Episode Transcript
[00:00:00] Foreign.
[00:00:07] And welcome back to the Ali Perspective. I am so glad to be back to sit with you guys to talk about some interesting things that has been happening. I'm going to kick it off with the thing that caught my attention the most, which was the trade the Pittsburgh Steelers orchestrated, which was sending George Pickens to the Cowboys. Okay.
[00:00:27] I don't know exactly how to feel about this trade. On one side, I'm like, that was dumb. And on the other side, it's like, I get it. But still, that was dumb. And the reason why I say I'm a go. Let's do. Let's do the good. First, I think that George Pickens became a problem with behavioral. Behavioral issues.
[00:00:50] Going to look deeper into the trade. Mike Tomlin was the initiator. He was the one that was kind of pressing. It wasn't the general manager. It wasn't the owner. It was Tomlin who was saying, we need to get him out of here, which let me know that this was a behavioral thing. I mean, we've seen it before with Martavius Bryant, Antonio Brown, Chase Claypool, and now George Pickens. We've seen it with these wide receivers that Tomlin just can't coach anymore. And then he sends them away. Now, most of them beside me. Antonio Brown did win a Super bowl with Tom Brady, but we kind of see where Antonio Brown is now. We kind of understand why the Steelers were ready to let him go.
[00:01:34] And it kind of seems that that's the same thing that has happened with George Pickens. But my thing with the Steelers and why I think that that trade was bad was because, for one, now you're in the same situation that you were in at the end of last season, which is.
[00:01:54] Questions that Cube? Well, no, because they kind of had. They had two quarterbacks, but you. You don't have another wide receiver that's a wide receiver one like you. You. Well, let me take that back. Let me take it back. I'm. I'm messed up. And. Guys, let's let me go back, okay?
[00:02:14] At the end of last season, when the Steelers finished the season, they had questions of who was going to be their solidified wide receiver one. I mean, of course, Joe, George Pickens was the most talented one, but he's, like, on the cusp of possibly being a wide receiver one. I think he'll be a really good wide receiver, too, paired up with CD Lamb. But we can. We'll see how that goes. But, I mean, besides George Pickens, that wide receiver room is really, really thin. Okay, so then they Kind of addressed that by going out and getting DK Metcalf from Seattle.
[00:02:48] All right, that's fine. Now you kind of have a one and two, right?
[00:02:53] But then you let Justin Fields and Russell Wilson go. All right, you let them go.
[00:03:02] And then you don't draft a quarterback until the seventh round, which is Will Howard. And I mean, yes, the guy has won a Natty. He's been pretty consistent in college, but I'm not seeing where, at least not right out the gate. I'm not seeing him being the next Brock Purdy or even being the next Jaden Daniels. And what I mean by that is really young quarterbacks coming in and immediately making an impact to that team. Okay, so you draft him and then you sign Mason Rudolph. All right, so the quarterback situation is still H.
[00:03:40] Now you just ship George Pickens off. You ship him off.
[00:03:44] Now you back to the same situation of really only having one solid ride receiver. Unless they're seeing some things with their rookie last. From last year, Roman. Roman Wilson, who was. Who came from Michigan.
[00:03:59] He battled some injuries, never really quite saw the field consistently. Maybe they're seeing something with him, I don't know. But they're leaving a lot of questions. And my biggest thing with them is your quarterback situation is uncertain. Your. Your offensive line, when healthy, will be Good. You send N.J. harris, he signed somewhere else. I like Jaylen Warren. And then you get a decent enough rookie. I don't know the kids from. The kid from Iowa you got. You get him. I'm not really seeing on tape where he's like spectacular and he's going to be like amazing.
[00:04:35] But okay, you. You go out and you get him. If your offensive line is healthy, I'm not gonna lie, they will have a really good solid offensive line. But who's your quarterback and who are they throwing to besides dk? We've seen how last year how Dallas was trash because they decided to not go out and solidify another wide receiver. So they relied heavily on CD Lamb. Then they didn't want to spend money for running backs. And without a running game, no. All right, but they fortified. But the Steelers fortified their defense. Okay, I get that. I understand that. But at the same time, we live in a different realm of NFL football where I'm not saying defense doesn't win championships anymore, but you need an offense to win you a championship as well. I mean, look at the Eagles. The Eagles had the number one defense as well as a number one offense, number one running game, the best offensive line. They had a wide receiver, 1 and 2, like they were a all around good team. So I'm just trying to figure out what the Steelers are doing because right now it makes no sense whatsoever. While you would just kind of leave your, your offense by the wayside and rely heavily on your defense, I feel like they're wasting the best years for Cam Hayward as well as what? Like those guys deserve to make deep playoff runs and possibly play for a Super bowl, but they're always kind of stuck with a subpar offense. Okay, so it's time for Mike Tomlin or Marcon or anybody. They need to step foot and make some major changes. If not, they're just going to be mediocre, run me run of the mill NFL team like they were last year. I mean, yes, you can have really good defenses, but if your offenses aren't doing anything, you're stuck. The Tennessee Titans had a top three defense last year based on how they finished at a top three defense, but their offense absolutely sucked. The jets, same thing. Top tier defense, really good defense, top five in the league, offense sucked. Couldn't get anywhere. All right. And then the Steelers with the filler out for Aaron Rodgers. I am, I feel like Aaron Rodgers actually just going to retire. I don't think Aaron Rodger wants to play for the Steelers. I don't think he wants to be coached by Mike Tomlin. I don't think he wants to be in Pittsburgh. I think he might just retire and end it there. I don't see, I don't see him coming to the Steelers. So the Steelers are just left with a lot of questions, especially on the offensive side of the ball now next year. Yes, they have 12 picks, but I mean, you're going to have to give up a lot of those picks if you're trying to get someone to come in offensively, whether it's at quarterback or wide receiver to make an impact.
[00:07:20] So I'm, I'm just a little dumbfounded about the Steelers and the decisions they have decided to make. But I said if it's behavior issues, if Mike Tomlin no longer wants to coach you, I mean, it's kind of has been proven that if he's just like, okay, I'm done with it, then that person really does have problems. And so I'm curious to see how that ends for them. But right off the bat I'm just like, after seeing it, I don't understand and I don't know what the Steelers are doing. But I will keep you guys updated on my opinions about what, what's going to continue to happen in the NFL. And even though it's off season.
[00:07:56] So, yeah, stay tuned for that. And then now on to the NBA.
[00:08:03] First, the Cavs. Okay, so the Cavs and Indiana Pacers. I had the. I had the Cavs winning the series, but they have blown two 20 point leads to the Indiana Pacers. And the Pacers are just playing with a chip on their shoulder like they're, they're gritty and they're tough.
[00:08:25] Oh, God. His name. I'm. I'm blanking on his name right now, guys. Give me. Give me one second. Tyrese Halliburton. He's really took. He really took it personally when they named him the most overrated player in the NBA.
[00:08:36] And he has been playing lights out, basically. He's been. I mean, when. When his team needed him, he was there. He. He made the first free throw, missed the second free throw, got his own rebound shot of three, won the game. Okay. Like, they fought back and they won and now they, they are up 20 over the Cavs and they have to go back to Indiana.
[00:08:57] Now, I do think the Cavs are. I don't think the Cavs are going to get swept. I, I can see them winning possibly two games and the series going to six. Okay. I mean, no home team has won a game yet in, in that series. Well, yeah, so I don't know if home field advantage will play a part in that, but we'll see. We'll see when they go to Indiana and then the next team. Disappointments on my part because I am a Celtics fan. Watching my Celtics blow two 20 point leads in and allowing the Knicks to go up two zero on us as well. And now we have to go back to New York, down 2 0.
[00:09:33] I. I would love for us to win both games and then go back to. And win the next four games, honestly. But do I see that happening? No. I think that this will be a seven game series.
[00:09:44] Hopefully Pois can get back and he can be healthy, which can help us out a lot.
[00:09:50] But you know, when you play that kind of style of basketball that the Celtics play, it's always iffy, but hopefully they can find their stride.
[00:10:00] I mean, Mikhail Bridges have just been outstanding defensively. He's been able to make the right shots when need to be. And I mean, Jaylen Brunson is just a floor general. He's tough, he's gritty. Um, it is going to be a tough heel to climb for the Celtics, but right now all the momentum are with the Knicks and then I want to Go back to the Cavs and Pacers. I think the Cavs messed up with Donovan Mitchell.
[00:10:31] He's playing too much and he's gassed. And then at the end of the game, he has nothing left to give and then he becomes a liability.
[00:10:39] And I think they need to figure out a way to not have him gas so much in the end of games so that he can be fresher and so that he can be able to make those plays and those defensive plays, offensive plays, and just be an all around good player for the entire game and need him when the need him when his team needs him the most. Okay, now to the other set of games. The Minnesota Timberwolves and the Warriors. Now when the, When Stephen Curry went out with the hamstring injury, they were up by 10.
[00:11:13] And this was early in the second quarter. And then they announced that Steph Curry, Seth. Was not coming back to the game. Now when they said Curry was coming back to the game, I immediately thought, oh yeah, the, the Timberwolves are going to win this game. But I didn't bank on the fact that they were going to be ice cold from everywhere. I mean, the three point line inside the arc, like they were just cold. I don't, I guess they had many, two days too many days off. And then with the warriors coming from a game seven and having fresher legs.
[00:11:43] Not fresher legs, but in the NBA you're kind of used to playing every other day. And then so the warriors are in rhythm where the Timberwolves are just now trying to get in rhythm. And now I don't expect, because I don't think Curry will be playing in game two of that series. I see the Minnesota Timberwolves winning and possibly winning big in the second game. But shout out to the warriors for going into Minnesota and stealing a game.
[00:12:11] Buddy Healed, he kind of, he started off really good with the warriors. Then towards the middle and end of the season, he was cold. But now that they're in the playoffs, I mean, Buddy Healed has kind of been one of their better players.
[00:12:23] And Jimmy Butler, playoff Jimmy, I mean, we know what he can do. I mean, and in the first half of that game, Draymond Green was just a sniper after Steph went out the threes that he was making.
[00:12:36] So I, I don't see the warriors sustaining that in his second game. But I think if Curry can come back and even just be 50, that that would help them.
[00:12:45] But we, we'll see. But I promise you'll be very entertaining and I wholeheartedly believe Anthony Eris is going to find his rhythm again. He's not going to be over 15 from 3. Like, he. He's going to find his rhythm and he's going to be fine.
[00:12:59] Um, and then on to the last series remaining.
[00:13:05] Then it's the Denver Nuggets and OKC and that first game, okay. I mean, Aaron Gordon. Who would have thought that Aaron Gordon would have two game winners in the same playoff run, right? So that dunk that he had in series one and then now with the. The three. Like, I. I didn't see. I didn't see that coming. Not from Aaron Gordon. Absolutely not.
[00:13:29] But they shock OKC and then OKC punched them in the mouth.
[00:13:35] I mean, with. Is in that second game with. But I think that just kind of show you, like what sometimes time off can do. Yes, you're rested, but you're kind of out of rhythm. Whereas teams who have been playing consistently every other day, they can get you that first game.
[00:13:52] But they show while why I think that they are NBA champion contenders this year. I mean, SGA went 11 for 13 at the field and 12 for 12 at the line. Like he just couldn't miss. Like he was on fire. He has one of the smoothest games I've seen. Like he. He can easily have 20 points and they're like the quietest, most unknowing 20 points I think you can have. But that team is young.
[00:14:22] That team knows what it. It means to win.
[00:14:26] So Oak, it's going to be really tough for Denver to. To win that series. I mean, I. I see OKC winning that series in five. I'm gonna be honest with you.
[00:14:36] But I mean, you can't count out Jokic as well. I mean, he's arguably the best player in the world. He should win MVP again this. Well, SGA might win MVP this year, but Jokic. And then he filed out in the third quarter of that second game. I mean, they were already down by 40 something at that point anyway. And I mean, at. Even at halftime, OKC scored the most points and a half in NBA's in NBA history with 87. So they were really pissed about not winning that first game. Okay, but OKC is the better team. They're the best team in the west. I mean, they had the best regular season record for a reason, and they're showing it in this playoffs. It doesn't matter who you are.
[00:15:18] They can win and they're doing that.
[00:15:21] So, yeah, that's pretty much all I have for the NBA and that's all I have for today's show. Guys, please, please make sure to, like, comment and subscribe. I will be commenting to. I will be coming on your comment, so please talk to me, and I'll talk back to you. Okay? But please make sure to, like, comment, subscribe, as well as sending emails. Guys, I want to hear your questions. I want to talk to you so you can. Anything that you need my perspective on, I am here for you. Okay?
[00:15:55] All right. Once again, I am Kayla Ali, and this is the Ali perspective, and I'll see you right back here next week.