WEBVTT - #thisleague UNCUT: Kyrie Irving dazzles ... and a text from Isaiah Thomas 0:00:00.160 --> 0:00:04.080 Welcome to this League Uncut in you rule. 0:00:04.000 --> 0:00:05.480 A twenty four hour NBA news. 0:00:05.680 --> 0:00:09.240 This is you, Chris Haynes. 0:00:09.480 --> 0:00:11.360 It's time, Mark's time. 0:00:11.720 --> 0:00:12.879 It's some time. 0:00:17.160 --> 0:00:19.840 This league Uncut is underway and on fire. 0:00:21.480 --> 0:00:24.480 This should be a good one. 0:00:25.200 --> 0:00:31.560 Hey, everyone, welcome in to another edition of this League Uncut. 0:00:31.920 --> 0:00:35.919 Mark Stein here with Chris Haynes. Hope everybody had a 0:00:35.960 --> 0:00:39.400 great Saint Patrick's Day. I have to say it is 0:00:39.520 --> 0:00:45.440 not a holiday that this probably won't surprise you, not 0:00:45.560 --> 0:00:50.400 a holiday that I typically participate in in any meaningful way. 0:00:50.440 --> 0:00:53.880 I'm way too old to get wild and crazy on 0:00:53.920 --> 0:00:57.160 a Saint Patrick's Day. Did not wear any green, Chris Haynes, 0:00:57.160 --> 0:00:58.600 did you wear any green yesterday? 0:01:00.520 --> 0:01:01.240 I didn't. 0:01:02.240 --> 0:01:04.080 I didn't even know it was Saint Patrick's Day till 0:01:04.120 --> 0:01:05.720 I went downtown, went to church. 0:01:06.600 --> 0:01:08.840 And then when I got outside of church, I saw. 0:01:08.680 --> 0:01:13.160 A bunch of people wearing green and they were stumbling 0:01:13.240 --> 0:01:16.880 to walk, so they were already drunk around noon, one 0:01:16.920 --> 0:01:18.000 o'clock PM. 0:01:18.480 --> 0:01:20.680 That was your conclusive medical diagnosis. 0:01:20.760 --> 0:01:23.840 Oh yeah, it didn't take much. You know, you don't 0:01:23.840 --> 0:01:26.119 need a degree to be able to tell if somebody's drunk. 0:01:26.720 --> 0:01:31.160 You know, the church, I go to. It's, like you said, 0:01:31.200 --> 0:01:33.600 right downtown, so there's a bunch of bars and everything, 0:01:33.680 --> 0:01:35.840 so you could you can see people bar hopping and 0:01:36.319 --> 0:01:37.000 wearing green. 0:01:37.120 --> 0:01:38.640 I know that was such a big deal. 0:01:39.280 --> 0:01:41.120 So but no, I don't, you know, I've never I 0:01:41.120 --> 0:01:43.160 don't know if he knows stein, but you know, I 0:01:43.160 --> 0:01:45.400 don't drink, never drink, never smoked. 0:01:45.440 --> 0:01:46.119 I don't you know. 0:01:46.640 --> 0:01:49.280 I took a sip of some wine of some people 0:01:49.320 --> 0:01:52.720 that made me, made me consume it because I was 0:01:52.760 --> 0:01:55.480 around them, but I don't so from that, I don't. 0:01:55.520 --> 0:01:57.120 I don't drink, so I wouldn't know. 0:01:57.640 --> 0:02:02.520 Yeah, neither one of us does. He never asked, no, Okay. 0:02:03.120 --> 0:02:06.040 On my twenty first birthday, I was forced to consume 0:02:07.440 --> 0:02:08.280 some rum and coke. 0:02:08.400 --> 0:02:12.160 Did not go well. I couldn't do it. I didn't 0:02:12.600 --> 0:02:14.680 taste it. Awful. Yeah, that's it. 0:02:16.680 --> 0:02:19.440 I'm crazy as it is, starn so I felt like, 0:02:19.560 --> 0:02:19.960 you know, I. 0:02:19.880 --> 0:02:23.800 Don't need liquor anything else to make me even crazier. 0:02:23.919 --> 0:02:26.400 So you know, I've been you know, so far, so good. 0:02:26.400 --> 0:02:29.240 I don't think and hopefully there's nothing that causes me 0:02:29.320 --> 0:02:32.200 to drink. There's timestinying, times in your life where you 0:02:32.240 --> 0:02:33.359 feel like you need a drink. 0:02:33.800 --> 0:02:35.320 I don't you know what I mean. I don't know 0:02:35.400 --> 0:02:37.400 what that feeling is after you have one, but you 0:02:37.400 --> 0:02:40.200 know it'd be sometimes from like, hey, maybe this. 0:02:40.120 --> 0:02:42.119 Is a good time for a drink, this good time 0:02:42.160 --> 0:02:44.760 for smoke. But I've never I've never done done. 0:02:44.600 --> 0:02:49.080 Them so well, we probably should have worn something green 0:02:49.200 --> 0:02:51.480 one of us, just to say we like. Even your 0:02:51.480 --> 0:02:57.360 guy Tim McMahon showed up for the Mavericks Nuggets game 0:02:57.680 --> 0:03:01.240 Sunday afternoon, an incredible Mattene game in Dallas. Even your 0:03:01.240 --> 0:03:04.560 guy McMahon had on a pair of green Adidas gazelles 0:03:05.200 --> 0:03:08.079 that I had to say, looked pretty They looked pretty good. 0:03:08.919 --> 0:03:11.360 If there was anybody that you can tell me who 0:03:12.240 --> 0:03:16.680 will probably be the most excited about yesterday in the 0:03:16.720 --> 0:03:19.239 media corps, Tim will probably be a the top of 0:03:19.280 --> 0:03:20.120 my list. 0:03:20.440 --> 0:03:21.920 I don't know how excited he. I don't know if 0:03:21.960 --> 0:03:24.120 he gets to you know, he's so grumpy. I don't 0:03:24.120 --> 0:03:26.200 know if he ever gets excited. But all of this 0:03:26.400 --> 0:03:29.640 was my preamble to say that I did nothing wild 0:03:29.720 --> 0:03:35.040 and crazy, but I certainly saw something absolutely wild and 0:03:35.480 --> 0:03:38.920 still hard to believe. Almost twenty four hours later that 0:03:39.120 --> 0:03:43.200 Kyrie Irving game winner, leave up looking. 0:03:42.880 --> 0:03:53.840 In curving, curving for the wind, just ups. 0:03:54.840 --> 0:04:00.520 Going to his left running floater hook shot. I'm still 0:04:00.560 --> 0:04:02.680 not sure what to call it, but with his left 0:04:02.680 --> 0:04:04.960 hand a buzzer beater. 0:04:05.120 --> 0:04:09.160 And for Dallas, huge redemption. 0:04:10.200 --> 0:04:14.240 Because it was just a few weeks ago that they 0:04:14.360 --> 0:04:20.200 lost an absolute heartbreaker in Cleveland when Max Struce drained 0:04:20.320 --> 0:04:24.240 a sixty footer at the buzzer. I thought that was 0:04:24.320 --> 0:04:32.120 crazy this because it was left handed, just as wild 0:04:33.600 --> 0:04:39.080 and stunning as what Struce did on February twenty seventh, 0:04:39.120 --> 0:04:43.120 and crazily. Kyrie Irving has not been a Maverick for 0:04:43.160 --> 0:04:45.839 a long time. It's only been about thirteen months. But 0:04:46.640 --> 0:04:51.520 if you're a calendar nerd like me, you know that 0:04:52.480 --> 0:04:58.520 on March seventeenth, twenty twenty three, Maxi Klieba beat the 0:04:58.600 --> 0:05:03.120 Lakers at the buzzer off a cross court Kyrie Irving pass, 0:05:03.760 --> 0:05:07.400 and then March seventeenth, twenty twenty four, Saint Patrick's Day 0:05:07.440 --> 0:05:12.160 twenty twenty four, Kyrie Irving only the second career buzzer 0:05:12.200 --> 0:05:17.680 beater for Kyrie Irving. But man, what a shot I mean, 0:05:17.720 --> 0:05:20.480 and he is I mean he is known as a 0:05:20.520 --> 0:05:23.480 shot maker. Your guy Damian Lillard took right to Twitter 0:05:23.520 --> 0:05:26.680 to call him the most skilled player ever. I talk 0:05:26.760 --> 0:05:28.400 about the Mavericks all the time, so I want to 0:05:28.440 --> 0:05:32.359 hear your thoughts not just on the game, but what 0:05:32.440 --> 0:05:34.160 do you think of this Mavericks team? What do you 0:05:34.200 --> 0:05:38.160 think people in the West think of this Mavericks team. 0:05:38.200 --> 0:05:40.719 I'll weigh in after you. But how good are these guys? 0:05:40.720 --> 0:05:44.840 How dangerous are the Mavericks of Dallas. 0:05:45.240 --> 0:05:49.280 They're definitely a dangerous opponent for anybody, particularly in that 0:05:49.320 --> 0:05:53.640 first round. You cannot sleep on any time you got 0:05:53.680 --> 0:05:56.279 a guy like Luka Dakich, who's going to be in 0:05:56.279 --> 0:06:00.320 the MVP conversation year after year as long as he's healthy. 0:06:00.400 --> 0:06:03.839 And Kyrie Irvin, who we know the heroics, you know, 0:06:03.880 --> 0:06:06.640 the skill said that he brings to a team. Anytime 0:06:06.680 --> 0:06:08.680 you got those two guys in the fold and they're healthy, 0:06:09.080 --> 0:06:10.080 you got a shot. 0:06:10.360 --> 0:06:12.240 Just like you know, it's a similar situation with the 0:06:12.240 --> 0:06:13.159 Phoenix Signs. 0:06:13.640 --> 0:06:17.760 Anytime you got healthy KD Devin Booker, Bradley beal, you're 0:06:17.760 --> 0:06:19.880 going to give yourself a shot and you're going to 0:06:19.960 --> 0:06:20.720 be dangerous. 0:06:21.240 --> 0:06:22.960 Now are they going to be the favorites? 0:06:23.240 --> 0:06:26.920 That's a different question and most of the times I 0:06:26.920 --> 0:06:30.480 would probably say probably not probably won't be be the favorites. 0:06:30.560 --> 0:06:34.200 But you know, you look at a team like the Mavericks, 0:06:35.000 --> 0:06:37.520 if they can get that seventh seed, like if they 0:06:37.520 --> 0:06:40.000 can lock into that seventh seed, you know obviously. 0:06:39.600 --> 0:06:41.880 They need six not seven, but go ahead. 0:06:41.800 --> 0:06:43.760 They need six. Now, Okay, I get you there. 0:06:43.880 --> 0:06:46.960 Well, you're assuming the Nuggets are going to Nuggets or 0:06:47.000 --> 0:06:48.800 Thunder is going to stay at one or two. 0:06:49.600 --> 0:06:53.880 Yeah, I mean to me, you know, I think Minnesota, 0:06:54.279 --> 0:06:57.040 because they don't have Karl Anthony Towns, is gonna end 0:06:57.120 --> 0:07:00.680 up third and as great as season as the Wolves 0:07:00.680 --> 0:07:05.800 have had, as good defensively as the Wolves are, And look, 0:07:06.520 --> 0:07:10.920 when the Timberwolves woke up on this Monday morning, they 0:07:10.920 --> 0:07:14.440 were still number one in the NBA in defensive rating, 0:07:14.960 --> 0:07:18.480 allowing only one hundred and eight point two points per 0:07:18.520 --> 0:07:23.600 one hundred possessions, still ahead of the Boston Celtics, who 0:07:23.600 --> 0:07:29.280 have truly been the team of the regular season. So look, 0:07:29.320 --> 0:07:33.280 I'm not saying that you want to see the Minnesota Timberwolves, 0:07:33.600 --> 0:07:38.760 but if my choices are the Denver Nuggets, the defending champions, 0:07:38.800 --> 0:07:43.400 the very frisky Oklahoma City Thunder, and Minnesota which is 0:07:43.440 --> 0:07:45.800 probably gonna have to play without Karl Anthony Towns for 0:07:45.880 --> 0:07:49.040 the rest of the regular season, and then if they're 0:07:49.120 --> 0:07:52.400 fortunate enough to get Cat back, work him in on 0:07:52.480 --> 0:07:54.800 the fly for the playoffs. And if they don't get 0:07:54.880 --> 0:08:01.440 Cat back from his recent mniscus surgery, that puts a huge, 0:08:01.600 --> 0:08:06.120 huge burden offensively on Anthony Edwards. Karl Anthony Towns was 0:08:06.160 --> 0:08:11.480 having a great season offensively, so to me, Dallas and 0:08:11.880 --> 0:08:15.040 the team closest to where you reside, Sacramento, these two 0:08:15.040 --> 0:08:19.280 teams are locked in this battle for number six and 0:08:20.080 --> 0:08:24.080 both desperately want it because I think both would rather 0:08:24.440 --> 0:08:28.080 see a less than full strength Minnesota in Round one 0:08:28.120 --> 0:08:30.040 than either Denver or Oklahoma City. 0:08:30.720 --> 0:08:33.040 Yeah, I would agree with you on that. 0:08:34.000 --> 0:08:37.520 I'm just not sure Minnesota is gonna slide like that 0:08:37.880 --> 0:08:40.520 without cap. That would be my only concern if I'm 0:08:40.600 --> 0:08:42.720 Dallas or any other team that's trying to lock into 0:08:42.720 --> 0:08:46.120 that sixth seed. But even with that being said, I 0:08:46.160 --> 0:08:50.920 still think Dallas would like their chances against Minnesota and Oka. 0:08:51.080 --> 0:08:51.480 See. 0:08:52.440 --> 0:08:55.120 You know, I think that you're in pretty good shape 0:08:55.720 --> 0:08:58.640 if you could get that six or seven seed. And 0:08:58.920 --> 0:09:02.720 I do think Denver. I'm not a betting Man. But 0:09:02.800 --> 0:09:08.160 I would think denver By seasons in will we'll get 0:09:08.160 --> 0:09:09.160 that number one seed. 0:09:09.800 --> 0:09:11.719 That's what they're going after, and you know. 0:09:11.679 --> 0:09:15.520 They had the championship pedigree, they experience to to do 0:09:15.559 --> 0:09:16.960 what it takes to get to that spot. 0:09:17.040 --> 0:09:19.360 So that's the way I see things going. Do I 0:09:19.400 --> 0:09:20.800 know for sure? Hell no, I don't. 0:09:21.400 --> 0:09:24.320 I'd really like to hear more of your take on 0:09:24.400 --> 0:09:26.920 this because I'm always talking about the MAVs. As you know, 0:09:27.040 --> 0:09:30.520 I have a Saturday radio show in Dallas which is 0:09:30.720 --> 0:09:31.720 super MAVs heavy. 0:09:31.720 --> 0:09:33.120 So I'm going to follow up after you. 0:09:33.200 --> 0:09:35.760 But I got to ask you now, thirteen months into this, 0:09:36.040 --> 0:09:40.839 when the Mavericks first traded for Kyrie Irving, what did 0:09:40.880 --> 0:09:41.280 you think? 0:09:41.360 --> 0:09:44.559 Did you think he and Luca would be a good pairing. 0:09:45.440 --> 0:09:48.000 I didn't know. I honestly didn't know. 0:09:48.800 --> 0:09:52.120 You know, this is you know, Kyrie coming from his 0:09:53.240 --> 0:09:55.280 other two stops in Boston. 0:09:54.840 --> 0:09:58.280 And Brooklyn, and you know it didn't go too well there. 0:09:59.160 --> 0:10:01.120 But what I did did it feel like is that 0:10:01.240 --> 0:10:03.720 Dallas did the best that they could and it was 0:10:03.760 --> 0:10:08.559 a good pickup considering they lost Jalen Brunson. So from 0:10:08.640 --> 0:10:11.440 that standpoint, I looked at it as it was definitely 0:10:11.480 --> 0:10:12.240 a great pickup. 0:10:12.760 --> 0:10:15.960 How would he and Luca fair and messed together? 0:10:16.280 --> 0:10:19.480 I didn't know, but they were definitely talented enough to 0:10:20.440 --> 0:10:21.080 get it done. 0:10:21.679 --> 0:10:23.400 And you know, it's always something starting. 0:10:23.440 --> 0:10:26.960 You know, it's like when two stars, even three stars 0:10:28.400 --> 0:10:33.400 team up together. You know, people will automatically look at, 0:10:33.679 --> 0:10:35.720 you know, their connection on the court. Can they play 0:10:35.760 --> 0:10:38.520 well when a lot of times these coaches they staggered 0:10:38.559 --> 0:10:42.480 their minutes anyways, And so even if they're not that 0:10:42.679 --> 0:10:46.640 good chemistry wise between the two, you can, you know, 0:10:46.679 --> 0:10:50.000 you can give one of the stars time to shine 0:10:50.040 --> 0:10:53.120 on the floor together singularly and let them go at it. 0:10:53.880 --> 0:10:56.480 And that way both both stars. 0:10:56.080 --> 0:10:58.840 Can be in the rhythm, be in the groove, because 0:10:58.840 --> 0:11:01.320 that's why they really do it, son each being the rhythm, 0:11:01.320 --> 0:11:01.840 in the groove. 0:11:02.320 --> 0:11:04.040 Knowing that they're they're at least going to have. 0:11:03.960 --> 0:11:08.319 To play together the last six seven minutes of the game, 0:11:08.760 --> 0:11:11.040 and then you're hoping like them being in the groove 0:11:11.160 --> 0:11:14.840 is going to help them play better together. And so 0:11:15.080 --> 0:11:17.840 you know, I thought, look, you know, they this is Kyrie. 0:11:18.760 --> 0:11:20.720 You know, we know what he brings to a team, 0:11:20.800 --> 0:11:24.719 and you know, I felt like it was definitely worthwhile 0:11:25.600 --> 0:11:30.000 pick up considering they lost Jalen Brusson, and so I still, 0:11:30.400 --> 0:11:34.600 you know today it was definitely worth it. Kyrie has 0:11:34.640 --> 0:11:37.680 been a model citizen over there. He I mean, like 0:11:37.679 --> 0:11:39.320 he's doing a good shot. Now. I'm not with that 0:11:39.400 --> 0:11:42.240 team all day, like I mean all day every day, 0:11:42.280 --> 0:11:45.160 like you How has Kyrie been with the team, the 0:11:45.200 --> 0:11:47.240 locker room and everything since he's been over there. 0:11:48.080 --> 0:11:49.760 He's beloved in this locker room. 0:11:49.800 --> 0:11:53.280 I mean, you could see it the way this team celebrated, 0:11:53.360 --> 0:11:57.839 how happy it was after he made this ridiculous shot. 0:11:57.880 --> 0:12:02.160 And look when he first Scott here. The Mavericks tried 0:12:02.240 --> 0:12:06.440 to throw this thing together on the fly. Luca and 0:12:06.520 --> 0:12:10.040 Kyrie were five and eleven last season in games when 0:12:10.120 --> 0:12:13.720 both were in uniform. It didn't click on the fly. 0:12:13.920 --> 0:12:16.400 But also, you look at the state of the team 0:12:16.520 --> 0:12:16.959 last year. 0:12:17.000 --> 0:12:17.760 You look at the. 0:12:17.679 --> 0:12:21.320 State of the roster, it was so much weaker than 0:12:22.160 --> 0:12:28.480 compared to now. But honestly, Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving 0:12:28.520 --> 0:12:33.320 have been functioning fantastically well as a duo all season long. 0:12:33.880 --> 0:12:37.200 And what's crazy about it is the thought was, Okay, 0:12:37.200 --> 0:12:39.880 they're going to get a training camp this time. That's 0:12:39.920 --> 0:12:43.160 gonna make the big difference. They didn't get a training camp. 0:12:43.200 --> 0:12:48.160 They played seven ish minutes together in the exhibition season. 0:12:48.880 --> 0:12:51.880 They took the really long trip two games in Abu 0:12:51.960 --> 0:12:56.520 Dhabi and then a game in Spain so Luca could 0:12:56.559 --> 0:13:00.360 go back to Real Madrid, the club that really helped 0:13:00.440 --> 0:13:04.319 launch him to prominence and where he became a EuroLeague MVP, 0:13:05.120 --> 0:13:08.120 and where he began his pro career at sixteen with 0:13:08.200 --> 0:13:11.720 the senior national team. After that long trip, both Luca 0:13:11.800 --> 0:13:14.960 and Kyrie came back with injuries, so basically they had 0:13:15.040 --> 0:13:18.440 no training camp. The only issue for them as a 0:13:18.520 --> 0:13:21.199 duo this season has been getting them on a court. 0:13:21.320 --> 0:13:21.480 Enough. 0:13:21.600 --> 0:13:26.440 Kyrie has had two pretty long injury absences, but in 0:13:26.520 --> 0:13:30.840 both cases they were freakish injuries. Dwight Powell, his teammate, 0:13:31.000 --> 0:13:33.600 landed on his leg and knocked him out early in 0:13:33.600 --> 0:13:38.000 the season, and then he had a thumb injury when 0:13:38.800 --> 0:13:41.000 he got hit on a swipe down. I mean, those 0:13:41.040 --> 0:13:46.400 are both not normal situations. When Kyrie Irving has been 0:13:46.400 --> 0:13:48.880 on the floor with Luka Dancic, they have been an 0:13:48.920 --> 0:13:52.920 absolute handful. I don't think anybody wants to see these 0:13:52.960 --> 0:13:57.880 two in the playoffs. But what is so notable about 0:13:57.920 --> 0:14:02.959 this win over Denver. Denver is a very physical team, 0:14:03.120 --> 0:14:06.800 much more physical than the Mavericks, and what has been 0:14:06.840 --> 0:14:10.079 the challenge. You know, people want to make the comparison 0:14:10.440 --> 0:14:16.320 Luca and Kyrie have echoes of Lebron's partnership with Kyrie, 0:14:16.480 --> 0:14:20.360 but when Lebron was playing with Kyrie, Lebron was at 0:14:20.400 --> 0:14:22.680 the height of his powers in terms of being a 0:14:22.760 --> 0:14:26.560 two way defensive force. If you've got Luca and Kyrie, 0:14:27.040 --> 0:14:31.160 they are both going to be offensive dynamos. The challenges 0:14:31.560 --> 0:14:35.960 can you build a workable sustainable defense around the two 0:14:36.000 --> 0:14:37.840 of them when both of them are going to be 0:14:37.840 --> 0:14:38.960 on the court for. 0:14:40.440 --> 0:14:41.680 So many minutes per game. 0:14:42.240 --> 0:14:47.120 Sunday afternoon on Saint Patrick's Day afternoon, the Mavericks played physical. 0:14:47.320 --> 0:14:49.920 They pounded Denver on the boards. I think it was 0:14:50.040 --> 0:14:53.040 sixty to thirty nine on the boards. The Mavericks are 0:14:53.040 --> 0:14:56.200 not known for out rebounding teams to that degree, but 0:14:56.240 --> 0:14:59.440 it's they have much more size now since the trade deadline, 0:14:59.440 --> 0:15:03.000 bringing in Anuel Gafford to play with Derek Lively, and 0:15:03.040 --> 0:15:08.800 you got PJ. Washington, Lively, Gafford, Maxi Kleiba as a foursome. 0:15:09.360 --> 0:15:11.520 You know, they did as good a job on Jokic 0:15:11.600 --> 0:15:14.720 as you can do. And now some of it Jokicic 0:15:14.840 --> 0:15:16.680 just didn't look into it yesterday. 0:15:16.720 --> 0:15:19.400 He was very sleepy in the first. 0:15:19.120 --> 0:15:22.920 Half, and you know, sometimes afternoon games are weird because 0:15:22.920 --> 0:15:25.400 of the different start time. But you know that game 0:15:25.840 --> 0:15:29.320 was in primetime in both Slovenia and Serbia. So I'm 0:15:29.360 --> 0:15:33.880 sure Jokic did not want to deliver a sluggish performance 0:15:33.960 --> 0:15:37.200 because you know that game's in primetime back home in 0:15:37.280 --> 0:15:39.520 Serbia for him. But I you know, I thought that 0:15:39.760 --> 0:15:43.160 you could actually say the Mavericks defenders were a factor 0:15:43.680 --> 0:15:47.600 in a pretty so so game for Jokic. So I 0:15:47.600 --> 0:15:51.560 think that's what has to encourage Dallas the most because 0:15:52.480 --> 0:15:56.520 their defense has been bottom ten all season. I always 0:15:56.520 --> 0:15:58.920 say this with the Mavericks and the Kings, and you 0:15:58.920 --> 0:16:03.240 could probably throw this into the same discussion. The challenge 0:16:03.240 --> 0:16:06.640 for these teams, can you have a league average defense. 0:16:06.680 --> 0:16:09.680 If the defense is just league you know, middle of 0:16:09.720 --> 0:16:12.680 the pack, the offense is gonna be so good that 0:16:12.760 --> 0:16:15.400 you have a chance. And all credit to the Phoenix Suns, 0:16:15.440 --> 0:16:20.200 even after a horrendous showing in Milwaukee on Sunday, even 0:16:20.240 --> 0:16:23.040 after giving up one hundred and forty points to the Bucks. 0:16:23.400 --> 0:16:26.960 With no Giannis Antetokumpo in the lineup, the Suns are 0:16:27.040 --> 0:16:30.960 thirteenth in defense as of this Monday. That's pretty impressive 0:16:31.320 --> 0:16:34.200 considering they don't have a team full of defenders. I 0:16:34.200 --> 0:16:37.920 think Frank Vogel to get that team to thirteenth in 0:16:38.000 --> 0:16:44.359 the defensive rating charts, he's probably taking that. But Sacramento 0:16:44.480 --> 0:16:47.400 was twentieth and the MAVs are twenty first. So the 0:16:47.440 --> 0:16:50.160 MAVs are in the bottom ten. And the goal is 0:16:50.200 --> 0:16:52.040 for the Kings and the MAVs, can you get to 0:16:52.160 --> 0:16:55.320 fifteen ish defensively, then you know you're gonna have a 0:16:55.400 --> 0:16:57.800 chance in the playoffs. And so for Dallas to play 0:16:57.920 --> 0:17:02.840 such good defense and play with such physicality against the 0:17:02.880 --> 0:17:07.399 defending champions and a team that has bullied them many 0:17:07.440 --> 0:17:09.879 many times in the past, I think that was as 0:17:10.040 --> 0:17:14.080 encouraging for Dallas as the ending was exhilarating. 0:17:14.640 --> 0:17:15.960 And that's why they're a serious threat. 0:17:16.040 --> 0:17:18.679 You know, I look at this team, aside from you know, 0:17:18.880 --> 0:17:24.440 the defensive woes, offensively, they have it all. Playmakers, they 0:17:24.480 --> 0:17:27.920 have shooters, they have size, they have guys that can 0:17:27.960 --> 0:17:31.639 guard up multiple defenders out on the perimeter. You know 0:17:31.720 --> 0:17:34.920 you got the lob threats. You know they got they 0:17:34.960 --> 0:17:37.879 have everything you know that you would need. It's not 0:17:38.000 --> 0:17:40.399 the best team, but again that's why I say that 0:17:40.440 --> 0:17:43.680 they are a threat. And for one thing about these 0:17:43.720 --> 0:17:45.720 teams you want to be you know, we're gonna talk 0:17:45.760 --> 0:17:49.240 about the Bucks let their own. But it's one thing 0:17:49.280 --> 0:17:53.320 to catch a stride, but it's better when you catch 0:17:53.320 --> 0:17:56.399 your stride at the right time. And when you're catching 0:17:56.400 --> 0:18:00.760 your stride on the cusp of entering po season play, 0:18:02.520 --> 0:18:05.200 that's probably the best feeling you can have because now 0:18:05.200 --> 0:18:08.080 you're going into the playoffs feeling good. You're going into 0:18:08.119 --> 0:18:11.000 the playoffs knowing what you're going to get from everybody. 0:18:11.040 --> 0:18:14.959 You know, there's certain teams that peak in December and 0:18:15.000 --> 0:18:17.439 then they collapse after that. They still make it to 0:18:17.480 --> 0:18:21.639 the playoffs, but they're still searching for an identity or 0:18:21.840 --> 0:18:24.440 trying to find that identity that they had months ago. 0:18:24.920 --> 0:18:27.119 It's a good time to be trying to click. So 0:18:27.240 --> 0:18:29.879 if Dallas, if they can use this as motivation is 0:18:29.920 --> 0:18:33.399 fueled to inspire them to go to go on the 0:18:33.400 --> 0:18:35.480 streak here heading in the right direction. 0:18:35.720 --> 0:18:47.960 Ending the postseason, I promise we are going to talk 0:18:48.040 --> 0:18:50.760 some East we are going to talk for sure about 0:18:50.760 --> 0:18:52.800 the Bucks a little bit here, but I can't take 0:18:52.880 --> 0:18:57.000 my eyes off the West because no, again, there are 0:18:57.000 --> 0:19:01.520 really three different races going on. You've got the race 0:19:01.560 --> 0:19:06.720 for number one OKC Awoke Monday with a half game 0:19:06.800 --> 0:19:10.520 lead on the Nuggets and Minnesota only a game behind. 0:19:10.600 --> 0:19:13.760 So even without Cat, the Wolves have hung in there 0:19:13.760 --> 0:19:16.800 and they're still very firmly in the race for the 0:19:16.880 --> 0:19:19.879 number one seed in the West. After you know again 0:19:19.920 --> 0:19:23.439 that I referenced in a recent podcast that ridiculous stat 0:19:23.480 --> 0:19:28.080 from Alan Horton, the Wolves radio guy who keeps this 0:19:28.240 --> 0:19:31.920 stat that in franchise history, the Wolves had only led 0:19:31.960 --> 0:19:35.160 the West for ten days in the first thirty four 0:19:35.240 --> 0:19:38.520 years of the franchise, and this season it's right around 0:19:38.560 --> 0:19:40.760 one hundred days. So Minnesota is still there. So that's 0:19:41.040 --> 0:19:46.320 race number one. Race number two. New Orleans the surging Pelicans, 0:19:46.960 --> 0:19:51.920 who've been probably the best team in the West since 0:19:51.960 --> 0:19:59.560 February first, with Zion Williamson looking absolutely rejuvenated and Trey 0:19:59.640 --> 0:20:03.560 Murphy also stretching the floor, and the Pelicans have just 0:20:03.600 --> 0:20:07.879 been on an absolute tear the last six weeks. The 0:20:07.960 --> 0:20:11.960 Pelicans are within a game now of bumping the Clippers 0:20:12.000 --> 0:20:15.200 down to number five. So there's the race for four 0:20:15.280 --> 0:20:17.800 or five with the Clippers and the Pelicans, and honestly, 0:20:18.880 --> 0:20:23.159 the Clippers without Russell Westbrook, they have not had the 0:20:23.200 --> 0:20:29.400 same zip. Kawhi Leonard came back from this worrisome back 0:20:29.480 --> 0:20:33.320 injury that he suffered, and you know he was there. 0:20:34.680 --> 0:20:41.000 They had Kawhi Leonard and losing Sunday to Atlanta, a 0:20:41.080 --> 0:20:44.199 team with really not much to play for at this point. 0:20:44.560 --> 0:20:48.280 Atlanta is stuck in a playing spot in the East, 0:20:48.440 --> 0:20:52.879 and I think the Hawks will hold on to number 0:20:52.880 --> 0:20:55.400 ten at worse, but it's not like they're gonna climb 0:20:55.480 --> 0:20:58.639 much higher in the standings and they're going to be 0:20:58.680 --> 0:21:02.000 a playing team and really that that's all the Hawks 0:21:02.000 --> 0:21:03.600 are working on right now. So that was you know, 0:21:03.640 --> 0:21:06.280 the Clippers have lost four of five. That was pretty brutal. 0:21:06.400 --> 0:21:09.239 So you got that race, and then there's the you know, 0:21:09.400 --> 0:21:15.159 six through ten in the West. Sacramento on Monday morning 0:21:15.240 --> 0:21:18.120 leading that race by percentage points. And you know, we've 0:21:18.160 --> 0:21:26.879 talked about why number six is so valuable if Denver 0:21:27.000 --> 0:21:31.160 ends up winning the top seed in the West, which 0:21:31.160 --> 0:21:34.240 again is not assured, but not only does number six 0:21:35.359 --> 0:21:38.480 put you potentially in line to play Minnesota in the 0:21:38.480 --> 0:21:40.320 first round, and it might keep you away from the 0:21:40.359 --> 0:21:42.240 Denver Nuggets until the conference finals. 0:21:42.240 --> 0:21:43.080 That's all TBD. 0:21:43.240 --> 0:21:46.919 But this race six through ten, the Kings leaded by 0:21:46.960 --> 0:21:51.720 percentage points as we're recording this, Dallas at seven, Phoenix 0:21:51.760 --> 0:21:54.520 at eight. Those teams are tied, but the Mavericks hold 0:21:54.520 --> 0:21:58.359 the tiebreaker. Golden State at nine, the Lakers at ten. 0:21:58.400 --> 0:22:00.720 And so again, if the play in tournament where to 0:22:00.800 --> 0:22:05.159 start today, the names that would be in the play 0:22:05.160 --> 0:22:08.480 in tournament, it is ridiculous to think about Luka, Doncic, 0:22:08.640 --> 0:22:12.960 Kyrie Irving, Kevin Durant, Devin Booker, Bradley Beal, Stephen Curry, 0:22:13.160 --> 0:22:17.280 Klay Thompson, Draymond Green, Lebron James, and Anthony Davis as 0:22:17.320 --> 0:22:20.840 of Monday, all are play in tournament bound. 0:22:21.840 --> 0:22:23.359 And you know, we could. 0:22:23.240 --> 0:22:26.560 Talk about the Lakers as well, because I mean, it's 0:22:26.680 --> 0:22:31.160 just horrible luck for Anthony Davis to get a corneal abrasion, 0:22:31.560 --> 0:22:35.239 which is obviously another freakish injury. And you know, he 0:22:35.280 --> 0:22:39.280 has been so ever present for the Lakers, and he's 0:22:39.800 --> 0:22:42.200 done what people have asked. He stayed on the floor 0:22:42.240 --> 0:22:44.520 and he's led this team defensively. All right, I've rambled 0:22:44.560 --> 0:22:46.560 on way too long. Let me ask you. Let's start 0:22:46.560 --> 0:22:50.000 with the Sons, because I think you mentioned recently that 0:22:50.040 --> 0:22:52.280 they should be the ones to sign Isaiah Thomas, and 0:22:52.320 --> 0:22:54.840 now it looks like they are going to sign Isaiah 0:22:54.920 --> 0:22:58.040 Thomas to attend Day. But how worried should the Sons 0:22:58.080 --> 0:23:02.080 be to go to Milwaukee and get blasted like they 0:23:02.119 --> 0:23:04.640 did when the Bucks didn't have Giannis. 0:23:05.280 --> 0:23:08.320 Let me tell you something about that Stein. So when 0:23:09.800 --> 0:23:11.800 when was that? Was it last week I did the 0:23:11.800 --> 0:23:13.480 Phoenix game? Might have been a week and a half ago. 0:23:13.560 --> 0:23:15.959