Who wins the NBA MVP Race? And is Mazzulla the Coach of the Year?

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Parting the eruption but I'm Pablo at Torre. Wilbon is off today and I am honored that you

invited me back on to co-host with your Tony. I'm Tony Cornheye. So I'm just trying to stay on

your good side. You're a tough guy now. Yeah. You know, I got to be killed. I got to be killed.

I'm afraid. I'm confused. I'm just your friendly neighborhood sports journalist. Why?

What's in your closet, Tony? Anything?

Well, as they say, be afraid. Be very afraid. Welcome to PTI, everybody.

Wilbon is off chunking and blading. So I'm joined by our great friend, the host of the podcast

Pablo Torre finds out Mr. Pablo Torre.

And we begin today with talk of the NBA MVP. JJ Reddick boosted his guy Luca Dantich last night

saying Dantich is leading the Lakers great recent success. The Lakers are 15 and two since February

28, including a win last night over Washington. And then that spanned Dantich's averaging

36.5 points on 49.3% shooting eight rebound seven assists again. A leading contender for MVP

as well, Oklahoma City's Shay Gilgis Alexander said he was not going to stump for himself for MVP

even after last night's 47 points against Detroit. He prefers to let us play to the talking. And we

all know that Victor Wembonyama publicly says he wants to be the MVP. Wembonyama had 41 last night

with 16 rebounds against Chicago. Pablo, which approach to the MVP award has the most impact on you?

None of the campaigning strategies. Tony, as you know, from your time in DC,

none of it really replaces the substance at hand. Like, I've seen Daryl Mori be so thirsty for

James Harden, Joel and Beat. I've seen people say I would never insert myself into this process.

I don't care. I'm looking at the merits, though, the subjects on their own merits. And I'm like,

okay, where I put Dantich, I'm putting him probably fourth. I think Shay Gilgis Alexander,

number one, Thunder the Best team. He's averaging 55% on 32%, 32 points a game. For a guard that's

insane. Yokeuch is leading the league in rebounds and assists as a center. Wembee, if he wasn't

playing as little as he was, 400 to 500 minutes less than the other guys, I'd probably pick him

because of his defense. And Dantich, nothing to be ashamed of, he's just number four to me,

number four on the list. So I really like the fact that Wembonyama has said publicly he wants to

be the MVP and that he wants there to be no doubt about the separation he has from everybody else.

The Lakers are 15 and two lately, Pablo. That's really good. The Spurs are 25 and two

since February 1st. And Wembonyama is in the middle of that. Shay Gilgis Alexander,

he doesn't, it's fine that he doesn't want a campaign for this. He doesn't have to. He won it

last year. He's having about the same year and his team is the best team in the league. So it's

very easy to vote for him. And I think that humility will help him. Dantich has been great

lately. There's a quote though from Dantich, which indicates to me that he thinks he's not that high

with the voters. It says the better I play, the more I go down than the ratings. But here's the

thing. They've been very much better this year than last year. They've been very much better

most recently than earlier in the season. J.J. Reddick is 100% right to stump for Dantich. It's

100% right to do that. And I get all of it. But on the ballot that I have, if I had one,

it would be Jalen Brown first. Because I think what he's done in the absence of Jason Tatum

is terrific. And then second for me would be Wemba Nyama. But it would have been Cade Cunningham

had he not gotten hurt. Because the troid is on top in the east. And then I would have Gilgis

Alexander, Dantich and Yokech, who is, and I'm sure you agree with this, simply the best

basketball player in the world. He's the best player in the world. So it's, it's, look, we're at a

point in the NBA where the MVP race, you could tell me any of those names are the winner. And

I'm not going to storm the league office. Like we are, we are blessed with an abundance of high

level talent. A lot of it international, by the way. Jalen Brown kind of sitting out on that list

of guys. But the, we're good. And I think it's a difference of, of minor differences as opposed

to one obvious choice. But I want to move Tony from awards to come up against. Because ducks

captain Radco Goudus faced the Maple Leafs last night for the first time since putting their

star Austin Matthews out for the season with that knee on knee hit. And Goudus had been injured and

could have ducked the game. But he decided to play to quote, stand behind my own mistakes. And

quote. And so with the drop of the puck, Toronto's Max Domey dropped his gloves and punched Goudus

10 times without receiving a single punch in return. Tony did Radco Goudus earn back a measure

of your respect by doing that, by playing and taking his punishment. Absolutely. Absolutely.

He has been a guy who's been suspended multiple times. He has taken people out. He took out Austin

Matthews for the rest of the year. He did not have to play in this game. Anaheim is not going

back to Toronto this year. He could have said, just scratch me and I'm done. But instead, he made it

very publicly clear that he wanted to be out there, made it very publicly clear that you could

take a shot at him. He was going to be there. Give him your best shot. And he knew that the

honor of Toronto depended on getting in a fight with him. So as you say, as soon as they have the

opening puck dropped, the most senior Toronto player in terms of being a fighter, Max Domey

went after him. There were two more dust-ups. Thankfully, nobody got hurt. And this will sound

like frontier justice, Pablo. But I think what Goudus did is honorable to get out there. I don't

know if it'll satisfy all the fans of the Maple Leafs because Matthews is the captain of the

Maple Leafs. But to me, to say, I'm here, take your best shot. I'm not going anywhere. I, yes,

he got back respect from me. Yes, he did. Yeah, no, we're living in a time where like the guardrails

of honor and shame have never mattered less except in hockey. We're learning that there are depths

to that honor code. I mean, Tony, this was a samurai taking out his katana blade and sticking

it into his own intestines saying, I deserve this. And I will more than that, I will be non-violent

in my expression of shame. I didn't realize that this was a process that was so obviously dictated.

Like you just said, yeah, of course Domey had to do it because he was the number one guy in terms

of experience. But also, remember, they didn't do this in the game when Austin Matthews got hurt.

And so Domey's also got bail out the honor of the Maple Leafs by giving himself at that altar.

Yes. Yeah, I mean, I, I, I found this, I found the entire exercise. I know it's violent.

Wilban always says they only fight in the NHL and not in Europe and not the Olympics except

that Goudus is from Europe. And he's been in 50 fights in the NHL. NHL has been more fights

than Leon Spinks in his whole career. But I found this commendable, Pablo. His behavior in this

action, I found commendable. Let's move to the NFL. The first game of the season this year for

San Francisco will be in Melbourne or Australia against the Rams. 49ers coach Kyle Shanahan does not

want to go to Australia for this game or any game. Yesterday Shanahan was asked if he saw positives

here. And he said, quote, I don't see any pro. It's cool for the league to play globally. But as far as

the team doing it, no, there's not much benefit, unquote. The Niners will not get a bi-week after

the Australia game. And the flight to Melbourne is 16 hours each way. Pablo, do the positives outweigh

the negatives for the NFL? No, they don't. And the NFL, it's funny to frame it around wants,

as Kyle Shanahan was doing, because the NFL, we're in the wants business now. The NFL does it need

to see the planet as this risk board to conquer, but they do. Apparently Australia is on that

list. And that's confusing to me because Australia is about as far away from the United States as

you can get. Also, it's not a big market. It's like smaller than Texas. And also, I don't really see

how you could plausibly keep doing this because it's a 15 hour flight. But the NFL wants to build

another market because they just want it. And do they need it? Absolutely not.

I will say the one good thing for this game, theoretically, when you look at it, it's division,

it's a division game. So two teams in the same division have to bear this. And they are very good

teams and they are incumbent playoff teams. The bad news is they're in the same division as Seattle,

the Super Bowl winner. And I don't know if there's how large the disadvantage is for 32 hours in

the air when you're not making Seattle do it. I understand what the NFL is doing. I understand

the idea of a global footprint. I understand why they would want to be in Australia. If I owned

the 49ers, I want my team to be worth more. So yeah, I'm in favor of global stuff. I understand

why they're going there closest to it in proximity. That's why East Coast teams go to London games.

But if I'm the coach of the 49ers, Pablo, I don't want this. I don't, this is 32 hours in the air

is going to affect me. This game, the next game in the game. If I'm the coach of the 49ers,

I don't care how many Christian McCaffrey, jerseys, I sell in Melbourne or Sydney. I don't care

about that. So I don't want this case. I don't. Yeah, Tony, I'm very aware that you don't want this

as a hypothetical NFL coach. I also know even more acutely that you don't want this as you.

Can you imagine getting on a plane? You personally for 16 hours direct. That's the shortest thing you

got. It's too long. I'll tell you another thing that's interesting. The Kyle Shanahan mentioned

that they're also playing in Mexico City this coming season. Well, that flight, I mean, the subtext

of that is look what you do with us. You're killing us. You're making us do all these games.

That flights four hour and 15 minutes. They also play at the Giants in New Jersey. That's over five

hours. So, and nobody's going to say let's cancel the game with the Giants because the Giants

stink. You'd play them in Mexico City or anywhere if you look. Let's take a break.

Coming up, the pistons were missing four starters last night, but still took the thunder to over

Tom. We're going to ask Kendrick Perkins what that means. We'll also ask him if he thinks the

coach of the year award is stupid like Joe Missoula insists. It's interesting what you said

about the code in the NHL that they still have that code. Yeah, because he could have ducked that

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We've got some NBA questions for our great friend from NBA today, ESPN, NBA Analyst,

Kendrick Perkins. Let's start with this. The pistons top five scorers, they were out last night,

top five. And they still pushed Oklahoma City to overtime on the road. What if anything, Perk?

What if anything do you take from that game? That SGA is the MVP of the league and he's

getting my vote. That we just witness a guy coming off a back-to-back going against a fierce

Detroit piston team that played with a physical style of play. And that a guy that didn't make

no excuses without having his Robin and Jaylen Williams drop 47. Can we understand the moment

for a second when it comes to SGA? We're talking about a guy that just went on a championship run,

let a team went deep into the pole season into June. All of a sudden come back the following season

without his Robin lead his team to the top record in the NBA 60 win season. And he joined the

company of Michael Jeffrey Jordan again for a consecutive season of average in 30 and shooting

over 50 percent from the field. I got the email the day was I'm going to be participating as a

voter night. I put yes and SGA is getting posted in as my MVP. Perk, I want to stay at the top

of the standings. The team's trailing the thunder. The calves got the lakers tonight. Which team

are you higher on Los Angeles or Cleveland? I'm actually I'm actually high on Cleveland to be

honest with you. I feel like they have all the pieces you know to go and actually make a legit

push in the Eastern Conference. But let me say this to you. Out of all the teams in the lead,

they're the team that's under the most pressure. Donovan Mitchell is under the most pressure. He's

the he's a guy that hasn't led the team to a conference finals. Now you're playing with a guy

James Harden who's going to relieve pressure from you. James Harden also is one of the best

facilitators in the game. He's going to make Evan Mobley and Jed Allen better. We saw that last night.

Evan Mobley had a season high of 34 points. So when you talk about what they added at the trade

deadline and what they need to accomplish and the focus that they have to have, I'm looking at

the calves and I believe that they're going to be asleep because no one is picking them as their

favorite, but they have all the pieces and check all the boxes. Okay, so you check the box. I'm

being a voter for MVP. I want to take us to the other award that's been making news. So coach

of the year, right? This is Celtics head coach Joe Missoula on the premise of that award. I'll

read you the quote. I don't need it. I think it's stupid. They shouldn't have it. I don't ever want

to be asked or talk about it again. It's just that dumb end quote. And he goes on to say that

a team success is really about the players and the staff perk and you're shaking your head. So do

you agree with Joe Missoula about the stupidity of the award? You know, what's the sad

point is that Joe Missoula is a candidate for coach of the year. And that was one of the most

asinine things I've ever heard in my life when it comes to disrespecting that position.

Like you're disrespecting greats like Phil Jackson who had to manage egos of a Scotty Pippin

Michael Jordan and Dennis Robman. You're disrespecting Phil Jackson that had to manage egos

between Kobe and Shaq. You're disrespecting Greg Poppavitch and and and Brad Arbach. And also,

you're making it you're disrespecting the guys that's coming up under you that actually want access

to to these type of jobs of being a head coach. Like head coaches matter. They spend more time in

the gym and away from their families than players do. When you talk about sacrificing,

coaches really do sacrifice. They don't stand by 24 hours a day. A player could call an

assistant coach at two in the morning and say that he want to get shots up and that coach better

get his ass up and meet him at the gym so that he could be available to work that player out.

And I love Joe Missoula. I think he has a different personality but he's a hell of a coach.

But that right there, it just didn't sit well with me and it was one of the most

asses of not things I've ever heard. I want you to see me. It's silent applause for what you just said.

I am applauding you. That was great. And we will get you out of here on this. Anthony Edwards

missed the tip last night because the quote is nature call as a player. How often are you forced

to make a decision whether to play you or just go to the bathroom? How often perk?

I mean, we, listen, I'm willing to bet if you take a survey or take a poll that 80% of current

and former players all had the same routine of using the restaurant before they started the game.

Now you can't help it that nature called at a certain time when you typically probably go 20 or

30 minutes before you have to run out on the floor. But everyone has their routine and majority

of the guys that that I played with him, they had their own style. They had their personal style

that they wanted to use before they went out on the floor. So this is not surprising to me.

This is just part of it. Let me tell you a quick story. Ray John Rondo used to get to the facility,

work out on the floor, take a shower, put his game jersey on, and then go out there and play.

We thought it was weird, but it was his routine. So whatever floats your boat,

whatever's going to make you perform at Ohio's level, damn it, do it.

I see what you say there floats your boat. That's what you did there. Thank you, Perk.

Thank you, Perk. Let's take one last break. Still to come. Texas and South Carolina make it a repeat

final four. And players on your MLB package need to be smaller than they appear.

Yeah, it's good because that helps them, you know, get a shorter strike zone. It's better for them.

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Happy time. People happy 64th birthday, John Taylor. The 49ers wide receiver began his

football career with failure. Taylor did not make his college team at Johnson C Smith University

in Charlotte, North Carolina. Taylor then enrolled at Delaware State and made the team as a walk-on.

Taylor played his college football in Dover, Delaware, and was so good there. He was drafted

in third round by the 49ers. Taylor played his entire nine-year NFL career in San Francisco,

caught 347 passes, 5,598 yards, and 43 touchdowns, mostly from Joe Montana and Steve Young.

Taylor's most famous catch came with 34 seconds left and Super Bowl 23 to beat the Cincinnati

Bengals, and that one was from Montana. Yeah, Tony, I totally underestimated the trajectory

of John Taylor, who after high school went to work at a liquor warehouse, instead of taking

baseball scholarships, then then did everything you just said. And of course, ends up being a

protagonist in one of the great sports photographs, let alone sports moments and greatest touchdowns

you've ever seen. Happy anniversary Wade Boggs on the state 28 years ago. The future first

ballot hole of Famer and Boston Red Sox legend made history for another franchise by heading

the first home run ever for the Tampa Bay Devil race in their inaugural game. Boggs

Homer to write in the sixth inning with the Tigers ahead 11-nothing, so Boggs got the franchise's

first RBI as well. Boggs spent 18 years in the majors mainly with the Red Sox, but also the

Yankees and Rays. Boggs won the American League batting title five of six years from 1983 to 1988.

His 328 career batting average is the highest of any living former player. 110,000th of a point

ahead of Rod Karoo. Boggs is behind only Brooks Robinson and George Brett for consecutive

all-star appearances by a third basement. Boggs had 12. And yet the number that occurs to me now

is 73, which is the number that Wade Boggs himself said the number of beers he drank on a single

cross-country flight. Cross-country flights? Yeah. Which I continue to investigate. Big.

Big. Yeah, that podcast is made for that. Happy Trails Michigan and TCU.

Both teams fell to one seed sitting lead-A to the women's bracket last night. In the early

game, Texas crushed Michigan by 36 on par with the team's average margin of victory in its four

tournament games of 35 and a half. The Long Horns now advanced to face UCLA, who they beat in November.

The Bruins only lost to the season. In the late game, South Carolina topped TCU by 26.

So South Carolina and Don Sterling now get Yukon and Geno Oriema. All the final four teams are

one seeds and all were in last year's final four, which was won by Yukon. The Huskies have not

lost a game in nearly 14 months. Yeah, we're watching both tournaments now be devoid of Cinderella's,

but Yukon and South Carolina, three of the last four championships went to those teams. I imagine

it might happen again. Yeah, I mean, you know, I'm gratified when the ones get into it.

You know, I think you see the best teams when all the ones get in, and in the men's side,

what is it? A one or one or two and a three? You're getting the best teams. Let's go to the big finish.

Mark Cuban told the intersections podcast that he does not regret selling the maps,

but does regret selling them to the Adelson and Dumont families, your thoughts.

Yeah, when did he realize that and why won't he tell me the answer to that question on my podcast?

The new Giants manager, Tony Vittello, won his first game last night. That's significant.

Yeah, he's the riskiest hires college coach. Laser measurements of the baseball system

to the ABS system. Baseball players has resulted in many being one to three inches shorter than listed,

your thoughts. I'm five foot ten and three quarters inches. Precision is important.

The Golden Knights beat the Canucks last night, and John Tortorales' first game as coach,

are you impressed? Fabulous, Torx, Fabulous. Last one.

U.S. men's soccer takes on Portugal tonight in Atlanta. That's significant.

Yes, 72 days, apparently, till the world cup. Maybe don't get crushed by another

for a country. That'd be good. We're out of time. We'll try to do better the next time.

I'm Tony Cornhuss. And I'm Pablo Torre. Thank you for watching.

Public Torre finds out is my show, but for now, your sports are good to our problem.

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both your people and your facilities. Call 1-800-GRANJER, click Granger.com, or just stop by.