Jamal Collier

[audience laughing] Um, Chris, I'm looking at all the predictions for the Cavs.

Uh, ESPN, their whole staff, Jamal Collier, Goodwill Danny Green, Tim McManaman, Bobby Marks...

I'm sorry, Tim McMahon, Bobby Marks, Dave McManaman, Ramona, friend of show, Mark Spears.

Okay, they're all making predictions, Chris.

Yes.

Some people took them.

Ja- Jamal Collier from ESPN picked the Pacers to win the East.

No one picked the Cavs.

ESPN's expert picks to be the Eastern Conference champion.

Jamal Collier, he picks the Pacers.

You're sus.

Ben Goliver, he picks the Celtics.

So now that the NBA season is here, the ESPN staff has actually picked their Eastern and Western Conference champions in their NBA Finals predictions.

Jamal Collier from ESPN is the only one, only one from ESPN that has the Pacers winning the East.

He has the Pacers losing to the Oklahoma City Thunder in a 2025 NBA Finals rematch.

So that, I mean, if that's not a chip for the Pacers on their shoulder to go into each game and just bring it every single game, I don't know what is.

And the reason behind that is this.

I go back to October 3rd, 2024, Jamal Collier, ESPN.com, I'm sure Johnny K reported it too.

So he had said recently, "When you're somewhere where you're really wanted, it's an incredible feeling." Well, here's his quote when he joined the Wolves, "You wanna be somewhere where you feel wanted."

[laughs]

So, um, and then we'll do a little bit of a game preview for tomorrow night's preseason game two.

So, um, Iowa State, so Jamal Collier of ESPN.com had a really good recap from Wednesday night.

Uh, he said, "Pacers star Tyrese Haliburton said he felt like he was playing too fast during Indiana's 123-112 victory over the Minnesota Timberwolves in its preseason opener at Iowa State, Haliburton's first game in more than 16 months.

He scored seven points on three of eight shooting with six assists, one steal, and two blocks, uh, during his 16 minutes of action.

"I appreciate that the students, uh, wanted that as they should, but we have a process." And so just great to hear, you know, from Hali after the game what his, you know, what was going on in his mind, uh, you know, before the game, during the game.

Uh, you know, hearing him kind of collect his thoughts on what the game was like for him, what it meant for him, uh, is really, really cool as well.

So, uh, great stuff there, um, from Jamal Collier of ESPN.com. And then, uh, wanted to get into a really, really funny article that- Uh, Alex Golden wrote of SI.com, "Iowa State fans relentl- relentlessly booed Pacers rookie Braden Smith.

Rick Carlisle and Tyrese Haliburton questioned the hostile reception, but the former Purdue star had a different reaction." So obviously, the Pacers opened their preseason with the 123-112 victory over Minnesota, but one of the most entertaining storylines had nothing to do with the final score.

All right, you heard his voice, Danny Green.

Vince Goodwill and NBA reporter Jamal Collier is joining us as well because, Jamal, you were in Ames last night for this run, and Tyrese said it.

I mean, 472 days, right, since his last NBA action.

How did he look to you?

Oh yeah, just 12 days until the NBA regular season starts.

So let's go full court press to get set for tonight's slate of preseason games, starting with the Celtics and Cavaliers in Cleveland, both playing their first preseason games.

Jamal Collier's here.

What's new this year for the Cavaliers?

Um, thank you so much to everybody who joined us today.

Jamal Collier, Vincent Goodwill, he goes by Vince now.

Oh.

Michael Wright.