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Speaker 1: James Harden makes his debut as an LA Clipper to

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Speaker 1: less than rave reviews. The Boston Celtics knocked from the

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Speaker 1: ranks of the unbeaten with a loss, an overtime loss

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Speaker 1: to the Minnesota Timberwolves. And we're basically two weeks into

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Speaker 1: the NBA season, so we're gonna discuss a slew of

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Speaker 1: teams here on the latest edition of this League Uncut.

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Speaker 1: Welcome to this.

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Speaker 2: League Uncut in the world of twenty four hour NBA news,

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Speaker 2: Mister Blue, Chris Haynes, it's time, Markstein, It's so time.

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Speaker 2: This League Uncut is underway and on fire. This should

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Speaker 2: be a good one.

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Speaker 1: Welcome in everyone to the latest edition of this League Uncut.

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Speaker 1: Mark Stein and Chris Haynes were recording on Monday night,

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Speaker 1: a pretty wild Monday night in the NBA. No games

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Speaker 1: Tuesday because of elections, so there was a lot on

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Speaker 1: the schedule tonight, a lot of craziness on the schedule.

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Speaker 1: The Indiana Pacers, fresh off giving up a buck fifty

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Speaker 1: five to the Boston Celtics, turn around and ring up

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Speaker 1: one hundred and fifty two points of their own to

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Speaker 1: route Victor Wembin Yama and the Spurs Joe l Embiid

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Speaker 1: forty eight points, almost almost the second fifty point outing

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Speaker 1: of the season. Philly rings up one hundred and forty

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Speaker 1: six on Washington, with both Embiid and Maxi looking fantastic.

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Speaker 1: The Lakers in Miami take a one point loss. Anthony

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Speaker 1: Davis comes away injured. Another narrow victory from Miami. The

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Speaker 1: Heat off to a sub five hundred start in the

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Speaker 1: wake of a trip to the finals. But when Miami

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Speaker 1: does win, it's been a close one every time. Sacramento

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Speaker 1: Kings no dearon Fox, and you can definitely tell two

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Speaker 1: losses back to back losses for the Kings in Houston,

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Speaker 1: the Boston Celtics arriving in Minneapolis at five and zero

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Speaker 1: but losing in overtime. Anthony Edwards takeover in ot. Minnesota

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Speaker 1: has now beaten both Boston and Denver at home, the

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Speaker 1: only loss for those two teams. But even after saying

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Speaker 1: all that, let's face it, the focus on this Monday

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Speaker 1: night was it Madison Square Garden. The debut of James

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Speaker 1: Harden with his new team, the LA Clippers did not

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Speaker 1: go smoothly. The Knicks off to their own sub five

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Speaker 1: hundred start, pull away in the fourth quarter, and worse yet,

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Speaker 1: for the Clippers, a small team that's really relying on

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Speaker 1: Zubach and Mason Plumley to provide their size and their rebounding,

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Speaker 1: and Mason Plumley comes away with an injury. So rough

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Speaker 1: debut for James Harden and the Clippers. And I think

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Speaker 1: we look, you don't want to jump to conclusions either

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Speaker 1: way after just one game. Even if the Clippers had

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Speaker 1: looked sensational, it would be dangerous and foolish to overreact

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Speaker 1: to that. So we shouldn't overreact to a loss for

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Speaker 1: these guys on the road when they're just coming together.

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Speaker 1: But I think we did see very clearly there is

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Speaker 1: a lot of work to do here. These are all

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Speaker 1: guys who need the ball. And even if things go well,

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Speaker 1: even if Kawhi Leonard, Paul George, Russell Westbrook and the

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Speaker 1: newcomer James Harden, even if the four of them find

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Speaker 1: a smooth harmony quickly, this is going to be a

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Speaker 1: small team that's trying to do it with a lot

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Speaker 1: of offense. And all those guys, I mean, Russell Westbrook

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Speaker 1: has never had trouble rebounding, and Kawhi Leonard when he's

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Speaker 1: in the mood, can be a force on the boards,

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Speaker 1: but they're all going to have to hit the boards

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Speaker 1: because this is a small team and far from a

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Speaker 1: traditional construction. Chris Haynes.

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Speaker 3: Yeah, they were out rebounded by the Knicks forty eight

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Speaker 3: to thirty one. And to your point about you know,

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Speaker 3: Paul George is a good rebounder for his position, Russell

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Speaker 3: Westbrook's exceptional rebounder for his position. James Harten's always been

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Speaker 3: a guy who gets high rebound numbers. So on paper,

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Speaker 3: it looks okay. But when you start talking about the

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Speaker 3: size of other teams, especially when they have traditional players

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Speaker 3: at the power forward and center spot, especially like the

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Speaker 3: Knicks Mitchell Robinson and Julius Randall, and you got long

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Speaker 3: guys like Barrett at the end, you know, don't Josh

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Speaker 3: hart who's one of the best rebounds for his position

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Speaker 3: in the league. They're going to have problems when they

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Speaker 3: face traditional teams with size. So that's going to be

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Speaker 3: the only issue. But as far as James Harden's debut,

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Speaker 3: pretty good. You could tell he was trying to blend in.

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Speaker 3: You could tell he's trying to defer. He was very

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Speaker 3: efficient from the field on the offensive end six to

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Speaker 3: nine from the field two or four from three. So,

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Speaker 3: you know, I think there's a lot of positives that

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Speaker 3: the Clippers can take, but definitely on a defensive end

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Speaker 3: that's going to be a concern, and particularly on the glass.

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Speaker 3: So you know, this is you know, a plubly situation.

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Speaker 3: That's that's tough. We'll have to see what comes in that.

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Speaker 3: But yeah, they really have no size, you know, in

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Speaker 3: that reserve unit spot.

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Speaker 1: Yeah, and when they made the trade, I mean, I

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Speaker 1: you know, I was more for it than against it.

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Speaker 1: The price was obviously very high. Cynics are going to

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Speaker 1: look at this trade and ask themselves, why are the

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Speaker 1: Clippers giving up so much when there are no other

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Speaker 1: bidders for James Harden? Do the Clippers? Did the Clippers

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Speaker 1: really need to trade away at unprotected first and to

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Speaker 1: pick swaps to bring in James Harden at this point?

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Speaker 1: But I guess on one hand, I talked myself into

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Speaker 1: it from the perspective of they've committed already so many

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Speaker 1: trade assets to put the team together that they have,

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Speaker 1: that they're already all in. Had they held those picks

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Speaker 1: back and not done this trade, is what they would

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Speaker 1: have kept, would that have been enough to theoretically protect

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Speaker 1: them from the ultimate demise of this group. And let's

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Speaker 1: face it, it, I you know, I think they're gonna have

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Speaker 1: to stick with this team and stick with at least

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Speaker 1: three of these stars going forward because they're going into

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Speaker 1: this new arena and we know Steve Balmer's not gonna

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Speaker 1: want to rebuild. So it actually has given leverage back

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Speaker 1: to Kawhi Leonard and Paul George, who possess player options

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Speaker 1: for next season, and James Harden, who's going to be

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Speaker 1: a full on free agent in the summer. James Harden

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Speaker 1: is not eligible to do a contract extension with his

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Speaker 1: new team right now. But I you know, I think

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Speaker 1: the Clippers are going to have to resign these guys.

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Speaker 1: I mean, they're not gonna want to go into a

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Speaker 1: new new building starting over. But again, the West, you know,

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Speaker 1: and again I also they kept Terrence Man, they kept

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Speaker 1: Norman Powell, So I mean, they they achieved a lot

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Speaker 1: of their goals this trade. But man, you look at

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Speaker 1: the West and the Denver Nuggets, they just ooze continuity

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Speaker 1: and the Golden State Warriors the same. And they've added

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Speaker 1: Chris Paul who has really lifted their bench unit. The

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Speaker 1: Warriors are also very small, very very small, but they

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Speaker 1: have so much continuity and that's what the Clippers now

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Speaker 1: have to catch up to. And you know, just comparing

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Speaker 1: them to Denver, can they get there? How fast can

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Speaker 1: they get there? I mean they did get hardened very early.

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Speaker 1: It basically okay, he wasn't there for training camp, but

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Speaker 1: they're basically getting hardened at the start of the season.

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Speaker 1: But do they have enough time to really put a

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Speaker 1: team together? And I say that as a Tyloo fan,

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Speaker 1: I mean, I don't think there's a better coach you

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Speaker 1: could put in charge of this particular situation. But again,

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Speaker 1: you know, I think we saw enough tonight to say

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Speaker 1: there are a lot of questions to be answered and

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Speaker 1: Tyler has a lot of work to do.

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Speaker 3: Yeah, for sure, we knew that from the get go.

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Speaker 3: You know, for the Clippers felt all off season that

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Speaker 3: they needed a point guard. Even though they resigned Russell Westbrook.

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Speaker 3: They tried everything that they could to get a starting

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Speaker 3: caliber point guard. So walk with me a little bit.

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Speaker 3: So if that's the case, right, and you're talking about

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Speaker 3: players that are probably going to be mainstays for the

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Speaker 3: Clippers because they got that new Arena coming in that's

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Speaker 3: gonna be that's going to open next season. And James

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Speaker 3: Harden Paul George have leverage, possibly a resigning of James

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Speaker 3: Harden possibly, But where does that leave Russell Westbrook? And

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Speaker 3: I'm not even talking about next season? What is that

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Speaker 3: leaving for this season? If they were so adamant about

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Speaker 3: trying to upgrade the point guard spot, they wanted Drew Holliday,

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Speaker 3: they tried to get Malcolm Braden, who else it was

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Speaker 3: some Damian Lillard. They tried to see if they get

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Speaker 3: in on that. It just feels like if somebody is

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Speaker 3: going to end up leaving this season, seems like it's

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Speaker 3: going to be Russ, Like he would be made It

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Speaker 3: seemed like he would be made available at some point.

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Speaker 3: I don't have any concrete aggregators, hear me. I don't

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Speaker 3: have anything concrete on it. I don't know. But it's

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Speaker 3: just the way that the Clippers have been going about

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Speaker 3: their pursuit of a point guard, considering it that they

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Speaker 3: considering they just resign Russell Westbrook this summer, that like

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Speaker 3: if I'm if I'm Russ, like I don't, I don't

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Speaker 3: know if I feel too comfortable with that even though

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Speaker 3: I know James Harden is a really good friend of his.

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Speaker 1: So and look, you know what the Clippers are going

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Speaker 1: to say. The Clippers are going to say that when

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Speaker 1: Russell Westbrook was resigned, he was briefed on management plans.

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Speaker 1: He was told that, hey, you might be resigning here

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Speaker 1: and we might pull off a trade for James Harden

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Speaker 1: in the future and bring James Harden back. Are you

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Speaker 1: okay with that? And they, you know, they say that

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Speaker 1: that Russ knew that was a possibility and blessed it.

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Speaker 1: And like I said, I don't want I do not

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Speaker 1: want to jump to too many conclusions because I feel

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Speaker 1: like we're you know, I've been complaining about this for years.

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Speaker 1: I know, I said it on a recent pod with you.

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Speaker 1: And I just feel like, because we are watching these

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Speaker 1: games so closely, there's a lot of excitement at the

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Speaker 1: beginning of the season. Everybody has been waiting months to

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Speaker 1: see their team, Like we just we want to draw

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Speaker 1: conclusions night to night, and you just cannot do that

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Speaker 1: in the NBA in early November. You shouldn't do it.

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Speaker 1: I know. I'm people are just gonna say Stein, you're

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Speaker 1: you're a traditionalist, You're an old head. You're stubborn, You're

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Speaker 1: never gonna change. But there's a reason why.

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Speaker 3: All that is true. That is true, but it is true.

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Speaker 3: I agree with your point.

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Speaker 1: But it's an eighty two game season, and there is

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Speaker 1: a value in waiting twenty games to really make evaluations.

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Speaker 1: I mean it, you cannot make you cannot make declarations

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Speaker 1: after game five, six, and seven. It's just too soon.

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Speaker 1: And I do not want to do that with the Clippers.

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Speaker 1: And I'm going to see the Clippers with my own

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Speaker 1: eyes this week. They're in Dallas on Friday night, when

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Speaker 1: it's going to be the second night of your beloved

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Speaker 1: in season tournament, and all these crazy garish courts will

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Speaker 1: be trotted back out because again no NBA games on

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Speaker 1: the Agile Tuesday. The next in season tournament night is Friday.

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Speaker 1: I will be there at the AAC when the Clippers

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Speaker 1: are in town. I can't wait to see it for myself.

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Speaker 1: I'll have more, you know, I can't. I can't wait

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Speaker 1: to visit with ty Lou and all the principles and

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Speaker 1: kind of take their temperature myself. But based on initial evidence,

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Speaker 1: you know, I think it's fair to say that much

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Speaker 1: much must be figured out and uh ty Lou is

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Speaker 1: not going to have not gonna have much time off

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Speaker 1: in coming weeks. There's he's got a lot to dig into.

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Speaker 3: Yeah, And one thing I want to say I wanted

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Speaker 3: about the Clippers in their situation and their lack of

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Speaker 3: size depended on the severity of Plumbley's injury. It is

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Speaker 3: very important even for the Warriors to think down the

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Speaker 3: road because Joker is a problem. You need you need

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Speaker 3: to have insurance just in case you have to go

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Speaker 3: through him in the playoffs, and you need to have

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Speaker 3: a traditional big you know, just like when Shaq was dominating.

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Speaker 3: All these big men were dominating and you knew that

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Speaker 3: they were going to be there at the end. Teams

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Speaker 3: had two bigs, sometimes even had three bigs on the run.

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Speaker 1: The Lakers, you know, the Lakers have been at their

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Speaker 1: best in these this early part of the season. And

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Speaker 1: they've certainly had their struggles again, losing both in Orlando

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Speaker 1: and Miami. But the Lakers have been at their best

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Speaker 1: so far the season when you've had Anthony Davis and

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Speaker 1: Christian Wood next to Lebron James. So that's a pretty big,

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Speaker 1: big allignance.

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Speaker 3: Yeah, no, for sure, and the Warriors for whatever reason,

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Speaker 3: they chose to go in a different direction right now,

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Speaker 3: So you know it's still early, but you're definitely teams

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Speaker 3: that are that are in contention. They definitely have to

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Speaker 3: go into the playoffs with the mindset of how are

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Speaker 3: they going to handle Joker And if you don't have

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Speaker 3: a couple of quality bigs with with six thousand six

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Speaker 3: files a piece, you probably won't have a shot.

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Speaker 1: I am a system, so says James Harden. It's the

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Speaker 1: kind of thing that I would have expected Chris Haynes

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Speaker 1: to say at a podcast, meaning I am I am

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Speaker 1: the system.

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Speaker 3: Nah, I can't get away with that. I definitely can't

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Speaker 3: get away with that. I wasn't surprised he said that though, Well.

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Speaker 1: Like I said, I can't. I can't wait to see

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Speaker 1: these guys for myself, and they will be in my

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Speaker 1: city soon. Let's shift to another game that was pretty

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Speaker 1: fascinating tonight. I was I was really psyched for this one,

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Speaker 1: and this will be this will be I I kind

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Speaker 1: of have a feeling this will be one of those

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Speaker 1: things that that draws looks of disdain and confusion from

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Speaker 1: my podcast partner. But do you are you aware of

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Speaker 1: the game Stratamatic.

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Speaker 3: I've heard of it, but I'm not familiar with it.

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Speaker 1: So Stratamatic is basically a board game, a dice rolling game.

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Speaker 1: It's a managerial game. So you can you will have

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Speaker 1: no trouble imagining little Mark Stein, age nine ten and

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Speaker 1: on for the rest of his life just sitting in

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Speaker 1: his room by himself on the floor playing Major League

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Speaker 1: Baseball games, NBA games and h recreating NHL games with

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Speaker 1: player cards and dice rolling, and it's just managerial sports.

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Speaker 1: Nerd hur nervana.

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Speaker 3: Yeah, I'm looking at the images right now. Yes, this

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Speaker 3: is this is definitely even before my time.

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Speaker 1: But go ahead and right you're and you're not surprised

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Speaker 1: that I love this, right, I mean, this is just classic.

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Speaker 1: This is well in twenty twenty three. Of course, it's

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Speaker 1: all computerized. Now you can still play the game old

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Speaker 1: school with dice and cards, but you can all it's

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Speaker 1: also computerized. So as a season preview, I reached out

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Speaker 1: to my friends at Stratamatic and I said, will you

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Speaker 1: guys simulate the season, just simulate the whole season for

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Speaker 1: me to let me know what happens, And crazily enough,

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Speaker 1: to the absolute delight of our friend Scott Shapiro at

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Speaker 1: iHeart what happened. The stratamatic computer said that the NBA

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Speaker 1: Finals would be the Boston Celtics sweeping Scott Shapiro's Minnesota Timberwolves.

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Speaker 1: But now he didn't like the sweet part. But the

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Speaker 1: Minnesota Timberwolves have only won two playoff series in franchise history.

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Speaker 1: So a trip to the NBA Finals, I think most

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Speaker 1: Wolves fans would take that. And so if you if

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Speaker 1: you read my stratamatic simulation season preview, then you would

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Speaker 1: know that tonight was low key in NBA Finals preview,

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Speaker 1: Celtics at Wolves, and of course there were zero people

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Speaker 1: on Earth besides me and maybe Scott who looked at

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Speaker 1: it that way. But still a damn good game. Aunt Edwards,

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Speaker 1: ridiculous in overtime, and the Wolves who awoke today on

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Speaker 1: this Monday as we record with the number one rank

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Speaker 1: defense in the league. If you want to go real,

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Speaker 1: super small sample sample sized theater. And now the Wolves

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Speaker 1: have knocked off Boston, knocked the Celtics from the ranks

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Speaker 1: of the unbeaten after doing it to Denver, what are

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Speaker 1: your throw out? All my throat put aside, all my

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Speaker 1: uh all my nonsense, And you tell what are your

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Speaker 1: early impressions of the Wolves? And I mean this is

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Speaker 1: you know Aunt Edwards tonight, This this is the guy

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Speaker 1: I think a lot of people were waiting for after

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Speaker 1: what we what we saw during the summer with Team USA.

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Speaker 3: Before I address that, I'm just I don't know if

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Speaker 3: you're helping Stratumatic out with publicity or if you're hurting

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Speaker 3: them by revealing who they had representing the Western Conference

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Speaker 3: in the NBA Finals. I don't I don't know if

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Speaker 3: if that's hurting their credibility right there, I don't.

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Speaker 1: Know their credibility. Their their credibility is untouchable. It's one

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Speaker 1: computer simulation. It is the greatest American managed sports managerial

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Speaker 1: sports simulation game there is. I have literally been playing

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Speaker 1: it since the seventies, man and it's still here. So

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Speaker 1: their credibility cannot be besmirched.

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Speaker 3: So with that being said, the Minnesota Timberwolves, we've been

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Speaker 3: looking for the last few years for them to take

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Speaker 3: that next step. They got into the playoffs. Remember the

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Speaker 3: road they they had getting through the excuse me what

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Speaker 3: the play in the play in game? Getting there? And

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Speaker 3: Anthony Edwards this is his team now he kind of

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Speaker 3: he kind of took over last year. This is his

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Speaker 3: team and coming off of a you know, having a

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Speaker 3: successful stint with Team USA over this past summer. You know,

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Speaker 3: I think Anthony Edwards not just basketball wise, like personality wise,

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Speaker 3: like he's a star. He has all the attributes needed

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Speaker 3: to be a star.

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Speaker 1: Do you think Cat and Gobert are good with it

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Speaker 1: that it's his team? Now?

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Speaker 3: Well? I don't. Does it doesn't matter it Stein because

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Speaker 3: it's his team? I think I think, Look, I can't say, well, Rudy, Rudy,

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Speaker 3: I don't Why would Rudy have a problem with it?

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Speaker 3: You know, he he got traded over there. He's not

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Speaker 3: He's not a franchise guy anymore. So Kat is probably

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Speaker 3: the only one. But I don't. I don't think Kat

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Speaker 3: is think in that way because just going by interviews,

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Speaker 3: and again, people stop believing everything you hear in these

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Speaker 3: interviews because they don't always say what they really want

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Speaker 3: to say or how they really feel. But Kat has

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Speaker 3: going out of his way to kind of uplift Anthony

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Speaker 3: Edwards and kind of he says things that kind of

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Speaker 3: insinuate that ant is the guy. So you know, it

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Speaker 3: is what it is at this point. That's why I said, like,

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Speaker 3: it really doesn't matter. You know, they have an obligation

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Speaker 3: to play to their fullest capabilities on both ends of

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Speaker 3: the floor, and the stars are going to show out regardless.

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Speaker 3: And Anthony Edwards is that guy, so you know, and

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Speaker 3: they're only going to get as far as ant because

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Speaker 3: you know he's their playmaker. Is this real? Is this really?

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Speaker 3: Is this really a situation where the Minnesota Templewolves have

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Speaker 3: really taken the next step and realistically can be there

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Speaker 3: representing the Western Conference finals? I mean representing the Western

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Speaker 3: Conference in the finals. I don't know that yet. I

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Speaker 3: don't you know, I don't know.

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Speaker 1: If I'm joking aside, I'm not saying that either.

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Speaker 3: Of course you're not. No, of course you're not. No,

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Speaker 3: of course you're not. But but it's just, you know,

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Speaker 3: I look at that team and I'm like, hmm, the

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Speaker 3: size wise, they they do have re member. I will

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Speaker 3: tell you about what it's going to take to take

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Speaker 3: down the joker if he's there and if he's healthy.

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Speaker 3: You know, Minnesota has the size. That's what Tim Conley

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Speaker 3: over their head of the basketball operations over there, That's

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Speaker 3: what he hadn't had in mind, and so Tim's been

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Speaker 3: thinking that way for a few years already. So maybe

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Speaker 3: the Minnesota Templeleves can be on course to get to

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Speaker 3: that path, but you know, I need to see a

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Speaker 3: little bit more for sure.

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Speaker 1: Yeah, Look, I think I think what we can say

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Speaker 1: about the Wolves at this early juncture. You know, when

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Speaker 1: they first got go Bear, I thought that they would

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Speaker 1: at least be a great regular season team because Rudy

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Speaker 1: until last season was a walking top five defense all

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Speaker 1: by himself. And the way this season has started, you know,

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Speaker 1: they're on that course that should set them up to

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Speaker 1: be a top five defensive team during the regular season

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Speaker 1: at the very least, and then we'll have to see

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Speaker 1: where they are six seven months from now. But you know,

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Speaker 1: I know, I know they're not getting carried away either.

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Speaker 1: Even before this win over Boston, I spoke recently to

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Speaker 1: their coach, Chris Finch. I had him on my weekend

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Speaker 1: radio show in Dallas when Minnesota was opening the season

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Speaker 1: in Abu Dhabi with two exhibition games against the Mavericks,

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Speaker 1: and Finch gave me some interesting stuff. I've kind of

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Speaker 1: I ran this quote today because I'm kind of filing

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Speaker 1: it away. I think there's I think he's onto something here.

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Speaker 1: This is Chris Finch just looking at the West in general,

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Speaker 1: at what an absolutely stacked conference the West is. Here's

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Speaker 1: the Chris Finch view quote. I would point to the

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Speaker 1: parody that we've seen across the league in the last

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Speaker 1: five years. Five years, five different champions, Finch said, I'm

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Speaker 1: not putting us right there with the title contenders right

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Speaker 1: off the bat. And we're also not in the business

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Speaker 1: of predicting anything, but we feel like we have the

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Speaker 1: potential to be a really good team. Now in the West,

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Speaker 1: it's going to be so tough, A really good team

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Speaker 1: might be I don't know, hovering around five hundred for

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Speaker 1: a lot of the season, if everybody's going for it

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Speaker 1: and everybody is at some point going to take a

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Speaker 1: piece out of everybody else. I don't think we're going

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Speaker 1: to see many sixty game winners out there this year.

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Speaker 1: How close can you get to fifty? That's going to

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Speaker 1: be like everyone's kind of standard and he and that

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Speaker 1: quote hits on one of my nerdy curiosities. I love

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Speaker 1: every year to keep track of how many fifty win

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Speaker 1: teams did we see? How many sixty win teams did

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Speaker 1: we see? Last season in the West, there were only

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Speaker 1: two fifty win teams. It was an abnormal year. It

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Speaker 1: was the mildest West in the modern era. And you know,

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Speaker 1: you had Denver and you had Memphis squeaking into fifty

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Speaker 1: win territory. And it's definitely something to watch this season

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Speaker 1: how many teams in the West can get into the

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Speaker 1: fifties when the conference is just so stacked. Again, Sacramento

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Speaker 1: just went to Houston. Even without the Aaron Fox, the

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Speaker 1: Kings would not have would not have expected going to

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Speaker 1: Houston and losing two games to the Rockets. But without

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Speaker 1: the Aeron Fox, they just did. Teams like Houston. Portland

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Speaker 1: has been you know, pretty, they've they've They've won a

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Speaker 1: few games, and I'm not sure people were expecting. San

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Speaker 1: Antonio obviously has been much more us with wem Minyama

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Speaker 1: than anyone was expecting. The Spurs going to Phoenix and

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Speaker 1: sweeping a baseball series.

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Speaker 3: Did you expect Memphis to beat this bad to start

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Speaker 3: the season?

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Speaker 1: Not this bad?

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Speaker 3: No.

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Speaker 1: I thought they were going to struggle, and I knew

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Speaker 1: the Steven Adams injury was was a huge blow for them,

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Speaker 1: But I mean many they were on the verge of

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Speaker 1: o and seven. They pulled that out. They turned that

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Speaker 1: Portland game around amazingly. I think the Blazers missed their

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Speaker 1: last fourteen shots. I mean they were on the brink

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Speaker 1: of oh and seven and yeah. In this West, you

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Speaker 1: have to ask the question, how how you know how

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Speaker 1: big of a hole will they be in by the

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Speaker 1: time John Morant can actually come back. I mean, there

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Speaker 1: are you know, we could take this thing in so

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Speaker 1: many different directions from here. There's some major injuries to

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Speaker 1: talk about. With the news that Robert Williams in Portland

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Speaker 1: needs surgery, you know, the Blazers, there was obviously a

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Speaker 1: lot of belief around the league that when the Blazers

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Speaker 1: acquired him in the Dame Lillard multi team blockbuster, that

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Speaker 1: the idea was that they could put the time lord

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Speaker 1: on the trade market and move him. We'll have to

430
00:27:14,080 --> 00:27:17,919
Speaker 1: see what surgery he's going to opt for and whether

431
00:27:18,080 --> 00:27:21,639
Speaker 1: or return this season is possible. New Orleans has dealt

432
00:27:21,640 --> 00:27:26,560
Speaker 1: with a slew of injuries already. Brandon Ingram has had

433
00:27:26,600 --> 00:27:29,159
Speaker 1: to miss some times. Ion Williamson missed a game, and

434
00:27:29,240 --> 00:27:32,040
Speaker 1: now comes the news that for the second time in

435
00:27:32,119 --> 00:27:36,359
Speaker 1: his career, CJ McCollum dealing with is it a partially

436
00:27:36,400 --> 00:27:39,159
Speaker 1: collapse long I'm not even exactly sure how to term it,

437
00:27:39,240 --> 00:27:43,320
Speaker 1: except knowing that it's obviously a no joke injury. So

438
00:27:43,880 --> 00:27:48,200
Speaker 1: we're obviously going to have to monitor those situations as well.

439
00:27:48,200 --> 00:27:52,719
Speaker 1: But let's I mean, we could talk about ten different

440
00:27:52,760 --> 00:27:55,840
Speaker 1: teams if if we really wanted to go all over

441
00:27:55,880 --> 00:27:59,000
Speaker 1: the map, but let's just try to keep this somewhat streamline.

442
00:27:59,520 --> 00:28:02,760
Speaker 1: Why don't you give us an update on the Milwaukee

443
00:28:02,800 --> 00:28:06,760
Speaker 1: Bucks and then I will close with some notes about

444
00:28:06,760 --> 00:28:09,720
Speaker 1: the very surprising six and one Dallas Mavericks.

445
00:28:10,560 --> 00:28:13,480
Speaker 3: Well, the Bucks, they're still trying to figure it out.

446
00:28:13,600 --> 00:28:17,040
Speaker 3: You know, their game. They've won, they won back to

447
00:28:17,119 --> 00:28:20,520
Speaker 3: back thus far, but it hasn't been pretty. It hasn't

448
00:28:20,560 --> 00:28:23,040
Speaker 3: been pretty at all. And you can still see that

449
00:28:23,600 --> 00:28:26,880
Speaker 3: players are timid and they're trying to figure it out

450
00:28:26,880 --> 00:28:32,359
Speaker 3: on the fly. They beat they beat the Brooklyn Nets.

451
00:28:32,400 --> 00:28:35,359
Speaker 3: It was tough. Cam Thomas went off for I believe

452
00:28:35,480 --> 00:28:40,160
Speaker 3: forty five points. McHale Bridges had a great game as well,

453
00:28:41,040 --> 00:28:45,160
Speaker 3: so they just changed their defense up a little bit.

454
00:28:45,400 --> 00:28:48,720
Speaker 3: Last couple of games where coach Adrian Griffin let it

455
00:28:48,760 --> 00:28:51,360
Speaker 3: be known that a few players went up to him

456
00:28:51,360 --> 00:28:54,720
Speaker 3: before the game against the New York Knicks last Friday

457
00:28:55,240 --> 00:28:57,040
Speaker 3: and told him that, you know, they want to see

458
00:28:57,040 --> 00:29:00,760
Speaker 3: a change on the defensive end, and primarily Lopez. They

459
00:29:00,800 --> 00:29:03,720
Speaker 3: wanted him back in drop coverage. That's what they're all

460
00:29:04,360 --> 00:29:09,840
Speaker 3: also familiar with under coach Blutenholzer, which had them among

461
00:29:10,000 --> 00:29:13,720
Speaker 3: the top defensive efficiency teams in the league over the

462
00:29:13,840 --> 00:29:18,200
Speaker 3: last few years. And under Griffin, he had everybody being aggressive.

463
00:29:18,200 --> 00:29:21,480
Speaker 3: He had everybody being up, you know, up on everything,

464
00:29:21,560 --> 00:29:24,640
Speaker 3: up on pick and rolls. Just it's an ultra ultra

465
00:29:24,800 --> 00:29:30,200
Speaker 3: aggressive defense. But it leaves you exposed, It leaves it

466
00:29:30,280 --> 00:29:35,600
Speaker 3: puts guys into in areas of why they're not that

467
00:29:35,760 --> 00:29:39,040
Speaker 3: comfortable that you saw Brook Lopez, I believe he had.

468
00:29:40,160 --> 00:29:42,240
Speaker 3: He had a ton of blocks in that next game,

469
00:29:42,440 --> 00:29:44,240
Speaker 3: you know, in the in this first game, back and

470
00:29:44,360 --> 00:29:47,000
Speaker 3: drop coverage. So the Bucks are trying to get better,

471
00:29:47,080 --> 00:29:49,880
Speaker 3: They're doing everything on the fly. Adrian Griffin listening to

472
00:29:49,920 --> 00:29:52,680
Speaker 3: his players, so you know, you could tell and see

473
00:29:52,680 --> 00:29:55,480
Speaker 3: that it's a collaborative effort, but still trying to figure

474
00:29:55,480 --> 00:29:58,160
Speaker 3: things out. What I can say, man, Damian Lillard Giannis

475
00:29:59,000 --> 00:30:03,400
Speaker 3: that partner ship, that lethal combination that we're that we

476
00:30:03,480 --> 00:30:07,160
Speaker 3: thought we're going to see probably early. We thought we

477
00:30:07,160 --> 00:30:11,240
Speaker 3: were going to see early. It still hasn't came together

478
00:30:11,320 --> 00:30:14,640
Speaker 3: on a consistent level, but those two are working behind

479
00:30:14,640 --> 00:30:17,320
Speaker 3: the scenes trying to get things together. I know Dame

480
00:30:17,520 --> 00:30:21,240
Speaker 3: was at Giannis's house over the weekend working out at

481
00:30:21,280 --> 00:30:25,560
Speaker 3: his house. They were watching film. Those two are committed

482
00:30:26,080 --> 00:30:30,440
Speaker 3: to trying to enhance each other collectively, and then in turn,

483
00:30:30,520 --> 00:30:33,160
Speaker 3: that's going to enhance the team's play. So they're doing

484
00:30:33,200 --> 00:30:37,080
Speaker 3: everything they can behind the scenes to try to make

485
00:30:37,160 --> 00:30:40,880
Speaker 3: this situation be a successful situation. But it's gonna be

486
00:30:40,880 --> 00:30:42,440
Speaker 3: a work in progress. You can see it. You can

487
00:30:42,520 --> 00:30:45,840
Speaker 3: even see it in their wins. They're not winning of

488
00:30:46,040 --> 00:30:49,840
Speaker 3: the magnitude of like the Celtics have started off winning,

489
00:30:49,960 --> 00:30:52,960
Speaker 3: So it's gonna take time. But nobody in that organization,

490
00:30:53,040 --> 00:30:57,080
Speaker 3: from players to coaches, nobody's worried. But yeah, it's gonna

491
00:30:57,120 --> 00:30:57,680
Speaker 3: take some time.

492
00:30:58,120 --> 00:31:00,840
Speaker 1: I think that's what's wrapped up the pressure because Boston

493
00:31:00,960 --> 00:31:04,480
Speaker 1: has looked so good out of the gate. Chris Middleton

494
00:31:04,840 --> 00:31:08,280
Speaker 1: still playing, you know, tonight he played twenty one minutes

495
00:31:08,360 --> 00:31:11,560
Speaker 1: in a narrow win over Brooklyn, so he's still not

496
00:31:11,800 --> 00:31:15,040
Speaker 1: close to playing, you know, the kind of you know,

497
00:31:15,160 --> 00:31:17,400
Speaker 1: not close to taking on the kind of minute load

498
00:31:17,960 --> 00:31:21,760
Speaker 1: you would expect. And I mean it's been amazing. You know,

499
00:31:21,840 --> 00:31:25,720
Speaker 1: I didn't think they would struggle this badly on defense,

500
00:31:25,760 --> 00:31:28,960
Speaker 1: but to this point, I mean the loss, you know,

501
00:31:29,040 --> 00:31:34,040
Speaker 1: figuring out how to replace or you know, replicate what

502
00:31:34,200 --> 00:31:37,840
Speaker 1: Drew Holliday gave them defensively to come anywhere close to

503
00:31:37,920 --> 00:31:41,080
Speaker 1: that has been a major struggle. And the reason I

504
00:31:41,080 --> 00:31:44,280
Speaker 1: didn't expect it to be this bad, even this early,

505
00:31:44,400 --> 00:31:48,080
Speaker 1: is because you know, Jannie and Brook Lopez are such

506
00:31:49,280 --> 00:31:54,520
Speaker 1: They're so accomplished as individual defenders in their own right,

507
00:31:54,640 --> 00:31:58,440
Speaker 1: but obviously they're back line defenders and not playing on

508
00:31:58,480 --> 00:32:03,000
Speaker 1: the perimeter like Drew Holliday is. So it's early, and

509
00:32:03,040 --> 00:32:06,240
Speaker 1: no one has patience. And I guess where I Live

510
00:32:06,360 --> 00:32:09,680
Speaker 1: is one of the few teams that can be pleased

511
00:32:09,680 --> 00:32:12,680
Speaker 1: with where it is right now because a six and

512
00:32:12,800 --> 00:32:17,000
Speaker 1: one start for the Dallas Mavericks. I mean, you know,

513
00:32:17,040 --> 00:32:19,720
Speaker 1: you've heard me talk about it that they went on

514
00:32:19,840 --> 00:32:23,840
Speaker 1: basically the longest trip in preseason history, and when they

515
00:32:23,880 --> 00:32:27,200
Speaker 1: came back from that trip, both Luka Doncic and Kyrie

516
00:32:27,240 --> 00:32:31,560
Speaker 1: Irving came home with injuries. They were feeling tired before

517
00:32:31,600 --> 00:32:34,000
Speaker 1: they even got started. But I have to say they

518
00:32:34,040 --> 00:32:38,520
Speaker 1: have regrouped from that amazingly. Well, maybe as a reward

519
00:32:38,800 --> 00:32:42,320
Speaker 1: for how grueling and long the preseason trip was. They've

520
00:32:42,320 --> 00:32:47,920
Speaker 1: been presented with a favorable early schedule, but that doesn't

521
00:32:47,960 --> 00:32:51,200
Speaker 1: guarantee that you take advantage. The Mavericks have taken advantage.

522
00:32:51,240 --> 00:32:54,120
Speaker 1: The first three games of the season, Luka Doncic was

523
00:32:54,120 --> 00:32:58,640
Speaker 1: playing other worldly basketball. But since then, the last two

524
00:32:58,680 --> 00:33:00,959
Speaker 1: you know, Kyrie Irving had to miss a couple games,

525
00:33:01,600 --> 00:33:05,120
Speaker 1: but he has come back from a left foot issue.

526
00:33:05,560 --> 00:33:09,160
Speaker 1: Kyrie Irving with double digit assists the last two games.

527
00:33:09,800 --> 00:33:13,680
Speaker 1: He and Luka Doncic have functioned in crunch time better,

528
00:33:14,120 --> 00:33:17,760
Speaker 1: far better than at any point compared to how they

529
00:33:17,760 --> 00:33:21,360
Speaker 1: looked last season after the mid season trade. But beyond

530
00:33:21,520 --> 00:33:26,720
Speaker 1: the two stars in Dallas, beyond taking advantage of a

531
00:33:26,800 --> 00:33:33,160
Speaker 1: mostly favorable schedule, I mean, Grant Williams has been huge

532
00:33:33,280 --> 00:33:36,760
Speaker 1: as a new Maverick. I mean just making three after

533
00:33:36,800 --> 00:33:40,000
Speaker 1: three after three, as well as anchoring the defense. Tim

534
00:33:40,040 --> 00:33:43,479
Speaker 1: Hardaway Junior, who it's no secret he's been available in

535
00:33:43,600 --> 00:33:48,400
Speaker 1: trades four months. Tim Hardaway Junior himself said when the

536
00:33:48,440 --> 00:33:50,440
Speaker 1: season started he wasn't sure that he was still going

537
00:33:50,520 --> 00:33:53,760
Speaker 1: to be in Dallas. He has been fantastic off the bench,

538
00:33:53,880 --> 00:33:57,000
Speaker 1: and Derek Lively the second The Mavericks had high hopes

539
00:33:57,040 --> 00:33:59,400
Speaker 1: when they drafted him, but they're getting more from him

540
00:33:59,720 --> 00:34:03,280
Speaker 1: as nineteen year old center than they ever expected. The

541
00:34:03,320 --> 00:34:07,120
Speaker 1: Mavericks were not sure that their nineteen year old rookie,

542
00:34:07,400 --> 00:34:10,320
Speaker 1: like Victor Wemenyama and San Antonio, they were not sure

543
00:34:10,680 --> 00:34:14,279
Speaker 1: that Lively was ready to deliver from the jump like

544
00:34:14,320 --> 00:34:17,440
Speaker 1: he has. And even though Lively started the whole preseason,

545
00:34:18,800 --> 00:34:22,120
Speaker 1: Jason Kidd didn't start him opening night in San Antonio

546
00:34:22,200 --> 00:34:25,960
Speaker 1: against wemen Yama. He was trying to ease the pressure

547
00:34:26,440 --> 00:34:30,240
Speaker 1: on Lively, and by halftime of Game one, Lively showed

548
00:34:30,239 --> 00:34:32,520
Speaker 1: the Mavericks no, I'm ready for this, and he has

549
00:34:32,600 --> 00:34:36,600
Speaker 1: been outstanding. And six and one for Dallas. And you

550
00:34:36,640 --> 00:34:41,000
Speaker 1: know what, nobody can talk tonight about easy schedules, because

551
00:34:41,000 --> 00:34:43,960
Speaker 1: they went into Orlando, third game in four night in

552
00:34:44,080 --> 00:34:48,279
Speaker 1: four nights, second night of a back to back, and

553
00:34:48,600 --> 00:34:51,239
Speaker 1: they were down double digits for the second night in

554
00:34:51,280 --> 00:34:55,200
Speaker 1: a row and came back and won against a frisky

555
00:34:55,320 --> 00:34:58,399
Speaker 1: Orlando team that was off to a good start. So

556
00:35:00,600 --> 00:35:04,600
Speaker 1: the Dallas Mavericks at six and one for sure one

557
00:35:04,600 --> 00:35:07,279
Speaker 1: of the surprises of the season. And now Dallas comes home.

558
00:35:07,320 --> 00:35:10,680
Speaker 1: They've got Toronto coming in Wednesday. Really, I'm really eager

559
00:35:10,719 --> 00:35:14,520
Speaker 1: to see the new look Raptors with Scottie Barnes as

560
00:35:14,560 --> 00:35:17,480
Speaker 1: their clearcut focal point. And like I said Friday night,

561
00:35:18,000 --> 00:35:20,400
Speaker 1: I got the Clippers in here, so gonna be a busy,

562
00:35:20,920 --> 00:35:22,160
Speaker 1: busy week in Dallas.

563
00:35:22,520 --> 00:35:24,080
Speaker 3: How was Jason Kidd.

564
00:35:25,200 --> 00:35:30,040
Speaker 1: Jason Kidd is I mean he was ill for the

565
00:35:30,080 --> 00:35:32,560
Speaker 1: game in Denver, the only game they lost. So Jason

566
00:35:32,640 --> 00:35:37,359
Speaker 1: Kidd is six and oh he's riding high, even though,

567
00:35:37,400 --> 00:35:40,280
Speaker 1: of course, the way NBA bookkeeping is done, the loss

568
00:35:40,320 --> 00:35:46,080
Speaker 1: goes on his record. But yeah, I even with you know,

569
00:35:46,120 --> 00:35:47,680
Speaker 1: even if you look at it and want to sit

570
00:35:47,680 --> 00:35:49,480
Speaker 1: here and say it was a favorable schedule, I don't

571
00:35:49,480 --> 00:35:52,800
Speaker 1: think anybody had Dallas starting six. And oh all right,

572
00:35:52,880 --> 00:35:54,840
Speaker 1: I think we covered quite a bit of ground. I

573
00:35:54,880 --> 00:35:56,759
Speaker 1: think we hit on man, we hit on a lot

574
00:35:56,760 --> 00:35:59,400
Speaker 1: of teams tonight. And we really haven't even talked about

575
00:36:00,080 --> 00:36:03,720
Speaker 1: how you somehow convinced the NBA to put the twenty

576
00:36:03,800 --> 00:36:09,400
Speaker 1: twenty five All Star Game on your coast San Francisco.

577
00:36:09,520 --> 00:36:13,920
Speaker 1: Twenty twenty five, an easy drive for you after this,

578
00:36:14,280 --> 00:36:16,480
Speaker 1: after this February in Indianapolis.

579
00:36:16,800 --> 00:36:21,280
Speaker 3: Well, listen, we've All Star weekend has suffered long enough.

580
00:36:21,880 --> 00:36:28,879
Speaker 3: We've suffered long enough, this this cold winter All Star

581
00:36:29,040 --> 00:36:32,400
Speaker 3: tour that the NBA chose to put every put everybody

582
00:36:32,440 --> 00:36:37,120
Speaker 3: through and was forced us to endure Chicago cold winter,

583
00:36:37,840 --> 00:36:43,040
Speaker 3: Cleveland cold winter, Salk late what was okay? Still cold?

584
00:36:43,120 --> 00:36:46,080
Speaker 3: Still not the best? You know, New York and Toronto

585
00:36:46,280 --> 00:36:49,040
Speaker 3: was in of Toronto Toronto?

586
00:36:49,160 --> 00:36:51,879
Speaker 1: Yeah, those actually, but you're right those both New York

587
00:36:52,120 --> 00:36:55,480
Speaker 1: was I remember the wins were just gusting something crazy.

588
00:36:55,600 --> 00:36:57,160
Speaker 1: Don't remember what year it was, twenty.

589
00:36:57,080 --> 00:36:58,840
Speaker 3: Fifteen maybe, yeah, about fifteen.

590
00:36:59,640 --> 00:37:04,040
Speaker 1: Toronto, know, Toronto was the coldest All Star game I've

591
00:37:04,080 --> 00:37:06,560
Speaker 1: ever been to. But I love Toronto so much that

592
00:37:06,600 --> 00:37:08,600
Speaker 1: I didn't care. I didn't care how cold it was.

593
00:37:08,680 --> 00:37:11,239
Speaker 1: I had. I had a blast at that.

594
00:37:11,960 --> 00:37:15,840
Speaker 3: I didn't go outside, not one time in Toronto. It

595
00:37:15,960 --> 00:37:19,680
Speaker 3: was that cold now it we me Mark Spears. After

596
00:37:19,760 --> 00:37:23,239
Speaker 3: the after the games and the events, we would just

597
00:37:23,320 --> 00:37:26,480
Speaker 3: hang out in the hotel lobby, like twenty of us.

598
00:37:26,880 --> 00:37:30,200
Speaker 3: That's what we did each and every night, and just

599
00:37:30,320 --> 00:37:35,120
Speaker 3: eight and talk. That was it. No, Toronto does not Sorry,

600
00:37:35,160 --> 00:37:36,160
Speaker 3: I'm sorry, Toronto.

601
00:37:36,360 --> 00:37:40,359
Speaker 1: I love that All Star Game, don't Tonto, And I

602
00:37:40,360 --> 00:37:42,600
Speaker 1: hope it and I hope it's snowy. I hope it

603
00:37:42,640 --> 00:37:45,200
Speaker 1: is snowy and cold in Indianapolis in February.

604
00:37:45,520 --> 00:37:48,479
Speaker 3: Oh, we gotta do better. But yes, thankfully A's coming

605
00:37:48,560 --> 00:37:52,160
Speaker 3: back to a warm weather city, San Francisco. Now, hopefully

606
00:37:52,239 --> 00:37:57,080
Speaker 3: San Francisco can clean up his act before next year's

607
00:37:57,160 --> 00:38:00,279
Speaker 3: All Star Game. Because San Francisco is not the San

608
00:38:00,320 --> 00:38:05,239
Speaker 3: Francisco that you grow up visiting. It is not. A

609
00:38:05,360 --> 00:38:07,840
Speaker 3: lot has changed and I don't have to get into it.

610
00:38:08,160 --> 00:38:10,800
Speaker 3: Get into it all. Those who have been there recently

611
00:38:11,120 --> 00:38:13,120
Speaker 3: understand what I'm saying, but they have a lot of

612
00:38:13,160 --> 00:38:17,480
Speaker 3: cleaning up to do. And I'm talking about literally figuratively

613
00:38:18,000 --> 00:38:19,480
Speaker 3: cleaning up that city.

614
00:38:21,239 --> 00:38:23,480
Speaker 1: So says Chris Haynes, I haven't been there in ages.

615
00:38:23,560 --> 00:38:26,160
Speaker 1: I'll take your word for it. I think that is

616
00:38:26,200 --> 00:38:29,880
Speaker 1: going to do it for this edition of This League Uncut.

617
00:38:30,200 --> 00:38:35,200
Speaker 1: Please remember to rate, review and subscribe to the pod

618
00:38:35,880 --> 00:38:38,439
Speaker 1: if you haven't already. Chris and I will be back

619
00:38:39,080 --> 00:38:42,439
Speaker 1: at weeks and most likely going to record. I would

620
00:38:42,480 --> 00:38:46,680
Speaker 1: imagine Thursday night before Friday, so probably before I get

621
00:38:46,719 --> 00:38:50,400
Speaker 1: a chance to see the La Clippers with my own eyes.

622
00:38:50,480 --> 00:38:54,480
Speaker 1: But we'll figure out the exact schedule for the second

623
00:38:54,600 --> 00:39:00,279
Speaker 1: pod as the week unfills everyone. Thanks for listening. We'll

624
00:39:00,320 --> 00:39:01,640
Speaker 1: be back with you very soon.

625
00:39:04,200 --> 00:39:06,439
Speaker 2: And that'll do it for us. See you next time.

626
00:39:08,080 --> 00:39:10,160
Speaker 2: This League uncutage an iHeartRadio production

627
00:39:15,160 --> 00:39:16,880
Speaker 1: Chris Haynes and Mark Stein.