1 00:00:04,480 --> 00:00:07,040 Speaker 1: Where will Blake Griffin end up? I'll make a prediction. 2 00:00:07,560 --> 00:00:09,680 Speaker 1: Is the nickt Julius Randall a lock for the All 3 00:00:09,680 --> 00:00:13,520 Speaker 1: Star Game? Heck yeah? And the eight and seventeen Wizards 4 00:00:13,560 --> 00:00:16,239 Speaker 1: could make the play in tournament. Where are we? What 5 00:00:16,400 --> 00:00:20,000 Speaker 1: is happening? What is going on? I'm tas Mellus, and 6 00:00:20,079 --> 00:00:21,640 Speaker 1: this is what you need to know in the NBA 7 00:00:21,760 --> 00:00:29,720 Speaker 1: for Tuesday, February sixteenth. The first thing you need to 8 00:00:29,720 --> 00:00:32,040 Speaker 1: know is that Blake Griffin has played his last game 9 00:00:32,080 --> 00:00:36,280 Speaker 1: for the Detroit Pistons. The team and Blake have decided 10 00:00:36,520 --> 00:00:39,200 Speaker 1: he is going to sit until they can either find 11 00:00:39,200 --> 00:00:42,320 Speaker 1: a trade partner or they can buy him out. Because 12 00:00:42,440 --> 00:00:44,600 Speaker 1: Blake wants to play for a winner and he's just 13 00:00:44,720 --> 00:00:47,600 Speaker 1: second up the minutes in Detroit that should be going 14 00:00:47,640 --> 00:00:49,400 Speaker 1: to the young guys. Now, of course they want to 15 00:00:49,400 --> 00:00:52,880 Speaker 1: trade him and get some assets, but that's unlikely to happen. 16 00:00:52,880 --> 00:00:54,400 Speaker 1: I think they're going to have to buy him out 17 00:00:54,400 --> 00:00:57,120 Speaker 1: because there's just no financial match for his thirty seven 18 00:00:57,160 --> 00:01:00,200 Speaker 1: million dollar contract this year and thirty nine million dollar 19 00:01:00,280 --> 00:01:03,080 Speaker 1: contract next year. So when they come to a dollar figure, 20 00:01:03,920 --> 00:01:06,920 Speaker 1: where is he gonna go? That's the question we all 21 00:01:07,000 --> 00:01:10,319 Speaker 1: want to talk about. Well, this is the point is fans, 22 00:01:10,360 --> 00:01:14,720 Speaker 1: is that we start thinking about, well, he can get up, yeah, 23 00:01:14,880 --> 00:01:16,600 Speaker 1: he can throw it down, he can shoot it, he 24 00:01:16,640 --> 00:01:22,880 Speaker 1: can handle it. Let's just get a sober picture of 25 00:01:22,880 --> 00:01:24,759 Speaker 1: what Blake Griffin is at this point of his career. 26 00:01:24,800 --> 00:01:28,880 Speaker 1: He is groundbound. He has had zero dunks this season, 27 00:01:29,000 --> 00:01:32,480 Speaker 1: as John Hollinger pointed out, and only two blocks. So 28 00:01:33,280 --> 00:01:37,280 Speaker 1: now that we have that as our perspective here, the 29 00:01:37,319 --> 00:01:39,959 Speaker 1: Brooklyn Nets need a big guy, but it doesn't really 30 00:01:39,959 --> 00:01:42,160 Speaker 1: make sense to bring in a guy who's offensive minded 31 00:01:43,000 --> 00:01:46,920 Speaker 1: and can't really stop anybody. The Boston Celtics kind of 32 00:01:46,959 --> 00:01:49,880 Speaker 1: makes sense put him in a second unit role where 33 00:01:49,880 --> 00:01:53,360 Speaker 1: he's sort of the fulcrum of an offense that needs 34 00:01:53,400 --> 00:01:56,160 Speaker 1: ball movers. Blake is still a very good passer at 35 00:01:56,160 --> 00:01:59,960 Speaker 1: this point of his career, and he would get guys moving, 36 00:02:00,320 --> 00:02:03,440 Speaker 1: and playing against second unit guys would make sense for Blake. 37 00:02:04,680 --> 00:02:06,640 Speaker 1: But I think he goes to the Golden State Warriors. 38 00:02:06,680 --> 00:02:09,920 Speaker 1: I know it sounds bonkers, but he could start in 39 00:02:09,960 --> 00:02:12,560 Speaker 1: Golden State. Him and Draymond Green could be there four 40 00:02:12,639 --> 00:02:14,960 Speaker 1: or five because they don't have a starting center who 41 00:02:15,000 --> 00:02:17,640 Speaker 1: can stay on the floor, and Kevon Looney's just always 42 00:02:17,680 --> 00:02:19,840 Speaker 1: banged up James Wiseman their number two pick, coming off 43 00:02:19,880 --> 00:02:21,880 Speaker 1: the bench and thriving in that role. And I could 44 00:02:21,880 --> 00:02:25,680 Speaker 1: see Blake handing the ball off to staff, setting screens, 45 00:02:26,320 --> 00:02:30,679 Speaker 1: making some nice passes. Also, I think the Warriors can 46 00:02:30,880 --> 00:02:33,320 Speaker 1: convince him to roll to the bucket a little bit more. 47 00:02:33,360 --> 00:02:36,000 Speaker 1: I think they're gonna rejuvenate him more than he was 48 00:02:36,040 --> 00:02:39,360 Speaker 1: with the Detroit Pistons. Now well, he loved playing with 49 00:02:39,400 --> 00:02:43,240 Speaker 1: Draymond Green and friends. I think they will get the 50 00:02:43,280 --> 00:02:47,200 Speaker 1: most out of Blake Griffin. They're able to pay whatever 51 00:02:47,240 --> 00:02:51,120 Speaker 1: they want, is they've shown by paying Kelly Ubra. It 52 00:02:51,240 --> 00:02:53,760 Speaker 1: sounds crazy, but I could see Blake Griffin starting for 53 00:02:53,800 --> 00:02:55,920 Speaker 1: the Golden State Warriors and giving it a shot for 54 00:02:55,960 --> 00:02:58,160 Speaker 1: the rest of this season. Why not. They sort of 55 00:02:58,400 --> 00:03:01,040 Speaker 1: have had a revolving door of sen the last few years. 56 00:03:01,040 --> 00:03:04,240 Speaker 1: And yes, he's not a defensive minded center as Kevan 57 00:03:04,320 --> 00:03:08,160 Speaker 1: Luoney is. But there's some weird things happening in the NBA. 58 00:03:08,280 --> 00:03:11,760 Speaker 1: Blake Griffin will be on the move soon. Andre Drummond 59 00:03:11,880 --> 00:03:14,640 Speaker 1: is in the exact same scenario with the Cleveland Cavaliers. 60 00:03:14,800 --> 00:03:18,120 Speaker 1: They are officially sitting him. He's available via trade. It's 61 00:03:18,160 --> 00:03:20,640 Speaker 1: more likely he's going to be traded because he's younger 62 00:03:20,639 --> 00:03:23,480 Speaker 1: in his prime year is a more tradable contract. But 63 00:03:23,560 --> 00:03:27,080 Speaker 1: the trade deadline is five weeks away, so Blake and 64 00:03:27,080 --> 00:03:30,560 Speaker 1: Andre could be waiting a while. What's closer is the 65 00:03:30,680 --> 00:03:32,760 Speaker 1: NBA All Star Game that's gonna happen in two and 66 00:03:32,800 --> 00:03:35,600 Speaker 1: a half weeks. What and it's likely that the Lakers. 67 00:03:35,640 --> 00:03:39,240 Speaker 1: Anthony Davis will sit out until then because of a 68 00:03:39,240 --> 00:03:43,720 Speaker 1: cash strain which aggravated his achilles tendonosis. So that's nine 69 00:03:43,800 --> 00:03:47,080 Speaker 1: games that he could miss for the Los Angeles Lakers. 70 00:03:47,200 --> 00:03:50,400 Speaker 1: Dory for the Lakers is that they fall further behind 71 00:03:50,800 --> 00:03:54,200 Speaker 1: the Jazz atop the West. The Jazz we're supposed to 72 00:03:54,200 --> 00:03:57,560 Speaker 1: be in a matchup against the top seed in the 73 00:03:57,560 --> 00:04:02,920 Speaker 1: Philadelphia seventy six ers on Monday. Sixers Jazz top seeds. Yeah, 74 00:04:02,920 --> 00:04:06,160 Speaker 1: but bad news going into this game. Joel Embiid sat 75 00:04:06,200 --> 00:04:09,200 Speaker 1: with back tightness, his fifth game he's missed because of 76 00:04:09,200 --> 00:04:11,280 Speaker 1: his back this season. No, it had nothing to do 77 00:04:11,360 --> 00:04:14,600 Speaker 1: with the Lebron push touch whatever you want to call it. 78 00:04:15,120 --> 00:04:18,040 Speaker 1: A couple weeks back. The Jazz won in an exact 79 00:04:18,120 --> 00:04:20,440 Speaker 1: kind of win that they will need in the playoffs 80 00:04:20,520 --> 00:04:22,839 Speaker 1: if they're going to be a contender alongside the Lakers 81 00:04:22,880 --> 00:04:27,080 Speaker 1: because they got contributions from everybody. Donovan Mitchell had twenty four. 82 00:04:27,200 --> 00:04:31,760 Speaker 1: Royce O'Neil had two consecutive threes with the game hanging 83 00:04:31,839 --> 00:04:34,000 Speaker 1: in the balance in the fourth quarter. Can you do 84 00:04:34,080 --> 00:04:36,760 Speaker 1: that in the postseason when the lights up bright? Joe 85 00:04:36,920 --> 00:04:39,919 Speaker 1: Ingles had twenty points. His things are different when the 86 00:04:39,960 --> 00:04:42,760 Speaker 1: defense gets tighter in the postseason. Are those threes gonna fall? 87 00:04:43,400 --> 00:04:47,039 Speaker 1: That's my question. One thing that's not different. Jordan Clarkson's 88 00:04:47,080 --> 00:04:49,080 Speaker 1: always going to score like he did in this one. 89 00:04:49,279 --> 00:04:54,080 Speaker 1: Eight threes off the bench, forty points in all. Huge 90 00:04:54,200 --> 00:04:56,960 Speaker 1: night for Jordan Clarkson as the Jazz won their eighth 91 00:04:57,080 --> 00:04:59,760 Speaker 1: straight game. They have won nineteen of twenty. They're playing 92 00:04:59,800 --> 00:05:03,760 Speaker 1: in credible team ball. On the Sixers side, Joel Embiid 93 00:05:03,760 --> 00:05:07,240 Speaker 1: missing this game, it sparks the question many people have 94 00:05:07,360 --> 00:05:09,599 Speaker 1: of the Sixers will he be durable enough to get 95 00:05:09,640 --> 00:05:12,600 Speaker 1: them to an NBA Finals? To me, the bigger question is, well, 96 00:05:12,640 --> 00:05:16,280 Speaker 1: they have a ball handler alongside Joel Embiid who's going 97 00:05:16,320 --> 00:05:18,760 Speaker 1: to hit big shots in the fourth quarter to close 98 00:05:18,760 --> 00:05:22,560 Speaker 1: out games. Well. Tobias Harris had thirty six in this 99 00:05:22,600 --> 00:05:26,760 Speaker 1: one and Ben Simmons had forty two, a career high 100 00:05:26,880 --> 00:05:29,040 Speaker 1: forty two. With him beat out, he had the lane 101 00:05:29,080 --> 00:05:33,040 Speaker 1: wide open. So him, Tobias Harris, and Seth Curry are 102 00:05:33,040 --> 00:05:35,520 Speaker 1: gonna have to be able to create from the outside 103 00:05:35,520 --> 00:05:38,960 Speaker 1: when it comes to the postseason. Jumping to those Clippers 104 00:05:38,960 --> 00:05:40,480 Speaker 1: who are sort of in the fray there with the 105 00:05:40,560 --> 00:05:43,000 Speaker 1: Lakers and the standings. They got a nice team win 106 00:05:43,080 --> 00:05:46,560 Speaker 1: over Miami without Kawhi Leonard and Paul George. They're doing 107 00:05:46,600 --> 00:05:49,799 Speaker 1: some bonding that they didn't do last season. Marcus Morris 108 00:05:49,839 --> 00:05:52,520 Speaker 1: was nix Marcus Morris the Clippers acquired last year. He 109 00:05:52,560 --> 00:05:55,200 Speaker 1: had thirty two points and the Miami defense was not 110 00:05:55,320 --> 00:05:58,040 Speaker 1: the defense that took them to the finals. They are 111 00:05:58,040 --> 00:06:02,520 Speaker 1: now eleven and sixteen. Another big game on Monday was 112 00:06:02,560 --> 00:06:05,479 Speaker 1: between guys who were traded for each other this offseason. 113 00:06:05,880 --> 00:06:08,560 Speaker 1: John Wall going back to Washington for the first time 114 00:06:08,640 --> 00:06:11,360 Speaker 1: since he was traded for Russell Westbrook. Wall wanted this 115 00:06:11,400 --> 00:06:13,279 Speaker 1: one he spent ten years there. Of course he did. 116 00:06:13,440 --> 00:06:17,680 Speaker 1: He spent the first half, scoring twenty two points in 117 00:06:17,760 --> 00:06:20,320 Speaker 1: the first two quarters. He slowed down in the second half, 118 00:06:20,360 --> 00:06:22,479 Speaker 1: as he has this season. He scores five more points 119 00:06:22,480 --> 00:06:24,200 Speaker 1: a game in the first half, first the second half. 120 00:06:24,200 --> 00:06:26,240 Speaker 1: This season, he's had some injuries give him a break. 121 00:06:26,320 --> 00:06:29,719 Speaker 1: He ended with twenty nine points. But Westbrook also wanted 122 00:06:29,720 --> 00:06:32,400 Speaker 1: this thing. Westbrook played in both games of a back 123 00:06:32,440 --> 00:06:35,000 Speaker 1: to back for the first time this season. He didn't 124 00:06:35,040 --> 00:06:39,000 Speaker 1: do it once last year. Westbrook had sixteen points, fifteen assists, 125 00:06:39,000 --> 00:06:42,080 Speaker 1: thirteen rebounds. Let's not worry about the percentages, and he 126 00:06:42,279 --> 00:06:46,279 Speaker 1: doubled his dunk total for this season in those pair 127 00:06:46,360 --> 00:06:49,119 Speaker 1: of games that he played. He had two coming into 128 00:06:49,160 --> 00:06:51,760 Speaker 1: those pair of games, and he had two in that set. 129 00:06:52,080 --> 00:06:55,120 Speaker 1: Just like Bradley Beal searching for a ball under the bleachers, 130 00:06:55,440 --> 00:06:59,679 Speaker 1: Westbrook is searching for that consistent bounce. And I've heard 131 00:06:59,720 --> 00:07:03,880 Speaker 1: as a Fleet's primes are getting later and later. Okay, 132 00:07:03,920 --> 00:07:07,360 Speaker 1: that's not happening for Russell Westbrook, but his in season 133 00:07:07,440 --> 00:07:10,280 Speaker 1: prime is getting later. And what I mean by that 134 00:07:10,440 --> 00:07:12,080 Speaker 1: is last year he had an all star season for 135 00:07:12,120 --> 00:07:14,760 Speaker 1: the Rockets, but it was about two months into the 136 00:07:14,840 --> 00:07:17,880 Speaker 1: season when he really picked it up. We're nearing that 137 00:07:17,960 --> 00:07:20,720 Speaker 1: mark of this season. The difference this year is he's 138 00:07:20,720 --> 00:07:23,360 Speaker 1: missed so much time. He's played in eighteen games, he's 139 00:07:23,400 --> 00:07:28,080 Speaker 1: missed seven. Either way, I'm searching for a little bright 140 00:07:28,120 --> 00:07:30,800 Speaker 1: spot for the Washington Wizards. Hey, they've won two in 141 00:07:30,800 --> 00:07:33,840 Speaker 1: a row. You're never out of it in the Eastern Conference. 142 00:07:33,880 --> 00:07:36,440 Speaker 1: I'm not kidding. They are definitely not out of it. 143 00:07:36,480 --> 00:07:39,240 Speaker 1: Their second last in the East. But there's a play 144 00:07:39,240 --> 00:07:42,840 Speaker 1: in tournament this year. Who knows. Speaking of All Stars 145 00:07:42,880 --> 00:07:46,560 Speaker 1: like Russell Westbrook was last year, the Knicks, Julius Randall 146 00:07:46,880 --> 00:07:49,640 Speaker 1: has a case this season, and his teammates vouch for 147 00:07:49,720 --> 00:07:52,040 Speaker 1: him postgame, but he just. 148 00:07:52,000 --> 00:08:02,360 Speaker 2: Wanted to get out of there. Listen, Yes, I just 149 00:08:02,400 --> 00:08:03,000 Speaker 2: want to go home. 150 00:08:03,160 --> 00:08:06,120 Speaker 1: Julius Randall had forty four points versus the Hawks. He 151 00:08:06,240 --> 00:08:08,560 Speaker 1: is such a unique watch. First because he's left handed. 152 00:08:08,560 --> 00:08:11,040 Speaker 1: That always makes it a little bit more unique, but 153 00:08:11,120 --> 00:08:13,680 Speaker 1: also because he takes mid range shots, a shot that's 154 00:08:13,800 --> 00:08:17,120 Speaker 1: dying in the NBA, and he makes them just keeps 155 00:08:17,160 --> 00:08:19,640 Speaker 1: banging him home. He is getting hot at the right 156 00:08:19,680 --> 00:08:21,280 Speaker 1: time if you want to make the wants to make 157 00:08:21,280 --> 00:08:24,000 Speaker 1: the All Star Game. The Knicks are also getting hot. 158 00:08:24,040 --> 00:08:27,440 Speaker 1: Sitting six in the East, Randall twenty three points, eleven rebounds, 159 00:08:27,560 --> 00:08:31,600 Speaker 1: five and a half assists per game, forty from three. Hello. 160 00:08:31,920 --> 00:08:35,000 Speaker 1: While the Hawks yipes, they are the worst fourth quarter 161 00:08:35,040 --> 00:08:38,000 Speaker 1: team in the NBA. Trey Young and John Collins went 162 00:08:38,160 --> 00:08:42,040 Speaker 1: over in the period zero points combined. The Knicks got 163 00:08:42,080 --> 00:08:44,160 Speaker 1: physical with Trey Young throughout the game and it paid 164 00:08:44,200 --> 00:08:48,960 Speaker 1: off late. Speaking of fourth quarters, Zach Lavine owns those 165 00:08:48,960 --> 00:08:53,080 Speaker 1: things for the Chicago Bulls Bulls Pacers. Levine, the NBA's 166 00:08:53,160 --> 00:08:57,520 Speaker 1: fourth quarter leader in points tied alongside Natistetokounmpo, had twelve 167 00:08:57,520 --> 00:09:00,600 Speaker 1: in the period to take it to overtime and Demata 168 00:09:00,640 --> 00:09:03,720 Speaker 1: Sabonis on the Pacers just can't buy a bucket these days. 169 00:09:03,720 --> 00:09:05,640 Speaker 1: There's a lid on the basket for that guy. It 170 00:09:05,679 --> 00:09:08,440 Speaker 1: seems like he's just sort of aiming at home, kind 171 00:09:08,440 --> 00:09:10,840 Speaker 1: of like he's shooting for his All Star chances right now, 172 00:09:10,880 --> 00:09:14,240 Speaker 1: but the shots are clanking. It's unfortunate the Pacers have 173 00:09:14,320 --> 00:09:17,560 Speaker 1: come back to earth after a hot start. The Bulls 174 00:09:17,679 --> 00:09:20,199 Speaker 1: may have an All Star themselves. They are now at 175 00:09:20,240 --> 00:09:24,640 Speaker 1: eleven and fifteen. Cavs Warriors. The Warriors are now at 176 00:09:24,679 --> 00:09:29,000 Speaker 1: fifteen and thirteen after destroying the nine players that suited 177 00:09:29,080 --> 00:09:33,000 Speaker 1: up for the Andre Drummond list Cleveland Cavaliers, Brooklyn, Sacramento 178 00:09:33,280 --> 00:09:36,600 Speaker 1: know Kevin Durant for the Nets because of en hamstring injury. 179 00:09:36,920 --> 00:09:39,880 Speaker 1: But it doesn't matter. The Nets have two other Hall 180 00:09:39,880 --> 00:09:43,120 Speaker 1: of Famers in their primes. Kyrie Irving had forty easy ones. 181 00:09:43,200 --> 00:09:46,200 Speaker 1: Harden had twenty nine points, thirteen rebounds, fourteen assists. The 182 00:09:46,200 --> 00:09:49,480 Speaker 1: Nets hit a franchise record twenty seven threes. Think about that. 183 00:09:50,120 --> 00:09:52,160 Speaker 1: How are you going to win when you give up 184 00:09:52,240 --> 00:09:55,240 Speaker 1: eighty one points from the three point line. But it 185 00:09:55,280 --> 00:09:58,280 Speaker 1: was their defense in the third quarter that was promising, 186 00:09:59,000 --> 00:10:01,800 Speaker 1: holding the Kings to just twenty points. And that's all 187 00:10:01,840 --> 00:10:04,880 Speaker 1: they have to do to win basketball games. Just turn 188 00:10:04,920 --> 00:10:07,840 Speaker 1: on the defer a quarter. That's how good their offense is. 189 00:10:08,360 --> 00:10:10,680 Speaker 1: And talking about defense, the Brooklyn Nets have made a 190 00:10:10,679 --> 00:10:12,800 Speaker 1: free agent signing to help that end of the floor. 191 00:10:13,080 --> 00:10:18,599 Speaker 1: They've signed former Oklahoma City thunder guard wing Andre Roberson. 192 00:10:18,760 --> 00:10:21,600 Speaker 1: That guy can stop people on the perimeter. He has 193 00:10:21,640 --> 00:10:24,679 Speaker 1: some struggles offensively, but if he can stay on the floor, 194 00:10:24,840 --> 00:10:27,280 Speaker 1: he's gonna help the Nets. That's it for me. I 195 00:10:27,320 --> 00:10:29,040 Speaker 1: will be back to give you the news as fast 196 00:10:29,120 --> 00:10:32,319 Speaker 1: as I possibly can on Wednesday. Make sure you check 197 00:10:32,320 --> 00:10:34,520 Speaker 1: out the full Nodunks episode here on Tuesday. 198 00:10:34,640 --> 00:10:35,160 Speaker 2: I'll see you then,