WEBVTT - #thisleague UNCUT: The NBA stretch run 0:00:00.800 --> 0:00:05.360 Some reflections on a rare trip that had both Chris 0:00:05.360 --> 0:00:08.200 Haynes and me Mark Stein in the same city. Of 0:00:08.240 --> 0:00:11.360 course we could not resist. We're also going to talk 0:00:11.600 --> 0:00:15.240 about the Western Conference, who is the foremost threat to 0:00:15.240 --> 0:00:19.640 the Denver Nuggets, and the Eastern Conference. Name your foremost 0:00:19.680 --> 0:00:22.960 threat to the Boston Celtics. We do all that next 0:00:23.320 --> 0:00:24.600 here on this League Uncut. 0:00:26.480 --> 0:00:30.680 Welcome to this League Uncut. In the rule of twenty 0:00:30.720 --> 0:00:35.560 four hour NBA news, this news you love, Chris Haynes. 0:00:35.800 --> 0:00:44.400 It's time, Mark Stein, It's so time. This League Uncut 0:00:44.560 --> 0:00:46.160 is underway and on fire. 0:00:47.800 --> 0:00:48.680 This should be a good. 0:00:48.560 --> 0:00:55.480 One, the new edition of this League Uncut. Mark Stein 0:00:55.680 --> 0:00:58.720 here with Chris Haynes. We were actually in the same place, 0:00:58.800 --> 0:01:04.880 same city, say building, same Dais in Indianapolis, only the 0:01:04.959 --> 0:01:09.120 second time this season that was actually cross pass and 0:01:09.200 --> 0:01:15.480 seeing each other, mister Haynes, like obviously because last week 0:01:15.520 --> 0:01:19.200 we all had a circus schedule, including Producer Ryan. I 0:01:19.200 --> 0:01:21.720 think Producer Ryan had the longest All Star breakout of 0:01:21.760 --> 0:01:26.480 any of us on this any of us in this squad. 0:01:26.760 --> 0:01:30.120 But uh was your All Star Okay? I saw you 0:01:30.240 --> 0:01:32.120 Sunday morning, but then I didn't see you out didn't 0:01:32.120 --> 0:01:35.040 really get to say goodbye to you. So how would 0:01:35.080 --> 0:01:37.160 you rate your All Star experience? Was it okay in 0:01:37.200 --> 0:01:41.080 the end? I know, snowy cold Indianapolis is tough for you. 0:01:42.800 --> 0:01:45.160 Yes, not a fan of the snow, but now it was. 0:01:45.600 --> 0:01:48.200 I would just say it was productive. I was drained, 0:01:48.440 --> 0:01:51.160 like I they. You know, I had a ton of 0:01:51.160 --> 0:01:54.640 assignments over the weekend. I did not hit up one party. 0:01:55.000 --> 0:01:58.440 I did not hit up one brunch, one event. 0:01:58.800 --> 0:02:00.880 Yeah, I'm finally rubbing off it. 0:02:01.760 --> 0:02:06.320 It wasn't because it wasn't because of nah, nah, I 0:02:06.360 --> 0:02:08.080 had nothing. I had nothing to do with it. It was 0:02:08.240 --> 0:02:10.840 just all the assignments that I had, And I'm not complaining. 0:02:11.120 --> 0:02:14.000 I enjoyed it. I did the Rising Stars game Friday, 0:02:14.560 --> 0:02:17.600 and I had to have rehearsal for the Rising Stars 0:02:18.480 --> 0:02:22.880 m VP and Championship presentation that I did Saturday night. 0:02:23.080 --> 0:02:26.920 I had the All Star practice that morning. Then I 0:02:26.960 --> 0:02:29.720 had to work the HBCU game sidelines. Then I had 0:02:29.720 --> 0:02:33.720 to work the Saturday night sidelines for the Dunk Contest 0:02:33.760 --> 0:02:36.840 three point and all that. So my day was pretty 0:02:36.880 --> 0:02:38.760 much filled up. But no, it was cool. I got 0:02:38.840 --> 0:02:41.320 to hang with you know after at you know, at 0:02:41.320 --> 0:02:43.000 the end of the night, because you know, we have 0:02:43.200 --> 0:02:46.519 our We stayed at the Hilton where the T n 0:02:46.600 --> 0:02:50.600 T employees were housed, so got to hang with my 0:02:50.639 --> 0:02:54.120 guys Chuck and Kenny a few nights after the games. 0:02:54.160 --> 0:02:58.280 And uh, it's always cool, Uh when when you hanging 0:02:58.360 --> 0:03:01.200 with those guys and they're a little bit more looser, 0:03:01.480 --> 0:03:03.320 a little bit more looser at night when you when 0:03:03.360 --> 0:03:05.120 you get you know, you get to get the drinking 0:03:05.280 --> 0:03:08.040 and you know, I mean, like you know how it is, 0:03:08.480 --> 0:03:10.160 So yeah, I had to. 0:03:10.040 --> 0:03:13.359 Say I had a I had a really surprising bonus 0:03:13.400 --> 0:03:18.400 evening with the Chuckster, completely unplanned because the Hilton, the 0:03:18.440 --> 0:03:22.119 Turner Hotel was right around the corner from the Sheraton 0:03:22.160 --> 0:03:26.440 where the media was and on Saturday night after I 0:03:26.800 --> 0:03:30.280 Saturday I hosted a panel with Grant Hill and Chelsea 0:03:30.320 --> 0:03:32.959 Gray and Jim Tooley and Martin Dempsey from USA B. 0:03:33.280 --> 0:03:36.800 That was Saturday around five ish. Then I dropped in 0:03:36.960 --> 0:03:40.800 on my pals at Panini because they had an awesome 0:03:40.880 --> 0:03:44.800 three story setup that was about a mile away from 0:03:44.840 --> 0:03:48.120 us but also in downtown Indy. So Saturday night I 0:03:48.280 --> 0:03:50.240 was not going to go to the dunk contest or 0:03:50.240 --> 0:03:52.000 the three point contest. I was going to watch all 0:03:52.040 --> 0:03:56.200 that on TV. Your wonderful hotel had a McCormick and 0:03:56.240 --> 0:03:59.840 Schmick's restaurant attached to it. Saturday night, I go in 0:03:59.880 --> 0:04:05.720 there to meet my friend Lou, who is an Indianapolis resident, 0:04:05.880 --> 0:04:07.880 not in the business. Just went to meet him for 0:04:07.920 --> 0:04:11.160 a nice quick bite. And what what do I see? 0:04:11.160 --> 0:04:14.320 Who do I find the Chuckster? Because the Chuckster was 0:04:14.360 --> 0:04:17.560 not on any of the Saturday night broadcasts. He was 0:04:17.600 --> 0:04:20.720 all suited and booted. He did something Saturday pregamer in 0:04:20.760 --> 0:04:23.599 the afternoon. But I ended up in the same place 0:04:23.640 --> 0:04:28.880 with the Chuckster for a few hours. Nice, completely bonus 0:04:29.920 --> 0:04:34.080 bonus evening with Charles Barkley, which was great theater. And 0:04:34.240 --> 0:04:37.120 Sunday morning got to hang out with you. We had 0:04:37.160 --> 0:04:38.800 our nice interview with Chris Finch. 0:04:39.520 --> 0:04:40.520 Yeh hit. 0:04:40.800 --> 0:04:43.920 I hit Saint Elmo's three times. The over under was two. 0:04:44.880 --> 0:04:50.400 I got to Saint elmos Steakhouse three times, three three 0:04:50.440 --> 0:04:52.960 shrimp cocktails I got. 0:04:53.000 --> 0:04:55.320 I got there. I got there Thursday night. I was 0:04:55.360 --> 0:04:58.800 able to get in and those shrimp cocktails. I didn't 0:04:58.839 --> 0:05:01.560 try it, but my wife is a big shrimp connoisseur, 0:05:02.200 --> 0:05:05.360 so She tried it and staring it completely cleared her 0:05:05.400 --> 0:05:09.560 sinuses up. She started coughing, eyes getting watery. What is 0:05:09.600 --> 0:05:11.159 it though, horse radish is That's what? 0:05:11.400 --> 0:05:16.800 Yes, Oh, Perry, spicy horse radish sauce glorious, the best 0:05:16.800 --> 0:05:23.320 shrimp cocktail in the United States. Had it three times tremendous. 0:05:23.800 --> 0:05:27.799 Also found a great coffee place in Indianapolis, Tinker Coffee. 0:05:29.040 --> 0:05:32.039 Went there every day, do some work, did some writing. 0:05:32.160 --> 0:05:34.880 So yeah, I had. And let me tell you this Friday, 0:05:34.920 --> 0:05:38.680 it snowed. It was freezing Friday, it was cold, still 0:05:38.720 --> 0:05:41.719 cold Saturday, it was still cold Sunday. And I did 0:05:41.720 --> 0:05:44.320 not have the proper winter gear with me. But I'll 0:05:44.320 --> 0:05:49.200 tell you what, I still loved it because today in Dallas, 0:05:49.240 --> 0:05:52.320 we're taping this on Monday nights in Dallas. Today, on 0:05:52.440 --> 0:05:59.440 this Monday, the temperature hit ninety one degrees at DFW Airport. Scandalous. 0:05:59.680 --> 0:06:02.680 It's it's till February, so give me that winter weather 0:06:02.920 --> 0:06:07.400 all day long. It's gonna be ninety again Tuesday. Ridiculous. 0:06:07.640 --> 0:06:08.880 It's not even March yet. 0:06:09.040 --> 0:06:12.359 Come on, man, crazy, you're crazy. Man, you're crazy. 0:06:12.480 --> 0:06:17.440 Give me that, give me give me the snow crazy 0:06:17.480 --> 0:06:20.640 talk all right, let's get to the basketball. We are 0:06:20.880 --> 0:06:25.320 into the final third of the season. Now, common misconception 0:06:26.279 --> 0:06:30.120 is that the All Star break represents the first half. No, 0:06:30.200 --> 0:06:34.440 not in the NBA. There are exactly twelve hundred and 0:06:34.480 --> 0:06:39.279 thirty games in an NBA regular season. Amazingly, this season, 0:06:39.480 --> 0:06:43.440 eight hundred and twenty were played before the All Star break, 0:06:43.600 --> 0:06:49.320 exactly sixty six point seven percent of the season, exactly 0:06:50.080 --> 0:06:54.240 one third remaining when we resume play last Thursday. I 0:06:54.240 --> 0:06:57.560 think the thing we can say definitively when you look 0:06:57.560 --> 0:07:01.840 at the standings, I mean, the battle for seedings remains 0:07:01.880 --> 0:07:07.640 feverish in both conferences. In the West, it goes all 0:07:07.680 --> 0:07:12.680 the way down to ten. Five to ten is an 0:07:12.720 --> 0:07:18.119 almighty jumble. In the East, the drama really is more. 0:07:21.560 --> 0:07:24.880 It's probably more two to six ish, although look, Miami 0:07:24.920 --> 0:07:27.640 and Orlando aren't far off as well. They're still I 0:07:27.680 --> 0:07:32.720 guess it's two to eight in the East. But I 0:07:32.760 --> 0:07:35.000 think the one thing we can say for sure in 0:07:35.040 --> 0:07:39.880 either conference, you look at the Boston Celtics have clearly 0:07:39.960 --> 0:07:44.440 established themselves as the best team in the East. I 0:07:44.480 --> 0:07:48.440 would still argue that the Denver Nuggets, the defending champions, 0:07:49.040 --> 0:07:53.280 are the most feared team in the West. On this 0:07:53.400 --> 0:07:57.160 Monday night, the Nuggets are only third in the West, 0:07:57.440 --> 0:08:01.320 Minnesota and Oklahoma City a game and a half ahead 0:08:01.320 --> 0:08:04.520 of Denver and the Clippers a game behind. But I 0:08:04.560 --> 0:08:08.400 think based on pedigree, based on the way Jokic is playing, 0:08:08.440 --> 0:08:10.960 we have to say that the Nuggets are still the 0:08:11.000 --> 0:08:12.960 favorites to come out of the West. But let's start 0:08:12.960 --> 0:08:17.160 with the East. Who do you like the best to 0:08:17.360 --> 0:08:22.200 possibly upset Boston? Who who is the biggest threat to 0:08:22.240 --> 0:08:25.360 the Celtics. The Celtics have a seven and a half 0:08:25.400 --> 0:08:28.920 game lead over number two Cleveland. Is it the Calves? 0:08:29.000 --> 0:08:31.520 Is it Number three Milwaukee? The Bucks have had a 0:08:31.520 --> 0:08:34.480 couple of big wins here lately. If the Knicks get healthy, 0:08:34.559 --> 0:08:37.600 are they actually the foremost threat to Boston in the East? 0:08:37.840 --> 0:08:40.800 If Philadelphia can get Joelle and bead back, are the 0:08:40.840 --> 0:08:44.840 Sixers the foremost threat to Boston in the East? Producer 0:08:44.920 --> 0:08:47.959 Ryan he can I think he can guess who you're 0:08:48.000 --> 0:08:51.280 gonna say, But just for. 0:08:51.280 --> 0:08:51.920 Case, why is that? 0:08:52.800 --> 0:08:55.680 Why is that because we know there's one team in 0:08:55.720 --> 0:08:59.199 the East, in particular that you are on the record 0:08:59.240 --> 0:09:01.480 as saying you do not miss any of their games. 0:09:01.640 --> 0:09:02.760 So that's my. 0:09:02.760 --> 0:09:05.760 Pers There's a handful of teams where I don't miss 0:09:06.400 --> 0:09:08.800 any of their games, but Milwaukee is one of them 0:09:08.840 --> 0:09:14.040 for sure. But I'm yes, you're correcting this this time, 0:09:14.720 --> 0:09:19.080 this instance, you're correct, I'm going with Milwaukee. I like 0:09:19.160 --> 0:09:21.440 what Doc Rivers is doing over there. I know he 0:09:21.480 --> 0:09:24.480 got off to a slow start, but he's slowly but 0:09:24.679 --> 0:09:32.000 surely implementing his style of play. And one thing I 0:09:32.040 --> 0:09:35.480 do know is that I believe what day is this Monday? 0:09:35.520 --> 0:09:41.720 So last week sometime, I know that he doing a 0:09:41.720 --> 0:09:47.599 practice session or a shoot around or whatever. He went individually, 0:09:47.880 --> 0:09:52.560 play by player and went to them and told them 0:09:52.679 --> 0:09:55.400 what he wants them to do and told them what 0:09:55.520 --> 0:09:59.680 he doesn't want them to do. He's clearly defining roles 0:10:00.320 --> 0:10:03.800 and for a lot of these guys, they're now being 0:10:03.840 --> 0:10:07.760 asked to do things that that they were not doing. 0:10:08.360 --> 0:10:12.439 You know, in the Adrian Griffin era, you know some 0:10:12.480 --> 0:10:15.959 guys who probably had a longer rain to do whatever. 0:10:17.600 --> 0:10:20.439 It's over now and there's some then there's the other 0:10:20.480 --> 0:10:24.240 players that they're asking for them to do more, and 0:10:24.280 --> 0:10:30.120 they're telling players this guy should be doing more. So 0:10:30.880 --> 0:10:33.440 you know they're getting into that. This is Doc Rivers 0:10:33.520 --> 0:10:35.280 right now, if you look at the way they've been 0:10:35.280 --> 0:10:37.560 playing over the last couple of games, you can definitely 0:10:37.600 --> 0:10:43.280 tell that they're doing things differently. The offense is is 0:10:43.360 --> 0:10:46.520 moving better. Defensively since Doc Rivers has taken over, they 0:10:46.559 --> 0:10:49.800 are six in defensive ratings, so you know they are 0:10:49.880 --> 0:10:52.880 they are getting better there. And I just like the 0:10:52.920 --> 0:10:56.400 trajectory in which they are headed, and so no, they're not. 0:10:56.520 --> 0:10:58.960 I don't think any team is going to catch Boston 0:10:59.040 --> 0:11:01.960 for say, you know, before the conclusion of the regular season, 0:11:02.040 --> 0:11:04.760 But if there's a team that has a legitimate shot 0:11:04.760 --> 0:11:07.400 and knocking him off in the postseason, I'm going to 0:11:07.480 --> 0:11:10.720 Milwaukee because I think they have the most upside because 0:11:10.800 --> 0:11:14.480 all the changes that they're making and it's it's almost 0:11:14.520 --> 0:11:17.400 like this is a new team. And so that's that's 0:11:17.400 --> 0:11:19.480 why in Philly, I mean, you could say Philly could 0:11:19.520 --> 0:11:23.360 argue for Philly with Jorlan bid coming back, But will 0:11:23.360 --> 0:11:25.640 he be healthy once once he comes back? 0:11:25.760 --> 0:11:28.000 Is he coming back? We still don't have official We 0:11:28.080 --> 0:11:30.280 assume he's coming back, but we don't. 0:11:30.000 --> 0:11:34.080 Know for sure. I think he will. I don't have 0:11:34.120 --> 0:11:36.800 any concrete evidence, but I think he will come back. 0:11:36.880 --> 0:11:39.559 But I just wonder. You know, he would have been 0:11:39.600 --> 0:11:44.760 set out for months, multiple months, Like, do you expect 0:11:44.880 --> 0:11:47.319 him just to come in and play at the MVP 0:11:47.520 --> 0:11:50.000 level he was playing that before the injury. I don't. 0:11:50.120 --> 0:11:52.920 I think that's hard. That's a that's a tall task 0:11:53.000 --> 0:11:56.640 for anybody to kind of live up to. But uh yeah, 0:11:56.720 --> 0:11:59.160 I Philly, they give themselves a shot. But no, out 0:11:59.160 --> 0:12:01.280 of all the teams in the right now, I give 0:12:01.360 --> 0:12:03.800 him Milwaukee as the favorites to have a shot to 0:12:03.840 --> 0:12:04.439 take down. 0:12:04.280 --> 0:12:08.720 Boston, I would probably have to echo that I was 0:12:08.800 --> 0:12:11.640 super high on Milwaukee coming into the season. We haven't 0:12:11.679 --> 0:12:18.960 really seen this team approach its ceiling yet, but I 0:12:19.040 --> 0:12:22.320 do think Doc Rivers is making a difference. Everyone focused 0:12:22.320 --> 0:12:24.680 on the three and seven start and how bad it 0:12:24.920 --> 0:12:29.440 was and all the comments that Doc was making. But 0:12:29.640 --> 0:12:32.400 you know, I do feel a need to say something 0:12:32.440 --> 0:12:35.920 about that because I think there's this perception that Doc 0:12:36.040 --> 0:12:39.240 Rivers was seeking out any reporter he can find to 0:12:39.400 --> 0:12:43.320 make excuses for the three and seven start, and that's 0:12:43.440 --> 0:12:47.280 really not the way it was. Now. His quotes, what 0:12:47.440 --> 0:12:51.280 he says, his words are his words, and some people 0:12:51.360 --> 0:12:53.640 don't like what he says. Some people don't think he's 0:12:53.679 --> 0:12:56.920 taking enough accountability. I'm not going to sit here and 0:12:56.960 --> 0:13:01.600 defend every word he has said about his time since 0:13:01.640 --> 0:13:04.560 he's become the Bucks coach, but I would just say, like, 0:13:05.080 --> 0:13:11.120 this is not Doc Rivers on a campaign because all 0:13:11.160 --> 0:13:14.160 of these instances, all of these quotes come from him 0:13:15.040 --> 0:13:18.680 taking questions from us. And I've said this as I've 0:13:18.679 --> 0:13:22.040 said this many times, but just to reiterate, in the 0:13:22.080 --> 0:13:28.400 modern NBA, the way media access has evolved, the coach 0:13:28.600 --> 0:13:32.760 talks more than anyone in the organization, more than the players, 0:13:32.800 --> 0:13:38.720 more than the executives. The coach talks a ton. And then, 0:13:39.120 --> 0:13:43.040 because of the Riley Rule, because Boston's coaching staff couldn't 0:13:43.040 --> 0:13:44.920 go to the All Star Game two years in a row, 0:13:45.480 --> 0:13:47.559 and the Bucks staff had to coach in the All 0:13:47.559 --> 0:13:52.200 Star Game, that had even more reporters chasing Doc Rivers 0:13:52.240 --> 0:13:56.520 and stacked more media availabilities into his schedule because at 0:13:56.559 --> 0:13:59.040 All Star he's got to do all these interviews. So 0:13:59.920 --> 0:14:06.679 I really think like most of this, most of the 0:14:06.720 --> 0:14:09.080 comments we've heard from Doc in recent days, it's because 0:14:09.080 --> 0:14:12.480 he's fielding questions about it. I mean, I the MAVs 0:14:12.480 --> 0:14:14.920 were in Dallas on February third, and I couldn't wait 0:14:15.000 --> 0:14:17.880 to try to corner Doc and get a few questions in. 0:14:18.000 --> 0:14:21.880 And when I talked to him, I asked him, I said, Doc, 0:14:22.360 --> 0:14:24.600 I mean, you realize that any team you coach at 0:14:24.640 --> 0:14:28.560 this point, it's championship or bust. Those are the expectations, 0:14:28.600 --> 0:14:31.360 and you're you know, he knows it. I don't think 0:14:31.360 --> 0:14:35.280 he's running from it. I think he understands that if 0:14:35.280 --> 0:14:38.640 the Bucks don't win, there's gonna be harsh criticism for 0:14:38.720 --> 0:14:42.880 him and for Giannis and for Dame and with me. 0:14:44.560 --> 0:14:49.280 Doc Rivers was, I thought, pretty open about it and 0:14:49.320 --> 0:14:51.960 pretty humble about it. He said, quote, that's a good thing. 0:14:52.800 --> 0:14:54.600 That means you've done a pretty good job as a 0:14:54.640 --> 0:14:57.560 coach where you go and people expect that team to win. 0:14:58.080 --> 0:15:00.680 That's been good for me, and that's bad for me. 0:15:01.000 --> 0:15:04.160 Teams that haven't won, then you get the blame for that, 0:15:04.920 --> 0:15:07.880 and that's okay. You've got to be willing to put 0:15:07.920 --> 0:15:11.920 yourself into that. So he knows he's under the microscope. 0:15:12.520 --> 0:15:15.520 And you know, again in our conversation, which was February third, 0:15:16.120 --> 0:15:20.880 he certainly wasn't running from it. But look, I like, 0:15:22.280 --> 0:15:26.360 I really like the Knicks went healthy, and I still have. 0:15:28.560 --> 0:15:30.720 I'm not writing Miami off either. I know the Heat 0:15:30.760 --> 0:15:32.920 have had a really up and down season, and now 0:15:32.920 --> 0:15:36.440 they're dealing with ninety five suspensions and you know they 0:15:36.440 --> 0:15:39.480 don't have their full team again. But you know, Miami 0:15:40.560 --> 0:15:42.960 is in seventh in the East as we're taping this, 0:15:43.080 --> 0:15:45.160 only a half game out of the sixth seed. I 0:15:45.200 --> 0:15:47.520 know you're gonna see the Heat this week in Denver. 0:15:48.440 --> 0:15:50.120 Well, see, I'm gonna see some of them. 0:15:53.640 --> 0:15:56.080 I think you will see Jimmy because he'll be back 0:15:56.120 --> 0:15:58.400 from the one game suspension. But I can't keep. 0:15:58.360 --> 0:16:00.640 Up with you. You're right, keep up with. 0:16:00.640 --> 0:16:02.880 How many guys you're gonna miss? How many other No? 0:16:03.000 --> 0:16:05.120 Jovis right? He is he he's the one you got 0:16:05.120 --> 0:16:05.720 the three gamer? 0:16:05.920 --> 0:16:08.160 Yeah, he got three games? Correct. 0:16:08.440 --> 0:16:09.160 Thomas Bryant. 0:16:10.000 --> 0:16:15.560 Thomas Bryant three games? Yes, So Jimmy will be there. 0:16:16.000 --> 0:16:18.720 Cool cool TNT could keep the game. 0:16:21.120 --> 0:16:23.240 Like I said, I somehow, I still think they're going 0:16:23.320 --> 0:16:25.200 to factor into things by the end of the season. 0:16:25.360 --> 0:16:27.479 I know they've been very up and down. 0:16:27.680 --> 0:16:30.760 Of course, I mean, yeah, of course. Don you always 0:16:30.760 --> 0:16:32.480 expect the Miami Heat to be there when it's all 0:16:32.520 --> 0:16:34.800 said and done, even if they are a seventh or 0:16:34.800 --> 0:16:39.760 eighth seed going into the playoffs. Therefore, you saw what 0:16:39.800 --> 0:16:40.880 they did last year. 0:16:41.160 --> 0:16:45.080 Like this Knicks team was so good in January after 0:16:45.080 --> 0:16:47.520 getting og Anobi. I mean they went fifteen and two 0:16:48.680 --> 0:16:52.560 after that trade. But now we just don't know is 0:16:52.600 --> 0:16:55.400 Julius Randall coming back? And Nnoby will come back at 0:16:55.400 --> 0:16:59.400 some point, but are they getting Julius Randall back? 0:17:00.520 --> 0:17:03.480 Yeah, and that's the that's key right there. Julius came up. 0:17:03.520 --> 0:17:06.400 When did Julius come on our pod? Was that in January? 0:17:06.920 --> 0:17:08.760 Yeah? Before before the All Star Game? 0:17:09.440 --> 0:17:12.200 Okay, before the All yes, right before the All Star Game. Yeah. 0:17:12.240 --> 0:17:14.879 I mean, he's just so confident and he's you know, 0:17:14.960 --> 0:17:19.800 he's so comfortable, I should say, and playing in New 0:17:19.880 --> 0:17:22.119 York now, which we all know that is a hard 0:17:22.240 --> 0:17:27.080 market to perform at with all the expectations. But so, 0:17:27.240 --> 0:17:30.119 you know, I definitely feel sorry that he had to 0:17:30.119 --> 0:17:32.399 go down with his injury. Now he's losing rhythm and 0:17:32.880 --> 0:17:34.600 you don't have a chance to play in the All 0:17:34.600 --> 0:17:38.000 Star Game as well. So I'm hoping, you know, I'm 0:17:38.000 --> 0:17:40.600 hoping all these teams getting healthy, can't get healthy so 0:17:40.640 --> 0:17:43.160 we can see them at full fours come playoff time. 0:17:50.960 --> 0:17:53.320 All right, well, what about the West? If you agree 0:17:53.359 --> 0:17:57.320 with my claim that Denver has to be the favorite 0:17:57.359 --> 0:17:59.199 to win the West? And I think they deserve that. 0:17:59.280 --> 0:18:02.680 And look, Yoki, which has been the dude is playing 0:18:03.160 --> 0:18:09.080 basketball from another planet since he returned from the All 0:18:09.119 --> 0:18:15.120 Star Break, the first player in NBA history to record 0:18:15.480 --> 0:18:19.040 at least eighty points, fifty rebounds, and forty five assists 0:18:19.080 --> 0:18:22.199 over a three game span, just the second in history, 0:18:23.200 --> 0:18:28.480 the first since Wilt Chamberlain way back in March of 0:18:28.640 --> 0:18:32.960 nineteen sixty eight before I was born. So Jokich is 0:18:33.800 --> 0:18:37.600 on an absolute heater. But who do you like in 0:18:37.640 --> 0:18:41.760 the West? Who is the team that should have Denver 0:18:42.440 --> 0:18:47.160 the most concerned? Is it Minnesota? Is it Oklahoma City? 0:18:47.240 --> 0:18:49.719 Is it the Clippers? Is it one of these teams 0:18:49.760 --> 0:18:53.960 in the jumble from I mean five to ten, Sacramento, Phoenix, 0:18:54.000 --> 0:18:58.679 New Orleans, Dallas, Lakers, Warriors? Who should Denver be the 0:18:58.680 --> 0:18:59.480 most worried about? 0:19:00.640 --> 0:19:05.399 Let me say this, and I haven't said this about 0:19:05.400 --> 0:19:10.640 this team in four maybe five years, I don't know, 0:19:11.600 --> 0:19:16.919 just because they've always feel short due to injuries. But 0:19:17.040 --> 0:19:19.800 it's looking like Stein. It's looking like this team that 0:19:19.840 --> 0:19:24.159 I'm about to mention it's looking like they might have 0:19:24.240 --> 0:19:31.000 it together. It's looking like injuries could be a thing 0:19:31.080 --> 0:19:36.160 of the past, or at least, you know, at least 0:19:36.160 --> 0:19:40.000 some somewhere close to that. Los Angeles Clippers. I think 0:19:41.000 --> 0:19:44.879 if they finally go into the postseason healthy, which they've 0:19:45.040 --> 0:19:48.680 never done, you know, in this Kawhi Paul George Err, 0:19:50.680 --> 0:19:55.320 they're a threat. They are a serious threat. And it's hard, like, 0:19:55.359 --> 0:19:59.399 even with me saying this, it's hard for me to 0:19:59.520 --> 0:20:03.560 fully commit to that because of just what we've seen 0:20:03.600 --> 0:20:06.800 in recent years, you know, a recent time with this team, 0:20:07.040 --> 0:20:10.800 something seems to always happen. But stein they're playing good, 0:20:10.800 --> 0:20:14.600 they're playing really good basketball right now. They are you know, 0:20:14.840 --> 0:20:17.960 they got the same amount of losses as the Nuggets. 0:20:18.440 --> 0:20:23.040 They played two less games then the Nuggets. They're right there. 0:20:23.320 --> 0:20:26.520 I mean, they have a shot to take over, you know, 0:20:26.520 --> 0:20:29.440 at two and a half games behind the Timberwolves, who 0:20:29.440 --> 0:20:31.880 had a number one seed in the Western Conference standings. 0:20:32.960 --> 0:20:38.479 But to your point, Dener, Nuggets are my favorites now, 0:20:40.680 --> 0:20:41.080 are they? 0:20:41.960 --> 0:20:42.040 Like? 0:20:43.840 --> 0:20:45.359 I think it's a little bit more parody in the 0:20:45.400 --> 0:20:48.480 West than it is in the East. I would say 0:20:48.480 --> 0:20:52.080 it's Boston Celtics. And then you know there's a little 0:20:52.119 --> 0:20:54.399 bit of a gap as of right now and that 0:20:55.320 --> 0:20:58.159 team after that gap, I will probably say Milwaukee. But 0:20:58.520 --> 0:21:02.200 over here in the West, you know, I still got Denver. 0:21:02.320 --> 0:21:05.240 But you know you got teams right there. You know, 0:21:05.320 --> 0:21:09.160 I don't want to dismiss Minnesota, don't want us dismiss OKAYC. 0:21:09.840 --> 0:21:12.240 But Stein, I just I think there's something to be 0:21:12.320 --> 0:21:18.520 said about teams having some postseason success before we anoint 0:21:18.560 --> 0:21:22.520 them to that next tier of elite teams. And you know, 0:21:23.280 --> 0:21:27.119 most times teams have to go through the rigors of 0:21:27.359 --> 0:21:30.080 facing disappointment in the playoffs before they reached that hunk. 0:21:30.200 --> 0:21:32.760 Maybe not maybe Okay, maybe this is okay C's year, 0:21:32.800 --> 0:21:35.560 Maybe this is Minnesota's year. I don't know. I'm not 0:21:35.640 --> 0:21:38.640 not your nostra Damas, but right now, you know I'll 0:21:38.680 --> 0:21:41.440 echo what you stated already about Denver for sure. 0:21:41.480 --> 0:21:44.560 Well, remember when Chris Finch sat with us in Indianapolis. 0:21:44.720 --> 0:21:47.800 You know, I brought up how the Timberwolves as a 0:21:47.840 --> 0:21:52.640 franchise in thirty four seasons, they've won all of two 0:21:52.720 --> 0:21:57.320 playoff series, both in two thousand and four when they 0:21:57.359 --> 0:21:59.639 went to the conference finals, so twenty years ago. The 0:22:00.080 --> 0:22:03.119 only year that the Wolves even won a series. They 0:22:03.160 --> 0:22:06.600 won two with the with Kevin Garnett's best team made 0:22:06.640 --> 0:22:10.520 it to the West Finals. And you know, Chris Finch 0:22:10.600 --> 0:22:12.960 was like, really, I had never heard that, obviously, being 0:22:14.320 --> 0:22:15.480 here's that every day. 0:22:16.080 --> 0:22:18.359 So what was that Againsteine? So because I'm trying to 0:22:18.359 --> 0:22:21.399 because I remember when you said that to Finch and 0:22:21.440 --> 0:22:23.520 I was kind of looking at you strange. So how 0:22:23.520 --> 0:22:25.639 did you say it again? What did how did you 0:22:25.640 --> 0:22:26.200 say it to Finch? 0:22:26.680 --> 0:22:32.000 In thirty four prior seasons of Minnesota Timberwolves basketball, this 0:22:32.040 --> 0:22:35.360 franchise has only won two playoff series and they were 0:22:35.400 --> 0:22:39.600 both the same year. Twenty years ago. Spring of two 0:22:39.600 --> 0:22:42.760 thousand and four, the Wolves made it to the West Finals. 0:22:43.880 --> 0:22:50.879 KG your guy Spree, Will Sam Cassel, great tough team, 0:22:51.359 --> 0:22:55.120 the best team of cag he ever had. Yep, and 0:22:56.320 --> 0:22:58.679 they have not won a playoff series in twenty years. 0:22:58.760 --> 0:23:02.480 So yeah, okay, they they they have to prove it 0:23:02.520 --> 0:23:05.440 in the postseason as great as their regular season has been. 0:23:06.400 --> 0:23:09.639 And again, as we're taping this, the Wolves are forty 0:23:09.680 --> 0:23:12.840 and seventeen, one of only two teams in one of 0:23:12.840 --> 0:23:18.160 only three teams in the league with forty wins. But yeah, 0:23:18.600 --> 0:23:22.719 both Minnesota and Oklahoma City have to prove it on 0:23:22.800 --> 0:23:23.639 the big stage. 0:23:24.320 --> 0:23:27.560 So Stein, So I'm glad you repeated that because when 0:23:27.640 --> 0:23:29.560 you said it like that, when you phrased it like 0:23:29.640 --> 0:23:32.520 that to Finch, I was looking at you a little 0:23:32.520 --> 0:23:36.280 crazy because when you said that there's only two what 0:23:36.680 --> 0:23:43.040 two teams? Only twice since whatever advanced advanced to win 0:23:43.080 --> 0:23:46.080 a series. I was just thinking, I'm like, hold on, nah, 0:23:46.160 --> 0:23:49.280 they did. They did this a few years ago. And 0:23:49.400 --> 0:23:52.359 the memory of pet Bab jumping on the scorer's table 0:23:52.560 --> 0:23:55.800 and crying, I was like nah. So I was tripping up, 0:23:55.840 --> 0:23:57.640 like nah, because I was just about I was about 0:23:57.640 --> 0:24:00.560 to interject. I'm like, Stein, are you sure that didn't 0:24:00.640 --> 0:24:07.919 hit me off? That was a play I swear I forgot. 0:24:08.520 --> 0:24:11.160 You're just thinking that moment, you know, he's busting out 0:24:11.240 --> 0:24:13.240 cry jumping on the scores table. 0:24:13.359 --> 0:24:17.960 That's how bleak it's been in Minneapolis. And that's why 0:24:18.400 --> 0:24:22.359 we're probably gonna get an email from our boss, Scott 0:24:22.400 --> 0:24:26.280 Shapiro when he hears this podcast, and he will not 0:24:26.359 --> 0:24:30.679