WEBVTT - Mavericks vs Celtics Finals Preview and Matchup Breakdown

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<v Speaker 1>Welcome into NBA Pulsive production of iHeartRadio in 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 Monday, June third, from our extraordinary core group

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<v Speaker 1>of NBA journals for joined now by NBA dot Com

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<v Speaker 1>senior writer Michael C. Wright. Michael, it's June third. That

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<v Speaker 1>means we're a couple days away from June six, when

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<v Speaker 1>the NBA Finals begin eight thirty pm Eastern on ABC.

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<v Speaker 1>The Dallas Mavericks will be taking on the Boston Celtics

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<v Speaker 1>in TD Garden. Luka Doncic playing in his first NBA Finals,

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<v Speaker 1>Boston trying to do something with this core led by

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<v Speaker 1>Jason Tatum and Jalen Brown along with jew Holiday Derek White.

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<v Speaker 1>Hopefully for the Boston side of things, Kristaps Porzingis will

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<v Speaker 1>make his return here in the postseason. There's a lot happening,

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<v Speaker 1>and as we saw Boston pretty much roll through the

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<v Speaker 1>course of this playoffs, losing only two games to get

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<v Speaker 1>themselves here. An expectation though for a Celtics team that

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<v Speaker 1>was far and away the best team in the league

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<v Speaker 1>throughout the course of this season. They had I don't

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<v Speaker 1>want to say easy road, but somewhat of a easy

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<v Speaker 1>road getting here, just given some injuries and things that

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<v Speaker 1>they dealt with in the first couple of rounds. Dallas,

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<v Speaker 1>on the other side of things, he saw just spectacular,

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<v Speaker 1>spectacular play from Luka Doncic, from Kyrie Irving. We will

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<v Speaker 1>get to Kyrie Irving in just what a special run

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<v Speaker 1>this has been for him individually, making his return now

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<v Speaker 1>back to a place where he played. But when you

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<v Speaker 1>kind of just take a big picture of you and

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<v Speaker 1>in your first perspective on what this finals will look like,

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<v Speaker 1>what stands out to you most? What are some of

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<v Speaker 1>your initial thoughts that you're going to be keeping an

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<v Speaker 1>eye on.

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<v Speaker 2>I think, Sarah Number one is going to be matchups,

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<v Speaker 2>like what do they do? What?

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<v Speaker 1>Like?

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<v Speaker 2>Okay, so you know Dallas sort of played this game

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<v Speaker 2>where they just packed the paint and sort of dared

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<v Speaker 2>you to beat him on the perimeter. Well, I don't

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<v Speaker 2>think you can do that against the Boston Celtics because

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<v Speaker 2>they've they're gonna have five shooters on the floor. So

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<v Speaker 2>how do you contend with that? Who guards Jason Tatum?

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<v Speaker 2>Who starts on Jalen Brown? Is it gonna be PJ?

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<v Speaker 2>Washington Dereck Jones Junior. I don't know, but that those

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<v Speaker 2>are the things I'm looking at, just how they match

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<v Speaker 2>up and how it ends up working out because it's

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<v Speaker 2>Dallas is gonna have to play different than they have

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<v Speaker 2>and Boston, as you mentioned, they sort of had an

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<v Speaker 2>easier road to get here. You know, the best player

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<v Speaker 2>on every team that they faced in the playoffs missed

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<v Speaker 2>games at some point. And you know, in this this series,

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<v Speaker 2>you've got he's gonna be the best player on the

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<v Speaker 2>floor in Luka Doncic, and he's got a pretty good

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<v Speaker 2>superstar sidekick and Kyrie Irving, who you just mentioned earlier,

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<v Speaker 2>but it's gonna be tough for him. But I just

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<v Speaker 2>like the way that both of these teams sort of matchup,

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<v Speaker 2>But I don't know exactly how they're going to deploy

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<v Speaker 2>these matchups.

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<v Speaker 1>What do you think in terms of you mentioned before

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<v Speaker 1>we get to Luke Dancic, Kyrie Irving, Jason Tatum, Jalen Brown.

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<v Speaker 1>You're talking about that, but the fact that Doncic will

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<v Speaker 1>be the best player in the series, But how does

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<v Speaker 1>the depth factor in? And I think depth even too,

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<v Speaker 1>we saw Dallas's bench reserves. Complementary players have some really

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<v Speaker 1>significant performances, impactful performances that help them to get here.

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<v Speaker 1>The starting five of Boston, we know how good they

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<v Speaker 1>have been, and again we're assuming and hopeful that Christaps

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<v Speaker 1>Porzingis will be able to come into play. But what

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<v Speaker 1>it looks like in terms of who will be coming

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<v Speaker 1>off their bench, how that will play in how do

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<v Speaker 1>you think the totality of these groups and the fact

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<v Speaker 1>that you have the best player on the Dallas side

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<v Speaker 1>of things, but also the robust nature of how many

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<v Speaker 1>players Boston can bring at to you in different circumstances,

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<v Speaker 1>in different scenarios.

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<v Speaker 2>They definitely can. And you know, I was looking at

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<v Speaker 2>the two regular season matchups between these teams and if

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<v Speaker 2>you remember, Jalen Brown and Drew Holliday sort of took

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<v Speaker 2>turns guarding Luka Doncic, and then Drew and Derek White

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<v Speaker 2>also sort of tag team Kyrie Irving. And one thing

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<v Speaker 2>about that was they did a really good job of

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<v Speaker 2>slowing down Kyrie, and you know that played a part

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<v Speaker 2>in both of those Boston wins. And then you if

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<v Speaker 2>you go back to the conference semifinals when Dallas played

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<v Speaker 2>Oklahoma City, that's one thing the thunder we're able to

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<v Speaker 2>do is just they sort of slowed down Kyrie and

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<v Speaker 2>that led to them having a little success and the

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<v Speaker 2>end of that series. So I think Kyrie is going

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<v Speaker 2>to be a really big piece. Even though Luca is

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<v Speaker 2>going to get all the headlines and all the spotlight.

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<v Speaker 2>I think Kyrie Irving is going to be really important

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<v Speaker 2>to the Dallas Mavericks. And then you know, you mentioned

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<v Speaker 2>all the bench people. I think that Boston is a

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<v Speaker 2>little deeper. I don't know why I think that. I

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<v Speaker 2>guess because you know, I just like what Peyton Pritchard does.

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<v Speaker 2>Al Horford, I like his versatility, his ability to you know,

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<v Speaker 2>shoot the ball out on the perimeter as well as

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<v Speaker 2>you know, play play inside. But I think both of

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<v Speaker 2>these teams match up well depth wise too, though, because

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<v Speaker 2>look at Derek Lively, the second rookie, twenty years old.

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<v Speaker 2>I don't think he missed a shot in the Western

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<v Speaker 2>Conference finals. I have to go back and look. I

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<v Speaker 2>don't think he did.

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<v Speaker 1>No, do you see twenty years old? Like he has

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<v Speaker 1>a maturity and poise of a thirty year old, right,

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<v Speaker 1>I mean it's really And you saw the difference too

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<v Speaker 1>when he went out in Game four in that Minnesota

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<v Speaker 1>series and then what he did then again in Game five.

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<v Speaker 1>I do think those bigs like between him and Gafford

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<v Speaker 1>and just what that looks like again that circles back

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<v Speaker 1>to Porzingis. I think you talking about Holliday and what

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<v Speaker 1>I think they're going to be so important to what happens,

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<v Speaker 1>how this plays out. But you mentioned Kyrie Irving and

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<v Speaker 1>he has there's been questions about him returning back to Boston.

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<v Speaker 1>He's you know, just kind of rolled through it. We

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<v Speaker 1>have seen a whole different I obviously covered and called games,

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<v Speaker 1>some brilliant games, and a lot of years with Kyrie

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<v Speaker 1>Irving with the Brooklyn Nets, and saw him go back

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<v Speaker 1>to Boston and what that was like, just the ferocity

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<v Speaker 1>of the environment, given the feelings towards Kyrie Irving when

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<v Speaker 1>you look at this and again we keep using the

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<v Speaker 1>word maturity, but just how much it seems like he

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<v Speaker 1>is in such a good place mentally, physically, spiritually, all

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<v Speaker 1>the things. How do you think it will affect his play?

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<v Speaker 1>Impact is both good or bad in coming back to

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<v Speaker 1>a place that there is such a depth of emotions

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<v Speaker 1>and feelings, at least on the side of Boston Celtics fans.

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<v Speaker 2>I will say, Sarah that that band aid has already

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<v Speaker 2>been ripped off. As a matter of fact, the last

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<v Speaker 2>time I saw you, like multiple days in a row,

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<v Speaker 2>we were covering we were covering that that playoff series

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<v Speaker 2>between Brooklyn and Boston at four old sweep. I mean,

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<v Speaker 2>I think they got it out of the way. Then

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<v Speaker 2>I think that's sort of, you know, gone and it's done.

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<v Speaker 2>And I think that Kyrie, like you said, he's in

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<v Speaker 2>a really good place. He's he's at peace, and you

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<v Speaker 2>can see it and how he plays. You can see

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<v Speaker 2>how poised he is in late game situations. I mean,

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<v Speaker 2>I've seen it night after night, the guys in a

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<v Speaker 2>back and forth game and you know, something bad happens,

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<v Speaker 2>but it doesn't shake him. He just keeps going and

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<v Speaker 2>they end up, you know, sort of turning the tide

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<v Speaker 2>and winning winning the game. So I don't think that

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<v Speaker 2>the Celtics fans are really going to affect him very much.

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<v Speaker 2>And I don't think that the storylines, because you know,

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<v Speaker 2>in all these media availabilities, they're gonna ask Kyrie over

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<v Speaker 2>and over about coming back to Boston, and I'm telling

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<v Speaker 2>you he's not gonna have anything to say about it.

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<v Speaker 2>He's gonna say, hey, I already did, that's it's over.

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<v Speaker 2>I'm in a good place now, and then that's it.

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<v Speaker 2>Like he's gonna shut that question down every time. I

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<v Speaker 2>think because he really is in a peaceful place. He's

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<v Speaker 2>happy with the guys that he's playing with, and in

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<v Speaker 2>a way, I think that the youth of the Dallas

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<v Speaker 2>Mavericks it sort of rejuvenates him and it just and

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<v Speaker 2>he also he realizes that, you know, he was going

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<v Speaker 2>to all those finals when he played for Cleveland, and

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<v Speaker 2>I think he sort of took that for granted. And

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<v Speaker 2>I think he's in a place now where he understands

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<v Speaker 2>that this is not easy. So it's special to be

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<v Speaker 2>back in this place and we have a unique opportunity

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<v Speaker 2>to go and win a ring. And then I think

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<v Speaker 2>he really wants to win a ring with Luca Dotchich.

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<v Speaker 2>I think those guys are really close off the court.

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<v Speaker 1>You nailed it to me, that's what I see. What

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<v Speaker 1>I feel kind of got some chill like thinking about there.

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<v Speaker 1>There feels like a real love and a love to

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<v Speaker 1>play with each other, for one another and help one

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<v Speaker 1>another amongst those two. And then add in the fact

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<v Speaker 1>of as you mentioned the youth of this like there

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<v Speaker 1>there seems to be a synergy and a chemistry that

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<v Speaker 1>goes far beyond just what they're doing on the floor.

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<v Speaker 1>But on the floor, it feels like they fight for

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<v Speaker 1>one another and for a player in Luka Doncic, who

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<v Speaker 1>the trash talk, the advice, he he seems to live

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<v Speaker 1>for that, he rises to the occasion, and I actually

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<v Speaker 1>think when he hears that, when he sees maybe some

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<v Speaker 1>of that vitriol towards Kyrie Irving, Yeah, be careful because

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<v Speaker 1>I feel like that will only raise the level of

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<v Speaker 1>his play in protection for someone he considers a brother

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<v Speaker 1>and vice versa. So to me, I actually I think

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<v Speaker 1>that may really benefit just this group as a whole,

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<v Speaker 1>because I think they live for these I think they're

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<v Speaker 1>they're cut from that cloth and they are built for

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<v Speaker 1>these type of things. In that stage will not affect

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<v Speaker 1>them whatsoever. With that being said, though we've seen this

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<v Speaker 1>Boston team, despite the fact that they have rolled through

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<v Speaker 1>the playoffs, they have obviously played tremendous with one another

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<v Speaker 1>and through the course of the regular season, it hasn't

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<v Speaker 1>always been that way at home. Where do you think

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<v Speaker 1>the pressure maybe if you'd call pressure lies for both

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<v Speaker 1>of these teams on both sides, and kind of how

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<v Speaker 1>you look at the expectations of what this finals will

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<v Speaker 1>mean for this Boston Celtics team as they're currently constructed

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<v Speaker 1>in just the fact that they have been here before

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<v Speaker 1>but have not accomplished what they've set out to in

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<v Speaker 1>a multitude of years.

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<v Speaker 2>Despite the success, It's very interesting the dynamic between both

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<v Speaker 2>these teams. I think Dallas, I think Jason Kidd feels

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<v Speaker 2>like he's playing with house money at this point. I mean,

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<v Speaker 2>they made it to a conference final in his first

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<v Speaker 2>season as the Mavericks head coach, and then you know,

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<v Speaker 2>coming into this season, nobody expected the Mavericks to be here.

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<v Speaker 2>I mean there was a point in the season, and

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<v Speaker 2>I mean pretty late in the season where the Mavericks

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<v Speaker 2>were sort of in playing tournament territory and you didn't

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<v Speaker 2>even know if they would make it to the playoffs.

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<v Speaker 2>They made that trade at the trade deadline, and it

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<v Speaker 2>changed everything. I remember you and I talking about it,

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<v Speaker 2>and we didn't know what it meant, but it just

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<v Speaker 2>seemed like two pretty good pieces that could help them.

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<v Speaker 2>We didn't know exactly how it was gonna work out

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<v Speaker 2>for him, so Dallas. I don't think has any pressure

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<v Speaker 2>on them. I think it the Mavericks are you know,

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<v Speaker 2>they just feel like, hey, we're happy to be here,

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<v Speaker 2>we have an opportunity, but we know we will be back. Boston, meanwhile,

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<v Speaker 2>I think is under some pressure because of the fact

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<v Speaker 2>that a couple of years ago, just a couple of

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<v Speaker 2>years ago, they were in the finals against Golden State,

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<v Speaker 2>and they really had an opportunity to take control of

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<v Speaker 2>that series and they sort of let one slip away

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<v Speaker 2>in Boston, I think, and the Warriors ended up winning

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<v Speaker 2>that series. And I think that, you know, there was

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<v Speaker 2>a lot of criticism on some of those guys, you know,

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<v Speaker 2>like Jason Tatum the whole time, that whole series, we

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<v Speaker 2>kept waiting for a Jason Tatum performance and we never

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<v Speaker 2>got it. Jalen Brown, he played his butt off that series,

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<v Speaker 2>but we didn't have both those stars performing at that

0:12:14.200 --> 0:12:17.199
<v Speaker 2>high level that we've become accustomed to. So I do

0:12:17.240 --> 0:12:20.040
<v Speaker 2>think that there's more pressure on them. But at the

0:12:20.080 --> 0:12:24.000
<v Speaker 2>same time, this is a different Boston Celtics team than

0:12:24.000 --> 0:12:26.040
<v Speaker 2>that one that made the finals a couple of years ago.

0:12:26.120 --> 0:12:28.480
<v Speaker 2>You know, you added a couple of really good pieces.

0:12:28.559 --> 0:12:32.600
<v Speaker 2>I mean You've got Drew Holliday Porzingis. I think those

0:12:32.640 --> 0:12:36.640
<v Speaker 2>guys can really be X factor difference maker types in

0:12:36.640 --> 0:12:40.319
<v Speaker 2>this series. So even though they have more pressure on them,

0:12:40.480 --> 0:12:42.440
<v Speaker 2>they are a much better team than they were before.

0:12:43.000 --> 0:12:45.480
<v Speaker 1>Yeah, and you said it. Drew Holliday, who has been

0:12:45.520 --> 0:12:49.120
<v Speaker 1>there and won a championship and just the added element

0:12:49.679 --> 0:12:53.400
<v Speaker 1>that Porzingis will bring. We're gonna take a break, Michael,

0:12:53.480 --> 0:12:55.720
<v Speaker 1>and then we're gonna get into predictions for Game one.

0:12:55.960 --> 0:12:57.360
<v Speaker 1>Who do you think? Who do you think is coming

0:12:57.400 --> 0:13:09.600
<v Speaker 1>away with the dub We'll be back. Welcome back to NBA.

0:13:09.640 --> 0:13:12.920
<v Speaker 1>Paul Sarakustak, joined by the great Michael c Right. Okay, Michael,

0:13:13.200 --> 0:13:17.320
<v Speaker 1>before we give some predictions for what we think will

0:13:17.360 --> 0:13:20.360
<v Speaker 1>happen in Game one. You out of the gates. In

0:13:20.400 --> 0:13:24.160
<v Speaker 1>the beginning of this podcast talked about matchups. There's also

0:13:24.240 --> 0:13:28.200
<v Speaker 1>a matchup on the sideline, Jason Kidd Joe Missoula. Just

0:13:28.280 --> 0:13:31.440
<v Speaker 1>what Jason Kidd. I think he's been an instrumental part

0:13:32.559 --> 0:13:35.760
<v Speaker 1>of the play of Kyrie Irving of bringing these guys together,

0:13:35.840 --> 0:13:38.440
<v Speaker 1>some of the creativity that he has shown. He's someone

0:13:38.840 --> 0:13:40.640
<v Speaker 1>and bring it back to saw him in his first

0:13:40.760 --> 0:13:43.640
<v Speaker 1>year as a head coach at Brooklyn and just the

0:13:43.720 --> 0:13:46.440
<v Speaker 1>different stops that he's been at and how he's continued

0:13:46.480 --> 0:13:50.920
<v Speaker 1>to grow. Meanside, Joe missoula very very challenging situation that

0:13:51.160 --> 0:13:53.000
<v Speaker 1>he was placed in and just kind of thrown in

0:13:53.040 --> 0:13:58.120
<v Speaker 1>the fire last year, some heavy critique in just the

0:13:58.160 --> 0:14:01.360
<v Speaker 1>way in which things went through the postseason last year.

0:14:01.400 --> 0:14:04.640
<v Speaker 1>On his side of things seemed to grow as anyone

0:14:04.679 --> 0:14:07.640
<v Speaker 1>would in that position. But you talk about the youth

0:14:07.880 --> 0:14:11.360
<v Speaker 1>of where he's at in this in this role, what

0:14:11.440 --> 0:14:14.480
<v Speaker 1>do you think of the matchup between these coaches and

0:14:14.520 --> 0:14:17.520
<v Speaker 1>if you think there is an edge on either side

0:14:17.640 --> 0:14:21.560
<v Speaker 1>that will have an impact and ultimately what happens here.

0:14:22.600 --> 0:14:25.520
<v Speaker 2>Well, I try not to buy too much into the

0:14:25.560 --> 0:14:28.720
<v Speaker 2>whole former players that are coaches, you know, the whole

0:14:28.800 --> 0:14:30.800
<v Speaker 2>argument that oh, you hit me coaching the game, you know,

0:14:30.840 --> 0:14:35.280
<v Speaker 2>blah blah blah. But Jason Kidd is a Hall of

0:14:35.320 --> 0:14:38.680
<v Speaker 2>Fame boy guard. And you know, one of the things

0:14:38.680 --> 0:14:41.600
<v Speaker 2>that you'll hear Jason talk about a lot is the

0:14:41.760 --> 0:14:45.080
<v Speaker 2>trust that they all have in one another, Like that

0:14:45.080 --> 0:14:48.840
<v Speaker 2>that young team, they trust Kyrie Irving and clutch situations,

0:14:48.840 --> 0:14:51.920
<v Speaker 2>they trust Luka Dancic in those clutch situations. But at

0:14:51.960 --> 0:14:55.520
<v Speaker 2>the same time, those two superstars. They trust Jason Kidd,

0:14:55.880 --> 0:14:57.400
<v Speaker 2>they trust that he's going to put them in a

0:14:57.440 --> 0:15:00.600
<v Speaker 2>position to succeed on a night to night basis. And

0:15:01.120 --> 0:15:04.240
<v Speaker 2>you've seen these game plans, and one thing about the

0:15:04.280 --> 0:15:09.280
<v Speaker 2>Mavericks in my opinion, is that they are really comfortable

0:15:09.840 --> 0:15:13.200
<v Speaker 2>in the game plans, Like there's no second guess in it.

0:15:13.640 --> 0:15:16.520
<v Speaker 2>They are playing one hundred miles an hour. There's no

0:15:16.640 --> 0:15:21.520
<v Speaker 2>confusion because Jason sort of simplifies it for everybody. And

0:15:21.600 --> 0:15:25.560
<v Speaker 2>so that like that matchup is going to be interesting.

0:15:26.080 --> 0:15:28.160
<v Speaker 2>But I like if we go if we look at

0:15:28.200 --> 0:15:30.480
<v Speaker 2>Game one, for instance, I think that that is going

0:15:30.560 --> 0:15:33.280
<v Speaker 2>to be more of a fill out type process because

0:15:33.320 --> 0:15:35.240
<v Speaker 2>I don't think, as I mentioned before, I don't think

0:15:35.280 --> 0:15:37.960
<v Speaker 2>Dallas can play that same style against the team that

0:15:38.040 --> 0:15:40.240
<v Speaker 2>has shooters all over the floor. I mean, the Celtics

0:15:40.240 --> 0:15:44.040
<v Speaker 2>did lead the NBA in threes, may threes and attempted threes,

0:15:44.320 --> 0:15:47.920
<v Speaker 2>shooting at thirty eight point eight percent. So that's going

0:15:48.000 --> 0:15:50.600
<v Speaker 2>to be a big factor in this series in my mind.

0:15:53.120 --> 0:15:55.560
<v Speaker 1>So what do you think with all that being said,

0:15:57.080 --> 0:16:00.880
<v Speaker 1>Game one, just everything that goes and we tell you

0:16:01.000 --> 0:16:04.280
<v Speaker 1>and this is this is a whole different deal, whether

0:16:04.360 --> 0:16:09.840
<v Speaker 1>it's the attention, the added media, families getting ready for

0:16:10.240 --> 0:16:14.320
<v Speaker 1>there's a lot extra that goes into the finals that

0:16:14.440 --> 0:16:17.520
<v Speaker 1>weighs on players. What do you think happens here in

0:16:17.560 --> 0:16:18.840
<v Speaker 1>Game one at Boston?

0:16:20.040 --> 0:16:22.800
<v Speaker 2>I think, well, first off, let's look at the playoffs,

0:16:22.840 --> 0:16:27.120
<v Speaker 2>the totality of the playoffs. The Mavericks typically don't win

0:16:27.280 --> 0:16:30.320
<v Speaker 2>Game one. They just don't. I don't know why, but

0:16:30.440 --> 0:16:33.160
<v Speaker 2>I think, as I mentioned, it's sort of a filling

0:16:33.160 --> 0:16:36.200
<v Speaker 2>out process. And let's also not diminish the fact that

0:16:36.240 --> 0:16:40.600
<v Speaker 2>the Boston Celtics have been here before recently, and so

0:16:40.880 --> 0:16:44.880
<v Speaker 2>they understand what the whole process is. And I'm sure that,

0:16:45.040 --> 0:16:47.960
<v Speaker 2>like you know, the first time around, some of it

0:16:48.040 --> 0:16:50.800
<v Speaker 2>got to them, you know, all the extra media responsibilities,

0:16:51.080 --> 0:16:54.120
<v Speaker 2>you know, the extra time between games. I mean, it

0:16:54.160 --> 0:16:56.080
<v Speaker 2>won't be that way until the end, you know, like

0:16:56.120 --> 0:16:59.200
<v Speaker 2>the back half of the series, but like those are

0:16:59.280 --> 0:17:01.440
<v Speaker 2>all things that take getting used to, and I think

0:17:01.480 --> 0:17:04.160
<v Speaker 2>Boston is already there. And you know, you saw how

0:17:04.200 --> 0:17:06.840
<v Speaker 2>they sort of methodically went through the regular season, like

0:17:06.880 --> 0:17:09.080
<v Speaker 2>they never got too high about what they were doing.

0:17:09.119 --> 0:17:11.439
<v Speaker 2>I mean, they were beating people up, like at a

0:17:11.640 --> 0:17:14.600
<v Speaker 2>historic level, but it was sort of like Okay, yeah,

0:17:14.640 --> 0:17:16.280
<v Speaker 2>we're just taking it one game at a time. We're

0:17:16.280 --> 0:17:17.840
<v Speaker 2>just trying to get, you know, back to the finals

0:17:17.920 --> 0:17:20.440
<v Speaker 2>or whatever. But it was never like, hey, look at us,

0:17:20.600 --> 0:17:23.720
<v Speaker 2>like beat our chest. It was none of that. So again,

0:17:24.000 --> 0:17:26.800
<v Speaker 2>they've been there, so I think they've got the advantage

0:17:26.800 --> 0:17:29.240
<v Speaker 2>in that situation. And you know, at the end of

0:17:29.280 --> 0:17:32.240
<v Speaker 2>the day, Ball, I mean, Dallas is still a young

0:17:32.320 --> 0:17:35.560
<v Speaker 2>team for the most part, and so I do wonder

0:17:35.600 --> 0:17:39.320
<v Speaker 2>how they deal with that atmosphere and TD Garden because oh,

0:17:39.560 --> 0:17:42.240
<v Speaker 2>a couple of years ago when I covered the finals

0:17:42.240 --> 0:17:45.560
<v Speaker 2>out there, that whole building shakes. It is amazing, and

0:17:45.840 --> 0:17:48.240
<v Speaker 2>so I was a little overwhelmed by the atmosphere. So

0:17:48.280 --> 0:17:50.160
<v Speaker 2>I can only imagine what they're going through.

0:17:51.600 --> 0:17:55.040
<v Speaker 1>I think when you have Luca and Kyrie leading the

0:17:55.080 --> 0:17:58.760
<v Speaker 1>way I think things, I agree with everything you said.

0:17:58.840 --> 0:18:00.480
<v Speaker 1>I kind of think for the flips out of things.

0:18:00.480 --> 0:18:03.520
<v Speaker 1>So all the pressure to me is on Boston, it is,

0:18:04.160 --> 0:18:08.800
<v Speaker 1>and sometimes those game one despite being there before, sometimes

0:18:08.800 --> 0:18:12.280
<v Speaker 1>though that that allows you to potentially overthink things, and

0:18:12.359 --> 0:18:15.119
<v Speaker 1>Boston is sweeping. The has had a lot of time

0:18:15.200 --> 0:18:17.600
<v Speaker 1>to think through things. Uh. I think the MAVs, like

0:18:17.760 --> 0:18:20.320
<v Speaker 1>you said that, they very rarely get game one. They

0:18:20.359 --> 0:18:23.520
<v Speaker 1>got game one in that Minnesota series. I think that

0:18:23.600 --> 0:18:25.399
<v Speaker 1>they I think they come away with this one. I

0:18:25.400 --> 0:18:28.879
<v Speaker 1>think they got no pressure. They'll be playing loose and

0:18:29.000 --> 0:18:31.720
<v Speaker 1>I think they will be able to kind of soak

0:18:31.760 --> 0:18:35.399
<v Speaker 1>in that environment in a different way. And because of

0:18:35.440 --> 0:18:38.240
<v Speaker 1>that freedom of play, I think they I think they

0:18:38.280 --> 0:18:39.040
<v Speaker 1>steal game one.

0:18:39.240 --> 0:18:43.199
<v Speaker 2>But one point you made, though, Sarah, is the whole

0:18:43.359 --> 0:18:46.840
<v Speaker 2>Kyrie back to Boston angle, and that you were right

0:18:46.880 --> 0:18:50.320
<v Speaker 2>on the money there. You mess around and make Luca mad,

0:18:50.720 --> 0:18:53.560
<v Speaker 2>messing with messing with Kyrie, mess around and making mad

0:18:53.800 --> 0:18:56.520
<v Speaker 2>where he's in a situation where he's talking to the

0:18:56.520 --> 0:18:58.399
<v Speaker 2>fans and stuff like that. You don't want that. You

0:18:58.400 --> 0:19:03.399
<v Speaker 2>don't want that, Luca. That's forty five eleven and eleven, Luca,

0:19:03.440 --> 0:19:07.000
<v Speaker 2>you don't want that. So you're right there on the.

0:19:06.640 --> 0:19:08.560
<v Speaker 1>Look a side of things. And then I think that

0:19:08.800 --> 0:19:12.840
<v Speaker 1>adds a different feel for then how Kyrie can play

0:19:12.880 --> 0:19:17.040
<v Speaker 1>when he knows he's got this guy, yes that is

0:19:17.119 --> 0:19:19.679
<v Speaker 1>willing and wants to take on so much of that fury.

0:19:19.800 --> 0:19:22.679
<v Speaker 1>So yeah, I think it's going to be amazing. Michael.

0:19:22.720 --> 0:19:26.000
<v Speaker 1>I think we are set for a tremendous, tremendous finals.

0:19:26.720 --> 0:19:28.399
<v Speaker 1>We hit a couple of them. There are story so

0:19:28.440 --> 0:19:30.879
<v Speaker 1>many storylines, and I know they will continue to grow.

0:19:30.960 --> 0:19:33.879
<v Speaker 1>So I can't wait. I know you can't wait. Eight

0:19:33.960 --> 0:19:40.200
<v Speaker 1>thirty pm, Saturday Night, ABC, and we'll continue reading, watching

0:19:40.240 --> 0:19:43.320
<v Speaker 1>all your stuff and look forward to talking with you again.

0:19:44.359 --> 0:19:45.800
<v Speaker 2>All right, Sarah, I have a good one.

0:19:47.080 --> 0:19:50.040
<v Speaker 1>NBA post with Sarahustak's production of the NBA and iHeart Radio,

0:19:50.080 --> 0:19:52.639
<v Speaker 1>Please rate, review, and subscribe on the iHeart Radio app

0:19:52.720 --> 0:19:56.680
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