1 00:00:04,240 --> 00:00:06,440 Speaker 1: The Lakers have lost three in a row? Is it 2 00:00:06,519 --> 00:00:09,840 Speaker 1: time to worry? The team? LA is chasing? The Utah 3 00:00:09,920 --> 00:00:12,680 Speaker 1: Jazz set a new team record, but that was after 4 00:00:12,760 --> 00:00:15,960 Speaker 1: the Charlotte Hornets really pissed them off. God, I love 5 00:00:16,040 --> 00:00:18,439 Speaker 1: that game. Let's get into it. Hey, I'm tas Malus 6 00:00:18,440 --> 00:00:19,840 Speaker 1: and this is what you need to know in the 7 00:00:19,960 --> 00:00:28,560 Speaker 1: NBA for Tuesday, February twenty third. The first thing you 8 00:00:28,600 --> 00:00:30,880 Speaker 1: need to know is that the world is not collapsing 9 00:00:30,920 --> 00:00:33,800 Speaker 1: for the Lakers. Yes, the champs have lost three in 10 00:00:33,800 --> 00:00:36,800 Speaker 1: a row after losing to the Wizards at home, and 11 00:00:36,840 --> 00:00:40,000 Speaker 1: they have some problems with the bottom dwelling teams in 12 00:00:40,040 --> 00:00:43,280 Speaker 1: the NBA, but that's better than having problems with the 13 00:00:43,320 --> 00:00:46,720 Speaker 1: best teams in the NBA. Lebron's Lakers are going to 14 00:00:46,760 --> 00:00:49,880 Speaker 1: play down to their competition at times. They need things 15 00:00:49,880 --> 00:00:52,280 Speaker 1: to motivate them. That's why they're a far better road 16 00:00:52,320 --> 00:00:54,920 Speaker 1: team than they are a home team. And even more 17 00:00:54,960 --> 00:00:58,000 Speaker 1: importantly than that, they're a top heavy team that doesn't 18 00:00:58,040 --> 00:01:01,280 Speaker 1: have their top right now. Anthony Davis is out He's 19 00:01:01,320 --> 00:01:04,679 Speaker 1: missed this entire three game losing streak, and Dennis Shrewder, 20 00:01:04,720 --> 00:01:07,600 Speaker 1: their third best scorer, is also out. And he won't 21 00:01:07,640 --> 00:01:09,959 Speaker 1: be there when the Lakers face the Utah Jazz on 22 00:01:10,000 --> 00:01:13,199 Speaker 1: Wednesday night, which stinks. If you want to nitpick about 23 00:01:13,240 --> 00:01:16,640 Speaker 1: something with the Lakers, it's that they're up seventeen in 24 00:01:16,720 --> 00:01:19,160 Speaker 1: the third quarter and then they just shot three after three, 25 00:01:19,200 --> 00:01:22,000 Speaker 1: after three after three. They missed twelve straight threes between 26 00:01:22,000 --> 00:01:24,720 Speaker 1: the third and fourth quarter when they should have been 27 00:01:24,760 --> 00:01:27,760 Speaker 1: going to the whole to the free throw line. Especially 28 00:01:27,800 --> 00:01:31,200 Speaker 1: with their old mate, old Laker Moe Wagner starting in 29 00:01:31,200 --> 00:01:33,600 Speaker 1: the middle for the Wizards. This should have been going 30 00:01:33,680 --> 00:01:38,640 Speaker 1: down there. But Lebron James thirty one points and thirteen 31 00:01:38,640 --> 00:01:41,040 Speaker 1: assists isn't getting the old It's not an issue. That's 32 00:01:41,040 --> 00:01:43,240 Speaker 1: not the problem. Yeah, he missed a free throw at 33 00:01:43,240 --> 00:01:45,160 Speaker 1: the end of the game. It would be nice if 34 00:01:45,160 --> 00:01:49,000 Speaker 1: he had a better free throw percentage. It went into 35 00:01:49,040 --> 00:01:52,640 Speaker 1: overtime because he missed that free throw when Westbrook had 36 00:01:52,640 --> 00:01:55,480 Speaker 1: a really good period, great shot selection from him. He 37 00:01:55,520 --> 00:01:59,240 Speaker 1: handed with thirty two points, fourteen boards, and nine assists. 38 00:01:59,280 --> 00:02:01,360 Speaker 1: He says he's held healthy and if you listen to 39 00:02:01,400 --> 00:02:03,560 Speaker 1: this show, you'd know that his second half of the 40 00:02:03,600 --> 00:02:06,240 Speaker 1: season is probably going to be better than his first. 41 00:02:06,280 --> 00:02:10,040 Speaker 1: If his season mimics anything like it was last year 42 00:02:10,080 --> 00:02:11,880 Speaker 1: for the Houston Rockets when he went to the All 43 00:02:11,919 --> 00:02:16,239 Speaker 1: Star Game, and just some great experiences for the Wizards 44 00:02:16,280 --> 00:02:19,840 Speaker 1: youngsters in this game as well. Ruy At Tramura got 45 00:02:19,840 --> 00:02:21,800 Speaker 1: to guard the best player in the world for the 46 00:02:22,000 --> 00:02:26,359 Speaker 1: entire game, guarding Lebron. That was awesome to see. Russell Westbrook, 47 00:02:26,360 --> 00:02:28,920 Speaker 1: according to Fredkatz, told ruy hey, you got to guard 48 00:02:28,960 --> 00:02:32,160 Speaker 1: one through five, and now he has taken defense a 49 00:02:32,200 --> 00:02:36,520 Speaker 1: little bit more seriously, Danny Avdia, their rookie draft pick. 50 00:02:36,720 --> 00:02:39,440 Speaker 1: He hit a big shot under a minute left. The 51 00:02:39,480 --> 00:02:43,400 Speaker 1: Whiz have now won five straight games, their longest winning 52 00:02:43,440 --> 00:02:47,280 Speaker 1: streak in three years. They're at eleven and seventeen and 53 00:02:47,320 --> 00:02:50,240 Speaker 1: they're only two games back of the eight seed, and 54 00:02:50,280 --> 00:02:53,520 Speaker 1: they've got more games left than anyone in the Eastern 55 00:02:53,560 --> 00:02:57,200 Speaker 1: Conference because of how their COVID postponements have worked out 56 00:02:57,520 --> 00:03:01,160 Speaker 1: thus far. Little note for the Lakers, they released Quinn Cook, 57 00:03:01,480 --> 00:03:04,080 Speaker 1: the two time NBA champ, is likely to be replaced 58 00:03:04,080 --> 00:03:07,280 Speaker 1: by a big man. DeMarcus Cousins is rumored to be 59 00:03:07,320 --> 00:03:10,080 Speaker 1: going to the Lakers because he's on the outs with 60 00:03:10,120 --> 00:03:13,320 Speaker 1: the Houston Rockets. According to Schams Sharania of the athletic. 61 00:03:13,760 --> 00:03:15,920 Speaker 1: But there's also another big man who's in a very 62 00:03:15,960 --> 00:03:19,320 Speaker 1: similar situation to DeMarcus Cousins with the Rockets, but with 63 00:03:19,400 --> 00:03:22,280 Speaker 1: the Kings, Hassan Whiteside is a backup big there might 64 00:03:22,320 --> 00:03:25,080 Speaker 1: be on the outs with a young and upcoming team 65 00:03:25,160 --> 00:03:28,360 Speaker 1: that's looking to move on from Hassan Whiteside. According to 66 00:03:28,480 --> 00:03:32,079 Speaker 1: The La Times, Brad Turner and Dan Wiki, the Lakers 67 00:03:32,160 --> 00:03:35,920 Speaker 1: are interested in Hassan Whiteside, and it makes sense that 68 00:03:35,960 --> 00:03:38,440 Speaker 1: the Lakers want a backup big. They never really replaced 69 00:03:38,480 --> 00:03:42,560 Speaker 1: Dwight Howard in the offseason. Montrez Harrol is their backup center. 70 00:03:42,640 --> 00:03:45,160 Speaker 1: Although he's more of a power forward. He couldn't play 71 00:03:45,200 --> 00:03:48,840 Speaker 1: in overtime against the Washington Wizards even though he had 72 00:03:48,880 --> 00:03:51,360 Speaker 1: a season high twenty six points. He's just a little 73 00:03:51,400 --> 00:03:54,600 Speaker 1: bit undersized, so for some matchups they need a biggie 74 00:03:54,720 --> 00:03:58,920 Speaker 1: like Couzy or white Sidey moving on the Hornets versus 75 00:03:58,960 --> 00:04:02,000 Speaker 1: the Utah Jazz. My money, this was the game of 76 00:04:02,120 --> 00:04:04,600 Speaker 1: the night and with my money, I could have probably 77 00:04:04,640 --> 00:04:06,720 Speaker 1: got into this game. There were fans in the stands. 78 00:04:06,760 --> 00:04:09,920 Speaker 1: There were thirty nine hundred of them. Although it sounded 79 00:04:09,960 --> 00:04:14,240 Speaker 1: like Utah's old stadium, pumping sound, and that's probably what 80 00:04:14,280 --> 00:04:16,839 Speaker 1: was happening. They're piping in music and piping in sound, 81 00:04:16,920 --> 00:04:21,680 Speaker 1: and I'm extremely gullible. Anyways, the Hornets were just feeling themselves. 82 00:04:22,080 --> 00:04:24,280 Speaker 1: Everyone on that team can pass and shoot. This was 83 00:04:24,320 --> 00:04:27,600 Speaker 1: a great game and they make other teams angry. When 84 00:04:27,680 --> 00:04:31,720 Speaker 1: Lamellow Ball scored and did the you're too small gesture 85 00:04:31,760 --> 00:04:35,880 Speaker 1: toward Mike Conley, Oh, it riled up the jazz commentators. 86 00:04:36,040 --> 00:04:42,480 Speaker 1: Listen right here the bucket. Nice playing, But all right, 87 00:04:42,560 --> 00:04:47,520 Speaker 1: young fella, why I watch yourself. It's a long game. Yeah, no, 88 00:04:47,760 --> 00:04:51,360 Speaker 1: rookie can't do that to a fourteen years van. I'm sorry. 89 00:04:52,240 --> 00:04:55,400 Speaker 1: Gotta love it when Ball shot his floaters, Craig Bowlerjack 90 00:04:55,440 --> 00:05:00,120 Speaker 1: and Thorough Bailey were calling his shot technique awkward. I 91 00:05:00,120 --> 00:05:03,040 Speaker 1: believe the word you're looking for is unique, although they 92 00:05:03,120 --> 00:05:06,039 Speaker 1: softened on Ball and his twenty one points as the 93 00:05:06,080 --> 00:05:08,960 Speaker 1: game went on. Gotta love Ball going after it and 94 00:05:09,000 --> 00:05:11,320 Speaker 1: Gordon Hayward is fun to watch against his old team. 95 00:05:11,520 --> 00:05:14,440 Speaker 1: He went into Utah was looking like his old stop 96 00:05:14,440 --> 00:05:17,080 Speaker 1: on a diamond the lane spinny self. He had twenty 97 00:05:17,120 --> 00:05:20,120 Speaker 1: one points, but he left this game with apparent wrist injury. 98 00:05:20,400 --> 00:05:23,560 Speaker 1: In the fourth quarter. Hopefully he's all right. The Utah 99 00:05:23,640 --> 00:05:25,440 Speaker 1: Jazz were all right. They sold the Hornets in the 100 00:05:25,440 --> 00:05:28,919 Speaker 1: second half. Charlotte was taken away the middle and Rudy 101 00:05:28,920 --> 00:05:31,200 Speaker 1: Gobert so he didn't have much of an offensive game. 102 00:05:31,720 --> 00:05:34,280 Speaker 1: Then the Jazz just decided, you're gonna play into our 103 00:05:34,360 --> 00:05:37,240 Speaker 1: hands like that. We're just gonna bomb away threes and 104 00:05:37,279 --> 00:05:41,440 Speaker 1: they hit a franchise record twenty eight of them, which 105 00:05:41,480 --> 00:05:44,520 Speaker 1: is one off the NBA record set by the Bucks 106 00:05:44,760 --> 00:05:49,000 Speaker 1: earlier this year. The Jazz set an NBA record in 107 00:05:49,040 --> 00:05:52,799 Speaker 1: this one with nineteen threes off the bench. George Nyang 108 00:05:52,880 --> 00:05:57,040 Speaker 1: and Joe Ingles had seven, each career highs for both 109 00:05:57,040 --> 00:06:00,960 Speaker 1: of them. They didn't score another point either. The Clarkson 110 00:06:01,000 --> 00:06:03,080 Speaker 1: had five off the bench. How are you going to 111 00:06:03,560 --> 00:06:06,840 Speaker 1: lose when you've got nineteen threes off the bench seven 112 00:06:06,880 --> 00:06:09,200 Speaker 1: from the Yang, seven from Engles, and five from Clarkson. 113 00:06:09,800 --> 00:06:12,040 Speaker 1: The Jazz stretch their lead atop the West to three 114 00:06:12,160 --> 00:06:16,120 Speaker 1: and a half games on both the Clippers and the Lakers. 115 00:06:16,520 --> 00:06:18,760 Speaker 1: One though Rookie of the Year race, I have been 116 00:06:18,800 --> 00:06:22,400 Speaker 1: big enough. Anthony Edwards, the number one pick out of Minnesota, 117 00:06:22,480 --> 00:06:26,080 Speaker 1: LaMelo Ball definitely still the Rookie of the Year favorite, 118 00:06:26,839 --> 00:06:30,280 Speaker 1: the Charlotte Hornets definitely the NBA favorite as being the 119 00:06:30,320 --> 00:06:34,120 Speaker 1: most fun team in the league. Moving on to Portland 120 00:06:34,200 --> 00:06:36,080 Speaker 1: and Phoenix, one of the most fun teams in the 121 00:06:36,120 --> 00:06:40,640 Speaker 1: league is the Suns, especially because of Devin Booker. This 122 00:06:40,720 --> 00:06:44,120 Speaker 1: guy against the Blazers, it was some classic big shooting 123 00:06:44,160 --> 00:06:47,880 Speaker 1: guard stuff, taking small defenders in the posts like Damian 124 00:06:47,920 --> 00:06:51,159 Speaker 1: Lillard showing all his handles and pull ups to Gary 125 00:06:51,200 --> 00:06:54,920 Speaker 1: Trent Junior, going by bigger guys like Derek Jones Junior 126 00:06:54,960 --> 00:06:59,000 Speaker 1: and Robert Covington. Everyone that was not a center guarded 127 00:06:59,120 --> 00:07:01,640 Speaker 1: Devin Booker, but he cannot be stopped. It was a 128 00:07:01,760 --> 00:07:05,880 Speaker 1: perfect night. Thirty four points, twelve of seventeen, shooting eight 129 00:07:05,880 --> 00:07:08,240 Speaker 1: free throws. Okay, I guess it's not perfect because he misshots, 130 00:07:08,279 --> 00:07:10,800 Speaker 1: but all in all, watching this guy play was perfect 131 00:07:10,880 --> 00:07:13,400 Speaker 1: and they needed Booker to be that good because Chris Paul, 132 00:07:13,480 --> 00:07:16,040 Speaker 1: his backcourt mate, only had two points in this one. 133 00:07:16,640 --> 00:07:20,000 Speaker 1: When the All Star reserves are announced on Tuesday, who 134 00:07:20,040 --> 00:07:23,200 Speaker 1: the heck is going to get that All Star appearance 135 00:07:23,600 --> 00:07:27,640 Speaker 1: from the Suns. They are both deserving, but it's unlikely 136 00:07:27,680 --> 00:07:29,560 Speaker 1: both are gonna make it. Just give him half an 137 00:07:29,560 --> 00:07:36,320 Speaker 1: All Star appearance each Crevin Book, All yeah, Crevin Book Book, 138 00:07:36,360 --> 00:07:39,760 Speaker 1: All yeah, it's half. They're a well rounded team that 139 00:07:39,880 --> 00:07:42,240 Speaker 1: is now twenty and ten. They're gonna make the playoffs 140 00:07:42,320 --> 00:07:45,240 Speaker 1: for the first time since twenty ten when Steve Nash 141 00:07:45,600 --> 00:07:48,800 Speaker 1: was taking this team to the Western Conference finals. Gonna 142 00:07:48,800 --> 00:07:52,480 Speaker 1: wrap up the other few games for you. Memphis visited Dallas. 143 00:07:52,960 --> 00:07:55,960 Speaker 1: No Christops Porzingis in this one. The MAVs big man 144 00:07:56,040 --> 00:07:58,240 Speaker 1: had a little bit of back tightness, and as my 145 00:07:58,280 --> 00:08:01,520 Speaker 1: man Kelly Dwyer pointed out, you know, wonder Dallas's defense 146 00:08:01,840 --> 00:08:06,120 Speaker 1: played a little bit tighter against Memphis. Brutal Kelly Dwyer, 147 00:08:06,280 --> 00:08:09,280 Speaker 1: but probably some truth to that. The MAVs won in 148 00:08:09,280 --> 00:08:11,040 Speaker 1: a game that wasn't all that close. They had him 149 00:08:11,040 --> 00:08:13,400 Speaker 1: played in a week due to game cancelations, so I'm 150 00:08:13,440 --> 00:08:15,720 Speaker 1: sure they were just happy to get back on the court. 151 00:08:16,200 --> 00:08:19,600 Speaker 1: The Bulls destroyed the Rockets, who have now lost eight straight. 152 00:08:19,760 --> 00:08:23,000 Speaker 1: They don't have Christian Wood or Victor Oladipo in the lineup. 153 00:08:23,120 --> 00:08:26,520 Speaker 1: And I'll say it one last time, Zach Lavine better 154 00:08:26,560 --> 00:08:30,920 Speaker 1: be named an All Star reserved tonight. Give the fans 155 00:08:31,000 --> 00:08:33,960 Speaker 1: one last dunk contast Zach He's definitely not going in 156 00:08:34,000 --> 00:08:37,000 Speaker 1: it if he's not named an All Star. Last game, 157 00:08:37,360 --> 00:08:40,920 Speaker 1: the Heat got a nice, well rounded win over okay See, 158 00:08:41,240 --> 00:08:43,760 Speaker 1: looking a little like the Bubble Heat. But I give 159 00:08:43,840 --> 00:08:47,199 Speaker 1: all the credit to Kelly Olinick's shoes. He was wearing 160 00:08:47,240 --> 00:08:52,319 Speaker 1: his old team Canada twenty ten red Nike hyperfuses when 161 00:08:52,320 --> 00:08:55,080 Speaker 1: he was on the national team. As Nick Depaula pointed out, 162 00:08:55,360 --> 00:08:58,760 Speaker 1: those are some beauties. Thanks for joining me today. I'll 163 00:08:58,800 --> 00:09:00,520 Speaker 1: be back on Wednesday to give you the news as 164 00:09:00,600 --> 00:09:03,440 Speaker 1: fast as I possibly can. Some All Star reserves talk 165 00:09:03,520 --> 00:09:05,480 Speaker 1: in there, I'm sure. Make sure you check out the 166 00:09:05,520 --> 00:09:08,480 Speaker 1: full No Dunks episode today here on Tuesday. Talk to 167 00:09:08,520 --> 00:09:08,960 Speaker 1: you tomorrow.