WEBVTT - T-Wolves and Pacers Game 7 win Reactions, Plus Conference Finals Previews 0:00:05.200 --> 0:00:08.119 Welcoming into NBA pulsive production of iHeartRadio in the NBA. 0:00:08.240 --> 0:00:11.039 I'm Sarahustak, NBA analyst for the S Network, and today 0:00:11.320 --> 0:00:15.360 is Monday, May twentieth. From our incredible core group of 0:00:15.480 --> 0:00:18.239 NBA journalists were joined now by NBA dot Com Scene 0:00:18.239 --> 0:00:19.000 to writer Michael C. 0:00:19.200 --> 0:00:19.439 Wright. 0:00:20.040 --> 0:00:22.440 Michael, you finally got a chance to come back home 0:00:22.560 --> 0:00:25.759 because the one series that that did not go to 0:00:25.800 --> 0:00:30.440 Game seven was Dallas, Oklahoma City as the MAVs advance 0:00:30.520 --> 0:00:33.519 with a one point win against the Thunder. We're going 0:00:33.560 --> 0:00:34.800 to get to that in just a little bit, but 0:00:34.840 --> 0:00:36.599 they were waiting to see sitting. They're just like we 0:00:36.600 --> 0:00:40.800 were who they were going to face in the Western 0:00:40.880 --> 0:00:44.920 Conference Final. And did we have a game at Denver 0:00:45.320 --> 0:00:48.760 Timberwolves on the road playing a Nuggets team that was 0:00:48.760 --> 0:00:52.080 trying to defend their title from last year and a 0:00:52.159 --> 0:00:55.280 Nuggets team that came out locked in hitting shots, got 0:00:55.280 --> 0:00:59.040 a twenty point lead in that second half, but the 0:00:59.080 --> 0:01:02.760 Timberwolves came back, and no surprise, so much predicated by 0:01:02.800 --> 0:01:06.200 their defense and how they've been able to be incredible 0:01:06.840 --> 0:01:09.119 in that area and just an extraordinary balance. 0:01:09.160 --> 0:01:10.800 I mean, you can go top to bottom of this roster. 0:01:10.880 --> 0:01:14.480 I know Anthony Edwards has become the face of this team, 0:01:14.520 --> 0:01:16.520 and so much of that is not just about his play, 0:01:17.040 --> 0:01:20.280 but just about his disposition, his character, his leadership at 0:01:20.280 --> 0:01:22.760 his young age of what a game for Karl Anthony 0:01:22.760 --> 0:01:27.759 Towns twenty three points, twelve rebounds, again balance across this 0:01:27.880 --> 0:01:31.560 line of Jade McDaniels, how much he contributed. And on 0:01:31.600 --> 0:01:34.639 the other side of things for Denver Nikola Jokic thirty 0:01:34.680 --> 0:01:39.559 four points, nineteen rebounds, seven assists. Did take ten three 0:01:39.600 --> 0:01:42.600 point shots, which I think kind of indicates just what 0:01:42.640 --> 0:01:45.000 Minnesota was doing. We normally don't see him taking that 0:01:45.040 --> 0:01:46.880 many three point shots. But it was a struggle. It 0:01:46.959 --> 0:01:49.400 became one fourth and nuggets on that offensive side of 0:01:49.400 --> 0:01:52.920 the floor. Jamal Murray with thirty five points, but everyone 0:01:52.960 --> 0:01:55.880 else was in single digits, only five points from the 0:01:55.920 --> 0:01:56.600 reserve unit. 0:01:56.760 --> 0:02:00.200 So a lot there, a lot to get to my go. 0:02:00.320 --> 0:02:02.520 But when you look at that game and just kind 0:02:02.520 --> 0:02:05.440 of how it went for both sides, what stood out 0:02:05.560 --> 0:02:09.040 to you most and is most intriguing about the outcome 0:02:09.080 --> 0:02:09.600 of that one? 0:02:10.760 --> 0:02:13.720 You know what, I'm gonna make sure that we give 0:02:13.760 --> 0:02:16.800 this man his proper credit. You mentioned Karl Anthony Towns. 0:02:16.840 --> 0:02:20.120 You mentioned him, and to me that is what stood 0:02:20.120 --> 0:02:23.360 out because in that first half, you saw the Nuggets 0:02:23.400 --> 0:02:26.680 go up by like twenty, and I think Karl Anthony 0:02:26.680 --> 0:02:28.280 Towns basically kept them in it. 0:02:28.560 --> 0:02:30.079 He kept them in that game just. 0:02:30.120 --> 0:02:33.120 Long enough, you know, for them to sort of figure 0:02:33.200 --> 0:02:35.520 things out and then you know, just kind of hit 0:02:35.560 --> 0:02:37.720 the gas in the second half. So I was really 0:02:37.720 --> 0:02:40.040 impressed by what he did because you know, he's got 0:02:40.040 --> 0:02:41.919 that or he's had the reputation. 0:02:41.480 --> 0:02:44.600 As a guy that let's be real here, people say he's. 0:02:44.480 --> 0:02:47.480 Solved, or they'll say that he doesn't play well you 0:02:47.480 --> 0:02:48.639 know under the bright lights. 0:02:49.120 --> 0:02:51.320 Well he just sort of squashed all that. 0:02:51.600 --> 0:02:55.440 Like he is he like these this is the stage 0:02:55.480 --> 0:02:58.520 where you make your reputation as a player, and to me, 0:02:58.760 --> 0:03:00.840 what he did sort of shatter a lot of what 0:03:00.880 --> 0:03:04.560 the narrative was about him. So I was super impressed 0:03:04.600 --> 0:03:08.519 by him. Twenty three points, twelve remails, and the Timberwolves 0:03:08.560 --> 0:03:11.359 are three and oh this in the playoffs this postseason 0:03:11.400 --> 0:03:14.320 whenever he has twenty points and ten rebounds. So he's 0:03:14.360 --> 0:03:17.280 a guy that's capable of repeating that night after night 0:03:17.760 --> 0:03:19.919 can hit you at all three levels as a score 0:03:20.560 --> 0:03:23.560 great on defense. I really liked what he did and 0:03:23.639 --> 0:03:26.480 for all the grief he's taken over the years for 0:03:26.639 --> 0:03:29.760 not being able to perform, you know, on the big stage, 0:03:30.280 --> 0:03:32.919 I thought this was the one that showed everybody that, hey, 0:03:32.919 --> 0:03:33.560 I can do this. 0:03:34.440 --> 0:03:38.240 And he was just you said about maybe some of 0:03:37.280 --> 0:03:41.119 the thoughts or comments about whether it's saw whatever words 0:03:41.120 --> 0:03:44.760 you want to, but also just playing smart and defensively 0:03:44.880 --> 0:03:47.200 and how he's able to keep things clean. And there 0:03:47.280 --> 0:03:50.120 was just so many aspects of that that you were 0:03:50.120 --> 0:03:53.320 able to see unfold with this Minnesota team. And you 0:03:53.400 --> 0:03:59.600 mentioned that third time they won at Denver. Yeah, to 0:03:59.640 --> 0:04:03.320 talk like that is they had a sense of composure, 0:04:03.520 --> 0:04:07.800 of poise, of how they were able to steal maintain 0:04:07.840 --> 0:04:11.080 that resilient resiliency in the in the second half, the 0:04:11.120 --> 0:04:13.200 final seven minutes of the game, like all of these 0:04:13.240 --> 0:04:15.960 things that I think that we had anticipated about Denver 0:04:16.480 --> 0:04:18.880 and the experience that they had coming in and what 0:04:18.960 --> 0:04:20.839 a game would look like when it was tight down 0:04:20.880 --> 0:04:26.320 the stretch. Minnesota changed things around and really took control 0:04:26.400 --> 0:04:28.560 of that. So give a ton of credit to the 0:04:28.720 --> 0:04:30.839 entirety of the group and Chris Finch. I hope his 0:04:30.920 --> 0:04:33.560 knee or his legs okay today because he was supposed 0:04:33.560 --> 0:04:35.240 to be sitting down. It felt like he was standing 0:04:35.360 --> 0:04:37.960 for the better part of that second half and down 0:04:37.960 --> 0:04:41.440 the stretches. I mentioned though, they will meet a Dallas 0:04:41.440 --> 0:04:44.280 team which you saw the series up close and personal. Michael, 0:04:44.279 --> 0:04:46.080 I'm glad you got to get yourself back home. And 0:04:46.360 --> 0:04:48.800 this game did not go to a game seven, but 0:04:49.360 --> 0:04:53.000 what a time was had. And Saturday Night one seventeen 0:04:53.080 --> 0:04:57.320 one to sixteen finish for the Mavericks, uh Luca was fantastic. 0:04:57.360 --> 0:05:00.720 Twenty nine points, ten rebounds, ten assists. Again, so many 0:05:00.800 --> 0:05:01.520 different players. 0:05:01.560 --> 0:05:01.800 PJ. 0:05:02.040 --> 0:05:05.480 Washington in particular, knocking down those free throws but playing 0:05:05.480 --> 0:05:08.520 a role when needed. Derek Jones Junior, of course, how 0:05:08.600 --> 0:05:11.200 Kyrie Irving has been playing the bench and Derek Lively 0:05:11.560 --> 0:05:14.400 the second coming off of it. But let's look at 0:05:14.400 --> 0:05:17.320 this real briefly in what we're going to see the matchup, 0:05:17.360 --> 0:05:22.440 the headliners, the faces of this Luka Doncic Anthony Edwards. 0:05:22.880 --> 0:05:26.680 How do you frame what you expect this Western Conference 0:05:27.000 --> 0:05:30.480 Final to be with two of the great stars, and 0:05:30.560 --> 0:05:32.440 Luka Doncics has been one of those in the league, 0:05:32.440 --> 0:05:35.480 but Anthony Edwards is coming for everyone, and we've seen 0:05:35.480 --> 0:05:37.520 that in particular throughout the course of this postseason. 0:05:37.920 --> 0:05:41.240 I think what makes this fun is that we have 0:05:41.440 --> 0:05:44.000 new idea what's going to happen. Because if you go 0:05:44.120 --> 0:05:46.880 back and you look at what these teams did against 0:05:46.880 --> 0:05:49.839 one another in the regular season, Minnesota is three and 0:05:49.880 --> 0:05:52.920 one against the Mavericks. But we're talking about a totally 0:05:52.960 --> 0:05:56.560 different Mavericks team because they played those games before the 0:05:56.600 --> 0:05:59.960 trade deadline when they brought in PJ and Daniel Gap 0:06:00.520 --> 0:06:03.640 And I think that the Dallas Mavericks are just a 0:06:03.800 --> 0:06:06.800 totally different team from that time. Like they're playing different 0:06:07.400 --> 0:06:11.640 they are very comfortable in the scheme that they're playing Defensively. 0:06:12.000 --> 0:06:15.560 You know, the Dallas Mavericks have not ever been really 0:06:15.600 --> 0:06:18.440 known for defending, but you know, I would say that 0:06:18.560 --> 0:06:21.280 last twenty games of the regular season and into the playoffs, 0:06:21.320 --> 0:06:24.160 those guys have been on it. They've been defending their 0:06:24.160 --> 0:06:27.160 butts off. And the funny thing is that Luka Tancic 0:06:27.360 --> 0:06:30.039 is a big part of that. Like people people don't 0:06:30.040 --> 0:06:31.640 want to say that, you know, or people don't give 0:06:31.720 --> 0:06:35.040 him credit for the defense he plays, but he's one 0:06:35.080 --> 0:06:36.760 of the guys that's gonna get you some steals on 0:06:36.760 --> 0:06:40.480 a night to night basis. He's actually like really trying 0:06:40.560 --> 0:06:42.840 hard on that side of the ball, and I think 0:06:43.200 --> 0:06:45.599 I think that makes Dallas a much better team than 0:06:45.640 --> 0:06:48.200 Kyrie Irving. You know, you didn't really see him in 0:06:48.200 --> 0:06:50.280 that in that last series. You didn't really see him 0:06:50.279 --> 0:06:53.200 play a Kyrie Irving game, you know, give you twenty 0:06:53.200 --> 0:06:56.320 five thirty points. But he defended his butt off and 0:06:56.400 --> 0:06:59.040 that in that series, and again, I think that makes 0:06:59.040 --> 0:07:01.919 the difference for them. There different teams. So I'm really 0:07:01.920 --> 0:07:05.320 interested to see it because the matchups also are going 0:07:05.400 --> 0:07:09.040 to be sort of different than what we've seen before. Like, Okay, 0:07:09.080 --> 0:07:11.720 who gets Luka Doncic. I'm guessing Jade McDaniels will be 0:07:11.800 --> 0:07:14.840 on him. I'm guessing that ant Man will be on 0:07:15.120 --> 0:07:19.080 Kyrie Irvvy. Yeah, so it's I'm really interested to see 0:07:19.080 --> 0:07:22.640 how the matchups sort of fall, Like Karl Anthony Towns 0:07:22.640 --> 0:07:26.679 oh boy, like you like, like DJ's got a really 0:07:26.720 --> 0:07:29.200 tough matchup and you know, like he's never been on 0:07:29.240 --> 0:07:32.480 this stage before, so how does that look After he 0:07:32.720 --> 0:07:35.640 had such a great series against Oklahoma City Thunder. I mean, 0:07:35.640 --> 0:07:37.600 I think he gave me twenty nine one night twenty 0:07:37.600 --> 0:07:40.160 seven twenty one, Like he was a guy that really 0:07:40.200 --> 0:07:43.040 is sort of he was a difference maker in that 0:07:43.120 --> 0:07:46.160 in that series against Oklahoma City, So what type of 0:07:46.520 --> 0:07:48.200 impact is he going to have in this series. So 0:07:48.240 --> 0:07:50.080 there's a whole bunch of little moving parts in it 0:07:50.200 --> 0:07:53.200 that I really just I'm excited to look at. 0:07:53.360 --> 0:07:57.400 I am excited too that you said about Dallas's defense 0:07:57.920 --> 0:08:00.680 because I think to give credit to Jason Kidd just 0:08:00.760 --> 0:08:03.760 kind of what he's Sean Sweeney part of what they've 0:08:03.800 --> 0:08:06.440 implemented on that and that's changed the dynamic of how 0:08:06.480 --> 0:08:09.000 they've played, and that's been such a huge reason why 0:08:09.040 --> 0:08:12.280 they're getting so many of these wins. And I get 0:08:12.360 --> 0:08:15.520 the adaptability to I think of how they play, and 0:08:15.560 --> 0:08:17.720 we saw that against the Oklahoma City Thunder, which Michael 0:08:17.680 --> 0:08:19.040 a little bit later. I want to get your take 0:08:19.080 --> 0:08:21.880 on what will be next for that young team that 0:08:21.960 --> 0:08:25.960 obviously has a lot to be optimistic about. But more 0:08:26.000 --> 0:08:28.080 than anything, I think this is gonna be just a 0:08:28.160 --> 0:08:30.520 fascinating matchup that I have a hard time predicting. 0:08:31.160 --> 0:08:32.120 It's been fun. 0:08:31.880 --> 0:08:36.360 Watch, Like it's a fun watch of both of these teams, 0:08:36.120 --> 0:08:39.680 the star power that you have, but how big complimentary 0:08:39.760 --> 0:08:42.920 pieces have been alongside of them, and you said it 0:08:42.960 --> 0:08:46.760 like doubted the play of Kyrie Irving what he's done defensively, 0:08:46.800 --> 0:08:49.560 but also he's been instrumental a lot of this, but 0:08:49.559 --> 0:08:51.360 he's not putting up the flash and the numbers. I've 0:08:51.360 --> 0:08:54.000 had such a good synergy that when you're watching him 0:08:54.000 --> 0:08:56.960 and Luca, but so many other players, and I think 0:08:57.360 --> 0:09:01.400 all of these these pieces in each of these teams, 0:09:01.679 --> 0:09:03.360 they fed off of one another and they're playing with 0:09:03.440 --> 0:09:04.880 a ton of ton of confidence. 0:09:05.600 --> 0:09:07.160 I think it's gonna be fun. I think we're gonna 0:09:07.160 --> 0:09:07.840 have fun series. 0:09:07.880 --> 0:09:10.000 I think it's gonna be a long series, and I'm 0:09:10.040 --> 0:09:13.760 excited to see what happens. Another series that went the 0:09:13.840 --> 0:09:15.920 distance and we got to see the game seven last 0:09:16.000 --> 0:09:17.480 night at Madison Square Garden. 0:09:18.000 --> 0:09:19.959 It was rockin' New York. 0:09:20.120 --> 0:09:24.520 His buzzin' and lights though went out thanks to the 0:09:24.559 --> 0:09:29.199 Indiana Pacers one thirty one O nine win on the road. 0:09:29.360 --> 0:09:33.400 They shot sixty seven point one percent from the field, 0:09:33.440 --> 0:09:38.520 setting a NBA playoff record over fifty four percent from 0:09:38.559 --> 0:09:41.439 the three point line. They were locked and loaded, and 0:09:41.880 --> 0:09:43.960 it was interesting. This is, you know, been something we've 0:09:44.000 --> 0:09:46.240 seen with the Knicks throughout the course of the season 0:09:46.400 --> 0:09:50.559 into the postseason, playing without Julius Randall, losing Mitchell Robinson, 0:09:50.640 --> 0:09:55.360 losing boy and Magdanovich, Ogeo and Aobi tried to come 0:09:55.360 --> 0:09:58.040 back and playing this one just to tell didn't have it, 0:09:58.360 --> 0:10:00.959 didn't end up finishing the game. Jalen b left the 0:10:01.000 --> 0:10:04.080 game with a fractured hand. Josh Hart ended up playing 0:10:04.120 --> 0:10:07.360 but had an abdominal injury, so you could tell everyone 0:10:07.520 --> 0:10:10.520 was a little bit limited. But Pacers did what they 0:10:10.559 --> 0:10:14.080 came to do, and they dominated from start to finish. 0:10:14.360 --> 0:10:15.640 What did you make of this one? 0:10:15.880 --> 0:10:19.760 In Indiana having an opportunity to advance and also. 0:10:19.600 --> 0:10:22.440 Doing so in the way that they did here on 0:10:22.520 --> 0:10:22.920 the road. 0:10:23.679 --> 0:10:27.400 I just think that the way Indiana started that just 0:10:27.480 --> 0:10:29.480 made all the difference in the game. I mean, you 0:10:29.480 --> 0:10:32.240 put up thirty nine points in the first quarter, that's 0:10:32.280 --> 0:10:35.480 the most in history in a game seven, and it 0:10:35.600 --> 0:10:38.000 was just something that the Knicks couldn't recover from. But 0:10:38.120 --> 0:10:41.280 I gotta tell you, Sarah like watching that game, and 0:10:41.360 --> 0:10:45.160 I think almost I'm speaking for other people here, but 0:10:45.240 --> 0:10:48.040 I think most people watching that game at some point 0:10:48.400 --> 0:10:49.640 rooted for the Knicks. 0:10:49.679 --> 0:10:52.000 Like the way that or that the arena was rocking. 0:10:52.000 --> 0:10:55.440 You could hear the Organs and they like, they kept 0:10:55.679 --> 0:10:57.679 coming back, they kept making little runs. 0:10:58.160 --> 0:11:00.560 Michael, I thought they were going to Yes, I thought 0:11:00.559 --> 0:11:01.320 they were going to I. 0:11:01.320 --> 0:11:03.840 Didn't care how how what the league looked like every 0:11:03.840 --> 0:11:06.120 they cut it to thirteen or so, I said, oh, 0:11:06.160 --> 0:11:07.440 here we go, here we go. 0:11:07.679 --> 0:11:11.120 And you and you wanted to see it because it's. 0:11:10.960 --> 0:11:14.000 The whole narrative thing, like they've got such a just 0:11:14.120 --> 0:11:17.679 a beat down team, and they just keep on playing hard, 0:11:17.679 --> 0:11:18.840 they just keep coming back. 0:11:19.280 --> 0:11:23.240 Dante DiVincenzo, he was awesome last night. I mean, what 0:11:23.280 --> 0:11:27.520 did you play out record? And so he was awesome. 0:11:27.559 --> 0:11:29.200 And then you know, he made the three and started 0:11:29.360 --> 0:11:31.760 talking his noise and I'm like, oh, here comes a comeback, 0:11:32.120 --> 0:11:34.640 but it never really happened. And then like when Jalen 0:11:34.679 --> 0:11:38.480 Brunson sort of banged his hand off Tyre's Halliburton's knee 0:11:38.480 --> 0:11:39.880 there at the at the close to the end of 0:11:39.880 --> 0:11:42.080 the game, I was like, ah, that's it, and like 0:11:42.120 --> 0:11:44.680 it was sad almost it was like the wind went 0:11:44.720 --> 0:11:48.200 out of the realm, like oh man. So it was 0:11:48.240 --> 0:11:52.120 a very interesting series and I'm curious to see how 0:11:52.240 --> 0:11:56.600 Indiana is going to play against Boston because those styles 0:11:56.600 --> 0:11:59.800 between those teams are so contrasting, uh, you know, with 0:11:59.840 --> 0:12:03.080 the way that Indiana gets up and down the floor. Like, 0:12:03.160 --> 0:12:05.440 I'm interested to see how Boston deals with that. And 0:12:05.480 --> 0:12:07.800 obviously they're great defensively. The Celtics are. 0:12:08.400 --> 0:12:09.640 But you know they're not. 0:12:10.000 --> 0:12:12.839 It's like for a seven game series, you got to 0:12:12.840 --> 0:12:15.240 play the same opponent over and over and over. I 0:12:15.280 --> 0:12:17.240 just want to see how this one unfolds. Like I 0:12:17.280 --> 0:12:21.520 almost think that people are sort of predicting that Boston 0:12:21.600 --> 0:12:23.600 is just going to run right through Indiana, and I'm 0:12:23.640 --> 0:12:25.880 not sure that that's going to be the case. You know, 0:12:26.120 --> 0:12:28.520 the Pacers do have a championship coach in Rick Carlisle, 0:12:29.200 --> 0:12:32.120 So I just think that the chess game is going 0:12:32.200 --> 0:12:34.880 to be really important in that and like the contrasting 0:12:34.920 --> 0:12:37.760 styles make it, you know, it makes it really interesting 0:12:38.240 --> 0:12:38.880 interesting for me. 0:12:38.920 --> 0:12:41.000 I'm sorry, Yeah, and I agree. 0:12:41.000 --> 0:12:44.000 I sometimes to think for this Pacers team, how they 0:12:44.040 --> 0:12:47.160 play offensively when they get it going. Yeah, they kind 0:12:47.160 --> 0:12:48.760 of got nothing to lose. They're going to come in 0:12:48.800 --> 0:12:52.040 it is the underdog, and Boston is the one that's 0:12:52.080 --> 0:12:55.040 got a lot of expectation and pressure riding on this. 0:12:55.160 --> 0:12:57.600 We've seen them at different moments take their foot off 0:12:57.640 --> 0:12:59.719 the pedal a little bit. So it's going to be 0:12:59.760 --> 0:13:03.720 interesting to see what happens there in the East. But 0:13:03.920 --> 0:13:06.559 speaking of New York and the Knicks, what the offseason 0:13:06.600 --> 0:13:10.040 looks like heading into next year. They've got one hundred 0:13:10.040 --> 0:13:14.560 and fifty six million committed in salary, so they've got 0:13:14.600 --> 0:13:18.080 some room. They've got, you know, three picks here, see 0:13:18.120 --> 0:13:20.800 what you'll do with that. They also have og An 0:13:20.840 --> 0:13:24.120 andob that has a player option. Other free agents Isaiah 0:13:24.120 --> 0:13:27.600 Hertenstein is one precious chwo a restricted free agent, Alec Burks. 0:13:28.280 --> 0:13:29.640 You had a nice little run there in the last 0:13:29.640 --> 0:13:33.640 two games, but just kind of how they go about 0:13:34.160 --> 0:13:36.559 either building on what they had the core of the team, 0:13:37.200 --> 0:13:40.080 they were beloved. You said it, I mean they took 0:13:40.080 --> 0:13:42.080 the hearts not only of New York but many is 0:13:42.120 --> 0:13:45.840 just many of NBA fans you know around the country, 0:13:45.880 --> 0:13:47.920 just and how they played and how they played together. 0:13:48.480 --> 0:13:51.480 What do you think is next for the Knicks this offseason? 0:13:51.600 --> 0:13:54.000 I know a lot of discussion around will they will 0:13:54.000 --> 0:13:55.600 they find a big fish, Will they get a big 0:13:55.600 --> 0:13:58.480 stars there's someone they could trade for and bring in. 0:13:58.760 --> 0:14:01.880 What's your expectation thoughts on what they can do or 0:14:01.920 --> 0:14:02.640 what they should do. 0:14:02.960 --> 0:14:05.720 Well, I don't think they're going to have any trouble 0:14:05.840 --> 0:14:08.680 luring somebody to come there. If they want to go 0:14:08.800 --> 0:14:12.400 big star hunting in the off season, that's not going 0:14:12.440 --> 0:14:14.360 to be an issue, I don't think, because I think 0:14:14.400 --> 0:14:17.160 that sort of that core with those building OVA guys. 0:14:17.720 --> 0:14:20.760 I think it's like they are building sort of a 0:14:20.800 --> 0:14:25.240 culture there and it's one that I think other players 0:14:25.280 --> 0:14:28.440 would like to join. So I really like what they're doing, 0:14:28.480 --> 0:14:31.240 Like they are good enough. I think to run it back, 0:14:31.880 --> 0:14:34.240 get your guys healthy and run it back, and maybe 0:14:34.280 --> 0:14:36.000 add a piece or two that can sort of a 0:14:36.000 --> 0:14:38.680 complimentary guy or two that can help you coming off 0:14:38.720 --> 0:14:41.680 the bench. But I think they're in good shape. They got, 0:14:41.720 --> 0:14:45.600 like you said, the picks, they've got the salary cap room, 0:14:46.360 --> 0:14:49.080 and they can pretty much do whatever they want. They're 0:14:49.160 --> 0:14:51.240 very similar to Oklahoma City in that way and that 0:14:51.320 --> 0:14:55.440 they're good enough right now. But if you really want 0:14:55.440 --> 0:14:57.600 to take that next step, you might have to add 0:14:57.640 --> 0:14:58.200 a piece too. 0:14:59.480 --> 0:15:00.000 Yeah. 0:15:00.040 --> 0:15:04.440 Well, regardless, they've certainly got themselves in line of just 0:15:04.480 --> 0:15:08.000 being stable, of being desirable. A lot of what we 0:15:08.640 --> 0:15:11.680 have thought of this organization or scene from the past 0:15:11.840 --> 0:15:14.720 is they are on the right path and the right 0:15:14.800 --> 0:15:18.880 direction with a lot of good things to come. We're 0:15:18.880 --> 0:15:20.320 gonna take a look at the direction of a couple 0:15:20.400 --> 0:15:24.440 other teams that recently had their seasons, and the Oklahoma 0:15:24.440 --> 0:15:26.000 City Thunder the Denver Nuggets. 0:15:26.040 --> 0:15:27.280 We'll get to that right after the break. 0:15:35.680 --> 0:15:38.160 Welcome back to NBA Paul Sarah Houstack joined by the 0:15:38.240 --> 0:15:42.560 great Michael c. Wright and Michael we had mentioned Oklahoma 0:15:42.600 --> 0:15:46.120 City Thunder, a young team, impressive what they were able 0:15:46.160 --> 0:15:49.160 to do throughout the course of this season and of 0:15:49.200 --> 0:15:52.280 course in the postseason under the coach of the Year 0:15:52.360 --> 0:15:55.800 Mark Dagnault. Just kind of the opportunity they have in 0:15:55.840 --> 0:15:59.360 the future of the flexibility with space, cap space with picks, 0:16:00.360 --> 0:16:03.120 with the youth of the score. What do you think 0:16:03.280 --> 0:16:06.600 is next for the Thunder in this offseason and what 0:16:06.640 --> 0:16:09.280 it looks like for what they want to come back 0:16:09.320 --> 0:16:10.440 looking like next season. 0:16:11.160 --> 0:16:15.640 Well, I think that what they did in the playoffs 0:16:15.640 --> 0:16:19.600 and just especially this last round against Dallas Mavericks, I 0:16:19.640 --> 0:16:23.560 think that sort of builds them some confidence going into 0:16:24.040 --> 0:16:27.840 this offseason and into next season because throughout that whole series, 0:16:27.880 --> 0:16:30.800 you never saw they were the younger, youngest number one 0:16:30.800 --> 0:16:34.320 seed in NBA history, But you really never saw that youth. 0:16:34.640 --> 0:16:37.560 I mean, they get down and you know, like they 0:16:37.840 --> 0:16:40.800 lost in six games, but you never like they came 0:16:40.880 --> 0:16:44.480 hard every night, and you never saw them making those 0:16:44.520 --> 0:16:46.560 young guy mistakes, you know. I mean you saw it 0:16:46.560 --> 0:16:48.400 a couple of times where they be a little loose 0:16:48.440 --> 0:16:52.000 with the ball, but for the most part, they show that, 0:16:52.280 --> 0:16:55.080 you know, they're sort of ready for this stage. Now, though, 0:16:55.120 --> 0:16:58.760 what do you do in terms of upgrading? You know, 0:16:58.840 --> 0:17:02.080 like you've got a point guard in Josh Giddy who 0:17:02.160 --> 0:17:05.240 obviously he had trouble as a shooter, he had trouble 0:17:05.320 --> 0:17:10.600 defending in this last series, and so do you upgrade there? 0:17:10.720 --> 0:17:12.800 What do you do with as far as developing him 0:17:12.840 --> 0:17:15.159 in the off season. You know, I think that they 0:17:15.200 --> 0:17:18.280 could use another point guard. I think they could use 0:17:18.520 --> 0:17:23.400 maybe a power forward because Jada, I mean really he's 0:17:23.400 --> 0:17:24.200 not a power forward. 0:17:24.240 --> 0:17:25.480 These a three, maybe a two. 0:17:26.000 --> 0:17:28.520 And so you know, if you get a legit power 0:17:28.520 --> 0:17:31.200 forward in there to help with to help with chet 0:17:31.320 --> 0:17:35.159 holmering down low, now you can you know, use Jalen 0:17:35.359 --> 0:17:39.080 More as a secondary ball handler. And so to me, 0:17:39.280 --> 0:17:42.399 that again just like the Knicks, they're right there, but 0:17:42.440 --> 0:17:45.520 it just like and when you're at this spot, it's 0:17:45.560 --> 0:17:48.680 like a really delicate spot because you say, okay, well 0:17:48.720 --> 0:17:50.639 we can do this to take the next step. And 0:17:50.680 --> 0:17:52.840 a lot of times, you know, when you sort of 0:17:52.880 --> 0:17:55.840 get desperate and make those moves, you might take a 0:17:55.840 --> 0:17:58.639 step back. And you know, you've seen it happen with teams, 0:17:58.760 --> 0:18:00.960 you know, time and time again. But I think Oklahoma 0:18:01.040 --> 0:18:04.480 City is going to be very slow and deliberate with 0:18:04.600 --> 0:18:06.560 how they decide to do things. That's how they got 0:18:06.560 --> 0:18:09.000 to this point. And San Presty has said that he 0:18:09.080 --> 0:18:12.360 wants to build this thing where it's sustainable, and it's 0:18:12.359 --> 0:18:14.399 not sustainable when you kind of go out there and 0:18:14.440 --> 0:18:16.399 spend a bunch of money and go star hounting all 0:18:16.440 --> 0:18:18.800 the time, that's not going to help you. You got 0:18:18.840 --> 0:18:20.960 to draft and develop your own people, which is what 0:18:21.040 --> 0:18:23.520 Oklahoma City has done over the years. And I think 0:18:23.520 --> 0:18:26.320 that continues. I just don't know. Like I said, I 0:18:26.359 --> 0:18:29.200 think they may be just a piece or two away, 0:18:29.280 --> 0:18:32.520 but they're going to be right back next season. And 0:18:32.600 --> 0:18:35.240 I'm really excited to see what happens in the West 0:18:35.240 --> 0:18:39.439 because you know, we forget Memphis, I mean Memphis is 0:18:39.920 --> 0:18:42.560 they're going to be back. You know, and here come 0:18:42.640 --> 0:18:44.320 to San Antonio Spurs, here come. 0:18:44.240 --> 0:18:45.080 To Houston Rockets. 0:18:45.640 --> 0:18:48.439 So you know, there's yeah, the West, the West is 0:18:48.680 --> 0:18:51.640 going to be something else in this next five six years. 0:18:51.680 --> 0:18:52.600 It's gonna be crazy. 0:18:52.960 --> 0:18:55.400 Man. You forget about that. I forgot about that till 0:18:55.400 --> 0:18:56.000 you bring it up. 0:18:56.320 --> 0:18:57.760 But to your point, I think with the thunder two, 0:18:57.800 --> 0:18:59.920 you saw it in the postseason in particularly against Dall 0:19:00.240 --> 0:19:01.880 but just the need for a big time they got 0:19:01.880 --> 0:19:05.320 out rebounded, just like that was an area to me 0:19:05.560 --> 0:19:09.320 that you sometimes wonder and it's hide in sight always 0:19:09.359 --> 0:19:11.400 fifty to fifty looking back, but at the trade deadline 0:19:11.400 --> 0:19:13.639 at some point if they could have brought in a 0:19:13.720 --> 0:19:17.720 little bit more size there could that have made a difference. 0:19:17.760 --> 0:19:19.240 In this series or in general. 0:19:19.320 --> 0:19:21.680 But you said they got the pieces, and more importantly 0:19:21.760 --> 0:19:24.920 to they got this experience. I think so often when 0:19:24.960 --> 0:19:27.600 you look at a group of what they're going to do, 0:19:27.760 --> 0:19:31.639 it's about getting this type of experience and learning from it, 0:19:31.720 --> 0:19:35.320 taking it from it. The Denver Nuggets got inexperience. They 0:19:35.400 --> 0:19:37.679 did not want. They were looking to come back and 0:19:38.119 --> 0:19:40.320 duplicate what they were able to do last year defend 0:19:40.320 --> 0:19:43.760 their championship title, and it was not the case, as 0:19:43.800 --> 0:19:47.919