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J.E.: ON TODAY'S SHOW, WE START
OUR SEASON PREVIEWS WITH BOB
AND.
WILL THE WARRIORS REPEAT AS
CHAMPS?
TAS: OKAFOR OR MOODY A?
J.E.: WHY IN THE WORLD IS JOSE
CALDERON AT EHAMBE FARM?
-- A HAM FARM?
[CAPTIONING PERFORMED BY THE
NATIONAL CAPTIONING INSTITUTE,
WHICH IS RESPONSIBLE FOR ITS
CAPTION CONTENT AND ACCURACY.
VISIT NCICAP.ORG]
J.E.: GOOD EVENING, SWEET WORLD,
AND WELCOME TO PART ONE OF "THE
STARTERS" NBA SEASON PREVIEW,
WHETHER YOU ARE LISTENING TO THE
PODCAST, CATCHING US ON NBA TV.
WE ARE ECSTATIC TO HAVE YOU.
I AM J.E. SKEETS.
ALONGSIDE ME IS TAS MELAS.
TAS: SO GOOD TO TALK TO YOU
AGAIN.
J.E.: TO MY RIGHT, BLOG EDITOR
TREY KERBY.
FINALLY, THE INTERNATIONAL MAN
OF MYSTERY, LEIGH ELLIS.
LEIGH: FRIENDS.
VERY J.E.: EXCITED TO BE BACK
TALKING BALL WITH YOU, PART ONE
OF NINE SHOWS GETTING READY FOR
THE 2015-2016 SEASON.
WE ARE GOING TO TACKLE 72
BURNING QUESTIONS.
SOME OF THEM ARE VERY SERIOUS.
SOME OF THEM ARE NOT SERIOUS.
SOME OF THEM ARE, QUITE FRANKLY,
DUMB.
[NO AUDIO]
TAS: THEY WERE DEFINITELY BY FAR
THE BEST TEAM IN THE LEAGUE.
THEY DESERVE TO BE CHAMPS.
EVERYTHING BOUNCED THEIR WAY.
THEY WERE PRETTY FORTUNATE,
INCLUDING A LOT OF INJURIES TO
THE TEAMS THEY PLAYED AGAINST IN
THE PLAYOFFS.
SECOND ROUND, THEY WERE DOWN
TO-ONE AGAINST THE GRIZZLIES.
MIKE CONLEY WASN'T HIMSELF.
IT COULD'VE HAVE BEEN A VERY
DIFFERENT OUTCOME.
AGAIN IN THE FINALS, AFTER A
FANTASTIC GAME ONE WHERE KYRIE
IRVING PLAYED VERY HARD AM A
BATTLED STEPH CURRY, RIGHT HERE
AT THE END OF THE FOURTH QUARTER
WITH A MONSTROUS BLOCK, AND
UNFORTUNATELY, HE GOT INJURED.
HE GOES OUT.
NOT TO MENTION, KEVIN LOVE WAS
OUT.
THREE STRAIGHT SERIES, CONLEY
OUT, THEY'RE A LEAD PLAYER ON
THE PERIMETER.
THEN YOU GOT IRVING AND LOVE,
AND PLUS, THE WARRIORS DIDN'T
PLAY THE TWO BEST TEAMS, THE
CLIPPERS AND THE SPURS, THE
SPURS WHO THEY DIDN'T WANT TO
FACE BECAUSE OF THAT DIVISIONAL
SERIES RULE.
YOU DON'T GET A BETTER SEE JUST
BECAUSE YOU WON THE DIVISION.
THAT COMBINED WITH A STRONG
WEST, I SAY THEY DON'T WIN.
TREY: THEY WERE BY FAR THE BEST
TEAM IN THE LEAGUE.
THEY HAD THE BEST RECORD IN THE
WESTERN CONFERENCE, WHICH WE
TALK ABOUT AS ONE OF THE BEST
WESTERN CONFERENCE IS THERE HAS
EVER BEEN.
THEY HAVE A TOP 10 ALL-TIME
POINT DIFFERENTIAL.
IT GOT THE BEST HOME-COURT
ADVANTAGE.
THAT IS GOING TO PLAY INTO A
FACTOR -- PLAY A FACTOR IN THE
PLAYOFFS.
J.E.: I DON'T THINK THE REST OF
THE LEAGUE IS DOING THEMSELVES
ANY FAVORS IN THE PRESEASON
SAYING, THEY DID GET LUCKY.
MAYBE THEY DIDN'T HAVE TO PLAY
US.
DOC RIVERS WAS QUOTED AS SAYING
THAT.
HE WALKED IT BACK A LITTLE BIT.
WHAT ARE YOU DOING?
DON'T MAKE THE DEFENDING CHAMPS
ANY MORE DETERMINED TO TRY TO GO
BACK TO BACK, BECAUSE THAT IS
WHAT YOU ARE DOING.
I HEAR YOU ON THE LUCK FACTOR.
WE ALL KNOW YOU NEED A LITTLE
BIT OUT OF -- LITTLE BIT OF
LUCK.
TAS: THEY HAD A LOT.
CAN J.E.: YOU SIT THERE AND TELL
ME THEY WOULDN'T HAVE BEATEN ALL
OF THOSE TEAMS, EVEN IF THEY
WERE COMPLETELY HEALTHY?
TAS: I THINK THEY WOULD'VE
BEATEN THE ROCKETS, BUT THE
GRIZZLIES SERIES, QUESTIONABLE.
AS WELL AS THE CAVS SERIES.
WE DON'T KNOW THAT'S FOR SURE.
YEAH, I THINK THE GRIZZLIES
COULD'VE UP ENDED THEM.
LEIGH: IT'S POSSIBLE THE CAVS
MAY BE, BUT WE WILL NEVER KNOW
THE ANSWER.
WHAT I LIKE ABOUT THE GOLDEN
STATE WARRIORS IS THE
CONTINUITY, WHICH IS HUGE.
YOU LOOK AT THEIR YOUNG PLAYERS,
THEY ARE ALL YOUNG.
J.E.: THEY COULD GET BETTER.
LEIGH: ESPECIALLY GUYS LIKE
DRAYMOND GREEN AND HARRISON
BARNES.
STEPH IS THE M.V.P.
HE'S GOING TO BE ABLE TO PLAY AT
THIS LEVEL FOR A LONG TIME.
THEY'VE GOT SO MUCH FOR WRITING
IN THEIR LINEUP.
THEY CAN PLAY BIG OR SMALL, AS
WE SAW WITH ANDRADE IGUODALA --
ANDRE IGUODALA.
THEY DON'T HAVE A WEAKNESS YOU
CAN POINT TO.
I THINK OTHER TEAMS ARE IS GOOD
AS THEM, BUT I DON'T THINK
ANYTHING IS BETTER THAN THE
GOLDEN STATE WARRIORS.
TREY: THE CONTINUITY IS GOING TO
PLAY A HUGE FACTOR.
WE LOOK AT THE SPURS WHOSE BEEN
ABLE TO STAY GREAT, AND WE SAY
EVERY YEAR, THEY ARE PROBABLY
GOING TO BE BETTER.
THEY HAVE A SPURS ACOLYTE AS
THEIR HEAD COACH.
I THINK THINGS ARE GOING TO FALL
PRETTY WELL FOR THEM.
TAS: AS WELL AS THEIR INJURIES.
THEY DIDN'T SUSTAIN A MAJOR ONE
THROUGHOUT THE REGULAR SEASON,
OBVIOUSLY DURING THE PLAYOFFS,
AS WELL.
THAT WAS INCREDIBLE ON THEIR
PART.
LEIGH: GIVE CREDIT TO THEIR
TRAINING STAFF AND THE PLAYERS
FOR TAKING CARE OF THEMSELVES,
ESPECIALLY SOMEBODY LIKE STEPH
CURRY.
HE MISSED TWO GAMES LAST YEAR.
ONE OF THOSE WAS FOR REST.
ANDREW BOGUT, 65 GAMES.
J.E.: HE MISSED A MONTH.
LEIGH: THAT'S OK.
HE MISSES TIME, AS WELL, BUT
EVERYBODY ELSE PLAYED A LOT OF
MINUTES AND A LOT OF GAMES.
THERE WERE ALWAYS FRESH COMING
INTO THE FINALS.
YOU LOOK TAS: AT THE OTHER TEAMS
THEY'VE PLAYED IN ROUNDS 2, 3,
AND FOUR.
MIKE CONLEY BROKE HIS FACE IN
ROUND ONE.
THEY JUST HAVE FREAK INJURIES.
I'M NOT TRYING TO DIMINISH WHAT
THEY DID.
WE SAT HERE, AND IT DEFINITELY
HELPS.
WE SAT HERE AND SAID, YOU CAN NO
LONGER SAY THAT A JUMP SHOOTING
TEAM DOESN'T WIN IN THE PLAYOFFS
AFTER THEY WON IT.
THEY DESERVE IT.
THEY DESERVE THE ACCOLADES.
REPEATING IS HARD.
IT'S VERY, VERY HARD.
THE WEST GOT STRONGER.
THERE ARE FIVE TEAMS IN THE
WEST, YOU WOULDN'T BE SURPRISED
IF THEY WON THE ENTIRE THING,
THE ROCKETS, THE SPURS, THE
WARRIORS, THE CLIPPERS, THE
GRIZZLIES ARE BORDERLINE THERE,
AND YOU'VE GOT THE CAVS AND THE
OTHER CONFERENCE.
IF THOSE TEAMS ARE HEALTHY,
WHICH THEY SHOULD BE -- IT WAS
JUST A LOT OF THINGS WENT THEIR
WAY.
J.E.: THEM GETTING LUCKY BECAUSE
OF INJURIES, I BUY IT TO SOME
EXTENT, BUT THE GRIZZLIES
SERIES, THAT CHANGED WHEN THEY
SAID, LET'S NOT PLAY TONY ALLEN.
TAS: CONLEY WAS NOT HIMSELF.
J.E.: THEY DECIDE, WE DON'T NEED
TO PLAY TONY ALLEN.
THEY DIDN'T, AND THEN THEY RAN
AWAY WITH IT.
AS GREAT AS HE IS, HE'S NOT
GOING TO BE ENOUGH FOR YOU TO
PICK THE ROCKETS OVER THE
WARRIORS.
IN THE FINALS, KEVIN LOVE AND
KYRIE IRVING, THAT'S COMPELLING.
LEIGH: LOOK AT THE WARRIORS
DEFENSE.
CONLEY AND PATRICK BEVERLEY --
WOULD THEY HAVE BEEN ABLE TO
MAKE A DIFFERENCE OFFENSIVELY TO
THEIR TEAM TO OVERCOME THE
WARRIORS WHO HAD THE BEST OR
CLOSE TO THE BEST DEFENSE ALL
SEASON LONG? THEY DIDN'T WIN IT
ON JUMP SHOTS ALONE.
J.E.: YOU RAN THROUGH A COUPLE
OF THOSE TEAMS.
WHICH TEAM TO YOU --
[NO AUDIO]
TAS: THE SAN ANTONIO SPURS,
FIRST AND FOREMOST.
THEY ARE JUST SO LOADED.
I DON'T LIKE THIS IDEA THAT
PEOPLE SAY, I'M NOT SURE IF THEY
CAN PLAY DUMPING THE BALL TO ONE
GUY, BECAUSE THEY PLAYED TEAM
BASKETBALL.
THEY DID THAT FOR SO LONG WITH
THAT GUY.
TREY: IT WAS A LONG TIME AGO.
TAS: I THINK TONY PARKER, THE
GUY EVERYONE IS QUESTION INCOME
IS GOING TO LOVE PLAYING WITH A
GUY THEY CAN DUMP THE BALL TO.
KAWHI LEONARD HASN'T REACHED HIS
PEAK.
A ARE GOING MORE I -- THEY ARE
GOING MORE ISO WITH HIM.
HE'S ALLOWED TO DO WHAT HE WANTS
WITH THIS TEAM, BECAUSE HE'S
THAT GOOD.
ALDRIDGE PLAYS INTO THAT, AS
WELL.
YOU MENTIONED THEY'VE BEEN GOOD
FOR SO LONG.
WHAT DO THEY NEED TO PLAY FOR?
THEY GET AN OLD GUY IN DAVID
WEST NEEDS TO WIN A
CHAMPIONSHIP, GIVES UP $11
MILLION TO GO THERE.
HE'S THE OLD GUY THEY ARE GOING
TO PLAY FOR.
THEY ARE JUST ACT.
THEY MAY NOT HAVE THE WARRIORS'
DEPTH, BUT THEY HAVE JUST AS
MUCH TALENT.
J.E.: DO YOU AGREE WITH WHAT
TAS SAID?
TREY: I THINK THE CAVS ARE GOING
TO PUT UP A HUGE FIGHT.
THEY ARE PRETTY EASILY THE
EASTERN CONFERENCE FAVORITES.
THEY MADE IT TO THE TITLE WITH
JUST ONE SUPERSTAR.
THEY ARE BY FAR THE EASTERN
CONFERENCE FAVORITES, AND THEY
GIVE THE WARRIORS A HARD SERIES.
THE WARRIORS WON THE FINAL THREE
GAMES BY 14 POINTS.
THAT'S WHAT THEY DID.
I THINK THEY ARE GOING TO BE
BETTER THIS YEAR.
YOU ARE HOPING FOR BETTER
HEALTH.
YOU ARE HOPING FOR BETTER
CONTINUITY.
YOU ARE ALSO HOPING THAT PLAYING
THE WHOLE SEASON WITH A FULL
LINEUP IS GOING TO BE A HUGE
ADVANTAGE, BECAUSE THERE ARE SO
MANY TEAMS THE CAVS HAVE THEM IF
THEY CAN PLAY TOGETHER, IT
REALLY HELPS.
J.E.: DO YOU THINK ANYONE CAN
CHALLENGE THE WARRIORS, OR IS IT
ONE TEAM OVER OTHERS?
LEIGH: I THINK IT'S THE OKLAHOMA
CITY THUNDER, PURELY BECAUSE OF
KEVIN DURANT THIS IN SO MUCH
TIME LAST SEASON, AND THE
THUNDER ALMOST MADE THE
PLAYOFFS.
RUSSELL WESTBROOK IS GOING TO
HAVE A CHIP ON HIS SHOULDER.
HE FEELS HE DOESN'T GET THE SAME
RESPECT AS STEPH CURRY.
JABARI PARKER, HE'S A GREAT
DEFENDER.
DION WAITERS, IT'S GOING TO BE
INTERESTING HOW THAT PLAYS OUT.
THEY SIGNED ENES KANTER TO THAT
FOUR-YEAR DEAL.
THEY'VE BOLSTER THEIR LINEUP.
IT'S GOING TO BE INTERESTING TO
SEE.
I STILL THINK THE WARRIORS ARE
THE FAVORITE.
TAS: THAT'S WHY I'M JUST TAKING
THE FIELD.
YOU'VE GOT LEGITIMATE TEAMS.
IT'S EASY.
J.E.: IT'S FUNNY TO THINK HOW
DIFFERENT THE WESTERN PLAYOFFS
COULD'VE BEEN IF THE SPURS WIN
THAT FINAL GAME OF THE REGULAR
SEASON AGAINST THE PELICANS.
TAS: AND THEY TRIED.
J.E.: HOPEFULLY, IT'S LIKE THAT
THIS YEAR, TOO.
WE'VE GOT TO TAKE A BREAK.
LOTS MORE QUESTIONS WHEN WE COME
BACK.
WE WILL PREDICT THIS SEASON'S
ROOKIE OF THE YEAR WINNER.
J.E.: WELCOME BACK TO "THE
STARTERS" NBA SEASON PREVIEW
WHERE WE ARE ASKING 72 BURNING
QUESTIONS.
#THESTARTERS WITH YOUR
QUESTIONS.
WE ARE ONLY ON QUESTION NUMBER
TWO.
IT'S AN AWARD-BASED QUESTION.
WHO WINS ROOKIE OF THE YEAR?
TAS: I THINK IT'S JAHLIL OKAFOR
OF THE 76ERS.
HE'S GOING TO HAVE EVERY
OPPORTUNITY TO SHOOT THE
BASKETBALL.
THAT TEAM IS GOOD TO RUN THROUGH
HIM EVERY POSSESSION.
WHAT OTHER ROOKIE CAN SAY THAT?
WHAT OTHER THE ROOKIE CAN SAY,
I'M GOING TO GET THE BALL EVERY
POSSESSION?
WHO IS GOING TO TAKE POSSESSIONS
AWAY FROM HIM, ROBERT COVINGTON?
THERE'S NOT A LOT OF TALENT.
TREY: YOU ARE EXACTLY RIGHT.
OPPORTUNITY IS THE KEYWORD.
THE SIXERS HAVE HAD THE WORST
OFFENSE IN THE LEAGUE.
THEY NEED SOMEBODY CLOSE TO THE
OFFENSE WHO CAN THROW IT IN.
IF YOU'VE SEEN THE PRESEASON
HIGHLIGHTS OF OKAFOR, HE'S A
FAST GUY.
GREAT TOUCH.
THE TOUCH IS INCREDIBLE.
I THINK HE'S GOING TO PUT UP A
TON OF POINTS.
J.E.: IT'S TOUGH TO ARGUE THIS
SELECTION, BUT I WILL TRY.
THE GUY WHO WILL HAVE THE BALL
IN HIS HANDS A TON IS NUGGETS
POINT GUARD EMANUEL MOODY A.
THAT'S MY PICK.
IT DOES HELP IF YOU ARE A POINT
GUARD.
YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE IT IN YOUR
HANDS MORE.
SOMEBODY'S GOT TO GET THE BALL
ANYWAY.
HE HAS THE STARTING SLOT NOW
THAT TY LAWSON HAS BEEN TRADED
IN THE OFF-SEASON.
THE JOB IS ALL TO HIMSELF.
HE'S GOING TO BE ASKED TO SCORE,
DISTRIBUTE.
I LIKED WHAT I SAW FROM THE GUY
IN SUMMER LEAGUE.
I KNOW YOU DON'T WANT TO PUT TOO
MUCH STOCK INTO THAT.
HE PLAYED SOME DEFENSE.
THE SHOOTING PERCENTAGE IS GOING
TO BE LOW.
WHAT WE ARE GOING TO GET FROM
HIM, 16 POINTS A GAME, SIX
ASSISTS, IT'S GOING TO BE
SIMILAR TO WHAT MICHAEL
CARTER-WILLIAMS DID TWO YEARS
AGO WITH THE SIXERS.
I THINK YOU ARE GOING TO SEE
SIMILAR NUMBERS, AND TO ME, THAT
COULD BE ENOUGH.
IS GOING TO GET 30 MINUTES A
GAME.
LEIGH: THE ONLY THING WITH TY
LAWSON NOT THERE, HE'S GOING TO
GET THE PRESSURE FROM THE OTHER
OPPOSING POINT GUARDS.
THEY ARE GOING TO PUT HIM UNDER
PRESSURE, AND HE'S PROBABLY
GOING TO TURN THE BALL OVER A
LOT.
J.E.: THAT REALLY DOESN'T
MATTER.
TREY: TREY: THE HIGHLIGHTS WILL
OUTWEIGH THE TURNOVERS.
TREY:-- TRAY: THE HIGHLIGHTS
WILL OUTWEIGH THE TURNOVERS.
LEIGH: HE WAS IMPRESSIVE IN
SUMMER LEAGUE.
J.E.: SOME PEOPLE HAD HIM GOING
AS HIGH AS TWO OR THREE IN THE
DRAFT.
TAS: YEARS FROM NOW, HE MIGHT BE
THE BEST PLAYER IN THIS DRAFT,
BUT UNLIKE MICHAEL
CARTER-WILLIAMS WITH THE SIXERS,
A MANUAL -- EMMANUEL MUDIAY IS
MAKING 10 MILLION DOLLARS.
OKAFOR IS THE NUMBER 1, 2, 3, 4
OPTION.
MUDIAY, I WAS SALIVATING
WATCHING HIM PLAY, BUT AT THE
SAME TIME, HE'S GOING TO TAKE A
BIT TO DEVELOP.
IT'S A POINT GUARD PLAYING UP
AGAINST SOME OF THE BEST POINT
GUARDS IN THE LEAGUE IN THAT
WESTERN CONFERENCE.
J.E.: I'M A LITTLE SURPRISED NO
ONE IS TAKING THE NUMBER ONE
PICK, KARL-ANTHONY TOWNS.
WHAT IS THE REASONING ON OKAFOR
ABOVE HIM?
TREY: I THINK IT'S A MINUTES OF
THING.
WIGGINS IS GOING TO BE HAVING
THE BALL IN THE POST.
THEN YOU LOOK AT THE BIG GUYS.
TECH OF WHICH WILL GET MINUTES.
GORD-- PET EVENTUAL GET MINUTES.
TAS: I LIKE THE FACT THAT OKAFOR
DOESN'T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT
DEFENSE.
THROW IN STAIRWELL GOING TO TAKE
THE BEST BIG GUY.
WHAT HE DOES BEST IS VERY GOOD.
THAT GUY HAS BEAUTIFUL FOOTWORK
ON THE POST.
J.E.:J.E.: THERE ARE OUR ROOKIE
OF THE YOU PREDICTIONS FOR JUMP
ON TWITTER, #THESTARTERS.
WHO DO YOU GUYS LIKE?
NEXT QUESTION, QUESTION NUMBER
THREE -- FAVORITE OFF-SEASON
MOMENT?
YOU CAN GET WEIRD WITH THIS.
WE HAVE A LOT OF QUESTIONS THAT
COME IN ABOUT ACTUAL NBA
TRANSACTIONS.
TAKE IT OFF THE COURT IF YOU
WANT TO.
TAS: IT'S A BIT OF A WEIRD ONE.
LIONEL HOLLINS, HEAD COACH OF
THE BROOKLYN NETS.
HE BEEFED UP A LITTLE BIT.
HE GOT UP TO 240 POUNDS.
HE SAW HIMSELF IN THE MIRROR AND
SAID, I DON'T WANT THIS ANYMORE.
HE WROTE HIS FAVORITE --
[NO AUDIO]
HE GOT TO HIS DESK AND WROTE HER
A LETTER.
HE PUT PEN TO PAPER.
HE WROTE IT DOWN AND SENT HER A
LETTER.
WHAT HAPPENED?
SHE PUT HIM ON A DIET WHERE HE
HAD TO EAT SEVEN TIMES A DAY.
HE'S LOOKING GREAT.
240, DOWN TO 218.
HE WANTS TO GET DOWN TO 205.
HE EVEN WANTS TO GET DOWN TO HIS
PLAYING WEIGHT, BELOW 200
POUNDS.
THE LAST TIME HE WAS BELOW 200
POUNDS WAS 1975 WHEN HE WAS A
ROOKIE.
RACHAEL RAY DID IT FOR HIM.
HE HAD TROUBLE EATING SEVEN
TIMES A DAY.
SMALL MEALS.
I DO WATCH RACHAEL RAY.
TREY: ARE THOSE EXCLUSIVELY
30-MINUTE MEALS?
THAT IS A RACHAEL RAY JOKE.
J.E.: WHAT HAVE YOU GOT?
TREY: LET'S KEEP TALKING FOOD.
LONGTIME FANS WILL KNOW WE HAVE
AN OBSESSION WITH JOSE
CALDERON'S HEMP FARMING.
HE HAS KEPT IT LOW-KEY UNTIL THE
SUMMER, WHEN A PICTURE STARTED
CIRCULATING.
WERE THESE HIS PERSONAL HAMS?
WE WILL NEVER KNOW.
SOON AFTER, I WAS LED TO THE
TWITTER PAGE OF JOSE CALDERON,
HIS VERY OWN BRAND, AND ON THIS
PAGE, HE'S DOING THINGS SUCH AS
TELLING WHICH THEM -- WHICH
MEMBERS OF HIS NATIONAL SPANISH
TEAM WERE WHICH CUTS OF PORK.
I DON'T UNDERSTAND IT.
RUDY FERNANDEZ, PORK SHOULDER.
[LAUGHTER]
IT CONTINUES ON.
HE IS ALSO ON INSTAGRAM.
HERE HE IS CHECKING THE HAM
PRICES ON THE NEW YORK STOCK
EXCHANGE OR DOING OTHER THINGS
AROUND THE OFFICE, AND THIS IS
WHERE WE SAW HIM TAKING THAT
FINALLY PRODUCED PHOTO IN THE
HAM FARM, SHOWING OFF HIS
THREES.
THEY EVEN STARTED A WEBSITE FOR
DEHESACALDERON, WHICH SHOWS OFF
THE NEW LOGO.
PRETTY CRAZY STUFF.
I ALSO FOUND A GROUP OF HIS
EXECUTIVES CELEBRATING, AND I
QUOTE, "THE BEST HAM IN THE
WORLD."
LEIGH: WE'VE GOT TO GET SOME OF
THAT.
J.E.: HE CAN DO THAT FOR THE
THREES, AND ALSO, MY HAM IS
REALLY GOOD.
TAS: CALDERON KNOWS HOW TO
PROSCIUTTO THOSE THREES.
J.E.: ARE YOU STICKING WITH
FOOD?
LEIGH: I'M GOING WITH ANOTHER
CLASSIC SUMMERTIME EVENT, AND
THAT IS NBA PLAYERS THROWING OUT
THE FIRST PITCH AT A BASEBALL
GAME.
IT STARTED OFF NOT TOO BAD,
KEVIN GARNETT IN MINNESOTA.
WE KNOW THAT'S NOT A BAD PITCH,
BUT IT WENT DOWNHILL FROM THERE.
ECHO CARTER-WILLIAMS DRILLS THE
CAMERAMAN IN MILWAUKEE.
PAUL PIERCE -- I'VE LOST A LOT
OF RESPECT FOR HIM.
HE LOOKS LIKE AN 80-YEAR-OLD
MAN, BOUNCING IT OVER.
HE DOESN'T EVEN GET BACK ON HIS
ARM.
LIKE KEVIN SPACEY.
LEIGH: LOOK AT THIS BULLET HE
THROWS AT OAKLAND.
J.E.: OH YEAH.
LEIGH: THAT REGISTERED AT 89
MILES PER HOUR ON THE GUN.
THAT'S WHAT THEY SAID.
I COULDN'T CONFIRM THAT.
TAS: THEY COULD OF JACK TO THE
GUN.
J.E.: MY FAVORITE OFF-SEASON
MOMENT WAS WAY BACK AT THE
BEGINNING OF THE SUMMER JUST
AFTER THE FINALS HAD ENDED.
IT WAS LUKE RIDNOUR ARE BEING
TRADED FOUR TIMES IN ONE WEEK,
GETTING PASSED AROUND LIKE A
COLLECTION PLATE AT CHURCH.
TRADED FROM THE MAGIC TO THE
GRIZZLIES.
THE NEXT DAY, HE IS TRADED TO
CHARLOTTE.
HOURS LATER, THE HORNETS REGIFT
HIM TO THE THUNDER.
LESS THAN A WEEK LATER, GET YOUR
PASSPORT OUT.
HE GOES NORTH OF THE BORDER TO
THE RAPTORS WHO NOT MUCH LONGER
WAVE THE POOR GUY.
LUKE HAS TAKEN OFF THE WHOLE
SEASON.
GOODBYE, SWEET PRINCE.
WE WILL HOPEFULLY SEE YOU
ANOTHER YEAR.
FOUR TIMES IN ONE WEEK.
QUENTIN RICHARDSON GOT TRADED
FOUR TIMES IN ONE YEAR.
HE WAS A LEGEND FOR THAT.
LET'S HEAR YOUR FAVORITE
OFF-SEASON MOMENTS.
ONE MORE BONUS ONE WAS THE
INFAMOUS BANANA BOAT PICTURE
WITH LEBRON, CHRIS PAUL, GABRIEL
UNION, AND DWYANE WADE.
WE'VE GOT TO TAKE A BREAK.
TAS GETS THE FIRST CRACK AT THE
HOT SEAT.
, ON BACK.
BACK WITH J.E.: "THE STARTERS"
NBA SEASON PREVIEW.
TAS MELAS ON THE HOT SEAT FOR
FIVE PRESSURE-PACKED QUESTIONS,
ALL BY HIS LONESOME.
LET'S GET IT A LITTLE BIT HOTTER
IN HERE.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
ARE YOU READY?
TAS: I DON'T KNOW.
I'M A LITTLE FREAKED OUT.
[LAUGHTER]
J.E.: FIRST QUESTION, IS DWIGHT
HOWARD STILL A SUPERSTAR?
TAS: HE IS STILL A SUPERSTAR.
HE'S ONE OF THE BEST FEW GUYS AT
HIS POSITION.
AT SOME POINT, WE TALK ABOUT
WHAT DWIGHT COULDN'T DO AND THAT
HE WASN'T QUITE AS GOOD AS SHAQ.
LET'S FOCUS ON WHAT HE CAN DO.
IS ONE OF THE BEST AT HIS
POSITION.
LOOK UP THE TOP ALL-NBA GUYS.
MARC GASOL, PAU GASOL, DEANDRE
JORDAN WERE THE CENTERS.
HE IS IN THAT SAME POSITION.
J.E.: NEXT QUESTION.
WHICH COACH WILL BE THE FIRST TO
BE FIRED?
TAS: UNFORTUNATELY, I THINK IT
IS STEVE CLIFFORD OF THE
CHARLOTTE HORNETS.
IT HAS NOT SO MUCH TO DO WITH
HIS COACHING.
THEY WANT TO WIN THERE.
THIS IS HIS THIRD YEAR.
THERE'S NO WAY THEY ARE MAKING
THE PLAYOFFS.
MICHAEL KIDD-GILCHRIST IS OUT OF
THIS YEAR.
THEY WERE 6-21 WHEN HE WAS OUT
LAST YEAR.
PEOPLE JUST DON'T GO TO THAT
ARENA.
I DON'T THINK THAT BODES WELL
FOR HIM STAYING A FULL FULL -- A
FULL 30 OR.
J.E.: WHICH STORYLINE ARE YOU
ALREADY TIRED OF?
TAS: I'M TIRED OF MUSCLE WATCH.
IF YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT THIS IS,
IT'S TALK ABOUT GUYS LOSING
WEIGHT OR GAINING WEIGHT OR
GAINING MUSCLE.
YES, YANA'S ANTETOKOUNMPO HAS
BIGGER MUSCLES.
OF COURSE.
HE WAS A TOOTHPICK.
I'M TIRED OF HEALING ABOUT, KYLE
LOWRY LOST SOME WEIGHT.
I UNDERSTAND THAT.
WHAT AT JARED SULLINGER.
I AM BACK ON THIS TRAIN.
THIS IS IMPRESSIVE.
I HEARD JOHN LUCAS HAD AN
INTERVENTION WITH HIM, BUT THAT
WORKED.
DID YOU SEE THAT?
HE LOST A TON OF WEIGHT.
J.E.: WHICH RANDOM NICKNAME WILL
YOU PUSH FOR THIS SEASON?
TAS: IT HAS TO DO WITH PAUL
GEORGE.
IF YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT IS GOING
ON WITH PAUL GEORGE, HE IS A GUY
WHO HAS PLAYED HIS LIFE AT THE
SMALL FORWARD POSITION, THAT
THIS SEASON, THEY'VE ASKED HIM
TO PLAY THE POWER FORWARD SPOT.
ANTHONY DAVIS TOOK CARE OF
BUSINESS.
THE MAN JUST LIKES PLAYING THE
THREE SPOT.
HE'S GETTING BURNED ALL OVER THE
PLACE.
THUS, PAUL GEORGE'S NICKNAME
WILL NOW BE SMALL GEORGE.
[LAUGHTER]
J.E.: OK.
FINAL ONE, TAS, INFAMOUSLY MADE
IT ON GREEK TELEVISION FOR
SINGING THE ANTHEM ONCE.
WHAT WILL YOU DO THIS YEAR TO
GET YOURSELF BACK ON GREEK TV?
TAS: THEY CALLED ME A FEW DAYS
AGO AND ASKED ME TO BE ON.
[LAUGHTER]
DID I PICK UP?
HELL NO.
SORRY, I'M NOT GOING TO MAKE IT
ON GREEK TV.
J.E.: THERE IT IS, TAS ON THE
HOT SEAT.
WE'VE GOT TO TAKE ONE MORE
BREAK.
WHEN WE COME BACK, YOU, THE
FANS, WILL DECIDE WHETHER THE
WARRIORS REPEAT AS CHAMPS.
NOT GOING TO BE EASY.
WE COME ON BACK.
THE SEASON PREVIEW CONTINUES.
J.E.: "THE STARTERS" FANS HAVE
SPOKEN.
A FEW GUYS JUMPED OVER TO THE
FACEBOOK PAGE AND VOTED ON
WHETHER OR NOT THE WARRIORS WILL
REPEAT.
77% SAID NO.
THE WEST IS TOO TOUGH, OR MAYBE
YOU LIKE THE CAVS.
23% LIKE THE DUBS TO GO BACK TO
BACK.
TAS: THANKS FOR VISITING OUR
PAGE.
J.E.: EIGHT QUESTIONS OF 72
BURNING QUESTIONS ARE IN THE
BOOK.
WE ARE CREATING A WIRE-LIKE
CORKBOARD.
TREY: WE ARE GOING TO GET TO THE
BOTTOM OF THIS.
J.E.: 64 QUESTIONS TO GO.
WE ARE BACK WITH PART TWO
TOMORROW.
WE WILL BE TACKLING THE BEST AND
WORST MOVES OF THE OFF-SEASON.
WE WILL ALSO DEBATE WHO WILL
MAKE THEIR FIRST ALL-STAR GAME,
AND LEIGH DECIDE TO HAS THE BEST
BICEPS IN THE LEAGUE.
A WHOLE LOT MORE, INCLUDING WHO
THE HEXTALL OUR SET.
JUST REALIZE WE LOST OUR SET.
TREY: WE'VE GOT SUSPECTS ON THE
BOARD.
TAS: THANKS FOR JOINING US, AND
REMEMBER, THE WORST BED IS
ALWAYS BETTER THAN THE BEST AIR
MATTRESS.
J.E.: EMBRACE THE NIGHT, PEOPLE.