Knicks Are Back! (Hour 1)

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Rocking and rolling with you on this Friday all the way up until 6 p.m. Eastern, 3 p.m. Pacific today. Coming up 20 minutes from now, the general manager of the defending world champion Denver Nuggets, Calvin Booth, is going to stop by. But let's start off with some basketball and we start off with the New York Knicks. The New York Knicks are officially back.

And I'm going to start with Leon Rose. Leon Rose, the president of the Knicks, has done the impossible. He has saved the Knicks. For so many years, basically 20, 20 plus years, the Knicks were a punch line to every joke.

The Knicks were a circus. Leon Rose comes in, the big time agent. A lot of people didn't like the hire. A lot of people didn't think James Dolan was doing the right thing. And to James Dolan's credit, this has worked out in a big time way.

Where in three out of the last four years, the Knicks have been a playoff team. Leon Rose has brought respect. He has brought credibility. And he has brought consistency to this organization.

And it is amazing the moves that he has made. Because quite frankly, you look at this roster and this team probably shouldn't be a number two seed. This team, in all likelihood, I think is going to the Eastern Conference Finals. And that's no disrespect to the Pacers. I think the Pacers are going to give them a heck of a series.

It's going to go six or seven games. I just think the Knicks are better. And the biggest move that Leon Rose was criticized for was signing Jalen Brunson to a four year, hundred plus million dollar contract. And nobody knows Jalen Brunson better than Leon Rose. Because the Rose family and the Brunson family have known each other for many, many years. Because Rick Brunson, who is Jalen's father, was Leon's first ever client.

So it's a pretty damn cool story to see. And you see the fingerprints of Leon Rose all on this roster. Jalen Brunson, Josh Hart, Dante DiVincenzo, Isaiah Hardenstein, Oji Ananobi. Like you look at this roster, that's not a typical roster that ends up being a two seed. That's not a typical roster that ends up potentially going to an Eastern Conference Final.

And I know I shouldn't put the cart before the horse, but that's how I think today. When you know that it's going to be Knicks and Pacers in the winter, in all likelihood, we'll be going up against the Boston Celtics in the Eastern Conference Finals. So this has just been remarkable what the Knicks have done. And I know a lot of people today are going to give all the credit to Jalen Brunson. Absolutely, it starts with stars, it starts with players, because Jalen Brunson, to his credit, went from being a good player to a great player. And he had some missed free throws last night, but in the big moments, he was clutch.

In the big moments when he needed to make his free throws, he did. And in what was a crazy game, the Knicks showed why they were the tougher, why they were the more physical, and they were in the better shape compared to the Sixers. Like look at the ebbs and flows of that game. I was at that game last night at the Wells Fargo Center, which by the way, what a raucous atmosphere. I don't condone fighting. I think people that fight at sports games are some of the biggest morons on the planet. But that atmosphere last night, there was a ton of Knicks fans, obviously there were a ton of Sixers fans, and it was almost as if everyone just said, we're going to throw down at one point during that game. With 4.20 left in the first quarter, the Sixers fan came running up to two Knicks fans that were sitting in front of me and was like doing the whole hold me back, bro, but he was trying to fight them.

When you were leaving the stadium last night, it was just random fights that were breaking a heck at half time. I always find it funny when the older guy gets into a fight, and it's an older guy that is really out of shape, and you're saying to yourself, why are you getting into a fight? Like you should be mature, you should understand your surroundings, you shouldn't put yourself in a position to fight, but there was this, he must have been 60 years old, he was extremely round. And he was not in good physical shape.

Like if this was a donut eating contest or a hot dog eating contest, yeah, you'd be my first pick. But when I saw this guy getting dragged out of the stadium by 20 security guards, I go, what did you think was going to happen if you elected to throw the first punch, which this guy did? And you know what's crazy too? Everyone right away, because when I saw this fight go down, at first my friend goes, oh, it must be a famous person. Because there was like 50 people surrounding this guy with cameras chasing after him. And you would think that'd be like, right, the paparazzi feel chasing after a famous person, but it wasn't. It was everyone now tries to record things to put them on social media and to kind of show the fights that were going on. And I actually was about to record a fight last night, because when I was leaving, there was a buildup of people that were just standing there because there was a fight going on in front of us. And as I was using my big frame to kind of box people out and get a camera up there, I realized I know one of the people that were involved in the fights.

I went to college with the guy. I couldn't believe it. So that environment was a zoo last night. But let's not get away from the biggest talking point of that game. And you left that game last night with how crazy it was in the first quarter, where it looked like the Knicks were going to run him off the court. And then Buddy Heald looked like he was saving the Sixers' season in the second quarter, 17 points.

It was wild. And then Nick Nurse, you know, Nick Nurse is a good coach. Let me give Nick Nurse credit first. He's a good coach.

I know he did a lot of whining in this series. Nick Nurse has won an NBA championship in Toronto when he had one star in Kawhi Leonard, which is very tough to do in this league. But how did Nick Nurse not put Buddy Heald in the game in the third quarter?

I get it. Buddy Heald is not this great player. He is not someone that you're going to consistently rely on if you're the Sixers.

But you sometimes just have to go to the hot hand. But then when the game was starting to look like it was going to go the Sixers' way, when they were up by 10, the Knicks show their resiliency. The Knicks fought back. And then when that game was there for the taking, in the final five minutes, and I know it got close at the end, in the final 30 seconds, like all these games do, Josh Hart, of all people who didn't want to take the three-point shot, but he was so open, he took the three-point shot and he made it.

And that's the other thing, too. I know it's one thing to be a great college team. Like, you look at some of those Villanova teams with the names that are on this team, Josh Hart, Jalen Brunson, obviously, and Dante DiVincenzo. If you would have told me after their run together at Villanova that this group, and I get it, Jalen Brunson was the player of the year in college basketball, but that this group would go on to be the main faces of a two-seed in the Eastern Conference, I would have never believed it.

Never. And out of anyone on national radio, I don't think anyone has seen more of Jalen Brunson, Josh Hart, and Dante DiVincenzo than yours truly, because that was in the height of when I was living in Philadelphia. Like, I remember being in Buffalo for the NCAA tournament where Nova lost in the first week, and that's when I started to realize how damn good Dante DiVincenzo was and how he has hops, how he's a smooth three-point shooter. Josh Hart, look at his motor. That dude, there's no way he should be getting like 12 or 13 rebounds a game. He was an offensive rebounding machine in this series.

And then Jalen Brunson is Jalen Brunson. He is a star. And the Knicks aren't done building.

Leon Rose has done this in a meticulous way. I do think there are limitations to what this Knicks team can do. Can this Knicks team get to an NBA Finals this year? Yeah. Do I think they will?

No. I think they're going to beat the Pacers in six or seven. I think they're then going to lose to the Celtics in six. And then after they lose to the Celtics in six, there will be talk about getting another star, whether that's Devin Booker, whether that's Paul George.

You know the names that we could speculate. But right now, for the first time in a while, we don't need to speculate on what the Knicks' future can be, because we can appreciate what the Knicks are doing right now and what they have consistently done three out of last four seasons, which has been be in the postseason. They have brought this franchise back. Leon Rose has made this team respectable again. And all these players right now are taking that next step in their NBA career. It starts with Jaylen Brunson. It's echoed by Oji Ananobi. It's echoed by Josh Hart, Dante DiVincenzo.

You could go on and on and on. Isaiah Hardenstein on the players on this roster that are just giving it their all. And they are exceeding expectations. And it is a beautiful thing because the Knick fan is a proud fan. The Knick fan is a loyal fan, but the Knick fan for so many years, for 20 plus years, was beaten down and you never thought that this team was going to be able to succeed again.

I know some people say, oh, it's premature. Like, why are they celebrating? Like they just won an NBA championship after winning a first round series. Do you know how many times the Knick fan was embarrassed? Do you know how many times the Knick fan knew that their franchise was a big fat joke? And it's crazy what one unlikely move, what one out of the box move can create this tremendous domino effect that we're now seeing. And it all started with the New York Knicks hiring their president, Leon Rose, saying, get out of the agent game, come run the Knicks, and look what he's done in just having his fingerprints all on the roster. It is so damn special.

It's so damn cool. And that was an awesome series between the Knicks and the Sixers. There's a lot of times in the NBA, and I won't gas up the NBA just to try to get segments done on the radio, but there's a lot of time in the NBA where I am bored by these first round series. That Knick Sixers series with the Game 2 choke job by the Sixers, the Game 5 choke job by the Knicks, and just these crazy finishes, that was awesome.

That was really bleeping cool. I know some of the passion gets crazy by the fans and you shouldn't be fighting, but to see the passion from both of these fan bases and how much was on the line for an opening round series was pretty bleeping awesome. So congratulations to the Knicks.

It's really cool to see. And I'll share one more story with you, too, because after it was Game 4, I reached out to Jay Wright and Jay Wright actually got back to me after Game 5, the former Villanova coach. And he was talking about his former Nova players that are on the Knicks and Jalen Brunson and Josh Hart and Dante DiVincenzo. He said they put up their, you know, their attempts, you know, they'll make mistakes at times down the stretch. But all three of these guys, they have no fear of failure. It's an attitude. And he hit the nail right in the head to turn around a team like the Knicks. You know, there's going to be some bad moments. You got to have no fear of failure.

When you get knocked down, you have to get back up and you have to get tougher. And that Nova attitude has been brought to the NBA. And when no one thought it could lead to a level like this, it's leading to a level where people are now starting to wonder, will the Knicks be in the NBA finals this year?

Once again, I don't think they will be. But the fact that we could even have that conversation shows the big time return of the New York Knicks. It is the Zach Gelb show on the Infinity Sports Network. We will take a time out when we come on back. The general manager of the Denver Nuggets is Calvin Booth. His team is looking to go back to back, back to back as NBA champions.

And he'll join us in five minutes right here on the Zach Gelb show. After the end of a good fight, you deserve an ice cold reward. Medella is the mark of a fighter. You've earned this rich golden lager with a crisp, refreshing taste. Because you know the bigger the fighter, the better the reward.

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Talk to your pediatrician or visit YVaccines.com. Brought to you by Merck. All right. It is the Infinity Sports Network. We open up the show talking about the New York Knicks being back as they will advance the second round of the playoffs and they'll go up against the Indiana Pacers. We're also getting set for another second round series. Denver is looking to go back to back as NBA champions and what a matchup this is going to be. A lot of big names in this series. Starting with the Koliokic, you have Jamal Murray on the other side.

Anthony Edwards has turned into one of the better players in the league. It is the Timberwolves and it is the Nuggets and it gets underway tomorrow evening. And now joining us is the defending champion, general manager of the Denver Nuggets, and that is Calvin Booth. Kind enough to join us once again on the Zach Gelb show. Calvin, always appreciate the time. Thanks so much for doing this and how you been? I've been good. Thanks for having me on, Zach.

I appreciate you coming on. Let me start you off with Jamal Murray. We've talked a lot throughout the years about the type of player that he could be and you know the moments that he's had. But to see what he was able to do, clutch shot after clutch shot up against the Lakers, just what comes to mind for you when you reflect on what Murray was able to do in round one? I mean it just always comes down to his mental toughness, his desire to make plays under pressure. And I think he just keeps on rising and getting better throughout the years.

So there's never a time he's really disappointed in that kind of scenario. Do you think he gets the proper respect? Because I feel like he's disrespected the fact that everyone knows how good he is and the guy still hasn't been an All-Star in the NBA so far.

Absolutely not. I feel like obviously I'm speaking selfishly, but I think we have the best point guard in the league. And so for him not to be an All-Star is just like, it's laughable.

But you know it is what it is. The way the system is set up right now, you put almost double weight into the regular season with All-Star and then NBA being voted for after a regular season. So I mean maybe it's something as a league we should look at. And let me get to obviously your best player in Nikola Jokic. We all know what he's been able to do as the general manager of the Nuggets, Calvin Booth, is here with us. Does anything surprise you anymore with Joker? Because I'm running out of ways to describe him because each and every night I watch him I just walk away saying, wow, wow, wow. Yeah, I think we just get used to seeing the extraordinary with him. And hopefully we never get too used to it because it's just something that's amazing to watch at night in and night out. And we continue to raise levels every year in every series.

You know it's amazing to me, and I don't think this is the majority, but some say, oh well it's boring to watch Nikola Jokic. Like I'm sure you've heard that. I'm not saying it to be clear, you know that. But it's amazing to me how some people still try to take some jabs and still try to slight your big fella. Yeah, I mean maybe it's a matter of preference.

I know some people like to see the hot flying act. But there's also a segment of people that like to see really smart basketball and great passing and decision making. And somebody can use their mind to get things done on the court.

You've been around this game for a long time, from many different parts and many different roles in this game. I'm just wondering, as someone that is a basketball lifer like yourself, when you have someone that's on his way to being one of the greatest players ever, already a two-time MVP, probably going to be a three-time after this year. We know he's already won one championship. He has the Finals MVP. What are you able to learn when you watch Nikola Jokic play? I just think how much the mental part of the game matters, the preparation you put into it matters. Because the level he plays at and the efficiency level is accomplished at every game.

It takes the skill and the athleticism and the body and the mind. Talking to Calvin Booth right now, the general manager of the Denver Nuggets. Denver gets set for the second round of the postseason going up against Minnesota tomorrow. Calvin, why has your team not had any complacency? Sometimes a team gets over the mountain, over the hump. They win a championship, but they don't come back as strong the following season.

Right now, most people are picking you to repeat as champions. So why has this team not taken a step back at all? I think the leadership of Coach Malone and I believe the starting lineup, Noel Cola obviously being the leader of that. I think Nicole has said it in a recent press conference. Winning has become a lifestyle for this team and I think they expect to win and they want to keep doing it.

So hopefully we're able to get there again. Let me ask you about Michael Porter Jr. Clearly a lot out of his control is going on off the court with his family. He didn't miss a beat though on the court. What does that kind of say about his mental toughness? I know what's going on off the court has nothing to really do with him doing anything wrong, but it's still his family and from a human emotion side you wonder if that was going to impact his game at all and it hasn't looked like it has. No, he's been fantastic and we wouldn't be all this serious without him. Stepped up time after time, made a big shot, rebounded the ball at a really high level. I just think his mental toughness and the fact that he has a lot of pride in his performance. I don't think he was necessarily thrilled with the way last year ended from an individual standpoint efficiency wise.

Of course he was very happy for us to win a championship, but I think he thought he could play a lot better and he has this playoffs. Talking to Calvin Booth right now. I know this is the nature of the sport when you've been involved in it this long. There's so many relationships and you go up against people that you know very well. You were in the Minnesota organization.

Obviously you being in Denver you have a close relationship with Tim Connolly who's now running the Timberwolves. Is it at all bizarre when you get set to go up against them just with some of the personal relationships on both sides of it? I think it's normalized. I think last year was definitely a little bit different, but I think this year both teams are focused on trying to get to the next round. We've kind of gotten accustomed to the new setup here. Obviously after whoever wins the series and the series concludes everybody will go back to having the relationships they had before the series. I think you're going to see two teams that are really wanting to compete at a high level and both teams that want to make the Western Conference Finals.

Hopefully it's spirited and competitive. I know it's only a second round series. You talk about the Western Conference Finals. This has a Western Conference Finals feel to it.

Do you agree with that just wondering? I think by the nature of us being the returning champions and the kind of season Minnesota had, I think that's why you're going to have that feel. Last year when we played Phoenix it was almost the same kind of feeling because both teams were kind of way up there.

Their chances to win the title and we were able to prevail and we went on to win it. I think the West is just so tough that it's going to be like that. I think next round, whether it's the Clippers or Dallas that advance, on the other side of the bracket rather, I think it's going to have the same feeling between those two teams and Oklahoma City. When you just have the respect you have for the game and you get ready for this matchup, when you look at Anthony Edwards and his stardom has taken a big step this year. People are saying he could be a future face of the league.

Just what are you seeing out of Anthony Edwards right now? I think his explosiveness athletically and also explosiveness and his ability to score 25 points in 8 minutes. I think that's what's terrifying with him as a player. We've seen those moments playing against him over the last few years. Hopefully we have the defenders in the game plan to limit those moments but it can happen at any time. I want to ask you this because the last few days people are talking about who's the next face of the NBA.

Some people have thrown Anthony Edwards into that conversation. You have the best player in Nikola Jokic. Do you feel like the player you have in Nikola Jokic, he's the next face of the NBA with guys like Durant and KD and Steph Curry get a little bit up there in age?

I don't think it's really for us to decide as an organization or to decide as an individual. I think the league and the fans somehow come to that conclusion. All I hope we do is keep on having success as an organization and winning games and winning NBA championships.

Hopefully Nikola and everybody else on the team gets that claim too. What was this offseason like for you? After you won the championship and then you got to retool and reload, what was this offseason like for you personally, Calvin?

Business as usual. We came off the parade, the draft was a couple days later and then you have to make roster moves. You want to try to retain Bruce if possible and he had a great opportunity financially with Indiana that he couldn't pass up. So we had to try to fill out the roster from there. But I think just getting the team ready, seeing how prepared they're going to be to enter the series. Entering the season considering how fatigued they were after the end of the long season. That was what we're anticipating.

I think the season went better than expected from that standpoint. Calvin, always appreciate your time. Thanks so much for doing this and good luck coming up here in the second round of the playoffs. Thanks for having me on.

You got it. There he is, the general manager of the Denver Nuggets, Calvin Booth, kind enough to join us once again on the Zach Geld show. And what a run this has been for Denver with them winning the championship last year. Getting over that hump right when you had Jamal Murray out, Michael Porter Jr. out.

People were questioning what they could do. You really started to understand how good this team could be when they were in the bubble and they came up short. Then some injuries derailed them and last year, boom, they win that championship.

And now they're the team that everyone's hunting. You look around the entire NBA. I know we opened up the show talking about the stellar play of the New York Knicks in that first round series and how exciting it is. You look at the Celtics who got through the heat in five games, a gentleman sweep. A lot of people believe the Celtics are going to the NBA finals, including yours truly. But you see the Western Conference. That to me is the story right now of the NBA playoffs, is how deep this Western Conference is. We'll see who prevails when you have the Clippers series wrap up against the Mavericks and whoever goes on up against the Thunder.

But I don't care how this plays on out. Right now, the series I'm most excited for, by far and away, has to be this Minnesota and Denver series. And just because you win this series doesn't mean you're going to the NBA finals.

But it does feel like, to no disrespect to the Thunder, incredible player in Sheikh Gilgus Alexander. You obviously know that whoever survives in that series from the Clippers and the Mavericks like Kyrie and Luka Doncic are just unbelievable, as you know. I don't think the Clippers are going to come on back, but you just take a glance and you look around this Western Conference. It's been a really fun kind of preview to get set for that second round, even though we don't fully know the matchups. And you're starting to see whoever those four teams remaining, it's going to be a gauntlet to get to the NBA finals. But until someone takes out the Denver Nuggets, I'm just not going to anticipate them dropping four games in a series.

That's how damn good, excuse me, that's how damn great they have been. I got to get to Ack here before we get to an update. I hear you're making the big waves around here on the network.

What big waves? I heard you took a little shot at Odell Beckham Jr. You know, it really wasn't a shot. It's kind of funny because a lot of people have been texting me about it. It really wasn't meant as a shot as it was as a guy who was on a Hall of Fame or had Hall of Fame ability and now doesn't have as much left but still has something to add. So it really wasn't meant as being smug as it was the reality of the situation, but I guess that's the interpretation and I kind of feel guilty a little about it. Do you really? Yeah, because... So you said exactly Odell Beckham Jr. signed with the Dolphins, people don't know. I said whatever talent he has left, he is taking to South Beach.

That's a good line. Yeah, I thought it was a little irreverent. I don't know, maybe I didn't mean it to come off as impudent as it is or was, but I guess because again, he has Hall of Fame ability and had Hall of Fame production at one point.

Yeah, back in 2016. Yeah, he's had major, major injuries and he's still going. So it's kind of, I mean, in some respects, maybe I didn't clarify it enough.

It's kind of a testament to him that he still has something left at this point. You know what it can be? What's that? I think maybe some people feel bad for Odell Beckham Jr. today. Why is that? He ended his relationship with Kim Kardashian I read today. They were dating for seven months. Oh, very quietly.

So maybe people thought you were like twisting a knife a little bit in the back of OBJ today. Yeah, no, I didn't even know about that. It'd be on brand for you, by the way.

So I guess we're not going to see him in Skims commercials anytime soon. But, you know, yeah, you know, OK, you know, it's all right. I'll cop to it. You know, I hold my hand up and say, yeah, I said it.

Sorry about that. I don't think it's that big of a deal. Like you look at what he did. Ninety one receptions in his first year in the league, one thousand three hundred and five yards and ninety six receptions, one thousand four hundred and fifty yards, one hundred and one receptions, one thousand three hundred and sixty seven yards. Then became a little bit of a pain in the ass in New York when he got the contract and then couldn't even praise his quarterback in Eli Manning when he did that ridiculous interview with Lil Wayne and Josina Anderson. But then unfortunately, it's one of those careers where he just kept on getting hurt. And you wonder what he could have been.

Never the same. And yet to one thousand yard season since. But he's never been that number one dominant threat that we've ever seen.

And you know what's even crazy? When he went to L.A., he wasn't even he was used as like a luxury. He was going to be used as a luxury piece. And then Robert Woods tore up his leg and the next day in practice. And then he he caught a touchdown.

The Super Bowl was on fire and then got hurt. He could have been the he could have been the MVP if he stayed healthy in that game. Yeah.

Yeah. If he did not get hurt. That's how good I mean, he was unstoppable in that game. And then but that's that's almost a microcosm of his career. He's had those those brilliant flashes.

He's a pain, but he's had major injuries. And, you know, you just don't know what you get from him anymore. So Santa said it to me, too. When this news came out that Odell signed those three million deal with incentives, I think up to eight and a half.

And Santa goes, isn't it crazy? Like, it's crazy how big of a deal Odell Beckham still is for a guy that hasn't been irrelevant in terms of his name. But in terms of production, you know, outside of those playoff games with the Rams for like four or five years now.

Yeah. But he the thing that's still tantalizing about him. And again, that Super Bowl serves as a microcosm for where he is now is that he can have and he could be a marginal or average receiver for for a team as he was with the Ravens last year. But he still has those moments where you're like, wow, he just changed the game with that. Or, boy, did they need that play more than ever.

So, you know, and that's maybe what what the Dolphins are looking at, because, you know, he's he's at best their third receiver. I think we learned something today, by the way. And that is in the long relationship that you've had with Jim Rome being his update anchor. I think Rome finally realized that Axe got that dog in him.

He's got that evil dog in him a little bit. Don't mess with me. Man, I don't want to mess up. Like, if I end up being like just a bum for like three, four years and I do something, Axe had to be taking a shot at me left and right. I started seeing because somebody had tweeted that I deserved to be in.

Just give me the golden ticket for the smack off. And I'm like, oh, I'm like, why do I why do I deserve that? What did I do? And like when I saw like the alerts come, I'm like, oh, no. Did I did I have a fact wrong in the update?

I had no idea. And I'm like and like then that and it was like one of those things I had to figure out. I'm like and I asked the person, I'm like, what do you know what it is?

What did I do? Because you're a consummate professional. Like you are a pros pro broadcaster. So when you do take a shot at someone, it's not like I had every day Skip Bayless or Stephen A. They take a shot at everyone.

It's like, give me another day that ends in Y. When Axe takes a shot at someone, even if it's not an intended shot, you were just telling the truth. I think it resonates with people a little bit more. People get a little excited to hear that.

And look, I'm not meaning to besmirch Odell Beckham Jr. in some respects, but he does make himself an easy target in some respects because it's because it's always about him. And even though even if it's even if it's well intentioned, somehow he takes the spotlight. So did he propose to like the kicking net and then the net fell on him or did he kick the kicking net? Well, he did both. So he kicked the kicking net and then he then he made a joke of it, which was somewhat proposed. And he proposed. So that was that.

You know, I think years later, he's tried to explain that the boat incident, which which, you know, I just look, it's OK to blow off steam, but I think it's bad optics. And you want to make sure that that in that spot that you you you and everybody else are going to be on the same page and ready to go. Put it this way. They win that game.

No one talks about the exactly. But you know, you go in that boat, you lose the game. Everyone's going to it was like the Cowboys in Cabo when they lost to the. Oh, yes. Same thing.

Tony Romo. Right. If you're going to do that, that's fine.

But you've got to back it up. And that's you know, and those look, those incidents haunt Odell Beckham. So, you know, the you know, there are a couple of others throughout the years.

I'm already I picked up his leg and that was what I was referring to. Yes. Yeah. I'll say it for you. Told me to avoid that.

So it kind of makes him, I guess, an easy target, if you will. Yeah. What's your Twitter, by the way? At Rich Ackerman. At Rich Ackerman. If you want to chime in and tell me your lovely thoughts about Odell Beckham. Make sure you do that and wish Ack a very happy Friday. Yeah. Come on back. We'll discuss the future of the Bucks and the Sixers. Here's the Ackman, though.

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All right. It is the Infinity Sports Network. It is the Zach Gelb show on this Friday, and it's time to ask the pros where you, the listener, gets to ask us a question. It's brought to you by O'Reilly Auto Parts. Simply tweet your question at INF Sports Net or at Zach Gelb using the hashtag. Ask the pros.

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O-O-O-O-O'Reilly Auto Parts. So, Bucks out of the postseason now. They lose game six. The Sixers out of the postseason last night. They also lose game six.

What's the future of those two teams? But I've seen some people, and I will highly recommend if I know Bart Winkler the way that I know Bart Winkler, and how petty and nasty he could be when people go after his bucks. And I say that respectfully because I'm a huge fan of Bart. I did see one writer today was already saying, oh, it seems inevitable that one day Giannis Antetokounmpo is going to leave the bucks, and we shouldn't delay the inevitable. So tonight, I'm assuming Bart is working, but you never know when you get this time of the year on a Friday.

I may tend to take a few Fridays off coming up this summer, if I may say so myself. From 10 p.m. to 2 a.m. tonight, I would actually, if you set the over under of two minutes into his show, this coming up, I would take the under. So like you have Odell Beckham Jr. signing with the Dolphins, you have Darvin Ham getting fired. I'm thinking what could be like the big reaction tonight, like Cavs magic, whoever wins that series doesn't resonate any reaction. The Clippers Mavericks game isn't until 930. So barring some crazy major breaking news, I have no clue if Bart even knows what a hockey puck is. I don't think he's going to talk about Toronto forcing a Game 7, and I don't think he's going to be all over Canucks and Predators and Stars and Golden Knights tonight. I don't think Bart's going to do that. But I would be highly intrigued to listen to Bart Winkler tonight, because I really do believe Bart is going to just destroy whoever this writer is. I think it was at the ringer that is suggesting that Giannis Antetokounmpo should leave the Milwaukee Bucks. Bart Winkler. Oh, my God, I'm just looking at his Twitter. Michael V. Pina.

I think the guy's name is senior staff writer for the ringer. An eventual breakup feels more likely than Giannis winning another title, Milwaukee. At what point does either side consider an exit strategy? Now the Bucks would be stupid to ever be the first person there to suggest a trade. It would have to come from Giannis, and Giannis has always threatened it, but that's just so the Bucks improve the team.

Why would you write this now? Because like, let's talk about the future of the Bucks for a second. Giannis isn't going anywhere. Dame shouldn't be going anywhere. They just brought him in. This team wasn't healthy. You know, the Griffin hire was the wrong hire, then they made a dumb hire and bring in Doc after that. And you have Giannis and Dame. I'm not breaking that duo up. No way. Like, this team can win another championship. They just got to be healthy.

And the last three years, the Bucks haven't been healthy. But Bart, you want to hear the tweet? So he quotes this article. Would you like to come on my show tonight and tags the guy not to talk about this article?

I just like to lecture you on how big of a pile of garbage this is. That's awesome. And then, did the guy respond? Hold on.

Of course, I pressed the button. It's taken me now away from the tweet, so give me two seconds here because I did see a follow up tweet. I don't think the guy responded. Oh, this is now that a bad look for Bart. Bart then responds to his own tweet. It shows you how fired up Bart is. I thought maybe the guy like reposted it or quote tweeted it and started having a little throw down with Bart and then we would have got in there. We were throwing haymakers. Would have been like being at that Sixers Knicks game last night. And Bart says, I just like don't you guys get tired of this?

Not even making sense when he speaks now. Is there any shame in this kind of reporting or is this outrage from the Midwest schmucks like me too irresistible to avoid? I got no plans tonight. I'm laying low tonight after getting home at two thirty three in the morning from this game. I might catch up on some reality television tonight. There might be a mic in Milwaukee. Call it into the Bart Winkler show tonight. Hey, but I don't know why I'm sounding like that.

I think the buck should. To trade Giannis and just kind of see how crazy Bart would go and how much he would unload because Bart, there's some people right there and like I've disagreed with callers, but I at least give the caller some rope. And I want them to kind of fight back and banter back. And then when they can't answer a simple question, then I'll let them go.

Sometimes the moment when a caller disagrees with some host, they just click on them. Bart will let you go for like four or five minutes and we'll just see how stupid you actually are. So maybe I'll troll Bart Winkler tonight. The problem is I got to disguise my voice.

Maybe I'll use like a sound effect. Hello, Bart. It is me. It is Mike in Milwaukee. I think the Milwaukee bucks should trade Giannis onto the Kumpo. How could a star player survive in Milwaukee? Bart is still there.

Bart Bart, Bart, Bart. I may have too much time in my hands tonight, hands tonight, especially if I'm drinking some of that a leap vodka that LaRoy Butler sent me all those years ago, endless amounts of leap vodka when a buddy of his personally drove it to my apartment in New York City. So no, I don't think the bucks should trade Giannis onto the Kumpo. That is the Zach Gelb show hot take of the day. Now for the Sixers, their future. I heard Jody Mack last night when I was driving back from Philly, he was on WIP and Jody was in rare form, just going at it with callers, exposing callers that were saying they got to trade Joel Embiid, like basically saying that Joel Embiid was a bum where Joel Embiid had a good game last night and the fourth quarter, he does what he does.

And that's unfortunately gets too tired. And I get it with the bell palsy and then also playing on one leg because the meniscus injury, he wasn't healthy and he could still go up and put what do you have 35 points in the game. But in the fourth quarter, he did slow down significantly. I don't think the Sixers should trade Joel Embiid and I didn't know if I was going to have this take after the game, but maxi is a budding star. You have Joel Embiid, they could go all in this off season and not Jerry Jones all in like actually all in, they have a ton of cap space and you already hear in the speculation like Paul George, usually I wouldn't advocate with Paul George age and some of his injury history bringing them in, but I still think you have like a two or three year window where I thought the window was shut, but you bring in Paul George and he's your other guy and he's more than just another guy where right now Tobias Harris is getting paid like he's the other guy and that contract's coming to an end and he had a big goose egg last night when he's getting paid nearly $40 million to play basketball, man, you put on a team and bead maxi and Paul George and an Eastern conference that isn't all that spectacular to be fair, that's a team that could go compete for a championship.

So I would try for Paul George first and then if you couldn't get Paul George, maybe you could do a little reunion who says you can't go home with Jimmy Butler and you try to get a trade with the Miami Heat. This is that Gelb show on the infinity sports network, the dolphin sign Odell Beckham Jr. Where's your belief level in the Miami Dolphins. Listen as Selenia tells us why she chose to vaccinate her daughter. I definitely felt like the pros far outweighed the cons, the diseases that I am protecting my child against. They're still here and at the end of the day, it's my job as a mother to keep my child safe.

Talk to your child's doctor and learn more at YVaccines.com brought to you by Merck. This episode is brought to you by Progressive Insurance. Whether you love true crime or comedy, celebrity interviews or news, you call the shots on what's in your podcast queue. And guess what? Now you can call them on your auto insurance too with the name of your price tool from Progressive.

It works just the way it sounds. You tell Progressive how much you want to pay for car insurance and they'll show you coverage options that fit your budget. Get your quote today at Progressive.com to join the over 28 million drivers who trust Progressive. Progressive Casualty Insurance Company and Affiliates.

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