YOU’RE UP TO DATE WITH THE LATEST FIRST ALERT FORECAST. HEY EVERYBODY, WELCOME TO THE SHOW TONIGHT I AM BRYAN KEATING HE IS MARK ROGERS. IT IS TIME FOR CRASHING THE BOARDS ON A MARK A PLAYOFF. GET. YOU READY HERE IN OKLAHOMA CITY FOR THE NBA PLAYOFFS. WHAT A REALLY SURPRISE FINISH TO THE SEASON OVER THE WEEKEND. SO FOR OKLAHOMA CITY ENDS THE BEST POSSIBLE SCENARIO. NO QUESTION. WE’LL GET INTO PLENTY OF THAT AND ALL THE MATCHUPS AND WHO YOU MIGHT WANT TO PLAY AND WHO WHO YOU DON’T WANT TO PLAY. WE’LL GET INTO THE MVP STUFF. COACH OF THE YEAR STUFF IN A MINUTE, BUT I WANT TO START TONIGHT WITH THE HIGHLIGHTS OF THE GAME THIS AFTERNOON, BECAUSE WE HAD A LOT TO GET SETTLED BEFORE THE GAME TODAY, RIGHT. THE THUNDER BEGAN THE DAY AS THE ONE SEED IN THE WESTERN CONFERENCE. THERE WERE ALL KINDS OF SCENARIOS WHERE EITHER THE THUNDER OR THE NUGGETS OR THE MINNESOTA TIMBERWOLVES WOULD BE THE ONE SEED. AND SO HERE’S WHAT WE KNEW. WE KNEW THE THUNDER JUST HAD TO GO OUT AND WIN AND WIN. THEY DID. THEY WERE AHEAD BY 41 AT HALFTIME 41 AND DOMINATED THE DALLAS MAVERICKS WHO DID NOT PLAY WITHOUT LUKA DONCIC AND DID NOT PLAY WITH KYRIE IRVING. THEY HAD THEIR SITUATION KIND OF SETTLED AND SO THEY SAT HIM. SO OKLAHOMA CITY WINS 135 TO 86. SO THEY DID THEIR PART. THE DENVER NUGGETS ALSO WON. SO THAT MEANT THAT THE OKLAHOMA CITY THUNDER ARE THE NUMBER ONE SEED IN THE WESTERN CONFERENCE. THOSE ARE THE PLAYOFF TEAMS. WE’LL GET INTO THE PLAY IN TEAMS IN A SECOND. BUT OKLAHOMA CITY, THE NUMBER ONE SEED FOR THE FIRST TIME SINCE 2012 AND THE 2013 SEASON AND AND WHAT AN ACCOMPLISHMENT FOR THIS GROUP. IT’S SUPER, SUPER SURREAL. IT’S FUN. UM, OBVIOUSLY YOU PLAY TO WIN AND IT’S FUN LIKE THAT. SO YEAH, IT FEELS GOOD. SOMETHING TO BE PROUD ABOUT. UM, WE HAVE A LOT MORE WORK TO DO. YOU KNOW, WE WE’RE NOT IN THE POSITION WE’RE IN BY ACCIDENT. UM, YOU KNOW, THERE WAS A LOT OF, UH, DEDICATION AND HARD WORK THAT WENT INTO IT, BUT WE’RE NOT CELEBRATING BECAUSE, UH, YOU KNOW, LIKE, WHAT WE’RE TRYING TO DO. UM, WE’RE NOT THERE YET, SO LET’S SEE. AND CHET HOLMGREN, THE NUMBER ONE SEED IN THE WEST, GOES TO THE OKLAHOMA CITY THUNDER. MARK, UH, I THOUGHT THEY’D WIN 46 GAMES AT THE BEGINNING OF THIS YEAR. I THOUGHT THEY’D BE A PLAYOFF TEAM. I, I MEAN, AT NO POINT ON MY RADAR WAS THAT REALLY IN THE CARDS? WELL, 46 IS A PRETTY AMBITIOUS GOAL. I KNOW SEASON, RIGHT? I MEAN, THAT THAT WAS A, UM, WHATEVER THEY DID THIS YEAR WAS INCREDIBLE. UH, IT JUST KEPT KIND OF RAISING THE BAR, RAISING THE BAR, RAISING THE BAR. I’LL CALL IT, UH, I CALL IT TOP NOTCH. TOP NOTCH. I MEAN, THE TOP SPOT. AND I REALLY COULDN’T EXPECT MUCH BETTER THAN WHAT THEY DID SO FAR THIS YEAR. BY THE WAY, MY PENMANSHIP IS IMPROVING NOW. THAT’S GOOD. YOU’RE LEARNING A LITTLE BETTER EVERY WEEK. UH, YOU KNOW, THERE WERE WHEN SAM PRESTI, THIS WHOLE REBUILD BEGAN, HE DID A PRESS CONFERENCE AND HE WAS I THINK HE WAS TRYING TO TELL THUNDER FANS, HEY, COULD GET COULD GET A LITTLE LEAN FOR A COUPLE OF YEARS. BUT WHEN WE GET BACK INTO THE PLAYOFFS WE WANT TO HAVE IT BE AN ARRIVAL AND NOT JUST AN APPEARANCE. THEY HAVE ARRIVED. YEAH, THIS TEAM HAS ARRIVED. I MEAN, THIS TEAM IS IS THE NUMBER ONE SEED, WHICH IS CRAZY TO THINK. YOU KNOW, THEY WERE ONLY THE NUMBER ONE SEED IN THE WEST ONE TIME WITH KEVIN AND RUSS AND ALL THOSE YEARS IN THE CONFERENCE FINALS AND THE TRIP TO THE NBA FINALS ONE TIME. AND SO WHAT THIS TEAM HAS DONE, AND I THINK IT’S JUST EASY TO GO THERE. YOUNG TEAM AND MOST PEOPLE DON’T, YOU KNOW, ESPECIALLY THEY COVER THE NBA. THEY DON’T GIVE THEM A REAL CHANCE TO TO GO TO THE NBA FINALS OR WIN WIN THE NBA CHAMPIONSHIP. BUT WHAT THEY HAVE DONE, UM, HAS ONLY BEEN DONE ONCE IN THIS CITY. AND SO I JUST SIT HERE IN AWE IN SOME WAYS, UH, BECAUSE IT’S COOL AND IT’S NOT SOMETHING YOU SEE EVERY DAY AND, AND WE DIDN’T EXPECT IT. WELL, THE NBA USUALLY THINGS GO IN STAGES WHERE TEAMS WILL ADVANCE AND SAY, YOU GET TO THE CONFERENCE SEMIFINALS, THEN YOU GO TO THE CONFERENCE FINALS. BUT OKLAHOMA CITY HAS MADE AN UNPRECEDENTED RUN THE LAST TWO YEARS BY WINNING 15 GAMES, MORE THAN THEY HAD IN EACH OF THE PREVIOUS TWO SEASONS. THAT’S NEVER BEEN DONE BEFORE, SO MAYBE THIS TEAM CAN TAKE THESE STEPS AND ADVANCE IN THE PLAYOFFS, UNLIKE SOME OTHER TEAMS HAVE BEFORE IN NBA HISTORY. THEY’RE SO YOUNG AND SO WHAT THEY’VE ACCOMPLISHED HERE SO FAR IS, IS INCREDIBLE. WE’VE GOT SOME FUN BASKETBALL TO LOOK FORWARD TO. WE’LL GET TO THE PLAY IN JUST A SECOND. THE ONE THING I WANT TO SAY IS IT DOES REMIND ME SOME OF THOSE EARLY THUNDER DAYS, BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, THEY GOT TO THE PLAYOFFS THAT FIRST YEAR AND LOST TO THE LAKERS. AND THEN THEY GOT TO THE WESTERN CONFERENCE FINALS AND REALLY SAID WE ARE HERE. YOU KNOW, THEY WEREN’T IN THE PLAYOFFS LAST YEAR. BUT THE PLAY IN TOURNAMENT FELT A LITTLE BIT LIKE THAT FIRST SERIES AGAINST THE LAKERS. AND SO MAYBE THEY ARE PREPARED AND READY AND GOOD ENOUGH WITH THAT NUMBER ONE SEED TO ADVANCE AND BE A CONFERENCE FINALIST TEAM WITH AN OPPORTUNITY TO PLAY TO GO TO THE NBA FINALS. AND IT HELPS. YOU DON’T HAVE TO PLAY THE NUGGETS UNTIL ALL THE CONFERENCE FINALS, AND YOU HAVE HOME COURT ADVANTAGE. YEAH, NO, NO QUESTION. PUT UP THE THE GRAPHIC FOR THE PLAY-IN TEAM. SO IT’S A LITTLE CONFUSING. PEOPLE ASK ME HOW DOES THIS WORK ALL THE TIME. SO THE SEVEN AND EIGHT. SO NEW ORLEANS WILL PLAY THE LAKERS AND SACRAMENTO WILL PLAY GOLDEN STATE. THE WINNER OF THE NEW ORLEANS LAKERS GAMES WILL BE THE SEVENTH SEED IN THE PLAYOFFS. THEY’RE IN THE LOSER OF THE KINGS AND WARRIORS ARE OUT. AND SO THEN THE LOSER OF THAT FIRST GAME PLAYS THE WINNER OF THE SECOND GAME. DID THAT MAKE SENSE TODAY? DID I GET THAT ALL IN THERE. THAT MAKES COMPLETE SENSE. AND SO YOU LOOK AT THE LAKERS AND THE PELICANS THEY PLAY TODAY. AND THE LAKERS WON EASILY IN THAT GAME. UH THEY PLAYED IN THE THE THE IN-SEASON TOURNAMENT SEMIFINALS. AND THE PELICANS JUST GOT CRUSHED BY THE LAKERS I THINK 133 TO 90 SOMETHING LIKE THAT. SO THE LAKERS ARE VERY DANGEROUS TEAM I THINK REALLY ANYBODY WANTS TO PLAY THE LAKERS. THAT INCLUDES THE THUNDER OR ANYONE ELSE. BUT I THINK THAT THE LAKERS HAVE HAVE A GOOD CHANCE OF ADVANCING AND WINNING THAT GAME IN NEW ORLEANS LIKE THEY DID TODAY. I WOULD AGREE WITH THAT. SO YOU KIND OF SET IT UP AND MAYBE THAT IS YOUR ANSWER. I WANT TO SAY, IS THERE ANYBODY YOU WOULD, UH, PREFER NOT TO SEE? IS THE LAKERS THAT TEAM YOU GO, YEAH. YOU KNOW, OF ALL THOSE FOUR TEAMS, I PROBABLY LEAST LIKE TO SEE THEM. HERE’S WHY. I MEAN, ANTHONY DAVIS AND LEBRON ARE GOING TO PLAY MORE MINUTES. THEY’RE GOING TO HAVE MORE REST THAN THEY HAD IN THE REGULAR SEASON. AND SO THAT’S A TEAM THAT HAS PLAYED WELL AGAINST OKLAHOMA CITY TWO THIS YEAR. THEY’VE WON THREE OUT OF FOUR. THEY’VE GOT EXPERIENCE. THEY WON THE PLAY IN TOURNAMENT. THEY GOT TO THE CONFERENCE FINALS LAST YEAR AS THE SEVEN SEED. IT’S THE LAKERS. IT’S THE TEAM YOU DON’T WANT TO PLAY. YEAH I’M GOING TO SAY I JUST PREFER NOT TO PLAY THE ONE BE GOAT. AND BY ONE BE GOAT. I SEE MICHAEL JORDAN’S THE ONE A GREATEST OF ALL TIME. LEBRON’S THE ONE BE I JUST ANYTIME UM, LEBRON SHOWS UP IN A PLAYOFF SERIES I DON’T KNOW MAN I JUST THAT WOULD MAKE ME NERVOUS. I THINK THE THUNDER HAVE A GREAT CHANCE TO WIN THAT SERIES. BUT I MEAN IT’S LEBRON. GOLDEN STATE’S NO BARGAIN EITHER. THEY’RE 21 AND TEN I THINK UM SINCE DRAYMOND CAME BACK I MEAN AND THEY HAD BALANCED BOUNCED BACK THIS YEAR. THAT’S INTERESTING ABOUT THE SACRAMENTO KINGS. AND THE GOLDEN STATE WARRIORS IS THEY PLAYED FOUR TIMES THIS YEAR. THREE OF THE GAMES HAVE BEEN A ONE POINT GAME. SO THEY’VE PLAYED REALLY REALLY CLOSE GAMES. AND SACRAMENTO IS THE HOME COURT ADVANTAGE. SO THAT’S KIND OF THE OLD GUARD AGAINST THE NEW GUARD SACRAMENTO TRYING TO WIN THAT GAME. UH THEY’LL HAVE A RAUCOUS HOME CROWD THERE AND WE’LL SEE WHAT HAPPENS. BUT THE WARRIORS ANOTHER TEAM YOU DON’T WANT TO SEE THE WARRIORS. SO YOU GOT THEY GOT STEPH CURRY. THAT’S AS SIMPLE AS THAT. THEY GOT STEPH CURRY AND THEY CAN SHOOT YOU OUT OF A COUPLE OF GAMES. AND I’VE DRAYMOND IS GOING TO KICK SOMEBODY. THEY’RE GOING TO TRY TO MAKE IT I MEAN I’M SERIOUS. THEY WOULD TRY TO MAKE IT UGLY. THEY WOULD TRY TO MAKE IT A LOT OF THINGS OTHER THAN BASKETBALL. AND TRY TO KEEP THIS YOUNG TEAM WHO’S NEVER REALLY BEEN IN THIS SITUATION. THEY WOULD TRY TO MUCK IT UP. AND SO I THINK YOU’RE RIGHT. I THINK THE THUNDER WOULD WIN THAT SERIES AS WELL. BUT YOU GIVE ME I’D RATHER NOT PLAY LEBRON AND DAVIS. YOU KNOW DAVIS I HAVE ZERO FAITH IN THAT. HE’S GOING TO BE HEALTHY AND ALL THOSE THINGS. BUT WHEN HE’S GREAT MAN HE’S GREAT. YEAH. AND THERE’S NO BARGAINS I MEAN OKLAHOMA CITY IN THE SECOND ROUND I MEAN YOU THE CLIPPERS. OH THE TEAM THAT FOR A LOT OF THE YEAR PEOPLE THOUGHT MIGHT BE THE TEAM TO BEAT KAWHI LEONARD HAS SOME INJURY ISSUES AND I’M NOT SURE THAT HE’S OVER RIGHT NOW. AND THE MAVS WERE 21 AND SEVEN WHEN THEY PLAYED THEIR PLAYERS SINCE THE TRADE DEADLINE. THAT’S REALLY GOOD. LUKA DONCIC IS IS AMAZING. BUT FOR OKLAHOMA CITY DALLAS SERIES TO HAVE THAT KIND OF STAR POWER HERE IN THE SECOND ROUND WOULD BE WOULD BE AWESOME. I’D RATHER DRIVE TO DALLAS FOR PLAYOFF GAMES THAN GET ON A PLANE AND HAVE TO FLY TO LA. THAT’S JUST. YEAH, IT’S JUST JUST MY PREFERENCE, YOU KNOW? IT’S ALL ABOUT ME. ALL RIGHT, STAY WITH US. WE’RE TALKING SGA FOR MVP. WE GOT COACH O