WEBVTT - Play-In Previews and Full NBA Awards Ballot Breakdown 0:00:02.560 --> 0:00:05.320 Welcome into NBA post production of iHeartRadio in the NBA. 0:00:05.440 --> 0:00:08.119 I'm Sarahustak, NBA analyst for the S Network, and today 0:00:08.400 --> 0:00:12.680 is Friday, April nineteenth, and from our extraordinary core group 0:00:12.720 --> 0:00:16.400 of NBA journalists were joined now by NBA dot Com 0:00:16.440 --> 0:00:19.160 senior writer Michael C. Wright. And Michael, We've got a 0:00:19.200 --> 0:00:20.799 lot of things going on right now. Has been a 0:00:20.800 --> 0:00:23.000 good week as we have started the playing games. We 0:00:23.079 --> 0:00:25.680 will have the final two playing games in the East 0:00:25.760 --> 0:00:29.160 and the West taking place tonight, the early game seven 0:00:29.160 --> 0:00:32.800 o'clock on ESPN between the Heat and the Bulls. At 0:00:32.920 --> 0:00:36.000 nine point thirty on TNT will be the Pelicans and 0:00:36.040 --> 0:00:39.599 the Kings. But this week was also the week that 0:00:40.200 --> 0:00:42.959 the awards ballots were due one hundred voters. You are 0:00:43.080 --> 0:00:46.600 one of those one hundred, as the finalists will be 0:00:46.760 --> 0:00:49.240 announced in just a couple of days April twenty first 0:00:49.280 --> 0:00:53.000 on TNT. Let's get into it because you've been doing 0:00:53.040 --> 0:00:56.080 your MVP latter all season. But there's a lot of 0:00:56.280 --> 0:00:59.760 other interesting and intriguing discussions to be had about some 0:00:59.800 --> 0:01:02.600 of these awards and where things may fall. So let's 0:01:02.600 --> 0:01:06.039 start with the MVP. You've already had your final MVP Ladder. 0:01:07.200 --> 0:01:10.760 But what was your decision making going into that and 0:01:10.800 --> 0:01:12.880 how challenging was it for you to fill out your ballot. 0:01:13.440 --> 0:01:17.559 I would say it wasn't hard to fill out the ballot. 0:01:17.600 --> 0:01:21.200 Actually for me, I mean it was Nicola Jokic MVP. 0:01:22.520 --> 0:01:25.320 This would make I think the fourth year in a 0:01:25.400 --> 0:01:26.280 row I voted. 0:01:26.040 --> 0:01:26.920 For him for MVP. 0:01:28.240 --> 0:01:31.240 Just what he's done in keeping Denver where they are, 0:01:31.400 --> 0:01:33.800 and then just the fact that, like you know, last year, 0:01:33.840 --> 0:01:37.680 they sort of went into the playoffs limping, stumbling, they 0:01:37.680 --> 0:01:40.119 were on a little bit of a slump, and they're 0:01:40.200 --> 0:01:42.760 rolling right now going into the playoffs, and he's just 0:01:42.800 --> 0:01:43.480 been amazing. 0:01:43.560 --> 0:01:45.600 So that was an easy one. 0:01:45.640 --> 0:01:48.880 But I think the hardest for me was that number two, 0:01:49.320 --> 0:01:51.400 the number two guy, And you know a lot of 0:01:51.440 --> 0:01:56.320 people are very into Luka Dacic, and you can't deny 0:01:56.360 --> 0:01:57.280 what the man is done. 0:01:57.320 --> 0:02:00.880 He's put up historic numbers. But I just keep going 0:02:00.920 --> 0:02:03.840 back to the fact that Shake Gilders. 0:02:03.480 --> 0:02:06.160 Alexander led a team that was tenth last year to 0:02:06.360 --> 0:02:09.920 the number one seed, and he was very consistent, average 0:02:10.000 --> 0:02:12.760 thirty plus a game. He did his thing defensively, led 0:02:12.760 --> 0:02:15.480 the league in steals, and so for me, My number 0:02:15.520 --> 0:02:17.600 two was shake Guild just Alexander, and then I had 0:02:17.680 --> 0:02:21.400 Luka Dancis number three, followed by Giannis and then Jason Tatum. 0:02:21.480 --> 0:02:23.880 Jason Tatum. You could easily put Jaylen Brunson right there 0:02:23.919 --> 0:02:27.400 in at fifth spot. But for me, I just couldn't 0:02:27.400 --> 0:02:29.640 get over the fact that Jason Tatum was the best 0:02:29.639 --> 0:02:30.960 team on the best team in. 0:02:30.880 --> 0:02:33.200 The league by far, so he had to go there 0:02:33.240 --> 0:02:33.600 at five. 0:02:33.639 --> 0:02:36.760 For me, I feel that, and I like that, and 0:02:37.000 --> 0:02:39.240 I am not a voter, so I didn't have a ballot, 0:02:39.320 --> 0:02:41.320 and I am glad about facts like that, so I 0:02:41.320 --> 0:02:44.200 don't have to put pen to paper or however it 0:02:44.240 --> 0:02:46.480 works with it because to that point, with the Knicks 0:02:46.480 --> 0:02:49.280 have done in the fact though, to me that they're 0:02:49.320 --> 0:02:52.400 the number two seed, for it's a hard It's a 0:02:52.440 --> 0:02:54.200 fine line of just how you want to frame it, 0:02:54.240 --> 0:02:57.120 given the fact that Boston has been so far and 0:02:57.160 --> 0:03:00.720 away the best team in the NBA, Tatum being the 0:03:00.760 --> 0:03:02.679 best player on that team, but the compliments of the 0:03:02.760 --> 0:03:06.360 roster everyone else involved. To see the Knicks get the 0:03:06.440 --> 0:03:08.800 number two seed in the East is something that in 0:03:08.919 --> 0:03:12.480 how instrumental Jalen Brunson has been a part of that 0:03:12.639 --> 0:03:15.720 change in a driving force, and that that's where I 0:03:15.720 --> 0:03:17.760 think the back end of the MVP ballot probably is 0:03:17.800 --> 0:03:20.720 more challenging maybe for some Towards the top, I'm with 0:03:20.800 --> 0:03:23.519 you with Shay gils A, Alexander and the number two 0:03:23.520 --> 0:03:27.440 spot for as tremendous, tremendous as Luka Dancic has been, 0:03:27.480 --> 0:03:29.160 and it's going to be a fun series to watch 0:03:29.560 --> 0:03:32.440 him in the Dallas Mavericks and Kyrie go against the Clippers. 0:03:33.200 --> 0:03:36.320 The number one spot for OKC in SGA and what 0:03:36.360 --> 0:03:38.440 he's done this season, I think very much deserves that, 0:03:38.520 --> 0:03:41.120 and I think Jokic for most people will will be 0:03:41.160 --> 0:03:45.920 the runway favorite there for another MVP Defensive Player of 0:03:46.000 --> 0:03:49.720 the Year. Michael, very interested to see what you've got 0:03:49.840 --> 0:03:53.520 on this one, because I think, again the dialogue discussion 0:03:53.640 --> 0:03:56.440 just kind of how you frame this in terms of records, 0:03:56.440 --> 0:03:58.920 in terms of impact of a player or something that 0:03:59.480 --> 0:04:01.240 will be talking about her, or just kind of the 0:04:01.360 --> 0:04:03.680 viewpoint for each voter, who who do you have on 0:04:03.760 --> 0:04:04.240 your ballot? 0:04:04.600 --> 0:04:08.000 Well, I had to use just simple logic here, and 0:04:08.160 --> 0:04:11.640 because everybody's all about Rudy Gobert and they're saying that 0:04:11.680 --> 0:04:14.480 there's no way that Victor Women and Yama should be 0:04:14.480 --> 0:04:16.360 able to win the award, and that's probably true. He's 0:04:16.360 --> 0:04:18.720 gonna he's gonna win Rookie of the Year, that that'll 0:04:18.760 --> 0:04:21.680 be a runaway. But I ended up going with Victor 0:04:21.680 --> 0:04:25.120 women Yama as Defensive Player of the Year. And really 0:04:25.720 --> 0:04:29.719 my argument is, switch those guys on their teams. Put 0:04:29.800 --> 0:04:33.440 put Victor women Yama on the Minnesota Minnesota timberward and 0:04:33.480 --> 0:04:35.359 would you do you tell me that you're telling me 0:04:35.360 --> 0:04:38.120 that the Timber wasn't not gonna be better defensively. That's 0:04:38.200 --> 0:04:41.080 my argument there. I think he's the most impactful defender 0:04:41.240 --> 0:04:42.960 in the NBA. I mean, just over the. 0:04:42.920 --> 0:04:46.520 Month of April, Victor averaged six blocks per game. 0:04:47.080 --> 0:04:49.640 And you know, I get it that San Antonio doesn't 0:04:49.680 --> 0:04:52.599 rank high defensively. I get all of that, but again, 0:04:52.760 --> 0:04:54.839 just eye tests and then again. 0:04:55.000 --> 0:04:57.279 Switch them. Put Rudy Gobert on the. 0:04:57.279 --> 0:05:00.240 Spurs and put Victor Wimbyama on the Timber w and 0:05:00.279 --> 0:05:02.800 you tell me what they look like defensively. So that 0:05:03.000 --> 0:05:05.039 was it for me, And then I think, who was it? 0:05:05.080 --> 0:05:07.359 But I have I had bam Adebayo at third. He 0:05:07.440 --> 0:05:10.320 was really good for Miami this year. They're really gonna 0:05:10.320 --> 0:05:12.920 need him tonight without Jimmy Butler in that playing game. 0:05:13.040 --> 0:05:16.080 So those are my three. Argue with me if you 0:05:16.080 --> 0:05:17.919 want to, but Victor's the guy for me. 0:05:18.839 --> 0:05:21.320 I won't argue with you. But I will put a 0:05:21.320 --> 0:05:23.200 little love on the name of Alex Caruso. 0:05:23.320 --> 0:05:26.359 Oh yeah, yeah, he's all defensive team for me. 0:05:27.240 --> 0:05:29.720 And I think so often we think about the dominance 0:05:29.880 --> 0:05:32.560 of a big and that's something that we often, you know, 0:05:32.839 --> 0:05:36.960 we'll watch and marvel at in that is you talk 0:05:37.000 --> 0:05:39.760 about that switch. I think Minnesota Timberwolves would would be 0:05:39.800 --> 0:05:43.040 signing up for that in a heartbeat, especially now as 0:05:43.040 --> 0:05:46.719 they're getting set for this series against the Suns. But yeah, 0:05:46.720 --> 0:05:48.240 but he's someone I give a little bit of love to. 0:05:48.360 --> 0:05:51.080 I do think that's fascinating. And again this circles back 0:05:51.120 --> 0:05:53.520 to just how you frame it and what you look 0:05:53.560 --> 0:05:55.360 at in terms of record. I'm sure a lot of 0:05:55.440 --> 0:05:58.400 voters will say there's no way that I am voting 0:05:58.440 --> 0:06:00.479 for a player for an award like that it has 0:06:00.560 --> 0:06:02.520 what the worst record in the league or towards the 0:06:02.520 --> 0:06:07.160 bottom one of those. However, watching him and watching his 0:06:07.279 --> 0:06:11.760 progression through the season, the tracking, the timing, the understanding 0:06:11.760 --> 0:06:15.040 the switch a bit. All those things you can't say. 0:06:15.200 --> 0:06:17.240 You can't say enough things about him and so, and 0:06:17.320 --> 0:06:20.440 I mentioned Caruso. He's going to be a big question 0:06:20.520 --> 0:06:22.640 mark here as the Bulls are playing the Heat obviously 0:06:22.720 --> 0:06:27.239 without Jimmy Butler. But if Caruso is not playing tonight 0:06:27.240 --> 0:06:29.719 for the Bulls at all, also factor in. Okay, you 0:06:29.760 --> 0:06:32.240 said it runaway favorite. I don't think anyone has any 0:06:32.279 --> 0:06:35.039 questions that Victor webbin Yama is the rookie of the Year. 0:06:35.480 --> 0:06:37.960 How did you fill out the rest of your ballot? 0:06:38.240 --> 0:06:40.359 Okay, let's see what I got here. Oh, it was 0:06:40.400 --> 0:06:42.840 pretty easy. That one was easy too. I mean Victor 0:06:42.839 --> 0:06:46.799 wimen Yama. Then Chet Holgren. Look, you're a defensive anchor 0:06:46.839 --> 0:06:48.840 on the team. It has the first seed in the West, 0:06:49.320 --> 0:06:50.560 and Chet has been. 0:06:50.480 --> 0:06:54.400 Pretty good all year. Put it like this, if Victor does. 0:06:54.240 --> 0:06:56.280 Not come into the NBA, you take Victor out of it. 0:06:56.400 --> 0:07:00.240 Chet probably wins the thing. Just running away. 0:07:00.600 --> 0:07:02.080 I have a question for you, and I don't mean 0:07:02.080 --> 0:07:04.280 to cut you off, but since you are in that circuit, 0:07:04.279 --> 0:07:06.279 you've seen these teams. You obviously have been on a 0:07:06.279 --> 0:07:09.000 Wombee tracker throughout the course of the year, but also 0:07:09.040 --> 0:07:11.400 have seen a lot of Okay, see, was there any 0:07:11.480 --> 0:07:14.600 point during the season, I know there was maybe in 0:07:14.640 --> 0:07:17.600 November December jet there was some discussion of oh, could 0:07:17.640 --> 0:07:20.640 Chet actually end up being Was there any point in 0:07:20.680 --> 0:07:23.680 your mind that you thought he at a moment in 0:07:23.760 --> 0:07:26.840 time the season had surpassed when Bin Yama for Rookie 0:07:26.880 --> 0:07:27.240 of the Year. 0:07:27.720 --> 0:07:31.080 I think Victors or where it was a question. Yeah, 0:07:31.160 --> 0:07:33.480 I think it was early on it was Chet. 0:07:33.560 --> 0:07:36.680 Chet was the guy early on because Oklahoma City sort 0:07:36.680 --> 0:07:39.000 of hit the ground running and he was playing great. 0:07:39.040 --> 0:07:43.080 And then you remember, like that whole first month, month 0:07:43.120 --> 0:07:45.000 and a half, maybe even two months of the season, 0:07:45.400 --> 0:07:47.320 the Spurs are trying to play Victor Wimenyam as a 0:07:47.440 --> 0:07:51.040 as a power forward, and so around that time I 0:07:51.040 --> 0:07:53.880 would say that Chet was the guy, and then Victor 0:07:54.040 --> 0:07:56.080 ended up surpassing him. It was like, as soon as 0:07:56.080 --> 0:07:58.680 they moved Victor Wimenyama to center, it was over because 0:07:58.680 --> 0:08:00.680 it just unlocked so much with the Spurs, and he 0:08:00.720 --> 0:08:04.600 could do so much and I'm talking about defending the paint, 0:08:04.760 --> 0:08:06.600 you know, the basket, but he could also get out 0:08:06.640 --> 0:08:09.120 on the perimeter and make things happen. So to me, 0:08:09.360 --> 0:08:14.080 that switch sort of just opened up It opened up 0:08:14.160 --> 0:08:16.760 victor skill set essentially, and you got to see a 0:08:16.800 --> 0:08:20.720 lot more so, I would say around November or so, 0:08:22.240 --> 0:08:24.480 I think he passed Chet hunger and especially that second 0:08:24.560 --> 0:08:27.280 matchup they had where Vic goes down the court, he 0:08:27.400 --> 0:08:31.640 hits a three and then coming back he blocks checks shot, 0:08:32.040 --> 0:08:35.240 and that was like the image that sealed it for 0:08:35.320 --> 0:08:39.080 me right then. But anyway, Brandon Miller was my third 0:08:39.160 --> 0:08:40.959 pick in that he was great with Charlotte. 0:08:40.960 --> 0:08:42.360 I thought he was. 0:08:42.480 --> 0:08:45.400 He was especially towards the latter half or the latter 0:08:45.440 --> 0:08:47.240 part of the season and how he finished things off. 0:08:47.320 --> 0:08:49.040 Going to be interesting to see some of the changes 0:08:50.080 --> 0:08:53.120 new front office, new coaching changes that occur with them 0:08:53.440 --> 0:08:55.920 this summer. And yeah, in terms of Wenby and Chat 0:08:56.120 --> 0:09:00.800 watching their individual matchups and how competitive and how seriously 0:09:01.040 --> 0:09:04.679 they took an embraced going up against one another. You 0:09:04.840 --> 0:09:08.199 absolutely love that Coach of the Year. I think there 0:09:08.320 --> 0:09:13.120 was a lot of really really deserving candidates this year 0:09:13.280 --> 0:09:15.640 to be amongst a discussion what does your ballot look like? 0:09:16.080 --> 0:09:18.160 I think that was pretty easy too. You go from 0:09:18.240 --> 0:09:21.640 tens to first, No, tensa first, it's Mark Dango. Oh, 0:09:21.800 --> 0:09:24.880 I mean I like that. You know the thing is too. 0:09:26.240 --> 0:09:28.439 I think you could have made an argument for him 0:09:28.920 --> 0:09:33.679 probably each of the last two years too, because what 0:09:33.880 --> 0:09:37.160 he's done as far as developed, helping to develop all 0:09:37.200 --> 0:09:39.000 that young talent, and you know, the thunder when they 0:09:39.080 --> 0:09:42.480 brought him in, he sort of had that reputation as 0:09:42.520 --> 0:09:45.000 a developmental guy, a guy that could develop young talent, 0:09:45.080 --> 0:09:46.560 and that's exactly what he's done. 0:09:47.240 --> 0:09:48.720 So that was pretty easy. 0:09:48.800 --> 0:09:51.440 Now when you go to second and third, that's where 0:09:51.480 --> 0:09:54.720 I was a little conflicted. I liked what Joe Mizzoula 0:09:54.800 --> 0:09:57.320 did in Boston because you know, last year, I mean 0:09:57.480 --> 0:09:59.760 because the thought last year was that, oh, he and 0:10:00.400 --> 0:10:03.560 this great team, which is sort of true. Obviously that's true, 0:10:04.080 --> 0:10:07.160 but you still got to coach him. And the thing 0:10:07.400 --> 0:10:11.000 is is that they you know, they sort of came 0:10:11.160 --> 0:10:13.599 they were in the image of emay Udoka like that 0:10:13.880 --> 0:10:17.319 last year. This year he's sort of putting more of 0:10:17.400 --> 0:10:20.559 his fingerprints on everything, and I think that they have 0:10:20.880 --> 0:10:23.079 really responded to the coach and you I mean, you 0:10:23.120 --> 0:10:25.760 could see the buy in from the Celtics and they're 0:10:25.800 --> 0:10:28.400 a little bit different under Joe Mizzoula, but not in 0:10:28.520 --> 0:10:29.000 a bad way. 0:10:29.320 --> 0:10:30.199 They've been pretty good. 0:10:30.559 --> 0:10:32.760 And then third, I had to go with e May 0:10:33.200 --> 0:10:35.319 had to go at email because what he did with 0:10:35.520 --> 0:10:40.160 Houston it was phenomenal. And you know, you look at 0:10:40.200 --> 0:10:43.199 that roster and it's sort of devoid of talent, except 0:10:43.320 --> 0:10:45.319 you know, they've got some challenged young guys. But I 0:10:45.440 --> 0:10:48.320 think that I May was able to get the most 0:10:48.400 --> 0:10:50.200 out of them. I mean, like you started to see 0:10:51.000 --> 0:10:55.000 sort of the unlocking of Jalen Green this year. You know, 0:10:55.200 --> 0:10:58.880 I mean, he's been You've seen flashes throughout his whole career, 0:10:58.960 --> 0:11:01.560 but I think you saw him better on a more 0:11:01.640 --> 0:11:04.559 consistent basis. You saw him start to eliminate some of 0:11:04.640 --> 0:11:08.400 the things that younger players do. Now he's still not there, 0:11:09.000 --> 0:11:11.439 but I think with e May, there's a sense that 0:11:11.679 --> 0:11:13.280 he's going to get there, and there's a sense that 0:11:13.520 --> 0:11:14.560 Houston is right. 0:11:14.480 --> 0:11:15.920 On the verge of turning things around. 0:11:17.120 --> 0:11:20.400 I could not agree with you more on all of 0:11:20.520 --> 0:11:24.040 those things, and especially with Emay Yudoka and that Houston team, 0:11:24.080 --> 0:11:25.719 which for a while we thought they might have a 0:11:25.840 --> 0:11:29.120 chance to be in the play in which was shocking 0:11:29.280 --> 0:11:32.319 to think about that turnaround. However, this is where I 0:11:32.400 --> 0:11:35.120 think in terms of filling out the ballot and Mark 0:11:35.200 --> 0:11:38.200 Dagnall you're spot on. I think that's an incredible story too. 0:11:38.240 --> 0:11:40.120 For as much as we talk about the importance of 0:11:40.160 --> 0:11:43.600 the G League and just home growing, if that's how 0:11:43.640 --> 0:11:45.720 you want to term it, so many players the development 0:11:45.760 --> 0:11:47.720 of that. That's the story of Dagnalton, what he did 0:11:47.800 --> 0:11:51.120 with the Oklahoma City Blue team and just how he 0:11:51.280 --> 0:11:52.800 was a part of their G League team. They saw 0:11:52.880 --> 0:11:56.439 what he was doing with that part of the organization 0:11:56.640 --> 0:12:00.880 and then making that jump. But he may Udoka still 0:12:00.920 --> 0:12:03.000 that's a team that's not in the playoffs. Jamal mostly 0:12:03.120 --> 0:12:06.680 and what he did, and then in the fifth seed 0:12:07.000 --> 0:12:10.280 Chris Finch, like Minnesota, we thought the Timberwolves and go 0:12:10.440 --> 0:12:13.839 Bear in Karl Anthony Towns were never gonna work together, 0:12:13.960 --> 0:12:16.559 and just the season that they they had and put 0:12:16.600 --> 0:12:19.760 together that they were amongst the top one, two three 0:12:20.000 --> 0:12:22.680 of the Western Conference and very well could have finished 0:12:23.080 --> 0:12:24.559 in the top of the conference. I would put his 0:12:24.679 --> 0:12:26.400 name in it. So that's why I think there's there's 0:12:26.480 --> 0:12:28.920 a lot of a lot of candidates, unlike your ballad, 0:12:28.920 --> 0:12:29.080 but I. 0:12:29.080 --> 0:12:30.080 Think Jamal though. 0:12:33.080 --> 0:12:35.240 Jamal Jamal would have been my number two. That might 0:12:35.280 --> 0:12:37.640 have been Jamal would have been my number two. 0:12:37.640 --> 0:12:39.040 It might have been a little bit of an oversight 0:12:39.160 --> 0:12:41.839 for me there because Jamal, like what he's done with 0:12:41.960 --> 0:12:46.000 the Magic and not like he has sort of transformed 0:12:46.240 --> 0:12:48.960 like sort of like May did in Houston, he sort 0:12:49.000 --> 0:12:52.960 of transformed the culture there. Like those guys are dogs 0:12:53.040 --> 0:12:56.559 on defense, yes, and not only that, they they have 0:12:56.760 --> 0:12:59.520 this mentality where they all play for one another. 0:12:59.640 --> 0:13:01.360 Like they have not been the. 0:13:01.360 --> 0:13:05.160 Greatest offensive team, but they are so scrappy on defense 0:13:05.280 --> 0:13:07.720 that they they they're gonna be in pretty much every 0:13:07.760 --> 0:13:10.800 game they play. And that's Jamal Moseley. Yeah, that's an 0:13:10.840 --> 0:13:14.200 oversight on my part because you. 0:13:14.200 --> 0:13:19.000 Know, but you said, but you framed exactly. It is 0:13:19.120 --> 0:13:21.719 the culture shift and we often use those terms, but 0:13:22.080 --> 0:13:24.480 everything about their team and how they play is a 0:13:24.559 --> 0:13:28.240 part of what he's instilled since getting there. And yeah, 0:13:28.280 --> 0:13:30.719 I just can't say say enough good things about just 0:13:31.000 --> 0:13:33.559 the identity that they now play with and playing for 0:13:33.679 --> 0:13:36.559 each other, all of those things so impressed with And 0:13:36.640 --> 0:13:38.640 it's gonna be gonna be interesting to see. That's an 0:13:38.679 --> 0:13:41.200 interesting four or five matchup between them and the Cleveland Cavaliers, 0:13:41.240 --> 0:13:44.760 who bigger staff and that group trying to hold things together. 0:13:44.800 --> 0:13:46.800 We get a lot of fun series to come and 0:13:47.280 --> 0:13:49.760 a couple more awards to see what your ballot looks 0:13:49.840 --> 0:13:51.360 like to come. We're gonna take a quick break and 0:13:51.480 --> 0:13:53.800 get to six Man and Most Improved Player right after. 0:14:00.080 --> 0:14:03.240 Back to NBA Postercustak joined by the great Michael C. Wrights. 0:14:04.280 --> 0:14:07.959 Ballance were due this week. The finalists will be announced 0:14:08.000 --> 0:14:10.679 on April twenty first on TNT. For many of the 0:14:11.000 --> 0:14:16.280 NBA awards, UH six Man of the Year. Michael, who 0:14:16.360 --> 0:14:17.160 do you have on this? 0:14:17.440 --> 0:14:18.480 That one was a little harder. 0:14:18.679 --> 0:14:20.400 I will say that one was harder, but I ended 0:14:20.480 --> 0:14:22.920 up going with Maleigue Monk and Sacramento. 0:14:22.960 --> 0:14:26.760 I mean, okay, they could use them, Yeah, they use 0:14:26.840 --> 0:14:27.400 them right now. 0:14:27.480 --> 0:14:29.240 Sure could, they sure could right now. 0:14:29.320 --> 0:14:34.520 But Nazri was second, and then Bagan Bogdanovich because like, 0:14:34.680 --> 0:14:37.840 just if you look at the the I guess the 0:14:38.320 --> 0:14:42.040 analytics and the box score stuff, he's sort of right. 0:14:42.000 --> 0:14:42.520 There for me. 0:14:42.760 --> 0:14:46.480 But Maleague Monk, I just like what he did this 0:14:46.640 --> 0:14:50.200 year with the Kings, I mean he was invaluable to them, 0:14:50.320 --> 0:14:52.760 and they, like you said, they really need him tonight 0:14:52.840 --> 0:14:56.280 because this is a huge game for them, and like. 0:14:56.800 --> 0:14:57.880 You know, they're on the verge. 0:14:58.120 --> 0:15:01.400 If this happens, if the Pelicans end up beating the 0:15:01.480 --> 0:15:04.400 Kings tonight. Do you realize it'll be the first time 0:15:04.480 --> 0:15:08.080 since like nineteen ninety four that one team beat another 0:15:08.120 --> 0:15:11.200 one six times in one season because they knew because 0:15:11.240 --> 0:15:13.920 they played for a regular season games and then they 0:15:14.000 --> 0:15:17.680 play once in the play oh with the season tournament 0:15:18.720 --> 0:15:19.520 in the quarterfinals. 0:15:19.560 --> 0:15:22.440 So they are five and zero against the Kings. Yeah, 0:15:22.640 --> 0:15:23.240 it's crazy. 0:15:24.760 --> 0:15:27.120 I have to say in regards to that, I have 0:15:27.160 --> 0:15:30.720 a hard time thinking that the Kings won't be able 0:15:30.880 --> 0:15:34.080 to put together a win against the Pelicans without Zion tonight. 0:15:34.120 --> 0:15:36.280 I think he's been such a major factor. However, you 0:15:36.360 --> 0:15:38.480 say that, and the Pelicans spent a decent amount of 0:15:38.480 --> 0:15:41.280 time the season playing without Zion, and if they start 0:15:41.320 --> 0:15:44.440 putt putting the pieces together, yeah, that's crazy. And to 0:15:44.480 --> 0:15:46.760 think about the Kings being a two seed last year 0:15:47.000 --> 0:15:49.480 and then not even properly making the playoffs. 0:15:49.560 --> 0:15:52.200 So honestly, I'd like to see him make it again though, 0:15:52.360 --> 0:15:54.040 like two years in a row. That would be nice 0:15:54.040 --> 0:15:55.640 to see the Kings make it two years in a row, 0:15:56.160 --> 0:15:57.120 and like. 0:15:57.400 --> 0:16:00.080 It would be a fun mess Deer and Fox and 0:16:00.160 --> 0:16:02.560 again shake Gildes Alexander, Like there's there's a lot of 0:16:02.640 --> 0:16:07.760 fun matchups within a matchup and Sibonis his size and 0:16:07.880 --> 0:16:10.680 big on the inside. That's an area for Oklahoma City, 0:16:10.720 --> 0:16:13.400 they mister, I think that'd be that'd be a relatively 0:16:13.520 --> 0:16:18.680 interesting series. Okay, what about what about our last one? 0:16:18.800 --> 0:16:21.440 Most Improved Player? I feel like this one always there's 0:16:21.440 --> 0:16:25.320 a little bit of gray area of age, second, third 0:16:25.400 --> 0:16:28.000 year players, four kids? Should you be improving? Is this 0:16:28.080 --> 0:16:30.760 the natural progress or you're just getting more usage and 0:16:31.040 --> 0:16:33.160 that's why the numbers and the production has gone up. 0:16:34.000 --> 0:16:35.840 There's a lot of ways to look at it. So 0:16:36.000 --> 0:16:37.720 what does your ballot look like? And kind of how 0:16:37.800 --> 0:16:40.280 do you view you the way in what you frame 0:16:40.440 --> 0:16:40.960 this award. 0:16:41.280 --> 0:16:44.120 You know that the way I look at it has 0:16:44.160 --> 0:16:46.040 sort of changed over the years because I think I 0:16:46.120 --> 0:16:48.680 made a mistake a couple of years ago. It might 0:16:48.720 --> 0:16:52.440 have been last year voting John morint Is is most 0:16:52.480 --> 0:16:55.840 improved Player because he came into the league, is one 0:16:55.880 --> 0:16:57.760 of the you know, top picks. He was supposed to 0:16:57.800 --> 0:17:00.880 be that, so that I fel like I made a mistake. 0:17:01.040 --> 0:17:03.560 It was between his first to second year, Like it 0:17:03.720 --> 0:17:05.600 was it his second year that you voted this or 0:17:06.119 --> 0:17:08.159 won it? Third year he won it. 0:17:08.240 --> 0:17:10.639 I think that was was it last season? I think 0:17:10.640 --> 0:17:11.320 it was last season. 0:17:11.440 --> 0:17:13.159 Oh that it would have been last season, so probably is. 0:17:13.880 --> 0:17:15.680 But I felt like I made I felt like I 0:17:15.720 --> 0:17:18.920 made a mistake there because the hike was there. You 0:17:19.040 --> 0:17:20.840 knew he was going to be what he is, and 0:17:21.000 --> 0:17:22.879 so that was a mistake on my part. See I 0:17:22.920 --> 0:17:24.879 admit my mistakes right here on. 0:17:25.000 --> 0:17:26.040 This podcast to you. 0:17:26.600 --> 0:17:30.359 But this year, I'm not sure I made a mistake. 0:17:30.680 --> 0:17:33.720 I think it was sort of hands down Tyrese Maxie. 0:17:33.760 --> 0:17:33.879 Now. 0:17:34.000 --> 0:17:36.440 I saw Kobe White the other night. I saw he did, 0:17:36.560 --> 0:17:39.760 he dropped the high forty two, played his butt off. 0:17:40.480 --> 0:17:43.720 But Tyrese Maxy all year long, he's been sort of 0:17:44.760 --> 0:17:49.880 the guy that has really made the Sixers go, especially 0:17:49.960 --> 0:17:52.720 with Joelle and b missing some time, they really needed 0:17:52.800 --> 0:17:55.240 him to sort of up his production and we've seen it. 0:17:55.920 --> 0:17:59.800 He was my number one, and you'll probably be surprised 0:18:00.080 --> 0:18:02.680 my second one, but I went with Jalen Williams in ok. 0:18:02.600 --> 0:18:07.840 See oh okay, yeah, yeah, well he was my number two. Okay, 0:18:08.040 --> 0:18:09.520 he was my number two because. 0:18:09.280 --> 0:18:10.560 I mean, I love Jalen Williams. 0:18:11.240 --> 0:18:11.680 He's great. 0:18:11.720 --> 0:18:15.240 He's gonna give you a consistent eighteen nineteen a night. 0:18:15.920 --> 0:18:19.040 H Maybe double digit rebounds. The kid can play. But 0:18:19.640 --> 0:18:23.399 then number three, I went with Kobe Waite, and you know, 0:18:23.880 --> 0:18:28.080 just he's doubled. Well, he's more than double his points 0:18:28.119 --> 0:18:32.080 per game from last year, just playing well like last 0:18:32.359 --> 0:18:34.439 or the other night. He had that forty two points, 0:18:34.480 --> 0:18:37.280 but the most important number was he had zero turnovers. 0:18:37.320 --> 0:18:38.200 That was you for them. 0:18:38.800 --> 0:18:41.480 I so the thing I'll say, And I love Jalen Williams, 0:18:42.400 --> 0:18:45.359 a huge fan, and I'm fascinated to watch how this 0:18:45.640 --> 0:18:47.440 entire team. I think just their first taste of the 0:18:47.480 --> 0:18:49.639 playoffs is going to be interesting. But I think for 0:18:49.680 --> 0:18:52.280 as much attention as a SGA is gonna get, he's 0:18:52.320 --> 0:18:53.920 going to be a big part of that. That's though, 0:18:53.920 --> 0:18:57.000 where I would refer to it being his second year, 0:18:57.359 --> 0:19:01.200 and that's kind of an interesting balance of Okay, is 0:19:01.240 --> 0:19:04.159 this a natural jump, but he feels to have a 0:19:04.760 --> 0:19:07.359 unnatural jump, Kobe White, I'm with you on that. The 0:19:07.440 --> 0:19:10.080 fact that he's done this now and it is fifty. 0:19:10.160 --> 0:19:12.560 This is a bulls team too, that a bunch of 0:19:12.640 --> 0:19:17.040 disjointed parts, the los Zack Lavine trying to put piece 0:19:17.119 --> 0:19:20.400