WEBVTT - Celtics Sweep, Mavs Rolling, Bill Walton Memories

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<v Speaker 1>Welcome in into NBA Polster production of iHeartRadio in the NBA.

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<v Speaker 1>I'm Sarahcusetack, NBIA analyst for the Yes Network, and today

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<v Speaker 1>is Tuesday, May twenty eighth. From our extraordinary core group

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<v Speaker 1>of NBA journalists are joined now by NBA dot Com

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<v Speaker 1>senior writer Steve Ashberner and Ash. We got a holiday weekend.

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<v Speaker 1>We got a sweep by the Celtics as they took

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<v Speaker 1>care of business in the Eastern Conference, advancing to the

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<v Speaker 1>finals once again in a one O five, one of

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<v Speaker 1>two win against the Indiana Pacers. It was a three

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<v Speaker 1>point victory last night that they came back from a

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<v Speaker 1>fourth quarter deficit, much the same on their Saturday win,

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<v Speaker 1>another three point win coming back from a deficit. We

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<v Speaker 1>saw that exhilarating Game one which Jalen Brown hit the

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<v Speaker 1>game time three to send the game into overtime. He

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<v Speaker 1>was in fact named the Eastern Conference and MVP awarded

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<v Speaker 1>the Larry Bird Trophy. But overall for the Celtics, I

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<v Speaker 1>think there's kind of just been mixed discussion on the

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<v Speaker 1>fact they've only lost two games here still advancing to

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<v Speaker 1>the finals, but just what they look like, how they

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<v Speaker 1>have played. They obviously were able to advance in terms

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<v Speaker 1>of how they closed out, in particular three of these

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<v Speaker 1>four games in the clutch time. But when you look

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<v Speaker 1>at that victory yesterday and just kind of the totality

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<v Speaker 1>of how the Celtics look throughout this Eastern Conference Finals run,

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<v Speaker 1>what's your takeaway with this Boston team.

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<v Speaker 2>Hi, Sarah, Well, let's start out with the fact I

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<v Speaker 2>picked Boston to win the series in five games because

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<v Speaker 2>it seemed like five games was the way they do things.

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<v Speaker 1>Well.

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<v Speaker 2>They swept here, so you know, much credit to them

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<v Speaker 2>for not succumbing and having a throwaway game in the

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<v Speaker 2>first round Miami, you know, hit a ton of three

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<v Speaker 2>pointers and beat them. Second series, Cleveland took a game

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<v Speaker 2>rather handily from them in Boston, so they learned in

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<v Speaker 2>that sense. I also think that rather than suffer a

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<v Speaker 2>loss in this series, they sort of split up trouble

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<v Speaker 2>across three of their victories, where all three were pretty

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<v Speaker 2>shaky games one, three, and four. And you know, whether

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<v Speaker 2>they're responding to criticism, whether they're locking in and getting

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<v Speaker 2>into a groove that will pay dividends in the finals,

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<v Speaker 2>I think that remains to be seen. It's all it's

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<v Speaker 2>all sort of in hindsight that we know these things,

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<v Speaker 2>but I think that Boston has found its way. I

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<v Speaker 2>think they they've taken their their opponents, at least in

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<v Speaker 2>this round, they took them more seriously. They you know,

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<v Speaker 2>they could have lost several of those games, but they prevailed,

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<v Speaker 2>and I think that that showed their experience, their pois,

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<v Speaker 2>their familiarity with maybe not so much in the regular season.

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<v Speaker 2>They weren't a great clutch team, but maybe they're learning

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<v Speaker 2>for those minutes in tight games. So yeah, I think

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<v Speaker 2>that they're sort of on track now to replicate, at

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<v Speaker 2>least in performance, if not outcomes, the great regular season

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<v Speaker 2>that they had, and I think that's what raised the expectations.

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<v Speaker 2>You know, they were dominant during the first eighty two

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<v Speaker 2>and we expected then they would be dominant against playoff competition,

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<v Speaker 2>particularly playoff competition that was missing key players like Jimmy Butler,

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<v Speaker 2>donovand Mitchell at times Tyrese Haliburton. They didn't look dominant,

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<v Speaker 2>but there their ledger twelve and two looks pretty dominant.

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<v Speaker 2>So I'm encouraged by what we've seen. I think that

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<v Speaker 2>we're going to see the best of the Celtics postseason

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<v Speaker 2>wise in the final round.

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<v Speaker 1>Yeah, and I guess that becomes my question to you.

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<v Speaker 1>You mentioned a lot of those things. We also saw

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<v Speaker 1>their depth. I know they're playing without Christaps Porzingis. We'll

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<v Speaker 1>see if he will be able to make a return

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<v Speaker 1>for the finals. But whether it was Jalen Brown and

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<v Speaker 1>hitting that key three point shot, Drew Holiday, some of

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<v Speaker 1>his defensive stops have changed the complexion of the game.

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<v Speaker 1>Jason Tatum, who once again you look at the game

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<v Speaker 1>like yesterday twenty six points, eight assists. I think the

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<v Speaker 1>hope is that he will still be a little bit

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<v Speaker 1>more consistent from beyond the arc. Al Horford knocking out

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<v Speaker 1>seven threes in one game. Of course, what Derek White

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<v Speaker 1>Drew I had mentioned, Drew Holliday handful off the bench.

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<v Speaker 1>But we've seen this, We've seen this team advance to

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<v Speaker 1>the finals before, and it's been the same core. It's

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<v Speaker 1>been the same questions. It's been the questions about do

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<v Speaker 1>they have a closer, can they close out tight games.

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<v Speaker 1>We will get to the Dallas Mavericks and the Timberwolves,

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<v Speaker 1>who may advance given the fact that the MAVs are

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<v Speaker 1>three to zero with the lead in the series playing

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<v Speaker 1>tonight and have two proven closers that have been extraordinary

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<v Speaker 1>down the stretch and surgical. Is it title or bus

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<v Speaker 1>for this Celtics team if they don't come out of

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<v Speaker 1>this season, in this postseason with a championship trophy carrying

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<v Speaker 1>and holding up that Larry O'Brien.

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<v Speaker 2>I think it is. I mean, within the context of

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<v Speaker 2>life shall go on regardless, I do think it is

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<v Speaker 2>not in Boston.

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<v Speaker 1>If they were the rest of us and the.

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<v Speaker 2>Question becomes, Okay, what's bust look like? You know, does

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<v Speaker 2>bus look like a major trade? Does bus look like

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<v Speaker 2>a coach firing? No, I don't believe that. You know

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<v Speaker 2>what happens? Do they tear up the core? I just

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<v Speaker 2>can't see that. But in terms of you know, absolute disappointment, yeah,

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<v Speaker 2>if if they were on track to face the Denver

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<v Speaker 2>Nuggets in the finals and Denver were to beat them,

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<v Speaker 2>to me, that would be sort of an acceptable loss

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<v Speaker 2>by Boston. They could say, well, we made it to

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<v Speaker 2>the finals, we ran into the ending champs. But given

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<v Speaker 2>who's going to be there, you know, a Dallas team

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<v Speaker 2>that was underrated and you know, low expectations from most

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<v Speaker 2>of us all year, even Minnesota. If they pull off

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<v Speaker 2>the you know, the the unprecedented. You know, those are

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<v Speaker 2>teams that this Boston team is supposed to be. So yeah,

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<v Speaker 2>I think it is. I think it is championship or

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<v Speaker 2>bust at this point. It's just that, as I said,

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<v Speaker 2>I'll be like Charles but repeating myself, what is what

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<v Speaker 2>is bust? And it will be a crushing blow. Will

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<v Speaker 2>it be the end of this group?

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<v Speaker 1>No?

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<v Speaker 2>Will it lead to major changes? I don't believe so.

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<v Speaker 2>But this is the Celtics Larry O'Brien trophy to lose

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<v Speaker 2>at this point, and hopefully they approach it as their

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<v Speaker 2>trophy to win and they can go out there and

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<v Speaker 2>be their best selves after these first fourteen playoff games.

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<v Speaker 1>I'll tell you what if bust ends in Kyrie Irving

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<v Speaker 1>celebrating on that Boston on that Blaver Lucky, there's gonna

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<v Speaker 1>be it may be rock bottom over there. But but

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<v Speaker 1>you mentioned that just in terms of I think again,

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<v Speaker 1>as we will get to it's one thing. If it's

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<v Speaker 1>potentially the Denver Nuggets, a team that won the title

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<v Speaker 1>last year but given some in some ways a surprise

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<v Speaker 1>and the coming together of either Dallas or Minnesota, I

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<v Speaker 1>think it'd be a very tough pill to swallow for

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<v Speaker 1>the Celtics, for the organization, for what they've continued to

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<v Speaker 1>build if that is not the the outcome on the

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<v Speaker 1>other side of things. Indiana Pacers. I don't know if

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<v Speaker 1>it's it's good for anyone to hear a close fought

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<v Speaker 1>sweep or you know, moral victories, but it was fun

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<v Speaker 1>to watch the Spacers team and how they came out

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<v Speaker 1>and played. They played the last two games without Tyree's

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<v Speaker 1>Halliburton Andrew Nemhard Saturday in that game three loss, had

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<v Speaker 1>third two points just the other night twenty four points,

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<v Speaker 1>ten assists. Pascal Siakam obviously, I think you saw signs

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<v Speaker 1>of him and the chemistry and synergy created between him

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<v Speaker 1>and Tyrese Haliburton throughout the course of the season, looking

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<v Speaker 1>at how that may grow. He will be an unrestricted

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<v Speaker 1>free agent. I think the expectation is that they will

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<v Speaker 1>sign him and sign him to a max Obi Tappin,

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<v Speaker 1>who really started to kind of find his role in

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<v Speaker 1>his fit, will be a restricted free agent. TJ McConnell

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<v Speaker 1>will be up for an extension. What do you think

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<v Speaker 1>is next for the Pacers given how they played? I

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<v Speaker 1>think they created an identity, a style in Rick Carlisle's

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<v Speaker 1>way of how he really played to his personnel. What

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<v Speaker 1>do you think is next year, this offseason and entering

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<v Speaker 1>next season for the Pacers.

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<v Speaker 2>Well, I think they look at themselves differently now. That's

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<v Speaker 2>that's a big change as they head into a training

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<v Speaker 2>camp and next season. I think that they you know,

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<v Speaker 2>it was one thing to get out out of the

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<v Speaker 2>lottery and you know, snag a playoff spot, uh, top six,

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<v Speaker 2>and then and then you know, do what they've done.

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<v Speaker 2>I think this has been the surprising part, and uh

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<v Speaker 2>they'll be better off for that as well. Obviously they're

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<v Speaker 2>inexperience showed late in these games. Even Rick Carlisle seemed

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<v Speaker 2>to uh not be at his best a couple of

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<v Speaker 2>times in terms of calling timeouts and other things he

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<v Speaker 2>did or didn't do. And that's that's a little that's

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<v Speaker 2>a that was a little concerning. It's sort of like,

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<v Speaker 2>you know, I'm sure the players are thinking, well, these

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<v Speaker 2>coaches been here before and and succeeded, and so you

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<v Speaker 2>know the timeout that wasn't called, well, actually timeouts in

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<v Speaker 2>games one and three, and and situations with you know,

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<v Speaker 2>the inbounds pass and you know the breakdowns. I mean

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<v Speaker 2>they went three and a half minutes in Game four

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<v Speaker 2>at the end, they didn't score, they missed all their shots,

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<v Speaker 2>they had a couple of turnovers. They got outscored I

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<v Speaker 2>think seven zip. You know, those are sort of closing

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<v Speaker 2>situations where your coach can help. And then of course

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<v Speaker 2>Tyrese Haliburton as an All NBA third team guy, he

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<v Speaker 2>snagged that on her, which means he'll get the super

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<v Speaker 2>Supermax deal now, an extra forty one million dollars over

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<v Speaker 2>what he already had bargained for. And you know, beyond

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<v Speaker 2>him to just to step up. I know that in

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<v Speaker 2>that series Boston kind of targeted him at times defensively,

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<v Speaker 2>so there's improvement on that end, but certainly taking charge

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<v Speaker 2>of being able to, you know, be a closer getting

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<v Speaker 2>in consideration for a Clutch award. That's a you know,

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<v Speaker 2>that's a good goal for him. So I think the

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<v Speaker 2>Pacers are positioned well the East, a lot of fluidity.

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<v Speaker 2>You can move up or down I think fairly quickly.

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<v Speaker 2>And it was fun. It was a fun team to watch.

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<v Speaker 2>Not a not a flawless team obviously, and they have

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<v Speaker 2>lots to work on at this stage.

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<v Speaker 1>We saw a sweep in the East as tonight we

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<v Speaker 1>will find out if we will see a sweep in

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<v Speaker 1>the West. Dallas Mavericks have taken these first three games

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<v Speaker 1>against Minnesota Timberwolves. Similarly said, it has been a hard fought,

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<v Speaker 1>tightly contested series in those first three games, but the

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<v Speaker 1>experience and the ability to close has proven itself, and

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<v Speaker 1>how Luca and Kyrie Irving have played together with the

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<v Speaker 1>Mavericks alongside the rest of their counterparts and really just

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<v Speaker 1>key components of what the role players have done in

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<v Speaker 1>stepping up and hitting some really critical shots. It has

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<v Speaker 1>not been the same for Minnesota. I think Anthony Edwards

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<v Speaker 1>is still put up solid numbers, but not quite what

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<v Speaker 1>we've seen through the course of the postseason in terms

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<v Speaker 1>of production, in terms of those key moments, and certainly

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<v Speaker 1>not for Karl Anthony Towns. Will Minnesota find a way

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<v Speaker 1>to extend this series here tonight in Dallas.

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<v Speaker 2>Anything is possible. I mean, you know, look, I've been

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<v Speaker 2>doing this long enough that when a series is three

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<v Speaker 2>to zero, you know the last thing you want to

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<v Speaker 2>see is a moral victory by the team that's behind.

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<v Speaker 2>But obviously to them it can be more than that,

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<v Speaker 2>because it does earn you that next home game, and

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<v Speaker 2>then you think, okay, we win that, and the pressure

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<v Speaker 2>is entirely on the Dallas Maverick at that point. So

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<v Speaker 2>I mean it's you can work through the thought process.

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<v Speaker 2>I have expected better from Minnesota just based on what

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<v Speaker 2>they did against Phoenix and Denver. You know, this is

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<v Speaker 2>interesting from the standpoint of styles. The team's play. Minnesota

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<v Speaker 2>was built to beat the Denver Nuggets. That style gave

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<v Speaker 2>the Phoenix Suns all the trouble they could possibly have,

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<v Speaker 2>and yet here against Dallas, it seems almost like it's

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<v Speaker 2>a liability that Dallas has, you know, more mobile, more

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<v Speaker 2>more leaping big men than the Minnesota you know anchors

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<v Speaker 2>up front with with Gobert and Karl Anthony Towns. And

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<v Speaker 2>of course Karl Anthony Towns has not been playing like

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<v Speaker 2>a big man in this series. He's, in my opinion,

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<v Speaker 2>shot way too many threes. He's eager to back up

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<v Speaker 2>his boast of being the best shooting big man in

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<v Speaker 2>NBA history. I think there's a little lot of sorts

0:13:21.880 --> 0:13:26.000
<v Speaker 2>with you know, how to find himself, and Dallas has

0:13:26.000 --> 0:13:30.360
<v Speaker 2>been able to exploit that with with Luca and Kyrie

0:13:31.040 --> 0:13:34.599
<v Speaker 2>and the way they are able to just dissect the

0:13:34.720 --> 0:13:38.120
<v Speaker 2>drop coverage with with Rudy, you know, there's motivation there,

0:13:38.160 --> 0:13:41.320
<v Speaker 2>I think by Mavericks players that you know, old defensive

0:13:41.320 --> 0:13:43.640
<v Speaker 2>player of the year. Sure I'll take that on. And

0:13:43.679 --> 0:13:49.480
<v Speaker 2>we've seen that with with Gobert's challengers. So yeah, it's

0:13:49.520 --> 0:13:53.120
<v Speaker 2>been it's been unfortunate Minnesota's you know, slip has been

0:13:53.160 --> 0:13:57.280
<v Speaker 2>showing a little bit in their inexperience. You think about

0:13:57.280 --> 0:14:00.280
<v Speaker 2>it with with these series that four zip and three

0:14:00.360 --> 0:14:04.840
<v Speaker 2>zips so far, I mean, we still had the potential

0:14:05.360 --> 0:14:09.520
<v Speaker 2>a pretty good shot at a Minneapolis Indianapolis finals because

0:14:09.679 --> 0:14:11.800
<v Speaker 2>these games could have tipped other ways, and all of

0:14:11.800 --> 0:14:14.800
<v Speaker 2>a sudden, now it's Minnesota Indiana, which might not thrill

0:14:14.840 --> 0:14:19.240
<v Speaker 2>the TV ratings people, but it would be you know,

0:14:19.320 --> 0:14:22.960
<v Speaker 2>a fun matchup Dallas and Boston. If it goes that way,

0:14:23.000 --> 0:14:27.040
<v Speaker 2>and history suggests it shall, then you know that's going

0:14:27.080 --> 0:14:29.320
<v Speaker 2>to be intriguing as well. You've got those superstars on

0:14:29.840 --> 0:14:33.640
<v Speaker 2>on Dallas. But yeah, Minnesota might have it in them.

0:14:34.480 --> 0:14:36.320
<v Speaker 2>The problem is is that they think, Okay, we're gonna

0:14:36.320 --> 0:14:39.480
<v Speaker 2>get this this Mavericks team and drag it to Minnesota.

0:14:40.000 --> 0:14:43.040
<v Speaker 2>Target Center hasn't been that difficult a place for the

0:14:43.120 --> 0:14:45.760
<v Speaker 2>visiting team. I mean, the people that do everything they can,

0:14:46.280 --> 0:14:49.200
<v Speaker 2>but the results at Target Center, you know, have have

0:14:49.360 --> 0:14:53.280
<v Speaker 2>not been great in the postseason, so it doesn't sort

0:14:53.320 --> 0:14:58.840
<v Speaker 2>of have that formidable you know that onus against you know,

0:14:58.840 --> 0:15:00.960
<v Speaker 2>a team like Dallas haveing go up there and oh

0:15:01.040 --> 0:15:03.520
<v Speaker 2>now it might be three to two. So I think

0:15:03.600 --> 0:15:07.760
<v Speaker 2>Dallas can go into Minnesota and win just to have

0:15:07.840 --> 0:15:11.120
<v Speaker 2>more basketball, to be honest, in a greedy sense, and

0:15:11.160 --> 0:15:13.800
<v Speaker 2>since I don't have to go flying around for those games,

0:15:14.080 --> 0:15:16.520
<v Speaker 2>I want to see the series extend. We're already going

0:15:16.560 --> 0:15:21.080
<v Speaker 2>to have nine nights without Eastern Conference basketball and you know,

0:15:21.240 --> 0:15:23.360
<v Speaker 2>so a little extra in the West. I think that

0:15:23.560 --> 0:15:25.200
<v Speaker 2>a lot of us would appreciate.

0:15:24.760 --> 0:15:27.840
<v Speaker 1>That, as do I. I don't know if that means

0:15:27.840 --> 0:15:30.600
<v Speaker 1>that that's your pick that Minnesota will will get a

0:15:30.640 --> 0:15:33.720
<v Speaker 1>game here, but that's that's what I'm going with, going

0:15:33.800 --> 0:15:36.880
<v Speaker 1>with it, I'm going with it. I'm hoping it, But

0:15:36.960 --> 0:15:38.520
<v Speaker 1>I do I think they have a lot of pride,

0:15:38.720 --> 0:15:41.760
<v Speaker 1>and I think they have a lot of still resiliency

0:15:41.840 --> 0:15:44.560
<v Speaker 1>left in them. And I also think to your point,

0:15:44.800 --> 0:15:47.360
<v Speaker 1>it's amazing. I think it just shows the fine line

0:15:48.560 --> 0:15:51.880
<v Speaker 1>of what a possession game and what one possession means

0:15:51.920 --> 0:15:55.440
<v Speaker 1>in the playoffs, and also the factor of experience or

0:15:55.520 --> 0:15:58.000
<v Speaker 1>ability to have closers that can come at your throats

0:15:58.120 --> 0:16:02.040
<v Speaker 1>when needed to finish the games off. But either way,

0:16:02.080 --> 0:16:04.720
<v Speaker 1>it will be fun to watch that game. We'll be

0:16:04.800 --> 0:16:09.760
<v Speaker 1>taking place tonight here and we will find out before

0:16:09.760 --> 0:16:12.080
<v Speaker 1>we know it. But we're going to take a quick

0:16:12.120 --> 0:16:17.240
<v Speaker 1>break and talk about the legend Bill Walton who passed

0:16:17.280 --> 0:16:30.280
<v Speaker 1>away at seventy one. Welcome back to MB Paul Sarahkustak,

0:16:30.320 --> 0:16:34.840
<v Speaker 1>joined by the great Steve Ashberner, and ask some some

0:16:35.160 --> 0:16:38.480
<v Speaker 1>just really unfortunate news to hears. The NBA had shared

0:16:38.880 --> 0:16:41.840
<v Speaker 1>the other days that Bill Walton, the Great Bill Walton,

0:16:41.920 --> 0:16:45.560
<v Speaker 1>larger than life, passed away from a prolonged fight with

0:16:45.680 --> 0:16:49.640
<v Speaker 1>cancer at the age of seventy one. You look at

0:16:49.680 --> 0:16:55.080
<v Speaker 1>his basketball resume, a two time NCAA champion at UCLA,

0:16:55.280 --> 0:16:59.400
<v Speaker 1>playing under another icon in John Wooden, becoming a three

0:16:59.440 --> 0:17:02.000
<v Speaker 1>time NASH Player of the Year. He went on to

0:17:02.080 --> 0:17:06.359
<v Speaker 1>win two NBA titles. He was the NBA's MVP, he

0:17:06.440 --> 0:17:09.840
<v Speaker 1>was the sixth Man of the Year. But more than anything,

0:17:09.880 --> 0:17:12.119
<v Speaker 1>and I know you can speak to this, it was

0:17:12.400 --> 0:17:15.360
<v Speaker 1>his personality. It was his love for life. It was

0:17:15.520 --> 0:17:19.879
<v Speaker 1>the passion that he brought to everything. We had the

0:17:20.240 --> 0:17:23.080
<v Speaker 1>great joy to listen to him for so many years

0:17:23.119 --> 0:17:27.080
<v Speaker 1>as a basketball analyst and a broadcaster. When you heard

0:17:27.119 --> 0:17:31.440
<v Speaker 1>the news, when you reflect back about Bill, what came

0:17:31.480 --> 0:17:32.320
<v Speaker 1>to mind for you?

0:17:33.840 --> 0:17:38.600
<v Speaker 2>Yeah, you know, this one hit hard because he was

0:17:38.640 --> 0:17:43.640
<v Speaker 2>such a presence and his exuberance was palpable. I mean,

0:17:44.080 --> 0:17:49.080
<v Speaker 2>Bill Walton every time I saw him, whether it was

0:17:49.119 --> 0:17:53.399
<v Speaker 2>at an official function, a game he was calling, a

0:17:53.480 --> 0:17:56.480
<v Speaker 2>Hall of Fame induction, or you know, running into him

0:17:56.560 --> 0:17:59.399
<v Speaker 2>at O'Hare when he was being pushed in a wheelchair

0:17:59.480 --> 0:18:03.200
<v Speaker 2>because of back issues at that point, long long retired,

0:18:03.240 --> 0:18:06.080
<v Speaker 2>But you know, it's just he would light up when

0:18:06.320 --> 0:18:08.600
<v Speaker 2>when people would come up to him. And if it

0:18:08.640 --> 0:18:11.560
<v Speaker 2>was somebody that he knew, like me and obviously many

0:18:11.600 --> 0:18:17.600
<v Speaker 2>more even better, he was, you know, a touchstone of

0:18:18.359 --> 0:18:22.800
<v Speaker 2>sunshine and happiness. But if it was strangers I would see,

0:18:22.880 --> 0:18:26.480
<v Speaker 2>like at that airport, where it was almost like he

0:18:26.560 --> 0:18:29.920
<v Speaker 2>knew people got excited seeing him, and in a way

0:18:29.960 --> 0:18:32.000
<v Speaker 2>he was trying to impart a little bit of that

0:18:32.160 --> 0:18:34.080
<v Speaker 2>or reflect a little bit of that back and make

0:18:34.640 --> 0:18:38.399
<v Speaker 2>you know, be excited for talking to them. And it

0:18:38.800 --> 0:18:41.720
<v Speaker 2>seemed almost without fail I mean, even when he was

0:18:41.760 --> 0:18:44.679
<v Speaker 2>in you know, great discomfort, he could turn it on,

0:18:45.000 --> 0:18:48.479
<v Speaker 2>you know, for moments and then kind of recede so

0:18:48.520 --> 0:18:52.480
<v Speaker 2>that he didn't have to be grumpy in a personal exchange.

0:18:52.560 --> 0:18:55.560
<v Speaker 2>I mean, he would just sort of, you know, take

0:18:55.600 --> 0:18:59.960
<v Speaker 2>his exit and the guy, I mean physically, you can't

0:19:00.040 --> 0:19:02.000
<v Speaker 2>help but feel for the guy. I mean, this this

0:19:02.080 --> 0:19:06.760
<v Speaker 2>particular illness that brought his demise cancer. I'm not sure

0:19:06.760 --> 0:19:09.639
<v Speaker 2>how many of us even knew what he was going through.

0:19:09.760 --> 0:19:12.399
<v Speaker 2>I mean, you knew the structural stuff through the years.

0:19:12.440 --> 0:19:16.840
<v Speaker 2>I mean, the foot, the ankle that so hampered his career,

0:19:17.720 --> 0:19:21.000
<v Speaker 2>back issues, you know, even you know, in retirement that

0:19:21.960 --> 0:19:24.920
<v Speaker 2>had him about as low as you can get mentally

0:19:25.000 --> 0:19:29.800
<v Speaker 2>because of the NonStop pain. You know. The other thing

0:19:29.840 --> 0:19:31.639
<v Speaker 2>I think of is that I've heard from time to

0:19:31.640 --> 0:19:36.159
<v Speaker 2>time people speculate or criticize and say, you know, he

0:19:36.160 --> 0:19:38.600
<v Speaker 2>shouldn't have been part of that fifty Greatest NBA Players

0:19:38.600 --> 0:19:40.600
<v Speaker 2>of All time, he shouldn't have been on the seventy

0:19:40.640 --> 0:19:46.280
<v Speaker 2>five Greatest Players team because his NBA contributions were relatively meager.

0:19:46.960 --> 0:19:51.399
<v Speaker 2>Two time All Star, I believe, two time All NBA,

0:19:51.640 --> 0:19:55.160
<v Speaker 2>one time MVP. That doesn't tell the story, and frankly,

0:19:55.240 --> 0:19:57.240
<v Speaker 2>I don't think. Look, he's in the Hall of Fame,

0:19:57.280 --> 0:19:59.280
<v Speaker 2>because the Hall of Fame is more than just the NBA.

0:20:00.080 --> 0:20:00.159
<v Speaker 1>What.

0:20:00.560 --> 0:20:02.320
<v Speaker 2>I don't think you can even tell the story of

0:20:02.359 --> 0:20:07.320
<v Speaker 2>the NBA without Bill Walton. I mean, he is vital

0:20:07.440 --> 0:20:09.960
<v Speaker 2>to so much of it. You know, high draft picks

0:20:10.359 --> 0:20:14.159
<v Speaker 2>with expansion teams, the struggle in Portland, sort of the

0:20:14.200 --> 0:20:18.840
<v Speaker 2>old school, old fashioned attitudes towards injuries, and how he

0:20:18.960 --> 0:20:22.680
<v Speaker 2>was disparaged in Portland when he couldn't play, and then

0:20:22.680 --> 0:20:26.400
<v Speaker 2>of course the elation when he finally could that championship

0:20:26.440 --> 0:20:29.800
<v Speaker 2>in nineteen seventy seven, when the Blazers started out down

0:20:30.200 --> 0:20:33.919
<v Speaker 2>two against Philadelphia and then roared back to take the

0:20:33.960 --> 0:20:39.439
<v Speaker 2>next four games. The consummate team at that point, the

0:20:39.480 --> 0:20:45.280
<v Speaker 2>best sort of ensemble togetherness, chemistry on the floor that

0:20:45.359 --> 0:20:48.120
<v Speaker 2>I think has only been replicated by that twenty fourteen

0:20:48.200 --> 0:20:52.760
<v Speaker 2>San Antonio team. The beautiful basketball that they played, and

0:20:53.520 --> 0:20:55.720
<v Speaker 2>you know, and then the struggles and it seemed like

0:20:55.800 --> 0:20:57.240
<v Speaker 2>he was gone. I mean, that was the end of

0:20:57.240 --> 0:21:02.080
<v Speaker 2>Bill Walton. The Clippers' days resurgence, I mean, Phoenix Rising

0:21:02.359 --> 0:21:05.600
<v Speaker 2>when he was with Boston be a sixth man, an

0:21:05.680 --> 0:21:09.480
<v Speaker 2>MVP who settles into and thrives in a sixth man role.

0:21:10.880 --> 0:21:12.560
<v Speaker 2>He was the standard. A lot of us felt, well,

0:21:12.600 --> 0:21:15.159
<v Speaker 2>maybe Derek Rose could pull that off one of these days.

0:21:15.560 --> 0:21:18.320
<v Speaker 2>But I mean, just you think about the sublimation of

0:21:18.359 --> 0:21:21.080
<v Speaker 2>ego to go from the best player in the game,

0:21:21.080 --> 0:21:23.240
<v Speaker 2>acclaim by your peers because they did the voting when

0:21:23.240 --> 0:21:28.320
<v Speaker 2>he won the MVP, to he's going to fill exactly

0:21:28.359 --> 0:21:30.760
<v Speaker 2>the role that the Boston Celtics in nineteen eighty five

0:21:30.800 --> 0:21:34.320
<v Speaker 2>eighty six needed. And you know that big team became

0:21:34.359 --> 0:21:38.840
<v Speaker 2>with his presence and contributions, you know, arguably the greatest

0:21:38.920 --> 0:21:42.879
<v Speaker 2>NBA team ever. So all of that, and that doesn't

0:21:42.880 --> 0:21:46.359
<v Speaker 2>even get into what he did after that, and the

0:21:46.800 --> 0:21:52.200
<v Speaker 2>sideshow stuff of his grateful dead obsession and allegiance, and

0:21:52.280 --> 0:21:56.560
<v Speaker 2>I mean, just a life fully lived. You can't think

0:21:56.600 --> 0:22:01.800
<v Speaker 2>of him without thinking of him smiling. And you know,

0:22:02.600 --> 0:22:06.879
<v Speaker 2>most of us would be lucky to hit the high

0:22:07.000 --> 0:22:10.800
<v Speaker 2>in one category that he hit in almost everyone.

0:22:12.960 --> 0:22:16.000
<v Speaker 1>Well said, ash Well said, and I think you said

0:22:16.040 --> 0:22:19.040
<v Speaker 1>the most important things of a life well lived. And

0:22:19.080 --> 0:22:21.360
<v Speaker 1>it's hard to think of him without thinking of him smiling.

0:22:21.440 --> 0:22:24.359
<v Speaker 1>So for all the accolades, for all the achievements, the

0:22:24.560 --> 0:22:27.680
<v Speaker 1>Hall of fame career that he put together. I think

0:22:27.720 --> 0:22:31.040
<v Speaker 1>more than anything, it was just the exuberance that he

0:22:31.119 --> 0:22:34.280
<v Speaker 1>brought to every single interaction with every single person or

0:22:34.320 --> 0:22:37.080
<v Speaker 1>any time you turned on your TV screen, and that

0:22:37.960 --> 0:22:42.840
<v Speaker 1>in itself is a truly truly successful life. So we

0:22:42.880 --> 0:22:46.359
<v Speaker 1>will honor him, we will remember him, we'll celebrate him,

0:22:46.880 --> 0:22:50.440
<v Speaker 1>and as always, just appreciate it with this game that

0:22:50.480 --> 0:22:53.800
<v Speaker 1>we love. So Ash will continue reading and watching all

0:22:53.840 --> 0:22:56.240
<v Speaker 1>your stuff. We thank you for your time. We'll be

0:22:56.280 --> 0:22:59.199
<v Speaker 1>interested to see here tonight on TNTA thirty pm Eastern.

0:22:59.200 --> 0:23:03.320
<v Speaker 1>As I mentioned, Timberwolves trying to stave off the MAVs

0:23:03.640 --> 0:23:06.119
<v Speaker 1>to extend this series, as Dallas has a three to

0:23:06.200 --> 0:23:09.320
<v Speaker 1>zero series lead. Until next time, we'll talk with you soon, Ash,

0:23:09.359 --> 0:23:13.280
<v Speaker 1>You're welcome, sir. NBA Post with Sarahkustak is a production

0:23:13.320 --> 0:23:15.560
<v Speaker 1>of the NBA and iHeart Radio. Please rate, review, and

0:23:15.600 --> 0:23:18.400
<v Speaker 1>subscribe on the iHeart Radio app or wherever you get

0:23:18.440 --> 0:23:19.199
<v Speaker 1>your podcasts