Spurs Insider Podcast, 2025-02-19 01:49:00
由生成式人工智能翻译，译文内容可能不准确或不完整，以原文为准。
在斯蒂芬·卡斯尔(Stephon Castle)于NBA全明星周末展现出令人印象深刻的表现后，专栏作家Mike Finger和随队记者Jeff McDonald和Tom Orsborn讨论了在奥斯汀对阵太阳的比赛中，马刺队是否准备好在赛季恢复后向前迈进一步。
建议阅读：
以下是播客的文字稿：
来自南德克萨斯州顶级秘密地点的安全网络。这是马刺内幕的全明星赛后版本。我是你的主持人Mike Finger。一如既往地与我们的《Express News》马刺随队记者Jeff McDonald和Tom Orsborn以及体育编辑Nick Talbot一起。Tom从星光熠熠、魅力四射、令人愉悦的全明星周末中归来。
Tom，我先问你。你是否像观看维克托·文班亚马(Victor Wembanyama)和斯蒂芬·卡斯尔(Stephon Castle)的公众一样感到震惊和喜悦？天啊。你知道，它比最近的要好，至少比赛部分比最近的好。
真的吗？全明星周末。是的，是的，他们，是的。我的意思是他们更努力了，强度更高了。但是你知道，所有的花哨的东西和凯文·哈特等等，我的意思是，是的，我的意思是。
说他们比近年来更努力，有点像说Jeff McDonald在最新的播客中比之前的播客更努力。这有点像一个很低的门槛，不是吗？说得好，Mike。说得好。
是的。为什么我要被围攻？是的。但是我的意思是，你认为Jeff McDonald会更努力地对待谁？说真的，在全明星周末期间的NBA全明星球员还是Jeff McDonald在典型的马刺内幕播客期间。每个人都知道我是这个播客的维克托·文班亚马。每个人都可以通过倾听和观看来判断。
我们添加了一个新星，你的母语不是英语。哦，请继续，Tom。新星添加一支新星队有所帮助，我认为。Mike，你一直问我。你要质疑我说的每句话吗？自从。是的。人们应该质疑他们现在听到的每件事。那是健康的。
那是真的。那是真的。然后文班带来了活力，但你知道，从马刺的角度来看，你知道，卡斯尔，我的意思是整个周末，你知道，卡斯尔的崛起明星MVP，他的扣篮大赛表现，我认为他应该赢得胜利。那真是太酷了。文班在技巧挑战赛中聪明反被聪明误。然后，你知道，我认为他实现了他承诺要做的事情。他在周日的比赛中表现得很努力。
所以是的。这不适合我们。我意识到了这一点。这不适合我，全明星周末。可能不适合马刺内幕播客的典型听众。我不确定它适合谁，但这简直是一团糟，伙计。
这就像从头到尾，就像新星赛可能是整个周末最以篮球为中心的部分。就像那些比赛有点像篮球的样子。那些名字不是全明星。我的意思是大多数球迷不知道那些家伙是谁，我想这就是为什么他们打得更努力。但是是的，这只是一个电视节目，我想这就是它的目的。
是的，我想也许我们需要停止，放手吧。随便吧。停止吧。我同意。这就是它。它不适合我们。它就是这样，你说得对。这是一个电视节目。它不是。
好吧，他们在全明星赛的第三节没有正确地执行战术。谁在乎呢？这基本上只是一堆人在同一时间在同一个场地上。是的。你知道，我不知道。我理解人们对其中一些事情的反感，但它就是这样。它永远不会像NBA总决赛的第七场那样。
是的，锦标赛形式更好。我喜欢那样。现在，所有的停止、开始和胡说八道，不。那降低了它的价值，但我认为锦标赛形式不是一个坏主意。当其他人在看那个的时候，我在看SNL 50周年重聚，你知道，那很有趣。
它不是有史以来最完美的电视节目，但它很有趣。但是你会在网上看到人们抱怨。我想看罗珊娜·罗珊娜·达纳，或者我想看韦恩的世界。就像你不能拥有你想要的一切一样。就接受它吧，对你所得到的感到高兴，然后继续你的生活。
现在这些是一些生活原则。我喜欢那句话，Jeff。好了，我们可以走了。它有点像全明星赛的事情。每年都会出现。我们有点怀念一个从未真正存在的时代。就像在你的脑海中，你记得它是一些可能不是的东西。而且可以肯定的是，40年前全明星赛的篮球质量可能更好，但它从未达到最佳状态。
而且就像现在，你一直都能看到这些家伙。而且等等，就像无论是棒球全明星赛，你想提到的任何全明星赛。很多时候，那是全国第一次有机会看到这些家伙。现在你每天晚上都能看到他们。你每分钟都能在手机上看到他们。你知道，你可以得到这些球员的YouTube集锦。因此，它失去了一些吸引力。
看到他们所有人还是很有趣的。看到他们所有人在同一时间在同一个场地上还是有点有趣的。就像你什么时候才能看到尼古拉·约基奇给维克托·文班亚马传出一个空接扣篮。是的，那很酷。随便吧，你知道。你在你能得到的地方获得你的小快乐。
是的。Tom可以谈谈这个。这对斯蒂芬·卡斯尔来说是一个了不起的一周。Tom Orsborn和斯蒂芬·卡斯尔可能是地球上仅有的两个认为斯蒂芬·卡斯尔应该赢得扣篮大赛的人。但那也没关系。就像他在三个晚上都参与了。他在三个晚上都表现得令人印象深刻。这真是见仁见智，Mike。它在美学上让我感到愉悦。我不喜欢所有的花哨的东西。我不喜欢所有的噱头和道具。
我认为他所做的在视觉上非常非常令人愉悦。是的，我敢打赌卡斯尔妈妈认为他应该获胜。是的，那是另一个人。卡斯尔爸爸肯定认为他应该获胜。他在电视上获得了一些时间。全国人民了解到他早年与蒂姆·邓肯一起在维克森林大学打球。麦克·麦克朗只是，当你是专业的扣篮者时，他基本上就是一个专业的扣篮者。我认为有人指出，他在扣篮大赛中得分更多，进球更多，而不是在他的NBA职业生涯中。
当你练习那个的时候，你在周围，你能够拿出所有这些东西。就像他作为扣篮者来说非常有天赋。就像他做了一些以前没有人做过的事情。当那是你的全部焦点时，当然，你会更好，这对他有好处。就像他一直很有趣。我认为对于一个家伙来说，请继续。萨利是扣篮大赛的整个历史和遗产，那个笨蛋是三届唯一的像三届背靠背背靠背冠军。
我不是在叫他的名字。重点是，他，这是一个不同的标准。就像他在谈论他如何为他开放健身房，让汽车进入健身房来练习这些东西，而且他全年都在练习。斯蒂芬·卡斯尔正处于这个赛季的中间，如果我们继续前进，我们可以谈论这个赛季，这让人们相信他可能是NBA年度最佳新秀。就像他正在为一个正在为季后赛附加赛名额竞争的球队做出贡献。
所以这只是斯蒂芬·卡斯尔与麦克·麦克朗竞争的苹果和橘子。就像麦克·麦克朗可能在准备那场比赛上付出了比卡斯尔更多的努力。这对他有好处。顺便说一句，我不是说我不贬低麦克·麦克朗所做的事情。他一直对扣篮很有帮助。我认为如果他花更多的时间在运球和投篮上，而不是花更少的时间在跳过汽车上，也许他会拥有NBA职业生涯。
我认为他可能不会。我认为他已经正确地确定了优先级。我对此没意见。这是我们自上周以来的第一个播客。有趣的是它是如何运作的。有一场篮球比赛，一场NBA比赛。
好吧，我们可以回顾一下，继续前进，他们被凯尔特人队击溃了，正如预测的那样，如果你让我说完，如果你让我转入正题。好的，这里的人民是人民。正在收听播客的人不想要另一个由三个笨蛋谈论全明星周末以及它有多糟糕的播客。就像在播客生态系统中，有无数个这样的播客。
就像我们不需要在这上面花费太多时间了。我们可以谈论马刺。这是一个马刺播客。他们在上半场结束时被凯尔特人队击溃。他们即将开始他们的下半场，但我猜不是下半场。他们即将在奥斯汀的穆迪中心对阵凯文·杜兰特和太阳队，开启他们的全明星赛后赛季。让我们谈谈马刺。
好吧，你知道，你怎么看？只要你转入正题，我就期待的第一场比赛是凯文·杜兰特回到奥斯汀。他没有为马刺效力。是的。但我只是认为这将是一个很酷的回归。显然，他回到一个他从未打过的球馆。但是我不知道。他再次说，这是一个马刺播客，而不是长角牛的内幕，但他对我来说很有趣，因为很多只是出现一年的人，不仅仅是在德克萨斯大学，而且在任何一所主要的大学。这对他来说只是通往NBA的驿站，他们并没有真正建立起这种联系。
但是凯文一直是其中之一，自从他离开以来，总是代表着。他总是回来，他总是穿着长角牛队的装备，他总是谈论它。这总是让我很感兴趣，因为他在那里待了很短的时间，而且他是那个项目的一个重要的招聘人员，而且他总是在夏天在那里，而且球员们知道，如果他们去德克萨斯大学，他们可以在夏天在训练设施里和他一起打球。是的。而且他不像一个在德克萨斯州出生的人，从小就一直想去德克萨斯大学。就像他与德克萨斯大学或德克萨斯州唯一的联系是他在校园里度过的那一年，但他从未离开他。所以这总是让我对他很感兴趣。
是的，而且他将在周四在穆迪中心参加的比赛是一场有意义的NBA篮球比赛，因为他们，它有两个并非一定会进入NBA季后赛的球队。可能需要它对他们的赛季产生重大影响。这可能会为这个最后的冲刺定下基调。马刺队的代理主教练米奇·约翰逊说过，在他带着他的四个孩子去迪士尼乐园度全明星假期之前，这是一种摆脱困境的方式，我想Jeff可以谈谈这一点，因为他是这个家庭的父亲。我们是否确认他活着回来了？
我还没有确认。好的。但是他说，当他，如果他假设他确实活着回来了，从在迪士尼乐园周围与四个孩子搏斗，他将花费一部分时间来准备与菲尼克斯的比赛，进行自我评估，从马刺队是否在运营正确的东西的角度来看。他们现在在做了德隆·福克斯的交易之后，拥有正确的组合了吗？你知道，他们能变得更好吗？我想我很期待看到这种休假，自我评估，可能是一些新的东西，在对阵太阳队的比赛中以及在整个未来的一段时期内会如何发挥作用。正如米奇所说，这是赛季的最后三分之一。
米奇在波士顿指出的另一件事是，这些马刺队所做的一切，你知道，我问他想要获胜，想要争夺这个名额之间的平衡。这与评估未来一样重要吗？他说他们所做的一切都必须符合他们未来要做的事情，但当然他们想赢。这是一个有趣的平衡。这会与过去几年马刺队走向22胜赛季的情况不同。他们已经超过了这个数字。这些比赛会更有意义。
但是Jeff，你怎么看？你期望看到什么？是感觉像一个典型的重建冲刺阶段，还是会感觉更具竞争力？我不知道我们是否想再次深入这个兔子洞，因为我们上周谈论了很多，但是除非他们决定不让克里斯·保罗或德隆·福克斯中的一个首发，否则我认为它看起来会很像。我的意思是。和什么一样？和休息之前一样。哦，好的。不是。就像很难说他们会全力以赴争取一个附加赛席位，当他们打算让这两个人一起首发时，我假设他们会这样做。
我仍然。顺便说一句，我对这一点没有意见，随便吧。我明白你的意思。我仍然认为这不会牺牲任何东西。我说我认为那可能是争夺附加赛的最好方式是让他们一起上场。也许，但要保持参与。我们上周对此进行了很多讨论，并且有优点和缺点。但是我不认为，好吧，这并不是真正令人兴奋。但是我问了一个很糟糕的问题。Tom，但我意思是，这些最后的30场比赛与过去几年的最后30场比赛相比会有什么不同？
是的，更具竞争力。是的，他们想参加附加赛。所以是的，这会感觉和看起来不同，但是仍然存在一些问题，这些问题可能会阻止他们实现那个目标。你知道，困难，篮板问题，二次进攻得分，你知道，仍然要将福克斯融入到系统中，这可能仍然需要一些时间，不时地会有些小颠簸，但是他们肯定会呈现不同的面貌。他们想竞争并参加附加赛。
我的意思是，与过去两年相比，你看不到大量的马拉奇·布拉纳姆和布莱克·韦斯利。是的。他们在那里真的试图像字面上一样评估球员，看看他们有什么。我认为那些球员只会进入轮换阵容。评估早已结束。是的，也许我们会看到比斯马克·比永博的马刺队首秀。
是的。这是值得期待的事情。要么是查尔斯·巴锡回来，要么是比永博首秀。也许是这两件事中的一件。好吧，查尔斯应该很快回来，你知道。那会有所帮助。如果比永博，我的意思是他们只是在休息前的那些比赛中被篮板打得很惨。他们需要有人。这很丑陋。丑陋。如果不是，那么比永博只有10天的合同。如果他们想让他回来，10天的合同或10天的合同，当然。可能会放弃他，去找其他人。如果巴锡无法提供帮助。顺便说一句，在巴锡受伤之前，我们已经在播客中讨论过他们需要找一个替补中锋了。他不是全部。
是的。我认为当你，是的，我认为当你像，伙计，如果查尔斯·巴锡能回来，呃哼。就像你处境很糟糕，当你把希望寄托在那个人身上时。我对查尔斯·巴锡没有任何意见，但他显然在一个真的很好的球队中，他可能就是你的第三个球员。休赛期的一个重要优先事项。找一个好的二号内线。我认为这肯定是正确的。看看我们的新闻。有人应该提供那个。我认为如果你看看，顺便说一句，如果我分心了，那是因为播客的朋友Mike Monroe正在用我的手机给我打电话。
他也在给我打电话。我希望他没事。我们可能需要挂断电话。是的。好吧，我真的希望他没事。我们稍后会查看。顺便说一句，如果我们想继续谈论附加赛的可能性。我认为他们不要搞砸接下来的四场比赛真的至关重要。你有两场主场比赛，在奥斯汀的“主场”，你可以设想拥有主场优势。背靠背对阵菲尼克斯太阳队和底特律活塞队。这些球队都不糟糕。底特律进步很大。
菲尼克斯在积分榜上领先于马刺，但他们也不是世界级的球队。你应该，你需要连续赢得这三场比赛。你想想，你在一个所谓的“主场”上对阵这两支球队。这些都是可以赢的比赛。然后你，Tom会参加一个棒球系列赛，在新奥尔良的两场比赛。也许是西部最糟糕的球队。你也不能搞砸这些比赛。所以我认为，当马刺队从全明星赛回来时，试图让这最后几个月变得有意义。
就像他们需要立即开始。对我来说，三胜一负是一个现实的，可能需要的数字。就像你不能输掉其中的两场。在那之后只会变得更艰难。我知道他们在三月份的大部分时间都在主场。但是对我来说，在这四场比赛中两胜两负将是这支球队的失望。我打赌他们会平分。是的，是的。新奥尔良的其中一场比赛最终可能会像夏洛特的比赛一样。
是的，就像我不知道。这支球队可能不会进入附加赛，伙计。好吧，但这并不是这里的论点。就像你想在最后阶段继续打有意义的比赛一样，他们有可能完全淡出，而那不是你想要的。我，我认为三胜一负，我的意思是，我同意他们需要赢得四场比赛中的三场。我只是，我不信任他们能做到。新奥尔良真的很糟糕。我知道。但是，是的。夏洛特也是。
夏洛特。他们和华盛顿队玩在一起，华盛顿队也很糟糕，但他们最终在最后赢得了那场比赛。好的。所以我只是说很难信任。那就是我所说的。他们很难信任，而且他们会时不时地给你一个惊喜。但他们并不令人反感。哦，是的，他们应该赢得这四场比赛中的三场。我不知道。好吧。伙计，我让所有人都震惊了。我的意思是，如果如果这不可行，那么我们在这里做什么呢？我的意思是，在这个播客上，就像甚至拥有一个，那是你问这个的吗？
是的。你的意思是在地球上？是的。你只是我没有说它不可行。我只是说我不会把我的房子押在那里。我可能会押你的。好的。好的。Tom，作为一个报纸记者，全明星周末的亮点，而不是我们从电视上看到的，而是你的亮点。你做了很多次了。好吧，是的，你在谈论我喜欢篮球方面的东西还是什么？天啊，伙计。有时候，我希望听众们能体会到我为了让这两位受人尊敬的联合主持人就任何事情进行讨论而付出的努力。嘿，他们能赢三场比赛吗？不。以及绝对的沉默。
你喜欢全明星周末的什么？你是什么意思，我喜欢什么？有些团队的人就是无法合作。我希望你们能体会到我为了让这个节目变得有趣而付出的努力，以及这两个家伙让我有多么的困难。Mike，请你别再胡闹了。我最大的收获是卡斯尔。在“明日之星”竞赛中，他基本上是靠自己的力量将球队带入了周日的锦标赛。他在第一场比赛中投中了制胜球，确定了比赛的胜利。在第二场比赛中，他策划了确保比赛胜利的一球。他在那种环境中表现得非常出色。
然后在扣篮比赛中，他本应该获胜的，Mike。你应该赢的。你知道，他很冷静、沉着，执行得很好。我的意思是那家伙会成为明星的。毫无疑问。正如我们已经看到的。你是否喜欢我们曾经在你漫长而受人尊敬的职业生涯中，在各个球队中见过的那些球队。不一定只是马刺队。就像球队有点讨厌他们的领袖。就像当当其他队友讨厌领袖时，他们可能不喜欢，他们可能不喜欢。他们只是觉得他很烦人，很迂腐。他们只是不会为那个人付出那么大的努力。
就像你不会为那些让你觉得烦人、迂腐的人去撞墙。事实上，看着他有点好玩，看着他白费力气，时不时地挣扎一下，因为他认为自己是多么的了不起。也许也许这就是这里正在发生的一种现象。我们有点在故意阻挠你。所以，第二点，文班和克里斯·保罗在技能比赛中。你喜欢那个？我没有，你让我说完好吗？你让我说完好吗？我没有说我喜欢它。我只是说文班想出了一个让他们失去资格的策略，这很有趣。而且它非常能说明他是谁。他很聪明，他非常聪明。
我们知道这一点。他正在寻找漏洞，寻找给他们带来优势的方法，结果适得其反。我认为这很有趣。他会成为一个非常好的亿万富翁。是的，他总是寻找漏洞。你知道，人们的共识是，嘿，那是克里斯·保罗的手笔。你知道，他想出了那个主意。但那是文班的主意，这让我一点也不惊讶。当这件事发生时，球馆里的感觉是什么样的？我的意思是那似乎有嘘声，就像其他的明星不喜欢这样。你看到了多诺万·米切尔等等，对吧？就像它似乎，描述一下场景，当这件事发生时，那种氛围。
是的，有嘘声。有嘘声。其他球员不喜欢它。多诺万·米切尔不喜欢它。他们呃但是文班事后说，他们在嘘我吗？什么？什么？你知道他，那没有发生，然后他带着一丝笑容说，他们在嘘克里斯。绝对会成为一个非常好的亿万富翁。是的。他们没有对我生气。这是别人的错。但后来他总结说，没什么大不了的。所以是的，不，那是是的，人群不喜欢它，我认为看到他扔那些球真是太有趣了，只是扔它们，而且它很聪明。这很聪明，但他弄巧成拙了。在这个周末你回到东湾了吗？他们和奥克兰分享了一些，对吗？
是的，是的，我们做到了。我和Mike 莱特以及我们的一些法国队伍一起去了那里，奥克兰很酷，因为它和蔡斯中心非常不同。在奥克兰，一切都很顺利，而且，你知道，它只是更悠闲，更方便。带回了很多旧的回忆。你乘坐巴特号了吗？仍然乘坐巴特号，然后走过带有链式围栏的行人桥，奥克兰体育馆？你没有那样做。是的，是的，我乘坐了巴士。是的，我乘坐了，啊，巴士。但无论如何，那很好。是的，很高兴回到那里。我在周末看到了扎扎·帕楚里亚。是的，在旧，在蔡斯中心？不，是的，而且保安不得不检查他的证件。我认为这很有趣。他们正在查看他的凭证，查看。但是扎扎的球衣号码在旧建筑里退役了。
是的。那个改变了马刺队历史进程的人。是的。那是那绝对是我在那栋建筑里最难忘的时刻之一。在，在甲骨文球馆。现在，我们，你能参观你更有意义的个人目的地之一吗？Tom。我不想在播客上泄露你的隐私，但是我看到你在Blue Sky上发布了关于它的消息，人们应该在Blue Sky上关注我们。在美术宫，我向我的妻子求婚。她说了什么？她说应该早得多。
但是不，但是，是的，我喜欢旧金山。对那个城市没有任何负面的评价。所以我想这些天我算是少数派吧。好吧，你想让我说一些负面的话吗？不，我开玩笑的。并且目睹了一些非常，你知道，昨天在那里发生的一些抗议活动。那很有趣。他们是在抗议全明星赛的形式吗？是的，没错。是的，知道特斯拉，当我们在讨论特斯拉经销商的时候，在它的前面有一个非常热烈的抗议活动。他们不喜欢那些亿万富翁。寻找漏洞。当我们在讨论Blue Sky和expressnews.com以及观看我们作品的方式时，我们鼓励大家这样做。再次提醒大家，如果你想加入马刺Subtext，它会将我们所有的马刺新闻直接发送到你的手机上，你可以发送GSG到2109349628。
我知道Jeff McDonald上周在波士顿做了这件事，并且很高兴能够第一次读到Mike Finger的专栏文章。那太酷了。所以如果你想这样做，那就太好了。发送GSG到2109349628。在expressnews.com上，有我们所有的作品。我们感谢你来访问它。那总是很有趣的。我们有一个我们早些时候谈到了这一点，未来的比赛。在奥斯汀的两场比赛，在新奥尔良的两场比赛。我将公开表示，我认为当地的选手将会赢得其中的三场。
现在我们需要Tom和Jeff的预测，然后我们才能离开。哦，天啊。是的，我不知道Jeff是否会改变主意，但我认为会是二胜二负。那太残酷了。他们就是那样的人。他们就是那样的人。四战全胜。好吧。随便吧。那是。很可能是二胜二负。我不知道。哦，你应该坚持下去。好吧，四战全胜。那是我的官方预测。那是我的官方预测。四战全胜。
就这样了。现在有可能保持某种乐观的态度。如果Jeff McDonald能做到，你也能做到。直到下一次，请照顾好彼此，保持真实。
点击查看原文：Is San Antonio ready for a post-All-Star run?
Is San Antonio ready for a post-All-Star run?
After Stephon Castle’s impressive showing at NBA All-Star weekend, columnist Mike Finger and beat writers Jeff McDonald and Tom Orsborn talk about whether the Spurs are ready to take a step forward as the season resumes in Austin against Phoenix.
Suggested reading:
Wembanyama fulfills goal of bringing energy to the All-Star Game
Castle falls short in duel with two-time defending dunk champ McClung
Why is Chris Paul still a Spur? He knows where he’s needed
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Here is the transcript of the podcast:
From a highly secure network of top secret locations across South Texas. This is the Spurs Insider Post Allstar edition. I am your host Mike Finger. Joined as always by our Express News Spurs beat writers, Jeff McDonald and Tom Orsborn with sports editor Nick Talbot. Tom is back from the star studded, glamorous, uh just crowd pleasing, nation pleasing All-Star weekend in the San Francisco Bay Area.
Tom, just I’m going to start with you. Were you as overwhelmed, as overjoyed as the viewing public at this momentous event featuring Victor Wembanyama and Stefan Castle? Oh my goodness. Uh, well, it um, you know, it was it was better than recent at least the competition portion was better than recent.
Really? All-Star weekends. Yeah, yeah, they yeah. I mean they tried harder, it was there was more intense. But you know, all the bells whistles and Kevin Kevin Hart and all that, I mean yeah, I mean.
Isn’t saying that they tried harder than in recent years sort of like saying Jeff McDonald tried harder on on on the latest podcast than the one before. Like it’s kind of a it’s kind of a low bar, is it not? Good point, Mike. Good point.
Yes. Why am I being ganged up on? Yeah. But I mean from who do you think Jeff McDonald tries harder? Uh seriously, um the average NBA All-Star during All-Star weekend or Jeff McDonald during a typical Spurs insider podcast. Everybody knows I am the Victor Wema of this podcast. Everyone can can just tell by listening and viewing.
We’re adding adding a rising and that English is not your first language. Oh, go ahead, Tom. Stars adding a rising Stars team helped, I think. Mike, you keep asking me. Are you going to are you going to question everything I say? since. Yes. People should question everything they hear these days. That that’s healthy.
That’s true. That’s true. And uh then be Wby brought some energy to it, but you know, from the Spurs perspective, you know, Castle I mean the whole weekend, you know, Castle’s coming out party with his Rising Star MVP, showcase, his performance in the dunk contest, which I thought he should have won. Uh that was kind of cool to see. Wby outsmarting himself in the skills contest. And then, you know, he I thought he fulfilled what he vowed to do. He he came out and played pretty hard in that uh in uh in the uh tournament on Sunday.
So yeah. It’s not for us. I realized this. It’s not for me, All-Star weekend. Um, it might not be for the typical listeners of the Spurs insider podcast. I’m not sure who it’s for, but it’s just a mess, man.
It’s just if from start to finish, it’s just like I guess the Rising Stars might have been the most basketball centric part of the whole weekend on Friday night. Like those those games were sort of what basketball looks like. Um the the the name those aren’t the All-Stars though. I mean most fans don’t know who those guys are and I guess that’s why they played harder. But um yeah, it’s just it’s just uh it it’s it’s a TV show and I guess that’s what it’s for.
Yeah, I think maybe we need to stop just leave it alone. whatever. just stop. I I agree. This is what it is. It’s it’s it’s not for us. It’s not for It is what it is and you’re right. It’s a TV show. It’s not.
Well, they didn’t run that play right in the third quarter of those all-star. Like who cares? Just it’s it’s mostly just here’s a bunch of people on the same floor at the same time. Yeah. You know, and just I don’t know. I I get people’s like uh uh thumbs down on some of these things, but it’s just it just is what it is. It’s never going to be like Game seven of the NBA Finals.
Yeah, that sort of in the tournament, the tournament format is better. I I like that. Now, all the stops and starts and all the nonsense that went on, no. That that took it down, but I think the tournament uh format is is not a bad idea. I kind of like it to while while everyone else was watching that, I was watching the SNL 50th reunion and you know, that was fun.
It wasn’t the like the most flawless piece of television ever, but it was fun. but you’ll get on online and you’ll see people buy. I wanted to see Rosanne Rosanna Dana or I wanted to see Wayne’s world. It’s like you can’t have everything you want. Just just just take it for what it is. be um happy with what you get and uh move on with your life.
Now those are some some principles to live by. I like that uh Jeff. All right, we can go now. It’s sort it’s the Allstar thing. It comes up every year. We’re sort of nostalgic for an era that never really existed. Like in in in in your mind you remember it as something that it probably was not. Um and it’s sure that the the quality of basketball maybe 40 years ago in in the All-Star game was probably better, but it’s it’s never been great.
And uh it’s it like nowadays you you see these guys all the time. And and wait like whether it’s baseball All-Star game, whatever All-Star game you want to mention. That was a lot of times the first time the whole nation would get a chance to see these guys. And now you see them every night. you see them every minute on your phone. you know, you can get YouTube highlights of these players. So that’s it’s that’s lost some of its appeal.
It’s It’s fun to see them all. It’s moderately fun to see them all on the floor at the same time. Like like when else you going to see Nikola Jokic throw throw a lob dunk to Victor Wembanyama. Yeah, that was cool. Yeah whatever, you know. You take you take your you take your little moments of joy where you can get them.
Yeah. Uh, and it was a Tom can speak to this. it was a heck of a week for Stefan Castle. Tom Orsborn and Stefan Castle might be the only two humans on earth that thought that Stefan Castle won the dunk contest. Uh, but that’s fine too. Like it’s it is he he he he was involved all three nights. He was impressive all three nights and uh It’s a it’s in the eye of the beholder Mike. It wastically pleasing to me. I don’t like all the bells and whistles. I don’t like all the gimmicks and props.
I thought what he did was very, very pleasing to the eye. Yeah, I bet I bet mama Castle thought he should wins. Yeah, that’s another one. That’s another person. Uh, Papa Castle definitely did. There he got some TV time. Um with the nation learning that he he played at Wake Forest with Tim Duncan way back in the day. Uh Mac Mlung just it when you’re a professional dunk he’s basically a professional dunker. I think someone pointed out that he’s he scored more, he’s made more baskets in the slam dunk contest in his career than he has in his NBA career.
Um, and when you’re when you practice that, you’re around and you’re able to pull all that stuff out. Like he’s incredibly talented as a dunker. Like he does stuff that no one’s ever done before. Um, and when that’s your whole focus, of course, you’re going to be better and good for him. Like he he’s he’s he’s been fun. I think for I think it’s for a guy who’s go ahead. Sulli’s the entire uh history and legacy of the slam dunk contest that that dork is a three-time is the only like three-time back to back to back champion.
I I think that’s not calling his name. He’s the the the point is he he’s he’s it’s a different uh it’s almost a different standard. Like he he he’s talking about how he uh people open gyms for him to to pull cars into gyms to practice this stuff and he’s practicing it year around. Stefan Castle is in the middle of all this putting together a season and we can talk about the season if you’re moving forward that uh that that leads people to believe he could be the NBA rookie of the year. Like he’s contributing to a team that is in a uh that’s sort of still competing for a play in spot.
So it’s just sort of Apples and Oranges with Stefan Castle competing against Mac Mlung. Like Mac Mlung probably put a lot more effort into that into pre preparing for that contest than Castle did. And good for him. By the way, I’m not saying I’m not saying that to disparage what Mac Mlung did. He’s been really cool for the slam dunk. I think if he spent more time working on his dribbling and shooting and less time working on jumping over cars, maybe he’d have an NBA career.
I think he probably wouldn’t. I think he’s prioritized correctly. I’m fine with all this. Um this is our uh first podcast since last week. Funing how that works. There was a basketball game, uh an NBA game played about that.
Well, we can go look back at that, move forward and they got smashed by they got smashed by the Celtics as as predicted and if you if you let me finish, if you let me segue. Okay right here is the people is the people here over here. People tuning in that let him. People tuning into the podcast don’t want yet another podcast of three dorks talking about All-Star weekend and how terrible it was. Like there are, there’s an infinite number of those in the podcast ecosystem.
Like we don’t need to spend too much more time on that. We can talk about the Spurs. This is a Spurs podcast. They they finished their first half getting smashed by the Celtics. They’re about to open their second half and it’s not half I guess. They’re about to open their post All-Star season in Austin at the Moody Center against Kevin Durant and the Suns. Uh, let’s talk about the Spurs.
Well, you know, What what do you think? As soon as you segue, I’m you you have that great segue that I’m like the thing I’m looking most forward to from the first game is Kevin Durant coming back to Austin. He does not play for the Spurs though. Yeah. But I just think that’s going to be a cool little homecoming. Obviously he’s coming back to an arena he never played in. But um, I don’t know. he’s the again, this is a Spurs podcast, not Longhorns insider, but he’s he’s interesting to me in that a lot of those dudes that just show up for one year, not just the Texas but at any major college. It’s just like a way station for him on the way to the NBA and they don’t really forge this kind of connection to it.
But Kevin has been one of those guys ever since he left that is always like repping. He’s always coming back, he’s always wearing the Longhorn gear, he’s always talking about it. That’s always interesting to me because he was there for a very short time and it’s a big recruiter for that program and that he’s always there in the summer and guys know that if they go to Texas, they can play with him in the summertime at the practice facility. Yeah. And he’s not like a he’s not like a Texas born guy that grew up just always wanted to go to Texas. Like he really his only association like with the University of Texas or the state of Texas was that one year that he spent there on campus, but he’s he’s it’s never left him. So that’s that’s always been interesting to me about him.
Yeah, and that’s uh the uh the game that he will play in on Thursday at the Moody Center is a meaningful NBA basketball game in that they they it features two teams that are not by any means shoe ins to make the NBA post season. probably need it for their seasons in a in a significant way. And uh that could uh it could be a tone setter for this home stretch. Uh Mitch Johnson, the acting head coach of your Spurs uh had talked about how before he headed out to Disneyland with his four kids for his All-Star break, which is a heck of a way to distress, I assume Jeff can speak to this being the father of this group. Have we confirmed that he made it back alive?
I have not confirmed that yet. Okay. But uh he said when he when if he assuming that he did make it back alive from wrangling four kids around Disneyland that he was going to spend part of the lead up to the the the Phoenix game, kind of re-evaluating uh self scouting uh self evaluation in terms of are are the Spurs running the right stuff? Do they have the right mix now that they made this Deron Fox trade? Um, you know, can they be better? I think I’m I’m I’m looking forward to seeing what this kind of uh time off self evaluation, maybe some new stuff, how that uh kind of plays out not only against the suns but in the whole stretch moving forward. As as Mitch said it’s the final third of the season.
And another another thing that Mitch pointed out in Boston was that everything that these Spurs do, you know, I I asked him about the balance between wanting to win, uh, wanting to compete for this spot. Um, is that as important as evaluating for the future? And he said everything that they do has to fit into what they’re doing in the future, but of course they want to win. It’s an interesting balance. It it it’ll be different than the last few years when the Spurs were on their way to what 22 win seasons. They’re going they’ve already exceeded that. These games are going to be more meaningful.
But it Jeff, what what do you what do you think? What do you expect to see? Is it going to be feel like a typical rebuilding home stretch or is it going to feel more competitive? Well, I don’t know that we want to go deep down this rabbit hole again because we talked about it a lot last week, but unless they decide to uh not start one of the Chris Paul or Deron Fox, it’s going to look a lot the same, I think. I mean. Same the same as what? as it was before the break. Oh okay. Not. Like it’s hard to say they’re going all in for a play in birth when when they’re going to start those two together, which I assume they will.
I still. Which I’m fine with by the way, that’s whatever. I I get the point. I still don’t think that that’s that sacrifices anything. I say I think that’s fine. I still think that might be the best way to compete for a play and is to play them together. Maybe but keep involved. We discussed that a lot last week and there’s there’s pluses and minuses. but I I don’t I don’t think uh as well is that’s it’s not really excited. But that’s I did a terrible job of asking the question. Tom, but what I what I meant was not if it looks like it did before the break, but what how different these last 30 games are going to feel compared to the last 30 games of prior years.
Yeah, more competitive. Yeah, they want to be in the plan. so yeah, it’s going it’s going to feel and look different, but the issues remain that that will prevent them probably from achieving that goal. The issues that uh, you know, the the difficulty, the rebounding problems, second chance points, you know, integrating Fox still, you know, into the system, that that could still take a little time here and there, little bump bumps here and there, but uh they’re they definitely it’s going to have a different look to it. They they want to they compete and get in on the plan.
I mean, where it’s going to look different is you’re not going to see a ton of Malachi Branham and Blake Wesley as you did the last two years. Yeah. Where they were really trying to like literally evaluate guys like that and seeing what what they had there. I think I think those guys are just going to be in the rotation. Well valuation is long over. Yeah, maybe we’ll see the like uh Spurs debut of Bismack Bimbo finally.
Yeah. That’s something to look forward to. It’s either Charles Bassi gets back or Bimbo uh debut. Maybe it’s one of those two things. Well Charles should be back soon, you know. That’ll be that. That two definitely will help. And if if Bimbo if Bimbo, I mean just the way they’ve just been pummeled on the boards in those games leading up to the break. Uh they need somebody. It’s it’s been ugly. And uh Ugly. If it’s not it’s Bilo just has a 10 day contract. if they want to bring him back, 10 day contract or 10 day contract, sure. might move on from him to somebody else. Uh if Bassi isn’t able to help. And by the way, before Bassi got hurt, we were already talking on this podcast about how they needed help get back up center. he’s he’s not the all.
Yeah. I think when you’re yeah, I think when you’re like, man, if Charles Bassi would just get back uhhuh Like you’re in a that’s you’re in a bad way there when that’s the guy you’re pinning your hopes on. Nothing against Charles Bassi but he’s clearly like on on a really on a good team, he’s like your third guy maybe. big big off season priority. Get get a good number two big. I think that that definitely is true. Um Look at us news. Somebody should give that. I think that if you look at um by the way if I’m if I’m distracted it’s because a friend of the podcast Mike Monroe is calling me on my cell.
He’s calling me too. I hope he’s okay. We might need to hang up. Yeah. Well, I do hope he’s okay. Um we’ll we’ll check in on that later. Um this this coming stretch by the way, if we want to continue to talk about play and possibilities. I think it’s really it’s really key that they don’t screw these next four games up. You have two at home uh home in quotation marks in Austin where you where you conceivably have a home court edge. Back to backs against the Phoenix Suns and the Detroit Pistons. Um neither of those teams is terrible. Detroit’s greatly improved.
Phoenix ahead of the Spurs in the standings, but they’re not those aren’t world beaters either. Like you should You need to win those three in a row. You figure you get those two teams on on a quote unquote home floor. Those are winnable games. Then you go Tom will will be uh at a at a baseball series the the the the two games in New Orleans. Maybe the worst team in the West. You could you you can’t flub those either. And so I I think that as as the Spurs come back from the All-Star break, trying to uh to make these last couple of months meaningful.
Like they they need to get going right away. Like to me three in one is is is is uh is a realistic and probably needed target here with these four games. Like I you you can’t lose two of these. It it just gets tougher after that. And I know they’re home for most of March. But uh you to me two and two in these these four games would be a disappointment for this team. I bet they split them. Uh. Yeah, yeah. Yeah. New one of these New Orleans games will end up like the Charlotte game probably.
Yeah, like I don’t know. This team’s probably not making the play in, man. Well, it’s not but that that’s not the argument here. It’s like you you want to keep playing meaningful games down the stretch and that they’re in danger of just completely fading and uh that’s not what you want. I I I think three I mean I agree that they need to win three out of four. I just I don’t I don’t I don’t trust them to do it. New Orleans is really bad. I know. And yet, Yep. So’s Charlotte.
Charlotte. They were they were playing around with Washington who’s also really bad, but they ended up winning that one at the end. Okay. So that’s hard to trust. that’s all I’m saying. They’re hard to trust and then every so often they’ll surprise you. But they’re hard to dislike. Oh yeah, they should win three three of these four. I don’t know. okay. Man, I stunned everybody. I mean, it if if if that’s not doable then what are we doing here? I I mean on this podcast, like even having one, is that what you ask this?
Yes. You mean like on earth? Yeah. Is that you’re just I didn’t say it wasn’t doable. I’m just saying I wouldn’t bet my house on it. I might bet yours. Okay. Okay. Tom with uh highlights from All-Star weekend as a uh as a newspaper reporter covering it, not from what we saw on TV, but your uh your highlights of of the experience. You’ve done a lot of them. Well yeah are you talking about what I liked basketball wise or what? Jeez Jeez Louise man. sometimes these I hope the listeners out there appreciate how freaking hard I work trying to get these two esteemed co-horses just to have a discussion about anything. Hey, could they go three in one? No. And the absolute silence.
What did you like about All-Star weekend? What do you mean what I liked? There’s just no way to work with some teams people. I hope that you guys out there appreciate how hard I work to try to make thisble and how difficult these two guys make it on me sometimes. Mike just Would you would you just stop with the nonsense. My biggest takeaway was castle. In in in in the in the Rising Stars competition, he basically won it to get his team uh into into the uh Sunday tournament. He hit the game winning shot, game clinching shot in the first game. Second game he sets up the game clinching shot. He just carried himself so well in that setting.
Uh then in the dunk contest, which he should have won, Mike. You should have won. Uh you know, he was calm, poised, executed well. I mean that guy’s going to be a star. there’s no question about it. As we as we’ve already uh seen. So Do you enjoyed that we’ve enjoy we all been around teams in our in our various teams in our long esteemed careers covering various sports. Not necessarily just the Spurs. We’re like the the team kind of hates the leader. And like when the when when the other when the other teammates hate the leader, they may not they may not hate. They may not hate. They just find him annoying and pedantic. Um they they just don’t try as hard for that guy.
Like you’re not going to run through a wall for a guy that you find annoying at pedantic. In fact, it’s kind of fun to watch him spin his wheels a little bit and struggle every now and then since he thinks he’s so hot to go. Hot to go. Maybe maybe that’s a little the phenomenon that’s going on here. We were kind of sandbagging you. So number two, Wby Wby and and Chris Paul in the in the skills competition. Uh You like that? That Did I I’m not would you let me finish? Would you let me finish? I didn’t say I liked it. I just said it was interesting that Wby came up with a strategy that got them disqualified. And it’s it it was so indicative of who he who he is. He’s smart, he’s very intelligent.
We know that. He’s looking for a loophole, looking looking for a way to give them an edge and and it backfired. I thought that was interesting. He’s going to make a very good billionaire. Yeah, he is he’s always looking for loopholes. You know the the the consensus was people were thinking that, hey, that’s got Chris Paul’s fingerprints over it. You know, he’s he came up with that. But it was Wby and that doesn’t surprise me at all. What what did it feel like in the arena when that was going on? I mean that did seem like there were booze, like he Even the other stars didn’t like it. You saw thumbs down from like Donnavan Mitchell and people like that. Like it it didn’t see it seemed kind of uh no describe the scene, the the vibe when that was going on.
Yeah, there were booze. There were booze. The the the other players didn’t like it. Donovan Mitchell didn’t like it. They were uh but Wby afterward he said, they were booing me? What? What? You know he was that didn’t happen and then he then with a slight grin he says, they were booing Chris. definitely going to make a good billionaire. Yeah. They weren’t mad at me. It was someone else’s fault. But then he summed it up, no big deal. So yeah, no that was uh yeah, the crowd didn’t like it. uh and uh I thought it was so funny seeing him fling those balls, just toss them and uh it was smart. It was smart but he outsmarted himself. And you got back over to the East Bay during this weekend? They they shared a little bit with Oakland, is that right?
Yes, yes we did. Me and uh Mike Wright and our uh some of our French contingent. We were over there and Oakland was cool because it was so different than Chase Center. Oakland everything was everything ran smoothly at that place and uh, you know, it was just a little more chill, a little more accommodating. brought back a lot of old memories. Did you take the do you you still took the Bart right and took the uh the pedestrian bridge with the chain link fence Oakland Coliseum? You didn’t do that. Yeah, yeah, well I took the bus. Yeah, I took the. Ah the bus. But anyway, that was neat. Uh yeah it was good to be back. I saw Zaza Paa during the weekend. Yes at In that the old at Chase Center? No, it’s and uh security had to check his badge. I thought that was funny. They were they were looking at his credentials, looking. But Zaza has his number retired in the old building.
Yeah. The man who changed the course Spurs history. Yeah. Yeah. That was that was uh that was one of the more memorable moments ever in that building for me for sure in the uh in Oracle. Now, we we have And you were able to uh you were able to see visit one of your more uh meaningful personal destinations Tom. I don’t want to put your business out there on the podcast, but I saw you posted about it on the Blue Sky, which people should be following us on the Blue Sky. The Palace of the Fine Arts where I uh popped the question to my wife. what did she say? She she said it should have been a lot sooner.
But no, but uh that that yeah, that’s I love San Francisco. Um nothing nothing negative to say about that city at all. Uh so I’m I’m in the minority there I guess these days. All right, well you want me to go negative? No I’m kidding. And witness witness some very uh you know, some protests going on there yesterday. That was interesting. Were they protesting the All-Star format? Yeah, that’s right. Yeah, know the Tesla while we are Tesla dealership uh had a pretty pretty uh enthusiastic protest in front of it. They don’t like those billionaire. looking for loopholes. While we’re talking about um Blue Sky and expressnews.com and and ways to see our work, which we encourage you all to do. Uh another reminder that if you want to get on the Spurs Subtext, which sends all of our Spurs stories directly to your phone, you can text GSG to 2109349628.
I know Jeff McDonald did that last week in in Boston and was very delighted to actually read um Mike Finger columns for the first time in his life. That was cool. Um, and so if you want to do that, that’d be great. Uh text GSG to 2109349628. On expressnews.com there’s all our work. We appreciate you coming and visiting that. That’s always fun. Uh we have a uh we talked about this earlier uh the games ahead. two in Austin, two in New Orleans. I’m going to go on record and saying that I think the the the local cager are going to win three of them.
Now we need uh predictions from Tom and Jeff before we go. Oh boy. Um, yeah, I’m I don’t know if Jeff’s going to change on this but I I see two and two. That’s brutal. Who’s just who they are? Just who they are. Four and0. All right. Whatever. That. Two and two probably. I don’t know. Oh you should have stuck with it. All right, four and0. That’s my official one. That’s my official one. four and0.
There you go. It’s it’s possible these days to retain some semblance of optimism. If Jeff McDonald can do it, you can do it. Until next time, take care of each other and keep it real.