WEBVTT - #thisleague UNCUT: An NBA Sunday 0:00:00.160 --> 0:00:03.640 The Clippers are still searching for their first win with 0:00:03.760 --> 0:00:09.520 James Harden, while Philadelphia post the Beard is absolutely thriving, 0:00:09.680 --> 0:00:16.040 especially Tyrese Maxi. The Bucks and the Pelicans both mired 0:00:16.200 --> 0:00:20.240 in their own struggles. And then we got surprises galore 0:00:20.360 --> 0:00:26.000 at the top of the Western Conference, Minnesota, Dallas, Houston 0:00:26.320 --> 0:00:29.600 all rolling at this early juncture of the season. We 0:00:29.680 --> 0:00:33.159 get into all of that now here on this League Uncut. 0:00:33.320 --> 0:00:37.480 Welcome to this League Uncut. Can you rule of twenty 0:00:37.520 --> 0:00:38.640 four hour NBA news? 0:00:38.800 --> 0:00:42.320 This's you, Chris Hans. 0:00:42.600 --> 0:00:51.239 It's time, work's time, it's some time. This League Uncut 0:00:51.360 --> 0:00:56.160 is underway and on fire. This should be a good one. 0:00:56.560 --> 0:01:01.279 Welcome in everyone to the latest edition of This League Uncut. 0:01:01.400 --> 0:01:05.399 Mark Stein here with Chris Haynes. We are taping on 0:01:05.480 --> 0:01:11.680 a Sunday night, so it's Monday morning that this is 0:01:11.760 --> 0:01:14.559 actually this podcast has made its way to your phone. 0:01:14.800 --> 0:01:19.319 Crazy Sunday night, Crazy good Sunday night in the NBA. 0:01:19.480 --> 0:01:24.360 I know Sundays are supposed to belong exclusively to the NFL, 0:01:24.560 --> 0:01:30.640 but I think hoop junkies like us and everybody listening, 0:01:31.520 --> 0:01:33.440 it was hard to know where to look on this 0:01:33.520 --> 0:01:35.839 Sunday night there were so many games and so many 0:01:35.920 --> 0:01:40.520 interesting outcomes. The Warriors are losing at home to Minnesota 0:01:40.600 --> 0:01:42.720 as we speak, that's late in the fourth quarter. Is 0:01:42.720 --> 0:01:46.160 that going to be another huge win for the Timberwolves. 0:01:46.800 --> 0:01:49.960 The MAVs went to New Orleans and rung up one 0:01:50.040 --> 0:01:53.080 hundred thirty six points after scoring one hundred and forty 0:01:53.120 --> 0:01:58.320 four against the Clippers. The high octane Pacers, and I 0:01:58.360 --> 0:02:00.680 don't know how many times we've said that over the years, 0:02:01.000 --> 0:02:06.040 they go to Philly and lose Tyrese Maxi fifty points 0:02:06.320 --> 0:02:10.040 on the same Just mere hours after the Clippers. In 0:02:10.160 --> 0:02:15.120 James Harden's home debut, the Clippers lose at home to 0:02:15.200 --> 0:02:19.720 the one in eight Memphis Grizzlies. The Houston Rockets people 0:02:21.160 --> 0:02:24.679 beat the Denver Nuggets, dealing the defending champions just their 0:02:24.800 --> 0:02:28.919 second loss this season. Miami comes back from a zillion 0:02:29.000 --> 0:02:32.520 points down to beat Victor Wen Minyama and Co. In 0:02:32.600 --> 0:02:37.880 San Antonio. The thunder go to Phoenix and get a win. 0:02:38.000 --> 0:02:41.160 The Suns still can't get all their guys on the 0:02:41.160 --> 0:02:44.240 floor injury issues there. Devin Booker didn't play tonight and 0:02:44.919 --> 0:02:47.280 Bradley Beal appeared to be ailing as well. So I mean, 0:02:47.280 --> 0:02:51.520 there are a zillion different places that we can dig 0:02:51.560 --> 0:02:55.760 in here again, I mean, this is a robust Sunday 0:02:55.840 --> 0:02:59.600 night schedule. Chris Haynes, I suspect knows where I want 0:02:59.600 --> 0:03:03.639 to begin, and it's where we began multiple recent episodes. 0:03:04.240 --> 0:03:08.720 The Clippers. Okay, they lost their first three games with Harden. 0:03:09.120 --> 0:03:11.560 Those were all on the road. They went to Madison Square, 0:03:11.560 --> 0:03:15.359 Garden lost to the Knicks. They went to Brooklyn for 0:03:15.680 --> 0:03:18.760 a hardened reunion game against the Nets. Lost, That came 0:03:18.800 --> 0:03:23.680 to Dallas and the Mavericks hit them with an absolute offensive. Haymaker, Okay, fine, 0:03:23.720 --> 0:03:26.760 those are all on the road. This was again James 0:03:26.760 --> 0:03:33.680 Harden's home debut, and they lose to Memphis one in eight. 0:03:33.760 --> 0:03:36.320 Memphis goes in there and gets a one oh five 0:03:36.560 --> 0:03:40.160 one oh one win. Is it fair? Chris Haynes too? 0:03:41.760 --> 0:03:45.560 Is it already a crisis in Clipperland? An Owen four 0:03:45.640 --> 0:03:49.880 start to the James Harden era and he he he 0:03:50.000 --> 0:03:54.080 doesn't look like he is in peak shape. I think 0:03:54.080 --> 0:03:59.320 it's fair to say. I mean, Tyleru, I mean, what 0:03:59.360 --> 0:04:02.160 would you say to ty Lou if he asked your advice? 0:04:02.280 --> 0:04:02.680 Right now? 0:04:03.600 --> 0:04:07.560 All right? So the first question I'll answer, is this 0:04:07.640 --> 0:04:11.440 a crisis. It's hard for me to label anything a 0:04:11.520 --> 0:04:14.960 crisis this early in the season, but it is alarming. 0:04:15.840 --> 0:04:20.680 And what would I say to ty Lou. There's a 0:04:20.680 --> 0:04:23.640 lot of cooks in the kitchen, particularly when you're talking 0:04:23.640 --> 0:04:28.280 about that starting lineup, and I think it's fair. 0:04:28.320 --> 0:04:30.479 It's got a change, right, and they can't keep doing this. 0:04:30.760 --> 0:04:33.479 I don't think you can. I do not think you can. 0:04:34.080 --> 0:04:36.680 And yes, you know I say that, and I say, 0:04:36.680 --> 0:04:39.320 it's still early. You know, sometimes you want to give 0:04:39.320 --> 0:04:44.720 teams time to jail, and give rotations and mixtures time 0:04:44.760 --> 0:04:47.680 to jail. But you know, look what Darvin Ham did early. 0:04:47.839 --> 0:04:53.880 He he did this. Darvin Ham, remember he sat rest 0:04:54.160 --> 0:04:56.960 towards the early part of the season last season with 0:04:57.600 --> 0:05:01.479 wrestled with the Lakers, put him on the bench. Didn't 0:05:01.520 --> 0:05:04.000 call it a the motion, called it a realignment. And 0:05:04.080 --> 0:05:07.320 now he did it again the same time, same time 0:05:07.360 --> 0:05:10.919 a year later, did with Austin Reeves last game and 0:05:11.160 --> 0:05:15.440 Austin came out and played phenomenally, probably his best basketball 0:05:15.480 --> 0:05:18.719 all season off the bench. So there, you know, it 0:05:18.800 --> 0:05:23.080 depends on the type of team you have. If there 0:05:23.120 --> 0:05:28.960 if there's championship expectations, then the urgency, more urgency there. 0:05:29.200 --> 0:05:31.720 And as it pertains to the Clippers, you know they 0:05:31.760 --> 0:05:36.560 have championship aspirations, and so I think ty Lu will 0:05:36.600 --> 0:05:42.000 probably have to make a realignment somewhere. I just don't 0:05:42.000 --> 0:05:44.080 see them gelling. And then when it comes to James Harden, 0:05:44.120 --> 0:05:47.000 yes he's not in peak shape. He's he's a really 0:05:47.040 --> 0:05:50.000 good shape, but there's one thing. It's one thing to 0:05:50.040 --> 0:05:51.720 be in really good shape and then to be in 0:05:52.560 --> 0:05:55.080 NBA game shape mid season. Fo him, he's not there, 0:05:55.080 --> 0:06:00.120 He's working his way in. I can pretty much guess 0:06:00.680 --> 0:06:04.120 that if there's going to be a shakeup in that 0:06:04.200 --> 0:06:08.520 start lineup, it won't be with Harden. I could pretty 0:06:08.560 --> 0:06:14.880 certainly guess that. So I just don't know the timeframe 0:06:14.920 --> 0:06:17.560 that Tyler has, but I'll be able to ask him 0:06:17.600 --> 0:06:22.360 that question pretty soon. I'm traveling tomorrow to Denver. I 0:06:22.480 --> 0:06:28.479 have the Nuggets Clippers game Tuesday night, so. 0:06:27.960 --> 0:06:30.679 I can't wait for the next one. Today is gonna 0:06:30.680 --> 0:06:34.120 be good, but I really can't wait for the next 0:06:34.120 --> 0:06:35.640 one because I love when you get to go on 0:06:35.680 --> 0:06:37.800 the road, you get to see the Clippers, you get 0:06:37.839 --> 0:06:40.159 to see the Nuggets, and you get to come back 0:06:40.160 --> 0:06:42.440 here and tell us everything you heard I mean, but look, 0:06:42.480 --> 0:06:44.880 I'll be honest with you. I was alarmed for the 0:06:44.920 --> 0:06:49.359 Clippers after Friday Night's game in Dallas, and as I 0:06:49.440 --> 0:06:51.640 mentioned the last time we got together, I was so 0:06:52.440 --> 0:06:55.040 I mean, I really needed two of me on Friday 0:06:55.120 --> 0:06:59.240 night because I had TV duties on the Pelicans Rockets broadcast, 0:06:59.279 --> 0:07:01.719 and that meant that I couldn't go see the Clippers 0:07:01.760 --> 0:07:04.400 when they were in my city, and I really wanted 0:07:04.440 --> 0:07:07.240 to go see them, not expecting a game like that. 0:07:08.120 --> 0:07:11.200 And the MAVs hit them with a thirty five to 0:07:11.360 --> 0:07:16.080 four knockout punch in the first half and rang up 0:07:16.160 --> 0:07:19.640 one hundred and forty four points. And after the game, 0:07:20.680 --> 0:07:25.200 tylu said, quote, We're just not big enough, And that 0:07:25.480 --> 0:07:28.880 quote just jumped off the page to me, because the 0:07:28.880 --> 0:07:32.400 Mavericks are high optane and when Luka Doncic and Kyrie 0:07:32.440 --> 0:07:35.240 Irving are clicking like they have, especially these last two games, 0:07:35.520 --> 0:07:37.480 the MAVs can put up a lot of points. And 0:07:37.960 --> 0:07:41.280 this is exactly the blueprint. This is the way for 0:07:41.320 --> 0:07:44.640 the Mavericks to succeed is to just be a crazy 0:07:44.680 --> 0:07:48.840 scoring team. But the MAVs are super small. The MAVs 0:07:48.960 --> 0:07:52.960 on Wednesday night without Derek Lively got pounded for seventy 0:07:53.000 --> 0:07:55.840 two points in the paint, and the MAVs have had 0:07:55.880 --> 0:07:59.040 trouble points in the paint all season. They've been at 0:07:59.040 --> 0:08:01.560 the bottom of the lead. And so for the Clippers 0:08:01.600 --> 0:08:03.720 to come away from that, for tylu to come away 0:08:03.720 --> 0:08:07.200 from that game lamenting how small his team is. And 0:08:07.200 --> 0:08:11.480 obviously they've lost Mason Plumley, and definitely they really only 0:08:11.520 --> 0:08:15.040 have Zoobotch now as a you know, certifiable center. They're 0:08:15.040 --> 0:08:18.240 gonna have to go out and get somebody else, and 0:08:18.280 --> 0:08:20.160 they just, man, they don't have a ton of assets 0:08:20.160 --> 0:08:23.880 to go do that. So I mean, I I don't 0:08:23.880 --> 0:08:26.080 think it's too soon for crisis talking. Like I said, 0:08:26.120 --> 0:08:28.240 I and you'll have a much better handle after you 0:08:28.280 --> 0:08:31.360 see these guys in person. I can't wait. I can't 0:08:31.360 --> 0:08:34.160 wait to hear what you see and what you hear, 0:08:34.280 --> 0:08:38.040 because I mean, just I knew it was gonna take 0:08:38.080 --> 0:08:40.080 a minute, but I I mean, I just I never 0:08:40.120 --> 0:08:42.760 thought they were gonna struggle like this. I mean this Memphis. 0:08:42.800 --> 0:08:46.840 Memphis has been an absolute mess with no John Morant 0:08:46.960 --> 0:08:50.400 and no Brandon Clark and no Steven Adams and you know, 0:08:50.480 --> 0:08:53.480 one and eight start and Taylor Jenkins went off on 0:08:53.520 --> 0:08:55.360 the rest the other night, just got fine. I mean, 0:08:55.400 --> 0:08:59.240 I like you would have thought Memphis at home is 0:08:59.360 --> 0:09:03.600 the perfect way for the Clippers to start building something here. 0:09:03.679 --> 0:09:06.760 And and now they got Denver. 0:09:07.160 --> 0:09:12.840 And and I think they're big. They're big. Issue is 0:09:12.880 --> 0:09:16.760 definitely their biggs, But I think it extends beyond just 0:09:18.000 --> 0:09:23.240 a center. You know, they're they're small all across the board. 0:09:23.480 --> 0:09:25.640 You know, even with Paul George and Kawhi Leonard, you're 0:09:25.640 --> 0:09:29.000 asking one of those two to play the power forward position. 0:09:29.640 --> 0:09:33.160 And you know, just face it, these are all perimeter players, 0:09:33.240 --> 0:09:35.559 all of them. And I know the NBA, the way 0:09:35.600 --> 0:09:39.400 the NBA is going right now, positionless basketball. You could 0:09:39.480 --> 0:09:41.400 just put five guys out there on the court, but 0:09:41.720 --> 0:09:44.120 you're still at a disadvantage even if you have one 0:09:44.160 --> 0:09:48.160 big in there. You're you're asking people to do things 0:09:48.160 --> 0:09:52.160 that they're not accustomed to doing on a routine basis, 0:09:52.200 --> 0:09:54.840 And so you know they have problems in that regard. 0:09:54.920 --> 0:10:00.280 But you know, really right now is just a cohesion situation? 0:10:01.679 --> 0:10:03.800 You don't you know, is there too much of a 0:10:03.840 --> 0:10:08.680 redundancy in talent? You know, these are all things that 0:10:08.720 --> 0:10:12.480 we're going to I guess five I mean, there's probably 0:10:12.600 --> 0:10:14.760 enough to see that we found out that there's too 0:10:14.800 --> 0:10:17.280 much of redundancy, So I think there definitely has to 0:10:17.280 --> 0:10:20.319 be a change. Now what that change is, I'm not sure, 0:10:20.360 --> 0:10:23.080 but I just don't know if they can get by 0:10:23.160 --> 0:10:24.120 with that starting five. 0:10:27.080 --> 0:10:29.720 And what makes it tough is they started the season well. 0:10:29.880 --> 0:10:34.360 I mean, it looked like things were clicking, and man, 0:10:34.640 --> 0:10:38.040 they have just taken a massive step back and again, 0:10:38.120 --> 0:10:41.400 just you know, to rub salt in the wound, I 0:10:41.400 --> 0:10:46.000 mean tonight, I mean, Tyrese Maxi didn't just score fifty 0:10:46.040 --> 0:10:51.559 points for Philly in this track meet win over Indiana. 0:10:51.600 --> 0:10:56.960 After the game, Joe l Embiid, the reigning MVP of 0:10:57.000 --> 0:11:02.880 the National Basketball Association, tweets the franchise referring to Tyrese 0:11:03.000 --> 0:11:08.199 Maxey amazing that you know, Maxie is rolling to this degree. 0:11:09.040 --> 0:11:11.920 And you know the Sixers, you know, I'm you know, 0:11:12.000 --> 0:11:13.760 throw me on the list too. I'm one of those 0:11:13.840 --> 0:11:16.360 know it alls who said we're not gonna be able 0:11:16.400 --> 0:11:19.120 to judge this trade until we see what Philly does 0:11:19.679 --> 0:11:22.400 with the trade assets they got from the Clippers. But 0:11:24.000 --> 0:11:27.160 in the space of a week, the Sixers are already 0:11:27.160 --> 0:11:32.040 forcing us to revise that position because on an addition 0:11:32.160 --> 0:11:36.520 by subtraction basis, this team looks like a cloud has 0:11:36.559 --> 0:11:40.640 been lifted with the uncertainty of Harden's future now gone. 0:11:40.800 --> 0:11:48.160 And Tyrese Maxie was already playing great. But man, he 0:11:48.400 --> 0:11:52.280 just he just he looks better every game. I mean, 0:11:52.320 --> 0:11:55.640 he is really making I mean, the guy is going 0:11:55.679 --> 0:12:00.920 to be an All Star. And so Joe l Embiid 0:12:01.000 --> 0:12:03.640 looks very, very happy. I think that's safe to say. 0:12:03.880 --> 0:12:09.240 Embid told me multiple times right before they traded James 0:12:09.240 --> 0:12:16.160 Harden that they're a better team with him than without him. 0:12:16.960 --> 0:12:20.480 The way they're rolling, I don't know if that is 0:12:21.040 --> 0:12:22.200 accurate to say. 0:12:23.120 --> 0:12:24.880 And that was what he was supposed to say when 0:12:24.920 --> 0:12:26.120 Harden is still on thee. 0:12:26.559 --> 0:12:29.040 Yeah, I agree, I agree. I mean, start, he could 0:12:29.080 --> 0:12:32.640 have said, you know, listen, you know, I'm I'm just 0:12:32.679 --> 0:12:35.640 going to play the game and whatever happens happens, and 0:12:35.720 --> 0:12:37.400 I have to, you know, I have to live with 0:12:37.400 --> 0:12:40.240 the results. He could have said something like that. But 0:12:40.240 --> 0:12:43.240 but yeah, definitely, you know, he played the PC row. 0:12:44.840 --> 0:12:47.600 But the way that I didn't think. I didn't think 0:12:47.640 --> 0:12:51.719 they would be this good off the bat right now. 0:12:51.800 --> 0:12:55.520 I definitely did think that Tyree's had another level that 0:12:55.600 --> 0:12:58.520 he can take it, and he's definitely doing that. But 0:12:58.559 --> 0:13:01.880 I still didn't you know, again, we were talking about 0:13:02.040 --> 0:13:07.800 Boston and Milwaukee, and we felt like Philadelphia, you know, 0:13:08.000 --> 0:13:12.520 fell down a peg because there was no movement. There was, 0:13:12.559 --> 0:13:15.560 there was some inactivity and look at look at what's 0:13:15.559 --> 0:13:18.360 going on right now. So you know, you have to 0:13:18.360 --> 0:13:23.400 give props and credit to the Sixers players for standing 0:13:23.400 --> 0:13:27.720 in the fight and just continuing to believe and work 0:13:27.880 --> 0:13:30.320 because right now they're they're looking like a real presence 0:13:30.360 --> 0:13:31.280 in the Eastern Conference. 0:13:32.360 --> 0:13:35.360 And look, we should interject here just an incredibly sad 0:13:35.480 --> 0:13:41.600 story over the weekend that Philly is confronted with now, sad, scary, 0:13:41.840 --> 0:13:46.760 and just awful that Kelly Oubray playing so well for 0:13:46.840 --> 0:13:53.199 the Sixers. In the words officially from the Philadelphia Police Department, 0:13:53.520 --> 0:13:58.760 Oubray was struck in the upper chest area by a 0:13:58.840 --> 0:14:02.080 vehicle on Saturday night, traveling at a high rate of speed. 0:14:03.200 --> 0:14:07.120 According to the Philadelphia Police Department, that car fled the scene. 0:14:07.400 --> 0:14:11.560 Ubray has sustained broken ribs injuries as well to his 0:14:11.679 --> 0:14:14.840 hip and his leg, and obviously he's going to be 0:14:14.920 --> 0:14:18.920 out indefinitely, And I mean that is just a terrible 0:14:18.960 --> 0:14:22.960 situation anyway you look at it. But Ubra, you could 0:14:22.960 --> 0:14:25.480 make the case that he has been the most productive 0:14:25.880 --> 0:14:28.040 out of that whole group. And again that you know, 0:14:28.120 --> 0:14:31.000 all those guys have had had their moments here in 0:14:31.040 --> 0:14:34.480 the early season. So we'll have to see how Philly 0:14:34.640 --> 0:14:40.880 copes with that terrible situation, and our best wishes and 0:14:40.920 --> 0:14:44.920 hopes that Kelly Eubra can re recover from that awful 0:14:44.960 --> 0:14:48.920 situation as quickly as possible, because that that was very 0:14:48.920 --> 0:14:54.560 sad news on Saturday night. I want to try to shift. Now, 0:14:54.640 --> 0:14:57.600 let's look at it another team that you know very well. 0:14:57.680 --> 0:15:03.840 Milwaukee still very up in down. The Bucks got hammered 0:15:04.520 --> 0:15:09.280 by Orlando on Saturday night. Give me your latest read 0:15:10.200 --> 0:15:13.360 on what we're hearing and seeing out of Milwaukee. 0:15:13.920 --> 0:15:16.680 I told you they've been they've been struggling all year. 0:15:17.120 --> 0:15:22.840 The wins that they've they've gotten haven't been well played wins. 0:15:22.920 --> 0:15:26.400 They got it done at the end. Three of their 0:15:26.520 --> 0:15:30.320 five wins have been dame time games where he has 0:15:30.800 --> 0:15:34.400 come through in the fourth and blitzed the defense and 0:15:35.280 --> 0:15:40.120 willed the team the victory. But you know they lost 0:15:40.120 --> 0:15:44.440 the last two. If Dame out with a calf injury. 0:15:44.640 --> 0:15:48.920 He will spoke to him this morning. He will be playing. 0:15:49.560 --> 0:15:55.040 He will return Monday. So it's a tough situation. I mean, 0:15:55.160 --> 0:15:59.200 I think there's problems on both ends of the ball. Offensively, 0:15:59.440 --> 0:16:02.640 you know they're it's taking some time, and we knew 0:16:02.640 --> 0:16:06.280 that was going to happen. I did in the last 0:16:06.360 --> 0:16:09.000 game that Dame and Giannis played together. It was the 0:16:09.040 --> 0:16:12.040 game that I believe Janni's got he got kicked out, 0:16:12.040 --> 0:16:14.920 he got ejected. I want to say that was against 0:16:14.920 --> 0:16:21.000 Detroit that he got ejected after receiving two technicals. I 0:16:21.440 --> 0:16:24.880 saw some good chemistry between Dame and Giannis, Like I 0:16:25.480 --> 0:16:29.640 saw them like really looking for each other, doing the 0:16:29.720 --> 0:16:35.040 extra passes. So you know that there is there is 0:16:35.160 --> 0:16:40.520 reason to be excited about that duo and them figuring 0:16:40.560 --> 0:16:45.360 it out offensively as a whole. There still needs, still 0:16:45.400 --> 0:16:48.440 needs a lot of work, but defensively has really been 0:16:48.480 --> 0:16:54.400 the issue they have yet to I would say, fine, 0:16:54.440 --> 0:16:56.040 I don't want to put it on one player because 0:16:56.040 --> 0:16:59.160 it should be a team effort. But you know they 0:16:59.480 --> 0:17:03.520 they did. Coach Adrian Griffin did kind of go back 0:17:04.400 --> 0:17:07.560 to Brook Lopez being in the drop coverage where he's 0:17:08.520 --> 0:17:14.680 more comfortable at but perimeter. Guys are having like close 0:17:14.720 --> 0:17:21.280 to career nights playing against the Bucks. And I let 0:17:21.359 --> 0:17:27.359 me say this, don Bucks fans, I could say, I 0:17:27.560 --> 0:17:32.800 ain't even gonna say Bucks fans, Alex Caruso over there 0:17:32.840 --> 0:17:36.840 in Chicago will be, uh will be a great addition 0:17:37.240 --> 0:17:39.879 to the Bucks. Will be a great addition. And I know, 0:17:39.920 --> 0:17:43.720 I know a lot of people feel that way a Caruso. 0:17:44.160 --> 0:17:47.320 You know, listen, I have to look more into that. 0:17:47.440 --> 0:17:49.480 I haven't spoken to anybody with the Bucks, so I 0:17:49.520 --> 0:17:51.600 don't want to say I'm just throwing that out there, 0:17:51.760 --> 0:17:54.160 because I've seen a lot of Bucks fans mentioning his name, 0:17:56.040 --> 0:17:58.520 you know, depending you know, the Bulls. We got to 0:17:58.520 --> 0:18:00.600 see what they're gonna do, because I think they're gonna 0:18:00.640 --> 0:18:04.080 ultimately have to make a decision of what they're gonna 0:18:04.080 --> 0:18:06.199 do with Levine DeMar Darroz. Are they going to keep 0:18:06.200 --> 0:18:08.919 this thing intact or they're gonna blow it up? And 0:18:08.960 --> 0:18:12.719 then if they do choose to blow it up. Is 0:18:13.320 --> 0:18:18.560 wild Chicago trade a good talent in Cruso to a 0:18:18.600 --> 0:18:26.560 division rival. You know, maybe it doesn't really matter because 0:18:26.560 --> 0:18:29.560 they're not in the thick of of anything in the standings, 0:18:29.760 --> 0:18:32.439 So maybe they do. Maybe I don't know, but you know, 0:18:32.520 --> 0:18:34.320 that's something to keep an eye on down the road. 0:18:34.800 --> 0:18:40.200 But uh, Milwaukee definitely lacks top tier perimeter defenders right 0:18:40.200 --> 0:18:43.720 now and that's really hurting them bad. But you know, 0:18:43.880 --> 0:18:48.600 like when you talk about Giannis and Dame Stein like 0:18:48.640 --> 0:18:51.199 they they still need time, they still need time. But 0:18:51.240 --> 0:18:53.680 I think Dame is shown already in three of those 0:18:53.920 --> 0:18:58.360 five wins. You know, he he was the signature Dame Time, 0:18:58.400 --> 0:19:01.960 had the signature Dame Time moments in those those those periods. 0:19:02.000 --> 0:19:05.440 But you know, he has yet to find his outside 0:19:05.440 --> 0:19:07.880 shot on a consistent basis, which I think he'll get there. 0:19:08.280 --> 0:19:10.160 He didn't really have an offseason. 0:19:10.359 --> 0:19:12.720 Look, I'm not worried about them offensively, They're gonna they're 0:19:12.800 --> 0:19:13.720 gonna figure. 0:19:13.400 --> 0:19:14.119 Out the defense. 0:19:14.200 --> 0:19:17.159 They're too I mean, these guys are too good, not 0:19:17.320 --> 0:19:20.919 too but the defense, I mean, look, if you know 0:19:21.000 --> 0:19:24.320 Alex Caruso, the line will be long if the Bulls 0:19:24.359 --> 0:19:26.680 ever decide to trade him, because I mean we're talking 0:19:26.680 --> 0:19:29.159 about one of the best on ball defenders in the 0:19:29.240 --> 0:19:32.320 league on a very reasonable contract, and so yes, I'm 0:19:32.359 --> 0:19:35.120 sure if Chicago got to that point they would want 0:19:35.119 --> 0:19:38.840 to trade him. Anywhere but Milwaukee or somewhere in the division. 0:19:39.200 --> 0:19:42.000 But I mean, look, Yanna said it Saturday night lost 0:19:42.040 --> 0:19:45.560 to Orlando. Quote, we have to take it up a notch. 0:19:45.920 --> 0:19:48.399 This is not who we are. This is not the 0:19:48.400 --> 0:19:54.720 Milwaukee Bucks. We gotta guard people. And I mean, I 0:19:54.720 --> 0:19:58.199 I didn't think they would slip defensively this much. I mean, obviously, 0:19:58.280 --> 0:20:02.320 Drew Holliday is a fantastic another one of the league's 0:20:02.320 --> 0:20:05.920 best on ball defenders. But with all the other defenders, 0:20:06.600 --> 0:20:09.240 they have so many defensive minded players there. I didn't 0:20:09.280 --> 0:20:15.840 think the Bucks would suffer this much post Drew. But 0:20:15.920 --> 0:20:18.520 I mean when Yanna says it like that, I mean 0:20:18.560 --> 0:20:21.720 you can't say it much louder. I mean, they gotta 0:20:21.800 --> 0:20:25.200 figure out the defense to get it to the point 0:20:25.200 --> 0:20:26.000 of being decent. 0:20:27.080 --> 0:20:32.240 And that's all to getting decent, that's all. Again, this 0:20:32.320 --> 0:20:37.320 is a team that was tops in defensive is fishing 0:20:37.400 --> 0:20:41.000 over the last few years, and so it's there is 0:20:41.000 --> 0:20:44.240 that the schemes. You know, there are a few new players, 0:20:44.240 --> 0:20:49.000 but you know, like this is it shouldn't be like this. 0:20:49.359 --> 0:20:51.160 It shouldn't be like this, So they have to figure 0:20:51.200 --> 0:20:52.640 it out. They got to figure it out. 0:20:54.640 --> 0:20:56.920 One more team, I think we should mention when we're 0:20:56.920 --> 0:20:59.119 talking about alarm bells ringing, and then we got to 0:20:59.119 --> 0:21:01.600 start talking about some of the good stuff because they're like, 0:21:02.640 --> 0:21:07.320 as we're doing this pod, Minnesota, just one at Golden State. 0:21:07.400 --> 0:21:11.320 I mean, so the Wolves have been just a tremendous 0:21:11.359 --> 0:21:16.040 story in this first ten game slice of the season. 0:21:16.119 --> 0:21:23.080 But you know, again attention grabbing quotes, Jannis does not 0:21:23.240 --> 0:21:26.359 have the quote of the weekend, not anymore. Not after tonight. 0:21:26.880 --> 0:21:29.800 New Orleans, after a four and one start, is now 0:21:29.880 --> 0:21:34.240 four and six. The Pels have a zillion injury concerns, 0:21:34.280 --> 0:21:37.600 as we seem to say every season. I mean I 0:21:37.600 --> 0:21:39.760 did their you know, I was on studio duty for 0:21:39.800 --> 0:21:42.399 their game against Houston. I mean no CJ. McCollum, no 0:21:42.520 --> 0:21:48.040 Herb Jones, no Trey Murphy, no Jose Alvarado. I know 0:21:48.080 --> 0:21:50.080 I'm leaving somebody out. I don't have my full list 0:21:50.119 --> 0:21:51.720 in front of me, but there was there were five 0:21:51.840 --> 0:21:55.359 major injuries for that game, even though they had Zion 0:21:55.359 --> 0:21:59.520 and Brandon Ingram back. But tonight at home, New Orleans 0:22:00.760 --> 0:22:07.840 loses one thirty six four to Dallas, and Zion Williamson 0:22:08.480 --> 0:22:10.960 made a statement that I promise you will be all 0:22:11.000 --> 0:22:15.440 over the place today Monday, after this pod drops quote. 0:22:16.440 --> 0:22:19.440 Last year, we had a team meeting and we brought 0:22:19.520 --> 0:22:22.840 up some things I can do better, especially with buying 0:22:22.840 --> 0:22:27.000 into the program right now. It's tough. I'm taking a 0:22:27.000 --> 0:22:30.000 little bit of a back seat right now. I'm trusting 0:22:30.000 --> 0:22:34.480 the process. I'm trying my best to buy in right now. 0:22:35.400 --> 0:22:39.879 So when one of your star players says something like that, again, 0:22:39.920 --> 0:22:44.520 that is going to be a topic that I suspect 0:22:44.560 --> 0:22:48.800 will be all over the place as this new NBA 0:22:48.880 --> 0:22:54.640 week begins, because yeah, New Orleans is, to put it mildly, 0:22:55.600 --> 0:22:58.159 going through it. But again, I don't want to just 0:23:00.119 --> 0:23:02.600 laser in on teams that are struggling, because there are some, 0:23:04.240 --> 0:23:07.280 I mean, there's some really interesting I don't know if 0:23:07.280 --> 0:23:09.920 we can use the term success stories because again we're 0:23:09.920 --> 0:23:13.439 basically ten games into the season, but I mean the 0:23:13.480 --> 0:23:18.159 Houston Rockets. The Houston Rockets have won six games in 0:23:18.200 --> 0:23:21.720 a row after an zero to three start. I watched 0:23:21.720 --> 0:23:24.120 it close with my own eyes Friday night as they 0:23:25.080 --> 0:23:29.840 came back on New Orleans for a rally and a 0:23:29.880 --> 0:23:33.800 good home win over the Pels. I mean, Dylan Brooks 0:23:33.840 --> 0:23:36.199 was in foul trouble that whole game, and then in 0:23:36.240 --> 0:23:39.919 the fourth quarter he gave both Brandon Ingram and Zion 0:23:40.000 --> 0:23:43.360 Williamson fits in that fourth quarter. I mean, Dylan Brooks, 0:23:43.880 --> 0:23:47.520 Fred van Vliet with two just dagger threes late in 0:23:47.560 --> 0:23:52.840 that one, and Ime Udoka. The impact that all of 0:23:52.960 --> 0:23:55.960 the newcomers, the new voices, the coach and the two 0:23:56.040 --> 0:24:00.800 vets are making it clearly seems to be having a 0:24:00.840 --> 0:24:04.800 great effect. And then Alpria and Shengoon has been a 0:24:04.880 --> 0:24:09.240 revelation offensively. You know he always last year was you know, 0:24:09.320 --> 0:24:13.360 he's Jokic light. I mean he in his own right, 0:24:13.480 --> 0:24:18.840 the guy has just become must see offensively, and you know, 0:24:18.880 --> 0:24:23.479 the Rockets have been really, really feisty ends. You know, 0:24:23.560 --> 0:24:27.640 six in a row. Man is that tied with Minnesota 0:24:28.560 --> 0:24:32.200 for the longest active win streak in the Western Conference 0:24:32.280 --> 0:24:34.840 at six wins in a row Philly, I Philly could 0:24:34.880 --> 0:24:37.679 be nine and oh they almost won opening night the 0:24:37.680 --> 0:24:39.639 game in Milwaukee that you were at. But eight in 0:24:39.680 --> 0:24:42.399 a row, Philly has the longest winning streak in the 0:24:42.480 --> 0:24:48.439 league period. And then Dallas, you know, the Mavericks have 0:24:48.600 --> 0:24:53.080 not played the toughest schedule on Earth, but again, these 0:24:53.160 --> 0:24:58.320 last two games, especially ringing up two hundred and eighty points. 0:24:58.680 --> 0:25:02.160 Luka Doncic and kay Re Irving. They are clicking. They 0:25:02.160 --> 0:25:05.119 are hushing the naysayers as a duo with the way 0:25:05.560 --> 0:25:09.600 they're playing off each other. For all the skepticism after 0:25:09.640 --> 0:25:12.520 the way this season started, with the long trip abroad 0:25:12.600 --> 0:25:17.680 and coming back with both Luca and Kyrie carrying injuries, 0:25:17.760 --> 0:25:20.000 I didn't expect an eight and two start, no matter 0:25:20.080 --> 0:25:22.000 who they were playing. And it's the second best start 0:25:22.080 --> 0:25:27.640 now in franchise history. And they're cautiously optimistic that they're 0:25:27.720 --> 0:25:32.680 onto something. I know, I don't know. We got to 0:25:32.680 --> 0:25:35.280 get some Texas games on your schedule, mister haynes See. 0:25:35.320 --> 0:25:39.800 I mean, you're gonna have to come to The Spurs 0:25:39.800 --> 0:25:42.040