This is an IHeart podcast.

You're tuned in to Heat Check with Trista Crick.

On this episode of the Heat Check, we've got a special bonus episode of the Heat Check featuring Bill Ryder, friend of show, NBA Insider, as a CBS Sports Radio Show as well on Odyssey.

The interview was conducted on my other show, Bed MGM Tonight, so thank you to my co-host,

Ryan Horvott and Nick Ashu for playing along.

So let's get right into it and drop that beat.

I asked Bill if the Lakers adjustments in the second half gave the Lakers hope in the future.

His answer to me was fascinating.

I mean, my takeaway is I wish I had a Yokeech finals MVP ticket. Do you want to sell them pennies on the dollar?

Look, I thought it just continues this incredibly interesting and in some ways at least

half the teams that are left unpredictable NBA playoff run.

And for me, guys, the main thing is what you said, Yokic amazing.

But also, we'll see what the adjustments are. We'll see sort of what other

players step up. But if you can't win a basketball game, if you're the Lakers, when Anthony

Davis has that kind of a night, and despite the numbers that Yokic put up, it's not like

AD was playing laxadaisical defense on Nicola. For me, the takeaway is Denver is so good, and it's going to take

a whole lot from L.A. to win this thing. Bill, do you feel like what we're seeing with Boston,

with Denver, that we are getting into a new era where teams are going to just stop with the idea,

especially considering how Phoenix flamed out and

basically had to fire their coach.

Do you feel like we're in a place where, you know, GMs and roster builders are going to be

thinking about slow organic builds versus, you know, gutting their team four stars?

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