WEBVTT - MVP Ladder: Jayson Tatum, Anthony Edwards and Embiid's Injury Issues

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<v Speaker 1>For Texas Steel Holiday, Kadam Kass It down too Stool,

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<v Speaker 1>yer Go Seal Wow, and the strength continuous.

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<v Speaker 2>It is wild.

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<v Speaker 3>Welcome into NBA poster production of iHeartRadio in the NBA.

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<v Speaker 3>I'm Sarahustak, NBA analysts for the Yes Network, and today

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<v Speaker 3>is Thursday, January eleventh. From our fantastic core group of

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<v Speaker 3>NBA journalists. We're joined now by NBA dot Com senior

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<v Speaker 3>writer Michael c Ryde.

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<v Speaker 1>And Michael, we had a.

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<v Speaker 3>Good one last night between the top team and the

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<v Speaker 3>Eastern Conference, top team in the Western Conference. Boston Celtics

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<v Speaker 3>end up outlasting the Timberwolves one twenty seven, one twenty

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<v Speaker 3>in overtime. And we begin with this Celtics team that

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<v Speaker 3>has been rolling. UH starting lineup has been just tremendously

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<v Speaker 3>dominant about the course of the year. And it was

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<v Speaker 3>another big night for the two Jays. Jason Tatum forty

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<v Speaker 3>five points. I went six of eleven from the three

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<v Speaker 3>point line, thirteen of fourteen from the free throw line.

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<v Speaker 3>Jalen Brown perfect from the line. They were on the attack.

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<v Speaker 3>He was thirteen to thirteen. He had thirty five points,

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<v Speaker 3>eleven rebounds. He was four or seven from the three

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<v Speaker 3>point line. This is obviously a high volume shooting Boston

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<v Speaker 3>Celtics team. Jam Anthony Edwards with a big one, but

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<v Speaker 3>we'll get to him, Karl Anthony Towns and the timber

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<v Speaker 3>Wolves in just a second. But I want to talk

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<v Speaker 3>about the Celtics how well they've been playing, in more

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<v Speaker 3>specifically with Jason Tatum. In the conversation of the MVP

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<v Speaker 3>Derek White making a case to be an All Star.

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<v Speaker 3>Kristapsporzingis has been healthy and he has been such an

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<v Speaker 3>important part of how this team functions. Where do you

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<v Speaker 3>frame Tatum's place in the discussion and how it's impacted

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<v Speaker 3>with just the overall performance of his teammates and in

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<v Speaker 3>the combination of having that amount of support on the floor.

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<v Speaker 2>Well, Sarah, let's first give the man props. Last night

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<v Speaker 2>it was a gym. He had a great game, forty

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<v Speaker 2>five points, fourteen points in the fourth quarter, and then

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<v Speaker 2>he had twelve more in that overtime period. So he

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<v Speaker 2>did what he needed to do when he needed to

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<v Speaker 2>do it. So, you know, I think that's sort of

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<v Speaker 2>the mark of an MVP type player. But as you mentioned,

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<v Speaker 2>you look at his team, they are loaded. I mean,

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<v Speaker 2>they are absolutely loaded, you've probably got the best. Like

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<v Speaker 2>I would argue with anybody that Derek White and Drew

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<v Speaker 2>Holliday are the best two defensive guards in the NBA.

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<v Speaker 2>So you've got that. Those guys can get you steals,

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<v Speaker 2>you can get out in transition and cook. Then you've

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<v Speaker 2>got Christaph Porzingis. I mean, he's missed ten games this season,

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<v Speaker 2>but for the most part, he's been pretty healthy and

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<v Speaker 2>he's been a regular, consistent contributor. And you know, I

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<v Speaker 2>was having this conversation with somebody the other day and

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<v Speaker 2>we were talking about like two MVP candidates being on

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<v Speaker 2>the same team, and their argument to me was, well,

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<v Speaker 2>if you got two MVP candidates on the same team,

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<v Speaker 2>then you don't have any And I was like, well, yeah,

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<v Speaker 2>I guess you're right, you know what I mean, there

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<v Speaker 2>is something to that, because you've got a guy like

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<v Speaker 2>Jalen Brown that can I mean, he's had thirty points

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<v Speaker 2>in his last four games. So when you've got that

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<v Speaker 2>kind of support, I mean, it does make it really hard.

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<v Speaker 2>And I think that's why I've got him a little lower.

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<v Speaker 2>He's kind of like on that second tier of MVP candidates.

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<v Speaker 2>You know, if he didn't have the support and he

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<v Speaker 2>had to do more, I think he'd probably be up

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<v Speaker 2>there in the top five. But that's just what it

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<v Speaker 2>is right now with him. And you know, I mean

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<v Speaker 2>great team eighteen to know at home. I mean, you

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<v Speaker 2>can't there's nothing bad you can say about the Boston

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<v Speaker 2>Celtics at this point. I think they are the best

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<v Speaker 2>team in the NBA right now.

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<v Speaker 3>Yeah, yeah, I agree with you. And that's when you

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<v Speaker 3>say nothing bad to say. That's that's the tough part

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<v Speaker 3>of looking. Okay, what what are their potential weaknesses? I

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<v Speaker 3>know I've seen Boston quite a bit throughout the course

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<v Speaker 3>of the season, and in many cases you talk to

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<v Speaker 3>folks that are around the team all the time, covering

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<v Speaker 3>the team, and they always talk about having more of

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<v Speaker 3>a backup big or what do they do when they're

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<v Speaker 3>facing some of those really hefty, strong frames on the inside.

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<v Speaker 3>Joel Embiid being one of those who will get to

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<v Speaker 3>a little bit later in the show. But Jason Tatum

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<v Speaker 3>did the fluidity, the smoothness his reads on the offensive side.

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<v Speaker 3>Obviously the length and presidency brings defensively, but it's it's

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<v Speaker 3>been fun to watch how every year he seems to

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<v Speaker 3>improve add more to his game, kind of take.

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<v Speaker 1>More of a.

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<v Speaker 3>Just really mature approach to how he's able to pick

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<v Speaker 3>apart some defenses. But I do think that certainly helps

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<v Speaker 3>when you have the compliments of so many others around you.

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<v Speaker 3>I do think just the fact he's shooting over thirty

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<v Speaker 3>seven percent from three. Obviously we know the player works

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<v Speaker 3>the mid range, takes a lot of you know, long

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<v Speaker 3>two point shots, has been working on that, but his

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<v Speaker 3>efficiency from three has helped. As I mentioned with the

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<v Speaker 3>Boston team that wants to put up a lot of

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<v Speaker 3>three point shots. On the other side of things, mentioned Minnesota.

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<v Speaker 3>Tough loss for them, but they have been fantastic this year,

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<v Speaker 3>obviously tops in the Western Conference. Their defense has been

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<v Speaker 3>at the forefront of all of that. In Anthony Edwards

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<v Speaker 3>a big part last night Karl Anthony Towns with twenty

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<v Speaker 3>five points, thirteen rebound, six assists.

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<v Speaker 1>For Edwards it was twenty nine, six and three defecting

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<v Speaker 1>kicked off the two and out of by Anderson. He

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<v Speaker 1>gets you've hit to Edwards night moves two.

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<v Speaker 2>As the league.

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<v Speaker 1>Where do you see Anthony Edwards?

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<v Speaker 3>And again we're looking at your second tier of those

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<v Speaker 3>MVP candidates We've had a lot of the same ones

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<v Speaker 3>towards the time in that top five, But where do

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<v Speaker 3>you see Anthony Edwards in his progression to potentially get

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<v Speaker 3>to that point, considering the fact that Minnesota is a

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<v Speaker 3>team that has been at the top or towards the

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<v Speaker 3>top of the West throughout pretty much the duration of

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<v Speaker 3>this whole season.

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<v Speaker 2>Well, Sarah, it is Thursday. It's Thursday, and he's coming

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<v Speaker 2>off a good game, and.

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<v Speaker 1>So did a little influence no, no influence here before tomorrow.

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<v Speaker 2>What I'm saying is with him, it just depends on

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<v Speaker 2>the days. It's really weird. I mean, he is, he

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<v Speaker 2>is this rising superstar, and you know, throughout FEBA and

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<v Speaker 2>stuff over the summer, it was sort of okay, we

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<v Speaker 2>knew that this was the year that Anthony Edwards was

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<v Speaker 2>going to take that next step, and he has like

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<v Speaker 2>let's not, you know, get it twisted for a second.

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<v Speaker 2>But I mean, okay, So, like I said, okay, we're

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<v Speaker 2>talking about it's Thursday, and we're looking at what he

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<v Speaker 2>did on Wednesday. But on Monday he was two of

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<v Speaker 2>seven for six points. And that's sort of what you

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<v Speaker 2>get from him, or what we've gotten from him all season.

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<v Speaker 2>I mean he's been he shot shot the ball fifty

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<v Speaker 2>percent from the field. I think he shot he shot

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<v Speaker 2>it below fifty percent in three of the last five games,

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<v Speaker 2>and so he's been really inconsistent as a shooter. But

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<v Speaker 2>I love what he does as an own ball defender,

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<v Speaker 2>his decision making. I think that that's gonna get better

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<v Speaker 2>as he gets a little more mature. But you know,

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<v Speaker 2>I think that without him, they're not number one in

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<v Speaker 2>the West, that's for sure.

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<v Speaker 3>So I like what he does.

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<v Speaker 2>I'm a fan, but too inconsistent to really get him

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<v Speaker 2>up in the higher tiers. So he'll fluctuate anywhere between

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<v Speaker 2>six ten and then sometimes he ends up in the

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<v Speaker 2>honorable mention stack, and so you know, we need more

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<v Speaker 2>of him, you know, at one place instead of just

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<v Speaker 2>kind of going all over the board.

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<v Speaker 1>Yeah, and totally agree with that.

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<v Speaker 3>I think you look at him and a reminder despite

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<v Speaker 3>the facts he's in his fourth year, twenty two years old.

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<v Speaker 1>Yeah, all Star last year, so still yeah, I think

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<v Speaker 1>that's a part of it.

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<v Speaker 3>And just figuring out I mean, he jumped right in

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<v Speaker 3>the scene and you look at where Minnesota was at

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<v Speaker 3>the last few seasons being the guy, but the uptick.

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<v Speaker 3>As you have mentioned, field goal percentage uptacking three point percentage,

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<v Speaker 3>the fact that he's you know, almost thirty nine percent

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<v Speaker 3>from three and that fluctuates as well. But I think

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<v Speaker 3>his decision making on when he's taking threes to me

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<v Speaker 3>through the eye test has improved, and also assists have

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<v Speaker 3>gone up, you know, best in his career a nearly

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<v Speaker 3>five assists per game.

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<v Speaker 1>Those type of things I think even too.

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<v Speaker 3>Defensively, of course, helps to have a guy like Rudy

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<v Speaker 3>Gobert back there and those that are around him and

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<v Speaker 3>just what this defense is comprised of, so it allows

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<v Speaker 3>him to gamble a little bit more, take risks, you know,

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<v Speaker 3>some of his off ball play that that helps fourtify.

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<v Speaker 3>My question to you is, do you think, I said,

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<v Speaker 3>twenty two years old, fourth year in the league, but

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<v Speaker 3>projecting out, do you think before his career is over

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<v Speaker 3>he will be an MVP in this league?

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<v Speaker 2>Yeah? I do think he'll be an MVP. And you know,

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<v Speaker 2>you mentioned like just some of the health he has

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<v Speaker 2>on the defensive end, but some of the same people

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<v Speaker 2>you mentioned are also I think gonna be key for

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<v Speaker 2>him in his maturation throughout this league because you've got

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<v Speaker 2>a Rudy Gobert, You've got Karl Anthony Towns who's been

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<v Speaker 2>in the league for a while. You've got slow Mo

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<v Speaker 2>Kyle Anderson. People don't give that man his credit, but

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<v Speaker 2>he is a leader. He's the type of guy that

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<v Speaker 2>when you get him on the floor, he makes everybody

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<v Speaker 2>around him better. That's just the way Kyle Anderson has

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<v Speaker 2>been since he's been out here in San Antonio. And

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<v Speaker 2>so when you've got some veterans, like they have a

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<v Speaker 2>nice mix of young talent and sort of veteran guys

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<v Speaker 2>that they're all gonna help Anthony Edwards moving forward. And

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<v Speaker 2>I think Anthony is gonna be a star. I mean

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<v Speaker 2>a star. I think like one of the two or

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<v Speaker 2>three people you talk about when you talk about the NBA,

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<v Speaker 2>like his name is gonna be the one, you know

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<v Speaker 2>how like we talk about the NBA and we say

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<v Speaker 2>Steph Curry. I think Anthony is gonna be one of

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<v Speaker 2>those guys.

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<v Speaker 1>Fact I am with you on that.

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<v Speaker 3>I also think he has the disposition, character, you know,

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<v Speaker 3>just all of those things to go into it. Minnesota, though,

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<v Speaker 3>looking where they're at with the salary caps, some contracts,

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<v Speaker 3>they will have some decisions to make though in what

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<v Speaker 3>they continue to do with this roster.

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<v Speaker 1>We are going to take a quick break and we

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<v Speaker 1>are going to get back.

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<v Speaker 3>To one of your candidates that has been in that

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<v Speaker 3>top tier, towards the top the entirety of this year,

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<v Speaker 3>Joel Embiid. Right after the break, welcome back to m

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<v Speaker 3>me a Polster a Kustaik joined by Michael C. Wright

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<v Speaker 3>and all right, where we're going, we're taking the elevator

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<v Speaker 3>up to the top.

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<v Speaker 1>Joel Embiid.

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<v Speaker 3>He's been fantastic this year, Michael, and you can see

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<v Speaker 3>it in the numbers, you can see it how he's played.

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<v Speaker 1>He's the reigning MVP.

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<v Speaker 3>However, he has missed six of the last eight games,

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<v Speaker 3>so now you know, getting to that point for those

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<v Speaker 3>awards need to play in sixty five of eighty two games.

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<v Speaker 3>And for the most part, it's felt like he's been healthy,

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<v Speaker 3>it's felt like he's been available. But when you look

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<v Speaker 3>at what Embid's done throughout the course of the season,

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<v Speaker 3>and I had mentioned the numbers, thirty five points a game,

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<v Speaker 3>nearly almost twelve rebounds, six assists, his playmaking and the

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<v Speaker 3>improvement of his playmaking has been that one big factor

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<v Speaker 3>that you've seen the elevation. How do you kind of

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<v Speaker 3>frame where your head is starting to be at at

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<v Speaker 3>this point of the season with some of the games

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<v Speaker 3>being missed, and how that factors in given the other

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<v Speaker 3>candidates here in this top five.

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<v Speaker 2>Well, with the elevator being stuck right now, apparently apparently

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<v Speaker 2>you know, it's to the point now where we're starting

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<v Speaker 2>to count games, and you know that's never a good thing.

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<v Speaker 2>You know, Like in December, the guy average forty points,

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<v Speaker 2>twelve and a half rebounds, but he missed five games,

0:12:01.640 --> 0:12:03.839
<v Speaker 2>and you know, you start to look at that, and

0:12:03.920 --> 0:12:05.720
<v Speaker 2>I think a big part of the reason why he's

0:12:05.880 --> 0:12:09.160
<v Speaker 2>he's so banged up all the time is his usage rate.

0:12:10.040 --> 0:12:13.160
<v Speaker 2>He said that like forty one point six percent. That

0:12:13.400 --> 0:12:15.480
<v Speaker 2>is okay. If you compare that to a guy like

0:12:15.559 --> 0:12:18.760
<v Speaker 2>Nikola Jokic, he's somewhere in the high twenties. And so,

0:12:19.240 --> 0:12:21.040
<v Speaker 2>you know, I think when you when you have such

0:12:21.040 --> 0:12:23.439
<v Speaker 2>a high usage rate, you have to do so much

0:12:23.480 --> 0:12:26.800
<v Speaker 2>for your team, that's going to lend itself to injury.

0:12:27.320 --> 0:12:31.680
<v Speaker 2>And so, yeah, he's missed nine games. Yeah that's cool.

0:12:31.840 --> 0:12:34.760
<v Speaker 2>But at the same time, I see what he does

0:12:35.280 --> 0:12:39.199
<v Speaker 2>on a night to night basis, and I see in

0:12:39.360 --> 0:12:42.800
<v Speaker 2>some of those games he's struggling physically, but he's just

0:12:42.920 --> 0:12:47.160
<v Speaker 2>cutting it out. And so like I really Joe Ellenbiid

0:12:47.200 --> 0:12:50.320
<v Speaker 2>is one of those guys that where say he missed

0:12:50.800 --> 0:12:53.760
<v Speaker 2>too many games to be eligible to win the award.

0:12:55.000 --> 0:12:57.199
<v Speaker 2>That's one of those guys I might make an exception for.

0:12:57.559 --> 0:13:00.400
<v Speaker 2>And we can't, you know, because of the rules or whatever.

0:13:00.520 --> 0:13:04.040
<v Speaker 2>But that's something you know. I'm not criticizing the league here,

0:13:04.160 --> 0:13:07.600
<v Speaker 2>but I think they need to make exceptions. Start thinking about,

0:13:07.679 --> 0:13:09.960
<v Speaker 2>like some of the other metrics that might come into

0:13:10.040 --> 0:13:13.000
<v Speaker 2>play for a guy like MB Like I just mentioned

0:13:13.320 --> 0:13:16.719
<v Speaker 2>his usage rate, but look at minutes things like that

0:13:16.880 --> 0:13:19.640
<v Speaker 2>when you're making a determination. I mean, a guy can't

0:13:19.679 --> 0:13:22.400
<v Speaker 2>help it if he's hurt. And sometimes a guy needs

0:13:22.400 --> 0:13:22.760
<v Speaker 2>to rest.

0:13:23.520 --> 0:13:26.959
<v Speaker 3>Yeah, And as you mentioned just that, like the judgment calls,

0:13:27.000 --> 0:13:29.040
<v Speaker 3>I think for all of you as voters, there there's

0:13:29.120 --> 0:13:32.840
<v Speaker 3>a trust and a respect for why you have earned

0:13:32.920 --> 0:13:35.679
<v Speaker 3>and have those votes, and I think all of you

0:13:35.800 --> 0:13:38.160
<v Speaker 3>have decisions to make in term of judgment. And so

0:13:38.440 --> 0:13:41.600
<v Speaker 3>for a player like Joel Embiid, one sometimes it's injury,

0:13:41.679 --> 0:13:43.319
<v Speaker 3>but two it's it's injury management.

0:13:43.520 --> 0:13:44.280
<v Speaker 1>It truly is.

0:13:44.440 --> 0:13:46.920
<v Speaker 3>It's injury management. It's not playing, you know, potentially a

0:13:46.960 --> 0:13:48.920
<v Speaker 3>second of a back to back. You look at the

0:13:49.040 --> 0:13:51.640
<v Speaker 3>fact that he's played over thirty four minutes per game,

0:13:51.720 --> 0:13:53.719
<v Speaker 3>and as you mentioned, the usage and how much that

0:13:53.840 --> 0:13:55.840
<v Speaker 3>goes through him and what he's dealt with. It's also

0:13:55.920 --> 0:13:59.319
<v Speaker 3>a you know, the frame of his body is very

0:13:59.480 --> 0:14:02.560
<v Speaker 3>different and some others. So the type of the type

0:14:02.600 --> 0:14:06.160
<v Speaker 3>of usage that that goes along with that. When you

0:14:06.240 --> 0:14:11.040
<v Speaker 3>look at Philadelphia sitting third now in the Eastern Conference, Boston,

0:14:11.080 --> 0:14:15.440
<v Speaker 3>We've already talked about Milwaukee despite sitting in that second seed. Uh,

0:14:15.720 --> 0:14:18.439
<v Speaker 3>it's kind of a two sidedness to the perspective on

0:14:18.559 --> 0:14:20.960
<v Speaker 3>the Bucks given the fact they just don't look good

0:14:21.000 --> 0:14:23.000
<v Speaker 3>and the wins that they have, it still feels like

0:14:23.080 --> 0:14:26.600
<v Speaker 3>there's a lot of issues. It's Philadelphia contender for you

0:14:27.360 --> 0:14:30.200
<v Speaker 3>in the event that you look at this framework and

0:14:30.280 --> 0:14:34.280
<v Speaker 3>Joel Embiid healthy playing in what he's done in certain

0:14:34.320 --> 0:14:35.960
<v Speaker 3>cases throughout the course of the postseason.

0:14:36.800 --> 0:14:40.160
<v Speaker 2>Absolutely a contender with Joel and Beid healthy. But they've

0:14:40.200 --> 0:14:43.160
<v Speaker 2>lost three in a row and Joel has missed some time.

0:14:43.280 --> 0:14:45.720
<v Speaker 2>I don't know the exact exact number, was it something

0:14:45.800 --> 0:14:52.360
<v Speaker 2>like six the last Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, sure, So

0:14:52.640 --> 0:14:56.120
<v Speaker 2>they're definitely a contender with him on the floor. But

0:14:57.600 --> 0:15:00.120
<v Speaker 2>you know there's the question of okay, how often do

0:15:00.200 --> 0:15:02.800
<v Speaker 2>you get him on the floor. But at the same time,

0:15:04.080 --> 0:15:06.080
<v Speaker 2>I think Joel Embiid is the type of guy, just

0:15:06.160 --> 0:15:08.400
<v Speaker 2>based off what I've seen over these last few years,

0:15:09.360 --> 0:15:12.200
<v Speaker 2>if they need him, even if he's hurt, he's gonna

0:15:12.200 --> 0:15:15.960
<v Speaker 2>try to play if he's hurt. And so you know,

0:15:16.120 --> 0:15:18.920
<v Speaker 2>I think, like, right now, these are the games you're

0:15:18.920 --> 0:15:20.760
<v Speaker 2>supposed to miss. We haven't even gotten an All Star

0:15:20.880 --> 0:15:23.840
<v Speaker 2>break yet. You know, you can miss some games. You

0:15:23.880 --> 0:15:26.120
<v Speaker 2>can rest here here and there, and then once you

0:15:26.160 --> 0:15:29.320
<v Speaker 2>get past All Star Break and everybody starts this all

0:15:29.440 --> 0:15:32.720
<v Speaker 2>out spread, you know, to the finish line, that's when

0:15:32.760 --> 0:15:34.880
<v Speaker 2>you need him available for games. And I think he's

0:15:34.920 --> 0:15:37.480
<v Speaker 2>going to be there when his number is called, He's

0:15:37.480 --> 0:15:38.000
<v Speaker 2>going to be there.

0:15:38.400 --> 0:15:38.800
<v Speaker 1>All right.

0:15:38.880 --> 0:15:41.480
<v Speaker 3>Well, we will see near and as you mentioned, all

0:15:41.520 --> 0:15:45.080
<v Speaker 3>Star break, nearing trade deadline. A lot of things to

0:15:45.240 --> 0:15:48.040
<v Speaker 3>keep eyes on here as we continue on throughout the

0:15:48.080 --> 0:15:51.560
<v Speaker 3>course of your season, including you on NBA TV, NBA

0:15:51.680 --> 0:15:55.280
<v Speaker 3>dot Com. You're MVP Ladder that will be out once

0:15:55.360 --> 0:15:57.960
<v Speaker 3>again on Friday. So it's always Michael. We appreciate your

0:15:58.000 --> 0:16:01.240
<v Speaker 3>Time You Got It Sarah. NBA Pulse was Sara Acoustack

0:16:01.240 --> 0:16:03.720
<v Speaker 3>as a production of the NBA and iHeart Radio. Please rate, review,

0:16:03.760 --> 0:16:06.560
<v Speaker 3>and subscribe on the iHeartRadio app or wherever you get

0:16:06.600 --> 0:16:07.280
<v Speaker 3>your podcasts.