WEBVTT - #thisleague UNCUT: Sizing Up The NBA Playoff picture 0:00:01.920 --> 0:00:06.240 Injury updates from all over the NBA, map, the best 0:00:06.360 --> 0:00:10.160 race to watch in both the Western and Eastern Conference, 0:00:10.720 --> 0:00:15.640 And why is Chris Haynes recording a podcast with two 0:00:15.680 --> 0:00:21.079 trophies obscuring his microphone. All of that explain next on 0:00:21.200 --> 0:00:23.599 a new edition of This League Uncut. 0:00:25.120 --> 0:00:29.480 Welcome to This League Uncut in rule of twenty four 0:00:29.520 --> 0:00:30.320 hour NBA. 0:00:30.160 --> 0:00:31.840 News, This news you'll. 0:00:33.600 --> 0:00:37.840 Chris Haynes. It's no time, works time, it's so time. 0:00:42.120 --> 0:00:46.800 This League Uncut is underway and on fire. This should 0:00:46.840 --> 0:00:48.960 be a good one. 0:00:50.000 --> 0:00:54.560 Hey, everybody, Welcome in to the latest edition, an all 0:00:54.640 --> 0:00:59.160 state side edition of This League Uncut. Mark Stein with 0:00:59.280 --> 0:01:05.360 Chris Haynes and now both of us operating within American borders. 0:01:05.400 --> 0:01:08.039 I am back from my trip to England where I 0:01:08.120 --> 0:01:12.479 watched a load of soccer, and honestly, if we ever 0:01:12.560 --> 0:01:16.720 needed this show to be on YouTube or with some 0:01:16.760 --> 0:01:20.520 sort of camera presence, this would have been the one. 0:01:21.160 --> 0:01:22.760 You guys can't see it. You're just gonna have to 0:01:22.800 --> 0:01:28.640 trust me, Chris Haynes. Chris Haynes has joined us. Producer 0:01:28.680 --> 0:01:32.640 Ryan is already laughing. Chris Haynes has joined us with 0:01:32.959 --> 0:01:39.200 a trophy obscuring most of his face and that basically 0:01:39.240 --> 0:01:43.760 he's trying to coerce us. I am gonna take de bait, Chris. 0:01:44.040 --> 0:01:45.920 Why do you have a trophy sitting in front of 0:01:45.959 --> 0:01:52.040 you as we tape on this Tuesday afternoon and while 0:01:52.080 --> 0:01:54.960 we are taping a brand new edition of this league uncut? 0:01:55.120 --> 0:01:59.600 Why is there a giant piece of dunking basketball hardware 0:01:59.640 --> 0:02:00.280 on your ask? 0:02:01.520 --> 0:02:05.160 Well, A couple things, first and foremost. First and foremost, 0:02:05.240 --> 0:02:09.320 it's just a coincidence that these this trophy is here 0:02:09.400 --> 0:02:12.120 sit in front of me as we record this podcast. 0:02:13.320 --> 0:02:18.840 Second of all, there yeah, Second, it's plural, Stein. There 0:02:18.840 --> 0:02:23.200 are two trophies. This is the championship trophy right here, 0:02:24.080 --> 0:02:30.600 this is the MVP trophy. And lastly, third, we won 0:02:30.840 --> 0:02:35.600 the championship in the Filipino League this past weekend. We 0:02:35.639 --> 0:02:39.360 went from last to champs. We were the last seed 0:02:40.120 --> 0:02:42.520 to get into the playoffs. We made it to the 0:02:42.680 --> 0:02:45.320 uh we made it to the final four. We had 0:02:45.360 --> 0:02:47.840 two games this past Saturday. We had to win the 0:02:47.840 --> 0:02:51.160 first game in order to get to the championship. We 0:02:51.240 --> 0:02:54.720 did and I just so happened Stein to have the 0:02:54.760 --> 0:03:00.360 stats of the final four so in the game to 0:03:00.440 --> 0:03:03.560 get us to the championship. We won seventy eight to 0:03:03.680 --> 0:03:07.639 seventy two. Your guy, yours truly. Chris Haynes led the 0:03:07.639 --> 0:03:12.040 way with twenty six points. Then we got to the 0:03:12.080 --> 0:03:16.480 finals and I had help. I had help. This was 0:03:16.480 --> 0:03:19.400 a tough one. I actually sprained my ankle, my right ankle, 0:03:20.080 --> 0:03:23.480 in the first game that day, and I sprained it 0:03:23.520 --> 0:03:26.679 again in the second. But stein we were in the 0:03:26.760 --> 0:03:29.239 championship game, there was no way I was coming out. 0:03:29.680 --> 0:03:32.280 No load management for Chris Haynes. 0:03:32.360 --> 0:03:35.200 Not on the last game. No, this is where you 0:03:35.280 --> 0:03:37.000 leave it all out on the floor, and I did, 0:03:37.680 --> 0:03:41.040 and I had help. Lea, who's one of the best 0:03:41.240 --> 0:03:47.080 young Filipino players in the California, helped us out. 0:03:46.280 --> 0:03:48.279 Not just Sacramento, in all of California. 0:03:48.880 --> 0:03:51.280 I'm going on a limb and saying all of California. 0:03:51.320 --> 0:03:54.280 This kid is fifteen years old and as a stud 0:03:54.760 --> 0:03:58.920 led the way with thirty two points. I had twenty 0:03:58.920 --> 0:04:03.640 three points, eight rebounds, eight assist. We won the championship 0:04:03.720 --> 0:04:06.960 eighty three to eighty one. The team shot a last 0:04:07.040 --> 0:04:11.600 minute corner three to win the game. In and out 0:04:12.760 --> 0:04:19.840 Buzzer Champs on Finals MVP the I'm the Champ. We 0:04:19.880 --> 0:04:22.080 did it. I took my team out for barbecue, the 0:04:22.120 --> 0:04:27.320 whole nine. It was beautiful weekend, beautiful fans, the trophies. No, 0:04:27.560 --> 0:04:29.760 just just me and just me as a couple of 0:04:29.760 --> 0:04:32.760 friends that that came to see the game came and 0:04:32.800 --> 0:04:36.359 watched me out. I appreciate their support. Uh, it was 0:04:36.360 --> 0:04:38.960 a It was a true team effort, truly. 0:04:39.160 --> 0:04:43.200 Produce producer, Ryan, Are you getting this? Stephen Curry currently 0:04:43.240 --> 0:04:46.120 out with an ankle injury. Lebron James has been in 0:04:46.160 --> 0:04:48.480 and out of the lineup with an ankle issue. Devin 0:04:48.480 --> 0:04:50.240 Booker has been in and out of the lineup with 0:04:50.279 --> 0:04:54.720 an ankle issue. Chris Haynes sprains his ankle, plays on it, 0:04:54.839 --> 0:04:58.560 refuses to come out, and is now co hosting this 0:04:58.640 --> 0:05:01.680 league uncut with more trophies than he can fit into 0:05:01.680 --> 0:05:02.480 the screen window. 0:05:02.680 --> 0:05:05.920 One thing can't be denied. I had seen, you know, 0:05:05.960 --> 0:05:09.520 there were rumblings from northern California all the way down 0:05:09.560 --> 0:05:12.360 here in LA and the Southern California region. Some are 0:05:12.440 --> 0:05:14.919 calling it his flu game, and I think there's no 0:05:15.040 --> 0:05:18.160 denying That's exactly what we have to consider. This performance 0:05:18.160 --> 0:05:22.000 by Chris Haynes is an MVP performance despite an injury 0:05:22.360 --> 0:05:25.360 and then showing up on this league gun cut. This 0:05:25.400 --> 0:05:26.160 man can do it all. 0:05:27.160 --> 0:05:28.960 And the name of your team again is. 0:05:30.800 --> 0:05:40.799 Is team Genebra. What does that mean? I have no clue. Hey, y'all, y'all, 0:05:40.920 --> 0:05:46.600 I want y'all once everybody is listening, please tweet at us, Instagram, Twitter, 0:05:46.720 --> 0:05:48.800 or x whatever you want to call it. Now tell 0:05:48.839 --> 0:05:51.279 me what that means. I know it's a you know 0:05:52.880 --> 0:05:53.760 Filipino names. 0:05:54.120 --> 0:05:56.280 Give me some of your teammates and start getting some 0:05:56.320 --> 0:05:58.600 gossip from inside the locker room to see if all 0:05:58.640 --> 0:06:01.239 of these tales check out out. What do you think, Ryan, 0:06:02.440 --> 0:06:03.400 We need the sourcing. 0:06:03.760 --> 0:06:07.080 We need some exclusive this league, uncut sourcing to find 0:06:07.080 --> 0:06:10.920 out if these trophies, I mean they they're real trophies. 0:06:11.080 --> 0:06:14.160 But the framing of this shot, you know, I'm not 0:06:14.200 --> 0:06:16.800 seeing any name engraved on any plates. 0:06:16.839 --> 0:06:18.280 You know, I name it. 0:06:18.320 --> 0:06:21.280 I can't well for deny that these are actual trophies 0:06:21.279 --> 0:06:22.400 that come from the league or not. 0:06:23.200 --> 0:06:25.760 Well. Listen, I've never claimed that I that I play 0:06:25.800 --> 0:06:31.960 in a real, a really good finance league. But what 0:06:32.000 --> 0:06:35.200 I can say is it shows it right here. MVP Finals. 0:06:35.400 --> 0:06:38.960 The name of the league is to mock bow nor 0:06:39.080 --> 0:06:44.520 Cal League Season three twenty twenty four MVP of the finals. 0:06:45.400 --> 0:06:47.440 So no name, they don't have my name on there. 0:06:47.720 --> 0:06:51.359 But this is the championship trophy. It says champions to 0:06:51.560 --> 0:06:55.240 mock bow nor cal League Open League Division season three, 0:06:55.320 --> 0:06:56.240 twenty twenty four. 0:06:56.880 --> 0:07:00.680 And just just to clarify before we merclee move on 0:07:00.800 --> 0:07:02.200 to coverage of the NBA. 0:07:02.560 --> 0:07:04.240 Just to clarify one last thing. 0:07:04.920 --> 0:07:08.120 So your league with Aaron Haynes is a different league, 0:07:08.160 --> 0:07:09.480 and that is still ongoing. 0:07:10.080 --> 0:07:13.360 That is Sunday's league. That is the West Sacramento League. Yes, 0:07:13.760 --> 0:07:16.679 that is that is different. I need Aaron for that league. 0:07:16.680 --> 0:07:18.400 I don't need Aaron for this league. 0:07:20.240 --> 0:07:21.280 Yeah, you got your co star. 0:07:21.760 --> 0:07:25.560 No disrespect he hold on, No disrespect to my Filipino 0:07:25.800 --> 0:07:28.880 competition out there, you know what I mean, no disrespect, 0:07:28.920 --> 0:07:31.400 But I don't need a six eighth guy in this league. 0:07:31.560 --> 0:07:34.160 We don't. We don't. We don't need that. 0:07:34.960 --> 0:07:37.400 So we've clarified that your co star his name is 0:07:37.440 --> 0:07:39.480 actually pronounced Liam and not Liam. 0:07:40.280 --> 0:07:42.000 If that's what you're saying, we'll know. 0:07:42.680 --> 0:07:43.360 I'm asking. 0:07:43.560 --> 0:07:46.640 Last last week, I think we said it wrong, and 0:07:46.720 --> 0:07:48.480 I said we need to make sure we get it right. 0:07:48.760 --> 0:07:51.920 So I was hoping you having been the only one 0:07:51.960 --> 0:07:54.680 of the three of us who knows him could clarify that. 0:07:55.520 --> 0:07:58.960 You know what, Listen, we have an actual commissioner of 0:07:59.000 --> 0:08:01.920 this league. He's the commissioner. He runs the whole thing. 0:08:02.040 --> 0:08:05.480 His name is Robert Pascal. That's a great We got 0:08:05.520 --> 0:08:08.280 to bring him on. He's the commissioner. We got to 0:08:08.280 --> 0:08:08.800 bring him on. 0:08:09.160 --> 0:08:09.560 All right. 0:08:10.440 --> 0:08:13.160 I think we've probably done a little bit too much 0:08:13.200 --> 0:08:16.400 on this, but we had to give We had to 0:08:16.400 --> 0:08:18.760 give Chris Haynes his flowers and give him ala. 0:08:19.440 --> 0:08:21.200 I don't know why y'all brought that up. We didn't 0:08:21.240 --> 0:08:21.440 have to. 0:08:21.720 --> 0:08:23.880 There was no reason because, as you pointed, I didn't 0:08:23.880 --> 0:08:26.560 even notice the second trop there. There are legit two 0:08:26.640 --> 0:08:29.760 trophies in the picture. I didn't even notice the first one. 0:08:29.840 --> 0:08:34.280 So that's why I think you. I think I think you. Well, 0:08:34.480 --> 0:08:36.199 we know I can't see and I can't hear. 0:08:36.280 --> 0:08:37.280 I'm I'm old. 0:08:37.360 --> 0:08:39.000 I'm a lot older than both of you, and I'm 0:08:39.120 --> 0:08:42.560 aging by the day faster than I would care to admit. 0:08:42.760 --> 0:08:47.360 So I fully admit that I'm washed. But I think 0:08:47.400 --> 0:08:49.680 you kind of you kind of left us no choice 0:08:49.679 --> 0:08:52.320 here that we had to talk about this hardware collection. 0:08:52.040 --> 0:08:52.520 In front of you. 0:08:53.280 --> 0:08:57.440 Okay, well listen, you know it happens, but uh, let's 0:08:57.440 --> 0:08:59.760 get to the NBA so can we can we please 0:08:59.800 --> 0:09:01.120 get everybody's. 0:09:00.679 --> 0:09:02.800 Class, let's get to the end. 0:09:02.840 --> 0:09:06.199 Well, look, I think also the reason we needed this diversion. 0:09:06.240 --> 0:09:08.559 I mean, it is not the happiest time in the NBA. 0:09:08.679 --> 0:09:12.040 We're basically down to a month left, I think thirty 0:09:12.040 --> 0:09:14.520 two to thirty three days left in the regular season, 0:09:15.360 --> 0:09:19.319 and it's it's rough right now, and there's so much 0:09:19.400 --> 0:09:24.439 focus on injuries. Karl Anthony Towns. The Wolves just denounced 0:09:24.880 --> 0:09:29.400 shortly before we started recording this pod that Karl Anthony 0:09:29.440 --> 0:09:35.440 Towns has undergone surgery on that left lateral meniscus. He'll 0:09:35.480 --> 0:09:39.480 be reevaluated in four weeks. The Wolves say no other 0:09:40.400 --> 0:09:46.520 details from the Wolves on specificity on exactly what sort 0:09:46.520 --> 0:09:50.559 of surgery this was, which always matters when we're dealing 0:09:50.640 --> 0:09:55.040 with a meniscus. All we know is what the Wolves 0:09:55.080 --> 0:09:59.400 say about reevaluating him in four weeks. I think it's 0:09:59.400 --> 0:10:02.800 pretty well a established at this point. The Wolves know 0:10:02.840 --> 0:10:04.160 they're going to have to get to the rest of 0:10:04.160 --> 0:10:07.199 the regular season without him and hope he can make 0:10:07.240 --> 0:10:08.480 it back in the playoffs. 0:10:08.480 --> 0:10:09.440 In Philadelphia. 0:10:10.000 --> 0:10:13.360 We still don't know when the Sixers will get Joe 0:10:13.480 --> 0:10:17.840 lmb back. The Cavaliers are playing without both Evan Mobley 0:10:17.960 --> 0:10:22.640 and Donovan Mitchell as we speak. The Suns did get 0:10:22.679 --> 0:10:26.480 Devin Booker back last night, making it twenty four games 0:10:26.520 --> 0:10:29.839 now for the super team trio of Kevin Durant, Devin 0:10:29.880 --> 0:10:32.760 Booker and Bradley Beal. They have played together in just 0:10:32.880 --> 0:10:37.360 twenty four games, but at least the Suns they are 0:10:37.880 --> 0:10:41.240 finally whole, at least in terms of their star trio. 0:10:41.400 --> 0:10:46.440 The Knicks tonight playing against Philadelphia. After we finished recording 0:10:46.440 --> 0:10:51.520 this pod, Ogannobi is expected to return for the Knicks 0:10:52.480 --> 0:10:55.000 after missing tons of time. 0:10:56.000 --> 0:10:57.319 And remember, the Knicks. 0:10:57.080 --> 0:11:02.080 Went fifteen and two in the imediate aftermath of acquiring 0:11:02.440 --> 0:11:06.320 og Anobi, but he's been out since late January with 0:11:06.440 --> 0:11:09.640 this elbow injury, so more than six weeks the Knicks 0:11:09.679 --> 0:11:12.040 have had to cope without og Anoby. They're supposed to 0:11:12.080 --> 0:11:15.520 get him back. Remains unclear though how soon Julius Randall 0:11:16.120 --> 0:11:19.440 can come back for the Knicks. Stephan Curry I was 0:11:19.440 --> 0:11:23.360 supposed to see him tomorrow night here in Dallas. Stephan 0:11:23.400 --> 0:11:26.160 Curry will not be playing in that game in Dallas, 0:11:26.160 --> 0:11:29.960 but the Warriors say he is expected to practice Friday 0:11:30.120 --> 0:11:33.360 in LA with a team, and that would suggest that 0:11:33.440 --> 0:11:35.040 a return Saturday against the. 0:11:35.080 --> 0:11:36.800 Lakers is possible. 0:11:37.800 --> 0:11:41.520 And then there's just the horrible looking injury that Alpera 0:11:41.559 --> 0:11:45.319 and she Gun suffered in Houston. Thankfully, it sounds as 0:11:45.320 --> 0:11:49.679 though the extent of the injury that Sheng Goon has 0:11:49.720 --> 0:11:54.079 suffered is a Grade three right ankle sprain, no tears, 0:11:54.160 --> 0:11:57.120 nothing with the knee. The reality is he's probably gonna 0:11:57.120 --> 0:11:58.720 miss the rest of the regular season. But if he 0:11:58.720 --> 0:12:02.280 can avoid surgery and needs time to heal, that would 0:12:02.280 --> 0:12:06.280 be a huge, huge relief for the Rockets, because that 0:12:06.360 --> 0:12:09.319 thing looked so nasty. I guess the summation of all 0:12:09.360 --> 0:12:12.880 this is just it sucks that we're down to this 0:12:13.000 --> 0:12:15.200 last month of the season. What should be the stretch 0:12:15.280 --> 0:12:17.760 run and what should be a time when we're focused 0:12:18.280 --> 0:12:23.200 solely on the standings, and sadly, so many injuries intruding 0:12:24.600 --> 0:12:27.319 on so many teams. I didn't even mention Benedict Mattarin 0:12:27.400 --> 0:12:31.360 in Indianapolis, who's now out for the season. So injuries 0:12:31.360 --> 0:12:33.560 in the NBA this time of year they always make 0:12:33.760 --> 0:12:38.480 a huge impact and it's just an undeniable. It's a 0:12:38.520 --> 0:12:42.720 downer to see how much we're dealing with right now 0:12:43.760 --> 0:12:44.920 on the injury front. 0:12:45.240 --> 0:12:48.600 But we're getting there, Stan, We're getting there. Steph is 0:12:49.440 --> 0:12:52.559 soon on the way. And for the Minnesota Timbos, who 0:12:52.640 --> 0:12:56.840 had a phenomenal season. You want to see teams whole, 0:12:57.400 --> 0:13:00.800 especially for the playoffs. So there's a shot that Karl 0:13:00.840 --> 0:13:03.960 Anthony Towns, you know, will be back for the postseason. 0:13:04.600 --> 0:13:07.160 And so you know, Julius Randall, that's the one that 0:13:07.200 --> 0:13:11.719 I'm kind of trying to monitor right there to see 0:13:11.760 --> 0:13:13.240 if they can get him back at some. 0:13:13.280 --> 0:13:16.080 Point another you know, another big deal. 0:13:16.080 --> 0:13:18.320 You just you just you just actually kind of got 0:13:18.320 --> 0:13:19.840 me thinking, because I know you're going to see the 0:13:19.840 --> 0:13:21.480 Bucks in Sacramento this week. 0:13:22.800 --> 0:13:24.520 Maybe you're even going to bring the trophies to. 0:13:24.480 --> 0:13:28.400 The game just to show, uh show Damian Lillard and Joanna. 0:13:29.480 --> 0:13:32.120 They both saw pictures already. It's so good. It's all good. 0:13:32.440 --> 0:13:34.559 Yeah, my bad. I should have I should have known that. 0:13:34.600 --> 0:13:37.400 I should have assumed that Chris Middleton. I mean, the 0:13:37.440 --> 0:13:39.560 Bucks have played so much better lately, but we're still 0:13:39.559 --> 0:13:41.679 waiting on the return of Chris Middleton, which is a 0:13:41.800 --> 0:13:47.640 huge huge potential X factor for the Bucks because they've 0:13:47.640 --> 0:13:49.760 looked so much better here lately and they're doing it 0:13:49.760 --> 0:13:50.760 without Chris Middleton. 0:13:51.520 --> 0:13:55.800 Yeah, they are, and right now I think, so what 0:13:55.880 --> 0:13:58.680 we a little bit under twenty games left and Chris 0:13:58.679 --> 0:14:01.280 Milton still They were hoping that he will be back 0:14:01.600 --> 0:14:05.720 tonight for the against the Sacramento Kings, but that's not happening. 0:14:05.800 --> 0:14:08.880 So yeah, I mean, you gotta he has to come 0:14:08.920 --> 0:14:12.120 back and find the groove. And how would he find 0:14:12.120 --> 0:14:14.880 that groove once he gets back? Will he come in 0:14:14.920 --> 0:14:17.360 as a starter? Will he start off on the bench. 0:14:17.800 --> 0:14:20.000 He's being a minute restriction most of the season, so 0:14:20.040 --> 0:14:21.880 there's a lot of unknown when it comes to Chris Milton. 0:14:21.920 --> 0:14:24.080 But when he was playing, he was pretty consistent. So 0:14:24.360 --> 0:14:26.920 you know the Bucks are hoping to get hold as well. 0:14:27.120 --> 0:14:29.280 What's the general vibe you get from the Bucks? 0:14:29.320 --> 0:14:32.440 How optimistic are they that Middleton is going to come 0:14:32.480 --> 0:14:36.120 back and look like the Chris Middleton we expect? 0:14:36.560 --> 0:14:38.360 You know, I don't know, I don't know. I think 0:14:40.040 --> 0:14:42.680 you know, first of all, they just want him back 0:14:42.720 --> 0:14:44.960 into the fold so they can have some games under 0:14:45.000 --> 0:14:49.280 their belt together with Doc Rivers. You know, they got 0:14:49.280 --> 0:14:52.760 some new sets you know, it's a lot more two 0:14:52.800 --> 0:14:56.120 way game going on with Giannis and Dame, and so 0:14:56.160 --> 0:14:59.040 they want to be able to integrate Chris. That you 0:14:59.040 --> 0:15:00.920 don't want to be in a great and Chris in 0:15:00.960 --> 0:15:03.920 the playoffs. You want to have some games under their belt. 0:15:03.960 --> 0:15:06.600 So you know, you never know how the player is 0:15:06.640 --> 0:15:08.680 going to come back. You know, if they're going to 0:15:08.720 --> 0:15:10.920 come back and just pick up what they left off, 0:15:11.040 --> 0:15:13.240 or it's going to take some time. But this had 0:15:13.280 --> 0:15:17.760 to have been a really serious ankle spring because Chris 0:15:17.840 --> 0:15:21.840 is missed I believe it's fifteen or sixteen games because 0:15:21.840 --> 0:15:24.960 of it. So this is something that they're you know, 0:15:25.000 --> 0:15:27.440 they're going to try to be cautious about. 0:15:34.520 --> 0:15:37.920 All right, Well, we obviously hope that whether it's Chris Middleton, 0:15:38.160 --> 0:15:42.120 Karl Anthony Towns, the various injuries we've seen across the league, 0:15:42.120 --> 0:15:45.600 that all these players are healthy come playoff time. But 0:15:45.960 --> 0:15:49.000 what in the standings are you watching closest as we 0:15:49.040 --> 0:15:52.200 move into the last month of the season. Stein, Let's 0:15:52.320 --> 0:15:53.320 start with you. 0:15:54.080 --> 0:15:59.400 I would say, and maybe this is geographical bias based 0:15:59.440 --> 0:16:02.960 on where I live, but this battle in the West, 0:16:03.320 --> 0:16:06.840 who gets to six, who gets out of the plane, 0:16:08.160 --> 0:16:11.080 or will I mean, New Orleans has quiet New Orleans 0:16:11.080 --> 0:16:16.600 has very quietly just been monstrous since the start of February. 0:16:16.920 --> 0:16:19.160 And I want to say the Pels are on a 0:16:19.280 --> 0:16:21.920 thirteen and four or even a fourteen and four run. 0:16:21.960 --> 0:16:24.600 I mean, they look like a very solid number five 0:16:24.720 --> 0:16:31.040 right now. And the Pelicans are whole and functioning as 0:16:31.040 --> 0:16:35.440 well as a team really as we've ever seen since 0:16:35.520 --> 0:16:39.360 Zion Williamson has been a Pelican. And so I would 0:16:39.360 --> 0:16:41.920 say the Pelicans right now they look like they're gonna 0:16:41.960 --> 0:16:47.280 stay at number five at worst. So it's really this 0:16:47.480 --> 0:16:50.560 battle from six on down. And the reason to me 0:16:50.880 --> 0:16:55.000 it is, look, it's already critical for all these teams 0:16:55.080 --> 0:16:57.800 because you obviously want to be six. You don't want 0:16:57.840 --> 0:16:59.680 to be seven through ten because then that means you 0:16:59.680 --> 0:17:01.720 have to go through the play and round. But it 0:17:01.800 --> 0:17:06.480 isn't just that, which is significant enough with what's going 0:17:06.520 --> 0:17:10.399 on with Minnesota. You know the Wolves, it's an amazing stat. 0:17:10.440 --> 0:17:13.880 Alan Horton, their radio guy, keeps this stat. It's truly amazing. 0:17:14.240 --> 0:17:19.640 In the Wolves franchise history, they had only held the 0:17:19.680 --> 0:17:23.840 best record in the West for ten days in the 0:17:23.840 --> 0:17:28.840 first thirty four seasons of Timberwolves basketball, whereas this season. 0:17:29.760 --> 0:17:32.439 The Wolves have been number one in the West for 0:17:32.600 --> 0:17:36.439 almost one hundred days. But now when we woke up 0:17:36.480 --> 0:17:40.720 on this Tuesday, the Wolves were down to number three 0:17:40.800 --> 0:17:44.439 in the West, a game and a half back of 0:17:44.520 --> 0:17:47.840 West leading OKC, And we know they're going to have 0:17:47.880 --> 0:17:50.480 to get to the rest of the regular season without 0:17:50.560 --> 0:17:53.560 Karl Anthony Towns, and even if Towns can come back 0:17:53.600 --> 0:17:56.160 for the start of the playoffs, you'd have to think 0:17:56.200 --> 0:18:00.000 there is going to be some sort of reintegration period 0:18:00.280 --> 0:18:03.600 and just for Towns himself to play and feel like himself. 0:18:04.119 --> 0:18:05.520 So suddenly. 0:18:06.800 --> 0:18:11.280 Being number six, there's not only the carrot of you 0:18:11.320 --> 0:18:15.040 get out of the plane, but the very real possibility 0:18:15.080 --> 0:18:20.439 that you play a Wolves team that is not the 0:18:20.480 --> 0:18:23.800 Wolves team that we've seen all season and that has 0:18:23.920 --> 0:18:26.800 led the West for so much of this season, because 0:18:26.840 --> 0:18:29.119 either they're not gonna have Towns for the start of 0:18:29.160 --> 0:18:31.920 the first round, or they're gonna be bringing Towns back 0:18:31.960 --> 0:18:33.439 and have to do it on the fly in the 0:18:33.480 --> 0:18:37.480 first round. So as we awoke on this Tuesday, Phoenix 0:18:37.560 --> 0:18:42.400 was number six up a game on Sacramento. But look, 0:18:42.440 --> 0:18:46.240 all these teams are bunched up here. Dallas is in 0:18:46.240 --> 0:18:49.280 that mix as well, you know, the Lakers and Warriors, 0:18:50.040 --> 0:18:52.639 they've got more ground to make up. So I don't 0:18:52.640 --> 0:18:55.440 know if the number nine Lakers and the number ten Warriors, 0:18:55.480 --> 0:18:58.400 I don't know how much higher up the board they 0:18:58.440 --> 0:19:01.119 can move. But just who gets that's number six in 0:19:01.200 --> 0:19:07.480 the West, to me is fascinating because that first round series, 0:19:09.640 --> 0:19:12.240 all the pressure is going to be on Minnesota. Minnesota 0:19:12.280 --> 0:19:17.320 has had this incredible regular season, but they've had to 0:19:17.359 --> 0:19:19.600 live with they got to prove it to us in 0:19:19.640 --> 0:19:23.840 the playoffs because as a franchise, they don't have that 0:19:23.880 --> 0:19:24.800 playoff success. 0:19:24.840 --> 0:19:26.439 So that that would be the one for me. 0:19:27.520 --> 0:19:31.719 Yeah, definitely, They're They're a team. I haven't heard anything, 0:19:31.760 --> 0:19:34.240 but I would think that the Timbules are a team 0:19:34.359 --> 0:19:36.879 that is on the radar of those teams that's fighting 0:19:36.880 --> 0:19:40.000 for that six spot. I think you want it probably 0:19:40.040 --> 0:19:44.600 out of Denver and Oklahoma City and Minnesota. Minnesota probably 0:19:44.640 --> 0:19:48.080 be the team that you want to face. Considering Karl 0:19:48.119 --> 0:19:52.800 Anthony Towns's injury situation. I'm in the fact that Timbles 0:19:52.800 --> 0:19:55.040 have to do in the playoffs. Like you said, every time, 0:19:56.080 --> 0:19:58.639 I wouldn't say every time, but most of the times 0:19:58.720 --> 0:20:03.240 when there's a young emerging team that catches people by surprise, 0:20:04.040 --> 0:20:06.600 and usually in the playoffs they may falter in the 0:20:06.640 --> 0:20:09.000 first or second round, but you know, usually they have 0:20:09.040 --> 0:20:12.160 to go through the rigors of a season like that 0:20:13.880 --> 0:20:17.520 to take that next step. And that's not every team, 0:20:17.520 --> 0:20:19.880 but you know, we'll see, you know, I think Phoenix 0:20:19.920 --> 0:20:22.560 they will feel I'll have to think if Phoenix faced Minnesota, 0:20:22.600 --> 0:20:25.800 they they will feel pretty good about their first round chances. 0:20:25.840 --> 0:20:27.880 So I get what you're saying on. 0:20:27.800 --> 0:20:31.040 That one, and they look they have to feel that 0:20:31.119 --> 0:20:35.040 way because again, the two things that worry me about 0:20:35.040 --> 0:20:39.200 the Phoenix Suns A have we seen their main three 0:20:39.240 --> 0:20:42.600 guys play enough? And I'm sure they're gonna say, we're 0:20:42.640 --> 0:20:45.520 battle tested, we're veterans, we know what we're doing. We'll 0:20:45.560 --> 0:20:48.440 be fine in the playoffs, don't worry about it. We're 0:20:48.480 --> 0:20:51.959 all mid range masters. The game gets tougher and slower 0:20:52.000 --> 0:20:54.600 in the playoffs, and we're gonna you know, no team 0:20:54.720 --> 0:20:57.000 is used to dealing with three of us who can 0:20:57.040 --> 0:20:59.399 all hit Midi's We're gonna be fine. That's what the 0:20:59.400 --> 0:21:02.960 Sons would say say if they were speaking directly to us. 0:21:03.240 --> 0:21:06.520 But if you're a Phoenix fan or a Phoenix Sun, 0:21:06.880 --> 0:21:09.960 you can't love the idea of having to go on 0:21:10.040 --> 0:21:13.320 the road three straight rounds to get to the NBA Finals. 0:21:13.480 --> 0:21:15.280 And you know, obviously in the finals you wouldn't have 0:21:15.320 --> 0:21:19.800 home court advantage either. So if Phoenix finishes sixth and 0:21:19.880 --> 0:21:24.199 gets a match up against the uncertain Minnesota Timberwolves, you 0:21:24.200 --> 0:21:28.679 know that will be a fascinating contrast of styles. 0:21:28.160 --> 0:21:29.000 And we'll see. 0:21:29.200 --> 0:21:33.960 We'll see if Phoenix can turn it on like they 0:21:34.000 --> 0:21:36.080 believe they can. But I know in Dallas, you know, 0:21:36.119 --> 0:21:38.639 they're desperate to get up to number six as well, 0:21:38.720 --> 0:21:41.520 and they had a recent one in five wobble. 0:21:41.600 --> 0:21:43.320 They just played. 0:21:43.000 --> 0:21:47.400 An unreal game in Chicago on Monday night, right after 0:21:47.440 --> 0:21:49.840 I got back to town. They just, i mean, one 0:21:49.840 --> 0:21:54.360 of their best road performances of the season. So we'll 0:21:54.359 --> 0:21:58.840 see if Dallas can keep that going. Dallas playing likely 0:21:58.920 --> 0:22:01.879 playing Golden State on Wednesday night without Stephen Curry, and 0:22:01.920 --> 0:22:04.480 the Warriors are only one and four this season without Steph, 0:22:04.560 --> 0:22:07.639 I believe. But right after that, Dallas has to go 0:22:07.680 --> 0:22:11.400 to Oklahoma City to play the Thunder and on Sunday 0:22:11.400 --> 0:22:13.679 they've got Denver in here. So big week for the 0:22:13.720 --> 0:22:18.080 Mavericks and everybody's jockeying for number six, and you know, I'll. 0:22:17.880 --> 0:22:18.920 Be interested to hear. 0:22:19.840 --> 0:22:22.640 I know you're gonna be seeing the Bucks in Sacramento, 0:22:22.720 --> 0:22:25.080 but I'd love to get a pulse check from you 0:22:25.119 --> 0:22:27.560 in our next pod on the Kings because they've been 0:22:27.760 --> 0:22:32.600 so up and down and such a difficult team to 0:22:32.720 --> 0:22:35.720 get a handle on. Probably better on the road this 0:22:35.800 --> 0:22:37.680 season than at home. 0:22:37.920 --> 0:22:42.160 So yeah, they're in a little bit of danger right there. 0:22:42.160 --> 0:22:44.600 You know, it's not out of the rim of possibility 0:22:44.640 --> 0:22:47.399 that the Kings could end up finding themselves in the 0:22:47.440 --> 0:22:51.480