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A show about basketball
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The content of this program does not reflect the views or opinions of 91.5 Jazz and more the University of Nevada Las Vegas or the Board of Regents of the Nevada System of Higher Education.
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Welcome to Gucci row on the rebel HD two. I'm your host Kevin Kelley with co host
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will does he roll like they say up at UNLV thanks for
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tuning in to our court side conversations covering all things NBA rebels Young Money, nothing you could sell me
Unknown Speaker 0:37
sup Yeah, we're back in studio. Kevin Kelly, will best part. And again, we're back here man. started December and in season tournament stuff is really ramping up as this this weekend that comes to a close. We just saw this week the first ever quarterfinals in the NCAA Tournament. As we're gonna just get into some of that, but well How you doing man?
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Pretty good, man. How about you?
Unknown Speaker 1:05
I'm good man. I got a lot a lot going on with finals and projects coming up and everything but it's good man. I get to go home to New York in a couple of weeks. So excited about that good stuff, for sure. And then you got I know I always do this but you want to detail a couple of the we got Jack Jones coming up. I just got my approval for that. And yeah,
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we got the Jack Jones games coming up this weekend and Wednesday. Lot coming up honestly.
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Yeah, it's hard to even like detailed UNLV bowl game. Yeah, I know. I was for Christmas. I wish
Unknown Speaker 1:38
I was gonna stay in Vegas for that. I won't be lobby going to Arizona the day after Christmas for the game but I won't be going back to New York for Christmas. Right? Right. Just fine. I don't want to I don't want to deal with the cold.
Unknown Speaker 1:50
That's two holidays in a row for you though. You got to
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the holidays happen to be in the winter. That happened to be cold.
Unknown Speaker 1:57
And that's true. Yeah, that's why we came out now. But anyway, they get into some basketball. This this. This week we saw like I said the quarterfinals. So we'll start with on Monday. The pacers beat the Celtics 122 to 112 to secure their spot in Vegas, for their semis Tyrese, Halliburton had his first triple double ever he had 2613 and 10. Did you get a chance to see this one? Well,
Unknown Speaker 2:24
I did. I mean, Halliburton is a beast. I'm excited to see him play here. I think. I mean, there's been some debate on TV shows recently about if he's the best point
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guard in the league. I know I said he's the best passer last week. So
Unknown Speaker 2:39
that might be a little premature, but he's definitely making the case.
Unknown Speaker 2:43
And then so yeah, he was special. He had a four point play towards the end that kind of put the Celtics down and was getting MVP chance at the line. I know, you know, you mentioned that. Obviously, it's tough to keep up. But if he does, you know, he has to be in those conversations. So yeah, really fun to watch. And they, he also mentioned in the postgame presser that in addition to trying to get to Vegas and all the inseason tournament hype for them, they really just wanted revenge, the Celtics beat him by like 51 earlier in the season, which is you know, never, never something that you're going to be okay with. So they got their get back there. And they get a chance to compete for this $500,000 For each each player, which for the Pacers is pretty significant. They have the lowest payroll in the league. So just by winning in the quarterfinals, they secured 100,000 for each player and if they lose in the finals, it's 200,000 for the runner up but if they win like I said it's half a million dollars for each player. What what does that mean for the Pacers? Well, obviously
Unknown Speaker 3:51
a lot for the Pacers I mean, there are a lot of guys on rookie deals and minimum deals that for me that's the teams that really can benefit the most for not even just from a pay standpoint but teams that are like friend playoff teams that haven't really done much in the playoffs recently. Yeah, I mean, that's good for the fans and for the team it gets some something to play for not just
Unknown Speaker 4:12
that's a really good point like because the atmosphere to speak on which goes to the success of of how it's been but the atmosphere in these games has been playoff like especially when you talk about these quarterfinals and stuff so yeah, like for those young teams to get that experience in that environment that they you know, won't be able to make or get if they don't make the plan is is definitely big. And then the money like you said, like, you know, rookie scales and like you said I was looking at the list of all of them. There's like they have a handful of guys making under a million dollars this year. So that's a really big boost for for their payroll. And then the Celtics. They were without Porzingis which you could see with their interior defense. It's just not the same. And like he was out with calf soreness with it. kept him out for some for playing for Latvia, and we've seen him have this little injury bug before. So I hope he can get back he. He's pretty big to that team and like I mentioned with their bench last week, I think that their depth isn't there, especially when you look at that side of the ball. So yeah, the another one Monday night was the pelicans Kings game were the palace 121 27 to 117. And they arrived yesterday in Vegas and Grimm had a 30. Ball. And big time shot making down the stretch. Did you see this one too? Yeah.
Unknown Speaker 5:37
The pelicans? This is what they should be doing. Right? I mean, they have the players. They're all together. They should be a playoff team. And they should be winning games like this.
Unknown Speaker 5:47
No, I agree. They're young, but they're not like pacers young and they're like, should be competing young. So no, I agree there and they got Trey Murphy back. He was a big time contributor and then Herb Jones, who had like 23 He was special too, I think, especially when you look at their wings, like their ability to defend. That's a team that should be competitive. And to see them in this. In this part of the season, having health is is good to be set after the game. With as much excitement, excitement as he's even possible of, of mastering. He said that, how much is like in Vegas and wants to be here. And yeah, he obliged when Chuck asked him to meet him at the roulette table. So you might see him at the Cosmo or the wind around this week, man,
Unknown Speaker 6:33
stay away from chalk on the roulette table. He's a gambling addict.
Unknown Speaker 6:39
I don't know. I think it'd be a fun time.
Unknown Speaker 6:41
Oh, yeah. It'd be a fun time. Not sure losing not for your wallet. It'd be throwing down big hands. It's true. But um, yeah, for him with the chuck wagon.
Unknown Speaker 6:51
I am good on that. He's got a lot of money. Big, big wallet there from TNT. So. Yeah. Anything else on the palace game? Or should we go on the Tuesday? No, we should go on. All right. Tuesday was last night was the Bucks smoked the Knicks, they hung 146 on their head. This was a you know, the only game of the quarterfinals that wasn't really competitive and down the wire, or down to the wire down the stretch. So, you know, you especially on the tibs defense, they really, really were able to give them buckets. But the box offense is now I think third in the league top five for sure. But their defense is think middle of the pack at best, but it's significantly fallen off. What Why do you think some of those those changes I've had in there and schemes? Well,
Unknown Speaker 7:45
damn, obviously is gonna make you a bit more liable on the defensive end, just especially getting rid of drew Holliday, who's a top tier defender in the league, that's obviously going to have an effect on the perimeter defense. And just Yanis he's not, he's still young, but he's not pleasant play with the same hunger defensively that he had. Like, it's kind of just reliant on the skill set now, as opposed to like the beast he was, especially
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when in the regular season because when the playoffs he has those moments where he looks like the best defender on the planet still, which is maybe just speaks to his maturity and being able to ramp it up at the right time. But yeah, I think another big aspect here obviously is no more booton Holzer and there's a new coach in town, which if players buy in, there's obviously going to be big changes in just fundamentally how you play as a basketball team and what you hang your hat on. So yeah, we've seen them buy in a lot more on the offensive end. And that's like I said, taken a little toll on them defensively. But I think all in all, it's worth it especially as a recipe for winning regular season basketball. So I don't know I think that they will be able to not really flipped up but turn the defense up to a similar notch when it comes to the playoffs. But if they don't and they just have this elite top five offense in the middle of the pack defense. Do you think that's enough for them for for winning and to make maybe a final run? Or do you think they have to get back to the defenders that they were at one point?
Unknown Speaker 9:14
I mean, you never know what can happen in the playoffs? Right like you having Yanis and Dame on your team is enough to make a finals run if everything breaks your way, but it's not enough to just say oh, this I'm not to feel great about going no matter what right? Yeah, like you have the Celtics in the way who are better on both sides of the ball really? You have the Sixers still who are not what they were last year, but they still have Embiid they still have Maxi like that's still a tough seven game series to play.
Unknown Speaker 9:43
And they added a lot of veteran wings and guys that can fill in there. Yeah, Keepo
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that's really like the east, the heat are still there. I mean, they're not as they're again, the heater probably going to limp to the finish line and snag a seven or eight but they're gonna be there. They're not in the plan. especially for the Bucs who have that kryptonite?
Unknown Speaker 10:04
Yeah, no, I think I agree. I mean, like I said, I think that they're very capable defensively still of turning that up. It's not like their personnel is all that different. I will say, to your point about Dame kind of subtracting from the defense, this is certainly true. Obviously, his like personal defensive numbers are not good have never been good. But also they have like Malik Beasley in there at the two who's tried to he's bought in but he's not an elite defender, by any stretch either. So that, you know, they do have some issues that we'll have to overcome if they want to get back to that level of defense. But all that said, I think if they are middle of the pack that offense with If anytime you have someone like Yanis and Dame as good as they are on offense, yeah, like you mentioned, you're going to be able to compete and make a run if the marbles roll your way. So I agree there. And then the other game last night was a lot better one. Lakers beat the suns 106 to 103. And LeBron fulfills His promise to come to Vegas. I don't know if I didn't get to see this one. Unfortunately. It seems like I really missed out. I don't know if you get to see it or not. I
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had it on in the background. Yeah, volume was off. But I mean, they obviously there was that controversial. That call? I mean, people are saying it's rigged for the Lakers. I don't know how valid that is. But that definitely I could definitely see them wanting to get the Lakers to Vegas.
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Yeah. Especially with the you know, the proximity that there's going to be this
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is a this is a Laker city. Yeah, and there hasn't there wasn't many, I mean with the Pacers and pelicans. Those aren't two teams that are gonna push tickets though to get the bucks and Lakers in those games. Yeah, that'll help trill.
Unknown Speaker 11:51
So I didn't, like I mentioned didn't get to see it. But what he's referring to is, I guess, like, at the end of the game, Austin Reeves was swarmed. And they hit the ball was like, arguably loose and they got a timeout call still. You know, I saw someone saying that the two minute report is gonna say that book fouled him from behind, which, you know, whatever. But basically, people didn't think they should have got the timeout. They gave it to him and the Lakers went on to win. LeBron had 3111 and eight. I mean, it's it's cliche to still say this, but it is ridiculous that he's doing this at this age. I mean, those numbers are just, he's doing it night in and night out basis. And we've never seen anything like that at his age. So I'd be remiss not to mention how ridiculous it is to still see that
Unknown Speaker 12:39
he's definitely like Tom Brady in the sense that his body is just like, not human. Like it's robotic in the sense that like, he doesn't really get in he does get injured but it's not like serious like it's just nagging stuff. It's not like he's never like torn ACL he's never like, and that
Unknown Speaker 12:58
that's like, that just sparked is that people always you always hear about, like all around spending a million dollars all you got to take the same formula that LeBron does to save your body. And all that might be true, right? I'm sure that he takes his extreme but like, like to what you just said, there's a level of he's just a ridiculously unnatural athletic body that is
Unknown Speaker 13:21
not falling. I mean, it was when he was a teenager, and he never had any professional development. He was already the most athletic person we ever saw. So yeah. So he is as a freak of nature.
Unknown Speaker 13:31
I guess what I'm saying that it's to like to use him as a blueprint is fine, but to expect anywhere near the same results running that blueprint is, is delusional. I'm
Unknown Speaker 13:43
not like even his build, like that's not typically a build that would work in a basketball Share, Like six nine like, and he pretty much like that's like, that's a defensive end. That's like, it's like the biggest defensive end in the NFL. And
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if you look at that the only person similar to that is Zion who's a few inches shorter, but is like riddled with injuries because of that statute and like and nowhere near as nimble. And when you have that sort of, like you said, like the Zion LeBron explosiveness at that size, like, yeah, for your knees and ankles and everything else to hold up is insane. So
Unknown Speaker 14:18
and another thing about LeBron is he really polished his game, Polish parts of his game that like when he was young, he was just like a slasher, who could hit the occasional train and make the path but he was those early years in Cleveland. He was absolutely a scorer first and he was the best scorer in the league besides Kobe. And then when he gets to Miami, he's still a scorer, but he kind of has to facilitate. Shoot it a little bit more. He has to get Wade and Bosh involved.
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And then there was no stretch where they decided they just weren't going to shoot it at all. And they like, yeah, the transformations that his game has taken over the years. Unbelievable. It seems like there's no style of basketball he hasn't played and and then
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you have now he's like one of the best passers ever so it's like Yeah, yeah.
Unknown Speaker 15:01
And still like is able to his strength at this age still is like, remarkable. It's, I don't know, it's unbelievable. But so yeah, obviously suns Lakers, we had another Katie versus LeBron, we finally got a few of those this year after nothing for like a handful of years between the two, just based off like injuries and, you know, just unfortunate circumstances like that. But that's obviously maybe this most or I'll say second most important matchup in the NBA in their generation. But, but yeah, I mean, to get that after a long time is, is really fun to see. Those are two guys that are on arguably in arguably top 15 of all time. And yeah, like I mentioned, it's a decade after they were being debated in like 2013 ish for the best player in the league. And they're still both up there and the conversations, it's almost
Unknown Speaker 15:58
like socks for k d because he's like, in any other like normal world from like 2016 on KD would have been the best player in the league. Like once LeBron hits like 3334 That's when a typical legendary player starts to hit a decline. And it just never happened. Yeah, he like couldn't wait three years. It did happen. It was Yanis that kinda like ended. But now with the yoke, which I think yoke which probably is the best player in the NBA Yeah, that's
Unknown Speaker 16:28
true. And like you mentioned, like with the rise of Yanis, Yogesh Luca, all these guys that are obviously now right there firmly in the top five, the fact that Katie is still competing up there, it's like, yeah, it sucks that he never really had that time as a clear number one because of LeBron in them. But yeah, just to still be up there as I
Unknown Speaker 16:46
would argue to it was probably him in 2017, like 2018 that LeBron went so nuclear that it's hard to argue, but in 2017, and those finals, he was more efficient than LeBron. He was the best player on either team. Yeah, I mean, the entire season. He was really the best player in the league with even with Steph on the team. Yeah, didn't have the stat that backup an MVP vote. But yeah, it's
Unknown Speaker 17:08
interesting. I think I agree with like, 17 to Katie 18, to LeBron. But the cool thing is there, you could make the argument either way there because you know, obviously, like two Finals MVPs for KD and like, the they both had a really good argument for best player alive at that point. Like,
Unknown Speaker 17:24
at the very least, that's the best argument for KD were those years at like the tail end of Golden State where that people weren't going to argue with them. Because obviously the KD narrative then was negative. And it was, yeah,
Unknown Speaker 17:37
but I will say that, like, oh, he was so good, because he had staff and all that, which I just don't buy,
Unknown Speaker 17:44
I think it was, I mean, a beneficial patch. Obviously, my thing with sports is they see these things, and they always want to attribute it to it's like the Brady belt took them they always want to attribute it to one person, but it's beneficial,
Unknown Speaker 17:53
like things are not typically black and white. They don't. One
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person wasn't going to do it like that. Like Steph doesn't win those finals by himself. And Katie doesn't get to there either way. Yeah.
Unknown Speaker 18:03
No, no, I agree. So, you know, like I said, to still see them six years, five years after that. Still up there. And having that debate be held is ridiculous. So fun to tune in there. And then like we'll get into right now we have the semis coming up here in Vegas for the NCAA tournament. The odds here for FanDuel have the bucks as the favorite at plus 160. The Lakers at plus 230 pelicans at plus 330. And the Pacers are plus 480. Just as far as a winner and do you like anything that you see there? What do you think?
Unknown Speaker 18:44
Um, I mean, I think I like the Pacers against the box. I mean, just because they're playing hungry. Yeah, but you know what the NBA likes to do with the Lakers. Yeah,
Unknown Speaker 18:56
we'll get into the mat like the individual matchups in a second book just as far as a winner. I agree. I think it's just that those at that value pacers I like for sure. But then I think Lakers I'd take next I think they're gonna get to the final pretty handily. And then that'll be a fun one. I while while the like, the person me who loves watching young players just wants to see pals Pacers. I know I realized that bucks Lakers is the obvious hope for the NBA here. Yeah, and then also by FanDuel. That MVP, odds are This one's interesting. I have a couple good values here but Dame at three ad Yanis at plus 430 along with Brandon Ingram at plus 430 and LeBron at plus 430. And then Ty Reese at plus for 50. Anthony Davis plus 750 and then Zion down at plus 1600 followed by plus 10,000. For guys like Chris Middleton Myles Turner and Austin reuse. What do you see there?
Unknown Speaker 20:01
Well, my thing is how much are they going to count the Final Four? We didn't do we know that? Yeah. Like, yeah, I'm not sure they're gonna be kind of like a final, like the NCAA Tournament thing. Like, is the final for MLP? Like,
Unknown Speaker 20:13
I have a feeling it's just the last game. But then yeah,
Unknown Speaker 20:18
maybe like, who knows? Like it could be any.
Unknown Speaker 20:20
That's why I say that those that's what I'm saying like those two that 10,000 hours. And to be fair, even if it's not like Turner has been really good. And then Reeves had 20 Last night. And if they have a couple of big games, I think, by far what I'm trying to say is the 10,000 is the best value there because it's such a small sample size, even if it is the quarters and semis like you know, that leaves room for guys like that to win. And then I was shocked to see I guess bi at the same odds as LeBron and Giannis and ahead of Tyrese,
Unknown Speaker 20:53
it's funny the midterm the favorite contender he was the Mickey Mouse MVP like literally like that not even the mean they gave him the Mickey Mouse trophy.
Unknown Speaker 21:02
Ya know? And I guess the rationale there obviously is that like if it comes down to the wire, the ball is going to be in games hand and he's one of the best clutch players in the league. So yeah, obviously but that is funny. And then so per each matchup we got a one of them is the Bucs our favorite and minus four and a half over the Pacers and the over under there is 254 and a half points. Either those standing out to you. I
Unknown Speaker 21:35
mean over unders in the NBA never like I can never get on the right side of them. So I mean, they're usually spot on and you're just betting on a few baskets one way or the other. I will say I'll take pacers in that game past four and a half though. I mean I'm sure even if the bucks when it'll be done with the final possession. So yeah,
Unknown Speaker 21:53
that's a good call. I like that. But not as much as my like the over you know, like I mentioned the boxer middle of the pack and defense. And like third and offense the Pacers are, I think worse than middle of the pack at defense and number one in offense. So and then just being such a maybe high excitement game in a neutral territory like Vegas might bring out some offense. So I don't know. I think we might get like a 141 30 something.
Unknown Speaker 22:26
I mean, a lot like to see that ticket. So I'd like to see this some makes it worth it. Yeah.
Unknown Speaker 22:34
And then so the other one the other semi is Lakers are favored by one and a half over the pelicans and the over under there's 230 You got aside on this one?
Unknown Speaker 22:46
I mean, I like the Lakers the one this is their place. Their city. They have familiarity with it. They played here in the preseason. I mean LeBrons here, often. Yeah, I mean, I think it's basically home game for them. They're gonna get on the plane, they're gonna fly an hour.
Unknown Speaker 23:03
And to that point about LeBron, it feels like just written in the stars for him to win like the first one. And he's talked so much about Vegas and like wanting a team here eventually. It does feel like that. So yeah, I'll go I'll go Lakers there too. And then I'm kind of with you. Over Under. On this one. I don't have any read on them whatsoever. But so that's uh, that's game one. Or no, that's game two game one of the semis was the Bucs Pacers. And that's at 2pm. Pacific Time. AT T Mobile. What do you what do you think the atmosphere is going to be like, at 2pm? Do you think it will matter?
Unknown Speaker 23:39
I mean, I don't know. I'm interested to see. I think it'll be a little better than those college games. For sure. I think they're on me. I think there'll be like, at least 10 there. 10,000. But yeah, I mean, I think they might have a little trouble fill in the lower bowl. Yeah. Well, I mean, I got upper Bowl tickets. So I'm gonna hopefully try and sneak down yeah, get a little 100 seat in there but I'm
Unknown Speaker 24:02
with you and it helped the pocket on the first one is a little little easier because the Lakers fans for the second obviously the time people are out of work and everything but Lakers fans too are going to flood the T Mobile so that one's going to be a lot more filled and a lot more expensive. And are inevitably the the atmosphere will be insane for them excited to see what the Lakers bring. And yeah, it's just it's a big future it seems for NBA basketball in Vegas. So yeah, like like you mentioned with the Lakers fans like they played here against the nets in the preseason. And they I was at that game. They had the same same thing. They had the stands following just like a sea of yellow and gold. It's there. They do what really on the city so
Unknown Speaker 24:54
it feels like it came up fast to like it's tomorrow. Yeah, crazy. Like I feels like like they've definitely been like advertising and branding it but it kind of feels like it's definitely snuck up for sure
Unknown Speaker 25:08
like the group stage was kind of such a long process like almost a month and then you just like snap right into quarterfinals semis and then you're done in like the span of a week. But also like it brings up a good point of like it's December now but I haven't really I don't know how to mention this but they're like dog days of the season so to speak of the at the end of the fall didn't hit whatsoever I think because of this where you're gonna end up the end of in season flowing right into like Christmas Day basketball and everything right into January excitement about trades and all star stuff. So it seems like if anything, like it really has done a good job of cutting out that sort of mundane if you will at a spa in November that fans sometimes don't get super up for Well, I'll
Unknown Speaker 26:00
tell you what, I would not be watching really regularly and be like, I'm I watch every sport like a lot like I'm a junkie so I'm whatever's I'm really in whatever's the popular sport is what's kind of like get my main attention for that season. And this is football season. Like it's college football. It's college football is reaching its pinnacle. The NFL is reaching the fantasy pinnacle. Like this is not a good time for NBA ratings. And these games are getting people like me who are not regular November viewers have the NBA to tune in. And that's
Unknown Speaker 26:32
an TierPoint W no shortage of stuff to talk about in those other two sports, college football and NFL. So yeah, like to still have that. You know, like you said talking and eyes and everything at this spot. I agree. And then also, like we mentioned, I'm not going to walk it all the way back. But I know we were not big fans of the courts and the jerseys at first. I'm still not really rocking with the jerseys but the but the courts I can kind of get with it's been opposite
Unknown Speaker 27:05
for me opposite from me. I was playing to K and the jerseys looked better on 2k So they look alright, some of the jerseys look a little wonder how they look in person too. But the courts I can't do it the courts. I mean, I'm usually someone who would be like Okay, I like a little a little flat, or but like some of them are just ridiculous. I couldn't agree. So like the Pacers one watching the Pacers game was like, that was tough. Like that was actually tough on my eyes. Interesting. Because the Lakers like the bright yellow
Unknown Speaker 27:36
like I can't I just hate the red ones. I don't know what it is. I can't I can't I think I would like the
Unknown Speaker 27:41
red ones. But like I think I would like like red or black or like a dark color better than I would like
Unknown Speaker 27:45
my favorites are like the Timberwolves have like, two different like, like earthy light blues. And it looks like almost like a pool like, I like it. And then but I just think like to well,
Unknown Speaker 27:59
the wolves had the best uniforms to Yeah, they
Unknown Speaker 28:01
the lake. Yeah, they did well this year. But just I think like, although it's not what you expect, or like, you know, it doesn't go along with traditional branding of the stuff. I don't know. I think it's just been fun. And like you said something to talk about, which has been good. So I'm excited to see that one. And then like I mentioned, we're going to be flown right into All Star Talks and all that type of stuff after so excited for all that. And then yeah, I guess college basketball there's a lot going on too. So you know mentioned like we mentioned Jack Jones and everything. Yeah, just a lot. A lot of good hoop going on ready to watch it all. December. What uh, what are you thinking? For?
Unknown Speaker 29:00
Alright, so that so that's all we got this week. appreciate y'all for tuning in. It's been Gucci row. I'm your host, Kevin Kelly.
Unknown Speaker 29:07
Well, that's part. Thanks.
Unknown Speaker 29:09
That's a wrap for Gucci row this week. Thanks for tuning in on the rebel HD two with your hosts Kevin Kelley and
Unknown Speaker 29:15
well desperate. He wrote like they say up at UNLV can find
Unknown Speaker 29:19
us on Instagram at one Kev Kelly and Wilderness Park. We'll see you next time on The rebel HD two
Transcribed by https://otter.ai