WEBVTT - Final Weekend Playoff Positioning, Mavs, Lakers, Warriors, Clippers, Nets, Heat

0:00:00.040 --> 0:00:03.480
<v Speaker 1>Bokom in the NBA puls A production of iHeartRadio in

0:00:03.560 --> 0:00:06.760
<v Speaker 1>the NBA. I'm Saracusack, NBA analysts for the y S Networking.

0:00:06.800 --> 0:00:11.160
<v Speaker 1>Today is Friday, April seventh, and from our incredible core

0:00:11.200 --> 0:00:14.160
<v Speaker 1>group of NBA journalists were joined now by NBA dot

0:00:14.160 --> 0:00:18.799
<v Speaker 1>Com senior writer Sean Poll and Sean, it's almost time.

0:00:20.200 --> 0:00:23.680
<v Speaker 1>We're getting down to the nitty gritty of the final

0:00:23.760 --> 0:00:27.760
<v Speaker 1>days of this regular season before were determining what exactly

0:00:27.960 --> 0:00:31.400
<v Speaker 1>the playoff picture will look like, and there's still a

0:00:31.400 --> 0:00:33.920
<v Speaker 1>handful of things left in the balance, in particular the

0:00:33.920 --> 0:00:37.760
<v Speaker 1>Western Conference, of which we have talked about for quite

0:00:37.760 --> 0:00:39.920
<v Speaker 1>some time. Also at the point of the season where

0:00:40.440 --> 0:00:42.760
<v Speaker 1>gonna be interesting to see what lineups a couple of

0:00:42.760 --> 0:00:45.880
<v Speaker 1>these teams and games are rolled out given the scenarios

0:00:45.920 --> 0:00:49.000
<v Speaker 1>and the situations that teams are currently locked into. So

0:00:49.479 --> 0:00:52.720
<v Speaker 1>let's start in the Western Conference. For you, what are

0:00:52.720 --> 0:00:57.160
<v Speaker 1>you most intrigued about to either learn in terms of

0:00:57.200 --> 0:01:00.920
<v Speaker 1>playoff matchups or to learn who will slide into where

0:01:00.920 --> 0:01:05.400
<v Speaker 1>with these standings, Well, the team that has the biggest

0:01:05.480 --> 0:01:09.120
<v Speaker 1>urgency obviously is a Dallas Mavericks because they're not on

0:01:09.200 --> 0:01:13.520
<v Speaker 1>the edge of getting a top six automatic birth or

0:01:13.640 --> 0:01:17.240
<v Speaker 1>going into the play in situation. They're on the edge

0:01:17.240 --> 0:01:21.840
<v Speaker 1>of missing everything, all the fun and you know, and

0:01:21.920 --> 0:01:25.600
<v Speaker 1>then compounding that, this is a team that made the

0:01:25.680 --> 0:01:29.040
<v Speaker 1>big trade for Kyrie Irving, putting them in the backcourt

0:01:29.120 --> 0:01:34.160
<v Speaker 1>with Luca to creative ball handlers and scores, and they've

0:01:34.160 --> 0:01:37.880
<v Speaker 1>had the sixth worst record in the NBA since those

0:01:37.880 --> 0:01:41.040
<v Speaker 1>two became a tandem. I mean, it just hasn't worked

0:01:41.040 --> 0:01:44.280
<v Speaker 1>out well. And so now they're teetering on the edge.

0:01:45.080 --> 0:01:48.760
<v Speaker 1>They don't control their own destiny. And that's whenever a

0:01:48.800 --> 0:01:53.160
<v Speaker 1>team is in that kind of situation, it's you know,

0:01:53.280 --> 0:01:58.280
<v Speaker 1>you're just you feel helpless basically because you need someone

0:01:58.360 --> 0:02:02.760
<v Speaker 1>to help you out. Unfortunately, for the Dallas Mavericks, the

0:02:02.880 --> 0:02:07.520
<v Speaker 1>Oklahoma City is not helping them out. Okay, they win

0:02:07.680 --> 0:02:10.519
<v Speaker 1>last night and now they have one more game. Oklahoma

0:02:10.600 --> 0:02:14.160
<v Speaker 1>City beats Memphis, it is all over for the Dallas Mavericks.

0:02:14.639 --> 0:02:19.119
<v Speaker 1>So it has been a slippery slope for them ever

0:02:19.160 --> 0:02:22.720
<v Speaker 1>since Kyrie Irving came to the team, and this team

0:02:22.720 --> 0:02:26.880
<v Speaker 1>went to the Western Conference Finals last year, Sarah, without Kyrie,

0:02:27.800 --> 0:02:31.239
<v Speaker 1>I just want to remind you of that. So the

0:02:31.240 --> 0:02:36.960
<v Speaker 1>Big D stands for disappointment as simple as that, and

0:02:37.200 --> 0:02:40.000
<v Speaker 1>a lot of what happens may determine not for us

0:02:40.040 --> 0:02:42.280
<v Speaker 1>to get into now, but not just this season, not

0:02:42.360 --> 0:02:46.440
<v Speaker 1>just this postseason, but how things look this offseason. And

0:02:46.560 --> 0:02:49.760
<v Speaker 1>as you continue on to the picture of the Dallas

0:02:49.320 --> 0:02:53.840
<v Speaker 1>Mavericks future, let's switch to the Los Angeles Lakers, because

0:02:53.840 --> 0:02:57.160
<v Speaker 1>they obviously lost that game against the Clippers on Wednesday night,

0:02:57.200 --> 0:02:59.080
<v Speaker 1>but the second of the back to back certainly a

0:02:59.120 --> 0:03:03.760
<v Speaker 1>tough turnaround for Los Angeles and they play tonight against

0:03:03.760 --> 0:03:07.160
<v Speaker 1>the Phoenix Suns on NBA TV at ten thirty Eastern.

0:03:07.240 --> 0:03:10.800
<v Speaker 1>Phoenix coming off of a win against Denver, of which

0:03:10.880 --> 0:03:15.360
<v Speaker 1>never didn't play Yokich Murray Porter. Phoenix has won seventh straight,

0:03:15.360 --> 0:03:17.679
<v Speaker 1>but they're pretty much locked into that fourth spot. That

0:03:17.800 --> 0:03:20.320
<v Speaker 1>will be interesting to see what runway they feel like

0:03:20.360 --> 0:03:24.320
<v Speaker 1>in acclimating now that Kevin Durant is back. But the

0:03:24.400 --> 0:03:27.359
<v Speaker 1>Lakers in the seventh spot, do they have a chance

0:03:27.480 --> 0:03:30.959
<v Speaker 1>to move up into that sixth spot? What things look

0:03:31.000 --> 0:03:33.720
<v Speaker 1>like for them? How do you frame where the Lakers

0:03:33.720 --> 0:03:36.080
<v Speaker 1>are at at this point, which is the Sun's here

0:03:36.120 --> 0:03:38.880
<v Speaker 1>tonight and then the Jazz will finish them or finish

0:03:38.920 --> 0:03:41.960
<v Speaker 1>with them at home on Sunday. Well, I'll give you

0:03:41.960 --> 0:03:46.080
<v Speaker 1>the good news for the Lakers. Everyone's healthy. That's first

0:03:46.120 --> 0:03:49.320
<v Speaker 1>good news. The second good news is they play they

0:03:49.360 --> 0:03:52.680
<v Speaker 1>close out against Phoenix and Utah. My gut feelings that

0:03:52.760 --> 0:03:54.640
<v Speaker 1>the Phoenix Suns, who are pretty much locked in the

0:03:54.680 --> 0:03:57.640
<v Speaker 1>fourth place, I don't think they're going to play everyone.

0:03:58.160 --> 0:04:00.200
<v Speaker 1>Same thing with the Utah Jaz Utah jadd Right now,

0:04:00.240 --> 0:04:03.880
<v Speaker 1>they're holding tryouts for next season. They're putting guys off

0:04:03.920 --> 0:04:06.040
<v Speaker 1>the bench and giving them thirty five minutes a night.

0:04:06.120 --> 0:04:10.400
<v Speaker 1>So I don't think either of those teams will probably

0:04:10.400 --> 0:04:12.760
<v Speaker 1>be an issue for the Lakers. The problem with the

0:04:12.800 --> 0:04:15.800
<v Speaker 1>Lakers that they don't control their own destiny, and so

0:04:15.840 --> 0:04:19.880
<v Speaker 1>again you know you need help the Clippers on the

0:04:19.920 --> 0:04:22.480
<v Speaker 1>tie breaker over the Lakers. The Golden State Warriors are

0:04:22.480 --> 0:04:25.600
<v Speaker 1>sitting ahead of the Lakers, and the key game is

0:04:25.640 --> 0:04:28.800
<v Speaker 1>going to be the Warriors versus the Sacramento Kings. The

0:04:28.839 --> 0:04:31.599
<v Speaker 1>Warriors win that game is pretty much all over. The

0:04:31.680 --> 0:04:33.839
<v Speaker 1>Lakers will be in the play in situation. Now. The

0:04:33.880 --> 0:04:36.040
<v Speaker 1>other thing is with the Lakers in the play in situation,

0:04:36.279 --> 0:04:38.800
<v Speaker 1>it's not such a terrible place to be. I just

0:04:38.839 --> 0:04:40.880
<v Speaker 1>think that they're just so much better than the other

0:04:40.920 --> 0:04:43.680
<v Speaker 1>teams in the play in situation that I think that

0:04:44.320 --> 0:04:46.920
<v Speaker 1>the odds are they're definitely going to make the playoffs.

0:04:47.440 --> 0:04:50.440
<v Speaker 1>But again, when you're in that tournament, that play in tournament,

0:04:50.920 --> 0:04:54.120
<v Speaker 1>you know, any freaky thing that happens, you know it

0:04:54.160 --> 0:04:56.880
<v Speaker 1>could cost you. And I understand if the Lakers get

0:04:56.880 --> 0:04:59.240
<v Speaker 1>the number seven spot, they would have to lose two games,

0:05:00.279 --> 0:05:03.080
<v Speaker 1>you know, when you have to play that extra game

0:05:03.440 --> 0:05:07.760
<v Speaker 1>or two extra games, anything can happen. I like their

0:05:07.839 --> 0:05:11.160
<v Speaker 1>chances of making the playoffs eventually, but I don't think

0:05:11.200 --> 0:05:13.039
<v Speaker 1>they're going to be in the top six. The odds

0:05:13.080 --> 0:05:14.880
<v Speaker 1>are against and they're going to have to go through

0:05:14.920 --> 0:05:18.920
<v Speaker 1>that tournament. Yeah, and as you mentioned, you know, with

0:05:19.080 --> 0:05:20.760
<v Speaker 1>the Lakers or one team that we've had an eye

0:05:20.839 --> 0:05:22.800
<v Speaker 1>on trying to get into that top six, but the

0:05:22.839 --> 0:05:24.440
<v Speaker 1>other two that we've had a lot of focus on

0:05:24.520 --> 0:05:27.159
<v Speaker 1>have been the Golden State Warriors and the Los Angeles

0:05:27.240 --> 0:05:30.279
<v Speaker 1>Clippers currently with the same record, though the Clippers do

0:05:30.400 --> 0:05:33.400
<v Speaker 1>own the tiebreaker. As you mentioned, Golden State Warriors are

0:05:33.480 --> 0:05:37.120
<v Speaker 1>at the kings here tonight. In some of this you

0:05:37.160 --> 0:05:38.680
<v Speaker 1>look at you're not just looking at the staying at

0:05:38.680 --> 0:05:40.000
<v Speaker 1>that top six, so you don't have to play in

0:05:40.040 --> 0:05:42.480
<v Speaker 1>the playing game, but also who your opponent may be.

0:05:43.160 --> 0:05:46.279
<v Speaker 1>As Sacramento is locked into the third spot, Phoenix locked

0:05:46.279 --> 0:05:49.919
<v Speaker 1>into that fourth spot. What is your take on where

0:05:49.920 --> 0:05:52.200
<v Speaker 1>things are at right now for both the Clippers and

0:05:52.240 --> 0:05:57.080
<v Speaker 1>the Warriors. Well, you know, Sarah, no one's going to

0:05:57.120 --> 0:05:59.760
<v Speaker 1>say this to you with straight vase and you know,

0:06:00.680 --> 0:06:05.080
<v Speaker 1>but everybody wants to be in that six spot. They

0:06:05.240 --> 0:06:09.240
<v Speaker 1>sends that the Sacramento Kings. You know, all due respect

0:06:09.320 --> 0:06:14.520
<v Speaker 1>to the Sacramento Kings that given a choice between playing

0:06:14.640 --> 0:06:21.359
<v Speaker 1>Sacramento or Kevin Durant infused Phoenix Suns team in the

0:06:21.360 --> 0:06:27.120
<v Speaker 1>first round at four, let me think about that, Okay,

0:06:27.440 --> 0:06:31.840
<v Speaker 1>So I think ideally, for if you're the Clippers, if

0:06:31.880 --> 0:06:33.800
<v Speaker 1>you're the Warriors, or even if you're the Lakers, if

0:06:33.800 --> 0:06:36.839
<v Speaker 1>you're lucky, you probably want to avoid that number five

0:06:36.880 --> 0:06:39.000
<v Speaker 1>spot because that means you're locked into the first round

0:06:39.080 --> 0:06:44.279
<v Speaker 1>series against a Sun's team that has been rejuvenated that

0:06:44.480 --> 0:06:47.480
<v Speaker 1>has Kevin Durant next to Devin Book and Chris Paul

0:06:47.520 --> 0:06:51.320
<v Speaker 1>and DeAndre Ayton. So that would probably be a little

0:06:51.320 --> 0:06:55.839
<v Speaker 1>bit difficult, no disrespect to the Sacramento Kings, but the

0:06:56.120 --> 0:06:59.880
<v Speaker 1>number six spot would probably be favorable now, having said that,

0:07:00.320 --> 0:07:02.800
<v Speaker 1>if the Warriors get to five or the Clippers at five,

0:07:03.279 --> 0:07:05.040
<v Speaker 1>I think if you're the Phoenix Suns, you know that's

0:07:05.040 --> 0:07:08.920
<v Speaker 1>a tough matchup for YouTube now. So I mean, I'm

0:07:08.960 --> 0:07:11.400
<v Speaker 1>not putting it all on the team that's going up

0:07:11.440 --> 0:07:13.680
<v Speaker 1>against Phoenix. I think it would be tough with the

0:07:13.720 --> 0:07:15.840
<v Speaker 1>Phoenix Sun. And again, you get Kevin Durant. You didn't

0:07:15.840 --> 0:07:17.840
<v Speaker 1>have him for a whole season. You've had him forward

0:07:17.880 --> 0:07:20.600
<v Speaker 1>a hand for games and you've got to figure it

0:07:20.600 --> 0:07:24.000
<v Speaker 1>out real quick to play a tough first round matchup

0:07:24.040 --> 0:07:27.480
<v Speaker 1>against one of those two teams. So it look it

0:07:27.520 --> 0:07:31.880
<v Speaker 1>won't be a holiday for them either. I agree, Sean

0:07:32.000 --> 0:07:34.200
<v Speaker 1>co sign what you're saying, and you know every time

0:07:34.240 --> 0:07:38.920
<v Speaker 1>that you say no disrespect compliments are not necessarily a

0:07:39.920 --> 0:07:42.400
<v Speaker 1>little bit coming with it. And we've got more to come.

0:07:42.400 --> 0:07:44.760
<v Speaker 1>We're gonna take a quick break here, but up next

0:07:44.800 --> 0:07:46.800
<v Speaker 1>we are get going to get over to the Eastern

0:07:46.840 --> 0:07:50.640
<v Speaker 1>Conference on some of the unknowns of the standings to

0:07:50.720 --> 0:07:58.120
<v Speaker 1>this point of the season. Well come into NBA pul

0:07:58.200 --> 0:08:01.920
<v Speaker 1>Saracousta joined by Sean Pyle and Sean the West has

0:08:02.040 --> 0:08:04.560
<v Speaker 1>taken a lot of the highlights of what we've looked

0:08:04.600 --> 0:08:07.280
<v Speaker 1>at of where the standings have lied, but things on

0:08:07.320 --> 0:08:10.840
<v Speaker 1>the East two have been interesting and in particular as

0:08:10.920 --> 0:08:14.400
<v Speaker 1>you look at just trying to solidify, getting yourself outside

0:08:14.400 --> 0:08:16.960
<v Speaker 1>the playing game. That's something Brooklyn Nets have been searching

0:08:17.000 --> 0:08:19.840
<v Speaker 1>to do, and the Miami Heat knocking at the door.

0:08:19.920 --> 0:08:23.080
<v Speaker 1>They came away with a big win against the seventy

0:08:23.080 --> 0:08:25.679
<v Speaker 1>six ers, final meeting of the year. Between these two,

0:08:26.160 --> 0:08:29.160
<v Speaker 1>the road team has won each of the first two games.

0:08:29.520 --> 0:08:32.920
<v Speaker 1>Tyler Hero it's a three in the corner. Last night

0:08:32.920 --> 0:08:36.040
<v Speaker 1>in Philly one twenty nine one on one. Everyone played

0:08:36.080 --> 0:08:40.720
<v Speaker 1>for Philly except for Tyrese Maxie. However, the Heat are

0:08:40.720 --> 0:08:43.400
<v Speaker 1>starting to roll into their playoff form, despite the fact

0:08:43.440 --> 0:08:45.720
<v Speaker 1>that they would need some help to move into that

0:08:45.840 --> 0:08:49.280
<v Speaker 1>six spot. Brooklyn playing Orlando here tonight, they will play

0:08:49.640 --> 0:08:53.680
<v Speaker 1>Philadelphia at home on Sunday, and as for Miami, they're

0:08:53.720 --> 0:08:56.720
<v Speaker 1>a game behind. The Nets do hold the tie breaker.

0:08:57.240 --> 0:08:59.719
<v Speaker 1>How do you look at just not just how things

0:08:59.760 --> 0:09:02.000
<v Speaker 1>will shake out in the Eastern Conference, but also what

0:09:02.080 --> 0:09:04.280
<v Speaker 1>some of these matchups may look like here in the

0:09:04.320 --> 0:09:07.800
<v Speaker 1>first round. Well, the difference between the East and West

0:09:07.960 --> 0:09:09.960
<v Speaker 1>is the East is pretty much, It's not pretty much,

0:09:10.000 --> 0:09:12.000
<v Speaker 1>it's set you know what teams are going to be

0:09:13.600 --> 0:09:17.720
<v Speaker 1>in the top ten, and the only mystery is whether

0:09:17.760 --> 0:09:21.559
<v Speaker 1>Miami can overcome Brooklyn for the number six spot. Obviously,

0:09:22.240 --> 0:09:25.800
<v Speaker 1>as you said, the Brooklyn Nets owned the tiebreaker. And again,

0:09:26.240 --> 0:09:29.559
<v Speaker 1>when these teams that are contending for something are playing

0:09:29.559 --> 0:09:33.079
<v Speaker 1>the last few games, their opponents will probably be resting people.

0:09:34.280 --> 0:09:37.000
<v Speaker 1>Even if their opponent it's like the Philadelphia seventy six ers,

0:09:37.080 --> 0:09:40.120
<v Speaker 1>I can't imagine Joe and Bid James Harden those guys

0:09:40.160 --> 0:09:42.360
<v Speaker 1>will play that final game, they're going to rest him.

0:09:42.679 --> 0:09:46.120
<v Speaker 1>Or even if you're playing a team that's already ticketed

0:09:46.200 --> 0:09:49.440
<v Speaker 1>for the draft lottery, and those teams aren't playing anybody.

0:09:49.520 --> 0:09:52.920
<v Speaker 1>I mean, they're resting guys and everything. So you know,

0:09:53.000 --> 0:09:57.559
<v Speaker 1>again it's probably it should It's probably an easier situation

0:09:57.800 --> 0:10:00.480
<v Speaker 1>that maybe it should be for the Brooklyn Nets, but

0:10:00.679 --> 0:10:02.480
<v Speaker 1>they own the tide breaker and or what And how

0:10:02.480 --> 0:10:05.439
<v Speaker 1>about the Miamie Heat. This is a team that just

0:10:05.520 --> 0:10:10.080
<v Speaker 1>clinched the Southeast Division title and may be ticketed for

0:10:10.120 --> 0:10:12.520
<v Speaker 1>the play in tournament. Think about that. You would think

0:10:12.559 --> 0:10:15.880
<v Speaker 1>that in the standings, if you actually clinch something that's good,

0:10:16.280 --> 0:10:19.960
<v Speaker 1>that you should be rewarded for it. Oh No, In

0:10:20.000 --> 0:10:22.800
<v Speaker 1>the situation with the Miami Heat. It looks like that

0:10:23.040 --> 0:10:26.559
<v Speaker 1>this team that by the way, came a Jimmy Butler's

0:10:26.559 --> 0:10:29.160
<v Speaker 1>shop from reaching the NBA Finals last year for the

0:10:29.200 --> 0:10:32.920
<v Speaker 1>second time in three seasons, will have to go through

0:10:32.920 --> 0:10:37.720
<v Speaker 1>the play in scenario. And again I compare the Miami

0:10:37.800 --> 0:10:40.480
<v Speaker 1>Heat to the Los Angeles Lakers. If the Miami Heats

0:10:40.480 --> 0:10:42.960
<v Speaker 1>in the play in the situation, I like them. I

0:10:43.080 --> 0:10:46.920
<v Speaker 1>think that they're probably they'll probably be better than any

0:10:46.960 --> 0:10:50.560
<v Speaker 1>other team in that situation. Jimmy Butler's healthy, this Butler

0:10:51.320 --> 0:10:55.880
<v Speaker 1>and he's foul fouls him from behind and you know

0:10:55.960 --> 0:10:59.920
<v Speaker 1>he got bam out of Bio Tyler Hero. I think

0:11:00.080 --> 0:11:03.199
<v Speaker 1>that you know they'll be in the playoffs. But again,

0:11:03.480 --> 0:11:06.800
<v Speaker 1>if you're in that playing tournament, strange things can happen.

0:11:07.040 --> 0:11:08.959
<v Speaker 1>You know, one of your stars could twist an ankle,

0:11:09.200 --> 0:11:12.160
<v Speaker 1>knock on wood, or whatever could be, and it could

0:11:12.200 --> 0:11:15.760
<v Speaker 1>go against you. The Miamie Heat all season long, they've

0:11:15.760 --> 0:11:19.720
<v Speaker 1>had problems scoring, that's been their big thing, and then

0:11:19.800 --> 0:11:22.760
<v Speaker 1>when they don't play defense, then they have no shot

0:11:22.800 --> 0:11:25.599
<v Speaker 1>at winning a game. So I think that this is

0:11:25.640 --> 0:11:29.440
<v Speaker 1>a time for them to re establish your identity, find

0:11:29.520 --> 0:11:32.480
<v Speaker 1>some way to get buckets and put themselves into position

0:11:32.520 --> 0:11:35.280
<v Speaker 1>to succeed. If they get that number seven stot, that

0:11:35.400 --> 0:11:38.559
<v Speaker 1>number seven spot and they have to play, it would

0:11:38.559 --> 0:11:41.679
<v Speaker 1>be what the Boston Celtics at number two at this point,

0:11:42.040 --> 0:11:46.840
<v Speaker 1>So that would not be an easy task for the Celtics,

0:11:46.840 --> 0:11:49.160
<v Speaker 1>even though I do think they're the superior team, but

0:11:49.280 --> 0:11:50.560
<v Speaker 1>I think that they would be in a bit of

0:11:50.600 --> 0:11:52.880
<v Speaker 1>a dog fight against the Miamie Heat as they were

0:11:53.000 --> 0:11:55.679
<v Speaker 1>last year in the Eastern Conference lines. Keep an eye

0:11:55.679 --> 0:11:59.920
<v Speaker 1>out for Eric Spoelstra and Jimmy playoffs. He always takes

0:12:00.080 --> 0:12:02.240
<v Speaker 1>his game to another level and brings his team with them.

0:12:02.480 --> 0:12:04.760
<v Speaker 1>The one series in the East we're going to close

0:12:04.800 --> 0:12:07.280
<v Speaker 1>out with in the first round that is already locked

0:12:07.280 --> 0:12:10.160
<v Speaker 1>in in All eyes will be on the New York

0:12:10.240 --> 0:12:14.760
<v Speaker 1>Knicks and the Cleveland Cavaliers. Storyline after storyline with this

0:12:14.800 --> 0:12:17.920
<v Speaker 1>one in particular, just the competitiveness of the balance between

0:12:17.960 --> 0:12:22.000
<v Speaker 1>both these teams. Give us your preview of what you

0:12:22.040 --> 0:12:28.360
<v Speaker 1>think that series could entail. Well, these two teams basically

0:12:28.640 --> 0:12:32.880
<v Speaker 1>changed their fortunes by obtaining guards in the offseason. You know,

0:12:33.240 --> 0:12:37.640
<v Speaker 1>Donathan Mitchell going to the Cleveland Cavaliers and Jalon Bronson

0:12:38.160 --> 0:12:41.160
<v Speaker 1>going to the Knicks. And it's real. I mean when

0:12:41.200 --> 0:12:43.640
<v Speaker 1>you really look at it. I mean, those two players

0:12:43.640 --> 0:12:47.040
<v Speaker 1>have upgraded their teams pretty much in every and every

0:12:47.040 --> 0:12:51.880
<v Speaker 1>way they handle the ball, they win close games, You

0:12:51.920 --> 0:12:56.040
<v Speaker 1>trust them, you know. It's just when you when you

0:12:56.080 --> 0:12:58.120
<v Speaker 1>really look at those teams where they were last year

0:12:58.240 --> 0:13:01.880
<v Speaker 1>versus this year. The friendses are those two players. And

0:13:02.000 --> 0:13:05.160
<v Speaker 1>what's interesting is that the Knicks, I guess, had a

0:13:05.200 --> 0:13:08.880
<v Speaker 1>shot of getting Donovan Mitchell also last year and pairing

0:13:08.960 --> 0:13:10.800
<v Speaker 1>him with Jalen Brunson. They would have had to give

0:13:10.880 --> 0:13:14.000
<v Speaker 1>up you know, the store, the house, and a neighborhood

0:13:14.000 --> 0:13:17.160
<v Speaker 1>to get him, but they didn't. So now that's the intrigue.

0:13:17.200 --> 0:13:19.880
<v Speaker 1>When you talk about storylines, you're talking about Donovan Mitchell,

0:13:19.880 --> 0:13:23.720
<v Speaker 1>who grew up in you know, suburban Connecticut, grew up

0:13:23.760 --> 0:13:27.240
<v Speaker 1>a Knicks fan, played ball during the summers in Harlem,

0:13:27.400 --> 0:13:30.000
<v Speaker 1>came down to New York looking for the greatest games

0:13:30.360 --> 0:13:32.720
<v Speaker 1>all of the sis father worked for the New York Mets.

0:13:32.920 --> 0:13:35.920
<v Speaker 1>All of a sudden, you know, he's coming back to

0:13:36.040 --> 0:13:39.800
<v Speaker 1>New York as sort of the enemy, trying to deny

0:13:39.880 --> 0:13:43.280
<v Speaker 1>the Knicks going to the second round. And if you're

0:13:43.320 --> 0:13:45.800
<v Speaker 1>the Knicks, you've been waiting for a moment like this,

0:13:45.920 --> 0:13:48.800
<v Speaker 1>particularly Knicks fans, you know, they've been starved for so long,

0:13:49.880 --> 0:13:53.000
<v Speaker 1>ever since really the Carmelo Anthony years, when they really had,

0:13:53.360 --> 0:13:55.720
<v Speaker 1>you know, a shot up doing something and they didn't

0:13:55.720 --> 0:13:59.240
<v Speaker 1>punch their ticket. Then I think, you know, with Julius Randall,

0:14:00.280 --> 0:14:03.120
<v Speaker 1>you know, Jadon Bronson, Thibodeau pulling the right strings. He's

0:14:03.120 --> 0:14:05.319
<v Speaker 1>had a good gear as far as a coach. I

0:14:05.360 --> 0:14:07.679
<v Speaker 1>think people in New York are thinking this team can

0:14:07.720 --> 0:14:10.600
<v Speaker 1>get to the second round. It's going to be fun,

0:14:10.679 --> 0:14:14.000
<v Speaker 1>to say the least. And when we come back on Monday,

0:14:14.240 --> 0:14:17.359
<v Speaker 1>we'll have a much clearer picture on what the postseason

0:14:17.400 --> 0:14:19.720
<v Speaker 1>we'll start to look like. Sean, As always, we appreciate

0:14:19.760 --> 0:14:23.320
<v Speaker 1>you and your time, No problem, Sarah. NBA Pulse with

0:14:23.360 --> 0:14:25.880
<v Speaker 1>Sara Kustack as a production of the NBA and iHeartRadio.

0:14:25.960 --> 0:14:29.200
<v Speaker 1>Please rate, review, and subscribe on the iHeartRadio app or

0:14:29.200 --> 0:14:30.880
<v Speaker 1>wherever you get your podcast