Transcript of Will LeBron Make History And Blow a 3-0 Series Lead?! | Hour 2 New

This is the Dan Levator Show with the Stugatz Podcast.

There are a number of things that I want to get to, and I don't know if I'm going to have time to get to them all before I head out to California to do some South Beach sessions, uh, for the next week, because the Elon Musk-Sam Altman trial is coming up here, and it's kind of amazing, and it's amazing for a number of different reasons, none more interesting than Stugatz getting it right on Musk before anyone else got it right on Musk. Like, I just saw an article in The Ringer where basically all they're writing about Elon Musk is things that Stugatz said, but before anybody was saying them about this guy never finishes anything. And he appears to be the likable, trustable character who's trying to save the universe in the Sam Altman—

Whose side are you on, Dan? Musk or Sam Altman? You got to choose.

No, I don't. I cannot. I will not.

You have to.

Awful, just awful, the situation that we're in. I don't have to choose a side, uh, but what I do have to do is I have to get to Roy's video of the day. Roy, what is this about today? Because I don't feel like we are adhering with great consistency and stamina to Roy's video of the day. You have a daily video. What's this one about?

Well, Dan, we have a video that you very much might like, or you might not like.

I don't know, I didn't watch it.

All right, so Roy's video of the day is something that I want to do every day and just put it on the screen somewhere.

And we're leaning on a I like this.

Yeah, it's the future. Well, I'm scared for our future in a number of different ways, but I, I, my judgment hasn't been as—

you doing yoga?

As good as it could be recently. And I feel like I may have erred in earlier in the show doing so much on LIV, which is interesting to me, and not enough on what happened in basketball last night because I don't know about you guys because maybe you do need all the games to be close to be interesting, but I I enjoy watching Scottie Barnes guard Donovan Mitchell and just that because I'm fairly amazed by what I'm watching in terms of athleticism. But Shaq isn't because Shaq's analysis before the game— and I'd be curious how you guys feel about this— on a night where two guys went for 45, Shaq's analysis before the game of, uh, Raptors-Cleveland, largely a defensive series because you got a bunch of 6'7" dudes out there who can do a lot of different things. Shaq says Donovan Mitchell needs to go for 45 tonight. And I'm like, is that a thing that we're now just doing to expect? We're just expecting that Cade Cunningham is going to have the best game a Piston has ever had. And Isaiah Thomas played for the Pistons. Like, are we now— is that what we're doing with some of the analysis where you're going into a game and you're requesting 45 from somebody?

Unfortunately, and this has picked up steam really over the last, you know, couple of years. That show doesn't do analysis. Like, that's not analysis. They don't— they're not analysts. They're not. And that's why you get Shaq saying things like, "He's gotta step up. Need more out of him. He's gotta score 45." Like, it's— it's not analysis. It's really simple stuff. I love that show, but if you're going there for that, you're in the wrong place.

It's an unk barbershop show. Yeah, that's essentially what it is. It's like we're sitting at the barbershop with a bunch of unks and they'll be like, "He's gotta step up tonight. 45 is the number." And it's like, well, he had 19 on 17 shots.

Uh, the reason though that I bring it up, okay, is because, uh, I love that show and that show is the standard bearer. But you have a fight happening beneath that show, okay, because everything's beneath that show, where Stephen Jackson is yelling angrily about Mad Dog's analysis because Mad Dog is looking at Donovan Mitchell and James Harden and doing some version of calling them either overrated or trash. And so Stephen Stephen Jackson, as a former player, is looking at what the icons in media are doing on the general talking points, and he's saying, really, you're going to call Donovan Mitchell and James Harden trash? You're going to call them overrated when those— and Stephen Jackson's point is, Mad Dog, what have you ever done in your life that would be as substantive as what those athletes are doing? And so when you say, you say that's not analysis, But what is getting rewarded in sports commentary, I would say, is not analysis. That's— you don't rise to stardom now, do you? Like, you can be analysts that are trusted for their information, but to get to the top of whatever the game has become now, where Stephen Jackson and Mad Dog and Stephen A are playing in and where Shaq and Barkley are playing it, the job is now you have to be entertaining.

You don't have to be smart about anything.

Right. But also Stephen Jackson's argument there, which is not an original one, which is why it's so tired when you hear the "you never played." So like, if we're doing that game, like Stephen Jackson, I get like he can never talk about anything other than basketball, right? Because he didn't do any of these things. You stick to basketball then, right? That's the thing that you do.

But the part I do think is fair though, is looking at Donovan Mitchell and James Harden, who would be, I don't know, top 20 in the world that's competing over something. Like to call those people trash and overrated overrated. Like, that is not sophisticated commentary. That is— and it's not fair. It's not in any way reasonable. Like, if, if the standard is you can only be number one and then the 10th best at something is trash—

well, trash is obviously strong and probably, uh, disrespectful.

I don't even know if trash was used. I know Stephen Jackson— Stephen Jackson was saying that trash was used. I don't know if it was.

But overrated, like You can call a player overrated. Like, you're allowed to think that, alright, most people think this guy's really great, I think he's overrated. That's okay, you could say that.

And also it's wrestling, right? Like, that's what Dogg does. He gets up there, he does his whole spiel on Bob Cousy and whatever, and it's like, that's what it is. So when you walk into the tent not understanding who Dogg is, and you see him say this guy's overrated, why didn't he dribble like Bob Cousy in 1957, like, yeah, you don't get it. It's like listening to the show. If you don't listen to the show, you don't understand what we're doing.

And I mean, someone like Dogg who has been— who essentially invented the medium of sports radio, okay, and has been doing sports radio for 40 years now. You know what I think? His credentials are pretty high. I think they're pretty good.

Yeah, but you're, you're doing— and I get why you're doing it— you're protecting our space. And Stephen Jackson is saying it's time to replace the people who are in the places for this space on the way that we've all been doing.

They did. They did. An athlete can fire up a podcast anytime that they want.

They like—

there's obviously enough space for everybody. I think it's foolish for anybody on either side, either athletes or pundits, to be like, they shouldn't be doing it. If you're good enough, the audience will find you. And by the way, Stephen Jackson is part of the properties that have proven on merit they're good enough. But a lot of these people, you make a big PR release and a tweet goes out announcing a new podcast. They never go out when they announce that they're stopping. So many of these things just go away. Duncan Robinson had a what seemed to be a popular one, just went away. Like, they, they go away because they realize, like, for you to be good at this, the way that Steven Jackson got good at this is you have to treat it like a job. You can't just fire it up whenever you want. You have to look at cadence, you have to look at audio metrics, you have to look at Things that you have to put work in.

They have subbed athletes for media members in analyst spaces, and Carmelo Anthony gave praise to Nico Harrison for Cooper Flagg getting the Rookie of the Year.

Right. Carmelo is a Hall of Famer. That, that opinion that it was part of Nico Harrison's plan to, with 1%, land the number 1 overall pick—

he should have had it.

I mean, by Steven Jackson's standard, then Carmelo probably shouldn't be talking about these kind of things. Because that's a ridiculous thing to say.

All right, let's go ahead and hear him say it then. We had something special in Cooper Flagg, and we're starting to see that. Shout out to Nico Harrison, man.

It's for seeing this right here, for understanding this vision. Whatever happened, how it happened, Dallas got something back, you know, in that they got the number 1 pick.

They got a rookie who led the squad in points, rebounds, assists.

I mean, we need more of that.

They didn't get anything back.

I mean, I don't know.

That was his vision. We get a lot of stuff wrong though, guys. Trade away Dončić, but I got a vision. We're gonna land the number 1 overall pick.

What Jeremy is saying is right though. I mean, we can go back through the library of 20 years and I'll find— hell, I'll find the thing that says that draft Carmelo. I probably said it. Draft Carmelo instead of LeBron.

Oh, you for sure said it. All right, you wanted Chris Kamen, fans.

Let's look at that draft. Did anybody say take Darko over Melo?

Oh my God. Good draft.

Let me analyze.

Tired the whole you never played, you know.

Well, it can be tired like that. And I understand why we would be defensive about it. I just find interesting that people are staking their claims to the corners and putting their fists up. And Stephen Jackson is purposely going after Stephen A. and Matt Barnes. They are having legitimate beef here. That is interesting to watch. But also I started with Shaq and the analysis that I just gave you for that show, that's terrible. Like, to, to expect Donovan Mitchell— if you've been watching that series and just what Toronto can be defensively— to, to expect Donovan Mitchell to go out and just demand 45 of him, I just didn't think we were there. Even on a night where I'm watching in Orlando and Detroit, two players put up 45.

The, the nature of these, uh, rights agreements are that unfortunately— well, sometimes on certain nights you have competing platforms having a playoff game in the same window, but they alternate. And it's— I like having the variety. I know that when I go to Inside the NBA now on ESPN, I'm going to get something more personality-driven, more humorous, and their photoshops. And I, I like it for what it is. And then two nights later, I get the opportunity to watch, you know, Steve Nash and Dirk Nowitzki on an iPad running, running through motions and and this player triggers this action. I, I enjoy that. I like having the variety.

Uh, I will say, as I do with many things around pop culture change, what ends up happening with whatever your discomforts around the change, uh, the top 10% of it will be better than it's ever been, the bottom 10% will be worse than it's ever been, and 80% will be just mediocre stuff. Uh, that show though has been the standard bearer for 3 decades, no matter what the changes are and what the changes are. The reason I bring up the all of it is because you have heard me say over the years that I believe that LeBron James is underappreciated because of the specifics of the time he's coming up in and the argument television of the time where he's giving an ESPN magazine interview and he's saying, why does it always be shit? Why does it always have to be everyone shitting on me? Because we can't just appreciate that LeBron and Michael Jordan had different games, that when we're talking about them in the modern age, we underappreciate LeBron James because the comparison point is whatever the difference is, ah, you're not the best ever, you're second best, and now we're going to shit on you the entire time.

Even though what we're watching has LeBron last night losing his first home elimination closeout playoff game in 18 years.

That's crazy.

And no, but the whole thing on his resume is totally crazy, like everything on it, including that he's now expected to win that series and has a historic choke on his doorstep. And Ja'Mari Smith Jr. is saying without Kevin Durant, he's saying we're better, we're the better team. And here's how LeBron's reacting to him saying that.

What's the best way to respond to a group that obviously has some confidence growing over there?

I don't care about shit like that, bro. The game is won between the four lines. I don't give a damn who cares where you I mean, of course you say it. Why would you say, no, we're not the better team? Like, but I don't ask one of them young guys that question.

I'm too old for that shit.

We're at the I'm too old for that shit stage of LeBron's career. That's the nose hair. That's the ear hair. That's the I'm too old for this shit stage. That's old as shit.

Too old for that shit. Hey, it's Mike Ryan, and I want to talk to you about the random midweek hang that you have with your friends. Maybe it's an NBA game. You get a text, hey, come over. You want to watch the game? And Maybe you're like, "Ah, I don't know, I kinda just wanted to stay home." And then you think about it after your buddy hits you up and you know just the thing that'll make that regular hang, that regular midweek hang around the basketball game into a special time, into a Miller Time. That's right, this happened to me just last week. I grabbed a 6-pack of Miller Lite, said I was on my way, and next thing you know, we're arguing about rotations like we're on the coaching staff, yelling about a missed call, And the game's coming down to the final possession. It was one of those nights that you look around, you take a sip, and you think, yeah, this was the right call, and my friendship's stronger for it. Cheers to legendary moments with Miller Lite. Great taste, 96 calories. Go to MillerLite.com/Dan to find delivery options near you, or you can pick up some Miller Lite pretty much anywhere they sell beer.

It's Miller time. Celebrate responsibly. Miller Brewing Company, Milwaukee, Wisconsin. 96 calories. And 3.2 carbs per 12 ounces.

Going for 2 when you're up by 5. Switching the zone when man isn't working. Oh, and building your new stadium in the state your team actually plays in. In sports, some things just make sense. You know what else makes sense? Drinking Jägermeister shots. Ice cold. Drinking it any other way would be like punting on first down or letting your worst hitter bat first. Or like going for 2 when you're down 3 with a second to go. It wouldn't make any sense. So don't let the team down when it comes to Jägermeister. Drink it cold or don't drink it at all! Jägermeister.

Damn, that's cold.

Drink responsibly. Jägermeister Liqueur, 35% alcohol by volume, imported by Mast Jägermeister US, White Plains, New York.

Dan Lebatard.

For weeks, months even, during the regular season, I wondered aloud what Kevin Stenlund did. And then about 3 weeks ago, it hit me. Stugats! He gives him one of these and he gives him one of those.

This is the Dan Levatar Show with the Stugats!

What are the most famous "I'm too old for that shit" in movie history? Because I only think, and it's only Danny Glover, Lethal Weapon.

It's a good one, but it's the only one I think of.

Riggs, too old for this shit. Did he do that? Too old for this shit. Oh, he did it. He did it multiple times.

He did it in all 4 movies, Dan. Yeah, yeah, he didn't stop being too old for the shit 3 movies in. He only got older for the shit. I believe the first time he was too old for the shit, he was 36.

How old is he now? He's got to be 80 now, right? He's got to be 80.

Are they still working on another one? I think they're— Mel Gibson might be directing this one.

I mean, he was—

love that guy.

He was old in The Color Purple.

79. He turns 80 July 22nd.

He was like 60 in The Color Purple.

So he's had his pension from the force for 40 years at least.

Good pension back then.

So he's done it in every— he's done it in every Lethal Weapon movie the same way that Roger Clemens has won a Cy Young in every city that he's played in.

I'll bet he's 100.

Oh, they just told you he's 79.

Oh, I just said he was 79 turning 80 July 22nd. You're not listening.

I like the too old—

I'm too old for this in Elf.

I'm getting too old for this job.

That's my favorite. It's a good one.

Yeah, anytime it's invoked now, it's basically a tribute to Danny Glover.

Myrtle, uh, look up as many as you would like, Chris, and just play them randomly because I, I can't remember off the top of my head any other than Glover's I'm too old for this shit. The many, uh, replicas of it that he did in all the Lethal with Paul Rudd in Anchorman. I'm getting too old for this shit. So LeBron James is in this portion of his career. I'm told we also have the wax candles out there. I am now being informed. How do you want to do this? Chris is rubbing his hands together.

Someone's got to do it. I vote Zazz.

What?

You can't hear anything. I just said he was 79. You said he was 100.

I do.

You're not listening.

You're already not listening. You do. All right, Zazz has been nominated. Is there—

so not Jeremy.

Jeremy, he, he Just—

he should make Jeremy watch Zazz do it like a cuck. No, no, no, he's the cuck.

No, Jeremy just volunteered his tribute. You could do it.

This isn't The Hunger Games, it happened in Star Wars.

I'm getting too old for this sort of thing. All right, fine, I'll do it.

I think that you should do it because you do listen poorly. You have, uh, you've, you've had some issues lately where you're just not listening to the show.

Getting old, man.

Getting too old for this shit. And, uh, okay, so let's, let's get that in here. But this is a process, right? So this, this is something right there.

Can I lie down on the couch?

You gotta be, you gotta be like parallel.

Okay, yeah, go ahead. All right, no, that's fine. Go ahead and put him on the couch there. That's a good idea. But also give him a microphone because I want to be able to get takes from him while he's over there. Uh, but we should have others do it as well though, because we should have— I think we're going to be mortified by the things that are found in some ears. It has to be, it has to be more than one person here willing to to shame themselves. So who else is willing to do this? Yeah, Roy.

Jesus Christ.

I already said I was willing. All right, not Jeremy. No, you sit in the chair and watch him.

You say.

All right, so Roy is— so we're going out there to do all of it though. Okay, good. Uh, I should do it as well. Uh, I'm gonna— I'll do it from here.

Internet lives forever, Dan.

Uh, something that I— uh, yeah, this is— this promises to be dangerous and disgusting.

And your neck's gonna have to be like really turned though. You're gonna have to be like almost sideways.

Yeah, I think I, I'll do it like that.

That's how he listens to me speak.

Uh, if you guys want to give me some topics topics to talk about that can go viral while doing that. I'd like no context for a burning candle in my ear while I give some controversial take. If you guys can just get together on whatever it is that you think might be something that we can play with here. Uh, something I did want to talk about though, I don't know whether this is getting a lot of coverage, but this one, uh, when you talk about how someone takes over a league, not just with their play but also their personality, uh, Wemby cried on the bench after defeating the Blazers. Okay. And he was asked about that and fans who have criticized or mocked his tears by a French outlet. Now I see Tony back there is shaking his head because he's been the first to the trough on Wemby. I'm tired of it.

Get out.

Get out of here, Wemby. You're too sweet.

Oh, you won.

You're crying on the bench.

Okay.

You're too sweet.

Once again, you're not better than me.

Well, he's French, so he is.

That's what I mean. He thinks that's the vibe.

Oh, no, but he's just French.

That's just better than me because he's 7'5" and can dunk.

Play like that.

That's why. Also, yes, but that— and he's got cleaner ears. And my guess is if I asked for his opinions, he would give them in a way that was more coherent than yours on occasion.

Possibly. And he just is better than me.

Yeah, well, he is. Put it on the poll at @LevittardShow. Is Wemby indeed better than you? Because I think most people would say yes.

But I want to be mad at him, but it's like, ah, he is. No, you can still be mad.

He can't be there yet. He's got to beat OKC. That's right. And then all this stuff can get old. And it will, but it's still charming.

Well, but how about this, though? How about this question? So he's asked by a French outlet about fans who have criticized or mocked him for his tears. And his response is, quote, that's a tough question. I think it's first and foremost a fear of judgment, like this feeling that you have to act a certain way. Social codes, I guess. Personally, I refuse to carry the burden of having to hide My emotion eyes were rolling that entire thing.

Yeah.

Okay. This is amazing. Yeah. Okay.

You like your ally, Wemby? Wow. You guys suck.

I'm with Jeremy on this.

You do kind of suck. Like, forget, like, the introspection and even Wemby for a second. The number one issue facing that league is that they don't care enough. They don't care enough to play. They don't care enough to win. They have to make some rules for tanking. They don't play enough to win awards. You have to introduce rules for that. And now you have a guy that is showing emotion for beating a Blazer team that is okay. It's a first round. The expectations for San Antonio reach far beyond getting out of the first round. And he cares so much that he's crying for his first playoff series win. And we're going to criticize it when we, when we spend all season long complaining about the guys in that sport who don't care?

I'm not going to criticize it. And more to the point, I would say that there is great bravery in his general vulnerability, and it gives him a lane no basketball guy ever wants to take. Like, he is out there with, I'll block your shot 8 times a game, I'll be physically better than everyone out here, and I'm also good with my emotions. Uh, oh, look, I see, uh, I see Zaslo is out there with a candle burning in his ear. Uh, uh, Zaslo, do you have any thoughts? I don't think you can hear us, or exactly what we're saying. Yeah. Do you have any thoughts on—

I was saying yes, he can't hear you—

on Wembenyama?

What do you mean saying yes, he can't? How would I respond if I couldn't hear Chris?

He was like, Zazz, you can't hear me.

And you go, yes, I got you, player.

Did you hear what we had to say about Wembenyama?

No, I couldn't hear you.

Wembenyama was crying on the bench after beating the Trail Blazers. Tony is done with Wembenyama and all this syrup. And when he was asked about French fans making fun of him, he says, That's a tough question. I think it's first and foremost a fear of judgment, like this feeling that you have to act a certain way. Social codes, I guess. Personally, I refuse to carry the burden of having to hide my emotions. Your thoughts as you still can't hear me.

We can hear the room talking though.

Okay, that's good. I think we should plan this just slightly better so that we could communicate with him and so that I could talk to the fire.

Is looking good though.

Definitely someone else's fault.

That couch could catch on fire.

Well, it's got to be somebody's fault that he— I want to do the show with him. Just shout to him. Give a Wemby take. Just shout it to him.

I got you.

That's the way we want to communicate.

No, here's what I don't want to repeat the story a third time. No, I got you now. Go ahead, Dan.

Please repeat that story for him just one more time. Wemby take.

Go.

Third time's the charm.

LeBron James winning that game last night. I'm not talking to him anymore. Bring the show back in here. We'll go back to him when he's ready to answer more questions.

How does it feel in your ear, by the way?

Can we just get a quick update?

Honestly, like, I don't feel anything. I had to ask, is it lit? I know it is lit because I saw on the monitor over there. I'm looking at Roy over here. I don't know, I'm pretty comfortable actually. I'm hoping to get a lot of stuff out of my ear. Maybe I'll hear better.

But you don't— can you hear it crackling? No. Okay, there is a bit of a crackle that will start when it starts vacuuming, like when it starts working. And I don't know, what is the recommended time to do the ear candle?

10 to 20 minutes.

Oh, okay. So we're going to be here for a while. All right. We'll get our payoff at the end of the segment.

Roy grunting.

Yeah, I heard. Yes, I heard. I heard Roy, who's not mic'd up. I heard Roy.

It looks like a spliff.

Does.

Yes. Yes, it does.

You know about that spliff?

I do.

Yes.

I'm really worried about that cushion behind.

All right. So do me a favor. Have someone come in here and I'm going to try it too, just to make a full-on mess of everything that we're doing here. I'm going to also try it, even though it's a little bit dangerous to be doing it the way that we're doing it here. But LeBron James's team is now in trouble. I don't know what it is that they're going to do about Austin Reeves. What is the latest information? Because I have been reading that he is due back back later in this series. And LeBron James finds himself in the position— when I say he's underappreciated, do you realize what a disgrace it will be if LeBron James pulls off this season at this age, but it gets punctuated by the fact that he recreated giant expectations by getting up 3-0, and then he becomes the team that coughs up the 3-0 lead because they are limited? And I would think over the course of a series with Houston being able to physical somebody. The greatest advantage LeBron James has had over the last 20 seasons is his body holds up throughout the playoffs the way nobody's does, no matter how many miles you put on it.

And it's an unreasonable request at this age to ask him to win one more game by himself in a playoff series that extends when Houston can actually wear you down.

And it's funny, we thought, oh, alright, I guess the Lakers do have enough to beat Houston, especially without KD. And then as the physicality has ratcheted up game after game. It's like, oh, wait a second, maybe the guys that we were counting on for the Lakers to actually do that are not doing that. Obviously, Luka's still waiting in the wings, so we'll see if, if it gets to a Game 7 if he makes an appearance. But Austin Reeves played 34 minutes last night. LeBron had 27, 7, and 7. Like, the, the ingredients were there for the Lakers to win and eliminate the Rockets, and it just didn't happen. So to the, to the thought that you had, Dan, which if LeBron can do this, can he— he can beat the Rockets, this would be the greatest thing of his career, or whatever it is he said, better than Michael Jordan, or whatever it was that you— the take you had. Do you think now that—

take— I would— the take was if he wins this playoff series as the oldest player in the league without his two other starters. You mentioned Reeves, and I was—

I—

forgive me because I did say Reeves, and I, I was asking about how it is that the rest of the team is going to look with Doncic and when it is that he came— when it is that he comes back, uh, because I don't know what you can expect from Reeves in this state. And I don't know if it's fair to keep expecting LeBron James to go 27-7-7, but it is the expectation.

Dan Lebatard, we're gonna win. Stugatz, we're gonna win.

They're annoying old reference.

This is the Dan Lebatard Show with the Stugatz.

It's really important that we clarify he did not go for 27-7-7. 7. Yeah, because his, his career averages are that, and he's never actually gotten a 27-7-7 game. But he has played 296 postseason games, and he's never sat one out. More of a euphemism for the 27-7-7, but Austin Reeves went 4-for-16, 12-of-13 from the, from the free throw line. So it's like, the help is a little bit there. I just don't know if they want to have Luka completely rested, hoping that they can get one more game and then get Luka ready for OKC on the other side.

So you mentioned— I want to be clear We cannot move the goalposts here because Dan started doing that a little bit by saying, wow, like once this series started turning physical, it's a lot to ask for this guy to win this series. No, we're not. We're asking him to win one game, asking him to win one game and not blow a 3-0 lead. Yeah. And unfortunately for him, he did have that 3-0 lead. Yes, he came back in an NBA Finals 3-1. That's always one of the first things that you mention when you mention LeBron James. I guess the math is evenin' out. He's played so many playoff games that maybe this was bound to eventually happen to him, that he'd be a guy that would blow a 3-0 lead.

Oh, but the thing that I am saying though about the totality of it is, uh, you could actually have such a weird season for LeBron James as the oldest player in the league with a still relevant team who is losing his first home closeout game in 18 years, that season can end in laughter that's historical at LeBron's expense when it has been by any definition an insane, unprecedented, magical season from a player of his age. Like, for that to end in laughter because it collapses at the end, uh, because Doncic couldn't get back in time to save him. Uh, it puts stakes on these games that I didn't think we'd have in the first round.

But insane, unprecedented 3-0 series lead. I mean, yeah, you're missing Dončić, they're missing Kevin Durant. He, he went up 3-0. If he blows it, that's a huge stain.

No team ever has come back from a 3-0 deficit to win a best-of-seven playoff series. 0 for 285 record.

As insane and unprecedented as his season has been, at his age. That's what blowing a 3-0 series lead is in the playoffs in that sport.

I'm simply stepping back in awe and marveling at the idea that LeBron James can captivate me with stakes in the first round because that's where we are on— oh, people are going to lose their mind here if this is how this goes. While he's giving the 8-City interview to Dave McMenamin, when he's saying that people don't have to compare me to Jordan all the time and only shit on me.

It doesn't go at all to Luka at all. It laps up on one shore, and that's LeBron James.

Because he's playing, though. Like, if Luka was playing and LeBron was hurt, we wouldn't really be talking about LeBron.

Luka will— the way that sports media talks about LeBron, no one will talk about Luka being out. Like, this will all be about LeBron.

And it's so crazy in particular because, what, a month and a half ago when the Lakers were starting to play better basketball, we were praising LeBron for fitting in as the third guy, playing off-ball, cutting, dishing, doing all the great little things. They were great. Now he's expected to take down a team single-handedly without their other two best players.

But this is what I'm talking about, about moving the goalposts. They were also great with Luka out. Oh, they were. They were also great with LeBron taking a commanding 3-0 series lead. Absolutely.

And it's not moving the goalposts. It's saying how amazing it is that we got to this space, and it would be equally insane if we saw LeBron James-led team blow a 3-0 series. And the funny thing about LA, and I'd be interested to see like Sedano or somebody who's tapped into the LA market, go from the, the pendulum swing of, oh, Lakers are up 3-0, could they beat OKC? To now all of a sudden, oh my God, here come the Rockets, what if we lose this?

Uh, I don't know what Durant's status is. He's out for Game 6, and so we can have a Game 7 in LA, right? So that— and, and he misses the shot late last night. Let's go out to Zaslo here though. That flame is getting close to his ear. Uh, Zaz, do you have any thoughts on anything you may or may not have heard there?

Yeah, Dan, how you doing, man?

Yeah, I'm as good as I was last time that we did this and you couldn't hear us.

All right. Uh, yeah, I mean, I, I think I don't agree with the part about it was bound to eventually happen to LeBron. He's played in so many games, you know, he was eventually going to be faced with this kind of scenario as well. This This is unprecedented if you go down 0-3. It's never happened before. But here's the thing that I would push back on, okay? Because you see the headlines, oh, the Lakers in trouble. They're up 3-2. They're not in trouble. Like, if the series was tied 2-2 and they went up 3-2, nobody would say the Lakers are in trouble. Now, do I think that they're going to lose in Houston in Game 6? Yeah, I do. I think it's going to be a Game 7 in LA. But like, they're not in trouble. They're up 3-2.

Roy, do you have any thoughts on the hockey playoffs last night?

Shout it.

Yeah, Sidney Crosby's gone, Dan!

Very happy about that right now. Poor Dave Damashek.

I feel bad for him though.

I feel bad for Damashek. He must be so sad last night. Dan, did you see when the guy scored the game-winning goal for Philadelphia? Did you see what his celebration was?

I did not.

He took his stick and he flung it into the crowd. It went up like 15 rows. I saw it happen live. I'm like, oh, what if he spears someone? That's kind of dangerous.

Crazy that Zazz has finally given these NHL playoffs a shot.

I'm giving it a try, Dan.

Dan, uh, Roy with the off-mic commentary, uh, shouting commentary into the air, uh, while that fire climbs higher. Uh, Roy, do you hear any, uh, crackling in your ear? Can you hear things being cleaned out?

Yes, uh, it's very unsettling. I'm very nervous about this, but thank you, Dan, for allowing me to clean my ear right now. All right, but Dan, he screamed lawsuit and he wasn't talking about the hockey stick going into the That's correct.

It's that stick going into his ear. We have gotten done with Zaslo here, so we will check the contents of his ear.

What is the endgame with this? Are we going to look into the—

Yeah, you're going to look into it and you're going to tell us what it is that you see, and we're going to figure it out from there. The flames— Roy, Tony, are you smiling because of how close and how raging that flame looks near Roy's ear? Because that no longer seems safe when he's shouting "loss." suit.

Yeah, Dan, as, as a cigar aficionado and enjoyer as you are, you know how when, when the ash starts, you know, collecting on the end of the cigar, you have to kind of like hit it off?

That's too much.

That's where they're at right now. So there's like a, from the wax paper, there's like a black part that's just ash that Carl has to go and like cut with scissors. But Royce is, Royce is letting his hang long, so I'm kind of worried that they may topple over.

Hey yo.

Uh, Mike, the face that you're making is— I have seen a depleting trust in Tony's commentary today off the side of your face. Uh, do I have that wrong? You, you seem to be— you're listening to Tony talk the way that I was listening to that Pat Riley press conference earlier this week.

A little bit. He's battling. It's what you do when you face adversity. Adversity sometimes is a blessing, but That thing hanging long, that was tough.

What do you guys think is going to happen with the contents of the ears? Are you making assumptions about Roy and Zazz and what they might have in their ears? Do you have expectations about what's about to be unveiled before the American public in a way that can be a bit shameful, I think?

Yeah, I'm not sure how this ends. Let's play it by ear.

It's not a bad joke. It's not.

It could have been half as long if you just say, let's play it by ear.

Well, the context wouldn't have made sense, Dan.

I'm a grammarist.

Don't be so defensive. Just take it.

Tony Allen. Ooh, where do you think of with Tony Allen? Grizzly.

Why are you moving it to basketball?

Ironically enough, I just think Andrew Bogut. You say Tony, uh, Tony Allen. I don't think Grindfather. I think they, they nuked the whole thing by putting Andrew Bogut on.

I thought of a good one. Giancarlo Stanton.

The reason, uh, that Tony Allen is funny is because Tony Allen had a career in the NBA, and the only thing I associate it with is the start of the Warriors dynasty. That they figured out, oh, just leave Tony Allen open. He plays the whole game in like workers' construction boots.

That's what I think of Timberland boots.

Like, he's Oh yes, I love grinding defense. He represents the soul of the city. Oh my God, there goes a dynasty for 10 years because they figured out, yeah, just leave him open.

Let him shoot.

Just—

he's got the ball. Let him shoot. Bricked everything.

No, but the game really changed right there. Like when I think of— you have to understand when he mentions Tony Allen and the word association that I'm playing, you say, you say, what do you think of Roger Clemens in a uniform? I've got a guy in construction boots, he's at the 3-point line, he's wide open, the jersey doesn't matter. The thing I know is that shot's not going in.

He's got an orange vest on.

And Golden State's gonna win for 10 years after that. Like, Tony Allen is unlike almost anybody in professional basketball that I point at him and I say, that's where basketball changed, right at Dickie's work boots.

2013, 2014, he shot 23% from 3. All right, Zazz just walked in here. Mike, talk to us here. What are you looking at?

I think the pseudoscientists that dismissed this were on to something. There's, there's nothing.

Or he had a clean ear.

Nah, it doesn't work.

My shit's dirty.

Okay, so now all we've got left is Roy. Roy, let's wrap this up so that we get this payoff here at the end of the segment and see if you have secretly dirty ears. Uh, now, uh, Zazz, did you ever hear any crackling because Roy heard crackling, and the crackling is supposed to be the vacuuming. When this happened to me, there was stuff in my ear. Maybe a pseudoscience, but it did pull stuff out of my ear.

Uh, I mean, maybe. All right, everybody take it easy.

Whoa, everybody calm down.

Everybody, everybody calm down.

No, no, you're used to sitting in chairs.

Come on, you're done.

Everybody calm down. It looked like you were gonna injure yourself.

There's no going back from that.

She's like, whoa, please You guys have the camera of— you have the camera shot of Zazz being incapable of sitting down in a, in a segment where we talked about what difference does it make that I never played the game. Zazz struggled with sitting in a chair, which he shouldn't.

Tony Slumpbuster, look at that. Yeah, you got a good joke off.

What an idiot. All right, we'll wait to see if Roy has dirty ears next.

Hey, it's Mike Ryan, and I want to talk to you about the random midweek hang that you have with your friends. Maybe it's an NBA game, you get a text, hey, come over, you want to watch the game? And maybe you're like, ah, I don't know, I kind of just wanted to stay home. And then you think about it after your buddy hits you up, and you know just the thing that'll week, that regular hang, that regular midweek hang around the basketball game, into a special time, into a Miller time. That's right, this happened to me just last week. I grabbed a 6-pack of Miller Lite, said I was on my way, and next thing you know, we're arguing about rotations like we're on the coaching staff, yelling about a missed call, and the game's coming down to the final possession. It was one of those nights that you look around, you take a sip, and you think, yeah, this was the right call, and my friendship's stronger for it. Cheers to legendary moments with Miller Lite. Great taste, 96 calories. Go to millerlite.com/dan to find delivery options near you, or you can pick up some Miller Lite pretty much anywhere they sell beer.

It's Miller time. Celebrate responsibly. Miller Brewing Company, Milwaukee, Wisconsin. 96 calories and 3.2 carbs per 12 ounces.