00:40:53] Um, and Strother was just like not good shooting and was not good enough that he was like, why
[00:41:01] would I not have Russ out there to guard?
[00:41:03] And you know, Russ for all of Peyton Watson's great block.
[00:41:08] Russ was guarding SGA and was physical with him like on the way down there.
[00:41:13] Like, yes, SGA was by and could get the shot off, but like, I think Russ did a good job
[00:41:22] there.
[00:41:23] And, um, I think at a certain point it's like, Hey dude, Russ is giving you more stuff.
[00:41:31] If Strother's not shooting at this point.
[00:41:34] And that's a good thing, right?
[00:41:35] Like you need Strother to shoot, to add an element on offense.
[00:41:39] Cause right now he's a little too handsy on defense and he can't run that game with Jokic.
[00:41:46] Like he's never going to be able to do that.
[00:41:48] Like Russ can.
[00:41:49] So it doesn't really matter.
[00:41:50] Like his shooting is negated by Russ being able to dribble the ball and pass it to you.
[00:41:56] Nicole Jokic.
[00:41:57] Like that's, it's not a very difficult thing to do, but Julian doesn't do it at a very good
[00:42:03] rate.
[00:42:04] We shouldn't under, we shouldn't undersell though.
[00:42:06] Russ has been, uh, I know Adam Morris, shout out him.
[00:42:09] He's been really mentioning it, but Russ has had some great entry passes.
[00:42:14] I'm like middle back door where it's just like some free points for Jokic, which I think
[00:42:20] are so key.
[00:42:21] Cause it's like anytime he can just score and doesn't have to work for it and like pound
[00:42:26] and do whatever.
[00:42:27] It's just so nice, right?
[00:42:28] Like, Hey, here's four free points.
[00:42:31] Cause I'm going to enter these into you nicely.
[00:42:33] I'm just going to put it on your shoulder.
[00:42:35] I'm going to tell you which way to turn.
[00:42:37] Just turn, take this.
[00:42:38] I can't remember if it was last night or Monday, but he threw one of those and Jokic was so
[00:42:44] surprised.
[00:42:45] He was just like, he turned around and was like, Oh, I guess I'll shoot.
[00:42:50] Uh, thanks Russell.
[00:42:52] That was really nice mountain.
[00:42:54] Yeah.
[00:42:54] He's just like, Oh my God.
[00:42:56] I didn't get triple teamed and have to body two people and then shoot a Sean Borsleffle
[00:43:03] at the end of the shot clock.
[00:43:05] So it's, uh, it's fun to watch.
[00:43:08] Yeah.
[00:43:09] Um, we've, so I feel like we've covered Russ.
[00:43:13] I would like to present a theory to you.
[00:43:18] Nikola Jokic secretly always loves the Nuggets shooting guard.
[00:43:25] Like Gary Harris.
[00:43:28] Then we had Will Barton.
[00:43:30] Then we had KCP.
[00:43:32] And now him and Christian are racing at the beginning of games.
[00:43:36] He's, they're talking about how funny he is.
[00:43:39] You know, Christian says he texts him.
[00:43:42] What the shit?
[00:43:44] I didn't think Jokic had Christian's number last year.
[00:43:48] Like now he's texting him.
[00:43:50] Jokic has something with the shooting guards where he is just, and I mean, obviously they
[00:43:57] get a lot of reps naturally with our dribble handoff in the offense, but man, the chemistry
[00:44:03] there and the ability for, to force Jokic to get that instead of being comfortable with
[00:44:13] Gordon, being comfortable with Murray and just being like, I'll just get them shots.
[00:44:18] Right.
[00:44:19] I think it's going to pay dividends down the road because Christian is a real, real threat.
[00:44:26] And another funny tidbit.
[00:44:28] I don't know if you caught it in the arena, but you could see it on TV.
[00:44:32] DJ was making fun of Christian who clearly got fouled on something that they didn't call.
[00:44:40] But DJ was like, just dunk it.
[00:44:42] Like, he's like, you just dunk on everybody now.
[00:44:45] Just dunk it.
[00:44:45] Dude, he tried to on, I can't remember who it was in the first quarter.
[00:44:53] Oh man.
[00:44:54] It might've been Jalen Williams.
[00:44:56] He tried to catch a body though.
[00:44:58] He got fouled.
[00:44:59] And I looked at the guy, I mean, I was like, this is absurd.
[00:45:05] Like he has to stop at some point because, but what I was going to say to your original
[00:45:10] point is really like Christian is such a confidence player to me.
[00:45:14] And I think Nicola showing that confidence in him is such a good, like, I mean, it, it,
[00:45:23] to your point about dividends, like it might not pay off right now, but Christian has started
[00:45:27] to look better and his shot is completely confidence-based.
[00:45:31] Like you can, I feel like in when he's starting to go up, I know whether there's shots going
[00:45:37] in or not.
[00:45:38] Correct.
[00:45:38] Uh, so I, I'm excited by that prospect and I think it's, uh, it'll just be, he's got
[00:45:50] to stay healthy, right?
[00:45:51] Like he needs reps and he needs a lot of these minutes because, uh, I mean, it's his first
[00:45:58] starting in the NBA.
[00:46:00] Like, obviously he's the first starter that we've replaced in two years.
[00:46:05] So, uh, it'll, it'll take a minute, but, and there will be bumps along the way, but so
[00:46:13] far it's been great.
[00:46:14] He has been awesome, man.
[00:46:17] Um, the Peyton Watson, I think stock up right now.
[00:46:22] We talked about how he was going to be, um, a little bit bumpy, right.
[00:46:27] Um, coming out, um, the shots still not a hundred percent consistent.
[00:46:32] I don't think it needs to be a hundred percent consistent.
[00:46:35] It needs to be a threat to where people aren't just going to leave him in the playoffs.
[00:46:40] Um, but I was really encouraged, especially in the first half we started in the second
[00:46:46] half, we started putting him more on Chet and like hiding Jokic on Caruso who, by the
[00:46:52] way, listen, if you're a Thunder fan, you're like, well, if Caruso doesn't play the shittiest
[00:46:59] game of basketball I've ever fucking seen, we probably win that game and you're not wrong.
[00:47:05] All right.
[00:47:05] Caruso was God awful in that game.
[00:47:09] Uh, I mean, he, he just some uncharacteristic things and he had some good place to like,
[00:47:13] and I think he's going to be fine as the season goes on, but he bricked the shit out of the
[00:47:18] ball.
[00:47:18] Um, so we were able to put Watson on, uh, Chet and say, you're not going to play through
[00:47:24] the post with Chet.
[00:47:25] And, but in the first half I thought Watson, his length bothered SGA a little bit there.
[00:47:31] And he did a really good job, um, of where he's not a crazy physical player, but it, because
[00:47:38] he's so much bigger, the weight is about the same and strength is about the same against
[00:47:41] a guy like SGA.
[00:47:43] Right.
[00:47:44] Um, and so I thought that was an interesting look and something that's cool, um, to think
[00:47:49] about going forward.
[00:47:51] Um, so I thought good game for him, not insane.
[00:47:57] Um, but you talk about another guy that's very vibes and like confidence based.
[00:48:03] It does feel like this is a huge moment and a huge inflection point where like, if you miss
[00:48:09] both those free throws and then we lose that game in overtime, you're just like, I suck.
[00:48:15] I'm the worst.
[00:48:15] I am everything bad about basketball.
[00:48:18] And it gets a sour note right in this homestand.
[00:48:21] Whereas now you're like, Hey, we're two and O.
[00:48:25] Um, and we've, we've kind of done, done our job and the vibes are high, uh, heading into
[00:48:32] this Miami game.
[00:48:33] Um, the last piece I did want to talk about, uh, was Saric.
[00:48:40] Do we just think he's buried at this point?
[00:48:43] Like we're playing DJ over him in previous games.
[00:48:47] Now we're seeing Zeke Najee.
[00:48:49] Um, like it just feels like, and I mean, we said it, he looks bad.
[00:48:55] Right.
[00:48:56] But like, it feels like Malone is just like, this guy sucks.
[00:49:01] Like this guy doesn't have it anymore.
[00:49:03] And it's weird.
[00:49:04] It could be a health thing.
[00:49:06] Uh, but it, I mean, it doesn't look good.
[00:49:11] And so I, I hope it's not that he's buried cause that would be a pretty shitty.
[00:49:21] Yeah.
[00:49:21] Yeah.
[00:49:22] That, that wouldn't be a great, uh, Calvin booth check Mark.
[00:49:25] So, uh, but it's a possibility.
[00:49:31] Yeah.
[00:49:31] It's a, it's something.
[00:49:33] Um, but yeah, vibes are back up here.
[00:49:36] Um, also shout out Porter.
[00:49:39] Um, I did want to mention that for him.
[00:49:42] Um, like I said, I mentioned it briefly, but he's been shooting the ball a lot better.
[00:49:46] Um, I feel like he's also just been willing on that second unit to just like
[00:49:52] try to create, try to play a little bit more one-on-one off the dribble stuff where I'm
[00:49:58] like, yeah, dude, that's a hundred percent what you should do.
[00:50:02] Like if you can hit some threes, that's awesome.
[00:50:07] And we'll probably won't be minus as much on the bench.
[00:50:10] And if you miss them, we were probably going to not score anyway.
[00:50:14] So it's fine.
[00:50:15] Right.
[00:50:16] Um, it'll be a little bit different once Murray gets back.
[00:50:19] Um, because then you have Russ there.
[00:50:22] So then I won't enjoy that as much.
[00:50:24] Uh, but I also, I haven't heard this talked about from that OKC game.
[00:50:28] Like Porter incognito saves the game when Jokic makes a bad pass and Porter taps it somehow
[00:50:37] with just his long arms.
[00:50:39] And then it gets out to Russ and that's the one where Caruso inexplicably fouls the shit
[00:50:48] out of Jokic.
[00:50:48] And then is like, review that.
[00:50:51] Like, I want to see myself hitting him in slow motion.
[00:50:55] Like, it was just wild.
[00:50:57] The official in arena was like, the high five rule does not apply.
[00:51:03] Yeah.
[00:51:03] You know it's bad when they had to fucking clarify it on the day.
[00:51:07] Yeah, they're like, you're in it.
[00:51:09] Yes.
[00:51:10] You assume you challenged this because you were thinking hand is part of ball.
[00:51:15] Um, it's still in his hand when you're smacking the hell out of him.
[00:51:20] Um, so yeah, no, that, it doesn't work, but yeah.
[00:51:23] Um, uh, so Porter that, and that's twice by the way, last year in the playoffs, um, obviously
[00:51:31] he, um, or I'm sorry, that was Gordon that time who came up with a errant Jokic pass and
[00:51:38] Porter hit the three, but, uh, just like a little play.
[00:51:41] I thought Porter also rebounded really well for us.
[00:51:44] Um, in that OKC game, they have a lot of athletes, a lot of physical guys.
[00:51:48] And I think that physicality bothered him.
[00:51:50] And I think he was more ready for it.
[00:51:52] Um, this, this game.
[00:51:54] And I thought he was, um, also really sparked that, that comeback where he made some big,
[00:52:01] big shots, uh, against OKC.
[00:52:04] And he just adds a different dynamic.
[00:52:06] There was one where Caruso, sorry again, uh, to pick on our, our buddy there, but, uh,
[00:52:14] they were doubling Jokic every time, but Caruso just did it off of Porter.
[00:52:19] And Jokic was like, all right, I'll just throw it back out there.
[00:52:22] And we hit it.
[00:52:24] Uh, that was before we pooped our pants and almost gave the lead up.
[00:52:27] But, uh, it does feel good that like, there's something basic that like, hey, a team on a
[00:52:35] Tuesday is going to turn their brain off at some point during the regular season.
[00:52:39] And they're going to just mess up Porter rotations.
[00:52:43] And if you, if he's shooting 40%, that can be a thing that just breaks the team's back
[00:52:50] where you're like, ah, we got it down to four.
[00:52:53] And now all of a sudden Porter hit two and we're back at 10.
[00:52:55] And it feels like we didn't do shit.
[00:52:56] And it's how we won.
[00:52:58] Yeah.
[00:53:00] Yeah.
[00:53:01] Um, all right.
[00:53:02] I think that's everything on nuggets.
[00:53:04] You have anything else you wanted to desperately go over?
[00:53:07] All right.
[00:53:07] Let's get into these picks here.
[00:53:09] I went one and two.
[00:53:10] You went two and one.
[00:53:13] Um, I'm furious at the Seahawks and Rams for just absolutely refusing to play football
[00:53:20] until the second half, um, when it was too late for my over under.
[00:53:23] And also if Seattle just kicks a field goal, then the Rams go and score a touchdown there.
[00:53:30] And, uh, my over still hits, um, the Broncos that would never had a chance.
[00:53:35] I think we can say that was dead on arrival.
[00:53:38] Um, but I'll kick us off this week.
[00:53:41] I'm going back to the Broncos.
[00:53:42] Well, uh, seven and a half is too much.
[00:53:44] Obviously I picked the money line.
[00:53:46] Um, so, uh, I would sprinkle a little bit there, but for the sake of the context plus
[00:53:51] seven and a half, like I said, I think this field is still going to be pretty crappy.
[00:53:55] Um, even though the weather will be okay.
[00:53:58] Um, on game day, there's going to be rain on Saturday.
[00:54:01] A college game is being played there with Kansas.
[00:54:04] Um, yeah, I just think it's going to be a rocky thing.
[00:54:08] I think this is an older team short week.
[00:54:12] I like it.
[00:54:13] Yeah, I like it.
[00:54:15] I, like I said, I think this is the way you have to play this.
[00:54:17] If you're going to, uh, I'm staying away from, uh, the spread, but I am going to bet all
[00:54:25] Broncos games again.
[00:54:28] Get in there.
[00:54:29] What's your first one here, buddy?
[00:54:30] Uh, I'm going to do over 10 and a half.
[00:54:33] Oh, Nick's, uh, longest rushing, uh, or longest rush.
[00:54:39] It's minus one 20.
[00:54:40] Uh, we're just going back to the well listeners of the podcast know that this is just a winner.
[00:54:45] Uh, he basically runs for a first down at some point every game.
[00:54:50] So, uh, yeah, not a lot to add there in terms of context.
[00:54:56] It's just, uh, it's all faithful.
[00:55:00] Yep.
[00:55:01] No.
[00:55:01] And it's the only thing that's going to stop doing this is if teams, and I don't necessarily
[00:55:10] think by the way, it's a bad strategy, but if teams just say, Hey, I understand that for
[00:55:16] most of the NFL, too high safety is the best thing.
[00:55:20] It's not the best for the Broncos.
[00:55:23] I'm going to need Bo Nix to complete a long pass.
[00:55:26] We've seen him miss on some pretty big windows deep and not like the Broncos have the wide
[00:55:34] receiving core of your dreams, um, out there.
[00:55:37] And if they're just like, you know what?
[00:55:39] Like the biggest threat to us is Bo Nix and Javante Williams just gashing us.
[00:55:44] And then them being able to play in second and third and short, we're just bringing safeties
[00:55:49] down.
[00:55:49] Like we're going to say, be just over the top, prove that you can do that, Bo.
[00:55:54] Um, and you know, obviously you vary the looks, but until teams do that, it just feels like
[00:56:01] if you can get like a quick rush up in between the end and the tackle, the linebackers, everyone's
[00:56:09] like in coverage and back off the line, you just get 10 yards.
[00:56:15] So yeah, like you said, I think it's a good one.
[00:56:18] Um, my next one, I am going to the other team that played on Monday night, uh, the Tampa Bay
[00:56:24] Buccaneers.
[00:56:25] Uh, I'm going to be taking their opponent.
[00:56:27] Uh, the San Francisco 49ers are coming off of a buy.
[00:56:31] Uh, the last year when the 49ers came off of a buy, they absolutely dog walked Jacksonville.
[00:56:39] Uh, and J and this Bucs team is incredibly banged up.
[00:56:43] They just lost, uh, two straight heartbreaking games.
[00:56:47] It feels like the wide receivers still out.
[00:56:50] Oh yeah.
[00:56:51] Yeah.
[00:56:52] Yeah.
[00:56:52] Godwin's done.
[00:56:53] Um, Evans is on IR.
[00:56:56] So he still hasn't missed.
[00:56:57] I think he might be done for the season too.
[00:56:59] Um, to be honest, but yeah, I just think that would make sense, I guess.
[00:57:04] Like, I just think Baker's playing well, their defense is playing a little over their head,
[00:57:09] but Christian McCaffrey is going to play.
[00:57:12] Um, you've got all these weapons.
[00:57:14] You've got all this stuff.
[00:57:15] If you have one of the top three coaches in the league, who's had a week to self scout
[00:57:22] as well as look at an opponent.
[00:57:24] I think the 49ers are going to absolutely kick the hell out of, uh, this Bucs team.
[00:57:30] And so I'm just going, I think rest is important.
[00:57:33] People get a good night's rest.
[00:57:35] Uh, you know, take time to recharge.
[00:57:37] And I don't think the chiefs nor the Bucs have had that time to recharge.
[00:57:41] So I'm picking against both of them.
[00:57:43] Uh, this is five and a half.
[00:57:45] It's a minus one 10.
[00:57:46] Um, but yeah, I, I love the 49ers here.
[00:57:49] Yeah.
[00:57:50] Getting that under a touchdown feels great.
[00:57:53] So that seems right.
[00:57:57] Uh, let's see.
[00:58:00] What am I going to do?
[00:58:01] I'm going to, I'm going to stay a little more in that, um, minus one 20 minus one 10
[00:58:10] range and I'm going to go under 20 and a half for the first half of this Broncos chiefs
[00:58:18] game.
[00:58:19] Uh, it's minus one 10.
[00:58:21] I just don't think there are going to be very many points in this game.
[00:58:24] And I definitely don't think there are going to be very many points in the first half.
[00:58:29] So I, uh, yeah, that's what I'm going with.
[00:58:35] Yep.
[00:58:36] I think this is going to be a mud fight.
[00:58:38] Um, I also think the chiefs started very slow, um, against Tampa Bay as well.
[00:58:43] They typically do.
[00:58:44] Like they're, they're the cardiac kids, right?
[00:58:47] Like they're going to come back and beat you.
[00:58:50] And there's just a methodical team too.
[00:58:52] Like they'll, they'll use the clock.
[00:58:55] They'll, you know, they're not, um, not putting up crazy things.
[00:59:00] And, uh, if you're a good defense, we're probably not putting up a lot of points either.
[00:59:04] So, um, which they, I, yeah.
[00:59:09] Um, I also wanted to quickly for the listeners.
[00:59:12] Um, it was five and a half when I looked, uh, this morning, it's now up to six and a half.
[00:59:16] Um, that's not going to stop me.
[00:59:18] I'm still absolutely going to take it.
[00:59:20] It's under that touchdown.
[00:59:21] Like Ryan mentioned, I think that's a key number, uh, but it does give me minus one
[00:59:24] Oh five.
[00:59:25] Um, the Broncos also minus one Oh five at seven and a half.
[00:59:29] I love that.
[00:59:31] Um, for my, uh, final bet.
[00:59:36] Um, I am conflicted.
[00:59:42] I just want to, I want to go through my two options here, Ryan.
[00:59:47] Okay.
[00:59:49] Um, talk it through with you.
[00:59:51] You know, I feel like haven't used you as a resource enough, you know, potentially.
[00:59:57] We're, we're in competition, but the competition is not much of a competition.
[01:00:01] I feel like you can afford to give some honest feedback here.
[01:00:05] And, uh, you know, if I have a three and a week, then maybe you'll be like, Hey, you
[01:00:09] know what?
[01:00:09] Uh, I would like half of the money going forward.
[01:00:13] Yeah.
[01:00:14] We haven't really made any stakes here.
[01:00:17] So yeah, that, that is true as well.
[01:00:20] Um, all right.
[01:00:21] So we have the Steelers off a buy plus money or a plus versus the commanders.
[01:00:27] We can just take their, uh, money line and be plus one 26.
[01:00:31] No, the downside is we're taking Russell Wilson.
[01:00:34] The upside is we have Jaden Daniels still probably banged up.
[01:00:37] The Steelers defense is fully rested.
[01:00:40] Um, and Mike Tomlin as an underdog, uh, it feels right.
[01:00:46] Uh, no, it's at the commanders.
[01:00:48] Um, or we can go with our new coach theory and we take the saints plus three and a half
[01:00:57] figuring they hated Dennis Allen.
[01:01:00] Dennis Allen is a moron, um, against the Falcons.
[01:01:03] The problem is you still, you're betting on Derek Carr.
[01:01:08] So, but again, Russell Wilson and Derek Carr give me a lot of pause.
[01:01:13] But again, Kirk Cousins.
[01:01:16] Yeah, but Kirk's kind of been slinging that thing.
[01:01:19] Yeah.
[01:01:20] This, that, that game's probably going to be a shootout.
[01:01:23] So I don't know.
[01:01:25] I mean, you, you are making a compelling case with the plus money again with Pittsburgh.
[01:01:32] And the reason I was initially skeptical is honestly just because I love Jaden Daniels so much.
[01:01:37] So I, I hate rooting against him, but it's probably the right bet.
[01:01:43] I just don't necessarily want to cheer against Jaden Daniels, but I'll do it for you.
[01:01:47] You know, I want, I want you to, I want the podcast to win money at the end of the day.
[01:01:52] Yeah.
[01:01:53] It feels good to me.
[01:01:54] All right.
[01:01:54] We're going, we're, we're going, uh, Steelers plus one 26 here, uh, on the road.
[01:01:59] We're just going to take straight money line.
[01:02:01] Um, like I said, I just think their defense is really good.
[01:02:05] I think this commander's defense is really bad.
[01:02:08] I understand they got a lot of more this week.
[01:02:10] Um, but I still think they're pretty, pretty bad.
[01:02:14] And, uh, so yeah, I, I think that coming off a buy is pretty big advantage and this team,
[01:02:21] like they needed a Hail Mary to beat the bears and then they played a, uh, a weirdly competitive
[01:02:28] game last week.
[01:02:29] Uh, we're both in the running for the good, bad team.
[01:02:33] The Broncos and the commanders are both.
[01:02:36] Yeah.
[01:02:37] Yeah.
[01:02:38] Yeah.
[01:02:38] Yeah.
[01:02:38] Yeah.
[01:02:38] The commanders and Broncos are closer than people think.
[01:02:41] Like, I think the commanders would beat us if we played, but it would be a closer game
[01:02:47] than people want to give it credit for, um, because we recently got the SHIT knocked out
[01:02:53] of us and they haven't played the Eagles yet.
[01:02:57] Basically is all that is, um, where are you going for your last one?
[01:03:01] Uh, to, um,
[01:03:03] Well, as you, as you alluded to, uh, the competition is, it's not necessarily a competition right
[01:03:10] now.
[01:03:11] So I'm, I'm reaching into my bag a little bit on this one, uh, to try to make the people
[01:03:16] some money.
[01:03:17] Uh, and it's going to be a halftime full-time bet.
[01:03:23] Uh, and I'm going to take the Denver Broncos to be leading at half and the Kansas city chiefs
[01:03:29] to be leading in at full-time plus 600.
[01:03:33] Yeah.
[01:03:34] Feels good.
[01:03:36] Yeah.
[01:03:36] Feels pretty good.
[01:03:38] Ryan.
[01:03:39] Yeah.
[01:03:39] I think there's a ton of value with that, unfortunately, but wild amount of value.
[01:03:46] Yeah.
[01:03:46] No, it's a, yeah.
[01:03:49] They just come out slow sleepwalk the first half.
[01:03:53] And it's literally like 10, seven.
[01:03:56] Yeah.
[01:03:57] And you're like, well, it feels like we've been destroying them, but somehow we're only
[01:04:03] up by three points.
[01:04:04] Yeah.
[01:04:05] Yeah.
[01:04:05] Yeah.
[01:04:05] Yeah.
[01:04:06] Yeah.
[01:04:06] It, it has the potential to feel like that bills game, which the Broncos did end up winning
[01:04:10] during that weird wind streak, but it honestly felt like the bills were trying to lose.
[01:04:16] Yeah.
[01:04:17] Like it would be like they drive and then Josh Allen would be like, here's the ball.
[01:04:20] Oh, we don't want it.
[01:04:21] Like I'm just going to drop this snap.
[01:04:25] Yeah.
[01:04:26] Oh, okay.
[01:04:27] Um, so yeah, I don't hate that as a plus 600.
[01:04:31] Um, if that hits, this competition is going to go from bad to worse.
[01:04:36] Uh, I can somehow go three and O and fall further behind.
[01:04:42] If, if that is successful.
[01:04:44] And I definitely agree with you that the, uh, it's a skewed thing there.
[01:04:48] Um, with we talked about it, the rest with how the chiefs have been playing their prime
[01:04:56] candidate for a trap game here.
[01:04:59] Um, all right.
[01:05:00] Well, thank you listeners of the podcast.
[01:05:04] Uh, we will be back next week.
[01:05:08] Hopefully we will, uh, have two big, uh, nuggets wins.
[01:05:15] If the nuggets beat the heat and then the Mavericks, and we're just sitting here at seven
[01:05:18] and three having pissed away games against the Clippers and the, uh, Timberwolves without
[01:05:24] AG and, uh, Murray for long stretches.
[01:05:31] I, I might not podcast in my pants.
[01:05:34] Um, it just saved time.
[01:05:36] I'm going to, uh, I'm going to, uh, and if we beat the chiefs, Ryan, I'm, I'm going to
[01:05:44] live on the podcast place a bet on Jokic to win the MVP.
[01:05:53] God, he is so good.
[01:05:55] It's so, so good.
[01:05:57] Yeah.
[01:05:58] Plus five 50.
[01:05:59] It's an honor.
[01:06:00] It's an honor and a privilege.
[01:06:02] Nikola to watch.
[01:06:03] And we at the blues for brothers salute you.
[01:06:06] Um, and we will talk to our loyal listeners next week.
[01:06:12] Uh, go Nikola and go dolphins.
[01:06:17] Bye.
[01:06:19] Blues for brothers is a crab shell media podcast.
[01:06:22] Yeah.
[01:06:22] I'll see you on the podcast.
[01:06:23] Giorgio Chu,