Stephen A. and JWill say the Cavs are DONE 🗣+ NBA draft lottery is CRUCIAL for 76ers ❗ | First Take

Stephen A. and JWill say the Cavs are DONE 🗣+ NBA draft lottery is CRUCIAL for 76ers ❗ | First Take

[Applause] Y’all trying to get your game six morale back. That is That is the plan. That was Gary Payeyton Jr. and Ant during the Wolves game three win. Gary letting Ant know the Warriors are hoping to stay alive until Curry can get back. Jay, do we think the Warriors will force a game six? I I think they have a legitimate chance today and it all starts with Jimmy Butler. Look, I’m going to say this. Anthony Edwards, that dunk that we just showed that he had over Kavon Looney, he does not get that dunk if Draymond Green is in the game. Draymond Green had that foul that Steve Kerr challenged. It got overruled. They lost their challenge on it. But I actually it was the right, it was the wrong call. It was not a foul. Draymond Green in that game, he’s not getting that dunk and he’s not finding his rhythm offensively and the speed of the game was faster. I I think tonight is a must-win scenario. I think Jimmy Butler gets one. He gets one win without Steph Curry. All right, let’s go to the East. The Pacers came out in game four, he asked redhot as they built a 44-point lead over the Cavs before settling for an 8030 halftime margin. They would go on to win 129 109. But the biggest thing coming out of the game, Cavs star Donovan Mitchell missing the second half after being ruled out because of a left ankle. Cavs coach Kenny Atkinson said Mitchell will receive an MRI today. He has quote no idea about Mitchell’s availability for game five on Tuesday. All right, Wendy, I’ll start with you. Uh, what do you make of Mitchell’s injury? Well, first off, I just want to say the Pacers were absolutely brilliant in this game. And the Pacers since January 1st are uh 41 and 16, which is the kind of winning that a 59 win team would have. And so, you look at this series and you say, “Well, one team’s way better than the other team.” Actually, there’s not that much difference between them. And the Pacers are playing great. But one thing I will say is no matter what happens, the Cavs are not going to have any chance in this series if Donovan Mitchell is is going to miss be missing games or game. And they can say it’s an ankle. That does not look like an ankle injury to me. Okay. But I’m not a doctor. I’m not there. They had some initial testing last night. They’re going to have an MRI today. He was being bothered by a calf injury earlier in this series. And I suspect he was being bothered by it because the workload that they’ve asked him to do with the other injured players has been enormous. He came into this game averaging 41 points in this series. And I will also say this, the Pacers dominated the Cavs physically and mentally in this game. The Cavs are going to have to look themselves in the mirror and think about how they mentally approach this game. But anybody, including many teams who have won championships, can go into a road playoff game and get boat raced. It happens. The reason the Cavs are in trouble in this series is because they botched the end of game two, which is one of the worst collapses you will ever see. If they don’t do that, despite their injuries, it’s 2-2. Instead, it’s 3-1 and now they’ve got Donovan Mitchell in an MRI machine. Well, we can look at it that way. I don’t. Um, number one, if they had won game two and not botched it, they might not have won game three because the level of urgency that they came into game three with being down 02 may not have been there. And the level of lack of dasical or lack of dasical approach on the part of Indiana might not have been there if they had lost game two. They were up 200 coming back to their home court and Rick Carlile just just raped them through the coals after they got after they lost game three because of the manner in which they did so emphasizing the importance of rebounding and and beyond. But here’s the thing, Mad Dog Russo was right. He said Cleveland has a reg that of a regular season team to me written all over them. whatever you’re seeing from them in the regular season, I don’t believe them to be that team in the postseason. And that is how they have looked against the Indiana Pacers. We can slice it any way we want to. And so for now, it’s like their season is on the brink. They’re down 3-1 in this series. There is no reason to believe that the Cleveland Cavaliers are going to come back from this. If Donovan Mitchell comes back, you go back to Cleveland, you know, you win a game five. Nobody believes you gonna come back to Indiana with Indiana having an opportunity to close you out and they ain’t going to win game six. That’s how this series has looked. We’ve seen Indiana, their shooting prowess, their athleticism, their ability to run the floor, how they prioritized rebounding last night and they can do they destroyed Cleveland yesterday. They took their heart. That’s how bad it looked. We’ve seen people get beat down before. Just a bad night. That’s not how this looked. This looked a lot worse than that. We’ve seen teams lose by 40. We ain’t see him losing about 40 in the first half. In the first half. That’s what we saw. So to me, I I I just think about what Matt do Russo said. That’s where I’m coming with it. Hey, how shocking is Indiana’s dominance? I mean, it’s last night made me feel like they could be a world championship team for the first time. Actually seeing it, I was like, okay. But I think I’m more disappointed in Cleveland. Yeah. And the reason why is I I get three out of their, you know, six top rotational players were injured in multiple games and Garland’s been battling the toe and then Donovan at halftime, but last night that first that was embarrassing. Yeah, that was embarrassing. And I listening to Kenny Atinson after the game talking about, yeah, just, you know, we weren’t prepared and we got, you know, steamrololled. I’m like, how is that possible? That’s effort, that’s energy, that’s attention to detail in a game of that magnitude. So, look, I I think at the end of the day, you can always chalk it up by saying injuries play into that, but game four was extremely disappointing to me with just the effort they came out with at the beginning of the game. That wasn’t a game four type effort from a team that was down that needed a must-win scenario. Th this series is a chicken Caesar wrap to me. It’s done. Well, the Pacers are number one field goal percentage in this postseason. Field goal percentage, mid-range field goal percentage, and three-point shooting percentage. Pacers are number one. Wendy, the thing the thing about the Pacers, guys, they want you to play at a certain pace. I know it’s a pun. If they get to play at their pace, they’re going to be very hard to beat. This series has been about who gets to control the pace. In game three, it got slowed down. The Pacers ran onto the court with their foot on the gas. And whether they close the Cavs out in game five or whatever, the Pacers going forward, if they control the pace, I don’t care who they’re playing, they’re going to have a chance. They got at least five players averaging 14 points a game this postseason. There is something to say about guards who are slightly smaller, who have larger frames that absorb a lot of contact. Like can those be superstar guards? I think they can be, but their probability of getting injured because of their physicality is something that you always have to be cautious of. Buckstar Jiannis onto Takmpo open-minded about exploring whether his best long-term fit is remaining in Milwaukee or playing elsewhere. That according to our Shams Trannia onto Tumpo is coming off one of the best seasons of his career. averaging 30 points over 11 rebounds and six assists a game on 60% shooting, which left him finishing in the top three of MVP voting. All right, Stephen A. What place could Giannis go that would most impact the rest of the NBA landscape? I’m not going to lie to you. Let’s go ahead and say it, man. It might be San Antonio. It might be San Antonio if I’m being if I’m being honest. Really? when you talking about Giannis with Wimana with De’Aran Fox I know Chris Paul ain’t gonna leave you saying if that kind of scenario presents itself um if I I can’t imagine you would be able to keep your rookie of the year in castle but who knows uh based on the assets that they have available I’m imagine they’ll have to give up something you know I’m not gonna say bless you this time the point is okay there we go so the point that I’m trying to make to you is that women with Giannis and De’Aran Fox and you still got CP3 and his veteran leadership on a roster. I I I can’t ignore that. Houston, I get you. Knocking on the door. I get it. Um you’d have to give up something if you were with Phoenix. Everybody in Phoenix ain’t got nothing to give up as at this moment in time. OKC would be the the number two on the list because of the assets that they have. You keep Shay. You keep Jaylen Williams. You understand? You keep one of the Jaylen Williams, preferably the offguard. You keep Jaylen Williams. You keep Shay, of course, and you put Giannis with those brothers, man. I I I listen, I I like Chad Homegrren a lot. I’d give up him and him and Hartinstein for for Giannis. You understand? I mean, this is what we’re talking about here. So OKC would be number two on the list. But the idea of pairing Giannis with women, Lord have mercy. I I don’t know how who’s going to score on the interior. Who’s going to be that team? I don’t know. I don’t know. Most impact the NBA. So, does this have to be in the realm of we think it’s going to happen because they have assets or in the realm of just just fantasizing fantasizing about what’s the How do you not say the New York Knicks, the How do you How do you How do you not say the team that it feels like they are that piece away from now? Granted, who they have with it will matter. Yeah, I’m thinking I’m thinking about what they would have to give up to get it, right? Because they don’t have the assets, right? the thought of being in Eastern Conference with the pieces here, understanding where the Boston Celtics may be headed towards, understanding Indiana and how they play. Jaylen Brunson and and Giannis together with some shooters and some 3 and D people here in New York City. I’m shocked that you did not say New York. I am shocked because of the assets they would have to give up and the fact that they don’t have draft capital. That’s why that’s the only visa. Okay. Yeah. Um I think San Antonio as well. I’ve thought for two years somebody is going to get out in front and say that they want to be Victor Wanyama’s teammate ended up being De’arren Fox. He got there first and I guys when you look at trades I know that it is not as much fun but you now have to consider the aprons. If you are putting a team together where the top three guys are going to make 80% of the salary cap, you are setting yourselves up for a short run because of the way it affects you. Second apron is hell. Maybe you can stay in it for a year or two. You get it longer than that, you’re just asking for all kinds of trouble because Victor Webbyama is on the uh rookie contract for the next two years. It would enable them to really build out this team amazingly for the next two years. The cap then goes up and you get a little bit more room. Giannis is intelligent when it comes to the cap. He’s intelligent when it comes to finances. I promise you he knows the difference between the tax rate in Texas and the tax rate in California and New York. I’m not saying it’s a deciding factor. It’s a thing that’s on his plate. He studies this sort of stuff. I promise you. And that is a huge factor. Now, I think that if he comes to the Bucks and says, “I want to be a Nick.” There’s a trade that could be done. There’s a trade that could be done. The Knicks have pieces. You know, if if it if it wouldn’t be ideal for the Bucks, but it could be done. And the same thing for the Lakers and the Wolves. If he says, “You have to trade me there. I won’t resign with the team that I’m going to be traded to. I won’t be happy.” It could happen. But if Giannis is looking and thinking about the second apron and thinking about who where he could win potentially for the next three to five years, San Antonio is an incredibly compelling case. the balancing out of the of a great shot blocking shooter in Webinyama and a great defender who doesn’t shoot in Giannis would take so much pressure off him. It just makes sense across the board. He’s absolutely right. I mean, you know, we, you know, he definitely is aware of the tax. He’s prudent. He’s prudent. I mean, the taxes in Florida compared to the taxes uh in New York or LA is something that cannot be ignored. Well, thank you, Stephen. tonight for clarifying res wasn’t aware. Uh where did the 76ers guys fall in all of this this summer? Nowhere. No way am I. 76ers have a big night tonight. Molly, this is a big day for the 76ers. I I I know that it’s been easy to forget about them. Guys, do you know what’s on the 76ers plate tonight? Cooper flag. They they’ve got a 40% chance of getting into that top four and a 10 and a half% chance of getting Cooper flag. That’s amazing. That’s enough to get out of bed with a with a pep in your step thinking this is going to be amazing because you’ve got Maxi, you’ve got Embiid, he’s going to he had surgery. Maybe he comes back. You’ve got Paul George. There’s a 36% chance they don’t get their pick at all. Zero. No pick. Goodbye. See you later. Okay. That’s why they tanked like crazy banshees coming down the stretch of this season. One of the most complete tank jobs in the history of all tankedom happened with the Sixers down the stretch because their pick is top six protected and getting it into fifth, which is where they got doubled that percentage. But they still have a 36% chance that two teams come in front of them tonight and they go back to seventh and the Oklahoma City Thunder. When that pick comes out at seven tonight, when Mark Tatum opens the number seven envelope, gentlemen, if we see the Oklahoma City Thunder uh thing come out of there, oh boy. That said, when you get to number five and you either see the Sixers logo come out or not, which means they’ve moved up, you got you’re cooking with gas right there if you’re Philly. Talk about a pivot. So, Philly with a lot of skin in the game tonight. Well, let me tell you, let me let me let let me sort of bring a little measure to the euphoria that you just put out there for Philadelphia 76ers fans. Essentially, what you just admitted, which we all knew, is that the 76ers led by Daryl my engaged in the quote unquote process, trusting it, the process. You understand what I’m saying? other words, tanking games, tanking a season essentially and what have you. And we see how that worked out for them. Ben Simmons was supposed to be a star. All right? He’s turned into a thief, stealing money every chance he gets, okay, from the NBA teams. We got good look at a guy like Joel Embiid had no business participating in the Olympic competition last year, okay? Because his health was questionable and sure enough, he’s been hurt all year long and they can’t seem to remedy his ailments, okay? So, I would be careful about being euphoric. If I’m the Philadelphia 76ers, certainly you want a Coopa flag. You definitely want to be in those sweep sticks. You want to get a top three pick. You want to get the number one overall pick, of course. But in the same breath, their history, I I mean, it it’s not much to lean on, Jay, considering what has transpired. I just, you know, look, they could be in the game for Cooper Flag. I just always will come down to question the health of Joel Embiid. Yeah. I mean, I much rather have Cooper Flag as an asset, you know, to in my portfolio to move forward, but just Joel Embiid for how talented he is, I just don’t know if I can ever trust him. As crazy as this sounds, Molly J Brian, I mean, the age of technology, I mean, we we we’re seeing robots and stuff do I mean, can somebody come up with something to fix the knee of Joel and be I mean I mean can if it’s the knee, the foot, whatever the hell else he’s got going on with I mean, my lord. I mean, I mean, the age that we’re living in, can somebody out there come up with something to get Joel Embiid healthy? Because if that brother’s healthy, game changer. Look the hell out cuz we know what he can do when he on the basketball court healthy. Yeah, we we’ll work on the robots. I wish I was watching the lottery with Wendy. Be very interesting. So coming up about it.

On First Take, Stephen A. Smith, Jay Williams and Brian Windhorst join Molly Qerim to discuss if the Cleveland Cavaliers can come back from a 3-1 deficit vs. the Indiana Pacers, why the NBA draft lottery is crucial for the Philadelphia 76ers and more!

0:00 Can the Warriors get the series to 6 games?
1:21 Donovan Mitchell injury
4:03 Is the Cavs-Pacers series over?
6:50 Best fits for Giannis
12:15 Sixers draft lottery importance

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