On today's episode, Jason is back off vacation with a vengeance. He jumped right off a plane to behind a microphone to deliver his takes on all the biggest headlines around the NBA. First, he shares his thoughts on the Milwaukee Bucks' Game 3 victory over the Atlanta Hawks. Trae Young's ankle will be the the story moving forward, but the play of Khris Middleton is what stole the show last night. The wildly inconsistent Middleton delivered a gem of a performance and reminded the basketball world why he, not superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo, is the Bucks' most important player. When the offense runs through Middleton, they win. Giannis is easily the team's best player, but Middleton has shown throughout these playoffs that he is the key to their success. The problem, though, is that it's almost impossible to count on him to be good on a night-to-night basis. All the same, with Young banged up, all signs point to a Bucks-Suns NBA Finals matchup. Later, Jason shares a quick thought on the report that Damian Lillard is on the verge of formally requesting a trade out of Portland. On one hand, it's exciting to speculate about where Dame Dolla might end up because Super Teams are great for the NBA. On the other, it's hard to blame the Trail Blazers for repeatedly coming up short during the Lillard Era. The Western Conference is - and has been - a juggernaut. Between the Tim Duncan-led Spurs, the Curry-Durant Warriors and the LeBron-led Lakers, when exactly were the Blazers expected to break through? Either way, this summer should be spicy! Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.