Nuggets win, Celtics squander chance & BUD list motivates Anthony Edwards | NBA | FIRST THINGS FIRST

live from New York is a show that's really having a hard time I'll be honest with you you know what when you were right about so many

things

you know you got your upset alerts right you called the finals you called the world Series, right, you handled it with Grace, true, you walked the fine line of unpleasant, but it turns out you were right about the Chiefs and here I am all the time about the Denver Nuggets and it's really hard. It's like I'm doing this too. So

first

things

first

, I'm struggling with that. BR Denver look, I like it, I like Mike Malone, Michael Malone with that look, um, I think Denver is the best team in the league, obviously, I think joic is the best player in the league and I think.

They should be the favorites to win the championship, but they seemed unbeatable to the point where you know Boston should be demoralized like we couldn't beat this team? No, the fact of the matter is that Boston was down two MHs with 45 seconds left. The best players are open, yeah, for the easiest three in the league, the corner three and he just misses, yeah, you thought that was going to go in when he left his hand, no I didn't, but I'm just saying, but besides that, we know. Jason Tatum didn't have a great game overall 15 points, five of 13 from the floor, they didn't shoot well from the foul line, they shot 64% and they are one of the top six free throw teams where they are like 81% . the line, then, that was an aberration.

Jaylen Brown was great, but he didn't shoot well, he shot 50%, that was an aberration and they generally shot poorly from the three point line, so they live and die, but they shot 29%. That's my opinion, but I'm just saying my point is that everything went wrong for them and they still had a

chance

to win, so if you're Boston, then you can rightfully leave that game. I'm not talking about a moral. Victory, but you can say look, we play our game, we hit our threes at our typical pace, our best player plays close to what his best game is and we can beat this team.

The last part is the only part I disagree with. the majority, which is Tatum and brown combined for 56, that's what you would expect, so Tatum, you know what I mean, but not the numbers, you know what I mean, the pace of the game if your best players play badly, not just if Tatum had If they had lost by you know a couple of possessions, Tatum had that terrible game and Brown had a typical game. I buy it more, but if they played next time and Tatum played better, Brown probably wouldn't bet 40, but anyway I think only Milwaukee can beat a healthy Nuggets team and I'm not even saying Milwaukee is better than I'm saying that the only team that doesn't need the hitter, the possibility of an injury occurring, the bad luck to beat Milwaukee is or to beat Denver is Milwaukee. and that's because Giannis can go toe to toe with joic and if we just look at the last three years, which is I think the fairest way to do it because that's when joic is fully formed, that's how Giannis is first of all.

We've broken down the six, Giannis, it's his best field goal percentage against anyone, by the way, it's also basically his field goal percentage for this entire season and while there's no one who can really downplay Milwaukee's size and be able to put Brook on him. And let's basically leave it with what Darvin Ham thought the Lakers were going to be able to do, but with a much better defender than Ruie and Brooke and with Anthony Davis and Yannis, who are very similar in their ability to play, it helps a wing defense like that for me it's a pass I'd like to see what they are, I don't know if you have them Jokic's recent numbers against Milwaukee, so can you tell me or text me the last point that Brooke can score, you know it's not going to stop him, but then I have Yannis floating to help go to Wilds because then I want to talk about Denver historically, but historically, yeah, Denver and yoga historically, but I want you to be able to do your thing because this has been your team all year. all year yeah, wasn't it like last week heing we didn't do p he's been doing it?

Don't follow me on social media. I know people think that, to be 100% honest, it's breaking the fourth wall. RW does follow me. social, he just never reads anything, I know, I know, I've read it many times that if teams come in they play their best, maybe they can get a game off the ground, but even like you said, well, maybe if Boston gets their triples, okay. If we're going to sprinkle the three magic dusts around the court, the Denver Nuggets were four of 21 and kept shooting, so 19% versus the Celtics shooting 29%. I think like Aaron Gordon watching Aaron Gordon the ease with which he's getting baskets and the chemistry they have together and I know sometimes it's just a backdoor cut if we can show like Aaron Gordon a crushing game, well he's on that dump place a lot and it's anything that goes up, he put it here is this. one, uh oh, that's simple, so the chemistry between Joker and Aaron Gordon Jamal and Aaron Gordon is always present and then he has this little fake shot, well, that's the G that was the game sealer and another one, this one that failed, it was It's crazy, but this is Brew, tell me if you agree, this is what makes Denver so different from other teams, it's actually similar to Boston in this sense, but Boston doesn't have a wild card, it just They are fine, they are well organized, right?

They don't exactly have, they all have a specific role, the point of execution of the Joker, literally and figuratively, and a kind of Master of the orchestra there, and you just have it when you have everyone who knows their role and a top offensive player, which is what jokic is. What I was going to talk about historically in a minute, this is how you can build a consistent Champion without necessarily having, oh, we have multiple Superstars or even multiple Allstars, you don't need that if everyone knows what they're supposed to do. I'm glad you mentioned that and not to get into a historical discussion or anything, but the

nuggets

show us that we knew that.

I think looking back, I knew that. It wasn't a super team. By any stretch of the imagination, Jamal Murray has even made an All-Star Game, he hasn't played in an All-Star game, but they are a great team, so when we look at teams historically we don't always say, oh, they have so-and-so, and so they had the big three, that doesn't mean you're going to be better if you're well armed and everyone knows their role and when I was watching this game and Aaron Gordon doing all his big dunks and follow-ups and stuff like that I was like man, this It's great for Aaron G because remember when he came into the league people thought he was going to be a star, he was a face of magic, well people thought he was going to be a star dunk contest and he couldn't be in a better place. position because he may not be a star, but he's going to be a very popular guy if they keep winning and he's obviously an exciting player with his dunks, so Josh got me those.

Yic's numbers over the last three years are 26 1111 with 50% against the uh bucks, and that's what 26111 sounds like, it's basically their averages close to the last three years and 50% is actually, I think a touch below his shooting average in the last three. years but this is what jic is getting close to and i know people are going to feel like this is weird to me but i didn't like a lot of things about yage before he fully showed it in the playoffs but now that he's done it , we can start talking about this whole NBA story. If they won the title, there aren't that many guys that you think have been the best players for a back-to-back champion, Mikin Russell, so you have to go all out. road to Magic Isaiah Jordan aakeem Shaq Kobe Braun Steph or Steph KD pick whoever you want that's it joic would join that group and this is where I wanted to ask the offensive forces in NBA history the best offensive players in all time and there is no order but this is the

list

of Wilt Kareem Michael, Steph LeBron's magic bird, and this guy has him ahead of Kobe, who has him ahead of Durant, who has him ahead of Duncan and a dream that I think most would agree with because a big part of his value was being the best defensive player in the league for a year, but I think he is a more lethal offensive player than Kobe, Dun or Durant, o Durant is SL and Kobe.

They are so different. Kobe and Durant are mainly Scorers, yeah this guy hasn't realized it, he's a point center, he's the first C point and you see Sabon is in that role for Shenon, sometimes not as much as these two, but still It is a center of points, etc. and that's why Yannis is incredible and I thought that a couple and a half years ago Giannis was the best player in the world, but when you see them, you mention that everyone knows his role and everyone, it's thanks to him, it's thanks to joic. like him, not me, he doesn't dominate the ball, but obviously he has the ball in his hands a lot, but he passes it, he doesn't just dribble, we'll talk about Luca later, he doesn't just hit the ball like most. of the Stars today has the ball in his hands but he's getting rid of it, you double him, he's taking the right path like he can do it all, so it's hard to argue with him.

I know I threw that

list

at him and he's going to do it, I mean. he's still young, well that's the thing, who knows where this is going, and I know it's become very trendy this week, you know, go watch basketball from the 80s and 90s as part of the Jordan LeBron debate, people should do it if they haven't. Look at Larry Bird because they're the ones that put Bird on that list, his numbers, his raw numbers might not show it. Bird B was that he wasn't the Celtics' point guard, but his ability for himself, his ability to orchestrate everything, and I know the white guy.

The Whites' composition sometimes gets tired, but there are many similarities in his game with the Bird and he is one of the most dominant offensive players of all time. Searry looks at Shingon as the past and the future as well. The Celtics lose back-to-back for the first time since November. Tatum for the lead here yeah here we go Brew no he knew he missed it too once you start shooting and jumping yeah that means you're gonna miss it uh here's Jaylen Brown who He played amazing all game long, listen, uh, stat line last night. The first 8 minutes aren't too bad the rest of the game, uh, seven points, two of 10, five turnovers plus minus 7 Nick, what was the number one reason the Celtics lost?

Well, Denver is better, but that's not what I want to talk about here, which is why he wanted to go first. um wild, who has the best record in basketball. I think the Celtics still have it. Who is your best player? Jason Tatum. So he is the MVP of the league. I never said that. I said he shouldn't be fifth. He shouldn't be fifth behind Luca Donic. he dribbles the air off the ball he has triple doubles and that's not all you said I didn't say he's the wild MVP I said he should be taller than f if you were here it sounds like wait, Wilds we asked you repeatedly what Bruce said he is No he's the best player on the best team and you said it should be that way so I am because they're on Nickl's side on this but yesterday it sounded like you were saying the best player on the best team and he's still the best player on the that still is. the best team, do you see now why they are not close to the League MVP conversation?

You see it? It should be close. I think it should be close. Thanks brother. You don't think he should be. nearby, it shouldn't be in the top five, well then I guess my point is that more people will get votes because you vote one to five than are actually in the conversation, in my opinion, right now, actually there are three. people you can make a credible case for and a fourth in Luca if they suddenly win 12 out of 13 because right now there are three names in the conversation, Tatum is not one of them, okay, I'll have Joker, so okay.

I'm just saying he shouldn't be the fifth guy, he missed a shot, he didn't go up, he's still not an MVP caliber guy and probably won't be. I like, well, I still like what you said because obviously we pointed out the reason why they lost there. I pointed out some of the things before, but Jason Tatum didn't play well, that's fine, and I'm wondering if I'm watching that game and wondering if it's going to be good enough, as much as I like it. being the best player on a championship team now I have two things two things when I think about Nick, I say one, he's only 26 years old, so he may not be good enough yet, but he could be good enough in a year or two, you think there is another level he can take, he himself never wins.

I just think about maturity and you know experience and you know you just change your shot selection. His skills may not necessarily improve, but he will become a smarter and more balanced player, he is fine, but second, and maybe this is what you need. If we were going to attack Nick, maybe he would have to win it like Detroit in 2004, where you and them are built like this, we have a group of really good players, our best player is really good, but he's not at that top level or the Spurs at 14 because while Duncan is one of the best players of all time,Kawai wasn't a superstar yet and Duncan was on the downward slope, but papovich was different than Missoula, but still, that's exactly it, now maybe he'll get to He's not going to get to that level where he can this season, no is going to make a major change this season, so it's just that there are some on the grass thing, like last night, Denver's bench really outperformed Boston, we can show you and like as much as everyone loves Boston with five starters, Boston doesn't have a big bench, which is why they traded for Tillman.

I don't love Hower.Pritchard and Horford, bless him for still being, you know, in the league, but Boston has the best theoretical starting five in the league, but then he quickly goes to Steam, but these are just a group of Shooters, it's like the last decade. The following people have been the best player on the team with the best record. Devin Booker. Incredible player, not the league MVP. Donovan Mitchell. Incredible player. Never close. League MVP. Old Tim Duncan. The 2014 Spurs had the best record in the league. All you know, a legendary player he wasn't. league and those teams are well built, they have a good starting five, they play well together, but just because they don't have that guy as their best now that doesn't mean that Dallas does and the Celtics are much better than Dallas, but I just I don't know, they're built, they're built like I'm not ruling them out no, I don't think they're going to have our elections next week, but I'm not ruling them out as an opportunity, but they are. built like that Detroit team in '04, you know, where they just got a bunch of really good players, like the '08 Celtics, they don't want to be built like that, even though no, they think Tatum is their man, they think Tatum is their man , but I think it's not entirely, I mean, look, we talk a lot about his decisive numbers and we know that 32% in the decisive moment and all that is one of the worst in the league, but I don't think they are moments too great for him because he had great games last year, the seventh game against Philadelphia, what did he go for 50 51? uh uh the year before when they went to milwa it wasn't like that so I don't think it's too big a moment I just think it's still growing and What happens a lot of times is it has some big playoff games and it has some really big playoff games bad, he makes bad shots, but that's what they do like, oh, you're talking about I'm not talking about, yeah, I'm not talking about open threes.

I'm talking about Jason T, the way Tatum can get to the next level is to take smarter shots and Tatum's best nights, those games we're talking about are the days he takes those shots and it's tough when we think about the most consistent scorers in the league throughout history, basically, even Steph included a big part of his game has been at the rim for Steph, it's under the rim, but Steph when he was winning when he scored 30, you know what I mean, he was great with you I know that at the basket, obviously, LeBron Jordan Kobe a lot of his game is getting to the rim and I'm not saying that Tatum doesn't get to the rim, but you have to settle a lot with the difficult shots that can do, but that's what leads to some of these head scratchers at KN, the level of difficulty of his shots versus the Joker's shots, that was the thing like, uh, yeah, like Boston seemed like they were just holding on with all their might to stay in the game and it was certainly much easier for Denver.

He put that right there, uh, head to Minnesota, where Anthony Edwards probably inspired by his appearance on the outbreak list was Tatum on the outbreak list, well you can't, don't ruin, don't ruin the wine, sorry, best that I can. Prepare well for his reaction if he was on the outbreak list right and let me say this to people, athletes, that's how they respond to being in the butler, that's fine, no, it's about the butler. motivation, yes, about inspiration, don't be nervous, don't be mad at me, okay, no, don't get into your feelings, go out and get motivated.

I'm like that old school coach that says if you don't I won't yell at you I don't believe in you okay if I don't put you on the butt list what's the problem? Go up the butt list. I believe in you, so Jason, this is how you should have responded. He's fine, as was Anthony Edwards. Russ Russell Wilson was speaking yesterday, here's how you respond. Okay, so when you go talk to the thieves, be humble, don't talk about having your own office, just get out there. I did. I don't know, extended Tomlin, I'm like a rookie now, I'm like I have to go in there and prove myself on Matt Flynn, that's it, I'm so hungry now, that's what I want from you, Russ. this this is what I want athletes in the future this is how they respond do you understand?

I understand it well. I shouldn't have said the Tatum thing, my B just Tatum didn't understand, he didn't know Tatum thought it was too much pressure. and instead, Anthony Evers rose to the occasion, literally, thanks for watching. Subscribe here to learn more about the show and see clips from other shows on FS1.