Stephen A. is taking the Timberwolves over OKC 🗣️ and Gilbert Arenas DISAGREES ⛔ | First Take

Stephen A. is taking the Timberwolves over OKC 🗣️ and Gilbert Arenas DISAGREES ⛔ | First Take

SGA 39 points on the night. Penetrating in the lane. Blocked. Edwards got it. Edwards right up at the rim. Got the block. He’s fired up about it. Thunder. 6 seconds to potentially tie this game at 131. They get it into SGA. Down by three. Shay puts it up off the heel. Tapped out. Minnesota pulls off a shocker against the Thunder from 25 down. The starown though, that’s everything for me. It was a crazy end to an amazing regular season series between OKC and Minnesota. The series was decided by a combined three points as the team split it 2-2. But it’s important to note that Julius Randall missed three of those four games, so we weren’t totally at full strength. All right, Marcus Moore is back here with me in New York. We got Gil SA SA coming to you. Which team has the advantage in game one? I think in game one it’s Minnesota because Oklahoma City had a sevename series against Denver, whereas Minnesota finished off, you know, their series obviously in five. And as a result, I think they have a few extra days rest. And I think in a game like this, rust could play a factor. We can’t ignore the potentiality of that, but I don’t believe that’s going to be the case. I think Minnesota has the advantage for game one. Um, and OKC obviously could be in a 10 hole. That’s how I view it because primarily of rest. I’m not ignoring the fact that against Ant-Man, uh, you know, particularly this season just looking at them and they’re ser, you know, they’ve gone up against each other about six time 16 times like a nine and seven record against one another. Ant-Man and SGA. SGA is averaging like 29.8 8 on 50% shooting. So whenever he goes up against Ant-Man in this squad, he ain’t he ain’t too phased by it. But Julius Randle being back should be of help, but SGA is going to be SGA. I just think on a game like tonight, the fact that Minnesota had that rest and they’re healthy and ready to go, whereas OKC had to endure seven game series, I would say tonight go the edge goes to Minnesota. I don’t know if you seen the last game, but they look like they was well rested right there, right? Uh I don’t even know if they played in the fourth quarter. So that was a day off. That was a day off for them. They didn’t. Those g those guys are what 22 years old. They don’t need no days off. Um actually sometimes in the playoffs too many days off kind of hurts you. It it hurts chemistry a little bit. It takes away from what you was building on. So you know in this series game one I agree that Wolves have the advantage, but I’m going to go with OKC because they just finished playing. So, they’re in rhythm. Their shots is down. Their they’re um they’re in sync. They they they’re right here. I think they think that was the hardest team that they played. So, going into this series, I think game one is the most important for them. So, I think they’re going to come out here and just, you know, try to take it first five minutes. Marcus, yo, Denver definitely wasn’t the hardest team that uh OKC going to have to face. I think Denver just end up just, you know, barely beating the Clippers where which I felt like Clippers probably would have been a better series against OKC. But I think OKC has the edge in this one, right? You at home, it’s the first game of the uh of the of this the tournament. And quite frankly, SGA is playing at a high level. I think he’s found his footing. So, it’ll be it’ll be like very intricate to see if he continues to build off those last two last three games. Actually, we shot 60% from the floor, right? like he’s basically found where his shot needs to be at and and I think I got to give them the edge, but having those extra days off for a team that’s locked in like Minnesota, I don’t think it actually hurts them. Like I I think it gives some time to be able to scout and watch uh OKC and how they’re approaching this playoffs. Obviously, the matchup is different. Um and you got to bring different things to the table, but I I got to give it to OKC because of the way SGA closed out those last three games. OKC’s favored by seven and a half tonight. Stephen A. I also I also got to pay attention to this. Do y’all know that Rudy Gobear, Dante Danchenzo, and Rudy um and uh Julius Randle only played in one game against OKC this year. So, I’m looking at that as well and I’m saying to myself, okay, what’s OKC going to be when you got those three brothers on the court to deal with along with Ant-Man? It remains to be seen. I don’t blame anybody for feeling whatever they’re feeling because I think this is I think this is going to be that close of a series. But those are the kind of things that I’m looking at to say to decide whether or not um you know what’s going to happen in this series personally. That’s just me. That’s a big difference having those guys out and splitting and now they’re back. That’s a big difference because now what are you actually scouting through the regular season because the Minnesota Timber wasn’t at full strength, right? Like even what you seen them in these two series that they played against. Like if you’re scouting them off that, then it’s like, okay, we have to change our entire game plan that we that we had throughout the regular season that ended up in a two- two split. So now with that being said, I say I’m happy that you said it because I didn’t know that. I might have to change my I might have to change my answer now because now you you implementing three really good player. We’re not just talking about anybody like like we’re not talking about bench guys. We’re talking about Julius Randle is possibly having one of the best playoff series, the best playoffs right now of any player in the league, right? Like, so I’m changing mine now. Like I said, I appreciate that because now I’m changing. I’m going with Minnesota. Gil, well, I’m I’m glad you you know, you said that um that Julius wasn’t there because they played better without Julius because that’s what they’ve used to playing with. I think u when they threw him into this war zone, he’s been trying to find his footing. So, the fact that he didn’t play against them and now his style is in this series, that’s great for OKC because his his style is one-on-one basketball. They know how to load up. They know how to switch everything. They got two sevenfooters back there. I get where you’re coming from with Julius Randle, but but that one-on-one stuff, even though he does it, Gil, it was more so with the New York Knicks and him launching jump shots. In this instance, he might get that way sometimes, but he’s getting physical. Now we look at Hartinstein, legitimate big man. Ted Hungren is tall. There’s nothing big about him. So yeah, he can ball, he can play, but he’s also thin. And I’m wondering what kind of effect Julius Randall’s potential physicality along with that of Rudy Goar you believe will have on Oklahoma City. I’m gonna ask you that question first, Gil, and then Marcus, you take it away. Go ahead, Gil. Yeah, I don’t, you know, when you have two sevenfooters back there and you got a guy who’s all left hand, you know, he wants to bump first, then try to get to his jump shot, and you got two guys who can take that hit and still uh challenge that shot. Um, it’s going to be interesting to be honest, but I think this series is really going to to see what he can do. like he’s been great against he’s been great against the 40-year-old and he’s been great last series where they didn’t have anybody, right? We’re talking about Golden State Warriors here. They didn’t have nobody there. So, this is a new series. This is a taller series and these guys want to win. They just been they just played a threetime MVP a big and they shut him down. So, I playing against Julius right now is lunch meat for them. Yeah, but it’s a different dynamic. You know, Joic was is back to the basket, right? Like he’s catching it at the top and he’s driven. Julius Randle’s catching it all over the floor. He’s bringing the ball up. He’s creating a transition. He does use his body and I think that will go against Czech Homer because Chuck Homer is a slim player. Like he could use his body and be super aggressive in that area. And I think he actually might play Czech off the court. One of them bigs are not going to be able to play for OKC. Like you’re gonna have to spread that out. And maybe like even if you watch at the end, they didn’t win with Harkinstein. They won with Caruso guard uh a big fella, right? So I think that dynamic might actually change. I think that if Julius Randle does play well, you might have to figure out how to get check minutes because now that big body does play a part. He has lymph, but if you put your body on him like Julius Randle, aggressive dog. He’s figuring out where to play. And under Finch, he’s a way different player than he was in in in New York. He’s had a lot of success under Finch. And Finch is getting this guy to play the right way. Averaging six assists in the playoffs is big for Julius Randle. I played on the team for him. I felt like he couldn’t even see the floor. Like I felt like he was a bull in a china shot. He was trying to get to the basket by any means. You see a different player. He’s playing in the mid-range. He’s getting in the paint. He’s finding other guys. He’s throwing a couple losses to Rudy. And Ant is actually him and Ant are engaged with each other. Ant actually defers to him sometime. It’ll give him more confidence to play and be able to do what he wants. So, I mean I I think I I don’t know, man. I I can’t agree with you on that. and being able if Chad can guard this guy uh with just lymph. Stephen, I last Hold on, hold on, hold on. I don’t think Chad is gonna guard him. I’m gonna put Harkinstein on him and then I’m going to let Chad defend defend the rim. I’m not going to put Chad on him at the four. I’m going to put Harkinstein on him at the four. Okay. And be back there defending. Yeah, cuz cuz you don’t want you don’t want a thin dude defending Julius Randall. I mean, that’s you do not want that. That I will say. But I’mma ask I’mma end by saying this. Here’s a slight concern that I think we all need to monitor. They’re like a pack. I mean, they’re like a bunch of piranhas going at the ball. The minute even though you had Guso guarding them, the minute Jokic put the ball on the floor, there was six hands grabbing at him. Six hands. Okay. Minnesota is different. And Ant-Man handling the ball on the perimeter is entirely different than Jokic trying to big big body you and back you down. I’m interested in seeing how OKC is going to be able to defend against that and whether or not it’s going to make Minnesota erratic or are they disciplined enough to be efficient moving that damn basketball which is what everybody was impressed by particularly at the beginning of the Lakers series and then the Golden State series as well. It’s going to be interesting to see that. Absolutely. We’ll see that tonight 8:30 Eastern on ESPN. All right, let’s go around the horn starting with you Gil Marcus Essay. Gil, who you have winning tonight? OKC. OKC. Minnesota. I’m going with Minnesota. They gave me the stats. I need to see it. I’m going with Minnesota. Stephen A. I’m going with Minnesota. I’m going with Minnesota in game one. Okay. Marke. What’s the problem, Gilbert? What’s the problem, Gilbert? I mean, come on now. It’s minus 7 right now, Stephen. It’s minus. That means it don’t supposed to be good game. Yeah. You got your You got your Oh, damn. They they brought a big bro with you. What up, Keith? What’s up? What’s up? What’s up, say? How you doing, girl? What’s up? What’s up, agent? I’m doing sir, come on with me. Come on with me. Go ahead. All right. Who you at? Who tonight? I’m OKC in five. I like OKC tonight. OKC and five. What? I said it before and I told Marcus this. If OKC make it to the Western Conference Finals, they are going to win the championship. The championship. Why? Oh, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa. Hold on, hold on, peeps. Hold on, peeps. That’s very disrespectful. I mean, five games, five. That’s very disrespectful. Play OKC Gil Gil made Gil made a great point early on when he first start talking about OKC. They’ve been the best defensive team the entire season. When you get to the playoffs, you have to be able to hang your hat on something. And I’m hanging my hat on defense. And I agree with Gil with that. Okay. Cuz we talked about like how OKC couldn’t score. Minnesota don’t defend. You saw it first. Minnesota don’t defend. You saw it first hand. Maris, they they they defend. They defend at a high level, but OKC has been defending the entire season. They have been the best defensive team in every category the entire season. And it’s showing up in the playoffs. It showed up last game when they made an adjustment. All right. And took Joker out the game. We’re going to leave it there. I’m going to need you. You’re warmed up now. We’re going to get there. You see this? The brother. You see the brother war? The twins are coming to take my dog. Yeah. One’s about to be right right here. He’s locked in, didn’t he? SA, you’re in playoff form. You can handle it. Stephen A versus the world. We’re getting you a chair, Mark. You’re warmed up.

Stephen A. Smith, Gilbert Arenas and Marcus Morris Sr. join Molly Qerim on First Take to preview the Western Conference Finals and debate who has the advantage between the Minnesota Timberwolves or the Oklahoma City Thunder in Game 1.

0:00 Who has advantage in Game 1?
6:53 What is Julius Randle’s role in this series?
10:44 Which team will win Game 1?

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