WEBVTT - Heat Win Game 7 Reaction, Celtics Next Move, Finals Preview, Nurse to Philly

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<v Speaker 1>Game seven, May stand eyed. I with history and they

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<v Speaker 1>did not point.

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<v Speaker 2>The Heat are going to the NBA finalists.

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<v Speaker 1>Welcome man too, NBA pulsa production of iHeartMedia and the NBA.

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<v Speaker 1>I'm Sarah Kustack, NBA analyst for the S Network, and

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<v Speaker 1>today is Tuesday, May thirtieth. From our extraordinary core group

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

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<v Speaker 1>senior writer John Schumann. Shoe, you were in the building,

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<v Speaker 1>you were in TV garden Game seven. This Eastern Conference

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<v Speaker 1>Finals has been one for the ages, and I think

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<v Speaker 1>a lot of Boston fans, many around the NBA community,

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<v Speaker 1>thought this might be a history setting night, an opportunity

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<v Speaker 1>to see a team for the first time come back

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<v Speaker 1>from a three to nothing series deficit. But never count

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<v Speaker 1>out Jimmy Butler, the Miami Heat, Eric Spolster, and of

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<v Speaker 1>course Caleb Martin, which we will get into. And first, Shoe,

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<v Speaker 1>I'm curious. I mean, obviously you're there. You're breaking things

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<v Speaker 1>down basketball wise, looking at the numbers. We have been

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<v Speaker 1>doing that throughout the course of this playoffs, but more

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<v Speaker 1>so the emotional side of it. In Miami four Game six,

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<v Speaker 1>the Heat, it looked like they were headed to the finals.

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<v Speaker 1>Before that, Derek White put in what they had went through,

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<v Speaker 1>what they endured, laying it all on the line, and

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<v Speaker 1>to see heartbreak at home in your own building, and

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<v Speaker 1>to have to turn around two days later after winning

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<v Speaker 1>or after losing the last three games. What stood out

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<v Speaker 1>to you about this Miami Heat team to be able

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<v Speaker 1>to gather themselves together and come away not only with

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<v Speaker 1>a win, but a one to three, eighty four dominant

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<v Speaker 1>win in the building of the Boston Celtics.

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<v Speaker 2>Yeah. I compared it a little bit to the Spurs

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<v Speaker 2>in the twenty thirteen finals, where they had Game six

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<v Speaker 2>seemingly sewn up. They were up two with the ball

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<v Speaker 2>and the shot clock off, but Kawhi Leonard missed one

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<v Speaker 2>of two from the line, Ray Allen or Lebron James

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<v Speaker 2>missed the three, Chris Bosh got a rebound, Ray hit

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<v Speaker 2>Ray Allen hit that miracle three to tie it.

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<v Speaker 1>James Catchers puts up the three, let go.

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<v Speaker 2>His toilet, and the Spurs lost in overtime. And that

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<v Speaker 2>was just devastating. I mean, they had the championship in

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<v Speaker 2>their hands. The ropes were out right on the side

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<v Speaker 2>of the court. There the trophy presentation was being readied,

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<v Speaker 2>and they had to come back forty eight hours and

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<v Speaker 2>play game seven. And they were good. In Game seven,

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<v Speaker 2>they almost were there. They had Tim Duncan had a

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<v Speaker 2>little jump hook over Shane Battier to tie the game

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<v Speaker 2>in the final minute. So that was a remarkable recovery.

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<v Speaker 2>And then it ended up taking a year, right, they

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<v Speaker 2>came back, and then they absolutely destroyed the Heat in

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<v Speaker 2>the following finals. So Eric Bolsher and the Heat were

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<v Speaker 2>on the on the winning side of that kind of heartbreak,

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<v Speaker 2>you know, ten years ago, and ten years later they

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<v Speaker 2>suffer a sort of a similar heartbreak at the end

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<v Speaker 2>of Game six. I mean, they were winning when the

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<v Speaker 2>buzzer sounded, but you know, Derk White's tippin was in

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<v Speaker 2>the air and so and then obviously they're facing the

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<v Speaker 2>prospect they've lost the three zero series lead, right, they've

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<v Speaker 2>blown it. It's now tied three to three. So the

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<v Speaker 2>resilience and the sort of fight and the mental toughness

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<v Speaker 2>to come back from that Game six loss and the

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<v Speaker 2>way it ended and come back and win Game seven

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<v Speaker 2>on the road, it's pretty remarkable. It's you know, it

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<v Speaker 2>was at all the Boston games in the series, and

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<v Speaker 2>I think this was the third time that I came

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<v Speaker 2>away stunned by what was happening. And those are the

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<v Speaker 2>three Heat wins. I'm you know, it's one of those

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<v Speaker 2>series where it's like the first three. What was most

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<v Speaker 2>surprising the first the fact that the Heat were up

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<v Speaker 2>three zero, the fact that the Celtics came back and

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<v Speaker 2>sighed it, or the fact that the Heat won Game

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<v Speaker 2>seven on the road. I don't know. It's just a rollercoaster,

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<v Speaker 2>and it was all pretty stunning. Nothing was sort of

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<v Speaker 2>by the books.

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<v Speaker 1>Wild variations throughout the course of it, and it was

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<v Speaker 1>incredible to watch. Another part of that, too, probably surprised

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<v Speaker 1>a lot of people, was Caleb Martin. And we can

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<v Speaker 1>gush and gush as we should about what Jimmy Butler

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<v Speaker 1>has been able to do throughout the course of these

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<v Speaker 1>playoffs and last night twenty eight points, seven rebounds, six assists,

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<v Speaker 1>But Caleb Martin has been, you know, a individual here

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<v Speaker 1>who we all have now come to learn and know

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<v Speaker 1>his story. We've watched him throughout the course of the

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<v Speaker 1>early part of his career playing for Charlotte, waved by

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<v Speaker 1>the Hornets, picked up here by this Heat team, and

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<v Speaker 1>he has been as steady as they come. Last night

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<v Speaker 1>twenty six points, ten rebounds, eleven to sixteen from the field,

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<v Speaker 1>four to six from a three point line. Jimmy Butler

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<v Speaker 1>does win the MVP of the Eastern Conference Final, Shoe.

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<v Speaker 1>I'm curious, did your I think there was a lot

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<v Speaker 1>of thought that maybe that would be Caleb Martin's trophy

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<v Speaker 1>to have. I don't think any of them care as

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<v Speaker 1>long as they are headed to the finals. But did

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<v Speaker 1>what did Caleb Martin show you throughout this not just

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<v Speaker 1>his play last night, with the consistency throughout the course

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<v Speaker 1>of this postseason.

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<v Speaker 2>Yeah, the MVP vote was five to four. I was

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<v Speaker 2>one of the four votes for Caleb Martin. It's amazing.

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<v Speaker 2>This is a guy is in his fourth NBA season.

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<v Speaker 2>He's never had his career high average scoring was this year.

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<v Speaker 2>He averaged nine point four points per game. A year

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<v Speaker 2>ago he was so it was less than two years ago.

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<v Speaker 2>He was signed by the Heat late in the summer,

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<v Speaker 2>right like he was sort of almost an afterthought in

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<v Speaker 2>that offseason, but he was in their rotation in the playoffs.

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<v Speaker 2>Last year. He played every game until Game seven of

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<v Speaker 2>the Eastern Conference Finals, and he was d MP. You know,

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<v Speaker 2>they shortened their rotation and he didn't play. So then

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<v Speaker 2>exactly one year ago to the date, Game seven again

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<v Speaker 2>and he scores twenty six points. I voted him for MVP.

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<v Speaker 2>You know, Jimmy Butler scored more in the series. I thought,

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<v Speaker 2>you know, Martin was was obviously the more efficient scorer,

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<v Speaker 2>and I just thought he bailed them out of so

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<v Speaker 2>many late clock situations. I think we've spoken about this,

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<v Speaker 2>like he in each of the last two series against

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<v Speaker 2>New York against Boston, they've been living late in the

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<v Speaker 2>shot clock their offense just you know, credit the Celtics defense.

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<v Speaker 2>They've defended like the initial heat actions, you know, pinned

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<v Speaker 2>down screens, dribble handoffs really well, and he'd have been

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<v Speaker 2>living late in the clock. And Caleb Martin has bailed

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<v Speaker 2>them out so many times, whether it be a three

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<v Speaker 2>pointer off the catch or an attack and a crazy

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<v Speaker 2>finish at the rim. And in Game seven, he was

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<v Speaker 2>hitting these fade away turnaround jumpers over Al Horford, it

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<v Speaker 2>over Derek White.

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<v Speaker 1>Onside Martin on.

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<v Speaker 2>One, Caleb Martin is absolutely on five. He was amazing

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<v Speaker 2>so on stat I have so in these playoffs. He's

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<v Speaker 2>been great throughout but obviously he was at his best

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<v Speaker 2>in Game seven of the Eastern Conference Finals, but in

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<v Speaker 2>the playoffs overall, he hasn't. Caleb Martin has an effective

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<v Speaker 2>field goal percentage of sixty eight point four percent, which

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<v Speaker 2>would be the best mark, the third best, could be

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<v Speaker 2>the third best mark in NBA history for a player

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<v Speaker 2>with at least one hundred field goal attempts. And that's

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<v Speaker 2>I mean, most of those that sort of the top

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<v Speaker 2>marks are in the last you know, several years because

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<v Speaker 2>of the three point line, and obviously his three point

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<v Speaker 2>shooting has been a big part of that. But that's

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<v Speaker 2>a pretty incredible, uh stat for a guy who is

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<v Speaker 2>just you know, a role player. You know, there's been

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<v Speaker 2>a role player for his entire NBA career, And like,

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<v Speaker 2>I don't know what you can say about the guy

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<v Speaker 2>it speaks, I don't know if it speaks. You know,

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<v Speaker 2>the Hornets chose the other brother, right, but I don't

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<v Speaker 2>know if it speaks more to you know, that being

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<v Speaker 2>a mistake or just the Heat and their system and

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<v Speaker 2>their player development and maybe what's inside Caleb Martin to

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<v Speaker 2>to sort of develop the way he has and just

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<v Speaker 2>step up. You know, the Heat have needed him Tyler

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<v Speaker 2>Hero has been out since Game one of the first round.

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<v Speaker 2>Victor Olodipo has been out since the first round. They've

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<v Speaker 2>needed Gabe Vincent and Caleb Martin to score more than

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<v Speaker 2>they ever have, and Caleb Martin especially has has stepped up.

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<v Speaker 1>Yeah, and to your point, probably a combination of all

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<v Speaker 1>of those things coming together. So it was glorious on

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<v Speaker 1>the side of the Miami Heat. Not so much for

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<v Speaker 1>the Boston Celtics, who have a lot of questions now

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<v Speaker 1>hitting into the offseason. They've had a tremendous amount of

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<v Speaker 1>success with Jason Tatum and Jaylen Brown, just not reaching

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<v Speaker 1>the pinnacle of hoisting that Larry O'Brian trophy, which is

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<v Speaker 1>the ultimate goal. Jason Tatum gets injured on the first

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<v Speaker 1>play of this game. You could tell he was laboring

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<v Speaker 1>a little bit with that ankle. Ends the game with

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<v Speaker 1>fourteen points eleven rebounds. Jalen Brown struggled nineteen points, but

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<v Speaker 1>was eight to twenty three from the field, one to

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<v Speaker 1>nine from the three point line. Big number that jumps

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<v Speaker 1>out was the eight turnovers that he had. But overall,

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<v Speaker 1>the Celtics struggled, especially against the Miami's zone defense. They

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<v Speaker 1>shot just thirty nine percent from the field, just over

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<v Speaker 1>twenty one percent from the three point line nine of

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<v Speaker 1>forty two. How do you frame not just what Boston

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<v Speaker 1>did throughout the course of this series, the highs and lows,

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<v Speaker 1>but obviously the tremendous amount of disappointment and in particular

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<v Speaker 1>the way Game seven finished, but also for them moving

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<v Speaker 1>forward in the decision that they have to make about

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<v Speaker 1>Jalen Brown, who has an opportunity to be extended here

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<v Speaker 1>five year, two hundred ninety five million dollar contract extension,

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<v Speaker 1>a lot of money that would be put into both

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<v Speaker 1>hate them and Brown still a pair that has not

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<v Speaker 1>quite frankly gotten it done here for Boston in the

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<v Speaker 1>recent past.

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<v Speaker 2>Yeah. I mean they've been to the Eastern Conference Finals

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<v Speaker 2>five times in the last seven years. And these guys

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<v Speaker 2>are still just twenty five and twenty six years old, right,

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<v Speaker 2>So it's in some ways it's just wow, like that's incredible,

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<v Speaker 2>and wow, they still have several years of contention. But

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<v Speaker 2>then you know, Jail Brown's up for this huge contract

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<v Speaker 2>extension and he's coming off of Game seven where he

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<v Speaker 2>turned the ball over a career high eight times. As

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<v Speaker 2>you said, the zone defense was amazingly the downfall of

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<v Speaker 2>the Celtics. I mean, it's the reason they lost Game two.

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<v Speaker 2>You know, that was the game where the Heat came

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<v Speaker 2>back from two different double digit deficits, and it was

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<v Speaker 2>zone defense that they played to sort of come back

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<v Speaker 2>from both of those double digit deficits. Even in Game

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<v Speaker 2>six the other night, the Celtics were up double digits

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<v Speaker 2>in the fourth quarter and the Heat ended up playing

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<v Speaker 2>a lot of zone in that fourth quarter and that

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<v Speaker 2>got them back. And then Game seven, it was zoned

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<v Speaker 2>for almost all the second quarter, almost all the fourth quarter.

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<v Speaker 2>That coincides with Duncan Robinson's time on the floor. Obviously

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<v Speaker 2>they like to play zone to protect him, but they're

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<v Speaker 2>not going to stay in it if it's not working,

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<v Speaker 2>and it was working all the time. In Game seven,

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<v Speaker 2>according to Synergy Tracking, the Celtics had just nineteen points

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<v Speaker 2>on thirty four zone possessions, which is absolutely brutal and

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<v Speaker 2>for the season, for the series overall, they were much

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<v Speaker 2>much more efficient in the half court against man to

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<v Speaker 2>man than they were against zone. It's pretty amazing. Five

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<v Speaker 2>years ago nobody was playing a lot of zone, and

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<v Speaker 2>all of a sudden it is winning the Eastern Conference Finals.

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<v Speaker 2>It's pretty amazing going forward. I think they just I mean,

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<v Speaker 2>these guys are twenty five and twenty six. They're both

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<v Speaker 2>you know, first team and second team All NBA this year.

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<v Speaker 2>I don't know how you can swallow sort of breaking

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<v Speaker 2>them up. At the same time, it's you know, that's

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<v Speaker 2>a lot of money for Jalen Brown, given that he

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<v Speaker 2>hasn't shown that sort of final level of that he'd playmaking.

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<v Speaker 2>I think that he needs to have to be sort

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<v Speaker 2>of a true star in this league. Basically, the one

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<v Speaker 2>question that the Celtics have to face is the Jalen

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<v Speaker 2>Brown question.

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<v Speaker 1>Yeah, a lot of questions to face. Those that will

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<v Speaker 1>be answered for the course of this off season. Is

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<v Speaker 1>they continue on in some answers for some other teams, says,

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<v Speaker 1>we will get to news around the league. Nick Nurse

0:12:40.480 --> 0:12:42.839
<v Speaker 1>hired by the Philadelphia seventy six ers. We will get

0:12:42.880 --> 0:12:45.520
<v Speaker 1>your take on that and gets it for a quick

0:12:45.520 --> 0:12:53.720
<v Speaker 1>little finals preview right after this break. Welcome back to

0:12:53.800 --> 0:12:57.520
<v Speaker 1>mby a Pulse Sarakustik joined by John Schumann and Shoe.

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<v Speaker 1>Philadelphia seventy six Ers hire Nick Nurse to be their

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<v Speaker 1>new head coach. What's your take on the ways in

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<v Speaker 1>which Nurse can impact the way the roster looks. I

0:13:08.240 --> 0:13:12.199
<v Speaker 1>know there's still questions about James Harden decisions he may

0:13:12.240 --> 0:13:14.280
<v Speaker 1>make in what the roster will look like as a whole.

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<v Speaker 1>But starting with Joel Embiid, what do you think Nick

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<v Speaker 1>Nurse can do on both sides of the ball here

0:13:18.520 --> 0:13:20.200
<v Speaker 1>for this seventy six Ers team.

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<v Speaker 2>I'm really curious to see it. You know, the Sixers

0:13:23.120 --> 0:13:26.760
<v Speaker 2>had a top five offense this year and they may

0:13:26.920 --> 0:13:32.000
<v Speaker 2>you know, they James Harden at point guard made Joel

0:13:32.040 --> 0:13:35.520
<v Speaker 2>Embiid the best offensive player he's ever been. We've talked

0:13:35.520 --> 0:13:38.120
<v Speaker 2>about this, you know, multiple times. I think on this podcast,

0:13:38.240 --> 0:13:40.960
<v Speaker 2>he got him in better positions to score, you know,

0:13:41.320 --> 0:13:44.160
<v Speaker 2>where he was catching the ball twelve ten to twelve

0:13:44.200 --> 0:13:46.520
<v Speaker 2>feet from the basket instead of eighteen or twenty feet

0:13:46.520 --> 0:13:50.200
<v Speaker 2>from the basket. So it will be hard to sort

0:13:50.200 --> 0:13:55.480
<v Speaker 2>of improve on Embiid's scoring or at least his efficiency.

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<v Speaker 2>I think the one thing they could help, but I

0:13:57.840 --> 0:13:59.640
<v Speaker 2>don't know if this is more of a Nick Nurse

0:13:59.679 --> 0:14:02.640
<v Speaker 2>thing just an Embiid thing, is just he's got to

0:14:02.679 --> 0:14:05.439
<v Speaker 2>be a better playmaker when he sees double teams, when

0:14:05.440 --> 0:14:09.520
<v Speaker 2>he sees a crowd out of the post. You know,

0:14:09.679 --> 0:14:12.160
<v Speaker 2>he's got to add a little bit of he doesn't

0:14:12.160 --> 0:14:14.920
<v Speaker 2>have to be Nikolajokic in that in that respect, but

0:14:14.960 --> 0:14:16.720
<v Speaker 2>he's got to add a little bit of that sort

0:14:16.760 --> 0:14:20.200
<v Speaker 2>of Nikolojokic ability to put uh pass out of the

0:14:20.240 --> 0:14:25.000
<v Speaker 2>post for them to sort of maximize themselves offensively. Obviously,

0:14:25.040 --> 0:14:27.320
<v Speaker 2>the James Harden question on that end of the floor

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<v Speaker 2>is huge, and whether he comes back and then defensively,

0:14:32.040 --> 0:14:33.880
<v Speaker 2>you know, Nick Nurse won't be able to do everything

0:14:33.920 --> 0:14:37.000
<v Speaker 2>he did in Toronto when they had you know, a

0:14:37.040 --> 0:14:40.360
<v Speaker 2>great defense both the year they won the championship and

0:14:40.440 --> 0:14:44.320
<v Speaker 2>the following year they were terrific defensively because Bids he

0:14:44.440 --> 0:14:46.960
<v Speaker 2>can't Embiid's got to be able to stay in the paint.

0:14:47.000 --> 0:14:49.560
<v Speaker 2>You know, he can't be you know, I mean he

0:14:49.560 --> 0:14:52.560
<v Speaker 2>could play zone. They could play zone some, which they

0:14:52.600 --> 0:14:55.600
<v Speaker 2>didn't do a lot of this past year, but he

0:14:55.680 --> 0:14:58.600
<v Speaker 2>can't be playing in aggressive style where he's out on

0:14:58.680 --> 0:15:01.720
<v Speaker 2>the perimeter. I mean, shoot Game seven against the Celtics,

0:15:02.280 --> 0:15:05.400
<v Speaker 2>he was you know, the Celtics put him in pick

0:15:05.440 --> 0:15:08.280
<v Speaker 2>and roll all game and he just got torched and

0:15:08.360 --> 0:15:11.720
<v Speaker 2>so and that's a fatigue thing. And again, like if

0:15:11.760 --> 0:15:14.360
<v Speaker 2>you play aggressive defense with MP You're gonna wear him down.

0:15:14.440 --> 0:15:17.760
<v Speaker 2>So I'll be really fascinated to see what happens, because

0:15:17.840 --> 0:15:21.480
<v Speaker 2>you know that team revolves completely about around MB. It's

0:15:21.520 --> 0:15:25.440
<v Speaker 2>a different sort of dynamic than Nick Nurse had in

0:15:25.480 --> 0:15:26.800
<v Speaker 2>Toronto the last few years.

0:15:26.960 --> 0:15:29.720
<v Speaker 1>It will be interesting, especially with all the talent and

0:15:30.160 --> 0:15:32.200
<v Speaker 1>potentially some of the movement across the league, not only

0:15:32.280 --> 0:15:35.320
<v Speaker 1>with players but with some coaches as some very good

0:15:35.320 --> 0:15:38.840
<v Speaker 1>teams still looking to fill positions. Finals, though, we're ready

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<v Speaker 1>and this is a quick turnaround Thursday, eight thirty pm

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<v Speaker 1>Eastern on ABC, it will begin. The Denver Nuggets have

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<v Speaker 1>been sitting waiting to see who their opponent would be.

0:15:47.320 --> 0:15:52.160
<v Speaker 1>Now they know as Miami heads to Denver. When you

0:15:52.200 --> 0:15:54.520
<v Speaker 1>look at the series, you look at the finals in

0:15:54.560 --> 0:15:56.840
<v Speaker 1>the way it's construction. What are some numbers that jump

0:15:56.880 --> 0:15:59.480
<v Speaker 1>out to you that you're looking at and looking for

0:15:59.720 --> 0:16:01.400
<v Speaker 1>when Finals begins.

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<v Speaker 2>It just starts with the Duggets offense. I mean they've

0:16:04.800 --> 0:16:08.040
<v Speaker 2>scored one hundred and nineteen point seven points per one

0:16:08.080 --> 0:16:11.240
<v Speaker 2>hundred possessions in through the first three rounds, which is

0:16:11.360 --> 0:16:15.040
<v Speaker 2>remarkable efficiency. It's the most efficient a team has been

0:16:15.080 --> 0:16:18.400
<v Speaker 2>through three rounds of playoffs in the last six years

0:16:18.520 --> 0:16:25.640
<v Speaker 2>since the twenty seventeen Calves, and it was I mean,

0:16:25.680 --> 0:16:27.600
<v Speaker 2>they were remarkable in the last round. I mean, the

0:16:27.920 --> 0:16:29.880
<v Speaker 2>Lakers had the number one defense through the first two

0:16:29.960 --> 0:16:34.000
<v Speaker 2>rounds one hundred and six point five points allowed for

0:16:34.080 --> 0:16:38.160
<v Speaker 2>one hundred possessions, and then they allowed one twenty two

0:16:38.280 --> 0:16:42.120
<v Speaker 2>point three in the conference finals to the Nuggets. So

0:16:42.280 --> 0:16:45.400
<v Speaker 2>it starts there. It starts with how do you defend

0:16:45.440 --> 0:16:49.240
<v Speaker 2>Nikola Jokic. You know, Bam out of Bayo is a

0:16:49.280 --> 0:16:51.920
<v Speaker 2>great defender, but I don't know if he's a great

0:16:52.000 --> 0:16:57.080
<v Speaker 2>Nikola Jokic defender, And so it starts there. Out of

0:16:57.120 --> 0:17:02.800
<v Speaker 2>Bio hinted in the postgame press conference last night actually

0:17:02.800 --> 0:17:06.040
<v Speaker 2>that they want to take away his assists, so maybe

0:17:06.080 --> 0:17:09.439
<v Speaker 2>they want to make him, you know, more of a score,

0:17:09.600 --> 0:17:12.679
<v Speaker 2>which is tough because, like Nikole, Joki is basically the

0:17:12.720 --> 0:17:16.840
<v Speaker 2>most efficient scorer in the NBA. So he'll be interesting

0:17:16.920 --> 0:17:19.479
<v Speaker 2>to see sort of that dynamic and how aggressive he

0:17:19.560 --> 0:17:25.160
<v Speaker 2>is with his own offense in that series. And then

0:17:25.560 --> 0:17:28.720
<v Speaker 2>you know, you know, putting Jimmy Butler on it on

0:17:28.800 --> 0:17:32.320
<v Speaker 2>Jamal Murray is is great, and then it'll come down

0:17:32.359 --> 0:17:34.720
<v Speaker 2>maybe to you know, how the the other Nuggets shoot

0:17:34.840 --> 0:17:38.560
<v Speaker 2>you know like that, the Heat will sort of show

0:17:38.760 --> 0:17:41.200
<v Speaker 2>Jamal Murray a crowd and pick and roll. They'll pinch,

0:17:41.440 --> 0:17:44.000
<v Speaker 2>you know, off the wings and off the corners and

0:17:44.000 --> 0:17:46.840
<v Speaker 2>and and you know, force other guys to make shots

0:17:48.160 --> 0:17:49.840
<v Speaker 2>and then of course the other end of the floor. Hey,

0:17:49.880 --> 0:17:53.240
<v Speaker 2>if Cale Martin can and can continue to play like

0:17:53.320 --> 0:17:56.800
<v Speaker 2>he is, you know, there's a possibility of Tyler Tyler

0:17:56.840 --> 0:17:59.280
<v Speaker 2>Hero making a return in this series, so that should

0:17:59.280 --> 0:18:03.600
<v Speaker 2>be interesting. But it's tough not to favor the Nuggets

0:18:03.640 --> 0:18:07.240
<v Speaker 2>just given how incredibly good they are offensively, how much

0:18:07.280 --> 0:18:12.520
<v Speaker 2>of a weapon Yokich is, and maybe just how rested

0:18:12.520 --> 0:18:15.639
<v Speaker 2>they're going to be by the time Game one comes around.

0:18:16.320 --> 0:18:18.359
<v Speaker 1>Is that your pick? Is that what we're holding you

0:18:18.359 --> 0:18:19.119
<v Speaker 1>to at this point?

0:18:19.760 --> 0:18:22.680
<v Speaker 2>Yeah? I would say Nuggets in maybe five or six

0:18:22.720 --> 0:18:25.800
<v Speaker 2>would be my pick. But hey, I doubted the Heat before,

0:18:25.920 --> 0:18:30.720
<v Speaker 2>and the Heat have proven themselves to be remarkably resilient

0:18:30.880 --> 0:18:35.640
<v Speaker 2>and remarkably great at finding ways to win. And they've

0:18:35.640 --> 0:18:40.760
<v Speaker 2>won in multiple different ways in these playoffs, shooting ridiculously hot,

0:18:40.840 --> 0:18:46.399
<v Speaker 2>playing great defense, slowing the game down. So nothing would

0:18:46.480 --> 0:18:49.440
<v Speaker 2>shock me. I mean, but hey, if the Miami Heat

0:18:49.480 --> 0:18:53.800
<v Speaker 2>a team that got outscored in the regular season, Can

0:18:54.000 --> 0:18:58.560
<v Speaker 2>can make the finals? You know, anything could happen. I guess.

0:18:59.800 --> 0:19:02.080
<v Speaker 1>Anything could happen, and they believe that. It's been an

0:19:02.080 --> 0:19:05.520
<v Speaker 1>extraordinary story to watch, that's for sure, but it is

0:19:05.800 --> 0:19:08.159
<v Speaker 1>it is going to be something to watch. The difference

0:19:08.160 --> 0:19:10.320
<v Speaker 1>in rest between both these teams as they head into

0:19:10.320 --> 0:19:14.200
<v Speaker 1>Thursday nights Game one. Shoe, You're the best. We appreciate you,

0:19:14.280 --> 0:19:16.919
<v Speaker 1>and we will continue looking and reading all your stuff

0:19:17.359 --> 0:19:20.720
<v Speaker 1>at NBA dot com. Enjoy the rest of these finals.

0:19:20.720 --> 0:19:22.600
<v Speaker 1>As you continue with the coverage, We'll see you soon.

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<v Speaker 1>M VA Pulse with Sarahustak is a production of the

0:19:25.160 --> 0:19:27.720
<v Speaker 1>NBA and iHeartRadio. Please rate, review, and subscribe on the

0:19:27.760 --> 0:19:30.480
<v Speaker 1>iHeartRadio app or wherever you get your podcasts.