We begin with last night's potential finals preview between the Nets and Lakers.

Brooklyn dominated a shorthanded Lakers team already missing.

Anthony Davis had Dennis shrewder scratch from the lineup because of Koven protocols.

Not that long before the opening tip.

The Nets were, of course, without KD themselves, but still had five players scored double figures last night.

With that win, the Nets air, now 10 and one against teams with records over 500.

Not so good, it seems under 500.

We'll get to that later.

After the game, LeBron and Kyrie talked about seeing each other again down the road.

It's I mean, just next man up on, uh, you know, whoever number was called, we just gotta pick each other up, obviously, you know, missing, you know, already with missing a D.

And you know, they are starting point guard and Dennis big blow force.

But, you know, listen, they're missing something.

They're missing a big police to their their team as well.

We just didn't play, you know, to our capabilities tonight.

But give them credit.

We'll see them down the line again.

And we look forward to it with a whole entire healthy Lakers team.

That's what we really wanted.

I know everybody wants.

That s so I'm looking forward to the challenge and seeing them down the line, seeing them down the line.

So, Richard, how worried should the defending champs be about what we're seeing from the Nets right now?

Especially last night?

Well, I I think the entire league should be worried to tell you the truth with all, honestly, the entire league should be worried about what you're seeing from this Nets team.

That means that when they're playing against a high level team, they show up and play when they play against a team does not so much, they kinda their.

Their lack of defense shows up.

But, you know, even Kyrie there was an attitude about it is like we'll see him down the line with all of the guys that that's what they say.

That's what we wanted to.

We basically he's saying, like, we didn't want any excuses, right?

Yes, they were missing.

Anthony Davis were missing Kevin Durant, right?

So it's like we didn't want any excuses, but we're going to do the exact same thing when they have their full team and we have their full team.

Well, I'm gonna take it a step further.

They Yes, they should be worried, But they need to be worried about getting out of the West first.

Because if that gentleman right there that you see Anthony Davis doesn't come back, they still need toe secure a spot in the West, getting out, beating Utah and or the Clippers.

So I think, yes, you know, like like are they said you definitely need to be worried about.

Everyone should be worried about the Nets right now, but the Lakers have to worry about the way the the Utah Jazz playing.

And of course, you know, the Clippers have been wanting to get, you know, to be Big Brother in L.

A.

As you know for so long.

So this is an opportunity for them to take advantage of it.

If there's no a d.

Yeah, I mean, look, when the season started, the feeling was, a lot of people of the Lakers sort of ranked appear almost in their own group because they were the champions and they had probably the best offseason of any team.

So they're champions and they got better.

Well, the Clippers have gotten off to a pretty strong start this season and the Jazz air on actual physical fire.

I am convinced they have to carry a fire extinguisher with them at all times, just so that they don't do damage to whatever court that they're on.

So they're now moved up in the echelon and tears as well.

So before you look as you saved it across the pond over to the east part of the country, you want Thio get get it right in the West.

And that depends on Anthony Davis now.

Last night, coach Frank Vogel said that they expect a D to be out for four weeks, so that's a lot longer than just Oh, we'll see again after the All Star break.

Vince, How conservative do you think the Lakers can afford to be with this timetable?

Uh, to be honest with you, I want them to be extremely conservative.

Way got to see what happened to K D.

And it was unfortunate, and a lot of us are J.

I'm sure you you start as well.

We all said no k.

D.

We don't want you to play because you could potentially get hurt and what happened.

So I looked at the same situation with a D.

Take a long as you need a month.

Two months, I say you take two months.

2.5 months.

Come back two weeks a month left in the season.

Get yourself back into playing shape.

Get back in rhythm, take the first round to kind of get yourself going.

Well, that's it.

They're the number one seed.

But you know, you wanna put yourself in that position there, you don't want to risk him getting hurt now and out for the rest of the season.

Then you put yourself in a different situation where you like you said you might not get out of the second round or even get to the Western Conference finals.

At that point, I'm gonna take it one step further to what Vince is saying.

Ultimately, if Anthony Davis gets hurt or if he's not 100% healthy, you're going to lose him for two seasons.

That means no championship this year.

That means no championship next year.

So you want to be extremely cautious, right?

So I'm okay with them.

Hey, you can come back with two weeks ago in the season because we don't want your Catholic.

Keeley's at 80% and 90% we wanted at 100%.

And so if Anthony 100% and no compensation if you're playing well, the Lakers are the favorite in the Western Conference.

I think the Nets have started to question people on whether or not they, whether not the Lakers, should be the favorite overall in the NBA.

I think the net probably have the biggest saying that so far we'll look.

And for people questioning your math, Richard, you're basically saying If that happens, what happens to a D happened with what happened with Kevin Durant, right?

He had the Achilles strain, right?

He was out for a little bit or calf strain and there's always sort of what exactly are we calling it?

And of course, it's all the same area of the leg, whatever you happen to call it.

And then, of course, we saw him come back for the MBA finals, ruptured the Achilles and then was out for an additional whole chunk of time with in his case.

It was almost a year and a half because of the schedule.

Well, it's all connected.

Yeah, Yeah, it's all connected.

So yeah, So you're not going to rush him back if he has that Achilles injury?

You're not gonna rush a D back like you did, Kyra, you're not gonna rush him back the following season.

Now you're prolonging it, and you're just adding insult to injury.

So, like R j.

Said it is probably a two season, probably season and a half process from there.

Yeah, absolutely.

So they do not want to get into that.

And I think the whole league learned from the Kevin Durant example about a year and a half ago and everyone maybe being over overcautious.

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